One episode from my cash game at the Rio last night was both amusing and perversely satisfying to me.
Two seats to my right was a very large man, with commensurately large hands. He had the bad habit of keeping one hand over his hole cards while playing, and that was enough to make them mostly invisible.
At one point, the woman to my immediate right acted out of turn. I was suprised when the dealer stopped her and indicated that it wasn't her action, because I, too, thought that it was. It was only after the dealer pointed to Big Guy that we noticed his cards. I could see only one little corner of them peeking out from under his hand, and both I and the woman next to me had overlooked them.
She and I both pointed out to the dealer that this was problematic. He didn't see it that way. "His cards are right there," he said.
Idiot dealer doesn't see that this is a problem. This is the first dealer I've ever encountered who isn't willing to insist that a player keep his cards plainly visible. So I decide that rather than call the floor over or otherwise make a big fuss over it, I'll put up with it for 30 minutes, and presumably the next dealer will be willing to do his job and ask the player not to cover his cards.
About 20 minutes later, in the middle of a hand, the same dealer tries to get me to take my turn. But this time the tables are turned (so to speak). I have noticed that Big Guy has cards and hasn't acted yet, and it's the dealer who missed seeing them, because Big Guy has his hand over them. I say, "It's not my turn," and point at Big Guy. Dealer then notices the cards, drops his head in embarrassment, and gives a wry smile. He obviously realizes the irony in the situation.
I'm still pretty annoyed that he refused to take action when two players were telling him that this was a problem, so I needle him. "What's the trouble? His cards are right there." Dealer shoots me a dirty look, but I'm not done. "Seriously--it's not a problem when the players can't tell that he has cards, but then it is a problem when you can't?" Dealer is now clearly peeved with me, and he says, "No need to get smart about it, guy."
Well, yes, there is a need to get smart about it. It is to drive home a point to somebody who is demonstrably either too stupid, too stubborn, or too uncaring to deal with it otherwise. If one player is covering his cards to such an extent that the two people to his left can't easily tell if he is still in the hand or not, that is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Period. It doesn't require yelling or recrimination or chastisement--just a polite, friendly request to the player that he not cover his cards. It's about the simplest thing in the world. If you as a dealer refuse to intervene in such a simple situation, you earn my scorn and my ridicule when you fall victim to the exact same problem. Had you dealt with it when it was pointed out to you, you wouldn't now have to be embarrassed.
Do your job, and we won't have a problem. Don't do your job, and I'm going to mock you when it comes back to bite you in the butt. That's how I roll.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Karma can be a bitch
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8 comments:
Does it make you feel better to talk shit to the dealer on here since its obvious that you have a nepolean complex and didnt have the balls to do it in person!
This is the first dealer I've ever encountered who isn't willing to insist that a player keep his cards plainly visible.
Dealers work for tips, last I checked, so you would think there would be some motivation to do a good job.
@Anonymous: Speaking of balls, why don't you grow a pair and sign on as "somebody," instead of taking a shot as anonymous?
Anonymous,
You are probably that dealer that Grump is referring to in his post. Notice that Grump told the dealer that that it's only a problem when it inconveniences the dealer, but not the other players.
Please read the post thoroughly and capitalize Napolean. The short guy deserves it.
@Anonymous: Does it make you feel better to talk shit on here under anonymous so that you can't be ridiculed for your insanity and ignorance? He clearly needled the poor schmuck of a dealer in person. There is no need to become a rude "shit talker" when subtle nudging of the ironic truth is just as effective and much more civil.
Besides, a huge scene caused over this at that time would have been dumb. It was let go originally until it caused issue again. A small delay in game to needle the dealer to teach him a lesson (one he hopefully learned) was justified, but to go on and delay the game longer was not. I for one say it was handled perfectly.
The problem with the world today (especially online) is that everyone thinks you have to insult, use foul language, and verbally attack someone for anything done wrong. Sometimes just for being "annoying."
BTW, it's the internet, make free use of one of the many dictionary sites or even a simple search engine. It's "Napoleon" not "nepolean".
Have a nice day.
Hey john you said there was no need to stop the game for such a minor infraction,have you read this guys blog he stops the game over the piddlyest shit you could imagine.He whines and cries about every little thing he is not the type of player who is good for the game he is the opposite. He basically destroys every game he plays in because of his constant obssesive compulsive bitching and whining about even the most minute rules.
@ Anon #2: I have played with the Grump on several occasions. He rarely says much, and a lot of the stuff he complains about on this blog he never mentions at the table. When he does bring up a rules issue at the table, it seems it is usually for a good reason. Frankly, if dealers and players all knew and observed the rules, the game would be better for everyone. Since that ideal has not been reached, sometimes players are put in an uncomfortable position of deciding whether to keep quiet (and let the problem continue to fester) or speaking up (and getting branded as a malcontent). There's probably a line that can be drawn between helpfully pointing out an error and being an obnoxious rules nit, but it's a pretty tough line to see sometimes.
As for the Grump, although he may cross that line on occasion, I think he's overwhelmingly good for the games he's playing, and for the Game as a whole.
Grump's blog has moved up a notch. Now he has trolls, too!
Sure sign you're becoming an internet player.
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