I have a question about tips. Ken Smith stated in one of his posts that he gives about 5%, not to exceed $5,000, if he wins first place. But what about other wins: 1) If you are at the final table and win 2nd - 7th, are you still expected to tip? If so, how much? The same 5%? 2) If you are in a tournament that pays anyone who makes the semi-finals, are you still expected to tip? Again, how much? The same 5%? My tournament schedule is fairly heavy for the next couple of months. If I get lucky, I don't want to look like a cheep scape or worse, a complete dork. Any information will be appreciated.
Tips on tipping I posted it couple of times before, but since you asked: Tipping is a very personal act so what I am expressing here is just my biased opinion. Yes, I do tip, for a few reasons: 1. As a general courtesy to appreciate good work. 2. As there is something in saying: what goes around, comes around. 3. To keep a good rapport with dealers and organizers. Some digressions: The better and cordial job they do - the better the tips. I inquire about the way tips are shared – if it is limited only to people directly involved with the event then I get inclined to contribute more generously. It really pays to have the dealer on your side (without breaking or bending any rules). However, it might be worth mentioning here that there is nothing easier than “reading” the dealer (peaking under tens) that is furious about you. Rule of the thumb? Yes, there is one: It should be at least 1% of your prize money. My feeling is that 1% as a tip for prize of the magnitude of 100k or more is sufficient, then, it becomes 1.5-2% for 25k-50k, 4% for ten big ones, and around 10-15% for some smaller prizes (a few hundred bucks). It may seem to some people that tipping over 10% is excessive. It might be, but here is the way I look at it. If you play tournaments (or table bj) as a recreation, than you may win 2-3 hundred bucks a couple of times. It should make no difference to your well-being whether you tip total of $20 (4%) or $50 (10%). If one considers oneself a professional player then income derived from “gambling” should be over $50,000 – let’s say 85k. To achieve this let’s hypothesize: one win of 50k (minus 1.5%=$750), one win of 20k (2,5%=$500), one 10k (4%=$400), couple 2k (7%x2=$140), and five small prizes of $200 each (12.5%x5=$125). Total tips -$1915. If one, for winning $200, tips 5% (ten bucks) instead of tipping 12.5% (one green), then one saves a whole $75. That is $75 out of $1915, or out of $85,000.00 – depending how we look at it. I wish you to have a tipping problem every time you play. S. Yama
Round tips I usally tip after I advance from a table (always on a live money table). I throw the dealer a $5 bill since I am that much closer to making money myself. For only $5 to get the dealers pulling for me doesn't seem like a bad deal. I try to get along with all the dealers and any friendly jesture helps. I also sit down and talk to them. They are just people like me and you that are trying to make a living to pay their biils.
mackman Earlier this year, I won $35K in a $100K tournament at Thunderbird Casino in Norman, Okla. I was so excited, I couldn't figure out what percent I was tipping when I forked over $750. As I calculated later, it was a little over 2 percent. The dealers seemed pleased. (I was told that in Thunderbird's previous tournament, tips from all those who placed totaled only $1,000, even though the total prize pool was $250,000.) By the way, I've heard Thunderbird is hosting a tournament this month after a 3-month hiatus. Can anyone confirm that? Oklahoma tournaments have many flaws, but I think some casinos are getting it close to right. Thunderbird has had one $250,000 tourney and two $100,000 tournaments with respective buyins of just $50 and $20. Only 300 players entered the $100,000 tournaments and the top 100 received at least $100 cash. Firelake Casino in Shawnee has monthly $100,000 tournaments with no buyins and a top prize of $40K. To qualify, all you have to do is play at least one BJ hand the prior month. Is there a better deal, are there better odds in gambling for this kind of money? I've had more than my share of luck in tournaments. For what it's worth, when I'm competing with the other people at my table (rather than competing with all tournament players on the basis of chip totals), I take a conservative approach. I'll bet low in the early hands to be sure I'm still around in the later hands. Then, when it gets to crunch time, I bet aggressively. Many aggressive players either bust out before the later hands or lose their nerve late in the round and bet small when the stakes are highest. Generally, my bet is a factor of the amount of chips I have divided by the number of hands remaining in the round. For instance, if there are seven hands left in a round and I have $350 in chips I'll bet $50. I'm not sure this approach holds water, but I've advanced out of the first round in more than half the tournaments I've played and I've been to final tables twice in nine tournaments. Beginner's luck? Admittedly, my approach only works when the dealer is hot or at least luke warm.
