NUN EL) BO oO an Ty CLT aan Rea FRANZ HARARY MAKES A CAMARO TRANSFORM LIVE ON STAGE ag Fa ai iON!ER FROM THE EDITOR e focusing on what is sometimes called the er”, or a “Same on Both Sides Double Facer”. ests it is a card that has been printed with both sides. This month we discuss 6 diverse rform with these double facers. in this issue comes from the 2020 Book of the Miracles. The magician tears a card in half je signed. The magician then fuses the pieces back, creating an impossible half-card with a spectator’s signature on either side. This is a miracle powerful enough for television! Al Lampkin teaches a super direct, super easy-to-do prediction effect. The choice is completely fair and your prediction always matches. Nathan Kranzo explains a self working effect where a Jack won't face the correct direction in the deck. And, Mark Elsdon teaches what he believes is the best version of the Open Prediction. As if that wasn't enough Franz Harary also joins us and gives an unprecedented look at what it took to change a Camaro into a Transformer live on stage at the premiere of Michael Bay's Transformers. All of this and so much more await right here in Penguin Magic Monthly! Pyrek Josh Burch, HEAD EDITORJANUARY 2023 Pye Cod 14 etry Pa 20 Peet 16 28 eat) eee Racer id Featured Magic Trick oy. ea) 26 08 by Nathan Kranzo by Peter Gréning ey Dus 18 eeu by Al Lampkin sired ew ese Eee aur) Ser ne ed et ee oct eur)Cee g 51 FACES\NORTH 3 FACES aS PELL a ahs BACKGROUND Dae ed Tue Wee ae Can ene ie eee) Rene Coe ca Pee ea RC and Senn arene re ee ant) eee i oaee ee) Seen mac Metisse cae curs eure) aka tat Ente A UES a oan name of a card as a prediction. The Dee ag this card (hence the “open” Poem eet as aad Deena er ns eee ei eee Ree eee eu into a pile. eee Cae eee Tre Sea Mace ay Sena ee tact) CON ete Oe ene mae Methods for the Open Prediction. One of the variations he named was called ESM na I oe eta eee Mau tas Se eae eed Reena eee a eee Pa aE eects ee ue eta as to us when he died, it did eventually end up being published in the inaugural eC mL rere Whilst the method did meet all of the Bee Reo Re Ca ese ca CeCe a RCE ea its construction, it failed to live up OE enemas ett eed tt eee ee (and therefore practicality) Pa ieee a esac ae ee Raed (including myself and most Percocet RCS Serene cen See eae en aed somewhat skeptical that the method PM eee ea eee a See ter ata a discussion for another day. eer eee MT worked on this plot reads like a who's iMwho of card magic and yet new ideas and handlings are constantly being developed. My personal favorite handling (other than this one, obviously!) is Paul Wilson’s from his book Chaos Theories. It uses a regular deck, is elegantly straightforward, and fooled me when he first performed it. As well as the two sources already mentioned, the interested student would also do well to read the articles and solutions contained in Volume 1 of The James File. Of the several methods that I have developed, this is the most direct and allows for a very clean handling of the deck by the spectator, conforming to one of the most difficult of James's conditions, that the spectator must deal through the whole deck himself. Most methods (including Wilson’s) do not meet this requirement. EFFECT Adeck of cardsis shuffled. The magician then makes an “open” prediction by writing the name of a card on a piece of paper. The whole audience is aware of the identity of this card. A spectator is given the face down deck and instructed to deal cards into a face up pile on the table. At any point, he is to leave one of the cards face-down and then continue to deal the rest face up. The predicted card has not been seen during the deal through the deck. The decks spread and the face-down card is removed. It is turned face up and seen to match the prediction! Now we have reached a point where we must discuss a problem with 51 Faces North. You see, Stewart James was an expertat creating factually honest but, deceptive dealer-ad type description of JANUARY 2023 a trick where crucial details are either omitted or left purposely vague. Whilst the details that are mentioned are true, they are not the "whole" truth Similarly, such is the case with the description of my version of the effect described above, but you will be happy to know that the most important details are exactly as above. Here are the two things that aren’t mentioned (although the astute reader will probably have guessed them already): the magician must perform the shuffle at the beginning and at the end the face-down card must be turned face up by the magician. That wasn't so bad now, was it? The problem with the whole dealer-ad approach to describing tricks is that it is designed to make you part with your money in a never-ending quest to buy the “perfect” trick—one with a devastating and completely fooling effect accomplished by an invisible yet easy method. Eugene Burger called this “the tyranny of the new" and it is one of the reasons that many of the people interested in magic are terrible performers. Unfortunately, skill usually is required and that cannot be bought. In the context of the James effect, this type of dealer-ad effect description leads us to a situation where written descriptions of the effect are rarely matched in cleanliness by the actual performance of the trick. They sim- ply never look as good or as direct as, they sound. In the description of my handling for the effect above | could also have mentioned that the deck can be borrowed but left out the detail that the borrowed deck must be a deck of Bicycle Rider Back poker-size cards.PENGUIN MAGIC MONTHLY Fortunately, though, this is the brand most used by magicians so it shouldn't be too difficult to borrow such a deck if you want to use the trick to fool your magician friends. The reason it would have to be a Bicycle deck would be to match the gaff used. What gaff? We'll get to that ina minute. | could also have mentioned that the shuffle may be done by the spectator rather than the magician and left out the detail that the magician must then retrieve the deck and spread through it face up before handing it back to the spectator. Oh, and you would also need to be able to do a turnover pass and a one-hand top palm. It’s all trade- offs, isn't it? So, if | wanted to write a James-style dealer-ad description of the ultimate version of my handling of this effect, it would look like this: “The magician borrows a deck of cards, which are given toa spectator to shuffle. The magician then makes an ‘open’ prediction by writing the name of a card ona piece of paper. The whole audience is aware of the identity of this card. The spectator now holds the face-down deck and is instructed to deal cards into a face up pile on the table. At any point he is to leave one of the cards face down and then continue to deal the rest face up. The predicted card has not been seen during the deal through the deck. The deck is spread and the face down card removed. It is turned face up and seen to match the prediction!” Whilst technically this description is true, | think that if you saw the effect performed you would be disappointed that it didn’t actually live up to how clean it sounds in the above description. Ido think, though, that the preceding description accurately describes what the audience sees and that the method (yes, yes, I'm getting there!) is as direct as the effect makes it sound. METHOD Stated baldly—a double-faced card, a palm add-on, and a triple turnover. Here are the full details, Ldidaealtaleant You need a double-facer (Same on Both Sides) that matches your deck. use a Ten of Diamonds. Remove any card from the deck—this will be the card you predict. Let's assume it is the Eight of Clubs. Place it face down below the double-faced Ten and place them both in your outside right jacket pocket, with the regular card closest to your body. Also in this pocket is a pen. In your outside left jacket pocket is a piece of paper. The regular Ten of Diamonds is on the bottom of the deck. Ldastmesra cel Bring out the deck and as you explain the premise of the trick to your audience, casually shuffle the deck, keeping the regular Ten of Diamonds in place on the bottom. Hand the deck to one of the spectators on your left. Remove the pen and paper from their respective pockets and write "Eight of Clubs" on the paper. Say that this is the prediction and tell them the name of the card also making sure that several spectators see the written prediction. Fold this paper in half and place it down to your left.Tell everyone to be on the lookout for the Eight of Clubs as the deck is dealt through. Make sure the assisting spectator is clear about what he is todo and then invite him to begin dealing the cards onto the table. As he begins to do this, take a step back. All eyes will be on the cards. Put the pen away back into your right pocket and at the same time palm the two cards that are in there and bring your hand back out. Let your hand hang naturally at your side for now—do not act guilty and do not engage in any arm-crossing or hands-behind-your-back gestures that are not part of your natural body language. And most definitely do not put your hands on your hips. ‘Once the spectator has finished dealing, pick up the now face-up deck (with the regular Ten of Diamonds on the face) with your left hand. Since you chose a spectator to your left the deck should be on the table to your left anyway. Ask him if he saw, the card that was predicted. As soon as he begins to reply "No’, transfer the deck to your right hand and immediately do a palm replacement with the two cards that you have palmed. Immediately, pick up the folded piece of paper with your left hand (it was to justify this transfer of the deck from hand to hand that you placed the prediction on your left earlier) and begin to unfold it as you ask the spectator if he remembers which card you predicted, Unfold the prediction using both hands, even though your right one holds the deck, and show the prediction around some more. Due to the double-facer, a Ten of Diamonds still shows on the face of the deck and everything appears as it should. This whole choreographed sequence takes just about a second. Spread through the face-up deck keeping the first few cards together 50 as not to expose the face-down card and a second Ten of Diamonds. When you come to the spectator’s face-down card out jog it, and then transfer it to the face of the deck. It should be done with the attitude that you are just resting it there while you recap what has taken place. Perform a triple turnover to show the Eight of Clubs, which you then thumb off and hand to the spectator. The Ten of Diamonds still shows on the face of the deck and even if you spread one more card an indifferent one shows. The Ten, which is on the face, is the gaff and can now be palmed off or ditched from the deck as you put the piece of paper back into your left jacket pocket whilst the left hand also holds the deck. twill very likely help you to perform the triple turnover at the end more easily (and you cannot afford any fumbling at that point) if the regular card that you palm in is crimped. | always use a Breather Crimp. This will make hitting the triple an absolute breeze. If you don't already know the Breather Crimp, here's how to put one into the card: hold the card face-down with the left fingertips. Place the tip of your right thumb in the center of the back of the card and your right first and second fingers underneath the card, pressing up against the center of the face. Push down fairly hard with your right thumb, sothat you can feel the fingers through the card, Maintaining the pressure, pull the thumb and fingers out toa corner of the card. This will make an indentation inthe back of the card running from the middle out to one corner. Repeat for the other 3 corners.Cette Pact ted I 8 Nee PC LT) Seeger olay IE Sema ear are n} Miracles by Peter Gréning. The book Or Eee era eee RCE acm ate oa Pe eee Uni ea les [reese ee ete Coe Meta eS See aucun ey Pea coe EFFECT A card is selected and torn in half. SOE Ue eel Pn ee eae eRe eee ie ee ate te rta er aE ue a et eeesl half card, signed on both sides. Thisis a Cer Meu as ae eee) Cee oe eae NEEDED Oc Ne takers Be ee ea eg me ea es While it isn't entirely necessary, | like to use a card with a lot of white space, so that, when itis signed, the signature is easily perceived. Let's say the card is rete al FOC ecm ee CRC eC ecco a ad reverse the fold, working it backward Se Re rate Re Seek ed eo eect ca ena ERP tote ae aT of the face (figure 1). The appearance Sienna gee ae discussed shortly.Place the regular Two of Spades from the deck face down on top, Second from the top place the double-backer. And third from top put the creased double-facer, signature upward on the end of the card nearest you, While this trick can be done seated or standing, I'll describe it for a standing performance, with your audience either standing or seated in front of you, Give the deck a couple of shuffles, without disturbing your three- card setup on top. Follow the shuffles with a complete cut, and catch a left fourth-finger break between the halves. Then execute a Riffle Force to the break. With your right hand, lift away the cards above the break and use them to tip up the top card of the left hand's packet. This is the Two of Spades, Slip the right hand's cards neatly under the left'sand square the deck. While holding the deck in left-hand dealing position, use the fingers of both hands to fold the face-up Two in half across its width, first with the face-side outward, then with the back out. While the card is still folded, hold it up in your right hand for everyone to see. This clearly displays its condition, but just as important, it imprints an image of the back of the card in the spectators’ minds. In addition it lends misdirection as your left thumb pushes the top two cards of the deck slightly to the right, so that you can form a fourth-finger break beneath them. If you like. you can provide further cover for this small action by doing amodest left-hand wrist turn, Unfold the Two of Spades and place it face down squarely on the deck. Point with your right first finger at the crease as you explain that it divides the card into two even portions. Execute a Triple Turnover, bringing the double-facer into view. With your left thumb push it to the right, so that your palm-down right hand can grip it at its right side, thumb below, first two fingers above, Thanks to the double-backer, everything looks as it should. The crease in the card provides silent proof that no switch is possible. The suspicion never arises. Raise the card, keeping its unsigned side toward the audience, and put the deck into your left pocket. Turn the card ninety degrees counter- clockwise. This positions the sig- nature you've put on the card at the left end, facing you. Grip the card with both hands and very openly tear it in half (figure 2). Pause fora couple of seconds to let this picture register in everyone's, mind. Then place the right hand's half in front of the left's; that is,closest to the audience. The left hand grips both halves by their left sides (Figure 3). Pick up the marker and hand it to someone on your far right. Turn your right hand palm up and place the halves on the right fingers with the signature-side lowermost. The torn edge of the top half should be nearest the base of your fingers: the torn edge of the bottom half should be turned toward the fingertips (figure 4), Gently hold the halves steady by cupping them in the fingers and extend the hand toward your helper, so that she can sign the top piece of card. Note that, when secretly signing the card before the show, you used the same orientation for your false signature with which she is now presented. When she has signed the top piece, grip both halves at their far sides, taking them at the left fingertips (figure 5), and blow on the signature to dry it. (Take care not to flash the signed underside of the bottom piece.) a Next take the signed top half into your right hand and place it under the other half. Place both halves onto your left fingers, with the torn edge of the top half again toward you, and the torn edge of the bottom half farthest from you Reach out toward someone on your far left, asking that he sign the second half. Then realize that the firsthelper still has the marker. Shift your focus back to her and reach out with your right hand to retrieve the marker. As you turn and reach for the marker, rotate your left hand palm down, at the same time closing the fingers into a loose first (figure 6). During this action, the halves remain horizontal and do not turn over. It is as if the hand revolves palm down around them. Having retrieved the marker, hand it to the second helper. Meanwhile,turn your left hand palm up, and then open your fingers, leaving the halves of the card lying on your palm (figure 7). You have secretly turned the halves over, but since they are parts of a double-facer, everything looks honest. Adjust the halves from your palm to the inner and middle phalan ges of the fingers. This gives you greater control of the halves as the second helper signs the top one. If the halves move out of alignment as he makes his signa- ture, a portion of your false sig nature will be seen, This adds to the illusion of both halves being signed. The second helper is focused on signing his half, and he hasn't had a close look at the first helper’s signature, so any portion of the false signature. He may see he accepts as hers. Hav- ing the two helpers on different sides of you aids in this ruse, as well as in the choreography of the secret turnover. After he finishes signing, pick up the halves at their right sides, right thumb below, fingers on top. Blow on the signature for consistency, and then turn your right hand palm inward, so that the second helper's signature is toward the audience. Grip the left side of the pieces at your left fingertips, mirroring the right hand's grip (figure 8) The following sequence exposes the false signature, so don't dally. Separate your hands, keeping the half nearest you in your left hand, and the half farthest from you in your right. As the halves are about to separate completely (figure 9), extend your left fingers behind their half and simultaneously “hinge” the halves together as if closing a book (figure 10). During this, the left fingertips brace the “spine of the book’ (figure 11). This prevents accidental flashing of the extra faces. Make sure the halves are now square,Release your right hand’s grip leaving the halves in your left hand, its first two fingers at the far edges, the thumb at the near edges (figure 12). Turn your left hand count- er-clockwise and palm up. This rotates the halves to a horizontal position, with the second helper’s signature turned upward. Imme diately grasp the right edges of the pieces again at the right fin- gertips (figure 13). Now use your left hand to grip the halves, pinching them between your thumb (above) and the first finger (below). Keep them horizontal, with the false signature out of sight. Loosely close the left second, third and fourth fingers (figure 14), Ask the second helper to hold out his right hand palm up. Demonstrate the position you wish by reaching toward him with your right hand. He being on your left, your right hand moves naturally in front of your left hand momentarily obscuring it. Behind this cover, extend your left second and third fingertips past the right side of the halves (figure 15) and use these fingers to pull the lower half into your left hand. ~v) This action folds the piece in half. Your left first finger must move momentarily aside to permit this, but it quickly returns. Once the lower piece is folded in the left hand, the second and third fingers resume their loosely curled position, cupping the piece (figure 16). The folded half isn’t finger palmed; it is merely held in the hand. During this folding andstealing of the bottom piece, the top piece doesn't move. ay = aE) When the steal has been com- pleted, turn your left hand palm down and move your right hand immediately back to your right, at which point you take the remain: ing visible half card into right: hand “end grip” from above, sec: ond finger on the outer edge, thumb on the torn inner edge (figure 17). The audience believes this to be the two signed halves. With your left hand, retrieve the marker from the second helper; then set the one half, as if it were both, onto his palm and gently rub it with your fingertips. Move your hand aside and let him discover the real situation. During the surprise, pocket the marker along with the unwanted half. —— For the above to be effective, half of a double-faced card must be accepted as halves of a regular card fused back to back. That is believable only if you first convince the audience that you are using regular cards. | believe the handling is quite successful in accomplishing this.PLE ecu eee nnart PREV a erat Noes ty Live lectures. The final Beams nts Pore Ren een aetna) ages here in Columbus’and finish the Santa teu e ate ia ty EU ae Tice erate eT} DCR a igeat eens Reece MM ar a ure) eee eat nak} Deon te teres itasy Caer a aa Merc Peseta tise ioe} Pea eee au er ker} TUNIC ek cea ters sachs JOSH BURCH ecu unten e| Cea aT} Een Cee Le eis Peete eae Ruse sc PON Lia gar nae ene eye Ue acum a eT cere) where he works for both corporate and CINE eee a eter era is being able to translate his magic into. Ca ee MSE ns eRe Cae Tuas tas female mae ae er Ce meta rg Dee UE Te ate SAV SP-TLIGHT Petea nena eu sire es feo Menen titel ae aes eee een ays COE helt vr Tact Mireeyeteuee The stand-out trick for me in this act Pena RA cata This trick not only plays big, but it’s a real lesson in diving into the old Tarbell lessons and pulling out an incredible Pe emit everett te eSacn ume g cea ont eg Pui Ree Marna sas eens clase gs Cn brilliant red before turning clear again BOC Rae ure ae ee Geet et CSM ete enn eaigeel att Peeves eaten oie Peet ce nr een teeta Besar een eet et Vein r Gia craaae scl aaa Cll RENN oe eet Te RSS eue een edits ar nels a practical worker. BILL ABBOTT Bill Abbott is something of a living eeu tue ec iea neeers ise mea Cate stage material in the world. His six- eae e uate Pee a ee aes Toe cae RT amt Naata ae < PENGUIN MAGIC COLOR SYNC Cas cee vad THEY MATCH PERFECTLY. Self-working, cee eit BLIZZARD A nate enero ir| SIR ASLCeee Cnn eure LEN Etec tuts es renee ees fooling than the last. DIE-ABOLICAL SLAC OM =a ST ae ee Cee me eerie without any cover. This is an utterly Cera a Tae Linear Cee um artic CLL Su ee aT Me erase hg petitsLACED UP ea Perce, em eR, allows you to move the bow on your shoe- See ee urns a eet kus HAND DRAWN Visually move ink on your skin. Pluck it off Fons ce aa aa ocd erect eae ereteliT Caran ee Eee ance h tae Nam ge Mie rar aCe WINTER STAR PCa eee aa ar Reon An cietl RaT Cy Rae aU eeu te oe) Pees os re eet detailed linework gives the back design reese STICK AND TWISTED Ae uO oe Ce ase te) Ree eat eee ea eet ee ue ce eee Tg Peace eae ec ete Eee ane ascCrone rg aN elCemt tel eS ae PAPE TT wmiracmeya STU EFFECT Eight cards are placed on the table. ee Mane Ree Tse ees EU esa eae SMart es as Rete eerie rg eg ae eee Etude PREPARATION aU Cices he ee Cue Com tess cards regularly found ina deck of double eee CUR Cae as ORC CEU RCM nc te tes Pee re Meet ot facers (Same on Both Sides) in total. You Eee Ei celle tet eae eer UT es COTE eae et eae eas a een ed Cees eS ee a ee These are all placed inside an envelope, Poecaue area tics PERFORMANCE Ie eka ee cue este} Coe ear tot reat es Se eatin rae CeCe remut taee a tates kes Sue een nen Uist eu Nel eet een Ruta} Peer et ce oe) =c En eee eae Decree ae ees aU e ete te eet ND eet ete at Pou eg eew The packet can now be freely spread through. The red side of the double backer will be in the middle. This card is put aside as a prediction card. ‘The rest of the cards are spread in two rows separated by color. ae 305, Fie, FE Heese WE, Lae ee; He invites the spectator to think of one of the cards. They do, and he asks for the color of the card. He puts all of the cards that do not match the color of the selection away. JANUARY 2029 He does the same with the high cards and the low cards. He makes a row with the Queen and King, and a row with the Ten and Jack. The high cards and low cards. The spectator indicates if their card is high or low, and Al removes the other two putting them away. Finally, he asks which of the final two cards the spectator is thinking of. Keeping the thought of card on the table he puts the other card away. The double facer is dropped on top of the thought of card and he recaps the entire procedure, underlining how fair it was. The two cards are then picked up together and spread. The magician turns over the two cards shifting them back and forth. This is the move performed commonly in the two card monte. If you shift the two cards like this while turning them over you can apparently show that. the red backed card matches the blue backed card. Showing that the selected card was predicted perfectly. 0