To be fair there are a damn lot of childish poker players. I often giggle to myself when I consider what all of these lawyers and doctors would come to if their clients saw what they were like when they played.

I'm never giving any part of a pot to someone who didn't table their hand, based on what some dude sitting next to him thinks he saw.

Not at all... ****, I actually found a wallet 2 weeks ago with over $600 in it and went out of my way to track the guy down online and return it to him with all the cash in it and refused to take a reward. I consider myself pretty high on the ethical scale, that being said, I just think it's funny that the forum is ripping this guy to shreds when the hand was tabled, the dealer and 8 other people on the table didn't notice, and he didn't realize til way after the cards were mucked and chips were shipped that he might not have had the winning hand (for the record, I'm not 100% convinced he read the hand right himself, but that's another story)

But, my point was, I've played poker for almost 15 years, and let's be honest, if there's a shady group of people, poker players usually are that. Just think it's hilarious that all of you high and mighty people are all over the boards here, ripping this guy to shreds, yet I very rarely see any kind of "ethical behavior" when I play live. I've played about 15 years, and while I'm not saying I never see anything nice, or poker players do anything nice, it's usually about a 50-1 to on the scummy side vs. going out of their way to do something nice side. That was all I was pointing out. Everyone says hypothetically if they found a bag full of a million dollars on the side of the road they'd turn it to the authorities, but how many actually would if you they really did, and thought no one would ever find out. That's what this thread reminds me of... And while this is a small example, pretty sure if this was a $3,000 pot, and no one notices, and you didn't notice til after the cards were mucked and you were stacking your chips, most of you probably are not saying anything either. It's a lot easier to be "ethical" when you stand to lose $26. or whatever it was... would be interested to see an undercover investigation where they played something like this out and see how many players said something.. My guess would be it would be under 10%.

1) I don't think anyone ripped OP to shreds. Not even close. OP came here and asked what he should have done and got advice for what SHOULD be done.

2) Are there poker players who even if they know what SHOULD be done will do whatever they can get away with to get the money? Of course there are.

3) Are there people who will post in this thread that you SHOULD speak up who wouldn't actually speak up if the situation arose - particularly in a big pot? Probably. That doesn't change what you should do.

Historically though poker players have had an above average ethical standing at least away from the table. I had a friend who was a mid-stakes pro who delivered $5,000 of his own money to someone he'd never met before on the promise that someone he did know was going to pay him back. Normal people wouldn't generally do that and yet it happens all the time in the poker world.

That OP even thought about this situation and came to post here probably indicates that he also has an above average ethical compass and I'm pretty confident that the next time the situation arises he'll do the right thing.

All places the hand is over when the next hand starts. And most places the hands starts with the first riff or when the green button on the auto shuffle is pressed.

You might have rooms that allow giving up rights to a pot in cash. But you should never see it in a tournament. The desire to do what you think is right is admirable but in a tournament you would have to be completely certain and since you can't correct this once the next hand starts the error just stands. One of those s*** happens moments.

I'd like to think so. I legitimately thought it was too late once the cards were jumbled and irretrievable and the pot was pushed. And in fact, I didn't get confirmation on what I thought happened until I whispered to my friend while the next hand was being dealt, and I KNEW it was too late at that point. I didn't think pointing it out then would accomplish anything (other than embarrassing/pissing off the other player, which I didn't want to do).

Is it possible I misread it and my friend's recollection was influenced by what I said? Sure. But it still felt weird to have raked in a pot that maybe shouldn't be mine.

I'd say the other player in the hand shoulders some responsibility for not knowing what he needed and seeing his straight, followed by the dealer, followed by the rest of the players at the table (myself included) since both hands were tabled on the flop for all to see.

I didn't feel ripped to shreds in this thread at all. If anything, I now know I should pipe up immediately if the next hand hasn't started yet, even if the cards are mucked and pot is awarded, which is what I came here to find out.

LOL this forum is hilarious. I guess every single super ethical 1/1 NL player in the world posts here.

You did absolutely nothing wrong and its not even close. The real question is what you should have done had you noticed it right away. I know all the super ethical morally superior angels that post here would say you absolutely should speak up but give me a break. Was this guy blind? Mentally challenged? Really old? If not then you take the pot, give a good tip, and bury it in your soul. Its not on you to protect everyone else at the table. The guy was an idiot for not noticing and the dealer was even worse.

Speaking up well after you got pushed the pot and the next hand is dealt would be absurd and people would actually probably be mad at you. No one cares, you got lucky, take the 26 bucks and move on. We aren't selling weapons to isis here.

^^^^^------10000. NOT ThIS!!!

Lots of variables here. Surprised the thread has lasted this long but ...

1) You need to be comfortable with yourself .. and perhaps what your friend will think of you when you decide how to handle the spot.
2) It's not 'just' $34 ... It was a $60 pot. Yes, he lost $34 to you but the overall swing was the whole pot. I think your choice of action here shouldn't be swayed over the amount in the pot, but it's very understandable that it could have an affect on someone's choices. That's 60bb in your game but 'only' 12bb in a 2/5 game.

3) Say something at or away from the table? I can understand your point about not wanting to alert the table to pay more attention. Perhaps just say something to the dealer at the end of the down .. at least help them do their job better. You are protecting your interest in the game in lieu of righting the wrong 'that way'.
4) You might want to offer the table a round 'on you' with your misplaced windfall.

I'm sorry that I can't say that I would handle this spot the same way all the time based on my mood and how the game had been going. But within the game there is no way to make the wrong right, so know that you did play the game correctly and caught a break. Sports teams have swings all the time from issues that pop up ... see 'instant' replay.

What is interesting about this spot is that we are so sure what to do with the lost wallet and yet we do struggle when it comes to 'games'. GL

Similar thing happened to me (except I flopped a set of Aces).

Villain lamented about his flushes never hitting, got up and was about 20 feet away from the table before everyone called him back.

I'm surprised no one said anything in your instance. Usually there's at least 1 player who watches every showdown like a hawk.

Yeah, it would be more normal for one or two folks to see it most of time. For dealer , winner, loser and maybe 7 others all to be oblivious at one time is likely a rarity.