The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-01-05
NUMBER 3.


"What are the chances against
player in square game of faro2" the
reporter asked of an old gambler.
Against sucker-a producer /
meanp" inquired the gambler.
~ mean the clerk or merchant that
drops in to tackle the game,n said the
reporter.
''Well, that's what we call produ-
cer," the sport explained, and then
went on: "That's the class that produ-
ces the wealth that makes gambling
business. 1t is the producers money
keeps the game going. The chances he
has of winning, with nothing against
him, and if he hasn't got system and
isn't betting high, are about one out of
two, or, may be, two out Of five-that
is, he will lose in two out of three, or in
three out Of five plays against the bank,
and no matter how often he wins he is
sure to be dead loser In the end. If
he plays big and has sy stem, the dealer
soon gets on to it. If he is stuck on
card or plays three on side,' or odd
and even,' or both ends against the
middle it will take the dealer no time
to find it out, and, as it is his duty to
protect the bank, he will shuttle the
cards so as to lay the player out cold.
The player generally sticks to his sys.
tenn and has no chance. If there are a
number of persons playing, of course it
is difficult for dealer to handle the
cards III this way; but often the numer-
Gus players seen at table are staked
players, who are playing with the
banks money, and of whom the dealers
take no notice, and 1t makes no differ
ence whether they win or not, so his
whole attention can be given to the
producer. In nearly every bank they
have lot of cappers hanging around,
and when producer comes in they are
'staked to start the game"
''The dealer has another trick" the
sport continued, "that we call taking
the card by the ear If the player is
high roller that is, big better, and
has favorite card, it may lose for him
all the time. In that case the dealer
puts it on its proper pile, but if the
player is winning the dealer will throw,
this card down carelessly, so that il
doesn't lay squarely on the pile. Pre-
tending to straighten them up, he will
slip the card under the pile, and then
shuttle them so that in the next deal
the players chances are to lose; If the
player wins again, the dealer will again
take the card by the ear. Those things
cannot be done where there are num-
Der Of genuine players, for in that case
it makes little difference to the bank
who wins or loses, the players playing
each others money, and the bank hay.
ing the benefit of tue splits.n
And this is what you call square
gamer"
why, Of course; all this is done
merely to protect the bank, which must
have some projections In brace game
the player stands no more show of wul-
ming than he does of swallowing a
lightning rod. In the square game
there is some show or him. But every
player has his system with which he
expects to break the bank, and he finds
cut IN the end and the truth OF the say
ing that there never was a system the
dealer couldn't beat. These things are
necessary, as Lsaid, to protect the bank.
1t is often subject to losses by shoe
string players, who, being deeply in
debt, manage to get hold of few dol
lars and having nothing much to lose,
conclude to try their luck. Sometimes
Il fellow wins S6O0 or 500 dollars off a
'shoe'string,' as we call small stake,
goes out and pays his debts. and that's
the last the bank sees of the money.
The chances are, if he has five dollars
or ten dollars left, he'll come back, and
if luck is still with him, will win few
more hundreds. But, talk about it as
you may, faro is the fairest and squarest
game, and, if man must gamble, I'd
advise him to tackle nothing else."
Cant faro be beaten?"
"Not unless you play a limitless
game and have mint of money to do
it with. If a bank has 50 900, you can
bet 81, 600 on a card, and, if it wins,
the bank is busted and there's an end
Of it. If you lose, you have to keep on
doubling your bets until you do win,
when, of course, the desired end is ac-
complished, But every bank has its
limit, and when you get to it, you've
got to stay there The fact that few
gamblers have money shows which way
the wind blows. It's rare one dies rich.
The banks make the money, the 'pro-
ducer' furnishes, and the professional
sport kind of hangs in between the two
until women or whisky bring him to his
grave"