Further Than That
Further Than That
That said, some card experts are not particularly fond of the
10-20 Force upon which the James’ effect is based. So, as
popular as the plot line is, the underlying methodology and other
aspects of the effect have been tweaked and reworked by count-
less magicians over the last 80 or so years. Consequently, if you
wish to explore these variations further, there is no dearth of ma-
terial available to you. In the meantime, we’re pleased to provide
you with the original handling, set-up, and patter for this wonder-
ful, easy-to-do Stewart James’ effect which is sure to both baffle
and delight your own audiences.
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“Mr. James has furnished us with several of his strangely concocted mysteries. Both
he and his effects are known for the tangent lines they make while shooting away
from the boring similarity of most magicians and their magic.” – TED ANNEMANN
PRESENTATION
“Magicians have had to alter the workings of many of their mysteries to the trend of
the times. Illusionists today, upon a night club floor and surrounded by people, can
perform miracles never even dreamed of but a decade ago. I have been asked as to
what a card manipulator can do today that wasn’t possible a few years ago. This is
one thing. Will you help me, sir?”
“Old time performers would fan the deck of cards for you to make a selection, BUT,
as I am demonstrating modern, streamlined magic this problem goes FURTHER
THAN THAT.”
“Take the deck in your own hands. Name any number between, say 10 and 20. Sev-
enteen? Very well, count 17 cards, one at a time, into a face down pile on the table.
Put the rest of the deck aside for now.”
“From your packet of 17 cards I am going to have you select just one, and select it
in a way directed entirely by chance. If you wrote 17 you would make a 1 and a 7.
Should you add these figures your total would be 8. Just count 8 cards face-down
onto the table, look at and remember the eighth card, and drop the rest of your pack-
et on top. And now you may place the bunch of cards back onto the deck.”
(Spectator deals 8 cards from packet of 17, looks at 8th card and leaves it on top of
the pile just dealt. Then, drops remaining cards in hand on top, before placing all on
top of deck.)
“You probably expect me to search through the deck and try to pick out the card you
have in mind, but this trick goes FURTHER THAN THAT. Without glancing at the
face of a single card I merely hold the deck to my forehead. Modern day methods of
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chicanery immediately inform me that the card you looked at was the Ace of Spades.
Right?”
“But this trick goes FURTHER THAN THAT. I spell A-C-E, dealing a card for each let-
ter. In this next pile I deal cards for each of the letters S-P-A-D-E-S. And, on turning
over the next card what do we have? The Ace of Spades.”
(You deal first pile of 3 cards, as A-C-E is spelled, then second pile of 6 cards for
S-P-A-D-E-S.)
“But this trick goes EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT. On turning over the ACE pile we
find it to be all Aces. And, on turning over the SPADES pile we find all Spades. FUR-
THER THAN THAT, the Spades are in correct order: Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and
Seven.
“And this trick goes EVEN ONE STEP FURTHER than that because, in case you
wonder where the rest of the Spades are, I have merely to flick the deck like this and
deal them off the top IN CORRECT ORDER: Eight, Nine, Ten, Jack, Queen, and
King!”
METHOD/SET-UP
Reading from the top of the deck down the cards are stacked simply: 2S, 3S, 4S,
5S, 6S, 7S, any Ace, any Ace, any Ace, Ace of Spades, 8S, 9S, 10S, JS, QS, KS.
A false shuffle and cut helps, otherwise the trick is self working. The volunteer has a
choice of any number between 10 and 20. The second time you have him count to
the total of the digits in the number named. It’s automatic.
NOTES
For an easy and convincing false Overhand Shuffle, injog top card, shuffle bottom
half on top, press on injogged card to obtain break above stack, cut deck to restore
order. Repeat, if you like.
You can also use all Hearts instead of Spades, since it also spells with six letters. Of
course, put the AH in the 10th position to start.
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