The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1913-01-03

II the proprietor-always probes
sional sharper-takes tho bank. NO
will cheat the players by series or
tricks. too numerous TO DO explained
here. When, however. guiieless
stranger acts as banker. the croupiers
role comes In: for. while no rakes IN
| the money for the banker. a portion OF
Il disappears into his pockets In
manner which only the most expert
eve 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 or him.
| When the players have staked their
| money. the banker deals one card to
the right. one card 10 the left, and one
to himself lie 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 10 score
nine--not more-or as near that num-
Der as possble-with the two cards:
n third card can be had IL 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 IL below that
OF the players he loses; II above, he
wins.
Slowly the room began TO all, and
toward half.past eleven a tall, thin
man with n graylsh beard and small
piercing eyes came in: from the de-
scription given me | recognized the
Vicomte de St. He smoked 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 desul-
tory fashion.
All at once the yicomte'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 gambling 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 |
could watch everything.
A bright.looking youth took the
bank for five thousand francs, and
play began in real earnest Somebody
called "Banco" tstaking all there is
-, al ka h.
TO 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 n
time demands an explanation. In the
gambling world II Is we'll known that
after the cards have been shuffled,
cut, and placed In front Of the banker.
IL Is easy for the latter, by sleight OF
hand. to put 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 ajority-suppose that no trick
cry is possible. | am sorry TO have TO
disabuse them.
The worst swlndles are practiced
with so.called new packs. say so
called" because In the directorial
sanctum they have undergone curl
GUS process. The pack is held over q
steaming kettle, the wrapper skiliully
removed. the cards taken out. arrang-
ed To give the dealer the advantage.
and again carefully replaced In the
original wrapper.
The study | had in former years
been compelled to make OF these prac-
tees. now proved useful. and | moved
behind the vlcomte's chair 80 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 mantlcpiece. lie shuiIlcd
the four packs with great deal of
zest. yet so dcxterously that their or
der was not changed. The man was
a great expert in the sham shutting
trick
or all the people in the room I,
certainly, was tho most Interested IN
the game. for | was playing for higher
stakes than any Of them-for a mans
honor Surprising these cards,
brought on tray. should not have
been tempered with; supposing the
vicomte played a fair game, without
any attempt at cheating; my whole
combination fell to the ground. and |
should have to invent another mode OF
attack.
held my breath when the first
cards were dealt; and then a feeling
OF relief came over me, for I at once
recognized the famous combination,
known as the "705," or, more appropri-
ately, the Lightning Flash" because
OF the rapidity with which II cleans
out It's victims. And. by way of GU
riousity, ! give below this extraord.
mary series. from which II will be
eeen that, with the exception OF two
deals, where banker and players have
the same points, the former wins every
coup. The players may cut as many
times as they like; IL will not affect