Champion of Poker

Hello,

First, I would like to thank you for creating a wonderful site like this one. It has been a great help to me and to many others.

Well, I am actually here right now because of the two questions about the showdown of hands in tournament and cash games that I’ve been wanting to ask you.

1. Say there were two players left at the table, player A and player B. At some point, player A placed a bet on the river while player B folded. Then player A showed one card. In tournaments for an instance, if in case player B asks to see the other card without calling the bet, is player A required to show it? And what if it’s in a regular cash game?
2. Player A and player B were left to fight for the pot. Player A eventually checked on the river while player B checked too. In tournaments and cash games, who do you think is obliged to show down the hand first? Personally, I believe that the first player to act should show first. But, it appears to me that somehow the second player to check was required to do so. Well, in an event where a bet is called, I believe the original bettor should show first. What’s on your thoughts?

Thanks again!

Regards,
Walter Danielles
Walter,

1. If a bet was not called, Player A is not required to show. The World Series of Poker tried to institute a “Show One, Show Both” rule, but it was so unpopular that it was eliminated after one year.
   
2. In tournaments, the player that makes the last aggressive action is the person required to show first. Aggressive action is defined as betting or raising. If the hand is checked around, the player closest to the button is the person that shows first.