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KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Nice to meet everyone. I used to be on the site under a different name, but have recently stepped out of the shadows. My name is Houston Curtis and in addition to being Executive Producer of many gambling related series including The Ultimate Blackjack Tour on CBS and the Aruba Poker Classic on GSN, I am also a professional card mechanic and former high stakes gambler. After parts of my life were revealed in the Arron Sorkin film, Molly's Game, I decided to open up about my past indiscretions with a deck of playing cards in a new auto-biographical book that will be coming out in the near future detailing the legendary Hollywood poker game I started with actor Tobey Maguire. Another result in stepping out of the shadows is that I have started sharing a lifetime's worth of knowledge about the fascinating art of card control on my Kardsharp website and youtube channel. I have always used this site to gain knowledge, but am now happy to be using it to share knowledge as well. Here is a trailer for my upcoming book/video series Million Dollar Mechanics. I hope to hear from many of you and will do my best to answer any and all questions that come my way!
- Houston Curtis https://youtu.be/TKOCjUpaRhM
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
Welcome, welcome, welcome KardSharp89. So happy to have another celebrity grace our humble pages. What a storied resume you have, and I'm sure you have tales to tell.
I'll start out right now by asking how you would define the difference between a Card Sharp, and a Card Shark. I've ready many opinions and would be interested in hearing your take.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Are you a card cheater or an expert on sleights gamblers use?
-Mary Mowder |
Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
Mary, that was my exact inquiry. I'm fascinated and interested in both followings, and judge neither as I admire the skills of both.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 17, 2018, Wizard of Oz wrote: That is a good question Wiz! In some circles the two are synonamous. But some also feel that a card sharp better describes someone using slight of hand to gain the advantage as opposed to a Card Shark...who is simply an advantage player who will use his superior skill to hunt down his marks. Personally... I don't think you can be a true card "sharp" unless you are also a card shark! I hope that makes sense! lol Very nice to meet you!
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 17, 2018, Mary Mowder wrote: Hi Mary. I've always been hesitant to use the word "cheater" to describe what I do. Only because anyone who has spent the amount of time learning how to manipulate a deck of cards like I have...or guys like Jason England, Steve Forte etc... It seems to me the pure artistry and flat out balls it takes to play under fire deserves to get the money just as much as the advantage player. But yeah...Basically I rob, steal and pillage. However, my moral code when using mechanics was always a little different than when I was playing straight up. I always made an honest attempt to never take money from people who couldn't afford to lose. My targets were always the rich affluent ******. But when playing straight up... I never minded crushing the soul of anyone at the table...and as far as I remember...they never minded trying crush me either. I hope you drop by and subscribe to my Youtube channel. its kinda new...but I'm sharing some stuff I think you will like. Here is a trailer for my upcoming book/video series Million Dollar Mechanics: https://youtu.be/TKOCjUpaRhM
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Cheating is theft.
I have hard won skills that would make theft possible but that wouldn't make it OK. Mary |
KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 18, 2018, Mary Mowder wrote: Well...I could have answered you like a lot of guys I know and told you that I only practice the art of card table artifice. But I figured this is a place where it is safe to tell the truth and not be judged for it.
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Also.. I guess I should have stated...that I am basically "retired" from that part of my life. but regardless.. allow me to pose this question. Is it more wrong to use mechanics or some similar means to take down a mark who is a bad person, OR - to straight up hustle some poor guy who is playing with his life savings on the table. I can tell you from experience... I have done both in my life. And if I were able to go back and make a choice between cheating the wealthy jerk vs hustling the guy who is beyond his depth... I would pick cheating every time and sleep like a baby. I have always felt bad about felting someone and then learning I just took his rent money. But according to the legality of it all... the moral play would be to back off from cheating the guy who could care less about the money and go right ahead and hustle the poor sap whose life is gonna be destroyed after he loses to a far more skilled opponent. Just some food for thought. Again...nice to meet you.
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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lnlver New user 71 Posts |
I have a certain admiration for skills of mechanics like Walter Scott and Richard Turner. Walter Scott was a famous card mechanic who made his living out of relieving folks out of their cash. His story is told in the book "The Phantom of the Card Table".
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KardSharp89 New user 17 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 18, 2018, lnlver wrote: Phantom of the Card Table shared Walter's methods but was written by his friend and admirer, Eddie Maguire (who was a magician). There is another book called Phantom(s) of the card table that tells the story of Walter Scott. That book was written by david britland and gazzo (who is a talented card manipulator himself)
He's leaving town tomorrow...so let's go ahead and skin him.
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