Thought I've seen it all...

Thought you've seen it all? Here's a new one … I wasn't involved in the hand, but here's the tale of the tape…

I was at the 1-2 table killing some time before heading back from AC, yesterday (Sunday, Nov-15).

The profile, full table:
Seat #1: cocky middle-age (COMA) person who loves to talk about how good he is in poker, and yet he's playing 1-2. provides unsolicited hand analysis about poker hands for the table -- endlessly. real prick, and all. He's got about a $600 stack in front of him, apparently cuz he flopped top set, and our co-neighbor had the nut str8 on the turn, and COMA called anyways to fill up on the river.
Seat #3: me, bored and drinking, killing time, and rolling my eyes at every trash that comes out of COMA's ego. really sir, you play 5-10 huh? ok, buddy.
Seat #4: short buy-in (SBI) guy who managed to build a $100 stack to about $300-$350, passive aggressive
Seat #6: hard-nosed, blue collar, middle age, rock (MAROCK). Construction worker / painter, a general labourer.
Seat #7-10 are largely irrelevant.


Keep in mind, this is a $one-$two game. Not sure what the action was PF, and on the flop, but on the Turn, there's a huge pot building in the middle, and the board reads:
9-9-K-Q (no flush, but presumably 2-cards to a flush)

COMA has the button, about $600 deep
SBI is first to act, about $350 deep
MAROCK is in MP, about $700 deep

SBI leads the betting with $40, MAROCK calls. After some hesitation, COMA raises to $250. SBI tanks… I nudged his elbow… encouraging him to show me his cards, and sweat the action… SBI flashes me 9-7o, trips with no kicker. He reluctantly mucks, and shows a smile, knowing he made a good lay down. MAROCK thinks for a moment, and eventually calls. A large amount of chips is now in the middle, and the frail-Asian dealer is struggling to stack and count/match the chips, it took almost a full minute for her to sort out the pot.

To the river we go... each remaining player nearly $300/$450 deep.

The dealer peels a meaningless 4 that does not complete the flush. And, immediately yells out, "Showdown!". And, MAROCK, out of position, turns over his cards, J-T for the nut str8. COMA starts thinking, and, rightfully stated, "I haven't acted". MAROCK recognizes his mistake, and now has a worrying look about him. The dealer has the Oh-Sh#t / WTF look!! I do what I can, though it's questionable whether I should've interfered, I called for her, and stated, DO NOT DO ANYTHING, and DO NOT SAY ANYTHING, just call the floor over, and she did.

It took 2-3 minutes with everyone trying to explain what happened to the floor person. It was too controversial, she called the head referee and her co-judge, so to speak. Another 3-5 minutes of explanations, we have 3 floor managers at our table, and a buzz and railbird section is building… what's the call? The floor ruled that it's the "player's responsibility", and the option is available to act by either player. A fair ruling, but I'm somewhat disgusted that a major eff up by the dealer, could now cost MAROCK a $500 pot.

So MAROCK checks, and COMA tanks. Lots of talking now comes from MAROCK --- "Listen, if you check, and you win, the pot's yours (afraid that he's beat with a boat). If you go all-in, I'll call", repeats it again after 30 seconds….

COMA pushes his $300 all-in, and MAROCK guffs, and says, "I call". COMA says you win, and shows A-9o, trips with an Ace kicker, and a foiled bluff.

Drama unfolds!!! MAROCK, a gentle giant, now upset that someone tried make a play at him like that, says I DO NOT ACCEPT THAT pointing to COMA's 300 stack about to be shipped to him. He sends it back, and the table goes wild!!! You can't ship the chips back. You can take it, and give him $300 in cash off the table, etc… this goes on for about 2-3 minutes, and the floor, still hovering from the previous incident, ruled that COMA can keep his stack. WTF?!?!

The next hand is dealt, and before any action occurs --- everyone is still heckling MAROCK about the stack, he changes his mind and decides that he wants his money back!!! That's my money, I want it, ship it - says MAROCK, repeatedly. All hell breaks loose! COMA gently holds onto the stack, and froze… the floor was involved again. This time, they instructed COMA to send the chips over, or he will be escorted out of the casino. COMA didn't comply, he got off the table, and spoke to the two senior floor personnel, arguing his case. No dice, fella!

COMA eventually conceded, and asked for the count. They counted the chips in front of him, $293 to be exact. I supplied the chip rack, and they stacked his chips, and sent the rack over to MAROCK. The floor personnel allowed him to stay. COMA dropped 2 C-notes to rebuy, and took a break from the action.

Thought I've seen it all...