The optimal number of seconds for a home game shot clock (1 Viewer)

[tmham]

Hi All, I do run home games often and I wonder about the number of seconds that would optimize the flow of the game while using a shot clock. I see that most places around me allow 1 minute for every action and then 1 minute add on per time chip. Each player gets approximately 1 time chip per hour in a session.

What do other hosts do in terms of timing for a shot clock? What do you think works best?

 

[doublebooyah85]

Never needed a shot clock at a home game. Most people seem to respect everyone. We have time buttons but no one uses them. The tourney players here would probably have good experience @TKEUofM

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Hi All, I do run home games often and I wonder about the number of seconds that would optimize the flow of the game while using a shot clock. I see that most places around me allow 1 minute for every action and then 1 minute add on per time chip. Each player gets approximately 1 time chip per hour in a session.

What do other hosts do in terms of timing for a shot clock? What do you think works best?

I get that home games run slower and it can be frustrating but this will make it even worse. My advice is to get a dedicated dealer or razz them when they take too long. If theres clearly people who are bad at it, let them know it makes the game slow/worse and you'd prefer if they played faster.

Peer pressure, not clock pressure! Its a friendly home game, nothing optimal about it.

 

[doublebooyah85]

I get that home games run slower and it can be frustrating but this will make it even worse. My advice is to get a dedicated dealer or razz them when they take too long. If theres clearly people who are bad at it, let them know it makes the game slow/worse and you'd prefer if they played faster.

Peer pressure, not clock pressure! Its a friendly home game, nothing optimal about it.

Good point. I think our dealer keeps it moving very well. I actually give him shit bc he doesn’t let the game “breathe” or be natural bc he wants as many hands as possible LOL.

 

[tmham]

Never needed a shot clock at a home game. Most people seem to respect everyone. We have time buttons but no one uses them. The tourney players here would probably have good experience @TKEUofM

Most do respect each other's time, but occasionally we get a few obnoxious ones... mostly those who don't read the room very well. We had to literally make one leave the circle

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Most do respect each other's time, but occasionally we get a few obnoxious ones... mostly those who don't read the room very well. We had to literally make one leave the circle

Awkward, but this is a social skills issue not a poker issue. If they're gonna be a pain in the ass they'll always find ways to.

 

[Trihonda]

Awkward, but this is a social skills issue not a poker issue. If they're gonna be a pain in the ass they'll always find ways to.

Ya, this. I play a lot of poker, from home games to casinos. I dislike shot clocks amd time chips. I get it’s a necessary evil when you have folks like William Kassouf (9 high like a boss) who could tank on purpose to needle people…. But in a home game, I’d be annoyed if there were shot clocks. It’s a home game, and should have a certain “non casino” friendly vibe. the only people that ever slow the game down in games I play are those people who are either on their phone or talking. A simple “action is on you” statement by folks at the table often solves this in the moment, but if you have someone who is a constant violator, then as host I’d have a chat with that person. Be like, “people hate when the game is slowed down, and I’ve had several people who enjoy you coming, but comment that they hate the slow play. I want to be able to keep inviting you, so fix that sh!t please”. Also, if you have a dealer, and the dealer says “action on you” a number of times, and id explain that if you’re not present or youre distracted, the dealer will consider that a check or a pass on your action….

i think solving a problem with a couple people by instituting systems like shot clocks, is like kneading pizza dough with a sledge hammer. let people know they can call clock on folks if need by. If you have someone who is always having clock called, that rates a conversatio.if they’re doing it intentionally, the id 86 that player in a heartbeat. No time for that.

 

[4SUMERZ]

I have 2 30 sec time chips per player, per night. These are seldom used, and most guys will call for time to anyone taking too long.
They just call out 30 seconds and start counting it down. That usually gives the slo player to act.

 

[upNdown]

I’ve never played with a shot clock. But it wouldn’t surprise me if I used more time for routine decisions, as the clock ticked down. At least at first.

 

[Eriks]

I don’t mind people taking some time when facing big decisions. What’s really annoying though is when players take time to contemplate seemingly trivial pre-flop decisions for some kind of ”dramatic effect”. Extra annoying if they’re thinking out loud doing it

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

:30 seconds!

 

[4SUMERZ]

:30 seconds!

That's after they have taken too long to decide before making any notion to play. Taking more than a minute to decide??? 2 cards in the hole, 3-5 on the table...what is so difficult???? lol

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

Action Clock at WPT500 and The Gardens Casino:

 

[4SUMERZ]

Action Clock at WPT500 and The Gardens Casino:

Typically at my home games, most of the players take less than 10 seconds to decide. Its not like on TV, where they only look at the hole cards when its their turn. We all look at our hole cards quickly, long before it's time to act...doesn't take long to decide with 2 cards.

 

[allforcharity]

But...but...tanking is part of the game!

 

[JustinInMN]

Shot clock is probably way more trouble than it's worth in a home game.

 

[BGinGA]

We instituted time chips for tournaments long ago -- prolly in the 2006-2007 era. Worked great -- just their mere presence sped up the events considerably. They seldom got actual use.

Worth 30 seconds each, we distributed one per each hour of estimated tourney length (typically four 30-sec chips per player for a 4 hour event).

Players got 30 seconds to act, then the dealer started clocking their time. But a player's hand was never ruled dead -- if a player used more time than his/her chips would cover, they received a sit-out penalty effective beginning the next hand (3 minutes rail time for every extra 30 seconds used without time chips).

It was the magic elixir for player speed.

 

[louBdub]

My tournament plays with 30 second sand timers.

Each player gets one or two at the start, and can use it to force action. It goes in the pot, winner of the hand gets whatever timers are in the pot. If you end up with no timers, you have no control over time.

It’s actually pretty fun! Strategic use of them makes for a cool bluff or baiting a call.