blackshoe, on 2014-January-16, 23:54, said:
When you think something irregular has happened, you should call the director. If it's something he can fix when you call him, and you wait, and then he can't fix it, you've screwed up. Players are not required to know all the nuances of the law - they will rarely have a clue whether the TD can fix something "now" or must wait. The exception to this, of course, is when the law specifically tells you when to call, for example, immediately when you realized you mis-explained an agreement, or "when play ends" for a possible use of UI. Even that, though, players will need a little experience to get straight.
If a player is aware that whatever the problem is can't be fixed right away, then sure, he can wait. But that's unlikely even among players with some experience — and don't forget, the event in the op occurred in a 299er section.
If you consider it an irregularity that you pick up a hand that is astonishly similar to a hand you have already played then fine, do go ahead and call the director.
But I will consider it a remarkable coincidence until I have better indications that there really is an irregularity, and not cause any curiosity among the other players that there might be something special with my own hand.
And if there really is an irregularity of the kind we discuss it makes no real difference if the director call is delayed until we have finished up the board.
I have little or no idea what is meant by a 299er session but guess that it implies inexperienced players. So what?
How would you rule if a player picks up his cards, exclaims for everybody to hear: "Gee, I have had this hand already", and it turns out that while he is correct he is the only player at the table having the same hand in two different deals?