Casino game edge sorting
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Phil ivey and cheung sun brought edge sorting to the attention of millions when ivey admitted he edge sorted with sun at crockfords casino in london in 2012. As you surely know, in october, 2014, ivey lost his lawsuit to recoup his $12M in winnings from crockfords. Subsequently, ivey was sued by the borgota casino for $9M. Ivey was determined to have edge sorted at the borgata, and $9M is the amount ivey and sun won during the period they employed this technique. That case is ongoing. On june 2, 2015, cheung sun lost her bid to recoup $1.1M confiscated from her by foxwoods casino in 2011, after it was determined she used edge sorting. Note added, june 2, 2015.
Edge sorting, 101
Edge sorting is a method of advantage play that uses natural irregularities in the cut on the backs of cards to be able to identify certain groups of cards. By being able to identify critical cards, aps are able to improve their betting and playing decisions. This method of advantage play is not new; aps have been using it to beat the house for at least two decades. The advantages that edge sorting can produce are significant and enduring. The games targeted range from blackjack and baccarat to caribbean stud and three card poker. Casinos around the world have been hard hit by this method. And the fix is trivial.
Abram alexander, in his book “advanced tactics in casino advantage play” (available only as a kindle e-book), wrote,
“one of the most closely-guarded secrets in the upper echelons of casino advantage play is the practice of card sorting, known as “the turn” … the technique is predicated on the imperfections in the manufacturing process of casino playing cards. The backs of the cards, which generally contain some sort of repeating diamond or geometrical pattern, are often asymmetrical. If examined closely, it will be revealed that the top and bottom or right and left edges of the cards are not identical … my own experience is limited, having only played on my own, and only in three casinos (the palms, the orleans, and the barbary coast) … this technique is best practiced with a team that can lock up the entire table and, in fact, I have on more than a few occasions come into a casino to see a veritable who’s who of advantage players working in concert to make it happen.”
To understand how edge sorting works, we have to examine the backs of a few common playing cards. The following two designs show asymmetries along the right and left edges. Note the full diamond shapes along the left edge and the half-diamond shapes along the right edges.
The following images show that cards with faded edges can also give rise to asymmetries. Note the difference in the width of the bleached borders in the following images. The image on the left has a top/bottom edge asymmetry. The image on the right has a left/right edge asymmetry.
The games that are vulnerable are those for which there is a strategically important group of cards, which is nearly every game. During the play of the game, the AP (or team of aps) turns the cards so as to be able to distinguish the important cards from the other cards. For example, using a card with a left/right diamond asymmetry, the AP may align the cards so that full diamonds along the left edge corresponds to an important card, and half-diamonds on the left edge corresponds to the other cards. The AP attempts to turn every card in the deck or shoe to identify its group. After the cards are sorted, the AP then observes the appropriate edge during the play of a hand. By knowing the card’s group, the AP makes a decision that shifts the edge in his favor. That edge will persist as long as the cards remain aligned.
For example, in baccarat the important cards are <6, 7, 8, 9>. If the AP knows that the first card to be dealt is from this group, then he makes a wager on the player hand. If the first card is not in this group, then the AP wagers on the banker hand. This simple strategy is enough to gain an edge of 6.765% over the house (see this blog post and this blog post).
Here is an example of how this sorting may look in practice for baccarat:
Here is a picture of a shoe, showing how it may be possible to read a card before it is played:
Here is a pitch game where an edge can be observed:
Here is the proprietary game three card poker, where the edge of each dealer card can be observed:
Here is a video that explains edge sorting:
Determining the two groups of cards is usually fairly obvious. The following table gives some games, the key card group for each game and the possible edge the AP can get:
[on june 13, 2014, I posted an update to my results on edge sorting in baccarat. I showed that using the high group <4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9>, the edge sorter obtains a 30.2912% edge over the house if he sees all four cards face down before making his wager.]
For blackjack, in particular, there are many ways that sorting can assist the AP. Using edge sorting, the AP may know significant information about one or more of the following:
- The dealer’s hole-card.
- The next card to be dealt from the top of the deck.
- The first card to be dealt in the next round.
For example, knowing that next card is not a face card, the player will hit all 12-valued hands. The player will also have near perfect information for his insurance bets. This information can also help the player decide his initial wager if he is seated at first base. Knowing the first card is an ace or ten-valued card gives the AP an edge of more than 18% over the house; he will make a much larger wager in this case.
The death knell for edge sorting is trivial: include a “turn” in the shuffle procedure. A turn is when the cards are divided into two stacks, and one of the stacks is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the other. The turn should occur mid-shuffle (after a riffle), in a hand shuffled game. In a game where an automatic shuffling machine is used, a turn should be performed just before the cards are inserted into the shuffle machine.
“any advantage player who sees this procedure in place in a casino should have lowered expectations for successfully putting a turn play on that venue… this susceptibility to a simple counter-measure is precisely why the turn has been kept under wraps for so long.”
For edge sorting to work in a casino, the AP needs all of the following:
- Cards that have a clearly visible asymmetry.
- A game where one or more card backs can be viewed before a critical decision is made.
- A fixed dealing and play procedure so that when the cards are collected from the players, their orientation can be consistently determined.
- A shuffle procedure that does not include a turn.
- The ability to lock up seats at the table so that civilians don’t interfere with the sort.
- Ignorance of the method by on-site table games staff and surveillance.
I first discovered that a majority of playing cards had asymmetric card back designs in 2002. I remember demonstrating what might be possible to a few of my AP friends. I sorted a couple of cards and could suddenly pick out the aces and other key cards. I never considered actually trying to execute an edge sorting scheme in a live casino. In that sense, I have no practical experience using this method. Even so, I first wrote about the possibility of edge sorting back in 2005. I first encountered its use in 2007.
When phil ivey beat crockford’s casino out of more than twelve million ($12,000,000) dollars in october, 2012, this method hit the mainstream. Because of the publicity of ivey vs. Crockfords, casinos internationally have been hit hard by would-be edge sorting teams. In particular, three card poker has become a big target, giving the AP an edge easily in excess of 15% over the house.
Edge sorting in many ways resembles card marking, which is an illegal activity. Edge sorting looks like a duck and quacks like a duck; the edge sorting team proceeds tactically in every way like a card-marking team. However, an edge sorter is not a duck: he is not marking cards and he is not cheating. Edge sorting is a method that takes advantage of the equipment and procedures a casino uses together with the casino’s lack of awareness. Edge sorters take advantage of cards that come pre-marked by the card manufacturer. Cheaters mark cards.
The playing card should be at the front of the line for game protection. In my opinion, card manufactures should get their collective acts together and stop selling defective products to their clients. In the mean time, casinos absolutely must include a turn in the shuffle procedure for every card game.
Note added, june 2, 2015.
Phil ivey and cheung sun brought edge sorting to the attention of millions when ivey admitted he edge sorted with sun at crockfords casino in london in 2012. As you surely know, in october, 2014, ivey lost his lawsuit to recoup his $12M in winnings from crockfords. Subsequently, ivey was sued by the borgota casino for $9M. Ivey was determined to have edge sorted at the borgata, and $9M is the amount ivey and sun won during the period they employed this technique. That case is ongoing. On june 2, 2015, cheung sun lost her bid to recoup $1.1M confiscated from her by foxwoods casino in 2011, after it was determined she used edge sorting.
Edge sorting isn't doing very well in the courts these days. Maybe a better way to say this is that phil ivey and cheung sun aren't doing very well in the courts. I know of many instances of edge sorting that were not prosecuted in civil court. The aps got to keep their winnings without a legal battle. But, when the amount won gets into the "millions" range, people get pretty serious about these things.
Gaining the edge: what is edge sorting in baccarat?
Whether it’s because of the overall simplicity of its rules, the low house edge, or the james bondishness of hitting the casino floor dressed to the nines to play the favorite game of the world’s most famous spy, baccarat has long been one of the most popular table games.
In recent years, the game has also drawn quite a lot of attention due to a multi-million-dollar lawsuit between an atlantic city casino and two high roller players who deployed the so-called edge sorting technique while playing baccarat at said casino to surpass the inherent advantage enjoyed by gambling venues.
Of course, we are talking about phil ivey and his companion player cheung yin “kelly” sun, who were sued by the borgata casino for using edge sorting to transform the game of baccarat into a profit machine not for the casino, but for the players.
The prolonged legal battle became so massive – after all, it involved two of the world’s most skilled casino players – that we believe it is important to throw some light on what edge sorting is and how it is used in the game of baccarat.
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What is edge sorting?
In card games, edge sorting is a way of identifying the value of the cards by their backs. Here it is important to note that in most cases even cards of the finest quality are not cut perfectly symmetrically, which is where edge sorters get their advantage.
To most players, discrepancies on the backs of playing cards, whether natural or ones present in their cut patterns, are normally so tiny that they are almost impossible to distinguish.
But while the majority of those playing card games at casinos may find it close to impossible to observe such nearly indiscernible irregularities, there are some players who use them to identify the values of the cards or groups of cards they are playing with and then use that knowledge to improve their edge.
In other words, edge sorting is not difficult at all to those gifted with a sharp eye and quick wits.
How does edge sorting work exactly?
Edge sorting can be deployed when the cards dealt at a table have repeated patterns on their backs. Players may be able to identify tiny discrepancies along the left and right or top and bottom edges of the cards.
Generally speaking, edge sorting can be used in any card game in which certain groups of cards are more valuable than the rest of the cards in the deck. Advantage players use the technique to distinguish all important cards from the rest and thus generate a larger profit than what they would normally win at a casino if they abide strictly by its rules.
Once players manage to sort the important cards from the less important ones, they can base their decisions at the table on that knowledge to turn the edge that usually favors the casino into their favor. The edge remains in their favor for as long as the cards of the deck or the shoe remain in the same order.
Edge sorting in baccarat
Edge sorting gained quite a lot of attention in recent years namely because ivey and sun used the technique during their notorious baccarat sessions at the borgata.
We can say that nines, eights, and sevens are perhaps the most important cards in the game of baccarat. If a player knows for sure that the first card that will be dealt by the dealer belongs to that group of important cards, they can make an informed choice on whether to place money on the player hand or the banker hand, or on a tie.
The technique can help a baccarat player gain a 6.76% edge over the house.
Is edge sorting cheating?
Edge sorting is a form of advantage play and while casinos prefer to regard it as illegal or against their rules at the very least, classifying it as cheating would probably not be entirely correct.
It is true that edge sorters reduce the established house edge, but unlike card marking, where playing cards are altered specifically for the purpose of gaining edge against the house, in edge sorting players use manufacturing defects.
Cheating or not, edge sorting is a practice that is frowned upon by casinos around the world and can spell big trouble for any player caught using it from being banished from the casino premise to being pressed charges against.
How edge sorting helped ivey and sun win millions
Widely regarded as one of the world’s best poker players, phil ivey has shown unmatched skills in other card games, as well.
In his pursuit of big baccarat wins, ivey found the most fitting partner in cheung yin “kelly” sun, an advantage player who had mastered the edge sorting technique to the degree of getting herself 86ed from a number of casinos.
In 2012, ivey and sun went to play baccarat at the borgata casino in atlantic city. Ahead of their baccarat sessions, ivey had made a series of special requests and paid a small fortune to be granted those by the casino.
For what ivey and sun had said were superstitious reasons, the two players had asked the borgata to be provided with a private area in which they could play and a mandarin-speaking dealer.
They had further requested an eight-deck shoe of purple gemaco cards. The same cards were used for the entirety of the two players’ playing sessions. It should be noted that purple gemaco cards have tiny discrepancies on their backs that experienced card players like ivey and sun can easily observe.
Ivey and his companion were additionally provided with an automatic card shuffling device. Such devices shuffle cards without rotating them 180 degrees.
During each baccarat session, sun gave the mandarin-speaking dealer instructions on how to flip and lay the cards on the table. Sun and ivey maintained that their requests were based on superstitions.
However, it later on became known that their requests were part of an elaborate edge sorting scheme that helped them win $9.6 million.
The borgata paid out the winnings, but upon realizing that ivey and sun used their advantage play skills to gain edge, filed a lawsuit against the players to get the money back.
Ivey’s use of the controversial technique got him entangled in one of the most highly publicized and longest running legal battles involving a casino and a player in history. Eventually, the player lost the case and the borgata has been after his property and money to recoup what it lost in 2012.
Ivey lost a similar case against london’s crockfords casino where he had edge-sorted his way to £7.7 million in punto banco winnings.
The future of edge sorting
There have now been three court decisions (and two appeals) in three distinct jurisdictions regarding the question of whether edge sorting at mini-baccarat is advantage play. In every case the decision came down on the side of the casino without a determination of criminal cheating. As phil ivey's expert in the crockford's case, I obviously fall into the "edge sorting is advantage play" camp. However, after these decisions, it's a matter of making sense of the verdicts and working outward from there.
As a reminder, there are two versions of baccarat. In one, the players can touch the cards. In this case the cards are "one use." that is, the cards are thrown out after each shoe and fresh cards are brought in for the next shoe. It is obvious that no edge sorting can take place if the game is dealt in this fashion. This version is often referred to as "midi-baccarat" or "big baccarat" depending on the size of the table.
In the other version, played on a blackjack-sized table, the cards are only handled by the dealer and they are shuffled and reused after each shoe. This version is often referred to as "mini-baccarat". Other than the size of the table and re-use of the cards, there is no difference in rules between these versions. In mini-baccarat, edge sorting is possible. However, because the players can't touch the cards, they will need the assistance of the house to achieve their ambition.
The specific method that phil ivey and cheung yin sun (ivey's cohort) used to beat mini-baccarat involved, in every case, employing the unwitting assistance of casino management and the dealer. To begin with, ivey and sun needed to get the cards sorted. But they also need to insure that the shuffle had no turn, that the cards were re-used, that the shoe had no faceplate and that asymmetric cards were in use. This package of conditions required substantial social engineering on the part of ivey and sun. That they achieved their aim even once, let alone multiple times, still astounds me.
A quick review is in order:
FOXWOODS CASINO
In 2012, cheung yin sun brought a lawsuit against the mashantucket pequot gaming enterprise to recoup $1.15 million in winnings confiscated by foxwoods casino in december of 2011. The tribal commission chairman georege henningsen ruled against sun in august, 2012, stating,
"the commission's authority to address the claimant's conduct is clearly not restricted to an analysis to determine whether they engaged in criminal conduct, but simply whether we find they engaged in, '. Improper or unlawful conduct . ' in the course of their 'gaming activities'. As noted above, a finding of 'improper or unlawful conduct' is inescapable under the facts before us."
Sun's appeal (in 2015) was denied by U.S. District judge janet hall, who ruled that sun,
". Couldn't sue foxwoods because the casino's owner, the mashantucket pequots, has sovereign immunity as an american indian tribe."
CROCKFORD'S CASINO
In october, 2014, sun and ivey lost their now infamous lawsuit against crockford's casino. In 2012, the pair won about $12 million by edge sorting over two days of play. In this case, mr. Justice mitting ruled that ivey and sun,
Ivey and sun appealed. In a 2-to-1 split decision handed down in november, 2012, the court denied their appeal. One of the judges, lady justice arden, stated,
"in my judgment, this section [of gaming law] provides that a party may cheat within the meaning of this section without dishonesty or intention to deceive . On that basis, the fact that the appellant did not regard himself as cheating is not determinative."
BORGATA
And finally, there is the borgata case. Ivey and sun successfully edge sorted at borgata on four occasions in 2012, winning about $9.6 million. In late 2012, after learning about the crockford's situation, borgata put a halt to their action. Borgata subsequently sued the pair to recoup their losses. In october, 2016, U.S. District judge noel hillman issued summary judgment, ruling that,
“by using cards they caused to be maneuvered in order to identify their value only to them, ivey and sun adjusted the odds of baccarat in their favor. This is in complete contravention of the fundamental purpose of legalized gambling, as set forth by the CCA [new jersey casino control act].”
After the verdict, judge hillman gave borgata time to make a claim for damages. On november 10, 2016, borgata stated that they would be seeking $15.5 million from ivey.
According to each of these judges, edge sorting is not advantage play and edge sorting is not criminal cheating. I always thought that those were the only two possible outcomes.
You either pay the players or you put them in jail. My binary thinking shows my ignorance of the nuances of jurisdictional gaming law. Apparently, one can cheat for the purpose of civil law, or engage in improper or unlawful conduct, or act in complete contravention of the fundamental purpose of legalized gaming, without being a cheater.
Using card asymmetries to beat casino games is as old as cards themselves. I know for a fact that edge sorting blackjack has been going on for over 40 years. I have a reference dating back to 1890 indicating that card asymmetries were used to beat the player-banked version of baccarat known as chemin de fer. It is simply incomprehensible to me that any casino, anywhere, would not understand the basic game protection imperatives that follow from using asymmetric cards. That's why cards are designed with a symmetric backside to begin with. Yet, in these three adjudicated cases the casino was given a pass on its wholesale ignorance.
I have devoted considerable time and effort to analyzing edge sorting in my research. Fortunately for the would-be advantage player, edge sorting as it is usually employed against proprietary games is a different beast. The players are not making any special requests tothe casino. They are seeking out game conditions that already exist. They are beating the game as it is offered. In recent instances of edge sorting that have taken place against caribbean stud and three card poker, I have not heard the slightest murmur that the impacted casinos were considering taking legal action against the players.
Perhaps the full breadth of social engineering that ivey and sun employed at baccarat was enough to tip the scales of justice against them. Maybe those who take advantage of what's available against proprietary games, without engaging in any social engineering, will find themselves on the winning end of some future civil judgment. However, until a case is decided in court that involves the specific parameters by which proprietary games are being beaten, I can no longer say with confidence that edge sorting any casino game is advantage play.
As of now, edge sorting is in the legal twilight zone, residing somewhere between advantage play and cheating. Caveat emptor.
What is edge sorting and can I learn it
Edge sorting is a technique whereby players observe the natural irregularities or cut patterns on the back of cards. All cards should, in theory, be identical on the back. But if there are irregularities, then players can use edge sorting to identify certain cards of interest to sway games in their favour.
How does edge sorting work?
Edge sorting allows players to profit from the imperfections on the backs on playing cards. For example, two of the card edges may show the tips of a diamond, whereas the remaining edges have been cut at the middle point of the diamond. Because all four edges are not symmetrical, players with an eagle-eye may be able to sort the cards in their favour.
This involves turning cards, so beneficial cards have their full diamonds along one edge that corresponds with so-called unimportant cards showing the half cut diamond along the same edge. The player is then able to identify beneficial and non-beneficial cards based on the pattern that is showing along one of the edges.
Edge sorting allows a player to identify potentially beneficial cards that can sway a hand in their favour resulting in a larger payout. For example, during a game of blackjack, it would be beneficial for players to identify cards between 10 – ace. By ensuring these cards have a certain edge in one direction and the remainder of the deck are in the other direction, a player can use this to their advantage.
Knowing that the next card in a deck is a 10 – ace can change the way the player bets. If they know that the next card will make them go bust, they can choose to stick with their hand in the hope that it beats the dealer. If the player knows the following card is 10 – ace and it will result in blackjack, they can use this knowledge to increase the value of their bet and obtain a larger payout.
How to successfully edge sort
To be able to employ edge sorting, the cards must first have a clear asymmetrical repeated pattern. It can only work when the back of the cards are viewable before making decisions in a game. To successfully edge sort, there must be a fixed procedure in playing and dealing, so that when cards are collected back from the players the edges are not disturbed.
Whilst shuffling will disturb any pattern within the deck of cards, cards are not usually rotated 180 degrees, meaning the edges will remain how the player returns them.
There is debate as to whether edge sorting is illegal. There have been large court cases, most notably involving phil ivey and cheung yin sun who are alleged to have edge sorted at the crockfords casino in london in 2012. This involved a huge amount of money, into the £millions. It appears similar to card marking, whereby players ‘mark’ valuable cards. However, in edge sorting, the players simply take advantage of the natural flaws in the patterns of the cards.
Should I use edge sorting?
If you simply notice an anomaly on the back of playing cards and use it to your advantage, then you are not doing anything illegal. However, if you ‘manipulate’ the dealer in any way (such as requesting for them to rotate cards or use an automatic shuffler), then the UK high court rules it as cheating. This is evidenced by the famous poker player paul ivey, who lost his court case after it was claimed he ‘manipulated’ the dealer – albeit unwittingly – into cheating.
If you are found to have won money through ‘cheating’, then there is a chance that the casino may refuse to payout.
However, if you simply notice a natural difference in the cards and do not employ the dealer to manipulate the game, then you may be able to use this difference to your advantage during gameplay.
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Edge sorting - everything you need to know
Edge sorting is a shifty method by which card players recognize irregularities in the print on the back of cards and use them to their own advantage!
Edge sorting is one of the techniques through which card players can go for an advantaged play they do this by observing and using the natural irregularities on the back of the cards or their cut patterns. All cards should be cut off the back sided pattern in such a way that each edge of the card is similar to its opposite edge but if there are certain irregularities of the patterns along the edges of the cards then certain smart players can use the irregularities to identify certain cards of their interest and get the whole game in their favour. Through edge sorting, the players are able to identify certain groups of the cards and use this knowledge in order to improve their betting as well as win the game smartly. Basically, it just means that the players exploit the card manufacturer’s fault and use it to their advantage.
See our edge sorting video
Edge sorting is a pretty significant danger as certain well known players have been able to make millions of money in the most reputed casinos. Edge sorting is followed in the famous games like blackjack, poker, baccarat, caribbean stud, mississippi stud and many more. One card manufacturer, gemaco, whose cards have in the past been identified as flawed, has helped many players to win an edge over the house using edge sorting. Edge sorting is not at all difficult if you have a sharp eye and a smart head. All you got to do is to examine the pattern on the back of the cards. On those cards, whose back sides have repeated patterns, you may be able to identify the asymmetry along the left and right edges or on the top and bottom edges.
Edge sorting cards
See the full diamonds along with the left edge of the card and half diamonds along the right edge of the cards .
The asymmetry can also be observed in the cards which have faded edges.
These edges give rise to a certain amount of asymmetry which the players can identify on the top or bottom or on the left and right edges.
Edge sorting generally focuses on those games in which certain groups of cards have more value than the other groups which is nearly in all the card games hence, edge sorting makes all the card games pretty vulnerable. What the edge sorter players are able to do is that they distinguish all the important cards from the remaining and relatively unimportant ones.
How edge sorting works
The players, on seeing that the pattern on the left and right edges of the back of the cards are asymmetrical, align the cards such that all the full diamonds are placed along one edge and they may call it as important cards and the half diamonds along the same edge corresponds to the remaining unimportant cards. The players make an attempt to sort out all the cards and try to identify their group, then they can make a decision through which the edge of the game can be turned into their favour and that edge will remain in their favour as long as the cards of the deck or shoe will remain aligned as such.
Edge sorting baccarat
For example, in the game of baccarat , the four important cards are 6, 7, 8, and 9. Now, if the player knows and is sure that the first card which is dealt or would be dealt is from this group of four cards then he can wager his money on the ‘player hand’ or on the ‘banker hand’. Edge sorting can help the player to gain an edge of 6.76 per cent over the house which is more than enough to bring the game in their favor.For full baccarat rules read this.
Edge sorting blackjack
So you can see that, edge sorting can really help the players to improve the gaming skills to some extent. However, edge sorting may go to waste if a ‘turn’ occurs in the shuffle procedure. What we mean by a ‘turn’ is that when the cards are divided into 2 heaps and one of the heaps is rotated 180 degrees. Now, if 180 degrees of turn is given to one heap of the cards then it disturbs the foundation of edge sorting for the players and the whole thing maybe shuffled. The edges get mixed up and that player loses his whole made up pattern. Therefore, a turn in the shuffle may also be called the death knell for edge sorting.
What you need to edge sort properly
- First of all, the back of the cards shall have clearly visible asymmetrical repeated pattern.
- Edge sorting can only work in a game where the back of one or more cards can be viewed before making a necessary decision in the game.
- Edge sorting can only work if there is a fixed procedure for playing as well as for dealing in the cards so much so that even when the cards are collected back from the players, the edges are not disturbed and they are consistent and can be determined in the next round of the game as well.
- The shuffling shall be done in order such that it does not include a turn i.E. A turn of 180 degrees which can disturb the whole pattern.
- Anyone else other than the dealer and players shall not be able to interfere with the sort of the cards in the deck or shoe.
- And last but not the least which is the most important factor- the on-site staff and surveillance shall be completely ignorant of this method.
Edge sorting is considered an illegal activity because in many ways it appears similar to card marking but it is not exactly the same. The edge sorters do not mark cards. They simply take advantage of the flaws in the patterns of the cards which are designed or manufactured by certain companies. So in short the edge sorters use the equipment of the cards in order to turn around the game in their favour without making the casinos aware of it. Although it could be said that the fault is of the card manufacturers as it is they who mark the cards unintentionally or do not trim them in proper symmetrical patterns. Still, edge sorting remains an illegal activity today and the casinos can sue such players if they suspect them of edge sorting. Still it remains an attractive proposition as a good casino bet for the savvy card shark
The history of edge sorting
It was then known by the casino that they were using a well known method of cheating which goes by the name of "edge sorting" by then the borgata casino was on its way to sueing phil.
The issues at hand
Since edge sorting can put a player in grave danger it should be avoided. There are necessary steps which must be taken by the casinos and the card manufacturing companies in order to avoid it. A significant thing to notice here is that to the players, who are edge sorters, they are just smart with their observations and do nothing more than observing the backside of the cards. Actually it is the card manufacturers’ fault.
Solutions to the problem
The manufacturers and companies should clean up their act and manufacture cards which have repeated symmetrical patterns and do not have half diamonds or circles on one edge or full diamonds or circles at the other edge; or irregularly beached areas on either of the edges; or different number of diamonds or circles at the edges of the cards or on the top and bottom edge of the cards. If this is done then edge sorting can be pushed out of the casinos and the players can play fairly.
Another thing which the card manufacturing companies can do and which many companies have already introduced is that there is always a white or black border around the card patterns on the back of the cards. This is done so as to block against the refined technique of edge sorting. The cutting of the cards shall also be symmetric and should be similar for all the cards as improper cutting can also lead to flaws in the pattern of the cards. Printing and cutting methods shall be optimum and without a flaw if an attempt has to be made in order to outcast edge sorting.
One important thing which the casinos are required to do in order to avoid edge sorting is that no matter if the pattern on the back of the cards is symmetrical or not, a ‘turn’ should always be given during the shuffle procedure in every card game and in every round of every game. If an automatic shuffler is used then manually a turn shall be introduced while shuffling. This will completely nullify any edge sorting technique which the players try to follow. One more thing which the casinos must do and strictly follow against all the players is to destroy the deck of cards after the game is over and not to use it in the next game. This was one thing which was not followed in phil ivey’s case. He had requested the dealer to preserve the same deck of cards for the next night’s game which was completely against the casino policies. But since phil was a very high profile player who always places high stakes therefore, the dealer agreed with this request and did not destroy the deck. This is how he was able to make 10 million dollars by using the edge sorting technique so smartly.
Keeping in mind this recent big casino case, the big players shall not go for edge sorting however tempting it may be, as it may result in an accusation of cheating. Moreover, now the casinos are also more careful regarding the patterns on the back of cards and the manufacturing companies are also careful regarding the printing and cutting techniques.
All about edge sorting
Ever heard of edge sorting? It refers to a technique, one that is used by players to note the cut patterns found at the back of some card decks. In theory, all the cards in a card deck are supposed to be identical when seen from the back, but this is not always the case. So, if there are identifiable differences, players can use this to gain an edge and possibly enhance their winning chances.
The single-mindedness of edge sorting
The skilled player can use edge sorting to gain a considerable advantage during a casino table game . As an example, let’s say that during a card game all but two of the cards in a card deck are identical. The difference between the two cards and the rest of the cards are minute, but a sharp-eyed player can spot this provided the identified cards are useful and can profit from the knowledge.
Edge sorting is normally accomplished by noting the pattern on the edges of the cards. This pattern differs depending on the importance or otherwise of the particular card. Thus, an edge sorting expert can tell by a glance if the pattern of a card can turn the tide during the gameplay.
Edge sorting can be quite useful during card games like blackjack. It serves as a way for astute players to identify those cards whose worth ranges from 10 to ace. An advantage can then be gained by making sure the identified cards have an edge in a certain direction, while the rest of the cards have an edge in another direction.
Once the cards in the card deck have been identified, this knowledge can then be used to influence betting patterns. Say, the player is certain that the next card drawn will result in a bust, he/she will refrain from drawing that hand. On the other hand, should the player be certain that the next card will be an ace and enable the formation of a blackjack hand, he/she will use this foreknowledge to boost the wager and play accordingly.
Edge sorting takes work
Edge sorting despite the demonstrable advantages is not easy to pull off. The cards in play must have a really clear and asymmetrically repeated pattern. The cards must also be viewable all through the gameplay.
For optimum success, a strict procedure must be in place for the act of playing and dealing out the cards. This serves to ensure that the cards once collected from players do not have their edges disturbed or disrupted, which would make them unreadable to the edge sorter.
The legality aspect
Is edge sorting illegal? Well, that depends on who the question is directed to and the particular time of the day!
At the moment, a fierce debate is ongoing in most regions of the world as to the legality or otherwise of edge sorting. Some casinos have even sued players who edge sorted, considering it to be a form of cheating. Perhaps, the most popular such case is the one brought by crockfords casino against the duo of cheung yin sun and phil levy, who was accused of edge sorting and thereby gaining an unfair advantage.
This term is also often confused with card marking, which is illegal. The edge sorter, however, never marks the cards. Instead, he/she memorise the card pattern and make use of flaws in this pattern to gain an advantage. Whether this advantage is illegal or not is for the courts to decide soon.
Is it for everyone?
Well, just about anyone with a working brain cell can utilise edge sorting. It requires no special skills apart from focus, alertness and memorisation and should be pretty easy for anyone to pull off.
Worth noting is that using a card defect to enforce a gameplay advantage is not illegal. However, craftily manipulating the dealer by requesting that they rotate cards, or stipulating the use of an automatic shuffler can be regarded as cheating says the UK high court in its ruling against paul ivey, who was alleged to have cleverly manipulated an unwitting dealer.
So, should casino table game players notice a card defect, they can use edge sorting to gain an advantage, without worrying about being sued for this. Manipulating the game in connivance with a clueless dealer is however forbidden.
Gaining the edge: what is edge sorting in baccarat?
Whether it’s because of the overall simplicity of its rules, the low house edge, or the james bondishness of hitting the casino floor dressed to the nines to play the favorite game of the world’s most famous spy, baccarat has long been one of the most popular table games.
In recent years, the game has also drawn quite a lot of attention due to a multi-million-dollar lawsuit between an atlantic city casino and two high roller players who deployed the so-called edge sorting technique while playing baccarat at said casino to surpass the inherent advantage enjoyed by gambling venues.
Of course, we are talking about phil ivey and his companion player cheung yin “kelly” sun, who were sued by the borgata casino for using edge sorting to transform the game of baccarat into a profit machine not for the casino, but for the players.
The prolonged legal battle became so massive – after all, it involved two of the world’s most skilled casino players – that we believe it is important to throw some light on what edge sorting is and how it is used in the game of baccarat.
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What is edge sorting?
In card games, edge sorting is a way of identifying the value of the cards by their backs. Here it is important to note that in most cases even cards of the finest quality are not cut perfectly symmetrically, which is where edge sorters get their advantage.
To most players, discrepancies on the backs of playing cards, whether natural or ones present in their cut patterns, are normally so tiny that they are almost impossible to distinguish.
But while the majority of those playing card games at casinos may find it close to impossible to observe such nearly indiscernible irregularities, there are some players who use them to identify the values of the cards or groups of cards they are playing with and then use that knowledge to improve their edge.
In other words, edge sorting is not difficult at all to those gifted with a sharp eye and quick wits.
How does edge sorting work exactly?
Edge sorting can be deployed when the cards dealt at a table have repeated patterns on their backs. Players may be able to identify tiny discrepancies along the left and right or top and bottom edges of the cards.
Generally speaking, edge sorting can be used in any card game in which certain groups of cards are more valuable than the rest of the cards in the deck. Advantage players use the technique to distinguish all important cards from the rest and thus generate a larger profit than what they would normally win at a casino if they abide strictly by its rules.
Once players manage to sort the important cards from the less important ones, they can base their decisions at the table on that knowledge to turn the edge that usually favors the casino into their favor. The edge remains in their favor for as long as the cards of the deck or the shoe remain in the same order.
Edge sorting in baccarat
Edge sorting gained quite a lot of attention in recent years namely because ivey and sun used the technique during their notorious baccarat sessions at the borgata.
We can say that nines, eights, and sevens are perhaps the most important cards in the game of baccarat. If a player knows for sure that the first card that will be dealt by the dealer belongs to that group of important cards, they can make an informed choice on whether to place money on the player hand or the banker hand, or on a tie.
The technique can help a baccarat player gain a 6.76% edge over the house.
Is edge sorting cheating?
Edge sorting is a form of advantage play and while casinos prefer to regard it as illegal or against their rules at the very least, classifying it as cheating would probably not be entirely correct.
It is true that edge sorters reduce the established house edge, but unlike card marking, where playing cards are altered specifically for the purpose of gaining edge against the house, in edge sorting players use manufacturing defects.
Cheating or not, edge sorting is a practice that is frowned upon by casinos around the world and can spell big trouble for any player caught using it from being banished from the casino premise to being pressed charges against.
How edge sorting helped ivey and sun win millions
Widely regarded as one of the world’s best poker players, phil ivey has shown unmatched skills in other card games, as well.
In his pursuit of big baccarat wins, ivey found the most fitting partner in cheung yin “kelly” sun, an advantage player who had mastered the edge sorting technique to the degree of getting herself 86ed from a number of casinos.
In 2012, ivey and sun went to play baccarat at the borgata casino in atlantic city. Ahead of their baccarat sessions, ivey had made a series of special requests and paid a small fortune to be granted those by the casino.
For what ivey and sun had said were superstitious reasons, the two players had asked the borgata to be provided with a private area in which they could play and a mandarin-speaking dealer.
They had further requested an eight-deck shoe of purple gemaco cards. The same cards were used for the entirety of the two players’ playing sessions. It should be noted that purple gemaco cards have tiny discrepancies on their backs that experienced card players like ivey and sun can easily observe.
Ivey and his companion were additionally provided with an automatic card shuffling device. Such devices shuffle cards without rotating them 180 degrees.
During each baccarat session, sun gave the mandarin-speaking dealer instructions on how to flip and lay the cards on the table. Sun and ivey maintained that their requests were based on superstitions.
However, it later on became known that their requests were part of an elaborate edge sorting scheme that helped them win $9.6 million.
The borgata paid out the winnings, but upon realizing that ivey and sun used their advantage play skills to gain edge, filed a lawsuit against the players to get the money back.
Ivey’s use of the controversial technique got him entangled in one of the most highly publicized and longest running legal battles involving a casino and a player in history. Eventually, the player lost the case and the borgata has been after his property and money to recoup what it lost in 2012.
Ivey lost a similar case against london’s crockfords casino where he had edge-sorted his way to £7.7 million in punto banco winnings.
What is edge sorting and can I learn it
Edge sorting is a technique whereby players observe the natural irregularities or cut patterns on the back of cards. All cards should, in theory, be identical on the back. But if there are irregularities, then players can use edge sorting to identify certain cards of interest to sway games in their favour.
How does edge sorting work?
Edge sorting allows players to profit from the imperfections on the backs on playing cards. For example, two of the card edges may show the tips of a diamond, whereas the remaining edges have been cut at the middle point of the diamond. Because all four edges are not symmetrical, players with an eagle-eye may be able to sort the cards in their favour.
This involves turning cards, so beneficial cards have their full diamonds along one edge that corresponds with so-called unimportant cards showing the half cut diamond along the same edge. The player is then able to identify beneficial and non-beneficial cards based on the pattern that is showing along one of the edges.
Edge sorting allows a player to identify potentially beneficial cards that can sway a hand in their favour resulting in a larger payout. For example, during a game of blackjack, it would be beneficial for players to identify cards between 10 – ace. By ensuring these cards have a certain edge in one direction and the remainder of the deck are in the other direction, a player can use this to their advantage.
Knowing that the next card in a deck is a 10 – ace can change the way the player bets. If they know that the next card will make them go bust, they can choose to stick with their hand in the hope that it beats the dealer. If the player knows the following card is 10 – ace and it will result in blackjack, they can use this knowledge to increase the value of their bet and obtain a larger payout.
How to successfully edge sort
To be able to employ edge sorting, the cards must first have a clear asymmetrical repeated pattern. It can only work when the back of the cards are viewable before making decisions in a game. To successfully edge sort, there must be a fixed procedure in playing and dealing, so that when cards are collected back from the players the edges are not disturbed.
Whilst shuffling will disturb any pattern within the deck of cards, cards are not usually rotated 180 degrees, meaning the edges will remain how the player returns them.
There is debate as to whether edge sorting is illegal. There have been large court cases, most notably involving phil ivey and cheung yin sun who are alleged to have edge sorted at the crockfords casino in london in 2012. This involved a huge amount of money, into the £millions. It appears similar to card marking, whereby players ‘mark’ valuable cards. However, in edge sorting, the players simply take advantage of the natural flaws in the patterns of the cards.
Should I use edge sorting?
If you simply notice an anomaly on the back of playing cards and use it to your advantage, then you are not doing anything illegal. However, if you ‘manipulate’ the dealer in any way (such as requesting for them to rotate cards or use an automatic shuffler), then the UK high court rules it as cheating. This is evidenced by the famous poker player paul ivey, who lost his court case after it was claimed he ‘manipulated’ the dealer – albeit unwittingly – into cheating.
If you are found to have won money through ‘cheating’, then there is a chance that the casino may refuse to payout.
However, if you simply notice a natural difference in the cards and do not employ the dealer to manipulate the game, then you may be able to use this difference to your advantage during gameplay.
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Can edge sorting be used to win in casino gaming?
Home > blog > can edge sorting be used to win in casino gaming?
Edge sorting is one of the popular playing card techniques in casino gaming. It is especially used by the individuals who are looking for an advantage play. Basically, this tactic involves observing any type of irregularity on the playing card’s cut patterns on the back end of the card. The pattern of the playing card is normally similar to each other. But sometimes, there are certain visible irregularities that the professional and clever players use for their advantage.
If the players recognise this card with irregularities at either its backside or the cut pattern, it won’t take them long to find out which card it is. Once they know the value of the certain cards, they can use it for adjusting their bets i.E. Either placing the big bets or reducing their bet amount (depending on what benefits them).
What is edge sorting in casino gaming?
As mentioned above, edge sorting is one of the smartest casino gaming techniques that help players identify the value of a specific group of cards. They use this knowledge to get an edge over the dealer or the other players. To put in the simplest terms, this technique let casino players take advantage of the card manufacturer’s fault.
It is worth noting that edge sorting is not a casual technique. In fact, many casino gamers have made millions by edge sorting the cards. You can find this technique extensively used in different casino games such as blackjack , baccarat, poker, mississippi stud, caribbean stud, and a lot more. If you are familiar with casino history, you might have heard of the gemaco. Well, gemaco is the famous car manufacturer whose cards were considered flawed. Using these cards, the gamblers were able to identify the card value of the flawed card and could make a considerable amount of money using edge sorting. Unlike other advantage playing card techniques, edge sorting is one of the easiest ones. This is, in fact, the best tactic for professional and beginner players. You don’t have to learn anything, instead, a smart mind and a strong eye are all that you need to figure the value of the specific group of cards.
When does edge sorting work?
Edge sorting may seem the easiest technique for advantage players in casino gaming. However, there are certain things the players need in order to edge sort the cards properly.
- The most important condition is the presence of the asymmetrical pattern on the back end of the playing cards.
- The technique ‘edge sorting’ is only possible when the players get a chance to have a look at the backside of the card. If you can’t view the back of the card before making the bet decision, there is no way you can edge sort the cards.
- Another important factor for edge sorting is the consistency of the game. This technique is possible in casino gaming but only in the games where there is a fixed process for playing. These procedures must be so constant that even when the players hand over the cards to the dealer after the first round, the edges remain unchanged and can be identified in the next round too.
- Card shuffling does not affect this technique as long as the shuffling does not include a 180-degree turn. If there is a 180 degree in card shuffling, the entire card pattern changes and edge-sorting becomes impossible.
- Apart from the dealer and players presence on the table, no one must be allowed to disturb the sort of playing cards.
- One of the most crucial factors is that the on-site, players, dealer, and all other people on duty at the casino must not be aware of this casino gaming technique.
It is important to note that edge sorting is an illegal activity. Though people often confuse the edge-sorting method with the card-making process, both are different. People who edge sort the cards do not make cards. However, they do take advantage of flawed cards in casino gaming.
Edge sorting in baccarat
Recently, edge sorting has got a lot of press because poker superstar, phil ivey has been accused of using the technique to win millions of dollars from a casino in new jersey and london. Being able to identity cards when they are face down is a huge advantage in casino card games like regular and live baccarat and blackjack. Edge sorting is a way to do exactly that.
Why edge sorting to improve baccarat strategy?
Edge sorting works because the patterns on the backs of many decks of cards even once used in casinos are not perfectly symmetrical on every card in the deck. Let us take an example of two unsymmetrical cards. One edge shows that the diamonds are cut in half and the other shows the full diamond. It means that a trained eye can tell the difference between opposite edges of the cards.
Now, imagine that you can sort the deck so that certain important cards are pointed one way and all the others are pointed the other half. If you could pull that off, you would be able to identify the next card to come off the deck of cards that are already face down on the left.
How to use edge sorting to improve baccarat strategy?
Edge sorting is able to offer the player with an edge of 6.79% over the house. The game of baccarat is played among 14 players and the betting places are marked with the numbers 1 to 15. Number 13 is not used due to superstitions. To place the bets, the table is marked with three boxes in front of the number of every player. There is a box for both the banker as well as the player and another one is present for the tie bets. Depending on the casino, a baccarat game is played with 6, 8 or 9 decks of cards.
The main objective of the game is to reach as close to 9 points as possible. The card of ace is valued at 1, king, queen, jack and 10 are valued at 10 and all cards from 2 to 9 are valued at their face value. Due to this, numbers 6, 7, 8 and 9 automatically become the most vital cards of the game. Edge counting is particularly useful in this situation as the player will be able to guess which cards belong to which group of cards and decide whether or not he should place his bet on the banker’s or player’s box.
Things to know before using edge sorting to improve your baccarat strategy
- All the back of the cards should have the visible asymmetrical repeated design.
- Make sure that the surveillance and on-site staff are completely ignorant of this method.
- No one else shall interfere with the cards other than the player and the dealer.
- Shuffling should be done in the same order every time and a 180-degree turn should be avoided at any cost.
- If the cards are dealt in a fixed pattern, then only edge sorting can work. The game rules need to be consistent so that the technique can be used again in the next round.
- The technique can only work in a game if the back of one or more cards is visible to make an appropriate design.
Phil ivey’s edge sorting to improve baccarat strategy
Obviously, casinos aren’t gonna let you sort the deck before you play with it. That’s why players using this technique have to get pretty creative. In phil ivey’s case, he was playing baccarat and since he’s known as a high stakes gambler, he was able to talk to the casino into giving him special treatment and unknowingly sorting the deck for him. So, what was his baccarat strategy? He requested a specific type of borgata playing cards and that the casino uses the same 8 deck shoe for his entire session. He also asked for an automatic shuffling machine and most importantly, he even got them to agree to turn certain dealt cards 180 degrees because he told them he was superstitious. Right now, the borgata casino in new jersey is suing him for almost ten million dollars he won back in 2012 because they say he was using the edge sorting technique but there are tonnes of easy for casinos to stop players from edge sorting. They can use perfectly symmetrical decks or use new decks every time they deal or incorporate a turn into their shuffle procedure that’s when half the deck is turned 180 degrees before being shuffled effectively destroying any sorting that has already been done.
Is edge sorting cheating?
Edge sorting has been now officially considered as cheating. Although ivey tried to woo the authorities by labeling the technique as ‘legitimate gamesmanship’, in the end, he lost both the cases to the casinos (crockfords and borgata). So, in short, don’t try to learn edge sorting for now if you are not familiar with it. It is almost similar to card marking and takes advantage of the card flaws which is deemed illegal by the authorities.
So, let's see, what we have: edge sorting is a method of advantage play that uses natural irregularities in the cut on the backs of cards to be able to identify certain groups of cards. At casino game edge sorting
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