A rule of poker etiquette will almost always be occasionally (and possibly unwittingly) broken. Perhaps by seeming a touch smug, chatting a little too much, or becoming a little overexcited.
We all periodically veer off the path due to being carried away by the overall spirit of the situation.
However, some transgressions of proper poker etiquette are more or less tolerable than others. This list will look at a few instances from the latter category.
No matter how hard you try, if you commit any of the following offenses, it won’t be easy to overcome the reputation you have built for yourself:
Playing at completely out-of-your-league tables is item one.
First, your fellow players won’t be very irritated by this. Many will seize the opportunity to profit from the simple pickings you represent with glee. Even yet, playing at tables that are considerably above your level of expertise reflects naive amateurism. If not, a hint of conceit.
A common rule of thumb is that you should never buy into a table where you have a remote chance of being the weakest player. Set your sights on a table where you can fit comfortably; it needn’t be the best or the worst, just in the middle.
There are more effective methods to challenge yourself than to set yourself up for a definite loss and a big helping of humble pie.
Wasting time without good cause
A poker game’s tempo frequently makes it so thrilling, and it’s a pretty action-packed meeting with everything happening quite quickly. It is clear why people who are only trying to keep the game moving become agitated by those who appear determined to slow things down.
This can occur in several ways, including talking nonstop without realizing it is your turn, slowly displaying your cards to create drama, deliberating throughout the action, and so forth.
Whether you are purposefully wasting time, it’s never a smart idea to make the game run slowly. Even if you aren’t kicked out of the game, it is very unlikely that your opponents will want to play against you again.
Misrepresenting, Joking or Deceiving New Players
Of all, you could always be the one with the most experience at the table. You might come up against one or more dreadful amateurs who have no idea what they’re doing.
Respecting them in these situations is a decent and civilized thing to do. If not, adjust your normally aggressive play a little to offer them a better opportunity of having fun. Please take advantage of their inexperience, which is something you must never do.
A blatant jerk who has no business playing poker with others would show off, criticize them, belittle them, and take them to the cleaners.
Fraud (or Attempting to Do So)
It is virtually hard to cheat at the poker table. Poker is a game that requires a group of players to observe each other’s every move by design closely. Therefore, if you think that cheating will get away with it, you’re barking up the wrong, very strange tree.
Nevertheless, a surprising number of gamblers continue to attempt to skew the odds in their favor on occasion. They try a little card trickery, and they try to conspire with one or more other players, mark or fold cards to make them easier to identify, and so on.
The problem with these situations is that even a complete amateur can see what is going on from a mile away. And if there’s one surefire way to lose the respect of others, especially those who had previously trusted you, it’s by trying to defraud them of their money.
Putting on a Show When You Win
Poker players who consistently win hands do not celebrate their victories and accept them as they are accustomed to it. They didn’t even look as though they had won anything, judging by the expressions on their faces.
In contrast, terrible poker players who nearly never win are surprised when things go their way. Therefore, they celebrate each victory as if it were the grand prize of a powerful global lottery.
All of this serves to affirm your lackluster poker skills and enrage everyone currently struggling in your immediate vicinity. A receptive and skilled poker player will accept wins and losses with amazing grace.
After playing the hand of a lifetime, it is acceptable to feel slightly arrogant.
Ignoring the Dealer
Finally, offending the dealer is the worst possible offense after disrespecting your fellow players. When you play a poker game in a real casino, the game will be supervised by a trained and seasoned expert—someone who is merely present to deal with the cards and has no say in how the game proceeds.
However, when things don’t go their way, there will always be people who vent their anger on these wholly defenseless people. They experience a losing streak or lose a lot of money due to a foolish move, only to blame the dealer.
This is undoubtedly among the greatest violations of poker etiquette in the entire book. But, to be completely honest, players who attribute their losses to someone or something other than themselves really shouldn’t be playing poker at all.