Bottom Palming - When the Cards are Riffled

How to Bottom Palm - with riffled cards.

When the cards are riffled--that is, shuffled on the table--it is impossible to make a palm in a perfectly natural manner, as there is no reason for taking the deck up into the hands before the cut. The action would appear awkward, or at least unnecessary and a waste of time. But when the company is not too fast the following plan may be used with success.

bottle palm from riffleAfter the riffle seize the deck at sides, near ends, between second finger and thumb of each hand. Raise the left-hand end until the bottom card faces the left palm, and give the deck a gentle tap on its end on the table. (See Fig. 1.)

bottom palm from riffle 2Then release the right hand and tilt the deck outward, so that the right second finger and thumb can grasp the ends near the top corners. Now release the left fingers, retaining position of left thumb, and tap the table again with the side of deck, at the same time bringing left second and third fingers to end of deck and curling left first and little fingers against the bottom, the left third finger touching the table. (See Fig. 2.)

Parts of this article were originally published by S.W. Erdnase in "Artifice Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table" 1902

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