Fabian of the Yard: "Marked cards are not used in the big games..."

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Fabian of the Yard: "Marked cards are not used in the big games..."

Postby Guest » January 15th, 2006, 11:15 pm

Marked cards are not used in the big games. Any experienced gamblerand all good police officerscan detect them at once, by the method known as " the 100 Secret." You pick up the pack, and riffle it with your thumb, the backs toward you. If there is any slight variation of the pattern, it immediately comes to life under your eyes, and seems to squirm and dance like a motion pictures.

You can buy marked cards in London at conjurors's shops for 5s. to 3, according to quality, but they are for novices only. The big money cheats mark the cards whilst in play!

The marking is done by a smear of "daub," which is a crayon-like past made by missing a little printers' ink with stearine and wax, to which you add a few drops of Venetian turpentine. One West End sharper conceals the daub on his waxed mustache, and fingers it thoughtfully in play.

London After Dark
(Panther Books no. 826 )
By Robert Fabian, London, 1958
p. 33

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