(EDIT : BEFORE THE REST OF THIS POST...YOU MUST READ THIS!)
"Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for small favors, I guess. "
(NOW ON WITH THE ORIGINAL POST)
Yes folks, there's a secret code in the title. Bring your Orphan Annie decoder ring and "Don't forget to drink your ovaltine."
Blood and I usually reserve Monday for the super delicious "big game" on the hill. This week it was full, so we went to plan B. I got an e-mail from Frank the Tank at work. He's almost always a good host and is a regular at our other donkfest games. His $40NL tourney was a decent fallback.
I gotta tell you folks, I run a good homegame. Blood runs a great one. I've always thought Frank's was good too.
Otis ran a homegame that one time, a long time ago, before he turned soft. It was fun too.
Last night, we played the worst homegame in America.
THE TOURNEY
The game was a fair drive from home, and after Blood left directions on my phone, I had to get clarification from Frank. Actaully, I deleted the voice mail from Blood after getting this far, "Hey Mark's game is full... let's play the other one..." and I deleted the part about it NOT being at Frank's house.
So I called Frank after getting confused.
Back in the cul-de-sac of this rural subdivision, the kind that used to be a farm before a developer's bulldozer helped created 6 dozen identical homes, the cars parked 3 deep along the curb. Frank was waiting outside with a few of the regulars from his game.
Badblood, with excellent timing, pulled in just behind me.
Now, in what turned out to be quite a coincidence, I had recently blazed through some "BadBlood on Poker" achives and read this post. I'd been teasing him about a verbal tell, he'd picked up at a less reputable game. "This," he said, "is that game."
I was NOT pleased.
They had 3 tables set up inside.
One in the living room.
One in the bedroom.
One in the garage.
Buy-in :$55. (Actually $50+$5 a fact not made clear until the money was collected)
With 26 players, that was $130 juice for the house, which was... of course... also PLAYING at my table. The host explained the juice thusly, "We provide pizza (4 $5 Little Ceasars) and we still have to clean up."
Therefore, I'd just paid about $100 for maid service at someone else's house.
Blood and I found seats at different tables. He was in the garage with TeamScottSmith. I went to the car and got my I-Pod once the host cranked up... I kid you not... Mariah Carey on his TV. I like to be social folks, but I can't do Mariah.
Actaully, I'd DO Mariah if I wasn't married. But I don't like her music.
After 2 hours, I went out 13th.
THE CASH GAME
Here's the really stupid thing.
The cash game was on the living room table now that they'd consolidated to the bedroom and garage.
Here's the structure:
$50 MAX buyin
$1/$2 blinds
5-handed (at the time including me, before I realized the game)
A 10% RAKE. A FREAKING RAKE AT A SMALL STAKES HOMEGAME! I DEMAND FREE LIQUOR BROUGHT TO MY CHAIR WITHOUT DELAY IF I'M TO PAY A RAKE!
I played 4 hands, cashed out, and left.
Freaking retarded.
Really, this post is for all of you OUTSIDE of G-Vegas.
We have the best homegames in the world. But we have some that suck.
This one sucks.
I won't be back.
I'd sooooo tip the cops off on that one ;-)
So you say it's in Mauldin?
Posted by: CJ at January 10, 2006 11:32 AMI dont post comments often but a 10% rake at a cash table at a HOME game?? I can't believe people weren't lynching the host for such a structure. What a total ass.
Posted by: TheGroove at January 10, 2006 11:34 AMI clicked over from bloglines to do the same thing TheGroove did:
A 10% rake at a HOME GAME?
Unbelievable. Sincerely.
Posted by: gracie at January 10, 2006 12:05 PM10% rake + two 5-outers on the river = BLOOD ON TILT.
Minor consolation, the wife was kinda cute. BUT NOT 10% RAKE CUTE. I'll pay 10% rake for Jenna Jameson to sit on my lap while I play and serve me alcohol upon demand.
Absolute total fucking garbage game. Perhaps some of the smallest minds I've ever met. So small that they're oblivious to the total outlandishness of their setup.
Posted by: BadBlood at January 10, 2006 12:27 PMI have to agree with CJ. If some prick is going to scam me and my friends by inviting us to a homegame and then raping the whole group with a ridiculous juice/rake combo, I'd have to drop a dime to call and tip the cops about the underground casino running in town.
I know of a couple of games in Mass that run like that (juice and/or rake), but they supply food, drinks, a real game setting, and the hosts certainly don't participate in the game. There's a big difference between a homegame and an underground cardroom.
Posted by: terrellk11 at January 10, 2006 2:15 PMNow I know nobody is going to call the cops because that would just bring more unwarranted attention to the evil of the home poker games in South Carolina, but this does seem like the perfect game to boycott as it will probably undergo a quick demise due to its overall crappiness.
The worst home game I have heard of here is one where, right before midnight, the host informed the table (all regulars but for two new guys) that the tournament would be over at midnight, and whoever had the most chips at that time would win all the money in the case. My source, one of the new guys, was a bit ahead of the other big stack at the table at the time so he folded the last two hands to preserve his margin. Of course, all the regulars kept playing and dumped their chips to their chips to their buddy who ammazingly took the lead on the last hand of the night. The result? Rural part of the county, no neighbors within sight, pig farm proximate. My pals said, "Wow. Good game," and slinked away.
Posted by: Wes (Aarrgghh!) at January 10, 2006 2:45 PMYeah, the juice put me on tilt to start with. I played horribly. I could deal with the tourney Juice OK, I guess, but the rake on the cash game? No fraking way. I won't be back.
Posted by: TeamScottSmith at January 10, 2006 3:42 PMI ran tiurnaments all last year with juice, but it's going back (100%) to the players in a prize pool for a Super Bowl of Poker in a couple weeks. That's the only way to do it.
Posted by: Easycure at January 10, 2006 4:26 PMThis post annoyed me. I'd like to get that "G-Rob's" real name or I'm calling the feds. My real name is Chilly, btw, just ask my mom.
The only juice I pay is in beers. I reccomend not dropping a dime, as they will in turn drop one on you. Instead maybe call about noise or the three deep parking. Let the cops investigate.
Or, just use this as a reason to rib Badblood and Frank the Tank for the next ten years. Maybe when you host you can charge those two a rake/juice since they don't mind too much.
Posted by: Not Chilly at January 10, 2006 4:28 PMPfffffftttttt!!!!
And there were 24 other people there that had no clue?
Sounds like the perfect fish pond to pull from to fill out your "usual" games.
BSN
Posted by: BSN at January 10, 2006 6:23 PMDear god, a rake on a home tourney AND a cash game?
Did they hire an actual casino dealer for cash game?
There was a cash game where the guy's dad dealt to us the whole night and it was AN OPTION to tip him (no rake). Which I did as normal whenever raking in a pot.
Posted by: Drizztdj at January 11, 2006 9:26 AMIf it were me, I would have spilled my drink on his table (or expensive sofa which he can obviously afford with these rakes), clogged up the toilet (*and* used all the toilet paper), and taken out his mailbox after mowing over his shrubs near the curb.
Dufus.
Posted by: Uncle Ted at January 11, 2006 8:42 PM