Shell game

The shell game (also Shell Game ) is a form of fraud trick that looks like a simple game of skill. The jester hat three shifts ( nut shells or similar) to each other at a rate that appears to be a teammate the opportunity to observe the process.

Well-known and notorious is the game as the world operated, extremely profitable, fraudulent and illegal apparent gambling, which is played in major cities and tourist centers in busy public places, for example in pedestrian zones in station areas or at flea markets.

History

The shell game was probably inspired by a sleight first described by Seneca, in which herwandern multiple balls or nuts under cups back and forth. Known as the classic cup game feat served then as now, for entertainment purposes only and is still part of the repertoire of the magician. It is always performed with several balls and has neither the principle nor trick operationally in common with the shell game.

The shell game was first observed and described in the late 19th century in London.

1988-1991, RTL Plus regularly a five-minute live broadcast call game show called Pronto Salvatore, whose host, a nice, but mafia -sounding game manager with an Italian accent named Salvatore (played by Franco Campana ), mostly per shipment three callers the opportunity to each a shell game was. The prize was between 50 and 100 German marks.

Flow of the game

The Hütchenspieler situated directly on the asphalt or on a mobile base, which can be degraded at the appearance of the police, in seconds, for example, a cardboard box, three similar " cap" on, often halved walnut shells, drawers of matchboxes or crown corks. With one of these hats to cover a small object, such as a Stanniolkugel or a pea, and then swapped several times, and at a certain speed the places of the hat to one another. Then, a viewer is encouraged to set a predetermined amount that he still knows after the last shift, under which the hat is the subject. If the player guessed correctly, he 's bet is returned from the game makers doubled, otherwise he loses him.

Related and similar in the game system is also fraudulent card game Caraway leaves.

Fraud strategy

Through clever staging is the victim suggests that one could emerge as the winner from the game: It seems that this case involved a game of pure skill, the chance of winning depend on the attention of the viewer. Even if a player can not follow the movements that he could guess correctly as in gambling, the position of the sphere with the opportunities that were distributed 1:2, since the player has to choose between three cones, one of which could only be a right. By simultaneously manipulating the victim but in fact no chance.

Even with a recognizable suspicious audience, the group can take the bull in the case of a correctly predicted Hütchens - with the money used.

Production

The Psychology of shell game is to put the player in the belief that he could pursue the ball movement with his eyes and his mind. Potential victims is this supposed hope of gain - in addition to the manipulation as such - suggested by a Director: The " demo laps " the cones are moved rather slowly and you can see exactly where the ball is. Complicity of the games maker make up to this a bunch of people, so people are standing the herd instinct and following curious. The larger a group, the more attention she achieved by passers-by, making it easier for the victim to follow in the anonymity of mass action the first distant. Corresponding bands include up to 20 people.

Individual accomplices play as a decoy seemingly against the game makers, " tap " the right position of the object and then collect a sham profits. Or the decoy " type" knowingly false, even though the correct position of the object was clearly visible, so that the viewers can weigh in the superior feeling of know-it. In both cases, the most casual viewer a real profit opportunity is thus fooled. Finally, the Hütchenspieler arrange for their sacrifices regularly small winning streaks by letting them win on purpose to entice thereby higher stakes. Furthermore, the group inserts animated by rewarding the players in his initial gains with corresponding reactions for its presumed power psychologically and a corresponding game mood builds.

The viewer does not even actively go into the game, but is partly asked by decoy in passing harmless help, either with the hand to protect the right Shields before the fingers of the player's hat, as he reaches into his wallet. In this way, the viewer is involved in the game, even when there is no intention to play existed. With simple psychological tricks at the same time sure win view of the decoy brings the viewer then quickly to himself to " show " money and lose.

Manipulation

In the actual game, neither the skill of the player nor a gambling situation plays a role, since the shell game control through rather simple sleights easily and without suspicious movements the ball at every stage of the game and can correct its position. One way is to move of the cap forward, whereby the ball almost automatically leaves the cap and can be placed under one of the other cones. Even if the right hat should be chosen, it can be shown with the same method as empty. The high efficiency of the technical trick cap game is that no visible movement of the fingers are required for the knitting action, are not masked by the displacement of the cones. Since the finger in relation to the hand practically not move and no muscle contractions are visible, neither a suspicious movement can be registered nor a treacherous deviation over time. A further correction option is the brazen swapping, while the players themselves deflects about by fiddling with his wallet. The player has thus never a control over what happens, and is therefore in any case completely without any chance. Another manipulation is that during a round in which uses a victim of money, the ball is located throughout the game in the player's hand and the moment in which the victim is one of the hat, pushed under another will.

Organisation of the game

The Hütchenspieler are often organized in mafia gangs, which ensure that no foreign " provider" can act in each claimed territory, and to which a majority of the profit shall be withheld. Apart from the actual Hütchenspieler and mock fellow or otherwise to play along with motivating people are often people involved, for the warning of any approaching police or law enforcement or for the custody of money ( as a separate person, in the case of a control inconspicuous disappear are responsible as the player ). Hütchenspieler gangs are considered violent offender groups which react with protest and self-proclaimed " reconnaissance " accordingly. Some stakeholders also keep players - possibly with violence - attributable to minority of the calls of profits from.

Court

In Germany, the shell game can be considered a fraud. For a long time the police had the trick of action in a particular case to demonstrate and therefore had only limited opportunities to intervene. Only dismissal is therefore often expressed reasons of practicality. In the meantime ( 2006) is already counted in the case law in Berlin feigning a chance to win a shell game as fraud, which can be prosecuted accordingly criminology.

Since 1 October 2005 in Austria the shell game in the capital city of Vienna as "forbidden event" unlawful. In London, however, it is classified as a " misdemeanor ".