When should I say something when a card flashes in a casino?
At my local casino's 1-3 game today a card was dealt into the cup holder and flashed for a second. It was really quick and I could tell it was black and pretty certain it was a club. I told the dealer the card flashed and in a real defensive tone he mocked me and asked "oh yeah what was it?" I responded it looked like a club, a small one as it didn't look like a king, queen or jack to me. The dealer asked the player if that were true and he had a smirk on his face and wanted to play them. The hand played out and I apologized to the player, and he let me know it was a club but he had 2 clubs not worth folding. So I'm left wondering now if I shouldn't have said anything?
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Answers
If you see a card flash, it is your prerogative whether or not to say something. It really depends upon your personal ethical considerations. When I'm playing, I will always say something. However, that doesn't mean I look down upon people that don't. It's not technically cheating if they don't say something.
You certainly did not need to apologize for saying something. I believe that most other players will respect you more when do. Not that it matters if you are simply out to make money, but it's always nice to get along better with fellow players.
As for the dealer, if you did not misinterpret his tone that is his problem. Maybe he was just having a bad day, but if that is his regular response he's not a good dealer (regardless of how technically skilled he is).
I dealt for one year (2000-01). I really enjoyed the job (except that the poker room was smoking at the time -- UGH! -- that's why I quit). Players (at least in my area) treat the dealers very well, though some players do like to blame the dealer for their losses instead of their own terrible play. And of course the occasional drunk can become a problem. But my local rooms are very good at dealing with the latter problem; they don't let players get too far out of line, either.
I've read many stories about horrible dealer abuse in other areas of the country, though (particularly California). A single out-of-line player can upset the flow of the game and the mindset of the dealer for his duration at the table. As a dealer, you need to brush off snide comments or they will affect your professional disposition.
Some players can get quite upset when the dealer flips "their" ace, but it happens. Even the best dealers sometimes flash cards. There was one table in my poker room in particular that had bad air currents where dealers flashed cards more frequently.
So short answer...yes, by all means say something. As a dealer, i would WANT you to say something, because this shows me where I need to improve. It's not something I would be defensive about.
If you see a card flash you should say ,, I wana win a LOTTO``Do you believe me brother...
First of all, it depends on your moral values. I think you did well to say that. It shows that you are an honest player. But it is worth knowing that very often, people decide not to talk about the fact that they accidentally saw the card during the hand, which gives them an advantage over others. If these are players who go to great lengths to get money, then you will find yourself in a weak position. Yes, it doesn't always work that way, but that's why I started playing online casinos. The human factor is always present even in the casino.