The San Francisco call., 1899-01-29

top, is nine, the chances of the right
hand group of players, to whom he
should deal it, are remarkably aug
| mented by the fact. For suppose the
second card given them turns out to be
a ten, a jack a queen or a king, the
right-hand group will call nine and
win. 1t is true that the banker may
also have nine, but the chances are
immensely the other way. Without
going into the mathematics of the thing
it will be sufficient to say that the
| knowledge of where the eights and
mines are coming, just before each turn
Is equal to a rebate of 20 per cent at
the game of baccarat. OF course this
advantage is all against the bank II
appears that Chopard was willing it
should be so. When he banked he lost
as much as he won. But the beauty of
it was that the large winners were most
always his confederates. They were
lucky young fellows, as they thought,
while winning. Now they are wander
ers with ruined regulations Chopard
kept a strict account with them He
took the lions share of their wicked
gains.
When Chopard entered there was al
ways a great stir. His influence was
always in favor Of high play. Rich
men, who would have been quite as
content with smaller stakes, were
drawn into higher play by his example
An honest man would be dealing The
sharper would call out Five hundred
marks on the left" He had an even
chance to win or lose. When he saw
what nobody else could sea nine on
top-he would lay down 1000 marks
upon the right.
The men he played against were not
simpletons. ChopaTd has been called
the king of card manipulators. This is
true, for there is no trick in the hand
ling of pack he has not at his finger
ends. His success is, however, still due
more to his diplomacy. How to win two
large bets in every three and yet not
be suspected was his triumph. When
he and his confederates had broken up
a bank Chopard might then take a
bank himself. He had the same chance
to win as any other banker. Little by
little his confederateS would draw the
money out when they could see lucky
nine on top the pack. Yes, Chopard
won enormously" the crowd would say
the next day, but he lost it all with
the next bank he took.
The interest in society now centers in
the fate of the accomplices of Chopard.
Three of them-young men of good
family-are in flight. 1t is whispered
there are others trembling to-day upon
the verge of suicide. One of those who
had helped to introduce Chopard into
the club is now branded as a known
swindler. AS he is far away they do
not hesitate to give his story in full.
Even before the advent of the great
artist this young man, member of one
of the Oldest families in Germany, be-
came famous for his winnings at Der
Frohlichen." At that time he was an
ofncer of one of the regiments of the
Guards. Some time later he was placed
on half pay and then transferred to the
reserve He made several attempts to
get restored, even to the ranks of a
less chlc regiment, but all in vain. No
acluaI charge of a disgraceful nature
Iu eouIu De brought against him. He was
stl stiillply ~. fast." He continued to frequent
III, Sng Club der Frohlichen," lived in
-. -. iiI5ant n style and was celebrated, even
~, ,m perlln, for his horses Even his
! winnings at poker and baccarat could