Poker Etiquette: Part TwoHome > Poker Etiquette - Part Two
General No Limit Texas Hold'em Etiquette There may have been a time when poker was played only by unscrupulous, dirty men in back rooms, but those days are gone. Now poker is respectable, and along with the popularity of No Limit Texas Holdem comes some general rules of etiquette that all players should know about and obey. These rules may come more into play if you are moving from an online to a live poker game, but all players should be aware of them.
This is true weather you’re playing live or at one the many Texas Holdem poker sites available. Don’t do this especially if you’re not in it. If the flop comes K K 9 and you announce, “Ah! I never should have folded my K8 to that raise!” you are putting the pre-flop raiser in a bad spot, as it will now be very difficult for him to represent a king since his opponents know there is only one left. Even a snort or exaggerated movement on your part will probably tip opponents still in the hand that a king is dead. If you must complain about your lay down, wait until the hand is over. Don’t Show Cards while the Hand is in Play Similarly, turning over your cards before the hand is over gives players information they are not entitled to have. It is frustrating to receive bad cards repeatedly, and you may not see how your 6 2 affects the current hand, but you never know. Showing Up/Showing Down If two players go to a showdown and one mucks after the other player tables his winning hand, it’s thought of as poor etiquette to demand to see the loser’s cards. He may have been running a bluff with a terrible holding or have been way behind the winner and is embarrassed. You are entitled to this information if you really want it, but it is considered bad form. It is considered extremely bad form to do this if you are the player who won the hand. Abusing the Dealer Not an issue in online Texas Holdem, but a player experiencing a run of bad luck can often be seen cursing the dealer or at least asking her “When are you leaving?” In addition to being extremely amateurish, since clearly the dealer has no effect on a player’s results, it makes other players at the table uncomfortable. If you believe in such things, it’s bad karma to pick on someone who’s working for tips anyway. “Hollywooding”
If you know you’re going to fold, you should do so within a reasonable period of time. A slight hesitation to suggest your hand may be stronger than it really was is okay, but “mugging for the cameras” by effecting a pained, desperate expression, or going to get a sandwich while your online time bank runs down to nothing when mucking bottom pair is an unwelcome waste of everyone’s playing time.
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