How to Plan a Monthly Poker Party

Poker party anyone? There is no better excuse for getting together with your friends than a once a month poker party. Take turns hosting the party and look forward to a regularly scheduled night of fun. Good friends, good food and the chance to win the jackpot! What a fabulous way to break up the monotony of the daily grind.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Assemble your poker party pals. Get in contact with the friends who might be interested and let them know your plan. Eight people is a good target number, though your poker party can succeed with more or less than eight.

2. Choose the day upon which your poker party will happen each month. This step is crucial to the success of your poker party group. Rather than comparing schedules each month to determine a day when everyone is free, plan for your poker party to be held on the first Monday of the month (or second Saturday of the month, third Tuesday, etc.) Having a regular, predictable day each month will save everyone the hassle of juggling schedules and commitments.

3. Decide on the format of your poker party. Will it be a tournament style poker game with one winner at the end of the night? In this format, each player will pay a predetermined fee upfront and the game will proceed using poker chips. The last man (or woman) standing takes the pot.
   
   You can also take a relaxed format. Just tote your poker change bags to the poker party each month--play as long as you want, stop when you're losing or go all in when you are feeling lucky!

4. Set the host schedule for the poker party. Rotating the poker party each month to a different player's house ensures that everyone shares the burden of playing host. Try and schedule several months ahead so everyone has a chance to plan for their turn as the poker party host.

5. Determine the poker party menu. Will the host provide a full dinner or just snacks? Will it be a bring your own beverage party or will the host have drinks to offer as well?

6. Set up a reliable communication method to help all the members of your poker party group stay informed about party details. The easiest way to communicate to everyone at once is with email. You could also set up a phone tree if email is not a preferred method.

7. Let the poker party begin! Once you've hammered out the details, look forward to the first poker party of what will hopefully be a long standing tradition.

Tips & Warnings

• Have fun when it is your turn to host the poker party by providing poker themed plates and napkins. These are available at most party supply outlets.
• Surprise fellow poker party friends with poker themed gifts at Christmas--a special deck of poker cards, a poker themed serving dish or anything else that will make them smile.