When somebody in poker says to you the term, ‘Showdown’ the most likely cause is a memory of a movie with a couple of bad guys in the West getting ready for a gunfight, with the townsfolk looking on. Fortunately, casino poker rooms have evolved since then, and the only triggerman is the dealer handing out the cards!
A ‘showdown’ essentially means a winner has to be declared, and refers to the number of original players left at the end of the game that has been there since the beginning (usually two or more). Why don’t all poker players show their cards instead of dragging it out? Well, they could, but they choose not to. Showdown rules prevent poker games from becoming a stalemate where players refuse to show their cards. The procedure of the game can go one of two ways, and betting on the last street may determine the outcome of the procedures used.
The player holding the live cards will show theirs if there wasn’t a previous bet. Players must show his or her cards face up to determine if they have won the hand, but players can also pass their cards to the dealer face down if they know they’re not a winner. If however, there was betting on the last street, the last player to make an aggressive action, (by betting or raising the stakes,) is obligated to reveal his cards first, and then the showdown proceeds around the table clockwise from his position.
However, some players won’t go with the program as they prefer to play the waiting game in hopes of someone growing impatient and revealing their cards first. In a situation like this, the player’s bluff has been called, and he wants to hide his embarrassment; and he’s waiting for someone else to take the pressure off of him.