Artifice, Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table; a Treatise on the Science and Art of Manipulating Cards

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ... close together and the third finger and thumb close to each corner so as to expose as much of the deck as possible. Bring up the left hand and seize the deck from beneath at the right thumb end, between the first and second fingers, and the palm just under the' second joint of the thumb, the thumb lying straight across the top close to the end. If this position is secured correctly the tips of the left thumb and second finger touch the right thumb, as all three are at the same corner of the deck and almost the whole of the deck is exposed. To palm, grip the bottom cards at the side of corner with the tip of the left second finger, squeezing 'hem in against the palm under the left thumb, and pull down over end of right thumb about quarter of an inch. (See Fig. 39.) This will cause the outer-end' corner of the under cards to project a little at the side, under the right third finger. Catch the projecting corner with the right little fingertip, pressing the cards firmly against palm under the left thumb, and draw them in towird right thumb, --at the same time straightening out the late fingers--until the under cards lie fairly along the If' ' palm. See Fig. 40.) Slightly close left hand with the palnied cards and turn partly over and inward as the right ll, '.nd lay: the deck on the table for the cut. Copyright, by S. W. Erdnase, 1902. The entire action of this palm is extremely rapid, simple, easy and imperceptible. The only difficulty is in establishing the proper position for the left hand. To get this absolutely exact, palm half a dozen cards in the left Copyright, by-S. W. Erdnase, 1902. hand in the most favorable position for holding and con" sealing. Then with one finger of the right hand pres....