There’s no better place to learn to play poker than in the comfort of your own home. Maybe you’ve been playing with your computer and you’re ready to test out your skills with your good friends. When preparing for the game you may ask yourself; what are the essential items for throwing an excellent poker game in my home? Cards, poker chips, a chip rack, and a dealer button are a good start to having a great game. You should also prepare good food and drinks to keep your guests happy.

Getting new cards is essential to any game. Everyone should be on the same page, and unmarked cards are the best way to ensure good relations between players. In addition, if the group of people you’re playing with are people you want to play with for a long time a new deck of cards can cultivate a sense of ownership within the group. Months later, after you’ve been playing weekly, someone in the group may say “These cards are really soft now. We’ve had a lot of fun with this deck.”

Poker chips are essential to any good game of poker. Sure, you may be able to use whatever you have laying around the house (legos, marbles, etc), but if you want your friends to be serious about the game you’re playing together, poker chips will give you the authenticity you’re looking for. And there’s nothing more satisfying pulling your winning chips across the table.

For times when you’re not playing King Midas with your poker chips, you need a place to keep the chips. That’s where a chip rack comes into play. It also comes to more smooth game play when you have the chips ready to go before your friends arrive. You may want to consider having one person watch you lay out chips, to keep everyone honest.

A dealer button is the easiest thing to keep track of who is going to deal next. Traditionally, dealing goes clockwise, so just move the button clockwise around the table to keep track of who is dealing.

When preparing food for your poker game, it’s good to talk to your guests about any food allergies they may have. If you’re planning on preparing finger foods, ensure that the food is not sticky. Getting barbecue sauce on your new deck is definitely not desirable. I would recommend foods that require some sort of utensil, such as fondue. Other good snacks include potato chips or tortilla chips. Chip dip and salsa go great with chips.

Preparing beverages for your guests is another important aspect of good game play. It’s important to bear in mind that your guests are probably driving to your home, so keeping alcoholic beverages to a minimum is essential. If alcoholic beverages are a must, make sure to keep your guests safe.

Having a successful poker game in your home is a piece of cake. When you’re preparing just ask yourself what your guests would like and what is going to ensure the fairest game possible. Good luck, have fun, and be safe!