what's the vibe in your home game? (4 Viewers)

[LeCoq]

I really appreciate all the replies and input PCF! Thank you.

 

[ontheriver51]

I agree about the tiny buy in. I am willing to raise it, but still afraid some people will jam. Some of my players own their own businesses so $25 or $50 or $100 is probably not a deterrent. It's challenging just fielding a group of players to make the game happen. It's a different roster each week. There is a core of 4 or 5, but life happens and not everyone can attend every week.

I believe this is the biggest challenge for every home game

 

[ItsAlwaysLupus]

I am embarrassed to say I have heard of match the stack, but do not really know how that works.



It was fun and wild, but I ended up playing really tight for survival. I folded AQo which I knida wanted to play.



I do free tournaments during the week in 2 leagues so I like a small cash game to keep it interesting.



It's not easy to keep the game going. I have a small regular pool and a larger extended pool from the 2 leagues and my work. About 40 players total. So far I have only not had a weekly game about 3 times in 3 months.



Agreed. I have stand up game buttons, but I have only used once for free to teach the table the game and I ended up with 3 buttons and the table did not want to play. Honestly there is so much action that this has not been necessary.



Let's party. Prefer sake over soju.



This was my original intent. I had to open up in order to keep the game going. It's all good, making more friends.



I agree about the tiny buy in. I am willing to raise it, but still afraid some people will jam. Some of my players own their own businesses so $25 or $50 or $100 is probably not a deterrent. It's challenging just fielding a group of players to make the game happen. It's a different roster each week. There is a core of 4 or 5, but life happens and not everyone can attend every week.

Match the stack means that if someone rebuys or adds on they could do so up to the biggest stack at the table.

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

I really appreciate all the replies and input PCF! Thank you.

You really should join us on a Thursday sometime!! You already know @triton

 

[sup_squidy]

My home game is $.25/$.25 with a $25 buy-in for 100bb, up to a $50 buy-in for the max of 200bb. I think this setup works best for my group to balance sustainability, the social aspect, and fun. The vibe is casual—people show up late to a catered and stocked-bar game like it's an inconvenience to their otherwise uneventful Saturday night. The action typically involves limping to see family pots, followed by groans when there's a raise, with everyone folding their rags but claiming, "You’re lucky I didn’t call to see that flop" after the hand.

It's all about the drinking, some guests smoking, and constant chatting, with players almost always forgetting the action is on them. Poker takes a back seat, and people only really pay attention when someone exclaims, "Oh, we’ve got a hand here!" surprised to see $20+ in the pot. For a brief moment, it’s like the WSOP—intense, silent, and captivating—but then it quickly returns to socializing and joking around, with shade thrown at the loser or winner.

We’re all close friends, so it usually turns into a contest of who can make the funniest foul comment to get everyone laughing—either about the current loser/winner or even a memorable defeat from earlier in the evening. There’s plenty of inappropriate name-calling and reminiscing about dumb things we did together in childhood. It’s a fun evening where we constantly get sidetracked and have to remind ourselves, "Oh yeah, we’re also playing poker." Everyone is grateful I twisted their arms to come to a fun evening that’s cheaper than going out (though they'll forget this by the time I send the next invitation).

 

[LeCoq]

Match the stack means that if someone rebuys or adds on they could do so up to the biggest stack at the table.

I see, thanks for the clarification.

You really should join us on a Thursday sometime!! You already know @triton

It is on my mind. I currently have a game that I play in on Thursday, but if it does not happen then I will hit you up.

My home game is $.25/$.25 with a $25 buy-in for 100bb, up to a $50 buy-in for the max of 200bb. I think this setup works best for my group to balance sustainability, the social aspect, and fun. The vibe is casual—people show up late to a catered and stocked-bar game like it's an inconvenience to their otherwise uneventful Saturday night. The action typically involves limping to see family pots, followed by groans when there's a raise, with everyone folding their rags but claiming, "You’re lucky I didn’t call to see that flop" after the hand.

It's all about the drinking, some guests smoking, and constant chatting, with players almost always forgetting the action is on them. Poker takes a back seat, and people only really pay attention when someone exclaims, "Oh, we’ve got a hand here!" surprised to see $20+ in the pot. For a brief moment, it’s like the WSOP—intense, silent, and captivating—but then it quickly returns to socializing and joking around, with shade thrown at the loser or winner.

We’re all close friends, so it usually turns into a contest of who can make the funniest foul comment to get everyone laughing—either about the current loser/winner or even a memorable defeat from earlier in the evening. There’s plenty of inappropriate name-calling and reminiscing about dumb things we did together in childhood. It’s a fun evening where we constantly get sidetracked and have to remind ourselves, "Oh yeah, we’re also playing poker." Everyone is grateful I twisted their arms to come to a fun evening that’s cheaper than going out (though they'll forget this by the time I send the next invitation).

I like this. I wish my game was a little more chill. I wouldn't mind a little limping. Limpin is pimpin.

 

[JerSaint22]

Had my first home game in forever last week and we had a blast! I was thinking it would be similar to the OP’s plan but played out a bit more live $25 buy-in .5/.10 blinds all Hold’em we ended up with 6 players (one late addition) and I think 7 rebuys! Room felt great and really looking forward to a chip upgrade, particularly now that I know I have a good group of regulars.

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

Had my first home game in forever last week and we had a blast! I was thinking it would be similar to the OP’s plan but played out a bit more live $25 buy-in .5/.10 blinds all Hold’em we ended up with 6 players (one late addition) and I think 7 rebuys! Room felt great and really looking forward to a chip upgrade, particularly now that I know I have a good group of regulars. View attachment 1401087

I miss my saltwater reef : (

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Had my first home game in forever last week and we had a blast! I was thinking it would be similar to the OP’s plan but played out a bit more live $25 buy-in .5/.10 blinds all Hold’em we ended up with 6 players (one late addition) and I think 7 rebuys! Room felt great and really looking forward to a chip upgrade, particularly now that I know I have a good group of regulars. View attachment 1401087

Great to hear! Love those splashy stakes, good to start a game that way. Looks fun, keep it up. Apologize to your wallet now, gonna be rough.

 

[Nymor]

Had my first home game in forever last week and we had a blast! I was thinking it would be similar to the OP’s plan but played out a bit more live $25 buy-in .5/.10 blinds all Hold’em we ended up with 6 players (one late addition) and I think 7 rebuys! Room felt great and really looking forward to a chip upgrade, particularly now that I know I have a good group of regulars. View attachment 1401087

Nice, glad your game went well.

A chip upgrade ... and a nice bright custom topper for your table? You know you want to

 

[merkong]

We all hate each other. But I’m most hated.

 

[JerSaint22]

Nice, glad your game went well.

A chip upgrade ... and a nice bright custom topper for your table? You know you want to

A custom topper is absolutely being thought on....

As for chips a starting set of Tina's seems about right for now.

 

[MrCatPants]

Itchy, inappropriate, and occasioanally wet.

 

[wickedwonka121]

This happened once at my game so it's rare, but it was a specific group also. Mostly family from my in laws side. They like to gamble. $25-$40 buyins. I kept running back and forth to the vault to get more chips. I rebought twice, out for $0. Towards the end they were selling casino cash-out tickets to each other for more cash. You read that right. They would immediately turn over the cash to me and get back into the melee. And I'm sure that they were rat-holing if they bought chips from each other with those tickets. I couldn't see everything.

This was the first time more than $1000 hit the table in any of my games. I recall about $1200. Usually a healthy bank for my game is about $400 total. Actual low stakes casual games could be only $200 with $25 buyins.

 

[allforcharity]

The vibe is laughter. Cards played, chip stacks shoved, food and drink and great company. Not even counting win/loss anymore.

 

[SetToBean]

I try to go for a casino-lite (very much lite) atmosphere in terms of having a little rigidity and professionalism as much as a random person's house can have. The local casinos around here are really terribly managed so people enjoy being able to get a taste of "serious" play/gaming without dealing with all the bad parts.

 

[LeCoq]

After action report from tonights game.
In for $50 and out for $75.
It was a good game tonight and more reasonable play.
My group email was well received and we all agreed that last week was just a little too wild with the jamfest.

 

[merkong]

We all hate each other. But I’m most hated.

Lol

Our vibe is social, strategic poker. Many conversations based on the fact that it’s a tight group that see each other on the regular. We involve any auditions in the chatter. Eating and music. Best game I’ve ever played in or managed.

No pooping. This isn’t a wayside rest.

 

[DeadheadDave]

The vibe of my game (which, you will recall, was mothballed for several years) is as chill as one would expect when you get 5-8 Deadheads in the room with a few "civilians". Deadheads speak their own language, and its fun watching the outsiders try to figure it out. And the music... hell, most of us have been trying to figure out the Grateful Dead for decades. If you can easily describe them, and what they are trying to accomplish, odds are you don't like them. lol.

As @merkong said above: My game is also quite social. But, the play is pretty sharp. We follow TDA rules at my house, when it comes to gameplay... not the "cell phone rules". We get a lot of newbies, both to our game and to the game, and we have our share of "its your turn to act" reminders... but not just with the newbies. Deadheads, it seems, can lack attention at times.

I have found that finding players for my game is quite easy... but finding a fit for our game, not so much. Some folks I can tell after night 1 that they will never return... others are texting me on their way home thanking me for a great night out. Free food, free booze, free anything... it will NOT make a person who thinks your games suck like it anymore... but the regulars, they will appreciate that if they show up hungry, or get the munchies, that you have looked out for them.

Also, how you notify people can be an issue too. Some folks are using a group text... I refuse to do that. Why? Its freaking annoying. Then, of course, there is the "Society Killer"... oh, sorry, I meant 'Social Media'. Everyone is on a different social media. Me... I use good old fashioned email, and I "BCC" the recipients so no one can "reply to all" and make it annoying like a group text.

I switch my tournaments up as much as I can... buy ins, starting stacks, blind levels, bounties, re-buys... shake it up. You will see what is the most popular with your group and can pivot to please them. Important: People change, be open to changing with them to keep your game (as long as it doesn't cross a red line for you... you are, the host), you may need to raise or lower stakes, based on the group mind. You may see that one of your nights is more fun than the others... so, pivot.

My group of Deadheads wants to have a "MicroDose" night, and as much fun and absolute mayhem that I forsee with that, I would have to imagine the civilians will not be too hip on trying that type of tournament... and they will likely get very agitated with the silly giggles and grins.

 

[mooncereal]

Depending on the friend group(s) that show up:

1. Friend group one likes to limp/call to showdown and gets upset when people play aggressively. It's not about poker it's about having a good time and hanging out with friends. Lots of drinking and smoking, and no one is particularly good at cards or likes to gamble anything over $5 because it makes them uncomfortable.

2. Friend group two has been playing poker for 10+ years and likes to play aggressively, play deep, and think about hands, but also loves to gamble a decent chunk of change on cee-lo, street craps, and side games. They still love to hang out with the guys and have a good time but they take the game a little more seriously and have deeper pockets (ie. play power poker and are not afraid of losing buy-ins when they're getting it in good)

We usually get a blend of the groups on any given night. I would consider myself in the "friend group two" category.

It's tough to balance a game where some people want to play super deep and play power poker while some want to limp along and see who has the best hand at showdown.

We play .25/.25 so for the longevity of the game, I limit buy-ins to 200BBs max and that helps keep everyone happy we used to play 400BB max then match the stack and that got wayyyy out of hand I think I might have lost a lot of people if I didn't change the max buy-ins.

The vibe is really determined by how many of each group show up to play, expect little action but a good time with the lads for group 1, expect to be put to the test and gamble with group 2. half and half gives you the best of both worlds.

 

[MrCatPants]

Depending on the friend group(s) that show up:

1. Friend group one likes to limp/call to showdown and gets upset when people play aggressively. It's not about poker it's about having a good time and hanging out with friends. Lots of drinking and smoking, and no one is particularly good at cards or likes to gamble anything over $5 because it makes them uncomfortable.

2. Friend group two has been playing poker for 10+ years and likes to play aggressively, play deep, and think about hands, but also loves to gamble a decent chunk of change on cee-lo, street craps, and side games. They still love to hang out with the guys and have a good time but they take the game a little more seriously and have deeper pockets (ie. play power poker and are not afraid of losing buy-ins when they're getting it in good)

We usually get a blend of the groups on any given night. I would consider myself in the "friend group two" category.

It's tough to balance a game where some people want to play super deep and play power poker while some want to limp along and see who has the best hand at showdown.

We play .25/.25 so for the longevity of the game, I limit buy-ins to 200BBs max and that helps keep everyone happy we used to play 400BB max then match the stack and that got wayyyy out of hand I think I might have lost a lot of people if I didn't change the max buy-ins.

The vibe is really determined by how many of each group show up to play, expect little action but a good time with the lads for group 1, expect to be put to the test and gamble with group 2. half and half gives you the best of both worlds.

Friend group 1 will likely disappear over time - many of us have been through this type of transition.

 

[mooncereal]

Friend group 1 will likely disappear over time - many of us have been through this type of transition.

You know what, I could see that. Honestly, I wouldn't mind it so much. I don't like having to remind people when it's their turn or tell people not to hit a weed vape at the poker table haha

 

[DeadheadDave]

or tell people not to hit a weed vape at the poker table haha

Hey!!! I resemble that remark! lol