Fans of poker game span far and wide, and include a dedicated pool of poker aficionados who are adept at hosting poker party games at home for friends, colleagues, and invited guests.

It's a fiesta of entertainment with Texas Hold’em, Razz, Lowball, Mississippi Stud, Badugi, Omaha Hi, and Omaha Hi-Lo, among others. Everyone gets to be a casino dealer at a Party Poker Game – that’s part of the deal! 

Each and every poker game is unique, comprising a different set of rules, winning hand combinations, and betting requirements. Some games require an Ante Bet, Small Blind and Big Blind, and multiple rounds of play.

Pocket cards, and community cards are dealt, allowing players to form winning hand combinations in pursuit of monster pots. There are low-ante games, and high-ante games, pot limit, fixed limit, and no limit options, and a veritable smorgasbord of nuances that apply to each and every poker variant.

With so many options to consider, it takes lots of planning and preparation to set up a party poker event at home, or in the office. Luckily, this quintessential guide to party poker ideation, decoration, and preparation guarantees a successful poker session for you every time.

We’ve listed a wide range of casino tips for you to get your party poker prep in order. In the old days, poker nights were reserved for the gentlemen after work. Nowadays, poker’s mainstream appeal has everybody playing, and there are many exciting poker formats to bring to the table. No doubt you've heard about Strip Party Poker ideas – those are lots of fun!

STRIP POKER PARTY

Here’s a game that needs no introduction to the guys out there! Strip Party Poker is all the rage. True to form, the game unfolds at a dizzying pace, getting better with each and every hand that is dealt. Before you decide to host a Strip Party Poker session, be sure that your guest list is apropos.

Any time the ‘clobber’ comes off, you better be prepared for what's about to be revealed. The last thing you want are poker players heaving at the table, fighting back waves of nausea and disgust at the ungodly bodies that are revealed.

Incidentally, ‘Strip Poker Party’ via Vegas VIP offers a private strip poker party package at the finest suite at the Palms Hotel and Casino where beautiful models, exotic dancers, and midgets will entertain groups of poker players, with pretty much everything your imagination can conjure up coming true.

Even the Hard Rock Poker Lounge has a fully functional strip poker club with VIP poker rooms where private parties are hosted. In money town, it doesn't much matter what type of poker games you want to play – you can have it your way with your own guests, at any of the swank Vegas poker rooms.

Strip Party Poker games are a dime a dozen in the VIP rooms, and the poker managers are always ready to put in all the hard work that is needed to create a festive environment. Poker managers are prepared to spread any game any which way the players want it, and that includes Strip Poker.

So, what is Strip Party Poker you’re probably wondering? The rules of Strip Poker are pretty simple to understand – individual items of clothing are removed every time a player loses a hand.

QUICK RULES FOR STRIP POKER PARTY:

• Make sure all players are aware of how the game works, including what happens when players are naked (can they continue playing, or must they quit the game).

• Assign a value to specific items of clothing (shoes, socks, belts, and jackets are worth less than underwear).

• To prevent an unfair advantage, restrict the amount of clothing that everyone can bring.

• Decide if players will begin with a set number of chips or cash and then use clothing as chips, or simply start playing without any currency and only use clothing.

• Pick an easy game to play like 5 Card Draw, and play for the love of the game – not for technical proficiency.

• The objective of Strip Party Poker is simply to have fun – not to agonize through different betting rounds.

• The winner at the showdown gets to keep their remaining clothing on, while the losers must all remove an item of clothing. Alternatively, the winner gets to pick the losing player who removes an item of clothing.

POKER PARTY IDEAS

You may find it a little challenging to come up with poker party ideas for a home-based game, or a party poker game in the office after work. Don't fret – the experts at 888 poker have seen it all, played it all, and presented it all many times before. There are lots of different poker party ideas you can implement, including the following:

• Host a fun night with friends, family and guests with the inimitable Texas Hold'em Poker. Known as the ‘King of the Ring’, Texas Hold'em Poker is a grand game to play. First of all, you’re going to need at least 6/8 friends to make it fun. You can set the scene with themed decorations, fixtures, and extras. Consider things like poker chips the table, poker shot glasses, poker wine glasses, poker beer glasses. You can embellish your sideboard with card-themed napkins and serviettes, poker deserts like cakes with poker-themed frosting designs, or poker music (such things exist!), poker guides, poker rule books, and more.

• Try dangling playing cards from pieces of yarn, string, or gut from the ceiling as decorative ideas. You can also make poker-themed facemasks using all the suits (hearts, clubs, diamonds, and spades) as disguises, or poker-themed donut deserts using skewers and playing cards. For the more creative poker ‘fundis’ among us, you may wish to try baking ‘poker-themed sugar cookies’ with frosting, poker cupcakes, or even personalized poker cookie party favors to bring out on a desert tray. Poker pa ty food options are readily available, and limited only by your creative flair as a party poker host.

• Poker nights are truly exciting events for fans of this great game. If you don't have the requisite culinary skills to put on a fun-filled poker evening, you may have some design abilities with your computer. Print out a couple of casino chips, poker playing cards and other party-style poker decorations. These can be placed all around the table, or the poker room to set the scene. Be sure that the poker-themed decorations are the centerpiece of the action, with playing cards in the thick of it.

• Whether you call it a casino night with games of Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, and Roulette, or a poker night with Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, or 7 Card Stud, the idea is to create a fully immersive experience that engages guests and creates an ambience conducive to a poker party. Many exciting ideas abound such as poker-themed T-shirts, pencils, party favors, deserts, and knickknacks.

POKER PARTY DECORATIONS

Poker party decoration ideas are as varied as you can make them. There are loads of fun-filled ideas you can conjure up, beginning with the invitations to your friends and poker guests. Poker-themed invites via email, printed cards, or personalized poker apps are readily available.

There is no end to the fantastic poker party decorations ideas you can implement, including a poker-themed dress code (men wear black and women wear red), or possibly even diamond and heart-themed attire for the women, and spades and clubs for the men.

It's not a party without helium-filled balloons. Again, red and black balloons are a fantastic ‘scene-setter’ to bolster the poker-themed milieu. The gaming tables are a great idea, with options to customize to expectations.

All of our aforementioned poker party ideas listed above can be used with poker party decorations. Amazon.com is one of many e-commerce sites peppered with fabulous ideas for hosting a poker party.

The core options include glow sticks, party favors, decorations, banners, barware, beads, balloons, photo props, eyewear, sunglasses, tableware, wearables, LED, jewelry, hats, and many others. We've even sourced poker-themed aquarium background boards to spruce up the evening ahead of a poker party night.

POKER PARTY SUPPLIES

Now that you have all these fantastic ideas for setting up the perfect Party Poker Night, it's time to get down to the business of committing pen to paper and listing the poker party supplies you will need for your evening. Since everyone is on a different budget, our poker aficionados have kept things really simple so that anyone, anywhere can host the perfect poker night:

• A poker table and chairs to accommodate all the invited guests – you can even use these tables for baccarat and blackjack side games too.

• 6 to 8 decks of cards (new cards only) and don't tell other players what cards will be used at the game since you don't want anyone switching out cards.

• If possible, try to get personalized poker playing cards and personalized poker chips to prevent any form of fraud from taking place.

• Snacks and drinks are absolutely essential for a successful poker evening. To this end, you’re going to want to load up on chips like Doritos, Cheetos, Lays, Munchies, Funyuns, and lots more like them. You may want to get things like an ultimate snack care package, with variety assortments of chips, cookies, crackers, & more. Your best bet if you’re doing bulk buys is a place like Costco, Target, or Walmart. Nowadays, many people prefer healthy eating alternatives, so you may want to choose a couple of gluten-free biscuits, dairy-free alternatives, or even vegan foods to include in the mix.

• Music is always a great idea, since it adds atmosphere. Lots of options are available such as cool and easy listening to jazz and piano music, or a festive vibe with top 20 hits. It's your call, make it a good one!

RECOMMENDED FOOD FOR A POKER PARTY

As the host of a poker party, you’ve got carte blanche to lay out the most impressive spread. A good rule of thumb is to invite your close friends, since it's pretty easy to pick up the types of foods and beverages they enjoy. If the poker evening has an entry fee, use a portion of that to cover food costs.

The food should be prepared well in advance, with easy to-cook options like hotdogs and burgers. Food options may include starters, entrees, and deserts. Beer, wine, or hard liquor, and soft drinks are recommended for a poker evening among friends.

When choosing snacks, you’ve got classic mix options, favorites mix options, and sweet & salty. Pick a combination of tastes to cater to preferences across the spectrum. Be sure to keep your players well-nourished with a smorgasbord of delectable food options.

POKER NIGHT PARTY IDEAS

Poker nights are the highlight of the week. There are so many fabulous poker night party ideas you can implement, including the following:

• Casino night dinner party

• Casino night dice decorations

• Red and Black-themed poker parties

• Alice in Wonderland card-playing characters dress up night

• Superhero-themed poker-playing characters like Gambit, the Thing, the Joker, Dr Strange, The Angel, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and Kingpin

• Create party bags with casino-themed images for players to take home

• Perfectly blended cocktails for fabulous poker evenings (Martinis, Raging Bulls, Cognac, Grand Marnier, and Daiquiris)

POKER BIRTHDAY PARTY

It's your birthday. We gon' party like it's yo birthday. We gon' sip Bacardi like it's your birthday!’ Nothing is more deserving of a poker night than a birthday celebration.

Poker birthday parties are glittering affairs and they are so much fun. For starters, they comprise engaging action where players are required to interact with one another, making for a sociable form of entertainment. 

Poker is also a thinking person's game with elements of luck and skill thrown in for good measure. If you've got what it takes to be a winner, what better than a poker birthday party to strut your stuff? Don't forget the birthday cake and poker-themed frosting designs to boot. A poker birthday party is much like a casino party, since players are spoilt for choice with ‘Game Night’ ideas. Don't forget the birthday cake and gifts for the lucky player.

HOW TO HOST A POKER PARTY?

By now, you know everything there is to know about hosting a poker party. To put everything into perspective, we’ve compiled a checklist of do’s and don'ts for you to follow. First, let's look at the things you need to do to successfully host a poker party for your friends:

DO’S

• Plan your poker party carefully
• Select a theme for your poker party
• Only invite people you want at the poker party
• Pick a wide range of snacks, and beverages for the party
• Be sure that your guests know how to play poker 
• Make sure you've got new decks of cards, chairs, and a poker table
• Get as many poker knickknacks as required to successfully host your party
• Pick some background music for your poker party and keep things lively
• If cash is changing hands, lock it in a safety deposit box and keep it out of sight until the end of the evening
• Introduce the option for other card games and table games like Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, and Three Card Poker

DON’TS

• Never try to force the evening to go in a certain direction – let the players enjoy themselves
• Never tell the players what types of chips or cards are going to be used in the party poker evening
• Never allow things to get out of hand – if you spot a problem, resolve the problem immediately
• Never assume that everybody knows what is expected of them – tell them in advance what to bring, when to come, where to come, and how to dress (if applicable)

Along the way, you're bound to find innovative ways to host a poker party. As your audience becomes familiar with poker nights, they will present options to you and you can take it from there. Enjoy the evening, the company, and the poker fun and games!

About the Author
By

With digital marketing strategies in his blood, Louis Wheeler has traveled around the world, exploring gambling cultures and gaining experience in casino games from 2003. If you are in a casino anywhere around the planet, you may find him right next to you, playing blackjack, roulette or texas hold'em. 

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