Tips For Keeping Consistent Poker Nights as a Host (1 Viewer)

[pokercole]

Depending on what part of Ga/Atlanta Cherokee Valley River is ~ 2 hours drive. maybe 3 if you're on the south side. And the other Cherokee casino is an hour drive from there. Closest I know of. But I have heard about several private games while at CVR in just the last couple of months. All three or four of them were $2/5 though which is sadly above my bankroll.

I've noticed people tend to be a bit more open when at the smoking/vaping section outside than while inside the casino itself.

Right, I'm on the north side so its actually just under 2 hours for me. Definitely heading up there sometime later on this year.

And yeah 2/5 would be pushing mine as well. How's are the games at CVR?

 

[demonnic]

They're struggling with management and not having enough dealers imo. Rake is 10% up to $7+2 for the promo which is kind of high compared to Vegas but not compared to some places. They had 3-5 tables of 1/3 running last Friday. The other one tends to be busier, but it's one hour vs two hours for me and it's just so much easier to go to the closer one as a night out or day trip on a Saturday.
I've been five times this year, and it's only been open since last May, so it's not exactly the greatest sample size of the game yet, but:

It's a mixture of OMC types who run the risk of ripping the upholstery when they stand up they're so tight and loose passive players trying to limp into almost every pot, with the occasional maniac who just wants to gambol because it's still slower than losing at the slots for them. There were a few other people playing aggressively with decent ranges but for the most part it's pretty easy. None of that is to say there isn't any action, it's just tends to be driven by a couple of people at the table with a bunch of calling stations throwing their dead money in the center. I'm up overall there, and much of what I did lose on losing days I got the money in good, it just didn't run my way.

 

[Old State]

I’ve been hosting games off and on for 23 years. The number one thing that will destroy a regular game is raising the stakes. You will likely have several that will always ask for this. Resist it. I have several regular casino stakes players that often ask for this. I’ve settled on a $1/1 NL game with a $120 buyin. I’ve found this is the optimal comfort level for the most players.

If you want to do a higher stakes game make it an obvious separate event. Do not give the impression to the regulars that it will be the norm.

And, as many have said, you need 2-4x as many people on your regular invite list than you can seat to maintain a regular game. The other advantage is that you are likely to get games to fill quickly which has a psychological effect. When people see that they tend to reply right away for fear of missing a seat.

Years ago when I hosted tournaments with a few friends they would, in the beginning, take a month to fill 20 seats. Then as our invite list expanded to 80 people we could get 30 signed up in 12 hours! Often with a waitlist of 2-5 people.

Right now I’m struggling to get regular cash games because of my age…lots have kids in sports etc…so that makes it tough. Once we all get through this phase I assume it will get back to before anyone had kids

 

[Poker Zombie]

A lot of solid advice in this thread. So I'll recap with how I went about the same processes.

• More players than needed: When I ran a game for 8 players, we would struggle if a few couldn't make it. My table could only handle 8 - so I built a makeshift table (a dining table with a blanket and a tablecloth). With the spare table I could invite 14 players and have seats for everyone. Always invite more than you want, but have a plan in case everyone shows.
• Predictable games: Because my work schedule only allows me one weekend every 3 weeks and I don't want every available weekend to be poker (hosting is a taxing and expensive endeavor), we play every 6 weeks. I print up schedules and players can plan around them. I now have regulars flying in from Arizona and driving in from Arkansas, because they plan their trips "home" around the games, which are usually $30 tournaments. Once, Mrs Zombie and I were due to fly home from vacation arriving an hour before players were to arrive on game day. We had set everything up before we left and put a spare key outside, so it would be ready in case the flight home was delayed.
• Always be recruiting: Invite spouses, because women are a great part of any poker game, and a low-stakes game instantly becomes a date night - which not only increases attendance, but it becomes instantly accessible for all genders.
• Multi-focused: I love to cook, so a pregame meal is a part of the whole package. It also gets people to arrive early, so that's a win-win. Yes, it adds to the cost, but as I said, hosting is a taxing and expensive endeavor. On the plus side, most my group brings sides or desserts. I'll eat leftovers for 3-7 days following a game, so you have to ask, is it actually expensive if you rake the sides during second break?