HomeAfter we first told you of how learning the rules will help you as a player, this tip will cover etiquette at the table. Following these guidelines will not only help you avoid the ire of your tablemates but it may also save tournament officials from giving you a warning, penalty or, at worst, disqualification.
- When you are not involved in a hand, you should not talk about the cards you passed, what hands are possible with the board cards, what hands the players might have or, in fact, anything to do with the hand in progress. Wait until the hand is completed before making any comments.
- You must also be aware of your body language. For instance, if you did pass the winning hand don’t make it known to others. Keep your poker face on until the hand is complete.
- Be sure your largest denomination chips are in plain view to everyone at the table. This helps players to more easily estimate their opponents’ chips so that there are no surprises about how much they have.
- Slow rolling is when a player takes an extended amount of time to show the winning hand and there really isn’t any need for this behaviour. If you have the winning hand, show it straightaway so that you can get on to the next hand and maybe pick up another winner.
- Checking the nut hand when you are last to act may lead to a two-round penalty. A tournament is about winning all the chips and playing your best game against everyone
– including family and friends.
That’s it for now but look out for our Table Etiquette Part 2 tip this week.
