Jordan Downs
3 of a Kind
During two recent trips to Red Rock Casino, I experienced some questionable dealing that raised the notion players are possibly being taken advantage of by the dealers. Both situations were similar, and the dealers made the same error (by saying error I’m being polite).
Setting: I was playing 2/4 limit and we were five handed. The table was comprised of four other players, two women and two men with whom all appeared to be very familiar with each other and the dealers as well. They all addressed each other by first names and spoke of topics from previous sessions with one another. Obviously, all locals. At 52, I was the youngest player at the table with the second youngest being in their 70’s.
The first hand: I was in the BB for $4 with J10o. UTG raised to $8, CO, BTN, SB and I all called. Pot $40. Flop was 789 rainbow. I flopped the joint and looked down at my cards and confirmed my hand J10. SB checked, and this is relevant IMO, I asked the dealer, “Can I raise?” Dealer said yes, max $8. So, I raised to $8. UTG and CO folded. BTN announced raise and made it $16. SB folded, and I asked the dealer again, “Can I raise?” She informed me I can make it $24, which I did. BTN called. I again checked my cards and the board and confirmed I had J10 and the board was 789. The turn was an off suit 2, all four suits were on the board. I bet $8 and the BTN raised all in to $15. I called the additional $7. The river was a 10.
I flipped over my hand and the dealer immediately announced, “10’s with a Jack kicker.” BTN tabled her hand J9 and the dealer announced “Straight” and began to push the chips to the BTN. Confused I looked at the board and fixated on the river 10. The dealer then scooped up the cards and turned them over. I readily admit it was my fault for not saying I have a straight. I had driven to Vegas from LA that evening, been playing for 5 hours and was going to drive home right after this session, so my attention was lacking to say the least. I initially chalked this up to a simple dealer error and my fault for not speaking up.
The following week I was playing 1/2 limit at Red Rock and on a full table. Again, the table appeared to be all locals with everyone laughing and addressing each other by first names to include the dealers (yes, I know the dealers wear name plates but the dealers all knew the player’s names too). I was the youngest player at the table by decades.
The second hand: I was in MP with pocket 8’s an EP player raised to $4 and seven of us called (Pot $32) and saw a flop of Js5s3h. The initial EP player C-bet $2 and the BTN raised to $4. I called with my 8’s and the EP player called as well, Pot $44. Turn was the 8s. I hit a set, but the FD came in. EP Player checked, and the BTN bet $4. Again, I believe this was key in the situation, I asked the dealer if I could raise and he said yes to $6. So, I raised to $6. The EP player folded, and the BTN called (Pot $56). The river was a Jc, I filled up. I checked with hopes of check raising and the BTN checked behind.
We tabled our hands, my 8’s full of Jacks and the BTN’s Q10s for a Queen high flush. The dealer announced Queen high flush and began to push the chips to the BTN. I looked at the dealer and said hey I have a full house and without looking back at the board the dealer said, “oh, 8’s full of Jacks” and he pushed me the chips. So, he clearly knew I had a full house.
During both hands IMO what was relevant was my asking each dealer about raising. I believe both dealers took that as I wasn’t familiar with poker. Truth being I’m a NL player and just don’t understand the structure of limit betting and raising. IMO, I don’t believe these hands were dealer errors; however, my opinion could be argued that I'm biased based on it happened to me. I’m interested in your thoughts on this situation. Coincidence? Honest dealer error? Or something unethical?
Setting: I was playing 2/4 limit and we were five handed. The table was comprised of four other players, two women and two men with whom all appeared to be very familiar with each other and the dealers as well. They all addressed each other by first names and spoke of topics from previous sessions with one another. Obviously, all locals. At 52, I was the youngest player at the table with the second youngest being in their 70’s.
The first hand: I was in the BB for $4 with J10o. UTG raised to $8, CO, BTN, SB and I all called. Pot $40. Flop was 789 rainbow. I flopped the joint and looked down at my cards and confirmed my hand J10. SB checked, and this is relevant IMO, I asked the dealer, “Can I raise?” Dealer said yes, max $8. So, I raised to $8. UTG and CO folded. BTN announced raise and made it $16. SB folded, and I asked the dealer again, “Can I raise?” She informed me I can make it $24, which I did. BTN called. I again checked my cards and the board and confirmed I had J10 and the board was 789. The turn was an off suit 2, all four suits were on the board. I bet $8 and the BTN raised all in to $15. I called the additional $7. The river was a 10.
I flipped over my hand and the dealer immediately announced, “10’s with a Jack kicker.” BTN tabled her hand J9 and the dealer announced “Straight” and began to push the chips to the BTN. Confused I looked at the board and fixated on the river 10. The dealer then scooped up the cards and turned them over. I readily admit it was my fault for not saying I have a straight. I had driven to Vegas from LA that evening, been playing for 5 hours and was going to drive home right after this session, so my attention was lacking to say the least. I initially chalked this up to a simple dealer error and my fault for not speaking up.
The following week I was playing 1/2 limit at Red Rock and on a full table. Again, the table appeared to be all locals with everyone laughing and addressing each other by first names to include the dealers (yes, I know the dealers wear name plates but the dealers all knew the player’s names too). I was the youngest player at the table by decades.
The second hand: I was in MP with pocket 8’s an EP player raised to $4 and seven of us called (Pot $32) and saw a flop of Js5s3h. The initial EP player C-bet $2 and the BTN raised to $4. I called with my 8’s and the EP player called as well, Pot $44. Turn was the 8s. I hit a set, but the FD came in. EP Player checked, and the BTN bet $4. Again, I believe this was key in the situation, I asked the dealer if I could raise and he said yes to $6. So, I raised to $6. The EP player folded, and the BTN called (Pot $56). The river was a Jc, I filled up. I checked with hopes of check raising and the BTN checked behind.
We tabled our hands, my 8’s full of Jacks and the BTN’s Q10s for a Queen high flush. The dealer announced Queen high flush and began to push the chips to the BTN. I looked at the dealer and said hey I have a full house and without looking back at the board the dealer said, “oh, 8’s full of Jacks” and he pushed me the chips. So, he clearly knew I had a full house.
During both hands IMO what was relevant was my asking each dealer about raising. I believe both dealers took that as I wasn’t familiar with poker. Truth being I’m a NL player and just don’t understand the structure of limit betting and raising. IMO, I don’t believe these hands were dealer errors; however, my opinion could be argued that I'm biased based on it happened to me. I’m interested in your thoughts on this situation. Coincidence? Honest dealer error? Or something unethical?