Poker is played by millions, first and foremost, as a form of pure entertainment. Some players do not care how much money they can win, which is fine of course, but there are also a lot of players that are primarily interested in having fun. These players would love to win money also if they could, but they don’t mind losing providing they are having an enjoyable experience. Here are 5 Etiquette of Poker Table.
This is a reason why it’s so important to act properly and be respectful while playing poker. To a certain extent, every player has a responsibility to ensure that other players have a positive experience. Knowing the rules of how to play is simply not enough, as you need to know the rules on how to behave too.
There’s a great deal of etiquette involved in poker. There are some unwritten rules which dictate what you should and shouldn’t do and breaking these will likely alienate your fellow players. You should be aware of these, as you don’t want to irritate your opponents and ruin their overall gaming experience. There are several formal rules too, which you need to abide by to avoid a penalty or being asked to leave a game altogether.
5 Golden Rules To Follow
1. Be Polite and Respectful
If you play live poker for a long time you’ll probably encounter plenty of players who don’t follow this rule. It’s a very easy one to stick to yourself and there’s no excuse for not being polite to your fellow players or your dealers for that matter. You don’t have to overdo it and you can even stay quiet if you want to, but using good manners isn’t hard to do and it’ll create a more welcoming atmosphere at the table.
2. Be Attentive to the Play
You have a responsibility to pay attention to what’s happening at the poker table while you’re playing and it’s especially important to know when it’s your turn to act. It certainly won’t take long for other players to get frustrated if they have to remind you when to play. You should also ensure that you post your blinds and antes in time and that you avoid acting out of turn. Don’t take an excessive amount of time while making simple decisions and don’t keep players waiting while you order a drink or something to eat.
3. Make Your Moves Clear
Making your actions clear will not only make your life easier but your opponent’s life as well. Shoving a few chips into the pot and mumbling “call” or “raise” under your breath doesn’t give you an advantage and it’ll probably just annoy your opponents. It’s not hard to slide a neat stack of chips in front of you and declare your actions with clarity. This will avoid any confusion and it will help ensure that you don’t get accused of gaining an unfair advantage by misrepresenting the action you are taking.
4. If You Show One, Show All
In case you win a hand without going to a showdown, you can choose to show the table your cards. What you cannot do, though, is show them to just one player. This potentially gives that player an unfair advantage; as they are then in possession of information that no one else has access to. It may not be extremely helpful to them, but it’s the principle of the matter that’s the real concern. As the saying goes, “If you show one, you must show all.” The same rule applies; if you decide to muck (throw away without showing) a losing hand after going to a showdown.
5. Be Graceful in Defeat and Victory Alike
Always try to be gracious in both defeat and victory while at the poker table. There’s nothing wrong with showing a little bit of frustration following a particularly crushing defeat, but you won’t gain any respect by losing your cool every time you lose a hand.
Likewise, a small celebration after winning a big pot is perfectly acceptable. Celebrating too wildly is just going to agitate your opponents and cheering about how brilliantly you played a hand is equally annoying. You must act humanly if you want the respect of your opponents.
