So I was playing 3/6 limit at a local casino. Maybe 5 people see a flop, and the action goes bet, raise then the action is on this woman who thinks for a second then counts out 6 chips in front of her then splashes them across the betting line towards the pot. I was next to act and knew she had mucked preflop and had no cards so I sort of look at the dealer who was obviously confused. He says maam you don't have cards.
Yes I do she says.
No... you don't.
She accused him of mucking her cards after she called and the dealer correctly said that she had folded pre. He then retrieved her chips from the pot and returned them to her and the hand played out.

Anyone ever see this before? Is the correct rule just to give her the chips back after sort of splashing them into the pot or should they remain in?

if she doesn't have a hand, her call is meaningless. she gets the chips back. I remember reading where one guy folded instead of calling a bet on the river. After his cards hit the muck he said "call" while the initial bettor was looking away. The bettor flips over the hand thinking he's getting paid, but the phantom caller didn't have to pay, was doing it as a joke.

In this case, the issue was caught before there was any action after her call .... there is no reason not to give her back the chips.

Not to de-rail your thread, but....

One time in the small blind I was dealt the As, and was NOT dealt my second card, happens from time-to-time.
Two people limped in and I made a sizeable pre-flop raise and got one caller, then thought ohhh hell -my jig is up. My intentions were to make a big raise and have the limpers fold, then show everyone my ONE card as I collected the blinds....it was going to be kinda funny.
After I got the caller I had to ask the dealer for my second card, LOL. I can't remember how the hand played out, but do remember making a *great* table imagine...LOL

Your hand should have been dead.

Fair enough. BTW, you know you're in a good game when people are calling two bets cold with no cards.

I would love a table full of players like that, entertainment value alone would be worth a Buy in! I'm guessing dealers would not appreciate the humor as much.

Except that there is rule 1, it is 3/6 limit and the table is coming to a grinding halt if she has to leave the chips in without getting her cards. Her story is that the dealer mucked her cards. That means the floor has to get called over. She's going to tell the floor she knows her cards and demand that they be returned from the muck. 3/6 limit isn't a professional's game, so you're going to have to deal with bad players. She made a mistake. Give her the opportunity to have a little dignity to get her chips back. She'll stay to pay more rake. If you make her look like an idiot, she'll likely go somewhere else. Finally, making her pay money in a pot she can't even compete in is unfair.

So you and psandman are in agreement?

We are in agreement except for the use of the word "except"

He might also be suggesting that he would give her the chips back even if this was not discovered immediately and there was action after her.

We are, especially about the need for me to have a remedial reading course.