A friend of mine came into the room on Wednesday night, the 12th – Jon. I was out on a “play” and we visited about life in general, poker, where we used to be and where we are now. Two other people that I really enjoy are here also, Ralph from Florida, he’s promised to hike with me when he comes back in January, and Frederic from the Belgium Consulate in the Congo, he’s the subject of a post in 12/9/2000. Funny how poker explodes into your life and you either stay in it or eventually move on to other things…the best of it is that you make some great friends along the way and they stay with you.
*****
I dealt the $1,000-$2,000 mixed game on Table 2 – one of the games was Deuce to 7, Triple Draw. Normally the game is played seven handed because of the Deuce to 7 game and the 1st player out of the big blind, is dealt out in each hand. Not enough cards. Upon occasion, an exception is made and it’s played eight handed, unless a player/players object. When that happens the 1st two players out of the big blind are dealt out of each hand. When I got into the game, it had just gone eight handed to allow Curtis B. a seat.
I asked if “time” would be taken from the pot or if the winner would pay it. The discussion began about how the dealer normally would get $25 for dealing the game and $70 would go into the “time” drop. Since the game had just gone eight handed, they discussed the fact that “time” would be $80 and the dealer would get $20 instead of $25.
Eli E., a bonus to the game from my standpoint, said, “Linda’s going to object to Curtis getting a seat because it costs her money.”
I started laughing, “You damn right I am. I just got the bad beat.”
John H. came back from a cigarette break and threw me an additional $10, said he didn’t want me to get stiffed. He’s now known as Johnny World. Not a name I gave him, just a handle.
Curtis said, “I’m really glad you guys made it eight handed for me. I’d rather be sitting here stuck, than waiting thinking I could win.”
The whole game was relaxed, fun, and easy to deal although Curtis stepped into the subject of tipping and what he thought the dealers made in most games and how he felt we did better in the bigger games. He mentioned hearing dealers talk about not making any money out of some games.
I said, “The dealers that complain about not making money during a down are usually the ones that aren’t doing their job well all the time.”
He agreed with me. I do not agree with him about the big games and tipping. We make much better money from most $4-$8 Holdem games than we ever do out of a big game – this game happens to be an exception since they initiated the $25 going to the dealer in the “time” pot. But most big games are not good money for a dealer, they are just part of the shift.
*****
I dealt a four handed, $200-$400 Razz game…it was dull and lifeless but they say Razz players eat their dead so that would explain it. A player I haven’t seen in at least five years was in this game, Al. It would be all right with me if I never saw him again too. He’s no bonus.
My next game, unusual in the respect that it was single draw, $200-$400 Blind No Limit, single draw, Deuce to 7 was running short handed. Bob Stupak was in the game and he’s always up and down and in and out. He’s the reason the game would start but he’s also very hard on a game.
*begin tipping follow-up* On the subject of high limit games and tipping, I made $4 from the $200-$400 Razz Game and $2 from the $200-$400 Blind No Limit, Deuce to 7 Game. No, I’m not complaining, just following up with a point from my earlier conversation on Table 2 with Curtis. I had a very good money night due to other games and other players. *end tipping follow-up*
*****
My last game was $1-$5 7 Card Stud, all guys, and five of them were friends. One of the five was watching the game as he had gone broke earlier. It was hysterical. The 4s played off his last $7 in a hand without looking at his cards because he’d picked up nothing to play for an hour. He was really funny. He didn’t look at his cards until the hand was over and he rolled them one at a time…he was open ended for a straight but didn’t make it. His buddy in the 8s won the pot.
Then the 4s started goading the 3s, another buddy, about putting his last $13 into the next hand without looking…they were ready to go for the night. The 4s did and the buddy in the 8s won that pot too. They were all laughing and roaring, I was too. They went home for the night and so did I.