More than a variant, it is a true game in its own right having, however, the same common feature of never letting the player win. The three little boxes are substituted for three playing cards (typically 2 figures and an ace, or one figure and two cards without figures), which are held by the “handler” of the game (2 in one hand and the third in the other, and passed from one hand to the other to be dropped face down on the table; the request to the unlucky player on duty is to locate where the single card (ace or figure) is.
The trick lies in the fact that the two cards held overlapping in the same hand are dropped in reverse order of appearance; that is, the higher card (near the palm of the hand) is dropped first and only then the lower card is dropped. This is possible because, contrary to what is perceived by the observer, the two cards are not held in the hand on top of each other, but are instead held slightly apart so that the top card is quickly slipped out making it appear to be the bottom card. Because this is done imperceptibly, the observer will believe that the first card to be dropped is the bottom one. But even when the player, either by mistake or by pure chance points to the right card, the “handler” can make a different card appear and still make the player lose by applying the so-called Mexican reversal, the card on the table is turned over using a card that the handler is holding and making a gesture that allows the incriminated card to eventually be in his hand and on the table turned over the one that was in his hand. In other words, the player can only ever lose. spoiler
should add that’s a classic way to fool unknowing tourists, apparelty is an italian thing.
On a side note i remember one great evening i had in Budapest some 30 years ago, i went up the hill to some nice old looking looking structure, there was a small coffee shop there i spend few hours sipping tea and looking at Danube. It was not blue unfortuately, Strauss was colourising it (hah), unless we counted the huge blue neon commercial reflecting in the water.
The other most significant sight was group of Romani men trying to make tourists play shell game, with various effect, nobody got angry though.
Now in the same place there is some gentrified resteurant where i couldn’t probably afford breathing.
Your english is fine. It’s a ridiculous language that has weird rules, and most of the natural speakers who only understand english are not very good at it. It’s like javascript in that regard.
(like 99%of Italy survives off of coffee)
Isn’t coffee enjoyed as an after dinner drink in Italy to aid with digestion, as opposed to the burger use as a morning upper?
Isn’t coffee enjoyed as an after dinner drink in Italy to aid with digestion, as opposed to the burger use as a morning upper?
There are ppl that drink it only in some occasions (like u said, after dinner) and there are seriously addicted people like my parents that drink like 5 or more coffees throught the day, it’s mostly a dinner/lunch beverage but we drink it in the morning too, with a “cornetto” (basically a croissant or a brioche)
edit, also agree on the english part, im “priviledged” into being born in a family of english professors (still ESL) and got on the english internet at a young age, guess my english is decent after all.
from the italian wikipedia (deepl translated)
the three-card game
More than a variant, it is a true game in its own right having, however, the same common feature of never letting the player win. The three little boxes are substituted for three playing cards (typically 2 figures and an ace, or one figure and two cards without figures), which are held by the “handler” of the game (2 in one hand and the third in the other, and passed from one hand to the other to be dropped face down on the table; the request to the unlucky player on duty is to locate where the single card (ace or figure) is.
The trick lies in the fact that the two cards held overlapping in the same hand are dropped in reverse order of appearance; that is, the higher card (near the palm of the hand) is dropped first and only then the lower card is dropped. This is possible because, contrary to what is perceived by the observer, the two cards are not held in the hand on top of each other, but are instead held slightly apart so that the top card is quickly slipped out making it appear to be the bottom card. Because this is done imperceptibly, the observer will believe that the first card to be dropped is the bottom one. But even when the player, either by mistake or by pure chance points to the right card, the “handler” can make a different card appear and still make the player lose by applying the so-called Mexican reversal, the card on the table is turned over using a card that the handler is holding and making a gesture that allows the incriminated card to eventually be in his hand and on the table turned over the one that was in his hand. In other words, the player can only ever lose. spoiler
should add that’s a classic way to fool unknowing tourists, apparelty is an italian thing.
Can’t say I’ve heard of it. We did have swindlers doing shell game, but I think those got cracked down on
Good thing they stopped it, the police in the tourist areas over here only cares about private property damage and drinking coffee
On a side note i remember one great evening i had in Budapest some 30 years ago, i went up the hill to some nice old looking looking structure, there was a small coffee shop there i spend few hours sipping tea and looking at Danube. It was not blue unfortuately, Strauss was colourising it (hah), unless we counted the huge blue neon commercial reflecting in the water.
The other most significant sight was group of Romani men trying to make tourists play shell game, with various effect, nobody got angry though.
Now in the same place there is some gentrified resteurant where i couldn’t probably afford breathing.
What’s worse, scam or gentrification?
Gentrification, it’s very hard to reverse.
Please tell me I misunderstood you and drinking coffee isn’t illegal in Italy?
Oh sry maybe it’s my English, I’ll rephrase it, cops only do 2 things here: enforce private property and drink coffee
(like 99%of Italy survives off of coffee)
Your english is fine. It’s a ridiculous language that has weird rules, and most of the natural speakers who only understand english are not very good at it. It’s like javascript in that regard.
Edit: I used the wrong “your”.
There are ppl that drink it only in some occasions (like u said, after dinner) and there are seriously addicted people like my parents that drink like 5 or more coffees throught the day, it’s mostly a dinner/lunch beverage but we drink it in the morning too, with a “cornetto” (basically a croissant or a brioche)
edit, also agree on the english part, im “priviledged” into being born in a family of english professors (still ESL) and got on the english internet at a young age, guess my english is decent after all.