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 teaching them how the tricks are performed. I shall merely mention what is absolutely necessary, to make those who play, SHARP, and warn them against SHARPERS.
GENERAL RULES.
THE DIFFERENT TRICKS PRACTISED AT GAMES OF CARDS.
- 1. The saut de coupe.
- 2. The passe-coupe, or cut beneath.
- 3. The enjambage, or cut above.
- 4. The carte large, or large card.
- 5. The pont, or bridge.
- 6. The carte tuilée, or bent card.
- 7. The filage, or card changed.
- 8. The enlevage, or card abstracted.
- 9. The posage, or card replaced.
- 10. The carte à l'œil, or glance.
- 11. The substitution des jeux, or pack of cards substituted.
- 12. The boîte à la manche, or box of cards in the sleeve.
- 13. The faux mélanges, or false shuffle.
- 14. The mélange classificateur, or arranged shuffle.
- 15. The mélange partiel, or partial shuffle.
- 16. The éventail, or fan.
- 17. The queue d'aronde, or dove-tail.
- 18. The cartes adhérentes ou glissantes, or adherent or sliding cards.
- 19. The cartes teintées, or tinted cards.
- 20. The cartes hors d'équerre, or slanting cards.
- 21. The cartes pointées, or pricked cards.
- 22. The cartes morfilées, or cards with indented edges.
- 23. The cartes ondulées, or wavy cards.
- 24. The cartes tarotées, or enamelled cards.
- 25. The cartes marquées, or marked cards.
- 26. The chapelet, or rosary.
- 27. The bague à marquer, or ring for marking.
- 28. The tabatière à réflexion, or reflecting snuff-box.
- 29. The télégraphie, or telegraph.
[CHAPTER I.]
THE FALSE CUT.
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.