How To Shuffle Cards

Did you know that games of cards have been around from over 600 years! It was played in China in as early as 9^th century. Playing cards is not only a game but it has become a cultural icon and is related to religion, luck, skill, and even show and pomp. Cards have been widely played in all the cultures for various reasons. There is a vast diversity in style, formats, and even designs in different places. It is even used by Hollywood and Bollywood to add flavor and zing to the movie. In India, it is said that playing cards on Diwali (festival of light) brings luck and goodwill. Actually shuffling cards is an intimate part of knowing how to play cards. There are different styles of shuffling and you can learn whichever you find easy, or even all of it. Explore the following pointers to know the kinds of card shuffles and ways of shuffling cards.

Ways Of Shuffling Cards

The Overhand Shuffle

This shuffling technique is used mostly by beginners only. The overhand shuffle is a very simple way to shuffle the cards and is considered as open, casual and somewhat sloppy too.
It can be learnt easily. Take the deck of the card and hold it by the sides letting the deck stay on the edge.
Keep the fingers of the right hand rest against the back of the deck lightly and keep your thumb on the top.
Grip the cards with your left hand and lift it sideways however let some of the cards remain in the grip of your thumb of the right hand.
Now let the thumb move out of the way and rest the lifted cards on the remaining ones. Again, grip few cards with the thumb and take the left with the left hand.
Repeat the action several times until all the cards have been finely shuffled and then square it.

The Riffle Shuffle

This form of shuffling doesn’t only look impressive but is also very easy. It is a great way of shuffling and all the cards get shuffled very effectively. It can be learnt with little practice.
Pick the deck of the cards and using the hands divide the cards into equal half.
Hold both the halves in both your hands and keep the grip firm. Give support to the cards with index and little fingers of both hands.
Lean the cards towards each other keeping a firm grip. Hold the top of the cards with both the thumbs and lean to each other.
Now what you have to do is to leave your thumb with a jerk making the cards riffle together.
Join both the parts as you did in the weave shuffle and push them together lightly.
Bend the cards together, with the pressure it should become like an arch. Now release the pressure and with the force, it will cascade and get shuffled automatically. Your cards are ready to be squared.

The Weave Shuffle

The weave shuffle is also one of the easiest forms of shuffling and is very easy to learn. Handling the cards is easy and weave shuffle does a good job of mixing the cards.
Hold the card by the edge and divide them roughly by half. Now align the pack of your right hand on the cards in your left hand.
Weave the cards in both hands by the edges (hence the name weave shuffle). Push the cards together, bend the cards with the palm of the left hand, and then release it, this way mixing it up. Your cards are shuffled.

The Hindu Shuffle

This is called as Hindu shuffle probably because it originated from India. This is one of the most famous forms of shuffling cards.
Lift the entire deck in your right hand using your thumb and middle finger.
Keep the left hand underneath the deck of the cards and give it support with your palms.
Now pick up a few cards from the deck using your right hand. Now push these cards in middle of the deck. Keep your cards from falling with index finger.
Now after you have pushed the cards in, take out few cards from the middle of the deck and put it on top of the deck.
Keep repeating until all the cards have been shuffled.

The Strip Shuffle

This is another way of shuffling cards. It is simple and widely used by people.
All you have to do is to place the whole deck on the table and hold it with both the hands from each edge.
Now with left hand lift a small part of the card and with the other hand lift another part of the card.
Keep the cards of your left hand on the remaining deck and cover it with the cards of right hand.
Keep picking the cards and dropping it on the deck until all the cards have been successfully shuffled.

The Table Riffle Shuffle

The table riffle shuffle is almost like the riffle shuffle, it just uses table as a prop.
Divide the pack into two equal halves and hold each side from the edge with both your thumb. Let the cards touch the table from one side.
Bring the two parts of the deck together and weave it from the side opening one side of one deck slightly from the other part.
Now push the two parts of the cards to each other. This way it will shuffle. Your cards are mixed and are ready to be squared up.

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