etiquette question

[jjnidguy]

Ive been to card rooms a ton, but the other day someone accused me of bad etiquette for something I never heard of before. I just wanted to get your guys second opinion.

So heres what happened...

I was not involved in the hand but these two guys were ramming and jamming a pot. One player had A-T and the other had Q-Q.

The board comes (A T T) - blank - Q.

the pot was getting pretty big by the showdown. Anyways the dealer says "showdown". The player with A T flips over and says "boat". Then the second player with Q Q says "damn it!" and flips over his Q Q. In absolutely no way at all did he muck his hand, he completely flipped over away from the muck, in no way should the hand be considered dead.

Anyways the dealer says "Ace Ten wins it" and pushes the pot to player 1 with A T. A few seconds go by and no one realizes that the dealer is absolutely wrong and that the Q Q is a better hand. (Queens over tens > tens over aces, i guess everyone just looked at the ace).

So before the dealer collects the cards and before she even completely pushes the pot to the wrong player I say "what? its queens over tens vs aces under tens"

and everyone is like "Oh DAMN!! youre right" and the dealer is real emberassed and says "thank god you said that, no one wouldve known"

anyways later the guy with A T whos been smoldering a little finally says something to me. Hes says something like "thats bad etiquette, most people would punch you in the face" and he makes the argument that I have nothing to do with the hand so its not my business and if the dealer makes a mistake it shouldnt be corrected by a player who has nothing to do with the hand.

anyways i argued with him saying its always OK to correct a dealer mistake, they are supposed to be right 100% time, if they are wrong its not OK to let it slip. Also cards speak, not what people think they have. If I have straight flush, flip over and say I have a flush it doesnt matter what I think and say, Its a straight flush.

anyways i just want to know whos right, me or him.

I think Im right, but if Im wrong, ill oblige whatever the etiquette is and not do that again, even if i disagree with it.

[plaster8]

I'm still a relative newbie, but I would have done the same thing you did. That guy has no right to be pissed at you. BTW, I'd feel like a jerk taking down a pot because of an error like this. Am I just too nice?

[RegBarclay]

Had the player with the QQ just shown his cards to you, the situation would be different. As he spread them on the table for everyone to see, the rule is "cards speak" and you were totally right to point out the dealer error.

Regards,
RegBarclay

[chesspain]

Once a player turns his cards face-up at a showdown, then the "cards speak," and anyone at the table has the right/responsibility to make sure that the real winning player is awarded the pot.

[MikeQ]

I would have done the same thing.

[pokaplaya]

At Foxwoods this is very common. I must admit there are some good dealers and bad ones; but the bad ones you always remember. I agree that "cards spreak" but I think the guy with QQ should have paid attention and said something. One last thing especially for new players, never let the dealer take your winning hand until you have the chips. Yesterday I won a pot and the dealer tried to muck my hand and send the pot to someone else (I didn't give the chance to muck and politely pointed that my boat beats two pair).

[eh923]

Everyone else's comments on cardsspeak is right. Here's something else to consider...

Don't trust the logic of someone who's pissed about losing a massive pot.

[itsmarty]

The only thing you did wrong was argue with the guy. Just ignore him.

Martin

[bigfishead]

I am a dealer. You did fine on all counts. Cards do speak.
Good job. Let tilt-meister go.

[emp1346]

in situations like this, i ask the person to flip perspectives and think about (in this case) if he were the player with QQ...

other than that, stupid people piss me off...