So What Do You Prefer in a Dealer?

[GoblinMason (Craig)]

2 things:

1. Quick/Accurate dealing skills
2. Politeness (saying thanks when tipped)

In regards to #2, if they don't say thanks for tips they don't get any from me.

-Craig

[LockLow34]

One characteristic I like in a dealer is when she leaves the chips that were bet in front of the player that bet them until all action on that street is done.

[The Ocho]

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I've seen too many low-limit dealers at Foxwoods who appear not to give a crap about string bets especially

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If I recall correctly: at foxwoods, dealers are not supposed to call string bets. It's up to the players to call them out if they care enough to do so. This may be the standard at most casinos, but I don't get out enough to really remember.

[toots]

I'll modify a previous poster's list:

1. Make the game pleasurable. If this means banter, all the better
2. Don't float/expose cards
3. Always announce the number of players going to the next street
4. Call the floor immediately if there are any disputes

I'm going to forgive a lot if they get #1 right. I don't play big stakes; I play for fun. Most of the rest of the people at the table are there for the same reason. I mean, if anyone's at a binky-stakes table looking to make a living, they got bigger problems than the dealer.

If I want maximum hands/hour with as little dealer interference/mistakes as possible, I'll stick to online. The reason I go to the casino is to have the entire experience: playing with real chips, touching real cards, bantering with real players and dealers.

I will tend to tip dealers more if they're making the game more fun for me, and the way to do that isn't to be grim and machine-like.

Some of my better B&M moments at Foxwoods:

Anytime "Shirley" (I think that's her name - crusty older woman) sits down

The time at that $5/10 game when we were all giving the dealer crap for not rapping his tokes before dropping them in his box ("You didn't whack! I thought the whack was mandatory!), and he was playing back at us. The others almost didn't notice that I nearly doubled my buy-in while all of this was going on.

When the dealers use their catch phrases ("Three hardy players!")

Any time I get a sourpuss at the table, complaining that the dealer isn't good enough, I tend to do things just to piss him (the sourpuss) off. Amazing how much tilt-mileage you can get from an angry old rock just by straddling a few times. Yeah, it's -EV cash-wise, but +EV fun-wise.

[four eight suited]

The Professional Poker Dealers Handbook says that conversing with the players is a mistake and is unprofessional. I found this to be true in my B&M experiences in vegas. My favorite would be polite and responsive to any questions I had, but never distracting by commenting on the action, conversing with other players or asking any questions

[mostsmooth]

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the best dealers are hot asian chicks with big cans

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<-------- for you sir

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thats what im talkin about!!!

[pokermama]

Thank you all for your replies.. I have played poker for years in the B&M's and started dealing to improve my game..

I know that I tried to model myself after the dealers I enjoyed the most..

1. Dealing as many hands an hour as I can (I am up to 20+)
2. Being accurate no misdeals..
3. Calling the bets out to the players.. letting them know when the action is to them.. how many players are in for the flop, turn and river..

Catch phrases.. I go with.. "He's firing out... bet is XXX"
I always announce raises.. "He's raising to XX, XX to call"


Then I always say "Players your final card is".... then turn it

The only banter I do is when I am shuffling the cards.. just small jib jabs... nothing major or offensive...

I remind the players of no string betting.. and of course with all the new players on the limit game how much the bet can be...

Finally, I always try to smile and be pleasant and silent during the play other than to announce who the action is on and what the call/check or bet is.

I have learned several regular player's names, so I try to call them by their name...

Of course in No-Limit's I mostly call the action and no banter unless a player starts it.. then I try to end it quickly before I deal the next hand.

Again, thanks.. and it looks like I am on the right track..

See you all at the tables..

Sarah

OH and I thank everyone very much for their tokes...

[MtDon]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, that I particularly like: Stack the chips, rather than having them just in a pile.

I have neuropathy in my hands (lack of feeling) which makes it difficult to stack a lot of chips.

It's especially frustrating when the dealer stacks the chips during the play of the hand and then pushes them all into a pile to give the pot to me.

Also,it is nice for the dealer to know all the players names.

-- Don

[Randy_Refeld]

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One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, that I particularly like: Stack the chips, rather than having them just in a pile.


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There are occasional reasons to stack (like the given) but in a one winner game you should not stack the chips. Excessive handling of the chips can give the appearance that the dealer is stealing chips out of the pot. Also it is inappropiate to draw attention to the size of the pot. ALso a lot of players enjoy stacking up their pots.

Randy Refeld

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi pokermama:

The number one attribute that I like to see in dealers is no extraneous talking when in the box. We emphasized this point in the Professional Poker Dealer's Handbook. It's better for the players, and it's much better for you.

best wishes,
mason