Bicycle Cards Are Marked

[Jonathan]

I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

[Elizabeth Falkner]

How do you know they are marked? It is true that some manufacturers have
been able to mark certain decks, but as for the Bicycle Playing Card
Company, I am sure that they would like to hear your story...
as would I.

Signed--Student of Hoyle

[Tom Sloper]

From: Jonathan <dfel...@sprintmail.com>

>I know that bicycle playing cards are marked.

What is the basis of this knowledge? Did somebody tell you that?

I find it hard to believe that a big name brand like Bicycle would
intentionally make cards that could be used to cheat. If Bicycle is in the
business of making cards for casinos, for example (disclaimer: I don't know
that they are), wouldn't it be part of the requirement that the cards be
impossible to be "read" by someone who knows the "secret code"? It sounds
like a new urban myth to me. Or maybe you work for one of Bicycle's
competitors and are trying to spread a rumor to put Bicycle out of business?
I'm just trying to think of a reason why you would believe ("know")
something like that.

>Does anyone know how to
>read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

Well then, you /don't/ "know" that they're marked, do you? Why don't you go
to the person who told you they're marked and ask for an explanation of how
to read them?

Tom Sloper
Expressing my personal opinions, not those of my employer.

[Landsrgame]

Hi Jonathan (dfel...@sprintmail.com),

Bicycle playing cards are marked only on their face. Yup, you can clearly read
the suit, and rank on the face of each card.

If you want a deck of cards that a company claims can be read from the back,
try:
http://www.unitedvisions.com/3dcards
I don't know who manufactures these.

Harvey
http://members.aol.com/landsrgame
The Battle Begins on this Field.

[DunxUK]

Marked bicycles are usually in two areas, the odd flying bird goes missing (or
extra ones appear) and small adjustments are made to the scrolling at the side.

I've heard of a pack using marking in the dotted area but I've never seen one.

Either way, you'll need to buy a marked deck, the standard cards are not
deliberately marked (although you can assemble a marked pack from several
bicycle packs).

[Robertcard]

>I know that bicycle playing cards are marked.

I find it very hard to believe that the United States Playing Card Company
marked or marks Bicycle decks. You must be referring to Bicycle decks that
have been "professionally" marked by persons or companies who specialize in
cheating devices. One way to do this was to unglue the side of the box
(allowing the tax stamp to remain intact), remove the deck, unwrap it, mark it,
rewrap it, put it back in the box, and reglue the side.

>Does anyone know how to read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

I am not an expert on this, but different Bicycle backs were marked in
different ways. Most marked decks that I have seen were marked for value only.

[Major M]

I can supply you with Marked Cards manufactured by the US Playing Card
Company.
Item #CA-0021 Marked Rider Back, factory sealed. $29.95
#CA-0222 Marked Rider Back. $21.95

(FYI: normal Bicycle cards aren't marked, but sleight differences in border
width can be used to an advantage.)

Item #BT-0268 Marked & Stripped Magic Cards (HK). $4.95

Add $3.75 shipping & handling per order.
3 - 6 weeks for delivery.
Visa and MasterCard accepted

For other Trick & Joke Decks, Card Magic Instructional Video Tapes, Coin
Tricks and Magic, visit our magic supply shop.

Worldwide Magic
www.worldwidemagic.com
4777 State
Salt Lake City, UT 84107

In article <3756B6...@sprintmail.com>, dfel...@sprintmail.com says...
>
>I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to

[Mergle29ub]

>(FYI: normal Bicycle cards aren't marked, but sleight differences in border
>width can be used to an advantage.)

I've noticed nearly all card companies have similar
imperfections in their decks, due to the way the
uncut sheets are divided and printed.

1. If you ruffle through a new deck, (54 cards) as the previous
poster said, the pattern on the back wavers every 9
cards. There are five cards that generally have their
borders at one extreme, and five cards that are at the
other. On a Hoyle Trump Bridge deck, printed from
A-hearts to A-spades, the five 'border cards' are 9-H
5-C, K-D, 4-D, 8-S. (And 8-H, 4C, K-C, 5-D, 9-S.) Older
decks printed from A-S to A-H have the same 10 cards.

Bicycle cards (and others printed with 56, 8*7 sheet), have
7 groups and six borders. Border cards are 6-S, 7-S, A-D,
2-D, 9-D, 10-D, 10-C, 9-C, 2-C, A-C, 6-H, 7-H.

2. On these ten (12) cards, the print on both sides is usually
lighter or heavier than average. This quality is noted most
heavily on cards that have color all the way to the borders
on back. (Five of the border cards are light, five are dark,
Bee, Hoyle Professional, any card with a picture on back)
I have numerous card decks where the K-D face is either
very light or a blob of ink (54s) and the 9-H is most miscut;
or 56 card decks where the 6-S is the darkest, and 9-C is
the most miscut.

3. For some reason, the paper quality and gloss varies
on these ten cards, too. This is especially noted on
Hoyle's Maverick line. Cards near the border cards may
have a duller or bluer look on their white fronts and backs.

Whether or not these subtle imperfections in the cards can
mean anything is debatable. Depends on the game and
what cards are most valuable.

Personally, I don't really think about these things in a casino
or at a friendly card game, they just sort of annoy me. I'm
surprised that there is this kind of variation between cards
in Hoyle and USPC due to their position on the uncut sheet.
I guess an estimated tolerance of 1/64-inch between cards is okay
by them, and the average card player.

Thanks for reading my dissertation on the subject. As one of
my old professors would say, 'That would make an interesting
thesis topic'. :^)

--William Priester Jr.
Buffalo, NY USA

[Bruce Loving]

Simple test for marked cards, riffle them while watching the backs, if
really marked you will notice "Movement" just like simple animation
drawings/flip cards.

No major manufacuturer of cards would risk their reputation that way.
You think the Casinos would buy from them if it were true?

Regards, Bruce

[Andy]

Some bicycle cards are actually marked like card selection which I own
however the cards they sell to casinos are obviously not.

Bruce Loving <bruce_...@uncg.edu> wrote in message
news:375EBA6E...@uncg.edu...

[Bob Rosenberger]

Let me state this as succinctly as possible.

Decks of Bicycle Playing Cards emanating direcctly from the US Playing Card Co. ARE NOT marked in any way.

It is possible to take multiple decks and assemble a deck that can be read without the addition of any marks or mechanical alterations (e.g., trimming, pin pricks, etc.). However, this is an altered deck which does not come from the factory.

[robinson]

Let's get this out of the way first. As far as I know the Bicycle back design is not used in any casino. Also, that deck is NOT marked, at least as it comes from the U.S. Playing Card Company. HOWEVER, up until about 8 years ago (or so, my memory on the exact time is rather inexact), there was an anamoly on the plates (intentional?) that put a distinctive mark on the back of the Ace of Spades.

 

If you dealt the four aces out on the table in one of these older decks I could always pick out the ace of spades and also tell you which way the pip was pointing. At that time I could do it with any borrowed Bicycle deck, the "mark" was subtle, but always the same, and in the same place on the back. Alas, some years ago the plates were corrected and the mark, and my ability to win money from people with a little wager, went away.

Bob Rosenberger <gam...@iac.net> wrote in message news:37637450...@iac.net...

[Ben Witz]

In article <7k3e9v$13e4$1...@node17.cwnet.frontiernet.net>,
j...@frontiernet.net babbles on about...

> If you dealt the four aces out on the table in one of these older decks I could always pick out the ace of spades and also tell you which way the pip was pointing. At that time I could do it with any borrowed Bicycle deck, the "mark" was subtle, but always the same, and in the same place on the back. Alas, some years ago the plates were corrected and the mark, and my ability to win money from people with a
little wager, went away.

People like you ought to be thrown into jail. Cheats, crooks, etc give
card games a bad rep, and anyone that manipulates knowledge like that and
alters decks for their own game ought to be arrested and jailed.

[robinson]

Ben Witz <bew...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.11cf6cf2a...@news.charter.net...

> In article <7k3e9v$13e4$1...@node17.cwnet.frontiernet.net>,
> j...@frontiernet.net babbles on about...
>

> > If you dealt the four aces out on the table in one of these older decks
I could always pick out the ace of spades and also tell you which way the
pip was pointing. At that time I could do it with any borrowed Bicycle deck,
the "mark" was subtle, but always the same, and in the same place on the
back. Alas, some years ago the plates were corrected and the mark, and my
ability to win money from people with a
> little wager, went away.
>

> People like you ought to be thrown into jail. Cheats, crooks, etc give
> card games a bad rep, and anyone that manipulates knowledge like that and
> alters decks for their own game ought to be arrested and jailed.

I don't know why I'm responding to your little comment but here goes:

I wasn't using the PRE-EXISTING anomaly on the old Bicycle brand cards to
cheat at any card game. (It would be almost impossible to do so, as only the
Ace of Spades had any differentiating mark on it). I would simply borrow a
deck from someone and propose this little bet. I am a card magician, so I
would usually do this under the premise that every deck is marked. (Which at
the time was true of every Bicycle deck). I think that if you read my
posting CAREFULLY you wouldn't have surmised that I was cheating anyone out
of money. In fact I was telling the truth, a very little known truth. And I
was simply asking them to pay to see a demonstration of a very rare skill.
If you're still uneasy about this let me tell you that these wagers were
very small friendly bar bets usually made with other magicians (who else
would have a deck of cards with them?) If you'd like to answer this, please
e-mail me directly, I simply wanted to imparted some knowledge with my
previous posting. I think I did, if you read it closely. I don't wish to
turn any newsgroup into a jungle of back and forth flames.

[Nick Wedd]

In article <MPG.11cf6cf2a...@news.charter.net>, Ben Witz
<bew...@charter.net> writes

>In article <7k3e9v$13e4$1...@node17.cwnet.frontiernet.net>,
>j...@frontiernet.net babbles on about...
>

>> If you dealt the four aces out on the table in one of these older decks I
>could always pick out the ace of spades and also tell you which way the pip was
>pointing. At that time I could do it with any borrowed Bicycle deck, the "mark"
>was subtle, but always the same, and in the same place on the back. Alas, some
>years ago the plates were corrected and the mark, and my ability to win money
>from people with a
>little wager, went away.
>

>People like you ought to be thrown into jail.

Whatever for? He has done nothing dishonest.

> Cheats, crooks, etc give
>card games a bad rep, and anyone that manipulates knowledge like that and
>alters decks for their own game ought to be arrested and jailed.

So you think that people who discover how to read the backs of cards
should keep the knowledge to themselves? As a card-player, I disagree
strongly. I am grateful to people like Robinson for helping to ensure
that such things become public knowledge.

Nick
--
Nick Wedd ni...@maproom.co.uk

[Jonathan]

Obviously, you are wrong because the cards I showed him(the man who can
read them were taken out of the plactic wrap and the U.S. Playing Card
Co. Sticker a maximun of three minutes prior to the time when he read
the back, not the face of the card. So, Bob, take your closed mind
elswhere. The whole reason I started this thread was to see if anyone
elses eyes could catch something that mine are missing.

-Jonathan

[Jonathan]

The cards that he read were purchased this year(1999).

Once again, I was blown away too, because who would think that so huge a
company with cards that aren't supposed to be trick decks has all along
been marking them in some incredible way. So, quit telling me there not
marked and try to figure it out.

Thanks,
-Jonathan

[Bob Rosenberger]

Jonathan wrote:

Jonathon....

Decks can be fixed and have their stickers and plastic wrap replaced after
being "gimmicked". Interested in buying a few?

Don't be so naive.

Bob

[robinson]

CLIP from Jonathan>>>
Jonathan <dfel...@sprintmail.com> wrote in message
news:376FEC...@sprintmail.com...

> Obviously, you are wrong because the cards I showed him(the man who can
> read them were taken out of the plactic wrap and the U.S. Playing Card
> Co. Sticker a maximun of three minutes prior to the time when he read
> the back, not the face of the card. So, Bob, take your closed mind
> elswhere. The whole reason I started this thread was to see if anyone
> elses eyes could catch something that mine are missing.
>
> -Jonathan

> >>>END of CLIP

Jim's Definitive ANSWER>>>>
>>>Its not Bob and me who are closed minded.... Read my lips: Once and for
all, Bicycle Playing Cards ARE NOT MARKED WHEN THEY COME FROM THE U.S.
PLAYING CARD COMPANY FACTORY.

YOU HAVE BEEN DUPED. Off the top of my head I can think of 4 ways this
could have been done. I will briefly describe them here:

1) The deck was switched for one that was marked. This could be done either
with a resealed box or after the deck was removed from the box. In either
case the cards were marked not by the U.S. Playing Card Co. but by someone
later. This method seems rather unlikely.

The next 3 methods seem more likely. They are magic tricks, and I will not
go into great detail as to the exact method.. but you can find these in
classic magic books such as Expert Card Technique, The Encyclopedia of Card
Magic, etc.

2) A direct glimpse. He was glimpsing the card that he was apparently
checking out the mark of .. he could be using a "shiner" or a "flick
glimpse" or buckling the card on top of the deck to get a "peek." I suggest
looking at Buckley's book "Card Control" to find out what the exact
techniques.

3) A one ahead principle. The magician reverses half the deck. Peeks a card
ahead. Basically the magician secretly flips the deck over after each card.
Studies the back of the card he already has glimpsed and calls it off. As he
is doing this he is glimpsing the next card at the bottom of the deck (one
ahead) and memorizing it. He deals off the announced card and secretly flips
the deck over. This is a classic, and one of the first card tricks I ever
saw. It is done under the premise of reading the backs. The reversing of the
deck often, but not always, takes place under the table.

4) A pre-arranged order. The Si Stebbins stack, for instance, is easy to get
into from a new deck order. (If the deck was just opened it suggests this
possibility). The deck can be cut and the bottom card peeked, revealing the
identity of the top card. (He could have even false shuffled, (repeated
cuts) and used the deck in completely "new deck" order. Shuffling after the
demonstration to destroy the order.)

If I could see the demonstration or if you could describe the procedure
ACCURATELY and COMPLETELY, I could give you a more accurate and complete
assessment of which technique he was using.
I am 98% certain that one of these techniques was used. There is a 2% chance
that he was using some other method and I am 100% certain that Bicycle
Playing Cards ARE NOT MARKED as they come from the U.S. Playing Card Co.
Refer to my earlier postings if you would like to know how the Ace of Spades
DID have a distinguishing mark on its back IN THE PAST.

My intent is not to expose a specific magic secret BUT to maintain
everyone's confidence in the Bicycle Playing Card. I do not think that the
cards being produced today are always up to the standards that they once
were, but still these decks are the most widely available quality playing
cards being made.

[robot...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, June 3, 1999 3:00:00 PM UTC+8, Jonathan wrote:
> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

This is simple question with simple answer, the company Bicycle do not produce any marked cards, but manufacturers in cheating poker business do. They can produce the Bicycle eye marked cards just the same with the official ones, only read them with special devices like infrared contact lenses.

[olivi...@online.island.edu.hk]

My brother actually bought a pack of the cards and inside the pack theres an extra card with a link and it says if you want to find out how to tell what the card is from the markings in the back you can just visit the link. I personally don't know the link or how to tell what the cards are but my brother does and I've tested him on it.

[frogs...@gmail.com]

My dad was a professional bowler and gambler. In the 60s at a tour stop in the paddock was always a card game. They would not use Hoyle or bicycle decks because several including my dad that could read them.
I have gone to the store bought a deck shuffled them and he could read the top card.
As he got older he had trouble with the suit and a little trouble with with face cards if he was not wearing his glasses.
He took the secret to his grave because he promised his friend that he would never teach anyone.
I really do not care who believes this and I do not if they still are.
He only played gin so he knew what the other had

[frogs...@gmail.com]

[koko...@gmail.com]

Try this on for size. Buy a brand new deck of cards at any store of your choice comma any brand comma and shuffle them while they're Peter is out of the room. Have the reader come back in the room and read all 52 cards plus Jokers with nothing but the design side facing him. I have seen someone do this hundreds of times even with decks brought from someone's house the next day so you know he's trying to disprove this guy's ability. This happened in 1969 and 1970 I knew the man for a number of years comma he told me all decks were Mark kind of like the 3D pictures that we now have back then we didn't call them that. I know you probably don't believe this, I really don't care, I know this for a fact. I am a natural born skeptic and at the time I was in science classes at a college and we tried every trick or every method we could think of to make sure that he had no access to any of the cards ahead of time. We could even bring a stranger in with their dad from home like I said earlier and he could read those you could even have 3 different people handle the decks none of them knowing one another and he could still read them. That's why I don't play cards.

[lcs...@lcsyork.com]

On Thursday, June 3, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, Jonathan wrote:
> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

Bruh, its been 16 years. WHERE IS THE TRUTH?

[meltdo...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, June 3, 1999 at 8:00:00 AM UTC+1, Jonathan wrote:
> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

Speaking as a working magician................ I can confirm that a pack of Bicycle cards purchased from a mainstream store ARE NOT MARKED in any way. I can neither confirm or deny that magicians can but marked versions.

[frogs...@gmail.com]

They may not be now. As late as 1993 I watched my dad read bicycle and Hoyle decks straight out of the pack after they were shuffled.
He would travel on trains hustling. He would only play gin. That way he knew what the other player had. This is how he made his living.
He was taught by another professional bowler and he took it to his grave.
I have sat for hours with a magnifying glass and studied and could not find it.

[markedcardsc...@gmail.com]

在 1999年6月3日星期四 UTC+8下午3:00:00，Jonathan写道：

> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

Not only the Bicycle playing cards, other playing cards such as Bee, Copag, Modiano playing cards can also be marked.
These playing cards can be marked with secret code marks for naked eyes to see.
And more these playing cards can be marked with invisible ink marks for infrared contact lenses to see. They are not any secret now.
They are easily found online. www.salemarkedcards.com is one of such sites to sell marked playing cards.

[markedcardsc...@gmail.com]

在 2017年3月8日星期三 UTC+8下午10:29:23，meltdo...@gmail.com写道：

Bicycle marked cards can be used by magicians in the magic shows. There are invisible ink marks on the back of Bicycle poker cards, you can see it while wearing infrared contact lenses and sunglasses.(http://www.markedcardscontactlenses.com/magic-bicycle-marked-decks/jumbo-bicycle-marked-playing-cards.html)

[markedca...@gmail.com]

在 1999年6月3日星期四 UTC+8下午3:00:00，Jonathan写道：

> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

If you want to know whether the Bicycle cards are marked, there's glasses used to detect invisible ink on marked Bicycle cards. What's more, marked playing cards contact lenses can read its markings on the back of ultimate Bicycle marked decks.
Marking cards with invisible ink is popular around the world. Besides Bicycle playing cards, we can also mark Copag playing cards, Modiano poker cards, Fournier poker decks or KEM cards poker, etc. You also can send your own playing cards to us for marking cards with invisible ink. If you do not need contact lenses marked cards, we also have barcode marked cards, infrared ink marked cards and one to one marked cards for your selection.
Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions or want to know more details about marked cards and other playing cards devices.
For more info, you can visit:
http://markedcardspoker.com/
For more details about marked caqrds, please visit:
http://www.markedcardspoker.com/marked-cards-tricks.shtml
For more details about infrared contact lenses and marked cards sunglasses, please visit:
http://www.markedcardspoker.com/infrared-contact-lenses.shtml

[b03c...@gmail.com]

Τη Πέμπτη, 3 Ιουνίου 1999 - 10:00:00 π.μ. UTC+3, ο χρήστης Jonathan έγραψε:

> I know that bicycle playing cards are marked. Does anyone know how to
> read them? I havn't been able to figure it out.

There are certain decks that indeed are marked such as the Lion Collection by David Blaine or the Ghost Collection by Ellusionist.However if you are talking about the Rider Backs/Seconds/Bees, no they are not marked. Every marked deck comes in with a tutorial on how to read the marks and is usually used for magic tricks, while a heck more expensive

[blaze...@gmail.com]

Believe it. They sell specific marked decks with the Bicycle backs especially made for magicians, etc...

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=37195

Does nobody know how to use Google?

[blaze...@gmail.com]

The standard decks aren't. But USPCC prints marked Bicycle cards.

https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=37195

[suarez...@gmail.com]

Has anyone found out the codes on the back of the bicycle cards