Home game help

[Akverno]

My old home game format was 1500 starting chips, blinds start at 25/50. Go up either every fifteen or twenty minutes. Rebuys allowed within first orbit (only reason we allowed rebuys was the off chance that a huge hand happened within the first orbit and a guy didn't want to sit around for two hours for the rest of us to finish). Games usually lasted an hour and a half, but that was when we only had four, when we had six and above it lasted right about three hours.

Edit: We stole the blind levels and starting chip counts from the Palm Beach Kennel Club tourney. Eight chips at 25, eight at 100, and one 500.

[drewjax]

I just finished a weekly home game that I hosted (due to upcoming baby!!)
We usually had about the same number of players. We had some players who had a bit of a drive, so we allowed 1 rebuy within the first 2 hours (or 4 levels). I hate crapshoots, so I actually started with 5000 chips, and started at 25/50. 100bb is alot, but we still finished in about 4 hours (never longer than 5). Even with deep stacks, you know how these tourneys can be, donk/push fest. There was plenty of action. Usually a couple of rebuys (we allowed one donkey unlimited rebuys, and he would rebuy several times in a couple hours).
Everyone seemed to enjoy playing, and usually the better players would finish in the money.
As far as chips go, I have a zillion of the dice chips, but got a 300 set of Desert Sands. I give 8x$25, 8x$100, and 8x$500 for chips. Really a simple tourney, great structure which could be shortened easily if you found they went too long.

[Robbie Robb]

Hey Shabi,

I've been trying to post this since yesterday .

Have you checked out the computer program "The Tournament Director"? It's a free program that makes suggestions based on parameters you provide, or you can input your own settings regarding levels, blinds, rebuys, etc. For multi-tables it will also keep the tables balanced as people are eliminated. Very cool little program and it's free (as in beer!)

Lots of other features too!

[drewjax]

Tournament director is a good program, if you have access to a cpu or laptop that can be viewed by the players. I actually ordered 'The Poker Genie' thru pso using points. Its a great little gadget. Similar to TD, you can set your own tourney info, or input chips/player info, and it will come up with structure for you.
One of the best deals out there, imo, is to do a pso upgrade promotion, and get 9000 pts (~$90). This will get you a PokerGenie and a double deck setup of copags, with no shipping. This can really enhance a home game. Copags so the drunken slobs dont ruin the cards, and a Genie so you dont have to answer "what are the blinds?" every 6 hands.

Use 'drewjax' as pso referral!!
I'll get a whoping $10..