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Most card rooms. give every player at
table right to see all cards that called to a showdown, even if they are mucked as losers. (This helps prevent cheating by team-play.) If you are extremely curious about a certain hand, ask dealer to show it to you. It is considered impolite to constantly ask to see losing cards. It is even more impolite if you hold winning cards, and in most card rooms. you will forfeit pot if "losing" cards turn out to be better than yours.
As a beginner, you may want to show your hand all time, since you may have overlooked a winning hand. What you gain from one such pot will far outweigh any loss due to revealing how you played a particular losing hand. "Cards speak" at showdown, meaning that you need not declare value of your hand. The dealer will look at your cards and decide if you have a winner.
As a final word of caution, it is best to hold on to your winning cards until dealer pushes you pot. If dealer takes your cards and incorrectly "mucks" them, many card rooms. rule that you have no further right to pot, even if everyone saw your winning cards.
Raking in Pot As you win your first pot, excitement within you will drive you beyond realm of rational behavior, and you will immediately lunge to scoop up precious chips with both arms. Despite fact that no other player had done this while you watched, despite fact that you read here not to do it, you WILL do it. Since every dealer has a witty admonition prepared for this moment, maybe it's all for best. But next time, let dealer push it to you, ok?
Touching Cards or Chips Don't. Only touch your own cards and chips. Other players' chips and cards, discards, board cards, pot and everything else are off-limits. Only dealer touches cards and pot.
Tipping Dealers make their living from tips. It is customary for winner of each pot to tip dealer 50 cents to a dollar, depending on locale and stakes. Sometimes you will see players tip several dollars for a big pot or an extremely unlikely suck out. Sometimes you will see players stiff dealer if pot was tiny or split between two players. This is a personal issue, but imitating other players is a good start.
Correcting Mistakes Occasionally dealer or a player may make a mistake, such as miscalling winning hand at showdown. If you are victim of such a mistake, call it out immediately and do not let game proceed. If your opponent is victim, let your conscience be your guide; many see no ethical dilemma in remaining silent. If you are not involved in pot, you must judge texture of game to determine whether to speak up. In general, higher stakes, more likely you should keep your mouth shut.
Taking a Break You are free to get up to stretch your legs, visit restroom and so on. Ask dealer how long you may be away from your seat; 20 or 30 minutes is typical. It is customary to leave your chips sitting on table; part of dealer's job is to keep them safe. If you miss your blind(s) while away, you may have to make them up when you return, or you may be asked to sit out a few more hands until they reach you again. If several players are gone from a table, they may all be called back to keep game going; those who don't return in time forfeit their seats.
Color Change If you are in happy situation of having too many chips, you may request a "color change" (except in Atlantic City). You can fill up a rack or two with your excess chips and will receive a few large denomination chips in return. These large chips are still in play, but at least you aren't inconvenienced by a mountain of chips in front of you. Remember one chip rule when betting with them.
Leaving Leave whenever you feel like it. You never have an obligation to stay at table, even if you've won a fortune. You should definitely leave if you are tired, losing more than you expect, or have other reasons to believe you are not playing your best game. Depending on card room., you can redeem your chips for cash with a chip-runner or floor man or at cashier's cage.
House Charges Last but not least is matter of house take. Somebody has to maintain tastefully opulent furnishings and pay electric bill. The money taken by house is called "drop", since it is dropped down a slot in table at end of each hand. The house will choose one of three ways to charge you to play.
Time Charge A simple "time charge" is common in higher limit games and at some small games: seats are rented by half hour, at rates ranging from $4 to $10 or so, depending on stakes. This method charges all players equally.
Rake Other card rooms. will "rake" a percentage of final pot, up to some maximum, before awarding it to winning player. The usual rake is either 5% or 10%, capped at $3 or $4. If pot is raked, dealer will remove chips from pot as it grows, setting them aside until hand is over and they are dropped into a slot in table. This method favors tight player who enters few pots but wins a large fraction of them.
Button Charge A simpler method is to collect a fixed amount at start of each hand; one player, usually one with dealer button, pays entire amount of drop. Depending on house rules, this "button charge" of $2-$4 may or may not play as a bet. If chips do play as a bet, this method also favors tighter players, but not nearly as much as rake does.
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The author is a specialist in the field of Gambling for the past 3 years. for more details visit : http://n.1asphost.com/rachutsg/poker.htm
