ROUNDER. One who hangs around faro-banks, but does not play. In other words, a loafer, a man who travels on his shape, and is supported by a woman, but does not receive enough money to enable him to play faro. Gamblers call such men rounders, outsiders, loafers.
SHOE-STRING. When a man bets a small amount and runs it up to a large amount, it is called a shoe-string.
SHORT CARDS. By some called short game. A game of seven-up or cribbage. For instance, "Have you been playing faro to-night?" "No." "What then?" "I have been playing short cards."
SKINNING. A sure game, where all who play are sure to lose, except the gamesters.
SLEEPER. A bet won by the bank or a better, which has been overlooked and lies on the table without a claimant.
SPLIT. When two cards come alike. For instance, if two jacks should come out, the banker takes one half of the money.
SQUARE GAME. When cards are dealt fairly, and there is no cheating.
STRIPPERS. Cards cut at the sides for the purpose of carrying on a skinning game.
STUCK. When a man has lost all his money, and is trying on the last throw to retrieve his loss and he is beat, then he is stuck.
SUCKER. A flat; one who can play cards, but does not know all the tricks and traps in gambling.
SUMMER GAME. Playing merely for amusement.
SUMMER GAME. Playing a game for the benefit of another person with his money.
SUPPER CUSTOMERS. Some of the fashionable gambling-houses have free suppers for their customers; this is done to induce the better class of gambling merchants to patronize the house. But there are some men who frequent these houses and take supper, but never play. When such a one is asked if he is going to take a hand in, his usual answer is, "Thank you, sir, I'm a supper customer to night."
TELL-BOX. The tell-box is an improvement on the gaff, and has a fine spring attached to it. The object is to cheat the dealer. The dealer plays with a pack of cards which the player has had a chance to handle, and he rubs the backs of certain of them with sand-paper. The rough card adheres to the smooth one, and the fact that it does not move a hair's breadth in the box enables him to know the card that is covered, and he plays accordingly. He can also play in the same manner with a new pack of cards without sanding them, as certain cards require a greater amount of ink than others.