The Magic of Klaus

W IL L ALMA M.I.M.C. (L O N D O N )

DECK DECEPTION

EDWARD MARLO

L. L. IRELAND

FOREWORD

Here we are again with another batch of impromptu card tricks and again someone is bound to say: “Ye Gods, another book on cards. Someone ought to take all these authors and all these card tricks and all these guys that do them and throw them all in the river—any river.” Yes, someone is bound to say that, but that someone will be a fellow who doesn’t like card magic.

That doesn’t have to bother us (we card trick fans) because we have the happy thought that some of the best known men in magic are card addicts. Included in that group are Le Paul, Dai Vernon, Jacob Daley, Horowitz, Paul Rosini, Jimmy Thompson, John Scarne, Bert Allerton—there are many others. If you want any of these men to be interested in you—you must be a card enthusiast.

Besides traveling in the best company, we card men are also comforted by the thought that we have something that the “kids” can’t take away from us. To be a good card worker means a lifetime of study and practice. We are assured that on reaching middle-age, (after devoting years to the work) we won’t have to fear some mother saying: “My little boy has that very same trick.” You know that happens—even in the best regulated ap­ paratus magic.

We card men, too, are the least disappointed in magic. Whether we turn our work into actual cash or not, we always are having fun with it, either learning, or trading, or showing tricks, regardless of time or place or conditions. The “strictly gimmick” boys who may have spent plenty of money on their apparatus have to sit by, waiting for the time, the place and the proper conditions—and wishing they knew a few good card tricks.

C O N T E N T S

Foreword ... 3

Casanova Card Truck ... 5

Mario’s Double Vanish & Recovery ... 8

Torn Deck Mystery ...10

A Good Number ... 11

Number Transpo ... 13

Mario’s Running Cut ...14

Mario’s Lessinout System and Cull and Stock Shuffles ...14

The Spy ...17

Divining Hanky ... 18

Mario’s Card to Card Case ... 19

The Magical Gambler ... 20

Conclusion ...23

DOUBLE VANISH AND RECOVERY

Before I wrote any card or magic books, I made up a little manuscript on this subject and dabbled at marketing it, but being my first venture, nothing came of it and very few magicians ever saw it. However, the effect was, and still is, very good because it gets away from the beaten path of “take a card.” Then Martin Gardner asked permission to use the effect in his Cut the Cards,” but unfortunately he saw fit to change the handling and presentation so much that he got away from my idea, and had cards selected. This was the very thing I wanted to avoid. The way matters stand now, the trick he has, and the one I have are entirely different, and I therefore feel it my duty, in protec­ tion of what I consider a darned good idea, to present here the correct handling and presentation for both the Double Vanish and Recovery, and also the Casanova Card Trick, which are de­ pendent upon the same moves.

CASANOVA CARD TRICK

Marlo-Gardner

Effect in Patter:

“You probably have seen Clark Gable, Tyrone Power or Robert Taylor make love on the screen and thought they were hot stuff when it came to getting their women. Well, I am a great lover, too, and if you will just gather around I will prove it—with a pack of cards.”

“This pack will represent the world. Will you cut the world into two continents? As you can see there is not a girl in sight on either continent. Now here’s where Edward Don Juan Casan­ ova Rasputin Mario goes to work (use your own name). I bring the continents close together and then I can work on both of them at the same time. I separate them again and here, as you see I have ‘made’ a couple of dames, two brunettes. Aren’t they lovely? But alas I have grown tired of them and in true ‘heel’ fashion I cast them aside, adding a couple of more broken cards —I mean hearts—to my collection.”

“I must find new girls to conquer so again I go to work which is a pleasure, and here I have in my power a blonde and a red head. Here, my dear fellow, you may have the blonde if you wish. However, the red head—well, you know what they say about red heads.”

In the above the brunettes are represented by two black queens while the red queens represent the blonde and red head.

The patter has been found suitable for night clubs where the audience is more or less on the lookout for sexy entertainment. However it is not offensive.

Secret:

Arrange the cards, from face to back, two indifferent cards back to back, two black queens face to face, two more indifferent cards back to back, the remaining red queens face to face. You are now set to do the Casanova card trick. (See Fig. 1.)

Have the pack cut, hold half in each hand, face up. The bottom half, with the set up, is in the left hand, thumb at top left corner, fingers along the side of the pack, forefinger underneath the pack in readiness for the riffle count. The right hand packet is held from above, face down, thumb at bottom edge, fingers over top edge, forefinger curled on top of packet. The position of the hands do not change at any stage of the effect. For posi­ tion of both hands see Figs. 2 & 3.

Place the halves face to face, releasing three cards from under left thumb, see Fig. 4, on to the portion held by right hand. You can do this while looking at the packets so you can see the three cards flash by. Separate the packets. With the left thumb peel off the queen from the right hand packet, following by deal­ ing off the queen from the left hand packet with the same hand. In this way the cards are still in the same position and thus the moves, to bring the other two queens, can be repeated.

At the conclusion of the effect there will be two reversed cards in the deck. Do not worry about this but casually drop or mix up the cards in the course of a shuffle. Apologize for your clumsiness and in righting the cards take care of the two reversed ones.

Note for a borrowed deck.

Have a card selected, glimpse it on its return or by use of a key card know its location. Find out identity of card in the meantime, also bring the four queens to bottom while apparently trying to discover selected card. Say you are having trouble and hand spectator half the deck, making sure his card is in that half. Ask him to look thru it while your back is turned. Needless to say you arrange the queens under this pretext. Turn around and name spectator’s card, then proceed with the Casanova Card Trick and prove you are a great lover.

The Casanova Card Effect can be used as a four ace opener very effectively. Stating that you desire the four aces for an effect, you say that you will not look thru the deck like an ordi­ nary mortal, but will produce them magically. This you proceed to do.

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MARLO'S DOUBLE VANISH AND RECOVERY

Effect in Patter:

“Will you please cut the deck? Thank you, sir. I want you to place your portion face up in my left hand. Now please note the bottom card of your half and the bottom card of my half. We have the seven of hearts on my left and the ten of diamonds on my right. I place the halves together, face to face, utter the magic words'rub-a-dub-dub’ and the two cards disappear. The cards underneath? Here the magician slides over the face up card of each half to show that the cards underneath are not the ones that were noted.

“No, you’re wrong. They are really gone. To bring them back I tap the deck and command the first card, the ten of dia­ monds, to appear face up in the center of the deck. You see, it has obeyed my commands. Hold it for a moment while I shuffle the cards like this. You tell me where to stop. Here? Very well, place the ten of diamonds face up at this spot. As long as both cards vanished together it is only fitting that they be found together. You had a choice of placing the ten of diamonds any­ where you wished. Now if this card next to it is the seven of hearts, it will be amazing. Why, it is amazing!”

The above patter was used solely to better describe the ef­ fect. In doing the trick the patter should not be lengthy—the shorter, the better. No patter is better than too much, especially in night clubs.

Secret:

The ten of diamonds and the seven of hearts were used as illustrations only. The deck may be borrowed. Secretly reverse the second and third cards from the bottom of the deck. As in in Fig.l. Have deck cut, retaining lower portion. While

specta-tor shuffles the upper or his half, you have ample time to separate the three bottom cards by riffling so that a slight break may be held by the right thumb at the end. As in Fig. 2. This half is held, face down, by the right hand. When the spectator is thru shuffling the cards have him place his half face up in your left hand. Turn over the right hand half and have him note the face card of each half.

Bring the halves face to face, then release the three cards, held by the right thumb, so "that they may fall on to the left hand packet. As in Fig. 3. Inserting the left little finger into the break helps this along. The cards appear to have vanished. Slide the top face card of each half to show that the cards under­ neath are not it also. This is made possible because two cards were reversed instead of one. (Thanks to Martin Gardner here.)

Turn both halves face down, placing the left hand packet on the bottom. There is one reversed card in the deck at this stage, it being the original bottom card of the packet that was held in the right hand previous to the vanish.. Right above the reversed card is the second card that was vanished from the left hand. All that remains to be done is to cut the deck, bringing the reversed card to the center. Run thru showing the appearance of this card. Cut the deck to bring the reversed card to the top, while the other card becomes the bottom one. Hand the reversed card to someone. While you run off the cards from the top of deck only, in Hindu shuffle or overhand style, have a spectator stop you anytime he wishes. Have him place the card he is holding face up at that spot. Drop the remaining cards on it, thus bring­ ing the bottom card above it. Square up the pack. Finish as given in Effect in Patter, where the line, “As long as the two cards vanished together, etc” starts. Remember, the card above

the reversed card will be the second one so be sure to turn over

TORN DECK MYSTERY

This effect has seen several versions, but the one about to be described is, I believe, superior to any other method that I have come across. The effect can be done close-up and yet makes a very suitable club item. It is strictly impromptu and done with a borrowed deck. It is a perfect finish for a series of card effects. Some may steer clear of this effect because the deck is torn. How­ ever I can tell you that you’ll be passing up one of the few tricks that will make a reputation for you, and one which isn’t being worked to death. Any deck ought to be worth that.

In effect a card is selected, returned to the pack and shuffled by one of the audience. The magician takes the deck, places it on his palm and lets a spectator cut off a few cards from the deck. He repeats this with several other spectators until he himself has only a few cards left. He then tells the spectators to do as he does. Taking his cards, he tears them in half, then into quarters, which he holds at his fingertips. Next a hat is borrowed, after being examined by the spectators. Each person then drops his torn pieces into the hat, the magician doing likewise. Then a spectator reaches into the hat and mixes up the pieces. The ma­ gician rolls up his sleeves, has someone blindfold him, and with hands perfectly empty, reaches into the hat and lifts out several of the pieces, holding them between both hands. He lets them shower back into the hat.

After doing this several times, he retains four of the pieces. He places these face down on the table. They match! The se­ lected card is named—the pieces are turned over—miracle of miracles! the performer has succeeded in locating the four pieces that make up the card!

In the above there is no palming at any time. The card is actually in the hat with the pieces, yet it is not in the hat when you start. It is the original selected card so that it can be in­ itialed or marked by the spectator. Now for the secret of this marvelous mystery.

This effect embodies an old principle of the tom and restored card, but in this case it is perfectly disguised. The card is se­ lected and controlled to the bottom by any means you wish, al­ though if you crimp the card the spectator can do the shuffling while you borrow a hat. After the deck is handed back to you, cut the cards to the bottom. Have several spectators cut off small bunches from the deck until you have about ten cards left. Shuf­ fle these to get the selected card to the top.

Now instruct the spectators to bend their cards back to back, so as to break them, thus making it easier to tear in half. You apparently do the same, but in reality you leave the selected card bent at the back bringing foreward only the cards in front of it, then tearing in half. Refer to figures 1 and 2.

Place this half in front of the half which has selected card at back. You now again do the same move to show them how to tear into quarters but really do exactly the same move as you did previously on the first tear as in figure 3.

This leaves the selected card bent into quarters. Place the pieces at the back so that this folded card is sandwiched between the torn pieces as in figure 4. All the pieces are now thrown into the hat.

Spectator now mixes the cards which helps spread out the folded card. Although you are blindfolded you will find it an easy matter to find this card by touch alone.\ Once you have it you tear it in half while the hands are fooling around in the hat. Hold on to the halves as you shower the cards back into the hat. On the next trip you tear it into quarters. There is nothing else to do now but finish the effect with as much showmanship as is at your command. Again—do not pass this trick up or you’ll be sorry.

A GOOD NUMBER

Card tricks that have an outcome entirely unexpected are always a welcome addition to any card man’s repertoire. This is such an effect.

The magician runs the cards off in Hindu shuffle style, ask­ ing a spectator to say stop at any time. When “stop” is called, the magician turns a card face up at this point. He again repeats this procedure, turning a card face up at the point called “stop.” This is repeated twice more. The deck is now spread face down to show the four reversed cards. These four cards, with the cards next to them, are removed and held in a fan. The fan is turned over and there is the surprise—the four aces!

The following patter and presentation is what we use on the girls.

“Will you, young lady, please name a telephone exchange? Any one at all?” “Brunswick, you say?” “Very well. We have

an exchange, but now we need a number to go with it. We will select a number at random with these cards. Just tell me when to stop. You know how to do that. Now, just once more. And again, if you don’t mind. Now we have three numbers. We need one more. Will you oblige again? Thank you.”

“We’ll remove these face up cards, plus the ones next to them so that we can make a fancy phone dial like this. Will you please place your finger on each number as if you were dialing Bruns­ wick 0000. That’s fine. Now let’s see who’s on the line. My, my, look who’s here. Four men on the line. You certainly are a popular girl. What chance has a Don G’wan like me got?”

In the above presentation, the four kings were used. In working with a man, you can use the queens or the four aces, and mention something about him calling a good hand.

The secret is very simple. All you need is the four kings on the bottom of the deck. Now hold the pack in readiness for the Hindu shuffle. While pack is held in this manner the right thumb is naturally at the side of the pack. With the aid of the right thumb you riffle off only three of the bottom kings. Now as you pull the pack away you leave the bottom three kings in the left hand but at the same time cover this fact by pulling off

cards from the top of the pack also, as shown in figure 1. The remaining cards are pulled off the top of the pack. When the spectator says stop, the card at this point is turned face up and then the whole packet from the right hand dropped on it. This automatically brings the first king over this card, because the king was always on the bottom of this right hand packet. You now repeat the above moves but this time riffle off only two kings from the bottom. Then on the next time you riffle off only one. When you reach the fourth king you just pull off the cards off the top until told to stop. Turn the card at this point face up and let the packet drop on it. This places the last king. All that re­ mains to be done is to finish the effect as described in the pre­ sentation.

One word of caution. Do not run off the cards too rapidly as you may split the deck at one of the face up cards already set. This will result in separating the kings and the face up cards. Run thru the shuffle slowly so that in case you do start to break at any of the face up cards, you can come back and take the few above it. Your excuse in this case is that you do not want to interfere with any of the cards already turned face up.

NUMBER TRANSPO

A very old effect is one in which a card is displaced from one number to another number. There have been several meth­ ods of accomplishing this effect. One was a mathematical angle, another was to face the pack, and still another depended on a sleight. Each had its drawbacks. The method we use is so sim­ ple it’s a wonder no one ever thought of it before.

Briefly the effect is that one person thinks of a number be­ tween one and twenty five. He counts down to that number in a pack of cards, remembering the card at that number. A second person is asked to name any number between one and twenty five.

The magician states that he will transpose the selected card from the number the first person is thinking of to the number selected by the second spectator. This he succeeds in doing by placing the deck behind his back or (a much preferable method) under the table. Asking the first spectator for his number, (for example, nine) he counts down to the ninth card and shows the selected card missing.

Turning to the second spectator he says: “And your num­ ber was, let’s see—fifteen, wasn’t it?” He then counts down, starting with number one, to the fifteenth card. There is the selected card.

In the above you will note several deviations from the orig­ inal handling. In the old method one spectator had a choice of numbers from about one to fifteen, while the second spectator had a choice of numbers from fifteen to thirty. In our method both spectators have the same range of numbers to choose from. Also in counting down the second number we start counting at number one, whereas the old method started the count at the last number of the first spectator’s choice.

Another point is that the cards counted off in the first num­ ber need not be replaced on top of the pack. Finally, the effect can work from a high to a low number, as well as from a low number of a high number.

Now the secret. You do not know the first spectator’s num­ ber. However, the second spectator names his. Let us say he named ten. All you have to do is transfer that many cards from the bottom of the deck to the top. The effect will now work automatically. Ask the first spectator to name his number. Let us say he said five. .AH you do is count off five cards on to the table. Turn over the fifth card and show it is not it. Leave this card face up on the table. Drop the pack on top of the four cards counted off. Ask again for the second number as if you had forgotten it. Start the count at one and when you reach the tenth, or whatever number he had selected, it will be the chosen card.

MARLO'S RUNNING CUT

I always believe in using a little flourish when handling cards, so that it gives the appearance that one is an expert with the pasteboards. The following is not difficult but yet adds that certain something to a card man’s work.

Begin by holding the pack in the right hand, from above, with the fingers over one end of the pack and thumb on the other end. This is the way one would grasp the pack in lifting it off the palm of the opposite hand. With the forefinger of the right hand lift up, at the upper left corner, about ten cards. The fore­ finger is now swung out toward the left, so that the clipped cards are pivoted away from the pack as in figure 1.

The comer of this pivoted packet is placed into the crotch of the thumb of the left hand which clamps it as the right hand moves away. The forefinger of the right hand again clips some cards and the move is repeated until the last packet is placed with the others in the left hand. This makes a nice looking run­ ning cut that is fair.

The same cut, as above, is used to retain a top stock by placing the first cut immediately on the bottom, but retaining a break at the back with the thumb. You will find it an easy matter to pivot out small packets until you come to the break held. This then is placed on top of all.

Figure 1

MARLO'S LESSINOUT SYSTEM OF CULL AND STOCK SHUFFLES

I call the following system of stacking and culling the Less- inout System because it is less (or minus) in-jogs and out-jogs. I have never considered the Hugard-Braue systems simplified because of the fact that they did not eliminate the use of the in-jogs and out-jogs. Also, coupled with this was the fact that the stacking was handled differently for each additional card to be stacked or culled, so that if you wanted to stack two, three or four cards you had to learn the formulas and procedure for each one.

In my method you learn one formula which takes care of any number of cards from one to four. I showed this to Le Paul and he thought enough of it to take down the formula and learn it.

LESSINOUT CULL.

Let’s begin by studying how to cull four cards, say the aces, to the bottom of the pack. To make it simple to understand place the four aces, face up in the pack, so that they lie at the fifth, tenth, fifteenth and twentieth positions. In other words, every fifth card is an ace. This means that the four aces are at numbers 5. 5, 5, 5.

Subtract one from the first number, which will give you 4, 5, 5, 5. The number one is always subtracted from the first number before you start to cull.

After you have subtracted one there is no need for further mathematics and you are ready to go into the following shuffle, which is given in steps so that you may understand it better.

1. From the top of the pack run off the first number, in this case, four cards. Throw on bottom of deck.

2. Run off the second number, in this case, five cards and throw on bottom.

3. Run off the third number, but on the first count take the top and bottom cards. However, count one when you take these top and bottom cards. Run off up to five and again throw on the bottom.

4. Run off five again but on the first two counts you run off the top and bottom cards together, then continue up to the count of five and throw on bottom again.

5. If you have followed the above with deck in hand you will have three aces at the bottom and one on top. All that re­ mains is to run this last ace to the bottom and you have culled the four aces without the use of injogs and outjogs.

When you wish to cull less than four cards, all you do is to leave out certain steps in the procedure, but the formula is al­ ways to subtract one from the first number.

To cull only three cards you work up to step 3. To cull two cards, you work up to step 2. For one card, you merely rim thru step 1.

Compare this system of culling to the in jog and outjog method and you will find how much faster, simpler and cleaner the handling explained above proves to be over any other method.

LESSINOUT STACK.

In this stack, the formula is arrived at thru the number of players. Only two numbers are calculated, the last number al­ ways being a one and the third number is always the same as the number of players.

Let us say you wish to stack the four aces for a five handed game. The bottom card of the pack is crimped and the foiir aces are placed on top. To arrive at the first number you take twice the number of players—in this case 2 x 5 equals 10—and sub­ tract two, which will give you the first number: eight. Half of this first number gives you the second number. In this case:

four. Thus your formula is 8-4-5-1. Using these figures, you undercut half the pack and run off the first number, eight cards, on top of the aces. Throw the remainder in back so as to leave the crimped card still on the bottom. From the top of the deck run off half of the first number, in this case four, and throw on bottom.

Run the next number, which is five, the number of hands playing, and also throw on bottom. Then rim one and throw to bottom. When you reach the number one you will have stacked a pair of aces. By repeating exactly the same moves as above you will stack the second pair of aces.

After you have rim thru the formula twice you will have your stock of cards below the crimp. Square up the cards care­ fully, then shuffle off fairly until the crimp card is about the center. Square the pack again then cut the cards at the crimped card. Your stack is now ready to be dealt out.

You will find that the final fair shuffle and cut will throw off all the Erdnase students.

Because this stack sets the cards two at a time it can be used to stack as high as eight cards. The crimped card always acts as a guide in this case so that you do not run into the cards already stacked, while the number one at the end of each pair helps to group the pairs in your mind.

This stock shuffle does not reverse the cards to be stacked. Therefore you can learn the four card stack and use it only on one card which will still give you that card on the first round.

To make things a little clearer, let us take another example. The number of hands we’ll say is seven. 7x2 equals 14 minus 2 equals 12, which is your first number. Half of this is six. The number of players is always the third number, in this case: seven. The last number is always one. Thus your numbers are 12-6-7-1.

Undercut run first number on top of aces and throw back to bring crimp to bottom. Run second number from top and throw to bottom. Run third number, throw to bottom. Rim fourth number, throw to bottom. Repeat this again for the four numbers. Cut at crimp and deal out. Guaranteed to stack from one to four cards.

Your last two numbers in the formula are arrived at as soon as the number of hands is mentioned. For example, some one requests a four handed game. Your figures are 4-1 because the third number is always the number of hands and the last num­ ber is always one. Therefore, it is an easy matter to calculate the other two, which give you 6-3-4-1.

Learn this stack and you will never have to worry about your injogs or outjogs being lost in the shuffle while demonstrat­ ing your skill at poker.

THE SPY

Here is a very timely effect that I have found goes over very well. It is more or less of what they call a “quickie.” De­ livered with the proper patter it is always sure to bring a smile. The effect is that a card is taken from one half of the deck and placed in the other half. It then travels back to the original half. Below is the patter used.

“I will cut the pack in half. One half of the pack represents a foreign power. The other half, of course, represents our own beloved country. Now the foreign power has an espionage agent which they sneak into our cotunry. But of course we don’t want him here, so we ship him right back—like this!”

In the above the deck had been cut in half. One half is ly­ ing flat in the left hand, the other half is held from above in the right hand. Using the left thumb the top card of this hand’s packet is pushed over the side. The right hand now levers this card face up with the aid of the side of the right hand packet as in figure 1. In turning the card face down, the bottom card of the right hand packet is released on to this card as in Figure 2. Note that a break has been secured, by the right thumb, to keep the bottom card separated from the packet. This break was made good just before the pack was cut into two halves. The card that was apparently turned face down is now placed into the center of the right hand packet. The hands are held far apart. Then with a tossing motion of the right hand show that the card or “spy” is now back where he belongs by turning it face up with the left hand. The right hand should not approach the packet at this stage.

The above, with the patter, makes a nice interlude among other card tricks.

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DIVINING HANKY

Having a card selected is one of the easiest things to do, but what to do with it is another story. Along with the countless methods of disclosing a chosen card, I find that the one to follow is always appreciated because of its novelty. What’s more—it makes them laugh. And that is a major achievement.

The effect consists of having a card selected, then returned to the pack which is shuffled by a spectator. The pack is now spread face down on the table, and spread out over the table as if about to do the knife stabbing. However, instead, at this poitit a handkerchief is borrowed. This handkerchief then lo­ cates the card in a novel manner. Not only does it find the card, but it tests the pasteboard to make sure it is the correct one.

The card is controlled by any means to the top. The pack is then scattered face down over the table, but make sure you keep track of the chosen card. Now borrow the handkerchief and get set to sell this effect with a very old gag—that is—of the bending hanky.

We will give here a description of how the hanky is made to bend. Begin by grasping the center of the handkerchief with the right hand. (Since you borrowed the handkerchief, we will presume that no one would lend anything but a freshly ironed handkerchief. That is the kind that will give you the best re­ sults) . With the left hand, stroke it several times, finally taking it, about three quarters of the way down, in the left hand as in figure 1. To make the handkerchief bend or tilt downwards all you have to do is pull downwards with the left thumb when the handkerchief will tilt as in figure 2. Releasing thumb pressure the handkerchief assumes its perpendicular position. That’s all there is to it. Figure 2 was made with the card held in the right hand.

Having mastered the above moves, all you do is to hold the handkerchief parallel above the cards. The hand goes around in a circle and as soon as the point of the hanky is above the se­ lected card it makes its dip and is held. Pick up this card, but do not show it.

You now test the card by holding it in the right hand, bring­ ing it slowly up towards hanky. When it is close to the hanky you make it dip as shown in figure 2. Do this once more, then say: “Yes, I guess this must be the card. Will you name it?” When he does, you turn the card over to show that it is correct.

MARLO'S CARD TO CARD CASE

The above title gives the effect. A selected card is found in a card case. The handling is very simple because of the mis­ direction employed.

Our presentation begins by doing the trick where the pack is dropped from a height and the top card turns over, face up. This proved to be the selected card. We offer to do it again to show we never miss. This time, the card turns up, but it is not the selected card. When the card is named, after a brief argu­ ment, we say: “That couldn’t be the card, because it is the one here in the case” With that the case is opened, and the card pulled out to be tossed face up on to the table.

As the first part is rather well known, we will skip it, and go on to the second part of the trick, where the card appears in the case.

Begin by having the closed card case, with flap side up, on the table in front of you. You have just done the first effect and are now repeating it. However, you palm the top card and push the next one over the side of the pack, holding the deck in the same hand that has the card palmed.

Drop the pack which will cause the projected card to fall face up. All eyes will be on this card. Under cover of this mis­ direction, you place right hand with palmed card over case, as in figure 1. Pick it up in this hand and transfer to the left hand. The fingers of the left hand grasp the side of the case and also the card as in figure 2. The left hand now turns back up which will bring card underneath case. Hold the case close to the table.

To extract the card you pull open the flap with the fingers then reach in with the thumb on inside of case, fingers on underside of case, against card, and pull up and outwards which will give a perfect illusion of the card coming out of the case as in figure 3.

My only further recommendation for this trick is that Dr. Harlan Tarbell thought it was swell.

THE MAGICAL GAMBLER

Effects wherein the magician seems to get himself in an em­ barrassing position, then finally extricates himself, are always popular with an audience. This is such a routine.

The magician offers the pack to a spectator and asks him to deal out four poker hands just to see how good a poker player he is. Naturally the assistant merely deals very poor hands. The magician now picks up the pack to deal out five hands. When these hands are dealt out, the magicians shows his hand contains the four queens. However, something has gone wrong because one of the spectator’s hands contains the four kings. Explain­ ing that a gambler would be in a very awkward position in a game of high stakes, at this point, you state that there is still a solution to the difficulty if the gambler is also a magician.

Magician now takes the four queens in his hands, showing them one at a time. Now before the eyes of the spectator he changes the four queens to four aces, one at a time, which of course, beats the four kings.

To begin with you must get the fear queens on top of the pack, and under these, the four kings. On the bottom of the pack are the four aces. This slight set-up is of course made dur­ ing the course of other effects. My way is to do the “Hotel Mys­ tery” first, which is explained in another Mario book, “Let’s See the Deck.” When you get the cards out for this effect you also get the aces to the bottom. However for those who haven’t that book, we suggest using the same method as explained in the

Casanova Card Trick.

Having the spectator deal out the first four hands of poker, face down, sets the cards for your deal. After spectator has dealt out four hands of five cards each, casually flash one hand at a time, to show that he has dealt out very poor hands. In this case, because of the eight card set-up, he will never deal out better than three of a kind.

Drop each hand on top of the pack. False shuffle the pack, then deal out five hands of poker and show the four queens in your hand. State that your hand beats all the others You now turn up the fourth hand to show four kings there. A c t sur­

prised, as if something you didn’t bargain for had happened.

While the audience is enjoying your discomforture, you turn the pack face up, toward yourself, and get a little finger break under the four aces. Pick up the four queens in the right hand, in a fan, to display them. You must now square up the queens into a packet. Therefore, for this purpose you bring them up to the left hand and square them against the base of the left thumb. At the same time the four aces, above the little finger, are added to the four queens. The queens, plus the four aces, are picked off the face of the deck between forefinger and thumb of the right hand. The left hand puts the pack down. It looks, if done right, as if you had merely squared the four queens as you placed the deck to one side.

This gives you the four aces at the back of the queens. You are now ready to change the queens to aces.

Hold the eight cards face up in the left hand, with the tips of the four fingers pressing against the sides. Push off the first queen into the fingers of the right hand, which takes it. The second queen is likewise treated, but it is taken in the right fin­ gers underneath the first queen. The third queen is then taken under these two. In other words, in counting off the queens into the left hand they are not reversed. The last five cards are taken as one and you have shown the four queens.

Square the packet and again hold them face up in left hand as in Figure 1. The left thumb pushes off the first queen into the right hand. Push off the second queen, taking it under the first one as already explained. With these two queens in the right hand you now go to take the third queen. As you do so, the forefinger buckles the bottom card and the right hand re­ moves all the cards above it, as shown in figure 2, as one card. The card remaining in the left hand is an ace which is placed on top of the cards in the right hand.

Replace the cards in the left hand and repeat the move three more times which will cause a queen to vanish and an ace to appear.

Drop the cards face upwards after changing into the aces, on top of the face up pack on the table. Hold the pack up to­ wards yourself and throw out the aces for inspection. Cut the deck to bury the queens.

The above, although lengthy in description, is not really so in action. The moves are over in a short time and the effect created is worth a little trouble to master them.

The move where the four aces appear one at a time was also explained in Expert Card Technique and Dai Vernon was given credit for it. The fact that Vernon uses it should prove its value not only in this way but in others as well. For example, it can be used as a perfect false count in doing the Six Repeat Card Trick. Play with the move and you will find many uses for it.

And in conclusion

We’d like to call your attention to the fact that we have given you a fine variety of card material. Four card discoveries that are novel and off the beaten path, especially the Divining Hanky. For the fellow who has a speck of larceny in his soul, we gave away our pet—a system of culling and stacking—to be used, of course, for entertainment purposes only.

Another tidbit was a flourish that was easy to do. The re­ maining five items are routines which we feel are new, original, and different, and which will give you a reputation, if used, of doing the best in card magic. All in all, we hope you have been well satisfied with the contents of Deck Deception.

Yours deceptively,

OTHER GOOD BOOKS BY EDWARD MARLO

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CARD FAN PRODUCTIONS ... Price $1.00 (The only book in magic on this subject. Complete coverage and illustrated with photographs)

AMAZING ISN’T IT? ... ...Price $1.00 (A large assortment of excellent card effects accomplished

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LET’S SEE THE DECK ... Price $1.25 (His latest book on cards.

BULL’S-EYE COIN TRICKS ...Price $1.25 For sale at all recognized dealers