Playing in poker tournaments has grown in popularity because of its every growing presents on television and online poker sites. Because of poker tournament growth many poker players are looking at holding their own poker tournaments at home with their friends and family.
Playing in a poker tournament at home can give you and your friends a day or weekend of excitement that cost less then going to an amusement park in some cases. Over the next few pages we will highlight what you can do to start playing poker tournaments at home, giving you tips you need host a well run poker tournaments.
The first step in hosting a poker tournament at home is providing the equipment needed so your tournament can run smoothly. Poker tournament equipment consists of chips, table and playing cards. Each of these will be discussed below.
CHIPS
Playing poker tournaments at home doesn't require chips however they are recommended. Having poker chips makes it easier to tally amounts each player starts with and limits the chance of cheating. Loose change or cash can also be used but does provide an element where cheating is possible. Deciding to use poker chips or cash is totally up to you.
Poker chips come in a verity of quality. The local dollar stores and department stores generally sale poker chips. The more expensive chips, which are worth the investment when you plan to play poker tournaments at home regularly, can also be found coming in different chip count. What you use and how many you buy is up to you and the budget you set aside for hosting poker tournaments.
TABLE(S)
Playing poker tournaments at home will require a table or two (depending on the number of people playing) big enough to accommodate 7 to 10 players each. The normal poker table as seen on television will hold up to 10 players plus the dealer. Depending on your budget buying a poker table can be a good investment and one that can be used for many other things besides poker.
PLAYING CARDS
The game of poker requires a standard deck of 52 cards; brand, cost and style don't matter. It is important when playing poker tournaments at home to have 3 to 4 new, unused decks available, as they will wear out over repeated use or can be damaged due to abuse of players or through the course of play.
This list of equipment covers the most important items needed to play poker tournaments at home. Later other equipment will be covered that will give your tournaments a feel, style and look of being held in a casino.
Once you have all the equipment needed to play poker tournaments at home it is time to think about getting the word out to friends and family (if you haven't already done so). There are many different ways to invite people to play in your poker tournaments. Word of mouth is the most common and sending out emails is also good for those you don't see regularly who can be found online. When playing poker tournaments at home it is best with at least 6 players but best when 9 or more are playing.
BUY-IN
Playing poker tournaments at home like in casinos should require a buy-in. The buy-in amount is optional and largely depends on the experience level of people playing. For new or novice players a lower buy in is recommended, generally $5 to $10 will work fine. If you and your friends are experienced rounders, setting a higher level may work best, typically $25 to $50.
Keep in mind that when setting the buy-in level you will also be setting the over all mood and play of the game. Lower the buy-in the more friendly the tournament will be. Higher buy-ins becomes a more serious tournament and even more serious competition. Higher buy-in also may keep some friends or family members from playing due to cost or inexperience.
Before the tournament starts be sure to collect the buy-in amount. This insures at the end of the game you can make the payout to the winner(s). It also eliminates confusion as people leave. Be prepared to have extra bills available to make change for people as they come in.
When playing poker tournaments at home it is illegal to charge a fee for the "house". It is Ok to ask the guess to help defray with the cost of beverages and food. Another option is asking each person to provide a beverage and/or food for the night.
Rebuys and Add-ons
Playing poker tournaments at home can include having rebuys in the tournaments but to simplify things it is recommend avoiding doing so. If a rebuy is used there are a couple of options to consider.
Rebuys for a poker tournament by rule are only valid until blinds reach a given level. Once the blinds have reached agreed upon level each player should have one last chance to take the rebuy after which that option is removed from the tournament. The amount of the rebuy in most cases will be equal to the original buy-in amount with same amount of chips as in the beginning.
Payout
Playing poker tournaments at home you will need to workout a pay scale the winners will receive for winning the tournament. The most typical pay scale is 50% of total purse to 1st, 30% of purse to 2nd and 20% of purse to 3rd with 10 - 15 players. Optionally, for poker tournaments at home when total players reach 15 or more players a 4th pay with a 10% of purse payout (1st place remains 50%, 2nd and 3rd become 25% and 15% respectfully).
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT
When playing poker tournaments at home you will want to have a dealer button. This can be one included in some chips sets purchases at the store or any other item that can represents where and who the dealer is. Having a dealer button will also help make your home poker tournaments look more like a professional tournament.
One important item that every poker tournament should have is a cut card. A cut card is a card that is placed on the bottom of a deck after the cut and before the deal. This insures that no player sees what the bottom card is giving them an unfair advantage. The cut card can be a joker or other card that comes in a new deck of cards or a cardboard piece cut the size of the deck of cards.
Playing poker tournaments at home you will need to have a timer to know when blinds go up. One of the best things to use is a cooking timer. Also available are specialty times made for poker tournaments. Again what you use as a timer is totally up to you.
Playing poker tournaments at home you will need to have a timer to know when blinds go up. One of the best things to use is a cooking timer. Also available are specialty times made for poker tournaments. Again what you use as a timer is totally up to you. Playing poker tournaments at home means setting rules that everyone must follow while playing in your home. What house rules you have is totally up to you but should reflect what you expect from guests that come to visit under normal situations.Etiquette is a basic requirement in all poker tournaments and should be as such in your home poker tournaments as well. Playing poker tournaments should be as fun as possible for everyone. Easiest way to enforce a set of rules about etiquettes in poker is to follow the same rules governing casino poker tournaments. Playing poker tournaments at home should be fun for everyone that plays. These poker guidelines can help when setting up your own poker tournaments.