What would you do if you saw this injustice???

[Avgard]

A week or so before the main event down at foxwoods, I was there to play some ACT tournaments to get into the main event. There was about 35-40 single table tournaments going on as I was waiting for my game to begin.

Behind me is an ACT II SNG with the following people. In seat 4 is the chip leader (80% of chips) and in seat 6 is short stack (20% of chips). There is someone sitting in seat 2 who is the friend of seat 6 and is only observing. The winner of the table gets seat in ACT III(value of $1,050) and second gets a seat in another ACT II (value of $150).

As I am talking with some people I hear the dealer say "the all in is called." I look over and see short stack has pocket 55 with a board of 8 5 3 rainbow; chip leader has A10o. I think to myself, he (chip leader) is drawing dead.

Turn and river come up 10, 10. Short stack moans and stands up and extends his hand to chip leader and says nice game. Observer in seat 2 (short stack's friend) gets up to leave. Dealer turns over the community cards and slides all the chips toward the chip leader. Chip leader stands and is just staring at the table and didn't shake the player's hand (I think he knew he didn't win, but wasn't saying anything).

What do you do in this situation:

1. Nothing, except maybe shake your head that the player, friend and dealer have all misread the cards.

2. Tell the short stack that he has beat the trip 10s with his full house.

I would like people's thoughts on this true story. I will respond later with my action (maybe, unless that position is bashed severely by all posters /images/graemlins/blush.gif).

[The once and future king]

Isnt this a job for...... (Blare of trumpets) Table Captain!

[Killer Mike]

I was under the impression that once the community cards are turned over (face down), the hand is over and nothing can be done about the situation because the hand is dead. Is that correct?

I probably wouldn't have said anything anyway. I would have just sat there in disbelief that someone would waste their money on a tournament before they even understood the old "what beats what" heirarchy that is a constant in almost every variation of poker. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[UMTerp]

FWIW, he wasn't drawing dead if the turn and river came 2,4. That's a tough situation - I'd have probably just minded my own business and not said anything, but it's a sticky situation.

[mackthefork]

In your position I would not say anything as it isn't the done thing, however, and maybe this makes me a mug, I would refuse the pot if I was the AT guy.

Regards Mack

[AleoMagus]

Well, I do not know personally what I would have done, but I will say that I don't think you would be terribly out of line to point out the error.

In poker, once the cards are legitimately turned over in a showdown, I believe that no action on the part of a player can negate the rightful outcome after that. This is to say that it is not the player's responsibility to know what he had - It is the dealer's.

So, if you were close at hand and it was no trouble to point it out, saying something would not be terribly wrong. I know some people who might think this is butting into other's business, but it's really just doing what should have been done anyways.

Regards
Brad S

[Avgard]

I was very close and leaned over and pointed out that he won the hand. The dealer turned the cards back over and awarded the pot to the short stack. The big stack didn't say a word.

About twenty minutes later, seat 6 ended up winning. He was so happy he pulled out his backroll and was talking about giving me money (I declined). The big stack was telling his friend about the above hand, but, wasn't saying that I shouldn't have said anything.

My thought was that it was the dealer's error, short stack never mucked his cards. You hope dealers don't make mistakes, but we all know they are only human and a lot of times very tired.

[bucci]

I think you did the right thing. Furthermore, I think it's your responsibility to point it out there. Cards speak in a casino, and it's not the fault of either player if the dealer makes a mistake. I think the rule needs to be respected and enforced. If you see it going the wrong way, you have to say something.

If the guy with the AT did know what was going on and didn't say anything, I wouldn't go as far to say he was cheating, but he's definitely neglecting his responsibility to maintain the integrity of the game.