[Pex657]

I have read numerous posts and threads about setting up a tournament game, but can not really find anything that useful about setting up a cash game. My main question about cash games was: “How do I know what the blinds should be compared to the buy-in?”

I spend some time searching forums and also looking at on-line games. I have grouped the cash games in to three setups: D50, D100, and D200. D stands for divisor(will be explained below).

D50:
This type of cash game is not highly recommended. The blinds are pretty large compared to the buy-in, so expect luck to factor in, since you will be playing less hands for more money. This cash game is intense and fast.

D100:
This is what I like to play with my friends. This gives you a much better blinds setup related to starting chips. This game is relaxed, but the pot still builds with out going overboard. A couple of on-line sites use something close to this setup.

D200:
This seems to be the norm for ChipTalk.net. I have read a couple of posts were this is what is recommended. This is a very relaxed game, which you have plenty of starting chips compared to the blinds and it still gives enough action for a good game.

How to use the D setup:

It is very simple. Just use these two formulas to tell you your blinds.

• BB = Buy-in/D

• SB = BB/2

BB = Big Blind, D = The setup number or divisor, SB = Small Blind

Example:
Lets say you want to play a cash game with a buy-in of $20.

• BB = 20/D(depending on which setup)

= 20/50 (for a D50 setup)
BB = .40
BB = 40 cents

• SB = BB/2= 40/2

SB = 20 cents

So for a D50 setup, with a buy-in of 20$ you will have .20/.40 blinds. With the same buy in and a D100 you will have .10/.20 and for a D200 the blinds will be .05/.10.

If you already know your blinds and just would like to know what the buy in should be, just times the D number with the BB.
Example:
You want a .10/.20 game, but have a D100 setup. Just do (.20 * 100) which will give you a buy in of $20.

Also if a minimum buy in is needed, just take your BB and times it by 20 for a D50, times 40 for a D100, and times 80 for a D200.

Please let me know what you all think and how to improve the setup!

[Coleman]

I've hosted cash games for a long time. My original buy-in was $100 for our $1/$2 blinds, but I have (finally) been convinced that a larger buy-in would make for smarter play.
I now have a $200 buy-in with the same blinds, and it has made a marked improvement in the quality of play. I am not quite comfortable with a larger buy-in yet. Perhaps in time. The guys in my game are too good for me to get over-confident.
(I run two tables, the games last about 7 hours, and the kitty hits 6K on a good night.)

[dannyocean]

We just started playing cash games because everyone was resistant to change from our usual tourney. We usually play $20 tourneys with a rebuy/addon. Our cash games have worked out having a $20 buyin with .25/.25 blinds. People can rebuy when under $5 for $10-$20. It works out great since the big "losers" are out around $40 (close to the same $ as the tourneys)

[Quads]

To dip your foot in the water, ask yourself how much you are willing to loose in one night, and how much the players in your group are willing to loose in one night.

Take that number (say 200 bucks) and divide it by 400 = .50 cent. That is your small blind. So, in theory, your game would be a .50/1 NL game as a starting point.

Start your game buy in at 25BB's (min) to 100X BB's (max) should you choose to cap your buy ins. At lower stakes poker, it's common to cap the buy in so that a player doesn't come in and attempt to run the table over. Higher blinds the max buy in is often removed. (I don't cap the buy in for my game) but there are times where it is a good idea to have it. Especially if you are starting out hosting, getting a solid group together, etc.

Biggest thing is that you don't want to break your players. Don't outprice your players.

Stakes high enough to be interesting and have a pain point if you loose, but not so high that people / players are out of their comfort zone.

[MeridianFC]

Originally Posted by Quads

Biggest thing is that you don't want to break your players. Don't outprice your players.

Stakes high enough to be interesting and have a pain point if you loose, but not so high that people / players are out of their comfort zone.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I don't think you need to get to complicated finding the exact mathematic sweet spot. Use real world dollar values to find what you think you and your players would be willing to play for. What do you spend on a night out drinking? Make it a bit more than that for the buy in. I'd say you'd need at least 25-50 big bets (with 50+ being much preferred), so that guides you to your Big Blind (or Turn/River bet). I for one am not into the non standard amounts for home games (.40/.80, 7/14).

Go with the tried and true blinds for flop games (w/ min. buy in):

.05/.10 ($5)
.10/.20 ($10)
.25/.50 ($25)
.50/1 ($50)
1/2 ($100)
2/4 ($200)
3/6 ($200)
5/10 ($300-500)

Tweak as needed but always go for having a good number of big bets per player. Make it smart if you loose. Make it feel pretty good if you win. Don't take anyone's rent money. Do make 'em drink cheap canned beer till the next game.

If your players are all betting the max each hand your blinds are probably too low.

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Not to thread jack, but would the same theories apply to PL/NL Cash games? I personally hate playing limit, but my players (read: family members at gatherings) don't care too much for NL outside of a tournament, so we compromise and play PL HE. To date, we've started small, $10 max buy-in with .15/30 blinds (lots of chip splashing). Noone gets overly agressive, but some decent pots are built, without anyone feeling outpriced.

Considering the B&M's here in L.A. are now offering NL at $40 max w/ 1/2 blinds, I want to increase my max buy-in, perhaps to a $30 at .25/.50, or $50 at .50/1 blinds.

Does anyone else play NL or PL Cash at home? I'd be interested to learn how you roll.
_________________________________

[MeridianFC]

The only difference I make for NL/PL is to set a min/max buy in. The swings can be rough and the nature of NL/PL is such that it can, if not monitored, be a little less than friendly.

My personal recommendation is to set a limit slightly lower than what you might do normally and limit re-buys to when folks hit a certain level. My normal game is a spread limit game with a $50 min. buy-in w/ unlimited re-buys, when I do NL games I do $25 buy-in w/ no re-buys till you hit $5.

[Bano]

Originally Posted by AceDeuceNoUse

Not to thread jack, ..._________________________________

Too late! I was getting into reading other's perspecives to setting up cash games and looking forward to my next poker gathering, til I came across this post. Now I can't get Sunday's game out of my thoughts...........GO BEARS!!!!!!!