Poker Run Invitations
A flyer template set perfect for promoting a Poker Run event. Available in three design variation, these templates are fully editable (you can change sample texts, photo placeholders and color-schemes). More people are hosting home games but it doesn’t have to be the stereotypical guys-only event. Set the tone with stylish poker party invitations and consider some these, great poker party ideas for a successful get together. Poker Party Ideas. THE ABC OF THE GAME: Poker is a game where bets are placed based on the group of cards in your hand. Poker Invitations FAQs. Take a look at the different poker invitation designs from our incredible Designers. Poker invitations start as low as $1.70, so even if you're on a budget you can still get a unique and creative poker invitation! Now let's dig into all of the different options and types of poker invitations on this page. Casino Night Invitation, Poker Run Invitation, Gambling Invitation, Las Vegas Party, Casino Party, Digital Party Invitation, INSTANT ACCESS By Rock Creek Paper Co.
Poker has been a stronghold of guys night in, complete with pizza, beer, and a kitchen full of cigar smoke. The game, however, is becoming a rage. Everyone from celebrities to teenagers is playing it. Its a great way to overcome boring weekends or even weeknights. More people are hosting home games but it doesn’t have to be the stereotypical guys-only event. Set the tone with stylish poker party invitations and consider some these, great poker party ideas for a successful get together.
Poker Party Ideas
THE ABC OF THE GAME: Poker is a game where bets are placed based on the group of cards in your hand. The person with the best hand wins the pot. Its never that simple, of course, and theres more than one way to play. There are several Web sites that explain the different games and teach you the basics. If you are likely to have a group with varying skills the safe bet is “Dealers Choice” which means whoever is dealing the deck chooses the game, and theres more variety. Make sure everyone knows the rules ahead of time. If some don’t, run through at least two hands so they can get the feel of the game.
If youre playing for money (check your local laws first to make sure its legal!), determine a set buy-in amount. Everyone starts with the same number of chips, and when theyre gone, theyre gone. After all, the real fun of poker is trying to win the pot, but you dont want anyone losing their shirt. Keep the buy-in at a comfortable level enough to make the stakes exciting, but no more than your friends would spend on a night out. The idea is to have fun, spend time with friends, and make sure everyone’s eager to come back for more.
Cards Have a couple of decks per table one in play and another shuffled and ready for the next hand to keep the game moving faster. Use brand-new decks of cards, they’re inexpensive, and there’s something really cool about cracking open a fresh deck when you start playing.
Poker chips If you play on a regular basis, you can buy professional grade clay or clay composite poker chips. For a home game, plastic chips are more than adequate. Plan for about 50 to 100 chips per player. Depending on how complicated you want to make the betting, get a two or three colors for different denominations.
Dealer button A dealer marker helps keep track of who holds the deck. You can buy actual dealer buttons, or use something distinctive, like a hat.
Table – Poker night is perfect for a small group, but if youve got lots of friends (and lots of room); you could have a tournament with multiple tables. A good rule is five to nine players per table. You could have an extra table so those who tap out early can still play, sans betting. Alternatively having a nearby couch and TV at the ready will give the “early outs” something to do while waiting for the game to finish.
Green felt is the playing tablecloth fabric of choice, but a red or black tablecloth will work just fine, or you can use a bare table. Make place cards by folding old playing card in half so they stand up, and write your guests names on them with a marker. Make sure there is enough lighting for everyone to clearly see.
POKER NIGHT INVITATION: Send them online or print them out. We’ve got some great designs and ideas for poker invitations.
Poker Run Invitations
- Playing card motif – Glue a playing card (or scan an Ace playing card) to the front of a plain invitation and add the words “Do you feel lucky?” Add the party particulars inside (date, location, event hosts, whether or not people need to dress up, RSVP information, etc.). Or, print your invitation on specialty papers with playing card suit.
- Western motif – Burn the edges of parchment-look paper and fold in half. Cover: Create a wanted poster with Uncle Sam saying “We Want You [inside text:] to come to our Poker Nite!” (Include the party particulars/information.)
POKER NIGHT FOOD: Like any party, a poker party means that the host will have to ensure that there are munchies and beverages for everyone. Its important to have some good poker party food ideas so that your shin dig is successful. Food is important at a poker event, as the games can take a very long time and you’ll need to keep everyone fed.
Chips and dip, pretzels, nuts, candies and cheezies, all make for great standard snacks and go well with the drinks being served. They can be served in several small red and black bowls that can be spread about the table for everybody, rather than one large bowl since the middle of the table will either have chips or cards flying by. You can also use heart, diamond, club and spade cookie cutters to make – poker cookies, decorate a cake, or to cut out shapes in cheeses for a cheese and cracker tray.
After all, anyone can hold a poker party; its the details that set yours apart from the rest. Here are a couple of ideas that are a cut above
- Wings. You can buy wings pre-cooked, and all you have to do is heat them up and provide the flavors. If you want to try something that really adds some zing, set out a couple of plates of lemon pepper wings; youll be remembered for it! You can be creative with your appetizer choices but remember that wings of any flavor are messy, and you dont want greasy fingerprints all over your cards and the table.
- Spinach dip. Spinach dip is another standard appetizer that goes over very well at any party as an appy. Served hot with chips or in a sourdough loaf cold, it’ll go quickly. Best of all, spinach dip isn’t greasy so you don’t have to worry about a mess.
Name your dishes any poker or card-related terms, such as Ace, Ante, Straight, Royal, Fold, Blind, Raise, Call, Check, and so on. Its fun to make a menu card with these names.
BEVERAGES: Be sure to have an assortment of beverages available, non alcoholic for the designated drivers, and for those who feel that they would like to be at the top of their game.
Create a signature cocktail and name it a poker term. A version of Long-Island Tea could be called a Full House Cocktail. You could also pick up some interesting cocktails from the web like Blackjack and Millionaire or get really creative and create your own. Here’s “Queen of Diamonds” Cocktail recipe:
Pour three ounces chilled champagne into martini glass. Shake , 1 ounce vodka. 1 ounce triple sec, and 1 ounce pineapple juice with crushed ice and strain into champagne. Sparkles like diamonds! (For a non-alcoholic version, just add an ounce of pineapple juice to 3 ounces ginger ale or clear carbonated soda).
AMBIANCE: Depending on your guests, country music, blues, jazz or classic rock and roll might work. But remember to keep the music down, as most people need to concentrate on their game. Much of the game and the enjoyment of the night come from the interaction between players, and loud music only serves to drown that enjoyment out.
POKER PARTY FAVORS: If you aren’t playing for money then trophies or prizes for the winners would be cute or you can have a “Poker Party Winner” T-shirt printed up and give individual decks of cards or gold-coin candies to other guests.
POKER PARTY ETIQUETTE: Whether you win or lose, you need to make sure you walk out of a room without having made enemies or embarrassed yourself. Overall, don’t taunt other players when you’re up or whine when you’re down – keep your emotions to yourself. After all, it’s just a game.
When playing with friends, your focus should be on playing a relaxed game without being overly competitive. Winning isn’t everything so try not to push friends right to the wall. And remember to make a conscious effort to limit your drinking if you want to win, as the sober player will probably come out on top. Of course, if you’re just there for a good time, throw the rules to the wind and enjoy yourself.
If you’ve never heard of a Poker Run, prepare to be blown away by this pastime that is sweeping the globe. You don’t need to have any kind of poker skills or even understand poker strategy to be successful at a poker run. While it is not a race, speed can certainly help you in some events.
What is a Poker Run? A poker run is an event where normally participants travel to 5 to 7 stops to collect a playing card at each location. The event is timed and the team or player with the best poker hand using all 5 cards wins the event. Boats, motorcycles, or bicycles are typically used in a poker run.
If you are still unclear, we will break it down further, show you what great fun this experience can be, and offer you tips for hosting your very own Poker Run event. It is not as complicated as it sounds but could be adrenaline rush or event-hook that you’ve been looking for.
Poker Run Details
To show you a hands-on example of whata Poker Run is, check out this event on Eventbrite.Located in Ohio in the Summer of 2020, the Poker Run event is 76miles of biking to be held between two cities.
The goal is to go to the end and back, stopping at bars and fun spots along the way to collect your cards.
“The most popular poker runs thus far have been motorcycle runs, but the format has spread to boats, planes, bicycles and just about any other form of transport you can think of. There’s no reason why you can’t make your event a poker walk, rather than a poker run.” – SDWR
If you are picturing the ‘Amazing Race,’ television show now, you’re not wrong. But also not right.
Imagine this race without the realimportance of arriving first. Even the group that arrives last,could still have the best poker hand. This is the purpose of thegame, which is precisely why it is not a race.
In fact, having the best hand will be a matter of luck, but that is why this event is so enjoyable for all ages.
The organizers will usually boast a small fee to join because they are often fundraisers for charitable causes. This is an affordable way to give back to a cause, race around getting drinks and snacks along the way and enjoy some family/friend bonding with your group.
Rules of a Poker Run
The rules will always be up to the hostof the game. So oftentimes, these are adaptable to each player,event, or goal of the host.
Some ideas for rules to get startedare:
- You will purchase your scoring card at the first stop, and this will be your entrance into the competition. (This money 100% goes back to the XYZ Foundation to help with XYZ)
- You will get a stamp on your hand for each stop your scorecard that represents the card you’ve drawn.
- Players must stop at each stop for a stamp, or they are automatically disqualified.
- All stops must be completed within 6 hours (or however long you prefer). You must reach the final stop by 6:00 p.m. or you are disqualified.
- Once you’ve reached the last stop, you will have the opportunity to pay extra to draw another card.
- You will submit your scoring card and the best 5 (if you’ve paid extra for a 6th) will be marked as your group’s ‘hand.’
- The group with the best hand of cards at the end, wins!
Standard card measurement techniques will be used to determine the group with the best hand. You are looking for great hands in poker such as:
- Two-Pair- Just as it sounds, you have 2 different pairs in your hand. Common.
- Trips– You hold three cards of the same number. Fairly common
- Straight- 5 cards in a row. Somewhat rare.
- Flush- All the same suit. Somewhat rare.
- Full house- 3 of a kind and a pair. For example, 99955 is a full house. Rare.
- 4 of a kind- 4 cards with the same number. Very rare.
- Straight flush- 5 cards in a row with the same suit. Extremely rare.
- A royal flush- An Ace high straight and flush. The rarest hand of all.
How LongDoes a Poker Run Last?
The example linked above only gives you between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to bike over 75 miles. The creator of each Poker run will always establish the rules, but they often do not exceed a weekend.
Poker Runs are often annual events that will be completed within the span of one to two days. Sometimes it is a Saturday/Sunday event, but a winning team will be selected fairly quickly given the extreme tasks they are asked to complete.
As a Poker Run host, you want to be sure that all contestants can reach the final destination by the specified time and the specified means of transportation, without being disqualified for tardiness. Test the race yourself and be certain you are giving your contestants enough time.
How Many Decks of Cards are Needed for Poker Run?
You will only need one full deck forthe poker run because any more than this and contestants will receiveduplicates.
You will need a standard 52-card deck to play poker run, and do not want more contestants/stops than there are cards.
Poker Run Invitations Templates
For example, if you had 15 contestants and 15 stops, there would not be enough cards for each contestant to grab 1 card per stop.
In this case, you could break up the contestants into smaller groups. So 4 groups with 5 stops would work perfectly!
Reasons to Host a Poker Run
The number of Poker Run challenges is on the rise as people discover how brilliantly fun these events can be.
You can host a poker run for thepurposes of:
- Raising money for a great cause or charitable intentions
- Bringing attention to your new business with something fun and unique
- Hosting an event that most people have never been to
- Having a wedding shower, bachelorette party, or any kind of event that you just want to add a unique activity too.
Get creative because essentially any event can benefit from the addition of a Poker Run challenge!
How to HostYour Own Poker Run?
The steps to hosting your own Poker Runevent include but are not limited to:
- Determine the purpose of your Poker Run Event. If it is charitable, a list that blatantly on any invitations or promotion that you do for the event. Always tag related hashtags for your cause, including things like #poker #challenge #gamblers #lasvegas #games #charity #giveback #XYZcharityname, etc.
- Search Engine Optimization and marketing will need to be broad yet specific enough to draw in your ideal audience and participants.
- Gather the 3-10 local businesses that you want to work with for your event. You will have to go around and ask these establishments if they would want to partner with you for this event.
- Describe to the business that like a pub crawl or any other event, it is free for them to be apart of, may make them money while people stop in for beers/food, and their business’s name will be advertised as a sponsor on your Poker Run Event list. It is a great promotion for them and asks if they would be interested in sponsoring you or giving a small cut to the charity you are working on behalf of.
- Do not pressure businesses to donate because all you really need is their excitement and involvement to want to help. Explain that they will be responsible for groups coming in to draw a card. Each business will have to stamp or write out *in pen to not be changeable* the card that each team has drawn.
- Once you’ve promoted your event, have registered players that want to be apart of, and the businesses all lined up for them to stop at, now figure out your prize.
- Once the games have begun, be sure that each team knows the time of where they need to start, and the end-time of where they need to be by the last-stop.
- Be sure that each team has a Tally and Rule Sheet that you can leave at the first stop. The first stop’s employees can be responsible for giving each team their tally sheet, as well as their single stamp for this stop. They will use this tally sheet to get their stamps at each subsequent stop.
- You will have determined beforehand what the transportation will look like for your particular event. Popular Poker Racing styles are by car, motorcycles, planes, speedboat, adding tightropes or ziplines into the mix, etc.
For example, if you wanted your audience to be along the water, find businesses along the water to make it a boat-race. Think deeply about what mechanism of commute will align with your theme. Be creative because you can host this along a popular street of bars, along an entire beach, or across a whole town.
Regardless of the transportation method and distance, be certain that your teams can make it from point A to point B in the time you’ve allotted.
Final Tips for Hosting Your Poker Run
Poker Run Invitations Ideas
I recommend getting a waterproof deck of playing cards. Here is a cool looking deck, found on Amazon, that will work perfectly.
Or, just find one themed for your activity. For example, if your poker run is for bikers you may want to get something a bit edgy. Here is one that my biker dad absolutely loves.
It does not matter who gets there first. This is not a race. As long as each team arrives within the allotted time, they are all playing on an equal playing field.
This is not a race, because just like poker, it comes down to luck. It all comes down to which team has the best hand at the end. It is the luck of the draw.
Be sure the prize is decent enough toentice people but not so expensive that you’ve lost money for yourinitial purpose/fundraising/charity. Your audience will understandthat funds need to go towards those that need it most. Find a prizethat is enjoyable but not costly or eating up your profits fordonations.
A pro-tip is to ask each business thatyou work with if they have anything, they would be willing to offerup in exchange for the advertisement and promotion you are bringingtheir business by advertising them as a sponsor for your great cause.
This could be things like, ‘Free beer at our bar for a month, up to 5 beers per week included,’ or promotions like this that won’t cost the bar too much. Do not pressure your businesses to donate, but if they are willing to, it can be the start of a great partnership for future Poker Runs. Perhaps what the businesses offer up to you will be a wonderful enough prize and no funds will be eaten from your donation-profits.
Whether you are hosting, competing, or just watching the festivities, poker runs are a delight for the entire family. Bring the kiddos out, enjoy races on the water and land, and prepare to experience an amazing race as you’ve never seen before.
If you are ready to run, here’s the list of Poker Run Events in America. Are you lucky enough for the challenge?
Related Questions
Poker Run Invitations Game
Is a poker run considered gambling? A poker run is not gambling since there is no traditional buy-in and the prize is generally not a cash award. However, be sure to check your local state laws to make sure poker runs are legal in your area.
Poker Run Invitations Free
Is a full house better than a flush? Yes, a full house beats a flush. The hand rankings in order are high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four of a kind, a straight flush, a royal flush.