Poker Is A Social Game

There are usually two types of home poker games. There is the more serious, usually higher stakes, that people come to play poker and win money. There is also the lower stakes, get drunk and have fun games that players are more interested in socializing than winning money.

Every Thursday night, I play in one of those goof-off social games. It's a .25/.50 NLHE ($20 max). $20 is low buy-in, even for a .25/.50 game. The stack do get a little 'deeper' as the night goes on, but I would like them to raise the max to $40.

There is also a High Hand Jackpot. Every puts $1 each night. It is award to Quads or better that wins a hand. You must use both hole cards, and a pocket pair for Quads. It usually gets hit every couple of weeks for $25-$40. Last summer, it ballooned to over $130 before it finally got hit. I have never won it.

Why do I even bother playing in such a small game? Well, it's only 15 minutes from my home. It runs from 7-11pm, which is great for a working stiff like me. It is definitely a lot of fun to play at. There are so many characters and running jokes. And I made $425 at this game last year.

We average about ten players at this game. Sometime we're up to 15, which is enough for two tables. Sometimes we only get six players.

The level of play is mixed. There are a few good players, who also play in other games. There are others who are stuck on Level 1. Occasionally, someone will show up who isn't sure of the difference between a flush and a straight.

A great example is a guy named Tom, who has been playing in this game for about 18 months. He hasn't shown any signs of improvement, and has shown no interest in improving. He is very good with sports betting, even calling his bookie during the game. But he's still not sure if a straight has four cards or five. He's a guy who can play very fast and loose. A lot of that depends on how much beer he has consumed.

Because of the small buy-in, and the low skill level of the players, my game here is very A-B-C. I wait for cards, and then value bet, value bet, value bet. I will occasionally make some moves and bluffs, but it is very situational and player dependent.

I just bring $40 + $1 for the jackpot, and see what happens. Some weeks I can catch a few cards, and walk out with a nice profit ($156 is my record). Other nights, I have no opportunities, and I just fold, fold, fold.

That's what happened this week. No cards. I only won a few hands, and ended up leaving with my $20 buy-in intact.