Seating for two tables at a home game (4 Viewers)

[trigs]

I've asked this question in a thread before but never really got an answer.

For a home cash game that uses random seating, how should I do it with two tables?

Option 1: people who signed up first get main table

Option 2: people who arrive first get main table

Option 3: completely random for everyone

I'm leaning towards option 2 as that means the game can start as soon as there's enough people, but I don't know if I want to reward coming early as I probably don't want people thinking they have to show up even before the start time to get a "good" seat.

(2nd table isn't terrible or anything but main table and chairs are better in general.)

 

[Marc Hedrick]

Tournament -- Random, always. Host gets seat one at main table, though -- Or wherever they prefer.

Cash -- Doesn't matter as much, still prefer a random draw though, if everyone is arriving at the same time. If people are trickling in, start the main table and break when you get to 9-10, randomly pull people from main table.

 

[Freeroll]

Here’s how I do it:

Game starts at 7:00. Everyone here before 7:00 draws a chip numbered 1-20. If fewer than 10 are here at 7:00, we play with one table until more arrive, then the few who drew the highest numbers (I record who drew which number on my clipboard) have to move to the second table with the late arrivals. If we have two tables to start right away, then the six players with the lowest numbers drawn (or more than 6, if needed to balance tables) will stay at main table and the others will be at the second table. As more players arrive, the new players go to the second table and whichever player drew the lowest number before 7:00, or whoever got here the earliest after 7:00 will be moved to the main table.

Also, the main table always gets the extra player when there is an odd number of players (so 7 at main table, and 6 at second table)

 

[Freeroll]

I also have separate seating chips for each table, because when you use the 1-20 chips as seating chips, you end up with seats 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 filled at the main table, with seats 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 empty

 

[UniLover]

3

If no seating chips, just designate a table as a suit and use the cards to draw.

Can also set a time interval to re-shuffle tables, like every 90 minutes everyone takes a break and re-draw.

I only do one table at my games but @embiggens does and his way works well!

 

[BPTDirector]

All my players rsvp at least day before. Seating chips 1 through 10 for each table. Chips are laid out face down. As you pay you draw for your seat. Those not present at shuffle up time get seats drawn for them and are blinded out until arrival. Works well for us.

 

[GrizzKS]

Before the tournament director I would wait until almost all the players were there. I'd use cards from a deck: red cards for one table black cards for another. say A-10 for each table if I'm seating 20. I pull an ace for my spot since I'm near my chip bank and need to get up and down. Then shuffle and each player gets a card. Ace on the other table picks his seat and all others follow off that player. Late arrivals get drawn for but I'm nutty about RSVPs and know exactly who's coming.

 

[joseywales]

Here’s how I do it:

Game starts at 7:00. Everyone here before 7:00 draws a chip numbered 1-20. If fewer than 10 are here at 7:00, we play with one table until more arrive, then the few who drew the highest numbers (I record who drew which number on my clipboard) have to move to the second table with the late arrivals. If we have two tables to start right away, then the six players with the lowest numbers drawn (or more than 6, if needed to balance tables) will stay at main table and the others will be at the second table. As more players arrive, the new players go to the second table and whichever player drew the lowest number before 7:00, or whoever got here the earliest after 7:00 will be moved to the main table.

Also, the main table always gets the extra player when there is an odd number of players (so 7 at main table, and 6 at second table)

Gotta be honest, I don't love this. Granted, it's never an issue at my house, because I run one table, but once I settle in, the last thing I would want to do is move to another table (regardless of table quality). Especially if it's Hold 'em only. Hold 'em, after all, is about odds, not random, like a chip draw. I'd rather do rock/paper/scissors. I arrived before 7:00, because I'm never late, and that should earn me the right to choose.

As a host, the last thing I want is another clipboard (task). If I had a loyal player, who can't make the 7PM start, I would reserve that seat, because he/she has earned it.

 

[Marc Hedrick]

Gotta be honest, I don't love this. Granted, it's never an issue at my house, because I run one table, but once I settle in, the last thing I would want to do is move to another table (regardless of table quality). Especially if it's Hold 'em only. Hold 'em, after all, is about odds, not random, like a chip draw. I'd rather do rock/paper/scissors. I arrived before 7:00, because I'm never late, and that should earn me the right to choose.

As a host, the last thing I want is another clipboard (task). If I had a loyal player, who can't make the 7PM start, I would reserve that seat, because he/she has earned it.

So what if everyone shows up within minutes of each other?

I assume the host doesn't want a line at his door before opening time.....and if done this way, it would be advantageous to arrive somewhere closer to the back half of the pack, so you can select your seat based on who you want on your right/left.

I also don't have any idea how your argument about holdem being 'about odds' applies at all to this debate.

 

[Marc Hedrick]

To add -- I think a random draw should occur before tournament time so everyone knows where they're sitting. And if late arrivals are a huge issue, on time chip bonuses should apply.

 

[divinerites]

I also do random at my cash game. To mix players who plays often with each others.

2 Tables. Black + red
When they pay the initial buyin they draw a card (prepared before) : 1 to 8 for seat and heart or spade for table.

And if I get some late reg I take care when 4/5 payers remains that all 2 tables get almost same number of player.
I make them draw only for the red or only for the black pep depending what table needs to be filled.

We start when 10/12 people have their seat.
The. Late regs draw the remaining cards when they arrive.

 

[joseywales]

So what if everyone shows up within minutes of each other?

I assume the host doesn't want a line at his door before opening time.....and if done this way, it would be advantageous to arrive somewhere closer to the back half of the pack, so you can select your seat based on who you want on your right/left.

I also don't have any idea how your argument about holdem being 'about odds' applies at all to this debate.

I'm saying, its fine to draw numbers if you have more than one table show up. But once seated, why ask other members to move?

You can seat 10 and 12 show up at 7PM. Draw chips to see who sits at the main table, then move on. Why reseat anyone who already has a seat.

 

[CraigT78]

I've asked this question in a thread before but never really got an answer.

For a home cash game that uses random seating, how should I do it with two tables?

Option 1: people who signed up first get main table

Option 2: people who arrive first get main table

Option 3: completely random for everyone

I'm leaning towards option 2 as that means the game can start as soon as there's enough people, but I don't know if I want to reward coming early as I probably don't want people thinking they have to show up even before the start time to get a "good" seat.

(2nd table isn't terrible or anything but main table and chairs are better in general.)

I put my sign up out for 6 players at table #1 with the start time. If you can't make the start time, you get bumped to table #2. Table two usually makes a few hours after starting and the last two people to arrive at table #1 move to #2 and then have the first option to return as others arrive.

 

[TheWhat]

We ran two tables for the first time yesterday.

Pulled out A through 8 of Clubs, and A through 8 of Diamonds from an extra deck. Everyone drew random, and grabbed the appropriate seat. Clubs to the Main table, Diamonds to the Secondary. We did the same for seat changes, at scheduled times throughout the evening.

Quick and painless.

 

[StreetRaging]

New here! I’d go with random, keeps it fair.
Easiest way is just to pull cards for seats.

 

[SetToBean]

Gotta be honest, I don't love this. Granted, it's never an issue at my house, because I run one table, but once I settle in, the last thing I would want to do is move to another table (regardless of table quality). Especially if it's Hold 'em only. Hold 'em, after all, is about odds, not random, like a chip draw. I'd rather do rock/paper/scissors. I arrived before 7:00, because I'm never late, and that should earn me the right to choose.

As a host, the last thing I want is another clipboard (task). If I had a loyal player, who can't make the 7PM start, I would reserve that seat, because he/she has earned it.

Depends on the hosting arrangement. My setup is one proper poker table, and one tabletop mat on a folding table, because the demand for seats has outstripped my ability to purchase more tables at the moment. I deal on one, and there's always been a friend who's been happy to be dedicated dealer for the second table, but they're not a poker host or regular dealer. I also only have one Shuffletech, which goes to the table I'm not on, so the experiences on either table obviously vary in their strengths and weaknesses to try and equalise things.

In that kind of setup I'd rather than everyone out of a relatively large playerbase gets a decent chance at experiencing all the various nice things throughout the course of a poker session. As such, I'm tending towards introducing random seat allocation, and a seat redraw after the dinner break.

 

[Old State]

Interesting. I’ve thought about doing this as I always sit at my home game in the center spot and just let people fill in when they get there. The best player in our group - my friend since high school and college roommate…and the guy who introduced me to poker way back …always sits to my left. A couple months ago I said to him that I noticed he always sat to my left and that I wasn’t allowing it anymore. I told him to sit directly across from me. He laughed, and did what I asked.