Throwing a Poker Theme Party – Invite Friends for Poker Fun

Throwing a poker theme party is easy and doesn't need to be expensive. You don't need fancy poker equipment, just a few decks of cards and some poker chips.

Setting the Poker Party Mood

You'll need to decide how to set the mood to get your friends into the party. You can rent a movie like Rounders to set the tone for some wild, cutthroat games. You might prefer to put together a great poker playlist including songs like Steve Miller Band's “The Joker,” Carly Simon's “Riverboat Gambler,” Billy Joel's “Easy Money,” P. Windrum's “Final Table,” or Abba's “The Winner Takes it All.” Don't forget classics like Sinatra's “Luck Be a Lady, ” “House of the Rising Sun,” and of course, Kenny Rogers' classic “The Gambler.” Of course, songs like Abba's “Money, Money, Money” or MIA's “Paper Planes” can help fill in your song list if you find you're short of music.

Refreshments for a Poker Party

The correct drink for a poker party depends on your friends, but a lot of men like a whiskey when they're playing poker. Your friends may enjoy beer, though. While they're playing poker, you'll want to have peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and other finger foods available. Forget the cucumber sandwiches, though. Poker is a man's game, not one for ladies. Nachos are a good idea, but if you make them spicy, be sure to serve plenty of drinks for your guests. Potato and corn chips are always welcome, as are pretzels. It's not strictly a food, but cigars go well at a poker table. While cigarettes may be acceptable for the ladies, provided that they have wild cigarette holders, men should only smoke cigars at a poker party. If you have some exotic Cuban cigars, your poker party is the perfect time to break them out, provided that you're not playing with anyone from the police force.

The Game

Equipment for a poker game is an absolute necessity, but it doesn't take much equipment to make a game. You'll need a table for every eight players or so. At each table, you'll need a deck of cards, plus you'll need a few extras in case cards get bent or damaged during play. You'll need to buy a pack of poker chips for each table, although you can use real money. If you collect pennies, then this is a great use for your penny jar. You probably don't want to play with serious cash, since a poker party is about fun, and if your guests go home busted, it won't be their favorite party of the season! You'll need a dealer button, but that's easy to make. You can just cut out a round piece of cardboard and write a big letter D in the middle of it. You can buy sets that include cards, chips, and a dealer button. There's no need to buy an expensive set – you can play a great game with a set that costs less than ten dollars. Put out a green tablecloth on each table (paper works fine), and you'll have the best poker party on the block!