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Being the host of a poker night can be daunting. Whether you are starting a new poker game in your neighborhood or have been doing it for years, my goal is to provide you with all the setup info you need to make your poker nights a success. I have been playing poker for over 10 years, and here are a few keys I have learned along the way that will help you become a respected and gracious host.
1. Plan, Plan, Plan!
Game notes: Poker Stars is one of the biggest online poker sites in the world. After downloading their software, you set up a 'home game' via a league that can host your private game and invite mates. And that’s why I missed my poker game so much. For the past 20 or so years, every Sunday night from 6 to 11, no matter what was happening in the world, my group of friends and I gathered at my. Comment and share: 7 best Zoom games for some virtual face time during the coronavirus pandemic By R. Dallon Adams is a journalist originally from Louisville, Kentucky. PokerStars and 888poker are the two largest poker rooms to offer a service like this one and by far the best ones to play poker with friends. Setting up poker games with friends on these two sites.
If I had to sum up this guide in two words, I would say, “be prepared.” Take the time and go over all of the factors involved in a successful poker night. Make a checklist and be as organized as possible. Take my advice and do not just wing it. There are several things that must be planned & setup including food, who and how many to invite, what game to play, & essentials to buy in advance. Careful planning is the key to success. One important thing to consider is whether any of your guests have special needs. I’m not talking about a wheelchair ramp here. Some examples would include having alternative snacks for players who might have allergies or digestive issues. Perhaps one or more of your friends are heavy or overweight? If so, consider investing in some heavy duty chairs, like these found on Amazon, to accommodate them. Imagine the embarrassment of having the heavy player show up last and finding that the only chair left is one of those cheaper folding chairs that would collapse under the weight of a small poodle. It’s the little things that can be the difference between an amazing experience for your friends, or the last time they ever RSVP for one of your events.
2. What Is Your Carrying Capacity?
The first thing you need to do is determine how many people your “venue” can comfortably entertain. There is nothing worse than having 7 people show up and your poker table only holds six. OOPS, talk about awkward! “Sorry Joe, you will have to sit out, since we like you the least.”
Most pressingly, you need to make sure you have adequate seating, snacks, and drinks to sustain a group of people over several hours. Many poker games can go into the wee hours of the morning. No one wants to be relegated to lukewarm tap water 4 hours into the game.
3. Make Sure You Have All The Essentials.
Invest in quality poker accessories. A sturdy and aesthetically appealing poker table will impress everyone and make them want to come back. Read my comprehensive poker table guide to find out all you will ever need to know about them. Or just use my favorite inexpensive poker table cover (click for Amazon price). Also, get some nice decent composite chips, not those flimsy kind found at the dollar store. Amazon has very nice high-quality chipsets that won’t break the bank. Lastly, we need to talk about playing cards. I recommend that you choose one of the three top brands, the same kinds used in many professional events. My personal favorite is Copag. Casual playing cards like Bicycle cards, while great for family play, are liable to be damaged and do not have the same feel and appeal as Copags. There simply is no comparison. You know the old saying, once you go Copag, you never go ba…. err never mind, that was lame.
Being the host of a poker night can be daunting. Whether you are starting a new poker game in your neighborhood or have been doing it for years, my goal is to provide you with all the setup info you need to make your poker nights a success. I have been playing poker for over 10 years, and here are a few keys I have learned along the way that will help you become a respected and gracious host.
4. Establish The Game Format In Advance
Be sure to let everyone know exactly what game you will be playing well before the date of the event. Will you be playing Texas Hold’em only? Will it be a mixed game or dealer’s choice? Will it strictly be a cash game or a tournament? No matter what game you play, make sure that you are adequately prepared. Know exactly what the buy-in level is and how much each chip is worth. Provide a list of this info and display it near the table. Here is an *amazing tournament structure sheet for download.
Lastly, when everyone arrives, you want to be ready to play right now, not scrambling to get everything ready. For tournament play, you will want to already have several stacks of chips already counted out and ready to go. The more organized you are, the better.
5. Keep It Friendly
Whether your friends are “serious” players or just playing for recreation, make sure that you get a feel for their comfort level when it comes to the buy-in amount. You need to have a good idea for their tolerance in losing money beforehand. Remember, you are doing this to strengthen your bond with your friends, not create a rift among them. Setting it up so that someone could lose an excessive and painful amount of money is a recipe for disaster. Make sure the worst case scenario is tolerable and set the buy-in just high enough to make it interesting. And, for heaven’s sakes, do not charge rake or fees to play in your games. Besides being illegal in many areas, it’s just a cruddy thing to do. Instead, you might ask everyone to bring a snack or a beverage. There’s nothing wrong with mitigating your expenses by making it a “potluck.” Speaking of which, let’s talk about snacks.
6. Best Poker Night Foods
The food you choose, or lack thereof, can make or break an otherwise successful poker night. One tip to really wow your poker buddies is to set out a buffet server. Make some meatballs and a couple of other warm dishes. Well fed guests are happy guests! Beverages can vary, just make sure you pick something appropriate for your guests. If people from your church are in your poker group, you probably don’t want to offer anything but a cooler of beer. On the other hand, if it’s your bowling buddies, bottled water simply won’t suffice. Use common sense and you will be fine. Here are a few additional food ideas:
- A Finger Food Tray
This can be anything offered at your local grocery. You can generally get a huge tray of food for under $50. I like to get a tray that is a mix of fruits, meats, and cheeses. Don’t forget to cater to possible vegetarians! - Any Crock Pot Food
Think weenies or meatballs. You may want to have your wife or husband help you throw something together. - Grill Out
Cooking some burgers, hot dogs, or ribs on the grill during the warm months of the year is a sure way to make your guests happy. Just remember to ask if they want cheese or no cheese on their burger! - Brownies
Brownies, cookies, or any other dessert that isn’t too messy work really well. How about that bowl of leftover Halloween candy? Perfect! - Chips & Dip or Salsa
Simple, delicious, and easy to eat while playing, nachos are a mainstay at many home games. I’m not a huge fan due to the mess factor, but I leave that to your discretion. - Order Pizza
Don’t feel like cooking? There’s nothing wrong with just ordering a few pies from the local pizzeria. Just make sure you get a variety, and always include at least one veggie! Trust me on this. - Get Creative
The only thing I would remind you of is to not get too crazy. And remember, try to avoid overly messy foods. Nothing will ruin a poker game (or your decks of cards) faster than some greasy chicken wings! Definitely not finger-lickin’ good.
To make eating food more convenient at the table, as a nice touch I also recommend getting mobile tray tables to put in between the players to help with space management. This high-end one found on Amazon is sturdy and has cup holders. For the budget conscious, here is a lesser priced one that will still do the trick nicely. Or, you can just go with old-fashioned TV trays
7. Speed Things Up
There are a few things I do to speed up the games and make the night flow faster. The first is to either have two decks or an automatic card shuffler. If you prefer to shuffle, I suggest that the big blind is always shuffling while the dealer is dealing. By the time all of the cards are dealt, the deck is shuffled and passed to the small blind, who will be dealing on the next hand. The alternative is to buy a sturdy automatic card shuffler, which can do the job in just a few seconds after each hand, while the winner is scooping his or her chips.
Another way to make the night proceed faster is to use a poker tournament clock and set each tournament to turbo speed. I recommend doing no more than 15-minute blind level changes throughout the night. In my experience, it’s much better to play several games and increase the chance that there are multiple winners.
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8. Consistency Is Best
This key applies universally to all home games, no matter the groups level of seriousness. I recommend choosing a specific day of the week with specific intervals. For example, you could do every Saturday night, or the 2nd Friday of every month. It matters less when you do it than how consistent the event is.
Humans are creatures of habit in everything, and poker is no different. Just make sure that your scheduling fits best with the players in your group. Additionally, make sure everyone is aware of both the starting time and ending times, even if the latter is a bit loose occasionally. It’s important that your players can let their friends or loved ones know what the expectations are.
9. Choose Appropriate Entertainment
The range is wide on this one. I have heard stories of a wide spectrum of entertainment choices, from home games that include light classical music playing in the background and poker nights that have strippers in the mix.
You know your group; make sure they are on board with whatever form of background entertainment you choose (if any). My advice is to avoid visual entertainment, as it typically distracts from the game too much. A popular movie playing in the background makes for some distracted playing. Of course, if your group is okay with things coming to a grinding halt occasionally while you watch the finale of your favorite TV show together, more power to you.
10. Be A Good Host
Forget the poker part of the night, the game is actually less important than making sure everyone has a good time and is treated with respect. Don’t forget that manners matter in any social event. Always remember to occasionally ask if someone needs something, more food, another beer, whatever.
And, remember to take scheduled breaks to allow people the time to stretch their legs, light one up, or go to the bathroom. Of course, at the end of the night, make sure no one drives away after drinking too much. Take responsibility for your guests and respect will be returned equally to you.
Bonus Tip!
If you want to have a poker night everyone will remember, give a prize to the overall nightly winner. This makes playing “for fun” an attractive option, especially if your friends aren’t really into gambling. By far my favorite “trophy” to give is a commemorative poker weight guard. They act as a card protector that the winner can show off by using it on future poker nights! Just awesome.
Another idea is to come up with a points system that is tallied throughout a designated “season.” At the end of the season, award the one with the most points a special bragging rights jacket or trophy they can put on the mantle. A neighbor of mine does something similar in his fantasy football league, and I think it would work well for a home poker “league.”
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Summary
The overriding key to success in hosting a successful poker event lies in thorough and proper planning. By obtaining essential accessories, organizing food and beverages, setting ground rules, and mastering consistent scheduling, you will be on your way to becoming the host of the home game that everyone wants to play in.
*Tournament structure sheet courtesy of homemtt.com.
Playing online poker from the privacy of your own home is something that all poker players love to do. It's a great way to learn, considering the number of hands you'll play compared to live poker, tremendous fun, and can even result in you winning some cash if you're a good player.
That said, sometimes there's nothing more fun than a home game with friends.
Good conversation (especially the brutal post-hand rubdowns), great food, a few drinks and the chance to play for bragging rights and a few bucks with your buddies just can't be beaten. But before you can host the ultimate home game there are several things you need to do. Luckily for you, the PokerStars Blog is on hand to walk you through it...
Get The Right Gear
Know When To Hold'em
In poker, it starts with the cards.
Not all decks are built the same, and while buying paper playing cards at the store might be the cheapest option, it's not the best one. These cards are easily bent and destroyed, and will end the game as fast as it started.
You don't have to push the boat out and play with the COPAG brand cards they use at PokerStars Live events; in fact, any brand of plastic playing cards will do, but plastic cards are a must for any successful home game.
If you can, get two decks of different colors. That way you can always have one deck shuffled and ready to go, which will speed up the game significantly. Plastic cards should last, even if it's an all-nighter or all-weekender.
Chip In
When thinking about poker chips, a dollar store or something similar might seem like the best option. The blue and red plastic chips they sell cheaply will work. However, these flimsy chips just don't feel right when you're mimicking a Phil Ivey staredown, hoping your friend folds the best hand to your epic bluff.
Casinos use clay or ceramic chips. Investing in a set can make all the difference and they are easy to find with a few simple clicks on your favorite online search engine. There are a ton of great chip sets available. You can get a custom set with your own picture or logo on them and PokerStars players can use StarsCoin to buy ceramic chips in the VIP Store.
A quality chip set might not loosen up the action, but it'll certainly give your home game a professional feel and will leave your friends nodding their heads with approval whilst thinking back to how great your poker night was.
Put Your Cards On The Table
If you don't have a huge place with its own man cave, a custom-built poker table with brass cup holders may not be a viable option. Don't fret, there are dozens of nifty portable poker tables or table tops on the market that you can use to transform your living room into a PokerStars Festival final table.
If an extra table takes up too much space, you can order up just the felt and drape it over your regular dining table, which will do the trick too. Playing on some sort of felt is the only way you'll be able to keep all the chips, cards and action on the table where they belong.
Rules of Engagement
Be The Bank
To avoid confusion, one person must be the bank, handling all the buy-ins for cash games or tournaments.
Double check all your math, hand out tournament chips or cash-value chips for cash only and make sure you're the only one who has access to the bank. No one is accusing anyone of trying to pull a fast one, but making one person responsible for the bank is the best way to ensure it's never short.
Cash Is King
Cash games are often the best choice. Playing cash allows you to set affordable blinds and buy-ins while also allowing players to sit in and out of the game as they see fit. The ability to reload also means no one has to sit on the sidelines and watch others play.
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When you're playing no-limit hold'em, or other flop games, the key is to set blinds and buy-ins at a level players are comfortable with. Different stakes appeal to different crowds, but no one is ever comfortable losing a mortgage payment. Blinds and buy-ins should be set accordingly.
As long as your home game isn't filled with self-made multimillionaires and trust fund babies, set the blinds at $.50/$1. Allow players to buy-in for anywhere from 50-200 big blinds and reload when they go broke or close to it. At this level, even someone cursed with the worst luck imaginable won't lose more than they can afford.
If your friends have a little more in the way of disposable income, you can up the blinds to $1/$2 or any level affordable to them, but capping the buy-in at 100 or 200 big blinds should keep things friendly. Unless someone hits a one-outer, of course...
Tournament Poker Glory
Tournaments offer the best opportunity for glory and bragging rights among friends. They also give players the chance to play at higher blinds with moderate buy-in levels.
The only issue is players who bust early need to wait for a winner before getting back in. To avoid lengthy wait times, follow a turbo structure. The speed of play will ensure you can host a handful of tournaments over the course of a night without anyone being forced to sit out too long.
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Set the buy-in at an affordable amount with the idea that each player is going to jump into four or five tournaments before the night is through. Since you'll likely have six to 10 players, think of each tournament like a Turbo Sit & Go you may have played on PokerStars.
That means giving players 1,500 in chips. Traditionally, blinds begin at 10/20, but you can make things easy and speed them up by starting at 25/50. You won't see as many hands per level as you would online, so instead of five-minute blind levels, try 10. Increase the blinds according to the structure found on PokerStars and these tournaments should go no more than 10 to 15 levels. If they're moving too slowly, skip a few levels. Just make sure everybody knows about it and agrees this in advance.
Poker is Poker
It's the Cadillac of poker, but no-limit Texas hold'em isn't the only poker game on the planet. Most people know how to play hold'em, and even if they don't, it's easy to learn, making it the top choice for a home game.
However, there are dozens of poker variants you can spread just to spice things up. Hosting a Dealer's Choice game can be fun. Simply add a second button to the table that moves with every orbit. The player it lands on chooses the game and can give a quick lesson to those who haven't played it. If anyone is having trouble, just refer them to PokerStars' How To Play pages online, where the rules of a dozen different poker variants are explained in detail.
The Devil Is In The Details
You've got the right gear and the right game. You've invited the fishiest of your friends and you're ready to play. Now you've got to make sure the horses are fed and watered.
Having great food and drinks can turn your home game into a truly enjoyable evening, which, outside of fleecing your buddies out of their cash and earning their acclaim, is the real point of all this.
Cheers To You
A good selection of craft beer is a start, but poker and whiskey have gone hand-in-hand since the dawn of time. A bottle or two will add a little old-school authenticity to the game. On the flip side, plenty of drinking water is also required and the availability of great coffee can help turn an early night into a marathon session.
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It's All About Pizza
When it comes to food, pizza has always been the top choice for home games. However, there is a downside to this. Add in the usual potato chips and snacks and midway through, the poker chips and cards will end up as greasy as the bags and boxes!
Steak and lobster may not fit in your budget, nor are they that easy to carve into at a poker table, but there are plenty of options for food you don't eat with your hands that will keep the game clean. A selection of pastas and salads served with the proper utensils will do the trick.
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Of course, when you run out of food, or give in to the overwhelming demand for pizza, just remember to have plenty of napkins on hand.
Good People, Good Fun, Good Game
When you've got the right gear, food and drink, a home game can be a great night out, or in. Invite men and women who tell great stories, love good banter and see the game as an opportunity to bond with one another, instead of a chance to make money. Win or lose, you'll be a home game hero, and all who come are sure to leave asking when you'll be hosting again.