AZDuffman's Blog

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Of all the jobs people at my table could have...October 27th, 2019 at 5:28:04 am
Working a Halloween house party at the BJ table. People are talking and the general rule is don't get involved much, but woman said she was a actuary. Never had one at a table before.

I asked if she knew who Mike was. She had no idea. Now, to me that is kind of like a football player not knowing who Tom Brady is, so I mentioned the baby name claim to fame.

Now she is intrigued and I come off like I am the guy who knows Tom Brady. So I had to explain I just knew him online.

Wiz, if you get a groupie from this blame me.

Casino party night at a casino?June 22nd, 2019 at 8:13:01 pm
Never thought it would happen, but a casino party night right at the casino. Not in the gaming area, in one of the ballrooms. But yes, same building. I was amazed that the casino allowed this to happen. Of course we had a few jokes about the whole thing. Still amazed. Considering I have been in places in another state where they did not allow casino-style games because the gaming authority had a lottery terminal on site, that there was no issue was a surprise.

I ask security where the ballrooms are, I was not sure. So he asks me what I am here for. I had to tell a guy standing in front of a casino that I am looking for the casino party night. What has my life become?

Comments
Fleastiff
June 24th, 2019 at 11:11:41 pm
I assume their check didn't bounce, so what do you care?
Fleastiff
July 4th, 2019 at 8:10:28 pm
Did they try to poach your dealers?
AZDuffman
July 5th, 2019 at 5:26:55 pm
No poaching, but at least one guy gave away his ticket to just go play upstairs. Might have been neat to have a pit boss sneak in and scout us.

Need to know, am I too old?June 9th, 2018 at 2:49:10 pm
Here is the setting. Adult guy having a birthday party, half-a-pool party. I'm on craps. Starts well enough, teaching people how to play. Usual craps dealer messing with them just enough. It was some kind of a prize because they charged for chips, which we have no involvement in.

Then she comes to the table. She is young. She's hot. She's blonde. She'd wearing a bikini top and one of those beach skirts women wear.

And she is annoying the hell out of me. Betting whatever. Cheering "COME ON. PASS!" "COME ON DON'T PASS!" just all kinds of things that make no sense. Just the kind that personifies "dumb blonde." The birthday host was at my table though I didn't know who he was. I think he senses my mood as he made half a crack when she left after a few minutes. Had no clue what was going on other than dice being thrown. And yes, when it was her turn to throw she asked about taking all 5.

Am I over the hill for just wanting her to go play Roulette?

Comments
Fleastiff
June 10th, 2018 at 2:02:39 am
At least she asked before grabbing all five dice.

Saw a woman throw the dice in the wrong direction once. That really woke up the box man.

She probably went to play roulette and cheer for Zero.
Fleastiff
June 10th, 2018 at 2:02:39 am
At least she asked before grabbing all five dice.

Saw a woman throw the dice in the wrong direction once. That really woke up the box man.

She probably went to play roulette and cheer for Zero.
AZDuffman
June 10th, 2018 at 3:46:16 am
I just don't see how you can watch the game for more than a minute and ask about taking all 5 dice. I think I once told someone to tale all 5 and bet Snake Eyes.

How do they remember to breathe?
odiousgambit
June 10th, 2018 at 5:29:51 am
at least you got treated to some eye candy. Did she try to throw without making a line bet? ... take the dice back behind the rail, or cup the dice? ... leave her chips when she didn't want to let em ride?

Did she snub you in some way?

otherwise I'd say what you describe wouldn't bother me too much. A snub is the hardest thing to take I think.
AZDuffman
June 10th, 2018 at 5:24:19 pm
Cupped them, made a general mess of everything, didn't snub me but I didn't even waste my time trying. That's my point, though. Are you old when no matter what their looks it is just not worth putting up with them. Like one of those TV or movie characters who just has no patience for their nonsense.

10 years of doing this, she stands out. That says something. If it makes me an old grouch, whatever I guess.
Ayecarumba
August 16th, 2018 at 10:31:25 pm
AZ, I fear you are turning into EvenBob 😀

Remembering how hard it wasApril 12th, 2018 at 3:23:40 pm
Every now and then I get asked about casino school, even this many years later. Last week a fellow party dealer asked. I think you have to go to the community college system now, but the learning will be the same. She has been laid off and I guess needs a carer change.

I can talk about it for hours, but had just a few minutes before the gig. So I tell what I can about cheque handling. I show how to cradle them and mention that if you cannot cradle 20 at a time don't even bother. Then I show how to size in. I am not the best, but I would say I am as good as a casino level dealer with a few months under their belt. I say, "you gotta practice this" and size 10 stacks of 2. To me it is a warm-up exercise.

Well. She has one of those, "I gotta learn THAT?!" looks on her face. So I show her slower. We take our tables and I see her trying to practice. I stop her as she is doing it totally wrong, probably how I started but could not do now. Told her don't practice bad form as you just get good at doing it wrong.

I then just showed her how to cradle. Said, "just do this for now." She kind of got it. If I work with her again I will help more if asked. Too bad I cannot side hustle a training gig.

But I look back, I remember how hard it was to do this right. Years later it is just habit. New players, mostly female, watch your hands in awe when you do it right. Just call it one more casino thing I look at how little I knew 10 and 20 years ago vs. now.

Did I spend my time learning something useful?

Comments
Fleastiff
April 13th, 2018 at 7:13:19 pm
Drop cutting and sizing into a bet are definitely important skills to learn and learn to do properly. There are casino schools, community college schools, proprietary schools and even FREE dealing schools. Take you pick based on geography and schedules. Several casinos around the nation are paying neophytes dealers to learn which can be a great deal since the graduates literally graduate into a guaranteed job.

Learning which players you pay with which hand can be a challenge but the box and the surveillance types do not like to see your arm or hand blocking the stack of chips from view. That is why you follow the Stick's call since he tells you what to do and in what sequence you do it in. The dealer however has to know how to manipulate the stacks and how to pay different players with different hands since visibility of the chips is paramount, not dealer convenience.

The skills are probably good to have and will never hurt you. At a party night things can get a little relaxed (no camera, no box) but often being professional about it impresses the players who like to see (or imagine seeing) realism.
Fleastiff
April 19th, 2018 at 6:09:53 pm
Did you ever hear the one about an instructor telling a dealer how to have each hand filled with stacks of a different color? The Instructor said something about "paying with your white hand" and the dealer replied "I don't have a white hand, I'm an Indian".

Most people admire the fast math and fast hands of an experienced dice crew, even if its at a party night gig.
AZDuffman
April 20th, 2018 at 4:04:56 pm
Yeah, I heard that one. Given my opinion of human nature I do not doubt it happened.

I worked a prom where the kids were just amazed at my handwork. I don't even think I am that great, but the kids never saw any kind of dealer before so anything looks good.

I do wonder if women are more appreciating the work of doing it or are just checking out a guy's hands.
Fleastiff
April 22nd, 2018 at 5:43:26 am
Women are prone to check out male competence so wit, manual dexterity, strength ... anything that indicates good traits is noted.

One trainee kept trying to translate payouts into money and this slowed her down. The instructor told her to think in terms of chips, not dollars. A 3:2 payout is easy in terms of chips but onlookers often think you are doing it in terms of dollars. Once you learn that a stack of two red chips is no different than a stack of two Barneys, the speed increases and onlookers are impressed. Ever notice how dice dealers are so visually oriented. Its not just appearance of people at the table, they note passersby, even women who are far off get noted. Players are often described by anatomy or clothing, conversational style, betting style. A great deal of data is being processed, not just the payouts.
AZDuffman
April 23rd, 2018 at 5:26:24 am
I have had women in awe of how I kept the table under control. Once a BF pulled one away who was lingering after things broke up. If I was in the real thing I would probably spring for a man-manicure once a month, that is how close they look.

True to the payout thing, in fact as a student I told some struggling female students "it does not matter." For some reason, the guys picked up to think cheques not dollars more naturally. Maybe the women spent more time as cashiers or something than the men, but the correlation was there.

I agree, one thing about dice is that if you cannot co-process information you had better learn in a hurry. You have to watch everything. You have to have all those odds memorized. And you gotta let the stick be the captain of the ship.
Fleastiff
April 25th, 2018 at 5:54:56 am
>spring for a manicure
Real dealers often do have to invest in decent footwear, manicures and good dental care. Party pit dealers, showgirls etc. need to schedule things like wax jobs regularly or they get demoted to less desirable shifts. Dice dealers usually have an entire outfit including footgear in the trunks of their cars all set to go if they get called in for an emergency shift or get a sudden audition opportunity.
Someone working at a convenience store can 'let things go a bit' from time to time but actors, salesmen and dealers need to stay presentably groomed.

Still more random thoughts dealing parties.February 17th, 2018 at 8:27:47 pm
If there is interest or even if there is not I may post my thoughts on dealing these parties for 10 years. Meanwhile, part of me wonders if the real dealers get as cynical as I can get.

Woman tonight has a soft 12. I call out "12!" She mentions she thought A was 1 or 11. So I say, "OK, fine, 12 or 22!" She gives a friendly "ooops!" In a casino I would have been fired on my tap out for sure!

Another woman has three As in her hand, adding to a soft 20. Do the math for the other cards. I call out the whole way, "9 or 19, 10 or 20!" She hits and gets a 3. I call out "13!" She seems to realize what she did, and her man explains it. I say, "sorry, too late now." Partly because it is a fundraiser, partly because, well, I mean, I called out '20' and she still hit!

Another guy blows thru his 5 chips. His woman asks why he lost all his chips. He shrugs while I think to myself, "because he does not know the game!"

I keep getting questioned about when an A is in the hand. Sorry to say it is 99% females who ask. But say it is A-5. I say, "6 or 16." Two variations happen. Either they say, "6, hit!" or "16 stand!" as if I would only count it as 6, or they ask, "how do you know which it is?"

If I snap at this one day, and I get one BJ dealer on the jury, would I walk?

Comments
Fleastiff
February 18th, 2018 at 6:47:53 am
>well, I called out 20
Yeah but she might make it to 21 and it would be a sure win.
AZDuffman
February 18th, 2018 at 9:14:17 am
@Flea: I tell ya, I see so many stupid plays catch. Idiots hit on 17 and draw a 4.

My standad advice is, "The book says 'x'. Now, after he wrote the book he started a hedge fund and made a billion dollars or so. You might want to take his advice."

At least if I go to Hell and have to deal for eternity the players can't win.
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