INJOG AND BREAK

T

he drawback to the undercut and throw, after jogging a card in the overhand shuffle, is that frequent repetition would reveal to a keen observer the fact that only half of the deck is being shuffled. To obviate this difficulty, recourse is had to the formation of a division between the jogged card and the cards below it, which are to be kept intact and returned to the top of the pack. This division is termed a break, and the method of forming it is as follows:

1. Undercut half the cards, injog the first card, and shuffle off in the manner already explained.

2. Preparing for a second overhand shuffle, pat the upper side of the deck square with the flat right fingers, then place the right thumb against the end of the jogged card and the right middle finger against the outer end. Press the thumb upwards and inwards, bending the protruding end of the jogged card upwards as it enters the pack, thus making a division or break between it and the cards below it.

3. Grip the whole pack firmly between the right thumb and middle finger, lift it, and begin another overhand shuffle in the usual fashion. Shuffle freely until the break held by the thumb is reached, then throw the whole of the packet below it on the top in one block.

Thus the same result follows as that obtained by the undercut; apparently the deck has been freely shuffled twice.

We have found that most beginners cannot learn this sleight from a printed explanation, whereas an ocular demonstration enables them to do it in a few minutes. The difficulty seems to be

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