Brick and Mortar ettiquette...

[cjx]

Just curious here... a few weeks ago I went to Foxwoods and put my name down on the 2/4, 4/8, 5/10 lists, but all lists were pretty long and so I began my wait. Usually I make a trip to the bathroom or something... try to do things that might later interrupt my game, but as the wait became longer I just started walking around and observing games.

I came upon a 25/50 game which piqued my interest as it was the highest limit hold'em game I'd ever seen live. So I started watching and after about one and a half hands one of the players talked to the dealer and the dealer said something to the effect that the players would like more privacy. Now, it was no big deal to me so I promptly moved on, but I was curious... is it considered bad form to observe a game like that? I know the 5/10 game right near where you get on the lists gets watched by a ton of people because that's where everyone typicallys waits to be called.

Like I said... just curious...

cjx

[JoeU]

Its not bad ettiquette to watch a game as long as you maintain some distance from the table. Usually enough not to be noticed by the players, but close enough to read the board and follow the action. Some players tend to be a little fussy about others watching their game. However, if you were on the list for that game, and watching the players for their tendencies before entering the game, I might say something to the floor person about being asked to leave. Something to the effect of "I'm next on the list for this game" or "my initials are on the board for this game". The floor then might allow you to stand close enough to the action to watch, but far enough not to interfere. I usually like to watch those games I'm about to play in. In some B&M rooms, there is a rail around the high limit areas. It is perfectly ok to stand and watch from the other side of that rail.

Joe

[RollaJ]

I was once sweating a 150-300 game and was told that if I wanted to watch I should stand behind. That seemed fair, so I did

[Howard Burroughs]

My regular room I played in had $10-20 as the highest limit in the room. One day I walk in and they have a $4,000-$8,000 going with Doyle, Chip, Bobby B, Howard L, Lyle B, etc. in it.

No one was allowed to get anywhere close to the table.


In a smaller game I don't see why you would not be able to watch from a safe distant though.

Best of Luck

H.B.

[Hotrod0823]

I played in an ACT II at FWoods and there was almost a fight over observers.

One player had a friend sitting right behind him and talking during hands. The women to his left requested that he move and refrain from talking. The dealer was completely oblivious to the problem of the cross talk and a floor person had to get involved. The observer stayed but he had to keep quiet. He claimed his conversation had nothing to do with the hand but created a problem anyway.

I think you should be able to stand back and watch but keep quiet.

My mother like AC and used to play slots at Harrahs before Borgota was in town and went by the small glassed in Poker room. She saw and commented on one players hand as she passed by not knowing they could here her. She got a few bad looks.

[trillig]

Just a funny story to add to this...

I was in the Bellagio or Mirage (forget which) and drifted over by the poker room to take a look, near the edge of the room I could stand and easily watch one table's action.
I was a bit taken aback by this:
a girl in overalls who looked like she had milked a few cows earlier in the day was STANDING at her table and playing out of 4 or 5 racks stacked, at a 8-16 table, what the hell is up with that?
I don't think I'd appreciate standing players at my table, I watched 5 hands or so and she stayed standing entire time, so she wasn't running to the can, she was actively in a hand when I got there, I watched her raise on end to $32.

I read anyone playing out of racks is a beginner... and it's considered rude since it tends to slow down play. LOL!

-t

[mosta]

where I play in the Bay Area you can be by a table watching as long as the person you are behind allows you to be there--which normally translates to being behind someone you know. and they don't really like you standing behind. if you're there for more than a few minutes they ask you to pull up a chair. so I'll sit or stand and lean in to see my friend's cards. most often you see girlfriends parked behind in a chair. if I stop by a table where I don't know anyone and linger for more than a minute, usually someone who I'm behind will turn around and glare and then ask the dealer to move me.

[squiffy]

In my experience, most casinos offer the highest table limits and the highest wagering limits the most privacy, in general. I don't like it when a stranger stands close behind me while I am playing. I worry that they will see my cards and telegraph info to a friend.

So it makes sense that someone playing at a high limit table might feel uncomfortable having someone watch them.

In the cardrooms I have been in the highest limit tables are usually set apart, sometimes in a raised area, with an enclosure around them. If I stand outside the enclosure, I can barely see what's going on. And I guess you are not allowed to stand too close inside the enclosure.

When I play chess at a large tournament, the top 10 players play in a special area that is roped off.

I think it's just natural for the "high roller" to want and demand special treatment. They want to feel special. And if any fishy can stand around looking over their shoulder they are (1) not that special (2) potentially the victim of someone trying to spot their hole cards.

As a matter of fact, that is why I especially enjoy standing close behind players at a low limit table. Because I can often catch a glimpse of their hole cards, which makes it more interesting for me to follow their action.
I won't necessarily be sitting at that table facing that opponent. It's just more interesting to know at least one person's hole cards.

On an airplane once, I was flying coach and stood up to stretch my legs. I walked around a bit and stopped at the entrance to the first class area and stood there for a few seconds. I was immediately shooed away by the flight attendant.

And I often see coach class people told they are not allowed to use the first class bathrooms.

People pay for special treatment. High rollers in casinos often have private tables or private rooms. They don't want to be bothered by the peons and plebeians and other riff raff.

[harboral]

Boy, things have changed a lot over the years. In the past, almost nobody cared who was close to the "higher-limit" games. I used to play some upper limit, especially at the Stardust Tourny and the Super Bowl of Poker, and the games were all right next to another. As for people standing, Doyle Brunson used to stand pretty regularly and also nobody cared if he (or a few others) ate at the table, Doyle used to eat soup from a large cup.............damn progress.

[CrackerZack]

As long as you aren't hovering behind someone, you can certainly watch. if someone bitches, move to the other side of the table, but seriously, you can watch. You can't at bellagio which sucks because they have a players only area roped off on the upper level, but you can watch 30-60 on the normal floor. at FW, you can watch anything, F-them