Showing a live hand to someone not in the hand.

LarryJ · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:08 AM

I understand that poker is one player to a hand and this is really the primary principal of the game. Despite that, in some fairly friendly home games I play in, players sometimes show their neighbors their cards while the hands are still live (the neighbors hands are already dead). Personally, I don't do this.

Some local games have adopted the rule that if you show your hand to anyone else, the hand is declared dead. My question is: Is this rule standard? Is it a rule that's applied at casinos?

I don't show my hand, I think it's bad poker and it can only give other players more information about your hand. However, I never considered it a hand killing violation.

What rules and opinions do others have on this subject? (Also, this primarily for cash games, not tourneys.)

Thank you.

Larry J

jamby · #2 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:10 AM

You have hit upon one of my biggest pet peeves in poker. This happens constantly in my regular home game and it makes me crazy. I'm in a minority in that game though and others seems to think that it's perfectly OK to do. I wish the hands would be declared dead. It might put a stop to it.

links_slayer · #3 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:14 AM

Declare their hand dead next time this happens. When I've hosted games this bull$#!t does not fly. When I'm a guest and it happens, I just grind my teeth and go to my happy place.

tomb1 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:32 AM

Just say, "show one, show all" and make him show the rest of the table including his opponent!

For tournaments, the TDA Rules are explicit:

12. No Disclosure, No Advice, One Player to a Hand

Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, players, whether in the hand or not, may not:

Disclose contents of live or folded hands
Advise or criticize play before the action is complete
Read a hand that hasn’t been tabled

The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced.

jamby · #5 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:38 AM

Bringing up rules is all well and good, but it tends to tick off the casual players in my group - off which the majority are. They respond with comments like "we're not playing in a casino so we don't have to follow casino rules".

Quads · #6 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 10:57 AM

Show one show all.
You need to start killing hands to let them know you're serious.

It's bad form in poker to let it continue.

Colquhoun · #7 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamby

They respond with comments like "we're not playing in a casino so we don't have to follow casino rules".

Are Jokers and deuces wild, too?

Magic Koala · #8 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 11:02 AM

I was in Hollywood Park and a player showed his live hand to a player who was out. One of the so-called "professional gamblers" (a young guy who kept on talking about how he won his first big tournament) immediately stopped the game and commanded the dealer to force the player to show his hand AFTER the game. The guy said it was "information" and he was entitled to see it since the other player saw it. We were in a a $60+15 + rebuy tournament. I agree it was "information" and we should follow the "show one, show all" rule, but he was still a jerk, and everybody was glad to see him knocked out.
Dealer should have enforced the show one, show all rule before things got ugly. As it turned out, everybody turned on the jerk, and knocked him out.

In my home games, it only seems to matter at the end of the game when we do show one, show all. We're casual and we don't think we need to be as strict as the casino. I suppose it really matters to players whose livelihoods depend on poker.

jamby · #9 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 11:03 AM

I think what this all boils down to is that some people aren't as serious about poker as we are here. I also have to go to my happy place when it happens in order not to go crazy. People play cards for all kinds of different reasons - many just to be social. Some of those are the best opponents - read fishiest - so breaking up such a game isn't always in the best interest even though those games aren't played as strictly as one would like.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quads

Show one show all.
You need to start killing hands to let them know you're serious.

It's bad form in poker to let it continue.

gmunny · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2007, 11:07 AM

For me, it depends on what "type" of game it is. If I was playing in a casino or a "some-what serious" home game, I probably wouldn't like it, but it's really up to the host/home rules. In a friendly cash game, everyone knows each other and has been friends for years, I really don't mind it, especially if there are newer inexeperienced players. Obviously, if it were happening all the time and slowing the game down, then I'd say something. If we were playing a tourney with timed blinds, then it shouldn't be allowed.

What really bothers me is when a player that is not involved, comments on the hand and even give his opinion on what the other players are holding. That, to me is wrong.