Biggest challenge Hosting a home poker game? (1 Viewer)

[LeCoq]

Hey Guys just wondering as a newer member and poker enthusiast who loves playing home poker games, what is the biggest difficulty you have hosting a poker game ?? I.E finding enough players , too time consuming to put on ,etc… I love hosting games but find it to be challenging especially trying to organize a game to fit everyone schedule also it can be very time consuming. What do you guys think ?

Finding enough players and then the opposite of deciding who doesn't get to play when I have too many.

 

[travelgirl]

We have a regular poker game at our house on Thursday night. And another couple hosts on Saturday night. We send out a text the morning of as a reminder, and get a count of players. We live in a tiny town with limited entertainment and distractions, so everyone looks forward to the game. Sometimes we don’t have enough players, but we try every week we are here. And when we are not, someone usually steps up and hosts at their house.

The regular schedule, low buy-in, and the friendly nature of our game keeps it going. We put out snacks, and others bring extras if they want. Sometimes we have an easy meal. Kevin puts out the booze, others bring their own beer or booze, and we eat and visit before the game starts.

Agree with Zombies - invite the spouses! They can play or hang out, we don’t care. If they’ve never played, we teach them. The more the merrier!

 

[AutoDonk5000]

I'm new but so far,
Getting players
Suffering through other people dealing, especially those at the end of the table.
Designated dealing while playing
Enforcing rules in a friendly way (fucking string bets)

 

[Poker Zombie]

I'm new but so far,
Getting players
Suffering through other people dealing, especially those at the end of the table.
Designated dealing while playing
Enforcing rules in a friendly way (fucking string bets)

Getting players This is always a challenge when getting started out. Even though my game has a solid core now, there was a time when it fizzled and died. Lots of posts on PCF discussing how to grow games.
Dealing How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. For years, I would ask ask players new to shuffling "would you like a bucket and a stick?" But unless they have a legitimate disability (broken hand and Multiple Sclerosis have both come up), I make them shuffle when it's their turn to shuffle - deal when it's on them to deal. Repetition won't turn them into casino dealers, but they will get better. Sure, sometimes players on the ends will "need help" passing the card along. This isn't a bad thing, and it actually keeps "Chatty McTalk-Talk" focused on the game more often.
Enforcing rules Always tell them why the rule exists. String bets allow a player to gauge another players reaction. "I bet and see you reach for more chips, I can stop betting, my bluff wont get through. I see you recheck your cards, I know your hand is questionable, and I bet more on my bluff." New players understand better when they know why the rule is in place, instead of it being a nit-picky rule - and almost all rules are made to prevent angle-shooting or cheating.

 

[AutoDonk5000]

Getting players This is always a challenge when getting started out. Even though my game has a solid core now, there was a time when it fizzled and died. Lots of posts on PCF discussing how to grow games.
Dealing How do I get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. For years, I would ask ask players new to shuffling "would you like a bucket and a stick?" But unless they have a legitimate disability (broken hand and Multiple Sclerosis have both come up), I make them shuffle when it's their turn to shuffle - deal when it's on them to deal. Repetition won't turn them into casino dealers, but they will get better. Sure, sometimes players on the ends will "need help" passing the card along. This isn't a bad thing, and it actually keeps "Chatty McTalk-Talk" focused on the game more often.
Enforcing rules Always tell them why the rule exists. String bets allow a player to gauge another players reaction. "I bet and see you reach for more chips, I can stop betting, my bluff wont get through. I see you recheck your cards, I know your hand is questionable, and I bet more on my bluff." New players understand better when they know why the rule is in place, instead of it being a nit-picky rule - and almost all rules are made to prevent angle-shooting or cheating.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[DeadheadDave]

Once a year or so, I host a "Date Night Tournament"

MEN: If you bring a date, she gets 5K extra chips... LADIES, if you bring a date then YOU get 5K in extra chips.

Most of my crew is married or coupled up already, so this is really just a way to get them to bring their SO's and hope that they enjoy it, and they will come back.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Once a year or so, I host a "Date Night Tournament"

MEN: If you bring a date, she gets 5K extra chips... LADIES, if you bring a date then YOU get 5K in extra chips.

Most of my crew is married or coupled up already, so this is really just a way to get them to bring their SO's and hope that they enjoy it, and they will come back.

We host a ladies night event. Men are only allowed if escorted by a woman. Women play a tournament in the main room, men play a cash game in the kitchen (we have a poker table there). Men serve the women drinks, and the whole thing is a laughter fest.

It really helped boost the attendance of some female players who later converted to regulars, as they learned the folly of the stereotypical poker culture.

 

[DeadheadDave]

We host a ladies night event. Men are only allowed if escorted by a woman. Women play a tournament in the main room, men play a cash game in the kitchen (we have a poker table there). Men serve the women drinks, and the whole thing is a laughter fest.

It really helped boost the attendance of some female players who later converted to regulars, as they learned the folly of the stereotypical poker culture.

I might just implement something close to this for a college try.

 

[kwsteve]

As most people say, it's finding players that show up when they say they're going to show up. So many times I've had 6 confirmed turn into 4. It's bullshit. If you can't make it at least give a heads up.

 

[Poker Zombie]

As most people say, it's finding players that show up when they say they're going to show up. So many times I've had 6 confirmed turn into 4. It's bullshit. If you can't make it at least give a heads up.

I've mentioned this before, but I'll reiterate, because it's been a while.

People view a poker invite like a kegger party. If you don't show, it's not going to matter. F*cking kid's birthday parties are held in a higher regard. Tossing cards has to be secondary to building a group. Build the comraderie. Make an effort. If I showed at a PCF meetup on a Thursday, and we did something other than play cards, I would not be disappointed, because poker is secondary to meeting up with friends.

I don't refer to my poker nights as a "game". It's an "event". My games struggled at 6 players. My events have grown to 3 tables consistently.