Walter Irving Scott said that if someone's looking for a cheat at a card table, he will most definitely find one. Misdirection is all, or more importantly, non-suspicion is all. Of course at most home games people misdirect themselves talking to each other, eating new years goodies and whatnot.

In a game like that, you're just a player, not a magician or an entertainer of any sort. It is in these situations that I practice my gambling sleights, which, in texas hold'em usually revolves around discard and riffle stacking. To me those are the most efficient ways to get the best hands when you want to, and when you want to do a double duke.

The other sleights I do just for the practice, like dealing the punch, hopping the cut, and whatever else I've learned. Of course, I never play, let alone cheat in a game that has money in it.

What I've noticed about gambling sleights are that they are by no means as deceptive as the sleights one would see in card magic. One of the reasons is because you seated at a table; the horizontal and side angles with which most of the other players may look at the deck is not normally favourable to most magical sleights, like the pass or even a top p**m. Gambling sleights are also not really an exception: hopping the cut, false dealing, peeking etc. are all easily spotted if you're looking for it. The main reason that it isn't is because you aren't being suspected of advantage play.

However, that all changes when you do gamling routines as a magician. People don't take their eyes off your hands, and that can sometimes limit the material you wish to show. Card cheating exposes are considered honourable and magicians have been doing it for a long time, i.e they perfom a sleight and then they explain how its done and what visual cues to look for. However, as a magician it is somewhat depressing to know that people have discovered the means by which you have performed a magical feat, through gambling techniques or no, before and even after you reveal the secret to them.

In the end, I get more satisfaction beating unsuspecting players in an ordinary game of poker than performing gambling routines to them. I don't know if its just me or do others who do gambling routines feel the same way? And if so, what would be in your opinion the best way to resolve the matter.

Hey cheers buddy.


I used to have the same problem too. Im sure you dont cheat in your poker games right? A great way would be to come clean with all the players in the game that you are a magician and is able to perform gambling stuff. And when u shuffle cards do it the "singaporean" way.
Come clean with your pals and try to cut cards to the table so it will really look clean and fair.


Hope that helps =)

-Jerome

This is a common dillemma among magicians as they perform such things. I face them too.

First of all, gambling routines is not magic. You are displaying skill that is known to the spectators as you perform. You are exposing crooked sleights and techniques to laypeople who think that gambling is all about chance.

I will equate gambling demonstrations to playing classical guitar. As you play the licks and stuff, you are displaying skill and the audience appreciates that skill. Same with gambling. You are displaying skill, and the spectators marvel that these things actually are possible.

When I perform mucks, dueces and bases, people are simply amazed that there is actually such a skill when it comes to cheating. Most people think that you can only cheat when you're a dealer, but practicing player-end cheating can be a highlight in a demostration. Having the spectator to play a game of blackjack, him being the dealer. After you muck in the natural and turn them over, the looks on their faces are unforgettable. Almost like a magic trick.

However, dealer-end cheating must be performed to a higher level to gain the applause from the audience. Things like cold deck stacking, dealing centres, greeks and cold deck switches usually gets the wows.

In such demos, you ARE asking the spectators to burn your hands and watch you like a hawk. So I feel that if in one area of cheating I can perform but not perfect, I'll never show it. I'll rather show magic effects than to show an imperfect gambling sleight passing it off as "that is the general idea..."

In conclusion, gambling demos are the most taxing to the hands if you want to perform them. You can't just master one area of gambling and start showing them. If you only master one area of it, cheating at the table is still better. I strongly feel that gambling demos are for people who have mastered most and at best, all areas of the subject. Examples like Richard Turner and Darwin Ortiz, they can do almost anything in gambling.

Of course I have to state that prearranged stacks, poker deal routines are out the topic as I discussed above.

PS. lumpy, you can do a double duke? Man, you've got to show me. I have yet to meet someone who can double duke in a game of poker or hold 'em.

Thank you for your comments.

To answer llamalamer, I don't play in a game that has money involed, the chips that we use are just face down cards from another deck and the main objective of the game is just to win all the cards.

Under this context, my friends are not actively looking out for cheats. They also do not equate magic with cheating at cards and so I have a lot of leeway to do whatever I want to under their noses.

It is under this circumstance only that I'm able to pull off things like the double duke. I am sure that in normal game situations with money involved I would not have the guts to do it.

*** Post Edited. Please remember that you're on a public forum. You can share this information privately if you really want to share it. ***

I'm sorry, it might be a bit of a let down for you but I could and would not perform something like a double duke to an audience, or in real game situations.

It would be a pleasure to meet card mechanics around nowadays. Perhaps you will be there in this Sunday's meeting?

I'm sorry, I'm just a forum goer. I'm not as into magic as most of the other people here. I just find it an intersting hobby.

BTW, you mentioned cold culling and stacking. The in-the-hands culling from Jeff Wesssmiller's 'weapons of a card shark 2' takes too long, and couple that with stacking, it could take more than 8 shuffles.

Can you do a tabled cold cull? As in culling while riffle shuffling on the table with an unmraked and previously randomized deck? I've been trying to find information on it.

It seems that on youtube, all of my searches end up with people doing riffle stacking, but never anyone doing tabled cold culling utilizing the riffle shuffle.

People like Ed Marlo and Karl Fulves could do it, but of course now their manuscripts are nowhere to be found. Probably some really old magicians have them locked up in a titanium case or something.

Anyway, if you have any information on where I could find such information, I would be very grateful.

I will refer you to Revelations by Dai Vernon.

On page 212 of the book, there is an explanation of "The cull shuffle of the Mysterious Kid".

It is a cold cull using table riffle shuffle. It teaches you how to cull 4 of a kind to the top of the deck within 4 shuffles. But it is very technical and doing it "under fire" will prove one to be a very very skilled mechanic in cards.

I have a method to cull and stack 4 of a kind in a 4 handed game in 6 shuffles. Sure is better than 8... PM me if you want to know.

As for the Dai Vernon book, you can find it on eBay if you are lucky (The book will be quite ex if you ever find it). It has very valuable annotations to "The Expert at the Card Table" and lots of new methods and strategems for card cheating.

Thank you very much for sharing that info with me. I will definitely check out the annotated expert at the card table by Dai Vernon.

As for your method of culling and stacking, I don't think I'll ask you to divulge it to me. I would like very much to see if I can try to create my own culling and stacking paradigm, I guess in its eventual consumation I will feel much more satisfied if i figure out a personal method, one that works best for me.

Interesting thread on gambling routine. It not easy for magician to play in a gambling table. You know during CNY, Blackjack is common for us to play with friends or relative. :P. Well, win or lose i still maintain my basic shuffle,basic deal. There is one point magician need to note. Don't ever cheat in card game if it involve money. Master the art in order not to be get cheated by others.
I remember this year cny one of the incident where i was the banker playing blackjack at my friend place. I was losing quite a bit and we decided to have the last 3 games to end the nite. So concidentally, I had my last 3 hands all deal with Black Jack. I swear I did nothing to the cards. But sometimes people will think otherwise. I really have to convince hard to my friends i never cheat. Just being very lucky. You guess it not easy being a magician and gamble with friends. Well just don't have that intention to learn gambling routine just to cheat in cards.

Last 3 hand all black jacks? Man.. even if you ain't a cheat, I'm not playing cards with you too. :P

Sorry :off: