card sharp
Plural
card sharps
1
a person who is highly skilled at manipulating playing cards for their own financial gain, often through cheating or deception
A card sharp is a person who uses skill, deception, or cheating to win at card games. Often, this term refers to someone who has learned tricks or techniques to manipulate the outcome of a game, giving them an unfair advantage over other players. Card sharps may use sleight of hand, marked cards, or other dishonest methods to cheat. The term is typically used in a negative sense, as it implies dishonesty and trickery in games that are meant to be based on skill or chance.
- The casino caught a card sharp using sleight of hand to cheat at poker.
- He was known as a card sharp in the local poker scene, always winning with suspiciously perfect hands.
- The dealer warned the players about the card sharp who had been banned from other casinos.
- At the high-stakes game, a card sharp was caught trying to mark the cards to improve his chances.
- He had the reputation of being a card sharp, and no one wanted to play against him because they knew it wasn’t fair.