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Faro Shuffle Possibilities

What do the faro shuffle and a memorized stack have in common?


Both are a bridge between worlds. Or cultures at least. Like travelling to the other side of the world.


I’ve always felt that once you know what’s on the other side, the decision to take the first step onto the bridge is a no-brainer, but newcomers might be intimidated or even uninterested by the exercise because too much time is spent talking about crossing the bridge and not enough time on describing what’s on the other side.


Imagine if you were told to take a trip to the other side of the world, and all the travel agents you visited talked mostly about the flights, the airports, transfers etc. but never mention what to do and where to go once you’re there on the other side. At some point you need to hear about the sights, sounds, smells, …. the culture. Sure, life is about the journey (and all that), but in the case of learning a mem-deck and a faro shuffle, the real journey begins once you arrive on the other side. And you’re much more likely to cross the bridge when you have something amazing to look forward to.


I put together Faro Fundamentals not only to explain the fundamental techniques, but also essential theory and practical applications. It explores how to get there, but it also explores what, for me, is the truly important part of the equation. What to do once you’re there! Learning the sleight or move itself, is just the tip of the iceberg. As far as applications go, a faro shuffle can be used to:


· Control a selection the top

· Control a selection to any other position

· Position a key card or crimped card anywhere

· Sandwich a selection between two specific cards

· Interlace four-of-a-kind with three selections

· Bring a group of cards together at any position

· Stack a Poker Deal Reverse a dealing procedure

· Separate suits or colors

· Control a full stack

· Reconfigure a new set-up or stack

· … and so much more.


Not to mention, the faro shuffle looks like a shuffle…. and unlike most other false shuffles, it actually is a shuffle. It’s just not a random shuffle. But by adding a few touches it can be made to look very random, and so makes for one of the most convincing “false” shuffles to show an audience that the cards are well mixed.


If you’re interested in learning all about the faro shuffle, then Faro Fundamentals is a great place to begin. Helping people cross the bridge AND navigate the other side is EXACTLY why I put it together. A little further down, you’ll find a FULL list of its contents.


If you’re learning the faro shuffle and are already on your way to mastering the technique and happy holding off learning all about its applications, that’s fine too. Just know there are some cool things waiting for you on the other side!


You might wonder why I mentioned memorized deck work in the question at the beginning of this article. Well, many of the thoughts in the first paragraph or two apply equally to memorized deck work, but elsewhere (in another post soon) I also plan to dive a little into what happens when you combine the two (mem-deck and faro). If learning either is like travelling to the other side of the world of card magic, then combining the two is like opening a portal to another dimension!


Here’s a personal and old favorite faro routine, which I hope you’ll enjoy.


One last note:

An enjoyable aspect of writing is getting feedback from people who have been helped in some way by something you’ve written.


“Faro Fundamentals allowed me to correct three difficulties in my attempt to learn the Faro shuffle. An hour after reading a portion of your book, I was performing my first successful (and repeatable!) shuffles. Thank you!” – C.B.


In the case of helping people to learn a new technique like the faro shuffle, it’s especially cool to know that learning the technique is just the beginning of something, and this recent message prompted me to write this small article. Thanks for the feedback. It’s always appreciated.


You can grab a copy at Vanishing Inc. Go to their website by clicking on the image below.

“I loved reading this, and honestly wish I’d had it in my hot little hands twenty years ago. It would have saved me so much time and energy trying to figure out even a fraction of this on my own. It’s my sincere hope that you find it just as enlightening and practical as I have.” - Jeremy Griffith


Faro Fundamentals Contents


· Foreword by Jeremy Griffith

· Introduction by Greg Chapman

· Technique, Theory and Applications

· Quality and Condition of Cards

· Regular vs Traditional Cut Cards

· Full and Partial Shuffle

· In the Hands vs Tabled Faro

· In-Faro vs Out-Faro

· Straddle

· How to Learn and Practice the Faro Shuffle

· Top-Down vs Bottom-Up

· How to execute a perfect shuffle: In-the- hands, top-down

· A Closer Look at Interlacing the Two Packets

· Starting the Weave for In vs Out

· How to execute a perfect shuffle: In-the- hands, bottom-up

· Bridging the Shuffle Flourish

· Splitting 26/26 – How to split perfectly in half using estimation

· Adjustments to Correct Estimation

· Errors

· Adjustment for one card too many in the top packet during an out-faro

· Adjustment for one card too few in the top packet during an out-faro

· Adjustment for one card too many in the top packet during an in-faro

· Adjustment for one card too few in the top packet during an in-faro

· How to do a Perfect Tabled Faro

· Eight Perfect Out-Faros

· Fifty-two Perfect In-Faros

· Splitting 26/26 – Stacked Deck and Key Card Peeks

· Calculating the New Position for Any Card After Each Out-Faro

· Out-Faro Charts

· Six Belts

· Fixed Floating Key Cards in a Stacked Deck

· Work in the Cards

· Other Positions

· Faro Fooler – controlling a card to the top with one shuffle and cut

· To Bring Cards Together

· The Faro Shuffle and the Stacked Deck

· To Bring Multiple Cards to Specific Positions

· Anti-Faro

· In-Faro Calculations: Calculating the new position for any card after each in-faro

· 51-Card Faro

· The Morphing Stack

· A Difficult Sleight

· Faro Shuffle Philosophy

· More Faro Descriptions, Theory, Techniques and Routines

· Bonus Routines:

· Searchers Undone

· One Card Missing





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