[Editor's Note: I realize this may be too fundamental for many players, but I'm running it out here as a beginner article for those who need it. Feel free to flame me for this choice in e-mail form, but keep the acid comments out of the forums.]

Today, bad players attribute their lack of success to many different factors. One day, it might be because they're too tired to function. Another day, they've got a migraine. Before long, it's back to the old standby again, bad luck. Well, I can't teach you how to fall asleep, nor can I prescribe any pills. However, the one thing I can help you with is luck. That's right; I'm going to show you how you can become "luckier" through your shuffling.

Now, I was never really that great of a Magic player. I had one Top 8 finish ever and it was the Legions prerelease (yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh at me for doing it at probably the least skill-intensive event ever). Seeing as that my skill level obviously doesn't set me apart, I've had to learn some other way to separate myself from all the other random Joe Shmoe 0-5 idiots playing at table one hundredgazillion something. That, my friends, is where luck comes in.

Think about it, when do most players complain about their bad luck? When does somebody go, "****! Three more lands!" When do your opponents willingly choose to go one card down and mulligan? After what step do people look at their hand and fold like a cheap hooker? Hopefully you've realized by now that it's after they draw cards.

Now, before you start to scream at me, I realize that deck construction plays a big part in what you draw. However, shuffling can still decrease your chances of a horrible draw even in a badly constructed deck. By shuffling properly, you even out the chances of drawing a win condition or the chances of drawing an equal balance of spells and lands, and you generally decrease the chances of drawing multiple copies of a dead card. Even so, the value and importance of shuffling are both still so very understated in the game today.

Routinely, I see people walk up to me, offer to play, cut their deck once and immediately start drawing seven. Of course, there's also the other end of the spectrum, when my opponent chooses to sit down and play sixty-card pick-up. Neither of these are the correct way to randomize your deck. I just don't see why people cannot sit down and properly shuffle - of course, my dentist doesn't see why I can't brush my teeth for more than ten seconds - and set up their match correctly. It's like eating breakfast in the morning. Oh well, onto the meat of the article.

First of all, good shuffling requires good cases. I advise shelling out the extra two bucks or so for the better quality ones. Any color will do, so long as they slide well. Currently, I'm enamored with some kind of Italian cases my friend gave me. They seem to run together like Mexican water through a new tourist, if you know what I mean. Seriously though, almost any well-known brand will do. It's when we get into the off-brands that the situation starts to get sticky, in more ways than one.

Ok, assuming your cards are now cased up in brand new shiny cases, now you've got to learn to shuffle. There are five main names for the types of shuffles that most Magic players use: the riffle shuffle (and bridge), the side shuffle, the pile shuffle, the overhand shuffle and the plain old cut. None of these shuffles are very complex at all, unless you want to learn to riffle and bridge well, but many Magic players won't riffle shuffle anyway for fear of damaging their cards. It takes maybe a minute to learn all of the other shuffles combined.

Riffle Shuffle*
As I mentioned before, many players won't riffle for fear of bending their cards. However, if this doesn't really concern you, then by all means read on. To riffle, separate your deck into two piles, one in each hand. Hold the cards lengthwise with your thumb in the center of the short side and index finger in the middle of the cards. Take a deep breath and slowly let go. The cards will fall together and be randomly distributed. To counteract the bending your cards receive from this, push your palms back in towards the center and force the cards upwards again. This is called the bridge and there really is no easy way to describe it, only practice will help. Beware! Cheaters will routinely stick their best/worst cards on the top/bottom of a deck and let them remain there after riffling a few times. This is the easiest way to "place cards".

Side Shuffle
This is really only possible with some smooth sleeves. Hold your deck sideways in the palm of your dominant hand (so the long side faces up), pull out a section of cards with your other hand, and slowly weave them back into the deck. This works fairly well to randomize your deck as long as you are not continuously removing cards from the same part of the deck. Side shuffle into the top and bottom of your deck as well just the middle. Should you have chosen to be cheap and buy bad sleeves, I'll be laughing at you on the forums when you start bitching about how your sleeves were so sharp they tore up your a) other sleeves, b) palms of your hand, or worst of all c) your shiny new Cranial Extractions right out of the mail from Starcitygames.com.

Pile Shuffle:
Pile shuffling is probably my preferred way of shuffling any deck because it completely randomizes your cards without the bends and creases riffle shuffling creates. To shuffle this way, simply take the deck and start removing the top cards and setting them in piles. I usually use six piles for my own deck to make sure that I have the right number of cards (6*10=60). It might take awhile, but I always do it after every match anyway to make sure my whole deck is still there. This is probably your opponents' preferred method as well because it also prevents wear on their cards while you shuffle. That is, unless they're one of those scum mana weavers who stack their decks with spell, spell, land. Then you can make three piles, stick the land in one pile, and watch as your Scalpelexis mills away their entire mana base. Yes, this actually happened to me once.

Overhand Shuffle:
The name of this shuffle seems unfamiliar to most people, and I have personally wondered many times about what idiot named it this, or why it was even given a mane. But hey, I'll let in you on this wonderful, sophisticated shuffle that will blow your minds away! Now, pay close attention. Hold the deck in one hand and remove a section of cards like you did with the side shuffle. Now, take those cards and, instead of weaving them back in, wave your hands and set the cards neatly on the bottom! Yes, that's all there is. Now you see why it's so sophisticated right? You're not going over your hand; you're just cutting the middle of the deck. It's a friggin' poor man's side shuffle. Something else to add to my list of Thing's That Have Nothing to Do With Their Name and In Fact Do Nothing At All But Sit There and Make Rich Men Sound Smart. It ranks up there with Greenland and The Bureau of Government Memo Censorship.

The Cut:
Finally, this is the last method of shuffling and really serves no purpose at all. By cutting a deck, you rearrange the order of just two cards (we're talking about randomization only here, not when you cut your opponent's deck). Unless you want to try this thirty times before a match, use one of the other shuffles. The only people who have a reason to use it are the guys who've already dropped out but want to impress their girlfriend. If any of you guys out there are in this predicament, just put on a concentrated face, stand right next to a judge, and act like you're preparing for your next match.

Ok, now that everybody's an expert on shuffling, you might ask how to cram all of this into one three-minute period. Well, in my experience, you don't need even need the whole three minutes, nor should you try to use it all. The optimal shuffle usually begins with two or three pile shuffles or eight to ten riffle shuffles. These will completely randomize your deck. Now, just to catch any remaining clumps, side shuffle each section of the deck twice (top, middle, bottom) for a total of six times. Lastly, cut your decks a few more times just for the effect and present it to your opponent. Now you can go into the match knowing that you have given yourself the best chance to win.

Now, should you follow all my advice and still not do well in matches, all hope is not lost. Remember, mathematically these shuffling methods should give you a randomized deck. However, there will always be times when you draw no lands at all, and there will be times when you draw six lands. You won't prevent this from happening. You will decrease the chances of this happening though. If you continue to receive bad draws consistently, consider making some changes in your deck. Unfortunately for you, my expertise does not extend that far and you'll have to figure out that particular problem by yourself.

Well, I've finally exhausted myself on this topic. Amazing that I've been able to write over 1,700 words on shuffling isn't it? If you don't think so, go dye your hair blond. Maybe it'll make you smarter. Actually what you should do is tell me about it at 08r9s01_students.columbia.k12.mo.us. (substitute @ for _) or stick it up on the forums. Tell me about a shuffle I missed, how you usually shuffle, or just say hi. Any feedback's appreciated.

Thanks for making it this far,
Tony Sun.

*Random fact from my dad the statistician: A perfect riffle shuffle on a 52-card deck seven times insures some sort of randomization, at least in the mathematical sense. Therefore it follows that a 60-card deck needs around eight riffle shuffles to become randomized. Of course, it's highly unlikely that a person can completely randomize their cards by executing a "perfect" riffle shuffle.