So I'm sitting at a Live 1/2 game at the Borgata this past weekend. The game has been absolutely nuts for the 3 1/2 hours I've been at the table so far, and I'm fairly certain only one player at the table knows what he's doing. That being said, there was an awkward hand that just left me scratching my head when it was over.

There was an initial raise of $5 from one of the drunk older gentlemen (who had been making it $5 almost every hand) from UTG+1. He got min-raised by another horrible player two seats behind, and the solid player made the call from the button. The original raiser calls (of course), and they see a flop for $33:

T 5 7
($33)

The UTG+1 player immediately throws a $20 bet out into the pot, which is followed by two calls from both players in the hand.

Turn: Q
($93)
The UTG+1 bets $35 into the pot this time, which is followed by an immediate all-in reraise for ~$50. Now this is where it gets sticky.

The solid player asks for clarification from the dealer. He asks if he is allowed to raise the AI bet. This strikes me as entirely strange because I know the player knows that he is allowed to raise here, I think he's just working an angle. But, to my surprise, the dealer tells him that he cannot raise. The floor is called over and there is a large fuss about the entire scenario for 10-15 minutes (which was ridiculous in my opinion because the entire table is telling the dealer differing opinions and being idiots in general). The floorman finally makes the correct ruling, and informs the player that he is allowed to raise. Now, the player tanks for another 2 or 3 minutes and THEN he FLAT CALLS the raise. At this point, I have no idea what is going on in the hand, and the original raiser calls off the AI bet. At this point, both of them have ~$150 behind.

So, coming to the river, there is ~$240 in the pot.

River: K
(~$240)

The original raiser thinks for a moment, presumably about what the hell this guy was fussing so much about obtaining an option to raise with, and then checks it to him.

The guy on the button immediately moves his chips into the middle, pronouncing "If you have AJ, you win". The original raiser shows A,T and mucks his hand almost immediately. The guy on the button looks somewhat relieved, and then he tables T,4. The guy who went all-in mucks his hand, and a $240 pot is shipped to the player on the button.

I am looking around astonished at what I just saw, and I couldn't figure it out at all. I was almost 100% certain that he was a solid player, as he had made nothing but good moves all night long. I don't know if the 'Can I raise here? FLOOR!' 10 minute delay during the hand was an angle, or if this guy was actually that stupid. I couldn't believe he didn't raise after he wasted that much time lobbying for it, but now that I think about it... I could have never put him on T,4 after that. I figured he had a huge hand and was asking a legitimate question, what do you guys think?

Not really an angle... seems like he knew he was outkicked but thought he could get the guy to fold a bigger hand by acting really strong and saying the things he said. Stupid for playing T4 in a 3bet pot preflop, but it's not like he tried to screw one of the other players over.

Neither.

Nice hand.

Someone correct me if I'm worng. But if the player went all-in for 50ish, thats not a full raise (50ish minus 35 is 15ish. A full raise would have to be 70). Therefore the dealer was correct in saying he couldn't make a raise. I'm thinking the guy wasn't sure what the AI guy raised to and wanted to know if it was a full raise or not.

EDIT: the button saying if you have AJ you win is a bit of an angleshoot IMO.

If the all in raise is at least half of the original bet/raise, you are allowed to re-raise. If the player who pushed had $49, a raise would not be allowed.

EDIT: I suck at math. I thought that was the $30 bet. My mistake.

right, but it doesn't matter because button has not yet called the $35. He hasn't acted on the turn at all, of course he can raise.

So in this instance the bet would have to be at least $52. 35/2=17.5+35=52.5

Thank you. No more school for me, I learned something.

Are you guys serious?
Player A bets $35
Player B all-in $50
Player C can't raise?!?

Player B's all in could be $36 and it doesn't change Player C's right to raise.
Player C hasn't acted yet, he would have to call the $35 first to even begin the discussion of being able to raise or not...

Yeah, I just felt like the ONLY reason he made such a big deal out of getting a ruling from the floor was to scare the other player. I don't think he had any intention of raising T,4 over the top AI... but then again, I guess he did play T,4o on the button to a "3-bet" pre-flop. Just wanted to know if I was alone in thinking that was completely ridiculous to make such a big deal out of it then not even raising.

Is it wrong that I'm amused by the button's antics?

I'm not sure how saying AJ wins is an angle. It's the truth. I don't even see how it negatively affects the all-in.

Maybe I've become jaded.

Well... looking back on it I guess I can see how it can be amusing. It just really sucks when you're spectating this at the table and become dumbfounded by the outcome lol

Sweet angle, honestly. He got the guy to instamuck AT. Props.

I have admiration for the play now I suppose, but I couldn't help being completely pissed off at the dealer and the guy after wasting so much of my time on what I thought was a simple and understood rule.