Many gentlemen have a few friends who enjoy poker, and the game is an excellent way to pass the time. If you don’t have any local friends to play with, don’t worry—a virtual game of poker can be just as much fun.
Whether you’re new to poker or have been playing for years, a virtual poker night can be a great way to pass the time. If you don’t know any friends who play, then start looking for them online. We’re sure you’ll find someone who lives nearby or on the other side of the world who would love to play poker online with some new people over video chat.
Set up a video conferencing service (Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.)
A video conferencing service is an easy way to connect everyone on your poker night and play cards together. There are many different providers, so here’s what to look for:
- Easy-to-use software. You don’t want to spend time figuring out how to use the service since you need every minute of your free time for more important things like drinking whiskey and telling bad jokes.
- Good sound quality. If you can’t hear each other well, then what’s the point?
- Free to use. This should include unlimited conference calls per month with no additional fees beyond basic package offerings.
- Security features such as password protection or two-factor authentication, if possible. This will help keep unwanted players from joining your game by guessing passwords or using old accounts that have been compromised previously.
Have everyone chip in for the buy-in
Before you begin, make sure you have a solid buy-in amount. This can be anywhere between $20 and $100, depending on how much you want to spend on this night and who is playing. Once you’ve decided on the amount, make sure everyone chips in equally, so no one feels left out. If there is a discrepancy in the buy-in amount, discuss it with everyone before you begin.
Choose a time to play when there are no distractions
The first thing to do is pick a time that works for everyone. We suggest Friday night from 7 pm to 9 pm. This will eliminate distractions and make the game more focused and fun.
If you have any other plans, cancel them! This is important because once you start playing poker with your friends, it’s going to be hard to get away from your computer screen and go outside for some fresh air or grab dinner with friends after work.
Get dressed in your favorite suit!
Get dressed in your favorite suit or shirt/tie combo. If you feel more confident, you’re more likely to play better and, hopefully, make more money.
Be sure to dress for the occasion by wearing something that fits well and shows that you care about how others perceive you. With this in mind, make sure that whatever clothing items you choose fall within the guidelines of appropriate etiquette for the event.
However, if you’re just playing with a few friends, you might not have to dress up so much. If you all agree, you can make the dress code for the evening anything you wish. You don’t have to wear a tux as you might at a real casino if you don’t feel like it.
Stay hydrated, but don’t overdo it on the alcohol
While it’s important to stay hydrated, too much alcohol can have a negative effect on your game. You need to be able to think clearly, and having one too many drinks before playing might make you lose focus.
Similarly, knowing when to stop is an essential part of being a gentleman. If you start getting sloppy or losing track of the cards in your hand because you’ve had too much to drink, consider calling it quits for the night and saving your winnings for another night when everyone’s sober.
Wrapping Up
We hope you have as much fun planning your poker night as we did! If you need some more information on how to play poker to brush up on your skills before the big night, there are plenty of sources out there that can help you.
