Poker Etiquette

[MarcoPolo]

Here's the setup.

I've folded and am not in the hand.
Two other people are still in the hand.
In the showdown, they reveal their cards.
Player one calls 'three of a kind'
Player two calls 'two pair' even though he actually has a higher three of a kind. (I know, he's a moron and deserves to lose, it happened though.. go figure.)

In this situation, is it appropriate for me to step in and correct him about his hand therefore giving him the win, or should I keep my mouth shut since I'm no longer in the hand?

What about after the person pulls in the chips. Is it OK to say, "Hey, you screwed up your hand just then. Better watch a little more closely."

[Guest]

Cards should call.

[Golden Holden]

Yeah, I think the cards should call, too.

The guy is an idiot and already has enough working against him... he doesn't really need to lose hands he actually won on top of his ineptitude.

[Nytecaster]

I would agree that cards should call EXCEPT when using wild cards. The reason I say this is because the WILD(s) should be determined by the player who uses them and not by someone who notices a better hand. Just the other day I was in a hand, we were playing a variation of baseball where the 3s and 9s were wild. It's a criss cross game where you could use the board up to eight different ways (very stupid and lucky game but it was a home game). Now I noticed that he had a straight flush but he claimed he had four aces and lost to another who had four aces with a higher kicker. Now I know I should probably point out to him that he had a better hand but I'm not going to sit there and analyze everyone elses hand when I have to worry about my own with so much change from one card to the next and it's his or her responsibility to determine how to value their wilds.

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Nytecaster

[KidIchiban]

In my home games, (I deal).. I make all my buddies just get used to showing their hands, and letting me (the dealer) call out the best hand..

For sure, if we get cocky newbies, ill let themselves screw themselves all by themselves. All the while, my trained buddies will allow everybody else to call out thier winners..

I still make the mistake of just showing my 2 winners in Casino, Omaha games. "please show me all of your cards sir" ..

[golddog]

Agree with Nyte, with this exception. (Please excuse the diversion from hold-em).

In my group, we play several differnt games. Generally, cards speak, but there are a few games in which declaration are needed (going high or low, for example).

The best idea is to set your rules beforehand, and then stick to them.

Now, once the guy has raked, and you or someone else notices a better combination, that's unfortunate. The chips are home. You probably only stir up bad blood by pointing out, "hye, you actually could've won" at that point.

[tmpadmin]

I am not disagreeing but I play differently at my home games. Players present the card as THEY see them. We agreed to this the first night we started playing. Our reasoning is, if we want to become better players we need to learn to see what we are holding. Essentially learn from our stupid mistakes. I think in home games you need to set the rules for how you want to play and stick to it. If a new player come in to your game be SURE to run down your house rules so there is NO confusion. Home games are generally for fun and to keep it fun and eliminate as much resentment as possible the house rules should be established as early as possible.

On the other hand we had an issue where player A had two pair and players B said "take it I only have a straight". Since he presented his cards for what they were and we do keep a cheat sheet of hand ranking on hand we all agreed he won, even the player with two pair.

[LAFYRWMN]

I would just keep quiet - either way- Don't point out the mistake- unless he asks- its a catch 22- if you say anything- you will only tick off someone ( killing the messenger) Dealer would be responsible for the reading the cards

Linda

[JohnnyCache]

Hey, I once won two bras and a pair of size six leather pants with an "all red" flush . . . for some reason none of the other poker players at the table said anything . . . not even the girl who knew what she was doing (and she was one of the bras) . . . ahh, sweet days of yore . . .

[blue eyes]

seems to be a morality question, treat is as a check-rasing rule. In other words, determine before you start what the rule is and stick to it. You can be democratic about it and ask people what they prefer. When I play cribbage for example, I like to play where the opponent can steal the points not counted by the other player, I feel it's part of the game, but we agree on that before we begin.

[mindgame]

The rule should be established before the game...cards play themselves or not. But when cards play themselves it is the DEALER's responsibility to declare the hand. He may screw it up also, and the other players may correct him or not, as they choose. I generally keep my mouth shut, because what's the point of pissing someone off if you don't have to? On the other hand....if I think I guy is likely to tilt if he loses a pot that he thought he'd won...well I'm speaking up. It's a jungle at the table and I'm a predator.