Poker as one of the best and most popular board games today is something we can all agree on. However, there are several types that could make time a constraint. In the game of poker, the time you have available is a factor, therefore, knowing how long an average game would last will help you schedule. How long does a poker game last? Read on to discover the answer.
Understanding Poker
The objective of playing poker is to win by capturing the pot containing bets made by a group of players. Winning also attracts cash prizes, precisely the total number of bets in the pot. To participate in the game, a player wagers hoping that he has the best hand versus other players, or at least he tries to give the impression that he does. This could force other players to fold or abandon their hands.
As a player, knowing when to release a hand that appears to be beaten is very important. The same goes with knowing when to bet. This is because it is better to cut your losses early and fold when you suspect a player has a stronger hand. For most poker games, having a deck that combines the first five cards is the best hand.
Poker is usually played by players between 2 and 10 depending on the size of the game. However, most standard casinos are set up with eight players for a 7 card game and 9 or 10 players for higher-card games like Texas Hold’em.
What is the average duration of a poker game?
The average poker game lasts anywhere between 1 and 3 hours for simple games. However, more or less complex games and tournaments can last anywhere between 20 minutes and 12 hours. Just like most games, this is just an average and could vary depending on other factors in the game. They include:
- Number of players
- Types of players
- Size of the starting stack
- How careful or carefree the players are
- Size of the starting stack
- How many initial big blinds increase at each level
- The duration and number of each bind level
A rundown of varying poker games and how long they take include:
- Tournament of up to 1000 people – 8 to 10 hours and can go up to a few days for live games
- Turbo tournament – 4 to 6 hours or up to 8 hours for live games
- Cash game – 1 to 2 hours or up to 3 hours for live games and players can leave the table at any time
- Sit and go (turbo & 9 players) – 45 minutes or up to 90 minutes for live games
Taking a close look at the different variations, there are no definite rules or time constraints to a poker game. As a result, you can’t exactly determine how long a game would last. A single tournament with live games for example usually lasts more than a day with an average time of 12 hours. However, there are situations when players spend less time. A lot depends on the type of people playing.
Cash games are the most flexible regardless of where you’re playing. This is because you can join in on the game at any time by paying the buy-in.
