Abusing dealers used to be an accepted practice in poker rooms. Not any more.
I have been witness to several instances of serious dealer abuse and have heard about other instances. One of the most serious cases involved Puggy Pearson.
Now I liked Puggy. He was an admitted redneck from the deep South who spoke his mind and who acted out his impulses. He drove around in a pokermobile with signs, drawings and symbols on it. He even composed a song about being a redneck gambler.
Puggy was famous for the big cigars he smoked. One night he was playing in a big game at a downtown casino when he ran into a series of bad beats that cost him a of cash.
Pearson took it as long as he could. Then he stood up, unzipped his pants, and urinated on the dealer's shoe.
She, of course, was livid with rage. Anyone would be. And before he knew it, the pug-nosed gambler was barred from the poker room and the casino. It was a good judgment by casino management. Puggy was humbly contrite, apologized to the dealer and swore it would never happen again, a promise he kept.
One afternoon I was playing poker at the Union Plaza Casino in downtown Las Vegas. A Hispanic player who was well into his cups of tequila was undergoing a losing streak that would not stop. Finally after he had lost his last chip, he swayed to his feet and threw a round-house right fist at the unsuspecting dealer. The swing connected, knocking the dealer out of his seat and stunning the table.
The player ran from the casino and vanished into the crowd before security could stop him. Although security and dealers kept a sharp eye for the man, he was never spotted again. Maybe he gave up the game for a more rewarding profession.
I have spoke to dealers about abuse. Although they are still subjected to verbal attacks from time to time, they agree it is not nearly as bad as it was in the past.
One dealer from the Philippines who works at the Orleans Casino on Tropicana Boulevard in Las Vegas said, "It's unrealistic, of course, but all the players expect to win. I would love it if everyone could win. It would mean more tip money for me and everyone would be happy. But it just ain't gonna happen.
"All I am is a mailman. I just deliver the mail. I don't know what's in the envelopes, but somehow the players think I can control the cards they receive. It's crazy."
If you decide to take up poker for fun and profit, here is some advice. Go easy on the dealers. Learn their names and talk to them. Find out who they are, where they were born and talk to them.
I do this regularly and it pays off. While I don't always win, the dealers remember my name and treat me well. That is a major plus in any poker room.
In the old days, I had a temper. While I would never think of using violence or profanity toward a dealer regardless of how bad the cards came, I do challenge some of the things they do. I have mellowed out over the years and keep my tongue bridled. By controlling my temper, I play better and don't get nearly as many bad beats.
As far as Puggy Pearson is concerned, I admire my late friend for his generosity and his sense of humor. While it is true that Puggy was a redneck gambler with a temper and an edge, he loaned a lot of poker players money that they forgot to pay back. I wrote a column on this website several months ago attesting to the fact that when Stu Ungar was near death and broke in a hospital, Pearson paid him a visit and dropped $1,000 on Ungar's bed.
He made an excuse for giving him the money. He said something like, 'Hey, Stuey, here's that loan back that you gave me.'
Well, Puggy did not owe Stu a dime. The World Series of Poker was less than a week away and Pearson, knowing of Ungar's condition, simply did not want him to die broke.
I think that says a lot for Puggy Pearson. I know a lot of poker players -- some of them world champions -- who are stingy and who would not have considered such a generous action. Maybe that helps make up for the shoe incident. Rest in peace, Puggy. You were one of the good ones.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
