There are various ways to cut (in the "Scarne cut" you pull cards out of the middle and put them on top, then repeat several time) but the short answer is that

There are various ways to cut (in the "Scarne cut" you pull cards out of the middle and put them on top, then repeat several time) but the short answer is that if you're playing cards against a professional cheat or magician in anything less than laboratory conditions, you're going to lose. Period, end of story. I started picking up a bit of card magic a year or so ago, and I was amazed at how easy it is to fiddle a deck, and how many ways there are to do it. I was also amazed at just how inattentive and easily distracted people are, especially when they think they are watching you like a hawk. I've done incredibly blatant top changes and card reverses right in front of people and gotten away with it...and I'm a novice.