A Koncise Kollaborative Kompendium of Kommercial Killer Kount Kreations for Kontemporary Klose-up Kard Konjurors

Peter Duffie Aldo Colombini Robin Robertson

COLOMBINI MAGIC [email protected] www.wildcolombini.com Ebook prepared by Lybrary.com www.lybrary.com

KILLER KONCEPTS

KILLER KONCEPTS A Koncise Kollaborative Kompendium of Kommercial Killer Kount Kreations for Kontemporary Klose-up Kard Konjurors In Semi-Automatic Card Tricks, Vol. 5, Steve Beam introduces a new false count with many applications, a number of which he presents in the book. The basic idea is a simple one: by using a Hamman Switch at the right point, you can count almost any sized packet as almost any number you like. For example, if you cut off about a quarter of the deck and want to count it as 13 cards, no matter how many cards it actually holds, hold it from above in the right hand in Biddle position (Fig. 1). The left thumb pulls off single cards on the count of 1 through 6 (Fig. 2). On the count of 7, do a Hamman Switch (Fig. 3). The last single card will show up on the count of 13.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

But you could also count this same packet as having 15 cards, or 17 cards. To count it as 15, do a Hamman Switch on the count of 8. For 17, do a Hamman Switch on the count of 9. The general rule for producing any odd number is to add one and divide by two. E.g., we added 1 to 13 to get 14, divided by 2 to get 7. And so forth. The general rule for producing any even number is to divide by 2 and do the Hamman Switch on that number. But you also have to secretly add a card from the right hand packet to the left hand packet during the Biddle type counts, some time before the Hamman Switch. Let's take that a little slower. Cut off about a quarter of the deck again, and this time we'll count it as 14 cards. First get a break over the bottom card with the left little finger. As the right hand picks up the cards in Biddle grip, the right thumb picks up the break. Let's assume you are going to add the card under the break on the count of 4 (it can actually be any time before you get to the Hamman Switch.) The left thumb pulls off single cards for the count of 1 through 3. Each time the right hand comes all the way over the left cards, so they are covered by the right cards. On the count of 4, the card under the thumb break is added to the left packet, at the same time as the left thumb pulls off the top card. If you haven't used a Biddle count often, this may sound complicated, but it's quite simple. The right thumb merely releases its hold on the card. It's much easier than, for example, a drop switch. Steve provides many subtleties and some wonderful tricks using this principle in his book, which we encourage you to read. We're going to try to break some new ground in our book. Oh, Steve calls it the Killer Count, but we couldn't resist calling it Killer Kount. Have fun! PAR (Peter Aldo and Robin)

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KILLER KONCEPTS

KILLER CARDS ACROSS Effect: Cards keep mysteriously passing from one packet to another Presentation: Have a spectator count 17 cards onto your left palm, then set the rest of the deck aside. Pick up the packet from above with the right hand, getting a break above the bottom 3 cards in the process. Count off 7 cards into the left hand, but secretly add the bottom 3 somewhere in the count so that you actually have 10 cards (Fig. 1). Hand these cards to a spectator to hold on his left palm for the moment. Then, using the Killer Kount, count the 7-card packet as 10, by doing a Hamman Switch at the count of 6, and holding the last two cards squared on the count of 10. Place these cards on the spectator's right palm. First card across: Make a gesture of invisibly moving one card from the right packet to the left packet. Do the usual by-play of asking the spectator if he felt the card come Fig. 1 across. Then pick up the right packet and count the cards as 9 (switching at 5). Replace it on spectator's right palm, and pick up the left packet. Count this packet, which previously had 7 cards, as 8, switching at 5 and holding the two as one. One card has passed across. Replace it on spectator's left palm Second card across: Make another gesture of passing a card from the right to the left, then pick up the right packet and count it as 8 cards (switching at 5), and holding the last two as one. Two cards are now gone. Replace on spectator's right hand. Pick up the left packet and count as 9 cards (switching at 5). Two cards have passed. Last card across: After one final magic gesture, you legitimately count the right packet as having 7 cards, the left as having 10. Variation: You can combine this with an older idea to have three mentally selected cards pass from packet to packet. At the start, have the spectator initially count the 17 cards face-up onto your hand. You pick up a break after the first 6 are counted. Then have 3 spectators decide between them on 3 numbers between 1 and 10 (you don't want 10). You explain that you have shown them 10 cards and each is to remember the card at their number. When you begin counting the cards into the left hand, take the 6 cards under the break off at the same time you count off the first card. Retain the break. Continue counting. When you get to 9, you'll only have 2 cards left in the right hand, but your right hand's position conceals this. On the count of 10, as you pull off the tenth card into the right, pick up all the cards over the break underneath the last card in the right hand. The left hand sets the 10 cards (actually 7) aside, turning them face-down. The card on the face of the right hand cards has never been seen before, so everything looks fine. Now turn those cards over and quickly count the 10 as 7 and proceed as above. At the end you can show that the 3 chosen cards have passed to the other packet.

THE 9 CARD TRICK Effect: Sort of a "6 Card Repeat" with 9 Cards and a Killer climax.

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KILLER KONCEPTS Set-up: The top 10 cards of the deck are as follows: AS, x, x, x, 2S, 3S, 4S, 5S, 6S, 7S. Presentation: Give the deck a cut and hold a break between the halves. Riffle Force to the break, asking a spectator to call stop - then lift off all the cards above the break and place them on the table. “This is the famous 9 card trick.” Push off the top 9 cards in groups of 3, without changing their order, then add the 10th card as you square them and table the deck. You now count the cards, to make sure you have 9, but instead you find that you have 10. Use the Killer Kount, doing a Hamman Switch on the 6th card. You'll end up with a double on 10, which you hold as a single card to display the AS. “Oops, we've got an extra card. This is the 9 card trick, we won't need the 10th card.” Turn the double back down, then take off the top card and place it on the tabled pack, then cut it to the middle. You now hold 9 cards. Order = A, X, X, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. “Alright, the 9 card trick.” Repeat the Hamman Count, again switching on the count of 6. Again you are left holding a double - again it appears as the AS. Turn your hand to show the AS - then drop the double on top. Again take the top card and drop it on top of the deck on table. Give the deck a cut. “We don't want that extra card.” There is no need to point out that it's the Ace of Spades. Even the densest of spectators will note the AS keeps coming back by the end of the routine. “OK - the 9 card trick.” Repeat the Hamman Count, again switching on the count of 6. Again you are left holding a double - again it appears as the AS. “We still seem to have an extra card. Let's get rid of it.” The double is then dropped onto the rest of the packet and the top card buried in the deck as before. “One more time . . . the 9 card trick!” This time do a Hamman Switch on the count of 5 rather than 6. You will end up with a single card this time on 9. Again display it as the AS without commenting on the identity. “Finally, we're ready for the 9 card trick.” Begin dealing the cards in a face-up row, displaying the AS-2S-3S-4S-5S-6S-7S. There are no more cards left. Look puzzled and say, “Maybe this should be called the 7 card trick.” Note: Because the Hamman Switch is ostensibly an “easy” sleight, many magicians don’t know how to do it properly. The most glaring error is that there is often a pause at the point when the magician does the switch. This can be most effectively concealed if you count in groups, so that you have a natural pause before the count where you switch. For example, if you want to switch on 6, as in most of the routine above, you can count off 3 cards in 1-2-3 rhythm, then 4-5 in rhythm, then 6 (switching)-7-8, then 9, then 10. Or 12, then 3-4-5, then switch on 6. While we won't comment on this further, this idea should be exploited wherever you can. A later trick called "Killer Speller" illustrates another situation in which you can to structure the count to conceal any pause. Of course, with the Hamman Switch, as with all sleights, there is no substitute for practice. No set-up variation: Clearly the above is preferable if you can set-up in advance, but if you're working with a shuffled deck, simply fan the deck facing yourself. Cut the AS to the back, then up-jog the 2S - 7S as you come to them in any order, then three x cards. Add the AS to the nine cards using a Vernon Add-on (Fig. 1). Quickly put the 2S - 7S in order, then go into the trick. 7 Card Trick variation: For walk-around you might want fewer cards to display at the end, so you can do a 7 card version, ending with a Royal Flush. In this case, the original set-up is AS-x-x-x-KS-QS-JS-10S. You do the Hamman Switches on the count of 5 rather than 6, and the final

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Fig. 1

KILLER KONCEPTS Hamman Switch on the count of 4 rather than 5.

5 CARD REPEAT Effect: Another idea on the six card repeat theme. Set-up: Have any 5 spot SECOND from the top of the deck. Presentation: Remove six cards as five (or simply don't allow the spectators to see how many you remove). Count the six card packet as five cards by using a Hamman Switch at 3. Eliminate the top card. Count the five card packet as five, simply reversing the order. Again eliminate the top card. Count the four card packet as five, switching at 3. Eliminate the top card. Count the packet as five switching at 3. Eliminate the top TWO cards as one. Show you only have one card left: It's a Five! Variations: If you place a royal flush on top of the deck, with a 5 placed 2nd among them, you could have the other five cards turned over to reveal a Royal Flush! Or have a Black 5 second among 5 Red cards, so that at the end you show first the Black 5, then the other cards eliminated are all Red. Or simply control a chosen card 2nd from the top of the deck, then proceed as above, ending with the chosen card as the last card. If you do that, after the last discard, say, “Let's see how many we've discarded.” Show that there are five cards. They’ll never have actually counted that you discarded four. “If we've gotten rid of all five, what does that leave? Oh yes, your chosen card!”

ROYAL KILLER KOUNT Effect: The magician correctly estimates the position of the chosen card, then finds the rest of a Royal Flush as well. Set-up: Have a Royal Spade Flush on top of the deck in order: 10-J-Q-K-A. with the 10 on top. Presentation: Force the 10S, then have it replaced and control it to the top of the deck. An easy way to do that is simply to swivel-cut the top half into the left hand, have the forced chosen card replaced, pick up a break, then later double-cut to the top. A few jog shuffles are good to make the spectators feel sure that it's lost in the deck. Then hold the deck in your hand as if weighing it and announce that the card is 19th from the top. “No, that's quite it. 17th. Let's see if I can cut off 17 cards.” Cut off approximately a third of the deck, and set the rest of the deck down to your left where you can conveniently reach it later. Then use the Killer Kount, Hamman Switching on the count of 9. When you've counted off 12 cards, use a Steve Beam subtlety and lay these supposed 12 cards on top of the deck. Fig. 1 As you count off the remaining 5 cards - 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, hold each in a fan in the left hand. “Well, I managed to cut 17 cards. Now let's see if it's your card. What was it?” Then turn over the 10S to show their card. “These might fit in well with that card.” Turn over the JS-QS-KS-AS in turn to finish (Fig. 1). 4

KILLER KONCEPTS

KILLER SPELLER Effect: Killer Kount is used in a variety of spelling effects. Set-up: Have any of the following cards on top of the deck ready to force: Ace, 2, 6, or 10 of Hearts or Spades, or 3, 7, 8, or Q of Diamonds. Presentation: Force the card, control it to the top, and shuffle, retaining it on top. Let's assume it's the Queen of Diamonds. “I don't know your card’s identity, but despite that, I’ve shuffled it to a location where we can spell to it, one card at a time. I’ll show you what I mean. What was your card?” After the spectator tells you he chose the Queen of Diamonds, say, “I think I've got it. And this should be the right number of cards.” Cut off about a quarter of the deck. Now use the Killer Kount. What's nice here is that you can spell the value - pause spell "of" - pause - then Hamman Switch after the pause, which makes it very easy. You'll end up with exactly the right number of cards, and the chosen card will be the last card counted. This, of course, works for any of the above cards, not merely the Queen of Diamonds. Using one of these cards prevents you having to calculate the right number to spell and where to switch. Variation 1: This time allow any card to be chosen, then control it to the top. After shuffling, announce that you've shuffled their card to a key position, where you can spell it. Then say that you think you can cut exactly the right number to spell it. Cut off about a quarter of the deck. Then, before you start spelling, ask the audience to please not give anything away until the end of the trick, that you know exactly what card they took and where it should go. Then spell "Q-U-E-E-N-O-F-D-I-A-M-O-N-D-S", one letter at a time. If they try to jump in before you're done, even despite your reminder, just wave them off, as if you're supremely confident. Again Hamman Switch right after the “of”. Smile when your count ends correctly on the last letter of the QD. “Just to let everyone know I was right, what was your card?” They announce a totally different card, you look surprised, then turn it over. Variation 2: We’ve been using the Queen of Diamonds as our example as a tribute to Roy Walton's "The Magic Queen of Diamonds" (Magic, April 1992). We used his idea before in "Witch Watch" (Card Conspiracy, Vol. 2). Here is a similar effect, but using the Killer Kount. “I've got a magic card that often helps me in my tricks. Here it is. We'll leave it on the table for now.” Remove the QD from the deck. Now have any card chosen and controlled to the top of the deck. “Please pick up the magic Queen and place her face-up in the deck. Now cut the deck as many times as you like.” Begin a Hindu Shuffle, pulling the top half of the deck into the left hand and have the Queen placed on top, right on top of the chosen card. Hindu shuffle off the remaining cards on top, then place the deck on the table and have the spectator cut as often as desired. After the spectator is satisfied, spread the deck and cut the Queen of Diamonds to the top, then lay it aside. “She likes to hear her name. Let's see, I'd say this is about the right number of cards.” Cut off about fifteen cards, then spell "Q-U-E-E-N-O-F-D-I-A-M-ON-D-S, as before. Sure enough, there is the chosen card. Variation 3: There are many possibilities if we move beyond spelling, where you deliberately miss, either the count or the card. For example, have the four 10's on top, fifth from the top is any 5.

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KILLER KONCEPTS After a card is selected it is controlled back to the top (over the 10's). Shuffle off the top 6 cards singly, to reverse their order, and throw them on top. False cut a couple of times. Say that the card is, 13th from the top. Cut off a quarter of the deck and do the Hamman Switch at seven. Turn over the last card and show the 5. Count down 5 cards placing the other 4 cards aside. Turn over the 5th card to reveal the selection and then say “5 will get you 10” and turn over the four 10's. Variation 4: Here you miss the number, not the count. Have 4 of a kind on top, force the 4th down. Announce that the chosen card is 10th from the top. Cut off about 13 cards, do the switch at 7 to be sure you'll count to 13. When you hit the 10th card, say that your count seem to be off a bit. Show that the 10th card is indeed their card. Then show the remaining 3 cards are the other 7's. Variation 5: Or, returning to spelling, start with our Queen of Diamonds on top, followed by another Queen, then any Diamond, then any Heart. Force the Queen of Diamonds and control so the four card set-up is back on top in the same order. As before, announce that the chosen card is 10th from the top. Cut off about 13 cards, do the switch at 7 to be sure you'll count to 13. When you hit the 10th card, say that your count seem to be off a bit. Show that the 10th card isn't the right one, but is the right color, the next card is the right suit, the next card is the right value. Finally the chosen card is the last card. We're unsure who developed this gradual revelation plot - color/suit/value, but suspect that it dates back to the 1940's or 50's.

DOUBLE KILLER SPELLER Effect: The Killer Speller technique is used for a double spelling. Set-up: From the top of the deck, JH, 6S. Many other variations are possible. Instead of the JH, any 4, 5, 9, J, or K of Hearts or Spades can be used. Instead of the 6S, any Ace, 2, 6, 10 of Hearts or Spades, or any 3, 7, 8, or Q of Diamonds can be used. Presentation: Force the JH on Amy, the 6S on Bob. Control them back to the top with the JH on top. As you shuffle the deck, say, “I'm trying to shuffle your cards into position to spell them. What was the name of your card, Amy?” When she says the Jack of Hearts, cut off about a quarter of the deck, then count them into your left hand as you spell. Do a Hamman Switch after the "of". You'll end up with two cards which you turn over as one to show the Jack of Hearts. Flip it face-down onto the left hand cards. Place the top card on Amy's hand. “Cover it with your other hand for now.” Shuffle again (retaining the Jack on top), as you ask Bob what his card was. Cut off 10-12 cards and spell the Six of Spades, again doing the Hamman Switch after the "of." You will end up with a single card at the end of the count. Slowly turn it over to show the . . . Jack of Hearts! “Wasn't that your card, Amy? Let's see what card you're holding.” She turns over Bob's Six of Spades.

SPELL OR COUNT - YOUR CHOICE Effect: Magician lays out three prediction cards in advance. A chosen card is later revealed by the prediction. Special here is that the spectator can choose whether the predictions should be added or one of them spelled. This effect owes its inspiration to a similar trick

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KILLER KONCEPTS with a different method by Max Maven. Presentation: “I want you to choose any card that you like. But first I'm going to take out three cards that will predict where that chosen card will be. And I'll give you choices in how to use the predictions. You'll see what I mean as we go along.” Meanwhile you remove the following three cards and lay them face-down as your predictions: 8D, 6S, AH (Fig. 1). Note that there are many possibilities, which you can choose from the examples given in "Killer Speller." You need three cards that total some odd number - 15 in this case - each of which also spells such that you can do a Hamman Switch after the "of." The three cards 8D 6S AH suggested above all fit this. Fig. 1 Now have any card chosen and controlled to the top of the deck. “Here are my predictions, which have been sitting here before you even took a card. But despite that, they will tell us exactly where your card is. But that's not all. You can either choose to add them and we'll find your card at that number, or you can pick any one of the three, and we'll spell it. And that's where your card will be.” No matter what choice they make, cut off about a quarter of the deck - “Good choice. And as a bonus, I'll try and cut off exactly the right number of cards.” If they added the three cards to get "15," use KK, doing a Hamman Switch on 8. If they pick any of the cards to spell, do the Hamman after the "of." “Not bad, the count came out right. And what was your card? Here it is!” Turn over their chosen card to finish. Variation: If you're willing to think fast, you can actually have spectators pull out the prediction cards at random from the deck. Then you figure out the right number to cut and where to do the Hamman Switch in KK.

MULTIFACETED PREDICTION Effect: The magician picks two cards in advance which later match the value and suit of a freely chosen card. The magician points out that the same two cards can be combined in a second way to predict a second card. When the spectator picks either card, the magician cuts exactly that number of cards, and the last card matches the alternate prediction. Set-up: From the top of the deck down: 7D, 7S, 9D and 9S. Presentation: Hold the deck face down and grab the top two cards as one from above with your right hand. Move the next card below the double leaving it side-jogged to the left (Fig. 1). Lay the deck down for the moment. Say that these two cards represent a prediction (one tells the value of a card and the other tells the suit). Place the two/three cards face down in your left hand, squaring them. With your right hand spread the deck on the table and have a spectator touch any card. The spectator's card is placed face down on top of the three-card packet in your left hand. This is justified by the right hand pointing to the spread, showing that any other card could have been selected instead of this card. Square the deck, turn it face-up and leave it face-up on the table. The right hand grasps the four cards from above with the right hand while the left hand backFig. 1 7

KILLER KONCEPTS spreads the two bottom cards. The top card is thus a double. Flip the double over showing the 7D, then place the double face up onto the face-up deck on the table, thus disposing of the extra card. Flip the other two cards over showing the 9D (same suit) and the 7S (same value). Leave the two cards on the table (Fig. 2). Turn the deck face down. Point out Fig. 2 that the two cards could have also been combined to create another card: the 9S instead of the 7D. Ask a spectator to pick either of the two cards and you'll cut that many cards off the deck. Pick up the tabled deck, then cut the same amount using the KK and at the last card you have the 9S. Variation. Start with the following set-up from the top of the deck: 7S, 7D, QS, QD. Perform steps 1. and 2. above to show you've predicted the chosen card: the 7S in this case. Again point out that the 7D and QS could be combined to make another card: the QD. Cut off approximately 15 cards and spell "Q-U-E-E-N-O-F-D-I-A-M-O-N-D-S", doing the Hamman Switch after the "of". Not only have you cut the right number of cards, you've spelled to the QD. Note that many other combinations of cards can be used for the variation. Just substitute any of the cards mentioned in "Killer Speller," then adjust the other three cards accordingly.

PSEUDO BILIS Effect: Not only does the spectator manage to cut to his chosen card, once again the deck acts like a calculator, predicting the location. It's a trick Harry Lorayne might like, as you have to think on your feet to do it. While similar in effect to effects using Bernard Bilis' famous stack, this uses no set-up at all. Presentation: Have a card selected and controlled to the top. Hold the deck with faces towards you - “Let's see if I can guess where your card is.” Spread the cards, apparently trying to look for his card, but this is actually simply window-dressing, as the card is on top of the deck. “No luck. Of course I don't know what your card is. Let's see if you can cut to it. If you're correct, the deck will magically verify it.” Hold the deck in dealing position and invite the spectator to lift off a section, saying, “My experience tells me that selected cards more often finish about a quarter way down from the top. Try cutting into that area.” Once he holds a portion, set the rest of the pack down and then take his packet from him. Make a rough estimate of the size. Let's say you estimate 13 cards. “Now, I said the deck would verify if you were right?” With your still free left hand lift off the top card of the tabled section and snap it face-up. , then drop it on the table. If it's a Jack, Queen, or King, that's close enough to your estimated size of the packet, so you stop there. If it's not, you immediately turn over the next card and see if the total of the two cards is close. Remember no one knows what you're going to do, so you can count Jacks, Queens, and Kings as 11, 12, 13, or simply as 10. If the two cards are both very low, turn over a third card. The key is to do this with confidence. Let's say that you turned over an 8 and a 5. “OK. An 8 and 5 gives us...13.” Do KK with his cut portion to count 13. Pause. “Thirteen exactly!” Finally, ask him to name his card then turn over the 13th card to reveal it. Note: Throughout this book, we've most frequently counted odd numbers with Killer Kount, since it's easier, requiring only a Hamman Switch. Keep in mind though that if

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KILLER KONCEPTS you're counting an even number, you have to get a break above the bottom card and add it to the cards counted before you do the Hamman Switch. An alternative method is to get a break under one of the cards counted, then Biddle it back during the count. In this case, the Hamman Switch has to be done one count later. To make that clear, if you want to count a packet as 14, you can add the bottom card and Hamman Switch on 7, or Biddle back one of the cards counted and Hamman Switch on 8.

JUST AS WELL Effect: Magician lays out three business card predictions. The first two match perfectly. When the last is revealed to have no prediction written on it, everything turns out ok, as the card predicted is blank! Preparation: You need one blank-face card which you later add to the deck. Have 3 blank business cards in your pocket. On one write AS - on another write QH - leave the 3rd blank. This is done IN ADVANCE as it wouldn't make sense to write these in front of the audience, as you will see. Set-up: Add the blank-face card to the top of the deck, then hold the deck with faces towards you and spread through - cull the QH to the rear, followed by the AS. Order from top = AS - QH - blank - remainder of the deck. You need 3 spectators A, B, & C. Presentation: Bring out the 3 business cards and lay them on the table in a row - writing side down - in order: AS - QH – blank. Take up the deck and cut it into 3 face-down piles as follows: left hand cuts bottom third to the left while the thumb slips the top card of deck onto the packet. Place this face-down in front of the AS prediction (for spectator A). Cut another pile in the same way, adding the QH to the top (for spectator B). Place the remaining section face-down in front of the blank prediction. The layout is shown in Fig. 1. Invite spectator A to lift off a section from his pile - stare at the packet and state that it contains any odd number of cards that looks accurate! Do KK to prove yourself right - “That's not the trick - that’s me just showing off! But Fig. 1 as I like to show off, I'll probably do that again.” (This, by the way, is a throwaway line that can be used in any of the tricks where there is no explicit reason for the magician being able to cut the right number of cards.) Drop the last card of the count face-down in front of prediction A. “I wrote that prediction before I came here - let's see if it was worth the bother.” Spectator turns over the business card - which shows "AS" - then turns over the playing card – which actually is the AS. Repeat the above step with spectator B. Again you show off your skills at estimation - plus prove your accuracy at predicting. Repeat again with last spectator. This time when he turns over the prediction, it's blank. Say, “Oh. I must have forgotten to write that one!....(pause with embarrassment)...which is maybe just as well, because it appears that the card company forgot to print the card!” as you flip over the final selection revealing a blank card.

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KILLER KONCEPTS

VERSATILE DIARY Effect: This is a classic diary trick, but the diary really is random and you can use a different card for every performance. The deck is also random and can be borrowed. Set-up: Take a diary and fill it randomly with the names of playing cards. Presentation: Bring out the diary and flick through it as you show it to the audience – explaining that every page has the name of a playing card. The fifty-two different playing cards are all distributed randomly among the 365 pages of the diary. As you do this, note the card that's written on either the 11th, 13th or 15th of any month. Let's say you see the AS on the 15th of April. Remember the card and the date, then give the diary to a spectator. Have the deck shuffled. Take it back and say you will make a prediction. Spread through and remove the AS (the card you noted in the diary) and place it face-down on the table. As you are doing this, cull any 4 spot to the rear of the deck. This card matches the MONTH of the card in your diary. In this case 4 = April. Place the deck face-down on the table and invite a spectator to cut off a portion (subtly suggest less than half) and place it on your outstretched hand. “The number of cards you cut will be used as a day - and the value of the card you cut to will be the month.” KK this packet as 15, by doing a Hamman Switch on the count of 8 – “OK – it's the 15th.” Now flip over the apparent 15th card – “..and this is a 4 – which is April. – that is April the 15th.” Have the spectator who has the diary turn to April 15th and read out the card entered there - AS. Finally have the prediction verified – AS.

THE INTRUDER Effect: Two spectators choose cards. When the magician tries to find their cards, an intruder keeps appearing. Finally things are set right when the chosen cards are found under each spectator's hand. Presentation: Have 2 spectators, A & B, each select a card. Control the selections to the top of the deck, with A on top of B. Then shuffle one card on top of all, so that the order from the top down is: X, A, B, rest of deck. Let's assume the X card is the JS for this description. Place the deck face-down on the table and say to spectator A, “If I were to tell you that your card is 12th from the top, would that be a good trick? But it gets better, because I am going to influence you to cut off exactly that number of cards....go on, give me 12 cards.” He lifts off a packet and hands it to you. Do KK, switching on 7. Finish by placing the final double on top as a single card; keep a break under the two cards. "Fantastic! You cut 12 cards dead. You would make an excellent card cheat." Flip the double face-up - it is not A's selection. "Ah, but my claim was not so fantastic - we've got an intruder - the JS. I should have removed this card before we started because the JS always interferes when he's not wanted." Flip the double face-down and toss the top card face-down on the table towards spectator A. "Put your hand tight on top of the intruder." Turn to spectator B - "Let's try again, with your card this time." Drop your cards onto the main deck and say, "OK, I think your card is 14th from the top." He cuts off a packet and hands it to you. Perform KK, switching on 8, again placing the final double on top, and keeping a break. "Fourteen cards - Amazing! A second direct hit! And what was your card?" Flip the double face-up - the intruder has returned! "Darn! He's very persis-

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KILLER KONCEPTS tent." Flip the double face-down and toss the top card onto the table near spectator B. "Put your hand tight on top." Drop your cards onto the main deck. "Let me have one final chance. Ah, 17, there's one of your cards at 17. I'm not sure which. I'll cut this time." Cut and perform KK, switching on 9. This time you'll end up with a single, but again it's the intruder! "Whoa! He's back....but if I've got the intruder, what have you got?" Look at both spectators as you say this. They now look at the cards under their hands to find they hold their selections.

MARKED & MEMORIZED Effect: Magician pretends to memorize a deck. When the spectator names a number, the magician names the card at that number. It's easy as the card is "marked." This is a stronger version of "The Intruder" which requires two special cards. Set-up: Assume that you use a blue-backed deck. Have a double-backed card (blue on both sides) on top, followed by a blue-backed card with a large "X" on the back, drawn with a black marker. We'll say that it's the KH. Performance: "Some people accuse me of using sleight-of-hand to fool them. Actually I can memorize the position of every card in the deck." False shuffle, leaving the two cards on top. Then spread the deck face-up and move your hand along the faces as you explain that you are memorizing the entire deck. Be careful to keep the double-backer concealed. "Here, I'll prove it to you. Name any number and I'll name the card at that position." Finesse the spectator into naming a reasonably small number, something less than half the deck. You immediately name the "X"backed card (KH in our example). Cut approximately almost the same amount of cards with your right hand. Now you have to take the top two cards as one (as you would peel off normally). You can do this by taking a slight break below the top two cards and move them to the left with the right Fig. 1 thumb so that the left thumb can take the top two cards as one (Fig. 1). Or get a right third finger break at the outer edge and swing the two cards into the left hand with your right second finger. Continue peeling off cards and do the switch as normal with the KK. If the number is odd you'll end up THIS time with a double (opposite of the standard KK - because you took two cards at the beginning). If the number is even add any card during the count from the bottom of the packet onto the left-hand cards (or steal a card from the left-hand cards below the right-hand pile and Hamman Switch one later than you would normally). Flip the double over and then deal the card face up on the table. Spread the deck face down. (Everything looks fair because of the double-backed card). Turn over the KH and show it now has a large "X" on its back. "It was easy... the card is marked!" Variation: This uses both a red and a blue deck. Have the double-backer on top of the blue deck, followed by a red-backed KH. Take the blue-backed KH and put it face-up in the middle of the red deck. Bring out both decks and use a "Magician"s Choice" to force the blue deck. This time don't bother to pretend to memorize the deck. Just say that you can cut off any number they like. The spectator names a number and you seemingly do cut that number, using KK. When you reach the last (double) card, just turn the KH face-up on top.

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KILLER KONCEPTS Drop the cut-off packet on top of the tabled talon. Cut it in half, complete the cut, then ribbon-spread the deck so that the KH shows face-up in the middle. Then take out the red-backed deck and ribbon-spread it above the blue deck. Another KH shows up face-up in the middle! Remove the KH from the red deck and turn it over. It's blue-backed. But the spectators just saw that KH in the blue deck. Remove it and it's now red-backed.

MEMORIZED AGAIN Effect: Another use of the plot of appearing to memorize the full deck. As always there is a kicker at the end. Presentation: Tell the audience, with a straight face, that you can memorize a full deck in under a minute. Have the deck shuffled, take it back and spread it face up. Appear to look through the whole pack, spreading cards as necessary when they don't show. Actually you only memorize that the top three cards in the pack (i.e., at the left of the spread). Let's say that they are the QS, 5C, AD. "I know you don't believe me, but I'll prove it. And to make it harder, I'll split the deck into three piles." Square up the spread and turn the deck face down. Split the deck into three piles executing two slip cuts; i.e., as you cut the bottom third to the left with your left hand, slip the top card (QS) onto that portion (Fig. 1). This is well covered if you follow-up by tapping the edge of the right section against the top of the left packet in a squaring action (Fig. 2). Place this pile on the table. Repeat, taking half the remaining cards from the bottom, again slipping the top card Fig. 1 (5C) onto that pile. Table it to the right of the first pile and then place the final pile to the far right (this pile has the AD on top). As you're doing these cuts, pretend to be very precise - "I've got to know exactly how many in each pile." "I'm going to have you pick positions in all three piles at one time." Point to the leftmost pile and ask a spectator to give you a number, not too high, say 'around ten.' Appear to concentrate, to calculate in your head. Then point to the middle pile and ask for a second number. Appear to concentrate again. Finally point to the right pile and ask for a third numFig. 2 ber. Control the responses to make sure at least one of the numbers is odd. Let's say the numbers are 10, 7, and 12. Leave the '7' pile for last. Pick up, the '10' pile. "You picked 10? The 10th card in this pile is the Queen of Clubs." Cut off approximately 10 cards, then use KK to count them as exactly 10. Turn over the last card and it's the QC. Then go to the '12' pile. "The 12th card in this pile is the Ace of Diamonds." Again use KK to show that you're correct. Finally turn to the '7' pile in the middle. "The 7th card is the Five of Clubs." Take the top and bottom cards off as one to begin. When you get to the count of 7 turn the double over to show . . . the wrong card. "Well, two out of three isn't bad for memorizing the whole deck. When that happens, I have to use magic." Meanwhile, turn the double face-down again and take the top card away. As you finish the above little spiel, turn the card over to show that it's now the 5C!

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KILLER KONCEPTS

ANY DECK'S A CALCULATOR Effect: The deck operates like a calculator to identify how many cards are cut. Then at the end, the calculator finds a chosen card's location. Set-up: any 9, any K, any 7 on top of the deck. Many variations are possible. We've chosen all odd cards since KK is easier in that case. These three total 29 and that's where the chosen card will end up. Performance: Explain that "Any deck can operate as a calculator if you know how to use it properly. I'll show you what I mean. But first you need to take a card." False-shuffle, which can be quite thorough, since you're only retaining a four card set-up. Then spread the deck face-up to demonstrate how well-mixed it is. In the process, in-jog the 20th card from the bottom. Turn the deck face-down and pick up a break over the in-jogged card. Then have a card freely chosen from anywhere above the break (except the top three cards, of course. You can then simply take the chosen card and replace it into the deck, right into the break. Or do virtually the same thing, but use the classic Stewart Judah force to have the chosen card put into place. It is now 32nd from the top. After the three stacked cards are removed, it will be 29th! "We'll get back to your card in a minute. First Fig. 1 the calculator." Cut off approximately 9 or 10 cards. "Let's see how many we have." KK, doing the Hamman Switch on 5 to count 9 cards. Retain the last card in the your right hand as you say "Every deck is a calculator. We counted 9 cards, and the deck knew it." Turn over and show a 9. Lay the 9 face-up on the table. Again false shuffle (not disturbing the top 29 cards), and this time cut off about a quarter of the deck, then use KK, doing the Hamman Switch on 7 to count 13 cards. "Hmm, 13. Let's see, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King. King would 13." Turn over the King, then set it aside with the 9. Repeat with a third shuffle, cut, and count, using KK to count the packet as exactly 7 cards. Turn over and show a 7. Lay this aside with the other two cards. Fig. 1 shows the three cards on table. "Not only can the deck calculate how many cards you've cut, it can even calculate where your card is. Let's see, we have a 9 and a King and a 7. Kings count 13, so 13 + 9 + 7 = 29. Please count to the 29th card." There they find their chosen card! Variations: You don't have to have a card chosen. You could instead note 21st card from the bottom as you spread to show it well-mixed. Then write this down as a prediction. If you don't mind starting with a set-up deck, the 21st card from the face could be face up from the start and have a different colored back!

THE JUMPING CARD Effect: A chosen card keeps coming back at locations named by spectators. Presentation: Have the deck cut into two face-down piles by a spectator. Pick up the bottom pile (we'll say it's on the left) in your left hand and perform a double turnover showing, say, the 9D, found by the random cut of the spectator. "That's a fascinating choice. I don't know if you know it, but that's the famous Jumping Card. I'll show you what I mean. Let's put it over here to keep it out of the way."

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KILLER KONCEPTS Flip the double over and deal the top card onto the tabled pile on the right. Ask a spectator to cut it into the middle, then cover the pile with his hand - "So it can't get away." Ask two different spectators each to think of a number. "I've got about half the deck here, so don't make the numbers too big. And we want different numbers. So would you think of an even number and you an odd number." Starting with the even number (say 14), cut approximately that number of cards. Table the remaining cards, then perform the Killer Kount, ending with a double. Since you want to end with a double, you have to divide by 2 and add 1. (In our example, 14/2 + 1 = 8). Flip the double face-up to show that the Jumping Card has jumped to the position named by the spectator. "I told you this was the Jumping Card. Let's try it again." Flip the double back face-down and deal the top card onto the tabled pile on the right. Once again have a spectator cut it to the middle, and cover the pile. Replace the cards in your hands on top of the pile on the left. Ask for the other number (say 11), cut off approximately that number of cards and again do Killer Kount, showing the single selection has come back again. Since it's an odd number, you can calculate for the Hamman Switch as normal and you'll end up with a single card at the right number. In our example, you'd Hamman Switch on 6 and find the chosen card again at 11. "That's what the Jumping Card does - jumps." As you turn the Jumping Card face-down again, palm it, then take the packet with the left hand and lay it on top of the pile on the left. "Would you like to see him jump over there?" Ask another spectator to cover the pile on the left. You go to your pockets with both hands as you watch. Remove them again and make a magic motion of the card jumping from one pile to the other. Then ask them to check if the Jumping Card has made it. No luck. "Sometimes he jumps all the way over here" - pointing to the pocket where you loaded it. Ask a spectator to reach in your pocket and find the Jumping card. Variation: If you're willing to ring in a trick deck, you can make this into a true miracle. Use a deck of 51 identical cards (say the 6S), plus one other card (say the JH). The JH is second from the top. Do not show the faces of the cards yet, of course. Cut the deck into two piles using the riffle force. Drop the pile on the table and hold the pile with the JH second from the top in your left hand. From that point on, proceed as above. If the card is a Jack, as in our example, you can even call him Jumping Jack! (Or Jumping Jack Flash, as we termed him in a trick in our Card Conspiracy series). When the spectators turn over the top card of the tabled pile at the end to see if the Jumping Card has jumped across piles, he'll find a 6S. Have him look further and he'll find nothing but 6S's in both piles. In this case, you might well wait until this point to load the JH in your pocket. You'll certainly have plenty of cover!

FAMOUS FIND THE KINGS TRICK Effect: Magician manages to cut to the Kings, then they turn into Aces. Set-up: KD, AD, KC, AC, KH, AH, AS. Really the suit order is unimportant except that there is no KS, and the AS is last. Performance: False-shuffle, retaining the set-up on top. "This is the famous Find the Kings trick. For example, I think the King of Diamonds is about 16 cards deep." Cut off about a third of the deck. "If I'm right, that's exactly 16 cards." KK, doing a Hamman Switch on 9, and retaining a double on the count of 16. Immediately turn it faceup to show the King of Diamonds. [The rule for getting a double with an even number is to divide by 2, then add 1]. Flip it face-down, then deal the top card (AD) off to the side. As you do so, get a break under the top card (the KD). Pick up the remaining two-thirds of

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KILLER KONCEPTS the deck and drop it on top of the cards you hold. Cut off about half the cards above the break to the table, then all the cards above the break, then drop the remaining cards on top. This gets rid of the KD. Repeat to produce the KC and KH, each time cutting off an even number of cards. "Only one King left. Let's see, we've found Diamonds, Clubs, and Fig. 1 Hearts. We need the King of Spades. And I think that's just about 17 cards down." You need to name an odd number this time since you want to end with a single. Cut off a third of the deck, Hamman Switch on 9, and when you reach 17, turn over the single Ace of Spades. "The Ace of Spades, not the King of Spades. That's right, I forgot, this is the famous Find the Aces trick." Tap the Kings on the table with the Ace of Spades and turn them over to show Aces (Fig. 1).

SOCIAL CLIMBER Effect: Here's a weird one, a progressive ambitious card trick. Presentation: Have the deck shuffled and placed on the table, then have the spectator cut off about half and hand it to you. Killer Kount it as 24 cards, doing a Hamman Switch on 13. Turn the 24th card, a double, face-up on top. Let's say it's the AS. "Let's let this card be a Social Climber. We all know people like that, don't we?" Turn the double face-down, deal the top card onto the tabled deck, then drop the remaining cards on top. "No matter how you hold people like that down, they always manage to rise to the top, a little bit at a time. For example, I think he's made it up to about 16th by now." Make motions as if you are pulling some invisible force upwards. Then cut off about a third of the deck off, KK it as 16 cards, doing a Hamman Switch on 9. Turn the last card(s), a double, face-up on top to show that the AS has risen to the 16th position. Turn the double face-down, deal the top card onto the tabled deck, then drop the remaining cards on top. "Let's see if we can't make him climb a little higher. I think he's about up to the 8th position now." Again make rising motions and cut off less than 10 cards. Killer Kount them as 8, doing a Hamman Switch on 5. The AS has now risen to 8. Turn the double face-down, deal the top card onto the tabled deck, then drop the remaining cards on top. "But if he's a real Social Climber, there's no stopping him!" Make the rising motions one last time, then ask the spectator to turn over the top card. The AS has risen all the way to the top!

QUICKIE MATCH Effect: Two spectators each take a different deck of cards. Each then picks a different number. When the magician counts to their numbers, matching cards appear! Set-up: Have two decks, with different color backs, each with the same card on top (Fig.1). Performance: After two spectators each pick one of the decks and name their numbers. simply pick up each deck in turn and use KK to cut the right number of cards. Place the last card facedown in front of each spectator. At the end, turn over the cards to show the match.

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Fig. 1

KILLER KONCEPTS In all these tricks where you're able to cut the right number, you need to add in some patter about your ability to cut the right number of cards. Variations: Instead of asking for a number, ask for spectators' names and spell them instead. In this case, you have to quickly calculate how many letters are in the name so you know where to do the Hamman. If you don't want to use two packs, begin with matching color/value cards on top of a single deck. After false-shuffling, slip-cut the top card to the middle of the deck as you cut the deck in half.

SELECTIVE AMNESIA Effect: A trick involving two selected cards, but no cards are selected! Go figure. Presentation: Have the deck shuffled then take it back, glimpsing the bottom card. Now cut the bottom card to the top. Remember this card for later. Let's say it's the AS. Turn to a spectator and say, "Your card is.....13th from the top of the deck." He will tell you he didn't pick a card. "Oops! I'm getting ahead of myself here. This is what happens when you've seen the trick before, as I have! I've moved towards the end without showing you the beginning. OK - cut off about a quarter of the deck." He lifts off a packet - now tell him to show everyone the bottom card - "This will be your selection!" Take the packet from him - place the rest of the deck on the table. "But, remember, I stated that your card would be 13th from the top? Well, let's see." Carry out a KK, taking top & bottom cards to begin - switch on 7 - finishing with a double on 13. Snap the double face up to show the selection, as expected. "Thirteen. Pretty good, uh?" Flip the double face-down and toss the top card (AS) to the table. Turn to a second spectator - "Now...your card is....in my pocket!" Palm the top card of the packet as you replace the packet on the tabled deck. Reach into your pocket and pull out the palmed card, back outwards. "Oh...you didn't pick a card either? Man, I am getting forgetful. OK. Your card was the AS." you say, as you look straight at the face of the card. Now do a delayed double take, then slowly turn the card round revealing it to be the first spectator's card. As an afterthought, say to the other spectator, "I was only joking...you couldn't have picked the AS because the AS is over here." Turn over the tabled card to reveal it to be the AS.

LOOK IN YOUR POCKET! Effect: An expanded version of "Selective Amnesia" in which you have a whole series of surprises! Set-up: The top card is a blank-faced one on which you have written: LOOK IN YOUR POCKET (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1

Presentation: Proceed as above with the first selection. After you apparently placed the first selected card (say the 7D) on the table, replace the packet on the deck. The 7D is really still on top of the packet, while the special card is on the table in its place. Tell the second spectator that his card is 11th (or any other relatively small odd number) from the top. Again he says he did not select a card. "I must really start to pay more attention when

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KILLER KONCEPTS I'm performing. Here, would you cut off a small number of cards?" Have him look at the bottom card (let's say it's the JS). "Let's see if I got anything right. I said your card was 11th, right? Let's count and see." Count the packet, again taking the top and the bottom cards at the count of one and switching on 6. Flip the double face-up and deal the top card (first selection) to the table. "Well, at least I got the numbers right. But I've already forgotten the cards you took. What was your card again?" - turning to the second spectator. He names the JS. Look at the card meaningfully until he turns it over. It's the 7D. "Now I'm remembering. Wasn't that your card?" - addressing the first spectator. When he turns over his card, it says: LOOK IN YOUR POCKET. "I think he means me." While all this is going on, you have plenty of time to palm the top card of the deck and remove it apparently, from the pocket.

KK + LJ Effect: Another of the many tricks inspired by Larry Jennings' classic "Prefiguration." Presentation: "I'm going to make a prediction." Take back a shuffled deck and look at the face card (say it is the 7C). Now you appear to simply look through the deck for your prediction card, which you lay face-down on the table. But actually you want to want to cull a red 7 (we'll say the 7H) to the face, in front of the 7C, and the other black 7 (7S) to the top of the deck, while you openly remove a red 7 (7D) and lay it face-down as your prediction. We'll leave the handling to you, but anyone who has ever used "Prefiguration" will be familiar with the various possibilities. At this point give the deck a shuffle leaving the three cards in position. Ask a spectator to cut a small packet from the top of the face-down deck, then count the cards one by one into a packet on the table. In so doing he reverses the order of the cards and brings the black seven to the bottom. Let's say there are 12 cards. While he's counting his cards, Double Undercut the bottom card to the top of the deck you're holding. "12 cards, huh. Let's see if I can cut exactly 12 cards, too." Cut off a packet then perform then KK counting 12 cards and flip over the last one, showing the 7H. Replace the remainder of the cards on top of the deck. Turn over the prediction and show the other red seven (7D). Finally turn over the two face-down piles to show the two black sevens (Fig.1). Fig. 1 Variations: The idea of having a spectator cut and count, then the magician cut and match the same number of cards has many possible KK applications. Variation 1: For example, use it to involve two spectators in a simple take a card trick. Have the deck cut in half on the table. You pick up either half, have a card chosen and controlled to top, then the half is replaced on the table. You tell the other spectator that he's going to help find the first spectator's card. He cuts off packet and counts it. You say that's where the first spectator's card is in his packet. And you can cut to that number. Variation 2: Have matching color/value cards (KH/KD, e.g.) on the top and bottom of the

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KILLER KONCEPTS deck. Have a spectator cut off the top half and keep it for now. Force the bottom card of your half on the other spectator, then control it to the top of the deck. Then do as in Variation 1. The first spectator has found the second spectator's card. Almost as an afterthought, you turn over his counted packet and there's the match.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MISSED THEM! Effect: A comedy of errors with strong impact. Preparation: You need a deck of cards all the same - all JS. Add two blank facers to the top. Set-up: Take four business cards - leave two blank - on the other two write JS. Place the blanks in your right pocket and the JS cards in your left pocket, (or any pockets, as long as you know which is which.) Presentation: Switch in the deck between tricks. Bring out the two blank business cards and place them face-down on the table side by side - "These are two predictions I wrote earlier." Don't look at the undersides – just place them down. Cut the deck into two face-down halves on the table - slip-cut - so that there is a blank atop each pile. Challenge spectator A to cut off 13 cards - "I'll give you clue...that's about half of that pile." Take his packet and KK to show 13 cards. "Fantastic!" Lay the final card face-down in front of either prediction. Repeat with spectator B - this time saying, "I want you to try to cut slightly more - 15 cards." Take his packet and KK to show 15 cards. "Boy, you guys are just terrific at this." Place the final card face down in front of the other prediction. There is presently a face down card in front of each business card – Fig. 1). Note that this is still another approach to why you are able to count exactly the right number of cards. This can again be used in many of our tricks, even if not stated there. Fig. 1 Flip over both predictions - they are blank! "Damn. Blanks! I've brought out the wrong cards....but not to worry...watch!" Snap your fingers over the two selections then flip them face-up revealing two blank cards. The trick is apparently over. But some spectators will start to think all the cards are blank. It doesn't matter if they don't - carry on regardless. Reassemble the deck and leave it face-down on table. Bring out the other two business cards - "Actually, these were the predictions I meant to bring out." Toss them onto the table then turn them over, "JS and JS?" Finally turn the deck face-up and spread, showing all JS's, saying, "I don't know how you missed them!"

DUNBURY WITH EASE What follows are two variations on Charlie Miller's classic "Dunbury Delusion" that first appeared in Expert Card Technique. The first uses KK, the second dispenses with it. Preparation: Before commencing, cull any Nine spot to the bottom of the deck.

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KILLER KONCEPTS Presentation: Have a card selected and replaced. Control it third from the top. During this, the Nine spot must remain on the bottom of the deck. Flip over the top card of the deck and say, "This card tells me that your card is black (or red, depending on its color)." Flip the card over and deal it face down onto the table. Carry out the procedure for a Double Cut but do not transfer any cards (false cut). Now execute a Double Lift. This shows the selection, but you make no comment on this fact. Say, "This card tells me your card was a spot (or court) card." Flip the double face down and deal the top card face down on top of the first card. Double Cut the bottom card (Nine spot) to the top. Flip the top card face up – "And, this one tells me where your cards lies in the deck." Deal this card onto the table, but leave it face up. "So your card is ninth from the top. Let's see if I can dead cut to nine." Drop the deck on the table and cut about nine cards from the top. Perform the KK counting 9 cards and hold the last card face-down in your hand (apparently the ninth). "Nine exactly!" Ask for the name of the selection then flip over your card in-hand to reveal it. They will now probably dive for the tabled card that they saw earlier as their selection, only to find they have been gently suckered.

DUNBURY WITHOUT A CLUE The following method does not use KK – but follows the above presentation. However, no prior knowledge is required of any card. It uses a Harry Lorayne any-value-spell idea. Presentation: Have a card selected and control it to the third position from the top. Flip over the top card of the deck and say, "This card tells me that your card is black (or red, depending on its color)." Flip the card over and deal it face down onto the table. As above, you now carry out the procedure for a Double Cut but do not transfer any cards (false cut). Now execute a Double Lift. This shows the selection, but you make no comment on this fact. Say, "This card tells me your card was a spot (or court) card." Flip the double face down and deal the top card face down on top of the first card. Now give the deck two cuts - really two Double Undercuts, transferring two cards to the top each time. Or, use any other appropriate method to add four cards to the top of deck. Flip the top card face up and comment on the value - e.g. - "This tells me you picked a King" (name the value of the card showing). Toss card face-up on the table. "I'll spell KING to find your card." Spell K-I-N-G, dealing one card for each letter onto the table, and hold the final card in your hand. Have the spectator name his card then turn over the card to reveal that it is selection. The above applies to ALL cards that spell with 4 letters - 4, 5, 9, J and K. If it spells with 3 letters (A, 2, 6, 10) - you spell the value, then take and hold the card now on top of the deck. If it spells with 5 letters (3, 7, 8, Q) you casually flip the card back face-down on the deck, then spell the value, taking the final card in your hand.

IF YOU'VE GOT THE KNACK Effect: Here's a quick way to get all 4 Aces by spelling using only one KK. You also find a previously chosen card in the process! Set-up: 2D-AD-Ace-Ace-Ace - remainder of deck. Presentation: Force the 2D and control it back to the top of the deck, above the Aces. Cut

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KILLER KONCEPTS the deck and hold a break between the halves. Now cut the section above the break onto the table, then invite a spectator to lift off a packet from the balance in your hand. Discard the rest of your cards and take his packet. "If you're got the knack, you've cut to your card. Not only that, but you've cut exactly the right number of cards to spell it one card at a time, leaving us with your card. Unbelievable, huh! Would you please name your card." Hold the cards ready for the KK. a) Spell T-W-O, counting off three cards - then thumb off the last (3rd) card onto the table to your left. As you do this, be careful not to expose the 2D on the bottom of the left hand cards. b) Continue the count - spelling O-F - then thumb off the final card to the table to the right of the first. c) Continue the count - spelling D-I-A-M-O-N-DS - switching on the letter "M" (followed by O-N-DS). Thumb off the final card - i.e., on the count of "S" - to the right of the previous two cards on the table. Fig. 1 You are left holding a double. "Well, you appear to have the knack - you cut the right number of cards. And if you've really got the knack - and I think you do - the remaining card is your Two of Diamonds." Turn the double face up on top of the packet in your hand - the 2D! Then turn the double face-down again, take away the top card, and set the left hand cards on top of the tabled deck. "If you've really got the knack, these other three cards are the other 2's." The left hand turns the cards face-up one at a time to reveal the Aces, not the deuces. "Well, deuces are wild, so if we add this card, we've got four Aces." Turn over the card in your hand, revealing the 2D has turned to the AD, to complete the set of Aces (Fig. 1). "Anyone for poker?"

BOY, AM I SUPRISED! Effect: Several surprises in the course of locating two chosen cards. Presentation: You need two spectators. Have the deck shuffled, then ask A to cut off a third of the deck from the top. You perform a Double Turnover with the remaining cards in hand and show, e.g., the 10C. Turn the double face-down and deal the top indifferent card onto the spectator's pile asking him to cut the packet and shuffle it. At the same time you Double Undercut the top card (10C) to the bottom. Ask B to cut off half of the remaining portion in your hand (another third). Again perform a Double Turnover with the top two cards of your pile showing, e.g.,the QH. Flip the double back down and deal the top card onto B's pile asking him to cut and shuffle. Then either A or B takes the other spectator's pile and shuffles the two together. Meanwhile you Double Undercut the bottom card to the top. A's card is now on top followed by B's card. Place your pile onto the spectator's single pile, assembling the deck. Make a magical gesture. "I can feel the cards rising. In fact, your card is now 12th from the top" - pointing to A. (Any even number will do). Perform the KK with the last card as a double showing A's card. Flip the double over, deal the top card onto the table (it's actually B's card) and replace the cut off portion on top of the deck.

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KILLER KONCEPTS Make another magical gesture. "Now yours is rising. It's 18th, no 10th, no, 9th." (Or any odd number). Perform the KK and the last (single) card is again A's card. "That's strange. Wasn't that your card?” - you ask A. Ask B to name his card, then have A turn the tabled card over for the finish.

LAS VEGAS LAYOVER Effect: Once again the magician shows his ability to accurately estimate how many cards two different spectators cut off separate piles. Of more importance, one spectator manages to cut to the only red card in a black packet, the other to the only black card in a red packet. Presentation: Holding the deck with the faces towards you, up-jog approximately 15-17 Red cards, then one Black card (Fig. 1). Strip out these cards and drop them face down on the table. (The black card is on top). This automatically leaves roughly the same number of Blacks on the face of the deck. Take out all the Blacks, plus the next Red card, and place them face-down next to the other pile. (The red card is on top). Discard the rest of the deck. "Two packets of cards. Would you cut off some cards and hand them to me?" - as you point to a spectator on the left and the pile on the left. Take the cards he's cut onto your left hand and appear to weight them. "I'm pretty good at estimating the size of a packet of cards. In your case, I'll say that there are exactly 9 cards" (or whatever number you estimate. Pick an odd number to make it easy for yourself in doing KK). Perform the KK (doing a Hamman Switch on 5) to show that, indeed, you have exactly 9 cards. Place the last card face up in front of the packet. This was apparently the bottom card of the cut off portion. Fig. 1 Repeat with the other packet and a second spectator, announcing a different number and placing another card face up in front on this pile. Then show that these two cards are the only ones of opposite color in their respective packets, by spreading the piles face up. Variation: If you'd like to extend this a bit, you can do it twice with each packet. Simply add 2 opposite color matching cards to the top of each pile, rather than just one. For example, two Black Jacks on top of the Reds, two Red 7's on top of the Blacks. It takes only minimally more effort at the beginning. Presentation: Work with the leftmost pile first (we'll call it the Reds), naming the right number of cards, and turning a Black card (a Black Jack in our example) face-up. Casually shuffle afterwards, running the top black card to the bottom, then back to the top, before you lay the cards down. Move over to the right pile (the Blacks), at the end turning over a Red card (a 7 in our example). Again shuffle and lay the pile down. Ask the spectator to try again. You get the other Red 7. "That's a little odd, both times you cut to matching Red cards here. Let's go back to the other pile where you got a Black card." Go back to the left pile and get the other black Jack. "Gee, that's really strange. Matching Black Jacks over here, matching Red 7's over there. Especially as these are all

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KILLER KONCEPTS Red, and these are all Black. You managed to find the only odd colored cards in the packets."

CRAZY PREDICTION Effect: A silly miracle! Set-up: Have a packet of approximately 15-17 identical Blue-backed cards (for example all 8C's), plus one 8C with a Red back. Holding all the cards face-up, the red-backed 8C is the top card (i.e., on the face). You also need a blank-faced card with a Red back. Write the number 9 on the face of this card. Presentation: Take out the Red-backed prediction card (with the number 9 on the face), and lay it face-down on the table, without revealing the number. Show the packet of face-up cards to be all the same without showing the backs. Square them and invite a spectator to cut a portion from the face of the packet. Take this pile and count it as 9 using the KK and placing aside the last card (apparently the one at the bottom of the cut off portion). Turn over the prediction to show the number 9. "But not only did I predict how many cards you would cut, I also predicted the card you would cut to. Isn't that amazing?" Of course, the spectators think you're crazy because all the cards are the same. "Oh, did you think I meant the faces? I meant the backs." Turn over the selected to show a Red back, then the prediction card to show another Red back. If they haven't gone for your throat by this time.... to finish, turn over the remaining pile and show that all the backs are Blue.

MATCH AND REMATCH Effect: The Magician predicts how many cards spectators will cut in three different piles. At the end, the predictions also match the cards the spectator cut to. Set-up: Have a Red 7, Black King, and Red 9 on top of the deck to start. Presentation: Remove the other Red 7, Black King, and Red 9 and lay them out facedown on the table, from left to right as predictions. (It's quite possible to perform this impromptu by culling the appropriate cards to the top as you are removing the prediction cards. And, of course, you don't have to use the 3 cards that we've suggested, though they are goods ones). Now shuffle the deck, keeping the stack on top. Then cut off a third from the bottom of the deck, slipping the top 7 on top, and place it on the left, under the 7 prediction. Cut off another third, slipping the King on top, and place this under the King prediction card. The last pile goes under the last prediction card. Ask a spectator on your left to cut "a small number of cards" off the left pile. Use the KK to count it as 7 (with a Hamman Switch on 4). At the end simply lay the cards back on the packet. Turn over the prediction and it's a Fig. 1 7. Go to the middle pile. "Cut a little deeper this time." Use the KK to count it as 13. Again replace the cards on top of the remainder of the packet. The prediction is turned over to show a King. "Let's see, Jacks are 11, Queens 12, Kings 13. Right again." 22

KILLER KONCEPTS Finally use the right pile. "We've gone high and low, why not cut somewhere in the middle." Use the KK to count the pile as 9, then show that the prediction is 9. Seemingly a pretty good trick is over. But now turn over the top cards of each of the three piles to show the matching 7, K, 9, for your real finish (Fig. 1)!

LUCKY SORTS Effect: After two cards are chosen, spectator cuts to one, then the other is found face-up at same position in the remaining cards. Finally, the cards go back into the deck, the deck is mixed face-up and face-down, and this time both selected cards turn face-up! Presentation: Before you begin, hold the deck face up and casually spread through – as you do so, count to the 13th card and in-jog it, then close the spread and turn the cards face down, picking up a break over the in-jog. Phase 1: Spread the deck (above the break) and have 2 spectators, A & B, each select a card. As you close the spread, Half Pass the cards below the break. Swing-cut half the deck into your left hand and have card A placed on top of this section. Place the other half on top, keeping a break, then Double-cut the selection to the top, saying, "I think I've cut your card somewhere into the upper half." The right thumb picks up a break between the faced portions of the deck, then reaches down and picks up one more card from the face-up bottom portion (Fig. 1). The left little finger takes over this new break , so that the right hand can then take card B and insert it directly into the break, saying, "I'll shove your card into the bottom half somewhere." Invite spectator A to lift off a packet, saying, "See if you can cut to your card which I think is nearer the top of the deck." Take this packet from him, while your left hand turns and places the balance of the deck on the table Fig. 1 – secretly turning it over. Killer Count the packet as 13 (using a Hamman Switch on 7) – "You cut 13 cards. 13 is mostly considered an unlucky number. I wonder if 13 is lucky for you?" At that, snap over the final card revealing his selection. Pick up the rest of the deck, saying, "I've never known 13 to bring luck to two people…I wonder." Now slowly deal off cards, while counting aloud. Pause before counting off the 12th card. When you do, this reveals the second selection lying face up at position 13. Be careful not to reveal more than the chosen card and the face-down card directly beneath it, as the remainder of the deck is face-up. Phase 2 (Triumph): You are left with three apparently face down packets: one in your hand (A), and two on the table: B and C, from left to right. A is actually a face-up packet covered with a face-down card, B and C are face-down piles. The two selected cards are face up on the table. You can now perform a very easy version of Triumph, which not only finishes the routine, but leaves the deck clean at the same time. Insert the two selections face-down in A, taking care not to show the real situation. Flip packet B face up, then shuffle B (face up) into A (apparently face down), and square. Pick up the pile and double-undercut the top card to the bottom. Flip this packet over - there will be a face-up card on top - and shuffle it with C (face down). In the shuffle,

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KILLER KONCEPTS leave the face-up card on top of the combined packet. All the cards are now face down except for the top card and the two selections in the middle. Give the top card to a spectator saying that this is a magic card. Ask him to wave it over the deck. Spread the deck and all the cards are face down except the two face-up selections.

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