I realize now why I play so much on-line poker.  It can be pure misery trying to set up and organize a good home game. 

I mean it is easy enough to have beer, food, table, chairs, poker chips and cards.  The hard part is getting a solid commitment from friends and friends of friends to commit to coming to play.  I think the rule of thumb should be to invite 5 or 6 more than you would really want and then maybe.... maybe you will have enough for a good game.

As it turned out, we ended up with enough at the table for a decent game.  By decent, I mean we had 7 players at one point. 

The game itself was OK.  Mostly, weak play from inexperienced players.  You know...  limp/call everything and hope for the best.  Which, isn't all too bad for poker regulars I suppose.

The game was NL Holdem with a $10 buy-in.  I played my usual style (which I learned here) and while the others were not mad, you could see it upset them when I was seemingly raising often in position etc. 

I just told them "Hey, if you want to bring it in, then bring it in right!"  Needless to say, it paid off often in the game, because they would look me up with bottom pair and even King high.

I think it was important to have conversation, jokes and laughter.  In the end, they all said they had a good time and expressed the willingness to do it again. 

I did find it hard to get used to the slow motion of the game though, waiting for someone to come back from the bathroom or making them aware it was their turn to act etc.

Overall, it was fun to make new friends and a cheap way to have a social gathering.  I am hoping that one of the others will put out the next invite, but if not I will try it again later.

To wrap this up, I just want to say that while it was fun and I won a few buy- ins it seemed like the challenge of poker was not really there.  I guess that is as it should be though, as it was nice to just make friends and establish new acquaintances.