When I'm writing about poker, which is often, it's usually to discuss big game poker: tournaments, televised poker, etc. But the backbone of poker always has been...and always WILL be...the home poker game. From kitchen tables to custom basement games rooms, poker’s lifeblood is the Saturday night poker game.
There are millions of neighbourhood poker games, some good and some bad. But one of the most common questions is ‘How do I host a good poker game’? In reality, it’s easier than you think. Here’s a quick primer on holding a good poker game for your friends.
All of the pressure for holding a good poker game falls squarely onto the shoulders of the host. In order to make yourself look good to your friends, you need to follow some simple rules that will make sure that your first game isn’t your last.
The most important key to a good home game is player selection. You must decide whether you want your game to be a friendly game with good pals, or a more serious game with good players. Mixing the two up can be lethal. Having your buddies from work over to play cards, then throwing a golf pal who plays a lot of poker into the mix can be a huge problem. It’s crucial to try to match the abilities of those participating.
After you have players, you need the technology to make it all happen. Cards. GOOD cards. Not the ones you got from the pizza place with an extra large pepperoni. Copag. Kem. If you don’t know the names, look it up. And get some. Same goes for chips. Plastic chips just don’t cut it anymore. A good set of 11.5 gram clay chips is very cheap. Get some. You DON’T have to have a poker table. But a good sized table, with a cloth on top of it is just as important. And, as my radio co-host Rob Pizzo loves to point out, it is NOT acceptable to use an ottoman or a milk crate as chairs for your guests. If you don’t have them, borrow them.
Next comes the environment. No, not recyclable poker chips. The playing environment. Playing in your garage in January? Not good. Your son’s rock band practicing Marilyn Manson songs in the same basement? Not good. One bathroom, currently being used by your wife to colour her hair? Not good. Plasma tv with a hi-def channel showing the hockey game? VERY GOOD!! Remember, not all your time is spent playing cards. Make it comfortable to be there.
Food and drink? Well, that’s an option. If you’re generous, and can afford it, snacks and beverages are great. If not, then let your guests know to bring their own. You don’t have to provide it, but don’t let your buddies find out that there is nothing to eat or drink AFTER they have arrived.
Next up is the stakes. You can play for fun. You can play for a trophy. You can play for money, if you like. But make sure everyone is comfortable with the stakes before game night. The stakes should be set by the lowest comfort level. If nine of you want to play for quarters, but one wants to play for dimes, then dimes it is. The idea is to have fun, and fun goes away when you’re playing out of your level. And make sure that, whatever the stakes may be, the backing is there. No one should leave being owed. Because YOU are going to be the go-between to get that debt repaid.
Lastly, you must have rules. Set ALL the rules before you start playing. The rules of the game, the rules of behaviour, the rules for what goes on TV. The last thing you want is to be arbitrating a dispute between two friends. If you hash it out before hand, there will BE no arguments.
There is something really amazing about a good home game. I’m lucky to have a great group of friends who participate in a regular game. In fact, we’ve turned it into a league, with a trip to the World Series of Poker as the prize at the end of the season. It’s a diverse group that includes golf pros, computer programmers, sportscasters, and firemen. We play every few weeks, and we all look forward to that day. But what makes our game so good is the players: great people, great conversation, and great poker.