Cash Game What's your attendance like? (1 Viewer)

[Regularjohn]

Last game I had only had 5 people, with one person losing their buyin within the first 2 hours and then they just left after that (lol). So it was a pretty light game.

Was supposed to have a game tonight, but then as the date got closer people were dropping, yes’s turning to maybes, maybes turning to no's, and people just not responding. So I just cancelled. It was going to be 5 people, with 1 maybe. One of the people having to drive a good bit to get here, and I didn't want him to make the trip with a mediocre game.

All that being said, it's been pretty discouraging on attendance lately. I was getting an avg of 8 people per game consistently, even had a few nights where we crammed 10. Wasn't sure if my expectations are too high, so I'm curious of how other games go. Also, any ideas on attendance and retention are welcome. Maybe I just need more degen friends lol

 

[suchj0sh]

Attendance is bad. So much so that the game just doesn’t run! Holiday season is tough. I suspect we’ll pick back up in January.

 

[krafticus]

I’ve got 40 for my next game.

 

[ChipFinderSK]

I’ve got 40 for my next game.

41*

 

[Regularjohn]

I’ve got 40 for my next game.

I'm curious of how you built that up over the years. And how you do communication for that. I don't have any intention of hosting 40 people, but I'd like to build up to running 2 tables consistently.

 

[ekricket]

but I'd like to build up to running 2 tables consistently.

You need about 40-50 invites then.

 

[Regularjohn]

You need about 40-50 invites then.

yeah, probably a good rule of thumb to just send x2 the invites for what you want.

 

[cpac54]

My game has approx 30 players in our game-specific WhatsApp chat. We have a core of 4 or 5 guys who almost always play and fill the rest of the seats with players from the pool.

I always try and get 9 or 10 registered due to inevitable last minute cancellations.

 

[Roslindale]

I'd guess we at least 3x of invites to attendees. Probably higher then that.

I like to get 10 seats "yes", for a cash game. Then when someone cant make it, we are still at 9. Then when someone busts early, we are still at 8. (The table comfortably fits 10)

I use a tier system for invites.
round 1. Is the A list
round 2. Guest who fit well with those already confirmed.
round 3. Anyone who doesn't get on my nerves.

The game usually fills up by the second day invites have been sent.

The good part about this system, is there is a large reservoir of invitees ready for the occasional multi-table tournament.

 

[Roslindale]

*tier 4 I invitations do get sent out on occasion.. which are: they get on my nerves, but either good for the game, or in desperate need of bodies.

 

[LowerBama1714]

Just put in about $25k into a poker specific room (don’t use it for anything else)…chips…shuffler…table (don’t skimp)…neon signs…all of it.

If you build it…they will come.

 

[Roslindale]

And cook up some good food

 

[LowerBama1714]

My biggest pain is when I have 10 or 11 players that accept. Don’t want to turn them away…don’t want to set up a second table just to have two short handed tables. Then someone busts and we get to 9 players…and break the second table early anyway.

 

[Roslindale]

My biggest pain is when I have 10 or 11 players that accept. Don’t want to turn them away…don’t want to set up a second table just to have two short handed tables. Then someone busts and we get to 9 players…and break the second table early anyway.

I feel your pain on that.
To offset that one, sometimes I offer a late seat. So the last one gets a seat at about 2.5 hours to 3 hours after the start.... usually someone busts or doesn't show. So it works out.

 

[Regularjohn]

And cook up some good food

My wife kills it with this. The one time she made breakfast food. Eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy. People still talk about it and it was like 8 months ago, big hit.

 

[curlyhead44]

My game is more social, would say rarely get to 15ish seem to always end up around 10 and its a core friend group no randoms. Everyone prefers to stay at one table unless absolutely necesarry so we can hang out, we'll sit 11 and have the dealer deal without playing. This is definitely not a super competitive poker atmosphere though.

 

[SteveEH]

I'm the polar opposite as I can't imagine hosting 2 tables or even a full ring game anymore. I used to aim for 8-10 back in the poker boom when I wanted it to better represent what I'd find in a casino. Now it's just social for friends, no randoms, I host 6 max, and we play with 4-6. I have a pool of about 15 people and try to curate a game based on 3 groups - high school, work, and neighbors.

Regarding the guy that walked after 1 buy in...set expectations for all players 3 buy ins minimum.

 

[ThinkingFold]

One of these days I'll stop being lazy and get a Pittsburgh PCF game going then none of us yinzers will ever have to worry about attendance problems again.

 

[Labrat]

We have a solid 7 players which fits our mixed cash game perfectly. Sometimes we have 6, sometimes 8. If we can’t get enough we push it back a week or two, no big deal.

Especially during the holidays.

 

[Regularjohn]

One of these days I'll stop being lazy and get a Pittsburgh PCF game going then none of us yinzers will ever have to worry about attendance problems again.

now we're talking!

 

[chippitydoodah]

I’ve got 40 for my next game.

 

[Moxie Mike]

My cash games are usually circus games on a FL format, so we don't need more than 5 to start and since it's limit, there's less chance someone's going to stack off and go home right away. 6 is better and 7 is ideal, since many draw games we play can only support 6 or 7 players. I'll seat up to 9 if people want to play.

I have a list of regulars who are pretty much the reason the game usually runs... so I give them priority. The way I go about things is I announce the game and if it looks like we're going to have open seats, I actively recruit until I have 7 players. After that whoever shows up shows up.

 

[Dodger]

We have a roster of 36. We pull 20-24 for tournies, and 14-16 for cash game-only nights.

All scheduling, announcements, invites, RSVP’s, etc are run through Band app.

Biggest two factors growing our game: consistency and players spreading the word on their own.

 

[sleepyhead]

I host cash games with my high school buddies and friends from the golf club. I’m by far the most into actually playing poker and the other guys just come for the social aspect. Sometimes I feel like they’re coming just to humor me. The problem with that is these same guys are nitty and rarely buy in more than once. I find myself being the one to splash around and buy in multiple times more or less to ensure my guests have a good time. I have a list of about 9 guys and will run the game with as few as 5. Average is probably 6 in attendance and I only get a game together once every 2-3 months. Would love for it to be monthly, at minimum. I’ve tried hard to create an environment where guys want to come to play; spent thousands on nice chips in the last year, have multiple TVs going with various sports on, music, etc. Regardless of how much I win or lose each time I always enjoy it and look forward to the next one I just wish we could do it more frequently.

 

[curlyhead44]

I host cash games with my high school buddies and friends from the golf club. I’m by far the most into actually playing poker and the other guys just come for the social aspect. Sometimes I feel like they’re coming just to humor me. The problem with that is these same guys are nitty and rarely buy in more than once. I find myself being the one to splash around and buy in multiple times more or less to ensure my guests have a good time. I have a list of about 9 guys and will run the game with as few as 5. Average is probably 6 in attendance and I only get a game together once every 2-3 months. Would love for it to be monthly, at minimum. I’ve tried hard to create an environment where guys want to come to play; spent thousands on nice chips in the last year, have multiple TVs going with various sports on, music, etc. Regardless of how much I win or lose each time I always enjoy it and look forward to the next one I just wish we could do it more frequently.

Pretty much my exact situation

 

[MC_CPA]

I read somewhere that if the game is not growing it is shrinking.

Happy to share that I think year over year over year we went from 20 to like 30 to 55 attendeesnon average.

 

[RocAFella1]

6-7

 

[Coyote]

I 've got an extended potential invite list of 20+ players, but the majority of them have lives, including under-age children, and are rarely available, so I have to rely on die-hard semi-pros, for a game every second week, who are always available, but tend to turn my supposed .5/1E game into an 1/3E game. Huge issue.

 

[derekdd23]

One of these days I'll stop being lazy and get a Pittsburgh PCF game going then none of us yinzers will ever have to worry about attendance problems again.

Same, I have been lazy since moving here 3 years ago. Although I do get some sessions in at Rivers here and there.

 

[Goosefraba]

I’ve got 40 for my next game.

Roller dogs?