The way I see it, their job isn't to be social. Just deal the cards out and run the game. Stuff like that, especially if I lose the pot just annoys me. I hold my tongue and am glad the dealer is at least running a good efficient game (most important to me obv). I can't believe people are siding with the dealer in my examples.

And it doesn't have no meaning to me. The dealer isn't supposed to pick favorites or make stupid comments like that. They are there to run the game, period.

It's insane that we are at the point where stuff like this is just normal and no one can even be professional anymore.

Wouldn't say adamant, but ya, the best thing is to nip it in the bud as it happens. Then a reminder if it happens again. And if it continues after that then escalate

What a weird thing for you to do. Like really ****ing weird. Why does the rest of the country have such weird rules compared to Los Angeles casinos?

Narc

Everyone thinks the rules where they play are "right" and everyone else has weird rules.

“Playing out of a rack will kill the jackpot” is a weird rule and I will never be convinced otherwise.

I have had things like this happen. All of them are out of line. I'd simply never tip them a dime ever again. Anyone who thinks a dealer making a comment about how someone is playing being okay is 100% wrong also.

I'm not a superstitious person. Much.

But in the case of playing out of a rack the problem is that it takes longer to make bets. Its not allowed at almost any casino I have ever played in. A player has to have at least one stack of chips out of the rack and on the felt.

The thing that bothers me about your story is that knowing this, the dealer did nothing (probably to not jeopardize tips from the rack player). And it was left to you to enforce the rules.

Just to clarify, the "Curse of the Rack" I was referring is not about playing out of a rack during the game in general. Rather, It's a superstition (fact) that after having a winning session, if you rack up to leave, and play that one last hand out of the rack, that you will lose a big hand.

People that are legitimately superstitious about those dumb things are either dealers or abusive to dealers 95% of the time.

That hasn't been my experience at all. I've seen many very nice and generous players who deliberately avoid playing a last hand out of the rack. And I haven't noticed dealers having a greater propensity to follow that superstition than any other group of players. But I guess everyones experience will vary.

Now that I think back on it, the dealer I'm thinking of once made a comment about one of the loose/spewy players when this person walked away from the table. So I think you're right.

I remember hearing something along those lines on a poker podcast long, long ago. Wish I could remember who said it, but they were arguing that you shouldn't play the last hand before you leave (your "road hand") because you're not invested in it and are more likely to get out-of-line because you psychologically know it's the last hand. Then the discussion turned to if you don't play that hand, then do you play the one before it? What about the one before that? LOL.

Reminds me of a discussion (can't remember it it was a seperate thread or not) about whether you should announce to the table something like "last hand" or "last round. Some felt it was a polite thing to do. Others felt that you should never do it bc players may push you harder thinking you will play tighter On your last hand, not wanting to put your winnings at risk. They felt it was better to say nothing, and dont rack up Until after you played your last hand so no one knows its your last hand.

I've been a room manager for some time and always find it very helpful when people tells me about this kind of behavior.

I like a loud SHEEEESH after someone tries to needle me, just because i want to get their reaction, from trying to get a negative reaction out of me.

i just enjoy "faking offense" because nothing offends me at poker. cant believe ppl still get rattled playing live poker, i love that sht, needling is half the game at this point after 10+ yrs of playing. if its not happening back to me then its a boring game.

The number of "pros" that start becoming donation monkeys due to a a lil' comment or a beat or 2, its what keeps me wanting to play. sometimes you befriend rec players as they see you having fun, you start talking and then and you become Team Needle against the nitboys.

but since its from the dealer, gotta say its a bit unprofessional just sayin

(**** i miss live poker, 1 year of none of it feels like forever)

All of these are wildly inappropriate. i wouldn't tolerate any of them.

Ever been in a town where everything was "rigged" and complaining (about employees) would fall on "deaf ears"? There are places where casinos are part of the local politics and complaining about some dealers does no good, at all. That's the reason for some of the dealer "unprofessionalism" you see - political hires, local politics. Gets worse - better hope one of those "clout heavy" dealers does not dislike you.

I’ve had this happen, and told the floor. This is when I was a regular and playing nearly everyday in a smaller city with 1 room. Guess what? The floorman didn’t do ****. Since I only gave a dollar a winning hand instead of 3 they didn’t care. when I started giving the dealers an earful about their dealing since they wanted to comment on my play, I got kicked out for the night a few times. Luckily I moved and don’t play at the room anymore but I haven’t had anything like that happen for the last 10 years.

How is the dealer picking favorites if he wishes *everyone* that goes allin good luck? Everyone goes allin at some point, his comment isn’t directed at a specific player it’s just directed at who has the most to lose (proportionally to what they have in front of them) If you were to go allin, you get the good luck comment. There’s no favoritism involved.

I prefer a dealer that comes across as friendly rather than a robot, I think that’s better for the game IMO, as long as it has no impact on the action. As a player I very often wish another player good luck if they’re allin, especially if they’re a rec/short stack obviously just looking for some gambool.

Obviously the specific situations OP mentioned are super out of line and game compromising.

The Michigan scene is an interesting one ..

1) I think some of the good Dealers have left the state .. and I actually found one down in Florida working a room that barely closed.

2) Things change when a Dealer goes from charity room to casino .. and some Players expect the same banter from a Dealer in both places when it's not going to happen.

3) I assume there were some Dealer pushes and/or multiple sessions involved with OP, otherwise this is really bad.

4) Dealers may be getting called back in order of seniority, which doesn't necessarily mean in the best order of skill and so forth.

5) With three rooms to choose from in Detroit, it's pretty easy to say stay out of out 'this' one .. but you have to game select first and then hope there's not too much 'extra' in the room. GL

Saying good luck to an all in player is not good. It definitely does look like favoritism. If someone is a total ******* scumbag angle shooter who never tips, is the dealer going to say good luck? I think not. Just don’t say anything and let the game play out if it’s not necessary.

i usually do a light knock on the table with my fist in support of whomever is all in

don't know why, maybe cause it's usually the fish

is that bad, should i stop? this is as a player not a dealer

As a player do whatever you want imo. As a dealer you are ostensibly trying to be impartial and not show your emotions.

I don't care if the dealer says "good luck" when people are all in, the dealers I've seen who say it do so reflexively so it's not directed for or against anyone. If they start saying "good luck" to their buddies every time they're in a big pot, yeah I have an issue with that obviously.

Also don't care if players say good luck when people get all in, or specifically wish good luck to the shortie who is down to his last few chips and is in a 4 way pot.

Really if that kind of thing riles you, you will probably get annoyed a lot when playing live poker. Like I see players get irked when someone apologises for sucking out on them in a big pot, whatever mate get over it. I personally don't say anything at all to the villain if I win a big pot, because some people will take the opportunity to get offended by absolutely anything in that particular situation, but the point is you need to develop a bit of a thick skin if you want to play live poker and not be constantly redlining your blood pressure.

Which leads me to my favourite soapbox, meta skills are as vital to live poker as actual poker skills. Can't go to casino without drinking heavily or playing the table games? Can't lose a big pot without having a hissy fit and playing like a maniac for the next orbit or so? Can't fold for 2 hours straight and then give up on your long awaited big hand because that's the best decision? You're just as much of a fish as the guy who hasn't learned anything about poker since 1992.