Editing Shell game (section)

==Play==
[[File:Hutchenspiel 2008.jpg|thumb|An illegal shell game in [[Drottninggatan, Stockholm|Drottninggatan]], a street in [[Stockholm]].]]
In the shell game, three or more identical containers (which may be cups, shells, bottle caps, or anything else) are placed face-down on a surface. A small ball is placed beneath one of these containers so that it cannot be seen, and they are then shuffled by the operator in plain view. One or more players are invited to bet on which container holds the ball – typically, the operator offers to double the player's stake if they guess right. Where the game is played honestly, the operator can win if he shuffles the containers in a way which the player cannot follow.<ref name="Quinn1892">{{cite book|author=John Philip Quinn|title=Fools of Fortune: Or, Gambling and Gamblers, Comprehending a History of the Vice in Ancient and Modern Times, and in Both Hemispheres; an Exposition of Its Alarming Prevalence and Destructive Effects; with an Unreserved and Exhaustive Disclosure of Such Frauds, Tricks and Devices as are Practiced by "Professional" Gamblers, "Confidence Men" and "Bunko Steerers."|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zlhOAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA7|access-date=22 July 2019|year=1892|publisher=Anti-Gambling Association|language=en|pages=348–350}}</ref>

In practice, however, the shell game is notorious for its use by confidence tricksters who will typically rig the game using [[sleight of hand]] to move or hide the ball during play and replace it as required. Fraudulent shell games are also known for the use of psychological tricks to convince potential players of the legitimacy of the game – for example, by using [[shill]]s or by allowing a player to win a few times before beginning the scam.<ref name="Benson2009">{{cite book|author=Michael Benson|title=Cons and Frauds|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B1mkWm6kRrUC&pg=PA7|access-date=22 July 2019|year=2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1-4381-1659-4|pages=21–22}}</ref>