If you’re a regular player in private poker games, especially those with big stakes and players you don’t know well, Houston Curtis has some essential advice for you: You’ve probably been cheated at some point.
Houston Curtis is a former TV executive, known for hits on MTV and CBS, but he’s also an expert in card mechanics — the art of manipulating playing cards during a shuffle, deal, or hand, even when under close scrutiny. And he’s now sharing his vast knowledge to help players avoid getting cheated at the poker table.
Curtis’ Mission: Teach Protection Skills
Curtis isn’t interested in teaching people how to cheat; instead, he’s dedicated to teaching players what to look for to protect themselves. In his video interview with PokerOrg’s Craig Tapscott, Curtis goes in-depth about the various ways players can cheat, and how to recognize these tactics.
“It’s important for the young generation to learn protection skills, just like they would learn any other poker skill,” Curtis explains. “I deplore cheating, which is why I’m trying to teach you guys what to look out for.”
Key Tips and Insights
Here are some of the crucial strategies Curtis shares for identifying cheating at the poker table:
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Tracking and Manipulating Cards: Watch for players who are skilled at tracking slugs of cards, even after multiple cuts and shuffles. Cheaters use this technique to stack the deck in their favor.
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Techniques to Watch For: Curtis discusses several advanced techniques like short shuffles, nullified cuts, shifts, hops, and riffle stacking. These are all methods of subtly altering the deck, often unnoticed by an untrained eye.
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Types of Deals: Learn to identify second deals, bottom deals, and even center deals, which are used by cheaters to ensure they get the best cards.
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Cheating in Plain Sight: Players might cheat even in a squarely dealt game through techniques like palming, hold-out, and switch-out moves. It’s vital to recognize when these moves are happening.
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Standard Dealing Procedures: Curtis walks through a standard dealing and shuffling procedure, showing you what it should look like to minimize the risk of cheating. The idea is to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to pull off these tricks.
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Countering Bottom-Dealers: Learn how to position your hands to spot and counter bottom-dealers. Curtis even shares insights into how some bottom-dealers can deal past a cut card, a skill that can be particularly difficult to detect.
A Masterclass in Protection
Curtis’ insights into the world of cheating at poker come from years of experience in LA’s underground poker scene. He shares stories from his time working behind the scenes at what would later be known as “Molly’s Game,” providing a glimpse into a world where poker and card tricks often overlap.
For anyone who regularly plays in private games, this masterclass is essential viewing to ensure you’re protected. Even if you don’t, Curtis’ teachings offer a fascinating look into how card mechanics and sleight-of-hand techniques intersect with the game of poker.
Whether you play for fun or big stakes, Houston Curtis’ tips can help you keep your poker game clean and fair — and possibly save you from falling victim to a cheater’s tricks.
