Casino Poker Etiquette
After spending hours learning the rules and strategies, and playing with your friends, you are now finally ready to go and play Poker for money in a casino. Before you do so, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with their ways.
When you enter a casino, you will see a place called the card room, which as the name implies, is the staging area for card games like Poker. As you go inside, the first thing you should do is approach the "board". It is where prospective players are listed.
Once you give the person your name, you will inform him/her what game you want to play. If there is an available spot, you can go and participate. Otherwise you just wait your turn.
Once you are at the Poker table, you will be in the company of the dealer and the other players. Once the casino dealer announces "chips", a chip runner will arrive. State the amount you desire, and the runner will bring the appropriate chips to you. Before the Poker game begins it is advisable to place your rack away from the table.
There will be waitresses serving refreshments and food. If you do not like to drink while playing, kindly inform them. At the same time, it would not be advisable to drink too much. Remember, you came to the casino to play.
When the game begins, there are some player customs that you should also know about. Forget what you see on television or in the movies; players do not hold their cards up to their faces. It is laid face down on the table. You just lift it up a little to see the value, and then place a chip over it.
As you play, avoid giving any signs to the dealer that might be misconstrued as wanting to fold. At the same time, make sure that your Poker hand does not make contact with any of the discarded pile, as this will result in an automatic fold on your part.
As a newcomer, it is also important to be aware of the "kill game". This option is often found in Texas Holdem games. Basically, what happens is that a player that wins twice in a row will result in a doubling of the forced bets. If you win the $4 pot consecutively, the next pot will be $8, and so on until you lose. Be sure to ask the dealer about this option.
As with any casino Poker game, it is customary to leave tips to the dealer. It does not have to be much; usually it is just a dollar per pot. However, the amount differs depending on the game and betting structure. The tips collected are usually split equally among all dealers.
Finally, do forget your manners; be polite to everyone, from the other Poker players to the management staff. Do not lose your cool and keep your tone of voice reasonable. Do not talk too much, but do not be a snob either. Do not play too slowly, as this can be a source of irritation for others.
Playing Poker is fun, and you can win money to boot. At the same time, do not forget that you are dealing with other people too, and part of the enjoyment is interacting with them. The bottom line is, be nice.