The weekend is here, and that means that a lot of people will be playing in home games. If you are thinking of hosting one, there are a few things that you should take into consideration.

• Will you be running a tournament, or playing cash games only?
• Who are you going to invite?
• Set a start time and an end time to the game, unless you are running a tournament. Make sure that you are willing to host the game until it finishes.
• Who has the final word when it comes to settling disputes?

• Are you providing food and drinks? Or are guests required to bring their own?
• Are you serving / allowing alcohol?
• It is highly recommended to use chips rather than cash, so if you don’t have a set, borrow one
• If you are playing cash games, decide in advance if IOU’s are allowed, and for what amount
• Don’t allow rabbit hunting, it slows down the game
• Make sure you cover the rules prior to the game, and that everyone understands them
• Make sure everyone has a comfortable chair. If you don’t have enough, ask them to bring their own.
• Decide in advance if players who are out, or spouses/friends who are there but not playing, are allowed to watch
• If you are playing a game that requires antes, have the dealer ante for everyone. This saves time and settles the dispute of “who didn’t ante”. Since everyone has equal turns being dealer, everyone pays the same amount over the course of the game.
• If you are taking a rake, make sure everyone is aware of this prior to starting the game. It is usually a better idea to ask everyone for a small amount (like $5) to cover your costs if you provide soft drinks / snacks
• Be a good winner, and a good loser. If you want people to return, this is imperative