Rules & Etiquette

Potbuilder Poker is a FREE SOCIAL poker league. Poker is a game, and games should be fun, win or lose. No grudges shall be held. Just remember that there are bad plays everywhere.


Below are RULES and ETIQUETTE to help make Potbuilder Poker enjoyable.


  1. All players must agree and abide by all Potbuilder's Rules and Etiquette.

  2. A player must be at his seat when the first card is dealt on the initial deal or he will have a dead hand. “At your seat” means within reach of your chair. This rule is not intended to condone players being out of their seats while involved in a hand.

  3. In heads-up play with two blinds, the small blind is on the button.

  4. All hands are turned face up whenever a player is all-in and betting action is complete. This harkens back to worries about "chip dumping" where one player will lose to another (on purpose) in order to "give" the other player valuable tournament chips. Requiring both players to show is to demonstrate that each hand is fair, and no collusion is happening. In CASH GAME, you don’t have to show; but in TOURNAMENT, you are required to show.

  5. At the showdown, you must turn over both cards to win. Turn over both cards without delay.

  6. If a player announces the intent to rebuy before cards are dealt, that player is playing behind and is obligated to make the rebuy.

  7. There is absolutely no discussion of the hand in play until the action is complete. Exception: if there are only two people in the hand (heads up), they may discuss the hand as they wish. Don't talk about your cards while a hand is going on. Once you've folded, it's tempting to talk about what would have happened if you had stayed in. If you are not involved in the hand, it is best keep your opinion to yourself

  8. Protect your cards at all times. You are responsible for your own cards. Use a chip or a card protector to protect your cards. If your cards enter the muck, even accidentally, they’re dead. If you push your cards toward the middle of the table or muck pile, your cards are dead. This is not basketball. There is no need to fake anyone out.

  9. Keep your cards visible, on the table, in front of your chip stack. Don’t cover your cards with your hands. Don’t hide your cards behind your stack. Don’t take your cards off the table. If player act out of town because you hid your cards, you will be forced to muck your cards.

  10. Don't show your cards unless you are all-in and/or head up. Showing cards from a live hand during the action injures the rights of other players still competing in an event, who wish to see contestants eliminated. There is absolutely no reason to show or expose your cards until when no further action is possible and/or showdown. A player may not show any cards during a deal (unless the event has only two remaining players). If a player deliberately shows a card, the hand will be ruled dead.

  11. Watch the language. This is a social game. Please refrain from using of obscene language and/or verbal abuse directed at another player and/or tournament director. This includes being overly critical of another player’s play. There is no need to follow someone to the bathroom to tell him/her how to play poker. Failure to do so may result in removal from the poker game, suspension, or your Potbuilder Poker membership being revoke.

  12. Don't be rude or mean. Even if you're having a bad day, it doesn't give you the right to curse other players or be rude. It will not win you pots or friends. Players didn’t come out to deal with your anger.

  13. Show One, Show All. If a player shows cards to another player during or after a hand, any player at the table has the right to see those exposed cards after the hand is over. It’s best not to share mucked cards. If you win a hand before the showdown but want to show your cards anyway, you can't just show them to the one player, you have to turn them up for the whole table to see. After all, why should only the lucky players get to know what how bad your two cards are.

  14. Avoid mobile phone use during a hand. Let it go to voicemail, or fold. Long telephone conversations should take place away from the table. Besides, why do you want everyone at the table to knows about what you have for lunch.

  15. Shuffling, dealing, and playing take priority over stacking. If it’s your turn to shuffle or deal or play your hand after a win, move your chips out of the way quickly and get on with it. Stack your chips only after you’re done shuffling or dealing or playing. Acts like it is not your first time winning.

  16. Rabbit hunting is discouraged, unless you are playing for a drink. Someone has to pay to see them cards. Miss. Cleo does not offer free card reading.

  17. Keep your highest value chips visible at the front of your stack and highest value go on top, so that other players can quickly estimate your chip total. Don’t hide high-value chips behind the rest of your stack.

  18. Don’t splash the pot. Place your bet immediately in front of your cards, not the pot.

  19. Middle of The Table Players - please help out when you can especially players seated at the middle of the table, when we don’t have a dedicated dealer. We are not Inspector Gadget. When the button is at the end of the table, it can be hard to pitch the cards to everyone.

  20. Players must take care to keep the cards and chips clean — no sticky, dirty, or greasy fingers (so no sticky, greasy, or messy food at the table). Besides, we are not your mom. We can’t clean after you and/or tell you to wash your hands. Players must take care to keep drinks from spilling on the table.

  21. When a player puts tickets on the table they must announce it to the table so there is no confusion. Once tickets are on the table they are "IN PLAY" and CANNOT be removed except by the TD for chips. Ticket values are accessed with all bonuses.