Guide · Home games
How to run a home poker tournament
Everything you need for a tournament night that lasts as long as you want: chips, a blind structure ready to copy, and the rules worth agreeing on beforehand.
3 min read · Updated on
In short
Give each player 2,000 in chips, start with 10/20 blinds and raise them every 20 minutes. With 6 to 8 players the tournament runs about 3 hours. The winner is whoever ends up with all the chips.
- chips per player
- 2,000
- chips per player
- starting blinds
- 10/20
- starting blinds
- per level
- 20 min
- per level
- with 6 to 8 players
- ~3 h
- with 6 to 8 players
What you need
2 decks
While one is being dealt, someone shuffles the other. It saves a lot of time.
Chips in 4 colors
About 30 per player. How many and what each is worth.
A timer
Your phone works. Set it to ring every 20 minutes.
A dealer button
A coin or anything easy to tell apart.
A blind structure ready to copy
| Level | Blinds | Minute | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 / 20 | 0 | |
| 2 | 20 / 40 | 20 | |
| 3 | 30 / 60 | 40 | |
| 4 | 50 / 100 | 60 | |
| Break | 10 min | 80 | Trade in the 10 chips for 50s |
| 5 | 100 / 200 | 90 | |
| 6 | 150 / 300 | 110 | |
| 7 | 200 / 400 | 130 | |
| 8 | 300 / 600 | 150 | |
| 9 | 500 / 1,000 | 170 | It usually ends around here |
| 10 | 800 / 1,600 | 190 |
Want a 2-hour tournament?
15-minute levels with the same table.
Want a 4-hour tournament?
25-minute levels, or 3,000 in chips per player.
10 players?
Two tables of 5, combined when 6 are left.
What to agree on before you start
Rebuys
Can a busted player buy back in? The usual answer: yes, but only during the first hour.
Payouts
With 6 players, pay 1st and 2nd. With 8 or more, pay the top 3.
Seating
Draw seats with one card each. The highest card gets the first dealer button.
The clock rules
If the timer rings mid-hand, the new blinds start on the next hand.
During the tournament
- 01
Draw seats and hand out chips
Everyone starts with exactly the same stack. Count them in front of everyone.
- 02
Start the clock
Level 1: blinds 10/20. The button moves one seat to the left every hand.
- 03
Raise the blinds when the timer rings
Announce it out loud. The new blinds start on the next hand.
- 04
Break and color up
After level 4, the 10 chips are no longer useful: trade them for 50s, rounding up.
- 05
Combine tables or rebalance
As players are eliminated, do not leave anyone with an empty seat next to them for long.
- 06
Last player with chips wins
When 2 are left, play heads-up until one has everything.
Strategy tip: how to play as the blinds go up
Once you are down to fewer than 15 big blinds, calling and waiting stops working: what works is shoving all in or folding. With 10 big blinds or fewer, from the button or small blind you can shove with many more hands than you think. See the push/fold chart.
The thing that loses the most home tournaments is letting the blinds eat you alive without a fight. More strategy in the best starting hands.
Frequently asked questions
How many chips should each player get in a home poker tournament?
About 100 big blinds. With 10/20 blinds, that is 2,000 in chips.
How often should the blinds go up?
Every 20 minutes for a tournament of about 3 hours. Every 15 minutes if you want it shorter.
How long does a home poker tournament last?
With 6 to 8 players, 2,000 in chips and 20-minute levels, around 3 hours.
What is a rebuy?
Buying back into the tournament with a fresh stack after you run out of chips. It is usually allowed only in the first levels.
What if a player shows up late?
They join with a full stack as long as the rebuy period is not over, and they post the blinds they missed while away.
Set up your tournament tonight.
Before the night starts, practice when to shove all in and when to fold, so you are the one with a plan when the blinds climb. Free, and no real money.