Internet poker continues to enjoy explosive growth, and with upwards of an
estimated 45 million poker fans in the United States alone and unprecedented
international publicity and interest in the game, there is little evidence to
suggest that this hugely entertaining form of gambling will be going off the
boil any time soon.
The same precautions for selecting the best site on which to play apply
equally to poker as they do to online casinos - visit the top message boards,
most of which have poker sections and do a little homework first. Check out
sites like Poker Pulse for additional information.
The Internet poker phenomenon has evolved its own unique etiquette to enable
fast and trouble free gaming on the many poker room sites, and as always these
guides are based on both technology and the human condition. Here's a heads up
for beginners:
1) Avoid abusive language or behaviour, and do not choose an offensive
"handle" that may upset or irritate others - abusive players run the
risk of getting their Chat privileges removed at most sites for this sort of
behaviour.
Report determinedly abusive players to the management via Support - you're
there to play poker, have fun and with a combination of luck and skill hopefully
win some money, and bad conduct is irrelevant and undesirable.
2) Most sites use the English language only, and this should be respected
unless otherwise stated on the site. Exchanges at the table in any other
language are looked upon with suspicion and regarded as bad mannered.
3) A facility in the software of many poker rooms, allows you to
"silence" other players if they are bugging you - use it rather than
retaliating.
4) It is not considered polite to discuss a hand while it is still being
played.
5) Do not use your chat to advertise for other poker sites or to promote
personal businesses.
6) Do not use your chat to slam or otherwise criticize the site at which you
are playing. If you don't like the site, the action or the management exercise
your prerogative of choice and take your business elsewhere.
7) Most sites apply international rules concerning "coffeehousing",
that is, players may not use their chat to adversely influence the play of other
gamblers.
8) Creating more than one playing account per person per site will almost
certainly bring the wrath of the management down upon you and is generally
forbidden on all sites.
9) Try not to agonize and take too long in reaching a play decision - most
poker players enjoy a fast game, and if you slow things down unreasonably it may
not be well received by other players. Most sites in any case have a time limit
where your hand will automatically be checked or folded if you take too long to
make a move, depending on whether a bet has been placed. Some systems can even
detect whether a player has a connection problem or is just plain slow.
10) But always be courteous - where a fellow player seems to be slowing the
game down it is acceptable to comment, but in a polite and friendly fashion.
11) Be advised not to try to improve your play-money ranking by letting a
partner raise to the maximum every round and then give him the pot by folding.
This is unfair to other players on the top list and is easy to detect.
12) Cheating, collusion and fraud are the enemies of every online player and
every site and are grounds for instant and permanent blacklisting.
13) If your Internet connection goes down, don't panic - you will
automatically become "all-in" which means that your cards will stay in
the game and participate in the showdown, but you will not be eligible to win
more than was in the pot when you last made a move.
However, a friendly caution: (1) most sites limit the number of times you can
be all-in due to disconnection to 1, 2 or 3 per day, and (2) the all-in benefit
does not necessarily apply to all games (such as no limit and tournament games).
Be sure to check the site's rules.
If you get disconnected in a tournament game the system will "blind you
off". That is, it will pay your blinds and fold your hand whenever it is
your turn to act. This will keep you in the game until you can get reconnected.
14) At some sites - Prima Poker network operations for example - players can
call a manager for live help. Whilst you should feel free to use this facility
whenever you need it, don't overdo it and don't "shout" if a floor
manager doesn't appear instantly; he/she is probably helping another player and
will assist you as soon as possible.
15) If you and a friend or family member play from the same computer on
different accounts, be sure to inform site management and explain the situation
before the systems "catch" you. If caught first, without explanation,
your accounts will probably be locked.
If you and a friend or family member play from different computers but at the
same location, avoid playing together at the same game. Site security systems
will usually flag that the computers are near each other and you risk having all
accounts locked. (If you want to remove all doubt you can ask the site operator
to exclude you from playing at the same table.)
16) If you usually play from a particular location and then change that
location (say because you are travelling and using a computer in another city)
it is best to inform site management ahead of time. Otherwise, your account
could the subject of security flags.
17) If other players ask for your e-mail or IM address, be very careful. They
may want to suggest collusion plots and the chances are that an alert site
management will spot the request in Chat. If that happens there is a risk that
accounts may be closed down, as "collusion" is regarded as a serious
abuse of the site and other players.
Your own poker skills and knowledge, together with these uniquely Internet
hints should assure you of an exciting and hopefully profitable
"virtual" poker experience - enjoy it to the full and good luck!
| 
