Quote:
Originally Posted by SpewingIsMyMove
You misunderstand my question. When the dealer indicated that it was UTG's turn to act (he acts first), did he act, or say that he straddled? Or did the dealer automatically go to UTG+1? Either one would indicate whether or not UTG had straddled or not, and both should occur after you have had a chance to gather the card.
As per your second comment, it doesn't matter if you are asking a clarifying question for the good of the table, it can still influence action and is inappropriate when you action is not to you. Poker is a game of observation, and asking questions 'for the table' is basically saying that you are trying to influence play by sharing or emphasizing information.
Neither the dealer, nor anyone else stepping in for the dealer, was saying anything. As I mentioned in my original post, this happened three or four times before I asked him to announce his straddles. The way I remember these hands going is as follows, with a 4-player table:
1. The cards from the last hand are pushed by others or gathered by me (SB) to within arms' length. Simultaneously, the deal for the next hand is begun by the player on my right.
2. At around the time the first card has been dealt to everyone, there are no chips committed by UTG. At this time, I glance down to gather the cards to be shuffled into a bunch that I can pick up with two hands. This takes about 4 seconds, during which my eyes are on these cards, not on the players. During this time UTG is silent.
3. When I look up from the cards I'm about to shuffle, there are 2 BBs in front of UTG. At this point, UTG+1 or may not have acted and the dealer may or may not have acted (depends on which hand I'm recalling).
4. As the action is either to me or will be to me very soon and because I don't know whether UTG's chips are a min raise or a straddle, I ask of UTG, "Is that a straddle?" Whether other players besides UTG know this or not is uncertain. Given that there was no verbalization, it would depend on whether they were watching UTG.
5. He confirms that it is a straddle.
After this sequence has repeated itself three or four times, I become annoyed and ask UTG to announce his straddles verbally. He replies, "I don't have to say anything."