Cash Game Rebuy/Reload Preference (1 Viewer)

[detroitdad]

In a standard game (I'll just use mine as an example) we play .25/.50 with a 100 max buy in. Sometimes we do 60 max. Usually its 100 max. This doesn't really matter.

What is your reload/rebuy preferences. I've played with guys that think whatever the max buy is, that should be the max rebuy/reload no matter what. At 100 max its not so bad. At 60 it can be. I've seen guys take a 60.00 buy in up to 400.

My games are 100 max with rebuys at 100 or 50% of the deep stack. I'm leaning towards changing it to 75% of the deep stack.

B

 

[derekdd23]

If people are buying in enough times that this is an issue I would think raising the initial buyin to $200 would alleviate some of these issues. Then all rebuys are $200 which is plenty in a .25/.50 game and removes all math. The .50/1 game I play in once a month has no cap which has never been an issue.

 

[slisk250]

I'm OK with whatever, but the small game we play has 100 buy in and that is it regardless of stack size. Some argue in the game that you have to earn the stack not buy it so like the 100 cap. Others want the chance to buy a big stack to have a better chip advantage to regain losses. I can see both sides.

 

[Forty4]

Also the new casino around here does buy-in up to the deepest stack at the table.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Cash game?

I prefer not to put any cap on it, at all... but I don't happen to have the kind of players where it's an issue.

Also, I never impose a strict buy-in. My crew have different preferences, and giving them freedom works itself out wonderfully. First buy-in ranges from 80 BB to 200 BB, but the only absolute minimum is 40 BB.

If I do impose a cap, it won't be a percentage of the big stack... that can allow the game to grow too much, to the point where it radically changes the game for the regulars. Two people with deep pockets and a particular mindset can keep reaching into their pockets and completely change the table.

Rather, I'd say something like, "Max Buy-In at the open is 300 BB. Later, it's 300 BB or Big Stack, whichever is greater, with a Cap of 600 BB." Or something like that.

The cap helps protect the nature of the game, but the freedom below that allows people to make their own choices.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Thinking back, the biggest single rebuys I've hosted were 400 BB.

 

[Shaggy]

I used to allow rebuys up to the largest stack. One seasoned player who is typically more aggressive than most of the others in this game would stack off and rebuy up to the largest stack a few times a night. He often left ahead. I have no issue with this activity. Some of my regulars shared that they did not like this situation and the environment it brought. For the sake of the game, I changed the rebuy policy to up to a max of $200.

This is a 25c/50c game with a typical buy-in of $100.

Prior to the change, the player mentioned above might stack off for $200, rebuy for $400. Maybe nearly stackoff again and rebuy for $600. This was too aggressive for most of the regulars. They don't adjust well to the "bullying."

 

[churlbut18]

I know a lot of folks set the rebuy equal to the maximum buy in OR half of the big stack, whichever is more. Some like this and some don't because the game can start to grow larger than intended.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Our players prefer to have a cap. We used to have games that allowed up to the big stack but had 1 guy that would show up very late in the night and buy in for whatever the big stack was (usually $800+). The big stacks hated it because they felt they worked all night to build it up only to have someone sit down with the ability to bust them.

My way to not have to worry about it is to have a bigger max buy in. For a $0.25/.50 game I have never had to use a hard cap, but if asked it is $200. Most people buy in for $100.

I use $200 max as well for $.50/1.00 as it plays pretty much the same.

Our $1/1 and $1/2 has a $300 max, but late in the night if the table agrees (and they always do for the fish) players can rebuy for $500.

 

[ChipTalker]

I run my 1/2 game the same as most casinos (at least that I have been at) the only exception is I do $100-$300 to start whereas the casino usually has $60 min. I make exceptions and let people buy in for less than $100 if they have been playing a while and busted but you can't buy in for less than $100 initially.

 

[Payback]

I used to do just the initial buy in, but allowing for 50% of the biggest stack hasn't changed the game all that drastically so now I've been going that route.

 

[detroitdad]

I used to do just the initial buy in, but allowing for 50% of the biggest stack hasn't changed the game all that drastically so now I've been going that route.

Same here. Only a few of us degenerates take advantage of it anyways. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Kind of depends on who has all the money

 

[Trihonda]

In a $.25/.50 NLHE game, $100 is 200bbs. Plenty of chips.

My typical game starts off with a $60 max, and after a few rebuys, I allow rebuys to $80, then up to $100 as the game progresses. My games still have quite a bit of money on the table. Now, the rebuy amounts vary depending on the event.

For the MTTD, I stick to a steady $100 max. I had some argue to allow rebuys to half the big stack, etc.. These people are the ones who love to buy their big stacks..,, and if I allowed this rebuy rule, we'd quickly have $20,000 in play. And that might seem like I'm throwing out rediculously numbers, but when you have three cash tables going, and it's a 16 hour session, it can get redonkulous pretty easily... It's my house, and I'm not trying to host a game with $20,000 in play...

When you have a bunch of monster stacks, the game plays very differently. It ceases to look like a quarters game, and more like a 1/2 game +.

 

[Joe Harris]

The games I host (>95% cash) typically have a minimum buy-in and no cap. The min is usually 50-100BB depending on game factors such as the blind size, who's playing, and so on. This hasn't ever been a problem in the way y'all are describing. I suppose my players have tended to be less prone to that sort of meta-game aggression.

 

[RiverAce01]

Until Sunday night, every game I hosted was tournament style. 20 mins levels. $10 or $20 buy in. Rebuy for $5. Sunday we did cash 10c/20c min $5 buy in and rebuy. Rebuy was chip value of what you put in.

For tournaments, we have done the starting stack for a rebuy. And sometimes, we've done half the starting stack for a rebuy, but based on a post I saw on this board, that apparently is a bad way to do it? Some guys have made it work. Some guys have busted and do a 2nd rebuy. Then at some point, after say Level 6 or 7 (usually 2 or 2 1/2 hours in) there are no more rebuys.

Is it not right to do half the starting stack? I'd be curious to get opinions. This used to be due to lack of chips, but now that I have enough, we haven't done it that way recently.

Never thought of the "50% of biggest stack." May have to give that a try

 

[links_slayer]

I set a max buy in that applies to initial buyin and reloads/top offs. Most don't buy in for the max but some reload for the max.

 

[pltrgyst]

If I do impose a cap, it won't be a percentage of the big stack... that can allow the game to grow too much, to the point where it radically changes the game for the regulars....

One way it may change the game is that it may drive out some of your less affluent players, who feel they have to continually top up in order to be competitive as people rebuy for a percentage of the big stack. You might kill your own game...

 

[jbutler]

No cap if playing with good group. If sensitive or casual player group, 50% big stack.

 

[CraigT78]

I cap the initial buy in only. Once felted you can reload for whatever. Haven't had anyone go crazy yet.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Until Sunday night, every game I hosted was tournament style. 20 mins levels. $10 or $20 buy in. Rebuy for $5. Sunday we did cash 10c/20c min $5 buy in and rebuy. Rebuy was chip value of what you put in.

It wasn't explicit in the OP, but this is a cash game topic. And in cash, all buys are at chip value. (It's also why cash chips and casino chips are called checks - you can always cash them in.)

For tournaments, we have done the starting stack for a rebuy... [clip]...
Is it not right to do half the starting stack? I'd be curious to get opinions. This used to be due to lack of chips, but now that I have enough, we haven't done it that way recently.

Never thought of the "50% of biggest stack." May have to give that a try

If you're talking about doing it in a tournament, no. I would NOT recommend that.

 

[detroitdad]

It wasn't explicit in the OP, but this is a cash game topic. And in cash, all buys are at chip value. (It's also why cash chips and casino chips are called checks - you can always cash them in.)



If you're talking about doing it in a tournament, no. I would NOT recommend that.

The title of the thread is under cash games

 

[Ronoh]

I cap the initial buy in only. Once felted you can reload for whatever. Haven't had anyone go crazy yet.

But one does not have to go bust to reload.

For example $100max buyin. First hand Player A busts Player 2 and P2 reloads for $200. Next hand P2 busts P3 so he has $300. P1 is free to reload an extra $100 (or more), yeah? If that's the case I'm not sure why the initial buyin is limited.

 

[Mental Nomad]

The title of the thread is under cash games

It's explicit in the tag, but not explicit within the OP.

My point was that someone might have missed it - I was not accusing you of miscategorizing!

 

[detroitdad]

It's explicit in the tag, but not explicit within the OP.

My point was that someone might have missed it - I was not accusing you of miscategorizing!

I know you weren't. I figured if it was tagged in the subject line that would be good enough.

 

[CraigT78]

But one does not have to go bust to reload.

For example $100max buyin. First hand Player A busts Player 2 and P2 reloads for $200. Next hand P2 busts P3 so he has $300. P1 is free to reload an extra $100 (or more), yeah? If that's the case I'm not sure why the initial buyin is limited.

Yes - no need to be felted to reload.

I don't know why we cap initial buy-in either - maybe it's psychological - if I advertised an un-capped buy-in I would be less likely to get the guys to come out and play. Even though after dropping the first $100 a $200 reload is not uncommon.

 

[Jambine]

i don't see any reason for a cap in a cash game.
.......feel free to give me all you got

 

[Mental Nomad]

if I advertised an un-capped buy-in I would be less likely to get the guys to come out

FWIW, I don't advertise whether it's capped or not. I just note the typical buy-in range - ex., "typical buy-ins 80bb to 200bb," translated to the stakes. That seems to satisfy everyone's questions, and caps don't come up (with my crews.)

 

[Rhodeman77]

i don't see any reason for a cap in a cash game.
.......feel free to give me all you got

The main purpose of a cap is to keep most of the players on an even playing field. Same reason there is a minimum buy in.

If 8 players have $3k and one guy has $200 it is bad for the game. The short stack can go all in and will protection from the other players as the money left behind is more important than the $200.

Caps also serve a mental purpose. If a casual player is thinking about playing and sees a 2$/5 game with a max of $1,000 or a $2/5 uncapped game, the casual player is more likely to go to the capped game knowing what to expect the stacks will be like.

It is the same reason we often play $1/1 instead of $1/2. Even though the max buy in is $300 the casual player think it is only a $1 BB blind game.

 

[detroitdad]

It is the same reason we often play $1/1 instead of $1/2. Even though the max buy in is $300 the casual player think it is only a $1 BB blind game

yep. We play .25/.50 with a 100 max buy in. The game plays like a .50/1, or even 1/2 sometimes. Yet if I raise the blinds and/or the buy in I always get some negative feedback from one or two players.

 

[Payback]

yep. We play .25/.50 with a 100 max buy in. The game plays like a .50/1, or even 1/2 sometimes. Yet if I raise the blinds and/or the buy in I always get some negative feedback from one or two players.

We play $0.25/$0.50, but with a mandatory $1 bring in on pot limit games (which are played at a 10-1 ratio over NL). Plays like a $1/$1 game, but never run it that way as it scares off some players