Download Article
Download Article
This article was reviewed by Ashton Wu and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 50K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 674,886 times.
Whether you’re preparing for a card game or magic trick, the riffle shuffle and bridge are classic techniques to mix a deck of cards. While a riffle and bridge look impressive, it’s actually really easy to learn. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through the basic way to riffle shuffle and bridge on a table or in your hands. We’ll even cover the double bridge to add some extra flourish to your shuffling.
Looking for the classic card game Bridge instead? Check out our article covering the rules!
Easy Way to Riffle Shuffle & Bridge Cards
To riffle shuffle, split a deck in half. Hold a pile in each hand, gripping the short edges with your thumbs and your fingers. Hold the short edges close together, and move your thumbs up so the cards fall down. To bridge, press your thumbs where the cards overlap, push your hands together, and loosen your grip.
Steps
How to Riffle Shuffle and Bridge Cards on a Table
Download Article
-
Separate the deck into two equal stacks. Stack the deck of cards on the table in front of you, and pick up approximately half the deck. Try to get the stacks as even as possible so they’re easier to shuffle.[1] -
2Hold the ends of the cards with your thumb and fingers. When you pick up a stack, hold one short end with your thumb and the other end with your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers. Press your index finger into the top of the stack near the middle. Hold the other stack in your other hand the same way.[2]Advertisement
-
Bend the cards up with your thumbs. Position the stacks so the short edges held by your thumbs are next to each other. Bend the inner side of the stacks upward with your thumb, using your index fingers to press the stack down onto the table. As your thumbs move up through the stack, the cards snap back down one at a time and overlap the cards from the other stack.[3]
- Try to make the cards overlap by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the middle. If the cards are too close or far apart, they may be more difficult to make a bridge.
- It might take a little practice to find the right hand position and speed to move your thumbs. If the cards aren’t intermixing, move your thumbs up the stack a little slower.
- Riffle shuffles may bend thinner cards permanently, so use durable, high-quality playing cards.
-
Grip the outer edges of the stack. Curl your middle, ring, and pinky fingers around the outer, short edges of the riffled cards. Keep the stacks separated besides the small section that’s overlapping.[4]
- Hold your index fingers lightly along the longer edges of the stacks to keep them stabilized and prevent a mess.
-
Put both thumbs on top where the cards overlap. Position your thumbs on top of the center of the stack, directly over the interwoven edges. Your thumbs help press the top arch of the "bridge," preventing the cards from flying upwards.[5]
-
Push the cards upward into an arch. Use your hands to push the two sides of the stack together, forcing them into a high arch. Keep your fingers underneath the stack for now.[6]
- This technique is called a bridge because of the arched shape you make with the cards.
-
Open your fingers to let the cards fall. Release your grip and let your fingers fall flat. Gently move your hands apart by a tiny amount so they fall down in a "cascade" or "waterfall" pattern. Keep your fingers together and flat so you can catch the cards.[7]
- Remember to keep your thumbs pressed on top of the arch the whole time so the cards don’t go flying everywhere.
- Squeeze the cards together when you finish the bridge to make the stack look nice and even.
- Most times, doing a bridge will help fix any bends you made in the cards when you did the riffle shuffle.
EXPERT TIPSuzy Seth, known professionally as Magic Suzy, is a Professional Magician based in Tampa, Florida. Known as Magic Suzy, she has over 20 years of experience as a magician, specializing in family-oriented comedy magic shows that entertain both kids and adults. She brings her signature show, The Magic Suzy Show, to kids’ birthday parties, school assemblies, PTA fundraisers, preschools, summer camps, and other private events. Her work has been featured on local TV stations in Tampa. Before that, she worked as an entertainer on Princess Cruises.Professional Magician
Magic Suzy
Professional MagicianConstantly practice your card shuffle until it becomes muscle memory. Shuffling cards is all about building your dexterity and strengthening the muscles around the fingers. Carve out a little time every day to practice your shuffles until they’re perfect.
How to Riffle Shuffle in Your Hands
Download Article
-
Separate the deck into two halves. Split the deck of cards into two stacks that are roughly the same size. Hold one stack in each hand so they’re face-down.[8]
-
Grip the ends of each stack with your thumb and fingers. Place your middle and ring fingers at the short end of the stack, and curl your fingertips around so they’re on the bottom of the pile. Grip the other short end of the stack with your thumb. Place your pinky lightly along one of the stack’s long edges. Then, push your index finger knuckle into the top-center of the stack.[9]
-
Riffle the cards together. Hold the stacks close together so a long edge faces you and your thumbs are next to each other. Move your thumbs up to bend the cards upward. Slowly move your thumbs upward and outward so the bent cards snap back into your fingers and interlace with the cards from the other stack.[10]
- Try to overlap the card stacks by about 1 inch (2.5 cm) so they’re easier to bridge.
- Push your index fingers down into the centers of the piles to help bend the cards.
- If the cards fall out of your hands, extend your middle finger underneath the piles for additional support. It may take a little practice to shuffle the cards properly without making a mess.
-
4Bend the cards up into a bridge and let them fall into place. Put your thumbs on top of the stack where the cards overlap. Then, push your hands closer together so the cards bend into a curved arch. Loosen the grip with your fingers so the cards fall down into a single stack.[11]
- If you have trouble performing the bridge, just push the 2 stacks together instead.
How to Do the Double Bridge Shuffle
Download Article
-
1Split the deck into 2 equal piles. Cut the deck in half and hold each stack in your hand. Make sure the stacks stay face-down so no one sees the cards.[12]
- The double bridge just adds a little extra flourish to your card shuffle, so it’s great if you want to impress your friends or do it before performing a card trick.
-
2Grip the ends of the cards with your thumb and fingers. Hold one short edge of a stack with your thumb, and grip the other short edge with your middle, ring, and pinkie finger. Place your index finger in the top-center of the stack. Hold the second stack in your other hand the same way.[13]
-
3Riffle the cards together so the piles are askew. Hold the stacks next to each other so the short edges with your thumbs are next to each other. Position one stack a little further forward by about a third of the card’s width. Move your thumbs up and press your index fingers down to bend the cards. As you move your thumbs up, the cards fall into a single, interlocking stack.[14]
-
4Bend the cards into an arch to perform the first bridge. Place your thumbs directly over where the cards overlap. Move your hands closer together so the cards bend into an upward arch. Loosen your grip with your fingers so the cards fall down into a single stack.[15]
- The cards in the stack will still be a little offset, so don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect.
- Keep your thumbs on top of the stack, or else the cards may fly up when you try doing a bridge.
-
5Squeeze the long sides of the cards into an arch to do the second bridge. Reposition your hand so your thumb is along one long side of the stack and your other fingers are on the opposite side. Squeeze the cards tightly so they bend up into your palm and form a bridge shape. Put your other hand underneath the stack, and loosen your grip so the cards fall into your palm.[16]
Community Q&A
-
QuestionCan I do the bridge finish with plasticized cards?
Community AnswerYes. -
QuestionWhere do I put the cards after I shuffle them?
LaraCommunity AnswerThis depends on the game. A certain game may or may not require the cards to be put in a certain place. If you're just shuffling them for no apparent reason, it doesn't really matter where you put them. -
QuestionAre there any other ways I could shuffle cards that are still pretty easy but look cool?
Community AnswerTry the dynamo or Sybil cut.
Video
Tips
-
To ensure your cards are thoroughly mixed, riffle shuffle them at least 7 times.[17]Thanks
-
Keep a deck of cards with you so you can practice your card shuffles whenever you want. Plus, you’ll be able to play a card game or magic trick no matter where you are!Thanks
-
After you learn the riffle shuffle and bridge, check out our walkthroughs of other card shuffles you can try out!Thanks
References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NdCia_d1u5c?t=42
- ↑ https://youtu.be/8eN1FIVVU4Q?t=116
- ↑ https://youtu.be/f6ZD1lDbW3M?t=61
- ↑ https://youtu.be/uW8zMwJF5ys?t=452
- ↑ https://youtu.be/nbTbRY3YE-U?t=281
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NdCia_d1u5c?t=165
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NdCia_d1u5c?t=180
- ↑ https://youtu.be/uW8zMwJF5ys?t=210
- ↑ https://youtu.be/nbTbRY3YE-U?t=181
- ↑ https://youtu.be/8eN1FIVVU4Q?t=149
- ↑ https://youtu.be/8eN1FIVVU4Q?t=166
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Z6CRg9AN9hM?t=69
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Z6CRg9AN9hM?t=76
- ↑ https://youtu.be/WKevHoi3ulc?t=60
- ↑ https://youtu.be/WKevHoi3ulc?t=87
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UzRbIBKsuqM?t=11&feature=share
- ↑ https://chance.dartmouth.edu/teaching_aids/books_articles/Mann.pdf
About This Article
The riffle and bridge shuffle is a classic technique for shuffling cards. To start, split the deck into two halves and put them on the table with the long edges facing you. Position them so that the short edges are nearly touching. Then, rotate them slightly so the corners closest to you at the top edges touch. Bend the long edges of each stack up with your thumbs and then release them so the cards fall back down and overlap each other as they fall. To perform the “bridge” part of the shuffle, turn the two overlapping stacks so the short edges are parallel to each other. Then, place your thumbs on top of the place where the stacks overlap. Push the middle of the deck up with your fingers to form an arch, then open your fingers and let the cards fall into a single stack in your hands to finish the shuffle. To learn how to finish your shuffle with a waterfall or cascade finish, read on!
Reader Success Stories
-
"When I came I didn't know how to do the cascade finish, but the article gave useful tips, and now I'm a pro."..." more
Did this article help you?
