Two situations involving showdown -- What's the right ruling?

[cpk]

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i was HU in a checked down pot playing 15-30 limit HE. i thought i rivered a straight, holding JTo. i called out "i got a straight" and the opponent open mucked like 63o for 6 high.

i immediately realized i was wrong; i didnt have a straight. i apologized and pointed this out (the dealer didnt even notice), and the dealer double checked, confirmed i didnt have the straight, and pushed the pot to the opponent with 6 high.

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I don't agree with this. "Cards speak" is the supreme rule. If the other hand is determined to be inferior, the miscalled hand should still get the pot. A player who miscalls in this case should be punished with other sanctions, such as with a reprimand or ejection.

The only time the pot should be forfeited is if (a) a hand is miscalled, (b) this induces the other opponent to muck, (c) the mucked hand cannot be retrieved. But nullifying "cards speak" is not in the best interests of the game and leads to all kinds of trouble.

All that said, the real lesson is to table your hand if you have any doubt as to who won the pot. Hiding information from other players is never worth losing a pot.

[DesertCat]

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the house rules at every casino ive been in is:

if a player does not have the hand he announced, he forfeits the pot if the other player mucks before the first players cards are exposed.


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I've been told at CasinoAZ it works this way. The miscaller won't necessarily forfeit the pot. They want to protect the innocent fish who accidently miscalled his hand, and may still have the best hand. So the miscaller gets a warning. If the miscaller does it again, pot is forfeit, even if it's months later.

I don't like it. But that's how it was explained to me. Not sure how the floor keeps track of angle shooters who've done this.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

I agree with this fully, tho in many cardrooms you will get far more varied (and often foolhardy) answers.