The Arvada enterprise., 1912-12-19


. his partner. Both are bent on ro
, berry.
If the proprietor-always profe
sional sharper-takes the bank, /
will cheat the players by series {
tricks, too numerous to be explaine
here When, however, guileleS
stranger acts as banker. the croupier
role comes in; for. while he rakes
the money for HE banker, n portion
it disappears into his pockets in
manner which only the most eXper
eye can detect.
For the benefit of the uninitiated
will explain tho principles of tn
game:
The players sit on the right and lef
of the banker. who has several com
plete packs of cards in front of him
When the players have staked theii
money, the banker deals one card tc
the right, one card to the left, and one
to himself. He repeats this operation
| One of the players on either side of
the banker takes up the cards and
plays them against the banker for his
side of the table.
The object of the game is to score
nine-not more-or as near that num-
Der as possible-with the two cards:
third card can be had If desired.
Court-hards and tens are valueless. II
the total of the spots comes to more
than ten, ten must be deducted.
If the bankers score is below that
of the players he loses: II above, he
wins.
Slowly the room began to fill, and
toward half-past eleven n tall. thin
man with n graylsh beard and small
piercing eyes came in: from tho de-
scription given me | recognized tho
Vicomte de ST.. He smoked Gig
arctic. paying little attention to what
went on at tho table, where banker,
with only three hundred francs in the
bank, was dealing his cards In n desul-
tory fashion.
All at once the vlcomte's face bright
encd. and he went up with extended
hands to some fashionably, dressed
men who had just entered. | guessed
| litN were NhiI III -ll'Hl 10
parlance is called "Big Game" |
then gave up my seat at tho table,
where | was too much in view, and
stood behind the players, where |
could watch everything.
A bright.looking youth took the
bank for five thousand francs. and
play began in real earnest. Somebody
| nn q
in the bank), and the excitement rose
to n high pitch.
Thus far the vicomte had not Joined
in the game; at last, to my delight,
saw him take bank also for five
thousand francs. lie called for fresh
cards
This call for fresh cards Mt such {
time demands an explanation. In the
gambling world 1t Is well known tina
after the cards have been shuilcd
cut. and placed in front of the banker
it Is easy for the latter, by sleight o
hand, to put a few prepared cards ol
the top that will give him two o
three winning deals. If, therefore. th
banker asks for fresh cards, tho unir
itiated-and, unfortunately, they forn
the majority-suppose that no trick
cry is possible. l am sorry to have /
disabuse them.
The worst swindles arc practice
with so.called new packs. ! say "st
called" because In the directoria
sanctum they have undergone a cur
Gus process. The pack is held over
steaming kettle. tho wrapper skilfull
removed, the cards taken out. arrani
ed to give the dealer the advantage
and again carefully replaced In tn
original wrapper.
The study ! had in former year
been compelled to make OF these pra
tices. now proved useful. and | move
behind the yicomtc's chair 30 as NJ
to lose one of his movements.
Five new packs were brought Il
, and the croupier undid the four, lea
ing one on the mantlcpiecc. He shuttle
/ the four packs with great deal {
, zest, yet 80 dcxtcrously that their o
, der was not changed. Tho man WI
! Il great expert in the "sham.shulllinl
trick
+ or all the people in the room
@ certainly, was the most Interested
4 the game. for | was playing for high'
, stakes than any OF thcm-for a man
r honor, supposing these card
= brought on tray. should not hay
:. been tampered with; supposng II
|, vlcomte played n fair game withol
= any attempt at cheating; my who
A combination fell to tho ground. and
should have to invent another mode I
attack.
g held my breath when the FRI
o cards were dealt, and then n lcelln
= of relief came over me. for ] at one
v recognized the famous combination
4 known as the "7O5," or, more apDropr
y atcly, the lightning Flash" bccauf
OF the rapidlty with which II clean
A out It's victims. And, by way OF cl
rlousity, | give below this oxlraor
mary series, from which It Will b
;, seen that. with tho exception Of tw
: deals, where banker and players hay
the samo points, tho former Wins ever