A cut card is a plastic (non playing) card used to help cut a deck of cards and conceal the bottom card of the deck in the process.
In this guide we’ll learn the following -
What is the purpose of a cut card?
What does it mean to ‘cut’ a deck of cards?
Why do players ‘cut’ the deck after dealing?
Is it mandatory to use a cut card in poker?
Why are there two cut cards in blackjack?
What Is The Purpose Of a Cut Card?
A cut card is a plastic (non playing) card that can be inserted into a deck of cards to indicate where the deck should be cut. After the top segment of the deck is removed (as part of the cut), the cut card now serves the purpose of concealing the bottom card of the deck. Cut cards may also be used in blackjack to signal to the dealer when he is required to reshuffle the deck.
What Does It Mean To ‘Cut’ A Deck Of Cards?
To cut the deck means to split the deck into two segments. The location where the split occurs is chosen at random. All cards above the split location are removed from the top of the deck and transferred to the bottom of the deck. The purpose of a cut is to conceal the value of the bottom card of the deck just in case it has been revealed during the shuffle.
Why Do Players Cut The Deck After Dealing?
Cutting the deck helps to ensure that the value of the bottom card of the deck is not known. A sloppy shuffle of the deck may have exposed the value of the bottom card; cutting the deck helps to counteract this. A slightly more sinister reason is to counteract the possibility that the dealer is a card mechanic who has deliberately placed the deck in a certain order. Cutting will change the order of the deck.
Is It Mandatory To Use A Cut Card In Poker?
It is not mandatory to use a cut card in poker. It is completely possible to cut a deck of cards without using a cut card. A good dealer will be able to handle the deck of cards in a way that the value of the bottom card of the deck is not exposed. However, some casinos may require their dealers to use a cut card since they want to eliminate the possibility that players gain an unfair advantage, especially in games that are played against the house such as blackjack.
Why Are There Two Cut Cards In Blackjack?
The cut cards can serve different purposes in casino blackjack. Certain cut cards are used by players to choose a location where the deck is to be cut. These cut cards also help to conceal the bottom card in the deck after the cut has been made. However, other cut cards are used by the dealer as an indication that they should be shuffling the deck once a cut card has been reached. This is to help minimize the impact of card counting since the house naturally wants to maintain their edge against the players.
Summary
A cut card is simply a blank plastic card that is used to cut a deck of cards. The cut card also has secondary uses such as a) concealing the bottom card of the deck and b) signalling to the casino blackjack dealer that it is time to reshuffle the deck.
