II. To Retain the Bottom Stock

Upper cut about half deck with right hand and place the two packets end to end in position for riffle. Seize both packets at sides close to adjoining ends between second finger and thumb of each hand, the third and little fingers curled in, with the first joints resting on top of packets. Raise thumb corners and release bottom stock first with left thumb, then continue action with both thumbs until all cards are riffled in. (See Fig. 8.) Push both packets together in the ordinary manner and square up.

There is no necessity of covering the bottom stock as in the instance of the top stock, when squaring up; because unless it is very large it is not noticeable, and more than a half dozen cards are rarely held there. However, the same plan used to conceal the top stock may be adopted if desired.

Perhaps a simpler way to perform the blind is to leave the bottom stock on the table without riffling it at all, and the left thumb to pick up the cards above it. The right thumb, of course, picks up the entire right packet. This method prevents any possible difference in the sound of the riffle, though when cleverly performed it is imperceptible to the ear.

This riffle can be varied by drawing out the bottom half with the right hand and leaving, or first releasing, the bottom stock with the right thumb. However, all blind riffling should be occasionally alternated with blind cuts, and when the action is gracefully executed without either haste or hesitation, it is absolutely impossible for any eye to follow the action or detect the ruse. Execute blind cut "No. IV To Retain the Bottom Stock" with this riffle.

In performing the Top Stock Riffle, the use of the third fingers and the positions of the hands and other fingers, are very important, as concealment is an essential of the blind. But in the Bottom Stock instance, and especially when the stock is small, the action of not interlacing the bottom cards is not perceptible, and the handling of the deck should be as open and artistic as possible. Hence the use of the second fingers and the curled up positions of the third and little fingers.

Just here we are reminded that comparatively few card players can make an ordinary riffle with any degree of grace or smoothness, and especially few understand how to square up properly. But the whole process is of the simplest nature, and so much easier than clumsy force, if the right method is adopted.

The position given for the Bottom Stock Riffle is the proper one for all ordinary occasions. (See Fig. 8.) The entire work should be done by the second fingers and thumbs. The least possible pressure should be exerted when springing the corners together, the cards being hardly perceptibly bent. When the corners are interlaced, shift the hands to the outer ends, seizing the side corners with thumbs and second fingers, and telescope the two packets about two-thirds. (See Fig. 9.) Now shift the hands again, bringing the thumbs together at inner side, and a second finger at middle of each end, and square up the deck perfectly by sliding the thumbs outward along the side, and the second fingers inwards along the ends (see Fig. 10) until they meet at the corners, squeezing or pressing the cards into position in the action.

The blind process of riffling the two packets truly together, and squaring up in a slightly diagonal position, then withdrawing the packets, throwing the original top one on top again; or pushing the two packets completely through in the diagonal position, leaving the order of the whole deck the same, is quite possible, but very difficult to perform perfectly. But there is seldom a desire and never a necessity of preserving the complete order at a card table, and the foregoing methods are much easier to execute, more perfect as a blind, and answer every purpose.