I have a poker online buddy named John, who would regularly host Friday night poker tournaments. He was a good host, providing food, mediating disagreements, and generally making everybody feel welcome.
He’s a good player, generally placing in the top three, but one night, Johnny was a victim of some bad luck. He made smart moves, played the right cards, and played his opponents well, but he just kept getting outdrawn. True to his luck, he finished the night by going all in with a King flush, only to get outdrawn by a full boat, 8’s over Kings. Understandably upset, John got a bit emotional-he grabbed his chips, threw them in his opponent’s face, and stormed out of the room, leaving us all in a stunned silence. One problem-it was Johnny’s house, so he had nowhere to go. He stalked into his room and slammed the door. Eventually, he got hungry and lurched his way to the kitchen, mumbling an apology and becoming a prime example of broken poker online etiquette, even at a casino online.
Do’s: Play Honest-there’s nothing worse than being a cheat. If you get caught cheating, no one will ever let you play with them again, and that’s probably the best case scenario. If you’ve ever seen “Casino”, you know what I’m talking about.
Play Fast- Unless you’re making a decision for a big part of your chip stack, don’t make everyone wait for you. Evaluate your hand while the betting moves around the table, then when your turn comes around, you’ll be ready to go.
Be a Good Loser-No one wants to hear someone whine about the hand he just lost. And don’t throw your chips in anyone’s face.
Be a Good Winner-For that matter, no one wants to hear you gloating at someone who just lost to you. If you win, win with some class.
Don’t’s
Bet Out of Turn-Betting out of sequence can have a poor impact on another player’s hand. It can change player’s decisions regarding calling or folding, and if it costs another player money, he will not forget it.
Berate Other Players-Don’t give other players a hard time about how they’re playing, regardless of how poor you think they’re playing. If someone else if playing poorly, it’s better for you anyway, so don’t ruin the good feelings at the table by making fun of him.
Touch Another Player’s Chips-Touching another person’s chips is like making a grab for his wallet. If it only gets you punched, consider yourself lucky.
Look at Another Player’s Cards-If someone wins with a bluff or folds his hand, don’t turn his cards over to see what he’s got. Revealing a player’s cards reveals his strategy, and that can ruin his entire game.