A good poker tournament is thrilling. We should know, we host plenty ourselves, and we’ve won a few others! It’s a long night of battles and bluffing, but ultimately, one person comes home with the prize money. Aside from the money, poker tournaments are all about the atmosphere. The spirit of competition, and the harmless fun always makes for a night to remember. We currently run a monthly tournament at home, so it needn’t be anything too extravagant. All you need is some good friends and friendly competition. Without further ado, here’s how you host your very own poker tournament.
Set the location and date – First of all, you need to find a worthy location to host the event. Now, we simply use the basement in our home. It doesn’t need to be glamorous! You needn’t book out the local casino or hire anything fancy. Sometimes, a relaxed home environment is the best place for it. Next you need a date where everyone can attend. We like to make it a regular monthly feature in the calendar. That way, everyone can work around the same date every month.
Invite the players – The players are the most important part of the tournament, so choose wisely. Remember, it’s all about the atmosphere, so invite people who get into the spirit of the game. Choose a group of players who will ensure a competitive spirit, but keep the friendly atmosphere. You should also consider the abilities of the players. Try to get a good mix of talents, and avoid the poker professional unless you’re upping the stakes!
Set the rules – Poker has hundreds of variations and rules depending on what part of the world you’re from. Choose a particular format, and stick to it. Most tournaments use a Texas Hold’em variation, which is ideal for five people or more. Set the buy in cost and strict intervals for increasing the blinds. Make sure everyone knows where they stand.
Set a prize – What’s a poker tournament without a prize? You need a small incentive to get the spirit of competition going. It could just be the combined total of the buy ins. If you’ve got five people or more, that can add up to a nice little takeaway. Personally, we like to throw in something extra. A little trophy is always fun, and the winner gets to keep it for the month between tournaments.
Custom poker chips – This is one thing that brings a smile to your players’ faces. We had some DIY custom poker chips made especially for our tournaments. They have our name and a small logo that we designed. It’s a fun little extra that makes it feel like a real tournament. You can get creative here, and choose any designs you like.
Make sure it’s legal – A final point here on legalities. Gambling laws vary from state to state. In most cases, a simple poker tournament in your basement is no trouble at all. But, just double check in your area.
That’s all there is to it! Let us know how you get on with your first tournament.
