POLL. Dealer Buttons? Yes or No? (1 Viewer)

[T_Chan]

I feel a button is better to have than not to have. Moving the button is important though. Letting it slide when it's not moved shouldn't be allowed. It's as bad as not posting blinds IMO. Move the button, get used to it, it's part of the game when it's in play.

Is it needed? No. But I think it helps more than it harms.

 

[Darson]

Two decks and always use a button. The button is passed when the deck is passed and we shuffle ahead

The main benefit of the button is to remind who acts first post flop. Without the button I'm sure we'd all be confused. The deck of cards is no help as there are two decks in view (dealer and the next guy who is shuffling the 2nd deck).

 

[ekricket]

To be honest, the last thread on this "behind or ahead" topic included debate about the extra seconds each dealer action might take (ie. passing the shuffled deck forward or back), and how much that might slow the game down.. I wonder how those same people feel about the extra second it takes to pass the button.

Since we don't typically use a button, we probably gain an extra few hands per hour.

You can deal without a button, but you can’t deal without them cards. So when you have to tell someone it’s their deal and they say “where’s my deck” and it’s behind the previous dealers stack or on the right side of them and then you have to break them out of their conversation (they are distracted, otherwise they would have passed the deck) etc... I digress.

I play in a game where the button pretty much gets lost in about two hands. And don’t get me going on cut cards, they seriously have no idea what to do with them, and they end up in the eddy with the button. But by god try to deal without the guy behind you cutting the cards and there’s an uproar. “Who’s action is it” is the most common question asked all night, and it’s asked sometime during every hand.

I also play in a game where we use a button, cut cards, and shuffle ahead and it flows like chocolate in a foundry.

Just depends on your people.

 

[DonkeyKing]

I prefer using a dealer button.

 

[nitzilla]

Yes I guess..........?

 

[mrplacey]

For our entry level game using the button functionally makes sense for the blinds. Good tip @k9dr to use it to mark the muck pile too, will try it for our next game!

 

[jazzV3]

I play in a game where the button pretty much gets lost in about two hands. And don’t get me going on cut cards, they seriously have no idea what to do with them, and they end up in the eddy with the button. But by god try to deal without the guy behind you cutting the cards and there’s an uproar. “Who’s action is it” is the most common question asked all night, and it’s asked sometime during every hand.

Just depends on your people.

We normally use button and shuffle ahead (...are we doing it wrong? lol)
I second the cut card issue. When we get a new or guest player, they will look at the cut card and toss it aside.
During their deal, I usually have an opportunity to say something like "glad you're not going to make that straight, set, etc, the last 10 is sitting on the bottom" or some similar statement depending on what is out there in a stud game, etc... They usually get the point pretty quickly.

 

[joker80]

I play in one home game (that uses dice chips by the way) and they have a dealer button, small blind button , and big blind button. Now that's just stupid.

 

[DoubleEagle]

No button in self dealt games. But, I can see where it would be helpful.

 

[Gobbs]

The dealer button does not dictate the rotation around the table, the Big Blind does. Without a dealer button, I'd be afraid players would forget this, start letting the cards dictate rotation, and forget to not rotate the deal when there is a dead button or dead small blind situation.

I would be curious to know if games that do not use the dealer button have had this problem and just didn't realize it.

 

[Trihonda]

The dealer button does not dictate the rotation around the table, the Big Blind does. Without a dealer button, I'd be afraid players would forget this, start letting the cards dictate rotation, and forget to not rotate the deal when there is a dead button or dead small blind situation.

I would be curious to know if games that do not use the dealer button have had this problem and just didn't realize it.

Why not get rid of the idea of a DB and just use the BB button referenced above?

 

[atomiktoaster]

Our tournaments generally switch to a dedicated dealer once somebody who can do the job gets knocked out. I have a button on the table for the whole game, which makes that easy.

 

[Gobbs]

Why not get rid of the idea of a DB and just use the BB button referenced above?

Because action starts with the first player who has not folded to the immediate left of the dealer button after the flop, turn, and river. A BB button with no dealer button would confuse players on who should start action.

 

[timinater]

I play in one home game (that uses dice chips by the way) and they have a dealer button, small blind button , and big blind button. Now that's just stupid.

Why not get rid of the idea of a DB and just use the BB button referenced above?

Those BB/SB buttons are usually intended for cash games when players stand up for the table and miss their blinds. If they are dealt out while they are gone they mark the missed blinds and would need to pay those before they can resume playing on their return.

 

[StaggerLee]

@nitzilla That's a healthy stack. Yeeaaahhh, if we could get them all to face the same way, that would really help my mild OCD.

Dealer button seems to be 50/50 in my game. There's a whole can of worms associated with improving and speeding up the home game. With over half the people not really qualifying as recreational players, I feel like the double deck would really put a strain on people even more.

 

[nostalgiccat]

This is the #1 reason I don't force the issue with using a dealer button.
Even when I am heads up (playing or dealing) I constantly have to pull the button out of the other players stack and place it where it should be.
This is another one of those things that is chalked up to what your players/group is used to.

This is why I love the dealer button from the majestic set. The button is so HUGE and hefty there's no way that it can accidentally end up in another players stack.

Personally, I love using a button. That way the dealer has one less thing that she/he has to remember and can focus more on playing the game.

 

[74suited]

Warning: strong opinions about to follow!

To each their own, but I hate the dealer button in self-dealt games. Dedicated dealer: it is obviously required, self-dealt: it is so obviously unnecessary.

Would anyone argue that the most enjoyable games are those where everyone is paying attention and the hand rate is steady? This is why you play two decks, to waste no time in between hands. You would think that passing the button is effortless and takes 0 extra time, but inevitably it gets lost or stays in one position for several hands before it gets noticed, and the reason it happens is because it is soooo unnecessary! The guy with the deck in front of him is the dealer! Maybe if you're sitting at one end of the table and laying the board and the deck down at the other end of the table, you could forget who is dealing, but who would do that?

IMO the button is 1) a crutch, something for those guys who aren't paying attention, 2) a gimmick for the newbs. Anytime I see a button at a self-dealt game, or if anyone asks for one or is confused at why we're not playing with one, I know I'm playing with inexperienced players. No offense to anyone here, I saw some arguments about protecting the deck and burn cards, which we do just fine without a button, but at least those are some decent reasons.

That all said: I like that most of you don't really care, and are willing to pull one out if someone asks. I need to take that approach more because in the end, it's a friendly game and we should all be more welcoming and appeasing to new players if we're going to grow the game.

 

[TexRex]

74, players can't always tell who has the deck in front of them when 2 decks are being use. The DB should let players at a glance know where their position in is in relation to the button.

It's easy to move it. Either assign the dealer to move it when the hand is done, or the new dealer to move it. We've always used a DB and it has never been an issue to keep it current. On rare occasions it gets moved twice, but is caught quickly.

My game is not self-dealt. I use 2 dedicated dealers at a table. That makes it more organized, but even before we started that, we didn't have issues keeping the DB in the right place.

 

[JustinInMN]

Two decks and always use a button. The button is passed when the deck is passed and we shuffle ahead

The main benefit of the button is to remind who acts first post flop.

We don't, but it's probably something I should consider in two deck games to avoid confusion like @Darson describes.

Hasn't been an issue to date in my game or any game in which I play, but it kinda makes sense.

Obviously a button is required in any center dealt game.

 

[JustinInMN]

IMO one of the key points of the dealer button, ESPECIALLY in self dealing games, is to keep the burn cards out of play (added benefit of keeping track for those that ask if they burned). In casinos the place them in the pot but that isn’t always efficient in self dealing games (players on the end).

True and I hadn't considered that as an alternative procedure to keep the burns separate. Worth thinking about.

 

[Lemonzest]

I have tried using a dealer button in self dealt games but it just gets lost on the table.

Our group is used to keeping track of the dealer by who has the deck. There has never been an issue.

We end having more mistakes when someone goes broke but doesn’t want to leave and offers to deal. We use a button then but often times the person next to the dealer will act out of turn because they are so used to the deck being the button. I have done it myself on occasion.

This is my experience as well. I am not "anti-button" quite the contrary, I like the idea of using a button but we just never do and to try and add it after so many years seems awkward.

I do agree with Dave's point about a visual representation of who needs to post blinds. A button on the table is a bit more clear to show who SB/BB is next.

 

[mudhog]

We use one for our game and find it helps make sure people know where they are in rotation and keep up with their shuffle on the small blind. Only problem is making sure people move it around each hand but we are pretty good at it in our game.

 

[bradiggy]

I played in a self-dealt game where the host insisted on a dealer button, a small blind button, and a big blind button. Needless to say, I collected many a dice-chip that night.

 

[JustinInMN]

I played in a self-dealt game where the host insisted on a dealer button, a small blind button, and a big blind button. Needless to say, I collected many a dice-chip that night.

Blind buttons are stupid, I think we can universally agree on that.

Missed blind buttons are a different thing.

 

[Gobbs]

I would think the inability for a self-dealt game to rotate a dealer button would be an indicator of much bigger problems in dealing.

 

[Mojo1312]

add indifferent. Ultimately I don't care

It makes for a good coaster Bill.

 

[masayako]

I do. Just because way too many people ask the same question every single hand: "Who's the dealer?"

I just pointed to that damn button.

 

[Lash]

The thought of not using a dealer button has never crossed my mind and ive never played in a game that doesn’t use one

 

[shahnuli]

I attended a recent meetip, and noted some sharp divides on dealer button preference.

For the purpose of this discussion, we are assuming SELF Dealt games. A dedicated dealer makes a button imparitive.

At this meetup, There were those who insisted on having a button, explaining it made it easier to determine the dealer and improved game flow. There were those who balked at the use of a button, claiming it’s just as easy to determine the dealer by the deck in their hand it, and that since the button often does not get passed, it creates potential confusion, and is just one more task to do each hand (moving the button).

I suspect people’s responses will be based on what they are accustomed to. If you are used to it, it becomes essential. You look for it. ...if people don’t normally use a button, they rely on other factors to determine the dealer... they pay attention, or look at who is shuffling or has the current deck in front of them.

Full disclosure, I don’t use a dealer button in my games, and have no problem knowing the table positions at any given moment. I’m not used to using a button, or looking for it. I don’t miss it. When I get players that are used to it, and insist that we MUST have a button, I’m happy to oblige. But I’ve noticed it never seems to get passed correctly for more than an orbit, and many times the requester is guilty of not passing it as well... further full disclosure, I collect dealer buttons. I think they’re cool, and I have a huge supply just in case a guest wants to use one, or we have a dedicated dealer.

That all said, I’m not opposed to looking for improvements. Am I wrong? Could I be missing out on making my game run more smoothly? Should I be using a button? I figured a poll and discussion might be helpful (or at least interesting).

View attachment 218022

We definitely play with a dealer button; specially since we usually have two decks being used.

 

[Aces Up]

Always use one in my games. I have one group that isn’t very experienced in playing live, I serve as the dealer so the extra visual is needed. The advanced group (where I get to play) could probably do without, but I guess we just think of it as part of the game.