Expert Card Technique. Jean Hugard
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end, its ball paralleling the surface of the card, the second, third and fourth fingers being curled tightly into the palm. Strike lightly and diagonally outwards with the thumb upon the exposed surface of the second card, drawing it away and dealing it, Fig. 6.
4. As the right thumb deals the second card, move the left thumb back to the left and draw the top card squarely back on the pack.
Essentially, this second deal is very simple, yet it calls for the finest coordination. The timing is this: The right hand moves over the deck, the length of the thumb being parallel to the end of the deck, the ball of the thumb being in the same plane as the top surface of the pack and its tip being brought approximately to a point three-quarters of an inch from the left corner. It thus masks the outer end of the deck for most of its length.
The left thumb pushes to the right{1} and inwards in an arc a quarter of an inch (with practice, the push-off can be so small that it seems incredible that the second card can be pulled out) and the right thumb immediately strikes to the right. This is in the smallest degree a dipping movement, that is to say, as it moves to the right, the thumb drops a fraction of an inch bringing its ball upon the exposed sur-face of the second card and continues its movement to the right drawing this second card with it, the right forefinger moving up, pincer-like, to pinch it from below against the thumb. It is this action which gives the method its name; the right thumb is already in motion when it comes in contact with the second card and strikes it, the friction of its movement drawing off the second card, much as a card placed on a smooth flat surface may be moved by striking it with the flat of the thumb. The ball of the thumb must be held parallel to the top surface of the pack to prevent an inopportune “miss.”
When the second card has been drawn no more than half an inch outwards to the right, the left thumb moves back to the left, drawing the top card back squarely upon the pack before the second card is clear of the pack.
Mastery of this method is attained by performing the various actions in a smooth flowing sequence with the different moves virtually being made at the same moment—or rather, a fraction of a second one after the other. Lightness of touch should prevail throughout, in the action of the left thumb, in controlling the top card and in the striking of the right thumb as it whips the second card from the deck.
Figure 7 depicts an excellent covering action for the deal. As the right hand approaches to deal a card the left hand tips the outer end of the pack upward and slightly to the right in a wrist action in which the inner end of the pack barely moves. The right thumb strikes out the second card as the outer end of the pack points obliquely upwards; as the card is dealt the pack drops back into a horizontal plane. The action is repeated for each successive deal.
Before commencing the deal it is sometimes wise to push the top card off to the right with the left thumb, which then draws it back squarely upon the pack. This serves as an assurance that the grip is properly taken and “loosens” the top card so that the lightest touch of the left thumb will push off and draw back this card smoothly.
In the hands of an expert it is absolutely unbelievable that the second card can be drawn off the deck when no movement of the top card is perceptible. A beautiful method of dealing second, it is, as has been remarked before, marred only by the fact that the almost universal method of dealing cards is first to push off the top card with the left thumb.
THE BOTTOM DEAL
There are at least two good brochures devoted to second and bottom dealing available today, as has already been mentioned. Ireland’s Lessons in Dishonesty and Eddie McGuire’s The Phantom of the Card Table in which are given the methods of the wraith-like Walter Irving Scott. To the excellent accounts of bottom dealing in these booklets we have one vastly important point to add: A method of withdrawing the bottom card swiftly and certainly with the right second finger, an action which heretofore has proved a stumbling block to those desiring to learn the sleight.
Before explaining the actual deal it is necessary to set forth clearly the positions of the hands:
a. The Left Hand
1. Place half the pack diagonally across the flat left palm so that the right side, near the outer corner, rests upon the second joint of the second finger, the right side, near the inner corner, resting upon the innermost joint of the little finger, Fig. 1.
2. Raise the right side of the pack with the right thumb and second finger at the ends and hook the ball of the left first finger around the right outer corner. In this position the pack is supported by diagonal pressure between the first finger at the right outer corner and the heel of the palm at the inner left corner. The left second, third and fourth fingers curl at the right side of the pack, their tips flush with the top, taking no part, however, in supporting the pack, Fig. 2. The left thumb points towards the outer right corner and rests lightly on the top of the pack.
As Mr. Ireland has pointed out, all hands differ but, once the principle of the grip is understood, experiment will give the exact points of the first finger tip and the, heel of the hand at which the grip is made.
Once this exact position has been found, we would suggest that these points be marked in ink upon the flesh at the heel of the hand, the side of the palm nearest the thumb and the tip of the first finger. An hour or two devoted to placing the pack in the proper position will then make the procedure automatic and it will become second nature.
b. The Right Hand
The action of the right hand in taking the bottom card in lieu of the top card has never been fully described. It is most important.
1. Curl the right third and fourth fingers against the palm and retain them in this position throughout.
2. Hold the right first and second fingers rigidly together. During the subsequent actions these fingers must hold this position and must act as a unit. Any movement is from the innermost joints, they are never bent at the outer joints.
c. The Deal
1. Push off the top card with the left thumb.
2. Bring up the right hand and place the first and second fingers, always acting as a unit, under the left forefinger so that this finger rests in the groove formed by the juncture of the right first and second fingers, Fig. 3. The tip of the left first finger rests at the outer joint of the right first finger; the right second finger is in the gap between the left first and second fingers. The flat surface of the right fingers is always parallel to the surface of the pack.
If this position is taken correctly, the flat first phalange of the right second finger presses lightly against the face of the bottom card at the right outer index, and the right thumb on the outer right corner of the top card which projects diagonally off the pack some three-fourths of an inch.
3. Draw the right hand to the right, simultaneously snapping the first joint of the second finger inwards, taking the bottom card with it. This card is then grasped between the right second finger and thumb, the right first finger still being held rigidly against the second finger, Fig. 4. In this figure the top card is being drawn back onto the pack by the left thumb as the bottom card is removed. The pack is shown face upwards for clarity.
This snapping action of the right second finger can be likened to the schoolboy’s action of snapping his fingers to attract