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I think I read somewhere that Charlie Miller practiced this by cutting the deck and just count the number of cards after each cut. Then it was a matter of trial and improvment.

Good luck!

practise your card sorting first, seperate them into all blacks and reds, then into suit value, then you know once the deck is reasembled, if you hit the King of Diamonds, you're half way through

Cardshark, I use a method similar to the one mentioned by abraxus. I just leave the deck in new deck order and then I know not only when i hit the middle perfectly, but also how many cards off i am when i don't hit the center. It does get easier, and you start to feel the weight of it and how it should feel.

I am very far from being a whiz with cards, and I found I could get within one card 9/10 times after 20 minutes' practice. That wasn't just a cut to the exact middle, it was any named number of cards.

I just tried it with a deck I had lying near my computer. I was one card out, but had actually transferred one extra card over. My instinctive cut was bang on.

I think it's just practice and the suggestions for marking the middle of the deck are great. Another suggestion is to use a marked deck. That way, you don't even have to turn the cards over.

Another suggestion is to use a marked deck. That way, you don't even have to turn the cards over.

I likey a lot. Seriously, Part-Timer is right. Just keep practicing, and you'll get the feel for multiple numbers of cards, like if you have to hold back XX number in a riffle shuffle for a gambling move. It's not 26, but it still needs to be exact.

I ve seen my monthly drinking buddy the mighty Greedo do a 26-26 cut and the perfect faro. I am sure he will have some tips on it.


But to practice like the others says short card. How very Andy Nyman or a crimp.

I did hear from another magician he met a guy who could just cut cards and tell you how many he took. Also once you get use to it i am sure you can tell by the weight of the packet you are holding. I know when I pick a deck up I can tell if it is 3 or 4 cards short or so.

This may not help but I would go through the process of counting the cards everytime. Eventually you will get tired of counting the bloody cards and just start doing it correct. Pretty much how I learn new Xcard manipulation moves. I used to practice over a table so I wouldn't have to bend down so much. For me it was too much of a safety net, so I started doing the stuff in the middle of the room, eventually I just got tired of bending down and picking up all the cards so I did it correctly. I realize that I'm probably a little odd and this won't work for everybody but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

Are we talking tabled or non-tabled cuts here? I suspect non-tabled 26-26 cuts are easier to manage, in that you automatically will have a feel for both packets after the cut. It also allows you a fairly easy peek at the cut to card. If you know the 26th card, then you'll know instantly if you've cut correctly, and can even get away with correcting the cut before you pull the packets apart.