Max no. of players

[homebody007]

I'm a novice. I'm setting up a home game with friends. We have a large table. I've browsed some websites where veteran players have mentoned playing with as many as 15 players. Is that possible?

My general question is:

What's the maximum number of players at one table for Texas Hold'em?

Not sure what the limitations would be -- the 52-card deck, the physical arm reach to the center pot, the wait time to go around, the chances of misdeal for flinging those cards...

[jeffonline]

There is no reason you cant have 15 at the one table however the game will play to tight and wil not be enjoyable, to allow the game to flow you should set-up two tables, when it gets down to 9 or 10 merge into one table, I am presuming your playing a tournament.

[HalfSugar]

I've played tournaments that started 11-handed due to the number of tables made available but really 9 or 10 is optimal for a full table.

[homebody007]

Thanks for the replies!

It's a private social event with Texas Hold'em as a theme, not a tournament. All or most could be total beginners. Except one or two of us who know just enough to explain it as we play along. I'm hoping that if the 52-card deck itself is not a limitation, then there's nothing else weird. We might fit 16 at one table to get everybody invovled from the get-go. Those who bust out early would then form a "loser's" table at halfway.

Comments?

[HalfSugar]

I definitely would not run a 16-handed table but try it and see what happens.

[homebody007]

I definitely would not run a 16-handed table but try it and see what happens.

Well, the idea for me posting the question in this forum is so that I get some suggestions *before* trying it. That's why I'm a novice and why experienced players offer suggestions. Can you put into words *why* you would definitely not "run a 16-handed table?"

[jimmer]

Can you put into words *why* you would definitely not "run a 16-handed table?"

All or most of the 16 are total beginners right?

I have a regular home game which has 2 players who play 8+ hours a day 5 days a week, me and 2 others who know enough to get us by and about 3 players who are still working out whether a flush beats a straight. It's a socail event which costs £5 to enter and is just a good excuse for us to catch up as we all have different jobs and hardly ever see each other etc.

The average conversation goes a little like this.

Player 1: Check
Player 2: you can't. you have to call, fold or raise.
Player 1: ok call.
Player 2: fold - did anyone see the game at the weekend
Player 4: Yes - they got whipped.
Player 7: No they didn't, they got lucky
Player 8: What game is this?
Player 2: Man United?
Player 8: Oh.............. who were they playing?
Player 5: who's go is it?
Player 3: it's player 2's go.
Player 2: I've had my go i folded
Player 7: Chelsea
Player 1: Who's go is it.
Player 4: I fold.
Player 3: it's not your go, its mine.
Player 4: well i fold anyway.
Player 8: yeah but you shouldn't act out of turn.
Player 7: In all fairness, Chelsea had a few injuries
Player 4: why shouldn't i?
Player 7: Does anyone want some pizza
Player 2: Rubbish, they still had a prety fantastic team.
Player 1: Who's go is it?
Player 3: It's mine. I raise it to 100
Player 5: I re-raise to 400.
Player 7: I put some pizza in the oven
Player 6: Call 100
Player 2: you can't, it's been raised to 400
Player 6: who raised it then i didn't see that?
Player 2: Player 5 did
Player 1: who's go is it.
Player 6: can't i just check and see the flop?
Player 8: no
Player 6: ok, i fold.
Player 2: Man U look like they are the team to beat
Player 3: can we stop at 9pm to watch the highlights?
Player 1: who's go is it
Player 3: it's player 7's, but he's putting the pizza in the oven.
player 1: in that case I'm going out for a smoke.
player 3: player 7 its your go.
player 4: wait until this hands over and i'll come for a ciggerette with you
player 7: how much is it to play?

(and thats with 3 beguinners and 8 players total and we haven't even seen the flop of hand 1 yet).

You have 16 players and no one knows what they are doing?

10 of them will be so bored within 20 minutes they will checking each others balls for lumps by the time the pizza comes out.

Player

[homebody007]

LOL!

It's mostly novices at our table, but the idea is that everybody *wants* to learn! It's also a social event too for us, so we would be *enjoying* the small talk.

Essentially you're saying a larger number of players would drag down the pace of a game. Okay. I can take that. It's good to know.

[miaowmiaowchowface]

Can you put into words *why* you would definitely not "run a 16-handed table?"

All or most of the 16 are total beginners right?

I have a regular home game which has 2 players who play 8+ hours a day 5 days a week, me and 2 others who know enough to get us by and about 3 players who are still working out whether a flush beats a straight. It's a socail event which costs £5 to enter and is just a good excuse for us to catch up as we all have different jobs and hardly ever see each other etc.

The average conversation goes a little like this.

Player 1: Check
Player 2: you can't. you have to call, fold or raise.
Player 1: ok call.
Player 2: fold - did anyone see the game at the weekend
Player 4: Yes - they got whipped.
Player 7: No they didn't, they got lucky
Player 8: What game is this?
Player 2: Man United?
Player 8: Oh.............. who were they playing?
Player 5: who's go is it?
Player 3: it's player 2's go.
Player 2: I've had my go i folded
Player 7: Chelsea
Player 1: Who's go is it.
Player 4: I fold.
Player 3: it's not your go, its mine.
Player 4: well i fold anyway.
Player 8: yeah but you shouldn't act out of turn.
Player 7: In all fairness, Chelsea had a few injuries
Player 4: why shouldn't i?
Player 7: Does anyone want some pizza
Player 2: Rubbish, they still had a prety fantastic team.
Player 1: Who's go is it?
Player 3: It's mine. I raise it to 100
Player 5: I re-raise to 400.
Player 7: I put some pizza in the oven
Player 6: Call 100
Player 2: you can't, it's been raised to 400
Player 6: who raised it then i didn't see that?
Player 2: Player 5 did
Player 1: who's go is it.
Player 6: can't i just check and see the flop?
Player 8: no
Player 6: ok, i fold.
Player 2: Man U look like they are the team to beat
Player 3: can we stop at 9pm to watch the highlights?
Player 1: who's go is it
Player 3: it's player 7's, but he's putting the pizza in the oven.
player 1: in that case I'm going out for a smoke.
player 3: player 7 its your go.
player 4: wait until this hands over and i'll come for a ciggerette with you
player 7: how much is it to play?

(and thats with 3 beguinners and 8 players total and we haven't even seen the flop of hand 1 yet).

You have 16 players and no one knows what they are doing?

10 of them will be so bored within 20 minutes they will checking each others balls for lumps by the time the pizza comes out.

Player

rofl damn props for writing this all up

[jeffonline]

Essentially you're saying a larger number of players would drag down the pace of a game. Okay. I can take that. It's good to know.

Yes this is what we are saying, you could consider a teams event, if you have an even amount of players, pair them up and allow 1 at the table at a time, give them three, or four rounds a piece then swap them over. Keeps every one interested.

[homebody007]

Essentially you're saying a larger number of players would drag down the pace of a game. Okay. I can take that. It's good to know.

Yes this is what we are saying, you could consider a teams event, if you have an even amount of players, pair them up and allow 1 at the table at a time, give them three, or four rounds a piece then swap them over. Keeps every one interested.

but you earlier said:

There is no reason you cant have 15 at the one table however the game will play to tight and wil not be enjoyable, to allow the game to flow you should set-up two tables, when it gets down to 9 or 10 merge into one table, I am presuming your playing a tournament.

So there's no reason except it won't be enjoyable. Well that's actually reason enough — unless by "enjoyment" you mean something like good, hard, mean stare downs and thrilling last-minute cut throat all-in jimmygawigs.

We're really 20 or more beginners with a bunch of physical tables, so we're trying to determine if one large table can accomodate a lot of learners at one time. As a novice I have not played in a large group. We don't have ten dealers/instructors to pair up the 20 or so. Nor ten little tables.

[jimmer]

If you ask a question about poker on a poker forum you will get the 'poker enthusiasts' answer. By definition we all love poker and are all interested in improving our game. Very few of us would consider sitting around a table with 15 others fun. But thats because we are all poker geeks.

Imagine this;

You could go to the park you can have a game of football with 50 players in each team all playing at the same time on a giant pitch. The rules and scoring would be exactly the same so it is possible.

However with it you get your own associated problems. Some players will not be involved as others, so will end up getting bored and just chatting. Others will want to be a part of it, but know they don't have the ability so will just stand back and only react if the ball comes to them. Others will want consistant action and although it's a friendly game will go out to hurt the other players and win.

On top of that - using this as a platform for people to learn the game of football is pretty crap as tactics and postions just go straight out the window.

The exact same rules apply to poker. What we are all saying is; it is possible to have 16 players sat around a poker table having a game and if it's to have a light hearted evenings entertainment then go for it.

But don't expect to really learn much about poker as the game will become a lottery.

None of us say 16 players won't work, but if you want everyone sat around one table who cares what works as the prioroty isn't playing poker.

By the sounds of it you have other factors to consider, so just decide whats important to you and go for it.

[homebody007]

If you ask a question about poker on a poker forum you will get the 'poker enthusiasts' answer...

Apparently true even if it's the "Rules and Beginners Questions" forum… and even if I start my question with "I'm a novice…"

But don't expect to really learn much about poker as the game will become a lottery...

Lottery. Now this hints at another problem. I think I'll take the hint and run with it. Good thing I can summarize in my head!

[HalfSugar]

Even the logistics of dealing on a huge table could be a ball ache. Let us know how it goes!

[jeffonline]

So there's no reason except it won't be enjoyable. Well that's actually reason enough — unless by "enjoyment" you mean something like good, hard, mean stare downs and thrilling last-minute cut throat all-in jimmygawigs.

We're really 20 or more beginners with a bunch of physical tables, so we're trying to determine if one large table can accomodate a lot of learners at one time. As a novice I have not played in a large group. We don't have ten dealers/instructors to pair up the 20 or so. Nor ten little tables.

Lottery. Now this hints at another problem. I think I'll take the hint and run with it.

Good thing I can summarize in my head! .

Good luck