The Godfather Club - Minnesota (5 Viewers)

[merkong]

I know a lot of hosts that spread regular games have more than enough to deal with and leadership at GFC is no exception. With this game being a weekly I sometimes tamp down one pseudo-situation in the nick of time to address yet another.

On this weeks menu is the delicious offering we like to call Flu Stew; navigating the need to keep our games safe from infectious disease (it sounds so lethal right?)

Being in throes of cold and flu season, understanding the wild card that is the allergies, and having to appreciate everyone’s honesty and ability to gauge their health and give space for other people’s feelings is a tall order even for the best hosts.

We’ve had players attend who were admittedly “recovering” from some sort of illness (which is not “not sick”) have sick households or workplaces, and despite the innocuous hints and reminders, go as far as to cough in the open and ignore any and all of the 8 vessels of antiseptic hand sanitizer dispatched in the James Dean Lounge and playing area.

In the interest of not being overreactive (it’s not like a paired board for crying out loud) but exercising due diligence, GFC issued yet another memo.

For your consideration.

It was met with resounding appreciation and the only individual that more deeply questioned it was one of the few that seemingly is flouting common courtesy and wants to get their poker on irrespective of their immediate health. Shame…

That’s it for now PCF. Keep yourselves and your games safe and prospering. And hosts, don’t hold back on towing the line on this or any other matter. If someone questions an obviously common sense or consensus driven idea or decision and wants to boycott the game do them and your game a favor and remove them from the list.

Carry on.

 

[JustinInMN]

On this weeks menu is the delicious offering we like call Flu Stew; navigating the need to keep our games safe from infectious disease (it sounds so lethal right?)

Being in throes of cold and flu season, understanding the wild card that is the allergies, and having to appreciate everyone’s honesty and ability to gauge their health and give space for other people’s feelings is a tall order even for the best hosts.

Between my two kids, wife, and myself, we have seen a ton of doctors in December and January. All of them are saying this has been a particularly bad flu season in our neck of the woods. We got a notice from the school that over 10% of kids were absent during one week in December with stuff spreading.

 

[merkong]

Session 142 at Godfather Club was a doozy from the first flop.

After a spirited Running of the Ponies with one of the many Major Tom Variants in action, the game was out of the muck from the get go.

Boat over Boat, Flush v. Flush, and Bottom and Top Straights went head to head to head. It was a Crazy Night of Poker as OAR once sing, sang, sung…

There were a couple of deeper pocketed setbacks but the order of the day was the big comeback. All in all, with right around $1K in the drawer there was a little something for everyone. I took advantage of not having to directly manage the session and played ahead 2 buy-ins. The James Dean Lounge drew in $50 in gratuities to more than cover the cuisine bill.

The Boss spent the night in Gen Pop as Underboss Big T handled the dealer box and Top Captain Toothpick manned the bank. I enjoyed a night away from the stub and will probably be doing it more often as we have a few interested card pitchers. Having dealt the vast, vast majority of hands in the near 600 sessions I’ve spread (592 to be exact but who’s counting) I could see a complete role reversal and running the game maybe every one out of four sessions moving forward. I tell Big T, who is my son-in-law and full-time banker, that someday this game will be his with some of these Captains answering directly to no one but him, so now is the time begin understanding that.

On top of all the crazy, the Executive Game saw its fourth Royal Flush in the last 30 months. Toothpick got there with a Diamond Royal (we’re looking for a Heart) to join Max (Diamond Flush) and yours truly (Spade and Club Flushes) as players at GFC who have topped the hand chart. Well done.

143 being tabled as we speak as I continue toward my 600 career session spread. Go me…

Carry on.

The Royal

 

[Oryx]

I started following your journey a few weeks ago. I'm very much enjoying the hosting insights you bring. I can't believe all the stats you track. Very impressive!
Side question... Is that dealer button lit up with LEDs or is it just the lighting?
Also also, those chips look great. Idk much about poker chips outside the commercially available ones but I think they look great!

 

[demonnic]

I started following your journey a few weeks ago. I'm very much enjoying the hosting insights you bring. I can't believe all the stats you track. Very impressive!
Side question... Is that dealer button lit up with LEDs or is it just the lighting?
Also also, those chips look great. Idk much about poker chips outside the commercially available ones but I think they look great!

It's lit up with LED. Rechargeable too =)
I've got an extra set (they come in 2 packs) if you want 'em send me a DM, I'll dig up what I paid for them and give 'em to you at cost. Otherwise @Gavin I believe may still have some, they're where they came from.

Alternately, you can buy small LED rings which adhere to the bottom of an acrylic DB and light it up from underneath, though it does then create a definitive "top" and "bottom".

The Mr Burns Casino button in this picture is thusly lit:

 

[merkong]

I started following your journey a few weeks ago. I'm very much enjoying the hosting insights you bring. I can't believe all the stats you track. Very impressive!
Side question... Is that dealer button lit up with LEDs or is it just the lighting?
Also also, those chips look great. Idk much about poker chips outside the commercially available ones but I think they look great!

The GFC appreciates it. Amazing isn't it, how we're able to entertain ourselves so easily with just a pile of poker chips and a couple of decks of cards? The dealer button was an acquisition thru our beloved website. The member may have more so poke around. They came in pairs of two, have multiple color settings, charge on the USB, and last about four hours each. They're great.

The chips... Also thank you. Last night was our Green (fracs) and White DieCard setup. The Whites are the DieCard Nevada Mold. I love the old molds. The plan was to spread a mixed set (I'm notorious and shocked I haven't been banned yet) but a rack of black DieCard I reacquired from a friend here on PCF (what comes around really does sometimes come around) aren't here yet. That set will be referred to affectionately as the BumbleBees and be two racks of yellow Elephant& Crowns in the role of fracs and (wait for it) and racks of black Elephant & Crowns, HHR's, and DieCards teaming up to handle workhorse duties. These older CPC and ASM styled chips are where my heart lives.

Thanks for keeping up with GFC and if you're ever in MN send a message and we'll squeeze. Had a friend/member in town from well-overseas looking for a seat but the lights were closed that weekend due to a battery of personal commitments by myself and several members of my crew.

Going to spend part of the day in te card room after coffee and a round of disc gold in good old 26 degree MN weather.

Be well, good luck, and go find those buttons. I can backtrack my messages and try to be helpful. Well worth it.

 

[merkong]

It's lit up with LED. Rechargeable too =)
I've got an extra set (they come in 2 packs) if you want 'em send me a DM, I'll dig up what I paid for them and give 'em to you at cost. Otherwise @Gavin I believe may still have some, they're where they came from.

Alternately, you can buy small LED rings which adhere to the bottom of an acrylic DB and light it up from underneath, though it does then create a definitive "top" and "bottom".

The Mr Burns Casino button in this picture is thusly lit:View attachment 1455623

Very nice. You get the HHR's? The Black Parade is a day out. I put off speading any part of that new collaboration until they arrive so it'll be for 143 this coming Friday.

Did I get those buttons from you? They're great BTW. Well done. (Upon further review, I did not - They're great though huh?)

 

[demonnic]

Very nice. You get the HHR's? The Black Parade is a day out. I put off speading any part of that new collaboration until they arrive so it'll be for 143 this coming Friday.

Did I get those buttons from you? They're great BTW. Well done.

Got them yesterday, love 'em and happy to do the swap. You probably got them from Gavin's sale thread here same as I did. They're a lot of fun but two is enough to keep them cycled throughout a session for the single table cash game I host and I have four of them.

Can't wait to see the DieCars in play for 143 =)

 

[merkong]

Update… The Postman only rings once and once he has rung.

I present to you the Black Parade; a mixed mold set comprised of Elephant & Crowns, HHR’s, and DieCards. They’ll be tabled at Session 143 this upcoming Friday.

Enjoy.

The Black Parade

Bundled up for a quick round of disc golf before some funky weather passed thru. I think this Black and Yellow thing is more than just a coincidence.

 

[Gavin]

I started following your journey a few weeks ago. I'm very much enjoying the hosting insights you bring. I can't believe all the stats you track. Very impressive!
Side question... Is that dealer button lit up with LEDs or is it just the lighting?
Also also, those chips look great. Idk much about poker chips outside the commercially available ones but I think they look great!

Yep - still have a bunch of lighted DBs available. If interested, just send me a PM...

Lighted DB input: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/lighted-dealer-buttons.124300/

Thanx!

 

[Munchies11]

Merkong your like the godfather of home game poker !! It’s awesome lol keep it up

 

[merkong]

Greetings Poker Faithful. I hope Poker Friday was as kind to you as it was to yours truly. It was a great night from start to finish.

I got the night rolling by swooping in on a PCF auction, acquiring a solid set of Nexgen 8000’s I decided I just had to have. The price was right and I’m excited to receive them. Hold on everyone, they’re spoken for if they leave GFC anytime soon.

After my auction win, I wound up scooping up every chip ante’d in Major Tom’s Wild and Whacky Horse Race Extravaganza. It’s a slightly different variant each week. Go me!

Being off the dealer box and in Gen Pop for the second week in a row was also good. I will be completely relinquishing the dealing duties to one or three of my crew members. The Executive Game is a dedicated dealer game of which I’ve dealt nearly exclusively from the outset. The Banker provides relief. It’s time for me to stay in Gen Pop. I have competent help. I’m able to play tighter versus wanting to be in more hands simply because I’m the one doing all the work making sure the hand is available.

I debuted a mixed mold set I recently built and it was a hit. Like it wasn’t going to be right? Solid, razor sharp chips, oiled a week ago… Come on. The Black and Yellow set hit the table comprised of Elephant and Crown fracs, a workhorse rack of the same, a workhorse rack of HHR’s, and a workhorse rack of DieCards. The DieCards are returning to GFC as I sold them last Fall and had to broker a trade to get back to the game. PCF is so awesome.

In any event, hung some wall stuff, played cards, had fun. Game 143 seated 10 with four on the waitlist, two which wound up making the 10. The session went 1900-0330. I was in for $40 and out for $256. Wee!

Be well. It’s snowing here in MN. Kind of pretty. I have a next Saturday upcoming session that tabling has already started for and some chip decisions to make as I’ll be making an offering in the Classies.

Run well people.

Pics…

Lineup for 143…

The latest Royal to hit the wall.

The third Royal on the wall (mine hee hee)

The second Royal on the wall.

The first Royal on the wall (mine too hee hee)

The Royal Wall

The morning after waiting to be cabineted

Last nights mixed mold set. Yes, dice plaques

The new Nexgens (photo courtesy of seller)

Be good and play poker.

Ken

 

[merkong]

Good Tuesday night friends. Table is set for game 144 as we continue advancing toward Game 600 across two distinct chapters in my hosting career. As Game 150 in this tour approaches, which will be Game 600, I’ll be working on a brief overview of that journey for the thread. In the meantime, enjoy a look at the Friday Lineup.

See you at the tables.

 

[merkong]

Well, the 144th running of the Executive Game at GFC (game 594 overall) came to fruition last night. It was a resounding good time with a caveat or two.

The night kicked off with Major Tom's Good Old Fashioned, Rooting/Tooting, Knee-Slapping Good Time of a Horse Racing Variant (MTGOFRTKSGTHRV). It was another grand success and really got the room ready to play.

We stretched our usual and one and only prop, the Flop Prop, into Flop/River. After assigning the button each week and starting with the button winner, all players select a card. If a person's card is paired on the flop, all players pay that person a quarter. There are additional qualifiers if the card entirely populates the flop and if somehow it quads up on the turn. You'll have to inquire with the Prop Committee on the payouts for those circumstances. We did though stretch it as I mentioned to Flop/River; your card appears on the Flop and then hits the River; same deal, a quarter from all players to the card holder. We paid that out more than the paired flop variety.

We rolled a new set-up, Bullets Playing Cards, courtesy of the Chair and Ranking Member of the PCC (Playing Card Committee) Major Tom. The cards played great. I did a little synopsis in another thread dedicated to playing (plastic?) cards.

The game also chipped up with a recent Auction Theft committed by yours truly and tabled 500 NexGen 8000's, denominated with Gold Foil. I am a NexGen fan but am preferential to Lucky Bee's (Where 'dem Bee's at?), and am also a friend of the 8000's and 8002's... No time for the Pro Remix. I'd honestly rather play Outlaws or Spartans from Discount Poker over the NexGen Pro Remix for cost, feel, weight, appearance, and probably a few more reasons.

Aside from running very poorly but keeping it together despite being nicotine-free (vape) for 48 hours at the beginning of the night I did have a visibly unwell player; sniffling, coughing, sounding quite nasal, blowing nose (WTAF?) multiple times. I did sarcastically mention once "I think you're deteriorating" and another time indicating that they "better not be player zero." My backer said I should have cashed them out. I told her that while I don't disagree, everyone knows the expectations as it pertains to situations like this. That player is now on the rail, will miss the Monthly Club Championship Event (5 of 13), will likely be shuffled several spots down in the rotation, and be passed over for a 9 or even an 8-handed table. That message is strong, will hit everyone, ns should suffice.

How I've made it almost 600 sessions is absolutely beyond me.

So, a good night at GFC for 144/594. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'll do a more inclusive write-up about my poker and hosting journey to commemorate my 600th crack at this hosting thing.

A few pics...

The Bullets

Textured

Ms. Hepburn courtesy The Real Teddy KGB

NexGEN 8000’s Candy-Striping

8000’s in Maize

NexGens. Everyone liked the “Grapes”

 

[merkong]

Good Thursday morning PCF. The Executive Game filled yesterday afternoon and a few of the five who remained notified of that last seat reached out overnight (WTH?) and will be waitlisted.

This primer message goes out this morning followed by the day of message tomorrow. It’s a busy week at GFC with the weekly cash game tomorrow night and Event 5/13 in the GFC Championship Series Saturday night.

More details to come about prep for the weekend and I have to Venmo bills to take care of for a rack with a chipper and some racks with a vendor.

Happy Eve Eve chippers.

The Pre-Day Primer

Incoming to round out an offering of primarily Mixed RHC workhorses to be played with Protege Cigar/Snifter $25's as fracs. Yes, I’m that chipper you were warned about.

The rest of the set waiting on the above arrival. Complete with a barrel of Venetian $2’s

The Deuces

 

[merkong]

With a Doubleheader fast approaching and a laundry list of shopping, sprucing, cooking, pulling the chips and plaques, and consulting with the Ranking Member of the PCC (Playing Card Committee) to inquire which cards we’ll table tomorrow I decided the monthly cleaning of Big Red was a month or so over do.

I’ve written about the Bissell product that is employed at GFC so if your curious search my threads.

In any event, despite the table not being anywhere near the state of affairs it was in when I purchased the Bissell and took the situation to task, it was still time.

I presoak with just water and apply and agitate whatever laundry soap we use with a soft horsehair brush. More water applied and then about 5 minutes later and counting the seconds because even I get sketchy with that amount of water soaking into my cloth, I extract with the Bissell. Another job well done me and another reason there’s non-intake dependent gratuity vessels placed in convenient locations around GFC. And to my crews credit, they do their part every session, covering the stuffs and leaving me with minimal leftovers to have to eat myself.

GFC for the Win!

The table. Nothing left to do but wipe out the cups, wash the rail and apply some Black Magic later tonight.

Boom.

Copious amount water.

Agitation is one of my superpowers.

See? Feeling agitated huh.

More water.

Moar!

Sucka!

Eww!

Urp!

Oof.

Be well.

 

[merkong]

Day One of the Doubleheader at GFC has arrived; A much anticipated Cash Game (Session 145) with the room being readied once again in the morning for the also much anticipated Event 5 of 13 in The Club Championship Series (Session 146). The day prior memo for Event 5 will go out this afternoon.

So, off to procure provisions for tonight and then back to the club for final preparations and cooking. Only an errand or two will stave off getting ready for tonight’s session and watching a little television and relaxing.

Good luck tonight if you’re playing.

 

[merkong]

Wrapping up around 0200. Up and down all night and even the nicest comebacks were thwarted by coolers. Left money behind but it’s nice to spread it around. Event 5 tomorrow night in the Club Championship Series so a quick turnaround for the room.

Have a great weekend.

 

[merkong]

Good Thursday aka Poker Eve is you celebrate. Hosts all over the globe are readying rooms, dotting i’s and crossing T’s getting ready for poker this weekend. The GFC is no exception.

Shopping tonight for provisions but not until I unpack a couple of racks of Tina chips that I brought in to round out a cash set of, wait for it, Castle and Spear. I know l, you’re jealous…

Here’s the lineup and I promise some pics tomorrow night.

Be well.

Remember, “Frog is not wrong.”
Fracs

Workhorses

Racked

 

[Oryx]

I promise some pics tomorrow night.

I've heard that before LMAO
Though admittedly I suck at taking pics too lol

 

[merkong]

Session 147 (597) in the books. The room is cleared and the hay is being hit. The Underboss, Banker, and Son-in-Law was the big winner with around $350 over his buy-in and reloads. A record bank of around $1500 greeted the game. After Major Tom’s Equine Extravaganza the game came out of the muck in a hurry. All in all a great night. I’m throwing discs and riding my road bike tomorrow. For now though, a little shut eye.

Be well.

DieCards staged.

Delicious DieCards

Dice plaques. Jealous? Less than a buck per

The first big one of the night.

Pots!

Yes!

I want some.

Go to bed.

 

[WW96630]

Are you looking for new players in the metro?

 

[merkong]

Are you looking for new players in the metro?

My game is strong because I subscribe to the one basic tenet; Always be Recruiting…

Once a player clears the vetting process we typically discuss arranging an audition.

 

[merkong]

Breaking News:

Yeah not really. The Executive Game is poised and ready for Friday night. MN is looking at a one outer in the weather department with a storm centered over southern WI backdooring MN with rain>wintery mix>full on snow event over the next 12-24 hours.

Table set, shopping list ready, cards and chips appointed… Plan in place for snow management. 148 (598) is in the queue and ready.

Is it really only Tuesday?

 

[merkong]

Breaking News:

The Competition and Theatrics Committee, who had recently convened under a veil of mystery, has just contacted the front office and announced a Heads Up Championship Invitational Series. All details still forthcoming. The one and only concrete piece of information is that the first event will happen between Events 6 and 7 of the GFC Club Championship Series. Event 6 is slated for March 22nd.

This is good news.

This just in: Preliminary details include winners advance (versus 2 out of 3), each advancement earns winner a small “advancement prize” and participants in the Championship Match will split the pot accordingly minus the “advancement prizes.” Projected entry $50. Blind levels to be a specified number of hands (likely 11) versus a timer.

The committee prefers 16 runners to take the opening bell but a dry run of 8 players is also being floated. Players would be selected based on several metrics including; feats of strength, convincing airing of grievances, credit score, overall likability, and how random elderly women rate their mugshots for cuteness on a scale of 1-10.

Things are moving fast.