6 Online Poker Etiquette

Etiquette in Online Poker?

Many poker players think that because they are sitting behind a computer screen it gives them a free license to do what they want and just to generally act like a jackass. That is simply not the case and there are a number of considerations every poker player should be aware of before they ever sit down at an online poker table. Here are some online poker etiquette tips:

Tip #1 – Don’t tap the glass.

Never berate a bad poker player for making a bad play. The last thing you want to do is educate a poor poker player about what they are doing is wrong. Seriously, if a bad player sucked out on you and it made you angry, just bite the bullet and don’t act like an asshole towards him. Shouting at him and calling him an idiot for putting all his money in on a weak draw will not get you your money back and may actually cause him to start playing better. If nothing else it makes the playing environment not very fun and friendly, you want to keep the fish having fun and playing as long as possible. Please do not be rude to the bad players!

Tip #2 – Don’t talk about a poker hand you're not in.

Don’t ever talk about another poker player's hand or give another player advice on a hand which they are in. If you have the nuts and you go all-in, and a fishy player has to decide whether to call or fold, how would you like it if another player at the table kept on telling the fish to fold because you have the nuts or similar. I have seen this thing happen several times , and it is definitely unethical and should not be done at any point.

Do not confuse this for using table talk to influence a decision. If you are all-in and another player has to decide whether to call or fold, you can talk to them to try and influence their decision. This is called leveling and is 100% acceptable. The difference between the two scenarios is someone else butting in and offering advice on a hand to a weak player in an attempt to get the action he wants (a fold) so that the weak player does not go bust.

Tip #3 – Do not be abusive or use profanities in the chat.

This goes along the same line of advice as not tapping the glass. Berating or being abusive to another player is not good for anyone. You may upset someone and they may choose to quit the table or stop playing all together. You may even put yourself on tilt or make yourself angry or upset. Just try to not to be abusive or use profanities in the chat.

Tip #4 – Do not give an indication of the hand you folded.

Imagine you raise pre-flop with Ace 5 on the button and someone re-raises you. Another player calls and you decide to fold. If the flop comes down Ace 5 5 or something similar giving you what would have been a strong hand, don’t under any circumstances talk about your hand in the chat. Only after the hand is completed can you talk about your hand. Doing so can influence the way the hand plays out and is totally unfair to the players still involved in the hand.

Tip #5 – Keep up with the action

Please, when possible don’t take an overly long time to act especially on basic pre-flop actions. Yes take your time on important post flop decisions, but don’t take excessively long to make basic decisions. Slowing down the game is bad for everyone involved and a too slow game might frustrate a losing player and get them to leave the table.

Tip #6 – Do not slowroll your opponent.

Slowrolling is really bad etiquette. Anytime you think it's clear that you have the best hand and are going to call your opponents bet, do so as soon as you have made your decision. Slowrolling can sometimes be justified in some cases I suppose. For example, if you're playing a douchebag who’s being abusive in the chat or someone like say Phil Hellmuth, slowrolling can be mandatory and hilarious. Please don’t do it to random people though!