Home Game ME

[Invigilator]

There is a lot to be said for fun and games. I just finished up the first season of my home game league this past Sunday.

We met on the last Friday of each month (except for the Main Event) and played a $5 buy-in tournament that usually took from about 8:30 pm untill 11:00 to 11:30.

What made this interesting is the variety of players. There were those who had a pretty good idea what they were doing. Me, my wife, my cousin who plays online, a friend who plays limit hold'em at the casino, etc. There were those who watch a lot of poker on TV and play in these types of home games. And there were those who know the rules, but frankly, come for the food, fun, and pictionary side game.

The hard part of the game was navigating the limpers. Not one or two either. Depending on who was at who's table, I sometimes found myself in the middle of limpy-land, trapped between the mayor and his wife.

Some players had quite a bit of skill post flop, but in the end they played so many hands, it would kill them.

I managed 2 wins out of 7 tournaments, but I had the most fun just running a good game...

First time players (very first time for money anywhere) got their buy-in on the house.

At the ME we gave away prizes for player of the year, best hand, bad beat, heck, we even gave free entry to next years main event to the bubble boy.

The play can't really be compared to what I get at the casino or in a good online game, but for someone who spends most of his poker time online, it was a good way to keep my feet wet in live play and to be patient with the slower rate of play.

If any of you need a tournament director, I am cheap (But not easy).

Here are some pics the poker digs at my place. My cousin built the table. It is very nice. The center is micro-fibre swede instead of felt.

left-final table of main event at dinner break (yep, those are hand ranking sheets)
right-the final hand. My father-in-law won.

[Robbie Robb]

That's a mighty fine looking table you have there. I like the chips too. Right now we've got two tables but they are very basic tables - 4x8 oval with a cloth covering stapled to it. I've found some places here in Canada that sell Valero (sp?) foam and speed cloth so I'm thinking I may re-do the tables later this summer when I've got my other projects around the house done.

If you ever want to drive up to London for a home game we run one once a month - Saturday nights. Next one is July 7th and is a BBQ as well. We do $10 buyin freezeout and then once we hit the final table (usually @ 8 people left) a usually-juicy cash game starts up on the other table. It's really not unheard of to see more money on the table in the cash game then what's up for grabs in the tourney... The level of play is a lot along the lines of what you write above - some quality players and then some that are calling stations. And yeah, lots of limpy-limpy in our game as well. If I have position I often attempt to punish the limpers.

[Invigilator]

What are the blinds for your cash game?

Let me know when the August one is. We have a wedding and reception on the 7th, or I'd be there.

I'll let you know the next one we are running. I am toying with an ALL BOUNTY tournament idea.

[Spuddy]

That's awesome.... I should make a road trip to play in your game! And hustle your money! ha

[PShabi]

I definitely miss the weekly game I used to host since I left Florida for this fucking desert. We never started before 9PM, smoked funny stuff and drank all night, and then I went to work the next morning. Every week for probably 2 years or more.

[Talking Poker]

Nice looking table, and very nice final hand of the main event!

I think it's almost time for us to start up a TP League again. I miss those tournbeys - always a good time.

[Reel Deal]

I really need to get a shot of the home game table one of our guys made... it's amazing.

[Invigilator]

Now THERE's something to "make poker fun again"!

[Robbie Robb]

Our blinds for the cash game are a whopping $0.05/$0.10!!! Of course, We have the seen the occasional hand where there is the straddle, the re-straddle, the re-re-straddle, etc. where the dealer ended up being the first to act and it was $1.60 for her to stay in. It gets kinda silly at times. Most people will buy in for $5 but many people have rebought many times. Like I said, I think one night there was about $140 or so in the cash game and only $130 in the tourney. It was crazy.

The August event will be Aug 18th.

[Invigilator]

The calander is open, so I penciled it in.

[Robbie Robb]

Very cool!

[Reel Deal]

I certainly hope you have some armed guards hired with all that cash floating around!