The Fixed Sequence a Dealer Follows
A dealer handling a pitch game works through a fixed sequence of actions on every round. The procedure is designed to keep the cards face down in front of the players, limit handling of the cards, and make every decision visible to the surveillance cameras above the table. Nothing in the sequence depends on who is sitting at the table or how much is wagered.
The first step is always the shuffle. In a pitch game, the cards are typically shuffled by hand because one or two decks are small enough to manage without a mechanical shuffler. The dealer spreads the cards, mixes them, and then offers the deck to a player to cut, with a cutting card placed toward the back of the deck so the final portion of the shoe is never dealt.
After the cut, the dealer places the deck in the dealing hand and begins with the player to the dealer's left, moving clockwise around the table. Each player receives one card face down, and the dealer takes one card face down as well. The dealer then makes a second pass, giving each player a second card face down. The dealer's second card is placed face up in most pitch games, though some tables deal both dealer cards face down and turn one only after all player hands are settled.
Players then act on their hands while the dealer waits. Because the cards are held in the hand rather than dealt from a shoe, players are expected to handle their cards with one hand only and to keep them above the table. The dealer watches for signals: a player who wants another card scratches the felt with the cards, and a player who stands slides the cards face down under the wager. These signals exist because the cards are face down and the dealer cannot see what the player holds.
When every player has acted, the dealer reveals the hole card and completes the dealer hand according to the fixed rule printed on the table felt. Most pitch games require the dealer to draw to 16 and stand on all 17s, but some tables require the dealer to hit soft 17. The dealer then settles each wager in turn, collecting losing bets, paying winning bets at even money or three to two for a blackjack, and returning pushes.
The final step is the discard. Used cards go into the discard tray, and the dealer does not shuffle again until the cutting card appears during a round. That fixed point, not the dealer's discretion, determines when the next shuffle happens.
What Changes Between One Pitch Table and Another
The core procedure above is stable across pitch games, but several details are set by the individual property's house rules. A dealer arriving at a new table learns these from the table layout, the written house procedures, and the floor supervisor before taking the first hand.
The table below lists the variables that most often differ between pitch games. None of them changes the basic dealing sequence, but each one changes what the dealer says, does, or allows during a round.
| Variable | Common Options | Where the Dealer Finds the Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Number of decks | One deck or two decks | Printed on the table felt or the table sign |
| Dealer's hole card | Face up after the deal, or face down until player hands settle | House dealing procedure |
| Dealer soft 17 rule | Stand on all 17s, or hit soft 17 | Printed on the table felt |
| Player card handling | One hand only, cards above the table, no touching the wager after the deal | House dealing procedure and floor supervisor |
| Shuffle point | When the cutting card appears, or a fixed penetration point | House dealing procedure |
| Double down restrictions | Any two cards, or specified totals only | Printed on the table felt |
A dealer cannot assume that a rule from a previous property carries over. The printed table felt is the controlling document for anything a player can see, and the house dealing procedure is the controlling document for everything the dealer does with the cards.
Why Pitch Dealing Differs from Shoe Dealing
Pitch blackjack is defined by what the dealer holds. In a shoe game, the cards stay in a dealing shoe on the table and the dealer pulls each card from the front of the shoe. In a pitch game, the dealer holds the deck or decks in one hand and pitches each card across the felt to the player.
That single difference produces most of the other differences. Because the cards are held, the deck is small enough to shuffle by hand. Because the cards are pitched face down, players must signal their decisions rather than speak them or point. Because the cards are face down, the dealer cannot see a player's total and must rely on the player's signal and the eventual reveal to settle the hand correctly.
The table below contrasts the two dealing styles across the points that matter most to a dealer learning the pitch procedure.
| Aspect | Pitch Game | Shoe Game |
|---|---|---|
| Deck location | Held in the dealer's hand | Inside a dealing shoe on the table |
| Typical deck count | One or two decks | Four, six, or eight decks |
| Card delivery | Pitched face down to each player | Pulled from the shoe and placed face up |
| Shuffle method | Hand shuffle, often by the dealer | Mechanical shuffler or hand shuffle of multiple decks |
| Player signals | Scratch for a hit, slide cards under the wager to stand | Verbal calls or hand signals, cards remain face up |
| Player card contact | Players hold their cards | Players do not touch the cards |
For a dealer, the pitch game demands more manual dexterity and a stricter watch on player hand signals. The shoe game demands more attention to the mechanical shuffler and the discard tray. Neither is inherently harder, but the skills do not transfer completely, and a dealer moving from one to the other is usually given supervised practice time before taking a live table.
The Order of Operations in Detail
Breaking the round into its smallest steps makes the procedure easier to learn and easier to audit. The sequence below is the standard order for a pitch game with the dealer's second card face up. Where a house rule changes a step, the change is noted.
First, the dealer clears the previous round's cards into the discard tray and checks whether the cutting card has appeared. If it has, the dealer shuffles before the next round. If it has not, the dealer proceeds with the existing deck.
Second, the dealer waits for all wagers to be placed and then begins the deal. The first pass gives one face-down card to each occupied seat, starting from the dealer's left and moving clockwise. The dealer takes one card face down.
Third, the second pass gives a second face-down card to each player. The dealer's second card is placed face up. If the table uses a face-down hole card, the dealer takes the second card face down and does not turn it.
Fourth, the dealer checks for a blackjack if the upcard is an ace or a ten-value card. The exact procedure for this check is set by the house rules and the surveillance requirements of the property. The dealer does not reveal the hole card unless the rules require it.
Fifth, the dealer resolves each player hand in turn, starting from the dealer's left. The dealer watches for the scratch signal to hit, the slide-under signal to stand, the double-down placement of an additional wager, and the split placement of a matching wager. Each action has a fixed dealer response, and the dealer completes all actions for one player before moving to the next.
Sixth, after all player hands are settled, the dealer reveals the hole card if it was face down and completes the dealer hand according to the printed rule. The dealer draws until the total is 17 or higher, or until the hand exceeds 21, subject to the soft 17 rule printed on the felt.
Seventh, the dealer settles each wager in order. A winning player hand is paid, a losing wager is collected, and a push is left in place. A player blackjack is paid at the rate printed on the table, commonly three to two, and the dealer settles it before any other action on that hand.
Eighth, the dealer collects the used cards into the discard tray and begins the next round. The cutting card position determines when the next shuffle interrupts this cycle.
What a Player Sees and What the Dealer Watches For
From the player's side, a pitch game looks slower and more deliberate than a shoe game. The dealer's hands are always visible, the cards travel a shorter distance, and the players hold their own cards. That visibility is part of the design: a pitch game makes every card movement observable.
The dealer watches for three things throughout the round. First, the dealer watches the player's hands, because the cards must stay above the table and the player must use only one hand. Second, the dealer watches the wager, because no wager may be altered after the first card is dealt. Third, the dealer watches the signals, because a missed signal can lead to a misdeal or a dispute.
When a dispute arises, the dealer does not resolve it alone. The floor supervisor is called, the cards are left in place, and the supervisor reviews the hand against the house procedures and the surveillance record. The dealer's job is to preserve the state of the table until the supervisor arrives.
What to Confirm Before You Deal or Play
Anyone learning to deal a pitch game should confirm the house-specific rules before taking a live table, and anyone playing should confirm the rules before wagering. The table felt is the first source for the rules that affect the player: the number of decks, the dealer's soft 17 rule, the blackjack payout, and the double-down and split restrictions.
The house dealing procedure is the source for everything the dealer does that the player cannot see: the shuffle procedure, the cut card placement, the blackjack check procedure, and the exact wording the dealer uses for each action. That document is kept by the table games department and is not published to players.
For a player, the floor supervisor is the person to ask if the felt is unclear. For a dealer, the floor supervisor is the person who authorises any deviation from the printed procedure. In both cases, the printed and written rules at the specific property override any general description of how pitch blackjack is dealt.
FAQ
Do pitch blackjack dealers always deal from the hand?
Yes. The defining feature of a pitch game is that the dealer holds the deck and pitches each card to the player. If the cards come from a shoe, it is a shoe game, not a pitch game. The number of decks and the dealing procedure follow from that basic difference.
Why do players use hand signals in pitch blackjack?
Because the cards are face down, the dealer cannot see a player's total. The scratch signal for a hit and the slide-under signal for a stand let the player communicate a decision without revealing the cards to the dealer or to other players. The signals also create a clear record for the surveillance cameras.
Does the dealer shuffle after every hand in a pitch game?
No. The dealer shuffles when the cutting card appears during a round, not after every hand. The cutting card is placed toward the back of the deck after the shuffle, and its position determines how many rounds are dealt before the next shuffle. The exact placement is set by the house dealing procedure.
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