An adept at this trick can cheat and swindle at pleasure. Wherever it is
practised the fair player has no earthly chance of rising from the table
other than a loser. The trick, too, is much practised. By its means the
wealth of the unwary and inexperienced player is transferred to the
pocket of the cheat.
The following simple _exposition_ of the manner in which this trick is
performed, will be of essential service to the player. It will enable
him to detect the sharper and black-leg; and thus protect himself from
their nefarious scheme.
_Sauter la Coupe_ is the French term for “_Slipping the Cards_.” It is
practised at whist, when the cards _are cut_, and placed in the hands of
the dealer. By a dexterity, easily acquired by practice, he changes the
_cut card_, by _slipping_ from its position in the pack, either from the
top or the middle, _the ace_, and thus secures its “turning up.” The
practiser of _Sauter la Coupe_, to cover the trick he is resorting to,
invariably _ruffles_ the cards, making with them a loudish noise. While
the apparently simple action he thus performs, with the consequent
noise, distracts attention, he _slips the card_, the ace, which he has
hitherto concealed for the purpose, and dextrously placed on the head of
the pack when passing it from one hand to another to deal, or ascertains
its position in the pack by one of the many means resorted to for that
purpose. Whenever the player begins to _ruffle_ the cards, instead of
dealing _quietly_, suspect foul play. It is a symptom of cheating.
The fair player has no chance with the cheater by means of _Sauter la
Coupe_. Suppose that during an evening _twenty_ games have been played.
The cheat and his partner would thus have to deal the cards at least ten
times. During these ten deals the cards might be slipped _six_ times,
giving the cheat an advantage over the fair player of at least _twenty_
to _one_.