Small home game adjustments?

[Aximillian]

Here's a question. I play in a home game once a week. It's small stakes... $10 buyin, $1.50 top bet except holdem games which doubles the stakes. It's usually short handed as well (4-6 players max, usually 4)


My question is this...What are some theories on adjusting play in these tiny home games? There are a lot of games with wild cards played (baseball, follow the queen, etc.) Plus some crazy home made games. I'm probably the only one who even thinks about poker the rest of the week. Does anyone have any thoughts on playing in a game like this? When a regular game is played (holdem, omaha, omaha8), I treat it as a loose short handed game and do very well. It's the wild games I'm wondering about, what kind of adjustments can I make, if any.

[Wake up CALL]

" There are a lot of games with wild cards played (baseball, follow the queen, etc.) Plus some crazy home made games."

Sorry but I couldn't help laughing when I read this part of your post. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[BogeyWan]

Speaking of homemade games.......
We came up with one that is very interesting especially with 5 or fewer players. In fact, as you will see it can be no more than 5 players. We called it "10 card poker", but actually found it later on a website of poker games but I can't remember what they called it. Anyhoo... you deal each player 10 cards and then make your best high and low 5 card hand and lay each out in a row. Each player then flips one card from each row and a round of betting. This continues until the last card (showdown) and the high and low hands split. This game allows a great deal of bluffing (unless your bluff card turns up in an opponents hand) and sometimes you're not sure if someone has a great low or a straight. We also restrict the low to "no pair" and the high to at least a pair so someone doesn't back into a split. It's good with a short handed game because you can get some relatively good action. Just thought I'd throw this one out.

[punkass]

I would be pretty sure a straight doesn't take it high. I would probably go for at least a boat. But I'm sure quads and straight flushes are definitely common. And the wheel is probably too common to really go for, since you'll be splitting. You can do a lot with 10 cards. Can you have a flushing wheel for both? Or do you need a separate hand for hi and low, utilizing all cards?

[BogeyWan]

You're right, the boat is pretty common. And you know... you bring up an interesting point that we haven't run into yet that might need some difinitive rule. /images/graemlins/confused.gif We always play so that only one of the 5 card hands can be used for either the high or low. You can't use one hand for both. Your example of the A-5 straight flush is the crux. It is the golden low of course, but it would also take the high except in the unlikely event that someone else had a higher straight flush. I suppose in the absence of some kind of declaration, you would be in the enviable position of using it for your high in case someone else had the A-5 mixed suit for a low (which again is not uncommon for the low in this game), thereby avoiding a 1/4 split instead of a 1/2 split. That, however, might not sit too well with the fellow with the Aces over full house or the 4 of a kind, who is now losing to the straight flush. Hmmmmm, gonna have to think about that one. It could make for an eventful night of cards!!