Home Poker Guides

Clear answers, practical examples, and videos for your next home game. Prefer to watch? Browse the home poker videos.

Hosting

Home Poker Game Setup: Checklist, Costs and Rules

Home poker game setup: what you need for a poker night, what it costs from $0 to $2,000 (about $150 for the kit players notice) and how the cash game runs.

Home Poker Game Rules: 21 Arguments and Who's Actually Right

Home poker game rules for 21 common arguments, from string bets and one big chip to who shows first and exposed cards. The ruling first, then a house rule.

How to Set Up a Home Poker Tournament

How to set up a home poker tournament: a 15,000-chip starting stack, 12 blind levels that end in about 3 hours, rebuy rules and payouts by player count.

How to Host a Poker Night: The Complete Checklist

How to host a poker night, step by step: the complete checklist for invites, stakes, chips, rebuys, house rules, the stop time and settling up at the end.

How to Settle Up a Home Poker Game

How to settle up a home poker game: subtract buy-ins from final chips, check the results total $0, then work out who owes whom. Worked example.

Chips

Clay vs Ceramic vs Composite Poker Chips: Which Should You Buy?

Clay poker chips vs ceramic vs composite: what each is really made of, weight, durability and price per 500-chip set, and which to buy for a home game.

How Many Poker Chips Do You Need for a Home Game?

How many poker chips do you need for a home game? 25 to 31 per player plus rebuys: 300 covers 6 players, 500 covers 10. Count the colors, not the pieces.

Apps

Best App to Track Home Poker Games (2026)

The best app to track home poker games depends on your game. 16 apps compared, plus PokerNow, Splitwise and spreadsheets: buy-ins, settle-up and price.

PokerNow Alternative for In-Person Home Games

PokerNow is for playing poker online with friends. If your group plays at a real table with real chips, here's what to use to track buy-ins and settle up.

Splitwise for Poker: How to Settle Up a Home Game

Can you use Splitwise for poker? Yes, for the final debts. Here's how, what it can't track (buy-ins, rebuys, chip counts) and a free poker settle-up option.

Games

How to Play Five Card Draw

How to play 5 card draw: the ante and deal, 2 betting rounds, how many cards you can draw, jacks or better, a sample hand and the 2-player version.

How to Play Omaha Poker

How to play Omaha poker: 4 hole cards, and you must use exactly 2 of them plus exactly 3 from the board. Flush, straight and full house traps, plus PLO.

How to Play Seven Card Stud

How to play 7 card stud: antes, the bring-in, who acts first on each street, fixed bet sizes and a full hand played out, plus High Chicago for home games.