A book by Steve Forte
30 Years of Research
In One Definitive Volume!
Subtitled: A Comprehensive Guide. This amazing book is the culmination of almost 30 years of research into casino cheating, advantage play, electronic player assistance, and related gambling activities . If it was made, designed, worked out, played, or dreamed of, and had anything to do with beating the casino — legally or otherwise — it’s probably discussed in this book. Includes almost 500 color photographs and 194 pages devoted to blackjack. Other chapters are included on craps, roulette, baccarat, poker, and other table games. This book is well worth the high price.
Stanford Wong says, “Saying you like a book so much you can’t put it down may be
trite, but in the case of Forte’s new Casino Game Protection, it was true for me. Forte’s
depth of knowledge on beating casino games is amazing. Much material in the book has never
before been published, to my knowledge.“
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 — GETTING STARTED
| Game Protection Overview, Cheaters, Card Counters, Advantage Players, Table Game Procedures |
| Cheaters Crossroaders, Hustlers, Professionals and Amateurs Knowledge, Experience, Judgement, Planning, Innovation, Technique, Money, Social Skills Organization Crews, Captain, Takeoff Man, Mechanic, Support Players, The Inside Man Specialists Motivation Desperation, Ego, Larceny, Revenge, Industry Dislike, Independence |
| Advantage Players History, Tricks, Exploitable Loopholes, Equipment Bias, The Peek Game, Other Games |
| The Elements of a Scam Psychology The Turn Dealers, Supervisors, Surveillance, Customers Signals Call-in, Scrub, Stop/Go, George/Tom, Heat, Brush, Deviation, Multiple Systems, Card Signaling, Count Signaling, Sky Signals, Verbal, Physical Employee Theft and Inside Collusion |
| Electronic Player Assistance Signaling Devices Thumpers, Transceivers, Transmitter-Receivers, Loops, Receiving Devices Computers Blackjack Computers, Roulette Computers, Technical Features, Confidential Report, Miniaturization, RF Leakage, Developments Cameras Methods of Concealment, Systems, Boosters, Applications, Imager Efficiency, Body Worn VCRs, Remote Stations, Uploading to the Internet, Developments The Future Wearable Gadgets, Surgically Implanted Devices, Hi Tech Wizards |
| What is Cheating? Cheating Statues, Definitions, Conspiracies The Law and Card Counting, Advantage Play, Signaling and Devices Questionable Scenarios |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 2 — BLACKJACK
| Mucking The Steal, One Card Mucks, Chopping, Drink Muck, Double Down Mucks, Two Players, Two Card Mucks, Cleaning Up |
| Switchers Double Chop, Feeders, One Player/Two Hands, One Hand Switch/Two Hands |
| Shiners Hand Held Shiner, Cigarette Shiner, Chip Shiner, Money Shiner, Glass Shiner |
| Check Moves (Outside) Capping/Pressing Blackjack Cap, Bottom Bet Cap, Quadruple Down Pinching Quick Pinch, Scratch Pinch, Bottom Check Pinch Claimers |
| Cutting Techniques Wobble Cut, Cut Peek, Riffle Cut, Multiple Card Peek, Mechanical Peeker, Cutcard Peek |
| Dealer Agent Scams |
| Slug Scams and Stacking the Deck False Shuffles Carrying a Slug, Scrape Cut, Center Stripping, Other Methods Classic Slug Scam High Low Slug Scam Stacking the Deck Lay Stack, Pickup Stack, Riffle Stack, Circle Stack, New Deck Stack Nullifying the Cutoffs Nullifying the Cut Pop Cut, Laying a Brief, Short Cut, Cutcard Brief, Cutcard Shift |
| Coolers Cold Deck (single deck), Cold Deck (multi-deck), New Deck Coolers, Burncard Coolers, Slug Coolers, “Deadlock,” Future Coolers |
| Peek/Flash Scams Peeks Back Peek, Heel Peek, Bubble Peek, Fan Peek Flashing Classic Flash, Bubble Flash, Gap Flash, Hitcard Flash, Holecard Flash Shoe Peeks Nail Peek, Fan Peek, Holecard flash, In the Shoe Peek |
| Check Moves (Inside) Dumping the Game, Pushing Off to Agents, Sizing in High, Color Change/Color In Cap, Mixed Color Overpay, Blackjack Cap, Winning Hand Cap, Other Methods |
| Strong Arm Cheating Pitch Moves Wrong Hand, Switching the Player’s Hand, Switching the Holecard, Capping the Deck, Cheap Shots Shoe Moves Playing the Topcard, Holdout Deal, Shoe Cap, Holecard Switch Gaffed Shoes Electronic Peek Shoe, Peek Shoe with Shiner, Other Methods |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 3 — CARD COUNTING
| Short History Blackjack Analysis, Early System Players, Strategies Hit the Printed Page, Beat the Dealer, The Industry Deals with Skilled Players |
| The Fundamentals |
| Basic Strategy What is it worth? Rule Variations, The Public’s Play, Basic Strategy and the Industry |
| Card Counting Systems Balanced Counts, Un-Balanced Counts, Which Count is Best? (So Many Counts), How far can we go?, Which Count is Right for Gamers?, How Counts Look and Play |
| True Count Traditional Methods, Short Cuts, Conversion Factors, Pivot |
| Playing Strategy Strategy Indexes, Early Count Playing Strategies, The Top Plays |
| Betting Strategies Optimal, Graduated, Parlay, Take Back, Spreading Down, Multiple Hands, Color Schemes, Cover Zones, Delayed Bet Spreads, Back Counting, Bet Spread Mathematics |
| The Card Counter’s Bankroll Pocket Bankroll, Risk, Kelly Criterion, Optimal Bet Size |
| Pseudo Card Counting Systems |
| Card Counting Props, Mechanical Devices and Computers |
| The Players Tourists, Card Watchers, Imitators, Amateurs, Professional Players, Professional Teams |
| Card Counting – Perspective Precision?, Computer Simulations, Understanding the Player’s Edge, Probability of Winning, Risk of Ruin, Win Rates, Percentage Advantage versus Unit Win |
| Detection / Evaluation Strategy Deviations, Bet Spread, Win Rate, Taking Your Time, Other Factors |
| Countermeasures and Barring |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 4 — ADVANTAGE PLAY (Blackjack)
| Playing Holecard Basers, Front Loaders, Index Dealer, The Express Play, Holecard Strategy |
| Steering Bottom Card Steering, Center Cut Estimation, Playing the Stack |
| Playing the Turn |
| Shuffle Tracking A Short History Playing Location Strip Flash, Lops, High Riffles Slug Tracking Grab Size, Pre-Shuffle Slugs, The Tracking Process, Mapping, Practice, Memory, Advantage, Cutcard, Dealer Selection, Strategy Features Criss-Cross, Reload, 6 Packet Criss-Cross, Indicator Slugs, Dilution Shuffle, Tracking Bottoms Slug Tracking Computers Countermeasures, Tests, Plugging the Cutoffs, Caesar’s Switch, Splits, Detection Sequence Tracking The Predictable Riffle Shuffle Ace Tracking: Keycards, Double Keys, Triple Keys Other forms of Sequential Information Betting/Steering, Dealer Selection, Advantage, Teams, Maps Sequential Tracking Computers, Captain Crunch, Locking into Two Sequences Countermeasures, Tests, Number of Riffles, Stripping, Detection |
| Pseudo Shuffle Systems Randomness, Bias, Clumping, Simulating Human Shuffles |
| Shuffling Machines Continuous Shufflers Loopholes, Card Counting, Skewed Frequency Distributions, Card Shenanigans Non-Continuous Shufflers Shuffle Master, Other Shufflers, Scams and Loopholes, Regulatory Approval |
| The Science of Shuffling The Riffle Shuffle, Stripping the Deck, Boxing the Deck, The Best Procedures, Shuffle Speed, Dead Game Shuffling, Alternative Shuffling Procedures for Suspect Play |
| Perspective |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 5 — CRAPS
| The Dice Manufacturing Process, Manufacturing Variances, Precision Dice, Legal Specifications |
| Crooked Dice Passers, Missouts, Weight, Flats, Bevels, Edge Work, Surface Work, Tops, Double Number, Magnetic Dice, Other Variations, Crooked Gambling Supply Houses |
| Dice Switches Palm Switch, Thumb Switch, No Spill Switch, Money Switch, Jacket Switch,One Die Switches, Dice Shell, Other Methods, Cleaning Up |
| Scams with Gaffed Dice The Old Days The Casino Logo and Serial Number, Hot Stamp Machines, Stamps, Vulnerability Scams/Percentage Dice, Scams/Tops, Scams/Double Number, The Craps Cooler |
| Detection/Tests Visual Inspection, Spotting, Balancer, Dice Square, Edge Test, Surface Test, Micrometer, Magnet Test |
| Controlled Dice Shots Push Shot, Spin Shot, Puck Shot, Walking the Die, Off the Table Shot, Other Shots Countermeasures, The Back Wall, The String Scams with Controlled Dice Shots |
| One Die Lay down Setup, The Lay Down, Money Laydown |
| Outside Crap Moves Proposition Hustles, Past Posting, Money Switch, Pressing the Don’t, Other Methods |
| Dealer-Agent Scams The Catch, Rail Moves, Handing Off, Comebet Overpays, Putting Bets Up, Thumb Busting, Totaling, Capping, Call Bet Scams, Miscalling, Other Methods |
| Stealing from the Box Stealing Checks, Handing off to the Floor, Stealing Cash, Hanging a Bill |
| Setting the Dice The System, Testing the System, Test Results |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 6 — ROULETTE
| Past Posting Solo, Past Posting with Props, Team Past Posting, Two Color Past Posting, Runners Losing Bet Switches Conversion Scams |
| Outside Ball Manipulation Manipulating the Table, Steel Core Roulette Balls, Unusual Cheating Devices |
| Dealer-Agent Scams Dealer Past Posting, Column Past Posting, Overpays, Double Check Past Post, Back Palm Past Post, Pushing Dirty Stacks, Other Methods |
| Gaffing the Wheel Early Gaffed Wheels, Gaffing the Modern Wheel, Gaffed Wheels versus Biased Wheels |
| Bias Wheels Bias, Collecting the Data, Analyzing the Data, Standard Deviation, Chi Square |
| Inspection Visual, Table, Bowl, Spindle, Ball Track, Canoes, Number Strip, Rotor, Pockets, Cone, Inside Bowl, Ball, Software Analysis, Manufacturer’s Guidelines |
| Roulette Computers How Roulette Computers Work, Problems and Obstacles, The Capricious Nature of the Wheel, Overseas Conditions, The Modern Wheel, New Technologies |
| Visual Prediction History The Basics Ball Track Bias, Rotor Speed, Ball Speed, Bounce, The Strategy Real World Conditions Roulette Computers versus Visual Prediction |
| Section Shooting Skill, Section Shooting Versus Visual Prediction, It Can Be Done, Procedures, Roulette Specialists, House Dealers, Monte Carlo |
| Dealer’s Signatures Theory, Strategies, The 17 Rule |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 7 — BACCARAT
| The Slug Scam Mini-Baccarat Baccarat’s Vulnerability, Recording the Cards, 6-Row System, False Shuffles, The Zarrow Shuffle, Faking the Shuffle-Check, Faking the Wash Big Table Baccarat New Deck Slugs, Flashing During the Wash, Peek Stack Slug Scams and Technology Beating the Shuffler, Hidden Cameras and False Shuffles |
| Strong Arm Cheating Shoe Peeks Passing the Shoe, Lip Peek, Holdout Peek, Shoe Peek with Lid Gaffed Shoes Prism Shoes, Remote Control Slug Shoe Coolers Mucking/Switching John Scarne, Stranger Cards, Macau Scam Other Methods |
| Card Counting Effect of Removal, Baccarat’s Dependent Nature, Thorp and Griffin Studies |
| Advantage Play Shuffle Tracking Slug Tracking, Sequence Tracking, Tracking Nines, Locking into Two Sequences Back Card Steering Topcard Advantages, First Six Card Advantages Other Methods Capping, Pinching, Past Posting, Moving Losers, Late Bets |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 8 — ASIAN GAMES / NOVELTY GAMES
| PAI GOW |
| The Dice Asian Style Dice, Three Dice Frequencies, Dealing Orders The Dice Cup Metal Cups, Protection Cups, Acrylic Cubical Cup |
| Nullifying the Dice Rank Methods, No Shake, Miss-Call, Cup Peek, Lid Control, Controlled Shakes Crooked Dice: Magnetic Dice, Misspots, Percentage Dice, Other Possibilities Dice Switches, Cup Switches |
| Marked Tiles Sanding, Nicking, Scratching, Red Work, Finish Work, Other Methods, Hi Tech Marking |
| Stacking the Tiles Culling, False Shuffles, No Touch False Shuffle, Professional “Shufflers” Applications: Classic Stack, Stacking with Marked Tiles, The Odd-Even Stack, Delivery Stacking |
| Strong Arm Cheating Mucking One Tile Muck, Dupes, Cleaning Up Switching Double Chop, Feeders, Wrong Position Switching Reflection Peek, Flash Scam Strong Arm Cheating Switching the Player’s Hand, Pushing and Paying Losers, Other Methods |
| Freezing the Table |
| PAI GOW POKER Skillful Play The Dice, Crooked Dice, Stacking, The Asian Deal, Starter Cards, Strong Arm Cheating |
| SIC BO Electronic Dice |
| NOVELTY GAMES Mathematical Analysis, Dependent Trials, The Shuffle, Cut, Deal, Topcarding, Playing Holecard, Networking, Cheating, Novelty Game Basic Strategies |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 9 — POKER
| Collusion Local Courtesy, Playing Tophand, Middling, Pre-Arranged Strategies, Playing Cousins, Playing out of the Same Pocket, Perception, Tournaments |
| Shuffle Related Scams Culling, Weeding, Faking the Scramble/Wash, Top Slug Controls, Push Through Full Deck Control |
| Nullifying the Cut False Cuts, Slip Cut, In-Stripper Brief |
| Applications The Kill, Slug Scam, Dealing Known Holecards, Flop Moves, Bad Beat Jackpots, Riffle Stacking, The Perfect Shuffle, The Peek Stack, Deal’em Back, Double Duke, The Delayed Stack, Slug or Cooler, Bin Cooler |
| Holding Out Steals, Holding Out, Seven Card Stud Scenario, Hold’em, Holding Out with Inside Collusion, Cleaning Up Mechanical Holdout Devices Knee-Spread, Bean Shooter, Short Sleeve, Slick Sleeve, Bugs Countermeasures Changing the Deck, Count Down, Dupes, The Card Index |
| Strong Arm Cheating Peeks Heel Peek, 2-Down Peek False Deals Pitch Second Deal, Stud Second Deal, Bottom Deal, Greek Deal, Mechanic’s Grip Coolers Buy-In Cooler, Chip Rack Cooler, Mechanical Cold Deck Machines Capping the Deck Check Copping, Spraying the Pot Sending The Hand Over, Goose Neck, Spectators Cheap Shots Intentional String Bets, Other Methods |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 10 — UNIVERSAL SCAMS
| Subs Double Apron, Spring Loaded Sun, Sleeve Sub, Fly Sub, Shirt Sub, Tie Sub Swinging without Subs, Other Methods |
| Chip Cup and the Double Sided Checks |
| Administrative Scams Marker Scams, fills, credits, openers, closers, counterfeit checks (chips), counterfeit traveler’s checks, counterfeit money, stolen payroll checks, theft |
| Marked Cards Short History Early Playing Cards, Steamboats, Stamped Decks, Crooked Gambling Supply Houses, Early Scams, Casino Scams Inside and Outside Work, Combinations, The Shoe Game, European Style Blackjack, Other Games, Advantages, Card Control |
| The Work (Inside Systems) Blockout Matching the Ink, Enlarged Diamonds, Humps, White Ink Cutout Shade Formulas, Reading Shade, Line Shade, Highway Shade, Spot Shade, Juice, Flash, White-on-White, Partial and Natural White-on-White, Triangle Shade Sorts Overall Back, Border Sorts, White Backed Sorts, Percentage Sorts Trims Overall Back, White Back, Cutters and Rounders Sand/Scratch, The Shine, Luminous Readers, Rounders |
| The Work (Outside Systems) Playing The Bend, Snaking (Waving), Top Carding Aces, Buckle, Plastic Cards Daub, Daub Substitutes, Concealment, Graphite, Nail Nicking, Knockoff Sticks Touch Work Rough and Smooth, Punch, Blackline, The Flex Factory Defects, One Way Backs, Creekers, Electronic Marked Cards, Other Methods |
| Tests for Detection Box, Pip Configuration, Ribbon Spread, Riffle Test, Angled Light, Size Test, Bevel Test, Shade Tests, Gun Test, Squeeze Tests, Touch Tests, Filters, Blacklight, The Eyes, Evaluating the Play |
| Summary |
CHAPTER 11 — DETECTION
| Industry Line of Defense Dealers, Floor, Pit and Shift Supervisors, Casino Managers Surveillance Capability, The Real Benefits, Cheaters versus Surveillance, Software Detection Griffin Investigations and Similar Agencies |
| Detection Skills Profiling Age, Ethnic Background, Sex, Image, Built-In Profiles, Disguises Awareness, Knowledge, Thought Process, Realities, Detection Tips |
| Table Game Procedures Uniformity, Anticipation, Which Procedures are Best, Guidelines for Dealers and Supervisors, Protection Against Cheating, Questions, Resistance to Change, Evaluation |
| Game Protection Mathematics Percentage of Winning Hands, Strange Results, Poisson Distribution, The Law of Averages, Standard Deviation, Standard Deviation Shortcuts, Bayes Theorem The Casino Hold Percentage Measuring Game Performance, What Should My Games Be Holding, Fluctuation Rating Systems Weak Basic Strategy Players, Error Costs, Frequency of Error, Player Profiles |
| Myths and Misconceptions Knowledge Traps, Cheating, Marked Cards, Counting, Shuffle Tracking, Betting Systems, Do Casinos Cheat?, The Short Shoe, Master Hi Low, Preferential Shuffling |
| The Future of Game Protection Biometrics, Accountability Systems, Automation, Realities |
| Training, Sources and Experts Background, Books, Videos, Software, The Internet, Lectures, Surveillance Footage, Personal Contacts, The Ultimate Source Recommendations Card Counting, Shuffle Tracking, Advantage Play, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, Asian Games, Poker, Mathematics, Surveillance/Security, General, Cheating Web Sites, Retail Outlets, Experts |
| Summary |
Final Thoughts |