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How to build a home game poker blind structure
A blind structure decides how long your tournament lasts. Get it right and the game finishes when you planned. Get it wrong and you are either shoving blind at 9pm or still playing at 2am. Four numbers matter: starting stack, level length, blind growth, and finish time.
The four decisions
- Starting stack: aim for about 100 big blinds at level 1 (for example 5,000 chips with 25/50 blinds). Deeper stacks reward skill but run long.
- Level length: 15 minutes suits most home games of 6 to 10 players. Use 10 minutes for a turbo, 20 or more for a slow, deep game.
- Blind growth: raise blinds by roughly 30 to 50 percent each level. Faster growth shortens the game and increases luck.
- Finish time: work backwards. Total chips divided by the final big blind should leave the table at about 15 to 30 big blinds in play.
Worked example: 9 players, about 3 hours
Nine players with 5,000 chips each puts 45,000 chips in play. With 15 minute levels, 12 levels fill three hours. Most games end around level 10 to 11, once the average stack falls under 15 big blinds.
| Level | Blinds | Starts at (h:mm, 15 min levels) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25/50 | 0:00 |
| 2 | 50/100 | 0:15 |
| 3 | 75/150 | 0:30 |
| 4 | 100/200 | 0:45 |
| 5 | 150/300 | 1:00 |
| 6 | 200/400 | 1:15 |
| 7 | 300/600 | 1:30 |
| 8 | 400/800 | 1:45 |
| 9 | 500/1000 | 2:00 |
| 10 | 700/1400 | 2:15 |
| 11 | 1000/2000 | 2:30 |
| 12 | 1500/3000 | 2:45 |
Antes
Introduce an ante about one third of the way through, equal to the small blind. Antes push action late in the game and stop players from folding their way into the money. They are optional at a casual home game.
Breaks
Schedule a 10 minute break about every two hours for food and drinks. A break does not raise blinds, so it adds time. Plan for it when you pick a finish time.
Tourney Manny builds a structure for you from player count, target duration, and level length, and you can edit every level.
Frequently asked questions
How long should poker blind levels be?
15 minutes works for most home games of 6 to 10 players. Use 10 minutes for a turbo game and 20 minutes or more for a slow, deep-stack game.
What starting stack should I use for a home tournament?
About 100 big blinds at the first level. For example, 5,000 chips with 25/50 blinds.
When should antes start?
Roughly one third of the way through the structure, set equal to the small blind. Antes are optional in casual games.
How fast should blinds go up?
About 30 to 50 percent per level. Faster growth ends the game sooner but adds luck.
Open the free poker timer