Home Poker vs. B&M Card Rooms

[Rottersod]

So, for the past year or so I've played a lot more games at people's homes than I have at my local rooms such as the bike, hustler, etc. Typically, I used to play in one regular game and we played once or twice a week. Things started changing about a year ago when I got involved with a crazy, wild group of players and the money was coming in so fast and regular it was like I had my own printing press (do a search in this forum for detailed posts from late 2006 for more info). That game eventually broke up and I found myself getting invited to more and more games through contacts I had made at that game.

Back in the spring this year the local card rooms here in LA raised their drop by a dollar to cover the new minimum wage laws and since then I've seen a mass migration to these home games. We used to get 8 people to a ring game or 15 to a tourney. Now we are getting 30 for cash and 100+ for some tourneys and many of these people say that they are fed up with the casinos and the high drop and arbitrary rulings that seem to be handed down every day.

As expected the home games have become much more competitive, even at the lower stakes that many groups like to play. I've played in tourneys where the buyin is $50 and there are 100 people entered but because the blinds are set to go up every 20 minutes or so to accommodate peoples wishes to end at a reasonable time (these are mostly people with regular jobs and families who are not quite at the degen stage yet. LOL), it negates a lot of the advantage more skilled players have. By the time you get down to 2 tables it is an all in shove fest. But that's OK because there are so many of these tourneys every week and many of them are followed by sit n goes and cash games.

I'm pretty sure poker in places like Vegas will be OK although there will be a shakeout. Vegas attracts tourists who want to gamble it up. The local scenes in Los Angeles have been drying up though. The other day I went to the bike for the first time in a while and saw how few players the top section had even though it had recently expanded. And the limit section down below was half empty.

[pfapfap]

Good post.

I prefer home games. While the skill level is higher than I find at my local cardrooms, the buyins are lower and there's no rake or tips. Plus, it's just more fun having my own music and friends around. I also tend to play a lot better at home games, as I know the people better and have a strong image I can manipulate.

Agree about these fools not having the degen lifestyle. I keep tellin' folks they should change their work schedules to go in after lunch on Fridays... Thankfully there are also plenty of people in our group living alternative lifestyles, so we do have some late running games, but it could be better. Hell, I'm just getting started at 1am!

[Fubster]

Best thing about home games: you play with the same group of clowns enough and you are able to nail their tenancies down really well. Since you know them so well, you can get max value at all times.

[FireStorm]

Must be a west coast thing, b/c home games here (NY) are essentially the worst form of poker you could see displayed anywhere. People play so badly it's insane, and that includes otherwise-skilled players.

[Rottersod]

[ QUOTE ]
Must be a west coast thing, b/c home games here (NY) are essentially the worst form of poker you could see displayed anywhere. People play so badly it's insane, and that includes otherwise-skilled players.

[/ QUOTE ]

It probably has to do with the fact that here in LA we have a huge built in poker market with card rooms all over the area. It just takes a small number of the regular players to start playing in these home games to jack up the competition level. Some 50 yo housewife who is playing tourneys because she saw it on TV and has read Harrington on Hold Em is going to get a smack down once the regulars identify her playing style. I've watched as the uber Lags who idolize Gus Hanson and used to play ATC have realized that they need to change their style as they keep busting out early.

[jjflash]

Excellent post.

I can't help but recall an article that I read in a popular poker mag. about "real" poker being played in peoples homes and in underground card rooms. It mentioned the fact that real NLHE is meant to be played with really deep stacks. This is something that you usually cannot do in card rooms because the card rooms set a maximum buy-in. They want your business and don't want you to go broke in a day or two, so the maximum buy-in sort of encourages a stop loss...that way you will maybe come back tomorrow. The maximum buy-in really hinders the way the game is supposed to be played. Many of "big name" pros cut their teeth in back rooms and basements.

I also recall Brunson mentioning this same idea in his book "Poker Wisdom of a Champion".

I will mention one other thought (at the risk of sounding like a donk). I just love the feeling that I get at home game. The smoky rooms, the chips flying, the banter....
You just don't get this feeling in a casino. Not the best reason to love home games, but I just can't help it.