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Thankyou - ironically enough, the handling of both is all about pressure

Well done that man!

Just for thouse of you who are having a bit of trouble with the faro shuffle, DON'T GIVE UP!!!!! Yes, it is a hard shuffle to aquire, but it is sooo fun and can be used for many different things. For example, if you have the deck arranged by suit, ace through king (ace at the bottom), and do one perfect faro shuffle, you get the whole deck ordered ace, ace, two two, three, three, four, four, etc. After another shuffle, the cards go ace, ace, ace, ace, two, two, two, two, three, three, three, three, four, four, four, four, etc. in the order of their suits. Once you have the deck in this order, have someone cut the deck (normal cut with two packets) as many times as the would like. Then, deal, or have them deal four hands. The four hands will all be strait flushes! If you cut the deck and cut it at any multiple of four, (I usually cut to 24) you will get 4 strait flushes of the same value.

Now, some tips on cutting at 26. Don't even try to learn how to cut by just the feel of 26 cards. It is much easier to see 26 cards. There was a video here earlier that explained some things on the faro shuffle. His method learning to cut at 26. But after you have looked at what you think is 26 cards, don't just go strait to the shuffle. Make a small break between the two packets and compare the sizes. It takes only a couple of doing this to get really good at telling 26 from 28. It took me a day to learn how to cut at 26. I've heard of it taking much longer for other people, so if it does, don't be discouraged. But it is worth your time to learn this shuffle. Maybe you will be able to learn to cut at 26 is an hour or two.

As for the acctuall shuffle, well that is just practice. Experement by moving your fingers around a bit to get a grip you like. Most of all, don't give up. Once you aquire the faro shuffle, you will use it all the time. For stacking poker hands, for doing a demonstration of impossible odds, and even just when you need a ligitimate shuffle. Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Congratulations and good luck !
Just watched your video on your site and it's great !

By the way, good luck, swest! I hope it goes well for you!

Thankyou for the kind words. I'll add by two penneth about the technique for the faro shuffle. In my recent practice I have discovered a couple of knacks, which I find help immensely.

As stated in the previously posted youtube video tutorial, the more common way of being taught how to perform the shuffle (e.g. in Card College - where I initially learnt it) is to weave the cards short end to short end, but it can be easier to do it corner to corner. What I have found is a happy median is best - square the two halves and place them end to end, and then, concentrate the pressure of the weave upon the corners nearest you - this helps keep the weave tight and also works if card edges become a little frayed as well, as corners tend not to become as easily frayed.

Secondly a firm but gentle grip is required. This is probably the best piece of advice (one that Giobbi gives along with many others). The grip I use has actually changed slightly over the past couple of days in that my two thumbs have come a lot closer together during the weave. This keeps it much tighter and under much greater control. If part way through the weave you see it about to go wrong it is possible with a kind of 'pulling' motion of the fingers to correct for it. Unfortunately, this is just a knack.

As for cutting the deck into exactly half, this for me is the easiest part. Not because I find it particularly easy, but because for this particular demonstration - taking the deck from new deck order and back again, all one needs to do is remember the 8 cards which one must cut below to ensure that is exactly in half. In fact, I only have to remember 8 suits in order, as I am only ever 1 or 2 out.

As it's a demonstration, perhaps you'll have the opportunity to perform face up.

By the way, I just watched your video and you have nothing to worry about. The only thing in the whole video that was less than perfect was your elmsley count. I'm sure you will do well on your performance.

Yes - face up would be very interesting to show how each of the shuffles takes it from order to (apparent) disorder. If one were to do that it would probably be wise to change it from bicycle new deck order A-K,A-K,K-A,K-A, to four sets of A-K as the latter would show the groups described by mccabe24. As for my video, I believe there are quite a few things less than perfect with it - redoing it is one of those things I've never quite got round to doing!

Will you be speaking on TV?

Bet you can't get a mention of "Talk Magic" on air!!!

Swest wrote:As for my video, I believe there are quite a few things less than perfect with it - redoing it is one of those things I've never quite got round to doing!

By perfect I don't mean totally 100% dead on technique, but show me one move from that video that the specs would get any susspision from. Besides the EC, which for some reason, even when done horribly, the specs don't seem to catch, there is nothing that could be questioned by a layman.

Dubious whether I'll be doing it now - phone call saying that the lecture is currently overrunning so might cut it out. O well.. off to lectures of my own now.....

It is no longer going ahead - they have had to cut out the demonstration of the faro shuffles from the lecture. Even after getting the 8 shuffles down to 90 seconds there will not be time, as the lecture is currently overrunning by 20 minutes. I am disappointed but there isn't really anything that I can do about it. It is of course not any fault of Tim's - he has been very helpful indeed and does not decide what is and isn't shown. It is a shame that this opportunity has not been realised.

Royal Institute Christmas Lecture - today (27/12/06). Channel 5, 7.15-8.00pm.
"...why mathematics can bring success in gambling and is the secret behind the best magic tricks..." That sounds like the one, then.

I learned how to faro from a dvd by the Hitman of magic. I don't remember his name, just that he went by that. The way he taught how to do it was exceptional as I was able to do a perfect faro 80-90% of the time in under 30 minutes of practice. If anyone knows the name of the DVD or this guy they should post it so others can know of it to pick it up. Maybe after I have my coffee I will find out the name of the DVD...