Casino Poker Room Etiquette

Yes, poker rooms usually have chip runners. You sit down at the table, give them the cash, they give you chips. This does vary by poker room- I just ask at the podium when I put my name on a list or ask for a table if I can buy at the table or if I have to go to the cage.
Updated April 03, 2019 Whether you're playing at a home game or in a casino, there is basic poker etiquette that any player should know and follow. These (usually) unspoken poker rules of good behavior make sure the game is fair and runs smoothly, no matter what kind of game you’re playing.

Most casino poker rooms have a ‘‘seat change’’ button. Just ask for it to reserve your right to change seats once your desired position becomes available. You have to speak up before the seat you want is vacated, and the button exists to avoid arguments on who claimed which seat first.

If you have never been to a casino or public poker room before, your first trip can be filled with excitement, anticipation, and exhilaration. It may also cause you a little fear and apprehension. This article gives you a few pointers and some information about how things work in most casinos and public poker rooms. Let's get started with a major part of any casino experience -- the staff.

One of the most important things to remember is that the staff of a casino or poker room is there to make your visit as comfortable as possible because they want you to come back. If you can't find the card room or if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask a staff member.

The dealer is also part of the staff. If you are sitting down at a poker game in a casino or card room for the first time, tell the dealer that it is your first time and ask them to please keep an eye on you to make sure you aren't doing anything incorrectly. You may be amazed at how helpful and useful someone can be when you show them a little respect and ask for their help. Many times, especially at the lower-limit tables, other players are also helpful.

Also, most poker rooms have a place to sign a waiting list for a particular game. Some have a white board with the games and limits available along with the waiting players' initials. Others will just have someone who writes initials or names on a sheet of paper. The card room calls the next person on the list when a seat becomes available. Simply ask whoever is in charge of the board -- or a staff member -- to place you on the list for all of the games you are willing to play. If you are in a small poker room with no visible sign-up area, ask a dealer how to enter a game.

Casino Poker Room Etiquette Ideas

Well, now that you've found your table and you're ready to play, here are some general tips for casino poker:

Wait for the big blind (The big blind is the largest forced bet at the beginning of a game designed to stimulate betting. The player who has to contribute the big blind rotates one position to the left after each game.) to get to you before playing. Use this time to watch your opponents, and get a feel for the way they are playing. It's amazing how much some players reveal if you just pay attention.
Most players tip the dealer when they win a pot. This is not required, but if the dealer is doing a competent job, you should tip. Dealers are like waitstaff in that they make most of their money from tips. A sample plan would be to tip the dealer .50 on average size pots and possibly $1.00 on larger pots if the dealer is doing a good job. Also, you can watch what the other players are tipping to get an idea. Remember though that every dollar that goes to the dealer is reducing your winnings. You should be able to come to a happy medium with experience.
Act when it's your turn. Never act before your turn. This is very poor etiquette and can change the outcome of a hand. The other players will understandably get upset with you.
Make sure your cards are in plain sight.
It is a good idea to place a chip on them to show that they are still live and protect them because the dealer won't take them when the chip is on them. If you leave your cards unprotected, the dealer might muck them (mix with discards) by mistake, and there is no way you can retrieve them. Most players keep their hand on their cards.
When you win a pot (the total amount of money bet in a single game), don't reach for it. Let the dealer push the pot to you. Do not surrender your cards until the pot has been awarded to you on a winning hand.
If you aren't sure whether you have the best hand at the end of a round, turn your cards face up, and let the dealer read the hands. If the dealer makes a mistake, it can often be corrected. If you throw your hand into the discard pile (often called the 'muck'), you are not eligible for any of the pot even if you made a mistake and had the best hand.
Don't throw your chips into the pot (called 'splashing' the pot). Place all bets in front of you, and let the dealer pull them into the pot.

For more information on playing poker and other casino games, try the following links:

To see all of our articles on poker rules and advice, go to our main article on How To Play Poker.
Learn How to Play Texas Hold 'Em Poker, and you'll be ready for the most common poker game.
If you think you're good enough, you might want to test your skills in a high-pressure situation. Be sure you know How to Play Poker in a Tournament before you ante up.
As long as you're in the casino, you might as well drop a few bucks on some other games. Keep these Casino Gambling Basics handy.

At some point in your life you were taught etiquette. It stands to reason that the lessons you learned about being polite, being patient, and exercising civility should apply when you’re at a poker table. But humans being human, sometimes the manners we learned long ago are forgotten, especially in the heat of a contested hand. Tempers can flare and words can be exchanged. Then there’s the etiquette of poker itself, which is also easy to forget due to the excitement the game creates. What follows are rules related to the game of poker and conduct in general.

POKER ETIQUETTE

Wait your turn: Never bet, fold or raise before it’s your turn. This seems like a simple rule, but many players fold prematurely, most often because they’re disgusted with their cards. And sometimes players raise before their turn because they have a strong hand. Remember, every time you act early it gives the players behind you information they would otherwise not have.

Don’t show your cards early; when you fold, don’t accidentally flash or flip over your cards. You’re giving information to other players still in the hand and revealing those cards may determine the outcome of the hand. The only reason to flip over cards before a showdown is in heads-up situations when one player is all in.

Don’t talk about your cards while a hand is still in play: How many times have you heard a player say “I would have had a full house” when rag cards hit the board? Too many. Letting other players know what you folded again gives them information that will affect a hand’s outcome.

Don’t make string bets; never say, “I call your 50 and raise you 100” like they did in cowboy and western movies. That’s known as a string bet, and won’t be allowed a table. Say “I raise 100” instead. Make sure you don’t put your chips in a pot in more than one motion; it won’t be allowed.

Pay attention; don’t be that guy/gal who keeps checking their fantasy team’s stats or stock prices on their cell phone and has to be constantly reminded it’s their turn to act. Keep the pace of play flowing by not making other players wait. As a bonus, if you pay attention to the game instead of your cell phone or any other distraction, you might learn something about your fellow players.

Don’t splash the pot; it might look good in Rounders or other movies, but splashing the pot is bad form and makes it hard to tell how much you’ve bet. Just move your chips into the pot in neat stacks. The dealer and other players will thank you.

Casino Poker Room Etiquette Party

Speaking of dealers, don’t blame the dealer for the river card that gives your opponent a flush or inside straight. Yes, the dealer shuffled the cards, but the randomness of poker (and shuffling) ensures that he or she was not personally opposed to your winning the hand. Don’t yell, scream, or berate the dealer because of a bad beat.

Speaking of bad beats, this might sound counter-intuitive, but embrace them. In Annie Duke’s book, Decide to Play Great Poker, she writes about accepting and even liking the occasional bad beat because it indicates an opportunity: If a player is willing to go to the river to draw out on you, more often than not, he or she is going to lose. Yes, it’s hard to lose a huge pot when someone hits trip deuces on the river. But the odds ensure you’ll win against this type of player in the long run.

GENERAL CONDUCT

Be sociable — One of the best things about playing poker is that you can sit down at a table of strangers and walk away a few hours later with friends for life. Poker can be the most sociable of games, a great way to relieve boredom or loneliness if you have the right mindset. Be open to conversation. Smile. You don’t have to gab like Dr. Phil, but a pleasant, upbeat attitude will go a long way to making your experience at a poker table more enjoyable.

Casino Poker Room Etiquette Rules

However, do watch what you talk about. Poker tables can be great incubators for discussion, but it’s not the best idea to stridently advocate for one political candidate and demean another. Be aware that your fellow players might have varying viewpoints on social issues, religion, politics, and even sports. If you talk about these subjects, be respectful of others. And never use profanity, racial slurs, or sexist language, which will justifiably get you ejected from any decent poker room.

With regard to cell phones — not so long ago, most casinos banned cell-phone conversation at poker tables. But now that everyone has a cell phone — and with casinos cognizant they can‘t make money with players away from tables — cellular conversations are usually permitted as long as they don’t interrupt play. But here’s the rub. Cell phone conversations are still annoying during the course of a poker game. No one wants to hear about your plans for dinner, complaints about a spouse or boss, or incessant chattering about, well, anything. If you’re going to be on your phone for more than 30 seconds, do the right thing and walk away from the table and converse in private.

Don’t play drunk. This should be obvious and most poker players adhere to sobriety for the simple reason playing drunk leads to bad decisions. But if you are new to playing at an event or casino, be advised that a few drinks are okay; being plastered is not.

By guest author, Rege Behe

New to poker? Please check out my blog for beginning poker players.

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