When people think of cheating in poker most assume you deal someone 3 Aces and another 3 Kings. This comes from a basic lack of knowledge about cheating practices. Most people have heard about cold decks and cards being dealt from the bottom and/or other parts of the deck, however, most of this is a thing of the past. Cheating technique in casinos has changed over the years. The ‘lone wolf’ premise is pretty much extinct these days. A ‘lone wolf’ is usually a ‘hold out’ or ‘machine man’ - a person who takes cards out of the deck to use when he needs them.

Scamming has replaced this antiquated way to cheat. Card mechanics have been around for centuries. Of course, scamming and marked cards are also as old as the games themselves, but they are a more subtle form of cheating and less likely to be observed. Too many people know about mechanics, and too many people are able to catch them. At best a card mechanic may only get in a couple of maneuvers without someone getting wise. This is the reason they have become dinosaurs in all but a few situations. A more lucrative method has been developed and honed so that teams or packs conduct 99% of cheating in casinos today. By betting and raising and betting through people, and by saving bets and making extra bets, scammers are able to steal your money without you or any other honest person at the table being the wiser. Most people have no idea about scamming or the use of marked cards - the concept is basically alien to them. This is a slow(er), more methodical way to extract the money. And it takes finesse.

Bottom line - the higher the stakes, the better the scammers, the better the scam. The heavyweights are always the toughest. It takes a World Class Player to do this and not alert others to the ploy. Playing perfectly, hand after hand to the point that no one could question the play comes only from someone who is a highly skilled player. But the heavyweights don’t do it alone. 

Cheating packs are sophisticated, flexible, and mobile. Some packs collude with other packs, while others don't or can't. Cheating packs are territorial and greedy. Packs often have to split because they acquire too many members or because of dissention among members. This means some have to go, to branch off and establish a new pack. But new and old pack members are aware that there is a definite hierarchy in cheating packs - seniority rules, so the newer packs must defer to the older packs.

Opposing packs do come into contact, however. Especially, when it involves more money. There is a saying amongst gamblers - actually it is cheaters -"Gamblers may drift apart, but the lust for gold will bring them back (together again)". So all personal differences are put aside when it comes to the big score. Take the money and then go back to fighting.

Cheats are actors. Everyday they have to persuade others that they are normal people. This can be very difficult in itself. Frequently, feigned hostility toward another player is used to lure unsuspecting dupes into a sense of false security. When it is believed that people are enemies, the game looks that much more appealing to the average player – more winnable, more honest.

Another typical cheating tactic involves the use of bait. Cheats have ‘moles’ circulating everywhere. This is the way they get their information. One could almost liken it to a union. Honest players are just unaware of who is on the ‘payroll’

Obviously some cheats have to hang around together. However, appearances being part of the scam, cheats must be selective. Some can't hang out with others. It looks too bad. Again, the façade of hostility existing between one scammer and another helps to throw off the scent of any collusion or cheating. There are many (very many!) players who say, “The best we can be accused of is ‘saving bets ‘”. This means they are not actually playing against each other because they return the money at a later time. So don't believe the ‘show’ for it is only for show. But at the same time you must ask, ”If this is the best they can be accused of, what is the worst?” A good rule of thumb to remember when trying to assess the principles of a scam artist is the old stand-by saying of the cheater, “If you can't cheat your friends, who can you cheat? Your enemies won't give you the chance.” So the bottom line is that a cheat cheats.

I haven’t played in a casino in California or Nevada this year, but I assume some of the packs have branched out. Don't think these people have changed their ways in the last year. They haven't. They may have changed their pack members but that is all. Their methods for scamming the public remain constant.

Tournament cheats are at the bottom of the cheating food chain. There is not enough money in the tournaments for all the cheats who are playing. And they can't play well enough or don't know enough to get into the cash or side games. Cheating in the side games is where the real money is.

The casinos are trying to harvest another fresh crop so their publicity is on the tournaments. Many of these regular tournament players can play in the cash games; they just can't win.

Remember two things about poker; honest players know very little about cheating, and cheaters know everything about honest players. Quite a dichotomy. While honest players may hear stories or even observe an occurrence on occasion (and may not even realize what the have seen), the cheats are in possession of all the facts. In today’s world of cards, accusing one person of cheating in poker is ludicrous – you should accuse the entire pack. The scammers and cheaters always have accomplices and allies. And don’t forget that some of those accomplices are employed by the casinos. And the odds are in whose favor?

You will hear denials from all fronts on this. What else could you expect? ‘They’ say, “Prove it”. Just because you can’t prove it doesn't mean it isn't being done. I did it; no one proved it.

Russ G