If you’re going to spend any time with a deck of playing cards, some things are an absolute must. And one of them is this: knowing how to do a decent shuffle. After all, it’s a little embarrassing if you have a massive collection of 100+ beautiful custom decks, and your shuffling skills are uglier than the back end of a city bus. Like me, you probably love playing cards, so the very least you can do is look somewhat professional in the way that you handle them. And that begins with shuffling.
And how often doesn’t it happen that a magician hands someone a deck of cards, asks them to shuffle their selected card into the pack, and the poor person makes a fool of himself because he can’t do a simple card shuffle. Don’t be that person – especially if you’re a fan of playing cards! So if you know the precise differences between USPCC and Cartamundi stock, or are passionate about playing Hearts or Cribbage or Poker, but don’t know the first thing about shuffling a deck properly, then now is the time to do something about that.
So here’s a short introduction to some popular ways of shuffling playing cards. Hopefully this will whet your appetite to challenge yourself to learn something new, or to master something old. You’ll be surprised how helpful it can be to learn from experienced card handlers, and how a small tip or two can make a huge difference to a card shuffle that you have been (mis)performing for your entire life until now!
1. The Overhand Shuffle
The Overhand Shuffle is likely the shuffle that you already know how to do, because it is the shuffle of choice for most people. In other words, it’s probably the shuffle you learned from your grandpa or your best friend when you were 13 years old.
With the deck face-down in one hand, you use the thumb of your other hand to peel off small packets from the top so that they fall one at a time into that other hand, until you’ve gone through the entire deck in this manner.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that the overhand shuffle is not actually the most effective way of shuffling a deck, because it simply displaces large groups of cards. But once you become skilled at it, you can perform it very rapidly, and it is a very practical card shuffle that everyone should know how to do. Magicians also like this shuffle a great deal for card magic, because it enables them to perform some sleight of hand, and to control individual cards within a deck.
2. The Riffle Shuffle
The Riffle Shuffle is the shuffle you’ll often see used in gambling contexts like casinos, and for serious card games. Especially when it is done properly as a table riffle shuffle, it prevents cards from being exposed, and it doesn’t allow the same kind of sneaky moves that crooked dealers can get away with when performing an overhand shuffle. It’s also sometimes referred to as a “dovetail shuffle”.
To do a riffle shuffle, you first split the deck into two equal halves, putting one in each hand. From now on you need to mirror the actions of both of your hands, as you bring the packets together, and slowly riffle up the side of each packet simultaneously with your thumbs. You want the corners of the cards to overlap as you are doing this, so that they weave into each other, and then you can push them into each other once you are done.
The riffle shuffle looks very tidy, especially when performed on a table, but you can also perform it in your hands by placing your thumbs along the short edge. An in-the-hands riffle shuffle has the advantage that once the cards are woven together along one short edge, you can bend them with the help of your thumbs, letting them spring together in a move usually described as a “bridge”. This flourish is not difficult to learn, and is a classy looking move that is certain to impress people!
3. The Hindu Shuffle
The Hindu Shuffle looks somewhat unusual to the eyes of a Westerner, but apparently it is a common way to shuffle in many Asian countries. In some ways the mechanics are similar to an overhand shuffle, but the cards move along the direction of their long edges rather than parallel to their short edges.
This shuffle works by taking packets from the top of the deck, which you do by grabbing them with your thumb along one long edge and a couple of fingers along the other long edge. You peel the packets from the top of the deck (which is held in your other hand) one at a time, so that they fall into the hand you are using with your thumb and fingers for grabbing the packets.
This shuffle is arguably even easier to learn than the overhand shuffle. Especially if you ensure that you grab the packets cleanly, it can look quite classy, because it’s smooth and professional looking, while looking immediately different than the shuffling techniques most people are used to. Magicians sometimes use this shuffle to accomplish what is known as a “force”.
4. The Faro Shuffle
The Faro Shuffle is probably the most precise shuffle in the world. It looks terrific when it’s performed well, but it’s quite difficult to master, and will require a lot of practice and correct technique.
You need to begin by dividing the deck in two equal halves, holding one in each hand. You then bring these two halves of the deck together, and starting at one corner, use some pressure to push them together in such a way so that the cards weave together perfectly one at a time. Whatever you do, don’t just jam the cards together, because careful technique is needed to do this correctly. But when you learn how to do this properly, the cards will slide into each other smoothly just like a zipper, precisely one by one.
Being able to perform a perfect faro shuffle is the goal of many a magician and cardist. A unique feature of this shuffle, is that if you perform eight perfect faro shuffles one after another, the deck will be in exactly the same order that you started with. It’s also a practical move because several cardistry moves, such as the giant fan and the cascade, begin with a faro shuffle. If you’re really, really dedicated, you can even try the challenge of trying to learn a one-handed faro shuffle, which is an achievement very few people on the planet ever master!
Other Shuffles
This is by no means a complete list of all the shuffles that exist. A complete list would also have to include the granny shuffle, which is a common way of describing the most primitive shuffle there is: placing all the cards facedown on the table in a messy stack, and “washing” them together randomly with both hands. You’ve probably seen your 6 year old nephew shuffle this way! The pile shuffle is also somewhat of a primitive technique, and simply involves dealing an entire deck one card at a time into different piles in a random manner, and then compiling the piles together. You can also learn sleight of hand techniques to perform a false shuffle, which happens when the deck has the appearance of being shuffled, but either retains its original order entirely, or involves keeping a particular card or cards in a certain position.
It’s also good to be somewhat aware of the effectiveness of different shuffles. An overhand shuffle keeps clumps of cards together, whereas a single riffle shuffle retains the basic order of each half of a deck. For playing card games, the most effective shuffling techniques will involve combining different ways of shuffling. To shuffle a deck of cards reliably, you’ll need to make sure that you do more than just a single shuffle, to ensure that the order of the cards has been thoroughly rearranged. After all, statistically speaking there are 52! (fifty-two factorial) different ways of arranging a deck of 52 cards, which is a number greater than the number of atoms on the earth. So if you’re playing a card game, ideally you want to aim for creating an order that has never been seen before in the history of mankind, and never will be seen again. On the other hand if you’re doing card magic or card flourishing, the final result is less important, because you are more interested in the aesthetics of shuffling. You just want to look smooth and professional, and give people confidence that you are skilled at what you do.
Where to Learn
How can you learn to do these shuffles properly? It’s hard to do justice to a technical skill like card shuffling with words alone, and you won’t be able to learn how to do these shuffles properly just by reading the brief descriptions above. What you really need is a good book with pictures, like Joshua Jay’s Amazing Book of Cards. This is an excellent resource, because it includes careful photographs, and also comes with an instructional DVD. Alternatively, find some reliable video instruction that will teach you the finer points about some of these shuffles. Few are better than respected magic teacher Roberto Giobbi, who offers individual lessons on shuffling that are excerpted from his terrific Card College course.
Fortunately, youtube is also here to help. Admittedly it’s not hard to find poor instruction online, so beware of well-intentioned teenagers who are simply passing on mediocre technique. But because shuffling is a basic skill, the good news is that you will readily find some quality videos that teach you how to do this properly. I can recommend the video tutorials from 52Kards, The School of Cardistry, and lotisinhand’s Cardistry Bootcamp as good sources to get you started. So get busy, and happy shuffling!
About the writer: EndersGame is a well-known reviewer of board games and playing cards.
He loves card games, card magic, and card collecting. You can see a complete list of his playing card reviews here.
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“The services (Shuffled Ink) provide(s) and the process for printing decks is by far the most pleasant I’ve had the opportunity to use! That paired with the high-quality printing makes for a great experience!” —Jared Hall, OxT Cards Creator
Shuffling playing cards may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether your shuffling skills need polishing or you’re not quite sure how to handle a deck of cards, these simple techniques will help you further develop your signature style in the art of cardistry.
So, What is Cardistry?
Cardistry
is a well-known term specifically among those in the playing card universe. It
is typically defined as “the performance art of card flourishing”. This
non-magic shuffling technique allows for cardists to manipulate their deck of
playing cards in a visually appealing manner.
Cardistry
got its name by combining the words “card” and “artistry”. And while the name
may be simple, this craftsmanship can be difficult to execute.
One of Shuffled Ink’s clients, Jared Hall, creates decks for cardistry. His love for the technique actually stemmed from magic, which resulted in him watching various tutorial videos on the art form. Soon enough, inspiration struck and he wanted to create and execute cardistry on his own, so he did. And you can too!
The number
one tip that Hall emphasizes is practice. While the phrase, “practice makes
perfect” may seem cliché, it couldn’t be more relevant and true when it comes
to cardistry. Hall says, “Cardistry is not easy, but the payoff of learning a
move is worth all the time you spend learning it.”
Now, the more help you get the better. Watching videos on ‘Cardistry for Beginners’ or from channels like Fontaine Cards and Dealersgrip will get you out of your own bubble. The sooner you submerge yourself into the world of cardistry, the quicker the cards will fall into place…or at least for the time being, fall on the floor.
2. Steady Hands
Mastering
the art of cardistry doesn’t happen overnight. In reality, you are going to
fail more times than you succeed. So, don’t be surprised if you spend more time
dropping cards than shuffling them. Similar to professional baseball players
striking out or dropping a routine catch, even pro cardists drop cards.
If you shuffle playing cards too quickly, it leaves room for more mistakes than intended. A common misconception about shuffling cards is if you shuffle the cards quickly, it will make your performance look better. There’s a clear difference between shuffling cards quickly and creating the illusion that you are shuffling them at a rapid pace. The latter is a better technique, especially for beginners. This is where your personally crafted hand mechanics come into play.
3. You’re In Control: The Mechanic’s Grip
There isn’t necessarily one way to hold a deck of cards. But one of the most important tips to note is to find a style that is comfortable, practical and efficient. And each of your fingers has a designated section on the card that it is responsible for.
Practicing your mechanics will only get you so far, but having the right cards will allow you to perform your cardistry smoothly. It’s understandable that when you’re starting out, you’ll use any dusted deck around the house. But you’re only as confident and solid as the deck you use. Cardistry is all about comfort and finding your stylistic art form, so why not create your signature, quality deck of playing cards to match that? Shuffled Ink’s custom print playing cards are created in 3 easy steps, explore your options today!
For more
information on Jared Hall’s Cardistry brand, explore OxT Cards.
For updates
on Hall’s social media, follow @occupiedcards.
● Official Shuffled Ink website: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Playing Cards at: ShuffledInk
● Make Your Own Custom Card Games at: ShuffledInk
Whether you’re using casino chips or crunchy, edible ones, you need to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” during poker night. Seems simple, right? Just show up on your A game and you’re good to go. But wait…there’s one issue. Having watched too many quick-paced tutorials and downloaded countless poker game apps, you’re starting to wonder if understanding poker is even in the cards for you.
You’re in luck! Here’s our master poker cheat sheet and guide to Texas Hold’em for beginners. It’s all you need to join the game!
Basic Poker Lingo
Get out your flash cards because it’s definition time!
Texas Hold’em: A common variation of poker, played with a standard deck of 52 playing cards (no Jokers).
The Pot: Sum of money waged by all the types of card players throughout the game. Whichever player has the best 5-card combination wins the pot.
Act: A player decides what to do with their hand when it’s their turn to play.
Bet: How much money you want to wage/contribute in(to) the pot.
Check: Knock on the table or say “check” if you decide to not act in a specific round.
Community cards: Five cards dealt face up in the center of the board. These cards are available for all players to complete their five-card hands. Players mentally configure their 5-card hand as each community card is dealt.
Fold: If you don’t have a strong hand, or you think someone else’s is stronger, forfeit your hand and all the chips you’ve put into the pot. This means you are not allowed to act during the rest of the hand.
Call: When you match the amount bet by the player who acted before you.
Raise: When you increase the betting stakes for the participating poker players (only if your bet, or someone else’s, was previously matched). The original bettor will have the option to match your raise if he/she wants to continue participating in the hand.
No-Limit Poker: No limit is placed on how much you can bet.
Limit Poker: A limit is placed on how much you can bet.
Poker Basic Positions
Players rotate clockwise and will represent each of these positions over the course of the game.
Button/Dealer: Player who is dealing the cards and chips. If you’re playing at a casino, he/she does not play during the game. If you’re playing at home, the dealer usually plays and is the last person to place their bet.
Small Blind (SB): Player who goes first in every round and is seated directly to the left of the dealer.
Big Blind (BB): Player seated directly to the left of the SB. He/she goes second after the flop (flop, step 4)
The SB and BB are required to contribute a certain amount depending on the type of game being played.
If you are playing a 2-5 no-limit poker game, then the SB wages $2 and the BB wages $5 before any action commences(during the pre-flop, step 4)
The Cut Off (CO): The position just before the button. If the button is not playing, then this player is the last person to bet. If the button is playing, then this player is the second to last to act. Whoever is the last player to act has the best betting advantage because he/she gets to see everyone else’s actions.
Rank: Card value. For example, a King has more value than a Queen.
1. Royal Flush: An unbeatable hand, consisting of these cards in identical suits.
2. Straight Flush: Five cards in numerical order with all identical suits. The highest possible flush is a Royal Flush. (See image above)
3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank and one kicker card, which is used to break ties if your opponent has the same hand. Whichever kicker card is higher, wins the hand. In this case, Jack is the kicker card.
Another player cannot have Four of a Kind unless all four cards being used come from the community cards.
4. Full House: Three cards match in rank, with two additional cards matching in another rank. To create the strongest Full House hand, the three matched cards should be higher in rank than the other two matched cards (suit doesn’t matter).
5. Flush: These five cards must all belong to the same suit. If there’s a tiebreaker, the player with the highest card will determine the winner.
The highest possible Flush hand is an Ace.
6. Straight: Five consecutive cards of different suits. For this hand, Aces can act simultaneously as the highest and lowest card.
7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank and two kicker cards.
8. Two Pair: Two pairs of the same rank. The higher the pairs are ranked, the better chance you’ll have to win.
9. One Pair: One pair of the same rank. The best possible scenario would be a pair of Aces, as shown below.
10. High Card: While this is the lowest-ranked hand, it is not completely useless to play. The five cards are not consecutive and do not belong to the same suit or rank. If your opponent has a High Card, too, and your highest card beats their highest card, then you win the hand.
A Guide on How to Play Texas Hold’em (For Beginners)
Five community cards are dealt during the four rounds of play, and bets are waged.
Round 1
Pre-Flop: Two hole cards are dealt to each player face down, sculpting your 5-card hand foundation. These two cards should be viewed privately before the betting begins.
Pre-Flop Betting: The BB and SB place their bets. The amount bet depends on the type of game played (2-4 no limit, 2-5 no limit, etc.). The action starts with the player seated to the left of the BB.
Round 2
One card is burned, or discarded, before the playable community cards are dealt.
Flop: The dealer places three cards face up for all players to use in their hand. The rotation from player to player moves clockwise from the dealer position.
Flop Betting/Checking: Unlike Round 1, the SB acts first and has the option to either bet or check; both cannot be done at once. If the SB decides to bet, then all other players are not allowed to check. These other players must either call the bet, raise or fold. If the SB decides to check, then the option to bet or check falls in the hands of the next player.
Round 3
Turn: The dealer burns another card and then places a fourth card face up (next to the three community cards already on the board) for any player to use.
Turn Betting/Checking: This is the same as betting on the flop. The SB will decide whether to bet or check. When all bets are equalized through calling, then the round ends. The player who initiated the last bet or raise wins the pot if all remaining players decide to fold.
Round 4
River: The dealer burns another card and then places the fifth (and final) card face up for anyone to use.
River Betting/Checking/Winning: This is the same as betting on the flop and turn. The difference is when the round ends, either with everyone checking or all players having bet or raised, the remaining players must reveal their two hole cards and the pot is awarded to the player with the highest possible 5-card hand. If one player makes a bet or a raise that is not called by anyone else and all other players fold, the pot is awarded to the last remaining player in the hand.
Showdown
If there are at least two players who have not folded after the River, then those players must reveal their cards to determine who has the best hand. This player will ultimately win the pot.
Strategies
Win the Pot.
If you have the best 5-card combination hand after all community cards are dealt, then you win the entire pot. If you and another player have the exact same hand, then you traditionally split the pot.
Deceit/Bluffing.
Poker is a mind game, and your deceptive persona can be used to convince your opponents to abandon their hand (even if theirs is stronger). Remember, if you overuse the bluffing technique it may hurt your game more than it helps. Strategizing when and how often you should use this game of trickery depends on who you’re playing with, your level of skilled deceitfulness and your hand.
Risk.
Playing each hand is not advised. It’s important to know when to check and fold if you’re not confident in your hand. For players who constantly itch for action and continue waging regardless of their hand, remember the money you already have is just as valuable as the money you can possibly earn.
Have fun.
Yes, this may sound cliché, but what’s the point if you’re not having fun during a game? Poker can be extremely competitive, so it’s important to kindly accept the outcome, win or lose.
Even if you’re not the best player at the table, at least now you have a better understanding on how to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” poker style, and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind playing card deck, too.
If you’re going to spend any time with a deck of playing cards, some things are an absolute must. And one of them is this: knowing how to do a decent shuffle. After all, it’s a little embarrassing if you have a massive collection of 100+ beautiful custom decks, and your shuffling skills are uglier than the back end of a city bus. Like me, you probably love playing cards, so the very least you can do is look somewhat professional in the way that you handle them. And that begins with shuffling.
And how often doesn’t it happen that a magician hands someone a deck of cards, asks them to shuffle their selected card into the pack, and the poor person makes a fool of himself because he can’t do a simple card shuffle. Don’t be that person – especially if you’re a fan of playing cards! So if you know the precise differences between USPCC and Cartamundi stock, or are passionate about playing Hearts or Cribbage or Poker, but don’t know the first thing about shuffling a deck properly, then now is the time to do something about that.
So here’s a short introduction to some popular ways of shuffling playing cards. Hopefully this will whet your appetite to challenge yourself to learn something new, or to master something old. You’ll be surprised how helpful it can be to learn from experienced card handlers, and how a small tip or two can make a huge difference to a card shuffle that you have been (mis)performing for your entire life until now!
Personalized Playing Cards
