Grip the ends of the two packets between the thumbs and second fingers, press the third fingers against the middle of the ends and rest the tips of the forefingers on the backs of the cards. Keep the hands well over the cards and push the packets together at an angle as in Fig. 1.
4. When the packets have coalesced, press the tip of the left second finger on the projecting corner of the right hand packet at X, lifting the inner side of the packet above the stock. Fig. 3 shows this action as seen from behind. Press downwards and inwards with the left thumb to secure this break and at the same moment push the packets square with the thumbs and third fingers, Fig. 4.
5. Lift the pack, keeping the hands in the same positions, and pressing downwards with the tips of the first fingers on the back so that the outer side of the pack presents a perfectly regular appearance, Fig. 4.
6. With the right hand make a running cut, pulling off a few cards at a time from the top and dropping them on the table until the break held by the left thumb is reached. Finally drop all the remaining cards on top of the pile thus formed. The stock is again on the top of the pack.
After the left thumb secures the break above the stock, a straight cut can be made instead of the running cut, or a packet with the stock on top of it can be pulled out of the middle and dropped on top. Again a small packet can be undercut with the right hand, the pack then divided at the break and the shuffle repeated. These are matters for individual taste.
A SYSTEM OF STOCK SHUFFLING
The only means of stocking cards with an overhand shuffle heretofore published has been the Erdnase method, given in his book on page 68 et seq. While it possesses the merit which he claims for it, his method has the decided drawback that varying calculations must be made in dealing different numbers of hands, and this can be very confusing to the operator since there is no definite pattern to the shuffles. It is for this reason that the Erdnase shuffles are so little used, even amongst the experts.
The method to be given here has one great advantage; the runs of cards during the shuffles are always governed by the number of hands to be dealt, and there is no further calculation to be made or any odd number of cards to be run. If four hands are to be dealt, the number 4 governs and controls the shuffle throughout and this is the only number which need be kept in mind.
Moreover, the shuffle is considerably less involved than the Erdnase shuffle and, once its nature is understood, it cannot be easily forgotten. We would suggest that the reader compare, in actual practice, the Erdnase method of stocking two cards with that given below. The far greater facility of the latter will be appreciated at once. The various movements of the cards in the action will be greatly clarified in the reader’s mind if he will reverse the desired cards when practicing the shuffles; thus he will be enabled to watch each card and note how the stock is made. There is a definite pattern in the shuffles and this is repeated for each card; once this is noted the shuffles are made with swiftness and certainty that only comes from full comprehension of the material with which one works.
TWO CARD STOCK
One desired card on the top, the other on the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
1. Undercut half the pack, run three cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the card originally on the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog and run four cards; run three more cards and injog the next, the 4th, and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the injog and throw on top.
The two desired cards now lie fourth and eighth in the pack, in position to fall to the fourth hand in a four-handed deal.
If it were desired to stock the two cards to fall to, say, the sixth hand, the above procedure would be followed but in place of using 4 as the controlling figure on the runs, 6 would be used. Thus, the first item would read: “Undercut half the pack, run five cards, injog the next card, the 6th, and shuffle off, bringing the card originally at the bottom to the top.”
THREE CARD STOCK
One card at the top; two cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
To stock three cards, the actions in the preceding shuffle are carried one step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the two cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, and injog the top card of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards; then run 3 cards and outjog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb; and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet.
4. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
5. Undercut at the injog and throw on top of the left hand packet. The three cards are now at 4, 8 and 12, in position to fall to the fourth hand.
FOUR CARD STOCK
One card at the top; three cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
To stock four cards, the actions in the preceding shuffle are once again carried a step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card, the 4th, and shuffle off, bringing the three cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, injog the top card of the left hand packet; run 4 cards; run 3 more cards and outjog the next, the 4th; and shuffle off.
3. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
4. Undercut at the injog, run 3 cards and injog the next card, the 4th; run 4 cards; run 4 more; run 3 more and outjog the next card, the 4th; and shuffle off.
5. Undercut at the outjog, retaining a break at the injog with the right thumb, and throw the cards above the break onto the top of the left hand packet. Run 4 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off.
6. Undercut at the injog and throw on top.
The cards are stocked at 4, 8, 12 and 16 in position to fall to the fourth hand.
FIVE CARD STOCK
One card at the top; four cards at the bottom.
To stock the cards to fall to the fourth hand.
Again the action is carried another step farther:
1. Undercut half the pack, run 3 cards, injog the next card and shuffle off, bringing the four cards originally at the bottom to the top.
2. Undercut at the injog, injog the top
