deardealer

Who runs the game, the dealer or the players? It seems like a cut and dried answer, WRONG!  It really depends on where you work and then after we establish that,  it depends on who you are, which floorman is on duty and does he make consistent decisions?  Small card rooms tend to make decisions that favor their regular patrons.  Big no limit games have a tendency to use the dealer for distributing the cards and that is just about it.  Here is my question for you.  If a player asks to see another players hand in a called pot, does he have to directly ask the dealer?  What if he asks the player what his hand is and the player mucks or attempts to muck?  Should the dealer protect the muck and turn the hand over for the other players to see?  I say yes and that is exactly what I did.  It made the player who didn’t want to show his hand, very upset.  He said it was not my business and who did I think I was?  I thought I was the dealer and trying to protect the table and all the players.  It caused much controversy among the players the other dealers and the floorman, who at the end of the matter was looking quite confused himself.  Does the player in the game have to make a request to the dealer that he would like to see the hand?  
Does asking the player politely to show his hand make it none of the dealers business? Does the dealer take this request to mean that if the player doesn’t show or attempts to muck that the dealer should protect the hand from the muck.  Of course if the hand reaches the muck then the case is closed. 
What about when the player that asks the other player and then tells the dealer he has to make sure that his request is honored. I think it is a fine line depending on what and how the player requests to see the losing hand.  First of all it is not very good table etiquette to even ask to see a losing hand.  Yes, it is allowed but the rule was made for the reason to keep collusion from taking place. From putting a player in the middle of a partnership.  So this is really the only reason you should ever ask. Unless you are just trying to rile up another player for revenge or some other such reason.  of course the show one show all rule is always in effect and if the player shows any other player the at that time the dealer can just turn his cards up with or without a request from another player.  Some players just don’t want to ask BUT are curious.  Why should one player have information that he others at the table do not have?  So my friends pay attention to the table, do not read a book, do not blast your IPOD, just pay attention to the game and you will see enough called hands from the players to get your information without looking like a rookie!