TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTO - SPLIT THE SUABIAN TWIST AURA BEST EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY THE PallaD PRINCIPLE WALTON'S "WARM-UP" THE DEMONIQUE DEAL THE DIARY Of EXPECTATION SOLID GOLDE - EASY ACTION SUBCONSCIOUS POKER FOR TWO QUANTITY SURVEYOR PET SYMMETRY IDEAL HOLMES ALL SQUARE FORECAST DITTO NUMB..ers THOTOVER EIGHTSUM WALTZ WITH THE DEVIL SURE THING A BRAINSTORM IN GLASGOW Copyright (c) September 1994 PETER DUFFIE
Auto-Split
AUTO - SPLIT A mysterious double card revelation, where a spectator manages to separate the colours of the cards with the exception of two selections. Interestingly, you never touch the cards! Set the top sixteen cards of the deck -in strict red black alternating sequence. The number of cards needn't be sixteen, you can use any even quantity. 1 wouldn't use less than sixteen. WORKING 1. With two able spectators at hand, shuffle the deck retaining the top stock then push off 16 cards and hand the packet to spectator 'A' and asking him to give it a few cuts. Next ask him to deal out two hands as in the game of Brag, with three cards in each. The first card will be dealt to spectator 'B' it he deals according to the rules of play. It he happens to deal the top card to himself, then simply re-label the spectators 'B' and 'A' as we go. The balance of the packet is left on the table. 2. Ask both spectators to pick up their three cards and hold them face down. Now ask 'A' to mix his three cards, keeping them face down, then to spread them and remove the middle card. He now looks at this card and remembers it. Finally he replaces it between the other two then drops his packet back on top of the tabled balance. Originally I had the top card noted then replaced between the other two. 1 have Iain Girdwood to thank for suggesting the foregoing and eliminating what could be construed, in retrospect, as a possible placement by any onlooking magicians. Now spectator 'B' does exactly the same with his three cards. It is essential that you instruct the spectators clearly so that they don't turn any other cards over. If all three cards are seen, it would be apparent that they are all of one colour. 3. Ask spectator 'B' to give the tabled packet one complete cut then to take up the packet into his hands. Instruct him to deal the complete packet into two piles, again dealing alternately as in a two handed game. As he completes the deal, say, "I think you made a couple of mistakes there, but I can't be sure....never mind, it's only a card trick!" Ask each spectator to name his card. Finally turn over each dealt packet in turn and spread to reveal that all the blacks are in one pile, and the reds in the other, with two exceptions, and these are the two selections. As you
Auto-Split
remove the two selections, say, "I told you that you made two mistakes! ... but they were pretty good ones!"
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The Suabian Twist
THE SUABIAN TWIST There have been several combinations of Dai Vernon's 'Twisting the Aces' and 'The Hofzinser Ace Problem' over the years. If the following version has any merit, it is the simple means by which the one at a time reversal is accomplished. WORKING 1. Have a card selected, returned, then control it to the top of the deck. Now hold the deck face up and immediately glimpse the selection at the rear, then Spread through and transfer the four aces to the rear of the deck, turning each face down as you do so, and transferring the ace of the same suit as the selection first. If the selection happens to be an Ace, use Kings. Close up the spread then turn the deck face down to bring the tour Aces face up on top. 2. Spread over the four aces plus the first face down card then close up the spread and lift off the top five cards. Place the balance of the deck to one side as it is no longer needed. Point out that the Aces represent all four suits, but only one matches the spectator's card. As you speak, remove the top ace, turn it face down, then place it to the bottom. Repeat this action with the next two Aces, then flip the last Ace face down on top of all, then obtain a break below the top two cards. 3. Secretly reverse the lower three cards by any half-pass, then obtain a break above the bottom two cards and retain it. Explain that every time you shift an ace from top to bottom, something magical will happen which will in turn, eliminate an Ace. Demonstrate what you will do by removing the top card and apparently putting it to the bottom, really inserting it into the break above the bottom two cards, then drop the break. Now you start the process for real: a) Remove the top card and apparently place it to the bottom, in fact you buckle the bottom card so it goes second from bottom. An ace will appear face up on top. Name the suit of this ace, then say that you will eliminate it. Place the ace face up on the table. b) Transfer the top card to the bottom (genuinely) to cause a second ace to appear face up on top, then eliminate it by placing it face up on top of the first Ace in an overlapping spread.
The Suabian Twist
c) Transfer the top card to the bottom to cause a third ace to appear, and again eliminate it, by buckling the bottom card and lifting off the top TWO as one and placing them on the table. Finally have the spectator confirm that the remaining Ace(?) is indeed the same suit as his selection (logically it must be), then dramatically cause it to change into his selected card.
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Aura Best
AURA BEST This is a fairly puzzling routine based on Paul Curry's 'The Whispering Joker'. In this version there are no cards out of the deck before you start. WORKING 1. 1 usually reserve this for magicians, and therefore I use their deck. Have the deck shuffled then take it and holding it so that the audience can see the faces, spread through and stop when you come to the Ace of Spades. Raise both hands as you split the spread, but, take the Ace with the right hand and thumb off the indifferent at the face of the left section face down onto the table and remember this card. This is hardly a move and is done whilst saying the following; "Some people believe that every human being has an aura .... an invisible something which surrounds each and every one of us .... well there is one playing card that has such a thing.... the most prominent one in the deck, the Ace of Spades .... I'll leave it here for the moment .... if you stare at it you can almost see it glow.... (pause) .... well maybe not." 2. Hand the deck to a spectator and ask him to shuffle it as you turn your back on the proceedings. Tell the spectator to look at and remember the bottom card. There is a one in fifty one chance that this will be the AS .... if it is the gaff is blown! However, it a small chance worth taking. Now instruct him to drop the deck square on top of the Ace of Spades on the table then to give the deck several complete cuts. Next ask him to pass the deck to another spectator. Tell this spectator to spread through with the faces towards himself, and look for the Ace of Spades and to up-jog it then close up the spread. Finally he removes the Ace and places it onto your palm as you turn to face the front again. 3. Explain that the Ace has left its aura behind and as it was next to the selection, the aura now surrounds that card. I recommend that you now take the risk (another one!?) of asking the spectator who is holding the deck to shuffle it. It is an easy matter to cut the shuffling short by simply carrying on talking and holding out your hand for the return of the deck. Spread the deck face up across the table as you ask the first spectator to concentrate on his card but to make no indication as to its whereabouts in
Aura Best
the spread. Also ask him if he can see the aura(?). Finally, move the Ace along the spread and stop abruptly and insert it right next to the selection - easy, because your key card is in front of it. Take your bow. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Every Picture
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY The following was inspired by Simon Dixon's 'Paradox Aces' which appeared in Abacus, V61.2 N6.11, which in turn was based on Martin Gardner's 'Paradox Papers' (Pallbearers Review, page 429). WORKING 1. From a shuffled deck remove any sixteen cards and place the balance to one side. Have the packet shuffled then take it back and have a card selected, noted, returned and controlled to the top. 2. You now have to secretly reverse the chosen card. There are numerous ways of accomplishing this, but here is a straightforward and standard method: Hold the packet face down and execute a double lift leaving the card(s) face up on top, as you enquire, "Your card isn't on top by any chance?" It isn't, so you now turn the packet face up to show the face card, saying, "How about the bottom card?" Leave the packet face up and remove the lowermost face down card and replace it back on the bottom face up. it appears that all the cards are back as they were - in fact the selection is now reversed second from the bottom of the face up packet. Keeping the packet face up, push off the upper eight cards then turn then over, square both packets and weave them together. This must be perfect, so you might want to carry out a one by one riffle shuffle instead. With only eight cards in each packet this is very easy. Finally have the packet cut a few times. 3. Take the packet and deal the cards into four rows of tour to form a square. The cards should be dealt according to the numbering in the diagram. So you will deal the first row from left to right, then the second row from right to left and so on, always starting the next row from where you finished the previous. 3. Take the packet and deal the cards into four rows of tour to form a square. The cards should be dealt according to the numbering in the diagram. So you will deal the first row from left to right, then the second row
Every Picture
from right to left and so on, always starting the next row from where you finished the previous. 4. You now explain that with the cards laid out thus, a complete picture has been formed. The spectator is now allowed to 'fold' the picture in apparently any way he wants by nominating any outer row or column. You then flip all the cards in that row completely over and onto the next adjacent row or column, just as if you were folding a sheet of paper. This is continued, folding the nominated rows or columns inwards until all the cards are together in one pile. Finally spread the cards to reveal that, "every picture tells a story," only one card is now reversed, the selection. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
PallaD
THE PallaD PRINCIPLE A strange series of transpositions occur as a spectator deals a packet of cards. Once set in motion, the principle employed is both automatic, and perpetual. The idea of using a third packet as a leader was suggested to me by Roy Walton. WORKING 1. Run through the deck and remove the Ace through Five of Clubs and Ace throuah Five of Hearts. Arrange both sets in numerical order with the fives at the face of each. Take one packet face up in each hand, Clubs in the left, and Hearts in the right, and openly alternate the colours by thumbing off the upper card from the left packet (5C), then the upper card from the right (5H), and so on until all ten cards are in a face up pile on the table. 2. Next take the deck again, and with a disregard to suits, remove an Ace and place it face down on the table, followed by a Five, Three, Four then a Two on top of all. Call this the 'Control Pile'. Place the deck to one side then pick up the 'control pile' and give it a false mix if you wish, then replace it face down. 3. Pick up the main packet and hold it face down in dealing position in the left hand, saying, "I am going to demonstrate a strange affinity that exists between certain playing cards....let me demonstrate what you have to do." Deal the packet into two piles, dealing alternately as in a two handed game, and second dealing on the Seventh card. This is the only move in the entire trick. Now turn the top card of the ‘control pile' face up and place it on the table. This will be a Two spot. Call attention to its value. Pick up the right hand pile (reds), turn it face up and show the cards by casually counting them from hand to hand to reverse the order, as you say, "Because of this strange affinity the Twos transpose." As you count the cards the audience will see the odd coloured Two (black among reds). Place the packet in a face up spread on the table then turn over the other pile and spread (do not count) to show the same result (red among blacks). 4. Drop the reds on top of the blacks then turn the pile face down. From now on everything works automatically. Hand the packet to a spectator saying, "Now you do exactly what I did....deal the cards into two piles."
PallaD
When he has done this turn the next card of the 'control pile' face up to reveal a Four spot. Now turn both of the dealt packets over and spread to reveal that the Fours have now transposed. Drop the reds on top of the blacks and repeat the procedure three more times, turning over a control card prior to each phase, and you will see the Threes, then the Fives, and finally the Aces transpose. END NOTES For a simple test of five people as a lead-in to something deeper, you can dispense with the 'control pile' and use only the two suit set. Set both packets in 5-1~3-2~4 order from top to face. If you now carry out the full procedure as outlined, the cards will transpose in order Ace to five. By numbering each spectator accordingly, you can appear to test ,their compatibility for the main experiment to follow, with each proving suitable as their respective numbers behave in a very unusual manner. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Walton's Warm-up
WALTON'S "WARM-UP" Here is a further idea from Roy Walton which turns the previous principle into a commercial routine, and adds an excellent climax. Before commencing, remove two Royal flushes, set each in A-K-Q-J10 order, then alternate them. Place this packet on top of the pack. WORKING 1. Remove the two sets of Ace through Five and arrange both in the 5-A-3-2-4 order. Explain that the professional card cheat needs some time to warm up before 1moving~ in a game, and offer to demonstrate. Alternate the two packets as described and drop the packet face down on top of the deck. Carry out step 3 as above, dealing two hands of cards and Second Dealing on the 7th card. Display the hands as explained in step 4, reversing the order of one, etc. Point out that the Aces have transposed. 2. Drop the packet on top of the deck, and deal two hands fairly. Show the Twos have now transposed, saying, "He's starting to warm up now." Repeat the deal two more times, causing the Threes, then the Fours to transpose, each time emphasising that the gambler is getting warmer as the values increase. Drop the packet on top of the deck for the final deal but retain a break below it and carry out an immediate pass, then deal out two hands. Suddenly stop and look directly at the audience and say, "Actually, he's warmed up now!" as you turn over both hands to reveal, not the transposed fives, but the two Royal Flushes! Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Demonique Deal
THE DEMONIQUE DEAL A staggered (not staggering) version of the classic Daley(?) Mental Poker effect. Four people should be seated at the table. WORKING 1. Hand the deck out for shuffling then have someone deal out tour hands of FIVE cards so that each has five cards in front of them. Ask each to pick up his hand, mix the cards, then hold the packet face down in readiness for your next instruction. Before proceeding, audibly give each spectator a number ONE to FOUR from left to right. 2. Turn to spectator ONE and say, "As you are number one I want you to look at the FIRST, or top card of your packet, remember it, then replace it." Move along to spectator TWO and say, "As you are number two you will look at the SECOND card down in your packet, remember it, and leave it there." Turning to spectator THREE, say, "And as you are number three you will look at and remember the THIRD card down in your packet." Finally turn to spectator FOUR and say, "And last, but not least, being number four you will look at and remember the FOURTH card down in your packet." 3. The packets are assembled as follows: Spectator four places his packet on top of number three's. Number three places both on top of number two's. Number two places the group on top of number one's, who in turn hands you the combined packet. As you take the packet glimpse the bottom card and remember it. 4. Drop the packet on top of the deck then carry out a few convincing shuffles that retain the top stock. Now say, "There is one 'GHOST' card in this deck, the (name the card you glimpsed) that acts like a spirit medium, and has the ability to reach into your mind and extract your innermost thoughts in this case the card you are merely thinking of." Deal out four hands of five cards once again, but this time the fourth hand is dealt to you.
Demonique Deal
Pause, then turn over the top card of your hand to reveal the ghost card you just named. Finally ask each spectator in turn, starting with number one and working round in sequence, to name their card. As they do so, turn the cards in the pile over one by one to reveal each 'mental' selection in correct order. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Diary Trick
THE DIARY OF EXPECTATION Inspired by Ted Danson's 'It's a Date,' the following simple rendition of the classic diary prediction uses one diary and one regular deck. The principle used is the well known 14/15 stack. a) Remove the Aces of Spades and Hearts then set the deck in the standard 14/15 force arrangement as follows (value only): A-K-2-Q-3-J-4-10-5-9-6-8-7-7-8-6-9-5-10-4-J-3-Q-2-K A-K~2-Q-3-J-4-10-5-9-6-8-7-7-8-6-9-5-10-4-J-3-Q-2-K b) Next take a pocket a diary and write "ACE OF SPADES" against the 14th of every month, and "ACE OF HEARTS" against the 15th. Now write the names of random cards, excluding the two Aces, against all the other dates. c) Finally prepare a two-way prediction which can show either ace. I simply glue two jumbo Aces back to back and seal the double card in an envelope, with Spades flap side up. WORKING 1. Introduce the diary and hand it to a spectator, saying, "This diary contains the names of every card in the deck, scattered randomly throughout .... please examine and confirm that this is the case." The diary can withstand a close scrutiny at this point. The spectator now places the diary into his pocket. Place the prediction envelope on the table and ask another spectator to guard it. 2. As the diary is being looked at, bring out the deck and casually false shuffle. As the stack can be cut, a series ot single chop style overhand actions can be used. Hand the deck to a second spectator and ask him to give it a few cuts then to turn over the top card, saying, "We will use the value of the card you cut to to give us the MONTH.... if you happen to cut to a King you will cut again as kings have a value of 13 and are therefore invalid as there are only 12 months." 3. The deck is now passed to another spectator, to whom you say, "Now you will give the deck another cut to determine the day of the month (he cuts the deck once) so as to give us a wider scope, please turn over the top TWO cards and add their values together." The total will be either 14 or 15.
Diary Trick
So let us presume that the first card was a five spot and the other two cards totalled 14. This would represent May the 14th. Ask the spectator with the diary to look up the date and read out the card written therein. It will be the Ace of Spades. Finally open the envelope and remove the prediction with the correct side uppermost to conclude. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Solid Golde
SOLID GOLDE - EASY ACTION The following is a variation of Roger Golde's "The Favorites" which appeared in V61.17, No.2 of Apocalypse. The principle used was devised by Bob Hummer. The trick can either be set in advance, or you can openly remove the cards as you patter. I'll describe it the latter way. WORKING 1. Run through the deck with the faces towards yourself, and, using the C-H-a-S-e-D mnemonic to assist you, transfer the following eight cards to the face one at a time, with the Eight of Diamonds finishing at the face: AC - 2H - 3S - 4D - 5C - 6H - 7S - 8D Next run through and transter each of the matching partners to the face, again in Ace to Eight order, with the Eight of Hearts finishing on the face. This time you only need to remember them as Black-Red-Black-Red, etc, so it can be done quickly. Having done that, spread over the first set of eight cards and place them face down on the table, then place the second set face down beside the first. Place the balance of the deck aside. 2. Say, "Because of the cut-backs due to the recession, the police have resorted to using playing cards in order to identify suspects .... you look dubious? .... well allow me to demonstrate." Ask a spectator to pick up any one of the piles and to give it several complete cuts, however, before he starts, pick up the other pile and by way of demonstration, cut the top TWO cards as a unit, the bottom, then cut TWO more to the bottom. You have thus transferred the top FOUR cards to the bottom, a process which is essential to the working of the trick. Once he has stopped cutting his packet, tell him to remove either the top or the bottom card, and, without looking at it, to place it aside on the table. Casually take the remaining seven cards from him and drop them on top of the deck, glimpsing the bottom card of the packet as you do so. Let's assume that the card you glimpsed is a Five spot. Add one to this number, to give you 6. Remember 6 as your 'KEY' number. (For 8, remember 1 as your 'key' number). 3. Continue, Saying, "We now have an unidentified suspect, and you are going to use this other group of cards here to discover his identity
Solid Golde
all we know is that the suspect has TWO distinct characteristics his suit and his value." You can introduce a Isuit, gag at this point, although if you are like some magicians I have seen, you will already be wearing it. As you are talking, you spread the packet and flip two cards face up, apparently at random, in fact as you spread the packet, you count along from the top and flip over the card that occupies the same position as your 'key' number, in this case you reverse the SIXTH card from the top and leave it in position. 4. You now thumb over one card, then flip over the next card. So the simple rule is, that you flip over the card at the same position as your 'key', then miss one card and flip over the next. If your 'key' was SEVEN, you flip over the 7th and the TOP cards. If your was EIGHT you flip over the 8th (Bottom card) and the 2nd card from the top. As you flip the two cards over, continue saying, "....for example, this might be the same value as the suspect, and this one might be wearing the same suit .... or indeed visa versa.... but at this stage we have no idea of knowing so I am going to ask you to change the condition of the cards quite radically.... like this." Here you demonstrate the Hummer procedure for as many times as it takes the spectator to grasp it. This is briefly as follows: You cut the packet then flip over the top two cards without changing their order, cut again, flip over two, and continue doing this until the spectator has fully grasped what is required. Hand the packet to the spectator and ask him to carry out the turn two and cut procedure as demonstrated. Once the spectator is happy that the cards are in a mess, ask him to finish the mixing, by dealing the cards into two piles, as in a two handed game (alternately), then turn any one of the two resulting piles completely over then drop either pile onto the other to complete the packet again. 5. Pick up the packet and spread it very slightly with one hand, just sufficient for you to be able to see it the main body of the packet is face up or face down. There will SIX facing one way, and TWO facing the other. You want the two reversed cards to be face down, so it necessary, turn the packet over, then spread the cards on the table, saying, "Well, after all that mixing, it looks like we're back where we started, with only two cards reversed but looks can be deceptive."
Solid Golde
Remove the two face down cards and hold them in your left hand. One will be the same VALUE as the selection, and the other the same SUIT. You already know the value because it's same as your 'key' number, so you can turn the cards over and confidently draw attention to the two correct components, making a single card, in this case, the Six of, either Hearts or Diamonds. Finally have the spectator turn the selected card over to reveal that the information is 100% correct, proving that there's more to the 'pasteboard detection' than at first seemed likely! Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Poker for Two
SUBCONSCIOUS POKER FOR TWO The following is a variation of Joseph K. Schmidt's "Subconscious Poker Il" which first appeared in Pallbearer's Review, and subsequently in his excellent book, Modern Close-up Card Problems. Prior to performance, remove the Royal Flush in Hearts, and the Royal Flush in Clubs. Place the Hearts Flush face down on top of the deck with the Ace second from the top. The order of the other tour cards is irrelevant. Place any five cards face down on top of the Heart Flush, then place the Club Flush face down on top of all, with the Ten on top, and keep this card in your mind for later. Again the order of the other tour cards is irrelevant. WORKING 1. With a spectator sitting across the table from you, false shuffle retaining the top stock, then deal out five hands of cards with five cards in each hand. As you deal, ensure that hand number two falls directly in front of the spectator. If their are several people around the table, You will use the person who is sitting naturally at position two. 2. Ask the spectator to pick up hand number 2 and to look at and remember the middle card, then to replace the hand face down on the table. His middle card will be the Ace of Hearts. You appear to do likewise with your hand (No.5) but in fact it is simply a pretence, and you ignore the cards. Explain that you will demonstrate how the professional card cheat can manipulate the cards if things aren't quite going his way. 3. Gather the hands together, by picking up your hand (No.5) and placing it on top of hand number one, then continue in a clockwise direction picking up the hands below the accumulating pile until all 25 cards are together. Double Cut the bottom two cards to the top of the packet, then drop it on top of the balance of the deck. 4. Carry out a Push-through False Shuffle, as you ask, "The middle card of my hand was the Ten of Clubs, what was your middle card? (he says Ace of Hearts) "The Ace of Hearts? Well, that's a better card than mine, so I will attempt to restack the deck so that I will receive your cards this time ... and you will be dealt mine!"
Poker for Two
Carry out a second Push-Through Shuffle, acting as if this second shuffle will change the order of the hands. A simple Overhand Jog Shuffle can be used in place of the tabled Push-throughs. Once again deal out five hands of five cards. 5. Ask the spectator to turn over the middle card only of his hand, that is hand no.2 again, to reveal your card the Ten of Clubs. Now turn over the middle card of your hand to reveal HIS card the Ace of Hearts. Acting as if the demonstration is over, say, "So you see, the methods of the card cheat can allow him to win every time .... incidentally, what are the other four cards in your hand?" He turns them over to reveal a Royal Flush in Clubs. With a puzzled look on your face, and as if to excuse your apparent mistake, say, "Well, I didn't say the method was one hundred percent sure fire!" As you speak, pick up the tour face down cards in your hand and glance at them, then as your look changes to surprise, conclude with a smile, saying, "Shall we settle for a draw?" Drop your cards face up on the table in order beside the Ace to reveal the second Royal Flush, this time in Hearts. END NOTES When working from a shuffled deck, you can cull any two Royal Flushes to the top during a previous effect. All you have to ensure is that the value of the top card of the deck is lower than the value of the second card in the second flush, that is, if you adopt the given presentation. You then introduce the effect by loading five cards between the two flushes during a riffle shuffle, then proceed. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Quantity Surveyor
QUANTITY SURVEYOR The following came about while playing with a reverse stack principle belonging to Howard Adams. However, only the actions of the Adams idea remain as the principle now used is much older. I'll leave the presentation to the individual. Set the top 26 cards of the deck in the order: King to Ace - King to Ace. Only the values are of importance. (See End Notes) WORKING l. Carry out a Jog Shuffle to retain the top 26 cards, then cut oft the stack (an ace will be at the face of the upper section) and set both halves face down on the table side by side. 2. Push the lower half towards spectator A and ask him to pick it up and shuffle if he wishes. He now cuts off less than half and hands the larger balance to another spectator (B), who retains the packet between his hands. 3. Ask spectator A to count his cards then to place them out of the way as they are no longer needed (into the card case is fine). As he does this, pick up the tabled half deck and cut it at the mid point and set both quarter decks back on the table side by side. Again this cut is aided by the fact that there will be an Ace at the face of each half. 4. You now ask spectator A to concentrate on his secret number and to count to it as follows: He is to transfer a number of cards from the top of the tabled piles to the bottom equal to the number he is thinking of, however, he can move from pile to pile at random. So he might transfer two from top to bottom in one pile, then one from top to bottom in the other, then back to the first and so on, and stopping once he has transferred the same number of cards as the number he is thinking of. 5. Finally turn over the top card of each pile and draw attention to their values (King, Queen and Jack equal 13, 12, and 11 respectively). Add together the two values and announce the total. Finally ask spectator B, for the first time, to count the cards he has been holding from the outset one at a time out loud to reveal that he has been holding the same number of
Quantity Surveyor
cards as the two values arrived at by random. END NOTE By using the Roy Walton double stack ploy, you can ask spectator A to pick up any half and shuffle to begin. To allow this, you simply have the bottom half set the same as the top. The drawback to this is that a full deck false shuffle is required. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Pet Symmetry
PET SYMMETRY Here is a handling of the Hamilton/Finnell Free Cut Principle in which the relevant sections are never placed back together again once the selections have been made and the cut off portions dropped on the opposite piles. The idea came about while experimenting with a Klondike method explained in Gene Finnell's booklet The Free Cut Principle. This is also related to Alex Elmsley's Penelope's Principle (See "Penny Plain" in The Collected Works of. Vol.1), which demonstrates how closely linked many principles are! NOTE: Since publishing this in 1994 I discovered that Gene Finnell had already discovered this idea and included it in his larger book The card Magic of Gene Finnell. WORKING 1. Have a spectator shuffle the deck then deal two equal piles. in performance you would turn your back so that you cannot know how many cards are dealt. There should however be at least ten cards in each to make this worthwhile. The balance of the deck is discarded after the deal. Invite a second spectator to participate, we will refer to the spectators as 'A' and 'B'. 2. Ask both spectators to each pick up a pile, shuffle it then replace it on the table. Now tell them to each cut off a section from their respective pile, look at the card at the face of the portion they have cut, and remember it. It is recommended that you ask one to cut high and the other to cut low so that it is obvious that both cards are from different positions. Now tell 'A' to replace his portion on top of B's balance, and 'B' to place his portion on top of A's balance. 3. At this point you would normally place one of the piles on top of the other, which would set both selections equidistant to one another in relation to the total number of cards, e.g., if there were initially ten cards in each pile, both selections would be ten cards apart once the piles were combined. However, in this instance the piles are not placed together, which at first might appear to be a problem. The problem is solved by using the Klondike Shuffle. Pick up either pile and give it a quick Klondike, which is: Hold the packet from above with either hand, then with the
Pet Symmetry
other hand pull off top and bottom cards together and drop them face down on the table. Repeat with the next pair, dropping them on top of the first, and continue doing this until all the cards are in a pile on the table. If you are left with a single card this is simply dropped on top of all. Now repeat the above procedure with the other pile. Both selections now rest at the same position from the, top in each pile. You can now finish with a coincidental match-up, or any other effect which calls for this situation. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Ideal Holmes
IDEAL HOLMES The effect of the following was inspired by Steve Hamilton's 'Thinking Out Loud' (see The Crimp, No.10, and Roger's Thesaurus, by Roger Crosthwaite and Justin Higham). However, the principle employed stems from an observation made by Tom Sellers' in "A Trick with the Si Stebbins Pack" in Card Tricks That Work. The pack is set in the standard Si Stebbins arrangement, which is simply that each card is three ahead in value than the previous, and with the four suits rotating throughout, i.e., AC-4H-7S-10D-KC-3H-6S-9D-QC-2H-SS-8D-JC-AH-4S-7D- and so on finishing with the JD at the face. The stack can be cut. WORKING 1. False shuffle, then carry out a couple of genuine cuts. Now spread the pack between your hands and have a card freely selected by a spectator who places it directly into his pocket without looking at it. As he is doing this, give the pack a complete cut at the point where the card was drawn and square up. 2. Turn to a second spectator and say, "You will now discover the secret identity of the hidden card, first the suit and then the value.... however, you will need some help to do this .... so let's call upon the greatest detective of all time, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, to help you to identify the SUIT." Hand the pack to the spectator and ask him to spell the name S-H-E-R-L-O-C-K by dealing one card for each letter in the name into a face down pile on the table. Turn over the top card of the tabled pile to indicate the suit. 3. Next say, "OK, so that's the suit taken care of, but the value is much more difficult ... even for Mr. Holmes, and I think we will need to use a little MAGIC now." You now ask the spectator to spell the word M-A-G-I-C in the same way as before but dealing into a separate pile. Turn over the top card of this five card heap to indicate the value. Finally announce both the value and suit together thus completing the name of the card then have the spectator remove the card from his pocket to find that it is in fact that very card.
Ideal Holmes
END NOTES The above will also work with a FOUR lettered word followed by a nine letter word. I use CARD DISCOVERY for an instant repeat, by replacing the used cards atop the deck and having a second selection made from the undisturbed stack, but not from the bottom 13 cards, saying, "Of course this is really a CARD DISCOVERY, so let's use those very words and see what happens?" Go to Next Trick Return to Index
All Square 4Cast
ALL SQUARE FORECAST Stewart James seems to be among the first to realize the true potential of the magic square when applied to individual cards rather than simply having figures on a grid. While the following adaptation of the idea requires duplicates, it does render a very strong double prediction for the formal occasion. Over and above your deck, you require three extra duplicate high cards (say three Kings of Hearts) and three extra duplicate low cards (say three twos of spades). Set the top 16 cards of the deck as follows - the X cards are any mixed values above a two and lower than a king. From top down:
2–K–X–X–K–X–X–2–X–X–2–K–X–2–K -X WORKING 1. False shuffle retaining the top stock then place the deck in front of a spectator who we will call 'A.' Take two pieces of paper and write the name of a force card on each then hand the low value prediction to spectator 'A', and the high value prediction to a second spectator, 'B.' 2. Pick up the deck and ask both spectators to watch. Deal out four hands of four cards in each in the normal way. Now ask spectator 'A' to gather the hands together in any order. Drop the balance of the deck into your pocket out of the way. He now deals the packet into tour hands as you did. Next he picks up any one of the four hands and hold it in front of him. Ask him to think of the lowest valued card in his hand. Finally he drops his cards back on the table face down. 3. Ask spectator 'B' to gather together the four hands in any order, then he can cut the packet and deal the out four hands again. He now picks up any hand and holds it in front of him, then he thinks of the highest valued card in his hand. Finally he drops his cards on the table and all the hands are gathered together by yourself and dropped into your pocket with the balance of the
All Square 4Cast
deck. Have each spectator name his mental selection, then have them turn over and read out the predictions to conclude. Naturally you will have a second deck in your pocket which you will now bring out if you wish to continue! Go to Next Trick Return to Index
DITTO
DITTO This magi-comedy mental item is based on Phil Goldstein's 'Preoction' from his 1985 Madrid lecture notes. It also bears some resemblance to 'Potty Prediction' and other like effects. A little initial preparation is required but if you are a performer then I think you will consider that part trivial. You require two blank faced playing cards and seven Jokers with matching backs. On one of the blank facers write the words, "THE SAME AS HIS" then place this card below the other blank - both face down. Take two squares of white card (predictions) and write the same four words on one of them. Place the blank square on top of the other (writing side down), then place the two blank playing cards face down under the predictions. Hold the cards in place by placing a bulldog clip over the front edge of the package. This package is placed inside a suitable pocket and the seven Jokers are in your breast pocket with the backs outwards. WORKING 1. Introduce the Joker packet and hand it to spectator A for shuffling, asking him to keep the faces of the cards hidden as it is important that no-one is influenced by the cards. Now take the packet face down in your left hand then bring out the prediction package from your pocket, the two race down cards concealed underneath. As you are talking, remove the clip and allow the two concealed cards to be added to the top of the packet. Now place the upper prediction in front of spectator A (blank) and the other in front of spectator B. 2. Hand the packet (now nine cards) to spectator B and instruct him clearly to carry out an UNDER/Down deal. He places the final card face down in front of his prediction. Spectator A now picks up the packet (eight cards) and does the same then places his final card race down in front of his prediction. The remaining seven cards are dropped to one side for the moment. 3. Point out that the cards were thoroughly shuffled and generally build up to what appears to be a double prediction of two playing cards.
DITTO
Ask spectator A to turn over his prediction. Look puzzled that there is nothing written on it, saying, "It's incredible but I have forgotten to write the damn thing!" Now ask B to turn over his prediction, saying, "Don't tell me yours is the same?" He turns the prediction over to reveal the words, "THE SAME AS HIS." 4. At this stage it will be assumed by the audience that the whole thing is a gag, but now you turn over spectator A's selection to reveal that it is blank. After a pause, turn over B's card to reveal the same message that is on the prediction. Allow the effect of this to register then as an afterthought, say, "And you expected a card trick? Well, that would have been no good because you'd both have picked Jokers!" Finally turn over the rest of the packet to reveal all Jokers! Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Numbe - ers
NUMB .... ers A George Sands/Shigeo Futagawa principle is combined with that of the magic square matrix to arrive at a insoluble number prediction. Interested readers may wish to compare this with "A Sense of Freedom" that appeared in my manuscript Ulterior Motifs. Unlike "A sense of Freedom," the arrangement required to accomplish this is almost impossible to forget! So, with cards in hand, set the top 20 cards as follows, from top down:
A-2-3-4 * 3-4-5-6 * 5-6-7-8 * 7-8-9-10 * 9~10-J-Q * rest of deck. You simply remember the stack as a straight numerical run with each four card group jumping back two before restarting. Easy! WORKING 1. Write the number "26" on a piece of paper and leave it on the table writing side down. 2. False shuffle keeping the top stock intact then deal out four hands with five cards in each, dealing rotational as in a game. 3. Ask a spectator to pick up ANY pile and transfer ONE card from the top to the bottom, then place the pile back on the table. He now selects another pile and this time transfers TWO cards from top to bottom, the replaces the pile on the table. Of the two remaining piles, he selects one and transfers THREE cards from top to bottom then replaces the pile on the table. Finally he takes the last pile and transfers FOUR cards from top to bottom and sets this pile beside the others. Emphasise the free choice of piles he is given during the above. 4. Now turn the top card of each pile face up and leave it on its pile. At this stage the total of these four cards will always equal twenty-two, however we now go one convincing stage further before revealing our prediction: Ask the spectator to turn ANY TWO of the piles completely over to further randomize the numbers showing on top. 5. Now assist the spectator in adding together the values of the four cards showing on top. The total will be twenty-six. Conclude by revealing your
Numbe - ers
correct prediction. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Thotover
THOTOVER This effect originally appeared in Abacus V61.2 No.6. It is basically a transposition of a very simple construction. Since its publication I found a related idea by Tom Sellers in his booklet Card Tricks that Work. This one works too. Before commencing you will have to arrange the top thirteen cards of the pack so that every card spells with twelve letters. There are only fourteen such cards in the pack, and they are as follows:
3-7-8-10 CLUBS * 4-5-9-J-K HEARTS * 4-5-9-J-K SPADES WORKING l. Shuffle the pack retaining the top stock, then casually push oft the top thirteen cards, pushing off in groups so that you don't appear to be counting. Place the balance of the pack aside. Show the faces of the cards to the audience then hand the packet to a spectator and ask him to shuffle the cards. 2. Next ask him to cut the packet twice then to look at the top card and remember it and replace it back on top. Take the packet from him, saying, "I'll do exactly the same as you did." Carry out the actions of a Double Undercut except that you do not transfer any cards, in other words it is a False Cut. Next, execute a Double Lift and turn-over, leaving the double face up on top of the packet, and draw attention to the face up card, saying "This isn't per chance the card that you're thinking of? .... no?.... good!...well in that case I'll place it into my pocket and we will use it as a 'thought locator'." Match your words by turning the double face down again then removing the top card and placing it partially into your breast pocket ensuring that the face is not seen. 3. Hand the packet back to the spectator and ask him to spell the name of the 'thought locator' - the card just shown and apparently now in your pocket - by transferring one card at a time from the top of the packet to the bottom for each letter in the name. Accompany his actions by spelling out the name of the card nice and
Thotover
slowly, and out loud, thus avoiding mistakes. 4. Now say, "Let's see what card the 'thought locator' has located for us...turn over the top card." When he turns over the card, look surprised that it is in fact the 'thought locator', saying, "I could have sworn that I placed that card into my pocket?" Have him name the card he is 'thinking of' then conclude by removing the card from your breast pocket and turning it round to reveal that it is now that very card. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
8Sum
EIGHTSUM The following item is based on Lewis Jones' 'Happenstance' which appeared in issue Number 5 (May 1994) of Apocalypse. Here I have combined Jones's idea with one I utilised in a previous trick of mine entitled "Baker St. Branch", which appeared in Ulterior Motifs (1992). This secondary principle allows you to change the final total of the cards at will, therefore permitting the spectator a choice of six possible numbers. Arrange the top thirteen cards so that they run Ace through to King of mixed suits, with the Ace on top of the deck and the King thirteenth. Also have a sheet of paper and a pen at hand. WORKING 1. Take a sheet of paper and tear it into sixths. Now write the following numbers, one on each, and place the pieces or paper in a row, writing side down: 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, 38 (See illustration below).
2. Hold the deck in your hands and casually Overhand Shuffle, retaining the top stock. Ask a spectator to slide any one of the papers to one side without looking at the writing. Mentally number the papers ‘0 - 5' from left to right (See illustration below).
As soon as you see which paper has been selected, carry out another
8Sum
overhand shuffle, but this time lose a number of cards from the top of the deck equal to the number of the selection. So if he slides out the third one, you note this as ~number 2', therefore you lose TWO cards during the shuffle, for the first paper you retain the complete stock, and so on. 3. Hand the deck to the spectator and ask him to deal off 8 cards into a face down pile on the table, then to place the balance of the deck to one side. As he is dealing, casually pick up the five remaining papers in a random order to break up the obvious sequence, then show the various numbers briefly to the audience, before crumpling them up and placing them in your pocket. Allow the spectator to mix the eight cards by dealing the packet into two piles, dealing alternately as in a two handed game. He now drops one packet on top of the other, and repeats this process for as many times as he wishes. You could mix the cards yourself using the Reverse Faro, but as both methods look equally contrived, it's as well to let the spectator do it. At least you haven't touched the cards. Now ask the spectator to deal FOUR cards into a face down row on the table, then to deal again so that there are four pairs. it is important that this deal follows the course of the first. 4. The spectator now makes what appears to be a random selection ot tour cards by taking one from each pair as follows: a) Ask the spectator to pick up any pair, discard the top card, and place the remaining card face down in front of him. b) He next selects any one of the three remaining pairs, discards the bottom card, and places the remaining card face down in front of him beside the first. c) From the two remaining pairs, he picks one, discards the top card, and places the other in front of him. d) From the last pair he discards the bottom card and keeps the other, to give himself tour randomly chosen cards. Have the tour cards turned face up and the values totalled. Finally have the selected paper turned over to show that the totals agree. END NOTE
8Sum
You might find it easier to add an extra card to the top of the initial set-up and then mentally number the papers 1-6. A small point, but some might find this preferable in performance. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Waltz with the Devil
WALTZ WITH THE DEVIL What follows is a more logical presentation for 'Dance with the Devil' which I published in the final issue 18 of Profile. The principle used is Karl Fulves' "Self-Correcting Set-Up" (Epilogue, issue 3, July 1968.) In my original presentation, the number fourteen was used instead of the preferred thirteen. This has now been rectified. A set-up of the pack is required, a necessity, otherwise there would be no set-up to self-correct!! With a disregard to suits, arrange the pack in the following four 13 card groups, reading from the top down, and with each group in strict numerical order: Ace to King (all red)-King to Ace (all black)-Ace to King (all red)-King to Ace (all black). WORKING 1. False shuffle as you patter about the unlucky aspects of the number '13', and conclude by saying, "There are only four single cards in a deck which represent thirteen and these are of course the Kings...so I'll remove them completely before continuing." Do this, placing them aside. Hold the pack so that you can see the indices, and cut off the upper 12 cards (Queen at face) and place them on the table in front of the spectator. Cut off the next 12 cards (Ace at face) and lay them beside the first. Cut the remaining cards at midpoint and place these two 12 cards groups in front of yourself. 2. Ask the spectator to riffle shuffle his packets together. As he does this, pick up your two packets and Faro them together. Place your half pack face down in front of you, and the spectator does likewise. Explain, saying, "No matter how a pack is shuffled, there are ALWAYS pairs of cards which will total 13, a phenomenon which has yet to be explained." Both you, and the spectator remove the top two cards of your respective piles. The spectator turns his pair face up, you keep yours face down. If the spectator's cards total 13, drop you two cards face down on top of his and place the four cards to one side on the table. If they do not total 13, leave them on the table beside your packets to form a discard heap, then turn over the next pair. Continue doing this, setting aside the joint pairs that total 13, and leaving the others in the discard pile in
Waltz with the Devil
front of you. Finally, turn over each of your face down pairs in turn, to show that not only do your cards also total 13, but that in every case, your two cards are the perfect matching partners to the spectator's face up pairs! Go to Next Trick Return to Index
Sure Thing
SURE THING The following prediction was partly inspired by Alex Elmsley's "Mexican Prediction" which appeared in The Collected Works, Vol.II. However, the method here uses the standard one ahead to achieve its goal. Before you start remove the four Aces and set them in your right outer jacket pocket in such a way that you can remove any suit back outwards without fumbling. Now set the top stock of the deck as follows (value only):
Any card - any card - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - J - Q WORKING 1. Shuffle the deck maintaining the top stock then set it face down on the table. invite a spectator to cut the deck into two piles, and remember which is top and bottom. Keeping the attention on the spectator, say, "I want you to merely think of any card in the deck, but don't make it an obvious one like an Ace, in fact I've actually taken one of the Aces out, so go ahead and mentally create any playing card." Push the BOTTOM half of the deck towards the spectator and tell him to pick it up. Turn your back and instruct him to spell the SUIT of his card by transferring a card for each letter from the top to the bottom, then to replace the packet on the table. You have no worries it he misspells because this part is meaningless. Now tell him to pick up the other half and to transfer a number ot cards equal to the VALUE of his card, pointing out the relevant values of the court cards. (He should manage this!) 2. Turn round and casually assemble the deck by picking up the top half and placing it onto the bottom, however, as you do this, palm the top card of the upper half into the right hand. Explain that you made a prediction of both the suit and the value of a card, and that you believe that it will match the card in the spectator's mind. Reach into your right pocket and bring out the palmed card, stating that this card is the SAME SUIT as the thought of card then place it face down on the table. By way of confirmation ask the spectator to name the suit. Now reach into your pocket and extract the Ace ot that suit and hold it face
Sure Thing
towards you, stating that the card is the SAME VALUE as the thought of card. You now show the card on the table as being the correct suit by flipping it over with the Ace in hand and executing the 'Mexican Turnover'. Finally ask for the value then turn the card in hand around to reveal that is the correct value. If it happens to be the card (one in four chance) build this up before showing it. Go to Next Trick Return to Index
A Brainstorm in Glasgow
A BRAINSTORM IN GLASGOW This started off rather basic with the two Jokers trapping a quantity of cards equal to the value of the face card of a freely cut packet, using the natural properties of the Down/Under Deal. I would like to thank George McBride for adding the suit divination, and Roy Walton for making the removal of the selection from the packet possible. Now it's a good trick! Set the following eleven cards in order from top to face:
4S - 2S - 3D - 6D - 7S - 3S - 4H - 6H - 7C - 4C - 5D WORKING 1. Casually show the cards to be of random values then turn the packet face down and false shuffle. Drop the two jokers face up on top, then hand the packet to a spectator. 2. Ask the spectator to cut the packet a tew times so that any face down card is on top. He deals this card face down onto the table, or places it unseen into his pocket. 3. Instruct him to place the top card onto the table, then place the next card to the bottom, and continue doing this until all the cards are in a pile on the table. Naturally you will keep a watch on his initial actions as he proceeds to ensure that he is following the instruction correctly, however, what he doesn't know is that you secretly count the number of cards that go to the table before the first Joker. Once this is established you can turn your head to one side (if you wish to take the risk). This number tells you the SUIT of the selection as follows: 1 = CLUBS 2 = HEARTS 3 = SPADES 4 = DIAMONDS 5 = SPADES On the one occasion where there are NO CARDS dealt before the first Joker, he took the original face card the Five of Diamonds, but a Joker will be on top anyway so you will know immediately. 4. Point out that the Jokers have in fact been trained to spy on your behalf, and they will now reveal the card to you. First they transmit the colour
A Brainstorm in Glasgow
(which you name after some concentration, because you know this) - then the SUIT (again you already know this so you can name it) then explain that the Jokers will reveal the value physically spread the packet and draw attention to the quantity of cards between the Jokers - have them counted and this will equal the value of the card. Finally piece together the three components just revealed to arrive at the complete card. Have the selection turned over to conclude. Return to Index
