Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

I'm a college student, and i host a NL HE cash game twice a week in my suites common room. We play .50/.50 blinds, and everyone usually buys in for 20$ a pop, tho when stacks get deeper, a few players will reload for 40$ or 50$ when they go broke.

We've been playing 2 months now, and i am by far the only real poker player in this group. There are 8 or 9 regular guys, with 4 or 5 kids who attend randomly. There usually ends up being between 300$ and 500$ in the pot at the end of the night, and i will frequently walk away with atleast 1/3, if not more, of whats on the table. Now, i am not tooting my own horn, or saying that I am a world class player because i can consistently run over a .50/.50 home game. This game is extremely soft, filled with weak tight players, calling stations, and perhaps 1 or 2 players who even understand basic poker strategy, such as position, or continuation bets. At best, 1 or 2 other players are up a small amount over the last 2 months, while everyone else is most definetley in the red.

My problem is this: These players are all college students, and for the kids who have lost hundreds of dollars over the last 2 months, it stings for them. Though they have the money to play, they are beginning to realize that they lose their money every single time they sit down, with VERY few exceptions. I need to think of someway to convince these kids to keep coming back for more, or else i will have to look for new players, which i have been attempting, but it seems the kids already playing in my game make up the majority of card players around campus.

I am not a loud, in your face winner... i try my hardest to be as lowkey as possible when cashing out, and for the most part, noone at the game really suspects i am up as much as i am. I'm trying to find a way to keep these kids coming back, because i haven't had to work a day of my college life yet, and i dont intend on starting now.

Thanks in advance guys.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

keep playing and winning.. dont worry about doing something stupid like losing some back.. if they dont want to play anymore they wont.. also as long as they are having fun while theyre playing thats all that matters b/c just like in a casino and w/ all gambling its the experience they have while losing/playing that makes them come back.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

This one is easy: buy everyone pizza (or beer, but this is a dorm). College students cannot resist free food and/or booze. And of course losing money back is retarded.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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This one is easy: buy everyone pizza (or beer, but this is a dorm). College students cannot resist free food and/or booze. And of course losing money back is retarded.

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What would it cost for a movie, pizza and a beer or two? Answer: one $20 buyin. But it isn't as much fun as playing cards.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

Food and beer... what's left everyone?

Get some women coming to the games.

:-)

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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. . . it seems the kids already playing in my game make up the majority of card players around campus.

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Are you attending a seminary? Surely there must be other players? And probably other games that you can play in as well.

Have any of the losers at your game indicated that they're on the verge of not playing? What makes you think they're beginning to realize that they can't crack this game? Until they really stop showing up for the regular fleecing I wouldn't worry.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

We have guys in our regular games that keep showing, and keep spewing. They lose big most of the time, and occasionally win. Sometimes it almost hurts to watch them. But, they keep showing, and they keep having fun. As long as you keep the game friendly, and fun, they will keep coming.

Buying a bit of beer as the host is cool to do and all, but you are in college, and beer gets expensive. If you aren't taking a rake (other than yo mad skillz) then don't feel obligated to give out freebies. just have a few snacks, chips and such, for the taking and call it good.

Finding more players is always good too, players telling friends and all should do the trick there. Just tell guys to spread the word. Don't advertize your game online, or with flyers. That's just begging for trouble. Especially if you are in a Dorm.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

For me personally, losing money to someone, makes what to win it back more....

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

I agree, don't worry about them not coming back. It isn't anything you can prevent if they are REALLY that upset about losing the amount you are speaking of.

From the flip-side though, I suggest befriending them and even talking to them before the game starts and offering them pointers. I GAURANTEE that they will keep coming back if you offer them advice and make them into better players.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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I suggest befriending them and even talking to them before the game starts and offering them pointers. I GAURANTEE that they will keep coming back if you offer them advice and make them into better players.

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Good suggestion, just don't sound like an ass when doing this. It's really easy for someone to take good advice the wrong way and it all backfires on you. My core group is four of us who've talked strategy and tried to educate each other, but some people just plain don't want to hear about odds or position or outs... They just want to play and gamble.

This same thing has been a discussion between the four of my group who's been running a local game for about two years. Every now and then it seems like it will all collapse but the same people have been coming back to lose multiple buy-ins every week. Free food is awesome, and if you're friendly, which it sounds like you are, it goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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Have any of the losers at your game indicated that they're on the verge of not playing?

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Well, every week it seems like somebody who's been running (or playing) extrememly poorly the last couple of sessions comes up with a really lame excuse to miss a game or two... and trust me, most of these guys would arrive late to their grandmothers wake in order to play another couple of pots... I just don't want to see this game die off, considering it's not only very profitable, but very fun.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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Food and beer... what's left everyone?

Get some women coming to the games.

:-)

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Me and my buddies did the same thing in college 10-12 years ago in our dorm suite. We would usually have Friday night cards and as we got to know the girls on our floor they'd ask if they could play too. At first we were like, "No...you girls probably don't even know how to play." We didn't feel like teaching them how to play Jacks or Better, stud, or draw poker. However, a couple of the girls already knew how to play, so they showed their friends how to play and they ended up joining us the next time we played. Needless to say, when you mix cards with beer and college girls some interesting things can happen toward then end of the night when everyone is drunk and inhibitions are all but gone. We got the girls naked a few times playing strip 5 card draw. For the guys who lost money, the naked chicks made it well worth the buy-in...especially if they hooked up [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

It was pretty fun because we became good friends with girls and they looked forward to Friday night cards...as did I. God I miss college!!!

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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I suggest befriending them and even talking to them before the game starts and offering them pointers. I GAURANTEE that they will keep coming back if you offer them advice and make them into better players.

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Good suggestion, just don't sound like an ass when doing this. It's really easy for someone to take good advice the wrong way and it all backfires on you. My core group is four of us who've talked strategy and tried to educate each other, but some people just plain don't want to hear about odds or position or outs... They just want to play and gamble.

This same thing has been a discussion between the four of my group who's been running a local game for about two years. Every now and then it seems like it will all collapse but the same people have been coming back to lose multiple buy-ins every week. Free food is awesome, and if you're friendly, which it sounds like you are, it goes a long way to creating a good atmosphere.

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Exactly. If you happen to have a good poker book or two, you can always ask if they'd like to borrow it/them. In addition to talking to them before the game, grab them after - mention a play they made, ask if they considered playing it differently, and possibly mention that the subject came up in a book you read.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

Don't give poker advice unless asked. People don't want to hear it. If they really wanted to know how to play better, the information is easily accessible on the net; no one is hiding it.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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Don't give poker advice unless asked. People don't want to hear it. If they really wanted to know how to play better, the information is easily accessible on the net; no one is hiding it.

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Valid point, but in this case it might be worth it. Don't be obvious about it - treat them as an equal and it might pay off long-term. I think the objective here is to engage them in "poker talk" and maintain their interest. Just a thought.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

Dakota hit it dead on. Free food and social interaction = All right!

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

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Dakota hit it dead on. Free food and social interaction = All right!

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You're probably right... been so long since college I forgot the draw of free food (not to mention social interaction).

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

This is how our trickle-up economy works. Someone has to lose for us to win. The nature of any game is that the losers rotate in and out while the winners consistently profit over time.

Instead of trying to keep the game going with a set number of people, maybe you can focus on creating a game where people can play or not play as they choose. Enlarge your player pool, work on getting it known that there will be a game at the same time and the same place every week. If you have limited space, then the first-come first-seated aspect of it might sustain the "high demand" appeal of it.

And don't be afraid to buy a bottle of hooch now and again, too. Make the environment pleasant. Maybe you know some people who don't play but aren't against hanging out and chatting or playing videogames or whatever else in the same area. That way when someone busts out, s/he's not limited to standing around staring at everyone else play with his/her chips.

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

The nice folks at the Watham game let
me win every once in a while. It keeps
me coming back!

-ZEN

Re: Keeping frequently losing players happy?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The nice folks at the Watham game let
me win every once in a while. It keeps
me coming back!

-ZEN

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Nuff Said [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]