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Cagliostro Inner circle 2478 Posts |
Here is a good DVD that some of the members may find to be of interest. I believe it came out originally in the 1980s on video which is when I first purchased it. However, I see it has been re-issued on DVD. Since it has some very excellent information on Casino Cheating, I will do a quick review here.
Geno Munari is actually quite knowledgeable about gambling and cheating having been a Dealer, Pit Boss, Casino Manager, General Manager and Nevada Casino owner. He currently owns Houdini Magic located in Las Vegas, NV. Munari is not a hustler but because of his extensive experience on the inside of casino gambling for many years, he knows the score. In other words, he is one of the few on the inside of casino gambling who has made a study of various casino cheating ploys and no doubt has seen some of the them used in action. The DVD covers the following four games: BLACKJACK: seconds, peeking, sand, pricking, face marks, daub, mucks, hold outs, snatching, cutting aces, chip cup, coffee scam, capping, pressing, pinching, flashing, killing cards, false shuffles, run ups, nail writing cooler, marked cards, luminous work, concave strippers, coolers, gaffed shoes, computers, mis-pays and more. ROULETTE: 50-50 sucker proposition, wire gaff, weight gaff, altered frets, prediction head, biased wheels, invisible thread, magnetic ball, changing markers and more. BACCARAT: money pass, flashing crew, marked cards, hidden cards, commission moves, pressing, lace cooler, the master cooler. CRAPS: loads, mis-spots, weight, altered dice, subs, apron switch, balonies, on-off scam, shorting payoffs, drop box paddle moves, two way drop box, box-man moves, controlling fair dice and altering the dice where the evidence eventually disappears. The DVD is not up to 2010 production standards (having come out originally about 30 years ago) and has a somewhat homemade appearance. Nonetheless, the material on this DVD is the real work that has actually been used in casinos the past, and in some instances continues to be used in the US and throughout the world. Some of the gaffs are dated and are no longer in use because of changes in procedures, game structure or exposure. Others can still be and are employed. However, knowledge of what has been used successfully in the past oftentimes enables the more astute hustler to develop modifications which can be exploited today and in the future. Also, there are many instances where that which was old suddenly becomes new again, especially when a new gaming area open up. Moreover, some of the gaffs exposed have made truly incredible amounts of money for the hustlers who have used them when they were viable. Munari is not an exquisite card handler nor does he have to be as he is explaining the gaffs rather than trying to wow the eyes of a small group of magician/card manipulation cognoscenti. Actually, there are very few “moves” on this DVD since at the higher levels of casino cheating “exquisite” moves are not used very often and the moves that are used are usually simple to do. It is the context of the play, timing, shade, con and “front” that is used that makes their implementation successful. Therefore, if one is looking for the latest fancy finger-flicking and usually highly impractical card manipulation, this is not the DVD to get. In fact, it probably would be a disappointment to the average amateur who practices and demonstrates “gambling” type moves that have no real time relevance. This is only for serious people who want to get an idea as to how casinos were beaten in the past, and in some instances how they still can be beaten. For those who are interest the DVD can be ordered from the Houdini Magic Shop in Las Vegas. Their website is http://www.houdini.com and the price is $19.99. You may have to do a search of their website to locate the DVD, or perhaps even call them on the phone as sometimes their website can present a challenge when looking to find some of the more obscure items offered. (I have no affiliation with Houdini Magic or the sale of any of their products. This review is just offered as a benefit to the very few who have a liking for material of this nature.) The material is quite good and if this is your “bag,” I would recommend this DVD highly although I’m fairly certain some no-nothing moron will comment negatively on my review. We seem to have a couple of clowns on this site who specialize in doing that to demonstrate that they “really” know when they really don’t. LOL |
AMcD Inner circle stacking for food! 3078 Posts |
I admire your courage Cag. Anyway.
There are 48 (public) video references here: http://www.arnoldmcdonald.org/code/main.php?p=6700000 (select Video: Exposing/Technique) Big question: is this post gonna be deleted too? |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
It is cool but it is on youtube.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Cagliostro Inner circle 2478 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-03-03 17:43, tommy wrote: That is a short excerpt from the DVD on YouTube. The actual DVD runs about 1 hour, 45 minutes. |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Sorry when it said part 1 then I assumed part 2 and so on would be there also.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
NFS Regular user 186 Posts |
Geno was giving away the VHS format of this video for free a few years ago.
I agree with Cagliostro that the material is quite good.
"A gambler without a system is as a ship without a compass."
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iamslow Inner circle Proffessional Slacker 2001 Posts |
I bought this in vegas like 10 yrs ago in vhs format... I would say its not bad... I don't think its great, but he does cover stuff that's not available in the other vids at the time on the subject...Im gonna have to dig it out and watch again... A lot of magicians thought it was crap... they didn't know any better..
"Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face" Mike Tyson
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Tony45 Veteran user 384 Posts |
I just watched it again, I had it for a while and didn't bother with it. There is a lot of good stuff on there.
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Marlin1894 Special user 559 Posts |
I stumbled across the tape years ago. It's actually pretty decent. In fact there isn't much in the sea of crap that has been released since that tape was made that is as good. It's a decent video.
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