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What would you do.

I was at Casino Niagara playing poker. Low limits 2/4 and a hand came up which I wan't involved in but caught the mistake and it left a sour taste in my mouth.

Two players going head to head
K2 v K4

Flop K 6 8 turn 10 river 3

THey reveal the cards and I announce wow a split pot. The dealer immediately says no the 4 plays and pushes the chips to the one player as I am arguing that it wasn't. He mucks the cards and proceeds to the next take as it was a dealer change. The pit boss is called over and I along with the losing player disuss this with him. He goes on to say once awarded there is nothing they can do. Funny how easy the casino is at playing with other money. Mind you the pot was probably about $50 but the principal of it got me heated. Then the dealer who is now at another table yells across the tables at me that "i awarded it correctly and there is nothing that can be done." mumbling also that it was only a $20 pot. I proceed to mention to the pitboss this was out of line and he was well aware of his error prior to awarding the pot but continued to awarded it incorrectly. The pitboss apologized but there is nothing he can do.


I have a couple questions.
1) Should the casino be responsible for reimbursing the other player? They do in other games when this type of thing happens.

2) Would you give the money back? The guy sat beside me and I explained it and his comment was well if I wasn't down so much I would. LOL

3) Did I over react? I deal a bit on the side and was frustrated at the lack of knowledge of the dealers. I won the pot before this with K9 vs K4 with flop of KJJ turn 7 river 7 and the dealer first called a split and I ssaid no the 9 plays then being pissed at my correction he looks to the other guy and say you got rivered. Needless to say NO TIP FOR YOU.

Comments

  • PUNKYMISHA wrote:
    1) Should the casino be responsible for reimbursing the other player?  They do in other games when this type of thing happens.
    Yes. Especially since the dealer was informed of his error prior to awarding the pot.
    PUNKYMISHA wrote:
    2) Would you give the money back? The guy sat beside me and I explained it and his comment was well if I wasn't down so much I would. LOL
    Yes. First reason is simply personal integrity which isn't based on the actions of others (or stack-sizes). But in addition, assuming the dealer didn't change and that you don't immediately pack up and leave, the same thing could quite possibly happen again with you at the wrong end - better to take the lead as "insurance".
    PUNKYMISHA wrote:
    3) Did I over react?
    No. Everyone makes mistakes, but ignoring your mistakes rather than correcting them, and being mouthy to boot, isn't acceptable (IMO) even in home-games, let alone a raked "professional" establishment.
  • Niagara dealers are the worst I have seen anywhere. Period. Customer service? No clue. I have never seen so many arguments over dealer mistakes and instead of being humble and admitting their mistakes they get mean and nasty. Then the pit boss sides with the dealer and you are screwed. See other posts of mine. See Acid Joe's.

    The hands are taped. If they weren't so lazy/irresponsible they could review and correct the mistake. In other casino's (even Fallsview) I have seen the pit boss ask the table and if the table is in agreement on what happened then he goes ahead and corrects the mistake. It is just good customer service. The table is happier, people play more and drink more. Personally I wouldn't get involved past the point of pointing out the mistake if the hand didn't involve me. I would bring it up as an issue of fairness but really it is the player getting screwed who should be making a stink.

    Never let the dealer muck your hand at Niagara until you are sure the pot is awarded correctly.
  • PUNKYMISHA wrote:

    I have a couple questions.
    1) Should the casino be responsible for reimbursing the other player? They do in other games when this type of thing happens.

    They should go to tape and reimburse, yes.

    2) Would you give the money back? The guy sat beside me and I explained it and his comment was well if I wasn't down so much I would. LOL

    Yes, I would give it back, but I would first argue for them to go to tape, not so I could keep the money, but so that they are liable for what is their error.

    3) Did I over react? I deal a bit on the side and was frustrated at the lack of knowledge of the dealers. I won the pot before this with K9 vs K4 with flop of KJJ turn 7 river 7 and the dealer first called a split and I ssaid no the 9 plays then being pissed at my correction he looks to the other guy and say you got rivered. Needless to say NO TIP FOR YOU.

    I generally do not get involved in hands which I'm not directly involved. If asked what happened by the floor, or if there is debate at the table then I'm right in there saying what is what. It's amazing what some dealers don't know. Played an underground tournament yesterday with a dealer who seemed great, apparently deals at Heron or Rama or something, but tried to disallow a legal raise in a NL game.

    If a dealer makes a single small error in a down and allows himself to be corrected, I would still tip in the future, if said dealer does what you described in the K4 vs K2 hand then I would literally not ever tip that dealer again.

  • moose wrote:
    Never let the dealer muck your hand at Niagara until you are sure the pot is awarded correctly.

    Never, EVER, release your cards until the pot has been awarded. At showdown, if I reveal my cards, I always keep at least one finger on each card. When I get the pot, the dealer gets the cards.
    Niagara dealers are the worst I have seen anywhere.

    Where else have you played? Please don't tell me "just Fallsview, Port Perry and home games"?!? There are thousands of poker rooms with tons and tons of dealers; ones that have been around for years, that have worse employees. Remember, Casino Niagara and Fallsview have had poker for less than a year. Let's give them a chance.
    Needless to say NO TIP FOR YOU.

    I was a dealer for almost 10 years and I have to agree with this statement. DO NOT BASE TIPS ON WIN/LOSE (the dealer has no control over the cards, your actions or the actions of others that may affect your bankroll), TIP BASED ON SERVICE.
  • Just for the record I would never take a pot that wasn't mine. If I didn't know the exact total pot I would give it a rough estimate and give at least that amount back. Especially a split pot that you did make money at regardless just not the whole pot. I have to say that I have seen this happen about 10 times or so and each time the person took the pot and didn't do a thing.

    Yes the game of poker has been at Niagara for less then a year but come on it doen't take too much to deal two cards per person and know how to read the best 5 card hand after the flop,turn and river come down.

    I won't go back to Niagara due to many other reasons including this one. I think they are far behind most casinos in service.
  • PUNKYMISHA wrote:
    it doen't take too much to deal two cards per person and know how to read the best 5 card hand after the flop,turn and river come down.
    Then I take back all the nice things I said about you and the other dealers at Lou's! 

    Just kidding, but a mistake isn't a big deal in my mind.  It's repeated mistakes (like you describe) in a short period of time, and an unwillingness to correct (or even acknowledge) the mistake, that bothers me most about your story.
  • Mistakes don't bother me. It is how they react to mistakes that bothers me. No-one deals a perfect game every time hand in hand out. Dealers have a tough job. Especially in poker when they are expected to control player vs player, as opposed to player vs house. That being said, the dealers work for the players in poker, they are not working for the house, other than to ensure a proper rake. The dealers should be doing their utmost to make things fair for the players.

    If I was the pit boss and there was literally NOTHING that could be done, I would write up a comp on the spot for the value of the pot that the player lost.
  • As another poster said, hold onto your cards until you are awarded the pot. This is the only thing you can do to prevent this from happening. They will not go to the tape for a $50 pot. Ever.
  • In the future, immediately call for the floor and tell the dealer to not touch the pot. Shout it at the top of your lungs if you have to. Of course, if yer not involved directly, it's depends on how altruistic you feel.

    It's not the dealers job to make decisions like this.

    I had (sortof) the same thing happen to me in AC when I drunkenly posted both blinds and called the floor before anyone could act. The dealer was trying to tell me it was too late. Thats the floor's job, not hers. The floor came over and declared a misdeal.
    I think they are far behind most casinos in service.

    Niagara is the only place I've seen dealers yell at the players, while the floor is watching the table.
    Needless to say NO TIP FOR YOU.

    Too bad they pool tips at Niagara.
  • BBC Z wrote:


    Niagara is the only place I've seen dealers yell at the players, while the floor is watching the table.

    Hey, I'd throw in a couple tips to see that
  • GTA Poker wrote:
    BBC Z wrote:


    Niagara is the only place I've seen dealers yell at the players, while the floor is watching the table.

    Hey, I'd throw in a couple tips to see that


    Oh yeah they do.
  • I must say my favorite mess up by a dealer was a session a couple of weeks ago. If I remember correctly there was 5 fairly calm to the flop. Flop comes 4 4 8, my buddy is in with 88 he is button + 1 with the button in play. By time it gets to him there has been some crazy betting, a raise and reraise up to $60, my friend smooth calls the 60, button had not folded yet but was just about to when the dealer burns and turns...alas turn is a K to fill his KK, he complains he hadnt called yet and the dealer asks, "well if your going to call put your money in". They allowed him to call and KEEP the turn card. I bitched and moaned explaining the K is the a dead card, flip a new turn card and dont burn for the river. To my dismay the dealer/floor disagreed and the hand was played out. I spoke to a new floor as soon as I got a free second, and of course he explains to me the dealer/floor made the wrong call! Can you believe they allowed plays to be made after the turn was flipped and kept it as a live card!
  • My favourite is a few weeks ago in Brantford. Preflop typical play 5-6 limpers. Flop comes down, a few limpers, a raise, the next several people fold. The dealer mucks the cards, then picks up a card, declares "4 of clubs exposed", shows it around the table and then mucks it. The players then point out to the dealer that he had mucked the last card of the flop. :D

    Short delay while pit boss goes through the muck to find the :4c
  • At least they were willing to correct their error.
  • Just do what I do at the tables.
    I take control of the table.

    I wasn't in a hand, there were 3 players.
    some betting pre-flop, then the flop came.

    All three players ended up all in on the flop (1/2NL).
    The dealer didn't know what to do.
    I quickly jumped in before she was trying to set up side pots that they're all all in, so just deal it out, and see who wins and figure it out after that.
    She did, and the player with the most chips won.
    Both of the other players stacks were moved, and the dealer thanked my for using this approach rather then spend 5 minutes setting up the pots.
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