For
Poker, There's No Place Like Home
So
you’ve stayed up late watching World Series of Poker
repeats over and over again. You overpaid for the
Brookstone poker set with the professional-weighted
chips. And you’ve convinced your significant other
that hosting a game won’t turn into a scene from
Animal House. Now, you’re ready to set up a home
game. But first, there’s much more to do than
getting the wrinkles out of the felt table and filling
the refrigerator with beer.
There’s
nothing better than enjoying a game of poker among
friends, but it’s
important to remember there are nuances about the home
game that are very different from a casino game. The
home game is about socializing and having fun. Winning
money is secondary. But without casino personal to
handle any disputes, it’s necessary to establish
rules and proper etiquette to have a successful home
game.
Rules
of the House:
People you trust are the biggest issue when it comes
to establishing your game. Since the game is based on
the honor system, you want players you feel
comfortable with, not ones sporting bad attitudes and
looking for angles. Quality players are fine in a
game, but not at the expense of starting trouble or
breaking up friendships.
First
decision:
There are two choices when deciding on what type of
game you want to establish: ring or tournament. A ring
game has a standard betting structure and can include
dealer’s choice, so each player can decide what game
to play. However, the choices should be limited with a
list of five or so, guarding against crazy draw games
filled with wild cards. As poker’s popularity has
reached stratospheric heights over the past few years,
the tournament game has become more popular. With a
set buy-in, players are not allowed to reach into
their pockets for more money when they go broke, like
in a ring game. Being able to call the
"all-in" adds a touch of flair and glamour
to the home tournament game as well.
Banker’s
Hours:
Pick one person to handle the money and chips. This
person must be able to handle the responsibility of
paying off all chips when the game is over. And when
exactly the game is over is another issue. Set a time
before the game starts and stick to it. In the casino
or online, you can quit at anytime. In a home game,
it’s unacceptable for a player who is winning to
walk early. Someone who wants to quit early should
announce their intentions before the game begins.
What’s
at Stake?
You have to be a good financial planner and know the
risk tolerance of your players. Make the stakes high
enough to make the game interesting, but not so high
that someone will stress out over their losses. Make
sure the buy-in, betting limits and amount of raises
are clear with every player. In some games,
check-raising isn’t allowed because it can create
bad blood. Make sure the table agrees on
check-raising. While it’s common poker strategy to
fake a weak hand, some players see check-raising as a
deceptive tactic.
Misdeals
and Mistakes: You’re
not dealing with Vegas’ top professional dealers, so
determine how you’re going to handle misdeals.
Casino rules dictate that a player who receives too
many or too few cards has to throw the hand away.
Whatever the house rules on misdeals, make sure
everyone agrees so you can keep the peace. And not
keeping the peace is mistake No. 1. This isn’t the
World Series of Poker. No poor sports and no sore
losers allowed. Other miscues to avoid: Watch out for
a ringer in your home game; Play smart and don’t be
afraid to fold when you don’t have the cards or
afraid to raise when you do have the hot hand. And
above all else, keep the atmosphere light and the game
fun.
Looking for information on Setting
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