COLOMBINI MAGIC PRESENTS

14
AMAZING CARD ROUTINES
USING GIMMICKED CARDS!

Compiled by
ALDO COLOMBINI
 INTRODUCTION

Peter Duffie is certainly one of the most prolific creators in magic, es-
pecially when it comes to inventing great card effects.

Here you have some of Peter Duffie’s best tricks and routines,
most of them using FAKED and GIMMICKED cards.

Give them a try and you will see how effective they are.

In case you cannot find the special cards required (and it should-
n’t be difficult) almost every routine is available through our company
at www.wildcolombini.com (just check the CARD MAGIC category).

Enjoy Peter’s magic and best always,

Aldo Colombini

Tampa, February 2011

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 A FREE CHOICE
This is an amazing close-up trick. One of Peter’s best! The following four-card assembly was
inspired by a Torn & Restored Card effect of Stanley Collins which appeared in his book Original
Magical Creations.

EFFECT: You show four-of-a-kind, say the four Kings, and lay them in a face-down row on the
table. Twelve blank-faced cards are shown and a spectator deals three cards onto ANY King (free
choice). THE SPECTATOR deals the remaining nine blank cards so that there are three face-up
cards on each remaining Kings. You pick up each packet in turn and AFTER SHOWING THE KING
you cause it to vanish leaving four blanks. The spectator turns over his freely chosen leader pile to
find ALL FOUR KINGS!

REQUIREMENTS: You’ll need four cards (say the four Nines) with regular back, three duplicates of
one of those cards with regular back (say three 9S), six blank-faced cards with regular back, three
cards with faces and blank backs (9C, 9H and 9D).

SET-UP: From top down the order should be: The four Nines (with regular back) face up, followed
by the three blank-backed cards (faces down), followed by the six blank-faced cards (blank side
up) and the three duplicate 9S face down (figure 1, if you spread the cards).

9S 9S 9S 9C 9H 9D

PERFORMANCE: Hold the packet in the left hand dealing position with the four of a kind on top.
Deal off the four of a kind in the right hand without reversing their order and keeping the four cards
spread in a fan. Turn the right hand palm down to show the backs of the cards and place the four
cards, still face down, below the left hand packet.
Spread the cards to show the blanks, stopping after about a couple of the face-down cards.
Slightly in-jog the first face-down card toward you. DO NOT mention the quantity but say, “All the
other cards are blank ... so this is an easy one to follow.” Without delay close up the spread and
turn the packet over (sideways so that the in-jog card remains toward you) to bring the four of a
kind and the duplicate cards face up on top.
Now lift off all the face-up cards by lifting up with the right thumb at the in-jog card
automatically lifting seven cards, square and flip them face down on top.
Deal off the top four cards into a face-down row on the table. These four cards are all the
same (in the example given, all 9S). Turn the in-hand packet face up and casually spread to show
the blanks, ensuring that you do not expose the lower three which are NOT (if you want you can
perform any False Count that allows you to show twelve blank-faced card but it is not necessary),
saying, “I want you to deal three of these blank cards on top of any one of these cards.” Square up
the cards, turn them face down in the left hand.
Ask a spectator to point to any tabled card (free choice) and then deal off the top three
cards onto that card (the four Nines are already assembled together). Slide the packet toward the
spectator and ask him to keep a close watch on it.
Turn the left hand cards face up and deal one face-up blank card onto each of the three

2
remaining cards, then continue the deal until all nine cards have been dealt, and there are three
blanks atop each face-down cards. (The position at this stage is: There are three packets on the
table, each identical in structure, from top to bottom, face-up blank; face-up blank; face-up blank
with face on underside and face-down duplicate. See figure 2.)
You now show each of the three face-down cards below the packets to be different and then
vanish each in turn as follow. The Automatic Vanish: Starting at either end packet, pick up the four
cards ONE AT A TIME placing them into your left hand in a dealing position. The order is thus
reversed which brings the face-down card to the top.
Now turn your hand over (palm down), so turning over the cards too, and apparently slide
out the lower card with the right hand, really performing the Glide so that the second from the
bottom is removed. To wit: The left fingers slide back the bottom card, so that the right fingers can
remove the second card, while apparently removing the bottom one. This will switch the duplicate
for one of the blank backers. Once the card has been removed and seen, replace it back on the
bottom then immediately transfer the TOP card to the bottom (all this while keeping the left hand
palm down). As you do this say, “You could have chosen this card ... but you didn’t so I’ll make it
go!’

Make a throwing motion from the packet towards the leader, then turn the left hand palm
up and do an Elmsley Count to show four blanks. Then place the packet on the table.
Now repeat the Automatic Vanish with each of the remaining two piles, placing them on top
of each other on the table.
Finally say, “Well, it seems you made a good choice of leader. Turn your cards over and see
what’s happened!” He does so to find he now has all four cards!

BLEACHED
This is a very strong 3-card Monte kind of effect, using four cards. Resets in one second, too and
once mastered the Elmsley count it is very easy to do.

EFFECT: You show three JD and one blank-faced card. The idea is like “Three-card Monte” - they
have to find the blank card. After a series of mind-boggling maneuvers, during which the blank card
proves to be as elusive as the Pimpernel, the blank card prints into a regular card. You now have
FOUR regular cards! Finally, ALL FOUR cards lose their ink to become blanks! No false counts: THEY
REALLY ARE ALL BLANK!

REQUIREMENTS: You need a special packet of five cards: Two blank-backed cards (regular faces),
a regular card, two blank-faced cards (regular backs). All three faces are identical and I will refer to
these as Jacks during the description.

SET-UP: The order of the cards from top down is: blank-faced card (face down), regular card (face
down), two blank-backed cards (blank sides up), blank-faced card (face down).

PERFORMANCE: STAGE 1: Hold the packet face down in readiness for an Elmsley Count (EC).
Carry out the count and place the last card on the bottom (the five cards are here counted as four).
As you count say, “Here’s a little gambling game using four cards that I saw once performed by a
hustler.”

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 Turn the packet face up and count the cards fairly from hand to hand, the final two taken as
one. Leave the cards in a fan. Here you say, “The game was simple, three Jacks (or whatever your
set is) and one completely blank card. All one had to do was to keep an eye on the blank.”
“To make it easier, the hustler removed one of the Jacks.” Square the cards, turn the hand palm
down (automatically turning the cards face down) and with the right hand, apparently remove the
Jack on the bottom, but really you perform a Glide (a very standard move) and place the next card
(a blank) onto the table.
Turn the left hand palm up, turning the packet face up into a dealing position. Transfer the
face Jack to the rear, saying, “The blank goes between the two Jacks.” At this point you can back-
spread the back two cards to display two Jacks with the blank between. Square the cards and turn
them face down.
Say, “He now counted the cards and told me to watch the middle card.” Hold the packet
face down in the left-hand dealing position. With the right hand, take the top card and place it on
the bottom, saying, “One.” Take the top three cards as one and place these on the bottom, saying,
“Two.” Finally, take the top card and place it on the bottom, saying, “Three.”
Say, “He now asked me where the blank card was. I said the middle. But I was wrong.” Turn
the cards over and spread them keeping the last two squared as one, to reveal three Jacks. Ask a
spectator to turn over the card on the table to discover the blank.

STAGE 2: The following sequences borrow a Roy Walton Elmsley count premise. Square and turn
the packet face down then ask the spectator to place the blank card (face down) on top. Carry out
an EC (last card on top), saying, “The hustler then reversed the order of the cards to take the blank
to the bottom…or so I thought. In fact, by clever sleight of hand he slipped it back to the top.” At
this, casually show the face of the packet to be a Jack, then flip over the top card to show the blank
card back on top.
Now very cleanly place the blank on the bottom of the packet, saying, “I then challenged
him to do it again, but this time I made sure it was on the bottom.” Turn the packet to show the
blank is indeed on the bottom, then turn the packet face down again. Carry out an EC (last card on
top), saying, “However, this time he said he would count it to the top. But he got me again because
it wasn’t on top.” Flip over the top card then flip it face down again.
“But, it wasn’t on the bottom either!” Turn the packet face up to show the face card is not
the blank. “In fact, there wasn’t a blank anywhere, he now had four Jacks!”
EC to show four Jacks (last card on top). This is a very important moment. They see four
Jacks and no blank. In a moment all four cards will turn blank. So make sure you enhance this
situation about the blank card vanishing and another Jack taking its place.

STAGE 3: Say, “Now we have four Jacks, maybe I should try a little trick of my own. I’ll keep two
of the Jacks and I’ll give you two.” As you say the above, take off the face two Jacks and openly
transfer these to the rear of the packet, without reversing they order. Now ask the spectator to
hold out his hand palm up. You now apparently place the two Jacks on the face onto his hand one
by one. Really you carry out the Glide twice so that the two blank cards behind the face Jack finish
on the spectator’s hand.
This leaves you holding three cards, apparently two Jacks, really: three Jacks, two with
blank backs and one regular. Hold your cards face up and show your two Jacks by removing the
lowermost one which you then drop on top sidestepped to display two Jacks.
Tell the spectator to place his free hand over his two Jacks. As he moves to do this, casually
flip the topmost Jack face down onto the other two face-up Jacks. In actual performance you will
find this is the moment that nobody is actually looking at your hands. Even if someone sees your
move, they will still not be able to comprehend what they see next.
Say, “Watch closely…this is my little trick.” Snap your cards face up and remove the front
card, keeping the other two as one, revealing two blank-faced cards. This will come as a big sur-
prise. Remember that only a moment ago they saw four Jacks and no blank cards. Finally say,
“You’ve seen what happened to MY cards, have a look at your cards.” Ask the spectator to turn his
cards over. The spectator now discovers his two cards have turned blank too!

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 BLINDER
This is a double prediction with an unexpected finish. It is based on Max Maven’s “Preoction.”

EFFECT: You give a spectator a packet of cards and ask him to shuffle them. Next you bring out
two predictions (two jumbo cards). Two spectators each select a card. The packet is in their hands
as they make their selections. The two selections match the predictions! What would have hap-
pened if they had chosen other cards? The answer is nothing! Every card is completely blank!

REQUIREMENTS: Seven blank-faced cards and two regular cards: One red and one black; two
jumbo prediction cards duplicates of the two previous regular cards. You also need a clip.

SET-UP: Keep the seven blank cards in an envelope. Set the jumbo prediction cards and the two
regular cards as follows: Place the jumbo red card face up on the table. On top of this place the
other jumbo card (black) face up. On top of these two prediction cards place the regular face-up
black card followed by the regular face-up red card (example in figure 1). Square all the cards so
that one edge of all the cards are aligned. Then secure them with the clip as in figure 2. Keep
these cards in your pocket.

1 2

PERFORMANCE: Remove the seven blank-faced cards with their backs up. Do not flashes the
faces of the cards. Hand this packet to a spectator for shuffling, asking him to keep the faces of the
cards hidden as it is important that no one is influenced by the cards. Do not mention how many
cards are in the packet. As he is mixing the cards, bring out the clipped prediction-packet and hold
it in the right hand so that you are not showing the faces of any card.
The left hand takes the packet from the spectator and holds these seven cards face down in
a dealing position. Place the prediction –packet onto the left-hand cards and, as you are talking,
remove the clip and allow the two concealed cards to fall unseen onto the top of the packet. Place
the upper prediction in front of spectator A and the other prediction in front of spectator B. The two
cards are face down. Leave the clip on the table.
Hand the packet to spectator A and instruct him how to carry out a down-under deal, as fol-
lows: He holds the cards face down. With the right hand he deals the top card to the table, then
moves the next card to the bottom of the packet, deals the next card to the table on top of the first
and moves the next card to the bottom and continues doing this until he has only one card in his
hand. Tell him not to show the face of this card but to place it face down in front of his prediction.
Now ask spectator B to pick up the packet and repeat the down-under deal. He places his
final card in front of his prediction. All the dealings have been done with the cards always face
down. Ask spectator A to turn over his prediction and his selected card: They match. Ask spectator
B to do the same and the two cards match.

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 Then say, “You might wonder what would have happened if you had picked another card?
Well, nothing would have happened!” Flip the packet over and spread the cards revealing that they
are all blank.

BRAIN SELL
This is a stunning effect using two decks of cards. It re-sets in a second and to the lay audience is a
real miracle.

EFFECT: A spectator fans a blue-backed deck with the faces towards him and THINKS of one card.
Remember, HE fans the cards and HE thinks of one card! You remove a red-backed deck, show it
on both sides and then ask the spectator to remove the selected card from the red deck. This card
is turned over and has in big bold letters YOUR CARD on the back!

REQUIREMENTS: You will need a blue-backed deck of cards and a red-backed deck of cards.

SET-UP: The BLUE BACKED DECK - This is the Audley Walsh’s Mindreader Deck, and consists of
one group of 13 cards repeated four times (from Ace to King of different suits). A Joker is on the
face of this deck. The RED BACKED DECK - This is a normal 52 card deck. To perform the trick as
written, remove the 13 red backed cards that correspond to the group of 13 cards (force cards)
that you will find repeated in your blue deck. Write the words “YOUR CARD” on the back of each of
these 13 cards (figure 1).

PERFORMANCE: Place the two decks on the table and invite a spectator to assist you in your
experiment. Hand him the BLUE deck and ask him to remove the cards from the cardbox. Have him
spread through the deck and THINK of any one card that he sees. Once he has done this, tell him
to put the cards back into the cardbox and place it to one side.
Remove the red deck from the box and hold it face down. Spread the cards between the
hands, or ribbon spread it on the table, taking care not to expose the 13 cards at the bottom (or, at
least, taking care not to show the words on the back of the cards). Also, take care to show as many
regular cards as you can (the cards without letters). Do not make a big deal out of this, you are the
only one who knows there is something to hide.
Square the cards, turn the deck face up and spread it across the table. Ask the spectator to
name the value of his card, then, either you or the spectator, slides out the four cards having that
value. Automatically, you know the mentally selected card! THE CARD THAT IS TAKEN FROM THE
FRONT (FACE) BLOCK IS THE ONE HE IS THINKING-OF!
Once the four cards have been withdrawn, scoop up the spread and turn the deck face
down. Spread the face down deck across the table, ensuring that the cards above the bottom block
are spread widely to show as much of the backs as possible. The bottom block is also spread but
only marginally.
Pick up the four of a kind that were just removed, square the cards face up and, in so doing,
manage to move the mentally selected card to the bottom. Hand the face-up packet to the
spectator and tell him that he will eliminate cards. Tell him to deal the top card face down onto the
table. He places the next card face up underneath the packet. He places the next card onto the
table, turning it face down, then he places the next card (his selection)
face up to the bottom. Finally he deals the next card face down to the
table which leaves him with only one card (the selection).
At this point the spectator will react while you say “You look
surprised, and WE both know why, don’t we? ... So, for the first time,
will you name the card that you have been thinking of.” And he names
the very card that he is holding!
Say, “I could have made things a whole lot easier for myself if I
1 had just looked at the backs of the cards. If I had done so, I could
have spotted your card a mile away!” At this, remove the card from the

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spectator’s grasp and toss it face down onto the table to reveal the writing on the back!

CLEAR THOUGHT
Another winner from our friend Peter.

EFFECT: Four cards (say Queens) are placed face up on the table and a spectator THINKS of one of
them. Four more cards - blank on both sides - are introduced. A spectator chooses one of these
cards and now it has changed into a duplicate of the spectator’s thought-of card. You take the re-
maining three blank cards and change them into duplicates of the other three Queens!

REQUIREMENTS: You will need eight cards, separated in two packets: Packet A consists of three
normal cards, say QD, QH and QC and a blank-backed QS; Packet B consists of one double blank
card (blank on both sides) and three cards (in this example Queens) with blank backs (except the
Spade card).

SET-UP: Packet A can be removed from your normal deck of cards or kept as a separate packet.
Packet B is set up as follows, from top to bottom: QD/Blank, Blank/QC, Blank/Blank, QH/Blank. I
will describe the effect for the suits Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds. Although the handling does not
alter in any way for Spades, the presentation does. This will be described at the end.

PERFORMANCE: Place the four Queens (packet A) in a face-up row on the table, in Clubs, Hearts,
Spades and Diamonds order from let to right. (If you’d like, with the blank-backed card third from
the top, perform a face-down Elmsley Count showing four regular backs, although I do not feel this
is necessary.)
Introduce Packet B with the blank side uppermost. Explain that you have four white cards
that are the very latest in computer technology. As you say this, perform an Elmsley Count, from
right to left, as follows: Count one, then two as normal (making the switch on the second card)
then pause as you are speaking and turn the left hand to show blanks on both sides. Count the
third and fourth cards, each time turning the left hand to show both sides of its cards. (If you pre-
fer, eliminate these moves and do a simple Elmsley Count.)

1 2 3

Explain that you will demonstrate how it all works. As you say this, casually do the follow-
ing: Holding the cards from above with the right hand, fingers at the front, thumb at the inner end
(figure 1), show the other side of the packet (figure 2) and bring the hand down as in figure 1
again. With the left thumb, pull off the top card into the left hand (figure 3). Now turn the right
hand palm up (as in figure 2) and from that position pull off the new top card into the left hand,
on top of the first card. Turn the right hand palm down again (as in figure 1) and pull off the third
card onto the packet now forming in the left hand. Finally, snap the last double-blank over and
place it under the three cards in the left hand. This should all be done while you are talking, as if it
doesn’t matter. The order from top down is now: Blank/QD, Blank/QC, Blank/QH, Double-blank.
Hand the packet to the spectator. Ask him to think of any one of the Queens but to tell no
one which card he has decided upon. Explain that you will now demonstrate the ability of the com-
puter.

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 Ask the spectator to switch on the computer. Tell him the code is to transfer three cards,
one at a time, from the top to the bottom. After he has done this tell him to remove the top card,
the double-blank. Explain that this is his personal card and ask him to turn it over and place it on
the bottom of the packet. (Note: You may avoid this phase and simply go to the next step.)
Tell the spectator that you now want him to input the code or identification of the card he is
thinking of. Only the suit matters, Hearts, Clubs, Spades or Diamonds. He transfers one card from
the top of the packet to the bottom, spelling the suit of his card—one card for each letter. Let’s as-
sume the chosen card is Hearts. Once he has completed the task, the QH will be on top of the
packet. Tell him to take the computer card now on top and drop it on the Queen he is thinking of.
Due to the spelling he will always end up with the correct card on top of the packet except in the
case of Spades, which we will deal with later. Take the remaining three cards from him and cut the
double-blank to the bottom. In this case the double-blank is on top (see end note).
After a suitable build-up have him turn over his computer card to show that its face has
changed to match that of his selection. This will work for any suit except Spades.

THE QUEEN OF SPADES: If he drops the computer card on the QS the effect ends differently. Turn
over the other three tabled Queen so they are backs uppermost. Finally, ask the spectator to turn
over the QS to show that its back is now blank.

CLEAR FINISH OR TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: I normally finish at this point but sometimes proceed with
the following climax. I assure you that for laymen and some magicians it goes extremely well. This
does not, however, apply if the QS was chosen. Try it and see.
After the effect has registered, you explain that the computer can go even further. Once you
cut the double-blank to the bottom of the three-card packet, show the three cards as blank using
the Flushtration Count as follows: Hold the packet in your right hand as in figure 1. Turn the right
hand palm up so that the spectators see the face card of the packet (figure 2). Turn the hand down
again and peel the top card of the packet off into the left hand with your left thumb (figure 3). Re-
peat a second time and then show the last card blank on both sides and place it to the bottom.
Re-grip the cards in your right hand. Now pull off the top card into the left hand, leaving a
double held in the right hand. Show this double on both sides and then drop it onto the single card
in your left hand. Remove the top card and hold it over the tabled Queens. Move it slowly along the
row, stopping, in this case, over the QD. Slowly turn the card over to show that it has become
printed—a duplicate of the QD. Note that this handling is where the thought-of card is the QH. In
the case of the QC you will stop at Diamonds. If Diamonds was thought of you will stop at the QC.
You are left with two cards. The double-blank is on top. Casually place it to the bottom. Per-
form the Flushtration Count with two cards showing them blank on both sides. After this take a
card in each hand; the double-blank in the left and the Blank/Queen in the right.
Drop the double-blank in front of the QS and the remaining card in front of the QC (in this
case). Slowly turn over the computer card at Clubs to reveal it has now printed. Now turn over the
last computer card, but look surprised. It appears to have failed (it is the double-blank).
Flip the other three tabled Queens face down. Explain that the computer hasn’t really failed,
it is merely a malfunction! Using the double-blank flip the QS face down to reveal the back has be-
come blank. It has ‘unprinted.’

END NOTE: In the sixth paragraph you have to cut the double-blank to the bottom of the packet.
Here is how you know where it is. If the thought-of card is Clubs, the blank will end up in the mid-
dle. If it is Hearts it will be on top. If it is Diamonds, it will already be on the bottom so do nothing.

GHOST FLIGHT
The sandwich premise in the card assembly genre belongs to Gene Maze. The under cover aspect is
inspired by George McBride’s “Bullets By Post” (Assembly Point, July 1996).

EFFECT: You show eight cards blank on both sides and four regular playing cards (say the four

8
Kings). You also place a folded handkerchief (cover) on the table. The spectator sandwiches each
playing card between two blanks. The playing cards become all blank on both sides! At the end, the
four cards appear under the handkerchief!

REQUIREMENTS: You need a packet of 16 cards: Eight double-blank cards, a regular four-of-a-
kind with regular backs and a duplicate four-of-a-kind with blank backs. You also need a handker-
chief (or any ‘cover’ about 5 inches square).

SET-UP: From top to bottom: Eight double-blank cards, the four-of-a-kind face down and the four-
of-a-kind with blank backs (figure 1). Note: slightly shorten two corners of the blank-backed Club
- the inner right and the outer left. Both four-card sets are in the same suit order and Clubs is al-
ways at the face.

PERFORMANCE: Bring out the packet blank side up and hold it in the left hand. With the left
thumb, push off the eight blank cards, take them with the right hand and give them to a spectator
for inspection. The other cards remain in dealing position with no attention drawn to them.

1 2

Take back the eight blanks and place them under the cards in your left hand, then thumb off
the top four face-down cards and hand these to the spectator. Watch to see if he alters their order,
you want the Clubs to stay on the face. If he mixes the cards there is no need to panic! You have
an opportunity to rectify it soon. While this is happening, casually push over the top four cards and
place them to the bottom, without changing their order). Now take back the four examined cards
FACE DOWN and place them beneath the main packet, then turn the complete packet face up. The
Clubs should be face up on top. If it is not, push over the upper three cards to show the foursome
again and shift the Clubs to the face.
Bring out the ‘cover’ and hand this out for inspection. As this is going on, obtain a break be-
low the uppermost four regular cards by riffling upwards with your right thumb at the inner left cor-
ner until stopped by the short-cornered card and take a break below these cards with your left little
finger. With your right hand take back the cover. Say that you will make the cards disappear and,
while saying it, simply place the cover over the cards. Of course, now the spectators cannot see the
cards…..they have disappeared!
After the laugh, bring your right hand back over to pick up the cover. Here the right fingers
extend and grip the four cards above the break, then the right hand lifts the cover (plus the four
cards) and places it onto the table. The face card on top of the packet does not change and nothing
untoward appears to have happened.
Deal the four printed cards onto the table around the cover (figure 2), then give the eight

9
 blank cards to another spectator. Ask him to give you
two of the blanks. You take them, then pick up one of
the printed cards and insert it between the two
blanks. Place these cards onto the table. Repeat this
with the other three printed cards. Each time, you
place the three-card sandwich on the table around the
cover (figure 3).
You now pick up each sandwich in turn and
cause the printed card to disappear, or more correctly
to turn completely blank: its soul having left it! Here
are the four simple methods, all of them finish in the
same way by repeating the First Vanish.

FIRST VANISH: Pick up a sandwich and hold it

squared in the left-hand dealing position. Get ready
for a Double Lift. Flip over the top two cards as one
then deal the top card onto the table. Without pause
3 flip over the next card and deal it on top of the first.
Finally snap the last card over and drop it on top of
all. You have shown three cards blank on both sides. The first card has gone!

SECOND VANISH: Pick up the second sandwich and place it into a dealing position in your left
hand. Flip the packet over three times as a magical gesture, then count the three cards from hand
to hand (reversing they order) to show three blanks. Flip the packet over, then repeat the actions
of the First Vanish showing three blank cards on both sides, dealing the three cards onto the first
three to form one pile.

THIRD VANISH: This is almost the same but it appears different. Pick up the third sandwich and
place it into your left hand. This time carry out a Vernon Fist Flourish to turn the packet over.
(Briefly: hold the cards in the left-hand dealing position. Close your left hand, turn it over palm
down and, at the same time, turn the cards over as well. With your left thumb, push the cards for-
ward outside the left fist and take them with your right hand. The left hand turns palm up and re-
ceives the cards again in dealing position). Count the three cards from hand to hand to show three
blank surfaces. Next, flip the packet over and repeat the actions of the First Vanish dealing the
cards onto the tabled pile.

FOURTH VANISH: Place the fourth packet into the dealing position, then transfer the top card to the
bottom to bring the printed face to the top. Lift off the top two cards as one from above with your
right hand, then rub the back of the card/s against your sleeve, saying you will erase the back. Flip
the card/s over onto the single card in your left hand to show the back has indeed gone. Lift off
only the top card and rub it against your sleeve. This time, when you flip the card over onto the
packet the face has gone. Finally count the cards from hand to hand, flip them over, then repeat
the actions of the First Vanish to finish. All the cards (12 in all) are now in one pile.
Lift the cover to show all four regular cards fully materialized in their astral bodies!

STAR-STRUCK
The next three effects were published in a manuscript named “Miracle 3.”

EFFECT: An exceptionally clean elevator routine with a surprise finish featuring three Jokers and
two double blanks!

REQUIREMENTS: You require a packet of cards consisting of: Three identical Jokers, two double
blanks (from now on referred to simple as ‘blanks’) and one blank-faced card with regular back.

10
Draw some stars on the face of the blank-faced card as in figure 1 (see note at the end of the
trick).

SET-UP: The starting order is shown in figure 2.

Joker Joker Joker Stars Blank Blank Joker Joker Stars

1 2 3

PERFORMANCE: Bring out the squared packet with the blanks uppermost, saying, “Let’s try an
experiment in inter-dimensional-travel.” Push off the two blanks and show them both sides, saying,
“These two cards have nothing on them and will represent the infinite void of space.” Drop the
blanks onto the table, or give them to a spectator momentarily. Turn the remaining cards face up
and spread over the first two Jokers, keeping the last two cards together as one. This displays
three Jokers. Say, “These three Jokers will represent three budding time travelers - their mission -
to traverse space and time in the blink of an eye....so make sure you don’t blink!” As you speak,
remove the top Joker and place it to the rear/bottom of the packet. Now turn the Jokers face down.
Take back the two blanks and place them on top of the face down Jokers. Clear a space on
the table then take the packet into a right hand Biddle grip (held from above with fingers at outer
end and thumb at inner end). With your left hand slide out the bottom face down card and place it
on the table center/left. Slide out the next card and place it to the right of the first card. Then slide
out the next card (apparently the last Joker) and place it to the right of all (figure 3).
You currently hold the two blanks with a Joker concealed beneath them—still in the right
hand Biddle grip. Count/transfer the top card to the bottom but leave it stepped to the left. Then,
place these on top of the left hand Joker on the table and pick it up beneath the cards - this is
stepped to the left forming a three card spread—figure 4. Place the spread packet into your left
hand then slowly close them together. As you do so, insert your left little finger under the top dou-
ble and retain the break.
Rub the top of the packet then flip over the top two cards as one revealing the Joker - but
do not stop here - flip the Joker face down again (single this time) revealing the back, then flip it
face up again. This has the appearance of a completely blank card changing into a properly printed
card. Deal the Joker face up on the table at its original position.
You now repeat the previous actions with the center Joker. Which is: Take the blanks into
right hand Biddle grip again and count/transfer the top card to
the bottom leaving it stepped to the left. You place these on
top of the middle Joker on the table and pick it up beneath the
cards—again forming the three card spread as shown in figure
DOUBLE
4. Place the spread packet into your left hand then slowly close CARD
them together obtaining your break as before.
Rub the packet and flip over the top two cards as one,
again showing the sudden appearance of the Joker on top. Deal
this Joker back onto the table.
Repeat the exact same procedure one more time with
the final face-down card - apparently the third Joker. It too ap-
pears on top. Deal it to the table. 4
This leaves you holding the two blanks with the “star

11
card” concealed beneath them. Remove the top blank and show both sides as you transfer it to the
bottom, commenting, “Once again I’m left holding the void.” Pause for a moment then say,
“Actually there’s no such thing as an empty space.” As you speak, make a one-hand fan revealing a
face-down card between the two blanks. Remove the face-down card, turn it face up then toss it
onto the table, saying, “Actually, the answer’s in the stars!”

NOTE: Instead of the stars, you can write any message on the face of the card (your name, etc.).

TOTAL MAGIC
EFFECT: You show ten playing cards consisting of an Ace through Ten of one suit (say Clubs), plus
two court cards, say, the two red Jacks. After the cards are mixed, a spectator freely selects any
card. A second spectator then takes the cards, adds the two black Jacks and mixes all the cards
together. The cards that become trapped between the Jacks are removed and their values totaled
together. There might be two cards, a 7 and a 5 = 12. When the first spectator turns over his freely
chosen card, it has the number 12 boldly written on its back. No other cards have 12 written on
their back!

14 17 15 18 16

4 7 5 8 6

REQUIREMENTS: You require: 10 cards consisting of the Ace to Ten all of one suit (say Clubs).
Write on each card a different number on its back as in figure 1 (on the back of the Ace you write
the number 14, on the back of the Two you write the number 17 and so on). These cards are not
supplied as you may use cards from a regular deck. You also need two matching court cards - same
value and same color (say the two red Jacks).

SET-UP: With the Ace to Ten running in order you are set to go. All the cards are face up and the
Ace is at the face.

PERFORMANCE: Remove the cards and place the two court cards on the table, saying, “These are
my two accountants. They are wizards with figures.” Keep all the cards face up for the moment.
Show the Ace to Ten, saying, “These cards represent all the numbers from one up to ten. By vari-
ous combinations we can arrive at thousands of different totals. This is an experiment in simple
arithmetic. First I’ll put the cards out of their obvious sequence.” Hold the packet - still face up - in
a Biddle grip and pull off the top and bottom together and drop them onto the table. Do this again
and drop the pair on top of the first pair. Continue doing this Klondike Shuffle until only two cards
remain in your hand, and drop these on top of all.
Pick up the packet and give it to a spectator - still face up - and ask him to give the cards a

12
few cuts and to stop when he sees a card that appeals to him. Tell him to deal that card onto the
table and to pass the rest of the cards to a second spectator (This is not essential and you could
carry on using the same spectator).
Tell the new spectator to pick up the two “accountants” and place them face down on top of
the face-up packet. Then tell him to give the cards a complete cut. He now carries out the following
simple actions: a) Say, “I want you to put some cards between the two accountants, but I want this
to be randomly done. So.....” Tell him to deal the cards into two piles - dealing alternately as in a
two-handed game. As the packet now contains an odd number of cards, he will finish the deal on
the first pile. b) Tell him to pick up either pile and place it on top of the other. c) Tell him to repeat
this procedure (steps a) and b)) one more time, saying, “Do that one more time and then we’ll see
if any cards have been trapped between the two accountants.”
Tell him to spread the cards on the table. There will be TWO cards trapped between the ac-
countants. If there isn’t, tell him to gather up the cards and give them a cut, saying, “We don’t
want too many cards as you’ll need to add their values!” This will bring the two cards into the cor-
rect place.
Slide out the accountants along with the two trapped cards, and ask the spectator to add
together the values of the two cards. They might total 14. Pick up the rest of the cards and turn
them face down revealing that every card has a number on its back, saying, “You may not have
noticed this....but every card has a number on its back, and you will see that no two numbers are
the same.” At this, ask the first spectator to turn his selection face down - it will show the correct
total - in this case it would be 14.

PRINTERFACE
EFFECT: You show five cards back and front - each card has a totally blank face. You invite a spec-
tator to put a sticker on the back of one of the cards and then he writes his initials on the sticker.
This blank signed card is placed face up in the middle and the cards placed on the table. Nothing is
added or taken away. The spectator now spreads the five cards and to his amazement finds that
the blank card in the middle is now fully printed. Not only that, but his signature is still intact! Fi-
nally you flip over the other four cards one by one - no false counts or any other moves - to reveal
that these cards too are now fully printed and duplicates of the signed card!

REQUIREMENTS: This requires a packet of six cards. Four are regular cards (say all 6S), one card
(same card, in the example given the 6S) has a blank back, the remaining card has a blank face
(with regular back). You also need some stickers.

SET-UP: The cards are set as in figure 1. The blank-faced card at the bottom has a piece of dou-
ble sided Scotch Tape on its face towards the inner end (figure 2). Before commencing you need
to peel off the covering from the sticky tape on the face of the blank facer. There is one side of the
square that you can lift then peel. Do this carefully. Keep the covering so you can stick it back on
when you’re finished. Have the sheet of stickers on the table when performing.

Blank Blank-backed 6♠ 6♠ 6♠ 6♠

1 2

PERFORMANCE: Hold the packet face down - the sticky patch must be at the inner end. Take the

13
packet in a Biddle in your right hand. You will now show five blank faces using the double variant of
the Hamman Flushstration Count, as follows: Pull off the BOTTOM card into your left hand (figure
3). Now turn both hands over to show two blank faces (figure 4). The sticky patch is hidden by the
left hand - see dark square in drawing. Now turn both hands over again. Pull off the TOP card onto
the first card in your left hand - turn both hands again to show two blank faces, then turn the
hands down again. Repeat this two more times. Finally show two more blank faces then place the
remaining double (two as one) on top of all.
Ask a spectator to peel off a sticker and fix it to the center of the back of the top card, then
ask him to place his initials on the sticker. If you don’t mind wasting a card each time he can sign
the actual card. Double Lift and flip over the top two cards as one, saying, “We’ll leave your signed
card face up, and in the middle.” As you say this, pull out the bottom card from the FRONT end and
place it on top, BUT, maintain a separation with your left little finger at the inner end to avoid the
cards sticking too soon. They must adhere perfectly square. Now pull out another card from the
bottom and place it on top. Once you’re sure the cards are all square, allow the top two cards to
close at the inner end.
Give the packet a “magic twist” by spinning it end for end between your left finger and
thumb. This puts the sticky patch at the outer end - towards the audience. Place the packet on the
table. Ask the spectator to wave his hand over the cards then spread them apart. What was a blank
card in the middle is now a printed card. Let the effect register then slide it out and turn it face
down and ask him to confirm his initials are intact. Finally flip over the other four cards revealing
that all the cards are now printed!

3 4 5 6

ALDO COLOMBINI’S HANDLING: Personally I (Aldo) do not use the double-sided Scotch Tape.
Here is how I reach the climax - the set-up is the same; proceed until the end of step 1. Flip over
the top two cards as one as stated at the beginning of step 2.
Now pull out the bottom card and place it on top. Obtain a break below the top two cards
with your left pinky. With the right hand, slide back the top card only showing a blank second from
the top (figure 5). Move the card forward until it is squared with the others and immediately move
the top two cards backward, squared as one. A printed card will be seen second from the top as in
figure 6 (it is kind of a reverse Paint Brush Change). Place the right middle finger on the printed
card and move the right hand forward, squaring the top two cards with the others but forcing the
printed card to be protruding forward in an out-jogged position. The right hand removes that card
and shows the back: The signature of the spectator is still there. Flip the remaining cards over and
spread them, keeping the last two as one showing four more duplicates of the printed card. You can
show the four cards front and back and everything looks fair.

POINT-BLANK ASSEMBLY
A diabolical three-phase routine. this effect which was originally published in Peter’s booklet called
Duet.

EFFECT: Four Kings (or other four-of-a-kind) change places one at a time with four blank cards.
The transposition is repeated only this time it occurs instantly. Finally, the four Kings disappear al-

14
together and ALL THE CARDS ARE BLANK!

REQUIREMENTS: You need four blank-faced cards and four-of-a-kind (say Kings). Three of the
Kings are blank-backed the remaining King has a regular back.

SET-UP: Place the four Kings face up on top of the four face-up blanks. The regular King is the
fourth card from the face of the packet.

PERFORMANCE: Stage One. Spread out the cards to show four Kings and three blank cards. The
last two cards are held squared as one.
Close the spread and apparently flip over the four Kings. Really, the left fingers buckle the
bottom card (separating it from the others) and the right hand turns over all seven cards above the
buckle. You should make it clear to the spectators by saying that you are flipping the four Kings
face down. Deal the top four cards onto the table in a face-down packet, reversing their order. The
top card of the packet is the regular King, the other three cards are blank-faced cards. In your left
hand you now have four cards: Three Kings, showing the blank side and a blank-faced card at the
bottom.
Show the four cards remaining as three blank cards, holding the last two cards squared as
one. Square the cards, turn the packet over and hold it face down in the left-hand dealing position.
With your right hand, take the top card of the tabled packet face up. Explain that you will
now place one King reversed among the three blank cards. Apparently push the King, face up, into
the face-down packet but really, from behind, you just put the King on the bottom of the packet
(figure 1).
Explain that the idea is to make the three blank-faced cards change places, one at the time,
with the three Kings on the table. Make a magical gesture and then perform an Elmsley Count to
show two Kings between two face-down cards (the five cards are counted as four). Turn over the
first tabled card to show it is blank and leave it aside (blank side up).
Repeat the magical gesture and then genuinely count the cards, reversing their order, to
show three Kings and one face-down card. (To do this, take the packet from above in the right
hand. With your left thumb, slide off the top card into the left-hand dealing position. Then the next,
the next and finally drop the last two as one on top.) Now turn over the second tabled card to re-
veal it is blank. Place it on top of the other blank card.
Spread the cards in your hand to show four Kings (again holding the last two cards as one)
and turn over the last tabled card to reveal it is blank. Place this card with the other two. Square
the King packet. Pick up the three blanks and place them face down beneath the face-up Kings. Fan
off the four Kings, take them in your right hand without reversing their order, and use them to flip
the four blanks face up. Drop the four Kings onto the face-up blank cards. The order of the cards is
the same as the beginning of the trick (four Kings on top of the four blank-faced card, with the
regular King fourth from the top).

Stage Two. Explain that you’ll do the trick one more time but this time a little faster. Repeat the
moves described in the first two steps of Stage one. You will be left holding the four face-up cards
(which the audience assumes are three blank-faced cards).
Pick up the top card of the tabled packet and, without showing its face,
drop it face down on the face-up packet in your hand. Ask the spectator if he/she
can guess which King that one is. No matter what the reply, your left fingers
buckle the bottom card and your right hand flips over the top four cards as one to
reveal a King.
Snap your fingers, then quickly turn over the three tabled cards to reveal
that they are now blank. Finally spread the packet in your hands, keeping the last
two as one, to show four Kings.

Stage Three. Here the handling differs slightly from Peter’s and is, I think, much
easier. Turn the King packet face down and casually but openly, invert the order 1

15
 of the top two cards without revealing the other blank cards (the order from top
down is now: regular King, blank-faced card, three blank-backed Kings blank
side up). Then, turn the packet over (apparently the cards are face up).
Flip the top four cards over as one, then move the top card backward to
show that a King is gone (figure 2). The right hand now turns over its card to
show it blank as well. Place this card onto the others and then spread the cards
to show four blank-faced ones (keeping the last two as one).
You can show that the cards have backs as well. At the end of the previ-
ous step, perform these moves: Grab the packet from above in your right hand.
With your left thumb, slide off the top card into the left-hand dealing position
2 (blank-faced card). Turn both hands over (the left hand turns palm down and the
right hand turns palm up) to show two backs. Turn your hands back to their
original position (the left hand palm up and the right hand palm down). The left thumb slides an-
other card onto the first one in the left hand. Turn your hands over again to show the backs of the
cards. Turn your hands again and repeat the move a third time. Place the last two cards remaining
as one that are in your right hand onto the other three left-hand cards and you are done.
Then, the right hand picks up the tabled cards, one after the other and, after showing them
on both sides, places them onto the left-hand cards. You have apparently shown, in a casual man-
ner, that all the cards have backs. Pocket the cards!

STUND!
This is based on Chesbro & West’s “Jumping Jack Rabbit Card” and Roy Walton’s “Ambitious Ghost.”
The Six Card Repeat style presentation is similar to Dave Campbell’s “Reverso-Matic.”

EFFECT: You shuffle a deck and then invite a spectator to cut it. You bring out a packet of four
cards and proceed to relate a story about going to a magic shop and wanting to buy a trick. A Joker
is shown and placed to the bottom of the packet. It rises to the top. You continue to place the Joker
to the bottom, but it continues to come to the top. When you show the cards, they are all the
same, but they are all blank! You DEFINITELY wanted to buy the trick, but you’re too late, because
now you instantly show all four previously blank cards to have SOLD signs on them. A “SOLD” sign
vanishes from one card. And THAT is the card you bought! The spectator turns over the card he cut
to - it may be the JD. When you pass the magic card through your hand, the JD appears printed on
it!

REQUIREMENTS: A packet of five cards - three are blank faced and you have to write SOLD on
their faces (as in figure 1). One is a JOKER. The remaining card is blank on one side, and has a
regular face on the other (double-faced or DF card).

SET-UP: The order of the cards is as follows, reading from the top down (cards are face down):
SOLD, JOKER, SOLD, SOLD, DF card with regular side up. Take a deck of cards and place the card
that matches the printed card in your set on top.

PERFORMANCE: (Patter suggestions are in italic. Adopt and adapt to suit.)

Bring out your deck and give it a shuffle, retaining the pre-set card on top.
Place the deck face down on the table and invite a spectator to cut the cards
and place the cut section on the table. Reach down and pick up the bottom half
and place it crosswise on top of the other half, saying, “We’ll just mark the point
of your cut for the moment.” This is the classic ‘Cross Cut Force.’
You now ignore the deck and say, “I actually bought this trick recently...
maybe you’d like to hear about how I managed to buy it? Well, I went to the
local magic shop and asked to buy a new card trick. The man in the shop said
he only had one with four cards. He held four cards....just like these.”
1

16
 Bring out the packet of cards and hold then face down. Spread over the top three cards,
keeping the bottom two held as one. Then, openly transfer the top two card to the bottom and
square the packet. “He showed me the bottom card...it was a Joker.” Tilt the packet and show the
Joker at the bottom then tilt it back again, and say, “He then counted the Joker to the top.” Carry
out an Elmsley Count and injog the third card slightly as you count.
Get a break under the top two cards (using the injog) and carry out a Double Lift showing
the Joker, then say, “He now placed the Joker back on the bottom.” Here you remove the top card
and place it to the bottom. “But, no sooner had he done that than it was back on the top!” Turn
over the top card revealing the Joker.
Turn the Joker face down and say, “I asked him to do it again...so he did. He counted the
Joker back to the bottom.” Here you carry out an Elmsley Count. “But the Joker came back to the
top.” Turn over the top card revealing the Joker again. “Magicians don’t normally repeats tricks, but
he did it again!” Carry out another Elmsley Count to apparently reverse the order, then turn over
the top card revealing the Joker back on top yet again.
“Then it suddenly struck me....he must have four Jokers!” Spread the cards as four, keeping
the bottom two together, the close them up but retain a little finger break above the bottom
double. This simply reaffirms that you have four cards.
“So I told him that if he could show me that he did NOT have more than one Joker, I’d buy
the trick.” Remove the Joker from the top of the packet - show its face - then apparently place it to
the bottom. Really insert it into the break above the bottom two cards. “He didn’t have ANY Jokers,
in fact all the cards were blank!” Rub the packet on your sleeve then show that the face card is now
blank. It appears as if the Joker has vanished. Now show four blank cards using a standard
Hamman Flushstration Count, peeling off three cards one by one and placing the final double on
top. Pause here for a brief moment to allow the effect to register, then continue, “I said, OK, I’ll
buy the trick. Sorry said the man, but these are all SOLD.” At this, turn the packet face up and
Elmsley Count showing four SOLD signs.
Allow this to register, then, say, “I pleaded with the man and so he tapped the cards and
one of the SOLD signs disappeared.” Carry out another Elmsley Count and openly outjog the third
card as you count. This will be blank. Pull this card out and drop it on the table, taking care not to
expose the underside.
Spread the remaining four cards as three, holding the last two together, and show them
both sides. For reset purposes, transfer the face card to the rear, then place then into your pocket.
Now say, “So, here is the card I bought.” Pick up the card. “I hope it really is a magic card.
This is the first time I’ve actually tried it.” Say, “Now where were we?...Oh yes...you cut the deck
anywhere you wanted.” At this, reach forward with your free hand and lift off the upper crosswise
section and ask the spectator to take the card from atop the bottom half and hold it face up. You’re
suddenly back in the original card trick!
Wave your blank card over his selection then dramatically pass the card through your fist so
it emerges printed side up to match his selection. Show the card then toss it onto the table.

THE UNIVERSAL
The ‘Universal Card’ has become a neo-classic in card conjuring. Methods range from the extremely
difficult to the easy. This version is very easy but powerful.

EFFECT: A blank-faced card (the Universal Card) takes on the image of cards selected from a deck.
This version happens away from the deck, and has a punch finish when writing appears on the
Universal Card, stating, “LOOK IN THE ENVELOPE!” Inside an envelope is a duplicate of the final
selection!

REQUIREMENTS: You need a packet of six cards and an envelope. The cards consist of two with
faces and no backs (#1 and #2), two blank on both sides (#3 and #4), one with a back and a
blank face (#5) and one regular card (#6). On card #5 write: LOOK IN THE ENVELOPE. You also
need a regular deck of cards.

17
SET-UP: Figure 1 shows the set-up for the cards: Card #1 faces downwards, card #2 faces
upwards (the card depicted may not match your set), cards #3 and #4 are double-blanks, card #5
is the message card, card #6 is inside the envelope. Take any deck and remove the three cards
that match cards #1, #2 & #6 above. Place them on top of the deck in that order, with #1 on top
and #6 at 3rd position. Place the packet inside the envelope with the back uppermost in such a way
that you can remove it while leaving card #6 behind.

PRESENTATION: First bring out the deck and prepare to Force the top three cards. You may use
the classic Cross Cut Force, which is as follows:
Lay the deck face down on the table and invite a spectator to cut the deck into two piles.
Pick up the BOTTOM half and lay it crosswise on top of the upper half, saying, “We’ll just mark the
point of your cut for the moment.” The Force is half done and will be completed in a moment.
Bring out the envelope and remove the packet of cards with the back uppermost. DO NOT
flash the underside, leaving the final card (#6) behind. Leave the envelope lying to one side.

Patter about the Universal Card and how it can take on the image of any other card. Double
Lift to show a blank face then turn the double face down again. Deal the top card onto the table.
Now Elmsley Count the remaining four cards to show four blanks. Cleanly turn the packet over and
Elmsley Count again showing four blanks on this side also. Casually spread over the top two cards
and cut them to the bottom, but hold a break between the two sets of pairs as you square the
packet.
Say, “I’ll divide these into two pairs and these will act as cover for the universal card to
perform his immaculate impersonations.”
Flip over the top two as one then deal the top card onto the table to your left. Turn the
remaining three cards over then flip over the top two as one then deal the top card onto the table
to your right.

2 3

This leaves you holding the two double blanks. Show these both sides as you drop one onto
each of the tabled cards to form the two pairs (figure 2). Draw attention to the deck and lift off the
upper section and place it aside. Now remove the top three cards from the lower section and lay
them in a face-down row on the table, left to right. Discard the remainder of the deck.
Pick up the left pair and hold the cards in your left hand. Pick up the Universal Card and
drop it on top. Double Lift showing a blank face then turn face down again. Remove the top card
and insert it between the two blanks (figure 3). Now square the three cards.

18
 Tap the left hand selection with the packet then replace them in your left hand. You will
now carry out the easy Wildlife Change (Solo, 1986). Slide back the top card for about one inch
(figure 4). You now appear to pull out the Universal card, but in fact you grasp both lower cards
together and pull them out as one (figure 5), revolving them face up onto the packet (figure 6).
Turn the first selection (left hand card) face up to reveal a perfect a replica. Turn the double
face down then remove the Universal Card and toss it onto the other pair of blank cards on the
table. Conclude this sequence by showing both remaining cards blank both sides as you discard
them. This is done using a simplified Flushstration Count as follows: by holding the two blanks in
your right hand - turn the hand to show a blank underside then revert the hand again. Remove, the
top card and toss it onto the table to your left. Show the remaining card both sides and toss it onto
the first card.
Pick up the other set of cards, two blanks with the face down Universal Card on top. Now
carry out the previous stage exactly as described to cause the second selection to appear on the
face of the Universal Card. When you show the card blank with the initial Double Lift, point out that
the first image has vanished. You conclude this stage with the Flushstration Count, tossing each
card onto the previous discarded blanks.

A


A

4 5 6

Finally hand the Universal Card to the spectator and ask him to tap the back of the third
selection. Ask him to turn the card face up and he should be surprised to see a written message
instead of a card face. Ask him to read out what it says: LOOK IN THE ENVELOPE.
Turn over the final selection. Pick up the envelope and slide out the card and turn it over
revealing an unexpected, but perfect, prediction to finish.

RESET: Pick up the four blanks, remove the 2nd card from the top, turn it face up and place it 2nd
from the bottom. Place the Universal Card face down on top. Place card #6 on top and insert the
cards in the envelope.

NOTE: If you prefer, you may have the first card shown (apparently the black-faced card) signed
by a spectator. To avoid the need to replace the card every time, you may want to have a few
stickers handy. Place a sticker on the back of the card and have the spectator sign the sticker. Pro-
ceed as above. Then you can remove the sticker and use the card again.

THE VANISHING
A startling vanish of cards based on the late Dave Campbell’s “Ultimate Cannibals.”

EFFECT: You show two packets of cards. The packets are assembled underneath a handkerchief
and one packet vanishes completely. You show the remaining cards SINGLY. The cards are really
gone. Everyone thinks that the cards have been left under the handkerchief. A spectator lifts up the
handkerchief and under it a single card appears revealing a message (any message, 'BOO', 'GONE,'
etc., even your telephone number!)

REQUIREMENTS: You need a set of six cards (which will masquerade as nine) and a handkerchief.

19
The six 6 cards are as follows: Two regular cards with faces and backs, three blank-backed cards
with faces to match the two regular cards (all the cards are the same), one completely blank card
with a message on one side.

SET-UP: The order at the beginning is shown in figure 1.

NOTE: In this explanation the message says “BOO.” Of course you can change the message to
anything you like (your phone number, the word “GONE,” etc.)

PERFORMANCE: Hold the packet in left-hand dealing position, blank side up. It is important that
your first finger sits at the front to hide the front edges of the cards throughout this introductory
phase. Say, “I have two sets of cards here and I keep them back to back because they are
enemies!”

NOTE: See note at the end for an alternative way to start if you don’t like beginning with the cards
back to back.

Push over the top four blank cards so the first back can be seen (figure 2), saying, “These
white cards represent a great alien race known as The White Brotherhood, who travel the universe
infiltrating any civilisation they come across.”
Close up the spread then turn the packet over. Spread over the top four cards to display five
faces (figure 3) - DO NOT spread any further or the message will be exposed. As you display the
five faces, say, “These five cards represent the civilisation that the White Brotherhood intend to
infiltrate.”

2 3 4

Close up the spread and turn the packet over again. Spread over the top four blanks and
take them with your right hand. Remember to keep your left first finger at the front to hide the
edges of the two face-down cards. Place the four blanks on the table for a moment to free your
hand then lift the front edge of the handkerchief. Go below with your left hand and place the two
face-down cards under the handkerchief so they lie under the RIGHT half of the handkerchief.
(figure 4).
Explain that the handkerchief acts like a protective shield. With your right hand pick up the
top blank card (message card) from the four on the table. Lift the front edge of the handkerchief
with your left hand and place the blank beneath. As soon as your hand is out of sight, flip the card

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over then drop the card so it sits under the LEFT half of the handkerchief (figure 5). A few trials will
show you that you can turn the card over with your fingers without having to turn your hand, and
nothing unusual can be seen from the front. In fact I perform this surrounded.
Pick up the next blank card and lift the front of the handkerchief with your left hand. This
time you slide the card below the two face-down cards. Don’t lift the whole handkerchief, only lift
the front edge upwards. This also gives you much better angles. Repeat this with the remaining two
blank cards (each card going under the previous cards). As you place the final card under, take the
opportunity to square the packet. No need to be too precise.
Say, “Now that all four aliens are beneath the hanky, it’s up to the five proper cards to get
rid of them. In fact they can do that very easily....watch.” At this, snap your fingers over the hand-
kerchief then use both hands to raise it slightly and move it over to the left, just enough to leave
the packet of cards in view, but leaving the message card hidden (figure 6).
At this point you could simply pick up the packet, turn it face up, then deal the card one by
one to the table, snapping the final two and allowing backs to be seen. Or, you might want to try
this: Pick up the packet, remove the top card and place it under the packet and flip the complete
packet face up (the top card is thus shifted to the face). Hold the cards in a right hand Biddle grip
in readiness for a Flushtration Count variant:
Pull off the upper card into your right hand then turn BOTH hand over at the wrists to show
two backs. Turn your hands back again and pull of a second card and repeat the show of two
backs. Do this again, and again, finally snapping the final card and adding it to the top. Now deal
the five card one by one onto the table, saying, “The White Brotherhood has vanished!”
Unless you have a polite audience, someone will point to the handkerchief. If they don’t, you
make the suggestion, saying, “You don’t look convinced. Oh I see, you think they’re still under the
handkerchief?” Invite a spectator to lift the handkerchief , saying, “But be careful because they left
a message to give you a fright.” They lift the hanky (usually apprehensively) and find the card with
the word “BOO!” written on it. I usually bang the table as they lift the handkerchief, which DOES
give them a fright! So you may wish to omit that!

5 6

ALTERNATIVE SET-UP AND INTRODUCTORY PHASE: The change to the original set-up is
simple: The two face-down cards at the bottom are turned face up (figure 7).

So you hold the packet as before, with the blank side uppermost. Again, fingers at the front
to conceal the front edge. Spread over the four blanks and grip them with your right hand,
explaining that these represent the White Brotherhood, and also state that the other set of cards
(they can see a face) represent the other civilisation.
As you mention the latter, use your right fingertips to contact the right edge of the two face-

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up normal cards in your left hand, and flip them face down. Remember they don’t know how many
cards there are supposed to be at this early stage.
Immediately, the four blanks are replaced. You are now in position to proceed exactly as
before. The reason I offer this alternative, is that some readers may think that beginning with the
cards back to back could suggest double faces. While I agree that it could, I prefer to start as
originally described.

THUNDERSTRUCK
Inspired by Dai Vernon’s “Twisting the Aces,” “The Last Trick of Jacob Daley” and Ryan Swigert’s
“Kickback.” You have in your possession a real gem and a routine that you’ll use often in your
working repertoire.

EFFECT: The four Aces turn face up one by one as clean as you’ve ever seen (a severe lack of false
counts!). Then, after blowing minds with a further miraculous event, they cause a signed card to
appear in the card case!

REQUIREMENTS: You require two double-faced cards to match your normal deck. Each double-
facer shows a black Ace on one side and a red Ace on the other, for example, one card has the AD
on one side and the AC on the other and the second card has the AH on one side and the AS on the
other (figure 1).

AC AS

1 2

SET-UP: Remove the two red Aces from your deck and replace them with the double-faced cards.
Place these two cards in the deck with the red Aces showing. You may add these to the face of the
deck or among other cards. The deck should be in its case.

PERFORMANCE: You are now ready to perform an amazing routine full of climaxes.

PHASE 1 - THE BIG TWIST: Bring out the cased deck, remove the deck, and then drop the open
case onto the table to your left.
With the deck face up, spread through and remove the four Aces, placing them on the table
in a pile slightly spread, the red Aces on top of the black Aces. The reverse side of the second red
Ace should NOT be the same suit as the black Ace next to it, so the order could be, from top to bot-
tom (cards face up): AH/AS (with the AH showing), AD/AC (with the AD showing), regular AS and
regular AC (figure 2).
Have a card selected and signed on the face. Let’s assume this card is the 2D. After its re-
turn, control this card to the top of the face-down deck (for an easy control see the end). The deck
is face down in left-hand dealing position. Secure a break below the selected card with the little fin-
ger of your left hand.
The right hand picks up the Aces and flips them face down onto the deck and only for one
instant (and without revealing the double-faced cards, of course). You then immediately lift off all
five cards with your right hand as your left hand places the deck to one side.

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You now hold five cards; the audience thinks you have only four. These are a face-down black Ace,
a face-down black Ace, a face-up black Ace (double-faced card with the AC showing), a face-up
black Ace (double-faced card with the AS showing) and the face-down selection (2D in this exam-
ple). See figure 3.

2D AS AC

3 4 5

Hold the packet face down, saying, “The four Aces will now demonstrate their magical abili-
ties. Notice that all the Aces are facing downward.” Elmsley Count the packet showing four backs
(the five cards are counted as four. See at the end for a description of the Elmsley Count), and
place the final card to the bottom and then immediately flip the packet face up. The order of the
cards is now, from top to bottom: AC, AH (double-faced card), AD (double-faced card), AS and 2D
(figure 4).
With the packet held face up in your left hand you casually show four Aces as follows:

a) Take the top Ace (AC in this example) in your right hand.

b) Count off the next Ace (double-faced AH) on top of the first but keep both cards slightly spread.

c) Then with your left thumb push the top card of the left-hand packet to the right (holding the last
two cards squared as one) so all four Aces can be clearly seen (figure 5).

d) Finally place the two Aces in your right hand below the two in your left hand and square the
cards. Flip the packet face down. The order from top to bottom is now: Face-down AC, face-up AS
(double-faced card), face-down 2D, face-down AS and face-up AC (double-faced card). See figure
6.

AS 2D AC

6 7

The Aces will now reverse one by one without any suspicious false counts or difficult moves,
as follows:

a) Grip the packet from above with your right hand. With your left thumb, slide the top card into
your left hand. The second card will appear face up (the AS in this example). Slide the next card
(face-up AS) onto the first card in your left hand but leave it out-jogged as in figure 7. Slide the
next card onto the left-hand cards but place it squared with the bottom card, leaving the AS out-

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jogged (figure 8). Finally, place the last two cards perfectly held as one on top.
With your right hand pull out the face-up Ace and then turn your left hand at the wrist. Place
the Ace on the face of the packet (figure 9). Square the cards and turn your left hand palm up
again. During the actions in figure 9, your left hand partially masks the face card of the packet.
While not essential, it is best that attention is not drawn to the face card.

b) Repeat the above to cause the second black Ace to turn face up (AC).

c) Repeat a third time, thus revealing that this time a red Ace turns over (AH).

d) Repeat one last time to make the second red Ace turn over (AD), but with a slight difference:
Count three cards into your left hand as before, out-jogging the red Ace (you still have a double in
your right hand), but pause at this point, saying, “And finally the Ace of Diamonds turns over.” Now
place the double card below the left-hand cards and square, leaving the Ace out-jogged. Finally re-
move the out-jogged Ace and use it to flip the rest of the packet face up in your left hand. Then
simply drop the Ace onto the face of the packet.

Conclude this phase by spreading the cards in your left hand (last two are held as one) to
show the four Aces (figure 10). Then square the cards and flip the packet over in your left hand.
The order from to bottom is now: Face-down 2D, face-down AS, face-down AC, face-up AS
(double-faced card) and face-up AC (double-faced card). See figure 11.

AC AS 2D

8 9 10 11

PHASE 2 - THE KILLER FINISH: “Now that the Aces have proved their abilities to us, they will
now attempt to reveal the card you selected. But only two Aces can do this, so they will now carry
out a quick self-elimination to see who stays for the final!”
Flip the packet face down and give it a shake. Then carry out an Elmsley Count, out-jogging
the black Ace that turns face up (AC). With your right hand remove this Ace and at the same time
catch a break below the top card of the packet with your left little finger. Drop the Ace face up onto
the packet, momentarily, saying, “So, a black Ace is eliminated…”
Reach into the break with your right hand and lift off the top two cards as one. Meanwhile
your left hand turns palm down and picks up the card case (a red Ace shows on the face of the
packet, so all appears fine). Place the double you are holding into the case, saying, “We don’t need
him anymore.” Replace the case on the table.
Deal the top two cards of the left-hand packet onto the table. A face-up black Ace is left in
your hand (AS). “The other black Ace is eliminated and he goes into the case, too, as he’s no longer
needed.” Pick up the card case and insert this second black Ace into it but make sure it goes under
the two cards already in the case. Drop the case back on the table.
Pick up the two face-down cards from the table and place them between a spectator’s
palms, saying, “So, the red Aces have been elected to find your signed card. It should now magi-
cally appear between them.”
After a few magical incantations, ask the spectator to separate his hands. Reach forward

24
and push over the top card as if expecting to see the selection between
them. But nothing more is there, just two cards. Pause, as if puzzled, and
then ask the spectator to turn over the two cards revealing these to be the
black Aces. “Ah, well, I did say that the RED ACES would find your card.” This
will come as a shock because they undoubtedly saw the black Aces go into
the card box only a moment ago.
As you are speaking, and taking advantage of this moment of sur-
prise, with your left hand grip the card case and pick it up, turning your hand
as you do so. Now tip out the contents: The two red Aces and the signed se-
lection caught between them (figure 12).
12
Push the selection out from between the red Aces and give it to the
spectator. Replace the Aces in the deck and take your bow.

♣♥♠♦

CARD CONTROL: Spread the cards face down between your hands and have a card removed. While
the card is shown around, square the deck and hold it face down in left-hand dealing position. The
right hand cuts the top half from above. The spectator is asked to replace his selection face down
onto the left-hand cards. The right hand replaces its cards on top but the tip of the left little finger
is placed between the two halves. The right hand now cuts half of the cards above the break and
drops them on the table, then cuts all the cards above the break placing them onto the tabled card.
The right hand finally places all the cards remaining in your left hand onto the tabled pile. The se-
lected card is on top.

THE ELMSLEY COUNT: Hold the four/five cards in the right (or left) hand, thumb on top and fingers
below. The left thumb goes directly on top of the first card and slides it to the left into the left hand
palm up. Then, the left-hand card goes directly below the right-hand cards by apparently allowing
the left thumb to slide off the new top card. What really happens is that the right thumb pushes
two/three cards to the left, almost squared, keeping only the bottom card of the two/three that you
have in the right hand. At the same time the left-hand card is left beneath the right-hand single
card. Without pausing, the left thumb slides off into the left hand the two/three cards moved by the
right thumb. The left hand takes the next card and then the last card counted as the first goes on
top of the previous cards.

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