07-27-04, LearnTexasHoldem:

Showing Cards Heads Up

Question: To Whom This May Concern,

First of all I am a tenderfoot in the game of Texas Hold'em and to the game of poker in general. The home games I was playing in focused on the gimmick games which provided fun but took no skill what so ever. About a year ago I started studying and playing Hold'em. Now my question, I was on a three -six table at the Nugget casino in Sparks Nevada. The dealer joined the game on his break. I was on the button holding A,5 suited. I raised the blind and had three callers, one of which was this dealer guy, who was seated to my right. Flop came J, 5, 2 rainbow with no cards of my suited pocket. The table checked to me, I bet, all three called. The turn brought a 7. The table checked to me again, I bet, two folded and the dealer guy called. The river brought a 3. Now it gets interesting, Dealer guy bets, I raise representing a pair of Jacks …

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This dealer guy plays with his chips, asks me questions, gets up from the table (all of which is okay, dramatic for a 3/6 game, but okay)… then he exposes his pocket cards… I always understood that exposing your cards was tantamount to folding. He exposed A, 7… Which obviously had me beat. I turn my cards over, toss them in the middle and start to rake the pot. Then he says… I CALL…

What on the world is going on? I say, you exposed your cards, your hand is dead. Then I'm informed when it comes down to a heads up situation, exposing your pocket cards is okay (his buddy the dealer and his boss, the card room manager back him, the other players were strangely silent)… shortly after that, like two hands, the card room manager "found something else for dealer guy to do.

Again, I'm a greenhorn here. This pot was pretty big for me. Did I make a novice mistake? Or was I scamed… In stiuations that you think you were wronged, who has final say?

Thanks for your time,

Joe Connell

Aka: Shaky Joe

Answer: That is an unfortunate situation. The bottom line is though, if it is high joint, he gets to decide the rules. What might be ok in one cardroom could be banned in another. That goes for everything from putting the rack on the table to using a cell phone. Also, you'll find floormen who sometimes give really off-the-wall rulings and whatever they say goes. My only advice would be to not fold your hand until you are certain of the outcome since once it hits the muck pile it is dead.

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