| Poker Etiquette |
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Poker Etiquette This article really applies to live play, as many online poker rooms have made some adaptations to limit some social blunder that novice players make. Online also is less personal and lacks chips so it’s harder to make an etiquette misstep like betting out of turn or bothering the player next to you while he is in a hand. This article will hopefully prevent you from being labeled a donkey before you post your first blind. Don’t act the fool This is not so much about etiquette as it is self respect. Don’t walk in to a poker room pretending to be something you’re not. The gold chains, cheap suit and chest hair only works for players like Sammy Farha. If I were a betting man, which I am, I’d say it’s not going to work out so well for you. Just be yourself. If you don’t know a lot about poker, don’t throw out terms that you really don’t know the meaning of. Just put your chips down, sit down, shut up and learn. Don’t be the Aristotle of Poker Sure, you’ve read a lot about poker and maybe even played a lot of hands. But don’t be everyone’s personal poker professor. It’s not going to get you anywhere with that attractive player sitting next to you. It’s the equivalent of showing someone at the gym how to do an exercise. Just play your game and let others play theirs, no matter how bad it may be. Besides, your instruction to a bad player may cost ME money should I find myself playing that donkey in the future. Wait your turn This is a constant problem in live poker. If you act out of turn, that bet will not count and play will resume where it should have until it returns to you. It’s better to be the player the dealer has to remind that it’s your turn than it is to be the player who jumps the gun at every opportunity. This is not only annoying to the rest of the table but can also lose you money. For instance if you have a good hand and raise two positions too soon. Those two positions may have called the original bet, you will lose those two bets should you win the pot, but also them calling adds to the pot and perceived value to keep people interested with your monster hand. Another case is if you raise too soon it will surely get that guy who was going to bluff at the pot with rags to meekly fold his hand. Again, not only do you lose what he was going to bluff with, but all the money he would probably throw away thereafter. Offsides I think everyone knows not to haphazardly throw chips in the pot, but a lot of novice players will make the mistake of counting out what is supposed to be a raise far out in front of them. At most casinos, if you have chips in your hand, your bet will be whatever is in your hand when you cross the betting line. If there is not a distinct line, make sure you keep your counting close to the rail. If you are going to raise, it’s best to verbally announce “raise” then the amount you wish to raise. This is another mistake which can cost you money as you may miss an opportunity to complete a raise and increase the value of the pot for your hand. There’s no crying in poker If you have ever seen the WSOP, you’ll be sure to remember players like Phil Helmuth and Mike Matasow who seem to cry and curse about every other hand. If you lose a pot, don’t disrespect other players at the table even if someone calls you all the way down for a one outter. A good player will know to be quite when he sees bad play, no matter how frustrating it can be. You don’t want bad players to know how bad they really are. A good player will make a mental note, use that weakness against them in a later hand and clean the fool out. Keep your hands to yourself I assume your personal awareness is high enough so that you don’t grope other players at the table. I’m talking about chips, cards, and personal affects. Don’t ever turn over someone else’s hand or touch anyone else’s chips. It’s something a carried away player may do thinking they are at their buddy’s home game. Act like a real human being not a drunk chimpanzee when you are at the table. Shut Up If you’re not in the hand, you have no right to speak. No one cares what you think someone has or what great hand you missed out on if you had played your K3 off suit after a $100 raise. Let the players finish their hand then you can talk. Although, this really even applies after a hand. Many players talk to me at a table and I have to pretend I’m interested in what would have been their poor play. I’ve seen and heard it all for the most part and your dumb poker story isn’t going to interest me. Again, these tips apply more toward the novice. What you think is “crazy” is probably a regular occurrence on an eight hour grind. Tip the dealer If you win a big hand or a bunch of small pots, tip the dealer whatever you think is fair. The standard is 3-5% (percent) of each pot you take down. |