Online Poker Rules

There are a whole set of rules that apply to playing poker online that are not relevant to gaming in a casino. These rules are in addition to the General Rules of Poker adopted by the House.

Normally, by entering a game, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to abide by both the general game rules and the individual game rules of poker room in which you are visiting.

Online poker rules - All actions stand

To determine the action you want to perform in a game, click the appropriate Action button. Remember that once you have selected an action, it is always final, so please ensure that you select the correct action!

Online poker rules - Coffeehousing

This is defined as: Any inter-player chat carried out with the intention of misleading or manipulating other players falls under the 'Coffeehousing' rule, and is not permitted. Likewise, any chat that could influence the play, or outcome of the game, is not allowed.

Online poker rules - Slow play

If you are connected to the system but are not responding when it is your turn, the following rules normally apply:
If you have not placed a bet in the hand, you have a fixed number of seconds (usually ten or fifteen) to respond. Failing this, your hand automatically folds.

If you have placed a bet in the hand, you normally have a longer amount of time to respond, often around twenty or thirty seconds. Failing this, your hand automatically folds or is considered all-in. For more information on all-in restrictions, see the section Disconnections.

Repeated instances of slow play may be grounds for a Player to be removed from the table. This decision is at the discretion of the House.

Poker rules online - Disconnections

If you are disconnected from the system during play, the following rules will normally apply:

If you are disconnected during play, the table is notified via the game History box. For information on leaving and returning to a game, see the section Leaving and Returning to a Game.

If you are disconnected during the play of a hand and have not placed a bet, your hand will automatically fold after ten seconds.

If you are disconnected during the play of a hand and have placed a bet, you have thirty seconds to reconnect. If you do not reconnect within a specified period of time (usually 30 seconds or one minute), you cannot rejoin the table, and are considered all-in.

There is a limit to the number of times that a Player can call all-in in a 24-hour period. When this limit is exceeded, the Player's hand folds and any money the Player has contributed to the pot is forfeited. Make sure that you are aware of your all-in status. When you have reached the all-in limit, you must request that the limit be reset. To request that the limit be reset, you will need to refer to the specific rules for the room in which you are playing. Poker rules online - Playing at more than one table

You can normally play at more than one table simultaneously, again at the discretion of the House. The following rules apply:
• The House monitors Players who are playing at more than one table simultaneously. This is to ensure that multiple-table play is not causing slow play. If the House determines that slow play is a result of playing at multiple tables, the Player is forced to play at one table only.

• The Player may not allege distraction or confusion as an excuse for errors made when playing at more than one table simultaneously. Players are therefore urged to consider the risks involved in multiple-table play, as errors that occur are strictly the Player's responsibility.

Poker rules online - Individual play

Poker is a game where Players play for their own interest. Partnerships or any kind of co-operation between Players is not permitted.

Rules Online Poker - Language

To prevent collusion, communication between Players at the table is in normally in one language only. No foul, abusive or insulting language is normally permitted. The use of such language may result in you being removed, suspended or banned from the Poker Room.

If this rule applies and you are penalised for using such language, your hand is likely to be automatically folded and all your contributions to the pot are forfeited. These decisions are at the discretion of the House.

Rules Online Poker - Minimum Buy-in

The minimum buy-in for any game is normally ten times the amount of the small bet. For example, the minimum buy-in in a $0.50 /$1 game is $5.

Rules Online Poker - Table Stakes

There are low and high bets in each game. For example, in a $5/$10 game, the low bet is $5 and the high bet is $10. You cannot increase your bet while a hand is in play.

Rules Online Poker - Leaving and returning to a game

If you leave a game and return to that game in less than sixty minutes, you will start the new game with the same stakes as when you left. If you leave one game to play in another game and lose, you may return to the first game and play at a lower limit bet. Clicking the Sit Out button allows you to leave the table for a short period of time. You are removed from a table if you sit out for more than fifteen minutes or have missed two rounds of blinds.

Rules Online Poker - All-in

If you do not have enough chips to bet during a hand, you are not forced to place the full bet amount. You must put all of your chips into the pot - this is calling all-in. All-in indicates that all your remaining chips are put into the pot. You then contend for the pot in an amount proportional to the chips you put in. The game play that continues among other Players is put into a side pot. The all-in Player has no share in this side pot.

Poker Rules - Blinds and posts

Blind bets are often used to start the game play. The Player to the immediate left of the Dealer posts the small blind. The next Player to the left posts the big blind. The small blind is half of the lower betting limit. The big blind is a full bet at the lower betting limit. For example, in a $10/$20 game, the small blind is $5 and the big blind is $10. When new Players enter a game they can choose to either post now or wait for the big blind. If a Player decides to wait, they will receive no cards until it is their turn to play the big blind. If they decide to post, they bet the equivalent of one big blind, and receive cards immediately.

Both the big blind and post are considered live blinds. Thus the Player who posted the small blind must equalize the betting once the new Player has posted the equivalent of one big blind.

Players who sit out and then sit in again must wait either for the big blind to reach them again before receiving cards, or post both a big blind and a small blind to begin receiving cards immediately.

When posting both blinds, only the big blind portion of the post is live. The small blind portion of the post is placed in the pot. The Player is penalized the equivalent of a small blind.

Poker Rules - Exposing hands at showdown

All active hands are automatically displayed at the showdown unless a Player has previously clicked the Muck Losing Hands option. Players who win a pot without a showdown are given the option to show or muck their hand.

Poker Rules - Rake

This is the amount that the Poker Room takes for facilitating the game between Players on its service. This is only applicable to games where an ante is not used. The amount of the house rake varies from room to room and you should check the individual rules of the poker room or casino in which you are playing.