playing responsible poker

Poker is meant to be a fun and friendly social game that should be played responsibly. If you don’t know if you are playing responsibly, ask yourself these questions.

1. After the match, do I have the same feelings towards the other players as I did before we started playing? As I stated, poker is a social game, and whether you are playing with friends or strangers, if you have negative feelings towards the other players after the game, you might not be playing responsibly.
2. Am I going to an ATM or borrowing money during a match? If you are bringing a set amount to gamble for a poker game, borrowing money or running to an ATM during a match might mean you are not playing responsible poker. Never gamble more than you are willing to lose.
3. When I play poker, do I lie to my spouse about what I am doing? Most spouses won’t mind you going to a friendly poker match, so if you are hiding it from him/her, you aren’t playing responsible poker.

Find out if it is legal to play poker where you live

In some places, it’s illegal to gamble. Save yourself a lot of legal trouble and find out if it's ok to play where your match is being held. If it’s not, plan to move the match to a place where it is legal. In most cases, this is just a short drive away.

Avoid house-banked games

A house-backed game is playing against a house bankroll and not against other players. Such games include but are not limited to Blackjack, Craps, and Roulette. While you can in some instances win, most of the time you will lose. These games are in the business of making money for the house, not for the customers.

Don't play above your head

What this means, is that if you have bills like your mortgage due, don’t take your house payment to the poker game hoping to double your money. If you live in an area that gets cold, don’t choose poker in lieu of heat. I know you are looking for a way to make extra money, but if you don’t have it to spare, don’t play. It’s just that simple.

Keep a record of your poker sessions

Have you ever been in a store and went to pay for an item only to find that you didn’t have the money because you had lost it playing poker and forgotten about it? Chances are you aren’t keeping a record of your poker sessions. If you play poker a good bit, it’s a good thing to know how much you are up or down in any given month. Having a record of your poker sessions helps you keep track of your money, which is good for planning future matches, as well as paying your bills.

Play within your bankroll

I know I mentioned this before, but I am mentioning it again in bold because it is that important. Have a set amount you can afford to lose before you start, and if you lose that amount, stop playing, no matter how tempting it is to keep going. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Do not become addicted to poker

I know this is a bit like telling someone not to become an alcoholic, but look at the warning signs I wrote about in the beginning of this page. If you are borrowing money, feeling anger towards your peers, or lying to your family, you might be developing a problem. If you have any question if you are becoming addicted, seek help immediately! You can find help at the following:

Gamcare

National Council on Problem Gambling

Gamblers Anonymous

Playing poker is for responsible adults

Playing poker successfully requires maturity, which teenagers often lack. If you are not of legal age to play poker, don't. Those not mature enough to play poker are often quick to neglect their other responsibilities in order to just play another few hands.

Playing professionally is a bad idea for most people

Few people become successful full-time professional poker players. Some moderately skilled poker players decide to become full-time "professionals" as an excuse to play poker all day and neglect other aspects of their life. Many of these players end up being permanently staked by others and are the laughingstock of the poker community.

Going professional entails greatly increased risks. Behaviors that are considered "problem behaviors" in most people will be harder to identify in the professional, who might consider playing ten hours a day to be normal, and who necessarily must play for significant stakes. This is one reason why we believe that most players, even winning players, should not become pros.

It is possible to win money at poker, while still maintaining a balanced lifestyle. For most people, this is probably the best goal to shoot for.

Remember poker is a game

It’s not a way of life. If your family life, or professional life is suffering because of Poker, stop playing it immediately. Keep in mind the important things in life. I’m not saying "don’t play poker", I’m saying play it responsibly, and remember it’s just a game.

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