Table etiquette

[MultiMan]

Hey guys I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, apologies if it's not. In the near future, I will be looking to enter some table tournaments in the near future, heading away from online/private games. The problem is I havnt played at a table before, and I have heard that there is some table etiquette that is required to play at a table. Now I understand that the tables I will be playing at will by no means be with experts, but I still don't want to make a fool of myself by acting incorrectly at he table. I have done some research, and mostly come up win basic things like not playing put of turn, not talking about a hand after you have left it while it is still going, being polite and not eating etc. I was wondering whether it is just basic things like that that I need toake sure I do, or are there more things? What things annoy you guys when you play at tables? Is there anything else I should know? Thanks in advance guys Multiman

[glennop]

Re: Table etiquette Hi multiman, Things not to do at the table:

• Don't show anyone your cards, players or non players.
• Don't act out of turn, everyone has probably done it by accident at least once, just keep aware of who is in each hand and where the action is. If you do act out of turn just appogise (and try not to do it again), but your bet will stand, if a player before you raises and you want to fold, the chips you put in out of turn will have to stay in the pot, you don't get them back.
• If you have folded and would have flopped a monster, don't bang the table or sit there with your head in your hands mumbling, or say anything like 'ffs' or 'I don't believe that'. Just be cool :)
• If a shortstack is 'all-in', and you and another player are in the hand also, best not to bluff the other player off the hand, checking it down to iliminate the shortstack happens a lot, but feel free to bet it if you hit big.
• If your not in the hand, keep your gob shut, best not to say anything at all about the hand, or give any kind of advise to anyone.

• It's ok to eat if your hungry tho'

[bignedkelly]

Re: Table etiquette string betting - the regulars will ALWAYS pick you up on this - if your not familiar with the term it means puting your chips in in stages - if you intend to raise always say raise then either put in the chips to cover the bet and then add your raise in one movement or just put all the chips in at once - it is also a good idea to announce the amount you want to raise because even if you miscount your chips you will be held to the amount that you have verbally declared. if its your first time playing live then you can get quite nervous and most new players will notice their hand shakes when making a bet - i find that messing about with the chips can help this - you dont have to do any fancy chip tricks or anything like that just keep your hands active and they will be more relaxed when it comes time to put some chips into the middle. most of all try and relax and just enjoy it :ok

[slapdash]

Re: Table etiquette My main advice would be: don't worry about it too much. I haven't played live tournaments very often (maybe 30 times?), and the first few times I was really nervous, but I found I had nothing to be nervous about. I've accidentally folded/bet out of turn a few times, but if that happens then just apologise: it probably won't be a big deal. Table talk isn't a big part of my game, but if you're tempted then just keep it in check until you're comfortable with what is/isn't acceptable. Basically, be friendly and polite, and then, if you make a minor faux pas, you'll be forgiven unless you're unlucky enough to come up against a real dickhead. If there's a ruling against you, then just accept it and move on.

[MultiMan]

Re: Table etiquette Thanks a heap guys, I have been a bit nervous because I'm not the best, and I'm not really sure what the competition will be like. If there was a major slip up whatever that may be, what sort of "punishment" would you expect? Would they ask you to leave the table/tournement? Or even just the hand? I'm not really used to verbslisingbmy bets either but I'm assuming it would be like this. Say if I had to call 50 and I was raising another 20, would I just say "raise 20" and push all 70 chips in in one motion yeh? Thanks guys Multiman

[slapdash]

Re: Table etiquette

If there was a major slip up whatever that may be, what sort of "punishment" would you expect? Would they ask you to leave the table/tournement? Or even just the hand?

Well, if you headbutted the dealer, you might be ejected. :lol But I've never seen anybody asked to leave, and I'm sure you wouldn't be just for making a mistake.

I'm not really used to verbslisingbmy bets either but I'm assuming it would be like this. Say if I had to call 50 and I was raising another 20, would I just say "raise 20" and push all 70 chips in in one motion yeh?

Until you've got the hang of it, it might be easiest not to say anything (or just say "raise"). Just sort out the chips you want to bet and push them forward in one motion.

[Fonzie14]

Re: Table etiquette if ur calling 50...ur min raise is 50 btw ....but i'm sure u knew that :)

[bignedkelly]

Re: Table etiquette

Thanks a heap guys, I have been a bit nervous because I'm not the best, and I'm not really sure what the competition will be like. If there was a major slip up whatever that may be, what sort of "punishment" would you expect? Would they ask you to leave the table/tournement? Or even just the hand? I'm not really used to verbslisingbmy bets either but I'm assuming it would be like this. Say if I had to call 50 and I was raising another 20, would I just say "raise 20" and push all 70 chips in in one motion yeh? Thanks guys Multiman

you wont be kicked out of tourny/casino for any genuine mistake - worst case scenario your hand will be declared dead for that particular hand as for verbalising its exactly like you mention above but remember that any raise must be at least twice the origional bet so if you had to call 50 and youwanted to raiseyour minimum raise woulde be another 50,so you would just say "raise to 100" and push all 100 chips in in one motion one more thing - if you are not sure if anyone is taking advantage of your lack of knowlege then you are always intitled to ask the tourney director (usually the guy taking the money) for a ruling relax and enjoy

[MultiMan]

Re: Table etiquette Oh, whoops thanks guys for the correction on raising. One other question is that I read that hand gestures are required above voicing your actions, for example tapping the table for checking. Pushing chips in is calling/raising yeh? And folding is just pushing the cards forward? Anything else I need to know gestures wise. Thanks for bearing with me guys, as you can tell I'm fairly amateur, and need all the help I can get. Cheers Multiman

[bignedkelly]

Re: Table etiquette

Oh, whoops thanks guys for the correction on raising. One other question is that I read that hand gestures are required above voicing your actions, for example tapping the table for checking. Pushing chips in is calling/raising yeh? And folding is just pushing the cards forward? Anything else I need to know gestures wise. Thanks for bearing with me guys, as you can tell I'm fairly amateur, and need all the help I can get. Cheers Multiman

If you tap the table when it is your turn to act this will be deemed as a check pushing chips in can be a bit tricky if you dont also anounce your intention for example if the bet is 100 and it comes round to you and you want to raise to 500 if you push in a single 500 chip without saying anything then this will be deemed as a call and you will be given 400 change. If however you used more than one chip say 5 x 100's and stacked them up and in one motion pushed them in without anouncing anything then this would stand as a raise. Easy to get this wrong so id always advise anouncing your intentions - this also overcomes any problems you might have about recognising chip denominations and accidentaly raising 5000 when you meant to make it 500. pushing your cards face down into the dealer means a fold and no matter what stage in the hand you do this as soon as the cards touch the muck they are dead and cannot be recovered 2 other gestures to look out for are: hand clasped as if holding an ice cream cone and moving in an up and down fashion - this is used to describe the guy at the table who insists on going over and over a bad beat he got middle digits raised along with a hearty laugh - you may well feel like doing this but probably best not to

[Haichan]

Re: Table etiquette

Thanks a heap guys, I have been a bit nervous because I'm not the best, and I'm not really sure what the competition will be like. If there was a major slip up whatever that may be, what sort of "punishment" would you expect? Would they ask you to leave the table/tournement? Or even just the hand? I'm not really used to verbslisingbmy bets either but I'm assuming it would be like this. Say if I had to call 50 and I was raising another 20, would I just say "raise 20" and push all 70 chips in in one motion yeh? Thanks guys Multiman

The key is to take your time and think about what you are doing. My first live tourney was last year in Blackpool at the G casino. Event was full of regulars. One player at my table after the first hour was a real moaner. One player in early limped. I got KK in late position but didn't announce raise. I then went to raise but mispushed my chips. The guy claimed it was a string bet and the dealer ruled I could only call the limper. Flush draw on the flop and my raises on flop and turn were called. Flush came on the river and limper went all in. She had me covered. I folded the KK and showed the Kings. From then on I got a lot more respect from the table. I also started announcing raise before i carefully pushed the chips in. Didn't make the string bet mistake again. Ended up busting the moaner and winning the tournament. So take your time, think what you are doing and if you are going to raise announce it before pushing your chips in. I don't tend to announce the raise amount. Just saying raise gives you the time to count your chips before pusing them in. To avoid acting out of turn, I always wait until it is my turm before looking at my cards. It helps to give you more thinking time and to be able to watch the action in front of you.

[X__Gandalf__X]

Re: Table etiquette

To avoid acting out of turn' date=' I always wait until it is my turm before looking at my cards. It helps to give you more thinking time and to be able to watch the action in front of you.[/quote'] That's excellent advice, but I'm not sure I'd have the willpower!