Gambling Sleight of Hand Forte Years of Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication - Ray Goulet
Foreword - Bill Malone
Preface
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1  -  Gambling Sleight of Hand - The Hobby 

Gambling Sleight of Hand as a Hobby . . .  2
Studying Gambling Sleight of Hand . . . 11
Technical Considerations . . . 21
Cheaters and Magicians . . . 31
Practice . . . 36
Last Thoughts . . . 47

Chapter 2  -  False Shuffles

False Table Riffle Shuffles . . . 57
Legitimate Table Cuts and Strips . . . 69
False Table Cuts and Strips . . . 71
Carrying Slugs . . . 86
Positioning Cuts and Strips . . . 93
Riffling Down, Riffling Up . . . 102
False Shuffling Procedures . . . 112
The Push-through . . . 117
The Pull-out . . . 145
Zarrow Shuffle . . . 162
False Overhand Shuffles . . . 185
Off-the-table False Riffles, Strips, and Cuts . . . 200
Wash/Scramble . . . 223

Chapter 3  -  Stacking and Culling

Overhand Shuffle Stacks . . . 230
Riffle Stacking . . . 242
Faro Stacking . . . 256
Culling . . . 272

Chapter 4  -  Beating the Cut 

Shifts . . . 280
Hops . . . 306
Drops . . . 320
False Cuts for Cutters . . . 323
Briefs . . . 329

Chapter 5  -  False Deals

Strike Seconds . . . 352
Pushoff Seconds . . . 388
One-handed Seconds . . . 406
New Theory Second Deals . . . 417
The Bottom Deal . . . 437
Stud Bottoms . . . 451
One-handed Bottoms . . . 459
Bottom Deal Ploys . . . 462
New Theory Bottoms . . . 463
Thirds, Greek Bottoms, and Centers . . . 470

Chapter 6  -  Peeks and Paper

Peeks . . . 478
Paper . . . 487

Chapter 7  -  Mucks, Holding Out, Coolers, and More

Mucks . . . 506
Holding Out . . . 529
Coolers . . . 542
Palming . . . 566
A Few More Moves . . . 593

Chapter 8  -  The Erdnase Factor

Observations . . . 612
Card Table Artifice . . . 617
Erdnase Systems of Blind Shuffles . . . 633
To Indicate the Location for the Cut . . . 644
Bottom Dealing . . . 646
Second Dealing . . . 652
Ordinary Methods of Stocking, Locating and Securing . . . 655
Stock Shuffle . . . 658
Erdnase System of Stock Shuffling . . . 660
Erdnase System of Cull Shuffling . . . 664
Erdnase System of Palming . . . 666
To Maintain the Bottom Palm While Dealing . . . 670
To Hold Location of Cut While Dealing . . . 672
Shifts . . . 673
To Ascertain Top Cards (Riffling) and Reserve Them at the Bottom . . . 677
Mode of Holding the Hand . . . 679
Skinning the Hand . . . 679
The Player Without an Ally . . . 681
Three Card Monte . . . 688
The Revelations . . . 689
The Thought Process . . . 689
Plagiarism . . . 690
Sub-par Gambling Moves . . . 701
Omissions  . . . 707
Oddities . . . 712
Did Erdnase Violate His Own Principles? . . . 718
Magic . . . 720
Annotators . . . 725
Opposing Views . . . 729
Conclusions . . . 736

Chapter 9  -  Pseudo Gambling Stunts

Cutting the Aces . . . 746
The Stunts  . . . 771
False Shuffle & Cut Demonstrations . . . 843
Stacking and Culling Demonstrations . . . 889
False Dealing Demonstrations . . . 926
Other Dealing Demonstrations . . . 953
Gambling Routines . . . 958
Odds and Ends . . . 979
Flourishes . . . 996
Fakes . . . 1012
Impressions . . . 1029
Total Recall Scanning . . . 1037

Chapter 10  -  Closing Thoughts

Personal Decisions . . . 1045
Perspective . . . 1046
Conversations . . . 1046
Beginners . . . 1049
Experienced Cardmen . . . 1050
Recap . . . 1050
Volume 3? . . . 1053
Errors . . . 1053
Good Luck . . . 1053

Appendix . . . 1055

Index
References . . . 1061
Names . . . 1064
Moves, Stunts, Principles . . .  1067
Chapter Photo Pages . . .  1085

 

 

Chapter one looks at the hobby of sleight of hand by providing some background on how gambling moves evolve, the best gambling moves, ‘story moves,’ and ‘story skill.’ It presents several technical considerations including lessons on general technique, the learning curve, expert status, sources, and the differences between cheaters and magicians. Also included is a fresh perspective on practice, focusing on the biggest mistake you can make, and the concept of using ‘lists’ and ‘time management’ to get the most from your practice sessions.

Chapter 2

Chapter two offers a comprehensive study on the shuffle and its many components. All styles of shuffling are addressed: table riffles, off-the-table riffles and cuts/strips, overhand shuffles, and ‘washing/weeding.’ All of the classic cuts, strips, and riffles are presented in detail to show the differences between the way cheaters and cardmen handle these moves. New moves and ideas like ‘positioning cuts/strips,’ ‘riffling up and down,’ and complete false ‘shuffling procedures’ are also presented. Over 100 combined push-throughs, pull-outs, Zarrows, ‘shuffle-overs,’ false cuts/strips, false overhand shuffles, and false off-the-table riffles and cuts/strips are included.

Chapter 3

Here we discuss the best overhand, riffle, and faro stacks. The best overhand-shuffle stacks are presented based on the research. The section on riffle stacking suggests a new approach based on timing versus hold-backs, along with what I believe to be the most effective way to riffle stack—arguably the most difficult move in the hobby. The most sophisticated faro stacks are generally unknown to the magic world because they do not require perfect splits or traditional in- and out-faros. About 25 combined stacks are offered.

Chapter four offers a combined 40 shifts and hops, starting with the standards and their variants. Several new moves and angles are offered. ‘Drops’ (appear to look like mishaps) and false cuts employed by cutters are presented, as well as an important section on ‘briefs’ (jogs, steps, bevels, crimps, bridges, bows, etc.). Briefs are an integral part of card-table work because they surpass the effectiveness and safety demanded by most cheaters relative to shifts and hops. Over 20 briefs are presented.

Chapter 5

Chapter five starts with the second deal and includes strikes, pushoffs, one-handed, and new-theory seconds. Sixty methods are presented—for comparison, Erdnase offered two methods that were described in four paragraphs. But the chapter digs deeper into this classic false deal by looking at over 25 technical considerations, ‘demonstration seconds’ (Marlo’s ‘no-touch’ second versus Walter Scott’s method), and questionable information. The section ends with 10 new-theory seconds.

Similarly, the bottom deal is next and starts with several technical considerations and the traits of the best bottom deals.  About 25 methods and variations are presented including the standards, one-handed, and new-theory bottoms.

A short discussion of thirds, Greek-bottoms, and centers are offered without moves, as the research didn’t uncover any mechanics specializing in these techniques . . . although several methods are included in the chapter on pseudo stunts.

Chapter 6

Chapter six was a last-minute addition. Originally, about a dozen peeks were presented after the section on the second deal, but due to an inextricable link between the second deal and marked cards, it was necessary to include an introduction to marked cards—‘blockout,’ ‘cutout,’ ‘sorts,’ ‘touch work’ and more. The field of ‘asymmetries’ is also discussed.

Chapter 7

Chapter seven looks at a combined 30 mucks and holdouts, and about 20 coolers. About a dozen palms are presented along with several replacements and caps.  The chapter ends with a variety of moves like ‘discard switches’ (poker), player/dealer card switches (blackjack), and more.

Chapter 8

Chapter eight offers my research and conclusions about Erdnase. The 130-page chapter essentially addresses one question: Was Erdnase a cheater who plied his trade with moves and systems that he invented? Unfortunately, my findings suggest that Erdnase was neither a cheater nor an expert at the card table! I expect this chapter to jolt many cardmen.

Chapter 9

The chapter on pseudo gambling stunts is presented in several genres: cutting the aces; false shuffling, stacking, culling, and dealing demonstrations; odds and ends; gambling flourishes; fakes (gambling moves), and impressions of my favorite artists. The last stunt presented is known as ‘Total Recall Scanning,’ a powerful memory demonstration and one of the most difficult stunts I do. To appreciate the scope of this chapter, approximately 250 stunts are presented.

Chapter 10

Chapter ten is very short. It opines some of the keys points from the research, offers some advice for beginners and experienced cardmen, recaps my conversations with reviewers, and ends with a few parting comments.