riffle shuffling

Ah yes, a reprise for the Great Shuffling Debate.

As we all know from many other shuffling threads, I'm an overhand (or lace) shuffler, not a riffler.

And I frequently say that in the decades I've read publicly, only three or four people (certainly under five) have tried to riffle my decks.

I had a worker come in this morning, to do a little job here. No cash changed hands - I did a reading instead, choosing to use something conservative for her: the Golden Universal deck. Nice, familiar, non-scary RW imagery, and plenty of nice shiny bling all over every single card. What was it Alta once said? "The Ten of Swords, ooo, pretty!"?

Anyway.

She was nearly the fourth or fifth person to riffle: she divided the pack into two, and as my heart started to sink, she looked at me and asked if it was okay. I said no actually, wear-and-tear on the cards. She shuffled normally.

It is such a rarity that anyone tries to riffle, that I thought I'd report it.

And if clients that want to riffle are a once-in-a-decade phenomenon, clients that ask permission are an even greater rarity - she was the very first in my entire Tarot-reading life, which stretches back to the 1970s.

This may be a dumb question, but what exactly is "riffle" shuffling?

Where they take the deck in two parts, bend them backwards on the table, and flick them down so that they interleave with each other. *very* hard on cards, wears them out. You see poker players on TV do it all the time.

learn to riffle, but never do this to my cards!

Yeah, like *ouch*!!!!!!!!!!! I always warn my querants, no LA shuffles! shatters the energy, and destroys the cards over time.....

I'm a sinner! I mean a riffler but I do so gently I swear. I also don't think it's shattered my cards' energy. I don't let others touch my cards except for cutting and picking out their cards from the "fan."

This would be a good poll to post if there hasn't been one already. Do you riffle, lace or scramble the cards on the table?

I start with an overhand shuffle until the cards feel good to stop and then I riffle three times before cutting and dealing.

The only decks I *don't* riffle are the ones that are too large to allow me to do so. Those are my Octopus Press Marseille, giant RWS (duh), and white box Thoth. The Nova and my pocket RWS are too stiff to allow it as well. I don't do the bridge thing though.

Some of my decks are over 40 years old and still don't have any warping or bending from this. I've split the sides of some cards by NOT riffling and then had to glue them back together. :/

I opened a poll here:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=230379

I love doing that

and with my large Thoth ... it took a bit of practice - but I persevered.

I have had that deck (on and off) for near 30 years , usually I shuffled it the same way.

Its edges are fuzzy .... it is still hanging in there ..... Mmmmm , fuzzy

< rubs deck on cheek >

~ Although I must admit when I see a Thoth in good condition, it seems quiet startlingly detailed and colourful

First I cut a few times, and then very carefully kind of weave the cards in and out together, before fanning them out to pull cards. I think that's called lacing, right?