
Photo Courtesy of Amanda Jones
Poker Room Etiquette Guide
The Rules Of The Room
Almost every casino has a poker room for players to sit back, enjoy and show off their skills. Since it is a part of the casino there are things that are acceptable and things that are unacceptable when playing, and since you are looking at this you may be new to going out to a casino to play poker. Although the games are the same as when playing with friends, presentation and table etiquette is important. So take these things and keep them in mind while playing at a casino poker room.
The Poker Table Basics
These rules are a must, this is what players do not like when playing and could get you kicked out. Keeping in mind you are in a social and public place playing act accordingly make sure you treat everyone with respect, some ways to make sure of this is making sure you have good hygiene, asking others to smoke at the table, and just making sure you are making responsible comments while playing. You can’t win them all and it is alright to be upset or excited after a win or a loss but acting excessively when losing or treating others unwell is a sure fire way to become an enemy to the people around you. While playing, your pace and cadence is also very important, making sure you are keeping up with what’s happening. Not only will it help you play better but it will also make you less of a nuisance to other players. One last thing that is very important is that you project well and you make yourself and your actions clear, whether it be mumbling, or having one to many drinks nobody wants to assume what you’re doing make sure you let everyone know what you are doing.
Focus On Your Hand
When at the poker room or playing poker there are frowned on moves or things to just avoid that are not as detrimental as the last few things mentioned. Starting with criticizing others and talking about a hand you are not a part of, you already know being kind and acting accordingly is very important when playing so why criticize and talk when out of turn you should always be focused on yourself and the play you are going to make next, if anything staying out of someone’s business helps you. When talking about a hand you are not a part of it is mostly just annoying, wait till your turn to play. Treating other players is clearly the right move to make while playing in a poker room, so if you treat other gamblers with respect you should always treat the dealers well, they do not have anything to do with your bad hand they are just doing their job so treat them well, this does not just include poker but any and all dealer at a casino should be treated with respect.
Slow Rolling
There are some poker terms that coincide with etiquette and this is what they mean and how to avoid making mistakes. If you are winning a hand make sure you act accordingly whether on purpose or on accident make sure you avoid slow rolling of any kind, this means taking your time when playing winning cards or making a large bet, this goes back to pace of play and acting inappropriately while winning or losing. The next term is splashing the pot, this means throwing chips, this makes it hard for others to see how much you are putting in and it is just an overall disrespectful gesture. The last term is a string bet, avoid putting chips in the pot unless it is in a continuous and fluent motion, string bets not only make it hard for others to see what you are playing but it also messes with pace of play, this paired with bad projection really annoys others at the table so make sure you avoid this.
Things To Remember
Most of these rules are not too strict but just make sure you follow them to ensure you have a good time as well as the people around you. Taking into account your pace of play, making good social choices by not criticizing or treating others unwell should be easy, just remember to try and avoid slow rolling, splashing the pot and string bets, although you might do it by accident keep in mind these things are frowned upon. That’s pretty much it if you are new to the poker room this should help you understand and become acquainted.