[ky70]

I play with a mixed group of guys that is a nice mix of my friends and my former co-worker's friends (which after a year of playing poker and bonding are my friends too).

The game I host is called the "South Side game" because of the location in the city and the other game I attend hosted by my co-worker's buddy is called the "North Side game" (for the same geographical reason). The two games have distinct differences but the one common denominator is the commradarie. Here's a look at how both games are set up:

• Tournament:
  • My game - T5000 tourney with 36 denominated chips per player with the blinds starting at 25/50 and blinds go up every 20 minutes. Stakes are generally $20 bucks (now with an additional $5 or $10 for the bounty).
  • Their game - Starting chips anywhere from 60 - 80 chips per player and the blinds start at 1/2 and blinds go up either every 15 minutes or 20 minutes (speed poker is what I like to call it). Stakes are generally $30 - $40, but they like to bump up the buy-in to $50 quite often.
• Cash Game (NLHE):
  
  • My game - A $20 buy-in will get you these chips: 12 x .25, 7 x $1, and 2 x $5. The blinds will be .25/.50
  • Their game - A $20 buy-in will get you 20 chips all worth a $1 each. The blinds will be $1/$1 (Only $20 big bets and it creates some interesting poker).

The North Side game recently added the cash game after noticing how useful it can be before, in-between, and after tourney games (especially since neither of our games allow tourney rebuys). There is definitely more of a gambling feel to the North Side game but the different personalities are really great to be around and the atmosphere for their game is the best. As many as 4-5 players from one game will show up at the other game so the players have goood relatiosnhips from the 2 games. I played at the North Side game last night and although I was the vicitm of some of the worst headsup suckouts in late tourney game history (I lost one hand when 4 consecutive spades hit the board and another hand when 4 consecutive diamonds hit the board), I still had a great time and it was a fun to play in the most action filled cash game I've ever witnessed (Big hands were magnets for monster hands).




Hmmm, I could go for some poker at my place tonight...I wonder what the wife will say.

[Mr Meaner]

$20 for T5000 and blinds start at 25/50. ...seems like this game would take a long time with very little payout. I would want to kill myself if I played for three hours just to bust out on the bubble.


I would rather play in the higher buy-in and have the blinds go up faster but that is just me.

[Wylecoyo]

My weekly game is a T5000 with blinds starting at 25/50 also, but we only buy in for $5.00. I don't have any problem playing for three hours whether I place in the money or not, I enjoy playing the game.

[austin5string]

Originally Posted by Wylecoyo

My weekly game is a T5000 with blinds starting at 25/50 also, but we only buy in for $5.00. I don't have any problem playing for three hours whether I place in the money or not, I enjoy playing the game.

Yup, I'm the same way. Hell, I would enjoy playing for nothing, except the money seems necessary to keep people playing a little more reasonably.

One group that we play with now and then runs 15-20 minute levels and they want to DOUBLE the blinds every time. The last time they tried that I was successful in slowing them down. A little pressure from impending blind increases is fine, but I hate feeling rushed from the outset.

As for our starting blinds and stacks, we usually run around 80-100XBB.

~John

[Wylecoyo]

Originally Posted by austin5string

Yup, I'm the same way. Hell, I would enjoy playing for nothing, except the money seems necessary to keep people playing a little more reasonably.

I could not agree with you more on this. As a matter of fact, when my weekly game first started we didn't play for anything at all. After a few weeks of absolute insanity which would make the on-line beginners tables look well disciplined, we decided to add a buy in just to try and calm the play down a bit. Since then the play has been awesome and nobody has ever left the table having lost any amount which would prevent them from enjoying a happy and full life between games.

[ky70]

Originally Posted by Mr Meaner

$20 for T5000 and blinds start at 25/50. ...seems like this game would take a long time with very little payout. I would want to kill myself if I played for three hours just to bust out on the bubble.


I would rather play in the higher buy-in and have the blinds go up faster but that is just me.

Don't do it Meaner...your game needs you!!

Here are the estimated tourney times based on my blind schedule:

7 players or less: game will generally end during round 7 (between 2:07 - 2:27)
8 - 13 players: game will generally end during round 8 (between 2:27 - 2:42)
14 - 17 players: game will generally end during round 9 (between 2:42 - 2:57)
18 - 27 players: game will generally end during round 10 (between 2:57 - 3:17)
28 - 33 players: game will generally end during round 11 (between 3:17 - 3:32)
34 - 40 players: game will generally end during round 12 (between 3:32 - 3:47)

I think most would agree that the above isn't that long (in comparison). Speed poker is cool every once in a while but then the reckless players have a better chance than they normally would have. Regarding stakes, I'm comfortable with playing for more and some of my players would always like to play for more but I don't want to price anyone out of this social game. I'm more motivated by winning than I am the money and if I could get a group of 10 to play "straight up" poker for free, I'd never play for money at my game. For the players calculating their earnings per hour, my game usually won't meet their needs but to each his own.

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by ky70

I more motivated by winning than I am the money and if I could get a group of 10 to play "straight up" poker for free, I'd never play for money at my game.

me too.

on a side note...did you know messages have to be at least 10 characters in length for them to be posted???

[ky70]

Originally Posted by SteveA

me too.

on a side note...did you know messages have to be at least 10 characters in length for them to be posted???

lol, yep. I can't post many of my favorite replies anymore (lol, lmao, dido, etc...)

[OnTheButton]

Originally Posted by austin5string

Yup, I'm the same way. Hell, I would enjoy playing for nothing, except the money seems necessary to keep people playing a little more reasonably.

One group that we play with now and then runs 15-20 minute levels and they want to DOUBLE the blinds every time. The last time they tried that I was successful in slowing them down. A little pressure from impending blind increases is fine, but I hate feeling rushed from the outset.

As for our starting blinds and stacks, we usually run around 80-100XBB.

~John

We've noticed that if you increase the blinds too dramatically, and don't give enough time between rounds you end up often unintentionally "punishing" certain players and their position on the table when the button doesn't make it around the table all the way because of more cautious slower action during rounds. They might never get to post in a particular blind level if players are lagging.

The end result being that either we go with milder blind increases with less time per round, or longer rounds if the blind increases are more substantial.

[DaveHNK]

Originally Posted by OnTheButton

We've noticed that if you increase the blinds too dramatically, and don't give enough time between rounds you end up often unintentionally "punishing" certain players and their position on the table when the button doesn't make it around the table all the way because of more cautious slower action during rounds. They might never get to post in a particular blind level if players are lagging.

The end result being that either we go with milder blind increases with less time per round, or longer rounds if the blind increases are more substantial.

We just noticed that in our weekly tourney as well. Probably only just realized it because for the first time played with a real blind timer (Tournament Director) rather than hoping someone would remember to look at their watch. In general it was "yeah, it feels like it's been 15 minutes" and of course someone would scream if the blinds were raised on them if they hadn't posted in that round. Now that we know the rounds are actually staying at 15 minutes, we've lowered the blind increases on some rounds and lengthened the rounds in others.