One of the reasons that poker is so popular worldwide is that it is relatively easy to organize a home game. You and up to nine of your friends can huddle around the kitchen table, each trying to out-maneuver the other in order to win the $10 or $20 buy-in tournament. Despite its low stakes, a local home game is often all about pride.

In order to run a successful home game, you’re going to need some basic supplies. When you go to a casino, for example, all of these are given to you. If you’re hosting a home game, you’ll need to procure them yourself:

1. Two decks of cards: It’s imperative to have at least two decks of cards on the table at all times. One will be used for the current hand. One will be shuffled by the person sitting in the small blind (the player to the left of the dealer). This person is “on standby,” shuffling his deck so that as soon as one hand has concluded, the next hand can be dealt. Using two decks allows for more hands to be seen in your home game and will ultimately speed up play. Make sure both decks are relatively new and have 52 cards each. There’s nothing worse than hosting a home game only to find out that the deck you’ve had for 12 years only has 49 cards.


2. Poker chips: These come in a variety of different forms. You can find inexpensive plastic chips at stores like Wal-Mart or you may elect splurge and purchase clay chips. These are available both online and in stores and will usually last you a long time. Plastic chips will set you back between $10 and $20. As a given rule, for a 10-handed home game, you’re going to need about 500 chips. For a smaller home game, 300 chips should suffice.


3. A dealer button: You can use any round white object to serve as a dealer button, but it’s best to find one beforehand than to be scrambling at the last minute. Many chip sets come with a dealer button or you can purchase one separately. Some dealer buttons have a built-in timer, which you’re going to need as well (see point four below). If all else fails, you could use a salt shaker or paperweight to designate who is on the button.


4. A watch: You’ll need some sort of timing device to keep track of blind levels. You can use a stopwatch, wristwatch, or even just keep an eye on a clock in the room. Designate someone as the timekeeper so there are no debates later.

Now, you’ll need a tournament structure. In general, I find that 30 minute blind levels are suitable for home games, although many individuals prefer 20, especially at a 10-handed table. Try to give each player at least 100 big blinds to start with so that the tournament doesn’t quickly escalate into an all-in fest. We usually start our home games with 15,000 chips and blinds beginning at 50-100. Blinds will then increase from 50-100 to 100-200, 200-400, 300-600, and so on. Some home games elect to skip the 500-1,000 level, although this is ultimately up to you. The real point of the tournament is to have fun, so make sure everyone has enough chips to start with.

Finally, have some snacks and drinks available. If you’re hosting, provide these and consider it an entertainment expense. You can buy some beer, two liters of Coke, and chips, which won’t run you more than $30 total. Encourage your guests to bring over supplies as well and ask if anyone has a complete deck or cards and a set of chips ahead of time.