Every ask a dealer to cut deeper?

Has anyone ever asked a dealer to cut deeper? Is it too risky? Have you done it with a toke? I saw one player that refused to play at a dealer's table after 2 decks have been cut off of a 6 deck game and played at the table next to it and said so blatantly. What are your experiences? I have been getting bad pen in DD recently.

Quote: Wino

Has anyone ever asked a dealer to cut deeper? Is it too risky? Have you done it with a toke? I saw one player that refused to play at a dealer's table after 2 decks have been cut off of a 6 deck game and played at the table next to it and said so blatantly. What are your experiences? I have been getting bad pen in DD recently.

I would never ask because only a counter would care. And I think it would be very doubtful that a dealer would alter the pen if asked. The suits would definitely not like this.

Quote: Wino

Has anyone ever asked a dealer to cut deeper? Is it too risky? Have you done it with a toke?

No. Yes. Reward good behaviour.

The most effective tactic I've seen and used is to note when a cut is slightly deeper than usual, slide a toke over and say "That looks like a really* good cut."

Since setting the cut card for the shuffle point doesn't change the order of the cards, they should know exactly what you mean.

They can only cut so deep and still be vaguely compliant with house rules. The eye is watching; assume if they push the rules too far that they'll get in trouble. Asking a dealer to get in trouble so you can have a few hours of slightly better pen isn't worth it, and will draw the wrong kind of attention on future visits.

*Only use the word really in some circumstances.

Quote: Greasyjohn

I would never ask because only a counter would care. And I think it would be very doubtful that a dealer would alter the pen if asked. The suits would definitely not like this.

I have a method to increase penetration, and it works. And it doesn't make me appear as a card counter, either.

Of course, I cannot share my method on a public forum.

It's totally doable. You can complain that too much time is spent shuffling, or, as others note, slide a toke for a "really good cut." Once, I was playing a shoe one on one and there was a half-deck slug that had something like 9 aces. During the shoe, the dealer noticed it and I kept referring to it as we were finishing the shoe. Then, as she prepped to put the shoe-end into the discard tray, I asked her to do me a favor and try not to cut into those aces. She positioned the cards, looked at me, and I said "lower" and she complied with a smile. It was on the hush-hush, with no one else around.

I don't believe dealers are your enemies in general. In my experience, not many will actively seek to rat you out. However, if they think they are suspected of helping players out and the floor is all over them, then they are by the book. They don't want to lose their job.

Another example of dealer help: he had 6 showing and flopped an ace but had already seen the next card before realizing he needed to stop drawing. I casually asked how much he would bet if he were me. He said "play it" and boom, ace. Note, though, that other times I've done this the dealer would ALWAYS say he didn't know.

Smooth.