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Blackjack players will look for any type of advantage when they are playing blackjack in a live casino or in an online casino. Counting Edge teaches the art of card counting, but this is just one type of advantage in the game of blackjack that can be exploited.
Some players believe it is also possible to determine the value of a card by noting inconsistencies in the design pattern that is on its back. This technique is called edge sorting.
This is part of advantage play discussions just as the following: Hole Carding, Shuffle Tracking, Wonging in Blackjack, Camouflage Betting, Team Play, Betting Spread, and Risk Of Ruin.
Casinos would prefer to regard edge sorting as illegal. Those who do it regard it as similar to card counting in that it gives an advantage to the player that rewards skill. Let’s take a closer look at edge sorting and how it has been used by some live casino players to win money at blackjack and other card games.
The Edge Sorting Technique
The playing cards that are used in casinos are manufactured by large companies who use specialized equipment to produce playing cards in bulk. The back of a playing card typically consists of an intricate design that is surrounded by a border of white. In a perfect factory environment the white border on each long side of the card would be exactly the same, but this rarely happens. One side of the card usually contains a larger border than the other side.
The edge sorter’s goal is to use the difference in the backs of the cards to gain an advantage. To accomplish this, the player needs to have one type of card facing one way in the deck and another type of card facing the other so that the differences in the backs can be easily noticed.
For example, a player in blackjack might want to have all tens facing the same way. When this is done, the player may believe they can tell at a glance—by looking at the backs—whether the card is a ten or another value.
If this sounds impossible, think again. There are edge sorters who claim to be very skilled at reading the backs of playing cards. Phil Ivey, the professional poker player, is one such individual. We’ll talk more about Ivey and his edge sorting scandal later.
To complicate matters, the player typically needs some help from an unsuspecting dealer to make edge sorting work. As cards are placed in the holder after each hand, the targeted cards must be oriented differently than the rest. The player usually tries to accomplish this by asking the dealer to rotate certain cards and offering a reason for the request—often something like superstition or luck.
If an automatic shuffler is used, the arrangement of the cards may also be maintained depending on the procedure. At that point, the player attempts to use the visible differences on the card backs as information.
How is Edge Sorting Used in Blackjack?
In blackjack the dealer is dealt two cards. One of these is face up for the table to see. The other one is dealt face down and is referred to as a hole card. The hole card is the first one dealt. If you were a blackjack player, knowing what the dealer had in the hole could be a huge advantage. It would definitely affect how you chose to play your hand.
Let’s say that you have managed to edge sort the decks in play so that all the tens are oriented the same way. You believe you can recognize these cards by the longer border on the back of the cards.
You see that the hole card the dealer was dealt was a ten. The dealer then gets a six as their second card. You now believe you know that the dealer has a total of 16. Knowing the dealer has 16 would affect how you play many hands—often making a stand more attractive, and potentially changing what you do on some borderline totals.
You might choose to even double down on some hands that you would normally just hit. It is likely that the dealer will bust when they have a 16.
On the other hand, you may see that the dealer does not have a ten in the hole. They also have a five showing. You know that this could be trouble since the hole card could easily be another five or six. Any card except a ten in that situation is not so bad for the dealer.
The edge sorter will then play their hand accordingly.
Is Edge Sorting Legal in Blackjack?
In 2012 Phil Ivey and another individual were playing baccarat at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The two players used edge sorting to win $9.6 million from the casino. As you can imagine, the casino was not too happy about taking such a beating. They began to investigate and determined that Ivey and his partner were edge sorting.
The Borgata took the matter to the courts in New Jersey where gaming authorities ultimately decided that Ivey was guilty of violating a gambling prohibition against marking cards. The strange thing about this is that no cards were marked. Ivey only managed to accomplish edge sorting and used the differences in the backs of the cards to increase his advantage.
Ivey was ultimately ordered to repay the Borgata Casino $10 million. (source)
Ivey wasn’t done. He managed to accomplish the same feat at a casino in London. This case also went to court. The casino initially chose to refund Ivey’s original stake and promise to pay his winnings, later revoked that choice, and Ivey sued but lost in court.
Is Edge Sorting Skill or Cheating?
The big question promoted by edge sorting is whether the practice is a skill or whether it is cheating. The same question was applied to card counting when it first became popular. Casinos believed that counting was illegal, but the courts disagreed. Today, card counting is frowned upon by casinos but not considered illegal. It can still get you banned from a casino, though.
Ivey and others claim edge sorting falls into the same category as card counting. They do not regard it as cheating but as a skill that can be applied to lower the house edge. So far, the courts have not agreed with this assessment. In almost all cases, the practice has been found to be illegal or treated similarly to prohibited conduct.
In time there may be a successful challenge to edge sorting in the courts. In the meantime, it is reasonable to expect casinos to take measures to make edge sorting very difficult.
A logical first step is to inform dealers that they cannot comply with requests to rotate cards. Another measure could be to ban players who repeatedly request it. Finally, casinos can insist that players flat bet instead of varying bets as the advantage changes.
What casinos changed after the Phil Ivey case
One reason edge sorting is talked about so often is that it changed how casinos think about “small” procedural requests at the table. After the Ivey cases, casinos became far more sensitive to anything that alters card orientation, deck selection, or shuffle procedure in a way that creates a repeatable pattern.
Even if a player believes they are only using “what the casino gives them,” casinos generally treat it as a threat to the integrity of the game and respond fast.
Why edge sorting is rarely a long-term blackjack strategy
Even if the cards used have irregularities, edge sorting usually requires conditions that are difficult to maintain. Casinos can switch decks, enforce stricter procedures, or use more symmetrical card designs. And once staff suspects what is happening, the session tends to end quickly.
For most players trying to improve results, the more realistic long-term path is still fundamentals and game selection: solid basic strategy, disciplined betting spread, and bankroll control with risk of ruin.
Online note
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FAQs
How is edge sorting performed?
Players look for tiny irregularities in card patterns, typically in the printed designs and borders. If those irregularities can be recognized consistently, a player may try to keep certain cards oriented differently to use those irregularities as information.
Is edge sorting illegal?
Casinos generally view it as cheating because it creates an unintended advantage, and courts have often treated it as prohibited conduct. It can also lead to being banned from a casino.
Can edge sorting be used in any card game?
The principle can apply to different card games, but effectiveness depends on the rules and how cards are handled. Edge sorting is most famously associated with baccarat rather than blackjack.
Why isn’t edge sorting more prevalent in blackjack?
In blackjack, card exposure patterns and procedures make it harder to reliably gain the same information. Also, casinos are more sensitive to requests that alter how cards are handled.
How do casinos counteract edge sorting?
Casinos can switch decks, use more symmetrical card designs, tighten procedures, and prevent players from requesting specific rotations or handling changes.
Has anyone been famously associated with edge sorting?
Yes. Professional gambler Phil Ivey won millions using edge sorting in baccarat, which led to major legal disputes with casinos.
Is edge sorting possible in online casinos?
No. Online casino card visuals are generated by software, so the “card back irregularity” concept doesn’t apply the same way.
How do players identify which decks can be edge sorted?
Not all decks have irregularities suitable for edge sorting. People who discuss this technique typically focus on recognizing consistent asymmetries in specific card designs and manufacturers.
Is edge sorting a form of card counting?
No. Card counting tracks the ratio of high to low cards in play to adjust betting and decisions, while edge sorting focuses on identifying card values from back design irregularities.