Who Shuffles?

[Toonces]

What's the best procedure for shuffling/cutting/dealing in a home game? Our tradition is that the dealer takes in the cards at the end of his deal, shuffles, then passes the deck 1 to the left for cutting, who then passes 1 to the left to the new dealer. The only problem is that the same person who cuts the deck is also gathering cards in after dealing.

What method to you guys use? Is there an established procedure here?

[Expunge]

the guy who cuts the cards gathers them to the point that they are all in front of him. then cuts the new deck. then straightns the cards and shuffles.

[nuclear500]

Dealer shuffles, person to the right has option to cut.

[Yawkey]

At my games we use two decks, one red one blue that way they don't get mixed up. The dealer shuffles the deck that they will deal, the person to their right cuts the deck, and the dealer deals. Meanwhile the person to the dealers left is shuffling the deck not in play, the theory is that it will be ready to deal as soon as the current hand is over. Using two decks really helps to keep the game moving along without much dead time.

[Lottery Larry]

Button deals, gathers cards after hand, shuffles deck thoroughly. Pass the deck, cut card on top, two places to the left (person in between is currently dealer #2 with another deck)

Person who receives the deck (dealer #3) cuts the deck and deals after the current hand is over. In the meantime, dealer #2 gathers old cards, shuffles....

and so on

[DrNo888]

This is how we do it also.

[warewulf]

[ QUOTE ]
At my games we use two decks, one red one blue that way they don't get mixed up. The dealer shuffles the deck that they will deal, the person to their right cuts the deck, and the dealer deals. Meanwhile the person to the dealers left is shuffling the deck not in play, the theory is that it will be ready to deal as soon as the current hand is over. Using two decks really helps to keep the game moving along without much dead time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. Also, the deck should be shuffled 7 times, stripped at least once. The 7 times thing is important -- I have seen guys shuffle two or three times because everyone is waiting for them, not enough.

warewulf

[Lottery Larry]

One thing I personally do to help the randomness- occasionally, during the shuffles (I aim for 7 or more) i break into a small stack and a larger stack- 2:1 or greater- and shuffle that, then go back to even stacks or stripping or both.

[GoblinMason (Craig)]

We've started using a dedicated player dealer (usually me or one other person) and have the person on the button shuffle. It works out very well.

-Craig

[dandy_don]

[ QUOTE ]
At my games we use two decks, one red one blue that way they don't get mixed up. The dealer shuffles the deck that they will deal, the person to their right cuts the deck, and the dealer deals. Meanwhile the person to the dealers left is shuffling the deck not in play, the theory is that it will be ready to deal as soon as the current hand is over. Using two decks really helps to keep the game moving along without much dead time.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the way we do it as well and it keeps the game moving; no lag time.

[TenPercenter]

[ QUOTE ]
At my games we use two decks, one red one blue that way they don't get mixed up. The dealer shuffles the deck that they will deal, the person to their right cuts the deck, and the dealer deals. Meanwhile the person to the dealers left is shuffling the deck not in play, the theory is that it will be ready to deal as soon as the current hand is over. Using two decks really helps to keep the game moving along without much dead time.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the general guide we follow, but only because it seems to make sense. It's not like we set down rules about it.

I always play with two decks. I NEVER make a set rule about who shuffles. Whoever wants to shuffle can do it, why not? I am a fast shuffler, so I ususally shuffle most of the time anyway.


I played at a home game a couple of weeks ago, and the rules were STRICT on who shuffles, and it was taking a lot of time and causing confusion trying to get these rules just right. I tried to offer shuffling full time and they were having none of that. These guys also used the Small Blind button and the Big Blind button, which I never found I needed. No one else liked having to shuffle three buttons on every hand.

Ten

[niagarapoker]

[ QUOTE ]
Button deals, gathers cards after hand, shuffles deck thoroughly. Pass the deck, cut card on top, two places to the left (person in between is currently dealer #2 with another deck)

Person who receives the deck (dealer #3) cuts the deck and deals after the current hand is over. In the meantime, dealer #2 gathers old cards, shuffles....

and so on

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly how our league does it. Thanks for typing it all out so I didn't have to /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[MIKSEN]

exactly what Lottery Larry said is what we do, unless some one is out & decides to become the dealer

[Rams_Law]

Like others, we use two contrasting color decks in rotation. The object of our system is that one person shuffles, another cuts, a third deals. Since the BB is last to act, he shuffles the deck for the next hand. When the current hand is over, current button gathers and passes the used deck to UTG (who will be BB and shuffle next hand). Former BB, now SB, passes the shuffled ("washed") deck to his right, who becomes the button for the next hand. New button/dealer offers the cut to his right, and away we go.

Funny situation happened once; I'm button with the blue deck, after some pre-flop action BB folds to a raise and now has nothing to do and a deck of cards in his hands. Preflop action is done, he beats me to it by burning and turning three reds. Took a beat for the shock to wear off and we laughed it off and were glad to be playing with two very contrasting color decks.

[gmunny]

In our home game the Dealer always washes/shuffles the cards he just dealt. Since we use 2 decks (speeds up play), that means that the current dealer will use the cards that were shuffled by the 2nd player on his right. The cut is offered to the left of the dealer.
G$

[namknils]

Here is how we do it at my weekly game:

The dealer (button) shuffles, passes the deck to the person on his right, who cuts, then the dealer deals the cards. Most of the time the cutter just taps the deck anyway.

It's nice to have a game that you never have to worry about cheating in. I would never accuse anybody in my game of cheating, because I know they wouldn't. Even when we have new people in our game we always know them and there has never been a problem. I'm sure some people will think that it's crazy to never look out for cheating, but to them I would just say 'you don't know the players in my game.'

It's nice.

[RVZFan]

So the dude has to shuffle and play at the same time?

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

Like others, we use two decks. The dealer gathers the cards after the deal and shuffles while the player on his left deals. He then passes the shuffled cards to the player to the current dealer's left, who cuts and deals in turn. Much less down time. I try to get the Moose to play this way, but they refuse. I think they are WAY too enamored of saying, "I can't catch nothing, where's the red deck" to allow a deck change every hand.

[Lottery Larry]

"Funny situation happened once; I'm button with the blue deck, after some pre-flop action BB folds to a raise and now has nothing to do and a deck of cards in his hands. Preflop action is done, he beats me to it by burning and turning three reds. Took a beat for the shock to wear off and we laughed it off and were glad to be playing with two very contrasting color decks"

I have that beat- small NL tournament, flop is 2 spades. One player all-in with red Aces, other with Q5s. Turn and river are dealt, no spades; aces collect the pot. Then the dealer notices that he dealt from the wrong deck for the last two board cards!
After some discussion, the incorrect cards are removed, the proper deck is used.... and the new river card is a spade.

[AwesomeAli]

In the UK we appear to do things a bit differently. I use this method at my own home game which I *stole* from my local casino (whats good for the casino is good for me after all /images/graemlins/grin.gif):

Three people are involved in the the shuffle/cut/deal process:

Person to the dealers LEFT shuffles the cards. He then passes them over to the person on the dealers RIGHT, who then cuts them onto the cut card. The dealer then picks up the deck and deals the cards.

In my local casino you are NOT allowed to shuffle and deal in the same hand - even if someone else cuts them before you deal.

First person out at my home game tho, always deals - so that solves any problems /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ali

[VinnyTheFish]

[ QUOTE ]


Three people are involved in the the shuffle/cut/deal process:

Person to the dealers LEFT shuffles the cards. He then passes them over to the person on the dealers RIGHT, who then cuts them onto the cut card. The dealer then picks up the deck and deals the cards.



[/ QUOTE ]

This is exaclty what my favorite local tournament does. We have 2 decks, red & blue. We also have a yellow cut card.

Let's say the 1st hand of the night is being played. The big Blind is shuffling the other deck as the hand is played. The hand ends. Dealer places all unused cards in the muck pile, but keeps the yellow cut card. Big blind passes the shuffled deck to the dealer, who inserts the yellow cards, and finishes the cut (with the yellow card on the bottom). Dealer (old hand) now plasses the ready deck to the new dealer who begins the hand.

As all this is happening, Big Blind is collecting the previously used cards and the process repeats.

I love this simply because the new dealer never shuffles a card nor sees the bottom card. The deck can be lifted off teh table for dealing, since the bottom card is covered.

It also really keeps the game moving.

I play in 4 or 5 differnet home games a month, ironically they all have differnet rules for who shuffles.

My favorite was a tournament where they insisted on using a dealer button without a "set" dealer. There was no need for the button and all it did was confuse people. Is it that hard to conclude that the guy with the deck in his hand is the dealer?

/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[maryfield48]

[ QUOTE ]
Person to the dealers LEFT shuffles the cards. He then passes them over to the person on the dealers RIGHT, who then cuts them onto the cut card. The dealer then picks up the deck and deals the cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto in this ex-colony.

[Arsene Lupin III]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, the deck should be shuffled 7 times, stripped at least once. The 7 times thing is important -- I have seen guys shuffle two or three times because everyone is waiting for them, not enough.

warewulf

[/ QUOTE ]

You definitely don't need 7 shuffles. Scramble riffle riffle box riffle cut is all that's necessary if you scramble. Otherwise riffle riffle box riffle box riffle cut works. Unfortunately, most people take waaaaaaaaaaaaay too long to riffle by bridging and lining the cards up slowly. Watch a dealer at a casino and learn!

[warewulf]

I played in a game last weekend and couldn't help but think of this thread -- They have the last dealer shuffle the used deck. When the hand is over the dealer gathers the deck. When the next hand is over, he passes the deck to the left. The guy on the left cuts and passes one more to the left. I thought this was the absolute worst way to shuffle/cut. Every time a new player comes in this has to be explained multiple times every time they are involved. When asking why they do this I got the usual answer -- THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS. When the guy hosting was knocked out the guy directly across from me suggested -- anyone else want to switch to traditional shuffling -- Dealer shuffles, cut to the right? We all agreed.

Any variance of having the dealer shuffle and cut to the right always causes confussion and too much wasted time explaining.

warewulf

[Lottery Larry]

"Any variance of having the dealer shuffle and cut to the right always causes confussion and too much wasted time explaining."

The "dealer shuffles, passes deck to the left" cuts down on the worry of the dealer manipulating cards, or two side-by-side players working together to cheat.

[Accident]

We give everyone their own deck. Started as a goof but works out really well. After you deal you gather up the cards and shuffle at your leisure. It's gonna be 4 to 6 deals until you have to be ready. Sped things up faster than w/just 2 decks. I have 8 decks of KEM's to use also. Helps.
Accident /images/graemlins/club.gif

[LetsRock]

We use a dedicated player/dealer in our games and have 2 decks in play.

HAving 2 decks in play speeds things up a lot. ONe of the non-dealers is shuffling the deck that is out of play, while a hand is in progress. After the hand, the dealer puts a riffle on the deck and cuts them. Besides speeding things up, having 2 decks inplay highly reduces the chances that any one person can influence the setup of the deck since there are always 2 differrent sets of hands on the deck before the deal.

[Drac]

We also use a dedicated dealer. Red deck goes to the person on the right to shuffle, blue to the person on the left. Dealer cuts, deals. Shuffle is spread two to the left/right, three to left/right at times to share the fun.

[jalsing]

I usually do all the dealing/shuffling in our games as I'm most adept at it. Although there is some dead time while I shuffle, I find it gives the "chatty" players the time they need to tell us about their insignificant lives...