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Now I've always said card shark but I see lots of people writing card sharp. So just of of interest which is correct, sharp or shark?

as far as im aware lomster, its both...

card-sharp i think is the original..

card-shark, or sharking was the more modern term...

though, as i am a man, I'm probably wrong

A card sharp is someone who uses sleights to cheat a poker, but a card shark is a person who goes looking for the beginners poker table and takes all there money off them (just like a shark goes looking for the smaller fish in the sea). hope that helps.

Yeah I've heard the term Shark as well in poker who prey on little fish. My housemate used to say I was a fish and he was a shark all the time with great satisfaction.

Well that was until I became a good card sharp I'm not allowed to shuffle the cards anymore.

ah it all makes sence now, thanks everyone

cant remember 100%...

i think it was card sharp originally, but then the name card shark derived from those who hustled people at pool - pool sharks.

either that or it is the other way around. damn! i used to know! grrrrr

"Sharper," which is the root of "Card Sharp" became common in the 17th century. Into the 1900s and a sharper was most commonly considered to be a card cheat, or a "card sharper" which was the common parlance.

A card sharp is a cheat.

A "card shark" on the other hand, is someone who is very good at cards and looks for games so that he can "eat the other fish." A card shark should not be considered a cheat, just someone who is very good at cards.

Mike.

I thought it was shark? Hmm card sharp, never heard it like that before!

I didn't think the term "Commander in Chief" was real! I though it was "Commander and Chief"

I felf like a fool when my girlfriend and all her family corrected me

I've been wondering the same thing for a few weeks now!

Thanks for posting that question, Lady of Mystery...

I think a card sharp is someone who is not necessarily good at poker, but utilizes sleights to win and a card shark is someone who is exceptionally good at poker.