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| 3 Shell Game Although it is claimed that the shell game has been played since the time of the Egyptian Pharaohs, it's origins have been more reliably traced to the Middle Ages.The game requires three shells (thimbles, walnut shells, bottle caps, and even match boxes have been used), and a small, soft round ball (originally paper), about the size of a pea. (Modern operators often use rubber "peas".) . The game can be played on almost any flat surface. The operator, begins the game by placing the pea under one of the shells, then quickly shuffles the shells around. Once s/he has finished shuffling, the shells, the operator bets with members of his audience on the location of the pea. However, s/he uses sleight- of-hand during the shuffling process , so that the player cannot win - unless the operator wants them to win. Three-card Monte Three-card Monte, also known as the Three-Card Trick, Follow the Lady or Find the lady, is a confidence game in which the victim is tricked into betting a sum of money that s/he can find the money card, e.g. the queen of spades, among three face-down playing cards. To play, a dealer places three cards face down on a table. The dealer shows that one of the cards is the queen of spades, and then rearranges the cards quickly to confuse the player about which card is which. The victim is then given an opportunity to select one of the three cards. If the player correctly identifies the queen of spades, he wins an amount equal to the stake he bets; otherwise, he loses his stake. Fast and Loose Fast and Loose is a another cheating game It is also known as "Pricking the Garter" because in earlier times, the leather or cloth garters that men used to hold their stockings up around their thighs were used in this game, later the cloth webbing belts like those used by soldiers were popular. Modern versions use a loop of chain - giving it's modern name of the "Endless Chain" In operation, the chain is folded in half by the operator, and then wound into a coil, forming two identical loops. The scam artist challenges a spectator to place a finger in the true center loop - the one that holds "fast" to the finger when the two ends of the chain are pulled. Should the spectator pick the correct loop - they win. If the operator pulls and the strap comes "loose," the spectator loses the bet. Since the operator can secretly change how the two ends are pulled away, he always wins. Shills (or "stooges) help encourage others to play, by making it look possible to win. |
