I was at a local bar last nite playing in a "free" tournament - winners win tickets to a big tournament. I have been playing at this bar for a few weeks with the locals (not in the tournament) and last nite was my first time with the strict rules etc.

The dealer explained everything to me. Once I said "see and raise" and dropped 2 chips (1 was to see 1 was to raise)... he said I can't do that so I complied and didn't bitch or anything. I understand rules are rules and want to play by them. But then a few hands in as we were about to show our cards another player said "if you can't be a straight don't bother" or something to that effect. Well I chose to muck my cards (because I wanted to not because I could or couldn't beat a straight - I don't listen to what players say at the table). The dealer looks at my mucked cards and says "I HAVE TO SHOW THESE CARDS". I was like " NO YOU DON'T". He in the end did not show them but said: "You could of won the side pot". I was pissed to say the least. This started a big debate at the table.

My question is... was this dealer out of line or was I for getting pissed that he talked about my mucked cards that I don't feel he should of even looked at????

~If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best. - M. Monroe~

The dealer was definitely out of line. If you wanted your cards to be seen then you would have shown them yourself. Plus if the hand was still going on the other players shouldn't be seeing your cards. That is the problem with playing in bars. I'm sure he thought he was helping you out but sometimes good intentions aren't so good.

I would say even if it is in a bar the dealer should not have looked or commented on your hand either way.

Thanks for the comments being new to the game I wanted to be sure I wasn't out of line.

Good Luck!!

You're welcome, I personally don't think that you were out of line in the least. Maybe you got a bad or cranky dealer that night.