Poker 101

Rules of Poker Etiquette

Cordiality
Be polite.
Do not swear or be verbally abusive.
Be modest when you win.
Refrain from criticizing another player's play.
Limit unnecessary chatter to avoid disturbing active players.
Do not hit on another player, or the dealer, no matter how attractive you find them.
Be kind to the dealer. Good karma brings good cards.

Table Presence
Manage your table space reasonably.
Keep your chips and/or money on the table.
Do not handle another player's chips or cards.
Do not stack chips in a way that interferes with the deal, the viewing of cards, or another player.
Chips and/or money on the table are not to be transferred from one player to another.
Protect your cards so that no one else can see them.
Keep your cards on the table. Holding cards against your shirt or putting them in your pocket or lap is not allowed.
It is proper for an opponent to complain when a player consistently has the opportunity to see another player's hole cards. It is improper to complain when someone exercises this right.
If you step away from the table, please advise the dealer of your intentions.

Play
Play at a reasonable speed.
It is each player's responsibility to follow the flow of the game. Play in turn. Do not act out of turn.
At no time should any player or spectator make statements that could unfairly influence the play of a hand.
Do not comment about the cards you just threw away.
Refrain from making comments about possible hands. "The board just paired. Someone could have a full house now!".

Betting
Do not splash the pot.
Do not string bet.
Verbally announce your action, particularly in games with non-professional dealers.
Chips and discards should be placed as far forward as reasonably possible to make it easier for the dealer to handle them.
When discarding your hand, do so towards the dealer at a low level of flight so that no other player can see what you have discarded.
Do not expose any cards until the showdown.

The Showdown
Do not mis-declare your hand.
Show your winning hand quickly. Do not "slow-roll" (allow your opponent to think he's won when you know he hasn't).
Rabbit hunting (asking to see what cards would have appeared, had you bet) should not be allowed.

Integrity
Every player must play in their own self interest. Do not "soft play" any other player(s).
Agreeing to "check-down" a hand after a player has gone All-in is not allowed.
Coffee-housing (speaking during a hand for strategic purposes) is allowed in North America but please exercise restraint.
Asking to see called hands unnecessarily is bad manners, a waste of time, and is generally bad for the game.