A dealer is an integral part of every Texas Hold’em game. Poker players need this individual to shuffle the deck, issue the cards, manage the pot, and much more.
With that in mind, many poker players aspire to be dealers, and rightly so. After all, dealers often get uncapped opportunities to improve their gaming skills and rake in reasonable wages in professional settings.
So, would you like to become a Texas Hold’em dealer, deal like a pro? This article is for you. It will teach you how to do it all in a few bite-sized steps and introduce you to hacks that will help you become a formidable dealer.
Dig in.
In poker, dealing requires you to follow these steps:
Texas Hold’em is supposed to be a game of chance. Shuffle the cards thoroughly to ensure every participant has a fair shot at the available pot. Numerous techniques, including the infamous riffle-strip-riffle-cut method, can help you to that end. For the best results, shuffle the cards at least five times.
If, while shuffling, players question the deck’s legitimacy, you can fan out the cards and give them ample opportunity to count available pieces. Additionally, to add a layer of transparency, cut the deck as many times as possible every time you shuffle.
After shuffling the cards, start dealing. Begin with the player to your left and proceed in a clockwise position. Give each individual a face-up card. You can pinch each card face-down and flick it towards the right player, the American style. Or you can follow what Europeans do: slide the top card onto the poker table and, with a dazzling spin, push it toward a player. Repeat the process until everyone present has two cards.
Once everyone has their cards, initiate pre-flop betting. If anyone folds, take their cards and arrange them in a muck pile. Then, take out the first item in the deck and position it on the poker table with its face downward. Pros call that burning. Its primary purpose is to deter scammy players from using pre-marked cards to gain an unfair advantage over their fellows.
Finally, reveal the flop, turn, and river. Here’s how to do that. First, deal the flop by turning over the three topmost cards on the deck. Place each in the middle of the poker table face down. Once you’ve dealt the flop, flip a fourth card, which should reveal the turn. Allow players to bet, fold, check, raise, or call. Then, introduce the river by setting down a fifth card, which will initiate the last betting round.
The winner in a Texas Hold’em game is whoever has the highest-ranking hand. Ask the players left on the table to show their cards. That should kickstart the Showdown and help you determine who walks away with the pot. At this final juncture, players can also surrender or “muck” without revealing their cards. Anyone who chooses to muck becomes ineligible for the pool.
Once all eligible players have revealed their hands, check them out and announce the lucky winner. Eliminate any shred of doubt or confusion by pointing out what makes the victorious individual’s hand superior to the others.
If you want to be an outstanding dealer with a solid reputation, follow the steps outlined above while paying mind to these hacks:
A poker game will always have winners and losers. But you should treat everyone equally. Don’t favor or make exceptions for specific individuals, even the winners. Ensure everyone present obeys all stipulated rules and kick out anyone displaying shoddy behavior.
As a dealer, you should also maintain a composed, impartial image at all times. That is important because your facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language may help players decipher their opponents' hands or affect the game by introducing an element of favoritism even where it’s nonexistent.
Clear communication is indispensable in poker games. It’s the key to ensuring all players understand the relevant rules. It also plugs any holes that might make the players confused or misunderstand the house rules.
To facilitate clear communication and avoid mishaps, speak loudly and enunciate your words while dealing. Announce everything at a reasonable speed and give every player enough time to digest the information. You can also use hand gestures to drive your points home.
Good dealers never let their attention waver. They always keep a close eye on the game and look out for any suspicious behavior from players. Pros do that because they know that the integrity of any poker game depends on their focus and attentiveness.
To be an excellent dealer, practice focusing on every game. Don’t let anything distract you, be it a game on the TV, a talkative player, or any other activity in the background. Limit unwarranted interactions and conversations with players since they can undermine your attentiveness.
There are many embarrassing mistakes that dealers often make. Try to avoid them as much as possible since they will taint your reputation and negatively impact player experience. They include:
Dealing like a pro in a Texas Hold’em game isn’t easy. But by adhering to everything outlined here, you can do it. That said, to become an unquestionable pro, you must practice often and hone your dealing skills. You also have to heed the hacks listed here and avoid detrimental mistakes like losing attention to the game at hand and favoring certain players.
Note that the tips discussed here can help you improve your dealing skills; that’s unquestionable. But they won’t make you a pro overnight. You still need training, and once you’re ready, you must seek licensing. So, if you want to work in a casino as a poker dealer, find a good institution like Udemy, acquire the required knowledge, and then seek licensing from a relevant body in your jurisdiction.
