Max-cover Second Deal

FALSE DEALS - chapter 5, page 395

When asked to recommend a second deal—given so many variants in GSOH—this is the method. Why? Because virtually all cardmen deal strike seconds before learning a stud-style deal, and the following pushoff has a lot going for it.

Start with a short pushoff. The right comes over the top with the first finger at the top left corner and the other fingers slightly spread normally. As the top card is retracted, grip the second card between the right second finger at the front end and the thumb. Take the second card diagonally down off the back of the deck, letting the right first finger slide from the top left corner to the bottom right corner—this keeps the top card still.

Although the second card will always clear the deck faster when taken sideways, the swiping action of the first finger is convincing. As the second card clears the deck, deal it to the table before rolling it over and dealing it face up.

When I was in stroke with this move, I would just drop the second card to the table and repeat. Drop, drop, drop, etc. After a few times through the deak, I would add the stud deal. The final phase entailed taking the second card sideways and immediately going into the MD's Cover Stud Second (page 418)—with this method, the second card is turned face up the instant it clears the deck and can be dealt face up (like a hit-card in blackjack) or pitched face up (like a street-card in stud).