How to build a blind structure for a home poker tournament

A blind structure decides how long your tournament lasts and how much poker gets played before it turns into an all-in contest. Get it right and the night ends close to when you promised. Get it wrong and you either finish in an hour or send people home after midnight.

Start from the finish time

Work backwards. Decide when you want the last hand dealt, subtract the start time and any breaks, and that is the playing time you have. A typical home game with eight to ten players fits comfortably into three to four hours of play.

Pick a starting stack people can count

Use a stack that is easy to read at a glance, such as 10,000 or 20,000 in chips. Aim for a starting stack of 100 to 200 big blinds at the first level. Fewer than 50 big blinds makes the early levels a shove fest; more than 300 makes the first hour feel like nothing is happening.

Choose a level length

Level length is the main dial for how long the night runs.

• 10 minute levels play fast, a turbo.
• 15 to 20 minute levels suit most home games.
• 25 to 30 minute levels give a deep, slower game for a dedicated group.

Keep every level the same length. Changing it mid-game is the fastest way to start an argument.

Raise the blinds by a steady amount

A comfortable rise is 25 to 50 percent per level. Doubling every level feels dramatic and ends the game early. A schedule such as 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 150/300, 200/400, 300/600, 400/800, 600/1,200 climbs at a steady pace and uses chips most sets have. Add antes later in the night if you want to push the action without shortening the levels again.

Plan breaks and colour ups

Put a 10 minute break every 90 minutes or so. Breaks are also the moment to colour up: swap the smallest chips for larger ones once the small blind no longer uses them, so stacks stay readable.

Write it down and show it

Whatever structure you choose, write the full schedule before the first hand and put it where everyone can see it. Nobody can announce the wrong blinds when the schedule is on the wall.

In PokerPulse you build the levels before the game, or start from a suggested schedule for your player count and stack, and the setup screen tells you whether the pace looks like a turbo, standard or deep game. During play the clock moves to the next level on its own and shows it on any screen in the room.

Next, read how to split the prize pool and run bounties and how to run a home poker tournament from start to finish.