Scott F. Guinn - You'll Be Pleasantly Surprised PDF

You’ll Be
Pleasantly
Surprised!
Surprising Card Magic by
Scott F. Guinn
This book is dedicated with love to my wife, Kristi
Copyright © 2002 by Scott F. Guinn
All rights reserved, including manufacturing of original items for resale.

Performance rights are granted to the purchaser. No part of this publication may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical now known or to be invented, without express permission in writing.
Layout, cover and book design by Scott F. Guinn

First Word
Hello! I look forward to our time together with these card tricks. There is something here for
everyone, from the rank beginner to the advanced card magician. You’ll find a variety of
effects, including some fairly novel concepts as well as my versions of some of the classic
plots. But I think every effect here has something to offer, whether that something is its novelty,
a simplification of handling, or a unique application of a method to a problem. In any event, I
can assure you that I have used each and every effect here in my working repertoire at some
point, and all have played well for me.
The question is, will they play well for you? To a very large degree, that depends on you, my
friend! I am not egotistical enough to think that every person who reads this book will think that
every item in it is the best of its kind. I doubt that even ONE person will think that! But if you
go through this book with cards in hand and glean the effects that seem to suit you and your
performing persona, and if you then put in the time and effort required to practice and rehearse
them properly, I believe you will find them more than satisfactory. I know your audiences will.
I know because I’ve seen the reactions of people who’ve witnessed these effects, either in one
of my performances, or when they were performed by one of the magicians to whom I’ve
taught them.
I’ve been accused of being a “pot-stirrer;” of “harping” and “always being on my soapbox,”
when it comes to the attitudes of most magicians. Well, so be it. There are too many (and their
number only seems to be growing) who seem to think that a magic performance is all about
them and their egos! My friends, this is the wrong path! When you learn that the show is about
the AUDIENCE and THEIR enjoyment, and about how you can share your magic to bring joy
and wonder to THEM, you will be traveling the right road. It’s not only the right road—in the
end, it’s the BEST road, and the most enjoyable journey for everyone concerned.
So grab your favorite beverage, and maybe some pretzels or peanuts, uncase the pasteboards,
turn the page and let’s begin our journey toward the back cover together. Hopefully, you will
have found many treasures to share with your audiences by the time we reach it!
Best wishes,
Scott
Several of these effects originally appeared in my books, Never Miss a Trick! and Officiously Yours, both of
which are now out of print.
Table of Contents
First Word 3 Ch. 7: Predictable Plots 123

Back to the Future 125
Ch. 1: Big-Time Players 7 Wake Me at Ten 128
Simply Stop 9 A Strong Impression 131
The World’s WORST Card Player! 11 For Real Prediction 133
Pro-Mega 14
Sun Valley Serenade 24 Ch. 8: Mental Institutions 135
Canned Dunbury 30 Even Odds at 3 to 1 137
Two for Free 139
Ch. 2: Transpositions 33 Alarm Clock 142
Too Simple, Too Good, Too! 25 51 Southern Faces 144
My Favorite Card 37 Doubly Mental 146
What The…? 40
Pocket Rip-off 43 Bonus Routine 149
Boxing a Joker 45
Last Word 155
Ch. 3: Double Deckers 47
Moron Cryptology 49 Appendix: The Guinn Utility Backslip 157
Unpredictable 53
Ch. 4: From the Deli 59

Pastrami on Rye 61
Kosky’s Deli 64
A Visit to Boise 67
Switchwich 70
Grilled Cheese 72
Caught in the Middle 75
Ch. 5: Choice Tricks 79

LJ Triple Play 81
The Card Whisperer 86
Daley Double 87
Vicissitudes 92
Fork ‘n Spooner 97
Participant’s Triumph 100
Ch. 6: No Decisions 105

Treasure Valley Twist 107
Egyptian Royale 110
GS AAAA Production 114
Color My World 117
Great Eight 120
Sleight Index
A K
Aerial Change 93 Kosky Illusion 65
Automatic Bottom Palm 23 L
B LePaul Drop Control 55
Breather Crimp 23 LePaul Load 73
Braue Reversal 38 LePaul Subtlety 73
Braue Switch 25 LePaul Revelation 16
Buckle Count 27 Lorayne Self-Index 144
Buckle 27 Lorraine Bottom Slip Force 134
C M
Charlier Shuffle 113 Malone False Pocket Removal 19
Clock Force 142 Marlo Pocket Load 26
Colombini/Braue Change 115 Mechanical Reverse 95
Crook Move 98 Mexican Turnover 132
Crook Palm 72 Moron Pass 51
Crosscut Force 101 Multiple Turnover 20
Crossing the Gaze Switch 101 N
Cull 74 Necktie (wrist kill) 37
Cut Deeper Force 56 P
D Pinky Pulldown 57
Deceptive Roll Cut 97 R
Depth Illusion (Tilt) 49 Ribbon Spread 103
Double Undercut 23 Riffle Force 130
E Rumba Count 122
Edwards’ Easy Pass 95 S
Edwards Replacement (modified) 114 Sandwich Load 68
Elmsley Count 28 Slip Cut 23
Elmsley Twist Sequence 108 Snap Change 16
F Spooner’s Switch 99
Faro Shuffle 112 Spread Pass 96
Flash Deck 113 Spread turnover 103
Free Cut Principle 141 Swing Cut 57
Fuentes Change 116 Swivel Cut Control 53
G T
Gamblers Cop 103 Tenkai Palm 99
Gone Fishing 148 Three Second Wonder 111
GUB Modified Top Control 63 Tilt (Depth Illusion) 49
H Top Palm 43
Half Pass 63 Touch Force 54
Hellis Switch 56
J
Jog Shuffle 31
Chapter One:
Big-Time Players
The tricks in this chapter are for parlor/platform shows—larger audiences and
formal performances. The first two are easy to do (no sleights at all) but very strong.
The third is a bit tougher of execution, but it involves a number of audience
members and is a real powerhouse.
Scott F. Guinn Page 9
Simply Stop
I claim absolutely no credit for this effect, but I have been shocked at the number of magicians
who’ve never seen or heard of it and who were completely taken in by it when they saw me
perform it. It may be that this is so old, it’s new, and that only old, out of print books explain it,
so I am including it here. It is so old, I have no idea whom to credit, so to be safe, I’ll credit
Hofsinzer, Robert-Houdin, Vernon and Marlo! Though I have never come across this exact
method, I’m sure someone had to have thought of it before I did.
This is a wonderful routine for a parlor/platform show. You won’t believe the impact it has on
an audience.
Effect: You introduce two clear drinking glasses and a deck of cards. You enlist the aid of an
audience member (Delores), to whom you have entrusted a sealed envelope, containing a
prediction. You place the two glasses on your table, separated by about 12-15 inches. You
remove the deck from its case and drop it into the glass on your left, back of the deck facing the
audience. You begin fairly and slowly transferring cards singly from the glass on your left to
the one on your right. At any time she wishes, Delores tells you to stop. When she does, she is
given the opportunity to add or subtract any number of cards from the right glass. After her
final decision, you remove the card at the point where she stopped you, holding it high with its
back to the audience. With your other hand, you turn the glasses around so everyone can see
that the outcome would have been completely different had Delores stopped one card earlier or
later. You lean the card in your hand against a glass, back still toward the audience—this card
has never left their sight, and is truly the card at which you were stopped. Delores opens the
sealed envelope that you gave her before the show began. Inside is one jumbo playing card. She
removes it and displays it to the rest of the audience—it is the jack of hearts. You slowly and
dramatically turn over the card leaning against the glass. Impossibly, it, too, is the jack of
hearts!
Requirements and preparation: To do this minor miracle you need but a bare minimum of
props: 2 drinking glasses of a size that will comfortably hold a deck; a jumbo card sealed in an
opaque envelope; and a deck of cards.
Okay, it’s a special deck, but it’s a readily available and inexpensive gaffed deck. I’ll wager you
already have it or what you need to make a substitute. You can use a Svengali deck, which
consists of 26 shortened duplicates matching the jumbo prediction card (in this case, the JH)
alternated with 26 indifferent cards.
Or take 26 dupes out of a one-way forcing deck and 26 indifferent cards from a regular deck.
Alternate the dupes with the indifferent cards (the easiest way is with a faro shuffle if you can
do it). Make sure to have an indifferent card at the face of the deck. Place the deck in the case.
Method and performance: Before the show, give the sealed prediction to Delores, asking her
to promise not to open it until you ask her to do so. (Or, you could tape it under a chair before
the audience arrives, and designate the person in that chair to be your assistant.)
When you are ready to perform this effect, bring out the two glasses, setting them a foot or so
Page 10 You’ll Be Pleasantly Surprised
apart on the table. Ask Delores to verify that you gave her the envelope before the show began,
that it is sealed and neither she nor you have in any way tampered with it, and there is no
collusion between you. Remove the deck from its case and drop it into the glass on your left,
back toward the audience as depicted in photo 1-1.
Slowly and fairly begin removing cards one at a time from the face of the pack, transferring
them to the glass on your right. Each card goes behind (your side of) the one before it.
As you are doing this, explain that you will continue this process, and that Delores is to call out
to you to stop any time before all the cards have been transferred. When she stops you, remark
that you don’t want anyone to think that you have in some way influenced her decision.
Therefore, if she wants you to continue adding more cards, you comply. Or, if she desires, you
will even transfer cards back from the right glass to the glass on your left until she stops you.
When she has given you her “final answer,” an indifferent card will be at the face of the packet
in one glass and a JH will be at the face in the other glass. Fairly remove the JH from its glass,
explaining that you are taking out the card at which Delores stopped you.
This is the truest form of the Magician’s Choice, as you are really doing what you say (you
never said at the beginning whether the last card you dealt or the next card would represent the
selection!). So do this boldly and without guilt. The audience will accept it as fair.
Hold the card high with one hand, back towards the audience. With your other hand, slowly and
fairly turn the glass on your left around, such that the packet faces the audience. Do the same
with the remaining glass.
Due to the setup of the deck, there will be an indifferent card at the face of each packet (photo
1-2). Point out these cards, commenting that had Delores stopped one card earlier or later, it
would have resulted in an entirely different outcome. This really sells the effect.
Lean the card you have been holding against one of the glasses, being careful to keep the back
toward the audience at all times. Have Delores stand, open the envelope, and remove the jumbo
prediction card. Let her show it around and then lean it against one of the glasses. After
everyone has seen it and all attention is on you, pull your sleeves back and then pick up the
small card leaning on the other glass. Pause and smile before slowly and dramatically turning it
over, revealing that the card matches your prediction (photo 1-3). There will be a few audible
gasps and then an eruption of applause, which isn’t bad, considering the small amount of effort
required on your part!
1-1 1-2 1-3

The World’s WORST Card Player!

This is my presentation for the classic ten-card poker deal. It is inspired by Harry Lorayne’s
routine from Deck-Sterity. I’ve always liked this routine but had a problem with it, because the
spectator was always wrong. While there are a few excellent performers who can take the
“sting” out of that (notably Bob Sheets), the vast majority of magicians I’ve seen have not,
resulting in an embarrassed participant, with an audience who empathizes with her. I have
found the following presentation is MUCH better received than when the audience member
always loses. You won’t find anything new in the way of method here, but give this routine a
try and see if it plays well for you, too! You can also perform this routine in close up shows.
Effect: In my presentation, I talk about how I am the world’s worst card player, and no matter
how hard I try, I just can’t win. I offer to prove it with the assistance of a participant from the
audience, using only ten cards. After losing to the participant repeatedly, I change the game so
that the loser is actually the winner. But wouldn’t you know it, I can’t even lose right, and the
spectator wins again!
Requirements and preparation: You will need ten jumbo playing cards (I’ll assume you are
using Bicycle cards): 3 sets of 3 of a kind, and one indifferent card. For the sake of this
explanation, we’ll use three kings, three nines (two black and one red), three eights (two black
and one red) and the 6C. You will also need a permanent marker with ink that matches the back
of the cards.
Turn the 6C face down. You will notice that where the back
pattern stops, there is a small white border, then a thin red border
and then the main white border. With your marker, simply touch
the upper left and lower right corners of the thin white border
between the main back pattern and the thin red border. This will
leave just enough of a mark that you will be able to see it easily,
but no one else will notice (refer to photo 1-4). Mix the other
nine cards and place the 6C on top of the packet.
1-4
Method and performance: The method behind this effect is known as the “Jonah Card”
principle, usually attributed to Arthur Buckley. The principle is simply this: when you have
three sets of three and one indifferent card (the Jonah Card), whoever gets this card will
automatically lose, regardless of how the other nine cards are dealt. Typically, the performer
just makes sure to deal the participant the Jonah Card, and so the performer always wins. Here
we will do just the opposite.
I mark the back of the Jonah Card so that I can visually track it without having to control it.
This allows me to freely shuffle the cards face down, and also to let the participant shuffle.
After the shuffle and cut, I simply fan the cards face down and note whether the marked card is
at the top or second from top. If on top, I let the spectator deal the cards. If second, I deal. If
somewhere else, I cut the cards so the marked card is first or second from the top and proceed
as above. All this will become clear in the context of the routine.
The other nine cards are chosen for a reason as well. The eights and nines are easily confused
with each other and the six in the memories of the audience and participant. That’s why I use
the two black eights and nines to go with the black six. If the Jonah card were, say, the ace of
hearts, it would be much more readily noticed. So, let’s get into the routine.
Ask Arnold to come up from the audience to help you. Remark, “When people hear that I’m a
magician or they see me do some card magic, they immediately assume that I must be a very
good card player who would have an unfair advantage at poker. Some of the most common
reactions are, ‘Why don’t you go to Vegas?’ or, ‘I’d hate to play cards with you!’ Actually,
nothing could be further from the truth! I’m TERRIBLE at card games! In fact, you’d LOVE to
play cards with me—I’m probably the world’s worst card player. I’m incredibly unlucky at
cards! I’ll show you what I mean.”
Introduce the ten cards, fanning them face up and face down toward the audience. Don’t hold
them there long enough for the audience to be able to memorize all the cards, just long enough
for them to see that they are all different. Explain that you have ten cards, exactly enough for
two hands of poker. Coax Arnold into making a bet. Reassure him that he can’t lose, because
you are the world’s worst card player. Get him to remove and open his wallet, and try to talk
him into betting the largest bill he has. This can be some very funny interaction, particularly if
he finally removes a very large or very small bill. Get him to place a bill (at least a fiver) on the
table. Say that you will put up some money, too. Put a one-dollar bill on the table. This should
get a laugh. Remark, “Hey, that’s all I have—I played cards last night!”
Say, “The cards are already shuffled, and I’ll deal.” The audience will laugh, and Arnold will
protest. Look at him and say, “What are you worried about? I told you that I’m a terrible poker
player!” Finally, agree to shuffle the cards. Do so, making sure to end with the marked card
second from the top. Deal out two hands of five cards each. Ask Arnold to pick up his cards
while you do the same. Ask him what he has. Assume it’s two pair. In this case, you will have
one pair. (You will always have one hand worse than Arnold. If you have two pair, he’ll have
three of a kind. If you have three of a kind, he’ll have a Full House.)
Ask him to remove the two pair from his hand and to show them to the audience. Resigned,
remark that you only have one pair. Remove it and display it to the audience. Casually give a
quick flash the remainder of your cards to Arnold (not to the rest of the audience) to show him
that you really don’t have anything else. (This is a strong convincer, and it keeps the Jonah card
out of site of the audience most of the time.) Drop your cards onto the table.
Look at Arnold and say, “You win!” Then look down at the money. Wait. Sooner or later,
Arnold will reach for the money. When he does, grab his wrist and say, “Wait, we’ll just let that
money ride.” After Arnold withdraws his hand, look at the audience and shrug.
Gather up the cards and hand them to Arnold, asking him to shuffle them. When he is done,
take them and casually fan them, looking for the marked card. As you do this, comment that,
with only ten cards, it would seem that the odds would occasionally be in your favor, but it
never seems to happen that way. If the marked card is at an even position from the top, go
ahead and deal out two hands. If it’s at an odd position, hand them back to Arnold, saying,
“Why don’t you deal this time?” Both of you pick up your hands. Reveal that Arnold is again
the winner.
Scoop up all the cards, making sure the marked card goes on top. Do a milk build shuffle
(overhand shuffle, taking the top and bottom cards on the first “chop”), and follow up with
another one, running the last few cards singly to bring the marked card to the top. Hand Arnold
the cards, telling him to deal you each a hole card. Then tell him to shuffle the remaining cards.
As he does, say, “Let’s try something a little different. You try to help me win this time.” Have
him deal each of you a card face up. Name the cards as he does, for the benefit of the rest of the
audience. Tell him he may keep his face up card or swap it for yours. Remind him that he is
trying to help you win. Have him mix the cards again and deal two more cards, (you name them
again as he does). Give him the same choice—to swap or not to swap. Continue this until all the
cards have been dealt, and Arnold has decided whether to switch the last two. Have him turn
over his hole card and display to the audience what his hand is. You do the same. “See? Even
with your help, I STILL lose! I’m the world’s BEST loser!”
Pause a moment, as if you just had an epiphany. Gather all the cards, and mix them, bringing
the marked card to the top as you say, “We’ll change the game! Loser WINS! I can’t win, so I
CAN”T LOSE!”
Deal the top two cards face down as hole cards. Tell Arnold he may look at his hole card, but
you won’t look at yours. Remind him that, this time, the goal is to have the worst hand, so he
should try to lose. Deal each of you another card face up. Offer to let Arnold switch cards if he
wants to. After he decides, deal the next two cards face up. State that you’ll go one step
further—you’ll let Arnold swap either of his cards for either of yours, or he can switch two for
two. After Arnold has made his decision, deal two more cards face up. This time, he can switch
any one for any one, any two for any two, or all three for all three face up cards. Finally deal the
last two cards face up, and let him switch as many or as few as he wants. (Remember to call out
the cards as they are dealt, and to say what each of the hands are becoming as you go along.)
Look at the cards. “I don’t know, Arnold, you’ve got a pretty pathetic hand there. I’m not sure
if even I can lose to that!” Have him turn over his hole card and display his hand to everyone as
you call it out. Pick up your cards and turn the hole card around so everyone sees it, revealing
that you have the higher hand.
Get excited. “Hey, I win! So you lose!” Pocket the money. Look at Arnold and say, “Bummer!”
The audience will laugh, and Arnold will be quick to remind you that the goal WAS to lose, and
that the loser was the winner…or something like that. Act dejected and crestfallen. Reach into
your pocket, remove the cash, and extend the single toward Arnold as you say, “Oh, I forgot.
Sorry, here’s your dollar.” Arnold will remind you that the dollar was yours, and the larger bill
was his. Shift your eyes around as you say, “Oh, yeah—oops!”
Give him his bill as you say, “Geez, I literally can’t win for losing!”
Pro-Mega
In Anneman’s Miracles of Card Magic is a multiple location routine called “The Omega Card
Act.” I loved the idea and decided to put together a similar routine with my favorite
revelations. I have also added two more selections and a classic gag in this updated version of
the Anneman original.
Effect: Seven members of the audience each select a card. These cards are lost in the deck, and
you find all seven, each in a unique way.
Requirements and preparation: Besides a deck of cards (preferably poker sized with jumbo
index faces), you’ll need to make a Breather Crimp (BC) with a joker (see the note at the end
of the explanation). You’ll also require one blank card with a back that matches the deck, one
indifferent card with a matching back, an opaque handkerchief, a #16 rubber band, a bulldog
clip, a small magnet, one latex glove, a séance cloth (available from magic dealers), scotch tape
in a desk dispenser and 7 permanent markers.
The markers, séance cloth, tape and glove go in your case (or shelf of your table) in an easily
accessible location.
With a pair of scissors, trim the extra (indifferent) card

lengthwise, removing one long border as in photo 1-5. Fold the
card into quarters, somewhat sloppily.
Put the rubber band around the bulldog clip and thread the
prepared card onto the rubber band, such that the card is gripped
in the clip. See photo 1-6 When you open the clip, the card will
be pulled inside the jaws by the rubber band (photo 1-7). This 1-5
“gimmicked” clip is the brainchild of Bob Ostin. Attach the
loaded clip to the front of your case or table with the magnet.
Put the hanky in your right side coat pocket.
Place the BC in the center of the deck. Load the blank-faced card
in your right front pants pocket. Put the deck in its case and then
place the cased deck in your left side coat pocket.
Method and performance: When you’re ready to perform this 1-6

routine, ask for the assistance of seven members of the audience.
Ask them to simply stand up wherever they are. Choose the
assistants from different parts of the audience, so that when you
walk over to them for the selection and again later for the
revelation of their cards, the routine seems much larger and more
impressive, and it allows more people to see and be involved.
Bring out the markers and ask another member of the audience
1-7
to distribute them to the participants.
Get the deck, remove it from its case and hold it in left dealers
grip. Place the case aside. Go out into the crowd, starting with
the person standing farthest to your left. As you walk out toward
her, give the deck a few legitimate and thorough overhand
shuffles. Cut the BC card to the bottom, and spread the deck
between your hands. Ask her to select a card from somewhere in
1-8 the middle of the deck. As you make your way toward the
second participant, ask #1 to sign and then show her card to the
people around her. Give the deck another legitimate overhand
shuffle on your way to participant #2.
Repeat this process, having each audience assistant take a card,

sign it and show it to those in the general vicinity as you move
on to the next person, shuffling on the way (keeping the BC at
the bottom). When number seven has signed her card, turn your
head to the side and close your eyes, asking all of the volunteers
1-9 to display their selections one last time to those around them.
Turn back to face #7. Hold the deck on your flat left palm, and
extend your palm up right hand as well. Ask #7 to cut some
cards off the top of the deck and then to place them on your right
hand, as in photo 1-8. Then ask her to place her signed card face
down on top of the packet on your right hand. Drop the left-hand
packet on top, effectively burying the card in the deck (but
secretly putting it right below the BC card—photo 1-9).
1-10 As you make your way to #6, undercut a packet (leaving several
cards below the BC card, as in photo 1-10) and overhand shuffle
it fairly on top of the deck (photo 1-11). Cut the BC card to the
bottom of the deck. Extend both hands again, and allow #6 to cut
a packet off the deck onto your right hand and then have him
place his card on top of the right-hand portion. Unbeknownst to
him, he is placing his card directly on top of #7’s, and when you
complete the cut, the BC card goes right on top of both
selections.
1-11
Repeat this procedure with the remaining five participants. After
#1 returns his card to the deck, move to your table.
The selections are now in order near the center of the deck with
the BC directly above them (photo 1-12, exposed—for
explanation purposes, the A-7C will represent the selections). No
one will suspect that this is the case. You are ready to locate and
reveal them, in a variety of amazing ways!
1-12
Ask the participants to take their seats. Remember the names and
the order of the participants out in the audience. Many people
find the fact that you remember all the names as impressive as
the card revelations!
#1 - LePaul Revelation
Cut at the BC card (at the face of the packet you remove), and
set this packet on the table. Cut off about half of the remaining 1-13
cards and place this packet to the right of the tabled packet.
Now riffle about halfway down the remaining packet and openly
hold a wide break. Pick up the left packet from the table and
insert it into the break, as shown in photo 1-13.
With your right hand, lift about half of the cards from the tabled
packet (make sure to lift at least seven cards!) and drop the left-
hand packet onto the tabled cards. Drop the right-hand packet on
top, reassembling the deck and bringing the stack to the top 1-14
while having buried the BC card.
Cut off about 1/3 of the deck and weave it into the remainder,
leaving it outjogged halfway (photo 1-14). The weave needn’t
be perfect, but there must be at least one card above the first
selection and at least one card between #1 and #2, as exposed in
the spread deck in photo 1-15 (in performance, you wouldn’t
spread the deck here).
Hold the inner end of the larger half between the right thumb and 1-15
forefinger (thumb on top), so the outer end of the smaller half is
pointing at the audience (photo 1-16).
Do the LePaul Revelation, by flicking the right wrist

downward. The top card of the outer half (selection #1) will
shoot out of the deck. A few trials will show how much force is
required. Aim the deck toward assistant #1 when you do this.
When the card flies out, have her pick it up and show it around
to verify that it is her card. 1-16
#2 – Snap Change Revelation
Although this is a standard revelation, it is still extremely
effective. Hold the deck in left dealers grip and riffle down the
outer left corner with your thumb (photo 1-17) as you explain
that when you do this again, you want #2 to say stop somewhere
in the deck, at which point you will remove her card.
1-17
Riffle again and stop when she tells you, holding a wide break
with the left thumb. Pick up the portion above the break in right
Biddle Grip (photo 1-18).
Push the top card of the left-hand packet forward, outjogging it

about halfway (photo 1-19) before dropping the right-hand
packet on top, flush with the rest of the deck.
1-18
Strip out the jogged indifferent card with the right hand, holding
it facing the floor. Then slowly turn it toward the audience,
asking if this was #2’s selection.
Meanwhile, get a pinky break under the top card of the deck
(photo 1-20) by pushing the top card slightly to the right with
the left thumb and then pulling it back flush with the deck as the
flesh of your pinky’s tip wedges between the card and the rest of
the deck.
1-19
When #2 says it wasn’t her card, pretend to be disappointed and
drop the card face up on the deck as you ask “Well, why’d you
stop me there?”
During the laugh that results, pick up the two cards above the
break as one with the right hand in position for a snap change:
The thumb at the inner left corner and middle finger at the inner
right corner, with the forefinger curled on top, bowing the card
slightly upwards (see photo 1-21).
1-20
Ask #2 what her card was. When she tells you, wave the card
from side to side and snap the double over by letting the right
edge of the double-card snap off your middle finger, such that
the double turns over, revealing the second selection gripped at
the inner right corner between your right thumb (on top) and
forefinger, as shown in photo 1-22.
Set the double on the deck and gesture to the changed card,
1-21 asking if it is the right one now. Give #2 her card and then slip
cut (see notes) the top card to the center of the deck.
#3 - Rising Card in Handkerchief

Go to assistant #3. Hold the deck face down in left dealers grip.
Drape the hanky over the deck. Once covered, push over the top
card and draw it back, obtaining a pinky break below it, as
described above. Turn the wrist so you are holding the deck
perpendicular to the floor.
1-22
Extend your right forefinger and set it on the top edge of the
covered deck as in photo 1-23.
Lift the forefinger about six inches and stop, a puzzled look on
your face. Rub your finger on your jacket and set it on the top
edge of the deck again, but this time secretly extend your pinky
at the bottom edge, as displayed in the exposed view in photo 1-
24.
1-23
Due to the break, when you lift your right hand, the selection
will be caught inside the hanky between the extended pinky and
forefinger, and its form will be seen through the cloth as it rises
away from the deck (photo 1-25).
The hanky will drape around the right hand, and the extended
pinky will not be seen (photo 1-26, audience view).
When you get to arm’s length, grip the card between the thumb
and forefinger and curl the pinky into the fist (photo 1-27). 1-24
Bring the hanky down, remove the card and reveal the third
selection. Pass it back to #3.
Blank Card Gag

Casually double undercut (see notes) the top card to the bottom
of the deck.
Dribble the cards onto the left palm and execute the Automatic
Bottom Palm (see notes) as you square the deck and pivot it into 1-25
left dealers grip.
Pick the deck up in Right Biddle Grip and insert the left hand
into the left pants pocket, unloading the palmed card while
acting as if you are confused. Leave the card in the pocket and
remove the hand, flashing it empty before dropping the deck into
left dealers grip.
Show the right hand empty and then reach into the right pants 1-26
pocket and remove the blank card, holding it close to your body
so no one can see its face. Walk confidently a few steps toward a
lady who did not choose a card.
Say, “I’ve found yours—what card did you pick?” She will most
likely be a little flustered and confess that she didn’t pick a card.
Cry out, “Exactly!” Show the blank card. (This is a very old gag,
but it never fails to elicit a HUGE laugh and a nice round of
1-27
applause. It is also a really sneaky way of loading a card into the

other pocket.)
During the reaction, slide the top card of the deck backwards
about 1/4-inch with your left thumb (photo 1-28).
Toss the blank card into your case.
1-28 #5 - Malone False Pocket Removal

You will now apparently “accidentally” skip a card.
Turn your head to the right. With your right hand, reach into
your right side coat pocket. Pretend to become a bit frustrated as
you fish around for the next card. Meanwhile, pat the outer left
breast pocket with the left hand and then hook it with the left
thumb (photo 1-29).
Turn your head, focusing your attention to the breast pocket

1-29 (photo 1-30).
Bring the right hand over and grip the corner of the top card
where it extends from the deck (photo 1-31).
Pull straight up swiftly—the card will pivot around the left

thumb to a vertical position and look for all the world as if you
removed it from the pocket (photo 1-32).
Turn the card toward #4 and ask if it was his selection. When he
1-30 denies it, act surprised. Show it to #5 and ask her if it’s hers. She
will say yes (this is why you have everyone sign the cards—so
they can’t lie!). Give her the card.
#4 - Card in Pocket
Mutter something about skipping a card and reach into the right
pants pocket and pretend to search for a card. Then take the deck
in the right hand, show the left hand empty and reach into the
left pants pocket. Smile and remove the card (which, you’ll
1-31 remember, you secretly loaded there a few moments ago!). Ask
#4 to name his card and then slowly turn the card toward him to
reveal it is his. Toss the card to him.
#6 - Card in Clip
Casually turn the deck face up, taking it into right Biddle Grip.
Look out into the audience, asking whose cards remain to be

found. Under cover of this misdirection, do the Mercury Card
1-32
Fold, positioning the folded card in left finger palm. (If you
don’t know the Mercury Fold, just hold the deck behind your
back to “find” the selection. Fold the top card and put it in left
finger palm and then proceed as follows with the deck still
behind your back.) Address #6. Remark that you are going to try
something extremely difficult with him—you will not just find
his card, but you will find it with your eyes closed, and you
won’t check to see if you’re right before showing him the card.
1-33
Show him the face card of the deck “to make sure the chosen
card isn’t on the bottom.” Return the deck to face down left
dealers grip (directly onto the palmed folded card).
Remark that you will be able to find his card—with your eyes
closed—in only 44 tries or less. As the crowd reacts to this
statement, push the top three cards slightly to the right with your
left thumb and then draw them back, getting a pinky break below
them.
1-34
Say, “Ok, ok! Make it THREE tries or less! Now, I don’t want to
be accused of cheating. I’ve already shown you that your card
isn’t on the bottom. I’ll also show you it’s not on top.”
Do a triple turnover (same as a double turnover, but with

three cards instead of two) by gripping the three cards above the
break by the edge and flipping them over onto the deck as one
card, exposing an indifferent face. Flip the triple face down
again.
1-35
Close your eyes and remove any card at random from the deck
with your right hand. Hold it facing the audience and ask #6 if it
is his selection. When he says it isn’t, toss the card onto the
floor. Repeat this with a second (indifferent) card. Then, with
your eyes still closed, say, “I found it! It’s in that clip hanging
on the front of my case!”
Open your eyes. Take the deck with the right hand and set it on
the table. Pick up the clip with the right hand and hold it high for 1-36
a moment so that all can see it holds a folded card (photo 1-33).
Bring the left hand in front of the clip, such that the card is out of
sight for a moment (photo 1-34). Open the clip—the rubber
band will pull the dummy card up inside the clip and out of view
(photo 1-35). Pivot the fingerpalmed card up to the left
fingertips (photo 1-36) and then separate the hands, showing the
folded card you “removed” from the clip (photo 1-37). Set the
1-37
clip aside.
Unfold the card and display it and have #6 verify that it is, in
fact, his selection. State that you would like to show him an even
more incredible trick with his card. As you say this, tear the card
into quarters (easy, due to the folds).
“I will attempt to magically restore that card into one piece. I

1-38 will then let you keep it forever! However, the Magician’s Union
expressly forbids me from doing this in front of you where you
can see how the magic happens. Therefore, I must do it behind
the Cloak of Mystery!”
Reach into your case and pick up the séance cloth. Insert your
right hand into the fake hand (photo 1-38), unfold the cloth and
hold it in front of you so that it covers the deck and the folded
pieces of card on top of the table (photo 1-39).
1-39 You will now do something very sneaky as you patter about the
magical properties of the cloak of mystery. The last card (#7) is
on top of the deck. Remove your hand from the fake hand and
simply take off the top card and stick in down the front of your
pants (photo 1-40). You are now set for the last revelation, way
ahead of the game, and the audience believes that both of your
hands have been in plain view while you did this!
Remark that the pieces restore magically behind the cloak of

mystery, and no one really knows why. As you’re talking,
1-40 remove the tape dispenser and set it down softly on the table
(photo 1-41). From this point on, don’t worry about trying to sell
the séance cloth illusion. Gradually, more and more people will
become aware that you’re messing around behind the cloth, but a
few won’t catch it—it’s VERY funny!
Arrange the pieces to form the card with your free hand. Noisily
tear off a strip of tape and then act horrified at the noise and fake
cough a bit to “cover” the sound. Tape the pieces together down
1-41 the center lengthwise. Don’t worry about having them fit
perfectly, as it’s funnier if they don’t! Tear off another strip of
tape, doing a false sneeze as you do. Trust me, this gets HUGE
laughs! Adhere the tape crosswise on the card.
Say, “Yes, I believe it has worked! You’re card is restored!”
Whisk the cloth away and then “notice” that the tape dispenser is
still on the table (photo 1-42). Very quickly, with an
1-42
embarrassed look and as if you’re hoping no one noticed, whisk

the cloth back in front of the tape, remove your hand from the
fake hand, toss the dispenser into your case with a loud
“THUD,” and then reinsert the hand (flashing your hand if you
want) into the fake. Pull the cloth away again.
“Yes! It’s worked! Your card has magically restored, and you
may keep it forever!”
1-43
Put the cloth away as you speak and pick up the “restored” card,
displaying it to the audience (photo 1-43). The reaction here is
huge! Give #6 his card.
#7 - Card in Fly
The last card will be found with my modified handling of Dan
Fleshman’s hysterical Card in Fly. Act as though you are done
and have found all of the cards and you are glad it’s all over.
Someone (usually #7 herself) will be quick to point out that one
card remains unfound. Act surprised and then defeated. 1-44
“I just don’t think I can top that last one, what with the card
being in the clip and then magically restoring and all.” Wait a
beat and then visibly brighten as if you just had an inspiration.
Look at #7. “I’ve got it! I will make your card appear at any
place in this room you MENTALLY choose! Don’t even say
where you want the card to appear, just THINK of the place—
your favorite place in this entire room.”
Put one hand to your forehead as if trying to read her thoughts. 1-45
“Receive” the message and say, “Yes, I’ve got it!” Snap your
fingers and tell her that her card is now in the place she thought
of—the place she chose above all others—the one place in the
room that was her favorite. Reach into your case and remove the
latex glove, slowly and “meaningfully” placing it on your LEFT
hand. Another HUGE laugh will erupt.
Look at #7, wink, and swagger a bit. Then unzip your pants and
reach into your fly with your RIGHT hand (photo 1-44) and 1-46
remove the card you loaded a few moments earlier. Pause and
look at #7. “I know what you’re thinking: LUCKY CARD!”
Slowly turn the card to face her to reveal that you got the right
one. Suddenly “realize” that you made a mistake: “OOPS! I put
the glove on the WRONG HAND!” Set the card on the palm of
the gloved left hand (photo 1-45). Remove the glove, turning it
inside out around the card (photo 1-46) and then blow into the
glove, inflating it like a balloon with the card inside (photo 1-
47). Tie it closed and present it to #7 to end. 1-47
Notes: To make a Breather Crimp, hold a card face down with

a diagonally opposite corner at the base of the first two fingers of
each hand. Place your thumbs at the center of the card and,
pressing down firmly, slide them back to the corners. Do this a
couple of times until a “channel” is formed (photo 1-48). Turn
the card with the two other corners at the bases of the fingers and
repeat the procedure to make another channel. When finished,
you will have an x-shaped crimp in the card (photo 1-49). This
1-48 card will remain flat when placed in the deck and the deck is
held together with some pressure, but when the pressure is
relaxed, the card will bow up slightly, making it extremely easy
to cut to. Further, when you cut it to the bottom of the deck, you
can brush your fingers across it and easily tell if it’s the crimped
card, thus assuring that you cut to it.
The Automatic Bottom Palm: If you’ve been afraid of palming,

this move is for you! (I claim no credit for this, as I’m sure
someone somewhere has come up with something similar.) Hold
1-49
the deck in right hand Biddle Grip. Hold the left hand about six
inches below and parallel to the deck. Begin to dribble cards
into your left hand as in photo 1-50. After you’ve dribbled the
entire deck, pause and hold the left hand flat to display the deck
very openly and fairly (photo 1-51). Bring your right hand over
the deck in Biddle Grip and begin to pivot the deck into left hand
dealer’s grip. Due to the friction of your skin on the bottom
card, it will stay put as shown in photo 1-52. Continue turning
the deck until it is in dealer’s grip with the palmed card hidden
1-50 underneath as in photo 1-53.
Double Undercut: You’re holding the deck in right Biddle Grip,

a thumb break approximately at center. With your left hand,
remove half the cards below the break and move them to the top
of the deck. Then remove all the remaining cards below the
break and place them on top as well.
Slip Cut: Hold the deck in left dealers grip, the left thumb
stretched across the top card. With the right hand, slide about
1-51 half the deck to the right, allowing the left thumb to retain the
top card, which drops onto the
lower half. Replace the right-
hand packet onto the left-hand
packet.
1-52 1-53
Sun Valley Serenade

Card effects that can be performed either for close-up or platform are relatively rare. This
routine falls into that group. If you have read my first book, Great Scott! It’s Card Magic!
you know how much I love Dai Vernon’s “Travelers” plot, since I included four routines based
on it.
Jack Carpenter is not as well known as he should be within magic. Based in Seattle, Jack is an
exceptionally accomplished cardman. I met Jack at Mike Maxwell’s convention in Sacramento
a couple years ago. After seeing him perform, I purchased his books. In Modis Operandi,
Jack has an effect called “Multiplex Reset,” which combines Paul Harris’ “Reset” plot with a
double “Travelers” finish. That routine inspired this one.
While I make no claim that this is a better routine, it does have a few things going for it. It
requires no palming, it is very easy to do, and I have thrown in a card-to-wallet finish that, I
think, has been given a very natural motivation, which you can use in other routines.
Effect: You start by producing the four aces. You remove your wallet and a marker from your
jacket pocket. The wallet is tossed onto the table. A spectator uses the marker to initial each
ace. You set the deck aside and hold the ace packet. One at a time, the aces transform into
queens. Instantly, they change back into the initialed aces! The packet is spread front and
back. There are no queens! Now, showing your hand completely empty each time, you remove
the queens from four different pockets! These are placed face up on the face down ace packet,
spread, and turned over. You snap your fingers and spread and count the packet again—there
are only four cards! You spread them face up to show they are the queens. The aces have
vanished! Again, very fairly showing your hand empty each time, you remove the first three
initialed aces from three different packets. Only the ace of spades is yet to be found. You drop
the packet on the table and spread it, to show the AS is not there. Showing both hands empty,
you pick up the deck and slowly spread through it. The ace is not in the deck, either. Finally,
you pick up the wallet, which has been in full view since before the aces were initialed, open it
and remove the initialed ace of spades! Remember, there are no cards palmed, no duplicates or
gimmicked cards, and no difficult sleights!
Requirements and setup: In addition to a deck of cards, you’ll need a Mullica Wallet and a
Sharpie marker, and a suit or sport coat or blazer. Put the marker in your left inner breast
pocket, but don’t clip it to the top of the pocket. Instead, let it fall down into the pocket. Place
the wallet in the same pocket. Remove the four queens from the deck. Place the QC on top of
the deck and the QD on top of all. Put the QH in your right back pants pocket and the QS in
your left back pants pocket. If you want to magically produce the aces, set them to do so. Or
you could do this routine after some ace routines. Otherwise, just leave them wherever they are
in the deck.
Method and performance: If you aren’t doing a trick with the aces or producing them, spread
through the deck and remove them. Turn the deck face down into left dealers grip. Arrange the
face up aces from the face down: Spade, Diamond, Club, Heart. Leave them face up on top of
the face down deck.
Reach into your left inner breast pocket as you explain that you
are going to have your audience assistant initial the aces. Notice
that the marker is not clipped to the pocket and pat the pocket as
if feeling to see if it’s in there. Remove the wallet and drop it to
your far right on the table and then reach into the pocket for the
marker. This subtly brings the wallet into play without calling
attention to it, and gives you a motivation for its removal. You
may want to use this ploy in other card to wallet effects.
1-54
Hand the marker to the spectator and drop the AS on the table in
front of her, asking her to initial it. Repeat with the other three
aces. Meanwhile, the left hand, still holding the deck, gets a
break under the first queen. Pick up the ace packet in right
Biddle Grip and square it face up against the left thumb, stealing
the QD underneath the packet (photo 1-54). Move the packet to
the right.
You will now steal the QC and secretly lose the AS under cover
1-55 of displaying the initialed aces with a switch by Fred Braue.
Bring the packet over the deck. The left thumb contacts the face
of the AH, holding it back as the right hand moves to the right
with the rest of the packet (photo 1-55). Use the left edge of the
packet to flip the AH face down onto the deck (photo 1-56) and
then take the ace on the bottom of the packet. Turn the right
hand palm up to flash the AH on the bottom. Repeat this
procedure with the AC and AD.
As the right hand turns up to show the AD, get a pinky break
1-56 under the top card of the deck (QC) with your left hand. Bring
the packet back over the deck again, stealing the QC onto the
bottom of the packet as the left hand takes the AS onto the deck
(photo 1-57).
After you flip the AS face down, secretly leave it on the deck as
you apparently take it under the packet (photo 1-58). Table the
deck face down to your left.
1-57 The order of the packet from the top down should now be: QD,
AH, AC, AD and QC. You are now set to change the aces into
queens.
The right hand still holds the face down packet in Biddle grip.
The left hand peels off the first card into dealers grip, then the
second and third, reversing the order.
The right holds a double, which it places on top, and the left
1-58
pinky holds a break below the double. Snap your fingers and
turn the double face up to show a queen (photo 1-59).
Immediately turn the double face down and thumb the top card
onto the table (you don’t want to call attention to the suits, as
they will be repeated. So just show it long enough for them to
see it’s a queen before turning it face down). Repeat the above
count, but stop after the left hand takes two cards and the right
holds a double. Set the double on top, holding a break, snap, and
double turnover twice. Thumb off the top card onto the first 1-59
tabled card.
Take the packet into right Biddle grip. Snap your left fingers,
and then bring them to the face of the packet, where they slide
off the bottom card (photo 1-60), leaving a double in the right
hand. Both hands turn at the wrists to show the QC in the left
and the AC in the right (photo 1-61). Turn the wrists so the
cards are face down again and replace the QC to the bottom of
the double.
1-60
Snap again and then remove the top card with the left hand,
again leaving a double in the right (photo 1-62). Turn the wrists
to reveal the QC and QD. Turn the cards face down and set the
double onto the QC and immediately lift all three with the right
hand and drop them onto the two previously tabled cards.
Pick up the packet by pulling off the top card with the right hand
and using it to scoop up the rest. Place the packet into left
dealers grip. As you square up, get a break above the bottom
two cards with the left pinky. Reverse count the cards into the 1-61
right hand, holding the last two as one and placing this double on
the bottom. Return the packet to left dealers grip.
You will now change the queens back into aces. Snap your
fingers and flip the packet face up, and immediately Elmsley
Count, (see notes) placing the last card on the bottom. Turn the
packet face down and spread, holding the last two as one.
Square up, getting a left pinky break under the top two cards.
Casually (and seemingly unintentionally) flash the face of the 1-62
packet (AH).
So far, a lot of magic has happened, but now is where we really

start to slay them! Turn to your left, showing your right hand
empty, and slowly and fairly push your coat back, reach into
your back pants pocket, and remove the QH. You have all the
time, cover and misdirection in the world as you do this for your
left hand to dip into your left side coat pocket and drop off the
top two cards (photo 1-63, exposed). This load is an Ed Marlo
1-63
idea.
Turn to the front and drop the QH face up on the table.
As you transfer the packet to right dealers grip, again flash the
AH on the face. Turn to your right, show your left hand
unmistakably empty, and as you remove the QS from your left
back pants pocket, your right hand dips into the right side coat
pocket and thumbs off the top two cards together (exactly as you
1-64 did with your left hand a moment ago – photo 1-64). Turn to the
front and drop the QS face up onto the QH.
Show the left hand empty, reach into the left side coat pocket
and remove the outer card of the pair, which will be the QD.
Drop it face up onto the other queens. Move the AH, as if it
were a packet, to left dealers grip, again allowing the face to
flash. (This psychologically reinforces the idea that the aces have
not been tampered with and have been in full view the entire
time.) Show your right hand empty, reach into the right side
1-65 pocket and remove the inner card, which will be the QC. Use it
to scoop up the queens from the table, and drop them onto the
AH in your left hand. Spread the queens and then flip them face
down and square up.
Snap your fingers. Do a reverse Buckle Count to show four

cards as follows. Take the top card into the right hand. Take the
next on top of it. Buckle the bottom card in the left hand by
squeezing the outer right corner to the left with the left forefinger
(photo 1-65). Slide the two cards in the right hand into the gap
1-66 caused by the buckle (photo 1-66) and take the double on top of
them as you move the packet to the right (photo 1-67). Finally,
put the last card on top. Flip the packet face up into left dealers
grip and spread, holding the last two as one to show four queens
(photo 1-68). Square the cards and turn the packet face down.
Remark that now the aces have vanished. Pause a beat and then
state that you know where they went. As you bring your left
1-67 hand up to pat the left outer breast pocket, the left thumb injogs
the top card (AH) about ¼ inch. Do the Malone False pocket
removal as described in “Pro-Mega” earlier in this book.
Toss the AH face up on the table. Show your hands empty,

reach into the side jacket pockets and remove the AD and AC.
Toss them onto the table next to the AH.
1-68
Mention that only the AS remains to be found. Turn the queens face up and spread them on the
table, remarking that the AS isn’t there. Take the deck into face up left dealers grip, getting a
left pinky break above the bottom two cards. Say that you’ll check to see if the AS is in the
deck. Slowly spread through the entire deck, holding the last two cards as one. Turn the deck
face down, pick up the Mullica Wallet in the right hand, and load the card via the standard
handling for a powerful finish!
Notes: Since the Mullica Wallet is a dealer item I am not at liberty to explain it. Get one ASAP
if you don’t already own one. You may also want to check out the presentational touches of
Eugene Burger and David Parr for this prop on Eugene’s video, “Gourmet Close-up Magic.”
However, since the last ace is on top of the deck already, you may choose to use the card in clip
as explained in “Pro-Mega.” Or, turn the deck face up and do the Automatic Bottom Palm (also
found in “Pro-Mega”) and produce the card from a pocket.
The Elmsley Count was originally called the Ghost Count, but it has come to be more
commonly named after its inventor, the great British magician, Alex Elmsley. It can be done
with any packet of four or more cards where you want to show only four cards and hide the face
of at least one.
To start, the cards are in the order shown in photo 1-69, a card face up third from the top of an
otherwise face down packet. Grip the packet with both hands as in photo 1-70 and take the top
card away with the left hand as in photo 1-71. As the left hand returns to the packet, curl the
right fingers inward, side-jogging the bottom card of the right-hand packet as shown in photo
1-72. The card in the left hand goes under the right-hand packet to facilitate the left thumb
stretching across the top card of the packet. A secret switch happens now, on the second card
counted. The left-hand card goes under the right fingertips, which hold it in place, and the left
hand moves away with the top two cards (easy, due to the jog). See photo 1-73. Each hand
holds two cards, which is exactly what they would be holding if no switch had taken place.
1-69 1-70 1-71
1-72 1-73
The left hand returns to the right, taking the top card from the right hand onto its cards. Finally,
take the last card from the right hand on top of the left packet. The end result is that the face up
card is on the bottom of the packet.
If using more than four cards, the extra cards are moved as one and the procedure is exactly the
same. There are two very common variations of the Elmsley Count: 1) Underground Elmsley -
here you simply take the last card on the bottom of the packet instead of the top. 2) Sometimes,
instead of counting the last two cards singly, you simply spread them and then either drop them
onto the left-hand cards, or drop the left-hand cards on top.
Canned Dunbury
This is a combination of two effects, which I feel makes for a very strong and unique routine. It
is mystifying and very amusing. Check the additional comments after the explanation for an
addendum that can make it an absolute showstopper!
Effect: You invite a gentleman to join you and have him sit in a chair facing the audience.
Introducing a deck of cards, you hand them to the man to shuffle. You take the deck and allow
the man to select a card (say, the 5C), display it to everyone except you, and then he returns it to
the deck, which you promptly shuffle thoroughly. You explain that you will try to find the card
by intuition, without looking at the faces. After going through the deck, you explain that you
are quite sure you have it narrowed down to three cards, but you can’t be positive which is his.
You show him the three cards, one at a time, and place them in a face down row on the floor
about 24-36 inches in front of him. You ask him if one of the three was in fact his card. He
verifies that one was. You eliminate two of the cards, showing that they are not the 5C. You
ask him to bend forward and pick up the last card without letting you see its face. He complies.
You ask him to name his card and then turn over the card he holds. Only it’s not his card! You
ask if he is certain his card was the 5C, and he affirms that it was. You hand him the deck and
he goes through it. There is no 5C! You state that he must have been seeing things, because
the 5C was never in the deck. In fact, you continue, he has been sitting on it since before you
brought out the deck! He stands and looks on his chair and is astonished to see the 5C!
Requirements: All you need is a deck of cards, along with a chair and an audience!
Method and performance: Bring the gentleman up front and have him sit on the chair. Bring
out the deck and allow him to thoroughly shuffle it. Take it back and let him select a card.
After the card is returned, control it to the top of the deck by a Jog shuffle (see notes). On the
next shuffle, run four cards onto the selection, injog one and shuffle off. Pick up a break at the
jog and shuffle to the break. The selection is now 5th from the top. Spread through the deck
face down, remove the selection and place it on top. Repeat with any two other cards. You
now have two indifferent cards on top of the deck followed by the selection. Spread over the
top four cards, taking the top three in a fan in the right hand, and holding a left pinky break
under the 4th. State, “I’m quite sure that one of these three cards is yours, but I can’t be
positive which it is.” As you talk, return the cards, still spread, to the top of the deck, but allow
the bottom one (selection) to go into the break under the top card of the deck, and hold a break
under it as you square.
Explain that you will show him the three cards, but you don’t want him to say anything or in
any way tip whether he sees his card or not until you ask him. Turn the top card over onto the
deck and call it number one. Turn it face down and drop it on the floor 2-3 feet in front of the
chair. Triple turnover, call this card number two (selection), and turn the triple face down.
Take the top card and drop it to the left of the first card on the floor. Turn over the top card of
the deck, name it number three, turn it down and drop it to the left of the first two. The man
will be sure his card is in the center of the three on the floor.
Ask him if one of the three cards on the floor was indeed his card. He will admit that one is.
Say that you’ll try to zero in on it. Pick up the card on the left. Say that you don’t think it is
his. Show it and have him verify that you are right. Bury this card in the deck. Pick up the
card on the right as you comment that this is not his either. Reveal it as he agrees with you
again. Bury this card in the deck. Ask him to lean over and pick up the remaining card. As he
does, he will have to come off the chair slightly. When this happens, thumb the top card of the
deck onto the chair, and he will sit on it as he comes back. Ask him to name his card and then
turn over the card he holds. It’s not his! Let him go through the deck—it’s not there, either!
Tell him he must have been seeing things, as he’s been sitting on that card the entire time. Let
him stand and reveal the card on the chair to end.
Notes: Very often when I am booked to do a parlor/platform show for a banquet, etc., they also
book me to do strolling magic earlier during the cocktail/hospitality hour. If you find yourself
in this scenario, you can add another phase to the above to really nail them!
During your strolling magic, have a lady select a card and sign it. Find the card and move on to
another effect. DO NOT do the “Ambitious Card” here. You do not want to draw a lot of
attention to this card. When you’re ready to do your platform show, take out a matching deck
and bring the duplicate of the card the lady signed to the top of the deck. Put the signed card in
your right front pants pocket, and have two chairs available. You’re prepared for the show.
Move the chairs so you are between them. Invite a gentleman and this lady to the front. As
they come up, put your hands in your pockets and palm her signed card. Hold her chair as she
sits (as any gentleman would do), and load the card under her. Bring out the deck and force the
same card on her. Give her a marker and ask her to sign the card, remarking that you will come
back to her later. Go through the trick as above with the man. Then turn to the lady, have her
card replaced in the deck and control it to the bottom. Do the Automatic Bottom Palm and hand
her the deck. Ask her to look through the deck for her card. As she does, casually put your
hands in your pockets, ditching the card. Stand well away from her and have her stand and
reveal that she was sitting on her signed card!
Some may worry that she’ll realize that this is the card she signed earlier. Trust me—she’s had
a few drinks, and may not even remember signing a card, but she certainly won’t remember
which card it was, or what color the backs were, unless you drew attention to it! Which is why
I told you not to!
The Jog Shuffle is a simple variation on an overhand shuffle. Assume a selected card is on top
of the deck. Undercut about half of the deck and begin to overhand shuffle this packet onto the
original top portion. Draw the first card off singly, injogged slightly and then shuffle off. As
you square up the deck in the palm up right hand to begin another shuffle, get a right thumb
break above the selection by pushing up on the jogged card with the right thumb as it pushes the
card flush. Overhand shuffle to the break and then throw the remainder on top. The selection is
back on top of the deck.
Chapter Two:
Transpositions
The effects in this section involve cards magically changing places with each other.
Properly performed, this genre is one of the strongest in all of card magic.
Too Simple, Too Good, Too!

Do you enjoy a strong yet simple and direct effect? Based on “Too Simple, Too Good” from
React by my good friend Aldo Colombini (Hades Publishing), this fits the bill quite nicely. It is
a combination of two classic effects, the Dunbury Delusion and the Spelling Trick. I think
you’ll find it is extremely well received by your audiences.
Effect: Walt and Vandella each select a card. The selections are then lost in the deck and the
deck is shuffled. Offering to locate Vandella’s card, you spell her name, dealing one card for
each letter. You turn over the card at the last letter and show that it is, indeed, her selection.
This is placed aside on the table. Next, you follow the same procedure, but spell Walt’s name.
But when you turn over the card at the last letter, it isn’t Walt’s, but Vandella’s—the very card
you placed on the table just a moment earlier! The tabled card is turned face up—it is now
Walt’s selection!
Method and performance: As I said earlier, this is a very simple

trick. Let Walt and Vandella each select a card (assume the AS
and QH). Have the cards returned so that Walt’s is above
Vandella’s, in position to be spelled. I use the following overhand
jog shuffle sequence:
• Cut off about half the deck with your right hand. Extend your
left hand toward Vandella, asking her to place her card on top of
this packet. Overhand shuffle the right-hand packet on top,
2-1 injogging the first card (photo 2-1).
• Bring the right hand over the deck in Biddle Position. Lift up
on the jogged card with the right thumb (photo 2-2) and double
undercut to the break. Swing cut the top 1/3 of the deck into your
left hand (photo 2-3), which then extends toward Walt so that he
can place his card on top of the packet. As he does, mentally
spell “V”.
• Shuffle off the right-hand packet onto the left, running the
first several cards singly as you mentally spell “A-N-D-E-L-L-
2-2 A” and then injog the next card and shuffle off the rest of the
packet. Once again, lift up on the jogged card and double
undercut to the break.
“Few people realize the power that is in a name or the affinity

that playing cards have with the people who chose them. I would
like to demonstrate for you now the magical power of your
names!”
Spell “Vandella” aloud, dealing one card onto the table for each
letter, but when you get to the last letter, push over the top two
2-3
cards of the deck with your left thumb as in photo 2-4, but don’t
deal the top card. Instead, square the two cards with the deck,
obtaining a left pinky break beneath them, as displayed in photo
2-5.
Do a double turnover to reveal Vandella’s card (photo 2-6).

Turn the double face down onto the deck and deal the top card
face down onto the table off to one side. Pick up the other cards
from the table and bury them in the deck. 2-4
Walt’s card is now on the table (although everyone thinks it’s

Vandella’s card) and Vandella’s is on top of the deck (everyone
thinks Walt’s card is lost somewhere in the deck). Comment that
you will duplicate the feat with Walt’s card.
As you speak, once again swing cut about 1/3 of the deck into
your left hand. Mentally spell “W” as you make the cut. Begin to
overhand shuffle the right-hand cards onto those in the left hand,
spelling “A-L-T”, injog the next one and then shuffle the rest of 2-5
the right-hand cards randomly on top. As before, lift up on the
injogged card with the right thumb as you square the deck and
double undercut to the break.
Spell “Walt”, dealing one card for each letter. When you get to
the “T”, take the card in the right hand, but do not deal it onto
the table. Ask Walt which card he chose. Turn the card in your
hand face up. Everyone will be shocked to see that it is
Vandella’s card (photo 2-7)! Ask Walt to turn over the card on
the table. The shock waves increase when it is revealed to have 2-6
magically changed into Walt’s chosen card (photo 2-8)!
2-7
2-8
My Favorite Card
Brent Braun, a member of the Magic Café, inspired this routine. It is easy of execution, but
extremely effective and entertaining to an audience.
Effect: Brent selects a card and signs it. This card is then placed in your wallet, which you give
him to hold. You remark, “Now that your card is in the wallet, I will magically locate my
favorite card.” You give the deck a couple of cuts and set it face up on the table. When you
ribbon spread the pack, one card is reversed in the middle. This card is removed and turned face
up to reveal Brent’s signed selection! Stupefied, you comment
that Brent’s card was placed in the wallet. The wallet is opened
and the card removed. It is a blank-faced card with the
inscription, “My Favorite Card!”
Requirements and preparation: Besides a deck of cards, all

you need is one blank-faced card with a matching back, any
wallet and a Sharpie marker.
2-9 Write “My Favorite Card!” across the face of the blank card
(photo 2-9) and put it face down on top of the face down deck.
Method and performance: Spread the deck, asking Brent to

remove a card. Don’t let him take the top one! If he tries, I
always say that he should take a card from somewhere in the
middle, “to make sure you choose a truly random card.”
Hand him the marker and ask him to sign the face of the card. As
he does, square the deck into left dealers grip.
2-10
While all attention is on Brent signing his card, secretly turn over
the top card of the deck, catching a left pinky break below it and
necktie the deck. (Tilt it slightly toward yourself by turning the
wrist inward such that the top card is out of the sight line of the
audience as in photo 2-10. The hand holding the deck is in a
very similar position to where it would be if you were about to
adjust your necktie. Hence the name.)
2-11 Take Brent’s card from him, explaining that it doesn’t matter if
you see it, and place it face up on top of the deck (photo 2-11—
the deck is still necktied). Blow on the card as if trying to help
the ink dry.
Pick up your wallet and open it. Do a double turnover and pull
off the top card. Place this in the wallet (preferably in a
compartment that zips or snaps closed—photo 2-12), close the
wallet and hand it to Brent to hold.
2-12
As you carry out these actions, push over the top two cards of
the deck with your left thumb and then draw them back, getting a
pinky break below them. This is shown in photo 2-13, where the
break is exaggerated so you can see it.
Say, “In this little experiment I also need to use my favorite

card.” Do a double turnover, exposing the face of an indifferent
card. Disappointed, explain that this card is NOT your favorite, 2-13
and that you must have forgotten to put it on top of the deck
before you started. Turn the double face down. State that you
will magically locate your favorite card. Do a Braue Reversal
(see notes) to secretly reverse the top card near the center of the
deck and then table the deck face up. Gesture magically before
ribbon spreading the pack, revealing a face down card at the
center of the face up spread, as depicted in photo 2-14.
Ask Brent to remove “your favorite card” from the spread as you
gesture to the face down card. When he turns the card over, he 2-14
will be surprised to see it is his signed selection (photo 2-15)!
Act surprised. “Isn’t that the card that we put in the wallet—the
wallet that you’ve been holding this entire time? Please open it
and remove the card.”
He will receive a second surprise when he removes the card and

turns it face up to see a blank face with the words, “My Favorite
Card!" (photo 2-16)
2-15
Notes
Named after its creator, the incredible Fred Braue, the Braue
Reversal is a way of secretly reversing a card in the deck.
In the case of the routine above, the card ends up reversed at the
center of the deck. I will teach the move here for that
2-16
application. This is a very easy and very effective weapon that
should be in your arsenal of sleights.
Take the deck in left dealers grip. Bring the right hand over the
deck in Biddle Position and obtain a right thumb break under the
top card of the deck, as shown in photo 2-17.
2-17
While retaining the deck in Right Biddle Grip (and maintaining the right thumb break under the
top card), undercut about ¼ of the deck with your left hand (photo 2-18). Turn this packet face
up and drop it on top of the deck (photo 2-19).
Remove another ¼ of the deck from the bottom and turn it face up (photo 2-20), dropping it on
top of the deck (photo 2-21).
Cut off all the cards below the break (photo 2-22), turn the packet face up and replace this
packet under the right hand portion (photo 2-23).
The original top card is now face down at the center of the face up deck (photo 2-24).
2-18 2-19 2-20
2-21 2-22 2-23
2-24
What the…?
The inspiration for this effect is Ed Marlo’s “Devilish Miracle.” You will find this adaptation is
extremely easy to do, but still very strong. The method was obvious enough to me that it would
not surprise me in the least if somewhere in the literature there were a very similar effect.
Effect: I have always been intrigued by tricks where a card apparently transports from one
packet to another. Here, that happens (sort of), but then the card is found face up at a mentally
selected number.
Method: You ask Paul to assist you with a small experiment. “I believe that I can prove that
thoughts have a kind of attachment to not only the person who thought them, but also to each
other. To test my theory, Paul will assist me. We will be using a deck of playing cards, as they
are familiar and lend a wide range of choices that are easily distinguishable, yet simple enough
as to be easily remembered to allow us to focus our concentration on them easily.”
You hand a deck of cards to Paul. “I don’t want anyone to think that I have set the cards in a
particular order or in any way tried to influence your decision. So please thoroughly shuffle the
cards. As you are shuffling, please think of a number. It shouldn’t be a very large number, or a
very small one. Let’s limit it to between 5 and 10. Please don’t
say the number aloud yet—merely think of it and remember it.”
After Paul has shuffled, allow someone else to cut the deck and
complete the cut. Ask Paul to tell everyone for the first time what
number he mentally chose. For the sake of this explanation, we’ll
assume he chose six. Ask him to deal his number of cards from
the top of the deck, one at a time into a pile on the table.
When he has complied, take the deck from him into left dealers 2-25
grip. Ask Paul to take the top card from the tabled pile and to
turn it face up onto the table (say, the 6H). As he does this, pick
up the remaining five cards and set them on top of the deck,
holding a left pinky break below them, as in photo 2-25.
“The six of hearts. That’s the card that fell at your mentally
chosen number after you thoroughly shuffled the deck. You dealt
the cards yourself, so you know that there could have been no
deceitful actions on my part.”
2-26
As you are talking, take the deck in right Biddle Grip, taking
over the break with your right thumb (photo 2-26). With your
left hand, undercut about half the deck and replace this packet on
top, maintaining the break (photo 2-27).
In a continuing motion, immediately take all the cards below the

break in the left hand.
2-27
Give this face down packet to Paul as the right hand holds the
remaining packet (face up, with five face down cards secretly at
the bottom—photo 2-28).
2-28 Openly and fairly place your “face up” packet onto the tabled
face up 6H as in photo 2-29 and then pick up the entire packet.
Ask Paul to shuffle his cards as you do the same with yours.
Riffle shuffle the packet, being careful to leave the bottom six
cards (face up selection and five face down indifferent cards)
intact. Your packet must remain face up during these shuffles.
2-29
Photo 2-30 is an exposed view of how the cards must be

shuffled.
Leave your “face up” packet on the table. Casually show your
hands empty and take Paul’s packet.
“Paul, concentrate forcefully on your card. Believe it or not,

your card will magically travel to your packet, because of its
2-30 attraction to you.”
Turn this packet face up between the hands and spread it openly
and fairly between your hands so that everyone can see the faces.
(photo 2-31)
“Odd…it didn’t seem to work.”
Close the spread and turn the packet face down into left dealers
2-31 grip. Pick up the “face up” packet and drop it, still face up, onto
the left-hand (face down) packet. Immediately lift up on all the
cards above the natural break where the back-to-back cards
meet, and slide the cards above this break (which are all face up)
about one inch forward on the lower packet (photo 2-32). This
sequence of moves must flow very smoothly and it all happens
in about one second. It should look as if you picked up one
packet and set it, jogged forward for about an inch, on top of the
other packet.
2-32
Spread the face up cards openly and fairly until you come to the
first face down card, as shown in photo 2-33. The 6H is nowhere
to be found.
Feign confusion. Carefully (so as not to expose the face up

selection) spread two or three of the face down cards with your
left thumb to show that everything is “fair.” (photo 2-34)
“Well that IS odd! It’s not here, either! Perhaps we caught it 2-33
mid-flight before!”
Take the face up spread in your right hand and table it. Hand the
remaining packet to Paul.
“What number did you mentally select at the beginning?”
When he answers that his number was six, ask him to deal six
cards onto the table. The sixth card will be his face up selection
(photo 2-35)!
2-34
“You see? Conclusive PROOF that the card on which you were
focusing your thoughts was attracted not only to you but also to
your other thought, your mentally selected number! I’ll be
famous and wealthy, Paul, but I won’t forget you—I’ll write you
once in a while!”
2-35
Pocket Rip-off
While very simple in method, I believe you will find this effect to be extremely boggling to an
audience. The plot is, I think, rather unusual, and I have found it to be a fun effect to perform.
This is a good middle routine, or possibly a closer for an all-card act. Explanations of the
required sleights are in the notes following the routine.
Effect: Tim selects and signs a card, which is then lost in the deck. You explain that, with just a
simple snap, you will find Tim’s card. You snap your fingers and turn over the top card of the
deck. It is, indeed, the signed selection—but it’s Rex’s signed selection from an earlier effect.
You make a remark about Rex always having to be the center of attention as you rip the card to
pieces in frustration and drop the pieces on the table. You remark that you have one last resort.
You reach into your pocket (or wallet), where you find one card. You turn this card over to
reveal it is…Rex’s signed selection! Confused, you turn over the torn pieces on the table—
which proves to be the tattered remains of Tim’s signed card!
Method and performance: Like I said, this trick has a very simple method. You will need to
have Rex select a card and sign it in an effect previous to this one (Ambitious Card would be a
good choice). After that routine, remark that Rex has been monopolizing far too much of your
time and attention, while poor Tim has been patiently waiting for an opportunity to participate.
Have Tim select and sign a card. As he does, secretly control Rex’s card to the top of the deck.
Hold the deck in right Biddle Grip. Swing cut about half the deck into your left hand and have
Tim place his card on top of the is packet. Place the right packet onto the left, holding a break in
between the packets, and then double undercut to the break. Tim’s card is now on top of the
deck and Rex’s card is right below it. Get a break under the top three cards under the guise of
spreading the deck and closing it again as you say that Tim’s card is lost somewhere. Do a triple
turnover to show it is not on top. Turn the triple down. As you explain that you will attempt to
cause Tim’s card to rise to the top, push over the top two cards and pull them back, catching a
break under them. Make a magical gesture and then do a double turnover to show Rex’s card.
Pretend to be annoyed. Turn the double back over and take off the top card. Rip the (face down)
card into pieces and drop them (face down) on the table. Do a top palm (see notes) as everyone
is laughing and reacting.
Say that you only have one more chance. Reach into your pocket with the palmed card and
produce it, back facing the spectators. Look at it, feign shock and confusion and then turn it so
that it faces the audience, revealing Rex’s signed selection. Look at Rex and say (tongue
planted firmly in cheek), “You just can’t be out of the action for a minute, can you?” Have Tim
turn over the torn pieces to reveal his tattered signed card!
Notes
To Top Palm a card, hold the deck in left dealers grip with a pinky break beneath the top card.
Bring the right hand over the deck.
The thumb is at the near end and the fingers over the far end, except the pinky—it rests on the
back of the top card at the outer right corner (photo 2-36).
With your left thumb, push the top card slightly to the right. It will anglejog, pivoting at the
pinky, as shown in photo 2-37.
Push down on the corner of the card with the pinky, causing the card to spring up into the right
palm (photo 2-38).
The card is gripped at diagonally opposite corners between the pinky and the heel of the hand,
as shown in an exposed view in photo 2-39.
2-36 2-37 2-38
2-39
Boxing a Joker
Here is a very easy effect that gets a great response.
Effect: Willie selects a card and signs his name across its face. The card is lost in the deck. You
turn the deck face up, displaying a joker on the face. “I know you didn’t choose the joker. And
since its not needed for this trick, I’ll put it away.”
You remove the joker and place it face down into the card case and then close the case. You
now attempt to cut to the signed selection a couple of times, but fail. As an attempted “save,”
you say, Actually, I got it right the first time. Remember when I first turned the deck over?
There was a joker on the face, and after all, jokers are wild!”
The spectators will be less than accepting of this line of reasoning. But you remain emphatic.
“I’m telling you, I got it right! I’ll prove it!”
You open the card case and remove the face down card. The case is seen to be empty. You turn
the card over, revealing that it is, in fact, Willie’s signed selection! You remind them that a
joker is now unaccounted for. You snap your fingers over the deck and ribbon spread the deck
face down across the table. There, at center, lies the face up
joker!
Requirements and preparation: You need a deck with a case,

the joker and a duplicate, blank-backed joker (BBJ) and a
permanent marker. Place the normal joker face down on top of
the face down deck, and the BBJ at the face of the deck so that
the joker side is exposed when the deck is turned face up.
2-40 Method and performance: Spread the deck face down, holding
the last two cards as one so as not to expose the blank. Ask
Willie to select a card and give him an opportunity to switch it
for another card if he wishes. When he has decided on a card,
have him sign the face with the permanent marker.
As he does this, square the deck into left dealers grip and lift the
deck off the BBJ for about ¼ inch along the near end only,
leaving the far end square. Keep your left fingers along the right
side of the deck and your left thumb along the left side, hiding
2-41
the break (photo 2-40 - this is known as “51-card Tilt”).
Take the selection face down and insert it into the break, pushing
it flush (photo 2-41). To the spectators, it will appear to go into
the center of the deck).
Let the deck drop, but maintain a left pinky break between the
bottom two cards and the rest of the deck (photo 2-42).
2-42
Turn the deck face up into left dealers grip, transferring the
break from the left pinky to the right thumb. The joker shows at
the face. Remark that you don’t need the joker and execute a
double lift, taking the BBJ and the selection as one card with the
palm down right hand, as in photo 2-43.
With the left hand, table the deck face down and pick up the card
case. Turn your right hand palm up, which casually displays the
back of the selection (photo 2-44). Everything seems as it 2-43
should.
Slide the double face down into the card case as shown in photo
2-45. Close the case and table it.
Execute the Braue Reversal (page 38). The joker is now

secretly reversed at the center of the deck.
Comment that, actually, you were right the first time, when you
turned the deck face up and there was the joker, because jokers 2-44
are wild. As you talk, table the deck face down and gesture
toward the card box. Of course, no one will buy your
explanation. Insist that you were right, and offer to prove it.
Pick up the case, holding it in left dealers grip (such that the
cards inside are face down) and open the flap. Lift up slightly on
the top card of the double and slide it out, keeping it face down.
The back of the BBJ will appear to be the white interior of the
card case (photo 2-46). Drop the card face down on the table and
put the case away. 2-45
Let Willie turn over the card to reveal that it is his signed
selection. Wait a bit for the reaction to die down and then snap
your fingers over the deck. Do a ribbon spread to reveal the face
up joker at the center of the face down deck.
2-46
Chapter Three:
Double Deckers
While some “magical purists” snub their noses at tricks requiring two decks, the routines in this chapter
have never failed to garner a wonderful response from the audience. And, after all, that’s all I really care
about!
Moron Cryptology
The first effect in Richard Kaufman’s Cardworks is a collaborative effort by Kaufman and Ken
Krenzel called, “Kaufman and Krenzel on Cryptology.” It is extremely effective, but required a
couple of classic passes, taking it out of the performance realm of most magicians. I have sim-
plified the handling vastly, without sacrificing any impact, bringing a strong routine within the
reach of beginning to intermediate performers. The following handling introduces the “Moron
Pass,” which I came up with and my friend, Vic Brisbin, christened (thanks, Vic!). I haven’t
seen it anywhere before, but I wouldn’t be floored if someone has come up with it previously
somewhere in the annals of magicdom. It fits into this routine perfectly.
Effect: Two decks, in their cases, are brought into play. One is red and one is blue. Barry se-
lects one and you hand it to him (we’ll assume he chose blue). You take the red deck out of the
case, display it to show it is a regulation deck, and remove the two black jacks. These are in-
serted, faces up, into two different places in the face down deck. You return the red deck to its
case and close the case. You ask Barry to remove any card he wants from the blue deck as you
close the blue case and set it at an angle on top of the red case. Barry signs his card and then it
is placed between the two cases. With a magical gesture, the card disappears. You open the blue
case—it is still empty. You remove the red deck from its case and ribbon spread it widely on
the table. The two face up jacks are together at the center of the spread, with one face down
blue card between them. Barry removes this card and looks at its face. It is his signed selection!
There are no forces or difficult sleights, no gaffs and no setup—this routine can be performed
impromptu with two borrowed decks! (You will need to carry or borrow a permanent marker.)
Method and performance: Let Barry have his choice of the decks, in this case, the blue one.
Remove the red deck from its case and ribbon spread it face down and then face up. Openly and
fairly remove the two black jacks. Gather the rest of the deck face down into left dealers grip.
You need to apparently place the two jacks face up into different portions of the deck, while
actually controlling them to second and third from the top. I do
this by inserting one in the top third of the deck and the other
into the bottom third, leaving them outjogged about halfway, and
executing the Guinn Utility Backslip Multiple Shift to second
from top (from my book, Great Scott! It's Card Magic!). If
you don’t know this move, here is an alternative: Get a ¼ inch
break across the full width of the top card at the rear edge
(nearest you), in preparation for the Vernon “Depth
Illusion” (a.k.a. Ed Marlo’s “Tilt”), as shown in photo 3-1.
3-1
Take the first face up jack and poke its corner into the rear of the
deck toward the bottom, such that a card or two poke out the
front of the deck (photo 3-2). Then insert the card into the break
and push it in flush with the deck.
Take the second jack and repeat, this time poking its corner in
the top third of the deck before sliding it into the break above the
other jack. Square up, letting the top card fall flush onto the
deck.
3-2
Place the deck into the red case. As you prepare to close it,
gently squeeze the sides of the case, causing the top few cards to
buckle as in photo 3-3.
Insert the flap in between the face up jacks (photo 3-4). Drop the
case on the table, with the half-moon notch down (where the flap
tucks into the case) so no one can see the exposed portion of the
cards showing through the notch. 3-3
Ask Barry to remove the blue deck from its case, and take the
case from him. Tell him to look through the deck and remove
any card that suits him.
As he does this, you ostensibly close the blue case. Actually, you
only pretend to close it. Hold the case necktied with the notch
up, the flap toward Barry. Fold the flap over the top and pretend
to insert it into the case, while actually sliding in along the
outside of the case (photo 3-5). From the other side, this action 3-4
looks identical to the case being closed.
Hold the case vertically, near the top with your right hand, the
thumb holding the flap against your side of the case (photo 3-6).
With your left hand, pick up the red case, holding it in dealers
grip with the cutout on top and toward you. Do a bit of a wrist
kill (necktie) to help hide the notch.
Turn your right hand palm down and set the blue case, injogged 3-5
about halfway, on top of the red case (photo 3-7). Slide the blue
case forward, such that its flap goes into the opening between the
jacks, alongside the red flap (photo 3-8).
You have just created a slide not unlike that in the LePaul,
Jennings and Seabrooke wallets.
As soon as the flaps are flush, angle the blue case to the right.
The flap will give and allow this to happen without coming out
of the red case, and the display looks very fair (photo 3-9). 3-6
3-7 3-8 3-9

Slide Barry’s card face down between the cases from the front,
leaving it outjogged (photo 3-10).
As if it just occurred to you, say, “Wait! You need to sign the

card!”
Remove the card and hand it to Barry, along with the marker. As
3-10 he signs the card, square the cases. Take the signed card face
down (you have never seen its face) and slide it between the two
cases from the rear. As you insert it, it automatically goes in
between the two face up jacks in the red deck (photo 3-11).
Snap your fingers and grasp the blue case in right Biddle Grip
(palm down, fingers at outer end, thumb at inner end). Begin to
move the case in small circles, rubbing it on the red case in the
left hand. Gradually increase the size of the circles until the blue
flap disengages from the red case, but continue the rubbing
3-11 motion for a few seconds. Separate the hands, each holding a
case, to show the apparent vanish of Barry’s selection. Refer to
photo 3-12.
Set the red deck, notch down, on the table. “Open” the blue case,
simulating the removal of the flap from inside the box (actually
just slide it along the surface of the box), and then display the
empty interior.
Pick up the red deck. To reposition the sandwich (face up jacks

3-12 with selection in the middle) toward the center of the deck, do
my Moron Pass as follows: Hold the cased deck, notch up, from
the right side with your palm up right hand (thumb covering the
notch—photo 3-13). Open the flap with the left fingers, and use
both thumbs to pull the side flaps out of the way.
Keep the right thumb in contact with the bottom half of the deck
as you tip the case back to slide the deck into the left hand.
Dump the deck out. Because of the position of the right thumb,
only about half the deck will come out (photo 3-14). A few
3-13 cards may spill out slowly or drop on the floor or table. That’s
fine—this is supposed to look like you made a mistake. (And
don’t worry if the face up jacks flash! They’re supposed to be
face up, and from their angle, the spectator’s can’t tell what part
of the deck fell out!) Lift the case, look into it and then shake it a
little as you tip it down, allowing the rest of the deck to fall onto
the cards in the left hand. You’ve just completed the Moron
Pass!
3-14
All that’s left is to ribbon spread the deck across the table, revealing the face up jacks at center
with a face down blue card between them. Allow Barry to remove the blue card and turn it over
to find his signed selection!
Unpredictable
This is a card problem that I submitted to the Visions web magazine. I think it is a killer plot,
and I’m quite happy with my solution.
Effect: You introduce two decks; one is red-backed, the other blue. From the blue deck, you
remove two predictions, which you place on the table, face down. The rest of the blue deck is
put away—it is not used further in this effect.
You allow two spectators to each select a card from the red deck. These cards are signed before
being lost in the deck. The first spectator cuts off about a third of the deck. The second cuts the
remaining packet in half. You reveal that each spectator has cut to her selection; only their
signatures are no longer on the cards.
You spread through the deck--there are no duplicates and no signed cards! Finally, upon turning
over the two blue-backed predictions, it is discovered that, not only were your predictions
accurate, but the spectators signatures are on them!
Conditions: The predictions must be tabled before the cards are selected and signed. The red
"selections" and the blue "predictions" must be examinable at the end of the effect.
Requirements and preparation: All you need to perform this miracle are a red deck, a blue
deck, a permanent marker and a suit jacket (or sport coat or blazer).
Place the marker in your right inner breast pocket. From the blue deck, remove two low-value
spot cards. For the sake of explanation, use the 2H and 4S. Replace the blue deck in its case.
Remove the 2H and 4S from the red deck. Place the red 2H face down on top of the red 4S and
put this pair face down on top of the face down red deck. Now place the face up blue 2H on the
face up blue 4S. Put this pair on the face of the red deck. Case the red deck.
Method and performance: Bring out both cased decks. Uncase the blue deck and spread it
between your hands such that only you can see the faces. Remark that you are going to remove
two cards as predictions of a future event. Make a bit of a fuss over trying to decide on the right
cards before finally removing any two cards and setting them face down on the table to your
left, slightly spread. Case the blue deck and put it away.
Uncase the red deck and hold it face down in left dealers grip. Cut off about the top half of the
deck with your right hand and do a jog shuffle as follows: Take the top two cards together on
the first chop, injog one and shuffle off the rest of the packet. As you square the deck, lift up on
the jogged card and catch a break below it with the left pinky.
Bring the right hand over the deck in Biddle Grip position, the second finger near the outer right
corner, and take over the break with your right thumb.
Do Gilles Couture’s “Swivel Cut Control” from Close Up

Illusions by Gary Ouellet. To wit: While maintaining the break
with the right thumb, bend its tip inward and lift up about
another 12-15 cards (photo 3-15).
Pick up this combined packet (maintaining the original thumb

break), holding it about 1/2 inch above the left-hand packet.
Immediately move the right hand forward until the inner left
corner of its packet reaches the left thumb (photo 3-16). 3-15
Press against this corner with your left thumb as the right hand
immediately reverses direction, and the packet above the thumb
break swivels clockwise between the right middle finger and the
left thumb (photo 3-17).
Continue to move your right hand back until the upper packet
has rotated 180 degrees, when it will automatically drop onto the
left-hand portion of the deck. The right hand drops its remaining
portion on top of all. 3-16
When this sequence is finished, the force cards will be back at

their original positions, even though you have apparently
thoroughly shuffled and cut the deck.
You now entice two members of your audience, Horace and

Bette, to assist you. Each will select and sign a card. You will,
unbeknownst to them, force the two blue cards on them by
another weapon from Close Up Illusions, Gary Ouellet’s Touch
Force. 3-17
Pick up the deck in right Biddle Grip. Swing Cut (see notes)
about the top third of the deck into left dealers grip and then
place the remainder on top, holding a left pinky break between
the packets.
Begin to slowly spread the cards from hand to hand, asking Bette
to touch the back of a card. When she does, outjog the touched
card about halfway. Ask her if she wants to stay with that card or 3-18
if she would like to change to the card above it or below it. If she
wants to change, outjog the specified card and push the original
card flush. In any case, you end up with one card outjogged in
the spread, as displayed in photo 3-18.
Close the spread into left dealers grip. Bring the palm down right
hand over the deck, thumb at the inner end and fingers at the
outer end of the outjogged card (photo 3-19).
3-19
Push the card flush with the deck and in a continuing motion lift
all the cards above the pinky break (photo 3-20 - everyone
assumes you’re lifting from the card that was outjogged) in
Biddle Grip. Turn the right hand palm up, displaying the 2H.
Table the left hand’s packet face down so you can retrieve the
marker from the coat pocket. Hand the marker to Bette and ask
3-20 her to sign her first name on the 2H. Hold the packet for her as
she does this.
While she writes, obtain the tabled packet face down in left
dealers grip, the forefinger curled at the outer end. Do the
LePaul Drop Control, by holding the right-hand packet about
two inches above the left-hand, about a half-inch behind it and
the far end tilted downward slightly, as shown in photo 3-21.
Drop the right-hand packet onto the cards in the left hand. Due to
3-21 friction, when the packets touch the bottom card of the upper
packet will stay in place while the rest of the packet will slide
forward to the left forefinger tip (photo 3-22). In other words,
the signed card will be slightly injogged.
Square the deck, again lifting the jogged card with the right
thumb and holding a break. Do a pass if you can. Otherwise,
double undercut to the break.
Pinky Pulldown or Buckle (see notes) the bottom card, or let it

3-22 riffle off your right thumb and then pull down its inner right
corner as in photo 3-23.
With your right hand, cut off about the top half of the deck.
Apparently replace it underneath the deck, actually inserting it
into the large break held by the left pinky (photo 3-24). Let the
card below the break spring off the pinky and as you square the
deck, get a break with the tip of the pinky between the two
packets.
3-23 Turn to Horace and force the blue 4S on him (card immediately
above the break) via the Touch Force. Spread slower this time to
ensure that he touches a card before the blue back is revealed.
Turn the right hand palm up and have Horace sign it.
Do the LePaul Drop and pick up on the injogged card with the
right thumb as you square, holding a right thumb break.
Simultaneously, pulldown the bottom card of the deck with your
left pinky.
3-24
Cut off the cards above the break and insert them into the gap
above the bottom card of the deck and square up, releasing the
break. All four force cards (red and blue) are now back in their
original positions.
Do the same jog shuffle sequence that you did at the start of the
routine. (Cut off about the top half of the deck with your right
hand and do a jog shuffle as follows: Take the top two cards
together on the first chop, injog one and shuffle off the rest of 3-25
the packet. As you square the deck, lift up on the jogged card
and catch a break below it with the left pinky.) Follow this by
repeating the Swivel Cut Control. Dribble the cards onto the left
palm, taking care to drop a block at first (photo 3-25), so as not
to expose the odd backs at the bottom.
Ask Horace if he replaced the cap on the marker. As everyone

looks to see if he did, execute the Automatic Bottom Palm (page
23), but with the two bottom (blue) cards. Simply do the turn of
the deck a bit slower and a bit more firmly to hold back two 3-26
cards instead of one (photo 3-26).
Take the deck in right Biddle Grip and table it forward of the
blue-backed “predictions.” Pick up the tabled blue cards and
place them in left dealers grip, directly above and perpendicular
to the palmed cards (photo 3-27).
Address a third spectator, Ruthie, asking her to hold out her

hand. As she does, bring your right hand directly over the two
exposed blue cards, covering them completely in classic palm 3-27
position (photo 3-28) and then curl the fingers and thumb
inward so you can take the cards in the left classic palm by their
long edges and pick them up (photo 3-29). This is the Hellis
Switch, and done naturally and smoothly on the offbeat, it is
undetectable, even though the cards are in a different position.
Drop the exposed cards (signed force cards) onto her palm and
ask her to cover them with her other hand, so that they are safe
from any tomfoolery. Meanwhile, pick up the marker with your 3-28
right hand and place it in your inner left breast pocket, leaving
the palmed cards there as well.
Do Ed Balducci’s Cut Deeper Force: Ask Bette to cut a small

packet of cards off the top of the deck and then turn them upside
down and replace them on the deck. Ask her to cut off a bit
larger packet and to turn it over and replace it. Both of your
hands are clean at this point, so gesture broadly as you comment
3-29
that Bette could have cut more or fewer cards each time, resulting in a totally different outcome.
With you extended right forefinger, spread off all the face up cards to the right and then slide
the top card off the far end of the deck onto the table. Pick up the remainder of the face down
deck and set it on the table to your right. Do the Cut Deeper Force with Horace. This time
spread the face up cards off to the left before sliding the top card of the deck onto the table.
Point to the two face up packets as you say that had either of them cut off more or fewer cards
either time, there would have been a different card on top of the face down portion (point to it).
Therefore, a different card would have been face down in front of them right now.
“Would you be amazed if you both cut to your signed cards?” They will admit that they would
be. Ask them to name the cards they signed. Very slowly, fairly and dramatically turn over both
cards simultaneously, revealing the 2H and 4S, but sans signatures! Spread out the two face up
packets and then turn the face down packet over and ribbon spread it to show that the signed
cards aren’t anywhere in the deck.
“Remember when I took two cards out of the blue deck as my predictions, before you selected
and signed your cards—before I even took the red deck out of its case? Ruthie has been holding
those securely between her hands for a while now. Ruthie, will you please separate your hands
and turn those cards over?
Ruthie does just that to reveal the blue cards with the assisting spectator’s signatures! As a little
added bonus, any bowing in the cards from your having palmed them will be attributed to them
being held between Ruthie’s hands!
Practice and rehearse this effect until you have it down cold and then try it on a live,
unsuspecting audience. I believe that their reaction will make this routine a staple of your
repertoire for many years to come!
Notes: Several times in this book I refer to the Buckle and the Pinky Pulldown. These are two
methods of accomplishing the same thing—getting a break above the bottom card. In both
cases, the deck is held in left dealers grip with the thumb across the back of the top card.
The Buckle is explained within the context of the Buckle Count on page 27. The Pinky
Pulldown is simpler in concept but more difficult of execution. Basically, your left pinky
fingertip simply pulls the inner right corner of the bottom card down slightly and then obtains a
break. This is very easy for people with strong and flexible pinkies, but for the rest of us, it
takes some time to acquire.
Swing Cut: Holding the deck in right Biddle Grip, lift a packet
up at the outer left corner with your right forefinger and pivot it
to the left as in photo 3-30. Take this packet into left dealers grip
and then place the rest of the deck onto the left-hand packet.
3-30
Chapter Four:
From the Deli
Sandwiches—I love ‘em! Both the kind you eat and the card version (a selected card
magically trapped between two other cards). In this chapter you’ll find my favorite
routines on this classic plot.
Pastrami on Rye
Gene Neilson’s card problem in Volume Two, Number Three of Racherbaumer’s Kabbala is
very intriguing. My solution is fairly easy to do, while actually placing more stringent
conditions on the problem (I’m sure others have thought of these same conditions). It makes for
an EXTREMELY devastating opener for a series of card effects.
Effect: You remove a deck of cards from its box. You ask Wayne to name any card in the deck
(say, the 7D) and then you ask Jeannie to name any pair of mates (say, the black fours). You
spread the deck face down on the table. In the center of the spread, face up, are the black fours!
There is one face down card between the fours. You ask Wayne to remove it and turn it face
up—it’s the 7D!
Requirements and preparation: This uses only a regular deck

of cards. However, there is a full-deck setup. Separate the reds
and blacks. Now arrange them in pairs. Starting with the reds
(from the top when they are face down), the order is AH, AD,
2H, 2D, 3H, 3D, etc. Do the same with the blacks, but arrange
them from the face: AS, AC, 2S, 2C, etc. Put the reds on top of
the blacks. The “pointy” suits (diamonds and spades) are the
4-1 lower of each pair.
Down crimp the inner left corner of the 10th, 20th and 26th cards
from the top of the deck (5D, 10D and KD), and the 10th and 20th
cards from the face (5C and 10C). Finally, down crimp the inner
right corner of the face card (AS). From your view, the near end
of the deck looks like photo 4-1.
Method and performance: Remove the deck and hold it in left

dealers grip, the end with the crimps toward you. Ask Wayne to
4-2 name any card in the deck. For explanation purposes, we’ll
assume he names the 7D. Lift the cards above and including the
first crimp (5D), as you say, “I could try to blindly cut to your
card, but even if I got it, you would probably think it was just
dumb luck!” Set the packet back on the deck, but jogged slightly
to the right (photo 4-2).
Push over this packet with your left thumb and continue
spreading three more cards (photo 4-3) as you say, “and if I
spread through the deck like this to find your card, you might
4-3 suspect me of using a marked deck!”
As you speak, casually remove the spread with your right hand
and gesture. Meanwhile, injog the top card of the left packet
(7D) with your left thumb (photo 4-4). Replace the right packet
on top and do the GUB Control to Top (see note at end of
explanation), as you say, “So I won’t do that, either!”
4-4
Ask Jeannie to name any pair of mates (color and value) other
than the number Wayne named. Remark that it would be much
harder to magically find a pair of cards.
Assume Jeannie chose the black fours. Spread the deck between
the hands as you speak, sighting the bottom six cards. Square,
getting a break above these cards. Say that you would have to cut
the deck in a couple of places to find a pair. 4-5
Cut off all the cards above the break, holding them in right
Biddle Grip. Immediately lift up about half the right-hand packet
with the right forefinger at the outer end, keeping the inner end
of the packet together (photo 4-5). Insert the left-hand packet
into the break (photo 4-6) and square the deck. You now have
the 7D on top of the deck and the black fours on the bottom.
Say, “To find all three by blind cuts, why, the odds would be
astronomical!” As you speak, thumb count, double buckle or 4-6
pinky pulldown the bottom two cards (black fours) and half pass
them (see notes), such that they are face up on the bottom.
Casually take the top card off the deck as you gesture with it,
saying that you were never much for astronomy. As you do this,
pinky pulldown or buckle the bottom card of the deck. Replace
the 7D into the break above the bottom card (photo 4-7) as if
you are simply replacing the card at the bottom of the deck.
Say, “Of course, I was also never big on depending on blind 4-7
luck, so I won’t try to blindly cut to your card.” During this
statement, do a pass if you can and table the deck, or just cut the
top half to the table and put the rest of the deck on top of it.
“It’s much easier and more sure-fire to do a little magic!” Snap

your fingers and ribbon spread the deck to reveal the black fours
face up at the center, with a card face down between them
(photo 4-8)!
Let Wayne remove this card and turn it over (photo 4-9). 4-8
Trust me, you will have their undivided attention for the rest of
your show!
Notes: The Guinn Utility Backslip, or GUB is a multi-purpose

technique that is thoroughly explained and illustrated in my
book, Great Scott! It's Card Magic! In the course of this
routine, a modified handling is used to get the card into position
4-9
to execute the GUB Control to Top (see 1st paragraph in the

method explanation). Once the card is injogged (and it should be
injogged nearly an inch—keep the front end of the deck aimed at
the spectators’ eyes, and they won’t be able to see the injogged
card, photo 4-10), carry out the following sequence of moves in
a flowing, continuous manner. First, slide the right hand forward,
such that it is holding the deck by the far end with the thumb at
the outer left corner of the top card and the first two fingers at
4-10 the outer left corner of the bottom card (photo 4-11). Slide the
deck forward with the right hand as the left hand retains the
injogged card in a Gamblers’ Cop (the left fingers and thumb
retain contact with the long sides of the deck, as if squaring it -
photo 4-12). As soon as the deck comes free of the card, reverse
direction, sliding the deck back square under the copped card.
Immediately hold the deck in left dealers grip and slide the right
thumb, at the near short end and right fingers, along the far short
end, back and forth in a squaring motion.
4-11 A half pass is a method to secretly reverse a card or cards at the

bottom of the deck. Hold the deck in right hand Biddle Grip. The
left hand comes over to take the deck in dealer’s grip. The left
pinky pulls down the bottom card (a right thumb break above the
card facilitates this). The left fingers pull the right edge of the
card down until it is perpendicular with the deck (photo 4-13).
The right hand tips the deck slightly downward to the left as the
left fingers straighten (photo 4-14), bringing the reversed card
flush with the bottom of the deck.
4-12
4-13 4-14
Kosky’s Deli
I have always enjoyed combining two or more tricks together that mesh well into a routine. In
this case, I have combined a Harry Lorayne handling of the classic “Sandwich” theme with
the Kosky Illusion by Gerald Kosky. The result is, in my opinion, a very clean, deceptive and
strong routine. And it’s extremely easy—if you can control a selected card to the top of the
deck, you can do this trick!
Effect: The four aces are taken from the deck and tabled face up. The deck is shuffled and then
two spectators each select a card. The selections are returned to the deck. The red aces are taken
(still face up) and placed atop the face down deck and then cut into the center of the deck. The
black aces are placed at the face of the deck and the deck is cut to lose them. The deck is tabled
face down and spread. Near center are the face up red aces with the two face down cards be-
tween them. This packet is removed and the face down cards are revealed to be the black aces!
The aces are left on the table. The face up deck is spread again, revealing two face down cards
near the center. These are removed and turned up to reveal—the black aces! The two cards be-
tween the red aces (which only moments earlier were the black aces) are turned over to reveal
the two selected cards!
Method: Remove the aces from the deck and set them face up on the table. Shuffle and then
have two cards selected and signed. Return them one at a time to the deck and control each to
the top. (Either the double undercut or Swivel Cut Control, both taught in this book, would
work well).
Show the face of the deck and spread a few cards to prove neither card is near the bottom. Turn
the deck face down. Triple turnover to show neither card is on top. Spread over a few more
cards and use the triple to flip them face up, showing the selections aren’t there, either. Use the
triple to flip the spread over and then turn the triple down.
As you pick up the spread red aces from the table in right Biddle
Grip, get a left pinky break under the top two cards of the deck.
Square the red aces against the left thumb, secretly adding the
two cards above the break (selections) underneath them. The left
thumb peels off the top ace as the right hand moves to the right.
Drop the triple in the right hand on top of the deck.
Get a break under the top ace. Double Undercut this ace to the
bottom, apparently losing the packet in the deck. Pick up the
4-15
black aces, put them at the face of the deck (photo 4-15) and
immediately flip the deck face up. A black ace shows. Explain
that you want to lose these two aces into the deck as well. As you
speak, get a break above the two selected cards (the bottom two
cards of the face up deck). You can do this with a Double
Buckle, a Pinky Pulldown, or just let them riffle off your right
thumb. Cut off about half of the deck and insert it into the break
(photo 4-16). This should look like you simply gave the deck
one straight cut.
4-16
Set the deck face down on the table. Snap your fingers and
spread the cards. Near center there will be the red aces face up,
with two face down cards between them (photo 4-17).
Slide these four cards out of the spread, pick up the rest of the
deck and square it into left dealers grip, getting a left pinky break
4-17 under the top two cards. With your right hand, turn the ace
packet on the table over, revealing that the other two cards are
the black aces! (photo 4-18)
Turn the packet over on top of the deck. Square the packet and
lift it in right Biddle Grip, secretly taking along the two selected
cards above the break. Bring the packet above the deck and
about an inch forward, so your left thumb can come onto it and
slide the first face up red ace outjogged onto the deck (photo 4-
19).
4-18
Move the packet back so the next two face down cards are
slightly injogged as they are pulled onto the deck, one at a time
(photo 4-20). You’re left holding a triple, with a face up red ace
showing, in your right hand.
Use the nail of the right forefinger to push the two injogged
cards flush with the deck. Clamp down firmly on these cards as
the right hand sets the triple onto the deck, injogged about an
inch. Keep the deck tilted forward, to avoid having the edge of
4-19 the triple show (photo 4-21).
You are now going to perform the Kosky Illusion. Grip the near
end of the triple between the thumb and first two fingers of your
palm down right hand. Push the triple forward. As soon as the
two face down cards are covered by the triple (photo 4-22), use
your thumb to push the bottom two cards of the triple forward
about ¼ to ½ inch (photo 4-23).
Everyone assumes these are the two black aces, but they are
4-20 actually the selections.
4-21 4-22 4-23

Keep pushing all three cards forward in their jogged state, until
the far end of the top ace just clears the end of the deck (photo
4-24). You now have the bottom ace, two face down selections
and top ace in a tight spread on top of the deck. Release the cards
with your right hand.
Bring your right index finger up to the outer left corner of the top
(rear) ace and pivot the packet around your left middle finger 4-24
(photo 4-25) and off the deck, all the while clamping the two
black aces against the deck with the left pinky. You have
invisibly switched the black aces for the selections with
everyone burning your hands!
Drop the ace packet on the table. Spread the deck between the
hands as you remark that there is still the matter of the two
selected cards. State that you will attempt to cut to them.
As you square the deck, get a right thumb break below the top 4-25
two cards and take the deck in right Biddle Grip. Perform the
Braue Reversal (page 38). Each time you undercut a packet
and turn it face up, ask if the face card was a selection.
(Obviously, it won’t be!)
Comment that you forgot that they signed their cards, and you
think you will be able to magically locate them.
Do a fairly tight ribbon spread. Most of the time, the two face
down cards will “cling” to the face up card above them, and 4-26
won’t show in the spread (photo 4-26). Square up, snap your
fingers and ribbon spread widely, with a little more pressure on
the deck, revealing two face down cards near the center of the
face up deck (photo 4-27).
Remove these cards and turn them over, feigning surprise at the
appearance of the black aces. Say that this can only mean one
thing, and ask a spectator to remove the two face down cards
between the aces and have him turn them over, revealing the
signed selections! 4-27
Note: If the selections are exposed in the first spread, don’t

sweat it. Just remove them and turn them over. The audience
didn’t know that they weren’t supposed to show yet, so no harm
done!
The Kosky Illusion as taught above is Gary Ouellet’s handling

from Close Up Illusions.
A Visit to Boise
“The Visitor” by Larry Jennings is one of the best (and least performed) card tricks ever
devised. The one thing I disliked about the original effect was that the two packets “kissed”
immediately prior to the revelation that the selection had moved from one to the other. In some
later variations, the “kiss” was removed, but the resulting handling could break the knuckles of
even the most advanced card man! After months of pursuing an easier, “kiss-less” method that
was still very strong and convincing, I came up with the following streamlined handling.
Effect: The four queens are placed face up on the table, separated in pairs by color. Jenny
selects a card from the remainder of the deck, signs it and the inserts it face down between
either pair of face up queens (we’ll assume she chose the red queens). You fairly spread this
packet to show there are only three cards, the two red queens and her selection. You give Jenny
one last glimpse at her sandwiched card to dispel any doubts and then square the packet and
table it. The two face up black queens are inserted together in the middle of one half of the face
down deck, at a point of Jenny’s choosing. The packet is squared and tabled. You pick up the
red queen packet, show the face down selection is still between the face-up red queens, and
square the packet. These three cards are placed in the middle of the second half-deck. After a
magic gesture, you immediately spread this packet. In the middle, the face up red queens are
seen. There are only the red queens—the selection has vanished! You ribbon spread the first
half-deck across the table. Near the center are the face up black queens, but there is now a face
down card between them! You allow Jenny to remove this face down card. It is her signed,
chosen card!
Method and performance: Remove the four queens from the deck or better yet, precede this
effect with one where you produce the four queens—try “Great Scott’s 4-Ace Production” (“GS
AAAA Production”) from this book, using the queens in place of the aces.
Set the red queens face up to your right, the black queens to your left. Spread the deck between
your hands, asking Jenny to remove any card from somewhere in the middle of the deck. Give
her an opportunity to exchange it for a different card if she wants. When she has decided upon a
card, cut the deck at the point where she removed her card. Table the upper half to your right
and continue to hold the lower half in left dealers grip. Give Jenny a marker and ask her to sign
her first name on the face of her card. Look away as she does this. In the meantime, push the
top card of the packet in your hand to the right with your left thumb and then pull it back flush,
getting a left pinky break below it.
Ask Jenny to choose a pair of queens, red or black. Again, we’ll assume she chose red. Instruct
her to place her card face down between the face-up red queens. Pick up this packet with your
palm up right hand and fan it by pulling inward on the top card with your right thumb. Drop the
fan on top of the half of the deck in the left hand, square it and lift all the cards above the break
(the queens/selection sandwich and indifferent top card of the deck) in right Biddle Grip.
Perform the Kosky Illusion (explained in the preceding routine), except this time there is only
one card between the face up cards. After you pivot the packet off the deck, hold it in right
dealers grip.
As you carry out these actions, move slowly, and explain that it
is imperative that everyone remembers that Jenny’s card is
between the two red queens. Drop the packet, still spread, on the
table.
“You didn’t choose the black queens—the queen of clubs and

queen of spades. I’ll bury them in this half of the deck.”
As you chat with the audience, the right hand picks up the black 4-28
queens in Biddle Grip, while your left obtains a pinky break
below the top card of its packet. Briefly set the queens on top of
the packet, ostensibly to square them. Take over the break with
the right thumb as the left thumb stretches across the face of the
top card. The left thumb holds the top card in place as the right
hand moves the other two cards, as one, to the right (photo 4-28)
and then drops the double on top of the packet. This is a standard
Sandwich Load. Give this packet one complete cut in the hands,
burying the queens near center, and table the packet to your left.
4-29
Pick up the spread three-card packet, place it in left dealers grip
and square it. Grip the packet at the right edge at your right
fingertips, just as in a dealers grip Elmsley Count (photo 4-29).
“Your card is isolated between the two red queens—the heart

and diamond.”
Move the left hand forward and to the left, taking the first queen,
retaining the other two cards squared at the right fingertips
(photo 4-30). Bring your left hand back to the right and 4-30
apparently take the face down card on top of the first queen.
Actually, the left hand leaves its queen under the other queen in
the right hand and takes only the face down card, leaving the two
queens, as one card, at the right fingertips (photo 4-31). Finally,
take the double on top of the left-hand card. (The audience
believes the left hand holds the selection between the two red
queens. In reality, you hold an indifferent card face down under
the face up queens, as shown in the exposed view in photo 4-
32).) 4-31
“I’ll bury this ‘queen sandwich’ in the other half of the deck.”
Take the three cards in right Biddle Grip and set them on top of
the packet on your right. In a continuing motion, cut off the top
half of this packet and set it just to the left of the remainder.
Complete the cut, burying the queens near center.
4-32
Iterate the supposed situation to the audience: the black queens are face up in the middle of the
packet on your left, and Jenny’s signed selection is sandwiched between the face up red queens
in the middle of the packet on your right. As you speak, casually gesture, showing both hands
on both sides.
Make a magical gesture. Ribbon spread the right packet, revealing the face up red queens
together in the middle. Ask Jenny to remove them to verify there is no longer a card between
them. Ask her to spread the other packet, revealing a face down card between the two face-up
black queens at the center of the spread. Allow Jenny to remove the face down card and turn it
over to find her selection!
Switchwich
Effect: The two jokers are removed from the deck and set aside. Julio and Roberta each select a
card and memorize it. The cards are then returned to the deck, which is thoroughly shuffled.
The jokers are now placed, face up, on top of the face down deck, and the deck is cut. You tap
the deck and ribbon spread it. At the center are the face up jokers, with one face down card be-
tween them! You remove the cards above and below the “sandwich” and ask Julio to remove
the face down card and turn it over to reveal his selection!
Julio’s selection is replaced between the jokers. The sandwich is fairly displayed and set aside.
You tell Roberta you will try to blindly cut to her card. You attempt this, but fail. Tabling the
deck, you ask Roberta if she would be impressed if, without touching the deck, you could make
the selected card turn upside down in the middle of the deck. She admits that this would be very
impressive, indeed. You snap your fingers and ribbon spread the face up deck. One card is face
down in the middle! You turn this card over to reveal—JULIO’S card! You nod toward the
“joker sandwich,” which has been in full view, and which you have not touched since it was
tabled. Roberta removes the face down card in the middle—it is HER selection! No palming or
difficult sleights are required, and no rough and smooth, duplicate or trick cards are used. You
may borrow the deck and the selections may be signed if you so desire.
Method and performance: Spread through the deck and re-

move the jokers (if the deck you’re using doesn’t have jokers,
use any pair of mates, such as the black jacks). Set the face up
jokers aside on the table.
Spread the deck between your hands, inviting Julio and Roberta
to each remove a card. Have them memorize their cards.
Control the selections to the top of the deck, in order, as they are
returned. Here is an easy way to do so (called the Mahatma 4-33
Control): Hold the deck in left dealers grip. Cut off about the top
half in the right Biddle Grip. Extend the left-hand packet, asking
Julio to place his card on top. Place the right-hand packet on top,
holding a left pinky break between the packets, and maintaining
the right hand’s grip on the upper half. Immediately turn the
deck face up, removing the right-hand packet (all the cards
below the break—photo 4-33) and overhand shuffle these cards
onto the face of the left-hand packet (photo 4-34). Turn the deck
face down (Julio’s selection is now on top). Repeat the same
4-34
procedure to control Roberta’s card, with one variation—as you
turn the deck face up and remove the right-hand packet, the left
ring, middle and index fingers contact the back of the top card
(Julio’s selection), holding it back (photo 4-35). (In essence, you
perform a bottom slip cut.) Then shuffle the right packet onto the
face of the left one. Turn the deck face down into left dealers
grip. Julio’s selection is on top, followed by Roberta’s.
If you want to, you can do a couple of jog shuffles or riffle

4-35
shuffles, retaining the top two cards on top, and follow with a
false cut. I do, but it’s not essential.
As your right hand picks up the jokers from the table and you
focus attention on them, push the top card of the deck to the right
with your left thumb and then draw it back, getting a pinky break
below it. Place the jokers face up on the deck, squaring them
against the left thumb. Immediately, slightly lift all three cards
above the break in right Biddle Grip and do the Sandwich Load
4-36 (page 68), secretly placing Julio’s selection between the jokers.
Cut the deck, centering the jokers, and set the deck on the table.
Tap the deck once or twice, and then ribbon spread it from left to
right. Near the middle are the face up jokers with one face down
card between them. Remove all the cards above (to the right of)
the sandwich and place them in left dealers grip (photo 4-36).
Next, remove all the cards below the sandwich and place them
on top of the left-hand cards (photo 4-37). This nonchalant and
seemingly unimportant action has cut the deck and left the
second selection on top.
4-37
Ask Julio to remove the face down card from between the jokers
and turn it over, revealing his selection. As he does, get a pinky break below the top card of the
deck.
Have Julio replace his card face down between the two face-up jokers. Pick up the sandwich by
the right long edge with your palm up right hand. Spread the packet by sliding your thumb in-
ward. Drop it onto the deck and then square it, your right fingers going to the outer end and
right thumb at the near end and then squeezing the packet square. Immediately pick up all four
cards above the break in right Biddle Grip. Perform the Kosky Illusion, explained on page 65.
As you talk to Roberta, get a pinky break below the top card of the deck. Tell her that you will
try to blindly cut to her card, as you carry out the Braue Reversal (page 38). Set the deck face
up on the table, snap your fingers, and do a ribbon spread. One card will be face down near the
center of the face up spread. Ask Roberta to remove the card and turn it over, revealing—
Julio’s card! Pause a beat and then nod toward the sandwich. Let Roberta remove the face down
card to reveal HER selection!
Grilled Cheese
This is yet another sandwich effect. What can I say? I love them. This one is a bit different, and
I need to credit my friend Bob Dureza from the Philippines, who suggested the premise to me.
Effect: The two black jacks are removed from the deck and set aside. A card is selected, signed
and returned to the deck and lost. The jacks are then replaced in the deck, widely separated.
You snap your fingers and spread the deck facing the audience. Both the selection and the black
jacks have vanished! You snap and spread the deck face down. Together, reversed at the center
are the two formerly missing jacks! You close the spread and snap again. This time when you
spread the deck, a face down card appears between the face-up jacks. This card is removed and
turned over to reveal the signed selection.
Requirements and preparation: There are no required props other than a permanent marker
and a deck of cards, and there is no setup—you can perform this impromptu with a borrowed
deck.
Method and performance: Remove the black jacks and place them aside. Shuffle the deck and
then spread it to allow Jeb to select a card. Have the card returned to the deck and control it to
the bottom of the deck. A simple method for accomplishing this is to place the card on top of
the deck, holding a break below it and then double undercut it to the bottom.
Ask Jeb to pick up the jacks. As he does, half pass the selection at the bottom of the deck. I now
take the jacks one at a time and insert them each halfway into the deck, one near the top and one
near the bottom. Then I do the Guinn Utility Backslip, simultaneously controlling both cards to
second and third from the bottom. If you have my book, Great Scott! It’s Card Magic! This
will make sense to you.
If you don’t know the GUB, get the deck into 51-card Tilt position. Take the first jack from Jeb
and Poke it into the near end of the deck near the top, causing a card to outjog at the far end of
the deck and then immediately insert it into the break and shove it in flush with the deck.
Repeat with the second jack, only poke out a card near the bottom of the deck before inserting
the jack into the break. Retain the break above these three cards and double cut them to the top.
Get a break under these cards (easy due to the fact that the third and fourth cards are back to
back).
Under cover of squaring the deck, do Gary Ouellet's Crook

Palm from Close Up Illusions as follows.
Bring the right hand over the deck at an angle, fingertips point-
ing to about 11 o’clock. As soon as the top of the deck is ob-
scured by the right hand, extend the left forefinger to the outer
right corner of the deck and pull the triple down and to the left,
angle jogging it. Photo 4-38 is an exposed view of the left hand
at this point—remember that in actual performance, this would 4-38
be hidden under the right hand.
The inner left corner rises slightly, touching the right hand near
the base of the thumb (photo 4-39). The right hand moves
forward as the left forefinger extends and pushes the outer right
corner to the right pinky, where the palm is completed (photo 4-
40). This is actually a very easy and quite deceptive palm.
Immediately take the deck in right Biddle Grip. Riffle the outer
left corner of the deck with the left thumb, saying that the
4-39 selection and jacks have vanished. Hold the deck so it faces the
audience, and begin spreading it between your hands, the backs
of the hands toward the audience, showing that neither the jacks
nor the selection is in the deck. The natural motion of spreading
from one hand to the other hides the palmed cards and justifies
the position of the hands, and is very natural (photo 4-41).
This is a Paul LePaul subtlety.
As you close the spread, the right pinky pushes inward on the
corner of the palmed packet, and secretly feeds it into the center
4-40 of the deck (The LePaul Load—photo 4-42). Snap your fingers
and spread the deck face down between the hands. When you
arrive at the first face up jack, stop spreading, and cull (see
notes) the card above the jacks (this card is the selection) under
the spread to the right. Then push the jack to the right with the
left thumb, exposing the second jack.
Take the top jack at the left end of the right-hand spread, secretly
feeding its right edge below the left edge of the culled card and
holding the jack exposed in place at the bottom (left end) of the
4-41 right spread (photo 4-43, bottom view). Brush the edges of the
jacks together to emphasize their singularity. Square the spread,
leaving the selection side-jogged under cover of the right hand,
which has taken the deck in Biddle Grip. (Refer to photo 4-44,
bottom view). Say, "We've got the jacks back, let's see if we can
get your card back." Ribbon spread the deck on the table from
left to right. Because the selection was side-jogged, it will be
hidden below the spread, and the jacks will appear to be next to
each other, face up in the center of the spread (photo 4-45).
4-42
4-43 4-44 4-45

Close the spread. The side-jogged card goes flush as well, and is never seen. “Remember” that
you have to snap your fingers to make the card appear. Snap and ribbon spread again, revealing
a face down card between the jacks. Let the spectator remove it and turn it over, to find it is his
selected card.
Notes: To cull a card in a spread, your left thumb comes down on the card above it and slides
the indifferent card to the left, past the edge of the card you want to cull (photo 4-46). This
provides cover for your right fingers to slide the desired card to the right until it comes free of
the card below it (photo 4-47). Typically, you would then control the card to the bottom, the
spread sliding above the culled card as the deck is squared, bringing the card to the bottom
(photo 4-48). In the preceding routine, however, the card is loaded back into the same position
as explained above.
4-46 4-47 4-48

Caught in the Middle

The web-magazine, Visions has a challenge contest every month, where an effect is given and
readers are invited to submit their methods for a chance to win “fabulous prizes.” The Decem-
ber 2001 issue challenge was a card problem called “Progressive Sandwich.” I was one of the
judges for this contest, and most of the entries involved extensive and difficult sleight of hand,
or difficult-to-make custom gimmicks. I wasn’t eligible to compete, but I was intrigued by the
problem, and dissatisfied with most of the entries. I set out to create a routine of my own, which
follows. I have added another condition, having the selection and the jokers signed, which pre-
cludes the use of duplicates in the minds of the suspicious. Further, my routine uses no gaffs or
extra cards, and is comparatively very easy to do.
Effect: You remove the jokers from the deck and set them aside. Alice selects a card and signs
its face. This card is replaced in the deck. The jokers are now initialed by Troy. The face-up
jokers are placed at the top and bottom of the face down deck. With a wave of your hand, the
joker on top disappears. You spread through the deck to reveal that the two jokers have each
moved toward the center, and are now separated by less than half the deck! You close the
spread and wave your hand over the deck again. Upon spreading the deck a second time, it is
revealed that the jokers are in the middle, now separated by only one card! This card is removed
and turned over. It is, of course, Alice’s signed selection.
Method and performance: Remove the jokers from the deck and place them, face up, on the
table. Have Alice select a card and sign her name across its face. Holding the deck in left deal-
ers grip, riffle down the outer left corner with your thumb about 17 cards or so (roughly 1/3 of
the deck). Cut these cards off the top, taking them in right Biddle Grip. Extend your left hand
and have Alice replace her card face down on top of this packet. Execute the LePaul Drop Jog
by holding the left packet with the far end tilted down slightly and then the right packet, held
level about three inches above and half an inch further back than the left, is dropped on top. The
right packet hits the left and slides forward flush, but the former bottom card of the right packet
stays injogged, due to friction. Bring the right hand over the packet and in a squaring motion lift
up on the jogged card with the right thumb, so the left pinky can catch a break below it.
Pick up one of the jokers with your right hand and give it to Troy, asking him to sign its face.
As he does and all attention is focused on him, bring your right hand back to the deck and top
palm the packet above the break.
DON’T PANIC! No one is even watching you, and as far as the

audience is concerned, the trick hasn’t even started yet. Act
mildly bored and make a comment about his signature as you
palm the packet, and nobody will ever notice.
Immediately after palming the packet, take the deck with the
right hand, thumb at the inner right corner and forefinger at the
outer right corner (photo 4-49). The deck is now acting as a
4-49 magic wand, occupying the right hand and therefore making it
seem less suspicious and more natural. After Troy has signed
the first joker, take it with your left hand and place it face up on
top of the deck. Ask him to sign the second joker and then place
it face up on the bottom of the deck.
Set the deck into left dealers grip and release it with your right
hand, which then immediately moves to the rear edge of the
deck. Set the far end of the palmed packet on top of the near
edge of the deck so that they overlap about ¼ inch and then
flatten and extend the fingers of the right hand (photo 4-50). 4-50
Curl your left forefinger over the far end of its packet. Slide the
right hand forward to the far end of the lower, visible packet.
The formerly palmed packet moves under cover of the hand until
it hits the left forefinger (photo 4-51). The left hand then lowers
slightly (to give the appearance that the deck remains the same
distance below the right hand) as the right hand instantly
reverses direction (photo 4-52). To the audience, it appears that
by simply waving your hand, you have caused the top joker to
vanish. 4-51
In this phase, you will spread the deck to show that the jokers
have moved from top and bottom toward the middle. You do this
by spreading the deck in a special way. Bring the right hand,
palm down, to the right side of the deck. The right thumb goes
on top of the deck, fingers below. As the left thumb pushes over
the top few cards in a tight spread, the right fingers “pinch” the
deck and cull the bottom joker under the spread to the right
(photo 4-53, exposed view). Continuing spreading the deck
4-52
from left to right, but keep the spread tight—don’t expose much
of the back of each successive card. When the first joker comes
into view, spread another 10 or 15 cards below it more widely
and then stop, calling attention to the “new” position of the joker
(photo 4-54). As you comment on this joker, the fingers of both
hands slide the lower joker back to the left under the spread
cards (photo 4-55), such that when you spread a bit wider, this
joker comes into view (photo 4-56).
Remark that the jokers have moved toward the middle and are
now separated by approximately 20 cards. 4-53
4-54 4-55 4-56

At this point, the cards above the top joker are tightly spread.
Under this joker is a group of cards, spread more widely,
followed by the second joker. The right fingers are under the
spread.
With the right forefinger, lift up slightly on the first card below
the top joker (Alice’s selection – photo 4-57). The left thumb
4-57 contacts the card above the lower joker and pulls it to the left
(photo 4-58). Simultaneously, the right middle, ring and pinky
fingers cull the lower joker to the left as you begin to close the
spread (photo 4-59). These fingers then pull the lower joker
upward such that it contacts the face of the selection
immediately below the upper joker (photo 4-60), and you finish
closing and squaring the deck.
To reveal the “sandwich,” wave your hand over the packet again.
Begin to spread the cards between the hands, but this time, do so
4-58 widely and slowly (photo 4-61). This creates an optical illusion
that the first joker has moved deeper into the deck. When you
arrive at this first joker, pause a beat and then spread one more
card. Pause again before spreading one more card to reveal that
the jokers are now separated by only one card! Ask Alice to
remove the card as Troy verifies that the jokers bear his
signature. Then ask Alice to show everyone that the card the
jokers found is, in fact, her signed selection!
4-59
4-60 4-61
Chapter Five:
Choice Tricks
Some magicians consider passé tricks where a spectator chooses a card and you later
reveal it. However, these are some of the strongest effects possible for a lay-
audience. In fact, a trick of this type is expected when they discover you do card
magic. Following are several of my favorite “pick-a-card” tricks.
LJ Triple Play
If you have read much of my writings, you know that I admire the late Larry Jennings a great
deal. I didn’t know him well or for long, but I did get to spend some time with him at a couple
of conventions, and I buy everything I can find with his material in it. He was, quite simply, one
of the all-time greats and a wonderful man.
The first effect in Larry Jennings’ the Cardwright is a simple but effective trick called
“Larry’s Favorite.” I always thought this was a great effect; one of those that play way out of
proportion to the work involved. Another effect of mine, “Red and Blue for LJ” (from Great
Scott! It’s Card Magic!) was inspired by “Larry’s Favorite.” So is this one. I have adapted it to
three selected cards instead of one, and it has proven to be a real fooler. It is also a great choice
when asked to show something with a borrowed deck (it must be a complete 52-card deck).
Effect: Three spectators each select a card from a shuffled deck. The three cards are then lost in
the deck, which is thoroughly shuffled. You ask the first spectator, Sandra, to name a number
between ten and twenty. Assume her number is seventeen. You explain that people count cards
in different ways, but magicians do it the fastest way. You immediately pluck off a packet of
cards and count them onto Sandra’s hand. There are exactly seventeen cards! When she turns
over the last card counted, it is her selection. The rest of the cards are replaced on the deck and
you thoroughly shuffle it again.
You turn your attention to the second spectator, Ron, explaining that you’ll find his card in a
similar but different way. You hand him the deck and ask him to name his card. You announce
the position that his card holds in the deck. He counts that many cards into your hand, and
discovers his card at the number you named!
You retrieve the deck, reassemble it and shuffle it once more. You look at Luke, the third
spectator, and ask him to just THINK of his card as you hand him the deck. Gazing into his
eyes, you slowly pull the thought out of his mind and name his card! You then tell him his card
is ninth down from the top of the deck. He counts down nine cards, and finds that the ninth is
indeed his selection!
Method and performance: I’ll tell you now, before you quit reading, that this is actually quite
easy of execution! There are no sleights to speak of, other than the ability to force one card. The
handling controls the selections for you when they are returned to the deck! Work on the
presentation, and you’ll have a real mind-bender!
Overhand shuffle the deck, running the first fourteen cards singly. Hold a left pinky break
above this packet as you shuffle off the rest of the deck. Riffle the outer left corner of the deck
with your left thumb, asking Sandra to tell you when to stop. Riffle slowly, so that she will stop
you before you get to your break. (If you arrive at the break before she stops you, quickly let the
bottom fourteen cards riffle off your thumb in a block before she can stop you. Tell her to try
again, but this time to make sure to stop you somewhere in the middle of the deck.)
Lift off the cards above the break with the right hand, by levering the left side up to the right,
such that an “L” is formed with the top half vertical at a ninety-degree angle to the bottom half,
and the lower long side of the top half rests on the far right side
of the bottom half (photo 5-1). Assume the card at the face of
the vertical half is the 10S. Tell Sandra that if she had stopped
even one card earlier she would have stopped on the 10S. Ask
her if she’d like to start over or stay with the card where she
stopped. Proceed accordingly. For the sake of explanation,
assume she wants to try again. Fairly drop the top half back on to
the bottom packet and repeat the procedure, again remarking on
the outcome had she stopped one card sooner. Give her the top 5-1
card of the bottom packet.
Turn to Ron and repeat the same selection procedure with him.
As an afterthought, remark that you should have told Sandra to
show her card to everyone else after she took it. Instruct both
Sandra and Ron to wait until you turn your head and then to
show their cards to the rest of the audience. Turn your head to
your left, and as they show their cards around, ascertain the
identity of the top card of the deck (say, the 2H).
5-2
Turn to face the audience and ask Luke to select a card. Using
the same actions as before, Swivel Slip Force the top card on
Luke. Riffle until he stops you and then hold the upper packet on
the lower as in photo 5-1 again. This time, though, begin to turn
the hands, pivoting both packets face up, using the right ring
finger as a fulcrum (photo 5-2). The left middle, ring and pinky
fingers hold back the top card (photo 5-3), which coalesces onto
the left-hand packet as both packets are revolved completely face
up and the right forefinger points to the face card of the right-
hand packet (photo 5-4). 5-3
Remark that in Luke’s case, this is the card that would have been
the result of stopping only one card earlier. Turn the packets
face down and give Luke the top card of the left packet.
Ask him to show his card around. As he does, crimp the near end
of the cards below the break by bending the inner sides down
between your left pinky and the heel of your hand. Bring your
right hand over the deck and bend the inner sides of the large 5-4
packet above the break upward. Refer to photo 5-5.
Drop Sandra’s card on top of the deck. Undercut the fourteen

cards below the break caused by the opposite crimps and drop
them on top, burying the selection.
Undercut about another 15-20 cards and overhand shuffle them

on top of the deck. There will be three spots at the near end of
5-5
the deck where the opposite crimps meet: 1st—I/4 down from
the top; 2nd—right above Sarah’s card; 3rd—right below
Sarah’s card (photo 5-6).
Cut off all the cards above the 2nd crimp in right Biddle Grip
and have Ron replace his card on the left-hand packet. Fairly
replace the right-hand packet on top of Ron’s selection.
Turn to Luke as you cut off all the cards above the 2nd crimp
break in right Biddle Grip and ask him to replace his card,
extending the left packet toward him. Drop the right-hand packet
5-6 on top of his card.
Overhand shuffle all the cards above the upper crimp break into
your left hand and then throw the rest of the deck on top. Do a
false cut. You are left with two crimp breaks, as shown in photo
5-7. One is above the three selections and the other is below
them. The three selections are in reverse order of how they were
selected.
Ask Sandra to mentally select a number between ten and twenty,

and give her a chance to change her mind. As she’s thinking, lift
5-7 up on the crimp break below the selections with your right
thumb and get a left pinky break under this card (Sandra’s
selection). Ask Sandra to tell everyone her mentally chosen
number. If she says seventeen, you simply lift all the cards above
the break. If she says a lower number, you have to displace cards
to accommodate her.
For example, assume her number was twelve. You explain that
there are many different ways people count cards. “Some deal
face down, like this.” Deal three cards face down into a pile.
“Some deal face up like this.” Deal two more cards face up next
5-8 to the first three (for a total of five cards, making hers the twelfth
in the deck—photo 5-8).
“But magicians do it the fastest way.”
Cut off all the cards above the break and table the rest of the
deck. Ask Sandra to extend her hand and then slowly and fairly
deal the cards onto her hand, counting them aloud as you do.
There are twelve. Ask her to turn over the last card (top card in
her hand), to reveal her selection! During the reaction, replace
the cards you dealt to the table on top of the deck. (Make sure,
5-9 when replacing any face up cards, that the crimped ends are
toward you, as in photo 5-9.)
If Sandra chose a number higher than seventeen--say, nineteen--

proceed in a slightly different manner. Remark that you can
often determine a person’s character by how they count cards.
“An honest person will count them right off the top of the deck.”
Deal four or five cards face down to the table. “A suspicious
person will count them off the bottom.” Openly deal two cards
from the bottom of the deck on top of the tabled pile (photo 5-
10).
5-10
Pick up the tabled pile and drop it on top of the deck. “A tricky
magician just does this!” Cut off all the cards above the break
and proceed as above.
Have Sandra drop her selection face down on top of the packet
in her hand. Take this packet in left dealer’s grip. Pick up the
deck and drop it onto the packet.
Overhand shuffle a little more than half the deck, injog one card
and throw the rest on top. Lift up on the injogged card, cutting
the deck (injogged card is on the bottom of the removed packet,
as in photo 5-11), and replace this packet under the other half of 5-11
the deck.
Hand the deck to Ron. Ask him to name his card. You compute
where his card is from the top by subtracting Sandra’s number
from 53. So if you dealt twelve cards onto her hand, the number
you give Ron is 41. (You should have no trouble with this—
provided you have basic math skills!)
I came across this next ploy some time ago, but I don’t know
whom to credit for it. Ask Ron to begin dealing the cards one at
a time onto your left palm, counting them aloud as he deals. But
after the 8th card, stop him, as if you made a mistake, saying,
“What number did I tell you?” 5-12
As he looks at you and repeats the number, you crimp the inner
end of the eight-card packet in your hand downward, just as you
did with the fourteen cards in the beginning (photo 5-12). When
Ron says that the number you gave him was 41, act relieved and
say, “OK, that’s what I wanted. I scared myself for a second
there!” Have him continue dealing and counting into your hand
to the 41st card. Let him turn over this card and display it to
everyone as his selection. While he does this, take the rest of the
cards from him with your right hand, crimping them upward
(photo 5-13).
5-13
Have him replace his card on the left packet, and drop the right-hand cards on top.
Give the deck several cuts, making sure that the last cut puts the eight down-crimped cards on
top (photo 5-14). Hand the deck to Luke and ask him to concentrate on his card. Gaze into his
eyes and say, “It’s a red card…diamond, no, heart…yes, I’m sure of that; a heart card. I’m
getting a low card—VERY low. Yes! The two of hearts, right?”
Then hold your hand above the deck for a moment and close your eyes as if trying to receive
another impression.
“Eight...no...nine. I think you’ll find the two of hearts is now the ninth card in the deck.”
Have Luke count nine cards onto your hand, asking him to remove the ninth and show it to the
audience. As he does, bend the eight cards in your hand upward to remove the crimp and drop
the packet onto the deck, which you retrieve from Luke. Give the deck a quick riffle or faro
shuffle to disperse any cards that may have retained a crimp. Everything may be examined
before you go on to other miracles!
5-14
The Card Whisperer

Based on an old effect by Jack Miller, this card location was updated by my friend Jeff Pierce
of Florida, who also credits Dan Stapleton. I have added a couple of handling finesses and made
the method more sure-fire.
Effect: The spectator cuts a freely selected card into the deck. The magician tells the spectator
where his card is located in the deck. The spectator finds his card at that location.
Setup: Remove all the clubs and diamonds from the deck. Arrange them in order, face down,
from the top: KC-AC, KD-AD. Down crimp the inner left corner of the card on the bottom of
the other half of the deck. Place the club and diamond packet under the other packet and then
put the deck in its case.
Method and performance: Remove the deck from the case, making sure the crimp at center
faces you. Casually overhand shuffle from your right hand to your left, stopping when you
reach the crimped card (leaving it on top of the remainder of the deck). Place the cards in the
right hand onto the left hand’s cards, holding a break between the packets and then double
undercut to the break.
Spread the deck between your hands, asking a spectator to select a card. You must make sure
that he selects a card from the top half. An easy way to do this is to hold the bottom half
(beneath the crimp) in a tight block under the spread and then ask a spectator on your right to
select a card. Because he is on your right and the block is on your left (and you’re holding it in
a death grip!), it will be difficult for him to try to remove a card from the block, and he will take
the path of least resistance.
Table the deck with the end with the crimp facing you and have the spectator replace his card
on top of the deck. Tell him to cut the deck and complete the cut. Shield your eyes while he
does this, so he won’t think you’re watching where he cuts the cards. When he is done look at
the near edge of the deck. If the crimped card is in the bottom half of the deck, proceed.
Otherwise, have him cut the deck again, until you can see the crimp is in the bottom half.
Remark, “Your selected card is buried within the deck, and there is no way anyone could know
where—anyone except the cards, that is.”
Pick up the deck and bring it to your ear. As you do this, glimpse the bottom card. If this card is
a club (say the 8 of clubs), add thirteen to the value of the club and the selected card will be at
that position (in this case, 21). If the bottom card is a diamond (8 of diamonds), the selection
will be at the same position from the top as the value of the card (in this case, eight).
Immediately riffle the end of the deck, saying, "The cards whisper to me, and right now they
are telling me that your card is the twenty-first (in the first example) card in the deck.”
Immediately table the deck and ask the spectator to deal twenty-one cards off the top of the
deck and then to turn the twenty-first card face up. It will be the selected card.
Daley Double
If you want a card routine that’ll absolutely knock the socks off your audience, this is the one
for you! I have taken ideas from Dai Vernon, Charlie Miller, Paul Green, Jacob Daley and Paul
LePaul and combined them to form a stunning, multiple climax routine with a powerful impact
and several minutes of jaw-dropping entertainment. Try this, just once, on a real audience and
you’ll use it the rest of your life.
Effect: From a shuffled deck, Jane selects a card (QH) and then John selects one as well (JS).
The cards are lost in the deck. You show that neither of the cards is on top of the deck. Since
Jane was first to select a card, you state that you will give John “equal time” and try to find his
card first. You sharply flick the top of the deck, but before turning the card over, you ask John
to maintain his best poker face and not to give you any idea whether the card you are about to
show him is his. You turn the top card over to reveal it is now the QH. Studying John’s face
briefly, you say that you think you got the right card, and you drop the QH face down in front
of him. You turn to Jane and admit that you’ve never been able to read women as well as men.
Therefore, she is to tell you if you get her card right. You flick the deck again and turn over the
top card, revealing an indifferent card. Turning it face down and dropping it in front of Jane,
you ask her if that was her card. She denies it. You ask her which card she chose and she points
to the card in front of John. John turns it over to reveal the JS—his selection! When Jane turns
over the card in front of her, she is shocked to find that it has changed into the QH!
You bury the selections in the deck and thoroughly mix the cards, saying you will try something
different. Giving the deck a shake, four cards fly out—the four aces! You show the aces one at
a time, slowly and fairly, as you turn them face down and set them aside. The deck is spread
between your hands to show that there are no extra aces and then you square it and table it. You
pick up the aces as you say that you want everyone to pay careful attention. You show Jane the
top ace, the spade, and drop it face down on the table, asking her to place her hand on top of it.
The bottom ace, the club, is dropped face down in front of John, who also covers it with his
hand. Pointing out that it would be impossible for you to move the cards while their hands are
on top of them, you state that you will attempt to make the cards change places. You snap your
fingers and ask, “If the aces actually changed places, who has the spade?” They say that John
does. “Oh, no, you misunderstood me,” you say. “I didn’t say they were going to change places
with each other, just that they were going to change places!” As you finish the sentence, you
turn over the remaining two cards in your hand to show the aces of spades and clubs!
“That can only mean that the cards under your hands are…” They respond, “The red aces.”
You tell them to take a look, but when they turn over the cards under their hands, they find that
they are NOT the red aces, but the QH and JS—their previously selected cards!
After the shock of this revelation wears off, Jane asks what happened to the red aces. “Good
question,” you respond. You ask her to make sure they are not on top of the deck. Then you tell
her to tap the deck and say, “Red aces, up!” You tell her to check. She turns over the top two
cards, but they remain the same two indifferent cards. “I’m sorry, I’m not being very clear. You
misunderstood me again. You didn’t say, ‘Red aces, up on top!’ You just said, ‘Red aces, up!’”
You ribbon spread the face down deck across the table. There, face up near the center, lie the
two red aces!
Preparation: Remove the four aces from a deck and place them at the face of the deck, in order
from the face, AS, AC, red aces. Case the deck.
Method and performance: Remove the deck from the case. Give the deck a couple of riffle
shuffles, dropping at least four cards from the original bottom half first each time, retaining the
aces on the bottom. Spread the cards to allow Jane and John to remove their selections (say the
QH and JS). Have them memorize the chosen cards and show them around to the rest of the
audience before taking them back in the deck.
Hold the deck in left dealers grip. Cut off about half the deck with the right hand. Have Jane
replace her card on top of the left-hand packet. Overhand shuffle the right-hand packet on top,
running the first card singly and injogging it before shuffling off the rest of the packet. Square,
lifting up on the jogged card with the right thumb, and get a left pinky break below it. Cut off
the cards above the break with your right hand. Extend your left hand so John can return his
card on top of that packet. Again, overhand shuffle the right-hand packet on top, injogging the
first card. Square up, getting the break under the jogged card. Cut off all the cards above the
break and set them on the table to your left. Cut off about half of the remaining cards and set
this packet to the right of the tabled packet. Set the rest of the deck to the right of the row. Pick
up the packet at the left end of the row and drop it onto the right packet. Now pick up the left
(formerly center) packet and drop it onto the larger packet on the right, reassembling the deck
and take the deck into left dealers grip. On top of the deck is the JS followed by the QH, then 46
indifferent cards and then the four aces.
Spread the cards between your hands as you say that you are going to attempt to magically
locate two cards out of the whole deck of 52. As you square the deck, get a break under four
cards. Look at Jane and John as you remark that sometimes you get lucky and one of the cards
ends up on top of the deck. While you are speaking, do a quadruple turnover to show an
indifferent card on top. Ask if this is one of the chosen cards. When they say it isn’t remark that
you must not be very lucky. Turn the quad face down, again as you are talking to them and
looking at them. (I know many people are afraid of multiple turnovers, but if you do it casually,
on the offbeat while you are talking to them or making a joke, you won’t get caught.)
“Since Jane chose a card first, I think it’s only fair that I try to find John’s card first.”
As you say that Jane chose a card first, push over the top two cards and pull off the top card in a
gesture. Replace the card and square, getting a break under the top two cards. Flick the top of
the deck and grip the double (two cards above the break) at the right fingertips.
“John, I want you to put on your best poker face. Don’t give me any clues at all as to whether I
succeeded or failed.”
Double turnover, revealing the QH. Pretend to study John’s face as if trying to “read” him as
you turn the double face down and drop the top card face down on the table in front of him.
“Yeah, I think I got it.”

Turn to Jane. “Now there’s only one chance in 51 that I’ll succeed.”
As you talk, spread the deck again and get a break under the top two cards.
“I’ve never been able to read women as well as men, so I want you to tell me if I’ right or not.”
Flick the deck and then double turnover to show another indifferent card. Ask if it is her
selection. Dejectedly turn the double face down and deal the top card face down in front of Jane
as you ask her what card she chose. She will say the queen of hearts, and she’ll usually point or
nod toward the card in front of John. In mock surprise, ask John to turn over that card. He does,
to find it is now his selection, the JS! Tell Jane to turn over the card in front of her, revealing it
has magically changed into the QH!
During the reaction to the revelation of the selections, overhand shuffle the deck, running the
last few cards singly to bring the four aces to the top, and get a break below the aces.
Apparently lose the selections in the deck, controlling them under the aces via the Vernon
Depth Illusion, aka Tilt (page 49), the QH going directly below the aces and the JS under the
QH. Explain that you’d like to try something a little different, and ask if Jane and John play
poker.
“Even those who don’t play poker know that if you get four of a kind, you’ve got a good hand!
I’d like to show you a trick with four cards.”
As you speak, cut off less than half the cards and weave them into the other packet, pushing
them in a little less than halfway. This doesn’t need to be a perfect faro shuffle—just make sure
that the top five cards (four aces and QH) are separated by at least one card from the other
packet. Perform the LePaul Revelation (as explained in “Pro-Mega,” page 16)--it never fails to
get an excellent response.
Strip out the outer packet and replace it on top of the inner packet. As you gather the aces with
your right hand (face up with reds at the rear and the AS at the face), push over the top two
cards of the deck with your left thumb and then pull them back, obtaining a left pinky break
below them.
Drop the aces on top of the deck and square them. Pick up all the cards above the break (face up
aces and face down selections), as apparently the aces. Bring the packet over the deck so that
the left thumb can stretch across the first ace. Move the packet up and to the right such that the
ace pivots around the left edge of the packet, ending up face down at the bottom of the packet.
Repeat with the other three aces and then drop the packet on the deck. Spread over the top four
cards, remove them and drop them on the table. (This is a Braue Switch).
Spread the deck between your hands, remarking that there are only four aces in a deck of
playing cards. As you square the deck, get a break below the top two cards and top palm them
in the right hand. Immediately spread the deck with the faces toward the audience, doing the
LePaul subtlety (page 73), as you say, “Of course, some people think I cheat and sneak extra
aces in there, but you can see that is not the case.”
As you close the spread do the LePaul Load (also on page 73), feeding the palmed cards into
the deck near the center. Table the deck.
Pick up the “ace” packet. Spread the packet, taking the top two cards spread in the right hand,
bottom two spread in the left, as you say, "I want you to see that I only have four cards here.”
Reassemble the packet by sandwiching the top card in the left hand with the two right-hand
cards (alternating the cards). Get a break under the top two cards as you square the packet. The
order of this packet from the top down is now QH, AS, JS, and AC.
Tell them to watch very closely. Do a double turnover to show the top card as the AS. Turn the
double face down and drop the top card in front of Jane, asking her to cover it with her hand.
Now do a double turnover from the bottom of the packet (simply push the top card slightly
forward at an angle with the left thumb, exposing the inner right corner of the bottom two
cards) to show the bottom card as the AC. Turn the double face down and deal the top card face
down in front of John, asking him to cover it with his hand. Explain that you are going to
attempt to make the cards change places while their hands cover them.
Snap your fingers.
“IF they did change places, who has the ace of spades?”
They’ll answer that John does.
“Oh, no, you misunderstood me. I didn’t say they were going to change places with each other;
just that they would change…places!”
On “change,” take the top card from your left hand into your right and turn it face up. On
“places,” the left hand turns its card face up.
“If I have the black aces, the cards under your hands must be…”
They’ll say, “The red aces.”
Tell them to take a look. They do, to find that the cards under their hands have mysteriously
changed into their previously selected cards!
Wait a few beats. Often Jane or John or another audience member will ask you what happened
to the red aces. That is the ideal, so allow a few moments for someone to think of it. If no one
does, say, “What about the red aces?”
Ask Jane to lift the top two cards of the deck to make sure they aren’t the red aces. Have her
replace them on top and then ask her to tap the deck and say, “Red aces, up!”
Tell her to take a look. She’ll pull off the top two cards and look at them.
“I’m sorry, I’m not being very clear. You didn’t say, ‘Red aces, up on top!’ You just said, ‘Red
aces, up!’”
Spread the deck across the table to reveal the red aces face up near the center of the face down
deck.
Notes: I really like this routine. It’s a fairly long one, but there are several surprises along the
way, it has a nice flow to it, and it builds well.
Credits: The first phase is Paul Green’s “The Odds Are With Me,” Paul’s handling of the Dai
Vernon classic “The Challenge,” from The Dai Vernon Book of Magic. The second phase is my
adaptation of “Daley’s Last Trick” by Dr. Jacob Daley (which is another handling of Charlie
Miller’s “Dunbury Delusion”).
Vicissitudes
This is a longer, feature routine, combining several effects. The routine is original, though most
of the individual effects are not. It uses a number of well-known moves along with some you
may not know. It is definitely NOT for the beginner, and assumes good knowledge of card
magic.
Effect: S1 thoroughly shuffles the deck (which can be borrowed). You riffle down the edge and
he tells you when to stop. You pick up the packet above the break, show him the face card (ex:
10C) and reassemble the deck, which you return to him to again be shuffled. Upon receiving the
pack again, you run through it to find your lucky card (ex: JH), which you cut to the face of the
deck. You ask if that was the card he looked at. He denies it and you comment that maybe it’s
not so lucky after all. But, you say you’ll give it a chance to help you. You toss the deck into
your other hand and the JH visibly changes into the 10C!
You spread through the cards face up, revealing that the JH is nowhere to be found. You turn
the deck over and show that the JH is definitely not anywhere near the top. You spring the
cards and the JH suddenly appears face up on top of the deck! You hold the deck face up. The
10C is still at the face. You insert the JH face down into the middle of the face up deck and then
set the deck face down on the table. You wave your hand mysteriously over the deck and snap
your fingers. You turn the deck face up—there is the JH where the 10C was a moment ago!
The JH is set face up on the table. You spread the face down deck and then square it and show
that the 10C is not on the bottom or the top. You spread the deck across the table. Face up in the
center is the 10C! This is removed and placed next to the JH.
The 10C is placed face up into the middle of the face up deck. The JH is placed on the face.
Instantly and visibly, the cards change places!
The deck is turned face down and the two cards are inserted face down into it, one near the top,
and the other near the bottom. The deck is spread. The 10C and JH are face up together in the
center of the face down deck!
Once again the cards are inserted into the deck, widely separated. The deck is dribbled onto
your flat palm to show there are no breaks, crimps etc. The deck is squared and then you snap
your fingers. The JH is removed from your left pants pocket! You show your right hand empty
and reach into your right pants pocket, but the 10C is not there. Anxious, you check your shirt
pocket. Sure enough, there is the 10C!
Concerned that the audience suspects you of palming or having extra cards already in your
pockets, you let S1 check both of your side coat pockets to make sure they’re empty. After he
has verified that there is nothing in either pocket, you snap your fingers and spread the deck
face up. The 10C and JH are not in the deck! You let S1 reach into the same coat pockets he
checked just a moment ago. Amazingly, even though your hands have not entered the pockets
and he checked them himself, he finds the 10C in one pocket and the JH in the other.
You allow him to examine the cards to his heart’s content (like I said, the deck could have been
borrowed!). (As for the title…look it up!)
Method and performance: Give the deck to S1 and ask him to

thoroughly shuffle it. When you get it back, casually do the
Spring Flourish, which will make the next move easier to do.
Riffle down the side of the deck with your left thumb until S1
stops you. Remove all the cards above the break and execute the
Tremaine Glimpse. To wit: Hold the cards in right hand Biddle
grip. Move your hand up so S1 can see the face card, but bow
5-15 the packet slightly along the crimp created by springing the cards
a moment ago. If you hold the packet about a foot in front of
you, you will be able to see the lower index of the face card (10C
in our example—photo 5-15). It seems impossible that you
could see anything but the backs of the cards. Only hold the
packet there a moment, giving S1 (and yourself) a chance to see
what the face card is and then return the packet onto the deck.
Give the deck back to S1, asking him to remember his card as he
shuffles again. Explain that by his shuffling both before and after
5-16 he selected a card, he can be sure you have no control over the
card.
Take the deck back and fan through it, faces toward you. When
you spot the 10C, cut it to 2nd from the face of the deck, calling
the face card (JH in our example) your lucky card.
Do Ed Marlo’s Aerial Change: Hold the deck face up in right

Biddle grip, secretly pinning the outer right corner of the JH
between your right middle and ring fingers (photo 5-16). Turn
5-17 your wrist so the JH faces S1 as you ask him if his card was the
JH. When he denies it, remark that perhaps that card isn’t so
lucky after all. Turn your right hand back to a palm down
position. Hold your left hand palm up several inches below your
right. Cause the JH to visually change into the 10C as follows:
The right hand tosses the deck onto the left. Straighten your right
fingers and keep them together as you do this, opening the hand
out completely flat as in photo 5-17. The JH is pinned between
the right fingers and is perpendicular to the hand, completely
5-18 hidden from view, while the deck lands in the left hand with the
10C showing on its face, an instantaneous transformation (photo
5-18). The right hand secretly loads the JH on the rear (back) of
the deck as it is taken into right hand dealing grip (photo 5-19).
Spread several cards from the face, showing them to be

indifferent. Turn the deck face down into left hand dealers grip.
Double turnover, showing the JH is not on top.
5-19
Take the deck in the right hand and do the spring flourish, causing the top card to flip face up
onto the face down deck at the end. This is an extremely magical production of the JH.
Toss the JH face up onto the table and then turn the deck face up into left dealers grip. Set the
10C (at the face) into TILT position. Pick up the JH, turn it face down, and insert it into the
break. Hold a left pinky break under it as you push the card flush. Reiterate that the 10c is at the
face of the deck, and the JH is reversed in the middle. As you turn the deck face down, do Ken
Krenzel’s Mechanical Reverse (see notes).
Flick the top of the deck with your right middle finger. Turn the deck face up to show the JH at
the face. Deal the JH on the table, doing a wrist kill (necktie) with the deck to hide the reversed
card and then turn the deck face down.
The left hand should once again be holding the deck in dealers grip. Do Doug Edward’s “Easy
Pass” ( from Harry Lorayne’s Doug Edwards Packs a Wallop! - see notes) and show an
indifferent card at the face of the deck. Turn the deck face down and flip over the top few cards
to show they are also indifferent and then table the deck. Have S1 tap the deck and say, “Ten of
clubs, up!” Tell him to take a look. Invariably, he’ll look at the top card. Say, “No, not up on
top—just up!” Ribbon spread the deck, revealing the face up 10C at the center.
Remove the 10C from the deck. Square the deck into face up left dealers grip. Insert the 10C
face up into the middle, holding a left pinky break above it. Drop the JH on the face of the deck.
Execute a Hermann Pass (see notes) as a color change, visibly turning the JH into the 10C.
Thumb the 10C off onto the table. Spread through the deck, showing the JH in the center.
Thumb it off next to the 10C.
Square the deck, keeping it face up. Insert the two selections halfway, face up and widely
separated, into the far end of the deck. Carry out the GUB Reverse (see appendix), immediately
followed by a Spread Pass. Table the deck, snap your fingers, and do a ribbon spread to show
the 10C and JH face up together at the center of the face down deck. Remove them from the
spread.
Insert the 10C halfway near the bottom of the deck. Perform the GUB Control to Top
(appendix). Put the JH halfway into the far edge of the deck near the top. Do the GUB Control
to Bottom (appendix). Immediately follow this up with The Automatic Bottom Palm (page 23).
Once more, snap your fingers and then take the deck into right Biddle Grip so your left hand
can reach into your left pants pocket and “remove” the JH. Toss it face up on the table.
Drop the deck into left hand dealers grip. Show your right hand empty and then reach into your
right pants pocket. Act surprised and embarrassed, as if you expected the 10C to be there, but
it’s not. Meanwhile, your left thumb slightly injogs the top card of the deck (10C). With the
right hand still in the pocket, turn your head to look at your shirt pocket. Bring the left hand,
still holding the deck, up to the pocket, which you hook with the left thumb and pull away from
your body to get a better look. Bring your right hand up and do the Malone False Pocket
removal (page 19) to produce the 10C. Toss it next to the JH.
For the finale, you’re going to do Ed Marlo’s The Spectator Removes Em from Marlo’s
Magazine, Volume Six. This will absolutely blow ‘em away! This sequence is very similar to
the one explained in “Sun Valley Serenade.”
Insert the JH into the deck and control it to the top. Control the 10C to the bottom. Hold the
deck in right hand dealer’s grip. Remark that you’re concerned that someone may think that
you’ve got extra cards already in your pockets, so you’ll prove that you don’t. Turn to your left
so that S1 can reach into your right side coat pocket. Ask him to verify that it is completely
empty. Now turn your left side towards him to allow him to check the left side coat pocket. As
he does this, secretly thumb off the top card (JH) into your right pocket. After S1 confirms that
both pockets are empty, say that you’ll cause the two cards to fly to your pockets. Dribble the
cards from the left hand to the right, executing the Automatic Bottom Palm as you square the
deck.
Comment that if you were to remove the cards from your pockets, someone might think you
had them palmed, so you’ll let S1 remove them himself. As you turn to your left so that S1 can
reach into the right pocket, the right hand takes the deck in Biddle grip and tables it, leaving the
palmed card in the left hand. As S1 is finding and removing the JH, secretly load the 10C into
the left pocket. The Automatic Bottom palm is so invisible and the misdirection of S1 finding
the JH in the right pocket is so good that you need have no fear of being caught loading the left
pocket. Turn to your right and allow S1 to remove the 10C from
the left pocket. Spread the deck face up to show that there are no
duplicates to end.
Notes: Ken Krenzel's’ Mechanical Reverse is a method for

secretly reversing a card or cards. The deck is face up in left
dealers grip. In the context of this routine, you’re holding a left
pinky break under the top two cards of the face up deck; the
second card is face down. Turn the deck face down sideways,
5-20 like a book. As you do this, the entire outer joint of your left
pinky goes into the break and your left fingers straighten,
pointing to the right (photo 5-20).
As soon as the deck is turned over, curl your left fingers in,
turning the cards below break to rotate face down as in photo 5-
21. To cover this, the right hand simultaneously moves the rest
of the deck to the left (again, refer to 5-21) and then sets the deck
onto the two cards.
5-21
Edwards’ Easy Pass: You’re holding the deck face down.
Secure a left pinky break somewhere near the center and curl the
left forefinger under the deck. Bring the right hand over the deck
in a “closed” Biddle Grip, the right middle and ring fingers
screen the far end of the deck, forefinger curled on top and
thumb at inner end (photo 5-22).
Move your right hand slightly forward and lift the near end of
the cards above the break such that the palm faces you and the
5-22
fingers are pointing down. This is done as a gesture—you’re

apparently simply displaying the top of the deck.
During this motion and the cover it provides, straighten the left
fingers, pivoting the lower half of the deck to the right until it is
perpendicular to the floor, held between the left forefinger and
middle finger (photo 5-23).
In a continuing motion, you apparently simply turn the deck face

up to show the bottom card. Actually, you secretly cut the deck 5-23
in the process of turning it over.
As both hands turn over to the right, the right side of the right-
hand packet comes onto the face of the left-hand packet (photo
5-24) and the packets coalesce as the turnover is completed
(photo 5-25).
The Spread Pass is the brainchild of that icon of modern card

magic, Paul LePaul. Hold the deck face down in left dealers grip.
Get a left pinky break near the center of the deck. Spread the 5-24
cards above the break between the hands in an arc as in photo 5-
26. Hold all of the spread cards from below on the extended right
fingers. You will now close the spread, carrying out the
following motions. First, bring the hands straight together, not in
an arc. Under cover of the (closing) spread, pivot the lower
packet sideways to the right as in the Easy Pass, photo 5-22.
The lower packet comes up against the right hand as in Photo 5-

27. The right thumb slides across the top card to the inner end
and the right fingers extend to the outer end to pull the 5-25
protruding cards square. Meanwhile, the lower packet clears the
right side of the upper packet (photo 5-28). As you square the
deck, the former bottom packet falls onto the former upper
packet, completing the pass (photo 5-29).
5-26
5-27 5-28 5-29

Fork ‘n Spooner
Here’s a fun routine that makes use of a couple of moves by Bill Spooner, as well as a control
by Gilles Couture and a Gary Ouellet idea. It is a little flashier than most of my routines. I re-
serve it for those times when I’m being challenged by a spectator who thinks he can do any-
thing I can. This routine sends that thought from his mind without having to resort to “heckler
stoppers” or embarrassing him, and without seeming that is what I am trying to do.
Effect: After Don selects and signs a card it is lost in the deck. You do a fancy, flourishy cut as
you explain that this is how some magicians find a chosen card and bring it to the top of the
deck. You remove the top card and display it to the audience, but you are quickly informed it is
NOT Don’s selection. In disbelief you turn the face of the card toward yourself to verify the
audience’s assertion. A little rattled, you remark that you never said you were one of those ma-
gicians! You explain that you’ll show them what kind of magician you are. You blow on the
card and turn it face toward the audience again. They are stunned to see that, with no false
moves on your part, it has magically turned into the signed selection, and your hands are other-
wise empty!
Method and performance: Have Don choose a card and sign it. Hold the deck in the right
hand and dribble cards into your left hand until he tells you to stop. Extend your left hand and
allow Don to replace his card on top of this packet. Bring the left hand back under the right.
Dribble the rest of the cards onto the left packet, catching a pinky break below them (and above
the selection).
You will now control the card to the top of the deck while apparently cutting it deeper, via
Gilles Couture’s Swivel Cut Control from Gary Ouellet’s Close Up Illusions (explained on
page 53).
Say, “Some magicians do some fancy move like this to find a

chosen card and bring it to the top.” As you speak, do Bill
Spooner’s Deceptive Roll Cut from Ellison Poland’s
Wonderful Routines of Magic as follows: Curl your left
forefinger under the deck. Riffle about a third of the way down
the outer left corner of the deck with the left thumb and openly
hold this thumb break. Extend the fingers of the palm up right
hand and bring the right fingertips near the deck. Allow the
packet above the break to roll over face up onto the right fingers.
5-30 Curl your right forefinger inward, pinning this packet face down
onto the right palm (photo 5-30). Maintain this position with
your forefinger.
Riffle halfway down the left hand packet with your left thumb,
and allow the cards above the break to roll face up onto the
remaining three extended fingers of the right hand, as depicted in
photo 5-31.
5-31
Curl your right thumb behind the first packet and extend your
right forefinger such that the first packet is face up on top of the
second packet with the forefinger in between them (photo 5-32).
In a continuing motion, roll the two packets (keeping the finger

in place in the middle) over face down against the left-hand
packet (replacing the original top third of the deck—photo 5-33)
and then immediately reverse direction, causing the second
packet (the one between the right forefinger and middle finger) 5-32
to complete one revolution until it is held against the right palm
with the forefinger exactly as the first packet was a moment ago.
(The forefinger must move out and around the packet to
facilitate this.)
Extend the right forefinger and allow the entire left-hand packet
to roll face up onto the right fingers (photo 5-34). Let the
smaller face down packet flop over face up onto the larger
packet, reassembling the deck (photo 5-35), and immediately
roll the entire deck over face down into left dealers grip. 5-33
Do this entire sequence at a fairly rapid pace without pausing,

allowing it to flow into one smooth motion, taking about four
seconds. The selection is again secretly on top of the deck. As
you square the deck, get a left pinky break below the top two
cards.
Execute Ouellet’s Crook Move (again from Close Up

Illusions): Extend the left forefinger to the outer right corner of
the deck and pull the double down and to the left, angle jogging 5-34
the double (photo 5-36).
Pick up the double by taking the inner right corner between the
outer phalanges of the right middle and forefingers, the right
thumb at the inner left corner (photo 5-37), and hold the double
facing the audience revealing an indifferent card (photo 5-38).
Someone will be quick to point out that it is not Don’s card.

5-35
5-36 5-37 5-38

Under the auspices of being surprised at getting the wrong card

and checking to see for yourself, you now perform Spooner’s
Switch (also from Wonderful Routines of Magic). Turn your
right hand so that your palm faces you and the double is parallel
to the floor (photo 5-39). The back of your hand must be
perpendicular to the audience’s line of sight.
In a continuing motion, remove the thumb from the double

5-39 briefly and begin to curl the middle, ring and pinky fingers
inward. The cards will start to separate—immediately insert the
thumb tip between the cards (photo 5-40).
The lower card slides into the thumb crotch as the thumb tip
pivots the upper card perpendicular to the floor so that it faces
you, held at the lower right corner between thumb and
forefinger. The second finger continues to slide the other card
inward until it can be taken in Tenkai Palm as in photo 5-41.
Meanwhile, the left hand has tabled the deck directly in front of
5-40 you.
Act a little rattled and remark, “I never said I was one of those
magicians! I’ll show you what kind of magician I am.” Blow on
the card and then bring your hand forward so that the bottom
long edge rests on the table in front of the deck and the Tenkai
palmed card is directly on top of the deck (photo 5-42). Now
simply release both cards—the palmed card meshes with the
deck and the other card falls face up on the table, revealing that it
has magically changed into Don’s signed selection and you are
5-41 clean!
Notes: The Tenkai Palm (named after its creator, the famous
Japanese magician, Tenkai) is a rather unique but very effective
palm. The card is gripped at the outer left corner by the right
thumb at the crease and at the outer left corner at the base of the
fingers (which fingers will depend on the width of your hand).
So the entire card is below the fingers and extends down to the
wrist. Refer to photo 5-43.
5-42
5-43
Participant’s Triumph
My friend Darrin Cook (aka Raymonde Crow) and I worked this out one afternoon at his
kitchen table. It is our solution to a card problem that I’ve been thinking about for quite some
time. I’ve seen the same idea (or very similar ones) being discussed on Internet magic forums.
While this routine won’t be for everyone and isn’t for every occasion, I do believe it is a power-
ful piece of magic for those wish to absolutely fry VIPs at a restaurant gig or formal close up
performance.
Larry Jennings had a version of Dai Vernon’s classic effect, “Triumph,” in his book, The Clas-
sic Magic of Larry Jennings. Called “Spectator’s Triumph,” the difference is that the audience
participant fairly shuffled the face up and face down halves (of a deck that has been in play for
a number of other effects) together. When the deck is spread, all the cards are face down, except
for the previously chosen card, which is face up at the center of the spread. However, Larry’s
routine is extremely difficult, requiring a number of Top Card Cover Passes under fire. I wanted
to accomplish the same effect but with methods within the realm of reality for most magicians
(like me!). After Darrin and I threw this around for a while, we came up with the following rou-
tine. It resorts to a packet of readily available gaffed cards. Some of you will think less of the
routine because of this. All I can say is that you should try the effect before you write it off.
We also added a kicker that you can perform or leave out as you see fit. If you choose to per-
form it, you will lose a deck, but leave a lasting impression of a memorable experience with
your audience participant.
Requirements and preparation: To perform this miracle, you will need a new or nearly new
deck, 26 matching double-back cards (d/b) and a Sharpie marker. To do the kicker ending, you
will also need another deck and a coat with a topit or a servante or you’ll have to perform this
seated at a table. I’ll assume, for the sake of this explanation, that you’re doing the ending and
that you’re using a topit. You’ll easily be able to adapt the ending to a servante or lapping
should you choose to go that route.
Leave one of the decks in new deck order. Remove the 10D from this deck. Place this deck in
your left side coat pocket resting on a long side and facing inward. Insert the 26 d/b in the same
pocket, but rotated 90 degrees, such that it rests on a narrow end and leans against the deck.
Place the Sharpie in your right side coat pocket.
Method and performance: After performing a number of card effects (preferably where the
spectators have handled the deck quite a bit), casually spread through the deck, faces toward
you, and cull or cut the 10D to the top (rear). Square the deck and dribble the face up cards
from your right hand to your left, and as you square up, do my Automatic Bottom Palm (page
23).
Hand the deck to Corry and ask her to shuffle it. As she does, set the card case near the center
of your working surface. Take the deck back from her, turn it face up and set it on your left
hand, loading the palmed card back on the top. Remark that sometimes when people shuffle, the
bottom card remains the same (your justification for taking the deck back). Square up and set
the deck on the table to the left of the case.
Ask Corry to cut off approximately half of the deck and to set it
next to the other half. Pick up the remaining packet and set it at
an angle onto the cut-off packet and then drop the case on top
(this last is an idea from Michael Close– photo 5-44).
Take a moment to review with Corry how she is making all the
decisions and determining the future outcome—she shuffled the
deck, she cut it and now she will take a card based on that cut.
5-44
Lift the case and set it aside and then lift the top packet in right
hand Biddle Grip. Point to the top card of the remaining packet
with your right forefinger (photo 5-45), asking her to take the
card that she cut to (this is the Crosscut Force).
Say that you’d like her to sign the card. Reach into your left
pocket (ostensibly to get the marker) and take the d/b packet in
Gambler’s Cop (see notes).
5-45 Do Juan Tamariz’ Crossing the Gaze Switch: Looking to your

right as the left hand comes out of the pocket (photo 5-46),
move the right hand to the left and apparently place its packet in
the left hand. Actually, as soon as the right packet touches the
left you flatten your right hand and classic palm the packet
(photo 5-46), immediately reversing direction and letting the d/b
packet in the left hand come into view (photo 5-48). The right
hand goes into the right pocket, ditches the packet and comes out
with the marker, which you hand to Corry. Table the d/b packet
next to the other packet on the table.
5-46
After Corry signs her card, have her lift half of the d/b packet,
place her card on top of the tabled half and then drop the half in
her hand on top, burying her card. Turn the other packet face up.
Ribbon spread both packets, showing one face up and the other
(the one with her card) face down (photo 5-49). Ask her to push
the packets together. When she has complied, square the deck
and ribbon spread it to show the mess of face up and face down
cards (photo 5-50).
5-47
5-48 5-49 5-50

Snap your fingers and do a spread turnover to reveal all the

cards have instantly turned face down except for her selection,
which is face up at the center (photo 5-51).
Now I’m sure that some of you are thinking that this spread
turnover tips the method and won’t fool anyone. I can assure you
that this is not the case. First, you need to remember that most
laymen aren’t aware that double backed cards even exist.
Second, the deck has been in play and they have been shuffling 5-51
and cutting it, and they have seen in the course of the preceding
effects that it is, in fact, a normal deck. Third, the Crossing the
Gaze Switch is so natural and motivated that the thought of a
switch hasn’t even crossed their minds. Therefore, when you do
the spread turnover to reveal the selection is now the only face
up card, it seems like an instantaneous miracle. In fact, I have
COMPLETELY fooled every layman AND magician I shown
this to. But, if you’re still scared of the turnover, you can pick up
the deck and do a through the fist flourish to secretly turn it over
and then spread it. 5-52
At any rate, you now have the deck in a ribbon spread with
Corry’s selection partially exposed near the center. While she is
reacting, reach into your left pocket and take the other deck in
Gamblers Cop. Ask her to slide the card out and examine it to
make sure it’s the same card and to verify it is in fact her
signature on it, and then to show it to the rest of the audience.
When she removes the card, she will “mess up” the spread a
little bit (photo 5-52), giving you the motivation to pick up the
deck and spread it again. The fact that she is examining and 5-53
displaying the card and that everyone assumes the trick is over
gives you all the misdirection in the world to do a deck switch,
topiting the deck in play (or lapping it if seated) as you
apparently place it in your left hand (exposing the other deck—
photo 5-53) to square it before ribbon spreading it on the table.
Let everyone look at the card for a moment or two before you
take it back with your left hand. Turn the card face down and
begin to insert it into the spread and then stop, saying, “Wait, I’d 5-54
better make sure I’m putting this back in the right place!” This
curious statement will catch everyone’s attention. Turn the card
face up and do a spread turnover with your right hand to reveal
the deck is now in new deck order (photo 5-54)! Insert the
signed 10D between the 9D and JD (photo 5-55), close the
spread and insert the deck into the card box. Close the box and
hand it to Corry, telling her that the deck is hers to keep. Believe
me, she WILL keep it!
5-55
Notes: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Let me save 1000

words to describe how to hold a card in Gambler Cop—look at
the picture: 5-56.
5-56
A Ribbon Spread is very pretty, but quite easy to do, although

you must have a padded, soft (not slick) surface to do it well.
Simply hold the deck in right Biddle grip, but with the forefinger
at the left edge. Set the deck on the table and spread the cards
from left to right. The forefinger virtually automatically
regulates an even spread (photo 5-57).
5-57
A spread turnover looks impressive, but is also very easy to do.

Once you have done a ribbon spread, Place your left thumb near
the left end of the spread to steady it and insert you left middle
finger and forefinger under the far left card. Lift upward and turn
the card to the right, creating a “domino effect” that turns the
entire spread over (photo 5-58).
5-58
Chapter Six:
No Decisions
It’s important to have a variety of effects in a card magic act. Sometimes, particularly
for your “opener,” it’s wise to do a trick that doesn’t require the members of the
audience to do anything. The following routines fit that bill nicely.
Treasure ValleyTwist
One of the most popular effects in all of card magic is Dai Vernon’s “Twisting the Aces.” In
Richard Kaufman’s The Complete Works of Derek Dingle, there is a very strong variation of
the Vernon effect (Dingle also credits an unpublished Ken Krenzel variation as the inspiration
for his routine) called, “We’ll Twist if You Insist.” I’m sure that in Dingle’s hands, this effect
looks like pure magic, but the handling is a bit cumbersome and difficult for us mere mortals.
This is my attempt to streamline and simplify the Dingle routine.
Effect: You show four blue-backed cards, the A-4 of hearts. One at a time, the cards
mysteriously turn face up in the face down packet. Then, with no moves or adjustments, the
whole packet magically turns face up! When the packet is turned face down, all four cards now
have red backs!
Requirements and setup: You need three odd-backed cards--the 2H, 3H and 4H. You also
need a blue-backed AH and a red/blue double-backer (DB). Set the cards face up in order from
the face: 4,3,2,A, DB (red side up). Photo 6-1 shows the packet face up, photo 6-2 face down.
6-1 6-2
Method and performance: Pick up the packet in right Biddle

Grip. As you place the cards in left dealing grip, allow the
bottom two cards to riffle off the right thumb and catch a left
pinky break above them. Immediately spread the packet, holding
the two cards below the break as one, to show four cards (A-4H).
As you square the packet, regain the break below the top three
cards and injog them very slightly. Grip the inner end of the
6-3 three cards above the break between your right thumb,
underneath, and right first two fingers, above, in preparation for
a triple turnover. Begin to slide the triple back as the left hand
simultaneously rotates such that the left knuckles face the
spectators (photo 6-3). During this motion, the triple is pivoted
so that the 4H faces the audience, projecting about 1-1.5 inches
above the rest of the packet (photo 6-4). Explain that anyone can
turn a card over this way.
6-4
With your right hand, tap the triple down flush with the rest of
the packet (photo 6-5) and then grip the top edge of the packet
with your right hand so your left hand can release it. Replace it
in left dealers grip by moving the top end back toward yourself
such that the blue back shows on top of the packet.
Remark that very few people realize that the cards can also be
turned over by magic.
6-5
“You just have to know the magic move!”
Peel off the top card (DB) by sliding it backward and very
slowly and fairly twist it 180 degrees, being careful not to flash
the face, and replace it on top of the packet. Tongue firmly
planted in cheek, ask, “That was the magic move. Did you see
it?”
Do an Elmsley Count (page 28), but outjog the third card (face
up 2H) an inch and the fourth card about a quarter inch. (Photo 6-6
6-6) Kaufman calls this and the following series of moves the
“Elmsley Twist Sequence.”
Extend your left forefinger to the outer end of the 2H and grip
the inner exposed end of the third card (blue-backed) with the
right fingertips (photo 6-7). Draw the third card back and out of
the packet as the left forefinger pushes the top two cards flush
with the rest of the packet (photo 6-8).
Do the “magic move”--twist the right-hand card 180 degrees 6-7

(careful not to flash the face!) and drop it on top of the packet.
Repeat the Elmsley Twist Sequence to reveal the 3H has turned

face up. Do the “magic move” and repeat the Elmsley Twist
sequence, causing the 4H to reverse. As before, remove the
second blue card as the jogged cards are pushed flush, but this
time turn the card face up (revealing the AH) before twisting it
and dropping it on top of the deck.
6-8
Remark, “Something entirely different happens if you turn the
ace over.” Take the packet in right Biddle Grip, and slide it
across the left fingers, causing the bottom three cards to spread
(while retaining the top two cards as one in right Biddle Grip—
photo 6-9), revealing that the 2, 3 and 4 have magically turned
face up!
Move the double underneath the spread, locking it in place
6-9
between the base of the left thumb and the left middle, ring and
pinky fingers, and curling the left forefinger onto its back (photo
6-10). Hold the other three cards fanned on top of the double
with the left hand, fairly (!) displaying the faces of all “four”
cards.
“That’s a little different, but it’s not entirely different—but this

6-10 is!”
Turn your left hand palm down, showing four red backs (photo
6-11)!
Casually take the face down cards one at a time (last two as one)
into the right hand without reversing the order and then put them
away. To reset, simply reverse the DB card.
6-11
Notes: If you want to add a bit more “punch” to the climax, use the 2-4 from a Rainbow Deck
as explained. That is my preferred method, as I feel the visual at the end is significantly
stronger. However, if you don’t have access to a Rainbow Deck or several decks with different
backs, you can just use red-backed cards in their place.
Yes, I know you end "dirty." If you end every effect dirty, I think you're asking for trouble. But
I don't think every effect you do has to be squeaky clean and examinable. As a matter of fact, it
really slows down the pace and effectiveness of the show as a whole to stop before and after
each routine for the props to be examined. But for those who like to "guild the lily," keep the
cards in a Himber-type wallet. In the other side, have a red-backed packet (assuming you’re
using red-backed cards instead of rainbow backs) consisting of the A-4H, with the 4 at the face.
Remove the "gaffed" packet at the outset and perform the effect. Replace the packet in the
empty side of the wallet after completing the routine. Then, if someone asks to see the cards,
open the other side of the wallet and remove the "straight" packet, handing it to the spectator for
examination. Personally, if no one asks, I wouldn't bother with this. But that's just me.
Thanks to my good friend Brett Bauscher, who suggested that I simplify and streamline the
Dingle routine.
Egyptian Royale
On the printed page, this may seem like a “flat” routine. All I can do is ask that you give it a try.
Performed smoothly and confidently, it will convince your audience that you can do
ANYTHING with a deck of cards! It was inspired by Peter Kane’s “Faro Five” from Another
Card Session with Peter Kane. My title is due to the fact that faro (a “Pharaoh” was a king of
ancient Egypt) shuffles are used to find the court cards.
Effect: You give the deck a few shuffles and allow several spectators to cut it. You inform
everyone that you will try to cut to the four aces. You cut the deck into four packets and turn
over the top card of each, but instead of the aces, you’ve cut to the four queens. While this is
admittedly still impressive, you told them you were going to find the aces, so you decide to use
the queens to “help” you. You drop the queens face up on top of the face down deck and give
the deck several shuffles. Then you ribbon spread the deck across the table. The face up queens
are seen, widely separated in the face down deck. Remarking on their order, you turn over the
top four cards of the deck to reveal that they are the aces, in the same suit order as the queens!
After removing the aces, there is only one face down card above the first queen. You remove
the queen, along with the face down cards immediately above and below it, and drop this
“sandwich” onto the ace of the respective suit. You do the same with the remaining queens.
When the face down cards of each sandwich are turned over, they are seen to be the jack and
king of the matching suit!
Requirements and preparation: This trick requires a full deck plus a joker, and a partial stack
is needed. Set the cards face up on the table in the following order (X = indifferent card): QC,
QH, QS, QD, two X cards, AC, twelve X cards, AS, six X cards, AH, six X cards, KC, KH, KS,
KD, two X cards, AD, six X cards, JC, JH, JS, JD, two X cards, joker. Thus, once the deck is
assembled and held face down, the QC is on top and the joker at the face.
Method and performance: Bring the deck into play (I use Gary Ouellet’s “Flash Deck” from
Close Up Illusions to make the deck magically appear—see notes). False shuffle it a couple of
times. Any false shuffle will do, provided that it retains the order of the entire deck. (See the
notes for an explanation of a simple false shuffle). Set the deck on the table and ask Kirk to cut
it wherever he likes. Complete the cut. Let Ellie give the deck a cut as well, and Karl, too if he
wishes.
“Realize” that you forgot to remove the joker before you started. Pick up the deck and spread
through it, facing you. Cut the joker to the face and remove it, tossing it aside face up. Turn the
deck face down into left dealers grip and give it a false cut. This joker ploy, while an old one, is
still a very natural and effective method for returning the deck to its original order right in front
of the audience without raising suspicion.
Remark that the deck has been thoroughly shuffled and cut several times by several members of
the audience. “I’ll break one of the cardinal rules of magic, and tell you what I am about to try.
I am going to attempt one of the most difficult feats in all of magic-- to find the four aces in a
face down, shuffled deck.
Produce the four queens using Gary Ouellet’s “Three Second

Wonder” (also from Close Up Illusions) as follows: The deck is
tabled in front of you, lengthwise. Bring both hands onto it in a
squaring motion and slightly lift up on the top two cards at the
inner right corner with your right thumb, holding a break (photo
6-12).
6-12 Lift off about half the deck with the right hand, maintaining the
thumb break, and table this packet about six inches in front of
the other packet. Immediately bring the right hand back to the
original packet, still holding the two cards from above the break,
as the left hand simultaneously move forward to the front packet.
Photo 6-13 is a stop-action of the midpoint of this motion.
Each hand simultaneously lifts about half of its respective packet

and tables them to the sides, forming a diamond with the four
packets (photo 6-14).
6-13
To reveal the queens, each hand now simultaneously takes the
top card from its packet and places it face up on the other two
packets (photo 6-15).
The hands immediately cross, the left going to the right packet
and vice versa as in photo 6-16, where they pick up the top card
of the packets and then immediately uncross, setting the cards
face up on the opposite packets (photo 6-17), leaving a final
display that makes it seem as if a queen came from the top of
6-14 each of the four packets.
Remove the queens, leaving them face up on the table.

Reassemble the packets by placing the left packet on the front
one and the right packet on the rear one. Then put the front
packet onto the rear one, returning the deck to its original order,
sans the queens.
6-15
6-16 6-17
Act surprised that you got the queens instead of the aces.
Comment that you will try again to get the aces, but this time
you’ll use the queens to help you.
Place the four queens face up on top of the face down deck. The
queens must be in CHaSeD order with the QC at the top. Cut the
deck exactly in half (the AH will be the top card of the bottom
half) and do an “in” faro shuffle (see the note at the end of the
explanation for the difference between an “in” faro and an “out” 6-18
faro). Cut in half again (AD is top card of bottom half) and do an
“out” faro. Cut the deck in half a third time (AC at top of lower
half) and do a final “in” faro. Table the deck and ribbon spread
from left to right to reveal the face up queens separated in the
deck, the QD at your far left and the QC at your far right (photo
6-18).
With your left forefinger, point at each queen in sequence,

moving from right to left and calling out the suit each time. After
each queen’s suit is named, take the top card (far right of spread) 6-19
off the deck and turn it face up onto the table (revealing that the
four aces rose to the top of the deck in the same suit sequence as
the queens), finishing with the aces face up in a row in ChaSeD
order from right to left. The spread is nearer the audience and the
aces are nearer you (photo 6-19).
Pause as if the trick is over. Then remove the top three cards
(QC sandwiched between two face down cards) and drop them
onto the AC. Remove the QH sandwich and drop it onto the AH,
then the QS trio onto the AS and finally take out the QD 6-20
threesome, holding it fanned in the left hand (photo 6-20).
With your right hand, stud deal the top card from the left hand
(KD) onto the AD, starting a vertical spread away from you.
Deal the QD face up onto the KD and then stud deal the JD face
up onto the QD (photo 6-21).
Pick up the sandwich on the AS and do the same procedure and

then with the remaining packets until you have all four “Royal
Families” in a row of vertical spreads (photo 6-22). 6-21
Pick up the remainder of the deck and ribbon spread it face down
from left to right and then do a spread turnover so that everyone
can see that there are no extra court cards or aces, and to finish
with a rather pretty display.
6-22
Note: As I’m sure you already know, a faro shuffle is one where
the cards are placed end to end and caused to weave together
(photo 6-23). Unless otherwise specified, typically a faro shuffle
is assumed to be a “perfect faro”—the deck is cut exactly in half
and the two halves are perfectly interwoven, alternating every
card from each packet (photo 6-24). An “in” faro means that the
top and bottom cards are “in” the shuffle—the top card becomes
second from top and the bottom card becomes second from
6-23 bottom. An “out” faro is just the opposite—the top and bottom
cards are “out” of the shuffle. The top card goes on top again and
the bottom on bottom again as the rest of the deck weaves
together. The faro shuffle is extremely difficult and can take
years to learn. Card College 3 is a great reference for it.
Gary Ouellet’s Flash Deck is a very cool way to magically

produce a deck of cards. Begin by holding the deck in your right
hand in Tenkai Palm (page 99), resting the fingers on the edge of
the table as in photo 6-25). Slide the right hand along the edge
6-24 of the table to your left and cross the left hand over the right and
place it on the table’s edge in a similar position (photo 6-26).
Uncross the arms, bringing the deck up onto the table and ribbon
spreading it from Tenkai Palm (photo 6-27) to produce the deck.
The Charlier Shuffle is an easy but convincing false shuffle that

has the same outcome as one straight cut. Hold the packet in left
hand dealer’s grip. Push several cards on the top to the right with
your left thumb. Take these cards in your palm up right hand at
the fork of the thumb (photo 6-28) and move them away to the
6-25 right. Now, with your left fingers, push some cards from the
bottom to the right. The right hand takes these cards above the
ones it holds (photo 6-29) and moves away to the right. The left
thumb pushes over some more cards from the top, which the
right hand takes under its cards. Keep alternating, taking cards
from the top and then the bottom of the left hand’s packet. Just
remember, cards from the top in the left hand go on the bottom
in the right hand, and cards from the bottom of the left hand go
on top in the right hand!
6-26
6-27 6-28 6-29

GS AAAA Production
The following four-ace production borrows from several sources to make for a fast, effective
opening for any routine where four-of-a-kind are required.
Method and performance: On top of the face down deck you’ll need to have the following
cards, face down from the top: Ace, indifferent card, ace, ace, ace. If you want, just stack them
there ahead of time. Bring out the deck, do a false cut and/or false shuffle and go into the
routine. However, I prefer to have the spectator shuffle the deck first, as it strengthens the
impact of the production exponentially. That means you’ll have to remove the five stacked
cards before he shuffles and replace them on top of the deck.
There are a number of ways of doing this. If this is to be your first effect, you can just take these
cards out of the deck and put them in your pocket ahead of time. As a spectator shuffles the
deck, reach into your pocket and palm the cards. Take the deck back and in a squaring motion
add the palmed cards on top. This is the method I typically use when standing and using my
own deck, such as in restaurant work.
For those times when I am sitting around with some laymen friends--or magician friends for
that matter—and someone tosses me their deck of cards which has been “in play,” (and it is in
these types of situations where this routine is strongest), I get set a bit differently.
As I chat about trying to think of something to do, or making sure all the queens are in the deck
or the jokers are out of it, etc, I spread through the deck, faces toward me, and cull (page 74) the
required cards in the required order to the top of the deck. As I square the cards, I get a break
above the five cards now at the rear of the face up deck. I slide the deck back a bit, getting the
cards below the break into Gambler’s Cop (page 103) and bring the rest of the deck forward to
a high dealer’s grip. As my right hand grips the far end of the
deck and turns it over end for end, I let the cards copped in my
left hand drop into my lap (they drop in a nice, neat pile) and
immediately set the deck back into left dealers grip. As if I just
thought of something to do, I hand the deck out to be shuffled. I
quickly place the card case centered in front of me with a narrow
end facing me.
While someone is thoroughly mixing the cards, I do my minor

variation of a Doug Edwards Replacement from the book Doug 6-30
Edwards Packs a Wallop by Harry Lorayne. Both hands drop
into my lap. I grip the face down packet between my left ring
finger at the outer left corner and my right thumb at the inner
right corner (photo 6-30). I bring my hands together, right thumb
going under the left hand and right fingers above the left fingers.
This pivots the packet into a position similar to a classic palm,
except that the cards are held only by the left ring finger and
right thumb (photo 6-31).
6-31
I set my hands on the edge of the table—they are in a very

natural position, and no one suspects anything (photo 6-32).
When the deck has been shuffled, I have it replaced directly

alongside the case. This assures that it will be in the proper
position for the replacement. I then have someone else cut the
deck and complete the cut. Then I simply grasp the deck, fingers
at the outer corners and thumbs at the inner corners, which
6-32 automatically (and invisibly) places the packet on top (photo 6-
33). I square the deck briefly before taking it in left dealers grip.
OK, regardless of what method you decide to use, you’re ready

to produce the aces. Gesture with your right hand as your left
hand neckties the deck a bit and the left thumb pushes the top
two cards over slightly. Get a pinky break under them as they’re
drawn back flush. Snap your fingers and do a double lift, taking
the double in right Biddle Grip. Your right hand turns palm up
near the outer right corner of the deck (displaying an indifferent
6-33 card), as your left thumb simultaneously pushes the new top card
of the deck slightly to the right. The very tip of the outer right
corner of this card is clipped between the right pinky and ring
finger (photo 6-34).
Feign surprise at the appearance of the indifferent card and

perform Aldo Colombini’s variation of a Fred Braue Change:
turn your right hand palm down onto the deck, which
automatically pivots the card clipped between your fingers face
up to reveal an ace (photo 6-35). Meanwhile, release the lower
6-34 card of the double on top of the deck, retaining the upper card in
Biddle Grip. Move your right hand forward and let the finger-
clipped ace drop face up onto the table. Rub the face of the other
card on the ace and then slowly turn it over to reveal it has
magically turned into an ace (photo 6-36)!
Double undercut the top card of the deck to the bottom. Cut off
about a third of the deck and weave it into the remainder,
pushing it in about halfway. Do the LePaul Revelation (page 16),
6-35 causing the top card of the outer packet (the third ace) to shoot
out of the deck.
Strip out the outer packet and drop it back on top of the larger
packet. Hold the deck in left dealers grip and do a double
turnover to prove the last ace isn’t on top of the deck. Turn the
double face down and then turn the entire deck face up to show
the ace isn’t at the face of the deck, either. Execute a buckle or a
pinky pulldown so that you can get a left pinky break above the
6-36
last ace (at the rear of the face up deck). Take the deck in right
Biddle Grip, taking over the break with the right thumb.
For the ace, a startlingly visual move (Baltazar Fuentes’

Change) is used. With your right forefinger, lift up about 10-15
cards. Swing cut these cards into the left hand and transfer them
to the rear of the deck (maintaining the right thumb break above
the final ace).
6-37
Mention that the card now at the face (say, the 6S) is also
obviously not an ace, but it often thinks it’s an ace. While you
talk, swing cut off another small packet and move it to the
bottom, but outjogged about halfway (photo 6-37). Maintain
your left hand’s grip on this packet, and curl the pinky up, taking
over the break from the right thumb (photo 6-38). Your curled
left forefinger should be at the outer end of the outjogged packet
as in the same photo. (In the photo, the right hand has been
removed to expose the position of the left hand and fingers. In
actual performance, the right hand would remain over the deck 6-38
in Biddle Grip.)
Release the right hand’s grip on all the cards below the break.
Hinge the left hand sideways to a palm down position (photo 6-
39) and give it a quick shake. The injogged packet will slide
flush up to the left forefinger, so when you turn the hand palm
up, the final ace will show at the face (photo 6-40). This entire
sequence simply appears that you turned the outjogged packet
face down and gave it a shake, causing the six to magically
transform into the last ace. Thumb off the ace onto the table. As 6-39
a bonus, the card now at the face is not the 6S, which adds
greatly to the effect.
6-40
Color My World
Here is my handling of one of Arthur Buckley’s Thirty Card Problems, “Separation.” I felt the
effect was excellent, but it required quite a bit of bottom dealing under fire, as well as stealing
and adding packets into and out of bottom palm a number of times. This handling is
significantly easier, while retaining and possibly increasing the impact of the effect.
Effect: Phase One - You show a large packet of cards to be all black. Several are dealt onto the
table. When turned face up, it is seen they have changed to red cards. The remainder of the
packet is spread face up, showing only black cards.
Phase Two - The red cards are tabled face down. The black cards are gathered and turned face
down. Six more are dealt to the table next to the red cards. The remaining large packet of black
cards is tabled behind the red packet. The red packet is inserted into the center of the large
packet, which is then spread face up, showing all black cards! The six black cards are turned
face up—they have changed to red!
Phase Three - The black cards are turned face down. A spectator chooses his favorite card from
the red pile. This card is placed, face up, on top of the face down black packet, and is then cut
into the center of the packet. The other five red cards are set aside. The packet is spread
showing one face up red card near center. The spread is turned over, revealing that all the cards
have changed to red! There is not one black card anywhere to be found!
Requirements and set up: All you need is one regular deck of cards. Separate the reds and
blacks and then remove one packet of six cards from each color. You now have four packets of
cards, one with 20 blacks, one with 20 reds, one with six blacks and one with six reds. Place the
20 blacks into your right pants pocket, faces outward. The six reds, faces inward, go in the same
pocket, outside the first packet and at a right angle to it. In the
left pants pocket the remaining two packets are inserted the same
way, but each is facing away from your leg. This setup is
displayed in photo 6-41, with the cards on the table where you
can see them, as opposed to in the pockets.
Method and performance

Phase One:
Begin by reaching into your right pocket with your right hand.
6-41 Classic palm the six red cards and take the black packet into
dealers grip. Remove the hand and spread the black cards
between the hands with the faces toward the audience (the
LePaul Subtlety—page 73. Square the packet as you bring it
parallel to the floor, adding the palmed cards on top (photo 6-
42).
“Something very strange happened to me the other day. I dealt

some black cards into a pile on the table.”
6-42 Deal six cards off the top of the packet as you speak. Ribbon
Spread the rest of the packet face up as you turn to your left and
your left hand goes to the pocket, classic palming the six black
cards.
“I know they were black, because that was all I had. But when I
turned the cards I had dealt over… well, just take a look!”
Turn the red cards face up one at a time as your left hand comes
out of the pocket. Pause a moment to allow the change to register
with the audience. Then turn the reds face down with your right
hand and put them into left hand dealers grip, hiding the palmed 6-43
cards as in photo 6-43.
Phase Two:
Ask a spectator to check the spread of black cards to make sure
no reds are hidden among them. As he does this, do the Hellis
Switch (page 56).
Reach forward to scoop up the spread on the table with your left
hand. As you do, rest your right hand on the table and deposit the
six black cards (which the audience assumes to be red) near the
center of the performing area, keeping the red packet classic 6-44
palmed (photo 6-44). Square the black packet with both hands,
adding the palmed red cards to the top.
“I thought this was very odd, and that perhaps I had some red
cards at the beginning, so I decided to try an experiment. I set
the red cards aside and dealt a few more black cards.”
Deal six cards about two inches to the right of the packet on the
table. Set the packet in the hands behind the packet on the left
(photo 6-45). At this point, you have three packets on the table.
The one closest to you is all black. In front of it is a six-card
6-45
packet which is black, but the audience believes is red. To the
left of that are six red cards that the audience thinks are black.
“I placed the red cards in the middle of the black cards.”
With your right hand, lift about half of the large black packet.
Pick up the six supposedly red cards with your left hand and
drop them on the tabled half of the black packet (photo 6-46)
and then drop the cards in your right hand on top of all. “
But look what happened!”

6-46
Ribbon spread the packet with your right hand as your left hand
goes to the pocket and classic palms the twenty red cards. Do a spread turnover to show all
blacks as your left hand comes out of the pocket. Ask a spectator to turn the remaining cards
face up one at a time to reveal the six red cards. While he does, scoop up the blacks with your
right hand and place them face down into left hand dealers grip, hiding the palmed packet.
Phase Three:
Ask the spectator to remove his favorite red card from the pile. This gives you time and
misdirection to do the Hellis Switch again with the large packets. As you reach forward to take
the face up red cards with the left hand, your right hand deposits the packet of twenty reds face
down on the table, just like you did in phase two (photo 6-44).
Ask the spectator to place his red card face up on top of the tabled packet. While he does this,
slide the other five face up red cards to the left on the table. Ask him to cut the packet as close
to the center as he can, and then to complete the cut. Mime doing this with your left hand,
showing him what you mean. As he carries out these actions, casually place both hands into
your pockets, releasing the cards in the right hand. Remove the hands as he finishes, and gesture
with both hands, casually showing them empty as you ask him if he knows what just happened.
Regardless of his answer, ribbon spread the packet and say that, obviously, he cut one face up
card into the middle of the packet.
“But this had an effect on the rest of the cards.”
Do a spread turnover to reveal that every single card is now red, for a mind-blowing finish!
Great Eight
Here is my handling of an old effect whose creator, as far as I can tell, has been lost in the mists
of time. My handling is significantly different, and, if I may be so bold, more convincing than
others I have seen. My friend Aldo Colombini liked this routine so much that he published it in
his column, “As Always, Aldo” in The Linking Ring.
Effect: “I’d like to show you the world-famous ‘Eight Card Trick!’” you say as you introduce a
packet of cards.
You count them to show there are eight and then divide them into two packets of four cards
each. Setting one packet aside, you show that all four cards of the remaining packet are
duplicates (for example, they’re all 8S’s). This packet is tabled and the other four cards are
turned up to show four duplicate 2C’s. These are dropped onto the 8S packet.
“Of course, if you add eight and two, you get ten!” you say.
You count all the cards, and sure enough, there are ten.
“But I said I’d show you the world-famous ‘Eight card trick!’ Let’s get rid of two of these
cards.”
You remove one 8S and one 2C, which you place face up on the table. You count the
remainder, proving there are eight cards once again. You then deal these cards face up, one at a
time, to reveal they are the ace through eight of hearts—in order!
Requirements and preparation: You will need the following ten cards, set up in the following
order from the top of the face down packet: 3H, 2H, AH, 4H, 2C, 7H, 6H, 5H, 8H, 8S. You
could have these set up on top of a deck and remove them for this trick, but I feel that this
would seem strange and somewhat suspect when you show all the duplicates. I think in this case
you are better served to simply remove the squared packet from a wallet or envelope as you
begin to talk about performing the famous eight card trick. It makes sense that you would have
the eight cards already set aside, especially when you show the two sets of duplicates.
Method and performance: Bring the face down packet into play as you explain you’re going
to show them the eight card trick. Hold the cards in left hand dealers grip, and casually spread
them by pushing over a large block from the top and the bottom few cards singly. Sight three
cards from the bottom and get a pinky break above them as you square the packet. False count
the ten cards as eight by taking them singly into the right hand, each card going below the one
before, and taking the last three as one. Square the packet.
“These cards are special,” you say. “I’ll show you what I mean.”
Spread the top five to the right. Take the top four, keeping them spread, in the right hand as the
left squares up its cards, getting a pinky break under the top one. The right hand squares its four
cards against the left thumb on top of the packet, stealing the card above the break. Set this
packet face down on the table as the left pinky gets a break above the bottom two cards of its
packet. (Use a double buckle or pinky pull-down.)
Count the cards in the left hand as four by taking the first three singly (each card going
underneath the previous one) and the last two as one. Turn the packet face up. Show each is an
8S via the Rumba Count (a brief explanation of which can be found in the notes).
As each of the first three cards is removed, table it face down.

On the fourth count, you’ll be holding a face up double in the left
hand. Take the double at the fingertips of the palm down right
hand, turn it face down and slide it under the first three cards,
using your left hand to keep the packet square as you do this
(photo 6-47) .
The packet you’ve just dealt onto the table consists of five cards,
6-47 in this order from the top to the face—5H, 6H, 7H, 8H, and 8S.
The audience believes this packet to be four duplicates of the 8S.
Pick up the other packet and place it face up into left dealers
grip. Execute the Rumba Count to show four 2C’s, dealing the
first three cards into a pile on the table, and the last two, as one,
on top. This packet will run, from top to face, 4H, 2C, AH, 2H
and 3H.
Remove the top card and use it to scoop up the packet (photo 6-
48), which you drop onto the other packet.
6-48 “Four eights and four twos…If you add eight and two, you
always get ten!”
Pick up the combined packet by pulling off the top card and using it to scoop up the rest (again,
refer to 6-48). Set the packet in your left hand and deal the cards, one at a time, into a face
down pile on the table, counting ten cards in the process. This reverses the order and puts the
2C and 8S on top.
Say, “But I said I’d show you the eight card trick, so let’s get rid of two cards.”
Remove the top two cards, setting them aside face up. Pick up
the remainder and deal them face down, reversing the order as
you count them.
“Now I can show you the world-famous eight card trick!” Deal
the cards face up in an overlapping row from right to left as you
count from one to eight. The ace thru eight of hearts will fall in
perfect order as you count for an astonishing finish (photo 6-49)!
6-49
Notes: The Rumba Count is the brainchild of Jean-Pierre
Vallarino. This excellent count should be in the repertoire of

every serious close up magician. Accomplishing the same thing
as Bro. Hamman’s Flushtration Count (apparently showing a
packet as duplicates of the same card), it is, in my opinion a
superior move and more convincing.
You are holding a packet of cards face up in left dealers grip.

Your right hand grips the packet at the center of the right long
edge, thumb below and fingers on top. See photo 6-50. Photo 6-50
Lift the packet with your right hand, which turns palm up
(rotating the packet face down) simultaneously squeezing the
edge of the packet such that the thumb pulls the top card slightly
to the right and the fingertips push the remainder of the packet in
a block slightly to the left. The end result is depicted in photo 6-
51.
Place the left edge of the block at the base of the left fingers as
displayed in photo 6-52. Move your right hand up and to the Photo 6-51
left, holding onto the top card and pivoting the block to the left.
Photo 6-53 should make this clear.
Allow the block to fall face up onto the left palm and move the
right hand away with the former top card (photo 6-54), which it
drops face down onto the table. The right hand returns to the
packet as at the beginning, photo 6-55, and the whole process is
repeated until you have shown the requisite number of duplicate
cards.
Photo 6-52
Photo 6-53 Photo 6-54 Photo 6-55

Chapter Seven:
Predictable Plots
In this chapter you’ll find card tricks that seem to prove that you have the ability to
predict future events!
Back to the Future

Here is a card effect that anyone with the manual dexterity to deal cards can do. Upon reading
it, you may think it is too simple or that the spectators will be able to reconstruct it. Let me
assure you that this is not the case! Give it one trial in front of a lay-audience and you too will
be convinced. I hesitate to claim originality for this, but I have not seen it in the literature.
Effect: “ I had a premonition earlier today, and I wrote down a couple of the key points to see
if it was accurate.”
You produce a folded piece of paper and set it on the table. Next, you introduce a deck, remove
the jokers and shuffle it a few times. As you begin to deal cards off the top into a pile, you
continue speaking to the audience.
“Often, people attribute to magicians the skill of professional gamblers. They see me deal like
this and think that I could possibly be dealing the second card or the bottom card, while making
it appear that I’m dealing the top card. There’s only one way to absolutely convince you that
I’m dealing fairly.”
You pick up the dealt pile, replace it atop the deck, and turn the deck face up.
“If I deal with the cards face up, you can see that the top card is the one I actually deal.”
You ask Jacob to give you a number between ten and twenty (assume he said 14) and then
fairly deal that many cards into a pile. Explain that, to arrive at a card, you will add the digits of
his number and stop at that card in the pile. In our example, you then remove five cards from
the pile and remove the card remaining on top of the pile, setting it aside. You repeat this
process with Daniel, LeAnna and Melissa. The four “selections” are left in a row and the deck
set aside.
You open your prediction and read, “Four people will select cards!”
“Amazing!” you say.
Noticing the audience is unimpressed, you point out that there is another prediction. Unfolding
the prediction, you read, “None of the chosen cards will be jokers!”
Still, the crowd is underwhelmed.
“Wow, tough audience! That’s alright, I have one more prediction.”
Unfolding the paper a final time, you read, “The four chosen cards will be different!”
You look up at the audience expectantly, only to be crestfallen at their sneers and contempt. “I
don’t understand it!” you say. “I think that’s amazing—the four chosen cards are different!”
You turn the four selections face down. Each has a different back. You ribbon spread the deck
to reveal all the other cards are the same. Everything may be examined—there is nothing to
find.
Requirements and preparation: Get a deck of cards with two jokers. I’ll assume you’re using
a blue Bicycle deck. Now get four indifferent cards with different backs. You could use red
bicycles, but four truly DIFFERENT backs will play more strongly. You could buy a Rainbow
deck from your dealer, or just go to your local drugstore or department store and get four decks
with different backs (Coca-Cola, Fritos, Budweiser, puppies, flowers, etc.). I’ll refer to these as
the “stranger” cards. For explanation purposes, let’s say your four stranger cards are the 5C, 7H,
4D and 9S. Do NOT use aces or face cards, for reasons that will become obvious as you go
through the trick. Remove these same cards from your blue deck and put them away—they are
not used for this effect. Place the stranger cards on the face of the deck. Remove eight cards
from the back of the deck and place them on the face of the strangers. Case the deck.
Go get a piece of paper and a ballpoint pen. I’ll wait…
Back so soon? Ok. On the paper, write, “The four chosen cards will be different!” Write in
large letters, covering the page. Fold the page in half along its width, with the writing going
inside the fold. On the half sheet facing you now, write, “None of the chosen cards will be
jokers!” Fold the page in half again, this time along the length. On the quarter page now facing
you write, “Four people will select cards!” Fold the page a final time, widthwise. (Make sure
that the writing goes on the INSIDE each time you fold.) On each outside surface of the folded
packet write, “My Premonition.” Put this in your pocket, and you’re ready to perform.
Method and performance: Bring out the paper, patter about your premonition, and set it on
the table. Bring out the deck. Remove it, face up, from the case and spread through it so you can
remove the jokers. Be careful not to expose the stranger backs to the audience. Set the jokers
aside, square the deck and turn it face down. Give it a couple of jog shuffles as follows.
Undercut about 2/3 of the deck with your right hand. Begin to overhand shuffle these cards on
top of the deck until your right hand holds about 1/3 of the deck (careful not to shuffle enough
to expose a stranger card!). Injog the next card and drop the remainder on top. Pull down on the
jogged card with the right thumb as you square the deck, getting a break above it, and
immediately undercut all the cards below the break. Fairly shuffle these on top of the deck. Do
a false cut if you like.
Begin dealing cards off the top of the face down deck as you talk about spectators being
suspicious of your dealing (as in the effect description above). Replace these cards on top of the
deck and turn the deck face up. Ask Jacob to give you a number between ten and twenty. In our
example, he chose 14. Fairly deal 14 cards from the face of the deck into a face up pile on the
table. Explain that you’ll add the two digits together and then remove that many cards from the
pile to arrive at a card. One at a time, remove five cards, replacing them on the face of the deck.
Set the card now atop the pile (the first stranger card) on the table and then pick up the rest of
the packet and drop it on the face of the deck. Repeat this procedure with Daniel, LeAnna and
Melissa. When all four cards have been chosen and are in a face up row on the table, set the
deck face up to the side.
Pick up the folded paper as you remind the audience of your premonition, and explain that it is
time to see how accurate it was. Unfold it once and read the first prediction. After the groans,
laughs, etc., unfold it again and read the second prediction. Finally, unfold it and read the last
prediction. Act genuinely surprised that no one is impressed. Say that you think that is pretty
amazing as you turn over the four selections and then ribbon spread the deck face down across
the table to end.
Note: I explained this using the “9” force so that anyone could do it. It is a bit time consuming,
though. A quicker, albeit slightly more difficult method that I typically use is Harry Lorayne’s
Halo Cut (from his book Rim Shots and the first volume of his video series produced by L&L
Publishing). If you know this move, simply have the force cards on the face of the deck. Riffle
down the outer left corner with your left thumb, asking the first spectator to stop you
somewhere in the body of the deck. When he does, do the Halo Cut and turn the packet face up,
exposing the force card on the face. Thumb this off, face up, onto the table. Replace the packet
on top and repeat with the remaining three “selections.”
Wake Me at Ten
On his video, Intimate Impossibilities, Randy Wakeman has a prediction effect that I like. A
chosen card is shown to be the seven of diamonds, after which the prediction is revealed to
match. Then the prediction is shown to actually be seven duplicates of the seven of diamonds
on both sides, the cards unfolding like a wallet photograph holder. As I said, I liked the trick,
but somehow it just didn’t suit me. I thought it would be better to show the prediction as an ace
and then let the accordion drop to show seven of them, making the prediction correct (a la the
long card). Then I thought it might be cool to do this for two selections. The following is the
result.
Effect: Otis and Fred each select a card. You say that you have a prediction and pull a card
from your pocket. Unfortunately, this card matches neither of the selections. But just when
everyone thinks you really messed up, you show that you accurately predicted both selections!
Requirements and preparation: Besides a deck with a joker, you will need ten blank-backed
duplicates of the ace of clubs (or ten blank faced cards, each with an AC glued on its back). In
addition, you’ll require a sharpie marker and some clear contact paper. Got all that? Good, then
let’s make the prediction gimmick.
On eight of the blanks, write “The Joker,” putting only one letter on each card (in other words,
don’t write “The Joker” eight times; write “T” on the 1st card, “H” on the 2nd, “E” on the 3rd,
etc.). Also, put an exclamation point on one blank. When you’re
done, line these cards up vertically (short end against short end).
Leave about 1/16” gap between the cards. Cut a piece of contact
paper that will cover all the cards with about a 1/2” extra around
all four sides. Peel off the backing and adhere the cards to the
contact paper as evenly and in as straight a line as you can.
Obviously, you should do this with the letter cards facing you, so
that you can put them in the correct order. Start with the “T” at
the top, followed by the “H” and “E”, the blank, the rest of the
letters spelling “JOKER” and the exclamation point at the 7-1
bottom. Cut another piece of the contact paper the same size as
the first, and place it on top of the cards, sealing them between
the two layers. Trim the edges to about 1/32” and accordion-fold
the cards so an ace shows. Photos 7-1 and 7-2 show the
gimmicked extended and accordion folded, respectively.
Put the folded gimmick in your breast pocket and get the deck.
Put the 10C on top of the face down deck and the joker on top of
the 10C. You are ready to perform this effect.
7-2
Method and performance: Give the deck a jog shuffle, by
cutting off the top half, injogging the first card, running one card and then shuffling off. Pick up
a break above the jogged card as you square the deck.
Do a riffle force (see notes), apparently cutting where you are stopped, and give Otis the top
card of the lower packet and Fred the bottom card of the upper
packet (the force cards: Otis-joker; Fred-10C).
As they display their “chosen” cards to their friends, table the

deck, and mention the prediction in your pocket. Ask each of
them to place his card on the table and cover it with one hand.
Remove the gimmick from your pocket, keeping it covered with

7-3 your right hand. Set it in your left hand in gamblers cop position,
and pivot the top card up to display the ace of clubs as in photo
7-3. (Done in this manner, the rest of the packet is hidden. If you
were to hold up the entire packet, its thickness would be
obvious.)
Look at Otis as the ace is revealed and say, “How about that,
Otis? Pretty amazing, huh? I predicted what card you would
take!”
7-4 Otis will be quick to point out that your prediction is inaccurate.
Ask him to turn over his card. When he does, pause a moment
and then, acting as if you just thought of it, remark that you’re
right—the joker is wild! Mention that it must be Fred’s card that
matches. Ask Fred to turn over his card, and act surprised that it
is the 10 of clubs.
Say, “I was only off by nine clubs!” Then grip the top of the
exposed ace of clubs with the right fingertips, and let your left
hand fall to your side. The rest of the packet will drop, revealing
7-5 nine more aces of clubs as in photo 7-4. You will get a strong
reaction here.
“I don’t believe it! What are the odds that Otis would pick a joker? I just can’t believe...that I
got them BOTH right!”
Turn the prediction around to reveal “THE JOKER” (photo 7-5 )on the other side. Much
laughter and applause will follow.
Notes: This effect also lends itself well to parlor/platform shows. Make the gaff with jumbo
cards, and use a poker deck with jumbo indices for visibility. Have the gaff on the table with a
silk in front of it, hiding the accordion-folded cards when you lift the top card to vertical. Just
lift it up and sideways off the table to let the other nine cards fall, and proceed as above.
The Riffle Force is one of the easiest and most versatile forces in
card magic. Start by having the force card (or cards) at the center
of the deck (which is held in left dealers grip) with a left pinky
break above it—photo 7-6.
Tell the participant that you want him to stop you somewhere in
the deck as you riffle through it. Riffle down the outer left corner
with your left thumb, stopping where told and maintaining a fairly
wide break as depicted in photo 7-7. Photo 7-6
Bring your right hand over the deck in Biddle Grip, all four
fingers coming down over the far end as in photo 7-8.
As soon as the end of the deck is shielded from the audience’s

view by your fingers, release the left thumb’s break and
immediately pick up all the cards above the pinky break (photo 7-
9).
Done smoothly and confidently, this will fly by anyone—even a Photo 7-7
lot of magicians. It appears that you simply lifted all the cards
above the thumb break.
Photo 7-8 Photo 7-9

A Strong Impression
As you are aware by now, I am a huge fan of Larry Jennings. In Larry Jennings’ The
Cardwright, there is a powerful effect called “First Impressions,” where the performer predicts
a spectator’s mentally selected card. Larry’s method uses the Curry Turnover, (a move that
switches a card with the hand that is holding the deck). I am not comfortable doing the Curry
Turnover unless my other hand is busy doing something else (for example, turning over another
card), because it doesn’t seem natural to me. While I am in no way saying that the following
method is better, it is more comfortable for me.
Requirements and preparation: In addition to a normal, complete deck, you need a matching
double backer (d/b). Either start with the d/b backer on top of the deck or in a pocket where you
can quickly, easily and casually obtain palm it and add it to the top of the deck when you are
ready to perform this trick.
Method and performance: As you talk with Arlene about intuition and receiving impressions,
casually cut the deck once or twice. Tell Arlene to think of any card in the deck, but not to say it
out loud yet. Spread through the deck, faces toward yourself and out of her line of vision.
Glimpse the top card and remember it (say, the 6C) as you look for the QH. When you come to
the QH, upjog it, close the spread and strip it out as you turn the rest of the deck face down.
Start to put the QH face down on the table and then hesitate as if you are unsure. Replace it on
top of the deck.
“You don’t strike me as the kind of person who would try to ‘throw me a curve,’ but I think I’m
going to go with a different card.”
Turn the deck facing you again and spread it between your hands. Upjog any card near the
center, pause and then push the card back flush into the spread. Upjog the d/b and close the
spread. Strip out the d/b and table it as your left hand turns the deck face down. Bring the right
hand over the deck to square it and get a left pinky break under the top two cards.
Apologize for your uncertainty in making a decision, and ask Arlene to divulge her mentally
selected card. If she happens to name the QH (and you’d be surprised at how often women
name the QH!), you are all set. Say, “I’m glad I changed my mind. The first card I removed was
the six of clubs.” Do a double turnover to show the 6C. Turn the double down and pull off the
top card (QH) as you ask if she thought of the six first and then changed her mind to the queen.
Do the Mexican Turnover (explained below), using the card in your hand to apparently turn
the card on the table face up, revealing the QH.
During the reaction, replace the d/b on the deck and double turnover to show the 6C. Remark
that you are glad that, in this case, you didn’t stick with your first impression. Cleanly remove
the face up 6C and drop it on the table next to the QH—thanks to the d/b, a back still shows on
the deck, and everything appears as it should. Bring the right hand back to take the deck into
Biddle Grip, palming the d/b in the process. Ditch the d/b under cover of going for the card
case, a marker, etc.
Ok, that’s the ideal scenario. But what if Arlene names another card, like the 7D? Proceed as
follows: Turn the deck facing you again. Spread through the deck, culling the 7D to the rear as
you look for any red 6, 7 or 8 near the middle of the deck (lower the spread into view as the 7D
is being culled). Assume you spot the 6H. Outjog it as you say, “Remember the card that I
pulled up and then pushed back down again? That was the 6H. It’s the right color and the
number’s only off by one, but I knew it wasn’t quite right.”
Leave the deck widely spread as you talk so that Arlene can clearly observe that the 7D is
nowhere to be seen. Push the 6H flush and turn the deck face down. Square up, getting a break
under the top two cards.
Do a double turnover as you say, “My first impulse was the QH,
but then I thought you might have thought that was too obvious.”
Turn the double face down and pull off the top card as you ask,
“Did you happen to think of the queen first and then change your
mind?” Regardless of her answer, say that a lot of women think
of the QH. Perform the Mexican Turnover and then replace the
d/b and double turnover as explained above to apparently show
that your prediction was correct. Drop the QH face up next to the 7-10
7D and palm off the d/b as above to end.
The Mexican Turnover: In the context of this routine, you are

switching the named selection, which is actually the card your
right hand holds, for the d/b on the table, to apparently show that
the tabled card is the selection.
The short end of the d/b is parallel with the edge of the table.
You should be holding the selection face down at the inner right
corner, thumb on top and forefinger below. The left hand (which 7-11
is holding the deck) moves to the d/b and the back of the left
middle finger pins the inner left corner to the table. This causes
the right side of the d/b to rise slightly, such that the left edge of
the selection (in the right hand) can easily slide under it without
fumbling (photo 7-10). The right hand never stops moving to the
left, and as soon as the cards are flush, the left hand moves out of
the way. Meanwhile, the right thumb pulls the top card about an
inch to the right (as the hand is still moving to the left—photo 7-
11). The middle and forefinger extend as the hand moves 7-12
upward, causing the right edge of the selection to rise, the
selection’s left edge remaining in contact with the table (photo
7-12). Continue moving the hand to the left until the selection
flips face up onto the table—you are now holding the d/b in the
same position you were holding the selection at the beginning of
the move (photo 7-13).
It appears that the card on the table was simply turned over,
revealing the selection.
7-13
For Real Prediction

In The Last Word on Cards, Rufus Steele included a Dai Vernon trick called “Real
Prediction.” At the risk of sounding like an apostate, I thought the trick was good, but had a
couple of weak points. First, you had to deal the cards face up and then turn them face down.
Second, you used the top card of the deck for an “indicator.” The problem here is that you have
looked at the cards when you removed your prediction, and thinking spectators may feel that
the top card is part of the method (and they’d be right!).
I hesitate to say that I have “improved” upon the Professor, but this routine has some nice
features. First, all the cards stay face down until the denouement. Second, the cards for the first
packet are riffled, not dealt, saving considerable time. Third, the spectator apparently has a free
choice of the indicator card, making the method considerably more difficult to backtrack. (All
of this will become clear in the explanation.)
To put it into perspective, I did “Real Prediction” for an intelligent layman, and he objected to
using the top card as the indicator. A few days later, I did “For Real Prediction” for the same
person. His response? “That’s a great trick!”
Effect: A spectator shuffles a deck thoroughly. You take the deck, and remove a card as a
prediction, which is set face down on the table. Next, you riffle down the side of the deck until
the spectator says to stop. You take all the cards above the point where he stopped you and table
them. Finally, you riffle down the remaining cards until he stops you. The card at this point is
shown; say the 4H. This is the “indicator card.” The spectator deals to the fourth card in the
first packet and turns it over. He then turns up your prediction card. The two cards are perfect
mates!
Method & performance: You can do this effect with a borrowed deck, but it should be a full
one. Have a spectator shuffle the cards as much as he wants to. Take the deck, commenting that
you will remove one card as your prediction.
Spread through the pack with the faces toward you and out of the line of vision of the audience.
Note the value of the face card (for example, a four). This card should be a spot card between a
three and a ten. If not, simply cut the cards until an appropriate card is at the face. Continue
spreading, and note the card that falls at the respective position from the top of the deck (in our
example, the 4th card). Assume this card is the 8D. Remove the mate of this card, the 8H, and
table it face down as your prediction.
Turn the deck face down and hold it in right hand Biddle Grip.
Bevel the cards widely to the right as in photo 7-14. Riffle down
the left side of the deck with the left thumb, asking the spectator
to tell you when to stop. At that point, the right hand takes all the
cards above the break and places this packet face down on the
table.
Remark, “We’ll use these cards. But first, we need an indicator

7-14 card from the remaining cards.”
As you speak, bring your right hand over the remaining packet in
Biddle Grip. Perform Sid Lorraine’s Bottom Slip Force as
follows. As you deliver the above patter line, the left fingers
slide the bottom card of the packet (which is still beveled) to the
right until it is almost even with the top card (photo 7-15,
bottom view).
Once in this position, ask the spectator to stop you again

somewhere in the middle of the remaining cards. Riffle down the 7-15
side with your left thumb. When you are stopped, remove all the
cards between the break and the bottom, side-jogged card with
your left hand (photo 7-16, exposed).
Set these cards aside. Your left hand now grasps the cards in the
right hand by the left side and turns them face up, squaring them
in the process. This will show the original face card of the deck
(in this case, a four). Comment that this four is the indicator card,
and ask your helper to deal down four cards in the first packet.
After he does, ask him to turn the 4th card face up, revealing the 7-16
8D. Remind him that he shuffled the deck, he decided the size of
the packet you would use, and he chose the indicator card. Then remind him of your prediction
and ask him to turn it over. He does, to find the 8H, proving your prediction was correct! Trust
me, this is a real stunner!
Notes: Occasionally, you will find the prediction card (8H in the above example) is located in
the few cards above its mate (8D). When that happens, here is what to do. Remove the 8D and
then hesitate for a moment. Say, ”No, I think I’ll use this other card instead.” Replace the 8D
one card closer to the face than it was and then remove the 8H and table it. The 8D will now be
in the correct position.
Chapter Eight:
Mental Institutions
The tricks in this last chapter show your apparent ability to read the spectators’
minds. This genre may well be the strongest in all of magic. Treat these tricks with
respect and learn them well before presenting them. You will be well rewarded for
your efforts!
Even Odds at 3 to 1
Routines with multiple outs are a lot of fun, but not too many card magicians perform them,
perhaps assuming they are best suited for mentalists. One such routine that I have never seen
anyone perform can be found in Frank Garcia’s Exclusive Card Miracles. It has two possible
scenarios, with two different endings to match. I liked the concept of this routine, but was
uncomfortable with what I felt was an anti-climatic ending if the second scenario occurred.
Also, in Garcia’s handling, you didn’t know which scenario you were in until the spectator
turned over his selected card, at which point you carried out the necessary actions to reach the
respective ending. I have modified the effect such that you know what the card is before the
spectator turns it over, and the second of the possible climaxes is significantly stronger.
Effect: You remove the aces from a deck and deal them in a face up row on the table. Jim
mentally selects one, giving you no indication of which it is. He may change his mind as many
times as he likes. When he’s made his final decision, he scoops up the aces, turns them face
down, and mixes them thoroughly so that even he has no idea of their order. He then deals them
in a face down row on the table. You instruct him to put his finger on any of the aces and give
him an opportunity to change his mind. The other three cards are
removed. He turns over the card he’s been touching to find his
mentally selected ace!
Requirements and preparation: Get a Bicycle Rider-Back

deck with a joker, and a colored Sharpie marker to match (red or
blue). Remove the aces from the deck. At the center of the short
ends of the cards you will find the intricate heart-shaped pattern
seen here. Mark the aces as follows.
8-1
AD: Fill in the diamond shape near the inner point of the heart
(photo 8-1).
AH: Fill in the two “swooshes” on the left inside the heart
(photo 8-2).
AS: Fill in the swooshes on the right (photo 8-3).
Leave the AC unmarked.

8-2
Disperse the aces through the deck, or set them up for your
favorite ace production.
Method and performance: The above description of the effect

is the first, and ideal, scenario. Believe it or not, there is only a
one in four chance that you will fail.
In the original, if you were successful, Garcia now showed that

the other aces had turned to indifferent cards, which I feel is anti-
8-3 climatic. (So, if Jim chose his card, I stop right there; it’s a minor
miracle!) But if he didn’t choose his card, Garcia would then turn over the remaining three
cards, showing they were indifferent and he couldn’t have selected his card. Garcia reasoned
that, “If it is not the thought-of ace, the kicker rectifies the mistake.” I disagree. So I have
worked out the following.
Produce or remove the aces from the deck and set them in a row, face up on the table. Cut the
joker to the top of the face down deck after the aces are removed and hold the deck face down
in left dealers grip. Instruct Jim to mentally select any ace, but to be sure not to give you any
inkling of which it is. Tell him he may change his mind as often as he wishes until he makes his
final decision. Once he’s decided, tell him to pick up the aces, turn them face down, and mix
them thoroughly so that neither he nor you can know their order. That accomplished, ask him to
deal the aces in a row, face down on the table. Meanwhile, get a left pinky break under the top
card of the deck (joker). Tell Jim to put his finger on one of the cards. Again, he may change his
mind if he wishes. Ask him to tell you when he is committed to a card.
Here is where the marks come into play. You already know which ace his finger is on, and you
know the positions of the remaining three aces. Ask Jim to name his mentally selected ace.
Assume he said the AC, and that is the card on which his finger is resting. Iterate what has
taken place: he mentally selected an ace, mixed the four cards thoroughly, dealt them face down
and put his finger on one, and you gave him the opportunity to change his mind each time he
made a choice. Ask him to turn over the card he is touching, revealing it is, indeed, his
selection. End of first, ideal, scenario.
On the other hand, let’s assume Jim’s finger is on the AC, but when asked which card he
mentally selected, he names the AH. In this case, as you review what has taken place, you pick
up the remaining aces in Biddle Grip with your right hand,
making sure the AH goes on top. Tell Jim to turn over the card
he’s touching. Simultaneously, bring the ace packet over the
deck to “square” it. Actually, your right thumb takes over the left
pinky break the moment the packet is flush with the deck. Bring
your left thumb across the back of the packet and move your
right hand to the right, taking the bottom two aces and the joker
as the left thumb retains the AH on top of the deck as in photo 8-
4 (catch a heel break under this card). All of this is done in one
motion as you tell Jim to turn over his card and he complies. 8-4
Table the three cards in the right hand. Explain that he really didn’t have a chance to touch his
chosen card, because while the AC, AS and AD were available (point to the AC and then turn
over the first two cards from the packet), the AH never was! Turn over the fourth card to reveal
the joker. Explain that it’s quite strange that he chose the AH, because it was never even in the
deck! “That’s my lucky card, and I always keep it in my pocket!”
Perform the Malone False Pocket Removal (page 19) producing the chosen ace from the pocket.
Toss it face up on the table and ribbon spread the deck to be examined should Jim choose to do
so.
Two for Free

Gene Finnell’s Free Cut Principle is a devastating weapon. It is used in this routine to
apparently locate two selected cards. Because it is used here in a somewhat unusual way, even
magicians familiar with the principle will find it difficult to backtrack and figure out the
method. Laymen will be absolutely clueless!
Effect: You cut a deck in half and give one half to Reggie, asking him to mix the cards. You
swap packets and ask him to mix the second packet as well. While he does, Veronica selects a
card from the first packet. This card is lost in the packet. You cut off a small portion of this
packet, asking Reggie to do the same with the packet he holds. He looks at and memorizes the
card at the face of the cut-off portion. He then replaces this portion on the packet you hold, and
you replace the portion you cut onto his packet. Finally, he places his packet on top of yours,
reassembling the entire deck. You shuffle the deck thoroughly and allow both Reggie and
Veronica to cut the deck as often as they wish. You spread through the cards so that they can
verify that the two selections are widely separated and not on the top or bottom of the deck.
You table the deck and cut off about half, explaining that you sense that one of the selections is
somewhere in this half. You remove one card, and set the packet next to the packet on the table.
You turn the card over to reveal, for example, the four of hearts. It is neither of the selected
cards. Remarking that you felt drawn to this card for some reason, you ask Reggie and Veronica
to each pick up a packet, and to deal down to the fourth card, setting it aside. When these cards
are turned face up, they are seen to be the selections!
Preparation: Put a known card (say, the AS) 26th from the top of the face down deck.
Method and performance: Spread the deck face up between your hands from left to right,
showing that the cards are all different and in no particular order. Casually separate the spread
such that the AS is the face card of the packet in your left hand. Give Reggie the packet in your
right hand, and ask him to mix the cards thoroughly. When he is done, switch packets, asking
him to shuffle the second packet as well. While he does this,
ascertain the identity of the top card of the packet you are
holding by means of the Bubble Peek. (Holding the deck in left
dealers grip, turn your hand so the deck is vertical. Keeping the
left fingers pressed against the right side of the top card, push the
upper left corner of the top card slightly to the right with your
left thumb. This causes the upper right corner to “bubble,” or lift
slightly off the deck so that you can glimpse the index of the card
as in photo 8-5.) Remember this card. For purposes of this
8-5 explanation, we’ll say it is the QH.
Force the QH on Veronica. I typically use the Swivel Slip Force or Classic Force, but any force
will do—even the Cut Deeper Force or the Crosscut Force.
Cut off about half of the packet and have Veronica replace her card on the lower half. Overhand
shuffle the rest of the packet on top of the selection by running five cards singly, then injogging
one and then shuffling off the rest. As you square, get a break under the jogged card, and
overhand shuffle to the jog. The QH is now 6th from the top of this packet.
Do a false cut or two and then spread the cards between your hands as you comment that
Veronica’s card is somewhere in this packet, but you don’t know where. Sight the top six cards
of the spread and get a break under them as you square the packet. Explain that the card should
be somewhere in the body of the packet and not too near the top or bottom. As you say this,
spread over the top three cards, lift them in a fan and show them to Veronica. Replace them and
then tilt the packet so the bottom card faces her. Spread over the two bottom cards so that she
can see the three cards at the bottom. She will verify that none of these were her selection.
Turn your attention to Reggie. Explain that you want him to cut a small portion off the top of
his packet. Demonstrate with your packet by lifting all the cards above the break with your right
hand. When Reggie complies, ask him to look at and memorize the card at the face of the cut-
off portion.
Ask him to replace his cut-off portion onto the cards in your left hand and then place the cards
in your right hand on top of the packet Reggie still holds. Extend your left hand toward Reggie
and ask him to put his packet on top of yours, reassembling the deck.
Square up, glimpsing the bottom card of the deck, and remember this card, say the 3S. Do a
Charlier Shuffle (page 113). Table the deck and ask Veronica to cut the cards. Complete the cut
and ask Reggie to cut the cards. Complete his cut. Repeat this as many times as they wish.
Pick up the deck and review the facts that the deck was shuffled several times by both you and
Reggie, and cut several times by both Veronica and Reggie. Spread the deck face up between
your hands, commenting that after all this mixing, it is highly unlikely that the cards are
together or at the top or bottom of the deck. Visually find the 3S and get a break above it as you
close the spread. Turn the deck face down and double undercut to the break before tabling the
deck.
Reach over and cut off half the deck. This cut need not be perfect, just cut as close to half as
you can. Remark that at least one of the cards should be in the top half of the deck as you make
the cut. Spread the packet between your hands, with the faces toward you and out of sight of the
audience. As you spread, begin counting the cards from the face (I count by twos) until you
arrive at the QH, which, you’ll remember, is Veronica’s card. Subtract this number from 27.
Assume the QH was the 20th card from the face. So 27 minus 20 equals 7. If necessary, cut the
packet such that the QH is 7th from the rear (in other words, seventh from the top of the deck
when it is turned face down in a moment).
Remove any seven-spot from the spread. Set this card face down on the table. Square the packet
and place it on Veronica’s side of the packet already on the table. Pick up the seven-spot and
state that you sensed a strong connection with this card. Turn it face up and ask if either of them
chose it. They will reply that they did not. Remark that you must have been drawn to this card
for some reason.
Ask them each to deal down to the 7th card in the packet nearest them and to set that 7th card
aside face down. When they do, scoop up the rest of the cards and place them aside. Ask them
each to tell everyone what card they selected. Have them turn over the face down cards that had
been 7th in each packet. They will be surprised to find that they each hold their selection!
Notes: The Free-Cut Principle works like this. By switching the cut-off packets at the
beginning (when you cut off six cards with Veronica’s selection at the face) and having Reggie
place his packet on top of yours, the two selections are automatically placed 26 cards apart.
When you cut off about half the deck and count to the key card (first selection) from the face
and then subtract that number from 27, the second selection will always be at the resulting
number in the other packet. Because you forced this key card on the first spectator and then
arranged it to be in the same relative position in its packet, both cards are always at the same
position. This is the part of the trick that will throw magicians familiar with the principle off the
scent.
Occasionally, you won’t find the value of card that matches the result after the subtraction (in
the above example, a seven) in the top half of the deck. This is rare, as it means all four mates
are in the bottom half of the deck, but it will happen. In this case, simply get the first selection
to the appropriate position and table the packet, as if you are having no success finding the card.
Then say that you are getting the impression of a seven, and ask if either of them selected a
seven. When they say no, remark that maybe it’s not a seven you’re receiving, but the number
seven. Ask them both to deal down seven cards and finish as above.
A surprising number of times, I’ve found the first card is already in the proper position, and I
haven’t had to jockey the cards around at all; just remove the spot card that matches the
position. This is particularly strong, because you make no adjustments at all!
Alarm Clock
This is my handling of another Wakeman effect, “Overclock,” from his book Randy Wakeman
Presents. That effect, in turn, is based on Allan Ackerman’s “Overkill.” I have added some
touches that, in my opinion, make the revelations at the end more suspenseful and deceptive.
Effect: You seem to be able to read the spectator’s thoughts and to have incredible intuition,
and finally you prove you knew everything before the whole experiment even began!
Requirements and preparation: To prepare, get a deck of bicycles. Remove the two of
diamonds and turn it face down. Mark it as explained in “The World’s WORST Card
Player” (page 11). Place this card face down, 13th from the top of the face down deck. Case the
deck. You’ll also need a business card (or you can borrow one from an audience member) a
pencil and a nail writer (Swami gimmick). Put the nail writer in your right front pants pocket
and the business card and pencil in any easily obtainable pocket I recommend you use this
routine as an opener. Otherwise, you’ll have to maneuver the 2D to 13th position during the
course of the effect prior to it.
Method and performance: Set the cased deck on the table.

Take the pencil and on the back of the business card write “Your
hour is (blank) o’clock and your card is the Two of Diamonds!”
Refer to photo 8-6. Table this card with the writing down,
commenting that it may come into play later. Place something
(such as a saltshaker) on top of it so that no one will pick it up
early or accuse you of having tampered with it.
8-6
Remove the deck from the case and give it an overhand shuffle. Make sure to take at least
thirteen cards on the first chop. Injog one card on this block and then shuffle off. Square,
getting a right thumb break under the injogged card. Shuffle to the break and throw the
remainder on top. Give the deck a false cut and set it on the table.
Turn to Bernice. Ask her to think of her favorite hour of the day. Instruct her to wait until you
turn your back to her, and then she is to silently remove cards from the top of the deck equal to
her hour. “In other words, if you thought of two o’clock, remove two cards; eleven o’clock,
eleven cards. Understand? Good! Tell me when you’ve done that.”
Turn your back and let her remove the cards. When she tells you she is done, ask her to put the
cards in a pocket or her purse, so you can’t possibly know how many cards she has. Then turn
around to face her and pick up the deck.
Remove twelve cards from the top of the deck, reversing their
order, as you state that you are going to make a clock. Deal the
cards in a face down circle, starting at one o’clock and ending
with twelve o’clock. As you deal, actually say the hour as each
card goes down. Deal the card at twelve o’clock sideways, so
that it is easily distinguishable from the others, avoiding
confusion and making it easier for her to find her hour (photo 8-
7). 8-7
The marked card will land at the number she thought of (this is the Clock Force), so if you see
it at six o’clock, you know that was her chosen number. Again, turn your back to Bernice and
ask her to pick up the card at her hour, look at it and commit it to memory, and then replace it.
Then tell her to gather all twelve cards and thoroughly mix them. While she does all this and
your back is turned, you are not idle. You know that (in this example) she thought of six
o’clock. Quickly spread through the deck and remove a six and then place it face up near the
center of the face down deck.
When Bernice is done, turn to face her once more and table the deck. Slide the pile of twelve
cards she has mixed toward yourself, and begin dealing them slowly with your left hand, one at
a time into a second face down pile on the table. (Meanwhile, casually place your right hand
into your pocket and get the nail writer into position.) After each card is dealt, hold your palm
down left hand above it for a moment, as if trying to sense something. When you get to the
marked card, after you hold your hand above it, start to deal the next card and then stop. Hold
your hand over the dealt pile again. Without flashing its face, slide the marked card off the top
of the dealt pile to the center of the table.
Remove your right hand from your pocket and gather the cards from the dealt pile, drop them
onto the undealt cards, and drop the combined packet on top of the tabled deck. Ask Bernice to
concentrate on the hour she chose. Look her right in the eye, as if pulling the information out of
her mind, through her eyes and into yours.
“Yes, yes…it was...six o’clock! Is that correct?”
After she agrees that you are right, have her bring out the cards she counted off the deck earlier.
Tell her to count them one at a time into a pile to verify the number.
Remark, “Actually, I knew ahead of time that you would choose six, and I can prove it!”
Ribbon spread the face down deck to show a six face up in the middle. Point out that there is
one card isolated on the table. Review the actions that took place before that card was isolated:
she looked at the card at her hour and mixed up all twelve cards from the clock while your back
was turned, then you set that card aside, without looking at the faces of any of the cards. Ask
her to name her card. After she responds that it was the 2D, let her turn over the card to reveal
that it is, indeed, the 2D!
“Believe it or not, I really did know ahead of time what hour and card you would choose!”
Pick up the business card, reminding everyone that you wrote

something on the back before cards were even removed from the
case. While you are speaking, enter a six in the blank spot on the
card with the nail writer (photo 8-8). Then slowly turn the card
over and drop it onto the table so that everyone can see that you
accurately and correctly predicted both the number and the card
before you even started the trick!
8-8
51 Southern Faces
This is my solution to a card problem posed by Peter Duffie.
Effect: A spectator is given a shuffled deck. He deals cards off the face and places them in a
face down pile on the table. Anytime he wants, he places one card off to the side, leaving it face
up. He continues dealing the rest of the deck face down. When he is done, the card he set aside
is turned face down. It is the only card with a different back.
Requirements and preparation: Get a blue-backed deck, and Randy Wakeman's Rainbow
Deck. You can just use a matching red deck, but I feel the vastly different backs from the
Rainbow Deck make for a greater impact at the denouement. The blue deck is shuffled and
placed in its case.
Set up the Rainbow Deck in Harry Lorayne’s “Self-Index”

from Deck-Sterity. Briefly, take the three through ten of each suit
and put them in order, with the three at the face of each packet.
Hold a packet face down in Biddle Grip and bow it strongly, as if
you were about to do the Spring Flourish (photo 8-9).
Remove the 7-10 and turn them around, replacing them back-to-
back with the 3-6, such that the backs of the 6 and 10 are 8-9
touching with a wide crimp break between them (photo 8-10).
Place the un-crimped two of that suit into the break (photo 8-
11).
Repeat this procedure with the remaining three suits. You can
now quickly find any card by starting at either end (the 3 or the
7) and counting inward, or by sticking your finger in at the crimp
(between the 6 and 10) and counting outward. The most cards
you’ll ever need to count will be two. Of course, if you need the
8-10
deuce, you just pull the straight card from out of the break.
Have the two red suits next to each other in the left side coat
pocket, and the two black suits in the left front pants pocket, with
an index card in between them. The clubs and diamonds are at
the front of their respective pockets (alphabetical order), and the
threes of all four packets face outward.
Method and performance: Remove the blue deck from the

case. Do a few face-up riffle shuffles as you remark to the 8-11
spectator that you'd like to try a little experiment in intuition with
him. Explain to him that he is to deal cards off the face of the deck, one at a time, and to place
them face down in a pile on the table. Deal several cards, demonstrating what he is to do. Set
one card face up to the side as you explain that, anytime he feels the urge, he is to do likewise.
You cut the required number of cards down with a simple patter line: “Don’t stop at an ace or a
face card; everyone always chooses those. Stop at a card you think I couldn’t possibly have
predicted you would choose!” This statement narrows the choice down by 16 cards, while
making it seem as though you are imposing even more stringent conditions!
Gather the cards you've dealt and bury them in the center of the face up deck. Hand him the
deck, let him shuffle again if he so desires, and let him carry out the procedure. After he has
dealt a card face up to one side (for example, the 4S), ask him to pick up the dealt cards from
the table and then to spread through the entire deck in his hands to make sure there are no
duplicates of the 4S. This gives you more than enough time to secretly steal the stranger 4S
from the pocket. (Make sure to take it so that it is face up in left-hand classic palm.)
When he has looked through all the cards, have him table them face down in a pile. Ribbon
spread them with your right hand, showing all blue backs. Do a Spread Turnover and ask him to
verify that this is an ordinary deck. As he complies, place the tabled 3S face up in left dealers
grip on top of the palmed card. Execute the Hellis Switch from Theatre of the Mind by Barrie
Richardson (explained in this book on page 56), and as you do it, you ask if everyone agrees
that you had absolutely no control over what card was set aside. Since you have switched one
face up 4S for another, nothing appears to have changed. If you do the move even remotely
well, no one will suspect you of any chicanery.
As the card is lifted vertically at the end of the switch, ask the spectator if he had a particular
feeling or sensation when he arrived at the 3S, or if he just dealt it at random. Regardless of his
answer, comment, "Well, you've proven you have excellent intuition, whether you knew it or
not! You see? You stopped at the only card in the deck with a different back!"
Flip the card face down onto the table and let him examine everything as you casually place
your hands in your pants pockets, ditching the blue-backed 3S in the right pocket. Pause a beat
before bringing the hands out and casually show them empty as you gather the deck.
Doubly Mental
“Mentally By Two” from J.C. Wagner’s Seven Secrets has been one of my favorite effects with
cards since I first came across it a decade ago. I modified the handling slightly, and added some
finesse to the revelation. I think that, while not changing the structure of the trick itself a great
deal, my enhancements are enough to justify its inclusion here.
Effect: Shane shuffles a deck of cards (which can be borrowed). As he does, he simply thinks
of any card that springs to mind. While your back is turned, he removes a number of cards from
the deck equal to the value of his mental selection (for example: seven cards if he thought of the
7H). He returns the deck to you and you show Melissa a number of cards and she makes a
mental note of one of them. These cards are lost in the deck and the deck is again thoroughly
shuffled. After just a moment of concentration, with no apparent “fishing” and without looking
at any cards, you reveal both mentally selected cards!
Requirements: The only stipulation is that the deck must not be missing any cards; it must be a
52-card deck without the jokers in it.
Method and performance: Give the deck to Shane and ask him to shuffle it thoroughly. As he
does, ask him to think of any card in the deck that springs into his mind. Tell him that most
people think of the Ace of Spades, and that he can choose that one if he wants, but it would be
best if he were to think of a card that he feels would be unlikely for you to suspect. Turn your
back to him and ask him to remove a number of cards from the deck equal to the value of his
mental selection.
“In other words, if you’re thinking of a six, remove six cards; if a nine, remove nine cards. An
ace equals one card, a jack eleven, queen twelve and king thirteen. You may remove these cards
from anywhere in the deck or all from the top—it doesn’t matter. Just make sure to do it quietly,
so that I can’t hear how many cards you remove. Tell me when you’ve done that.”
When Shane has complied, have him give the cards he has removed to Melissa. With your back
still turned to them, ask Melissa to quietly count the cards that Shane has removed and to
remember that number. Then ask her to hide the cards in her pocket or purse or under the table,
so that you can’t see them when you turn around. Have her tell you when she is done.
Turn to face them and pick up the deck. Give it a quick overhand shuffle and a complete cut as
you ask Shane to concentrate on his mentally selected card, and Melissa on the number. As you
talk, down crimp the inner left corner of the bottom card of the deck.
“Usually, I’d just spread through the deck like this and ask you to pull a card out and
remember it.”
Spread the top half of the deck. Sight the top 12 cards as you start the spread (three groups of
four), and hold your right middle finger on the face of the twelfth card as you continue to
spread. When you close the spread, obtain a left pinky break under the twelve cards.
“But I thought it would be more amazing to have you just think of cards.”
As you deliver this line, take the deck in right Biddle Grip, taking over the break with your right
thumb and then double undercut the top twelve cards to the bottom of the deck. Explain to
Melissa that there are thirteen values of cards, the ace through king. Tell her that you are going
to show her thirteen cards, and she is to memorize the card at the number she’s been
remembering since your back was turned to her. To make sure she understands, go on to
explain that if that number were, for example, three, she isn’t to look for one of the threes in the
cards you show her. Rather, she is to memorize the third card you show her. Finally mention
that she should give you no clue as to which card she is remembering, and that she mustn’t say
anything until you have shown all thirteen, or she might reveal something to you. Make sure
she understands this before you proceed.
Pull off the top card and hold it so it faces Melissa but you can’t see its face. “If your number is
one, remember this card.” Place this card face down on the table. Take the next card off the
deck and show it to her, saying, “If you’re thinking of two, this is your card.” Place this face
down on top of the first card. Show the next card, saying “Three.” Continue showing her cards,
counting them aloud as you do, until you’ve dealt 13 cards on the table. Ask Melissa if she
memorized the card at her number. If she’s sure she has, proceed. If she forgot, or can’t
remember, tell her it’s not a problem, and recount the tabled cards facing her again.
Pick up the tabled packet, casually glimpsing the card at the face (this is your key card) before
you drop the packet onto the deck. Take the deck in right Biddle Grip, getting a thumb break
above the crimped card near the bottom. Execute a double undercut to the break.
Tell both Shane and Melissa to concentrate on their cards, and you will try to reveal them. As
you say this, spread through the deck face up, looking for your key card. When you reach the
key, stop spreading as if you’ve just realized something. Cut the deck such that the key card
becomes the top card of the lower half, as you say, “Wait, that
might not work, because Shane removed some cards at the
beginning, and the card he’s selected might not even be in the
deck.”
While you talk, Faro Shuffle the two packets, such that the key
card becomes the top card of the deck. There will be a block of
cards at the bottom of the deck that doesn’t go into the weave
(photo 8-12). Catch a break above this block as you push the
8-12 packets flush.
Take the deck into the right hand, ready to do an overhand shuffle (right thumb maintains the
break). Overhand shuffle fairly to the break and then continue the shuffle with the remaining
block by injogging the first card and mentally counting “one.” Shuffle the rest of the block off
by running the cards singly, continuing to count them mentally. Add one to the total—this is the
value of Shane’s selection. Bring the right hand over the deck in Biddle grip. As you square the
deck, lift up on the injogged card and hold a thumb break. Do a double undercut to the break.
Cut off the top half of the deck, placing it on the table. As you move the remaining half to
complete the cut, glimpse the face card—it is Melissa’s card.
At this point, you know the card Melissa “chose,” and you know the value of Shane’s mental
selection. All you have to do is find out his mentally chosen suit. Here is how I do it so that it
doesn’t seem like there is any “fishing.” (I call it “Gone Fishing”.)
Let’s assume, for the sake of explanation, that Shane’s card is the 6C and Melissa’s is the 4D. I
know what Melissa’s card is, but all I know about Shane’s is that it is a 6.
I turn my attention to Shane first. I tell him he is thinking of a card that is red (naming the color
of Melissa’s card). In this case, he will say no. Act puzzled for a moment, and say that you were
SURE you were receiving the color red. Then, in sudden realization, turn to Melissa and say,
“YOU were thinking of red card! That’s it, right?” Of course, she admits it is. So it doesn’t
seem you’ve made a mistake. Turn back to Shane. “The suit of your card isn’t Spades, is
it?” (Here you name the “major” suit of the appropriate color.) He will say no. You respond,
“That’s what I thought. No, in fact your card is the six of clubs, and the lady’s, who is a bit
easier to read, is the four of diamonds!”
You’ve just accomplished a miracle! Now, please understand, that the above example is a
WORST-CASE scenario. Any other suit is even easier. I’ll explain.
Let’s assume Shane’s card was the 6S. After you say, “The suit isn’t Spades, is it?” Shane says
yes. You reply, “I thought so. Yes, a number card, fairly low, the six—yes! The six of spades!
And the lady’s was the four of diamonds!”
For the 6H, you start by saying that he chose a red card. He agrees. Next, you say the suit was a
diamond (here, you again give the information you know is correct for Melissa). He says no.
You mention that you were getting a strong impression of a diamond, then “realize” it was
Melissa who was “sending” it. You then confidently assert that Shane chose the 6H, and
Melissa the 4D.
The 6d is the easiest of all. You name the color of Melissa’s card, red, and you’re right. Then
you name the suit of her card, and you’re right again. You already know the value, so you
simply say, “In fact, you’re both thinking of diamonds—Melissa the four, and Shane the six!”
In other words, you always give Melissa’s information regarding color, and if correct, suit,
when fishing for Shane’s card. If you get a no, you still seem right, just with the other person.
And because of the way the suit question is worded (It’s not a ...is it?), you NEVER seem to be
wrong—only (possibly) slightly confused as to who is “sending” you the thoughts that you are
correctly divulging! I honestly feel this “fishing” method is a vast improvement.
I’ve saved this effect for last because I think it’s the best trick in the book. There seems to be no
way you could possibly know either card, much less both, and you never seem to look at the
faces or do any controls, nor are you ever wrong when revealing the cards. I have yet to
perform this for anyone, laymen or magician (that didn’t already know the trick), who was able
to even remotely backtrack the method. This trick has been my “secret weapon” for tough
crowds and magicians for over a decade. Learn it, and I think you’ll use it for the rest of your
life!
Bonus Routine:
Bernard Sim’s
“Poor Man’s Coin Through Bottle”
If you have my book, Magishing My Way, you are already familiar with my buddy
from Singapore, Bernard Sim. He allowed me to publish his wonderful linking
rubber bands effect as the bonus routine in that book, and has kindly granted me
permission to include another of his fine routines as a bonus to the readers of this
volume. This time, it is a very clever coin in bottle routine with no gaffs. You’ll be
able to learn the moves in virtually no time at all, but make sure to practice and
rehearse it thoroughly until you can do it comfortably and confidently. You’ll be
rewarded with an “anytime, anywhere” stunner that will knock the audience for a
loop!
Poor Man’s Coin Thru Bottle

It is my pleasure to bring you this effect from my good friend from Singapore, Bernard Sim.
Those of you who have my book Magishing My Way, in which Bernard’s linking rubber
bands routine is included as the bonus effect, are already aware of his clever thinking and skill
at routining and construction. I think you’ll agree that this routine measures up to the high
standards he set there.
This is a coin in bottle that doesn’t use any gaffs. Bernard told me he’d been trying to work out
a method for an impromptu coin thru bottle in a pub and this idea hit him a couple days later.
Most routines of this type use the folding coin and the coin has to be switched. Richard
Osterlind has a routine where the coin is normal but the bottle is gaffed. Chris Kenworthy’s cap
in bottle uses a bottle that is gaffed in a different way. Daryl and Michael Weber have methods
where a cap is prepared and is secretly in the bottle at the beginning of the routine. Bernard’s
method can be done impromptu, and there is no preparation to the bottle or the coin.
Effect: A coin penetrates into a sealed bottle. The bottle can be given away, still sealed with the
coin inside.
Requirements and preparation: You need a Perrier bottle (or any bottle with a similar style
cap) and two duplicate coins that are smaller than the mouth of the bottle. Place one coin in
each pants pocket. The capped bottle is on the table
Method and performance: Reach into both pockets “searching”

for a coin. Clip the coin in the right pocket between the 1st and
2nd finger of the right hand and grip the coin in the other pocket
at the fingertips of the left hand. Bring the left hand out of its
pocket first and move it to the table to set down its coin. As soon
as the left hand starts moving toward the table, bring the right
hand out of the pocket, keeping the clipped coin hidden from the
audience’s view as shown in photo 1.
1
As soon as the left hand leaves the coin in view on the table, pick up the bottle by the cap with
the right hand (photo 2).
The bottle acts as a magic wand, making the hand appear more natural, and the audience will
assume that the hand is otherwise empty. Photo 3 shows the audience’s view.
2 3
Unscrew the cap with the right hand (it is very easy even though
you’re clipping a coin between the fingers) and hand it to Dave
for examination (photo 4).
Photo 5 shows the spectator’s view at this point.
When Dave hands back the cap, take it with your right hand as
you pick up the bottle with the left hand and hand it to him for
examination. 4
While Dave is checking out the bottle, you secretly load the coin
into the cap. To cover the sound of the coin loading into the cap
when in a quiet environment, you can tap the bottle on the table
a few times as you say, “Make sure that the bottle is solid—no
secret openings or trap doors.”
Take back the bottle back with your left hand, pointing the
mouth downwards at an angle to your right. Prepare to screw the
cap onto the bottle, making sure that the coin’s edge is touching 5
the wall of the cap (photo 6).
Gravity will do most of the work for you. Place the cap onto the
bottle by twisting the cap and NOT the bottle. Don’t screw the
cap on too tightly. The coin will be wedged in place between the
cap and the rim of the bottle’s mouth. Photo 7 is an exposed
view of where the coin sits at the mouth of the bottle under the
cap.
You can now freely and fairly show the “empty” bottle, holding 6
it upright.
Now you will cause the visible tabled coin to apparently

penetrate into the sealed bottle, but you’ll need a little bit of
misdirection.
Place the bottle’s neck into the left hand, the bottle at a tilt,
mouth pointing down to the left as in photo 8. Pick up the coin
from the table at the tips of the right fingers. Look at the coin 7
and say, “Keep your eyes on this coin!”
While you focus all your attention on the coin, slightly unscrew
the cap with the left thumb and forefinger so that the coin is
loose in the cap. This is very easy to get away with, as
everybody will follow your eyes and attention and look at the
coin.
8
Tap the coin against the bottom of the bottle three times. The
third time, several things happen at once.
1) The coin at the finger tips is thumb palmed on the back swing
after the second tap and then the palm smacks the bottom of the
bottle, as shown in photo 9. Sometimes, in a fairly dark, noisy
tavern, Bernard just tosses the coin behind him on the back
swing after the second tap of the coin.
9
2) The left hand immediately turns the bottle upright so that the
coin under the cap falls down inside the bottle. The illusion is
perfect—the spectators will swear they actually saw the coin
going into the bottle thru the bottom.
The trick is over, but the cap is loose. Begin to hand the bottle to
Dave with the left hand on the cap and the right hand holding the
bottom of the bottle (photo 10), tighten the cap by turning the
BOTTLE with the right hand as you move it toward him. The
bigger action of handing the bottle to Dave covers the smaller
10 action of the right hand turning the bottle.
While everyone is looking at the coin in the bottle, you can put
your right hand in your pocket and ditch the extra coin.
You can leave the bottle with Dave as a souvenir as there is

nothing to find!
Last Word
Here we are, at the end of the book, 38 card effects (and one killer coin routine) later. Did you
enjoy it? I certainly hope you did. And I hope that you discovered some effects that you can use
or adapt to bring astonishment and great pleasure to those for whom you perform.
If, like me, you are able to make your living by performing this wonderful craft—this art that
has so much potential and is so much fun to share—I hope that you take a few moments every
day to thank God for allowing it to be so. If, on the other hand, you are an amateur or hobbyist
who performs magic for the sheer love of magic, I hope that you will have all the opportunities
you want to share the wonder. Just remember that one of the most important considerations in
performing (particularly in impromptu situations) is knowing when to stop. Not everyone loves
magic as much as we do, and we must remember to stop before they are sick of us. Always
leave them wanting more. It’s an old adage, but a true and wise one.
In closing, please make it your goal, each and every time you perform (and regardless of your
level) to walk away from an audience who thinks more highly of our wonderful art than they
did before they saw your performance. I know, it sounds like I’m stepping up onto that soapbox
again! But, if I may be so bold as to paraphrase Burke.: “The only thing that is required for bad
magicians to flourish is for good magicians to say nothing.”
Be a good magician. Encourage others to be good magicians. Together, we can raise the bar!
Before you go, please stay with me just a moment longer while I thank some folks. First, thanks
to the Boise Valley “Inner Circle”: Vic Brisbin, Brett Bauscher, Darrin Cook, Paul Menzel,
John Ransom and Dan Sutton. These guys encourage and support me and let me try out my new
stuff on them and then give me their honest criticism, which has made me a better magician and
this a better book. Thanks also to Randy Wakeman, Jeff Pierce and Bernard Sim for their
contributions. I owe Burt Yaroch of Texas a huge thanks, because I lost this book when my
computer crashed, and he had saved everything I’d ever sent him via email, and I was able to
put the entire rough draft back together because of him. Thanks also to Shane Causer and Steve
Brooks for giving me the opportunity to express my opinions to the masses at Online-Visions
and The Magic Café. Finally, thanks to you, dear reader, for caring enough about what I have to
say to actually read it! God bless you!
You have my best wishes for your success!

Scott F. Guinn
Appendix:
The Guinn Utility Backslip
(GUB)
A multipurpose weapon with a myriad of applications for the card magician.

INTRODUCTION
The Guinn Utility Backslip (GUB) is something I came up with by accident. I was at the home
of my best friend, Vic Brisbin, working on Marlo’s Diagonal Insertion, and I got the card
injogged WAY too far! I laughed and said something like, “That’s it, Guinn! Slip the thing
back where the whole world can see it!” To my astonishment, Vic commented that he couldn’t
see anything “backslipped” anywhere. I spent the next couple of hours tinkering with the angles
and the next several months tinkering with applications. What you are about to read is the
result.
Your first instinct will be to dismiss this. You will assume that it won’t fool anyone or that it
requires extra large hands, etc. Let me assure this is not the case. Philippine magician Roberto
Dureza, after he received Great Scott! It’s Card Magic! (where the GUB earlier appeared),
sent me an email saying, “When I first read the GUB, I thought it would never work for me. I
assumed you were a large man, over six feet tall with very big hands. But with my small hands,
I knew I could never get away with it. I decided just to give it a try in front of the mirror—wow!
I fooled myself! This is truly an innovative breakthrough. If Marlo had thought of it, I’m sure it
would have been a chapter of the Revolutionary card Magic series!” In an all night card session
in my home a couple of years ago, no less an expert than Allan Ackerman said he thought the
GUB Top Change and GUB Reverse were both “completely invisible.”
The GUB bears similarities to the following techniques: Jerry Andrus’ Panorama Shift (and
other techniques by Mr. Andrus), Juan Tamariz’ Perpendicular Control, Meir Yedid’s
Pendulum Control, Aldo Colombini’s Odla Control and Steve Draun’s New Thumb Slide. All
of these techniques use Ed Marlo’s Diagonal Insertion and involve having the card jogged. It
is the manner in which it is applied and the extent to which it is used that sets the GUB apart.
The GUB is an extremely versatile and surprisingly simple technique, which can be used to
accomplish or replace all of the following sleights:
• Control card to top

• Control card to second from top
• Control card to bottom
• Control card to second from bottom
• Multiple Shift (all of the above done with two or more cards)
• Sidesteal
• The Pass
• Secret Reversal
• Top Change
• Multiple Top Change
• Bottom Change
• Multiple Bottom Change
• Color Change
• Lap
• Gambler’s Cop
• Tenkai Palm
• False Deals
The most exciting feature of the GUB is that all of these applications are carried out from the
same basic move in the same basic position. Therefore, your handling always looks the same. It
appears that a card is simply returned to the deck and the deck is squared. There are no changes
of grip or any contortions or movements that are drastically different from everything that has
come before. In a word, the GUB will give your card handling consistency. And you have the
added advantage that you can perform all the above sleights with relative ease once you learn
the basic move. In much less time than it would take you to learn the pass, you will be able to
perform every function listed above! This is a powerful multipurpose weapon!
In performance, a spectator has a free selection of a card (really!). You riffle down the deck
until he stops you, and then fairly place the card into the deck at that location (really!), leaving
it halfway outjogged. You then turn your wrist so the deck faces the spectator (we’ll call him
Walt), giving him a last look at his card. You now push the card in flush with the deck and
square up (not really!).
Notice the fairness of this procedure. Walt takes any card he wants and returns it to the deck
anywhere he wants. Then you apparently push the card in flush and square up. But in reality,
the card is under your complete control. Follow along with a deck in hand.
I. THE BASIC POSITION AND BASIC MOVE

The basic move is a minor variation of Ed Marlo’s Diagonal Insertion. This move gets the
card or cards into the basic position, from which you execute the desired application. Once you
get this down, you will have little or no difficulty learning every application explained later.
Remove a card to represent the selection. Hold the deck in left dealer’s grip. Riffle down the
outer left corner of the deck with your left thumb, stopping around the middle of the pack (in
performance, you would stop wherever Walt told you to). Place the selection into the break,
inserting it about halfway. When performing, you would now
turn your wrist such that the deck was facing Walt, so he could
see his card protruding up from the deck. Bring the deck back
down to dealing position.
Move your palm down right hand over the deck. Your right
forefinger contacts the outer left corner of the card. Your
remaining right fingers shield the front edge of the deck and your
right thumb touches the inner left corner of the deck. This
position is shown in photo 1. 1
Begin to push the card into the deck. However, push only with
your forefinger. The other fingers just “go along for the ride,”
although it should appear that all four fingers are pushing on the
end of the card. Aim your right hand so the right second finger
meets the outer left corner of the deck when the front edge of the
card comes flush (photo 2).
2
The left corner of the card, though, is left angle jogged, with the
forefinger’s tip still contacting it. The forefinger continues to
slide the angle jogged card down the side of the deck about one
inch. Your left ring and little fingers will have to extend slightly
to allow the inner right corner of the card to extend from the
right side of the deck. The card ends up in the position shown in
photo 3, where the right hand has been removed for clarity.
3 Remember to cover the entire front edge of the deck with the
right middle, ring and little fingers—this is essential. Keep the
right fingers stationary and bend your right wrist so the heel of
the hand touches the deck and the palm touches the left fingers
(photo 4). This needs to be a continuing, flowing motion from
the insertion of the card.
The right hand will cover the movement the left fingers are about
to make. Reach out with your left little finger to take the card by
its right side, just above the inner right corner (photo 5). This
4 finger pulls the card in a clockwise semicircle until the sides are
flush with the deck. The card is injogged for almost half of its
length (photo 6). We will refer to this as the basic position or as
“backslipped.”
Practice the basic move until you can do it in one smooth, fluid,
continuous motion. Use the mirror or a camcorder to check for a
“flailing pinky.” Also, be sure not to reach for the card with the
little finger until after the right wrist breaks. You may be able to
see yourself moving the card, or see the card when it is
5 backslipped from some angles. We’ll address that later but for
now, work on smoothness. Do the basic move a couple hundred
times before moving on to the next section.
II. CONTROLS
So, you’ve got a card stickin’ way out the back of the deck—
6 even the method of getting it there is nothing new. So far, so
what? Have you made a bad decision and spent your hard earned
cash just so you could injog a card? What good can possibly
come of this? Read on, you magical skeptic, read on!
You should be in basic position. If you’re not, get there now,

darn it! You can now get that card to a surprising number of
locations in the deck (as well as do other stuff with it), and you
can do it quickly, smoothly, easily and invisibly.
GUB Control to Top

“Bring the card to the top by your favorite method.” This is one
of the most common directions in books and videos on card
magic. Maybe you don’t have a favorite method. Maybe you
couldn’t choose from or don’t have access to the myriad of
sleights, from the simple Double Undercut to the excruciatingly
difficult Classic Pass and the thousands of moves in between.
Well, here is my favorite method (and maybe soon to be yours!). 7
In the basic position, the right fingers are covering the front edge
of the deck. Turn your right wrist so your palm faces you, sliding
your thumb over the top card to its outer left corner.
Simultaneously slide your right fingers over the front edge of the
deck so they touch the outer end of the face of the bottom card
(photo 7).
Meanwhile, grip the backslipped card by its edges between your

8
left pinky and the base of the left thumb. The right hand, holding
the front end of the deck, pulls the deck forward until it is free of
the backslipped card (photo 8) and then immediately reverses,
sliding the deck back under the card as in photo 9. As soon as
the card is flush with the deck, slide your right fingers (along the
front edge of the deck and your right thumb (along the rear edge
of the deck) sideways along the edges of the deck two or three
times (photo 10). The whole sequence should look like you
squared the deck’s sides along the left heel and fingertips and
then the ends with the right fingers and thumb. 9
When standing, pin your left forearm against your torso and use
your stomach as a “backstop” to keep everything in control. If
seated, rest the left wrist and pinky side of the hand on the edge
of the table. These positions stabilize the backslipped card,
making the move easier to execute.
Now that you’ve learned how to use the GUB to bring a card to
the top of the deck, controlling the card to other positions is
easily mastered because the technique is very similar. 10
GUB Control to Bottom

To bring a card to the bottom (of the deck, not your bottom or
her bottom—watch a bar magic video or talk to Chuck Fayne for
that info…), proceed exactly as you did in the top control until
you’ve pulled the deck free of the backslipped card (photos 7,
8). When you move the deck back, instead of sliding it under the
card, slide it above the card as in photo 11. Easy, huh?
11
GUB Control to Second from Top

You can use the GUB as an alternative to the Vernon Depth
Illusion, a.k.a. Tilt. (A perfect time for this is in an Ambitious
Card sequence). The procedure is almost identical to the GUB
Top Control (photos 7-10) with one exception.
With your right thumb, slightly injog the top card of the deck
12 before pulling the deck forward (photo 12). When the
backslipped card comes free, allow it to contact the bottom of
the injogged card (photo 13). As the deck is moved back, the
selection will automatically slide under the top card (photo 14).
GUB Control to Second from Bottom

Just like the control to the bottom, but injog the bottom card with
the right middle finger as you pull the deck forward (photo 15)
and then proceed as in the bottom control, letting the selection
13 contact the injogged card before sliding the deck back. The card
will slide into the deck above the bottom card as in photo 16. It
doesn’t get much easier, kids!
GUB Multiple Shift

What can be done with one card can almost as easily be done
with several. Try this: Insert the four aces into different parts of
the deck, leaving them outjogged halfway. Do the basic move
with all four aces at once, so they are backslipped. Pull the deck
forward until it clears the aces, but before sliding it back, allow
14 the aces to “nest” together (photo 17). Then slide the deck under
them and you’ve controlled the four aces to the top! To bring
them to the bottom, second from bottom or second from top,
follow the respective directions for a single card. In other words,
treat multiple cards exactly like a single card with the one
exception of allowing them to come together before sliding the
deck back. You may experience some difficulty freeing multiple
cards from the deck. Use a firmer grip with the left hand on the
injogged cards and a looser grip on the deck with the right hand.
Thirty minutes of practice from now, you should have no
15 trouble.
16 17
III. OTHER APPLICATIONS

You can do much more than simply move a card to a desired po-
sition with the GUB. Following are instructions for reversing a
card, various switches and changes, lapping, palming and false
dealing, all simplified by applying the GUB. If you’ve learned
the preceding controls, these sleights will come to you almost
immediately. Enjoy!
GUB Reversal 18
Secretly reversing a card with the Guinn Utility Backslip is
probably the easiest application of the technique. Start with the
basic move. From the basic position, slide the deck forward, just
as in the controls. However, as soon as the deck clears the
backslipped card, the right hand turns the deck end for end
(photo 18) and sets it on the backslipped card (photo 19).
Assuming you began with the deck face down, you now have a
face up deck atop one face down card. Cut the deck near the 19
center and complete the cut to place the reversed card near the
middle of the deck and you’re done. Do I need to mention that
this can also be done easily with multiple cards? Give it a try!
GUB Top Change

Technically, this isn’t a top change. But it serves the same
purpose and uses the same techniques and if I’d called it a
“center change,” you probably wouldn’t know what I was
talking about! Here’s the scoop: a selected card is returned to 20
the deck via the basic move. Leave it backslipped. Tap the deck
and say, “Your card has magically risen to the top!” Pull off the
top card, tuning its face toward the audience. They will react and
someone will point out that you are a failure as a person.
Respond, “That’s really not your card?”
When the spectators look at you, sweep your right hand back
past your left. As you do, bring the card over the deck. Lift your
left thumb slightly to allow the card to ride under it (photo 20).
When the card is flush, the left thumb pins it to the deck (photo 21
21). The right hand continues moving back and immediately
takes the backslipped card between the middle finger and
forefinger (photo 22). This entire change is one motion in one
second. Do the change as you slump forward dejectedly.
You now hold the selection face down in your right hand. Set the
deck aside. Rub the card on your sleeve, and then turn it over
22
(the card, not your sleeve) to reveal that you may be a failure as
a person, but not as a magician!
Again, you can use multiple cards with almost the same
procedure. For example, place the aces, widely separated,
halfway into the deck and backslip them. Tap the deck, pull off
the top four cards and display your “failure.” Move the
indifferent cards across the deck, leave them, and take the
23 backslipped aces instead. Reveal the change as you see fit.
The GUB top change is virtually invisible, even to other

magicians! Learn it well!
GUB Bottom Change

This is similar to the procedure for the top change with three
differences. First, you hold the indifferent card between your
forefinger and middle finger (photo 23). Second, the indifferent
24
card is swept across the bottom of the deck rather than the top
(photo 24). Finally, when you do the switch, take the
backslipped card between your right thumb and forefinger
(photo 25).
GUB Color Change

A color change is the term used any time one card is visibly
changed into another (as opposed to a switch or top change,
25 where the card is changed secretly). It is very magical and a
favorite with laymen.
You have to be very aware of your angles with this move. It is

worth the extra effort, because it is exceptionally clean and
visual, similar to the Erdnase Color Change. Have a card
selected and returned to the deck, backslipping it. Remove and
display the top card with your right hand as you say, “It’s not on
top.” Replace the card. Here is where you need to pay particular
attention to your angles.
26
Grip the deck as in photo 26, so the right thumb rests on the
center of the inner edge of the top card.
The right fingers completely cover the face of the backslipped

card (photo 27, bottom view).
27
Turn the deck over sideways into the left hand, keeping the front
end pointed at the audience’s eye level. Once the deck is face up,
remove the right hand for a moment. Bring the right hand over
the deck again, covering the back-slipped card as in photo 28.
Turn slightly to your left, tilting the deck down and to the right.
Grip the backslipped card in a modified Tenkai Palm (page 99,
but here the card is higher in the hand, because it is partially
inserted in the deck—photo 29). 28
Under cover of lightly rubbing the face card with the right
fingers, slowly draw the deck forward with your left hand (the
right hand continues to hold the selection in modified Tenkai),
and then slide the deck back under the palmed card.
The instant the card is aligned with the deck spread your right
fingers wide, making a waving motion over the deck as the left
hand pulls the deck forward again to reveal the change (photo
30). 29
GUB Lap
Okay, I lied. I said the reversal was the easiest application of the
GUB. Lapping is probably the easiest.
Assume you’re seated at a table (kinda hard to lap without being

seated!) and a card ahs been selected by our old buddy, the Walt-
meister. Hold the deck with your left hand at the edge of the 30
table as shown in photo 31. Replace the chosen card and do the
basic move. When the right hand slides the deck free, it
continues forward, handing the deck to someone to shuffle. As
soon as the deck clears the selection, drop the card into your lap.
Don’t toss it, don’t flick it, just relax the left hand’s grip and let
it fall! Pretty stinkin’ easy!
GUB Gambler’s Cop

Okay, I lied again! But hey, I’m a professional magician! I lie 31
for a living! This is the absolute easiest application of this little
rascal! Get a card into basic position. Slide the deck away from
the card, handing the deck to someone so they can mix the cards.
The backslipped card will automatically be in Gambler’s Cop
(photo 32). If you are seated at a table, the left hand does
nothing! If you’re standing, either rest the hand against your
stomach or let it drop to your side. Proceed as called for in the
particular effect. Try not to wear yourself out with this one.
32
GUB False Deal

Some incredibly amazing effects can be accomplished with a
second deal, bottom deal or center deal. For those unfamiliar
with these terms, you deal the second card, bottom card or a card
from the middle of the deck in such a way that it appears you
dealt the top card. Unfortunately, the second deal is difficult, the
bottom deal is extremely difficult and the center deal is nearly
33 impossible! Using the GUB to accomplish a false deal is
definitely its most challenging application. In comparison to the
standard false deals, however, it is remarkably easy and can be
learned in a fraction of the time. Anyone willing to put in a few
hours of practice will be able to do it. If you’ve done your
homework and learned the preceding applications, particularly
the GUB top change, you’ll be surprised at how fast this will
come to you.
You must be seated at a table. Get a card into basic position.

34 Your left wrist should be resting at the edge of the table as in
photo 33. Deal a few cards off the top of the deck, but in the
following way. Push the top card to the right with your left
thumb, moving it over more at the outer end than the near end
and also slightly downward. When the thumb stops, the card
should be angled as in photo 34. Notice that the outer left corner
of the card is at about the center of and flush with the front edge
of the deck. The inner right corner is to the right of and behind
the deck about ¼ inch.
35 Contact the card with your right thumb tip near the center. The
thumb lies diagonally across the card from center to inner right
corner (photo 35). Slide the card off the deck moving slightly
back and to the right (photo 36). This is the fair deal.
For the false deal, you only pretend to take the top card—your
right thumb slides across the back of the card without taking it.
The hand moves back and to the right. When your thumb
contacts the top of the backslipped card, the left thumb draws the
top card back flush with the deck (photo 37). In a continuing
36
motion, the right hand draws out the backslipped card and deals
it onto the table.
Try to make this look exactly like the fair deal. The motion of
the false deal is almost identical to the GUB top change without
the extra card. Done in a smooth flowing motion, the illusion of
the top card being dealt is excellent.
37
IV. ANGLES ON THE GUB

As I mentioned earlier, you do need to be aware of the angles of
vision with this technique. However, the angles are not as
unforgiving as you might think.
When seated with people across from you, there are no bad
angles as long as your left hand rests at the edge of the table.
Your left hand and arm provide cover to the left (photo 38). If 38
someone is to your extreme right, keep your right hand in a loose
Biddle Grip on the deck when a card is backslipped (photo 39).
If you are standing and your audience is seated, hold the deck
nearly parallel with the floor. If your audience is also standing,
tilt the rear of the deck down about thirty degrees. Basically,
keep the front edge of the deck aimed directly at the eye level of
the audience. An easy way to remember this is what I call the
“rule of thumb”: if your left thumb is along the side of the deck,
39
just point the thumb tip at the audience’s eyes, and you’ll
automatically have the right angle!
The best way to determine how to compensate for angles of vision is to have a spouse or friend
move to different positions and tell you if the backslipped card can be seen, then adjusting the
deck until it can’t be. Then commit the respective positions of the person and deck to memory!
The worst angles are from directly below and over your shoulder. For the latter, hold the deck
in tight toward your body and lean forward slightly. As for the former, don’t use the GUB when
standing while performing for small children, midgets or people lying on the floor!

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You’ll Be

Surprising Card Magic by

Copyright © 2002 by Scott F. Guinn

All rights reserved, including manufacturing of original items for resale.

Layout, cover and book design by Scott F. Guinn

First Word 3 Ch. 7: Predictable Plots 123

Ch. 4: From the Deli 59

Ch. 5: Choice Tricks 79

Ch. 6: No Decisions 105

1-1 1-2 1-3

The World’s WORST Card Player!

With a pair of scissors, trim the extra (indifferent) card

Put the hanky in your right side coat pocket.

Method and performance: When you’re ready to perform this 1-6

to distribute them to the participants.

Repeat this process, having each audience assistant take a card,

Do the LePaul Revelation, by flicking the right wrist

Push the top card of the left-hand packet forward, outjogging it

#3 - Rising Card in Handkerchief

Blank Card Gag

applause. It is also a really sneaky way of loading a card into the

Toss the blank card into your case.

1-28 #5 - Malone False Pocket Removal

Turn your head, focusing your attention to the breast pocket

Pull straight up swiftly—the card will pivot around the left

Look out into the audience, asking whose cards remain to be

Do a triple turnover (same as a double turnover, but with

“I will attempt to magically restore that card into one piece. I

Remark that the pieces restore magically behind the cloak of

Say, “Yes, I believe it has worked! You’re card is restored!”

embarrassed look and as if you’re hoping no one noticed, whisk

Notes: To make a Breather Crimp, hold a card face down with

The Automatic Bottom Palm: If you’ve been afraid of palming,

Double Undercut: You’re holding the deck in right Biddle Grip,

Sun Valley Serenade

So far, a lot of magic has happened, but now is where we really

Snap your fingers. Do a reverse Buckle Count to show four

Toss the AH face up on the table. Show your hands empty,

1-69 1-70 1-71

Too Simple, Too Good, Too!

Method and performance: As I said earlier, this is a very simple

“Few people realize the power that is in a name or the affinity

Do a double turnover to reveal Vandella’s card (photo 2-6).

Walt’s card is now on the table (although everyone thinks it’s

Requirements and preparation: Besides a deck of cards, all

Method and performance: Spread the deck, asking Brent to

Say, “In this little experiment I also need to use my favorite

He will receive a second surprise when he removes the card and

2-18 2-19 2-20

2-21 2-22 2-23

In a continuing motion, immediately take all the cards below the

Photo 2-30 is an exposed view of how the cards must be

“Paul, concentrate forcefully on your card. Believe it or not,

“Odd…it didn’t seem to work.”

Feign confusion. Carefully (so as not to expose the face up

“What number did you mentally select at the beginning?”

2-36 2-37 2-38

Requirements and preparation: You need a deck with a case,

Execute the Braue Reversal (page 38). The joker is now

3-7 3-8 3-9

As if it just occurred to you, say, “Wait! You need to sign the

Pick up the red deck. To reposition the sandwich (face up jacks

Do Gilles Couture’s “Swivel Cut Control” from Close Up