Tabling of Hand - Card Off Table

[Chubby9811]

Tournament is down to 5/269.  Player A moves all in, Player B calls all in.  Player A tables their hand, AsKc.  Player B starts to table their hand and it catches the felt and both cards start to fly off table, video review shows that Player B did nothing out of ordinary and was attempting to table the hand appropriately.  Player B is able to stop 1 card and it lands face up on the rail.  Card 2 goes past rail, Player B catches the card in his hand, just above his lap.

Dealer unable to identify the two cards - other than they were both hearts. 

Cards were AhQh.

What would you rule and why?

Thanks
Don Tinordi
Poker Manager - ACE Poker Room - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

[Dave Miller]

It plays.

To kill the hand on a technicality is a mistake - particularly since the TDA is trying to get away from the ability to win based on a technicality.

If the player was attempting to do something stupid or fancy when tabling, then they can be given a warning. But the post indicates the opposite - the player was attempting to properly table the cards. Therefore, they should be retrieved and tabled, and the hand played out.

If you somehow think a card switch occurred, play out the hand, then verify that the deck is legit before awarding the pot. (A DeckMate 2 can do this in about 15 seconds...)

[Nick C]

Welcome Chubby9811
I agree with David.