Poker Night

Yup its that time of year. My buddys wife is going away for the weekend with her girlfriends so the guys get together for some poker. I am expecting the regular people to show up. I know how most of these guys play.

Ray - Plays most anything but tighter then most after the cards are dealt.
Paul - Plays anything and usually plays till the end unless he has nothing better then Ace High
Rob - Plays most anything. Over bets his hands.

And whatever 3 guys Ray can get together to join us.

Usually when I play them I play dumb. I have decided to play tighter.

Any other advice?

Games we play are:
Stud
Draw
Gutz
Hi Lo
Ohmaha
Texas Hold'em

Unless you're playing limits where you feel you would take a serious hit if you lost, I'd use this as a possibility to work on your reads. First off, this is a game of friends. Chances are you're just as excited (if not more) to just get together and have fun than you are about winning money. Don't forget to have fun. So, play in a way that's fun for you - folding 40 hands preflop because it's the right thing to do to maximize winnings might be counterproductive for the fun-factor of it, although I in no way recommend playing "poorly", I still suggest you play in a way that you find fun. If you enjoy being tight, then by all means, go tight.

But, from your post I gather you also don't want to miss out on an opportunity to improve your game, which is great and shows a healthy attitude towards poker. So, without ruining the "fun" of the game, focus more on the people than on the numbers. Be more concerned with the players instead of your cards and the pot odds. Three of them you apparently know well, and three of them may be strangers. See if you can figure out, in detail, how they like to play different hands. Even if you fold pre-flop, follow the rest of the hand, predict the hands they hold, and finetune if you get it wrong.

This way, you're still actively engaged in having your friends over, while working on an important poker skill, and not locking yourself into your own cards or odds or probabilities.

Of course, this may not suit you at all, but advice requested and advice given.

Ray - Don't be afraid to bluff at boards you don't think hit him. If the board is paired or high cards come, even if you have an underpair or nothing, bet out.

Paul - If he bets aggressively with nothing, just wait for a trapping opportunity. If he's a calling station, value bet him to death and don't bluff him.

Rob - You just have to wait for hands to play back at a player like him. The great thing is when he has a hand you will know about it.

You have a bigger edge over players like these in H/L (Stud8 or O8), Omaha, and Draw (assuming all players are as skilled in one game as they are in another) than in Hold 'Em or Stud, mainly because you usually know where you are in a hand sooner. I dunno what Gutz is.

The awkward thing with home games is balancing making it fun with wanting to win. The players you described are more interested in just having fun than actually playing properly. Use this to your advantage - keep the table sociable and chatty while you keep folding and waiting for a chance to pounce, this will encourage them to keep on playing their junk. You'll have more fun too.

Hmmm poker with friends. It really depends on just how "good" they see you. Myself and KillerKat had a home game there about 3 weeks ago, and looking back it was a fun game (for us) but i really should'nt have played my "A" game against them. We played a re-buy style sit and go, and in EVERY game we ended up heads up against each other for the money. No home games for us for at least 6 months. LOL

But as dorkus try and keep the game lively and chatty, try to get caught out the odd time against them (i know i know) and if your totally dominating one game, try not to play your "A" game the next time. Remember these guys are your mates (and mates with money) and the game is a happier one if at least one of them makes a few bob.

XXIII, you know your friends are fish, but what about the other 3? Are you going to sit by playing your "B" game whilst some shark cleans them out. You owe it to them to rip them to shreads - long term they'll appreciate it if it makes them improve their game!

I would play tight is you're up against the "whatever 3 guys Ray can get together" until you feel confident of what their gameplay is.

Good point for a change Rob, anyway ive changed my mind X, play your "A" game and TEAR THEM TO BITS, and good luck with it.

Well, last night we had our game. Was fun. When I said 'whatever 3 guys' its usually three of the guys I have played before. I sorta have a read on all his friends but some are quite skilled.

Final tally: I left with $152.75. I made $127.75 in about 4 hours (started with $25 in quarters since thats our ante and betting type)

Best 2 hands for me:

1. an Omaha hand that Jack dealt. Jack thinks pretty higly of his poker ability. He brought a lot of money (works with vending machines or something so he had about $100 in quarters) and played his hands strongly. I had a straight he misread or something and lost $45. He thought he had a flush but there was only 2 hearts on the board. He was counting 3 of the cards in his hand. Cost him badly.

2. a hand of Gutz* Draw Poker the pot was $75. Mike (a friend Jack brought) and I were playing heads up after everyone else dropped out. Deuces were wild. His hand was 3 Aces he dropped 2 cards and got nothing. I was dealt a small straight. I won.

I won & lost but still finished ahead. I won about 70% of the hands. Lost a few $10 pots but won a lot of $5 ones. I broke both Jack and Mike. Which actually made Ray happy since Mike is usually very cocky poker player and talks a lot of sh*t

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*Gutz - there are many different type of playing gutz. You can play it on any poker game that you draw or keep the cards you have.

5 card draw is easiest. You get dealt your 5 cards. After a little time to adjust and make sure of your choice you place your cards in your hand a few inches from the table top. The Dealer counts 1 - 2 - 3 - Gutz and whoever doesn't like their hand drops it to the table. The Remaining players draw out. The winner takes the pot the losers pay the amount that was in the pot.

Example:
1st hand - 6 players all ante .25 - $1.50 pot if 3 people stay the 2 losers pay $1.50
2nd hand - $3 pot

And so on. Depending on how many people call and such it can get built pretty high. Ray has told me about pots he has lost in Gutz that was $250