Critique my House Rules (2 Viewers)

[DoubleEagle]

1. Your buy-in seems a little light. If you are going to allow $200 re-buy after one hour why not just start there. Too confusing and arbitrary.
2. I think straddles are a bad idea, especially for a new game with new players. You are going to run the newbies off with aggros straddling every time they have a chance. Straddles are especially bad on the button as it gives the button straddle too much of an advantage. Ditch the straddles until your game matures.
3. I think if you are going to play 7/2 then all players at the table should vote to agree. In general, I think any prop bets in a new game with new players is bad idea.

Good luck!

 

[TheYeti]

If your house rules are based on RRoP and you want to keep it short, I suggest adding this, "RRoP is our cash game rulebook, but house rules always take precedence." This way you can take out anything RRoP already covers, such as one chip rule and string bets.

It depends what you want to improve by having a printed copy of the house rules. For me, I have a printed copy of RRoP and my house rules are under two pages long. New players get a 10-second verbal description of the main rules and procedures. Players rarely read my house rules nor do I require it because it's meant to be a reference for when things go awry. New players don't need to worry about falling into any "gotcha" traps.

LOVE this suggestion! I took out most of the stuff duplicated in RRoP and the rules are now even more concise! Thanks for that!

I didn’t quite get it either. To me it sounds like it can be other amounts as well, but not more than $4 (I am not a native English speaker though). Also, why 4x? Isn’t first straddle typically 2x?

Maybe it’s all regulars or you make it clear when sending invites, but if I was invited to a 25c/50c game, I don’t expect to have to bring money to cover a potential $8/16 game, nor would I want to.

I changed the verbiage for the straddle and made it uncapped. Less confusion that way, and pretty much the only person who straddles at my game was having a problem with me capping it, so win-win!

1. Your buy-in seems a little light. If you are going to allow $200 re-buy after one hour why not just start there. Too confusing and arbitrary.
2. I think straddles are a bad idea, especially for a new game with new players. You are going to run the newbies off with aggros straddling every time they have a chance. Straddles are especially bad on the button as it gives the button straddle too much of an advantage. Ditch the straddles until your game matures.
3. I think if you are going to play 7/2 then all players at the table should vote to agree. In general, I think any prop bets in a new game with new players is bad idea.

Good luck!

I changed the re-buy to half the big stack and got rid of the time limit. Seems less confusing and also more fair.

I should have been more clear in my OP....this is not really a "new" game, about half of my players came from the old crew (15+ years ago). And really, I only have one regular straddler, and he doesn't start straddling until latter in the night when stacks are pretty large.

Here's the updated rules, let me know what you guys think! And thanks for all the suggestions, they have been VERY helpful!

 

[Machine]

1. Your buy-in seems a little light. If you are going to allow $200 re-buy after one hour why not just start there. Too confusing and arbitrary.
2. I think straddles are a bad idea, especially for a new game with new players. You are going to run the newbies off with aggros straddling every time they have a chance. Straddles are especially bad on the button as it gives the button straddle too much of an advantage. Ditch the straddles until your game matures.

This is contradictory, you're advise is up the buy in, which is bad for new players, and take out the straddle (I agree, as it is also bad for new players).

I like the lower buy in, its not horrible for the stakes and protects new players.

The straddle is an advantage for seasoned players if they know how to use it especially on the button. Could have it in place for UTG only, and its a disadvantage which balances out the aggro play.

 

[DoubleEagle]

This is contradictory, you're advise is up the buy in, which is bad for new players...

Based on many years of experience running cash games, this has never been a problem for any our group(s). YMMV.

 

[Eriks]

and pretty much the only person who straddles at my game was having a problem with me capping it, so win-win!

Obviously I don’t know your players but if only one ever straddles, I would take it as a sign that maybe not everyone thinks straddles is a very good idea.

 

[Joe Harris]

not everyone thinks straddles is a very good idea.

Straddling is always good idea when someone else is doing it. Every game needs at one shameless degenerate.

 

[TheYeti]

Straddling is always good idea when someone else is doing it. Every game needs at one shameless degenerate.

This is my thought as well.

This particular player will usually donk off 2-3 buy-ins...although he does get lucky every now and then. He took home $250 last time.

 

[Eriks]

Straddling is always good idea when someone else is doing it. Every game needs at one shameless degenerate.

I agree but usually when it’s a fun degen game where everyone wants to splash around, more than one will straddle. Otherwise there might be a few that thinks the level is barely acceptable. Again, I don’t know your players, but people will rarely speak up if the game is too big/loose/scary for them. They will simply stop showing up

 

[Bacon Dad]

If heads up, I raise on the river, am called, can I throw my cards into muck or can the caller demand to see my cards?

Great question! I think there’s an entire thread on this topic, but I can’t remember where I saw it, whether this forum or another. Would love to see some experienced responses, nonetheless.

Thanks.

 

[Eriks]

Great question! I think there’s an entire thread on this topic, but I can’t remember where I saw it, whether this forum or another. Would love to see some experienced responses, nonetheless.

Thanks.

You could demand to see the hand but it would be considered poor etiquette.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Great question! I think there’s an entire thread on this topic, but I can’t remember where I saw it, whether this forum or another. Would love to see some experienced responses, nonetheless.

Thanks.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/what-the-muck.96641/

Read through that, but @Eriks sums it up fine. I ask this whenever home game rules come up because its the one issue thats caused rifts in my personal game.

Personally, unless I'm trying to tilt someone I never ask, I just rake my pot. But we had a player that would 1. Always demand to see, which is rude but allowed, but 2. Would yell at new people to demand to see, and to put their original buyin to the side after winning a pot. Although legal, both things are obnoxious and wont get you invited back.

 

[Bacon Dad]

@Sparkynutz
Check this thread out for house rules. I have a few others but don’t know how to send them as a link yet. Let me know if you are interested.

 

[Sparkynutz]

@Sparkynutz
Check this thread out for house rules. I have a few others but don’t know how to send them as a link yet. Let me know if you are interested.

Yup, that's where I got a few of mine from

 

[TheYeti]

Made a few updates to my house rules that I posted earlier in this thread. Thank you to all who offered their great suggestions!

I have removed any mention of the dollar amounts for buy-ins/rebuys as we are now playing both .25/.50 and $1/$2 stakes. Since the $1/$2 games are (so far) only once every few months, the bad beat jackpot is not in effect as that wouldn't be fair to the "regular" .25/.50 players.

Below the rules, I've added a screenshot of my "boilerplate" e-vite since it outlines a few more of the details.

Let me know what you guys would change/add/subtract!

Invite:

 

[bsdunbar1]

FWIW, My house rules.
I give a copy to every new person who wants to join our league.

 

[JustinInMN]

If your house rules are based on RRoP and you want to keep it short, I suggest adding this, "RRoP is our cash game rulebook, but house rules always take precedence." This way you can take out anything RRoP already covers, such as one chip rule and string bets.

This is the best suggestion, then you really have a catch all for any circumstance. That said, I think as a host in the last 5 years, I can count on one hand how many "rulings" I have had to make.

I have removed any mention of the dollar amounts for buy-ins/rebuys as we are now playing both .25/.50 and $1/$2 stakes. Since the $1/$2 games are (so far) only once every few months, the bad beat jackpot is not in effect as that wouldn't be fair to the "regular" .25/.50 players.

This was the first edit I was going to suggest so it can apply to all stakes and forms.

Also, 20x the big blind for a minimum buy-in is actually a casino standard, so I don't think you had to raise it. Probably not an issue anyway most regs figure out pretty quick minimum buy-ins don't spin up fast enough and are often wiped out quickly.

FWIW, here are my house rules. Feel free to review, appropriate, send feedback if you like.

Basic: http://frclub.mygamesonline.org/FreeRiverClubBasic.html
Detail: http://frclub.mygamesonline.org/RuleAndStakeDetail.html

 

[Pinesol13]

Made a few updates to my house rules that I posted earlier in this thread. Thank you to all who offered their great suggestions!

I have removed any mention of the dollar amounts for buy-ins/rebuys as we are now playing both .25/.50 and $1/$2 stakes. Since the $1/$2 games are (so far) only once every few months, the bad beat jackpot is not in effect as that wouldn't be fair to the "regular" .25/.50 players.

Below the rules, I've added a screenshot of my "boilerplate" e-vite since it outlines a few more of the details.

Let me know what you guys would change/add/subtract!

View attachment 1062594
View attachment 1062595

Invite:
View attachment 1062606

This has been a great thread to read through, I'm working on updating my list to post in my poker room.

My only thought about yours is regarding table talk. It kinda reads to me like it only applies to players that have folded. In my list of rules, I specifically reference being 3+ handed vs heads up. Just a thought

 

[louBdub]

Rabbits cost a buck in the next pot
at my table

 

[TheYeti]

Resurrecting my old thread since I have been refining my House Rules over the past few months. We now play both .25/.50 stakes and $1/$2 stakes fairly regularly and I have made changes accordingly. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve! Thanks!

 

[JustinInMN]

Resurrecting my old thread since I have been refining my House Rules over the past few months. We now play both .25/.50 stakes and $1/$2 stakes fairly regularly and I have made changes accordingly. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve! Thanks!

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Like it. Just to pick a nit on the single chip rule. This rule should start with "when facing a bet," as that is the only time a single chip is assumed to be a call. If there has been no bet on the given round, a single chip is assumed to be the entire value of the chip unless there has been a verbal declaration.

 

[Donttellmywife87]

Resurrecting my old thread since I have been refining my House Rules over the past few months. We now play both .25/.50 stakes and $1/$2 stakes fairly regularly and I have made changes accordingly. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve! Thanks!

View attachment 1139447

Resurrecting my old thread since I have been refining my House Rules over the past few months. We now play both .25/.50 stakes and $1/$2 stakes fairly regularly and I have made changes accordingly. Let me know if you guys have any suggestions on how to improve! Thanks!

View attachment 1139447
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Thank you for the post. Great rules, I like the promotion games a ton . That will make the game funner. Might try out the high hand jackpot.

 

[TheYeti]

Thank you for the post. Great rules, I like the promotion games a ton . That will make the game funner. Might try out the high hand jackpot.

Yeah, the HH is very fun and add some incentive for people to stay later than they normally would. Unfortunately, we have to pay ours out at 11pm (we normally play until 1-2am) because I have 3 regs that have to work on Saturday mornings (we play Friday nights).