You didn't have enough people willing to work OT?? Or do they get **** pay for it? We do OT by seniority, and if the highest people haven't taken an EO there's always someone who takes it Double time & a half

We got free crappy EDR food xmas/Thanksgiving/and new years. It was kind of nice. We now pretty much have no EDR food, unless you want to pay guest prices for their leftovers.

Over the mic

"Is there a George in the room?"

Unfortunately not.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"I'M NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN" he bellowed at the floor.

Hurrying quickly back to his seat he exhaled. "How much is it to post?"

I just (sort of) worked for the first time dealing since March.

I was an On Call dealer so when they reopened the poker room, I figured I would be the last person they called. I was but it happened when the room was still only three tables and without tournaments because others didn't come back when asked, which may not be a good sign.

I am fortunate to have a FT job but I was missing the income (and frankly the job; I like pitching cards) so I jumped at the chance to go back.

It was strange being in the place but having it look so different - the poker area lost five tables and in their place are some table games. Everyone is wearing masks. There is new signage and sanitizer everywhere. The poker tables have plexiglass dividers and there's a new Bravo touch screen.

You know how you have a dream and explain it like, "I was in Madison Square Garden... But it wasn't Madison Square Garden..." That's what this was like. I was at work but it wasn't quite right.

I picked up a shift that could have been decent (I didn't have many other options late in the game) - 8 PM tonight. I knew I would spend the last few hours of the shift locked in which could mean a nice night. Unfortunately 20 minutes into my first down the full seven-handed table had four players go busto and decide to leave and the three that remained didn't want to play short. Yuck.

The supervisor kept the table open as a deadspread until the 2 PM guy was done at 10 and then she closed the table. I made $16 (plus $1 tip for the cashier) in those 20 minutes, but unfortunately worked 2.25 hours making dealer wages. I did get an hour of training wages so they could get me up to speed with the COVID-19 procedures, so it wasn't a total bust but it was still not quite worth the 120 mile round trip.

Hopefully this isn't a harbinger of things to come. I was pleased that it didn't take long to get back up to speed (even though I kept forgetting to spray sanitizer on the pots before I shipped them) - I honestly thought I might suck for a while but I was able to operate at my usual levels. And it was nice seeing some people I hadn't seen in ages.

Also, I am able to tuck my definitely-too-long-for-our-rules Coronavirus beard into my mask which means I get to keep the beard at least until we get to ditch the masks.

Anyone else have any stories about returning to work after a long layoff?

I wound up taking a job at a different casino 3 hours away because my old job isn't likely to come back for at least a few months, probably longer. I won't make a ton more money than I would sitting at home collecting UI because I had to get a local sublet but I felt like I had to do something. I was gaining weight and losing my mind.

I was actually a little surprised by how normal it all felt. The plexi actually makes it easier to deal. You just have to get the cards or chips through the goal posts and they'll make it to the right player. I was worried about the sanitizer drying out my hands and making it hard to grip the cards but that hasn't been a problem either. The mask can get a little hot but it means I don't have to shave or fake smile all the time.

My biggest problems starting out were due to the rushed training and rules/procedures specific to this room. I keep running into situations where dealers or floors are shocked that I didn't know something. Why weren't you collecting jackpot money at X game? Well, it's a time rake game, nobody told me they were participating in the jackpot, and there was no plaque there saying it was a jackpot game like there should be. But... it's always been a jackpot game! Ok, now I know. You have to take the jackpot in that game! Yes, I will from now on.

That, and SO MANY people have masks that don't fit properly or keep falling down. IT'S BEEN 8 MONTHS! Go on Amazon and figure it out.

They don't want to figure it out. Wearing a mask improperly is their little protest. They're proud of being weak minded and selfish.

If he hadn't left yet, he hasn't technically come back.

What are everyone's thoughts on players grabbing the top of the stub after a hand to rabbit hunt? My gut reaction always tells me to grab a pen and stab their hand to stop it but I know they're doing it because some other dealer told them it was ok.

Instant floor call for me. Grabbing cards that aren't yours is a huge no-no. I wouldn't stop the game, but when the floor comes over I'm letting them know what the guy is doing and he's getting a talking to.

In some areas of the country this seems to be fine (mid-stakes+ in SoCal it hapens all the time and dealers don't bat an eye.

What's the problem? The hand is over already. Someone doing this is almost always going to be a fun player that you want to keep happy for the sake of the game.

Players need to keep their hands out of the pot and out of the stub, and out of the well for that matter. When you're a casino employee, game protection trumps keeping the fish happy. Nothing good comes out of letting players put their hands where they don't belong.

Seems intuitively obvious to me that players should not be allowed to play around with the cards in the dealer's area.

For a first offence I'd probably ask them not to do it again, rather than nail their hand to the table with a pen.

I was gonna reply to your question but then I saw where you're from and just shook my head. Please stay in Cali and don't come and play in Las Vegas.

IMO even in rooms that 'allow' rabbit hunting, which is an extremely low percentage, the Player should ask and not facilitate themselves to the stub.

The Dealer is responsible to 'attempt' to maintain the integrity of the game and doesn't need Players bending/reaching over into the 'gaming' area. Although seemingly innocent, you can easily come up with a few 'Ocean's' scenarios where vision and cameras are blocked by a body over the table. With shuffle machines we don't really have to worry about cards missing as much any more, but it's really just 'bad form'.

I suppose in CA .. where they rake PF .. that Players should feel entitled to a few more marginal behaviors, eh? GL

PS .. rabbit hunting is really a home game thing that probably just got out of hand in certain areas and spilled into the casinos/rooms.

My apologies -- I for some reason didn't realize I was in "The Breakroom" when I posted. I shouldn't have ben interjecting that opinion here -- of course ya'll (rightfully so) will want to keep proper procedure.

What kills me is that I've witnessed multiple dealers telling players to rabbit hunt. They see this as a workaround to them not being allowed to do it themselves. Then the players think it's ok and keep doing it when there's a dealer who cares in the box.

Well it has been almost a year since I have posted here. Honestly I have forgotten about this website until I checked in a week ago to kill some time.

So in the last year since (crazy to think its almost been a year now) I have left the casino industry. My room did not reopen after closing which was not a complete shock. Another casino had opened their brand new casino on our side of town with a 30 table room in February and a decent chunk of our players had gone to play there. We had a tournament series in March and I think our managers plan was to let the seams out of our promo fund and get really aggressive with promotions in April to see if we could win our players back after the newness wore off the other place. Well obviously those plans never got put into play.

It was crazy because I remember getting to go home early on the Sunday prior because our tournament that day did not nearly get the turnout (I think we had a 40% overlay for both guarantees that day.) Normally I forget about what happens at a table as soon as I get pushed but looking back it was weird because I remember my last table before I left I was joking about what was going on and the next time I come in I'll probably be forced to wear a hazmat suit which will be good because it will cover up my ugly face. I actually remember the last hand I dealt that day, it was a AA vs QQ all in and the player spiked a Queen to knock the opponent out (hell of a way to finish). I then got pushed and was sent home. I also remember talking to my supervisor telling them to text me on Tuesday if I was not needed, normally I worked Wed-Sun but since we had a tournament series we all worked an extra day. I brushed for a few minutes and half joked around with him and a couple others standing around that I would see them Wednesday.......never saw them again....

Our manager ended up cancelling the rest of the series late Sunday night and on Tuesday we all got the text saying our casino was shutting down for two weeks. We ended up being furloughed on I think May 1st and officially terminated on August 1st although by June when our casino resumed slots and tables games a lot of the co-workers I kept in contact with figured we werent coming back.

Honestly even though I had only been in the business for six years I was starting to get burned out (I thought it was going to take me 10-15 years before that happened.) so I was actually not that upset about losing my job. What upset me the most was how it was handled. There was little to no communication during the furlough and when we were finally terminated there was no phone call, no e-mail only a form letter mailed to us. Even my manager did not know we were terminated until he started to get texts from us. What really sucked was what happened afterwards, our sister property re-opened their poker room (half tables and half slots) in I think October and when poker staff was brought back, everyone's senority was wiped out. Like I said, it did not affect me that much as I was not going to work at the sister property for less money and more hassle with all of the protocols and since I was a new full-timer I was at the bottom of the totem pole anyway. I really felt bad for my co-workers who had put 10-15 years into the company only to be put back at square one.

As for me I am fortunate to basically bounce back quickly. With the un-employment and the extra I had in savings I was able to wait around for the right job and I found it. My job is fairly low stress and I essentially get to work on my own and just go in and do my job. For the first time in my working adult life I have a standard Mon-Fri 9-5 job with benefits day one and holidays off. It was weird to actually wake up Thanksgiving or Christmas morning and not have to worry about going to work or to actually get to light fireworks off on new years. Also with weekends off I have been able to do more work with my freelance photography gig. I dont make nearly as much as I did dealing but honestly I am happier now with the way things are and I have been able to settle into a normal life. There are rare times I semi miss the casino gig but honestly I mostly miss the co-workers I worked with. I did go and play cards a few weeks ago and got to catch up with the ones who got re-hired so that was fun.

At this point I dont think I will ever deal again, it would have to be the perfect circumstances and those would be pretty much impossible in the casino world but you never know. It is crazy to look back at what has happened in less than a year.

Nice post Gil. Welcome back!

What a good post Ol'Gil thanks for writing it up. Good luck in your new work.

For the first time in six years I am sitting on my lazy boy drinking a beer an hour before kickoff in the super bowl, actually technically seven because the year before I played cards during the Super Bowl. This feels weirder than having holidays off because normally Super Bowl Sunday meant a 10-12 hour shift no matter what room I worked in.

Two favorite Super Bowl memories while working in a poker room.

The very first year I dealt was the Seahawks vs. Patriots super bowl and as the Seahawks marched down the field I pushed into a table with a Seahawks fan sitting in the five seat. I think it was 3-4 hands into the down when the Malcom Butler interception happened and I have never seen a man look so deflated in my life. He sat there in stunned silence for the rest of my down (20 minutes or so) After dealing him in one hand and him not reacting I quietly slipped a no player button in front of him and let him mourn in peace. Also thinking about that Super Bowl and our late friend and poster YTF I can imagine him yelling and screaming and clapping his hands in the box when that play happened

Second Super Bowl story that always stood out was the Patriots/Falcons fiasco. I remember when the Falcons jumped out to that lead and people saying it was over I remember joking around and saying "Its ****ing Brady he will pull some crazy magic out of his ****ing ass like always" (They had beaten my Steelers in the AFC title game two weeks prior so I was still salty because I actually had that Super Bowl off but decided to work when they didnt make it.) Another co-worker of ours who was a life long Falcons fan got that day off and was texting everyone and celebrating when they went up the famous 28-3. After the Falcons finished off the choke we realized we had not heard from said co-worker in a hour or so, we were actually concerned for his well being thinking he was probably suffering from some serious alcohol poisoning. I think he went into a deep drinking binge because he called off the next two days although everyone, even managers completely understood, I know if my team blew a 25 point super bowl lead I would probably try and get blacked out as quick as possible.

Crusty Reg: "Well I used to drive Lyft but you have to put up with too many drunks and *******s."

Dealer: "Man, I can't imagine having a job where you put up with drunks and *******s."

Table pops.

Crusty Reg: "Sir! I am not an *******!"

Bigger pop.

There are times I wondered how certain players manage to function in the outside world let alone hold down jobs. One player that comes to mind was a regular player at my last place who would only come in on weekends. I dont know for sure if he was a lawyer (others said he was) but I know he worked for a law firm in some capacity. Anyway he was a decent guy, I only had one run in with him but he was very bi-polar and his mood would seemingly switch on and off like a light switch, even as quickly as multiple times in a down. It did not matter whether he was winning or losing you always had to tread lightly with him. Whenever his mood would flip in the back of my mind I would always wonder if he was a lawyer how he was able to control himself in a court room.

"Does aces cracked have to be suited?"

Sure pal. Whatever you want.