Warning: Don't try this at home!

[CCremain]

20-40 hand a while ago...  I bet out of position on the river into a couple of opponents with complete air.  Don't ask me why.  I was probably drinking!  Then the fun begins.

Enemy #1 folds.  Enemy #2 (who was leading the prior betting rounds) starts staring a hole in me.  I immediately think this was a very bad place to bluff.  It feels like five minutes have passed and he is still staring.  I feel like the cat that ate the canary and I'm afraid my tells might be starting to show. Everyone is looking at me.  I'm starting to sweat but keep reciting a mantra in my head: "fold... fold... fold".  I hope he thinks sweating is normal for calm heavy drinkers that like to slow play the nuts.

Finally he pushes his cards a several inches forward and the dealer begins gathering the pot to push it my way.  Yes!!!  Ha Ha, this sucker just gave up a $300+ pot to a complete bluff...  Unfortunately for me this ordeal isn't over.

As the dealer gathers the chips in the center I notice that he has not mucked Enemy #2's cards and to my dismay Enemy #2 is still staring at me.  His cards are very much within grasp.  To my sheer terror a polite woman in seat two states that there is a white chip in the pot.  The dealer and the polite rules lawyer in seat two begin blabbing on and on, possibly to me, about the shorted pot and all the while I still feel like a deer in headlights.  Enemy #2 is still staring!

I don't care about the few short dollars!  This guy could toss in a few chips and I could lose several hundred!  I am frozen.  I'm too scared to get involved with the short pot conversation as any movement or word by me might trigger a calling reflex in Enemy #2.  Enemy #2 is still staring and his hand is still within reach.  I am beginning to resent the polite woman with good intentions very very much.

Why does this have to happen when I'm bluffing?!?  Why can't I have the goods when someone decides to stick their nose in and prolong the agony?!?  Why isn't the dealer mucking my enemy's hand!?!  Why won't Enemy #2 stop staring at me!!!!!!
Arrrrrrrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

[that_pope]

Nice story, so did you get called?

And some friendly advice, if a $300 pot is making you sweat that much, 20/40 isn't for you...

[CCremain]

No call.  The dealer and the player that noticed the white chip had some sort of conversation on how the chip got in the pot or something.  Then the dealer finally mucked my opponents hand and pushed me the pot.  I'm sure the whole thing lasted less than a minute but it seemed like forever.

[CAAZs #1 Card Slinger]

This is the kind of stuff that pisses me off about dealers...one of my pet peeves.  One of the dealers MAIN jobs is mucking hands immediately to avoid arguements and problems that most certainly ensue when people try to retrieve their hands.  I get complaints from people from time to time that I "mucked their hand too quickly."  lol!  If that is true then I am doing my job!  The second that hand is released the dealers JOB is to muck it!  I have actually told dealers to muck hands while playing and it is certainly within your right to do so.  Good story CC.....

[CCremain]

Thanks.  My favorite dealers are the ones that keep things moving.  Cheers to those dealers who run the game at a good pace and handle problems with efficiency.  More hands per hour with few errors and a friendly demeanor = $$$ seems to be the philosophy of all the best dealers.  Unfortunately the causalities of good dealing are sometimes the hands of players who aren't paying attention.  As a player, like a boxer, it is most important to protect yourself (or hand) at all times!