SE
T T
O
K
I
L
L
By Jack Parker
Contents
Preparation H
Sunken 21 Page 6
Invisible 21 Page 12
The Four Musketeers
Fools Gold Page 18
Bare Naked Ladies Page 25
Sugar Coated Dwarves
Buried Alive Page 31
The Smell of Success Page 34
The Plot Thickens
Long Dimension Phone Call Page 40
Alone in the Dark Page 45
Technicalities
Thought Provoker Page 50
Rump Shaker Page 55
Sleight & Gaff
The Ballerina Double Page 59
Flat Rate Of Interest Page 61
Copyright 2006, Jack Parker - All rights reserved.
This material is protected and no portion may be reproduced without express written permission by the author. Marketing rights reserved.
Published June 2006, in the United Kingdom. Purchased from www.jacksdeck.com
Dedication
Thanks to -
All my magical friends who provided input, inspiration and advice.
Tomas Blomberg and David Solomon need a special mention in this respect. Brilliant minds. Wonderful hands. Great friends.
Paul Cummins who foolishly agreed to proof read this document. Also, for allowing me to steal some excellent lines from his routine “The Invisible Card”.
Jason Alford also for his quantum proofing and excellent advice, both magical and otherwise. He still spells “colour” incorrectly though.
And of course, thanks as always to Tracey, Emily and now Charlotte who has appeared since Set To Stun was written. If there’s one thing that puts card magic into perspective, it’s children.
Jack Parker May 2006
References and omissions
Where I know the source of a move, idea or general inspiration I have listed them as fully as I can. If I have forgotten or omitted a credit, or if anything in here has seen print already, then I sincerely apologise to both you as the reader and to the originator.
Lefties and mirrors
I am left-handed and the illustrations within this document were based on my performance of the routines. Unlike Set To Stun I haven’t mirrored them as I feel us lefties bend over backwards far too often and it’s time we stood up for our rights, if you forgive the pun.
Foreword
By Richard Kaufman
I think I've had some good luck in finding "pockets" of great material.
Sometimes it comes in the form of visiting a country whose magicians have yet to publish more than a few odds and ends. Featuring them in a magazine or a book spotlights their unique nature and creativity.
Other times it comes when a famous magician like Derek Dingle or Larry Jennings generously contributes a group of his tricks to a magazine or consents to do a book.
The final instance is when someone I've heard little or nothing about shows up in my mailbox (now my computer's "inbox) with a video and asks me to look at some of his work. It happened with Jay Sankey many years ago, then Gary Kurtz, and various others. Late in 2005 it happened with Jack Parker.
"Who is Jack Parker?" I thought, "and why is he bothering me." Truth be told, I get far too many video clips sent to my inbox to possibly watch and many of them don't add up to much. But I had some time a few weeks later and watched one of the clips. It was like eating a wonderful piece of chocolate. Then I watched the others and, as soon as my fingers could skittle across the keyboard, sent Mr. Parker an email asking him if I could publish what he sent in Genii -- and then to please send some more. And he did.
The work of clever creators is pleasing to perform--it's always so nice when both you and the audience get a thrill, though yours is secret, of course. Jack Parker's work gives me that thrill. It's fun to watch, fun to read, and even more fun to perform.
Clever stuff from a clever man. Thanks, Jack.
Richard Kaufman May 2006
Preparation H
This section may well get skipped by many people. I know the reaction taking out three piles of seven cards usually receives, particularly amongst magicians. That lack of interest usually changes and people are sitting a lot more upright by the time you have run through either of the following versions. So please, try them out. The “Oh no, not this!” reaction is actually a powerful ally because people let their guard down and by the time their guard is back up you are done and they are dusted.
The 21-card trick is probably my ultimate “noodling” piece. I return to it regularly and always with enjoyment. I invariable have two prongs of attack; either I try and use some principle or method that I have not seen applied to it before to achieve the classic effect, or I try and push the plot itself in an unusual direction. “Sunken 21” comes from the former school of thought; “Invisible 21” from the latter.
Sunken 21
Effect
It’s the 21 card trick - but not as you know it.
Sleights None
Method
From the proverbial shuffled deck ask the spectator to remove 21 cards and set the rest of the deck aside. Ask them to then shuffle the packet.
After they have finished shuffling, take it back and ribbon spread it face up across the table.
“A random choice of cards from a random deck shuffled by a random looking sort of person.”
As you look down at the face up spread note the top and bottom cards. These are your two key cards. Do this as casually and as quickly as you can. Try not to stare.
Scoop up the spread, turn the packet face down and hand it back to them.
“OK Mr Random Person, I am going to turn away so you don’t have to look at my piercingly beautiful eyes anymore.”
They now follow instructions that you give to them with your back turned. Turning your back is optional, but is a nice piece of theatre.
“I’d like you to deal out two piles, one for each of us. So deal a card for me, then one for you, then one for me, and one for you and so on. I’ll have one more than you but that’s fine. I’m greedy.”
“You don’t have to be Stephen Hawking to work out that your pile contains 10 cards. I don’t want to know how many cards you have, so cut off a few from yours and drop them on top of my packet.”
“Now it’s fair to say no one, not even you, knows how many cards you have or what they are. Pick your packet up and give it a good shuffle just to make sure, then set it back down again.”
“Now no one can know the order of those cards either. I want you to have a look at and remember the top card of your pile making sure no one else sees it.”
“To lose your selection I’d like you to cut off roughly half of my packet and drop those cards on top of yours, burying your card”
“Now no one can know where in your packet your card is or what cards are surrounding it.”
“Finally drop the rest of my cards on top of all to further confuse the issue. So you are back to a 21 card pile with a card known only to you in a position known only to God Himself.” (If you feel up to it give them a wink when you deliver this line).
Pick up the packet and deal a line of three cards, turning them face up. Throughout the dealing phase the rhythm is slow - deal three cards, then pause. Deal three cards, and pause. This is repeated throughout and the reason will become apparent in a moment.
The mechanics for the location are as follows. As you deal you are looking for your first key card. When you spot it, as you deal the next card, count “12” in your mind. On the next card you count “13”. Keep going, counting in your mind on each card you deal, “14, 15…”, until you deal your second key card. Make sure to include the second key card in your count, so in this case “16”. This key number this tells you how far from the top of the 21 card packet the selection was before you started dealing – in this case, 16 cards from the top. Knowing this, you have two options:
Most likely you haven’t dealt it yet; hence the pauses in dealing to give you a chance to do the math. Just look at how many cards you have dealt. It will either be 6, 9, 12 or 15 since they are in three rows, so you know very easily how many more you need to deal before you hit the selection. In this case, just deal the selection face down when you come to it and then continue dealing all the other cards face up, using the exact same rhythm of “deal and pause” until you have dealt all the cards.
The other possibility, which is less likely, is that you may have already dealt the selection by the time you work out what position it was from the top (if your math is slow like mine or if the selection is directly after or close to the second key card). In this case just continue dealing and pausing and then when everything is dealt out face up you simply pick out the selection. Alternative patter suggestions are at the end.
The first option is the most likely, and more often than not the selection comes 3 to 5 cards after the second key, giving you time to do the math and deal the selection face down without breaking the rhythm of the deal. The important thing is to continue the rhythm and the patter, almost as though you are not paying attention to the cards. You’re just talking, telling your story, dealing out the rows and one card gets left face down. This is very disarming to the spectator as it appears so casual, as though no process was involved. Particularly since many people know the original and will be getting ready for the “Which row is it in?” question.
So, some suggested patter for the dealing. Each line is said after the three cards have been dealt.
Deal out the first three cards in a face-up line.
“Have you seen this trick? It’s called the 21-card trick surprisingly enough.”
Deal another 3 cards onto the first, face up and overlapping.
“Most people have seen it as it’s the trick Granddads inevitably do for Grandchildren. It’s a Christmas Day favourite at our house.”
Deal another 3 cards.
“It was certainly the first trick I ever saw and started my interest in cards.”
Deal the 4th line of three cards. (You more than likely know the location by now and are ready to deal one card face down).
“I used to love seeing my Granddad perform it. It used to make us both smile.”
Deal the 5th row.
“But as I grew older and became more interested in card magic I worked out my own version.”
Deal the 6th row.
“In my version you never asked any questions and never dealt the cards out again.”
Deal the 7th row.
“And my Grandfather never could understand how I managed to leave his card face down.”
OR
“And my Grandfather never could understand how I could just pick his card out, like this.”
Example
This shows a typical layout achieved during “Sunken 21”.
The 5H was the first card dealt, then the 2H, JH, 10D and so on. The key cards were the two red Aces.
Therefore, starting after the first red Ace, the AH, count 12 on the 2S, 13 on the 2D, 14 on the QD, 15 on the 7C, 16 on the AD – the second key card.
Therefore you know the selection was 16th from the top. So after dealing 3 rows of 5 cards the selection is the next card, as shown face down.
Notes
The location uses a variation of the “Sunken Key Principle” found on page 13 of Scalbert’s Selected Secrets and was inspired by the “SD Location” by Steve Draun found on page 137 of Dave Solomon’s book Solomon’s Mind.
If you are sessioning with magician friends, or when a layperson performs the original 21-card trick for you, then there are numerous opportunities to get the required information i.e., the key cards top and bottom, so you don’t need to do the face-up ribbon spread.
For instance, during the original 21-card trick just note the first and last cards dealt on the final round, collect up the piles afterwards and you’re good to go.
The patter is of course optional. Once you get used to the key system you can deal the cards out more quickly. And of course, you can just deal them all out face up if you wish, then locate the card and pick it out afterwards. Finally, a nice touch is this: instead of picking the selection straight out, scoop up all the other cards leaving just one on the table (a lovely technique that Dave Solomon nailed me badly with).
Alford’s Mess Up
Jason Alford suggested a nice presentation idea to end the effect. You would need to change the patter for the dealing section but his idea is this.
After you have dealt out the three face up rows and located the selection using the procedure detail above, you pause for a moment and then mix up all the cards on the table, swirling them around in a “casino shuffle”. During this just keep track of the selection by putting a finger on it as you move your hands around. This is a very visual and shocking contrast to the slowness and precision of the dealing phase.
When you are done, dig your thumbs underneath the cards and turn the big mess face down, again keeping track of the selection. Go through the “casino shuffle” once more with the face down cards. During this casually slide the selection off to one side, then go back to the two handed mixing. Square the messy pile up and then ribbon spread it face up in front of the spectator. The selection is the only card left face down. Ask them how you did.
Invisible 21
with David Solomon
Effect
The selected card becomes invisible. You prove this by having the spectator count the remaining cards, they only have 20 - none of which is their selection. Fortunately it reappears when asked to do so.
Sleights Square up steal
Method
From a face down shuffled deck, count off seven cards into a small spread. Square them up and drop them on the table. Repeat this action for seven more, but as you square them up allow the bottom card to go back onto the deck, leaving you with a six card packet. Drop this on the table next to the first. Repeat again by genuinely taking another seven cards to give you the standard 3 pile set up in a line, the centre one having only six cards.
Note: There are various ways to achieve this position, such as a simple pull back on one of the cards as you count. Any Biddle type action is best avoided as it is such a giveaway to magicians. The important thing is that the spectator must see you count 3 piles of 7, but in a casual way since the effect hasn’t started yet. For those amongst you who are of devious mind, try this - if someone does a 21 card trick on you, after they are done take the 21 cards and as you talk lap one of them and then go into this routine. It’s somewhat of a punch in the face as you’ll see.
Ask the spectator to pick a packet, shuffle it and then go through the Ed Marlo “automatic replacement” procedure from Marlo Without Tears as follows. After shuffling it, they cut their packet, look at the bottom card of the top (cut off) portion, then drop this portion onto either of the other two tabled piles. The other tabled pile is then dropped on top to bury the selection and then the final group of cards they still hold is dropped on top of all.
There is one rule to remember during this procedure. If they choose the 6 card packet during the process, your key number is 7. Otherwise your key number is 6. By choose I mean handle; if they left it on the table and just dropped cards onto it then its untouched. If they picked it up...well, its touched!
After the Marlo procedure you will have a single combined packet and their selection is now located either 13th or 14th from the top.
“I am going to make the card you are merely thinking of invisible. Incredible I know, but none the less true. I do not know its value or position, remember.”
Press your first finger onto the back of the packet, your other fingers go onto the far end. With your thumb on the near end, bend up about half the pile for an inch, creating a wide break. Reach into this break with your other hand and mime pulling out an invisible card. As you quickly pull the card(?) out, let the top half of the pile spring back off your thumb creating a snapping sound (a Paul Cummins touch) Place the invisible card (?) on the table to the side.
“There you go. Your card. Now invisible. Have you seen an invisible card before? Think about your answer. Well, by the look in your eyes I can tell you don’t believe a word of this BUT if I had really made your card invisible then you would have only 20 cards left. Correct? Well why don’t you count them.”
They count the cards down into a pile, reversing the order, and of course find they only have 20 cards. This should come as somewhat of a shock, particularly if you’ve gone for the sneaky lapping approach to ditch a card after a previous 21-card effect.
Thanks to the excellent Marlo placement procedure the selection is actually now 7th or 8th from the top. This puts you in a very strong position because you basically haven’t touched the packet since they made their choice and not only has the card apparently become invisible but you also know where it really is.
“Despite this concrete evidence, you still seem unconvinced. Let me try and prove it to you, can I have the cards for a second.”
This gives you a legitimate excuse to take the packet from the spectator. Hold it face down, spread over and flip a group of cards face up. The number of cards you flip over face up is the number you are remembering from before, either 6 or 7. So if they touched the 6-card packet earlier then flip over 7 cards. If not, then flip over 6 cards.
Spread through these face-up cards slowly, showing the faces to the spectator, and ask them if one of these cards is their selection. It won’t be of course. As you get to the end of the face up group spread over one extra face down card; this is actually the selection. Catch a break under it as you square the face-up group and in a continuing action lift of this packet (everything above your break) in Biddle Grip. The face down selection is stolen away beneath the face-up group.
“So your card is not one of these?”
As you say “these”, emphasise the packet by raising your hand a little and turning it back towards the spectator so that they may see the top card. You will be looking at the bottom of the packet; the selection will be staring you in the face. Remember it. If you are working surrounded you may, of course, just do a simple glimpse of this bottom card as you table the packet without flashing it to anyone else who’s watching. Table this packet a little to the right with their card secretly on the bottom.
Spread off approximately 6 more cards and flip them face up, spreading through so they can check to see that their card isn't among these either. Mimic the squaring action you did first time. Table this group face up next to the first packet, then repeat for the final group of cards you hold, showing all the faces and tabling it face up to the left, giving you three face up piles; a nice echo of the starting position.
You’re actually only showing 19 cards but no one is counting.
“So your card is not in any of these piles anymore? Well, that’s because it is over here, invisible. Are you starting to believe me? I know it’s hard, as being a non-magician the card is obviously transparent to you, but I can see it, and I can tell you it’s really there. If I turn it face up I can even tell you it’s the (name the card you peeked).”
This off-hand naming of the card is a nice moment that is both magical and funny; don’t pass it by too quickly. Again, thank you Mr Cummins.
“Let’s put your card back into the packets, like you did at the start. I know you can’t see it so we’ll put it next to a card that you can see so you know where it is. Which of these three cards do you want it next to?”
Point to and name the top card of each of the face up piles. There are two simple options, depending on which card (pile) they choose. Whichever one they choose, you first pick up the invisible card and place it onto that pile. A nice touch here is to go to place the invisible card down, then stop, and say “Wait, I’ll put it face down so it’s even easier to spot.” Mime turning it over, and then place it onto the selected pile.
If we call the pile that has the selection secretly face down on the bottom “Pile 1” and the other two “Piles 2 & 3” then the options are as follows.
If they pick Pile 1, mime placing the invisible card on top of this pile as explained above, then cut the pile and complete the cut. Drop it onto pile 2 and finally drop pile 3 on top of all.
If they name either of the other piles, 2 or 3, drop the invisible card on top of it and then drop Pile 1 on top. Finish by placing the remaining pile (2 or 3) on top of all.
It’s very simple, you’re just getting the reversed selection above whatever card they choose.
“OK, I’ll try and make your card visible again. Here we go….”
Stare blankly for a moment and do your best “I’m making a card visible” impersonation.
“Done. You put it next to the Four of Clubs right? Well take a look.”
It is, of course, the now visible selection.
Notes
Many thanks to Paul Cummins for permitting me to use a few of his invisible card “gags” and touches. This includes the lovely idea of turning the “invisible” selection face up to name it. These are taken directly from Paul’s excellent “The Invisible Card” routine found in the wondrous pages of his notes…from a shuffled deck in use….
The placement procedure is found in “The Nouveau 21 Card Trick” on page 146 of Marlo Without Tears by Jon Racherbaumer.
David Solomon and myself traded many emails on the topic of combining the invisible card idea, or vanishing card, with the 21-card trick. We looked at various avenues but I ended up pursuing this one. Dave looked at other avenues and came up with some lovely and direct handlings. I’d like to thank him for his constant help and advice not only with regard to one of our favourite pastimes, the 21-card trick, but also with everything I show him.
The Four Musketeers
The only itch I can’t scratch more than the 21-card trick is Ace assemblies. Again, I fully appreciate that many people glaze over at the thought, but for me the problem of assemblies provides endless enjoyment and possibilities. Each to their own. Some people play with LegosTM all day.
I have often heard it said “There’s so many assemblies already, why bother?” Well, again it’s horses for courses. Firstly, I enjoy it and both magicians and lay people, seem to enjoy the material also. Secondly, as a technical exercise, just as the 21-card trick, assemblies are very fertile ground for exploration. And thirdly, just because Bach created stunningly beautiful music didn’t stop everybody else having a go, did it?
As with the 21-card trick, I tend to approach assemblies with one of two hats. I am either working on the ultra clean approach to the classic assembly plot or I will try and subvert the standard plot itself and head down new avenues.
The two versions presented here represent both lines of attack respectively. “Fools Gold” diverts the plot with a Royal Flush ending and the Aces backfiring throughout rather than assembling. “Bare Naked Ladies” is the opposite end of the spectrum and is ultra minimal with only 7 cards involved, but still manages to achieve an assembly and backfire.
Fools Gold
EffectA “traditional” assembly in appearance with the four Aces and 12 indifferent cards, but the Aces keep jumping to the packets rather than assembling. As a climax, a Royal Flush pops out of nowhere.
Sleights
Secret Subtraction
Combo Count / Hamman Count Double Lift
Elmsley Count
Set Up
The effect uses a 17-card packet as follows, from top down.
Aces of Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, three spot cards, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of Spades, six spot cards. Everything is face down. As long as the Ace of Spades is on top, the order of the other Aces isn’t critical.
The order is very easy to set up. I remove the Royal Flush in Spades and arrange them Ace to 10, put the other three Aces between the Ace of Spades and King of Spades. Stick 3 spot cards after those three Aces and six more spot cards on the bottom.
The routine must be performed on a soft surface such as a close-up matt, as you will be laying down and picking up doubles at some points.
Method
Spread over the top four cards and flip them face up. Show them as the four Aces by spreading the packet, including a few face down cards. As you square up get a break underneath the top four face down cards (eight cards from the top of the packet).
“This is not so much a trick as a test of your powers of lateral thinking.”
You will now use J K Hartman’s “Secret Subtraction” to switch out the Aces. I handle it as follows.
Pick up everything above the break in Biddle Grip in your right hand. Now using your left thumb, peel off the top Ace and rotate it around the packet. Take the Ace underneath the packet but maintain a thumb break above it at the rear. Turn your right hand palm up to show the face of this Ace again. Turn your hand back down and peel off the second Ace, again rotating it around underneath, still maintain your thumb break now above 2 cards. I like to leave it side jogged a little on the bottom of the packet, so that when I turn my hand over to flash its face again, the index of the first Ace I peeled is still seen.
Turn your hand back palm down again and using the side of your left thumb, square in the side jogged card - the second Ace. The action mimics the unload move that occurs in a moment.
Peel the third Ace off and around to the bottom, again leaving it side jogged just as before. Turn your hand over to flash its face again. This time as you turn your hand palm down and square the side jogged card against your left thumb, let the three cards below your thumb break drop back onto the top of the main packet. This unload is invisible and should be done smoothly and without any undue delay or pause in the flow of the hands.
Finally, peel off the remaining Ace of Spades and rotate it around and under the packet, but square this time of course. Turn your hand palm up to show its face. Rather than turn it back palm down, momentarily clamp the side of the face up packet with your left thumb. This allows your right hand to release its grip and
retake the packet from above. It then tables the packet, still face up, with the Ace of Spades showing at the face.
Although it reads a little long, Mr Hartman’s switch flows very nicely and is extremely deceptive.
“It doesn’t use the whole deck, but it does use the four most important cards. The Aces of Diamonds….Clubs…Hearts….and Spades.”
Situation Check: The face up tabled packet is supposedly Aces. It is in fact the Ace of Spades with the King of Spades and three indifferent cards face up beneath it. The other three Aces are face down on top of the in-hands packet.
“It also uses some spot cards. These are not as important as the Aces. The only reason they are really involved is to give me a better chance at cheating.”
Flip the packet face up. You now show these as all spot cards and can use either Daryl’s “Combo Count” as described below or you could use the well-known “Hamman Count” by Bro. John Hamman.
For the “Combo Count”, hold the packet in Pinch Grip as you would for an Elmsley Count. Take off the first card normally but as you come back to peel off the second card, steal the first card back under the main packet. Continue to peel off the next three cards normally then when you get to the fourth one this is where the main switch occurs. What happens is your right
hand does a Block Push Off everything above the bottom card. This seven-card block is taken by the left hand (nipped between the thumb the and base of the first finger) and at the same time the left-hand packet is stolen back. This is done by jamming it under the single card in the right hand. You then continue to peel count through the remaining cards as normal. The key to the count is that it is
done casually and unlike most counts, you can have a break in the rhythm at various intervals. So in this case I count through 3 cards, then a further 3 which includes the switch, then count a couple more and then the final three. You do not verbally count the cards; you are just running through them almost as an aside while you are talking.
“I’ll deal out the spot cards into three packets of four. While I do that can you set your brain to “lateral thinking” mode.”
After the count is done, flip the packet face down. From top down should be three Aces, Queen, Jack and Ten of Spades then six spot cards. Deal the top three cards out into a line then deal another card on top of each - these are Royal Flush cards. Then deal two more rounds, one onto each pile each time, to end up with three piles of four cards.
Most of the work of the trick is now complete. All that’s left is a few doubles and Elmsley Counts.
“Now remember, four spot cards in each pile. Over here I have the four Aces, my leader Ace of Spades plus the other three…well, I guess they are “followers”.”
Pick up the Ace packet, flip it face down and deal the top three cards face down into an overlapping line. Flip the final two cards face up as one, showing the Ace of Spades again. Take the double by its front and back corners in a light Biddle Grip and slide it under the three cards on the table so its side jogged, and still face up.
“So, the question. What is the quickest way I can get these three Aces (tap the backs of each the three face down cards) from here over into those three piles of spots cards? Think laterally.”
“The answer is that I get them over there BEFORE I asked the question. Now that is lateral for you.”
Turn each of the three table packets face up, end for end, to reveal an Ace on the bottom of each.
“Which of course means I have three spot cards over here with my Ace of Spades.”
Pick up the Ace of Spades in Biddle Grip again, actually a double card, by its front and back corners, and as you lift it up use it to Domino Turnover the three overlapping cards above it. Three spot cards show. Drop the double card back face up onto the table to the side of the three spots cards and spread them out a little.
“I’m generous by nature so let’s try that again shall we. Have another go. I’ll take each Ace and put it back with my leader Ace of Spades. Then I’ll replace it with one of the spot cards that I ended up with. So each packet is back to four spot cards like this.”
Pick up the first of the three piles with an Ace on top and lift off a double. Use the double to flip the other two cards, supposedly three, face down then turn the double face down on top. Deal the top card face down next to the face up leader Ace of Spades.
You still hold the remaining three cards of the pile you picked up, all face down. Pick up one of the three face up indifferent cards that are near your leader Ace and drop it face down onto your in hands packet. Flip the packet face up and Elmsley Count, showing four spot cards. Table this packet face down back in its position in the line.
“Ace number two comes back with the leader and is replaced to give another packet of four spots. And finally number three joins the others over here and gives a third packet of four spots cards. Simple.”
Matching these words you now repeat the actions for the other two packets in the line. Pick up each face up packet, take off a double and use it to flip the remaining two cards face down. Flip the double face down on top and deal the top card down next to your Ace of Spades onto the first card, forming an overlapping line. Then pick up one of the face-up indifferent cards that were with your leader Ace and drop it face down on top of the face down packet you hold. Flip it over and Elmsley Count, showing apparently four spot cards, then table the packet face down back into position.
It appears you have removed the Ace from each of the three piles, added it to your leader Ace, and then put one of your indifferent cards back into each of the packets. The three piles apparently each contain 4 indifferent cards and you have the four Aces. In fact you are all set for the finish, as the Aces are still in the three piles and you’re “ace” packet consists of a Royal Flush.
“So, think laterally this time. What’s the quickest way to get the three Aces that I have here with my Ace of Spades to jump back over to the spot cards packets?”
Pick up the Ace of Spades (double card) again by its corners and turn it face down. Use it to scoop up the three face down cards that are supposedly Aces, then flip this packet face up into your hand. The Ace of Spades shows again. Drop the packet back onto the table face up.
The spectator may well answer correctly.
Turn up the top card of each packet showing the Aces have returned.
“So with my Ace of Spades I should have? Three spots? No. No. No. You have to think more laterally. But I guess working out where this Royal Flush came from might give you a headache.”
With one finger slowly spread out your cards to show a Royal Flush in Spades, in order.
Notes
JK Hartman’s “Secret Subtraction” can be found in the monstrous pages of “Card Craft” on page 48 and also in a slightly less monstrous and cunningly titled booklet called “The Secret Subtraction” on page 7.
Daryl’s “Combo Count” can be found on Volume 7 of his Encyclopaedia of Card Sleights DVD.
Bare Naked Ladies
Effect
An ultra clean seven card assembly with backfire ending.
Sleights
Veeser Concept
Fingertip Rhythm Count
Double Lift / Mexican Turnover sequence
Method
Remove the four Queens and three black spot cards (preferably a six, eight and nine) and set the deck aside as it’s no longer needed.
Hold the seven-card packet face up and spread a little, with the Queens on top of spots.
“A little something with just seven cards.”
Close the spread get a break above the bottom two spot cards. Change to Biddle Grip, keeping the break with your thumb at the rear. You will now use the Veeser Concept as you count through the Queens.
“It’s the four Queens I want you to keep your beady eyes on.”
Begin by peeling off the first Queen but as you do so steal away the two cards below the break beneath it. You do not need to hold any breaks between them. Continue by peeling the next three Queens off singly, reversing their order. You’ll end up holding four face up Queens with two spot cards secretly beneath. The other hand holds one spot card in Biddle Grip, believed to be all three. Immediately use the edge of the spot card to flip the Queen packet face down sideways and then drop the
single spot card on top, still face up. Tap it’s face as you say:
“Don’t worry too much about the three spot cards for the moment.”
Flip the whole packet over so the Queens are face up again.
“Just watch these ladies.”
Perform a Pinkie Pull Down to get a break above the bottom card (face down spot card).
“I want to show you something rather minimal. Usually there are a lot of cards floating around in
this sort of trick, but I want to be very clear what’s going on, that’s why I am just using seven.”
Thumb over the top three cards into a little fan showing four Queens. Your fingers beneath the fan reach into the break, which you allow to widen. You apparently turn the four Queens face down, but actually turn over everything above the break, allowing the cards to square as you flip them over. Deal the top card to yourself, then the next three out into a line, forming the classic "T" formation.
“I’ll take the Queens and put them on the table. One goes here as the famous “leader” Queen, and the other three go in a line like this. Nice and neat.”
The hand holding the 3-card packet now turns palm down and you use both hands together to adjust each of the three supposed Queens in a line just a fraction, straightening them up. You will flash the bottom of the three card packet you hold showing a spot card, a nice convincer.
“Those three ladies are going to sit there all lonely and exposed, I won’t put any other cards with them. The one, two, three spot cards go with my Queen.”
Take the top face down card from your packet and slide it below your Queen. Deal the next on top. Then your left hand snaps over the last card it holds, showing it to be a spot, and then flips it face down on top of all.
Your packet should now be from top down: spot, Queen, spot, Queen.
“Now despite the fact the other three Queens are sitting there on the table naked, somehow they still manage to assemble over here with the leader.”
Now perform Allan Ackerman’s “Fingertip Rhythm Count” as follows. Pick up the packet and spread it slightly so you can take two cards, roughly squared, in each hand in Pinch Grip. One hand raises for a
second showing a Queen on the face of its two cards. It then descends and thumbs the TOP card off onto the table. As the first hand descends, the other hand raises, showing the face card of its two. The actions are now reversed and as this second hand lowers to thumb off its TOP card onto the table, the first hand raises again to show the single Queen it holds. This is then placed on the tabled pile as the second hands raises for a final time to apparently show the fourth Queen.
The whole sequence is done smoothly and fairly rapidly, the hands moving up and down in syncopated fashion. The illusion that all four Queens are seen is
extremely strong.
You are left with a four card packet, face down. The top two cards are Queens and bottom two spots.
Let this sink in for a moment then pick up the packet.
“Many people wonder how, since I started with only my leader Queen, the Queen of Hearts.”
Here you turn over a double and name the Queen as you see it.
“How come the other three managed to get over here and join her?”
Turn the double back face down and take off the top card. Fan the three cards in your hand and table them still spread, then use the single card you hold in your right hand to tap each one as you talk.
“But that’s not the question they should be asking. They should be asking how the hell the other three Queens got back over here near you….”
Reach forward and apparently use the card you hold to flip each of the three face down Queen’s face up in turn. In fact carry out a Mexican Turnover on the first one. I do a very simple action as follows. Take the card you hold and slide it beneath the tabled card, holding the cards by their sides in Pinch Grip. The other hand can place a finger on the opposite edge to steady them if you wish. Lever the pair up and start to turn them over sideways. But, once they get to about a 20-degree angle, push with your fingers beneath so bottom card only is flipped over. This leaves you holding the top card face down. There are much slicker techniques for this move in print but I just tend to keep it simple.
Keep the card you hold face down throughout and make sure to keep the turnovers consistent. I make the two real turnovers appear similar to my Mexican Turnover action. You’ll be left holding a face down card (actually a spot card) and three Queens face up in a line.
“….leaving me with the three spot cards over here….”
Now come back with the card you hold and use it to turn the three-card packet face up. As you do this carry out a second Mexican Turnover but with the whole packet. So you slide the single card you hold underneath and start to level the packet over. As it flips, you do what is in effect a Block Push Off of everything BENEATH the top card and let these three cards flip face up showing three spots. Keep hold of the top card, which stays face down. Done smoothly it is highly deceptive.
“with my Queen of Hearts.”
Make sure to name the card again then slowly turn it face up and drop it with the spot cards.
This is the killer moment, particularly for magicians watching.
Notes
Many thanks to Dave Solomon and Allan Ackerman for their help and suggestions with this effect. Dave helped streamline the switch at the start and of course Allan suggested his lovely count. I originally used Bro. John Hamman’s “Gemini Count” but felt its pacing was a little too slow.
Allan Ackerman’s “Fingertip Rhythm Count” can be found in his notes Al Cardpone.
It was pointed out to me by Joe Pecore after Set To Kill was published that the ending sequence is very similar to Phil Goldstein’s excellent “Jumping Bean Aces” found on page 35 of is book Focus. Indeed it is, but where they differ is that in this routine the card that is shown by the Double Lift is then switched back in at the end by the second Mexican Turnover, making the sequence look copacetic.
Sugar Coated Dwarves
Well, I thought we’d better quickly get onto something short and sweet for those of you who don’t like 21 card tricks or assemblies and have just skipped two sections.
Buried Alive
with Tomas Blomberg
Sleights Double Lift Slip Cut Popover Move
Set Up
You need two identical Jokers, one of which is placed face down second from the top in a face down deck. The second one is face up on the bottom. If you don’t have two identical ones, see the Notes section for alternatives.
Method
Perform a Double Turnover to show the Joker. Turn double back over and deal the top card face down onto the table.
“You know that Joker guy is annoyingly cheerful. Let’s shut him up by burying the little sucker under a load of cards.”
Cut off half the deck but as you do carry out a Slip Cut, then dribble the top half you cut off onto the tabled card, apparently the Joker, but in a haphazard fashion so you get a messy heap of cards. Spread them around a little more with your hand if you like.
“I feel a bit guilty now; poor little guy. Tell you what, lighten his load a bit by pulling out one of those cards from the heap for yourself.”
They remove one card, look at it and remember it. Ask them to then drop it face down on to the packet you still hold. You very fairly cut this packet to lose the selection in the centre. Make sure it’s clear you’re not holding a break.
“Ssssh! Can you hear him; his little muffled cries for help? I tell you what we’ll do, we’ll magically get him to dig his way out from under that pile, but not only that.
He’ll jump up into the cards I am holding and snuggle up right next to your card. Then we’ll all feel better about ourselves.”
Snap your fingers or wave your favourite magic wand then hand to hand spread the packet to show a Joker is now face up in the centre.
Take off all the face down cards above the Joker and dump these on the tabled heap, again messily. While you do this push over the top two cards of the packet you hold and take a Pinkie Break beneath them. Lift up a double (face up Joker with face down selection secretly beneath) by pinching the cards in the middle of the long edge and use it to tap the top face down card that was apparently next to the Joker.
"Be cool if this was your card wouldn't it?"
Move the hand holding the Joker so it's above the tabled heap, which it should be pretty much above anyway.
Now you carry out two actions at once:
The left hand carries out Eddie Fechter's “Pop Over” move, causing the top card of the deck to flip face up. As this happens the right hand allows the double to fall, but because of the grip at the side it will naturally flip over as it falls completing one revolution of 180 degrees. The two cards land on the heap with the selection now face up, the face down Joker is absorbed in the mess of cards. At the same time the Joker "pops" up on top of the deck.
"Even cooler if this was the Joker...."
Fechter’s “Pop Over” is briefly as follows (the way I do it anyway). The left thumb lifts up slightly on the edge of the top card. This allows the first finger to come
around the end of the deck and press upwards, very slightly, on the front short edge of the card. The other fingers are holding the far long edge of the card. The thumb in turn presses down on its corner, thus bending the card and putting it into tension. If you now release the pressure with your second, third and fourth fingers, the card “pops” over. After a little practice you should find the card pops over, flipping 180, and lands back face up on top of the deck.
Notes
Non Popover Ending
There’s are various other one hand revelation moves that could be done in substitution for the Pop Over move, many taken from Ambitious Card routines. If you don’t want to do a one handed move at all, simple offer the packet to the spectator and ask them to look at the top card. As they turn it over drop the Joker and allow it to rotate as it falls, as described.
Non Identical Joker Method
When you spread the packet between your hands to show that the Joker has appeared face up, only its index will be seen. Square it with the card below it (the selection) and take this double left jogged under the right hand spread. Still only the index is seen. The right hand drops the back-to-back double onto the messy heap on the table allowing it to rotate 180 degrees, as the left hand single handedly turns the Joker on top of its packet face up using the Pop Over or similar move. The double is dropped from beneath the spread in this version.
For a description of the original Pop Over move, actually called “Spring Card Revelation” see The Magic of Eddie Fechter by Jerry Mentzer on page 208.
The Smell of Success
Effect
You try and locate the mate of a selection purely by smell. You mess up, although plead your innocence and show that you have done it correctly before. Then the spectator has a go and does it first time. They get your job doing close up and you have to scrape by on welfare.
Sleights Cull
Larreverse
Neck Tie Second deal
Cut Deeper Force (or any other simple force of the top card)
Method
Phase One
The spectator begins by shuffling the deck and placing any card, unseen, face down on the table.
“Do you know what the card is? Nope. Well I sure as hell don’t either. But I have two tools that can help me find its mate. Intuition and smell. Oh ye, smell. But first, intuition.”
Take the deck back. You will now complete a dual action, which not only sets the first phase but the repeat as well.
Turn the deck face up and allow the bottom card to side jog a little so you can peek it (an idea I learnt from the Larry Jennings book). You will spread through the deck and look for the mate of this card and up jog the card above it in the spread (closer to you). At the same time you also look for the mate of the top card on the face up deck, the one staring you in the face. When you spot this card you cull it underneath the spread. It doesn’t matter which of these mates you encounter first, just up jog or cull depending which it is and then carry on going through the deck. You are meant
to be searching using intuition so you can legitimately carry on after up jogging a choice in order to “confirm” your feelings. Spread through the deck and when you get near the bottom allow the culled card to go back into the spread above the bottom card.
It sounds like a lot is going on but it’s simple: just up jog the card above the bottom card’s mate and cull the mate of the face card. You can easily go through the deck twice doing one action on each run through if you wish to make life easier. You are supposedly hunting for a card by intuition so this is justified.
Square up the deck except for the out jogged card. If the spectator has been looking at the faces its not a problem, even if they see the out jogged card. But now you must tilt your hands back a bit so you don’t flash the card that is below the out jogged card during the next move. To start, lift the cards up and sniff, yes sniff, the out jogged card. A good long sniff. Then lower your hands a bit and break the deck below the out jogged card. Take this portion away in your right hand (including the out jogged card) and turn this hand over towards you, palm down. Take the out jogged card face down onto the lower face-up portion (the card on the face of this lower packet is the one you don’t want to flash). Then rotate your hand back drop the upper portion face up back on top. All you have done is reverse your “prediction” in the middle without flashing the face card of the lower packet. Flip the deck face down.
“Using my spider senses I have located one card which I believe to be the mate of the one your selected. I have reversed it so I can’t change my mind. I have also, as you may have noticed, had a damn good sniff of my choice. Now, let me see….”
Lean over the table and sniff the back of the face down card.
“Hmmmm. You use Evian skin cream and you wear L’Air du Temps, but not today (in your best Hannibal Lecter voice). I think my nose and my intuition are in agreement.”
Pick up the tabled card and show its face. Drop it face up on top of the face down deck and begin spreading down to your face-up prediction. Your prediction is of
course incorrect.
“Hmmm. Well, call me old fashioned but I would have to say that those two cards aren’t mates. I apologise for my incompetence.”
Apparently turn your prediction back face down in the centre but actually carry out a Larreverse. Close up the deck and flip the selection that’s on top face down. Apparently deal this card onto the table as you chat but in fact deal a second. This can just be a Neck Tie Second Deal, you don’t need to do anything flashy as you are on an offbeat.
“Either my spider senses are not working or I am nasally challenged today. You know it worked perfectly last night. This guy picked a different card, the (name the tabled card as you turn it over) Four of Diamonds. I was spot on with my prediction which was its mate, the Four of Hearts.”
Spread through the deck slowly to show the correct mate reversed in the centre. These two changes should come as somewhat of a surprise.
Phase Two
Cut the deck at the face-up card so it ends up on top but keep a Pinkie Break between the halves. Deal the top card face up onto the table next to its mate.
“Let’s try it again but since my nose is off colour today, you can be the Sniffmeister.”
Take the deck in Biddle Grip, holding the break with your thumb. You’re going to now Dribble Force a card on yourself; what fun!
“I’ll pick a card at random which neither of us know.”
Dribble the cards into your left hand while you talk and stop at the break. Pull out the bottom card of the top section and place it on the table, unseen.
Place the left-hand cards on top of the cards in the right hand – you have secretly cut the deck. Now you give the deck an Overhand Shuffle during which you loose the top card. You can either shuffle one off then do a Jog Shuffle to keep the new top card in place. An easier option is to do a Slip Shuffle with the deck held faces towards your left thumb, the fingers slipping off the top card which is at the back. Easier still is a Double Under Cut to lose the top card.
“Now, first your intuition. Please cut off about a third of the deck. Let the force flow through you. Let it surround and bind you.”
When they have done this ask them to drop it face up onto the deck. You are using the Christ Balducci “Cut Deeper Force” to force the top card.
“OK. Now cut a little deeper this time so we are randomising the location completely, relying totally on your intuition.”
They cut off about two thirds and flip that block face up, placing it onto the deck proper again. Now you pick up the deck and spread through it until you reach face down cards.
“You could have picked any of these face up cards…..”
Break the spread below the first face down card (so it’s beneath the face up spread) then turn the rest of the face down cards below it face up and put them back underneath. As you reform the deck out jog the single face down card a little. This leaves just one card face down in the centre and out jogged; the force card.
“Or similarly any of these (as you turn the lower block face up). But you picked this one, which we’ll leave reversed in the deck, just as I did, so you can’t change your mind or con me in any way. Now you just have to confirm your choice by smell. ”
Get them to sniff the face down card on the table and then the out jogged card.
”You happy? You are? WOW, you’re happy sniffing my cards. Freaky.”
Finally reveal the tabled card and the selection match.
Notes
It may happen that when you spread through looking for the mates at the start you can’t find one of them. This means it must be the face down card on the table. Change tack and just remove whichever card you can’t find the mate for, reveal it’s the mate of the tabled card and leave it at that. I know it’s a long shot but it can happen. If you like you can pretend you’re the fastest “clocker” in the world. You call it luck, I call it destiny.
Even better, after you have reversed your prediction, when you turn over the tabled card and spread down through the deck, the cards may indeed match. This means the card you up jogged just happened to be the mate of the tabled card. If this happens you are supremo lucky, but it is a perfect result and makes a 100% impossible trick.
After the Slip Shuffle, or however you lose the top card, the force card is on top so you can use numerous forces such as a Slip Force, Criss Cross Force etc. Any of these will do the job just fine.
The bottom peek idea can be found in The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings by Mike Maxwell in an effect called “Prefiguration” on page 156. The Larreverse can also be found in this book, amongst other places.
The Christ / Balducci “Cut Deeper Force” can be found very well described in Roberto Giobbi's Card College Volume 1.
The Plot Thickens
The next two effects are more “presentational” pieces, both with extensively scripted dialogue and more performance based. If this isn’t your style then I am sure you can adjust the presentations as you wish to something you are more comfortable with. Both effects have mechanics that interest me greatly and I have explored many times.
“Long Dimension Phone Call” looks at a Hammanesque style plot of changing one four of a kind into another and then finding the original four of a kind in various impossible locations. “Alone in the Dark” tries to make what is usually a very dry effect much “wetter”?
Long Dimension Phone Call
Effect
A four of a kind goes through a startling series of changes under the influence of your pan dimensional friend. It’s an everyday story; boy meets girls, boy likes girl, boy does card trick involving pan dimensional friend.
You’ll need your best acting skills for this one if you go for the full presentation. But even if that's not your scene then the story can be simplified as detailed in the Notes section below. The effect is simple in mechanics, a lot of fun and has great impact.
Sleights Rhythm Count
Discrepancy City Display Elmsley Count
Set Up
One Four is inside the card case with the flap closed. A second Four is face down under the card case. One of them should be black and the other red, it doesn't matter which is which. How to achieve this set up? Well, an efficient way is as follows. Have a red and black Four on top of the cased deck. Remove the deck leaving the top card behind in the case. Hold the case above the deck for a moment and as you close the flap you steal away the top card beneath the box and table it to one side. All set.
My favourite and probably the strongest approach is to get the Four’s loaded in and under the case then carry on with a few other tricks that don’t require a full deck. When you are ready to perform “Long Dimension Phone Call”, proceed as below.
Method
Spread through the deck with faces towards you and cut a black Jack to the back. Then go through again up jogging two Fours, a red Jack and a black Jack.
easy to remember. But it's not the Fours that are really of interest, they are just the “medium” for an experiment. It's my friend Tomas that’s really the interesting thing. You see, he lives in a parallel dimension."
Remove the four up jogged cards, then table the deck face down and arrange the four cards without the audience seeing their faces so from the top down, when they are face down, they are red Jack, Four, black Jack, Four. You can do this as you strip them out of the deck if you wish. All you need to remember is interlace the Fours and have the top Jack of the packet the opposite colour to the Jack that you cut to the top of the deck.
"I know you don't believe a word of it, but it's true. He is actually sitting just where you are, the very same spot, the very same time, but in another dimension. Fortunately I can call him on my cell phone, which has dimensional roaming. Let me prove he exists by using these Fours."
As you talk you casually perform Larry Jennings’s excellent "Rhythm Count", placing the cards into a face down pile as you count them. Briefly, holding the packet face down turn over a double showing a Four. Turn the double down and deal the top card to the table. Take off the new top card but hold it face down in your right hand and immediately turn your left hand palm down, showing the face of its packet. Use the single card in the right hand to gesture (tap) this Four. Then rotate your left hand palm up and thumb top card onto the tabled card. As you do this, your right hand turns over and shows the face of the single card it holds, then drops it face down onto the tabled heap. And finally, as it does this the left hand shows the face of the final card, then tables it face down onto the other three. The important thing, as you’ll guess from the name of the count, is the rhythm. It should be a smooth sequence with a back and forth action of the hands so one card is tabled as the next is shown.
When you have finished the count, pick up the top card only of the pile and turn it face up.
"OK. Look, here's a Four. Now although Tomas is not in our dimension, from where he is he can see what we are doing and more importantly he can change things,
move things around. There's no need to get your coat, I am totally sane."
Pick up the deck and get a break under the top card. Drop the Four face down on top.
"I am going to isolate this Four in a position that we are all clear about; me, you and Tomas. I'll put it here in the middle of the deck."
Double lift and then rotate the hand holding the deck palm down. Push the double face down into the middle of the face up deck, leaving it protruding from the front end for about 1/3 of its length. Keep the hand holding the deck in this position, palm down. With your other hand get out your mobile phone and pretend to dial a number. Then do your best "talking to someone on a phone" impression.
"Hello? Tomas! Hi! How is everything over there? Excellent. I see you have been helping Copperfield out again. Yeah, I know, it pays the bills. So, you got time to help me out. I have a "non believer" here."
Hold the phone against your chest for a moment, so that "Tomas" can't hear and then address the spectator.
"OK. He's ready. You ready? Good."
Back on the phone again.
"OK my pan dimensional friend. You see the Four of Clubs sticking face down out of the deck? If you could do your thing and substitute a Jack for it that would be a good start."
Pause.
"You done? Excellent."
Rotate your hand holding the deck palm up to show a Jack sticking out of the deck. This is of course the face card of a double. Clip the phone between your shoulder and
the side of your head for a second as you need your hand free to remove the card. As you go to pull the Jack out, push the Four that’s beneath it back flush into the deck with your fingers beneath. The left 1st finger also reaches out from underneath
to aid pulling this card in flush (the mechanics of the Push In Change). Drop the Jack face up onto the pile of three cards, supposedly Fours.
Look at the spectator and raise your eyebrows in an "I told you so" expression. Then go back on the phone.
"Nice job Tomas. You did what? My my, you are feeling energetic. Just a moment then."
Address the spectator as you put the phone down.
"Apparently he changed all of them to Jack's. What a show off."
Put the deck aside for a moment and pick up the small packet, flipping it over face up. You will now do John Bannon's "Discrepancy City Display" to show four Jacks. Elmsley Count, out jogging the face down card. At the end of the count, strip out the face down card and drop it face up on top. John’s sequence looks extremely convincing that four Jacks were shown. Smile at the spectator and raise your eyebrows again, then pick up the phone.
"Show boater. What's that? OK, that's cool. Give me a sec."
Put the phone down and flip the packet you hold face down.
"He wants you to take one of the Jacks and put your hand on top of it."
Deal the top card face down onto the table and have the spectator cover it with their hand. Back on the phone...
"OK. We got one of the Jack's picked out. No, we don't know which one it is, you said not to look. OK. (To spectator) He says turn up the other three and work out which one is under your hand. Er, we got Jacks of Hearts, Clubs and Spades so it's a
Diamond under there. Oh, OK, cool!"
Put the phone down.
"He says he just changed that Jack for one of the Fours that disappeared earlier. Did you feel anything? Well, take a look."
They turn over the card to find one of the missing Fours. Pick up the phone again.
"Thanks Tomas. I think we have a believer here now. You what? Yeah, actually I am kind of curious where you put the other Fours. They are where? (To spectator) He asked if I wondered where the other Fours disappeared too. You won't believe this. He says there's one in the middle of the pack over there, the wrong way up. Can you have a look? There is! Ha ha. There's one under the card case..."
Pick up the card case yourself to show the face down card underneath it. Ask the spectator to pick up the card and check that it's a Four.
"And the final one is inside the case. No way!"
Ask the spectator to look inside the case and take out the card. They find the final Four which you then drop face up with the others. You end clean but with a large pan dimensional phone bill.
Notes
Larry Jennings wonderful “Rhythm Count” can be found explained in detail in The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings by Mike Maxwell in the effect “Uni-Flection” on page 184. In his various lecture notes Allan Ackerman also details a series of alternative counts based on the Rhythm Count that could be used in this routine.
John Bannon’s “Discrepancy City Display” can be found in his book Impossiblia in the effect entitled “Discrepancy City Prediction“ on page 4.
“The Elmsley Count” by Alex Elmsley can similarly be found in Mr Giobbi’s book, this time in Card College Volume 2, amongst other numerous places.
Alone in the Dark
Effect
A story telling plot in which a card that is only in the spectators mind finds itself.
Sleights None
Comments
This routine has two interesting points. Firstly, the mechanics of the location method used are both fooling and open to many adjustments with respect to other procedures (see also “Sunken 21”). Secondly, the patter attempts to make what is generally a very “dry” effect, an impossible location, have an emotional impact on the spectator. The somewhat narrative patter can of course be adjusted to whatever you like, but it is designed to draw the spectator in to the plot.
Method
Take a shuffled deck and peek the top and bottom cards. If, like me, you don’t trust your memory, just arrange to have two mates top and bottom, such as the red Aces. Place the deck on the table in front of your spectator.
“Imagine you’re in a classroom as the teacher, all the children are there. It’s bright and noisy. On the desk in front of you is a deck of cards. Now, I ‘d like you to pick up the deck and from out of the centre pull a block of cards, a decent chunk.”
You want them to take around 15 - 25 cards but there is no specific amount or constraints. As long as they pull a block from out of the middle leaving your key cards in place you are fine. As an alternative you could get them to cut the deck in three piles and use the middle one, reforming the remaining two portions so the key cards are still top and bottom.
“By taking them from the centre they are completely random. Now, count the cards you have. Twenty?Fiine. Imagine writing "20" on the blackboard behind you in big white letters so everyone can see. Then shuffle the twenty cards and think for a
