To shuffle cards, there are several common techniques, with the most popular being the overhand shuffle and the riffle shuffle.
- The overhand shuffle involves holding the deck in one hand and using the other to transfer small packets of cards from top to bottom repeatedly. It's simple but allows some control over card order.
- The riffle shuffle is more effective and involves splitting the deck roughly in half, using thumbs to riffle the edges of the two halves so the cards interleave as they fall together. This shuffle is repeated multiple times to thoroughly randomize the deck.
- Another method is the faro shuffle , used for precise and controlled shuffling, where cards from two halves are perfectly interwoven.
For beginners, the riffle shuffle is generally recommended because it mixes cards well and minimizes card wear compared to some other methods. It involves splitting the deck evenly, riffle the cards with thumbs, then pushing the halves back together and optionally performing a "bridge" where the cards bend and fall into place. These techniques ensure the deck is well mixed and ready for fair gameplay.
