Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-10-04
iLoulsgN! MEGARGEE WRITES OF THE
.3 VI Big GAMBLING q HOUSES.
They Are Run for Profit and Not to Give
a the he Players : an Even Chance=-A System
Said I " v He Sure. but Which win Not
Ne Allowed.

sometimes to make Sir Reynard his much be-
loved bedfellow, and It is Of the cuteness Of
the latter rather than the cruelty Of the for
nler that the devoured ones complain
IN other words, are the big gambling games
Of this country the corruptness Of the small
ones needs no questioning honestly con-
sducteds The inquiry presents itself by rea-
Z son Of the recent wall Of the SO called French
nobleman, one Baron de Pardonnet by name
who claims to have been illegitimately de-
prived of3several thousand dollars while play
ing baccarat at Phil Daly's Pennsylvania
club house at Long Branch. gy e. X 4; i
Subsequent investigation as to the pseudo
baron's character suggests q strong prob
ability that he is one Of that numerous class
OF adventurers who. make living by submit
ting to small losses in gambling houses and
then blackmailing the proprietors by sworn
complaint Of q large deficit. That American
weakness, however, which confers upon even
bogus nobleman a notoriety and signif-
cance which distinguished American might
never hope to attain, gave to the alleged
baron's allegation a prominence which does
not naturally belong to it, and has set afoot q
discussion as to the actual character Of the
sporting houses at the well known places
where they are permitted to carry on their
work
Apart from the question as to whether a
man calling himself Pardonnet is one of
that numerous class of blackmailers who live
upon the fears of gambling house proprietors
the query naturally suggests itself why those
who hold watch and ward over the tigers
lair should feel called upon to impair the
popularity Of their dens by doing anything
which might give rise to suspicion that
everything was not square and aboveboard.
The chances of the game are in their favor
even when verything is honestly conducted.
The absolute facts bearing upon this phase of
what IS really asocial question may surprise
even the most inveterate patrons of the tickle
goddess sport.
Of course anything bearing upon this
question has no reference. to the small gam
bling places frequented by fashy young men,
criminals and plug uglies. Such resorts as
these present no enticelnent to any but those
who are naturally depraved. It is in the
swell establishment, where money is staked
upon the fall Of a die, or the edropo Of a marble,
or the turn Of a card, where young men are
lured to ruin. The frequenters of these are
the higher grades of professional gamblers,
men about town, youngsters with more
money than brains, and wealthy business
men out on lark. The games generally
played are faro, roulette, rouge ct noir and
English hazard. Faro is essentially the gam
blers game. Each has q system of his own
by which to play it, the object Of which is to
reduce the chances Of success to a mere toss up
between dealer and player.
The professional gamester knows that none
but fools play the other games of chance, for
the reason, which will be hereafter explained.
that the percentage Of gains is bound to be in
the dealers favor. In fact, the same rule
applies to faro, except in the case of an ex-
perienced adept, who plays it by a system,
when, although he may lose, he stands an
even chance Of winning. For instance, many
professional players adopt what they call
the double out" system. They place half
dollar bets on the layout until they notice
that any two cards-say the ace and deuce
one Of each in the pack. Then they bet
exactly even chance with the dealer of win
ming
This style Of playing may make the banker
very angry, but he can say nothing lest he
should attract the attention Of any inexperi-
enced dupes about the baize and thus instruct
them in secret of the game IF everybody
lair having palatial surroundings and the
velvety claws extending champagne gratis
and charming lunches free of charge, the
dealer would not be able to even give ice
water to his guests
But this style Of play and the comparative
" slow game Of faro are not exciting enough
for rapid American blood, and consequently
young swells crowd about the roulette wheel
and watch the throwing Of the dice in Eng
ish hazard. or the turn Of the card in rouge
etnoir. Roulette, however, Is the favorite
game because it is the most rapid and it is
played with recklesslless which plainly
shows that those who engage in it have no
conception Of the chances against their win.
ming
The percentage figures familiar to gam
blers may open the eyes Of some Of these cal
low ones In roulette there are thirty-six
numbers and two sbarsn-a technical term
signifying the 0 and 00-making thirty-eight
in all. "a player puts his chips upon sin
gle number-and every other bet is relative
to this proposition and guesses Alright, he Is
paid thirty-flve dollars for one But, mird
you, there are thirty y-seven chances against
him to one in his favor. Consequently, il
the play IS continued for an indefinite period
Of time, and the game should run with exact
evenness, out Of thirty eight plays the game
ster will be successful one time, which will
pay him thirty-dve times his investment.
He has, however, lost thirty y-seven times.
Assuming, therefore, that the losses and
gains are even, the bank earns per cent on
all the money that passes over its table. In
rouge ct noir the percentage against the
player is estimated by professionals at ~
per cent M