Can a dealer choose which card is his up card?

[RevinKevin327]

After searching, I cannot find this answer. Perhaps it's how I'm wording the question or Im over looking,the obvious.
My last weekend trip....I watched the dealer deal out each players first cards. He dealt himself one face down of course. After dealing out the second players cards, he deals himself another face down card, but turns up the first of his two cards, not the last one. Every round before this, he turned over the last card, never his first one.

Is this an option for the dealer or am I reading too much into this?
Thanks for any reply.....and apologies if this question has be answered before on here.

 

[DSchles]

After searching, I cannot find this answer. Perhaps it's how I'm wording the question or Im over looking,the obvious.
My last weekend trip....I watched the dealer deal out each players first cards. He dealt himself one face down of course. After dealing out the second players cards, he deals himself another face down card, but turns up the first of his two cards, not the last one. Every round before this, he turned over the last card, never his first one.

Is this an option for the dealer or am I reading too much into this?
Thanks for any reply.....and apologies if this question has be answered before on here.

No, it is absolutely NOT an option of the dealer, and you should be very wary of playing there. Houses have very stringent guidelines and rules exactly as to how the cards are to be dealt and what procedures are to be followed. The dealer has absolutely no discretion whatsoever as to which of the two cards he flips.

So, either the dealer was new, sloppy, and made an error, or he is somehow peeking at the cards and choosing the better one to flip, which, of course, is cheating.

Don

 

[RevinKevin327]

No, it is absolutely NOT an option of the dealer, and you should be very wary of playing there. Houses have very stringent guidelines and rules exactly as to how the cards are to be dealt and what procedures are to be followed. The dealer has absolutely no discretion whatsoever as to which of the two cards he flips.

So, either the dealer was new, sloppy, and made an error, or he is somehow peeking at the cards and choosing the better one to flip, which, of course, is cheating.

Don

Thanks Don.

In your opinion, what should I have done.....if anything?
He was very slow.....so maybe he was new.

 

[DSchles]

Thanks Don.

In your opinion, what should I have done.....if anything?
He was very slow.....so maybe he was new.

Possibly just an honest mistake from a beginner. But, you had a right to ask him which of the two cards he turns over, so as a) to let him know you are aware of this, and b) to put him on notice, if he's attempting to cheat, that he's going to have a problem doing it to you and getting away with it.

Don

 

[Midwest Player]

It really doesn't matter which card the dealer flips over as long as he is consistent. If he starts flipping the first card and then sometimes the second card then I would be concerned.

At Indian casinos I've seen different dealers flip either card, but they were consistent.

 

[LC Larry]

As long as the dealer doesn't know the value of the cards, it makes no difference.

 

[DSchles]

As long as the dealer doesn't know the value of the cards, it makes no difference.

That's not the point. The point is a dealer who is not consistent and sometimes does it one way and sometimes the other. That would be a huge red flag for any competent and observant AP.

Don

 

[LC Larry]

That's not the point. The point is a dealer who is not consistent and sometimes does it one way and sometimes the other. That would be a huge red flag for any competent and observant AP.

Don

It wouldn't be for me. And if I saw any sort of shenanigans going on, then there'd be problems. But agreed, be observant!

 

[21forme]

It wouldn't be for me. And if I saw any sort of shenanigans going on, then there'd be problems. But agreed, be observant!

If the dealer's a mechanic and he's good, your would NOT see what he's doing. I know one such dealer who demoed his skills to me once (and does not do this at his job) and what he CAN do is amazing and invisible.

 

[LC Larry]

Nothing is invisible. Just ask the Tran organization.

 

[21forme]

They were not good and they were too greedy. That's why they got caught. Believe me, an expert mechanic is invisible in what he does.

The dealer I know has been offered jobs all over the world and offered a percentage of the profits. Not your usual dealer hourly rate!

 

[RevinKevin327]

That's not the point. The point is a dealer who is not consistent and sometimes does it one way and sometimes the other. That would be a huge red flag for any competent and observant AP.

Don

It really doesn't matter which card the dealer flips over as long as he is consistent. If he starts flipping the first card and then sometimes the second card then I would be concerned.

At Indian casinos I've seen different dealers flip either card, but they were consistent.

Ok. So the verdict is the dealer CAN choose his card....as long,as,he doesnt see it?
I feel a seasoned dealer could exploit this to his advantage. My situation was likely just a new dealer, but it didn't sit right and I noticed it. Since he was slow (and I was able to exercise AP),I didn't rock the boat.

 

[JohnCrover]

The dealer usually is going to flip the first card it dealt itself because that's the card that's most likely to be flashed when the dealer is trying to deliver all of the cards to everyone. It can concentrate on not exposing its hole card more easily when it's the last card to be dealt.

 

[DSchles]

Ok. So the verdict is the dealer CAN choose his card....as long,as he doesn't see it?

Not sure how you come to that conclusion. I told you once and I'll tell you again: the dealer has ZERO discretion in which card he flips. The house dictates policy on every single move the dealer makes including how he wipes his nose. A dealer could be fired for flipping the wrong card or for straying from procedure, which is all written in a manual that he has to study and adhere to, to the letter.

Am I being clear, or do you want to discuss this further?

Don

 

[RevinKevin327]

Not sure how you come to that conclusion. I told you once and I'll tell you again: the dealer has ZERO discretion in which card he flips. The house dictates policy on every single move the dealer makes including how he wipes his nose. A dealer could be fired for flipping the wrong card or for straying from procedure, which is all written in a manual that he has to study and adhere to, to the letter.

Am I being clear, or do you want to discuss this further?

Don

Hello Don.....yes. Totally clear. Suprised this question had so much participation. I sorta replied to this with a bit of sarcasm, in an attempt to show the fact there was many a divided answer(s) to this question. Im,with you on this, as they cannot deviate from a set work instruction.

Once again, grasshopper learned little more about BJ here. Thanks again.

 

[airfree]

Yup ran into a mechanic once. Changed dealer on me when I was winning. He told me to leave playing 15 minutes. Losing 5 hands in a row and winning one then the same thing lose 4 in a row win one. In the end dropped 5k after an hour and still could not figure out why i always had low cards 13 14 16 most of the time and he always wins. How do you complain to a casino when they called in a dealer from nowhere coming out from inside was not on the floor. Yes there are mechanics, believe it or not. But this was about 15 yrs ago. I doubt if they still have them in the new casinos. Maybe just to have fun with the players I would imagine.

 

[The G Man]

If the dealer is good and use a "selective upcard" in a DD H17 DAS game, from Grosjean BCECAA, the house edge over the basic strategy player goes up to a whopping 5.3%