Strip Poker – Learn How to Play Strip Poker, Rules & Tips
Today, we’re going to talk about the flirty and mature version of the classic game — one in which clothes become the currency. Yes, that’s right — every time you lose a round, you strip! If you’re not careful enough, you could end up losing the shirt off your back — or maybe even more.
So, are you interested in trying out Strip Poker but you’re not sure what it entails?
Here, I’ve shared with you everything you need to know to have a blast with your friends. Some of the things you’ll learn from this guide include:
- What is strip poker
- When strip poker came to be
- What essentials do you need for strip poker?
- Who should you play SP with?
- Different variants of strip poker
- A few tips to help you organize an unforgettable strip poker night
- Final thoughts
- FAQ
Are you ready to strip? Let’s roll but don’t forget to checkout our selection of poker sites online for real money play.
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What Is Strip Poker?
In a nutshell, strip poker is a version of the classic table game where players are required to remove a piece of clothing every time they lose a round. Strip poker is often played after a few shots of vodka, to take the edge off — alcohol always helps people overcome their inhibitions.
When playing strip poker, participants usually go for a simple variation that has only a few betting rounds, like a five-card draw. When it comes to demographic, strip poker shows gender equality.
In general, strip poker is designed to add more fun to the gaming and increase the excitement as clothes start to fall off. If you want to slice it up a bit, you can add ‘Truth or Dare’ to the mix or any other adult game that doesn’t include playing cards or removing the clothes.
The Origins of Strip Poker
It does sound silly, thinking about how in the world strip poker even came to be in the first place. When did it all start and how far have they gone? In contrast to what comes to mind when you think of strip poker, its roots don’t trace back to nightclubs and bars.
Strip poker is actually as old as poker itself, so people have been getting naked for quite a while now. According to Wikipedia, strip poker started in New Orleans back in the 1830 — around the same time poker did. At that time, it was mostly played at brothels.
It’s worth noting that strip poker wasn’t played in private, despite popular belief. Seeing a player naked at the end of the game was a casual situation back then. Nowadays, strip poker has become a party game mostly played in college dorms.
What Do I Need for a Strip Poker Game?
Not much, really. Here’s the strip poker starting pack:
- Friends who want to go on a wild adventure with you
- A deck of cards
- A bottle of whiskey (preferably)
- A clean table (you want to keep your clothes clean)
- A cosy ambience
- And clean underwear (you wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your pals).
Who Should You Invite for a Game of Strip Poker?
Although you can play Strip Poker with pretty much anyone, it’s best that you choose a mixed group of like-minded friends. It might not be such a good idea to invite your boss or even worse, your grandma.
With this in mind, you would want everyone to feel comfortable. This poker variant is best suited for potential paramours, couples, party loves, and adventurous friends who won’t freak out when the clothes come off.
No one should feel pressured into playing this game — having an unwilling player can take all the fun out of the game. You should put the idea on the table before everyone comes over. Bringing it up when they arrive can put those who are unsure or reluctant in a tough position.
If you’re the organiser of the event, all these things matter. If you’re not careful when choosing players for your Strip Poker night, things could get ugly real quick.
How to Play Strip Poker?
Generally, there are three main ways to play the game:- Quick strip poker
- Medium-paced strip poker
- Slow strip poker.
Each one is fun in its own way, and it all depends on the players’ preferences. Strip poker doesn’t quite follow actual poker rules, so you can make the game of your own.
Quick
In quick version, there’s a standoff after each gaming hand. Each player shows their best five-card poker hand, and the player with the best hand gets to keep his clothes on, while others strip.The game continues in this fashion with all players revealing their cards at the end of each round. Every player, with the exception of the winner, must take off a piece of clothing. The first one to get fully naked is marked the loser. This is the most popular strip poker version.
Medium-paced
Here, things don’t get out of control so quickly. Only the player with the worst hand is obliged to take off a clothing item. One thing that’s common for both the quick and the medium-paced variant is that the first player who ends up naked is the loser.Slow
The slow version is played like the standard poker with chips. However, players can bet a clothing item if they want to continue the hand. If you invited poker pros for your strip poker night, the slow version can take a while — they know how to drag chips off other players.It might take a while before anyone gets completely naked at this variant. I guess that’s good news if you’re a bit shy, isn’t it?
Truth or Dare — Special Edition
In this variant of the game, players can recuperate their losses by combining clothing items and Truth or Dare to salvage the situation.At the end of the round, the winner decides what Truth or Dare action the losers have to perform to make up for their lost clothes. Those who’ve bet their clothes can decide which clothing item they will take off — this depends on the value of the hand.
Keep in mind that once the clothing item has been taken off, it cannot be put together by the player. The only way to keep playing at the table is to pick Truth or Dares.
A Few Tips to Make Your Strip Poker Game Worthwhile
It’s true that you can play strip poker in numerous ways and make your own adaptations and variations. There are, however, a few simple unspoken rules that can make your strip poker session run a little smoother.Decide Upfront on How Much Each Clothing Item Is Worth
This is entirely up to players. But you might want to come to an agreement as to how valuable each article of clothing is before people start throwing their shirts away. Is underwear worth 20 chips? Then a shirt must be two? Does a single sock even count?
You must decide how much each piece of clothing is worth. Also, determine whether ties, shoes, scarves, does jewellery count and how much. It’s best that everyone starts out with roughly the same amount of clothing to make it fair.
Agree on the Rules
While discussing the terms and conditions of the game, you must decide how far the game will go, as well as about the endgame. Not everyone will feel happy playing entirely naked. For someone, stripping until they are in their underwear is the bottom limit. Agree on how far you are willing to go, and what will happen once the players run out of clothes to shed.
Agree on the Poker Variant
You can play strip poker however you want, but the best way to go at it is to keep it simple. The point isn’t to sit all night to see who can grind out a few bucks over 200,000 hands. The point is to have fun, which means simple, easier-to-understand poker games are best.
Here are the two traditional options:
- Texas Hold’em — Each player receives two face-down cards and tries to make the best possible combination with five gradually revealed community cards. Texas Hold’em includes several rounds of betting and the remaining player who has the strongest hand wins.
- Five-card Draw — This is probably the most suitable version for a casual game of strip poker. Here, each player is dealt five cards and can exchange any of those cards for an equal number taken from the deck. Betting takes place before and after the exchange.
Take Care of the Ambiance
Setting up a nice ambiance is essential in this game. You should make it as cozy and private as possible. Preferably, reduce the lights, put on some comfy cushions, some mood music, and a well-arranged table. This will help players feel more comfortable and make them forget about their inhibitions.
Keep it Warm
Regardless of your location in the world, you have to ensure the right temperature in the room. No one would like to get naked in a freezing cold room. Have the room appropriately heated if you’re living in a cold region or if you’re simply playing during wintertime.
On the other side of the coin, you don’t necessarily have to turn the heating all the way up. No one would like to suffocate either.
Make It as Much Fun as Possible
Strip poker is not a serious game, so there’s no need to get all competitive. You can let your imagination run wild and let everyone have fun. For example, the winner may have the honor of taking a piece of clothing off the loser.
If you want to take it a notch up further, you can allow the winner to take off the clothing article with their teeth instead of their hands. Either way, you shouldn’t get things out of hand and get carried away.
Final Thoughts
Strip poker isn’t a game for the shy — you must enjoy losing as much as you enjoy winning. The rules are quite flexible as long as all players agree. Before you get right to the action, make sure that everyone is on board with what you’re about to play.
If there’s anything I can do to help you organize a fun-filled strip poker game, please let me know in the comment section below. I would be more than happy to assist my fellow poker buddies.