Card Shuffler

Shuffling is a procedure used to randomize a deck of playing cards to provide an element of chance in card games. Shuffling is often followed by a cut, to ensure that the shuffler has not manipulated the outcome. more...

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A typical sequence between hands of poker, for example, is a wash, two riffles, a strip, a third riffle, and a cut.

Shuffling techniques

Several techniques are used to shuffle a deck of cards. While some techniques achieve a better randomization, other techniques are difficult to learn and handle or better suited for special decks.

Riffle

A common shuffling technique is called a riffle, in which half of the deck is held in each hand with the thumbs inward, then cards are released by the thumbs so that they fall to the table interleafed. Many also lift the cards up after a riffle, forming what is called a bridge which puts the cards back into place.

This can also be done by placing the halves flat on the table with their rear corners touching, then lifting the back edges with the thumbs while pushing the halves together. While this method is a bit more difficult, it is often used in casinos because it minimizes the risk of exposing cards during the shuffle.

Stripping or overhand

Another procedure is called stripping, overhand, or slide shuffle, where small groups of cards are removed from the top or bottom of a deck and replaced on the opposite side (or just assembled on the table in reverse order).

Hindu shuffle

Also known as 'Kattar' or 'Kenchi' . The deck is held face down, with the middle finger on one long edge and the thumb on the other on the bottom half of the deck. The other hand draws off a packet from the bottom of the deck. This packet is allowed to drop into the palm, then put on top of the first half.The manoever is repeated over and over until the deck is all in the second hand. It is also the most common way in Asia and other parts of the world.

Pile shuffle

Cards are simply dealt out into a number of piles, then the piles are stacked on top of each other. This ensures that cards that were next to each other are now separated. The pile shuffle does not provide a good randomization of the cards (but this can be enormously improved by dealing to the piles in a different order each circuit, not always in the same order). It is sometimes used in collectible card games.

Read more at Wikipedia.org