A $15-$30 Stud game, one night last week, would have tried the patience of God, let alone this little mortal’s ability to deal with people that just DON’T GET IT! The worst of it is, one of the people that just didn’t get it, deals day shift and should know the rules better than anyone at the table, besides me.

First the rule:

In all Time Games, senority takes priority on seat changes.

In all raked games ($20-$40 and lower), seat change is by request. If no one has asked for a seat change and a seat opens, the new player puts anything down in the seat, i.e. chips, cash, car keys, coat on the chair, etc., the seat belongs to the person locking it up.

In this particular nightmare event, the game was $15-$30 Stud but it was going to change to $20-$40 Stud hinging on one condition, keep in mind that everyone at the table had already agreed before I got there and I was just sitting down. The 1s, Joan, was going to go to another $15-$30 stud game and trade places with Ben that wanted to play $20-$40. Her moving and the game changing was based on the fact that Ben wanted the seat she was leaving and Ben had already placed a $5 chip under the edge of the rail in her seat. Hence, he locked up the seat.

As soon as she started to rack up, the 2s, Ray, one of our dealers, said he wanted the seat. Where was Ray in the conversation before I got there? If Ben didn’t get the 1s, Joan wasn’t leaving and the game would stay $15-$30…keep in mind all of this had already been agreed upon.

I looked at the $5 chip under the edge of the rail and asked Joan, “Ben already locked this seat up?”

The answer was ‘yes’ and if Ben couldn’t have the 1s, she wasn’t leaving.

I stated that since Ben had locked the seat up, it was his seat.

Ray started an argument with me, “He has preference over player’s in the game?”

Me, “He locked the seat up, it’s his seat.”

Ray, “Even over players already in the game, amazing,” as he started to put his chips in the rack…he was leaving.

My thought, then go quietly please.

Ben got his seat. Ray kept mumbling about how amazing it was that a new player could have a seat choice over someone that had been playing…blah, blah, blah, and finally left. But he came by the table after cashing out and gave me a, “Sorry, Honey.”

And I’m sure he still believed that I was wrong. Shouldn’t he know the rules? Don’t even try to answer that one.

The 7s in this game, Josh, is someone I’ve been dealing to off and on for a few years. He’s not consistently a regular but plays often enough that we greet each other and we’ve never had any kind of dispute when he’s played and I’ve dealt. This session changed that.

He was grumbling about his bad luck, in general, nothing specific directed at me or anyone else. He got involved in more than one pot while I was dealing and didn’t win. He also had several people walk up behind him and distract his game with conversation.

The hand that started all of the problem found him with buried A-A and he was the low card. The action ended up three way and all the raises went in. The down side of it is that Josh started this hand with a lone $100 bill and a few chips in front of him. He dropped a roll of $100’s on the table and when fourth street hit, he had $15 left in chips.

He threw out a $100 and I told him it didn’t play, that he could only play the $15 in chips.

He informed me that he had pulled this money out of his pocket when he put in his ante. When this hand started, he was interrupted by a visitor and that may be why his money didn’t go on the table, he had it in his hand.

I told him that he may have pulled it out of his pocket but it didn’t go onto the table until after the action started.

He argued. None of the other seven players agreed with him or me, they never said a word. Normally if someone saw him bring out the money, they would have jumped in on his behalf.

I asked him if he wanted me to call for a decision.

He emphatically informed me that if I did, Suzie would favor his side.

I said, “No she wouldn’t. She’d make the correct decision.”

Josh, “I guarantee you, she will favor me in the decision.”

I said, “Make up your mind now. Do you want a decision? Don’t wait until the hand is over and then decide you want one.”

He grumbled that he didn’t want one but still insisted that the money had been on the table and he’d never had a problem with me before, why were we having one now.

I didn’t even answer. He lost the hand to two small pair.

The 5s looked at me and asked if I was ready for a drink.

I said, “Hell Y-E-S!” We both laughed.

I went on down the line right into a little rock and roller $4-$8 Holdem game. They just wanted to gamble…thank you, God!