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Old 12-02-2004, 07:51 PM
Godfather80 Godfather80 is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 9
Default The purpose of rules or how to keep \"friendly\" games \"friendly\"

I have recently begun paying attention to the little things at the poker table (ie the tiny things other players do that give away info). This post is not about tells or any of that crap, it's about something I've noticed many players doing things that 'could' be considered tiny cheats or angle shoots. Here's some examples:
shufflers forgetting to offer a cut, players declining to cut, players examining the discards after they've folded to check how their hand would have played, not burning, laying out the flop/turn/river during the deal, splashing the pot, etc.
After these infractions I typically don't say anything because when I do someone will always respond with "don't worry, it's a friendly game".

My contention has always been that the reason poker has rules for or against these little things is to keep the games "friendly" or at least civil. Nobody likes to lose money, and I think that honoring the rules makes sure that a losing player doesn't have a legitimate gripe.

Is my attitude a "good fences make good neighbors" kind of cold stodginess; or do you agree that strict observance of the rules keeps "friendly" games "friendly".

Godfather
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