Casino Gambling by Mark Pilarski

Blackjack Decorum 101

Dear Mark, I am a blackjack dealer in a Michigan casino. There are far too many players who are rude, obnoxious, cannot follow the rules, and think tipping is a city in China. Could you please write a column on casino etiquette? Nameless for job protection

As you well know, Anonymous, casino front-line employees have two rules when it comes to casino customers. Rule One, the player is always right; and Rule Two, if the player is wrong, see Rule One. Not easy when a fairly lubricated percentage of players are cackling on high-octane drinks and weeping into thinning wallets. But even a loopy patron should practice basic table civility. They all had mommas.

So as a former manners referee (pit boss), I figure this list of social graces for the blackjack table will go a long way in making both your job and the patron¹s stay more enjoyable.

o Know the hit/stand signals for the blackjack game you are playing.

o In baseball, it¹s two hands for beginners; but on a live blackjack game, just one hand on the cards, please. Casinos are touchy-queasy on the point. (Translation: They¹ll bounce your roundsteak out the door if you¹re doing something funny to the cards.)

o Once you have placed your wager, don¹t touch your bet until you are paid.

o If the cards are running against you, don¹t keep asking for a new deck. If you do not like the cards at your table, move to another.

o Abusive language will earn you an early and possibly assisted departure from the casino.

o Don¹t ask the dealer what her hole card is. Dealers will not risk their job over your wager. There is nothing wrong with asking for advice, but not after the dealer looks under her face/ace.

o If you lose several hands in a row, don¹t accuse the dealer of cheating. Most (99%) do not cheat. It¹s most likely a bad run of cards, plus, let¹s not discount your poor play. Also, abusing the "messenger" for crummy cards lacks any form of civility. Better to ask what you¹re doing wrong

o If you are using a basic strategy card (recommended), don¹t refer to it on every hand. You should have a sound understanding of how to play most of your hands well before you sit down to a game.

o Using these lines? "Are you going to be nice to me?" Question to you: Are you going to be nice to them? "Where are you from?" It¹s most likely on their nametag. "Do you live here?" Yes, the dealers who commute from Mars work only the private rooms in the dungeon. Instead, try some original light conversation.

o Do not walk up to a dealer and tell him he looks bored, make him shuffle an eight-deck shoe just to make one $5 bet, lose, then walk.

o Once the hand has been completed, don¹t help the dealer turn your cards over. Dealers have a routine called pay-and-take, and your help just slows the process. Besides, dealers need to spread the cards a certain way so the eye-in-the-sky can read them.

o Finally tipping. As in most service industry jobs, most front-line employees are paid minimum wage. Most casino employees¹ pay comes through the gratuities of casino patrons. Never expect the employee to bend the rules in response to a tip. However, if you are winning, and the dealer is being courteous and helpful, it is customary to show your appreciation. Though you are under no obligation to tip, an occasional gratuity is always in good form and helps keep up the morale at the table. Look at tipping as a donation to "Lady Luck." (The actual sacrifice of lambs, though generous, is no longer allowed.)

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pilarski@markpilarski.com
http://markpilarski.com

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