Is "Honest Cheat Poker" an honest cheat?

Our recent review of Alan Bursky's "Honest Cheat Poker Routine" alerted us to a controversy (please click here to read our review).

It appears that one key party feels the routine was published without permission or ownership. In retaliation, a free version is being offered to all who want to download it.

In his "Honest Cheat" routine, Bursky says the following:

"I claim no originality here other than new routining and script. The original concept dates back to an obscure trick by “Senator” Clark Crandall. The effect has been largely forgotten over the years; even Crandall experts Ron Wilson and the late Bruce Cervon had hardly any recollection of the routine...The following instructions are revised from Crandall’s original mimeographed description."

In his free *.pdf file that explains the same routine, Ron Bauer says the following:

"I have used this effect with some modifications since the sixties when I got it from Clarke. Only a few times did I ever teach it anyone. Recently, though, one of those with whom I shared this little masterpiece decided to put it on the market under his own name! As Clarke put it about this kind of thing, it was '...copied and pirated and pilfered...by chowderheads who even copied the instructions and patter.' So go ahead and throw away twenty bucks, or download this PDF for FREE."

You can view Bauer’s link by clicking here.