Unmasking the Hole Cards?
by Jim Woods

You're out of the hand at the showdown, but you're curious about one or more of the active players' hands. At the end of the hand, the winner shows her hand and, before the loser mucks, you ask to see it. A grumble may rise from the others, including the losers. "That's not the way it's done here," someone may say. You may also hear: "You wouldn't want someone to do that to you," or even something unprintable. But, why?

In most casinos, anyone who was dealt into a particular hand has the right to ask to see the cards of anyone who is still "in" at its conclusion. That rule applies even if there is no betting in the last round. Anyone who stays for the showdown runs the risk of having his cards revealed to the other players. Of course, people sometimes misread their hands and fold winners, so the proper procedure is for the dealer to touch the muck with the "loser's" cards to make them officially "dead" before turning them over.

Why should something within the rules be considered taboo? The rules are the foundation of the game. In my humble opinion, if you don't want your cards disclosed, you shouldn't stay for the showdown. Along the same lines, you shouldn't get angry at someone who asks to see your cards. The rules entitle him to that information. In fact, I think more highly of people who know how to use the rules to their advantage.

I know many people disagree with me on this point. They consider it "bad form" to rub salt in a loser's wound by making him reveal his second or third place cards. Some even misconstrue the rule, believing that only the other player(s) in the showdown have the right to ask the dealer to turn over another's cards. But knowing what an opponent raised, called, or check-raised with pre-flop can be invaluable information. Therefore, I suspect that the real opposition to an application of the rule stems from a desire to keep one's moves secret.

If you do ask to see others' hole cards, be prepared to reveal your own. If you want, you can turn it into an interesting psychological side-game. Invoke the rule once, perhaps even noisily insisting if you encounter resistance, then play tightly and fold often. The first time someone uses the rule on you, the odds are that the dealer will be showing them that you played good cards. With the others seeing proof of your solid play, you may find them folding to your bets more often, which of course may make it easier for you to bluff once or twice.

A final bit of advice: If there is a hothead at your table, making him disclose his hole cards at a showdown that he lost may be the beginning of the end … for him! He may become so enraged at you that he will vow to "get you back." He will call or even raise your value bets, chase you repeatedly with nothing but draws, and generally act so stupidly that you may soon have all of his chips!

About the Author:
Jim Woods is a middle-aged attorney (but please don't hold that against him) that loves fishing and poker. He has an undergraduate degree... that comes in handy in poker, less so in poker. His one favorite poker fantasy? Using Cling Eastwood's famous line on Phil Hellmuth while having him dominated in a hand: "I know what you're thinking... But what you gotta as yourself is: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well... do ya, punk?