What would you do – A blatant violation of the rules

The setting: My typical Thursday night session at the ‘Shoe

The scenario: A dealer flouts the rules

The question: What would you do?  Would you speak up?  Follow up?

Over the past few sessions, I’ve become accustomed to my strong hands no longer being winners by the flop, turn or river.  This session was no exception, where, within 3 orbits, I saw my KK go down in flames when:

1. I get it in pre-flop to action where EP raises to $10, older guy raises to $30.  I look down at KK and 4bet to $85.  EP thinks & shoves for $310 effective.  Older guy pauses for a good minute before finally making the call for around $200.  Action to me.  I decide I can’t fold KK and make the call.  I ask if EP has AA – I’m sure given the pause – that older guy has QQ, JJ.  EP says no, leading me to believe I’m ahead until a Ten hits the turn and EP flips TT for the win.  Older guy shows QQ and I just shake my head.  LOL 5bet shoving TT FTW!  It's always good there, amiright?
2. I get in on the turn for $150 to a gambler Asian guy who doesn’t seem to understand hand strengths, as he turns a gutter and 2 pair draw with T9 vs. my KK on a T 7 x 6 board.  The action, BTW, went PF raise to $20 after 2 limpers – he calls with T9o.  He c/c’s $45 on the flop.  He snaps the turn gutter for a slight overbet of $150 into the $135 pot.  8 on the river, easy game.

I find myself down ~2 buy-ins for the night.  My session, however, is not the focus of this story.  Dealers rotate through and one of my two most despised dealers pushes in.  To be clear, this dealer represents himself as a pure rules guy.  Now, I can definitely appreciate a rules-oriented dealer; all I ask for is a set process, and even-handed application of the rules to all parties continually.  This guy is inconsistent.  He’s moody.  He’s monotone.  He doesn’t give people a chance to act before telling them it’s their action.  He’ll call out for blinds to be posted as said blinds are reaching for chips.  He represents himself as a rule follower and insists on all players following rules to the letter of the law.  All of this sounds pretty innocuous, but he's a real miserable prick.  He tilts me ever so slightly, but I tend to ignore him as a defense against my tilt.  Lately, I've been considering sitting out during his downs.

2 people limp and there’s a raise on the button.  The blinds call and one of the limpers call.  There’s a lot of talk at the table, and I, of course, am involved.  FWIW, I folded my hand, but I’m following the action as I follow the conversation.  Action has yet to close, pending the final limper’s call, a middle aged lady.  There’s an unusual delay between her action, and the dealer proceeds to put out a flop.  The flop is out and action is still pending the lady, who opts to call after seeing the flop.  No one says anything.  I ask the dealer what’s going on; action is still pending yet he put out a flop.  He replies “no problem; she called, so all is good.”

All is definitely not good, however.  I point out that she called only after seeing a flop.  He stays fixed to the point that she called, so the pot is good – move on.  I don’t move on; I continue to point out that she got to see a flop first, before calling pre flop.  That is an unfair advantage, and against the rules.  In the meantime, post flop action continues and the button lines up a sizeable bet.  Finally, the dealers pauses the action and calls floor.

The dealer tells floor, since The Poker Meister has a complaint, he can explain what happened.  “Floored” (pun intended) by the dealer’s lack of wont to own the mistake, I’m forced to become the villain at the table, breaking up a hand where I’m not even involved.  (The flop was JJx, and the BTN was clearly happy with that flop.  The lady got pissed at me for "ruining" the hand that she changed tables after the incident.)  Even after explaining in clear terms what happened, the dealer does not recognize his mistake, only offering that it was noisy and there was a lot of background conversation ongoing.  Totally inexcusable in my book.  First, I should not be explaining what happened; dealer is the keeper of order at the tables.  He should not only be paying attention, but also recognize issues that may arise, and own his or her mistakes.  Second, mistakes are bound to happen.  Depending on the size of the mistake, either rectify the situation yourself (i.e. something minor like incorrect change, or out of turn action) or call floor (i.e. something major like dealing a card out of turn, or clarity of a particular rule).  Third, don’t try to cover up your mistake by bullying your customers.  Not that he was trying to intimidate me, but he definitely pressed me pretty hard to move on – something I was clearly not going to do.

So I ask, in summary: You’re in my seat.  You’re watching (in my opinion, an egregious) rules violation.  You’re not involved in the particular hand, but you see someone who has a clear advantage over the rest of the table – and the dealer wants to overlook the situation.  Do you speak up?  What would you do?