We Interrupt This Call . . .

[ghostwriter]

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Foxwoods used to be the worst I've ever seen about this. They've calmed down a little the couple of times I've been in the new room -- now you can take a phone call well away from the tables without them spazzing out.

I was told that many Vegas poker rooms are located next to the sports book, hence phones are forbidden there.

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Yes the phones are forbidden next to the sports book. I have no problem with rooms that require you to step away/leave the room whiel on the phone; I do have a huge problem wiht places that want to kill hands because someone answers a call they get. There is nothing wrong with someone answering the phone and say, just a minute and putting down the phone. To suggest that someone that receives important calls chose between continuing a hand they have money invested in and answering a call is crazy. I remember in days before cell phones (or at least before they were everywhere) at sporting events and such Drs could check in with a customer service desk (I think it had another name, but the name escapes me) and tell them where they werre sitting so they could come fid them if they recieved a phone call; if MLB can accomodate a Dr on-call shouldn't a poker room (I think a DR on-call might be just the sort of guest you want in the room). Note: there are some places that ban electronic devices at the tables per gaming regulation, I am not talking about taking on gaming commissions, I am only referring to places that just decide to have this rule (most likely becasue someoen that is in charge there used to work some place where it was mandated by law and they don'pt understand the difference).

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What's so hard about about returning the call when you aren't in a hand? Like you said, there was a time when everyone didn't have cellphones and everyone wasn't obessed with being instantly reachable 24 hours a day. Is it really some unfathomable inconvenience to simply glance at the caller ID when your phone rings and make a mental note to return the call a few minutes later when you're not in a hand?

[Lottery Larry]

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There is nothing wrong with someone answering the phone and say, just a minute and putting down the phone. To suggest that someone that receives important calls chose between continuing a hand they have money invested in and answering a call is crazy.

I remember in days before cell phones (or at least before they were everywhere) at sporting events and such Drs could check in with a customer service desk (I think it had another name, but the name escapes me) and tell them where they werre sitting so they could come fid them if they recieved a phone call; if MLB can accomodate a Dr on-call shouldn't a poker room

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Big difference, don't you think, Randy? Besides, it seems to me more and more that "important" and "any" phone call are interchangeable descriptions for most people.

But I've never understood why everyone's so Pavlovian about immediately answering a phone at ALL times- isn't that what voicemail and buzzers are intended for?

[rageotones]

i personally love casinos that don't allow any cell phone use at the table. it slows down the game. if casinos a particular casino let you do it every once in a while, then peopl would abuse the privelage. like someone else said, step away from the table after the hand if it's that important, and call them back.

[Obfuscation]

I do enjoy texting in-between hands, I must admit.

[Quadstriker]

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Is it really some unfathomable inconvenience to simply glance at the caller ID when your phone rings

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At the room I frequent... this ALSO kills your hand. =(

[RR]

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What's so hard about about returning the call when you aren't in a hand? Like you said, there was a time when everyone didn't have cellphones and everyone wasn't obessed with being instantly reachable 24 hours a day. Is it really some unfathomable inconvenience to simply glance at the caller ID when your phone rings and make a mental note to return the call a few minutes later when you're not in a hand?

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I have known people in poker rooms to receive phone calls about babies being born, relatives being in accidents (I was in a hand of poker when I learned my stepfather had been killed in a car accident), their place of business being robbed, and their house being on fire. Having a rule against cell phone use is a poor substitute for hiring a competent staff that knows how to handle someone that is disruptive to the game.

[RR]

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i personally love casinos that don't allow any cell phone use at the table. it slows down the game. if casinos a particular casino let you do it every once in a while, then peopl would abuse the privelage. like someone else said, step away from the table after the hand if it's that important, and call them back.

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People will only abuse the priveledge if the floorstaff is incompetant and allows them to abuse it. This is an area that floors are lacking, they tyr to be "fair" by making blanket rules to covr that they dont' know how to handle things. A couple of examples come to mind; during a touranment a player asked me if h e coudl check his voicemail; I ruled that he could listen to his voicemail when out of the hand (he was an older gentleman who physically walking form the table woudl be difficult). Another time I was called to the table becasue the game woudl stall whenever the action got to a player with headphones becasue he never knew it was his turn. I told him he had to take off the headphones if he wanted to continue to play. He threw a little fit because someoen else at the table had headphones; I explained to him the other player was able to listen to music and follow the action, he was not able to follow the action so he could not wear headphones at the table.

[Wake up CALL]

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I have known people in poker rooms to receive phone calls about babies being born, relatives being in accidents (I was in a hand of poker when I learned my stepfather had been killed in a car accident), their place of business being robbed, and their house being on fire. Having a rule against cell phone use is a poor substitute for hiring a competent staff that knows how to handle someone that is disruptive to the game.


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Randy,

I respect your experience and opinions but have a few questions.

1. If not for having a cellphone would the above mentioned baby not have been born?
2. Were babies not born before cellphones were invented?
3. If not for having a cellphone might the relative not been in an accident?
4. Did having a cellphone at the poker table enable the person in the accident to survive via some microwave magic?
5. If not for having a cellphone would the business robbery been prevented?
6. Did having a cellphone somehow help catch the burglar?
7. Did having the cellphone allow the poker player to douse the flames consuming his burning home?

I see nothing that couldn't have waited 30 seconds in your post above. If you are being notified of an event that has already occurred can you go back in time and change it because you discovered it 30 seconds sooner?

[MicroBob]

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People will only abuse the priveledge if the floorstaff is incompetant and allows them to abuse it.

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At the Bellagio last year one guy at my table was on his phone for an orbit or two and was continually holding up the game.
He as speaking very loudly and obnoxiously.
"F'king Bellagio!! Don't be a pussy. Get your ass down here." (pause). "I already told you, F'cking Bellagio. Why aren't you here yet."
This thrilling conversation went on and on while he continually held up the game and made everyone at the table kind of uncomfortable.

dealer and floor did nothing.

[Ignignokt]

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I have known people in poker rooms to receive phone calls about babies being born, relatives being in accidents (I was in a hand of poker when I learned my stepfather had been killed in a car accident), their place of business being robbed, and their house being on fire. Having a rule against cell phone use is a poor substitute for hiring a competent staff that knows how to handle someone that is disruptive to the game.

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As long as they get up from the table before answering the phone, I have no problem with it.

Recently I was at the MGM and my phone rang. I got up from my seat and moved a few feet from the table to take the call. No problem at all.

Of course, the dealer then dealt me in on my BB, so I put the call on hold, sat down and played the hand. It was another 2+2er on the phone, so he understood. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]