The One-Handed Cut

What You’ll Need

• A standard deck of cards
• One hand (Dick says the dominant hand works best)
• Patience (this one takes practice, but Dick believes in you!)

The Setup

“Before we get into the fancy stuff,” Dick says, “make sure your hand is nice and loose. Dick stretches his fingers every morning — you should too!”

Dick’s Pro Tip

“Size matters here — I’m talking about hand size! If you’ve got smaller hands like Dick’s nephew, try using a bridge-size deck. There’s no shame in using a smaller deck. It’s all about the performance!”

The Performance

1. Grip the deck — Hold the entire deck in one hand using a modified dealer’s grip. Your thumb should be on one side, fingers on the other. Dick grips it firmly but not too tight.

2. Split the deck — Use your index finger to lift about half the deck from the bottom. Dick eyeballs it — you don’t need to be exact.

3. The pivot — Let the top half fall toward your palm while the bottom half pivots up on your thumb. Dick says this is the hardest part: “Just let gravity do its thing.”

4. Complete the cut — Guide the two halves past each other and recombine them. The bottom half should now be on top.

5. Clean it up — Square up the deck with a satisfying tap on the table. Dick always follows up with a wink.

Dick’s Final Thought

“It took Dick three weeks to get this one smooth, but once you’ve got it, you’ll be doing it absentmindedly at dinner parties. My wife says I can’t stop doing it with my hands at the table!”