Hey,
I've been reading some posts and "perfect faro shuffle" has come up a few times. I just wanted to say a Faro Shuffle is already perfect if it is not weaved perfectly then it is just a riffle shuffle. So you can't call it a perfect faro shuffle because they are already perfect. just thought I should say my veiw.
greydon

No.

Most of the methods around should actually be called perfect riffle shuffles, not faro shuffles. I don't know how Faro got associated with perfect shuffles. Perhaps the chapter in ECT can offer historical info.

Would like to learn the faro. However, other than the tremendous time and labor involved to do it well, how do you know if you miss a card or two, and don't get it perfect? (do you have to wait for the trick to backfire?), or can you check it as you go?

You can see when you miss

I too find it too time consuming to perfect the riffle shuffle.

There are many ways of performing the FARO. There is an IN Faro, OUT Faro, which are the most common. There is also an OFF CENTER Faro, and STRADDLE FARO which are NOT perfect FARO's.

This should help clear things up.

Best,
Trini

It took me about a month to get to the point where I can do a good faro shuffle on a consistent basis (good = interlacing the cards singly).

Question: is a faro shuffle *perfect* when the cards are interlaced singly (hope that makes sense), or is it only a perfect faro if you succesfully cut and interlace 26 cards?

Or are there different definitions of a perfect faro, perhaps?

As long as ur deck is not sticky, it shouldnt be difficult to faro. faro is fairly easy for you if oyou have the right studying material. it took me about half an hour to hit faro whenever I want to.
and believe me, when you miss, you will be able to see right down.

30 minutes! It only took me 30 years.

What's the best resource to learning the faro

When the terminology gets sticky is when it's a tabled faro. Essentially the cards are WEAVED ahead of the thumbs which riffle in it's wake. The shuffle is meant to mimmick the riffle shuffle yet achieve a perfect shuffle. Technically speaking it is a faro shuffle. The riffling action itself serves no purpose other than to mimmick a table riffle shuffle.

There are some who can do a perfect tabled riffle and do it very fast .... it's insane. I like the fabled faro and have had great success with it. I allow the packets to begin to weave and allow my thumbs to create the illusion of a riffle shuffle.

Now the real fun is the one handed faro. After a few hours of those you can't feel your thumbs!

Marlos revolutionary card technique is a great source to learn it from. His Legend dvd is a good place to see what it should look like up close. RCT teaches the bottom up method, but most magicians seem to do it from the top down. I don't think it makes too much of a difference though.

I learned it from Derek Dingle's Book! Especially the 'trick' with the pinky was MUCH helpful!

Regards,

Zedd

I found Holey cards and then Tally HO cards to be better for Faro, and thus a great place to start. Took me about half a year to a year and another year to be able to do it with almost any deck (some in really bad conditions), you just need to build up a knack for it.

A perfect faro is when each and every card is interlaced with another. If you have two cards at the bottom that do not do this, then it is not a perfect faro. Some tricks only requires the first few cards to interlace, thus no perfect faro needed. However, it is much more reliable to get those cards interlaced with a faro technique than it is with a riffle shuffle.

A "Perfect Faro" is indeed when the deck is cut at 26 cards and woven every other card into each other. This can either be an IN or an OUT. In the magic literature, if the "Perfect Faro" is not specified as being IN or OUT, then it is more than likely an OUT.

Now, if you cut one card less or one card more in one half, then it will become a STRADDLE FARO.


Does that clear things up for you? If not, you should read Marlo's "The Faro Shuffle" or "Faro Notes" books. You can also look at Alex Elmsley's "Collected Works Of Alex Elmsley - Vol. 2". The FARO is also described in Harry Lorayne's "Close-Up Card Magic" and in "Greater Magic". I think it is called the WEAVE SHUFFLE in "Greater Magic".


Books are the way to go. Most of these books are still obtainable if you look hard enough. Have Fun.


Best,
Trini Montes

I do a perfect faro---oh, wait, no I don't.

What is the purpose of doing a Faro shuffle?

edh

You can control the cards

All 52 that is.

I have found the faro great for setting up some card effects. Also do eight out faro's in a row and the deck is set back in order.

This is great for when a magician uses a set up deck. Set the deck do 7 out faro's put the deck away till show time. At show time take the deck out do one out faro and the audience sees the deck shuffled - then do the set up card routine.