As the term indicates, second dealing is the process of dealing the second card from the top, and it is employed almost exclusively in connection with marked cards. It is obvious that the dealer will possess a very great advantage by being enabled to reserve for himself, or an ally, any desirable cards as they appear at the top. He need not bother about acquiring skill at blind shuffling, cutting stocking, or any of the other hundred and one ruses known to the profession.
The deck is held by the left hand much the same as described for bottom dealing, the tip of the thumb being a little over the end of the top card. This position enables the thumb to come in contact with the second card by pushing the top card a trifle downwards. To deal, the left thumb pushes the two cards over the side nearly together, the top card perhaps a little in advance and the second card showing a little above it at the end. The right hand seizes the second card by the exposed corner, the right thumb barely touching the edge, but the right second finger is well under the second card and helps to get it out by an upward pressure as the left thumb draws back the top card. (See Fig. 1.) Then the left thumb again comes in contact with the second card at the upper edge. The third finger tip prevents more than two cards from being pushed over the side. The top card continues to move forward and back as the seconds are dealt, but the rapidity of the backward movement prevents the detection of the action. Properly executed, the appearance of the deal is perfectly regular. An expert can run the whole deck with the utmost rapidity, and still retain the top card.