"Home" Tournament Saturday

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TKO

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Held my first "big" (32 people) tournament Saturday. Other than losing 25 chips by the end of the night, it went off without a hitch. I want to thank the people that gave great advice on how to hold the tourny, etc. I wasn't going to play and just run the tournament but I made 32 so I could have four full tables.

Once I was knocked out, (short stacked with a pair of 3's, only to watch someone call w/ AQ off and flop the straight) it was interesting to hear the comments from people about play and picked up a couple of tells from players that I can use next time.

The only complaint that bothered me was this: Part of the buy in went for the free (keg) beer and the "house". My response to this was the fact that any tournament you will have fees (rake) that goto the house. The "house" is a bar and I tried to explain to him that the bar would not make as much money with free beer as they would if people would actually buy from the bar so, I wanted to take car of the "house" for letting me have the tourny there. Anyway, it just got to the point that I said that if he didn't like it, not to play anymore in the future.

Anyway, the response was so good that I am planning on doing this once a month with the same format. I am going to set the field at either 40 or 48 with reservations only. I am going to try to also to take a percentage out of the fees so that I can have a Champion's Tournament at the end of next year with the 12 winners and 4 wild cards. Has anyone done something like this? Could anyone give me advice on running the Champion's tourny as winner take all or pay out the top 3. Thanks.

TKO
 
JimboJim

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I used to do these and I did the same thing...the house didnt make any money but we profited a little off of the beer fund. $60 for the keg (cheap stuff) and the buy-in was $30+$2. Usually 30 or 40 people attended and we usually had beer left for ourselves. We did buy liquor from time to time.
 
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It was $20 + $5 for us. Like I said, I received a ton of great feedback but for some reason, that one guy just got to me......
 
JimboJim

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Next time dont ask for it like a tourney fee but say like $20 buy in and a $5 cover for beer and tips for the bartender
 
Jack Daniels

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When we run our tournies, it is BYOB. That way everyone gets to drink what they want without complaint. Same with food. People can bring their own chips and stuff to share then life is easier. I'm not a restaurant, I'm organizing poker games. Be careful about taking ANY money at all for the house. The reason that home poker games are generally legal is because the house does not take a cut. As long as all money taken in is distributed to the players, you shouldn't have any problems. But keep any of the money for any reason and piss off one player that decides to call the police and you're screwed (plus you then aren't responsible for managing that cash throughout the year). We did a tournament of champions at year end before but it wasn't a freeroll like you're saying (since we didn't keep any funds). But the TOC was invite only and only the winners of each main event. Made for a single table of 9 where we paid 3. Did this earlier then had a regular tourney later as well that others came for.
 
KerouacsDog

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It was $20 + $5 for us. Like I said, I received a ton of great feedback but for some reason, that one guy just got to me......
you're moaning about this guy,not giving money for free beer, which he rightly should, TKO, but it seems to me you have a fantastic read on him?:
He's tight, super-tight, with his money, and I would guess, with his style of play. Invite him next time, try to get a few hands against him only, and if you can, take it to the river cheaply and show hands, doesnt matter if you lose. I would say he's playing TAP, maybe even super-TAP, ie Tight and Passive(for those unsure, or new to poker), and will only go to the river with good hands, or premium hands with overcards. If this is true, and I suspect it is, you can then begin stealing his blinds, and bluffing him out, when he has marginal hands. Show him your good hands when you bet him out of a pot, but never show your bluffs. Try that, I reckon not only will you get his beer money out of him, but also enough for the finer drinks in life, Jack Daniels, Cristal champagne, etc!
 
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The BYOB option is out, out of respect to my buddy that runs the bar. I want him to have as much business as he can get. I noticed that only 6 out of the 32 drank mixed drinks through the night. It is kind of a tough situation to be in, I know that I can't make every one happy so I will try it again next month and see how it goes.

Kerouac, loved your reply. He was one of the complainer was one of the first 10 people busted out, so I think that had to do with something.....
 
Jack Daniels

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I guess I didn't read your post right as I didn't realize you were in an actual bar. Yeah, so BYOB is definitely out, that makes sense. Could it be that only some drank mixed drinks because they had to contribute for the keg? If you made me pay for it I would drink it too instead of spending extra money in the bar. On the flip side, I would disagree with paying for the keg at all as I don't typically drink when I play poker which could also be a similar mindset of some of your players. Finally, does your friend with the bar have a gaming license? If not, he is taking a huge risk with his business by running the tournies and taking a cut. Big no no there.
 
KerouacsDog

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I guess I didn't read your post right as I didn't realize you were in an actual bar. Yeah, so BYOB is definitely out, that makes sense. Could it be that only some drank mixed drinks because they had to contribute for the keg? If you made me pay for it I would drink it too instead of spending extra money in the bar. On the flip side, I would disagree with paying for the keg at all as I don't typically drink when I play poker which could also be a similar mindset of some of your players. Finally, does your friend with the bar have a gaming license? If not, he is taking a huge risk with his business by running the tournies and taking a cut. Big no no there.
missed this additional info. spike keg with vodka/jack daniels/absinthe, tell everyone it's free, wait for alcohol to take affect, then clean up.


Thats how I got my girlfriend/friends/parents to like me, via the alcohol route.
 
Jack Daniels

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missed this additional info. spike keg with vodka/jack daniels/absinthe, tell everyone it's free, wait for alcohol to take affect, then clean up.


Thats how I got my girlfriend/friends/parents to like me, via the alcohol route.
Lord knows I have to drink to tolerate you, and you're like a brother to me, mate. :p :)
 
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I guess I didn't read your post right as I didn't realize you were in an actual bar. Yeah, so BYOB is definitely out, that makes sense. Could it be that only some drank mixed drinks because they had to contribute for the keg? If you made me pay for it I would drink it too instead of spending extra money in the bar. On the flip side, I would disagree with paying for the keg at all as I don't typically drink when I play poker which could also be a similar mindset of some of your players. Finally, does your friend with the bar have a gaming license? If not, he is taking a huge risk with his business by running the tournies and taking a cut. Big no no there.


The people that drank mixed drinks do not drink beer. I was upfront about the beer money and no one had an issue with it. And really, the beer wasn't drank "hard" until most of the field was knocked out.
I know my buddy is taking a chance with the tourny but, I made the tourny invite only so that it was only people we all knew. When I run the tournaments in the future, it will be invite only and people will have to contact me and tell me exactly who invited them. That way I don't have random people showing up and have the threat of getting busted.
 
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I used the quote function wrong on my last post! Sorry Jack, should have given you credit. TKO
 
Lo-Dog

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Hey TKO, I'll jump in now.

Its all fine and well inviting only people you know but I would still worry. All it takes is one guy to decide the game is rigged and to call the cops. Had a place busted here in Edmonton a few months back after a disgruntled invitee narc'ed to the cops.

Just to be safe I would put all the money in the prize pool and perhaps your friend can have a cover charge to enter the premises? As soon as a penny of the poker funds is kept or used as a 'fee' to pay for drinks/food the law arm of the law can take you down.

In my parts you don't get off easy either, possible jail time.

Sounds like fun though.:D
 
Jack Daniels

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I used the quote function wrong on my last post! Sorry Jack, should have given you credit. TKO
No worries there. I'm just throwing out morsels to think about. I don't want you or your buddy to get burned in trying to host a tourney. Plus, if you forego the keg next time, then your buddy can sell beer by the glass, bottle, and pitcher plus mixed drinks on a per item basis. That would also mean that people are more likely to tip on a per drink basis (especially if you make it clear to all that his tips are not included in the buy in fee).
 
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Hey TKO, I'll jump in now.

Its all fine and well inviting only people you know but I would still worry. All it takes is one guy to decide the game is rigged and to call the cops. Had a place busted here in Edmonton a few months back after a disgruntled invitee narc'ed to the cops.

Just to be safe I would put all the money in the prize pool and perhaps your friend can have a cover charge to enter the premises? As soon as a penny of the poker funds is kept or used as a 'fee' to pay for drinks/food the law arm of the law can take you down.

In my parts you don't get off easy either, possible jail time.

Sounds like fun though.:D


Yes, I know it only takes one person. I feel like I am in a tough spot, I want everything with the game to go smooth so that there isn't any issues and I want my buddy to make something for having us there. We couldn't charge a cover charge because that could be mistaken for a rake for the bar. Also, he runs a Dart tourny the same time upstairs, (It's a big place) and I wouldn't want him to drive off that business also.


I have not had the chance to talk to him fully about what he liked and didn't like about the tourney so when I do I will bring up some ideas to make sure that I can still run these tourneys.
 
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No worries there. I'm just throwing out morsels to think about. I don't want you or your buddy to get burned in trying to host a tourney. Plus, if you forego the keg next time, then your buddy can sell beer by the glass, bottle, and pitcher plus mixed drinks on a per item basis. That would also mean that people are more likely to tip on a per drink basis (especially if you make it clear to all that his tips are not included in the buy in fee).


Honestly, that sounds like the best idea yet. The whole reason behind the keg was for the fact that people wouldn't have to run up and down the stairs to buy beer and delay the game.

Running the tourny was a great expirience and all of the feedback that I have gotten really has given me some great ideas for the next time.
 
Jack Daniels

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Yes, I know it only takes one person. I feel like I am in a tough spot, I want everything with the game to go smooth so that there isn't any issues and I want my buddy to make something for having us there. We couldn't charge a cover charge because that could be mistaken for a rake for the bar. Also, he runs a Dart tourny the same time upstairs, (It's a big place) and I wouldn't want him to drive off that business also.


I have not had the chance to talk to him fully about what he liked and didn't like about the tourney so when I do I will bring up some ideas to make sure that I can still run these tourneys.
I still think you'd be better off just handing out all the money and let the players buy on a per drink basis from the house. Your friend should just be happy with the fact you brought in 32 potential patrons that wouldn't have been there without you. The tips he makes from them will be pretty good if you let them buy their own drinks.

EDIT: guess I replied at the same time as you did...just disregard this one.
 
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