Biggest challenge Hosting a home poker game? (3 Viewers)

[SSTB2213]

I’ve only run one game, and the second is booked for Feb, so only going off limited experience. My biggest challenge right now is thinking through how to prioritize invites. Game 1 had one on the waitlist, and I have three waitlisted for Feb. Currently, rsvps are first come, first served, but I’m thinking about sending out invites in waves moving forward.

 

[austinoms]

If your game is not growing it’s dying. My big issue is finding new players (fish) after they get eaten by sharks.

This is my running philosophy across all the hobbies I have had in my life. I try to incentivize my closest and most reliable friends to reach out to their 2nd degree connections and work colleagues to find new players. I like to think that the table and hosting I provide will be a place to turn acquittances into friends. I think of "Always be closing!" but try to apply it to advertising my game.

 

[TomC727]

This is my running philosophy across all the hobbies I have had in my life. I try to incentivize my closest and most reliable friends to reach out to their 2nd degree connections and work colleagues to find new players. I like to think that the table and hosting I provide will be a place to turn acquittances into friends. I think of "Always be closing!" but try to apply it to advertising my game.

This right here.

My game has grown because of my good friends and regulars have recruited some of their good friends who have become regulars.

 

[SixSeven]

I’ve only run one game, and the second is booked for Feb, so only going off limited experience. My biggest challenge right now is thinking through how to prioritize invites. Game 1 had one on the waitlist, and I have three waitlisted for Feb. Currently, rsvps are first come, first served, but I’m thinking about sending out invites in waves moving forward.

I'm working on a program that you can put your first prioritized invites in, and then the 2nd wave goes out and then 3rd and etc, after tabulating the amount of RSVPs on each wave, and how many seats are left. I think it will save a lot of effort inviting.

 

[SixSeven]

What I do is ask them to count their chips, tell me how much it is in total and then I count the chips myself and make sure to note it down on my sheet.

I've heard about and been to a couple games in my area where the hosts enter buy in amounts and cash out amounts. And I have wondered, "Is this really necessary or valuable?" So do you have a reason you note down the cash out on your sheet? Do you save it for the future or toss it after the game is over? Curious about this.

 

[MTG2343]

always finding enough players

Completely agree! Getting enough people consistently is the toughest part.

 

[Munchies11]

Yes that and… figuring out the maybes , the I think so’s, who else is coming , let me ask my wife, what time we playing , I will let you know later and the list goes on !!’ lol

 

[Poker Zombie]

I've heard about and been to a couple games in my area where the hosts enter buy in amounts and cash out amounts. And I have wondered, "Is this really necessary or valuable?" So do you have a reason you note down the cash out on your sheet? Do you save it for the future or toss it after the game is over? Curious about this.

Like any sporting event, statistics are fun. However, stats in cash games can be very unfriendly to losing players, so the stats I track are finishing order. Best finish of the night to the 16th (or however many players) best finish. Then you can pull average finishes, number of top 5 finishes, etc.

Many players will think they are doing terribly, but you can reassure them with positive stats.

 

[TudiscoKid]

Like any sporting event, statistics are fun. However, stats in cash games can be very unfriendly to losing players, so the stats I track are finishing order. Best finish of the night to the 16th (or however many players) best finish. Then you can pull average finishes, number of top 5 finishes, etc.

Many players will think they are doing terribly, but you can reassure them with positive stats.

I use the cash out stats to know if the total cash out equals the total buy-in, to make sure there's no disparity.
I also use it for a leaderboard in which I add all of each player's winnings, and at the end of the year, the player who's won the most gets a bonus. Only winnings are taken into account, losses are not taken into account, so it's an incentive to come play as often as possible.

 

[fishandchips]

Yes that and… figuring out the maybes , the I think so’s, who else is coming , let me ask my wife, what time we playing , I will let you know later and the list goes on !!’ lol

I've said elsewhere that I'm thinking of getting people to send their first buy-in to me to secure the seat. Seems perfect to me, but it's getting a lot of resistance on this forum. I will run it by my players.

edit: and putting the money into bonuses. (or refund if someone else takes the seat)

 

[TudiscoKid]

I've said elsewhere that I'm thinking of getting people to send their first buy-in to me to secure the seat. Seems perfect to me, but it's getting a lot of resistance on this forum. I will run it by my players.

I've had a couple of people telling me to do this, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be seen as acceptable. People also wouldn't like to "hard" commit to something, anything can arise (better plans, last minute emergency/extra work etc.), and lose money in the process.

The best strategy I think it to make sure people are responsible and come whenever they sign up, or let you know in advance in case they can't make it.
I do this with a registration message:

You are registered for the $25/25 Cash Game session on WEDNESDAY at 6:00pm. Please add it to your calendar so you don't forget: (calendar link)

IMPORTANT: If something comes up and you can’t attend or will be late, please let me know in advance as I need to know how many players will attend. It’s important to be punctual in order to keep the smooth running of the games!

 

[ThinkingFold]

I've said elsewhere that I'm thinking of getting people to send their first buy-in to me to secure the seat.

Smart idea. As of this posting, have more than enough people committed to play this Friday. However, wouldn't give better than 50/50 odds of the game actually happening.

 

[Poker Zombie]

Smart idea. As of this posting, have more than enough people committed to play this Friday. However, wouldn't give better than 50/50 odds of the game actually happening.

I would never cancel a game without extreme reason (COVID, nuclear meltdown, asteroid strike, etc.). Poker is best with 6-10 players (per table), but heads-up is better than nothing.

 

[Munchies11]

Yes I like cash game 8 guys that’s the sweet spot for me !!! I do like tournies though when you have 8 hours to spare and don’t have to be home. However multi tables were a nightmare to run

 

[SteveEH]

My biggest challenge right now is thinking through how to prioritize invites.

I have a pool that consists of 3 categories: school friends, work friends, and neighbors. I try to make sure there's at least 2 from each of the categories so everyone has a friend other than me. I'll start with one group, give them a week to confirm (no maybes), invite the next group a week later, and so on, and so on, and so on...

There's also a few PCF members I've been trying to get to come, but there are so many established games in my area it hasn't worked out yet.

 

[SetToBean]

Same here about express cash outs. I've had a couple of players literally ordering an Uber right when they announced they were cashing out. I told them not to do so and to wait to have the money in their hands before ordering an Uber (I live in a popular area in a big city, so you can get a car to you within 3 minutes of ordering).

I think this is a mistake on their part and not yours (the host/director), as indeed you do not want to screw up any cash out amounts, sometimes you miscount one $20 chip and it's money you'll spend from your own pocket.

What I do is ask them to count their chips, tell me how much it is in total and then I count the chips myself and make sure to note it down on my sheet. Crossing information is the way to go. It's happened to me once that a player told me a number that was like $30 short of what it really was, so it's also in their interest to wait 3-4 minutes rather than running off.

Useful to note for others that this is a situation where the host needs to be direct and firm, both because money is on the line going both ways with all the disputes that can bring after the fact and because if they ever go to gamble with chips at a casino they ought to be watching for dealer mistakes (in the house's favour, that is) all the time.

Further, most dedicated dealer hosts WILL make mistakes of some sort at some point simply because most are dealing for longer than 80 minutes at a time, that being the threshold before casino dealers start making mistakes regardless of skill (depending on seriously the host takes the dealing experience).

I've said elsewhere that I'm thinking of getting people to send their first buy-in to me to secure the seat. Seems perfect to me, but it's getting a lot of resistance on this forum. I will run it by my players.

edit: and putting the money into bonuses. (or refund if someone else takes the seat)

I would only consider using this for the worst kind of flaker who says YES and doesn't turn up a few times, along with being open about them for the reasons why and the disruption that it can cause particularly when an event is on the verge of an additional table, or if as described by others if the flakiness is systemic in the player pool.