Playing live today, I had to play with a dealer who wouldn't give anyone even a second before rudely announcing "it's on you" to the whole table and/or pointing at the person. I could understand if myself or another player were talking on their phone or not paying attention and that it is the dealer's job to keep the action moving, but judging by her tone and temperament she was being abusive of her power. She also complained about anyone tossing in a large chip (a $5 chip in a NL 1/2 game) which would signify a limp, meaning she would have to make change.

No one seemed to be bothered by it, but I was. I finally called her out in a somewhat nice way by asking her to give me time to act without forcing me to and reminding her that I am aware the action is on me and that I have played live poker before. She got defensive and played the victim, telling me that she's "just trying to do her job."

The game wasn't very good and I didn't want to wait for a table change so I just left. I didn't say anything to the floor because I didn't know what to say or how to say it without coming off as whiny or just another losing poker player/complainer. I am sure the floors have to deal with that a lot, people blaming or complaining about the dealer.

I understand too that dealing with player to player abuse is part of the game in a sense, but my rake is going towards that woman's salary and feel she should be professional. Nothing bugs me more than passive aggression. Please let me know how you would have handled this. Thanks

If there is no enemy within, there can be no enemy without.

There's no way you're going to change her behaviour, so change your own.
Just relax and play your game, let her be obnoxious, shouldn't affect you.

You tip dealers in the US right? So for a start, zero tips.

I'm kind of a troll when people have an attitude with me, so I would limp with single oversize chips more often than usual.

Lastly, if I knew the floor enough to say hello, I'd ask them what this dealer's problem is. Not in an 'official complaint' way but more like 'who pissed in her cornflakes LOL' way. Plant some seeds.

trying to speed up live game is a good thing, you should be grateful, they are painfully slow as it is

as for using larger denomination, why would you want use it when you have smaller chips. Americans seem to be wierdly obssesed with hoarding absurd amounts of small chips, in europe you get you stack in largests chips possible, and if you get too many chips you just chip up, way more conveniant that way

in general, I think that this dealer was acting in whole tables' best interest, so you should apprieciate it

Hmm, okay. You wouldn't find it annoying to have the dealer ask you to act when you haven't even had a second to think? I don't like being talked down to or treated like a child but that's just me.

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I don't care, I just wannt to play the game at a reasonable pace, which is extremely rare live. If you carry on that kind of ego-based attitude to poker, it might become a problem.

just shrug and let it pass IMO; dealers, like your hole cards, come and go. I'd rather have that than the alternative (i.e. a dealer who lets players take too much time.)

It's not rude to point out it is your turn. At least she speeds up the game and prevents people acting out of turn.

Also what the *** are people thinking throwing in a $5 when you have $1 chips. It's one thing to do that when you are low in small chips but to do that continually would drive me totally insane.

Also you insulted other players at that table when you say "I realize it is my turn I have played live poker before. You must know how many people just are not capable of following action and continue to be oblivious. You are implying that they are some sort of idiot; which I agree with by the way.

It is very difficult to judge this dealer by your description. What you have described to us is a dealer who is engaged in the game and is actively making sure the table knows where action is. This is usually highly desireable. I can also see how it could be done in an obnoxious fashion.

On one hand, I assume that you have played live poker before, so you have seen enough range of dealers to know when one is out of line. On the other hand, the dealer didn't seem to annoy anyone else, so maybe it was just you.

If a dealer points to me, or says 'action is on you' and I need a second, I will acknowledge the dealer or ask for a second, or just act if it is a snap decision.

Was the dealer doing this to everyone or just you? Were you or any of the other players distracted (watching TV, on your phone) and slowing the game without realizing it?

Thanks and yes I have played enough poker to know the difference. She was doing this to everyone. The best dealers IMO let people act and get involved if and only if someone is slowing the game down. The game was moving fast enough without her talking and everyone was paying attention.

Whether anyone thinks it's me or not, did I handle it the right way or is there another way to get the dealer to relax?

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Maybe you could find a 70 year old dealer who was deaf, and had arthritis. On the down side for your point-of-view, they probably don't advertise.

With most of dealers pay coming from tips and them knowing that more hands = more tips, you're going to run into ones that are going to push hard to keep the action moving. Better ones will non-verbally tell you the action is on you and will only speak if it doesn't look like you got the message.

In this case, I would politely say back, "Thank you, I know." Then just continue with my thought process taking whatever time I need. You don't want the other players to think you're an *******, but at the same you've made it clear to her that she doesn't need to say anything else to you.

That's good advice thank you

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this is beautiful.

Would be interesting to hear from a dealer's perspective on this. Typically, you hear stories about ******* players berating the dealers, but this is a different case. IMO the biggest issue is not the way the dealer was acting (which seems just to annoy you) but in their defensive response to you that they were "just doing their job." That's just not a very professional response.

A lot of dealers just automatically say it's on you. I make my decisions very quickly so I've just sort of tuned this out. Dealers often deal with *******s at the table so there is a reason why they might be less than personable. I'd try to look for redeeming qualities about this dealer because I've had dealers that I thought were *******s that turned out to be pretty damn good dealers and people. Go out of your way to be friendly to this dealer and see if that has any results.

That being said there are some genuinely bad dealers out there. A lot of them in fact. I've never felt compelled to take actions but if this genuinely bothers you then there is absolutely nothing wrong with going to the floor and expressing your thoughts (ie she cost them business because you left). Also, I think undertipping is a tool that is too seldom utilized but I think going to a supervisor would be better because the dealer may not even realize she is being as bad as she is.

I appreciate that. I tend to think under tipping in this situation is a bit passive aggressive when dealing with her supervisor directly may actually nip the issue in the bud. Thanks

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In a charity poker room (licensed by the state of Michigan) one of the dealers was all over me. It was my first live tournament. I had to get used to handling chips, figuring out pot and stack sizes without numbers on a monitor, just basic live tournament mechanics.

After I had been playing for a month I realized that he was always a jerk. One day he told all of us to play faster "so I can beat the storm home." I thought that was a bit over the line and I mentioned it to the tournament director.

I never saw that dealer again. The tournament director certainly knew what was going on as it was a very small room. What I told the TD was probably the last straw.

But did he beat the storm?

Dealers get pressured by management to get in a certain number of hands per hour. Combine that with a nitty or game that "wasnt very good" and you have a recipe for an obnoxious dealer. I play live regularly at the same place and have good relationships with all the dealers except 1 or 2 that cant handle that pressure and let it get to them. Just remember its their problem not yours. Youre there to have fun and maybe grind a little, not make the dealers and casinos rich. Play at your own pace, but dont tank for 60 sec on a typical bet size in your game of choice.

A dealer complaining about small pots and making change is just f'in ridic.

A ****ty dealer doesn't realize they're only hurting themselves in the long run. Table change seems like a ideal first candidate, but as others said, try your best to not let it effect you mentally.