By Rachel Lankester, Mutton Club editor
Everything you need to know to run a girl’s poker night
Are you in a book club? Why not try a midlife girls’ poker night instead? It’s great fun! Get some nibbles and drinks in, and get ready to giggle.
Don’t worry about losing all your money. You can either play for free or put a set amount in the winner’s pot. If you all contribute say £10, you can include a frisson of excitement without breaking the bank!
And take inspiration from Victoria Coren, the first and only two time winner of the European Poker Tour, who has acquired official lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $2m!
Poker is great fun, easy to learn and it’s the perfect combination of chance and skill. Texas Hold’em is our game of choice and it’s easy to get familiar with after a few rounds. Unlike many games, the more you play, the more fun it gets, as you learn to combine skill with chance to make your way to the top. Why not buy a poker set, maybe a piece of green felt for a really authentic feel and away you go.
Resources to get you going
First, watch the nifty six minute video above which shows you how to play. It can seem a bit complicated at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Honest!
If you want some practice before going live, try out free online poker especially the VIP Poker App for smartphones and tablets. It’s an easy, no risk way to get your confidence and knowledge up before a real-life game. Try experimenting with male and female usernames – it can be very interesting how other players behave differently towards you!
Here’s a nice little visual of the hands you’re aspiring to achieve in order of importance starting bottom right.
Strategy advice
If you want advice on strategy, there is no better place to go than Victoria Coren’s poker advice page. Read it bottom up to start with basic strategy.
Victoria’s book, For Richer, For Poorer, Confessions of a Player, provides more tips and tells the story of how, miserable at an elegant day school for girls, she found escape in the mysterious world of poker!
So what’s stopping you? Best get working on your poker face!
Advanced tip: If you want a faster game that works in a set time-frame try raising the blinds.
Last Updated on January 31, 2023 by Editorial Staff
