Sticking up for Dealers

[Jorge10]

Background Information: I am on friendly terms with all of the dealers that work at my local card room. I have played in home games with about half of them.

The guy in question is an acquaintance of mine named Eric that I met through a friend. Me and my friend were in San Diego for a tourney. We were playing cash games the night before when we ran into this person who my friend didn’t even know well. He just knew the guy was from our home town. We talked to Eric and got to know him a bit, we let him stay on the floor of our hotel room because he was from our home town and he told us he was going to sleep in his car. This was months ago.

Current Events: I was in my local casino playing a small 4/8 holdem game just having a good time, when suddenly Eric started losing badly. He kept getting AQ and AK and running into sets. Its unfortunate, but a part of the game. He loses about 180 dollars and has about 50 in front of him and he starts to throw cards and verbally abuse the dealer.

He loses with AQ after flopping a queen and screams, "[censored] man." Then he slams his cards so hard one bounces off the table. The dealer is shocked, but does nothing. Then the following conversation takes place.

Eric: That’s some BS dealer.
Me: Dealers don’t control the cards, stuff happens.
Eric: Yeah, but the damn dealers still brag when they give someone a bad beat.
Me: What?
Eric: I have heard the damn dealers brag to other dealers about bad beats they have dealt players, if they are allowed to brag, then I am allowed to say whatever the hell I want to them.
Me: I have never heard a dealer brag about a bad beat, I don’t know what you are talking about.
Eric: Is getting angry not allowed or something?
Me: No, but you shouldn’t take your anger out on the dealers.
Eric: Mind your own damn business.

He loses another big hand about 5 minutes later and loses all of his remaining cash. The guy who beat him is a dude who is just there to have fun and is playing every hand. He is laughing at everything, probably very drunk, so he also laughs when the guy busts. He doesn’t laugh at the guy from what I can see, it seems like he laughs at the crap he played and how lucky he got. Then Eric says, "You think its funny?, you shouldn’t laugh at people because you might get your ass kicked."

I was shocked. So should I have minded my own business?

[Emperor]

Eric is obviously playing above his roll.

Eric obviously has a problem with TiLt.

Order Eric a drink, unless that will make him worse, maybe he will calm down.

After Eric is rude to you, and then busts, suggest that Eric reload... Might as well get Eric's money since Eric is TiLting it off. :P

[thegoatofgoats]

Eric is 100% right in this situation.

Dealers are there for the sole purpose of giving us players something to abuse, obv.

Otherwise we would just be playing at digital tables.

I would have joined in with Eric after the dealer failed to immediately apologize and offer to give Eric a BJ.

I'm sure he'll be fired by the next trip you take.

[AngusThermopyle]

tl;dr

If you are going to stick up someone , forget dealers. They never have any money. Why risk a felony for $23.95 (minus $1 tip)?

[Jeffage]

I think the correct play here is to say nothing or talk to him later if you still value his friendship (he seems kinda like a D-bag though). You escalated the situation by getting involved and inadvertently antaganizing someone who is clearly on tilt - don't engage him.

That's gambling for you - I've known many people who I was "friendly" with at local cardrooms who eventually go [censored] up broke or start their losing streak and become mean people I don't want anything to do with. Fact of cardroom life.

Jeff

[LuckyTxGuy]

I don't think it's wrong to stand up for what is right. You didn't pick a fight, you just stood up for the dealer. You didn't take the "discussion" too far, you just said what was right and what everyone else at the table was thinking. Usually, unless a person is drunk or just an idiot, someone calmly telling them to settle down sort of wakes them up out of their pity party and they at least shutup.

[steamraise]

[ QUOTE ]
Eric: I have heard the damn dealers brag to other dealers about bad beats they have dealt players,

[/ QUOTE ]

I would only brag if I dealt a beat to Hellmuth or Matusow.

OP, I would appreciate it if you stuck up for me like that.

[that_pope]

I stick up for dealers quite often. Sometimes it is reminding a player that it was just as likely to be a duece exposed as an ace when their preflop card was exposed accidently by the dealer.

Or a few weeks ago when someone was enraged cause the dealer accidently dealt the river before he had acted, and it turns out the river was a card he wanted, and the new river gave the other guy a flush, and he said dealers should never make that mistake.

Some people just want anything to blame but themselves.

Try switching dealer buttons from one table to another, and see all the talk that starts about that...thats a good way to get the blame off of the dealer for awhile.

[psandman]

Confronting this sort of player at the table doesn't make it easier for the dealer. That doesn't mean you should ignore this though. Consider walking over to a nearby floorperson and let them know that you are offended by this players actions.

[Jeffage]

[ QUOTE ]
and the new river gave the other guy a flush, and he said dealers should never make that mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

Obviously, the new card could just as easily have helped him as hurt him. But he actually is right - if dealers followed proper procedure (tapping the felt a couple times before burning and dealing the next card), that mistake should NEVER happen. Simple as that.

Jeff