Cactus Game Design Message Boards

I try to do at least 3 pile shuffles after the deck was sorted to make sure I get a good mix and then I do some riffle shuffling (without bending the cards, obviously) before, after, and in between. That usually ensures a good mix, but of course there will occasionally be times when it seems like no matter how much shuffling you did, you still end up with all enhancements.

I pile shuffle into 5 piles for T1, 10 piles for T2.

However, about a year ago I started mixing each of the piles together with an overhand
shuffle one by one before pile shuffling a second, and maybe a third time.

For instance: pile shuffle into 5 stacks. Take stack one and mix thoroughly with stack two.  Then take stack three and mix it thoroughly with now combined stack 1/2, and so on.

Same thing, but sometimes I will mix stacks 1/2, then set down. Mix stacks 3/4, then either add stack 5, or mix stacks 1/2 and 3/4 before adding stack 5.

I am very much and advocate of this method.  The deck gets much more shuffled than when only pile shuffling, and I don’t feel like my cards are at risk of bending.  After implementing this technique, I don’t recall having weird opening hands, which previously seemed common for the first game after a deck had been sorted.

I do a five-mile shuffle and then seven rifle shuffles.

  Dang five mile shuffle bro that's going pretty far! 


I always did 5 piles, 3 times in a row, than hand shuffled.