How to react when the dealer makes a mistake?

[Beck]

So far at my stay in Vegas (my first live experience ever), I 've luckily only seen relatively few dealer mistakes. Most of them have involved sidepots, where the dealers had reached that age where they probably should have been at home and watch "Murder She Wrote", cause couldn't keep things straight.

Anyway, at Stardust after I was able to help reconstruct the events for the manager (the dealer mixed main and sidepot together bigtime), we, the players, were encouraged to let the dealer know if we believed he/she was about to make a mistake.

However few days later I played at the Wynn, where a player changed seats, and I was unsure whether the button moved correctly. For a moment I (mistakenly, I admit) thought I was going from SB to CO, with the former BB becoming button.
So I asked the dealer Arnold (seems extremely competent) whether he was sure it was correct? And I basically got the answer I should just shut up and play my cards, then he would take care of the rest.

If I believe a mistake is about to be made which involves me directly, should there be ANY problem in me asking for clarification??

What if I witness a mistake not involving me??

[FCBLComish]

If the dealer makes a mistake, kick him in the nuts.

[redfisher]

If the dealer can't explain to your satisfaction what's going on in the game at any time, you should call the floor. STFU and play cards wouldn't work for me.

If the mistake doesn't affect you, but you would be upset if you were involved, I'd also get a clarification with the floor involved if necessary. It's always better to know if the house has some screwy rule you don't like before it bites you. Particularly in Vegas, since you can walk 1/4 mile to the next game.

[Packard]

Good post.

You have to watch out for yourself at the tables. I sometimes have to say "wait wait wait" when the dealer starts turning over the turn or river card before the conclusion of the current round's betting action.

Also watch out for split pots when the dealer sometimes starts pushing the pot to one player when the kickers are on the board example:

4AATJ

One person has A8 and another has A3 thats a split pot and I had to interupt and tell everyone in a hand I wasn't involved in last week.

Just say the error right away or people will quickly forget everything.

[_TKO_]

Only if the mistake affects the flow of the game.

I'm not correcting a dealer who puts the burn cards more than 3 inches from the flop. I'm not correcting a dealer who doesn't hit the tip on the rack.

I will correct the action or help the dealer read the board. Actually, that's probably about it.

[undathesea]

The dealers can usually spot the competent players and will
listen to advice given by those players (the big tippers
will get listened to as well). If you're a donk or a noob
(believe it or not, dealers can spot a bad player), STFU
and play your cards... especially about the button moving.
Most dealers, especially at the Wynn, are experienced enough
to know how to move a button.

[Chipr777]

[ QUOTE ]
If the dealer makes a mistake, kick him in the nuts.

[/ QUOTE ] Moron.

[bernie]

Dealers are human. They make mistakes. Sometimes big ones. But then they never get credit for the 100s of 1000s of hands they deal fantastically. Make 1 error in 12 years and everyone magnifies it. ugh.

Nothing wrong with helping a dealer. But some dealers do really suck. But new dealers can be nervous and a little slow. To me, that's ok. As long as they're trying and they keep the game moving at a consistent pace.(even if that pace is slower than normal.) Eventually they will/should get better. When you do help them out, don't make a big production out of it. Put yourself in their situation.

I've seen a new dealer get berated when they were dealing an Omaha game for one of their first times. Instead of helping them out, the guy stands up and basically bellows about how incompetent they are. It was quite a disgusting display to say the least. Personally, I wanted to deck the guy. This is an image that was burned in my brain awhile back. I not even a dealer nor was I on the table so I can imagine how the dealer still thinks of that moment. No one deserves that.

[ QUOTE ]
If I believe a mistake is about to be made which involves me directly, should there be ANY problem in me asking for clarification??

[/ QUOTE ]

I would ask for clarification on mistakes that might involve others too. This tends to lend more credibility to you when something else comes up and they hear your side of a situation on top of showing that you care about keeping the integrity of the game. Standing up for others also lends itself for them to stand up for you if you need it.

b

[tom10167]

ASK the dealer if they made a mistake, don't tell them that they DID. There are a LOT of different scenarios with completely different outcomes so just ask and you'll probably learn something.

Don't be the new-to-casino-but-I-somehow-know-it-all-anyways guy.

[youtalkfunny]

[ QUOTE ]
The dealers can usually spot the competent players

[/ QUOTE ]

Too bad the players usually cannot spot the competent dealers.