Originally Posted by
Draymond
A lot of people on this site have been limited to Online Poker and $1-2 NL in casinos. I get that, I have been around the block playing all forms of poker since 2003 so let me explain something to you.
The 'movie' I posted is spot on for home games, its more of a documentary with some marginal acting at best, but the accuracy is spot on. I played in the mid 2000s probably 25 homegames. Some were in business fronts, some in basements, some in glorious houses and one time time in a very average living room where 10 players brought $2,000 a piece which was my highest stake in a home game. In two of the businesses the 'owners' were arrested subsequently and players funds confiscated although I was not there. There was definitely risk, but the thought of driving several hours to a casino to wait in line to play a bunch of nits was worth the risk at the time. I was way, way younger then then so willing to take the risk.
I can tell you, in some of the 'businesses' or basements we played in, the stakes got incredibly high. I rarely went with more than $1,000, but others would walk in with $5,000 and get credit all the time when they busted. I asked a friend of mine how credit was established and he said STAY AWAY at all costs. In addition to the tax, you would get harassed almost the next day and if you did not return calls your debt was sold. Most players were vouched who got credit, in a couple places the house would have a laptop where the player had to prove his net worth through logging into a bank account or credit card account where he could prove he get an advance the next day.
Food was always served. Generally there were several George Forman grills set up for burgers and the lady would usually have a soup going on a portable burner. Sometimes pizzas were ordered as well as wings. In one fancy house lasagna was served to the players, the lady cooking would walk away with $500+ a night in tips. Beer and wine coolers were usually always available at no cost, but NEVER hard liquor in any place I ever went. For those that got drunk there was always someone that would drive you to a hotel. I got plowed one night and was taken to a Comfort Inn and someone followed in my car. It was a $20 charge for the fare.
I lost more than I won in home games and stopped going when you would hear through the grapevine some game got busted. One time I went to a store front and there were two guys just sitting in a car not moving in the dark, I figured it was Vice and just left.
To say this movie is not realistic is just flat out ignorance. This is the way it is for home games. You might say the acting sucks, but to say the basement looks like it is from the 70s, that is just the way it is in some games. They are fronts and leased out for a weekend.
(In before 40 year old MAN TROLL Muck Ficon spends his evening trolling grown men like he has the last decade).
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