Part I: Card Game Cheating · SLEIGHT-OF-HAND TECHNIQUES

Card Palming

How it works

Card palming is the technique of secretly holding a card (or multiple cards) in the palm of the hand, hidden from view. The palmist can then introduce the palmed card into play at an advantageous moment or remove a valuable card from the game. Palming requires specific hand positioning to make the card appear to disappear. Professional card mechanics can palm multiple cards simultaneously. The technique is used in conjunction with mucking (switching) to improve one’s hand.

Where it appears

Poker, Blackjack, private games

On the record

Card palming is one of the fundamental skills of sleight-of-hand magic and card cheating. It has been practiced for centuries and remains a core technique of professional card mechanics.

Published as a detection reference for surveillance, compliance and gaming-operations professionals. Thresholds and tuning are set by the property. Nothing here is instruction — the method is described so it can be recognised.