Card marking is a necessary device used in poker cheating, but it can also be employed by magicians as part of their tricks. Marked Cards have subtle markings that can be seen by people wearing contact lenses or specialized glasses. This allows the player to see the value of every card without having it turned over or revealing their hand.
Many hustlers are still using card-marking methods to their advantage. Card bends, engravings similar to Brielle and small bumps are all examples. These markings are easily spotted by professional card dealers and can also be seen by honest poker players.
It is more difficult to detect advanced marking techniques. One method involves special inks that can only read with contact lens or a gimmicked set of glasses. Another technique involves shade marking, which uses a special filter to create the appearance of different shading on the backs of the cards. Lastly, video-luminous marked cards are recorded on a camera and displayed on a screen in another room to a partner.
Poker analyzers can also be used to work with marked cards. This type of marked cards has barcodes on the edges, which can be read by a poker analyzer to tell players what suits and values each card has. This is an efficient way to cheat in poker. Poker players must be aware that it is their responsibility to make sure that their sleeves and playing cards are not marked prior to a tournament. This includes identifying inconsistencies in color or cut, and any other identifier that may give the player an unfair advantage.