[The Goober]

No, I think robert's rules are pretty clear.

Suppose on the flop SB checks, BB checks, and now MP1 bets out of turn (ahead of UTG). The dealer stops the action and now its UTG's turn. If UTG checks, than MP1's bet must stand. If UTG bets, then MP1 can now either call, raise, or fold.

The idea is that you can't use betting out of turn as a way of scaring someone in front of you into checking (either b/c he's afraid of you or b/c he wants to check-raise) and then change your action into a check to get a free card.

It sounds like the rules in your game are a bit different, although I do like the simplicity of it. The problem comes when some bets out of turn as an honest mistake, and the skipped player now decides to bet instead. Especialy in a NL game, the skipped player could make a big bet and the guy who acted out of turn might be forced to throw in his original bet while folding his cards at the same time.

As with most of these rules, though, I think the point is that honest mistakes shouldn't be a big deal, and nits and angle shooters shouldn't be able to give someone grief because they made one. In my cardroom, for example, if you call one bet (in turn) not realizing that it was raised, you are allowed to take your bet back if you want to fold instead. Technically most rulebooks wouldn't let you take your bet back, but again, honest mistakes shouldn't be a big deal.