THE EASY WAY TO GET YOUR HOME GAME TOO ROCK!

[adman2006]

Anyone else have trouble getting a full table every week because people pull out at the last minute leaving the night crap or short a few players.

I have been thinking of ways that I could gaurantee a full table every week and need YOU to massage the idea with me.

Also need to know if this has been done already or if the concept is a winner or just plain crap!!!!

The idea is:

You get your 10-12 regular players (I don't know how to do this, this is where you come in) to give you $100 bucks each.

You then say to them that over the next 10 weeks at the end of each night we will count everyone's chips just like you would normally and write down everyone's total chip stack on a peice of cardboard seperated into 10 week slots etc.

Then, after the 10 weeks are complete you hand out the moneys to the people who came 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th and 8th place accordingly to their chip stack sizes.

Something like this:

1st $400
2nd $300
3rd $200
4th $100
5th $75
6th $50
7th $25
8th $25

(Yes I know I'm under $25, but you get the idea)

and then start another 10 week tourney keeping it fresh.

my questions are:

How could you arrange it so that people aren't just buying in to build up their chip stack?

On that point, could you minus the amount of money they bought in with and make it total winnings only.

I know it's simple but I think it would create more excitement for the week ahead and hopefully have people coming back to try and win the big 10 week pot.

Would anyone like to add to this idea.

thanks

[henrikrh]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone else have trouble getting a full table every week because people pull out at the last minute leaving the night crap or short a few players.

[/ QUOTE ]

Firstly, no that's not a huge problem, find reliable players. Secondly, what's wrong with an 8-handed game?

You seem like a nice guy but your idea is flawed in that you wouldn't really be playing poker. You would be playing some messed up flat pay-out tournament that lasts waaay too long. If people play for 7 weeks and are down they will have almost no hope of catching up to the people who have wona few sessions and the game won't be fun for them... and well... it's just so impractical. What if someone has to go to a wedding and misses a week? sucks for them eh?

Bad idea. Sorry.

[memphis_aces]

Bad idea... if you want to do something like that, then do a Tourney Of Champions style of event where 10-20% of the weekly pot goes into a main pot. Each week the winner gets points:
1st - 10pts
2nd - 7pts
3rd - 5pts
4th - 4pts
5th - 3pts
6th - 2pts
7th - 1pt

At the end of your 10 weeks there is a payout for top 3-4 places in the points race. That provides an incentive for people to show up every week while not dragging the entire payout or tourney over a 10 week period.

OTHER IDEAS:
I have a very successful homegame. We often have 2 games going at once. Some things that have made my game successful:

1) Good table. I built this one with my pops in his woodshop but you can pick up a pretty solid table for $400-500. I'd suggest it as a good table will make all the difference in your game.


2) Good Chips: I went with the Nevada Jacks "Desert Sands" Chips because they were reasonably priced for a high-end chip. Having good chips not only protects your game from people sneaking in chips, but it combines with a good table to make your game more preferable.

3) Environment: You want to have a cool room to play in. My kitchen serves nicely as it's well lit, has easy access to a large fridge for people to put their beer. Also, there is a back patio where people can smoke but still look in and see the game in progress. I also have a big screen TV in the living room with couches so people can hang out and watch TV if they're knocked out. Create a cool place for people to hang out outside the game and they'll be more likely to come by and make a night of it.

4) Music: While some people get uptight and want it silent and to be serious, that will kill your game. Make a mix disc or three of some fun background tunes. Something upbeat that will keep people alert and entertained when they're not in hand.

5) Snacks: This depends on the stakes of your game. My game is a Tourney, followed by a $20 Max .25/.50 NL Ring game that runs all night and can end up getting 500-800 bucks on the table. Since I'll usually make $100-150 in an average night in this game, I don't mind dropping $10 on a few bags of chips and [censored] like that. Give people something to snack on and they're less likely to be pissed they dropped a $10 pot to you.

6) Regularity : Make sure to host your game on a regular basis.. usually on the same night. After a while people will just plan on being at your house on that night.... it will become a weekly ritual.

[CrazyN8]

free food and drinks help!

I do like the idea of a tourney of champions.

[Quicksilvre]

Sounds a lot like Poker Superstars I.

[tubalkain]

Why is the turn card a joker in that picture?

[John Bedtelyon]

$100 buy in to make $300 after ten weeks is a little ridiculous. This topic has been beat to death I believe.

If this becomes a problem, get 16+ people that say they'll be there, that way you can have a full 10... If 16 show up play two tables of 8, or people can wait for others to quit.

Playing cash games is hard because most people don't buy in for the full amount and get knocked out and won't buy back in. This makes it run like a tourney which can be a drag once your game vanishes in two hours...this is just prior experience talking.

JMB

[adman2006]

At least you all know what not to do now. See, I did help a little on this forum. ah well! Back to the drawing board.

[adman2006]

Hey thanks for the great advice. that is exactly what I need to do. I knew there would be something out there like this to help.

BTW. love your table, I'm in the process of building one at the moment. Almost killed my best mate in the process with a holesaw on the weekend. What is it with beer and power tools that make you feel all manly. Unfortunately though I can't get the poker speed cloth whcih sucks. I'm in Aussie land and if I were to order it it would cost me $5 a foot then it would cost me $100US to get it to Ausland so I bought some mock suede which sucks because the cards don't slide so I went out again and bought some velveteen which I hope will work better.

thanks for your advice champ!

[adman2006]

Understand what you mean with inviting more people but I only have room for one table so is hard to juggle people. I ask the most commited people first and then I fall back on the others. The problem is though when you invite someone one week you can't not invite em the next week when they are hooked. A little rude and it feels like i'm using them to make up numbers so I try not to invite them and hope everyone comes.