Two Methods of Shuffling

As the reader obtains an understanding of the art of "advantage playing" it will be seen that the old-fashioned or hand shuffle gives the greater possibilities for running up hands, selecting desirable cards and palming. Many players never used the "riffle," that is shuffling on the table by springing the ends of two packets into each other, though this method is now by far the more prevalent among men who play for money. While the "riffle" cannot be employed for arranging the cards, save to a very limited extent, it is equally well adapted for retaining the top or bottom portion, or even the whole deck, in any pre-arranged order; and the "blind riffle" can be performed just as perfectly as the "blind" shuffle. A clever bottom dealer will usually employ the "riffle," as he rarely takes the trouble of running up a hand. His purpose in that respect is sufficiently answered by keeping the desired cards at the bottom. If he has an ally to "blind" cut, everything goes well, but if playing alone he must either palm the bottom cards for the cut or make a "shift" afterwards. The "shift" is very rarely attempted in any kind of knowing company, and it is awkward to make a palm when the "riffle" is used. The deck must be tilted on its side, and while the movement may pass as an effort at squaring up, it is not quite regular. The hand shuffle avoids the difficulty, as the deck is held naturally in easy position for palming, and not an instant is lost during the operation. The hand shuffle is almost ideal for "stocking" and "culling," and the curious or interested reader may learn how a perfect knowledge is maintained of the whereabouts of any particular cards, and how they are collected or separated, or placed in any desired positions, while the deck is being shuffled apparently without heed or design.