How many hands can I get out in 30 minutes?

People often ask how many hands a dealer can deal in an hour. The cynical side of me assumes that they are simply trying to figure out how much money dealers can make in an hour. My typical answer is that anyone should be able to get out at least 30 hands in an hour. Of course there are many factors that come into play. Shuffle master? Experienced players? Lots of hands going to a showdown?
Saturday, on my first table, conditions seemed optimal so I decided to experiment. Nearly everyone at the table was a regular and there were no drama queens, sunglasses, or headsets to be found. I started pumping out hands and I placed a quarter in the far right tube every time I dealt a hand. Thirty minutes later when I got pushed I had 32 quarters set aside. That's probably a personal best, but I don't have a desire to top it. I'd rather just have a game that moves along at a reasonable pace. It really isn't a speed contest.
I was just curious. Curiosity satisfied.

I heard perhaphs the strangest poker related rumor that I have ever heard. Word on the street is that the Venetian will only open their poker room on weekends. At first consideration, I didn't give any credibility to it at all. Then I started to wonder if a rumor so off-the-wall could even begin to circulate if it didn't have some basis in reality. I'm sticking with my first reaction. It can't be true.....can it?

As of 8AM Saturday the Palms poker room is once again smoke free with the exception of midnight to 8am in the original room. Ironically, the Las Vegas Advisor Question of the Day on Sunday touted the Palms as the only casino that they knew of with a smoking and a non-smoking room. Whoops.
I'll let you all know if the policy changes again. Don't hold your breath, or hold your breath. Or whatever.

On Saturday night Linda's roaming card party was held at Gary and Marie's. They live just east of the strip in a mid-rise condo complex. They have a million dollar view that extends from MGM to the Venetian. Gary jokes that if one tree happened to die that the view would include Wynn. He mentioned something about copper nails being driven into tree trunks and the detrimental effect they could have on trees. Putting "hits" on trees....only in vegas?
In any case, we played a mixed game that included Badugi. It's the first time that I have played it and, of course, it is as frustrating as any other poker game. Fun, but frustrating.




Sunday I push onto table 8 ($2-5 NL). A semi-regular $2-4 Limit player is in the 1s. I've never seen him play NL. He is L>O>A>D>E>D and the Patron shots were still coming. During my down he got cut off, but that is not my point. On one hand I pushed him a pot that was huge. He looks at the pile of red chips in front of him and says "Murph, take what you want". I sighed the mother of all sighs as I told him that I couldn't do that. I wanted to grab a fistfull of red birds, but I didn't. He ended up giving me $12. Not bad for dealing a hand of poker......but...

And finally, just say NO to machines.

**EDIT**
Rumors abound.......
Today I heard that the Venetian poker room would be open 7 days, but only in the evenings.

A friend just sent me this email about the Venetian poker room.
The word over at 2+2 confirmed by a person who says he is a dealer there is that they are going to be running a $500,000 freeroll. To qualify you need to log 50 hours in May 50 hours June and 50 hours in July (or 250 over the three months if not geting 50 in each month) also i understand they will running a bad beat jackpot (with no jackpot drop) and May will offer $2 per hour comps. I can't imagine them doing this and just opening on weekends.