Home game cheater, how should I have handled this?

[Lottery Larry]

"then when the dealer had AA with an A on the flop to the other guys QQ with queens in two other peoples hands... something wasn't kosher."

If he was stupid enough to set it up this way (the Ace being overkill) then he's a DUMB cheat.

[grandgnu]

[ QUOTE ]
"where not only do you cut the deck, but the deck MUST remain on the table while the cards are dealt"

Have you ever tried to deal cards out this way? If it's THAT bad, it's time to break up your game.

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It's not that it's gotten THAT bad, but that I've seen a video clip online of a bottom deal even with a cut card used. My events used to be just $20 buy-ins, but now I also hold $50 and $100 buy-in games and I must ensure everything is as safe and fair as possible.

Yes, it is a pain to deal the cards like that, but if you hold the back/top of the deck while it's on the table as you deal, it's not so bad.

[SeppDeitrich]

if he is a cheater he is a stupid one, why deal a hand that will get you no action postflop.

[smoore]

If you think someone is cheating, just have them (or the player next to them) wash/scramble the deck every time. If he's built himself a runt there's no way he can control it with a fair wash. The dealer before him can also wash the muck into the rest of the deck, eliminating any runt. A card mechanic MUST have control over the cards he wants to present before he starts shuffling. If he doesn't know where they are he has a very small chance of getting it right.

[Seminary Rounder]

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You should enforce a rule where not only do you cut the deck, but the deck MUST remain on the table while the cards are dealt. This way they can't get at any of the bottom cards to cheat.
The use of a dealer shoe would also work. Good luck!

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These sound like good options and for most cheaters they will suffice, but if this guy was cheating the way we think he was then that means he could have done the same thing just prior to setting the deck on the table or placing it in the shoe. The best cheats don't deal from the bottom, the cheat is actually in the shuffle and in the presentation of the deck for cut. This whole thing does sound fishy, and it is unlikely that anyone will enjoy your homegame if this guy is at the table. After all who wants to watch out for a "mechanic's grip" all night?

BTW dealing from the table is slow and ackward, if you don't trust people at your game break it up or find new people. Your action will be less and your players will drop out if they suspect cheats.

[Seminary Rounder]

[ QUOTE ]
if he is a cheater he is a stupid one, why deal a hand that will get you no action postflop.

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Unless he intended one of the Queens to fall on the board instead of getting dealt out. He still isn't a good cheat, because if this is true that means he messed up and dealt away the card that would have guarranteed action.

[Stand]

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WHY DO YOU LET THE DEALER SHUFFLE HIS OWN DECK?

Problem solved.

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Another simple idea is a double cut. First cut you pull out the middle third of the deck and put it on top. Then the second cut is a normal top to bottom cut. The person who cuts has to square up the deck, not the dealer. It sounds like in the original post what the dealer did that looked funny was to uncut the deck, which he can do with one hand while covering with the other. He can't do this if it is squared.

This type of cut was suggested in an old poker book, which of course I can't remember the name of anymore (the author talked about being on the Merv Griffen show)! It is an easy way to break up a rigged deck, but it requires a little training of the players. If you can't get everyone to make it a habit, you could just use this cut for your suspect dealer. Anyone at the table should be able to request to cut the deck before any deal, so you can stop the cheat and send a strong message by just asking for an extra cut.

We usually use two decks in our games, and we have the dealer rebuild and shuffle the deck he just dealt during the next hand, and then the next dealer for that deck shuffles it also. I'm not an expert, but I think would be pretty hard to rig a deck or build a runt from a deck that has already been shuffled.

[Morbo]

That wasn't very thought out now was it? The cheater still gets to shuffle the deck once every orbit, no?

[etizzle]

yes but the dealer should cut it