Poor ruling in poor Michigan!

[AhoosierA]

Telling this story as a 3rd party perspective as I was not there to witness it but have confirmed that it did indeed happen. However I can't confirm the chip counts.

A friend of mine was in Detroit playing poker at Motor City Casino. He was sitting at a $2/$5 table and had approximately $500 in front of him when this hand/ruling went down.

I don't really think the preflop action is important. My friend was UTG and opened, got 3bet, decided just to call and they seen a flop 4 ways, my friend being 2nd to act. After the flop, the first person to act shoves all-in. My friend, who flopped the nuts, was very excited and immediately said call and EXPOSED his cards prior to the 3rd & 4th people in the hand to act. Granted that this is pretty bad, my friend doesn't play poker all that often and is a true recreational player.

The 3rd player in the hand, as my friend described was a clear regular. Knew all the dealers and floor staff by name, as well as them knowing his name. Called for the floor. The floor ruled that the exposed hand was DEAD, AND HE STILL HAD TO COMMIT TO CALLING THE ALL IN!!!!! Of course my friend, while not being the smartest poker player, is not a complete idiot knew that this must be wrong. They then explained to him that it is a "house rule" that any exposed hand is automatically dead and that any action prior to exposing the hand stand, and since he said "Call" that his call had to stand (A little over $400).

My friend throws a fit and refuses to pay the guy. The casino gives him 2 options. Pay the guy, or be 86ed from the property for life. He told them to go fuck themselves and left with his $400.

I myself did not completely believe this story, even though I don't think my friend is a liar. So I decided to call the poker room myself in a true Colonel Nigel Fabrisham (sp?) fashion. They did confirm that they do have a house rule that any exposed cards are dead cards. They also confirmed that the house rules are not clearly posted anywhere in the poker room, that it is a players responsibility to ask.

Although this is their right, I think this is very scummy and heavily favors the house regs.

Thoughts?

[Shizzmoney]

They did confirm that they do have a house rule that any exposed cards are dead cards. They also confirmed that the house rules are not clearly posted anywhere in the poker room, that it is a players responsibility to ask.

Although this is their right, I think this is very scummy and heavily favors the house regs.

Thoughts?

I think that is bullshit. The house rules should always be printed somewhere on a plaque, or be readily available via pamphlet near the tables/sign up area. It shouldn't be "the player's responsibility" because not every player is a reg and that is the type of stuff that discourages new players from sitting down.

[The PINO]

I'm just curious as to what business of it was for the 3rd player involved in the hand to say anything to screw over someone who was clearly a newbie at the table and have the 1st player (the one who open-shoved all-in) strip him of his cash over a rule he knew nothing about. In this case, it makes me wonder if the player that shoved here even knew about the rule himself - and if he did, why didn't he bring up this "house rule" to the floor instead of the 3rd person to act?? Odd all around.

PS - What a super shitty rule. Scummy as all hell.

[AhoosierA]

I never got further details on what happened after this whole debacle, but I could see why the 3rd player in the hand could have interest in getting the player that exposed his hand out of the way. I mean, he flopped the absolute nuts ( Flop 10 J Q ---He had AK ) maybe the 3rd player in the hand had a decent hand but couldn't beat the AK (obvs). That's just one speculation. He could also be a friend of the 1st person to act? Maybe the first person to act would have brought it up but player 3 brought it up 1st? All possibilities.

It greatly discourages people from playing in the room. Actually Motor City Casino was the first casino I ever stepped foot in 9 years ago (when I first turned 21). I didn't play poker there but still have a $1 casino chip . I told them that they would never have my business and would strongly discourage anyone I know from playing there because of a ruling like this. Of course they really didn't care.

My friend was more upset over the fact that he didn't get paid the others guys money than he was from being 86ed from this casino. AFAIK they don't have affiliation with any other casino so being kicked out of this 1 casino, in a city he was just visiting really has no effect on him.

[sah_24]

What a redic rule, I would not have given my chips up either. Druff was just talking about this

[BeerAndPoker]

The proper ruling should be to declare his hand as action but face up where the people left to act can make their decision accordingly knowing what he has (folding in this case).

For the guy who already was all in what your friend does after he calls is irrelevant imo. Your friends mess up already kills his action from the remaining players and his hand shouldn't be ruled dead.

If he did this multiple times in the same night even as a rec player then I get the ruling but not first time.