_HIGH-BALL POKER_
The game of 'high-ball poker' is one which is essentially American, both
in origin and character. It is somewhat simpler than the proper game,
but possesses no particular advantages over poker, as played with cards,
beyond the fact of its comparative simplicity. On the other hand, the
appliances required for playing it are more expensive, and not nearly so
convenient. Possibly the original idea of its introduction arose from
the fact that the fraudulent manipulation of the cards, in the other
game, had become notorious, and it was hoped that this kind of thing
would be obviated by using balls instead. It is far more likely,
however, that this variety of the game presented certain advantages to
the sharp which the other did not possess, and hence its popularity in
certain quarters. It would be unwise, however, to hazard an opinion one
way or the other. All we need trouble ourselves about is that cheating
at this game is both simple and tolerably safe. No special skill is
required on the part of the sharp, and very little special apparatus, to
enable him to win whenever he pleases, and as long as he can get people
to play with him.
The game is played with a leathern bottle, something like those used in
'pool,' but smaller in the neck. Into this bottle are put twenty-four
balls about an inch in diameter, each of which is numbered upon a facet,
the numbers running from one to twenty-four consecutively. The players
sit round the table, and the bets are arranged in the same manner as at
poker. The player whose turn it is to deal shakes up the balls in the
bottle, and deals one to each player, himself included, no player being
allowed to see the balls which are dealt to the others. The players look
at the balls they have received, each one noting the number which has
fallen to him, and coming in or declining to play accordingly, stake
their bets. This being done, a second ball is dealt to each player, and
the two balls thus received constitute his hand. The betting now
proceeds as at poker, the rules being precisely the same, except that
the balls rank according to their numerical value, and that the
complications arising from 'pairs,' 'threes,' 'fours,' and 'flushes,'
cannot arise. Those who have bad hands will fall out of the game for the
time being, sacrificing the stakes they have put into the pool, whilst
those who consider their hands good enough to bet on will remain in and
'raise' each other. If one player can so increase the stakes as to drive
all the others out, he will take the pool without showing his hand; or
a player may be 'called,' and then the hands are shown, the best one
winning the whole of the stakes.
The reader will perceive that cheating might be practised in connection
with this game in a variety of ways. The dealer, in putting the balls
into the bottle, might contrive to secrete a high number, which could be
held out for a time, and afterwards rung in to his own hand, in place of
a low one. In a conspiracy of two or three players, nothing could be
easier than for them to signal to each other the value of their hands,
and thus arrive at a fairly approximate knowledge of what hands they
might have to contend with. They could then act in accordance with the
information thus gained, and either stand out or raise the other
players, as the nature of their hands may dictate. If, in addition to
this, each of the conspirators was provided with duplicates of two or
three of the highest numbers, the one who had the best hand could
substitute for the lower number in his hand the highest number in either
of the hands held by his accomplices, and thus, in all probability,
constitute himself the winner, the accomplice meanwhile substituting his
best number for that discarded by his partner in the conspiracy. They
would not require many duplicate balls each; just two or three of the
highest numbers would be quite sufficient.
There are, however, great objections to any manipulation of this
kind; more particularly since cheating can be accomplished, by
mechanical means, in a much more simple and effective manner. The
method of cheating usually adopted, therefore, takes the form of a
'bottle-holdout,' which can be caused to retain any of the highest
numbers and to deliver them to either of the players, at the will of
the dealer.
[Illustration: FIG. 61.]
This holdout is, of course, within the bottle itself, and is operated by
pressure upon the slightly flexible sides. Fig. 61 is an illustration of
a bottle of this kind, part of one side being cut away to allow the
holdout to be seen. A represents the position of the various parts at
such times as the holdout may be either inoperative or containing the
balls. B will serve to indicate the position they assume when the sides
are pressed, and the holdout is either receiving or delivering the
balls.
The holdout itself consists of a kind of scoop, pivoted to a bracket in
such a way that it will either turn up against one side of the bottle,
or lie open beneath the neck. This scoop _a_ has a projecting tail-piece
or lever, against which a spring _d_ constantly presses, and retains the
scoop in contact with the side of the bottle. To the end of this lever
is jointed a rod _c_, the further end of which just reaches across to
the opposite side of the bottle. It is obvious, then, that if the bottle
is squeezed by the dealer, the pressure being applied to the point of
contact with the rod, and to some point behind the bracket to which the
scoop is pivoted (between _b_ and _d_, in short), the end of the lever
will be pressed towards the side of the bottle, and the scoop will
consequently be turned down into the position shown at B. The whole of
the working parts, together with the inside of the bottle, are painted
black, in order to prevent any possibility of the device being seen by
looking down the neck.
In returning the balls to the interior of the bottle, the dealer
carefully notes their value. The low ones are allowed to fall in the
proper manner, but when a high one is dropped inside, the bottle is
squeezed in the manner above indicated, the scoop comes down, and that
ball therefore falls into the holdout. Then in dealing the device is
utilised in the same way. The low balls are dealt to the dupes, but in
the act of dealing to a confederate, or to himself, as the case may be,
the bottle is pressed and high balls only are dealt. As a rule one ball
only is held out.
There is not very much in this game beyond the ingenuity of the holdout
employed, and the money which may be won by its means. But since the
necessity of including it among the explanations given in this book is
obvious, and since there is no definite section of the subject to which
it can be referred, it has had to receive, however unworthily, the
distinction of having a chapter to itself.
FOOTNOTE:
[11] This would be far too risky a proceeding for a sharp to indulge in
as a rule. He _might_ do so, however, if he got hold of a very great
flat.