Home game dilemma - sort of

[bolgenmod]

Instead of tournaments, what about limit? Crappy players still overvalue their hands, but they don't lose as much on each hand when they do. And when they suck out on you (which they will), you haven't lost as much as you might in no-limit either.

In almost 2 years of playing a regular limit game, we average having one person who loses his/her whole buy-in about every game (a little less than that on average). (And, no surprise, 70% of the time it's the same player!) The most anyone has ever won, on the other hand, is about three times the buy-in (and as the banker believe me I know!). Even though the same two or three players keep winning or losing slightly more than average, no one gets upset.

Of course, it's upsetting to get donked. And it would be much nicer to win big every week. But it's a friendly game -- I make a little money, and everyone else thinks it's all luck!

Tournaments can be fun, but they also guarantee that many of the players will not win anything. If they're already upset with your winning ways, why take away their hope that they'll win anything at all?

[top-spin]

I was in the same exact situation about 9 months ago. I've read a lot of books, honed my skills on the internet, understand pot odds and all that. I'm a decent player and I've never lost money down in AC when I play the low limit tables at the Taj, Borgata, Resorts, etc. Im not trying to front, I'm just saying I'm a decent player.

The guys I play with love to get together and play. We have a regular game that i've started about a year and a half ago. I used to come in first almost all the time. A big bet from me usually gets respect. I've always been one of the quieter players, cuz im really studying what's going on, calculating, reading tells, etc.. So my wins are pretty gracious to the other players, I never say, man that was a dumb call.. U get the idea.

Ok so here was my big mistake. During breaks I might offer some advice as to how some might have played a hand better, etc. 2 or 3 of the guys I've even sat down, and really really explained the power of position, hand selection, pot odds, books to get, etc.

Now I don't win all the time, but I finish in the money more than anyone else still.

In retrospect I would have rathered kept the info to myself, quietly smiled, raked in the pots, maybe bet a little less even when I had the nuts and enjoyed my quiet success. Hey this is about winning money and if u do it graciously with a smile and humbly with your friends and not put anyone on tilt, it's a great little extra income. I mean the stuff i ended up explaining to them was such a mystery until I spelled it all out for some of the guys. The running joke during the game is for someone to say to me.. ok what's the percentage of that happening?!

On a TINY TINY scale, i know how Dolye felt after he wrote his book and his secrets were out.. Keep in mind i typed TINY multiple times, im not comparing myself to the Texas Dolly.

If im a selfish ass for saying i wish i kept my mouth shut so be it. If u think im a coward for not welcoming more seasoned players.. hey i'll go to AC for that. Just be cool and chill when u play and keep ur strategies to yourself....

[SamIAm]

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In retrospect I would have rathered kept the info to myself, quietly smiled, raked in the pots, maybe bet a little less even when I had the nuts and enjoyed my quiet success. Hey this is about winning money

[/ QUOTE ]
Teaching my friends how to play poker has improved my skills AMAZINGLY. I don't need practice playing against morons; I want better opponents for the home-games so I can get better at the cash games. Of my 10 "opponents", probably 5 have read WLLH, SSH, and ToP, all on my suggestion. I trained my friends to train me, and it's made the game WAY more fun, as well as earned me money (in the long run).

Keeping knowledge from your friends so you can continue to look down on them and take their money isn't just boring and weak. It's unprofitable.
-Sam

[Packerfan]

I,ve run into the same problem recently (never busting everyone out but wining quiet a bit) you could start contibuting in other ways like take some winings and buying the food or houch for the night or get creative and buy a new table, chips ect. guys wont mind losing if some dough goes baqck into the game

[jedi]

Bring beer. Drink with them.

[Richie Rich]

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The problem is that these are all my friends and I enjoy the company. Obviously the money is great but even if I were losing I'd still play.

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I understand that you like to play cards with your compadres on any given night. But if you were consistantly losing, as I'm sure some of your friends are, then it wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable as you think.


Some friendly suggestions from another home game player that wins 9/10 times:

* Try to play a little "looser" to give your opponents a chance to win their money back
* Don't play tight and sit on the money once you've won it...keep the money circulating

[jkwraw]

I don't win quite as much as you in my home game. I do win with the most frequency however. When I find myself up quite a bit over a few sessions I like to try different things to improve my game. Experiments, kind of. This will probably lead to you giving back some of that money, but getting experience with some "new tricks". At least that way, you're getting something for your money.

[cliff]

We had a similar problem in our game ($20NL) wherein a really bad player was cleaning up on some nasty suckouts. We instituted the rule thast if a player wins more than $100 profit, they bring a case of beer to the next game. In the long run this has also smoothed out irritations when a good player goes on a multigame tear, since there is at least free beer to bring people back.

[smoore]

[ QUOTE ]
We had a similar problem in our game ($20NL) wherein a really bad player was cleaning up on some nasty suckouts. We instituted the rule thast if a player wins more than $100 profit, they bring a case of beer to the next game. In the long run this has also smoothed out irritations when a good player goes on a multigame tear, since there is at least free beer to bring people back.

[/ QUOTE ]

P.O.T.D.

[W. Deranged]

This is good advice. One thing you can do is add variance to your game, and not badly hurt your bottom line. Start bullying people and giving of the impression of being a maniac. Wait until later streets to play well. What will happen is people will think you've loosened up and stopped playing so well (which you have) but won't realize your later street decisions are spot-on.

Your results will still be positive (if you're as better than your opponents as you seem to be) but you will start to have more losing sessions... (because you've increased variance). When you win, you'll win bigger, and that might bother people, but they'll also get to see you lose, which will do much to alleviate their frustration.