Unobvious tips to level up your home game (13 Viewers)

[QuantumCards]

Other than the obvious gear-related things (like having a nice table, chips, cards, chairs, etc.) how have you leveled up your home game over the years? What things have you implemented that your players like?

 

[BuckMason]

Good coffee. My guys love the good stuff.

 

[LowerBama1714]

I’m not much of a drinker, but 6000+ kinds of whiskey seems like a good thing.

 

[Tonysquander]

Good background music playing and video/TVs. Comfortable space for players to chill and smoke cigars or other things and take a break. Well stocked bar and good eats. Well run game with people who are fun to be around.

 

[ekricket]

Consistency. Even if it’s just two it’s the same time and place every week.
Rules to get everyone on common ground.
Plastic cards.
Challenging play.

 

[LowerBama1714]

Neon signs.

And scented candles…this cannot be understated.

 

[BarrieJ3]

Everyone’s going to give you the same answers they and everyone else has been giving for a decade+.

Chat gpt or whatever will give you their same answers.

Instead, give some genuine thought to your players, your space, and what specifically would stand out and make an impact at your game. And that, we can’t answer for you.

This place is like Wikipedia or Reddit for poker chips. Awesome info, search for threads on this topic.

All the answers you’re gonna get here have already been said, and they’ll all be on setup, comfort, processes, yadda yadda yadda.

Instead, I present to you, make it fun! Enjoy hosting and do something MEMORABLE. No one is going home telling their wife that “wow, he had nice chairs” or “wow you should see how they run 2 decks and shuffle behind” (but uh, yeah you do need comfy chairs and 2 decks and shuffle behind ).

Go print off a Willy wonka golden ticket (can customize it to be meaningful to your group) and tape it under a chair. Draw for seats so it’s random, and then at some point in the evening pull out a $25 chip and say this goes to our golden ticket winner, making them look under their chairs to see who gets it.

For the love of g*d have solid tv or music t’d up ready to go. Don’t have anything good for music? I just nab some Sonos speakers - can’t go wrong with 2 of these for $200 a pop.

Replace the lights where you’re doing poker with smart lights. Set up a sequence on your app where when you press a button the lights all go deep dark red and the music plays the whole wants to be a millionaire dramatic sound. When someone goes all in the first time use your phone to kick off the sequence.

Go buy money guns online. Go buy awesome money/bankroll bags online and give them as a high hand/bad beat for the night bonus.

I have a couple thousand more ideas, but again all your generic “how to run a poker game” suggestions already exist here.

Edit - I didn’t even read the first comments when posting. Hilarious. People say those because they’re true - comfort first, 2 decks, etc. If it’s your first time hosting, when you search, if you see the same thing said on repeat take it as gospel.

 

[Bluegrass Poker]

I’m not much of a drinker, but 6000+ kinds of whiskey seems like a good thing.

Damn. I only got 42.