First off I apologize if this isn't in the correct place feel free to move.

So my question is, are home games a dying breed? I ask this as I used to host a regular home game maybe once a week/fortnight but now it seems like noone wants to play no more. I used to win quite frequently and there was a running joke that I had 'home advantage' but I don't see this as the problem. I know if I was to txt my mates it would always be the same 3 or 4 who would defo show up. Does anyone else have the same problem? I much prefer live games to online and home games to casino.
I'm also just about to start building a custom built folding table for our home games which hopefully start to pick up. I would like to start a thread on here with a step by step guide would that be ok to do? Cheers

There is a Home Poker forum in the Live Poker Section.

Ahh thank you

To start - no rake, no fees, no nothing. This is my home game. The players are our guests.

I host ~75 sessions a year and play in 25 more hosted by someone else. My invitation list is sizable but really I have a dozen regulars, another dozen irregulars and many dozen "once or twice a year" at best players.

I haven't had to cancel many games due to low attendance - once a year maybe. Though I do avoid hosting on holidays like Christmas.

I do a lot of things as host to make coming to my games worthwhile. You will have a good time. You will get fed well on weekend games. You might get felted, but there are compensations.

My wife and I prepare a homemade meal on weekend poker nights. She has come back into the kitchen after midnight to make more food - 2am shaved ham & cheese on scratch made biscuits. For the young single guys it will be the best meal they eat that month. Snacks and drinks are provided every night.

The games are structured to suit a wide range of interests and fiscal capability. Most of the games are $0.25/$0.50 $20 buy in cash games. There are fewer, bigger games topping out at a $1/$2 match the big stack game for the most risk seeking players. We play a lot of mixed game nights, all of which are spread limit. ( limits the risk of disaster and makes it more likely a bad player gets to be a winner for the night.) I pay close attention to the temperature of the players and make adjustments as needed.

I have a fetish for vintage poker chips. My table was built for comfort. Nice cards, often new. The game is designed to be social - ear buds and hoodies are not encouraged.

We work to be good hosts. And because of that we don't have a problem keeping the game going strong < knocks on wood >. Small town too - small player base.

It is all about having a good time -=- DrStrange

Home games are definitely not dead. Times do change though, perhaps your mates have moved on from poker or they remember the 'pain' that you used to put on them!!

If you are only getting 3-4 Players, then perhaps you could grow your game at the casino with some small talk.

There are good/bad things about both venues .. you just need to find the sweet spot to grow a home game ... rake, food, security, comfort, quality tables/chairs, TVs, hours ... everything a normal 'business' would consider to attract customers.

If you are limiting your game to 'mates' then I think that list typically decreases as we grow older. GL

You have to understand that the "boom" is over. There are not nearly as many new people getting interested in poker these days. Many old hands have also given it up for many different legitamate reasons. Casinos have popped up all over the place.

Now there are still a lot of folks who like to have a small stakes game available when their situation allows. There are others who want to play regularly at a home game. We are a non casino state (Kentucky) so casino visits to Indiana and Ohio venues are limited by time and distance.

So I host a long running (10 years+) low stakes home cash game. We have 7 or 8 regs and maybe a dozen occasionals who might show up. We use a sponsor system to add new folks. An existing player can recruit what he thinks is someone who will fit in with us. It usually works well.

If you can't recruit in a safe style like this , there are less desirable ways to try. You might just have to give it up and join another established group. If this works you might find some folks who want to play more often and would join a group you host!

I would not do that too soon and only if the host is OK with it. You don't want to cannibalize the new group you are joining. Best of luck. It is more difficult these days , but certainly not impossible. Listen to what Dr Strange and others suggest!

Welcome to Home Poker (moved thread).

I don't think home games are dying, but this forum sure has been slower recently than in the past. I think a lot of rooms have opened up across the US, but the guys I play home games with would never choose a room over the home game. Of course, we are cigar smokers, and that has a lot to do with it

I doubt a winning player is enough to ruin a game, but inconsiderate people sure can. The majority of guys that play with us, are there to have fun. Chatting, laughing and no stress are the keys to keeping our game running. If the competitiveness of some players were to interfere with that, they would likely get spoken to, and eventually uninvited. Some guys that used to play with us, are no longer welcome for those reasons.

Our game is also impacted by the winter travel plans of a couple of regulars. As we sometimes are hosted outdoors (covered screened in deck), the weather can impact the game too (windy/cold).

Re: table build... go for it!!! Looking forward to seeing it.