Conflict of Interest

For the last six years, and unless out of town, I've played exclusively at Diamond Lil's.  My driveway to their parking lot is under 3 miles, and it's the only daily 20/40 game this side of California or Nevada, so why go anywhere else?

All those years, there have always been at least two prominent signs posted in the room, telling us:

English Only

At And Around Gaming Tables

At All Times

Then, several times, various floorpersons have explained that the rule really only applies when a hand is in progress.  Ok, fine.  Whatever.

I can't begin to count how many thousand times I've heard that rule violated, nor how many hundred times I've heard dealers, or occasionally another player, tell someone "English Only!"  

But I can easily count how many times I've seen the violators, repeat offenders all, face any kind of consequence:  Exactly Zero.   They simply get warned, again and again.  Then again.  And again.

I personally am not too worried about non-English conversation during play at DL.  Maybe I am annoyed some, by their arrogance, when players ignore the rule.  After all, it is a very good rule, imposed for a very good reason, that we all understand.

But 97.84% of the time, they're not talking about the hand in progress anyway.  They're just talking about what's for dinner, or last night's booty call, or the big Karaoke party coming up next weekend, or maybe even what a dick Sgt. Rock is, and let's get him.  You know, something completely innocent.

So I don't sweat the small stuff, except, well, there still is one problem.  Like I tell them at Bellagio, and at Commerce:  "Look, I really don't care what language you guys wanna talk, but let's play by the rules anyway, because IT MAKES THE TOURISTS NERVOUS!"

See, here's the thing:  There are lots of wannabe 20/40 players in Seattle — I've heard this from more than a few of them —  who might like to come play at DL, and make these great games even better, except for the room's reputation.  Deserved or not, there is a widespread perception that Lil's is full of team players, and is a good place to be taken off by collusion.

And yeah, a couple players may make some lame, ill-conceived attempts at hanky panky now and then, but, like I said, for me it's not really a problem.  If were, then my six year result there couldn't be what it is. 

But still, "English Only" truly is a complete joke at DL.  Then, last week, came word that some person(s) had complained to the state gambling commission, that the rule will now be strictly enforced, and that anyone having to be warned twice will be barred for 24 hours.

Here's where the Conflict of Interest comes into play, same as it always has.  First line of defense for enforcing "English Only" is the house dealer who is in there working for tokes.  And she knows how much these players will resent being told that they can't converse with their buddy in their native tongue, even when they already know the rules.  Remember, these are the same giants of intellect and logic who personally blame her when a river card completes some other guy's ugly suckout, and beats them.  So don't expect them to be reasonable.

And now, if someone needs to be reminded a second time, she's supposed to call the floorman, who pretty much also works for tokes, and the player gets sent home?  Yeah, right. 

So far, with this "strict new enforcement" of the rule, we have seen just as much non-English as ever, slightly more frequent and stern warnings from a few dealers, and zero instances of floorman summoned or any hammer descending.  Long story short:  No change.

I have suggestion for fixing this problem, but it would never fly.  I would take the burden for enforcing this rule off the dealer's shoulders, and give it to the other players.

Specifically, I would propose that if non-English is spoken by, or to, a player with a live hand, then any other player with a live hand can have the dealer call the floor, who would KILL the offending player's hand.  That's right, break the rule during play, and your hand is dead.

Hard to prove?  They already have video surveillance, cameras in the ceiling, so why not audio surveillance, microphones in the table rim?  OK, I never said this idea was practical, but it is viable, at least in theory, and it certainly would be effective. Don't think we'd see very many repeat offenders.  I mean, after a guy's hand was killed a time or two, that *should* get his attention, even when a thousand warnings didn't, and I think he'd respect the rule just fine after that.