Poker night is the ultimate in guy time. Ladies have their spa days, movie nights, sparkling brunches, wine and painting classes, group yoga sessions and whatnot, a whole range of daytime and evening activities that can be cycled through whenever they want some new entertainment or get bored.
For guys, part of the joy of poker night is the routine. Meeting up once a week or month with the same good friends in the same setting and playing the greatest card game known to man is a comfortable way to relax. It allows the main focus to be on enjoying being together, not some distracting new activity.
For the nuts and bolts of planning your poker night, such as how many chips to provide and what rules need to be established before you can begin playing, the link above has everything you need to know.
Once you have the basics sorted out, here are some other things to keep in mind if you want to host a poker night that the guys want to keep coming back to.
Set Expectations Early On
Laying out what the house rules are before you start to play is essential. Setting out what your rules are before everyone arrives is just as important. No one is going to care if you don’t allow shoes in the sitting room, but some rules can have an effect on the night.
The big one of these is smoking. Having a cigar or two while playing or at the end of the night is very important to some guys — they see it as an essential part of the night. If you don’t want the lads smoking in your home, letting everyone know that can prevent frustration or someone trying to sneak a drag or two.
In today’s day and age, another thing to consider is whether or not you’ll allow vaping and e-cigarettes. You don’t want to have the debate about whether or not the vapor will damage your paint or settle on your clothes while you’re playing, so end it before it can start.
Another is how long the night will go. Of course, you’re not going to chain anyone to the table and force them to play, but sometimes the pressure to stay for just one more hand keeps people playing later than they anticipated.
On the flip side, you might only have a few hours to play because there’s an early game the next day or you’ve got work to finish. Letting everyone know in advance whether this is going to be an evening session or an all-nighter ensures everyone knows what they’re in for and can plan ahead.
Food And Drink
Food and drink might be the second most important part of hosting a poker night after making sure you have the cards and chips. You don’t have to cater the night or have a full open bar but making sure the guys don’t go hungry is important. No one wants to bet hangry.
The food you serve will depend on what kind of night you’re hosting. Is this an all-night poker fest or just a few hands in the afternoon? Will people be arriving after they’ve eaten supper or in the middle of the afternoon?
You can get away with just having a variety of snacks if your players have already eaten before they arrive, but otherwise, you’ll need to provide something a bit more substantial. Pizza is almost always a safe bet, there’s usually something for everyone.
If you want something that you can eat while you play, less greasy food is worth considering. Sandwiches aren’t just for tea parties (unless they’re crustless, that’s just a bit too precious). They’re easy to customise and easy to eat.
For drinks, keeping it simple is a good choice if you’re new to hosting poker nights. Offering one or two types of beer and a similar number of spirits and mixers keeps it simple but also provides enough choice that everyone should be able to find something they’re happy to drink.
Mix It Up A Bit
Once you’ve hosted a few basic poker nights, consider mixing it up a bit by having a themed poker night. Since poker and poker nights are such iconic cultural elements, there are lots of film and television inspirations to draw on.
A Western saloon night, with Texas Hold ‘Em and strong whiskey drinks, is a classic idea. Many of Ennio Morricone’s Western film scores are iconic and perfect for setting the scene and getting all your players into the spirit of the theme. No one has to wear a cowboy to feel like they’re back in the old west.
You could also consider adding a movie to the mix, either playing in the background or to watch afterwards. How perfect would it be to watch Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum’s 5 Card Stud (1968) before playing a few hands? That movie also has a great lesson about not cheating at cards!
The Sopranos has been off the air for a few years but it is still one of the best dramas about the Mafia and a popular show. Card games played an important part in the show, giving the viewers an insight into the lives of Tony and his crew.
The second season episode The Happy Wanderer is built around the executive poker game that Tony runs, a high stakes night with expensive buy-ins. You obviously don’t want to recreate the violent end to the game, but a classic Mafia-style night is a great theme.
The variety of poker matters less with this theme, but the outfits and the music do matter. Having everyone dressed up sets the tone immediately. Soundtrack the night with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin.
Having a themed night isn’t for everyone and they can be a bit more work. Instead of trying to make it a usual thing, throwing a themed night in once or twice a year makes it a lot more fun and can help reinvigorate a flagging table.
There are some things that will improve your poker night and make it a cut above the rest. Really though, as long as you’ve got the chips, cards and a good group of guys, the rest will sort itself out.
