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In poker there are some written and unwritten rules about how one
should act at the table, that good players try to follow.
These rules are known as Poker Etiquette. Most are just plain
common sense but it is absolutely amazing how many people violate
these rules.
Some
violations will get you penalized by the house. Other violations
will just lose you the respect of the table. I have even seen
a whole table get up and leave due to one player's total lack
of etiquette. So you should follow these simple rules below.
It will help make yours and everyone else at your table poker
experience much better.
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Do not reveal your cards while their is still action to go in the hand
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This may take another players chance of bluffing at the pot away from them.
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This may also make a player fold who might have
normally stayed because you may have had their outs.
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One person per hand. Do not show your spouse or friend
that may be close by your hand.
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This is usually a huge tell of a big hand.
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People that know this may use it as a scare tactic.
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If you fold your hand and the flop makes you a great
hand do not give any major tells that would indicate this to
the players left in the hand.
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This may take a players chance of bluffing at the pot
away from them.
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This may make a player fold who may have otherwise stayed
because you folded their outs.
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Don't blame the dealer for the bad cards you are getting.
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Do not talk about a hand if you are not in it.
- This is just rude.
- You may very well influence a players action by what you
are saying. They may see a hand or draw that they
didn't before because you mentioned something about it.
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Be polite to other players.
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While table talk is part of the game insulting other
players is not.
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Pay attention to the game.
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Play your cards when it is your turn playing out of turn
can give away too much information too other players.
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Don't watch TV or be distracted by other things while in
the game. It slows the game down and makes you not
play your best game.
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Do not remove chips from the table unless you are leaving.
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Taking chips off the table is considered bad form
because it takes money off the table leaving less for the
other players to win.
- Do not hit and run.
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Leaving the table right after you win a big pot is just as bad as taking chips off the table.
It will lose you the respect of the other players and make
you a target.
- Do not splash the pot.
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Splashing the pot makes it difficult for the other
players to know what you bet.
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Splashing the pot can slow the game down as the dealer
may need to count the pot to make sure it is right.
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Put your bet in front of you let the dealer scoop it
into the pot when they are ready.
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Do not give another player any advice. Do not ask another
player for advice.
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Sitting at the table is no place to give poker lessons.
Remember one player per hand.
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If you have a question ask the dealer not another player.
- Do not slow roll your hand.
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Roll your hand when it is your turn to do so.
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Slow rolling can slow the game down.
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Show one show all.
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Do not show your neighbor your hand and not anyone else. It
gives them an unfair advantage as it gives them information that
the others don't have.
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Do not read a hand for another player at showdown.
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Let the dealer answer any questions as far as reading the
cards go.
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If you see the dealer misread a hand then speak up but be
polite about it.
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Do not stall the game intentionally.
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Players will and should call the clock on you if you take an
excessive amount of time to play.
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Stack your chips neatly so that your opponents can estimate
how much you have in front of you.
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Do not hide smaller stacks of high value chips behind larger
stacks of lesser value chips.
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Stack your chips according to value and color.
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Do mix chip stacks as to confuse your opponent.
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Knowing what a player has for a chip stack is a very
important part of the game.
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Keep your cards on the table and in plain site.
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Players need to know that you are in a hand.
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If you remove cards from the table and out of sight you may
be accused of cheating.
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Do not intentionally string bet or raise.
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This is cheating plain and simple it is an effort to gain
extra information from other players.
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Most places will not allow you to do this.
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Do not verbally agree to check down a hand with another
player(s) when a player is all in.
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While it is standard practice in tournaments for two players
to check down a hand if a third player is all in. (Unless one
betters their hand.) To declare this verbally can be, and
rightfully so, construed as collusion which is a big NO, NO.
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Do not use cell phones at the table.
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You should turn your cell phone off at the table.
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Do not text, call, or send any data via cell phone while at
the table.
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If you must take a call get up a walk away from the table.
These are some basic rules for poker etiquette. We are all
human and we all make mistakes. If you violate one of these
rules apologize to the table and the players and/or the dealer you
may have offended by your violation. If there is a house
penalty for your rule violation serve it without complaint.
Then return to the table and move on.
Poker is a game of wits and strategy and is supposed to be fun.
Let's all keep it that way by treating each other decent.
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