Poker Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts for the Casino and Home Games

There are established ‘dos and don’ts’ when playing poker. Regardless of if you are playing casino poker or poker at home, the same etiquette applies.

Do

Tip the dealer

Although not obligatory, it is always polite to tip the dealer or the casino staff. Their job isn’t easy as they normally have to deal with the fall out of bad beats and get blamed for players' losses.

Pay attention to the game

By paying attention, you will not hold up the game and keep it moving at a steady pace. Don’t get distracted by your phone, the television, or make unnecessary small talk at the table. Doing so is disrespectful to your opponents who are trying to concentrate on the game and may cause them, or yourself, to make mistakes or accidently play out of turn.

Be humble and polite

If you do win a big pot, make sure you appear humble and respectful towards your opponents. It is never wise to criticise another player's strategies or insult them when they have lost. As poker is partly a game of chance, you could easily be on the losing side next time.

Conversely, you must stay gracious if you have lost at the poker table. Don’t become angry and start swearing after losing a big pot, blaming others for your misfortune or bad beat. Show gratitude to your dealer, the casino staff, and your opponents. If you have a genuine concern over a mishap at the table, call over the floorman to resolve the discrepancy. Accept the loss quietly and move on.

Always keep your cards and chips visible

By keeping your cards on the table and visible to all, it is easier to prevent others attempts at seeing your cards or privately swapping cards during live poker.

Likewise, you must keep your chips visible so all players know where they stand at the table. Never hide high-value chips behind low-value ones, or try to block them from others' view, as it prevents a fair game.

Don't

Hit and run

It is disrespectful to win a big pot and suddenly leave the table. Although it is not against the rules to leave a cash game early, it is good poker etiquette to give your opponents a fair chance to win some of their money back.

If you do wish to leave the poker room early, ensure you inform everybody at the beginning of the night. This way all players will be aware of your departure time and will not take offence.

Act out of turn

Never bet, raise, or fold out of turn. No matter how impatient you feel, acting out of turn could give another player an unfair advantage or disadvantage as they now have information they previously would not have been able to know before their turn. You will never know if you have the winning hand until the dealer calls it.

Make a string bet

String betting is an illegal move to use in poker. It refers to when a player does not put all of the desired chips into the pot in one swift motion, instead using multiple motions to do so. This type of bet can give the player an unfair advantage as they can gauge their opponents reaction to each motion, adding more chips if they feel it would give them the winning hand.

Show your cards

Always keep your cards on the table so that other players can’t see them. Likewise, never look at another player's cards or interfere with the chips once they are in play. If you do, you may be accused of cheating and banned from the game.

It is up to the individual to protect their cards and make sure that other players' cards don’t interfere with their own. Once cards get mixed up, they are considered void.

Splash the pot

When playing poker, you should always place your chips in a neat pile rather than throwing them carelessly into the middle of the poker table. Doing so can disrupt the whole game as it causes all of the chips to be mixed up, and the dealer may have to pause the game so that they can be put back in the correct order.

Angle shoot

It is unethical to purposely attempt to deceive your opponents. This could be by distracting them, trying to see their hand, or acting out of turn intentionally. Poker is only fun when all players have an equal, fair chance at winning.