Poker 101

The more we discuss ethics and the codes of proper conduct, the more specific situations present themselves that deserve mentioning. There are many factors that influence a poker game. In addition to the players, dealers, and other employees, there are the surroundings, such as the room temperature, personal space, and smoke, among others.

When a poker room gets too hot, too smoky, too loud, too crowded, and so on, tempers flare and people's behavior is affected. It has been my experience that when conditions out of the ordinary exist, there is apt to be more problems or conflicts at the poker table. It is in everyone's best interest to be aware of this possibility and to avoid the temptation to act up when things are tough. I know myself well enough to know what types of things bother me in a public cardroom. Since I abhor bad behavior, I do my best to be part of the solution rather than the problem. So, when I see things that cause me to have a shorter fuse than I might otherwise have, I remove myself from the situation before I act in a way that would be embarrassing.

The primary thing that sets me off is smoke. With more and more cardrooms going nonsmoking, I have plenty of options when choosing where to play. If sitting next to a smoker irritates me, why would I do it? There are other games and other days to play. I think that most smokers are very considerate, and this certainly helps with any potential problems. But, if I am in a cardroom that allows smoking, I have to accept that there will be dirty ashtrays, burns, and smoke. What I choose to do is, of course, up to me.

When a player is angry, he is more likely to act with less integrity and good manners than he normally would. I do not think this is necessarily done intentionally, but it is done. I have seen (and have been guilty of it myself at times, and I do apologize) players snap at dealers for no apparent reason other than something as silly as the dealer not hearing what they had said and asking, "Did you say raise"? The dealer was doing his job and got heat for it. If we all could learn to be a little kinder, wouldn't the game be more fun? Why do we play poker? Sure, to earn money, but for the majority of people play to have fun.

I played at Bellagio on its third day of being a nonsmoking cardroom. (Congratulations, by the way!) I waited for the dealer push to go and eat with my friends. It was 7:05 p.m. when I left the table, so I knew that I would get two buttons plus 15 minutes before being picked up. Therefore, I had until 8:15 p.m. to return without having my chips picked up. Just before leaving for dinner, my poker tablemates and I had watched the end of the Philadelphia 76ers-Milwaukee Bucks game, their seventh and decisive game in the NBA conference finals. We all chatted about what a great game it had been, and how Allen Iverson had scored 42 points when the line on him was 34. Anyway, the basketball game ended and I went to dinner. The game ended at a few minutes before 7 p.m.

Why am I telling you all of this? In order to lead up to the incident that occurred when I returned at 8:05 p.m., exactly one hour after I had left. The floorman was at my seat at the table as I approached. He was talking to the "gentleman" who had been seated next to me all night. "She has been gone two hours and hasn't been picked up! What's up with that?" he loudly asked. The floorperson explained that I had just gotten my second button and still had 15 minutes to return. "The first dealer didn't give her one," he continued, at which point I stepped in, assured the floorperson of the time that I had left, and so on. This guy went on and on about how the rules aren't evenly enforced. I reminded him that we had watched the end of the game together and what time the game had ended, since he had mentioned it at the time. Still, he thought that I should be picked up.

As things were quieting down a little, I noticed something strange. When I had gone to dinner, he had $1,100 in front of him. He now had $250. Hmm, perhaps he was having a bad run? The point that I am making is that had this guy been winning, as he had been before I left when we had been talking about the game and being friendly, would he have made such a fuss over something about which he was so wrong? He was making a big scene about picking up a player who had not been gone too long and who was standing right there to take the blind! Can't we all just get along? If you see that a player doesn't get an absent button when he should get one, by all means, speak up! Don't wait an hour and then make a scene; then, it's too late. Besides, the buttons were correct! Dinner was good, I won a little – and he went broke. Class dismissed.

Please write to me with your poker questions and comments. I personally will answer every letter or E-mail I receive.