A good home game comes down to preparation. Decide the format, set up the chips and blinds before anyone arrives, and keep a clear record of the money. This guide walks through each step for both tournaments and cash games.
1. Choose the format
- Tournament: everyone buys in for the same amount and plays until one player has all the chips. Easy to explain and great for mixed skill levels.
- Cash game: chips represent real money, players can buy in and leave when they like, and you settle up at the end.
A tournament with 6 to 10 players and a 3 to 4 hour finish is the easiest place to start.
2. Set up the chips
For a tournament, give everyone the same starting stack. A simple 10,000-chip stack using four colors:
| Chip value | Per player | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 8 | 200 |
| 100 | 8 | 800 |
| 500 | 6 | 3,000 |
| 1,000 | 6 | 6,000 |
| Total | 28 chips | 10,000 |
Your chip set may have different colors or counts. The free poker chip calculator works out the best split for the chips you own and the number of players.
3. Plan the blind structure
The blind structure decides how long the game lasts. With 10,000-chip stacks, starting at 25/50 and raising the blinds every 15 to 20 minutes usually finishes in three to four hours with eight players. Longer levels mean more play; shorter levels mean more all-ins.
Use the blind structure calculator to build a schedule for your player count and target length. It doubles as a full-screen tournament clock with alerts, so nobody has to watch the time.
4. Decide the payouts
Agree on payouts before the first hand. A common rule is to pay about one place for every four players:
- Up to 6 players: pay 2 places, for example 65% and 35%.
- 7 to 10 players: pay 3 places, for example 50%, 30% and 20%.
Example: 8 players at $50 each makes a $400 prize pool. Paying 50/30/20 gives $200, $120 and $80. For bigger or uneven fields, the tournament payout calculator builds the full table.
5. Agree on house rules
- Rebuys: whether players can buy back in, and until which level.
- Late arrivals: until when they can join, and with what stack.
- Dealing: deal rotates clockwise with the button.
- Disputes: who has the final say. Hand rankings settle most arguments; keep a hand rankings chart handy for new players.
6. Settle up a cash game
Cash games end with the hardest part: working out who owes whom. Record every buy-in and cash-out as it happens, then settle in as few payments as possible.
Example: at the end of the night Amy is up $120, Ben is up $40, Cal is down $100 and Dee is down $60. Instead of everyone paying everyone, three payments settle it: Cal pays Amy $100, Dee pays Amy $20 and Dee pays Ben $40.
The free poker home game ledger tracks every buy-in on your phone during the game and works out the fewest payments automatically.
A note on money and the law
Rules on home games vary by state and country. Charging a rake or a fee to play can change how a game is treated, so check the rules where you live before you take any cut. Keep stakes friendly and make sure everyone is playing with money they can afford to lose.
Track your results
If you play a regular game, log each night in the free Poker Tracking tracker to see your long-term profit, hourly rate and biggest wins over time.