How to Shuffle Cards at a Casino
Most casinos have house shuffles that dealers must use. Casinos will employ a standard shuffle, and sometimes a few alternate shuffles to "change the cards" if the table is losing. The standard shuffle will be based on how many decks are being used. Shuffling cards for poker will require a different procedure than shuffling for six-deck blackjack dealt from a shoe. Regardless of the procedure or sequence, there is a basic way to shuffle to avoid bending the cards and prevent players from seeing any cards.
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Instructions
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Place the 52-card deck on a flat surface or table with the long side of the deck facing you. Use both hands to pick the cards up an inch off the table. Place your thumbs on the edge facing you, your pinkies on the far end of the deck, and your remaining fingers along the outside edge.
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Split the deck in two halves. Split the cards in half by putting pressure on the top half of the deck with your right thumb and pointer finger, and pulling your hands away from each other. The top half will be in your right hand and the bottom half will be in your left. Practice splitting the deck in equal halves so each hand holds approximately the same number of cards.
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Place both halves face down onto the flat surface. Push the two ends together and use your fingers to straighten the cards. Move the cards apart so the bottom corners touch and form a narrow V shape, with the bottom of the V pointing towards you. To move the cards smoothly, hold the bottom edges with your thumbs and push the cards away from you. Hold the upper edges with your fingers and pull the outer end of each half towards you slightly.
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Shuffle by pressing down on the outside edges with your fingers, and lightly lifting the bottom edges of the V with your thumbs. Guide the cards on each side to fall together as you lift and slowly release the cards from the bottom up. Gently push both sides together, while keeping the faces of the cards as flush with the table as possible.
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Shuffle several times, then strip, or riffle the cards. Hold the deck about an inch above the table with both hands as though you were going to split the cards. Take a few cards off the top of the deck using your right thumb and pointer. Drop them onto the table just below the deck. Take a few cards off the bottom of the deck using your left thumb and pointer and drop them onto the table. Alternate right and left, top and bottom, until all the cards are stacked on the table. Push the cards together and shuffle once more.
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Tips & Warnings
Some find it easier to use their pointer finger to press down on the top, inside corners rather than using all their fingers when they shuffle.
Use a cloth-covered surface, or place a towel on your table to practice.
Practice shuffling multiple decks by splitting the decks into two stacks and removing about half a deck from each stack.
Be careful not to bend the cards.
Resources
- Photo Credit playing cards 4 image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com playing cards tricks focuses image by Alexandr Shebanov from Fotolia.com
