$20-40 Floor Ruling, Ethics?

[Howard Burroughs]

From a few hours ago.......


$20-40 in a major poker room on the Las Vegas Strip.


On the turn, in a very big multiway pot (Queen high board), guy in the 8 seat says (I'm in the 2 seat)......

"You bet with a lot of confidence".


I say, "Because I can beat a queen".


Local grumpy lady says, "You can't talk about your hand".

Dealer backs her up.


I think they're both crazy and say, "Call the floor".


Floor comes over and informs me, I violated a house rule. I am NOT allowed to talk about my hand during play (This is a cash game, WTF?).


Almost everyone at the table (including me) tells him WTF! (but without the "F")


I won the pot but lots of heated talk afterwards by many at the table. Grumpy local lady #2 and grumpy local lady #1 are on opposite sides of this heated debate. Personally, I think the floor guy is nuts (In this case any way, a good guy otherwise).


Ten minutes later, the senior floor guy walks into the room. As he's walking upstairs, I ask him his take.


He tells me there is in fact no rule against what I did (table talk) but it IS considered unethical.


Unethical? WTF?


All comments welcome.


Thanks,

Howard