The Cold Deck Company
The world of hustlers, con artists, thieves and card mechanics revealed through a unique book series.
For fans of true crime investigations, get ready for a deep dive into a secretive criminal underworld.
COMING IN 2025
Thieving Bastards
True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats
The first book in a series featuring raw and confronting interviews with the best operators in the world’s shadiest business.
This unique time capsule delivers unprecedented insights into the ruthless psychology, amazing ingenuity and crazy dangers of gambling’s ‘thieving bastards’.
For more detail on content, go here.
“Thieving Bastards: True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats offers a spectacular journey behind the scenes into the dark side of the gambling rackets.
Wimhurst’s research features hard-hitting interviews with some of the greatest cheaters in the business where they share their wisdom, expertise, and sensational stories. This book is an important contribution to the field and destined to be a bestseller!”
— Steve Forte, President International Gaming Specialists
“This is an unvarnished glimpse into the rarely-seen underworld of gambling cheats, a slice of history that is woefully under-recorded. You might not admire the mechanics, hustlers, and scufflers chronicled here, but one has to respect their candor in revealing just how they made a living cheating suckers, casinos, and sometimes each other, and their ingenuity in removing every shade of chance from games of chance.
You’ll not only learn a great deal about how cheating at cards, dice, and machines works, but you will pick up some colorful vocabulary as well. Will it stop you from being cheated? Probably not, but you will have a whole new understanding of a subculture that combines the artistry of stage magic with a sense for plain larceny.”
— David G. Schwartz, author, Something for your Money: A History of Las Vegas Casinos
“My career started as a blackjack dealer in the late 1970s. I worked with many of what Andrew calls, "The Old and the Bold." These men were cheats that started out in places like Newport Kentucky, and Hot Springs Arkansas. My great regret is that I didn't spend more time talking with those guys and gathering their stories.
Fortunately, Andrew Wimhurst has done just that. He spent 30 years gathering the stories, and techniques of the old crossroaders and thieves. Thieving Bastards: True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats is a fascinating look beyond the curtain of this secret world. I wish I had written it.”
— Richard W. Munchkin, author, Gambling Wizards: Conversations with the World’s Greatest Gamblers
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“…(Thieving Bastards) is a collection of interviews from people that have first-hand experience with gambling and cheating. It’s an enjoyable read and a fun ride into the world of crossroaders from the past.
As a casino “peek” for many years, I value the stories and insights into the world of cheating. A book like this is an important reminder to casino executives of the mindset of cheats and what some people will do to take other people’s money.”
— Willie Allison, Owner/Founder, World Game Protection
“What happens when the world’s slickest cheaters finally talk? You get Thieving Bastards: True Confessions of the World’s Greatest Cheats. Andrew Wimhurst delivers a rare and gripping look inside the minds of some of the world’s most famous — and infamous — gaming cheats.
As someone who spent 28 years surveilling, investigating, and arresting some of those featured in this book — and others just like them — I only wish it had come out sooner, because a few more of them might’ve ended up in handcuffs.”
— James Taylor, Chief of Enforcement, Nevada Gaming Control Board (Retired)
“Thieving Bastards is important, riveting, historical, and fascinating—a rare glimpse into a world that most people will never truly understand.
As a professional game protection expert for casinos around the world, I’ve spent my career learning from some of the best in the business. People are always curious about what I know, but few ask where I get my information. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to meet and befriend many professional cheats, gaining firsthand knowledge of their craft. Many of those individuals are featured in this book.
Some might read Thieving Bastards and think it sounds like something out of Hollywood, but I can assure you, the stories and incidents are 100% real. Andrew has compiled exclusive interviews with those who’ve been at the forefront of this underground world—and many are still active today. This book offers an insider’s look into the strategies and mindset of professional cheats.
What makes this work truly special is that it preserves the stories of those who are no longer with us, keeping their legendary status alive for future generations. If you’ve ever wondered how a true professional operates in the shadows of the casino world, this book will give you a front-row seat to the action.”
— Sal Piacente, President, UniverSal Game Protection Development Inc
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Wimhurst is a former security expert and diplomat who served multiple postings in the Middle East across a career spanning three decades.
Andrew has also worked in advertising, as a professional card magician specializing in gambling demonstrations and, over a number of years, as a card cheat – ‘for research purposes’.
Wimhurst has earned the rare trust of hustlers, con artists, and card mechanics who normally take their secrets to the grave.
Known for his razor-sharp sleight of hand and forensic knowledge of gambling scams, he’s consulted with law enforcement, trained magicians, and interviewed some of the most notorious operators in the game.
For media inquiries or if you’re a crossroader, thief or scuff wanting to chat (in complete confidence), Andrew can be contacted at andrewwimhurst@proton.me.