As a dealer, you can't do anything about that when the good guy is away. You have to trust that most of the players are thinking in the back of their mind, "God, what an *******, will somebody bust him." I would be. Actually, that's not true. I would be thinking about busting him myself. However, you can make damn sure that the GOF never gets the benefit of rule 1 and all of his opponents do.

As a player, there's not much more you can do. At most, you can give a look of disgust and make sure the good guy is welcomed back.

Unfortunately, poker has lots of *******s. You can't eliminate all of them as a player or dealer. However, if you ever run a room, that can change.

I am and I'm not. Sure I copied your phrase for laughs, but my point stands. I would say most people say things behind somebodys back, whether it is venting, bad mood, joking, etc.

I guess you'd have a better read on if the guy was trying to joke around and isn't funny or what. But if you are annoyed at him solely for talking behind someones back, it seems like you are doing the same thing; either here or possibly at work. If you are annoyed at him for being grumpy, or not tipping, or everything else... that seems like a different thread.

I guess I shouldn't assume anything.

If you fail to see the difference between talking about someone publicly while they are away for a minute for the purpose of degrading them, and talking about someone privately while maintaining their anonymity (despite requests to me to identify the player) in an effort to discuss what could be done about the situation, then I really don't have anything to say to you.

But was his purpose to degrade him? Or was it a "haha, that guy is loud, amirite?" Type thing. It reads like the joking thing, other then the other stuff you left out.

I know that saying nothing is probably the right thing to do but ....

While BFG is still away (i.e., while GOF is still trashing him), I might just mutter the following to GOF --

"I'm really curious as to how long it will take before you have to go to the bathroom, so we can start talking about you behind your back."

100% yes. You'll have to take my word for it, as there's no way I can show you.

100% no

"GOF starts talking complete trash about him, saying that his mouth must be the reason for his wife's migrane, etc. etc. Just completely out of line stuff that of course he would never have the courage to say to the man's face"

I really didn't think this sounded like joking.

My mistake.

Prolly argree with GOF, can't stand loud talkers at the table. Can not believe your losing sleep over this.

This, although i dont understand all the hate for quadstriker, he hasnt come here to talk smack he wants an opinion on a situation

If I was a player at the table, I'd have told GOF that BFG was my brother-in-law.

As a player I call out the old grumpy nit and embarrass the hell out of him.

As a dealer I immediately tell him to STFU about other players or I will have the floor handle it.

The main problem with these miserable nitwad regulars is that people put up with them. I don't.

respect your elders

Elders can't be considered as such solely by their age. They need respectability to be "elders."

Grumpy old stank coffee/cigarette breath nitwad jerks are not elders and should not receive respect.

Not sure what the big deal is. People talk behind backs all the time. That's a cowardly practice, but at the same time it's also a sign of civilization. I find the situations were people are insulting each other in front of their faces much less pleasant.

Hahaha, tell him the 2-4 limit games are for the gofs. jk
I would have said something to him as a fellow player...not confrontational just a not cool kind of thing. I table changed to a table that had a gof who made rude comments to everyone which was killing the fun and some of the action. So every time he made a rude statement I teased him for being a miserable sob gof. Next thing you know the whole table is happy he's gone and everyone is gladly sharing their money with the guy who made it all happen.

+100
Your job is to deal and run a smooth game. Getting involved is massively -EV.
There are losers out there, don't slip up and let one cost you your job by opening your mouth.

As a player I may have said something to try and slow the old man down when he got started. Nicely at first and if he kept going on and on I would have asked if he formed this opinion the moment the man left or if he was just afraid to speak up.

I had something similar happen at the Tampa Hard Rock Sunday night. There is a regular there who is always acting like such a jerk every time I'm at the table with him. I think he practically lives there so he gets away with it and the staff don't tell him anything. He a mid 50's (maybe older) fat sloppy guy who proudly tells everybody here is only there to play the jackpot. I'll call him Mr. JackPot.

So, anyway, I'm playing the 2-4 limit with this guy and it's a fun table. There are several any-two-cards passive fish at the table but they are enjoying themselves. Mr. JackPot starts berating these players every hand telling them how bad they are. It's not like he's on tilt because he's not even involved in any of the pots. He tells the whole table he only plays jackpot hands (bad beat) because he is already rich and these chips don't matter. Then he takes his greasy nasty "Scottrade" hat off and says here's where I make my money.

It doesn't take long for the two fish to leave. The dealer says nothing. A new fish sits down and he starts it all over again. I try to change the subject and ask Mr. Jackpot how his strategy of playing for jackpots is working and he starts getting real loud listing the casino's where he's won a jackpot and getting very angry about it. At least he's not yelling at the fish.

That only lasted a few minutes, before he tells the new fish, who is all decked out in Florida Gator gear, that he's too crappy a player to be wearing Gator gear. I can't take it any longer so I ask Mr. Jackpot where he went to college. He says Florida. Then I lean in across the table and look him right in the eye and say "I would have guessed you went to South Carolina because you look like a giant **** to me."

I could see the dealer was trying to hold down a laugh and Mr. Jackpot didn't say much at all the rest of the night.

this is nothing to be worried about op. people will always talk **** about people behind others backs when they aren't there to defend themselves. they do it for a lot of different reasons. just don't worry about it and focus on playing good poker.

A wise man once said to me, "there are three instances in life where you see the true nature of a person: gambling, women/men, and money."