What to do about a Marked Card?

[Lost Wages]

While playing at Mandalay bay last week I noticed that one of my cards had a small black dot on the back. I picked up my cards and had Axo; it was the Ace that was marked. I mucked and then pointed out to the dealer that one of the cards had a mark. He scratched it off with his fingernail and said it was "just dirt". He looked and me like I was stupid (I get that a lot /images/graemlins/smile.gif). I'm pretty sure it was just a random speck of dirt but still it was an ace. Did I do the right thing or should I have kept my mouth shut? Would/have any of you taken advantage of a mark?

Lost Wages

[Homer]

Did I do the right thing or should I have kept my mouth shut?

You did the right thing. If you aren't satisfied with the dealer's response, tell him you want a new card substituted for the one that has been marked.

Would/have any of you taken advantage of a mark?

No.

He looked and me like I was stupid.

I only played at Mandalay Bay twice, but in my experience they have the worst employees of any poker room I have played in.

-- Homer

[JTG51]

I point out maked cards to dealers all the time. Usually they just set the deck aside after the hand and get a new set up. You absolutely did the right thing.

[JTG51]

I only played at Mandalay Bay twice, but in my experience they have the worst employees of any poker room I have played in.

You've obviously never played at Mohegan Sun on one of your trips to CT.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

Foxwoods may be catching up with the new crop of undertrained dealers they've recently put on the floor. A couple of weeks ago I was in the 4/8 game with a dealer who repeatedy tried to deal to the BB fisrt, then every time she turned a new card on the board would re-arrange the cards in ascending order. We tried our best to help her, but she spoke no english. Maybe the upside to closing the Mohegan poker room will be that the good Mohegan dealers will come work at Foxwoods.

[JTG51]

...every time she turned a new card on the board would re-arrange the cards in ascending order.

Wow, that's pretty bad. It's amazing that after 10 or 12 weeks of dealer school she would still get that wrong.

Maybe the upside to closing the Mohegan poker room will be that the good Mohegan dealers will come work at Foxwoods.

I hope so, Foxwoods definitely could use them.

[Bob T.]

You did the right thing, if you were satisfied that it was a random piece of dirt, then it is okay to continue, but given that it was an Ace, maybe you should have asked for a setup then also.

[Mike]

You did good, and I wouldn't have cared for the dealers attitude and he would have been disappointed looking for tokes from myself.

When I play I cover most of my card surface with my hand just for that reason. I am not too good at spotting card problems, and the dealers find most of them before I do. But with my hand over most of the card, it doesn't matter if it's marked - accidently or not.

I played at Crcs Crcs a few years back, and discovered an ace with a crimped corner. I told the dealer who wasn't to concerned, so I brought it up to the Floorman who was about the same. After firmly stating that a deck change was needed, it grudgingly occured. About 20 minutes later, two players showed their hands on the river, and each held the ten of spades. I wasn't impressed. At that point I decided there were better places to play.

[CrackerZack]

You mean both of them? or maybe all 3?

[Uston]

I only played at Mandalay Bay twice, but in my experience they have the worst employees of any poker room I have played in.

Hottest waitresses, though.

[Homer]

Hottest waitresses, though.

Meh. If only they actually brought you drinks once in a while. I'd just as soon have 80 year old grannies making sure I have a beer in both hands at all times, and save my ogling for after I'm done playing (of the hot young waitresses that is, not the grannies...unless the grannies were hot).

Flame away. /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

-- Homer

[Vehn]

Just call for a set up /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[elysium]

hi lost
you did the right thing. often times, a little black speck will appear on the back of a card. point it out and take time to try to remove it yourself. if you can't get it off and the dealer doesn't take the card out of play, and you see it again, i always say, 'i know what that card is.', and request that it be turned over.

the question is, if you see the card again, what do you do? well, i recommend that you do as i do, but if the dealer is going to continue to allow marked cards to be used in play, and there are no other games around,.......you still should point it out. the other players appreciate it, and it may save you from getting check-raised later on in the game.

[Uston]

If that's the way you feel, Homer, I'll suggest you play at Mirage the next time you're in Vegas. Sure, the waitresses won't keep the beer coming fast enough, but many of them are pushing 80. A .500 average ain't bad.