The Ten Commandments of Poker

The Golden Team captain, Stéphane ‘Stefal’ Allard, is known as a real gentleman at the poker table. He recommends sticking to a predetermined bankroll or budget for poker – as nasty financial surprises are avoided that way, this is already a tremendous mental help we would advise anyone to follow.

Respect for the fellow player at the poker table, or lack thereof, is however an increasing problem. No poker player, not even our captain, is completely free of tilt and other problems relating to the mental aspect in poker. We however have to remember that we are playing a game we love, be it as a hobby, a means to earn an additional income or as a profession (and even though we sometimes have to deal with bad luck).

In this regard Stefal recommends an article written by Nolan Dalla, famous poker author and World Series of Poker (WSOP) Media Director, called ‘The Ten Commandments of Poker Etiquette’. While mainly writing about his experiences in live poker, this can easily be applied to online poker as well.

It’s basically about remembering that players play poker for two reasons: for entertainment or to make a living. Both groups need each other.

If you belong to the second group, you should remember the first group consists out of players who are the lifeblood of the poker economy. They wouldn’t keep coming back if they wouldn’t win every once in a while and they certainly will not come back if not entertained, much less so if berated. If you belong to the first group, keep in mind the golden rule of treating people in a way you would want to be treated yourself – this is necessary to keep the game healthy.
Stefal calls Dalla’s article a good article to “meditate on” and we have to say we agree.

We heartily recommend the full article, which consists out of ten commandments that are easy to follow and will really increase the poker experience of your fellow players.

Some examples:

• Don’t take an excessive amount of time for every decision
• Don’t tell bad bead stories, remember that you are blessed if these kinds of situations happen in the long run, they will earn you money
• Don’t blame your bad luck on the dealer or the random card generator
• If you are a pro, act like one

Click here to read Nolan Dalla’s complete Ten Commandments of Poker article.

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