How to Stack a Card Deck

Cards are based on luck, so sometimes you get what you need, and sometimes you don't. Of course, clever people make their own luck, which is why it can be useful to stack the deck.

Things You'll Need

• Deck of standard playing cards

Instructions

1. The bottom stack is seful for dealing. Take the cards you want to give a certain player and put them on the bottom of the deck. Deal to each other player from the top of the deck, but deal to the chosen player from the bottom, being sure to make it look like you're dealing from the top.

2. Use the pre-counted stack if you know how many people you'll be dealing to. Simply arrange the cards such that every fourth card (for four players) is the one you want to give to the fourth player. You can also stack the deck to choose hands for everyone in this manner.

3. Use the color stack to arrange the cards by suit, in order. This is used mainly for magic tricks if you want to let someone pick a card, and then insert it back in the deck. By looking through the ordered deck and finding a misplaced card, you can quickly identify their card.

4. The ordered stack is a variation on the above, alternating club, heart, diamond spade, and also having a set sequence of numbers (e.g. 2,4,3,5,10,Q,J,K,6,8,7,9,A) which will make it more difficult to detect your stacking.

5. Use the return stack if you are unable to stack the deck ahead of time. Find a card you want while shuffling, and keep it on the bottom of the deck. Then either use the bottom deal from Step 1, or shuffle it to the top if you want to give it to someone else (Queen of Spades in Hearts).

Tips & Warnings

• If you're stacking to win a game, win within reason; dealing yourself a royal flush will be suspicious.

• Stacking a deck when playing cards for money is cheating and may get you in trouble.