That’s me. Although there’s a written demand from management, hanging on the wall in the office right beside the time clock, informing all dealers to enforce the betting line rule in NLH and Tournaments, I continually hear that I’m the only one that enforces the rule. I know I’m not the only one but there are probably quite a few dealers that don’t.

I felt the steam starting to rise in my head when I dealt a must move $10-20NLH game and the 2s threw out four $20 chips with only three of them clearing the line. I announced, “$60,” and pushed the other chip back to him. He never said a word.

The BB became the champion of the 2s. It went something like this, “You are the only dealer that ever says anything, you know what he meant to do,” as he glared at me.

I replied, “No…I’m NOT the only dealer that enforces that.”

“Yes you are, you’re the only one…blah…blah…blah…”

As the action came around, the BB acted like he was doing something wonderful for the world of poker and looking at the 2s, stated, “Here…(waggling two $20 chips in the air for effect) I’m going to raise it for you. Don’t punish me now.”

Poor BB. He had to give up his extra bets on the flop and someone else won the pot but it didn’t slow him down as he went on and on about me.

The 4s spoke on my behalf and the fact that the line rule was a dumb rule but at least I enforced it. The BB kept hammering at me, and I argued back at him briefly – telling him again that I was NOT the only dealer that enforced it since that seemed to be his big gripe with life in general at that moment.The 4sfinally got the full attention of the BB andI slipped into almost oblivion for a half hour.

The2s was really cute about the whole thing, giving me a flirtatious smile several times andsetting his chips down firmly while he announced his bet/raise.He had no issue with any of it so what the hell was the stink about?

Earlier in my shift I dealt a $2-5NLH game and when I sat down, I asked, “Everyone understands the line? Right?”

The 5s asked, “If we see a line on the table, we have to do it right?”

I cracked up and said, “I get first chance at it.”

I did go on to explain that bets had to cross the line or the amount had to be stated.

Yup. About 10 minutes later a player bet, throwing out five $5 chips and only two of them crossed the line. He at least didn’t have a cow and a calf when I said the bet was $10.

But even later in my shift, in another $2-5NLH game, filled with all experienced players, the 8s threw out chips and one of them didn’t clear the line. I announced his bet and he told me that I knew what he was trying to do and that’s what he wanted to bet. I explained that we had a line as a cut off point and the bets had to clear the line. He wanted a floor man called. Four other players in the game informed him that was the rule. He didn’t believe any of us. He wanted a floorman. I called a floor man and the answer was as expected, the chips have to cross the line.

That was the end of my line police duties for the night.

I’m all better nowthat I’ve had some time to decide how I should handle it. It’s very difficult to continually strive to do your job to the best of your ability when someone is barking in your face. I have come up with a very simple solution. The next time someone tells me that I’m the ‘only one’ that enforces that rule, I’m going to respond, “Yes, I am. And since you know that I’m going to enforce it, don’t do it when I’m dealing.”

*****

All of the above happened on Wednesday night. It’s now Friday a.m. I survived Thursday night without a hitch and mostly dealt to a lot of people that were fun and jamming. The downside is that I have to fade the time clock tonight and that is an unusual circumstance for me as of the last few months. We’ve had plenty of dealers and I’ve worked a four day work week for quite some time. Five nights? Ugh! How will I stand it? And it will be horribly noisy because March Madness is in full swing.

I’m going to try for a Project City Center update this weekend and I hope to return to Anniversary Narrows with one of my sons. I may never see the Narrows like this again. Friends Dan and Joanne are pictured here.

TGIF!