Zarrow exposure

[Guest]

I was at the Gutshot Poker Club in London. To kill time during a break in a tournament, I skimmed through a copy of Poker Player (May 2007).
An article by Mark McAndrew, titled 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels', discussed the methods of cardsharps. It included a colour reproduction of the American DVD 'Herb Zarrow on the Zarrow shuffle' which I happen to own. It also referred to juice decks.

I began to wonder if knowledge of the Zarrow shuffle and other arcane methods would soon become commonplace?

But I was soon distracted by the action at the table.
Short stacked, I dealt myself a King Queen and went all in against an Ace Jack. Made a powerful two pair on the flop, only to realise I had dealt my opponent an instant Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten of Clubs.
These Hollywood hands aren't supposed to occur in real life.
Approximately 650,000 to 1.

[Bob Farmer]

Given the number of magicians who know about the ZS, but either can't do it or do it really badly, I think we're safe -- done well, it looks like a real shuffle.

[Guest]

One thing I notice about the FS. I can ALWAYS tell when ever someone is doing it, good or bad.

First sign: They are doing a table riffle. Pretty much a give away right there.

Second: They square up the cards too fast. When you do an actual riffle, each card is interlaced, so when you push them together to square up, it takes just a split second longer.

Just a minor detail but I notice it all the time.

When I do my FS, I slow it down and try to simulate actually pushing the cards together as though they are interlaced.

[Pete Biro]

I was actually dealt an Ace High Royal Flush in Spades in a real poker game once. Wow! :rolleyes:

Unfortunately the LOOK OF SURPRISE on my face killed it, everyone in the game looked at me and FOLDED on the spot. :rolleyes:

[Guest]

I got a royal flush once and got so excited I offered to pay someone to bet against me cuz everyone was folding. So I won the blinds and I was the durn big blind! I did show everyone!