Do you deal your own home games or do you rotate? (2 Viewers)

mummel

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I was thinking in terms of a dealer tray. I think I would get bored dealing for 6 hours. Anyone here do it?
 
I was thinking in terms of a dealer tray. I think I would get bored dealing for 6 hours. Anyone here do it?
Do not get a dealer tray. Severely limits utility of table. And anyway a pro dealer can deal without it (and use a rack as a dealer tray).
 
We trade off with 2 guys dealing that sit opposite each other on our oval. The guys sitting on either side of them shuffle the cards. Rotating dealers on an oval sucks.

What about everyone moving 1 seat left every 25min?
 
We use dedicated dealers. Table with dealer cut-out is okay, but not necessary. Dealer trays get in the way, and just collect stuff (including lint and dust).
 
A dealer tray is mostly useful for cash games where the dealer is constantly making change for players as well as distributing chips from the tray as players rebuy. There's certainly no need for one if you play mostly tournaments. As mentioned by others, you can use a rack as a tray if you need. If a rack isn't big enough you can always get a custom rack that's a bit bigger but at least it's not permanently in the way.

At our league we rotate dealers on our oval tables without any complaints. If it's a cash game I act as the designated dealer.
 
Yes, dedicated pro dealer. The tray is helpful for them, same as they use at work.
 
Everyone deals but I am the bank.

I have a slide out drawer under the table which fits 15-20 racks or up to a 1000 chips case. Much easier than a rack if the game is self-dealt.
 
I always deal my own home game, and often deal at others'. Making the second deck is done by the button. 5-6 hours is no problem (with an old fart bathroom break).

I can't stand rotating the deal when people don't even know enough to put out the board from left to right, and players are placing chips directly into the pot.

Plus if the game is NLHE, I tend to get bored if I'm not dealing...
 
I always deal my own home game, and often deal at others'. Making the second deck is done by the button. 5-6 hours is no problem (with an old fart bathroom break).

I can't stand rotating the deal when people don't even know enough to put out the board from left to right, and players are placing chips directly into the pot.

Plus if the game is NLHE, I tend to get bored if I'm not dealing...

This is exactly how we ran our home game. One of us (either me or one other guy) would deal until we got tired (also around the 6 hour mark) and then the other guy would take over. Can't recall if we made the second deck on or behind the button (I think it was behind), but it doesn't really matter.

Far superior to self-dealt if you, or someone at the game, is willing to do it. Forgetting about the fact that it's a pain to deal from the ends of an oblong table, most player I've encountered just plain suck at dealing.

And as for a dealer tray, I would personally skip it unless you know you're going to have a dedicated dealer who isn't playing.
 
We rotate the deal. I think players would get suspicious if one guy dealt the whole game and that guy was also a consistent winner.
 
We rotate the deal. I think players would get suspicious if one guy dealt the whole game and that guy was also a consistent winner.

I suppose they might, though that was never an issue in my personal experience. The dealer isn't shuffling (nor cutting) the deck, there's a cut card on the bottom, so there isn't a lot of opportunity for shenanigans.

Both myself and the other guy who dealt at my game were the biggest winners at the game. In our cases, there was an extra incentive to deal as it kept the game moving (more hands per hour for better players is +EV). It was also easier for the other players who could just sit back and play and not worrying about dealing, which in turn kept them coming back and playing longer (which is always good for the game).
 
I guess I'm lucky. We have 4 guys including me that don't mind dealing for hours and this just isn't a problem. We have breaks every 40 minutes or so when people want to smoke but the game never stops because someone will always deal. We also keep the bank on a chair behind the host or designated banker. No need to clutter the table.
 
A dealer tray is mostly useful for cash games where the dealer is constantly making change for players as well as distributing chips from the tray as players rebuy. There's certainly no need for one if you play mostly tournaments. As mentioned by others, you can use a rack as a tray if you need. If a rack isn't big enough you can always get a custom rack that's a bit bigger but at least it's not permanently in the way.

At our league we rotate dealers on our oval tables without any complaints. If it's a cash game I act as the designated dealer.

This is pretty much what I've read. We only open my old chip case for rebuys, thats it (4-5 times a night), so I think a chip tray would be useless for our games and will get in the way. TY for the feedback.
 
There's usually only a dedicated dealer of someone's busto and is sticking around.

A few players at our regular game are dealers from the local casino so we get a good amount of hands per hour without a dedicated dealer.
 
I suppose they might, though that was never an issue in my personal experience. The dealer isn't shuffling (nor cutting) the deck, there's a cut card on the bottom, so there isn't a lot of opportunity for shenanigans.

Both myself and the other guy who dealt at my game were the biggest winners at the game. In our cases, there was an extra incentive to deal as it kept the game moving (more hands per hour for better players is +EV). It was also easier for the other players who could just sit back and play and not worrying about dealing, which in turn kept them coming back and playing longer (which is always good for the game).

Yeah. It's definitely ideal.
 
The deal rotates in our tournaments. Poor dealers certainly can slow things down, but for the poor dealers, this is the only game they play in. The more they play, the more they deal and the better they get. Fewer hands per hour isn't +EV for the best players, thus giving poor players an improved chance of cashing. Cashing also brings players back, and they bring friends, spouses, etc. More players is +EV for better players.

Our game started with 6 players. We now have to turn players away every event, and fill 3 tables. So you might want to ask yourself "What direction do I want to take my game?"
 
cash game. Myself and another (@chipjoker) sit across from each other on the sides of the oval. We shuffle and deal every other hand.

We tried that method a few times too. Worked fine, though most of the time we just did the single dealer and shifted when one person got tired of dealing.
 
I guess I'm lucky. We have 4 guys including me that don't mind dealing for hours and this just isn't a problem. We have breaks every 40 minutes or so when people want to smoke but the game never stops because someone will always deal. We also keep the bank on a chair behind the host or designated banker. No need to clutter the table.

If you're constantly dealing, doesnt that just give everyone an opportunity to watch your face as the cards drop????
 
If you're constantly dealing, doesnt that just give everyone an opportunity to watch your face as the cards drop????

Who looks at a flop when they hit the felt? My eyes are looking at you.

I suppose if you're dealing, you lose the opportunity to watch everyone else watch the flop. It's typically a moot point for me, as I'm usually running my mouth and not paying attention before, during and after the flop.
 
I suppose if you're dealing, you lose the opportunity to watch everyone else watch the flop. It's typically a moot point for me, as I'm usually running my mouth and not paying attention before, during and after the flop.

That actually sums me up pretty good lol. I'm just trying to lose the minimum and have a good time. Just hoping @mike32 or @ChaosRock doesn't take too much advantage of me :)
 
That actually sums me up pretty good lol. I'm just trying to lose the minimum and have a good time. Just hoping @mike32 or @ChaosRock doesn't take too much advantage of me :)

U kidding me dude?!?!?! ;) Casino play might be different but amongst friends, I'm always drinking and fucking around rather than focused...
 
U kidding me dude?!?!?! ;) Casino play might be different but amongst friends, I'm always drinking and fucking around rather than focused...

I was joking........:) My wife's biggest complaint about poker night is all our loud ass bullshitting :) reminds me, I need to email you, lol
 

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