Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-04-21

II the roprietor-always a profes
sional sharper-takes the bank, h
will cheat the players by series o
here. When, however, guileles!
stranger acts as banker, the croupier'l
role comes in; for, while he rakes IL
the money for the banker, portion o.
1t disappears into his pockets in {
manner which only the most exper
eye can detect.
For the benefit of the uninitiated
will explain the principles of the
game:
The players sit on the right and left
OF the banker. who has several com
plete packs of cards in front of him
When the players have staked their
money, the banker deals one card to
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 mum.
Der as possible-with the two cards (;
a third card can be had II desired.
Court-hards and tens are valueless. If
the total of the spots comes to more
than ten, ten must be deducted
II the bankers score is below that
OF the players he loses; If above, he
wins.
Slowly The room began to fill, and
toward half-past eleven a tall, thin
man with grayish beard and small
piercing eyes came In; from the de-
scription given me / recognized the
Vicomte de ST.. He smoked a Gig
arctic, paying little attention to what
went on at the table, where banker.
with only three hundred francs In the
bank, was dealing his cards In a desul-
tory fashion.
All at once the vicomte's face bright
ened, and he went up with extended
hands to some fashionably dressed
men who had just entered. guessed
they were what In gambllng-hourse
parlance is called big Game" |
then gave up my seat at the table.
where | was too much In view, and
stood behind the players, where l
could watch everything.
A bright-looking youth took the
bank for five thousand francs. and
play began In real earnest Somebody
called "Banco" (staking all there is
in the bank. and the excitement rose
to a high pitch.
Thus far the vicomte had not Joined
In the game; at last, to my delight,
saw him take a bank also for five
thousand francs. He called for fresh
cards.
This call for fresh cards at such a
time demands an explanation. In the
gambling world 1t Is we'll known that
after the cards have been shufied.
cut, and placed in front OF the banker,
1t is easy for the latter, by sleight OF
hand, to put a few prepared cards on
the top that will give him two or
three winning deals. II, therefore, the
banker asks for fresh cards, the unin.
itiated-and, unfortunately, they form
the majority-suppose that no trick
cry is possible. / am sorry to have to
disabuse them.
The worst swindles are practiced
with so-called new packs. say so
called" because In the directorlal
sanctum they have undergone a curl
GUS process The pack is held over a
steaming kettle, the wrapper skilfully
removed, the cards taken out arrang-
ed to give the dealer the advantage,
and again carefully replaced in the
wrapper.
The study | had in former years
been compelled to make Of these prac-
tees, now proved useful, and | moved
behind the vicomte's chair so as not
to lose one OF his movements.
Five new packs were brought in,
and the croupier undid the four, leav-
ing one on the mantlepiece. He shufIled
the four packs with a great deal OF |
zest, yet so dexterously that their or
der was not changed. The man was
a great expert in the "sham-shufFling"
trick.
OF all the people in the room I, |
certainly, was the most interested in |
the game, for l was playing for higher
stakes than any of them--for a mans
honor. Supposing these cards,
brought on tray, should not have
been tempered with; supposing the
played a fair game, without
any attempt at cheating; my whole
fell to the ground, and l
should have to invent another mode of
attack
| held my breath when the first
cards were dealt; and then feeling
Of relief came over me, for | at once
recognized the famous combination,
known as the "705," or, more appropri-
ltely, the Lightning Flash" because
Of the rapidity with which it cleans
out its victims. And by way Of Gu
'iousity, l give below this extraord-
nary series, from which it will be
seen that, with the exception Of two
leals, where banker and players have
he same points, the former wins every
cup. The players may cut as many
lines as they like; it will not affect
he game!~
A quarter of an hour later the
'icomte rose. He smiled, and could
veil afford to do so, for he had made