When playing Poker for the first time , consider the following
elements of poker etiquette:

Acting in Turn Although you may see others fold or call out of
turn, don't do it yourself. It is considered rude because it
gives an unfair advantage to the players before you who have yet
to act. This is especially important at the showdown when only
three players are left. If players after you are acting out of
turn while you decide what to do, say "Time!" to make it clear
that you have not yet acted.

Handling Cards You may find it awkward at first to peek at your
own cards without exposing them to others. Note that the other
players have no formal obligation to alert you to your
clumsiness, although some will. Watch how the other players
manage it and emulate them. Leave your cards in sight at all
times; holding them in your lap or passing them to your
kibitzing friend is grounds for killing your hand. Finally, if
you intentionally show your cards to another player during the
hand, both your hands may be declared dead. Your neighbor might
want to see *you* declared dead :) if this happens!

Protecting Cards In a game with "pocket cards" like Hold'em or
Omaha, it is your responsibility to "protect your own cards".
This confusing phrase really means "put a chip on your cards".
If your cards are just sitting out in the open, you are subject
to two possible disasters. First, the dealer may scoop them up
in a blink because to leave one's cards unprotected is a signal
that you are folding. Second, another player's cards may happen
to touch yours as they fold, disqualifying your hand and your
interest in the pot. Along the same lines, when you turn your
cards face up at the showdown, be careful not to lose control of
your cards. If one of them falls off the table or lands
face-down among the discards your hand will be dead, even if
that card is not used to make your hand.

Accidentally Checking In some fast-paced games, a moment of
inaction when it is your turn to act may be interpreted as a
check. Usually, a verbal declaration or rapping one's hand on
the table is required, but many players are impatient and will
assume your pause is a check. If you need more than a second to
decide what to do, call "Time!" to stop the action. While you
decide, don't tap your fingers nervously; that is a clear check
signal and will be considered binding.

String Bets A "string bet" is a bet that initially looks like a
call, but then turns out to be a raise. Once your hand has put
some chips out, you may not go back to your stack to get more
chips and increase the size of your bet, unless you verbally
declared the size of your bet at the beginning. If you always
declare "call" or "raise" as you bet, you will be immune to this
problem. Note that a verbal declaration in turn is binding, so a
verbal string bet is possible and also prohibited. That means
you cannot say "I call your $5, and raise you another $5!" Once
you have said you call, that's it. The rest of the sentence is
irrelevant. You can't raise.

Splashing the Pot In some home games, it is customary to throw
chips directly into the pot. In a public card room., this is
cause for dirty looks, a reprimand from the dealer, and possibly
stopping the game to count down the pot. When you bet, place
your chips directly in front of you. The dealer will make sure
that you have the right number and sweep them into the pot.

One Chip Rule In some card rooms., the chip denominations and
game stakes are incommensurate. For example, a $3-$6 game might
use $1 and $5 chips, instead of the more sensible $3 chip. The
one-chip rule says that using a large-denomination chip is just
a call, even though the chip may be big enough to cover a raise.
If you don't have exact change, it is best to verbally state
your action when throwing that large chip into the pot. For
example, suppose you are playing in a $1-$5 spread-limit game,
the bet is $2 to you, and you have only $5 chips. Silently
tossing a $5 chip out means you call the $2 bet. If you want to
raise to $4 or $5, you must say so *before* your chip hits the
felt. Whatever your action, the dealer will make any required
change at the end of the betting round. Don't make change for
yourself out of the pot.

Raising Forever In a game like Hold'em, it is possible to know
that you hold "the nuts" and cannot be beaten. If this happens
when all the cards are out and you get in a raising war with
someone, don't stop! Raise until one of you runs out of chips.
If there is the possibility of a tie, the rest of the table may
clamor for you to call, since you "obviously" both have the same
hand. Ignore the rabble. You'll be surprised how many of your
opponents turn out to be bona fide idiots.

The Showdown Hands end in one of three ways: one person bets and
everyone else folds, one person bets on the final round and at
least one person calls, or everybody checks on the final round.
If everybody folds to a bet, the bettor need not show the
winning cards and will usually toss them to the dealer face
down. If somebody calls on the end, the person who bet or raised
most recently is *supposed* to immediately show, or "open",
their cards. They may delay doing so in a rude attempt to induce
another player to show their hand in impatience, and then muck
their own hand if it is not a winner. Don't do this yourself.
Show your hand immediately if you get called. If you have called
a bet, wait for the bettor to show, then show your own hand if
it's better. If the final round is checked down, in most card
rooms. everyone is supposed to open their hands immediately.
Sometimes everyone will wait for someone else to show first,
resulting in a time-wasting deadlock. Break the chain and show
your cards.

Most card rooms. give every player at the table the right to see
all cards that called to a showdown, even if they are mucked as
losers. (This helps prevent cheating by team-play.) If you are
extremely curious about a certain hand, ask the dealer to show
it to you. It is considered impolite to constantly ask to see
losing cards. It is even more impolite if you hold the winning
cards, and in most card rooms. you will forfeit the pot if the
"losing" cards turn out to be better than yours.

As a beginner, you may want to show your hand all the time,
since you may have overlooked a winning hand. What you gain from
one such pot will far outweigh any loss due to revealing how you
played a particular losing hand. "Cards speak" at the showdown,
meaning that you need not declare the value of your hand. The
dealer will look at your cards and decide if you have a winner.

As a final word of caution, it is best to hold on to your
winning cards until the dealer pushes you the pot. If the dealer
takes your cards and incorrectly "mucks" them, many card rooms.
rule that you have no further right to the pot, even if everyone
saw your winning cards.

Raking in the Pot As you win your first pot, the excitement
within you will drive you beyond the realm of rational behavior,
and you will immediately lunge to scoop up the precious chips
with both arms. Despite the fact that no other player had done
this while you watched, despite the fact that you read here not
to do it, you WILL do it. Since every dealer has a witty
admonition prepared for this moment, maybe it's all for the
best. But next time, let the dealer push it to you, ok?

Touching Cards or Chips Don't. Only touch your own cards and
chips. Other players' chips and cards, discards, board cards,
the pot and everything else are off-limits. Only the dealer
touches the cards and pot.

Tipping Dealers make their living from tips. It is customary for
the winner of each pot to tip the dealer 50 cents to a dollar,
depending on locale and the stakes. Sometimes you will see
players tip several dollars for a big pot or an extremely
unlikely suck out. Sometimes you will see players stiff the
dealer if the pot was tiny or split between two players. This is
a personal issue, but imitating the other players is a good
start.

Correcting Mistakes Occasionally the dealer or a player may make
a mistake, such as miscalling the winning hand at the showdown.
If you are the victim of such a mistake, call it out immediately
and do not let the game proceed. If your opponent is the victim,
let your conscience be your guide; many see no ethical dilemma
in remaining silent. If you are not involved in the pot, you
must judge the texture of the game to determine whether to speak
up. In general, the higher the stakes, the more likely you
should keep your mouth shut.

Taking a Break You are free to get up to stretch your legs,
visit the restroom and so on. Ask the dealer how long you may be
away from your seat; 20 or 30 minutes is typical. It is
customary to leave your chips sitting on the table; part of the
dealer's job is to keep them safe. If you miss your blind(s)
while away, you may have to make them up when you return, or you
may be asked to sit out a few more hands until they reach you
again. If several players are gone from a table, they may all be
called back to keep the game going; those who don't return in
time forfeit their seats.

Color Change If you are in the happy situation of having too
many chips, you may request a "color change" (except in Atlantic
City). You can fill up a rack or two with your excess chips and
will receive a few large denomination chips in return. These
large chips are still in play, but at least you aren't
inconvenienced by a mountain of chips in front of you. Remember
the one chip rule when betting with them.

Leaving Leave whenever you feel like it. You never have an
obligation to stay at the table, even if you've won a fortune.
You should definitely leave if you are tired, losing more than
you expect, or have other reasons to believe you are not playing
your best game. Depending on the card room., you can redeem your
chips for cash with a chip-runner or floor man or at the
cashier's cage.

House Charges Last but not least is the matter of the house
take. Somebody has to maintain the tastefully opulent
furnishings and pay the electric bill. The money taken by the
house is called the "drop", since it is dropped down a slot in
the table at the end of each hand. The house will choose one of
three ways to charge you to play.

Time Charge A simple "time charge" is common in higher limit
games and at some small games: seats are rented by the half
hour, at rates ranging from $4 to $10 or so, depending on the
stakes. This method charges all players equally.

Rake Other card rooms. will "rake" a percentage of the final
pot, up to some maximum, before awarding it to the winning
player. The usual rake is either 5% or 10%, capped at $3 or $4.
If the pot is raked, the dealer will remove chips from the pot
as it grows, setting them aside until the hand is over and they
are dropped into a slot in the table. This method favors the
tight player who enters few pots but wins a large fraction of
them.

Button Charge A simpler method is to collect a fixed amount at
the start of each hand; one player, usually the one with the
dealer button, pays the entire amount of the drop. Depending on
house rules, this "button charge" of $2-$4 may or may not play
as a bet. If the chips do play as a bet, this method also favors
the tighter players, but not nearly as much as the rake does.

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The author is a specialist in the field of Gambling for the past
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