pressuring friends to play higher-stakes

[lef1000]

okay me and a group of friends used to get together a long time ago and play really low-stake tournaments like 3 days a week whenever we got bored late at night. I was winning about 80% of the time, but everyone was having a good time. Lately, within the past 2 years i have greatly improved my game and am very comfortable putting in up to $200 in a small tourney. I have no problem playing stakes as low as $20 a person, but even at only $20 my friends (with the exception of 2 friends) don't wanna play ever because they can't deal with losing $20. I am trying to convince my friends to do away with there $10 tourny buy-ins and gradualy move up in buy-in but im having a tuff time. What do you guys at 2+2 recommend me doing in order to get my friends to move up in buy-in level without me comming across like a dick?

[Sir P]

I had that problem for a bit.
then I got new 'friends.'

[lef1000]

ya im trying to do that but like im pretty young and i dont wanna play cards in my house wit a bunch of adults i mean thats perfectly fine when i play in AC but im saying for some relaxed home games i wanna play young people... ive been trying forever to get my friends to step it up but its not working

[KingGordy]

I don't think it's a good idea to pressure your friends into playing higher than they are comfortable. Even if they cave to your pressure and agree to play higher, they will get upset at the amount of money they lose, and they will feel hostile towards you (whether you deserve it or not). No one has fun.

If you need to play bigger games, there are plenty of options online or at casino. It's really not worth jepordizing friendships over pocket change, especially when online is 1000 times as profitable as home games. Play the homegames for fun, not profit.

[MediaPA]

Gordy has it right. You really shouldn't be trying to take a ton of money off of your friends by getting them to play higher than they would like. This move seems entirely self-serving. You are comfortable with the money, your friends aren't. You win a large percentage, your friends don't. Notice a pattern.

I'll play decent sized online games from time to time. Yet our home tournament buy in games are typically $10 (maybe the occassional $20 freeze or $5 rebuy). Also the cash games are 0.25-2 spread. You really think I'm playing these games for profit? I like to come out ahead, but I'm more interested in drinking beers, sucking out a couple times on the river, and enjoying myself.

[lef1000]

thanks for the replies guys esp. MediaPA, your 100% right. Im still looking for a decent home game tourney because I'm not having that much fun playing internet tourney's, but i guess i shouldn't pressure my friends to play higher then they can. It's jus tannoying because they all think there such great players and if they realy thought so they should be able to invest more money IMO. OH well guess im stuck with $10 buy -ins i guess that still pays for gas money

[Lottery Larry]

[ QUOTE ]
they all think there such great players and if they realy thought so they should be able to invest more money

[/ QUOTE ]

Perceived skill has little in association with available bankroll size (although your bankroll SHOULD grow if your skills do). Plus, it sounds as if they don't really play for money, if you were winning 80% even BEFORE you learned what you were doing.

[rando]

If you don't want to or can't:

1) increase stakes
2) play live with others
3) use online play as your money-maker,

you have two options:

1) accept your fate
2) <font color="blue"> bring more players into the current home game</font> , especially your tournaments. More players X same stakes = bigger bank.

[Yads]

[ QUOTE ]
ya im trying to do that but like im pretty young and i dont wanna play cards in my house wit a bunch of adults i mean thats perfectly fine when i play in AC but im saying for some relaxed home games i wanna play young people...

[/ QUOTE ]

There's your problem. Young people don't have $200 to blow on a poker game. Don't approach these games with a profit first mentality. Enjoy the company, drink a few beers, make some donktastic plays and blow off some steam.

[LuckyTxGuy]

Alot of great posts in this thread.

I do not believe anyone should encourage another person to gamble with more money than they are comfortable with putting at risk. That is especially true when you know you have the advantage over them, but either way I'm not comfortable with the idea.