Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-24
wHAr a GANrBnER DOES.
Successful MAnipulatOrs of Deck of
Cards Some Sure Thing Games.
Fron, The san Franc,sco Eoarniner.

No particular game is resorted 10 by The
s0aSpers in which cheating Is to be done
all games are included. With a sure
thing gambler as one of the players, even
such family games as euchre and whist
are as disastrous to the uninitiated as Is
poker, seyen-up, faro, lsnsquenet or bac-
carat. The great American game, poker,
which is included in the list OF shortcard
playing from the fact that 10 playlt there
Is no need that the iull deck should be
dealt out to the contestants, probably Of
fers a better chance for cheating IMAM
any otaer game. A sitting can be maze
any place where pack Of cards may De
had. and 10 does not require tnat the cards
should be OF any particular make OF De
"doctored." THAT technical term signlpes
marked cards so that the sharper may
read them equally as Well from tue oack
or face. Poker is essentially a fast game
and but snort time, usually few deals,
take place before the victim IS ROBBED OF
ali mis- coin.
The gambler generally is possessed OF
suck thorough knowledge OF the game
that on that score alone he Is a fOrmida-
bic adversary, but TO hasten an issue the
various card msnIpulauOns with which
he is also conyersant are brOughtto bear.
top and "bottom stock" running
up" "shifting cuts" ''second dealing"
and ''cold decks'' are some II the terms
by which the manipulauons are called.
"TOp stock,' for instance, is managed ~
this way:
The sharper during the course Of the
game finds numerous opportunities in
which, as an illustration, three aces ana
three kings may be placed together, TAX
ing them either from his hand, the dis
cards or any other place from where they
may be gathered without suspicion. The
SIX cards he places on the top OF the deck
when he picks up the pasteboards to deal.
The three aces being The higher in value
are placed Immediately below the three
kings, which are on the top of the pack.
The dealer is careful in his shutting not
20 disturb the six upper cards, and passes
the deck 10 his opponent TO cut. This
being done, five cards are dealt out TO
each Of the two PLAYERS from the lower
half OF the deck. The remaining cards
are then placed on the table next TO the
upper half of the deck, where the kings
and aces are. The general run OF the
cards will average about one pair before
the draw, and when the discard has been
made the dealer picks up the wrong half
Of the deck and deals TO the victim the
first three cards from the top of the pack.
with the pair already beld by the ''suck-
er,' make full hand. The dealer then
deals himself the next three cards, which
are three aces, making an ace-tull for the
sharper. Knowing how much stronger
his hand is than that Of his opponent, the
gam bier does not hesitate TO wager large
amounts, which, il answered in a like
manner by the other player, soon leaves
the latter stranded. II is not necessary
TO hold more than one such hand in an
evenings play for the gambler 10 possess
himself OF all the coin in sight. Should the
victim not fall in against the top stock at
the first trial he probably will be mulcted
the second or third attempt. When the
opportunity for arranging the cards in a
top stock does not present itself quick
enough the sharp uses the bottom stock.
As many cards OF a kind as may be con-
veniently gathered from the discards af-
ter hand has been played are placed at
the bottom Of the pack. Generally after
the cutting has been done and the draw
ing of cards follows that portion OF the
deck is reached where the good cards are
located. The dealer gauges their posi-
ton and discards from his hand as many
cards as be deems necessary to reach
them. There is no surety that the cut
viii be made exactly right for the dealer
TO secure cards, but IL does not always
fail, and when a success OF the cheat oc-
ours 1t Is generally sufficient to terminate
the game in favor OF the sharper. Should
the proposed victim be dealt the good
cards the dealer passes out and renders
the hand imperative. Second dealing is
the neatest and surest cheating device.
Dexterity IN card handling is an essen
tial item in this work. AS the play pro-
crosses the sharper, who keeps his thumb
nail fFiunF,n ad n u 81 pnfsaf
the queens, kings and aces which pass
through his hands.
The puncturing is done at the upper
left hand and lower right hand corners OF
the cards, so that no matter how they are
turned around when placed on the deck
one OF the puncCured corners is 80 located
that the Dealers left thumb rests right
over the spot where the punoturing Is 10.
Gated. The impression made on the card
by the nail IS imperceptible to the eve,
but IL leaves dent In the card which
may be easily felt by the dealer as the
card passes under mis- thumb. The pack
is squarely shuffled and cut and the deal
begins. Each time that the punctured
cards are felt by the dealer and that card
should be distributed TO the victim the
sharper. by a slight movement OF his
thumb. pushes it aside little and with
mis- right hand pulls out the card immedi-
ately benesth II, giving it to the sucker
and retaining the first card, which is
punctured, tor himself. The result ia that
by the time the dealing of i've cards 10
himself, besides the cards taken In the
draw, the dealer has nothing but face
cards or aces. In other words, the deal
er virtually plays with none Of the cards
except aces, kings aud queens against an
opponent who has 10 trust 70 the entire
pack for good hand. This occurs every
time the sharper deals, and in the
course OF an evenings play he fire.
quently meets with a good hand against
him; but as he always holds the top hand
the result can be surmised.
Second dealing may be played with any
mum Der OF people in the game, and, in
TACT, the Dealers advantage ia greater
under those circumstances because more
cards paes through his fingers and natu-
rally be has better chance OF retaining
number of the kind he desires. The least
the dealer can get before the draw is two
pairs. which after the draw become
either full hand or four OF a kind, Sec.
ond dealers generally like 20 have a con-
Iederate IN the game, and 70 a friend they
always give the good cards, letting HIM
win 50 as 10 avoid casting suspicion by
always winning themselves on their own
deal. When two second dealers and
confederates are in the same game thew
give each other the good hands when
either deals.
This system of dealing was first intro
duced on this coast about nine years ago.
1t was played by two strangers who reap
ed harvest in very few months from
the habitues of club and card rooms ahout