[Al_Capone_Junior]

People seem to think that a hand that has touched the muck is irrevokably and forever dead, as if the muck has some magical properties. Not true. The hand is FOULED and MAY be declared dead by the floor. It's not the dealer's call so they did good there.

Although this hand did touch the muck, it sounds like it was clearly identifiable. Since I'm usually dealing with tourists, I tend to be lenient in the case of an honest mistake, as this clearly was. I'd probably give them back and let the hand play.

Despite the fact it might cause controversy, I think you should let inexperienced tourists slide on some things. Poker has complicated rules. It doesn't pay to break the tourist's balls on every little technicality. This might drive them from the game, from your room or from poker completely. If you're dealing, expect small tips. Any regular who protests this notion of chilling out instead of being a nit-picking, idiot table captain A-hole 1) can kiss my ***, and 2) has not the foggiest clue, and Regis won't even be able to sell him one either.

This floor's ruling is mediocre. Nothing wrong with it, but the floor can make any ruling he deems in the best interest of maintaining the fairness and integrity of the game, regardless of the strict interpretation of the rule(5) in question. You have to go out on a limb sometimes, but letting the hand play out would have been a gutsier, and better call.