My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

Background: Going to be hosting a very low stakes home game (much lower than I would normally play). The majority of players are Newbs. Who have played at least 2 other times.


Most of the players seem to grasp the concept of the game. There are 2 slowpokes. By Slowpoke, I mean that I seem to have to explain what to do on every street and this is after 2 hours of play. I have to explain that the Big Blind is X, so you have to put in X to call, you can raise or you can fold. These two guys need to be told the hand rankings all the time.

I am trying to think of ways I can handle this so that I do not have to explain any of the simple rules. My solution at the moment is to email a link to basic poker rules and tell them to learn it.

But it is really frustrating have to explain that "Billy bet $1, you need to put in $1 to call him and see one more card or you can fold now."

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

Have you thought of not inviting the "slowpokes"?

I have emailed all my players with some standard etiquette guidelines and basic rules so I see nothing wrong with that. I use the "just want to make sure we're all on the same page" approach. But if you need to constantly explain the absolute basic requirements then these guys need a lot of help. Perhaps see if any others share your frustration and you all can share the monitoring duties

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

play online instead [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Seriously tho, I feel your pain. I had this problem (although not as severe) at my .25/.50 game. Slow play really tends to tilt me actually, especially live in very small stakes games. Best you can do is try to rush them along. Sooner or later they will pick it up if they keep coming to play.

gl

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

I want these players at my game. Gives me a chance to scope the other players. As in, when Billy is debating for what seems like and hour, Jimmmy gets ants in his pants while waiting to bet his pocket K's.

These guys will catch on, give them MORE slack. If this continues let's say for 2 more invites, then don't invite them back.

P [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

Either uninvite them, or deal with it. If this were a more serious setting I'd say get aggressive with altering it, but home games obviously thrive on having these kinds of players, and you should expect things like this.

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

solution- don't be a nit about the rules. They want to call a $10 bet with $2? Cool. They want to reopen the betting with a $0.50 raise? Fine.

Let someone else object, or let it play out. Have some fun with it- it's not as if you care about the stakes.


Or, don't host it at all and stop whining, beeyatch.

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

I just can't stand this kind of thing myself, especially the player who gets drunk and just... moseys... along... on... every... move... and... counts... out... his... chips...

No longer invited to the game.

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

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Background: Going to be hosting a very low stakes home game (much lower than I would normally play). The majority of players are Newbs. Who have played at least 2 other times.

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You don't like the stakes, you don't like the way the "Newbs" play . . . sounds like this game is the last thing you want to do, so why do it?

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

Print out the hand rankings and post it where they can see it. The larger, the better.

Re: My Patience wears thin with Newbs
 

[ QUOTE ]
Print out the hand rankings and post it where they can see it. The larger, the better.

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I did this with some newbie’s at my home game, and it worked pretty well. One even kept sliding with his finger till he found his hand (best tell I have ever seen!)

PS
If you want them to either improve, or leave just increase the stakes, if it gets expensive for them to be stupid they will take a decision for you!