Poker, for those unaware of its history, was frequently termed as "the cheating game" back when it was being played on Mississippi river boats. After all, there's money involved -- sometimes lots of it.
One seemingly universal truth when it comes to gambling games is that cheaters are drawn to it like flies; ever ready to pounce on any opportunity that may present itself. Here are some cheating techniques that people have used, and are using to win poker games.
Using "shiners" is one way to cheat in poker games. Shiners are reflective objects which can be used by the player to see, or at least get a glimpse of the face of the cards being dealt. The most common objects that cheaters use as a shiner are fingernails, rings, or even cigarettes.
Another way to cheat in poker is by marking cards. This is done so that the player or dealer can determine what a card is even if it's turned upside down, or when it's still mixed in with the other cards in the deck. There are a number of ways to mark cards. A small indentation can be made so as to identify the card just by holding its edges. This is done via the use of a fingernail or anything like it.
Another way to mark cards is by using a minute piece of pencil lead or charcoal to place a seemingly innocent looking blot on the back of the card. More elaborate ways of marking cards exist, but all of these serve the same purpose.
"Cold decking" is another cheating option in a poker game. This simply means that the player or dealer replaces the real deck with a stacked and altered one before or even during the game.
"Holdouts" are devices that players use to covertly produce a card excluded from the cards in the game into the hand of the player. Usually, holdouts are located inside the player's sleeves. These gave birth to the well known expression "... an Ace up your sleeve" and others like it.
While some players use complex mechanical device, others prefer more simple ones such as pockets where the card can be stored. To even have a chance to pull this off successfully, the player needs to have an exceptional talent for sleight of hand.
Dealers in cahoots with cheating players can apply the "false cuts and shuffles" technique. Here, the dealer makes it look like he/she is completely shuffling the deck, although what's truly happening is that the cards are being manipulated into a favorable arrangement for the dealer's partner in crime.
Cheating in poker games isn't a new occurrence. Ever since the first poker games were being played, crafty and shady individuals are inventing ways to cheat their way to success.
