What is the buy-in to your $1/$1 game? (1 Viewer)

[Mojo1312]

Title says it all.

 

[bentax1978]

Back when I hosted a weekly $1/1, I didn't have an explicit cap on the buy-in. Most people bought in for between $100 and $300. Rebuys generally staying in that range as well, though once in a while someone would rebuy for more.

 

[links_slayer]

$100-$300

 

[krafticus]

Last time I hosted one, it was a $200 cap, and on all rebuys. I haven't hosted one in a while, but it would be $200, with rebuys = 1/2 the biggest stack rounded down to the nearest $20.

Mark

 

[johnjohn]

100-200

 

[detroitdad]

150 max

 

[manamongkids]

$500 cap, our game usually has 7/10 players straddling make the effective stacks halved and it playing more like a 3 blind game 1/1/2, often double straddles and so on

 

[upNdown]

I don’t host one, but I’ve played those stakes, and if I did host one, I’d probably say $80-$200. Maybe even $60-$240. But I’d pay attention to what my players wanted and if/how it affected the game.

 

[ChaosRock]

If capped at all, I would cap it at $200. $100 min.

 

[Rhodeman77]

$300 max buy-in and rebuys for a $1/1 game.

 

[upNdown]

Hopefully this isn’t a thread jack, but I’m always surprised at the general concensus here for minimum buy-ins. Admittedly, I’d prefer to buy into a big bet cash game with at least 150bb. But I’m also happy to accommodate different people’s styles, comfort levels and budgets.
The casinos and card rooms I’ve played in have NLHE minimums of 25 or 30 big blinds. I think that’s a little low. But if somebody wants to buy in for 50, 60, or 80 big blinds, I wouldn’t stop them.

 

[detroitdad]

Hopefully this isn’t a thread jack, but I’m always surprised at the general concensus here for minimum buy-ins. Admittedly, I’d prefer to buy into a big bet cash game with at least 150bb. But I’m also happy to accommodate different people’s styles, comfort levels and budgets.
The casinos and card rooms I’ve played in have NLHE minimums of 25 or 30 big blinds. I think that’s a little low. But if somebody wants to buy in for 50, 60, or 80 big blinds, I wouldn’t stop them.

I agree. I have one or two guys that like to buy in for a touch less than the max. I don't care. I guess if I had a guy wanting to buy in for 20 bucks or something like that I would probably create a min buy in amount. So far we haven't had that issue.

 

[krafticus]

Hopefully this isn’t a thread jack, but I’m always surprised at the general concensus here for minimum buy-ins. Admittedly, I’d prefer to buy into a big bet cash game with at least 150bb. But I’m also happy to accommodate different people’s styles, comfort levels and budgets.
The casinos and card rooms I’ve played in have NLHE minimums of 25 or 30 big blinds. I think that’s a little low. But if somebody wants to buy in for 50, 60, or 80 big blinds, I wouldn’t stop them.

I used to "say" I had a min buy-in, but in all honesty, if someone wants to plop $11 down because that is all they have, I will let them play. I will not dissuade them from shoving, folding for an hour, or whatever. Home games are supposed to be fun, and somewhat social, so let them play. Hey, you never know. Shove $11 with garbage, get 4 callers.. and quadruple up. so the same thing next hand, and double/triple up. If someone buys in for $11 and walks away with $50, hey, that is a win no matter what.

 

[ChaosRock]

Hopefully this isn’t a thread jack, but I’m always surprised at the general concensus here for minimum buy-ins. Admittedly, I’d prefer to buy into a big bet cash game with at least 150bb. But I’m also happy to accommodate different people’s styles, comfort levels and budgets.
The casinos and card rooms I’ve played in have NLHE minimums of 25 or 30 big blinds. I think that’s a little low. But if somebody wants to buy in for 50, 60, or 80 big blinds, I wouldn’t stop them.

And I'm surprised at you being surprised!

Casino and Home games are two different animals. In a casino, players rotate in and out of the game pretty quickly. Not in a home game.

Seats are usually at a premium for home games and I wouldn't want to fill a seat with someone buying-in for $20. If the minimum is stated, there is no misunderstanding. I do however allow a less than minimum buy-in if it's the last bullet of a player. That is also part of the rules.

 

[kmccormick100]

$200-800 we play a monthly "deepstack" game, it's fun and good practice to sit with more than 100bb sometimes

 

[bentax1978]

$200-800 we play a monthly "deepstack" game, it's fun and good practice to sit with more than 100bb sometimes

I generally prefer to play with deep stacks. The average stack at our game was typically around $500 by the end of the night, and at least one or two people usually had around $1000.

 

[Darthhoodie]

Never played or hosted $1/$1 but play and host $1/$2 regularly and we have always had a $100/$300 min to max buy in and re-buy. Most, but not all of my group like to play with 100 to 150 bb's. I always like to play with at least 100 x (bb+sb) no matter the stakes.

 

[Quicksilver-75]

I'd say it depends on your people. I'd try and explain to them the risks of buying in for less than $100 BB's. Especially if it is uncapped and you have people from very different incomes. If that is the case I'd also agree that a cap levels the playing field somewhat.

 

[v1pe]

Most buy in between $50-$100 in the game I play in. Occasionally someone buys in for more but not as often.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Hopefully this isn’t a thread jack, but I’m always surprised at the general concensus here for minimum buy-ins. Admittedly, I’d prefer to buy into a big bet cash game with at least 150bb. But I’m also happy to accommodate different people’s styles, comfort levels and budgets.
The casinos and card rooms I’ve played in have NLHE minimums of 25 or 30 big blinds. I think that’s a little low. But if somebody wants to buy in for 50, 60, or 80 big blinds, I wouldn’t stop them.

If the game is $1/1 or $1/2 with a max buy in of $300 and most players are buying in for close to that I don’t want a short stack buying in for $40 or $60. It changes how the rest of the table has to play in a negative way. $100 min. makes the short stack playable at least.

I don’t want to piss off the rest of the table to cater to one or two players.

The local casino used to have $60 min at the $1/2 game and the majority of players that actually want to play poker hated it.

New manager came in and is actually listening to the players. New min now $100.

 

[v1pe]

If the game is $1/1 or $1/2 with a max buy in of $300 and most players are buying in for close to that I don’t want a short stack buying in for $40 or $60. It changes how the rest of the table has to play in a negative way. $100 min. makes the short stack playable at least.

I don’t want to piss off the rest of the table to cater to one or two players.

The local casino used to have $60 min at the $1/2 game and the majority of players that actually want to play poker hated it.

New manager came in and is actually listening to the players. New min now $100.

I usually try to make it 50BB minimum. Anything under that is quite annoying... playing against short stacks is easier than against deep stacks, it's just not as fun.

 

[MrCatPants]

If the game is $1/1 or $1/2 with a max buy in of $300 and most players are buying in for close to that I don’t want a short stack buying in for $40 or $60. It changes how the rest of the table has to play in a negative way. $100 min. makes the short stack playable at least.

I don’t want to piss off the rest of the table to cater to one or two players.

The local casino used to have $60 min at the $1/2 game and the majority of players that actually want to play poker hated it.

New manager came in and is actually listening to the players. New min now $100.

That's crazy for a $1/$2.

On the original question, I do think it depends on your players. I've got a group that is very conservative on raise amounts and so 50 BBs plays just fine. Other games I've played that's a real short stack.

 

[pltrgyst]

My games always had a NL/PL minimum buy-in of 50BB, and a maximum of 200BB. That worked well for us.

 

[SWEATER]

Beginning of the night is 300max, with rebuys up to the biggest stack at the table. I've never had a problem with people shortstacking.

 

[B.C.]

$1/2 $100 min, no max. Somewhere around $800-1k may be the biggest re-buy with the average re-buy around $300-500.

The loosest player in the game has, for the last 10 years, rebought every single time for the min and proceeded to shove it within 5 hands in an attempt to double it up. This happens whether he is down 1 buy-in, or 20.

 

[ForcedSquint]

Typical buy-in to my $1/$2 game is $400 - $500. Re-buy up to the big stack although nobody really cares.

 

[Brooklynpete]

Kool thank you for the heads up

 

[Old State]

Typical buy-in to my $1/$2 game is $400 - $500. Re-buy up to the big stack although nobody really cares.

That's really high for $1/2 IMO

What I quickly realized is that buyin is way more important than blinds in NL cash. Years ago when casinos started spreading NL my home game switched from Limit to NL and we usually did a $150 max buyin. Now I allow $300 as that is what the casinos usually allow as a max. The betting and raises are way larger now. Thinking of taking it back down to $220 as the max. Knowing many of them will cash in the max $220 ...that is just 20 reds and 20 whites...easy to count out

I started noticing some guys not showing up as frequently when after we went to $300. Mostly the guys who buy in for $200 instead of $300

 

[zbyrook]

Larger max buy-ins tend to cause much larger bets. This can chase out players who get antsy at the prospect of higher action.

 

[Old State]

Larger max buy-ins tend to cause much larger bets. This can chase out players who get antsy at the prospect of higher action.

I have guys that bitch when I wanted to reduce the buyin. The guys at the table that get antsy stay quite but may not come back as often. What the bitching party doesn't understand is that they are destroying their own game.