Hermit: Casino cheating. Need help

[Hermit]

This sort of cheating was reported to me from a fellow counter: The dimensions of the cards were modified! Specifically, the width of low cards and aces was larger than the width of the tens and middle cards. That way, the dealer during the shuffle, by taking smoothly cards from the middle of the packs he was shuffling he grouped the cards in two categories aces-low and tens-middle. The final riffle which was normal, clumped the shoe into four parts (1.5 deck each) two of which was aces-low and the other two was tens-middle. If you played the aces-low packets you doubled down and you always got a small card while dealer?s low cards almost never busted. If you played the tens-middle packets the table was full with 20?s and pat hands, no blackjacks, no doubles. The guy figured it out relatively fast and left with a dramatic, thought teaching, experience.

With this incident in mind the fellow counter visited another casino in which he had a strange feeling as he was watching the cards falling down on the table. It looked like the tens followed tens but he didn?t notice any of the procedures he encountered in the previous casino. Anyway, he stopped betting, made some statistical observations and started asking fellow counter and capable cards cheaters. One of the card cheaters he asked, told him about cards with magnetic fibers.

So, my question is: Has anyone of you heard about cards with magnetic fibers or is this a myth of a ?know-all? card cheater?

When I first heard about these magnetic fibers I laughed. But after reconsidering, I believe it is not difficult for someone to create such cards. Even if someone could put in the cards dust of iron, these cards would tend to stick with each other during the riffle.

If any of you have heard that this kind of cards really exist, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Hermit

[ComboProf]

It sounds like a standard magic effect to me.
I at least could perform them, but I bet you
could not get away with it for very long at a blackjack table.

> This sort of cheating was reported to me
> from a fellow counter: The dimensions of the
> cards were modified! Specifically, the width
> of low cards and aces was larger than the
> width of the tens and middle cards. That
> way, the dealer during the shuffle, by
> taking smoothly cards from the middle of the
> packs he was shuffling he grouped the cards
> in two categories aces-low and tens-middle.
> The final riffle which was normal, clumped
> the shoe into four parts (1.5 deck each) two
> of which was aces-low and the other two was
> tens-middle. If you played the aces-low
> packets you doubled down and you always got
> a small card while dealer?s low cards almost
> never busted. If you played the tens-middle
> packets the table was full with 20?s and pat
> hands, no blackjacks, no doubles. The guy
> figured it out relatively fast and left with
> a dramatic, thought teaching, experience.

> With this incident in mind the fellow
> counter visited another casino in which he
> had a strange feeling as he was watching the
> cards falling down on the table. It looked
> like the tens followed tens but he didn?t
> notice any of the procedures he encountered
> in the previous casino. Anyway, he stopped
> betting, made some statistical observations
> and started asking fellow counter and
> capable cards cheaters. One of the card
> cheaters he asked, told him about cards with
> magnetic fibers .

> So, my question is: Has anyone of you heard
> about cards with magnetic fibers or is this
> a myth of a ?know-all? card cheater?

> When I first heard about these magnetic
> fibers I laughed. But after reconsidering, I
> believe it is not difficult for someone to
> create such cards. Even if someone could put
> in the cards dust of iron, these cards would
> tend to stick with each other during the
> riffle.

> If any of you have heard that this kind of
> cards really exist, I would really
> appreciate it.

> Thanks,
> Hermit

[Orson]

...are the suspected casinos? Some time ago there was a discussion at Wong's website about possible cheating in Czech Republic. I also have had some horrible losing sessions there. At one place with great rules and easy shuffle dealer just almost always got a ten while showing a face card. Not worth to mention I almost never got a ten while doubling my 11. These observations are based on several sessions, not just one short session. Of course, the sample size is still not large enough. But after that I met a fellow card counter, who explained me exactly the same type of cheating you described - modified card dimensions. He also played in that casino and was 100% sure he was cheated. I am usually not very paranoiac about the subject of cheating, but some things really are very odd.

Regards,
Orson

[ET Fan]

I am taking this post semi-seriously! Does anyone know if Shufflemassager sells their own cards for use in their product?

Shuffling machines -- don't like 'em a bit.

ETF

> This sort of cheating was reported to me
> from a fellow counter: The dimensions of the
> cards were modified! Specifically, the width
> of low cards and aces was larger than the
> width of the tens and middle cards. That
> way, the dealer during the shuffle, by
> taking smoothly cards from the middle of the
> packs he was shuffling he grouped the cards
> in two categories aces-low and tens-middle.
> The final riffle which was normal, clumped
> the shoe into four parts (1.5 deck each) two
> of which was aces-low and the other two was
> tens-middle. If you played the aces-low
> packets you doubled down and you always got
> a small card while dealer?s low cards almost
> never busted. If you played the tens-middle
> packets the table was full with 20?s and pat
> hands, no blackjacks, no doubles. The guy
> figured it out relatively fast and left with
> a dramatic, thought teaching, experience.

> With this incident in mind the fellow
> counter visited another casino in which he
> had a strange feeling as he was watching the
> cards falling down on the table. It looked
> like the tens followed tens but he didn?t
> notice any of the procedures he encountered
> in the previous casino. Anyway, he stopped
> betting, made some statistical observations
> and started asking fellow counter and
> capable cards cheaters. One of the card
> cheaters he asked, told him about cards with
> magnetic fibers .

> So, my question is: Has anyone of you heard
> about cards with magnetic fibers or is this
> a myth of a ?know-all? card cheater?

> When I first heard about these magnetic
> fibers I laughed. But after reconsidering, I
> believe it is not difficult for someone to
> create such cards. Even if someone could put
> in the cards dust of iron, these cards would
> tend to stick with each other during the
> riffle.

> If any of you have heard that this kind of
> cards really exist, I would really
> appreciate it.

> Thanks,
> Hermit

[dee]

> I am taking this post semi-seriously! Does
> anyone know if Shufflemassager sells their
> own cards for use in their product?

> Shuffling machines -- don't like 'em a bit.

> ETF
Where Exactly is this cheating with cards of different sizes- answer now or be found egregious in explaining an 'off day' at the tables.

[SOTSOG]

They are known as 'strippers'.
And they will 'strip' the money from your bankroll. Pay attention when the dealer strips the deck before the riffle -- are the cards coming from the top of the deck?

[Jake {|:>)]

If the cards groups are even a little shaven then you should be able to see the effect in the discard tray and again when the dealer squares the cards for a cut assuming we are talking about a shoe game.

{|:>)

[ET Fan]