Hosting Poker Night - Time to Prepare

The idea of a survival game is relatively new to the mainstream, but it’s been making waves in popular culture since its inception. This article explores how hosting poker night could be incorporated into your own personal world and explore some possible obstacles that may arise with this kind of experience for both players and hosts alike.

“Poker Night essentials” is a list of things that you will need to host a successful poker night.

I was in the middle of preparing a bachelor party for a dear buddy last October. I was attempting to come up with stylish and enjoyable activities for a party of around eight males. Even though I’d never played before, a friendly game of poker looked like the perfect way to start the evening off with a couple of hours of enjoyment.

So I threw up a poker game in my place on the spur of the moment. I had just obtained an old poker table from the previous owner of my property, as well as some chips from a buddy. So that was all taken care of. I mean, what more could I possibly require?

It turns out that a little amount of knowledge would have helped a lot. While we had a great time, the actual game of poker was a bit of a roller coaster. The majority of us were familiar with the fundamentals of the game, but not with the betting or flow of play regulations. It was slow going, and the evening’s luckiest guy — who happened to be me — ended up taking home the prize rather than the greatest player (of whom there may not have been one!).

I decided that since I had so much fun that night — despite the fact that I knew nothing about poker — I would establish a monthly poker night. I also resolved to learn more about the game and how to set it up such that everyone has a good time while also understanding and enjoying the game itself, rather than it being a random guessing game. After all, guys thrive on strong competition, and there was none in that first evening of poker. Our games have improved significantly since then, however they have grown a bit more rowdy.

If you’ve ever considered organizing your own poker night, I’ll share the insights and advice I’ve gained after over a year of trial and error tonight. I’ll go through everything from the guts and bolts of organizing a regular get-together to the significance of striking a balance between competitive, by-the-book play and making sure everyone has a nice time. So put your money down and let’s get started!

Plan Well

A good poker night entails a lot more than meets the eye. Make sure you have all of the necessary poker equipment, such as cards, chips, and a table. Snacks and beverages are also required. A great jazzy music complements the atmosphere. If you’re going all out, you may want to smoke some cigars after the game (or during if you’re in a smoking-friendly location). And, most essential, you need assistance! While you may play with less people, beginning with roughly 8 people is the ideal way to proceed. On most poker tables, that’s also how many slots there are.

So go through how you want the evening to go in your head. Consider allowing guests in by opening the door. Are you going to start serving beverages and snacks straight away? How long will you keep latecomers waiting? What will you do if a significant number of individuals fail to show up? Do you have a back-up plan if you run out of drinks? As the host, you’ll be the go-to person for issues, so make sure you go through all the possibilities.

You should also converse freely. While I usually send people reminders about the party around a week in advance, I’ve realized that it has to be a little more. Once you’ve decided on a date, remind everyone to mark it on their calendars and send out a few emails (or SMS) in advance.

Now, it’s not like males will judge you severely if you don’t have everything planned out, but it will make the night go more smoothly and enjoyably. The following suggestions will guarantee that your evening is well-planned and that everyone has a nice time as a result.

Know the Rules of the Game

I was really fortunate that one of the guys in the group understood a little bit about poker when I held the first poker night in November. We would have had to Google hand rankings, we wouldn’t have understood betting regulations, and the whole group would have been lost and on our phones trying to figure out what was going on if it hadn’t been for him.

Understand hand rankings, betting regulations and flow, and even game etiquette (like keeping your cards in full view of the table at all times). You’ll be establishing the tone for the evening as the host, so the more you know and the more confident you are, the better you’ll be able to guide the participants through the game.

Check out our beginner’s guide for a terrific place to start learning the fundamentals of poker.

Determine Your Poker Group’s Intensity

Setting expectations for the game’s intensity is one of the most difficult aspects of collecting guys for a poker night. Some of your men may be extreme sticklers, raising the blinds every 15 minutes — not 16, not 14, but precisely 15. You’ll almost certainly have guys who have no idea what they’re doing. This is where you really need to get to know the men you’re going to play with. If you suspect they’re all newbies, take it easy on the games and timekeeping, and be forgiving if a “rule” is violated, such as betting out of turn. If your major circle of friends, on the other hand, comprises of World Series of Poker fans who play both online and in casinos, you may want to boost the stakes and warn any newbies that this is a serious game. The majority of groupings are in the center. Ours was undoubtedly a beginner group at first, but we’ve evolved into competent gamers. We make it clear to newcomers, though, that we’re a laid-back lot who don’t take themselves too seriously.

A Table and Chips for Playing the Game

While a poker table isn’t required — any dining table can do — it certainly adds to the mood and pleasure of the evening. It gives you the impression that you’re in a back room of a club, breaking the law. Table toppers are less expensive and take up significantly less space than actual tables, which may be costly and take up a lot of space. To make it more cost efficient, you might even share the expense among your regulars.

A decent set of poker chips is also required. A 500-chip set should enough, but having another set on hand is usually a smart idea, particularly if you let people to buy back in after they’ve gone out. Most sets come with four different colors of chips, so you’ll have to pick how much to value them. There is no established rule here; we do the following in our games:

$5 for white
Blue: ten dollars
Red: $20
Green is $40.

Remember that in a buy-in game, which is by far the most popular for home games, the numbers don’t signify anything. Only real money is exchanged at the end of the night when a winner is determined. As a result, your chips may be whatever denomination you choose – $5 or $5,000.

It’s also a good idea to have at least two decks of cards, which most poker sets come with. While you’ll only use one deck at a time, it’s a good idea to have the dealer shuffle and prepare the second deck for the following hand to keep the flow and tempo of play moving. When the players begin to leave, they might take on the roles of designated shufflers and dealers.

Prior to the event, establish house rules.

Before organizing a poker night, a variety of house rules may and should be set. Anything from game play to player etiquette to the atmosphere you’re in may be governed by house rules. For example, your house poker rules might specify how many chips to give each player at the start of the game, penalties for playing or betting out of turn, whether and how much a player can buy back in if they leave, when to increase blinds, and so on. When it comes to player etiquette and the environment, you can establish rules such as whether or not cell phones are permitted at the table, whether or not players are permitted to wear sunglasses, whether or not you are permitted to touch another player’s cards/chips, whether or not you are permitted to use the restroom after folding a hand, and so on. Click here to see a comprehensive (and sometimes amusing) list of potential house rules.

Make it a habit to do it on a regular basis.

Consistency is essential for every organization, whether social, philanthropic, or fraternal. This is less critical in a less formal club, such as a monthly poker night, but it is still necessary to maintain its long-term viability. (Unless, of course, your poker night is a once-in-a-lifetime event!)

Don’t modify a date that you’ve established. When a few people cancel on you, it’s natural to feel tempted, but the fact is that you won’t always have everyone there.

Only three of the eight individuals I invited to a recent poker night were able to attend. I was tempted to alter the date at the last minute and push it back a week. However, I stuck to my original idea and simply invited some new people from a broader network of friends and acquaintances, as well as encouraging the regulars who were already there to bring some fresh blood. It turned out to be a fantastic evening, with enough of men to make it worthwhile.

It’s also a good idea to schedule your gaming night at a regular interval and on the same day each cycle. So, let’s say you meet together once a month on the third Friday of the month. You might perhaps go with a quarterly game on a Saturday afternoon for the busy family guy. This allows folks to put it on their calendars ahead of time, and you won’t have to coordinate many schedules. You just establish a time, and whomever is able to make it does so, and whoever is unable to do so does not.

You’ll also want to think about whether you’ll host each game alone or whether you’ll cycle hosting among pals. I hosted poker night for the first 7 months or so, but now that I have a baby, I’m passing it on to some other friends, who I expect will rotate on a regular basis. It may be flexible, and the men you’re playing with can influence it.

Snacks and refreshments

Aside from the necessities for playing poker, you’ll need a large supply of food and drinks. It’s a simple task: just ask everyone to bring a drink or a snack to share. Snacks should be one-syllable foods such as chips, dips, almonds, wings, and so on. The less complicated, the better.

Snacks should be served at a separate table away from the poker table, in my experience as a host. We didn’t start out this way, permitting food on the play table, but after a few too many spills on the green felt, we decided to stop.

When it comes to beverages, having too many options might be daunting. Tell everyone to bring a sixer of their favorite craft beer, or one component for a classic cocktail you’ll be serving that night. It all depends on how refined you want your surroundings to be.

Make sure you have some non-alcoholic drinks on hand as well. It’s not only for teetotalers and designated drivers; if your game lasts a few hours (or longer), you’ll probably want something other than booze to keep your mind on the game!

Set the mood with elegant music.

Turn on some music instead of depending on the evening’s chit-chat for background noise to really enhance your ambience game. While you may play any music you like, I always favor sophisticated jazz. It definitely transports you back to the Roaring Twenties and an old nightclub. There are lots of free jazzy playlists on Pandora and Spotify, and big band is preferable to soft jazz. This isn’t a date night for the ladies; it’s a night for the males.

Decide on a deadline.

This may not seem to be a significant step, but it is critical to your evening’s success. Some gamers are chip hoarders who could remain in the game for days if they were permitted. Setting a pre-determined finish time will increase everyone’s competition. It will also influence when the blinds will be raised (generally every 30-60 minutes of play). Make sure any housemates and/or spouses whose place you’re taking over for the evening have given their OK.

Final Thoughts on Poker Night’s Pleasures

I’ve been doing this for for a year now, and I’m pleased to report that more than just my poker playing has improved. My friendships have changed as well. People travel to and from long hours at work, spend time with their children, and work side jobs in today’s world. Friendships would be few and far between if they were not planned. A regular poker session allows us to socialize and connect as a group of guys. We share tales, laugh, whine, and, of course, mock whomever has the best cards of the night. I’ve made new acquaintances in addition to boosting old ones. When one of the regulars is unable to attend, we broaden our invitation circle and inevitably get to meet someone new. Poker night may deplete your bank account, but it will add a lot to your life.

What advice do you have for organizing and managing a great poker night?

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you host a good poker night?

A: Poker night can be a fun game to play with friends for many reasons. The best way that you could host a good poker night is by taking turns initiating the games. You should also include some friendly competition in your games, like who has the highest five card poker hand or who can get their entire rack of cards stolen from them first.