Possible cheating (long-ish) please help (crossposted in home poker)

[Derek in NYC]

Person to the left of the dealer should shuffle, person to the right of the dealers should cut.

If you find this too cumbersome and want the same person to shuffle/cut/deal, then insist that cards stay on the table during the shuffle, and that a one handed box cut is employed (with a bottom card). A fair cut makes cheating very difficult.

[poker-penguin]

Or use the Scarne cut - I think it was taught to GIs back in the day to stop them from getting fleeced by English card sharps, anyway, it goes something like:

Cut the top third of the deck off, place it on the table. Cut another third of the deck off, hold it in your hand,
Place the bottom third of the deck on the top third
Plce the middle third on top of the other two thirds

Very difficult to rig against.

[SheetWise]

He needs to be taught a lesson. A lesson best learned (and taught) with a 2 x 4.

[poker-penguin]

The general holdem forum had a similar situation come up in a thread a few weeks ago. The consensus there was that the standard response should be to hit cheaters in the face with a shovel.

[Timer]

[ QUOTE ]
Or use the Scarne cut -

[/ QUOTE ]

In gin tournaments (and gin side games) it is standard practice to "shuffle the cut." So when the cards are handed to you to cut, you can cut them as you normally would, or you can elect to give them a couple of riffles and then a cut if you wish.

No one complains, because everyone (but newbies) know this is the rule. It's not a bad idea to make this the rule in home poker games as well.

[Lottery Larry]

Bad standard solution, unless you enjoy jail time for assault.

[Lottery Larry]

This sounds similar to something I read online somewhere and use myself.

Using your right hand, drop off portions of the deck in different sizes, moving to the right as you do so, until you have 3-4 piles.
Now, pick them back up in a mixed order, skipping over piles as needed. This eliminates the top and bottom card from the shuffled deck.

So, it would be- drop left to right 1 2 3 4 (1 has bottom card, 4 has top) and pick up 3,1,2,4

Once you practice it, it's a smooth continuous motion and doesn't take long at all.

[xniNja]

Am I the only one who seriously doubts the validity of this story? The hands mentioned above would take a ridiculous degree of precision in mechanics. Your roommate, who doesn't really play cards except for on your on-line accounts, suddenly comes into and arbitrates your entire home game? (and you for some reason let him deal half the hands?)

What the hell is wrong with you. You and your other friends are idiots if this story is true.

[VarlosZ]

[ QUOTE ]
after this, I notice someting about my roommate's shuffling. he always has the cards under the table.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is where you lost me. I've played in many home games that were extremely friendly and informal, but I've never been in one where this would be allowed.

I also question how he's rigging the deck in such precise ways with the methods you describe. Unless he's got 20 pre-ordered decks hidden on his person and ready to go, it seems implausible.

Anyway, on the off chance that this is actually happening as described, tell the other players to make sure the deck stays above the table and to cut the damn cards. Also, don't let him use your online account, and change your password ASAP.

[CliffsNotes]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi,
My buddy stacks the deck, and makes it really obvious.
How can I tell him he's a [censored] cheater without having him steal all the money out of my poker accounts?


[/ QUOTE ]