Would you look? A cash game dilemma...

Honestly, I've been in this situation. It's very hard to purposely look away when you catch a glimpse of your opponent's cards. Even then, you've already seen them, right? So what do you do? I know what I'd do and likely what 99.9% of players would do. You play the hand you're dealt with all the info you have. It is what it is.

Is it cheating? No not at all.

Btw - as I was sitting here playing an online game while Cardschatting, I decided to edit my response. At the very instant I clicked on 'Edit' my computer shifted back to the game and raised with my 72o hand while in the big blind. I almost won the hand .

Of course, I kept looking at his cards. It was very kind of me to point out the mistake, but he just laughed. So it will become part of his own learning when he remembers the situation and realizes the error.

With that analogy, poker can be considered a business, not just a game. You never go to your competition and point out their mistakes. Instead, you use your opponents’ errors — and all their actions — to your advantage.

There is a thin line between keeping on looking at your opponents cards and peeking or sneaking through his/her cards!
Looking is absolutely fair and fine since it can be called studying your opponent including his cards but the later part is a big no no!

Yes, it is clear cheating. But I don't cheat, I just try to observe how he plays with different hands. When he has a strong hand and how he behaves then, what his bets look like, how he behaves with weak hands and how he bluffs. Then I avoid playing and don't get involved in unclear spots. Winning fairly tastes better than cheating.

In poker, the responsibility to protect one’s hand always falls on the player. If someone is careless about how they look at their cards, and they openly expose them while you’re simply sitting in your normal position, that isn’t considered cheating. It’s just part of the natural flow of live poker, where awareness can be as valuable as strategy. In this situation, you actually did the ethical thing by quietly warning the player. Once he dismissed your advice and told you to “worry about your own game,” he essentially made it clear that he wasn’t concerned about the information he was giving away.
If you happen to see his cards after that, without leaning, stretching, or altering your posture to gain an advantage, there’s nothing unethical about it. You’re not manipulating the game; you’re just observing what’s freely available. Cheating involves intentional actions that break the integrity of the game — things like collusion, marked cards, or deliberately moving to see someone’s hand. Simply noticing what another player fails to hide does not fall into that category.
That said, while it may be within the rules, it’s still a spot that requires discipline. You shouldn’t be obvious about it or behave in a way that disrupts the table. But ignoring free information would be a strategic mistake, especially against an aggressive player whose ranges matter a lot. Poker rewards those who pay attention, and it punishes players who don’t respect the fundamentals. If he won’t protect his hand, you’re not obligated to protect it for him.

In my opinion i would definitely make a comment to let him be aware of the fact he is revealing is hand. After that we are all adults entering a game to win eachother money.

If he keeps revealing I won't try to see them on purpose by leaning in or somthing. But I wil take the extra info when it comes.

To be honest thats still quite civil for a game that is often won by deciet and being a good lier.

This is one of those spots where ethics matter more than EV.
Once you’ve warned him, you’ve done your part as a decent human and a decent poker player. From that point on, intentionally trying to see his cards crosses a line for me. Even if he’s careless and dismissive, actively using hidden information that other players don’t have access to breaks the spirit of the game.
Poker is a game of imperfect information. When you deliberately remove that imperfection for yourself, you’re no longer just “playing better,” you’re changing the rules in your favor. That’s why I do consider it a form of cheating if you consciously look and adjust your decisions based on it—even if the casino technically puts the responsibility on him to protect his hand.
There’s also a practical angle: once you start justifying this behavior, where do you draw the line next? Angle-shooting, soft collusion, exploiting mistakes that go beyond strategy—it’s a slippery slope.
Personally, I’d avert my eyes and play my game. If the situation keeps happening, I’d alert the dealer. Long-term success in poker (and life) comes from winning cleanly and being able to respect your own decisions, not just your win rate.
Curious how others see it—where do you draw the ethical line?

G0930 said:

Yes would be absolutely cheating.
Whenever I saw a hand live when a person didn't protect his hand I would tell the dealer about it and he declares it a missdeal.
No fair game when someone has additional information you're not supposed to have.
When the person keeps on ignoring the necessity of protecting his hand he will get excluded from the game

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I don't know if I would go as far as calling it cheating if the other player is essentially showing them their hand, but I think declaring a misdeal is the best way to handle it if they aren't taking the gentle nudge to protect their hands. If you want to play live tables, you have to learn how to do it correctly and many seasoned players aren't as kind with new players and will either take advantage of them or get angry. One misdeal where the player across from the newbie loses his AA and he'll learn pretty fast how to play properly.

Live game, dude next to me keeps accidentally flashing his cards. I say something nice, he laughs it off and does it again.

Tempting to keep glancing, right? First peek feels like free info. But after a couple, it starts feeling gross like I’m the shady one if anyone notices.

From what I’ve seen in forums: best to warn once more (maybe louder), then grab the dealer or floor. Let them fix it. Your rep at the table matters way more than one sneaky edge.


Poker’s tough enough without guilt trips. Play fair, win fair, sleep better. That’s the vibe I like.

This is not a fraud, you do not see his cards, but only touch the cards, because since a person cannot make a poker face and even plays aggressively, he quickly loses his bankroll and goes home. For me, it would be an easy win, and I took the opportunity because poker is a game and not a charity. I constantly try to predict the opponent's card depending on the style of his game.

My opinion is that this is more a matter of ethics than the game itself. If a player does not protect his cards and is aware of this (especially after a warning), it is difficult to call it cheating. You didn't use any illegal method - you just noticed.
On the other hand, in the long run, situations like this can harm the atmosphere at the table. Poker is not only taking advantage of every possible advantage, but also a certain code of conduct. Personally, I would probably stop watching after warning him - not because I have to, but because I want to play “clean” and avoid all the gray areas.
If one consciously ignores one's own mistake, one accepts the consequences. But at the same time, each of us chooses what kind of player he wants to be.

Nice

A strange scenario that he would not listen, and against their enlightened self interest. Definately inform the dealer as this is unacceptable for the whole table; the game loses all integrity otherwise.

Tammy said:

Part of being successful in poker (just like life in general) is to think about various situations ahead of time and decide how you would react. When the time comes, whether you change your mind or not, you at least had a plan of action in mind beforehand.

So what would you do in this situation?

The young, aggressive cash player next to you isn't doing a great job of protecting his hand. The way he looks at his cards makes it really easy for you to see what he has. You quietly let him know to be careful, but he just laughs and tells you to worry about your own game. Would you keep looking at his cards when you get a chance? And do you think this is a form of cheating if you do look? Why or why not?

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A few years ago I even warned people several times, but as I became more professional, I don't do it anymore. I look discreetly as long as possible.