Truffle Shuffle 2.0

Tama

i think that this a good purchase

Paul

When the steps are broken down as they are in this short but comprehensive tutorial, it doesn't look as if this hybrid truffle/Heinstein manuever could possibly be as deceptive as it really is when performed casually and at speed. But make no mistake, when the details are observed, this is hands down the finest full-deck retention false riffle shuffle in existence. Most importantly, it solves the problem of imperceptibly unweaving the packets, the shuffle having already begun before this happens.

You won't regret this purchase!

David

This one was hard for me to follow

David

This is a pretty difficult technique, and it's going to take me awhile to master this. But the move is worth the trouble, and I'm very glad to have this video to guide me along.

I love the clarity of instruction here--the camera work and editing of the video do a great job of teaching the move step-by-step. Multiple camera angles and judicious use of slow motion go a long way towards making the move possible to learn.

And the accompanying text is a BIG help as well, talking through important points on finger placement, hand positioning, etc.

I've been working on this for a couple of weeks, and it's going to take me awhile to get this down, but I'll be VERY happy to have the shuffle in my toolbox.

Amanda

Karl Hein stands as a highly regarded magician known for his exceptional sleight-of-hand skills and engaging performances. With a career spanning over two decades, Hein has established himself as a master of close-up magic, consistently wowing audiences with his unparalleled dexterity and creativity. Hein’s charismatic stage presence with modern presentations and relatable persona contributes to his overall appeal of his performances which makes him a favorite among fellow magicians.

The tutorial, presented with an over-the-shoulder close-up angle, offers an in-depth exploration of the mechanics behind the shuffle. While mastering this move requires practice, the investment of time promises a reliable and effective false shuffle that will become a staple in one’s card routines.

jose antonio

Giuseppe

Let me start this by saying I have been using the Heinstein shuffle since 2019, that has been my go to ITH false riffle shuffle and I love it.

Mastering that first let me pretty much perfect this shuffle in less than a week of practice because they share a similar move, and I was used to it. So if you know the Heinstein and don't know this, it will be ALOT easier than just jumping into this one without prior knowledge.

I absolutely love this one, the Heinstein required two shuffles to get back to the order, this shuffle is just one and done. It is beautiful to see how good this looks in a mirror.

I was trying to do it slow during practice and it wasn't clicking but once I upped the speed during the key move everything came together right away, and now this will be my go to ITH shuffle.

I'll always practice the Heinstein, but this one is just absolutely incredible with no cut or extra shuffle. Phenomenal work. Highly recommend to any card magician. Especially if you use set ups.

Jay

Rosario

Mark

André

Thomas

Brillant. Totally deceiving. Well shot. Good explanation. Very much to the point. Love it! Just brillant.
Easy to do? No idea. But I will figure it out and let you know.

Bascomb

All I can say is wow...this is wonderful. It does remind me of a Heinstein shuffle, but appears sightly better in the minds of the spectator. From the front angle, this is super convincing. I love it. I highly recommend this for you to get really good at, the possibilities are endless.

Arie

As far as false shuffles go, this is considered by many to be one of the best in-the-hands false shuffles. It looks and sounds natural, which is the main thing you want in a false shuffle (no funny moves that draw suspicion even if the spectator can't pinpoint exactly why it's funny).

And while not self-working, it'll require some familiarity with playing cards (I would call it an intermediate level of skill) and some practice, I wouldn't consider this to be one of the most difficult moves out there. Maybe 3/5 difficulty (on an admittedly super subjective scale).

Marc

Really deceptive from the viewer's point of view. Very good that the instructions were filmed from different angles. The references to the crucial points are displayed. This makes it very easy to understand. But everyone has to do it themselves.

Anthony

Kiss Balázs

Gary

No voiceover on this, but the video was VERY well done, showing and highlighting the proper points while displaying text describing the action. For those who learned magic via YouTube, it might not be your thing, but if you learned by following along with Bobo's or Hugard's line illustrations, this is familiar -- with moving pictures!

Garry

The video consists off 4 mins 24 seconds play time,
disapointed that this has blog txt explanations only,
No voice over
explanations.
Camera does close ups at a couple off different angles, including still shots.
But still worth learning.

Jonathan

I was searching for a good flase-shuffle - one that would look identical to the regular shuffles magicians and laymen alike use. I'm happy to say that this false-shuffle is one of the best false-shuffles (if not the-best amomg them) I've ever witnessed. Sure, it doesn't look like a peace-of-cake to master, but it sure is worth it. And at a great price too!
Overall, a 5/5 star product for me!

David

I didn't think a four minute video could possibly explain in enough detail, but the angles and the lighting are great, with all the key locations highlighted. Basically, there's no need for the video to be longer when everything is there. I can just watch it again.

Rattandeep

Gerald

This move was well taught. It i definitely a knacky move that requires many days of practice but it will definitely be worth it. Rather than other shuffles, most people resonates with riffle shuffles which is why i am certain this move will work very well.

Milan

Great shuffle, bit of a knuckle buster but it is worth it!

David

Daniel

Truffle Shuffle 2.0 is an amazing, convincing false shuffle that fools both magicians and laypeople. The shuffle itself is amazingly difficult to master, but it is well worth it if you can learn how to do it.

Constantine

Aviya

Great video
This is the best false riffle shuffle I've seen (and performed) so far.

The move isn't easy, but with some practice, it can be mastered and is worth the effort.
The basic mechanics took me several days to grasp, but it needs more refinement and improvements to be really impressive.

It's a very short video that doesn't include any talking, but you don't need anything else to understand it.
Persomally, I like those short-and-efficient type of videos.
A download's quality shouldn't be determined by its length, but by its content - which is great in this case.

Eric

Dale

Joshua

Julie

Kevin

As many others before me have stated, this is not a live instruction for the Truffle Shuffle 2.0. It is a video that has pauses in between each step and written instruction on the screen. I actually prefer this as I am an avid reader, but I know it's not for everyone. It's just a 4 minute video with just enough detail to learn the shuffle. Proper credits are given at the end of the video as well. I would definitely recommend this video if it went on sale, but not at its original price. Also note that you will be doing the dirty work is done with your left hand and not your right, so be prepared.

Jorge

It's Karl H. so of course it's gonna be great. My only gripe is that this is silent(meaning no vocal instructions) however everything is performed slowly so that you grasp the subtleties and nuance of this shuffle. It's a fantastic ith false riffle with bridge and cascade, what more could you want?

David

Very good explanation with video angles that support the instructions. The slow motion footage shows all the necessary angles and is perfect for practicing while watching. Great price for top notch instruction of a false in the hand shuffle with the bridge flourish.

Will

Clear concise instruction of a fantastic move.

James

this is a very beautiful move and will definitely take a lot of practice. this is one of those things that I typically roll my eyes at and assume its too impractical to waste time on. this is way better than I expected and it will for sure end up becoming something I do regularly, once I put in the work required to master it.

John

This is good but I wish the original download done by Dan and Dave was still available

Adnan

Great

Max

Alessandro

minjun

it's great

Gonzalo

To me this is the most convincing in the hands false riffle shuffle out there. Not easy to do, at least for me. I still have to practice it. You will end up bending your cards a lot which is a little con in my list. If you do a lot of table hopping or if you perform standing up, you will definitely use this. Definitely worth the price of the download.

Zong-Syun

Aidan

Karl Hein, you are a genius for coming up with this move. In the past I couldn’t decide between the Truffle Shuffle and the Heinstein Shuffle. This is the best of both worlds. Unfortunately the video has no audio explanation but there are subtitles. It will need to be rewatched because although the video is five minutes it is seriously jam packed with instructions and tips. This is probably the only false shuffle you will ever need. This is genius.

matthew

really clever. worth my 12 dollars

Ken

So great! This will become permant SOP for me in all my card work.

Ector

Justin

I have not seen a better false in the hands riffle shuffle than this. As far as learning it, I would say that it is at least at an intermediate level. The video is nice and short while giving you all the information you need from multiple angles in slow motion.

minjun

Chris

Awesome shuffle. Performed for my biggest critic, my wife, and asked her, "be honest with me, did that look real?" To which she responded, "What? You just shuffled the cards? What's the trick?"

*Sheepish grin*

Great shuffle. 5 stars.

Dave

Excellent video and shuffle. I really like the way the details are presented before the related video demonstration.
This shuffle is presented for a right-handed person. However, because of how the shuffle is constructed, the key action is probably more natural for a left-handed person. As a right-handed person growing up handling cards left-handed, this shuffle favors my strengths. As an adult I eventually switched to handling cards right-handed because I got tired of "translating" instructions.
This shuffle will take time to master, but it totally avoids the error potential found with many false riffle shuffles.

Yves

Aaron

After practicing the move for a week I decided to write this review. First off I really loved the format of this instructional video. As another reviewer stated that people who like to read magic books would probably like this video, and I happen to be one of them so that is probably why I like this format. Basically there are written instructions as he demonstrates the shuffle from different points of views. I found it helpful that at times they highlighted areas of the hands and cards to better understand the handling.

The shuffle itself is very knacky. I haven’t perfected it yet, but I’m close and it does look very deceptive. Overall I liked the video really look forward to adding this shuffle to my repertoire.

Richard

This is the best in-the-hands false riffle shuffle I know of. I've been doing it for a few years but downloaded this video anyway, if only to archive Karl's personal touches. I was not disappointed. This is a beautifully made, highly detailed video with no wasted jibber-jabber. One tip: when learning this shuffle as presented here, I simply couldn't do it. Once I reversed the hands — springing the cards from the right hand to the left — everything fell into place. Oh, and I'm right-handed.

Jonathan

Very minimalist tutorial with musical background, no narration, and with all instructions written on the screen. That said, the tutorial, it is expertly filmed from exactly the right angles and more than enough to learn the shuffle.

For beginners, you are going to want to be completely solid with a regular, in-the-hand riffle shuffle with a bridge before you attempt this. It also helps to practice with cards that are well worked in, as they will be more pliable and forgiving.

The video is a really good, behind-the-magician angle and really reveals the inner workings of the shuffle well. You will absolutely be able to learn from the video, although getting the shuffle ready for prime time will take a fair amount of practice.

The tutorial shows you the moves, but there are no pointers regarding how to surmount pitfalls or how to refine the shuffle so it looks maximally smooth.

Before you learn how to control the shuffle, it will be jittery, cards will not fall smoothly, and you will likely end up be springing cards all over the place. Once you get down the coordination, it will start to come together. Before going completely in the hands, it helps to shuffle the cards onto a table before doing the bridge so that you can optimally set them up your finger position before shuffling.

It also helps to pull the cards up against your body when first doing the shuffle which will help prevent the cards from springing loose/need for a game of 52 pick up until you learn how to control the shuffle.

Additionally, there is no discussion of angles. The way this is taught, you are truly protected if your spectators are mostly to your right side. Given that your hands are close together/give a lot of cover during the bridge and because the shuffle is fast, though, you end up hiding a multitude of sins in plain sight. As taught, shuffle looks best from the right but, can still be convincing from the front and even the left side. But you want to pull it off with audience members to your left you will need to have this down really smoothly. Once I get the present handling down, I will be practicing the mirror image so that I can choose to do it 'right-handed' or 'left-handed' depending on the location of the audience.

All in all, a very convincing and not-too-knuckle-busting false riffle shuffle: 5 stars for the shuffle. I knocked off one, however, given the minimalist tutorial.... Recommended.

Jeremy

The move is great. I was able to learn this from the video and use it frequently.

I have mixed feelings about the instructional video. It goes too fast at times (and it's hard to pause when your hands are filled with cards). I needed to rewatch this a few times. I also watched it as a check-in on my progress on the move to see if I could pick up any new tips.

Because the video goes too fast, it's difficult for the initial learning. The video does shine though once you've gotten to the point of some competency with the move where you want to get all of the details right.

I do wish he suggested what types of cards work best for this. (I practice on thicker cards which help build up strength). I suggest you practice with new and old decks because both have their challenges.

The move beat up my eponychium (skin near your cuticles). Moisturize and be ready for a little pain.

Chris

Great trick. One star off with only a 5 min tutorial with only video and type onscreen. Would be good to have a few verbal cues and explanation. But without a doubt this will be a devious shuffle.

Brian

The teaching is very clear and the camera angles show all the nuances required. I've not worked with it yet but on a first run through I'm impressed.

Carl

Phil

Like the other reviewers, I feel like more detail would have been helpful. I'm really happy I purchased https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/card-magic-downloads/karl-hein-false-shuffles-workshop-experts-at-the-card-table/ as it provided the additional details and perspectives I needed to make progress on this. Personally I think both videos were helpful in their own way. Just keep watching them, slow it down, practice the individual parts, build the muscles and you'll get it!

Greg

Jeromy

This shuffle is awesome and perfect in a lot of ways. However, the training is very low grade. He is left handed I believe and it should of been stated through the written instruction...and just said to reverse them through the process. I am focused on learning this and its seen with one shuffle, one angle when he shows it off and i am having to youtube other people doing the shuffle to learn it and just feel this was really weak. Trying to find other resources because I want to be able to accomplish this shuffle well and right now I am searching other ways. Wanted to review it for that reason.

Michael

The shuffle is a good one, but if you already use Derek’s original Truffle Shuffle, you may not find this worth the money for one handling adjustment (the pseudo cover card).

The teaching is fine but extremely short: the download is just over 4 minutes long and teaches the shuffle by means of some video and onscreen text. I would have loved to see the download teach the move and its nuances in greater detail, especially for the $12 USD (or in my case, $17 CAD) price tag.

If you don’t already perform an in-the-hands false riffle shuffle, you may like this. If you already do, think twice about spending the money.

Matthew

Great move, very poor 4-minute (!!!) instructional video. It covers the basics with slow motion images accompanied by text. The single angle is completely inadequate. There is no talking to expand on the text. Finger positions aren't covered in enough detail and certain important parts of the technique are glossed over. The move deserves much better.

Pedro Vincent Dias

The shuffle itself is great, and if this review was only about the shuffle, it would be a 5/5.

I've used Hollingworth's in-hands riffle shuffle for years and, although amazing, I was looking for an alternative that allows for casual shuffling with no need for a reparatory cut. Truffle shuffle 2.0 delivers just that. However, this review is meant for the the instructional video itself, which I consider a 3/5.

Don't get me wrong, I am a book person, and before purchasing this download, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out in which book or magazine it was published. The video's format is definitely a strong point, and I hope other creators will follow, or perhaps already are following, the example. In other words, I really enjoy the chosen approach, that, as many others have pointed out, is straight to the point, focusing on only the pivotal moments of the mechanics.

And that is also where the instructional video does not deliver. It focuses *only* on the pivotal moments of a well-performed shuffle. So what is missing? Sticking to the book analogy, it has become standard in written text to supplement the instructions of how to perform a successful sleight with comments on typical mistakes and difficulties that one might encounter in the process of mastering the mechanics. It is also common do give insight on angle sensitivity of the sleight and on stepping stones towards mastery that can gradually and relative to progress be left behind. The video offer no such thing You are basically left on your own to discover the right path towards the pivotal moments of the sleight, and you'll undoubtfully ask yourself whether what you are doing is plain wrong or just part of the process. I won't give any examples, as I do not wish do give away the sleight.

Where a book would typically offer you an answer to such doubts, this video does not. Considering that this sleight falls into what I would label advanced mechanics, I consider such insights to be even greater importance (compare to the exemplary instructions of Michael Close for the perfect faro shuffle and Giobbi's instructions for the Zarrow shuffle).

What did I do to help myself along the way? The original truffle shuffle gives insight into a principle that is of great help for truffle shuffle 2.0. Sleightswise, Hollingworth's shuffle has a moment that is reminiscent of a similar one in Truffle Shuffle 2.0, which I suspect also helped me in understanding the mechanics. Otherwise, I had to figure out the 'knack' (an euphemism for lack of clarity in instructions) by doing. This said, the sleight is difficult, and it will require a lot of practice (although it's unclear how much of that time was due to unnecessary trial and error). I've been working with the sleight several hours a day for almost a week, and I still have to smoothen it out a bit for it to look and sound as my standard in-hands riffle shuffle. Is it worth it? Absolutely yes. It already looks very good in it's unpolished form. Just do yourself a favour and buy some reparative hand cream.

TLDR

Sleight: 5/5
Instructional video: 3/5

The format of the video is very good, but I would have paid double the price for more complete instructions.

Eliyahu

The shuffle is great, but the approximately four-minute explanation leaves a lot to be desired. Most of it is sufficiently clear (especially the beginning), but I really could have used more explanation about the key move. This is a hard shuffle and having it explained properly would make a world of a difference.

ch

The move is great, and the subtleties this adds are amazing, but I am not a complete fan of the way it is taught in the video. It's worth noting that the video is just text with someone performing the move at an exposed angle, which can be effective for teaching but not nearly as helpful as a verbal walkthrough in my experience. I will definitely try to master this move, and the thinking that went into it is great, but I just wish there was a little more to the instruction.

Chris

The move itself is great.
The teaching however is poor.
A 5 minute video with no talking, just text. I have a few issues that aren’t addressed during the video and thought there’d be more to the download.

Keith

After purchasing this and comparing to the YouTube demo (Derek DelGaudio´s Truffle Shuffle, March 22, 2011) of the original (extremely well done by some faceless kid in a Beatles T-shirt) I am not entirely convinced that the introduction of the cover card is at all necessary. Also, it comes at the price of shifting the position of the right thumb away from where it is most useful as a pivot point for separating the two packets as they rotate forward. I would recommend learning the original, first, then layering in this version as needed.

Stephen

The shuffle itself is a great false shuffle. Its a shame that the explanation doesn’t have any talking involved and misses critical view points and tips that make the shuffle easier to learn. I thought they would of put some good tips and at least had some dialog talking about the shuffle for the £9. A little bit disappointed.

phillip

After 12hrs of practice this still seems miles away from me.
I am a pretty proficient card handler, with 20 yrs experience, but bugger me, the separation of the cards is near impossible at this 12hr stage.
In the video it looks easy, with the cards just seemingly springing themselves apart.
I have watched and re-watched the tutorial but I cant get the cards to spring themselves separate.
They usual just spring all over the floor.
Difficulty rate 9 out of 10.
I have a feeling a lot of people wouldn't be able to get the "nack" of this and will just give up.
I will keep persisting to see if I can get there.

Gerardo

I really enjoyed this download and think Karl's development over the Truffle shuffle is pretty good.
Once I saw that subtlety, I was like .. Ohhh nice!
The video format is also OK. I think there is no need for more than 5 minutes in the video. Especially if you already know the truffle shuffle. As others mentioned, it is like learning from a book but better, because you get to see the action.

Rudy

You need to know that Karl decided to teach this using an instrumental soundtrack with text. He doesn’t say one word.

If you are used to learning magic from books, this may not be a huge deal. I found it very unappealing. Is it taught in terrific detail? Not in my opinion. I imagine that most (including myself) will find it somewhat challenging to learn this shuffle from this video.

Rudy Tinoco
The Magician’s Forum

David

This is difficult to review. The shuffle itself is good especially if you like similar shuffles. The method chosen to teach it was for me fairly awful. It is still possible to learn the shuffle from the video, but it provides nothing in the way of helpful tips nor does it deal with any problems that might arise as you learn it. Most galling is the ad copy touting the sound of the shuffle which you don't get to hear once throughout the explanation.

5min video about 3min of which is the actual explanation which consists of a video of the shuffle from behind with freeze/slowmo and a written description of what to do overlaying each still frame. This results in constant rewinding to check or review the steps. At a bare minimum this should have included a written pdf with the bullet points and pictures from the video - this might have been more effective than the video. I bought this at half price and I still feel a little cheated. You get none of the benefits of video teaching beyond the demonstration of the move (which you'll get if you just watch the trailer) and you lose all the benefits of a proper detailed written description.
You can learn the shuffle from this but you would be better served seeking out another source, particularly if you're unfamiliar with other simulated bridge shuffles.

James

The trailer is more appealing then the tutorial itself. The teaching is subtitles, silence, pausing and hand demonstration. Not a fan of these types of tutorials.