Poker can be a fairly simple game, but as well as knowing how to play, you should also be aware of some of the unwritten rules on poker etiquette. As a social game, following good poker table etiquette will help to keep things fun for everyone involved, and often separates top players from the rest.
15 Unwritten Rules of Poker Etiquette You Should Know
Poker room etiquette can differ slightly between different cardrooms, but this guide will show you how to behave in a classy way at the table. It’ll help ensure you’re not transgressing any social norms at the felt, and produce a friendly, welcoming environment for players and casino staff alike.
1. Respect the Dealer
Maintaining respect for the dealer is essential to maintaining a well-mannered and fun game for all participants at the table. Berating the dealer serves to slow down the game, create a bad atmosphere, and is unlikely to get you an invite back to the game.
How to Interact with the Dealer
Any time you interact with the dealer should be polite and courteous, even if they’ve made a genuine mistake. They should never be blamed for a bad run of luck, and it’s also customary to leave a tip after pulling in a big win. Remember, the dealer is there to do a job, and respecting them keeps the game friendly for both them and the other players.
2. Show Respect to Other Players
Other players should also be treated with the utmost respect. Trash-talking might go down well at some small-stakes drunken home games between friends, but casino regulars and strangers don’t want to be subjected to it. Keep it polite and respectable, and ensure a friendly atmosphere that people actually enjoy taking part in.
3. Mind Your Table Manners
Even when you’re not in a poker hand or directly interacting with another person, you should still be minding your manners at the table. Talking during a hand, speaking on the phone, or eating loudly can all be distracting to players potentially facing a difficult decision. Stay polite and reserved and keep the game flowing.
4. Handle Chips and Cards Properly
Make sure to keep your cards and chips in an orderly fashion to keep the game running smoothly. Players hate nothing more than having to replace a deck due to a card being marked, so make sure you handle your cards carefully. You should also ensure your chips are neatly arranged, big chips to the front, and with stacks of 20 if possible to make it easy for players to determine how much you have behind.
5. Act Swiftly
While acting instantly on some decisions can give away a tell, there’s no need to balance your timing when you’re making a fold,or a river call. Don’t needlessly slow down the game by taking a minute to fold a hand that you know you’re not playing.
6. Pay Attention
Make sure you’re aware of what’s going on when you’re in a hand. Not only will this potentially save you from costly mistakes, but knowing the size of the pot and the action will keep the game flowing quickly, and prevent delays from having to ask the dealer or other players the situation.
7. Don’t Complain About Bad Beats
Nobody likes hearing players complain about their poor luck. Running badly is an inevitable fact of poker, and the chances are that whatever terrible luck you’ve had, other players at the table have seen it all before. Don’t drag down the mood with sob stories about not being able to catch a break – accept it as part of the game.
8. Be a Gracious Winner and Loser
Poker can be highly competitive, but as with all games, it’s important to be gracious in both victory and defeat. Don’t gloat after stacking players, don’t brag, and don’t complain about losing a huge pot, even if your opponent made a bad call. Tap the table, congratulate them on a nice hand, and move on.
9. Don’t Call the Clock Unless It’s Necessary
Calling the clock can sometimes be necessary to ensure games flow at a reasonable pace, but only do it within reason. If you’re considering calling the clock, be sure to factor in the nature of the situation.
A player taking two minutes to act in a cash game facing a single raise is unreasonable, and deserving of having the clock called on them. However, a player taking two minutes to act facing an all-in river checkraise is well within reason and is likely to react angrily if you call the clock.
10. Don’t Slow Roll
Slow rolling is a big no-no in all situations. It’s disrespectful, vindictive, and it slows the game down for everyone else too. Even if your opponent is a friend who you know won’t react badly, you’re still wasting everyone else’s time. If you’re facing an all-in and you’ve got the nuts, put your money in and turn over your hand.
11. Don’t Splash the Pot
Don’t throw your chips into the pot in a disorganized mess. This makes it difficult to figure out the bet size, and slows the game down as the chips are readjusted. Simply assemble the chips for your bet, and place or slide it gently over the line. This helps the game flow, and even prevents opponents from getting reads.
12. Keep Quiet If You’re Not in the Hand
When you’re not involved in a hand, it’s important to keep quiet. Mentioning cards you’ve folded or giving unwanted advice are obviously huge breaches of poker etiquette, but even a loud conversation unrelated to the hand can be distracting, particularly when lots of chips are at stake.
13. Don’t Get into Arguments
There’s little point in getting involved in arguments about the game with other players at the table. If you have a legitimate grievance with something that’s happened at the table, simply ask the dealer to call the floor over and let the casino employees handle the situation.
14. Don’t Say Anything to Influence Action in a Hand You’re No Longer In
Once you’re no longer in a pot, never mention anything that might influence the upcoming action in a hand – doing so is one of the biggest breaches of poker etiquette. Showing cards, mentioning a player’s tendencies, or commenting on the size of a bet can all influence the remaining action, and could see you penalized by the casino.
15. Don’t “Angle Shoot”
Using unethical tactics to try and gain an advantage is not only enormously poor poker etiquette, but it’s never worth it in the long run. Angle shooters can face penalties from the casino, won’t get invited to games, and quickly earn themselves a bad reputation. Trying to conceal your big chips, fake a bet or call, or being intentionally misleading about your actions are all to be avoided at all costs.
16. Don’t “Hit and Run”
If you’ve got an appointment to be somewhere else, this may be unavoidable, but leaving the game shortly after winning a big pot is considered poor poker table etiquette. If you were planning to leave but didn’t have a particular need to, it’s polite to stick around for at least another half hour or so after winning a huge pot before cashing out.
7 Poker Etiquette You Must Follow at a Live Casino Table
Playing at a live casino can be daunting, especially if you’re more used to playing online or are inexperienced with poker in general. Thankfully, by following good casino poker etiquette, you can make sure you fit in and contribute to an enjoyable atmosphere for everyone to enjoy playing in.
1. Tip the Dealer
When playing poker live at the casino, tipping the dealer a small amount is customary after winning a significant pot. Dealers partly rely on tips to make a living, so you should make sure to always leave a reasonable tip.
For tournament poker, you won’t have cash chips to tip the dealer for a hand, but if you finish in the money, you’ll typically be asked if you want to leave a tip when collecting your winnings. If you make a big score, and especially if the casino doesn’t already allocate a share of the prize pool to dealers, you should leave a tip.
2. Be Mindful of Your Body Language
This is particularly important if you’re used to playing online poker, where other players can’t see your physical presence. Be aware of how you’re presenting yourself, and try not to overreact too much to the action taking place in the middle. Not only will you give off fewer tells and tilt less, but you’ll also avoid making other players uncomfortable.
3. Handle Your Chips Carefully
Make sure to handle your chips with care, and if you’re going to bet or call, do so calmly with the same action each time. This makes the bet size easier to determine, does not come across as aggressive or rude, and even helps stop you from giving away live reads on your actions.
4. Respect Personal Space
Cardrooms can get quite crowded, particularly in big tournaments or if players are playing ten-handed. But even when it’s busy, it’s important to remember that you’re in a public place like any other – and that means respecting people’s personal space.
5. Maintain a Calm and Respectful Demeanor
Some games are rowdier than others, but you can never go wrong by simply staying calm and respectful in your tone throughout a game. A game may appear to be wild and loud, but joining in can make it worse for other players. Keep things calm and under control.
6. Avoid Unnecessary Commentary
In small stakes games, it’s common to see amateurs discuss strategy at the poker table – something never seen from high stakes players. Follow the professionals and avoid discussing any strategy at the table. Unwanted commentary on how a hand was played can be extremely irritating to other players.
7. Follow the Casino’s Rules and Norms
Casino poker rules and etiquette can vary from venue to venue, so take some brief time to familiarize yourself if you’re playing in a new venue. You don’t need to know every single minor rule, but for good poker etiquette, rules of the venue should always be respected, especially if they’re different from your regular cardroom.
Key Takeaways
In summary, when you’re playing live poker, you want to maintain a calm, respectful image. Don’t do anything to distract other players, be polite, and make sure you help the dealers and other players keep the game flowing as smoothly as possible. Maintaining good live poker etiquette is good for everyone at the game, helps you get invited back, and even means you’re less likely to tilt. If in doubt – if you’d be annoyed by another player doing it, you shouldn’t do it yourself.