9 replies to this topic

[Victor]

I've never been to a real cardroom or played in a tourney so I'm not familiar with the *official* ruling on this. I'm sure it can be modified for home games. Oh, and sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but I thought this was too on topic for off topic so it was a toss up between this or the tourney board. Anyway...When two players are showing down their hands, does a player have to show all of his cards? For example, in Hold'em, does he have to show both hole cards or can he only show one and say that's the only card he's playing from the hand? Same thing for Omaha (except with more cards). And Stud as well (do you have to show all your face down cards or only the ones you use?).If anyone could give me some insight into this I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

[Victor]

Before anyone calls me an idiot...Maybe I should have posted in General. Forgot about that. :roll:

[TJ_Eckleburg]

In most cardrooms in Hold'em the rule "show two for a winner" is in effect. This means if you are at a showdown you have to turn up both cards to win the pot.Technically, any player dealt into the hand (even if he folded preflop) can ask to see any live hand at the river. Invoking this rule won't make you too many friends, though.What's important to remember is if you're in a big pot and facing a big river bet and call... don't turn up your hand first! One time I was in a big pot with a very aggressive player that I thought I had a read on. He fired a big river bet at me in a 9 high board after I had called him down the whole way. I called that one too, and he asked me "whaddya got?" The IMMEDIATE response for you and everyone else should be "I called you." When I said that, he just mucked his cards. I turned up QJ high to take the pot as the last unfolded hand, and he was apoplectic because he mucked KQ. But, when he got called he mucked his hand.EDIT: In Omaha you should ALWAYS show all 4 of your cards. Especially in O/8 when lows get complicated. The rule is "cards speak" so if you verbally misdeclare your hand but turn your hand up, then the cards speak for themselves and can still win you the pot. This has saved many a beginning Omaha player a pot.

[Victor]

Thanks a lot. Totally answered my question.Haha it is always funny when someone doesn't want to show their complete bluff and ends up mucking the best hand, even if it's a meager king high.

[akishore]

okay, get this in all your friends' heads.showing down one card is called slowrolling, it's extremely bad etiquette, and in any non-casino cardroom, you're liable to get your ass kicked for it.in any game, you show all your cards.you ESPECIALLY can NEVER take a pot without showing all your cards.aseem

[Victor]

Yeah, I thought it was pretty bad etiquette, but somehow everyone got to the consensus that you only have to show the cards you're playing. We usually play hold'em so the rule was a little less ambiguous than say Omaha. Sadly, I can only find one other person who out of my small group of poker playing friends who will play anything other than Hold'em.Thanks for your responses guys. Makes a lot of sense. Hopefully my friends will stop the 1 card nonsense mpw. One time someone flashed me just an ace on the river and I refused to show my cards until he showed me the other card (turned out to be a 6 for an amazing ace high). Then I rolled over my pair and people actually got annoyed with me.

[UglyJimStudly]

Victor said:

Yeah, I thought it was pretty bad etiquette, but somehow everyone got to the consensus that you only have to show the cards you're playing.

A lot of home games are played this way, and it's fine when you've got a bunch of buddies who know each other and agree to do things that way. But in any other kind of game, it's better to follow established rules and etiquette since grandstanding and showboating aren't always received the same way. Such etiquette was developed when poker was a less genteel pastime, and players were known to take enforcement of community standards into their own hands post-game. So following them is a good idea, the butt you save from a kicking may be your own.Some home games, to avoid all the stupidity associated with people angling as they show their hands, require that all hands at the showdown be exposed. You might consider that kind of house rule, if the antics of people showing one card or slowrolling are taking up too much time.

Victor said:

Thanks for your responses guys.  Makes a lot of sense.  Hopefully my friends will stop the 1 card nonsense mpw.   One time someone flashed me just an ace on the river and I refused to show my cards until he showed me the other card (turned out to be a 6 for an amazing ace high).  Then I rolled over my pair and people actually got annoyed with me.

Well, there's a hierarchy of annoying play. Showing only one card is definitely high on the list. But slowrolling when you have reason to believe you have the best hand is also up there. So if I'd been at the table, I probably would've been annoyed with both of you.

[GT123]

TJ_Eckleburg said:

In most cardrooms in Hold'em the rule "show two for a winner" is in effect.  This means if you are at a showdown you have to turn up both cards to win the pot.Technically, any player dealt into the hand (even if he folded preflop) can ask to see any live hand at the river.  Invoking this rule won't make you too many friends, though.What's important to remember is if you're in a big pot and facing a big river bet and call... don't turn up your hand first!  One time I was in a big pot with a very aggressive player that I thought I had a read on.  He fired a big river bet at me in a 9 high board after I had called him down the whole way.  I called that one too, and he asked me "whaddya got?" The IMMEDIATE response for you and everyone else should be "I called you." When I said that, he just mucked his cards.  I turned up QJ high to take the pot as the last unfolded hand, and he was apoplectic because he mucked KQ.  But, when he got called he mucked his hand.EDIT:  In Omaha you should ALWAYS show all 4 of your cards.  Especially in O/8 when lows get complicated.  The rule is "cards speak" so if you verbally misdeclare your hand but turn your hand up, then the cards speak for themselves and can still win you the pot.  This has saved many a beginning Omaha player a pot.

just wondering...why did you call him with Q high?..what can you possibbly beat with queen high.

[JimmyWellington]

GT123 said:

just wondering...why did you call him with Q high?..what can you possibbly beat with queen high.

Jack high :wink:

[TJ_Eckleburg]

Frankly, you're right... that was a pretty weak play on my part. If I truly felt I was ahead, or if he had nothing to bet on, I should have raised him and see if he'd have the stones to call (or raise) another bet.I did it mostly because of advertisement. I wanted to let this guy know I wouldn't let him run me over in a pot when I felt quite confident he was weak. For him, the psychological message would be that he couldn't run me or the table over as long as I have halfway decent cards, and for my opponents it was to try to imply I'm a calling station and can't let go of hands.I ended up having a good session that night. Maybe it was a great advertisement play after all. I know my bets and raises meant less to the table after they saw that... and all I had to do then was catch good cards to show them down.