If you answer yes to number three, please post the location.

Do you mean like reading a book or magazine?

Read the current L'uminere thread.

Yes... Hawaiian Gardens.

Last week I saw a guy reading a Bible. Didn't help him, tho' still lost.

Sorry, I didn't see the second page of the thread where reading became a discussion point.

As far as I know it is allowed at Foxwoods. At least I have seen people reading magazines at the table - they might even have some free magazines that you can take near the tournament desk??? I think I saw someone pick one up from around there and bring it to the table. The dealer didn't say a word.

Yeah, people read at FW all the time. I always ask them to read aloud when they get to the good parts.

I never understood prohibitions on reading.

Whenever someone suggests it, I ask why. The answer is always, "Because players who read, slow the game down."

Then I counter, "I guess we'd better remove these televisions, as well, because they slow the game down even more."

Of course, I'm always ignored.

Do yourself a favor, DON'T read that thread. I just did, and I'm still shaking off the Douche Chills.

Yes, vegas generally has card player or bluff laying around.

This is why we don't turn on captions on our televisions. But those watching the tube (er, I mean "screen" ... showing my age here, maybe I should dial for help... oops, there I go again) at least have their eyes above the table, making it easier for the dealer to get the attention. It's also not quite as anti-social, and brings in a lot of money. While both are distractions, surely you can understand that there's a difference between burying your head in a book and being distracted by a sports game that everybody can see.

I had a player sitting next to me on Sunday reading the newspaper. I didn't mind, as it helped telegraph his intentions (he was on my left).

The only downside was when he switched sections of the paper and KO'd about 1.5 racks worth of my chip stacks. That was irritating.

Yes, in the Borgata poker room. If it is actually not allowed, then the rule isn't enforced...but I've read at the tables there, and I've seen others read there too.

Well, hey, maybe I was wrong about it. My sample size is rather small, but I know I've been in rooms where it wasn't allowed, despite the magazines (they're for people waiting for games or eating in the restaurant).

As a dealer, I know for 100% certainty that people reading magazines or books slow the game down and make it less fun for everybody.

Reading is against the rules at the Oaks Club, in Emeryville, Calif. The rule is seldom enforced, however.

The purpose of the rule is that people who are reading slow the games down. Rather, it's an anti-cheating measure, because hold-out artists have been known to conceal cards in the pages of whatever it is that theye are reading.

Varies room by room in Vegas. Mandalay and Monte Carlo enforce the no-reading policy with enthusiasm and force ("put down the magazine now or I'm dealing you out" "I'm just looking for the tournament list in the back pages of Card Player" "Fine...I'm dealing you out this hand--please step away from the table"). I know another room has that as an official policy but I've never seen 'em enforce it (but I've never seen someone try to read a book at the table). Others seem to not care long as you don't slow down the game.

At the Oaks they will enforce this rule generally only if a player complains to the dealer.

"put down the magazine now or I'm dealing you out" "I'm just looking for the tournament list in the back pages of Card Player" "Fine...I'm dealing you out this hand--please step away from the table")."


Reminds me of the time I was at GVR, my cell phone rings as I'm posting my big blind. The dealer throws my big blind back and tosses me a "missed blind" button. In a nice way, I say, "WTF?" (having not even answered my phone)

She says, "No cell phones at the table!".


FWIW, they still have a no-cell phone rule but most of the dealers are more lax then this lady.



********************


"Others seem to not care long as you don't slow down the game."

And at some rooms, I've been told you can only read race & sports related reading material.


Howard

I saw a guy reading HPFAP at Bay 101. I've also seen the captioning switched on on their tv's.

There is a college math professor that corrects homework at a 1/2 table in Nor. Cal. He doesn't slow the game down, and no one ever complains to my knowledge. It didn't bother me when I saw it.

I don't see reading at the table as being much different then listening to an iPod, which I do, as long as it doesn't slow the game down.

When I was in Vegas this past Summer I was playing limit at the Excalibur, I was reading when I was out of the hand, Bluff, which by they way I got at one of their affiliated casinos. They told me that I couldn't read at the table. And when I asked why the gave me that same answer "slows down the game" So I cashed out and left.

Good points with IMO the bold part most important. This is why I didn't allow the props under my supervision at the Bike (middle section props; about 2002 to 2004) to read when playing.

Obviously looking up a sports score or finishing up the last paragraph or two of an article in Card Player doesn't matter much. But burying ones head in a book or magazine is simply bad for the game.

That said, in LA customers are generally allowed to read in a game. But if you believe maintaining good game karma counts, you simply should not.

~ Rick

who the ffffff gives a damn about karma points?

At the casino in Montreal with electronic tables I saw a kid reading a 17th-century play (homework, no doubt).

Based on his play, he was a skilled Internet player, but he did appear to make the game less fun for the recreational players. Whenever he looked up from his book he looked like he was extremely bored to be there.

I wonder if a fish losing money to that guy would feel the same way a John would if he paid an escort and then she started reading a book during the act.