There are many new rules popping up in tournaments lately. Earlier this year, a group of tournament managers, players, and employees got together and adopted 14 universal rules that will benefit players in tournaments. This was the first step in what is hoped will become a whole set of standardized rules.

One of the rules that has become popular in many tournaments reads:

"A player who intentionally or unintentionally exposes his hand before all action is complete, and in doing so is trying to gain information or influence further action, will have his hand declared dead."

This rule is designed to prevent a player from taking a shot, otherwise known as shooting an angle.

Over the years, I have seen many players, some of whom are very well-known, turn their hands faceup when it is their turn to act, trying to get a read on the player who has just moved all in before them. Under the guidelines of this new rule, these players' hands would be declared dead, as they are trying to gain information. I have also seen many players bet, then show one or both of their cards to a player who has a draw to entice him to fold.

There are arguments for both sides of this rule, but I think that instituting this rule is the best thing for poker, and in the long run will eliminate cheap shots.

A player from Phoenix recently sent me a letter asking me my opinion of two experiences he had with this rule. He described the two situations:

1. Player A (the player who wrote to me) was in the late stage of a tournament with three large stacks of chips. His opponent had only seven or eight chips. Player A, thinking the other player was all in, exposed his hand before the action had been completed, as the other player still had chips. His hand was declared dead.

2. Player A had a low stack of chips late in a tournament. Another player did not see his small stack and exposed his hand. Thinking the other player was mucking his hand, and also remembering that his hand had been declared dead in the same situation, Player A mucked his hand, thinking he was going to be pushed the pot. He was surprised when the ruling was made that he had mucked his hand and the other player would receive the pot.

These two situations are one in the same, but somewhat different. The rule is designed to prevent a player from using information that he was not entitled to have to his advantage. In situation No. 1, Player A's hand should have been declared dead, as there was still action to take place in the hand. By exposing his hand, he had given information, although unintentionally, to the other player. This could have resulted in a different outcome on that particular hand. What happened here was that the other player knew the rule and used it. Player A did not know the rule, but even if he did, he probably wouldn't have done anything different, as he thought the other player was all in.

In situation No. 2, Player A did not call attention to the prematurely exposed hand. He then released his cards, surrendering his right to the pot. Player A should have called for a ruling as soon as the other player's hand was exposed. He then would have been given the same ruling that went against him the previous time.

I think this rule will catch on and players will get used to it being used in all tournaments. Although it would be nice if the rule was always enforced, it is up to the player to call attention to the infraction, as oftentimes it can be missed by the dealer.

It is a player's responsibility to know the rules that are being used in the tournament he is playing, and sometimes it is the player's responsibility to enforce a rule. If the dealer automatically enforced all rules, the game would become overregulated. After all, there is a human element to the game of poker that requires each player to pay attention and watch out for his best interests.