For years, Americans took their poker-party cues from Oscar Madison (Walter Matthau) in The Odd Couple. "Who wants food?" Oscar asks his poker-night buddies.

"What do you got?" asks Murray.

"I got, uh, brown sandwiches, and I got, uh, green sandwiches. Which one do you want?"

"What's the green?"

"It's either very new cheese or very old meat."

But poker night has changed since the days of Oscar Madison. According to the American Gaming Association, the number of poker players in the United States grew by 50 percent last year, with one in every five adults anteing up on a regular basis. That leaves a whole lotta opportunities for throwing parties with fellow card sharks.

Local TV host Butch Cordora, an amateur poker player for 20 years, was recently turned on to the idea of throwing his own parties. "I didn't think it was legal," says Cordora. "But when I started hearing about different nights in the city such as Downey's, Fado, Moriarty's and Fox & Hound, I was hooked on starting my own poker nights." Butch currently hosts four gay-themed nights at venues around the city.

Planning a poker party at home can be as low-rent as setting up a table with cards and two sixes of Miller Lite, or it can be a themed weekly event that your friends will never want to miss. The first step is planning the menu. Think beyond the boring bag of pretzels or greasy chips. Instead, splurge on filling finger foods such as marmalade-and-mustard chicken sticks — cut two cooked chicken breasts into chunks, marinate in two tablespoons of orange marmalade and one tablespoon of mustard, then bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Skewer 'em, and you've got a fine alternative to messy Buffalo wings. Poker-friendly food is supposed to be easy to consume. Nobody wants to lose their concentration while cutting a slab of sirloin into miniscule pieces.

"You don't want to serve anything that will stain your cards or your table," says Lindsey Hofflich, host of the city's first and longest-running poker night at Fox & Hound. In other words, lay off the fried chicken.

Another quick finger food worth trying: burger bites. Throw some beef or veggie patties on the grill, top with cheese, cut into bite-sized chunks, spear with toothpicks and serve. Fill shallow dishes with condiments such as ketchup, mustard, mayo and barbecue sauce. Make sure guests have their own to avoid double-dipping.

Although some poker players don't booze while bluffing, make it an option at your party. It's a special occasion, so bring out the good liquor and prepare to mix drinks. Or better yet, have someone on hand to serve as the table's waiter/bartender. "People will sit for an hour with an empty bottle of Corona at the table, simply because they're playing poker," says Cordora. "Hell, poker players don't even get up to pee, let alone get another beer."

If you can't coerce a friend into playing bartender, grab a cooler, fill it with ice and keep it close to the table. Or, have some drinks premixed on ice. Toby Leah Bochan, author of the Badass Girl's Guide to Poker (Adams Media), suggests making a poker cocktail using 1 ounce sweet vermouth and 1 ounce light rum. Shake together and garnish with a lime. Julio Tamarez, manager of Fox & Hound, suggests concocting a personalized fruit-punch cocktail, which combines your favorite fruit juice with vodka. Mix the ingredients to taste and serve on ice.

Now it's time to decide where you're going to throw the party. Do you want people in your kitchen or living room, or would you rather rent a room in a restaurant or afterhours club? Seek out the best-lit, most comfortable area in your place and go from there.

Decorating your table Vegas-style is easy with help from Web sites such as www.casinosupply.com, which sells chips, cards, balloons, paper centerpieces and professional-looking tablecloths. Select accessories that fit the theme; Cordora's gay poker nights are a "little queenie, a little campy, with rainbow cards [and] pink chips."

Glitz and glamour aside, your poker party should ultimately be a great excuse to entertain friends and family, says Mark Fracalossi, creator of Small Town Poker Tour, which journeys around the country to raise money for local charities. "There is an exchange of camaraderie at the poker table, an interaction that takes you away from TV and radio."

And no green or brown sandwiches.