PokerWhile there were several popular games at this time, Poker was the king. One of the appeals was the relative ease of setting up a game. All that's needed to get a game going is a deck of cards and some money with which you're willing to part.
Poker HandsThe hands in traditional poker, in descending order of importance:
(The button on the side is a visual representation of these hands) Royal Flush: A 10 through an Ace (that's 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace) of the same suit. Straight Flush: A sequence of any 5 cards (in order) in the same suit. Four of a Kind: All four of the same cards in a deck. For example, the 9 of diamonds, clubs, spades, and hearts. Full House: A pair, plus three of a kind. Ex: Two queens and three 2s. Flush: Any five of the same suit. These do not have to be in sequential order. Straight: Five cards, in sequential order. However, they are not al of the same suit. Three of a kind: Three of any one card Two Pair: Two pairs of matching cards. Ex: The 2 of diamonds and hearts, and the King of spades and diamonds. One pair: Two matching cards |
Three-Card monteThree-Card monte is a street card game, used solely to scam a quick buck. Three-card monte setups are a common sight in urban areas, and has been since the game's first surge of popularity in the 1850s.
Three-card monte calls for - as the name suggets - three cards. The game plays out much like the shell games of yore. The goal is to find a particular card - usually one fo the queens. The con who runs the game will show all three cards - the queen and two others - to the player. Then, the con turns the cards face down, and arranges them in a quick, confusing pattern. When he is done, the player picks where he thinks the queen is. If he guesses correctly, he receives money even to his original bet. If guesses wrong, he loses his bet. Usually, the cons running the game will ensure that there is no way to win. Often, sleight-of-hand tricks are employed to remove all chance of the players actually guessing correctly. The set-up usually involves at least two cons, and a handful of victims. One con will be running the set-up, while another acts as a bettor. The first con will let the second win several times, hoping to lure in passersby with the promise of an easy win. Below are some videos of street monte games in modern-day cities. |