The Genii Forum

I'm working hard on the "push through" false riffle shuffle, the one where you riffle the cards together and then push both packets through each other. (I've only seen this on video.)

Three questions

1. Can anyone recommend a good book where this is clearly explained?

2. Any tips to enable a smooth natural handling?

3. Any good tricks that makes use of this slight?

Much appreciated!! John

The push-through and pull-through are explained in The Expert At The Card Table (Erdnase). I have Revelations, which is Erdnase's book annotated by Vernon. Vernon provides some extra tips for the shuffle.

-David L.

"Dai Vernon's More Inner Secrets of Card Magic" by Lewis Ganson !!!!!
PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
http://www.stores.ebay.ca/Abstagecraft

I think the description in Card College by Giobbi is also very thorough and useful and points out a lot of common mistakes.

An excellent in-the-hands false shuffle is the "Art Altman False Shuffle". Unfortunately, it is in Marlo's Magazine, which is rare. I believe it is in volume 5 or 6.

Charles Spector

It is in Volume 5.
Yes... they are rare... I am still looking for some volumes (especially 3 and 4) so if anybody wants to get rid of them... I'd place them to their brothers, they'd be very happy on my shelf :)

Denis

I believe Michael Cannick had a set a few months ago. You might have to buy a full set and sell your duplicates on Ebay.

Charles Spector

If you're interested in riffle shuffles there's a book that's very hard to find but it's REALLY worth it,it's Ed Marlo's "RIFFLE SHUFFLE SYSTEMS" It's a limited edition work but I've never found such a complete book about riffle shuffles (true, false, strip-out, stacking, block transfers, zarrow, combinations, subtelties ....) i've heard about other volumes in this serie "Riffle suffle Finale" is one of them...

Magically...

Oliver

Ed Marlo's RIFFLE SHUFFLE SYSTEMS, the trilogy, will be available on my website as a downloadable file. Later, it will be available as a searchable CD-ROM and as a three-book set. It has been emended, edited, and supplemented with digital photographs.

All of the other references cited as also excellent. Perhaps a definitive text will be written that incorporates everything?

I hope so.

I think the Strip-Out Shuffle is more difficult than the push-through. (Actually Vernon writes "For all practical purposes the push through shuffle is infinitely superior to the pull out - it is sure and cannot miss.")
There are some fine descriptions of the Strip Out (especially Marlo's or the one in ECT) but I still wonder about the actual "brief" (is that the right English word) in the strip out condition. White border? Less? 8 out of 10 strip out shuffles one sees performed have a VERY large off set which only fools if the spectator are not looking at the deck while it is shuffled but I guess that's not the point of this shuffle.
Was Vernon right?!

Dennis,

1. Brief is the correct term (as far as I know).

2. The brief can actually be less than the width of the white border. It will take a perfect touch and tons of practice but I have two videos I can think of where the brief for the strip out shuffle is very small.

3. I have seen the phenomenon of the magician that uses the 3 inch brief. If you see the strip out performed correctly, it looks exactly like the deck has been shuffled and cut. When you see some of these magicians perform their half assed version they think is suitable, it looks nothing like the real thing.

Personally I prefer the strip out to the push through.

Of course, there is always the slop shuffle. (I'm kidding).

I invented one for myself a while back; I think it is pretty O.K. but one never knows since audiences are polite. In the Hands, riffle shuffle then push the top ( or left hand part) down as though doing a diaganol(sp?) palm shift and simultaneoulsy push upward in a different diaganol direction with the right thumb. Then change left hand grip to move up pull prior right hand part through with the left handnd---voila!!(I think)
Marty K