The Five Cut Shuffle

1. Hold the pack upright across the left hand, pressed firmly into the fork of the thumb, bottom card facing the front, and bent inwards against the side of the thumb by pressure of its first joint which bears down hard on the upper side of the deck. Fig. 49.

2. With the first joint of the third finger pull off a small packet, A, from the face of the deck, bend the first joints of the other fingers under the packet and straighten all the fingers. Packet A will be carried outwards as in Fig. 50 and 51.

3. With the tip of the second finger pull off a second packet B. Fig. 52. Bend first joint of index finger underneath it. Straighten these fingers and carry B outwards, holding it between the first joints. Fig. 52.

4. Let a small packet, C, drop from the face of the pack flat on the hand. Fig. 53.

5. Close the first and second fingers and drop B on top of C.

6. Drop another small packet, D, from under the thumb, on top of C.

7. Close the third and fourth fingers and deposit A on top of D, B, C.

8. Drop the rest of the cards from the thumb on top of all and square the pack.

All three of these flourish shuffles can be done by both hands simultaneously, half the deck being held in each hand. Indeed, it is best to learn them by using half the pack only in the left hand. I must repeat that the moves must not be done too rapidly. I have seen them executed at such a fast pace that the onlookers could form no idea of what had really been done, with the result that an exhibition of skill which would have drawn rounds of applause from an assembly of magicians, passed off in dead silence.