Shuffle Up and Deal(ers)

Poker dealers are a critical part of the game.

Having played all summer long at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), I witnessed some of the best dealers in the world. These elite dealers not only deal the cards to the players, but also expedite the action without being intrusive or adding unnecessary information.

Sometimes, however, you may encounter a less experienced dealer that could learn some tricks of the trade from the more experienced ones. While I understand that dealers have a difficult job at times, our goal as players is to play as many hands as possible. Thus, when certain dealers slow down the pace of play, especially when it can be prevented, it definitely bothers me during the tournament.

Therefore, if you are considering becoming a dealer in the near future, here are some things that I have noticed the best dealers do.

Maintain the pace of play and do not slow down the game:

1. Please pay attention to the action at all times. I realize that some players love to “Hollywood” every decision, but dealers must still pay close attention. When their eyes begin to wander and the players must tell them that the action has been checked around, the dealers must realize that they are slowing down the pace of play.

2. Don’t wait to make change until the betting round is complete. Although the dealer should wait until the action is complete, this doesn’t mean that they cannot subtly make change while they are waiting for one of the players to act.

For example: With three players remaining in the hand, the first player bets 3,625. After the second player calls with a 5,000-chip, the third player goes into the tank. While waiting for the final player to decided, the dealer should collect the 1,375 change for the second player. Once the third player calls or folds, the dealer can then immediately give the change to the second player. Some of the best dealers will even notice that the third player would have to call with a 5,000-chip and have two stacks of 1,375 change ready if the third player called.

3. Wait to count all-ins after the board runs out. Before a player calls an all-in, he or she may reasonably ask the dealer for a count of his opponent’s chips. However, if one player goes all-in and is called, the dealer does not have to count the chip amount of the shorter stack. Instead, the dealer should wait until the board runs out before counting the shorter stack’s chips. If the larger stack wins the hand, there is no need to count out the chips, as this would have been a waste of time.

4. Collect antes in an organized manner. Whether a dealer collects antes from one side of the table at a time or in a one-by-one orderly fashion, an experienced dealer is making sure everyone has anted and has received the proper change. I have witnessed some inexperienced dealers collect antes in a haphazard manner.

For example, if the antes are 100, the dealer collects the 100-chips first and then makes change. However, if a 500-chip is in between two players, the dealer has to ask which player needs to receive the change. Inevitably, the players cannot remember and then the play unnecessarily slows down. While this is not a major issue if it happens only once, sometimes this misstep occurs almost every hand and can seriously disrupt the flow of the game.

Don’t announce the amount of raise or all-in unless it has been requested by a player:
One action that definitely bothers me at the table is when the dealer begins to count the chip amount of an all-in before he is asked to do so. First, it takes unnecessary time to count the chips if no one is going to call anyway. Second, and more important, this action can truly affect the betting. Although this may seem trivial, here is an actual example that happened this summer.

The action has folded to a short-stacked player sitting in the hijack seat. After looking down at his cards, he goes all-in, pushing forward two and a half stacks of chips. The next couple of players folded, and the dealer began to count the player’s chips. After announcing the amount (which was only about nine big blinds), one of the average stacks sitting in the big blind (BB) stated, “oh that’s it. I thought it was more. Okay, I’ll call then.” Of course, you can guess the rest of the story, as the short stack was eliminated. Had the dealer not counted the short stack’s chips, the BB would have folded (he later stated that he would have mucked his cards) and the short stack would have still been in the tournament.

Don’t try to be center of attention:

I realize it is human nature to be liked by other people. Therefore, some dealers want to tell you interesting stories or bad beats that they just delivered at the other table or even their life story. While sometimes the tales are fascinating, many times the storytelling slows down the game. Please tell a story at the appropriate times and always remember to keep the game moving.

Also, although the dealer does control the action, do not go overboard and become a dictator. Be reasonable in your requests. I have encountered dealers that are slightly power hungry. Here is an example that occurred during the summer.

About four or so hours into the tournament, I had six 1,000 chips remaining in front of me. Sitting in the small blind (SB) with the blinds only at 100-200, I needed to make change, but no one near me had adequate chips. Consequently, I flipped one of my chips to the other side of the table, requesting change. As I waited for the change, I noticed that the dealer was waiting for me. The dealer just stared at me, saying that I had to put out my SB. I told him that I was getting change and I would put it out. He barked at me, stating that he could not deal until my SB was out in front of me and that was the rule. Seriously? What a waste of time having this discussion, just because he wanted to make sure that the table knew who was in control.

As a whole, the dealers on the poker tour are excellent. Travelling the circuit throughout the year, I look forward to seeing some of my favorite dealers such as Jennifer, Dallas, and Billy just to name a few (by the way, this list of dealers could have filled up this entire page so for the ones I did not mention, please forgive me as I did not purposely leave you out). Thus, as new dealers join the tour, I hope these suggestions will help them become as good as we are all accustomed to. ♠

Bernard Lee is the lead commentator for WSOP Circuit live stream, poker columnist ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found on RoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes. Lee is also a team member of RunGoodGear.com. Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter: @BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com.