Expert Card Technique. Jean Hugard
method to be given here has one great advantage; the runs of cards during the shuffles are always governed by the number of hands to be dealt, and there is no further calculation to be made or any odd number of cards to be run. If four hands are to be dealt, the number 4 governs and controls the shuffle throughout and this is the only number which need be kept in mind.
Moreover, the shuffle is considerably less involved than the Erdnase shuffle and, once its nature is understood, it cannot be easily forgotten. We would suggest that the reader compare, in actual practice, the Erdnase method of stocking two cards with that given below. The far greater facility of the latter will be appreciated at once. The various movements of the cards in the action will be greatly clarified in the reader’s mind if he will reverse the desired cards when practicing the shuffles; thus he will be enabled to watch each card and note how the stock is made. There is a definite pattern in the shuffles and this is repeated for each card; once this is noted the shuffles are made with swiftness and certainty that only comes from full comprehension of the material with which one works.
TWO CARD STOCK
One desired card on the top, the other on the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
1. Undercut half the pack, run three cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the card originally on the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog and run four cards; run three more cards and injog the next, the 4th, and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the injog and throw on top.
The two desired cards now lie fourth and eighth in the pack, in position to fall to the fourth hand in a four-handed deal.
If it were desired to stock the two cards to fall to, say, the sixth hand, the above procedure would be followed but in place of using 4 as the controlling figure on the runs, 6 would be used. Thus, the first item would read: “Undercut half the pack, run five cards, injog the next card, the 6th, and shuffle off, bringing the card originally at the bottom to the top.”
THREE CARD STOCK
One card at the top; two cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
To stock three cards, the actions in the preceding shuffle are carried one step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the two cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, and injog the top card of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards; then run 3 cards and outjog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb; and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet.
4. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
5. Undercut at the injog and throw on top of the left hand packet. The three cards are now at 4, 8 and 12, in position to fall to the fourth hand.
FOUR CARD STOCK
One card at the top; three cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
To stock four cards, the actions in the preceding shuffle are once again carried a step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the three cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, injog the top card of the left hand packet; run 4 cards; run 3 more cards and outjog the next, the 4th; and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
4. Undercut at the injog, run 3 cards and injog the next card, the 4th; run 4 cards; run 4 more; run 3 more and outjog the next card, the 4th; and shuffle off.
5. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
6. Undercut at the injog and throw on top.
The cards are stocked at 4, 8, 12 and 16 in position to fall to the fourth hand.
FIVE CARD STOCK
One card at the top; four cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
Again the action is carried another step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off, bringing the four cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, injog the top card of the left hand packet; run 4 cards; run 3 more cards and outjog the next, the 4th,; and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
4. Undercut at the injog, run 3 cards and injog the next card, the 4th; run 4 cards; run 4 more; run 3 more and outjog the next card, the 4th; and shuffle off.
5. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
6. Undercut at the injog, run 3 cards and injog the next card, the 4th; run 4 cards; run 4 more; run 4 more; run 3 more and injog the next card, the 4th; and shuffle off.
7. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next and shuffle off.
8. Undercut at the injog and throw the packet on top.
The five cards are stocked at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20, in position to fall to the fourth hand. A complex stock, this is little used.
OFF THE TABLE FALSE RIFFLE SHUFFLE
This false riffle shuffle, as its name indicates, is for use when it is not convenient to place the pack on a table for the riffle shuffle. It will be found very deceptive.
1. Hold the pack in the right hand at the ends between the thumb, and second, third and fourth fingers. Split the pack by riffling off the right thumb onto the fingers of the left hand until half the pack has fallen.
2. Grip both packets as shown in Fig. 1 any riffle the outer corners, first letting some six cards slip off the left thumb. Continue the riffle, barely interlocking the cards at the outer corners. Let the last six or so cards from the right thumb slip off last.
3. Spread these cards to the left and bring the outer ends of the two packets together, as indicated in Fig. 2, and so twist the locked corners free. The packets are now parallel to one another and their free condition is masked by the fan of cards pushed off by the right thumb.
4. Lift the inner end of the right packet, place it on the left packet and push the packets together, dropping the left thumb upon them as the right hand pats the right side of the pack square.
5. Square the ends with the right thumb and fingers.
The shuffle should be made at the same tempo as that of an ordinary shuffle