Contents
Cover Page
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
A Brief Glossary of Useful Cheating Terms
Part I: Mr. Black and White
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Part II: Juice
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Part III: Shoot the Pickle
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
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Copyright Page
For Margaret Swain
You’re never so slick that you can’t stand another greasing.
—Old gambling expression
A Brief Glossary of Useful Cheating Terms
Action
Any gambling activity.
Beef
A complaint.
Bleed
To cheat a game slowly.
Bustout joint
A casino that cheats its customers.
Cheater
One who practices fraud or deception. Also known as an advantage player, grifter, hustler, mechanic, rounder, or scammer.
Classmates
Two people working in collusion in a card game.
Cooler
A prearranged deck that is secretly switched for a deck in play. Also known as iron man.
Cooler mob
A group of cheaters who switch decks of cards.
Crossroader
A cheater who specializes in ripping off casinos.
Doing business
Cheating.
Feel a breeze
When you feel something unnatural going on, but don’t know what it is.
Gaff
A cheating device.
Gamer
Someone employed in the gambling industry.
Giving the office
Communicating through a secret code.
Greed factor
Winning too much, too often.
Grift sense
The ability to spot a scam or hustle. A compliment among hustlers.
Hairy leg
A moneyman who backs a game.
Half smart
Someone who thinks he’s smart, but isn’t.
Heat
Unwanted attention. Also called steam.
Hot seat
Where the sucker sits.
Joint
A casino.
Juice
Influence with the right people.
Muck
To switch cards.
Mucker
A cheater who specializes in switching cards.
On the square
A game that is played legitimately.
Peek joint
A setup allowing a hidden person to see someone’s hand during a card game.
Paper
Marked cards. Also known as paint.
Proposition bet
A bet that you can’t win, and won’t win. Also known as a proposition.
Ring game
A side game in a poker tournament.
Shiner
A reflecting device used to spot cards as they are dealt.
Shoot the pickle
To make a huge bet. To go for it.
Suckers
99 percent of the people who gamble. Also known as chumps, marks, pigeons, rubes, and vics (victims).
Tell
An unconscious signal that may be spotted by a knowledgeable player.