I have an interesting question??

[TonyS0pran0]

I am sure there are others in this boat out there. Say you play a bi-weekly home tournament with 15-20 people any given week with buy -ins only $20-$50 each time. If you got first or second every time (and I mean every time) and a lot of people are complaining and such saying things like, "yeah I'll be there Friday to donate my money). Would you throw a couple? I mean just for the sake of the game. I don't play for the money in these, just good fun with co-workers and friends.

[mmbt0ne]

There was a thread on this a while back that you might want to search for. I believe the consensus was, it's better to keep your friends and the game going, than to have a little extra money. Doing a little worse than average from time to time wouldn't be awful.

[starvs]

Maybe you should just try some new crazy strategy that will conversely make it possible for you to lose. This way you get to try something new and keep your friends happy by losing.

Now if you win playing this new way you are clearly to good for you home game and should move to Vegas ASAP.

[PinataUT]

I got a particular video game because one group of pals was playing it. I got into it and played in some mid-level competitive matches. My best pal came over thinking that I was using hacks so as to mess with him. The 'home games' with these guys were never really that fun and we tend to play other things where they won't get pwnt.

[grandgnu]

Yeah, you've got to keep these people coming back. If you can consistantly place 1st or 2nd out of 15-20 people then there's plenty of money to be made.

Maybe finish up 4th-5th in a $20 event and place in the money in the $50 events? These players have to believe that they can beat you, that they can get lucky, etc.

[Arsene Lupin III]

counterstrike?

[PinataUT]

Heh

[Hal 2000]

Obviously they realize you're a good player. If you really hanker a little better competition from them, and you see a bad play from one of them, throw out some constructive criticism.

[warewulf]

Buy a copy of Super System and loan it out to them. If they get better, it will make you better.

[TonyS0pran0]

No, I am not that good. They are just that bad...

[TonyS0pran0]

[ QUOTE ]
Buy a copy of Super System and loan it out to them. If they get better, it will make you better.

[/ QUOTE ]

I own all the books man, I loan them to people all the time but they are to lazy to read them. I guess some people are different then others. If I am consistently getting my a$$ beat in something I love to do I do everything in my power to be the best. Guess some people are just built differently then others. /images/graemlins/club.gif

[Drunken Monkey]

I can understand too lazy to read them. That is better than what my friends tell me. They know that I own about a half-of-a-dozen poker books that I bought for like 30 each(with my winnings of coarse). When I tell them that I bought another one they ask me why I waste my money. They must not relieze that I am wasting their money?

[AAeyes]

I might be the only one but I think you should play to win every single time. As far as keeping the game going, it's my experience that bad players will keep coming to the game no matter how many times they lose... particularly if it's only 20 or 50 dollars. They would probably blow that at a bar on Friday night easily so why not do the same for a night of poker with friends? If you're worried about your friends getting seriously upset try beating them and then telling them how you beat them. A poker discussion group would be good for your game as well. I would suggest limiting it to just your close friends in the group though.

Best Wishes

AAeyes

[unloaded]

Sounds to me like they are paying more for "lessons" from you, than you paid for the books. Let them keep paying. I was in a similar situation with guys I work with. They even started to suggest I might be cheating. I pointed out to them that I was the only one of the bunch that doesn't drink. Also I read books, watch vids and play online. They started drinking less and paying attention, most of them have gotten better.

peace.
unloaded

[holdemfan]

I was talking about starting to play poker online, (I've been playing B&M for years) and a guy I work with invited me to a home game. I was appalled by how readable they all were. I think they read MIke Caro's book of tells and decided to be the ones to act out the tells not read them. We bought in for $20 and played NL tournement style with increasing blinds, winner take all. After winning the first 4 games I started to get the feel this will never happen again based on me killing them. They saw lucky draws and I saw the pot odds, tells and proper outs etc.. The fifth game I gave it to the father of the guy who held the game. If he went all in on a bluff and stared me down I fold anything. When he acted like "I guess I'll play this to see what happens" Which meant he had a monster I raised him and got caught bluffing with K high at the wrong time. Suddenly I was just having beginners luck and some good play. Sixth game I noticed a huge increase of fun attitude again and the truth is I don't think there was going to be a 6th game. I took second in the last game due to a guy with J7 suited out drew me on my all in preflop KK. Then caught a straight next hand. I also kept down playing my wins as lucky draws and even adopted a LUCKY Potatoe chip to highlight that I was just lucky. I would high five those who won hands and console those who got beat when they should of won. Result...I created an enviornment of fun while I won. I get invited back frequently. I rarely go because there is more money in real stakes but I will go on occassion to have fun. I like to play all levels because the style at $15-$30 and $1-$2 is quite different and it is exciting to beat what ever game I play and I play to win. Even so at this home game if I don't lose a game by the 5th one you can put $ on me losing that one.
I usually win 5 games of 6. I put in $120 and win $800 to $1,000. If you are willing to put in a bet on a bad hand to throw your opponent off why not be flexible and get invited back? By going back I am beating the game. By not being invited back it beat me.

[timmer]

Just sit out a few nights.

timmer

[Hedge Henderson]

Don't throw a game. Some people can smell that. Even if they don't, it could backfire. The last time we had a player try to throw a game (because they needed to leave early), they ended up with 2/3 of the chips in play by the time they left and there was some resulting bitterness.

If you're truly taking first or second every time, why not flatten the payout? In one of our tourneys, we paid out six of fourteen. First got 33%, sixth got their money back. It may not be as exciting as the winner getting 70%+, but a lot more people were happy with their finishes.

[LetsRock]

Nope.

Always play your best. Those who joke about "donating" thier money to you, enjoy the challenge of taking on the top dog. You'd be cheating them if you were to tank a couple tourneys.

[Tuds75]

"It is morally wrong to let a sucker keep his money"

SO TRUE

[krabby5]

you must be the luckiest guy on earth to ALWAYS come in first or second...

How can your cards ALWAYS hold up..even if you hold aces, you'd think some fool would crack them and take you down at least once in awhile...

Move to Vegas ASAP

[warewulf]

[ QUOTE ]


I own all the books man, I loan them to people all the time but they are to lazy to read them. I guess some people are different then others. If I am consistently getting my a$$ beat in something I love to do I do everything in my power to be the best. Guess some people are just built differently then others. /images/graemlins/club.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

This shows that you are the only serious player. Some just go to gamble and have fun. I play in two regular games -- a tourney with serious players and a loose gambling game (wild cards allowed). The people at the 2nd game go to have fun and gamble, don't take it seious at all.

[Art Vandelay]

Off topic, but as a Syracuse alum I'd like to thank you and Georgia Tech for finally putting an end to the Pasqualoni era in Orangemen land.