Poker Ethics Dilemma: I Took a Disabled Player’s Money Because I Saw His Cards

The Story of Using an Advantage Over a Disabled Player

According to wowthatsabigone, while playing 9-max NLH $5/10 at his local casino, a 38–45-year-old disabled poker player in an electric wheelchair joined the game and informed the dealer that “he is unable to lift his cards so his buddy next to him will be his hands.”

So, the disabled player’s friend joined the game as a sidekick and sat tenth, next to the topic starter:

“Well obviously from the title of this he didn’t conceal his cards properly at all and played almost every hand he was dealt. I could tell his friend peaking the cards for him didn’t gamble a lot and was just there so this guy could play.
This has happened to me before where I could slightly see someone’s cards but it was usually only just 1 or I could only see the suit and it wasn’t every hand but this disabled dude’s friend showed me both the cards clearly every hand, he picked them both up off the table. I was not intentionally trying to look at his card they were in my field of vision without even turning my head.
I got into multiple situations with him and ending up wiping him out after an all in preflop with his 5s vs my 7s for his last $500.”

Wowthatsabigone explained his lack of remorse by describing the disabled player as a “fucking asshole” who berated and criticized everyone at the table the entire game:

Since neither he nor his friend protected their cards properly, the topic starter didn’t feel obliged to help them fix the issue:

The Poker Community’s Reaction to the Situation

Commenters beneath the confession split into two camps.

The first group actively condemned the topic starter for keeping quiet about the visibility of his opponent’s cards — without even notifying him or his friend once.

Typical comments from this group include:

riotmaster: You should tell him — once — that he needs to protect his cards better. After that, you’re free to exploit him all you want. I doubt he already proved himself an asshole the first time you could see his card.

Primary_Barracuda_63: When the guy isn’t the one peeling his cards, and instead it’s someone who doesn’t play poker, I feel like you have to give two or three warnings. Even if he is an asshole, the guy literally can’t pick up his cards, it’s not his fault. After 2 or 3 warnings he should be diligent enough to tell his friend if there’s a chance of another player seeing his cards. I hope this post is a joke.

CatOfGrey: This is my policy, too. Simple sportsmanship demands a warning.
It’s an integrity issue to the rest of the table, as well. Remember how a dealer will openly display cards that are accidentally displayed for part of the table? You don’t want a situation where seat #4 knows that seat #3 folded known cards, but the rest of the table doesn’t. Giving the warning isn’t just for that one player, it’s for the table.

ScoobyDoouche: Well. Just because he was a dick doesn’t mean you aren’t also a scumbag. Welcome to the degenerate moral justifications of being a gambler.

Dorkamundo: Going on the hypothetical that this is a real story, he’s not only fucking over the guy with the cards, he’s fucking over the entire table as he knows hole cards that others don’t.

Ok_Reason_2357: The guy is fucking disabled. This is borderline evil lmao.
I know that they can be quite miserable at the table and sometimes assholes… but it’s really not that hard to be the bigger man to a handicapped person.

bumbaclotdumptruck: This is where everyone ignores the fact you were cheating the entire table.

After enough backlash, wowthatsabigone edited the post to add:

However, not everyone judged him. A significant number of players supported his actions, arguing that:

• Poker doesn’t require players to speak up if they see another’s cards
• Protecting your hand is your personal responsibility — disabled or not
• If you come to play, you accept the burden of safeguarding your own hand

Supportive comments included:

IceWizard9000: I’m gunna go against the tide here and congratulate OP on his victory. Poker is a dog eat dog game. There is no mercy for the weak. Savagely crushing a disabled person is fucking hilarious and I would have done the same thing.

Wooden-Broccoli-7247: Don’t listen to them OP. If cards were in your line of sight, without you having to go to lengths to see them, that’s his fault. And if it wasn’t you it would be someone else. Or the blackjack table after the poker table. Canada Bill Jones once said…

Aggravating_Wing_659: Bro it’s poker in a casino. No one owes it to the guy to go easy on him.

Jazzlike_Cod_3833: I don’t condone cheating, but let’s be real: this guy flashed his cards every hand, and nobody did anything to fix it. At a 5/10 table, that’s on him, and the casino.
Yes, accommodations should be made for disabled players. But accommodations don’t mean turning a blind eye to basic table rules. If your buddy is showing your cards to any eyes beyond your own, that’s not a playable setup. The rule is simple: protect your hand. I’m not about to stare at the ceiling or close my eyes just because you can’t or won’t conceal your cards.
Ideally, I’d have said something the first time it happened. That’s fair. But if nothing changes and you keep giving away information? That’s not on me.
The real problem is that the casino allowed it. If they can’t provide a workable accommodation that ensures fairness for everyone, they must apologize and say they are unable to accommodate that disabled player.

Poker Ethics: Should I Warn an Opponent If I See Their Hand?

During an online poker game, there are only three situations in which a player can or should show their cards:

1. When the player goes all-in and gets called, and no further betting occurs — all hands must be shown to determine the winner
2. When players reach a showdown — the order and obligation to reveal depend on who took the last action
3. When a player voluntarily shows their hand after folding or winning

Outside these scenarios, online platforms ensure cards can’t be seen without cheating. But live poker rooms don’t have that level of control — and players must manage card security themselves.

Live operators typically do not have rules about unintentionally exposing cards — it’s considered each player’s personal responsibility. At the same time, they do not encourage actively trying to peek.

Unfortunately, there is no universal rulebook. Each venue decides how to manage visibility issues.

For example, Horseshoe Poker Room’s house rules include the following:

• Players must protect their own hand at all times
• Cards must be kept in clear view
• Cards read themselves; dealers assist in reading hands, and all winning hands must be exposed face-up
• It is improper for a guest to look at any hand in action and may result in removal

So, according to these rules, players must protect their hand — but are not obliged to warn others if they see exposed cards. Still, this is just one casino’s policy. You should always check the rules of the specific venue where you’re playing.

As shown in the discussion above, the ethical side of seeing another player’s hand is far more complex — because players have vastly different moral standards.

There are three popular points of view when it comes to unintentionally seeing someone’s hand:

1. Warn them at least once. After that, if they don’t fix the issue, you’re morally free to exploit it.
2. Base your action on their behavior. If they’re rude or toxic, you owe them nothing. If they’re decent, you owe them a heads-up.
3. Don’t worry about it. Their cards, their problem. You’re under no ethical obligation.

All three perspectives can be valid, depending on your personal code of conduct.

If you’re torn, the Golden Rule — “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — is a good place to start.
Ask yourself: Would I want to be warned if my cards were showing?