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Discovered a cheat (2 Viewers)

Today I was going through some of my card setups because in the game I've been playing the host isn't really knowledgeable about poker gear and had a wide and narrow deck on one table and ended up having to retire a deck on the other table because it was marked, and those are his only cards (at least they are plastic). I have 20 or so setups so I was going to donate a few next weekend when we have our next game. Some of my most recently purchased cards are Fournier Poker Vision cards. They are most likely what I used at my last home game. So I open the blue deck and it seems light. I count the cards and there are only 46... I end up finding a 3h in the red deck, but I'm still missing the AKs the KQc and 6h. Hard to imagine those cards just went missing. I take meticulous care of my poker gear and I love my playing cards. I tore through all the rest my poker card setups and looked anywhere else I could imagine they went, but couldn't find them.

Saddest part is that the last several games I hosted were for a single table tournament league that was made up mostly of people I've played with several dozen times, and a few co-workers including my department manager.
 
These stories are very sad. Not sad as in 100% "boo hoo", but sad at that we encounter the pettiness of others so often. And in this type of personal, shared-interest endeavor, too.
 
yep sux right there.

ive had chips go "missing" but not cards. thats new. I always count the cards before play just in case.

have a look under the table cushion and rail they can slip under there. see if they are stuck under the table or chairs.
 
We once found a 3D in the card box. That was when I moved to clear card boxes. I put 6 cars in a cigar box and let a player choose the starting deck.

We had been counting cards before the game and we might start that again as well.
 
I always count 52 cards before any game and usually give them a count at least once in the middle, too. It’s just a habit that I picked up as a kid, and we were probably playing go fish back then.
 
upNdown said:
I always count 52 cards before any game and usually give them a count at least once in the middle, too. It’s just a habit that I picked up as a kid, and we were probably playing go fish back then.
Click to expand...
The day after any of my games I take the decks and resort them by suit and place them in the order that a new deck comes in. Next game fan them out on the table and easy to spot any missing cards.
 
Gameface said:
Today I was going through some of my card setups because in the game I've been playing the host isn't really knowledgeable about poker gear and had a wide and narrow deck on one table and ended up having to retire a deck on the other table because it was marked, and those are his only cards (at least they are plastic). I have 20 or so setups so I was going to donate a few next weekend when we have our next game. Some of my most recently purchased cards are Fournier Poker Vision cards. They are most likely what I used at my last home game. So I open the blue deck and it seems light. I count the cards and there are only 46... I end up finding a 3h in the red deck, but I'm still missing the AKs the KQc and 6h. Hard to imagine those cards just went missing. I take meticulous care of my poker gear and I love my playing cards. I tore through all the rest my poker card setups and looked anywhere else I could imagine they went, but couldn't find them.

Saddest part is that the last several games I hosted were for a single table tournament league that was made up mostly of people I've played with several dozen times, and a few co-workers including my department manager.
Click to expand...

This is why casino dealers count down the deck after every hand.
 
It is hard when you discover a cheater. It is such an insult to everyone else in a friendly game.

We double count buy-ins, count the cards prior to play and use a cut card on the bottom of the deck. Cut card is becoming habit because some folks don't realize they hold the deck at an angle when they deal. All this mostly to avoid mistakes.
 
David O said:
The day after any of my games I take the decks and resort them by suit and place them in the order that a new deck comes in. Next game fan them out on the table and easy to spot any missing cards.
Click to expand...
Yes. There are simple procedures to assure everything is right. Unfortunately, many people think this slows the game and ignore them.
For example: when a hand goes to the river, dealer should count the stub. No it is NOT too much trouble and you're done before the hand is completed.
 
Josey, here's some thoughts on that.
  • I make it the responsibility of the dealer at the start of the game to make sure all cards are there. It's very quick to check if they are put up in order.
  • I or sometimes those there at the end of the game will put the cards back in order -- A-K by suit. It takes me less than 3 minutes a deck to do that.
  • I like clear card cases, but putting them in order eliminates the problem of leaving one out and inadvertently getting cards from two decks mixed and winding up with a missing card and a duplicate card in multiple decks.
  • I wouldn't depend merely on a card count unless you only have one deck back of that color. A card count won't prevent that.
 
TexRex said:
Josey, here's some thoughts on that.
  • I or sometimes those there at the end of the game will put the cards back in order -- A-K by suit. It takes me less than 3 minutes a deck to do that.
Click to expand...

Great call. We'll do this after ever session and then, at the start of the next, will fan both decks to insure everything is there.
 
DoubleEagle said:
This is why casino dealers count down the deck after every hand.
Click to expand...
Dunno where you play, but I have NEVER played in a casino where the deck was counted down after every hand, regardless of the game being played.
 
I'm too clumsy to cheat and am woefully ignorant of the mechanics involved.

If I am checking decks, is there a clear way to tell that cards have been intentionally marked rather than just bent or dinged from reckless and/or frequent use?
 
rowlin said:
I'm too clumsy to cheat and am woefully ignorant of the mechanics involved.

If I am checking decks, is there a clear way to tell that cards have been intentionally marked rather than just bent or dinged from reckless and/or frequent use?
Click to expand...

Unintentional marks (made by carelessly pinching your hole cards, or not clearing a card cover will be generally in the same place, regardless of rank/suit. Intentionally marked cards necessarily vary so they can be distinguished from the back.
 
I always get the decks in order after a game, or while we are cashing out someone I trust does that.. Then before the game starts (with players at my table) I spread the cards out to double check they are in order and all cards are a counted for..

I also have myself and a trusted friend that we deal every other hand, this gives enough time for the other to shuffle before they deal next.
 
BGinGA said:
Yep, and the dealer didn't count down those decks after every hand, either:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've never had the dealer cut down a stub either, but I know the Shuffle Machine does. When you said, "I have NEVER played in a casino where the deck was counted down after every hand, I assumed you meant "counted down by the dealer" after every hand, but I took the opportunity to bust your chops a little.
 
I have seen dealers count down the stub from time to time. I never knew why, but I never gave it a second thought either. It’s a sensible measure I guess, though, because most of the tournaments I play in, the decks are checked less than once an hour.
 
So 10-handed to the river is 52 -20 for pocket cards, -5 board cards, -3 burn = 24 cards (+2 for every hand less than 10).

I shall endeavor to make this part of my practice. Thanks for the tip.
 
I can sometimes tell the difference in weight between 52 cards and 50 when shuffling, but not always.
 
WedgeRock said:
Yeah, I've never had the dealer cut down a stub either, but I know the Shuffle Machine does. When you said, "I have NEVER played in a casino where the deck was counted down after every hand, I assumed you meant "counted down by the dealer" after every hand, but I took the opportunity to bust your chops a little.
Click to expand...

Those shufflers are great. we had a hand where the player didn't return his cards. dealer scooped the pot and put the cards in. red light came on (I was in the 10 seat, so I could see it). 9s 7h missing...

Dealer got the cards and reshuffled.
 
krafticus said:
Those shufflers are great. we had a hand where the player didn't return his cards. dealer scooped the pot and put the cards in. red light came on (I was in the 10 seat, so I could see it). 9s 7h missing...

Dealer got the cards and reshuffled.
Click to expand...

Whoa. I knew they counted cards. I assumed they told you how many cards were missing (or how many extra cards there were). I had no idea that they could identify the specific cards. I guess everyone knew what that guy bluffed with...
 
krafticus said:
Those shufflers are great. we had a hand where the player didn't return his cards. dealer scooped the pot and put the cards in. red light came on (I was in the 10 seat, so I could see it). 9s 7h missing...

Dealer got the cards and reshuffled.
Click to expand...
Right. Conversely, last tournament I played in, I won a good sized pot before showdown. I was busy stacking my chips as the dealer was pitching, and when I got my second card, I looked down at two pairs of cards. Oops.
 

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