What kind of behavior or habits would make you not want to come back? (1 Viewer)

[Beakertwang]

We have a fledgling, casual home game. Not a lot of experienced players, but we like the game, and have fun. We play mostly nickel/dime cash games or $10 buy-in tourneys. There are some things that bother me about the way guys play, (showing cards to their neighbor before folding, rabbit hunting, etc.) but the other more experienced players don't really say anything, other than "action on you", etc.

What stuff do you chalk up to casual-home-game-among-friends stuff, and which habits. would make it not worth coming back?

 

[longflop]

We have a fledgling, casual home game. Not a lot of experienced players, but we like the game, and have fun. We play mostly nickel/dime cash games or $10 buy-in tourneys. There are some things that bother me about the way guys play, (showing cards to their neighbor before folding, rabbit hunting, etc.) but the other more experienced players don't really say anything, other than "action on you", etc.

What stuff do you chalk up to casual-home-game-among-friends stuff, and which habits. would make it not worth coming back?

I think if its just a casual game among friends and the social aspect is the primary focus, its probably worth it to start slipping reminders in there about that kind of stuff. Given that this is just a fledgling game, and not that many of the players are experienced, its going to take some "training" to get all the guys on the same page. Maybe talk to some of the more experienced players and you guys work together to encourage the guys to play correctly, or at least work towards getting there.

I've found for these casual games, it takes constant reminders. In my last tourney I hosted I reminded guys of two points, if they toss a larger chip without announcing a raise its a call, and "seeing x and raising x" is a string bet and is seen as a call. Of course they overact for the rest of the night "I CALL your x" "I will RAISE x" but we are all friend and I know they are just busting balls probably because they are embarrassed for getting called out. But, as long as I keep with it, eventually it will stick.

if its a game among friends that you want to keep going, it will take some effort on your part, but help them get to where they should be. Some guys literally don't know what they are doing wrong.

 

[pltrgyst]

....showing cards to their neighbor before folding....

"Show one, show all" has always been a hard-and-fast rule at my games. And you can't do that while the hand is still being played.

If the neighbor is still in the hand, his hand becomes instantly dead. Repeaters face expulsion.

 

[grantc54]

We have a fledgling, casual home game. Not a lot of experienced players, but we like the game, and have fun. We play mostly nickel/dime cash games or $10 buy-in tourneys. There are some things that bother me about the way guys play, (showing cards to their neighbor before folding, rabbit hunting, etc.) but the other more experienced players don't really say anything, other than "action on you", etc.

What stuff do you chalk up to casual-home-game-among-friends stuff, and which habits. would make it not worth coming back?

I am not flexible on rules, so string betting or other funny business would do it for me.

If a player shows cards to another player continuously then I will call out one player to a hand and make them show everyone (once the hand is done). For rabbit hunting I make players show their hand in order to rabbit hunt which usually cuts down on it dramatically (and people usually put up with it as the added info can be useful or even being able to needle someone who would have hit their hand).

Table talk is a big reoccurring issue with my dad that I have to remind him of. He will start commentating ("Wow, big hand...", "someone must have a flush", etc) which I shut down right away, but I suspect that is due to oncoming senility. My reminder to him also serve as a reminder to everyone else.

Thanks,
Grant

 

[CHP TD]

id flip that idea into "what makes a well run game?"

Ive got a set of rules (yeah i'm the local rules Nazi) but the way they are introduced and how they are enforced is very important.

i sold the rules idea to my crew as "the mission is to make any player who comes here able to be comfortable at any table in a casino." the obvious question is "how" what do i need to know. Boom!

Then i don't have any punishment to the rules. But there are consequences. Newbies get one warning then the rule sticks. for example people who call, not knowing there is a raise in front of them. they get to take their call back once. and once only. then it stays and they can choose to call the raise or fold.

Punishment is not conducive to a friends kind of game. But enforcing rules really makes the game run well.

so many threads are about rules and they all start with "What do you do in this situation..." all those threads would never have happened if you have rules.

Every game has them!

Mine are on the wall. No one reads them until there is a dispute.

thats my 2 cents worth.

 

[Gobbs]

"Show one, show all" has always been a hard-and-fast rule at my games. And you can't do that while the hand is still being played.

If the neighbor is still in the hand, his hand becomes instantly dead. Repeaters face expulsion.

When you say "his hand becomes instantly dead", you mean the person showing the hand, not the neighbor, right?

I can't remember the last time I saw somebody show their hand to a player still in the hand, but when I'm dealing and they show their hand to a player not in the hand before discarding it (and there is still action at the table), I always maintain it separate from the muck. The rule at games I deal in is usually, "Show one, show all UPON REQUEST." So, at the end of the hand, if somebody asks to see it (or makes the request during play), I expose the hand. If not, it gets mixed into the muck. Usually, somebody makes the request, but not always.

Regarding the OP, in cash games, not much bothers me since I play in games in which the rules are enforced pretty well. In tournaments, again, I usually play in games in which the rules are enforced very well, but slow play bothers me. So do players who are not paying attention. A crappy dealer also gets on my nerves.

 

[BGinGA]

I would suspect that the neighbor's hand would still be live, but the shown cards he saw would have to be immediately revealed to everybody else in play (equal info for all). And a swift kitn to the bozo who showed his cards.

 

[CraigT78]

Habits that would make me not want to return to a home game are:

Poorly run game - if the host has no idea how to manage a game - it's my only visit. I've been to home games where the blinds are made up on the spot for each level - no thanks. I don't care how fun the game is, a well run game is what makes it fun for me.

Changing rules as you go - this tilts me. If you announce a $.25/$.50 game - don't change it midway through because you feel like it. Same with max buy-ins. Or if you say dealers choice but decide to go all NLHE an hour into the game.

 

[DoubleEagle]

Smoking. There is weekly tourney that I used to play in that allows smoking. I stopped going about three years ago because of it. They still smoke. There is nothing worse than having a smoker on each side of you at the table.

 

[Frogzilla]

Casual home game habits like showing hands (to people already out of the hand) or rabbit hunting don’t bother me at all.

I get more turned off instead by excessively slow poker (usually inattentive), lots of hand ruining mistakes (like dealing river early), or poor atmosphere

 

[Ellasdaddy]

I have a story about a shitshow of a game chock full of reasons to give up on a game and life.

Have a friend who tried to get a regular game off the ground a couple years ago and talked it up really big: lots of cash on the table, nice chips, nice table, full spread of food, booze, cigars... When I got there, nothing was as it should’ve been. Not even close.

The table was antique and belonged in the Fugly thread and wasn’t big enough for 8 though he invited 11 to play. Yes, 11 at a small round table.

Chips were the original dice chips. With denoms written in silver permanent marker.

There was a tray of hot wings, some chips, a small cooler of beer, and a small cake. That was the spread. He also “forgot” cigars and asked if I could provide any. I did. What a waste of nice sticks.

After 10 mins of the first break the food and snacks were gone. 60 mins in and we had to stop for an hour for guys to make a beer run which expanded into a food run. An hour after they got back it was announced as time for cake, but dude’s wife came home waaaay early with his 3 kids and her cousin, crashed the gathering and ate the goddamn cake. Not kidding. Nobody else got a piece. He didn’t say a word.

15 mins later, she came and told him she needed his laptop, which he was using to play music and track the “tourney”... sooooo, there literally went everything. Kids are screaming, wife and cousin on the couching cackling as my friend is trying to make up blind levels and time things on his phone. No music to drown them out.

Nobody had ever played in a real game or casino besides me and boy was it painful. Maybe the dumbest use of money I’ve ever found. I watched rabbit hunting, cards shown, misdeals accepted, string bets made, gross fingers on cards and chips... felt like my own personal Hell.

And the cake was a lie. Goddamn it.

 

[Shaggy]

^^^
Reminds me of this night. Happily I busted out early. @chipjoker made the final table. Self dealt charity tourney. Spilled beer, soaked cards, drunktards forgetting to shuffle... but the clincher was 6 tables and a starting stack of 40 chips (1 chip / 2 chip starting blinds). All chips are equal... colors mean nothing. By the time joker made the final table it was like 20/40 blinds... but the players were still counting chips one at a time... not using stack... no color ups. Hahaha

 

[SWEATER]

^^^
Reminds me of this night. Happily I busted out early. @chipjoker made the final table. Self dealt charity tourney. Spilled beer, soaked cards, drunktards forgetting to shuffle... but the clincher was 6 tables and a starting stack of 40 chips (1 chip / 2 chip starting blinds). All chips are equal... colors mean nothing. By the time joker made the final table it was like 20/40 blinds... but the players were still counting chips one at a time... not using stack... no color ups. Hahaha
View attachment 181119

This photo...

 

[longflop]

^^^
Reminds me of this night. Happily I busted out early. @chipjoker made the final table. Self dealt charity tourney. Spilled beer, soaked cards, drunktards forgetting to shuffle... but the clincher was 6 tables and a starting stack of 40 chips (1 chip / 2 chip starting blinds). All chips are equal... colors mean nothing. By the time joker made the final table it was like 20/40 blinds... but the players were still counting chips one at a time... not using stack... no color ups. Hahaha
View attachment 181119

I feel like as soon as I heard that the chip colors were all the same, I would have stood by the bar and counted my entry fee as a donation. Made it worth it on the open bar.

 

[Beakertwang]

^^^
Reminds me of this night. Happily I busted out early. @chipjoker made the final table. Self dealt charity tourney. Spilled beer, soaked cards, drunktards forgetting to shuffle... but the clincher was 6 tables and a starting stack of 40 chips (1 chip / 2 chip starting blinds). All chips are equal... colors mean nothing. By the time joker made the final table it was like 20/40 blinds... but the players were still counting chips one at a time... not using stack... no color ups. Hahaha
View attachment 181119

I have a friend who uses a bunch of dice chips like this. Every chip is a nickel, except they didn't have enough nickels to buy everyone in for $10. So...every chip is a dime. (Guess we're playing .10/.20 tonight. ) I'll take my sluggers with me next time.

 

[BGinGA]

One game I heard of where all the chips had the same tournament value, the host asked each player as they arrived: "Which color do you want to be?" AYFKM?

 

[Shaggy]

I have a friend who uses a bunch of dice chips like this. Every chip is a nickel, except they didn't have enough nickels to buy everyone in for $10. So...every chip is a dime. (Guess we're playing .10/.20 tonight. ) I'll take my sluggers with me next time.

I played in a cash game like this one time... all the chips were quarters. Playing 25c/50c NLHE, there wasn’t enough for rebuys... players just bought chips off the big stacks and pocketed the cash... no biggie.

 

[CraigT78]

One game I heard of where all the chips had the same tournament value, the host asked each player as they arrived: "Which color do you want to be?" AYFKM?

This could be fun if playing a limit game with different color chips for every player. You could see whose money a player has the most of. I'm thinking a Limit $2/$4 game where everyone has a different color $2 chip. Like Roulette, but instead POKER!

 

[DoubleEagle]

One game I heard of where all the chips had the same tournament value, the host asked each player as they arrived: "Which color do you want to be?" AYFKM?

This happened to me in the first home game tourney I went to about 12 or 15 years ago. Dice chips, they were all T$1's.

 

[DoubleEagle]

I went to a $1/2 NLHE cash game 2 or 3 years ago. Players would buy chips from another player and pocket the cash. Never went back.

 

[DJ Mack]

Dishonesty and over the top douchebaggery are non-starters for me. Beyond that games that don't respect players' time tend to not see me come back. I'm not talking the occasional rabbit hunt. I can live with that if it's limited. More like if it's a tournament that starts at 7, I expect cards to be on the felt no later than 7:03 after introductions and welcome/thank yous. When the host won't start until his cousin and one buddy get there (they're just 10 minutes out ... at 7:25) my annoyance doubles every two minutes.

Or a host who stops the round timer periodically to tell what he thinks is a funny story or let someone show a stupid video on his phone. These hosts also tend to be lax about break management, a 10 minute break becomes 20 or 30 before everyone is back in their seats. Again, you can't start until his cousin and buddy are back inside. Oh, and then he realizes he should probably color up. Even though I enjoy cards I'm way past the days of staying out until midnight on a game that should have ended at 10:30.

 

[Ellasdaddy]

This thread has tilted me.

 

[Quad Johnson]

There's a game I occasionally go to I refer to as "the accountants game".

I made a FB post that said I was looking for a regular game (before I started hosting myself) and got a text from a friend who then texted me a name and phone number. The guy he connected me with, he and a bunch of his coworkers/college buddies all get together Tuesday nights for a night of 25c/50c along with some recruits/stragglers/fresh "fish" for their little game. Bankers, lawyers, accountants, resident doctor, etc. All with very deep pockets that play these stakes for fun.


The game is juicy. They all come with several hundred dollars and splash around like crazy. I'm up almost $4000 for the year in that game alone, going a total of about 8-10 times.

I dread going there though because the table talk and on that note, the sheer lack of casino rules/etiquette.

The cards are shit, using the same paper decks for weeks or months. They felt soft last time I was there with very little snap left. The chips are shitty dice chips which I could get over but his denoms are all weird compared to most card rooms/casinos. Examples, his white are quarters, red is 50c, black is $1, green is $5. Just throws me all out of whack.

Now I could easily get over these things considering the game is so juicy and soft but couple it with the owner is an egotistical ass that thinks his shit don't stink. Also there's no enforcement of any integrity of the game. Full table talk is allowed, as I've personally watched the host goad people into folding or calling when not even in a hand (mostly calling cause he'll think someone is full of shit) and many other rules are ignored. A guy in a hand against my friend I brought with did a string bet in the most clear cut way I've ever seen. When my friend points it out, the host sighs and rolls his eyes "come on, we're not in a friggin casino" and just let the bet stand.


I convinced myself to go there for the money and did for several weeks. But then all the other bullshit really started getting to me and haven't been back since.

The last time I was there, I was up $300+ and just waiting for it to be 11 so as not to hit and run. Still maintaining conversation, cracking jokes and smiling. Don't want to make it obvious I'm just there to take their money. But be damned if I can't deal with the rest of the sloppy game shit cause it just makes it not fun for me.

 

[upNdown]

Deleted - I thought this was the "What tilts you" thread.

 

[Coyote]

I think there 's a pretty wide rough consensus about dos and don'ts for anybody wishing to host a game anywhere from adamant to decent, rules-wise.
Enforcement is the huge issue in home games between friends.
You just can't do it without allies on the table, i.e. friends/players who would care enough for just a decent, if not casino-standard, game.
Any host who fears he might seem to his guests as a rules Hitler should have at least one Heydrich at his disposal.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Hi. We play the exact same stakes as you, and it's also a game of friends and friends of friends. At these stakes nobody's here for the money, it's all about hanging out and having fun. And accepting some people's habits up to a certain point.

When it all started I printed out the most common home game rules and asked everyone to decide which rules they wanted and if they wanted to modify any for our own home game.

Everyone was involved in the decisions. So I believe they know the rules better because of it.

Being a friendly game we never get too strict but give the occasional reminder here and there. Like when someone messes up and string bets, or tries to raise the all-in bet which was not a full legal bet.

Maybe make a short list, text it or email it to your gang. Ask them if there's anything they'd modify, remove, add. Then make the final list based on majority.

 

[Quad Johnson]

Deleted, misread the post I quoted.

 

[Beakertwang]

Click the link below.
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/poker-nights-should-be-more-fun-a-rant.31096/

 

[Beakertwang]

or tries to raise the all-in bet which was not a full legal bet.

I've never come across this. So, if the blinds are 250/500, and I'm all in with 350, no one can raise on the current round?

 

[CdnBeerLover]

I've never come across this. So, if the blinds are 250/500, and I'm all in with 350, no one can raise on the current round?

It depends on the rules in use and the situation. If you are using the TDA rules in a tournament, it doesn't re-open the betting for anyone that has already acted in the round. Anyone who hasn't acted yet would still have the ability to raise (I believe the minimum raise would be to 850 in this example). If those players just fold or call the all-in, then the players that had already acted (e.g if they checked before you went all-in) cannot raise.

http://www.pokertda.com/view-poker-tda-rules/ , rule 48

48: Re-Opening the Bet.

In no-limit and pot limit, an all-in wager (or multiple short all-ins) totaling less than a full bet or raise does not reopen betting for players who have already acted and are not facing at least a full bet or raise when the action returns to them. In limit, at least 50% of a full bet or raise is required to re-open betting for players who have already acted.

This one tends to cause some confusion, even among professionals.
http://www.pokertda.com/forum/index.php?topic=1287.0