Strip Poker is a fun way of adding a fun and/or naughty twist to your home-games.
When Panic! At The Disco 🎅 said, 'lying is the most fun [you] can have without taking your clothes off', they clearly hadn't run a strip-poker 🎅 bluff!
What Is Strip Poker (SP)?
Strip poker (SP) is a poker variant that involves players removing clothing. The loser in a 🎅 hand is required to remove a piece of attire as a forfeit.
This poker format encourages the fun, risk, and the 🎅 hilarity of embarrassing your friends. Best played after (and along with) a few decent helpings of rum as SP replaces 🎅 chips with clothing.
In poker, your chip stack is an indicator of scoring in regular poker. In strip poker, it's the 🎅 visibility of your right chest hair!
Getting Ready to Play Strip Poker
There are countless ways to personalise a strip poker game. 🎅 Before you dabble with any of them though, you’re going to need to find –
a deck of cards
some poker chips
at 🎅 least one open minded friend
Technically you could play alone, but that’d raise a couple of serious questions:
Firstly, if you’re sat 🎅 in buff while clutching the wining hand, have you won or lost? And secondly, when’s your bus back to the 🎅 asylum? Once you’ve rounded up the essentials, you can clarify your rules and get started. (We’ll look at this in 🎅 more detail later.)
How to Play Strip Poker in 6 Steps
With all the creases ironed out, it’s time to ‘shuffle up 🎅 and deal’. As you might expect, you can play strip poker with traditional Texas Hold’em rules.But as well as requiring 🎅 some level of poker fundamentals, it tends to be quite slow and dull.
(Which is pretty counterproductive for what is supposed 🎅 to be a bit of light-hearted fun).
With that in mind, here’s a step-by-step example of a simple, fast-paced, heads-up strip 🎅 poker game. Two people can play, with little to no poker experience:
1. Set-Up
Start by ensuring that each player has the 🎅 same number of chips. Then allocate an item of clothing to each chip (if you’re unsure, I’ll explain how to 🎅 do this later). When this is done, clarify the rules and format of the game. For this version we will 🎅 be allowing a card changing on the flop to make things a little more exciting.
All done? Great! The last thing 🎅 to do is draw the curtains and put a tie on the doorknob! 2. Shuffle and Deal
Next, we need to 🎅 shuffle and deal the cards. Start by washing them, and no, not in the sink. (Though, you might want to 🎅 give them a thorough washing after the game). Washing simply means spreading the cards out face down, and mixing them 🎅 up. It’s like you’re giving them a back rub. (You’ve probably seen a dealer do it in the casino.)
When that’s 🎅 finished, deal each player two cards (which they can look at immediately). The deal two bonus cards, face down in 🎅 front of them. (They can’t look at these yet.).
3. Deal the Flop
The next step is to deal a flop: Start 🎅 by ‘burning’ the card at the top of the deck. (Throwit into a discarded pile not the fireplace…). Then deal 🎅 3 cards face up at the centre of the table (this is known as the flop). These are communal cards 🎅 that everyone can use.
4. Allow a Change
With the flop dealt, players can decide if they want to exchange one or 🎅 both of their face-down cards. This swap is a blind exchange. They cannot look at the new cards before they 🎅 change them, Once the cards are discarded, they can’t be taken back.
This version is a game for people who aren’t 🎅 super familiar with poker. So, this play this is the only decision point in the hand. In your own game, 🎅 you can add more yourself if you wish.
5. Run the Board
The next step is to deal the rest of the 🎅 communal board. Burn another card and deal one more card face up, next to the flop (known as the turn. 🎅 ). Do this again for the fifth and final community card (the river).
Now there are five communal cards in the 🎅 middle of the table. Players can use these with their own cards to make their best 5-card poker hand. It’s 🎅 up to you when you decide to expose the cards.
But the game is more exciting if players turn them over 🎅 on the flop (after the exchange). The suspense keeps everyone involved in the drama. Thus, making makes suck-outs way more 🎅 exciting. 6. Showdown
The final stage is to see who wins (or loses!). The player with the worst hand loses a 🎅 chip and must lose the appropriate item of clothing. (Chips represent lives in this game. So, the used chips get 🎅 put to one side until the next game. They are not added to the winner’s stack).
The whole process repeats itself 🎅 until one player is out of lives, chips, clothing, dignity… etc – you get the point.
How to make Things Fair:
If 🎅 you care about the game being fair, make sure everyone has the same starting stack. It’s unlikely everyone will have 🎅 the same number of clothes. So, the best way to make things fair is to assign a chip value to 🎅 each item of clothing. This method ensures that everyone has the same number of total chips.
If someone is wearing fewer 🎅 clothes, you can assign different chip values to each item. They will lose that item of clothing when they have 🎅 lost the corresponding number of chips/lives.
Here’s an example of how to make it fair for two players with a different 🎅 number of clothes:
Girl in a dress:
Dress - 3 chips
Socks - 1 chip
Shoes - 1 chip
Total - 5 chips
Guy in Jeans:
Shirt 🎅 - 1 chip
Shoes - 1 chip
Jeans - 1 chip
Jacket - 1 chip
Cap - 1 chip
Total - 5 chips
Remember you can 🎅 use bracelets, rings, and caps to even things out too.
Who Should I Play Strip Poker With?
You can play with anyone. 🎅 But strip poker isn't going to be replacing charades as a weekend family activity any time soon. So, it's probably 🎅 not the greatest idea to throw Grandma a cheeky wink the next time you're ruffling a deck of cards.
With that 🎅 said, it is essential to play with people you feel comfortable around. A group of close friends or your partner 🎅 make great candidates. But, if playing with a group of strangers at a party works for you, then go right 🎅 ahead. Just like in any other poker game, table selection is key.
How Many People Can Play Strip Poker?
You can play 🎅 with 2-6 payers. Strictly speaking, you can deal until you run out of cards. So, the maximum size of your 🎅 game will depend on what poker variant you're playing.
But you should go with a two-player minimum, though. You can even 🎅 play on your own. But if you do find yourself going solo, a trip to the psychiatrist might be in 🎅 order...
Oh, and remember, heads-up strip poker is likely to be more intimate and flirtatious. A group game at a party 🎅 will far more likely centre on the hilarity of playfully embarrassing each other.
Heads-Up Strip Poker Is Likely To Be More 🎅 Intimate
What Do I Need to Play Strip Poker?
Cards
Chips
A sense of humour
Drinks (optional)
The consequential lowered inhibitions (optional)
Curtains! (recommended by your neighbours)
Clean 🎅 underwear
Strip Poker Example Game
With the rules ironed out, you're free to get started. Here's a variation you can use with 🎅 friends where you can allocate rooms or forfeits too.
It's a quick format of the game.
Ensure each player has a similar 🎅 number of items of clothing before the game stars. You can group items or accept jewellery if you need to 🎅 make it a little fairer. Players nominate an item of clothing as an ante. Players are dealt five cards. They 🎅 are allowed to look at two, with the other three remaining face-down in front of them. A flop is dealt. 🎅 Players have the option to exchange any of their known cards for an equal number of unknown cards. Discarded cards 🎅 are mucked and no longer in the game. Turn is dealt. Players can exchange ONE of their cards with a 🎅 face-down cards if they wish. River is dealt. There is a showdown, with the worst hand losing the item nominated 🎅 as their ante. Once you’re out of clothing, you must await the next game.
If you'd like a slower more skillful 🎅 variant, you could always allocate a number of chips to each player. You would enforce 'stripping' whenever a player loses 🎅 all their chips, or another reaches a particular number.
What about Strip Poker Online?
Strip poker doesn’t have to be limited to 🎅 the real world. So don’t worry if you don’t have a poker set sitting around, you can always take things 🎅 online. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be any sites currently offering strip poker online. But there are loads of creative 🎅 ways to get around that.
That doesn’t include booting up a ring game alone and waving your big pair at every 🎅 flop either! (Seriously… get back to the asylum!). You can use existing poker software to facilitate the game.
It’s against online 🎅 poker rules to sit at a table together if you are in the same house. But there’s nothing wrong with 🎅 pulling up a full, active cash game.
Project the table onto the big screen.
Pick a player already in the game to 🎅 represent those wanting to play strip poker.
It’s pretty straight forward. If your player loses a pot, you lose some of 🎅 your clothes. Simple.
This is a great way of adding an extra level of excitement to strip poker. The game is 🎅 entirely out of your hands and everyone can share the sweat together.
This ghosting method is a great option for new 🎅 players too. Since they won’t have to worry about understanding the rules of poker. They can just pick them up 🎅 as they go. Or not. It doesn’t matter!
This kind of strip poker can work well great in person. But the 🎅 most obvious time to play online is when you’re not physically with your mate.
It can be a great way to 🎅 spice up a distance relationship or spend some amusing time on the phone with your friends.
Simply boot up a video 🎅 call
Check you’re watching the same table
Have some fun.
It’s perfect during lockdown when we can’t mingle in each others’ houses. Incidentally, 🎅 if you do boot up a table with your friends, no collusion please!
How Do Strip Poker Games Differ?
A game of 🎅 strip poker can work as simply as playing a regular game of poker. You simply have to get naked if 🎅 you get eliminated. But it’s far more fun if you have to get your kit off a little more gradually.
As 🎅 far as rules go, you can be as flexible and creative as you like in constructing your game. But do 🎅 try to be sensible with how you assign chip values too. Deep stacks and a slow pace are a bad 🎅 idea. Nobody wants to sit around bored, naked, and cold!
Here’s are a few other tips to help you maximise your 🎅 strip poker experience:
1: Be inclusive. If people are new to poker, play a higher variance game that reduces the skill 🎅 gap. You can give newer players a stack (or clothing) advantage to even things out. This set-up should make poker-muggles 🎅 more likely to want to play.
Likewise, if you are playing with competent players, you can stick to a more traditional 🎅 version of poker. But, for the reasons above, keep things high paced and fun.
2: Make sure you clarify the rules 🎅 before you start. You can choose to add more rules later on in the game if everyone agrees. But, for 🎅 the most part, you need to make sure that everyone is on the same page. You don’t want anyone to 🎅 feel cheated.
3: Be creative. Feel free to add some side games to spice things up. Again, it’s up to you 🎅 how adventurous you are. But a simple example could be to incorporate something like the 7-2 game. (E.g. Everyone must 🎅 take a shot or lose an item of clothing whenever 7-2 wins the pot.).
4: Be mindful: The most crucial thing 🎅 is to ensure that everyone in the game wants to play. It sounds stupid, but people are often hyper-conscious about 🎅 their bodies. Ffor some, the idea of getting naked in front of a group of people can be super-uncomfortable.
Never pressure 🎅 someone into playing. And, if anyone has a change of heart and wants to back out of a game, let 🎅 them.
5: Don’t be a creep! Some people are uncomfortable when they are naked.
It doesn’t matter if -
they’re hotter than Daenerys 🎅 ’ dragon’s breath after a vindaloo
dragon’s breath after a vindaloo or they have a birthmark the exact shape of Madagascar 🎅 on their thigh
- it’s rude to stare!
Remember, the game is supposed to be fun. Don’t be a creep! If you 🎅 don’t already, it’s probably a good idea to apply this rule to the rest of your life too…
I'm Too Shy 🎅 to Play Strip Poker
As you might expect, strip poker isn't a game for the shy or self-conscious. Most people find 🎅 it a little embarrassing to get their jiggly bits out in company.
If you're especially insecure, I'd probably stick to twister 🎅 or chess.
If you do decide to play, remember people are way more likely to be laughing at your misfortune of 🎅 losing than your 'frumpy bits'. For this reason, make sure that you play with the right people.
The Beauty of Strip 🎅 Poker
Looking to add an element of fun to a stale house party?
Or just want an excuse to get naked?
The truth 🎅 is that people love to play strip poker . It can be a fun, sexy or hilarious way to spend 🎅 a night.
Few would argue that poker is a fun family game. But the truth is that it just doesn’t work 🎅 as well if there’s nothing to win. With no stakes, there’s no exploitable pressure on players’ decisions. It becomes harder 🎅 to bluff.
The lack of a prize or forfeit removes any serious sense of competition. This fact means that things can 🎅 get very boring very quickly.
With nothing on the line, poker is like microwaving ice-cream before eating it. Sure, you’ll remove 🎅 the risk of brain-freeze, but you’ll ruin the experience in the process.
Poker with too much at stake can be pretty 🎅 daunting. The financial risk in conventional poker is often enough to put many people off playing altogether.
Since most people prefer 🎅 to wear clothes, strip poker is a great way of bridging this gap. The embarrassment of nudity provides a fun 🎅 way of adding just enough risk. This format ensures that people take their decisions seriously, without facing any financial risk.
Of 🎅 course, stripping isn’t the only way to ensure keep your home games competitive. You could always play for a piece 🎅 of cake or the best seat on the sofa or something. But let’s be honest, where’s the fun in that? 🎅 So, there you have it, strip poker in a nutshell.
Strip Poker – Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is strip poker?
Strip 🎅 poker is a variant of poker where the losers have to remove items of clothing. Whether bad at poker, or 🎅 just unlucky, you’ll end up with no clothes on at all!
Question 2: What are the rules of strip poker?
There is 🎅 no official rule book for strip poker. Throughout history a number of different poker variants have been used for the 🎅 purposes of playing strip poker. The constant element appears to be that the loser has to remove an item of 🎅 clothing.
Question 3: Does any poker variant work for strip poker?
Any variation of poker could technically work for strip poker. But, 🎅 in most cases draw variants without chips are the most fun and straightforward. That way, hands don’t take forever. Players 🎅 can enjoy the action even if they don’t have a lot of experience with poker.
Question 4: What should I know 🎅 about hosting a game of strip poker?
It’s good to create a comfortable environment with -
Low lighting,
Plenty of heat
Background music to 🎅 set the mood
In conclusion, Strip Poker can be a healthy way to changeup a poker night or home game. Texas 🎅 Hold’em is probably the best poker variation to use. But, pretty much, any poker format will work.
If you decide to 🎅 host a SP game, follow the guidelines in this article. It’s essential that everyone is okay with the format. Be 🎅 careful about who you invite. Make sure that the environment is cosy but not to the point of being claustrophobic.
No 🎅 one should feel uncomfortable about playing.
Make sure the rules are clear beforehand. And each player should start with similar numbers 🎅 of clothing items.
Above all, keep the game fun, don’t make it creepy.
Click her for our story about playing strip poker.
