Other actions – sitting out, chat, display options

Sitting out

If you want to take a break, you can click on the “Sit out” button or “Deal me out next hand” check box (depending on the site). You'll be dealt out and won't pay any blinds or antes. When you want to come back, there will be a “I'm back” button to click on. Most sites allow you to sit out for two rounds of blinds, which is 15 or more hands at a full table. If you sit out too long, you will be stood up and your chips will be returned to your account.

If you miss the blinds while you are sitting out, you will have two choices similar to those of a new player. You can either “make up the blinds”, usually by posting an amount equal to the sum of the blinds, or you can wait for the blind to reach you naturally. If you make up the blinds, only the portion of your post up to the amount of the big blind is “live”. The rest goes into the pot immediately and doesn't play for you as a credit when the action reaches you.

Chat

All the poker clients allow you to chat with the other players at the table. Look for a one-line text box near the text display area and try typing “hello” in it. Some clients let you chat if you are not seated at the table, while others restrict chat to seated players. Below, we talk about some etiquette guidelines you should follow when chatting.

Client options – sound, animation, 4-color deck

Most poker clients let you customize your poker experience. You can turn on and off the sound (good if you're playing from work!) and the animation (good if you have a slow machine). Exactly how you control the options depends on the poker client. Look for the “Options” menu on the lobby window, or else try clicking with the left or right mouse button in the dealer tray in the poker table window.

A very useful feature that some sites have is a 4-color deck. Many players prefer this because it reduces the chances of making a mistake when looking at the suits.