I've been trying for quite a while to do the G. W. Hunter shuffle consistently, and I'm not improving much. The problem is that I frequently -- usually, even -- run doubles or even triples. So I wonder if there's some other false shuffle that's as easy as the Hunter shuffle is supposed to be , but is based on some other principle.


Alternatively, I'd welcome advice on how to run cards consistently.


Thanks,


Bob

Are you getting clumps? Hold the deck in left hand straddle grip.You can control better that way.

Bob...try some SortQuick on both hands. And slow down. Run 3, pause, run 2.

You could try the Optical Shuffle, or Harry's Staus Quo (which is hard)..

The Hunter is the easiest. Break it up, and patter. Slow down...then speed up.

K

Thanks, Tortuga and K. Not really clumps -- just pairs or occasional triples. The thing that really bugs me is that if I'm not staring at the cards, and am just working by feel, I can't tell that I've done that until afterward, when I check the order of the deck. I'm already using LH straddle grip.


I keep forgetting about hand lotion. I need to apply it more frequently. (I use Eucerin; is Sortquik better?)


Slowing down and putting in a pause -- at first, at least -- sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a try.


I've tried optical false shuffle and didn't think it looked convincing in my hands. Judging from videos I've watched, this is another sleight that can be totally convincing in one person's hands, and easy to spot in another's -- and I'm talking about the masters here. But I haven't practiced it a lot.


Bob

The optical shuffle is an awesome one IMO.

Have you tried to tighten a little your right hand packet ?

Hi Rachmaninov,


It's been a while since I've tried the optical shuffle. Let me try it and play with the tightness of the right hand.

Bob like a lot of moves it helps to do the shuffle slowly and deliberately. This should make it easier. Speed up as confidence increases. What effect or effects do you you need a full deck control for? Does it really need to preserve the entire order?

Personally I find the optical shuffle unsatisfactory for anything other than a brief run while you're distracting the spectators with your patter. There are much better false shuffles out there including ones that don't require running the cards. I know a great one that I always use but unfortunately I don't know the name or where to look it up 'cos I've been doing it for years, but heres a great one on youtube to check out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnWgIpPvv3A

The overhand false shuffle you linked Topper2, Patrick Redford teaches on one of his DVDs, I believe it is Ninja Tossed Out Deck. He does credit another magician for it but I do not remember the name.

I've seen this video before, Topper2, and I liked it. I forgot about it because I tend to cycle through sleights, give up for a while, and come back to them much later. So thanks for the reminder. And Wrayvn, thanks for the lead on who actually invented this shuffle.


My possibly peculiar learning habits may also explain, Tortuga, which I can't remember why I need a full-deck false shuffle. I'm embarrassed to admit this, because it makes me feel that I'm wasting people's time by asking the question. I remember that a couple of years ago when I was working more on full-deck sleights, I wanted to use a false shuffle if I was starting with a set-up. For the same reason I learned the Lift Shuffle, which of course only retains the top stock. Since there are other tricks in which you have to retain the bottom stock, I figured it made sense to just learn a full deck false shuffle and not have to think about which part of the deck I was retaining. Anyway, I think I'll swallow my embarassment (sp?) because learning false shuffles is eventually going to serve me well. Your words "slow and deliberate" describe me very well, Tortuga, so your and K's advice to keep it slow at first will come naturally to me and I'm sure will be helpful.


I mentioned that I'd been concentrating on full-deck tricks a year or two ago. Currently I'm focusing on packet tricks, which for some reason seem to come more easily to me. But I'm excited about some full-deck tricks, including Chicago Opener and the Biddle Trick, and want to keep up, or bring up to speed, my full deck skills as well.


Thanks, everyone.


Bob

Bob King.
You're welcome.

Heinstein Shuffle by Karl Hein:
https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/1790

A very deceptive false shuffle.

Another great video:
https://www.lybrary.com/advanced-card-co......378.html

Truffle Shuffle looks very convincing and super easy to learn (IMHO). I tried many other false shuffles (Zarrow, Heinstein, strip out) but Truffle Shuffle is the winner

If you want to add some false cuts try the Up the Ladder false shuffle from Art of Astonishment.

The sleight explained in the video link by Topper 2 is really great. I didn’t know that one, where did this false overhand shuffle appear for the first time in print ?

Thanks, everybody. Aren't full-deck false riffle shuffles difficult to learn? I'm looking for something that matches (or stretches to a reasonable extent) my current level, which is somewhere between beginner and intermediate, probably closer to the former. .



Digital: Giobbi also describes the up the ladder false shuffle in Card College, and I've seen a nice video of it on youtube. I like the look of it; maybe that's a good option for me.

Bob, if you are having trouble mastering the G.W. Hunter shuffle, IMHO you should wait before attempting the Truffle Shuffle, Heinstein, Hollingsworth, etc. shuffles. They are knacky. When done well they are killer. When not, well, not so much.

That's the Dan FIshman False Overhand Shuffle. You may also find it along side several others on my False Shuffle Project download that's available from me or your favorite online dealer.

Difficulty-wise, there's a spectrum. Near one end you've got things like the Push-Through or the Truffle, on the other you've got the Optical and Erdnase's Fourth Method.

Keep in mind that a big part of the point of the shuffle in the first place is that you're doing it at a time of low heat. As such, even a somewhat studied G.W. Hunter can usually pass muster.

Burnaby wrote, 'Keep in mind that a big part of the point of the shuffle in the first place is that you're doing it at a time of low heat. As such, even a somewhat studied G.W. Hunter can usually pass muster.'


Thanks, Burnaby. You're offering me sorely needed encouragement.


And Tortuga, your perspective is very useful. When I started magic I had this weird idea that I could learn just about anything right away. Don't know what make me think that, given the many years it took me to master a small part of mathematics for my career. I've developed a healthy dose of humility about magic! If you tell me that the other shuffles should wait, I'm happy to let them do just that.


Bob