160 entries in Cards / Effect Themes / Gambling / Other Games
Creators Title Comments & References Year Source Page AA Categories
Henri Decremps Coup-d'oeil sur une assemblée de Joueurs. meeting Pilferer again in London, different methods for cheating at cards
1785 204
Henri Decremps Tour du Piquet incompréhensible, nouvellement perfectionné. performer always has best five cards from chosen suit, spectator deals several hands, inspired by a routine in Guyot
1785 225
Prouver combien il est imprudent de jouer de l'argent demonstration of cheating to give yourself the four Kings
1786 139
Faire une pareil demonstration au Brelan; en se donnant brelan de rois demonstration of cheating in another game to give yourself three-of-a-kind
1786 141
The Whist Trick. Improved Method. "To deal yourself all the Trumps, the three other Players holding the usual mixed Hands"
1876 119
The Whist Trick dealing four hands, one contains winning suit and others are either mixed or also sorted in suits
1889 78
Das Mischen und gleichzeitige Ordnen der Karten "Die Kartenschule von Carl Willmann"
open mixing procedure which stacks cards, for game Écarté
Aug. 1896
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 2 No. 8)
114
Eduard W. Lufa Die berühmte Partie Piquet eines Blinden rules of the game piquet, playing it blind à la Comus & de Grisy-Torrini, flexible stack that allows decisions by spectator
Related to Aug. 1899
Die Zauberwelt (Vol. 5 No. 8)
116
Charles T. Jordan The Pinochle Ace Trick No. 4, eight Aces from Pinochle deck, packets are formed and eliminated by throwing dice, Aces travel to one packet
1920 10
Jack Merlin Pinochle routine for winning in Pinochle
1927/28 19
Jack Merlin A Simple Run Up For Pinochle with haymow shuffle
1927/28 20
Tom Sellers The U Win Card Trick winning in Nap, Brag, Pontoon
1931 21
Theodore Annemann Proposition Bet "Thoughts in General", two named values together
Sep. 1935
The Jinx (Issue 12)
58
Theodore Annemann Proposition Bet 2 "Thoughts in General"
Sep. 1935
The Jinx (Issue 12)
58
Victor Farelli Loo Lung or The Chinese Coin magician locates two cards by a lot of dealing and equivoque to eliminate piles, with a bit of gambling theme (Euchre and Loo Lung)
1936 44
U. F. Grant No Dice removing cards from packet with certain values wins game, one-way backs
1937 151
Louis Nikola "Nap" trick with Nikola memorized deck
1937 391
The Rhummy Master winning at rummy
1937
The Jinx (Issue Winter Extra 1936/37)
180
Frank Travers The Rhummy Cheat using jinx switch
Oct. 1937
The Jinx (Issue 37)
247
Russell "Rusduck" Duck Gin! as Rusduck, strategy and subterfuge to win at Gin Rummy
Sep. 1945
The Phoenix (Issue 91)
370
R. M. Jamison MOOLA betting game, Jacks on table covered with indifferent card, spectator has to find indifferent card, three phases
Dec. 1946 279
Edward Marlo The Rummy Game part of "Marlo's Miracle Routine"
1947 16
The Tantalizer twenty-second position and packet dealing
Related toVariations 1948 112
Betting on a Sure Thing Game of NIM with some rows of cards
1949 18
Paul Rosini A Sure Thing
1950 41
Alex Elmsley Pierce Arrow unusual game in which one deals through twelve cards and tries to predict position of reversed card, actually "Peirce Arrow"
Inspired byRelated toAlso published here Mar. 1958
Ibidem (Issue 13)
5
Martin Gardner Odd! Monty Hall discussion, bet with three cards
Variations Oct. 1959
Ibidem (Issue 18)
3
Edward Marlo Gin Rummy Stack
  • 1st Combination
  • 2nd Combination (In Two Shuffles)
  • 3rd Combination (In Two Shuffles)
1964
The Patented Shuffle (Issue 4 Transfers)
45
Dai Vernon Order in the Court pseudo gambling game with five cards of Royal Flush
Related to
  • p. 77 for credit information
Dec. 1966 67
Roy Walton Checkers card version with two decks
Inspired byRelated to May 1968 178
Karl Fulves Monte Carlo Poker number cards used for betting game after a single riffle shuffle
1968 58
Peter Alexis 50-50 performer and spectator have card, whichever comes first when deck is dealt wins, cheating
Variations June 1969 261
Val Andrews Snap! No. 11, word gag
1970 (ca.) 6
Gene Finnell A Card Game Paradox
Related to July 1971
Epilogue (Issue 12)
91
P. Howard Lyons Toronto Dice note
Inspired by Nov. 1971
Epilogue (Issue 13)
99
Bradley Efron Las Vegas Dice non-transitive dice, also as packets of cards, see also p. 410 for idea by Stewart Olney
Jan. 1971 393
Martin Gardner A Betting Swindle betting game with three suits after a riffle shuffle
Inspired by 1973 88
Allan Slaight Top Twenty Poker, Gin, Blackjack combination
Inspired byAlso published here July 1973 637
Nick Trost The Trick of Thirty-One gambling game with Aces, Twos, ... Sixes, with winning strategy
1975 6
Tic Tac Toe Bet with red and black cards
1975 17
Nick Trost Card Craps card craps game with special short-long deck
1975 22
Nick Trost The Pinochle Deck Pinochle demonstration
1975 25
Karl Fulves Ace-Deuce-Jack proposition bet, Ace, Two or Jack has to appear at the bottom of any of three piles
Related to 1977 163
Vier Buben four jacks are found behind from a shuffled deck, spectator selects the one of chosen suit, Skat
1978 67
Allan Slaight Unkindest Cut Of All rummy and blackjack deal featuring a winning blackjack stack
VariationsAlso published here Apr. 1979
Apocalypse (Vol. 2 No. 4)
186
Gambling Scam betting game with cards, odds in performer's favor
Related to
  • John Scarne's "Complete Guide to Gambling"
1979
Magick (Issue 246)
1229
Melvin Anderson Apocalypse Variations Or Additions blackjack stack, Gin Rummy
Inspired by Feb. 1980
Apocalypse (Vol. 3 No. 2)
304
Walt Lees Even Break one of two, gambling presentation
Inspired byVariations July 1980
Pabular (Vol. 6 No. 7)
873
Fred Lowe, Der 31-Kartentrick NIM/"The Game of 31" with cards
Aug. 1980
Intermagic (Vol. 7 No. 2)
54
Karl Fulves Scoring card game is played, score is predicted printed on a card
1981 47
Martin Gardner Quant Quirk 4x4 square of 16 cards, some face-up some face-down randomly, with certain allowed turnover moves one has to get all cards in one direction, sucker game
1981 18
Karl Fulves Quant Notes notes on preceding "Quant Quirk"
1981 21
Coasters betting game with Ace through Seven or seven numbered coaster
Variations 1981 47
Allan Slaight Continued combined with Stud Poker and Lie-Speller
Inspired by May 1982
Apocalypse (Vol. 5 No. 5)
633
Roy Walton, Karl Fulves 31 Plus Ace through Six used, spectator choses three and performer takes other three, they call their numbers and whoever adds to 31 wins
Related toVariations 1982 17
Juan Tamariz Exhibición de Juegos Españoles multi-phase gambling routine with Spanish playing cards, deck of forty cards
Related to 1984 26
Jean Hugard Do It and Fail with 28/32 card deck a layout and dealing game is explained, the spectator always fails at it
1985 29
Ray Grismer Three Out of Four Hi-Lo Aces and Faces punched
1988 10
Ray Grismer Hi-Lo Even Money Aces and Faces punched
1988 10
Ray Grismer Another Hi-Lo Bet Aces and Faces punched
1988 11
Peter Wilker, Dr. Jacob Daley, Wolfgang Rohde, Robert E. Neale ... und das verfluchte Würfelspiel on the game of 31 / NIM, adding numbers from die, person who surpasses 31 loses the game
  • Das Einunddreissiger-Spiel
  • Was hat der Zauberer davon?
  • Eine Fundamental neue Idee
  • Das Rohde-System
  • Vom Würfel zur Karten
  • Von Karten zu Würfeln
  • Anhang: Die Schlüsselzahlen beim Würfelspiel
Related to
  • Ken de Courcy's "The Australian Gambling Game of 31"
  • Robert Neale's "Six Card Swindle" 1985.
1988
Magische Blätter (Vol. 2 No. 5)
4
Lennart Green The Last Duel full deck stack
1989 10
Martin Gardner, Karl Fulves Martin Gardner's Elusive Ace Monty Hall problem with three Aces, monte type routine by Fulves
Inspired byRelated to 1990
Swindle Sheet (Issue 1)
6
Alex Elmsley Pierce Arrow unusual game in which one deals through twelve cards and tries to predict position of reversed card, actually "Peirce Arrow"
Also published here 1991 397
Karl Fulves High Stebbins
  • (A) spectator cuts packet and takes top card, performer next, high card wins
  • (B) high card wins with twelve-card packet, three cards each, performer has better odds
  • (C) high card wins variation with better odds for performer
  • (D) high card wins combined with faro shuffle to shift odds to first or second player
1991 10
Karl Fulves Digit Detective two spectators play "high card wins" with a packet, performer divines card value that was added previously
1991 15
Karl Fulves Markers ideas related to nontransitive games
  • Simple Sets (Dualities, Royal Family)
  • Unequal Sets
  • A Nontransitive Pyramid
  • Flat Dice
  • Parity Dice (4 Thru 9 Dice, 2 Thru 10 Dice, 1 Thru 12 Dice, 36 Number Dice)
  • House Dice
  • High Percentage Games
  • 3 Blind Dice
  • Little Bingo
  • Odds On
1991 52
Edward Marlo Solution to Gin Rummy! faro
Apr. 1992
The Olram File (Issue 11)
10
Karl Fulves Bar Room Bingo cards distributed in six glasses, two glasses selected, aim is to get near 14 but not over
1992 22
Arturo de Ascanio ¿Juega Usted al Mus? gambling routine for the spanish game "Mus", with a deck of forty cards
Also published here
  • "Circular Mensual del S.E.I." N° 4, 1954.
1992 7
Bob Farmer The Game of 31 Ace through Six on table, numbers added until in turn until 31 is reached, performer always wins
Related to 1994 18
Bob Farmer Svengali Monte monte type betting routine with the deck cut into three piles, optional clean ending
1994 22
Bob Farmer La Monte Symbiotic
  • Flim-Flam
three piles on the table, spectator cannot follow top card of one pile
Related to
  • "Symbiotic Deck" (Gary Ouellet)
Sep. 1994
Magic (Vol. 4 No. 1)
71
Tic-Tac-Toe No. 46, card values decide where to place the 0 or X
1995 88
Bob Farmer One Card 10/20 Poker four players name a number between ten and twenty, that card is counted to, high card wins, performer controls outcome
Related to June 1995
Magic (Vol. 4 No. 10)
68
Bob Farmer, Max Maven Fifty Years Ago in Magic
  • Flim-Flam
on the Billy O’Connor's backcount force in "One Card 10/20 Poker", back and forth letters between Max and Bob
Related to Sep. 1995
Magic (Vol. 5 No. 1)
70
Karl Fulves The Dome con game in which Aces are dealt and if first two are of different color, player wins
Related to 1996 114
Nick Trost Double Pinochle with an Elevator Finish
Inspired by
  • "Knock-Out Aces" (Ted Biet, Genii, June 1982)
1997 22
Nick Trost Pinochle Deal uses Pinochle deck
1997 239
Nick Trost Pitch Deal Game called "Pitch"
1997 242
Nick Trost In-Between Deal Game called In-Between, uses poker chips
1997 254
Nick Trost Gin Rummy Deal
1997 257
Nick Trost Coon Can Deal Gives description and history of game
1997 261
Nick Trost Canasta Deal
Related to 1997 270
Nick Trost Uruguay Canasta Deal
Related to 1997 273
Nick Trost International Canasta Deal
1997 274
Christian Scherer Jass Deal winning hand for Swiss card game "Jass", all cards are known and performer gets winning hand
1997 37
Karl Fulves Psy-Key advantage for an ESP guessing game, memory
1998 31
Karl Fulves 4 In A Row
  • "Dot Com - Tricks and stunts with numbers"
betting game with Ace through Ten and sequences within the row that are decreasing or increasing
Related to 1998 207
Gus Davenport Flipping Swindle five cards laid out in cross formation, cards have to be dropped onto the formation so that it is eventually covered completely, with gags
1998 58
Karl Fulves And The Winner Is spectators choose four cards face up from group of sixteen cards, values added and number predicted, Matrix Force application
  • Notes & References (credit information)
Variations 1998 122
David Acer Shot in the Dark (A Professional Presentation)
packet trick with guns on cards, russian roulette presentation, prime number principle
Inspired by
  • "Shot in the Dark" (Hiroshi Kondo, marketed effect)
1999 193
Ellis Stanyon "Thirty-one" (Simple Version) No. 12, "A Cardsharp's Trick", game in which cards are drawn alternately and the sum of the values cannot exceed thirty-one
Related toVariations 1999 63
Karl Fulves Supplementary Note version of the game with paper-clipped pairs, another version without a system given posed as problem
Inspired by 1999 64
Ellis Stanyon "Thirty-one" No. 45, "A Cardsharp's Trick", more elaborate version
Related to 1999 80
Chuck Smith, Roger Klause, Steve Freeman Game of 31 eight phases
2000 31
Karl Fulves High Stakes square layout with four Jokers and four Jacks, values are spelt and object moved from card to card, spectator always ends on a jack
Related to 2000 206
Neal Elias Pinochle Stacks comments on following items
2000 9
Neal Elias Four Handed Partnership Pinochle four Aces to partner and four Aces to dealer
2000 9
Neal Elias Three Handed Auction Pinochle
2000 10
Lewis Jones You Bet prediction of the card which is next to named card, as a bet how many cards are between the two cards
Variations 2000 25
Steve Beam Culinary Bet different handling for You Bet, prediction of the card which is next to named card, as a bet how many cards are between the two cards
Inspired by 2000 26
Mel Bennett Coasters winning strategy for betting game with Ace through Seven or seven numbered coaster
Inspired by 2000
Charlatan (Issue 2)
13
Karl Fulves Matrix Poker
  • There Was A Crooked Man
spectators choose four cards face up from group of sixteen cards, values added and gag prizes for that number are handed out, Matrix Force application
Inspired byRelated to 2000
Charlatan (Issue 2)
22
Bob Farmer Point Spread
  • Flim-Flam
bet how many cards are between the two cards
Inspired byVariations June 2000
Magic (Vol. 9 No. 10)
75
Karl Fulves Gamble Ramble spectator choses cards in layout according to rules, black cards added and red subtracted, total predicted, four-way approach
2001 87
Karl Fulves Card Roulette No. 19, two cards chosen by two spectators from small packet, cards counted through and spectators' cards do not show up, prime principle
Related to 2001 38
Darwin Ortiz Maximum Risk Tantalizer, memorized deck
Inspired by
  • "One in Fifty-Two Bet" (Lennart Green, Green Magic Vol. 3, video)
Variations
2002 80
Jason England Maximum Risk - Impromptu Version Tantalizer
Inspired byRelated to 2002 84
Steve Beam Betting on Triumph some cards are mixed face up into face down, betting on builded pairs, spectator loses against performer
Inspired by
  • "The Two Clerks" in T. O'Conor Solane's "Rapid Arithmetic", 1922.
2002 181
Lewis Jones Lucky, Lucky, Lucky prime principle force, small packet counted to named number until selection appears, as bar bet
Inspired byVariations 2004 70
Steve Beam Odd Man In with blank cards, as a bar bet trick
Inspired by 2004 73
Steve Beam Fifty-Two Card Monte selection in face-up spread, spread is turned over and spectator has to remove selection, betcha
  • Three Card Monte
  • Piling On
  • Camouflage
Inspired by
  • "The Five Card Fooler" in Walter Gibson's "What's New in Magic" 1956.
Variations
2004 241
Bob Farmer Monty Hall Knows All
  • Flim-Flam: The Way of the Scamurai
more on the Monty Hall problem, with three cards
  • The Original Troublemaker
  • Turning The Odds
  • Up Against The Wall
  • Turning Point
  • Psychobauble
June 2004
Genii (Vol. 67 No. 6)
16
Juan Tamariz Rummy Exhibition
2004 54
Juan Tamariz Carbuquillo playing a made up game with spectator, where performer always loses and while in the process of playing, divining all of spectator's cards, interlocking chains
  • Other Ideas and Variations
Variations 2004 119
Juan Tamariz Bingo! spectator deals cards on table, when selection appears performer shouts bingo
2004 248
Martin Gardner Gardner's Gambit row of cards, taking cards from either end alternately with spectator, whose cards add up higher wins, forced outcome, parity
  • Final Game (Royal Flush ending)
Inspired by
  • coin item in "Mathematical Puzzles" (Peter Winkler)
Related toVariations
2006
Prolix (Issue 2)
69
Karl Fulves Notes on MG's Game explanation of the parity principle at work and further applications, see following items
Inspired by 2006
Prolix (Issue 2)
71
Karl Fulves Accouterments using other items an non-playing cards for the parity row force
2006
Prolix (Issue 2)
71
Karl Fulves You Go First the spectator can make the first choice
2006
Prolix (Issue 2)
72
Lewis Jones Value for Money betting game trick, dealing through cards and naming values in a row, every hit costs a dollar, spectator has some hits and performer has none
Inspired by
  • Tom Bowyer's "The Frequent Miracle" in "The Sphinx" Vol. 39, Nr. 3. P. 67. 1940.
2006 148
Woody Aragón Australian Poker placing a bill inside some cards, down under deal with three people and performer ends up with bill
Variations 2006 207
Steve Beam Kangaroo Killer placing a bill inside some cards, down under deal with three people and performer ends up with bill
Inspired by 2006 105
Tomas Blomberg Swedish Parity Poker instructions for a game with five players, performer wins, prediction of total of values in performer's hand
2006 123
Claude Impériale Grab It Before They Do remaining card is not the selection, it is in the wallet instead, bet theme
Inspired by 2006 159
Harry Lorayne, Bob Mason Guess Quotient four four of a kinds are removed, spectator guesses if various pairs match in value or not, everything correct
Variations 2007 19
Karl Fulves Match Game twelve cards laid out face-down in matrix, match game played (turning up two cards and finding matches), performer wins
Related to 2007 27
Nick Trost Classic Euchre Deal using a 24-card Euchre deck
2008 91
Nick Trost Gilbreath Plays Euchre using a 24-card Euchre deck
2008 92
Nick Trost The Contrary Euchre Deal I using a 24-card Euchre deck
2008 93
Nick Trost The Contrary Euchre Deal II using a 24-card Euchre deck
2008 95
Nick Trost Exchange Euchre using a 24-card Euchre deck
Inspired by 2008 96
Nick Trost Six-Handed Exchange Rummy
  • Five-Handed Version
Inspired by 2008 98
Justin Higham Spectator Cuts a Run of Seven Spectator cuts seven piles, top cards are Ace to Seven of Hearts (strong rummy hand)
Inspired by 2008 38
Allan Slaight Top Twenty Poker, Gin, Blackjack combination
Also published here 2008 57
Allan Slaight The Unkindest Cut Of All rummy and blackjack deal featuring a winning blackjack stack
Also published here 2008 66
Fred Robinson How to Win at Cards poker, rummy, bridge, set-up
2009 182
Nick Trost Brag and Poker Deal dealing winning hand in Brag followed by poker deal
2009 397
Nick Trost Blackjack, Gin and Poker I
  • Phase One - Blackjack
  • Phase Two - Gin
  • Phase Three - Poker
2009 398
Nick Trost Blackjack, Gin and Poker II
  • Phase One - Gin Rummy
  • Phase Two - Blackjack
  • Phase Three - Five-Handed Poker
  • Phase Four - Four-Handed Poker
2009 399
Nick Trost Pinochle Deal uses Pinochle deck
2009 499
Nick Trost Gilbreath Plays Pinochle uses Pinochle deck
2009 501
Nick Trost Exchange Pinochle spectators can switch cards around, uses Pinochle deck
Inspired by 2009 502
Lewis Jones Color Fast spectator chooses all losing color, performer winning color, kind of small packet OOTW
2010 135
R. Paul Wilson, Chad Long Luck Versus Skill multiple phase gambling themed routine with cutting the high card culminating in a variation of "Shuffling Lesson"
Inspired by 2010 155
Ken Beale Even or Odd five heaps, bet that there are more piles with even number of cards than odd
2010
Prolix (Issue 7)
432
Karl Fulves Mind Scam three digits chosen, deck shuffled and cut into three piles, a chosen value is shown on top or bottom of piles most of the time, proposition bet
2010
Xtra Credit (Issue 7)
38
Nick Trost Bango Deal game in which each player has three face-up cards, cards turned face up from the rest of the deck, matching values are turned face down by the players, player with all cards face down first wins, performer always wins
2011 660
Nick Trost Put and Take Deal game in which the players can take and put their chips in the pot according to whether values in their hands match turned-up cards from the deck, performer wins
2011 662
Nick Trost Producing Poker, Blackjack and Gin Hands deck riffle shuffled by spectator, performer takes deck under the table and takes out good hands
Inspired by
  • "Any Card Called For Hanky" (U. F. Grant, D. Robbins & Company's magazine Magic Is Fun, No. 7, Oct.-Dec. 1947)
Variations
2011 664
Nick Trost Four-Game Challenge two decks riffle shuffled by spectator, performer takes decks under the table and takes out good hands for different games
Inspired by 2011 667
Jason England Risky Business
Inspired byRelated to 2012 14
Tomas Blomberg Swedish Parity Poker five cards with rules on them, a card game is played according to them, sum of one's hand decides on who wins
2014 309
Tomas Blomberg Between the Cheats bet involving how many cards are between two random values
2014 320
Tomas Blomberg 16 Card Swindle version of NIM/"The Game of 31"
2014 321
Michael Breggar Cra-Ker-Jack Dice used to choose cards by four spectators, magician deals down that number to find matching mates, then produce four Aces
Inspired by Oct. 2018
Elixir (Vol. 2 No. 1 (Summer #2))
82
Jason Ladanye The Art of War spectator and performer each turn over cards, higher card wins, spectator loses throughout whole deck, faros
2018 325
Patrick G. Redford ... This Means War! Cut high card, spectator keeps winning. Play game of war with spectator, magician always wins.
2019 180
Steve Forte pinochle Ace revelation framed by pinochle deal
2020 982