The Globe-republican., 1894-07-06
TRICKS OF THE GREEN TABLE


Professional Gamblers Introduce Some
Crafty Arts In . Game Of Poker.
Paper men, explained q veteran pa
ger player. ARE men who make spe-
cialty of reading cards. They have q
system of fixing the backs of the cards
% they can tell all the aces. kings
queens. jacks. and eventually the whole
oack. if it is used long enough. They
always have the advantage. especially
n two-handed game. for they can teu
just what the other player holds by
looking at the backs of his cards
Iii never forget the first time had
IN experience with a paper man.
vas in a Denver saloon one day. and .
at stranger with whom I had been
;alking for some time suggested a game
If draw poker. 1 accepted his PROPOSE
ion. and we retired to an ante-room
Before we had been playing long
discovered that my friend was
Using a pack of readers, for had giver
aim a few good hands, and he wouldn't
,lay. for. of course. he could see l had
Better. so l made up my mind to fool
lin. 1t finally came to my deal in q
pretty good Jackpot. had lost lit
lie money. but 1 now resolved to get
t all back with interest. so l stocked
ny fat friend three aces and gave my
self three kings. After l had giver
out the two hands laid down the decl
and the top card was an ace.
Directly under it l had the five O.
clubs and another king under that
AS soon as the man saw the ace he
smiled. for he knew he would draw
two. four aces. He opened the pot TO,
\ small amount. and / gave it good
lift. He came back at me with anoth
er rise. and we kept it up until he final
ly said he had only little money left
to bet with. for he wanted little fur
must be soft with my miserable king.
up against him with his three and a.
good as four aces.
'.Well. he drew one. and dealt hin
a second. and gave him the tive of clubs
l took two myself and hid them. fetch
ing in my other king and his ace
Now said he. I'll bet all have. an6
he threw out the few remaining dollar:
he possessed. | covered it. and called
him. L have four aces said he. as h.
turned up his hand. and then. when h
saw it. he uttered an awful oath anC
shouted: Well. l be blamed if they
didn't change right before my very
eyes, l know they did said l. arc
pocketed all the coin. and your pape,
amt worth two cents pound playing
me-. continued /. as l left the place
about $500 richer.
Paper men have many ways o
marking cards. Some of them carry {
small machine which is attached to
their finger. and which resembles {
ring, and with this they cut the back:
of the cards near the corners. so thai
when they are dealing they alway:
nave the advantage.
Hold out men are men who. wheI
playing. conceal cards in he palms o:
their hands. They do this very clever
ly. sometimes dealing and handling the
deck while palming a half dozen cards
and then they get rid of them without
detection. For instance. one of these
fellows will sometimes hold four aces
in his hand until il comes to his age
After the dealer has given out the card:
and laid down the deck the 'hold-out
man will put his hand down on the
deck. thereby putting his four aces or
top, and utter: Wait awhile: this shoult
have been my deal This is merely ar
excuse to put the four aces on top OF
the pack. After little dispute he will
draw four cards. and as he is the first
20 get cards he will pull four aces.
1T not only requires skill to perform
these tric Ks. but to use them as a gam
bier man must possess good nerve
and never get ratified. Some ma agicians
are very clever with cards: in fact. more
SO than a gambler. but they can't play
draw poker with an expert card player