Poker etiquette can be tricky.
There are many unwritten rules of the felt. But worry not, dear reader, because we’re going to write them down for you. Whether you’re pulling up a chair during your poker vacation, with your friends or indeed online, it’s not just your poker skills that matter. Your etiquette is equally important.
Follow these guidelines and you’ll skip the embarrassing moments and keep your fellow players onside.
Do respect your opponents
Treat your opponents with respect, regardless of their skill level. Everyone has to start somewhere. So if your fellow player makes a blunder, avoid derogatory comments or rude behavior. Because you wouldn’t like if someone did that to you, right? Instead, create an inclusive atmosphere on the table and lead by example with your poker etiquette.
Don’t slow roll
Slow rolls make our eyes roll. God. There’s very few things more annoying that when someone has a winning hand and they take ages to reveal it. If you’ve won, show us quick. Delaying for dramatic effect is SO IRRITATING. And can make players go out of their way to make sure you don’t win another.
Do act in turn
Now this is something that newer players are more likely to do. Timing matters in poker. So poker etiquette and common sense dictates that you should only act when it’s your turn. And yes, it counts for when you just want to fold too.
Don’t show your cards out of turn
Only show your cards when it’s appropriate to do so. That’s because revealing your cards when it’s not your turn can provide unfair advantages to others. And to be honest, showing off your cards when you don’t need to gives your competitors more information and that’s never a good thing.
Do keep your stack in check
Keep your chip stack visible and organized. We don’t want anyone hiding their high value chips. As well as being bad poker etiquette, it’s simply not fair. Everyone should be able to gauge your stack size accurately.
Don’t splash the pot
Holy moly, is it annoying when someone dumps their chips in the middle in a mess. Place them in carefully so your fellow players can clearly determine exactly how much you put in.
Do pay attention to the game
Even when you’re not involved in a hand, it always pays to pay attention. Information gathering is a very important part of poker, after all. But it also means you’ll be ready to act when it is your turn.
Don’t discuss your hand during play
Whether it’s an honest appraisal or you’re trying to bluff, it’s really bad form to discuss your hand when the game is still ongoing. It helps to keep things fair and prevent any collusion between players.
Do keep your cards visible
We’re not saying you should show everyone what your hole cards are. But you should keep them on the table so everyone knows you’re still in on the hand. If you need to, use a couple of chips to secure them and avoid accidental exposure
Don’t rabbit hunt
Although allowed in some poker rooms, asking to see additional community cards after the hand is over is bad form in our opinion. Rabbit hunting delays the game and gives you nothing useful.
Finding somewhere good to play online
Practice your poker etiquette with a game online. Many of these faux pas are automatically bypassed when you play in a good online poker room, as so much of the play is automated. But even still, you can be a good online player if you follow those tips and tricks. One of our favorite spots to play a game is bet365. Plus you can use this bet365 bonus code to get a particularly juicy welcome offer.
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