No-show Policy: A "no-show" is removed from the league permanently. Cancellation on the day of the tournament without an explanation is considered a no-show. Please be courteous to the host and to fellow-players and update your RSVP as soon as you know that you will not be able to attend.
Home poker etiquette involves being aware of and complying with poker rules and customs and behaving as a decent, respectful person. Poker is a social activity as well as a game. Like any game there are rules to be followed. Like any social activity there are behavioral customs and expectations. While observing home poker etiquette and poker rules may not make you a better player, it will make you someone who others will enjoy inviting to their home poker games.
Respect Your Host
Be mindful that you are a guest in someone's home. You were taught how to behave in that situation when you were a youngster. Just because there is a poker game going on does not give you liberty to behave any differently. Respect your host and your host's home and thank them at the end of the session. If you are a frequent guest remember the host is providing a place for you to have a night of entertainment, win or lose. So always remember to put something in Tip Jar, or bring items to help the house out, if you are not sure what to bring ask the Host.
Tipping Etiquette
You'll most likely have some food or drinks while playing. One piece of etiquette we should readily mention is to manage your space on the table. Don't leave the host's house with a huge mess around. Remember to avoid spills, especially on the furniture. Remember, the house only provides soda/water/snacks on Tip Jar basis, So if you eat/drink from house stores, make sure you put money in the tip jar.
If you make a payout in cash or tournament play, a house donation is also customary. It can vary widely depending upon how much you won, but somewhere between 5 to 10% is usually sufficient.
Attendance
When you accept an invitation to play in a home game you should honor it. Other people are expecting you to show up. If something comes up that prevents you from playing you should inform the host or organizer as soon as possible so that they can find another player.Home poker games typically have designated starting and ending times. Obviously, you should get there on time. What about leaving? Generally, you will be expected to stay until the end, barring some unforeseen emergency that may arise or unless you have made it clear from the start that you must leave early. You certainly have the right to leave whenever you want whether winning, losing or even. Exercising that right is the potentially problematic part. While no one is going to stop you from leaving early you may run the risk of not being invited back, especially if you leave as a big winner. I ask you give 30 min notice to leave in a Cash Game if you still have chips in front of you.
Dealing & Handling Cards
The cards that have been dealt to you should remain in clear sight on the table. Don't show your cards to other players or spectators during the hand, even if you have dropped out. It is your obligation to protect your cards from being accidentally mixed with discarded or "mucked" cards. Should that happen, your hand is declared dead. When folding, discard in way that does not expose any of your cards.When dealing the cards you must do so in a manner that protects the identity of the cards. Hold the deck in your hand close to the table surface and make sure the cut card is on the bottom. Deal the cards close to the table surface as well, so that no one can see a card as it is dealt. When you are the dealer it is your obligation to pay attention and deal the cards properly since your mistakes can end up costing other players money.If the dealer exposes a player's card that card is ruled "dead" and a replacement card is provided. The player is not entitled to decide if he wants to keep the card or not. Any card exposed in this situation must be displayed to the other players so that everyone is aware of it. If a replacement card is needed it is usually provided after all the other cards are dealt in their usual order. For example, if dealing holdem the dealer exposes the second card dealt to player 6, the original sequence of dealing should be observed. That is, the very next card is dealt to player 7 and likewise to the other players in order. Once all the other players cards have been dealt player 6 gets his exposed card replaced.Do not bend, fold, cut or mark the cards in any way. You may be suspected of cheating. Don't take out your anger of losing by ripping up the cards. Even if they are your cards you'll look like a jerk. If they are not yours you have no right to destroy someone's property. You risk either never being invited back, or getting your deck ripped up when it's your turn to host the game.
Actions
Following proper actions is one of the most important things you can do. You should always be paying attention to the action at the table and act only when it is your turn. Do not announce your action before it is your turn. Prematurely disclosing your intention may give you or another player an unfair advantage.There are only four actions you can take during a poker hand: check, bet, raise, fold. When it is time to take your action just verbally announce what you are doing. Bear in mind, you can make only one of these actions per turn. The classic violation of this rule is called a "string bet" in which a player says something like: "I call your bet and raise you...". You cannot both call and raise in the same turn. Whatever you say first is the only thing that is allowable, so in this example you have called. When you want to raise just say "raise". You may also find yourself in a string bet situation if you move chips into the pot in two separate motions. That is, putting the amount of chips out to call the bet, then returning to your stack and placing a raise out there. Place all the chips out at once. Also keep in mind that your verbal declaration is binding. Once you've said it you've done it. If you say something like "I guess I fold. Oh, wait! I call" you've folded. As already mentioned, you should verbally announce each of your actions, that way there is no ambiguity of what you are doing. There are, however, some situations in which a non-verbal action signals your intention: Tapping the table in front of you with your hand/fingers will be taken to mean you "check". If you move a single overvalued chip into the pot without announcing a raise in a limit game it will be taken to mean you are just calling. Throwing your cards away or turning your hand face down in stud means you have folded. It is always preferable to make a verbal declaration along with non-verbal actions. This is especially true when your intention is to make a raise.
ALWAYS BET/CALL/RAISE WITH HIGH VALUE CHIPS. Bet $300 with $100 chips if you have them and not $25 to avoid unnecessary delaying the game and adding confusion.
Don't take an excessive amount of time to make your actions. Most of your decisions will be fairly straight forward and they only take a moment to make. There will be times where you will need to think something through and when those situations arise just say you are going to need some extra time. But, if you continually make the other players wait while you ponder your hand it will annoy them. They may also feel you are deliberately trying to get the next player to act prematurely and thus potentially gain an advantage.
Showing Called Hands
When a hand is called at the end it is the player who made the bet who must reveal their hand first. But, rather than engage in any bantering back and forth you might as well just show your cards. You are going to need to show to win, anyway. If requested, all hands, including the losers, must be shown in a called hand. Never deliberately delay revealing what you think is the best hand, something that is referred to as "slow rolling". In a "slow roll" a player with a powerful hand lets all the other players reveal and announce their hands. Someone thinks they have made the winning hand, then the slow roller reveals the actual winner. Another similar move is to say something like "I have 2 pair...both are aces" when you have four of a kind. You will not win any friends with these kinds of "bush league" moves.
Don't Make it Personal, Don't Take it Personally
Poker is a game. Checking, betting, raising and folding are just the tactics used in that game. Don't mistake them as expressions of emotion. They are not personal barbs aimed at you by others, or by you toward others. A bet or raise is not an act of malevolence. Another player bets or raises you because they have a hand that warrants that action, not out of meanness. A check is not an act of kindness. You check because your hand warrants that action, not because you are nice. Don't take these things personally. Definitely don’t insult other players on the call or the action they took during a hand, they put their money up and are welcome to play any way they want as long as its legal action.
Table Talk
During the play of a hand keep the talk focused on the game and avoid social conversation. If you are not involved in the hand you should keep quiet. Never discuss or do anything that could reveal information about your hand or other players' hands. An obvious violation would be to blurt out something like "darn, I folded a pair of deuces!" when favorable cards hit the table. Avoid showing any reaction either verbally or physically to the cards or the play during a hand. Other inappropriate comments would be to encourage one player to call or raise another or to indicate what cards or hand you think another player is holding.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Although this point of etiquette is commonly ignored in a friendly home game, it is generally improper to ask the winning player what his hand was in an uncalled hand. In poker you are supposed to pay to see the other players' cards. If it is another player asking you what you had, you are under no obligation to tell. And, should you choose to reply, you are under no obligation to be truthful.While you must always initially declare your actions, you are generally under no obligation to re-state it if asked later. For example, in a draw poker game you must announce how many cards you intend to draw when it is your turn. However, later if a player asks you how many cards you drew, you do not need to reply. This is an example of the need for every player to pay attention to the action as it occurs.
Whining & Bragging
Everyone who plays poker has had losing sessions and received their share of bad beats. Quite frankly, no one is interested in hearing about yours, so you might as well keep them to yourself. While you may hear some seemingly sympathetic responses, no one really cares, they are just trying to be polite.
You are going to lose some hands with excellent cards that you felt had no possibility of being beaten. Other players are going to suck out on you every so often. It is part of poker and you have to take it in stride. No yelling, cursing or other childish behavior. No one wants to play with a jerk. Don't be one.
Just as no one is interested in hearing you whine, others especially do not want to listen to you brag. People are going to take offense to you saying something like "Thank you boys and girls. I won $100 tonight". There are a couple of reasons for this: One is that they have been playing with you and already know you won, so your comment will be seen as rubbing it in. Another is that the money you are stuffing into your pocket used to belong to them. If someone asks you how much you won, just give a simple answer, but otherwise, don't volunteer the information.There can actually be a practical reason not to brag about your winnings: You'd like to have people think you are no better than an average player, not a consistently winning one.
Giving Lessons
Appointing yourself a poker instructor and giving lessons at the table is not something you want to do. Most people will consider it to be a form of bragging about how good a player you are or criticism of how poorly they play. Assuming you actually know what you are talking about a few people may actually listen to what you say and learn something. If you're a good player why give away your secrets?
Coaching New Players
If a new or novice player is attending your home game, you should certainly give him instructions regarding the rules and play of each game. And, as a new player it is okay to ask questions if you are unsure about something. But, during the play of a hand, any information asked for or given should be restricted to rule or procedural issues, not strategy or decision making. As examples, it would be fine to state that in Omaha the player must use exactly 2 cards from their hand and 3 from the board. It would not be okay to give advice on what hand you think he will need to win. Restrict coaching to before or after the game.
Sorry?
Occasionally you will hear a player say "sorry" to another after beating him out of a pot. Don't apologize for winning. Isn't that the objective? Some people may consider your "sorry" to be an insult, since it is insincere. You know you're not really sorry, the player you beat knows it and so does everyone else at the table. Those in your friendly home game will probably let your comment slide. But in a serious game you are likely to get an annoyed or even angry response. Keep quiet, or, if you wish, acknowledge that you were fortunate to win, but don't apologize.
Likewise, in tournament play, do not apologize for eliminating another player from the tournament. Usually refrain from making the initial offer to shake hands with the eliminated player. Some players may be upset about losing and not wish to engage in a show of sportsmanship. Leave it to them. Shake their hand if they offer it, otherwise don't concern yourself about it.
The proper place for "sorry" at the poker table is the same as in any other social encounter: when you've done or said something that you should apologize or excuse yourself for.
Collusion
Player collusion is cheating. It must never be allowed, even if it appears to be unintentional. Collusion occurs when two or more players openly act together to influence the play of a hand. Obvious examples would be when one player says to another something like "I think if you and I keep betting and raising we can get Joe to fold" or "If we all check, Sue won't be able to keep raising us". Of course there are some much less obvious or more subtle methods of collusion. Whenever a player says or does something that is intended to influence others to play a hand in some type of coordinated fashion you and the other players should speak up and stop it whether you are active in the hand or not. The usual etiquette of not commenting during a hand you are not involved in does not apply to observations of cheating.
In a tournament, when one player is all-in and two or more other players are also in the hand, it is a common tactic for the others to check rather than bet, unless one has the nuts. This is especially the case when reaching the money. Each knows that playing that way will increase the chances of eliminating the all-in player. As long this occurs without any prompting or comment it is perfectly alright. However, it would never be permissible for a player to say anything or to "remind" the others about this tactic.
Another form of collusion in tournament poker is to "softplay" an opponent. It is particulary wrong once players have reached the money. Most commomly this occurs between two players who know one another. When they are heads up in a hand they simply check it all the way no matter how powerful their hand may be. Softplaying allows them to conserve their chips and prevents either of them from hurting or knocking out the other. At first glance this may not seem problematic. After all, if no one else is in the hand how does it adversely affect the other players? But remember, with each player that is eliminated the others move up in prize money. When others are softplaying it makes it more difficult for the other players to advance. Imagine this situation: There are 3 players left in a tournament, you and 2 others. If they are playing honestly and one of them knocks out the other, you advance to 2nd place and make more money. But, if they are softplaying one another that will not occur. You will not advance in the prize money unless you knock them out yourself. You are essentially playing against a team. Additionally, at the end of a hand, if you are last to act and fail to bet the nuts you may be subject to a penalty.
Other Unethical Behavior
Occasionally a player will misread his hand and state he has a better hand than he actually does. It's a mistake that anyone could make once in a while. But deliberately miscalling a hand in order to try to get the other players to fold should never be done. Always make a player who claims to have the best hand show it. Never muck your hand until you see you are beaten. It should go without saying, that engaging in any unethical behavior is certainly a violation of etiquette as well.