Food & Drinks: No food or drinks on the table. Use a napkin or wash your hands if needed, I'd like to keep the cards and chips clean.
Phones & Devices: Phones stay off the table and preferably on silent. Please take long phone calls away from the table.
Cash & Buy-ins: One banker handles all money, buying in first and cashing out last. Chips are the only currency on the table, and all buy-ins must be made in cash. The game is table stakes, so only chips on the table before the dealer cuts the cards are playable. You can buy more chips between hands.
Chip Stacks: Keep all chips visible and try to keep them in stacks of 20. Players are entitled to know your chip count, though in fixed-limit games it’s less critical than in no-limit or tournament.
Betting: Verbal announcements are preferred since they confirm the action clearly. "Check, Bet, Call and Raise" are standard. Tapping the table is the universal sign for "check". Putting chips into the pot without announcing anything can lead to confusion. Don't splash the pot, present your bet in front of you and easily readable in stacks or spreads up to 5.
Seat Changes: Players may change seats between hands. If two or more players want the same seat, it’s decided by a draw. Current players have first dibs; new players take what’s left.
Seating: Only players seated at the table will be dealt hands. No need to hold up the game if someone steps away, just continue as normal.
Entering & Leaving: Players who join the game after the first hand, or who miss blinds must either post to re-enter or wait until it's their big blind. No entering between the blinds and the dealer, you must wait for the deal to go past you. When leaving, a polite three-hand notice is appreciated, but not required.
Breaks: Players may step away between hands. The game will only pause if everyone agrees.
Table Talk: Conversation is relaxed and part of the fun, but be aware that there may be more considerations in higher stakes games.
Etiquette & Respect: Show respect and keep the game enjoyable. Tanking and slow rolling are poor form. Slow playing is a legitimate strategy.
Soft Play: Soft play is when a player deliberately avoids betting or raising against an opponent — often by checking or just calling with a very strong hand — in order to protect them. It’s treated as a form of collusion and is not allowed. Players are expected to bet their hands fairly, and checking the nuts when last to act on the river is strictly forbidden.
Disputes & Rulings: Where a rule already applies, it may be confirmed by memory or by checking. If a judgment call is needed, the host or banker has the final say, which may include reaching a general concensus.