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Table Games First timer playing table games, have couple questions.

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by eviliciouz, Feb 18, 2013.

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  1. eviliciouz

    eviliciouz Low-Roller

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    Hi all,

    Usually I'm a slot player, however I've been practicing Pai Gow poker and I want to try to play few hands on this trip. I have questions regarding etiquette on table gaming.

    1.) For slot games, usually I just put my reward cards on the machine slot and it keeps track of my play. How do I do that for table games? Do I give it to the dealer?

    2.) Can I play in the middle of shoe for pai gow? Should I wait until a new shoe is played?

    3.) If I want to leave the table, can I just leave after the last hand played?

    Thank you so much for all your help!
     
  2. rooster42000

    rooster42000 Goat of all Goats , My Hero

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    1-give your card to one of the pit bosses ,or give it to the dealer he will give it to the right person.
    2-yes you can sit in the middle of the shoe
    3-you can get up whenever you want , you do not have to wait for the shoe to finish.
     
  3. rgerards

    rgerards Low-Roller

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    1) yes, just give it to the dealer when u buy chips, the pit critters will enter the details into the computer.
    2) I have never played pai gow. But with blackjack it depends a bit, usually u can just hop in. I usually ask if anyone minds to avoid superstitious people complaints :)
    3) yes
     
  4. The Equalizer

    The Equalizer Low-Roller

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    Pai gow is not a shoe game its a 53 card deck shuffled every hand. So yes you can sit and play as many hands as you like.
     
  5. eviliciouz

    eviliciouz Low-Roller

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    Thank you for all your responses. I love people on this board, so helpful :).
     
  6. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    When buying in at tables I put my card on top of the cash or chips I am buying in with. If I have chips that I am going to play... well thats never happened so I don't know what I would do :)

    Maybe you mean Baccarat? Pai Gow Poker doesn't use a shoe so you can sit in at any time there is an open seat.

    Yes, you just don't play the next hand and get up and leave.

    If you have a lot of smaller denomination chips then between hands you should ask the dealer to "color you up" where they will exchange your little chips for bigger chips.

    Some people just take their chips and go, but dealers may get upset if you walk away with all their little chips and then they have to call for more.
     
  7. boxcars

    boxcars High-Roller

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    I've only seen Pai Gow poker played with a shoe, just like Baccarat.
     
  8. numeno

    numeno VIP Whale

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    This. If you have a larger number of chips, simply stack them all in a few stacks and push them towards the dealer and ask to "color up". Even if you are headed to another table I'd suggest this just because it makes it easier to go to the other table.

    When at the other table simply give the larger denonantion chip to the dealer and they will give you smaller chips as if you just handed them cash. This would also be the time to give them your players card just like you would give it when giving them cash.




    Two things you didn't ask that I wanted to comment on.

    Dealers can not take things from your hand. You can't just hand them a $100 bill. Place everything down on the table and then will pick it up.

    A person may ask you to wait until the end and it is your choice if you want to do this. This will probably rarely happen on any tables at $15 or less(not sure what levels you are playing). It happens a bit more on $25+. This will mainly occur on blackjack. Most other games are played with 1 deck and reshuffled on each hand.
     
  9. eviliciouz

    eviliciouz Low-Roller

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    Awesome feedback. Thank you all. I'm ready for Vegas!
     
  10. BTSyndrome

    BTSyndrome Low-Roller

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    To add one extra question.....
    If you are only buying in for say $100 at a $5 - $15 min table.
    Is it even worth giving them your players card?
    Since everyone says they don't rate unless its a green chip or larger bet.
     
  11. Auggie

    Auggie Dovahkiin

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    I always give them my card. They don't really know how much you are going to play or for how long... you could buy in for $100 and end up playing $25 per hand and just keep rebuying when you run out.

    I used to think like that though and once I bought in for $20 at roulette at Monte Carlo, wound up playing at that table for about 3.5 hrs and by the end I was betting around $60 per spin. When I was done I asked for my card and they said they didn't have one for me, but they still gave me at least some credit for my play in the end.
     
  12. spicole

    spicole No shirt, no shoes... NO DICE!

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    There has been some discussion on this board and others about which casinos will rate play $15 or less per hand. Some casinos will flat out tell you that they will not rate you, while others will happily swipe your card with no intention or expectation of major comps.

    My opinion: absolutely give 'em your card, and let them decide if and/or how to rate you. It takes zero effort to do that. A savvy casino will then at least know that you are playing there, thus giving you the best shot to get some promo mailers or discount offers. I'm still amazed that many casinos do not look at their $10 betting customers as future $100 bettors.
     
  13. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    I have to say, I'm pretty sure I've only seen the opposite; in my experience they tend to use a Shufflemaster machine that spits out sets of 7 cards at a time.
     
  14. JDinTN

    JDinTN MIA

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    You're right. I used to play a lot of pai gow and still play a little. I have never seen it dealt from a shoe. In fact the used cards are fed back into the machine after each hand. Then like you said -- the machine spits out 7 cards at a time.
     
  15. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    Never, I'm pretty sure you're confused. They wouldn't play Pai Gow poker with multiple decks because they'd be at risk of dealing something stupid like 5 Kings, for which there is no proper payout. And they'd always be at risk of giving a player two or more jokers, which would make it way too easy to get giant bonus hands.

    It's ALWAYS dealt from a single 53-card deck, seven 7-card hands are dealt to the players and dealer with 4 discards, then the dead hands are collected. 99% of places deal this with an automatic shuffling machine that doles out the 7-card hands and shuffles the other deck while the current hand is in play.
     
  16. WrongWayWade

    WrongWayWade VIP Whale

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    Always give them your card, regardless of your betting level. They might not give you any comp points if you're betting $5 a hand, but don't try to predict that ahead of time. Different casinos handle it differently, and they like to be able to track the action at their tables by specific players.
     
  17. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    they would never play out of a shoe. the whole point of pai gow is it's a poker game. poker from a shoe doesn't work because there's multiple decks so multiple of the same card. poker is always played from one deck. at the pai gow tables they have 2 decks and the machine spits out the next deck when they insert the last one and while you're playing one hand it's shuffling the other deck so there's no waiting in between hands. just like the shufflers in the poker room.
     
  18. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    1) Usually what happens is you are buying in with cash. So you put the money on the table and your card with it. The dealer will give you your chips and put the card to the side for the pit boss.

    The pit boss will come over, read your name off the card to make sure they have the right player in the right position, put you into the computer and give your card back.

    2) Yes.

    3) Yes. Every new hand there is an opportunity to place bets, and a clear betting area. If you have been playing and don't have your bet out, the dealer may pause to make sure you aren't in on the next hand. But all you need to do to leave if pull your bet back (or not put another out if you lost your last bet).

    If you have small denomination chips you can ask the dealer to "color up" (change to highest denominations possible), so they will be easier to carry
     
  19. gpenguins67

    gpenguins67 High-Roller

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    don't be afraid to ask for help while you are at the table. Especially wtih pai gow the dealer can help you setup your hand in case you have a brain fart or just don't know what the best setup is.
     
  20. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    That's the biggest problem, another one would be it could allow for advantage play since after each hand you would know of a bunch of cards that were no longer in the shoe.
     
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