Maintaining Etiquette in Poker

S. Stoynova

Svetlana is a seasoned iGaming writer who has been contributing to CasinoGamesPro.com since 2015. She specialises in in-depth reviews of casino games, including slots, roulette, blackjack, and video poker. Her expertise also extends to evaluating payment methods, mobile casino apps, and leading online gambling platforms.

(editor) | Updated: 2025-08-14 14:53:45

Poker, like other classic casino games, requires players to adhere to certain rules of conduct while at the table. Unlike games of chance such as craps and roulette, however, poker is a mind game in which players must carefully read their opponents and gather as much information from them as possible.

Before joining a poker game, you should first ask yourself, “Am I a good sport?”. If the answer is “no”, you ought to re-evaluate your behavior and start following some general rules of conduct that will help you maintain proper etiquette—at least if you wish to avoid coming across as a dolt and a bad sport. After all, Poker is a competitive game played with a group of people, so it is wise to try to finish on amicable terms with your fellow players.

Treat Fellow Players with Respect

One of the basic rules of conduct that poker players are advised to follow is to always be polite to their opponents. Mutual respect should always be at hand (excuse the pun) at a poker table. It is possible to play aggressively and bluff your opponents subtly while still maintaining good etiquette. Players who resort to derision, verbal abuse, or intimidation do not sit well with fellow participants and are unlikely to be invited back to the table.

Do Not Gloat

Showing modesty when you win is considered another aspect of good table etiquette in poker. It goes without saying there is hardly a person on planet Earth who enjoys losing a hand and saying “goodbye” to a nice pot. If you emerge as the winner, do your best to contain your satisfaction and consider how you would feel if you were on the receiving end and had lost.

What is more, in such situations, it is generally considered poor taste to force fellow players to expose the hands they have folded, especially if they are reluctant to do so. On that note, players who have folded should steer clear of openly discussing their hole cards with competitors who are still in the hand.

Muck Your Cards Carefully

The above rule also applies to containing your reactions to the board after you have mucked your cards. This is important because your telltale reactions may provide the players who are still in the hand with additional information, allowing them to manipulate the outcome in their favor.

There is a knack to everything, and folding one’s hand is no exception. When folding, players should muck their cards carefully into the discard tray to avoid one or both cards landing face-up. If the players who are still in the hand glimpse the cards you muck, this will give them an unfair advantage.

Never Slow Roll

Slow rolls are among the most frowned-upon things you can do at a poker table and are regarded as signs of very poor taste. While no particular rule prohibits this move, it should be avoided because it adds unnecessary drama to the game and can offend fellow players.

The term is used whenever a player who believes they have the best hand at the table, or the “nuts”, deliberately delays exposing their hole cards during showdown, or does so at a very slow pace in order to upset players holding weaker hands. The proper—and less offensive—way to expose your cards during a showdown is to flip them over immediately.

Always Wait Your Turn and Protect Your Hand

Acting in turn is another aspect of proper etiquette at the poker table. Players should avoid reaching for their chips or mucking their cards before it is their turn to act. Always wait for your turn, then announce whether you wish to check, bet, call, fold, or raise.

It is every player’s responsibility to protect their hole cards as best they can. When you are dealt your two hole cards, you are never supposed to pick them up or remove them from the table. The cards should remain face-down. Good form dictates that you cover the two cards with one hand and slightly turn up their corners with the other. Moreover, it is best to peek at your hole cards only once and avoid studying them repeatedly.

Keep Your Chips Organized

Another key aspect of good etiquette in poker is to keep your stack of chips well organized, which yields several benefits for you and your fellow players. First, it becomes easier for you to place bets, especially if you arrange your chips in columns according to their values. Also, if you decide to move all-in and have your chips organized in advance, it will be simpler for the dealer to evaluate how much money you are adding to the pot.

Besides, organizing your chips is fair to your opponents because they will know exactly how much money your stack contains. The highest-value chips should be positioned on the outside of your stack to prevent the dealer and your opponents from wrongly assuming you have the shortest stack at the table.

Speaking of chips, when betting, calling, or raising, players should by no means scatter the entire pot by recklessly tossing their chips into the middle of the table. This is likely to cause total confusion for everyone, including you, because the chips might get mixed up, leaving no way for the dealer to tell which chips belong to whom. It would also be impossible to know how much you have actually contributed to the pot.

Do Not Leave the Table for Prolonged Periods of Time

Every once in a while, players need to take a break to visit the restroom or make a phone call. While they are indeed allowed to leave the table, proper etiquette dictates that one should avoid being absent for prolonged periods of time, as this leaves the table short-handed because there is one less person contributing to the pot.

One thing to remember is that the purpose of maintaining proper table etiquette is to allow the game to run as smoothly as possible. Failing to comply with good form has a negative effect on the game and helps neither the player who breaches etiquette nor their opponents.