Home Game Safety

[cardshark]

You cannot generalize. Anyone can post a listing for a home game, on a site. Sometimes even illegal clubs list their games as if they were home games. Then when you send them an email they ask you for your phone number, otherwise they won't tell you where the game is.

You really have to use your own best judgment based on where the game is and what was your impression when communication with the hosts. I would say it would be pretty rare that someone would place an online listing for a home game, just to stick someone up. If they want to rob someone they can must mug a stranger on the street. They would not want that stranger to know where they live.

[Javanewt]

I am a woman, and I've gone alone to a few games with people I've never met. (Not from this site, though.) I try to get a feel for the person over the phone. I let someone know where I'm going, the address, phone number, etc. Call them when I get there and at least when I leave. No problems so far.

[Zetack]

[ QUOTE ]
I just found the site www.homepokergames.com (Maryland games) and was wondering if any of you have ever used it or gone to some sort of poker game where you don't personally know anyone. How safe is it? I mean, I could get robbed, cheated, kicked out and not able to cashout???. Maybe I’m just being paranoid but I just don’t wanna put myself in a bad position. Other than not going alone or telling anyone where I am, what precausions should I take to maximize my safety? Also, do these games usually take a rake? I see that most of the places on that site say nothing about having or not having one. If so, how much is it typically?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're being a little paranoid. It just doesn't seem like a very sustainable business model to advertise a poker game, and then when new people show up, rob them. Getting cheated may be less improbable, but just go to the game, keep your eyes open for the signs, and if you even suspect cheating, cash out early and don't go back.

Also, although I'd hate to get robbed, I don't carry my whole poker roll to a game, so getting robbed wouldn't be any worse, financially speaking, from having a bad night.

The one thing to be wary of, I suppose, is that there might be some shady characters at the game, who, independent of the organizers, might view you as a target and follow you from the game to rob. Again, if this happened more than, say, once, you wouldn't expect the game to survive, so I wouldn't regard it as that likely.

--Zetack

Edit: if you're really worried, perhaps you could get your hands on a couple of hand grenades. Use one as a card protector and keep the other as backup. They probably won't mess with you, although it may diminish your chances of being invited back (unless they grow fond of the "kooky kid with the hand grenade"...).

[philr]

I don't think the person hosting the game is likely to be the one who would rob you, it is more likely that someone looking to hit a home poker game would use that site to select targets.

It is scary how easy it is to use some of the home poker sites out there to find home games online. They show way to much info and with just some basic online searching it it not difficult to tie this info back to a user, a location and know how much $$ will be at the game. The site you mentioned you wouldn't even have to do much detective work, just email and ask to play. This is a huge security risk and was the main reason my friends and I started http:///www.DIYPokerTour.com (shamelss plug ). We wanted to run our home tour online, track results, stats etc. but not have all out info out there for everyone to see.

This is a pretty good article on the topic
Hold'em Holdups

If you do go down this road i would be wary of the larger buy in games - the more cash at the table the bigger the target.

[Zetack]

[ QUOTE ]

If you do go down this road i would be wary of the larger buy in games - the more cash at the table the bigger the target.

[/ QUOTE ]

Although that seems logical, my regular .50/1.00 NL game got robbed. That killed a pretty good game. And no, it wasn't advertised on the internet, but there was a pretty large circle of folks that played in it.

[alliniwin]

[ QUOTE ]

This is a pretty good article on the topic
Hold'em Holdups

good article

If you do go down this road i would be wary of the larger buy in games - the more cash at the table the bigger the target.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Lottery Larry]

[ QUOTE ]
The site you mentioned you wouldn't even have to do much detective work, just email and ask to play.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then the game hosts aren't being careful enough nor thinking enough about security for their current members.

[ QUOTE ]
This is a huge security risk and was the main reason my friends and I started http:///www.DIYPokerTour.com (shamelss plug ). We wanted to run our home tour online, track results, stats etc. but not have all out info out there for everyone to see.

[/ QUOTE ]

How does your site solve that problem? If I contact a host about joining up with a game, aren't they going to give me the information to access their league?

Unless you're regularly changing passwords on every dropout player, you have pretty much the same risks that you would by being careful on sites such as homepokergames.com, just with an extra step to take... no?

[Triantafylidis]

You need to just be selective to the game you are getting yourself into. Talk to the host(s). Get a feel for what type of person they are, old/young, hobbies, work, etc-just make friendly conversation. Then talk to them about the game, how many players typically, if they have a dealer, etc. I know one game i used to go to in Philly had a bouncer with a metal detector wand and he patted you down at the door, this increases safety but is also intimidating to some. I found a great game in CT on that site and enjoy playing there. There was a lot of younger people playing mixed in with some middle aged men and a few older people here and there. Good atmosphere. Also ask if they supply snacks/drinks, if they do, they usually take a rake. PM me if necessary, GL

[VivaHate]

[ QUOTE ]

"No, leave the Glocks in the car."


[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

Definately use this line, you'll get no hassle, if anything they'll be watching their backs.

[philr]

[ QUOTE ]




[ QUOTE ]
This is a huge security risk and was the main reason my friends and I started http:///www.DIYPokerTour.com (shamelss plug ). We wanted to run our home tour online, track results, stats etc. but not have all out info out there for everyone to see.

[/ QUOTE ]

How does your site solve that problem? If I contact a host about joining up with a game, aren't they going to give me the information to access their league?

Unless you're regularly changing passwords on every dropout player, you have pretty much the same risks that you would by being careful on sites such as homepokergames.com, just with an extra step to take... no?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good questions. Games on DIYPokerTour are not shown to the public, so you could not contact the host about joining. In order to join a league you have to be invited (i.e. you have to know someone who plays in the league). Only once you are a member of a league can you see the games that are taking place - keeping you information private. In general when new players come to a game they are entered in to the system as the results are entered. The site admin can then choose to assign them a password and give access if they want to. If they don't want to have the player have access to the site, stats and game schedule they can simply not give that to them. For my regular home game we don't give access until someone has come a number of times and we have a good feel for them or they can be vouched for. Not a perfect solution but it adds another layer of protection and privacy.