Is there such a thing as online poker etiquette?

Propane Goat

Propane Goat

Grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't
Moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Total posts
8,055
Awards
4
US
Chips
838
I would wait for a little while for the opponent to reconnect if this happened in a CardsChat League game, just as a courtesy.

Anywhere else, I'm taking those chips as fast as I can.
 
Martin

Martin

Nutty Evil Squirrels
Administrator
Joined
Sep 8, 2010
Total posts
31,625
Awards
21
GB
Chips
1,436
In the past in a CC league game for example I have waited for the other player to reconnect, otherwise I'm hitting that raise button as fast as I can like a mad pianist.
 
najisami

najisami

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Total posts
5,020
Awards
8
MA
Chips
1,394
In general, I think poker etiquette should be respected in live and online play though it's not easy to draw any line when playing on the internet, hence the word "Unspoken"!

I also think that the question in hand has more to do with the game play than with the etiquette. I would say that 99.99% of players would never wait for a sitting out player to come back after having played for so long to get to a HU situation where they could finally win an MTT, a win that does not come along that often.

In certain situations (CC events for example), I might wait for my opponent, otherwise, I don't see why, especially that we're both taking home a nice prize.
 
finaltable1

finaltable1

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 26, 2016
Total posts
2,320
Awards
9
Chips
569
Over time more and more of online poker rooms replace table chat with emotions - this is obvious sign that some sort of etuqette exists and evolves, LOL.

As for the other aspects of the game - well it's all just pure common logic, people will do what is logical - stall timer, as mentioned above - steal blinds of inactive or disconnected players and so on. Also language of bet sizing can be considered as part of etiquette.
 
lauestla

lauestla

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Feb 6, 2021
Total posts
1,516
Awards
4
Chips
601
I probably would continue to play and steal the blinds of the sit out opponent... except if it's one of the CC players I know.
 
W

WellAA

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
May 12, 2012
Total posts
864
Awards
2
BR
Chips
357
I think etiquette is a good thing to show anywhere You go, online or in person, when I know the person I could slow the action for some time, otherwise just raise and collect the chips, we don't know if him is coming back anyways.:):cool:
 
ninocabral

ninocabral

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Total posts
583
Awards
1
Chips
226
I would continue playing because I don't know how long he will reconnect, maybe it's a problem with his internet that will take a while, and because it's heads up I'll be very tired of the entire tournament and I'll want it to end soon
 
R

Rmi

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jan 9, 2023
Total posts
264
Awards
1
AR
Chips
184
My goal is to win, if he's not there to play it wouldn't be my problem
 
belladonna05

belladonna05

belladonkin'
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 7, 2007
Total posts
15,993
Awards
18
US
Chips
694
I'm not waiting, as stated above, if they are actually disconnected then the poker room generally takes care of it, all other circumstances are fair game.
 
infonazar

infonazar

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Oct 10, 2017
Total posts
3,834
Awards
3
UA
Chips
352
I wouldn't wait for my opponent to reconnect, primarily because I value my time and want to win even if my opponent is not at the table :)
 
Lena M

Lena M

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
May 27, 2018
Total posts
2,709
Awards
2
UA
Chips
306
Hi :)
I think there is an unspoken etiquette, but I wouldn't wait for my opponent to reconnect. If a player has problems, he should be prepared for them in advance, and if he is not ready, it is solely his fault.
 
belizebum

belizebum

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Total posts
5,677
Awards
16
BZ
Chips
682
I need all the help I can get. I'm taking the chips for as long as I can.
As for basic online etiquette, should be no name calling, other than the standard poker names, fish, whale etc.
And definitely no telling a player they don't know how to play etc.
 
zorro222_zorro222

zorro222_zorro222

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 26, 2019
Total posts
3,778
Awards
10
CA
Chips
681
Great question, well done Iryna for suggesting it. So this has happened to me quite a few times and I have always just took their blinds and not waited but I have heard from a few people that doing so is unethical and that people should give their opponent time to reconnect or come back from doing whatever they were doing. This also happened to me just a few months ago at a FT of a courchevel mtt when we were 3 handed and I was upset at my wifi for going out but would not expect my opponents to wait for me, nor did I think they would be unethical if they did not. I suppose if I knew the person or they typed in chat explaining to me that they had an urgent situation they needed to take care of, I would probably wait for them but other than that, it's just part of playing online poker imo.
 
Newzooozooo

Newzooozooo

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Total posts
2,860
Awards
2
UA
Chips
315
Do you believe there is an unspoken etiquette that should be followed at the tables online? What do you think is the right thing to do in the situation below?

You have reached heads-up play in an online tournament, but suddenly your opponent goes into a sit-out mode. Will you wait for them to reconnect and get back in the game or you would try to get an advantage of the situation and win as many chips as possible?

4fb540aed9af09682da8a738756b5956.png


Thanks to @iwont20 for this topic suggestion!
Hi :)
I will not wait, I am not such a highly ethical and deeply moral person :)
The loss of connection by my opponent is a chance for me to win, and I will definitely not miss this opportunity. And even if it's not considered an honest victory, my bankroll will not feel it, it will not feel that this replenishment was due to an unfair victory over an opponent who lost the connection.
Good luck :)
 
Nokaut men 1997

Nokaut men 1997

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Nov 29, 2020
Total posts
135
Awards
1
BA
Chips
227
Texas hold'em is not a gentleman's game but a game where no mercy should be shown. I will take the opportunity and take as many chips as possible in the shortest possible time. Any other answer on my part would be hypocritical.
 
gabryyyel31

gabryyyel31

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Total posts
1,746
Awards
9
RO
Chips
627
Hard to say. It would be moral to wait for the other player to become active again, but the question arises, if the situation were the other way around, would the opponent do the same and wait for me to restore the connection? Maybe at tournaments it would happen, I don't know, I haven't been in this situation, but I've lost connection at Spin&GOs and I've never been expected by the other players to come back to the table. When I did it, the game was already over.
 
M

Margo17

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 21, 2023
Total posts
112
BR
Chips
217
This happened to me, I was going to wait for my opponent who was sitting out for a long time at the final table, however, when he was in the HU he came back but the chips were already very short, he needed a good run but it didn't happen fortunately and I won the tournament.
 
dreamer13

dreamer13

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Total posts
3,605
Awards
2
LV
Chips
778
Do not use offensive language or swearing in chat and do not lag behind the game.
 
Ruslan L

Ruslan L

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Aug 30, 2022
Total posts
867
Awards
1
UA
Chips
311
If my opponent at the final table loses connection, I won't wait for him to restore it. My opponent's loss of connection is definitely not my responsibility. In other words, this is a problem that players should take care of in advance if they know and understand that their Internet connection is not reliable.
 
Sulfuros001

Sulfuros001

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Apr 1, 2021
Total posts
297
Chips
22
In online poker, there is generally an unspoken etiquette similar to live play that players are expected to follow. In the situation where your opponent goes into sit-out mode during heads-up play in a tournament, the right thing to do is to wait for them to reconnect and resume playing. This demonstrates sportsmanship and fairness, allowing both players to compete under normal conditions.
Trying to take advantage of the situation by aggressively accumulating chips while your opponent is disconnected may be seen as unethical or unsportsmanlike behavior. It goes against the spirit of fair play and can create a negative experience for both players.
Therefore, waiting for your opponent to reconnect and continuing the game when both players are actively participating is generally considered the right thing to do in online poker etiquette.
 
Rachidao

Rachidao

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Total posts
671
Awards
1
BR
Chips
395
Well if I ever saw someone waiting for me when I get disconnected I would considerate to wait as well, but never saw one person doing this, min raise and go.
 
Gritz18

Gritz18

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Total posts
5,333
Awards
3
BR
Chips
977
You have reached heads-up play in an online tournament, but suddenly your opponent goes into a sit-out mode. Will you wait for them to reconnect and get back in the game or you would try to get an advantage of the situation and win as many chips as possible?
I've watched some famous online tournaments where players at the final table used part of their time to wait for one of the table members who was left to sit out, often due to a lack of connection.

I find this attitude very commendable on the part of the players, generally in these large online tournaments the players know each other, as they are always facing each other at the tables and they know how difficult it is to be without connection at a crucial moment in the tournament.

Of course, not everyone has this attitude, if it happened to me and I had a large time bank, I would certainly use part of that time to wait for the player to reestablish their connection.
 
Top