Let's add some content to the group:
This falls under hosting game / home gmaes.
Dealers:
Have a player dealer for the table, or have a dedicated dealer.
Don’t try to pass the deal on a Hold'em table. The "dealer" in seat 2 can't get cards to the player in seat 7 very easily. Make sure the dealer understand that it is his job to control the action / betting on the table. There can be 9 Table Captains, but there is only one Dealer to send the pot to the correct player.
Cards:
Count your cards down prior to each game. At the end of the night, count them down again. Use cards that are high quality. KEM, Copag, Del Negro, etc. If you can, use a card back that is not too common. There is also such a thing as card lamas.
Chairs:
Either tell your players it's bring their own chair or have enough chairs on hand for all your players.
General Gaming:
Run your game as though you are playing or running a casino game. There should be no difference in your game from a player’s perspective from playing in your home game / garage than playing at the B&M casino. It should be the same experience as far as the game of poker is concerned.
Establish a set of house rules. (
here are mine)
Have a set of
Robert's Rules of Poker on hand.
Cash and Chips:
Allow one person and ONLY one person to have access to the chips and cash / bank. Make that person (should it be you) fully responsible for any discrepancies with the bank. DO NOT allow players to get more chips on the honor system and leave the cash needed for the chips in the bank. Use different chips from the cash game to the tourney if you are holding both that night and if possible. When cashing out players, have them count their stack and set it in front of them. Count the stack back to them. Then, count it back to them again. (double count for accuracy) Then pull the cash out of the bank and rack their chips and put them away so they don't get mixed up in someone else's' 'live' chips. Move to the next person, and so on down the line of players.
If you allow the credit system on the bank, you need to allow it for everyone. I personally don't allow or take I.O.U's in my games. I don't loan money to people at my games, regardless of how good a friend he / she is. Collecting a gambling debt ranks up there with a root canal with me. Keep your personal money separate from the bank.
Invites:
Invite a full table with a few backups or late seats as needed. Moderate your invites with a system such as evite (
www.evite.com) or a forum / web site, mailing list, etc. evite works very well. Fill your first table and have people on standby or late seats if possible. Nobody likes playing short handed when there are people out there who are willing to take a late seat.
Be the Host:
Be the host. You are there as the host of the game. Not the player. Yes, you are playing in the game, but if a hosting issue comes up, this may require you to sit out a hand or two to resolve the issue. Hosting comes first, playing comes second.
Play Your "A" Game:
Just because they are your buddies, doesn't mean you should soft play them. At the poker table, regardless of how much money is at stake, you are there to take their chips. Play your strongest game while in every hand.
Hosting in General:
You are hosting for the love of the game. Not to make money for hosting. If you provide pop, pizza, snacks, etc. you are doing so on your own dime. Don't ask your players to cover these costs. If everyone wants to chip in, go for it, but don't expect it. Don't expect to cover your costs in hosting by asking for donations for your tables, chips, chairs, etc. You are hosting because you love the game. Loving the game and hosting, comes with these expenses and expenditures.
Guests:
Thank everyone for coming at the end of the night and close up shop. If there was someone you don't care for who was on your invite list, that perhaps shouldn’t be on your invite list, then drop them. Don't take a public poll with each of your players. It's your game, your house, your rules, your invite list. Sure, bounce it off your best buddy or something (if needed) to get a second opinion, but don't make your invite list a public issue. It's your game, your invite list. Dropping people who do not add value to your game is your prerogative and will create a better game and experience in the long run. Should this person ask about it (“hey man, I wasn’t invited”) simply tell them the table is full and you will contact them if a seat is available for them.
Finally, something from our forum, which we ask all players to read:
Poker Ethics:
You are new to the game, or an online player that is going to visit a brick and mortar card room for the first time. You have your sunglasses, your iPod, and most importantly, your bankroll. You have read Mike Caro's Book of Tells and Doyle's Super System 2, and everything seems to be in place for a great (and hopefully fruitful) excursion.
Slow down there rookie. You are forgetting one of the most important aspects of live poker; poker ethics.
Although there are very few written rules about poker ethics, there are some things that every player should be aware of before sitting down and looking at any cards.
First and foremost, treat everyone with respect. By everyone I mean the dealers, the other card room staff and even the other players. Although you are going to attempt to take every dollar every player in the room has, do it respectfully. There are always a couple of players that are not respectful and this ruins the game for everyone.
Secondly, if you are not in the hand, don't talk about the hand. As obvious as the flush or straight draw may seem, keep your mouth shut. One of the players in the hand may not see a draw or a hand that could possibly beat them. If you do not have cards, don't say anything about the hand.
If you throw away your 8-3 off-suit that would have hit quads on the turn, wait until after the hand is over to swear that you were going to limp because you "had a feeling". The other players in the hand may attempt to represent they are holding the case 8, but you can ruin a bluff in a hurry.
You are not at your home game or at Teddy KGB's place, so don't splash the pot. This will frustrate players and dealers alike. Announce your call or raise and place the chips in front of you. If there is a question on whether you are short or not, a player will call for a countdown and the dealer will count your chips.
Do not show your cards. This may sound simple and stupid, but you would be amazed at how many players think they are in a heads up situation and fold, showing their hand when there is another player in the hand. This is another situation where you can ruin what a player is representing or give information about a hand that may help a player.
If you are in a tournament and knock a player out, be humble. They have just lost their tournament lives and they are done. Moneymaker jumped up and gave his dad a hug when he won millions…knocking out the 437 th player in a 500 person tournament does not need the same celebration.
And finally, for the internet players out there, I will say this; Act in turn, please! If you are dealt a 7-2 off-suit and you are on the button, WAIT! There is no "auto fold" button that you can click and not pay attention to the hand anymore. Make sure the action is on you before you act. This goes the same for calling as a player may or may not call if they know what the action behind them is going to do.
Now that I have gone over what I think are the most important pieces of "poker ethics", I hope that you will have a great time at the table. Remember to tip the dealers and most of all, have fun!
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