Ceasars poker room--stupid is as stupid does!

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi fish:

I've heard the same thing. But by having the game at Caesar's, they may be trying to entice him to sit down again. But I'm only speculating.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Bob:

No. They do their best in general at $15-$30 through $40-$80, but it's my observation that they also do well in the $80-$160 hold 'em at The Bellagio. At other high limits you tend to have mixed games which reduce the number of hands. Also, at the high limits there are many very experienced players who are simply disgusted with the poor quality of many dealers and when one of these dealers is in the box, their tokes do get reduced.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Larry David]

On topic of the big game, I have talked to at least a dozen dealers that dealt the big game who have a completely different view of the players in general then you are saying Mason. Most of them agree that Brunson, Ivey, Reese, and some of the others are respectful and understanding of the dealers. But they also speak of the likes of Farha and a couple of others to be complete and utter a-holes. I've never sat in and wouldn't know, this is just second hand knoweledge.

I also know very few people who can get 40 hours of DOWN time in a week.

[RR]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Randy:

My argument is that $18 a down is a good living. If a good dealer does better than that, that's great. But the thrust of my argument is that most people would be very happy with a wage at that level.

Best wishes,
mason

[/ QUOTE ]

When they get to pick their dealers they are getting the best dealers. There are a lot of people that would be happy making $18 a down, but they aren't having those peopel deal to them.

This is not really even an issue with the players, but an issue as to why a poker room manger would decide to have this game and allow these players to pick their dealers. This game does nothign for the bottom line of the cardroom (well it is p robably a negative), and the room is willing to give them the best dealers rather than giving the players they actually make money from the best dealers. There is no reason that a 4-8 game that is being raked should have weaker daelers than the big game. The big gmae generates the lowest revenue for the card room and alienates dealers by paying them less than what they normally make; the dealers that are sent to that game should reflect these realities.

[Larry David]

Isn't nearly all of their wage taxed out? I was under the impression from dealers that they basicly only make what they earn in tips. They may be exaggerating.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Fish:

I do agree with you here. cardrooms need to look at their customer base and make sure that they are doing those things to ensure that their base stays in place. This is something I write about every now and then, and almost all major cardrooms do make this mistake.

Best wishes,
Mason

[RR]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't nearly all of their wage taxed out? I was under the impression from dealers that they basicly only make what they earn in tips. They may be exaggerating.

[/ QUOTE ]

When I was dealing I once received a "negative check" that is it was a notice telling me how much I owed the casino for the taxes on my tokes. This does not happen in the west per toke compliance agreements.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Randy:

My view is a little different. I would ask why is it even necessary to pick dealers? Why aren't most dealers competent enough? I believe that part of the problem is that management doesn't emphasize no extraneous talking and to pay attention to what's going on. I rarely play for more than a couple of hours before I tell a dealer that they need to quit talking and watch the game.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Larry:

Just to set the record straight, I have no knowledge of Farha.

Best wishes,
Mason

[RR]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Randy:

My view is a little different. I would ask why is it even necessary to pick dealers? Why aren't most dealers competent enough? I believe that part of the problem is that management doesn't emphasize no extraneous talking and to pay attention to what's going on. I rarely play for more than a couple of hours before I tell a dealer that they need to quit talking and watch the game.

Best wishes,
Mason

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you 100% on all these points. In rooms other than the ones you play in they actually encourage the dealers to talk in the box (it is being friendly). You used to have an essay on that subject on this site that I always printed out and gave to new dealers on my shift to read.

The lack of quality dealing is a serious problem, but it comes from casinos not hiring poker staff (managers and supervisors) that are familiar wiht poker. Since I have returned to Vegas (Dec 14) I have identified two poker rooms on the strip that if their delaers were trained better their rake woudl go up by over $200k a year. The actual increase would possible be higher than that as they might spread more games with competant dealers. At one of these rooms I auditioned and was told by the poker room manger that I needed to smile more, that anyone can deal that what they care about is having dealers smile.