Cash Game Ante Only Poker (1 Viewer)

[Captn_All_In]

I read about this on Twitter (I think) from a Full Tilt tweet. Anybody ever try this in a home game as either a cash game or a tourney??

 

[T_Chan]

We just had our annual Ante's only league tournament last month. We followed the WSOP format: http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/structure-sheet.asp?tid=12843

Turned out well, though if I had to change anything I would have made deeper starting stacks. Everyone seemed to enjoy the game. I sure did.

 

[BGinGA]

We regularly run an antes-only NLHE tournament. There's a thread with details either here or on CT. It's one of our more popular formats.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Frankly, it's the original way to play. So yes, lots of people used to play that way.

Blinds came about as a way to speed things up and avoid confusion (HEY! Who didn't put in their ante?), while adding a little bit of interest and novelty ("Why the hell did you come in with those cards? Oh, a Big Blind Special...")

I'm amused that some people today (younger crowd) know that "ante up" means "get involved," but don't know it comes from poker.

 

[Ronoh]

I enjoyed these on Stars. No need to color up in an online tournament so bring/blind stayed at 5 throughout the game (may actually have been a 5/10 blinds format rather than traditional bring in). Was always funny watching people post their 2000 ante and fold for the 10 "blind" with 18k in the pot.

 

[MeridianFC]

Just to clarify per the WSOP rules, preflop the person to the left of the dealer must bet/fold no checking?

 

[Ronoh]

Just to clarify per the WSOP rules, preflop the person to the left of the dealer must bet/fold no checking?

Have to at minimum match the bring in amount or fold.

 

[Meddler2]

Have to at minimum match the bring in amount or fold.

We doing away with blinds in our cash game and going this route.

 

[Ronoh]

We doing away with blinds in our cash game and going this route.

I assume were talking NL and PL games here? I dislike the thought but would have to know specific format (amounts compared to what was previously played) to know how much I dislike it.

 

[Meddler2]

I assume were talking NL and PL games here? I dislike the thought but would have to know specific format (amounts compared to what was previously played) to know how much I dislike it.

1/2NLHE.

What purpose do the blinds really serve in a small NL cash game?

 

[Ronoh]

1/2NLHE.

What purpose to the blinds really serve in a small NL cash game?

Are there antes, if so how much?

What's the "bring in" amount?

I'm not a fan at all of fracs in a 1/2NL game, if your ante is non-fractional the price of poker just went way up.

If you aren't using an ante the price of poker just went waaaaaaaay down for the nits, can fold all night for free waiting for premiums.

 

[Meddler2]

Are there antes, if so how much?

What's the "bring in" amount?

I'm not a fan at all of fracs in a 1/2NL game, if your ante is non-fractional the price of poker just went way up.

If you aren't using an ante the price of poker just went waaaaaaaay down for the nits, can fold all night for free waiting for premiums.

No fracs. $1 ante and a $1 or more to continue post flop. Havent decided on allowing checking or not.

 

[Ronoh]

No fracs. $1 ante and a $1 or more to continue post flop. Havent decided on allowing checking or not.

So instead of a standard 1/2NL game what this is doing is forcing everyone to post a SB

 

[trever]

No fracs. $1 ante and a $1 or more to continue post flop. Havent decided on allowing checking or not.

Assume that your buy-ins will be around $500 then? $1000? With $8-10 in the pot before anyone gets cards, this is going to play a lot like 2/5

 

[Meddler2]

Assume that your buy-ins will be around $500 then? $1000? With $8-10 in the pot before anyone gets cards, this is going to play a lot like 2/5

good points but for some reason it hasn't gotten outta hand like you describe yet; not to say that it won't. in which case we'll run back to 1/2. No different then when we used to play other games pre NLHE with an ante. ie 5-card draw, 7-card stud etc. Those games didn't seem to get out of hand.

 

[Ronoh]

good points but for some reason it hasn't gotten outta hand like you describe yet; not to say that it won't. in which case we'll run back to 1/2. No different then when we used to play other games pre NLHE with an ante. ie 5-card draw, 7-card stud etc. Those games didn't seem to get out of hand.

Neither game is typically played no limit.

Stud is limit with an ante much less than the smallest bet and it has a forced bring in by the guy with the worst card showing.

Never played 5draw in a casino, homes games we've always had the option to check until someone bets (jacks to open, trips to win, etc)

If it works for you and your players like it, go for it.

 

[Mental Nomad]

1/2NLHE.

What purpose do the blinds really serve in a small NL cash game?

In a six-handed game, getting two people to posts blinds of $1 and $2 is much quicker than getting six people to ante $0.50... and when there's $2.50 in the pot and nobody knows who forgot, good luck.

Also, live blinds are more interesting than dead blinds (antes are dead blind bets.)

 

[Meddler2]

In a six-handed game, getting two people to posts blinds of $1 and $2 is much quicker than getting six people to ante $0.50... and when there's $2.50 in the pot and nobody knows who forgot, good luck.

Also, live blinds are more interesting than dead blinds (antes are dead blind bets.)

no .50 antes. antes are $1.

 

[Mental Nomad]

no .50 antes. antes are $1.

Fine, then, posting blinds of $2 and $4 is quicker than paying Antes of $1, $1, $1, $1, $1, and $1. But either way can be a good game.