The Home Poker Game Equipment Checklist

Know Your Local Laws — Before hosting or playing a home poker game for money, check the rules in your state.

• Poker chips: Have enough chips for the number of players you expect.
• Playing cards: Keep at least two decks available. Two decks make it easier to keep the game moving.
• Chairs: Choose comfortable chairs that provide enough room around the table.

Useful Extras

• Chip racks: Keep spare chips organized.
• Card shuffler: An optional convenience for larger or frequent games.
  (Frankly, a bit of an extravagance for a home game...)
• Card protectors: Small items players can place on their cards to keep them from accidentally getting pushed into the fold pile.
• Tournament timer: Helpful when running a tournament with scheduled blind levels.
• Dealer button: This marks the dealer position and moves around the table.
• Poker table or table topper: Players need a comfortable, flat surface for cards and chips.

Host Supplies

The poker equipment is only part of the preparation. Keep a few ordinary household supplies nearby too.

• Paper and pens
• A calculator
• A phone or clock (or poker timer)for keeping track of time
• Trash containers
• Napkins and paper towels
• Food and drinks
• A printed copy of the house rules - if your chips don't have denominations on them, include the value of each color.

Food and Drinks

Simple food is usually best. Pizza, sandwiches, snacks and other easy-to-eat foods work well. Try to keep messy food away from the poker table.

Provide water and other non-alcoholic drinks. If adults choose to consume alcohol, everyone should do so responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws.

For a Cash Game

Add a way to keep track of buy-ins and rebuys. A simple written list can work. Keep extra cash-game chips in a separate chip bank so the host can make change when needed.

For a Tournament

Add a blind schedule and tournament timer. You will also want enough chips in several denominations for all players. Decide the starting stack, blind levels, break times and prize structure before the tournament begins.

Before the Guests Arrive

Set up the table, chairs and chips before the first player arrives. Shuffle or prepare the decks, put the dealer button on the table and make sure everyone can easily see the playing surface.

Keep food and drinks in a separate area if possible. This gives players a place to take a break without putting spills near the cards and chips.

Printable Quick Checklist

• □ Poker chips
• □ Two or more decks of cards
• □ Poker table or topper
• □ Dealer button
• □ Comfortable chairs
• □ Chip racks or storage case
• □ Tournament timer, if needed
• □ Rules or blind schedule
• □ Pens and paper
• □ Food and drinks
• □ Napkins and paper towels
• □ Trash containers

Once the basics are ready, you can stop worrying about equipment and concentrate on the most important part of the evening: enjoying the game with your guests.

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