[Sparks]

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From Robert's Rules at the above link:
SECTION 3 - GENERAL POKER RULES
THE SHOWDOWN
1. To win any part of a pot, a player must show all of his cards faceup on the table, whether they were used in the final hand played or not.
SECTION 5 - HOLD'EM
RULES
8. You must declare that you are playing the board before you throw your cards away; otherwise you relinquish all claim to the pot.

If these do not conflict, then there is only one interpretation for the second. You must show your hand, declare you are playing the board, and then you may muck it.

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It sure looks like they conflict to me. And I suspect that's why so many people are either not aware of the 'play the board' rule, or just don't believe it, and this includes most dealers and players and many floormen. Rule 1 under Showdown is very clear and precise. So what is rule 8 trying to say? I THINK the rule is trying to require a player to declare his 'play the board' intention prior to mucking his hand, but needs to be revised to recognize that this is an exception to rule 1. Or perhaps Rule 1 should reference rule 8 as an exception.

Regardless, it is confusing at best. It sure looks like a conflict in RROP which needs to be corrected. I mean, if you say you play the board, and then muck your hand, are you live or not? According to RROP, you are live, no wait, you aren't, wait, you are..."

I think you're live, but I can't say for sure, based on the way the rules are written. Maybe Rick N. will give us his wisdom.

Sparks