Are you a poker enthusiast, are you tired of seeing the same straight sets of cards flop ten times when playing poker with friends? This is classic though if you don’t know how to effectively shuffle a pack of cards.
In France we love to split the deck in two and put a few cards in front, a few cards behind… And frankly, it’s a really bad idea. Dealers shuffle the cards differently.
Knowing how to shuffle cards for efficient distribution during your games is not hard. It is an undertaking which is not impossible, although training in skillful handling of the cards of this game of chance is necessary.
In this article, we show you some easy-to-use methods for effectively shuffling and dealing cards in a game of poker.
The salad method
The salad method , like the shuffle method, is one of the most used techniques when you need to shuffle and deal poker cards as efficiently as possible.
To do this, they must be displayed on the table, taking care to keep their face down. Then you need to shuffle all the cards by shuffling them on the table. Consider doing it as if you are mixing salad. As you can see, this technique is easily performed. Just follow this process to the letter and your card distribution will be fair.
We tend not to want to shuffle the cards like this because it takes up a lot of space and looks like a child having fun… However, all professional croupiers start their shuffling with a salad, because it has nothing more effective!
The shuffle method
The shuffle method is the second most popular method of shuffling and dealing cards in the game of poker. To use this technique, you must first collect the cards before dividing them into two equal piles .
As soon as you make your two piles, you have to insert them one by one, then think about bringing them together again in a single block. You must repeat this gesture several times before starting the intermediate cut which will distribute your cards.
This method is easier with a good plastic deck of cards, rather than cardboard cards. With the latter, it tends to damage them quickly.
The intermediate cut and the final cut to distribute your cards
The intermediate cut that can occur after a shuffle is the fourth phase of the poker shuffling and dealing process. This step consists of dividing the cards into three piles before putting them together again.
After making yur mid cut, you still need to do a shuffle. Finish this operation with the final cut . To achieve this, you must necessarily use your cutting card . To do this, you need to split your cards into two blocks.
Then lay half on the cut card (a plastic card in a solid color) before putting them back together again. Once you have shuffled the cards, start dealing. It is advisable to bet on the use of a cut card made of a material such as plastic, because favoring plastic cards reduces the risk of cheating. In addition, the interest of this choice lies in its ability to prevent the card from being seen by the opposing player.
As you can see, mastering these different techniques will allow you to shuffle and deal your poker cards easily. In this regard, it should be noted that for your game of poker becomes more attractive if you have to perform a very good shuffle of the cards at your disposal.
A pro dealer makes these 3 shuffles in a row and it takes little time for an effective shuffle.
Note on cheating: Defining a mixing method for your games and requiring each participant to respect them drastically reduces cheating. It is recommended that the final cut be made for a player other than the shuffler and that you have a cut card. Thus, no one masters from A to Z and can put an interesting card underneath the deck that he will give himself during the distribution.
Another tip, to go faster during the game, play with two decks of cards. While the dealer deals the cards and takes care of displaying the flop, turn and river, another player can shuffle another pack. So, as soon as the move is over, a new deal can begin!