Online Poker Etiquette

[XYZ2123]

I keep the chat muted. Its just not worth the stress. Already difficult enough paying attention to everything when multi-tabling. Chat is just too much of a distraction, especially when someone's trying to tilt you.

 

[HAMC81]

ignore the chat or use it on your favor...

I often collide with the same player on the micro PLO8 mtts! guy hates me! has called me every name in the book.... of the times we have clashed im ahead like 6-2...


and yes, I use the chat to get into his head, he tries to do so to, but absolutely fails

 

[JRNorris95]

I often use the jivaro hud on ACR which covers up chat anyways. Regardless, you shouldnt let insults get to you when playing online. Usually if you have someone agitated enough to berate you, it just means your doing something right.

 

[shinedown.45]

One of the problems of etiquette in online poker is also well known to this forum. This is that not all players know English well, for full communication at the table. This is all the more relevant in the poker room, because the poker client does not support any online translators who could help.

Hence, there are numerous attempts of players to communicate in different languages ​​(especially if there are two or more players from the same country or countries speaking the same language at the table). I must admit that often this is the sin of players from Russia, Ukraine and other countries formerly USSR.

I try to reduce this communication to a minimum, limiting myself to clear phrases and abbreviations. Usually this is enough. After all, there is a game, often at several tables at once and the player does not have much time to actively communicate in the chat.

I don't think the "English only" rule makes much sense, especially in a multicultural society.

As for the topic at hand, I have been guilty in the past for berating, name calling, even had a 24 hour chat ban laid on me by pokerstars years ago, now I am civil for the most part, sometimes when I see a bad play I will type "You can lead a horse to water but a donkey will follow you all the way to the river"or "At this petting zoo, they must allow you to feed the donkeys" or one of my recent favorites, "This is not poker, this is bingo".

 

[ccres]

I don't understand people that act and play normal speed when they have a playable hand, but when they don't rather than fold once the decision has been made they just let themselves time out and auto-fold. It seemingly slows the game down for no reason.

 

[belka2203]

During the game, I do not communicate with other players and do not pay attention to the chat conversations distract from the game.:smile:

 

[vitalicharniak]

Observance of poker etiquette not only creates a pleasant atmosphere for all players at the table, but also allows players to show their best game.

 

[ssory83]

I've read everything, it's a good article and it learns good manners at an online poker table. Will you figure out if all poker players would follow these rules? Do you realize how far we are going? But from where, the rules are written (made) to be violated. )

 

[frnandoh]

I really hate the pet peeves mentioned in #1, #2, #3 and #4. But I am forced to understand that I am part of a beginner group of poker players. They will be flayed a lot before they are wrought by fire and stoned.

 

[8bod8]

I hate noisy tables and players that boast alot about stuff not only Poker related. Also do not like angle shooters and players who ridcule other players just because they make a bad play or got lucky. PLayers should be able to play their game in one piece.

Online I see this has happen ever so often where a player will say what they had in the hand when the hand is not completed. This has happened to me twice on CC games and numerous times on other games online. Whether or not they are telling the truth about their cards players need to hold off about saying what they are until the hand is over.


One last thing online players need to use the sit out button if they know that they may not be back in time after break. It annoys me when after a break they keep back the game. Although I know things just come up sometimes or players simply forget. I too have been guilty of this from time to time, it do happen.

thanks!,
never realised that's a good habit, could add it in the etiquette:
-> press 'sit-out' during break; for just in case

 

[Jenya Zemlyanukhin]

We all people . Must respect each other.

 

[whiskers77]

In my opinion the most annoying at the tables, is when it comes to profane talkings.
I am not so much bothered when it comes about taking time. If it is needed, then it is needed in some circumstance. But yeah, for me it is also a no-no, when people talk about hands that they had and so on.

The craziest thing, that I experienced was a Russian player, who thought, that I am a man from germany. He started to insult me about my nationality and called me Hitler and so on. Until I said, sorry that I need to disappoint you, but I am a woman, who origins from Germany and who is married with a Russian.
Ooops, silence.....

 

[migesan]

I respect every player at the table, but there are some who have come to clear their time, and when they do not get good cards, they start to cheat other players and push every hand, I just wait for them to throw them out, rarely when talking to other players, only in home game.

 

[clasrasmusso]

This is an incredibly important issue. Show each other more respect, do not tell anyone that they are playing badly, praise instead when someone is playing well, and in this way, many will continue to play poker.​

 

[Helloween]

I'm sure that all the Internet rude people at the live table will behave much more cautiously than in the Internet chat. Thanks for the article and for the tips.

 

[williamcafferkey]

I think my poker etiquette is fairly alrite although I do get pissed when I have aces hit trips on the flop and my opponent calls wit random cards and wins by sucking out wit a fush or straight.... I jus say nh but inside I'm livid but hey that's poker

 

[iwont20]

The most annoying for me is when people unnecessarily take time to think, especially in HU, spin'n'go or any hypers. I understand that many players are multitabling and it's okay if that happens a couple of times but when it's happening basically before every decision in the games that are quick and where blinds grow fast, in my opinion that's very disrespectful towards others and you have to reduce number of tables. Not to mention players doing the same thing with only one table or two.

On tip #2 in majority rooms, you will not be able to post anything in chat once someone is all-in, even if his stack is half of big blind.

 

[Miketheman190]

Ive never paid attention to anything anyone has ever said. It really doesn't matter at all.

 

[10058765]

I don't care to much about it for myself, meaning I always try to be respectful to other players, don't slowroll etc.
I just play my game and love a nice and friendly chat.
When it comes to other players some things might annoy me (not tilt me).
Actually, about the chat.....I received death wishes, I've been wished to get about every disease possible, someone told me he would piss on the grave of my children, my mother has been called a whore and someone once said he would come over to my place to kill me.
Guess I've seen it all and actually it doesn't bother me at all....I never reported someone for it and just keep playing my game and even more, when people chat like that it tells me something about them.

The annoying part comes when people are abusive like that to other players.
Like in the example Whiskers being called Hitler, I would say something about it and probably report it.
Actually I've done that several times when people were extremely abusive to other players.

When people talk about a hand they are not involved in anymore, when the hand is still playing I'd say that is a big nono.It's just unfair to all players.
Still, all they say gives me information.
Once I was at a final table, 7 left, me and 6 players from brazil.
They started chatting in their language about my playstyle, not knowing I could understand almost all they were saying.....very useful for me, but still it is very bad behaviour and I think it's very annoying for someone who does not understand what is being said.

The biggest nono is collusion but even when it happens and I see it I can use it in my advantage.

Soft playing....well, I guess a lot of recreational players are guilty of that.
Is it bad etiquette ?? Sure is, but I think it's quite normal human behaviour to be softer to someone we know and like , compared to a complete stranger.
I admit I've been guilty of it in the past.

Overall, I don't bother to much about the etiquette of other players towards myself.
Collusion, soft play , calling me names....I don't really care.

Typically it just annoys me in case it's against other players at the table, no matter if I know them or not.

 

[Ero2407]

many players especially young write that they want to feel their impunity

 

[lilu80]

I like when players write shit on chat. I know how to fish with poor mindset. I like exploit this players and they often give me your chips. Do not talk about a poker hand you're not in. Ofc this but not only when fold. When we play don`t write your hand in chat too! Sometimes this is good when I'm playing with only one player. IMO this is extra poker tells! Slowrolling of is really bad etiquette. Players play slowroling before satelites is end. I think that this is OK, because sometimes I play this slowrolling, when satelites is ending. Support once sent me, that this isn`t not allowed in a satelites too. Most players play slowrolling when satelites ending and ofc this is not allowed, but for me this isn`t bad etiquette in this them. I play now still without chat and my mindset is better when without chat. I only play with chat, when I want to write extra tells to fish When I play without chat I think that players sometimes when thay write to me "nh or gg, gl' thay can think that this is my bad etiquette, becouse I don`t write nothing to them!

 

[MlaKirDi]

Most importantly, do not insult people during gameplay. Unfortunately, faced with this very often, especially playing with Russian players. Though he is Russian but a shame for the players and their behavior.

 

[milencenov]

""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.""

IMHO, this was the most amusing part of the article.

I followed exactly that "advice" in my first live tournament win. I was heads-up against a really bad mannered guy who insulted, cursed and "f*cked the mother" of everyone at the table.
In the final hand, he raised 4x with 7-8 off-suit. I flat called with A-A.
Yes, I can be a bigger douchebag, if needed.


Flop: 8-10-A, turn: 2. When A showed on the river, my opponent... shoved !!!
I had quads and started puffing and murmuring, as if I was "thinking" whether to call or not.


Once again, he expressed his willingness to f*ck my mother, and then, he called for the clock.


I waited until I had 10 seconds remaining, and then I stood up and said "I call".
He ecstatically shouted "Ha-ha, I have 2 pair !"


I just said "Quad Aces".


And then, I added in a very angry pitch:
"F*ck you, f*ck your mother, f*ck your aunts, cousins and nieces ! Now, stick it deep in yourself, cause you lost, moron !"


I fully agree that this was childish and reckless, on top of very unethical. But deep in my soul, I felt the satisfaction of revenging against a moron.


In CC games and forum, the maximum insult I used, was to name people "fish" or "donk" 2-3 times. But I never cursed at anybody and I would never insult anyone only because of a lost pot.
Poker is a game.
And if someone is a jerk, the best way to retaliate is to win their stack and gloat.
Cursing on the spot helps nobody.

 

[CRStals]

For me, when it comes to online poker etiquette I have a number of pet peeves, most are discussed in the article but I'll add my two cents:

Abusive Chat
I actually laugh at this one - even if it's been directed at me - because most of the time this is just the faceless internet providing someone a chance to do something they wouldn't face to face. If someone is annoying me, I simply block chat. But I've had times where I left it on and the chat got abusive. I had no problem sitting back, taking screen shots and reporting it - and then focusing on poker and beating them. Nothing makes someone tilt when they are already on fire...and then you deal them a beat.


Taking Time
This doesn't bother me either - while annoying, it can tilt others. Sometimes I'll do this on purpose to gain an edge when I know it will tick them off. I don't do it often, but if you are given the time, sometimes it pays to use it. But usually I would rather play more hands, when needed this is a tool available to push someone away from their hand and get them to react emotionally.


Disconnecting
This one wasn't mentioned and I feel needs to be. There are times where your internet or router go down - it happens. So be it. But when it happens exactly when they have a critical decision to make...it;'s brutal. You can't disconnect live, so why should you online? Play the hand like a true poker player should.

 

[Rijckenborg]

It drive me crazy when someone try to abuse other in the chat.As if I play poker with kids.
I like when it is friendly on the felt.