University of Virginia Library

CHEATING AT WHIST.

In an old work on cards the following curious disclosures are made respecting cheating at whist: —

`He that can by craft overlook his adversary's game hath a great advantage; for by that means he may partly know what to play securely; or if he can have some petty glimpse of his partner's hand. There is a way by making some sign by the fingers, to discover to their partners what honours they have, or by the wink of one eye it signifies one honour, shutting both eyes two, placing three fingers or four on the table, three or four honours. For which reason all nice gamsters play behind curtains.

`Dealing the cards out by one and one to each person is the best method of putting it out of the dealer's power to impose on you. But I shall demonstrate that, deal the cards which way you will, a confederacy of two sharpers will beat any two persons in the world, though ever so good players, that are not of the gang, or in the secret, and "Three poll One'' is as safe and secure as if the money was in their pockets. All which will appear

presently. The first necessary instructions to be observed at Whist, as principals of the secret, which may be likewise transferred to most other games at cards, are: —

Brief or short cards,

Corner-bend,

Middle-bend (or Kingston-bridge).

`Of brief cards there are two sorts: one is a card longer than the rest, — the other is a card broader than the rest. The long sort are such as three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine; the broad sort are such as aces, kings, queens, and knaves. The use and advantage of each are as follows: —

`Example: — When you cut the cards to your adversary, cut them long, or endways, and he will have a three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine at bottom. When your adversary cuts the cards to you, put them broadside to him, and he will naturally cut (without ever suspecting what you do) ace, king, queen, or knave, &., which is sufficient advantage to secure any game.

`And in case you cannot get cards of proper sizes ready-made to mix with others, you may shave them with a razor or penknife from the

threes to the nines each side, and from the aces to the knaves each end; then put them up in the same case or cover, and if they are done as they ought to be, they will pass upon anybody.

`As Whist is a tavern-game, the sharpers generally take care to put about the bottle before the game begins, so quick, that a bubble cannot be said to see clearly even when he begins to play.

`The next is the corner-bend, which is four cards turned down finely at one corner — a signal to cut by.

`The other is vulgarly called Kingston-bridge, or the middle-bend. It is done by bending your own or adversary's tricks two different ways, which will cause an opening, or arch, in the middle, which is of the same use and service as the other two ways, and only practised in its turn to amuse you.

`The next thing to be considered is, who deals the cards, you or your adversary; because that is a main point, and from whence your advantage must arise. Suppose, for example,

A and B

• Sharpers,
• Partners,

C and D

• Bubbles, or Flats,
• Partners.

After a deal or two is formally played, A and B will begin to operate in the following manner: —

`When A or B is to deal, they observe the preceding deal to take up the tricks thus: —

1. A bad card. 2. A good card.

3. A bad card. 4. A good card. (Meaning the best and worst that fall in that list).

`When C or D deals, they must be taken up thus: —

1. A good card. 2. A bad card.

3. A good card. 4. A bad card.

`By this rule it is plain that the best cards fall to A and B every deal. How is it possible, therefore, that C and D should ever win a game without permission? But it would be deemed ill policy, and contrary to the true interest of A and B, to act thus every deal. I will, therefore, suppose it is practised just when they please, according as bets happen in company; though the rule with gamesters, in low life, is at the first setting out to stupify you with wine and the loss of your money, that you may never come to a perfect understanding of what you are doing. It may be truly said that many an honest gentleman has been kept a month in such a condition by the management

and contrivance of a set of sharpers.

`Now you may imagine it not in the power of A and B to cause the tricks to be taken up after the manner aforesaid: there is nothing so easy nor so frequently practised, especially at Three poll One; for in playing the cards the confederates will not only take care of their own tricks, but also of yours, for the cards may be so played, and shoved together in such a manner, as will even cause you to take them right yourself; and if a trick should lie untowardly on the table, A or B will pay you the compliment of taking it up for you, and say — "Sir, that's yours.'' This operation will the more readily be apprehended by seeing it practised half a score times; when once you are aware of it, it will otherwise (I may say fairly) pass upon any person that has not been let into the secret. This being allowed, the next point and difficulty is to shuffle and cut.

`I say, that either A or B are such curious workmen, and can make a sham shuffle with a pack of cards so artfully, that you would believe they were splitting them, when at the time they will not displace a single card from its order! Such is the sharper's shuffling.

`Now, to cut the cards, a bend is prepared for you to cut to — the middle is the best; and it is odds but you unwarily cut to it; if not, slip is the word; but if you have no opportunity to do that neither, then deal away at all hazards, it is but an equal bet that they come in your favour; if right, proceed; if otherwise, miss a card in its course, and it brings the cards according to your first design; it is but giving two at last where you missed; and if that cannot be conveniently done, you only lose the deal, and there is an end of it.

`But when A or B is to cut, they make it all safe; for then they make the corner-bend, which any one that knows may cut to, a hundred times together.

`Piping at Whist. By piping I mean, when one of the company that does not play, which frequently happens, sits down in a convenient place to smoke a pipe, and so look on, pretending to amuse himself that way. Now, the disposing of his fingers on the pipe whilst smoking discovers the principal cards that are in the person's hand he overlooks; which was always esteemed a sufficient advantage whereby to win a game. There is another method, namely, by uttering words. "Indeed''

signifies diamonds; "truly,'' hearts; "upon my word,'' clubs; "I assure you,'' spades. But as soon as these methods become known, new ones are invented; and it is most curious that two persons may discover to each other what sort of cards they have in hand, and which ought first to be played, many different ways, without speaking a word.'

There can be no doubt that the act of sorting the cards is capable of giving an acute observer a tolerably accurate idea of his partner's or either of his opponents' hands; so that where cheating is suspected it would be better to play the cards without sorting them. The number of times a sorter carries a card to a particular part indicates so many of a suit; your own hand and his play will readily indicate the nature of the cards in which he is either strong or weak.

I now quote Robert-Houdin's account of