Horseshoe owner Dan Gilbert and General Manager Marcus Glover have asked that patrons flocking to the casino go easy on 600 dealers who are largely local and new to the trade. Glover says accuracy is the first priority and speed will come in time.
But not necessarily Friday, when crowds that have been heavy since the casino opened Monday evening are a good bet to grow even larger. The Horseshoe is likely to get spillover from an Indians inter-league game against the Miami Marlins and a post-game fireworks display.
Dealers handling poker, blackjack and other games appeared competent, and in many cases comfortable, as gamblers hunkered around the tables late Thursday morning and early afternoon. But rough edges plainly showed.
Some dealers shuffled cards and slid chips in a deliberate and cautious manner. A man dealing blackjack knocked over a stack of eight decks he was preparing to put in a shuffling machine, and he had to collect cards that spilled across the table.
A female blackjack dealer failed to return a man's chips after a push, or tie, and called over her shoulder for a "coach" when the gambler politely protested. The coach confirmed the error, and the game resumed.
"I'm sorry," the dealer assured the gambler. "It won't happen again."
Lee Shepherd of Cleveland played blackjack for about eight hours Friday, watching as dealers double-checked procedure with pit bosses. He went with the flow but said he won't be as forgiving if the flaws persist a month from now.
"I'd get up and go," said Shepherd, 57. "Like with anything, after a routine, you should be accustomed to it by a certain period of time."
Another blackjack player, Steve Gatins of Copley Township, noticed dealers double- and triple-counting chips. Gatins, 30, was unruffled, saying he believes they will pick up the pace within a few weeks.
Tim Walter, 28, acknowledged that he occasionally grew frustrated with plodding play. Knowing that the casino brought 1,600 jobs to Cleveland made delays tolerable.
"I'm happy to give them that time," the Eastlake man said. "It takes time to learn."
The Horseshoe's dealers received several months of training from Caesars Entertainment, which manages the casino and owns a minority stake in the business.
But the pressure multiplies exponentially when music is blaring, serious gamblers are waiting for cards and big money is at stake. Throw in a losing streak or a long, hot wait outside in the Horseshoe's lines, and players could get testy.
A dealer's first taste of live action can cause shell shock, said Jill Vangen, owner of the Ohio School of Casino Dealers in Warrensville Heights.
"It puts a whole new spin on the game," Vangen said. "People just have to realize it's going to take a while for everybody."
