Showing down: Do You Have to Show?
At the end of a poker online hand, it is common practice for casino players still in the pot to all show their hands, to see who wins the pot. Showing the hand, though, in this way can be a great way for players both in and out of the hand to pick up information about how you played the hands, so in many instances players who aren’t going to win the hand may wish to not have to show their cards if they know they won’t win.
So when do players have to show their cards? To some extent, this depends both on where you’re playing and the nature of the bet.
If the bet was not an all-in bet, players are allowed to muck their poker cards. The revealing of the hands begins with the player who made the original bet on the river. The calling player can then decide whether he wants to show his hand or toss it into the muck, depending. Vice versa, if the player who called happens to show his hand first, the betting player is then allowed to muck.
In general, the rule is, that the only time you have to show your cards is to win the pot. Some card rooms, however, maintain rules that require both players to turn over their hands in the event of an all in situation.
