Considering training to be a dealer -- any thoughts?

[QuadsOverQuads]

The situation at the Muckleshoot was very specific, and marked the end of my first year as a poker player. I posted a personal history here a couple months back, but suffice it to say that I did this at a time when there were extreme external situations that had caused me to jump way too deep into the poker world before my skills were sufficient to justify it. I have since quit for a time, regrouped, revamped my game from top to bottom, and have posted a winning year this year. And, yes, I do have detailed records to prove it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

The big thing for me is the bankroll rather than the ring game play itself (although I just picked up SSH, and I expect that will improve my ring game play a bit, as well). Plus, no matter how well I play, variance will be an issue, and since I'm a relatively new player on a short bankroll, I'm aware that the psychological challenge will also be greater for me than for more experienced and more financially well-grounded players. Thus, it's a situation I'd like to stay out of until I'm better prepared for it.

On a positive note, I did make trips to two local rooms tonight, and got some good info on this subject. According to the Silver Dollar manager I talked to, prop play isn't required, although it is considered "a courtesy to other dealers". I pressed a little bit on this, and got a clear answer that whatever else it is, prop play is not a job requirement. So that much looks good.

By sheer chance, I also ran into an old friend from the Muckleshoot who just started working at SD as a dealer. This was a really nice surprise, and she also had some good suggestions for me, as well as just general catching up.

All in all, a good research expedition.

Will report more as it comes in. Now, back to reading the responses in this thread (and thanks to all who have contributed so far -- the Omaha/8 tip is something I hadn't thought of, and I definitely will start working on it).


q/q

[youtalkfunny]

Get the 2+2 "Poker Dealer's Handbook". I learned a LOT more from that book than I did at the dealer school I went to in Vegas.

If the school can hook you up with an audition, great, but don't bank on it. You don't need them anyway. Like it says in Mason's book, just put on a white shirt and black pants, walk into any room, find the guy in charge, and say, "I'd like to audition." Don't ask if they're hiring, don't ask if they need dealers, just say, "I'd like to audition." They may ask if you have experience, and they may not.

Personally, I thought the few-hundred I paid for the school was worth it. It buys you a LOT of confidence for that first audition. But I'm the type of person who takes a lot of pride in his work, and who feels foolish if he's screwing up.

You don't want to do things at an audition like forget to take the rake, or struggle figuring out how much to take. If you have a few weeks of practice under your belt, that stuff is second nature.

Learning O/8 was fantastic advice. Hell, if you really want to impress 'em, learn pot-limit! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

GL.

[bigfishead]

Few places actually have Pot Limit...so just know the guidlines and be able to at an instant know what the pot amount is. Dont worry about that.

Again, about Omaha/8....lets say it is a 4/8 game with a 1/2 kill and your dealing.

6 players call 2 bets each(not a kill pot so they are stacked in 4's). 1 of two ways to handle this. Proper way: grab 5 stacks of 4 chips...you have 20, stack them slightly to your left of center about 3 inches forward of the rack. No further out. Grab another 5 stacks of 4 chips and do the same, grab the last 2 stacks of 4 chips, place then next to the other two stacks, grab (usually $4) the rake, place it in the chute. DO NOT DROP IT YET. Burn and put out the flop.

fastest way when you have the confidence and skills: put out the flop and as the action begins you are announcing the actions and grabbing the stacks of chips like above.(grabbing the PREFLOP ONLY BETS)

after the action is complet on the flop burn & turn and start grabing stacks of chips and placing alongside the orignal stacks. All these stacks are 20 high, easy to handle come chop time, and you dont have to count.

NO MATTER what the board is...ALWAYS make stacks. many times high only flops get split too. when you have to split, lets say 7 stacks, grab 3 stacks with both hands and kinda "triangulate" them. do the same with another 3 stacks, then split the 7th stack. Push the high hand first, muck those cards, then push the low.

In the case of a 1/4'd high or low...take the 1/2 pot stacks and just split the odd stack, push to the winners. But NEVER push a single stack more than 20 chips tall.

when pushing 3 stacks + place the partial stack on top of the 3 triangulated stacks and slide them to the players.

You will find yourself dealing the slowest game at a decent pace doing this and showing true professionalism like you know what the hell your doing. This is important especially in the upper limit omaha/8 games. Lets the players relax knowing you can do it fine and they will toke you better.

O/8 can be the most lucrative or the least profitable for a dealer. If you handle the chips well, can read the board correctly, and get the players to STACK THEIR OWN BETS, it will become your favorite game to deal.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS suggest a new dealer go lose $200 MINIMUM playing the game to learn it well before dealing it. The rewards will be 10 fold.

Best wishes

[Arm187r]

What about a felony from a breaking and entering in florida? Any idea if that would prevent getting a gaming license?

[smoore]

I think any felony anywhere is a condition that's looked at when you apply in CO for a gaming license but I'm not sure if it's an automatic disqualification. You could just call the gaming comission and find out.

[bigfishead]

My understanding of Colorado is they are very tough. I know just because of tax issues thanks to a real nasty divorce I couldnt get a license there. And I am 45 with zero adult arrests. Nothing more than speeding tickets.

[WarDekar]

People might not want to answer this, but what is the average salary of a dealer? After tips? Average intro salaries? I'm just wondering because I have no idea what I want to do after I graduate and thought I might enjoy being a dealer for a while, or a prop, or both?

[WarDekar]

nt

[QuadsOverQuads]

From what I understand, typical salary is minwage + tokes. The tokes, of course, being the lion's share of the overall salary. The dealers at the games I've played the past two years were typically toked $1 per hand by the winner, sometimes $2-4 (depending on the player and the size of the pot). Multiply that by hands-per-down and you get a pretty decent number, however you look at it. This was at a large, well-run room, however, so I'm sure you'd have to adjust downward a bit for smaller rooms, and also for situations where traffic was light so they won't have all dealers in service (at which point, you're back to $6/hr).

Not a definitive answer, I realize, but the dealers I've asked pretty much don't like to give their own specific numbers, so this is the best I can do.


q/q

[juanez]

From what I hear, it really depends on where you work. What state (not particular casino), what stakes in that state, etc. Here in CO we get no more than minimum wage for a "salary". You're working for tokes. I won't go into exact numbers, but I do pretty well part time right now.

I've heard that LA and Vegas are terrible places to deal - just hearsay though, not personal experience.