How to Organize a Poker Home Game

So you’ve decided to host a poker home game. Now what? You have no players, no location, and nothing to play with. You have a multitude of problems, so let’s start with the easiest one to solve, finding opponents. Even if you don’t have poker playing buddies, it’s no big deal. Tournaments and cash games for you to join are everywhere.

Friends and Family

Home games with friends and family are simple to organize and you have plenty of people to draw from. Remember, poker is a worldwide phenomenon that is beamed into millions of households. No matter where you are, from Boston to Botswana, you can find friends and family who play. Remember to ask co-workers too. Instead of sitting around the water cooler gabbing about the Yankees, ask your fellow workers if they caught the World Series of Poker on ESPN the other night. You’ll be surprised at the response.

Bar Leagues

Around the United States in particular, bar leagues are exploding in popularity. In many cities, competing for cash prizes in a bar league is against the law, so be prepared to play for items like gift certificates, football tickets, and trips to exotic destinations. The upside is that entry to the tournament will likely be free, outside of a little money spent on beer and chicken wings.

Bar leagues come in all shapes and sizes. Some are one-off tournaments, while others are “leagues” in the true sense of the word. Players’ finishes from week to week are logged in an overall leaderboard, meaning that consistent attendance is required. Some leagues play No Limit Hold’em, while others spread Omaha and Stud. It’s easy to call up a bar and ask if they have poker, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Still Need a Game?

If your friends aren’t up to playing poker and no bars around you have leagues, you’re not out of luck. Some civil organizations like the VFW may run games, although their legitimacy depends upon who is organizing it. Don’t be afraid to ask around town.

Charity poker tournaments run nearly every day in various establishments across the world, from churches to fire departments to schools and everywhere in between. You may be required to donate a portion of your winnings to the charity, so be wary of what the expectations are before you enter. Most charity tournament buy-ins are tax deductible, which will help lighten your IRS burden in April.

If all else fails, start up a play money game with your family or neighbors. Call it “game night” and get the gang together to play some cards. You don’t have to play Texas Hold’em, either. Instead, deal Go Fish, Spades, Hearts, or any other game your group has interest in. Cards bring out the competitive spirit in all of us and can turn any dull evening at home into a few exciting hours.

Number of Players

The number of players you can recruit ultimately depends on your space. If all you have is your coffee table, then six or seven people is probably the maximum number you can host. If you can set up an extra table in the living room or basement, then your capacity will increase accordingly.

Remember to ask your guests to bring chairs if you don’t have enough. There’s nothing worse than arriving at a game only to see that you’ll be sitting on an old bucket for four hours. Don’t be ashamed to ask for more seating. After all, it’s BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair) at a poker home game.

Keep Your League Going

Once you find a league, keep it going! There are a bevy of league management tools out there (check out HomePokerTour.com for an example) that will allow you to track standings, send out game reminders, and create message boards to trash talk each other. All of these tools should help keep your game intact for years to come, meaning that you’ll never have to search again.