How does shuffling create chance in a card game?

In the context of card games, shuffling creates chance by randomizing the initial distribution of the cards. Because cards are individually identifiable from only one side, their order before the game begins is unknown to the players. By shuffling, the deck is reorganized into an unpredictable sequence, which ensures that the cards dealt to each player are determined by chance rather than by a predetermined or observable arrangement.1

This randomization is fundamental to the nature of most card games, which are characterized as games of "imperfect information." Once the cards are shuffled and dealt, the element of chance is established, and the game proceeds as players use skill and observation—such as tracking bids, discards, and trick play—to deduce the distribution of the remaining cards. While some games may involve physical skill or strategy, such as poker, the initial shuffle remains the primary mechanism for ensuring that chance plays a significant role in the outcome.12