There’s just a little bit of Grumble Bitch going on in my head right now. Every night of dealing, I hit the big game…$2,000-4,000 Mixed. Ok, that’s the luck of the draw and it can happen to anyone. Right now I’m about two to three weeks where I haven’t missed it if I worked my full shift. I really don’t mind dealing it except for the fact that it costs me money…as in there is very little ever given in that game in the way of a toke – unless I happen to push Chau a few pots.
Normally I skip through that game without any bruises but Tonight I was reprimanded by Jennifer – it all started with my announcing, “Time pot!”
The table rack in this game carries an extra $1,000 to make sure the dealer has enough change to take Time and to give players change for cocktail tips, etc.
I put a $500 chip into the pot, during the hand, and took out four $100 chips and change so I could take $70 in Time (seven players). No one said a word while I was doing this. Why should they? This is procedure.
Jennifer won the pot. After I pushed it, she threw five $100 chips to me and told me to give her the $500 out of the rack. I said, “Ok.”
She said something else I didn’t catch.
“Pardon?”
It went something like this, “You don’t have to make change or take time. We’ll pay it when the pot is pushed.”
I didn’t say a word. I just have to marvel at the “control” thing going on here. I’ve known Jennifer for years. Way back when…she even came to the house I shared with another person for BBQ’s and people gatherings. We weren’t really in the same group, yet we were. Sometimes I get a hug and warm words from her – sometimes I get ice. I try to figure out each move and step to save myself.
On the subject of Time – I really don’t need a player telling me that I should take it according to the player’s rules. I am employed by Bellagio and I do my job well on all counts. I don’t need the lecture – a little help now and then would be great. But I guess I’m just a dealer and she’s SOMEONE!
This game can be quite frustrating no matter what happens. A few minutes into my down, Ralph announced that he was ‘playing the pot out’. That’s absolutely out of the question and all of the players in this limit know it – yet they continue to announce they are ‘playing the pot out’.
As soon as he announced it, I called, “Carmen!”
She appeared and I asked, “Are they allowed to play the pot out?” Of course I know they can’t but why should I say anything else here…it’s a no win for me? Playing the pot out means they have money, it’s just not on the table and they will go get it, if needed.
Carmen said they could not and Ralph’s tone became hard, “I’m playing the pot out!”
I persisted, “Ralph says he’s playing the pot out.”
Carmen stated that it was a gaming law and they could not play the pot out. At that point Ralph asked Eli to give him $50,000. Two little chips flew down the table…the issue was over. Why does it ever even come up? I suppose because all dealers do not make a stand.
*****
My next game was heads-up $60-120 Razz with Jack P. and Buffy. No…I’m really not familiar with Buffy although I’ve dealt to him lately. I announced, “Time pot.”
They both put $10 – that’s the amount of the ante in this game – out in front of them. I took $14 out of the $20 and left $6 in the pot…that’s what the standard is.
Jack told me to give them each back $3. I did and as I made the change, I said, “I thought the Time would come out of the antes.”
Buffy apparently didn’t hear a word I said. “Well how else would we pay Time unless you wanted to pay it for us?”
BOOO-WAHHH-HAHAHAHAH! Of course I want to pay it for you, honey. I’m going to go in the hole for $14 for the half hour but left me open up my wallet and pay so you can play poker. Shit! Where is this guy coming from?
They antied up after they got their change. I must have slammed out about 30 hands in that half hour because they rarely went to 4th Street. I kind of get a kick out of Jack and he talked to me through most of the game. Sometimes I didn’t hear what he said (Caramel was hopping and bopping with music and bodies and it was difficult to hear anything) so I just nodded in agreement and he kept talking. Hell, it helped pass the half hour, and he did tip me $1 – three times.
*****
My first down of the night was the final table for Wednesday’s NLH Tournament. My friend Jed was in the 3s and ended up winning the tourney although they cut some kind of deal just as I was getting pushed. He recently moved to Vegas from Seattle and is planning on doing some writing, intermingled with playing poker, and promised hikes with Yours Truly. Good for him on the win! He has a blog link at PokerWorks.
*****
A little NLH nightmare in the $10-20 – for the player. The 6s bet $240 on the River – stacked it out in three stacks, four chips high – the 9s thought and thought and finally put out $120 of the bet. I told him the bet was $240 and he tried to take back his call and throw his hand away. I told him that I didn’t believe he could do that but I would get a decision.
Three other players at the table jumped in and told me could, one of them even stated that his call wasn’t half the bet…of course it was but what the hell does half the bet have to do with this?
I called for a decision, Carmen arrived, after it was explained – NO! He could not do that. He either had to leave the $120 and fold, or complete the call and see the ‘showdown’.
He called the full $240 with two pair and lost to a straight.
It is not my job to announce the amount unless a player asks…so get that question out of your head right now! Poker is a ‘group awareness program’…play accordingly.