Casino Shuffle Procedures

Are shuffle procedures usually mandated by management?

How much leeway is usually afforded dealers?

Within the same casino, I have seen 1 dealer with a very simple one and another quite complex..

I have also seen a dealer with a shuffle different from other dealers and when questioned, he simply replied that he learned a different way and came from a different casino..

I have heard of others coaxing dealers (discretely) to increase penetration - is it at all possible to induce a simpler shuffle without it being considered collusion?

Jimtech

You skate on thin ice trying to force either.

One you should never do, the other you can do in discreet ways.

Very discreet ways, or not at all.

CP

asking a dealer to change their shuffle is something no ploppy would ever do....

Asking outright is obviously something no one would do. My question was if there were ways to induce a simpler shuffle..

I can think of several things to say which might have an effect:


"Boy, I gotta get out of here - my wife is waiting! How long is this gonna take?"

"Man I gotta get going! If you guys had one of those shuffle machines I could be playing already!"

As soon the dealer begins to shuffle, grab all your chips in an obvious manner and start to leave - this may evoke the Pavlovian dealer response to color up, to which one might reply: "I came here to play cards, not to watch you shuffle!"

Complaining to the dealer that a certain card or 2 is bent or torn, may cause the shuffle to be more deliberate and precise, and slower; possibly simpler..

When I play against ASMs and shuffletracking is impossible, I like to place the cut card so that after the cut is done the cut card is at the desired penetration level. Doing that consistently is as far as I will go to subtly ask for better pen. Though I've had dealers at some stores yell at me to cut at least a deck deep... as I cut slightly more than a deck. My deck estimation is better than you, mr. dealer, who's never hand shuffled a table in his life... But I am not going to start an argument over how much a deck is. I just won't tip you, mr. dealer who keeps his own tokes

i too find this is a good way to subtly "train" your dealer to cut what you want. doesnt always work but usually if you throw in a line like "now THAT is a good cut" or "this is my lucky place to cut", etc etc, it may work as the humans aim to please. in either case it is subtle, kind of triggers that pavlovian response you mention, and after a few rounds, you can tell if a dealer is responding by edging his cuts closer to yours.

I have outright asked a dealer twice in the past for a deeper cut. Both times I was playing alone and the pit boss was busy at another table. I don't think I'll do it again, though.

I phrased it in a way that made me appear like a regular superstitious player. I think that is the key if you are going to try to pull this off. I said something like "can you cut the cards closer to the end? I went to my psychic this morning and she told me that good things will come late for me." It sounds really cheezy in retrospect! On the regular floor, the dealer didn't oblige. But the dealer in the VIP did cut it deeper for me!

The pit boss never noticed, but I realize now that if she did, I could have been labeled as a counter and the dealer may have even gotten in trouble. It's a better strategy to find dealers that naturally cut deep.

Has anyone ever asked to play another hand after the cut card appeared? I haven't done this, though once the dealer offered but I didn't accept because the count was negative.

I wouldn't want to play with a dealer who would change the cut or the shuffle for me - if they're willing to bend the rules in my favor, they're just as likely to bend the rules against me when they get a better offer. A dealer who is willing to cheat and collude with you is just as likely to cheat and collude against you.

I once had a situation like that. The dealer dealt another round after the cut card came out. This happened in Pechanga in Temecula, CA. I thought the dealer had to have forgotten that the cut card had come out. Obviously I didnt say anything

I have never seen anything like that again but I intended to ask the dealer if we could play one more round after the cut card came out in Vegas. The deck was pretty hot, like 28 RC, and I said " Hey, what could possibly happen if you deal one more round, lets say you have become absorbed in some thoughts?" The answer was pretty straight: " Nothing but we should be careful to follow the casino rules sir!" I smirked :grin:

SERO