Whether you win or lose, you need to make sure you walk out of a room
without having made enemies or embarassed yourself otherwise you might not
get invited back. Overall, don't taunt other players when you're up or
whine when you're down - keep your emotions to yourself. After all, it's
just a game.
Although you can play almost anywhere, many people are learning to play in
the safety of online websites. Even if you aren't playing face to face,
keep your head in the game - don't walk away from the computer half way
through a hand, as others will often be waiting on you and become annoyed if
you slow down the pace of the game. Also, many sites allow you to pass
comments to other players - although you should stay in the spirit of the
game, you should avoid saying something you wish you could later take back.
When playing with friends or at someone's house, your playing style will be
much more comfortable. In this situation, your focus should be on playing a
relaxed game without being overly competitive. Winning isn't everything,
especially with friends, so try not to push people right to the wall. Of
course, if you know the people very well, you may turn an advantage by
pushing their buttons to get a rise out of them and have a little fun while
throwing them off their game. As poker often goes along with parties, get
togethers and drinking, make a conscious effort to limit your drinking if
you want to win, as the sober player will probably come out on top. Of
course, if you're just there for a good time, throw the rules to the wind,
bring your own drinks and enjoy yourself.
If you win an online competition or do well at a casino, you may get invited
to more public venues and competitions. These will set your game on edge,
as you will be performing to an audience. An important thing to keep in
mind is that these are not likely friends and aquaintences, so generally
expect more guarded conversation and behavior. Keep your cards tight to the
table and be prepared to have every opponent watch your every move, and
therefore be even more conscious of your own tells. You are expected to
play hard and professionally, so keep your hands to yourself - don't touch
any other players cards or chips.
