I will have to agree with Tommy. Once you understand the Zarrow Shuffle there are endless possibilities of combinations that you can put together and make it original. I recently put together a handling after hearing that Derick Dingle has a 3-shuffle sequence and that got me thinking. I came out with my own variation which is basically the Dai Vernon handling with the original handling in between. It comes out to 3 shuffles and sets the deck back in its original order. Have fun personalizing your Zarrow.

Hi KARDMECHANIC,

Very helpful post. Thank you. I would also like to thank Jason for the 'heads up' on the Gary Plant menuscript. Is anyone aware of who will publish this?

Regards,

Paul H

Regarding the Zarrow....Do you guys use the top few cards as a 'cover'? coz I just viewed like, about 15 minutes of the Zarrow Shuffle DVD and I think Herb Zarrow mentioned that you should not push the top few cards as a cover as that is not the way you normally shuffle the cards...
and I think in CArd College 3, Roberto Giobbi mentioned this too...

I push the top card over for cover. I think it just looks like the cards are beginning to interwieve. But I also tilt the cards up at my end at the same time, so they only see the back of the cards. Is that a giveaway for laymen you think?

Do not push them over, just let them fall.
I tilt the cards of only the packet that goes under the cover but only a bit, enough to get them in.
I also move my fingers to the front sides for more cover, forefingers close to the corners.
Herb would not like this way of doing it as he wanted the shuffle to be as open as it could be. He has a very good point but it just does not suit the way I would shuffle.
I think you should look at your normal riffle and get the Zarrow as close to that as you can.

El toro, I only tilt the cards whenever I want to emphasize that the cards are throughly being mixed. "As you can see, I have mixed the cards really well and would be impossible for me to try any trickery on you that requires a set-up..." I don't think tilting will give anything away but its unnatural. I never seen anyone table shuffle the cards and then tilt them when they are pushing them through. That is why I only do this once in a while ONLY to emphasize the cards being mixed at random. I wouln't do it on every single Zarrow. And once again, tommy is right. Don't spread the cards with your fingers, just let them fall that way. It will take some practice but you will be rewarded.

Erdnase in his book gives blind riffle shuffle and cut methods and gives them a number ie II, IV etc.
Under "Combination riffle and cuts" he can then explain in short hand a combination. Which I like the idea of.

This short hand idea could I think be used with the Zarrow shuffle and cut combinations.
I would like to see the Zarrow moves broke down and defined and numbered. This way when someone comes up with a good combination we can follow it. Like we can follow the Erdnase combination.

I know I am not making myself clear on this thing but I hope you get the picture.

I sometimes fool myself or lose myself working Zarrow combinations. When I do come up with a good combination it is hard to remember how I got there.

Both Jason England, Derek Delgado and Gary Plants were at my house last week...I saw some really great stuff.

Allan Ackerman, Mike Close and I watched Gary do the Zarrow over and over. We all agreed his work on the shuffle really takes it to a new level.

The work is very logical. Gary has discovered so many new techniques in his shuffle it's almost a brand new shuffle...no disrespect to Herb.

All of the "classic tells" have been addressed and solved.
Even though Gary taught it to us, we're all waiting for the release...

Bob,
That sounds encouraging.
I'm looking forward to the release.

Any idea when it is scheduled for?

Frank

About one, or a block of cards, cover. I have been experimenting with these two different techniques. Learned the block of cards cover from Kaufman's " Basic card technique" and the one card cover from Malone's "On the loose". And I actually find the one card cover more natural. First: why would one take out a block of cards from the middle to shuffle?. The natural thing is to divide the deck in 2 halves, the upper and bottom. And if you slip cut the deck, it looks like you are doing that. Second: It is not natural to let a block of cards fall over the last card from the other half. The 2 last cards should fall from the 2 different halves. AND: I don`t think a block of cards gives additional cover for the "dirty work". Just my 2 (euro)cents

Here is a little combo with one card cover and no slip. I call it The March to help me remember ie Left Right:

Cut top left.
Riffle, let top cover card fall from right.
Keep a break after push in.
Cut at break taking top packet right.
Riffle let top cover card fall from right again.
Push in and keep a break.
Cut at break.

Ackerman also has some very nice tips on the zarrow I think it's on his move a move video

Three card cover is harder but in the end you will find that more than one card is necessary to be reliable on the zarrow.

Wesley James work on it is very interesting, and goes against the useful way to do it. Very different approach than zarrow or that that matter Steve Forte. I would love to see it in action, although I trust Mr James when he says it is his best falseriffle shuffle!

As for Gary Plants as anybody got a rough date for the notes release?

With all due respect to the others mentioned in this thread, Wesley James' work on the Zarrow is the definitive work on the Zarrow. His Zarrow is the best I've NEVER seen. It doesn't have the tells that some Zarrow shuffles ahve. Particularly, the gap that some people leave under right hand packet. Sometimes you can spot that gap from across the room.

The Zarrow is an easy shuffle to learn but a difficult one to execute convincingly. I think its a move that is butchered on a regular basis. Since I don't do justice to the move I just use a pushthrough until my Zarrow abilities are up to par.

That being said I also concur that Gary Plants' shuffle looks very good also.

Cheers,

Wow, thanks for all the advice!!!!

I agree with Rich. Wesley James work on the Zarrow shuffle is the best I've ever read on paper. A total elimination of the usual tells of this shuffle. Eveyone interested, should get his superb book Enchantments.

Cool stuff. anywhere we can see (not see) these zarrows in action?

Rich,

Thanks for the comment on my shuffle. I am just curious where you saw me do my Zarrow shuffle? I don't remember us meeting anywhere?

Gary Plants

Mr. Plants, would you be kind enough to tell us when your manuscript will come out regarding your Zarrow shuffle. I am, like many others, willing to buy it. I've heard many great things about your Zarrow and this got me very excited since I'm still not really happy with mine. It is passable because I have done it numerous times infront of laymen, but I'm striving to perfect it like I hear you have. Thanks.

The manuscript is completely written (by Stephen Minch)and all of the drawings are almost completed (working on the last 4 - done by Tom Gagnon). Then I have to have them printed up....possibly 3 to 4 weeks if things go as planned.

Thanks for the inquiry......I hope you find this thing interesting.