Tips on Hosting Home Games (Looooong!)

[Taso]

How do you guys get that firm yes or no?

"You wanna play poker?"

"maybe..."

"I need a yes or no"

"oh, well I'm not sure."

"So that's a no."

"well, no, it's an 'i'm not sure"

"Well, It's either yes or no pal."

"...."

????

[pfapfap]

I use evite.

But mainly, it takes a crowd to draw a crowd. Even if I'm only half-full, it just takes a "seats are filling up quickly!" email to get a bunch more filled. It helps that we've actually had to lock out some people a couple of times.

(And it helps that I have an incredibly fun tournament... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])

[TrvChBoy]

I use Meetup.com which has the option for just a yes/no or a yes/no/maybe. Needless to say I use the yes/no exclusively.

If I was going to recruit manually, I would invite each person over the phone or in person about one week ahead of time. I would tell them they have to call with a firm yes or no one or two days before game day to reserve their seat.

Example:

"You are invited to a game at my house next Thursday, please call by Wednesday if you would like your seat reserved."

[TrvChBoy]

[ QUOTE ]
Even if I'm only half-full, it just takes a "seats are filling up quickly!" email to get a bunch more filled. It helps that we've actually had to lock out some people a couple of times.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like that wording "filling up quickly" a lot better than what most people would say "still need players".

I also like the shut-out factor. My game usually is completely full with a waiting list, this makes people take their RSVP's much more seriously when they know that they will directly inconvenience someone on the wait list if they are a no-show, no-call. It also makes people jump at the chance to RSVP since they know if they wait that they will miss their chance.

[stevea]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you guys get that firm yes or no?

"You wanna play poker?"

"maybe..."

"I need a yes or no"

"oh, well I'm not sure."

"So that's a no."

"well, no, it's an 'i'm not sure"

"Well, It's either yes or no pal."

"...."

????

[/ QUOTE ]

I just consider a maybe a no and tell them to RSVP again if they decide to come.

[DavidNB]

[/ QUOTE ]

I just consider a maybe a no and tell them to RSVP again if they decide to come.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a good way, sort of the saem that I do. Some players simply can not commit, more their nature then anything else.I tend to word it yes, no or do they want me to put them down as a spare for now (telling them of course a spare if theres room)

[EL Burro Loco]

"Don't allow persons under 21 to play. They are much more likely to cause trouble than older players."


I disagree with this. I play in a lot of games with guys under 21, some as young as 17, and we have had less problems with them than others. An 18 year old kid isn't going to get out of line in a room full of 30+ year old men.

[JereLock]

[ QUOTE ]
"Don't allow persons under 21 to play. They are much more likely to cause trouble than older players."


I disagree with this. I play in a lot of games with guys under 21, some as young as 17, and we have had less problems with them than others. An 18 year old kid isn't going to get out of line in a room full of 30+ year old men.

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed

I'm 19, and am completely capable of behaving myself through bad beats.

[Taso]

[ QUOTE ]
I use Meetup.com which has the option for just a yes/no or a yes/no/maybe. Needless to say I use the yes/no exclusively.

If I was going to recruit manually, I would invite each person over the phone or in person about one week ahead of time. I would tell them they have to call with a firm yes or no one or two days before game day to reserve their seat.

Example:

"You are invited to a game at my house next Thursday, please call by Wednesday if you would like your seat reserved."

[/ QUOTE ]


I think this works if they know they need to reserve their seat in order to play. But if they know the game won't get filled, they can basically give you any answer they want.

[BukNaked36]

"When getting your game started, go with a low-stakes cash game like $0.25/$0.50, $40.00 max buy-in NLHE."

What's a good chip distribution for this?