Etiquette is as much a part of poker as cards and chips. Bad manners are surprisingly common at the average card club or casino and failing to adhere to the rules of basic poker etiquette will earn you far more enemies than friends.
Let’s be clear – just because it happens on the television, it doesn’t make it big or clever. Think of some famous examples of bad etiquette at the poker table – poor manners, foul language, outrageous celebrations. How did they make you feel? Think of players associated with such acts. Phil Hellmuth might be a phenomenally talented player, but will he be remembered for his accomplishments, or his tantrums?
A lot of poker etiquette is the same as everyday life. If you were with a group of people you’d never met before at a party, it’s unlikely you’d be swearing and criticising how badly they danced or their choice of drink selection. There is no excuse for this sort of behaviour at a poker table. If anything, criticising poor play could cost you money, by embarrassing poorer players into leaving, but aside from that it’s just plain rude.
Celebrations don’t need to be over the top. If you’ve just spiked a lucky card, think about how gutted you’d if the tables were turned. Winning a coinflip at a critical moment in a tournament might be a big deal to you, but to everyone else in the room, you just got lucky in a 50-50, so lose the screaming and shouting. Respect for your fellow players is key.
Don’t talk about a hand in progress, unless you’re involved. If you threw away two clubs and a player at the table is verbally putting his heads up opponent on a club flush, it’s not your business to inform anyone of the cards you tossed. Leave them to it. If you must be vocal, wait until the hand is over, but even then, it’s not usually recommended. It’s like much rabbit hunting – there is little pointing in seeing what cards would have come out had you called, because you didn’t call. Stop wasting everyone else’s time and play poker.
Slowrolling is the lowest of the low in terms of poker etiquette. Noone likes to see it and noone likes to be on the end of it. For the uninitiated, slowrolling is the dubious practice of pretending to think about a decision when you know for certain you have the best possible hand, or close enough to it, with absolutely nothing to gain by taking your time. It serves no purpose other than to annoy and it’s extremely disrespectful. If you slowroll, expect abuse.
At the tables, as in life, follow the golden rule: treat others how you would like to be treated yourself. Respect is everything.
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