Overall Best Home Game Blinds for Cash Games? (1 Viewer)

Best All-round Home Game blind stakes?

  • $0.05/$0.10

    Votes: 3 2.4%
  • $0.10/$0.20

    Votes: 3 2.4%
  • $0.10/$0.25

    Votes: 4 3.2%
  • $0.25/$0.25

    Votes: 22 17.5%
  • $0.25/$0.50

    Votes: 69 54.8%
  • $0.50/$1.00

    Votes: 7 5.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 18 14.3%

  • Total voters
    126

AnteAndy

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There are several threads regarding people's preferred blinds and stakes. However some can only play certain ones because of their players or financial situation. Thought creating a poll would be a great way to see the general consensus on this topic.

What do you believe to be the best blind stakes for a home game overall? Not what you personally want but all based around:

-Personal experience or general thoughts.
-On your players thoughts, comfort level, &/or preference.
-Good middle ground between fun and serious play.
-Kepping players interested in coming back.

For me, $0.25/$0.25 seems great for people either recreational or serious. When having multi-table, it's good for making decent profit, but not losing too much, even when rebuying, to make a difference in the person's life. Moved my friends up I host with to this from $0.05/$0.10 and $0.10/$0.20, and while most of them don't rebuy often ($10-$30 max buy in) they really enjoyed these blinds, especially only using three denominations and good sized pots to make the game more intense but fun at the same time. They've gotten to be better players from this as well.

My goal is to have a $0.25/$0.50 ($20-$60 max buy in) game, but doubt that'll happen with my friends any time soon unless it's once in a good while for a special occasion.


Feel free to leave your thoughts, along with the max buy in ranges for your choice.
 
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We play 25c/25c at my game.

I think the ideal stakes are 25c/50c. My game basically plays like that anyway. Depends on who is playing but we certainly have no issues getting money into pots even at 25c blind levels.
 
This is a very game/player dependent question.

My game has played .50/1 and .25/.50.

Buy-ins can go two ways - my game starts lower and people reload for bigger as stacks get deeper - we generally start everyone at a standardized 80BB, and then rebuys/top offs of half the big stack from there.
 
Probably an unpopular opinion but....

Anything lower than $1/2 and my attention / effort isn't there.

100BB is my preferred ceiling for buy ins, don't mind lower. I like action games, and I want the blinds to be worth stealing.
The games I host are $1/2, $80-200, usually with several rounds of mandatory straddles
 
Probably an unpopular opinion but....

Anything lower than $1/2 and my attention / effort isn't there.

100BB is my preferred ceiling for buy ins, don't mind lower. I like action games, and I want the blinds to be worth stealing.
The games I host are $1/2, $80-200, usually with several rounds of mandatory straddles

This is coming from my viewpoint as a host.

I think the stakes you play at are largely going to be dictated by what you are comfortable losing in a session, and what your players are comfortable losing (even more important).

The type of games you are playing and the comfort level of those games also makes a huge difference. I am much more comfortable playing 1/2 hold'em, and much less comfortable playing 1/2 mixed games. We typically play a lot of mixed/circus games at the cash table at my place, and so 25c/25c is a good level to still get some meaningful cash on the table (we regularly have $500+ on the table and have had nights where we far exceed that amount) - but not to go above and beyond the comfort level of the players.

In my experience if you regularly make your players uncomfortable with the stakes or the choice of games played, your game is not going to be sustainable. Personally I would rather play for smaller stakes with a good solid group. If I want to play for larger stakes against randoms there are plenty of card rooms to do so.
 
Just had a similar conversation yesterday with one of our poker crew.

.25/.50 for our game. Buy-ins range from $20-$60. We don’t set a minimum as everyone has a different level of comfort for what they are willing to risk. But setting a max keeps it from getting out of hand as some guys are willing to risk more.

Overall, the game is cheap enough to make it friendly and social, but high enough to keep folks honest and not just call everything down. For our crew, a lower limit would just turn into a game of bingo.
 
This is coming from my viewpoint as a host.

I think the stakes you play at are largely going to be dictated by what you are comfortable losing in a session, and what your players are comfortable losing (even more important).

The type of games you are playing and the comfort level of those games also makes a huge difference. I am much more comfortable playing 1/2 hold'em, and much less comfortable playing 1/2 mixed games. We typically play a lot of mixed/circus games at the cash table at my place, and so 25c/25c is a good level to still get some meaningful cash on the table (we regularly have $500+ on the table and have had nights where we far exceed that amount) - but not to go above and beyond the comfort level of the players.

In my experience if you regularly make your players uncomfortable with the stakes or the choice of games played, your game is not going to be sustainable. Personally I would rather play for smaller stakes with a good solid group. If I want to play for larger stakes against randoms there are plenty of card rooms to do so.

Agreed. Aside from one or two players my games are mostly recreational players with disposable income. There’s a good amount of drinking and shenanigans going on. Players have lost $1000+ in a night and are ready to go come next game. Fortunately everyone is a good loser, there’s about 20 regulars and the game has gone on without issue.

Unfortunately, we only play hold em since most of the guys can’t be bothered to learn new games. The games are always juicy with side bets and games going on. $20 red black, etc.

To put it in perspective, first time I went to my buddy’s game there was $5K on the table in dice chips....
 
As long as the buy-in can be $100 (hopefully more) then the game is playable. It is enough money where winning can actually buy something decent and is worth the time to play for the sake of actual poker and not just as something to do while hanging out with friends.

So it doesn’t matter if the blinds are 25/50c, 50/50c, 50c/$1, or $1/1. The min/max buy-in matter much more.

I would hate a $1/2 game with an $80 max.

I’d be fine playing in a $1/1 $200 max mixed game all the time! It’s fun, the winner will make some decent money and unless the loser is a complete fish they shouldn’t lose their mortgage payment (too often).
 
From my experience, a possibly functional compromise, bringing together players from both lower and higher stakes (especially useful where there is a shortage of players) is .50/.50 with a standard 50E buy-in (or 30 to 60), and rebuys to half the big stack.
As with all hybrid concepts and compromises, it can't do both things really well (ie preventing repeated family pots where every clueless person gets to see a flop, while keeping losses contained for the weak).
Forgot to mention that my brain can't handle anything .25 or .75:LOL: :laugh:
 
In my experience if you regularly make your players uncomfortable with the stakes or the choice of games played, your game is not going to be sustainable. Personally I would rather play for smaller stakes with a good solid group. If I want to play for larger stakes against randoms there are plenty of card rooms to do so.

I totally agree. The most important thing IMO is sustainability. I would feel horrible if some of my friends stopped coming simply because they couldn't afford it. Also no one wants to be the guy to ask to play lower stakes...most people have too big of an ego to verbalize that.

I am an advocate for playing small stakes but if your crowd can afford it then by all means play big. I also think playing deep is interesting and changes the game considerably.
 
I'm comfortable playing 0.25/0.25 or 0.25/0.50 with 100BB max buy ins. I could donk away the first and second rebuys and not bat an eye in terms of my bankroll.

That being said, most of my regular crew isn't comfortable with losing more than $20 in a night, so 0.10/0.20 it is with $10 min/$20 max initial buy in with $50 max buy in/night when I host. I accommodate my players when I host.
 
I like 0.25/0.50 because it is low enough to get players to sit down, and then I can effectively make it play more like a 0.50/1.00 or even 1/2 by getting everyone to straddle, double straddle, quadruple straddle, etc. Ask @Jeevansluck or @Frank, I definitely can get the action going!

I don't worry too much as I know the players can afford it and have lost my share on bad nights (you have to give action to get action).
 
So it doesn’t matter if the blinds are 25/50c, 50/50c, 50c/$1, or $1/1. The min/max buy-in matter much more.

I would hate a $1/2 game with an $80 max.

Alright not to pick on you personally because this is a common sentiment I see on the forum.

Would you rather play against the best players in the world for your life 200+BB deep or 40BB deep?

The edge of better players is diminished the shallower you play, so as far as home game sustainability goes the higher variance is good for longevity.

Also, playing in a game full of nits 200BB at 25/50c is painful. $5/6 raises at 25/50c are an easy fold for tight players in the BB. At $1/2 you have to defend more frequently or you’re exploitable
 
Alright not to pick on you personally because this is a common sentiment I see on the forum.

Would you rather play against the best players in the world for your life 200+BB deep or 40BB deep?

The edge of better players is diminished the shallower you play, so as far as home game sustainability goes the higher variance is good for longevity.

Also, playing in a game full of nits 200BB at 25/50c is painful. $5/6 raises at 25/50c are an easy fold for tight players in the BB. At $1/2 you have to defend more frequently or you’re exploitable

Home games are almost never filled with a bunch of nits or Pros. It is us usually a wide range of players and skill sets. Lower blinds attract casual players and nits that can fold for cheap while deeper stacks attract action and better players. As was mentioned, there is always compromise in a home game to make sure there are enough players to keep the game sustainable.
 
It isn’t legal to gamble in my state, but if it were, we would play 1/2 at my house. Straight NLHE with initial buy ins from $100 to $200. The later it gets, the more drunk and and stuck players buy in. Up to $5k on the table by the end of the night. Nearby, a friend has a weekly 2/5 game that starts with over $5k on the table and goes from there.....or would if it were legal. I just assumed most people played at least 1/2. Not a bunch of wealthy folks around, but a bunch of self employed and retired degenerates that like the thrill of some real risk.
 
Skillful poker, or serious poker for me is playing 30 tournaments online over the weekend. Or going to the casino to grind cash for 5-6 hours. Home games I want everyone to have a chance to win and have a good time.

I’m fortunate to have a fairly homogeneous group of players that like to drink and gamble like degenerates. The worst players have left big winners and I’m happy for that. I’ve literally played in games we’re the same guy loses 4-5 sessions in a row and never returns
 
For home games, where its not meant to get violent because you’re all friends, I actually like shallow stack play. I frequent a 2/5 game with $100 buyins. The game also lets you go south between hands to net off any rebuys and minimize variance if you want to keep yourself from getting stuck too bad. It’s interesting
 
I really envy you guys that can play micro stakes...but I just can’t pay attention to anything under $1/$2.
Our 1/2 plays more like $2/$5...it’s not uncommon to have $15 button straddles. I’d say it’s average to have $3-$5k on the table most sessions. We’ve had the same group for over 15 years.
 
Grateful for the feedback, but most comments seem to show more preferance to their home game blinds/stakes and not a general objectification of what they believe most people would want, if you put all above factors into play. There's is a thread of people's own home games that they throw, but here I wanted to see on overall consensus on the one everyone can agree on.

Of course your desired choice is important as a factor, but I wanted to see each person's overall choice of blinds/stakes where if you put together people of all different backgrounds of poker, put them together and agree on the one blind/stake level they're willing to play with anyone, new or experienced, and can be both fun and serious for all said people.
 
but here I wanted to see on overall consensus on the one everyone can agree on.

I am not sure you are going to find what you’re looking for. Serious and fun money can be orders of magnitude different for people in this forum even.

Sounds like you have found a good blind level for you and your friends.

Personally, the best stakes for me are whatever makes the table care about winning, and where I won’t feel bad taking all of my friend’s chips. I am definitely an outlier on the forum, but I prefer micro stakes (0.10/0.10).
 

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