First time hosting cash game
 

I'm posting this asking for advice as to whether the system I am planning to use is good, and how it can improve.

Until now I have only hosted tournament style poker, which has been pretty simple. I was thinking about trying a cash game soon to spice things up, plus since there are no eliminations people don't get bored because they can't get knocked out.

The tournaments I host are usually 10$ buy-in, sometimes up to 20$ depending on how many people come, but mostly it is for entertainment. I'm keeping in mind how much money we regularly play for when coming up with the cash game amounts.

So far this is what I have thought would work best:

Game: NL Hold'em
Blinds: 25cents/50cents
Antes: None
Minimum Buyin: $10
Maximum Buyin: $50
Chip Denominations: 25cents/$1/$5

I have a few questions:

1)Are the Chip Denominations good for this game, or should I add some like 50cents or $2?

2)Should I allow cash to be used on the table, or will it be pointless and just confuse things since the buy-in is so small. It would be kind of funny to see someone slap 2 fives together and throw them on the table like Negreanu does with 50k bricks.

3)Should I allow people to add money to their stack whenever they want, everyone can add at a designated time like once every hour, or only when they bust out? I'm new to hosting cash games so I'm not sure what the best rules on this are.

4)How should I handle the cashouts? Is it good to let people come and go whenever they want (most likely resulting in some people cashing out when they have made a huge profit), or set a time when we all stop playing?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

First, I'd reconsider the buy-in maximum... the difference between someone who can afford a $10 buyin and a $50 buyin is

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

"The tournaments I host are usually 10$ buy-in, sometimes up to 20$ depending on how many people come, but mostly it is for entertainment. I'm keeping in mind how much money we regularly play for when coming up with the cash game amounts.

So far this is what I have thought would work best:

Game: NL Hold'em
Blinds: 25cents/50cents
Antes: None
Minimum Buyin: $10
Maximum Buyin: $50
Chip Denominations: 25cents/$1/$5"

Blinds and chips are fine for the $50 cap (I've never heard of antes for a cash holdem game), but I think your group is going to find this pretty expensive compared to tourney nights.

You might want to go $0.10/$0.20 with a $5 min, $20 cap. That way, 2-3 buyins isn't 3 figures.

"1)Are the Chip Denominations good for this game, or should I add some like 50cents or $2?"

No- stick with 3 chips at most.

"Should I allow cash to be used on the table, or will it be pointless and just confuse things since the buy-in is so small. It would be kind of funny to see someone slap 2 fives together and throw them on the table like Negreanu does with 50k bricks."

No, it wouldn't be funny at all- no thump.

Cash can play, but should be turned into chips when feasible. Do not allow cash to be taken off of the table, and use the table stakes rule of requiring money to be on the table BEFORE you are dealt your hand.

I typically use the "Jim is going $20 behind" to indicate the amount he is bringing in, if the cards are being dealt. That way there is no doubt and you don't have to miss a hand. That $20 better be on the table before the flop.

"Should I allow people to add money to their stack whenever they want, everyone can add at a designated time like once every hour, or only when they bust out? I'm new to hosting cash games so I'm not sure what the best rules on this are."

Always whenever, subject to the table stakes rule procedures above. This isn't a tourney. Whether you want to institute a loss cap to protect your players as they get use to this ("3 buyins and you're done") is up to you

"Is it good to let people come and go whenever they want (most likely resulting in some people cashing out when they have made a huge profit), or set a time when we all stop playing?"

That really depends on your group and how many people are playing (and who will play short-handed). Normally you cash whenever you'd like. If the game would break down too easily, you might institute a half-hour or hour warning before a player departs.

Tell all of your players to bring change for a $20, to cash out with. Make sure you as the host has a few dollars in whatever change you need to match the blinds, for cashing out

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

I forgot to mention that we usually play 2 or even up to 4 tournaments a night (It is a small crowd of 6-9 people), and we play for a long time, so I was considering three buyin amounts when coming up with this. Some nights I may lose 40$ if I don't make it into the money in any of the tournaments.

Thanks for all the help so far, I'm trying to make this an easy change from tournament to cash for my friends too since they are used to tourney games like I am.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

are you still planning on doing a tournament?

That's the way we do it at our game... tournament starts at 8PM, with all three tables. After we consolidate to two tables, and we've got 5+ people interested in a cash game, they start it up at the extra table. Then, as people get busted out of the tournament, they just go buy into the cash game.

For what it's worth, with the loose crowd we have, I love the cash game. The tourney is still a crapshoot for me, but the cash games are a lock on most nights. Most guys don't change strategy at all when they sit down at the cash games, and it costs them a ton of chips.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

If people are only used to spending $10-20 for a night of cards, you should play 10c/20c. With people buying in $10 for a 25c/50c, it won't last very long at all. That said, if people are willing to throw down $50-$100, play 25c/50c.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
If people are only used to spending $10-20 for a night of cards, you should play 10c/20c. With people buying in $10 for a 25c/50c, it won't last very long at all. That said, if people are willing to throw down $50-$100, play 25c/50c.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seconded.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

I originally thought that .10/.20 or .10/.25 blinds would be a good idea too. My problem would be if someone wants to cash out with like $21.35 or something and it would be harder to keep track with all the change. That's why I wanted to keep 25cents as the minimum denomination, but I also realize that is a lot for our low stakes.

Should I do 10cent/25cent/$1 denominations for the chips, with a maximum buy-in of $40?

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

Add a $5 chip and raise the max buyin to $50, and you should be good.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
I originally thought that .10/.20 or .10/.25 blinds would be a good idea too. My problem would be if someone wants to cash out with like $21.35 or something and it would be harder to keep track with all the change. That's why I wanted to keep 25cents as the minimum denomination, but I also realize that is a lot for our low stakes.

Should I do 10cent/25cent/$1 denominations for the chips, with a maximum buy-in of $40?

[/ QUOTE ]

How about .25/.25 blinds with a $20 buy in?

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

That's actually a pretty good idea. I don't know about how my friends would feel about SB and BB being the same though, I like it. We were in a tournament last weekend where the starting blinds were 25/25, then the next level was 25/50 and some of them said that was "stupid" etc. I like how that works though.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

The ones who say that progression is stupid simply don't have any experience with how tournaments are supposed to be run. That's quite simply what you do when you have a first level where BB=smallest chip.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
That's actually a pretty good idea. I don't know about how my friends would feel about SB and BB being the same though, I like it. We were in a tournament last weekend where the starting blinds were 25/25, then the next level was 25/50 and some of them said that was "stupid" etc. I like how that works though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some of my friends would think its stupid too. But these are friends who think my tournaments with starting blinds of .50/1.00 and $100 stacks suck compared to a friends tourney with starting blinds of 25/50 and $5000 starting stacks.

Or how bout .25/.50 blinds with a $25 max buy in?

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

50BB starting stacks make my peepee sad.

.10/.20 w/ $20 max has worked great for us over the last year. People cashing out odd fractions of dollars always just give the change to the host of the evening.

Now we are moving up to .25/.50 with $50 max, and we'll see how it goes. My main concern is someone having a bad night might lose enough to make them uncomfortable. If that is the case, I'm going to lower it back to .10/.20.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
The tournaments I host are usually 10$ buy-in, sometimes up to 20$ depending on how many people come

...

Game: NL Hold'em
Blinds: 25cents/50cents
Antes: None
Minimum Buyin: $10
Maximum Buyin: $50
Chip Denominations: 25cents/$1/$5


[/ QUOTE ]
Perfect.

[ QUOTE ]

1)Are the Chip Denominations good for this game, or should I add some like 50cents or $2?


[/ QUOTE ]
.25/1/5 is perfect for this type of game. 200/280/20. People want to collect the $5 chips.

[ QUOTE ]

2)Should I allow cash to be used on the table...


[/ QUOTE ]
Yes. $20 only, cash plays.

[ QUOTE ]

3)Should I allow people to add money to their stack whenever they want...


[/ QUOTE ]
Stop here. Yes, in between hands.

[ QUOTE ]

4)How should I handle the cashouts?


[/ QUOTE ]
Anyone can leave at any time in between hands.

Good game for the stakes your players are used to, don't be surprised if most people prefer this format after a month. Don't worry about your "big" max buyin, almost everyone will buy in for $20. Encourage this, only later when a few stacks are deep will people want to buy in for $50

"Well, the max is $50 but most people buy in for $20 when it's like this."

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
I originally thought that .10/.20 or .10/.25 blinds would be a good idea too. My problem would be if someone wants to cash out with like $21.35 or something and it would be harder to keep track with all the change. That's why I wanted to keep 25cents as the minimum denomination, but I also realize that is a lot for our low stakes.

Should I do 10cent/25cent/$1 denominations for the chips, with a maximum buy-in of $40?

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh god no...

Just play .25/.50 like you were planning, with my above suggestions it'll be fine. Everyone will have a donktastic time until they settle down and by then the'll be used to the stakes. Some will want .50/1.

edit: One thing I'll do to encourage the game to start is to have .25/.25 *until* we are 6 handed. The early crowd seems to appreciate this... it's like it doesn't really "start" until there are 6 seated and playing.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
Some nights I may lose 40$ if I don't make it into the money in any of the tournaments.

[/ QUOTE ]

That helps, but the first time someone drops $50 in 2 minutes on a trips-smaller kicker hand, rebuying back in will be a wake-up call.

Hopefully they have the bankroll and attitude to deal with that risk.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

How about pot limit instead of no limit.

Will this help keep the game "friendlier?"

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

[ QUOTE ]
How about pot limit instead of no limit.

Will this help keep the game "friendlier?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably not. There's a big bankroll difference between $20 tourneys and capped NL games.

I know you were just teasing, but it's important for new players to know what they are getting into when they switch games. You can kill a home game pretty quickly if changes are too radical.

Re: First time hosting cash game
 

Plus pot limit makes for annoying pot-tracking issues. NL is faster and more fun for the average home game.