I am not a strong poker player, so I am going to learn some tips together with you. To begin with, poker needs brains, so if you want to relax, you will lose in no time. On the contrary, keep your mental energy together to guess what your opponents are hiding from you. Predict their moves and enjoy your glory. Poker is one of the favorite card games in public card rooms. I will be based on Robert Ciaffone’s Rulebook, the best set of rules for use in public card rooms.
Let’s begin with general rules. Every player makes a full buy-in for the game. Misleading circumstances are: the first or second card of the hand has been dealt face up; two or more cards have been exposed by the dealer; two or more boxed cards are found; two or more extra cards have been dealt in the starting hands of a game; an incorrect number of cards has been dealt to a player, and some others. Dead hands rules include: cards thrown into another player’s hand, folding when facing a bet or a raise, throw your hand away in a forward motion, picking your up cards off the table, not containing the proper number of cards for the game, acting on a hand with a joker. Irregularities include 15 rules. For example, if you drop a card on the floor out of your hand, you must still play that card. Betting and raising include 16 rules. For example, rapping the table with your hand is a pass. The showdown has 7 rules. For example, Rule 1 states that a player must show all cards in the hand face-up on the table to win any part of the pot. Further sets of rules include Button and Blind Use, Killing Pots, Pot-limit and Mo limit. The set of rules is a very impressive and detailed list. It can be understood through viewing the game and practicing it before entering the card room.
Now, let’s get down to poker etiquette. The following is against poker etiquette: do not deliberately act out of turn; do not deliberately splash chips into the pot; do not check a hand out when a third player is at showdown; do not reveal the contents of a live hand in a multi-handed pot; do not stall the action of a game; do not discard hands away from the muck; do not stack chips; do not take action that could influence the course of play.
Practice poker rules carefully, following the instructions. Behave as a respected poker player who knows poker etiquette to perfection. Poker is played with dignity. You came to the card room to win, not to cheat, not to count the money lost, and not to become greedy about the sum of money won. Decide what you need most: pleasant playing that will cost you a fortune or a fortune that spoils further playing. Let it be your personal rule: retreat every time you feel rich enough to have a comfortable sleep at home. Poker is addiction. If you get addicted, do it persuasively and in good taste. Good luck!