el_jefe: how to react to dealer mistakes

[el_jefe]

I recently had a situation where a dealer made a very blatant mistake and I wasn't sure how to react.

For example, say I received a 9,6 and the dealer drew a three card seventeen. The dealer motioned to push my hand (I just tried to act cool like it was the right play) then proceeded to move around the table. Then she picked up the cards and just before she put them in the tray (but they were all in one pile) she realized she may have made a mistake and spread them all out again and caught her error and took my chips. So what should/could I have done differently to keep my money? At what point is it OK for me to pull all or part of my pushed bet back? After she signals the push? After she picks up my cards? I guess even if I pulled it all back and she realized she made a mistake they still could have called upstairs to see what my bet was and made me pay, correct? Should I have just picked it up right away and headed for the door? Thanks for the advice.

el_jefe

[Ouchez]

> I recently had a situation where a dealer made a very
> blatant mistake and I wasn't sure how to react.

> For example, say I received a 9,6 and the dealer drew
> a three card seventeen. The dealer motioned to push my
> hand (I just tried to act cool like it was the right
> play) then proceeded to move around the table. Then
> she picked up the cards and just before she put them
> in the tray (but they were all in one pile) she
> realized she may have made a mistake and spread them
> all out again and caught her error and took my chips.
> So what should/could I have done differently to keep
> my money? At what point is it OK for me to pull all or
> part of my pushed bet back? After she signals the
> push? After she picks up my cards? I guess even if I
> pulled it all back and she realized she made a mistake
> they still could have called upstairs to see what my
> bet was and made me pay, correct? Should I have just
> picked it up right away and headed for the door?
> Thanks for the advice.

> el_jefe

I react fast to pulling back my push,,,, when indeed I lost! Most of the time the dealer will not want to draw attention to their mistake.

It is always best to keep ones mouth shut unless they TAKE your money on a push or a win.

Ouchez.

[Praying Mantis]

> I react fast to pulling back my push,,,, when indeed I
> lost! Most of the time the dealer will not want to
> draw attention to their mistake.

> It is always best to keep ones mouth shut unless they
> TAKE your money on a push or a win.

> Ouchez.

Now, if there's a BIG BET out, it may be wise to keep ones mouth shut, gather your belongings, and make haste toward the door...especially if you know she's suspecting something.

Do not Pass Cage, do NOT collect $200...just beat feet!

My two-cents!

PM

[suicyco maniac]

>it may be wise to keep ones mouth shut
>

A dealer once told me he often knows when he F'd up because all the players suddenly get quiet. So when everyone shuts up he always starts looking to see what he did wrong.

[Jack Fate]

Watched a guy tuck a busted hand (22) and get paid. Nobody said anything. A few minutes later the same guy tucked a BJ and got paid even money. Nobody said anything.

[Myooligan]

> A dealer once told me he often knows when he F'd up
> because all the players suddenly get quiet. So when
> everyone shuts up he always starts looking to see what
> he did wrong.

Insightful comment, Suicyco. It seems to me that a good grasp of such interpersonal dynamics will ultimately distinguish big winners from the mediocre in this business.

Anyway, it just occurred to me that movies might be a great way to learn about the art of deception. Any suggestions for films featuring exemplary "acts?" (They don't have to be about gambling)

[Sun Runner]

> Any suggestions for films featuring exemplary
> "acts?" (They don't have to be about
> gambling)

Henry Gondorf; one slick dude. Really, is there anyone better than Paul Newman?

[Bettie]

If at all possible, I HIGHLY recommend taking part in acting classes, especially if they involve the wonderful art of improv.

Bettie

[Cardkountr]

> Anyway, it just occurred to me that movies might be a
> great way to learn about the art of deception. Any
> suggestions for films featuring exemplary
> "acts?" (They don't have to be about
> gambling)

I enjoyed watching "Shade" which is poker con starring Silvester Stalone. It makes a few factual errors concerning the game but is entertaining none the less.

[BAMA21]

On my last trip to Vegas I had a dealer give me half of my $75 bet back on a surrender, but forget to collect the original bet. So instead of being down $37.50 on that hand, I was up $37.50, which was $75 more than I should have had. I was stunned. I didn't know what to do.

I had been tipping fairly liberally; and I've had dealers "help" me in the past, but this was pretty big money from where I was sitting. A thousand thoughts ran through my mind. My conscience told me that I should be honest about it. I didn't want the dealer to get into trouble over it either. But then, I didn't know if the dealer had made the mistake on purpose; and my pointing it out would have just drawed attention to it.

It was just me and the dealer and one other player, so things were moving fast. I didn't move to pull back the three green chips that were my original bet; and before I knew it, the dealer had quickly started to deal the next hand. When she came to my decision, she remembered her mistake and called the pit boss over.

By this time, I had a twenty and she had a six, so I was happy enough to have the bet out there. So I just gave them back the $75 without a fuss. I still don't know what is the "proper" way to handle that situation; but I figured not to fight it and cause a scene. I had won there in the past, was winning there then, and plan to win more there in the future.

> I recently had a situation where a dealer made a very
> blatant mistake and I wasn't sure how to react.

> For example, say I received a 9,6 and the dealer drew
> a three card seventeen. The dealer motioned to push my
> hand (I just tried to act cool like it was the right
> play) then proceeded to move around the table. Then
> she picked up the cards and just before she put them
> in the tray (but they were all in one pile) she
> realized she may have made a mistake and spread them
> all out again and caught her error and took my chips.
> So what should/could I have done differently to keep
> my money? At what point is it OK for me to pull all or
> part of my pushed bet back? After she signals the
> push? After she picks up my cards? I guess even if I
> pulled it all back and she realized she made a mistake
> they still could have called upstairs to see what my
> bet was and made me pay, correct? Should I have just
> picked it up right away and headed for the door?
> Thanks for the advice.

> el_jefe

[Sun Runner]

> I still don't know what is the "proper" way to handle that situation ...

There is no 'proper' way. Some here have strong feelings that it is cheating to take a bad payoff; I don't. Some worry about the dealer's performance reviews, and while I do have compassion for everyone (I really do) I figure it's all just part of the big picture.

My dumb mistake when I get tired is to see 9/3 as eleven, and double. I can't explain it. But nobody cuts me any slack when I bust that hand. It's all part of the big picture.

The proper thing to do is figure out how you feel in advance, and if you are into pocketing dealer error, make a plan in advance. Think through all the possibilities before it happens -because it does happen.

> but I figured not to fight it and cause a scene.

Let's face it, fighting a bad payoff is futile because they are right and you are wrong. All you can do is make a plan to try and carry it off so that there is no fight.

[Sun Runner]

> So what should/could I have done differently to keep my money?

If it was a big bet, picked it up and strolled out immediately just like PR suggested. If small, probably nothing worth doing. She made an error and caught it, big deal. Certainly not worth trying some lame crap on a small bet.

> At what point is it OK for me to pull all or part of my pushed bet back?

Anytime you want after the payoff hits the square. You must leave it there until the payoff is made. If you were trying to pocket the dealer error (of course you were), I would have pulled it all back and then placed a new bet.

> I guess even if I
> pulled it all back and she realized she made a mistake
> they still could have called upstairs to see what my
> bet was and made me pay, correct?

Sure they could have, and again if a big bet, maybe she would have. If a small bet, and you had already pulled it back, maybe she would have let it go.

Last dealer error I encountered was a minimum quarter bet. The dealer had already layed the payoff next to my bet and as he was removing his hand away and I was moving in with my hand, the pit guy, from out of nowhere, says no! no!, and waves his hand.

Of course I know what he means but it takes the dealer a little while to figure out what's going on.

It's hard, while feeling sheepish on the inside, to try and act/look like a dummy on the outside, when clearly you have your hand in the cookie jar.

But ain't that what makes some of it fun !!

[ShoelessD]

> But ain't that what makes some of it fun !!

You must do what you think is right. I have seen players pocket the error immediatly, or wait to pocket it just prior to the next deal. I have seen players call attention to it themselves, and other players call attention to someone else's windfall (not generally a good idea).

We had a posting recently that called the players all cheats and liars. The post was widely discredited, but the author had a point that sometimes players morals/values are worse than casino's.

Personally, I leave the error payoff out for the next bet. In most cases I lose it immediatly......