Prevent Cheating In Card Games

There are so many methods to cheat nowadays, no matter how the cheating is performed – by physical objects or online, it often turns out to be very effective.

So, please note the procedures listed below, as they can be very useful in order to prevent cheating:

Seating – Before the start of the game, you should better determine where to sit. How to do that? It is very simple – by drawing cards. If the players have the possibility to sit where they want to, there are real chances for the cheaters who perform cullusion.

Shuffling/Cutting/Dealing – A very important rule. One player should shuffle the cards, the next one should cut them, and after that the cards are dealt by the dealer. These procedures shouldn’t be performed by the same player. This eliminates lots of possible opportunities for cheating.

Use a Postilion – The postilion is a plastic card that is used in order to prevent cheating. Always have a postilion or joker on the bottom of the deck. The postilion and the joker card help prevent bottom dealing, also they stop the glimpse of the bottom card.

Count the Cards – During the game the cards should always be counted. That procedure should be done at regular intervals to ensure the players that there are no missing cards. If, for example, the two Aces are not present, this is a clear sign for cheating.

Check for Markings – Every time you play keep an eye on the cards for crimps, marks, and so on. Of course, sometimes the signs are natural, but you can always request a new deck of cards in case you have any doubts. Cards on the Table – One of the signs for cheating is when someone tries to remove the playing cards from the table. So, watch the game carefully and ensure that all the cards are kept on the table.

Riffle test - One of the most effective methods to prevent cheating is the so called Riffle test. This a simple test that can detect the marked cards. How to perform the riffle test? It’s very simple, you should just hold the whole deck of cards with their back up and then, start riffling the cards from the bottom to the top. While doing this you should look at all the parts of the back of the cards and do it several times to be sure. If there is an animated effect, any kind of movement in the back designs while riffling, the cards have definitely being marked. Actually the riffle test works on the same principle as simple hand-drawn animation in a notebook, when riffled.

Notice that if someone tries to cheat you with an amateur marked cards, the riffle test is the best way to find it out and to spot the signs. Unfortunately, the high-quality marked cards are undetectable even by the riffle test.

And finally, as the history of cheating and marking the cards is old as the poker itself, many people are true experts in this practice. Even the experienced players, who actually don’t need to rely on the marked cards, often use them if the stakes are high enough.