Home Poker

Tightening Up The Game
By Squeege

I would've called it a "Home Poker on Usenet," but it was only after discussing it in our own forum that I went to Usenet to get some opinion there.

In a thread in our forum, the topic came up of 'modifying' one's home game. In short, this means influencing the structure of the game ever so slightly as to move the focus from more chance to more skill. Invariably, the topic comes back to loose games and how best to deal with them.

First of all, what is a loose game? Generally speaking, a loose game is one where the majority of players are more liberal with their money. It doesn't necessarily mean more bluffing, only that players are willing to call and raise with weaker hands. Home games are notoriously loose. It's been discussed before but the logic is that people that play poker at home: 1) play so infrequently that when they do, they play loose just to see some action, 2) are not as serious, and therefore do not consider the consequences of loose play as much as the tactical player, and 3) play for stakes so small that playing loose is the only way to keep things interesting.

So, that's a loose game. Why then would somebody want to tighten up a loose game? More than anything, this addresses the second point above. The looser the game, the more of a crapshoot it is. That is, the more players that stay in on anything, the more it basically just comes down to what you've been dealt as opposed to how you've played. The chance of poker comes from what you've been dealt; the skill of poker comes from how you play it. Therefore, tighter play is smarter play, and a tight table is one more focused on poker skill than poker chance.

Loose games are fun. In fact, I wouldn't argue that they are the trademark of home games. When you're playing a social game for fun, you place less emphasis on skill. And the less emphasis you place on skill, the looser you're likely to play.

Fun as they are, however, it can become tedious to play in one loose game after another. A social game can still involve strategic play. In fact, even if the game is friendly, social poker, there's something to be said about the player who does the best in the end. And assuming the games don't lend too ridiculously to chance, the player on top is the one who played the best game over a long enough period of time. Therefore, we see a little more discussion now from players who would like to tighten up their home games. Someone even pointed to the movie "Rounders" and how it can enlighten people as to how much more there is to the game than blind chance games and plays.

Of all that said, if you wanted to tighten up your home game to place more influence on skilled play, we come up with no less than three ways to do it:

More Frequent Games: This addresses the first point above. If your game is monthly, then maybe the problem is that you are playing too infrequently. Players showing up at the table are psyched to go, and are willing to drop all the money they've brought on the game they love but play too little. Play bi-weekly instead. Players worried about losing more money as a result may be more inclined to play tighter. Of course, not everybody's schedule can accommodate more frequent games.

Individual Tight Play: This addresses the second point above. Strategically speaking, the way to play in a loose game is to loosen your own game but hold back on the bluffing. This allows you to compete with the same hands that are staying in, but doesn't waste your money on failed bluffs. Played right, you would actually come out on top. Hey, even playing tight could benefit you if you were aggressive enough with your tough hands. If you could pull it off and win more money as a result, you may succeed in influencing the table towards your style of tight play.

Increase in Stakes: This addresses the third point above. Your game may be as loose as it is because nobody feels threatened by the amount of money on the line. If your maximum bet is 50 cents and this doesn't scare anybody, then you've got all the makings of a loose table. By increasing the stakes, you force players to think twice about their moves. If a bad play costs five dollars instead of one dollar, players would tighten up their style.

Of the three suggestions, I've got to go with the third. Not everybody can come out to play as easily as you, and leading by example takes time and success. By raising the stakes, I would think you bring on an instant transformation to tighter play. Money is a precious thing, and if it costs players more to play poorly, they may consider smarter, tighter play.

Adapted from HomePoker.com