Just curious. I do most of the dealing at my games, but I trade off with 1 or 2 other regs pretty regularly too. I think it keeps the game moving faster. On the other hand, newer players aren't learning to shuffle and deal and it means less downtime for me.
How many of you play rotating dealer vs dedicated dealer? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter springbox
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Shaggy
Full House
Host and one other player sit centrally on opposite sides of the table (in typical dealer location). We shuffle and deal every other hand.
OP
OP
Yeah, this is more or less how we do it.
ChipTalker
Flush
^^ same here
rusmon
Pair
There’s nothing more annoying than constantly reminding the dealer to keep the action moving in a rotating dealer game
We usually have two of the more competent dealers sit in the middle and alternate deals. While one person deals, the other person helps gather pots and mucked cards. This eliminates bad card pitching, errors, hard to read community boards, etc.
We’ll switch seats every couple hours so no one has to deal all night.
We’ll switch seats every couple hours so no one has to deal all night.
Brutal. I love teaching people but this gets tiring lol. Even when I'm "not dealing", the dealer is looking to me every action to figure out what they're supposed to do, what's been bet, who's it on. And if they don't they forget to burn or prematurely deal a turn card.
Definitely affects my playing, I've felt. Especially when I ran my tournament with so many new people, I couldn't focus on playing even close to optimally because I was involved in every hand + rebuys + dealing. Its a good problem to have because we're introducing the game to so many people, but getting 8ish hands per hour and being exhausted sucks.
CraftyCat05
Sitting Out
We have one dedicated dealer (usually me) using two decks, however, I'll have one or two shufflers that switch off throughout the night so they aren't getting burnt out. Makes it so there's fairness in shuffling and variety, without having to wait on slow shufflers or dealers.
rusmon
Pair
Yep, that's what we've been doing. We have a few players that are competent and we'll sit them down in the 1 and 5 seats and do it that way.
Yep, I used to do all of that. But now we have a few competent dealers and we give them 50% off their buy in to deal the tournament. These are all guys who are passionate about the game so they'll rebuy or stick around if they bust. It's been so nice to be able to focus on just running the tournament.
Senzrock
Full House
A few years back I realized having a dedicated (paid through tips) dealer was the best experience as a regular host. Since the home games are always unraked, folks don't mind throwing $1-5 per hand (depending on pot size) and in return we get a professional grade dealer to keep the game moving faster than any of us could. As a host it's just made a world of difference, not having another thing to do/stress about (I get stressed out when game play is slow and others can't shuffle/deal and so I have to do it myself lol)
Dealers generally make $40-$60/hour doing this for tips at our regular $1/2 game which is a decent rate.
Dealers generally make $40-$60/hour doing this for tips at our regular $1/2 game which is a decent rate.
I don't mind dealing for the night, but if I get help with shuffling behind then it keeps everything moving. Otherwise we rotate dealers, especially with dealer's choice nights.
Right now I deal most of the night, near the end. If I make a couple mistakes someone will sub in. We do have a cheap shuffle machine and every once in a while, we will shuffle behind forget to decks going and that’s always appreciated.
I’m super interested in what people have to say about having a pay dealer. Honestly, I love hosting, I like dealing, and the ideal our game for fun and free. I’m curious what a dealer can make at home games. And if that goes up for mixed game.
I’m super interested in what people have to say about having a pay dealer. Honestly, I love hosting, I like dealing, and the ideal our game for fun and free. I’m curious what a dealer can make at home games. And if that goes up for mixed game.
merkong
Full House
Which is why I would never. I host and deal. We play one table cash and and have a dedicated shuffler. I have no problems keeping the action moving. Also, noobs dealing on an oval? Dahokay.
Dedicated dealer(s) for pretty much every game I play in, has been that way for probably 10 years.
I do shuffle on the button, friend of mine's game has shuffle behind, either works. Dealer cuts onto a card.
For my WSOP satellite series, dedicated dealers for the series never have to bring food. Bit of a carrot for them...
I do shuffle on the button, friend of mine's game has shuffle behind, either works. Dealer cuts onto a card.
For my WSOP satellite series, dedicated dealers for the series never have to bring food. Bit of a carrot for them...
Headhunter13
Sitting Out
We switched to a dedicated dealer, and now I'm not sure I could go back to self-dealt. It isn't terrible for hold em, but we now play mostly 4 and 5 card games. Love having a dedicated dealer! He makes about $50-60/hour.
Nine_high
3 of a Kind
Self dealt. Very few problems. Most of my guys know well enough how to deal by now. Took some beatings to get a few of them to stop pre burning and pre dealing the board (why do people insist on doing this??? 
) but we're getting there.
I have taken over as dedicated dealer before. One guy was so lit he started dealing backwards. Time to grab a button and deal for the table.
I actually don't mind doing it. I already manage pretty much all of the pots. But I'd rather not shuffle and deal every hand too while playing and hosting and banking and watching the hot dog roller.....
) but we're getting there.I have taken over as dedicated dealer before. One guy was so lit he started dealing backwards. Time to grab a button and deal for the table.
I actually don't mind doing it. I already manage pretty much all of the pots. But I'd rather not shuffle and deal every hand too while playing and hosting and banking and watching the hot dog roller.....
LeLe
4 of a Kind
I co-deal with another guy in my home game most of the time, people will help to shuffle the deck too
It’s just more efficient and faster compared to self-dealing
It’s just more efficient and faster compared to self-dealing
We usually have 3 tables for a NLH tourny. Rotate dealer. If someone does not want to deal, someone will step in. By the time we get to the final 9 players, one of the most 'seasoned' players that is out will deal and another 'seasoned loser' will shuffle. Goes pretty fast. But I do agree that the beginning of the game is sometimes tough with rookies. But we all seem to get a little better each time.
In most PCF home games that’s the equivalent of at least 100 bigs. Ain’t none of the players making that on a regular basis from the game (Yes, this is just me being envious). We do rotating deals with 2 decks.
JScott
Flush
I deal every game. It's hard enough to keep the game moving even then.
OP
OP
I was going to say, not sure our game can afford $50 an hour for a dealer when the buy in is $20 haha. I have a friend who doesn't much care for playing, I've thought about letting him deal for tips but $3/hr isn't exactly a great rate...
Right. I don’t see how a home game can afford a dedicated dealer even if it’s just for tips, at any stakes below $1/1, and even that might be pushing it unless the game plays big.
If hosts want to do it themselves, good on them. Seems too much like work to me.
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
I've taught more than my fair share of players how to shuffle and deal. Players that "couldn't" shuffle now stay after being eliminated from a tournament and shuffle.
Sure a dedicated dealer would be nice, but when hosting a MTT it's enough to balance tables, get rebuys, and attend to other hosting duties. If you are "constantly reminding the dealer to keep the action moving", threaten to enforce a penalty for stalling the game.
Sure a dedicated dealer would be nice, but when hosting a MTT it's enough to balance tables, get rebuys, and attend to other hosting duties. If you are "constantly reminding the dealer to keep the action moving", threaten to enforce a penalty for stalling the game.
In the home game I usually attend we rotate with button. Im probably the only one that is close to a casino shuffle. The other ones does a combination of over hand shuffle and lifted bridge riffle. Atleast I think that is what it's called.
Some even lift the card quite high while either burning or dealing.
From a home game perspective, it's my only way to play cash game, so it is what it is.
Edit: My brother, who's a much more talkative than I am, almost always uses the dealer position to slow the game down, by telling some sort of story while all others are waiting for him to finish shuffling and dealing the cards.
Some even lift the card quite high while either burning or dealing.
From a home game perspective, it's my only way to play cash game, so it is what it is.
Edit: My brother, who's a much more talkative than I am, almost always uses the dealer position to slow the game down, by telling some sort of story while all others are waiting for him to finish shuffling and dealing the cards.
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
If it's a cash game, I don't mind the game being slowed by a talkative player. I'm there for social aspect anyway. As long as it doesn't appear to be an angle shoot (he only talks when up) I don't mind.
Tournament play on the other hand, cards must be dealt promptly.
DeeVee8
Flush
Host and one or two others handle the dealing duties as needed. It limits dealer errors plus I hate having to deal from the long end of the table.
Of course the social aspect of the game is important and it’s no biggie, but it amazes me that some just can’t shuffle a deck or deal a flop AND talk at the same time. I have a few of the pause everything to tell a story people too. I love a good story but please burn and turn while you’re telling it (or tell it when it’s not your deal).
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