Etiquette in Poker?
Poker started as a gentleman's game. It was a game played among the high class of society. Even women of high society played the game. Cards after all have been around for a long time.
It wasn't long before poker was picked up by bandits or gunslingers as a means to settle scores. Instead of shooting each other, a game of poker usually settled any disagreements made. Then, the army started playing poker and from there, it became a popular past time.
Nowadays, anybody can play poker. Anybody with a pack of cards, a table, poker chips and friends interested in the game, can automatically start their own poker party. But ever since then and until now, poker is still a social event. A social event where manners matter.
Manners in poker playing is not to be thought of in the strictest sense. Etiquette in playing so as not to insult anyone else or to give away too much of a player's game. Etiquette during a game helps a player up his game to win the pot as well as be a favorite player in social circles.
Position oneself at the table in a comfortable manner but don't be too comfortable. Sit with the back straight. Be reserved but not too quiet. Avoid any nervous habits like biting one's fingernails, snorting and the like. While the cards are being dealt, wait until the dealer distributes all the cards before picking these up.
In one's own private time, practice shuffling and dealing the cards. Since most poker sessions rarely have a personal dealer, the players take turns as dealer. An inept dealer is a bad reputation to have in poker circles. Shuffling the cards should be quick and steady. Dealing the cards should be clean and precise.
When dealing the cards, the stack should be held in one hand while the other hand distributes the cards. Always start to the left and move in a clockwise rotation. Cards should be taken from the top of the stack and not from the bottom. Never take a look at the top card and the bottom card of the stack.
For inexperienced players, it is quite common to be nervous at a game especially when they are up against more advanced players. As much as possible try to keep the nervousness and inexperience in check, advanced players rarely appreciate indecisiveness that delay the game.
Sometimes, inexperienced players try to shadow their nervousness through talking and commenting on the previous hands. Comments out loud should be avoided. Lamenting over a previous hand is also a downer. Also, unless one is already comfortable in the table or is meant to be strategy, avoid talking about other matters not related to the current game.
Think of these as table manners only it's for a poker table. Poker sessions are usually social events. The etiquette of a player during a game can either speak highly or lowly of that person. Knowing how to behave during a card game can be an advantage socially as well as a means of winning the game.