3. THE HINDU SHUFFLE
I first saw this shuffle done by one Hassan, a Hindu magician, in Australia some thirty-odd years ago. Since then, as I found it was the only shuffle used by the Hindu magicians, I dubbed it the Hindu shuffle and the name has been adopted by the profession. The shuffle itself is a genuine one, but it lends itself admirably to the wiles of the conjurer.
To execute the genuine shuffle hold the pack in the left hand between the top joints of the thumb near the outer end of one side and the top joints of the second and third fingers on the other side, the forefinger at the middle of the outer end, the little finger free, and the pack sloping slightly toward the front (Fig. 6).
Take hold of the inner end of the deck by its sides between the top joints of the right thumb and second finger, the forefinger resting on the top of the pack; the third and fourth fingers resting free. Move the left hand outwards, taking with it several cards from the top of the deck gripped by the left thumb and the second finger. As soon as these cards clear the outer end of the deck, release the pressure of the left thumb and the second finger and let the cards fall into the left hand, the left first finger preventing them from leaving the hand (Fig. 7).
Bring the left hand back to its original position, seize another small packet from the top of the deck between the left thumb and second finger as before, move the left hand outwards (Fig. 8), and let the packet fall on top of the first cards that were drawn off. Repeat the same movements until the cards in the right hand are exhausted. Note particularly that the left hand does the work; the right hand barely moves at all. A little practice is required to enable you to draw the cards off in small packets smoothly; the slanting position of the pack and the stop formed by the left forefinger cause the pack to be assembled neatly in the left hand. Great rapidity is not necessary. The shuffle is adapted to trick purposes as follows:
(1) To control a chosen card. A card having been drawn by a spectator, while he notes it, prepare for the Hindu shuffle. Draw off several small packets of cards and hold out your left hand for him to place his card on top of them. This done, bring the left hand back to the right hand to resume the shuffle, but a moment before the next packet is drawn off by the left hand press the right third finger on the side of the left-hand packet and lift several cards from the top by holding them between the tip of that finger and the right thumb, Continue the shuffle in the regular way until the packet held by the third finger is reached, then drop that packet on top as the last movement of the shuffle. The chosen card is then at the top of the pack.
(2) To control several cards at the same time. We will suppose that three spectators have each drawn a card. As the last one notes his card, prepare for the Hindu shuffle. Draw off several small packets into the left hand and have him replace his card on top of them. Lift several cards with the right third finger as explained in the preceding paragraph and go to the second man. Draw off a couple of packets into the left hand; however, in making the third movement, draw no cards off, but let the stolen packet drop onto the cards in the left hand. Hold out the left hand to the spectator and have his card placed on top of them; that is, on top of the first card replaced.
Repeat the pickup with the third finger; draw off several more packets from the top of the cards in the right hand as you go to the third man, calling particular attention to the fact that the cards are replaced in different parts of the pack. Again drop the stolen packet on the cards in the left hand and have the last card replaced on top. Repeat the pickup with the right third finger and complete the shuffle, dropping the stolen packet on the top in the last movement. All three of the chosen cards are now on the top and in their proper order. The process not only is convincingly deceptive but it saves time by controlling all three cards with one shuffle.
(3) To force a card. “Forcing” a card means that you compel a spectator to draw a certain card that you want him to take, at the same time leaving him convinced that he has had a free choice. Have the desired card on the top of the pack and begin the Hindu shuffle by drawing off about a dozen cards in one packet; then, in drawing off a second, small packet, steal several cards from the top of the first packet in the usual way with the right third finger. As you continue the shuffle by drawing off small packets, invite the spectator to call “Stop” at any time he pleases. At the word “Stop” you simply drop the stolen cards on the cards in the left hand without drawing any cards from the right-hand packet, hold the left hand out to the spectator, turn your head away, and tell him to look at the card on which he stopped you.
Then proceed in whatever manner the particular trick calls for. You may bring the card to the top by continuing the Hindu shuffle, or you may drop the rest of the cards on it and hand the pack out to be shuffled. Knowing the card, you can find it when you please.
(4) Sighting a card. It is often necessary to obtain knowledge of a certain card secretly. This method is a useful one.
Invite a spectator to shuffle the deck, retain one card, and hand the rest back to you. Begin the Hindu shuffle, drawing off several packets, letting them drop rather unevenly, and tapping them with the cards in the right hand to even them up. To do this turn the right hand, bringing its cards to a vertical position, and tap the outer end of the packet against the inner ends of the left-hand cards, thus bringing the bottom card of the right-hand packet into your view (Fig. 9). Note the card and immediately renew the shuffle.
Invite the spectator to replace his card whenever he pleases, and when he does so drop all the cards in the right hand on it. The card you sighted is thus brought on top of the selected card. This key card serves as a marker whereby you can at any time discover the chosen card immediately below it.
If you care to take a small risk to get a great effect, hand the deck to the spectator to shuffle, at the same time indicating an overhand shuffle with your hands. When he has made a couple of movements of a shuffle, thank him and take the pack back. Not once in a hundred times will the cards be separated. It should be noted here that if when you control a single card by the Hindu shuffle you manage to pick it up alone with the third finger you can sight it by this tapping and squaring process. At the beginning it is better not to attempt to pick up one card only, for any hesitation at this point is likely to arouse suspicion.
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