Dealer errors... can anything be done?

I was playing in a no-limit satelite event, after the rebuy period and i picked up AhKh on the button. The cutoff was the first player in and he raised the 400 blinf to 800 and i made it 2500. The big blind called allin for his last 100, and the cutoff also called.


The flop was very nice KsJh4h, giving me the likely best hand and the best draw. I set the cutoff allin for his last 3700, and then some confusion arose over the size of the main pot vs the side pot.


Once it was cleared up the dealer burned and turned the 8s, thinking my oppponent had folded, and he was dealing out for the main pot. The cutoff who was motioning as if to fold then called allin, and rolled over pocket 8s. The flush did not get there and i lost the pot, and was soon out of the tournament. The floorperson indicated that nothing could be done about this.


Unfortunately i can't even stiff the dealer in the future, as tipping is illegal in New Zealand. A similar error cost me a monster pot in a cash game later in the evening.


Is there anything that can be done here? In the specific example i have given, is there any rule pertaining to prematurely turned cards?

Well that certainly does suck. Perhaps you could get the hand voided but i doubt it. I'm guessing your flush didn't get there on the end.


Take the dealer ouside for a good kicking.

if he put out the turn card before action was completed, then it has to go back in the deck to be reshuffled.


are you saying some guy got to see what the turn card was and then decide upon his flop action?


thats just crazy.


brad

Yes, I've never heard of such a ruling. If the player hadn't called before the turn card was dealt, then that card cannot play.


The standard ruling is to kill that card, and have the players complete the action. Next, the "natural" river card is dealt (by burning and turning again). The turn betting is completed. Finally, the "natural" turn card is shuffled along with the rest of the stub, and a 5th card is now dealt. Last round of betting follows.


So, this person might have still called you, and might have still caught a winner, but they can't be allowed to see that card and then decide their action. That's just clearly ludicrous.


Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

This is the most common mistake that a dealer can make and every player and tournament director knows the procedure. The facts have to be wrong.

The facts are wrong. You say on the flop you set the cutoff all in, then you say after the confusion of the side pot the cutoff called all in. It can't be both ways. It appears the cutoff may have been about to throw his hand away but stopped when he saw the eight. From the decision made by the floor, it appears that the cutoff must have been all in on the flop. This mistake is to common for anyone to make a wrong decision that has been around tournaments for any time.