House rules
The house way
Ten short rules and a few notes on why we keep them. None of it is fussy, and all of it comes from things that have gone wrong once and that we'd rather not repeat.
The short list
Ten rules you can read while the kettle boils
Nobody leaves hungry, so if you're still peckish after dessert, say so and the kitchen will find you something.
The card room is for guests eighteen and over, and we'll ask to see photo ID at the door.
Chips are plain discs worth nothing at all, handed out when you sit down and counted back in when you go.
Nothing is bet, nothing is staked and nothing is won except a name on the board and a bit of bragging.
Seats are kept for ten minutes if you step away, and for longer if you tell the dealer where you're off to.
Phones live in pockets at the tables, and the verandah out the front is the place for calls and photos.
Dealers will explain any rule you like, but they won't tell you how to play a hand, however sweetly you ask.
Tell Vanessa about allergies when you book, and tell the waiter again when you order, just to be sure.
Kids can have dinner with us until half past six, but the card room is strictly for grown-ups.
If someone's rude to staff or to another guest, Owen will have a quiet word, and a second word if needed.
The longer version
Why we keep the rules we keep
The ID rule
The card room is for adults, and the law says so, so Vanessa checks photo ID at the front door. A driver licence, a passport or a proof-of-age card is fine. If you've left it at home you can still have dinner with us, you just can't go through the back to the tables. I know it's a nuisance, and I'd still rather ask than guess.
What a chip is
A chip here is a bit of plastic and nothing else. It isn't money, it can't be swapped for a prize, and nobody wins anything by collecting more of them. We use chips because a game feels like a game when you can stack something, and because there's a lovely sound when a pile settles on the felt.
Table manners
Say good evening when you sit down and good night when you leave. Keep your cards where the dealer can see them, ask before you touch anything that isn't yours and let a hand finish before you talk about it. Most of the old rules of cards are just ways of keeping a table friendly.
Our dealers
Megan McKenzie and the other dealers are there to run the game, keep the pace and explain the rules. They'll tell you what your options are, but they won't tell you which to pick. It keeps the tables fair, and it keeps the dealers friends with everyone.
If something goes wrong
A spilt cup, a misdealt card, a disagreement about whose turn it was: it happens in every card room. Tell the dealer or Owen Byrne, and it'll be fixed fast and without a fuss. If you ever feel uncomfortable, tell any of us. We'll sort it out, and we won't ask you to justify yourself.
Taking a breather
Long nights need pauses. There's a pot of tea in the front hall, a jug of water and a couple of armchairs by the window. Step out whenever you like, and your seat will be waiting. Nobody's counting how long you're gone, and nobody will be cross.