Even though online poker is played over the internet and you haven’t got to show your face to other players, it is good to know how to behave at the tables. Some of the rules are actually written in the terms and conditions of some online poker sites and you can get banned or silenced if you break them.
The first and the most common, and not only when it comes to online poker, is not to use offensive words against other players. I know it is difficult not to say something after a bad beat, but being a jerk is not going to bring your money back and besides being a loser you will look as an asshole to the rest of the players. Keep your mouth shut if what you were going to say is not appropriate.
When you win a hand do not rub it in your opponent’s face. This includes phrases like “Yeeehaaa!!!” or similar. It doesn’t feel good when you lose a hand and it does feel even worse if your opponent is rubbing it in your face. By doing so, the only thing you can get is a doze of your own medicine in the next hand you lose.
When you lose a hand not only it is not appropriate to insult your opponent, it is also quite rude to say things like “The game is rigged”. Attacking the site is not going to bring your money back either and probably people is going to laugh at you. When you play at a verified site the game is not rigged and being unlucky doesn’t entitle you to question the site’s honesty.
Being slow or slowing the game down is a lack of courtesy against the rest of the players. Sometimes is a good strategy when you are almost dead in a tournament so other players will get eliminated before you and you will get some money, this exception is usually well seen among players, but doing it at ring games is very annoying as you are getting no profit out of it and the only thing you are doing is to interfere with the normal play. If you got to think, take your time, but do not slow down the game more than you need.
Show your cards when you were bluffing. If you always muck your winning hand, do it always and not only when you were actually winning the hand. Showing a bluffing hand is considered an act of mockery against your opponent. Of course if you never muck your winning hand it is ok, but doing only when you were bluffing is not.
To act as a poker teacher: Even though some players need urgently some skill at poker, you are not entitled to teach them at the tables. This includes any comment about the skill of the any player or what kind of move should he do instead. Avoid telling people what was the right move unless you are asked to do so and keep your poker knowledge to yourself.
