Dummy Up and Deal

H. Lee Barnes spent many years as a dealer in some of Las Vegas's best-known casinos. Told in the voices of dozens of dealers, male and female, young and old, in this volume he seeks to show us this world from the point of view of the table-games dealer. He explores the "breaking in" that constitutes a dealer's training, where the hands learn the balletic motions of the game while the mind undergoes the requisite hardening to endure long hours of concentration and the demands of often unreasonable and sometimes abusive players. We discover how dealers are hired and assigned to shifts and tables, how they interact with each other and with their supervisors, and how they deal with players - the winners and the losers, the "Sweethearts" and the "Dragon Lady", the tourists looking for a few thrills and the mobsters showing off their "juice". We observe cheaters on both sides of the table and witness the exploits of such high rollers as Frank Sinatra and Colonel Parker, Elvis's manager. We also learn about the dealers' lives after-hours, how some juggle casino work with family responsibilities while others embrace the bohemian lifestyle of the Strip.