So we've gone from "wtf is wrong with pointing?" to "I can see it being a smart thing for customer service employees to do because I understand the rationale behind it now. I choose not to care enough to employ this because I'll be damned if I'm going to change my behavior for some snowflakes."

Anyone can see the difference in tone if I, the dealer, 1) use an open palm and gently say "Action's here" to let someone know it's their turn or 2) point directly at the player with my finger and say "It's on you".

Also, it's hilarious to think anyone here has been talking about open palm as a "talk to the hand" gesture. Literally no one is thinking that except the dude that posted that picture.

Despite that, I think we've made actual progress and it's time to lock it up.

But this is pretty irrelevant since the discussion was about pointing to another table across the room, directing someone where their table is (check the first post in this new thread). I still think it is pretty ridiculous to believe that this could lead to a problem. That's been the kind of pointing I have been referring to my doing.

Of course, MANY people at poker tables point to the person left of them as a motion meaning they are checking, and I have never seen anyone take that badly either.

Actually, this is about pointing at someone at the table. Check the post which prompted the tipping thread derail and created this new thread.

Huh? This is the first post, by you!

"Also, don't point at anyone or anything. This is something they teach you in orientation. Where's table 11? It's right over there, Ma'am (gesturing over towards table 11 with an open hand)."

It's clearly about directing someone to a table across the room, pointing at the table.

I responded to a post about pointing at a person and said that dealers (or any other casino staff) shouldn't point at anyone or anything. And I haven't wavered on this. But, yeah, you're better off pointing at an empty table or a tv than at a person.

And presumably, people are already sitting at that table, so let's not point at them.

Like the guy who thinks the dealer should call string bets and count all bets as soon as they are placed.
Been dealing to him for close to 20 years and have explained why I don't do those things.

He still gives me, "Do your job dealer."

This thread was created by the mods because the tipping containment thread was derailed by a discussion of pointing fingers... let's derail this thread now!!!

You don't call string bets???

Used to be standard that players call string bets.
Kinda like the dealer only counting bets when requested by a player.

Oh yeah, same guy expects me to change his oversized chip in the blind before dealing.

What's with people almost never asking their neighbors for change?

I see people ask their neighbor for change a decent amount. What I never understood was why people as the dealer for change when they want to tip a server for a drink. Don't the servers all have tons of change at all times?

If you're going to point at something use two fingers, your pointer and middle finger.

News to me.

"Whose turn is it to act?"

"His." (points at person)

or

"Where is the closest bathroom?"

"That way." (points)

Those are offensive? Wow. Just....wow.

What's next - making eye contact with someone is offensive? Using the word "the" is offensive?

Having trouble wrapping my mind around the news that using a finger to point at someone or something is inherently rude.

Maybe it's not inherently rude, but it can be interpreted as aggressive. This is a softer/more friendly way to "point".

We need a thread for that. Yesterday had a guy with 4 stacks of red put out a $100 chip for his $2 big blind. I ended up asking the players if someone would break it anyway. /derail.

But as for pointing at people, I've been trained not to do that twice. First, as a new Army officer, we were taught not to point, but rather use what is called in the military the "knife hand", which is all fingers and thumb extended and joined together. It's so prevalent in the Army there are a bunch of memes about it.

The second time was during my orientation for working at the casino. We were taught never to point at a guest. It was considered taboo and extremely rude to do so.

So whether in reality it should or shouldn't be considered offensive, it clearly is by enough people that two large organizations train their people not to do it.

Seems more rude to point a gun at someone, and the army trains you to do that.

I'm pretty sure the army never trains anyone to *politely* point their gun at someone.

When you point a weapon at someone, you are intending to be rude.

The edgy “I just woke up from an ancient slumber and cannot believe the news” gimmick that keeps popping up in this thread has made it almost worth it.

everyone knows pointing at people is rude lol, you guys born in a barn?

Like if you see a midget sure you can say, "oooh look a midget over there by the red building!" but dont point at him because its rude.

Saw a midget last time I was at foxwoods. Wonder what game he played?

Probably a short stacked NL game.

ill be here all day

There were only 5 people at the table. So the game was short handed.

Every time the button was to his right, the dealer would point at the guy and say "You're the small blind."

On one particular hand he was holding 3-5 on a KJ642 board. He won a small pot with a little straight.

After he min-raised from the cut-off.....
This thread has reached the point of no return....

Post can't be topped. Lock it up.

How Rude!