Bottom Palm When Cards are Riffled

When the cards are riffled—that is, shuffled on the table—it is impossible to make a palm in a perfectly natural manner, as there is no reason for taking the deck up into the hands before the cut. The action would appear awkward, or at least unnecessary and a waste of time. But when the company is not too fast the following plan may be used with success.

After the riffle seize the deck at sides, near ends, between second finger and thumb of each hand. Raise the left-hand end until the bottom card faces the left palm, and give the deck a gentle tap on its end on the table. (See Fig. 44.) Then release the right hand and tilt the deck outward, so that the right second finger and thumb can grasp the ends near the top corners. Now release the left fingers, retaining position of left thumb, and tap the table again with the side of deck, at the same time bringing left second and third fingers to end of deck and curling left first and little fingers against the bottom, the left third finger touching the table. (See Fig. 45.) This brings the hands into much the same position as the Second Method. To palm, grip the bottom cards with the left third finger at first joint, and press firmly against right thumb; raise whole deck slightly, swinging finger end of top portion against left thumb, keeping right thumb stationary as a pivot, until the finger ends of both packets are past each other, and straightening out left first and little fingers. (See Fig. 46.) Then press right thumb with ends of both packets down into left palm, releasing under packet, and slide the deck out of left hand to be cut, turning over the left with the palmed ends at the same time.

After the deck is on its side the movements are perfectly natural in appearance, and the action of tapping the edges on the table to square up is common enough to pass in most any company. But tipping the deck may give an opportunity to note the bottom card, and the action will more likely cause a suspicion of that design than of palming. However, the tilting and tapping may be accomplished without haste and in a manner plainly evident that no one can possibly get a glimpse. The left hand should completely cover the bottom card, and the deck so handled that at no time does it face either the dealer or the players.

The actual palming can be done in a flash, and as we have said, the only objections are the necessary manoeuvers to obtain the position in a natural and easy manner.

The top palm can be made with the right hand in much the same manner, by reversing the positions. In which case the right hand seizes the deck by the sides after the palm is made. But there is little occasion for top palming in any game. In the second part of this book will be found, under the caption "Changes," several methods of palming which are lightning-like in rapidity but are more applicable to card conjuring than card playing.