POKER ETIQUETTE

rhino11

Ive been trying to play poker for a while and come across a lot of nice people, I got deservedly chat banned when I lost my brother and drank while playing and abused other players on table,my point is if I got banned for foul language what about players who slow roll with the nuts,i looked the term slow roll up in poker etiquette and its definition was likened to your best mate sleeping with your wife . that's how bad slow rolling is, so why aren't these players I'm not allowed to name them of course banned ? I read one of your answers to a question regarding you leaving a table and you said if a player was smelly you would leave a cash table was that a joke ?

Sir-Gary

Hi rhino11 I always found you pleasant at the table, but I understand how difficult the loss of a loved one can be, and the abusive chat is not in your normal nature.

Slow rolling online can sometimes not be down to any form of malice, but could be down to multi tabling or connection issues.

Having said that some people do do it as this is how they get their kicks (a bit sad IMO). In reality it is an extremely poor play on their part, if they fancy themselves as good players ( most of these do), then they are very wrong. They claim they are trying to make money, yet if they have the nuts the hand is all over effectively and they are just wasting time, when they should be trying to get to the next hand as fast as possible to make more money. They run the risk of a connection problem and losing connection in the time they are waiting for no good reason and therefore losing a big pot when they did not need to, if it is cash this could be their average profit for the week lost.

If you enjoy playing poker and are playing it for fun then why are you slow rolling , you are just sitting there not playing poker, what are they doing? , would you go to a cinema and not watch the film?

As for those who do it as they think it is fun, surely they are the ones with the problem not you

NChanning

 Hi Rhino,

 I'm not a huge fan of slow rolling, some people are a bit quick to condemn though and sometimes people get the definition wrong. Just to clarify, in case anyone reads this who isn't sure...slow-rolling is simply taking a long time to turn over your hand when it's time for the showdown and you have the nuts. If for example you have aces and another player has gone all in with jacks and they turn their hand over immediately and you wit a bit, look at the hand, think a bit, ask how much the pot is and then finally turn over the aces, maybe doing it one at a time as if you may have had AK then that is a bad slow-roll, not great for the game and pretty scummy in my opinion. I can see how you might get that person on tilt and that could help but in a tournament they are probably getting knocked out and you may not see them again and they may never play poker again if they feel so upset and angry. It just strikes me as a mean way to ruin someone's night and not worth it.

 Online though this is not possible as the hands automatically get turned over in quick time.

 Slow playing is a completely different thing...this is where we might reraise with AA and then just call if we get 4-bet. We might then use the maximum time on the clock to "reluctantly" call on the flop and turn and then check and let our opponent hang himself by bluffing or betting what he thinks is the best hand on the river. We might also check the flop and turn before check-raising the river. This is all perfectly fine and just an example of trying to extract the most from a big hand and of course it can go wrong as the opponent could hit with the free cards.

NChanning

 Another thing that sometimes happens is that player 1 goes all-in maybe for 5000 at 300/600...player B has 40,000 and takes the maximum time before calling with AA and then player C eventually folds and we have a showdown between A and B. A might feel he has been slow-rolled but B was really just trying to con C into entering the pot and B has done absolutely nothing wrong.

 On the smelly player front I wasn't joking...I generally think that as consumers if there is something we don't like, such as the person next to us making the atmosphere unpleasant in whatever way, then we have one ultimate sanction...we can spend our money elsewhere.

percival09

Neil, just to add to your first point - I think slow-rolling also includes taking longer than needed to call with the nuts, not just turn over your hand. So, an example for anyone - you have the nut straight - JT on 987 43, no flushes, villain goes all in on the river, and you tank for two minutes, or 1 minute online - whatever, before calling.

OP, do you really consider slow-rolling & verbally abusing an opponent as two kinds of the same thing, or am I missing something? One is poor etiquette & the other is, well... abuse! 

NChanning

 Definitely agree that you have basically given a perfect example of slow-rolling. It is pretty annoying. I really hate it when one guy goes all-in and turns over his KQ or whatever and then the other guy takes ages waiting while the dealer sorts out the pot and gives change before turning his aces. If I am in that spot I always turn my hand over immediately...tournaments are annoying enough without thinking you are winning and then having it robbed from you.

 Obviously you can tank with the nuts and then call online but often when that does happen it's because someone is surfing the net, busy watching TV or playing some other tables rather than a desire to be mean.

 I think abuse is worse but I can see why people consider slow-rolling to be almost as bad.

percival09

In Response to Re: POKER ETIQUETTE:

 Definitely agree that you have basically given a perfect example of slow-rolling. It is pretty annoying. I really hate it when one guy goes all-in and turns over his KQ or whatever and then the other guy takes ages waiting while the dealer sorts out the pot and gives change before turning his aces. If I am in that spot I always turn my hand over immediately...tournaments are annoying enough without thinking you are winning and then having it robbed from you.  Obviously you can tank with the nuts and then call online but often when that does happen it's because someone is surfing the net, busy watching TV or playing some other tables rather than a desire to be mean.  I think abuse is worse but I can see why people consider slow-rolling to be almost as bad.
Posted by NChanning

I agree with this. Too often people jump to conclusions without adding enough pieces to the jigsaw. A little perspective and, dare I say...compassion...could aid people quite a lot in these situations. I think it applies to poker, business, politics, hmmm actually, especially politics - whenever we can't say for sure "this is the correct way to go" or "all of the evidence points this way", we should be hesitant to point the finger. Keep up the posts. 

Nuggy962

I had this few days ago where i turned quads and tanked the turn to induce the 3rd yet to act person to also call off an all in. He snapped folded and guy slams me for slow rolling. 

Interestingly, didnt have nuts as straight flush was a possibility all be it a tiny one:)

Been slow rolled online. I just just say, Wow, great hand sir and never rise to ir  it tilted me so bad when a reg did it to me on here i was lucky  not to get chat banned. Now i know thats what they want, a reaction so yeah, is poor show but not end of world, still probably been outplayed and they win the hand if show me fast or slow