with which he gains the game by capoting his adversary.
In this hand, then, he has made a hundred and sixty-three points.
This selection of cards, and their arrangement, is a specimen of what can be done by cheating; however, a Greek usually will not venture to do it on so large a scale; but contents himself with a quatorze of aces or kings, or even a simple quint. The selection of these cards is simple and easy, compared with the former trick.
PART III.
THE "COUP DE PIQUET."
Abstraction and Substitution of Cards.
In former days, it was the fashion at piquet, when the deal was finished, to divide the talon into two unequal packets, and place them one on the top of the other, in the shape of a cross. Now, however, these eight cards are left in one packet.
This new fashion has given rise to a fresh roguery, which, though a very audacious one, is no less difficult to discover, where the parties are not cognisant of it.
Once known, it is quite another thing.
This rascality is executed in the following manner:
The sharper, in dealing, gives himself three cards too many. He then intentionally places the talon a little nearer to himself than to his adversary.