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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
Having often been requested by different magistrates, to investigate cases of sharping, I have often been struck, while doing so, with the obstacles and embarrassments which a judge's own honesty must oppose to his elucidation of matters of sharping and cheating at play. How is it possible that he can penetrate the subtile web, with which the sharper surrounds his dupes,—how can he be able to detect the tricks of these rogues,—if he does not understand the manœuvres of sleight-of-hand? By a sing
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AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. A DANGEROUS PROFESSOR.
AN ANECDOTE BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION. A DANGEROUS PROFESSOR.
Whatever, dear reader, may be the value you attach to the knowledge of the knaveries I am about to reveal to you, you will assuredly never pay so dearly for them as I have. You will easily understand, that the tricks and impostures exposed in this work, are not the inventions of my own brain. I have collected them, one by one, from sharpers, or have been obliged to find them out as best I could. My researches have been both difficult and dangerous. Sharpers do not willingly part with the arts on
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CHAPTER I. MODERN GREEKS.
CHAPTER I. MODERN GREEKS.
Origin of the name "Greek"—The first gambling-houses—Invention of roulette—Hunt for dupes—Opening of " tripots ," or low gambling-houses—The Greek described—Different classes of sharpers. Let me in the first place explain to my readers, why the compatriots of Homer and Plato have been thus honoured, or rather dishonoured, and how it comes that the word "Greek" has, in our day, become synonymous with rascal or knave. The following are the facts:— Towards the end of the reign of Louis XIV., a cert
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CHAPTER II. THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE.
CHAPTER II. THE GREEK OF FASHIONABLE LIFE.
Wonderful acuteness—Refined sleight-of-hand—Delicacy of touch. The sharper of fashionable life is, without doubt, the most adroit and clever in his villany; he is, one may say, grand master of the art of cheating. He is generally a man of the world, whose dress and manners leave nothing to be desired. If he does not dazzle by the brilliancy of his conversation, it is that he does not wish to eclipse others, but perhaps reserves his forces for the " mise en scène " of his villanies. This "citizen
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CHAPTER III. THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES.
CHAPTER III. THE GREEK OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES.
The " Comtois " and " Amazones "—Tricks and frauds—An heir expectant—Game at bouillotte—A rich pocket-book—The bill to pay—Dupers duped. The Greek of the middle classes, otherwise termed the nomad Greek, on account of his ubiquity, is a sort of chain or link between the aristocratic sharper, and him of the low gambling houses. This chain is of great length, and unites, by almost imperceptible gradations, the two extremes in this world of filibusters. The nomad Greek seldom works alone, he is in
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CHAPTER IV. THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT.
CHAPTER IV. THE GREEK OF THE TRIPOT.
His abject condition—The public-house—Pretended stupidity—Dupes fleeced—Acting the countryman— Table d'hôte —The pellets—A good farce—Deception—The three cards—The countryman's bet—Clever substitution—English rogues—Thimble-rig. It may with truth be said, that the Greek of low life is a sort of vulgar imitation of the two other types that I have just been describing, and, if I may be allowed to draw the comparison, I should say, that the Greek of the low gambling-house, is, to his more favoured
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CHAPTER V. A GREEK TAKEN IN THE FACT.
CHAPTER V. A GREEK TAKEN IN THE FACT.
The restaurant of the Veau qui tête —Subscription ball—The card room—A lucky player— Sauter la coupe —Mystification—The tell-tale hat—We are done. With such a number of Greeks mixing in society, one is tempted to ask, how is it that they are so seldom brought before the tribunals of justice? This is easy to explain. In the first place, the Greek is generally clever, cunning, artful, and circumspect; for these reasons, his manœuvres are seldom discovered. And, supposing he were caught in the very
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ADVICE TO PLAYERS.
ADVICE TO PLAYERS.
"1st. In playing, give the preference to the game of roulette, as it gives you the chance of investing your money in several ways, E and also enables you to study at the same time various chances and maturities. "2nd. A good player must be calm, and must keep his temper. A man who gives way to passion is sure to lose. "If, as is said to be the case, gambling produces the most delightful sensations; as all happiness in this world has its reverse of pain and suffering, it is almost certain, that t
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CHAPTER VII EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK.
CHAPTER VII EDIFYING HISTORY OF A GREEK.
Debauchery—Scheme to get money—The usurer Robineau—The bill of exchange—A false friend—Treason—Stay at Clichy—Initiation of a sharper—Release from prison. Raymond kept his promise. He came to me the following day; and, after I had made my arrangements, so that no one should interrupt us, I asked him to begin his story. "It is not my intention," said he, "to tell you the history of my life; I shall only relate to you my début as a Greek, and the causes which so fatally led to it. After that, I wi
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CHAPTER VIII. SECRET GAMBLING-HOUSES.
CHAPTER VIII. SECRET GAMBLING-HOUSES.
Greeks, both as dupers and duped—Andréas Tête d'Or—Secret inquiry—The human ostrich—The society of philosophers—Chaffard the bravo—Exploit of Tête d'Or—A Greek thrown out of window—Mystification. When Raymond entered the prison of "Sainte Pélagie" he was an isolated being in Paris. On his exit it was different; Andréas had friends who also became the friends of Raymond, and in many of the houses in which he was received, he met with a most cordial welcome. They soon treated him as a brother, usi
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THE SECRET TELEGRAPH.
THE SECRET TELEGRAPH.
The number of cards required in the game of Piquet is thirty-two; now all these thirty-two cards, may, by this system, be pointed out by twelve signals, that is to say, eight for the value of the cards, and four for the suits. At Écarté, the number of signals is still less, as it is only requisite to designate the numbers. But to make these signals, it is not necessary, as stated by some authors, to use any exaggerated signs, such as to cough, sneeze, blow the nose, or beat a tattoo on the table
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CHAPTER X. THE DOCTOR DUPED.
CHAPTER X. THE DOCTOR DUPED.
The false capitalist—The rogue is bled—More confederates arrive—A good hand—The fleecing—The doctor bled. After quitting Boulogne, our two heroes intended to have gone into the South of France, but their plans were changed by a proposal made to them by Chauvignac. There was a physician, living at St. Omer, who had an irresistible love of gambling, and the proposal made by Chauvignac was, that they should relieve him of some thousands of francs. Chauvignac was to give them all the information nec
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CHAPTER XI. THE PASTE RING.
CHAPTER XI. THE PASTE RING.
The amateur of precious stones—What a beautiful diamond!—A sovereign cure—Ah! if I were a rogue—A false paste ring!—The game is played—The tell-tale stamp investigation—The wanderer by night—The mysterious tripot —The sharper caught in a trap—Recriminations—The message—The false commissary of police—The Rue de Jerusalem—Unexpected dénoûement . It was some time after this, that our two heroes arrived at Lyons, and lost no time in making inquiries regarding the various clubs in that town, and the
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CHAPTER XII. AN INFAMOUS SNARE.
CHAPTER XII. AN INFAMOUS SNARE.
A young fool—Envy and covetousness—Aphorisms—Insinuations—Confidences—Influencing the game—Honest men are sometimes rogues—Mushrooms and cheating—The Greek moralist—Example of cheating—Initiation—Maxims and manipulations—Temptation—The Belgian capitalist—The cartes biseautées —Easily won—An insolvent gambler—Comedy—The Greek in despair—An infamous scene—Dishonour—Ruin—The faithless trustee—Separation of the philosophers—A virtuous Greek—Golden hopes—A beard again—A demi-millionaire. The Society
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THE TECHNICAL PART.
THE TECHNICAL PART.
We are now come to the most important part of this work. I intend, in it, to explain to the reader, the manœuvres of the different sorts of Greeks I have just sketched. To make this more intelligible, it will be necessary for me to enter into certain details, which will, I trust, prove interesting. I must preface this, however, by mentioning, that nothing is further from my intention, than to give a lecture on sleight-of-hand. I care more about putting the public on their guard, than about teach
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GENERAL RULES. THE DIFFERENT TRICKS PRACTISED AT GAMES OF CARDS.
GENERAL RULES. THE DIFFERENT TRICKS PRACTISED AT GAMES OF CARDS.
The saut de coupe —The passe-coupe—The cut above—The large card—The bridge—The bent card. The art of making a false cut, is the most important artifice employed by sharpers: and the Greek always exerts his best energies to accomplish this feat. In order to show what a false cut is, I must recall to the mind of my reader, the use and end of the regular cut. In all games of cards, it is the custom for the dealer, when he has done shuffling, to present the pack of cards to his adversary to cut: it
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PART I. THE "SAUT DE COUPE."
PART I. THE "SAUT DE COUPE."
The reader who is uninitiated in the mysteries of sleight of hand, will probably think it incredible, not to say impossible, that a Greek can thus transpose invisibly the arrangement of two packs of cards, before the very eyes of his adversaries. Nothing, however, is more true. The treatises on sleight of hand give the method of executing this trick. As this work, however, has not for its object the same sort of instruction, I shall content myself with unveiling here, the preparations and arrang
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PART II. THE PASSE-COUPE, OR CUT BENEATH.
PART II. THE PASSE-COUPE, OR CUT BENEATH.
All sharpers are cunning, clever, and tricky, but they do not all possess the same facility for tricks of sleight of hand. Many of them not being able to accomplish the sliding cut, so as not to be seen, are obliged to have recourse to other tricks less difficult. Of this number is the "passe-coupe." This trick is of the same use as the preceding one, and, if well executed, stands as little chance of being discovered. In order to explain this trick, it is necessary for me to revert to that parag
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PART III. THE ENJAMBAGE, OR CUT ABOVE.
PART III. THE ENJAMBAGE, OR CUT ABOVE.
The "cut above" is a very simple and clever trick, and it is astonishing, when one knows it, to think how easily people are deceived, and that it should not be discovered. However, I candidly confess, the first time I saw it done, I was taken in, as others are. In this trick, the Greek, instead of placing packet No. 2 on packet No. 1, passes the former over without stopping into the left hand, which he holds a little in advance, and places packet No. 1 on the top. This trick, as well as the prec
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PART IV. THE CARTE LARGE, OR LARGE CARD.
PART IV. THE CARTE LARGE, OR LARGE CARD.
The heading of this division sufficiently indicates the nature of the trick I am about to describe. It is to have one card larger than all the rest. When introduced into a pack this card, by its projection, almost forces the pack to divide, wherever the person who places it wishes. If the Greek has previously arranged the cards as he wishes them to be, their being cut, in no way disarranges his plans, as the card alluded to remains where it was placed at the commencement of the deal. The large c
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PART V. THE PONT, OR BRIDGE.
PART V. THE PONT, OR BRIDGE.
The bridge is one of the oldest tricks in use amongst sharpers, and it is almost impossible to be on one's guard against its use, when well done. As in the preceding examples, it is used to make a false cut, and thus to retain the cards as they have been arranged by the sharper to enable him to win. The pack of cards must be held in the right hand, and bent, by pressing them against the first finger of the left. The upper part of the pack must then be bent in an opposite direction, so as to form
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CHAPTER II. TO CHANGE A CARD.
CHAPTER II. TO CHANGE A CARD.
" Filer la carte " is to change one card for another. In the hands of an adroit sharper, this change is performed so instantaneously, that it is almost impossible for the quickest eye to detect it. Let us suppose that, in dealing the cards, the Greek discovers, by means which I will hereafter explain, that the card he is going to give to his adversary would be advantageous to himself, he hides, or slips away, the card which ought to have been dealt to his adversary, and gives him, instead, the o
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CHAPTER III. THE ABSTRACTED CARD.
CHAPTER III. THE ABSTRACTED CARD.
When one has not been initiated into the mysteries of sleight-of-hand, it is difficult to believe that a sharper can abstract several cards, and put them back again, under the very eyes of his antagonist, without being detected. Such, however, is the fact. The art of abstracting cards is one of the most useful tricks in sleight-of-hand, and it requires great skill and adroitness to perform the feat cleverly. In order to do this trick, the Greek keeps the cards he wishes to abstract, placed diago
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CHAPTER IV. THE CARD REPLACED.
CHAPTER IV. THE CARD REPLACED.
Once in possession of the cards which he has abstracted, the Greek, whether the game he is playing be Lansquenet, Baccarat, or Vingt-et-un, replaces them in the pack in such a way, that they will be sure when dealt to return to him. This trick is the easiest to execute that I have yet described. The Greek waits, until it is his turn to gather up, either the whole, or a portion of, the pack; then, whilst drawing them towards him, he quietly places the cards he had in reserve on the top, taking ca
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CHAPTER V. THE CARTE A L'ŒIL, OR GLANCE.
CHAPTER V. THE CARTE A L'ŒIL, OR GLANCE.
In playing, it is sometimes necessary for the Greek to obtain a sight of some particular card in the pack. In order to do this, he resorts to the following manœuvre:— One of his little fingers is slipped into the pack, where the card he wishes to see, lies; quick as lightning he glances his eye across it, and with such rapidity is the action performed, that those playing with him cannot see it, particularly as the backs of the cards are turned towards them, and he is gesticulating with his other
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PART I. THE BOX IN THE SLEEVE.
PART I. THE BOX IN THE SLEEVE.
There is yet another way of changing the pack, under the very eyes of your adversary. It consists in having a tin box fastened to your arm, under the sleeve of your coat, and which is not perceptible. In this box, the Greek carries the cards he has marked for his own purposes. When it is his turn to cut, he stretches out his hand across the table towards the pack, so as to hide it entirely; then, resting his arm lightly on the tablecloth, he presses a spring which opens the box, out of which fal
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PART I. THE ARRANGED SHUFFLE.
PART I. THE ARRANGED SHUFFLE.
The arranged shuffle consists in pretending to shuffle, whilst all the time you are arranging the cards, in the order you require them for cheating. Let us suppose, for example, that a Greek, in playing Écarté, places in the pack four cards of the same suit, three of which are trumps, and the fourth is the turn-up card; this he manages to do by arranging the shuffle in the following manner. He divides the pack of cards into two parts, holding one in each hand, as it is usual to do in shuffling i
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PART II. THE PARTIAL SHUFFLE.
PART II. THE PARTIAL SHUFFLE.
The partial shuffle is employed for those games, where only a portion of the cards is distributed at a time, such as Écarté. In this instance, we will suppose the Greek to have arranged eleven cards, so as to enable him to win the game, and it is of consequence that these cards should not be disarranged. He therefore puts these eleven cards at the bottom of the pack, and, at the same time, carefully keeps his little finger between the upper and lower packet, which he avoids mixing, until after d
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PART III. THE FAN.
PART III. THE FAN.
The following trick is termed the Fan, because the Greek, to do the false shuffle, spreads the cards out in the shape of a fan. He then divides the pack into two parts, holding, as before, one in each hand; then, by a certain manipulation with the fingers of his right hand, he passes the cards under those in the left, which, to the spectator, gives the effect of mixing the cards; but this is far from being the case. The cards retain the position they would have done if the pack had been cut, as
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PART IV. THE DOVE-TAIL.
PART IV. THE DOVE-TAIL.
The ways of doing the false shuffle are numerous, each Greek having some special method of his own. All of them are more or less derived from the principles I have just described. It would take too long, as well as be useless, to enter into the details of these proceedings, as they are nearly all the same. The false shuffle, with which I am about to close this chapter, is a peculiar one, and is very often used by sharpers. To prevent any suspicions which might be raised by the use of the precedi
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PART I. THE CARTES BISEAUTÉES.
PART I. THE CARTES BISEAUTÉES.
The Biseautée Card was one of the principal methods of cheating in the last century. The trick, at that period, was only known to the adepts of the higher ranks, and with it they succeeded in victimising numbers of people. It is now chiefly made use of in public-houses, for it is so plain and palpable an artifice, that it could not fail to be discovered by more intelligent people than those who frequent these resorts. The real signification of "biseautées" cards is, that they are larger at one e
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PART II. THE TINTED, OR STAINED CARD.
PART II. THE TINTED, OR STAINED CARD.
When white cards are not of first-rate quality, many of them are slightly tinted or stained; that is to say, the purity of the white varies. This imperfection is caused by the bad quality of the card-board of which they are manufactured. From these slight shades, the Greek can, after seeing them for a few moments, recognise many of the cards. If there are no blemishes or stains on them, the Greek contrives to give them various tints, which he alone can perceive. To this end, he rubs very lightly
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PART III. THE ADHERENT, OR SLIDING CARDS.
PART III. THE ADHERENT, OR SLIDING CARDS.
By the foregoing it will be observed, that a Greek is always ready to profit by the slightest differences in the cards; but what my readers will scarcely find credible is, that even a pack of new cards, when first taken out of its envelope, will furnish him with the means and signs of recognising the court from the plain cards. This cheat is most practicable, when the cards have not been kept in a perfectly dry place. The Greek, in dealing, presses his left thumb on the cards, as if to disengage
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PART IV. THE "HORS D'ÉQUERRE," OR SLANTING CARDS.
PART IV. THE "HORS D'ÉQUERRE," OR SLANTING CARDS.
I was once requested by a magistrate, to examine some packs of cards which had been seized in a gambling-house, and many of which had been used for the game of Vingt-et-un. I acceded to his request, and it was only owing to my knowledge of mechanism, that I was enabled to discover the trick, by means of which the banquier of the gambling-table could distinguish, whilst dealing, whether the card he took from the top of the pack was higher or lower than a ten. All the court cards and aces were cut
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PART V. THE "POINTÉES," OR PRICKED CARDS.
PART V. THE "POINTÉES," OR PRICKED CARDS.
These marks are made by the Greek to distinguish all the high cards. With the point of a pin, a little blunted, he pricks the card in the corner at the side of the picture, so as to produce a minute elevation on the upper surface. Some Greeks improve on this trick, by pricking between the two card-boards, and afterwards pasting them together again. In this way, nothing is to be seen on the upper part of the card but a small roughness, which, should it ever be remarked, would pass for a defect in
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PART VI. THE CARDS "MORFILÉES," OR WITH INDENTED EDGES.
PART VI. THE CARDS "MORFILÉES," OR WITH INDENTED EDGES.
This trick very much resembles the preceding one, only that it is done in presence of the dupe. Each time that a card which will be favourable to his play, passes through the hands of the Greek, he makes a small dent with his nail on the edge of it. This mark is easily felt by the Greek. It must be confessed, that those amongst the Greeks who are adepts at this trick, have an extreme delicacy of touch, which they preserve by always wearing gloves, when they are not playing at cards. Some of them
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PART VII. THE "ONDULÉES," OR WAVY CARDS.
PART VII. THE "ONDULÉES," OR WAVY CARDS.
The above marks, or waves, are also made whilst playing. When the Greek observes any cards, which will suit him to perform the trick he is about to play, he makes, at the bottom of the left-hand corner, a little fold, or arch, inwards. This alteration, be it ever so slight, produces a kind of lustre on the card, which the eye of the Greek can immediately detect. This trick is generally employed in cheating at Piquet. The Greek, in this way, marks all the aces and high cards in any of the suits.
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PART VIII. THE "TAROTÉES," OR FIGURED OR CHECQUERED CARDS.
PART VIII. THE "TAROTÉES," OR FIGURED OR CHECQUERED CARDS.
It often happens that, in packs of playing-cards, the backs of which are ornamented with figures and designs, these ornaments are not placed exactly in the same spot on each card. If examined attentively, it will be seen, that the designs are not always the same distance from the edge of the card. The manufacturer himself, and players in general, pay little attention to these irregularities, but the Greek turns them to account, and makes them useful in his tricks. By the time the cards have been
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PART IX. THE MARKED, OR SPOTTED CARDS.
PART IX. THE MARKED, OR SPOTTED CARDS.
This trick of marking cards, is equal to any of the most refined abbreviations used in stenography, as here, by the aid of a single spot, any one of the thirty-two cards in the game of Piquet may be known. We will imagine, for example, a design formed of spots, or some other device, arranged symmetrically, as these sorts of patterns usually are. For instance, as in figure 21. The first large spot, beginning from the top of the card, on the left hand, will represent a heart; the second, in descen
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Arrangement of a Rosary of Thirty-two Cards:
Arrangement of a Rosary of Thirty-two Cards:
It must be remembered that, when the cards are thus arranged, however often the pack is cut, the order of the cards remains the same. When a Greek has substituted a pack of cards, arranged à chapelet for another, and has made a false shuffle which does not alter them, he will easily know what cards his adversary holds, by looking at his own hand. For example at Écarté, if he holds— He will know that his adversary has— The turn-up card will be the eight of spades; and knowing all the other cards
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CHAPTER X. THE RING FOR MARKING.
CHAPTER X. THE RING FOR MARKING.
The Greek sometimes carries his trickery even into the domains of science; of which the instrument I am about to describe is a proof. If this jewel had not been invented for the sole purpose of cheating, one would have been tempted to admire it. The ring, shown in figure 24 , is known by the name of a trépan . It is hollow, and forms a kind of reservoir, which is filled with very liquid ink. This liquid would escape by a small opening, at the point A , but that the capillary attraction retains t
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CHAPTER XI. THE REFLECTING SNUFF-BOX.
CHAPTER XI. THE REFLECTING SNUFF-BOX.
As I am on the subject of curiosities of art, here is another, which is also very clever. It is difficult to believe that a snuff-box can be made an instrument for cheating. The Greek, when placing himself at the table to play, puts down a snuff-box, on the lid of which is a small medallion of the size of a franc, enclosing a miniature. It is the portrait of a lady exquisitely painted. The eyes of the players naturally turn to this object, and they sometimes even take it up to admire, or display
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ARRANGEMENT OF THE PACK.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE PACK.
It is a well-known fact that, by the aid of the principles which I have herein laid down, a clever Greek will gain at every game, by giving himself the cards which are favourable to his interest. But it must not be believed, that these sharpers are so unskilful as to cheat always by sleight of hand. They would very soon be discovered. These intelligent rogues husband their resources, and act with prudence. They usually only deal themselves what is called a " jeu de règle ," or hand which is sure
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PART I. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
PART I. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
How to Repique and Capot one's Adversary. The trick I am about to describe, dates from the last century. It was the invention of a juggler named Comus, who performed it with his eyes bandaged. From this interesting combination, have originated all the other coups de piquet , so often displayed by jugglers. I shall here give a description of how it is done, as it will make what I have mentioned in the preceding chapter, more easy to understand. In taking up the pack of cards, the juggler, with a
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PART II. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
PART II. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
How the Greek is enabled to Repique and Capot his Adversary, although he has Shuffled the Cards. As I am addressing those who are supposed to know piquet, I need enter into no details about that game. In playing the first hand, the Greek must secure a sixième-major (or sequence of six cards from the ace downwards, which counts sixteen), a quatorze of aces (the four aces), and a quatorze of kings (the four kings), as seen by the table below:— His adversary must be the dealer, as it is in playing
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PART III. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
PART III. THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
Abstraction and Substitution of Cards. In former days, it was the fashion at piquet, when the deal was finished, to divide the talon into two unequal packets, and place them one on the top of the other, in the shape of a cross. Now, however, these eight cards are left in one packet. This new fashion has given rise to a fresh roguery, which, though a very audacious one, is no less difficult to discover, where the parties are not cognisant of it. Once known, it is quite another thing. This rascali
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PART IV. THE "COUP D'ÉCARTÉ."
PART IV. THE "COUP D'ÉCARTÉ."
The King and the Vole. Before commencing this article on Écarté, I wish to point out an error very generally diffused among players. When speaking of a swindler, people are apt to say, "He is a man who turns up the king whenever he pleases." This is a decided error. A Greek, if he is clever, will never do anything so imprudent. He knows very well that, by turning up a king too often, he arouses suspicion, and only marks one point; whereas, by keeping it in his own hand, he enjoys the advantage o
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PART V. A JEU DE RÈGLE.M
PART V. A JEU DE RÈGLE.M
From the preceding tricks, it will be seen that it is necessary for the Greek, before he begins playing, to put a certain number of cards into the pack, both at the top and underneath, all of which he arranges in readiness to be dealt to him. This he does whilst pretending to shuffle them, and almost always in the midst of an animated conversation about the hand which has just been played. All this he performs so naturally that it is never observed. A sharper, who understands his business, never
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PART VI. LANSQUENET.
PART VI. LANSQUENET.
The "Dépôt de Portées." This trick is about the most simple and dangerous that I have yet described, and the performance of it is unfortunately very easy. The Greek must place on the pack, at the moment when he is dealer, a series of cards, called "portées," so as to secure beforehand several refaits . These "portées" are composed of ten cards, and are arranged, for example, as follows:— When this "portée" is exhausted, the Greek passes on the cards. These cards are placed in such a manner about
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PART VII. ON GAMES WITH FOUR PLAYERS.
PART VII. ON GAMES WITH FOUR PLAYERS.
It may be imagined, that in a game where there are four people playing, cheating is impracticable, since the cards the sharper ought to deal, are collected and shuffled by another person. The reader may remember that in one of the chapters, at the beginning of this work, I have given him a concise explanation of this very subject. This explanation I will now complete. At the game of Bouillotte, for example, a Greek makes an agreement with an accomplice, whom he places near him. This accomplice,
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PART I. ÉCARTÉ.
PART I. ÉCARTÉ.
An Amusing Game at Écarté. According to the arrangement of the cards mentioned in the preceding trick, you have in hand six spades, three kings, and three aces, which you put on the pack. You then take up, with apparent indifference, the three cards of your discard, which you have left close to yourself, and place them under the two first cards; then, by a false shuffle, you pass two of the undermost cards of the pack to the top. This manœuvre arranges the cards in the following manner: Two indi
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PART II. CONTINUATION OF THE GAME.
PART II. CONTINUATION OF THE GAME.
Another Amusing Trick. "The vole and the king. I mark three; it is your turn to deal," presenting the pack to your adversary; and, at the same time, drawing out five or six cards which you keep hidden in your hand, according to the principles laid down in the third chapter, figure 13 . The adversary shuffles the cards, and, that he shall not notice the diminution of the pack, you distract his attention by an animated conversation. Something in this style. "Have you any knowledge of sleight of ha
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PART III. THE "COUP D'ÉCARTÉ."
PART III. THE "COUP D'ÉCARTÉ."
In which your Adversary is made to Win. Thus, as I have just explained, in collecting the cards, you select a sixième-major in whichever suit you please, put it at the bottom of the pack, and add in succession the following: A false shuffle, a false cut, and then deal first two, then three. In arranging your cards you must not let the king be the turn-up card....
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PART IV. A GAME AT ÉCARTÉ.
PART IV. A GAME AT ÉCARTÉ.
In which the Adversary loses a Bet he has made, judging from what he has already seen of the Hand of the Dealer. Put on the top of the pack the following eleven cards: Then make a false shuffle, a false cut, and deal by twos and threes. The cards by this manœuvre will be thus divided: THE DEALER. THE ADVERSARY. The turn-up card is the eight of hearts. "Oh! good Heavens!" you exclaim, laying down your trio of sevens on the table, "what dreadful cards!" But you are careful not to display the king
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PART V. BACCARAT.
PART V. BACCARAT.
A Game of Baccarat which is advantageous to the Banquier. You place at the bottom of the pack, sixteen cards in the following order: Place in succession on the top of the pack, sixteen times consecutively: A false cut, and deal one card at a time. The "banquier" will have, from the beginning, at each coup , nine or nineteen; and will in this way win on all sides. This example of recreative cheating at baccarat, is only given as a specimen. A Greek would fear to win in this way, on so large a sca
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PART VI. IMPÉRIALE.
PART VI. IMPÉRIALE.
A Capot at Impériale. Put at the bottom of the pack the following thirteen cards: Put in succession at the top of the pack: After which a false cut, and deal three cards at a time. The dealer will have in his hand: And when he has finished the hand, he will, besides the above, have two other impériales for the twelve tricks, which will give him the game....
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PART VII. WHIST.
PART VII. WHIST.
A Game at Whist in which you gain every Trick. Place on the top of the pack twelve cards of the same suit, and arrange them with a false shuffle, by the following operations: 1st. Having taken the thirteen cards in your right hand, put the last one on the top of the packet of the thirty-nine others, which you hold in your left hand. 2nd. Then immediately slide that card, with the three others which follow, on the packet in your right hand. 3rd. Afterwards, again slide the last of this packet on
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PART VIII. A GAME AT WHIST.
PART VIII. A GAME AT WHIST.
In which each Player holds an entire Suit, but which, however, does not prevent the Dealer from winning every Trick. All the cards must be separated in suits, namely: hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs, one of each alternately, without reference as to their being high or low in their classification. Make a false shuffle, and hand the cards to be cut, without any fear of their being disarranged by this proceeding. They must be dealt one at the time. After the deal, every person will have a seque
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PART IX. BOUILLOTTE.
PART IX. BOUILLOTTE.
A Brelan-carré, or Four Cards of the same sort. Put at the bottom of the pack, four cards of the same sort, for instance, four sevens, four tens, &c. Then, for the arrangement of them, put in succession on the pack: A false shuffle, and false cut; when you deal, you will have in your hand four cards of the same sort, whilst your adversaries will only hold what chance has given them, which, under any circumstances, will not be equal to what you have....
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PART X. A GAME AT BOUILLOTTE.
PART X. A GAME AT BOUILLOTTE.
In which you win, after having induced your Adversaries to stake on their Cards. Put the following thirteen cards under the pack: Then put in succession, on the top of the pack: A false shuffle, a false cut, and deal. Each player, possessing three cards of the same sort, feels almost certain of winning. It is not surprising, therefore, that each person stakes on his cards; but the dealer, having four cards of the same sort, marks higher than any of his opponents; and is, of course, the winner...
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PART XI. BÉZIGUE.
PART XI. BÉZIGUE.
A curious Game at Bézigue, in which, with a single hand of Thirty-two Cards, you make, at the first "coup," five hundred and ten points, without your Adversary having been able to mark a single one. This game is very amusing, and merits a description of its mise en scène . This we shall give after the cards are cut. Put at the bottom of the pack, the seventeen cards which follow: Place in succession on the top of the pack: The classification above mentioned, ought to answer for both packs. The "
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PART XII. A "COUP DE PIQUET."
PART XII. A "COUP DE PIQUET."
In which you repique with Cartes-blanches, N and gain the Game in spite of being capoted. This Game consists of one hundred points. Arrange a pack of cards beforehand in the following manner: As this arrangement of the cards, would be much too long a proceeding to enact before your adversary, the best plan is to have a pack of cards ready prepared, and to exchange them for those on the table, before beginning to play. Make a false cut, and deal three at a time. After which, you commence by showi
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PART XIII. A CLEVER "COUP DE PIQUET."
PART XIII. A CLEVER "COUP DE PIQUET."
In which you allow your adversary to choose:—1st. In what suit he would like to be capoted and repiqued; 2nd. Whether he wishes to have the cards dealt to him by twos or by threes; 3rd. To select whichever of the packs he pleases. The following is the order that the cards must be placed in, before you hand them to be cut: O The four cards marked with an asterisk are large cards. By the arrangement of the cards in the order above, it is evident that, if the pack is cut where one of the large card
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CHAPTER XIV. MINOR CHEATS OF MEN OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER XIV. MINOR CHEATS OF MEN OF THE WORLD.
Ruses and Frauds allowable by custom in Society. In the ordinary affairs of life, it is easy to know the difference between honesty and roguery: conscience and the laws have traced a line of demarcation, about which all right-minded people agree. In the matter of play, it is not the same thing: one knows perfectly where roguery ends, but it is very difficult to say where it begins? Let me hasten to give an explanation, without which my readers will have a right to call me to task. "Do you mean t
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Transcribers' Notes
Transcribers' Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed. Simple typographical errors were corrected; occasional unbalanced quotation marks retained. Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained. Page 40 : "one of the betters." was printed with that spelling. Page 90 : "clandestine hell" was printed that way, not as "hall". Page 216 : The hyperlinks assigned by the Transcriber to the "part" and "chap
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