Host a poker night, online

1. Choose the game

A cash game suits a relaxed night where people arrive and leave when they like. A tournament suits a group who can all start together and want a winner. Not sure? Start with a cash game of No-Limit Hold'em.

2. Set the stakes, in chips

A new cash table starts at blinds of 1/2 with buy-ins of 100 to 200 chips, which plays well for most groups. For a tournament, Standard's 15-minute levels make a night of about four hours for nine players; Turbo is about half that.

Chips are only a way of keeping score. They're never bought, sold or worth anything.

3. Send the link

Every table has its own link: tap Invite friends at the top of the table to share or copy it, and drop it in your group chat. Friends tap it, pick a name and an avatar, and choose a seat. Nobody needs an account, and nothing needs installing.

Everyone joining a new table asks to sit down, and you let them in, so only the people you expect play. You can lock the table once everyone's there, and allow watchers or not.

4. Run the game

As host you're in charge, from the Host menu:

• Start and pause the game, for drinks or for a late arrival.
• Change the settings: blinds, buy-ins, the game itself and side games. A change made during a hand starts from the next one.
• Approve chips: by default, players ask you each time they add chips.
• Correct a stack if something went wrong, with a reason everyone sees.
• Name a co-host to share the controls, or hand the table over. If you drop out, the longest-seated player stands in.
• Mute or remove anyone, and let them back in later.

5. Add some side games

Straddles, running it twice and the rabbit hunt are free switches. With Premium, add bomb pots, pot folds, the 7-2 game, the Nit game and win streaks. How each one works.

6. Settle up

The Ledger tab shows each player's result in chips and the fewest transfers to even everyone up. Share results sends it to your group. Started a tournament from the table's Ledger tab? Its results are in the same ledger. More on settling up.

Tips from good hosts

• Agree a finish time before you start, and announce the last orbit.
• Get everyone on a video call alongside. Poker Rooms has table chat and reactions, but seeing faces makes the night.
• Teach as you go. Send new players our five-minute guide beforehand, and the table names their hand for them.
• Make it a regular game with a club: members, planned nights and a season's league.