Cash Game Tabling Hands When All-in (5 Viewers)

[Jimulacrum]

I'm curious about people's approaches to this at cash poker in a home game.

The standard rule, in my experience, is that players do not need to table their hands if they so choose. Only if you want to contest the pot at showdown do you need to expose your cards. I've played in games with mandatory tabling too, but they're the exception to the rule.

Still, sometimes I come across people who disagree about this. In my regular home game, there is one player in particular who always announces, "Okay, flip 'em!" when players are all-in and there are cards to come. If he's in the hand, he'll slap his cards down face-up and gaze expectantly at anyone who doesn't follow suit, often verbally insisting on hands being tabled along with his ("C'mon, just turn 'em over!"). If he's dealing, he'll sometimes try to stall on running out the board until everyone tables. He knows that the house rule is that you don't have to show, but he personally wants people to show and isn't shy about pressuring everyone to do it.

What do y'all think, to table or not to table?

 

[Jonesey07]

I've always played it as once there is no more possible action, all live hands must be tabled, and cards play.

 

[Kain8]

Tourneys, yes, table immediately.

Cash, table at the end for showdown. But it's a nuance thing. If you're in a friendly home game, I'd table with the other player for some drama / excitement.

If I was playing for meaningful money at a casino, I'm not tabling until I need to in order to win the pot.

 

[DrStrange]

I "require" the hands to be tabled. Require is a little strong, once in a great while it will be easier to keep the game moving when someone absolutely refuses to table. Or sometimes the dealer just can't wait to run out the board.

Why do this? Because I think it is good for the game. Everyone wants to know who had what. It keeps the focus on the table and game. It is generally fun. Mandatory tabling protects players from folding winners ( i.e. favors the weakest players ) This is not as big a deal in hold'em but in split pot games or exotic games it can make a difference. It also helps deter some types of angle shoots.

I appreciate this is not standard operating procedure and wouldn't happen in most casino cash games.

DrStrange

 

[SkywayParkFR]

It’s as you want ! In CG you don’t have to table your hand until it’s requested by te dealer (first to show or not), you can even fold face down if the other player(s) show first the winning hand.

But as it is a home game for more friendliness you can table face up your cards in a AIPF situation for more fun I guess. It’s depend on how « serious » you are taking the game IMO.

 

[TheBigTater]

In a cash game it's not required to show cards at showdown but callers have the right to see bettors cards if requested.

 

[saleen121212]

In low stakes casual games we just flip them and no one cares, it makes it a lot more fun for the people not in the hand as well. In a pro environment I am sure some rules would make sense, but in a fun home game I have not met anyone who cares or does not want to table.

 

[CraigT78]

In my game - All-In - your cards are turned over. It's good for the game.

 

[Lemonzest]

Let's say it is heads up and both players get all in on the flop. I don't like making a rule saying they both need to table their hands immediately.

There are times when people get it in with speculative hands and they may just want to muck if they don't hit. I think this is perfectly fine.

Once the turn and river are exposed if you want to claim the pot then of course you need to table your hand.

 

[v1pe]

Officially, no need to table your hand, and I wouldn't do so at a casino/card room. At my game, we usually all just flip em over, since it's more fun for everyone to see the hands prior to run out.

 

[rocollis]

Tourneys, yes, table immediately.

Cash, table at the end for showdown. But it's a nuance thing. If you're in a friendly home game, I'd table with the other player for some drama / excitement.

If I was playing for meaningful money at a casino, I'm not tabling until I need to in order to win the pot.

^^this^^
tournament = definitely
friendly cash game = sure, why not
casino cash game = not unless I'm raking the pot

 

[Rhodeman77]

In my game a hand only has to be tabled if it wants to contest for the pot. But I am also very short with people to table a winning hand once we get to showdown. I can’t stand when two people are postering waiting for the other person to show.

Personally I table my hand right away if the action is over if I have a probable winner even if there are cards to come.

 

[Jimulacrum]

In a cash game it's not required to show cards at showdown but callers have the right to see bettors cards if requested.

Yes, the IWTSTH rule. Most iterations I've seen of that rule actually permit any player who was involved in a hand to demand to see the hand of any player who made it to showdown. Not a terrible rule as far as game security is concerned. Seldom enforced, though, and it can be a little awkward if the guy doesn't want to show.

In low stakes casual games we just flip them and no one cares, it makes it a lot more fun for the people not in the hand as well. In a pro environment I am sure some rules would make sense, but in a fun home game I have not met anyone who cares or does not want to table.

I am one such person. Sometimes I show, sometimes I don't. I'm not trying to be all serious pro or anything; I just prefer not to show my hand if I don't have to (especially when it's a rather modest holding).

 

[ChaosRock]

In a cash game it's not required to show cards at showdown but callers have the right to see bettors cards if requested.

^ This.

So let's say X player shoves, Y player calls and X player mucks. Y player is awarded the pot without showing his hand, unless player X asks for it. I know this case is a bit different since it's the shover who is requesting to see player Y's cards but it's a more frequent scenario than the caller asking to see the cards as he would have seen the bettor's cards already.

* I am assuming the OP is referring to the the caller showing his hand after the shover folds. Not sure though. If it's just the caller folding after he sees he's beat, than it's ever clearer to me he doesn't have to show.

 

[fieldsy]

In tournaments you have to flip them up (there’s a TDA rule) but in cash games that’s generally not the rule. In home cash games the guys I play with often voluntarily turn them up. One potential reason not to immediately turn them up is sometimes guys want to have a “run it twice” discussion before further running of the board.

I like not having to show because there are sometimes I want to make a hero call, and if I’m wrong I don’t necessarily always want to advertise that I’m calling that light.

 

[trigs]

In my home game, you don't have to show. I'll normally show most of the time but not always.

One place I play at requires you to show if you want to rabbit hunt. I hate rabbit hunting so I like that this "punishes" them for doing so.

 

[trigs]

double post.

 

[TheBigTater]

Yes, the IWTSTH rule. Most iterations I've seen of that rule actually permit any player who was involved in a hand to demand to see the hand of any player who made it to showdown. Not a terrible rule as far as game security is concerned. Seldom enforced, though, and it can be a little awkward if the guy doesn't want to show.

Yeah the old rule in Roberts is IWTSTH but I prefer to honor the "only if you called the bet (or were called) you can request to see the cards". The anybody that was dealt cards throughout the hand is allowed to ask & see cards is a little over the top & too easy to abuse. Agreed it is for keeping collusion & cheating in check but I can't believe it was written to be followed that literally.

 

[Chris Manzoni]

Tourneys, yes, table immediately.

Cash, table at the end for showdown. But it's a nuance thing. If you're in a friendly home game, I'd table with the other player for some drama / excitement.

If I was playing for meaningful money at a casino, I'm not tabling until I need to in order to win the pot.

This.

 

[BGinGA]

Yeah the old rule in Roberts is IWTSTH but I prefer to honor the "only if you called the bet (or were called) you can request to see the cards". The anybody that was dealt cards throughout the hand is allowed to ask & see cards is a little over the top & too easy to abuse. Agreed it is for keeping collusion & cheating in check but I can't believe it was written to be followed that literally.

The rule exists to protect against two players who collude to string a 3rd player along and then drive him out before showdown. Your stated preference ('must be a caller or called', vs 'in the hand') makes catching that cheating behavior nearly impossible.

There is additional language around the rule to prevent abuse by nosey players who just want free info.

 

[TheBigTater]

The rule exists to protect against two players who collude to string a 3rd player along and then drive him out before showdown. Your stated preference ('must be a caller or called', vs 'in the hand') makes catching that cheating behavior nearly impossible.

Agreed, but a player was dealt cards and folded say pre-flop doesn't have much call to see the cards after 4 more rounds of betting that they weren't involved in.

There is additional language around the rule to prevent abuse by nosey players who just want free info.

I choose to think anyone is just being a nosey nellie if they do it when not at the showdown. If there is a suspicion of collusion then that needs to be brought up as a separate issue. But there is always somebody wanting to use the rule to be a dick. Where is the line?

 

[BGinGA]

Personally, I draw the line at that point where the actual play(s) justify exploration of possible collusion. It's a 'best judgement' call, and not a 'players rights' situation.

 

[DoubleEagle]

Our players usually table their cards but we don’t force them. Last aggressor shows first, but it’s virtually never an issue. Someone wants to muck and run the risk of mis-reading their hand, that’s on them.

 

[WedgeRock]

players do not need to table their hands if they so choose. Only if you want to contest the pot at showdown do you need to expose your cards.

This.

Before reading this thread, I wouldn't have been open to any other way. In fact, there's one guy in our game (Kris, for those that play) that consistently holds his cards until a winner is shown, or he realizes he's the winner -- even when he was the one betting river. I got in the habit of holding cards in pot with him when it's his obligation to show first... He eventually does.

Anyway, this statement changed my mind and I could completely get behind this rule:

Mandatory tabling protects players from folding winners ( i.e. favors the weakest players ) This is not as big a deal in hold'em but in split pot games or exotic games it can make a difference.

 

[SkywayParkFR]

The only thing you have to do AIPF is to shout out « Allez Papa ».

 

[pltrgyst]

.... If you're in a friendly home game, I'd table with the other player for some drama / excitement.

This, to let everyone join in on the drama and excitement.

 

[Jordan Downs]

In our home games we table our cards when an all-in / call is in play. We do however, have one player who refuses to table his hand when his all in bet is called. We don’t make a big deal of it because we all know he got caught bluffing since the vast majority of the time he loses the hand. He’s our action (donator) player so we all happily tolerate it (y) :thumbsup:

 

[saleen121212]

3 times in a row against one player at my games we have gotten all in against each other with me having flopped trips and him flopping two pair, every single time he has filled up on the river for a boat over boat win on his end. This creates a ton of excitement for everyone and they get to laugh at me for the rest of the night for having shit luck. So we flip them over when all in for extra hype.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I prefer flipping them up in home games, but if I'm the only one doing it, I won't repeat.

 

[JustinInMN]

Yeah the old rule in Roberts is IWTSTH but I prefer to honor the "only if you called the bet (or were called) you can request to see the cards". The anybody that was dealt cards throughout the hand is allowed to ask & see cards is a little over the top & too easy to abuse.

I would consevatively say 99% of use of this rule is for abusive reasons and seldom to prevet collusion.

Abusing this rule is grounds for disinvitation, imo.

That said if people willingly table hands in all in situations before all the cards are out, it is better for the fun of the game and players can decide on running multiples.

But I wouldn't make a rule to enforce it.