The most common form of poker played around the world is home poker games. These games range from a few buddies that get together once a month to let off some steam all the way to games that are setup and run like mini-casino style games. Today we will look at some common home games that are played.
The most common form of home poker games are those setup by a bunch of friends and played on the dining room table or whatever you come across. Many of these games are for real money while a few are just for fun. The common theme in these games is fun. You are not going to see any truly serious poker players in this bunch. In fact, they don’t want any serious players in their group. If they wanted to be serious, they wouldn’t be playing.
The types of games played in this type of setup range from the customary Texas Holdem to many off the wall games. It is not uncommon to have games that involve wild cards. Wild card games essentially turn poker into a game of chance where the person that wins is usually the one that is the luckiest. The stakes in these games are not that high either. Stakes will range anywhere from pennies to quarters. In some games, the max bet may be a dollar. It is not uncommon for the “big winner” of the night to only walk away with a haul of no more than 10 bucks. Again, these games are played for fun and enjoyment and profit is not a concern.
The next type of home poker games that you will run across are the “serious home games.” These are games where players come together claiming to have fun, but in reality they take the game very seriously. At the same time, they do not take it serious enough to make a big show with it. These games may be played on some type of makeshift table and if you are lucky, they may use some type of lesser quality chips.
These games will usually revolve around one or two variants of poker and very little or no wild card games will be played. The stakes are usually a little higher in these games, but not enough to where a person is going to be out of rent money. A big winner from these games might take home 50 to 100 bucks or more depending on how many players are in the game.
The type of home poker games you need to be careful with are the professional home games. These games are usually run similar to casino style poker games, and some even include people that are hired to deal the game. The game is usually Texas Holdem or some other popular poker variant such as PL Omaha. These games also tend to be higher stakes than others. A big winner can take home $500 to $1,000 or even more in these games.
High stake home poker games are rarer than they have been in the past but are style out there. In these games, you can see massive amount of money thrown around and you can bet that these games will be run like a tight ship. You may even have a house drop in these games. A house drop is actually illegal in almost every state, so you are taking a big risk for you money in these games.
A big concern in higher stake games is cheating. Cheating is a concern in all home poker games, but when the money actually starts to mean something, some people will go out of their way to get the money. This includes cheating. You need to keep a watchful eye out for cheaters and if you think that you are being cheated, you need to get away from the game. Otherwise you are risking your money.
If you are new to poker, you will want to stick to either friendly poker games or games that will lose you the least amount of money. In poker, you should only use money that you are comfortable with losing. You will not always win, and you should be prepared for that fact. If your $100 is supposed to be used for bills or groceries, don’t play poker.
For most, home poker games is all about having a good time while playing a game you love. Playing at home with people you know is a lot more fun than having to drive to a casino, wait for a game, and then play with a bunch of people you have never met. The competition level is also a lot looser in these games. Everyone is there to have a good time and gamble a little. Poker should be fun and home poker games is one way to keep the fun in the game.
