Bad Poker Etiquette – Never Ever Do This!

Fortunes often change hands at the poker table, so it’s no surprise that the tension brings out the worst in the players, even professionals. However, while the pros often become role models, in terms of their game, their behavior is not always an example you should follow. Poker is a very complex game in which you give your best to win. At the same time, large sums of money put the players under tremendous pressure at the table, and they have a hard time when luck turns away from them. Check out the list of bad poker etiquette!

How Not to Play Online!

Good online poker etiquette adds a lot to your gaming experience. One of the great things about online poker is that you always get alerts. When you’re next, the software always makes sure your game stays true to the rules. However, how to behave while playing online is less clear, since there are unwritten poker rules. You will often see that anonymity, young age, and the competition itself can lead to rudeness and even worse!

Due to the international nature of online poker, almost all sites have a so-called English-only rule in the chat. You won’t get banned for breaking this rule, but other players will probably complain. According to online poker sites in the US, Americans tend to automatically assume that if someone writes in another language, they’re cheating or plotting. Calling out the amateurs is also bad poker etiquette!

Often, when a weak player gets lucky, someone starts insulting them, which can scare them off and leave them with a bad experience. Sadly, this is common, but there is no excuse for chasing off a bad player. Especially since in this card game, money comes from the weaker players. If you drive a lucky amateur away, you can discourage them from playing or learning to play better. Either way, these do your profits little good and are tell-tale signs of poor manners.

Bad Poker Etiquette Online 

It can be very frustrating when you have to wait long for a player, especially when it is about an insignificant decision. Although you have 15 seconds for each decision, using it all for a simple fold or call is considered inappropriate and impolite. According to Everygame Poker, at best, you will get a friendly reminder in the chat box and, worst-case scenario, a selection of curse words.

Angle shooting is a term for many situations. Angle shooting means, for example, when an inexperienced player clumsily looks at their cards, and you try to take a peek too. Strictly speaking, you are not cheating, but if you fail and someone catches you, you will harm your reputation and lose respect at the table. In addition, there are also small movements experienced players deem bad poker etiquette.

They hate it if you directly hide part of your chips to deceive your opponents, among other things. Furthermore, they don’t like it when it is your turn, you make a show of counting your chips, or while faking an all-in, you watch the opponent’s reaction. In short: there are tools in poker to trick the other players, but this is not one of them. Beware of it before you can quickly become persona non grata in the poker community.

Slow Rolling is a Bad Idea

Slow roll in poker is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. There are several types of these, so we give an example for each. Let’s say you have a great hand. The showdown comes, your opponent shows their cards, and you realize you’ve won. However, he doesn’t know the result set. You take a long pause before showing your hand, thereby instilling hope in the other person. 

It’s unethical, and you will achieve the same thing as with angle shooting which is losing respect. The other kind is when you loudly belittle your opponent’s hand, make comments or laugh at it before you show your cards. You can see slow rolls, even among the pros, but since they know what happens to them if they do it, it’s rare.

Time Wasting – Bad Poker Etiquette

This occurs in online tournaments mostly, but sometimes you can also encounter the phenomenon in casinos. It’s the player who overthinks and analyzes everything. Don’t get us wrong; sometimes, it takes longer to make a decision. For example, when the stakes are high, you are in a difficult situation, so you are entitled to take your time. However, it’s pretty annoying when each round lasts for a minute.

For an unknown reason, some people are slow already after the flop, when practically nothing has happened. Another case is when, after a few drinks, you have to tell the others that it is their turn. It’s frustrating and counts as bad poker etiquette when the other players have to wait for one to pick up the rhythm because they were busy with something else. It slows down the game, and you can pay less, which means you win less money, and, of course, you annoy the others.

Don’t Call the Clock All the Time

They created the term, call the clock, against delaying. If a player sits on the fence too long, the other players can challenge them. It means that if they cannot decide within the given time, their card is considered dead. This is a helpful weapon against stalling, but if you are simply impatient and challenge everyone, it will backfire.

Maybe you’re a fast player, or perhaps you’re desperate, but this will not give you what you want. It’s not a capital sin, but it’s unethical and disrespectful to the other players if you don’t let them think about what to do. Another scenario is when players can’t keep quiet. Usually, it happens when we get to a table with more inexperienced players. Many newbies cannot wait for their turn and tell in advance what they will do. 

In doing so, they provide additional information to the others, which can go wrong or even spoil the whole party. Usually, these do not happen directly, simply by accident or carelessness. Also, not everyone knows this unwritten rule, but now you know! Only then talk when it is your turn! Don’t give your opponents the upper hand!

Daydreaming is Bad Poker Etiquette

We have already mentioned a few examples in this regard in the previous sections. By not paying attention, you slow down the game, make the wrong move, and, last but not least, sabotage your own game.

If you always have to be told when it is your turn, etc., the patience of the others will run out quickly. Of course, if you have a poker party with friends and family, it might be okay. However, in the casino where big money changes hands, it is not.

Don’t Disturb the Others

It’s annoying when you try to concentrate, but people sitting around you keep talking, isn’t it? You can’t pay attention properly, instead, you focus elsewhere. You have a thousand things to observe, like how much to raise, drop, hold, etc. So, you don’t just distract the other person by talking to them, but yourself too. Also, you can even accidentally say something that benefits or hinders the other person, which is bad poker etiquette.

WSOP Against Bad Poker Etiquette

You can no longer swear at the WSOP in Las Vegas. Anyone who makes rude, obscene, vulgar, or insulting comments can expect to be penalized according to the strict competition rules. In the past, more arguments were generated by disrespect and offensive language at the table, often drawing attention away from the point, the game. You can check out what these rules are about at online poker sites in the US!

You Have a Dirty Mouth!

These regulations are bad news for Phil Hellmuth, the 16-time bracelet winner who has provided more than entertaining games in the past. During those poker parties, he cursed those who won against him. Hellmuth is known to have a hard time losing, but sometimes, he can’t help but curse and scold his opponent for several minutes after a bad round. The introduction of the rules was not good news for Mike Matusow either. The poker player nicknamed the Mouth, who became known for his trash-talk, got into a fight once with another pro, Sheiky Sheikhan, at the WSOP. 

Although Tony G didn’t usually use foul language at the table, he is willing to break some unwritten rules for the sake of the show. The Australian player is known to throw verbal assaults against his opponents, and he lost his temper at a party against Ralph Perry so much that he called his losing opponent practically every name in the book once. Check out the incidents at Everygame Poker! At the same time, not only swearing and disrespect can cause tension at the table. 

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Scotty Nguyen is an excellent player, but his alcohol consumption during the game makes him rather outspoken. The professional player with five WSOP bracelets likes to drink alcohol while playing cards, affecting the game. Even though Nguyen is good-natured, he has gotten into heated verbal fights several times while playing. In the 2008 WSOP’s $50,000 HORSE event, Nguyen was constantly drinking beer and criticized everyone without a care in the world.