<p>Cards are randomized through shuffling not through picking the draw pile. Statistically you should have the exactly same chances of drawing any particular card from either pile.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T07:57:04.373Z
2011-05-20T07:57:04.373Z
Kempeth
<p>When the table is inconveniently large and we are playing a game with a thick pack of cards, we sometimes spread the draw pile out into a large fan. That way, everyone can reach conveniently and anyone who suspects they may be disadvantaged can draw from any part of the pack. Myself, I can't see it makes any difference, but those who have some doubts can pick from anywhere and therefore have no grounds for suspicion.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-07T16:36:01.873Z
The problem with that plan is that if (say) the ace of spades is dog-eared then anyone who knows that fact can choose to pick it (or avoid it), whereas in a 'normal' game the card goes to the person whose turn it is: this has to affect the game.
Tim Lymington
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T20:26:50.743Z
2011-05-20T20:26:50.743Z
Brian Hooper
<p>We do that with some games (including tiles in Carcassonne), but you have to allow people to pull from either pile they want, and don't reshuffle until both piles have been depleted.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-08T12:58:59.763Z
While I obviously agree when you say that all stacks/decks must be depleted before reshuffling, granting that each player may draw from either stack/deck is fair, polite, but not actually needed.
Erik Burigo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T19:52:18.623Z
2011-05-22T17:00:43.167Z
2011-05-22T17:00:43.167Z
Lance Roberts
<p>While splitting the deck is statistically irrelevant, as others have said, it <em>does</em> affect those games in which you might have such options as "check the first X cards in the deck and put them as they were" (say, to simulate precognitions), "check the first X cards and reorder them as you wish" etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-23T08:49:22.470Z
2011-05-23T08:49:22.470Z
DaG
<p>Hypothetically, there's nothing wrong with splitting the draw pile. Splitting a randomized deck into multiple decks, won't affect the randomization. However, you need to carefully consider how you interact with the draw pile during the course of the game. </p>

<ul>
<li>Do cards ever get put back on top of,
into, or under the draw pile? If so,
having multiple draw piles would
affect the game. For example, if
players can put a card on top of the
draw pile, can I choose to draw from
either pile? </li>
<li>What happens when the
draw pile runs out? If the normal
rule is to shuffle the discard pile
to create a new draw pile, you
probably need to wait until all draw
piles run out before doing so.  </li>
<li>If    you have multiple draw piles,
will    you also have multiple
discard piles?    If so, you need to
consider how you    interact with the
discard pile, also.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T19:55:23.197Z
Also, when we did this with a mixed older base set and newer expansion set in Race for the Galaxy, some players would opt to take the fresh card from either deck, which is obviously cheating.
rrenaud
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T21:16:36.087Z
@rob-renaud, when you say "fresh card", you mean a card that is obviously from the expansion because it is less worn/broken in?
Malachi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T17:26:45.787Z
2011-05-20T17:26:45.787Z
Todd
<p>Sometimes when the table is large enough, or people don't want to reach too far, a single draw pile is split into multiple draw piles.  This has always bothered me.</p>

<p>Does it bother anyone else?  Are there any statistical reasons to not split the draw pile?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-05-20T21:19:26.193Z
Aside from cases where there is additional information available about the card(s) or something has manipulated the deck, it also shouldn't matter if a player draws from the bottom instead of the top of the deck.  Getting hung up about this type of thing ranks up there with the idea that dealing to the players out of order will give someone else "your" cards.  Random is random...
Malachi
<house-rules>
2 draw piles for convenience?
McLeopold
# 2 draw piles for convenience?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-05-20)

Sometimes when the table is large enough, or people don't want to reach too far, a single draw pile is split into multiple draw piles. This has always bothered me.

Does it bother anyone else? Are there any statistical reasons to not split the draw pile?

**Tags:** house-rules

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Aside from cases where there is additional information available about the card(s) or something has manipulated the deck, it also shouldn't matter if a player draws from the bottom instead of the top of the deck.  Getting hung up about this type of thing ranks up there with the idea that dealing to the players out of order will give someone else "your" cards.  Random is random...  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_8 on 2011-05-20. Score: 13 | Accepted answer

Hypothetically, there's nothing wrong with splitting the draw pile. Splitting a randomized deck into multiple decks, won't affect the randomization. However, you need to carefully consider how you interact with the draw pile during the course of the game.

* Do cards ever get put back on top of,
  into, or under the draw pile? If so,
  having multiple draw piles would
  affect the game. For example, if
  players can put a card on top of the
  draw pile, can I choose to draw from
  either pile?
* What happens when the
  draw pile runs out? If the normal
  rule is to shuffle the discard pile
  to create a new draw pile, you
  probably need to wait until all draw
  piles run out before doing so.
* If you have multiple draw piles,
  will you also have multiple
  discard piles? If so, you need to
  consider how you interact with the
  discard pile, also.

> **Comments:**
> **username_9**: Also, when we did this with a mixed older base set and newer expansion set in Race for the Galaxy, some players would opt to take the fresh card from either deck, which is obviously cheating.  
> **username_1**: @rob-renaud, when you say "fresh card", you mean a card that is obviously from the expansion because it is less worn/broken in?  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2011-05-20. Score: 11

Cards are randomized through shuffling not through picking the draw pile. Statistically you should have the exactly same chances of drawing any particular card from either pile.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2011-05-20. Score: 2

When the table is inconveniently large and we are playing a game with a thick pack of cards, we sometimes spread the draw pile out into a large fan. That way, everyone can reach conveniently and anyone who suspects they may be disadvantaged can draw from any part of the pack. Myself, I can't see it makes any difference, but those who have some doubts can pick from anywhere and therefore have no grounds for suspicion.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: The problem with that plan is that if (say) the ace of spades is dog-eared then anyone who knows that fact can choose to pick it (or avoid it), whereas in a 'normal' game the card goes to the person whose turn it is: this has to affect the game.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2011-05-20. Score: 2

We do that with some games (including tiles in Carcassonne), but you have to allow people to pull from either pile they want, and don't reshuffle until both piles have been depleted.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: While I obviously agree when you say that all stacks/decks must be depleted before reshuffling, granting that each player may draw from either stack/deck is fair, polite, but not actually needed.  

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### Answer by username_7 on 2011-05-23. Score: 2

While splitting the deck is statistically irrelevant, as others have said, it *does* affect those games in which you might have such options as "check the first X cards in the deck and put them as they were" (say, to simulate precognitions), "check the first X cards and reorder them as you wish" etc.


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