Best Friends Poker
This was one of Daniel Negreanu’s favourite games growing up in Toronto, and he’s. These Best Friends animal-themed playing cards are sure to bring you extra luck, and a very handsome full-house. Each card features the name and photo and of a Best Friends animal (past and present).
If I could, I would make poker night with friends a national holiday. Pokergame hosts would be allowed to take the day off work to get everything ready,and players would get to work half days so they could go home and get mentallyprepared to play.
That’s how much I love playing poker with friends (or perhaps how creative Ican get trying to avoid working…).
In all seriousness, a good poker night is a time to bond with friends whileplaying poker and has a totally different dynamic than playing poker at thecasino or a poker room. I really like the vibe and want to make it as positivefor all players as it is for me.
While I don’t think I’ve been to a bad poker night, there are certainlythings one can do to take the experience to the next level. To that effect, hereare 10 ways to improve your home poker night with your friends and make it thebest night of the year.
For the most part, the backs of playing cards are pretty boring, and thefaces of playing cards look about the same. (That is unless you are talkingabout those type of cards, which I’m not. That’s a completely differenttype of night with friends.)
Anyway, if you want to impress your friends and not spend a lot of money, youcan go to one of many sites online and have custom playing cards created. Ifyou’re not sure where to look, you can always start with Etsy.
No matter where you go looking, though, you will find that you can get boththe backs of the cards and the front of the cards customized to your wishes inpretty much whichever batch size you are looking to buy. Some ideas mightinclude funny/embarrassing pictures on the fronts or demoralizing smack talk onthe back.
Whatever you do, having custom cards is a nice touch for playing cards withfriends.
9. Make Cool Invitations
When you read about cool invitations, your first thought (like mine) wasprobably some glittery craft project that looks straight out of a high schoolprom.
Yeah, that’s not what I mean.
Instead, establish early on that this is no ordinary poker night withinvitations fit for a high-end poker room, Prohibition Era speakeasy, secretmessage fit for a spy, etc.
No matter what theme you pick, make sure you have the pertinent details (whenand where), an RSVP if you need to get a head count, what everyone should bring,what the buy-in is, and if there are rebuys.
If you can do that, you will set the night off right with nothing more than afew pieces of paper.
The right music can make all the difference for poker night. Playing poker insilence can actually be kind of distracting since a little noise can allow busybrains to focus.
On the other hand, really loud music or really aggressive songs (think heavymetal or bass-heavy electronica) will have the opposite effect and cause gueststo leave with headaches. That’s why I like to choose something classic like1950s big bands (yes, it’s cliché but it does work) and play it at a reasonablevolume.
The natural association of that era of music with gambling will get everyonein the mood and start the chips flowing.
7. Offer Assorted Cigars
There’s some danger in suggesting cigars for a party: underage smoking,setting fire to things, lung cancer, etc., etc.
Still, if you have a group of responsible adults together at a party,sometimes a nice stogie is just the thing to keep the evening fun and light. Ifyou that sounds like your night, you can go to a cigar store and buy a selectionfor less than ten dollars a stick.
Then lay them out with a few cigar cutters and fire-making implements. Justbe clear if smoking is allowed indoors or if it’s something everyone should stepaway to do. Also, have a fire extinguisher just in case.
The primary goal of poker night isn’t to feed your guests, but still, ifyou’re trying to up your poker night game, don’t serve light beer and stalechips. Especially if you have gone to the trouble to make custom decks, play theright music, etc.
Instead, call out to your local deli, Italian food shop, or high-end grocerystore and evaluate what alternatives they offer. Look for items that sit outwell (no shrimp or mayonnaise-based foods) and that have a classy air.
Add some whiskey and good beer, and you will find everyone just has a bettertime.
Best Online Friends Poker
5. Have Game Aids
Best Friends Pokemon Go Xp
Depending on your group of friends, there’s a good chance that not everyonewill be card sharks with the full rules of the game memorized. Also, dependingon how you set things up, someone may bring a buddy or significant other who isnew to the game.
If you want that person to come back, you need to make their guest feelwelcome, and one way to do that is make it easy for them to the play the game.Offer them a quick tutorial, provide them with a link toa poker guide they couldread, a sheet with the rules of your game, and a visual aid for hand strengths(two pair is better than one, etc.).
This will make them feel at ease and let everyone relax.
Your poker night is your poker room, and what poker room worth its saltdoesn’t have its own custom drinkware?
The good news is that there are lots of places that will put your face, yourlogo, or your favorite expression on a mug for not a lot of money. Then, everypoker night, you can pull out your personalized mugs and drink to your ownvictory and to your friends’ defeat.
You can also give them out as party favors if you are so inclined (andbelieve me, someone will ask), but keep one or two of the mugs for yourself sothat you don’t forget the good times.
3. Keep Distractions to a Minimum
This is kind of a general catchall piece of advice for you to keep in mind.
Your friends are at your house to play poker, not watch TV. They’re not thereto read magazines (of any variety), etc. If you have an impressive collection ofsome sort or a new boat or cool golf clubs, you can show them off, but that’snot the point of the night. Poker is.
Therefore, try to keep distractions to a bare minimum. Keep the TV off orplay reruns of the World Poker Tour or something neutral. This way, everyone canfocus on playing poker, which is why they are there.
As noted above, you want to offer a spread of food that people will love.Further, you want those foods to be easily consumable with fingers, toothpicks(what Gordon Ramsay calls cocktail sticks), or, at worst, a plastic fork.
What you don’t want are foods that are heavily sauced, leave residue on cardsor chips, and are generally messy. First, it’s gross to get a card or a chip andfind that someone’s half-eaten food is all over it.
Secondly, it’s a surprisingly good way to mark a card. Just a little marinaraor Cheetos dust on the corner lets you know what it is. So, avoid that if at allpossible.
Also, messy foods can spill, interrupting the game and sometimes ruiningtables, felt, upholstery, shirts, etc. Finally, messy foods are hard to clean upafter everyone has left. You spent a lot of time organizing the party; you don’twant to worry about cleaning it up.
1. Use Custom Poker Chips
This is perhaps my favorite customizable item just because I have a big egoand the jokes write themselves. I love the idea of having custom poker chip setsthat I can use during poker nights.
I love the idea of having chips with my face on them even more. I can justsee myself telling everyone to give me the chips since they already have mypicture on them as I rake in pot after pot.
Best Friends Pokemon Song
Maybe you want something a little less egomaniacal (say a logo or familycrest). That’s good, too, but don’t forget to at least think about having pokerchips with your face…
Best Friends Pokemon
There are many ways to have a great poker night. You don’t have to doanything on this list if you don’t want to, and you will still have a perfecttime with friends.
With that said, if you feel like kicking things up, maybe investigate what itwould take to customize some playing cards or poker chips, kick up your foodselections while avoiding messy foods, and keep distractions to a minimum.
You will love what it does to your poker games.