Marked cards in a home game
 

Last Friday i played in my regular home game. This was our first outdoor game of the season and we had 24 players - it was a really great night. However after the game was over and we were cleaning up we found that in one of the decks that was being used all of the 10's had a corner bent over. This was really a shock because this seems like someone is marking the cards.
What makes is worse is i had a small game earlier in the week and found a 10 with the corner bent but didn't think anything off it. This was in a deck i am not 100% sure if we used that night so it could have been used in any of the other previous games - i just cannot be sure.

So i have a few questions: Is someone marking cards? if so how do we smoke them out? What should we do once we find out who it is?

Thoughts suggestions and your experiences please.

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

change deck evry break and have ur dealer count them every ten hands or so to see if there all there and to see if they spot anything suspicious

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

I wouyldn't change anything, just keep a extra open eye. Get a few you can trust and have them watch aswell and tryn to find who is marking the cards. Better to flush out the cheater now

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

Multiple tables? Fairly easy- are these paper cards or plastic? (I assume paper)

As long as you're sure it couldn't be the tables causing problems somehow (seems unlikely, considering the Tens), run the game for about an hour, then report a damaged card when shuffling and get setups changed at that table. Paper decks are relatively cheap.

Away from the table, check the setups for markings. Soon afterwards, have someone at the other table do the same thing.

You might be able to narrow down the potential cardmarkers and then pay attention to a smaller group accordingly.


I'd suggest moving to good plastic cards, BTW, for that reason.

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

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I'd suggest moving to good plastic cards, BTW, for that reason.

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Exactly the reason. I just purchased some and they will be in play this coming weekend. I've had suspiscions about a player possibly "marking" in our game. This weekend will be a little bit tougher for him, not to mention our table captains have been on notice to watch how he handles the cards.

P [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

Ugh, that sucks. I play with a wide variety of people, and I'd hate to think any of them are cheating. I've even seen the opporunity arise, and by and large even the most suspicious of people honor and respect the game.

Good luck. I hope you can find the culprit without ruining your game.

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

Why would someone mark just the T's?

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

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Why would someone mark just the T's?

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Part of the most straights AND can be an indication of the other unmarked card, if the hand is retained. Not too many people playing T5 or T2, right?

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

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Why would someone mark just the T's?

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Part of the most straights AND can be an indication of the other unmarked card, if the hand is retained. Not too many people playing T5 or T2, right?

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Yes, but that sounds an awful lot like a level of sophistication that should stand out at a home game. That's marking cards so you won't lose money if you can spot your opp drawing and making an assumption that you can be in position to bet him off. Marking the A's would be more typical so you can spot if your opp doesn't have that rogue A when you want to drive the action.

I'd think that if someone were good enough to choose to mark just the T's then he should be easy to pick out among the home game players.

Re: Marked cards in a home game
 

The level of play at the home game is pretty good, most people play online, have read books and play live at least a couple of times a month. At least half of the players would understand the value (in straights) of knowing if the opponent had a ten.

We usually play with plastic cards but a couple of the decks were paper, i think it was one of these that was marked.

Good tips on catching them but what would you do with them once we find out who? Banishment, warning?