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Home Poker Games

lasv3gasl
lasv3gas
in General Poker Questions

I'm just getting back into poker after 8 years of non-poker playing life. I live in Maryland and now have two commercial choices for getting back into live games, Maryland Live in B-more and MGM National Harbor. Before I jump into those shark tanks I was thinking of starting back at some home poker games.

Any thoughts/experience with this and how to I find out what home games are around me? BTW, I think home poker games are now legal in Maryland as long as no more than $2K is on the table at any one time.

LasV3gas

Comments

  • hnallen68
    hnallen68

    If you are interested in starting your own game, we actually have an article in our Instructional Articles area about some things to keep in mind: https://www.advancedpokertraining.com/poker/articles/beyond-basics/hosting-a-home-game.php

  • lasv3gasl
    lasv3gas

    Thanks, the link is very helpful.

    I'd like to start a home game, but I really don't personally know enough poker players in the area to generate a decent game.

    I was hoping to find a website that has poker games in the area already established or a place I can advertise my game.

    I guess I also wanted to get opinion on the wisdom of starting back into live poker with home cash games vs casino play.

    LasV3gas

  • hnallen68
    hnallen68

    There is a third, in-between, option. World Tavern Poker has games in Maryland. It is a free bar league which would allow you to practice your game with others who are working on improving theirs. Season winners get buy-ins to championships (which do have monetary awards) in Atlantic City or Las Vegas.

    I played WTP for a year or so before I was ready to step up to putting cash on the line. It has some definite pros and cons, but is definitely something you might consider.

    There may be other bar leagues in Maryland as well.

  • nytider
    nytider

    My wife and I host a home game about once a month. We started about a year ago with a bunch of people we play with in the bar league. My wife got me a table, chairs and chips for Christmas, and we had fifteen or sixteen people here for the first annual "Holiday Poker Party." Most of our games are two-table tournaments for low stakes. I try to change things up a little from time to time, like playing with bounties sometimes, etc. But mostly we do $10 for a starting stack. We allow one rebuy before the chip-up break OR one add-on at the chip-up break. This past week we had 14 players and paid out $140, $85, and $45. I won the $140, but it kinda just covered entry for me and my wife and our costs for hosting. It is more about the social aspect and the learning experience for us.

    We have also been known to just schedule something ad-hoc on a moment's notice and play a single table game. And we sometimes do a cash game like $0.10/$0.20 with a $20 buy-in, after our tournament, or when there are enough people interested and a free table to play on. Basically, if I get out of the tournament early I will organize the cash game. If I run deep, it kinda gets ignored.

    Since we started our game, another guy started one too. And a couple of others have talked about it.

    Of course there are a lot of issues you have to think through if you host one. The article referenced above covers a lot of that ground. For us, parking and the neighbors have been a concern, and one of the reasons we don't do it more often.

    All things considered though, I love home games, especially when they are generally well-run and feature decent players. I feel like they really help me work on my game for the casinos.

  • lasv3gasl
    lasv3gas

    Thanks. I found some free roll games near me as well as Stars-n-Bars Poker. I'll start there and ease my way back into real money games.

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