Discussion Film / Maverick

Moved the following Natter that violated Example Indentation here. Unspoilered the text since it's no longer on the main page.

• This requires some clarification, specifically how Maverick knew where the Ace of Spades was located. (See Chekhov's Skill above) Nothing happens at the table that Maverick does not notice, as Maverick is shown intensely watching the shuffle while it is happening. When the final game begins, the dealer takes out a new deck and throws away the top and bottom cards (the manufacturer cards) and begins to shuffle. The particular way the dealer shuffles the deck, the top card never leaves the top. Once he is done shuffling, the dealer offers the deck to Angel to cut. Angel smacks the deck (declining to cut). The dealer then switches decks, and begins dealing from the bottom of the new deck. Maverick then deduces from the results that the new deck is stacked. This is why he requests a new deck and shuffle. This is also why he asks for a new dealer and tells Angel "One from the top will be sufficient." A new deck of cards begins in order with Ace being 1, and many decks beginning with the suit of Spades. Given how much effort had been put into keeping him from the game, he knew the deck was not stacked for him to actually win, and the stacked deck likely still had its 1st card (the Ace of Spades) at the beginning.

In addition to being illegal under TV Tropes rules, it is also wrong in several ways.

• Please watch the film again. The first 17 cards of the stacked deck (5 cards to each of the three players plus the two new cards the Commodore takes) are dealt from the top of the deck. The dealing of the bottom cards only starts when Angel receives his two new cards. If the ace of spades had been anywhere near the top of the deck, it would have been dealt as one of those cards.
• Why would Maverick ask for a new deck, shuffle and cut if he knows that the top card of the current deck is the ace of spades? A new deck which was shuffled and cut properly would be almost certain to not have the ace of spades as the top card. If he knew that the ace of spades was the top card in the current deck, he would have just asked for "one from the top" from it, thus making his victory certain! This requires Maverick (an expert poker player) to be a complete idiot.
• Even if the assertions made in the Natter above were true, the movie not only never mentions them in any way, shape or form, but Maverick's statements at the end make it absolutely clear that he himself considers drawing the ace of spades to have been magical, not something that he observed or deduced.