The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-05
GAMBLERS ON
LAKE BOATS
They Are Reaping a Harvest
on Lakes Erie. Huron
and Superior.

special dispatch from Toronto tells
this story:
Gambling on tho passenger vessels Of
the Great Lakes has reached big proper
tons in recent years during the tourist
season. Now 1t Is at its height, since
traffic is very heavy.
Canadians are inclined to attribute this
Increasing vice to the Americans who
have overrun Canada In recent years.
They and the tourists from the States are
held responsible for the gambling on the
pa cket vessels OF Ontario, Erie, Huron
and Superior. The card games are much
in evidence on the passenger vessels ply
Ing between Canadian ports on Huron
and Superior
While there Is not the glamor around
the lake vessels and their card games
that surrounded the old lower Missts.
sippi boats money is plentiful among
the lake card players, and some DIG
pots are rnked In by the fortunate
gamblers. Poker is almost the inVanable
rule From tho West has come the GUS
tom of playing with two decks, using the
Joker as a fifth ace, and to fill f1ushes
and straights. This facilitates cheating
to an alraming degree. 1t also makes the
game faster.
The cheats usually work In pairs, and
II there are but six In the game, which
lS the RUE, II DGCOlilCS llloAc SAAAIA - PA'@S ID
for experts to clean out the gamesters
who are not wise. If there are SIX IN
the game, the two cheaters do not resort
to the run up of hands. such. for instance.
as shutting up three OF = kind so that
they will fall to certain player ana
the cheat win at the same time get three
aces or a small flush. They use the old
count down. 1t is simple. and has been
worked by cheats wherever tho great
American game has been played
The cheaters sit opposite each other.
That leaves two plays between them. The
cards are cut to the LETT, where TWO
decks are used. That brings each cheat
err into position where ne cuts Inc me oe e,'H
his partner has shuftied. In shuflilng the
cheats see to 1t with their dexterity that
a set of three Of a kind is left In the deck
Immediately under the first thirty cards
to come off. This Is especially easy
where six are playing and the six hanus
are dealt around. The pot (for all are
1ackpots) Is opened. and no player stays.
Even where several draw cards It Is a
matter of simple calculation to leave the
deck. after being shuffled, with set OF
three of kind under the top 80. Then
when the man to the right or the onet.t
picks up the deck. after being summed.
and It Is passed to the cheat on the left
to cut. he makes a false cut and the liz
nocent dealer hands the cards out, ac-
cording to the way they have been count
ed down.
The crooked play comes when the pot
is opened. The cheat to the left OF the
dealer knows when he draws cards a set
of three OF q kind must come to him. The
rule is to. when possible. count down
three face cards, Therefore, II the cheat
has a. pair of any kind he Immediately
raises the opener, knowing he must come
out with full. If he has not a pair he
holds UP two face cayds, or even one.
in the hope that he may come out with
four of a kind. But these game are pref
ty fast, and three OF a kind always IN
the hole, as the term is, makes a clean
IN for the crooks. Unless man knows
what 1t is he cannot. OF course, appre-
ciate for a minute what is going on.
The best one of the ordinary players In
these boat games can get is the worst
of 1t. but t.*y get wise very slowly
and seldom come over the same route
twice. Most of these card sharps are
Americans, but the young Englishmen
and other tourists are anxious to be mi
tlated into the mysteries of draw poker
and they are not hard losers. Only when
the cheats get desperate and cold deck
some man for large amount does trouble
follow The cheat understands this point
and seldom resorts to 1t. 1t Is the rule
they observe never to beat a big hand for
producer but to give him run for
his money,