Part I: Card Game Cheating · CARD MARKING METHODS

Crimping and Bending

How it works

Crimping involves intentionally bending or creasing specific cards so they can be identified by feel or sight. Common techniques include corner crimps (bending a corner up or down), center bends (creating a slight bow in the card), or edge curls. The crimped cards can be identified by the cheater during shuffling, dealing, or when cards lie on the table. In Blackjack, aces and ten-value cards are typically targeted. In Poker, the cheater might crimp cards they want to track.

Where it appears

Blackjack, Poker, Baccarat

On the record

Crimping is one of the easiest and oldest marking techniques. Casino courts have consistently ruled that “bending, crimping, or otherwise marking cards constitutes cheating and is a felony.”

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.