How to host a home game
Everything for a smooth night: who to invite, what to buy, how to seat people, a sample timeline and how to wrap up without awkwardness.
On this page
A week before
Pick the game and format. Hold'em cash game is the easiest first night. A tournament needs everyone to arrive on time.
Invite 6 to 9 people. One full table is the most fun; expect one or two to drop out, so invite a couple extra.
Send the details in one message: start time, game, buy-in size, blinds, how late people can join, and the planned finish time.
Share the house rules so nobody is surprised at the table.
What you need
| Item | Tip |
|---|---|
| Table | Round or oval seats everyone within reach of the pot. A felt topper on a dining table works great. |
| Two decks of cards | Different back colours. Shuffle one while the other is dealt. Plastic cards last for years. |
| Chips | 300 chips for up to 6 players, 500 for 8–10. See the chip guide for how to split them. |
| Dealer button | Any distinct object works in a pinch. |
| A phone for the ledger | One person records buy-ins in Poker Night so the settle-up is instant. |
| Timer (for tournaments) | Blind levels need a visible clock. |
Food and drinks
Finger food that isn’t greasy. Cards and chips hate grease: think skewers, dumplings, sandwiches, fruit. Skip chips-and-dip right next to the felt.
A side table for plates and glasses keeps the playing surface clear.
Plan a meal break if you start around dinner time.
Shared costs like food or a delivery tip can be added as a charge in Poker Night and split among the players who ate.
Seating and the first button
Let people take any seat, or draw cards for seats if your group likes it formal.
To decide the first button, deal one card face up to each player. Highest card gets the button. If two players tie on rank, suits break the tie: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs (highest to lowest).
The deal rotates with the button, or a volunteer deals every hand if your group prefers.
A sample evening
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 18:30 | Arrive, food, buy-ins recorded |
| 19:00 | First hand |
| 20:30 | Short break — refill snacks, stretch |
| 22:30 | “Last orbit” called: everyone plays until the button has gone round once more |
| 22:45 | Count chips, enter them in Poker Night, settle up |
| 23:00 | Share the results, tidy up |
Keeping the ledger stress-free
Record every buy-in and rebuy the moment it happens — not from memory at the end.
When someone leaves early, count their chips there and then and record them as left table.
At the end, count every stack twice. If Poker Night shows Off by, recount before anyone leaves.
Poker Night works out who pays whom in as few transfers as possible. Everyone squares up among themselves — the app never moves money.
Read next
How Poker Night settles up
From buy-ins to “who pays whom”: chip value, how the net is calculated, what the balance check means, Direct vs Banker mode, charges, paying each other, and how to read the summary you share.
Home game settlementBlind structures for 2, 3 and 4-hour tournaments
Three worked-out templates with starting stacks, level times, breaks and colour-ups, plus how to adjust them on the night.
Blind structure & tournament clockCash game night or tournament night?
The two ways to run a poker night, side by side — and how to pick the right one for your group.
Chip denominations and starting stacks
How many chips you need, what each colour could be worth, and ready-made stacks for cash games and tournaments.
Chip distribution