When you sit at a poker table as a player, it’s easy to focus on your stack, your image, and your next move. What most players overlook is the person across the felt — the dealer — who quietly keeps the game running while juggling psychological meltdowns, chaos, and comedy in equal measure.
In Shuffle Up and Deal With It: Tales from Dealers Worldwide, Sara O’Connor puts the maestros of the game center stage and invites us to sit on their side of the felt.
It’s not just a collection of dealer stories — it’s a behind-the-scenes look at the life of poker’s unsung heroes. Through candid, funny, and sometimes jaw-dropping interviews, the book reveals what really happens on the other side of the table.
As O’Connor writes in her introduction: “They are the orchestrators of a game that thrives on tension, strategy, and the unpredictable whims of human nature. Each day, they deftly guide the flow of the game with practiced hands and watchful eyes.”
The Slobbering Kiss — Chet
Chet’s story proves that dealers need more than quick math and sharp eyes; they need a sense of humor and serious composure.
“As a newlywed, I wore my wedding ring, and it caused a bit of conversation,” Chet said. “For context, I don’t like it when players touch me. But this attractive woman who plays in our high-stakes games was really drunk one night, and she was winning a lot.”
That’s when things got weird.
“She grabbed my ring hand and kissed it for ‘good luck.’ It was messy. She kind of slobbered all over. I had lipstick stains on my ring finger, and I couldn’t wipe anything off because I was stuck in the box. The whole place laughed at me.”
Then came the kicker.
“She asked, ‘Could I clean it up for you?’ I said sure, and she replied, ‘Okay, I’ll lick it off!’ She proceeded to lick my hand as I’m washing the cards. Now my left hand is even wetter for the rest of the down.”
Chet told his wife about the incident. Her response?
“She said I earned a good tip.”
He added with a grin, “Now, I don’t wear my wedding ring when I deal. Guys tip me better when I don’t wear it. Being happily married can apparently be bad for business.”
It’s a perfect snapshot of the strange social chemistry of poker rooms — where flirtation, luck, alcohol, and absurdity all mix under the fluorescent lights. Dealers learn to take it in stride, wipe down the felt (or their hands), and move on to the next hand.
The Underground Apprentice — Ninoy
For some dealers, poker starts far from the bright lights of Vegas. Ninoy learned the craft in underground clubs where tempers and guns were as common as bad beats.
“I wasn’t that good when I first started, and the environment wasn’t the safest,” he recalls. “Two or three guys would say, ‘If you don’t hurry the fuck up, I’m going to kill you.’ That’s how I learned to deal — with gangsters threatening me.”
He describes sleeping in one of the card clubs he worked in, hustling rides to games, and working under a boss who was high more often than sober. When that boss crossed a line, Ninoy and a friend decided to steal his players for their own venture. Before leaving, they left a signature calling card:
“We bought big jugs of milk and parmesan cheese. We soaked the chairs with milk and sprinkled parmesan in the air conditioner before starting our own games.”
It’s the kind of story you couldn’t make up, including when his new club gets robbed — part poker revenge fantasy, part absurd comedy, and part life-threatening danger.
The Baby-Faced Dealer — Anonymous in Texas
Some dealers choose to remain anonymous in the book, including Anonymous in Texas. He laughed when he remembered one of the highlights of his dealing career — the NBC Heads-Up Championship at Caesars Palace, around 2013 or 2014.
“They picked me to deal on TV, but I had to shave, which I didn’t want to do,” he recalled. “Still, for that kind of money, I was more than happy to find a razor.”
His debut on NBC threw off even his friends. “When people watch the footage, they don’t recognize [my baby face],” he said. “But it was such a fun weekend — working with the pros, the TV crews, and the NBC staff. Plus, the pay was great.”
The weekend brought more than just great tips; it brought unforgettable encounters.
“I saw this lady walk right up to Phil Hellmuth and ask him, ‘Why are you such an asshole?’ Phil looked right at her and said, ‘I just do it for TV. Do you really think I’m that much of a jerk? I’m really not.’ That’s when I realized it was all part of his act.”
As a dealer at Caesars, Anonymous met celebrities and poker legends alike:
“David Arquette crashed into me from the one seat, one day and asked how I was doing. He’d been playing $1/$2 for three days straight, donking off thousands of dollars, just having fun. He even bought breakfast for the table and tipped $30 on a $20 pot. He was the nicest guy.”
But even that paled next to the surprise he got one night near the OMINA nightclub.
“I saw a wave of security guards rushing someone under a tarp toward the poker room. I asked if everything was okay, and one of the security guards said they were waiting for clearance. Then I caught a glimpse of these crystal blue eyes and said, ‘Hi there — are you…?’ She said, ‘Yes.’ It was Taylor Swift.”
He offered her a bottle of water before security whisked her away.
“She smiled and said, ‘This is the price you pay, I guess!’ Then she was gone. I couldn’t believe it — Taylor Swift, right there at my counter.”
As the experiences of this dealer demonstrate, poker’s chaos and celebrity encounters can collide.
You can add this great read to your collection now. It’s a fun and sometimes emotional reminder that the next time you sit down at the table, there’s more happening than meets the eye — and the person dealing your cards? They have their own game, too.
Shuffle Up and Deal With It: Tales from Dealers Worldwide is available on Amazon or you can get a signed copy for $5 more on O’Connor’s website.
