b Blind Shuffling False Riffling False Cutting and Crimping
Blind shuffling, false riffling, false cutting, and crimping are key maneuvers for cheating, but by themselves they do not constitute cheating. They are covers -- the tools and props for cheating maneuvers such as stacking. Three basic ways, therefore, exist to detect cheating: (1) detect the "covers" of cheating: blind shuffling, false riffling, false cutting, crimping. Those covers always indicate previous cheating moves, even if no cheating move can be detected; (2) detect or sense the cheating itself: stacking, peeking, memorizing opponents' hole cards, culling, collusion; and (3) detect or sense the results of cheating by observing illogical or omniscient betting
and playing patterns that could occur only by gaining unnatural advantages through cheating as described in Chapter I.
Blind shuffling properly done is invisible and undetectable. But with alertness and with the right knowledge, cheating can be sensed without ever seeing an illegal move. Still, blind shuffling ineptly or awkwardly done is detectable by simply observing the portion of the deck that never gets shuffled. Any player, however, unfamiliar with the mechanics of blind shuffling will not suspect, much less detect, even a clumsy blind shuffler.
If a cheater is blind shuffling, he has already stacked the deck or perhaps has memorized everyone's hole cards without stacking. If he is using Neocheating techniques, you will probably never see his stacking. Nevertheless, you can indirectly sense the results of his stacking or memorizing hole cards by observing omniscient betting patterns that would be possible only if that player had stacked the deck or knew everyone's hole cards. Once his cheating moves are detected by, for example, the methods listed in Chapters III and IV, or are sensed as described in Chapter I, you can then use the defenses and counterattacks listed on the next page to protect yourself or beat the cheater.
False riffling can often be spotted if you are looking for it, except for the Las Vegas variation during which the deck is covered with both hands while riffling (as described in Chapter IV). Such false riffling cannot be detected with certainty, only suspected.
Spotting or sensing a false cut depends on the cut used. The standard, three-block false cut described in Chapter IV and its more elaborate four-block false variation described in Chapter VI can be detected, or at least suspected, once you know their basic movements. The shifting block cut in which small blocks of cards are moved rapidly from top to bottom (also described in Chapter VI) is a fairly common, legitimate cutting procedure. Still, be alert for cheating whenever a player uses such a cut. And finally, the cut used to remove one card from the top of the deck is hard to detect when done rapidly, but shifting that single card often makes a recognizable snapping sound.
Any time you can see an obvious crimp, you are playing against a careless or inept cheater (or an oafish player who innocently but brutely bends the deck when shuffling). An intended crimp always indicates a previous cheating maneuver, usually stacking. On suspecting a crimp, you can defend yourself by taking one of the following steps:
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