Just wanted to confirm what Ruidin and Beric have said - Gambler's Stricke has always hit, and has always hit for normal damage.
And a question about GS: It says 50% to do 2x, 50% to miss. does that means there's a 25% chance that it will do normal damage (50% to hit * 50% to do 2x) or that it will NEVER do normal, just double or nothing (which sounds like a gamblin' term!)?