How do you deal with Home Game Invites?

[kardmania]

When you are invited to play at a home game do you ask about the stakes and the games that are going to be played at the game before deciding whether you will play or not?

Please answer both parts of the question.


There will be a follow up set of questions to come later but I do not want to poison any responses by asking too many questions at once.

Thanks for the help and your thoughts.

[sil693]

yes
yes

[JKDS]

um, duh?

Guy 1: Ya sure ill play
Guy 2: the stakes are your life, the game is russian roulette.
Guy 1: wat?

[okiman]

Yes.
Yes.

[BooG690]

Obviously...I can't play the game too seriously if the stakes are too low (this obviously only applies to live games).

[OneEyeLefty]

These are the first two questions I would be asking. After I know the answers and if I like them. I would follow with. Can I bring anything? Do you need help getting set-up?

Lefty

[mrhappy333]

What are the stakes. How long do you play. what games are you playing. are there rebuys. ask any questions that will ease your mind. you dont want to go somewhere and get fucked over or be playing way outta your leauge.

[trippyhippie]

definitely always ask. i've been to a couple home games where there were just some off the wall rules and weird blind/ante structure. i just ended up running my own games.

[Airles™]

I rarely play at home games because of the sheer stupidity of how people run their games. I seem to run the only cash game in town. Everyone else runs tourneys but have no idea what they're doing.

Always ask what variation and whether its cash or tourney, buyin details, whether there's a rake and whatever else you can think of. I'm not into wasting a night of bullshit poker when I could just as easily stay home and play online.

[XTR1000]

ask if ur allowed to bring ur own beer.

[kardmania]

The reason that I pose these questions is that that i think most reasonable people would pose the questions that you are coming up with.

I need to add one further question to the equation. Should the inviter freely offer full disclosure anticipating any reasonable questions or should the newbie be left to their own devices?

[trippyhippie]

well i suppose that if the inviter was a friend rather than somebody you met at the bar it would be chill. but i would still ask so i knew what to expect, which game i was playing, how much money to bring, and blind structure. unless that is all to be decided when everyone arrives.

rakes for home games are a lame idea.

[drmcboy]

um, duh?

Guy 1: Ya sure ill play
Guy 2: the stakes are your life, the game is russian roulette.
Guy 1: wat?

lol

[S1x]

There's only so much I'm willing to risk at one time, so of course I want to make sure what the stakes, buy-ins, and general rules are. I personally would tell people in advance what these would be if I was hosting one, but I always like confirming the details like that.

And when was there a home game that had a rake? I've never heard of one.

[trippyhippie]

somebody asked me to go to a homegame a while back that had some sort of rake because they were hosting it. as if the beer we would have brought wasn't going to be enough. needless to say i found someplace else.

[KeeKoLy]

Unless the person asking you is someone you have have been trying to get a job from for years and you would say yes no matter what, of course you should ask.

[Airles™]

I've hosted $1K mixed cash games that I raked. But those are by special invite only. Plus all my stuff is top notch and I hire a dealer for the night. Now raking a low-stakes home game with friends would indeed be lame.

[HarleyGuy13]

ask if ur allowed to bring ur own beer.

I bring beer and a bottle of tiquila. Oh and I don't drink a drop when I play!
:P

[kardmania]

i admit i also bring a flask of tequilla but dont drink til I am done playing.

I do not think a small house rake or admitannce fee is out of hand for a high quality safe game

Nice table
Nice chips
Good chairs and cards
Many have some food or drink
Safety where you dont think there is going to be a robbery
and the money is good


all things we want to assume to be good but when they go wrong its not much fun

[poker_pup]

I wouldn't go to a home game with a rake. I'd only pay an admitance fee if there was a keg.

Taking a rake at a home game is probably illegal.

[ChezJ]

move this thread to the live poker forum

[daven]

ask if ur allowed to bring ur own beer.

if you need to ask, of course you can!!!!
the only home game i play is with a bunch of beer and friends. $20-buyin, dealer's choice between 5-card single draw, 7-card single draw and holdem, dealer's choice wild... it ain't too serious...
Flopped quads good? unlikely...

[JKDS]

ask if ur allowed to bring ur own beer.

if you need to ask, of course you can!!!!
the only home game i play is with a bunch of beer and friends. $20-buyin, dealer's choice between 5-card single draw, 7-card single draw and holdem, dealer's choice wild... it ain't too serious...
Flopped quads good? unlikely...

dealer's choice? i throw a game of razz in the mix. id explain the rules and people would still continue with KQQ up. I can usually only get them to play this game once though...

[Sasquach991]

Questions to ask (In order)

1. Can I bring Beer? (Don't drink but a couple or it will be obvious why you brought it)

2. Do I need to bring food? (This will help with the beer you drink)

3. Tournament? How much is the buyin? Cash game afterwards? When can I rebuy?

I play in a live game twice a month. Tournament is $10 buyin and plays 3 places

After Tourney a cash game starts with $5 buyin but you can't rebuy until you have <$1

Most important is Have fun!!!

I don't try to make money at these games but I usually do as the other guys are really loose.

If you take all the money in the tourney and cash game, don't expect to be invited again

I've been invited maybe a dozen times to a live game, but I've been cleaning up so I'm not getting invited again

[Micro2Macro]

Considering this thread has nothing to do with strategy how is it not locked...

Always ask what the game, structure, buy-in etc. will be before you go. You have to come prepared ahead of time. If you only bring $100 and it ends up you're playing $2/$5 well then that's not so great if you like having a full stack of $500 - and you'll need even more than this if you plan on rebuying if you get felted.

[kardmania]

I bet you can guess what this member of our group does for a living:

I explained that many prospects had problems with some of the demon spawn made up games that get tossed in for dealers choice.

I was reprimanded and told that I should not have offered up these facts and allowed the prospects to find out for themselves.
Furthermore, the recruits would soon learn to appreciate these unique games that can only be found in this arena.

[Keith]

can't help imagining a correlation between OP posting in BC and pokerstar/fulltilt freeroll

[kardmania]

Could it be possible that if some people checked their egos at the door they might find that some of the people they perceive to be be low life freeroll beggars might actually have some bankroll?

Might it possible that some of this roll might have been taken from the so called glib forum intelligensia?

Typically those who act as if they know it all have a great deal to learn. I guess I need to get an jail bait avatar and sinister signature.

[Chopper]

I've been invited maybe a dozen times to a live game, but I've been cleaning up so I'm not getting invited again

i played in several this past year. the structure was truly a luckbox of a game. i tried to get my players to play more ring holdem and less of the stupid tourney structure and carni games they liked. we had one night of big turnout where we had 11 people show, and had to play holdem at the same table. needless to say, it wasnt fair. we bought in for $10, i had the table wiped out on a good rush of cards and left with $100 in about an hour and a half dealing about 20 hands per hour. i shouldnt say "left." the game broke up. (it truly wasnt fair. even i didnt think the edge was that big)

however, i heard from a friend that a guy he knew had the same fate at some games. so, to keep from being banned, he came in the next time, declared "dealers choice", and opened the night with a $100 bill in the center of the table and said, "here, guys, lets make this an action first hand....i'm out, but you guys fight over this." obviously, he was the hero of the home games.

i HATE "7-no peek," but i did the same thing with a $20, and it works, as long as you arent arrogant or condescending about it. i basically said, "you know i hate 7 no peek, and i know you hate when i am the only one that refuses to play it. i lose money on this game, so lets make it fun for me at least. lets see who fights the hardest for THIS, i'm out of this round..." someone dragged a $30 pot (we play for quarters and 50 cents...lol) and it's all they could talk about for a week.

i now have 3 home games per week from which to choose. and, i have a significant edge in them all.

[Monty3038]

When you are invited to play at a home game do you ask about the stakes and the games that are going to be played at the game before deciding whether you will play or not?

Please answer both parts of the question.


There will be a follow up set of questions to come later but I do not want to poison any responses by asking too many questions at once.

Thanks for the help and your thoughts.

Yes, Yes.

I also always ask who will be there. There are certain home game players I will not play with.

I've been invited maybe a dozen times to a live game, but I've been cleaning up so I'm not getting invited again

i played in several this past year. the structure was truly a luckbox of a game. i tried to get my players to play more ring holdem and less of the stupid tourney structure and carni games they liked. we had one night of big turnout where we had 11 people show, and had to play holdem at the same table. needless to say, it wasnt fair. we bought in for $10, i had the table wiped out on a good rush of cards and left with $100 in about an hour and a half dealing about 20 hands per hour. i shouldnt say "left." the game broke up. (it truly wasnt fair. even i didnt think the edge was that big)

however, i heard from a friend that a guy he knew had the same fate at some games. so, to keep from being banned, he came in the next time, declared "dealers choice", and opened the night with a $100 bill in the center of the table and said, "here, guys, lets make this an action first hand....i'm out, but you guys fight over this." obviously, he was the hero of the home games.

i HATE "7-no peek," but i did the same thing with a $20, and it works, as long as you arent arrogant or condescending about it. i basically said, "you know i hate 7 no peek, and i know you hate when i am the only one that refuses to play it. i lose money on this game, so lets make it fun for me at least. lets see who fights the hardest for THIS, i'm out of this round..." someone dragged a $30 pot (we play for quarters and 50 cents...lol) and it's all they could talk about for a week.

i now have 3 home games per week from which to choose. and, i have a significant edge in them all.

shit, implied odds

[Ragnar4]

If I ever manage to get asked to a home game I intend to ask 3 questions:

1) Stakes?
2) Games?
3) Topless Dealer?

No one ever invites me.

[Keith]

Could it be possible that if some people checked their egos at the door they might find that some of the people they perceive to be be low life freeroll beggars might actually have some bankroll?

Might it possible that some of this roll might have been taken from the so called glib forum intelligensia?

Typically those who act as if they know it all have a great deal to learn. I guess I need to get an jail bait avatar and sinister signature.

So you didn't post asking for the AP password to be emailed to you recently, most of your posts havent been concerning money added tournaments and the rest of your posts weren't airy fairy wishy washy posts like this one started.

I don't pretend to be glib or intelligent , I'm here to learn from better players analysis of hands , strategies, tips , topics to contemplate in my own time, how other people played a hand and have my hand histories criticised so that I can become a better player. Frankly it gets annoying when all the interesting analysis threads get buried amongst dross posts with no educational value in the run up to the freerolls. If you're so good post your hand histories , analyse other peoples play etc so that we can all learn from you

[Ragnar4]

Could it be possible that if some people checked their egos at the door they might find that some of the people they perceive to be be low life freeroll beggars might actually have some bankroll?

Might it possible that some of this roll might have been taken from the so called glib forum intelligensia?

Typically those who act as if they know it all have a great deal to learn. I guess I need to get an jail bait avatar and sinister signature.

Swear to god if you called me glib I'm going to hunt you down and take your bankroll by poker force.

[kardmania]

I know that at first blush this topic has all the lightweight characteristics of the what should I wear to the poker game postings scattered about various forums.

Ironically, I was hoping for some substance and consensus and usual was dead wrong.

The home game that gave brith to the initial postings is a paradox. Although this game is a low stakes game, there is no shortage of ego and potential talent.

Thus the debate must persist both on the forum and in reality on the felt.

To answer the last question that nobody even bothered to offer a guess the answer is lawyer.

[Ragnar4]

I know that at first blush this topic has all the lightweight characteristics of the what should I wear to the poker game postings scattered about various forums.

Ironically, I was hoping for some substance and consensus and usual was dead wrong.

The home game that gave brith to the initial postings is a paradox. Although this game is a low stakes game, there is no shortage of ego and potential talent.

Thus the debate must persist both on the forum and in reality on the felt.

To answer the last question that nobody even bothered to offer a guess the answer is lawyer.

You did get concensus.

Everyone here says: If there's a home game, my first two questions are Games, and Stakes.

Several even suggested that they will disclose the information about the game when they invite their buddy.

I don't care if your buddy is a lawyer, he can run his games how ever he wants.

Quit being butt hurt, and realize that this is not really the forum for "do I tell my buddies what the limits are at my home game?" and be surprised it wasn't locked down by Spenda.

[kardmania]

The deal is that the rules are to remain the same for all games which revolve so everyone gets the opportunity to clean up and feed the rest of the group.

The paradox is that out of a dozen players there is a core of 6 and a minimum required of 7. The core membership cannot alway attend.

To disadvantage the better players bastardized games have been developed or should I say invented. The easiest of these games to describe is Omaha where you can use two or three hole cards to make your hand. Most of the game is low stakes limit and who cares. At the end of the evening it is tablestakes so it cannot amount to some cash. The problem is that if you get a newbie who loses a few hundred bucks playing some crazy game or best yet wants to turn his delaers choice game into an hour of blackjack where he is the dealer or inbetween. In reality no peek is one of the more sensible selections that come up.

Then these guys want more players and more games. There are plenty of holdem players, omaha, and stud players......but when you start to drift into criss cross, petticoats, hickey-O, colorado, and the ever popular Jimmi........you run out of players.

When the inventors of the game are told that hey we have three more guys who want to play but they want limits on the game selection its like trying a case in front of the supreme court.

Ok I can see I am starting to rant and ramble and thus I will stifle myself after this final remark.

If your good enough to take my chips.. do it. Beat me if you can, Survive If I Let you!