Host your own poker tournament

Anyone who’s stayed up to watch late-night TV will appreciate the appeal of a Texas Holdem poker tournament. Tense, nervy and full of bluff and counter-bluff, these high-stakes matches make for great viewing.

Taking it down an octave or two, hosting your own tournament – often called a poker party – can be great fun and a good excuse to get some mates together. It could be a stag night event or for corporate teambuilding, but either way these are usually great fun.

What you need to host a poker party

1) A poker table: Nothing beats a proper poker table like you get in the casinos. When you hire a Texas Holdem poker table it comes with all the packs of cards you will need as well as chips. Depending on how many people are coming, you may need to roll out a second table. That’s when you start talking about a proper poker tournament.

2) Run-through: Unfortunately not everyone is up on the rules of the game. Some people will need a run-through from top to bottom of all the rules. Other might just require a quick refresh. Older players used to stud poker might need a quick overview of Texas Hold ‘Em if you are playing this version, which is pretty much what everyone plays nowadays.

3) Supplies: A poker party won’t be much fun without the right food and drink. Whether it’s just beers and crisps or a more sophisticated offering, you’ll need to keep your guests fed and watered for the long haul. Remember that a full-on poker tournament can last hours – it’s a serious undertaking and you may even want to call the odd break to let people refresh and have a pit stop.

4) Rules: Work out your tournament system in advance, especially if you are operating more than one table. For example, you should try to make sure the players who are eliminated early can continue playing if they want to. Also make sure there is a way for people to buy back in if they want to. There is nothing less fun than being eliminated early and standing on the sidelines for the rest of the evening when you’ve turned up to play some cards. There needs to be a cut-off point for this, but you can definitely offer people a second chance.

5) Keep it friendly. We’re not saying that anyone will bring a six-shooter to the party, but try to keep it gentlemanly nonetheless. Disputes should be settled quickly – make sure there is an arbiter (usually the dealer) whose decision is final. Remember to make this clear to players before the cards are dealt.

Other than that, just remember to get everything sorted in advance so you can have a great time yourself.