Before play starts, each pack is thoroughly shuffled (Law 6A); There is a cut if either opponent so requests (Law 6A)
Why people argue about this
People often assume that if neither player requests a cut before play begins, no shuffle is necessary, which leads to misunderstandings about when packs should be shuffled according to ACBL Duplicate Bridge rules. The confusion arises because they overlook the requirement for each pack to be thoroughly shuffled regardless of whether either player requests it or not.
