How to Set Up Your Perfect Poker and Blackjack Night

Not an easy task, let us tell you that first. Poker and blackjack are serious card games. Often, there's money involved in adding value to already high stakes. When you're the one who's holding the event, everything needs to be perfect, from knowing poker table positions to a blackjack cheat sheet. Those who love to engage themselves in games of poker and blackjack are passionate about it. So, when organizing a poker or blackjack evening for a couple of friends and acquaintances you need to make it casino-like.

Most of us do not have a house pre-adapted for poker and blackjack nights, so planning is recommendable. If you're eager to have a perfect night spent playing poker or blackjack we have a few useful tips on how to do it. As we said, do not expect it to be an easy task, but it is a doable one nonetheless. There are a few important moments one's not to miss and a bumpy road ahead. But when it's all said and done, all that is left is the satisfaction of a night well spent among people passionate about games of poker and blackjack. After all, outlets such as Stake.com made an empire of online gambling, so sure we can make a pleasant blackjack/poker night a reality. Here's what to do.

Plan Ahead & Plan Well

At first sight, organizing a nice poker/blackjack event at your home appears to be an easy task. A blackjack table here, and a poker dealer there and we're all set to go, right? Well, not really. First of all, you need to bring in the gambling equipment. No such party can be organized without tables, chips, and cards in the first place. If you have beginners in blackjack or poker having a blackjack cheat sheet and short poker guide nearby is essential. Beyond that, you need snacks and drinks. Furthermore, having a nice little playlist to set the tone of the night helps too.

Many people love the lighting in casinos, so having some ambient lights is a nice touch too. While the technical part of the party is vital, you shouldn't forget about the human element. The reason why it needs to be planned in detail and in advance is to make sure that everyone takes it seriously and attends accordingly. Depending on the number of tables and dealers available you need to invite at least eight people, and in some cases even that number won't suffice. So, when you know the date, ensure that the rest of the gang knows it too at least two weeks in advance.

Learn the Game

Seriously, learn it! You need to know both blackjack and poker. If you, as a host are not well-versed in either of them, at least one of the guests must be. Having a party where none of the invites is well-versed in the game you're planning for the night can turn the party sour quickly. Learning the rules on the spot, or playing without an established set of rules is not a lot of fun, and it can ruin the evening. If none of the guests is not professional in either of the games you should consider hiring a professional dealer. If that's not an option, you as a host need to know all that's necessary.

These days many of us play poker online and it's easy to mistake that you know everything about the game from the dealer's standpoint. This is not the case, so when you're planning a poker night it is vital that in addition to a poker table, you also have knowledge about the rules, flow of betting, hand rankings, and game etiquette in general.

Know Your Guests

Knowing your guests is a vital part of this equation. You can't act like a judge at the World Series of Poker while all of your guests are amateurs at best. But, if they're aiming to be participants at the World Poker Tour you need to take them seriously. If you know who your guests are, you won't have any issues. Depending on their passion for the games you should set the rules.

Amateur players won't react positively to too many rules while those more professional will get angry if rules are not respected. Today, you have plenty of us playing online poker or blackjack online so playing in a live group can be a new experience for some despite being well-versed in the game itself. When you know your group of people, there shouldn't be any issues in this department. But, if you're having a few people that you're not too familiar with it is better to be strict than lenient. Just in case.

Playtime

Look, you don't need a professional poker table or a blackjack table to have a successful night with your mates. For your first time, an ordinary dinner table will suffice. All you need to do is ensure that it's big enough for every player. But, if you can, having a real gambling table will add to the atmosphere in the room. If that's not doable, you need to know that the best trick you can pull here is to get your hands on table toppers that make any table look professional.

When the table is all set and done, you need to move your attention to chips. Chips are vital. They spend the entire evening in the hands of players. You do not want the cheap ones. Invest in your chips. They're that magical touch to every successful poker/blackjack night out. Make sure that you buy plenty of chips, different in color and value. While their value can be determined on the spot, you need to have different colors to achieve this. Usually, it's best to keep the values low, so have at least four different kinds of chips valued at $5, $10, $20, and $50. In the end, these values are solely up to you as an organizer.

Last, but not least, you need to have more than a few decks of cards. Decks are important in both poker and blackjack. There's a lot of card shuffling and moving around done, so having one or two decks on eight players will not do the trick. You need to have a dozen. Sometimes players get angry and want a new deck introduced, and you have to abide by them.

Put House Rules in Place

After all, it's your house we're talking about. Blackjack and poker players can be a rowdy bunch. If you plan to have things under control during the night of gambling you ought to have house rules in place. House rules can be strict or vague, but they need to exist. You can focus on the games you'll play, or on the general etiquette. A dress code can also be in place, or you can focus on the gameplay itself. Many hosts focus on things such as penalties for betting out of turn, limits on bets or raises, buying back or buying out, and the amount of chips allowed at the table.

Furthermore, you can expand your rules on the etiquette at the table or in the house in general. Some players like to have sunglasses on when playing poker, while others like to be able to go to the restroom after they've folded. You need to have all these things in mind and be restricted or allowed. House rules can be vague or strict, but either way, they need to exist or else you'll be running an uncontrollable gambling night instead of a night of friends who enjoy a few casual hands of poker and blackjack.

Consistency Matters

Having one night of poker and blackjack is all well and nice, but it doesn't have to succeed even if you have a designated poker patio in your home. The first attempt usually won't even if you follow everything that we said above. What will make it a success in the long run is the consistency. You need to have regular poker and blackjack nights. We're talking something like once a week or at least every two weeks. Even a monthly poker night is fine, but you need to ensure that it happens every time.

To bring consistency forth you need to always have a hard date set. Once you've decided on the date you must not cancel under any circumstance. Even if a few players can't make it, you need to organize it for the rest of the crew. That's how stories about that night will circle and soon enough no one will want to miss a night of poker and blackjack at your place. Even if you have some regular players cancel, that's a chance to have a few new people come in. Once you establish your poker/blackjack night and it becomes a regular event, people will want to join in. Do not be shy and call some of your not-so-close friends.

When it comes to card games such as poker and blackjack it is always the more the merrier. You will always find guys who love to soak in the atmosphere without even having to play a hand. So, do not insist on keeping your circle close, as you'll regret it in the long run when a few people cancel at the last minute.

Snacks and Beverages

While the focus of these nights needs to reside with the games of poker and blackjack, snacks and beverages are essential too. While you can do some general shopping and buy what you think is necessary, we believe that this needs to be a communicated endeavor. When you know the circle of friends you'll be having over, you should ask them to make a wish list. What's even better, you could ask each of the participants to bring what they like to have during evenings like these.

In case you want to deal with it yourself it is always wise to buy items such as chips, dips, chicken wings, nuts, and similar products. This is not a department where you want to complicate matters. The best way to keep it simple is to keep the snacks away from the table where the game is played. Drinks can be allowed at the table, but if you don't fancy it, make it a part of the house rule where to hold drinks during gameplay.

When it comes to drinks, you also should keep matters simple. Having a few types of beers, some simple cocktails are in order too, and some whiskey should do the trick. Of course, you need to have non-alcoholic drinks and water nearby for players who want a clear mind while they play. As we said, nothing is out of the ordinary.

Pick Music Accordingly

House games of poker and blackjack are all about a different ambiance compared to the one you can experience in a casino. While you can have anything playing in the background, you need to cater to your guests in this department too. So, you can play faster music, louder, or quieter all depending on what you like. A game night doesn't have to be all about playing cards, you can relax a bit with drinks and music too. Like we said, so many times, this is an opportunity to hold a regular event that caters to every need of you and your close friends who enjoy a nice little game of poker and blackjack.

Leave it While it's Nice

Playing poker and blackjack requires a certain amount of passion. Many players will put themselves in the game and forget all about the time. A gambling night at your house is a nice little event but people must not forget that they're not in a casino. So, while it's nice to be relaxed and enjoy, you need to let people know when the time is up. Leaving while it's nice will only make people want to come back. So, do not hesitate to set a mark on the clock when the time is up, and when it's time to start packing the tables.

🔙 Back to Articles list.