When do you switch a no limit game to fixed limit? (1 Viewer)

[Rogue_Chipper]

Little backstory: I've recently started playing poker again after a ~12 year hiatus. A friend of mine had some coworkers that played a small game but it kind of petered out. I came in and we're 4 handed for now, but it's very much a social affair, usually playing for .05/.10 or .25/.25 on 'bigger' nights. Mostly we sit around and BS and cook food. We have one player that will pitch a fit when we try to play for .25 blinds for the night because it's a $20 buy-in. And a couple other players that will whine when I raise anything pre-flop. Or even after for that matter.

So I suggested switching to limit poker, which is kind of how the game plays anyway. I figured the benefit of using bigger chips while keeping buy-ins low and limiting raising in this way would be appealing. But it's gone over like a lead balloon. I guess 'limit' just isn't sexy, although I haven't pushed super hard for it.

My real question is that if you played a game like this, would you suggest switching it to a fixed limit game or just keep letting them swim in the deep end?

 

[Gobbs]

Sounds to me, and maybe I'm completely off base here, that your priorities are very different than the other players' priorities. They are looking for a friendly game that is more an excuse to get together and socialize than it is to actually play poker. You are looking for a low-stakes (or micro-stakes) poker game. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either thing until the priorities clash - which appears to be the problem you are having.

My guess is you can make any changes you want, but it won't be to their liking because they aren't interested in the structure. They are interested in socializing and seeing rivers.

I know that does not answer your question in the slightest. I guess my answer to your question is, I would either stop playing or conform to their styles of play in this situation. They are not going to conform to you priorities. There is nothing wrong with having a fun night of socializing and not playing the type of poker you like to play. Maybe find another game to satisfy your poker itch.

 

[DonkeyKing]

My poker buddies are the same way when I joined their weekly game. It took me 5 years to slowly introduce them to limit and eventually pot limit. Some people stopped playing but we have new players who just joined and enjoyed pot limit games.

 

[pltrgyst]

Have you tried playing tournaments instead of cash games?

 

[Irish]

Little backstory: I've recently started playing poker again after a ~12 year hiatus. A friend of mine had some coworkers that played a small game but it kind of petered out. I came in and we're 4 handed for now, but it's very much a social affair, usually playing for .05/.10 or .25/.25 on 'bigger' nights. Mostly we sit around and BS and cook food. We have one player that will pitch a fit when we try to play for .25 blinds for the night because it's a $20 buy-in. And a couple other players that will whine when I raise anything pre-flop. Or even after for that matter.

So I suggested switching to limit poker, which is kind of how the game plays anyway. I figured the benefit of using bigger chips while keeping buy-ins low and limiting raising in this way would be appealing. But it's gone over like a lead balloon. I guess 'limit' just isn't sexy, although I haven't pushed super hard for it.

My real question is that if you played a game like this, would you suggest switching it to a fixed limit game or just keep letting them swim in the deep end?

I play in a cash game that is very similar to this. All college buddies, $20 buy-in, 25¢/25¢ NLHE - they actually used to play 15¢/30¢ blinds, took me a few years to convince them that 25¢/25¢ was essentially the same thing and got all the nickels off the table. It's not quite as strict as you describe as we do have a couple of "gamblers", you'll occasionally get a 75¢ to $1 pre-flop raise, but it's mostly lots of calling. Post flop sometimes will get more action but you'll rarely see anything more than a $10 pot on most nights.

I brought up the idea of limit once (and Omaha....) and got "the look" all around the table, lol. The group started playing cards after the Moneymaker boom nearly 20 years ago (I joined the group a few years after they started) - it's all about the allure/sexiness of no limit, even though it doesn't really play like no limit 90% of the time. It's more beer and bullshit than poker. We've had nights where we're only getting 5 to 10 hands an hour, and we will maybe get one or two rebuys on a given night. I've been playing with them for 13ish years now - it's definitely different than playing at other "more serious" games, but no less fun for me.

IMHO the allure of fixed limit is either:

• You get to have lots and lots of chips on the table
• You get to play non-hold'em games like 7CS, Omaha, etc without the risk of losing your stack every hand
• The nostalgia of having played limit at a casino many years (for the old timers)

Playing fixed limit hold'em only is B O R I N G - unless one of the above points strikes a chord with your group, I wouldn't recommend it. Some groups will never change - and if they've been having fun doing what they're doing for a while, honestly maybe they shouldn't change. If you enjoy the group, adjust your game a bit for these nights, have fun, and get your serious poker fix elsewhere.

My 2¢ worth!

 

[grebe]

You will be amazed at how much "poker players" hate the idea of limit. I mean, NLHE is the Cadillac of poker! Stakes don't seem to matter, as long as you are playing "THE GAME".

Good luck, I think you guys should switch games, tbh. Hearts, spades and euchre are all a ton of fun for 4 players.

To be clear: I LOVE limit, and I think most friendly home games like yours should be limit. But, I am weird.

 

[Rogue_Chipper]

Sounds to me, and maybe I'm completely off base here, that your priorities are very different than the other players' priorities. They are looking for a friendly game that is more an excuse to get together and socialize than it is to actually play poker. You are looking for a low-stakes (or micro-stakes) poker game. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either thing until the priorities clash - which appears to be the problem you are having.

My guess is you can make any changes you want, but it won't be to their liking because they aren't interested in the structure. They are interested in socializing and seeing rivers.

I know that does not answer your question in the slightest. I guess my answer to your question is, I would either stop playing or conform to their styles of play in this situation. They are not going to conform to you priorities. There is nothing wrong with having a fun night of socializing and not playing the type of poker you like to play. Maybe find another game to satisfy your poker itch.

This is exactly it, that my priorities are different. My idea for suggesting fixed limit was to try and satisfy both but reading your reply leads me to believe that I'm probably trying to move in the wrong direction with this group. In my head, "socializing and seeing rivers" is better accomplished with limit poker.

I play in a cash game that is very similar to this. All college buddies, $20 buy-in, 25¢/25¢ NLHE - they actually used to play 15¢/30¢ blinds, took me a few years to convince them that 25¢/25¢ was essentially the same thing and got all the nickels off the table. It's not quite as strict as you describe as we do have a couple of "gamblers", you'll occasionally get a 75¢ to $1 pre-flop raise, but it's mostly lots of calling. Post flop sometimes will get more action but you'll rarely see anything more than a $10 pot on most nights.

I brought up the idea of limit once (and Omaha....) and got "the look" all around the table, lol. The group started playing cards after the Moneymaker boom nearly 20 years ago (I joined the group a few years after they started) - it's all about the allure/sexiness of no limit, even though it doesn't really play like no limit 90% of the time. It's more beer and bullshit than poker. We've had nights where we're only getting 5 to 10 hands an hour, and we will maybe get one or two rebuys on a given night. I've been playing with them for 13ish years now - it's definitely different than playing at other "more serious" games, but no less fun for me.

IMHO the allure of fixed limit is either:

• You get to have lots and lots of chips on the table
• You get to play non-hold'em games like 7CS, Omaha, etc without the risk of losing your stack every hand
• The nostalgia of having played limit at a casino many years (for the old timers)

Playing fixed limit hold'em only is B O R I N G - unless one of the above points strikes a chord with your group, I wouldn't recommend it. Some groups will never change - and if they've been having fun doing what they're doing for a while, honestly maybe they shouldn't change. If you enjoy the group, adjust your game a bit for these nights, have fun, and get your serious poker fix elsewhere.

My 2¢ worth!

I was trying to give them the allure of your first bullet point as a tradeoff. These posts are probably what I needed to hear since I'm in for the social part but probably need to make it less about 'the game' with these guys.

 

[Old State]

Told this story many times. I love limit poker. Limit poker was the only cash poker in casinos for decades!! I had a $2/4 or $3/6 limit game for years…every week often with two full tables. I used to crush that game and bought my first ASM custom set with some of the money.

Then the casinos in AC started spreading NL cash and everyone wanted to switch to $1/2 NL. The game fell apart in a few months and we were lucky to get a game every other month. Despite that, I haven’t been able to get anyone to play limit since. I now usually play a 50/$1 Game with a $100 max buyin that can come together easily.

No matter what people claim, it’s hard to find enough regular players willing to risk several hundred dollars in a night. Limit would address much of that but it seems to have a stigma.

 

[ChipJunkie]

Told this story many times. I love limit poker. Limit poker was the only cash poker in casinos for decades!! I had a $2/4 or $3/6 limit game for years…every week often with two full tables. I used to crush that game and bought my first ASM custom set with some of the money.

Then the casinos in AC started spreading NL cash and everyone wanted to switch to $1/2 NL. The game fell apart in a few months and we were lucky to get a game every other month. Despite that, I haven’t been able to get anyone to play limit since. I now usually play a 50/$1 Game with a $100 max buyin that can come together easily.

No matter what people claim, it’s hard to find enough regular players willing to risk several hundred dollars in a night. Limit would address much of that but it seems to have a stigma.

I agree with you. I love limit poker. We play 2-4 or 3-6 mixed.
Hold'em
Omaha High
Omaha 8
Stud 8
It's a good time. Nobody gets to hurt in the wallet. The action is so much faster. You already know if your gonna fold, raise or call. There's no tanking.
We switched from Limit to No limit and all the action just slowed down immensely. Guys we're taking forever to act. IMO, it got boring.
Someone on YouTube mentioned it's all fellowship. I agree, it's fun laughing and hanging out with friends playing poker.

 

[TheJack]

Try suggest other games or other poker forms instead of limit. Start with pineapple's, omaha. Then go
to A-5 td, razz, badugi. After they like those, 2-7td, omaha8.