While edge sorting is not card counting or cheating, in theory, it’s close enough for some players to consider it unfair. As such, casinos don’t take kindly to gamblers using this technique. But what’s edge sorting and how does it work?
This article will help you understand edge sorting and whether you should use it when playing card games.
What’s Edge Sorting?
Edge sorting is a gambling technique where players use the imperfections at the back of the cards to identify them, helping them gain an edge over the operator. This advantage play technique needs defective decks of cards, with slightly different cuts or patterns and some impressive vision.
At first glance, the playing cards might seem perfectly normal, but the patterns at the back aren’t symmetrical. Many decks use a standard image and borders at the back, but some use a series of diamonds and circles instead.
When cards are cut, they are not 100% symmetrical. When one side of the card shows a full diamond or circle, the other features half the shape. However, noticing the difference in patterns doesn’t help you with anything, so you’ll need to go through the sorting part.
When you rotate one card 180 degrees, you can distinguish two cards from one another. Since you can’t be sorting through cards at https://www.gambleonlineaustralia.com/casino/games/ or in traditional Vegas-style casinos, this technique must be applied with a keen eye. That means making clever requests to ensure it happens.
How Does Edge Sorting Work?
A gambler looking to take advantage of edge sorting will first need to find a casino with defective decks of cards. Of course, most card manufacturers try their best to eliminate any imperfections, but that happens. So, when you notice a typical brand or make of card decks with such defects, you can now set your plan in motion.
Edge sorting works especially well for the baccarat variation, Punto Banco. In this game, you’ll have a huge advantage if you identify big face cards from the regular cards. When playing this game, you’ll ask the dealer to rotate the available face cards. The dealer might do that in the guise of superstition and if they’re unaware of what’s happening, they’ll indulge your request especially if you’re a high roller.
When the shoe is out, the cards will be in the right position. High cards are rotated one way and the low cards are turned the other way. So, the player can distinguish between the high and low cards when the deal starts again and place the wagers more favorably.
For this betting strategy to work, the casino must use automatic card shufflers since they don’t rotate the cards during the shuffling process. If the dealer shuffles the card manually, the whole setup will be ruined and the player will have no advantage over the casino.
Is Edge Sorting Legal?
While there’s a blurred line on whether edge sorting is cheating, it isn’t illegal. Most gambling laws stipulate that cheating must involve some kind of interference with the casino game. Fortunately, edge sorting doesn’t involve using any special tools or physically touching the cards, meaning that’s not considered cheating. You can be persecuted, but you’re unlikely to get your money if the casino has proof that you’re using edge sorting.