SHUFFLE AHEAD OR SHUFFLE BEHIND? (3 Viewers)

[chippitydoodah]

I have been running into this issue where hosts have strong preferences so I thought I'd create a poll to see what the concensus is. For me there's no doubt shuffle behind is the way to go. The person who just dealt gathers the cards and shuffles while the player to their left deals the next hand. Please vote your preference and if you'd like share your opinions why.

 

[ekricket]

Shuffle your own mess is easiest. I played in a game that for almost a decade it was shuffle ahead. Almost every round somebody “forgot” it was their turn and had to be reminded by shoving the muck over in front of them.
Shuffling behind just naturally has you handling the cards through the deal and the shuffle - and you are out of the way of the current dealer

 

[merkong]

Dedicated dealer. Push the mess to the left and then push it to the right.

 

[HiveKueen]

Behind. I am quite sure we would have to constantly remind the person “ahead” to deal every single hand! Don’t need that headache. I’m having no problems with behind so no need to change.

 

[wickedwonka121]

Also cut forward. So the dealer of the current hand hasn't actually shuffled or cut the deck that they are dealing.

 

[chippitydoodah]

Previous dealer gathers cards, shuffles and places cut card on top of deck and passes it to the Small Blind for current dealer to cut before the next deal. Like @ekricket said the mess is behind the dealer and like @wickedwonka121 said the new dealer doesn't shuffle or cut the cards. Now I've got to get my one group to stop dealing out the entire board after they've dealt the cards

 

[HiveKueen]

Previous dealer gathers cards, shuffles and places cut card on top of deck and passes it to the Small Blind for current dealer to cut before the next deal. Like @ekricket said the mess is behind the dealer and like @wickedwonka121 said the new dealer doesn't shuffle or cut the cards. Now I've got to get my one group to stop dealing out the entire board after they've dealt the cards

So the person who is shuffling behind is also cutting the deck to be dealt next?

 

[chippitydoodah]

So the person who is shuffling behind is also cutting the deck to be dealt next?

No, the person who just finished dealing gets to cut the deck to be dealt next.

 

[ekricket]

So the person who is shuffling behind is also cutting the deck to be dealt next?

The cutoff is shuffling. He passes the deck to the current dealer, who cuts the deck to the small blind, who will be the next dealer.

It really doesn’t matter who cuts the deck, as long as it’s not the same person who shuffled it. So the current dealer can cut it to the small, as above, or the next dealer can cut it - who really cares? Don’t introduce meaningless processes because you can never explain “why” when asked.

 

[Budha]

I play in a monthly tournament that shuffles ahead. It just feels bad and I hate it - lol.

 

[Timmah]

We used to do shuffle ahead, but found that the person shuffling was in the way of the dealer. So now we shuffle behind. Once you finish your deal, you collect the cards and shuffle them. Then they’re ready for the next hand. The dealer cuts the cards and goes.

 

[chippitydoodah]

We used to do shuffle ahead, but found that the person shuffling was in the way of the dealer. So now we shuffle behind. Once you finish your deal, you collect the cards and shuffle them. Then they’re ready for the next hand. The dealer cuts the cards and goes.

What confounds me is the resistance of the shuffle ahead faction to accept that shuffle behind is better. Even when they try the shuffle behind, and see it's better, they're reluctant to change.

 

[Sparkynutz]

I have been running into this issue where hosts have strong preferences so I thought I'd create a poll to see what the concensus is. For me there's no doubt shuffle behind is the way to go. The person who just dealt gathers the cards and shuffles while the player to their left deals the next hand. Please vote your preference and if you'd like share your opinions why.

I feel the frustration.
Most of the guys I play with refuse to use a 2nd deck of cards. Only two of the guys non regulars were familiar with the practice but shuffle ahead.
Very difficult to enforce behind when I host multi table tournaments and the tables are all dealt differently.

I do understand ahead working better with my guys tho because nobody ever pays attention. Small blind shuffling has more time to shuffle before it gets back to him vs behind which is 2 bets back.

Normally we just say the heck with it and just use one deck. Dealer shuffles, Previous dealer cuts.

 

[ekricket]

Small blind shuffling has more time to shuffle before it gets back to him vs behind which is 2 bets back.

So that difference between two people folding or calling makes the world of difference in the ability to shuffle?

Do these guys Uber to your game or do you trust them to drive?

 

[chippitydoodah]

Playing with one deck is what has conditioned players to be more accustomed to shuffle ahead. Hand gets played, cards go to the next person who shuffles and then proceeds to deal.

 

[dpeks13]

I prefer shuffle behind, but the standard seems to be shuffle ahead. I'm going to try to make that change in our regular game. Fighting the good fight!

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

What confounds me is the resistance of the shuffle ahead faction to accept that shuffle behind is better. Even when they try the shuffle behind, and see it's better, they're reluctant to change.

This is exactly how I feel when people say shuffling is better than having a dedicated dealer w/ shuffletech. Or even just using Poker Sized cards for that matter!

 

[Sparkynutz]

Playing with one deck is what has conditioned players to be more accustomed to shuffle ahead. Hand gets played, cards go to the next person who shuffles and then proceeds to deal.

Exactly ^
Most of these guys I've only been playing with for a few years.
Players are hard to find in my neck of the woods. If I was picky with playing I wouldn't be able to have a game at all.
Lately I've been trying to recruit but it's slow going.

 

[Sparkynutz]

So that difference between two people folding or calling makes the world of difference in the ability to shuffle?

Do these guys Uber to your game or do you trust them to drive?

Yes actually it does since the small and big blind already showed they were paying attention by getting the blinds out.

Behind shuffler wouldn't have a clue they even had cards to shuffle till the whole table would be bitching at them that action was on them. People can't multi task... Especially drunk or high or both.

Most of them walk over or get rides from others. More than 1/2 of them live within a few blocks of me or have relatives that do so they stay there to sober up if need be.

 

[chippitydoodah]

Not everyone is the same, but I'm capable enough, as I'm sure most are, to gather the cards and shuffle as I peek at my hole cards and follow the action around to me. Even in a circus game where you have 3 to 6 hole cards to check, you still have time to stop shuffling and keep the game moving.

 

[chippitydoodah]

This is exactly how I feel when people say shuffling is better than having a dedicated dealer w/ shuffletech. Or even just using Poker Sized cards for that matter!

Well now that's just crazy talk lol.

 

[chippitydoodah]

So that difference between two people folding or calling makes the world of difference in the ability to shuffle?

Do these guys Uber to your game or do you trust them to drive?

I bet you hear what I hear a lot when I blurt something like that out...during all the laughter someone always say:
"Fucking Kevin!"

 

[TomatoGrass]

We did shuffle ahead for the first year, and I was convinced that it was superior. Then we switched to shuffle behind and have been doing it for the last three years that way. It’s just better.

The one argument shuffle ahead has is that the small blind is less likely to be involved in a pot than the cutoff, thus making it easier to find time to shuffle. But really, anyone competent at shuffling should be close to having the cards gathered and shuffled, riffle riffle box riffle, by the time it gets to their action in the cutoff. Shuffle behind is better in basically every other way.

 

[ChipMonster]

I like everything about shuffle behind logistically except that I’m shuffling when I’m on the button and more likely to put chips into the pot. I find that I have a hard time following the action/mannerisms/tells as precisely while I’m focused on shuffling and I’d rather sacrifice the logistics benefit if it gives me a better edge on the button.

 

[chippitydoodah]

I like everything about shuffle behind logistically except that I’m shuffling when I’m on the button and more likely to put chips into the pot. I find that I have a hard time following the action/mannerisms/tells as precisely while I’m focused on shuffling and I’d rather sacrifice the logistics benefit if it gives me a better edge on the button.

On the Button you are the dealer and not shuffling. The Cut Off is shuffling.

 

[ChipMonster]

On the Button you are the dealer and not shuffling. The Cut Off is shuffling.

Correct. Not sure why I typed button there. I still have a hard time being in late position (clearly can’t do 2 things at once like watch tv and respond to a forum poll)

 

[vozy]

I sometimes get put on dealing duty and I shuffle behind after pitching cards and pre-flop action is happening. Makes the game go by faster and more hands per hour!

 

[UniLover]

Used to do shuffle ahead, cut behind but now I got a shuffler, no shuffling, just cut behind.

 

[ArielVer18]

The PCF consensus is the cutoff shuffle and you'll get similarly strong opinions and preferences here. The consensus in a different poker forum is big blind shuffle, so that's the procedure at my home game.

 

[Run 'Em]

I see the advantages of shuffle behind, but we started shuffle ahead years ago, and that's ingrained now