Home- Acting out of turn can be one of the biggest problems at a poker table. When players don’t act in turn, it disrupts the outcome of a hand by giving information to others about whether to bet or not. Even when having to go to the bathroom or taking a scheduled break, acting in turn is a must for players. Those caught acting out of turn will receive a one hand penalty or perhaps a one round penalty depending on the severity of the act. Acting out of turn includes:
- Betting out of turn. This might be binding unless the action has changed to that person. If action changes (someone bets, raises, or re-raises) in turn to that person, the person out of turn will have all their options open (muck, call, raise or re-raise). Action does not change when the persons in turn mucks or calls.
- Checking out of turn. This is binding so that player may not raise the pot and will only have the option to muck or call.
- Raising out of turn. It has the same consequences to betting out of turn.
- Mucking out of turn. This is binding even if the hand is retrievable, which avoids players trying to induce players in turn to make a bet or call in order to then raise or re-raise a pot.
- Personal hygiene is also something that has been placed into the Tournament Directors Association rules. Players that have foul body odour or even overly soiled clothing may be asked by the tournament staff to take a shower and change clothes. No one wants to sit for hours beside a player that smells
- Foul and abusive language toward any player, casino/card room staff member or tournament staff member will not be tolerated. Players abusing this rule may be started off with an automatic two round penalty or a disqualification from the tournament. Also note that disqualified players will have their chips taken out of play and their buy-in forfeited.
Follow these etiquette tips and you will be respected by your table mates and will avoid any unnecessary penalties that may cost you winning the tournament.
