Protecting my hand......was I wrong?

[LuckyTxGuy]

I was playing $3/6 or $4/8 (not sure which at this particular point in time) at the Gold Strike in Tunica a week or so ago when I had this situation come up.....

I'm in the 3 seat and involved in a multi-way pot that involved very little betting and was checked on the river. I don't remember what my hand was but it makes no difference. We all turn our cards face up and I keep my index finger on both of the cards as I push them out in front of me so the dealer can see them. I doubt I have the best hand but at these stakes ya never know.lol Sure enough the dealer starts scanning around the table heading in my direction trying to figure out who has what. When he gets to me he asks what I have, as he looks at my cards and I tell him and it happens to be the winning hand. He repeats my hand out loud and starts grabbing all the other hole cards, turning them face down and pulling them into the muck. He gets back to me and I've still got my finger on my cards and there are NO other cards face up on the table. He pushes the pot up in a pile and starts pushing it my direction (for what it's worth, no one on my end of the table had cards at the showdown besides me). As he's pushing the pot, I toss him my cards, still face up and they land near the Shufflemaster but still out in the middle of the table. He immediately roars to life and says "Next time you should protect your hand if you want to win a pot!!!!" Embarrassed and trying to figure out what was going on, I sheepishly said "Sorry sir". Now even more condescending than before he says "Don't tell me you're sorry, it's your money you'd be loosing not mine. If you throw your cards in like that, you'll probably loose the whole pot next time!" Now I'm trying to figure out just who in the heck is going to win the pot? Every other card on the table is in the muck and mine are still face up, just out of my reach and the pot is withing 24" of my stack and moving closer when I released my cards. Don't get me wrong, holding the cards another 3 seconds might be the wise thing to do (not real sure why) but I did not see my release of the cards in this situation as a huge breach?

I tip even though the guy has done his best to embarrass me at the table and I'm still replaying everything in my mind. I had been nothing but nice to this guy and very quiet at the table and for what it's worth, never stiffed the guy on a tip. So the very next hand I'm dealt KK. By the river my hand is still good and again it's a multi-way showdown and the dealer is scanning around the table looking for a winner. I have turned my two kings over and this time I keep my index finger under cards but touching the felt. In other words, my finger is propping the cards up less than 1/4" off the felt in the direction of the dealer, making it easier for him to see. I'm also not letting these cards get out of my hands this time.lol He looks at the cards, looks at me with disgust and says "If you would table your hand, I'll see what you have and maybe award the pot." At first I'm unsure what he's talking about but I realize he's talking about my finger under the cards. I remove my finger and place it on top of the cards and he acts like he's been given the gift of sight and says "Two kings". I hold the cards until I'm stacking the pot and I then toss them his way. At this point I'm getting angry.

Before he can deal a hand a new dealer taps in and sits down. Nice young guy and I'm dealt a playable hand. By the river, once again my hand is good at the checked showdown. Same thing, the dealer scans around sees my hand is good, announces it to the table, mucks the other cards and pushes the pot into a pile and starts in my direction. Before he gets past the Shufflemaster he says nicely "sir I need to get those cards before I can push you the pot." WHAT?!!!! Don't get me wrong, this guy was really nice about it, but I'm thinking to myself, this is just nuts. 2 hands ago I get berated by the dealer FOR releasing my hand at this exact point and now I'm being asked TO release my hand so I can get the pot.

No one had made a comment about anything that had taken place up until this point when several people started laughing, as I tossed in my cards. One guy commented, "these dealers are like my ex-wife, you can't ever please the, so you might as well quit trying!"LOL!! We were joking and told the dealer we weren't talking about him and that it was a long story. I didn't feel like rehashing it all out again anyway.

So, what is your take? Was I in the wrong the first time? I might have been and if so, I can take that. What I can't take is being treated like an idiot. I'm by no means a stranger to B&M poker and if I do something wrong, I don't mind being told but I'd at least like it done with the mutual respect that I give the dealer.

Thoughts?

[zuluking]

[ QUOTE ]
So, what is your take?

[/ QUOTE ]

Dealer #1-Easy one. Never, ever tip him again.

Dealer #2-I never, ever let my cards go until the chip are pushed my direction. If he insists on the cards before pushing you the pot, meet him halfway and give up the cards the same time you rake in the chips. If he still won't push you the pot, call the floor.

[AngusThermopyle]

[ QUOTE ]


Dealer #2-I never, ever let my cards go until the chip are pushed my direction. If he insists on the cards before pushing you the pot, meet him halfway and give up the cards the same time you rake in the chips. If he still won't push you the pot, call the floor.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems like the dealer had done enough to indicate that he was going to get the pot. Pushing the point any further makes you a nit.

[ QUOTE ]
mucks the other cards and pushes the pot into a pile and starts in my direction.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Russ M.]

Dealer 1 is an inconsiderate unintelligent idiotic douchebag who should be fired. You should have spoken to a floorman (away from the table).

There's nothing stopping Dealer 2 from shipping you the pot and then asking for the cards unless its a specific rule at the GS. He's probably just following the rules that he was trained for, though, so you can't really fault him like Dealer 1. I certainly would have asked the floor after this if I didn't after Dealer 1 decided to empty his ass all over the place.

[Mr Rick]

Great story. If it were me I would be glad it happened. Not because it was pleasant - but because it makes for a memorable experience. You can't make sh*t like this up!

It seems like dealer #1 was having his period. I just try to follow instructions so I will get the pot. He was obviously nittier than anyone in history. But you did get the pots. That others at the table laughed when Dealer #2 did his thing means that it wasn't anything you did. I would say in this situation you can't win - but wait you won like 3 pots in a row!!!

I would probably talk to the floor about it because Dealer #1 was nasty. But mostly so they can get their collective sh*t together.

[Wongboy]

I prefer dealer #1's policy, although I hate his attitude and approach. I just hang on to my cards until I get the pot. If the dealer doesn't like it, he/she will tell me and I will adjust accordingly. That being said, if dealer #1 chose the same tone that you imply in your post, then he would be getting no tips from me for a few pots.

On the propped-up hand, I agree with Dealer #1 to a point. He was being a nit, but he was right that you had not technically tabled your hand. Personally, I would not have done anything at all to "help" this dealer after the way he chose to word his comments on the earlier hand, but you are likely a nicer person than I am.

[TexRef]

Dealer #1 is an ass. If he is pushing you the pot you no longer need to "protect" your hand - the pot has been awarded.

[LuckyTxGuy]

Thanks for the replies fellas, they are all appreciated.

[ QUOTE ]
Great story. If it were me I would be glad it happened. Not because it was pleasant - but because it makes for a memorable experience. You can't make sh*t like this up!

It seems like dealer #1 was having his period. I just try to follow instructions so I will get the pot. He was obviously nittier than anyone in history. But you did get the pots. That others at the table laughed when Dealer #2 did his thing means that it wasn't anything you did. I would say in this situation you can't win - but wait you won like 3 pots in a row!!!

I would probably talk to the floor about it because Dealer #1 was nasty. But mostly so they can get their collective sh*t together.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mr.Rick, that reply cracked me up. What a great attitude to have about the situation. That is pretty much how I saw it too. I tried not to let it bother me any more than I had to and I have no desire to get into an argument with a dealer. I lucked into two of the pots that I thought there was no way in the world I could win and after 3 pots in a row, I figured the table probably wasn't feeling too sorry for me anymore. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

But the way the original dealer treated me was so rude that no one else at the table hardly said a word until he was tapped out. It was just that awkward silence; you know that feeling I'm talking about. Everyone is scared to say anything for fear of being the target of the wrath next.lol I was glad when everyone started laughing after the new dealer sat down though because it confirmed that they thought it was an over reaction also.

And for the record, the 2nd dealer was as nice as he could be when he asked for my cards. If the 1st dealer had been nice like the 2nd dealer, I would have forgotten it immediately, there would be no story to tell and this post wouldn't exist. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[youtalkfunny]

Your impression of the first dealer is so spot-on, I can Name That Dealer.

Don't let him upset you. He wasn't trying to embarrass you. He's just, well, let's say "mentally challenged". You should see him try to deal O/8.

[eastcoaster]

I had a similar experience when I played in Biloxi a few years ago. Almost the same, with the two different dealers and all. Very strange.