Four-Card Stock

For any game in which cards are dealt singly. Three of the desired cards are placed on top, one on bottom. Under-cut about one-third deck, in-jog top card, run two less than twice number players, out-jog and shuffle off to last card, so that it will be left on top. Under-cut to out-jog, forming break at in-jog, run one less than number players, throw to break, run one, in-jog running one less than twice number players, out-jog and shuffle off. Under-cut to in-jog and throw on top. Under-cut to out-jog, run one less than number players and throw balance on top. This gives the four desired cards to the dealer in four rounds.

The action of shuffling the last card on top is not at all difficult. A little practice enables the right hand to release all but the bottom card with ease and accuracy. It must be done quite frequently, and the knack can be acquired without trouble.

In the examples given the selected cards are stocked to fall to the dealer, but of course this is not always desired. It is just as simple to give them to any player by adding to or taking from the top, which may be done by varying the original calculation or by continuing a blind shuffle. If one card is taken from the top the player on the right gets the cards. If one is added they go to the player on the left, and so forth.

The stock must be run up without hurry or hesitation, at the dealer's customary gait. Rapidity is not essential, but smoothness and uniformity are. The break is formed, and the jogs are found, in the usual time necessary for drawing out the under cut. To go through the whole stock slowly is much better than to change the pace. The four-card stock for five players can be run up in fifteen seconds or less, but there is no reason why much greater time should not be taken.

The philosophy of the action may be reasoned out or not, as the student sees fit; but in any case to accomplish the stock gracefully and expeditiously he must not stop in the middle of the shuffle to calculate. The formula and figures must be literally at his fingers' ends. Most players stick to one or two games, and a little practice at that particular stock makes it as easy as habit. The highest tribute that can be paid to the method is the fact that certain players whom we have instructed, can execute the stock with the greatest facility and yet confess they cannot tell why the particular action produces the result, and they are totally unable to see what becomes of the selected cards until the shuffle is completed. However, it requires no feat of memory, and a few repetitions of the same formula enables one to stock and talk at the same time.