How annoying are "assistant dealers"?

[SNOWBALL]

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That's the thing: I don't have to be this active, I choose to be. The dealers will do all of this, but sometimes I beat them to the punch. They'll remind players to put their blind out

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I also make change at the table, or will lend someone a stack to play with if the chip runner is en route. I do this because chiprunners can be slow, and it saves the dealer the trouble of keeping track of the bets owed.

[DayTripping]

I think it's possible that many of these "assistant dealers" have obsessive compulsive disorder or hyperactivity disorder.

[jfk]

As much as I'm a fan of getting out as many hands as possible, every time I think I about opening my mouth, I can quickly think of about five more reasons to keep it closed.

If you're in a card room for purposes of making money, its best not to involved yourself in the dealer's job. It can create any number of ways for bad feeling to develop, especially among those who are most likely to contribute to your hourly rate.

The card room can be a volatile place. Fight the urge to get involved until its absolutely necessary.

[pfapfap]

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\I also push cards forward when they're mucked so the dealer doesn't have to reach too far.

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THAT is great. Everybody please do this. If you're mucking, too, scoop them together.

[Tablerat]

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I like when people move bets in of people who seem to be deliberately putting them out of reach. Overall it's somewhat helpful, but only if I'm looking at the bet or it's bleedingly obvious what it is.

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Wow, I had no idea this was acceptable. I usually just silently steam when another player barely sets out a bet.

If I understand this correctly, e.g. if I'm in the 2 seat and the 3 seat makes it difficult for the dealer to reach his bet, I can push his bet forward (as a help to the dealer, and I'm not in the hand)? I'm not sure I've ever seen this done for this type of scenario. Interesting.

[Richard Tanner]

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This is a habit of mine. I like to keep the game moving and I have a little sympathy for how hard dealers work. Here's a few things I do:

- Call hands at showdown, especially in Omaha
- Remind people to put their blinds or antes out
- Push in other people's bets if the dealer is having a hard time reaching (I try to show my hands to prove I'm not stealing from the pot)
- Tell people its their action if it looks like they didn't notice, although I imagine sometimes they're just thinking. I'll look at them and say "action" or do a "palm up point" like a dealer would.
- Feed $1 chips into the pot so the dealer doesn't have to make change to take the rake.

I try to be gentle about it, usually a barely audible "blinds" or "action", but I can see how this might get on people's nerves. I don't recall anyone ever giving me crap about it, but how bad is this?

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I do all of those things and the only time anyone says anything is if they're stuck, and even then it's "one dealer per table" and the dealer usually gives me a smile if he/she hears it.

Don't say anything to influence action (even "hey turn over your hand" isn't cool) but issues in game procedure are fine, and when I play, prefered.

Cody

[steamraise]

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If I understand this correctly, e.g. if I'm in the 2 seat and the 3 seat makes it difficult for the dealer to reach his bet, I can push his bet forward (as a help to the dealer, and I'm not in the hand)?

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This is very much appreciated.
Just be careful not to intermingle it with other bets.
And make it clear that you're not palming chips.

[Gnome XXL]

How annoying are "assistant dealers"?

Very. I might tolerate your nonsense for a little while before telling you to STFU.

Similar to back seat drivers - GTFO.

[UbinTook]

[ QUOTE ]
This is a habit of mine. I like to keep the game moving and I have a little sympathy for how hard dealers work. Here's a few things I do:

- Call hands at showdown, especially in Omaha
- Remind people to put their blinds or antes out
- Push in other people's bets if the dealer is having a hard time reaching (I try to show my hands to prove I'm not stealing from the pot)
- Tell people its their action if it looks like they didn't notice, although I imagine sometimes they're just thinking. I'll look at them and say "action" or do a "palm up point" like a dealer would.
- Feed $1 chips into the pot so the dealer doesn't have to make change to take the rake.

I try to be gentle about it, usually a barely audible "blinds" or "action", but I can see how this might get on people's nerves. I don't recall anyone ever giving me crap about it, but how bad is this?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the dealer is competent, they don’t need and don’t want your help. "Assistant dealers" can be distracting at best in a game that is already well run.

Just recently, I was dealing a 4/8 game, the prior hand was over and I had moved the button. I squared the deck and placed it in the shuffler, as I was stating "blinds please" the button seemed to have moved, I THOUGHT it was in the 1 seat...it was now in the 4 seat. I asked "did someone move the button?
Seat 2, 3 and 4 all acknowledged they had (each pulling it to in font of themselves.)
I simply said, “I do appreciate the effort, but STOP HELPING ME !”

Everyone laughed and the game continued uninterrupted.

That said, newer dealers may require some assistance, just don’t be “Table Captain” I.E…don’t try to “beat them to the punch”, help only when a critical mistake is about to be made, if you help ( do their job for them) otherwise, they wont learn to be more efficient.

[FatalError]

at the WSOP having an assistant dealer at every table was a necessity