How to Run a Home Poker Tournament: Blinds, Stacks and Structure
15 July 2026 · Cards Galore
A great tournament is mostly preparation. Get the stacks, blinds and payouts agreed before the first hand and the rest of the night runs itself. Here is the structure we recommend for a home game of 6 to 12 players, using the chip denominations in our Monte Carlo sets.
Starting stacks
Give each player a starting stack of $10,000 made up of 13 chips: two $50s, four $100s, three $500s, three $1,000s and one $5,000. That mix covers early small blind action without drowning anyone in shrapnel, and it is exactly the setup guide included with the Monte Carlo 300pc set.
A 12 level blind structure
Run 15 to 20 minute levels. Shorter levels make a faster, more aggressive night; longer levels reward patient play.
- 25 / 50
- 50 / 100
- 75 / 150
- 100 / 200
- 150 / 300
- 200 / 400
- 300 / 600
- 400 / 800
- 600 / 1,200
- 800 / 1,600
- 1,000 / 2,000
- 1,500 / 3,000
With 20 minute levels this plays out in roughly three to four hours for a single table. Set a phone timer or use any free blind timer app, and colour up the small chips as levels rise.
Payouts
For 8 to 10 players, paying the top three keeps the bubble tense: 50 percent to first, 30 percent to second, 20 percent to third. Under 8 players, pay the top two at 65 and 35.
The details that keep it moving
Rotate the dealer button clockwise every hand. Agree the rebuy window before you start, typically the first four levels. And give the game a proper surface: cards slide better and chips stack cleaner on a real felt table. Our 10 player folding tables seat the whole game with a cup holder at every position, and pairing one with the Monte Carlo 300pc set covers the chips, cards and buttons in one go.