Poker Etiquette

BigMikeDBC

Hi all,

Was in a local STT recently and had stepped away from the table for a few minutes. As I re-approached the table, I saw that I was in the big blind and my cards had been dealt. However, even before the action was on me, (and just as I was sitting down) another player took it upon himself to muck my cards.

Is this correct? Are my cards automatically dead anyway, as I was away from the table, or should they have only been mucked if I was away when the action was on me?

Thanks in advance!

gixxerk4

Hi bigmike

Generally if you are not at the table when either the first or in some places the last card is dealt then your hand is dead usually the dealer will muck them but often the player next to you will muck them if the dealer cant reach so not bad etiquette as hand already dead and you dont want to look at them as it will always be aces lol

mj8bs

Yeah normally the dealer will deal them and if you havent sat down before the last card is dealt, they will muck them before any action takes place. 

Tikay10

If the local rule (it varies in most venues) is that you must be seated when your, or the last, cards are dealt, then it does not matter - your hand is as dead as Zed.

In practice, what happens if a player is absent, especially if at the extremeties of the table, where the dealer struggles to reach, is that an adjacent player will helpfully pass your dead cards to the Dealer.
 
This is not bad etiquette, not at all, it just speeds up the game & saves the Dealer needless work.

In reality, of course, other players have no right to touch your hand (hole cards), but common sense applies in this case. And, in some cases, self-interest.  

I'm afraid you have no grounds to complain - you were away from the Table, so your hand is dead. We have to assume the other player was just being helpful.

As a matter of interest, if we really do not wish to miss our Big Blind, we should not leave the Table. If we do, it is our own fault.

I am a great "wanderer" in Live Poker, (many are) I like to get up, walk around, chat to folks, have a wee, whatever, but I do that AFTER the button has just passed me, & I ensure I am back in plenty of time for my Blinds.  

Apologies if that was not the reply you were hoping for!

Tikay10

Lol @ gixxerk who makes a GREAT point.

When the "absent" guy returns to the table to see his cards about to be mucked, they almost always ask to see them, "in case I had Aces".

How daft is that? It only makes it worse if you have!

We poker players are a most peculiar lot.

BigMikeDBC

Many thanks for clearing that up all