Be Ready to Act
Pay attention to the game.
When it becomes your turn, you should know what the blinds are and know what the action is that you are facing.
If you are saying, “Oh, it’s on me?” or “What is the bet?” more than once a night, you are either a very new player (and we’ll forgive you, and we will help you learn) or you are just doing it wrong. Show respect to your fellow players. Pay attention. Don’t delay the game by not knowing what is going on.
Also, if you know what you are going to do, don’t give a speech or a performance, just do it.
If a player before you is facing a significant decision, use that time to think about what you will do. If you aren’t thinking about what you will do until it is your turn, you are doing it wrong.
If you are on your electronic device during a hand, put it down before it is your turn to act. In a casino, you are generally not permitted to be on an electronic device while dealt into a hand at all, whether it is your turn or not. We do not apply quite that strict of a rule, but we do ask that you follow the guidelines in this section and be a good poker table citizen by being ready to act promptly and avoid any unnecessary delays.
Do Not Act Out of Turn
When you act out of turn, that is not a neutral action. You are helping someone, and hurting someone.
For example, if a player has made a bet or raise, and you fold before it is your turn, you have given information to the person whose turn it is. If they know you are folding, that is information that can help them make a better decision about what to do. They are helped, and the player who made the bet or raise (as well as all other players in the hand) is therefore hurt by what you did.
If a player announces “raise” but has not yet stated an amount or completed the action, even if you are the next player to act and you know you are going to fold, do not fold. This gives the raising player information that helps them, and hurts all other players in the hand. The raising player may adjust their bet size based on the knowledge that you are folding.
In short…anything you do out of turn can influence the hand inappropriately, and therefore must be avoided.
Do Not Say Anything That Could Affect a Hand in Progress
You may be tempted to make statements about other players holdings, or what their actions mean, or what you folded, while a hand is in progress.
Just. Don’t.
This is really one of the absolute and universal rules of poker. No matter where you go, you need to respect the “one player to a hand” rule. This, of course, means that one player cannot explicitly advise another player on what that player should do. But it also means that no player should make any statement that could possibly affect the hand.
Examples of things you cannot say during a hand:
– “You raised? You haven’t raised all night!” (reminds other players that the raiser is tight)
– “Bluffing again, Steve?” (says that the bettor is bluffy)
– “There’s no way I would fold there.” (encouraging another player to call)
– “Look, there is a straight on the board!” (someone in the hand may not have seen it)
– “You have to call, you are priced in.” (no matter how obvious you think that is, you can’t say it)
– “Call him, I want to see what he has!” (pretty blatantly asking another player to do something specific in the hand)
– “Argghhh! I folded a 10!!” when there are two tens on the flop (tells players in the hand that they can be less concerned about their opponent having a ten)
Your Chips and Your Cards
Your chips should be stacked neatly, in a way that they are visible to all players at the table. (This means, for example, not hidden behind a beer bottle.)
Your large denomination chips should be in front where they are most clearly visible. Other players have a right to see how many chips you have.
Your cards should be left on the table in front of your chips, where they are clearly visible so all players can see that you are in the hand. When you lift your cards to see what you have, do not put them in your lap or do anything that removes them from view.
Ideally, you should learn a technique for looking at your cards without even lifting them off of the table. Lift up the corners of the cards (without bending them) or just hold them up sideways at table level, cupping two hands around your cards so that only you can see them. (Yes, sometimes in bar poker the lighting is poor and you can’t see your cards this way. Do what you have to do, but again, don’t ever remove your cards from view of the other players at the table.)
How to Bet
Bet Placement
Whatever amount you bet should be placed in front of you and not intermingled with other players’ bets or with the main pot.
Bets should not be pushed into the pot until all action is completed for the betting round. This is important because someone after you may raise, and also because when bets are pushed to the pot prematurely, it can be difficult for other players to see what the amount was, and to verify that you have counted your chips correctly.
Putting chips on the table in a way that causes them to scatter or become intermingled with chips that are not part of your bet is called “splashing the pot.” Be a good poker citizen, and do not splash the pot.
Making and Getting “Change”
Do not make change until the round of betting is complete. If you take “change” from your neighbor’s bet, and then someone raises, there is confusion and uncertainty about how much more you need, and how much more your neighbor needs, in order to call. Also, taking change gives the appearance that not only your bet but also your neighbor’s bet may be incorrect. In general, it just causes confusion and uncertainty. Don’t worry about your change. It is the dealer’s job to make sure you get your change, but you will also find that there are always a few players at the table who are watching everything, and they will speak up if you don’t get it. If it seems necessary or makes you feel better, just say “the pot owes me 400,” or whatever the amount is.
Don’t delay making your bet by getting change from a neighbor. If the bet is 800 and all you have is a few 5,000 chips, don’t go asking for change so you can put in a call or raise amount. Just put the 5,000 chip in, and say “call,” or say “make it 2,500” or whatever you want your bet to be. Getting change before betting is an unnecessary delay of the game.
String Bets
The “One Chip” Rule
Showing Your Hand
When players are all in before the river, and all betting for the hand is complete, all hands should be immediately placed on the table face up. Yes, you do have to show your cards, and no, it doesn’t matter who called who. All hands in the pot have to be shown. Please don’t delay the game by making the other player show first. It just doesn’t matter.
Show One, Show All
When a hand is over, if you wish to show your hand to another player at the table, the “show one, show all” rule applies and you must show your hand to all players at the table. Do not show your hand to a neighbor and then muck your cards face down. The only correct way to show your hand to any player at the table is to place your cards face up on the table for all to see. Other players at the table should not have to ask what you had. If you want to show the hand at all, this is the correct way to do it.
