Postby steve b » Fri Mar 07, 2008 3:29 am
i think that waiting to show your cards till you have to does build the suspence and add to the entertainment of the game and because npl is a free roll tournament thats the most important thing however we are getting closer to the state finals and thats where it becomes a different story.
When there is money on the table or a prizepool as big as the state final then showing your cards gives everyone at the table a chance to see them and adds another occasion for the table to assess wether they have read your tells correctly or not, it also helps other players figure out what type of cards you like to play. if someone is all in and there position requires them to show first then they should have to, that player may win the hand and still be in the game. Also the player thats all in last to act should get the oppertunity afforded to them to see what the other players in the hand are playing with, there is no penalty for going all in and there is no rule that states when you are all in you must show your cards, you shouldnt have to give a tell away or miss getting a tell that you otherwise would just because you are all in.
The rules for showing your cards when a all in bet is made exist and are quite clear, they are the same as in any other time a bet is made, if your bet is called you must show first, after all thats what a call is. If you wish to claim the pot then you need to show both cards to claim the pot.
Lizard makes a very good point about a mucked hand, how many times have you seen three cards dealt to a player by mistake, imagine being all in not looking have betting happen around you, so the hand cant be called a misdeal and you have 3 cards you have no chance of staying in the tournament, this has actually happened to me.
And finally when there is a side pot, if the all in player shows the winning hand first to take down the main pot, how many times have you seen a player in the side pot muck there hand thinking the hand is over and forgetting about the side pot. loosing a pot they would of won if the order of play was upheld.
In short while freeroll is there for fun and entertainmentand thats how npl is played most of the time and its great, there are rules for these situations and when your hard earnt cash is on the line i am sure i am not alone in my want to see them adhered to