There I was in a perfectly fine $1/3 NLH game at the Hard Rock in Bristol, Virginia. Note that the room is only two months old. Many of the dealers are brand new and are just learning the ropes. Many of the players are new to casino poker, and not familiar with the more rigorous protocols associated with casino games. Here we go.
The pot is four ways on the river. The board is queen-high. Action checks through. The last player to act turns up AJ for ace-high. Now the player who acted before him, an older taciturn fellow, turns up a queen, giving him top pair, and clearly the best hand. Then he tosses his other card a bit forward. Face down. The other players toss their cards toward the dealer, face down. I'm not in the pot, and am watching all this happen. Before anybody can say or do anything, the dealer has swept up the two mucked hands and the second card that belonged to the guy with the queen. And tucked them into the muck, as she was no doubt taught to do.
- Should anybody who is not the player with the AJ say anything?
- The dealer is brand new. She's actually doing a great job for somebody who's been dealing casino poker for two months. What should she do when she figures out what has happened?
- If you were the floorperson and were called to rule on this situation, what would you do?
I used to know the correct answer. But now I'm not so sure, after reading Tommy Angelo's take on the subject. I think there is some nuance to the best decision here.
What do you think?
