Overhand Shuffle Control

Retaining Top Stock

Overhand False Shuffle

A large proportion of card tricks consist of having a card selected, noted, and returned to the middle of the deck, which is then shuffled. The chosen card is revealed by the magician in some startling way. To do this the chosen card must be controlled, and one of the easiest, best, and most natural methods is by using the overhand shuffle. Here are the moves:

1. Let us suppose that a card has been freely chosen by a spectator. While he notes what it is, you begin an overhand shuffle and, when you have shuffled about half the cards into your left hand, move that hand toward the spectator, tacitly inviting him to replace his card. He puts it on the top of those in your left hand and you immediately resume your shuffle by running three cards flush on top of the chosen card, jogging the next card, and shuffling off the remainder freely.

2. Undercut below the jogged card , as already explained, and throw the packet on top. The chosen card will then be the fourth card from the top of the pack and you can deal with it as you please.

For example, possibly in the course of the shuffle the chosen card may have arrived at the top or bottom of the pack; therefore you take off three cards from the top and spread them face outwards, asking the spectator if his card is among them. Never say, "You see your card is not there." You are not supposed to know whether it is or not. Throw the three cards casually on the table. Then show several cards at the bottom. Finally gather up the three cards by placing the pack on them and picking up all together.

You have the chosen card on the top, yet the onlookers will be convinced, if you have done your part simply and naturally, that the chosen card is lost in the pack and beyond your control. Thus you have succeeded in the most important part of the trick, for whenever a chosen card is controlled in some abnormal fashion your purpose is defeated. The real illusion of card magic begins with the conviction on the part of the spectator that his card is lost among the others. Without that conviction the trick -has already failed.

Retaining Top Stock by the Overhand Shuffle Control

The overhand shuffle control is extremely useful in tricks where it is necessary to retain a card or cards at the top of the pack while giving the impression that you are shuffling the cards.

To do this, undercut the lower half with the right hand, and, in the first movement of the shuffle, injog the first card drawn off by the left thumb. Upon it shuffle the rest of the cards held in the right hand. Undercut below the injogged card and throw this packet on top. Although you have seemingly mixed the cards, you have retained the desired cards at the top.

Overhand False Shuffle

Many fine card feats depend on the fact that the pack has been arranged in a certain order familiar to the magician. To retain that order while apparently mixing the cards thoroughly, proceed as follows:

1. Begin an overhand shuffle by undercutting half the deck.

2. Run five cards on to the original upper half of the deck. That is to say, pull off five cards singly with the left thumb, then throw the remaining packet on top making it protrude about half an inch beyond the outer end of the cards in the left hand (Fig. 5).

3. Press the tip of the left index finger against the face of this protruding packet and seize the cards below it by the ends, between the fight thumb and middle finger. Lift them, again run five cards, and throw the remainder on top.

The whole pack will be in its original order.

The action consists simply of reversing the order of five cards in the middle of the deck and then, by reversing these same five cards again, bringing them back to their original order, the rest of the cards not having been disturbed. Done smoothly and rather rapidly, not looking at your hands and while addressing the spectators, the shuffle is completely deceptive.

Bob’s practice note

[Note: I practice this with the following sequence. Have a card selected and removed. Start an overhand shuffle and stop in the middle of the deck to have the card returned. The card is place on the left hand portion. Continue the overhand shuffle by running six cards and injogging the seventh. Complete the shuffle. Undercut at the injog. I use my right thumbnail to lift up on the injog. Run six cards and injog the next, which is the selection, and then shuffle off the remaining cards. Undercut at the injog and shuffle of the cards. The selected card is not on the bottom of the deck. – RJW]