How to Do a Side Shuffle With a Deck of Cards

You can shuffle a deck of cards sideways much like you shuffle it frontways. There are several reasons to shuffle the deck sideways including that it saves wear and tear on the cards and some people think it is easier to do overall.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deck of cards
• Table

1. Divide the deck in half as equally as possible. Hold a half of the deck in each hand.

2. Place your thumbs on the outer edges of the cards and your fingers on the inner edges of the cards.

3. Turn the cards over so that they are facing downward on the table. Your thumbs will now be on the inside edges of the cards and your fingers on the outside. Hold the 2 halves of the deck side by side.

4. Put pressure on the top of the cards with the knuckles of your pointer fingers on the back of the cards while you shuffle the cards together with your thumbs. Rest the outside edges of the cards on your fingers or on the table as you do so.

5. Push the cards inward together after you are done shuffling the cards so that the cards are in a deck once more.

Tips & Warnings

• Shuffle this way a few times to ensure that the cards are sufficiently mixed.
• If you are playing a game that has cards with sleeves on them, the side shuffle is perfect. Doing a front shuffle will bend up the cards on the top of the cards.