How to host a GREAT home poker tournament? (1 Viewer)

[Poker Zombie]

Is a hot dog roller really that much better than just cooking the sausages in hot water?

The roller keeps them warm indefinitely and they aren't wet, preserving bun-integrity.

 

[Drosoph]

Forgive me, for I have sinned. I will now go to the basement and whip myself.

 

[thePokerClub]

After the group has been playing for a while together, it is nice to add a competitive structure of some kind.

Points for finishes, bounties, participation, etc. and a LeaderBoard. You can use that to spur competition and if you put some of every entry in a 'Championship Pool', everyone can go after qualifying to earn a payout.

Define a Season and say, "Ok, we will start he Season next month and then after 12 Tournaments the top 5 on the LeaderBoard will get a payout.

 

[BPTDirector]

Give a prize to the winner for bragging rights. I give card protectors that can be used from then on and most just display them as trophies at home unless they have more than one. I purchased these from @SwissChip

 

[Poker Zombie]

I like the prize for the season champion, but do not like the cash payout concept. Players already have your money for winning, and you want to give them more?

Since we run a tiny embroidery business (M&L in Stitches) we offer a custom embroidered shirt (have also done hats and hoodies). The Player of the Year buys/provides the item (thus no rake taken to provide the prize and a fairly low cost to us) and you already know they have the money - they won it, making the shirt that more bigger a bragging right; "I bought this shirt with your money".

 

[Defarse]

Nice chairs
Side tables
Pizza delivery
Snacks
YouTube playlist cued up with Premium no ads
Tournament Director software
Good blind structure
Optimal starting stacks

 

[Bluegrass Poker]

Good selection of quality bourbons!

 

[Munchies11]

Good selection of quality bourbons!

This is def the key one

 

[Coyote]

Nobody has mentioned that the hardest component to find is nice guys who also happen to be honest, law-abiding people and competent players.
They can't be bought, unlike tables, chairs, chips, blinds screens and software, and card decks.
The same issue is equally (or more) valid, of course, for cash games.
Always recruit, always test players and keep praying.

 

[Nightowl]

Attend other games. If there is something there that you liked there, implement it at your game when possible. Never say "My game is good enough", always look to improve - but be sparing when polling players. It's your game. Take too many suggestions, and players will start approaching you with their own personal preferences which may cause the game to stray from it's roots.

i agree with this

 

[BleedingChips]

my biggest roadblock to hosting a home game is the wife.... she doesn't want people over.

Have you had any luck hosting? FWIW, My wife became a big poker supporter once I took the initiative on cleaning up and planning everything so she didn’t have to. Now we work together to get things ready and it’s become a whole family event (my kids are no involved in setting up and my oldest plays sometimes). The last game I hosted, I almost cancelled and she was the one that got sad about that possibility and helped make it all happen!

 

[ekricket]

my biggest roadblock to hosting a home game is the wife.... she doesn't want people over.

Make it a Poker/Lululemon party

 

[Poker Zombie]

Make it a Poker/Lululemon party

Bunch of dudes in yoga pants?

Hard pass.