EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC by BILL SIMON First Edition Edited by JEAN HUGARD With Ninety-Six Illustrations by STANLEY JAKS LOUIS TANNEN 1540 Broadway New York, New York 10036COPYRIGHT, 1952, BY LOUIS TANNEN Copyright io Canada and in all counties siting tothe Berne Convention, All rights reserved. No part of this book, text oF illustrations, may be reproduced in any form ‘without the written permission of the publisher, Printed in the USA. — Dedication... To my most wonderful, most patient parents, who have selected thousands of cards several of which I've located.Foreword You look back at the book, after it's written, and you try to think of where it started . .. you think it may have started when you first learned the double-lift, or when you invented your first trick, or some day four years ago when Jean Hugard saw you do a few tricks, and said: “If you have a few dozen more like those, maybe some day we'll write a book.” You don’t know just where it began, but you do know those who made it possible, and with deep fecling you thank: Jean Hucann Srantey S. JAKs ‘Manin GaRONER and Louis TaNNEN BILL SIMON April, 1952 viiIntroduction By MARTIN GARDNER ‘The progress card magic has made in the United States since the turn of the century is almost unbelievable. In 1900 the double lift was such an obscure, unknown: sleight that Erdnase did ‘Rot even mention it in cards as one). Since Erdnase’s time, hundreds of new and useful moves have been invented, and the number of effects devised in the last quarter century alone must run into tens of thousands, What individuals have played the leading roles in this fantastic devel Gpment? It is hard to know. Some of the most original minds — Dai Vernon, Dr. Daley, Cardini, Charlie Miller, John Scare, and ether does, no one has the slightest notion where it originally came from On the other hand, many other equally creative minds — Jordan, Merlin, R. W. Hull, Annemann, to mention only a few-—have recorded for posterity the results of their ingenuity, In later years, Radic Marlo bas given us an incredible output of fresh, original material. Card Con. toh by Arthur Buckley, and The Card Magic of Le Paul are two othe, recent books which have greatly enriched the literature of cand magic. Nor must we overlook the compilers, The task of bringing together sleights and effects, which might otherwise remain relatively unknown, or be forgotten, is in itself no small creative task. Certainly no one in the history of card magic has equaled Jean Hugard in thie respect. His Gard Manipulations series, Encyclopedia of Card Tricks, and of coune Expert Card Technique (in collaboration with Fred Braue) stand as ‘major landmarks in the history of card literature. In this volume Jean Hugard has combined his great talent for exposi- tion with one of the youngest, most creative minds in card magic. In the last few years Bill Simon has achieved an astonishing mastery of the Dedlum, His mind is constantly probing for new and subtler moves, and pold effects which break fresh paths in the card jungle. In this beck he has given generously the fruits of his thinking and experience. ‘The result vill mrtionesisnnctense ise ard ook almost certain to become one of the basic texts of modern c: isa conjuring. ; Mt English philosopher John Stuart Mill declared in his ast oe, oo that at the age of twenty he once brooded about te a anber of melodies which could be constructed out of the not a eee seale, He feared that before long all the better see aha 1 imag card magician has a imagine that more than one nagici eee expresed a similar fear about the possibilities of new effects time oF with a deck of fifty-two cards. ; You have only to read this book to realize such fears are groundless. ou ix| i | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD INTRODUCTION . OBSERVATIONS .. I CHOICE TRICKS Il THE SECOND DEAL AND TRICKS WITH THE SECOND DEAL .2........-5 ee III NEW SLEIGHTS AND TRICKS THEREWITH . IV_ INTERLUDES (QUICK TRICKS) V MORE CHOICE TRICKS VI SHUFFLES AND CUTS 13 29Observations Specialization ‘This is an age of specialists. The specialization in magic runs the gamut from a full evening performer to the one who has only thirty seconds to dress up a quick television commercial. The magical specialty we are concerned with in this work is that of cards. Sleight of hand is, perhaps, the most intriguing branch of magic, and canis are probably the most interesting branch of sleight of hand. This is undoubtedly due to the challenge factor: Cards, and their endless possibilities. 'm going to discuss various aspects of cards, card magic. and magic in general. ‘These are many thoughts I've had or developed on the sub- jects, and I'll try to present these observations as I have probably done hundreds of times during conversations I've had with other magicians The Importance of Practice In almost every magic book, and inevitably one which discusses sleight of hand, something is mentioned about the necessity for practice. The subject of practice can be thrown away in 2 terse paragraph, or it can be written into half a book. The best thing I ever read about practicing and practice habits was in Jack Merlin’s excellent card book: “... And a Pack of Cards.” Merlin wrote that he practiced because he enjoyed practicing. It wasn't a labor, it was love—of magic—and a personal pleasure (maybe even entertainment) that Merlin derived. This is the way it should be. If you wish to develop the ability to excel at something as technical as cards, you must practice; if you must force yourself to it, you are going to get little out of it; if you find that you dislike practice ‘and cannot get at it, then why not adjust your magical interests to the many fields that require a minimum of practice effort? 13et eee ta Practice i necess ‘ary only to the extent that wo rats ne : ‘ hat you are suitably prepared = wp loom m mn vly a particular trick or tricks. Doing ick anes 4 ins good magic, but wil be on ic, but will embarrass the would-be performed Never attemy fidently ll able to perform con, ; a Practice doesn’t mean the attempt to do a dificult maneuver in a F S difficult mannes i iner: practice means perfecting slei they are cleanly and indetectbly done. You nese Practice “wrong.” If you practice “right,” crate cane.” HE you practice “righ es love you wish to learn and you own hands. You should understand a m ipt_a trick you aren't perfectly wel tu may practice “right” or this means that you have have adapted the move to * ; erwise, you may put a lot of Band by i erersight, lear the incorrect method of doing the 4 To learn it : canons to do it correctly would now become twice time practicing, you would find that the Tete eo move is not performed cleanly, and re-practice it, would take a lot of time Position, or angle, or timin, ‘wrong” practice, i The Necessity of Trial aa cffect in print, seems (many times) to be a d ‘quence of events. To appreciate any of th through and see what they Joo ter ‘A card is selected, replaced clan’s pocket,” but j lull and uninteresting iate any c tricks, you must run k lke in action. Tt may seem dry to read: asa live, inexplicable a ; event, in Dlack and white UBSERVA LIONS Understanding Theory ‘To appreciate an effect best, you should understand thoroughly’ the theories upon which it has been based. In some tricks, I have given an explanation of the theory behind the trick instead of an explanation of the trick as you would perform it before an audience. For example, the Coincidence effect, Chapter I, is explained by using an arrangement of cards you would not possibly use before your audience. This is done simply to present the working action of the effect before you in as clear ‘a manner as possible. Understand the theories and your effects will have a full and free flowing spontaneity that smacks of unpremeditated Magic. The Importance of Studying Simple Moves Never overestimate a move or your ability to perform it. Even the socalled “easy” moves are often done very poorly. I remember hearing Dr. Daley remark that there were perhaps only five men in the United States who could perform the Glide properly. At first thought, you may think this observation too pessimistic, for certainly the Glide is simple of operation. True, but it can still be performed poorly. How many times hhave you seen a magician use the Glide in a trick? And of these times, how many times was it done in such a manner that you weren't aware of its being done? Possibly never! Too many magicians take a move as simple as the Glide for granted because of its case of operation. They may think they are getting away with it, but in most cases they only succeed in fooling themselves. Learn every move so that you perform it in as natural a way as posible. Let me illustrate this point. To do the Glide naturally, first hold the deck in Glide position. Now actually remove the bottom card of the deck, as you normally would remove it. Reproduce these exact movements when you actually do the Glide, and you will be doing the move correctly. Perfect imitation of the normal procedure results in, the best sleight of hand. Naturalness of handling is the result for which you must strive, When drawing a card from the bottom of the deck, and when apparently drawing a card from the bottom of the deck, (gliding) both handlings should be as alike as pasible. A good way to acquire naturalness is always to go through them without using the necessary moves to accom- plish the effect. Perform it as if you did not need sleight of hand to assist you in accomplishing it. In this way, you will be able to observe ‘what the normal actions should be—what your audience will apparently sec. This is the visual goal you must reproduce,: EFPrOTIVE CARD MAGIC Manipulation abe Bee 2 Card workers have been partaking in an endless argument: should 4 card magician do flourishes and manipulations; or only card effects? & Will one weaken the other? Are they complimentary? This argument’® will probably never be fully determined. It is all a matter of individual taste. T inow of one card man who will not fan the deck for a selection = of card. He feels that any display of skill with cards will detract from the strength of his effects. I know of another who precedes all of his ~ effects with a quick display of one-handed cuts, fans, manipulations and > armspreads, Who is right? 1 imagine they both are. Personally, I don't | do many flourishes or manipulations, This may be due to the fact that Thave little use for these things, as most of my card work is done close-up 5 with little chance or opportunity of displaying these peculiar skills, I do 3 feel, however, that cards should always be handled neatly, and that | certain so-called flourishes add rather subtract from certain effects. I = don't think that fan productions, and other manipulative routines are i ‘appropriate to the performance of close-up effects with cards, Manipula- # tions are rather impersonal exhibitions of certain skills with cards—they usually lack plots, An example would simply be that in performing arm- spreads the spectators get little actual effect, but do appreciate the Jugglery and skill involved. It is up to the individual to decide which is the best policy to follow, but keep in mind that anything done well (be it with a deck of cards, or a machinist’s lathe) is invariably of in- terest to people. ena igitar ap Technicalities Cards and card magic are, as subjects, as involved and technical as almost any branch of engineering. If you were to give a layman two books, one on engineering, and the other on cards (for example, EX- PERT CARD TECHNIQUE, or THE EXPERT AT THE CARD TABLE), the layman would find them both equally difficult to his un- trained mind. Realize that magic in general, and cards in particular, are complete and intensive subjects. They have their own language, their own technical descriptions, their own formulae, their own symbol, and every other possible tool of an independent study or profession Appreciating this you can better acknowledge that thorough understand. ing and mastery of the subject must be obtained before you would attempt to utilize any of the principles. After all, you wouldn’t expect 4 student of physics to branch out and start independent studies and x a a a OBSERVATIONS v7 ind in the subject. Why then, rims before he had a backgrou: cr veudent of magic attempt to perforin before he understands the cia and develops the ability to handle it properly? ® : et Maskelyne wrote ‘that magic is an art, and most Secsealy tit seni fu performance, the stimulation of illusion is activated. If a magi 5 7 er caaee the experiencing of illusion for his spectators, then Ae asa magician and his mage fails as an art. T ms age wih te i any years ago. Can you ims hnts written by Maskelyne so many years imagine aa dual going to a concert and listening to a erst os a m ecuring a violin and attempting enuhin; then visualize this party s ng @ ‘ 7 peng ae jlicate this master’s skill? Of course, this is ludicrous; yet, he _ = Ly wr rcans see a trick and immediately attempt to perform it? How sald a magician posibly expect to get a8 mich out of ek a er it, practiced it, made it a part of er who has thoroughly learned it, practiced it t howal? was of illusion could he create as he'd stutter and jerk through an unrehearsed, badly performed effect? ‘The aphorism, “Art is in the doing,” stil holds true. But before art, there must be the learning-studying-practicing elements. The Art of Presentation INE IMM Jean Hugard, who has done such an excellent job in caine : Ane bas given most of the patter and presentations with each effect. nae want to overlook Jean’s excellent work, bat J would recommen - t his suggestions to suit yourself. What is i one pe es be silted for ancther This alo holds true when sorted to misdirection. A gesture or mannerism that is natural to en Po may be obvious or noticeable when used by someone else. ee fl of our best card men, has his ever-present cigar. Perhaps reaching fo a match, or flicking off the ash fits him perfectly for misdirection in certain effects. In Scarne’s hands, this is natural, for the cigar, and its cds area part of him and bis make-up, Tf someone ee were to we the same gestures, they might not fit. Consider this when yeu pres fn efiect, Adapt the presentation and misdirection to suit yoursel In considering misdirection, I’m reminded of an amusing frameset ‘An excellent card man and several magicians were having @ “session’ together one night. The card man wanted to reverse the bottom card, and to do this undetected. This is a difficult maneuver when it must be Performed under the relentless gaze of many magicians’ eyes. Actually, & reversed card was to be used in this magician’s next trick, but theeee nna ne mene 18 n-geT CA MA success of the trick depended upon the spectators not suspecting a pre- viously reversed card. He reversed the card by telling a joke! This is how he went about it. He told an amusing story, and when the punch line came, he seemed to enjoy it as much as the people he was telling it to. He laughed and raised his hands (which, incidentally, happened to be holding the deck of cards) almost to head-height in a full, laughing gesture; it was at this instant that he reversed the card! I don’t suggest that you, or anyone else, adopt this method for re- versing a card; but I want to point out that this man was confronted with a problem (performing a detectable maneuver under scrutiny) and he solved it with exceptional resourcefulness. He baffled practically everyone present—primarily because no one could figure out how he reversed the card, Spontaneous Resourcefulness Resourcefulness will depend upon your imagination or experience. If you are naturally resourceful there is probably no situation from which you cannot extricate yourself, but regardless of how clever you may be with a deck of cards, or how much time you spend on a particular trick, you can never foretell when something may not work as you had antici- pated. For example, your spectator may be the “wise-guy” type, or the challenge type. Or, you may lose control of the cards; perhaps the deck will slip and scatter. Anyone of 2 hundred things may interfere with a particular trick. If you are resourceful, you can bring the effect smoothly to a satisfactory conclusion. If you do not possess natural resourcefulness, you should attempt to develop it in yourself to some degree. Charles Hopkins wrote 2 book that will give the student a certain amount of background in this sort of thing: “Outs, Precautions, and Challenges.” Reading it will teach you several dependable devices you may call upon to come to your rescue at some unexpected moment, Experience, however, will be your best teacher. An interesting way to prepare yourself for unexpected incidents is to assume that you were doing a certain trick and something (any defeating action) occurred that would interfere with the successful conclusion of your trick. Starting from that point, say: “What can I do now to end this trick successfully?” Then, simply think out as many possible ways as you can, Take the best way you have discovered, smooth it out, and tuck it away in the back of your mind for use in a future emergency. ee tH Conjurer vs. Gambler Professional gamblers are legendary for thei skill, really a professional card cheat possesses an extremely high degree of skill in a very limited field, He may, perhaps, only use two moves in his entire lifetime, but these he either practices or uses every day, and docs them as perfectly as possible. AUl his time and effort (practice time, and practice effort) are devoted to keeping these moves “alive.” The professional fears growing “stale,” and mustn’t allow himself to slip. In instances, you may find a professional with great versatility. He may have perfected many or possibly all gambling moves with a deck of cards, but this is in the minority of cases, because talent of this kind is largely wasted. The professional gambler is generally interested only in learning and doing the things that “get the money.” Iam mentioning this specialization, in moves, so that you may realize and understand why the professional gambler is exceptional in what he does with cards. Keep in mind, he usually does a limited number of things. Apply the professional's principles to yourself. Do well whatever you desire; don't learn and practice things for which you have Ettle or no use. In this way, you will build up a repertoire consisting of strong effects well-performed. Any trick done well is worth many times any trick done poorly. This invites the statement: a poor trick, done well, js worth many, many times a good trick done badly. This can be argued pro and con, but in the final analysis, when you do a good trick badly you have nothing; when you do 2 poor trick well, you don’t have a good trick, but you do have a trick. The ideal situation is to do all your tricks well, and attempt to do only the better, more effective tricks. The Best Magic In a basic pamphlet I wrote, “Controlled Miracles,” I suggested that the best magic was that which combined sleight of hand with subtlety. 1 am still convinced that this combination produces the most effective magic. An effect overburdened with sleight of hand is usually cumber- some to perform and quite involved. An effect completely subtle in nature is usually dull in effect. Sleight of hand effects are usually (so far as effect is concerned) sharp, clear, piercing, and direct. By com- ining sleight of hand with subtlety we try to blend the effectiveness of sleight of hand with the ease of performance the subtle method permits20 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC Handling Good handling is worth far more, from the viewpoint of deception, than good sleight of hand. Handling is the act of doing or performing sleight or move under the guise of performing some open action. A simple example of handling would be this: assume you wanted to get a break over the four bottom cards. To do this by sleight of hand, you would probably be holding the deck squared in your left hand; you would then thumb count the four cards from the bottom of the deck with your right thumb at the rear of the deck, performing the “count” action, and you would then secure the break with your left litle finger. To get the same result with handling, you would spread the deck face down from left to right between your hands saying, for example: “It is imposible for me to know the position of any card in the deck at this point, isn’t it?” As the cards are spread from left to right, you would run through them until near the bottom, then secure a break with your left litde finger over the four bottom cards, the deck stil spread, and then square the deck up into the left hand, retaining your break. ‘The result would be the same. You would have your break over the four bottom cards; but using handling is not only safer, and easier, itis also more natural, By using the pure sleight of hand method to accomplish this, you could possibly miss (two cards may stick together during your thumb count, giving you a break at five instead of four cards). Using sleight of hand also necessitates a move. Whenever you can eliminate a move, you usually make the effect easier for the spectators to follow and simpler to perform. Cultivating Originality in Presentation In all the card work you do, as well as whatever tricks you may secure by reading this book, adapt all of the tricks to yourself and experiment to see if you can’t make them simpler, more direct, easier to handle according to your own standards. By doing this, you will find yourself doing magic which is better adapted to your own personality. Unprepared Cards i, Ove Principe that Ihave used asa guiding peint in writing this book ig Tate he material to effects done with ordinary playing cards. 7 ave me fosh against using outside gimmicks or devices, nor do I best the rum against using trick decks. It is just that T feel it only fair, in ied @ book on cards, to keep it within the scope of ordinary cards, se an encroachment on the possibilities of trick cards is unfair to i OBSERVATIONS Qu the reader, Card tricks, with trick cards or decks are complete in them- selves and anything I could say or write about them would not add very much to what has already been done with them. One thought persists, however, and that is that most effects possible with trick cards or decks can be reproduced with ordinary cards, Of course, this is assuming that the effect done with a trick deck is of such @ nature as to give laymen the impression that an ordinary deck is used. For example, in using a Stripper Deck, you may get the effect of apparently cutting to the four ‘aces, oF a spectator’s card, or whatever you wish. These same effects may be reproduced with an ordinary deck. ‘The laymen should have no sus- picion that a trick deck is used when utilizing the Stripper Deck. On the other hand, if you were to do a trick with the Svengali Deck, the laymen, upon seeing all the different cards of the deck suddenly change into one card, would assume that no ordinary deck was used. And this effect, of course, could not be reproduced with an ordinary deck T have made several statements in this commentary which may invite argument, such as this Jast mentioned. I think it is a good quality for statements to be of controversial nature in a book of this sort; as a matter of fact, if this weren't so, then many of the statements would be so obvi- ‘ously understood, that they would not be worth mentioning. I know many will come up with comments that there are certain effects which ‘can’t be reproduced, exactly, with ordinary cards. I take the stand that most effects can be reproduced, with the qualification that it must be of such a nature as to give the impression that only ordinary cards are used, You may not be able to reproduce the color changing deck effect if you were only to use an ordinary deck of 52 playing cards with no extra devices, but when spectators see a color changing deck routine, they may be completely mystified as to the method involved, but you can be certain that they are aware of the fact that something other than an ordinary deck was utilized in accomplishing the effect. Present Day Sophistication ‘You must not underestimate the observation powers of your audience. ‘Today's audiences are more sophisticated than they were years ago. The best in entertainment of all kinds is available to them merely by a turn ing of a dial on a radio or television set. Not only is the best of enter~ tainment theits for the asking, but it is offered in such profuse quantity, that after a short time, it is amazing how selective audiences become. Years ago, the bulk of our population didn’t and couldn't come into contact with the latest songsmiths, the finest gagsters, and the more22 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC brilliant dramatic presentations. Today, audiences are well informed ‘They have advanced far beyond the once estimated mental-audience age of twelve. You can’t expect them to believe that your magical effects are done by highly secret, unnatural means. In fact, your best approach to entertain your audience with magic or cards being your medium, Don’t run the risk of insulting the intelligence of your audience. Audience Participation ‘The most effective tricks are those in which your audience takes an active part. For example, when the card is selected let the deck be held in their hands, or let them do the shuffling, or permit your spectator to hold the deck as you “conjure” the ambitious card to the top of the deck. These minor points make an ordinary card trick many times more effective than if the magician were to have the deck well engulfed in his own clutch during the entire course of a trick. Play up the “fairness” angle, underplay the “working” moments when you must have the deck under your control or must perform some manipulation, All of these touches must be added by the individual, Examples of them will be found in some of the effects described in this volume, but it is up to the individual to adopt these points to suit his own pres- entations. Patter Thave already suggested that patter be adopted to the individual. If you are fortunate enough to have the amusing style of Karrell Fox, by all means strive for comedy in your presentations. If you have the dynamic style of Francis Carlyle, punch home your effects. Dai Vernon, for example, has a smooth, pleasant manner, which is somewhat dis- arming, for you don’t expect the surprise you experience when the effect unfolds and some completely inexplicable result confronts you, Don't step out of your own character or personality (or the character or per- sonality you are building). A comedian who suddenly turns somber, or a serious performer suddenly turned comic, many times catches his audience unprepared for the change, and the result can be disappointing, I remember seeing a tall, dask-haired magician, who is clever with cards, do an ambitious card effect. This man, who has a scholarly manner and appearance, started talking to the cards (as part of his Presentation) and conversed with the ambitious card, commanding it to OBSERVATIONS. 2 do certain things. He then went through the motions of “invisibly winding up the deck” so that the ambitious card could be spirited to the top. I don’t know whether his presentation was to be amusing or some- thing else, but it was funny in a sad way. He was attempting a “cute” type of presentation which would have been extremely effective in the hands of a boy of ten; done by him, it just didn’t come off. The specta- tors didn’t know whether he was joking, or serious. They got the im- pression that he was “working down” to them and they were unim- pressed, uncomfortable, and unhappy because of it It is quite logical to tell a story with an effect, even a fanciful tale, but don't present “poltergeists, spooks, fairies, etc.,” to your audience in a credible manner. If you want to bring in unnatural things. plainly tell your spectators that “this is a tale as I heard it.” instead uf “this is as it is” Don’t do tricks “to” your audience; do tricks “for” them I wrote that Francis Carlyle is a dynamic performer. This is very true. One of the main reasons for his success is that he eniphasizes, re-emphasizes, and over-emphasizes his effects, When he po forms, there can be no doubt as to what the effect is: what has orcurred. He makes his effects clear-cut, straightforward, and positively certain. If he changes & red card into @ black card, you can be sure that everyone is fully aware of what the card was before the change, and what the card has changed to. How many times have you seen a magician do the English penny and half-dollar transposition? Or a transposition of two cards? And how many times has the effect been so blurred and indefinite that the spectators weren’t even aware of what has taken place? Well, this can never happen when Carlyle performs. Everyone watching is clearly told what he is doing (or apparently doing); they clearly watch the progression of the effect, and they are definitely aware of what hes (or what has apparently) transpired when the effect is concluded. For example, in doing a simple card transposition, Carlyle would say: “I am handing you the Ace of Spades. Now hold it tightly in your hands, Do you know what card you are holding? (Spectator nods.) It is the Ace ‘of Spades, isn't it? (Spectator says "Yes".) Now, I will hold the 5H in my hand. (Shows it, and holds face down in his hand.) What card do you hold? (Spectator says “Ace of Spades”.) And what card do T hold? (Spectator says “Five of Hearts.) Now, is there any possible doubt in your mind that you now hold the Ace and I hold the five? (How could there possibly be, with all this emphasis?) Watch, when I snap my card, it will actually change places with yours. (He snaps card and cards are shown to have transposed).” Climax!24 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC The effect is clear and definite, In reading his patter, it may appear childishly simple; but years of experience have proved to Carlyle that nothing, in an effect, must be taken for granted. Everything must be so lear that there can be no doubt as to what is happening. Follow Carlyle’s practice, and your effects will be stronger. Poker Cards vs. Bridge Cards Many magicians insist that one size card is supetior over another size. ‘Actually, you should use whatever size cardls you find easiest to handle. Everyone's hand is shaped differently, and the texture and moistures differ as well. Each must adopt according to his own individual needs. Personally, I prefer poker sized cards over bridge sized cards, for the following reasons: 1. They are slightly larger and therefore have greater visibility over the smaller cards when performing for large groups. 2. Because of their extra width, they are easier to rifleshutMe 3. They fit my palm more snugly than bridge sized cards. 4, The standard brands of poker sized cards wre usually manufac- tured on finer stock, and are better finished. Thus, the poker sized cards usually last longer, and have more life in them, 5, If I were only to practice and use bridge sized cards, when offered 1 poker sized deck to do tricks with a borrowed pack, I would experience greater difficulty in using the larger cards. After using poker sized cards, bridge cards feel small and easier to handle; after using only bridge sized cards, the poker cards feel much too large, and itis difficult to use them if one is trained to the smaller cards 6. Much gambling work, such as crimps and waves, are held better in poker cards than in bridge cards. One of the reasons for this is that the extra width of the poker sized cards gives a greater surface to “put the work in”; the “work” is usually less detectable on the broader card. ‘These reasons are just a few factors which influence my use of poker sized cards, but keep this thought in mind: regardless of what my reasons for using poker sized cards are, these may not outweigh the disadvantages this sized card has for you. The important thing, in making your choice, will depend upon the size, shape, and texture of your hand, and your particular needs. OBSERVATIONS 25 Accessories Dr. Jaks, one of our finest mentalists, has a genius for adapting and using unique props in his close-up presentations. In a certain card effect, he shows a box which is obviously antique in nature, and he says that he found it in a bazaar when he was in Egypt. The box is then used as a prop, a piece of setting, for the effect. It is surprising how people are intrigued by something of this nature. When unusual objects, which bespeak of age, mystery, and far-off places are used, many simple effects are glamorized. An ordinary effect becomes far more interesting and intriguing when performed with this “build-up.” Don't underestimate the power these novel additions will add to your effects. Some of our ‘most wonderful card artists have adopted novelties wherever posible. Dai Vernon told me of an amusing idea he emptoyed years ago. When asked to do some card work, the genial Vernon would say: “For this particular effect, I must borrow someone's glasses; anyone's will do, but T must wear a pair of glasses.” He would then borrow the glasses, put them on, and perform some wonderful card miracle, One of the addi- tional puzaling features of Vernon’s effect would be “why did he need a pair of glasses to do this?” You may be certain that Vernon didn't need the use of glasses, but he got a kick out of doing the trick with glasses on, thus creating an additional problem in the minds of the spec tators. As a matter of fact, Vernon said that in instances where he would borrow glasses from some generous but very myopic person, he would do this effect practically devoid of any semblance of normal sight, and thus add to his own difficulties! Novelty may be added in many forms other than props or devices. For example, the addition of some gambler’s jargon and expressions will add color and prestige to your gambling routines. A little research will give you the necessary information. Knowledge of the history of playing cards, their first functions, their development, etc., will prove topical in your card work, Whatever may enhance your performance, should be adopted. Make up your mind now whether you want to be a magician with a deck of cards, or “a guy who does some card tricks.” If you want to be recog- nized as the former, don’t neglect small details. Take the time and extra effort necessary to add so much to your effects. Originality Most of today’s motion pictures include something to the effect that “any relation to persons living or dead is purely coincidental” in the title reels, Most of today’s magic books include “all of the things in this bookave believed to be original, but many tines (ve ae more anagicians have the same thoughts, ete.” ‘This is the point, Limuagine, where Tanust “de late mysell. “Yo avoid misunderstandings as to the material in this book, T believe that most of the items have been developed by myself, or in collaboration with other magicians. Credit will be given wherever justified, ‘Of course, I have borrowed starting points in many of my effects and moves from the “Ocean of Magic” which is “public property.” I feel that by making a trick stronger in effect, or casier to perform, I am justified in claiming the origin of whatever I have added to the particular effect. If my ideas prove to be similar to another’, Iam cer- tain that we both should feel no doubts or losses. I have come by most of my ideas during research, study, by trial-and-error, and by chance. “These four modes, I am sure, have governed inventions far more im- portant than card tricks. T write all this as a sort of protection, not that I think that it is portant, but because it is necessary in all subjects which are as prolific as card magic. In all technical books there must be a starting point. As has been pointed out, cards must be considered a detailed and technical study. This is not a basic book on cards, therefore it must be taken for granted that the student has some knowledge of cards, magic, tricks, or card tricks, (Assuming that the avid student has no knowledge of these things, Tatil am sure that a careful study will result in his getting much out of this book.) ‘This is so that you will understand why certain very basic moves have not been given. For instance, I feel it would be unfair to take valuable space in describing the double-lift when this has been done so many times before, and probably in better fashion than J could present. T have described moves where I feel that the move is new, and more important, worthwhile. T don’t feel justified in describing standard or wellknown moves, or moves that are available in the excellent texts already written on the subject. You will find: “Use your favorite method to do this,” in some places; after all, you may find “your favorite method” as desirable or more desirable than the method given herein. In brief, you are urged to make whatever changes in the effects necessary to im- prove them or make them easier for you to handle, Do not hesitate to make whatever adjustments you feel will improve an effect. You will find all of the effects completely described, and the handling I personally use on most of them. Make my methods your starting point. In this Pee a area eee PART I Choice Tricksane nent sce ee RS SR epee ceensr reer Choice Tricks COINCIDENCE Errecr: Shuflling deck, magician has it cut into a face up and a face down packet. Spectator touches any card in face down packet and leaves it sticking out but still in original position, Fig. 1. Performer re- moves cards from both packets at same time till the protruding card is reached, Card frem face up and from face down packet are removed and shown to be the same color and value, To top this coincidence, the the effect is repeated. Meruop: The trick takes a set-up of seven cards on the top, and seven on the bottom of the deck. The set-up combined with subtle handling will not be noticed, Note the seven bottom cards as you are concluding a previous effect. For example’s sake, let us assume they are the Ace, 2,3, 4, 5, 6,7 of Spades. Of course, in actual practice, these seven cards would be of mixed suits and values. You must now arrange cards of the same value and color on top of the deck. ‘The arrangement from the top of the deck down will be Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of Clubs. Since only seven cards need be arranged, this can be done rapidly. In addition to the stock on top and bottom of the deck, you must place three indifferent cards on top of the top stack, and three below the bottom stack. This can best be done by a riffie-shufile. To check, you will now find that on examining the deck, the fourth card from the top of the deck will be the Ace of Clubs and the fourth from the bottom will be the Ace of Spades. 2930 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC You false shuflle and false cut. Place the deck on the table and have spectator cut about half the cards to the left. “The deck is now in two halves, each half bears a great similarity to the other,” you begin, ‘By this I mean, not only do they contain approxi- mately the same number of cards, but if you were to add all the values you would find each half contains a very similar value. We're going to try an experiment in coincidence. So that you can clearly follow the steps, I'll tum half the deck face up.” ‘Turn the packet to the right, the original bottom half, face up. Pick up the face down packet; you have now to force one of the seven ar- ranged cards, ‘To do this, spread the cards in the left hand packet slowly from left to right, at the same time asking a spectator to touch one card. Contrive to have the three indifferent cards safely off so that his choice will fall on one of the seven following cards. This is a simple procedure and should offer no difficulty; just do it slowly and naturally. Have your spectator touch one of the cards, and without changing its position in the set-up, turn it to a diagonal or right angle to the remainder of the cards. Place this packet to the left of the face up packet, and your situation will be as illustrated in Fig. 1, the touched card protruding, Remove simultaneously the cards from the left and right hand packets, placing each card behind its original packet, Fig. 2. Deal them off until won have reached the spot where the protruding card is. Remove that .1eE Ick 31 card and the face up card which is in the former’s corresponding posi- tion, and call attention to the coldr and value of the face up card in your right hand, then slowly turn over the card in your left hand, revealing @ card of the same value and color. Place these two cards aside, Casually remove a few more of the cards from each packet as before This is done so that the stack is preserved for the follow-up effect. Note: When the first three cards from each packet are removed to deal down to the protruding card, you can flash the three face down ‘cards as you do this, and remark that there is no relationship between the face down cards and the face up cards. This is possible since the three top cards of each stack are without arrangement. ‘At this point, tell your spectators that the odds against this occurrence are tremendous, and that if the spectator had not indicated that you were to place the diagonal card at that exact position, the effect would have failed. ‘To follow up, place the face down packet on top of the face down cards which had been dealt, and place the face up packet on top of the face up cards which had been dealt, Half the deck will then be face down to the left, and half face up to the right. “We will now carry the experiment a step further to show you that something greater than mere chance was involved.” Turn the face down half face up, and the face up half face down. Pick up the face up packet in your left hand, and tell your spectators that you are going to deal these face up onto the table one at a time, and that you want them to stop you at any point, Deal the first three cards as you are making his explanation, Deal them one at a time and one on top of the other. You must now force them to say stop before you have dealt through the next six cards since they are your stack Slowly deal the cards one at a time until they say stop. At this point take the card at which they have stopped you, and turn it at right angles con top of the cards remaining in your left hand. Pick up the face up cards which have been dealt, and place them on top of the fuce up deck, and the protruding card. Replace all these face up on the table to the left of the face down packet ‘Once again, you remove the cards from each packet simultancously to deal to the protruding card; however, deal the face down cards face up until you reach the protruding position. (You can do this since you have broken the order of the stack of the face up packet, and will have no relation to one another.)32 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC When you reach the position of the protruding card, take it and the face down card, and again slowly turn the face down card to show that it corresponds in value and color to the card chosen by the spectator. Please realize that your stack may be as many cards as you wish, but T have found that seven are sufficient to enable you to do the effect without trouble, I originally worked out this effect after seeing Paul Curry's ex: cellent trick, “The Power of Thought.” My effect takes a good deal Jess preparation to present} it can also be done using only one deck, and it can be introduced anywhere in your card routine. Run through this description with a deck of cards in your hands so that the theory will be clear to you. BUSINESS CARD PROPHESY ‘Almost every magician I have ever met has always wanted to be able to present a strong prediction effect that took little or no preparation. Business Card Prophesy is in this category—it has a striking effect upon the layman and takes no preparation. It isthe type of effect you can do when a friend requests you to perform a trick. You are unprepared to do any effects, yet you would like to comply and do one impressive stunt. John Scare originally performed an effect similar to Business Card Prophesy. 1 liked the trick, and evolved a few simple presentations of jt. When Scarne wrote his book, “Searne on Card Tricks,” 1 mentioned 1 few of the variations I had worked out, and he published two of them. I believe that the effect warrants inclusion in this book, and I will de- scribe a third, and, what I believe to be, a most convincing handling. Errect: A borrowed deck of cards is shuffled and placed face down on the table. ‘The magician borrows a business card and writes a predic~ tion on one side of it. ©To eliminate any possible doubts, I shall have someone mark the reverse side of this business card,” the magician announces. A spectator places an identifying mark on the side of the business card which docs not bear the magician’s prediction. “A borrowed deck of cards has been shuffled and I've written some- thing on this business card. I'd like one of you to insert this business card anywhere into the deck.” ‘The magician spreads out the shuffled deck face down on the table. ‘The business card is handed to someone and this person inserts the card wherever he desires. ot renee seamneitpmnerere senmereermnntrite et pie ate 3 “Wil you please square up the deck?” requests the magician ‘The deck is squared and the magician reiterates what has happened “J want to run through the deck so that yon may see that the business card you have marked is still in the deck. (This is done.) Now, I'm {going to turn the business card over so you may see that I've actually written something on it, but I’m not going to give you a chance to sce what I've written. (The business card is turned so that the spectators may see that the magician has made a prediction on it. He closes the deck before the spectators have a chance to read what has been written.) “| have simply turned my prediction over so that I can now spread the deck face up and show you the exact position where you have in- serted the busines card. (The deck is turned face up and spread out ‘The business card is noted to be between, for example, the two red Accs.) “Notice that all of the cards are in the order influenced by your free shuffle, You could have inserted the business card here, or here, or here, yet you placed ‘it in the position between these two red Acs. (At this point, he removes the business card and the card on either side of it from the rest of the deck.) “This is very interesting. If I had written as my prediction that you would place the business card between two red cards, then we would have an intriguing coincidence; if I had written that you would place the business card between two Aces, then we would have a very good trick, Bul, suppose I had predicted that you would place the business card between these two particular cards? Wouldn't that be 2 miracle?" He turns the card over and shows that he has correctly predicted the very two cards between which it had been placed! T have spent a good deal of space in describing the presentation of this lect, because its value will only be determined by your ability to “sell” it, Play it up with the proper build-up and the results that you will achieve with this trick will be most satisfactory. Metniop: The procedure is pleasantly simple When the deck has been shuffled, and before you place it face down con the table at the start of the trick, you must peck the top and bottom cards of the deck, Do not use a sleight of hand method to do this, but very openly look at the bottom card as you patter. ‘Then shuffle this card to the top and note the new bottom card. ‘Thus you will have all of the information that is necesary. However, if you wish, you may simply take the shuffled deck and openly look at the faces of all the cards as you say: “You have shuflled these cards to your complete satisfaction, haven't you?” If this is done casually, you will have no trouble.34 EFFECTIVE GARD MAGIC assume tha the two cards are the two red Aces. Borrow & aan ‘rons, someone and on the back write: “The Ace of Hearts, the Ace of Diamonds.” Write these names in full} do mot use als, cick as AH; have the business card marked for identification on the side site your prediction copes Fo Beak ut facedown and have anyone inset ce uses ‘card into the deck at any point he wishes. Have the deck squared by \e spectator. : et ‘up the deck and review what has happened up to this point: Spread the deck from left to right, between your hands and run down te the position of the business card. Hild the top stock of the deck in your right hand. The busines: card lies marked-side up on 19? of the Jefe (and bottom) half, Extend your let hand to the spectator to have his mark without removing the card. “now I’m going to turn the business card over so that him identi Continue: e < you may see that I've actually written something, ¢ fe Turn the business card over by turning your left hand over (Fig. 3)» eo that it may deposit the business card on top of the right hand packet with your prediction now facing the spectators. “.. . but I'm not going to give you a chance to see what I’ve written,” you declare, Now place the left hand half of the deck face down on top of the business card to conceal your prediction. What this sequence of moves actually does, isto place the business card between the original top and bottom cards, (In this case, the two red Aces!) : ‘When this is done smoothly, and with confidence, the onlookers (in- luding magicians) will suspect nothing, “The rest of the effect is simply presentation. I advise using the presen tation suggested in the above patter, as it offers logical reasons for every thing done, and seems to fit into the entire routine of the effect ‘De not overlook this trick because of its simplicity. Me, T love it i i sere ne eieertemerarcteent i Ick Ick 35 THE INSTANT REVERSE ‘This is an ideal opening effect for a routine of card tricks as it is fast, surprising, and requires a minimum of skill Erect: The magician shuffles a deck and spreads it out, face down on a table, A spectator touches the back of any card he desires. This card is removed from the spread and turned face up. The deck is assembled and the touched card (for example’s sake, let us assume that it is an ‘Ace) is reversed and cut into the center of the deck. The magician says “A card, an Ace, has been freely selected from a shullied deck, ‘This Ace has been inserted, reversed, into the deck, The problem is to find the other Aces. To do this, all I have to do is riffle the cards (he does so) and the other Aces find themselves!” Upon saying this, he spreads the deck out face down on the table, and all four Aces are found reversed and together in the center of the deck! Meron: A small arrangement is required. Several tricks in this book require set-ups, but don’t overlook a trick because of this. You can set up several cards indetectably in front of spectators during the course of tricks, or start doing your tricks with your deck arranged for the neces- sary effects, A trick that requires an arrangement, unknown and un- suspected by the audience, gives the magician a tremendous advantage over the reasoning powers of his audience. Tricks of this nature also minimize the skill necessary. ‘The set-up necessary for this effect can be as small as four cards, or as large as the entire deck. It is all according to the persuasiveness of the performer. Personally, I feel that 12 cards is enough to permit one to do the trick without complications. Once you understand the theory, you can decide on the number of cards best for you in your set-up. Let us assume that you plan to use 12 cards, Place the four Aces, the four 2's and the four 3's on top of the deck. (Do this at an opportune moment so that a set-up will not be suspected.) Arrange the four Aces in CHSD order, then the four 2's, and lastly, all the 3's in the same order. The top card of the deck will now be the AC, and 12th card will be the 3D. Shufile the deck, not disturbing the 12 top cards, Undercut about 15 cards and shulle the first card of the undercut packet onto the AC, in- jogging this fist shuffled card. Shuffie off the rest of the cards onto the injogged card. Square up the deck but let the jogged card protrude a fraction from the rear of the deck. Spread the deck out, face down, upon the table, from left to right. The injogged card will be apparent to you but not noticed by the spectators, It marks off the point where your36 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC set-up begins. Your spectators can clearly see that all the cards are now Teco down (point this out to them), Have them touch @ card in the spread. Since your setup is 12 cards Tong, and since it is in the center crthe deck (the section most apt to be chosen from) you will have Bo problem in influencing your spectator to touch one of the cards in your reeup. (Note: The length of your sevup is thus controlled by the serovnt of cards you need in order to be certain of forcing oPt of your Setup cards. In many instances 1 have used as hte a four cards, and st other times, a8 many a3 20, This is a matter for the individual to decide.) ‘Let as assume that a card is touched. Push all of the cards above the touched card slightly to the right. Turn the touched card face uP and in front of the spread deck. Let us say the touched card isthe 2H. Immedi- ately you know the postion of the other 3 cards of similar value (this ie because the cards are in the CHSD order. One of the 2s will be at the bottom of the section of the spread deck which is to the right, and the other 2 cards of similar value will be on top of the section to the left. iat this point, you Must pick up the deck in such a manne? that you secure a lite finger break under the 3 cards of the same value as the touched card. 1n this instance, you would first pick uP the packet to the left and secure a little finger break under the top two cards of this packet, Then you would simply have to place the packet to the right En top of the cards held in the let hand. You would have a break under he 3 cards of similar value. (Because all cards of similar value are in the CHSD order, you can very simply make the adjustmen’s nece AH to get a break under the 3 cards similar to the card which has been selected.) ‘As you patter, spread the deck between your hands, retaining the break When you come to the point three above your break, close up the deck and retain this postion with your right thumb. Thus, You left litle finger is under the 3 other Deuces, while your Fight thumb holds a break separating the 3 Deuces from the top half of the deck. With your right hand lift all the cards above the 8 Deuces, turn them face up, and place them on top of all the cards in your left hand. With your left Fand, undercut all the cards below the litle finger break worn, them face up, and place them on top of the cards first turned face up. The entire ssreg will now be face up except for the 3 Deuces on the bottom of the face up deck, The 3 Deuces will be face down, ‘Apparently you have merely cut the deck in such a manner as to turn it face up ‘Actually, by rely Cut the Cece ae i ke 2 Deuces reversed under the face up deck. litt ae ae seereenenmeeeessiregetoeite: a stores! cHOICE TRICKS 37 Pick up the face up 2 which is on the mn the table, and place it face down on top of the cards you now holdin your let hand, Square the deck and ge ve compet a Tur he ck fee don and gently rifle the cnt Whenever you wish, spread the face down deck out on the table and the 4 reversed Deuces will appear in the center. This effet is quite startling. Tt takes very lite time in actual per formance Te unfortnate that the desipon mit be so lengthy, but ‘wanted to make all the points clear so that the reader will have no trouble in performing this lite feat. THREE QUEENS MONTE The incluson ofthe card monte effect in a routine of card tricks ava creates an intriguing and entertaining diversion. ‘The variation of chi effet which follows ares double purpose since the handling is, subtle and the climax produces the fou! : ste and the lim ps coduces the four aces ready for your favorite four sai te conan of any of your tricks, pause for a few moments, and sy yourself with the pack running through it and sorting ovt some ants giving the onlookers time to realize what has just happened is is what you really do: In running through th A deck wi faces of the cate towards yourelf: eh te cece we 1. Spot a red Ace and cut it to the bottom. voy Gee ites acne tote top and two black Aces on top of them, old the deck face down in your left hand. Take off the 3 top cards, wr aes and a Queen and hold them back outwards in a fan as you say to the groups“ mppot ou ar wondering what I'm doing, Well, To ging to show you a de experiment with 3 Queens.” Close the fan of 9 card replace them on tp ofthe deck and take a break under em with the left lide finger. Make a triple lift and turn over showing 4 Queen, This is simplified because of the break. Ev ese et all second Queen halfway over the right hand nie ofthe de an ening the 9 cad eld a on lever this Queen fae upwards on te deck, Take it face upwards in the right hand over Hie it Oo ele 2 ite Do exactly the same with 7 third Queen, but place this third Queen under the cards held in Your right handy Fig. 4. ‘Tum the cards in your right hand face down- ward and square them on topo the desk Lay the 3 top cards out on the in a row as you say: “Here are the 3 Queens. I'm going to move36 HP PROTIVE CAR a Abs them zvmnd, and the prablem is for you to find the Queen af Spades.” Show ze x card dealt which we will suppose is the QS. Turn it face down ss. watch closely.” Interchange the positions of the 3 cards slowly so thz =e course of the QS can be followed easily; finally leave it be- twee: = cther cards (Aces). the two end cards,” you ask someone, “do you say is spectator promptly replies, “Neither,” and points to the Turn it face up and remark: “I see you're following me very ces. Til have to make it a little more difficult for you, I'll add anode a=. An ace.” Turn deck to face yourself Fis: =e ‘ourth Ace without exposing or disturbing the Ace on the botta: Siew this Ace, and place it to the right. “Now, TT have a better chance to confuse you. Remember, 3 Q's and As you say this, looking at the fourth Ace yourself, wirn it face with your right hand. At the same moment, with the left the Curry Turnover Change, switching the Queen for the ‘seccom of the deck. (See Note B for a handling which doesn't awe of the Curry Turnover Change.) ds are now face down. Again move the cards about very when invited to find the QS, the spectator gets a red Ace whic = wil take to be the one just added to the row mid: slow: = eee eee eee Remove the Ace laying it aside, face up. “I knew I could confuse you with 4 cards. Let's try again with three.” Move the remaining cards around again slowly. : “Which do you say is the QS now. « .- That one? No! It's an Ace too!” Remove it and lay it face up with the first Ace “Well now, with only 2 cards you have an even chance. Which card is the QS? No, you have another Ace! This ume, with only one card left, you must get the Q; tum it over!” The spectator does so, and reveals the last Ace! Note A. The Curry Turnover Change will be found on P. 6 of “More Card Manipulations.” by Jean Hugard. This clever sleight is now stand ard in card manipulation. If the reader has not mastered it, he should add it to his armory of sleights without delay: Note B. If you wish to substitute another move for the Guy Tumover Change, the Glide may effectively be used in its place. Tt is brought into the effect after you have first dealt the 2 black Aces and the Q face down onto the table. These 3 cards are slowly moved bout and the spectator points to the Queen, which is then turned face up on the table, You reach the point where you say “I'l have to make it more difficult for you, etc.” Remove the Ace trom the middle of the deck and place it face up on the table. Pick up the Queen and place it fon the bottom of the deck so that it is over the red Ace which has been there since the beginning of the trick. Show the QS and then turn the deck down and do the Glide, placing the Ace, apparently the QS, face down on the table, Now tum the remaining face up Ace, face down Glide another card from the bottom of the deck, torn it face up and vse it as a pointer to explain that the spectators will now have greater dif culty finding the Queen. Replace the pointer card on the bottom of the deck so that it now covers the Queen, Continue with the effect as given in the description, SYMPATHETIC CONTROL ‘This unusual effect is a strong impression builder. A spectator names his favorite value, for example the Queens. The four Queens are re- moved from the deck and one of them is decided to be the Leader Queen The deck is divided into three equal sections and a section is handed to each of three spectators. They examine and shufle their sections so that itis proved that there are no extra or faked cards used, The Leader Queen is placed aside for @ moment and the remaining three Queens4c ect CA MA are placed one each in the three sections of the deck, the Queens being face down in each packet. The Leader Queen is turned face up and it is shown that cach Queen, in each packet, is now reversed to follow the action of the Leader Queen! Remember, each section of the deck is held face down, and is in the hands of the spectators as each queen is placed in each section! ‘Metno: Have the favorite value of a spectator named; let us say that the Queens are named. Remove the four Queens and place them face up on the table. Have one Queen named to be the Leader Queen; the Queen of Spades, for instance. Secure a break under the three top cards of the deck, which is in your left hand. Place the four Queens face up on top of the face down deck. In placing the Queens on the deck see that the Queen of Spades is placed first, and the other three Queens are placed on top of it. The situation will be three Queens face up on top of the deck, then the face up Queen of Spades, then three face down cards under which you have a break with your left litte finger, and finally the remainder of the cards, face down, Fig. 5. Lift the Queens and the three cards over your break, off the deck in a squared packet. From here on, in handling this packet, be very careful to hold it with the outer end downwards, and the face card as squarely 2s possible towards the onlookers, so that the extra thickness cannot be detected. Hand the remainder of the deck out to be shuffied and divided into three packets. Have a spectator hold each packet. The Queens are held in your right hand, the fingers at the front of the packet and your right thumb at the rear. Place your left thumb across the face of the first Queen and draw this Queen into your left hand by pressing it with J } i i } | i i 4 yor ort your left thumb and drawing your right hand with all the cards it holds to the right, Fig. 6. This will deposit the first Queen face up in your eft hand. The packet held in your right hand is now placed over the card held in your left hand. Your right thumb releases the bottom card left so that the face down card is not exposed. Your left thumls now Presses against the second Queen (which is on top of the right handpacket). ‘The right hand now moves to the right, but the second Queen js held by pressure of the left thumb and is deposited on top of the two cards already in the left hand. (‘These moves must be done neatly 50 that the spectators do not suspect that you are loading face down cards between the Queens.) Apparently you have simply drawn two Quecns off the right hand packet into the left hand; actually you have loaded a Tace down card between the two face up Queens in your left hand. ‘Again place the right hand packet over the cards held in the left hand. Your right thumb releases the bottom card of the right hand packet as your left thumb presses against the third Queen. Your right hand draws away to the right and the third Queen is on top of the left hand packet. Now simply place the QS (and the card concealed beneath it) on top of the cards held in the left hand. Apparently you have simply drawn off the four Queens into your left hand by pressing against them with your left thumb; actually a face down card is between each of the Queens. ‘Tur the packet in your left hand face down and draw off the bottom Queen, the QS. Place this Queen face »p on the table and tell the spectators that it is the Leader Queen. As you patter, secretly return the packet held in your left hand to its position before you had tuned it face down and removed the QS. A face down card will be on top of the cards held in your left hand. (If you were to spread out the six cards held in your left hand, you would find that the top card, face down, is an indifferent card, the second card would be 2 face up Queen, the third card would be a face down indifferent card, the fourth card a face up Queen, the fifth a face down indifferent card, the last card a face up Queen). Of course, do not spread these cards out as the spectators must believe that you are simply holding three face down Queens in your left hand. Tum the Queen of Spades face down on the table and say, “This Queen has been chosen as the Leader Queen. I’m going to show you the strong control this Leader can have over the other Queens. T am going to place one of these other three Queens (gesturing towards the ‘cards you hold in your left hand) in each one of the packets held by three spectators” (turing to one of the persons holding a packet of cards); “will you please open up your packet in the center?” As the spectator holds his packet open, double lift two of the cards off the group you hold in your left hand. Do this neatly so that the spectators will think you are only removing one card, a Queen. Place this in the center of his packet and have him square his packet. Again lift two cards, as one, from inose wera in your Left sonny AMe pC Gs one the center of the second spectator’s section of the deck, Finally, place the hast card(s) from your left hand into the third spectator's packet. Do all this nee of these in a very matter-of-fact manner. Do not point up the 1 three cards into the spectators’ packets as you do not wish to emphasize this step of the effect. “T have placed a Queen face down in each of your packets, is that correct? Now watch; by simply taking the Leader Queen of Spades and turning it face up, it controls the other Queens. You doubt this? Well, spread your packets out, and you'll find that each of the Queens hits turned face-up!" Each spectator runs through his packet and a Quee is seen to be face up in the center of the deck ELEVATOR CARDS About a year ago, Ed Marlo worked out a brilliant card effect in which the Ace, Two, and Three of a suit were placed face down upon the table. ‘The deck was then placed on the Three, and the Three was shown to have travelled to the top of the deck ‘The Two was then picked up and placed on top of the deck. A snap of the fingers and the Two was shown. to have travelled to the bottom of the deck. Lastly, the Ace was inserted in the center of the deck and finally shown to have travelled to the & ‘The original effect first appeared in The Sphinx, and from this first c ception of Marlo's, many interesting variations have been evolved; Dr. Jacob Daley recently published one utilizing an Ace, Two, Three, and Four. This also appeared in The Sphinx. ‘The effect intrigued me (as have many of Ed Marlo's fine card stunts) and I worked out some of my own variations. The following version, 1 found to have the strongest effect upon the laity, The prime reason for this is that the first half of the effect sets the stage for the second half; the second half is very snappy and surprising Meron: Remove the Ace, Two, and Three of Hearts and place them face up on the table. Place the Ace on top of the Two, and the Two on top of the Three. “These three cards are what I call elevator cards,” you declare. “They have very strange characteristics.” ‘Under cover of these remarks, secure a break under the top two cards of the deck with your left litle finger, holding the deck in your left hand Place the face up Ace, Two, and Three on top of the face down deck(ane Ace will be topmost) and lift these three cards plus we We Oot sour left Tittle finger, off the deck. Apparently you have placed the three vas on top of the deck and then removed them. Actually, you have secretly added two face down cards beneath them. Tiace the deck aside and remove the Ace from the small packet of cards and place it face down under the small packet. Repeat this with the Two and then the Three. “J can only use these three particulars cards, and they must g° in some sort of order,” you say as you perform the above move. You will now be holding five cards face down in your hands: twe indifferent cards, followed by the Ace, Two, and Three of Hearts Place this packet on top of the deck, and pick up the deck, ‘Deal the top three wands off the deck from right to eft, saying: “"The Ace goes here t0 my right, the Two here in the center, and the Three to my left.” Place the deck on top of the card to the left and say, “Watch, the “Tivee will now act as an elevator. Tt is now on the bottom of the deck. Merely by rifling the eck upwards (take the deck in your left hand ‘and riffle it upwards) the Three rises to the top!” ‘Do a double-ife, tuning over the top two cards as one card and the “Three of Hearts will be shown to have come to the top. ir] di this alittle too fast, so Tl do it again with the Three.” ‘Turn the two cards face down on top of the deck, and deal the 1p card off and into the left postion it apparently first occupied Place the deck on top of the card to the lef, ft up the deck rifle i, and turn over the top card, showing that the Three has apparently traveled to the top of dhe deck again. Remove the Three and place it face up to the left of the other two face down cards on the table, “You have just seen the Three travel to the top of the dec Ifacard can be made to travel from the bottom to the top, then there is no reasoo sainy the procedure carr be reversed. Let's se ifthe Two of Hearts can't vavel from the top down.” At this point, T usually assert that “This part of the trick is more dificult, but, between ourselves, it really isn't!” Pick up the card in the center of those on the table (supposedly, the 2H) and place it on top of the deck. Rifle the deck and then turn it over in your hands to show that the Two has travelled from the top to the bottom. "Turn the deck face down; Glide the 2H, apparently removing it but actually taking the card above it. Place this on top of the deck and say wrWe made the 3 go few times, now we'lldo the same thing with the 2H” fle the deck and turn it face up again showing the Two on the bot ios ome cde Rem the I ph on the table, a ae ie (Note: Many other moves may be er moves may be substituted for the Ghid ample: T. Nelson Down’s Turn-Over Maa : a i aaa coo , of a modified version of “The AH is the most interestin; i ‘ing card to watch. The ir Bar ates nce te ener a lage ae picious. I'll have to be very careful with the Ace.” ei cree the deck behind the card which is apparently the Ace. Pick uj 1¢ supposed Ace, and very slowly insert it into the center of the di . Square up the deck. oe ati your hand over the deck and say: “The AH, which has been in yur ve al ring the kas ave rth eter of he deck 10 the top. Now you see why J call these cards the elevator cards!” ‘Tum over the top card of the deck and it is seen to be the Ace move it and place it face up alongside the other two cards. : ‘This completes the first half of the 7 it hi ¢ effect. The second half is fast, an Dera of ths suite eflertv, Turm the dk fae up in your cae get a break under the 3 uppermost cards in the face up deck, i )o this unnoticed while discussing the virtues of having “elevator cards" luring a poker game, or some other distracting conversation, Re Place the Ace on top of the face up deck, put the 2 on top of it, and the 3 on top of this last card. Fan these three cartls, Fig. &46 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC Life the 6 cards (all the cards over your break) off the deck as 3 cards, and say: “I'm going to show you the idea of the elevator cards just once more. Here I have the Ace, Two and Three which I will again deal down on the table, One, two, and three.” As you say this, you are holding the 6 cards in your right hand. With your left hand, revolve the deck so that it is face down, and place the 6 cards on top of the deck face down, dealing 3 off, one at a time, from right to left, as in the first half of the trick, Your audience will believe that the Ace, 2, and 3 are now on the table; actually they are 3 indifferent cards, and the Ace, 2, and 3 are in proper order on top of the deck. You must now perform the slip-cut, as explained in the Expert at the Card Table, page 39. To do this, place the deck on the table. Hold the deck with your left hand as shown in Fig. 9; bring the right hand over the deck, pressing the tip of the index finger on the back of the top card as shown in Fig. 9, and gripping the lower third of the deck between the tips of the thumb and the other 3 fingers. Draw this portion away with the right hand, at the same time slipping the top card onto the packet by pressure of the right index finger, Fig. 10. Drop this packet on top of the card to the right. J place a third of the deck on the Ace,” you announce as you per- form the slip-cut, “. . . and another third on the 2.” ‘As you say this, again do the slip-cut as explained above and place she nerket ver held in vour Geht hand on top of the center card. somreme cuorce 4KLCKS 0 “The last third 1 place on the 3.” Drop the cards remaining in your left hand, on the card to the left “Now all 3 cards will jump to the top at once.” Snap your fingers over each packet and tum over the top card of cach to show that the ‘Ace, 2 and 3 have again travelled to the top of their respective packets This finish will prove extremely effective to the layman, and will also baffle magicians, if done neatly, Fig. 11 (Note: You may substitute another sleight for the slip-cut. I sug this sleight as it is the most direct move to use at this point in the trick If you haven't learned it as yet, you should, as it is very valuable will be worth whatever time necessary to master.) andae BEPROTIVE CARD MAGIC YHE TURNABOUT CARDS This isa pet trick of mine, and has never failed to intrigue and mystify. ‘There are no difficult sleights in its performance, but the moves must be handled cleanly Errect: The magician spreads the deck, showing the backs. Then, cutting the deck in halves, one half is placed face up on the table, the other is placed face down, and the two packets are rifle shuffled into one another, and the pack squared. ‘The pack is then cut several times, showing the face up and face down condition of the cards, riffle shuffied again, turned face up and again riffle shuffled, and again cut several times, Finally, the cards are ribbon spread and found to have righted themselves, every card face down! Procroure: All that is necessary, first of all, is secretly to reverse the two bottom cards beforehand. With the pack in this condition, casually spread the cards, showing the backs, and carefully avoiding exposure of the two reversed bottom cards. 1. With the right hand, cut off about half the deck, and, with your whole attention fixed on this packet, turn it over and place it face up on the table. At the same time, turn the left hand over, with a gesture toward the right, pointing to the first packet, thus bringing the two reversed cards uppermost in the left hand packet, Fig. 12, Place the left hand packet to the left of the face up packet. soma edNmenarintotinnine sence UnvICE ixicks 49 2. Bring the hands together, and riffe shuffle the two packets into fone another, using the corner riffle shuffe, thus avoiding the exposure of the actual condition of the cards. Be careful to allow the two top cards of the left packet to fall last, so that they remain on top of the deck. Square the deck. (The condition now is that all the cards, except the ‘two on top are face up.) 3. It is now necessary to bring one of these two cards to the bottom, and leave the other on top. To do this, lift up the top card with the left thumb and take a break with your right thumb at that card, Fig. 15, Undercut the bottom half with the left hand, and place it on top. Under- ccut all the cards again below the break, and place the packet on top. Fig. 14 shows the left hand cutting its packet to the top. This last cut places one reversed card at the top of the deck and the other at the bet- tom, ‘This is a form of the “Double Undercut.” 4. Cut the pack and riffle shuffle, being careful not to diswrh eithe the top or bottom cards. Turn the pack face up, cut and rifle shufleso pyPreTive CARE «861 A Sea eee et 51 i leaving the top and bottom cards undisturbed. Note 4 them as one on top of the deck (facing in the same direction as the rest again, as before, IEavi0N TMs, the spectators always see one face UP of the deck) and spread the deck, with a flourish, on the table, showing particularly ta Moan card, which confirms their belie! that the cards 9 that the cards are all facing one way in spite of all the mixing that has rea ae Ind riffle shuflie again, not disturbing top or bottom cards I can strongly recommend this trick to the reader. Done smoothly, ao rere now necessary toring the reverse cards together again on top of the deck, ‘To do this, jog the bottom card, Fig. 15. ‘This proteu- literally, the “skeleton” of certain tricks is all that I can describe. Space and time are the controlling factors. A careful study of the basic theories and principles (the really important elements) will give the interested student more than the necessary understanding. CARD AFFINITY Stabbing effects are very impressive. The usual stabbing effect is started by having a card chosen, replaced, and the deck shuffled. The deck is then wrapped in a napkin or paper. A knife, or other pointed ob- ject, is thrust into the deck and the chosen card is found next to the 4 position of the knife, A radical departure from this basic effect was | | it is both highly mystifying, and very entertaining. It is unfortunate that | t | | sion will be covered by your left hand, Cut the deck in halves, complete the cut, hen cut again, taking the jogged card and all those under 10 zp the top of the deck; this will bring the reversed cards together. Fig a ag made by Bert Allerton when he started to do a trick wherein the card E was never selected, but merely thought of or mentioned AFTER the a deck had been wrapped up in a paper napkin. Card Affnity is similar | ft Bert Allerton’ clever effect. Errect: A deck is shown, shuffled, and wrapped in a napkin. Two spectators are asked to assist. One thinks of 2 suit, the other a value. Let us assume that the first spectator thinks of a Heart, and the second thinks of 2 Two. The Two of Hearts will be the card the magician must find. “The Two of Hearts is a card decided upon at random by two specta- tors,” the magician declares, “and before this card was mentioned, the deck had been shuffled and wrapped in a paper napkin, This is what I propose to do: I shall use two knives and stab each into a differ- ent section of the deck. The first knife will indicate a Heart, the second knife will indicate a Two. Tt would be an easier matter simply to attempt to stab at the Two of Hearts, but by stabbing twice, once for the card's suit, once for its value, I have two chances of failing. Watch!” arenes shows left thumb and fingers gripping jogged card, and all those beneath 1 it, before cutting the packet to the top. 6. Any fancy false cuts may now be made, To reach the climax, doubledift the two top cards, wave them over the pack as a wand, place iceomanwncte ‘The magician stabs at two points in the deck and discloses a Two at one point and a Heart at the other! It is interesting to mention that fifty percent of the time the magician may actually stab exactly at the sclected card! ebeeene52 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC When stabbing twice, two knives are used; when stabbing directly a the selected card, only one knife is used. Merion: A setup of 13 cards is necessary. The bottom 13 cards are arranged in C, H, S, order. Arrange the A, 2,3, 4 of Clubs, the 5,67, 8 of Hearts, and 9, 10, J, Q, K of Spades, This is the whole set-up "The bottom card of the deck should be the King of Spades, the card 1th from the bottom should be the Ace of Clubs. “This arrangement may be made before doing your routine of tricks or at the conclusion of one of your card effects. Shuffle the deck, not disturbing the 13 bottom cards. Run singly, from the top of the eck fo the bottom, 13 cards. This will place the set-up 27th from the top of the deck-—in the exact center. Take a napkin and wrap the deck into fuao that none of the surfaces are showing. (Note: You may false shufle fil you wish, and can show that the top and bottom sections of the deck are devoid of prearrangement.) "You must now have a suit named, but you must perform what T term sig negative force.” You must see that the Diamond suit is NOT selec- ted. (Of course, you could include some Diamonds in your set-up and ciminate the necessity of doing this, but the effect is much more com- pact and easier to handle by using the given procedure.) “We have a shuffled deck, and the deck is now wrapped in @ paper napkin and is completely out of my influence, What T propose to do isto have a card freely chosen—mentally—and to find jt under impos, Cole conditions. ‘To insure that a free choice of cards is exercised, will someone please think of one of the four suits—for example, Diamonds.” Mentioning this suit will invariably encourage your spectators to mention ‘ome other suit. If they do, then use the other suit they name. However, Tra spectator mentions Diamonds, say, “That's very interesting. Do you haves reason for mentioning that suit? Well let someone else mention wait also, Clubs, you say? Do you have a reason for mentioning that particular suit? 10s very interesting to inquire into why people mention eeeain things at certain times, Sometimes there are subconscious reasons ct which we are unaware, One person said Diamonds, the other, Clubs T certainly couldn't have influenced cither of these gentlemen, But for the sake of this experiment, le’s have another suit mentioned by some- tone, but this person must have @ conscious reason for mentioning his ciicetion, We won't inquire as to what the reason is, but it docs give tis a more sound basis for the selection, doesn't it?” This line of reason ing, though not true logi, is usually interesting enough to win the confi- see ec evour audience, at the same time leading them unsuspectingly © ce cK 53 away from the Diamond suit. This manner of handling the situation follows the line of approach I use, and bas always been successful ‘At this point, a suit has been selected by someone. Let us say that that suit is Spades. “Spades has been selected as the suit we will use,” you say. “We must now have a value chosen. Will someone please mention his favor~ ite value, from Ace to King? Don’t make this an obvious choice, one which I might have been able to anticipate, but try to make it as difi- cult as possible.” Let us assume that five is chosen. “The card I must find is the five of Spades, is that right? To do this, Tam going to use two knives. One will find a card of the Spade suit, the other knife will find a card of five value. This idea of using two Knives makes the experiment twice as difficult because 1 now have two ways of missing, Watch.” (Note: You must use two knives to find the five of Spades because this card is not one of your 13 set-up. If the card ultimately decided upon had been one of the 13 cards in your set-up, you would not have mentioned two knives, but would have used only one knife to find the card.) Pick up the deck so that you get a clear view of the side of the deck. (Be sure that you know which surface is the top and which the bottom of the deck, Observe this after you originally wrap up the deck and set it down.) Take one of the knives, and mark the center of the deck with it, by gently piercing the napkin at that point. This will be an easy matter to do, Yeu must rely on your judgment for this, but a little practice will make it fool-proof. You will use this point marked off as your guide point. From this point you must judge the depth of five ‘cards (the position which the five of hearts will occupy). Thrust the knife into the pack at this point. If you do this properly, the knife will be exactly next to the five of hearts. Finding the suit (in this instance, Spades) is a simple matter, since you must now stab into a block of five cards to locate a Spade card (the other two suits in the set-up have four cards of each suit) ‘Take the second knife, and using the center-mark (the mark originally scratched on the surface of the napkin to indicate the center of the deck), judge the position of cards about ten or twelve from the center. Plunge the knife into the deck at this point. You will have two knives pene- trating the napkin-wrapped deck. “believe T have been successful; one knife will indicate the Spade suit, the other will find a Five. But realize that each card will be either“4 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC Jow the position of the knife, This is because it would be above or be : ough the cards — without ruining imponible for me to pierce right thr the deck.” ‘This is said to give you some protection if one of your stabs is a few cards off, Tear the napkin from the deck and lift up the cards above the first knife (the knife which was to find the Five). Peek at the card at the bottom of this packet. If it is a Five, show it, and the frst half of the trick has been successful. If it sa Four, then the card beneath the nife is the card you show. If it is a Six, you know that the five is above. Do the Glide and withdraw the Five to show that it was above the knife. Hf the card you peek at is a Three, then you know that the Five is second from the top of the cards below the topmost knife. You must second deal or double-lift to show the Five. This is written to show you that you have a certain margin for error so that you can always bring the effect to a successful conclusion, Showing the suit is a comparatively easy matter since you have at least four, and if Spades are selected, five cards as your scope. Show that the second knife has found a Spade, and your trick is over. If the card selected is one of the 13 in your set-up, then you stab directly at that card. Do this by marking off the center of the deck with your knife, and then judging how far away the mentioned card is. Before disclosing it, peek at the bottom card of the cards above the knife so that you may make any necessary adjustments if your stab is many cards off. ‘This effect, when carried off properly, is extremely strong. I have used it for quite some time and originally worked it out to do for one of New York’s most successful mentalists. ‘The effect surprised him. Because of the set-up consisting of only 13 cards, the shuffles are ex- tremely convincing. The mentalist, on seeing me shuffle the deck so openly, ruled out the possibility of a set-up. The method wes inexplicable! Incidentally, since Diamonds are ruled out of the trick, and since you have 13 cards in your set-up, then you have a fifty-filty chance of having a card in your set-up named (13 Diamonds plus 13 cards in your set-up means that 50% of the cards are “covered”. Try this . . . you will find it to be one of the “talked about” tricks. ‘THE GAMBLER CONTROLS THE ACES Gambling routines are always impressive. People love the thought of being able to exert control over games which apparently are ruled by i ' t | i cHoice TRICKS 55 chance. When a magician displays his ability to spectators are most attentive and interested. At the back of the minds of most gentle observers is the thought only I could deal myself a perfect poker hand, or beat Joe at Gin-Rummy, or get all the bridge honors,” and so on, endlessly, wishing to beat the other guy. . . un- observed Demonstrating your ability to do this will intrigue the fancy and imaginations of your spectators. Gambling routines are thus extremely popular. The following little display, with the four Aces, falls into this category. You patter to the effect that, “Sometimes people gamble an cutire evening and the remaining winners will quite often gamble their win- nings against one another by cutting for high card. An entire evening's winnings thus may be determined in a fraction of 2 second! Smart gamblers, being aware of this tendency often will just learn to do one thing . . . control the high cards—the Aces. With patience and lasting power they garner their winnings during the last few moments of play. ‘And this is one way they do it.” Show a shuffled deck and run through it, face up, pushing each Ace about half way out of the deck. If the four Aces aren't about evenly spaced apart, adjust them so that they are in four different parts of the deck. “You will notice that the Aces are in widely separated positions in the deck. I'm showing you this so that you can see that I don't cheat... much.” Square the deck and hold it influence chance, his face down in your left hand. Push the four protruding Aces into the deck until they project about half an inch, Fig. 17. Notice the position56 EFFECTIVE CARL mAGIL yey ter 5 by it” Cut at the first jogged card, taking it and all the cards above it with the right thumb at rear (separating the cards at the jog) and the fingers at the front, Fig. 20. Place this packet on the table. Repeat this of the left thumb and fingers. They are at the extreme front end of the deck, Hold the deck, which is square, as loosely as possible between the fingers and thumb of the left hand. In fact, a slight bevel motion, back and forth, between the thumb and fingers will help to loosen the cards ‘as much as possible. The right fingers slowly push the Aces into the deck. ‘This is continued until the Aces protrude about one-fourth of an inch from the front of the deck. At this point, the right fingers give the Aces ‘a solid tap at the front into the deck, The right fingers immediately start to rub the front of the deck as though to square in the Aces. If the cards were held loosely enough and in the manner described, the four Aces will have been tapped through to the rear of the deck, Fig. 18 ‘This is possible because the position of the left fingers reduces to a minimum all friction on the cards. cut with the other three jogged cards. You will have apparently cut at random four times, and you will still have a small packet of cards in i i i ‘The deck is apparently squared and the Aces should not protrude more than a fraction of an inch at the rear. The following handling will convince your spectators that the deck is perfectly square. The deck is in the left hand, the right fingers are at the front of the deck. Grasp the deck at the front by the right fingers and transfer the deck into the left hand as illustrated in Fig. 19, so that the left hand now holds the deck by its left side, (Note: During the following maneuvers, be certain the protruding aces are not disturbed.) Take the deck in your left hand and solidly rap the right side of the deck against the table to square up the deck, Fig. 19. Again grasp the front of the deck by the right fingers and transfer the deck back into the left hand in dealing position, as it was at frst, Fig. 18. “The Aces are now lost in the deck. I will attempt to cut the deck at the four Aces, just as gamblers have done . .. and won huge fortunes f Nm TSN your left hand. Actually you have cut at the four jogged Aces. Say, “Well, I don’t know how I did as a gambler, but since I'm still a magician I think Pll play it safe by using a little magic.” Take the small packet in your right hand and fan it. Use the fan as a sort of wand and 1 wave it over each of the face down packets. Turn cach packet face up snrUagneeiceenancentennmmimignintnndn58 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC to disclose an Ace at the bottom. Place the fan of cards under one of the four packets so that you now have only the four packets, an Ace on cach, “That's how a gambler does it; now I'll show you how @ magician gets the Aces.” (Note: At this point you may either conclude the trick or proceed with one of your own four Ace routines. However, I am describing one swith which I occasionally follow up-) Pick up the first packet and get your litle finger under its Ace (the cards are all face up). Perform the “Double Undercut” (see “Card Control” by Arthur Buckley) bringing the Ace to the bottom of the face up packet during the act of apparently cutting it into the packet. Place the second packet face up onto the cards you hold in your left hand. Secure a break under the Ace with left litle finger and again do the “Double Undercut.” Repeat this with all the packets until all the ‘Aces have been apparently lost in the deck, ‘The Aces will be on the bottom of the face up deck ‘Turn the deck face down and hold it in your left hand in dealing position. “The Aces are fairly lost in diflerent parts of the deck. T couldn't possibly know where they are at this point, could 1?” As you say this, spread the cards from left to right and get a break under the card sixth from the top of the deck. Square up the deck; retain the break. With your left thumb spread the top two cards, Fig. 21. “There aren't any Aces near the top of the deck,” and as you say this, square the two cards onto the top of the deck and turn over all the cards above the break face up onto the deck. Push the top face up card to the right with your left thumb so that the spectators can see two face up indifferent cards, Fig, 22. Be careful that the cards beneath them aren't exposed a eee ace up, Turn your left wrist over to expose the bottom | Ick 1cK 59 cards of the deck, as you say, ... and there aren’t any Aces near the bottom of the deck.” Show a few of the bottom cards with the aid of your right fingers. Before turning your wrist back to its normal position, pull out with your right hand the two lowermost face up cards whieh are covering the Aces, and show them, Fig. 23. Place the deck on top cof these two cards. All the cards face one way except the Aces. The ‘Aces are reversed, third to seventh from the top. Square the deck, and then turn your left wrist back to its normal dealing position. The four Aces will now be reversed from the third 0 seventh position from the top of the deck Continue, “The Aces are Jost in four dif all [have to do is give the deck a simple cut and I can find ever T want to, How? Well, all I have to do is snap my fingers. This ‘causes some Kind of chain reaction which simplifies the discovery of the rent parts of the di60 EreeCTlve CARY WAGee ‘Aces s0 much that all T have to do to find them is simply spread out the cards!" "As you say this, cut the deck and complete the cut, spreading the cards face down on a suitable surface, The four Aces will appear face up in the center of the deck. “Jgn’'t it amazing?” you marvel “and it hasn't failed me yet! Un- fortunately, I never gomble.” A TOUCHING EXPERIMENT Briefly stated, the effect of this trick is that a well-shuffied deck is spread face downwards on the table. A spectator is invited to touch any card he pleases. He does so, and this card is drawn out of the line, remaining face down. ‘The magician then, in his turn, touches a card, draws it out of the line, and places it with the spectator’s card. Again the spectator touches a card, and once more this card is drawn out face down and placed with the others. Finally, the magician touches and draws out his second card, adding it to the three already set apart. The marvel is that when these four cards are turned over, they are found to be the four Aces! At this point, if you wish, an additional effect may be performed with the Aces. Parpaxation: Begin by having the four Aces on top of the pack, Shuffle three of the Aces to the bottom, and then with a riffle shuffle, retain these three at the bottom, and add three cards onto the remaining ‘Ace at the top of the deck. The position then, is: One Ace is fourth from the top of the pack, and the other three Aces are on the bottom, Parrer ano Procepure: “Magic is really a very queer art. We know, that given certain conditions, certain magical effects will follow. Why this is so, we don’t know. After all, that isn’t so very strange. Take lectricity, for example. We can use it, but what it is, nobody knows. T ‘am going to give you a curious example, using magic.” False shuffie the deck, and ribbon spread the cards on the table, Address a spectator, “May I ask you to help me in this rather striking experiment? I want you to close all your fingers except the index finger of your right hand, and with the tip of that finger only, touch the back of any one card in this spread. That one? Thank you. I will place it over here.” Draw the card out towards yourself, and leave it face down on the table. “Allow me, please, just to touch the tip of your right forefinger with mine. Thank you. Why this is necessary, I don’t know, but if T now ran my finger over the cards, in this manner, it will infallibly rrsiond ih eons benemetmempereensiesis te Ick «18K 61 be attracted to a card of the same value as the one you have chosen.” Run your finger over the line of cards, and drop it on the fourth card from the top, an Ace, and draw this card out and place it on top of the spectator’s card. Invite the spectator to touch another card in the same manner. He does so, and you draw it out and place it face down under the other two. ‘Again run your forefinger over the cards, and this time, draw out the third card from the bottom. Place it face down under the other three. ‘The situation with regard to the four cards is now: AXXA ‘and on the bottom of the pack are the remaining two Aces. Gather up the rest of the deck and square it, Then, as you recapitulate what has been done, get a little finger break above the two bottom cards, the two Aces, and transfer the break to the tip of the right thumb, The deck is held in your right hand, thumb at rear and fingers at the front, Fig. 24. ACES With your left hand, pick up the four face down cards, holding them still face down, With the right hand, using the pack as a lever, turn over the top card of the four as you push it off with the left thumb, Fig. 25. Thus, you show the first Ace. Push this Ace, face up, into the left side as shown in Fig. 26. In this action, let your left hand go under the pack and at the same moment release the two Aces so that they fall onto the three cards remaining in your left hand. ‘The situation, then, is this: In your left hand you have AAXXA «the fourth Ace is in full view, face up in the deck. ‘The two Aces are added to the left hand packet under the guise of adjusting the face up Ace6 EFrccTIV. VARY wAGIL © tee icK 63 packet, and lever it face up with the pack as before. Insert this Ace face It is now necessary to change the grip of the right hand on the pack. ‘Take the pack between the left thumb and fingers, and then grasp it by up under the first Ace in the pack. Push forward the next top card in the left hand, also an Ace, and lever it face up in the same way as before, inserting it also in the side of the deck. As you do this, buckle the bottom card, the fourth Ace, inserting the third Ace and the two indifferent cards with it, into the pack as one i card, Fig. 28. Only the last Ace is in the left hand. Move the left hand a litle to the left and with the left fingers flick i this last card over, thus revealing the fourth Ace. Insert it in the pack with the others, as shown in Fig. 29. Note: It should be noted that this experiment is most effective when the ends with the right hand, thumb above, and fingers below, Fig. 27 ; With the left thumb, push forward the top card of the left hand6 eee ECTiye CAne MAvee using a borrowed deck, since it is quite likely that any layman would jump to the conclusion that, if you are using your own pack, the cards must be marked. When the deck is borrowed, of course, this solution would not suggest itself. When doing the trick with your own cards, be very careful in running your finger over the ribbon spread of cards, not to appear to examine the backs carefully. You know exactly: where the two cards are, so that you can easily make it appear that some strange attractive power causes your finger to drop on the required cards. S3 CARDS If the spirit so moves, you can now proceed with your pet four Ace tick, taking advantage of the two extra cards, or continue with the following effect. Apprmions To THe Errect: Pull out the four Aces in your left hand. Put the deck aside. You now have the four Aces face up in your left hand (two indifferent cards are face down between the third and fourth Aces). Count the cards in your hand to show that they are only four Aces, as follows: move the first face up Ace with your right fingers, count the second one under it. In counting the third one, buckle the bottom Ace and as you do this remove the third Ace and the two indifferent cards under it as one card, Fig. 30. You now have the fourth Ace in your left hand. Place this last Ace on top of the other three and square the packet into your left hand. Turn the Aces face down and onto the bottom of the packet one at a | agrees mcs ne nic Rte 6 time, But the last one phice face down on top of the packet. The cards should now be face down in your hand as follows: AXXAAA Place this packet on top of the deck and deal the top four cards face down on top of the table from left ta right, You'll have the 2 incifferent cards between 2 of the Aces. Please note that as you deal these cards face down onto the table, you may flash the first and fourth cards dealt. Place the deck on the table and remove about one third of the cards. Place this packet squarely on the first card dealt. “By riffing the cards up wards, I cause the first Acc to travel to the top of this packet.” Rifle the packet and tum over the top card to show it is an Ace which has ap- parently travelea to the tup. Pick up the second curd and insert it face down into the middle of the packet which you nw hold in your hand “The second Ace I ple iu the center of the packet, and by rif Turn the downwards, I cause it to go tw the bottom of the packet.” small packet face up in your hand, and show that the second ace has apparently traveled to tlie bottom. Remove this Ace and place it on the table face up with the fist Ace. Place the small packet face down on the fourth Ace and say: "I'm going to give yat a secandl chance to catch an Ace traveling to the tap of the packet.” rd to show that an Acc has again traveled to the top of the ble to the right. ft. Now T want ” Place the card Rifle the packet and turn over the top € packet, The small packet of cards is now put on the t “This third Ace has heen in view all during this exper to show you the most difficult part of the entire t66 EFFECTIVE GARD MAGIC which is apparently the third Ace into the center of the large packet of ‘cards which has not been used up to this point. You may now shuffle this Targe packet, and permit a spectator to shuffle it. After this shuffling has been completed, place the packet in a significant part of the table, Lift up the small packet of cards and hold jt at one of the corners with your right fingers: “Watch this very closely as the third Ace is now going to jump out of the large packet.” Tap the large packet with the small packet rapidly a few times, and slowly turn the small packet face up, Gisclosing the third Ace on the bottom, THE AMBITIOUS CARD ‘The ambitious card effect is @ classic. The main reason for this is its directness, its simplicity of plot worked out, and the one that follows, has been one of my favorite close-up tricks. This isn’t a complete ambitious card routine in itself, but it is an amusing sequence of moves that can be worked into your routine. Its success will depend upon your smoothness of handling. It must be carried off in a continuous manner. To begin, have the deck thoroughly shuffled and cut. Ask a spectator to hand it to you, and get set to do a double-lift-as you say: “You have thoroughly shuffled and cut the deck, so that now there is an indifferent card on top of the deck—a card that has been left there purely by chance.” Do a double lift, showing what is apparently the top card, Let us assume that the card you show happens to be the 3C. Continue: “This deck of cards has strange possibilities. It can cause cards to travel in it, without visible motion. I'll take the 3C and place it in the center of the deck . . . (turn the double-lifted cards face down on top of the deck) all I have to do is give the deck a slight upward bend (do this), which causes the 3C to travel to the top.” Remove the top card, the 3G, with your right hand, and show that it has traveled to the top of the deck. As spectators look at the card, push the top card of the deck (which is in the left hand) over to the right so that you may insert your left little finger under the top card. Do this and secretly retain the break. Place the 3C face down on top of the deck. “I can also make a card travel from the top of the deck to the center. All I have to do is snap my fingers over the deck and the Three of Clubs leaves the top and travels to the center.” Snap your right fingers over the top of the deck You can now immediately remove the two top cards as one, because of the fact that your left litle finger has been holding a break at that p Many minor variations have been OIG a RIEne L Remove the two top cards as one and turn them face up on top of the deck. “The 3C is gone,” you declare; “it has traveled to the center of the deck, Now we bave the AH (or whatever the name of the double- lifted card happens to be) nce again, but this time, watch closely so you can actually see the AH traveling from the center of the deck to the top.” Turn the two cards face down on top of the deck as one card. Take off the top card, calling it the AH, and insert it in the center of the deck. “All I do is give the deck an upward bend, and the AH travels to the top.” Give the deck a slight upward bend and remove the top card, showing that the AH has traveled to the top of the deck, While showing the AH in your right hand, get a break under the top card of the deck with your left little finger just as you did before. Place the AH face down on top of the deck. “Now I'll make the AH travel to the center just by snapping my fingers. The same procedure follows for all of the cards.” As you say this, shap your right fingers over the top of the deck; lift the two top cards off as one, showing another card. (This double-lift is again facilitated by virtue of the break you held with your left little finger.) Call the name of this other card, let us assume that it is the KD. “Now the KD is the top card,” you announce. “I’m going to do the trick once again and if you don’t catch me, I'll show you how I do it with the KD.” Tum that card face down on top of the deck and take the top card off the deck, inserting it in the center. Give the deck a slight upward bend and remove the top card, showing that the KD has traveled to the top. We will try this Resume: “Did you see the KD travel to the top? No? Well then, PH show you how it’s done.” As you say this, you are holding the deck in your left hand in dealing position. Your left thumb moves to the lefti oun. come. ae be.....can pul. -wno_, Fig. his ‘must not be seen by the audience. Mask it by tilting the outer end of the deck downward so that the back of the top card is visible to the audience. Hold the KD by your right finger tips. “I really didn’t put it in the center of the deck, but I put it on the bottom.” Apparently place the KD on the bottom of the deck, but actualy slip it in between the bottom card and the remainder of the deck (into the break held by the left thumb). Let the KD protrude about half an inch from the front of the deck; it is apparently on the bottom, but it is actually second from the bottom. “To make it look as though the KD came to the top, I quickly slipped it from the bottom to the top of the deck like this.” With your left index finger, press against the KD and square it into the deck, but continue pushing the KD, and the card beneath it, so that both cards extend squared from the rear of the deck, as one! With your right fingers grasp the protruding card(s) and place it face up on the top of the deck. An indifferent card will show. This will be a surprise since the audience expects the card to be the KD. “That's funny,” you comment, ". .. oh, I know why its not the KD . .. I forgot to bend the deck!” Apparently deal this indifferent card off the deck and onto your right hand, face down. Actually, turn your left hand over so the 2 top cards are face down, and with the tips of the left fingers, push the KD off, face down, into the right hand, at the same time, with the left thumb, pulling the indifferent card back flush with the deck. Gently bend the card and tum it over, showing that the indifferent card has been changed to the KD, On top of the deck you will have the face up indif- ferent card. The bottom of the deck should be facing your audience so that it will not be obvious that a reversed card is on top of the deck. With the left hand in the same position (the bottom card facing the audience), place the KD on top, thus concealing the reversed indifferent card, “I'll make it go from the bottom to the top once again,” you announce. Lower the left hand so the spectators see the KD face up on top of the deck. Do a double-lift to replace the KD face down. Take off the top card and place it on the bottom of the deck. “Watch how quickly I can make it travel to the top,” you continue. At this point, do a very slow and open bending of the deck. Then slowly tum over the top card showing that the KD has managed once again to make a trip through the deck undetected, ‘This complete description, in actual performance, takes but a few minutes. I have given a full explanation of this little routine, as it is a very entertaining bit of by-play. Learn it and use it PART Il The Second Deal TRICKS WITH THE SECOND DEAL‘The Second Deal Magicians have adopted many subtle sleights and methods from the technique of the professional gambler who specializes in cheating at cards, These have been diverted from the purpose of separating the unwary from his money, to the innocent and worthy purpose of providing entertainment via the performance of the little miracles of card conjuring. (One of the most intriguing of these adopted sleights is the second deal. It consists of dealing the second card of the pack in such a way that there is a perfect illusion that the top card has been honestly dealt. At first thought, it would seem that this procedure is not possible; the card sharp must execute the swindle at close quarters and under the very eyes of the other players. Yet the sleight is imperceptible when properly done. For magicians the conditions are not so rigorous and the sleight has proved an addition to their technique, Aside from direct use in tricks, the second deal has also been used by magicians in giving exposi- tions of the methods used by gamblers in cheating. In this way most magicians have become familiar with it. It is safe to say that the majority of magicians have been so intrigued with the sleight that they at once wish to acquire it. However, the only way to do this has been by sheer hard practice; and not only for days, weeks or months, but for years! ‘The sleight is made up of separate moves with the application of different pressures, It is the co-ordination of these factors into one smooth sequence that produces the successful second deal Its strange that the logical method of mastering each move separately and then proceeding to the whole sequence of moves has not been thought of before. Application will show that d good second deal can be learned in a matter of hours, whereas it formerly took years! If the reader is one of those who has cherished the secret desire to be able to deal seconds, and he will faithfully follow the plan detailed below, he will quickly realize his ambition. It is strictly up to the individual as to whether or not he will be suc- cessful with this plan. I have completely dissected a strike method of second dealing for the reader in such a manner that if he follows it closely, he will be dealing seconds in a few hours. It is assumed that the reader knows nothing about second dealing. a2 EFFECTIVE CAKD MAGIC ‘The first part of the plan is a discussion of the component parts of the second deal. Run through these, briefly, just to get a very general idea of what goes into a second deal. The next part is devoted to exer- cises. Practice these carefully and painstakingly. Do not be afraid of overdoing them. Spend as much time on them as you feel necessary. Remember, you are attempting to crowd years of dealing practice into ‘afew hours! The next part will be devoted to performing the deal itself Last, will be given a discussion plus hints and tips regarding the second deal Before starting, keep in mind that this is a fairly general plan. Tt must meet the needs of many types of persons with many types of hands. What suits you, may not suit another. Eventually, you may have to make changes in the deal to suit yourself, but first master the method given here, After that, you may make whatever changes in grip, position, and handling that suit you best. Also, run through each segment of the plan slowly. Do not speed or rush it. First learn to do each component part, each exercise, each move slowly before adding speed. Let's start now. t's all up to you! Tue Component Pants of THE Secono Deat 1, Position of the Deck in the Left Hand. Hold your left hand flat, palm upwards. Lay the deck face down on it with its lower left corner pressing against the lower part of the ball of the thumb, the left thumb lying diagonally on the back of the deck and pointed to the upper right comer of the deck. The index finger is curled against the outer end with I Sp near the outer right comer; the middle, ring, and little fingers are lined up with their tips pressing on the right side of the deck, Fig, 32. TL. see Db 75 ‘The three fingers on the right side of the deck serve as a gauge so that only the top or second cards may be dealt off the deck. ‘They are at the level allowing only these two cards to clear the deck. You will discover that they will automatically adjust themselves as cards are dealt. ‘The tips of these fingers also bevel the side of the deck so that every card from the top card down, protrudes very slightly over the next one below. “This bevelling process is also aided by the pressure of the Jeft thumb, Notice the bevel in Fig. 32. This position of the deck is known as the mechanic’s grip, and a study of it will show that the left hand has every card under complete control. The deck is maintained in this position throughout the second deal and the normal deal, also. Whenever you intend using a second deal, you will always have to assume this same deck position. ‘To change the posi- tion of the deck during the course of a trick oF other use to which you wish to put the second deal, is obviously a bad practice. 2, The Movement of the Left Thumb. Hold the deck in the grip given in No. 1, and with a minimum amount of pressure on the top card, move your left thumb in a clockwise direction, downwards and out, pushing only the top card to the right. ‘The pad of the outer phalange of your left thumb pushes the card. The top card will be off the deck as in Fig. 33. Notice that the upper right corner of the second card is clearly exposed. By reversing the motions of the left thumb the top card can be pivoted back to its original position, Fig. 32. Experiment with this a few moments and draw the top card back and forth, cleanly. Do not press excessively with the left dhumb. Exert pres: sure just sufficient to carry the top card J dightly to 3. The Grip with the Right Fingers. Push the top the right as in Fig, 33. The right thumb contacts the upper right corner4 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC of the top card and carries it gently to the right as the right index finger grips the card at the upper right corner from underneath. The middie, ring and little fingers rest freely. ‘The grip with the right fingers is depicted in Fig. 34. This manner of taking the card with the right must be performed uniformly, when you deal normally as well as when you deal seconds. Tis the method T use, and I suggest it for your own use, Do not varys you must be uniform in all your motions to add to the illusion of the second deal 4. The Strike. The strike is the move which is made when your right thumb first makes contact with the second card of the deck, To do this, push the top card as in a normal deal, Fig. 33; the pad of your right thumb, instead of making contact with the top card, strikes the exposed upper right comer of the second card in the same gesture used to strike off the top card of the deck. When contact is made, the second card will move off the deck to the right (the bevelling of the cards greatly aiding this action, while the left fingers on the side of the deck permit only this card to clear the deck and koep the under cards bev- clled). Once it has cleared the deck, it is gripped from beneath with the right index finger (as described in 3, above) and carried clear and to the right onto the table, Fig. 32. As soon as the second card has been gripped between the right thumb and middle finger, the left thumb Graws back the top card of the deck to its original starting position. ‘The strike is the motion of the right thumb as it contacts the second card, Do not use any unnecessary pressure to move the second card off aaa ce gece eee ae ppenicemntomeemmsmnsemeccscisiese THE SECOND DEAL 75 the deck, A light pressure of the right thumb, as the right thumb strokes the card off the deck, is preferable. lightly as possible on the top card. This will minimize the friction and allow the second card to be moved with litte effort ‘All of these moves must be made smoothly; no jerky or discordant motions. 5. The Motion of the Hands, Hold the deck in your left hand and deal off several cards from the top of the deck, one after the other, Notice the normal swing of your hands as you do this. Note the unexaggerated motion as your left and right hands gently come together. The left hand turns slightly upwards, from the wrist; the right hand removes the top card and deals it off the deck as the left hand returns to its starting posi- tion. Deal several cards and inspect your own motion; make a mental note of this: This exact motion must be duplicated when you deal seconds as well as when you deal the top card; you must kecp the motions of the hands and wrists uniform. ‘These five points are the essential components of the second desl. Do not bother to study them too closely at this point. The exercises, which are given here, will best prepare you for applying these five components. These exercises, perhaps, are the most valuable part of learning to » deal, for through them, you will discover for yourself all there is to know about positions, grips, presures and all the other elements that must go into a good second deal. These various points will not be specifically discussed, but they will be observed as you progress. ‘At this point you must realize the importance of, and strive for, uni- formity. The appearance of the second deal must resemble, as closely as posible, the normal deal. You should also be aware of the fact must not rush each movement but must first run through them Your left thumb should rest as and gradually increase your performing speed until you attain whatever rate of speed you desire. ‘The first exercise will be the normal deal. Start at the beginning so that you can build a solid foundation. Exercises 1. The Normal Deal. Hold the deck in the mechanic’s grip as given in the first component. If you have never held a deck this way before, it may be slightly uncomfortable at first, but you will rapidly get accus- tomed to it. Remove the deck from this grip, shuffle it, and replace it le just in the mechanic's grip without any hesitation. You should be abl to pick up the deck and place it in the correct position without havingi i % brrECTIVE CARD MacIC to make any adjustments. Deal the top card off the deck to the right, as given in the second component, and grip it with the proper fingers as siven in the third component. Continue to deal through the deck, slowly Do this rhythmically and with your normal wrist motion, After dealing through the deck slowly, assemble the deck and start to deal through again, but this time, deal a few cards at a faster rate, then a few cards slowly, then fast, etc., varying the speed of the deal Deal through the deck several times in this manner, When you later reach the point when you can deal seconds, you are going to attempt to duplicate the exact appearance of these normal deal, 2 The Immovable Thumb. After you have practiced normal dealing to your satisfaction, you advance to this next step. Hold the deck in dealing position and deal the top card, as you have done in the normal deal; but do not move the left thumb back to its starting position so that it might push another card off to the right. Instead, leave the left thumb resting lightly on the top of the deck as your right thumb strikes the upper right hand corner of the top card and carries it to the right and Geals it off the deck in the same manner as utilized in the normal deal To simplify: Your left thumb remains immovable on top of the deck, as your right thumb does all of the dealing action, Run through the deck, several times, wit ith your left thumb remaining immovable. Notice that the lighter the pressure of the left thumb on the top card, the easier itis for the right thumb to strike it off; the lighter the pressure, the less the friction, When dealing through the deck, again vary the speeds of the deal. Experiment with t is necessary. When you can take the cards rapi to the next exercise. this as much as you feel idly and cleanly, proceed This exercise will lay the groundwork of your second deal by accuse toming you to use the strike and grip of the card, 3. The Immovable Card. Hold the deck squarely in your left hand. Push the top card down and to the right, as in the normal deal; notice the exposed upper right corner of the second card. Your right thumb approaches the deck and strikes the second card, at its exposed corner, Gealing it off the deck. Your left thumb and the top card of the deck femain immovable as you do this, Fig. 33. Do not pull back the top card, but leave it in its same position, with your left thumb remaining Tightly on top of it. Note that the upper right corner of the next (second) card is now exposed, Deal this card off, leaving the top card of the deck, and your thumb, immovable, Run through the deck, slowly, with the top card and thumb remaining in the same position as in Fig. 33. After ' i THE SECOND DEAL 7 you have run through the deck several times, you will observe how to decrease the friction of the top card on the second card, how best to strike the second card, and many other important factors. This exercise is one of the most informative and beneficial; run through it many times, varying the speeds of the deal, untu you can deal the second card with the same facility that you di the top card in the first exercise. ‘This is the real essence of second dealing, When you can do this well you are well on your way to becoming @ second dealer. Perrone THe DEAL When you have reached the point where you have mastered all of the exercises, you now proceed to second deal properly. The second desl, as outlined in the Component Parts of the Second Deal, is comprised of five steps. Re-read these five points and run through them with a deck of cards in your hands, After the third exercise, the element you must add to perform a second deal properly is the push-off and the draw-back of the top card, Push the top card off the deck (in the normal dealing manner), strike the second card (as in the third exercise), and as you grip and withdraw the second card from the deck, pull back the top card to its original starting postion (as mentioned in the second component). The top cara is now square with the deck, and you have dealt a second. Repeat this, slowly. Do not rush ahead at this stage, but proceed to deal seconds at 2 slow rate of speed. Become accustomed to the motions, the rhythm, the timing, Run through the deck, varying the speeds, as much as is necessary until you can duplicate, as closely as possible, the normal deal Don't forget the wrist motion; this must copy the normal motions used When you feel that you are fairly competent, run through this exercise several times: deal three tops, slowly; deal three seconds, slowly; deal thre tps faster; deal thee secon faster deal thee tops very fast deal three seconds, very fast. Repeat this exercise several times. This will give you proficiency and teach you how to beable to insert seconds at any nezesary point When runing trough this lst suggested xe cise please realize that it all must be dane smoothly and continous You must del frm tops to seconds and ack to tops without ay Rests tion or adjustment. When you can do this well, you will have mastere the second deal! Coxciupinc THousuTs ce ; second dealing that it would ‘There are so many factors involved in second J be presumptuous to believe it possible to mention every conceivable pointMawee in an explanation of this type. I have attempted to give what I believe to be the major points with the hope that a study of them will teach the interested student enough to be able to do good seconds. Only practice and personal experience will tcach the many things impossible to convey in print By practice and application you will learn how to minimize the brief view of the corner of the second card that is exposed when you push the top card to the right prior to performing a second deal. You will accus- tom your right thumb tip to the action of performing the strike. Your left, middle, ring, and little fingers will become more skillful gauges, and your wrist motion will become smooth and natural. All of these points, and all of the others, will become a part of you by practice An “angle” well known among cheaters is the “nechtie-second.” This is a second deal that is performed in such a manner that the top of the deck is not visible to the “sucker.” This is done by twisting the left wrist upwards and towards the necktie so’ that only the edge or bottom surface of the cards are visible, and at this point performing @ second deal Because of the position of the deck, the onlooker cannot see the top of the deck, and thus cannot visually be aware that the second card is being dealt. At the conclusion of each card being dealt, the deck is tipped back to its normal position. Gamblers who use this do not make it as showy and exaggerated as this description may make it seem. To conceal their motives for dealing in this way, they make it appear a ‘mannerism of dealing rather than an artifice Here are two of the ways “old-timers” used to practice seconds. One was to hum or whistle a popular tune as they practiced dealing (alter- nating tops and seconds; or dealing four tops and a second, four tops and a second, etc., to practice the continuity necessary to perform the deal well). The beat or rhythm of the tune served to teach them good timing; no break in motion when a top or a second was dealt. This may bbe compared to the prize fighter’s motives when he practices on the small Punching bag. I suggest you experiment and see if this idea of practicing to the continuous rhythm that music affords, doesn’t prove an aid in teaching you timing ‘The other scheme “old-timers” used was to practice dealing seconds in a dark room, This may sound peculiar at first, but it had a practical reason behind it. It cured the dealer of the bad habit of watching his hands while he dealt. Practice this and see for yourself if it doesn’t teach you confidence and naturalness in action. It gets your eyes away from the deck, and it teaches coordination. TL sec bi 79 As I mentioned before, our greatest teacher can be ourselves. You hhave here the basis and method of Jearning to second deal. I know the value of this information for I have used this method to teach many magicians, and a few other “students.” It saved them many hours, years! of arduous practice. My only regret is that when I first became interested in second dealing the sources of information were meager and incomplete. I ran into “theories” rather than facts, It is hoped that this plan will teach you, in 2 few hours, what took me years to perfect. TRICKS WITH THE SECOND DEAL Effective tricks using the second deal are quite rare. I include several uses for the second deal as I believe the student will better appreciate the magical value that the move has by a study of its possibilities. Some day perhaps, an enterprising magical writer will devote a complete book to tricks using the second deal; a conscientious work of this kind would be extremely valuable, ‘Some of the basic magical uses of the second deal are to use it as a substitute for the double lift, or for the top change. I’ve seen several magicians use it as an important part of their ambitious card routines. ‘The, most obvious use to which this move has been put, is to bring a chosen card to the top, and then by dealing seconds, to show that the selected card is found either at the position in the deck the spectator mentions, or at the very place he calls “Stop!” ; ‘ Incidentally, for some unknown reason, my grandfather's favorite trick was this last mentioned use of the second deal, I would do the trick over and over for him; he always experienced wonder at my pro- ducing his card exactly where he stopped me, ; ; ‘The following trick will afford excellent practice, and is an appealing effect with the second deal. GaLt To THE CoLons In Controlled Miracles, I described the germ of an excellent idea, using the second deal, which John Scarne had given me permision to use. It was called the Scarne Card Puzzle and was not too important an effect, but the principle, for those who used acute observation, was fone of those rare, but useful applications of the second deal. 1 have evolved a routine using this same principle, and, properly handled, it can be very entertaining. I understand that Cardini introduced a similar effect years ago. Exrnor: The magician shufles a deck of cards, then spreads it face upar FEC OE Moo: to show it devoid of any preparation or set-up. He says that in one shuflle he can control all 52 cards so that he can influence the order of the colors. To explain by illustration, he shuffles the deck, and then deals the cards face up one at a time, saying, “Red, black, red, black.” As he deals, the colors come alternately, as he had said they would. He deals as many cards as he wishes, then reassembles the deck, and says, “T'll go a step further.” He proceeds to deal: “Two reds, two blacks, two reds, two blacks,” showing double alternation. Gathering up the cards again, he then goes into triple alternation (Three reds, three blacks, three reds, three blacks, etc.). For a final demonstration, he deals the entire deck out, and shows half are all red, the other half all black! ‘The following description of the method will be given in a series of steps so that you may clearly follow the action, as it is described, with a deck of cards in your hands, Run through this method several times, practicing with the cards as you read this, so that a clear understanding may be had of the important principles which govern the effect. It is an excellent idea to practice this effect with the deck face up, so that you may better understand the simple mechanics behind the method. Merson: Alternate the entire deck, red, black, red, black, etc. False shuffle the deck, and give it fair complete cuts. Spread the cards face up on the table and remark that they are free of any order. The red:black arrangement will not be noticed. Claim that you can control the cards, snap your fingers, and begin dealing the cards face up onto @ pile, Show that they are alternating singly. Deal about 15 cards. Place them back on top of the deck, and now deal them doubly alter- nating, To do this, deal a top, a second, three tops, a second, three tops, a second, continuing this pattern. (The cards, of course, are face down fon top of the deck, in actual performance, and are dealt out face up onto the table.) If this is followed correctly, the cards will fall red, red, black, black, red, red, and so on, Deal about twenty cards, square up the pile, and replace on top of the deck. Say: “By snapping my fingers, the cards go back to single alternation.” Again deal one top, one second, three tops, one second, three tops, fone second, and so on, until you have dealt about twenty cards. The cards will again alternate singly. Place them all face down on top of the deck. ‘You are now going to make them alternate in groups of three. To do this, you must have two cards of the same color together. Simply deal one second and place the card dealt onto the bottom of the deck. i Pao 8 Note it. (Let us say that it is the Ace of Hearts.) Now, deal two tops and one second face up on the table to the left, deal two tops and a second face up to the right, again two tops and a second on the pile to the left, and two face up tops and one second to the right (the cards will now be coming out in groups of three!) When you have about twelve cards in each pile, place the pile on your left on top of the pile on your right, and all these 24 cards face- down onto the bottom of the deck. (Note: You can discern when you have reached the 24 stacked cards by watching, in this instance, for the Ace of Hearts. When this shows up, during the following “random” demonstration, you know that you have reached the final stack.) Do a few false shuffles and cuts and say that you will now deal the cards off in whatever pattern the spectators request. Deal them off doubly, singly, or in threes; in whatever way your spectators desir. After you have dealt 28 cards off in random patterns (and they should all be fact up on each other in no discernable order) you will have reached the stack of 24 cards (half red, half black), which you will realize when you come to Ace of Hearts. Place all the face up cards on the bottom of the remaining packet, do a false shuffle and cut and say, “If I wish, I can make them all come out in one color.” Deal off 12 of one color, pause, and then deal a second: pile of the next 12 of the other color. Once you fully understand the basic method, you can make whatever variations in the effect you please. You can make it longer, shorter, and add many colorful little touches which experience will teach you. This demonstration of skill may be used in giving an exposure of gamblers’ technique, or for other magicians. Good routini handling will prove effective when performing this for laymen. Once you understand the way to control the different combinations vou can make whatever changes in the rontine that suit you best. You have only about one second to deal for every three tops, and this factor will give you excellent cover. and clear ‘Two Nusners This effect “is simple and direct. Two spectators each choose and return a card to the deck. Each then mentally selects a number between J and 10. Counting to the numbers each spectator has thoueht of, the magician produces each spectatar’s card The method, of course, uses the second desl. “This effect is an elabo:Be EFFEGHIVE CARD Mawie ration on the classic second deal effect of finding one selected card at a number mentioned by the spectators Metiop: Have two spectators each select a card. (We will call the first selected card A, and the second, B.) Card A is returned to the spread deck. In spreading the cards widely from hand to hand, after ‘Ais replaced in the spread, secure a break over the fourth card above A. This is a perfectly simple operation, (A is the fifth card down from where you hold a break with your left litte finger.) ‘Square the deck, retaining the break, and say something to the effect that one card has been selected and replaced in an unknown position in the deck and that you will now have the second card replaced. Start to spread the deck from left to right, but open it widely at the break and literally force B to be replaced at that point. (Note: This mode of influencing the position of the replacement of a card is exceedingly simple to do and is a very valuable subterfuge in many tricks. As a matter of fact, you really take the card into the break almost as if you were using a forceps; that is to say, as the spectator moves his hand forward to replace the card, you reach forward with the pack, opening it at the break, and take the card from him as if closing the jaws of a forceps on it.) As you square the, deck for the second time, secure a break four cards above B. Square the deck, and cut to the break. ‘Under the action of having two cards selected and replaced in the deck, one card has been controlled to the fifth position from the top of the deck, and the other to the tenth position. ‘This is a lesson in handling. In the simplest and most deceptive manner possible, you have controlled two cards to desired positions. Now say to spectator B: “This is an unusual trick in which I don't find your cards, but you find them yourselves! It's the easiest trick I do, since you do all the work, But you have to try very hard, because if it doesn’t work, obviously I can't be to blame. What I want you to do is to think of any number between one and ten; but please make it a number that appeals to you.” The spectator may name any number between 1 and 10, which means all the numbers inclusive two through nine. Use the following procedure to find the first card at each number: If two is named, say: “I will give the deck one complete cut and find your card at the position you named.” Give the deck a slip-cut, completing the cut, Card B is now fourth from the top. Deal two tops, and then a second. Place this last dealt card (B) face down to the right. If three is named, don’t slip cut, just deal three tops, and then a second, placing the last dealt card to the right, eaeateaer fear ie 8 Ii jour is named, deal three tops and a second, B being placed to the right. If five is named, deal four tops, and deal the fifth to the right, If six is named, deal four tops and one second, the next card being placed to the right. If seven is named, deal four tops and two seconds, the next card being placed to the right. If eight is named, deal four tops and three seconds, the next card being placed to the right, If nine is named, deal four tops and four seconds, the top card being placed to the right. By following these directions, you will have found one of the selected cards at a number named by spectator B. This card is face down and to the right of the small pile of cards just dealt. To find A’s card, deduct the number of cards dealt from 10 to deter- mine its position, Have a second number between I and 10 named, and deal seconds and/or tops so that A is reached at the proper point. After finding both cards at the numbers mentioned, you turn them over and show that the trick is successful. ‘An excellent way to practice this effect is to place two cards face up in the deck in the fifth and tenth positions. Now, assuming that you are the spectators, use all the combinations of numbers possible, and sec that you always bring the trick to a successful conclusion. By running through all the combinations just once, you will find that you can deal with every possibility with ease, This little effect, handled properly, can be very puzzling. Clean sleight of hand and simple mathematics is all that is involved. It would take a good deal of space to mention all of the number com- binations possible. If the effect appeals to the student I will assume he will work out all of the combinations. Don’t bother memorizing the procedure for each combination. Each will be simple to apply as you perform the trick. Danpury Detuston Before I ever met Charles Miller, I read of two of his card effects that made meeting him important to me. One of these effects was the Danbury Delusion which appears in Expert Card Technique, Page 319 of the third edition, ‘This excellent effect, in its original form, is quite complete. I am mentioning it in this chapter as I feel it is a very good use of the second deal. I will describe the effect and method as I do it. T have made a minor change in my handling as I am more comfortabledoing it in my particular way. At any rate, Charles Miller's onginel concept is certainly worth doing. Erect: A card is selected and the magician shuffies the deck to lose thoroughly the spectator’s card among the other cards. The magician says: Tam going to cut the deck at random and look at three cards. Each of these will give me a certain amount of information which will enable me to find your card.” The magician cuts the upper half of the deck in his right hand, fingers at the front and right thumb at the rear. The top card of the half held in the left hand is turned face up on its packet ‘This is accomplished by using the packet held in the right hand as 2 lever which helps turn it face up. (Apparently unknown to the magician, this first card he has turned face up actually is the selected card.) The magician, undaunted, says, “This card tells me that your card was black (or as the case may be).” The card is then turned face down and dealt onto the table. The uiext card is turned face up (it is an indifferent card}. “This card tells me that your card is a picture card (for ex- ample).” This second card is turned face down and placed on the table ‘The third card is turned face up and the magician says, “This card is an eight. This tells me that your card is now eight cards down in the deck (or whatever the value of the third card happens to be).” The magician places the third card on the table and deals down cight cards ‘The eighth card, after the proper suspense-building patter, is shown to be the selected card (supposedly unknown to the magician). The first card is discovered to be an indifferent card, (Incidentally, if you “sell” this trick strongly enough, your spectators will literally Jeap at the first card to turn it over.) Merxop: Have a card selected and replaced in the deck, You must now control it to the top of the deck. Use the Simon Card Control, or your favorite method. For example’s sake, let us call the selected card the 5H. Undercut half the deck and injog the first card onto the 5H, shuffle one card, injog the next card and shufile off the remainder of the deck. The position of the cards should now be, reading downwards from the top of the face down deck: Half the deck, an injogged card, a card, an injogged card, the 5H and the second half of the deck, Fig. 35. With your left little finger secure a break over the SH. That is simple to do as the lowermost injogged card marks off this point. With your right thumb press down upon the upper jogged card and secure a break at this point with the ball of your right thumb. Your position will now be: A break with left ttle finger over the orf, three mdifterent caras (two of which were formerly jogged), and a break between these three cards and the upper half of the deck. By cutting off the upper halt of LO the deck with your right hand at the point of the 5H, you will automati- cally have the upper half in your right hand with a break held on the three lowermost cards of this half. Say: “T will now cut the deck at random and use three cards to give me information about your card.” Gut at the Five of Hearts, your right thumb retaining the break on the three bottom cards of its packet, Fig. 36. Push the 5H off the pack towards the right with the left thumb, and by using the right hand packet as a lever, turn the 5H over and face up on the left hand packet. Say “This card gives me information about your card.” (If spectators attempt86 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC to tell you that it is their card, blufl your patter along so that they will think you haven't heard them or have misunderstood them. Tell them that if you are interrupted, the trick will not work.) “Since this card is a red card, it tells me your card was red.” Flip the 5H face down in exactly the same manner as before, and as this is done, release the three cards that you have been holding with your right thumb on top of the 5H, Fig. 36. (This-move can be done cleanly and indetectably. Be certain to perfect it before using it.) Immediately deal off the top card of the left hand packet face down onto the table with your left thumb, saying, “Now let's see what the next card tells me.” Using the right hand packet as a lever, turn face up the top card of the left hand packet. Whatever the card happens to be, say “This card tells me that your card was a number card.” Turn it face down and deal it off to the right of the first card dealt onto the table. Turn over the next top card of the left hand packet using the same procedure, and say: “Since this card is a four (or whatever the valuc), it tells me your card is four down in the deck.” Deal the four face down onto the table to the right of the other two cards. Place the left hand packet on top of the cards held in the right hand. Square the deck and deal three seconds, Remove the top card of the deck, apparently the card that was fourth from the top, and say: “Now would you believe it to be possible for me to hold the very card you selected in my hand?” If your audience is awake, they wilk say that it couldn't possibly be their card, since they had seen you place it down on the table at the start of the trick. Look sur- prised at this information, and add the “build-up” in your own way Finally show the card you hold to be the one they sclected. Then watch out, because there will be a scramble to look at the first card! Any trick in which the audience feels assured that the magician has made a palpable mistake, and is sure to fail, is highly effective, since he finally proves that it is they who have been mistaken, But the magician ‘Must assume the most innocent possible air when the climax is reached; as though he could not understand why they had jumped to such a conclusion. THE MIDDLE DEAL Dealing cards from the middle of the deck is one of the most difficult of all gambler’s sleights. There are very few indeed, who have mastered it, By means of the method that follows, you can, by subterfuge, produce the effect of dealing from the middle. ‘This effect is best to do before people who know something about THE SECOND DEAL 87 cards, because it consists of fanning through a deck, face up, having any- one name any card which isin the middle of the deck, and upon squaring the deck, apparently dealing the card from the middle! ‘The method is both bold and impressive to spectators. Metno: Hold the deck face up in your hands, and run the cards from left to right. Have a spectator name any card near the middle of the deck. The deck is still face up. Secure a break under this card and square up the deck, retaining the break. Under the guise of showing that the named card is not the face card nor the second from face of the deck perform the Cover for the Slide Slip, (Chapter 111). This will bring indectably the named card second from the face of the deck (which is stil] face up in your hands and has been so all through the above) ‘Square the deck and place it on a table, saying to whatever magician friends are present: “I can do the most unusual middle deal ever de- veloped. You sec, the way I do it, I don't need any break!" Pick up the deck (still face up) and deal a second, thus producing the effect of having dealt the named card from the middle of the deck. Use different patter for laymen, or better still, make use of the experi- ment only when giving a demonstration of gambling methods THE F.B1. CARD Erect: The magician removes the Ace of Spades (for example) from a deck of cards, and entitles it his “F.B.1.” card. He has a spectator select a card from the deck, and replace it; the magician then shuffles the deck. The performer hands his “F.B.1.” card to the spectator, and tells him to insert it, face up, anywhere in the deck, allowing it to protrude about an inch. This is done. The magician then declares that the spectator has u the “F.B.L” card immediately beneath, and therefore card; to prove this statement, he deals down to the card facing the “F.BIL” card. Slowly turning the card over, the performer triumphantly displays the selected card! ‘Metxop: Remove from the deck some card of prominent value, such as the AS, or the Joker; call it your “F.B.I.” card. Have another card freely selected and replaced in the deck; secretly contral it to the top of the deck Remind the audience that a card bi and that you had removed an “F.B..” Claim that this card will help you to find the selected card. unwittingly placed cing, the selected been selected and lost in the deck, rd before beginning the trickPEPE Eee eee te While talking, shuffle about 14 cards atop the selected card, making sure you remember the exact amount. Ask a spectator to insert the “F.B.1." card, face up, anywhere in the deck, but influence his insertion so that he places the card somewhere below the selected card. To do this, riffle the outer end of the pack with the tips of the right middle, and ring fingers, the thumb being at the inner end of the deck, Rifle the cards off freely to about the position you require the card to be replaced, pause slightly, and move your hands cn the spectator, almost literally taking the card from him into the reak, cThe F-B.L.” card should protrude from the deck as shown in Fig. 37. Tostis® the deck in second deal position; note that the deck may com- Orably be gripped forthe second deal without disturbing the protruding pe Announce thatthe spectator has placed the “F B.I.” card immediately bord the selected card, and proceed to deal regular tops, secretly card il Pees You do 80: After you have dealt 14 tops, the fifteenth the selected card. Start to second deal at this point, and Sonthuc until the selected card is immediately above the "F.B1” card, Tate spectator to name his card, and slowly turn up the selected card. second dog, es £0 the others, shows the variations possible by using the Unless ye hee Our Method. Remember, they shouldn't be performed ea tive Perfected your second deal. Your spectators should only Teta basic effect of your tricks, not your methods. In using agar tlie aoe ispurey 4 tool to assist you in bringing about | | SED 1 FOUR CARD LOCATION ‘Tricks which involve the location of several chosen cards in succession S intrigued magicians. Because of the complications in handling more than one card, only a few experts have regularly per- formed muhiple locations, The following handling of four cards may either be used to discover four sclected cards, or it may be used to locate the four Aces or four other desirable cards. To begin, if the four cards are to be selected cards, have them selected and returned to the deck. Secretly control these four cards and bring them together on top of the deck. Dai Vernon’s excellent “Multiple Card Pass (Tarbell Course in Magic, Vol. III, page 192,) will do this effi ciently, or whatever other method you prefer. (If you are to use it to locate four Aces, secretly bring the Aces to the top of the deck). The four cards you will ultimately locate are now on top of the deck. At this point, you must perform the Set-up of Four Cards sleight, (Chapter III) This brings one of the cards to the top, one to the bottom, and two of them together in the center of the deck with a break between these last two cards. Cut the deck at the break and place the packets side by side. (The cards to be located are now one at the top and one at the bottom of each packet.) Pick up one of the packets and have a spectator mention a number between 1 and 10, For example, Jet us say 5 was mentioned. Second deal four cards off this packet and remove what is apparently the fifth card, actually one of the selected cards. Place this card aside, face down. Now drop the packet which is in your hands on top of the four cards dealt onto the table. Square up the packet and perform a false shutfle, not disturbing the bottom stock. Turn the packet face up and say “Number 5 was mentioned. We counted down to it and removed a card at that point. We will now remove the card 5th from the bottom.” Turn the packet face up in your hands and deliberately deal down to the fifth card, Show that it is one of the selected cards. Use it to fiip over the card originally placed aside, you will have discovered two of the selected cards. The other packet is now in the same position in which this first Packet had originally been (a selected card on top and bottom). Have another small number named and follow the same procedure as you did with the first packet, You will have discovered the other two cards by doing this. This discovery of four cards is very puzzling to magicians. You will get credit for a lot more work than you actually put into the trick. Practice it so that it may be performed smoothly. have alwet ME PART Ill New Sleights and Tricks TherewithNew Sleights and Tricks Therewith THE SIMON CARD CONTROL In the great majority of tricks of the “Please take a card” variety, the illusion of magic depends upon the spectator being convinced that his card has actually been buried in the deck and that the magician has no possible means of controlling it. If there is any departure from a normal procedure, the effect is no longer a question of magic, but merely an exhibition of “quickness of the hands.” With these thoughts in mind, I devised a method of controlling @ ‘chosen card in such a way that the whole action is automatic. Meron: Having had a spectator select a card and note it, you invite him to replace it in the deck. Square the deck in your leit hand and take it by the ends between your right thumb (at the back) and right fingers (at the front). Your middle and ring fingers are at the front of the deck with the tip of the right index finger resting on the back of the top card; your little finger is free. The deck is gripped to the right of the middle of the deck. (‘The position of this hand is depicted in Fig. 38.) Your right hand presents the left side of the deck to the spectator as you invite him to replace his card anywhere he pleases. Allow him to slide his card in among the others at will. When he has it about halfway 93Py, peta v eel tte G. home, exert press with your index finger preventing it from going any further. Draw the deck away from the spectator, at this point, under the pretense of showing the fairness of the procedure, Call attention to the protruding card and with your left hand, push it into the deck unl about one-third of an inch protrudes from the left side, Fig. 38. With the deck as in Fig. 38, extend your left thumb and place it against the pro truding card at its’bottom comer. Push the card squarely into the deck with an upward rubbing motion in the direction of the arrow as in Fig. 39. Complete the action by rubbing the thumb tip back and forth along the left side of the deck several times. As far as the spectator is concerned, the result is convincing: to all appearances, his card has been completely lost in the deck, and the only way it could be found would be for him to name it, turn the deck face upwards, and search for it Actually, upon examining the right side of the deck, you will find that the selected card is jogged at the lower right corner. ‘This is masked by the position of the right fingers. Place the deck on the table, the side with the jogged card facing towards you, and casually pull back your sleeves or rub your hands tor gether, Use any little action which will serve as a pretext for laying the deck aside for a moment, This delaying action is extremely disarming and will convince the spectators that you have no control over the selected card, Since the deck is squared (from the spectator’s view) and out of Your hands the spectator will be satisfied that only a magician could sibly find his card. CMG ec Se -- oH Pick the deck up and place it in your left hand, in dealing position. Be certain that you do not disturb the jogged card! You will find that its jogged corner gives you complete control over the selected card, as you may form a break above or below the selected card (bringing it to the top or bottom of the deck, as you wish). Let us assume that you wish to control the card to the top of the deck. Here is the procedure I use at this point. Insert your left little finger over the selected card, forming a break. With your right hand, cut off about half the cards above the break and place this packet upon the table, Next, cut off all the cards above-the break upon the packet now on the table. Finally, with the right hand, drop all the cards remaining in the left hand upon the packet on the table. This brings the selected card neatly to the top of the deck in an efficient, clean manner. If you wish, you may use the double undercut to control the selected card to the top. In fact, any one of the many variations of cutting may be utilized to do the work. Perhaps the simplest thing to do would be to cut the deck at the break and perform a rifle shuffle, bringing the selected card to the desired position. It will be up to the individual to adopt what- ever sequence of moves suits him best. This control is a strong, effective item that will never fail you. It has gotten me out of many spots and should be used sparingly. It will serve you as well as it has me. SET-UP OF FOUR CARDS This is an easy method of setting any four desired cards so that when the pack is simply cut in half, the desired cards will be set one at the top and one at the bottom of each of the 2 packets. Assuming that you wish to set 4 Aces in the manner described above, begin with the four Aces on top of the deck, and riffle shuflle the deck, not disturbing the Aces. Ribbon spread the deck from right to left as you make some remark similar to: “The cards have been shuffled, and I couldn't possibly know the loca- tion of any of the cards.” With your right hand take the top card of the deck, slip it under the bottom card, and using it as a scoop, gather the cards up neatly, placing them in your left hand, (At this point, one Ace will be on the bottom, and 3 on the top.) With your right hand, lift about half the cards from the top of the deck in Hindu Shufic fashion; with your left fingers, pull the top card ofi EFFECTIVE CARD Macte the right hand packet onto the left hand packet, Fig. 40. Now pull the next top card on top of the cards in your left hand, with your left fingers, of the cards in your left hand, Fig. 41. (The two cards have been drawn NEW SLEIGHTS 7 from the right hand packet by your left hand in the same manner as used in the Hindu Shufile.) A card will now be jogged at the rear of the deck. Cut the packet by the ends, the right thumb at the rear engaging the jogged card, and carrying it at the bottom of the half just lifted by the right hand. Place this packet face down on the table. " Put the cards remaining in the left hand face down alongside this packet. You'll now have two packets in front of you with an Ace on the top and bottom of each. THE TWO CARD PEEK Having a card, or cards, selected by the peek method has been rapidly gaining in popularity among magicians. There are several reasons for this trend. For example, this method of selection appears to be a very fair way of having a card chosen; it would seem that the magician has little or no way of controlling a card selected by a peck. Another im- portant factor is that the spectators do not feel the impulse of shuffling the deck, or immediately having it shuffled after the selection. The reason for this is that the deck is in the magician’s hands at the time, and neatly squared. A “wise-guy,” upon selecting a card from a spread deck, may want to trip the performer and grab the deck to insert his card in the pack before the performer has an opportunity to do anything about it. Upon being challenged to “now find my card,” the performer has only his ingenuity, and the generosity of the gods, to rely upon. This pos- sibility is, of course, eliminated when a card is chosen by a peck. Magicians delight in baffing one another, and there is a definite place in magic for “magic for magicians.” This two card peek falls into the category of being primarily for the benefit of magician-spectators. How- ever, you can use it successfully as a method for controlling two cards selected before a layman audience. Merxop: Hold the deck in your left hand in dealing position. Have the deck high in your hand so that your left little finger is at the lower ight hand corner of the deck, Ask someone to select a card by pecking at one. Explain yourself, and have him make his selection by “bending back a portion of the cards with your (the spectator’s) thumb.” If he peeks in this manner (using his left thumb to open up the deck to get his peck), it will be easier for you to control the noted cards and liminate crossing-hands confusion. Try to get the first card peeked at somewhere near the bottom half of the deck. One direct method ofccompusuing thus w simpay w $Y, + Boing — have... car ect jn a very fair manner, by having two people peck at them. To avoid the possibility of both spectators selecting the same card, I want the first to select a card near the bottom half of the deck, and the other to select fone near the top half. All fair?” Have the first spectator peek at a card, and secure a break under it with the ball of your left little finger Fig, 42; hold the deck comfortably tight; the break will be concealed. Have the second spectator peek at card, above the position of the card first peeked, and secure a break under it in the same manner, with your left ring finger. Square the deck, being careful to retain both breaks. Daring this action, Jet your right thumb release the card above your left little finger (this is nothing more than a thumb-count of one card) and secure a break over this card with your left little finger. Your posi- tion is as follows: Your left litle finger has a break over the first selected card, your left ring finger has a break under the second selected card. “Two cards have been peeked at, and under these conditions you must admit I couldn't know what or where the selected cards are,” you de- clare. “I’m going to try to find the cards in a very unusual manner.” Undercut all of the cards under your left Little finger onto the top of the deck, As you do this undercut, retain the break originally held with your left ring finger (the second selected card) with your right thumb (your right thumb should be at the rear of the pack and your right fingers at the front to facilitate the undercut). The p-— ion... sow -.. she f... peeke Lard Was oc on vop uf the deck; the second peeked card will be at the position indicated by the break held with your right thumb. Your right thumb, at the rear of the deck and holding a break at the second selected card, and your right fingers which are at the front of the deck, now perform the next action. They tightly grip the card at the break and about 15 or 20 cards above the break and draw out this packet and drop it face down on the table. Your left hand goes under the deck before this cut is made so that the remainder of the deck falls into your left hand, Fig. 43. (This is simply a center cut of sever 1! cards from the deck.) Your left hand now drops all of its cards on top of the packet on the table. This brings the first selected card to the top of the deck and the second card to the bottom. You may now conclude the trick in whatever manner you see fit. One cflective conclusion would be to bottom-palm the bottom card of the dleck and reproduce it from one of your pockets. As this card is being shown, you perform the one hand tcp-palm and immediately reproduce the other selected card from another pocket. Another interesting con- clusion would be simply to cover the deck with a handkerchief and unter the guise of locating the cards by "super-se you reproduce them singly, Many effective conclusions will su Basically, this particular description is concerned with the technica’ fora- tion of the two pecked cards rather than the conclusion of the effect. A PIQUANT PEEK This is a very subtle method of ascertaining a care peeked at by a spectator in the usual manner, that is to say, by his lifting the euter righta) yr oivE ap HG hand commer of the deck and pecking at the index of a card. Let’s go, then! Proorpune: Offer a pack to spectator in the usual manner for select- ing a card by peeking at the index. Take a break with the left lide finger, square the outer end of the deck, and with the tip of the left lide finger push the peeked card to the right so that it protrudes from the right side of the deck for about half an inch. Hold the pack between the right thumb at the inner end and the middle and ring fingers at the outer end, and with the left hand, square the sides of the packet in the usual manner, ie., by running the thumb and fingers up and down the sides of the deck. ‘The tips of the fingers, of course, work underneath the protruding card, not pushing it square, but the effect of squaring the whole pack is apparently complete. ‘Turn the pack to face towards you, glimpse the lower index as you seize the pack with the left hand and push the protruding card flush with the rest, Fig. 44. Now square the sides of the deck with the left hand, and turn the pack face down. ‘The transfer of the pack from the right hand to the left, and the push- in of the protruding card should be completely covered by the right hand. ‘The timing of the turn of the pack, and the squaring action are all- important, T can recommend this peck as being really unfathomable even by expert card men, and I have proven this by experiment. 4 w ton 7 THE PEEK FORCE ‘This very subtle force of a card by having a spectator peek at the index should only be used after a card has been selected by a spectator in this peek manner, In this way, a spectator is made familiar with this manner of selecting a card, Procenure: Seize an opportunity beforehand of sighting the index of a card about one-third down from the top right corner of the deck, and hold the break at the spot with the left litle finger. Holding the pack in the usual position for the spectator’s peck, invite a spectator to select a card by calling “Stop!” as you riffe the upper right hand index corners of the cards, Fig. 45. Ilustrate this by riffing off the comers casually without losing the break Now for the force. Hold the pack up level with the spectator’s eyes and begin riffing the corners with the tip of the right middle finger in the usual manner, Start the riffle rather slowly, and watch the spectator closely. You will be able to discern the moment he is about to say “Stop,” and at that very instant, let the corners of all the cards under the break Slip off the tip of your right middle finger, and at the same time bend back the comers of all the cards above the break so that the spectator cat see plainly the index of your forced card, Hold the position until the spectator sees the card, Fig. 45, and then release all the remaining cards and square-the deck. Disclose the card in whatever manner you think most effective Here, again, timing is of the utmost importance, but with a little Practice, you will find that any spectator will generally telegraph the moment he is about to call “Stop.” If, by any chance, the spectatorae $e need in ww Dae T cannot admonish the reader too strongly to master this method of start we FHM. wn. av. gain. ways very striking and is well worth the forcing a card. The cffect i time that will have to be spent in mastering it THE SIMON FAN STFAL This new method of stealing the card which has been returned to a fanned deck, will be found extremely useful and can be mastered with but little practice. Here are the moves: 1, Have a card freely selected and noted hy a spectator; then fan the pack in your left hand for its return. 2, Allow the spectator to insert the card in the fan for about half its length; then, complete its insertion yourself in the following way: Pull the card to the right until its width is to the right of the card immediately above it in the fan, Fig. 46. Then push it flush. If you now turn over the fan, you will see that the selected card protrudes from the others and that the tip of the left ring finger rests on its lower right corner, Fig. 47. 3. The object of the move is to palm the card indetectably in the left hand during the course of closing the fan. Your left ring finger, which is resting against the lower right corner of the selected card, plays an important part in the move. To perform, your right hand starts to close the fan, beginning at the right end of the fan, and sweeping towards the left. The left ring finger presses against the selected card and keeps it nb ywep ed) cher f'th is ref’ thir finger pulls the selected card far enough down, when the fan is being closed, so that it doesn’t interfere with the other cards. When it is closed, the selected card will be protruding asin Fig. 48. It appears to be the base of the letter “L,” the deck being ‘the vertical stroke. Your right hand will mask the selected card, and in i Pe eee eee ee eee104 EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC adjusting the cards to a square position, will get an opportunity to help set the protruding card snugly into the left palm. After the card is palmed, hand the deck to the spectators for shuffling for for some other purpose, grasping it at the front with your right fingers. Retain the palmed card in your left hand. Once mastered, this sleight can be applied very usefully to many card tricks which depend upon obtaining secret possession of a chosen card. ‘You will find that nowadays many laymen have the idea that objects can be palmed in the right hand, but curiously enough, they never seem to suspect the left hand of any such trickery. It is very advisable there- fore, to cultivate this method of palming with the left hand. TELEPATHY For this experiment, you will require: 2 slate, a piece of chalk, and @ pack of cards in its case. Errect: The magician hands the deck in its case to a spectator, and asks him to think of any card he pleases, and to remove it from the pack ‘The magician then takes the deck back and instructs the spectator to hhand the card he has mentally selected to a second spectator whom he instructs to write on the face of the card any number that he wishes. The card is then returned to the deck and the deck is replaced in the case and laid aside, ‘The magician shows the slate, takes a piece of chalk and, after re- questing both spectators to concentrate intently on the card and the number already mentally chosen by them, slowly and with apparent mental siress, he proceeds to write the name of a card and a number on the slate. ‘The first spectator names his card, the second names his number, and the magician slowly turns the slate, showing that he has correctly divined the thoughts of each person! Mernop: After having had a mentally selected card removed from the deck and a second spectator having written any number he thinks of on its face, fan the deck, and have the card replaced in it. Execute the Simon Fan Steal, which leaves the card palmed in the left hand with its face towards the palm of the hand. Take the deck in your right hand have a spectator replace it in the case. Pick up the slate with the right hand, and under cover of the slate, Place the palmed card against it so that you may see the chosen card and the number written upon it. This should take but a second, NEW SLEIGHTS 105 What you have now to do, is to act as though you were getting infor mation via the channels of telepathy. Don’t overdo this, but do act as though you really believe that you are getting the information in the way that you have told the audience, Write the name of the card first, and, in the course of writing in a very hesitant way, seize the opportunity to repalm the card in your left hand. ‘Then write the figures required, and casually replace the chalk in your left coat pocket. Finish by having the spectators name their thoughts, and turn the slate to show that you have actually succeeded in reading their minds. If anyone who has that dangerous little knowledge is impelled to ‘examine the cards, remove the deck from the case and add the selected card at your best opportunity. AUTOMATIC WRITING This is an elaboration on the preceding Telepathy effect Errecr: A spectator is invited to think of any card, and is then handed a new deck in its sealed case. From this he removes the pack and extracts the thought of card. A second spectator is then requested to select mentally any number he chooses (preferably, one representing a date or a telephone number with which he is quite familiar). ‘This number he writes on the face of the card which was selected by the first spectator. The card is then replaced in the deck, and the deck is re- placed in its case. ‘Taking a slate and a piece of chalk, the performer proceeds to attempt to get the name of the card and the figures of the number by automatic writing. After a few scrawls and vain attempts, his hand proceeds to write first the name of the card, and then the number. The two specta- tors are requested to name their thoughts, the slate is turned around, and the writing is proved to be correct. As final proof, the selected card is taken from the deck, and handed to the spectators. REQUIREMENTS: 1. A new deck in its sealed case. 2. A duplicate deck, also in its case, but the bottom of the case cut clean away. 3. A large slate, 4. A piece of chalk. Preraration: Place the duplicate pack in the bottomless case, and put it in your right coat pocket on end, the open bottom of the case the seal broken, anda 106 HPFECTIVE CARD MAGIC being uppermost. Have the slate, chalk, and the sealed deck of cards on your table, After having done several tricks with cards, depending upon skill, remark to the audience, “No doubt, most of you imagine that magic is a mere matter of sleight of hand, but what would you say if I were to read your minds?” Addressing a lady, continue: “Shall I read your mind, Miss? Oh, you'd rather I didn't! Maybe we'd better stick to such things as cards, Will you, sir, please set your mind intently on one card of the deck? A favorite card, if you have one. I find that ladies generally think of the K H, while gentlemen usually prefer the Q H, the card on which the lovely features of that Queen of England have been immortalized. ... You have one in mind, sir? Will you take this new deck, break the seal yourself, take out the cards, and remove the one of which you have thought?” He docs this, and you take the re- maining cards from him. “Now, sir, I shall ask you to fix your thoughts on that card, the one you mentally selected.” Turning to a second spectator you say, “I want ott, sir, to fix a certain combination of figures any special date which you have occasion to remember, or let us say, @ ‘phone number with which you are quite sure I will not be familiar. You have the figures in mind? Very well, will you kindly write those rures plainly on the face of the card this gentleman selected?” Turn away as this is being done. When the number has been written, turn again, spread the deck fan- wise, and have the chosen card inserted in the deck. At the same time, execute the Simon Fan Steal, and palm the card in your left hand. Close the card fan, and hold the deck in your right hand, at the same time, with your left hand, pick up the card case, insert the pack, and with your right hand place the case in your right coat pocket on its side. Now, with your left hand, pick up the slate by one end, place it in such a manner that the lower end rests against your body, and with your right hand pick up the chalk. “J lay no claim to being a mind reader; in fact, the at- tempts I have made in that direction have not been at all successful, but 1 would like to try what is called ‘automatic writing’. ‘The idea is this: the recipient, in this case, myself, makes his mind a perfect blank (in this, at least, T should be pretty successful) while the senders, you two gentlemen, concentrate intently on the objects you have in mind; my subconscious mind will then, I hope, pick up your thoughts, and translate them into writing on this slate. May I ask you, gentlemen, to help me ax seriously as possible? And I find that a few moments of perfect silence 1 your mind, for example, NEW SLEIGHTS 107 helps.” Under cover of the slate, set the palmed card on the slate so that you cam read it With your right hand, make a pretense of writing. and rubbing out the first attempts. Then, ina very wavy style, write the initials of the chosen card, for example, 9 S, and then, underneath it, again in very uncertain lines write the figures written on the card. Again, under cover of the slate, yon now palm the card in your right hand. “Well, gentlemen, my hand has written the name of a card, and also, certain figures. Will you, sir, name your card? ‘The 9 S?... and your number, sir, was 72033? Thank you.” ‘As you have becn saying this, place the chalk in your right coat pocket, and at the same time, slide the palmed card into the deck in the bottom les case. Turn the slate towards the audience, showing that you have actually, by “automatic writing,” pure and simple, correctly divined the spectators’ thoughts! Finally, take the bottomless case from your pocket, carefully keeping the flap end towards the audience, open the flap, and Jet the cards slide ‘out into your hand. Spread them face upwards towards yourself, fin the card that has been written on, and very openly extract it, then han! it to the gentleman who originally chose it. This final move should be proof positive to the audience that you have had no possible chance of ever having seen or handled the card. Note particularly that you must abstract this card yourself from the deck, since there will be a duplicate of it already there, and this would probably be noticed were you to allow a spectator to remove the chosen card. ‘Tue Smion Secret Aporrion New principles are rare in magic. Perhaps this is because those interested in magic give it such intense thought, that all of the obvious effects and methods have long since been discovered. A fairly recent development is the secret addition of cards to some cards being shown to the spectators. ‘The addition has proven valuable in such effects as the ‘Ace assembly, transpositions, and counting tricks (such as the six-card repeat). ‘This method of secretly adding cards has a fairness end directness that makes it deceptive. It will take some practice and timing to be able to do the move without visible effort. Knowing how magicians love to practice, I have little doubt that it will always be performed cleanly and With certainty.a SPF IVE | ORD ....31€ Mernon: Let us suppose that you wish secretly to add three cards to the four Aces, Remove the Aces from the deck and place them face up on the table. As you patter, and while the Aces are on the table, and you are toying with the pack, without looking at it, casually spread a few of the top cards, and in closing them onto the deck again, secure a break with the left little finger under the three top cards. Put your little finger well into the break so that there is a fairly wide separation of the three cards from the deck at its upper right comer. Close the index and middle fingers against the upper right corner of the deck to cover this opening. With your right hand, turn the four Aces face down, then pick them up and fan them, the faces towards the spectators. Lift your left hand with the deck into line with the cards held in your right hand, and extend your left index and middle fingers which will mask the break between the 3 top cards and the pack, Fig. 49. 3 carps Insert the four Aces in the break giving the illusion of having placed them on top of the deck, Remove your left litle finger from the break. Fig. 50 shows a rear view of the four Aces with the three cards added fon top. Remove the top Ace with your right fingers, show it, and place it on top of the three indifferent cards. Square up the four Aces. Push the Aces onto the top of the deck (the three added cards separate the top Ace from the other three Aces). By lowering your left hand as you com plete the pushing action, the spectators will see the top Ace actually sliding onto the top of the deck, and this makes the whole action com pletely elusive, ‘The spectators will be satisfied that you have squared vs sm: 10 the four Aces onto the top of the deck, Since the action has been done so openly and slowly, there does not seem to be any room for sleight of hand, I can assure my readers that I have used this new sleight before many magicians thoroughly conversant with card sleights, and they have been baled as to the way in which the extra cards were added. (Note: During the course of the sleight the deck and the Aces are held face towards the spectators. Don’t lower your hands before you are ready to square the protruding Aces into the deck.) THE THOUGHT-OF ACE Erect: The magician removes four Aces (or any other four cards of similar value) from a deck of cards and places them face up on the table. “{ want some one to think of one of the Aces,” he says. “You must think very intently and feel that I in no way can possibly influence your choice of Ace. Change your mind if you wish, but give no indication as to what ‘Ace you have in mind.” The spectator thinks of an Ace, and the magi- cian places the four Aces on top of the deck, inserting them into different parts of the deck one at a time. He places the deck on the table, and says: “By snapping my fingers, I will cause the Ace you are thinking ‘of to rise to the top of the deck. Now, I've asked you no questions and you have merely thought of an Ace, The deck is out of my hands, What is the Ace you have thought of”10 EFFEOIVE CARD MAGIC ‘The spectator names his chosen Ace, and the magician slowly turns over the top card of the pack, It proves to be the very card that the spectator mentally chose! MerHop: Remove the four Aces from the deck, arranging them so that the Ace of Hearts is second from the top, and place them face up on the table. While you patter, as given above, prepare for the Simon Secret Addition by getting a break under the three top cards. Continu- ing exactly as described, the situation will be: AXXXAHAA Now apparently place the four Aces into different parts of the pack To do this, remove the top Ace, flash it, and insert it in the sixth or seventh position from the top, Fig. 51. Remove the next 3 cards, one ata time, and without showing their faces, insert them in different parts of the deck. The AH will be on top followed by the other 3 Aces. Have the spectator name the Ace of his mental choice, Ninety percent of the times I have used this trick, the Ace of Hearts was named. If this is the Ace the spectator names, slowly remove it from the deck and show it—and stop right there. You will have performed a miracle! However, if he names one of the other Aces, say: “I knew it would be tough to read your mind, so I took no chances. See, I've brought all of the Aces back to the top!” Remove the Aces one a time from the top of the deck, showing the faces, and you will find that this conclusion is pleasing and almost as puzzling as the first ending. In all tricks which have only a percentage margin of success, a satis- factory “out” must be provided. However, the percentage of success in this trick has proven to be so great, that it is well worth doing, and when cleanly handled, it will baffle well-informed magicians; one of the main seasons is that this unique way of adding cards to the top of the deck, or over, or between Aces is new and unknown to the brethren. NEW SLEIGHTS I A TRANSPOSITION Erect: The Ace, Two, Three, and Four of Clubs are shown, placed on the deck and dealt in a neat pile onto the table. The deck is given a shufile, and four indifferent cards are dealt from the top of the deck into a pile to the left of the four Club cards, The magician places his left hand on the indifferent cards and his right hand on the Clubs. He turns over the top card of each pile and shows that the Ace of Clubs has transposed to the left hand pile whereas an indifferent card is now on top of the Club pile. This is repeated until it is shown that all four cards have transposed. ‘Metxop: Remove the four low Clubs from the deck and place them face up on the table. As you patter, secure a break under the top three cards of the deck in preparation for the Simon Secret Addition, Pick up the four Club cards, the Four on top followed by the Three, Two, and ‘Ace. Place them on top of the deck, performing the addition so that three indifferent cards come between the Four and the Three of Clubs as you square the four cards on top of the deck. “I've just made a mis. take,” you say. “The cards, if you were watching closely, are in 4, 3, 2, 1 order instead of 1, 2, 3, 4.” Show the top card and deal it onto the table saying, “Four,” and deal the next three cards on top. “The Fi the bottom and the cards are in their proper number order.” 4 say this, apparently remove the Ace, then replace it after looking at its face (do this casually; miscalling a card in this manner impresses the spectators); square up the little packet of four and flash the Four of Clubs on the bottom, replacing the packet on the table as you say: “Ace ‘on top and the Pour on the bottom.” Shuffle the deck, not disturbing the top three cards. Deal the top three cards off the deck one at a time, one on top of the other, to the left of the original pile, “We will use a small packet of indifferent cards to help in this trick.” In saying this, you should have completed dealing the three top cards off the deck. Deal off the fourth, into your right hand, and flash it to show that it is an indifferent card. Slide it under the three cards on the table Place your right hand on the packet to the right, saying, “It was an Trish member of Parliament who said ‘Not being a bird, I can’t be in two places at the same time’, Well, cards are not birds, but they can transpose themselves so rapidly that the Irishman's remark becomes almost true, The first card to go will be the Ace of Clubs, Watch!” Place your left hand on the other packet. After a moment's pause, turn over the top card of the left hand packet and show it to be the Ace of r is onane EFFECTIVE CARD MAGIC Clubs. Turn over the top card of the right packet and show it to be an indifferent card. Repeat this with the Two, and Three of Clubs, always turning the left card face up before disclosing the right card to be an indifferent card. Again place your right hand on the card to the right and your left hand on the other card, Say “And now the last card has passed over... . Pick up the card under your right hand and use it as 2 lever to turn the card to the left face up. Actually, you perform the Mexican Turnover sleight (“Expert at the Card Table”) at this point, switching the Four you hold in your right hand for the indifferent card. Finally, show the card you hold in your right hand now to be an indif- ferent one. COVER FOR THE SIDE-SLIP For efficiency, perhaps the pass is the most effective way to control a card. The difficulty, however, arises from the fact that very, very few magicians have ever perfected the pass to such a degree that it could be performed under test conditions. The side-slip (or side-steal) has the same virtue as the pass as far as efficiency is concerned, and like the ass, it is a difficult sleight to perform under close observation. As a matter of fact, I've never seen the side-slip done so cleanly and decep- tively that I didn’t know it was being done. I do not mean, by this, to take credit for unusual observation, but merely want to point out that the mechanics of the side-stip are such that certain actions, obvious to the trained eye must be performed to do the move. For these reasons, I set out to attempt to develop a method of doing the side-slip indetectably. I have not yet found a way, but I did come across a “cover” for the move. This cover will permit you to do the side-slip without detection. It has various uses, and can be worked into many unusual effects. MerHop: To begin, the card may be selected by a peek, or by simply spreading the cards between your hands for the selection. It is easier to perform the move by spreading the deck, from left to right, for the selection of a card, Have a card chosen from the center of the deck, and replaced. As the card is replaced in the deck, get your left little finger under it. Start to square up the deck. As you do this, press your little finger against the face of the selected card so that when the deck is squared, the selected card will be protruding about one inch on the right side of the deck. ‘This position is similar to the start of the standard side-slip move. You should have your right thumb at the rear, fingers at the front in a squar~ estore aw NEW SLEIGHTS 113 ing position. Push the selected card a little farther to the right until its ‘upper right comer contacts the topmost phalanx of your right litle finger, and the lower right corner of the card presses against the muscle at the base of the litile finger. Fig. 52 shows bottom view, There two points must grip the card. Note that if you were to draw your right hand away from the deck and to the right, the selected card would come with it, because it is gripped by this hand. If you were to remove your right hand, part of the selected card would be exposed, since it is not in regular palming postion With your left thumb, push the top card of the deck to the right about an inch, gripping it with your right index finger and the base of your right thumb. This position has half of the selected card concealed by Your right hand, the other half concealed by a part of the top card of the deck, Fig. 53.