Throwing Money Away - Intentionally Losing

[Steve Giufre]

Your edge is rarely, if ever big enough to start spewing chips or dumping money. Soon enough you'll run bad and give a little bit of the dough back anyway. Unless you are raking the game silly and really worried about losing your customers I wouldnt give anything away.

[Irons]

Whew Some excellent stuff there, thanks fellas. I sure took quite a bit out of it. I hosted my second tourney last night, and took first place again.

I don't have a huge poker history and this is the first organized tournaments for many of the guys that came. I fealt bad for half-a-second when the two newest guys busted our first and second. But, when I asked them today if they had fun, it was a resounding yes. I wanted the home felt advantage, my tables, chips etc.

For only a $20 buyin no one is gambling with the rent money, and it is a chance to sit, drink, talk and smoke cigars with the guys.

Thanks again for the excellent posts. I'll see if I can make it 3 in a row.

[warewulf]

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For only a $20 buyin no one is gambling with the rent money, and it is a chance to sit, drink, talk and smoke cigars with the guys.


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Exactly my point, most see it as cheap entertainment with a chance at hitting some money. Movies cost $10 each now, what a rip off! Most would rather see their friends get their cash than some corporation.

[Slow Play Ray]

I just loosen up my game a little bit at times, try new things on my buddies, you know. I got the best compliment/worst insult after winning my 3rd in a row a couple weeks ago - "When Ray wins it's just like when the f'n Yankees win." It sure doesn't stop anyone from playing though - we're cramming 11 at the table for tomorrow night's game.

[Hedge Henderson]

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BTW... what limits/game is your game tough for? Mine is tough at the $25 max NLHE level.

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Our tournaments are $20 buy-in, no rebuys. Our cash games (which we hold most of the time) are mixed $0.05/$0.10 blinds in NL/PL and $0.25/$0.50 (with $0.10 SB) limit. The buy-in is usually $20. We've got a pretty good assortment of players, but a few (like myself) are graduate/PhD students with almost no disposable income, and a $20 loss can really hurt. I have no problem discussing strategy with my friends/opponents once the game is over. I figure, for a mere $20 per lesson, it's tough to find a better poker school in this area.

I hate to brag since I know we're still far from great players, but I'm still proud of what some of our regulars have been able to achieve outside of our game. Those with real jobs have made impressive tournament places and wins in games where the buy-in is far too steep for me. Recently, a few have even been playing in an local underground $1/$2 NL game. So far, they've all managed to take money off the table every time.

I guess I could conceivably do the same but, with tuition what it is these days, I'm not yet willing to risk the kind of money needed. I don't like playing scared, and that's exactly how I would be playing if I had next month's groceries and gas bill on the table.

--

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Seems like I'm not the only one who has to soft-play people at times . I'm really torn on it... I assume as the level of the game moves up, I'll be able to play a little harder....


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You will. More importantly, you'll know who you can play your most evil game against. I sometimes play softer against weak/new players simply because I think they're an asset to the game. Simply put, they make the game more fun. On the other hand, we've had many players in our game that I didn't mind busting at all. The latter all seem to be in their early 20s, and they all constantly brag about how mad their poker skillz are. I think most of you know what I'm talking about. In my experience, these guys eventually either settle down and start learning how to play, or they stop coming to the game altogether out of embarrassment. Either way, we're happy.

[Bodhi]

I think you are a very wise player. Our home game has a lot of really bad players. When it's heads up, on the river, and I'm sitting on a set of Aces, do you think I put the bad player all-in, even when I know Mr. Loosie would do it in a heart-beat? Heck no. I don't want him to think I'm mean, and I don't want him to focus in on me and start to play more intelligently. A friend of mine was recently banned from this home game (by two of the terrible players) because they said he's only there to take their money, isn't friendly, and raises too often and and too much. This player is excellent, plays 6/12 B&M, and routinely spanked the bad players at the home game. His mistake was that he always tried to take every last chip, and when he had a stack he would bully the table. Now he's no longer allowed in the most profitable home game I know of.

So, definitely, if you enjoy the game and players, I think it's very wise of you to lose some of the money back.

[SpeakEasy]

Intentionally lose?! Never! When playing a tournament, try a Bounty.

If you are dominating the home game, and the other players know it/are getting bored with it/are getting frustrated, etc., then suggest putting a bounty on your head.

Each of the other players in the game throws $2, $5, $10 (whatever level works) into a side Bounty pot. Whoever knocks you out of the game gets the Bounty pot.

You become the target, the other players get more aggressive against you, and whoever knocks you out gets the extra cash (might be equivalent to 2nd place money, if they put in enough). Since they get more aggressive against you, you can continue to play your A game.

If you're playing a cash game, just smile, tell jokes, stay loose, make it enjoyable, and take their money. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[memphis_aces]

I like the bounty idea. We might start adding that where the winner of the last tourney has a price on their head.... If we do a 20 dollar tourney (10 people) maybe break it down to 120 for 1st, 60 for 2nd, 20 for bounty.

[hachkc]

Another perspective on this is when you are trying to introduce the game (or new games) to folks. This could be an increase in stakes .25/.50 moving upto 1/2 or a new game type such going from strictly NLHE to HORSE. Allowing some of the new players to at least break-even or leave up a few bucks the first couple times means its more likely that they'll want to play again. I'm not saying you should dump a boat but maybe tighten up the hands you'll play against them initially.