Poker Run Organizers, how did you do it?

[Birdnutty]

I just volunteered to do a Poker Run for our roll call, and have never done one before. I saw online how motorcycle clubs do it (via a "scorecard" that gets stamped with the corresponding card at each stop) but was told that wouldn't work here. It is to be in coordination with the cabin crawl, which has been divided into several visiting groups.

 

Has anyone organized a successful run with some secrets (or not) to share? Would love to hear your ideas.

[RFerrington]

I tried to do one on our last cruise and had to abandon those plans. It was just too complicated.

 

Someone told me that you must have a separate deck of cards for each cabin that you visit. Each person (who has paid to participate, of course) draws a card at each cabin stop. Then at the end, you make your best 5 card poker hand out of the cards that you have drawn. You can split up the winnings any way you want to...winner takes all or pay top 3 or whatever.

 

That was just too much work so I didn't do it.

[gerelmx]

From our Eclipse roll call Darrell is the manager, he post the rules:

"PubCrawl / PokerRun",

 

We start in the Sunset Bar on Deck 15; everyone pays $5 per poker hand to the "POT", we get a drink and get your first card (of a 5-card poker hand). Then we move on to the next "Pub" where you get another card; then another pub for another card (and another drink as needed ;) )..... etc.

We end up in the Sky Observation Lounge for the fifth card, and to see who has the Best and the Worst Hand. Then the POT is divided up between the highest poker hand (75%) and the lowest hand (25%).

 

It's always been a LOT of FUN, and you get to know your fellow CC’ers - takes about 1.5 to 2 hours - we will do it on the second Sea-Day somewhere around 2:00 or 3:00 depending on when the bars/pubs are available. (That's why I need your cabin # so I can call you and let you know.

[h20skibum]

From our Eclipse roll call Darrell is the manager, he post the rules:

"PubCrawl / PokerRun",

 

We start in the Sunset Bar on Deck 15; everyone pays $5 per poker hand to the "POT", we get a drink and get your first card (of a 5-card poker hand). Then we move on to the next "Pub" where you get another card; then another pub for another card (and another drink as needed ;) )..... etc.

We end up in the Sky Observation Lounge for the fifth card, and to see who has the Best and the Worst Hand. Then the POT is divided up between the highest poker hand (75%) and the lowest hand (25%).

 

It's always been a LOT of FUN, and you get to know your fellow CC’ers - takes about 1.5 to 2 hours - we will do it on the second Sea-Day somewhere around 2:00 or 3:00 depending on when the bars/pubs are available. (That's why I need your cabin # so I can call you and let you know.

 

 

 

I have organized a couple runs that are similar to this. I use a $5 buy in, and you visit 5 bars. I place the cards in individual envelopes (you can get cheap boxes of envelopes at the dollar store)

 

At the 5th bar, everyone opens one envelope at a time to reveal their hands, and best hand wins the pot.

 

That way, everyone’s hand is secret until the envelopes are opened.

 

As the organizer, I usually have different participants pick the envelopes for me so no one thinks it is rigged if I happen to win.

 

 

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[Aboat1]

Prior to our cruise I emailed the Activity Mgr.and requested some donations for the run. I gave each person that was hosting a cabin a brown bag of misc. cards. When the participants visited the cabin, they drew a card from the bag. I made my cabin the last one on the crawl. The three highest hands won a prize. Fun to do. Still in touch with a lot of people from our cruise!

[Birdnutty]

I have organized a couple runs that are similar to this. I use a $5 buy in, and you visit 5 bars. I place the cards in individual envelopes (you can get cheap boxes of envelopes at the dollar store)

 

At the 5th bar, everyone opens one envelope at a time to reveal their hands, and best hand wins the pot.

 

That way, everyone’s hand is secret until the envelopes are opened.

 

As the organizer, I usually have different participants pick the envelopes for me so no one thinks it is rigged if I happen to win.

Pardon me for being dense, but I'm a little confused. Do you put a single card per envelope, and each person draws another envelope at each stop? Then at the last stop, one person starts by opening each envelope one at a time so the entire hand can be seen, then move on to the next person? We have somewhere around 26 people (probably not all will participate, but you never know), so that could take forever. Or am I misunderstanding? How many decks do you use? One for each stop?

[Crazycruiser1971]

Pardon me for being dense, but I'm a little confused. Do you put a single card per envelope, and each person draws another envelope at each stop? Then at the last stop, one person starts by opening each envelope one at a time so the entire hand can be seen, then move on to the next person? We have somewhere around 26 people (probably not all will participate, but you never know), so that could take forever. Or am I misunderstanding? How many decks do you use? One for each stop?

 

 

 

At our camp we have poker runs. Beforehand you get 5 “stops” with a specific person in charge at each stop (people’s cabins, certain bar, etc) everyone participating gets a index card with each stop wrote on it.. when you go to a stop that person initials their stop # on your card . Then at the final stop each person draws 5 cards, one at a time. ( If there are a lot of people then have 2 or 3 people with separate decks) Best and worst hands are paid.

 

 

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[Maven3]

I just volunteered to do a Poker Run for our roll call, and have never done one before. I saw online how motorcycle clubs do it (via a "scorecard" that gets stamped with the corresponding card at each stop) but was told that wouldn't work here. It is to be in coordination with the cabin crawl, which has been divided into several visiting groups.

 

 

 

Has anyone organized a successful run with some secrets (or not) to share? Would love to hear your ideas.

 

 

 

I have been looking for info for the same reason as you. I am planning a Poker Run on the Edge next spring — since no one has been on the Edge, it makes it a little more complicated. Below is some info I found helpful. It is all copied from previous CC posts.

 

I have been told to contact the concierge (restaurant manager may be a better contact) and ask for a dedicated bar tender to “travel” with us. Also, I should allow for an additional tip for that bar tender to come out of the proceeds, maybe $1 pp if we charge $10 pp for the run.

 

Here is the info I have compiled...

 

We do it a little differently. No drinking required, for those who don't imbibe, or wish to imbibe lightly.

 

Choose 5 bars, spend 20 min at each bar.

 

At each stop, everyone will draw one card from a standard deck, and then return the card along with their scoresheet to the scorekeeper/organizer. The scorekeeper marks it on the scorecard, returns the card to the deck, and gives back the scorecard.

 

In theory, everyone could draw the same card, it doesn't matter.

At the next stop, draw another card, etc. If you happen to draw the same card for a second time, return it & draw again.

 

At the end of five draws, turn in your scorecard to the scorekeeper, who will determine the best hand.

 

Advantages: Don't have to deal with multiple decks, can be played with any number.

 

You can google "poker run scoresheet" for lots of nice printable templates. This is how the motorcycle clubs usually do it (although their bar crawls usually have more miles involved) ;-)

 

 

——

 

1. Players will purchase a scorecard for $10 at the first Pub, the Pass-port Bar. At each Pub one card will be drawn from a bag containing one full playing card deck (52 cards) without jokers. We will write the rank and suit of the card you draw into the proper square on your scorecard. The playing card will be returned to the bag. Players will go to each Pub, in order, and drawn a card. Approximately 30 minutes at each pub.

 

2. At the last pub, the Sunset Bar, you will draw your last card. Before turning in your scorecard, you will be given the opportunity to PUR-CHASE one additional card for $5! The best 5 cards will be used for your final hand.

 

3. Scorecards must be turned in at the Sunset Bar, by 4:00 PM. Win-ners to be announced at 4:15 PM.

 

4. Standard poker hand rankings will be used to determine the winners. Payouts will be: 1st Place: 60%, 2nd Place: 30% and Last Place: 10%

 

——

 

I wanted to share the document I put together for our Pub Crawl/Poker Run, it might help others to run their Crawl. When they draw a card my husband or I will write the card down on the sheet and the card will go back into the stack. We will bring Red and Black Sharpies to help make it easier to read. Hope it helps.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B90...ew?usp=sharing

 

—- end of copied info —-

 

Some people say they ask for “prizes” from the activities director, not sure if that would be worth it. Does anyone know what prizes they offer? Besides the cash, I guess the loosing hands could be used as a second chance drawing for any gifts donated by the cruise line.

 

I’m interested to hear how you plan to organize your run. On my last cruise, our Cabin Crawl had over 50 people, it was hard enough to keep that going smoothly on its own. I wouldn’t want to add a Poker Run to it. If your roll call is very active, I wouldn’t combine the Poker Run & Cabin Crawl. If there are only a handful of participants, it could work out well.

 

 

Vickie

[Maven3]

I just volunteered to do a Poker Run for our roll call, and have never done one before.

 

 

 

Has anyone organized a successful run with some secrets (or not) to share? Would love to hear your ideas.

 

 

 

Here is the card I made for our Poker Run & Bar Crawl. I will print them so each player gets a 1/2 sheet of card stock or heavy paper. The playing card info will be on the front, the rules on the back. I will contact the food & beverage manager prior to the Crawl & let them know how many people will be participating & our tentative schedule. Some people have told me that some crawls have the bar tender(s) move with the Crawl & you order your drink prior to arriving at the next bar. Our Crawl is in April & we already have 18 people signed up — so my guess is there will be a bartender traveling with us. If you have a small group, that wouldn’t be necessary.

 

Good luck with your planning. I’d like to hear what you have come up with for your event.

 

 

 

Vickie

[SheehanDJ]

Here is the card I made for our Poker Run & Bar Crawl. I will print them so each player gets a 1/2 sheet of card stock or heavy paper. The playing card info will be on the front, the rules on the back. I will contact the food & beverage manager prior to the Crawl & let them know how many people will be participating & our tentative schedule. Some people have told me that some crawls have the bar tender(s) move with the Crawl & you order your drink prior to arriving at the next bar. Our Crawl is in April & we already have 18 people signed up — so my guess is there will be a bartender traveling with us. If you have a small group, that wouldn’t be necessary.

 

Good luck with your planning. I’d like to hear what you have come up with for your event.

 

 

 

Vickie

 

Other than cruise specific stuff and no hold back for charity this looks just about exactly like every poker run card I've seen. Variation I've seen on the buying an extra draw is there are only x number of extra draws and they have to be bid upon.

[ScoobySue2]

I know this is an old thread but doesn't anyone have a word or pdf file I can use as a score sheet.

[Biker19]