What's the rule? What's the etiquette?

[Wes64]

This may be the wrong forum as this is not a strategy question.

I was playing 5-5 NLHE at a card room. 9 handed, I am in the 4 seat, button is on the 6 seat. The 6 and 7 seats are live ones who have been pouring money into the game for hours. The 1 seat is a very solid, young player who basically plays professionally.

The 9 seat raises to $30, the 1 seat calls, fold to me. I have 6 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. I call (counting on at least one live one to call). 5 and 6 seats both call, 7 seat calls from small blind, big blind folds. $185 in the pot, 6 players.

I am looking to my left to watch the live ones watch the flop. Flop comes J [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. The live one in the 6 seat held up his cards to check them and the 5 seat and I both saw them. I immediately said "I saw his cards" and the 5 seat said "Me too." His cards were A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]. Before anything else is said or done, the small blind bets $100 and the 9 seat folds. The 1 seat asked if I was going to call and I said I'm not telling you. He called, I raised to $300, 5 seat folds, 6 seat folds and exposed his cards to the table. The 1 seat said "Those cards don't matter."

What should have been done? At the time I thought that the dealer should have exposed his cards to the table as soon as I said I saw them. Also, I did the right thing by telling the table that I saw the cards, didn't I? Isn't that proper etiquette?

As an aside, the small blind called for less (about $220) and the 1 seat folded. The small blind had 4 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] for a monster draw but my set held up.

[jkkkk]

As soon as you and seat 5 saw his cards, they are dead, the dealer should of exposed them and declared his hand mucked.