Do you wish you had a man cave where you and lads (and lasses too, of course) can play poker without having to be careful of the décor? Something that you can call your own, and let your hair down in? Why not convert your garage into a grown-up version of a den, where you call the shots and control who is allowed in and when? You may think that you do not have enough space in your garage to do this, but a little moving and storage magic can mean that your garage is easily transformed into a spacious gaming club whenever necessary. Even if you regularly park your car inside the garage, you should be able to park it outside for the duration of your poker events, then return it once the game is finished and everything is put away. One good way to maximise the space inside your garage is to invest in some good storage options for your tools. Massive tool-boxes can be great, but they are bulky and heavy which makes them awkward to move and inconvenient to store properly. Instead, opt for a board with nails on, on which you can hang your tools. You can even draw the shape of the tool around it, so they are easy to replace when you are working on a project. Splurge a bit on some trappings for your poker nights: a decent folding card table is a must, as are comfy chairs in case the game runs a long time. You can maybe even find space to fit in a small refrigerator, ready to stock with beers and cold drinks. A word of advice though: best not to have any mirrors in your poker clubhouse – your fellow players might not appreciate the extra eyeline offered by those! Learn some good tips before holding your first event so that you can impress your friends with both your hosting warmth, and your playing skills – even knowing how to shuffle like a professional croupier will net you some admiration. Then all you need to do is stock the fridge and set the date!

Man caves really were made for Poker Nights. They give you the space that you need to invite your friends round, get out the snacks and enjoy a beer or two without disturbing anyone else in the house. If you are lucky enough to have your very own man cave, what are you waiting for? Here are some top tips to make sure everyone has a good time.

Snacks

Every poker night needs snacks. When you choose your snacks though, you do need to choose foods that are easy to eat by hand. Everyone around the table will be handling playing cards so you need to have foods that aren’t messy to eat. Think crisps, nuts or maybe chopped up vegetables. If you would like to serve up a more substantial meal you could offer a pre-game meal.

Game

AS you will probably be aware there are many variants of poker. You need to decide which variant you will play before you poker night to give all your guests the chance to brush up their skills. If you choose Texas Holdem or Omaha poker, for instance, everyone could have a look at Review Poker to make sure they understand the rules. You will also all need to decide if you want to play for real money or if you just want to play for fun. Deciding in advance will prevent misunderstandings at the event.

Drink

The drink is another important part of poker night. Generally, since you are providing the location and the food it is acceptable for you to ask your guests to bring some drink options. This way, you don’t have to spend a fortune and waste a lot of time worrying about what exactly everyone likes to drink. Guests, usually are more than happy to turn up with enough drink that they can share, so everything normally works out fine. Do have some soft drinks on hand for those who don’t wish to indulge in alcohol though.

If you’ve got a suitable garage, it’s an ideal venue for poker nights. You can be out of the way of the rest of the family, and make as much or as little noise as you like. So what do you need to do? A reliable table is a must – but don’t worry if you don’t have a green baize-topped table. You can buy green baize and simply drop it over the top, like a tablecloth.

Make sure there’s enough light – and no mirrors or windows that will allow peeking at people’s hands. There’s no need to go overboard on the hospitality – people have come to play, not eat. It’s quite acceptable to ask your pals to bring their own choice of drink. So now, you just have to decide which poker game you’re going to play. And there’s a lot of choice! Because Texas Hold’em is the most popular game in online casinos, it’s also the first game that a lot of people learn. In fact, many people think that Hold’em IS poker, not realising that are many variants of the game, and that some are so different, you have to forget what you learned when playing Hold’em, in order to play the new game. For example, Seven Card Stud poker. This classic poker version used to be widely played – and now there’s a revival of interest. Seven Card Stud involves more strategic thinking than Hold’em and its fans claim it’s a far more challenging game, with the perfect mix of luck and skill. It’s also popular with keen players, as a High Rollers Poker game. There are “Hi” and “Lo” versions of Seven Card, and just as Hold’em has Omaha, Seven Card has many variants. And if you really want to tune up your brain cells, try Pai Gow poker, sometimes called double hand poker, which is completely different from Hold’em or Seven Card.

Every man needs a man cave; a place to relax and unwind with the boys. However, unless you have a spare room in your home, you are probably thinking that your dreams of your perfect man cave will go unfulfilled. However, all is not lost if you have a garage! Here are a few ideas to get you started with turning your garage into your personal slice of heaven.

Have some Casino Fun!

There really is nothing better than having a friendly game of poker with your buddies. Once you have gotten your man cave fitted out with everything you need, why not consider adding a poker table and a slot machine? You can have some proper casino fun with the boys without having to worry about traveling to a casino and spending a fortune! There are some great deals to be found online.

Install a Bar

No man cave is complete without the addition of a well stocked bar. Drinks optics can be purchased online for some very reasonable prices these days. Keep your bar stocked and everyone will want to head to your man cave over a night out on the town.

Get a Sound Bar

If you want to make sure that you and your friends are kept entertained, then one thing that is definitely worth considering is a sound bar. Again, these can be purchased online for a fairly reasonable price. Once you have it set up, you can enjoy music whilst playing poker.

Get a Games Console

It doesn’t have to be the latest model at all, in fact, retro gaming is often more fun! Purchase a games console for your man cave and you and your friends will have hours of fun. These are just a couple of suggestions, the great thing about turning your garage into a man cave is that you have the freedom to make it whatever you want it to be!

With modern technology getting better and better, it is now possible to make your own car into a personal Wi-Fi hotspot or with Internet connectivity. Both options are easy to set up, with a hotspot just needing the use of a good data plan and a smartphone. 4G options simply need a dongle and this will stay in your car at all times and potentially save you money in the long run, though they won’t connect to the car’s systems. Some modern cars even have Wi-Fi integrated already, making it even easier to stay connected.

Whatever method you choose, car Wi-Fi, of course, has its pros and cons. We will start with the cons. The first thing to bear in mind is passenger and driver safety. In most countries, it is illegal to drive whilst holding a mobile device. Having Wi-Fi and getting messages can be distracting and potentially dangerous for all in the car. It is therefore important to have a hands free device if you are the driver. For passengers, of course, there is no such problem.

Onto the pros. Having constant Wi-Fi access means that you are instantly accessible by everyone, it also means that you can stay abreast of everything that is going on in the world whether it is latest headlines, weather reports, or, of course, traffic news. Car Wi-Fi is the perfect solution to avoiding those tiresome tailbacks on the way to work.

If, heaven forbid, you are caught in one, then with Wi-Fi access, you can hop onto your favourite online gaming site and play a few rounds or spin a few slots whilst you wait for the traffic to clear. Whatever you use the car Wi-Fi for, it is important to remain safe at all times.

Passengers should not distract drivers with the latest entertaining post and likewise, drivers need to refrain from checking their phone whilst on the move.