Ok, maybe the title was misleading in two ways

First: This is not me giving you all advise

Second: And it's not about how to see people’s naked butts, though if anyone does have info on this I might be interested in a pdf

So - what is it about? – the bottom of the pack, the last card in the deck

Anybody have good patter, or misdirection to do this [look at the last card] easily. What about when not performing to just one person [?] as in a group - it would be painful to get burned and revealed

So far my ‘plan’ – is to show the people that they have shuffled the deck [by fanning a few cards from the bottom] – ok – so I get to see the last card in the stub, but boy is that clunky. I’m sort of showing them it was a fair shuffle, by making it unfair [in that if I were a memory genius I could learn loads of cards in the order]

I would love to know how others sneak a look, or ways they talk around it. I guess it’s such a baby move, but I just want to get all the simple moves correct [and polished] before even bothering moving onto the big moves, like hiding doves up my ass [err that is how that trick is done isn’t it?]

Thanks for any advice on looking at bottoms

The simplest way is to just glimse it as you square the deck.

That sounds so simple

Or, maybe it's just me that's simple

I square the deck, and 'glimse' at the bottom card of the deck [?]

You don't mean you square the deck face side up [too obvious]

I will need to go away and have both a think, and a practice at this... I guess you mean I square the deck and with both hands and so lift the deck to an angle that it more or less shows me the bottom of the deck... in one natural/smoothe move... hmm... I will have a go.

Thanks for the help

For pure sleight demo, I mainly use Jim Swain's Ghost Peek. If you want a risk-free, in-hand gimmick-assisted peek (G.A.P), I'd recommend Mariano Goni's Eagle. Otherwise, pick Tom Elderfield's INSIGHT.

Thanks for that

TBH not looking at buying anything - just wanted to learn [from experienced performers] how they do the basics

I really don't want to be leaving card boxes on the table, to cover that I can't do something basic like sneak a look at the bottom of the deck

But I appreciate the help

I apologise I wasn't clear

I was just asking for any patter/ideas people had - to cover the sneaky look. Or even any stories - of getting caught and how the dealt with it.

You may instruct the spectator to sign her chosen card, to multiply the value with her age, to write down the value in a small piece of paper, and to put the folded paper into the card box.

Or say, "would you wear this blind fold, while I take a look at the bottom card of the deck"

It's funny how you are trickier than I thought!

Sometimes being comical may provide a good misdirection.

Good luck!

Mirror..

I was all excited when I saw the topic! Oh, well....

Made me think of Donald Trump... (Oh, come on, you were ALL thinking it.)

Once had a situation with a heckler. He shuffled the cards, handed them to me, asking "Have seen what you need to?" (from context it was clear that he knew the concept of key cards).

I fanned the cards face up(!), glimpsed bottom, commented "you could have shuffled better", did another shuffle retaining the bottom card. Since he then tried to ruin the effect with another method I assume he swallowed it. That was the last trick at this table.

Just saw this thread and simply couldn't resist posting.

I think the best way to look at 'bottoms' is to simply stare

Leatn what is called an "all around square up" and you'll have what you are looking for.

I second that!

My favorite is an old gamblers glimpse described as The Oblique Peek (p78) in Secrets of the Card Sharps (1972) by Gerard Majax, also under chapter Tools - Bottom Card Glimpse (p17) in The Devil's Staircase (2014) by Greg Chapman.

Make peak in the act of making a riffle shuffle.

A black cup of coffee/smart phone might also come in handy.

Have the spectator messily mix up the deck on a surface and gain peak in the act of bringing order/squaring up/rotating all the cards.

Having a post-shuffled deck put back in the card case. This will allow for a 'card case peak' (after the necessary time misdirection).

This is a little bit out of the box, but if you have a watch or a reflective table or surface, you can always take advantage of it to peek on the off beat.

That one is actually a classic, so not very out of the box

Haha, Okay you are right. Doesn't make it any less practical however.