Showdown questions

[nutstraight]

When someone is called by 1 or several players and that someone shows his cards, do the other players HAVE to show their cards to each other if they know they are beat. The rules I've downloaded from Robert's Hold'em rules says you do, but if this is abused the rule can be changed. One group I play in never shows and the game at my house they want to, so I need some help as to which way is best. Thanks

[moondogg]

[ QUOTE ]
When someone is called by 1 or several players and that someone shows his cards, do the other players HAVE to show their cards to each other if they know they are beat. The rules I've downloaded from Robert's Hold'em rules says you do, but if this is abused the rule can be changed. One group I play in never shows and the game at my house they want to, so I need some help as to which way is best. Thanks

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Generally, if you were the finally better/raiser on the river, you should show your hand first.

If the river was checked through, either the person to the left of the dealer or the last person to bet/raise in the previous rounds shows it first, depending on the house rules. I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of games use the "left of the dealer" approach, and it cycles clockwise around the table.

If you called on the river and someone shows you a better hand, you can muck your cards face down. Someone CAN ask to see your cards, but again the (general) rule is that if your cards have "touched the muck" (i.e. the rest of the folds and/or burn cards), you don't have to pull it out. In other words, the person will have to ask before you throw your hand away. After your cards have go into the muck, it's just a matter of whether you want to tell them the truth.

However, this is the general casino rules and they don't carry over to all home games. In some home games, the rule is that you always have to show your cards if someone asks, regardless if you already mucked them. In other games, you don't ever have to show your cards, even if someone asks before you muck them. In a casino, asking to see the other guys cards once in a while may annoy some people, but asking constantly will piss people off.

If you fold to a bet, you never have to show your cards, period. If anyone suggests differently in your game, they are just plain wrong.

Also, most online sites will include the cards in hand histories. Others (InterPoker and skins) never put mucked cards into the history.

I prefer to never show them. But I'm just used to hands always getting mucked on the river.

But in a home game, it's up to you. At your house you can make whatever rules you want, but if the majority doesn't like the rule (and feels at all strongly about it), you might not have a game at your house anymore.

[nutstraight]

Great answer thanks.