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KLEKTORS
BY PASS
HOUR MAGIC
CARD TWO POCKET
SAVED BY THE BELLES
SPECIAL ENVOY
37 YEARS LATER
THE KEEPERS OF SECRETS
MIRACLE OR IMPOSSIBLE REVISITED
PHANTOMESQUE
DREAMLAND
SIMPLY STATED
A TWISTED TALE
IN PLACE
CATALYSTIC COLLECTORS
PSYCHIC SPELLER
THE TELLING HAND
BETWEEN QUEENS & DARK PLACES
CARD OF DARKNESS
COLOUR PACK
THE 21ST CARD TRICK
DITTO
EIGHTSOME
ATTRACTIVE
HOT THOUGHTS
FORCED ENTRY
DIPLOID
MY FAIR LADY
ELUCIDATION
MILLENNIUM COUNTDOWN
FOUND BY COINCIDENCE
JAXAPHONIC
JAKS’ BLAKS
THE DISORIENTED SEVENS
SHORT SHARP SHOCK SHARPENED
PICTORIAL RATIFICATION
EDIBLECTOR

Copyright © Peter Duffie <> May 2012

 Klektors
(From “7”)

I have been using this version of Roy Walton’s Collectors since October
2000. I created this as part of a performance piece for the International
Magic convention in December of that year. It’s totally impromptu – and
you finish clean.

Working

1. Hold the deck face up and spread from hand to hand, upjogging the
four Kings as you come to them. Close the spread with the Kings still
outjogged then turn the deck face down, turning it sideways. Strip out the
Kings and turn them face up on top of the deck.

2. Spread the Kings briefly, saying, “The four Kings are the most
devious cards in a deck….they like to set traps. So you have been
warned. To avoid any unwanted incidents, I’ll remove them from the
deck.” As you briefly spread the top cards to show the Kings, spread
over a few more cards and catch a break below the first three face down
cards, then close the spread. You now execute Marlo’s ATFUS, as
follows:

Lift off all seven cards with your right hand

in a Biddle grip, but as you do so, your
thumb picks off the 8th card and retains a
break above it. With your left thumb, count
the upper three Kings onto the deck one by
one. You then apparently pick these three
Kings up below the remaining King (really a
block of four cards). In fact, you deposit the
Fig.1 broken card on top of the face up Kings
then the right hand moves away with the four-card block (apparently all
four Kings). Place this packet of cards on the card case (Fig.1) – or, on a
close up pad.

3. Turn the deck face up, saying, “I would like three cards chosen. I’ll
do this face up so we can all see the cards and none are forgotten.”
As you are speaking, lose the rear card of the deck. I do this with a Hindu
Shuffle running cut. Alternatively, you can hold the deck with the faces to
your left and lose the card using an Overhand Shuffle. Regardless, you
should be left with three face down Kings at the rear of the face up deck.
Spread the face up deck from hand to hand
and invite three people to each touch a
card. When they – outjog their selection.
The order should be 1-2-3 from face to
back. For this description we will use an A,
2 and 3 to represent the selections (Fig.2).

Close the spread and buckle the lowermost

two cards (face down Kings). Execute a Fig.2
Vernon Strip-out Addition adding the two face down Kings below the
three face up selections as your left hand strips them out of the deck.
Place the face up deck on the table for the moment.

4. You will now show each spectator his card and ask him to remember it
– in doing so you will secretly interlace the two face down Kings between
the selections.

a) Hold the packet in left hand dealing grip and obtain a break above the
lowermost card using a buckle. Bring the right hand over and take the
packet into Biddle grip – your right thumb maintaining the break over the
bottom card.

b) Peel the first selection into your left hand, saying to spectator A, “The
Ace of Clubs….please remember this card.”

c) Peel the 2nd selection into your left hand on top of the first, but load the
broken card between these two cards, saying to spectator B, “This is
card you chose…the Two of Clubs…please remember it.”

d) Your right hand holds a double – the third selection with a face down
King square below it. Place this double onto the left hand packet – but –
side jog it (Fig.3), as you say to the 3rd spectator, “And you remember
the Three of Clubs.”

Fig.3 Fig.4
Now take hold of the packet from above with your right hand, and then
slide the lower most card (first selection) to the left to create a spread
that shows all three selections (Fig.4 above). Hold this position for a
second to allow the audience to see all three selections.

5. Place the packet back into your left hand, squaring the cards as you
do so. Retake the packet with your right hand and place it on top of the
tabled deck, but side jog it slightly, then pick up the complete deck and
place it into your left hand forming a little finger break below the five-card
packet.

6. “I’ll lose your cards back into the deck.” Undercut about half the
deck and place it on top – retaining the break below the 5-card set-up.
Now raise the deck so the faces are to your left – your right thumb takes
over the break - and Overhand Shuffle all the cards above the break into
your left hand – finally throw the balance on top. Square the deck and
hold it face down in left hand dealing grip.

7. Say, “So far…so good. No unwanted interference from the Kings.

I told you that they like to set traps. Let me show you what I meant
by that.”

Pick up the Kings packet and place it square on top of the deck, keeping
a little finger break below these four cards. You now immediately show
that there are three face down cards interlaced (“trapped”) between the
four face up Kings – as follows:

The following must be done smoothly and without any hesitations. But do
not hurry it.

a) With your left thumb, push over all four cards above the break as a
unit and take them into your right hand (Fig.5) - apparently a single face
up King. Do not pause at this point. Keep the hand moving…

Fig.5 Fig.6
b) Immediately count off the next (face down) card into the right hand but
out jog it for half its length (Fig.6 above).

c) Count the remaining 5 cards onto those

in your right hand – the face up Kings
injogged and the face down cards are
outjogged. Once you have counted 7
cards, stop and pause for effect (Fig.7),
saying, “As you can see…the Kings
have trapped three cards…but…of
course these could be any three
cards…let’s take a look.” Fig.7

At that, you momentarily return the packet to the top of the deck (Fig.8)
then instantly spread the cards to show the position (Fig.9).

Fig.8 Fig.9

Finally, remove the three face down cards one by one – starting with the
left hand card which is the first selection, turning each face up onto the
table as you ask each spectator to name his/her card to conclude.
 ByPass
(From Card Addict)

A discovery of two chosen cards, with one appearing in your pocket.

This uses a fast control for palming as shown to me by Roy Walton. Roy
cites Cy Endfield as the source. The control is in fact a Half Pass.

1. Before you commence this trick secretly reverse the lower half of the
deck. I prefer to make this slightly less than half to allow for a larger
working portion.

Slowly riffle down the outer left corner with your left thumb and invite a
spectator to call stop. Obviously you need to
ensure he does so before you reach the face
up section. Lift off the upper portion and ask
him to remember the face card. Replace this
portion but execute an Ovette Master Move
(a.k.a. Kelly Bottom Replacement).

For this I use Robin Robertson’s ‘Final Control’ from his 1964 book
Handle With Care (Hades).

A variation on a Bruce Elliott control and reinvented by others since -

briefly: your right fingers kick the face card of the packet to the right
(fig.1).

Then you squeeze gently with your little finger. This causes the card to
buckle (fig.2) and slide to the bottom of the deck.

2. Slowly spread the cards from hand to

hand and invite a second spectator to
touch the back of a card. Again this
needs to be done before you reach the
face up section. Flip the card face up
then start to replace the upper spread
section. As you do so, execute a Spread
Half Pass with the lower section.
3. Cop (or Palm, but a Cop’s faster) the bottom card (2nd selection) and
retain the deck in your right hand. Bring the stolen card out of your
pocket with the back outwards. Ask the second spectator to remind
everyone of the name of his card - which he believes to be face up in the
middle of the deck. Snap the card round revealing his card.

Finally spread the deck - taking care not to expose the few face up cards
at the bottom - revealing the first selection is now face up in the middle.
The few face up cards at the bottom are easily corrected.
 Hour Magic!
(From Card Addict)

A spectator locates his selected card using his magic hour.

Working

1. Give a spectator a deck and ask him to shuffle it and remove 12 cards to
represent the 12 hours. The rest of the deck is discarded.

2. Ask him to think of an hour from One to Twelve - this will be his Magic Hour
- then hold the cards with the faces towards him and thumb along and
remember the card that lies at that number from the face. This is easier for
him to do than count down from the top.

Take the packet and give it False Shuffle, saying, "I don’t know where your
card is in the packet....now you don’t know either."

3. Deal four cards into a pile on the table. Deal four more cards into a second
pile. Deal the remaining four cards into a third pile. These represent morning,
afternoon and evening (illogical but seems OK at the time!).

Ask the spectator to look at each pile and retain the one containing his card.
Tell him to recall his Magic Hour and count that number from top to bottom.

Finally he does a Down/under Deal and he will be left holding his card.

END NOTE

In step 3 if you want to deal the 12 cards rotationally into three piles, instead
of the false shuffle carry out two OUT Reverse Faros first.
 Card Two Pocket
(From Decknology)

You take any shuffled deck and name your favourite card – say, the Ace
of Spades. You now ask the spectator to name any other card – say, the
King of Hearts. You spread through – no culling – and cut to your card
the Ace of Spades which you give to the spectator. You ask him to wave
the Ace of Spades as if it were a magic wand! Immediately you reach into
your pocket and remove his freely named card – the King of Hearts. You
now cut both cards into the deck. Upon spreading, your card the Ace of
Spades is seen to be the only card face up. But where is the spectator’s
card? With an empty hand, you reach into your pocket and remove the
spectator’s card for a second time.

The second phase – repeat card to pocket – uses the principle from
Francis Carlyle’s “Homing Card” (Stars of Magic).

Phase One
1. Take any deck and glimpse the face card and remember it. Give the
cards a quick shuffle adding one card to the face, so that your glimpsed
card is now second from the face. We will assume the glimpsed card is
the Ace of Spades

2. ”My favourite card is the Ace

of Spades. Do you have one?”
you ask. Let us assume that the
spectator names the King of Hearts
(see End Notes).

“Well, let’s remove my card first

so we don’t get confused.”

Hold the deck with the faces

towards you and spread the cards
from hand to hand, apparently
looking for YOUR card the Ace of
Spades. In fact you are looking for the spectator’s card – in this case the
King of Hearts. When you come to it, stop and start to split the spread so
that the King of Hearts is on the face of the left hand section of the
spread (Fig.1 above). Catch a left little finger break below this card.
 Now drag the face card of the deck
over and onto the King of Hearts
(Fig.2 - left), and then move your
right hand forward and deposit the
front section of the spread face up
on the table. Your card, the Ace of
Spades will be showing on top of
this section.

Although slightly illogical, the

foregoing actions will appear as if
you simply spread the cards and
cut at the Ace of Spades.

3. Ask the spectator to pick up the Ace of Spades and wave it like a
magic wand. As he is picking the card up, Top Palm the face two cards
from the balance that you hold and then pivot the rest of the packet face
down (Figs 3 & 4).

Fig.3 Fig.4

Done correctly, the face of this packet will be hidden and the change of
the face card will go unseen. Place this section of the deck face down on
the table beside the other face up section.

4. As the spectator waves the Ace of Spades, reach into your right
pocket, release both cards from the Palm and then pull out the innermost
card (or, the one that was outermost from your palm) – turning it face
inwards before producing it. Hold the card back outwards for a moment
and then turn it around revealing it to be the spectator’s named card, the
King of Hearts.
 Phase Two
5. Act as if the trick is over, saying, “And you thought magic wands
were nonsense?” Hold the King of Hearts by its short edge between
your first and second fingers (Fig.5) as you continue, saying,

“Or, perhaps I am psychic and

placed the King of Hearts in my
pocket earlier because I KNEW
you would think of it?”

As you say, “…in my pocket

earlier..” casually place the card
back into your pocket – release it
and simultaneously pick up the
other card between your thumb and
first finger, then bring the hand out
again. You now hold a random card which the audience assumes is the
King of Hearts.

6. Now say, “Look, let’s try this again.” Gather up the deck and drop
the card you hold face down on top then ask the spectator to drop the
Ace of Spades face down on top. Give the deck a quick False Shuffle
and cut leaving the Ace of Spades on top, and then carry out a Braue
Reversal to bring the Ace of Spades face up in the middle. Any other
reversal technique can be employed for this.

Ribbon-spread the cards face down revealing the Ace of Spades is now
face up in the middle. Push the card around as if looking for the
spectator’s King of Hearts. Finally show your hand empty and cleanly
produce the King of Hearts from your pocket.

End Notes
A problem inherent in many name-a-card tricks is that the named card is
not always to be found in a convenient position in the deck. On the rare
occasions that the card is located at the extreme rear of the deck, or it is
directly behind your named card, you need to be prepared to take a
different path. Here are a couple of examples.

a) You find the spectator’s named card is within the rear three cards of
the deck when you spread through. There are insufficient cards to
proceed as planned. But you know that the card is either top, 2nd or 3rd
when the deck is face down. In this instance, simply go through the
motions as explained to remove your card. Then turn the rest of the deck
face down and palm off the top two or three cards. In the latter case you
will be left with an extra card in your pocket at the end. This is easily
added back later.

b) You find the spectator’s named card is within the front three or four
cards when you start to spread. If it happens to be directly behind your
card, forget the card to pocket. Instead, square the deck and ask the
spectator to give it a cut. Emphasise that you named your card first. Now
ask him to deal through and he finds both named cards are together.

To avoid the above (though I prefer to live dangerously).

Take a shuffled deck and fan the cards with faces towards you, saying, “I
will think of a card…” then name the card that is 2nd from the face. Now
turn the deck around and fan the cards towards the spectator, making
sure that the top and bottom few cards are not spread. Ask him to think
of any card he sees. Now proceed as above.
 Saved by the Belles
(From Decknology)

Three spectators each select a card then the cards are lost back into the
deck. You state that you have sensitive fingers that can cut to any cards.
So you say you will demonstrate this by cutting to the three selections
one at a time. You give the deck a cut and deal the top card face down in
front of the first spectator. This is repeated for the other two spectators.
For the grand finale each spectator turns over his/her card…but all three
cards are wrong! So much for your sensitive fingers! Not to worry. “I
have four secret assistants,” you say, “who normally work unseen in
the background. But tonight I need their help and I don’t care if
everyone sees them.” You now Ribbon spread the deck revealing the
four Queens face up in the middle, and there are three face down cards
interlaced between them, Collectors-style. These prove to be the three
selections.

This is a multiple sandwich effect inspired by Roy Walton’s Collectors.

What may be of interest here is the simple Double-cut sequence that, as
it is repeated, gradually sets up the multiple sandwich finish.

Before commencing, secretly cull the four Queens to the face of the
deck. Then turn the deck face down and reverse the Queens so they are
now face up on the bottom.

Working

1. Hold the deck face down and

spread the cards from hand to
hand. Invite three spectators to
each pick a card.

Once they have been noted, take

back the three cards and then
push them – together – into the
middle of the deck. Keep a break
above them. You now give the
deck a Double-cut to apparently
mix the cards further.

It’s important that you learn to do this cut smoothly as the same cut will
be used to cut to the three wrong cards in a moment.
a) With the deck face down in dealing position, cut off all the cards above
the break and place them to the bottom – but – as you do this, Buckle or
Pull-down the bottom card and insert the right section above this card
(Fig.1 above). Keep a break between the halves.

b) You will now cut at the break

and complete the cut, but
before doing so, your right
thumb lifts the top card at the
inner end and the thumb
maintains a break (Fig.2).

Now cut the upper half to the

bottom and retake the thumb
break with your little finger.

Fig.2
The above Double-cut, simple as it is, has loaded a face up Queen into
the middle of the deck directly above the three selections. You hold a
break and above this break is one selection and then a Queen.

If you repeat the above cut three more times you will finish with all four
face up Queens in the middle with the three selections interlaced
between them. And, this is precisely what you will do, but under the guise
of trying to cut to the selections.

2. Turn to the first spectator and say, “I will cut to your card first.”
Carry out the above double-cut and then deal the top card face down on
the table in front of him.

Repeat this with spectator 2 and then again with spectator 3.

3. Build up the finish (false finish) and then ask each spectator to turn
over their card. All three are wrong.

Finally, patter about the secret assistants and then Ribbon-spread the
deck across the table revealing the four Queens are face up in the
middle. Draw attention to the three face down cards that are trapped
between them and slide them forward (Fig.3). Have each spectator name
his/her card then turn over the three face down cards to reveal that these
are the selections.
 Fig.3

Variation
Set-up is same as above except you also cull the four Kings to the top of
the deck.

Handling is exactly the same except that you deal a card after the first
cut. In the end you will have dealt four cards – rather then three – to the
table.

Patter about the four magicians who will perform this trick. After the
cutting, turn over the four cards you cut to revealing the four Kings
(magicians).

“I forgot to tell you that each magician has a lady assistant.”

Ribbon-spread revealing the face up Queens and finish as above.

 Special Envoy
(From 21 Card Tricks)

A card is chosen and lost back into the deck.. The four Aces are dropped
face up on top of the deck. The spectator names only the suit of his card.
Immediately the Aces are dealt off and that Ace is missing. You spread
the deck and the missing Ace is seen in the middle. The card
immediately above it proves to be the selected card.

A simple departure from the usual Hofzinser plot.

WORKING

1. Remove the four Aces and toss them face up, but scattered, on the
table. Next have a card selected and after its return, you need to glimpse
it then control it to second from the top. Let’s say the card is the Queen of
Diamonds. Just remember the suit.

2. Pick up the Aces so that

Diamonds is the second card
down (Aces are face up). Place
the packet on top of the deck then
spread the top few cards to
display the Aces. In so doing,
obtain a break below the first two
face down cards (Fig.1). Square
the Aces and pick off all six cards then place the deck face down in the
centre of the table.

3. Say, “The four Aces are quite special. Let me show you what I mean.”
As you say this, you take the packet in a right hand Biddle grip and count
as follow:

Peel off the first Ace into your left hand, then peel off the second
Ace (Diamond) and hold a break below it. Now peel off the third Ace
and Biddle/steal back the Diamond, then place the left hand cards
back on top of the remaining Ace in the right hand. The Diamond
has thus been secretly shifted to the back.

4. Drop the Ace packet on top of the tabled deck, then pick up all. Ask
the spectator to announce the suit of his chosen card. He will say
Diamonds. Wave your hand over the deck then slowly deal the top three
Aces onto the table, snapping each Ace to show that they are single
cards. Pause, and then show the top card of the deck is not an Ace, nor
the bottom card.
Finally, ask the spectator to name his card. Meanwhile, execute a Pass
(or casual cut) then ribbon spread the deck across the table. The missing
Ace of Diamonds appears face up in the middle. Push out the Ace along
with the card directly above it - or get the spectator to do this - then
reveal the face down card to be the selection.
 37 Years Later
(From 21 Card Tricks)

A spectator shuffles a packet of 10 cards. He then chooses one and

buries it back into the packet. He now spells the suit of his card, dealing a
card for each latter. That’s all he does. Now he eliminates all but one
card - this final card is his selection.

This effect was inspired by Brian Glover’s “Archival Antipodes” that

appeared in the February 1999 issue of Abacus. The trick had first
appeared, with an error, in Abra 37 years ago! This version has no set-
up. There is a fleeting glimpse of Jim Steinmeyer’s “Nine card Trick”
which is more accidental than by design. The computer presentation has
been used many times, and why not?

WORKING

1. Run through and toss out ten cards. The only stipulation is that there
are no Clubs among them. Put the rest of the pack aside as it’s no longer
needed.

Ask the spectator to shuffle the packet, while you introduce the trick,
saying, “You may find this hard to believe but these cards can act
like a sophisticated computer.”

2. Ask the spectator to deal the

packet into two equal piles. Now
ask him to look at the top card of
either pile then to pick up the
other pile and drop it on top of
his card, thus burying it (Fig.1).

Explain that the noted card will represent a lost file which the computer
has to find.

Continue, saying, “In order that the computer find your lost file, it
needs some information, but not a lot! How about the suit of your
card? Not the value, just the suit.”

3. Tell him to pick up the pile and to mentally spell the suit by dealing one
card for each letter into a pile on the table. So, if his card is Hearts, he
will deal six cards. Make sure you always use the plural when explaining
what he has to do. He must spell the plural. Finally he drops the
remaining cards on top of the dealt pile and picks up the packet.

Say, “Good. Now the computer will check every card using its
binary system.”

4. At this, instruct him (clearly) to carry out a Under/Down Deal (first card
goes under!). This will leave him with one card. Ask him to name his card
then to turn over the card he is holding - this will be his selection.
 The Keepers of Secrets
(From Cards by All Means)

A quick sandwich effect using ten red spot cards and the two black
Jacks.

This uses a Laurie Ireland Bottom Deal concept, that of secretly losing a
card as you deal. But you only need to do it once, and ‘you’ choose
when. So no pressure.

Working

1. Spread through the deck and toss out the Ace to 10 of Diamonds into
a face up pile on the table, then remove the two black Jacks and place
these on top of the 10 cards. Discard the rest of the deck.

2. Pick up the face up pile and spread to show the cards, saying, “I want
you to imagine that the ten Diamond spot cards represent extreme
wealth...wealth of knowledge that is. The black Jacks are the
keepers of the secret knowledge. But only you will know what that
knowledge is.”

Close up the spread and catch a break under three cards. Lift off the two
Jacks plus the extra card and flip the remaining 9 cards face down into
dealing position. Drop the three cards face up on top, retaining a break
below them. Push over the top card to display both Jacks then flip over
all three cards. Deal the top two cards, one by one, into a face down pile
on the table – flashing the 2nd card if you wish. Say, “We’ll leave the
keepers here for now.”

Give the cards a quick Overhand Shuffle running the top card (Jack) to
the bottom.

3. Take the packet into right hand Biddle grip and ask a spectator to call
stop as you count the cards from hand to hand. Start to count the cards
into your left hand until told to stop. Raise your left hand, push over the
top card, and ask the spectator to remember it, saying, “That will be
your secret.” Retain a break under this card as you pull is square again.

Place the right hand portion on top then give the packet a cut, cutting at
the break. This places the selection on the bottom, with a Jack
immediately above it.
4. Say, “Your secret is lost among the other cards. Let’s see how
safe it is.” At that, drop the packet on top of the two Jacks(?) on the
table, then pick up all.

5. Ask the spectator to watch out for his card as you deal. Start to deal
the cards, one at a time, into a face up row on the table – Bottom Dealing
once at any point (I recommend a stud-bottom on the first to catch them
unaware) – and stop when you have dealt nine cards in all. Ask him if he
saw his card. He’ll say no.

Say, “Well, that’s because the keeper of secrets have kept your
secret...secret!” Turn over the three cards remaining and spread
revealing the two Jacks and a card between them. This is the selection.
 Miracle or Impossible Revisited
(From Cards by All Means)

This is a variation on Arun Bonerjee’s “Miracle or Impossible” (Billet

no.348, July/Aug 2000). During all the spelling in this routine I suggest
that you spell the words as the spectator deals the cards.

Working

1. Begin by having a card selected and controlled to the top of the deck.

2. Give the deck to the spectator and say, “Let’s pretend you’re a
magician.....it’s easy...I do it all the time. First you need to join the
Magic Circle.” Tell him to spell M-A-G-I-C -C-I-R-C-L-E dealing a card
for each letter into a pile on the table.

Now say, “Now that you’re a member of the Magic Circle, you need a
magic password to get in. Let’s use the most common,
ABRACADABRA.” Tell him to spell A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R-A dealing the
cards onto the first pile. He now places the rest of the pack aside. Explain
that the cards he’s dealt are now a “magic packet.”

3. Take a piece of paper and write the following three words:

MAGIC
IMPOSSIBLE
MIRACLE

Ask the spectator to pick up the “magic packet” and nominate any one of the
three words. Which ever one he picks he spells into a pile on the table. So if he
selects MIRACLE, he spells that dealing a pile of seven cards. Finally he drops
the balance on top then picks up the complete packet again.

Ask him to nominate either of the two remaining words. Again he spells it -
drops the balance on top then picks up the packet.

One words remains. He spells that but this time he retains the final card in his
hand. Ask him to name his selection then turn over the card to reveal it. You’re
final line will depend on the final word. For example, if the final word is MAGIC,
you say, “And that’s magic!” Substitute the appropriate word: “...impossible!
Or “...a miracle.“
 Phantomesque
(From Area 52)

This came about after reading Les (The Phantom) Johnson’s “Time
Zone” in Abacus, issue No.3, Vol.7.

A 12 card set-up is necessary: arrange an Ace through Queen of any

suits on top of the deck in order (Ace on top), then add one more card on
top of all.

WORKING

1. The card case is lying on the table. Give the deck a Jog Shuffle
retaining the top stock then give the deck to a spectator and turn away
for a moment. Ask him to think of any time of the day (one to twelve), and
to remove that number of cards from the top of the deck and place them
into the card case so you cannot touch them.

2. Turn to face the front and take the deck face down. Turn to a second
spectator and tell him that he is to choose a card. As you are talking,
carry out a Braue Reversal with the top card - the result of this is that the
deck is face up with the original top card face down at the rear.

3. Spread the cards and ask the spectator to choose any one. Close up
the spread then begin a Hindu Shuffle (deck is still face up), and ask him
to call stop at any time and drop his card onto the portion in your left
hand. Finally drop the balance on top and square the deck, then place it
face down on the table.

NOTE: Instead of the Hindu Shuffle, you could simply ask the
spectator to place his card on the face of the deck, then give it a
complete cut.

4. Enter the Phantom. Pretend to remove an invisible card from your

breast pocket, which you show to the audience, calling it your Phantom
Finder (or whatever you wish to call it). Take aim as if you are about to
toss the card at the deck, then stop, saying, “Sorry, the card should be
face up.” Pretend to turn it face up, then make a tossing motion towards
the deck.

5. Spread the deck revealing one face up card in the middle. Slide this
card out of the deck along with the card immediately above it. Ask the
spectator to remind everyone what his card was, and then turn over the
face down card revealing it to be the selection.
6. Now turn to the first spectator, and draw attention to the value of the
face up phantom finder. It might be a Seven spot. Reach forward and tip
the cards out of the card case - make sure they come out face down. Ask
the spectator to verify the number of cards, which represent the hour he
thought of. This quantity will be the same as the value of the locator.

Finish.
 Dreamland
(From Area 52)

Four spectators each select a card then the four selections are lost back
into the deck. The four Kings are now placed face down on the table and
mixed. Each spectator in turn selects a King and each King is pushed
face up into the face down deck. Finally the deck is spread across the
table to reveal that beside each face up King is a selected card, also face
up! This is a reworking of a trick I published in Abracadabra called “By
Royal Command.”

WORKING

1. Give the deck out for shuffling then ask four spectators to each select
a spot card then give you back the deck. Take the selections and control
them all to the top - a Multiple Shift is the most efficient method for this.
Now turn the deck face up and explain that you will use the four Kings to
help you find the chosen cards - that’s why you had them pick spot cards.
Spread through and downjog the fourth card from the face, then continue
to spread through. When you arrive at the first King, transfer it to the
face. Continue to transfer the other three Kings to the face. Finally
square the deck and lift up on the injog and retain a little finger break
below the face eight cards.

2. You now execute the easiest of switches, which belongs to Alex

Elmsley. Briefly spread the Kings to show them then square them. With
your right hand from above, lift off all eight cards then lever the rest of the
deck face down into dealing position, finally flip the packet face down on
top. The audience believes the top four cards are the Kings, when in fact
they are the four selections.

Deal the top four cards into a face down row on the table and ask one of
the spectators to slide the “Kings” around to mix them.

3. Obtain a little finger break below the top card of the deck as you ask
one of the spectators to slide any King(?) towards you. Pick the card up
and place it face down on top of the deck, saying, “Have you any idea
which King this is?” As he responds, flip over the top two cards as one
to reveal a King which you name out loud - retain a break below the
double. You now cut this King into the deck, along with the face up card
concealed behind it, as follows:
 Bring your right hand over and grip
the upper three-quarters (or slightly
more) and pull this section inwards,
leaving the face up double where it
is (Fig.1). The double falls onto the
remaining bottom quarter as you
drop the right hand section on top
and square the deck.

4. Ask a second spectator to slide any one of the three remaining

Kings(?) towards you as you obtain a break below the top card. Repeat
the Double Turnover with break to show the King. Then, the same cutting
procedure, but this time you pull about half the deck inwards. Again the
double falls onto the lower section and you drop the right hand section on
top of it.

Ask a third spectator to slide one of the two remaining cards towards you
as you again obtain a break below the top card, and repeat the Double
Turnover with break to show the third King. Cut this card into the deck as
before, this time pulling the top quarter of the deck inwards.

Only one apparent King remains on the table. Obtain a break below the
top card as you ask the last spectator if he remembers which of the Kings
remains on the table. As he replies, place it on top of the deck and
execute a Double Turnover to reveal the final King. No break is held this
time as the cut will be genuine. With your right hand pull a section of the
deck inwards from the bottom of the deck and slap it on top. Make sure
you don’t finish with another face up King on top. If you riffle with your
right thumb before cutting, you can easily avoid this.

5. Conclude by spreading the deck across the table to reveal that each
King now has a face up selection directly beside it.
 Simply Stated
(From Card Flair)

Simply stated, the two red Aces find two previously chosen cards.

This effect is an extension of Raymond Jones’ ‘Rediction’ that appeared

in Abacus (Vol.5 -No.11). It can also be presented as a coincidence
where the two red Aces find the black Aces.

Working

1. Begin by having two spectators each select a card. Both cards are
noted, then returned and controlled to the top of the deck. The order of
these two cards is unimportant.

2. Turn the deck with the faces towards you and spread through looking
for the two red Aces. However, before going any further take a look at the
rear two cards (the selections) to ensure that neither is a red Ace. If one
is, remove any other matching pair such as the black Jacks.

3. Hold the deck face down and drop the red Aces face up on top,
saying, “In a moment these red Aces will help me to locate the cards
you selected....” As you are speaking spread over the top few cards to
display the Aces then catch a break below the second face down card as
you square the Aces.

Lift off all four cards with your right hand in a Biddle grip and give the
pack to a spectator, saying, “But first I want you to shuffle the pack.”
When he has finished shuffling, ask the spectator to place the pack face
down on the table.

4. Turn to the other spectator and say, “I would like you to cut the
pack into three piles, like this.” At this point, replace the packet you
are holding on top of the pack then immediately cut it into three piles by
way of a demonstration. Now, reverse your actions to reassemble the
pack then lift off the top three cards with your right hand from above -
your thumb lifting the three cards at the inner end. Place the packet of
cards into your left hand dealing grip.

5. The spectator, following your example, cuts the pack into three piles.
The top section will finish at the end of the row. Let us assume that this is
the pile at the far right.
Pick up the Ace packet from your left hand in a Biddle grip and place
them directly over the middle pile. Release the lower two cards so they
fall square on top of the pile. Then, move along and drop the remaining
Ace on top of the original top section. Give the last Ace a little flick so the
audience can see it’s a single card - without over-doing it! Reassemble
the pack by picking up the far left pile (the pile without an Ace on top) and
drop this on the middle pile - pick up both and drop on the last pile.

6. Tap the pack then spread it across the table. Slowly slide out each
face up Ace along with the card immediately to its left (card below it). Ask
each spectator to name his card then turn over the two face down cards
revealing the selections.
 A Twisted Tale
(From Card Flair)

This is a combination of Vernon’s ‘Twisting the Aces’ and the ‘Hofzinser

Card Problem.’ The original version of this appeared in Abacus.

Working

1. Begin by having a card selected then control it to the top. Turn the
deck face up and immediately glimpse the rear card. Let’s say it is the
King of Hearts. Spread through looking for the Aces, transferring each
face down to the rear of the spread as you come to it - the Ace of the
same suit as the selection is transferred last.

2. Turn the deck face down bringing the Aces face up on top. Spread the
Aces to display them and push the first face down card over slightly so
that you can catch a break below it. Now square the Aces and lift off all
five cards in a Biddle grip. Pull off the top Ace with your left thumb and
flip it face down onto the deck - repeat with the next two Aces - now
place the remaining double onto the deck then flip over the last Ace. This
is the Braue Addition. Push off the top four cards and drop them onto the
table. Place the rest of the deck to one side.

3. Explain that the four Aces will help you define the suit of the selected
card. Lift off the top card of the packet and use it to scoop up the other
three cards - the complete packet finishing in your left hand. The
selection is now on top.

4. Say, “I'll now make the Aces magically turn over one at a time.
The final Ace to turn over will be the same suit as your card..” As
you are talking secretly reverse the bottom two cards.

FIRST ACE TURNS OVER - Carry out an Elmsley Count to cause

the first Ace to turn face up - outjog this Ace as you count. Remove
the face up Ace and ask the spectator, “Is this the same suit as
your card?” He will say no. Place it on top, then push off the top
two cards and transfer them to the bottom in the form of a single
cut.

SECOND ACE TURNS OVER - Carry out an Elmsley Count - the

first Ace changes into the second Ace. Again this is not the correct
suit. So you now say, “The Aces need a bit more power.” Here
you carry out a Vernon Fist Flourish to reverse the packet.
 THIRD ACE TURNS OVER - Carry out an Elmsley Count to cause
the third Ace to turn face up - but place the last card of the count to
the bottom. This leaves the Ace face up on top. Again this is not
the suit of the selection.

FOURTH ACE FAILS - Point out that you can now name the suit
of the selected card because that is the same suit as the final Ace.
Turn the Ace that is currently atop the packet face down. Now
carry out an Elmsley Count to show four face down cards - the last
card to the bottom. Appear puzzled that the Ace didn’t turn over.

5. Turn the packet face up and give it to the spectator. Tell him to tap the
cards and then spread them. A face down appears and this will be taken
as the final Ace. Ask him to now announce the full name of his card - in
this case it will be the King of Hearts. Say, “The King of Hearts? Well,
in that case you had better take a closer look at that Ace.” When he
does he should be surprised to find that it has changed into his card.
 In Place
(From Card School)

This simple trick is an ideal one to perform for anyone at a moment's

notice. It uses what is often referred to as the Automatic Placement.

1. Remove the Queen of Diamonds from the pack and lay it face down
on the table without showing its face, saying, "This card is my personal
assistant who will be responsible for the ultimate success of this
experiment."

2. At this point you can have a spectator shuffle the pack. With the pack
back in your hands, casually push off 16 cards then place the remainder
to one side. Try not to appear to be counting as you take off the 16 cards.

3. Give the packet to a spectator, saying, "We'll use a limited number

of cards for this one. Give these cards a mix." Once done, ask him to
place the cards on the table then to cut the packet into two uneven
heaps. Actually you will almost always be able to spot this without having
to instruct the spectator to do it.

Now ask him to pick up the smaller of the two piles and to count these
cards. You can turn your head to one side so that you cannot see this.
Tell him that this will be his secret number. Once done, ask him to
discard this packet by dropping it on top of the main pack.

4. Now ask him to pick up the remaining cards and to look at and
remember the card that lies at his secret number from the top. Again you
can turn away as he does this.

5. Draw attention to the card you placed on the table at the start. Turn it
over revealing the Queen of Diamonds. Say, "There she is...my lovely
assistant, the Queen of Diamonds. In order to find your card that
lies at your secret number, all we need to do is call her name. We do
this a letter at a time."

Tell the spectator to transfer a card from top to bottom for each letter you
call out. Spell as follows:

"Q - U - E - E - N - 0 - F - D - I - A - M - 0 - N - D - S."

Finally ask the spectator to name his card out loud, then ask him to turn
over the top card of the packet. He should be surprised to find that it is
his card.
 Catalystic Collectors
(From Card School)

The following rendition of Roy Walton's "The Collectors" is fairly true to

the original effect in that only three kings are used to collect two
selections.

Before commencing secretly reverse the third card from the top of the
deck. There should be no Kings among the top four cards.

Working

1. Spread through the deck and upjog the four Kings as you come to
them then close up the spread. Flip the deck face down and secure a
little finger break below the top three cards then strip out the four Kings
and turn them face up on top of the deck.

Spread the four Kings and ask a spectator to select one which will later
act as a catalyst. Once one has been withdrawn, close up the remaining
three Kings, injogging the lower one, then flip over all the cards above
the break, turning the packet sideways. Without pause, the right thumb
presses down on the injog and the upper three cards are lifted off and
placed on the table.

2. Give the deck a couple of cuts, double cutting the top card to the
bottom. Now spread the deck between the hands and have two cards
touched, which you outjog. Close up the spread and obtain a break
below the top card, then strip out the two selections and pivot them face
up on top of the deck.

Lift off all three cards above the break in a Biddle grip with the right hand,
then peel off the upper card onto the deck using the left thumb, then
place the remaining double on top. As you do this, have both cards
remembered by the audience. You apparently cut the two face up
selections into the deck, in fact you carry out a reverse double undercut
to bring the bottom card back to the top.

Ask the spectator to get ready to activate his catalyst (fourth King), as
you quietly obtain a break below the top FIVE cards.

3. With the right hand, pick up the supposed three Kings packet from the
table, keeping it square, and holding it from above in a Biddle grip. Hold
the packet towards the spectator who is holding the fourth King and ask
him to wave it over the packet.
Now the right hand places the packet square onto the deck then
immediately lifts off all the cards above the break and flips them all over
on to the deck.

Immediately spread over the top five cards to reveal the three face up
Kings with two face down cards interlaced between them. Because of the
initial set-up, you now have the added luxury of being able to spread an
additional card without exposing any unwelcome face up cards.

Conclude by having the two selections named and then reveal that the
two face down cards are those very cards.
 Psychic Speller
(From Card Selection)

A no-questions-asked routine where a spectator thinks of any card in a

packet of several, then magically finds it.

Working

1. Shuffle the pack then run through and upjog ten cards which all spell
with 12 letters, for example:

JH - 4S - 7C - KS - 4H - 9H - QC - SS - SH - 8C

Place the balance aside as it is no longer required.

2. Hand the packet to a spectator for shuffling then take it back in order
to demonstrate what he is to do. Hold the cards face down, and explain
that you want him to remove any card from the middle, look at it then
place it on top and give the packet a complete cut to bury it in the middle
again. As you speak, you carry out the actions and casually look at the
face of the card, then you place it on top and cut only the top card to the
bottom. keep your fingers at the front to conceal the fact that only one
card is being cut.

3. After the spectator has carried out the above actions, ask him to deal
the cards into two face down piles, dealing alternately to make two piles
of five cards.

4. Ask him to glance at each pile and turn over the one WITHOUT his
card in it. Spread these five cards on the table and note the position of
your key card ( the one you looked at earlier from the face.
Also note whether this pile is the first hand dealt or the second - the first
hand is the one into which the very first card of the deal went.

a) If it is the first hand the position of the key will be the SAME as
the position of his card in the other pile.

b) If it is the second hand - the position of the key will be ONE

FURTHER TO THE RIGHT as the cards lie to that of his card in
the other pile e.g. if your key lies at position TWO from the face of
the pile - his card will lie at position THREE from the face of the
other pile.
5. With this information, you ask the spectator to slide out any of the face
up cards to act as an indicator, explaining that although he appears to
have free choice, his actions are being controlled by a higher power.

He now picks up the other pile, this is the one which contains the card he
is thinking of, and spells out the name of this card by transferring a card
from top to bottom for each letter, according to the following rules:

a) If his card is SECOND FROM THE FACE he spells the value of

the card, then the suit singular - no 'S' - and his card will end up at
the face of the packet.

b) If his card is THIRD FROM THE FACE he spells the complete

name and his card will end up on top of the packet.

c) If his card is FOURTH FROM THE FACE he again spells the

complete card and his card will end up at the face of the packet.

As it is imperative that the spelling process be carried out precisely, I

suggest that you spell the card along with him to avoid any errors
because believe me, they will happen!
Finally have him name his thought of card then either turn over the top
card of the packet, or the complete packet to reveal it.
As you already know where his card is, you could ask him to remove the
appropriate card and place it face down in front of him, THEN ask him to
reveal the name of his card.

End Notes

There is an outside chance that his selected card will finish at the rear
position of the five card packet. This can only happen if he cuts as few as
two cards from top to bottom. As you instruct him to cut his card into the
middle, this is a highly unlikely occurrence. However, if it ever does
happen, you simply ask him to spell the value of the indicator card, then
the suit in full including the final letter 'S'. His card will finish on top of the
packet.

Finally, the above routine might at first appear rather complicated.

However, a few trials will prove that it is in fact very straightforward. Once
you grasp the positioning of the key in relation to his card, you will find
the procedure almost automatic
 The Telling Hand
(From Card Selection)

This is an expansion of a trick which I first published in 'Spellbinder'

under the title "Ladies in Waiting," then later in Inspirations under the title
"Hen Party." The latter used the Christ Force, a suggestion which was
made by Roy Walton to eliminate a rather large block turnover in the
original. The following retains Roy's suggestion and introduces a third
selection along with a stronger presentation.

Before commencing remove the Royal Flush in Spades and one

indifferent and set the pack as follows from the top down:

KS - QS - JS - 10S - X Card face up - AS Face up - Rest of Deck.

Working

1. Shuffle the pack retaining the top stock then double-cut the top card to
the bottom. Spread the pack face down, pushing over the upper section
as a block so as not to expose the two reversed cards, and have three
spectators each touch a card, outjogging each card for about half its
length as it is nominated.

Close up the spread, obtaining a little finger break below the top two
cards, then strip out the three selections and turn them face up onto the
pack. Immediately pick off all five cards above the break with the right
hand as the left hand carefully deposits the pack face down on the table.

2. Place the selection packet into your left hand in dealing position. Ask
spectator 1 to remember the card showing on top of the packet, them
remove this card with the right hand, buckling the bottom card of the
packet with the left fingers, and insert the card into the break above the
bottom card.

Ask spectator 2 to remember the new face card then remove this card
and place it fairly to the bottom simulating the manner in which you
transferred the first card.

Ask spectator 3 to remember the card now at the face and leave it where
it is.

Drop the face up packet on top of the face down pack then pick up all.
Explain that you will cut the three selections into the pack, in fact you
only Double Cut the bottom card to the top.
3. Hold the pack in the left hand and bring the right hand over the pack
and place the thumb on the inner end and the middle finger on the outer
end. You now riffle upwards with the right middle finger asking someone
to call stop, saying, "If by chance you stop me at one of the face up
cards we will start again."

The foregoing sentence is important because if the reversed cards were

really in the middle of the pack, there is every chance that you could be
stopped at one of them. So the sentence is psychologically good.

When told to stop, lift off all the cards in the upper section and turn them
face up onto the lower section. Look at the card which now is showing on
top and comment, "I was hoping that you would have cut to a better
card...however being a very fair person I am going to give you a second
chance...we'll use the next card that you would have cut to If you had
stopped me one card sooner...and I wont even look at It...now if that's not
fair I don't know what is."

Spread through all the face up cards and stop when you arrive at the first
face down card. Take the face up cards into the right hand then thumb off
the top card of the left hand section onto the table. Flip all the cards in
the right hand face down onto the left hand section then place the pack
face down on the table.

4. Look at the spectator whom you are currently dealing with and
say, "There's one thing I haven't told you.... this card you stopped at
will actually represent your hole card in a Poker game. However,
you don't have to know how to play Poker, because the card will
only be used to help create a magical Poker hand...let's see what
the card is...The Ace of Spades! ...that's the best card you could
have hoped for."

Tell the spectator to pick up the Ace and to wave it over the pack, then
say, "OK, let's see what you've managed to achieve."

Spread the pack across the table to reveal the other four cards which,
along with the Ace, make a Royal Flush in Spades. Although a Spade
flush is no better than any other suited flush, most people presume that it
is, so I say, "Congratulations! That's the best hand In poker...a Royal
Flush in Spades! ...you must tell me later how you did that."

Allow the effect to sink in before drawing attention to the three face down
cards that are caught between the four face up cards.
Finally have the first three spectators name their selections then remove
the three face down cards and turn them face up to reveal the three
selections.

NOTE: If you wish to reveal the cards one at a time, and in 1, 2, 3 order,
you remove the middle card for spectator 1, the right hand card for
spectator 2 and the remaining hand card for spectator 3.
 Between Queens & Dark Places
(From Cardeceits)

The two black Queens are placed together face up in the deck. The deck
is flipped face up and spectators remember both the face card and the
card at the rear. The deck is turned face down and immediately spread,
revealing one face down card is now caught between the Queens. This is
one of the selections. The other selection is brought out your pocket.

WORKING

1. Remove the two black Queens and obtain a break under the top two
cards of the deck. Place the Queens face up on top and lift off all four
cards above the break (the two Queens plus two face down cards hidden
below). Peel off the upper Queen onto the deck then place the remaining
triple on top, keeping a break under these three cards. "The two black
Queens will perform their witchcraft for us."

2. Allow one card to drop from the break then carry out a Triple Double
Undercut finishing with the Queens 2nd top and 2nd bottom.

3. Flip the deck face up in your left hand. Ask a spectator to remember
the face card. Bring your right hand over and pick up the deck - hand is in
position for a Kelly Bottom Placement. Slide out the rear card and ask a
second spectator to remember this card, at the same time you pivot the
card now at the rear downwards a la Kelly. This allows you to replace the
2nd noted card 2nd from the rear.

NOTE: The Kelly action has been used several times in the past to
load a card into a sandwich, but in this instance, we are actually
removing a card from the sandwich!

4. Turn the deck face down again, executing a Turnover Pass at any
point near the middle. Ask the first spectator to remind everyone of the
name of his card. Spread the cards between your hands revealing that a
face down card is now trapped between the face up Queens. "The
witchcraft begins," you say. Drop the three-card sandwich onto the
table and place the upper section of the deck below the other. This brings
the other selection to the top.

Slide out the face down card and turn it over revealing it to be the first
card.
5. Allowing the effect to sink in, you casually Palm off the top card from
the deck. Alternatively, you can have the first spectator turn over his
card, thus affording you maximum misdirection for the Palm.

Now say, "And more witchcraft." Reach into your pocket and bring out
the palmed card. Hold it back outwards to the audience and ask the 2nd
spectator to remind everyone of the name of his card. Turn it round to
conclude.
 Card of Darkness
(From Cardeceits)

A face up wrong card changes into the selection - influenced by the

powers of darkness.

Working

1. Have a card chosen and returned to the deck. Control this card to the
top. Explain that this is an experiment in the Occult.

"The three sixes are the sign of the beast. Let's represent that."

Push off six cards from the top of the deck (retaining their order), one by
one so that the audience can count them as you push - then drop the
packet on the table, saying, "Six."

Repeat, pushing off a second group of six and drop these on top of the
first group, saying, "Six."

Do this on more time. "Six."

Place the rest of the deck on the table ahead of the 18 card pile.

2. Pick up the 18 cards and say, "Another number that has deep
Occult properties is 13. Let's see what the 13th card is."

Deal off the top 12 cards one by one into a pile on the table, then Double
Lift to apparently show the 13th card. "Is this your card by any
chance?" It isn't. Leave the double face up on top.

Pick up the 12 dealt cards and place them on top - but - as you do so,
openly push the upper face up card forward, so it is outjogged for about
an inch.

3. Pause at this point, saying, "I didn't expect this to be your card
because the 13th card is always an Occult-related card. And the
_____of _______ is well-known in Occult circles as The Card of
Darkness."

Look directly at the spectator and, continue, saying, "...and you would
not have picked such a card...would you?" As you are saying this, you
apparently push the card flush with the packet and place all on top of the
deck. In fact - you execute a Diagonal Palm Shift, palming the card in
your left hand as your right hand continues forward and places the
packet on top of the deck.

Your left hand falls to your side - or rests on the table - as you ask the
spectator to pick up the deck and count down to that 13th card.

When he does, he will be surprised to find that the card has changed into
his selection.

Finally, say, "Remember the Card of Darkness? Well, it's gone to the
darkest of places....my pocket!" As you reach into your left pocket and
bring out the palmed card.
 Colour Pack
(From Cards Insight)

An impossible double location of two cards using a very simple method.

Before you begin you need to separate the deck into reds and blacks
with the 26 reds on top.

Working

1. Carry out any shuffle that retains the colour separation. Note, if you
use the Laurie Ireland Shuffle, this transposes the halves. In the end you
need to know which colour is on top. Keep it red for this description.

2. Place the deck face down on the table and invite a spectator to cut off
less than half the cards, saying, “I want you to leave enough cards for
someone else to participate.”

Ask a second spectator to cut off about half of what remains on the table
- look at and remember the face card of this portion - then give the
packet several straight cuts.

As he is doing this ask the first spectator to shuffle his cards then peek at
the bottom card. He then drops his packet on top of the tabled portion.

3. Take the packet from spectator 2 and state that you will find his card.
Hold the cards with the faces towards you and spread them. Look at the
block of black cards and count them. Remember this number. Now pull
out the first black card after the red block. This is the selection. Place the
rest of the packet on top of the tabled deck. Ask the spectator to name
his card, then turn the card you are holding over to reveal you have the
correct card.

4. Turn to the other spectator. Hold the first selection up to your ear,
saying, “Now HIS card is telling me where to find YOUR card.”

All you do is mentally add the number your are remembering (number of
blacks) to 26. Deduct 1 from this total. So if you counted 10 blacks, you
add this to 26 = 36. Deduct one to give 35. Now announce, “It’s telling
me your card is the 35th card down in the deck.”

The spectator picks up the deck and, in this case, counts to the 35th card
- this will be his card.
 The 21st Card Trick
(From Cards Insight)

This is much cleaner handling for a previous trick of mine called “Hen
Party” (Inspirations, Breese Books). It’s a multiple sandwich based on the
Walton “Collectors,” though the effect isn’t quite that. There is nothing
difficult here, but step 2 does require careful handling.

A five card set-up is required. Remove the four Kings and any random
card. Arrange these in the following order on top of the deck, reading
from the top down:

King (face down) - King (face down) - X card (face up) - King (face down)
- King (face up).

Working

1. Hold the deck face up and spread the cards. Invite two spectators to
each touch a card, which you outjog. Turn the deck face down and obtain
a break under the top card.

2. Pull out the two outjogged cards and turn them face up onto the deck.
Immediately lift off all three cards above the break in a right hand Biddle
grip. You now display both selections to the audience while loading the
top card of the deck between them. This is a standard move. Pull the
upper card onto the deck, but keep a break below it, then place the
remaining double on top.

You currently hold a break under three cards. You now need to lift up two
more, but this is aided by the reversed card which offers a natural break.
Once done you hold a break under the top 5 cards. Flip the five cards
face down, but again, retain a break under them.

3. Undercut about two-thirds from the bottom to the top but still retain the
break you are holding. Now ask someone to call stop at any time as you
run your left thumb down the outer left corner of the deck. Riffle slowly so
that you do NOT get to the break. As soon as they call stop, ignore the
stop-point and lift off all the cards above the break (Riffle Force). Replace
this upper section on the lower section so it is injogged for about an inch.

Place the tip of your right middle finger on the back of the outjogged
lower section, then push the top card of the lower section forward - as
you do this the upper section will automatically align with the lower
section - one card is outjogged. Remove this card and give it to a
spectator then place the deck face down on the table.

4. Ask him to turn the card face up (it will be a King) and wave it over the
deck. Now reach down and ribbon spread the cards across the table,
revealing the other three Kings face up in the middle. There are two face
down cards trapped between the Kings. Ask each spectator to remind
everyone of the name of their card, then slowly pull the two cards out and
turn them face up to reveal the correct cards.
 DITTO!
(From Cards in Principle)

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 face 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.

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!
 Eightsome
(From Cards in Principle)

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
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

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.
 Attractive
(From Previous Convictions)

A spectator remembers the middle card of three and these are pushed into
the middle of the deck. You remove the top three cards and a second
spectator remembers the middle card. These too are pushed into the centre
of the deck. You remove three more cards from the top of the deck and a
third spectator remembers the middle card of this set, and also turns it face-
up. The spectator cuts this set into the deck. After a few demonic chants,
you spread the deck and the two cards on either side of the face-up selection
are removed. These prove to be the first two cards chosen.

This is almost the 'sandwich' theme in reverse - instead of two cards finding
one, one card finds two. There is no preparation.

Working

1. Deal nine cards to the table, explaining that three spectators are to
be allocated three cards each. Have the nine cards shuffled, then returned
to the top of the deck. This initial procedure is purely a bluff and could
b e o m i t t e d , b u t i s I t h i n k psychologically sound.

2. Push over the top three cards and take them in a fan with your right
hand. As you push them off catch a little finger break below the next two
cards and adjust the position for the Vernon Depth Illusion, or Tilt.

3. Hold the three cards up and ask spectator A to remember the middle card
(Fig.1). Lower your hand and square the packet against the top of the deck,
then apparently push the packet into the middle of the deck - really pushing
it into the break, executing Tilt (Fig.2).

Fig.1 Fig.2
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 exactly as outlined with spectator B, except that your
Tilt break this time is under only one card.

5. Push over the top three cards as before, except there is no break this
time. Do not raise your hand to show the faces this time either. Simply ask
spectator C to remove the middle card, turn it face-up, and then replace it in
the middle. Drop the packet on top of the deck, and then place the deck on the
table.

Ask spectator C to give the deck one complete cut.

6. Snap your fingers over the deck then spread the cards. Ask the first two
spectators to name their cards, and then remove the cards on either side of
the face-up card. These will be the two selections!
 Hot Thoughts
(From Previous Convictions)

A spectator names any four-of-a-kind which you remove and show to him.
These might be the four Nines. You now ask him to think of any one of the
Nines. Meanwhile you shuffle the Nines back into the deck then give the deck
to the spectator. He now spells his mentally chosen card by dealing a card for
each letter of the name into a pile on the table.. However, he fails to find his
card. Pointing out that you will need to resort to ‘Plan B,’ you ask the spectator
to pick up the dealt cards, then you direct themhim to eliminate all but one of
these cards. That one card is his mental selection!

Working

1. Ask a spectator to name any card value. Run through the deck and transfer
the four cards of that value to the face. We will assume these are the four
Nines. As you are transferring the cards, arrange them in the classic CHaSeD
order with Clubs at the face. As you close up the spread, obtain a little finger
break below the face eight cards. This is easily done if you downjog the fourth
card from the face as you begin to spread through in search of the Nines.

2. With the deck face up in dealing position, spread over the four Nines so that
they are displayed in a fan, and ask the spectator to now think of any one the
four Eights but not to tell you. Close up the spread then lift off all eight cards
above the break in a Biddle grip with your right hand. Turn the deck face down
then flip these cards face down on top. This simple add-on move is Alex
Elmsley’s.

Remove the top four cards one by one and inset then into the deck at varying
positions then square the cards. You have apparently buried the four Nines at
different places in the deck. NOTE: If you prefer, a Multiple Shift can be used
to control the four cards to the top of the deck.

3. You now need to do one more thing, depending on the value selected. Here
is what you do:

a) If the value spells with THREE letters (A, 2, 6 or 10), Double Cut
THREE cards from the bottom to the top. Alternatively add the during an
Overhand Shuffle.

b) If the value spells with FOUR letters (4, 5, 9, J or K), add TWO cards
to the top.
 c) If the value spells with FIVE letters (3, 7, 8 or Q), add ONE card to
the top.

4. Give the deck to the spectator and tell him to spell the name of his card. If it
is the Nine of Hearts, he will spell N-I-N-E-O-F-H-E-A-R-T-S, dealing one card
for each letter in the name into a face down pile on the table. The suit is
always the plural.

5. Ask him to name his mentally chosen card, and then tell him to turn over
the top card of the deck, but this is not his card.

Appear puzzled, so you now move onto ‘Plan B.’

Place the main deck aside and ask the spectator to pick up the dealt cards.
Now instruct him to carry out a DOWN/ Under Deal, i.e., he deals the top card
onto the table, then places the next card to the bottom, and repeats this until
only one card remains in his hand. This will be his card. If his card is a SPADE
he carries out an UNDER/Down Deal. The difference here is that he places
the FIRST card to the bottom, then deals the next card onto the table, and
repeats this until only one card remains…. success!
 Forced Entry
(From Method in Effect)

Here’s a puzzling quickie using a deck set in a 13/14 Force stack, which is as
follows:

Discard two of the Kings, then set the remaining 50 cards as shown below:

(Top 26) K-A-Q-2-J-3-10-4-9-5-8-6-7-7-6-8-5-9-4-10-3-J-2-Q-A-

(Bottom 26) K-A-Q-2-J-3-10-4-9-5-8-6-7-7-6-8-5-9-4-10-3-J-2-Q-A

WORKING

1. Place the deck face down on the table and ask a spectator to give it a few
cuts, then to finally cut it into two halves (they do not need to be equal). Ask
him to pick up a half and thoroughly shuffle it then to remove a card. Take the
rest of the packet from him as he shows the card to the audience. Have the
card returned to the packet and control the card to the top, then shuffle six
cards on top of the selection, so it finishes 7th from the top.

2. Spread the packet and ask a second spectator to turn over any card. Make
sure that you spread past the top seven cards before he acts. Leave this card
in position and square the packet. Drop the packet on top of the other half to
complete the deck.

3. Pick up the deck and give it one In-Faro Shuffle. This sends the selection to
position 14. It also places a 13/14 force pair of cards on either side of the
reversed card further down in the deck.

4. Ribbon spread the deck face down on the table. Draw attention to the
reversed card then pull out the two cards flanking it. Turn them face up and
have their values totalled. This will either be 13 or 14. Slowly count down from
the top of the spread to the card at that number. For 13, push out the NEXT
card. For 14 push out the 14th card. Have the selection named, and then turn
the card over.
 Diploid
(From Method in Effect)

Two previously selected cards are revealed by two random locator cards.

This is based on a principle devised by Leo Horowitz during the 1930’s. A

simple numerical set-up is required as follows, reading from the top down (X =
any card):

X-A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-A-X- crimped X card

(optional) - rest of deck.

Working

1. Invite two spectators (A and B) to participate. Give the deck a Jog Shuffle
retaining the order of the upper half. If you have opted for the crimp, cut off all
the cards above it and place this section on the table. Place the balance of the
deck to one side for the moment. If there is no crimp, push off the top 22
cards, then place the rest of the deck to one side.

2. Ask someone to cut the section into three random piles. Ask spectator A to
pick up the top portion and shuffle it, and ask spectator B to pick up the
bottom portion and shuffle it. You pick up the middle portion as if to
demonstrate an Overhand Shuffle - pull off top and bottom cards together,
then shuffle the remainder on top of these two cards. Drop your packet back
onto the table.

3. Ask each spectator to look at and remember the bottom card of their
packet. Now ask B to drop his packet on top of the middle pile lying on the
table, then ask A to drop his packet on top of all. Pick up the group and
Double Cut the bottom two cards to the top, then drop the packet on top of the
balance of the deck.

4. Give the deck a Jog Shuffle retaining the order of the top half, then hold the
deck face down in dealing position. You now force the top two cards using the
Balducci Cut Deeper Force, which is:

Extend your hand towards a third party and ask him to cut off about half the
deck, turn it face up, then replace the packet. Now tell him to cut off another
section, but to cut deep down near the bottom, turn the section over, then
replace it. Remember that the first cut must be near half, and the second must
be deeper than the first. So you might prefer to riffle down with your left thumb
and ask a spectator to call stop rather than let him cut.
5. Spread over all the face up cards, turn them face down, and place them to
the bottom of the deck. Deal the top card onto the table in front of spectator A,
and the next card in front of spectator B. Turn both cards face up, saying,
“These two cards were arrived at by two random selection. Believe it or
not, but they know where your selected cards are!”

Give the deck to spectator A. Draw attention to the value of the face up
indicator card before him, and ask him to count down to the card that lies at
that number in the deck. He deals cards singly onto the table, and when he
arrives at the card he is to retain it face down in his hand. The deck is now
passed to spectator B (the dealt cards remain on the table) and he does the
same with his indicator value. Finally ask each spectator to name his card,
then to turn over the card in his hand. These will be the selections.
 My Fair Lady
(From NDE)

You fail four times to find a selected card. So, you remove the Queen of
Hearts which you say is your lucky lady. You give the Queen to the spectator,
who waves her over the four wrong cards. Instantly the four cards change into
the four Queens - your lucky lady and her three sisters! When the spectator
turns over the card he is holding it proves to be his selected card.

Working

1. Begin by secretly culling the four Queens to the top of the deck. Note what
the top Queen is. In this example we will make it the QH.

2. Hold the deck in position for a peek selection. Once the spectator has
peeked at a card and you have secured a break below it, turn the deck to face
you and glimpse the card in the time honoured manner. Lower the deck so
that the audience can see the faces and begin to spread through, saying, "I
rarely find chosen cards first time, but I always manage to get it if I take
four chances."

Spread through and up jog any four random cards - ignore the selection.

3. Turn the deck face down and briefly spread the cards as if to emphasise the
four outjogged cards - in fact you take this opportunity to secure a little finger
break below the top four cards (Queens).

Pull out the four outjogged cards and turn them face up onto the deck. Lift off
all 8 cards above the break and show the four cards one by one as follows
(essentially Hartman’s Secret Subtraction):

Peel off the topmost card and flip it face down, then pick it up again
below the packet - raise your hand to show the face of this card and ask
the spectator if this is his card. It is not. Repeat this with the other three
cards. Finally place the packet onto the deck then push off the top four
cards and drop them as a group onto the table. Hearts is still on top.

4. You have failed to find the selection. So, say, "When this happens, and it
does happen a lot - I always call upon my lucky lady he Queen of
Hearts."
Hold the deck with the faces canted towards you and spread through
apparently looking for the QH.

Really you look for the selection and toss it out of the deck and onto the four
tabled cards (apparently four random cards). Place the deck to one side.
5. Pick up the packet and execute a Double Lift to show the Queen of Hearts.
Flip the double face down and give the top card to the spectator. Ask him to
wave it over the four wrong cards. As he does this, say, "You may feel her
influence as it passes from your hand onto these four cards."

Give the packet a quick Elmsley Count to displace the QH (rather than it
remaining on top), saying, "Four cards - four errors. Watch!"

Snap the cards then turn them over revealing that they have changed into the
four Queens. Finally ask the spectator to turn over the card in his hand to
reveal his selection.
 Elucidation
(From NDE)

You shuffle the deck then remove about a dozen cards from the top. These
are fanned and a spectator is requested to make a mental selection of any
card he sees. The packet is mixed then lost back into the deck. You now start
to deal cards onto the table as you ask the spectator to spell the name of the
card he is thinking of. The card stopped at turns out to be his mental selection!

This uses a Stewart James principle and a thirteen card stack. The values in
the stack is easy to recall as is it is the first 13 cards in a Si Stebbins set-up,
but in reverse order. The suits can be random but excluding any Diamonds.
To make the arrangement, simply transfer each value in turn to the top of the
deck in the order given: A - 4 - 7 - 10 - K - 3 - 6 - 9 - Q - 2 - 5 - 8 - J

If you did as suggested, the top card of the deck should be a Jack - the Ace is
13th.

Working

1. Jog Shuffle retaining the top stock then casually push off the top 13 cards.
Place the deck on the table for now. Fan the 13 cards and ask a spectator to
merely think of any one he sees. You might want him to whisper its name to a
second spectator as a safe-guard.

2. Tell him to form a clear picture of the card in his mind. Meanwhile, you give
the packet two Reverse Faros in the following manner, saying something like,
"Let's mix these about a little bit."

a) Spread through the face down packet and outjog every second card.

b) Strip out the six outjogged cards and place them to the top.

c) Repeat the above two steps.

d) Finally Double Cut the bottom card (the Ace) to the top (See End
Notes).

3. The packet is now in strict numerical order. Drop the packet face down on
top of the deck and pick up all. Add 8 cards to the top using a Jog Shuffle i.e.,
undercut half the deck - run 8 cards - injog the 9th card and shuffle off the
rest. Shuffle to the injog - throw rest on top. If you prefer, you can carry out
two short shuffles adding 4 cards each time).
4. Ask the spectator the value of his card. This might be an Eight. Count (do
not spell) 8 cards into a pile on the table. Jacks, Queens & Kings = 11, 12 and
13. Now, say, "Eight of..." spelling O-F, dealing two more cards onto the pile
Finally ask him to name the suit. It will either be Spades, Hearts or Clubs.
Spell the suit dealing a card for each letter onto the pile.

If his card is a Club, dramatically turn over the card now on top of the deck.
That will be his mental selection. For any other suit, reach forward and flip
over the last card dealt to the tabled pile.

End Notes

To avoid the Double Cut in stage 2 (d): simply set the Ace on top of the deck
instead of 13th. When carrying out the 2 Reverse Faros the outjogged cards
go to the bottom each time rather than on top.
 Millennium Countdown
(From New Inspirations)

Another card discovery that is hopefully puzzling!

Working

1. Before you begin, cull two Six spots to the top followed by two Five spots. So
when the deck is face down the top four cards read - 5-5-6-6-rest of deck. See End
Notes for a faster option.

2. Invite a spectator to cut off a portion - turn it face up - replace it. Then ask him to
“cut deeper” and lift off a portion - turn it face up - replace it. This is the Balducci
Cut Deeper Force. Push over all the face up cards and turn them face down, placing
them to the bottom. This brings your 4 card set-up back to the top. If you don’t like
the Balducci, you can give the deck a cut - hold a break - then Riffle Force to the
break.

3. Say, “We’ll only use some of the cards for this.” Deal two piles of cards -
dealing alternately left and right, and stop when there is 10 cards in each. Place the
rest of the deck face down to one side. I would suggest that you deal 8 to each, then
pause, saying, “Maybe a few more...” as you top each pile up to 10. As there’s no
reason for there being 10 cards, there’s no point in emphasising it, and therefore I
wouldn’t ask a spectator to do this.

4. Invite a spectator to pick up either pile and shuffle it. Turn away and then ask him
to discard a few cards from the packet - placing them on the deck out of the way,
saying, “You now have a quantity of cards that I cannot possibly know.” This is
true, but it’s a bluff because the trick works from the bottom up in a similar fashion to
Steimeyer’s Lie Speller.

Ask him to look at the face card of his remaining cards then drop the packet on top of
the other pile on the table. You now turn back to face the front.

5. If you are performing for more than one person, invite a second spectator to pick
up the packet. If not, continue with the same spectator (you have no choice!). Tell
him to deal the packet into two piles - dealing alternately left and right. The only
observation you need to make is which pile the last card falls on. This contains the
selection, and we’ll call it the ‘target’ pile.

Ask him to turn over the top card of either pile. The two choices are dealt with as
follows:

a) HE TURNS OVER THE TOP CARD OF TARGET PILE: It will be a Five

spot. As he turns it over, intervene, saying, “Just place it face up in front of
its pile.” Now pick up the other pile and discard it onto the deck. Finally, he
counts down to the 5th card and holds it. The first spectator announces the
name of his card - the other spectator turns over the card he is holding to reveal
the correct card.
 b) HE TURNS OVER THE TOP CARD OF OTHER PILE: It will be a Six spot.
This time you allow him to turn it over and leave it face up on its pile. Ask him to
pick up the other pile and count down to the 6th card and hold it. The first
spectator announces the name of his card - the other spectator turns over the
card he is holding to reveal the correct card.

End Note
An alternative to a 5-5-6-6 set-up is to make it Club-Club-Spade-Heart. The latter two
can be any combination of Spades and Hearts. You then spell the suit at the end
rather than the value. While I much prefer the numerical count-down, this set-up may
be easier to achieve mid-performance as it’s quite possible that you will find such a
foursome already in the deck.
 Found By Coincidence
(From New Inspirations)

A two part routine where a spectator successfully finds his own card, then a
remarkable coincidence occurs using the other cards.

Arrange the top 14 cards of the deck in matching pairs (same suit & colour), e.g.,

2-2-6-6-9-9-J-J-3-3-10-10-K-K- rest of deck.

Working

PHASE 1

1. False Shuffle then push off 16 cards and give the packet to a spectator. Discard
the rest of the deck.

2. Ask him to deal two piles of cards, dealing alternately so each contains an equal
amount. He can stop at point - he must have some cards remaining in his hand. Ask
him to shuffle these - look at the bottom card - then drop them on top of either pile.
He now picks up this combined pile. The other pile is slid to one side as a prediction
for later.

3. He now does a Down/under Deal - and holds the last card. Ask him to name his
card then turn over the card he is holding. This will be his card. Take his card and
drop it on top of the pile and pick up all.

PHASE 2

4. Now say, "You may think that was a bizarre coincidence? Well here’s an
even more bizarre coincidence. I’ll systematically eliminate cards...."

Do the Fulves Oracle elimination down to one card. Which is:

Hold the packet face down and outjog every second card (in Reverse Faro style).
Pull the outjogged free and discard the INJOGGED section. Repeat this until you
have only one card left.

Turn it over.

Finally ask spectator to turn over the top card of the prediction pile and it will be the
mate of your card.
 Jaxaphonic
(From Open Secrets)

A card is selected and returned to the deck. You remove the four Jacks then
give the spectator the deck to shuffle. Finally he cuts off half the deck and you
drop the four Jacks face down onto the bottom portion - he then drops the
upper half on top to bury the Jacks. You snap your fingers then spread the
cards revealing that the four Jacks have mysteriously turned face up.
However, there is one face down card in the middle of them - this proves to be
the previously selected card.

This effect was inspired by an idea of the late Dave Campbell that he first
used in his effect, ‘The performing Aces,’ published in The Gen (Dec. 1966).

Working

1. Have a card selected then control it to second from top. Hold the cards with
the faces towards you and spread through looking for the four Jacks. Before
doing so, glance at the selection - if it happens to be a Jack then continue to
use the four Aces. When you come to each Jack upjog it for half its length.
Once all four Jacks have been located, strip them out adding the rear card of
the deck using the Vernon Strip-Out Addition. Once the packet is clear of the
deck, turn it face down and place it below the deck. Now turn the deck face
down bringing the Jacks face up on top.

2. Push over the top three cards to display the four Jacks, saying, “These
might look like four ordinary Jacks, but appearances can be deceiving.
These are in fact Super-Jacks! And I am going to prove this to you.” As
you are talking, close up the spread and lift off the top six cards with your right
hand in a Biddle grip. Give the deck to the spectator and ask him to shuffle it.

3. Say, “These Jacks will perform an amazing feat of magic, and, they
will find your card at the same time.” As you are talking, you appear to
casually count the four Jacks from hand to hand, however, there is more to it:

a) As your left thumb peels off the upper Jack into your left hand, your
left fingers engage the bottom card and take it along the the upper one
into your left hand.

b) Immediately peel off the next Jack on top of the first.

c) You now appear to count the third - in fact you make a Hamman
Count switch so the packets transpose.
 d) Finally place the three cards in your right hand on top of all.

4. With the packet in your left hand, ask the spectator to place the deck on the
table and then to lift off about half the cards. As he doing this, and while you
are watching him do it, you apparently turn the Jacks face down. In fact your
right fingers and thumb pull only the bottom card forward, then turn it end-for-
end onto the other cards. This move is in Hugard’s Card Manipulations. As
you do this, tilt your left hand upwards slightly. Done correctly, the move
should fly past anyone who happens to be watching you.

5. Drop the packet on top of the tabled portion of the deck then tell the
spectator to replace the upper half. Now build up the feat that the ‘Super-
Jacks’ are about to perform then spread the deck revealing that they have
turned face up. Finally draw attention to the face down card in the middle.
Remove this card and ask the spectator to name his card, and then show the
card.
 Jaks’ Blaks
(From Plots & Ploys)

While I still at secondary school, I bought my first magic trick from a

dealer. It was called The Four Blacks by Dr. Stanley Jaks, where the
image of a playing card mysteriously appeared on a piece of black card.
That was a long time ago, but I still carry this trick in my wallet today
because it just so powerful. The dealer who sold me this trick was Roy
Walton, and he also showed me his handling which dispensed with a
supplied gaff and allowed the trick to be performed with any deck, so
long as you had the Four Blacks on your person. The original effect is as
follows:

A deck of cards is on the table. You now introduce four pieces of black
card which you show on both sides, one by one. You talk about Victorian
mediums and how they made chalked spirit writing appear on slates. The
black cards, you say, will represent the slates in this experiment. A card
is now selected unseen from the deck. The spectator now chooses two of
the four black cards. These two cards are placed between his palms. The
chosen card is turned over and seen to be, say, the Four of Diamonds.
When the two black cards are spread the image of four diamonds is now
printed on the lower black card. Everything is examinable.

For a one-on-one situation, I still use the effect as above. But a few years
ago I started to wonder if it was logical to show four blacks and then
eliminate two for no reason? I never could find a good reason to
introduce four cards, only to have two discarded. While this may be a
case of running when not being chased, it did bother me. Then I hit upon
a solution. If you have two spectators, this is great.

________________________________

First you need four pieces of thick black cardboard approximately the
size of a playing card. The size is not important just so long as they fit
into your wallet. You now need to print, or stick, four Diamond pips on the
surface of one of these cards. See figure 1 below. We will refer to this as
the “image card” from now on.
 Fig. 1

While you making this set of cards, I suggest you make several more
with different numbers of pips, such as: Six of Diamonds, Seven of
Diamonds, and some Heart card if you can. This will allow you to repeat
the trick later with a different outcome.

Set your four cards with the printed surface facing upwards third from the
top as shown in figure 2.

Fig. 2

Finally, set your deck with any black spot card on top, and then place the
Four of Diamonds on top all. You must remember the black spot card
that is now 2nd from top. We will assume it to be the Ace of Spades in this
example.

Working

1. Invite two spectators to assist. Bring out the deck and shuffle it,
retaining the top two cards in place. Place the deck on the table and then
bring out the Four Blacks. Patter as in the effect above as you hold the
cards in left hand dealing grip. The cards must be oriented as in Fig. 2
above.
 Showing the Four Blacks

2. As I am talking, I remove the top card and flick it, showing both sides
and then replace it. This is a casual action prior to the main show, which
is as follows:

a) Push over the top card and then flip it over showing both sides to be
blank, then deal this card onto the table to your front right.

b) Push off the next two as one (or use a buckle) and flip over the double
(this is easy as you only have three cards), then deal the top card onto
the table to the left of the first (forming a row).

c) You are left with two clean cards. Flip over the top card and then deal
it onto the table to the left again.

d) Finally show the last card both sides and place it to the left of all,
completing the row.

Figure 3 shows the final position with the image card marked X

Fig. 3

Four Blacks Selection Process

3. Ask either spectator to touch any two of the cards, saying, “The ones
you touch will be the ones you get … so choose carefully.”

If he touches two blanks, pick them up, place them together and then lay
them square in a pile in front of him. If his choices include the image
card, pick up both cards with the image card on top – casually show both
sides turning the cards over, then lay them square in a pile in front of
him.
Turn to the other spectator and say, with a smile, “You don’t have a
choice! … you get the other two cards.”

The other spectator gets the remaining two cards and these are placed
square in a pile in front of him observing the same rules as above,
depending on whether these cards contain the image card, or not.

Important note: you must remember which spectator has the image
card in front of him.

Playing card Selection Process

4. You now have two spectators each choose a card. For this I use a
double Cross-Cut Force, as follows:

First you have to Slip-cut the top card to the middle of the deck and then
hold a break above it. To do this, hold the deck face down in dealing grip.
Now lift off about half the deck with your right hand, but keep your left
thumb pressing on the top card. Now slide the upper section to the right,
while your left thumb retains the top card (Figs. 4 & 5). Finally place the
right hand section on top and retain a break between the halves.

The Four of Diamonds force card is the one now in the middle and you
are holding a break above it. The Ace of Spades force card is on top.

Fig. 4 Fig. 5
 You now split the deck at the
break and place each half side
by side on the table (Fig. 6).

One half is for one spectator and

the other half for the other
spectator. However, you must
ensure that the person whose
two black cards contain the
image card gets the half deck
that has the Four of Diamonds on
Fig. 6 top.

5. You now invite each spectator in turn to cut off a section from the half
deck that is nearest them and to place the cut-off section in front of the
balance (Fig. 7).

You now say, “We’ll just mark your cuts.” At that, with both hands, you
simultaneously pick up the original bottom halves and place them
crosswise onto their respective top halves (Fig. 8).

Fig. 7 Fig. 8
 The Revelations

6. Turn to the spectator who does NOT

have the image card in his pair of
blacks. Without picking the cards up,
place your finger on top of them and
then slowly slide back the top card as
shown in Fig. 9).

Appear to study the cards, then pick

them up and hold then up to the light as
Fig. 9 you pretend to see an image. “You
picked a black card? That makes this
difficult because the image of your card is actually on the cards … but
because it’s black it is very difficult to see … Ah, yes … your card is the
Ace of Spades?“

At that, lift off the upper section of his half deck and turn over the top card
of the lower section to reveal that he did, indeed, cut to the Ace of
Spades. Despite the image being invisible to the spectators, this is a
strong piece of magic.

7. Now turn to the second spectator

and say, “I hope you didn’t pick a
black card?” He will confirm that he
did not. “Good … hopefully this time
you will see that I wasn’t bluffing you.”

Reach forward and place your finger

on top of his two Blacks and then very
slowly slide back the top card as
shown in Fig. 10).
Fig. 10

At that, lift off the upper section of his half deck and turn over the top card
of the lower section to reveal that he did, indeed, cut to the Four of
Diamonds.
 The Disoriented Sevens
(From Ulterior Motifs)

The lucky Sevens produce a Royal Flush.

Before commencing set the Royal flush in Spades on the face of the
pack in order Ace, Queen, King, Ten, Jack. The Jack is the face card.

Working

1. Start by saying, "My lucky number has always been seven so I'll
show you something with four of them."

Run through the pack and remove the four Sevens and arrange them in a
face up row on the table. The only stipulation is that the middle two
Sevens be of the same colour.

2. Hold the pack face down, spread and have a card drawn. Close up the
spread obtaining a break below the top three cards. Square the pack and
raise the top three cards at the inner end in readiness for the Vernon
Depth Illusion (TILT). Take the selected card from the spectator and
apparently push it into the middle of the pack executing TILT so it ends
below the top three cards. The 'Bluff Pass' could also be used.

3. Riffle shuffle retaining top and bottom stock then hold the pack face
down from above in the right hand. You now pull off the top and bottom
cards together with the left hand and drop the pair on the table. Repeat
four times forming a single ten card pile. Place the balance of the pack
aside.

4. Explain that you will physically number each of the Sevens. Pick up
the ten card pile and, working from left to right deal one card face down
on the first Seven two on the next, then three and finally four onto the last
Seven. The cards are counted singly.

5. Gather up the four piles, moving from left to right placing one on top of
the other, saying, "Each Seven has a different quantity of cards on
top of it ... which rather disorientates them somewhat." As you speak
carry out a Reverse Faro which is that you outjog every second card then
strip out all the outjogged cards.

Place these stripped out cards on the table. There should be a face up
Seven on top of this pile.
Comment on this, saying, "Well at least we know where one of the
Sevens is." The Reverse Faro should be carried out quickly and slightly
untidily so that the audience is unable to follow the progress of the
Sevens.

6. Spread the pack remaining in your hand to reveal two matching

coloured Sevens face up in the middle with a face down card between.
Have the selected card named then remove the face down card to show
the selection. Say, "The other two Sevens have been busy as well."

Spread the tabled packet to show the two face up Sevens with five face
down cards between. Turn the cards over to reveal the Royal Flush in
Spades to conclude, saying, "Well I told you seven was my lucky
number!"
 Short Sharp Shock Sharpened
(From Card Secrets Unlocked)

This short, simple but effective colour changing pack is an improved

handling of that which I published in Contemporary Card Magic (Martin
Breese, 1984). The original version had an awkward discrepancy where
the last card dealt during the 1st selection process immediately appeared
as the face card of the deck for the 2nd selection process. It has only
taken me 21 years to eliminate this problem! Sometimes the simplest
solutions are the hardest to find.

You require a pack of cards with two odd backed cards to match. We will
assume that a red pack is being used with two blue backed cards. It is
advisable that the duplicates of the blue backers be removed from the
pack as it may become embarrassing later if you don't.
Place the two blue backers on top of the pack then pop the complete
pack into a blue card box.

Working

1. Remove the pack from its case and overhand shuffle with the faces
towards the audience. Retain the two blue backers in position during the
shuffle. Ask for a number between, say, five and fifteen. Assume that the
number chosen is TEN. You deal NINE cards face up into a pile on the
table. The first card dealt is from the top of the deck but on all the other
cards you execute a strike second deal, turning each card over the
instant it clears the deck. Trial in front of a mirror will show that the odd
backs cannot be seen when done properly, unless there are spectators
by your side.

NOTE: Some of you may feel more at ease dealing 2nds from the very
first card, rather than starting with a top. The choice is yours.

2. Raise the pack and push over the top card so that the face can be
seen.

"Please remember this card."

Once the card has been noted, lower the pack and at the same time re-
align the top card so that the red back is not exposed. Pick up the dealt
cards and square them before dropping them face down on the pack.
Retain a little finger break between the sections.
3. You now select a 2nd spectator to choose a card, and as you do so,
you give the deck a casual cut as follows:

With your right hand, lift off all the cards above the break - at the same
buckle (or pull down) the bottom card of the deck. Now place the right
hand section onto the break above the bottom card - apparently going to
the bottom in the form of a straight cut.

Explain that you will now count to the tenth card from the face of the
pack. This you do fairly by dealing nine cards one at a time in a face up
pile on the table. Lift off the card now on the face of the pack and have it
remembered by a second spectator.

Replace this card on the face of the pack but retain a little finger break
below it. Pick up the nine dealt cards and drop them on top of all thus
burying the second selection.

4. Turn the pack face down keeping the break in the form of a step. This
is a Marlo subtlety which not only retains control of the break but also
exposes a blue backed card. Now cut the lower stepped section from the
bottom to the top thus emphasizing blue backs. No breaks are held.

5. Finally explain that in order to find the two selections you have to give
the pack a 'short, sharp, shock'. You explain that this will make the two
cards change colour. Pick a break near the middle of the pack and
execute a Riffle Pass.

Finally, spread the pack across the table to show that instead of the two
selections, all the other cards have changed colour.

Conclude by turning over the two odd cards to prove they are the
selections.
 Pictorial Ratification
(From Untold)

Inspired by a marketed item of Eddie Clever's called "Mental Spell,"

which used 26 duplicates. The following effect came about while trying to
eliminate the duplicates. As it turned out, the result is far removed from
the original trick.

To begin, run through the pack and up-jog all the Hearts and Spades
then strip them out and place them to the back of the balance . Make
sure that you remove all of them 26 in all.

Working

1. Jog shuffle retaining the top half then cut the pack at mid-point placing
the two halves face down on the table. Have a spectator first shuffle the
Diamond/Club half then the Spade/Heart section which he retains in his
hands.

2. Turn away and have him remove and look at any card, which he then
places face down in front of him. Now proceed according to the following
patter:

"I now want you to represent your card using the ancient art of
'Pictorial Ratification.' Perhaps you're unfamiliar with this?...Well
here's what you do. Whatever value your card is, count off that
number of cards and place them on top of your card...Jacks,
Queens and Kings count 11, 12 and 13."

Once he has done that, continue:

"Now take the suit of your card and spell it out placing one card at a
time for each letter onto those already dealt in front of you...so it's
either Clubs, Hearts, Spades or Diamonds." (It is important that they
spell the plural)

"Finally I want you to place any cards remaining in your hand on top
of the pack then give the pack a complete cut... and just to make
sure I don't cheat, place your hand flat on top of YOUR cards."

3. Turn round and pick up the main pack, saying, "The actions that you
just carried out leave certain vibrations which I can pick up...and to
prove this, I will remove a card that is almost identical to the one
under your hand."
All you do is run through the cards, passing all the Clubs and Diamonds,
until you come to the Spade/Heart group near the middle.

Count the number of cards in this group then subtract the total from
19.The answer will be the value of his card.

Now glance again at the Heart/Spade section and see if the partner of his
card is there. Note, by partner, I mean in relation to the original
Diamond/Club and Heat/Spade setups of each half. If it is, you now know
the identity of his card for sure. E.g. if his card is a Nine spot, and the
Nine of Hearts is in the pack, his card must be the Nine of Spades. So
you now remove the Nine of Clubs (real partner!) and place it face down
on the table.

If this is not the case, simply say, "Your card, I think, was a red card?"
His answer will determine which card you remove.

Conclude by having the spectator turn over his packet, followed by your
card.
 Ediblector
(From With cards)

Two cards vanish when placed between the Kings. The missing cards
instantly appear reversed in the deck. This effect is based on Alex
Elmsley’s ‘Repulsive Aces’ and Lin Searles ‘Cannibal Cards.’

Working

1. Remove the four Kings and place them face up on the table in pairs -
reds to your left and blacks to your right. Hold the deck face down in
dealing grip and obtain a break below the top two cards.

2. You now execute two Braue Additions: Pick up the black Kings in a
Biddle grip. Secretly pick up the two broken cards, then peel off the top
King and lever it face down onto the deck. Place the remaining triple on
top of the deck then flip the black King face down. Push off the top two
cards, without changing their order, and drop them back onto the table to
your right. As you display the Kings with the Braue Addition, say, “These
black Kings are black magicians. They cause cards to disappear.”

Obtain a break below the top card of the deck. Pick up the red Kings in a
Biddle grip and repeat the above procedure, finally dropping the top two
cards onto the table to your left. As I show the red Kings I say, “And
these red Kings are white magicians. They cause cards to
disappear. (pause) They’re just as bad as the black Kings!”

3. Give the deck a quick Jog Shuffle, as you say, “I want two people as
witnesses to each remember a card.” With the deck in a dealing grip,
extend your hand towards one of the spectators and ask him to lift off
about half the cards, turn them face up and replace them. Move to the
second spectator and ask him to lift off a section, adding, “But cut
deeper down near the bottom.” He too turns the packet over and
replaces it. This is of course the Balducci Cut-Deeper procedure.

Spread over all the face up cards and place them in a face up pile on the
table for a moment. Say, “As a result of your two cuts, I want you to
remember the two cards.” As you are talking, push over the top few
cards then square them again, but catch a break below the top four
cards. Turn them face up onto the deck (apparently two cards) - retain a
break below them - then push over the top card to display two cards. Ask
one spectator to remember the top card and the other spectator to
remember the other card. Square the cards then flip all four face down
again.
4. With your right hand lift the top red King of the pair to your left. Thumb
off the top card of the packet onto the other card, then flash the face of
the card in your right hand as you drop it back on top, thus sandwiching
the card. Repeat this with the right hand pair - this time flashing a black
King.

Obtain a break below the top two cards, while your right hand picks up
the face up half of the deck. As you square this section, secretly pick up
the two broken cards below, then lever the left hand section face up and
place both halves together. The two chosen cards are now reversed in
the middle.

5. Hold the deck face down. Pick up either sandwich and drop it on top of
the deck. Tap the cards then slowly deal the top two cards face up onto
the table. The selection has gone. Repeat this with the other sandwich.
Now say, “Because both sets of Kings can only cause cards to
vanish, they are unable to bring them back. So I’ll use some magic
of my own.” At this, spread the deck face down across the table
revealing both selections face up in the middle.
 The End.

Thank you for purchasing this book.

I hope you enjoyed the material.