The Ambitious Card

Brought to you by The Magic Anachist

TheMagicAnarchist.com

Effect: A signed selected card rises to the top of the deck under increasingly impossible
conditions.

Preparation: All you need is a deck of cards and a marker and you're ready to go.

Method And Performance: Begin by having a card selected and signed by a spectator. As he's
doing this you'll need to get a break above the bottom two cards of the deck. The easy way to do
this is to spread the cards between your hands for the selection and in the action of squaring pick
up a left little finger break above the bottom two cards. Now transfer the deck to the right hand so
the right thumb is holding the break at the rear as in Photo A.

(Photo A)

Swivel or Pivot cut the top half of the pack into the left hand and have the selection placed face
down there. Use your left thumb to guide the selection over to the right, then use the right half of
the deck to flip the selection face up. Say you want them to see that it really is their card.

Reverse the actions above to turn the selection face down. The right fingers come over and begin
to push the selection forward as in Photo B.

(Photo B)

When the right hand cards are square with the left hand cards, allow the two cards below the
right thumb to drop and coalesce with the left half pack. The selection is now protruding about
half its length from the front with two cards above it.

Immediately your left wrist rotates clockwise to show the face of the selection one last time. Photo
C.
 (Photo C)

The right middle finger then pushes the card flush, and the left hand turns face up once more.

As far as the audience is concerned the top card of the left hand half is the selection. Actually it's
now third from the top.

The left thumb now pushes the supposed selection to the right and into the center of the right half
deck as in Photo D.

(Photo D)

The left thumb then splits its half as in Photo E

(Photo E)

and the right half is placed into this break. Photo F.

(Photo F)

Push everything square as you talk about how in the middle the selection is.

Snap your fingers and double lift to show the selection on top. If you're not familiar with the
double lift, see Afterthoughts.
Turn the double back to a face down position and insert the apparent selection cleanly into the
middle of the deck. Snap again to show it has risen to the top.

Raise the selection with your right hand, and as you talk about how you want them to realize that
it really is their card that goes in the middle, your left hand gets ready for the Vernon/Marlo Tilt
move. Briefly: The left thumb pushes the top card over allowing the pinkie to push up beneath it.
The card is then held as in Photo G.

(Photo G)

This is tricky to explain but relatively easy to do as a few trials will show you.

The selection is now pushed into the rear of this break as in Photo H.

(Photo H)

Even though the selection is only going beneath the top card, the illusion that it's being pushed
into the middle is perfect.

Snap your fingers once again and double lift to show the selection has returned to the top.

You will now prepare for the finale by bending the double in half as in Photo I.

(Photo I)

Announce that this way there can be no doubt that this is the selection as it's the only card that's
bent. Turn the bent double face down. Your left hand now takes half the deck away from below
and drags the top, indifferent card, onto its half. Photo J.
 (Photo J)

Notice the right index finger holds the bent selection flat on top of the right hand half.

Exhibit the bent card on the left hand half, then cover it with the right hand cards. The left fingers
and heel of the hand apply pressure to the sides of the bent selection keeping it flat. Snap your
fingers and release this pressure allowing the card to bend upwards. This is a striking display, as
it seems as if the bent selection has visibly risen to the top.

Afterthoughts: Admittedly this a rudimentary Ambitious Card routine, but its real aim is to
introduce the new student of magic to the many possibilities. The Ambitious Card is universal in
appeal and is one of the best card effects of all time. For those unfamiliar with the double lift, and
for anyone wishing to explore the many shapes this plot can take, I strongly recommend
purchasing Daryl's Ambitious Card DVD located on the Gear page. This is a must have for any
serious card magician, and his Ultimate Ambition finish is alone worth the cost of admission.

For more great Magic Anarchy visit us at http://www.TheMagicAnarchist.com