Would you look? A cash game dilemma...

[Tammy]

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

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[CRStals]

It absolutely is a form of cheating because you have information that the rest of the table doesn't have. While it's their fault for not protecting their hand, you cannot look at their hand and keep the information to yourself - otherwise you're guilty of cheating. All I would do is progressively make my comments to them louder so more of the table hears it and does something about it - whether it's them protecting their hand or the floor ruling against them.

 

[Aballinamion]

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

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Being a poker playerI probably would look to my opponents cards if he flinches and let me know them. Although it's unethical, this is a game and we must take care the way we protect our hole cards, when we are playing live poker. I haven't played too much live but this is one thing I would never do: allow my opponents to know my hole cards.
Some players might try to use it as a strategy, to show one of his hole cards in order to intimidate the opponent (this is why online poker only allows players to show their cards when the hand is over). For this case I think it's bad and players who use this strategy should be punished. Some players might even pretend they let an ace shows up in order to make the opponents scared.
Well, anyways, I don't know too much about live poker but if I caught myself on such spot I would tell nothing to my opponent and continue playing, pretending I have no idea of what's going on.

 

[DanielNeg]

If my opponent has no problem with it I would surely look at his cards each and every hand I don’t think it’s cheating, Cheating would be if I turn his cards and see but if he is looking at his card in a angle that I can clearly see then I am not hesitating to look at it it’s my personal opinion, Also in Poker table it has been said that you should protect your own cards using your hands but if he doesn’t care then its his own problem not mine.For that reason I would peek at his card and play according to that.

 

[PHX]

Of course I would keep looking once he keeps showing me.
Number 1 rule of live cards protect your cards from your opponents.
Is it cheating? It is 100% unfair to the other players at table as you have information that they don't.
In my opinion it is not cheating. As we are not doing anything out of the ordinary at table or using any tools to get advantage. We are gaining an advantage by opponent mistake (and stupidity). We clearly told player we can see his cards and he was the one who chose to ignore it. In any card game we try to look for an edge or advantage. It would not be in our best interest in my opinion not to use this information to our advantage. He will pay the stupid tax.

 

[nighton]

I woudn't look at his cards even if he is being rude and even if it's not ur fault is like cheating.
If u can see your oponents hand u can beat the best player in the world easily.

 

[wengz2002]

No! I don't think it's a form of cheating!
First of all, I already let him know to be careful because you see his cards. This act alone tells you I'm no cheater.

To be honest, I don't even think I'm cheating even If I didn't told the guy I see his cards from where I'm sitting.
Poker player often look around for clues, and try to read other players behavior. And their Eyes often wonder around the table.
So, I would likely continue to look at his hands!

For me every player should be careful and try to protect his/her cards so the other players don't see it!
Just like in boxing, you must protect yourself at all times.

 

[Canaldo Kao]

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

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I would let the rest of the table know, however much my opponent told me to worry about my own play. One thing I can't do is beat someone using some cheat or taking advantage of something that is not within the legal rules of the game. A clean victory is something to celebrate And above all you feel like a true Winner with your skills showing the fruit of your performance and training!✌️

 

[aquilex2799]

It's about integrity. It doesn't matter if it's a game, if no one notices. There is no third option. The wall is part of the wrong. The ends do not justify the means. I wouldn't look. It's a personal matter.

 

[kley126]

I feel that I would be failing myself as a player seeing his cards to be able to beat him and as such I would lose the essence of what poker is preferring to analyze his game and beat him in that way.

 

[wengz2002]

I woudn't look at his cards even if he is being rude and even if it's not ur fault is like cheating.
If u can see your oponents hand u can beat the best player in the world easily.

Seeing one's players hand does not guarantee winning! You have to deal with the other 4 players if it's a six-seater table!

 

[G0930]

Yes would be absolutely cheating.
Whenever I saw a hand live when a person didn't protect his hand I would tell the dealer about it and he declares it a missdeal.
No fair game when someone has additional information you're not supposed to have.
When the person keeps on ignoring the necessity of protecting his hand he will get excluded from the game

 

[GERSteven]

If his cards were visible to me and he didn't cover them despite a hint from me, I don't think it would be cheating, just his own stupidity, which should actually be punished.

Of course I wouldn't look intentionally because this isn't a fair game of poker and for that reason I would tell everyone else at the table as well.

 

[W33dzLov3r]

I would definitely look and play accordingly.
I mean, the Fair-play part is when I notice him/her with "Yo, bro, I can see your cards, stop doing it". Beyond that point, that`s his choice, not really mine.
Cheating would mean paying the dealer of the cards to use a special deck of cards of my own making, that would allow me to KNOW the Entire Table`s hands not just 1 player and me to have some sort of contact lens that would allow me to know the cards without turning them. As long as I`m not doing this thing, or playing hand-in-hand with another player at the table, I think we can eliminate Cheating out of the options.

Out of pure curiosity, I would Certainly look!!! Also, as a friend said, I would totally use ALL the Available Information at the table, no questions asked

 

[georgi krastev]

So what would you do in this situation?

Actualy nothing. Since i don't play live games & i don't understand the rules. (But let me pretend I'm in that place.)

Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance?

(In fact, I personally consider it (looking at him cards) to be an unconscious, unintentional body movement.)

Should I keep looking at his cards if I've already seen them once(!?): (wow, that's pretty impudently, if I keep doing this.)
As I said above; I don't know how things are with live poker, but I think something needs to be done!
No, I wouldn't keep looking at his cards, at least not with the intention of beating him... But what kind of poker is this?!

(Just a note: Some online poker players tend to show their cards on purpose (even though the rules allow it), I personally don't like it.)

And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look?

According to the dictionary, it is cheating. I am of the same opinion.

Why or why not?

Why?

That's what the dictionary says:
"A way, a means to be deceived, misled, lied to someone for a selfish purpose."

As far as I understand, he and I are not alone at the gaming table. This is cheating relative to the other participants...
If it's just the two of us with him I'll stop playing...

I'm not pretending to be anything sainted with this comment of mine - but this is stinks! (I'm also not motivated to write because of the chip prize.)

We just talking...

 

[rhoudini]

When it comes to ethics, the answers usually will be quite different from one another.

Before coming up with an answer, it is important to have in mind these premisses:

1. It is his responsibility to protect his cards. A poker player needs to know that he is at risk when he does not protect them.
2. It is not ethical to try to look at opponent's cards or to benefit from this exposition deliberately. Yes, it is cheating. Even if he does not realize you're looking, other players might see and your image will be damaged forever.
3. However, I don't see as unethical to use any information you end up accidentaly getting to decide what is best for you.

Having this in mind, and having warned him about this, and having received a terrible answer, my behavior would be this:

1. It is important to not change our default behavior just because of his answer. We offered the best we can offer to someone: friendship. This counsel is a counsel of a friend, despite that at the table there are no friends. If he refuses this "counsel of a friend", there's nothing I can do for him anymore. But I will not become a cheater just because he does not care for what I say.
2. Therefore, I would try not to look, as I don't try to look to anyone's cards. I keep playing the same way.
3. However, if it happens that I end up taking a peek at this cards unintentionally, I will use this information to help me deciding what to do in this particular hand. However, I would try to avoid situations that seem "spetacular" like amazingly catching his bluff with a 10-high, for example, because this could get me an enemy, and this is worst than losing a bit of money.

This answer expresses my principles at the table.

Another option is to let all the table know that in a particular hand you accidentaly could see other player's cards, even don't wanting to do it, but that now you are taking your action (usually a fold) and you will shut up and be quiet for the whole hand. However, I just see this option working well if the table is full of great people that know you and understand that it really was an accident, and if you fold. Makes no sense to let them know you saw the hand and you keep playing.

 

[A kiravio]

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

You can earn 10 VIP Chips with a thoughtful, quality reply to this thread.

There would be no form of deception in reading the expression and thinking you see it in his books, but on the other hand it is not good to have preconceived ideas such as: he is young, he is not careful, he is adventurous.... you could have a big surprise to see yourself manipulated by who you didn't expect 😀. So you have to focus on your game first and balance yourself, the rest is ambient.

 

[a1232]

Interesting question as I have never had this exact situation occur. I would probably keep announcing their cards are visible

 

[Tero]

Is it cheating? Of course it is.

Would I do it? Will you throw stones at me if I say yes?
Considering that the player was already made aware of his behaviour, and yet he changed nothing, I'd say that seeing his cards and using that information is fair game. If we won't exploit this situation then we should ask ourselves what will we exploit? Will we also refuse to play against noob fish that doesn't know what he/she is doing, or against someone so drunk that he can't see straight but isn't thrown out of the casino?
If poker raises too many moral questions for us then we shouldn't play at all.

 

[G0930]

Is it cheating? Of course it is.

Would I do it? Will you throw stones at me if I say yes?
Considering that the player was already made aware of his behaviour, and yet he changed nothing, I'd say that seeing his cards and using that information is fair game. If we won't exploit this situation then we should ask ourselves what will we exploit? Will we also refuse to play against noob fish that doesn't know what he/she is doing, or against someone so drunk that he can't see straight but isn't thrown out of the casino?
If poker raises too many moral questions for us then we shouldn't play at all.

I'd use the information after he ignored the warning but I experienced it often that whole pots where declared null and void cause an active player didn't cover his cards.

 

[044hero]

Hmm...
Well, if he holds the cards like an open book, then these are his problems and I don’t see cheating in this at all)
So I don’t consider fleeting peeping as something dishonest, even the most honest and ethical player will notice what cards he has, corny due to the fact that the viewing angle of our eyes is wide enough and if the player sitting next to him keeps the cards open, you will still see them anyway)

 

[Goggelheimer]

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

You can earn 10 VIP Chips with a thoughtful, quality reply to this thread.

It is cheating, if you take actions that make him expose the cards to you, or all other players. For example try to grab his card protector.
But if he is not caring to hide his cards enough, it is his problem and it is not cheating.
Offensive watching for his cards is cheating, but not when you look around the table and catch a view at his cards.
I think all players will have a look around the table when the cards arrive at the players spots, and they try to fetch a small smile on a face.
In this routine, you can always be able to catch a view at any other player's cards.
If he offers information for free, he has a problem.
Information gathering is crucial in a game with partial information.
Every small puzzle piece of information gives a complete picture.
He said it clearly, I worry about my game and gather all info that I can get, all others at the table will do that too and use it for their advantage.
If he is not taking your warning seriously, you have another option to give him a warning.
The floor or table manager can be called and give and advice to this player before you are called a cheater.
I think there is something that is called ruleset of acceptable and unacceptable things at the tables.

 

[belizebum]

Interesting question. Always do the right thing even if no one is watching. So based on that, I would not keep looking but I would maybe make the dealer aware. Or maybe say something at the table. Since I am as about as subtle as a heart attack in most social situation, he would definitely start protecting his cards.
Is it a form of cheating? I would say yes and no, you have more information than everyone else, but it was not by choice. If you continued looking after more hands were dealt than it would be cheating. I have been in small local games, everyone knows everyone, and it's come up. And we all said something at the time.

 

[Suns of Beaches]

Has nothing to do with cheating If u would continue to look after u told him and he still did not do nothing to protect them better.

Someone who wants to cheat has bad intentions. If u told him u see his cards, then u had good intentions in the first place. Its not ur fault he does not protect his cards well in a game in which a big part is about information.

Now if i would be in a homegame with friends i would say something. In a casino with people idk (where i never am) i would probably not. Probably not even in the first place to be honest. If a grown adult cant hold/protect his cards in a game like poker then its not my Problem tbh. im not the floorman or some kind of babysitter and my eyes see what they see 😉

 

[Roobz75]

This is a great dilemma question and if you are looking at the others players cards AFTER telling them their hands are loose, it is a form of cheating.
Once I've pointed out to the player that his cards are not appropriately covered, then the ignorance line from them, can't be claimed. As for me, I would probably point it out more publicly, particularly directed at the dealer, so that they are aware of it and I would just look the other way if the player makes no correction on how they hold the cards.
I have seen many times that players take their cards completely off the table and put them up to their faces to see.
I'm not sure if they are breaking the rules, by taking their cards off the table.....??🤔🤔🤔