RE: The River Gets Underway (2)
Do WinStar Dealers Really Suck?
One of the guys playing The River today yesterday is/was ItsOverJonny — not sure how he’s doing or how anyone’s doing … don’t think they have phones yet in Oklahoma … but regardless, if you’re not reading IOJ, well I’m not gonna say you should be, because, hey, we’re all busy people. But think Gary Carson, only more bitter and jaded. Good stuff, as you could imagine.
Though Jonny did play in the big $2k event yesterday, he wasn’t exactly happy with the WinStar crew after playing in a $500 event — and he spells it out, plain as day, what beefs he has with their dealers. Though I suspect the WinStar may poo-poo his free-of-charge poker room consultation because who cares when you’re making so much damn money these days, I can attest that he definitely knows a thing or two about how good games are supposed to run, and just about any poker room management should wanna use his post as a litmus test for what their dealer crew should and shouldn’t do. Some highlights from his blog:
Jonny played in Winstar’s $500+50 today. 61 players. Same shitty Winstar structure. Dealers were fucking horrible, and between dealers fucking everything up, maddening noise from all directions, and idiot clowndick players, I was tilting beyond belief, even though I hadn’t hardly played a hand for a while at the time. Seriously – where do they get these retard dealers that they stick in the tournaments? It’s not like it’s a $60 nightly tournament – it was $550 – get some dealers that can run a table without making repeated stupid mistakes, and then giving me attitude when I correct them until they finally figured out that they had indeed made a mistake. Your job consists of the most basic of math, making a little change, and distribution of cards. How do you manage to fuck that up?
[…]
In one hand our dealer stopped-down the entire table (in the middle of a hand where there had already been an all-in and a call) to argue with the same dealers and a floorman over when her next break was. We each paid $550 to play this tournament, you ignorant CUNT. At least have the common courtesy to finish the hand you are on before going to war over your next break
[…]
… for the record, yes, Winstar has some excellent dealers. I just didn’t see a single fucking one of them today.
[…]
I REALLY don’t want to play the Main Event this week. Maybe I’ll be in a better mood on Sunday.
[…]
Anyway, FUCK Winstar, FUCK Winstar’s dealers (excluding the good ones), FUCK Winstar’s players, FUCK any and all Vinyl Goddamn Casinos, and FUCK and the entire Toothless Republic of Oklahoma. I think that covers most of it.
LOL! Anger is so damn funny.
Grunkzzz says:
August 18th, 2008 at 9:27am
I promised myself I would never go back to that tent in Oklahoma after the River. I have never been treated so craptastically anywhere. I just hope they get some competition from legal Texas poker next year.
DanM says:
August 18th, 2008 at 9:32am
Tell us more, Grunkzz. What does craptastic poker treatment entail?
Johnny Hughes says:
August 18th, 2008 at 10:44am
New, inexperienced dealers are a set part of the prop when poker is newly legalized in a state. The players are new also and that makes up for it. A big part of poker is keeping centered and calm in all that chaos. Willie Nelson is known for being centered when it is a madhouse backstage. I always carry soft foam earplugs. At Commanche Red River, you were playing right by a live band. Besides, you get to use all your Okie jokes which don’t go over in Las Vegas.
DanM says:
August 18th, 2008 at 10:47am
I dunno, Johnny … though it’s been nearly a year since I played at WinStar, all their top-quality dealers seemed to have been trained in Dallas.
ItsOverJonny says:
August 18th, 2008 at 10:56am
Yes, I played yesterday, and I played badly. But my experience with most of the dealers, and ESPECIALLY the floorpeople, was about the same as on Thursday, sadly. I overheard one conversation between floorpeople that pretty much sums up the customer service policy at Winstar. New post coming soon.
ItsOverJonny says:
August 18th, 2008 at 11:32am
BTW, Rounder Clubber Terry Keratsopoulos was kicking ass at my table when I busted out. He was playing very well, and no one ever seemed to give him credit for a hand, paying him off nicely each time – me included – he value-bet me perfectly to extract maximum chips with a turned set. I hope he made it to the money. And if Terry’s employer is reading this, please let them know that believe it or not, Winstar is a legal, licensed, regulated (lol) LEGAL poker game.
David says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:10pm
Dealers at winstar do suck big time…long story….. one dealer put me on TILT big time today…he was about to push(standing behind the dealer in the box) and i had one all in front (5k) after the Flop and I was trying to replay the hand and was pretty sure that i was in front and was thinking out loud saying “why would you go all in” unless you are on a flush draw…I had a pair… This dealer tells me i can’t talk and fold or call…..WTF…keep in mind two floor people where watching the hand since i was at very end table and both where okay with me talking…. I folded and sure as hell he shows and was on Draw…….I busted out few hands later when my QQ ran in to set of JJs….still on tilt…..
265 runners today…not a sell out…
DanM says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:23pm
Yeow, David … that is really bad. A good dealer knows when to talk, and when to shut up. I hate table talk amongst players (about a hand in progress) … but getting it from the dealers is even worse.
Really, that kinda comment is inexcusable.
I do agree with Johnny Hughes, however, that sometimes this is unavoidable with big tourneys that have to bring in tons of dealers. but at the same time, if the floor doesn’t seem to care about it — not saying they shoulda come over and reprimanded the dealer mid-hand, but still — then you can see how the overall operation trickles down from the top.
zach says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:39pm
when it comes to tournaments that’s why I prefer online, more hands, less horrible dealers.
ItsOverJonny says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:39pm
Re: Johnny Hughes. Winstar has had poker for what, three years? Four years? Didn’t realize that being a poker dealer had such a long learning curve.
Bill Jones says:
August 18th, 2008 at 3:55pm
It Could Be worse…..CHOCTAW CASINO??????
David says:
August 18th, 2008 at 8:42pm
I’m Done with winstar after today….I rather go to Vegas one time a month or just play online….
Alicia says:
August 19th, 2008 at 6:51pm
Unfortunately TK went out in 40th place when his QQ ran into 88 lol… I guess you know what flopped.
BTW… I haven’t had nearly as much problems with the dealers at Winstar as much as the floorpeople. They could fuck up a 2 table SNG. We, Rounder Clubbers ran a better tournament back in the days before Platinum and we were total amateurs.
edbucks says:
August 19th, 2008 at 8:10pm
“..I rather go to Vegas one time a month…”
As my asian friend once said, “you rish”.