“Manners cost nothing” my old gran used to say, and she was right! Partial to the odd card game herself, she would be appalled at some of the goings on around the poker table these days.

We’re all there to play a game and get a stab at the glory (and hopefully a stash of cash too) and so there’s no excuse for poor cardsmanship. Manners do matter!

Here are some pointers to mind those casino hold ‘em manners:

Watch your language:

As intense or nerve wracking as your game of casino hold ‘em might be, there is no reason to utter profanities! Nobody appreciates a player who lets loose on the tongue and it’s best to keep your swearing to yourself.

A friend of mine shamefully got shoved into the “sin bin” in a Vegas casino for swearing at a bad beat – not only was he stunned, he was also highly embarrassed. Of course, we loved the story – it gave us hours of amusement at his expense.

But in all seriousness, online poker rooms will ban you from chat for using bad language, and if you keep it up you may find yourself removed from the site completely. Is it really worth it?

Keep your comments to yourself:

It is bad form to comment on a hand while the play is in progress. Don’t give your opinion and don’t offer to show the player how the hand ’should’ be played. Remember the old poker rule “one player to a hand”.

And in case you didn’t know – never, ever, break the rule of revealing what your cards are when you fold – especially if people are still playing. Believe me – people do and they are not invited back.  

Don’t be a slob! 

Don’t be a bad loser at a game by making sarcastic comments to the winner, and certainly don’t bad-mouth him or her by attacking them personally. Seriously, what’s the point? Apart from making you feel bad you’ll get thrown of the site.

If you’ve ever watched poker great Gus Hansen you will see he’s the king of cool. He’s always polite, calm and shakes hands when (if) he loses. So take a leaf out of his book and take it all in your stride. 

Slow Play? No way!: 

There’s nothing more irritating than a slow player. So you didn’t quite get the cards or a move didn’t come off? Get over it! It’s part of the game. Deliberately taking as long as possible to play your hand will make you unpopular but won’t necessarily put your opponents on tilt – you’re the one more likely to lose it! 

And slow playing so people get knocked out before you to get close to the money? Get a life! If that’s what you need to rely on to get anywhere near the cash, then you’re going to bubble, at best.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Texas hold ‘em is undeniably the most popular form of poker played at casinos today. It’s played by millions of players around the world who are seeking a piece of the action - grand prizes, a bit of glory or seats to live events such as the World Series of Poker.

Many beginners see casino hold ‘em being played but don’t know how to go about taking that first step into the wonderful world of poker. To help you along the way to your slice of glitz and glamour in the poker hall of fame: here’s some tips to help novice players begin their journey.

Read all about it!

There’s nothing more important than learning as much as possible about the game of hold’em before trying it at the casinos. There’s more to it than just the cards and bluffing.

My mate thought that pocket aces were guaranteed to make him win: imagine his surprise when it didn’t come off - bad beat? Nope: not at all. Did you know the starting hand most likely to beat pocket aces is J 9 suited? That if he’d bet stronger initially then he’d probably have scared off the opponent? Ha ha! Unlucky!

A good book, such as Bill Burton’s “Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold ‘em” will do wonders at showing you the basics.

Learn pot odds.

As a new player, you may be overwhelmed with all the information that you need to memorize, especially the great big fuzzy fog known as pot odds.

It may be daunting but it’s important you know the pot odds of the most common situations in a game of hold ‘em. Then you can make educated decisions about your hand and look like a pro - bonus!

Know your enemy!

As a game of skill, you play against others rather than the house, and so it’s a bit like a Wild West showdown. You have to be quick on the draw and keep your cool. One false move and you could be run outta town.

Bluffing is an important element in hold ‘em, but with practice you’ll be able to pick out who’s loose, tight or aggressive. Remember these traits (or use players notes on the software to keep track) and you’ll soon get to grips with all the opponents around a table.

But don’t forget - they’re watching you too. Try to vary your game a little to kick some poker butt and keep them on their toes.

Practice makes perfect

There are no two ways about it - the more you practice, the better you’ll get. Try free games or freeroll tournaments without denting your bankroll whilst improving. ‘Nuff said.

Stick to the basics

Many new players are tempted to copy the way they’ve seen their poker heroes play on televised poker events. They show fancy footwork and intricate bluffing methods, but; they know what they’re doing. You don’t - so don’t try and copy!

If you’re desperate to look good, however, watch this clip and learn how to fiddle with the chips like a pro - it’s guaranteed to get others in a sweat.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

It’s a fact that many people love the anonymity of online gaming and one of the definite perks is that you can be whoever you want to be. Because women often feel intimidated in what is still seen as a man’s world, many female players take on the guise of a man to avoid preconceived ideas of their playing ability. Then, of course, there’s also the added pain of getting chatted up over chat when you’re trying to play your game…

But what you may not realise is that many male players have also taken to using usernames that suggest they’re of the opposite sex. The thinking behind this is that many male players tend to assume that the ladies will be weaker opponents. And so some clever chaps are swapping testosterone filled screen names such as b1gwi11y for gentler titles such as p1nk6abe to throw their opponents.

So, does this mean that everyone is crossing online? Is there any certainty that any of your male opponents are men and that the women are really women? I have visions of hairy legs in fishnets and ladies with glued on moustaches…but maybe that’s taking it too far (lets hope so). But the truth is there’s no way of knowing, and so those of you that use the screen name to help you with your tells: STOP! Next time you’re at a table with 5exy5ue22, just be careful! You might get more than you bargained for!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

In short, yes. Ok, so you’d think it’s not as blatant as a twitching eyebrow or Cheshire cat grin, but the virtual tell can contribute to spoiling your online play.

It can be easy to fall into routine while playing online. It’s made to be fast-paced, particularly with the use of the preset buttons to call, raise or fold. Cards are lightening fast and you are expected to act quickly. And here breeds the virtual tell…

Be wary of the speed you click your mouse, you could well be alerting your opposition to particularly tasty cards. It’s a misconception that, because you don’t have a physical presence to your opponents, you can’t be read.  However, the clues to interpret a user’s hand are still present.

A virtual tell is a subconscious action performed in a given situation that alerts your opposition to your hand, similarly to the traditional tell. Be conscious of your actions, particularly repeat behaviour. Using the automatic feature for strong hands, but stalling on weak ones is a common give away to strong players looking for prey.

Betting rhythms are amplified online due to the absence of other visual factors, so you need to be conscious of your speed to act on various hands. The key is to be broken with your play and vary your time to call. By mixing up your betting pattern, this will help to disguise the quality of your hands.

Remember; poker is cat and mouse and online play is no different. The trick is to keep your opponents guessing. Beware the rhythm, but also look for patterns from other players – YOU could be the one using the virtual tell to turn your game.

Bookmark It