CHEATING AT BRIDGE

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 12

CHEATING AT BRIDGE

SHARPERS IN ENGLISH CLUBS English bridge authorities estimate that there are about 2,000 players who make a dishonest living out of the game. *.* the trouble is,” a leading player said, “ that many of them started their careers at small provincial clubs, developed their methods of cheating among unskilled players, and so progressed to clubs where the rewards are richer. * “ Their consistent success—by cheating—is the very thing that enables them to move into higher circles. “ There are not more than a dozen players who can, by honest skill, make a consistent £I,OOO a year at bridge. There are scores who make that amount by cheating.” Although the sharpers usually work in pairs, the lone wolves are the most difficult to detect. Men make the coolest swindlers, but women are more numerous. The professional cheater rigidly observes the smaller proprieties. She never makes secret signals to her partner—it is unnecessary with the complicated system of bidding—or peeps at her opponent’s cards. She is a stickler for etiquette. Usually she is the last jmrsou you would think of accusing. Four out of five sharpers employ the method of secretly marking aces and kings. They are marked in the course of play, and where a man and woman are working together, it is usually the woman who does the marking. In one London club recently the secretary noticed that a number of used cards were marked with a slight smear of lipstick, and quite by chance discovered that the cards so marked were all aces and kings. A little detective work in comparing the lipstick with that used by women members brought him opposite an attractive and intelligent young woman, wife of a well-known engineer. Watching her, he discovered that whenever a new pack of cards was produced, she took out her vanity case and proceeded to decorate her pretty lips, working the lipstick carefully in with her little finger. But a smear of lipstick always remained on the finger. J'he charming young wife resigned hastily. Ri np witli sharply-pointed jewels arc also used for marking. Fingernails, manicured to a point, are another favourite instrument.