Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1905-01-01
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the professional gambler The methods
mostly used are those for touch read.
ing. They are cut or indented with a
tool until an abrasion can be felt by
the nail or thumb while the cards are
being dealt. Cards for sight or touch
reading are also made by the use of
a poker ring, a ring that is made for
that purpose with a secret needle at
tached, sometimes by making abrasions
with the thumb nail and often while
in play with the use of an aniline pen
Gil or color box. Another method of
I marking used is to indicate by dots
on various sections of the card denot-
ing size, suits, ETC., as two for king,
ace, etc.
Tricks of Card Sharps
Line and scroll marking consists of
adding fine lines to the interior of a
figure or adding to or changing the
shape, or to make some lines cross or
curve in certain ways that are notice
able. Worn work is a form of card
marking that consists of drawing the
color from the cards in large and ir-
regular figures, that gives the cards n
natural appearance of having been
worn by shutting, dealing, etc. This,
however, is a form seldom used, ex-
cept in cards used in playing in small
private games, as in the large houses
a deck is never again used for play
after the seal has once been broken.
| 1t is quite an art to prepare inks for
marking. of the desired color, shade
and gloss to match the colors in which
the regular cards are printed, so the
professional gamblers buy them al
ready marked from professional card
markers, who make them to any de-
sired combination or key. Marking a
deck of cards requires no little skill,
as the work is of very delicate nature
and must be exact in every detail.
| The marking inks are manufactured
with carbolic acid. glycerine, wood
alcohol, ether, aniline dyes. etc, and
are very expensive, the price generally
charged being 81 for an eighth of an
ounce vial, as in the blending and
making there is considerable loss be-
fore the right color can be secured.
Magnifying spectacles are sometimes
used where the markings are so fine
that they are invisible to the naked
eye at distance, and in some the
lenses are so powerful that they bring
card three feet away close up to the
vision of the eye. Cards are also some
times marked in various ways on the
edges by inks, and often by shaving
or cutting down to fraction that is
barely perceptible, this method espe-
cially for the higher cards, as the four
aces, kings or queens.
The advantage of playing with
marked cards are numerous, and q
skillful player can tell Immediately the
cards his opponents discard, draw and
finally hold, and at a favorable oppor-
tunity fill his own hand with cards
suitable to outplay any other against
him. Ringing in or switching a marked
deck or cold deck is easily accom-
plished An acComplice secures a deck
identical to that in use, stacks or sorts
1t for winning hand, and at a favor
able opportunity slips it into the hand
of the gambler, who secretes it in his
lap under the table or in a holdout.
At his deal he will drop a card to the
floor, reach for spittoon or something
on the floor, and while doing so will
switch the decks. He will then false
shuttle the fake deck. throw job, crimp
or brief (mark by bending, etc.) into
them for a confederate to cut to, or do
likewise to an innocent player and
then switch the cut to its original
place, making it impossible for him
to loose.