Table Your Cards to Collect the Pot

One of the more misunderstood rules at the 2009 World Series of Poker involves a hand mucked without showdown. To give an example, action between Mandy Baker and one opponent checked on the river of a {10-Hearts}

board. Baker had first action and was obligated to open her hand first. Instead she tossed it into the muck.

Baker's opponent kept his hand closed and waited for the pot. The dealer instructed him to open his hand.

"Why?" the player asked. "No one else has cards." A floor was summoned who ruled that in order to push any pot at showdown, the winning hand must be tabled, regardless of whether any players still have a live hand. Baker's opponent then opened {J-Diamonds}

and collected the pot.