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It's important to tip dealers, IMHO.
I met and had lunch with one of the owners of Commerce Casino (the largest brick & mortar poker room in the world).
He was telling us that the dealers are paid minimum wage. But the IRS knows they are making tips, so the IRS is taxing them at a rate much higher than their hourly wage. What this means is that if the dealers do not make money in tips, they will owe the IRS taxes on earnings they never even made!!
I tip my waitresses, bartenders, and strippers too, so might as well tip the all important poker dealers!
Anyway, a tiny pot, like just the blinds, I usually do not tip, or tip a little (like $.50 if they have those denominations). Any pot larger than that, I'll tip a $1. And nice big pots, I'll tip $2, or more if real juicy.
Don't feel you have to tip when you leave just because someone else does. But if you really liked the dealer, and did very well, you may want to toss a couple bucks his/her way.
You may also leave whenever you want. Some players will get upset if you leave after a big pot, particularly the ones that just lost all their money, but you're not there to make friends with your weak opponents, don't worry about it, leave whenever you want to. Not necessary to announce it either, it's your game, your money, your business.
Relax and have a good time, it's a little nerve-racking playing in a B&M poker room for the first time, but it's easy to get acquainted with the etiquette and action. Probably the most important thing to remember is NOT to string your bets. If you plan on making a bet or raise, take your time, announce RAISE if that's what you're doing, figure out the amount, and in one motion, move that stack of chips into the middle.
A common beginner's error - let's say you have the nuts, the opponent before you bets $25, you're obviously very excited, it's your turn, you move $25 into the middle to match the bet, and then reach back to your stack of chips to raise it another $200. Well, you can't do that. One motion. First announce RAISE, so there's no confusion. Then figure out the amount you want to bet - ie - $225, and put all $225 in the middle at once.
Good luck and have fun!
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