AP move or just cheating?

[Jack_Black]

Don't know if this should be here or in the "law" section. Mods, feel free to move it. I read this off of Richard Marcus' website. Don't know if this is legal or not:

Blackjack Cheat Scam #1

Spill, Cut and Steer

A cheat receives an Ace on the deal. He then casually spills his drink on it. The casino will immediately remove the wet Ace from the game and replace it with another brand-new Ace from an identical deck. How does this replacement work for the blackjack cheat?

Well, assuming he spotted when the new decks of cards were loaded into the blackjack card shoe, all he'd have to do is wait after two shoes were dealt to spill his drink on the Ace. Then when the replacement Ace is inserted into the pack of six or eight decks, he would be able to distinguish it by the brighter white edge the new card would have over the rest of the cards when the dealer presents the pack for him to cut. In other words, the new Ace would stick out like a sore thumb. So then he will just cut the cards a specific number of cards in front of the Ace, depending on his position at the blackjack table. Believe it or not, most casinos are still not hip to this relatively rank blackjack scam, and when the cheat gets it down, he makes money by betting heavily knowing the bright white ace is coming his way!

[FLASH1296]

Clearly this "move" qualifies as (unambiguous) cheating.

[Richard Munchkin]

But I guess if you were to wander around the casino scouting for tables where people spill a drink it would not be cheating.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Richard Munchkin

But I guess if you were to wander around the casino scouting for tables where people spill a drink it would not be cheating.

You could, but you'd be like the man who rode the MTA in the MTA Song by the Kingston Trio. No shortcuts- has to be an ace.

He may scout forever through the tables of Vegas,
He's the man who never returned.

[Richard Munchkin]

Knowledge of any card is an enormous edge to the player.

[Sucker]

If it's a 5 or a 6 and you know what do do with it, it's STRONGER than an ace.

[Sucker]

BTW, it takes WAY more than 2 shoes for this to work. Even after several HOURS, the cards STILL don't always discolor.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Richard Munchkin

Knowledge of any card is an enormous edge to the player.

Yes, but I reference the OP.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Sucker

BTW, it takes WAY more than 2 shoes for this to work. Even after several HOURS, the cards STILL don't always discolor.

And if they did discolor after two shoes, you'd only have two shots at it, and you'd have to get the cut card both times, too.

[Automatic Monkey]

I don't think it would be considered cheating, because the casino is supplying both the old cards and the new cards, and it was their decision to change one card instead of the whole shoe.

But you are intentionally damaging their property by spilling the drink, and if they figure out it was intentional they could get you for that.