September 23, 2008
Many poker players are concerned about being cheated, some to the point of obsession. Losing sessions are a part of poker, but when they happen there's always a nagging concern in the back of our minds that maybe we didn't lose because we played bad or because we got unlucky, but because we were cheated. In order to minimize the chance that we're being cheated, we first need to understand the methods by which it's possible to cheat at poker. The book 52 Ways to Cheat at Poker explains the methods cheaters use to gain an unfair edge in card games.
First off, many people have a problem with those who provide information that can be used by cheaters. I'm not in that camp. I side more with the "full disclosure" folks who believe that cheats will get this information no matter what we do, so we're better off if authors make it available to everyone. Consequently, I applaud the author, Allan Kronzek, for addressing the issue. I'm sure that there are those who would disagree with me on this point.
The book lays out many mechanisms by which the standard equipment of face-to-face poker, namely cards, chips, and money, can be manipulated to gain an unfair advantage. Even though cheating is possible in all poker regimes, online poker is not considered in this book. In fact, the book focuses on self-dealt games, such as home games, although a large number of the techniques discussed could be used by a professional dealer in a casino setting. Casinos design their dealing procedures to make cheating difficult, but as long as a person handles the cards, cheating will be possible.
The author considers many cheating techniques, including bottom and seconds dealing, false shuffles, switching in cooler decks, shorting the pot, peeking at cards, and many, many others. Even though the number "52" is obviously arrived at artificially, I couldn't come up with methods that aren't covered, so the book seems fairly exhaustive. Even though this work would be useful to cheats, it's focus is on how to spot cheating moves, so it's target audience is the "good guys."
The one complaint I have with many of the card manipulation techniques Kronzek discusses is that it can be difficult to get a good feel for what's supposed to happen from the brief description provided. If I were to give the author advice, I'd suggest that he provide a brief description of the mechanics of the technique followed by a very detailed step-by-step analysis of every little move and nuance. This minutia is often lacking in the descriptions the author provides. With some examples, though, the author does provide some useful diagrams which are beneficial.
As most authors on this topic point out, it can be very difficult even for an experienced card mechanic to spot the cheating moves of a skillful practitioner. However, it's also true that someone who is at least familiar in passing with these techniques has a better chance of spotting these moves than someone who knows nothing about them. So, while reading this book won't qualify people to spot world-class card manipulators, they will still be better equipped than those who have not.
52 Ways to Cheat at Poker does a good job at exploring a wide range of techniques that can be used to cheat at poker with a focus on how to detect and defeat these methods. Reading this book won't make a person impervious to cheaters, but it should help the reader understand what they might be facing. I'm not sure it's the best book on the topic, but I would say that it's worth reading by those with an interest in the subject.
It's almost impossible to detect a truly skilled cheat while he's plying his trade, but 52 Ways to Cheat at Poker helps give the honest player a fighting chance. It's not a perfect book on the topic, but it's a pretty good choice for those who want to get a start on understanding what it is that poker cheats can do and how to reduce the chance of being cheated. I recommend it.
Note: I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher. I have no other interest, financial or otherwise, in the success of this book.
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