Cash Game Seating at Cash game? (3 Viewers)

[MrCatPants]

So normally I've always run my cash game as "pick whatever seat you want" - we'll usually pre-game a bit on the patio and then wander inside at the start time. That said, I'm always dealing so always sit at the center on the chip drawer side of my table.

In the most recent few games I've noticed the strongest player at my game has started always sitting directly to my left. I called him on it with a smile last game as he sat down, and he said "wouldn't you sit on your left?" This is going to be an every game thing going forward and, selfishly, not the most ideal for me to be playing into our number one guy every single cash game.

Accordingly, was thinking about drawing for seats instead. Mark the poll above whether or not you draw for seats in your cash games, and curious on any color you can provide in the comments below.

 

[SteveEH]

Not selfish, fair.

I draw for seats because it's a friendly game that I want to sustain. One of my friends is cut throat and would prefer position on me or the biggest fish. Don't want to run the biggest fish out of the game if it gets too tough for him/stop inviting cut throat if it gets too tough for me.

 

[detroitdad]

I draw for seats for my cash game. I draw first, sit in the middle of the table, then everyone else draws.

 

[Rieguy]

Not with my main group since we didn't really care due to laziness and uneven times that people would show up, but started doing it a couple games ago just to change things up a bit. That, and anything to get the nearly blind guy who is in denial to stop insisting he sits at the end/head of the table.

 

[grebe]

I draw for seats for my cash game. I draw first, sit in the middle of the table, then everyone else draws.

This is the way.

I am good with whatever host decides, but in the name of fairness, random is better.

 

[MrCatPants]

I draw for seats for my cash game. I draw first, sit in the middle of the table, then everyone else draws.

That's how I've done my tourneys and agree it works well.

 

[LeLe]

We always draw seat for everyone for Cash Game since the start, it fair game to all.

It just a practise we pick up from other Home Game that we attended

 

[Rhodeman77]

I used to let players pick their seat and noticed the table always filled up to my left and the last seat always filled was the one to my immediate right.

Now we draw seats. I am always the middle seat though. I’ve had no complaints about it and players realize it is the most fair way to do it.

 

[TheDuke]

I draw for seats for my cash game. I draw first, sit in the middle of the table, then everyone else draws.

It's been forever since I hosted, but this is exactly how I did it for my game (as I dealt for the entire game).

As OP noted, I had people who would always sit to my left and it was a bit annoying.

 

[detroitdad]

It's been forever since I hosted, but this is exactly how I did it for my game (as I dealt for the entire game).

As OP noted, I had people who would always sit to my left and it was a bit annoying.

We mostly play split pot games. I primarily sit in the middle to manage the chopped pots.

 

[Josh Kifer]

So normally I've always run my cash game as "pick whatever seat you want" - we'll usually pre-game a bit on the patio and then wander inside at the start time. That said, I'm always dealing so always sit at the center on the chip drawer side of my table.

In the most recent few games I've noticed the strongest player at my game has started always sitting directly to my left. I called him on it with a smile last game as he sat down, and he said "wouldn't you sit on your left?" This is going to be an every game thing going forward and, selfishly, not the most ideal for me to be playing into our number one guy every single cash game.

Accordingly, was thinking about drawing for seats instead. Mark the poll above whether or not you draw for seats in your cash games, and curious on any color you can provide in the comments below.

Cash - first come first serve.
Tourney - random draw.

If someone attempts to keep sitting on my left for an advantage, I'll make random draws across the board, as my seat (the dealer) stays in the same position. But as long as there is no implied Bias, cash is wherever you sit.

 

[MrCatPants]

We mostly play split pot games. I primarily sit in the middle to manage the chopped pots.

This is important to keep the game moving. It speeds the game up notably for me to have someone across from me who knows how to manage chops, quarters, sidepots, etc. Only like 2-3 of my players 'help' in that seat - wish I could designate it on circus nights to be one of them.

 

[MrCatPants]

Cash - first come first serve.
Tourney - random draw.

If someone attempts to keep sitting on my left for an advantage, I'll make random draws across the board, as my seat (the dealer) stays in the same position. But as long as there is no implied Bias, cash is wherever you sit.

So sounds like in my situation you'd start drawing for seats then?

 

[Josh Kifer]

So sounds like in my situation you'd start drawing for seats then?

Yup. We used to do "first come, first serve" for tourneys, but the fish at the table would sit on my right constantly. Literally every game for a year. Finally I had to make it a random draw to keep the table fresh.

 

[detroitdad]

Cash - first come first serve.
Tourney - random draw.

If someone attempts to keep sitting on my left for an advantage, I'll make random draws across the board, as my seat (the dealer) stays in the same position. But as long as there is no implied Bias, cash is wherever you sit.

I'm also fine with that. A couple of the Michigan hosts draw for seats. A few don't. Doesn't matter. I'll adapt to whatever the house rules are.

 

[Nuhockey]

For the Tournaments when I hosted I always drew for seats, but for cash games I never drew. My cash games were not regular enough. The cash games I went to we also never drew for seats either.

@ABC Gifts and Awards make a great generic Seating Chip set to go with any set at $10. Dealer button would add $4.75. They have 5 colors.

https://abcgiftsandawards.com/poker-tournament-seating-set/

 

[Highli99]

I used to let players pick their seat and noticed the table always filled up to my left and the last seat always filled was the one to my immediate right.

The same thing happens in my pokerrrr group. I don’t care at all and frankly enjoy the challenge. Seat selection is a reward for getting to the game early. My experience is the strongest players don’t actually try and position each other rather they space out to minimize blind versus blind battles.

 

[CraigT78]

My regular cash game usually seats with comfort taking priority. When the first player arrives, they usually sit across from me, then the next two take the 3 and 6 o'clock spots - and the rest fill in from there. I haven't noticed if anyone tries to grab a particular spot.

People will point out they are to the right or left of someone, but that's the seat that was open when they arrived.

 

[Jake14mw]

For those that draw, how do you seat more people as they show up?

 

[detroitdad]

For those that draw, how do you seat more people as they show up?

Are they unexpected arrivals? We had 9 players on FRI. I placed 9 seating chips on the table. 3 players were late so I just drew for them after everyone was seated.

 

[Eloe2000]

For those that draw, how do you seat more people as they show up?

We draw for all games cash and tournament.

We use seating chips. So people draw chips as they arrive. I keep the remaining seating chips by me and people pick a chip when they buy in as they arrive.

 

[LeLe]

For those that draw, how do you seat more people as they show up?

I use the number from the card that shown first from the current hand,

example seat 3 6 7 is empty, flop come K69 the person will get seat 6

If nope of the 3 6 7 show up I just keep Sim running the hand till 3 6 or 7 shown up

 

[cpac54]

I draw for seats for my cash game. I draw first, sit in the middle of the table, then everyone else draws.

Great solution, I need to start doing that! Always annoying as the host getting stuck in the corner and having to get up all the time for the bank, drinks, food etc. Not sure why I never thought of that before!

And to answer the OP: we always draw for seats at the beginning of every session.

 

[pltrgyst]

I always sat in the same position since I always dealt, with seat one to my right. All others drew seats as they arrived, using numbered peas from a pill bottle.

 

[surfik]

I do not but that is a good idea....

 

[cpac54]

For those that draw, how do you seat more people as they show up?

I know who is showing up in advance, so when we draw seats, anyone not already present gets their seat drawn for them and that’s where they sit when they show up.

 

[Darson]

I think Mo sits there because the AC blows colder on the other end of the table. I remember when he used to sit on the other end and would grumble about the cold.

Having position on the maniac is definitely an advantage.

And I end up with you having position on me all the time - so I guess that makes me the table fish!

 

[LotsOfChips]

In the most recent few games I've noticed the strongest player at my game has started always sitting directly to my left. I called him on it with a smile last game as he sat down, and he said "wouldn't you sit on your left?"

Don’t give yourself a seat until he takes his, then immediately sit on his left. Problem solved.

 

[MrCatPants]

Don’t give yourself a seat until he takes his, then immediately sit on his left. Problem solved.

In the first part of my post I shared that I always sit in the dealer position, in front of the chip drawer (and bank). So not possible to do it this way unfortunately.

 

[MrCatPants]

I think Mo sits there because the AC blows colder on the other end of the table. I remember when he used to sit on the other end and would grumble about the cold.

Having position on the maniac is definitely an advantage.

And I end up with you having position on me all the time - so I guess that makes me the table fish!

Am I the maniac? I'm getting called a horrible nit in other strategy threads.