John Phillip Quinn 1851-1915

[Pulpmeister]

There is an excellent publication on Project Gutenberg which may be of interest to writers of historical novels/stories.

FOOLS OF FORTUNE

OR
Gambling and Gamblers,
COMPREHENDING
A History of the Vice in Ancient and Modern Times, and in Both
Hemispheres; an Exposition of its Alarming Prevalence and
Destructive Effects; with an Unreserved and Exhaustive
Disclosure of Such Frauds, Tricks and Devices
as are Practiced by “Professional”
Gamblers, “Confidence Men”
and “Bunko Steerers.”

It was published in 1890, and is a very comprehensive guide to all the gambling techniques, games, and so on, as well as the numerous cheats, and the language of the games. It covers European casino gambling such as roulette (and the difference between the European and American versions), poker and stud poker, and so on and so on.

Despite the title, and the tone of the extended title, there's a minimum of moralising and a maximum of fact. Want to know about "shaved" cards and how it gives an advantage? How the sharps can do a convincing fake shuffle which leaves selected cards exactly where they want them, how stacked decks work, and with many illustrations?

And the price is right.

Unless my math is entirely wrong, it is PD in the USA (pre-1923, and also more than 95 years), and all +50 and +70 jurisdictions.

He also wrote another book a few years later on the same subject which I haven't seen, and which might just be an update of this one.