Poker » Official Poker Rules

A common source of disputes in Home Poker Games concerns the area of who shows their hand first at the end of a hand. This article outlines the official poker card rules for this and also advises some simple steps to avoid misunderstandings during your game.

Rules for Showing Poker Hands

- Where there is a bet and a call after the river card is dealt it is the person betting who must show their cards first. The other people in the hand then have a choice of whether to show or muck (throw away face down) their hands. This moves in a clockwise direction from the original bettor who showed.

- Where there is no betting on the final round the first person to show their hand is the person nearest to the left of the dealer button. The remaining players then either muck or show their hands in a clockwise direction around the table.

Rules for Asking to See Mucked Hands

- According to the rules any player dealt into a hand may ask to see mucked hands at showdown regardless of when they folded. The key thing to remember is that asking to see a losing hand may embarrass or upset the losing player. In fact it is considered a breach of poker etiquette (very bad manners) to ask to see mucked cards. Before asking to see cards here it is important to balance your desire for information with the possible effect on the atmosphere of the game.

Simple Steps to Ensure Your Game Runs Smoothly

- Make sure everyone understands the rules for showing poker hands at showdown before the game starts. This will avoid disputes and misunderstandings during the game.

- Outline to all players that asking to see mucked cards is a breach of etiquette and ask them not to do this unless absolutely necessary.

GL at Those Home-Game Tables,

Mark

Mark R Holland is an online poker pro, blogger and writer for high quality poker sites. For great poker strategy tips to improve your game visit Online Poker Tournament Strategy Tips today!

Source: www.isnare.com