Whether you play at home or in a casino, poker house rules are the basic standards of poker play and social behavior that all players must follow. These rules are usually posted somewhere at the poker room, and may also be in a printed pamphlet at the check-in desk.
The first and most important rule is to keep your actions at the poker table completely focused on the game. Talking about anything other than the cards in play, socializing, or putting additional money on the table are all inappropriate and can ruin a good poker hand for you or other players.
When you are playing poker you need to place your bets and raises in front of your cards, and not directly into the pot, which is called “splashing” the pot. This is a bad habit and can cost you a lot of chips.
A player can leave the table for a maximum of 30 minutes, unless they are in a tournament or have a seat open. If a player leaves without telling a dealer or floor person they must notify management within 10 minutes. If they do not, management will remove their chips and open the seat to another waiting player.
If you are in a tournament and one of your opponents has been eliminated, do not offer to shake their hands unless they have asked for it or it is part of the game. Many tournament players are upset about losing and do not wish to engage in any apologies, and this is usually not an appropriate time for you to make a gesture of remorse.
The only exception to this rule is if a hand has been folded at showdown and the player can retrieve their mucked cards, in which case they must reveal those cards to everyone. If they do not, their hand is dead and they cannot win the pot.
Mucking by mistake is a common problem at the poker table. It is very difficult to catch someone who has accidentally mucked their cards, but it can happen if you are not paying attention or if someone else is. If you are the victim of this blunder, speak up immediately to prevent others from mucking their hands.
In a hold’em game, all players in the final round must show their hands. Generally, the earliest position player opens first. The other players must then do the same in a clockwise order.
No Slow Rolls: Both hole cards must be shown and turned over at once, without delay. If a player verbally declares their hand, the winning hole cards must still be shown.
If a player misses a turn or river card, that card is dealt to the next player. This is done in the same manner as the rest of the cards are dealt, so it is important to note this sequence of cards.
All cards must be shown at the beginning of the betting rounds, before any chips are placed in the pot or raised. This includes the player’s bet, the ante, and the bring-in.