Signature Cards

The Signature Card Method targets sequences of cards by identifying the signature cards that will appear before the target cards. This method succeeds because of bunching, a shuffling defect that from time to time within the pack leaves a sequence of two or more consecutive cards either still consecutive or else almost consecutive. By almost consecutive is meant in the same order, but with some other cards (not too many) interspersed among them. A bunch may be unusually advantageous to the player, or it may be unusually disadvantageous to the player, or it may be neutral, neither advantageous or disadvantageous. The signature card method has the goal of marking sequences in the discard pile which have the potential of becoming an advantageous bunch after the shuffle, during the play of the next shoe.

Of course we cannot mark a sequence of cards physically, we have to find some other way of keeping track of it. Similarly, when we see a sequence of cards go into the discard pile, we have no way of knowing in advance whether a favorable sequence will remain in one piece (that is, whether it will be a bunch). What we do is to identify favorable sequences in advance, and hope that they will not get scattered too much by the shuffle. Some will and some won't. We just play the odds. We mark, mentally, not physically, the favorable sequence in a way that allows us to identify its beginning. Then later, when we are playing the next shoe, and we encounter the mental mark that designates the beginning of the sequence, either the sequence will still be there, pretty much intact (very favorable), or it will be there up to a point but then broken off (somewhat less favorable, depending on the length that remains intact), or broken off right at the beginning (neutral, neither favorable nor unfavorable). On average, it will be favorable, but somewhat less favorable than in the most favorable possible case.