[MiracleRiver]

Sometimes when I have a full table - 10 players - an existing player will call and ask if it's OK to bring a friend/girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband etc...

This would make 11 players. Space wise it will be OK as I'm building a 9' table.

But I wondered if it's OK to play Texas Hold'em with 11 players? Technically it's possible - but I'm thinking that it would (a) slow things down and (b) change the dynamics of the game to a degree that the more experienced players would not be cool about it - they will have to player tighter etc... as there is more chance of better hands.

Thanks

[Wylecoyo]

Originally Posted by MiracleRiver

Sometimes when I have a full table - 10 players - an existing player will call and ask if it's OK to bring a friend/girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband etc...

This would make 11 players. Space wise it will be OK as I'm building a 9' table.

But I wondered if it's OK to play Texas Hold'em with 11 players? Technically it's possible - but I'm thinking that it would (a) slow things down and (b) change the dynamics of the game to a degree that the more experienced players would not be cool about it - they will have to player tighter etc... as there is more chance of better hands.

Thanks

I have played with up to 12 people at one table due to space constraints. It works, but splitting into two tables (even if in your case you did 5 and 6 per table) seems to be better because with that many people on one table the harder it is for everyone to fit, everyone to see, and for everyone to be comfortable. I don't really have any numbers to back this up, but I am always cautious of my play when there are so many people at the table because with that many sets of hole cards you have to figure someone is going to hit almost every flop big and bluffing seems to become much more dangerous.

Anyway, 11 at a table will work, but I would prefer two smaller tables to one big table if possible.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've kind of changed my mind on this. I used to routinely get 11 players and it would drive me nuts, but we played at 1 table. Makes for a very slow and generally very tight game, but I always used to feel that it was more fair than having tables of 6 and 5. Now if it happens again, I think I'll go with 2 tables. The main argument against is that the table of 5 gets hit with the blinds more often. Generally though, you're at pretty low blind levels, so this isn't as big of a deal I don't think.

It comes down to personal preference and whatever space you can handle. A better player shouldn't care whether he's at a table 3 or a table of 13. He should be able to adjust to the conditions. But in general, with more and more people at the table, your hand requirements have to go way up.

[Ranman]

I had a game once where I expected 8 players but word spread and I ended up with 12. I have an extra table and pleanty of chips but sice I was only expecting 8 I wasn't ready for the added players. The game had just started and the vote was to let the extra players play so we squeezed 12 around the table (glad I built it with a full 4'x8' sheet). We got started late anyway and I would have had to delay the game even more. I t worked out but we got to know one another better than I wanted . I learned a lesson and will be ready from now on. I prepare for 20 players (my max) and I will split to 2 table if I have more than 10 players.

Ranman

[tastic]

The Cash Casino in Calgary where I've played runs 120+ person tourneys with 11 at all tables...

I personally don't like it and think a cap of 10 is good...IMHO

[Dwight87]

Technically, you could have 22 players max:
2 hold cards x22 = 44
5 community cards
3 burn cards

Play at your own risk of sanity though since 1 round would last an hour or so and players would have to get up to see the cards.

Personally, I split the table after 10 players.

[jldecarlo]

I agree with the above.

11 is ok, but not optimal, and 12 is bad.

L

[MiracleRiver]

Thanks folks - my reasoning was that I would allow for an extra sets of chips for an 11th player in my chip purchase calculation.

It's all about the chips at the end of the day