How to host an online poker night with friends
A home poker game online needs three things: a private table only your friends can find, a way in that doesn't make anyone sign up, and chips rather than money. PlayHall Poker does all three in the browser, on phones and laptops.
1. Open a private table
Open Poker, type your name and press Play now. The lobby is private unless you make it Public. Send its link to the group chat, or let friends in the room scan the QR code. They type a name and take a seat, with no account and no app.
2. Pick cash tables or a Sit & Go
Cash tables suit a relaxed night: play as long as you like, and rebuy when you run out of chips. A Sit & Go suits a night with a winner: everyone starts with the same stack, the blinds go up on a timer, busted players are out, and the last one standing wins.
3. Set the blinds and stacks
Blinds run from 5/10 up to 50/100, and the starting stack is 50, 100 or 200 big blinds. In a Sit & Go, the blinds go up every 3, 5, 10 or 15 minutes.
For a quick game, start with 50 big blinds and raise the blinds every 5 minutes. For a long night, start with 200 big blinds and raise them every 15.
4. Seat everyone
Pick 2, 4, 6 or 9 seats a table. With more friends than seats, PlayHall opens as many tables as it takes, up to 100 players, and up to 100 more can watch.
5. Keep the game moving
Set a turn timer of 15, 30 or 60 seconds so nobody stalls a hand. Get everyone on a video call too: reading faces is half the game.
Questions
- Do my friends need an account?
- No. They open your link, type a name and sit down.
- Is there any real money?
- No. PlayHall Poker is played for chips only. There's nothing to deposit and nothing to win but bragging rights.
- How many people can play?
- From 2 to 9 at a table, and up to 100 players across tables in one lobby.