Questions for hosting a home poker game.

[h_ven]

I host a home poker game. We actually play several times a week. Mainly on Wednesday's and weekends, but we sometimes play more than that during the week.

I have several questions that I hope someone can answer.
We play for hours on end, and I usually can't deal that long, it's gets boring and tiring and I think it effects my game. I have the stakes of No Limit with a limit on the maximum buy in.

-I usually ask people to deal for me every once in awhile, but they get tired of it quicker than I do. I sometimes pay them around $5.00/hour to deal.

-should I feel bad about taking money from the rake when I deal, because right now I don't pay my self to deal?

-What are my other options for having a dealer? Should someone deal and not play? Or do I have any other options.

-I have a full sized poker table with a dealer rack, money slot, drink holders, nice felt, and nicer chips than most bars have. I'm saying it's pretty profesional except it's in my basement, what else can I do to improve my game and keep them coming back?

When I deal I rake way under %5 when we have about a 7 or 8 handed game. I use that money to buy drinks and food for the players.
And previously we had a 10 person tourney, and I put in $50 from the rake to make the pot bigger.

-And my last question. Should I get any money just for hosting the game in my basement?

[ZootMurph]

Let me start by saying that I don't play in any home poker games except as a 'social event'. If you are playing socially, everyone should be dealing, and there SURELY should not be a rake.

Now, about raking first. Taking a rake makes your home a gambling establishment, which is governed by a gaming commission. If you don't have a gaming license, then taking a rake is illegal. Don't get caught /images/graemlins/wink.gif

1) Get a non-playing dealer to deal. I'd have everyone who plays chip in to pay him, rather than toking (which would affect winnings). Of course, if people WANT to toke, that is up to them. What I'd pay would be dependent on the game. I would not play in a serious game where a player was dealing, unless I knew and trusted all the players at the table and everyone dealt.

2) Yes, you should feel bad about raking, whether serious game or not. You are taking from people's winnings to pay for stuff, etc. Have everyone pay the same amount, so the costs of playing are fairly distributed.

3) I've addressed this in number 1.

4) Keep the game on level ground. Like I said, get a non-playing dealer. If it is a 'social' game, just have some fun and they will keep coming back. If it is a serious game, insure everything is fair and insure everyone understands any house rules. If it is a serious game, people are there to win money, and surely don't care about the drinks, bar, or nice felt. Make sure any costs (food, drinks, dealer, etc.) are evenly distributed. As the host, you should be exempt from fees.

5) On what you do with the rake... don't use a rake. Have people put in money for drinks and food. Call it a hosting fee, or food and drink fund. I'd rather pay $10 for food and drinks each than have to pay $40 from my winnings while others pay almost nothing (because they didn't win) and eat and drink the same as me. As for the tournament... you take their money in a rake and put it into the pot... Just make the buy-in larger if you want a bigger pot.

6) Why are you having this game? If for 'social' reasons, then no, you should not charge. If for serious money winning reasons, then it would be determined by what your players think. I wouldn't pay you to play in your basement unless you were the only game in town AND it was a real good game. Then I'd CONSIDER it. If you weren't playing, only dealing, and it was a good game, I'd have a better chance of paying.

All in all, I think the relevant and unanswered questions from your post are:

-Why are you and your players playing?
-Why are you hosting?
-What do your players think about these things?
-What type of game is it (friendly, serious, social, cutthroat, etc.)?
-What other poker options are available in your area?
-Finally, would you play at someone else's game in their place if the situation were reversed?