Tired of going to the same dinner parties with friends every Friday night? There’s a new trend sweeping the nation that may be the solution to your Friday night slump—poker.

Traditionally, the game of poker has always been popular amongst the cigar-smoking, beer-drinking groups of guys who rotate where the game is held every week in an effort to get away from their significant others. This has all changed, however. Now it’s just as common to see couples playing a game of Texas Hold’em or even a women’s group getting together for a Friday night game. You can even play in pairs, making it easier for beginners to catch on to the game and making it more fun for couples.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to host your own poker party:

First of all, there are a couple of things you’ll need to decide before the party begins, such as the kind of poker are you going to play. The most common and one of the easiest to learn is Texas Hold’em. There are several other games, though, such as High Low, 5-Card and 7-Card Stud, that can also be fun to play. Once you’ve picked the game for the evening, getting ready for your poker night is easier than you would think. All you need is a set of poker chips and a deck of cards. Thanks to the current explosion that poker is experiencing, these items are almost as easy to come by as a game of Monopoly.

Now, the thought of playing poker can seem a bit daunting with all the sunglasses and finger taps that we see on television; but it’s really fun and easy once you get the hang of it. In a standard game of Texas Hold’em, there are several ways to play your cards. The lowest trick is a pair of any cards. Now, for a beginner, when you get this hand, settle down—they are not hard to come by. From there, you increase your chances of winning the hand with anything from two pairs to a royal flush. A royal flush is when you have a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace all in the same suit. The chance of being dealt a royal flush, however, is one in every 649,740 hands. Therefore, if you’re ever lucky enough to come across one, make sure you go “all in” (i.e., to bet all of your chips), because this hand guarantees a win.

Another decision you’ll have to make before beginning your game of poker is whether or not to play for money. Also, you’ll need to assign a different monetary value to each of the different color chips. When playing for money, every player or couple will either put in a decided amount of money or buy into the game. This usually starts out at about five dollars a game and increases with the intensity of the game.

In the game of poker, one important aspect to remember is to maintain a straight face no matter if you have a good hand or a bad one. You never want your opponents to be able to tell what cards you have, even though sometimes (especially when you have a good hand) it’s hard not to crack a smile. Even if you don’t have a winning combination in your hand, sometimes it’s fun to bluff (i.e., pretending you have a good hand). If you manage to keep a straight face and convince the other players that you have a winning combination in your hand, you can end up winning a lot of chips.

So next week, mix up your social agenda a bit and try hosting a poker party with your friends. It’s easy to learn, fun to play, and quite possibly lucrative. Plus, it’s an inexpensive alternative to your regular Friday night dinner party. Just remember—when hosting a poker party, you’re guaranteed a fun time, no matter if you win or lose.