Etiquette on Gambino Poker
› Are Etiquette Rules Necessary on Facebook Poker Games? Why Gambino Poker Are Leading the Way to Poker Etiquette on Facebook.
It does not matter where you play it, poker is poker! Facebook games will naturally attract a wide audience and a broad spectrum of types of people. However, as with all games, there should be a consideration to your fellow players, the game owners and even people watching the game.
You want others to respect your game-play, and so you will naturally respect theirs. Apart from some light-hearted healthy banter, often between people that are familiar to each other, the overall game will usually be fine. There is however something about the anonymity of players within the online poker community that can turn some people into idiots.
We might say that respecting our fellow man, woman, cultures, language or natural differences are marred by the very fact that they are not physically sat with our opponents. Can we assume rules are not required online? Of course not! But do we agree it is different… unfortunately, it can be!
Gambino Poker tries to employ a close resemblanced in etiquette as any game of poker. Let us consider a couple of non-poker comparisons, then we will move on to outlining our Gambino Poker Rules of Etiquette.
All organizations with members have rules. Golf clubs would turf you if you walked in wearing trainers, shout on the course, cheat… The rules are accepted upon joining. The rules are obeyed. You cannot call the shots. That, as they say, is life!
Most of us agree that behaving in a proper manner is what we expect in life as acceptable, normal and most of all, usual
Should Gambino Poker and other online games be trying to deal with this in a proactive way? Do we have an obligation to the players to create rules and regulations that will help to balance the atmosphere and make this a pleasant experience for everyone?
Gambino does believe we have an obligation to do this – although we are in the minority. We hope that in time all Facebook games will adopt the Rules of Online Etiquette that Gambino created in 2011, leading the way to encouraging better poker. Gambino are the first Facebook poker application to create etiquette rules and work towards applying them within the game.
We apply these rules in a variety of ways; Monitoring staff, allowing players to report abuse, automated actions within the game and more. Remember, you are a guest in our rooms, just the same as you would be in a standard casino, so please respect our rules in the same way.
Thank you for reading our explanation of the Rules of Etiquette. If you would now like to read the actual Gambino Poker Rules of Etiquette, please read on...
Gambino Etiquette Rules:
Being a big-shot poker player on Gambino or any other online poker game may not be as easy as you think. Your personality is nothing if it is not equaled by exceptional standards at the poker table.
Here is the advantage: Following the rules will make you a more successful player, a better player and win you more chips. This will make more sense later.
First, we should outline three fundamental rules, followed by the full list
Rule 1 - Have Fun:
You are playing poker to have fun, meet with friends and family. Make new friends. Increase your score and level on the game. Improve your poker abilities. Poker is a very enjoyable game and evokes all our senses of excitement. So primarily, enjoy yourself. Rule 1 is the most important rule we have.
Rule 2 - Don’t React to Other Players Style:
People can frustrate us. 'Why did they do that', or 'why did he go all in then'… Remember, people are entitled to play their own game their own way. We have to respect this. Paying undue attention to other people may make you lose focus on your own game play. It can be the cause of you suddenly going down hill (or go on tilt) in a matter of a few rounds. It is soul destroying when that happens... Tilting can happen anyway because you are not thinking through your hands, are emotional, tired, or are doing more than one thing at a time (as people do online) therefore, do not add one more variable to that list. Being mean and nasty also makes you look like a bully. Do not concern yourself with things that other people do that you disagree with – instead, take advantage of this and use it to your advantage. If the player is stupid there is every chance you’ll be holding his chips eventually. Be sensible.
If a person says something to you that you believe is mildly insulting, break the bad attitude if you can by responding in a pleasant way. ‘Yep, I was very lucky there… ‘ or something normal – by showing you are nice and here to have fun. Many a good friend has been born on this interaction. Don’t be abusive or sarcastic. If a person becomes abusive to you or others, see the rules below for help.
Rule 3 - Do Not Reveal your Cards When a Round is Still On.
Never reveal your hand when a round is still in play. Probably the most serious basic rule to break. Trust us on this – it will bite you on the backside one day. It is one of the most unfair things you can do at a table. It can give one player the advantage and potentially lose the pot for someone that was playing the game properly. Doing this, whether you are still playing or not, is wrong. If you have already folded and the flop shows that you would have a superb hand then say nothing. Let the players that are still investing in the pot continue playing their round uninterupted. The better more experienced players will take full advantage of the fool that does this type of thing.
“Following the rules will actually make you a more successful player, a better player and win you more chips”
The Main Rules That MUST NEVER be Broken:
tH
There is Etiquette... and there are rules. Most intertwine.
1. Blind Dodging: Do not skip the blinds/antes by moving seats. Do not stand and re-sit regularly to avoid paying the blind. Although the systems will often let you do this, it is definitely a form of cheating and might give you an unfair advantage. It will also annoy others. If a player is ‘dodging the blind’, report them via the report option at the table.
2. Try to keep up: Fortunately, online poker provides help and prompts you to do something. However, it is also easy to take your eye off the ball, especially a problem if you turn the sounds off. Try to be attentive and not miss your turn too much as this can be irritating. If you need to stop, simply stand, or take a few rounds out and come back when you can.
3. Consider Table Sizes & Costs: Go to tables that are best suited to your stack level. If you join a table where the blinds are going to take your chips in a few rounds regardless of your game-play and you will be out in no time. Example: A player has 100 chips and the blinds are 10/20. This means that to play each round your first bet (before game-play) will be a minimum of 20. This gives you 5 rounds… then you are out, unless you are lucky. Going to a $2/$4 table will help enormously. Staying within your table range will help you learn easier and provide you with possibly hours upon hours of fun. Go to a table where the value is too high for you and your fun could be over in minutes. If you are a learner, go to the lower level tables. These are great for beginners and other learners will be there too.
4. Do not be abusive: Do not; insult people, tell them how to play, try to hurry slower players, make racial remarks, A joke in one country may be an insult in another. Try to be sensitive to all cultural differences. Respect that people may chat in other languages. Do not swear, and never make any sexual comments of any kind.
5. Cheating is not allowed: Sounds obvious doesn’t it, and it is. You know if what you are doing is giving you an unacceptable advantage or if you are breaking the rules – therefore, do not do it, whatever it is. Nobody likes a cheat, especially when money is at stake. This includes working in collusion with someone else.
6. Do not harass / bully people: if you believe they made a mistake. This type of bullying is for jerks, and you are not one of those, are you! In addition, think about this; Do you really want to chase away the weakest player at the table? Of course not!
7. One player to a hand: Each player must play his or her hand without help from any other person. If you make a bet by mistake, let it be. Do not state in the chat that you did not mean to do that whilst game is in play. What you say after a round is fine. Do not reveal what your cards were during a round, ever!
8. Do not ‘Spam’ or Advertise: Do not use the chat feature to advertise anything at all, goods, websites, general sales, shops and store or anything.
9. Use the chat wisely: Be careful not to give away personal details about yourself including telephone numbers, email addresses and other things. Talking about what you had for your dinner, what you studied at University, or how many hours you’ve been online today is fine. Never assume that a person is as trustworthy as they appear. Be careful not to give answers that could also be your passwords. You do not know them and their intentions may not be honourable. Unfortunately, online games cannot personally vet players.
10. Use the ‘Mute’ feature if you need to: If a player is insulting or annoying you or another person, simply switch them off by using the mute facility. Not responding to an abusive or annoying person is often the best way to diffuse a situation.
11. Dumping / Chip transfers are illegal: to another player or account. Transferring chips is not allowed for any reason whatsoever and your account will be banned if this is done. Do not gift chips to any person in any way. There are features within the game and on fan page that provide options for people to get chips if they run out. There are lottery or bonus options and the facility to buy or earn chips. Any player breaking this rule will be permanently banned. Any player accepting will also be banned. No negotiation to un ban after such a practice would be considered.
12. Gifts: If a person sends you a virtual gift (ie. a drink) you can accept or refuse it. This is usually a mark of respect, being nice or a welcome. You should probably acknowledge this with a Thank you, or 'ty'.. and you can even send them a gift back again. This is standard activity. If you send a person a gift and they do not accept it there may be several reasons for this, so don’t be offended, simply respect their privacy.
13. Private Tables: Are able to be created if you want to have a private game of poker. Sometimes work colleagues or even clubs and associations do this in their spare time whilst they are remote. If you want to help teach a person to play, creating a private room makes this possible without being disturbed. Do not create private rooms for the purposes of transferring or dumping of chips.
15. Reporting a Player: if you believe it is necessary to report a player that is breaking rules you can do this at any time. You are given the facility to make up to two reports in any 24- hour period. You can only report a player for a particular issue once. You can report this player again, but not for the same issue in a 24 hours period. Once you have made two reports you will not be able make a further report via the auto-report system within the game. If you need to make a further report, you must then use the Support / Ticket system where you can outline this properly
16. Do not farm chips: Creating multiple accounts or creating accounts to collect chips, bonuses or for play advantage is illegal. Do not play more than one account. Do not create multiple accounts for using to your advantage in the game in any way whatsoever. 17. Do not create fake accounts: Do not create an account simply for the use of playing poker. Your Facebook account is the account you should be playing poker with, and no other account should be used.
18. Bingo/Hard Players: Contrary to popular belief, players that go all-in all the time (sometimes referred to as bingo players) are not doing anything wrong. It is a style and it is allowed. You might not like this but usually bingo players will fall foul of their own game within a few rounds. Clever poker players know how to take these players down in a few hands – with practice you will also learn how and when to do certain things. However, just as some players are tight, some are just the opposite. There is nothing you can do about this. If you cannot handle the game while this player is there, stand out until he leaves (or loses his chips to a player with a little more intelligence).
Let us all try to be sensible. It is obvious that there will be times when a table becomes so wrapped up in having fun that the rules do waiver a little… this is human nature. That can be great fun when all at the table are enjoying the silliness. We, as onlookers will even enjoy watching this too.
- There is a significant difference between this scenario and one where there is unacceptable activity taking place. We know the difference and we won't spoil the fun… which is always rule No. 1 remember.