My father (important because it explains why I don't know full hand details) played a 2-5 cash NLH game recently, and the following occurred. I'm curious how you all think the floor should have ruled.

Essentially, villain was first to act and had check/called a draw-heavy board on flop and turn. On the river (brick), the villain stated, "I'm going to show you my hand," and he literally flipped over both cards and stared my father down while he did so. He was clearly trying to prevent a big river bluff and get a read on my father.

My father called the floor and asked that villain's hand be ruled dead since he had intentionally exposed his cards with action to come.

What is your ruling? I will detail what actually happened later. I don't want to influence your thoughts on the topic.

Can't kill a hand for exposing it. Ruling is action is on villain to check or bet.

So he shows his cards then either checks or bets and the hand plays out like he didn't turn them over?

Pretty much... your pops now has the information of what villain holds and can use it to his advantage.

Sounds like father was beat and tried to kill villains hand to win pot.

Well, the action plays out like he didn't turn them over...


Yup. The hand is live. Expect the floor to say:


"Sir, stop doing that, or we're going to impotently lecture you with an empty threat of action, but we won't actually do anything about it, because we like rake more than good conduct."

He might pretend to say something more stern, but trust me, that's what he'll actually be saying.

Puts you in a weird spot to try to bluff though.
Yep, that was definitely implied
Haha wow...you basically nailed what happened on the head. Floor said hand was still live, action on my father, and he basically threw a fit and stormed off.

I cant wait for the opportunity to pull the same move your Pops pulled when I've got Villain beat and want a call. It looks like a I'm weakly trying to get a better hand killed on techicality. Floor rules against me and I exasperatedly shove cuz I'm on MAD TILT.

Dad's probably confused with tournaments, where showing cards absolutely forbidden. Like what happened in OP, Villain shows cards and Dad shuts down instead of firing a third bullet. This affects the interests of the rest of the players in the tournament, who want Dad to put as many chips in bad as possible so he busts ahead of them. Even then, though, the hand is rarely killed. More often the player is forced to sit out after the hand for an orbit or 10mins or something.

And this is different from every other floor ruling precisely how...?

It depends on the room rules. Usually the hand isn't dead but u get told off and maybe dealt out for a few hands. Obv he should jam the river vs thus guy

I'm not sure what you're suggesting I was saying.

I AM saying that's every floor ruling on pretty much everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qmaB4Im0tY

Why are you arguing with me when we agree?

Standard cash game ruling

You can if there is a house rule that specifically states that any and all hands exposed prematurely - either intentionally or unintentionally - will be killed. I've played in such a casino before.


My ruling is that your father's an ass.

You're nitpicking here... standard ruling in 95%+ (?) rooms in USA.