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, run 3 cards and injog the next card, the 4th; run 4 cards; run 4 more; run 4 more; run 3 more and injog the next card, the 4th; and shuffle off.
7. 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 and shuffle off.
8. Undercut at the injog and throw the packet on top.
The five cards are stocked at 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20, in position to fall to the fourth hand. A complex stock, this is little used.
OFF THE TABLE FALSE RIFFLE SHUFFLE
This false riffle shuffle, as its name indicates, is for use when it is not convenient to place the pack on a table for the riffle shuffle. It will be found very deceptive.
1. Hold the pack in the right hand at the ends between the thumb, and second, third and fourth fingers. Split the pack by riffling off the right thumb onto the fingers of the left hand until half the pack has fallen.
2. Grip both packets as shown in Fig. 1 any riffle the outer corners, first letting some six cards slip off the left thumb. Continue the riffle, barely interlocking the cards at the outer corners. Let the last six or so cards from the right thumb slip off last.
3. Spread these cards to the left and bring the outer ends of the two packets together, as indicated in Fig. 2, and so twist the locked corners free. The packets are now parallel to one another and their free condition is masked by the fan of cards pushed off by the right thumb.
4. Lift the inner end of the right packet, place it on the left packet and push the packets together, dropping the left thumb upon them as the right hand pats the right side of the pack square.
5. Square the ends with the right thumb and fingers.
The shuffle should be made at the same tempo as that of an ordinary shuffle and the cards should be squared with the same amount of effort required in the honest procedure.
CHAPTER 7. FALSE CUTS
THE FALSE RUNNING CUT
This sleight will be found very useful in secretly bringing together several cards which have been openly placed in different parts of the pack. It can be used with three, four or even five cards, but for the sake of illustration we will suppose that the four aces are used. The moves follow:
a. 1. Hold the pack face downwards in the left hand between the top joints of the thumb on one side and the second, third and fourth fingers on the other; insert the aces, one by one, in different places in the outer end, allowing them to project an inch.
2. With the left forefinger secretly push the bottom card outwards until it is even with the projecting cards.
3. Place the right hand over the deck, the thumb at the inner end, the fingers over the ends of the five projecting cards and apparently push them flush with the pack, really press them to the left, as shown in 2 of Fig. 1 and press them through the pack diagonally, Fig. 2. Press on the projecting corners with the left little finger, straightening the five cards and jogging them for about half an inch at the inner end of the pack, as shown in 3 of Fig. 1. The whole action, which takes but a second, should be covered by the right hand.
4. Turn the left hand over, bringing its back upwards with the pack face upwards, and grip the five jogged cards between the second joint of the left little finger and the flesh at the base of the thumb. Seize the pack by the sides near the right end with the thumb and second finger, Fig. 2, and strip the five cards from the pack with the left hand, dropping them face upwards on the table with the indifferent card at the face of the packet concealing the aces.
5. In like fashion strip small packets of cards from the face of the deck with the left hand in a running cut until the entire pack has been dropped onto the table.
When the pack is picked up and turned face downwards the four aces will be together on the top and available for disposal as may be necessary.
b. In this case you hold the pack face upwards and insert the aces, following the action in a but without pushing an indifferent card forward. After pushing the four cards through diagonally and jogging them at the inner end, proceed as follows:
1. Immediately turn the left hand over, holding the pack between the left fingers and the crotch of the thumb. Press the jogged cards firmly between the second joint of the left little finger and the base of the thumb, this condition of the pack being concealed by the back of the hand.
2. Make a running cut by stripping small packets of cards from the bottom of the pack with the right thumb and second fingers, grasping them by the sides near the outer ends and dropping them on the table.
3. Continue the action until the four jogged cards only remain in the left hand. Seize them in exactly the same manner and drop them on the top of the tabled pack.
The action in both cases is easy and completely deceptive.
GAMBLERS’ FALSE CUT
This extremely deceptive false cut, whereby the entire deck is retained in its original order, is another gamblers’ device. It is called, appropriately enough, “Up the Ladder.”
1. Grasp the pack with both hands between the thumbs and third fingers at the sides near the ends. Divide the pack at approximately the middle.
2. Draw the lower half, which we will call packet II, to the right holding it between the right thumb and third finger, and drop it upon packet I, jogging it half an inch to the right. See the first drawing, Fig. 3. The left thumb and third finger retain their grasp of packet I.
3. Draw out a small packet of cards, C in the figures, with the right thumb and third finger and drop it upon A and B, flush with packet I, as in the second drawing, Fig. 3. Hold the break thus automatically formed between the small packet C and the large bottom packet I with the left thumb; this will be utilized later.
4. Draw out another small packet B from packet II and drop it on top of C, as in the third drawing in Fig. 3.
5. Repeat this action
