T H E B E S T O F
Peter Duffie!
.
www.magic.org
.Written by Peter Duffie
Compiled by Aaron Smith
This compilation, The Best of Peter Duffie is Copyright © 2005 by Peter Duffie and Aaron Smith. All rights reserved. Except in a review, the reproduction, distribution, or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented without prior written permission.
Introduction
.This exclusive Magic Depot e-book is quite a score; a great prize that you’ve
awarded yourself. Each trick in this book was selected as the very best of Peter
Duffie’s extensive online library.
The Best of Peter Duffie is a perfect cross section of card magic’s evolution over
the years. Duffie has worked with so many legendary figures that his inspiration
is a frenzy of possibilities.
Duffie employs the most direct method to get from point A to point B. You’ll
finish the trick without one wasted move; an important characteristic of any good
magic trick. A streamlined effect provides ample opportunity to develop the
presentation.
A magician is someone that has at least two problems for every solution and a
question for every answer. Peter Duffie gives the best possible answer to some
very clever questions. Hopefully you will use this magic and share it with others
by performing it all over the world.
- Aaron Smith
About Peter Duffie
. Peter was eight years old and his uncle would show him magic tricks with cards, coins, matches, and chalk. But it was the cards that held his deepest interest, and so began a learning process that continues to the present day.Peter’s chief mentor was, and still is, Roy Walton (of Card Warp fame). But over the years, Peter was inspired by his collaborations with Gordon Bruce, Andy Galloway, Tommy Frederick, Fred Robinson, Dave Campbell, Eric Mason, Ken Brooke, Peter Kane, Alex Elmsley, Pat Page, Phil Goldstein, Gene Maze, Richard Kaufman, and Dai Vernon.
A past winner of the Scottish Conjuror’s Association Close-up competition and the IBM Zina Bennett Cup, Peter considers competitions “good fun but meaningless.”
His early association with Jerry Sadowitz led to a series of books, beginning with Alternative Card Magic (1982). It started with two young men - a manuscript - and no publisher. Peter is grateful that Martin Breese saw in the material what others didn’t, and took the chance.
All five Duffie/Sadowitz books have recently been reprinted by Martin Breese in a single collection titled CardZones – a handsome cloth-bound tome. While the material dates back to the 1980’s, Peter is proud of this collection.
The 1990’s saw a new direction with the release of Imagine, a self-produced manuscript of near-self-working card tricks. This was followed by Obsession, Ulterior Motifs, and so it went on, and indeed, Peter continues to release new booklets to this day. All of Peter’s e-books are available at The Magic Depot!
In the mid-90’s, a chance encounter with Richard Kaufman at a Blackpool convention led to a publishing contract being signed. Duffie’s Card Compulsions was published in 1995 by Kaufman & Greenberg. This was followed by Five Times Five (Scotland) and Effortless Card Magic.
Peter is currently in partnership with the clever Californian magician Robin Robertson PhD. Together they created over 200 new effects and have released three books: Card Conspiracy Volumes 1 & 2 plus Diamonds from Coal.
STABBATH
(From Peter Duffie with Cards)
Two cards are chosen and returned, then a spectator takes the Ace of Spades and tries to stab it into the deck next to his selected card. He fails. However, when he next looks at the Ace he is holding it has transformed into his chosen card. The other spectator’s card is found reversed in the middle.
I first saw the basic effect in Hugard’s Card Manipulations No.3 under the title of ‘The Unwitting Wizard.’ A second version if this effect called ‘Stabbatical’ will appear in The Budget in 1997.
Working
1. Cull the Ace of Spades to the top. Have two spectators each choose a card. Take spectator A’s card back and control it to the top above the Ace. Execute a Double Lift turning the Ace face up on top, then raise the inner end of only the top card in readiness for the Vernon Depth Illusion (TILT).
Say, “This Ace has the remarkable ability of being able to find
chosen cards by stabbing them!” Then, notice that only one selection has
been returned. So, take the card from spectator B and apparently insert it into the deck - really push it into the TILT break then collapse the break.
2. Remove the face up Ace - a face down card is on top as it should be - and gesture with it before returning it to the top of the deck. Flip over the top three cards as one then lift off the top two cards as one - this is easy because they are face to face.
3. Addressing spectator A, say, “I want you to take the Ace and stab it
into the deck anywhere, like this.”
As if to demonstrate, riffle down the outer left corner of the deck and stop near the middle. Insert the double into the deck - when only half remains outjogged, push the lower card flush with the deck using your left fingers. Immediately pull the face down card out again. This is actually card A. The foregoing should appear to be a quick stab into the deck then out again. In fact card B is now face up in the middle. Hand the supposed Ace to the spectator. 4. Tell him to stab the Ace into the deck in an attempt to find his card. Lift off all the cards above the protruding Ace (?) and show the face card. It is not a selection. Ask him to try again - once more you lift off all the cards above the protruding card and show the face card. Again it is not the selection. I consider two failures enough. If by chance he stabs next to the face up selection - card B - congratulate him and point out that not only did he find the card but he also made it reverse itself.
5. However, it is better that he does not locate the face up card. With him still holding the card in readiness to stab, pause, and say, “Obviously this is
getting nowhere. Let’s try some magic.” At this, riffle the deck towards
the card then ask the spectator to turn it over, revealing that it has changed into his selection. Finally spread the deck across the table revealing the other selection face up in the middle.
BRAG-ARTIST
(From Peter Duffie with Cards)
You remove four random cards from the deck and ask someone to think of one, after which the cards are mixed back into the deck. You now deal four Brag hands - four three-card hands. The spectator names his card - this might be the Four of Hearts - you turn over the top card of each hand, revealing that three of them are Aces, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds. When the remaining card is turned over, it proves to be the selection.
This is based on the ‘Hofzinser Four Ace problem.’ The only preparation is to cull the four Aces to the top of the deck in a known order. I use the standard
C-H-a-S-e-D order, with Clubs on top.
WORKING
1. Run through the deck and remove four cards, one of each suit, and ask a spectator to think of one of them. These should be in the same order as the Aces. Drop the four cards on top of the deck and carry out a few Jog Shuffles to apparently mix the cards into the deck. During this you must add four cards to the top of the deck.
As you are shuffling, say, “It’s a funny thing; I never play cards, yet I
like dealing Brag hands. However, I have found a strange phenomenon. I’ll show you.”
2. Hold the deck face down in dealing position - give it a complete cut, then hold a break between the two halves. You now carry out a Riffle Force to the break, then place the upper section to the bottom, saying, “The deck is cut
at a point of your choice.”
Deal four hands of cards and stop once there are three cards in each. Deal in a left to right row. Place the rest of the deck to one side.
3. Ask the spectator to name his card. The four packets represent the four suits, C - H - S - D, reading from left to right. Let us assume his card is a Heart. Pick up the first pile and flip over the top card revealing the Ace of Clubs, saying, “Here’s an Ace, but it’s not the suit of your card.” Replace the packet on the table. Ignore packet ‘2’ and pick up packet ‘3.’ Flip over the top card, saying, “Another Ace. But again it’s not the suit of
your card.” Replace the packet on the table. Repeat this with packet ‘4’.
4. Finally pick up the second packet, saying, “It stands to reason that this
must be the same suit as your card, Hearts.” Flip over the top two
cards as one to reveal his mental selection, saying, “However, magic does
PACKET SWITCH
(From Virtual Miracles)
You remove the four Aces and the two black Kings. The Kings are placed on the table. A spectator now selects an Ace which is replaced among the other three Aces. You state that the selected Ace will fly from the Aces and appear between the Kings. An unexpected transposition now occurs. You snap the cards you are holding and turn them over revealing them to be the two black Kings with the selected Ace trapped between. The other three Aces are now found on the table.
WORKING
1. Hold the deck face up, spread through and upjog the four Aces. Strip them out and add then to the rear of the deck obtaining a little finger break above the rear two Aces. Spread through again and upjog the two black Kings. Strip them out adding the two Aces via the Vernon Strip-Out Addition and place these cards to the rear of the deck.
Turn the deck face down, push off the top six cards then discard the rest of the deck.
2. Hold the packet face down and spread showing six cards. Close the spread and obtain a little finger break under the top four cards. Flip these four cards face up and push over the top card to show the two black Kings, as expected. Flip the four cards face down again and drop the top two cards onto the table so they lie semi-squared.
3. Reverse count the four remaining cards, saying, "This leaves the four
Aces." You can casually flash the faces of the last two cards.
Fan the four cards between your hands as you ask a spectator to give you a number from one to four, inclusive. As soon as he announces his number you do one of the following actions:
If he names number one or two, remove your right hand leaving the fan in your left hand.
If he names number three or four, remove your left hand leaving the fan in your right hand.
You now count to the card at his number. For one or two you count from the top using your right index finger. For three or four you count up from the bottom using your left index finger. Either way he gets an Ace. Standard force. Pull out the card and raise it so the audience can see its face. Now push it back into the fan second from the bottom.
4. Square the packet and palm the top card into your right hand. Immediately lift the packet in a Biddle grip with the same hand and wave the cards over the
two apparent Kings on the table, saying, "I’ll now make your chosen Ace
appear between the Kings."
Place the packet back into your left hand then place your right hand flat on top of the tabled Kings and spread revealing three cards. Reach down as if to remove the middle card, then stop, saying, "What I didn’t tell you is that
the Kings are now up here."
Snap the cards you are holding face up and spread them revealing the two Kings with the chosen Ace trapped between. Conclude by showing the three Aces are now on the table.
THE TOPLESS
BOTTOMLESS
BOTTOM DEAL DEAL
(From Virtual Miracles)
Offering to demonstrate a gambling trick, the four Kings are inserted into the deck at random positions then the deck is given a cut and placed on the table. You explain that if there are any Kings near the top of the deck you could be accused of using a crooked deal to manipulate them into your hand. Alternatively, if they were on the bottom of the deck you could be accused of dealing them straight off the bottom and right into your hand. Therefore, to nullify this, you invite a spectator to remove about a dozen or so cards from the top and a similar amount from the bottom. These cards are discarded. You pick up the talon and immediately deal two hands of cards - one to the spectator and the other to yourself. The spectator gets the four Kings, but, unexpectedly, you get the four Aces!
WORKING
1. Cull the four Aces to the rear of the deck and hold a break above them as you remove the four Kings. Explain that you’ll demonstrate a way of dealing the Kings in a head-to-head game of poker. Ask a spectator to examine the Kings for marks etc. As he’s doing this - the deck is still face up - give the four Aces a squeeze at the inner end to create an upward Bridge, then drop the break. If you prefer, this preparation, including the culling can be done before you start.
2. Give the deck a complete cut to centralize the Aces, then make a face up fan - the rear half of the deck should be less prominent with the front half widely spread. However, you want to see the Aces. Insert the four Kings at varying places leaving them outjogged, the last King goes directly in front of the Aces. Close the fan then execute Marlo’s Simple Shift. This plunges all the cards between the Kings inwards. Grasp this injogged block, pull it out and slap it on top to complete the move.
3. Turn the deck face down, turning it sideways, and place it face down on the table. Following the basic patter given above, invite a spectator to remove a portion of cards from the top, followed by a portion from the bottom. These cards are discarded.
4. Take the balance of the deck and place it into dealing position, but as you do so, allow the cards to break below the Bridge and insert your little finger. Say,
"I’ll deal two hands of cards - one for you and one for me." As you
speak, execute a two-handed Pass. Do not simply cut the deck. It’s imperative that nothing is seen to happen at this juncture.
5. Deal two hands as follows, the first card being dealt to the spectator: Top - Bottom - Top - Bottom - Top - Bottom - Top - Bottom.
Finish by showing that the spectator has the four Kings. Act as if the demonstration is over, then as a kicker show that you have the winning hand with four Aces.
AMOUNT ACCOUNT RECOUNTED
(From Untold)
The following is a variation in handling for Marty Kane's "AmountAccount" (dated January 1996). Marty based his effect on GeneFinnell's "Down/Under Counter" (Gene Finnell's Card Magic).A simple set-up is required as follows:
8-A-2-3-4-5-6-7 - 7-6-5-4-3-2-A-8 - rest of deck.
WORKING1. Give the cards a Jog Shuffle then invite a spectator to cut off about half- turn them face up and replace them. Now ask him to "cut a little deeper this time." Again he turns the section over and replaces it. This is the Balducci Cut-deeper Force.
Spread off all the face up cards and place them face down to the bottom. Now push off 16 cards and give these to a spectator, then place the deck face down on the table.
2. The spectator deals cards onto the table in a pile and stops at any time. You mentally count as he deals.
a) If he deals LESS than 8, tell him to place the remaining cards on the table, these will be a prediction. He picks up and shuffles the dealt cards, looks at the bottom card and remembers it. He then drops these cards on top of the main deck. Finally, he picks up the prediction packet and carries out a Down/under Deal and turns the final card face up. Go to step3.
b) If he deals MORE than 8, tell him that these (dealt) cards will be the prediction. He now shuffles the cards in hand -looks at the bottom card and remembers it. He then drops these on the deck. Finally, He does a Down/under Deal with the prediction packet and turns the final card face up. Go to step 3.
c) If he happens to deal 8 cards, he places the remainder onthe table beside the dealt pile. Both piles are identical stacks so he can have a choice of either pile, which he shuffles – looks at the bottom card and drops these on the deck. Finally, he does a Down/under Deal with the other packet and turns the final card face up.
3. The value of the final card equals the position of selection in deck. So ask the spectator to pick up the deck and count to the card at this number to find his selection.
FOUR-GATHERERS
(From Untold)
Inspired by Hofzinser's, "The Queen of Hearts," this routine ends with a large display in the mould of Koran's "Salute to Vernon."
A simple set-up of all 12 court cards is necessary which limits this routine to that of an opener.
Remove all 12 court cards plus any 4 random cards and arrange the pack as follows from top down:
X Q K J CLUBS / X Q K J HEARTS / X Q K J SPADES / X Q K J DIAMONDS / REST OF PACK.
WORKING
1. Give the pack a jog shuffle retaining the top stock. Explain to the audience that you have a story to tell that will touch their hearts. "It involves four
great Kings who could not find a suitable bride to be their Queen and each became very sad and lonely."
2. Show the face card of the deck, saying, "No King on the bottom," then place the deck face down in the left hand. With the left thumb push over the top card, at the same time pushing over the next card very slightly, only enough for the little finger to establish a break below it. Turn the top card face up, saying, "..and no King on the top."
Turn the top card face down and Double Cut the top two cards to the bottom. Snap your fingers and turn over the top card, obtaining a break below the next card as before, and reveal the King of Clubs. Leave the King face up on top of the pack. Pick up the pack with the right hand and, placing the pack on the table to your left, allow about 1/4 to fall from the right thumb, then replace the pack back into the left hand. The break is retained throughout. Now lift off the top 2 cards as one and place on top of the tabled packet.
3. Carry out step 2 two more times which results in three packets each with a face up King on top. Finally after showing top and bottom cards of the balance cut the top two cards to the bottom then turn over the top card to reveal the final King, then place the packet on the table. The four packets should lie side-by-side in a row.
4. Say, "In desperation the four Kings called upon the God of Love
Cupid .... and each was visited."
As you speak, lift off each King and place it above it's packet, i.e. on the audience side. Now turn over the top card of each pile to reveal the four Jacks, placing each below it's packet. Finally say, "And as with all good stories
this one has a happy ending." Match your words by turning each packet
THOSE ENIGMATIC ROYALS
(From Ulterior Motifs)
A simple idea based on the Vernon 'Card Puzzle' and inspired by Peter Kane's 'Royal Families' from his booklet A Further Card Session, plus Roy Walton's "Split Up" from The Complete Walton, Vol.1.
WORKING
1. Run through the pack and openly remove all twelve court cards and arrange them in a face up pile from the face to back as follows :
J Q K Clubs - J Q K Hearts - Q J K Diamonds - J Q K Spades
*** Note that the three diamonds are not in order ***
2. Pick up the packet and hold it face down in the left hand. You now display each set of three cards as follows:
a) Push over the top three cards, without reversing the order, and flip them face up to show the three Royal Spades. Then take the three cards and place them face up on the bottom.
b) Flip over the next three cards to show the three Royal Diamonds, then place them face up on the bottom, but as you do so, your left fingers Buckle the bottom card and the three Diamonds are placed above it so that they end up second from the bottom. As you square up obtain a little finger break above the bottom two cards .
c) Flip over the next three cards to show the three Royal Hearts. These three cards are apparently placed to the bottom, but in fact are inserted into the break above the bottom two cards. This can be further facilitated by pulling down with the left little finger to enlarge the break . This is a Marlo's Pull-down move. You could also Double Buckle. Finally flip over the last three cards, the Clubs and place them onto the table in a face up row with the right hand, King - Queen - Jack, from left to right. These act as indicators.
You can casually push over the face Jack of the cards in your hand to reveal the correct Queen behind it if you wish.
3. Turn the packet face down and retain it in the left hand. The Kings, Queens and Jacks now separate:
a) Turn the top card face up to show a King then use this King to flip the next card face up to reveal a second King Take this King on top of the first , then using both Kings flip over the third card to reveal the third King which is taken on top of the other two. Place these three cards face up below the king on the table
b) Obtain a break below the top three cards, then flip over the top card to show a Queen. Lift off all three cards as one with the right hand and flip over the next card with the triple to reveal a second Queen which is taken on top of the triple. Flip over the third card to reveal the last Queen which is taken on top of the first two. Place these cards back on top of the packet then push off the top three face up Queens and place them below the queen on the table.
c) Finally flip over the remaining three Jacks one at a time in the same manner and place them face up below the tabled Jack to conclude the trick
DALEY BASIS
(From Ulterior Motifs)
The following routine uses ideas of Jacob Daley, Alex Elmsley (Between Your Palms ) and Roy Walton (Card Case).
WORKING
1. Run through the pack and remove the Kings of Spades and Diamonds and place them face down on the table in front of two spectators one left, one right it is imperative that the faces of these cards are not seen.
As you are looking for these two cards, move the other two kings to the top and bottom of the pack.
2. Have each spectator select a card, and sign his name on the face if you can afford it! Have the first (left) selection placed on top of the pack then give the pack a few cuts finally Double Cutting the bottom card to the top. Have the second card returned to the top of the pack and then jog-shuffle retaining the top four cards.
3. Explain that in order to find the two chosen cards you will require some assistance False Cut then Double Lift and turn-over to show a King, saying,
"Here's my first assistant he always comes to the top." Do not
mention the suit. Turn the double face down then deal off the top card onto the table in front of you. Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom then turn the pack face up saying, "Here’s my second assistant, he always
appears on the bottom."
Turn the pack face down and remove the second from bottom card by means of the Glide. Give the pack a quick shuffle retaining the bottom two cards then Double Cut the bottom card to the top. Take the pack in the right hand with the thumb on top and the fingers on the face. Press the thumb and fingers together and toss the pack into the waiting left hand - because of the pressure the top and bottom cards will remain behind. Place the pack aside then turn the right hand to show the faces of the two Kings, saying, "And the last two
appear by magic."
This two card catch is in Hofzinser's Card Conjuring, but it was used prior to Hofzinser.
4. Drop the last two Kings on top of the other two cards then pick up all four. Say, "Now I have my four Royal assistants, we can proceed with the
trick." As you speak, casually Elmsley Count the four cards. This is the
simplest method for repositioning the cards. You could employ the OLRAM subtlety also.
5. Push over the top two cards and take them with the right hand so that each hand now apparently hold two Kings then drop each pair onto the table in front of each face down prediction card. Place each prediction face down
between the respective pair of Kings(?), saying, "My assistants will now
perform a remarkable feat with the two cards I placed out before we began."
Pick up the left hand packet and hold in readiness for the Glide.
Glide back the bottom card and remove and turn over a King, then place the next card face down on top and finally the last King face up. Repeat with the other packet.
Finally have both selections named and the face down cards tuned over, saying, "I told they were remarkable."
PSYCHOGRAPHY
(From Open Secrets)
Before you begin, you remove a card from the deck and, without showing its face, you place it between a spectator’s hands. This, you state, is a sprit photograph that has yet to be taken. You now allow another spectator a free choice of any card in the deck and have him sign his name across the face. This card is lost into the middle of the deck which you then give to a spectator. You now remove two cards from your pocket - these two cards have completely blank faces - these, you state, are the photographic plates. You place these two cards between the spectator’s palms so that they sandwich the spirit card already there. After suitable build up, you ask the spectator to lift his hand and turn over the top and bottom cards - these are the two blanks as expected. Finally he turns over the card you gave him at the beginning to discover it is now the signed selection.
You will of course have recognised the plot as Alex Elmsley’s ‘Between Your Palms.’ What I have done here is to reduce the amount of concentration required from the audience and make it more direct for busy/noisy working conditions where distractions come in varying doses. In this version only one card is selected and only one card face is ever seen.
You require two blank faced cards with backs to match your deck. Place these two cards in your outer right jacket pocket with the backs outwards. When you are ready to perform this trick, secretly add one of the blanks to the deck, leaving the other blank in your pocket.
WORKING
1. Shuffle the deck then hold the cards with the faces towards you and cut the blank card to the top, saying, “This card will do. It will represent a
spirit photograph that has yet to be taken.” Ask a spectator to hold out
a hand palm up and place this card onto the palm, then ask her to place her other hand flat on top. Fan the deck with the faces towards a second spectator and ask him to remove any card. Hand him a pen and ask him to sign his name across the face of the card. Have the card returned and control it to the top. Palm the card into your right hand and give the deck to a spectator to hold, or you can place the deck to one side on the table. It is not needed again. However, I do feel that with a spectator holding the deck, the overall impossibility of the effect is enhanced.
2. Reach into your jacket pocket - add the palmed card to the blank card, square both cards, then bring them out face up, saying, “I carry these with
me as they are rather interesting. These are made of special paper that can create spirit photography.” It is important that the cards are
face up when they emerge from the pocket. Because the backs match your deck you do not want anyone thinking for a moment that you are bringing the selected card from your pocket. When they see a blank card emerge any such thoughts will not arise. Take the cards face down in a Biddle grip with your
right hand and carry out a Hamman Flushstration Count showing two blanks.
This next move is optional. If you choose to do it, make it casual: lift off the top card (blank) and show its face, then execute a Mexican Turn-over to apparently show the other card as blank. Flip the card face down and drop the right hand card on top.
3. Pick up both cards and ask the first spectator to open her hands slightly at the front. Place both cards on top of the card already there. Now slide out the bottom card and place it on top of the other two. As you do this, say, “I’ll
place these photographic plates on either side of the spirit card.”
That is not quite what you do, but nobody can see how the cards are being shifted, and the spectator herself cannot see the cards because of her hands. Even if she thinks you did something else, she cannot be sure. However, it is highly unlikely that she will be able to tell. Technically, it’s all over for you. So build up the effect then finish as outlined at the beginning.
OVERSITER
(From Open Secrets)
A spectator counts off 8 cards for you and 8 for himself. You each hold your packets and together you count them to make sure that you both hold only 8 cards. You now cause 2 cards to leave your packet and arrive in the spectator’s packet. You count 6 cards singly onto the table. The spectator counts his cards to find he now has 10.
To date I have published two versions of ‘The Cards Across.’ One required a Half Pass during the count, while the second used an equally difficult reversal. Both were inspired by a faked method of Tom Sellers. They both had angle problems. This new handling only requires the standard Biddle Count and came about after a suggestion from my friend Lewis Jones. It has no angle problems whatsoever. The concealment principle is Ed Marlo’s and was used by Paul Harris also for a Cards Across.
METHOD
1. Give the deck to a spectator and ask him to shuffle it. Hold out your left hand palm up and ask him to deal eight cards face down onto your hand. Now tell him to deal eight more cards onto the first set, but to deal them face up. Finally tell him to place the deck to one side.
2. Spread the cards, saying, “These eight cards are for you, and the
other eight are for me.” As you are speaking, close up the spread catching
a break below the first two face down cards. Lift off the top ten cards - that is, the eight face up cards plus the first two face down cards. Give these to the spectator. Immediately turn your remaining cards face up and take them in a right hand Biddle grip. Tell the spectator to hold his cards in the same manner.
3. Tell the spectator that you will both count your cards in unison. Very slowly peel off the first card into your left hand, saying, “One.” Slowly peel off the second card on top of the first, but retain a little finger break below it, as you say, “Two.” Slowly peel off the third card, saying, “Three.” As you peel of the fourth card Biddle back the two cards above the break, saying, “Four.” Stop at this point and turn your left hand cards face down and place them to the bottom of the right hand packet. The spectator does likewise, as you say,
“And four more to make eight. Let’s check.” You now have four face up
cards still to count thanks to the Biddle move. Count the remaining cards in the same slow manner that you did the first, “One, Two, Three, and Four,
making eight cards in total.” Turn these four cards face down and place
them below the right hand cards, then return the complete packet to left hand dealing grip. The spectator does likewise.
4. Tell the spectator to place his free hand flat on top of the packet. This enhances the effect that you are about to create, and it also prevents him from
tampering with the cards! You now cause two cards to leave your packet. I use the Finley Tent Vanish or the Rub-a-Dub Vanish, if the conditions permit, otherwise I simply mime taking a card and tossing it towards the spectator’s hands. I now count my six cards as seven. Use any False Count, or use the Biddle Count if you want to maintain uniformity. Make a second card go, then count your cards one by one onto the table - if this is not permissible count them onto a second spectator’s hand.
5. Finally ask the spectator to count, aloud, his cards one by one - either onto the table, or onto your outstretched hand - and stop him when he reaches eight, saying, “Eight! That is the number of cards you had to begin?
Yes?” He will reply in the affirmative. Now let him continue the count of the
BACKLOG
(From New Inspirations)
You spread the deck with the faces upwards and invite a spectator to select any card - free choice. This is left face up on the table. You give him the deck and he now spells the name of his card - first the suit, then the value. This produces two random cards. The values of these cards are added - they might be a 3 and a 10 = 13. When the spectator turns his card over it has the number 13 boldly written on the back!
This combines Dave Campbell’s “FRED” principle with a number prediction. There is a similarity to this “effect” and a previous one of mine called “Fred 13” that appeared in Close Up to the Point. However, this was developed with no thought given to that version and the methods are different. This version is simpler to prepare and perform. See “Easy-Going Diary’ elsewhere in this book for another use of this principle.
Take a deck and move all the Diamonds to the top - you can leave the Ace, Two, Six and Ten among the main body if you wish. Now set the four Threes at positions 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the top, then set three 10s at positions 3, 4 and 5 from the top.
Finally, take a black marker pen and write the number 13 on the backs of the front two-thirds of the deck.
WORKING
1. Hold the deck face down and make a fan - the numbers will remain hidden if the fan is fairly neat. Close the fan the turn the deck face up. Make another fan, but this time ensure that the rear quarter or so remains closed so that the Diamonds at the rear cannot be seen.
Ask a spectator to look over the cards and carefully decide on any one. he pulls this card out and leaves it face up on the table. Alternatively, ask him to name a card and remove it yourself to be safe!
2. Close the fan and turn the deck face down and give it to the spectator. Tell him to spell his card as follows:
a) First he spells the value dealing one card for each letter into a pile on the table. So, if his card is a Queen, he deals five cards into a pile.
b) He then spells the suit (plural), again dealing a card for each letter into a second pile.
Take the rest of the deck and hold it face down in your hand.
two values. These will be a Three and a Ten = 13.
Gather together the two piles and place them back on the deck then pick up all and fan once again showing the backs - the upper third can be spread widely. Finally pick up the selection and dramatically turn it over revealing the number 13 written on its back.
JACKS WILL TRAVEL
(From New Inspirations)
You remove the four Jacks. A Card is selected and returned to the deck. The deck is cut into two halves - one remains on the table. The four Jacks are placed face up on the table half and cut into the middle. One by one the Jacks leave the tabled half and appear face up in the half in your hands. However, the fourth Jack refuses to travel. But you realise what has happened. You spread the tabled half and the Jack is still there, face up. The card immediately above it proves to be the selection.
WORKING
1. Remove the four Jacks and leave then on the table. Have a card selected, noted and then control it to the bottom of the deck. Place the deck on the table then lift off the top half and place it back in your left hand. Obtain a break under the top card.
2. Pick up the Jacks in a right hand Biddle grip and place them on the deck to square them, picking up the card from the break. Now reverse count the top three Jacks onto the packet, finally placing the remaining double on top of all. Say, “I’ll put the Jacks into this other half.” As you speak, and with your right fingers at the front and thumb at inner end, lift off only the top card and place it square on top of the tabled half. Then, give this packet a complete cut.
3. Cut off about 10 cards from the packet you now hold and Faro them into the bottom section. This need not be precise, but you want at least one card between each Jack.
4. Wave your section over the tabled half then spread through. Stop when you reach the first face up Jack, then push it over (a face down card is seen) then push over a small block (enough to include the other two face up Jacks), then complete the spread. One face up Jack has apparently travelled over. Remove this Jack and place it on the table. Now repeat this two more times.
5. Finally, spread for the fourth Jack but no Jack appears. Try again - again you fail. Suddenly you realise what has happened. Ask the spectator to name his selected card. Spread the tabled half and push out the face up Jack along with the card immediately above it. Turn this card over revealing it to be the selection.
FOLLOW THE SIGNS
(From N.D.E.)
In a previous effect of mine called 'The Soft Shoe Shuffle,' we saw the spectators transposing! Well, they transpose in this one too. This not only makes the effect clear to the audience, it also adds to the entertainment value.
WORKING
1. You begin with an Elmsley secret addition that results in a partial switch. Spread through the deck and transfer the four Aces to the face. Transfer the Ace of Spades first followed by the other three at random. As you close the cards secure a break below the face six cards. Lift off all 6 cards with your right hand and turn the deck face down.
Replace the packet face up on top of the deck and retain a little finger break below them.
Push over the top three cards to show the four Aces, then close the spread and flip all 6 cards face down. Push over the top four cards - without changing the order - and deposit them on the table.
2. Set the deck on the table and ask a spectator to cut it into two halves. Place one half in front of spectator A and the other in front of spectator B. We will assume that the original top half is in front of A (fig.1).
3. Pick up the Ace packet and reverse count them, saying, "One, two three,
four Aces." Injog the third card as you count the cards, then form a break
below the injog.
Turn over both cards above the break as one and draw attention to the Ace now showing , the ace of spades. Ask spectator A to remember this card. Turn the double face down and deal the top card onto A's half deck. Ask him to raise one finger (in the least offensive manner) to represent the one Ace.
Now drop the three remaining Aces (?) on top of B's half deck, then ask him to raise three fingers to represent his three Aces.
4. The position is quite clear to the audience; A has one finger raised and has one Ace (Spades) atop his half of the deck. B has three fingers raised and has three Aces atop his half of the deck.
Now instruct both spectators to change places, telling them to keep their fingers in position. If the conditions do not permit this, then simply tell both to exchange their finger-indication.
5. Point out that the two assistants are now indicating wrongly, so you will attempt to make this right. Command the Aces to change places, then turn
over the top card now in front of B to reveal the Ace of Spades. Then, turn over the top three cards in front of A to reveal the three Aces.
3 AND 1 LOCATION
(From N.D.E.)
This is one of those card locations that you might perform for fellow magicians rather than a lay audience. I see no point in showing other magicians tricks they are already familiar with unless they particularly request it. The feature here, if there is one, is that you you do not look through the deck after the selection process, but immediately deal through from the top down and stop on the selection.
Before commencing secretly get four easily remembered cards to the top of the deck. I simply cull the Aces, and so these will be used for the description. The order of these cards is not important. These are your key cards.
WORKING
1. Shuffle the deck keeping the four Aces on top. Now give the deck to a spectator and ask him to deal four piles of cards - he deals rotationally as he would in a four-handed game of cards. This means that he will deal four equal piles.
The bottom card of each pile will be an Ace. Turn away as he does this. Now tell him to shuffle the rest of the deck.
3. With your back still turned, tell him that he has created four choices. He is now to eliminate two piles - any two - by placing the deck on top of one, picking it up then dropping it on top of another.
4. Ask him to combine the remaining two piles and give them a shuffle. Tell him to look at and remember the bottom card - he may show this card to the other spectators - then to drop the pile on top of the deck.
5. Turn to face the front, but before you pick up the deck ask the spectator to give the deck one complete cut.
6. Pick up the deck and hold it between your hands as if trying to pick up some vibrations. Now begin to deal cards face up into a pile on the table, saying that when you reach the card that the spectator is thinking of the vibrations will get stronger.
Continue to deal until you turn over the first Ace. Begin counting from ONE on the next card and continue counting upwards until you turn the second Ace. As soon as you turn this Ace over, instantly double the number you just reached. So if you had reached number 8 on the second Ace, you instantly convert that to 16. Without any pause in your dealing, start counting from one again on the next card and stop when you reach one less than the number you just created - in this case you would stop after you turned the 15th card.
Build up the effect then ask the spectator to name his card - slowly turn over the top card of the deck revealing the selection.
GALA SHOW
(From Method in Effect)
Two spectators succeed in blindly marrying the four Kings to their correct Queens. Bliss!
This is a variation of Alex Elmsley’s “Jubilee” that appeared in The Collected Works, Vol.2. The main difference is in the second phase that allows you to hand out all four Kings to begin with. In the original version you could not show two of the Kings throughout.
Remove the four Queens and any other two X cards (not Kings) and set these six cards on top of the deck in the following order, reading from top down:
X card face down - QH face up - QC face up - X face down - QD face up - Qs face up.
WORKING
1. Spread through the deck and toss the four Kings face down onto the table. Clubs and Hearts go to your left and Spades and Diamonds to your right - there should be a spectator at these two positions. Ask each spectator to turn his two cards face up, and as they are doing this casually Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom.
2. Turn to the spectator on your left and ask him to select one of his Kings, either the Club or the Heart. As you are speaking, cut about half the deck from top to bottom, executing a pull down of the bottom card to retain it on the bottom, and hold a little finger break at the centre between the two halves. There are two possibilities. Carry out one of the two following actions, depending on the choice made.
IF HE HANDS YOU THE CLUB: Tell him to place it face up on top of the
deck, then you give it one complete cut at the break. Drop all breaks. Tap the deck then spread the cards between your hands, pushing over an initial block to conceal the two face up Queens under the top card. The Queen of Clubs will appear face up beside her partner the King. Thumb them out of the spread and face up onto the table. Close up the spread and square the deck.
Take the remaining King (Hearts) from the spectator and place it face up on top of the deck then give the deck one complete cut. Tap the deck and spread to reveal the King and Queen of Hearts face up in the middle - there are two face up Queens below the next face down card, so take care not to expose them. Thumb the two face up cards onto the table, then replace the right hand section below the left and square the deck.
IF HE HANDS YOU THE HEART: Cut off the section above the break and
section back on top. Tap the deck then spread to reveal the King and Queen face up together in the centre - there are two face up Queens below the next face down card, so again take care not to expose them. Thumb off the King and Queen of Hearts onto the table then replace the right hand section below the left section and hold a break between the halves.
Cut off the section above the break and have the spectator place his remaining King face up on top of the lower half, then drop the upper section back on top. Spread the deck to reveal the King and Queen of Clubs face up together in the middle, this time taking care not to expose the face up Queens below the top card of the deck. Thumb off the two face up cards onto the table, replace the upper half onto the lower, and square the deck.
3. Turn to the second spectator and explain that you will attempt an even more impossible feat with his two Kings. As you are speaking, Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom of the deck.
Ask him to mix his two cards to randomise their order. As you are speaking, cut about half the deck from the top to the bottom, executing a Pull Down of the bottom card, then hold a break between the halves. Immediately cut off all the cards above the break and place them on the table to your right. Place the remaining section on the table to your left.
4. Ask the spectator to drop a King face up on each half. The QS is face up on the bottom of the left pile, and the QD is face up on the bottom of the right pile.
a) If he places the Kings on the piles that contain their respective Queens, give each pile one complete cut to bury the Kings. Snap your fingers over both piles then spread them both to reveal that each King has simultaneously found his correct Queen.
b) If he places the Kings on the opposite piles to the respective Queens, ask the spectator to pick up either pile and place it on the other, then to give the reformed deck a complete cut. You now spread the deck to reveal the Royal couples. Voila!
SUCCUBI
(From Method in Effect)
You show a mixed deck of ESP cards and invite a spectator to reverse any one card. The card remains in its position. You now give the deck to the spectator and ask him to spell “OUT OF ORDER.” He now gives the deck a few cuts, then deals the deck into five hands of five cards. Each hand contains mixed symbols except the one with his reversed card. That hand contains all five of the same symbol. It seems that his reversed card protected its hand, while the other four hands were thrown OUT OF ORDER!
I based this effect on Karl Fulves’ “Draw Test,” that appeared in Rigmarole, number 2. The Fulves effect is with playing cards and only displaces one card in each hand. However, his principle is typical of the cleverness that I have come to expect from him. I found that the properties of an ESP deck lend themselves to a different principle for the displacement, and it also displaces more than one card per hand therefore giving a better mix. There will be a version of this using playing cards in my forthcoming book, Effortless Card Magic, to be published this year by Kaufman & Co.
Set the deck in five identical groups, each containing five different symbols. This is a rotational stack (12345-12345-12345-12345-12345) and can withstand any number of straight cuts.
WORKING
1. Give the deck a few straight cuts, then show the faces of the cards to the audience to familiarize them with the different symbols. Turn the deck face down again and spread the cards from hand to hand. Invite a spectator to turn any card face up, leaving it in position. Close up the spread and obtain a little finger break two cards below the reversed card. Cut at the break and complete the cut to bring the reversed card to third position from the bottom.
2. Give the deck to the spectator, and say, “An ESP deck is highly sensitive. That’s why it is used in psychic experiments. It is also intelligent, and can understand certain commands. Let’s try an experiment along those lines. I want you to input a command, by spelling a few words by dealing one card for each letter into a pile on the table. The words are, OUT OF ORDER.” Spell the words slowly as he deals so that he deals the correct number. It doesn’t matter if he is dyslexic, as long as he deals ten cards. Once he has done that, tell him to drop the remaining cards on top, then to give the deck a few straight cuts, “To further randomize it,” you say.
3. Now, tell him to deal the cards into five hands as he would in a game of Poker. So, he deals five cards rotationally in the same direction five times. His face up card will appear in one of the hands. Once the five hands have been
dealt, say, “One hand contains your randomly reversed card. By reversing that card, you told the deck to ignore your OUT OF ORDER command for that hand only.”
Turn over each of the other hands and spread to show that they contain mixed symbols, saying, “You see that each of these hands have no order.” Finally turn over the four face down cards around his chosen symbol revealing that all five are identical, saying, “That’s what I call perfect order!”
CARTER'S FOOLER
(From Hidden Agenda)
This is included as a tribute to Arthur Carter who died recently. The original trick appeared in his column in Magigram and I have made only a slight alteration to the final procedure. In its original form the effect would fool most magicians, the slight addition makes the effect even wore impossible to reconstruct. This is also very effective for a lay audience.
To begin, set the deck so that all matching pairs are together, but with the pairs in a random value order. Matching pairs are two cards of like value and colour.
It is best to introduce this DURING a routine. NOT as an opener. WORKING
1. Hand the deck to a spectator for shuffling. If riffle shuffles are used, allow him to finish then proceed to the next step. If overhand shuffling is employed, ask him to pass the deck to someone else and have them shuffle also. It is all a matter of judgement how you play this, but you will find that even after some heavy shuffling (no Faros!) this will still work!
2. Now ask the one who is holding the deck to cut it into four approximately equal piles (face down) on the table.
Pick up one of the end piles, quickly spread, spot the first undisturbed matching pair, and cut between them bringing one to the face and the other to the back, saying, "I make a selection but move nothing else." Immediately place the face card face up on the table then place the packet face down in front of it.
Repeat this with each of the three remaining piles - resulting in four face up cards each with a face down pile before it.
3. A recap of the events thus far is recommended at this point - emphasizing the shuffling then the cutting, all done with the cards out of your hands.
Starting from either end, pick up the pile in front of the face up card. Call out the value, it might be a Seven, saying, "I'll spell S-E-V-E-N in a mystic
fashion." Simply deal the top card face down on the table for the first letter
(S), place the next card to the bottom, place the next card onto the table for the second letter (E), and so on, forming a small pile. Toss the rest of these cards aside. Only the first card matters.
Repeat with the other three piles. Finally, and with some dramatic flair, turn each of the small piles face up to reveal a very startling and unexpected coincidence!
THE 5 POINT 5 TRICK
(From Hidden Agenda)
A variation on the classic gag 'The 31/2 of Clubs' (why always Clubs?). Here is the version that 1 constructed which is, I think, is methodically sound, and the finish, though different, has the same punch as with the original. The force belongs to Bob Ostin.
No gaffed card is needed, all you have to do is tear (or cut) a card in half lengthwise and discard one of the halves. Place the remaining half into an accessible pocket.
Set the top nine cards of deck so that they run in strict numerical order - TEN to TWO - with suits mixed. Ten is on top.
WORKING
1. At some point during your performance, cop the half card from your pocket and add it to the face of the deck, so that it is in line with the left edge of the deck.
2. With your right thumb riffle off FIVE cards (plus the half) and place the balance of the deck face down on the table in front of a spectator. The prediction packet is placed to one side, at an angle so that the torn edges of the half card are not directly facing the audience.
3. Ask the spectator to think of any single digit number. This restricts his choice to between One and Nine inclusive. Now ask him to pick up the deck and count down to, and remove, the card that lies at that position from the top, and to note the value of the card. Point out the representative values of court cards for effect only, as he will never arrive at one.
4. Now ask him to mentally add his secret number which only he knows to the value of the random card. He will automatically arrive at ELEVEN. Finally ask him to half the total by dividing it by two. This will give him five and a half. Draw attention to the prediction packet and state that you have predicted the outcome by removing the exact number of cards which will equal the total that the spectator is thinking of.
Spread the packet to reveal apparently SIX cards, then ask the spectator to announce his total. Act as if he has made a mistake and ask him what the two numbers were etc. Finally close the spread and take the packet into your hands and count the cards onto the table, pausing on the fourth, then deal the fifth to reveal the half card, saying, "Five...and one half (flick the half
CENTRIFUGAL DIARY
(From Deck Direct)
The classic diary prediction as popularized by Ted Danson. However, hopefully, the method here will be new to the readers.
Take a full deck of cards, remove the 12 court cards then with the remaining cards separate the reds from the blacks. Set the deck as follows:
Take ten reds and ten blacks - mix then together and place this packet face down on the table. Drop the twelve court cards on top. Finally shuffle the remaining ten reds and ten blacks together and drop these on top of all.
Prepare a diary by writing the name of your prediction against the 10th of every month, then fill in all other dates with random words. You could use playing card names but I prefer random objects so that every date can apparently be different. Let’s say you predict a ‘PARASOL.’ Seal a miniature (cocktail) parasol inside an envelope).
WORKING
1. Give the diary to a spectator and the envelope to another. Bring out the deck, show the faces as regular then carry out a Jog Shuffle - with only the upper 20 cards (or lower 20) getting mixed. Place the deck on the table and invite a second spectator to cut it into two roughly equal heaps. It is essential that he cuts into the block of court cards.
2. Turn away and ask him to discard either half and shuffle the other. Turn back again as he is shuffling. Now ask him to remove any court cards, saying,
“As there are twelve court cards in the deck, these will represent the twelve months in the year.” The court cards are placed in a pile on the
table.
Now ask him to decide on a color - red or black - then to remove all the cards of that color and place them in a pile beside the court cards - he discards the unwanted cards. Your reason for this, you say, is, “These cards will represent the day in the month.”
3. It’s all over bar the build up. Have the number of court cards counted - there might be 5 - you state that 5 represents the month of MAY. Now have the other pile counted. There WILL be 10. Ask the spectator with the diary to look up the 10th of may and read out what is written - PARASOL.
FREE WILL
(From Deck Direct)
From a packet of eight cards, a spectator freely selects any four. These four cards turn out to be random ones. The four he left you with are the four Aces! A variation in handling of Alex Elmsley's “It’s a Small World” - the Bottom Deal version that appears on his video set. Here the spectator handles the cards throughout.
WORKING
1. Hold the deck with the faces towards you and spread through, saying,
“Let’s try a little game of cards” As you spread through upjog the four
Aces, then five other cards of mixed suits and values. Strip these nine cards out and place the rest of the deck to one side. On no account must you mention the number of cards removed. At the end it will be assumed that eight cards were used.
2. The order of the packet at the moment is X - X - X - X - X - A - A - A - A from top to bottom. Give the cards a quick Overhand Shuffle, mixing only the top five cards, then conclude by running the top three cards to the bottom. New order = X - X - A - A - A - A - X - X - X.
3. Explain that the game is called Magic Poker - a game of choice rather than chance. Give the packet to a spectator who will be your opponent. Tell him to deal two cards onto the table side by side. Next, tell him to eliminate either card by dropping the rest of the packet onto that card. He now picks up the packet - the card remaining on the table is his first choice.
4. Now tell him to spell the word M-A-G-I-C, or you can use any other word or name that spells with five letters - like P-O-K-E-R. Tell him to spell the word out loud as he transfers one card from top to bottom for each letter. He will transfer five cards.
5. He now repeats step 3. Then step 4. He does this until he has selected four cards. At which point you take the remaining (five) cards from him, saying,
“So these are the ones you didn’t want.” As you speak, casually count
the cards (retain the order) as four using a Buckle or Push-Off on the third then place the last card to the top.
Ask the spectator to turn over his four cards. They will be of no significance. Finally turn over your cards and spread - keeping the last two as one - revealing the four Aces.
POPULACE
(From Covert Concepts)
This very easy way of doing Roy Walton’s Collectors has been part of my
working repertoire for a while.
WORKING
1. Remove the four Aces and place them in two face up pairs on the table - one
pair is red on black (R-B) - the other is black on red (B-R).
2. Have three cards selected - noted - returned then controlled to the top. Obtain
a break below these three cards.
3. Pick up a pair of Aces (either pair) and, keeping them face up, place them on
top of the deck. Immediately lift off all five cards above the break with your right
hand (Biddle grip), then, without pause, peel off the upper Ace onto the deck then
place the remaining block on top. This looks like a simple count. As you do this,
say, “Two Aces...one of each colour.”
Lift off the top two cards and lay them on the table, or across the card case. Don’t
allow them to spread any more than fraction. Take this opportunity to obtain a
break below the top card of the deck.
4. Pick up the remaining pair of Aces and repeat the previous step - except that
only one card is loaded between the Aces. As you do this, say, “And two more
Aces...one of each colour.” Leave them on the deck.
5. Pick up the tabled pair of cards and say, “If I place the Aces together
something happens. Can you guess what??” Match your words by placing
the two cards square on top of the deck. At this point the audience are expecting
some trick to happen involving the colours of the cards. They couldn’t be more
wrong!
Regardless of what the replies may be (unless someone says Roy Walton’s
Collectors!!), continue, “A miracle actually!”
Snap your fingers over the deck then spread the top seven cards to reveal that
three face down have appeared between the four Aces. Allow the effect to register,
then ask for the names of the selected cards. Conclude by revealing them one by
one.
THE ENIGMA OF THE 7th CARD
(From Covert Concepts)
You remove six cards from the deck, then a spectator freely selects a seventh.
The spectator’s card is pushed into the middle of your six cards. You count the
packet to show that there are indeed seven cards and that all are face down. You
now turn the top card face up, saying, “Playing cards are rather like sheep,
what one does the others do.” Immediately you fan the packet revealing that all
the cards are now face up. That is, except for one card in the middle that has
remained face down. This proves to be the seventh card - the selection.
This is rather a small packet version of Edward Victor’s “Sympathetic Reverse”
(Willane’s Methods for Miracles, number 8).
WORKING
1. Hold the deck face up and push over the face three cards. Once your right hand
has a grip on these three cards, push over three more. Two things now happen:
Your left little finger secures a break below all six cards, then, without pause, your
right hand flips over the upper three cards onto the face up deck. Immediately lift
off all six cards above the break with your right hand and place the packet on the
table.
As you are carrying out the foregoing actions, say, “I would like to show you
the Riddle of the Seventh Card. I’ll take six cards off the deck and then
someone can select a seventh card.”
2. Give the deck to a spectator and ask him to select a seventh card, then to place
the deck to one side. As he is doing this, obtain a little finger break at the middle
of the packet where the two halves meet face to face. Take the selected card,
keeping it face down, and insert it into the break then square the packet.
3. Say, “Now for the Riddle of the Seventh Card. First let’s be sure that
we have seven cards.” At this, carry out a Hamman Count - switching on the
count of four - to show seven face down cards. During the count, hold a little
finger break below the fifth card you count. This will result in a break below the
top three cards on completion. As you count, add, “You will also notice that
all seven cards face the same way.”
4. Say, “Cards are like sheep - what one does the others do. If I turn the
top card over...” Flip over the top three cards as one. “...the others
will follow suit. Watch.”
Hold the packet with one hand at the inner end and make a rapid fan. Hold this
pose for a few seconds to allow the effect to sink in, then say, “As you can see,
all the other cards turned over as well, except for one card...the
seventh card...in fact your card.” Snap the card face up to conclude.
MAGIC KINGDOM
(From Cards Insight)
A simple Faro trick where a King locates two selected cards. Only a partial Faro is required, so read on.
WORKING
1. Remove the King of Diamonds and place it face up on the table.
Have two cards selected. Have them returned as follows: The first card is controlled to second position from the top. Undercut half the deck and have the second card replaced onto the original top section. Place the other section on top - hold a break - then Double Cut to the break. This positions the selections at positions 1 & 3 from the top. Obtain a break under the top card in readiness for TILT.
2. Pick up the King and push it face up into the deck - really pushing it under the raised top card.
Give the deck two Faro Shuffles. These don’t need to perfect by any means, as long as the area containing selections and King are woven perfectly. I do it like this:
Cut off slightly less than half and weave this smaller section into the larger section. Now cut off about half (this section should contain the King and selections) and weave these sections together. A few trials will show you what is required.
3. Place the deck face down on the table. Tap the deck then spread it widely and evenly across the table. The King will appear somewhere near the middle. Say that the King of Diamonds will now find both selected cards. You do this as follows:
Spell the word KING moving upwards one card at a time from the King. Do not start on the King, start on the first card. You will finish on the 4th card away from the King. Push this card half way out of the spread. Return to the King and say that you will now use its suit. Spell D-I-A-M-O-N-D-S, but this time move downwards along the spread. This time you will finish on the 8th card away from the King, which you push half way out of the spread.
Finally ask each spectator to name his card, then slowly turn over the two outjogged cards revealing them to be the selections.
MATE TRIX
(From Cards Insight)
After two cards are chosen, all the matching mates turn up unexpectedly. Remove any four sets of four cards of like value and arrange them in a rotational stack. Here is an example of what is required: A - 3 - 10 - K - A - 3
- 10 - K - A - 3 - 10 - K - A - 3 - 10 - K.
Place this packet on top of the deck.
WORKING
1. False Shuffle then push off the top 16 cards, saying, “Let’s start with just
a few cards.” Place the deck face down on the table.
Give the packet to a spectator and ask him to cut it a few times. Now ask him to deal the top two cards face down onto the table side by side. Remember which one is dealt first.
Take the remaining cards from him, riffle off the bottom three cards and cut them to the top. Now drop the packet on top of the deck, which you pick up and give a couple of Jog Shuffles retaining the top stock.
2. Now say, “We are now going to utilize the SECRET CARD CODE.
This is nothing complex....in fact I just gave you the code!” At this,
hand the deck to the spectator and ask him to spell SECRET CARD CODE, forming three face down piles. So he spells SECRET, dealing six cards into a pile - then CARD, dealing four cards into a new pile - then CODE, dealing a third pile of four cards.
3. Ask him to turn over the first card he selected and to tap each pile. Then, flip over the top card of each pile, placing each in front of its pile, to reveal the other three cards of the same value to make a four-of-a-kind. Pick up the other selection and turn it over. Now use it to flip over the three packets revealing the three mates of this card at the face of each pile - another four-of-a-kind!
THE SUABIAN TWIST
(From Cards in Principle)
There have been several combinations of Dai Vernon's 'Twisting the Aces' and 'The Hofzinser Ace Problem' over the years. If the following version has any merit, it is the simple means by which the one at a time reversal is accomplished.
WORKING
1. Have a card selected, returned, then control it to the top of the deck. Now hold the deck face up and immediately glimpse the selection at the rear, then Spread through and transfer the four aces to the rear of the deck, turning each face down as you do so, and transferring the ace of the same suit as the selection first. If the selection happens to be an Ace, use Kings.
Close up the spread then turn the deck face down to bring the tour Aces face up on top.
2. Spread over the four aces plus the first face down card then close up the spread and lift off the top five cards. Place the balance of the deck to one side as it is no longer needed.
Point out that the Aces represent all four suits, but only one matches the spectator's card. As you speak, remove the top ace, turn it face down, then place it to the bottom. Repeat this action with the next two Aces, then flip the last Ace face down on top of all, then obtain a break below the top two cards. 3. Secretly reverse the lower three cards by any half-pass, then obtain a break above the bottom two cards and retain it.
Explain that every time you shift an ace from top to bottom, something magical will happen which will in turn, eliminate an Ace. Demonstrate what you will do by removing the top card and apparently putting it to the bottom, really inserting it into the break above the bottom two cards, then drop the break.
Now you start the process for real:
a) Remove the top card and apparently place it to the bottom, in fact you buckle the bottom card so it goes second from bottom. An ace will appear face up on top. Name the suit of this ace, then say that you will eliminate it. Place the ace face up on the table.
b) Transfer the top card to the bottom (genuinely) to cause a second ace to appear face up on top, then eliminate it by placing it face up on top of the first Ace in an overlapping spread.