What destroys long-running games? (1 Viewer)

[MrCatPants]

We all know the "if you're game ain't growing, it's dying" mantra. Running a home game, and keeping it going is hard.

What have you seen blow up/kill long running home games? I'll start with a few.

- Host moved 20 miles to a different side of town. Game ran 3 more times and died.

- Host increased stakes to accommodate certain players. All the casuals dropped and they went from biweekly to once in a blue moon.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Having too many games. If you are hosting cash games they can be very difficult to keep running on a weekly basis if the same people keep winning.

 

[57chevy]

Just recently saw an interview with Deeb during the WSOP and he said bomb pots are ruining games. The bad players go broke to quickly.

But IMO, the host makes all the difference in a game running a long time or not, and the rake

 

[LeLe]

1) Host start to collect/increase entrance/rake fee to justify hosting

2) Players attending start to have more misreg and sharks, keep the bad loose players away

3) Chips used get aggressively dirty (yucks)

 

[krafticus]

bad players make games break up. Not bad in the sense of terrible at poker .. bad is in bad life skills

 

[merkong]

My present game in this run will be Session 120 in just about the two year life of this chapter. My game in the city years ago ran weekly for 6 years. That’s a lot of sessions. My advice in addition to always be auditioning new players (duh) is listen to the masses but make changes very, very slowly and only after meticulous thought. I’ve been badgered about stakes, games, buy-ins, and the list goes on and on and on… Listen to them but at the end of the day it’s your call. It’s not whether or not what’s good for the goose is good for the gander it’s is it good for your game. I’ve always said players can leave the game because it’s too small but I’ll fight so I don’t lose them because it’s too big.

And lastly, don’t be afraid to take a session off here and there. My game is weekly so near the end of the winter and the end of the summer I’ll do the occasional week off. It keeps the players remembering how much they appreciate being able to set their watches by the game and gives the host a much needed and well-deserved week off. It takes about 5 hours of prep from all the cleaning, shopping, cooking, and managing invites to be ready each week.

Stay true to the vision you have for your game and have a handle on your own pulse. If you feel you’re losing steam figure out why.

Nearly 500 sessions don’t lie.

 

[merkong]

bad players make games break up. Not bad in the sense of terrible at poker .. bad is in bad life skills

Going thru this right now. Out of the blue clipped the guy. There’ll be no push back.

 

[merkong]

Just recently saw an interview with Deeb during the WSOP and he said bomb pots are ruining games. The bad players go broke to quickly.

But IMO, the host makes all the difference in a game running a long time or not, and the rake

Bomb pots… Blech. Also, not into twists; I don’t stand up, we don’t play Deuce/7, all that weird stuff. There’s no show me chip. Poker as it was designed. Rake? Yikes. Feed them and tell them not to be schmucks. Then the food is free from a me having to pay for it, everyone eats and aside from preparing for the session, all I’m risking is my buy-in.

Don’t get me started on the years being a regular poker host has shaved off my life though.

 

[Goldfish]

Just recently saw an interview with Deeb during the WSOP and he said bomb pots are ruining games. The bad players go broke to quickly.

But IMO, the host makes all the difference in a game running a long time or not, and the rake

This. For this reason we cap our bomb pot. Unlimited bomb pots will definitely have a big impact on the game.

 

[auto]

I used to go to a home game that ran weekly. But then 4 of the regulars moved to different cities/out of state and the game eventually stopped running.

 

[Josh Kifer]

You need new players, but you need new players that fit the table. If you add someone too aggressive or into stakes that natural table can't handle, it'll jam it up.

Structure, buyins, natural adult schedules changing, moves, kids.... All can torpedo a game.

 

[Highli99]

Fun players having health issues and dropping out can be bad for game dynamics.

Conflicts at games are not ideal since that takes away from fun.

Balancing stakes is always hard since you’ll lose players whatever decision you make.

 

[merkong]

I used to go to a home game that ran weekly. But then 4 of the regulars moved to different cities/out of state and the game eventually stopped running.

Sounds like the host might have been ready for a break. Too bad. Leaves a lot of players in a lurch.

 

[merkong]

The other thing that comes to mind is being in a “full table” mode. Players and the host… If you play cash games condition players into understanding that 5, 6, or 7 hands is perfect cash game numbers.

I used to be in “full table” mode years ago when I did mainly STT’s. So glad I figured it out.

How many times did we see Felix and Oscar, Hawkeye and BJ, or Maverick and some Tin Horns sitting at a table of 10? Never.

 

[Moxie Mike]

What have you seen blow up/kill long running home games?

1) Players aging out. I've been hosting consistently since 2018. We've had some players become empty nesters and develop other interests like travel, others retired and moved out of state, etc.

2) A better game pops up. There was a game that ran in the men's locker room of a local country club for 20 years. But the game shut down during the pandemic, and some of the regs never returned. The others now play in my game.

Why is my game better? I provide more than just a place to play cards, it's inherently gender-neutral, and best of all: the threat of encountering naked dudes walking around is greatly reduced

 

[elemeno]

Nearly 500 sessions

That’s astounding, well done! Could you share a pic of your table, chairs, and chips?

 

[Highli99]

1) Players aging out. I've been hosting consistently since 2018. We've had some players become empty nesters and develop other interests like travel, others retired and moved out of state, etc.

2) A better game pops up. There was a game that ran in the men's locker room of a local country club for 20 years. But the game shut down during the pandemic, and some of the regs never returned. The others now play in my game.

Why is my game better? I provide more than just a place to play cards, it's inherently gender-neutral, and best of all: the threat of encountering naked dudes walking around is greatly reduced

But I thought we were playing house rules?

 

[CraigT78]

A global pandemic.

 

[dpeks13]

Children. Literally little league/soccer/etc games leave us with no available days for the group to play

 

[upNdown]

I saw a fantasy football argument kill a long-running game.

The truth is that the game was dying. We were at a point where we were lucky to get 6 players. The host and ann every-week reg had a fantasy football argument. The reg quit the poker game and never came back. If you’re only getting 4, 5, or 6 guys weekly and you subtract 1, you’re in big trouble.

 

[merkong]

That’s astounding, well done! Could you share a pic of your table, chairs, and chips?

Big Red with the LED light and 10 USB’s is my go to. The black on black oval and ellipse I sold. All home built by yours truly. I have a Cadillac Octagon planned for the fall on a pedestal and if I like it I might rehome BR and take the game down by two hands for the winter. It’s in committee.

 

[Beakertwang]

Big Red with the LED light and 10 USB’s is my go to. The black on black oval and ellipse I sold. All home built by yours truly. I have a Cadillac Octagon planned for the fall on a pedestal and if I like it I might rehome BR and take the game down by two hands for the winter. It’s in committee.

View attachment 1376462View attachment 1376464View attachment 1376465View attachment 1376466

 

[elemeno]

Big Red with the LED light and 10 USB’s is my go to. The black on black oval and ellipse I sold. All home built by yours truly. I have a Cadillac Octagon planned for the fall on a pedestal and if I like it I might rehome BR and take the game down by two hands for the winter. It’s in committee.

View attachment 1376462View attachment 1376464View attachment 1376465View attachment 1376466

Fantastic. Perfect!

 

[MrCatPants]

Fun players having health issues and dropping out can be bad for game dynamics.

Conflicts at games are not ideal since that takes away from fun.

Balancing stakes is always hard since you’ll lose players whatever decision you make.

Luckily in my game, i am the funnest player.

 

[upNdown]

If you play cash games condition players into understanding that 5, 6, or 7 hands is perfect cash game numbers.

I agree with this. But it can be a double-edged sword - the problem can be if you plan to be 6-handed, you’re one cancellation and one early quitter from being 4-handed, which sucks.
And I think that can lead to log-term problems from a game - if you can’t consistently put on a good game every time you have players committing, those players are less likely to commit in the future.
Hosting is hard.

 

[merkong]

The guy that sold me the Donkey Rescue chips (I believe - so much has happened in that short couple of years) would always have a seat. Even named the lounge from that very early purchase in my chipping career…

 

[MrCatPants]

1) Players aging out. I've been hosting consistently since 2018. We've had some players become empty nesters and develop other interests like travel, others retired and moved out of state, etc.

2) A better game pops up. There was a game that ran in the men's locker room of a local country club for 20 years. But the game shut down during the pandemic, and some of the regs never returned. The others now play in my game.

Why is my game better? I provide more than just a place to play cards, it's inherently gender-neutral, and best of all: the threat of encountering naked dudes walking around is greatly reduced

I have had a couple pass away, and one have eye sight and mobility go enough downhill that live was no longer an option.

 

[merkong]

I agree with this. But it can be a double-edged sword - the problem can be if you plan to be 6-handed, you’re one cancellation and one early quitter from being 4-handed, which sucks.
And I think that can lead to log-term problems from a game - if you can’t consistently put on a good game every time you have players committing, those players are less likely to commit in the future.
Hosting is hard.

Oh yeah, no… I won’t plan on starting that thin but with a couple of cancels or whatever I’m prepared to roll with those numbers. I also have a couple of players that come after softball so we’re accustomed to being 8 or 9 until a couple hours in.

Yes, unless you’re dealing with the most solid of solid players and can dodge the unforeseeable, a low number lineup can get nasty.

 

[MrCatPants]

I agree with this. But it can be a double-edged sword - the problem can be if you plan to be 6-handed, you’re one cancellation and one early quitter from being 4-handed, which sucks.
And I think that can lead to log-term problems from a game - if you can’t consistently put on a good game every time you have players committing, those players are less likely to commit in the future.
Hosting is hard.

I have my circus game capped at 8 rather than 7 or 6 for this reason. I want us playing the 6 max and 7 max games but need padding for late cancels, and if everyone shows we will just play a mix of 8 max and. 7max (sit out the dealer) games until the first leaver.

Same for holdem. Want 9. Schedule 10.

 

[surfik]

I played in pool club. Finally owner decided that we do not drink enough...
He propobly was a bit afraid about police raid.