Poker etiquette

Etiquette, or how to behave at the card table, is something every poker player should know.

The joy of winning and eliminating your opponent

If poker is to be accepted as a professional sport, you have to respect your opponents. If you are playing in a tournament and have knocked a player out, or if you are playing in a cache and have completely outplayed someone, you should not jump to your feet and gallop or polka across the room. In such a situation it would be normal to shake your opponent’s hand and perhaps say some words of comfort. No one is immune from failure and you will find yourself in a similar situation from time to time, so you should treat your opponent exactly as you would like to be treated. And this is not a biblical norm at all, but a common moral principle that has proven itself over the centuries. Of course, sometimes your opponent will be reluctant to shake your outstretched hand, and that might mean that you have outmanoeuvred him not only at the card table, but also in life. By refusing to shake hands, you are behaving unprofessionally and humiliating yourself in front of other players and witnesses.

A significant loss

You have decided to play all in and your opponent catches one of two suited cards or outs on the river? So no need to throw chips at him or the dealer, no need to shout and accuse the poker gods and other intangible and unprovable phenomena that you have lost. These situations happen regularly and you yourself are “running over” your opponents. Negative thinking is to blame, which is better at remembering defeats, giving the impression that you lose regularly because your opponents’ weaker hands end up stronger. In these cases, neither the dealer nor the opponent is to blame. But maybe you yourself are doing something wrong? It’s worth thinking.

Table talk

The norm in life is not to interfere in the conversation of others, to wait until the end of a speech or sentence to join in the discussion. Unfortunately, this courtesy is often forgotten at the card table, where there are people who interfere in other players’ conversations. As a rule, questions are often asked at the card table to see the player’s reaction, in an attempt to assess the game situation and to get hints (tells) on how to play further. The questioner does not need a player who is not participating in the hand to intervene in the dialogue between him and his opponent, who is considering whether to call the river bet. Don’t interfere with the game of others and they won’t interfere with you using your tricks. In a word, if you are not in the hand, keep quiet.

Should I show the losing combination?

Although you have the right to do so, do not ask your opponent to show his losing hand. Of course, knowing your opponent’s cards is an advantage as this information can be used in future games, but at the moment you are the winner and it would not be correct to “squeeze” more from your opponent than the pot you have already won. Some poker clubs have introduced a “loser shows your cards for a price” rule, but this additional source of profit violates the accepted etiquette of poker players worldwide. There are times when insisting on showing losing cards leads to serious disputes and creates a tense atmosphere at the table, which is not conducive to an enjoyable game (as we know, in the long run, good players make the most money from poker players who do it for fun, not money), and when it comes to playing at home with friends, who needs conflicts?

Randomly revealed cards

At the gaming table, just like in life, there are countless situations that are impossible to predict. You need to understand that poker is a sport and you need to behave like a professional athlete. If you happen to see your opponent’s cards, it would be correct to report it so that the dealer can redraw. If the player has deliberately revealed the card in order to psychologically influence you, you are morally free to play, and the best thing to do in this situation is to win, thus punishing your opponent for his psychological games.

General psychology

Many players use various psychological tricks at the poker table. These are not prohibited, and it is considered that a high-level poker player should incorporate psychological games into his tactics. However, before learning psychological terror techniques designed to make your opponent lose patience, try to put yourself in your opponent’s shoes and assess how these games will affect your image. Most of the time, the material gain from these tricks will not outweigh the negative opinion of the other players about you.

Reflection time

There are often situations in the game where one of the players has to make a difficult decision and needs more time to think about what to do next. The time allowed for deliberation in different tournaments is between 1 and 5 minutes and you should not rush a player before this time limit. If a player deliberately delays the time, you may reprimand him. If you are the time-waster, consider that you are wasting both your time and the time of others. Of course, stalling may give the impression that you are trying to make a “difficult decision”, but in general such actions add considerably to the game night.

Breaking tournament or club rules

If you disagree with the rules of a tournament or club, approach the organisers and express your opinion, but it is not fair to the organisers or to other players who follow the rules to participate in a game in breach of these rules.

Other annoying actions

There are many examples of various annoying player actions throughout poker history, such as Hevad “RainKhan” Khan’s booing of successful hands during the WSOP Main Event. Khan has not had the best reputation for his behaviour, as instead of playing at a high level, spectators and players only noticed his annoying habits. If you are a poker pro, or want to become one, show everyone how you play and be respected for your skill, not just remembered for your table shouting and conflict!

P.S. Human morality is a very controversial concept, as moral norms are mostly not documented, but passed down from generation to generation. In poker, where every player strives to win, these norms and concepts are even more controversial, but etiquette is just as important in the game as in life. Every player has the same rights and responsibilities to respect the rules of the game and to respect themselves and other players, otherwise poker will continue to be seen as a degrading game of chance by the majority of society.