Home Game - live and great - unusual betting structure

comic2b · #1 03-29-2005, 02:00 AM

I play in a home game in Denver. I call it a "professional" home game. She has two games a week. The betting structure is unusual.

1) A game with a professional dealer, that does not rake. I know that one tightens up the more the rake is. With this type of game it make sense to play loose. The house makes there money by relying on tips.

2) The blinds are 1-2. The betting is 1-5 at anytime. This can result in a preflop raise to seven. Which is triple instead of merely double what a raise in a standard game. It can also be 17 to go if capped, and then you can only bet $5 to protect your hand on every street.

The other unique factor is that you can bet $1. This allows betting to be capped at $3 if players are acting together.

Any advice appreciated. The game we play is mostly omaha.

Phat Mack · #2 03-29-2005, 02:25 AM

Can you re-raise a $5 raise by $1?

comic2b · #3 03-29-2005, 02:37 AM

No. That is a great question. You have to make the raise at least as much as the bet. The one wierd exception. I do this a lot. If you are the first one in the pot you can make it a $3 total bet. The interpretation of the SB bet one and the BB raised him one. You are allowed to make it $3.

I do this to 1) annoy players 2) table image - anybody who raises like this is an idiot. 3) This is the most important reason. It keeps the investment amount down before the flops. Instead of $17 to go its capped at $13. Even better if someone else then raises to four it can be capped at 5.

So there is definately some strategy adjustments. I understand what your asking and oohhh I wish it was like that. I could dominate the game more than I do.

Phat Mack · #4 03-29-2005, 04:32 AM

This sounds very similar to the spread-limit formats that were fairly common until a few years ago, with the exception that the upper limit doesn't increase on later rounds. If you searched the archives, especially the "older archives", for "spread limit", you'd probably find a wealth of discussion of these games. Also try googling the RGP archives.

I've played in "tipping only" non-raked games, and loved them dearly. These games had problems staying afloat since a lot of newer players came from the online rooms, and had difficulties with the concept of tipping. How is this game doing?

Sorry to hear about there being no kill raises. I think they add complexity to the game, and anything that adds complexity to the game is good for poker. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Big Country · #5 03-29-2005, 04:18 PM

Sounds very similar to the Excalibur 1-3 and 2-6 games, though each of those has only a single blind for the low bet.

bocablkr · #6 03-29-2005, 04:53 PM

We have a weekly game in Boca Raton, Fl which is dealer's choice - Pot Limit. Pot starts with $2. It is possible to cap a round at $4 ($1 initial bet and three $1 raises) if 4 people in a row are 'in on it'. We also allow a pot sized raise to be followed by a $1 raise. You would think this limits the pot sizes but many are in the hundreds of dollars.

comic2b · #7 03-29-2005, 09:06 PM

Thanks for your response. You summed it up right, it's spread limit where it doesn't increase on latter streets. I'll do the research where you suggested.

The game has been doing great. It has been running for over 16 years. Jon Vorhaus wrote an article about it in card player years ago.

The hardest part to figure out is not how to beat the game, but your bb/hr. Is it realistic to win 5bb/hr and when you run real good averaging around 20bb/hr. Make all other games seem lame in a way.

PokerProdigy · #8 03-29-2005, 09:56 PM

I don't know if your first statement about the bigger the rake is the tighter you play? (I am NOT saying you are wrong, but if you are correct it does NOT really make sense to me why?)

In this game, you would probably want to just loosen up tremendously when the first bet is only one or two. Also, it seems like position would be even a greater advantage because now you have a better idea of how much it will cost, and therefore if you limp in up front with weak hands you'll be pushed out of many pots and it will be an even more fatal mistake then if you made this same mistake in a "normal" (e.g. 2/4) structure game. Also wouldn't slowplaying lose a lot of value in this game?

If anyone disagrees with any of the statements I made, let me know because I was also wondering how this structure would change strategy?

PotatoStew · #9 03-30-2005, 02:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know if your first statement about the bigger the rake is the tighter you play? (I am NOT saying you are wrong, but if you are correct it does NOT really make sense to me why?)

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably the same reason you can loosen up a bit when you're in later position with several limpers ahead of you -- more money in the pot. A higher rake means less money in the pot, and smaller odds for speculative hands.