Card cheating devices are gadgets that look like smartphones but contain software and hardware designed to read markings on cards using a hidden camera. It can then analyze the patterns to provide information about a given card’s suit and value, helping the cheater determine their best course of action during play. This type of cheating is common, but it can also be very easy to detect, particularly when it’s done by a skilled card cheat with the help of a device. Many methods have been developed for cheating at card games. They include counting cards and hand mucking. These techniques are usually quite bold, and rely more on steady nerves than dexterity.
The most popular method of card cheating is to use a card marker. These kits allow the crook to apply subtle marks on the cards that only appear with a specific lens, and they give the crook the ability to keep a running count of high cards and low cards without seeing the front of the card. Historically, card markers were applied using daub cups, which were pinned to the crook’s shirt sleeve for easy access.
More sophisticated card cheats will often perform false shuffles and false cuts to maintain order in a special stack of cards (known as the “cold deck”). They may also move certain cards to advantageous positions in the deck, such as moving an Ace of spades from the top of the stack to the fifth position, which can be particularly useful when playing Blackjack.