How to Pick a Deck of Cards Shuffling Style

You can choose from several different card shuffling methods when you need to mix up your cards. There are fancy shuffles that take some practice to execute and there are simple ways to shuffle that almost anyone can do. Stick with the method that feels most comfortable to you. Read on to learn how to pick a deck of cards shuffling style.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Perform a riffle shuffle when you split a deck of cards into two separate piles. Hold one pile of cards in each hand with your thumbs covering the shorter end of the cards and the tips of your four fingers covering the opposite end.

2. Squeeze the pile of cards gently in your hands to form a slight arch in each pile. Slowly bring your thumbs along the edge of the cards, moving from the bottom of each pile to the top and allowing the cards to drop from your grasp. Align the cards so that (ideally) one card falls from each pile at a time to land onto the previously dropped card.

3. Hold all the cards of a deck in your right hand to start an overhand shuffle. Grip the deck with your thumb at the shorter end of the deck closest to you and your finger tips at the opposite end with your palm facing the bottom of the deck.

4. Slide just a few cards at a time off of the top of the pile with your left thumb and allow the cards to fall into your left hand. Vary the number of cards you take at a time until you transfer the entire deck to the left hand.

5. Scatter the entire deck of cards onto a tabletop or the floor for the simplest shuffling method. Replace all the cards into one pile by randomly stacking the cards back together.

Tips & Warnings

• In the riffle shuffle, you can either align the ends of each pile of cards or just the corners of the cards.