It is strange, but it seems I often will have dreams about dealing, if I attempt to sleep after my shift.
It is usually centered around me being in the box, and at some point figuring out that I am dreaming. From there all kinds of fun and fucked up things happen. I will pitch cards at people's faces, muck cards in the midst of big pots on purpose, etc etc.
There are not many people or incidences that would make me want to do those things. In general, most people make me enjoy my job... but there are those few that you are just baffled by.
I've got passed the point of judging people by what they do or don't tip me. It seems insincere, as that is the main way my income is derived, but it is the truth. What I can't get passed are those that berate you for nothing.
We are all humans, but I can still see the side of a player getting frustrated or even pissed about a mistake that cost them money. Unfortunately though, that is not the only time players talk to you in a manner that civilized people wouldn't talk to their dogs with.
I was dealing in a relatively big game the other day at work; nothing I have not done before, but I was still a little nervous, as it was the biggest game I dealt at Foxwoods. What made me the most nervous about it all is that both my roommate and another guy I got the job with ( with 8 years of experience ) got booted off the table for being new dealers to the house by the players.
I am not sure why they put me there in the first place if they knew the players would be irritated, but they did.
I get to the table and the first thing out of seat 8's mouth is... " Are you a new dealer???". I, feeling like I need to show them that they are wrong about their general attitude, said " Yes! But I have dealt games of his size before and think I can do a good job for you guys. Let me deal a few hands and if you don't feel I am good enough feel free to request a new dealer."
I deal several hands without a hitch and then...
I am dealing a stud 8/b hand and in the process knock off the lamers that I am using to count which hand we are on into my well. Before the hand is even over seat 8 immediately yells, "How are you counting the hands? Who here is counting because the dealer is not!". I replied with, "Sir, we are on the third hand of stud high-low 8 or better. I accidentally knocked down the lamers and will fix them here in a second.". He gets up from his seat moaning and groaning, but then sits back down.
Very next hand, one of my floor supervisors come by and seat 8 quickly starts trying to find something wrong. So what does he do... he lies! He says to the floor the following... "This dealer told us it is his first time dealing this game and you are sticking him in here?!", I quickly respond with "Sir, I have dealt this game before. I have dealt crazy poker games you probably have never even heard of or want to". Perhaps that was not the right line to go with, but his lie really irritated me to no end.
As I leave the table he says " You should deal in jail!". What does that even mean? Honestly dealing in jail would be better than dealing to players like that. I don't know if he was stuck and was just looking for someone to take his anger out on or if his wife doesn't make love to him anymore and he is pissed about it, who knows!
I should probably not write about this, as there are foxwoods players that read this, but people need to know that treating dealers like inept monkeys, for no reason, only makes the overall game play worse. If the dealer is comfortable he will more than likely run a smooth game... make him nervous or upset, that is when the mistakes or dealer tricks of retaliation start coming into affect.
Treat us dealers well, because for a half hour we are dealing with your money. I don't know about any of you, but I want people that handle my money to be on my good side!
My image kind of looks like the player, for any of you who are curious as to who it was.
Speaking of people who treat dealers poorly... well, the staff at http://www.pokerrroad.com/ do the opposite of that (especially Barry Greenstein and Gavin Smith). Support that site!
Not for this http://www.pokerroad.com/blogfessional/jeff-madsen/posts/the-madsen-rap-driving-and-thriving, but for everything else.
Also, you can now follow me on twitter at...
Joao
Poker is a mechanism that is used by many people to experience their drama, experience their emotions, etc.. Some people can learn from that and become better people. Some people don't.
ReplyDeleteGavin and Sebok made a dealer cry at Foxwoods a couple of years ago. Not very classy at all.
I think that was well put Blazman. I never really looked at it that way.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gavin and Sebok...
I am not quite sure what happened or what they did to make this dealer cry, but I don't really care either. I don't judge people by one isolated incidence, at least not anymore. It led me to being a pretty lonely person... now I am just lonely for different reasons. One step at a time, right?
lol, I've heard the term "you should deal in jail" before(buddy's home game). I found it humorous because I interpreted as the dealing was criminal for how lousy his cards were.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked, SHOCKED that players in a high-stakes game were assholes. . . ;-)
Hey Joao, sounds like my experience in that 50-100-200 PLO game at the Rio. What a joy those players were in that game.