There are plenty of ways to have fun with friends. You can take a trip, hit up a restaurant, go to a music show, and more. However, you don’t necessarily need to venture out into the night to have a good time with your nearest and dearest. Some of the best nights are the ones when we get together with our friends in our own homes.
There’s no shortage of things you can do when you’re hosting friends, including cooking a great meal and watching movies. If you’re looking for something a little more competitive, however, consider hosting a poker night. In this blog, we’ll run through everything you need to know about having a memorable poker night with your best pals.
Pick The Right Day
You’ll be hoping to play poker late into the night, so it’s be best to pick an evening when people aren’t too concerned about turning in early. For the vast majority of people, this will mean a Friday or Saturday evening. Also, think about the weather — it’ll influence the start time. If it’s rainy and cold, start the night earlier. People will be too cozy at home to set out too late. If it’s summer, start late — no one wants to sit in a dark room when the summer sun is shining.
And The Right People
You’ll find that the evening goes much, much smoother if you’re playing people who have an interest in poker. Sometimes, we want all our friends to get involved, but if they don’t have any interest in poker, then leave them out. Note that a person doesn’t have to be an expert player to be invited — if they’re enthusiastic, then that’ll be enough. Plus, if everyone’s interested in the game, then you’ll be playing for hours, which is just how it should be.
Get Practicing
The primary objective of your poker night will be to have fun. But let’s be honest: you’ll also have one eye on victory. If you’re playing against friends with a little more experience of playing poker than you have, or you just need to brush up on your skills before the big evening, look at playing free poker online. You’ll feel much more confident going into your game night with friends if you’ve got a solid grasp of the game.
House Rules
There’s more than one way to play poker. Indeed, ask around, and you’ll likely find that everyone’s got a different rule that they swear by. That’s all well and good usually, but not when you’re all playing together. You can help to ensure that the evening isn’t interrupted by disagreements by establishing the house rules before you begin playing. That way, no one will be able to say, “but I always play…” when they’re losing a hand.
Set the Tone
Poker is about more than the game. It’s about the whole world which we associate with it. It can and should be a classy affair. You can set the tone for the evening by playing casino-worthy music at your house. There are some pretty famous poker songs, but if you want to keep things classy, look at playing the Rat Pack, a group of crooners synonymous with Las Vegas.
Refreshments
Finally, don’t forget the refreshments! It’s important to serve drinks and snacks at any gathering, but especially important when you’re playing poker. People might be a little nervous, after all! If you want to really make an evening out of it, then look at ordering some pizzas. Plus, if people are well-fed, they’ll have no excuse to head home early, allowing you to play late into the night.
