The game is almost always Texas Hold'em, and you can run it two ways: a casual table people drop in and out of, or a knockout tournament with a winner at the end.
Casual table or tournament
This is the main thing to decide, and it depends on your crowd.
A casual table works like the other casino games. Guests sit down, get some fun money chips, play a few hands and leave when they like. It suits parties where people come and go, and it's friendlier for beginners.
A tournament is more of an event. Everyone starts at the same time with the same number of chips. The blinds (the forced bets) go up every so often, players get knocked out, and the last few battle it out for the win. It needs a set start time and players who'll commit to staying for a couple of hours. Poker fans love it.
Some hosts do both: a casual table for the first hour while people arrive, then a tournament once everyone's eaten.
Texas Hold'em in brief
Each player gets two cards face down. Five shared cards are dealt face up in the middle, in stages, with a round of betting after each stage. Players make the best five card hand from their two cards and the five shared ones. Best hand wins the pot, or you win by betting so boldly everyone else folds.
The dealer runs the game, keeps track of the betting and explains hand rankings to anyone who needs reminding. It's still worth knowing who in your group already plays, because complete beginners usually have more fun at roulette or blackjack first.
Something quicker: three card poker
If you'd like a poker flavour without the long game, three card poker is worth asking about. It's played against the dealer, not other players, and each hand is over in a minute or two. It works more like blackjack, so beginners can join in straight away. It's a good choice if you fancy a poker table but aren't sure how many real poker players you'll have.
Players, space and timings
A poker table usually seats around eight to ten players, so it's smaller than the others for numbers. If you've got a lot of keen players, two poker tables let you run heats, with the top few from each going through to a final table.
Allow an area of about three metres by three metres per table, with chairs. Tables don't normally need power. For a tournament, plan on two to three hours. A casual table just runs for as long as you've booked. For a tournament, have a list of names ready before you start so the dealer can seat people quickly.
Prizes
Tournaments are made for a prize. Something decent for the winner and a smaller one for the runner up gives the final table real tension. Prizes are provided by you and it's fun money only, so it isn't gambling. For a wider casino set-up, see blackjack table hire or our corporate casino nights, or ask us for a quote.
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