I’m always startled at the lack of ettiquette in poker. Especially from players that should know better. $30-$60 Holdem, the player UTG raises and turns up K-K with, “I’ve got two kings.”

While I was stating, “You can’t do that – you could ruin another player’s action!” everyone was folding around to the SB who turned over 7-7 and tossed the hand. The BB folded.

How bad is that? It’s horrible. What if the BB looked down to A-A and the player with K-K just ruined all of the BB’s action and play on the hand. The player with K-K stated that that was the only way he could win a pot. Yeah buddy, you just picked up $50 big ones…that’s a pot alright. Another player wanted to see the Flop anyway, I dumped the deck and went to the next hand.

My next game was $15-$30 Holdem and when three of a suit came on the Flop with four way action, a seasoned player asked, “Whose got the Flush?”

I had to go into my ‘strict dealer’ mode and say, “Please don’t say anything while the hand’s in progress.”

He chided me…’everyone knew what might be out there…’

I stood my ground. And about five minutes later, another three of a suit hit the board with seven way action. Another player lipped out about the Flush and once again I had to start with, “Come on. Don’t mention what’s on the board and remind someone what to look for.”

One of the players started to question my statement when two other players jumped in and told everyone that I was right. It’s not about my being right, it’s about the way the game should be played. Zip the lip while the hand’s in progress unless you’re heads up and want to antagonize or question your opponent.

Couldn’t let the night get half way started before I made a mistake. It was in the $20-$40 Omaha 8 or better with a half kill. Full game, lots of action, and Al N. was in the 6s. Double A was there too, in the 9, hadn’t dealt to either one of them in quite some time. The pot got raised and ended up in a raising war between the 4s and the 10s on the Turn and Al called every raise. They all had an Ace Straight but there was a two card flush on the board. Here’s where I get to make the bonehead move.

On the River, the 10s was first to act and bet $40, the 6s raised, Al called, the 10s called and raised it $20 more all-in. The 6s called the $20 and raised it $40 more. Al got flippant at that point and said, “Well let me raise it,” as he threw in a raise. The 6s called and I pulled in all of the money except a small portion of what I thought was the side pot. Trigger the grey matter shuffle…good God…the shuffle isn’t working. For some reason I knew Al had a straight but I didn’t believe both of the other players had one -hence my bonehead move of trying build a side pot instead of leaving the bets in front of them.

Things whipped right into over drive. All three hands were turned up, all three players had a piece of the pot…except I’d taken in too much money from the side pot. Begin noise…add volume…more noise…more volume. Al thought the 6s had taken back his bet and I’d pulled Al’s bet into the pot. Everyone, including me, knew I’d made a mistake but it took me a minute to convince Al that all the money was in the pot. I knew I’d lost it but there were so many people talking at once that I couldn’t begin to figure out where. I finally exclaimed, “Stop it! Everyone just stop it!” They stopped. I looked at Al and asked, “Ok, what do I do?”

Al has been around the poker scene for years and even if it cost him money, he would never lie or try to turn things in his favor. I knew if he told me what to do, it would be right. He stated that I needed to put $80 each in front of him and 6s. I did. They took it back and then I chopped up the main pot three ways…and I apologized.

Yikes! What the hell is going on here? Where did my brain go? Wish I could say I was in a romance blitz or had been drinking or some form of nonsense but I just completely blew it. Hey…maybe it was the damn Card Fairy. Maybe she found a way to cut in the Chip Fairy’s action.