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POWER PLAYS

HIGH VOLTAGE MAGIC BY

MICHAEL POWERS

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POWER PLAYS Written by Michael Powers Illustrated by Tony Dunn Pre-Illustrative Photos by Mike Powers Edited by Gerry Costello, John West, John Rogers, Tony Miller, and George Arndt Cover Art by Rose Rings

FIRST EDITION (C) Copyright 2006 by Michael Powers 1701 Monroe St. La Porte IN 46350 All Rights Reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. All manufacturing and marketing rights for all material herein solely reserved by Michael Powers Printed and Bound in the United States of America

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Dedicated to my family - Maria, Jesse, Noah and Mijka. Thank you for always supporting me in all the crazy projects I have embarked on in this life.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Allan Ackerman ............................................................................................................. 9 Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 11

IMPROMPTU CARD MYSTERIES Open Travelers Transpo Redux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Tent Vanish Impossible Collectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 ATFUS TILT Kelly Bottom Placement ITH Triumph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Goodwin/Jennings Display Red Rover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Veeser Concept Ace To Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 The Herrmann Turnover Pass Expert Cards to Pocket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Marlo’s Misdirection Palm Erdnase Bottom Palm M-Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Mercury Fold Sawing A Lady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Maxi Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Marlo’s Scoop Addition Open Prediction 999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Psychic Birthday Predictor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Impromptu Terror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Christ-Annemann Alignment Move Natural Poker Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Twist on Simon (Jay/Powers/Givens) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 The amBIGuous Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Necktie Second Deal Best of All Worlds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Hoochie Coochie Aces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Signed, Sealed and Delivered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 The Secret Double Virus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Reverse Faro Coincidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

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MATHEMATICAL MYSTERIES PUNCH INTRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 PM Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Punch Work Punch Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Punch for Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Numerical Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Hide and Seek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Heisting Histed Heisted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Sunken Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 The Breather Crimp Code 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Clocking Mod 13 The 7 Card 21 Card Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Gene Finnell’s Free Cut Principle Steinmeyer’s Nine Card Problem with Seven Cards Total Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 The Hummer Parity Principle Cut and Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

PREPARED CARD MYSTERIES Animazement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 The Braue Reversal Back to Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Riffle Force The Mystery Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 The Hamman Count Red Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The Hindu Shuffle The Paintbrush Change Subtle Princess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Dingle’s Nolap Switch Invisible Triumph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Double Decker Sandwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Finders Keepers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 The Money Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Tri-EASY-Thon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

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COIN MYSTERIES Flipped Out (Jaxon/Gerard/Powers) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Ten to One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Tarnex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Matrix Reverse Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Expanding Expenditure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Twice Told Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 The Kaps Subtlety The Palm Change Pushing "Two Quarters" (John West) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 The Click Pass Goshman Pinch Progressive Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Captain Hook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 Ramsay Subtlety Minimalist Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 More Flipin’ Out Ramsay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

MISCELLANEOUS MYSTERIES Smokin' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 Double Your Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 The Bill Switch Ring Transpo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Routined Rubber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Paper View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Strawnomenon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

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FOREWORD

Twenty years have past since I first met Mike Powers. It was at the DMS (Desert Magic Seminar) convention, which has been happening in Las Vegas, Nevada for many - many years. In the early eighties, Joe Stevens the convention’s sponsor, placed the emphasis of this convention on close-up magic and this gathering was the high point of the year for any magician who loved card and coin magic. Dai Vernon, and Tony Slydini were always the stars and for a few days each year Las Vegas was the Close-up Mecca of the world. Every convention has moments to remember. I remember very clearly walking into the dealer’s room. A young gentleman by the name of Mike Powers approached, shook my hand, and said that we had the same mentor, Eddie Marlo. We sat down and talked for several hours — we mused over Chicago, Eddie, and the general state of close-up magic in the Midwest. I left Chicago in 1970, when I joined the United States Air Force, and had not been back home for over ten years. So all the news about home, Eddie, and Chicago was fun to hear, but far more important than the usual talk was the fact that we worked on some card problems that afternoon. I remember to this day a suggestion that Mike made about the Interlaced Vanish that was brilliant. I remember walking away from the table saying to myself this fellow Mike Powers truly thinks about card magic. I do not know what gives Mike the ability to consistently to come up with one great magical idea after another. Maybe this talent comes from Mike’s wonderful skill at mathematics and being a great problem solver. (Besides close-up magic, Mike has also been a professional mathematician for most of his working life.) Or maybe the ability simply comes from a great love of the pasteboards. However, what I do know for sure is that Mike loves the challenge of working on a new routine and working on it relentlessly until it becomes a masterpiece. I am grateful to Mike for taking almost a half dozen routines that I have published over the years and elevating them from interesting ideas into great routines. I have only read about one-third of this manuscript, but I can say there are some brilliant ideas and some wonderful visual magic in the following pages. The AmBIGuous Card routine that is contained in this manuscript has become a personal favorite of mine in the last month. It is a visual feast of close-up card magic and leaves the spectator breathless. There is some great sequencing that creates a wonderful and very humorous situation in the Expert Cards To Pocket routine. Getting magic to be humorous – to me is the ultimate art form. The situation becomes funny and it does not matter if you do not have a great ability to tell a joke.

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POWER PLAYS Mike has given his powers of thought to all kinds of objects in this book. Besides the boards, there are effects with coins, rubber bands, rope, rings, and straws. There are some good mental effects that function perfectly in the realm of close-up theater. Mike has given us some real gems of close-up magic and I personally would like to thank him for sharing them with us. Allan Ackerman, Las Vegas, Nevada January 2006

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POWER PLAYS

INTRODUCTION

Over ten years ago when I was working the NYCAN convention in New York, I spent some time talking to Jon Racherbaumer about the book I was working on (this one). It was to be called MOJO. Jon loved the title. Unfortunately, since that time, the word "mojo" has appeared in several magic items, stealing a bit of my thunder so to speak. Then when Austin Powers "lost his mojo", I thought maybe Mike Powers had lost his Mojo too. The power of the word "mojo" has dissipated as it now has become ubiquitous. It is now relegated to the dust jacket flaps as "Get your Mojo workin'." I imagine that by now you are wondering - "What the heck is MOJO anyway." I'll do my best to explain: First of all, the word "mojo" is thought to be a corruption of the word "magic." So, loosely translated, mojo is magic and thus the connection. Actually a mojo is the staple amulet of African-American hoodoo practice. It's a red flannel bag containing several magical items that depend on the particular magic effect desired. You can get a mojo to attract love, to draw money, to remove a jinx, for luck in gambling etc. The bag will generally contain a lucky hand root, a black cat bone, a dried bat heart or an alligator tooth, a John the Conqueror root (generally miscalled a John the Conqueroo by blues singers) and various and sundry other items. If you want to buy a mojo, you can pick one up on the internet for about $15. I don't believe there is one specifically for magicians but be sure to specify your purpose or you may attract a lover instead of winning at poker. The most well known reference to mojo is found in the Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) song, "Got My Mojo Working" and for me this is the connection to magic. Magic is not just a collection of tricks. It's a performance art. The rubber meets the pavement when we are in a performance situation. We know how to execute the "tricks" but now there's an audience in front of us. It's easy to make the mistake that many musicians make when they perform. The performance becomes an "I'll play and you can watch" situation. True professionals generally put on a show during which there is interaction with the audience. This causes the members of the audience feel a connection with the performer. In both environments, magic and music, it's possible to simply perform and let the audience watch. They will be entertained if the tricks/songs are executed well. But the performance is not likely to be very memorable unless there is real interaction. Vito Lupo envisions the performer as the "play maker" in a group of people having fun together. I like this image. You are in the group but you have a special role. For the last 15 years I have been performing weekly at a local restaurant and have really come to appreciate the difference between the "I'll do tricks and you can watch" approach and the "magician as play maker for the group" approach. Being a somewhat shy person, I found it easy to fall into the former category. However with the really fun loving groups I would find myself pulled into the play maker roll and the experience is addictive. After really rocking a group I would think to myself

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POWER PLAYS "You've really got your MOJO working!" I'm finally getting to the point where I can generally create the "Let's have some fun with magic and I'll be the play maker" situation and performing has become a whole lot more fun. Many people are natural performers. I have to make a conscious effort to overcome my innate shyness and really contact the people I work for. There's no magic formula to help you to get your mojo working but there are some excellent books that I have found useful. Darwin Ortiz' "Strong Magic" is excellent as is Juan Tamariz' "The Five Points." Eugene Burger also has written extensively on the performance of magic. Another excellent choice is Gary Kurtz' "Leading With Your Head." Ken Weber's "Maximum Entertainment" is another fine book on this subject. Check these books out, relax and have fun with the people you work for. You'll find that it's not that hard to get your mojo working. O.K., now you need material to work with. That's why you bought this book. You hope to find items that you can use or that make you think, create and/or vary. What, then, do you have here? Essentially this book is a collection of tricks using cards, coins, rubber bands, straws, cigarettes, rings, and bills. It is a "variety pack" of magic effects that I have found to be entertaining to my audiences. Most items are impromptu but some involve gaffuses or set ups. These items are designed to be powerful rather than cute. Don't forget that magic is not funny. We may use comedy as a form of entertainment during a magic performance but magic by its nature creates, as Paul Harris says, "astonishment" not laughter. (Doug Henning called it "wonder.") We've got to decide whether we are comedians who do a bit of magic or magicians who do a bit of comedy. This decision will dictate how you present your magic and what effects you choose. Generally our ultimate goal is entertainment. And a mixture of magic and fun bits of business is most often used to achieve this. Just be careful not to step on the "moment of magic." You need to let the audience experience and savor the moments of astonishment. Don't forget to pause a beat or two at the appropriate moments. Comedians have a hard time with this because silence is deadly in the comedy environment. Take the style of Juan Tamariz. He is zany and comedic during the set up of an effect. But when he's about to take it home, it becomes business. He recaps so that you'll know how impossible what's about to happen is. "You named a number. You named a card. You shuffled the deck. Please count down that number and hold the card...." Of course it's the named card and the audience is devastated. Juan knows how to create maximum magical impact. He wants to blow his audience away with high power magic and yet he is able to play a zany and comedic character without diminishing the impact of the magic itself. I have not given elaborate presentations with the routines herein. That is not my forte. Instead, some general ideas on presentation are given. Some authors give detailed patter with magic effects. I never use these "scripts." I'm sure they work well for their authors but generally they don't sound like me talking. I may, on the other hand, find the theme used in the presentation useful. For example in the effect "Routined Rubber" a physics framework provides a "logic" to the sequence of effects that occur with two rubber bands. I recommend this presentation because I have found that it works quite well. In the given presentation there are questions to the audience that guarantee interaction. In fact, asking a question is probably the single easiest way of getting interaction started. You've compelled a member of the audience to talk to you. I like performances during which magic is constantly happening. I generally don't like long stories in which cards or coins represent things. There are exceptions. Eugene Burger's version of the Gypsy Thread uses a story that creates interest and meaning during potentially boring sequences like the breaking of the thread. The opposite side of this coin is David Blaine who uses the "I haven't got any 12

POWER PLAYS presentation" presentation. "Watch, watch... " or "Here's my concept..." Had he said, "This coin represents good and this one represents evil..." his audience would have kept on walking. Of course the street is not our usual venue. We often have a captive audience that is waiting for dinner to arrive. In any event, you will find yourself presenting the effects from this book in your own way. This is as it should be. This book has been put together over the last 15 years from material gathered since Top Secret Stuff came out in 1990. Some of the items have appeared in MAGIC magazine, Channel 1 and on the TSD internet board. A couple items appeared in my 1996 Wizard's Weekend lecture notes. About two thirds of the items involve cards. Most are ungaffed effects that involve little or no preparation. There are some very powerful mental items in the "Punched" section that are virtually sleightless. These items are suitable for a platform environment or close up. Check out the entire section on "Mathematical Mysteries" for some very powerful effects. Most of the items in the coin section involve standard gaffed coins e.g. shells, flipper coins etc. There are some very visual items. Check out "More Flippin' Out Ramsay", "Progressive Matrix", "Minimalist Matrix" and "Flipped Out." The final section is a real variety pack of items using bills, rings, rubber bands, and straws. When I began writing this book, I made an attempt to use neutral language with regard to sex e.g. s/he, him/her etc. My sister, who is a writer, told me that this would be very difficult to do. She was right. Instead I decided to take the view that the magician is male and that the spectator is female. My wife, Maria, who is herself a magician and a graduate of the Chavez School of Magic under Neil Foster, says that this is fine. She is the one I have to live with. 2005 was the 100th Anniversary of Einstein’s “miracle year” in which he published a series of scientific papers that revolutionized our view of space, time and the atom. As you read, you’ll find an occasional quote from this most creative man. He had an abiding sense of the mysterious. I think he would have liked magic. John S. Rigden, the author of Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness, said, “A few scientific papers, not many, seem like magic. Einstein's May paper is magic.” Perhaps Rigden chose the word “magic” because, like magic, Einstein’s papers evoke a deep sense of the mysterious. I have recently run through every item in the book for the final edit and have rediscovered some things I haven't used for awhile. There's some really good stuff here! I believe that "Power Plays" contains fresh ideas and powerful routines that you can use in the real world. I hope that you will find many useful items that make their way into your working repertoire. Or, put another way, that get your mojo working! Mike Powers February 2006 Check www.mallofmagic.com for corrections/additions and some helpful videos. If an area is password protected, try mojo02.

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POWER PLAYS

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POWER PLAYS

UNPREPARED CARD MYSTERIES

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." Albert Einstein

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POWER PLAYS

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OPEN TRAVELERS TRANSPO REDUX

EFFECT: The four aces and four kings are openly removed. The kings are placed aside for the moment. One ace is placed face down in the center of the pad and is designated as the “leader ace.” One of the remaining three aces is placed into the “invisible palm” in the right hand. The invisible ace is placed onto the leader where it becomes visible. This happens again with the 2nd ace, leaving the magic guy with a single ace. This ace is placed into the king packet as three aces now remain spread on the pad. The king packet is shown to contain five cards viz. four kings and the last ace. The magician asks the spectator to blow on the cards. The cards are immediately spread. There are only four. The magician points down to the pad. There are now four cards there! The upper card is turned over and indeed it is the missing ace. For a killer ending, the four aces on the pad are shown to now be kings. When the king packet is checked, it is found to be the four aces! REQUISITES: Any deck containing the four aces and four kings. SET-UP: None. PROCEDURE: Openly remove the four aces and four kings and arrange them in the following order, face up from the top down: AD, AC, AH, AS, KH, KD, KC, KS. Spread the cards face up so the spectators can see that the two groups are segregated. Square up, obtaining an Erdnase break over the bottom card (KS). (The break is at the outer right corner and is held with the tip of the right 3rd finger as the packet is held in Biddle Grip i.e. thumb at inner end, fingers at outer end.) Using the left thumb, peel the first two aces, one by one, onto the left palm (AD, AC). Now, as your right hand returns so that AH can be peeled, take the two aces from the left hand back under the right hand’s packet as the AH is peeled. Immediately return the right hand packet to the left hand as, this time, your right 2nd finger rotates the four cards above the break to the left, allowing the left hand to take this group on the single ace of hearts. It should appear that you have taken all four aces into the left hand. STATUS CHECK: Your right hand has three cards that the spectators believe to be the four kings. From the top down they are: KS, AC, AD. Your left hand has five cards that the spectators believe to be the four aces. They are from the top down: AS, KH, KD, KC, AH. Place the “kings” packet off to the left face up as you say, “We’ll get back to the kings in a moment.” You might want to place this packet near the inner edge so that the spectators will be less inclined to touch it. Now flip the ace packet face down in the left hand and spread the five cards as four, keeping the last two grouped as one. Take the top card (AH) in the right hand and flash its face as you say, “I’d like to show you a small miracle with the aces.” Place the AH to the bottom of the packet and take the packet face down in right hand Biddle grip. Now peel the first three cards face down into your left 17

POWER PLAYS Hold the 4 cards as five, face down in the left hand at chest level. Drop your right hand out of frame and onto the table as you lean forward a bit. Move your left hand toward a spectator as you say, “Please blow on the cards.” All eyes will be following your left hand. Using this as misdirection, use your right hand to push the top card of the tabled packet a bit to the right exposing it as four cards. Do not look down yet. Make eye contact with the spectator as she blows on the left hand’s packet. Bring the right hand back into frame and tap the top card as you say, “I think you’ve blown it away.” Spread the packet so that it is clear that there are only four cards. Now look down, directing the spectators’ attention to the tabled cards. They will see that a fourth card has appeared! Flip the upper card of the tabled spread face up revealing the ace of hearts. Count the cards you are holding, reversing their order, then flip over the top double. The king of spades will show. Say, “The kings were not strong enough to hold onto the ace.” Flip the double face down and drop the packet face down on the pad. Pick up the packet with the face up ace of hearts on top. Pull the second card to the right and use it to flip the ace face down. Finally drop this card (KH) face down on top. Both packets are set for an Elmsley Count. THE BIG ENDING: Say, “Watch what happens if I blow on the aces.” Blow on the packet. Now flip it face up and Elmsley Count as four kings as you say, “Looks like I blew them all away!” Place these cards face up on the table as you pick up the other packet. Turn it face up and Elmsley Count as four aces. This should destroy any remaining brain cells and cause a core melt down in your spectators. CREDITS: I’ve always liked Don England’s “Open Travelers Plus” from Lorayne’s Best of Friends. Don came up with the efficient method of getting one ahead after the first ace joins the packet. He also had the kicker ending of finding that the aces have become kings. Don still went back to the deck for a standard last card, using the “rubaway vanish.” Here, a packet of kings is openly introduced and used as “guards” to make the last ace “more difficult.” You also get a transposition at the end instead of a change from aces to kings. It’s also very easy to clean up this routine at the end by dropping the ace packet onto the kings. You can then simply cut the top three aces to the bottom, leaving four kings followed by four aces.

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IMPOSSIBLE COLLECTORS

The Walton “Collectors” plot is very popular in card magic. Variations abound. What distinguishes the variation below is its high degree of impossibility. The collecting cards are removed from the deck initially and set aside. A spectator places the deck onto the collecting cards and cuts the deck, centralizing the “collectors.” It seems utterly impossible that the selections could have found their way into the collector group under these impossible conditions. EFFECT: The performer removes the four queens and places them in a face-up pile on the table. Three selections are made and returned to three different parts of the deck. Now a spectator places the deck onto the queens and cuts them into the center. Everything is out of the magician’s hands. The spectator spreads the deck to find that there are now three face down cards interlaced among the queens. They are the selections! PROCEDURE: Cull the four queens and place them face up on the face-down deck with the two black queens uppermost. Spread the cards, displaying the queens, and obtain a left fourth finger break under the seventh card (i.e. under the third face-down X card) while the spread cards are squared with the deck. Momentarily lift the seven cards (as four) in Biddle grip with your right hand as you say, “I don’t want anyone to select a queen. They will be used later.” As these words are spoken, obtain a left fourth finger break under the top card of the deck in readiness for Marlo’s ATFUS move. To wit: The right hand lowers its packet onto the deck as the right thumb takes over the break formerly held by the left fourth finger. The right hand now controls eight cards, the right thumb holding a break between the seven card packet and the eighth card. The deck is being held in left hand dealing position with the left thumb on the top queen. The left thumb holds the top queen in place as the right hand moves the other seven cards to the right and clear of the deck. The right hand now brings its packet back to the deck where the left thumb peels the next queen on top of the first one but jogged slightly to the right. This peeling action happens one more time leaving three queens face up on the deck. Now the right hand brings its packet back to the deck and continues moving to the left, squaring the queens. The right thumb (assisted by the left third finger) leaves the bottom face down card covering the three face up queens and moves away, tabling its four card packet. STATUS CHECK: The tabled packet consists of a face-up red queen covering three face down X cards. The deck from top down has one face-down X card followed by three face-up queens (a red queen uppermost) and the remainder of the face-down deck. You are now ready for the selection process. Spread the deck for card selection being careful not to flash the three face up queens. Have three cards selected, each one by a different spectator. You are now going to interlace the selections among the 21

IMPOSSIBLE COLLECTORS over the outer short edge and lever the selection into Kelly Bottom Placement position. (See figure 2) As the right hand’s packet is replaced onto the deck, the bottom card is inserted into the break held by the left 4th finger and then the deck is squared. Now use a buckle to get a left 4th finger break over the bottom card. Repeat the riffling action obtaining second selection near the middle of the deck. Use the same Kelly Bottom Fig. 2 Placement technique to replace this selection 2nd from bottom (into the break). Finally, repeat the riffling action a 3rd time obtaining a selection in the bottom half of the deck. Again use the Kelly Bottom Placement, this time to place the card at the bottom of the deck. This leaves the deck in the same condition as the original selection process so you can proceed as described above i.e. having the spectator place the deck on the tabled queens etc. By the way - Allan Ackerman has a great handling of the Kelly Bottom Placement. It’s called Ackerman Varies Kelly and it appears in his fine book Las Vegas Kardma. I believe it is also found on one of his A-1 Videos. In Ackerman’s variation the right fingers do not wrap around the front of the deck in the familiar “tell tale” position. Ackerman’s method also has a convincer (a la Marlo’s Convincing Control) where the selection is apparently outjogged when it actually has been positioned on or near the bottom. Check it out. CREDITS: Kevin King and I developed a collectors at the Fechter’s convention a few years ago. This routine was published in The Precursor. Randy DiMarco came up with a collectors routine during the session in which three of the queens were left in the deck. Randy’s idea of apparently placing four queens on the table but actually leaving three in the deck is what got me thinking in the direction taken in this routine. His routine was also published in The Precursor.

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I.T.H. TRIUMPH

Marlo contended that the Triumph effect suffered from a confusing ending. When the cards are spread, two features split your attention - 1) The reversed cards have been straightened 2) the selection has been found. The Triumph effect about to be described has been sequenced so that three clear-cut magical effects occur one at a time. It also uses a great Triumph convincer published in Larry Jennings’ Up In Smoke. Furthermore, it has the advantage of being done without the aid of a table or close up pad, thus the I.T.H. (In The Hands) in the title. EFFECT: A card is selected and “lost” in the deck. The magician then takes half the cards face up and shuffles them into the other face down group. The cards are clearly face up into face down. The packets are pushed together. The magician says that the top face up card (say the jack of clubs) is a “magic card.” The top card is turned face down as the magi says, “If the face up jack is turned face down, all the other face up cards follow his lead.” The deck is spread between the hands showing that indeed all the face up cards are now face down! The deck is squared. Now the jack is turned face up. When the deck is spread, the other 51 cards have magically followed his lead and turned face up. Finally, the deck is given a shake and the jack disappears from the face. The magician says, “The jack of clubs is looking for his brother the jack of spades. Together they will find your card.” The deck is spread face up and the two jacks are found in the middle of the deck. Between them is a single face down card. The card turns out to be the selection! PROCEDURE: Spread the deck toward yourself and locate a pair of “mates” e.g. the jack of clubs and the jack of spades. Cut one on the bottom of the face up deck and openly position the other one at the face of the deck. During this open culling process say “I’m going to have you select a card but I want to be sure it’s not my “magic card” so I’ll place the magic card on the bottom of the deck. Select any card except the bottom card.” Spread the deck face down for a selection. Tell the spectator to show the selection to the others. Turn your back while this is transpiring, apparently to give privacy. While your back is turned, take the lower half of the face down deck and turn it face up underneath the top half. Maintain a right thumb break between the two sections. (The deck is held in right hand Biddle Grip during this process.) Your left thumb then peels the top card into the left hand. Immediately the right hand places the deck onto this card as the break between the reversed halves is picked up by the left 4th finger. This may sound like a lot of business but it only takes a few seconds. Turn around and take the selection from the spectator. Hold it up for a moment and tell the spectators to remember the card since they won’t be seeing it for a few minutes. You now insert the selection into the break held by the left 4th finger, finally obtaining a left 4th finger break over the selection. STATUS CHECK: From the top down: 1) approximately half the deck face down above the left 4th finger break 2) the selection face down beneath the break 3) approximately half the deck face up 4) a face down card on the bottom. (N.B. It’s a good idea to have slightly more than half the cards face up below the break. This makes the impending shuffle easier.) Also note that the bottom card of the deck

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POWER PLAYS the spectators of the supposed condition of the deck. Openly and cleanly push the two halves together being sure that it is absolutely clear that nothing “fishy” is taking place. Say, “It would take the average person about 25 seconds to straighten out the 26 face up cards. Luckily I have a very powerful card. It’s the one I placed on the bottom earlier.” Name the top face up card (one of the black jacks) as the magic card. Say, “If I flip the jack face down, all the cards are forced to follow his lead.” Suiting action to words, flip the top card face down and then spread the deck, showing that all the reversed cards have turned over! (Be careful not to flash the bottom card!) This very clear moment of magic is not made confusing by the presence of the reversed selection as in the standard Triumph. Now, while the magic is sinking in, you must perform a Half Pass of the 51 cards below the top card. Figure 5 shows this action in progress. (You simply flip over the 51 cards under the top card.) The “deceptivity” of the move can be increased by immediately rotating the deck clockwise 180 degrees (The Christ Twist). At this point 50 cards are face up below the top two face down cards. The 2nd card from the top is the selection. Say, Fig. 5 “Did you see your card?? Of course not. The cards were face down. I’ll just turn the jack face up and look...” Suiting action to words, flip the top card (the black jack) face up being careful not to spread past the 2nd card. Immediately spread the cards, keeping the top few cards in a tight spread so as not to flash the reversed card 2nd from top. Apparently 51 cards have magically reversed themselves. This really kills because the handling is so clean. It is also a second very clear moment of magic. All that remains is to reveal the selection that is reversed 2nd from top. Perform a Turnover Pass as you turn the deck face down or openly perform a pass centralizing the selection. (You may alternately simply cut the deck. But a Turnover Pass is the best way to go.) Say, “Our leader card was able to flip 26 face up cards to face down and then 51 face down cards to face up. This time he’s on a mission to find your card. He’s going to need help so I think he’s going to find his brother - the jack of spades.” Turn the deck face up and show that the leader card has disappeared from the top of the deck. Spread the cards face up showing that the two black jacks are together in the center of the deck, sandwiching a single reversed card. Allow the spectator to remove the face down card. It’s the selection! FINAL THOUGHTS: Vernon’s Triumph is one of the classics of card magic. It plays wonderfully in its original form where all cards are face down except the selection. Anyone who has used the original or a variation knows its power. I don’t believe that Marlo meant to cast dispersions on the original but rather meant to suggest that separating the effects might have merit. CREDITS: The face up/face down convincer sequence used above is from Larry Jennings’ Up In Smoke and is attributed to Bill Goodwin.

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RED ROVER

EFFECT: Two packets of six cards are culled from the deck. One contains six black cards, the other six red cards. A spectator is asked to think of one of the red cards and concentrate on it. When the spectator reveals the identity of the thought of card, the magician shows that the red packet now contains only five cards and the black packet now contains seven. The thought of red card is found to be the extra card in the black packet. SET-UP: None ROUTINE: Create two packets of six cards each - one all red, one all black. A typical packet should contain no cards below a seven and no duplicate card types e.g. AH, KH, JD, 9D, 8H, 7H. The cards are all red, all above six and contain no duplicate card types. The black packet might be: KS, QC, JC, 10S, 8C, 7S. These may be preset and put into a card wallet just for this routine if you like. Spread both packets of cards on the table face up and ask the spectator whether she prefers the red cards or the black cards. Let’s say she chooses red. Say, “In a moment you will think of one of the red cards. However I don’t want psychology to be a factor. You might be drawn to the picture cards or the ace. You might reject them as too obvious. Please turn the red cards face down and shuffle them so you do not know the position of any card.” During this phase the magician shuffles the black packet and holds it face up in left hand dealing position maintaining a break under the 2nd card from the top. Spread the red packet face down on the pad and ask the spectator to think of a number between one and six. Say, “This random number will allow you to select a random red card and not be influenced by psychology.” Pick up the red packet and place it face up onto the face up black packet in your left hand. Spread the red cards and say, “I want you to remember the card that is located at the number you are thinking of. Thus if you are thinking of ONE, this is your card.” Point at the face card of the packet. “If you are thinking of TWO, this is your card.” Now point at the 2nd card from the face. Continue this process with the other four cards, each time reminding the spectator which number goes with the card. At the end of this sequence say, “Do you know which card you are thinking of? It’s the card that is at your thought of number.” Hopefully the procedure was clear to the spectator and she is thinking of the proper card. It is important to be very clear as to what the spectator’s role is here. It’s easy for the spectator to be confused. (N.B. Don’t look at the spectator during this process. She may think that you detected a reaction at a certain point and guessed the thought of card. Also, the reason for using cards above six is so that no card’s index can be any of the thought of numbers from 1 to 6. This avoids some potential confusion.) Let’s say that the spectator’s thought of number is 4 and that she is thinking of the nine of diamonds.

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STATUS CHECK:: You are maintaining a break above the bottom four cards of the now twelve-card packet. The spectator is thinking of both a number and a card. 27

POWER PLAYS Square up the twelve-card packet in left hand mechanic’s grip, maintaining the break above the bottom four cards. The right hand moves over the packet and contacts the upper group with thumb at inner edge and fingers at outer edge (Biddle Grip). See figure 1 with left hand removed for clarity. The four cards below the break are held by the left hand in a mechanic’s grip. Say, “Don’t forget your thought of number or card. Look at it one more time.” Now, suiting action to words, the left Fig. 1 thumb holds the top card in place (7H in the figure), and in alignment with the four cards below the break, as the right hand moves the seven cards between the top card and the break to the right and free of the packet. The left 4th finger stays where it was to maintain a break between this red card and the four black cards beneath it. The spectator must believe that eleven cards have been moved to the right leaving only the top card in the left hand. To create this illusion, it is important that the first peeled card be nearly perfectly aligned with the four black cards held back in the left hand. You should keep them in a deep grip and use the left first finger to mask the outer short edge. Say, “This card goes with the number one.” The right hand immediately returns to the left allowing the left thumb to peel the next red card onto the packet in the left hand as you say, “This card goes with the number two.” Continue peeling the other red cards for the numbers three, four and five. When the sixth (last) red card is reached a secret switch is going to take place. This is the Veeser Concept: To wit: Since you held a left 4th finger break under the first peeled red card, you now have 5 red cards above the break in the left hand. The right hand’s packet contains the last red card at the face and two black cards. This packet is brought to the left as though the last red card were going to be peeled. The packet comes flush with the 5 red cards above the break. The right hand now takes control of all 8 cards above the break. The left thumb holds the 6th red card in place as the right hand moves to the right with the other seven cards above the break. A black card shows at the face of the right hand packet, reinforcing the notion that the left hand has all six red cards and the right hand has the six black cards. The right hand tables its seven card packet face up. Point at the packet in the left hand and say, “You are merely thinking of one of these red cards. No one can know which one.” You may, if you wish, turn the packet face down and perform a false count of five as six. Be sure you return the single red card to the face of the packet at the end of the count. If the spectator has thought of a number other than six, you are all set to proceed to the finale. If she did think of “six”, the card she is thinking of is the only red card in the packet of supposed red cards. We’ll treat this special case at the end. All other numbers are handled in the same fashion. Say, “Earlier you thought of a random number between one and six. For the first time, tell us what number you thought of.” Let’s say the number is four. Turn the red packet face down and spread the cards, clearly showing there to be only 5. Square up and place the “red” packet face up on the pad (obviously with the red card at its face!). Say, “One of the red cards is missing.” Make sure it’s clear that your hands are empty as you slowly pick up the packet with the two black cards at the face. You may move one of the cards, exposing the other as you turn the packet face down. This reinforces the “total blackness” of the packet. Spread the packet face down clearly showing seven cards. Say, “There are seven cards here now. It would be amazing if the missing red card were here. It would be even more amazing if it was your thought of card. It would be totally impossible if the card knew what number you thought of too. The number you merely thought of was what?? Four?” Outjog the 4th card in 28

RED ROVER the spread and square up the other cards, leaving the 4th card outjogged. Slowly turn the packet face up, showing that the outjogged card is the thought of card for the killer climax! Remove the card and drop it onto the face of the tabled “red” packet. CLEANING UP: If you wish to end with the cards segregated by color, just get a right thumb break under the top two cards of the supposed black packet. Place this packet onto the tabled red packet and then cut at the break. This leaves the 6 red cards at the face with the black group at the back. THE SPECIAL CASE: What if the spectator thought of SIX? Occasionally a spectator will think of the number six. It’s infrequent but it happens. Here’s a solution: Place the supposed red packet face down in left hand dealing position. The face card is the spectator’s thought of card in this case. Pick up the “black” packet and flip it face down on the table. Say, “I’m going to do something extraordinary.” Snap your fingers and say, “I’ve made the red cards change - all except for your thought of card.” (Note that this is before the spectator has named her card.) Take the face down packet from left hand into right hand Biddle grip. Now use your left thumb to peel the cards singly into the left hand. However, you must take the first peeled card back under the right hand packet as you continue the count. When you reach the “sixth” card, place it on the bottom. This leaves the selection on top. Snap your fingers over the top card and deal it face down to the table. Flip the four black cards face up. Now use the same type count described above to show the four cards as five black cards i.e. take the first card back under the right hand’s cards. Apparently you have five black cards. Finally show the tabled card to be the selection. This ending is not as strong but it’s not bad. You won’t have to use it often, but it’s there when you need it. (Note - you could simply palm out the bottom card of the packet and pull it from your pocket for a strong ending.) FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a very strong routine but it’s certainly not an opener. It takes time and energy to set the stage properly and avoid potential confusion on the part of your spectator. Since considerable time is spent setting up the effect, it is even more important than usual that magic happens at the end. I once had a spectator name a card that wasn’t in either packet. She evidently had forgotten the card and just made one up. It’s a good idea to have an Invisible deck or Brainwave deck for moments like this. CREDITS: Jon Racherbaumer credits Edward G. Brown with the first routine of this type from over 40 years ago. I saw Ricky Jay perform a thought of card across on television years ago. He used a complete packet switch to achieve the result. Obviously, if you can switch the packets, the thought of card will be in the other packet. Jon published an effect called Biddling Brown in the Round in Card Fixes (1990). This was the starting point for this routine. I have used the Marlo technique described in Card Fixes to partially switch the packets. What I have added is the dimension of color to really clarify what cards are where. I have used the original routine many times and have found that the addition of color strengthens it. It also provides a method for dealing with the possibility that the spectator thinks of the number six. This was not done in the original routine. You were just hung out to dry if that happened (and it has happened to me).

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ACE TO FACE

EFFECT: This is the classic plot from Sachs and later updated by Dr. Daley in “The Cavorting Aces.” As in the original, the red aces are openly placed together in the center of the deck with a black ace on the top and bottom. The red and black aces repeatedly change places in a very magical manner. The original routine lacked a climax. This was solved by Daley in “The Cavorting Aces” when the aces vanish from the deck and were reproduced from the pockets. The routine presented here ends in a very startling manner. Instead of changing places with the black aces, the red aces visibly become the red kings and likewise the black aces become the black kings! SET UP: Spread the cards face up and openly cull and remove the four aces. During the cull covertly move the four kings to the bottom of the face up deck in black, black, red, red order i.e. the black kings are on the bottom. Flip the deck face down in left hand dealing position and have a spectator look at the four aces. While this examination is in progress double cut the top two (black) kings to the bottom. You will now centralize the two red kings while maintaining a left fourth fingertip break below them. Here’s how: The right hand moves to the left in readiness to break the deck for an overhand shuffle. Normally the right hand would take the bottom half of the deck for the shuffle. This time the right hand takes the top half of the deck while the left hand continues to hold the bottom half. This can be facilitated by holding a left 4th finger break near the center before the right hand picks up the upper half for the shuffle. Run the top two cards (red kings) onto the left hand half deck maintaining a left 4th finger break under them. Now shuffle off the rest of the pack from the right hand, maintaining the left 4th finger break throughout.

Fig. 1

ROUTINE: Lift all the cards above the break using the right hand (Biddle Grip). Now tell the spectator to place the two red aces face down onto the left hand’s half deck. Drop the right hand’s portion onto the two red aces. Don’t hold any breaks this time. Now place one of the black aces face down on top and the other on the bottom of the still face down deck. Flip the deck face up. A black ace shows at the face. Outjog the bottom card (other ace) and spread to the two red aces in the center being careful not to expose any of the kings i.e. (1) keep the first three to five cards in a block so as not to expose the black kings and (2) make a tight spread so you can stop at the red aces without showing the red kings behind them. The resulting condition is depicted in figure 1. Say, “The red aces are in the center.”

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POWER PLAYS spectators see a black ace at the face. Outjog the other black ace (bottom card) and say, “The black aces are on top and bottom.” Get ready to perform the Turnover Pass as you say, “Remember what happens if I turn the deck over and snap my fingers?” The spectators will recall that the red aces should transpose with the blacks. Say, “This time I’ll snap twice. Do you know what happens now?” Before they can answer you perform the Turnover Pass, snap twice and as you rotate the bottom card into view say, “The red ones jump to the top and bottom, only this time they become Kings!” You now outjog the bottom king so it’s clear that both aces have become kings. Spread to the center as you say, “And if the red aces have become the red kings, the black aces must have become the black kings.” Again be careful not to spread past the centered kings or the black aces will be seen. FINAL THOUGHTS: People may ask what has happened to the aces. Luckily the aces are completely under control (two are beneath the black kings at center and the other two are 2nd and 3rd from the bottom). The aces can easily be moved to more strategic locations (like top or bottom) and then produced in any number of ways e.g. a cutting sequence, from the pocket etc. I generally perform Gary Oulette’s “3 Second Wonder” which is described on page 28 of Close Up Illusions. This is a very quick and simple ace cutting sequence. There are many Passes or Shifts that can be substituted for the classic Herrmann Pass. Marlo’s End Tap Pass or Wrist Turn Pass both possess the right qualities. Also Steve Draun’s Midnight Shift may be used for a more visual change. If you’ve got a hot Classic Pass, try it face up for a very visual change.

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EXPERT CARDS TO POCKET

I’ve been using this routine at conventions for years. A lot of people have asked about it, so here it is. As with most card to pocket routines, extensive use of palming is necessary. If you have not yet mastered the art of palming, you will find that the types of palms used here are extremely deceptive under fire and are not prone to angle problems. Take this opportunity to learn two excellent palming techniques even if you don’t apply them to the routine at hand. EFFECT: Two spectators each select a card and sign it. The cards are “lost” in the deck. The magician’s empty hand goes into his outer right jacket pocket and finds the 1st spectator’s card. The same card immediately returns to the same pocket. Next the same card is found in the right inside jacket pocket. The magician turns to the 2nd spectator and asks her to concentrate on her card. A card is removed from the left outside jacket pocket but this card turns out to be the 1st spectator’s card for the fourth time! The card is returned to the deck. Now the deck is found to have disappeared. The magician is holding a single card. It turns out to be the 1st spectator’s card for the 5th time! The card is placed on the table. Finally the magician removes a wallet from his inside left jacket pocket. Inside is an envelope containing a card. But this card again turns out to be the 1st spectator’s card (for the 6th time)! The second spectator is directed to look at the tabled card. It turns out to be her signed card. This effect plays big. I use it both close up and from platform. There are a lot of opportunities for humor since the 1st spectator’s card keeps materializing when the second spectator’s card is expected. Finding the first spectator’s card in the wallet is a total shocker. PREPARATION: Before beginning, you must have an X card in your right outer jacket pocket with the face of the card toward your body. Optionally, a LePaul or Kaps wallet is in your inner left jacket pocket. (Obviously you must be wearing a sports jacket.) ROUTINE: A fair amount of palming is needed to create this effect, but the palming methods are very deceptive and not difficult. Many magicians shun effects involving palming. Please read the method before deciding whether or not to attempt this very powerful and entertaining piece of magic. Ask two people to assist. One should be on your right, the other on your left side. Give each spectator a marking pen and then spread the cards, faces toward the spectator on your right. (Let’s say her name is Mary.) Allow her to see the faces and request that a card with a fair amount of white space be selected so the signature is visible from a distance. While she is signing the card, request the same from the spectator on your left. (Let’s say that her name is Tina.) Have the spectator on the right return her card to the deck and control it to the top using your “favorite method.” Obtain a TILT break under the top card and insert spectator two’s selection into the break, apparently placing it into the center of the deck. Perform a triple turnover as you say, “No one’s card is 33

POWER PLAYS

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

You are now going to use the Erdnase Bottom Palm to palm the selection (on the bottom) into the left hand. Move the deck forward until the inner left corner reaches the position shown in figure 6. If you don’t use this palm, you will have to experiment to find the location of this point on your left palm. It is the pivot point. The bottom card must be able to rotate clockwise on this pivot point and end up in full palm in the left hand. Figure 7 shows the beginning of the palming action from below, exposing the important finger positions. To initiate the palm, the left 1st finger pulls inward at the outer right corner, causing the bottom card to buckle. This causes the inner right corner to open a bit, allowing the left 4th finger to contact the card at its inner right corner and force it to rotate clockwise a small amount. This small rotation must move the outer right corner of the bottom card about a quarter of an inch to the right of the deck allowing your right 4th finger to contact it. Figure 7 shows the right 4th finger just about to contact the card. At this point the right 4th finger will do all the work. The left fingers straighten a bit to allow the card freedom to rotate into the palm. Immediately, the right 4th finger moves inward, causing the card to pivot at its inner left corner and into the left palm. Figure 8 shows the card just as it reaches its final destination. This is one of the most deceptive and angle proof palms in existence. The move may seem difficult. It’s not. Read the description again with deck in hand and I think you will find that this move will begin to fall into place quickly. The spectators are watching the right hand and right pocket. This time the card will “appear” in the inner right jacket pocket as follows: The right hand takes the deck in a Biddle Grip (fingers at outer edge, thumb at inner edge) and moves away from the left hand. The left hand moves inward with its palmed card. Immediately twitch the right wrist as you say, “This time the card goes up my sleeve and into my pocket.” Your left hand enters the right side of your jacket and pretends to reach into the pocket there. While the hand is out of view, bring the palmed card to the fingertips. I like to turn the card so its back is outward when the hand emerges. The left hand now emerges with its card in full view. Pause a beat to build suspense, and then show Mary that her card has traveled magically again. Say, “Look, Mary, the card with your name on it has traveled again.” If you are performing from platform, it is important to remind everyone that the card is signed and get verification from Mary that it is indeed the same card.

erdnasemagicstore.com Fig. 9

Place the card face up on the deck and reposition the deck into left hand dealing position. Obtain a TILT break under the top two cards. Immediately remove 36

EXPERT CARDS TO POCKET the top card (1st selection) with the right hand and insert it face down into the TILT break. Use the right thumb to push the selection flush with the deck but maintain a right thumb break under the top card in readiness for what is to happen next. Look at Mary (on your right) and say, “Let’s see what happened to Tina’s card.” Now, as you turn to your left, your right hand moves to the position shown in figure 9. Note how the right fingers completely cover the outer edge of the deck. Also Fig. 10 note the position of the right thumb at inner left. As you are turning to the left to face Tina, the right hand moves the entire deck inward into a Gambler’s Cop position and then moves forward again with only the top card. Figure 10 shows the situation at this point. The left hand controls the 51 card deck while the right hand holds just one card (Tina’s Card - the 2nd selection). The spectators must believe that the single card is the entire deck. This is why the right fingers cover the front edge. Say, “Tina, say ‘Card Go’.” As Tina speaks these words, your body turns even further to the left while both hands move inward toward the left side of the body. Now the left hand, with its copped 51 card deck, moves away from the right hand and enters the left outside jacket pocket. Your right hand provides cover for this move as it remains in position holding a single card as the entire deck. The deck is released inside the pocket as the left hand takes the top card (Mary’s card) and emerges from the pocket with the back of the card toward the audience. Everyone expects this card to be Tina’s card. (Note: You’ll need to continue to face toward the left so that the single card appears to be the entire deck.) Show Tina the face of the card as you say, “Tina, does this card look familiar?” Pause a beat and then look at the face of the card. Act surprised as you look at Mary. Look back at Tina and say, “Oops, I forgot to tell you not to make Mary’s card go. Let’s try it again.” The left hand now turns its card face down and feigns inserting it into the left long edge of the “deck.” Once the card has entered the space beneath the card held in the right hand, it is brought flush with the right hand’s card and squared so the two cards can now be handled as one. Apparently you have placed Mary’s card into the center of the deck. Be sure to keep the front edge covered by the right fingers so the double card can continue to be viewed as the entire deck. Again look at Tina (on the left) and say, “Tina, this time I want you to say ‘card go’ but don’t make Mary’s card go.” When Tina says this, the right fingers and thumb slide to the right, gripping the two cards as one between the right thumb at inner edge and 2nd finger at outer edge. Flex the card(s) making sure that everyone sees that the deck has vanished, leaving what is apparently a single card in the right hand. Finally, rotate the face of the card toward yourself and then outward so that everyone can see that the card is still the first selection (Mary’s card). Say, “I think you said ‘cardS go.’ Well at least you followed instructions. You didn’t make Mary’s card go.” Pause for several beats to allow the effect to sink in. The entire deck has vanished!! Now for the killer ending:

Fig. 11

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Use the left hand to help the right hand regrip the card(s) as shown in figure 11. Note the position of the outer right corner on the right 4th finger. This is the 37

POWER PLAYS pivot point for the last palm. The face of the card is shown one last time. The right hand then moves the card(s) to the left hand and parallel to the floor. The left hand begins to take the card(s) with thumb on top and fingers below. The left fingers push the bottom card of the double to the right allowing the card to pivot on the right 4th finger, and into a full palm. Once the right hand has control of the palmed card, it moves away, leaving the upper card of the double gripped by the left hand. The right hand immediately moves into the inner left side of the jacket as you say, “Luckily, I have one more pocket and one more card.” Move the card to the right fingertips and then bring the right hand out of the jacket with the back of the card toward the audience. Keep it close to your body so that you cannot see its face. Everyone expects it to finally be the 2nd selection. The left hand drops its card onto the table as though it’s unimportant. Focus attention on the card as you ask Tina (on the left) for the name of her card. When she names the card, look at the face of the card and then look at Mary. Say, “I can’t believe it. This is still your card.” Even though people are blown away at this moment, there is something comedic about it. People always laugh, evidently about the plight of the poor magician who cannot seem to get the 2nd selection. It will quickly dawn on people that the card on the table was supposed to be Mary’s signed card. Focus attention on the tabled card by staring at it as you say, “Wait! That card was Mary’s card. I wonder....” Hold Mary’s card in your right hand and slowly begin to pick up the tabled card with the left hand, building suspense. Finally show it to Tina and the audience. With arms up and a card in each hand, you are in applause cue position. Take your bow and accept the thunderous applause. FINAL THOUGHTS: I really have a lot of fun performing this routine. There is quite a bit of fun byplay with the spectators, and a whole lot of very powerful magic. I generally use a LePaul Wallet with the envelope in my inner left jacket pocket. Then, instead of simply finding the card in the pocket, the wallet is removed and the envelope is extracted. Everyone anticipates the impossible but expects the card in the envelope to be the unfound card. The use of the wallet and envelope adds even more power to an already powerful routine. For walk around magic an envelope is cumbersome because it doesn’t reset. I’d use a Kaps-Balducci style wallet in that environment. CREDITS: Don England had a great cards to pocket routine in TKO’s called Phase 51. As far as I know, Don was the first to publish a cards to pocket routine in which the deck vanishes. I’ve beefed up the concept quite a bit by introducing a second spectator and two selected cards as well as more “phases.”

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M-MAIL

EFFECT: The spectator is asked if she has ever heard of “e-mail” or electronic mail. The magician explains that magicians use “m-mail” or magic mail and offers a demonstration. The spectator selects a card and writes a short message to her friend across the table e.g. “Hi John, I think I love you!” She then signs the card, which is then placed on the pad. The deck is placed inside the card case and the case is placed in front of her friend John. Now the magician folds up the “message card.” The magician says, “Here’s how m-mail works - just tap the back of my hand.” When the magician’s hand opens, it is found that the message card has vanished! John is requested to open the card case, which represents the magical mailbox. When the deck is removed, a folded card is found inside the deck. John opens the card finding the message signed by his friend. METHOD: Have the spectator choose a card from the face up deck. Let’s say it’s the 5S. Pull the 5S from the deck and place it on the pad as you say, “Have you ever heard of e-mail?” Engage in some brief banter with the spectator e.g. are you on-line? etc. During this time cut the deck at the mate of the 5S (the 5C) bringing the 5C to the face. Keep the deck angled away from the spectators so that they are not aware of this card. Apparently you just cut the deck. Now place the spectator’s card (5S) face up onto the 5C being careful not to flash the 5C. Say, “Magicians use something called m-mail or magic mail. Let me give you a demonstration. Please write a short message to your friend John over there and then sign your initials. You can just write ‘Hi John’ if you like.” (Take advantage of this opportunity to have some fun with the spectators.) At this point you have moved the deck in front of the spectator. You continue to hold the deck, which provides a stable writing surface. Spectators will not interpret this as subterfuge. Allow the ink to dry for a moment and then turn the double face down on the otherwise face up deck, which is held in left hand dealing position. The right hand now moves over to take the top card only in a Biddle type grip with the fingers at the outer short edge and the thumb at inner short edge. As soon as the right hand has control of the top card (5C), the left hand performs a wrist turn, turning palm downward so the reversed card is not seen. The right hand places the supposed selection face down on the pad and then immediately takes the deck momentarily, allowing the left hand to re-take the deck face down in dealing position. STATUS CHECK: The deck is face down in left hand dealing position with the signed selection (5S) face up on the bottom. The mate of the selection (5C) is face down on the pad. The spectators believe the tabled card to be the selection. THE MERCURY FOLD: You are now going to use a standard method for secretly folding a card into quarters viz. the “Mercury Fold.” This now standard folding technique was published in Expert Card Technique by Hugard and Braue on p. 303 in an item called Mercury’s Card. Card John Bannon teaches a similar method on one of his videos. Here’s a brief description of the technique described in Expert

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M-MAIL ly. The folded card will be near the right edge of the squared deck allowing the left long edges of the top and bottom half decks to touch and not leave a gap on the left side. The deck is now held with right thumb on top and fingers underneath. The right thumb applies downward pressure, further flattening the folded card. The left long edge should close completely since the folded card is near the right side. Now the right hand takes the deck at its outer short edge in preparation for putting it into the case. Note that the back of the right hand hides any gap which might exist at the outer right corner. This grip is natural since you are about to place the deck into its case. The left hand now picks up the card case (which should have been left open) as the right hand inserts the deck and pushes it all the way in. The case is closed and then tabled in front of the person to whom the note was written (John). Do not say anything about the deck being the “post office” at this point. You don’t want the spectators to anticipate the ending. Pick up the tabled card (5C) with its back toward the spectators and begin to fold it into quarters (back showing on the outside). Don’t make perfect folds - you want the folded card to closely resemble the previously folded card. Also you want the black “5” index to show a bit when the spectators take a close look at the folded card. Say, “For m-mail to work, the letter must be folded like this.” Take the folded card at the right fingertips and flash the black 5 index. (You may need to cover the club symbol with your finger if it shows after the fold.) This subliminally allays suspicion of a switch. All that remains is to vanish the folded card and have the spectator discover that the mail has arrived in the “box.” Here’s a simple vanish: Hold the folded card on the palm of the right hand with the doubly creased edge near the right thumb. Begin to turn the right hand palm downward over the palm up left hand, apparently dumping the card onto the left hand. Before the card begins to slide off the right hand, place the right thumb onto the folded edge, holding the card in place. Now continue rotating the right hand until it is fully palm down over the palm up left hand. Move the right hand away as simultaneously the left fingers close into a loose fist. The right fingers now close a bit, taking the hidden card into a finger palm. Pick up the pen used to sign the card with the right hand and tap the back of the left hand as you say, “M-mail is incredibly fast.” Open the left hand, showing that the mail has left. Look at the other spectator (John) and say, “John, that box is the post office. It’s time to check your mail.” You are indicating the card case previously placed near John. All eyes will go to the case being opened by John. Place the pen into your pocket at this point, ditching the folded card in the process. When John removes the deck it will naturally cut itself where the folded card lies. John’s selection is directly below the folded card. Say, “There’s a letter (the folded card). See if it’s in the correct box.” Reach over and move the upper portion away. Be sure to move slowly so that it’s clear you cannot switch anything. Indicate that John is to look at the face of the card under the folded card. When he indicates that the card is his selection, say “It’s the correct box. Now check your mail.” Indicate the folded card. Not only has the folded card found John’s selection, it is the missing mail! FINAL THOUGHTS: You should take an old deck and practice the Mercury Fold. You will find that it is as easy as it is fast. You will also find that frequently the fold is off center. It is a good idea to take a peek at the folded card before casing the deck. You can simply riffle up at the inner short edge and take a peek underneath. This is necessary so that the openly folded card resembles the hidden one. The spectators will see the difference if there is a huge discrepancy.

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This routine was published in Apocalypse, October 1996. Since its publication, I have refined it a bit, arriving at the handling described above. 41

SAWING A LADY

EFFECT: After having performed some effects with cards, the magician draws attention to the card case, which is found to have parallel horizontal slits on opposite sides allowing a card to be pushed through the case and out the other side. The four queens are removed from the deck and the spectator is asked to select a non-queen card and to write the word “Houdini”on the face of the card. The magician asks, “Have you ever heard of the illusion called ‘Sawing the Lady in Half’? You know, the one where the magician puts a lady into a box and then cuts her in half. We’re going to create that illusion right here using one of the queens. Which lady would you like to use?” The spectator indicates one of the queens, which is then placed into the card case. “Houdini will now cut this lady in half!” says the magician. The Houdini card is now pushed through the slit in the case and out the other side. It is clear that the Houdini card goes completely through the case. Now, the Houdini card is removed and then the queen is removed from the case, unharmed. The magician explains that during one performance the lady got her revenge. The magician places the Houdini card in the case and pushes the queen through and out the other side as before. This time the lady sawed Houdini in half! The lady is removed from the case and the spectators are asked if they know what Houdini was famous for. The magician explains that Houdini was the greatest escape artist of all time. When the box is examined, it is found to be empty. The deck is spread and the signed Houdini card is found reversed in the center of the deck.

Fig. 1

REQUISITES and PREPARATION: (TOOLS: An X-Acto knife or equivalent; a short ruler or straight edge; an emery board; a card case) You will have to put appropriate slits into your card case as follows: If you are using a Bicycle case, there is a dot at the center of the case on the side with the two angels. Use the ruler and X-Acto knife to make a straight cut through the middle of the case from one long side to the other as shown in figure 1. Make an identical cut on the opposite side, through the spade symbol. Be sure the cuts are parallel and the same distance from the ends of the case. Now take an emery board (used for filing fingernails) with a sandpaper surface on both sides and push it through one slit and out the other. Carefully move it back and forth, slightly widening the slits. Be sure to bring it to the ends of the slits making certain that the slits extend all the way to the edge of the case. Be careful not to tear the case during this widening process.

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ROUTINE: When you are ready to perform the routine, remove the four queens from your working deck and say, “Have you ever heard of the illusion where the magician saws a lady in half? One of these queens will serve as the lady. Please remove another card to represent Houdini, the magician 42

POWER PLAYS completely penetrates through the case. Again grip the lower double card between the right thumb and fingers as shown in figure 8 and push it up and down a bit as before. This time, however, a different ending is going to take place.

Fig. 8

Pull downward with the right hand until both cards begin to come out of the case as a single card. Before the card(s) come completely out of the case, you must regrip the double card at its lower right corner with the thumb at the face and fingers beneath the card(s). As the double clears the case, your left fingers can exert a bit of sideways pressure to insure squareness of the double. Now the left hand begins to table the card case. Simultaneously the right hand uses its double to scoop up the other three queens. The five card packet (with the Houdini card at the rear) is immediately placed into left hand dealing position as you say, “The lady, having had her revenge, returns to tell her friends of the evil deed.” Now, spread the five cards as four keeping the last two cards as one and hiding the presence of the Houdini card. There are a lot of ways to end at this point. The obvious magical event is the escape of the Houdini card. It’s simply a matter of deciding where “he” will end up. The more impossible the place the better: ENDING 1: I often use my Kaps/Balducci type wallet at this point. I palm off the bottom card of the five card packet and load it into the zippered compartment of the wallet. Just before I instruct the spectators to check the card case, I ask them if they know what Houdini was famous for. I have a photo of Houdini in my wallet which adds justification to bringing the wallet into play. ENDING 2: In the absence of a wallet, I generally palm the Houdini card and “find” it in my jacket or pants pocket. This is a good alternative. ENDING 3: You can load the Houdini card into the center of the deck as you place the four queens face up on top of the deck. Kick the Houdini card over like you are going to perform a Kelly Bottom Placement action but instead insert the card (reversed) into the center of the deck. This avoids any cutting or fooling around to centralize the card. ENDING 4-99: Card on forehead; card under glass ...... FINAL THOUGHTS: This routine contains a lot of magic and has a lot of potential for fun interaction with your audience. You can ask who the greatest magician of all time was. There’s lots of room for comedy banter... CREDITS: Years ago Ben Harris published a routine in Magic Manuscript in which the slit case was used for a penetration. The penetration idea was very cool but I never liked the routine he used with it. My contribution is the “sawing the lady in half” concept and the “Houdini” bit with the escape.

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MAXI SWITCH

EFFECT: The magician explains that switching cards is an important skill for the card cheat. He challenges the spectators to watch carefully as card switching is demonstrated. The magician deals the two black kings face up on the pad and asks the spectators to follow which king is which. The Spade is placed under the Club and the pair is placed face down on the deck. The magician shows that the top card is the Spade as it should be, followed by the Club. The magician deals the top card face down to the table and says, “If that’s the Spade, then this is the ...” pointing to the top card. As the spectators answer, “Club”, the card is shown to be the Spade. Holding the KS face down the magi points at the tabled king and says, “then that one must be the ..” As the spectators answer “club”, the card is flipped over revealing a Heart! The card in the magician’s hand is now shown to have become a Diamond. The magi now says, “That’s one example of card switching. Watch even more carefully this time. I’ll try to switch them imperceptibly.” The deck is spread and the black kings are found reversed in the center. The two black kings are then tabled face down and the magician shows the KD and KH. The Heart is dealt to the table and the Diamond is held in the hand. The spectators are asked if it is possible that the two cards held in the hand are now black instead of red. The cards are then shown to indeed be black the black ACES!! The tabled black kings are flipped over to reveal a pair of red aces. The kings may be reproduced, if you wish, from pockets, etc. “That was the BIG switch”, says the magician. SET-UP: From the top down in the face down deck: black kings, red kings, red aces, black aces. You can set this up from a “shuffled deck in use” by culling the six cards secretly as you openly cull and remove the black kings and place them on the pad. The black kings are then openly placed face down on top. For the purposes of the description, let’s say that the order from top down is KS, KC, KD, KH, AD, AH, AS, AC. ROUTINE: Hold the deck face down in left hand dealing position. Obtain a left 4th finger break under the 4th card (KH). Now deal the top card (KS) face up onto the pad using a stud type turnover. This is important for consistency later. Say, “I want you to pay close attention to which king is where. I’ll try to secretly switch them like a gambler might do in a poker game. Keep your eyes open..” Now, stud turnover the KC and use it to scoop up the Spade. Say, “Club underneath the Spade.” Now place the black kings on top of the deck face down as you say, “Now, if I didn’t cheat, the Club is on top.” Pick up the four card block using right hand Biddle grip i.e. thumb at inner short edge, fingers at outer edge and move it to the right as the left thumb holds the top card (KC) in place. As the right hand’s three cards clear the deck, allow the KC to fall sidejogged a bit to the right. During this action say, “This should be the Club.” Raise the deck to show that indeed the card is the KC. Use the left thumb to pull the card flush but obtain a left 4th finger break under the card. Bring the deck back parallel with the floor and immediately add the three card packet to the deck. Continue by performing a stud turnover of the top card (KS). This card is tabled face up as before as you say, “And that leaves the KS here.” You are going to simulate the action used previously to scoop up the tabled card. However, this time Marlo’s Scoop Addition will be used to switch in the red kings. To wit: You have a break under the

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POWER PLAYS

Fig. 3

packet. Immediately the exact same sequence is repeated, this time flipping over the KC which is left in a tent type position. This time the right hand doesn’t place its three card packet square onto the KC. Instead, the right hand brings its packet over to the “tented” KC and picks up the KC, leaving it sidejogged to the left for about 3/4 inch. The three card packet with the KS at its face must be very square so as to appear to be a single card. (See figure 3)

The right hand now rotates the faces of the black kings into view as you say, “The King of Clubs is on the bottom with the Spade on top.” Place the packet onto the deck and square up. Immediately deal the top two cards singly to the pad as you say, “Then this is the Spade and on top is the Club. Please try to remember which is which.” (These cards are actually the red aces!) Obtain a left 4th finger break under the top four cards. Now pick up the red kings and place them face up on top of the deck, which is in left hand dealing position. Now repeat the exact switching sequence described above. You’ll need to keep the front edge down so that the extra thickness is not noticed. Again show the faces of the red kings (as in figure 3) and then square the six card packet face down on top of the deck. Now slowly and clearly take the top card into the right hand. Take the next card under this one and say, “Could you believe that this time I switched the red ones with the black ones??” Obtain a left 4th finger break under the top two cards of the deck as you say, “This time I did the REALLY BIG SWITCH.” Now flip the right hand’s cards face up onto the deck to reveal the black kings. Say, “And if these are the black kings, then these (point to the tabled cards) are the....” As the spectators say, “Red kings” Perform a KM type switch of the black kings for the black aces. To wit: Square up the four cards above the break. Now, using the right hand, move the four card block to the right. Just as the cards clear the deck and their left long edge is touching the tips of the left fingers, turn the left hand palm downward, moving the deck onto these cards. The entire deck as well as the four cards are held by the now palm down left hand. Immediately the left thumb pushes off the two bottommost cards, either one at a time or as a block of two. This switches the two black kings for the two black aces. Now all cards on the table are aces. The spectators have just said, “Red kings..” Say, “Remember, this is the REALLY BIG SWITCH.” Now reveal that all the tabled cards are aces for the big finish. FINAL THOUGHTS: The premise of the routine makes all the turning over and placing of cards on the deck fairly natural. It can be made more natural by talking about second dealing. You are apparently demonstrating how a dealer can switch the first and second cards by dealing a second. Also, the routine can be done in a walk around environment using spectators’ hands as miniature tables. Marlo’s Scoop Addition can be done with the scooped card on someone’s hand. Furthermore, the four kings end up on top of the deck. Thus, you can easily produce them if you wish.

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OPEN PREDICTION 999

The Open Prediction is a plot that has been explored by many card magicians. Marlo published a huge number of variations of this classic plot, mostly in the Hierophant (Issue 1). The original conditions specified by Paul Curry are largely adhered to in the handling below. It is simple, yet effective. I have also sought to minimize the amount of dealing by the spectator. Once a card has been dealt face down, I believe that the effect should be quickly brought to a conclusion. To this end, the remaining cards are immediately spread instead of dealt singly once a card has been placed face down by the spectator. This adheres to the spirit of the original effect and hopefully strengthens the impact. It’s obviously important to avoid any hint of a switch. There is tremendous heat on the face down card. It should never leave the spectators’ sight and in the handling below it does not. EFFECT: The deck is shuffled by a spectator. The magician makes an open prediction naming a particular card - say the seven of spades. The magician demonstrates the procedure to be used by the spectator viz. cards are to be turned face up from the face down deck and dealt into a face up pile. The spectator is to deal one card face down at any time she chooses. The spectator begins dealing the cards face up, eventually dealing one face down. The magician now takes the remaining cards and spreads them face up. The seven of spades is not in the spread. Finally, the magician turns over the card dealt face down by the spectator. This card is the seven of spades, the open prediction. REQUISITES: A deck of cards. ROUTINE: Have the deck shuffled by the spectator and then hold it face down in left hand dealing position. You must now peek the bottom card. I use a peek I learned from a film of Fred Kaps. To wit: Begin the actions of the Mercury Card fold as taught in “M-Mail”. This time the bottom card is not reversed. (See figure 1 on page 40.) Also, you don’t want to put a crease in the card this time. You will find that when the outer edge has traveled about one third the length of the deck, the index of the card can be seen at the inner left corner of the deck. Once you have peeked the card, allow it to return to its normal condition. This card will be the Open Prediction. Let’s say it’s the seven of spades. Now double cut the bottom two cards to the top. This puts the peeked card second from top. Say, “I’m going to make a prediction. The seven of spades is my prediction. Just remember the seven of spades. O.K. now I’d like you to deal cards from the face down deck onto the table face up - like this.” Suiting action to words, perform the following actions: While holding the deck in left hand dealing position, obtain a left 4th finger break under the 2nd card (7S). Now turn the top card face up and place it squared onto the face down 7S. Pick up the two cards above the break in right hand Biddle Grip (fingers in front, thumb at rear). Push the next card to the right a bit with your left thumb and use the double in the right hand to lever it face up. This card is immediately pushed to the right by the left thumb and taken on top of the double held in the right hand, sidejogged just a bit.

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POWER PLAYS These three (supposedly two) cards are immediately dropped onto the table. Continue by dealing the next card face up onto the tabled group as you say, “You understand the procedure right? Just keep dealing cards face up.” Hand the deck to the spectator directly across from you and, just as she begins to deal say, “At some point you will have the feeling that the next card should be dealt face down. When that happens just deal the next card face down. You can wait as long as you wish.” This opening procedure places the “open prediction” (7S) face down underneath a few cards that have been dealt face up. Be sure that there is no flash of this face down card during this sequence. (Note: You should use the spectator directly across from you so that the orientation of the cards already dealt makes it easy for the spectator to deal cards in alignment with those already on the table. Also, it’s not necessary that the cards be kept in a perfectly aligned pile. They may be tossed onto the pile as long as a rough alignment is maintained.) The spectator will continue dealing cards face up for awhile. Say, “The seven of spades hasn’t been dealt yet, right?” This reinforces the memory of the open prediction and hints at what may happen. Ultimately the spectator will deal a card face down. I’ve never had anyone go more than half way through the deck. If it looks like she is going to go past the center say something like, “Sometime in this lifetime!” The next move is facilitated if the tabled stack is less than 26 cards thick. Once the spectator has dealt the face down card, say “O.K. that’s it. Let me see the remaining cards.” Take the undealt cards and spread them face up across the pad. Look through the spread and encourage the spectators to do the same as you say, “I don’t see the seven of spades here either.” The ending of the effect should be in the spectators’ minds by now. There’s only one card (or so it seems) which hasn’t been seen yet. You will make it seem that the face down card dealt by the spectator is the seven of spades as follows: Obviously there is plenty of heat on the face down card. It is important that the card never leave the spectators’ sight. Here’s what to do: Pick up the tabled pile with the face down card at the top and hold these cards in left hand dealing position. Buckle the bottom card with the left 1st finger and obtain a right thumb break over it. The right hand now holds the cards in a Biddle grip. You are going to remove all the face up cards between the top and bottom face down cards and immediately spread them on the table next to the other spread. To wit: The left outer corner of the pack is positioned on the left hand as shown in figure 1. The left thumb contacts the top face down card as shown in the figure. Now the right hand begins to pull all the face up cards to the right. The bottom card (seven of spades) will remain in place due to the friction at the outer left corner where the card is in contact with the left hand. The left thumb can position the top X card so that it conceals the presence of the bottom card. When the face up cards clear the two face down cards, the two cards must appear as a single card on your left hand. Your left fingers and thumb can take care of any small adjustment finally obtaining perfect alignment. There is strong misdirection here too. The eye, following the larger action, will follow the face up group to the table where they are spread. The spectators’ peripheral vision will assure them that the face down card hasn’t been switched. In fact it has not been switched. However, it will appear to be the previously predicted card because the spectators are unaware of the presence of the extra card in the left hand. Fig. 1

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OPEN PREDICTION 999 Say, “The card I predicted, the seven of spades, is not in either of these groups of cards. Of course we haven’t yet seen the card you chose to deal face down. Remember - you shuffled the cards and you stopped anywhere you wanted to.” Slowly turn the double face up continuing to maintain perfect alignment. The seven of spades will show, confirming what they had been suspecting. To clean up, simply drop the double onto the face of either spread and then square up the spreads continuing to keep the seven of spades at the face. VARIATIONS: Obviously you don’t have to make an open prediction at the beginning. You can write a prediction on paper and have the spectator hold it. One that I am particularly fond of is this: Force the duplicate of the seven of spades from a second deck on a different spectator. Now tell the first spectator to deal the cards as usual. You instruct the second spectator to say “stop” when she sees the card that she selected. After the first spectator has dealt 6 or 7 cards, say, “Oh. I forgot to tell you something. Deal a card face down any time you feel like it.” She will generally stop within the next 5 to 10 cards. Thus you’ll have less than 20 cards to deal with. There are lot’s of possibilities. Another which I like a lot involves asking the spectator what her favorite card is. You then secretly bring this card to 2nd from top and proceed as described above. In the initial set up you show that the named card is not the top card as before. The handling is identical but the feel of what happens is different. This time the spectator somehow has found her favorite card under impossible circumstances. You never say what is going to happen. This makes it less obvious how things are going to turn out. You can adapt this “favorite card” method to a memorized deck, although you can’t have the spectators shuffle this time. First you make the necessary adjustment, bringing the favorite card to second from top. Then proceed as usual. The good news is that since the cards are being dealt face up, the memorized order will be preserved. A very direct approach is to have a card selected and then use a Bluff Pass to position it immediately second from top but apparently in the middle. FINAL THOUGHTS: There are a number of ways to make the face down card seem to have been the predicted card. The method described here has a lot of merit since it’s very quick and casual, requires no fiddling around and leaves the face down card in full view all the time. CREDITS: The “Open Prediction” plot was proposed by Paul Curry in the 1950’s. If you like this plot, check out Marlo’s extensive work in this area in Hierophant 1.

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PSYCHIC BIRTHDAY PREDICTOR

The “Diary Trick” effect has become very popular in recent times. The basic effect is this: A date book is introduced. In the space under each date the name of a playing card is printed. A spectator tells you her birthday and after some byplay, selects a card. When the spectator looks up her birthday in the book, the name of the playing card printed there matches the card she selected. Most versions of this effect have the same drawback viz. the booklet cannot be examined due to massive quantities of duplicate card names. Simon Aronson’s use of the memorized deck in this plot allows him to use a very deceptive calendar that is highly examinable. The basic requirement in all variations is that you can figure out what card is printed at each date. This card is then forced, leading to the mind-blowing finale. When memory is being used, fewer possibilities are easier to remember but this leads to an unexaminable booklet. The spectators would quickly notice the duplicates. The routine described here has the advantage of eliminating memory entirely and also differs from previous versions in that there is no set up in the deck and also no force. EFFECT: First there is a bit of byplay during which the magician discusses the difficulty both of remembering people’s birthdays and of choosing appropriate cards. The performer explains that he never has to shop for birthday cards since he has access to 52 possible cards - the deck. The only difficulty is selecting an appropriate card. A spectator reveals the birthday of a friend or relative and is asked if she knows how to tell which of the 52 cards would be appropriate for that person. The magician explains that one need not waste time considering the options since there is a standard card assigned to each date. The magician removes a wallet from his jacket, opens it and removes a datebook. When the date-book is opened, it is found that each date is assigned a particular playing card. The magician explains that this booklet allows you to choose the appropriate card for anyone’s birthday. The spectator looks up her friend’s birthday and finds that the correct card for that birthday is, say, the Queen of clubs. The magician opens a zippered compartment in the wallet and removes a sealed envelope. The envelope is opened and inside is a card with the words “Happy Birthday” written on the face. The card is opened by the spectator and inside is a face down playing card. Yes - it is the Queen of clubs!! REQUISITES: To perform the routine as described above you will need a Le Paul style wallet that allows you to load a card into an envelope. You’ll have to palm a card to use this type wallet. Alternately you could use a Mullica style wallet to avoid palming. You won’t be able to have the card end up in an envelope, however. There is an advantage to the Mullica wallet, though. It contains an insert ideal for holding a date-book. It’s your choice. Also required is a small yearly calendar booklet (date-book) which has space under each date for schedule information, birthdays etc. The calendar needs to be small enough to fit inside the wallet. Six inches by 3 inches is an ideal size. You will have to spend a bit of time writing the names of cards into the booklet - one card for each date. There is a pattern to the listing of cards that will make the book

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PSYCHIC BIRTHDAY PREDICTOR very examinable. Here are the details: The Date-book: You need to assign each card in the deck to a number from 1 to 52. If you do memorized deck work, you already have done this. I use the Aronson stack and thus for me card 1 is the JS, card 2 is the KC, card 3 is the 5C and so on. You may simply shuffle the deck and then write down on paper the numbers from 1 to 52. After each number write the card that resides at that number in your shuffled deck. Once you have your list you are ready to start filling out the date-book. In order that a pattern not be noticed in the date-book, it’s important that the same card not appear at the same date number each month. Simon Aronson suggests adding the month number (e.g. January is 1, February is 2 etc) to the date number. Thus Feb. 3rd is associated with deck number 5 since Feb. is month 2 and the date is the 3rd. (3 + 2 = 5). August 3rd would have a different card since August is month 8 and 8 + 3 = 11. If you use the Aronson numbering system (as used on the Index below), the card for Feb. 3rd is the 5th card viz. the 9S. The card for Aug. 3rd is the 11th card viz. the 10S. Similarly Aug. 21st is associated with 29 since Aug. is the 8th month and 21 + 8 = 29. January 1st goes with card number 2 while Jan. 31st goes with card number 32. December 1st goes with card number 13 (Dec. is month 12). And Dec. 31st goes with card number 43 (12 + 31 = 43). It will take awhile to completely fill out the 365 dates. Be sure to add the month number and then look at your chart. Once you determine the card for the 1st of the month, the rest go in sequence. You won’t have to keep computing. Be sure you understand the numbering system before beginning the task of fill out the date-book! The Big Question: How will you know what card goes with any named birthday? If you know a memorized deck order, all you do is add the date number to the month number and you immediately know the appropriate card. However, most people haven’t paid those dues. Here’s a method that fits the nature of the routine and eliminates memory: The Index: You’ll need to create a small index card that contains the information. You’ll also need a rationale for looking at a card. Here are the details: A playing card sized card is ideal. One side of the card is printed in large letters with the words “Signs of the Zodiac.” The other side contains in small letters the 12 astrological signs and the birthday range associated with the sign. For example Capricorn’s range is Dec. 22 to Jan. 19. Besides the date ranges, you must also print the cards associated with the numbers from 2 (Jan. 1) to 43 (Dec. 31). This covers all possible dates. The ideal way to construct this little index is to use a computer and a laser or inkjet printer. You can laminate the final index. It will look professionally printed and not be as suspicious. You may as well make a second, identical index which only contains the dates associated with the astrological signs. Then, if someone wants to see the list, you have something that can be passed out. These two indexes are kept in your jacket pocket. Figure 1 shows a sample index. Corel Draw is a great graphics package. It comes with tons of clipart too. You can put the Symbols for the astrological signs in color on the front side of your

THE INDEX Capricorn Aquarius Pisces Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius

Dec 22 - Jan 19 Jan 20 - Feb 19 Feb 20 - Mar 20 Mar 21 - Apr 19 Apr 20 - May 20 May 20 - Jun 20 Jun 21 - Jul 22 Jul 23 - Aug 22 Aug 23 - Sep 22 Sep 23 - Oct 23 Oct 24 - Nov 22 Nov 23 - Dec 21

2KC 35C 42H 59S 6AS 73H 86C 98D 10AC 1110S 125H 132D 14KD 157D 168C 173S 18AD 197S 205S 21QD 22AH 238S 243D 257H 26QH 275D 287C 294H 30KH 314D 3210D 33JC 34JH 3510C 36JD 374S 3810H 396H 403C 412S 429H 43KS

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POWER PLAYS index. O.K. - you are armed and dangerous! Let’s put it all together: ROUTINE: You have your prepared calendar inside the wallet. Your index is in your jacket pocket. The deck is completely unprepared. Here we go - Say, “Do you have as much trouble as I do picking out the right birthday card for your friends?? You probably go to a stationery store to get a card. We magicians don’t need to. We always have 52 cards to choose from!” Spread the deck face up from left to right. Pick a spectator (Mary) and say, “Mary, can you tell me the birthday of one of your friends or family members?” Let’s say that the date is April 6th. If you know your stack by heart you can quickly figure out which card is written on the calendar under April 6th. Otherwise use the index as follows: Remove the index from your pocket so that the spectators can see the words “Signs of the Zodiac.” Look up the sign associated with April 6th. It turns out to be Aries. Since April is month 4, you’ll need to look at the indexing system and find what card is at number 10 (month 4 plus day 6). In the Aronson stack the card would be the ace of clubs. Say, “I see that your friend is an Aries. I’m not sure exactly what that means but some people would use that fact in picking out an appropriate birthday card.” Point at the spread of cards and say, “Certain cards are actually better for certain people. Just like with store bought birthday cards.” While you are talking, spot the location of the ace of clubs in the spread. This is the card that must end up in your wallet. Pick up the spread and contrive to get the ace of clubs to the bottom of the face up spread. Flip the deck over and hold it in left hand dealing position. The ace of clubs is now on top. Assuming you are using a Le Paul type wallet (see Final Thoughts for the use of other wallets), palm the top card (AC) and load the wallet as you go to your pocket to retrieve it. Open the wallet and remove the date-book, leaving the loaded wallet on the table. Say, “I never have to think about which card to give someone since I have this. This calendar tells me which card goes with which birthday.” Show a few dates in months other than April. But stay away from other dates that use the ace of clubs. Say, “Look, if your friend had been born on December 4th, she should be given the eight of clubs. You should check April 4th to see what card suits your friend.” Mary will find and announce that the card is the ace of clubs. Open the zipper compartment of the wallet and remove the envelope. Make sure that the spectators see that there are no other envelopes in the wallet. Tear the end off, destroying the evidence of a path into the envelope and remove the card. Hand it to Mary and say, “There’s something inside that might interest you. Take a look.” Make sure Mary shows everyone that the ace of clubs is inside for the killer ending. FINAL THOUGHTS: The ploy of spreading the cards and talking about a selection method eliminates the need for a stacked deck. The use of the Signs of the Zodiac index card allows you to do it without needing a memorized system. In the traditional approach to this type of effect, the appropriate card is forced on the spectator. Once a card is in play, the spectators will anticipate the ending i.e. the card listed in the date-book will match the “free” selection. I prefer the surprise ending given here. No one anticipates that the birthday card will contain the card listed for the random birth date. Using a Mullica wallet allows you to perform this without palming. It also provides a nice holder for the calendar. I recommend waiting until after the date has been looked up on the calendar before showing that there is a card in the wallet. You can use a Kaps/Balducci style wallet for walkaround. You’ll lose the envelope with the birthday card but will be able to repeat it at every table if you like.

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ONE LAST THOUGHT: If you use the method involving the birthday card, the card might say “Happy Birthday from your name” and have your picture and phone number on it. (Again an inkjet 54

PSYCHIC BIRTHDAY PREDICTOR printer is a wonderful tool.) Now, besides increasing the impossibility level, you have a nice give-away item. For a walkaround environment, consider using a Kaps/Balducci style wallet (no envelope). You can still load the wallet with a folded happy birthday card with your picture and phone number. The guide will load the palmed card inside the birthday card. You just don’t get the extra layer of impossibility that the envelope provides. It’s easy to reload the Kaps/Balducci wallet with another birthday card for the next table. CREDITS: The “Diary Trick” concept belongs to Alex Elmsley. The version described here originally appeared in Channel One Magazine, issue 10.

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IMPROMPTU TERROR

The plot of moving holes on a signed card is dear to my heart. In 1983 I released Holey Terror, the first moving hole effect where the card on which the holes move is signed! It was a great commercial success and prompted Gordon Miller of Abbott’s Magic to say, “One of the best and best selling effects of this or any other year.” In 1990 I released Holey Terror II, a single deck version that was quite a bit more practical for the walk around performer. Impromptu Terror, as the name implies, is completely impromptu. There is absolutely no set up and it can be done with borrowed cards. There are a lot of simple moves used to accomplish the effect. It’s the sort of routine that requires practice to perform well. None of the moves are difficult. The challenge is to keep things moving and not have to think about what you are doing. There are many moments when you should be talking to the spectator momentarily while performing a necessary but innocuous action. When performed smoothly and without hesitation, the various required actions will not arouse suspicion. EFFECT: A spectator is handed a pack of cards with the words “Old Cards” written on the case. The performer explains that one of the cards will be destroyed so it will be better to use an old card instead of a card from the working deck. The spectator removes any card from the “old” deck and signs her name on the face. Now the magic begins: First a hole is punched at each end of the signed card. Then one of the holes is visibly moved over next to the other one. The card is handed back to the spectator for verification of the signature. She is requested to sign the back of the card at this point. Now the card has a signature on both sides. The magician taps the doubly signed card onto another card and one of the holes visibly leaves the signed selection and jumps to a different card! Finally the two cards, each containing one hole, are brought near each other and the holes are visibly moved back together again. The spectator is given both cards at the end. REQUIREMENTS: A red deck (your working deck) and a deck (or packet) of blue cards which will ultimately be punched during the routine. I generally take an old deck of blue cards and mark the box “OLD.” When I go into the routine, I explain to the spectators that I am going to destroy a card during the routine and don’t wish to destroy my good deck - thus the “OLD” cards. You’ll also need a hole puncher and a marking pen for the signature. PREPARATION: None. ROUTINE: Place the red deck off to the side for the moment and bring out the blue cards marked “OLD.” Explain that a card will be destroyed during the effect and that you don’t want to ruin your good deck. Also place the hole puncher and marking pen on the pad. Have the spectators remove the blue cards and examine them. Now spread the blue cards face up on the pad and ask which card the spectator would like to use. Cut this card to the face and get a break under the top two face up cards. Hold these two cards as one in right hand Biddle Grip and flip the remainder of the blue cards face down in the left hand. While continuing to hold the double card with the right hand, push over the top

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IMPROMPTU TERROR time, the right fingers contact the injogged double on top. As soon as the right fingers cover the holes at inner right, the thumb pushes the bottom card of the double toward the deck a bit. Now the tip of the thumb is positioned as shown in figure 6 (bottom view), ready to push the bottom card flush with the deck. The right 3rd finger moves on top of the visible hole at outer right. Just as the 3rd finger covers the hole, the right thumb pushes the bottom card of the double flush with the deck. Immediately, the right 3rd finger begins to slide inward as though dragging the hole. Since the hole can no longer be seen because of the blue card under it, the illusion is perfect. (Be sure not to flash the two holes at inner right prematurely or the illusion will be broken.) Continue the dragging action with the right 3rd finger until you reach the inner right corner of the injogged card (the selection). Position the 3rd finger on the leftmost hole momentarily and then lift the finger revealing that two holes are now visible at inner right. Continue by pulling the selection from the deck and dropping it on the red half deck on the pad. Mission accomplished! CLEANING UP: The spectators believe that you have a single blue backed card on top of the red half deck in your left hand. Actually, both of the cards there have punches in them. These cards must ultimately be ditched in order to be totally clean at the end. Here are a few ideas: (1) Perform a Double Lift taking the two blue cards as one and place them face down onto the blue deck on the pad. Now put down the red half deck and pick up the blue deck. Perform a triple turnover showing the face of a normal blue backed card. Remove this card as you perform a wrist turn to kill the two reversed and punched blue backed cards. The spectators may want to see this card since it supposedly had a hole in it for awhile. You can then put the other blue cards away or palm out the two “dirty” ones. The drawback to this method is the inordinate amount up picking up and putting down. (2) You can contrive to put an extra blue backed card into the red deck before beginning the routine. (This is the method I employ most often.) It is then an easy matter to switch the two punched blue cards for the single unpunched one. Cardmen will devise many methods for this way of cleaning up. (Note: It’s easy to steal one of the blue cards to the bottom of the red deck at the beginning, after the spectators have examined the red deck. You’d then leave the top half on the table and work with the half containing the extra blue card. (Note: There are a few small handling changes which will be obvious when you try this method.) The extra blue card will be the second card from the bottom in the red deck at the end of the routine and the switch is easy. Here’s one way: Get a right thumb break over the bottom two cards then swing cut the top half of the red cards into the left hand. The double blue card shows on top of this left hand portion. Now you can unload the two cards below the thumb break onto the left hand portion as you gesture with the right hand. A blue card will still show on top and the red card second from top covers the two “dirty” cards which are 3rd and 4th. Now you can deal the top blue card cleanly and show that it has no holes. You’ll still have to palm out the two punched blue cards. FINE POINTS: There are several times during the routine when holes in the blue cards are hidden due to the presence of an extra blue card underneath. With close inspection you can see the hole even with the blue card beneath. A single low light source tends to cast a shadow which makes the hidden holes easier to see. You may have to keep the deck in motion under these tougher lighting conditions so that the hidden holes aren’t spotted. FURTHER: If you have the technical skill necessary, you can “push” the routine a bit. For example, after you have moved the hole from the outer edge to the inner edge, you can make it seem to move back to its starting point and then back to the inner edge again as follows: Allow your right hand to completely cover the deck for a second as you palm the top two cards. Then rotate your hand, allowing your thumb to cover the spot formerly occupied by the second hole (at the inner edge). Now slide your

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POWER PLAYS thumb to the outer edge and move your hand away. It will appear that you moved the hole back to its starting point. Finally, add the palmed cards to the deck as your right 2nd fingertip covers the spot near the outer edge formerly occupied by the hole. Move your 2nd fingertip inward to the location of the 2nd hole and remove it, making it appear that you have moved the hole back again. CREDITS: A couple of years after the release of Holey Terror I (1983), Johnny Lindholm published an impromptu moving hole effect called Impromptu Holey Terror in the Magical Arts Journal (Vol 1, #2) without any credit to my original (except the use of the name Holey Terror). More recently David Acer’s impromptu version (No Holes Barred) was published in Genii (Vol. 55 issue 8 with credit this time). In each of these routines, a hole is punched at each end of a card and then the holes are moved together. That’s it. Impromptu Terror is a routine in which several things happen. I think that the sequence where the hole jumps to a different card and back will get everyone’s attention. Thanks to Dan Harlan for the idea of signing the back of the card before the hole jumps. The signature really strengthens the effect since it’s clear that no switch can take place.

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NATURAL POKER POWER

Seeing Alex Elmsley at the Fechter’s convention in 1997 was a great treat. He “Dazzled” everyone with killer magic and subtle thinking. One of the favorites of the items taught was “Poker Power.” Awhile back, Ken Simmons got me thinking about this routine with the publication of his “Sleightless Poker Power” in ONYX. The original Elmsley handling involves performing a bottom deal in each of the five selection phases. Ken’s method, although “sleightless”, does involve performing a shuffle halfway through the selection phase. I think this tends to weaken the impact a bit for the same reason that a shuffle after performing a pass as a card control is a bad idea. It smacks of control. I came up with the following handling which eliminates both the bottom deal and the shuffle. It is also more suited to the walkaround environment since no dealing to a table is necessary. EFFECT: A packet of 10 cards is removed from the deck and shuffled. The magician explains that the spectator will freely select cards for a poker hand. The magi peels two cards from the packet and the spectator freely takes one and holds it face down. The remaining card is placed onto the bottom of the packet as a discard. This process is repeated four more times, each time peeling two cards from the top of the packet and putting the discard on the bottom. At the end, the spectator examines her hand and discovers that she has drawn an excellent hand - a full house. The magician explains that he will play the rejected cards. They turn out to be a Royal Flush in spades! ROUTINE: In order to eliminate the bottom dealing, the cards must be arranged a bit differently than in the Elmsley original. Begin spreading through the face up deck, keeping the backs of the cards toward the spectators so that they cannot see what cards are being chosen. Upjog the spade royal flush cards (AS, KS, QS, JS, 10S) as well as the remaining aces and kings (AC, AD, AH, KC, KD, KH) as you come to them. Let’s call the royal flush cards RF’s and the non-royal flush cards NRF’s. For the simplest set up, the cards will be removed from the deck so that they end up in the following order from the FACE: RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, NRF. I prefer to structure the 11 cards so that the face card of the (face up) packet is the 10S and the bottom two (NRF) cards are both aces. This more specific arrangement goes (from the face): 10S, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, AH, AC. I will assume you are using this set-up. Place the 11 card packet face down in left hand dealing position and place the deck aside. During this set up process you should be explaining that you are removing some interesting cards for a poker hand and that the spectator will chose her own hand to eliminate any manipulation on your part.

erdnasemagicstore.com Fig. 1

Grip the packet in right hand Biddle Grip as shown in figure 1. Now the left thumb peels the top card and then 63

NATURAL POKER POWER are NRF cards. This action appears identical to that used for the 1st selection. It should be done briskly but not rushed. The switching action can be performed under close scrutiny whereas the original bottom deal method cannot unless your bottom deal is flawless. The other advantage of the peeling action is that it is more natural in a walkaround environment. You peel two cards and allow the spectator to take one. Any dealing method would involve either a table or the use of a spectator’s hand as a table which I find less appealing than the “peeling” method (npi). CONTINUING: The peeling/switching action described above is repeated three more times. This leaves the spectator with five cards - one face up “hole card” and four face down cards. Have fun with the spectator during this sequence. There is a lot of room for byplay e.g. suggesting that she change her mind and take the other card etc. After the spectator has made the fifth choice you will have a NRF card in your left hand (the reject). The top card of the face down packet in your right hand will be the 10S, assuming you set up the packet as described above. I like to suggest to the spectator that she consider switching any of her cards for the one still held in your left hand. Of course it won’t matter one way or the other but it adds to the interest and builds tension regarding the identities of the face down cards. Once she has decided this issue, place the rejected card on top of the cards in your right hand instead of underneath. Say, “Let’s see what card you rejected.” Now perform a double turnover, apparently showing the identity of the rejected card. The 10S will show. Have the spectator turn up all the face down cards to see what sort of hand she has “chosen.” The hand will be a full house - either kings over aces or aces over kings. Say, “Wow - you did great. A full house. Lucky you didn’t switch for the ten of spades here.” ENDING: Pause for a beat or two and then flip the double face down. Now turn the packet face up and spread the six cards as five, (holding the last two cards as one) so that only you can see their faces. Look up to the spectator and, as you begin to rotate the fan toward the spectator say, “Well, maybe you should have taken that ten of spades. Then I wouldn’t have these...” The Royal Flush comes into view bringing the routine to its conclusion. ALTERNATE ENDING: It is possible to allow the spectator the choice of switching hands with you at the end. This offer is made before the spectator looks at her cards. You can allow the trade and still win. This ending may appeal to some. To wit: Look at the top card of your packet. This is the one actually discarded by the spectator in the fifth round. It will either be a king or an ace. If the discard is a king, you must move the AS to the bottom of the packet. If it’s an ace, you must move the KS to the bottom. In either case you must maintain a right thumb break over the card. If the spectator takes you up on your offer to switch packets, have her place her packet face down onto your palm up left hand. Now, tap this packet with the cards in your right hand as you say, “You could have kept these cards but you decided to change them for these.” Move the right hand forward, handing the packet to the spectator. However, as the packet passes over the left hand, the right thumb allows the bottom card to fall onto the cards in the left hand. This gives the spectator either a pair of aces or a pair of kings with a near royal flush. You end up being able to show your cards as either 4 aces or 4 kings by hiding the appropriate card in the spread. ALTERNATE ENDING II: If, at the beginning, you arrange the cards as follows, you can end in a slightly different way. Arrange the cards from the face as KS, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, RF, NRF, AS, Ace, Ace. With this arrangement, you will end up with spectator’s last discard on top of your packet followed by the KS and then the AS. Openly look at the top card without letting the spectator see it. If it is a king, then the spectator has three aces and two kings. If it is an ace, the spectator has three kings and two aces. Tell the spectator to turn over her four face down cards. While this is taking place you will be getting ready to either a double or a triple turnover. The idea is to show the spectator that her discard would have given her four of a kind. Since you know what her hand consists of before she

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POWER PLAYS turns any of the cards face up, it’s easy to prepare for either the double or the triple. This gives you the “Oh too bad - you nearly got four of a kind....” ending. This may appeal to some workers. FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s better not to tell the spectator that you will be using the discards as your hand in a contest with the spectator. Just let the spectator choose her hand and then end with the line, “Maybe you should have taken that ten of spades. Then I wouldn’t be holding this royal flush.” It only becomes apparent at the end that you are also a player and have won with the royal flush.

66

TWIST ON SIMON Jay/Powers/Givens

While at Fechter’s Finger Flicking Frolic (FFFF) a few years back, Josh Jay posed a problem to Joel Givens and me. We all had a lot of fun working out the routine. Later Joel came up with the idea for the extra kicker. We talked about posting the routine on one of the magicians’ Internet sites but I talked them into letting me put it here. EFFECT: The four queens are removed and tabled face up. Three different spectators are each given a small packet of cards to hold as the magician executes a twisting effect. Each of the face up queens turns face down until all four queens are face down. Now the magician places a face down queen onto each of the packets held by the spectators. The spectators cut their packets, centralizing the queens. The magician then shows the spectators how to perform the secret twist. The spectators then spread their packets finding that they too have caused the queen to reverse! All three queens are face up in the center of their respective packets! Joel Givens’ optional kicker allows these queens to change their back color too! REQUIREMENT: Any deck of cards containing four queens. The color change kicker will be explained at the end. For now just use a normal deck. SET-UP: None. ROUTINE: Spread the cards face up and remove the four queens. Place them face up on top of the face down deck with the queens of hearts and spades uppermost. The deck is now in left hand dealing position. Spread the cards, obtaining a right thumb break below the top seven cards i.e. the four face up queens and three face down X cards. These are momentarily held away from the deck in right hand Biddle Grip as the left 4th finger obtains a break below the top two cards of the deck proper in readiness for Marlo’s ATFUS move. The right hand moves its seven card packet onto the deck where the two cards above the left 4th finger break are now taken below the other seven cards. The right thumb maintains a break between the upper seven and the lower two. Now, once the right hand has control of these 9 cards, the left thumb holds the uppermost queen in place as the right hand moves the remaining 8 cards to the right and free of the deck. The right hand moves its 8 cards back to the left where this process is repeated. The queens of hearts and spades now reside on top of the deck in the left hand. This time, as the right hand returns so the left thumb can peel the next queen, the two cards below the thumb break are taken onto the deck and cover the face up queens. The left 4th finger holds them in place as the left thumb peels the third queen bringing the fourth queen into view. The third queen is taken under the right hand’s packet but sidejogged to the left for 1/3 of its width. The spectators have seen you cleanly show four different queens. The deck is tabled face down and the sidejogged queen is now placed on top of the packet. Finally the packet is also tabled with a queen showing at its face.

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POWER PLAYS STATUS CHECK: The packet consists of two face up queens followed by three face down X cards. The spectators believe it to be the four queens. The deck has two face up queens at positions 3 and 4 with two X cards covering them. You will now give each of three spectators a packet of cards. You’ll get two ahead for the big ending by loading a face up queen into two of the three packets as follows: Take the deck into left hand dealing position and obtain a right thumb break under the top three cards (2 X cards and a queen). The left thumb holds the top card in place as the right hand moves the 2nd and 3rd cards to the right and clear of the deck. These are immediately placed on top as the right thumb maintains a break under them. The deck is now held in a right hand Biddle type grip, allowing the left thumb to chop about 15 cards from the bottom of the deck. These are placed on top of the deck. The left hand again holds the deck in a dealing position as the right hand takes all cards above the break and places them onto a spectator’s hand. Say, “Please hold onto these cards for awhile. We’ll get back to them later.” Remember, the bottom card of this packet is a face up queen. You are one ahead. Now get a right thumb break under the top two cards and repeat this process, placing a packet of cards onto a second spectator’s palm. Again, there is a face up queen at the bottom of the packet. Finally, simulate the same action and give a third spectator a packet of cards. This time there is no queen in the packet. Table any remaining cards. TWISTING PHASE: Pick up the tabled queen packet and hold it in left hand dealing position in readiness for an Elmsley Count. Give the packet a twist and then begin the count. The third card in the count will be face down. As it comes into view pause and say, “Look - the queen of spades has turned face down. This happens when the cards are twisted in just the right way. I’ll do it again.” Peel the face down card and place the last face up queen on the bottom. Do the twist and then perform a second Elmsley count (last card on top). This time say, “A second twist and now the queen of hearts has turned face down.” You may spread the five cards as four by performing a buckle count. Twist again and perform a third Elmsley count, again the last card goes on top. Say, “And now the queen of clubs (or diamonds) has turned face down.” You may again use a buckle count to spread the five as four. Twist and then Elmsley count again - last card on top. Say, “And finally the last queen is face down.” This is the end of the twisting phase. SPECTATORS TWIST: If you examine your packet, you’ll find that the two queens are face up at the bottom. There are three face down X cards on top. Remember, two of your spectators are holding packets with face up queens already loaded!! You are two ahead. Turn to one of these spectators and place the top card of your packet onto her packet face down. Do the same with the second spectator who holds a queen. Now get a left 4th finger break under the top two cards of your remaining three. The packet of three is held in left hand dealing position. You will place the double card above the break onto the packet held by the third spectator. However, as you do, you must rotate your left hand palm down so as not to flash the face up queen. Do this and table the single queen face down. Now have all three spectators cut their packets. This centralizes the face up queens. You may use the remaining cards of the original deck to model the cutting process. At this point you are set for the big ending. Each spectator is holding a packet with a face up queen near its center. THE BIG ENDING: Pick up the single queen and show the spectators how to do the twist. Have them spread the packets to see how they did. Finding the queens face up under these impossible conditions should blow their minds. The magic takes place in their hands. hands

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TWIST ON SIMON FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a very solid well structured routine and it plays big. The magic takes place in their hand. The ideal handling has the spectators hold the packets and cut them. I have found, however, that sometimes the reversed queen is seen prematurely. Lay people don’t handle cards as tightly as we do. If you find that this happens, you can simply place the packets on the table in front of the spectators. Once the cut has been made, they can hold the packet for the big ending. There are many minor handling variations that can be used. For example, just before you hand the third spectator the double card, you could twist the supposedly two card packet and reveal that the bottom card has turned face up. You can also, place your queen face down onto the tabled packet just as you did with the spectators’ packets. The ending would be a “you do as I do” sequence. Of course you would have to secretly reverse the queen so that you, as well as the spectators, end with a face up queen in the center of the packet. JOEL’S KILLER ENDING: Joel Givens had a great idea for an extra kicker. Since the backs of the four queens are never seen during the routine, they can have a different color than the deck!! Now, after the spectators have caused the queens to become reversed, you can tell them that the friction caused by the twisting generates a lot of heat, which sometimes affects the cards. Have them remove the face up queens and find that they have changed color! The only handling difference needed to achieve this extra effect is that you cannot show the back of the single queen you retain after you distribute the other three. One way to accomplish this is to use the ploy mentioned above in FINAL THOUGHTS viz. you can twist your packet just before adding the double card to spectator three’s packet. Just show that a queen has turned face up. Now table it face up and continue. CREDITS: The starting point for the routine above was Bill Simon’s Sympathetic Control (Effective Card Magic p. 39). In this routine cards seemingly placed face down into packets held by three spectators magically turn face up. Josh had the idea of combining this effect with a twisting effect. Josh, Joel and I all contributed to the handling.

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POWER PLAYS as shown in figure 6. The right hand releases the 5C, allowing it to snap onto the top of the deck in the left hand. This is facilitated by pressure applied by the left fingertips. This leaves you in the position of figure 7, holding the miniature card. This last change is extremely startling and visual and is based on Ed Marlo’s Face Up Startler. Be sure the spectators are watching closely for maximum impact.

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a very visual sequence indeed. I always give the miniature card to the spectator since the cost is about 5 cents. If you do give away the card, it is important to palm out or otherwise get rid of the normal selection (5C). The spectators will certainly be curious as to whether there is a normal duplicate in the deck. And given any opportunity to handle the cards, will look for it. Make sure it’s not there! It is possible to change the mini card into the normal card one last time. One way is to place the mini face up on the pad. You then turn the deck face up and side steal the bottom card (normal 5C) into the right hand. You can now place the right hand onto the mini, leaving the normal card on top. Apparently the mini has grown back again. By the way, if you like the shrinking and growing theme, check out my commercial item, Diminishing Returns. It is available from most dealers. Here, besides a truly free selection growing and shrinking, the entire deck grows and shrinks as well. There is a video of both the amBIGuous Card and Diminishing returns on my web site at www.mallofmagic.com. Check them out. (By the way - you get a free item with the Diminishing Returns deck called the Defective Deck. There is also a video of this item on the site.)

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BEST OF ALL WORLDS

Paul Curry’s “Out of This World” has often been named as the greatest card trick of all time. There are many excellent variations of this fantastic effect. I have been enamored with several of these. But it seems that each, although an improvement on the original in some ways, has a weakness or lacks a strength that a different variation has. I have used Wyman Jones’ “Galaxy” for years. Wyman’s variation eliminated two weaknesses in the original method viz. 1) the need to maintain a count of the cards until the halfway point is reached and 2) the switch of the leader cards halfway through the count. I always felt that Wyman’s method was the best of the lot. It did, however, have one weakness. You had to pick up the first pile and look at the faces before beginning to deal them face up. This was necessary in order to know where the break between the colors occurred. I also used to perform Harry Lorayne’s “Out of This Universe.” It deviated from the original plot quite a bit but it opened with the spectator shuffling the deck three times. This was a bit time consuming but strengthened the overall effect. Recently, Doug Conn, taught a nice version at John Luka’s Motor City Close Up Convention. Doug’s version did involve a spectator shuffle but the magician had to cut the deck for the spectator to insure a 26-26 separation. I like the Lorayne method of having the spectator shuffle. The magician never touches the deck. Here I have combined aspects of all three routines. “Best of All Worlds” opens with a Lorayne style mixing by the spectators. It then uses two spectators as in the Conn method. However, unlike Conn’s method, only one set of marker cards is used. Finally, “Best of All Worlds” eliminates the need to look at the faces of the cards in the first pile as in the Jones method. The magician never needs to touch the cards except at the very end when the color separation is revealed. SET-UP: Stack the deck face down with the 26 red cards on top and 26 blacks on the bottom. This can be achieved on the fly from your working deck by using Lorayne’s “Great Divide” or Lennert Green’s “Angle Separation” method. Alternately you can simply have the deck set up at the outset. PROCEDURE: Perform a false shuffle maintaining the original color separation. (This shuffle is optional.) As this is being done, say “You’ve probably noticed that as a deck is shuffled, the cards tend to fall in clumps of two or three or four cards. In other words, certain cards stay with their neighbors during the shuffling. I want to give you an opportunity to thoroughly mix the cards. But first, you will make the choice regarding which cards stay with their neighbors.”

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Deal the first four cards face down, one at a time, into a square with about 10 inches between the corners. Deal about 8 to 10 more cards on top of these following a random pattern. As you do this say, “I want you to deal the cards into four piles like this. Do not follow a pattern. You may deal two or three 73

POWER PLAYS into one pile if you like. It’s your choice which cards stay together and which get separated from their neighbors.” Reassemble the cards on top of the deck in a haphazard manner and hand the deck to the spectator. Have her begin with four cards at the corners of a square and then continue randomly. Say, “Keep the piles approximately equal in size but don’t follow a pattern. Be random.” During the dealing you can continue to point out how the spectator is choosing which cards stay together etc. Be sure that she deals the cards singly as you instructed. This will insure that each pile ends up with all black cards on top and all red cards on the bottom. I generally square up the piles myself, however if you feel that it’s important that you never touch the cards you may have the spectator square them up. Once the piles are squared say, “Which two of these piles would you like to shuffle together?” Pantomime a riffle shuffle as you deliver this line. I generally place the two indicated piles in front of the spectator who then riffle shuffles them together. This is repeated with the other two piles. Finally, the two half decks are shuffled by the spectator. Recap by saying something like, “These cards are as mixed as cards can be. Not only did you shuffle three times, you had a chance to separate the cards from each other before shuffling, making sure that certain groups of cards didn’t remain together. Cards don’t get more random than this!” Cut the top third of the deck and hand it to the spectator who just shuffled. (Let’s say that this spectator is on your right.) These cards are all black. Cut the next third and hold onto these. This group is mixed red and black. Hand the bottom third to a different spectator. (On your left.) These cards are all red. Of course a spectator can do this cutting if you wish. You may have the spectators shuffle their packs, but this is probably overkill after all the shuffling that has already been done. Say “We’re going to perform an experiment involving thought transference, intuition and probability. Please do not look at your cards. You must rely strictly on intuition and instinct.” Look at the cards you are holding and pick out one red and one black card. Place these face up side by side on the pad with the red card on the left side and the black card on the right. Turn to the spectator on your right (the one with the black cards) and say, “Let’s try a little thought transference. I will look at the faces of my cards one at a time. When I look up at you, you will tell me immediately whether to deal it on the red pile or the black pile.” At this point you begin to pull cards from your mixed group. You must choose only black cards during this phase. Pull a black card, look at it for half a second and then look at the spectator. She is then to say “red” or “black.” Place the card face down onto the designated pile. Try to get a flow going but make the spectator wait until you look into her eyes. If she hesitates, say “Trust your instincts.” When the black cards have been exhausted say, “O.K. you trusted your instincts. Now you will have to trust your intuition. I want you to come over here and stand where I have been standing. You will look at the back of the top card of your pack and then immediately deal it face down on the pile on which you feel it belongs. Trust your intuition.” Again, if the spectator hesitates very long say, “Trust your intuition.” STATUS CHECK: You are now holding only red cards. The spectator on your left has only red cards as well. All the cards that have been dealt face down are black. Turn to the spectator on your left and say, “Now we will play the thought transference game. I’ll look at the face of one of my cards. When I look at you please say ‘red’ or ‘black’ and I will deal the card to that pile.” This time you must remember the name of the first card that is dealt to the red pile. This will be your key card at the end. This knowledge will eliminate the need for you to look at the

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POWER PLAYS mixed portion of your spread will be near the center and generally there are not too many cards mixed. It’s often possible to use a culling technique to get a total separation with the blacks on the top of the face down spread. If you memorized the last black card in the sequence, you would simply take a card from the top of the face down pack, look at its face and then place it face down on the pile designated by the spectator. You would know when to stop since you had memorized the last black card. All “Out of This World” variations take a long time to perform since they involve a spectator dealing the entire deck into columns or piles. This routine begins with a lengthy spectator shuffling procedure as in Lorayne’s “Out of this Universe.” If you find this procedure too lengthy, an alternative is to have the deck stacked 13 black, 13 red, 13 black, 13 red. You then must cut dead center for a single spectator riffle shuffle. You’ll end with the same situation viz. the top 20 cards or so will be black, the bottom 20 or so will be red and there will be mixture of 12 cards (or so) in the center. I personally prefer the Lorayne procedure even though it is lengthy. There is much opportunity to play with the spectators. And there is a very strong sense that the cards have been mixed thoroughly. CREDITS: As mentioned above, Paul Curry was the originator of “Out of This World.” I have used ideas from Harry Lorayne, Doug Conn and Wyman Jones in constructing this variation.

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HOOCHIE COOCHIE ACES

This is a variation of Vernon’s Aces, originally published in Lorayne’s “Close-up Card Magic.” Martin Nash, in his Vernash’s Aces, replaced a clumsy placement sequence with an elegant one viz. Gene Finnell’s “Free Cut Principle.” Unfortunately, Nash’s routine still requires some Faro shuffling, moving it beyond the skill level of many magicians. My contribution is the use of an injog to mark the locations of the 12 card packets. This occurs during an open search for the aces. I’ve also eliminated the Faro shuffle and further involved the spectators in the process. EFFECT: The magician openly removes the aces from the deck and cuts the deck into four piles. The spectators cut the aces into the piles and the deck is reassembled. The spectators further mix the cards making it seem impossible to find the aces. Nonetheless, after one shuffle (by the spectators), the magician instantly locates all four aces. (Alternately, they may be cut one at a time as called for by suit!) SET UP: None. ROUTINE: Spread the deck face up toward yourself, upjogging the aces as you come to them. However, spread as follows: a group of 3, then 2, then 2 then 3 (that’s 10). Now secretly injog the 2nd card of the next pair i.e. the 12th card. You’ll have to count “around” the aces. In other words the aces don’t count as part of the group of 12. Repeat this process twice more. You end with four upjogged aces and three injogged cards that divide the deck into four groups of 12 (not counting the 4 upjogged aces). Strip out the aces and place them face up on the pad. Square the deck maintaining the injogged condition of the 3 marker cards. Now use the injogged cards to cut the deck into four piles of 12 each. The cutting should be casual. The spectators should feel that you have made four approximately equal cuts. Actually they are exactly equal. Arrange the four packets face down from left to right. We will call these A, B, C and D as shown in figure 1. Ask a spectator to cut some cards from packet A and to hand these to you. An ace is then placed face down on the remaining cards at A. The spectator is then asked to cut some cards from the packet B and to place these onto A, covering the ace with an unknown number of cards. A second ace is placed on the cards remaining at B and the spectator is asked now to cut some cards from packet C and place them onto B. As this

A

B

C

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D

POWER PLAYS is done you must determine the number of cards you are holding. I generally just perform a quick thumb count. Now the 3rd ace is placed on packet C and some cards are cut from packet D onto these. Finally, the last ace is placed on packet D and the cards you just counted are placed on top of this last ace. Apparently the aces are hopelessly lost in places determined by the spectators. Reassemble the deck by placing packet D onto C then all of these onto B and finally all of these onto A. Since you secretly counted the cards placed onto the last ace, you know how far it is from the top. Casually run those cards to the bottom in an overhand shuffle ending with an ace on top. It’s best to break this up into two shuffles. Let’s say that there are 9 cards over the ace. You can run four cards and then toss the remainder onto these. Now run five more and toss the deck on top. This positions an ace on top. And, due to Finnell’s principle, the aces will be positioned exactly 12 cards apart! Now hold the deck face down in the left hand between the left thumb and fingertips at the long edges. The deck is held up off the palm allowing the right thumb to riffle the inner short edge from bottom to top. Angle the deck so that you can see the indexes of the cards as they go by. When you get near the center go slowly and watch for the moment the center ace falls. Cut at this point (dead center) and hand each of the two halves to two different spectators. Each half deck has an ace on top followed by 12 indifferent cards then another ace and finally 12 more cards. THE SPECTATORS “SHUFFLE”: The spectators are holding their respective packets face down. Have each spectator toss the top card of her packet face down in a pile on the pad. These two cards should overlap so that they don’t get mixed in with the rest of the cards. Now have the spectators continue tossing cards simultaneously as you count off 12 cycles (silently). The tossing may be somewhat haphazard as long as they each toss at about the same time to insure that they have each tossed exactly 12 cards after the initial aces (13 in all). Once 12 cards have been tossed by each spectator, allow one more toss. The next cards tossed are the other two aces. As these are tossed tell the spectators to stop tossing and simply shuffle the remaining cards. As this shuffling is taking place you square up the messy pile on the pad, taking care to maintain the two aces on the bottom and the two on the top. Have the spectators hand you their shuffled piles. These are placed together and then shuffled by you into the tabled portion. During this riffle shuffle you must drop the bottom two aces first and the top two last, thus maintaining the aces on top and bottom after the shuffle. You now have the aces completely under control. There are two on top and two on the bottom. The spectators must believe that the aces are hopelessly lost after all the shuffling etc. Emphasize how fair the process has been. The spectators placed the aces into the packets where they wanted them to go. Then they shuffled the deck in two different ways. ENDING I: Tell the spectators that you will find the aces very quickly but that you want someone to time you. Choose someone with a watch and tell her that you will indicate when she should start timing. You will also tell her to stop when you’ve found the four aces. Hold the deck face down in your right hand with thumb on top and fingers underneath (fingertips about in the center) in readiness to toss it to your left hand. You are going to retain the top and bottom aces in your right hand by pressing very lightly as you toss. Friction will cause the top and bottom cards to remain. Once the deck reaches your left hand you will repeat this process, this time tossing the deck to the table while again retaining the top and bottom aces in your left hand. You will find the aces in about 1 second!

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When you are ready for the big ending, say, “Ready, set, go..” Execute the back and forth tossing business and immediately say, “Stop!” Pause a beat or two before revealing that the four cards you are 78

HOOCHIE COOCHIE ACES holding are the aces! WAY COOL ENDING: If you place the aces in a known order at the outset you can use a running cut sequence at the end to cut to any ace named. I believe Mike Skinner used to do this and I have seen Bill Malone do it too. It’s very impressive when you can cut to the named ace. You’ll just have to take appropriate breaks and move the named ace to the top in a tabled running cut action. Because of the haphazard tossing sequence, the order of the aces may be difficult to keep track of. You can simply peek during your riffle shuffle to determine the positions of the aces at the end. You’ll have to keep track of which ace is where as you perform the running cut sequence. CREDITS: This routine grew out of a discussion on the computer board TSD (The Second Deal). There was a lot of discussion regarding methods of obtaining the four 12 card packets. My contribution was the injog idea. Subsequently I began toying with the entire sequence and came up with the routine described above.

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SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED Groning/Powers

EFFECT: This is my variation of an effect published by Peter Groning on the computer board, TSD (The Second Deal). Peter’s concept is that a card is freely selected and signed on the back. This “prediction card” is placed between, say, two red jacks. The three cards are sequestered in the card case. Now a second spectator selects a card and signs its face. This card is lost in the deck. The card case is opened and the three card sandwich removed. When the unknown card (signed on its back) is examined, it turns out to be the card just signed on its face! Peter is working on a booklet of original card effects and variations on this theme. Keep an eye out for this booklet which contains some very cool items! I really like this concept! It’s reminiscent of effects like Hamman’s “Signed Card” except the sequestered card is signed on the back, theoretically precluding a switch. The handling I came up with, streamlines the routine and eliminates some moves e.g. a Gambler’s Cop. I’m also taking a different approach at the beginning when the three cards are supposedly placed into the case. Peter sneaks them under the case and then unloads them back on the deck. I’ve found that it’s easier and, I think just as effective, to place a single jack in the case as three, leaving the other two cards in the deck from the outset. My handling also allows the prediction card to have a different color back than that of the working deck. This really strengthens the routine. Below this more advanced handling is a quick and easy solution as well. The easy solution begins as described below but avoids using the Secret Double move. REQUISITES: You will need an old deck of red cards as well as your blue working deck. (Obviously the colors can be reversed if you prefer a red working deck.) One of these red cards will be given away after each performance. I generally mark the red box with the words “OLD CARDS” in large writing. When you are ready to perform Signed, Sealed and Delivered, begin by tossing the pack marked “old cards” onto the table. SET-UP: None. ROUTINE: The blue card case is on the table with opening outward and with the side containing the words “BICYCLE Rider Back” uppermost. The flap should be open. Remove the two red jacks (diamonds and hearts) from the blue deck and place them face up on top of the face down deck blue deck. Table the blue deck as you say, “These jacks will act as guards.” Now hand the boxed red deck to the spectator and say, “We’ll need a prediction card. Please shuffle the red cards and remove one without looking at its face. Then sign your name on the back for security. That way we’ll know that no switch can be made.” While this is being accomplished, pick up the blue deck in left hand dealing position and spread the top three cards a bit to the right. Now have the selection replaced face down between the two jacks. Obtain a left 4th finger break under the now 4th card from the top as you square up the top three cards against the left thumb. As you are squaring, the right thumb picks up a break above the

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SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED (indicating the face card) and isn’t here (as the left fingertips pull the bottommost card to the left and free of the deck).” This card is then reinserted anywhere in the lower part of the deck. Your right thumb now holds a break over two cards viz. the signed selection (bottom card) and red jack (2nd from bottom). These cards will be loaded onto the card case using Ackerman’s method from “Card Case Collectors” (Here’s My Card pp. 17-21). Fig. 6 To wit: Basically the palm down left hand picks up the case and turns palm up. This brings the opening to the outer end. Now the right hand, still holding the deck, moves over the case and unloads the two cards below the break onto the case as the right 2nd finger pushes the flap open. (See figure 6.) The deck is immediately tabled as the left hand rotates palm downward while holding the two extra cards against the case. The now free right thumb reaches into the case and contacts the single jack. The right fingers reach below the case and contact the two extra cards. The half moon at the opening allows the right thumb and 1st finger to pinch the two cards which are below the case against the jack inside the case. Once you’ve got control, you can remove the cards as the spectators watch. The single jack that is actually in the case will make it appear as though all the cards are in the case as they are removed. Say, “Earlier you signed this red backed card, which has been guarded by the jacks and out of anyone’s reach inside the case. Would it be amazing if this card matched the selection you just made from the blue deck?” The use of the red backed prediction card makes it believable that the cards could match. After all they are from different decks (it seems). Spread the three card sandwich and rotate the index of the prediction card into view. Of course it will match the card the spectator selected from the blue deck and the trick will seem to be completed. Now say, “But this card didn’t just predict the card you would select. It predicted how you would sign your name!” Slowly remove the red card from the spread as you speak the words. Try to time it so the signature comes into view just as you say “sign your name.” Give the card to the spectator as a souvenir. The use of the odd colored back allows you to give the card away without compromising the integrity of your working deck. Signed, Sealed and Delivered the EASY WAY: If you want to avoid the Secret Double, try this - Use the same opening sequence described above (using ATFUS) and load a single jack into the case as three. Flip the deck face up and openly remove the bottom card and place it into the deck. (Or double cut it to the top as though you are mixing the cards.) This leaves the signed selection on the bottom. Now use a HINDU SHUFFLE FORCE from the face up deck. When the spectator says “stop” simply push the bottom card of the right hand’s packet to a jogged condition using the left fingers as you say, “You’ve stopped me at this card.” Actually you have forced the card previously signed on its back. Use the left thumb to pull this card onto the cards held by the left hand and then place the right hand’s cards underneath those in the left hand. This places the reversed jack on the bottom of the face up deck. Have the “free” selection signed on its face and then double cut it to the bottom as you “lose” it in the deck. At this point the deck is face up and the two important cards are on the bottom of the deck ready for the Ackerman move described above. Just get a break above the bottom two cards and execute the Ackerman unloading onto the card case. You’re home free...

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FINAL THOUGHTS: The “simple method” above is substantially weaker than the first method. The Secret Double used as a force is exceptionally clean and leads seamlessly into the TILT subtlety while 83

POWER PLAYS constantly showing the back of the selection to be unmarked. Learn “Secret Double.” It’s a versatile move and can always be substituted for the very contrived looking Christ-Annemann Alignment move. VARIATIONS: There is a certain weirdness at the end since the spectator seemingly signed the face of a blue backed card. Obviously the blue backed duplicate of the signed red card will not have a signature. This suggests a variation as follows: You can either peek the face of the red card chosen by the spectator or contrive to force a specific red backed card. Now you know the identity of the red card from the outset. You can then position the blue backed duplicate in readiness for a force i.e. riffle force etc. Now, after the spectator signs the face of the “selection” you begin the TILT move as described above. When you withdraw the blue backed card (leaving the signed red card second from top) you table the card off to the side rather than replacing it in the deck. Now you continue as described above to the point where you have removed the three cards from the box. Spread the cards showing the red back but maintain a somewhat tight spread so that the signature will not show when you reveal the identity of the red backed card. The spectator will see that the red card was identical to the blue selection that is face down on the table and supposedly signed. You can now reveal that the signature has vanished from the blue card and has appeared on the red card. Alternately you can have a blue backed blank face card in the red deck. Its back and face must not be seen. Set things up so that you can remove the selected red card with the blue card seemingly as a single unit. This allows you to bring a blank facer into the blue deck. You would then force the blank faced blue backed card instead of the blue duplicate of the red. As described above, you would then ultimately table the blank facer face down and continue with the routine. At the end it would be found that the red backed card is signed on its face. When the tabled blue card is checked, it will have a blank face for a somewhat more logical ending. The spectator can then keep both the signed red card and the blank facer.

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VIRUS

EFFECT: The performer offers to demonstrate how viruses act on the body. He explains that a virus actually can turn your DNA into its DNA, effectively turning you into it. Four red spot cards are removed from the deck to represent a virus colony. The four kings are removed to be the subjects in the experiment. One of the red spot cards is placed aside and is replaced with a king. The king is instantly assimilated, leaving only four red spot cards in the packet. Again a red card is removed and replaced with a king. And again the king is assimilated. No trace remains. This happens two more times as all the kings are assimilated. Attention is directed to the discard pile where the removed cards have been placed. The magician explains that sometimes there is a little DNA left and the kings can regenerate. But when the four cards are examined, it is found that they have mutated into the four aces! SET-UP: None. PROCEDURE: Spread the deck toward yourself. First cut any ace to the face. Now upjog any three of the red eights and nines and one more ace. Remove the four upjogged cards and place them at the face arranging the top five cards as follows: Suppose you have two aces, two nines and an eight at the face. Place the nine at the face followed by an eight, the two aces and finally the other eight. You need the odd red spot card, in this case, the nine at the face for the impending Elmsley Count. During this process say, “Do you know what a virus is?” Whatever the response, continue with, “A virus turns your DNA into its DNA. It makes you into it on a small scale. Let me illustrate with some cards.” Square up the five cards and place them face up on the table as you say, “These red cards will represent the virus. Perhaps the Mask of the Red Death (for those who remember Poe)” STATUS CHECK: The tabled packet should be from the face red nine, red eight, ace, ace, red eight. Now again spread the deck toward yourself and cut an ace to the face. Begin to openly upjog the four kings as you spread through the cards. Say, “We also will need some subjects for our experiment. The kings have volunteered.” When you see the fourth ace, place it at the face with the other ace. Finally, strip out the upjogged kings and add them to the face. Obtain left 4th finger break under the 6th card from the face (last ace). Now lower the deck so the spectators can see the kings at the face. Since you haven’t shown the spectators that the cards really are the kings, it is natural to do this before proceeding. You will use Marlo’s FUFU count to switch out two of the kings for the two aces as you verify that you really have the kings. To wit:

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The FUFU is basically a face up ATFUS (FUFU stands for Face up Face up). Move the block of six cards above the break a bit to the right, exposing the seventh card from the top. Obtain a left 4th finger break under this card in readiness for FUFU. Move the block of 6 cards over the broken card as the 85

POWER PLAYS right thumb takes over the break. The right hand now controls seven cards - six above the break and one below. Hold the top king in place with the left thumb as the right hand moves to the right with its now six card packet, finally clearing the deck. Now move the right hand packet onto the deck again and peel the 2nd king onto the deck using the left thumb as the right hand moves its now five card packet to the right and clear of the deck. Again move the cards remaining in the right hand over the deck. This time drop the X card that is below the break onto the two kings at the face of the deck as, simultaneously, you peel the 3rd king using the left thumb. Pick up a break under this king with the left 4th finger as the right hand moves to the right with its three cards. Finally, the right hand moves over the deck, this time picking up the king above the break under its three cards. Move the right hand away from the deck and table the four cards in a face down spread. These cards are from top down, king, ace, ace, king. The spectators believe these to be the four kings. You are now ready to get down to business. Table the deck and pick up the five card packet believed to contain red spot cards. Elmsley count the packet face up (last card on top). Four red spot cards show. During this display say, “These red cards represent the virus. Remember, a virus turns the host’s DNA into virus material. Watch.” Flip the packet face down into left hand dealing position. Spread the five cards as four, holding the last two cards as one. Now remove the top card (an ace and place it on the pad as you say, “I’m going to remove one of the virus cards.” The other four cards are held as three, face down in spread condition in the left hand. Now pick up the top card of the tabled king packet and flash its face (it is a king). Place the king face down under the top card of the spread. Now remove the top two cards (king and ace) and place them between the “two” cards remaining in the left hand. Flip the packet face up and Elmsley count as you say, “In an instant the king has been assimilated. None of his DNA is left.” The spectators will see four red spot cards due to the Elmsley count. Also, an ace will be positioned at the bottom of the packet after the count. Flip the packet face down and remove the top card (an ace). Place this card face down on top of the other tabled ace as you say, “I’m going to remove a virus card and try it again.” You again spread the remaining four cards as three by holding the bottom two cards as one. Pick up a card from the king packet. This time the card is an ace and cannot be flashed. Place the ace this time on top of the upper card of the spread. Again, the upper two cards are placed between the remaining two cards of the spread. Finally flip the packet face down and Elmsley count to show that the second king has been assimilated. Repeat the previous sequence. Be sure that you place the ace on top of the upper card of the spread! You will now have three aces in a group on the pad and one king in a separate pile. Supposedly the aces are red spot cards that have been removed during the course of the “experiment.” Again flip the four card (actually five) packet face down. Remove the top card (an ace) and place it on the other three aces already on the pad. Spread the remaining four cards as three. Pick up the last king and show its face. Place the king on top of the three card spread and again place the top two cards between the other “two” cards. Square up, flip the packet face up and Elmsley count one last time to show that the last king has been assimilated. These cards can now be added to the deck. Now for the big ending! Say, “You are probably wondering what has happened to the four virus cards we removed.” Gesture toward the tabled packet. The spectators will suspect that these cards are the kings. Say, “Sometimes there’s a little DNA left and they return to their original condition.” This leads the spectators to think that the cards are indeed the kings and lowers their expectations of what is about

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VIRUS to happen. Finally say, “But sometimes they mutate.” Flip the four cards face up revealing that they are the aces! This will really fry your audience. It is particularly magical since they have a very strong expectation of a totally different situation. FINAL THOUGHTS: It is possible to bring the kings back in some magical way if you like. There are two at the rear of the red spot card packet after the Elmsley count. The other two are 2nd and 3rd from the face of the deck. It is easy to assemble the four kings for a final appearance. If this appeals to you, you will find one of the many ways to make this happen. CREDITS: I still remember seeing my friend Chuck King perform Phil Goldstein’s Ascension from Lorayne’s Best of Friends I. The appearance of the aces at the end really nailed me. The original Ascension uses 6 cards as four and really has no patter theme. I’ve streamlined the handling by eliminating one of the six cards. Also, the Virus theme makes the sequence “logical” and also allows the kicker ending to be part of the theme rather than to come out of nowhere.

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REVERSE FARO COINCIDENCE

EFFECT: The deck is shuffled and placed on the table. Two different spectators each cut the deck for a selection and replace the cuts while the magician’s back is turned. The magician asks if either spectator has selected a black jack. Since neither jack was selected, the magician spreads the deck face up and removes the two black jacks. The spectators watch this process carefully to be sure that there is no hanky panky. The black jacks are cut, face up, into the deck by the spectators. The magician gives the deck one shuffle and spreads to find the face up jacks. Sandwiched between them is a single face down card. It turns out to be one of the selections. This is placed face down on the table and the jacks are placed face up onto the deck again. This time the magician merely snaps his fingers. A second face down card is found between the jacks. Strangely, this turns out to the first selection again! The previously tabled card is now found to be the second selection. REQUISITES: A 53 card deck and the ability to perform a perfect faro shuffle. (A 51 card deck can also be use.) SET-UP: Remove the two black jacks. They must be positioned as follows: For a 53 card deck from the top down – X card, black jack, 26 X cards, second black jack at position 29 from the top. If you are using a 51 card deck it’s – X card, black jack, 25 X cards, second black jack. This set up is easily achieved as follows: Cull the two black jacks to the bottom of the face up deck. You may use the ruse of being sure that all the cards are present. Now, holding the deck face down, split for a faro shuffle. The deck will be split into a group of 26 and a group of 27 cards. If the group of 27 contains the jacks on top, simply slide one onto the other group and put the remaining cards underneath. This positions a jack on top with a jack at position 28. Now double cut the bottom card to the top. There are many ways to arrive at the proper starting point. PROCEDURE: Having positioned the black jacks properly, perform a false shuffle (optional). Now place the deck face down on the table and say, “I want both of you to make selections. Tammy, please cut the deck like this and look at the card you cut to.” Demonstrate the procedure by cutting less than half the cards and looking at the face card of the cut portion. Say, “I’m going to have Mary cut too, so cut less than half so she will have a good chunk of cards to work with. Just hold your cards after you look at your selection.” Turn aside while Tammy makes the cut. I would recommend not turning completely around. Your peripheral vision will allow you to be sure that the instructions are being followed properly. Now, while Tammy continues to hold her cards, have Mary cut. Say, “Mary, go ahead and cut a good chunk of cards and look at your selection.” N.B. It is critical that Tammy cuts above the 29th card (black jack) and that Mary cuts below it. That is why Mary is instructed to “cut a good chunk.” This phrasing tells her to cut deep. This effect will not work if either Tammy cuts past 29 or Mary fails to

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REVERSE FARO COINCIDENCE cut past 29. Both spectators are holding packets at this point. Have Tammy (who made the first cut) put her packet back onto the tabled portion. Finally, tell Mary to place her packet on top. Note that the deck is not in its original order since Tammy’s portion was formerly on top. (This is the same selection process used in PM Plus.) Now you must make a displacement that will position the selections for the impending faro shuffle. To wit: First ask if either of the spectators has selected a black jack. If the rules were followed, the answer will be no. Turn the deck face up and begin spreading to locate the black jacks. Say, “I’m going to remove the black jacks. Watch to be sure that I don’t cheat here.” As you spread, spectator 1 (Tammy) will see her card before you reach the first jack. Keep a fairly tight spread as you look for the first jack. The second spectator’s card will be two cards past the first black jack. I believe that it’s best that she not notice this. So keep a tight spread when you reach the jack. Table all cards above the jack face up. Remove the jack and place it face up to the side. Now spread to find the second black jack. Be sure to prevent the top two cards from spreading as you continue the search. This way, spectator 2 will not be aware that her card was very near the jack. When you reach the second jack, place all cards above it on top of those already tabled (face up). Remove the jack and place it on top of the first jack. You are holding a small face up group of cards. Take the tabled portion and place it onto those in your hand. Finally turn the entire deck face down and table it. STATUS CHECK: If you examine the deck at this point you will find that selection 1 is 26th from the top. Selection 2 is 2nd from bottom or 50th from top. Place the two jacks face up onto the face down deck. Now have either or both of the spectators give the deck a straight cut. The deck can be cut as many times as you wish. It is best if the jacks are a bit off center when the cutting has ceased, although this is not critical. Now split for a perfect faro shuffle. Cutting at center you will have a 26/27 split. Perform a “Butt” Faro, shuffling the 26 card group into the 27 card group. (The top and bottom cards of the 27 card group remain top and bottom after the shuffle.) The faro will cause the black jacks to sandwich selection 1! Selection 2 will be four cards above the upper jack. Now it’s simply a matter of how to create the most magic from this situation. First you will show that the card between the jacks is a selection. Then you will use the proximity of the second selection for a second climax. There are MANY ways to go. ENDING 1: Spread the cards, revealing that there is now a face down card between the jacks. As the first jack comes into view, contrive to push the fifth card above the jack past the fourth card above it (second selection). This will allow you to pull the second selection (fourth card above the jack) to the right a bit. Now you can run this card under the spread as you reach the jack sandwich. Outjog the three card sandwich as you run the second selection just a bit under the upper jack. This prepares the way for the final sandwich. Have the first spectator remove the face down card between the jacks. It will be her selection. Square up the deck, while leaving the two jacks outjogged. The second selection has been fed between them. Now tell the second spectator to take the deck and to push the jacks flush. The dirty work has already been accomplished so the spectator can spread through the deck to find that the jacks have sandwiched a second card. It will be her selection.

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POWER PLAYS ENDING 2: You may find the process of maneuvering the second selection from four above the jack into the sandwich to be messy. Many alternate endings are available. For example, you can remove the jack sandwich and simply cut at the point four cards above the upper jack. This positions the second selection on top of the deck. Now you can reveal the first selection and, as you replace the two face up jacks onto the deck, it’s a simple matter to pick up the top three cards, slide the upper jack back onto the deck and then place the double as one card on top. This positions the second selection between the jacks. It’s easy to create a magical ending from here. ENDING 3: I have a lot of fun by ending with a transposition. To wit: Outjog the initial three card sandwich and cut the deck four above it. This positions the second selection on top. Obtain a break under the top card (selection) as you remove the sandwich and place it on top of the deck. Square up and lift the top four cards (as three) into right hand Biddle grip. Table the deck. Now spread the four cards as three by keeping the bottom two cards together. Hold the bottom two cards as one in the left hand as the right hand raises the top two cards, showing the face down card to be the selection. As the spectators react to this first bit of magic, you will make a secret displacement as follows: Replace the two cards onto those in the left hand and square the cards into left hand dealing position. Immediately take the cards into right hand Biddle grip and peel the top jack back into the left hand. Now, as your right hand brings its cards over the single jack in the left hand, steal this card back under the right hand’s cards as the next (face down) card is peeled. Finally, place the three cards, as one, on top. It appears that you have merely reversed the order of the cards. Actually you have reversed the positions of the two selections. Once again take the packet into left hand mechanic’s grip and spread the packet as three (keeping the bottom card hidden). Remove the top two cards with the right hand and place the face down card (supposedly the selection) face down on the pad. Replace the jack underneath the two cards (supposedly one) held in the left hand. Now place the three cards (as two) on top of the tabled deck. Cut the deck and spread showing that the jacks have now sandwiched another face down card. Ask for the identity of the missing selection. Everyone expects the face down card to be this selection. Instead it is revealed to be the first selection! All eyes will go to the tabled card. Yes, it’s the missing selection for the BIG ending. CREDITS: The idea of using a Faro shuffle to sandwich the 26 card is well known. The procedure for getting the selections into position is taken from a manuscript I put out in 1990 called The PM Principle. It was there that the displacement procedure that positions the selections at 26 and 50 was first published.

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POWER PLAYS

MATHEMATICAL MYSTERIES

“Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty -a beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture.” Bertrand Russell

“Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater.” Albert Einstein

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PUNCH INTRO

The idea of being able to know a card by feel goes back to Maskelyne’s “Sharps and Flats”, in 1894. He said “Pricking the cards is a method chiefly employed by men who can deal ‘seconds.’ The sharp will prick the corners of all the Aces and court cards, or as many of them as happen to fall into his hands, from time to time, and whilst dealing, he can feel the little projection caused by the prick, and hold these cards back until they could be dealt to himself.” The “work” Maskelyne was referring to would be put in during the game using a fingernail to nick the cards. Later, devices were developed that could raise a bump on the back of a card, a bump that could be felt during the dealing process. Ed Marlo devoted a chapter in Marlo’s Magazine Vol. 4 (1981) to the use of the punch deal. Anyone who has seen Jack Pyle work, has seen a true master of the punch deal. I’ll never forget seeing Jack years ago at Abbott’s Get-Together. He had a spectator shuffle the deck thoroughly. He then dealt bridge hands i.e. 13 cards to each of the four players. When the hands were turned face up, he and his partner had every face card and ace!! To do this he had to feel the punched area of the top card just before dealing it. If it was a punched card (high card), he had to execute a second or bottom deal, holding the high cards back for himself and his partner. The rhythm of the dealing was perfect. He never hesitated or fumbled. Jack was the master of punch dealing. Ed Marlo and Steve Draun also used to do punch deal work, but for me Jack was the man. It is possible to purchase professional card punching devices. Jeff Busby used to carry one as did Gary Plants. I’m not sure if they are available at this time from these gentlemen or not. James Riser sells some beautiful card punches on the web. You can find him through a google search. For our application here, it’s really not necessary to have a professional punch. It’s possible to make very useable punched cards at home. Here’s how: PUNCHING CARDS: Obtain a thimble and a sharp needle or straight pin. The thimble will prevent you from sticking your finger. Alternately you can use a needle and a hard surface like glass or metal. The pin must be pushed into the face side at the upper left corner. N.B. Do not push the pin all the way through the card! The idea is to raise a bump on the back of the card. Experiment with some old cards until you can raise a bump without punching all the way through. You must also put a punch in the diagonally opposite corner. I generally put in three punches about a quarter inch apart in the location indicated in figure 1. You

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Fig. 1

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PUNCH INTRO can’t afford to miss the card as you deal. Once the card is punched, perform the following experiment: Hold the card face down and lightly sweep your right thumb over the outer right corner. You should be able to feel the punch. Since there is a punch in the diagonally opposite corner, it won’t matter which way the card is oriented. There will always be a punch that can be felt at the outer right corner. Now place the punched card among a group of 10 to 15 normal cards. Deal normally, but sweep your thumb over the outer right corner as the card is being moved from the deck to the table. You must not hesitate. It should look like you are dealing normally. If you can consistently feel which of the cards has the punch and which do not, you are ready to apply the punched card principle to some killer effects. NON - PUNCHED METHOD: All the effects in the “punch” section can be performed by using a visual rather than a tactile cue. Instead of putting punches in the cards that can be felt, you can instead, put a pencil dot on the card. On Bicycle cards an ideal spot is the little flower gizmo that the “angels” are pointing to. You can use a colored marker to fill in the center dot. This is easily seen and will provide the necessary cue. Of course you will have to look at the backs of the cards as you deal and thus you loose a little effect. Especially with PM Plus the effect is much stronger when you don’t look at the cards. The three punch effects following this introductory section are extremely strong and yet very easy. They are not visual. Instead, they derive their strength from an incredibly high level of impossibility. Consider these conditions: PM Plus: (1) The cards are examined. All cards are present - no duplicates or missing cards. (2) The spectators make selections while your back is turned and bury them in the deck. (3) You deal the cards face down into two piles, without looking. (4) Again, without ever looking at the face or back of any card, you name both selections. (5) When the top cards of the dealt piles are turned over, they are found to be the two selections! The two effects following PM Plus are equally impossible. All three use punched cards (or pencil dotter cards). Don’t overlook these effects. They are easy and they kill! SETTING UP THE AUDIENCE: Because these routines derive their strength from their high level of impossibility, it’s important to negate every possible explanation. Unless you take specific action, it will be possible for the audience to imagine that there are extra cards or a special order etc. I recommend using the following set-up for two reasons: First of all, it negates these theories and secondly, it’s fun and interesting to the audience. Here’s what I say: “Would anyone like to make a quick hundred dollars? I thought so. We’ll have to be fair here so I’m going to toss this ball over my shoulder. Aha – you are the lucky winner sir. Please come right up here. I’ll place the hundred here where you can keep an eye on it. Here’s the deal. I’ve spread my cards face up in front of you. If you can find an extra card or any missing card, you get the hundred. Go for it… how are you doing…??” You get the idea. This establishes that the deck is “normal” and also gets a spectator up to help you. Furthermore, it subliminally sells the idea that there’s no set-up, at least nothing obvious like new deck order. In PM Plus you will need two spectators. You can manage this any way you like, but make sure it’s fun! O.K. now you’ve got your spectators in place. Let’s blow their minds!

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PM PLUS

EFFECT: The magician turns his back and instructs two spectators each to cut the face down deck for a selection. The selections are absolutely free and, in fact, the spectators may change their minds and re-cut if they like. The cuts are replaced, burying the selections. The magician then turns around and begins dealing cards face down without ever looking at the backs of any cards. Suddenly, after “feeling a vibration,” the magician stops dealing and begins a second pile. Another “vibration” is felt and the magician again stops dealing. At no point does the magician ever look at a card. Now the magician asks each spectator to concentrate on her card. The magician names each of the selections and then instructs the spectators to turn over the top cards of their respective piles. These turn out to be the selections!!! This truly “impossible” location is based on a mathematical principle and requires no skill. The level of impossibility is extremely high since the selections are completely free and the magician never even looks at the cards! METHOD: Two “key” cards are used to achieve this extraordinary location. The key cards have tiny raised punches at their outer right corner that can be felt by the thumb as the cards are dealt face down. (See the introduction to this section for the details of creating the necessary key cards and for an alternate method involving pencil dots instead of punches.) SETUP: You will need to make two punched cards. If you want to do the mind reading (which I highly recommend!) you will need to stack the deck in a known order. Those who do memorized deck work are all set. If you haven’t learned a memorized order yet, there is another way that will allow you to do the mind reading anyway. This will be explained at the end. For now, place the cards into your favorite order i.e. Aronson stack, Tamariz stack etc. Don’t use a stack in which the colors alternate because this will stand out like a sore thumb when the deck is scrutinized at the beginning. If you don’t have a favorite stack, just shuffle the deck and then write down the order from top down, numbering each card as you go. Once the deck is in a known order, remove the 1st and 27th cards. In the Aronson stack this would be the jack of spades (1) and the five of diamonds (27). These are the cards that must have punches in their outer right and inner left corners (face down). Put the work in and reposition them at positions one and twenty-seven. You’re ready to rock! (Note: The first time through you might want to turn the punched cards face up in order to see how they will locate the two selections. Ultimately you will simply feel the punches to perform the location.)

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CUTTING PROCEDURE: The two selections are completely free but there is a restriction. The first person must cut less than 26 cards and the second person must cut past the original 27th card. Below you will find a presentation for the effect that creates these conditions in a very natural way. For now, 94

PM PLUS let’s see how the PM Principle works. Be sure the punched cards are at position 1 and 27 in the face down deck. Now, with your right hand, cut less than half the cards (about a third) and look at the face card of the cut section. We’ll call this packet A. Hold packet A for the moment. With your left hand, cut about half the remaining cards and again look at the face card of the cut section. Call this packet B. (You may want to write down the identities of the selections for this experiment. Let’s say you cut the 7 of Diamonds in packet A and the Queen of Spades in packet B.) You must now replace the packets as follows: Place packet A (the one in your right hand) onto the portion remaining on the table. Finally place packet B (left hand) onto the tabled deck. This reverses the order of the packets since packet A was the former top section of the deck. Think about what happened. It appears that the two selections are completely lost. Actually, the second selection is on top of one of the punched cards and is easy to locate. It’s the first selection that seems impossible to locate. That’s where the PM Principle comes into play. Follow the directions below and you will locate both selections: Hold the deck face down in the left hand in readiness to deal the cards. Begin to deal cards into a face down pile, counting backwards from 25 as you deal. (Thus as the first card is dealt you mentally think “25”, on the 2nd card you think “24” etc.) Watch for the face up key card (or feel for the punch if it’s face down). Let’s say that the first key card falls at number 15. Remember this number (15). You are going to begin a second count (assuming you want to read their minds). In order not to forget the first number viz. 15, I’d recommend counting like this: 15 one, 15 two, 15 three etc. You will burn the first key number (15) into your memory and will be able to easily remember the second number as well. Continue dealing cards face down (and counting) until you see (or feel) the second key card. Let’s say that your count at this point was 15 - twelve. In other words you had dealt twelve cards past your first key (which occurred at number 15). This second key card must be dealt into a new pile to the right of the first pile. (Note: After you switch to pile two, the top card of pile one will be the second selection.) Continue dealing cards onto this second pile, counting cards now. Count up to your first “magic number” and stop dealing. In the above example the magic number is 15. You will count 15 cards past the keycard and stop. The 15th card past the second key card is the first selection!!! The top card of the pile on the left is now the 2nd selection. The top card of the pile on the right is the 1st selection! This by itself would be a mind-bender. However, your counting will now allow you to name both of the selections without ever looking at the back or front of any card! This is POWERFUL stuff! In the example, you have two key numbers viz. 15 and 12. Remember - You counted backwards from 25 and happened to be at fifteen when you felt the first punch. You then counted forwards from one until you felt the next punch. Here’s what happened: 25, 24, 23, … 17, 16, 15 (felt punch), 15-1, 15-2, 15-3,…15-11, 15-12 (felt 2nd punch and put the punched card on a new pile). You then dealt 15 cards (same as first key number) onto this punched card. At this point the top cards of the piles are the two selections. Be sure this is true. The two key numbers viz. 15 and 12 will now allow you to name the selections as follows: NAMING THE FIRST SELECTION: The top card of the right hand packet is ONE HIGHER than your first key number (which is fifteen). Thus its stack number is 16. In the Aronson stack this would be the 8C. Tell the spectator on your right i.e. the one who made the first selection, to concentrate on her card. Be sure that you don’t look at the backs of the cards. This negates the marked deck explanation. Do a bit of acting and then name the card. (Remember, it’s one higher than your first key number.) Finally, have the spectator on your right turn over the top card of the packet closest to her. It will be the correct card!

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POWER PLAYS NAMING THE SECOND SELECTION: You’ll have to do a simple addition to determine its stack number. Recall your second key number. In this case it was 12. Add this to 26 getting 38. This is the stack number of the second selection. In Aronson stack this would be the 10H. Repeat the theatrics used with the first spectator, naming the card and then having her turn over the top card of the packet closest to her. You will have read her mind and also found her card without ever looking at anything. A blind magician can do this trick! You can start a religion with this! It looks like the real deal. NON-MEMORIZED DECK PROCEDURE: For those who don’t do memorized deck work, I recommend the following: Write the numbers from 1 to 52 in two columns (1-26, then 26-52) on the left hand page in a small spiral notebook. Next to each number, write the card at that position in your stacked deck. When you reach the point of predicting the selections, take out the notebook and explain that you will draw your impression of the selections. Open the booklet so you can see the numbers. Hopefully you still remember what number you used as your “magic number” above. The 1st spectator’s selection is the card one higher in number than your first magic number. In the description above, the magic number was 15. That means that the first spectator’s card is number 16. If you do memorized deck work, you’ll know that that is the 8C in the Aronson stack. If you are using the notebook, you’ll know what card to draw by looking at your “cheat sheet.” Now tear out your drawing, fold it and hand it to spectator one. Use the same technique to demonstrate mind reading with the second spectator as detailed above. The index written in the notebook eliminates the need for memorization. NON-STACKED METHODS: You can position your punched or marked cards at 1 and 27 in an otherwise random deck and perform the location phase only. This is still extremely powerful since you never look at the cards! Also, if you use a random deck, you don’t have to perform the second count. That is only needed if you want to do the mind reading. Another option is to peek the cards at positions 1 and 27. This is easy for faro shufflers. You can then locate the selections by turning the cards face up as you deal. Just follow the same procedure outlined above. NOTE that the second count is unnecessary if you’re skipping the mind reading phase. Simply count backwards from 25 as detailed above. There’s no need to maintain a second count. FINE POINTS: (1) When you instruct the spectators, you must be sure that they understand the restrictions. And yet, you don’t want them to feel that there are any restrictions. I generally say, “I am going to have two people choose cards by cutting the deck at random spots. Mary, Joe is going to need a chunk of cards, so please don’t cut too many. Just cut less than half the cards so Joe has a large pack to pick from. Cut about a third. Joe, cut about half the remaining cards.” I also demonstrate for Mary by cutting about a third of the cards and looking at the face card of the cut packet. Make sure that Mary knows to look at the face card of the cut packet and not the top card of the tabled portion. Don’t forget that it’s your job to make the procedure clear to the spectators. If they mess up, it’s your fault! (2) Ask the spectator if she likes her card. If not, instruct her to replace the packet and cut again. Emphasize the freedom of the choices. (3) Before you begin dealing to find the selections, tell the spectators that you will be able to find their selections because they will give off a “vibration.” Mentalists call this “psychometry.” You may want to set the tone by explaining that some people believe that one’s possessions have an aura that identify them with their owner etc. You want the effect to go beyond the “pick a card - find the card” effect even though that, ultimately, is what happens.

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PM PLUS (4) After the two spectators cut and replace the packets. I tell one of them to even up the deck and to put the card case on top so that I get no information when I turn around. This negates the thought that you are getting information from marks on the backs of the cards. Be sure that you make it clear that you NEVER look at the faces or backs of ANY card. DANGER SPOTS: If the first spectator cuts past the 27th card, the effect will fail. If the second spectator fails to cut past the original 27th card (second key card), the effect will fail. Since you are going to turn your back as the spectators cut, you must be certain that they understand what to do. The trick is to get them to perform the correct procedure without making it seem that the trick would fail if they didn’t follow directions. INSURANCE: Because you are way out on a limb after all the buildup, you need a backup system in case one of the spectators fails to execute the directions properly. I always carry an “Invisible Deck” just in case. This way you can bail out and get something strong if things go haywire. PUSHING THE PLOT: You can add one final dimension to the PM Principle viz. a prediction. There are a couple of ways to handle this. (1) You can set up two Brainwave decks in sequence to match your stack. Thus you would only have to count to the same position as the memorized location numbers. Apparently you predicted the selections before they were made! (2) I have also used a prediction deck set up in the same order as the stacked deck with an odd colored card on the bottom. The odd card has a piece of double stick tape on its face. It’s a simple matter to count to the spectator’s selection and then run it under the spread to the bottom. If you then square up, cut the deck and spread, the double stick tape will cause the odd backed card to adhere to the selection and make it seem to have an odd back. This method should be used with a single selection rather than two. FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s important to sell the freedom of the selection and also the normality of the deck. I always use the $100 challenge described above to “prove” that the deck is “normal.” This ploy creates a lot of interest. The spectators might beat the magician out of $100! It also proves beyond any doubt that the deck is full and seems to be unprepared. (It’s a good idea to put a $100 bill next to the deck to show that you really mean it. Just be sure you check your deck before the show or you may loose the $100!) CREDITS: I originally put out the PM Principle as a manuscript with a “bonus sheet” in 1990. It was a three phase mental routine involving a single selection. The bonus sheet detailed many variations, including the double selection. The mathematics involved was explained and there was also a method given for undoing the cut and positioning the selection at a known location. The manuscript is still available. Alex Elmsley’s work in this area can be found in “The Collected Works” (1991). Simon Aronson has recently published some interesting work in “Try the Impossible” (2001).

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PUNCH DRUNK

This effect is very easy and very strong. There is no sleight of hand involved although there is some preparation. Please read the entire routine and the three recommended endings. The preparation is not nearly as complicated as it sounds and the effect is so strong as to warrant the time spent. EFFECT: The magician offers a spectator a chance to make some money. To guarantee that a random person gets to participate, a small object is passed from person to person. A designated spectator says, “Stop” at a random moment. The person holding the object then becomes the assistant (no stooge). The magician places a $100 bill on the table and then spreads the deck face up. The spectator is told that she may have the $100 if she can find any duplicate cards or missing cards in the spread. After a brief search, the spectator admits that all the cards are present - no more, no less. The deck is turned face down and re-spread. The magician now explains that he will turn around while the spectator makes a selection. The spectator is instructed to be sure that no one else sees the selection (either back or face). She is then to place the card under her leg. The spectator is finally asked to square up the deck so that no trace is left of the card’s original location. The magician then turns around and recaps - no possibility of collaboration; no missing or duplicate cards; no indication of where the card was taken from. The magician now explains that he will attempt to deal cards face down, finally stopping on the color MATE of the spectator’s card. During the face down dealing process the magician’s cell phone rings! The magician says, “I’ve got a feeling that it’s for you. Here.” The spectator answers the phone and is told by the person at the other end that she had a dream and in the dream felt a strong urge to dial this number. Ultimately the person on the phone explains that in the dream a certain card played an important role. It turns out to be the card selected by the spectator! (There are other presentations that are mentioned at the end . However, the phone ending is likely the most powerful.) I’ve described this plot to magicians and they always say that it’s impossible. Not true. Not only is it possible, it’s EASY! REQUISITES: (1) A deck stacked in a known order. (2) If you wish to use the cell phone ending (or the mail delivery ending described below), you’ll need a confederate who will make the call or deliver the letter. You won’t have to bring an extra person to your show, however. You can ask someone at the show if they would be willing to help you with a trick. Ultimately, even that person won’t know how you did it! You’re not giving away the BIG SECRET. (N.B. There are many ways to end that do not involve a confederate, and yet have a very powerful effect. Don’t pass this by just because you don’t like the idea of using a helper.)

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You will have to write down the numbers from 1 to 52 and the card at that stack number. You’ll also have to give the spectator a script so that she won’t have to develop a script on the fly. It will be easy for the helper to know what card your spectator has selected. All that remains is to call your cell phone 98

PUNCH DRUNK and follow the script. I recommend printing the stack order and script on card stock and then laminating the paper. Keep these items small so they fit in an envelope that can be given to your helper. There’s also a method detailed below in which a helper is not needed. Instead, you will determine the identity of the selection in an impressive manner. SET-UP: The deck must be stacked in a known order. I use the Aronson stack. Furthermore half of the cards have some “work” in them. Every other card is punched (as described in the Punch Intro above). Alternately you may choose to use the pencil dot method. However, you will have to look at the cards as you deal if you choose this alternative. I have found that for this item, the pencil dot method is nearly as strong as the punch method. Also, it’s sure fire. You can’t accidentally miss one of the punches. Consider these advantages when choosing which method to use. To set up, you should put the deck into its stacked order and then deal it back and forth into two piles. Take the pile containing the bottom card of the stack and put the punches into all the cards in that group - 26 cards. Now reassemble the deck in stacked order. Every other card, beginning with the second card, will have a punch. Thus when you deal, you will feel the pattern - no punch, punch, no punch, punch etc. (Alternately, you can mark every other card by coloring in, say, the center dot on the small flowers in a Bicycle deck. Then, as you deal, you’ll see no mark, mark, no mark, mark etc.) ROUTINE: It is very important to close every avenue of explanation on this potential blockbuster. You must insure that everyone knows that the helper is not a stooge and that the deck is a “normal” 52 card deck. I recommend the procedure described in the EFFECT section above. Offering the $100 prize really sells the idea that the deck is all there - no more and no less. It also creates a lot of interest, because the spectator conceivably could win. If you have the nerve, you may offer the $100, not only if the spectator finds duplicates etc. but also if you fail to determine her card. This maintains the tension and interest in the potential failure and its consequences all the way to the end. Be sure that you do have the full 52 card deck set up properly before beginning!! The modus operandi is this: When the spectator removes a card from the deck you will be able to tell the position of the removed card in the deck by feel (or alternately by sight if you use the pencil dot method). You will also be able to convey the stack number of the selection to your helper (stooge) in a very deceptive manner. If the selected card was punched, you will feel two non-punched cards in succession somewhere during the dealing. Had the selected card not been punched, you would feel two punched cards in succession. This is how you will know the original position of the selection in the stack and thus its identity. DRY RUN: Set the deck up as described above. It will be in stack order with every other card punched (or pencil dotted). Remove any card from near the middle of the deck and place it aside. Now begin to deal cards face down, one by one, to the table, maintaining a count. The top card was not punched so you will feel a smooth card on the count of 1. Now you’ll feel a punch on 2, no punch on 3 etc. At some point you’ll feel a punch followed by another punch, or a non-punch followed by another nonpunch. Whatever the count is at this point is the stack number of the missing card! If your count is 28 when you feel the 2nd punch or non-punch, the missing card is the 28th card in your stack. All that remains is to create a strong ending based on this information.

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CELL PHONE FINISH: You have given your helper a copy of the stack order (numbered) and a script. You must also tell her how the trick will begin so she knows to move to the back of the room so she can exit and make the call. Finally you’ll have to establish a signal by which the helper will know 99

POWER PLAYS the identity of the selection. To wit: Tell the spectator that you will begin dealing the cards face down and that she must count carefully as you deal. There will come a moment when you will pause and say, “I’m not sure if I’m going to get it.” At this moment, the number of cards dealt IS the stack number of the selection. Thus if you had dealt 14 cards and then said “I’m not sure if I’m going to get it”, she knows to look up the 14th card in the stack using the index you gave her. Obviously, you will have to coach your helper carefully to avoid mistakes, although you will have an “out” just in case. You will begin the effect by bringing someone to the stage using the $100 challenge. This is your helper’s cue to move to a position near an exit. When you begin to deal the cards face down, you should begin counting to yourself in case you need the “out.” The first card will be non-punched. If it’s punched, then the selection was the top card of the deck and you will immediately say, “I’m not sure if I’m going to get it.” Otherwise you will continue to count to yourself as you feel the punches (or note the pencil dots). If you are using punches, you should look to the side so that the spectators realize that you can’t get any visual information. As you deal, you will feel the alternating pattern – no punch, punch, no punch, punch etc. The moment that you feel two punches in a row, or two non-punches in a row, you must pause and deliver your line: “I’m not sure if I’m going to get it.” Whatever the count is at that moment is the stack number of the selection! You need to remember this number too, just in case. Your helper will now exit the room and call your cell phone. (You may want to have an extra phone for her to use. Also, you should place your phone number on the index sheet for easy access.) When it rings, act puzzled and then say, “I’ve got a feeling it’s for you.” Hand the phone to the spectator and show her how to answer. At this point your helper will begin reading the script: SCRIPT: “Hello. I’m sorry to bother you but I just woke up from a very vivid dream and this phone number kept running through the dream. I couldn’t resist calling. Are you in front of a group of people right now? (Your spectator will answer in the affirmative.) Please tell them that I had a dream about you and couldn’t resist calling. (The spectator will tell the group what’s going on.) Are you playing cards right now? (The spectator responds.) In the dream a certain card kept recurring. Someone’s life depended on it. Is there a card that’s important to you right now? (The spectator will answer in the affirmative.) Tell everyone in your group about my dream and how someone’s life depends on the card. (Helper waits while your spectator tells the group.) If the card that’s important to you is the same as the one in the dream, it’s going to be too weird. O.K. here it is. The card in the dream was the (helper names the selection). Is that your card?? (The spectator says that it is.) My God, tell everyone about this. I’ve got to go. (Click – helper hangs up and your spectator will tell the audience what happened.) Obviously there are many ways to play this out. The script above is just one way. You could write a different script in which you call the psychic hot line for help etc. It’s important that you not say a word to the person on the other end of the conversation. This eliminates the notion that you conveyed the identity of the selection to the person using a verbal code. The routine is structured so as to close all doors. You should totally fry your audience with this.

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ALTERNATE FINISH (1): If the phone method is unavailable or you don’t like it, try this: Give your helper a deck of a different color that is stacked in the same order as your working deck. Also, give her the numbered index and an envelope that has been sent to you through the mail but is unsealed. Again 100

PUNCH DRUNK you’ll have to explain that she is to count the cards as you deal and that when you say, “I don’t think I’m going to get it” she must look up the card on the index that corresponds to her count at that moment. She is then to remove the card from the odd colored deck and put it into the envelope, which she is then to seal. At this point either this person (or another confederate) must interrupt the show in progress and bring the envelope to you while saying in a loud voice, “There’s a very important message for Mike Powers (your name here).” You might tell your stooge that you will give her a hard time for interrupting the show but that she is to insist that the message is important and hand-deliver it to you. Obviously you’ve got the BIG ending under control. It’s just a matter of how you want to play it. You might put a note in the envelope with the card. It might simply say, “I thought you might need this.” There are many ways to go to wrap up the trick. They’re all VERY STRONG. Instead of having the spectator interrupt you, you can alternately ask if she has the envelope that you had sent her in the mail. She will then bring the envelope to you and you can use its contents to blow everyone away. ALTERNATE FINISH (2): This is a possible ending and it’s also an “out” in case your helper fails to make an appearance or screws up. Wrap an “Invisible Deck” in some wrapping paper and explain that your grandfather, who was also a magician, gave you this years ago and told you that if you ever got in trouble you should open the package. Apparently you have failed to find the selection. You can now open the package and remove the deck. Spread the deck to the known selection and separate the cards, revealing a face down card in the deck. Remember, the selection is still under your spectator’s leg. It will seem impossible that the reversed card could match and yet it will. If you use this method, you will have to keep the count as you deal. This can be used as the intended ending or in case your helper forgets to perform her duties. Those who don’t do memorized deck work won’t know what card is at what number without an index. Here’s a solution: The order of the cards in the Invisible Deck can be altered to make the location of the spectator’s card simple. To wit: Separate all the pairs and put them face up in two rows. The upper row contains cards 1 through 26 (left to right) from the original set up deck (the one the selection was taken from). The lower row contains cards 52 through 27 (left to right i.e. the leftmost card is number 52; the rightmost card is number 27). All 52 cards are face up. Now place all the cards in the lower row face down under the cards above them one by one. In other words, since card 52 is the 1st card in the lower row, it will go face down under card 1, the 1st card in the upper row. Similarly, card 51 is the next card in the lower row. It will be placed face down under card 2 - the one directly above it - and so on until you have 26 pairs. Finally, assemble the pairs so that the card 1 pair is on bottom, the card 2 pair is 2nd from bottom and so on ending with card 26 at the face. STATUS CHECK: If you spread the set-up Invisible deck now you will see face up in order, cards 26 through 1 of the original stack. If you flip the deck over and spread, you will see face up cards 52 through 27 of the original stack. The face down card under card 52 is card 1, the face down card under the next card (51) is 2 etc. Trust me, this is correct. Remember, in this scenario you seem to have failed and have now resorted to the package. The note in the package tells you to look in the deck. Because of the new order, it will be very simple to locate the appropriate pair and spread it. If the number of the spectator’s selection is between 1 and 26, simply remove the deck so that card 52 is at the face and spread, counting the pairs, until you reach the number of the selection. Thus if the selection is 19 you remove the deck so that the 52nd card of the stack is at the face and spread to the 19th pair. When the pair is spread, a face down card will show. Spread

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the remaining pairs without separating them. There is a single face down card in the spread. Have the 101

POWER PLAYS spectator remove the card and place it face down in front of her. The tension in the audience ought to be unbearable by this point. Remember - no one has seen either the selection or the prediction card yet. Here’s how to finish: Have the spectator take the card from under her leg and show everyone her selection. Half of the curiosity is satisfied. Now quickly recap - The spectator was randomly selected. The deck has all 52 cards. You turned your back when the selection was made. You dealt without looking. No one but the spectator could know the card’s identity. The deck was squared so you couldn’t even get a hint of where the card was taken from. There was a single face down card in the packaged deck, which is now under the spectator’s control. Pause for a final moment of dramatic tension and then instruct the spectator to turn the card over. All hell should break loose! FINE POINTS: The note in the package containing the deck should not say exactly what is going to happen but it should make it clear that the outcome is certain. You don’t want anyone to think that blind luck is the explanation. Also, it’s a good idea to put a small pencil dot on every 5th card in the Invisible deck to make counting easier. You certainly can’t afford failure after all this buildup. ALTERNATE FINISH (3): Another high powered ending is to have 52 envelopes in your brief case arranged in an index. A simpler index system would have thirteen large, business sized, envelopes each with smaller envelopes inside. The first large envelope would have the cards matching the first three cards in the stack, the second one would have the next four, the 3rd envelope has the next four etc. with the last (13th) envelope having the last five cards. All you need to do after you know the number of the spectator’s selection is determine which of the 13 envelopes to remove and which of the four smaller envelopes contains the duplicate. Here a simple way: Number the envelopes 0 through 12 instead of 1 to 13. Also, think of the four inner envelopes as being numbered 0, 1, 2, 3. Now divide the number of the spectator’s selection by 4. The quotient is the number (0 to 12) of the large envelope and the remainder (0 to 3) tells you which of the smaller envelopes contains the duplicate. Here’s an example: Suppose the number of the spectator’s card is 27. Divide 27 by 4 obtaining 6 with a remainder of 3. The selection is in big envelope 6 inside the small envelope 3 (which is the 4th envelope since they are numbered 0, 1, 2, 3.) If the selection is at positions 1, 2 or 3 or 52 the division process is replaced by the obvious! You know exactly where the correct envelope is without any math. ALTERNATE FINISH (4): Non-memorized method - Use the notebook idea outlined in PM Plus above for your prediction. Now, instead of using the Invisible Deck, you write an impression of the card on a piece of paper. The hidden index allows you to know what card to draw without having to memorize the order of the cards.

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PUNCH FOR TWO

Juan Tamariz published a very cool “impossible” card location using a stack of alternating red and black cards. He presents an effect using the same principle on one of his videos from A-1 Multimedia. Using the 50% punched deck from the previous effect, you can perform an even stronger “impossible” location. Here, you never look at the faces. You’ll be able to determine the spectators’ cards by feel. Furthermore, the spectators may shuffle this time! EFFECT: Two spectators each shuffle the deck, which is then cut repeatedly. At one point during the cutting sequence, the spectators each remove a card from the cut portion. The cards are returned and the deck is cut several more times while your back is turned. The deck is dealt into two piles as you note that since the selections were together in the deck, they will end up in different piles. Each of the spectators takes a pile and examines the cards to see if her selected card is in that particular pile. If it isn’t, they trade piles, making sure that each now has the pile containing her selection. Now the spectators thoroughly shuffle their respective piles. The magician now deals through each pile face down without looking. In each case one card is dealt in front of a spectator. These cards turn out to be the two selections! SET-UP: The deck is set up as in the previous effect. Every other card is punched. If you use a memorized order (e.g. Aronson stack) you will be able to read one of the spectator’s minds later. (Alternately, you may use the pencil dot method.) ROUTINE: Perform a false shuffle or two (optional). Now place the deck in front of the two spectators who will ultimately make the selections. Have each of them cut the deck and complete the cut, several times. Finally, have one of them cut a final time but not complete the cut. Have that spectator remove and memorize the card cut to. Tell the second spectator to remove and memorize the next card. Be sure that they remove two consecutive cards. Now have the cards replaced, having the first spectator replace her card first. (Be sure that they are replaced onto the pile from which they came.) This reverses the order of the two selections in the stack. Instruct one of the spectators to replace the original top half on top, burying the selections. Have the spectators cut the deck repeatedly while you turn away. (Straight cuts only!) This insures that you cannot estimate where the selections are. Say, “Can I now know anything about your selections??” The probable answer is “no.” Say, “YES! I know that they are together in the deck!” (You should check out Tamariz’ presentation on the video. He has a lot of fun with the spectators.) Now take the deck and deal it alternately into two piles. (You may have a spectator do the dealing if you like) Look at the spectators as you do this and say, “If I deal the cards into two piles like this, one selection will end up in one pile and one in the other. Right??” When the dealing is finished, have the spectators look through the piles face up to determine where each of the selections resides. You should again turn away during this process so you never see any faces. Have each spectator take the pile containing her card

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POWER PLAYS and shuffle it (face down). When the shuffling is finished, turn around and say, “Now even you don’t know the position of your card - right?? All evidence has been destroyed by your shuffling.” Continue with, “I’m not going to look at any of the cards as I deal. When I feel an impression, I’ll deal a card to you.” NOTE: When you dealt the cards back and forth into two piles, you separated the punched cards from the non-punched cards since they were alternating. However, since the two selections were placed back in reversed order, the non-punched selection will be among the punched cards and the punched selection will be among the non-punched cards! Thus it will be trivial to detect which card is a selection as you deal face down. Pick up the pack belonging to the first spectator who chose a card and begin dealing face down. If you determine that this is the non-punched pile, her card will be the only one with a punch. Deal it in front of her. You’ll need to deal a few cards to determine the nature of the pile i.e. punched or not punched. Just say, “I’m going to deal like this.” Once you know the nature of the pile, reassemble and begin the real deal. It’s easy to tell which card belongs to the spectator. In the end you will deal the selection to the spectator. Repeat this sequence with the second spectator. Have the spectators name their respective cards and then have them look at the dealt cards to discover the miracle. FINAL THOUGHTS: Non-visual effects like these require a presentation that continually points out the details that make them so impossible. Watch the Tamariz videos to see this in action. Juan is a very zany performer but underneath all the craziness is a plan. The plan is to make certain that the spectators understand how the conditions make the effect totally IMPOSSIBLE. To this end Tamariz often throws in a few extra events that didn’t really occur. For example, he’ll have spectators saying that THEY shuffled when they really didn’t. He “shuffled”, not them. Or maybe the spectator shuffled during the previous effect. ONE MORE THING: If you put punches in the 26 red cards and not in the black ones, it’s very easy to set the deck for this effect. You simply cull all the red cards and Faro shuffle them into the black ones. I use Harry Lorayne’s Great Divide to effect the separation. Since you never look at the faces of any cards except the selections, the fact that the colors have separated is unknown to the spectators. You can follow this effect with Out of This World or any effect that requires a color separation. Another option is to punch all the “even” cards and not punch the “odd” cards. This still allows you to easily cull the punched cards but will not have the tell tale alternating color pattern of the red/black separation. NOTE: If you punch only the red cards, you can’t let the spectators look through the packets for their cards or they will immediately see that the packet is all one color, with the exception of the selection. In this case you would simply have them shuffle the packets face down and hand them to you. You’ll find the selections, but you won’t know which one goes to which person. You can fish or just show the results. MIND READING: If you used memorized deck order at the outset, you can read the second spectator’s mind since her card was the one immediately after the first selection in the stack. You’ll need to find the first spectator’s card first. Let’s say her card is the seven of spades. That’s card number 19 in the Aronson stack. Thus the second spectator’s card is card 20 which would be the five of spades. You can also use the method described previously to avoid the memory work but still get the results by using the note pad.

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FINALLY: I hope you will use one or more of these routines. They are EXTREMELY POWERFUL and can easily be played from platform or stage. Everyone in the audience will appreciate the level of 104

PUNCH FOR TWO impossibility. The punched method is the most powerful since you never look at the cards. However, the pencil dot method is only slightly less powerful. If you find that you are making mistakes with the punches, try the visual approach and sacrifice a small amount of effect. Above all, have fun destroying your audience’s sense of reality. ROUTINING IDEAS: All three of the punch routines can be made more impressive using a memorized deck or an index. You seem to be able to read the spectators’ minds under very impossible conditions. Also, PM Plus and Punch Drunk can be used together in the following way. Put a deck in memorized order. Now set up for Punch Drunk using the pencil dot method. Thus, every other card will be marked with a dot as described above. Now put punch work in the 1st and 27th cards in readiness for a PM Plus routine. Finally, deal the entire deck out face down, reversing the order of the deck. You will have to create an index for your helper in the new reversed order for this sequence. Now you can perform Punch Drunk first. You will deal all the way through the deck face down, reversing its order. Your helper will create the very strong ending or you can use one of the self contained methods, although you will have to think a bit harder since the deck is in reversed memorized order. You can still figure out what card is missing. At the end, you will replace the removed card in position. Now the deck is in normal memorized order and has punched cards in position for PM Plus. You can immediately go into that routine. Furthermore, since cards are dealt singly in PM Plus, the piles are largely in alternating order at the end of the routine. If you pay attention to the top and bottom cards of all the piles, you can reassemble the deck in alternating punch, non-punch order for Punch for Two. It’s not difficult to run cards in appropriate piles and regain memorized order after PM Plus either. I’ll leave it up to you to decide how to use this information. I believe the combination of Punch Drunk followed by PM Plus is a worthwhile extended KILLER sequence. I would end the routine there rather than attempting to set up and perform Punch for Two.

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NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Here’s a virtually self working, yet very strong effect that is done completely in the spectators’ hands. It is based on a subtle mathematical principle invented by Alex Elmsley who called it Penelope’s Principle. Mr. Elmsley didn’t publish his work until 1988 although the principle was in use by 1957 according to Stephen Minch (The Collected Works of Alex Elmsley Volume II p. 313.) The “shuffling” method employed by the spectators in the effect described below creates opportunities not possible using a “normal” shuffle. EFFECT: A card is selected and returned to the deck, which is then tabled. Spectator 1 is told to cut a packet of cards, hold the packet under the table and secretly count them arriving at a random number determined by the random cut. Spectator 2 cuts and holds about half the remaining cards. Spectator 3 picks up the packet remaining on the table. Spectators 2 and 3 “mix” their cards. The magician sums up: “You (spectator 1) are thinking of a random number. And you two (spectators 2 and 3) have mixed the cards. (To spectator 2) Please take the cards and get ready to deal them into a pile face down, counting out loud as you deal. (To spectator 1) When the count reaches the number you are thinking of, say ‘STOP.’” Even though everything has been done by the spectators, the card stopped at is the selection!! METHOD: This mathematical effect is self working! All you have to do is contrive to place the selection 27th from the top of the deck. A simple way is to hold a break dead center while you spread for a selection. Have the selection made from the upper half then cut the 25 cards above the break to the table. Have the selection placed on this pile and add the remaining 26 cards on top, seemingly burying the selection at a random location. You can perform any false shuffle that leaves the selection at 27th. From here on, everything is in the spectators’ hands! To spectator 1 say, “I want you to arrive at a random number. But thinking of a number really isn’t random. There are certain numbers that are more likely to be picked. Instead, I want you to cut off a packet of cards from the deck. Cut less than half so you don’t have to count too many cards. But cut a nice chunk so it’s not obvious how many you have. Then hold the cards under the table and count them. This will be your secret number. It will be determined by your cut, not by psychology and thus will be truly random.” As soon as spectator 1 makes her cut and begins counting, say to spectator 2, “Cut about half the cards on the table and hold them.” To spectator 3 say, “Please pick up the remaining cards and hold them face down.” Continue with, “I’m going to have you mix the cards as follows - (to spectator 2 - the one who has the top half) deal a card face down on the table. (To spectator 3) Now you deal one on top of her’s. Keep dealing back and forth until someone runs out of cards.”

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NOTE: The important “rules” are as follows: (1) Spectator 2 must deal the first card. (2) The specta106

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS tors must deal alternately so there are never two in a row from the same spectator. (3) Most often one spectator will run out of cards while the other still has three or four. When this happens, instruct the spectator with cards remaining to shuffle her packet and toss it on top of the previously dealt cards. If these rules are followed, the secret number arrived at by spectator 1 will be the position from the top occupied by the selection. In other words, if the number of cards counted by spectator 1 was 12, the selection will be 12th from the top after the dealing sequence! Build up the effect with patter like the following: “Jane is thinking of a random number. Judy and Tammy have mixed the cards. Tammy I want you to begin dealing the cards face down, counting as you go. Jane, when you hear Tammy say the number you are thinking of, say ‘Stop.’” When the big moment arrives say, “Would it be an amazing coincidence if Tammy’s random number has found the selection in the packet you two shuffled? Take a look.” POW! RESTRICTIONS: The only restrictions are as follows: (1) Spectator 1 must cut less than half the cards. (2) Spectator 2 must cut close to the center of the remaining cards. Generally one pile will be larger than the other. The only restriction is that the difference in number between the two packets must be less than the number of cards cut by spectator 1. For example, if spectator 1 only cut 7 cards, then the two packets created by spectator 2’s cut must differ in number by less than 7 cards. It’s a good idea to encourage spectator 1 to take a good number of cards (e.g. 12 or so), heading off any potential problem. EMBELLISHMENT: As spectators 2 and 3 deal, there will come a point when the total number of cards they still hold is less than the number of cards originally cut by spectator 1. If you are certain this situation has occurred, you can have them stop alternating and simply shuffle the remaining cards, ultimately placing them on top. This enhances the feeling of randomness. Be careful not to cut it too close if you try this embellishment - you may get burned if you do! ALTERNATE PRESENTATIONS: (1) An Open Prediction: If you know the card at position 27, you can use the “Open Prediction” concept. In this case you would simply state the name of the 27th card at the outset. After all the random cutting and mixing, it will be a mind blower when the prediction card appears at the moment spectator 1 says “stop.” It would be best if the spectators shuffled the deck at the beginning. You could peek the bottom card and then, if you do Faro work, cut dead center etc. positioning the peeked card to 27th. The fact that the spectators shuffled at the beginning will really make this one incomprehensible. (2) A Closed Prediction: If you know what card is at position 27 (see above), you can write its name on paper and hand it to a spectator to read at the end. Alternately you can place a prediction card from a miniature deck or a deck of a different color on the table. (3) Be creative - there are many avenues to pursue here. FINAL THOUGHTS: This effect will work 100% of the time as long as the “rules” are followed. Unfortunately, you may cut it too close sometime and get burned. You will have spent quite a bit of time setting this up and if it fails after all that work there will be a cloud over you! It’s a good idea to carry an Invisible Deck or a Brainwave Deck as a way to bail out of a potentially embarrassing situation.

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HIDE AND SEEK to a corner. If you place this crimped card into the deck you will find that you will cut to the card without even trying. It’s almost automatic. Because of the valleys, the card looks a bit strange. Place the breather card into a different deck and give the deck repeated shuffles and waterfall cascades causing the valleys to become shallower. Eventually the card will appear normal but will still have a light breather crimp in it. You will still automatically cut to that card. (Note: The Fig. 2 “valley” type depressions placed in the card cause the breather crimp to be the bottom card of the packet which has been picked up during the cut. Remove the conditioned breather card from the normal deck and again pick up the mirror stacked deck. Place the conditioned breather card onto the top of the mirror stack making it a 53 card deck. Finally, place a pencil dot at the outer left and inner right corners so that you can recognize the key card in a spread. You are now ready to perform this killer routine. PROCEDURE: Because of the mirror stack there will be two matching cards together just below the center of the deck. They are at positions 27 and 28 due to the extra card on top. One of the interesting properties of a mirror stack is that a perfect faro, even an off center faro, will maintain the mirror set up. Riffle near the center until you spot the two matching cards and cut between them. Now perform a faro shuffle, making sure that the top card remains on top after the shuffle. You can begin the faro at any point in the lower portion as long as the top card remains on top (Out Faro) and there are no discrepancies in the shuffle. Perform one or two such shuffles and then cut again between the two matching cards just below center. This time, instead of shuffling, simply complete the cut. This positions the Breather Crimped card between two matching cards. The breather will be dead center at this point. Either spread the cards face up between your hands or on the table so that the spectators see that the cards appear to be all different and in random order. Don’t allow lengthy scrutiny or the duplicate cards will be noticed. Place the deck face down on the table. You are now going to have the spectator cut anywhere. There are three distinct situations that must be handled slightly differently. (1) the cut is above the crimp (2) the cut is below the crimp (3) The spectator cuts at the breather crimp. Case (3) is a specialized situation that has a great out. Let’s save it for last. Case (1) The cut is made above the crimped card: The spectator is holding less than 26 cards. Have the spectator turn the packet she holds upward, looking at the face card - the card she cut to. Say, “Please remember the card you cut to. It will be a few moments until you see it again. Please shuffle your packet so even you don’t know the location of the thought of card.” The spectator now shuffles the cut portion. Say, “Look at the faces of the cards you hold and be sure that your selection is lost.” This proves that all the cards are different, closing the door on a possible explanation later. Have the spectator give the packet a final quick shuffle. As this is being done, you must cut the packet on the table at the breather crimp. It should be obvious approximately where it is. Make the cut and peek the bottom card of the packet you cut. It should be the breather. If it’s not, replace the cut and cut again until you “hit.” Have the spectator place her shuffled packet onto the tabled group of cards and then place the cards you cut on top, burying her packet. (If you have trouble hitting the breather you can instead spread the cards until you spot the pencil dot. Now break the spread below the dotted card and have the cut por-

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POWER PLAYS tion returned. Both methods achieve the same result.) Anyone (especially magicians) should recognize the impossibility of finding the selection. Here’s how: THE FARO: You must now cut at the center preparing for a perfect Faro shuffle. Since the deck has 53 cards, you must cut so that one group has 26 cards and the other has 27. Now shuffle the group of 26 into the group of 27 such that the top and bottom cards of the group of 27 remain the top and bottom cards after the shuffle. The shuffle must be perfect. Believe it or not, the duplicate of the selection is now directly below the breather crimped card! Thus you can cut directly to it! KILLER ENDING 1: Spread the deck face down as you say, “No one can know where your card is in this deck.” As you speak these words, note the location of the pencil dotted Breather card. Now square up. You know roughly where to cut and the breather will do the rest. Say, “Please concentrate on your card.” Reach over and cut at the breather. Check the cut portion to be sure the breather is on the bottom. If it’s not, simply replace and cut again. Once you’ve cut at the breather say, “I’ve cut at a random place. For the first time please name your selection.” Finally, have the spectator look at the card you cut to. It will be the named selection! (NOTE: Because of the nature of the mirror stack, you may have the spectator cut the deck as many times as you like before performing the Faro shuffle. The result will be the same regardless of the location of the cuts. This makes the location seem even more impossible. There is also an interesting possibility which may occur when you allow the spectator to make these cuts. SPECIAL SITUATION: If the spectator cuts the breather to the bottom of the deck (which is fairly likely), the “selection” will be 26th from the top. This opens the door for any number of other ways to conclude the effect. For example, you could use the Incomplete Faro Location principle to have the spectator effectively locate her own card. You could perform a psychological “stop”, having the spectator stop on her own card. Since you are going to cut at 26 for the Faro, you can peek the card or palm it off, etc.... Use your imagination. If you like these options, you can always perform a last cut or two yourself, insuring the location of the breather card on the bottom....) Case (2) What if the spectator originally cuts below the center of the deck? This time the spectator is holding more than 26 cards. Have the spectator place the cut portion on the table and pick up the smaller packet. Say, “Please look at the top card, the card you just cut to. Remember the card - it will be a few moments before you see it again.” Now direct the spectator to place the selection into the packet of cards she holds and to shuffle the packet. As in case (1), have the spectator look through the packet to be sure her card is “lost.” Again, this simply proves that the cards are all different. Have her shuffle the packet one last time. As the spectator is performing her task, pick up the tabled group and spread the cards between your hands until you spot the pencil dotted card (the breather). As you do this say, “You could have cut anywhere.” Now separate the spread cards just above the dotted card. In other words, the dotted card is the top card of the left hand’s group. Have the spectator place her shuffled packet onto the cards in your left hand and then replace the right hand’s group on top, burying her packet. Now perform the shuffle as described above in the paragraph labeled “THE FARO.” This time the breather card will fall under the duplicate of the selection.

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THE BIG FINISH: In either case, you have a great method for locating the selection (actually the duplicate of the truly lost selection). In case (1) the “selection” is below the breather. In case (2) it is above the breather. If you want to find the selection, simply cut to the breather, then in case (1) simply 110

HIDE AND SEEK turn over the top card of the tabled portion. It will be the selection. In case (2) you reach under the cut (upper) portion as though to slide the bottom card out. Instead, your right fingers kick the bottom card to the right a bit in a Kelly Bottom Placement action as you actually pull out the 2nd card from the bottom. (Obviously you can use any GLIDE action here.) This is the “selection.” I prefer to add some magic to the location as follows: In case (1) place the cut (upper) portion to the right and pick up the lower tabled portion. Perform a double turnover as you say, “I’m going to make a prediction. I’ll bet that this card is NOT your card.” Obviously it won’t be. Turn the double face down and place the top card (selection) onto the table in front of the spectator. Direct her to place her hand on the card. Now say, “Please name your card out loud.” Have her check the supposed X card under her hand. WOW! It has changed into the selection. In case (2) you would show the bottom card of the cut packet (the breather) and then perform the “glide” action, removing the selection and proceeding as above, placing the supposed X card under the spectator’s hand. Since you have total control of the selection, you can use any method you like in revealing it. The important point is the total impossibility of locating the selection. You had no opportunity to put any work into the selection or any card near it. Be sure to structure all your actions so as to leave no explanation at the end. It should also be openly emphasized during the selection process that you never go near the selected card or any of the cards in the packet from which it came. In order to cover the case of the spectator cutting the breather card you’ve got a couple of ways to go. (1) Make the Joker be the breather card. Then you can say, “You didn’t cut the Joker did you? Oh please replace the packet and cut again. This time cut a real card.” In this case you simply eliminate the key card as an option. (2) You could keep the duplicate of the breather card in your pocket and have a real miracle etc..... MORE: The techniques explored in Numerical Analysis and Sunken Treasure where the spectators actually perform a shuffling action can be applied here as well making a Faro shuffle unnecessary. There are also possibilities for the use of an off colored breather that locates the selection. Play with these ideas. The basic impossibility of the location is preserved. CREDITS: This is a variation of Doug Canning’s effect “The Cardician is In!” from Canning’s Card Capers. In Doug’s version, the selection must be made in the top half of the deck. I don’t like limiting the location of the cut so I found a way to make the effect work with the cut being made anywhere. The use of the 53 card deck and the Breather Crimp in my variation allows you to simply reach out and cut the deck, increasing the feeling of impossibility.

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HEISTING HISTED HEISTED

The effect that follows is self working and yet is also extremely powerful. It is derived from a Simon Aronson effect that uses a memorized deck. Memorized deck effects are becoming increasingly popular. This new interest is due, I believe, to the fact that a number of high profile performers viz. Simon Aronson, Mike Close and Juan Tamariz have been destroying magicians with memorized deck work lately. I obtained “The Aronson Stack” from Simon years ago and only recently have paid the dues required to do the real work. There was an effect in “The Aronson Stack” called Histed Heisted. It very cleverly used the memorized deck to achieve the effect described below. Although I am now able to perform the effect using that technique, I did devise a method for achieving the effect without having to memorize the deck. In fact, the method described below has the advantage of allowing you to show the cards as you proceed to “read minds.” This couldn’t be done using the original method. Heisting Histed Heisted is ideal for platform or stage work. It’s self working but it plays BIG. EFFECT: The performer distributes packets of cards to each of five different spectators. The spectators are told to shuffle their packets and then to look at the cards and mentally select one of the group. The packets are again shuffled so even the spectators don’t know the location of the mentally selected card. Finally, the spectators pass the packets to the spectator on the far right who is instructed to shuffle all five packets together. The cards are finally passed to the magician who now takes a group of cards from the pack, naming each card out loud. Anyone hearing the card he or she is thinking of is asked to raise his/her hand. The spectator is asked to concentrate on the thought of card. The magician removes a single card from the group and holds it in the air. The spectator then names the thought of card - yes, it’s the one held in the magician’s hand! This is repeated until all five thought of cards have been located. REQUISITES and SET UP: This effect is best performed from platform to a large group of people (30 or more). Also, you should have access to a table. To perform the effect as stated above, you will need to combine cards from two different decks. Take deck 1 and shuffle it thoroughly. Now remove 25 random cards, being sure to have some picture cards, aces etc. The 25 cards should look “random.” Spread these cards face up on the table and remove the identical group of 25 cards from deck 2. (The decks must be of the same color, of course!) For the moment, place the second group into the same exact order as the first group. Set these aside for the moment. You now have two identical groups of 25 cards. One group is spread face up from left to right on your pad. We will call the leftmost card of the face up spread, card 1. The next card is number 2, proceeding to card 25 on the far right. Later these cards will be squared, flipped face down and distributed in groups of five to five different spectators. It should be clear that the first spectator will get cards 1 through 5; the second will receive cards 6 through 10 etc. The fifth spectator will thus receive cards 21 through

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HEISTING HISTED HEISTED 25. You must now organize the 2nd packet of cards into a new order before proceeding. Leave the first group of 25 spread face up. Take the 2nd group, square them up and hold them face down in dealing position. Now deal the first five cards in a face up row from left to right i.e. card 1 is on the far left. Continue by dealing card 6 onto card 1, card 7 onto card 2 and so on. You are making five face up piles. Pile 1 will have cards number 1, 6, 11, 16, and 21. Let’s label the piles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 from left to right. Pick up pile 5 and place it onto pile 4. Place these onto pile 3 and so on until you have one face up pile of 25 cards.. You now have the original spread of 25 cards face up on the table with a second group of 25 in a squared face up pile. Square up the spread of 25 cards (face up) and place the already squared group on top. It will become clear why the second packet of 25 has this particular order as you begin to perform the steps of the routine described below. You will understand how to set up the cards without ever having to read this description again. It will make sense! ROUTINE: Hold the set up deck face down in dealing position. Say, “We’re going to perform a psychological experiment. I will need five volunteers to each think of a card.” Hopefully, some hands will go up. Say, “In order to insure that no two people think of the same card, I’m going to distribute small packets of cards to the volunteers.” Spread and remove the first five cards and hand these to a spectator on your left side. Continue this process with four more spectators, moving from left to right. (The rightmost spectator will receive cards 21 through 25.) Make it seem that you are just grabbing random groups of cards. It’s better if the spectators don’t realize that each person gets exactly five cards. Say, “I want each of you to shuffle the cards you have been given. Once they’ve been shuffled look over the cards and mentally select one to concentrate on. It can be any one at all.” Pause for a moment to allow the spectators to make their choices. Say, “Once you are concentrating on a particular card please shuffle the packet so that even you don’t know the location of the card you are thinking about.” Now tell spectator 1 (left side) to pass her cards to spectator 2 who then passes all the cards to number 3 until all 25 cards arrive at spectator 5 on the right side. Tell the last spectator to shuffle the cards (mix the cards) and then to hand them to you. At this point you are still holding a 25 card packet in your left hand. Supposedly this is the remainder of the deck. Actually it contains the same 25 cards just passed out, but in a special order. When you receive the shuffled pack from spectator 5 take it in your right hand. At this point you have moved away from your table and out into the group of spectators to get the cards. Place the shuffled pack face down onto the cards you are holding but maintain a break between the two groups. Now, as you return to your table, your back is momentarily to the audience. Simply cut the deck at the break, bringing the bottom group to the top. Turn and face your audience as you say, “Each of the five volunteers is merely thinking of a card. Please concentrate on your card. Don’t forget it.” Continue with, “Each of you shuffled your packet before and after thinking of a card. Finally, our last volunteer (indicate the spectator on the right) shuffled all the cards together, totally destroying any evidence of whose cards are where.” This is true but because you switched packets you have the cards in a very special configuration. Place the deck face down on your table. The Condition of your 25 cards: Because of the way you arranged the 25 cards in the lower packet, each group of five cards contains one and only one card from each of the five spectators’ original packets. Furthermore the cards are in spectator order. In other words, if you take the top five cards, card 1 was in spectator 1’s hand; card 2 was in spectator 2’s hand etc. This is how you will determine which card was thought of by each spectator.

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POWER PLAYS MIND READING: The stage is set and you are ready to do some serious mind reading. Say, “I am going to call out the names of some of the cards in this shuffled pack. Listen carefully to their names.” Remove the top five cards of your packet without reversing their order. Flip the packet face up and spread the cards from left to right. Look at the faces and slowly call out the names of the cards one by one from left to right. Now say, “Did any of you hear the name of the card you are thinking of.” If any hands go up, you will be able to determine which card that particular person is thinking of as follows: If the 3rd spectator’s hand is up, she is thinking of the 3rd card you named! If more than one spectator has heard the card she is thinking of, the same pattern holds. The 1st card goes with spectator 1, the 2nd with spectator 2 etc. It’s all showmanship from here on. You should remove the cards you know to belong to the spectator(s) and hold them in the air with their backs toward the audience. Explain that you have received impressions and are now holding the card(s) that you believe belong to the spectator(s). Look at the appropriate spectator and say something like, “I believe you took a red card. I feel strongly that it’s not a picture card. I am holding the card I believe you are thinking of in my left hand. Please name your card out loud.” Pause for a beat and finally show the card! Continue to call out cards in groups of 5. As the hands go up, use the method just described to continue to “read minds.” Again, it’s all showmanship here, so play it big. This is really strong stuff. It should seem like real mind reading. FINAL THOUGHTS: It is possible for the spectators to notice the pattern viz. the 3rd card goes to spectator 3 etc. You can disguise the pattern by removing groups of five cards and calling them out in a random order instead of their natural order. Those who can execute a good pass can avoid having to turn around to switch packets. Simply place the shuffled pack obtained from the 5th spectator onto the 25 cards you’ve been holding and then execute a pass, moving the stacked section to the top. Obviously, any switch gets the job done so be creative. ANOTHER THOUGHT: You may add two X cards to the bottom of the deck before beginning the routine. Neither of these could have been seen by a spectator since they are not in the group of 25 cards that were passed out. Since you have the two X cards at the rear of the packet, you can use them along the way to read off six cards twice during the sequence. This makes it seem that you are just grabbing some cards instead of contriving to always have five. NON GAFFED IDEAS: The use of the two identical groups of cards allows you to show the faces of the cards as you call them out. You certainly should show the face of the thought of card after the spectator names it. That proves that you really were holding the correct card and certainly sells the idea that the cards in use are the ones just shuffled. You can use a normal deck as follows, but you’ll lose this strength of the gaffed version: To use a normal deck you’ll make two groups of 25 cards as before. However, there is less freedom in the choice of cards for the 1st packet. You’ll have to separate the deck into 2 groups such that the 2nd group has all the Mates (i.e. same color and value) of the cards in the 1st group. Thus if the AH is in group 1 then the AD must be in group 2 etc. Now, after the packet switch, you have a packet containing the mates of the cards looked at. Proceed as before but this time when you look at the five of hearts, you must miscall it as the five of diamonds etc. Be careful if you use this method. It’s easy to call the cards by their real names. The disadvantage of this method is that you cannot show the faces of the cards to the spectators. I prefer the gaffed method.

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HEISTING HISTED HEISTED HEAVILY GAFFED METHODS: An interesting variation is to use 25 jumbo cards that have been marked on their backs as follows: Cards 1 through 5 contain a small mark indicating the number ONE. (These are the cards that spectator 1 will receive.) Similarly cards 6 through 10 are marked with a small TWO etc. The marks may be tiny dots placed in the upper left corner (and lower right in case the cards become rotated). Now you can take back the shuffled 25 card pack and avoid any switching at all. Simply spread the cards with the faces toward the spectators and use the marks in the upper left corner to allow you to upjog one card of each number from 1 to 5. Thus you can be sure which spectator is thinking of which card. This method is particularly deceptive since the five cards end up in no particular order. You use the marks to determine which card each spectator is thinking of. A second advantage of the marked deck method is that you may simply show the faces without ever looking at them yourself. Obviously you must be close enough that the spectators can see the faces clearly. You just say, “Does anyone see his or her card here?” (The Jumbo cards should be visible in a platform environment.) You can ask the spectator to concentrate on the card. You can then pull it from the spread without previously looking at its face. In the spectators’ minds this eliminates any psychological parameters. They cannot entertain the idea that maybe most people think of the queen of hearts or some particular card in a group. A good marking system would use the “flower” on the Bicycle cards. It consists of eight “petals” and a central dot. You can color in the dots at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock and the center dot using the same color as the back of the card. These marks are very easy to read and, because there are only five widely separated locations, they are impossible to confuse with each other. CREDITS: After the publication of this routine in the first issue of Channel 1, Max Maven pointed out that it duplicates an effect from Greater Magic (1938). I have subsequently purchased a copy of GM and indeed the idea of the two identical 25 card banks is there. I think that the ideas above, viz. using a normal deck, the marked deck ideas and some of the subtleties in presentation provide something new and make the publication of this routine worthwhile. It should be mentioned that there has been extensive work on this sort of effect. It was popularized in recent times by John Mendoza in his “Routined Poker Mental.” Peter Tappan’s extensive research on this type of effect was published in his excellent book, “The Impostress Princess.”

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SUNKEN TREASURE

EFFECT: The deck is shuffled by the spectators and the magician. Now a spectator cuts off a portion of the deck and looks at the “cut to” card. This card is then cut randomly into a packet that is placed between two other portions. It is clear that the top and bottom cards are nowhere near the selection, eliminating the notion of a key card. The spectator is instructed to remove the top and bottom cards and to place them face up on top of the face down deck. The spectator then cuts the deck several times, positioning the face up cards at a random location. The magician divides the deck into two packets and hands them to two different spectators. The spectators then deal the cards alternately into a pile. As the face up cards are dealt, naturally a card is dealt face down between them from the other half deck. It is the selection! This powerful effect is virtually self working. At the end of the description, a more advanced handling is given that makes the location even more impossible. PREPARATION: You’ll need to know the identity of the 27th card from the top of the face down deck. You can simply peek the bottom card and then spread the cards, counting up to 25. Cut the deck at this point. This positions your key card at number 27. Faro shufflers will find other methods. Obviously the spectators may shuffle the deck prior to this peek and cut. (See below for a deceptive counting procedure that will make it appear that you are spreading rather than counting.) ROUTINE: You may overhand shuffle the top half of the deck. Just don’t alter the location of your key card at position 27. (Let’s say that the key card is the Ace of Spades.) Say, “It’s possible that I know the top or bottom card. To eliminate subterfuge, please cut off somewhat less than half the deck.” Have the spectator shuffle these cards and then place them to the right. We’ll call this PACKET A. Now say, “You have cut to this card (indicate the top card of the talon). Before you look at it, I want to be sure it’s never near the bottom card of the deck. Please cut a chunk of cards from the remaining group.” Have the spectator cut and hold most of the remaining cards, leaving 5 to 10 cards on the table. We’ll call the cards remaining on the table PACKET B. Say, “Please look at the card you cut to (indicate the top card of the packet held by the spectator). Remember your card and now cut your packet several times, placing your selection at a place unknown even to yourself.” Now take the packet from the spectator and spread the cards face up allowing the spectator to see the faces. As you spread the packet you will see your key card (Ace of Spades). Casually cut the packet at this point, cutting the AS to the bottom of the face up packet. Now re-spread so that only the spectator can see the faces. Say, “Your card should be at a random location.” Now place this packet face down onto PACKET A (the former top cards of the deck). Have the spectator shuffle PACKET B and then place these cards face down on top of the others. Now recap by saying, “You shuffled the deck and then cut any number of cards. This cut determined your selection. You then cut your selection to a random position and finally dropped these remaining cards on top after shuffling. No one, not even you, can know the location of the selection.” Actually this is a big lie. The selection will automatically be positioned 27th

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from the top by this procedure!

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SUNKEN TREASURE THE BIG ENDING: Now that the selection is at position 27, the BIG ENDING is automatic. Have the spectator remove the top and bottom cards and place them face up on top of the face down deck. Have the spectator cut the deck several times. Be sure that the reversed cards are not very close to the center. You may have to request another cut if they are. You will now have to give each spectator exactly 26 cards. It is better if it seems like you’ve just taken a random number. Here’s one way to make the counting deceptive: Spread the cards in groups of three and two following this pattern three, two, two, three, three (that’s 13). And again three, two, two, three, three (that’s another 13). This sort of random looking pattern allows you to be sure to get exactly 26 cards without seeming to count them. With practice you will be able to talk as you spread. Hand these cards to one of the spectators and give the remaining 26 to a second spectator. You must note which spectator holds the packet with the reversed cards. This is obvious since you spread the first 26! Instruct the spectator who does NOT have the reversed cards to deal a card face down on the table. Indicate that the second spectator is now to deal a face down card on top of this one and that they should continue this pattern of back and forth dealing. At some point one of the spectators will reach the reversed cards. Because of the alternating pattern, the other spectator will deal a face down card between them. Stop the dealing at this point and say, “Remember. Not only did you randomize the location of your selection, you also positioned those face up cards at the location of your choice. I controlled nothing. Had you placed them at a different point, a different card would now be between them. Let’s take a look. Is it possible....?” Yes - the selection will be between the face up cards! CREDITS: The use of the key card at position 27 is an idea from Scalbert’s Selected Secrets by Geoffrey Scalbert (Supreme 1981). He calls it a “sunken key.” There is a mathematical relationship between the location of the sunken key card and the ultimate location of the selection when the cutting sequence above is followed. I’ve chosen to position the sunken key 27th from the top, which leaves the selection 27th after the cutting. This is necessary for the alternating dealing to end with the selection between the reversed cards. FINAL THOUGHTS: There are two conditions that must be adhered to for the sunken key to work properly. (1) The spectator’s first cut must be less than 27. In other words, the spectator cannot cut past the sunken key card on the first cut. (2) The spectator’s second cut must be past the sunken key. You can control this by saying things like “Cut a small packet” and “Cut a good chunk of cards.” The use of the two reversed cards allows you to perform this with a borrowed deck. I prefer to introduce two jokers with back color different than that of the deck in use. These are placed face down on top of the deck once the selection has been positioned at 27. Again the spectators may cut the deck several times, ultimately positioning the jokers at a random position. If you use the two extra jokers, you will have to give each spectator 27 cards instead of 26. The alternating dealing process will then position the selection between the jokers. An improvement which maintains the self working nature of this effect but makes it more deceptive is the use of a key card with a pencil dot in the upper left (and lower right) corner. If you use a marked card as your key card, you won’t have to spread the packet face up as described above. Simply spread the cards face down and cut the pencil dotted key card to the top. You may want to read the advanced method even if you don’t perform a faro shuffle. The use of the breather crimp adds one more layer of mystery by making it probable that the spectator herself will cut the key card to the top of the packet. In this case, you only touch the cards at the very end when you must give each spectator half the deck.

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POWER PLAYS ADVANCE METHODS: The main requirement for the following, more advanced, method is the ability to perform a perfect Faro shuffle. You can also push this effect closer to the miracle class by using a “breather crimp” in your key card. If you are unfamiliar with the “breather crimp” idea, you should check out Bob King’s booklets on the “breather.” For the following method you must put the breather work into a face up card and then pencil dot the back of the card (or edge mark it) for easy face down identification. Remember, when the breather crimp is put into a face up card, the card has a tendency to cut to the top when the deck is face down. (See “Hide and Seek” above for a description of how to put a breather crimp into a card.) PREPARATION FOR THE ADVANCED ROUTINE: You must get your pencil dotted breather to position 27th from the top. It will be your key card. Faro shufflers will have no problem achieving this even after the deck has been shuffled by a spectator. You can cut the breather to the top. Then cut at 26 and reverse the halves. Now proceed with the cutting sequence above, up to the point where the spectator cuts the packet containing the selection. Have the spectator give the packet one cut. Now note whether the pencil dotted breather has come to the top. Most of the time it will. Now you can have the spectator drop these cards onto PACKET A and cover them with PACKET B. This positions the selection at 27. Magicians will be totally blown away at the end of this one! If luck is not with you on the cut, have the spectator cut a few times stopping her when the pencil dotted card is on top. Should the worst happen and the breather never comes to the top, you will have to give the packet a cut and possibly spread the packet and openly cut the pencil dotted card to the top. This rarely happens. You will also need two jokers from a different colored deck for this version. THE BIG ENDING II: Now that the selection is 27th from the top, the big ending is nearly automatic. Give the spectator the two “off colored” jokers and have her place them on top of the deck. Now instruct her to cut the deck as you say, “You are now positioning the jokers wherever you want. It’s your choice.” Take the deck from the spectator and spread the cards as you recap, “You shuffled the deck then you cut anywhere and noted a card. After that, you cut your selection to a random place unknown even to you. Now you have placed the two jokers at a location of your choice. You have controlled everything.” As you spread the cards, note whether the jokers are in the bottom half or the top half. If they are very close to the center, have the spectator cut again until they are somewhat off center. You are now going to cut dead center in preparation for a faro shuffle. There are two possible situations: (1) If the jokers are in the bottom half of the deck, perform an OUT FARO. (2) If the jokers are in the top half of the deck, perform an IN FARO. This procedure automatically places the selection between the two off colored jokers. To end, simply spread the cards face down and note that there is now a card between the two off colored jokers. Is it possible that the spectator just happened to position the jokers in such a way that they would locate the selection? Yep! MORE FINAL THOUGHTS: You can avoid worrying about whether to perform an IN or an OUT faro if you use a 51 card deck. You still begin with the key card 27th from the top and proceed as described above. However at the end, when you cut for the faro, one packet will contain 26 and the other 27 since you have added the two jokers. Just be sure that the bottom card of the smaller packet goes one above the bottom card of the larger packet, which is the most natural way to faro when the deck contains an odd number of cards.

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ONE MORE IDEA:: Since the sunken key procedure positions the selection at 27, you can immediately go into Numerical Analysis (see above) for the revelation. It’s totally self working. 118

CODE 5

The last Looking Glass (Winter 1998) contained a very cool item by Alex Elmsley on coding the identity of a card by arranging a small packet in a particular order. It was called “Card Coding by Permutation.” Elmsley credits his starting point as “Study in Stud” which appeared in Cardiste. Elmsley’s system allows one person to communicate the identity of a card to a second person by arranging a packet of cards into a particular order that can then be decoded by the second person. I felt that the fact that the person doing the coding must know the identity of the card to be coded weakened the impact. I found the idea of presenting the effect in a five card stud poker setting to be very logical and to provide the necessary “hook” for the spectators. My wife Maria and I have performed the effect numerous times and have found that it has great impact on both magicians and lay audiences. The addition of the second (optional) phase negates the idea that the identities of the cards must be known to one of the members of the “team.” Each phase “cancels” the method of the other. EFFECT: The magician claims that his wife (assistant) has an uncanny ability to win at five card stud poker. “My wife can figure out whether or not your ‘down’ card is going to help you just by watching your reaction to your four ‘up’ cards. You haven’t got a prayer of bluffing.” Your cohort leaves the room and the spectator selects any five cards from the face up deck. You now leave the room, having absolutely no contact with your assistant who now returns. The spectator keeps one card hidden as the “hole card” and shows your cohort each of the other four cards. She is able to deduce the actual identity of the hole card with no fishing! The magician returns and this time the spectator selects five cards from the face down deck. The spectator puts one card in the card case. This time the assistant is able to deduce the identity of the cased card even though her partner never saw the faces of the 5 cards! PHASE 1: The principle involved in allowing your confederate to figure out the spectator’s hole card is an old one popularized by Harry Lorayne in his Epitome Location. Imagine that you have 10 file cards, each with a number from one to ten written on it. Suppose that someone selects 5 of these cards let’s say the numbers 3, 4, 6, 8, 9. The total of these values is 3+4+6+8+9=30. Suppose further that you could convey to your confederate that the total is 30 as you leave the room. Could the confederate figure out which card was missing from the group by seeing the other four? Of course she could. All that the person would have to do is add the total of the remaining four cards and subtract from 30 to find out which one was missing. That is essentially how your confederate will be able to know what the spectator’s down card is even though you don’t know what it is! The basic process is called “Clocking.” In the Epitome Location, Lorayne “clocks” by casting out 10’s. This has been exploited by others over the years. Recently Paul Cummins published an excellent use of the clocking principle in Freebies 6. Through the process of clocking, you can find out what card is missing from the deck or from a group of cards if you know the total value of the cards in the original group. It’s just like the example above. If you know the total of 5 numbered cards and someone takes one away, you can determine the missing number by adding the total of the other four and subtracting 119

POWER PLAYS it from the original total. The problem in clocking by casting out 10’s is that a king and a three, a queen and a 2, and a jack and an ace cannot be distinguished. If your count indicates that a 3 is missing, it could be a king or a three. Thus 24 out of 52, or nearly half the time, you have an ambiguity. In many applications you can deal with this ambiguity since you get to look through the deck. For CODE 5 to work, you will have to cast out 13’s, eliminating the ambiguity. Luckily there are only 5 cards to count. This is very easy once you understand the basic concept. The basic method is this: Your partner has left the room. You will spread the deck face up and allow the spectator to choose any five cards. As the cards are chosen, you will be adding their values while casting out 13’s as explained below. You’ll also need a method for conveying this information to your partner. That, also, is given below. There is one other bit of business. You’ll also have to convey information about the suit so that your partner can name the exact card. Since there are four suits, you’ll cast out 4’s. DON’T give up yet! The entire process is not difficult once you understand the notion of “casting out.” If you have any experience in casting out 10’s, you will have no problem performing this routine. If you learn to cast out 13’s, you’ll have an advantage when you learn other routines that use the casting out principle (clocking). You won’t have an ambiguity 50% of the time. Please read on: PROCEDURE: Spread the deck face up, allowing your spectator to indicate five random cards. Even though a poker theme is to be used, you should instruct the spectator not to try to make a good poker hand but rather to choose five cards with no apparent relationship to each other. As the cards are being selected, you must perform some simple mental math. Each of the thirteen types of cards, Ace through King are imagined to have numbers. Ace = 1, deuce = 2 etc. with jack = 11, queen = 12 and king = 13. You will be adding the number values of the cards as they are selected. However you will simplify the math by counting what mathematicians call MOD 13. This means that 13 counts as zero and that anytime the count equals or exceeds 13, you should subtract 13. This is not at all difficult as the following example will show: Suppose that the first card is an 8 and the second card is a 7. The total is then 8 + 7 = 15. Since 15 is greater than 13, you mentally remove 13 and call it 2. Thus 15 is actually 2 in this MOD 13 system. This makes counting very easy since the total is never greater than 13. You can expedite the counting by thinking of kings as zero (since 13=0 in the MOD 13 system), queen as -1 and jack as -2. Thus when the count is 8, and a jack is to be added, just add -2 obtaining 6. This ends in the same place as adding 11 for the jack getting 19 and then subtracting 13 to get back to 6. Here’s a specific example: Suppose the five chosen cards are the 7S, 9D, QC, 3H, 5D. Forget the suits for the moment. Let’s count this MOD 13. 7 + 9 = 16 which counts as 3 (remember you subtracted 13). 3 + 12 (for queen) = 15 which counts as 2. 2 + 3 = 5 and 5 plus the remaining 5 gives 10. The total MOD 13 of the values of these 5 cards is 10. This value viz. 10, is the key to your confederate deducing the numerical value of the spectator’s “hole” card. Keep the key value 10 in mind. You’ll now have to determine a second number for the suit. This time we will use the following CHaSeD system. Clubs = 1; Hearts = 2; Spades = 3 and Diamonds = 4. The suit total will be determined by counting MOD 4. This means that every time the total is four or greater, you subtract four. This means that DIAMONDS count as ZERO (since diamond is 4) and since hearts = 2, a group of two hearts counts as 4 which is ZERO. Similarly a spade and a club add to 4 so two cards consisting of a spade and a club count as zero. Let’s return to the example above of the 7S, 9D, QC, 3H and 5D. The number total is already known to be 10. Let’s organize the suits as Diamond, Diamond, Spade, Club, Heart. Since diamonds are zero and a spade/club combination is also zero, all that remains uncounted is the heart, which is a 2. Thus the suit total is 2.

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Here’s a second example. Let’s say that the 5 suits are D, C, C, H, S. Just use the number value for the 120

CODE 5 suit (CHaSeD C=1, H=2, S=3, D=4 which is zero in our case). Thus D+C+C+H+S = 0+1+1+2+3 = 7. Now cast out 4’s, i.e. anytime the total exceeds or equals 4, subtract 4. Thus 7 is 7-4 =3. Your suit count is 3. You will probably find it more difficult to get used to counting the suit, since you’ll have to get comfortable with the assigned numbers for the suits. One final example of the process: Let’s say that the 5 cards are 4S, QH, 8D, 9C, 10S. FIRST the number values MOD 13: 4 + Q(12) + 8 + 9 + 10 goes like this. 4 + 12 = 3 (you cast out 13’s) + 8 = 11 + 9 = 7 (you dropped 13 again) + 10 = 4 (dropped another 13). Your key number is 4. Now the suit count: S + H + D + C + S = 3 + 2 + 0 + 1 + 3 = 9 cast out 4 = 5 cast out another 4 = 1. Your suit key is 1. Your final job will be to convey these two numbers to your partner. Below is a very easy and deceptive way to do this. Meanwhile, now that you understand the counting process, let’s see how all this works in a real performance situation: Say something like, “Did you know that my wife Maria is unbeatable in five card stud poker? It’s true. She has an uncanny ability to figure out whether or not your down card helps you by watching your reaction to your four up cards. We’ll give you a demonstration.” Have your confederate leave the room as the spectator shuffles the deck. Take the deck back and begin to spread the cards face up as you say, “I want you to indicate five different cards. Don’t try to make a good poker hand. Just pick five random cards slowly.” Upjog the cards one by one as the spectator indicates them. Also, maintain your MOD 13 count, adding the numerical value of the cards as they are indicated. Don’t worry about the suits yet. When the spectator is done, you should have your count. In our ongoing example (7S, 9D, QC, 3H, 5D) the count is 10. Now strip out the five selected cards and place them face up on the table. Ask the spectator if there is any reason why these five cards were chosen. During the ensuing banter you must perform your MOD 4 count on the suits. In our example the suit total is 2. (S+D+C+H+D=3+0+1+2+0=6 cast out 4 = 2) CODING FOR YOUR PARTNER: You now need to convey to your partner, who will be returning soon, the two key numbers 10 and 2. Our first approach to this problem was to cut a 10 to the face of the deck, indicating the numeric total and using beveling of the cards to indicate the four possible suit totals. Thus I would leave the deck in view with a 10 at the face, beveled a certain direction i.e. forward, backward, left or right to indicate the suit total. When Maria returned, she would see a 10 and use the beveling to determine that the suit total was 2. I would table the deck face down and when she returned, she would case the deck, peeking the face card. This wasn’t a bad method, but we have devised a second method that we prefer. Now, we pre-define a rectangular space on the table. If I’m using a close up pad, the pad is the rectangle. If not, the edge of the table plus two objects e.g. an ashtray and a salt shaker etc will define a rectangular space. I case the deck and place the case in the rectangular space. Its position indicates a number from 1 to 12 as indicated in figure 1. For 13, the cased deck is placed outside of the defined space. There should be no ambiguity as to the number indicated. If it is very close to the left or right it’s a 1 or 4 or 5 or 8 etc. If it’s close to the middle but left or right of middle this indicates 2 or 3 for row 1 or 6 or 7 for row 2 etc. Fig. 1

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POWER PLAYS The orientation of the card case indicates the suit key number (1 to 4). For example, flap to the outside, angel side showing = 1; flap to the outside, spade symbol showing = 2; flap to the inside, angel showing = 3; flap to the inside, spade symbol showing = 4. Thus the location in the rectangle together with the orientation of the box tells your partner both the number total and the suit total. Now, since one card is missing, your partner can easily figure out the numeric value and the suit of the missing card and conclude the routine. (See below for an example of how this is accomplished.) Before the spectator calls your partner back you might say, “Take your five cards and decide which one is to be your down card. Wait until I am gone to do this. I don’t want to know what it is. You might want to put your down card in your pocket so Maria can’t see it at all. All you need to do is show her your four up cards.” At this point you should leave and exit the area in such a way that you can’t even see your partner. You don’t want anyone to think you’ve been able to convey the identities of the five cards chosen. This seems to be the only way she could figure out the missing card. Your confederate (Maria) now returns and has the following interaction with the spectator: CONFEDERATE’S ROLE: The confederate immediately notes the position of the card case in the rectangle (indicating 10) and its orientation (indicating 2). She will be able to deduce both the numerical value and suit of the “hole” card as follows: Let’s say that the spectator has chosen to use the 3H as the hole card. Remember, the five cards are 7S, 9D, QC, 3H, 5D. The confederate sees that the four up cards are the 7S, 9D, QC and 5D. She now must perform the number and the suit count on these four cards viz. 7 + 9 + 12(Q) + 5 = 7 by the MOD 13 count. She has a total of 7 and knows that the original total was 10. What’s missing?? It takes 3 more to get from 7 to 10 i.e. 10 - 7 = 3. Thus the spectator’s down card is a 3. The suit count is S + D + C + D or 3 + 0 + 1 + 0 = 4 which is a 0 (MOD 4). The suit count is 0. The confederate knows that the original suit count was 2. How far is it from 0 (her count) to 2 (the original count). Obviously the answer is 2, which is hearts. The down card is the 3H! Once the math has been accomplished, it’s all presentation. We generally have the spectator look at the face up cards one by one. This gives Maria time to do the math and to have some fun with the spectator. In the end Maria gets serious and says, “You chose any five cards. I couldn’t know any of them. You’ve chosen to keep one as your down card. By your reaction to these four up cards I would have to guess that your down card is a three - the three of hearts. Am I right?” If the math has been done properly, she will be exactly right! REMEMBER - you determine how far it is numerically FROM your total of the 4 cards to the original total of the 5 cards. It’s the same for the suit. How far is it FROM your total of the 4 suits to the total indicated by the position of the card case. There is a situation that may be confusing. So let me give an example or two to make this clear: Suppose that the partner returns and notes that the case indicates a number value of 9 and a suit value of 3. She totals the 4 cards and gets a number value of 7 and a suit value of 2. This is straight forward. She calculates how far from her value of 7 is it to the original total of 9. Obviously it’s 2. It’s the same for the suit value. How far is it from her value of 2 to the coded value of 3. From 2 to 3 is 1. So the suit is a club. The confusing case occurs when the partner computes a value for the four cards that is GREATER than the coded value. For example suppose the case on the table indicates a total of 4 and a suit of 2. Now the partner adds the values of the four cards and gets a number total of 7 and a suit total of 3. She must think this way: How far is it from MY total of 7 to the original total of 4. THE ANSWER IS NOT 3. It would be three if you go from 7 to 10. FROM 7 TO 4 is a negative trip since 4 is smaller than 7. You always want the number you are trying to reach to be greater than the

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CODE 5 number you are starting with. Luckily this is easy to fix. Since 13 = 0 in the casting out 13 system, you can add 13 without changing a value. In this case you need to make 4 bigger so you add 13 to it getting 17. Now, instead of going from 7 to 4, you go from 7 to 4+13 or from 7 to 17. That’s a 10. The missing card is a 10 this time - not a 3. Another way to visualize this is to ask how far from 7 to 4? The answer is -3 (go backwards 3). Simply add 13 to this to get a positive value of 10. The same is true for the suit. In this case you want to go from 3 to 2. It’s NOT 1. The number you are going TO must be bigger than your starting point. For the suits, 4 = 0 so you can add 4 to increase a value. Instead of 3 to 2, you would go 3 to 2+4 or 3 to 6. The result is 3 which is a spade. Your partner will have to understand this and perform the proper computation. Try this in some real situations with your partner. It will require practice. (If the partner’s total is the same as the key number i.e. total is 7 and key is 7, the question is how far is it from 7 to 7? The answer is zero. But zero and 13 are identical in mod 13 arithmetic. The missing card is a zero or 13, which is a king.) You will likely have to read this description a few times to really understand it. If you are a “math person,” this will fall into place quickly. PHASE II: Phase I is very baffling and can be performed by itself. Phase II is designed to close the door on any explanation, by repeating the effect with five cards chosen from the face down deck. When you return to the scene, pick up the deck face up and return the five cards to the deck. During this sequence you need to cull a five card stack to the bottom of the face up deck. In our system the five cards are the JS, KC, 5C, 2H and 9S. You and your partner must agree on which five cards to use. The basic idea is that you will force these five cards on the spectator and thus your partner will have no problem observing which one is missing. Once this stack is in position on the bottom of the face up deck, turn the deck face down and run five cards singly in an overhand shuffle. Hold a break above these five as you shuffle off. The five cards can be in any order. Have your confederate leave and say, “Last time, I saw the five cards. Let’s do it again with a group selected from the face down deck.” Spread the cards face down, maintaining your break above the bottom five. Outjog the selections as they are indicated. You are now going to switch the five selections for the five card stack using the Dingle Nolap Switch. (It will be obvious to the advanced worker that the Vernon Strip Out Addition or any good switch can be substituted here.) This move is described later in the book in the effect Subtle Princess. Hand the five cards to the spectator and say, “Take your selections and don’t let me or anyone else see them. I’m going to leave. Let’s see if Maria can do it again. This time put your chosen hole card in the card case so no one can possibly see it.” This time there is no math. Maria knows what five cards the spectator has and can easily determine the missing card. This second phase cancels theories about the first phase and vice versa. The effect is consistent in both phases. FINAL THOUGHTS: If you intend to perform the two phase routine you should set up the five card stack at the beginning. If it begins on the bottom of the face down deck, the spectator won’t make a selection from this group. After phase one, you will have cut the deck. All that remains is to cut the stack back to the bottom in readiness for the Nolap Switch. The concept of determining a missing card by counting the remaining cards is beginning to see more use these days. Pit Hartling has an excellent use in his Triathlon from The Little Green Lecture. He uses Harry Lorayne’s method from Epitome Location (1976) where the count is done MOD 10. This means that you throw out 10’s instead of 13’s. Using that method, Jack=1, Queen=2 and King=3. Unfortunately there is an ambiguity here since both Ace and Jack are 1 and both Queen and deuce are 2 etc. With only five cards you should count MOD 13 with no ambiguity. You also have, what I think of as an advantage with King=0; Queen=-1; Jack=-3 and ten=-3. I find it advantageous to use the negative numbers, which keep the count small. I’ve been using Pit’s excellent Triathlon but I substitute the

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POWER PLAYS MOD 13 count to eliminate the problems with Jack, Queen and King. With a bit of practice the MOD 13 count is very easy. (N.B. With the MOD 10 count there is an ambiguity almost half of the time! This militates for the MOD 13 count described above.) LOWERING EXPECTATIONS: We have found that the effect is magnified if the spectator is not aware of the exact ending. I tell the spectator that Maria will be able to tell if the hole card will be of help or not. When she actually names the exact card, the spectator is really astonished since she only expected an ending where Maria would say something like, “your hole card won’t help you.” Naming the card comes out of nowhere and really destroys the spectator. CREDITS: The invention of the MOD system is credited to Karl Friedrich Gauss, a 19th century mathematician of great stature. Gauss was considered to be the last mathematician who was a true expert in every branch of mathematics. After his time, there was such an explosion in the field of mathematics that no one today could possibly be an expert in all branches. My friend Al Stanger sent me a long list of previously published items using this sort of coding system. Charles Jordan mentions the MOD 13 method of finding a missing card but it looks like Karl Fulves gets credit for the Five Card Stud use as described in Phase I. What’s new in the above version is the second phase which will hopefully cancel any counting theory. ADVERTISEMENT: Al Stanger has an incredible 5 phase effect that he has programmed on a TI-85. It’s called Stud Poker Wizard and it’s killer! Al destroyed everyone at the Motor City Close Up Conference with it awhile back. It’s really an amazing routine using a programmable calculator. Al credits Karl Fulves as his starting point on the Five Card Stud theme but Al has taken the plot further. Al’s calculator predicts your down card but it’s turned on and out of his reach before the five cards are selected! Al will be marketing STUD POKER WIZARD at some point. Watch for this way cool item.

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THE 7 CARD 21 CARD TRICK

EFFECT: A spectator shuffles the deck and then deals three piles of seven as in the standard 21-card trick. She makes a very free selection while the magician looks away. The three piles are stacked and re-dealt as in the original (3 columns of 7 cards). This time the spectator is asked to select one of the piles and to discard the other two. A Truth or Lie spelling phase takes place. At the end of this phase having either lied or told the truth four times, the spectator is left holding her selection! The working behind this trick is a combination of methods. It uses Gene Finnell’s “Free Cut Principle” and Dave Solomon’s Seven card version of the Steinmeyer 9 Card Problem. It is self-working and can even be done over the phone! SET-UP: None. PROCEDURE: Have your spectator shuffle the deck. If you plan to do this over the phone you will have to use very precise language to head off a mishap. If you are interacting live with the spectator, less precision is needed. I’ll describe the patter for use in a live performance. If you follow these instructions with deck in hand, you’ll see the effect unfold. “Please shuffle the deck so that no one knows the location of any card. Good. Now deal three cards face down in a row from left to right. Deal another row on top of these and keep going until you have dealt 7 rows of three for a total of 21 cards.” “Please square up each column so you have three piles. I now want you to make a free selection as follows: Mentally choose one of the piles. Now cut that pile at any point and hold the cards you have cut. Turn that packet toward yourself so you can see the card you have selected. Do you see it?? Good – don’t forget it.” “Now place the cards you are holding onto either of the other larger piles. Have you done that? Good. Now pick up the unused pile and shuffle it. Place it onto the bigger pile. Now take the remaining small pile and shuffle it. Place it on top. You now have one big pile, right? Good.” “Take the pile and get ready to deal face down again. Deal as before – three cards in a row from left to right and then three on top until you have three columns with 7 cards in each. No one knows exactly where your card is at this point, including you, since the piles are face down. You know, 21 cards is a lot. Let’s speed this up a bit.”

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At this point you will use “magician’s choice” to force the center pile on the spectator. A good way to do this is to say, “Please pick up any two of the piles.” If the center pile remains, simply tell the spectator to put the other two piles away and proceed. If the spectator has picked up the center pile as one 125

POWER PLAYS of the two say, “Just hand me either of those two.” If she hands you the former center pile say, “Good, we’ll use these.” If she hands you the other pile and keeps the center pile, say, “Good. You have made your choice.” Now put the other cards away. In any event, you are now working with the 7 cards from the center pile. Due to the Finnell “Free Cut Principle” the selection will have been 14th from the top of the 21 card packet. After dealing these 21 cards into three columns of 7, the selection will be the 3rd card down in the center column (B). You have used “magician’s choice” to force that group on the spectator. We will now use Dave Solomon’s 7 card variation of the Steinmeyer 9 Card Problem to force the selection. The deceptive part of this procedure is that the spectator can lie or tell the truth and it won’t matter! Let’s return to the script: “You freely selected a card and buried it at a random location. Then you dealt the cards into three piles of 7. You freely selected one of the piles and removed the other two. We’re down to only 7 cards at this point. I am now going to ask you some questions about your card. When you answer, you may LIE or TELL THE TRUTH. Remember, it’s your choice. You may lie or tell the truth each time except at the end when I ask you to name your selection. Each time you will spell your answer, dealing one card for each letter.” “Here’s your first question: Remember, you can lie or tell the truth. Was your card RED or BLACK? You have answered ‘black.’ So deal a card face down for each letter. B, L, A, C and K. Now toss the remaining cards on top and then pick up the packet.” (Of course, had ‘red’ been named, you would have spelled R, E, D and tossed the other 4 cards on top.) “The next question is this: What is the suit of your card? Was it spades, diamonds, hearts or clubs? Hearts?? Then deal as you spell H, E, A, R, T and S. Now toss the other cards on top and pick up the packet.” (N.B. If diamonds is chosen, tell her to spell “diamond” leaving out the s since there aren’t enough cards for the word “diamonds.” Also, you may increase the number of choices if the spectator chooses spades or hearts. You may ask if she prefers to spell ‘heart’ or ‘hearts.’ The requirement is that 5 or more cards must be dealt. Thus you cannot offer this choice with clubs.) “Here’s the third question: Don’t forget, you can lie or tell the truth. What type of card did you choose? Was it an ace, two, three, jack, queen etc. A queen? O.K. deal as you spell, Q, U, E, E, and N. Now toss the other cards on top and pick up the packet.” “There is one final question: TRUE or FALSE, this process has been very fair. FALSE? I think you’re lying again but you are entitled to your opinion. O.K. let’s spell F, A, L, S and E. Hold that last card but keep it face down. This time you must tell the truth. What card did you actually choose? The two of spades? After all the free choices you have made, it would be nearly impossible that you now have your very own card in your hand. Let’s see how you did….” Of course, she will have her selection at this point. N.B. There are actually two possibilities for the last question. If she chooses ‘false’, the selection will fall on the last letter (e) and you’ll have to tell her to hold that card. If she chooses ‘true’ you follow the normal procedure and have her toss the remaining cards on top. This positions the selection on top of the packet for the big ending.

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FINAL THOUGHTS: This effect depends on three “principles.” First, Gene Finnell’s “Free Cut 126

THE 7 CARD 21 CARD TRICK Principle” positions the selection 14th from the top. Now, when the cards are re-dealt into the three columns of 7, the selection automatically goes 3rd from the top in the center column. This is exactly where it needs to be for Solomon’s procedure to work. You now use equivoque (magician’s choice) to force the center column while making it feel that the spectator is making a free choice. Finally, following Solomon’s procedure from his excellent book “Solomon’s Mind,” you will cause the spectator to end up with her selection after making four free choices to lie or tell the truth. This is a really fun item to perform when a layperson mentions the 21 card trick. Laypeople will recognize the high level of impossibility here. First they make a truly free choice and bury it. Then they choose one of the three packets. And finally they make four random choices, lying or telling the truth. It is easy to see that there are many possibilities since RED and BLACK spell with either 3 or 5 cards. The suits spell with 5, 6 or 7 letters. The type of card spells with 3, 4 or 5 letters. And the words ‘true’ and ‘false’ spell with either 4 or 5 letters. It appears that different choices lead to different conclusions when, in reality, they all lead to the same place viz. the selection. TELEPHONE METHOD: If you perform this on the telephone, be sure that you are very clear in your instructions. The “magician’s choice” phase is particularly difficult on the phone. You’ll have to label the packets A, B and C from left to right. This way you can tell the spectator to pick up two packets and then ascertain which packets she is holding. From here you can complete the force of the center packet (B). If you perform this routine “live,” you should look away during the selection procedure. This will create the feeling that you have no idea where the selection is. Also, in the “live” mode, your equivoque will be stronger. Nonetheless, this is an excellent routine to use over the phone. FINAL THOUGHTS: When you reach the true/false statement say, “I’m going to make a statement. You will then say ‘true’ or ‘false.’ Your answer will not hurt my feelings, so feel free to answer either way.” I always phrase things this way and I have had only one time when the spectator has said, “false.” When you get a “true” response you can increase the impossibility by saying, “O.K. T, R, U and E. I want you to notice that had you said ‘false’, I would be dealing the next card down and then covering it with these cards. But you said ‘true’ and that leaves me with this card....” It’s very clear that had the spectator answered differently, the outcome would have been different. CREDITS: Jim Steinmeyer published his “Nine Card Problem” in MAGIC Magazine (May, 1993). This procedure has been used by John Rogers in a lie/truth effect that he markets. As its name suggests, the procedure involves nine cards. Dave Solomon felt that the need for the spelling of the word “of” during the process was a liability and realized that using seven cards would solve this problem. Dave also adopted a Lie Speller approach as suggested by Jon Racherbaumer. Due to the 7 card piles in the 21 card trick, Dave’s Seven Card solution fits perfectly. And since the Finnell principle positions the selection at 14, it ends up in precisely the correct position after the 21 card layout procedure is executed.

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TOTAL FREEDOM 1. If the cards are both even (this is the most common occurrence), they will be placed back to back and dropped onto the pile on the table. Obviously you may flip the packet 180 degrees or not. 2. If one of the cards is odd (a selection) and the other is even, the odd card is placed under the even card (both remain face up). This group may be placed either face up or face down onto the pile. (It’s a good idea to place some such groups of two face up and others face down to create a feeling of randomness.) 3. If both of the cards are odd (selections), they are placed face to face and dropped onto the pile. Obviously it won’t matter if you flip this group of two over or not. They are both selections. Since there are 26 cards, you will have created 13 pairs during this procedure. It will really appear that you have randomly oriented the cards face up and face down. The spectators can perform the subsequent actions but I generally perform them myself to keep things moving along. It will be obvious that you are not “cheating” as you follow the spectators’ instructions. To wit: Tell the spectators that you will make three piles of cards and that they will choose which pile each group of cards goes on. They will also choose whether or not you flip the group of cards over as you add them to the piles. Indicate three positions on the table called A, B and C. Take two cards and ask where they should be placed (A, B or C) and whether they should be flipped 180 degrees or not. Follow the instructions and continue this same process with the next two cards. Follow this procedure for the remaining 11 pairs of cards. In the end you’ll have three piles on the table. Tell the spectators that you’ll assemble them into a single pile but they may choose the order and again they may choose to flip the group of cards over as the final pile is assembled. You now have 26 cards in a pile. Some are face up and some are face down. It would seem that there is no pattern at all since the spectators have made the choices. This is not true and will result in the mind-blowing ending. Deal the 26 cards alternately into two piles of 13. Ask the spectators which pile should be turned over onto the other one i.e. one pile will be flipped 180 degrees and placed onto the other one. Believe it or not, at this point all five selections are oriented the same way while all 21 even cards are oriented the other way!! Riffle the packet so that you can see which way it is oriented. If most of the cards are face down, the selections are face up and vice versa. Orient the packet so that the selections are face down and spread the cards on the table. All cards are face up except for five!! For the killer ending, remove the five cards and show that they are the selections! OTHER IDEAS: The seemingly random nature of the procedure makes it ideal for a coincidence effect. Here’s an idea for a coincidence effect: You’ll need to have five seemingly random cards memorized. I just use the first five cards from the Aronson stack viz. JC, KC, 5C, 2H, 9S. The cards should have no obvious relationship to each other. Now obtain a red and a blue deck. Remove 26 cards from each deck being sure that the 5 memorized cards are among the 26 cards in each of the red and blue groups. Now you would “set up” both 26-card packets by following the steps marked 1, 2 and 3 above. In this case the target cards are not the odd cards as above. Instead they are the five memorized cards common to both the red and blue packets. You will proceed exactly as outlined in the original effect, allowing the spectators to make choices about flipping packets over etc. You will do this with both the

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POWER PLAYS red and blue packets. In the end, when you spread, there will be five facedown cards in each packet. They will match. You might alternately spread so that there are five face up cards in one packet and five face down cards in the other. Remove the face down cards one by one. Each one will match one of the face up cards in the other group. In this variation you might give a spectator one of the piles. You can demonstrate the options of flipping or not flipping onto the three piles as you run through your group. Now the spectator makes all the choices with the other pack. You can predict the number of face down or face up cards in the spectator’s pile! Then for the big ending it is found that you have the same number and that the five reversed cards in each packet match. You can “lower expectations” by saying, “Look, we both have exactly five cards reversed!” It seems that this is the effect. Then reveal the BIG effect - the 5 cards all match! FINAL THOUGHTS: The use of five selections rather than a royal flush makes the trick much more personal. The fact the selections are truly free choices, unknown to you, increases the mystery as well. In the original version it would be obvious that you were “going for” the royal flush even though it’s not at all clear how it could have emerged through the seemingly random process. It’s possible to set up the even/odd separation quickly by using either Lennart Green’s “Angle Separation” or Harry Lorayne’s “Great Divide.” Learn one of these separation techniques and you’ll be able to pick up a borrowed deck and set it up as you seem to be checking to be sure that all the cards are there. SIX SELECTION VERSION: It is possible to have six selections made from the odd cards. Here you would use all 24 of the even cards making a total of 30. The procedure is the same. You will end up with the six selections reversed among the 24 other cards. Thus if you are working for a group of 6, you can involve everyone. Just be sure that the total number of cards is even. CREDITS: The basic concept used here is based on a Steve Freeman idea. Underlying the Freeman routine is the Hummer Parity Principle. Freeman devised a method for setting the target cards in a seemingly random fashion. The particular handling used here was shown to me by my good friend Ron Zolweg. As with Freeman, and more recently Bannon, Ron used the five cards of a royal flush as the target cards. This seemed a bit cozy to me. Also, you must ask the spectator for her favorite suit. I think this weakens the ending. You knew the target cards all along. Using five (or six) truly random selections makes the ending much more mysterious. It is only at the moment that five face down cards are seen in the supposedly randomly mixed half deck that the ending begins to become apparent. This is my contribution.

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CUT AND RUN

A discussion on the TSD (The Second Deal) board sent me looking for sources of what Marlo called “The Incomplete Faro Location.” Brother Hamman used a control in “Two Shuffles Harry” that is similar to the “Incomplete Faro Location.” Kaufman says, “What follows is Bro. John’s extremely clever utilization of a Karl Fulves control.” In Epilogue 16 Nov. 1972, Fulves published an item called “Riffle Shuffle Control.” It was used for a single card control to 26. Fulves references Marlo’s “Incomplete Faro Location” from The New Tops several years earlier. He also mentions an item from Epilogue #13 called “Riffle Placement.” In “Riffle Placement” Fulves mentions an item from the August 1970 Pallbearers Review by John Hamilton called, “Eyes of the Gods” as his inspirational source. It is this item, “Eyes of the Gods,” that is the basis of the effects that follow. “Eyes of the Gods” was released by John Hamilton in 1948. Fulves calls it “one of the most brilliant location tricks on record.” The reader may want to check out Hamilton’s routine in Pallbearers Review. I found the underlying mathematical principal to be very worthy and replete with applications. However, his selection procedure is somewhat convoluted, although it does allow the magician to find the selections in a startling way. Here I am just using the principle that positions the selections 26 cards apart. What follows is more a series of ideas on how to get some mileage out of this positioning principle than full fledged routines. I think that the creative reader will find these ideas to be productive starting points and will invent new ways to use this powerful principle. REQUISITES: For some of the routines below, you will need a 53 card deck and the ability to Faro shuffle. There are other ideas that are self working and require no skill whatsoever. THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE: Begin with a 52 card deck. Split it into two equal piles of 26 each. Faro shufflers can easily do this using Marlo’s Faro “Check” concept to be sure of a perfect split. Hamilton has his spectators divide the deck and then count and exchange cards to be sure they each have the same number. This is time consuming and also I think it’s much better if you make it appear that you are cutting near the center rather than dead center. Thus the best approach is to hold a break at 26 and then simply cut at the break, making it appear to be a random cut near center.

C

D

A

B

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Table the two 26 card packets face down - A on the left, B on the right (figure 1). ). Cut any number of cards from packet A and deposit them face down at C. Do the same with packet B, plac131

POWER PLAYS ing the cut off portion at position D. Now look at the top cards remaining on the packets at A and B and place them face up onto packets C and D respectively. In real usage these would be selections and would be placed face down. Here we are simply demonstrating the principle involved. Now place the cards remaining at position A onto those at position D. Similarly, place those at position B onto the cards at position C (in front of A). Be sure that you followed these directions correctly. A goes to D and B goes to C, across the diagonal. Now place either packet onto the other and cut the reassembled deck. The face up cards (selections) are now 26 cards apart i.e. there are 25 cards between them. If you look closely at what is happening it will be completely clear why this is so. However, when handled in a casual manner, no one will suspect that there is any relationship between the selections. Now what remains is how to handle spectators so that this position is achieved and then what to do with it. (Note: The underlying principle is essentially the same as that of the Gene Finnell’s “Free Cut Principle.” See “The 7 Card 21 Card Trick” earlier in this section.) SELECTION PROCEDURE: Split the deck into two equal piles. I generally do a Faro Check, reassemble the deck maintaining a left 4th finger break, and then cut at the break. It should appear that the cut was near center but random. (In the case of a 53 card deck, which is covered later, you will make a 27/26 split.) For magicians I like to cut 22/30 and then “notice” that the piles are unequal. I then take four cards from the pile of 30 and place them onto the other pile. This ruse makes the adjustment seem simply to be an attempt to get near equality. In reality you end up with 26/26. Now have the spectators shuffle their respective piles and then hold the cards face down in dealing position. Say, “I want you each to cut any number of cards and place them face down on the table. Great. Now look at the next card and remember it. It will be some time before you see it again, so burn it into your memory. Got it? O.K. now place the card face down onto your tabled packet. Good work. Now, just to make things even more random, Mary will place the cards she is still holding onto Susan’s pile. Good. And Susan will place the cards she is holding onto Mary’s pile. Now the selections are buried under a completely random number of cards. (This is actually true.) Now, Susan, take your pile and place it onto Mary’s pile. Great. Now give the entire deck a cut (a straight cut only!). Mary, you can cut too. Fantastic – your selections are completely lost in the deck.” (This is true – but they are 26 cards apart and that will allow some magic to be created.) There are alternate ways to achieve the same result. For example you can have Mary place the cards she is holding onto Susan’s tabled pile (theoretically to make things “more random”) and then place Mary’s tabled portion onto these cards. Finally have Susan place her cards on top. This alternate procedure looks a bit more haphazard. SIMPLE COINCIDENCE: Let’s start with a simple coincidence. There are much stronger possibilities that are described below. For a simple, self-working effect try this: Take a 52 card deck and have two selections made and replaced following the procedure described above. This positions the selection 26 cards apart. Now have one of the spectators deal 26 cards into a face down pile (reversing their order). Hand the remaining 26 cards face down to the other spectator and ask her to see if her selection is among the cards. Be sure she doesn’t change the order! Alternately, you can spread one of the packets face up and ask if either spectator sees her card. Only one spectator will see her card. Give these cards to her face up and hand the other 26 cards to the second spectator. These are face down. Each spectator has her own selection among the 26 cards. Now have the two spectators deal cards simultaneously to the table one by one. One spectator is holding her cards face up and is dealing them face up.

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CUT AND RUN The other spectator is dealing face down from a face down pack. Instruct the spectator who is dealing face up, to stop dealing after she deals her selection to the table. Tell her to say “stop” at the moment she deals her card to the table. Due to the positioning of the selections, the other spectator will have dealt her selection at the same moment. Be sure that when Susan says “stop”, Mary stops too. Now remind the spectators that they shuffled the cards, cut anywhere and then buried each other’s cards under a random number of cards. Say, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if just when you said ‘stop’, Mary was dealing her card!” Check the top card of Mary’s pile. It will be her selection! (You can preface this sequence with banter along the lines of “Do you believe in coincidence?? Wow – neither do I – that’s a coincidence!” or “so do I – that’s a coincidence.” This way you establish the “coincidence” concept early on and then return to it at the end with a line like, “I guess we really should believe in coincidence!”) Now let’s look at some more advanced uses of this principle. FARO 53: For this application you must use a 53 card deck. Just add a joker to the normal deck. Now split at 27/26 and hand the packets to two different spectators for shuffling. Let’s say that Mary is on your left and that she has the 27 card packet. You will need to peek the bottom card of Mary’s packet. An excellent peek is described on p. 49. Let’s say you see the Jack of Spades. While you are obtaining the peek say, “Mary, you shuffled these cards, right?” Hand the cards back to Mary. For consistency, I generally take Susan’s packet momentarily and say, “And you shuffled these correct?” Now follow the procedure outlined above. There will be either 25 or 26 cards between the selections depending on the cutting procedure. But this time you have a key card above one of the selections. In our example your key is the jack of spades. Have the spectators perform any number of straight cuts. When they are satisfied that you cannot know the location of either selection, take the deck back and split 27/26 for a Faro shuffle. Shuffle the 26 card packet into the center of the 27 card packet (Butt shuffle). This positions the two selections together in the deck with your key card above them! I’m going to leave it up to the reader to create magic from this situation. Some obvious ideas come to mind: 1) You could fan or spread the cards face up, spot the key and immediately know both selections. 2) You could deal face up from the face down deck until you see the key. The next two cards are the selections. You could do a double turnover and set up for a surprise ending where the tabled “first selection” is later found to be the second selection… etc. Be creative. N.B. This may sound like a lengthy procedure. It really isn’t. Here’s how it would go in the real world. “Here are some cards for you Mary and some for you Susan. Please give them a quick shuffle. O.K. Now cut a pile to the table and look at the next card. Place it onto the tabled portion. O.K. now Mary, place the cards you are holding onto Susan’s pile burying it under an unknown number of cards. Susan, do the same onto Mary’s pile. Put either pile onto the other pile. Now each of you cut the deck. O.K. there’s no way for me to know anything at this point (big lie!).” Execute your Faro and go. USE OF A SPECIAL KEY CARD: If one of your 53 cards has a breather crimp or is corner shorted or edge marked, you can even be more deceptive. Here you would contrive to get your key among the 27 cards handed to Mary. Now, after Mary and Susan shuffle, take the packet from Mary and demonstrate how the spectators will cut to the table. Cut at your key card, making it the bottom card of the tabled portion. Explain that the spectators will look at the next card and then place it onto the tabled

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POWER PLAYS portion. Demonstrate this without actually looking at a card. This heads off any though among the spectators that somehow this card was used to achieve the effect. Now place your other portion on top and return the cards to Mary. Your key card is now the bottom card of Mary’s packet. Now proceed as above, positioning the selections 26 (or 25) cards apart. Your key will end up above Susan’s selection. After the Faro shuffle, the key is directly above the two selections. So, in the case of the corner short or breather crimp, you can cut directly to a selection and then repeat for the other selection. Or you could cut the key to the bottom, leaving both selections together on top…. Take advantage of the fact that the two selections are together with the key above them. There are many avenues here. NON FARO METHOD: Use a 52 card procedure with a breather crimp or corner short as explained above. Now, after the selection, peek and cut, you must cut the breather or corner short to the bottom of the deck. This leaves one selection on top and one 26 from the top. You can now cut dead center and have a selection on top of each pile. You don’t need a faro shuffle to produce a satisfying ending this way. ANOTHER APPROACH: You can use these ideas with a single spectator. Here, you would play the part of spectator 2. There are interesting endings based on this relationship e.g. 1) Use the faro shuffle to position the two selections together in the deck. Now name your card and have the spectator name her card. Spread the deck and show that they have magically come together. This also works when using a couple (man/woman etc) for the two spectators. Their cards find each other – how romantic… etc. 2) If you are playing the part of spectator 2 in the “Simple Coincidence” effect, you can skip the dealing 26 cards face down procedure and simply split the deck into two 26 card groups. Find out which one contains your card and arrange it so that you have the 26 card group containing your card. This insures that the spectator has the group containing her card. Now you deal face up from your face down packet as the spectator deals simultaneously, face down from her face down packet. You stop on your selection. The spectator’s selection will “coincidentally” be at the same position for the big ending. FINAL THOUGHTS: I hope the ideas presented here are a starting point for other and hopefully better ideas to come. CREDITS: See the opening paragraphs.

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PREPARED CARD MYSTERIES

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Albert Einstein

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This effect returns to the roots of the “flip book” type effect. Over a year before CardToon came on the scene, David Harkey published Animator, an effect in which a stick figure becomes animated as the cards are riffled. He used a Svengali deck to achieve the effect. I liked the idea, but found the method to be lacking. My solution uses a gaffed deck but one which can be handled in a much more natural way. Furthermore, the spectator signs a free selection and then keeps it at the end of the routine. It will take a bit of work to draw the figures on the deck but it’s worth it. You will be provided with a template to aid in the construction of the needed cards. (Marketing rights for Animazement solely reserved by Mike Powers.) EFFECT: The deck is spread face down, implicitly showing that the backs are normal. The deck is then spread face up for a free selection. The selection is signed on its face and then buried in the deck, which is then shuffled. A card is now introduced that has a stick figure drawn on its back. The stick figure has a pen in his “hand.” The card is inserted into the face down deck. The deck is now riffled like a flip book. The stick figure becomes animated and runs across the deck. When he reaches the other side, he draws a big X on the back of a card. The deck is then spread face down. There is only one card with an image of a stick figure on it. It is next to the card with an X on its back. This card is removed and is found to be the signed selection! The card is given to the spectator as a souvenir. REQUISITES: You will need 27 double backed cards that match your working deck. The cards should be red backed in order to maximize the visibility of the stick figure drawn on the backs of the cards. You can purchase a full deck of factory made Bicycle double backers from many magic dealers for about $10. Obtain one of these decks and a matching normal red backed deck of Bicycle cards. DRAWING THE FIGURES: Obviously you may create any sort of animation sequence you like. I have provided a series of figures that, when animated, will produce the desired effect. At the end of the text describing this effect you will find this set of 26 stick figures. Each figure is bounded by a vertical line on the left and a horizontal line beneath it. These lines will be used to position the figures on the backs of the double backers relative to the red printed area on the backs of the cards. The first 10 figures get progressively further from the left (1/10th inch per frame). In the remaining 16 frames, the figure is the same distance from the left edge. In these frames the figure begins drawing an X. You’ll need to Xerox a couple of copies of each page of the animation sequence as they will be cut up and punched out. You will also need a straight pin, a hole puncher, and an indelible black marking pen. Again - you may draw freehand if you wish. What follows is a way to create the 26 animation frames accurately. It will probably sound complicated. In reality, once you begin, the process is really systematic and fairly easy. It may take a bit of time, however, to create all the frames.

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CREATING THE FRAMES: Take one Xerox copy of the stick figures and use the straight pin to 136

ANIMAZEMENT poke holes through each stick figure at the outer tips of the legs and arms, as well as at the intersection points where the legs and arms meet the body. Also poke holes at the end of the “paint brush” in the figure’s right hand and at the point where the head meets the body. You should have 8 holes for the first figure. The 2nd figure will have 9 holes because of the bend in the left arm. Basically, you are going to use the holes to create a pattern of dots on the backs of the double backers. When the dots are connected, you’ll have a life size replica of each figure. I recommend creating the first 10 figures and then testing them out before proceeding to the next 16. Let’s assume that you have poked holes through the first 10 figures. Use scissors to cut the first and second rows from the paper. Do not cut individual figures out. One strip will have the first 6 figures. The other will have the remaining four. Let’s get down to business: Use the hole puncher to punch holes approximately centered where the vertical and horizontal lines meet at the lower left of each frame. Use the scissors to cut across the space above the figures’ heads being sure to cut a tiny bit off of the vertical lines. This insures that the black vertical line extends all the way to the upper edge of the cut. Now place the 1st frame over one of the red double backers as follows: You want the vertical line to run up the left long edge of the red printed area and the horizontal line to run along the inner short edge of the red printed area. The punched holes where the lines formerly intersected allow you to line up the figure. (See figure 1.) Notice in the figure how the punched holes allow you align the horizontal line at the bottom of the figure with the bottom of the printing on the card. Note also that the vertical line extends to the top of the template, allowing you to line it Fig. 1 up with the left edge of the printed area on the back of the card. Now, once you are sure that the figure is positioned properly on the back of the card, open the black marking pen. While holding the paper in place on the card, press the tip of the pen into each of the eight pin holes. Now remove the paper and examine the back of the card. Hopefully the holes were large enough to allow some of the black ink to make its way onto the card. If you see eight tiny dots of black, use the marking pen to connect the dots, forming the figure. Leave the head out for the moment. I just freehand draw the legs, arms etc. by connecting the dots. You may use a ruler if you wish, but be careful not to smear the ink as you draw. This process is repeated nine more times, creating the first ten figures, each one on a different double backer. Once the ink is dry, stack the ten cards with the first frame on top. Hold the ten card packet in your left hand with thumb on top and fingers underneath. Use the right thumb to riffle the packet and watch the figure move from the left side to the right side (hopefully). The movement is a little choppy but you will find that the drawing of the X is very smooth and slow. It will look really cool! Since the upper part of the card won’t be seen, you might want to number the cards using the marker in case they get out of order. Put the numbers close to the white border so they won’t be seen later as the stick man becomes animated. Now that you understand how to create the figures, proceed with the remaining 16 frames. In each of these frames a section of the X is being drawn. Again, poke pin holes at all the junction points. Then line up the vertical and horizontal lines as before. You may have to use the hole puncher to punch through the horizontal lines at their right end in order to see that the lines line up with the red printed area on the cards. Once the ink is dry, place the new batch of 16 cards in order under the original 10.

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POWER PLAYS The last frame is on the bottom. Now riffle the 26 card packet as before. Hopefully you will see a stick figure move across the back of the card, stop and draw a large X. Once you’ve made these 26 cards, you’re nearly ready to try this puppy out. The final bit of construction is easy. You will have to put X’s on the backs of all 52 normal red backed cards. The X must be in the position it occupies in all of last 16 frames. Frames 25 and 26 contain a fully formed X. Use the four marks to draw the X’s. Be sure that the X’s are positioned where the X is on the last card of the 26 card sequence! This doesn’t have to be exact - just close. Finally, take a random sampling of 26 of these X’d cards. One last thing - Take one of the normal red backed jokers and draw the stick figure from the last frame on it - but without the X. STATUS CHECK: You should now have 26 red double backers with figures on them. When these cards are riffled like a flip book, a figure seems to move across the card and then draw a large X. You also have 26 normal red backed cards with X’s on their backs and one normal red backed joker with a copy of figure 26 (the last figure) drawn on its back, but without the X. Take one normal red double backer making a total of 53 cards and arrange them as follows: Place the 26 X’d cards face down on the table with the X at the inner right corner as shown in figure 2. Place the 26 frames of the animation sequence such that the figures are showing but are upside down. The top figure is frame 1 (see figure 3). Place the unmarked red/red double backer on top of the stick figure group. Also, put a pencil dot in the outer left corner of the top X card. Later you will have to take a break between these two packets, and the pencil dot will allow you to find the break point easily. Finally, flip the right hand group (the animation sequence) over book fashion and place it on top of the 26 X’d cards. The back of the top card looks normal. Its other side has the last frame of the animation

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

sequence at its outer edge (upside down). You can spread the cards face down from left to right and everything will look normal. You’ll have to be careful not to spread any of the lower 26 cards too far. Otherwise an X would show. The upper 26 all have normal backs uppermost. Place the joker (with figure) in your jacket’s breast pocket.

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ROUTINE: Hold the deck face down in left hand dealing position. Be sure the deck is oriented such that the X’s in the lower half are at the inner short edge. Remove the joker from your pocket, showing its back with the figure and say, “My friend here is going to find the card you are about to select. He’s 138

ANIMAZEMENT really very talented, as you will see. I could dribble the cards like this in order for you to make a selection.” Suiting action to words, pick up less than half the cards in right hand Biddle grip. (If you pick up more than half, an X will show.) Lift them a couple of inches and then let them dribble back onto the deck. Say, “I could spread the cards face down and have you pick one.” Again, suiting action to words, spread the cards from hand to hand. The first 26 cards should be spread so that it’s clear the backs are unmarked. The lower 26 cards may be spread casually, but not so far as to flash the hidden X’s. Now say, “I want you to get a card you like, so I’m going to let you see the cards when you choose.” Spot the pencil dotted card near the center and get a thumb break over this card as you square up the deck. You are going to execute a Braue Reversal. To wit: The right hand is holding the deck in Biddle Grip (thumb at inner short edge, fingers at outer edge). The right thumb has a break over the first X card near center. The left thumb now pulls down at the outer left corner, allowing about 10 cards to fall onto the left palm. Keep these cards close to the deck so that the X on the cards’ backs is not seen. The left hand now turns palm downward, turning its group of cards face up. These cards are now placed face up on top of the deck, which is now held totally by the right hand. The left hand again moves under the deck. This time the right thumb releases the remaining cards below the break. The left hand, as before, turns palm downward and then adds its cards face up on top of the deck. You have only turned 26 cards face up but the spectators will believe that you have turned all the cards face up. N.B. A Krenzel Mechanical Reverse is ideal here but it is a more difficult move. If you know the Mechanical Reverse, substitute it for the Braue Reversal. Any half-pass will work here but the Mechanical Reverse is perfect since you are flipping the deck over anyway. Now spread the face up cards slowly and have the spectator indicate a selection. Be sure not to flash any of the lower 26 cards or else a back will show in the spread. Once a card has been designated, outjog the selection and then square up the deck while leaving the selection outjogged. Hold the deck in left hand dealing position as the right hand rotates the outjogged selection 180 degrees and out of the pack. The card is added face up to the face of the deck as you say, “Please sign your name on your selection.” (Be sure to leave the selection on the deck during the signing phase.) The 180 degree rotation will cause the X on the back of the selection to show in the spread later. Now obtain a break between the X cards and the double backers. The location for the break is easy to find since the lower 26 cards are double backers. Insert the selection face up into the break at the inner edge. Push the card nearly flush, but allow it to remain injogged about 1/32 of an inch. The spectators should not be aware of this injogged condition. Flip the deck face down (book fashion) in the left hand. Now pick up the joker with the figure drawn on its back from the table. The figure should be upside down from your point of view. Say, “My little friend here is going to find your card.” Insert the card into the face down deck directly above the injogged selection. (The injogged condition of the selection makes this possible.) Push the injogged selection flush but leave the joker injogged a small amount. This will allow you to pick up a required break easiFig. 4 ly. The show is about to begin!

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POWER PLAYS The right hand repositions the deck in your left hand as shown in figure 4. Note the beveled condition of the cards. This will allow the right thumb to riffle downward, causing the animation. (Note that the slight injog is at the inner part of the deck. The joker will remain injogged throughout the animation process.) You’ll need to position the deck so the show will be visible to as many spectators as possible. Say, “My little friend is an artist. He’s going to run through the deck, find your card and draw a big X on it!! Really. Just watch the deck closely.” Run your right thumb down the outer edge slowly, allowing the animation to take place. You may want to provide some commentary e.g. “Look - there he goes. Watch - he’s drawing the X.” etc. Because of the injogged card, there will be a natural pause just when you reach the selection with the X on its back. You can speed up the riffling when you reach this point but you should riffle all the way through. You want people to see that the figure has apparently disappeared. (N.B. Once the X has shown, you continue to riffle as mentioned. Be sure that you don’t flash the X’s near the rear of the lower group of cards. All that is necessary is that you keep the gap between the upper and lower halves small enough that the X doesn’t show.) After the animation sequence, you’re going to have to reverse half the deck again in order to hide the figures. Reposition the deck in left hand dealing position and obtain a break above the joker with your right thumb. (This should be easy since the joker is injogged slightly. You may want to corner short the card too so that it can be found easily.) Now execute the Braue Reversal sequence described above. Again, the best method is the Krenzel Mechanical Reverse. If you use the Braue Reversal this time you must cut only 3 or 4 cards in the first cut. Otherwise the selection will be displaced too far from the center of the deck. The Mechanical Reverse does not have this effect. After the reversal, the deck will appear to have been turned face up. Spread some of the face up cards and say, “We don’t know which card the X was drawn on yet.” (If you used the Braue Reversal, be careful not to spread too far or a back will show with a figure.) Immediately flip the deck face down (book fashion) and begin to spread cards. The upper 26 cards have normal backs. Spread wide so the spectators can see clearly that no figures appear on the backs of these cards. When you get near the center there may be a few cards with X’s on their backs just before the selection. (This occurs if you used the Braue Reversal instead of the Mechanical Reverse. Be careful not to spread too wide or an extra X will show on the right edge!) The X on the selection will show as you continue to spread. Pause at that point and say, “There’s the X.” The card directly above the X’d selection is the Joker. Spread so the figure on the joker shows as you say, “And here’s my artistic friend.” Outjog both of these cards, being careful not to flash any of the X’s on the other cards. Now spread the lower section as you say, “No more X’s. Just this one.” The X’s on the lower group of cards will all be at the right inner corner and won’t show if you spread properly. Square up the deck, leaving the two cards outjogged. Now pull the cards from the spread. Place the joker on the table as you say, “Let’s see how he did. You selected the four of hearts - right?” Flip the selection face up and take your applause. (By the way - the deck is reset at this point. Actually, it’s reset if you used the Mechanical Reverse. If you used the easier Braue Reversal, the pencil dotted top card of the X’d group is no longer on top. You’ll have to move it back into position.) FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s a good idea to give the signed card to the spectator as a souvenir. After two or three performances, you can replenish the supply of X cards from the other 26 you previously set up.

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This effect is a good closer. Put your normal cards away and do a coin trick. Then take out the set up deck and do this one. The seeming disappearance of the “artist” may cause the spectators to want to examine the deck. If it’s your last effect you can simply put the deck away and go to the next 140

ANIMAZEMENT group/table etc. Here’s another idea to take the heat off the deck: Instead of a joker, use one of the 52 on one Bicycle cards that are available at magic dealers. These have all 52 cards printed on the face. Now, after having given the selection out, place the 52 on One card face down on the deck. (The spectators are unaware of the nature of the card.) Gambler’s Cop all the cards below the 52 on One in your left hand. If your right fingers extend over the single card, you can make it seem to be the entire deck. (See Expert Cards to Pocket for more on this deck vanish.) Now ditch the deck in your left side jacket pocket using some excuse e.g. obtaining a business card to pass out etc. You can now end by squeezing your hands together, apparently compressing the deck into a single card that contains pictures of all the cards in the deck. Now the issue of examining the deck is moot. The Krenzel Mechanical Reverse: This is an excellent half pass that works perfectly here since the deck must be reversed (turned over) during the move. In this routine the deck must be turned over anyway, so the move fits perfectly. The Mechanical Reverse is described in The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel by Harry Lorayne on p. 207. I believe that it is also described on video. Learn this fine move. You’ll not only be able to use it here, but you’ll find many, many uses for it in other routines where a half pass is called for.

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BACK TO BACK

The notion that a card could be misprinted at the factory e.g. be blank on one side is believable to lay people. Here, this idea is exploited to create two strong pieces of magic. EFFECT: A free selection is made from the face up deck. The selection is signed on the face and then lost in the deck. The deck is spread face down and a blank back is seen in the spread. The magician says that there must be a misprint in the deck. The blank card is flipped over and is found to be the signed selection! This is tabled for the moment. The spectator is asked to make another selection, this time from the face down deck. This selection is signed on its back. The magician shows the face to the spectators who indicate that this card, too, is misprinted and has a blank face! The magician takes the two misprinted cards and places them back to back. When they are separated, the misprinted surfaces have switched, leaving one normal card signed on both sides and a card that is blank on both sides. Everything can be examined. REQUISITES: One blank faced card whose back matches the working deck; one double blank card (blank on both sides). SET-UP: Turn the deck face up and place the double blank on the face of the deck. Follow this with the blank backed card blank side up and then place an indifferent card face up on top of this. The order from the face of the deck should be indifferent card, blank backer, double blank and then the remainder of the deck. ROUTINE: Spread the deck face up for a free selection. Be sure to keep the spread tight at the beginning so the blank cards don’t show. When the spectator has decided on a selection, remove the card and put it at the face. Be sure that the back of this card is not seen. Have the card signed and then get a TILT break under the top three cards i.e. between the two blank cards. Remove the selection and insert it face up into the TILT break, finally dropping all breaks. Turn the deck face down and perform an overhand shuffle, chopping small groups of cards. When you reach the center of the deck, toss the remaining half deck on top. This centralizes the selection and the blank faced cards. Now begin to spread the face down cards from hand to hand as you say, “Your signed card is now lost in the deck somewhere.” When the blank back comes into view say, “Wait a second. It looks like one of the backs didn’t print.” Cut the deck bringing the blank backed card to the top. Now square up the deck in left hand dealing position and perform a double turnover. The face coming into view is the spectator’s signed selection! Say, “Wow, what were the chances that you would pick the one unprinted card?? This must be your lucky day.” Your demeanor must indicate that you are as surprised as anyone.

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BACK TO BACK Double turnover again and deal the top card (double blank) to the table. The spectators will believe that this is the signed selection. Now openly cut the deck bringing the signed selection to the center but hold a left 4th finger break over the selection in preparation for a Riffle Force. Say, “You should select a different card” as you begin riffling down the left edge of the deck. Tell the spectator to say “stop” at some point. When the spectator calls out “stop”, cut at your break and say, “You stopped me here on this card.” Put the cards held in your right hand under the left hand’s portion, bringing the “new” selection to the top. (N.B. The “new” selection is the original signed selection.) Say, “This time I would like you to sign the back of the selection.” Have the spectator sign the back. Now obtain a break under the top two cards. The right hand takes the double (as one) in a Biddle grip (thumb at the inner short edge, fingers at the outer short edge) and moves it to a vertical position allowing the spectators to see the blank face. As you do this say, “Please remember your new card.” The spectators will laugh or indicate that something is wrong. Turn the card(s) toward yourself and act surprised to see a blank face. Say, “This is unbelievable! You managed to find another misprinted card.” Place the double onto the deck face down and deal the top card to the table next to the double blank. STATUS CHECK: The spectators believe that the blank card on the pad is the original selection and that the face down card has a blank face. Actually, the blank card is blank on both sides and the “normal” card is actually signed on both sides. Place the deck face down onto the table. Now pick up the face down card (with a normal back) at its right long edge using the right hand, thumb on top, fingers underneath. Use it to scoop up the blank card. Your left hand should hold the left long edge of the blank card as the right hand begins the scooping process. As soon as the right hand controls both cards it must turn palm downward. The right fingers immediately push the signed card to the left as the left hand now takes it with thumb on top and fingers beneath. At this point the right hand remains palm downward. The right hand apparently is holding the blank faced card that the spectators believe has a normal signed back. The left hand is apparently holding the signed selection which is believed to have a blank back. Say, “Here is your signature on the face of the blank backed card.” (It should appear that you turned over the tabled blank backed card.) The right hand now slides its card onto the card in the left hand and under the left thumb. The left hand momentarily holds the two cards with thumb on top and fingers underneath as the right hand then re-takes the double blank in a Biddle grip. Supposedly there is a normal back on the blank card and a blank back on the selection. Say, “Maybe we can combine the two misprinted cards in a strange way.” Use the card in the right hand to begin to flip the left hand’s card over. Figure 1 shows this action in progress. Now, just as the reverse side of the signed card in the left hand is about to come into view, the right hand pushes its card onto the card in the left hand in nearly perfect alignment. The two cards end up in left hand mechanic’s grip. It should seem that the formerly hidden surfaces are now facing each other. Some speed is necessary so Fig. 1 that the back of the signed selection is not seen. Apparently you have placed the two cards “back to back.” Now, keeping the double squared in the left hand, the right fingers and thumb move around the edges of the two card packet squeezing together at several places. Say, “If I exert some pressure, I may be able to fix things.” (This somewhat ambiguous statement indicates that something magical is about to happen but doesn’t tip off the ending.) While keeping the double otherwise square, create a 145

POWER PLAYS small opening at the inner short edge. Try to make it seem that the two cards are stuck together and that you must exert some force to separate them. Insert the right thumb into the break and begin pushing toward the outer short edge, allowing the two cards to separate along the path taken by the thumb. It is possible to create a solid illusion that the cards, having been stuck together, are being forced apart again. To end, show that the mission has been accomplished. The good back has replaced the blank back and now the selection is signed on both sides. Allow the spectators to examine both cards. They should be very interested in their condition! CLEANING UP: Drop the double blank on top of the deck and give the spectator the signed selection as a souvenir (it’s not much good to you signed on both sides). To clean up, pick up the deck, obtaining a left 4th finger break under the top two cards. This will allow the right hand to pick up the double as a single card in Biddle grip. Flash both sides of the card(s) as you place this card into your jacket pocket or the card case etc. It is natural to get rid of this “misprinted” card. Of course if someone asks to see it, you can hand out the double blank at your discretion. FINAL THOUGHTS: I think that the blank faced card can really be thought of as a factory screw up. It makes sense that a card could be left blank by a printing accident. Also, there are really two effects here: 1) The spectator mysteriously seems to be drawn to the misprinted cards and 2) The “fusing” of the two misprinted cards into one normal card and one blank on both sides. CREDITS: The fundamental impossible occurrence in Back to Back involves an exchange of surfaces. The concept is, however, related to the “fusion” idea that has been explored by a number of people. I believe that Wes James was the first to play with the concept back in the ‘60’s. Since then Meir Yedid’s Signa-Fusion and Jay Sankey’s Hotfoot (Sankey Panky) come to mind. This concept of fusing cards has been used by others as well e.g. Doug Conn and Chris Carter.

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THE MYSTERY CARD

The Mystery Card effect is one that I use all the time in my restaurant work. The premise is that the spectator will win a small prize if she wins a guessing game. My table tent cards say “Ask about The MYSTERY CARD and win a prize.” This little incentive has generated a lot of interest in having me come to the table. Also, because the “Mystery Cards” can be customized on a color ink jet printer, you will find this effect useful for impressing managers of restaurants where you would like to work. Simply make up a set of cards customized to a particular venue e.g. T.G.I. Friday’s. Now, when you interview with the general manager about the possibility of working at the establishment, you will certainly impress him/her when you demonstrate an effect which is customized to that establishment. This is one of those “for the money” effects. Don’t pass it buy. EFFECT: The spectator is told that she can win a small prize by playing a simple guessing game. I use a paper hat or a free dessert ticket provided by the restaurant in which I work. The magi displays a small packet of cards that is shown to consist of 6 blank cards and one very colorful card on which is printed the words “THE MIKE POWERS MYSTERY CARD” in big bold letters. The spectator is told that the cards will be placed face down and that all that is required is to locate the MYSTERY CARD. The packet is cut once to put the MYSTERY CARD in a random position. Now a pile of three cards is made on the table and the spectator is given a choice between the tabled packet of three cards or the four remaining in the magician’s hand. One of the tabled cards has a back with a different color than the other six cards. The magician says, “This is a little test of trust. Remember, at Roskoe’s (or whatever the restaurant’s name is) we’d like you to win. You should trust the magician.” A little byplay ensues in which the magi intimates that the tabled packet contains the MYSTERY CARD. The four cards in the magi’s hand are shown to be blank and tabled face down. Now the spectator is asked to guess which of the three tabled cards is the MYSTERY CARD - no hints this time! The presence of the card with an odd back color creates a real trust situation. Ultimately she guesses correctly to the delight of the other spectators but finds that her good guess wasn’t due to luck. All three of the tabled cards are found to be MYSTERY CARDS. It was a sure bet. Finally, the other four cards are shown to also be MYSTERY CARDS!! All the blank cards have become MYSTERY CARDS. This effect is based on Peter Kane’s fine effect, Gypsy Curse. The handling has been restructured to fit the patter and also to reset automatically. REQUISITES: You will need 6 blank faced Bicycle cards. Five should have blue backs and one is red backed. You will also need 2 matching double blank cards (i.e. blank on both sides). The double blank cards must be the same size and stock as the 6 blank facers. These cards can be purchased at many magic stores. Now the faces of most of the cards will have to be prepared. Set aside one of the blue backed blank faced cards. It will remain blank. All seven of the other cards must become MYSTERY CARDS. I use my color Ink Jet printer and graphics software like Corel Draw or Illustrator etc. to cre-

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POWER PLAYS ate colorful rectangular sections like the one shown here in black. I recommend Avery Full Sheet Copier Labels (#5353) that have adhesive on the back. These can be cut and then placed on the seven designated cards. You could also use the large labels that are designed for use in an ink jet printer. Make them large and colorful so the contrast with the blank faces is striking. It’s also a good idea to put your name on the cards. You can make extra cards to give away as business cards if you like. (Figure 1 shows one design that I use.)

Fig. 1

ALTERNATIVE: If you’d like to do the effect but can’t make the stickers you can alternately either (a) Make identical hand drawings on the blank faces using indelible markers or (b) Use cards with faces already printed e.g. a wildcard set etc. I would recommend that you use blank backed cards rather than double facers, staying with the idea that all but one card is blank MAKING THE CARDS: The seven identical MYSTERY CARD stickers must now be stuck to the cards as follows: Five of them go on five of the six blank facers. (Be sure that the odd backed card receives one of the stickers.) The other two go on one side of the two double blank cards. Thus the double blank cards end up blank on one side and have a sticker on the other. The nice feature of the printed stickers is that you can totally control the message. It’s a good idea to use your name on the cards. That way it’s natural for you to mention it several times, hopefully lodging it permanently in the spectators’ memory. SET-UP: Arrange the 8 cards as follows. From the top down - normal backed blank facer, blank side up, two blank facers with MYSTERY CARD on the back (blank face showing); the five normal backed MYSTERY CARDS (face up); the odd colored MYSTERY CARD should be 6th from the face in the eight card packet. ROUTINE: Explain to the spectator that she may play a game and win a prize. (My tent card says, “Ask about the Mike Powers MYSTERY CARD and win a prize.” This causes a lot of spectators to ask for the magician, eliminating my having to approach the table.) Bring the cards out and explain that the spectator will have to win a game to get the prize. The game is a guessing game in which 6 cards are losers and only one wins. Remove the top blank card and show both sides as you say, “Six of the cards are blank like this. These cards lose.” Replace the card onto the packet blank side up. You will now use a Hamman Count to show that the packet consists of 6 blank cards and one MYSTERY CARD as follows: The Hamman Count: Hold the 8 cards face up in right hand Biddle Grip (i.e. right hand palm down with thumb at inner end and fingers at outer edge.) Your left thumb peels the first three cards one by one onto the left palm (reversing their order). As the MYSTERY CARD comes into view in the right hand say, “These blank cards lose. The MYSTERY CARD is the only winning card.” Now for the big MOVE! It is going to appear that you peel the MYSTERY CARD onto the left hand as before. Instead, the two packets are going to switch places. Here are the details:

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The right hand brings its packet to the left as before. However this time the upper left corner of the 148

THE MYSTERY CARD entire right hand packet goes a little past the 3 cards already in the left hand. You will feel your right 2nd and 3rd fingers contact the three card packet. (See figure 2 for precise finger positions.) Your left thumb now presses down on the packet of MYSTERY CARDS at their outer left corner, causing all five cards to remain in the left hand. Simultaneously the right hand, using the thumb at the inner edge and 2nd and 3rd fingers at outer edge, moves to the right, taking the three blank faced cards from the left hand. When done smoothly it will appear that your left thumb peeled a MYSTERY CARD onto the three blanks exposing three new blanks in the right hand. Continue by saying “And there are three more blank cards.” Your right hand now moves to the left again, allowing the left thumb to peel the three blank cards one by one. (N.B. You can use the Olram Subtlety to make it seem that all three blank faced cards have backs if you wish.)

Fig. 2

At the end of the Hamman Count the packet is restored to its original condition with the normal blank facer at the face. The spectator should believe that there are six blank cards and one MYSTERY CARD at the center of a group of seven. Get a left 4th finger break under the top two cards (packet in left hand dealing position). Say, “I’m going to cut the packet so you don’t know exactly where the MYSTERY CARD is.” Suiting action to words, your palm down right hand moves over the packet. The right thumb contacts the two cards above the break at the inner edge. The right fingers are at the outer short edge (Biddle Grip). Now the left thumb moves on top of the face card allowing the right hand to move to the right with only the 2nd card of the pair. This card is placed on top of the left hand’s packet. It should appear that you cut an unknown number of cards. Actually, you simply moved the 2nd card to the top. Flip the packet face down into left hand dealing position and deal the top three cards into a face down spread on the pad. The red backed card will now be seen for the first time. Say, “I might give you a small hint as to where to find the Mystery Card.” The spectator will immediately begin to wrestle with the “trust” issue. Are you trying to fake her out or give her a hint? Different people will draw different conclusions and the ensuing interaction is a lot of fun. Now flip the left hand’s packet face up again. Take the top card of this packet and gesture at the tabled packet as you say, “We’ve got to narrow down the possibilities. I’ll try to help you. Do you think the MYSTERY CARD is among those three on the table, or among the four in my hand?” Now, before the spectator can answer, point to the tabled packet. You are “helping” as you said you would by giving the big HINT. Most spectators will trust you and go along with your hint, indicating the tabled packet. Sometimes the spectator will think you are trying to “burn” her and indicate the packet in your hand. In either case you now place the single card in your right hand underneath the left hand packet. (Be sure you put it on the bottom!) Immediately perform an Elmsley count (last card on top) showing four blank faced cards. Flip the packet face down and Elmsley count again, showing four backs. Again flip the packet face up (blanks showing). If the spectator had gone along with your hint and chosen the tabled

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POWER PLAYS packet say, “Good thinking. How did you know?” This will get a laugh because you indicated that the tabled packet should be chosen. Also the presence of the odd backed card certainly indicates that you are suggesting that the tabled packet is the important one. If the spectator indicated the packet in your hand say, “I’ll give you another chance. You should trust me on this. I really want you to win. REALLY.” Either way, the spectators believe that the MYSTERY CARD is among the three on the table. You’ve got to make an adjustment to the packet in your left hand before proceeding. It should be face up in left hand dealing position. Bring your right hand over and riffle off the bottom two cards with the right thumb, holding a break between these two and the upper three. Now turn the three uppermost cards face down onto the lower three. Get a right thumb break under the top card of the five card packet. Finally, perform a wrist turn action with the left hand, leaving the top card held by the right hand in Biddle Grip. The left hand must turn palm downward quickly, so the MYSTERY CARD at the face of the packet is not seen. The right hand now adds its single card face down under the four cards in the palm down left hand. STATUS CHECK: The three tabled cards are all MYSTERY CARDS with normal backs. The packet in the left hand is set so that an Elmsley count will show it to be four MYSTERY CARDS. From its face it is: Normal backed Mystery Card; 2 blank backed Mystery Cards; the normal blank facer; a normal backed Mystery Card at the bottom.) The five (supposedly four) card packet is tabled face down. Now arrange the three previously tabled cards in a face down row and ask the spectator to pick either “door” number 1, number 2 or number 3. Say, “No hints this time! You’re on your own.” The spectator is again faced with the trust issue. Should she select the odd backed card or not? Play on the trust issue and have some fun with the spectator. Whichever card she chooses, congratulate her and turn the selected card face up. Obviously it will be a Mystery Card. Pause for a couple of beats and then flip up the other two tabled cards showing them to be Mystery Cards too. Say, “I wanted to be sure you would win.” Pause another beat and pick up the tabled packet of 5 (supposedly 4). Say, “You know, sometimes people think I’m trying to cheat them and pick one of these cards. I even help them.” Now flip the packet face up and perform an Elmsley count showing four Mystery Cards!! This should get a huge reaction. After the count, spread the cards holding the last two as one. Four Mystery Cards will show. To solidify the “normality” of the cards you can optionally perform the following sequence: Take the top card into the right hand and flash its back. Take the next card to the right hand, again flashing its back. Take the 3rd card underneath the two in the right hand without flashing its back and immediately turn the left hand palm down, flashing the back of the double card held there. Point with the left 1st finger at the 3 in the right hand and say, “Look - there are one, two three, four, five, six, seven Mystery Cards.” During this patter, your left 1st finger touches each of the three cards in the right hand and each of the cards on the table. If you are working in a restaurant, you deliver an advertising line viz. “When you come to Roskoe’s (substitute an appropriate name here) you always win!” RESETTING: Place the 3 cards held in the right hand onto the double card in the left but spread so that all the faces show. Now add the three tabled cards face up and also spread. (Be sure that the odd backed card is the lowermost card of the three when you place them on top.) The seven Mystery Cards make an impressive display. Finally, flip the top five cards face down onto the bottom three (supposedly two) face up cards. Square up and then reverse the bottommost card without flashing its blank face. Any sort of half pass will do here. The trick is over, so any action is meaningless now. This leaves the packet set for the next performance.

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THE MYSTERY CARD FINAL THOUGHTS: This is an effect I perform many times each night in the restaurant. Ostensibly it’s a guessing game but you end up using magic to help the spectators win a small prize. If you use this in restaurant work, get the manager to give you some free dessert tokens to hand out as prizes. An alternative is a balloon or hat etc. You could use Dan Harlan’s Starcle, making the star etc. Giving the spectators something will increase the chances of getting a tip too! Also, don’t overlook the business of making a custom set of cards with a particular restaurant’s logo and name. Believe me, the manager will be very impressed by this when you audition for a gig. CREDITS: The Mystery Card is based on Peter Kane’s excellent item, Gypsy Curse.

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RED SHIFT

This item is an excellent opener to a series of card effects. A lot of visual magic takes place, culminating in a complete change in the deck’s color. The effect immediately resets for the walk around performer. EFFECT: The magician shuffles a blue deck and then removes the jokers. The magician explains that he has taken the liberty of adding two extra jokers because they have an ability so interesting that the spectators will want to see it more than twice. One joker is flipped face up and rubbed against the other three face down jokers. “Friction causes heat and heat causes this joker to become RED hot.”, says the magician. The joker is flipped over and is seen to have become RED! One by one the other three become RED in increasingly visual ways. The jokers are then rubbed on the deck, which is found to have also become RED. REQUISITES: You will need (1) a normal Red backed deck; (2) a Red/Blue double backer that matches your deck design. These are available in Bicycle design from most magic dealers. (3) two blue backed jokers; (4) one red backed joker; and (5) a blue cardcase. SET-UP: Arrange the three jokers and R/B double backer as follows: From the top down - The two blue backed jokers, face down; the red backed joker face down; the R/B Double backer, blue back showing. Place these four cards on top of the red deck and place everything into the blue cardcase. ROUTINE: Remove the deck from the case and spread the cards face up. I recommend that you perform an effect immediately after the color changing sequence that involves signing a card. You can then use the following patter and procedure to “sell” the idea that the deck is a normal blue backed deck: Square the face up deck and begin a face up Hindu shuffle. Say, “Some of these cards have been signed. In a minute I’m going to ask one of you to sign a card. Please be sure to sign the face and not the back.” As you say “back”, turn your right hand palm up, showing a blue back. Continue the Hindu shuffle a couple of more cycles as you say, “Marking the face is o.k., just don’t mark the back.” Again, show a blue back. Say, “If people see marks on the back, they’ll think this is a marked deck.” Show a blue back a third time. Finally place the cards in the right hand under the group in the left. This is a standard sequence in a color changing deck routine that sells the idea of “blueness” without saying “Look, this is a blue deck.” Flip the deck face down in left hand dealing position and say, “I have taken the liberty of gathering the jokers. They’ll be performing for you in a moment.” As these words are spoken, take the top joker in the right hand and show its face. A blue back still shows on top of the deck. Now raise your left hand such that the back of the hand faces the spectators and spread the next joker to the right. The right hand

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RED SHIFT takes that joker and now holds the two blue backed jokers, faces toward the spectators. The left hand must remain with its back to the spectators so that the red back on top of the deck is not seen. Now push the red backed joker to the right as you say, “Most decks have just two jokers. This deck has not just three..” At this point the right hand takes the third (red backed) joker to the bottom of its now three card packet. (N.B. Be sure that the backs of the three jokers are not seen!) Now continue with, “But a fourth joker, known as the mystery joker.” Square the three jokers and place them face down on the pad. Now lower the left hand. A blue back shows on the deck. Finally, the right hand takes the top card of the deck (R/B double backer) in Biddle Grip as the left hand performs a wrist turn and tables the deck face up. (Obviously, you cannot let a red back be seen on the deck. Use this last card (Double backer) to scoop up the three tabled jokers adding it to the bottom of the packet. Elmsley count the packet showing four blue backs. Flip the packet face up and Elmsley count again. This time four jokers will be seen, allaying any residual suspicion. Now, take the top face up joker into the right hand, thumb on top, fingers underneath. (This one has a red back.) Say, “This one is the mystery joker. He’s the one that knows how to change.” Flip the other three jokers face down in the left hand and spread them, showing three blue backs. (The left thumb will be on top with fingers underneath.) Begin to rub the back of the right hand’s joker against the back of the top card of the left hand packet. Say, “Rubbing causes friction. Friction causes heat and heat causes the joker to become RED hot.” Flip the face up joker face down, showing its red back. (Change 1)

Fig. 1

Now, flip the red backed joker face up on top and immediately square up the four card packet in the left hand, obtaining a left 4th finger break under the top two cards. Say, “Watch, it will happen again. On the count of three the friction will cause the card to become red hot.” Perform a double turnover, made easy because of the break, and allow the double to be injogged about 1/4 inch. Immediately, the right hand takes the double at its inner short (injogged) edge with fingers on top and thumb underneath and begins to push it forward and back against the blue joker underneath the double. (See figure 1.) Be sure that you expose at least half of the blue joker’s back each cycle. Do this two times as you say, “One, two...” Then, on the third cycle, as you say, “Three,” allow the lower card of the double to remain on the packet as you draw back only the top joker. (This is the Paintbrush Change) It will appear that the blue joker visibly changed to red. Immediately spread all four cards showing two red on top and two blue on the bottom. It’s a good idea to take the two red backed cards into the right hand while holding the other two in the left hand and move them around a bit. This cancels the notion of extra cards that may be coming into the spectators’ minds at this point. Place the right hand’s cards back onto those in the left hand and square up the packet as you say, “Sometimes the heat spreads through the packet causing all the cards to become red.” Now perform an Elmsley count showing three red backs and one blue as you say, “Well, most of the cards become red.”

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STATUS CHECK: After this Elmsley count, the top card will be the R/B double backer. This is followed by a blue, then a red and then a blue backed joker. 153

POWER PLAYS Keeping the packet otherwise squared, push over the top card, exposing a blue back. Remove the blue joker 2nd from top and place it face up on top. Now square up, obtaining a left 4th finger break under the top two cards. Flip the double face down. A blue back shows as it should. Now the right hand takes the top card only in Biddle grip as the left hand turns palm downward, performing a wrist turn action with the three card packet so that the other blue back will not be seen. The left hand now spreads its three cards face up as the right hand places its blue backed card (R/B double backer) on the pad. Three jokers show in the left hand. The center joker will be the red backed one. Remove it with the right hand and flip it face down, bringing the red back into view. The right fingers are underneath with thumb on top. The left hand tables its two cards face up. Now the right hand runs the red joker under the tabled double backer, scooping it up with the red joker. The right hand immediately turns palm downward. A joker face will be showing on top with a red back showing underneath. This discrepancy will go unnoticed. Rub the jokers together and finally take the red backed double backer (bottom card) in the left hand as the right hand turns the face up joker over, showing that its back is now red. Place the right hand’s card underneath the one in the left hand and flip the squared two card packet face up. Use it to scoop up the other two face up jokers, keeping the packet face up. (Be sure not to allow the blue side of the R/B double backer to flash during this sequence.) Pull back the top two face up jokers, exposing the face of the 3rd card. Push the 3rd card forward as you square the rest of the packet (Christ-Annemann Alignment move). Now pull this red backed joker free and use it to tap the face up deck, flashing its red back in the process. Return the joker face up to the face of the packet and flip the packet face down and table it. A red back shows. Now have a spectator put her hand on the tabled deck. Say, “Make a wish.” Pause for a beat and then say, “Make a different wish than that!” This always gets a laugh. Finally, say, “Wish that this card would change to red and help me out.” Immediately, turn over the face card of the deck, showing that indeed it does have a red back. Now say, “I’ll bet you wished for more than that, didn’t you?” The spectator will begin to acknowledge the truth of your last statement. End by picking up the deck and flipping it face up as you say, “Then all of the cards turn red, just for you.” RESETTING: Hand the deck to the spectator and request that she mix up the cards. This allows the spectators to discover that the deck is normal. During this interlude, pick up the joker packet (face down) and flip the bottom three cards of the packet over (half pass). A red back will still show on top. Place these cards into the card case and proceed to use the deck for other effects. When the deck is returned to the case, be sure to place it face up over the four card packet. This completely resets for the next performance. FINAL THOUGHTS: When the red deck is being returned into the blue case, it is very natural to perform a color change of the card case. Check out The Ultimate Color Changing Card Case from my book, Powerful Magic (if you can find a copy!). It is really perfect for use with this effect. CREDITS: The inspirational source for this routine is Peter Kane’s “The Blushing Jokers” from Racherbaumer’s KABBALA Vol. 3 No. 6. Mr. Kane uses a RB double backer in his routine. Dan Garrett reminded me that there was a similar routine in Jerry Mentzer’s Card Cavalcade I by Christian Stelzel called “Surprising Jokers.” Mr. Stelzel uses the color changing jokers to segue into a full deck change. The routine described above is very different from these routines in handling, and fully resets for the walk around performer. J.K. Hartman’s “Second Blush” (Loose Ends p. 72) is a color changing jokers routine based on the Kane routine but which uses a fifth card. Mike Close also has a color changing jokers routine that uses five cards. It can be found in Workers 5 (Pink Floyd p. 78).

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SUBTLE PRINCESS

Jon Racherbaumer posted a cool effect on GeMiNi, one of the on-line magic boards, called People’s Princess. It used a bank of duplicate cards to achieve an interesting effect that caught my attention. After playing with the effect for awhile, I found a way to eliminate the duplicates and perform virtually the same effect “from a shuffled deck in use.” EFFECT: The magician suggests that he and a spectator both participate in an experiment. The spectator freely chooses five cards from a face down spread. These are placed in a row in front of the spectator. Now the spectator spreads the remainder of the deck face down and the magician chooses five cards, which are placed in a face down row in front of him. The magician explains that both he and the spectator will select cards. The spectator is told to think of a number between 1 and 5 and then to peek at the face of the card at that number while the magician’s back is turned. This having been done, the magician shuffles the five card packet and places it into his jacket pocket. He says, “Concentrate on your card as I remove cards from my pocket.” Four cards are withdrawn from the pocket and placed on the table. The missing card turns out to be the spectator’s selection! Now, the magician suggests that the spectator can do the same thing! The spectator turns her back as the magician peeks at a card in the row of five remaining on the table. The spectator then shuffles the cards and holds them out of view under the table. Finally, the spectator places four of the five cards face down on the table. The magician reveals the identity of his thought of card. The four tabled cards are turned over - no selection! The spectator brings the final card from under the table. Indeed the spectator has reproduced the magician’s feat. The last card is the card thought of by the magician! REQUISITES: You will have to prepare five cards. These cards will be marked for easy identification. Figure 1 shows the marks. You will need an indelible marker whose color closely matches the color of the backs of the cards. The marker is used to create the patterns shown in figure 1. Because the marks are at dead center, and 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, they are very easy to distinguish. You will have to remember which card is which. A Si Stebbins type order is easy to remember, however any easy to remember group will do. Let’s say that the card marked at the 12 o’clock position is card 1 and that the remaining four go in clockwise order with the card marked at the center being card 5 of the memorized group. Thus Card 1 is marked at 12 o’clock, card 2 at 3 o’clock, card 3 at 6 o’clock, card 4 at 9

Fig. 1 erdnasemagicstore.com 155

POWER PLAYS o’clock and card 5 is marked in the center. Furthermore let’s say that the cards are as follows from 1 to 5: KC, 3H, 6S, 9D and QC (as number 5). This is Si Stebbins order with the suits in ChaSeD order for easy memorization. (You could use the 12, 3, 6, 9, center pattern as 12=king; 3, 6, and 9 are a 3, 6, and 9 of different suits and center=ace. This is another easy to remember pattern.) Once these cards are prepared, they are returned to the deck, which obviously can be used as your working deck. SET-UP: Ultimately you will have to cull the five marked cards in any order to the top of the face down deck. This can be done on the fly as you remove say the four aces for a different effect. In any event, the marked cards must be positioned on top of the face down deck. Secondly, you must place four X cards in your right jacket pocket. ROUTINE: Begin to shuffle the deck as follows: Hold the deck in the right hand in readiness for a face down overhand shuffle. Run the first five cards singly into the left hand. Hold a break between these five cards and the 6th card with your left 4th finger. Now shuffle the remaining cards normally. This positions the five marked cards on the bottom of the deck with a left 4th finger break over them. Spread the cards, maintaining the break, and have the spectator pull five different cards to an outjogged position. The cards are not looked at yet. You will now execute Derek Dingle’s Nolap Switch as follows: (By the way - this move is well worth learning even if you don’t plan to use this routine. It’s an incredibly deceptive switch and I use it in a number of routines. When I worked at the Magic Castle several years ago, a magician in the audience congratulated me on my “excellent forcing technique.” He had been totally taken in by this switch and believed that I had forced, in that case, four consecutive cards. The selections were free. It was the Nolap Switch that got the job done.) N.B. There is a sleightless method given at the end in case you find the switch too difficult.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

THE NOLAP SWITCH: At this point there are five outjogged cards in the spread and you have a break over the bottom five marked cards. Square up the deck maintaining the break and leaving the five cards outjogged. Once the deck is squared, your right 2nd finger pushes the outjogged cards to the position shown in figure 2 in readiness for the switch. Your right hand controls everything above the break while the left hand controls the five cards below the break. Here comes the big moment: The left hand rotates its five card packet counterclockwise until it is parallel to the group of outjogged cards. In a continuing action, the left hand moves forward, until the left fingers can control the outjogged cards as seen in figure 3. The secret packet of five cards is hidden under the outjogged group. The left hand continues forward, stripping out the outjogged cards. As the cards clear the deck, the left 4th finger maintains a break between the stripped out cards and the five marked cards that are hidden under them. The left hand now holds ten cards but the spectators are only aware of five. The right hand, still hold156

SUBTLE PRINCESS ing the deck in a Biddle Grip now moves forward, ultimately tabling the deck. However, as the deck passes over the cards in the left hand, the right hand “steals” the five cards above the break onto the bottom of the deck. It is important that the deck not stop or pause over the cards in the left hand. The right hand simply takes the cards as it passes over the left hand. This may take a little practice, but once you can execute the move smoothly you’ll find many uses for it. It’s a wonderful utility move and should become part of every cardman’s repertoire. At this point the spectator believes that you are holding five random cards specified by her. Actually you are holding the five marked cards. Hand these to the spectator and have her shuffle them and finally deal them into a horizontal row in front of her. Say, “You will now do what I just did. Please shuffle the deck and then spread them so I can select five cards.” Help the spectator to imitate what you just did. You will now have five random cards. Shuffle them and deal them into horizontal row in front of yourself. Say, “Let’s imagine that the five cards in front of me are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.” Be sure that the spectator understands which number goes with which card. Now say, “Please think of one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Have you got it in mind? O.K. I am going to turn my back for a moment. While I am turned around please touch each card in the group in front of me and move it around like this. (Move one of the cards in a tight circular path using your middle finger.) On the cards not at your thought of number, think “NO.” However, when you reach the card located at your thought of number, I want you to look at it and then think the word ‘YES.’ O.K. you know your number, now find your card.” At this point you must turn away so that you cannot observe the spectator. When the spectator indicates that she has completed the mission, turn around and say, “O.K. you have a thought of number, right? You also are thinking about the card located at that number, right?” You must be certain that the spectator has followed the directions correctly. Say, “I am going to put these five cards into my pocket and go totally on feel at this point.” As these words are spoken, pick up the cards face down in order from card 1 on top to card 5 on the bottom. False shuffle the packet. One way to accomplish this is as follows: (1) Run three cards and toss the other two on top, holding a break between the two groups. (2) Cut the lower three back to the top. (3) Repeat steps 1 and 2, restoring the original order. These cards are now placed in the pocket with the four X cards. I like to place the group of five toward the outside of the pocket and also spread across the width of the pocket. The spreading will make finding the proper card easier. Say, “I am going to remove cards from my pocket one by one as I get impressions.” Reach into your pocket and remove one of the X cards. Place it face down onto the table. Now remove another X card and place it next to the first. Say, “No - I don’t think so.” Continue by removing the other two X cards one by one until you end with four face down cards in a horizontal row. Each time a card is removed you should appear to be making a tough decision. Now say, “I’ve gotten a negative feeling from each of these four cards. There’s just one left now. I hope it will be significant. I want to put it in its proper place also. For the first time, please tell us what number you are thinking of.” Let’s say the spectator tells you that the number is four. Move the cards on the table so that an open space is left at position four. The other cards are thus moved to positions 1, 2, 3, and 5. Do this with your free hand. Simultaneously, your other hand goes to the pocket where the spectator believes there to be one card remaining. Actually, your pocket contains all of the original cards and you now know that the thought of card came from position four. The spread condition of the cards in your pocket will allow you to quickly locate card number four and remove it face down. Place

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POWER PLAYS this card into the empty slot on the table, filling out the five slots. I like to position this card a bit forward of the other cards. To end this phase say, “I am fully committed. This is the card I feel you are thinking about. For the first time, please name the card you are thinking of.” Assuming that the spectator followed directions, you will have succeeded! This is the end of phase 1. Pause for a beat or two. The spectator knows the trick is not finished because she has five cards in front of her that haven’t been used. Say, “Remember, I said that you would be able to do what I do? I am going to peek at one of the cards in front of you. As you did, I will think ‘YES’ when I look at the card located at my secret number. Please turn away so you cannot see what I’m doing.” Once the spectator has turned away, repeat the touch/move sequence that you previously described to the spectator. Look at one of the cards but be sure that no one can see the face of the card. Instruct the spectator to turn around. Tell her to pick up the cards without looking at their faces and mix them up. Now say, “Please place all the cards under the table. Now remove any card and place it on the table. Remove another. You’ve got three left. Feel each one and now remove another. Place it in the row. There are only two left. Hold one in each hand and allow your feelings to guide you. Bring one hand forward and place that card on the table. You now have one card left under the table.” While you are engaging in this banter, you must note the marks on the backs of the cards that are lined up on the table. Note which one is missing at this point. That tells you which card the spectator is holding under the table. Say, “I looked at the card at position 2. Please make a little space at that position but continue to hold your last card under the table. Let’s think about what happened. You shuffled the cards before putting them under the table and then one by one removed four of the five cards. You kept one for some reason. We don’t yet know what card you have kept back. I can tell you now that the card I peeked at earlier was the four of hearts (or whatever card you have determined is held by the spectator). Please bring the card you have retained into view. Please turn it over....” Of course it will be the four of hearts. The end. FINAL THOUGHTS: The reason for the touch/move sequence is to negate the notion that you could tell which card the spectator looked at because its position was changed during the peeking action. Also, since the spectator has not looked at any of the other four cards, you can make phase 1 more dramatic by turning up the other four cards one by one before finally showing that you have correctly determined which card the spectator was thinking of. It should be obvious that any five for five switch can be used in place of the NoLap Switch e.g. Vernon’s Strip Out Addition etc. NO SLEIGHT METHOD: It’s also possible to remove all the sleight of hand by removing the five marked cards yourself at the beginning and placing them in front of the spectator. She is then instructed to remove any five cards and place them in front of you. Of course all of this is done without looking and after the spectator has shuffled.

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INVISIBLE TRIUMPH

EFFECT: the magician shows two decks, one red and one blue. The spectator chooses one of the decks. The magician turns half of the cards face up and shuffles them into the face down packet. The deck is then spread, showing a well mixed packet of cards, some face up and some face down. The magician instructs the spectator to remove one of the face up cards and turn it face down while his back is turned. The spectator then shuffles the deck one more time. The magician now turns around and spreads the deck towards the spectator who is asked to concentrate on her card. This deck is tabled and the other deck is brought into play. When that deck is spread, it is found that one card is face down in the deck. This card is removed by the spectator and is found to be the thought of card! For the killer ending, this deck is now tapped on the original deck (the face up face down mixture). This deck is now spread and all cards are found to be face down except one card. Of course it is the spectator’s thought of card. REQUISITES: You’ll need a standard Invisible Deck with blue backs and a second deck consisting of 26 red/red double backers and 26 normal red backed cards. This is known as the Cheek to Cheek Deck. SETUP: The Invisible Deck is in a blue card case. The red backed cards are arranged as follows: face down from the top - First are the 26 normal red backed cards face down. These are followed by the 26 double backed cards. Place a pencil dot in the upper left corner of the 1st card in the double backed group. This will allow you to recognize where the double backed group begins. The red deck is placed in a red card case. ROUTINE: Ask the spectator to choose one of the two decks. You must use the red deck for the first phase, so if the spectator selects the red deck, say “Okay we’ll use the red deck.” Now put the blue deck aside. If the spectator selects the blue deck, then push the blue deck toward the spectator and ask the spectator to take custody of it. Say, “We’ll use your deck later. It contains a prediction of things to come.” Remove the red deck from its case and spread the cards face down until you see the pencil dot. (You may, if you wish, spread the deck face down on the pad to establish that it is “normal.”) Break the deck at this location and turn the upper half face up. These are the normal red backed cards. Spread them face up on the pad as you simultaneously spread the face down group side-by-side. Now cleanly riffle shuffle the two packets together, face up into face down. Shuffle again and then spread the deck on the pad showing the mixture. (You may have the spectator shuffle if you feel it will strengthen the effect. You may have to manage things a bit, however, to insure that she doesn’t inspect the other side of the deck and find the dirty work.)

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Tell the spectator that you will turn your back while she mentally selects one of the face up cards. She is further instructed to turn this card face down in the spread and then square up the entire deck. You 159

POWER PLAYS now turn around and pick up the deck. Raise the deck to a vertical position and spread the cards so that the spectator sees the well mixed side and you see all backs except for one face which is the face of the thought of card. This is a very deceptive way to determine the identity of the spectator’s card. Be sure that you turn away after you have glimpsed the selection. It should only take a second and the appearance should be that you never really looked at the cards. Tell the spectator to concentrate on her card as you square up all the cards. (Obviously, she will not see her card in the spread. She is to concentrate on her mental image of the card.) Place the deck on the pad oriented so that when it is spread, all backs will show with the spectator’s card face up. Pick up the blue card case and remove the Invisible Deck oriented in such a way that you will be able to reveal the spectator’s card as the only face down card in that deck. Spread the cards, finally splitting the appropriate pair so that one card is seen face down in the spread. (Make sure it is the spectator’s selection!) Have the spectator reveal the identity of her selected card and then have her remove the face down card from the invisible deck. Of course she will find that this card is her thought of card. This is the end of the first phase. Place the selection back into the Invisible Deck so that the deck is reset for the next performance and re-case the deck. Have the spectator wave the cased deck over the tabled red cards as she concentrates on her selection. Say, “The deck you are holding has only one reversed card in it. Wave it over the mixed up deck and see what happens.” Now, for the big finish, spread the tabled deck showing that all the cards have magically reversed themselves with the sole exception of the thought of card - just like the Prediction Deck. CREDITS: Using half a deck of double backers to create a Triumph type effect is not a new idea. The Cheek to Cheek deck has been around for a long time. Also, Jon Allen has marketed an item called the Infinity Deck that is similar but has qualities that make it more versatile. The idea of having the spectator reverse one of the face up cards after the shuffle was published in Eugene Gloye’s column in the Linking Ring (March 1998). FINAL THOUGHTS: I’ve seen routines using the Invisible Deck that were weaker than simply doing the Invisible Deck effect head on. I don’t recommend using such a powerful prop to achieve a mediocre effect. I believe the effect outlined above is powerful enough to warrant the use of the Invisible Deck. In this context you seem to find the spectator’s card without ever asking for its name. The subtle peek you get as a result of the gaffed red deck will not be thought of as a search of the cards. You will spot the spectator’s card instantly and appear to have never looked at the red deck. This strengthens the impact of finding the face down card in the “prediction deck.” In the standard Invisible Deck routine, I think that it’s easy for a spectator to believe that you simply knew the location of the named card and used your “fast hands” to flip it over. That’s why Brainwave may be a superior effect. The fact that the card’s back color doesn’t match the deck negates this theory. One more thought - you might be tempted to use just 13 roughed pairs from the Invisible Deck along with 26 normal cards. You would have to reverse the 13 roughed pairs 50% of the time. Any hint that you tampered with the deck will weaken the Invisible Deck. I would recommend just using the full 26 roughed pairs and keeping it squeaky clean.

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DOUBLE DECKER SANDWICH

EFFECT: The two jokers are placed face up on top of the deck. The corner of the deck is riffled as the spectator is instructed to say “stop” at any point. The magician cuts the deck at the specified point and shows the spectator the selected card. The upper section is replaced on the lower group and yet instantly the selection is found between the two jokers on top of the deck. The selection is placed on the table and a second spectator makes a selection. Once again a face down card is found between the jokers on top of the deck. Strangely, it is found to be the first selection! The card previously tabled is now seen to be the second selection. REQUISITES: A duplicate card. Let’s say that it’s the seven of spades. SETUP: As you remove the two jokers (or a pair of color mates e.g. two black jacks), you must cull the two sevens of spades to 2nd and 3rd from the bottom of the face up deck. The bottom card will be forced on the first spectator so if you have a preference, you will have to position that card directly below the two sevens. Thus when the deck is face down, the two sevens will 2nd and 3rd from the top. PROCEDURE: Place the jokers face up on top of the face down deck, which is held in left hand dealing position. Spread the top three or four cards using the left thumb. Now square up, obtaining a left 4th finger break under the 3rd card (force card). Immediately lift the three cards as two in right hand Biddle grip i.e. fingers at outer short edge, thumb at inner short edge. Hold the packet of three near the deck as you say, “The jokers are the fastest cards in the world. I’ll prove it.” As you speak these words, pull the top joker back onto the deck using the left thumb. Now place the two cards (as one) on top of the single joker while picking up a left 4th finger break under the two cards. You will now force the card between the jokers on the first spectator using a very clever Marlo “Bluff Sandwich” idea. To wit: Hold the cards as shown in figure 1. Note that the right thumb has taken over the break. Also note the position of the left thumb. Keep the deck horizontal so the spectators can see the face of the joker on top. Now begin to riffle the outer left corner using the left thumb. Tell the spectator to say “stop” at a random point. Go slowly so the stop point is in the upper half. When the spectator indicates the top point, immediately stop riffling. Begin to move the block above the stop point inward

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POWER PLAYS

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

using the right hand. See figure 2. As soon as the block has moved in about an inch, begin to move the deck to a vertical position using both hands. As soon as the top of the deck is out of view, grip both blocks with the left hand and lift the two cards above the thumb break away from the deck so that the face of the force card points directly at the spectator across from you. Figure 3 shows what the situation looks like from the performer’s view. Keep everything close to your body to cut down on the side angles. Supposedly you are holding a third of the deck and you don’t want the spectators on the sides to notice the thickness. I generally raise the two cards (as half the deck!) for only a second or two and say, “Remember your card.” The people on the sides will look at the face and not notice the thickness as long as you don’t dally. Immediately move the two cards back onto the injogged packet on the deck as your left hand begins to move the deck to a horizontal position again. Just before the top of the deck comes into the spectators’ view, grip the injogged section between your right fingers (at outer end) and thumb (at inner end). Lower the left hand a bit further so that the right hand’s cards are about an inch or two above those in the left hand. You want to create the illusion that you haven’t replaced the upper packet on the lower packet yet. Presumably the selection is the bottom card of the group held by the right hand. Actually it’s between the two jokers already. Finally, dribble the cards held in the right hand onto the half deck in the left hand, supposedly burying the selection. Say, “These jokers are the fastest cards in the world.” Make your “magical gesture” and then spread the top four or five cards to show a face down card between the jokers as you say, “See. They’ve already found a card.” Use your left thumb to pull the lower joker flush with the deck as you catch a left 4th finger break under the 4th card from the top (duplicate 7S). Be sure that the 3rd and 4th cards (joker and 7S) are perfectly aligned on top of the deck. The first selection and the top joker are still spread to the right a bit. Now lift all four cards (as three in a spread) in right hand Biddle grip. Table the deck and place the spread in the left hand, being careful not reveal the presence of the extra face down card on the bottom. (Alternately you can simply square up the spread and pick up the four card block as three in the right hand as the left hand tables the deck. You would then re-spread the cards in the left hand as three, keeping the bottom, reversed card hidden.) Now ask the spectator for the name of her card. Hold the bottom two cards as one in the left hand as the right hand raises the top two cards, showing the face down card to be the selection. As the spectators react to this first bit of magic, you will make a secret displacement as follows: Replace the two cards onto those in the left hand and square the cards into left hand dealing position. Immediately take the cards into right hand Biddle grip and peel the top joker back into the left hand. Now, as your right hand brings its cards over the single joker in the left hand, steal this card back under 162

DOUBLE DECKER SANDWICH the right hand’s cards as the next (face down) card is peeled. Finally, place the last three cards, as one, on top. It appears that you have merely reversed the order of the cards. Actually you have positioned the duplicate 7S between the jokers and left the actual selection hidden on the bottom. Once again take the packet in left hand mechanic’s grip and spread the packet as three (keeping the bottom card hidden). Remove the top two cards with the right hand and place the face down card (supposedly the selection) face down on the pad. Replace the joker underneath the two cards held in the left hand. Have the spectator place her hand onto the tabled card as you say, “Don’t let me touch your card.” STATUS CHECK: The spectator has her hand on the duplicate 7S while her selection is actually between the two jokers you are holding. The other 7S is the top card of the tabled deck. You are now going to simulate the action of the original force only this time the force card will really come from the center of the deck. To wit: Move the right hand to the tabled deck with its three cards. Place the packet onto the deck but sidejogged to the right for about half an inch. In a continuing action, pick up the deck in right Fig. 4 hand Biddle grip while maintaining the ½ inch jog of the packet. Now, swivel cut the top half of the deck into the left hand. Figure 4 shows the action in progress. The upper half pivots on the right 2nd finger, does a 180 degree rotation and lands on the left palm. Immediately, add the cards still held by the right hand and square up, holding a left 4th finger break below the upper pack i.e. above the now centralized 7S. Turn to a second spectator and say, “These jokers are faster than you can believe. Please just say ‘stop’ at any point.” Begin the actions of a Riffle force by riffling down the outer left corner of the deck with the left thumb. When the spectator says “stop,” lift all cards above the break in a right hand Biddle grip. You have forced the 7S and have also reinforced the proper image of what supposedly transpired during the first selection. Hold the upper packet in the right hand as you push over the top card of the left hand portion using the left thumb. Raise the left hand’s cards so that the spectators can see the face of the 7S. Now pull the 7S flush with the packet and add the right hand’s cards to the top, maintaining a left 4th finger break above the forced 7S. (This is so you can locate it quickly in order to clean up the deck.) Say, “Watch how fast these jokers are.” Make your gesture and then spread the top few cards to reveal the presence of a face down card between the jokers. Use the right hand to pick up the top three cards and place them on the pad. Cut the deck, bringing the duplicate 7S to the top and then table the deck. Pick up the three-card sandwich and say, “You’ll see that they were even faster than before. What was your selection?” The spectator will indicate that the selection was the seven of spades and of course everyone is expecting the face down card between the jokers to be the 7S. Say, “They were so fast that they snuck under your hand and took your card!” Now show that the sandwiched card is indeed the first selection. Continue with, “They were so fast that they replaced it with her selection.” By this time the spectator is discovering that the card under her hand is the 7S for the BIG ending. Finally, It’s a good idea to get rid of the extra 7S so a discrepancy isn’t discovered later.

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POWER PLAYS FINAL THOUGHTS: The first phase is strong but the second phase is killer. It is possible to create a similar effect without the use of a duplicate card. In this case you would follow the same procedure but without positioning any special cards under the jokers. In this scenario, an X card would be tossed onto the table and the second spectator would have a free choice. You would have the first spectator’s card in the sandwich. However, since the tabled card isn’t the 2nd selection, you will have to devise a way to make it seem to be the other selection. Options include a Mexican turnover etc… I think it’s much better with the duplicate card. Many magicians always have a duplicate card in their working deck. There are many uses for a dupe. The handling can be made more consistent by altering the Riffle Force of the duplicate 7S as follows: Instead of holding a break above the 7S, try obtaining a break below it. Then, after the spectator says “stop” you can lift the upper packet and show that the bottom card is the 7S. This emulates the action of the first force, potentially strengthening it since there is no thin packet this time. CREDITS: The first phase is basically Marlo’s “Bluff Sandwich” from the Last Hierophant (1980). One convincer has been added. As described above, I begin to injog all the cards above the stop point as the deck is being raised to a vertical position. This really helps to sell the idea that the deck was cut precisely at the “stop” point. It also allows you to end up holding precisely the correct amount of cards as you dribble the cards from your right hand at the end of the sequence.

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FINDERS KEEPERS

EFFECT: The spectator names her favorite card - say the seven of hearts. The magician spreads the deck on the table face down and introduces two jokers. “These jokers will find your card. But you will have to do the work.” The magician inserts the jokers, one near the top and one near the bottom. The deck is handed to the spectator who is instructed to cut the deck. The magician spreads the cards and finds that the jokers are much closer together with, perhaps, only 15 cards between them. The deck is squared and cut into three piles. The center pile is handed to the spectator who is again instructed to cut the packet. This time the spectator spreads the cards and finds that a single card lies between the two jokers. Yes – it is the named card, the seven of hearts! REQUISITES: You’ll need a deck set up in memorized order e.g. Aronson, Tamariz, Stebbins etc. You’ll also need two jokers. (If you only have the 52 card deck, you can remove the first and last card of your mem deck and use these cards in place of the jokers. You will have to adjust the math accordingly, however. It should be obvious what to do in this instance.) This item is for magicians who do memorized deck work. You’ll have to know the location by number of every card in the deck. SET-UP: The deck is set in memorized order. The good news is that the stack will be restored at the end of this effect allowing the magician to continue with further adventures using the memorized deck. Since the deck is not spread face up, a stack that has cards in alternating color order will not be noticed (Stebbins for example). Most mem deck workers will be using either the Aronson or the Tamariz stack. For instructional purposes, we will assume that the deck is in Aronson order. PROCEDURE: Casually use a false overhand shuffle to so that it appears that you are mixing the cards. Hold the deck face down in mechanic’s grip as you ask a spectator for her favorite card. It’s not a bad idea to say “unless it’s the queen of hearts or the ace of spades. These are very common choices.” Alternately, you can simply ask the spectator to name a random card. The effectiveness of the routine is compromised if the ace of spades or queen of hearts is named. The spectators may assume that you simply hoped for the obvious card and were ready. Let’s say that the ace of hearts is named. This is card number 22 in the Aronson stack. Casually cut the deck about 5 cards deeper than this number viz. at position 27 or so. Peek the new bottom card and table the deck. Let’s say that the card you saw was the 5D. Recall the stack number of the new bottom card. In this case it’s 27 (5D is 27 in Aronson). Subtract the original position of the AH from 27 arriving at 27 – 22 = 5. Introduce the jokers and explain that they will find the named card. Spread the deck face down on the table. Now slide one of the jokers face up above the 5th card (computed number) from the bottom. This will position the AH directly above this joker since it is 6 cards from the bottom. Place the second joker face up about 10 or 12 cards from the top of the deck. It is clear that there are about 35 to 40

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POWER PLAYS cards between the jokers. Square up the deck and have the spectator cut near the center and complete the cut. Spread the cards between your hands and note that there are only about 14 or 15 cards between the jokers now. You will seem to square up the deck but two breaks must be held momentarily as follows: Begin to square the deck while obtaining a left 4th finger break below the lowermost joker. At this point be sure that the upper part of the deck is still loosely spread and that you can see the uppermost face up joker. Continue to square up but obtain a right thumb break over the face down card directly above the face up joker. This is the selection, in this case the AH. Immediately cut the cards above the thumb break to the left side of the pad (face down). Now cut at the remaining break and place this packet (with reversed jokers and selection) to the right of the first packet (face down). Finally place the remaining cards face down on top of the leftmost packet. Hand the center pile (on the right) to the spectator and instruct her to cut the packet and complete the cut. Now have her spread the cards face down. She will find that the two face-up jokers now have only one card between them. Of course the ending is anticipated but you should delay it to build suspense. Take the packet from the spectator and cut the cards above the three card sandwich to the bottom. Remove the sandwich and place it, with reversed card still facing down, on the pad in front of the spectator. Place the other cards face down onto the tabled half deck. Build the suspense and finally have the spectator check the sandwiched card. It is the card originally named! CLEANING UP: Just place the selection onto the top of the deck. The relative order of the cards is now restored but the first card of your memorized order is somewhere in the middle of the deck. Simply spread face up and cut between the first and last card e.g. between the JS and 9D for Aronson order. This restores full, memorized order. CREDITS: The inspirational source for this routine is Aaron Fisher’s “Search and Destroy” from his very cool book, The Paper Engine. In Aaron’s routine a selection is used rather than a named card. Also, Aaron positioned the selection near the top with the face up card above the selection. This resulted in a situation where the packet handed to the spectator for cutting has a face up card on top. I prefer having the named card near bottom with the face up card below it. This allows you to hand the spectator a packet with a face down card on top. I think this is preferable. Since the memorized order is restored in this routine, you can continue with other mem-deck routines e.g. Aronson’s “Invisible Card”, Ortiz’ “Zen Master” etc. FINAL THOUGHTS: You can create a longer routine along these lines: Instead of using the method described above, where the spectator seems to find her own selection by cutting, you can cut very close to the named card and then adjust so that it’s the bottom card. Now you can use the jokers for a very direct sandwich in your hands. There are many ways to proceed here. You now have established the “sandwich concept” and can continue with a second named card using the method above where the spectator seems to create the sandwich without your help. Another avenue of exploration is this: After the spectator names a card, you say, “That’s a cool card. My favorite is the XX.” Here you name the card immediately after the spectator’s card in your memorized deck. Now, after the spectator has found her own named card, you reassemble the deck as described above and place the named card on the bottom. Your named card is now the top card. Use

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FINDERS KEEPERS your imagination here. You can place the jokers on top, pick up the top three cards and Biddle your card to between the jokers etc.. You can leave the spectator’s card between the jokers, finally placing them onto the deck. Now you can pick up the top four cards viz. joker, spectator’s card, joker, your named card. From here you can switch your card with the spectator’s card while seemingly just reversing the order of the three (actually four) cards. See “Double Decker Sandwich” for a handling that achieves this.

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THE MONEY GAME

EFFECT: A spectator freely selects and signs a card, which is then lost in the deck. The magician introduces a wallet that contains 7 sealed pay envelopes and explains that each of the envelopes contains a different amount of money. There’s a $100, a $50, a $20, a $10, a $5, a $2 and a $1 bill. The envelopes are then mixed by the spectator who leaves them stacked on the table. The magician explains that a game will be played that leaves the spectator with one of the envelopes and that she can keep the money inside. The game will be completely under the control of the spectator. Here are the rules: The magician will ask four questions about the spectator’s card. Each time, the spectator may lie or tell the truth. The magician will spell the answers and count one envelope for each letter. The last envelope from the last question will go to the spectator. The game is played. And at the end the remaining six envelopes are opened to reveal all the bills except the $1 bill. The spectator opens her envelope to receive her $1 prize. But instead of a $1 bill, she finds her signed card, bringing the effect to a satisfying conclusion. SET-UP: You will need a Le Paul style wallet for loading a palmed card into an envelope. If you are uncomfortable palming cards, there are two other methods described at the end of the write-up that offer different solutions that don’t involve palming. N.B. Two excellent palming techniques are taught in “Expert Cards to Pocket.” You will need seven pay style envelopes that fit easily into the wallet. Six of them are unprepared and contain a $100, a $50, a $20, a $10, a $5 and a $2 bill respectively. (N.B. If you are short on cash, you can put printed I.O.U’s inside instead.) The seventh envelope is sealed at the top and opened at the bottom using a sharp knife. It also must be marked so that it can be distinguished from the other six envelopes. A small pencil dot or a nail nick can be used. Another way is to trim the flap slightly in such a way that you can recognize this gaffed envelope. Rubber cement is applied to both inside edges at the cut end so that the envelope can be sealed after it is removed from the wallet. The rubber cement is allowed to dry completely before positioning the envelope in the wallet. Once the gaffed envelope is in position, the other six sealed envelopes are placed below it in the zippered compartment. You are ready to go! (Note: The ending is enhanced if you know which envelope contains the $100 bill. You can mark this one too so you can distinguish it from the others at the end. BE SURE that you don’t confuse the $100 envelope with the one containing the selection. That’s a $100 mistake!) PROCEDURE: Explain to your audience that the next helper will have a chance to make some money. You should have no problem getting a volunteer! Have the spectator shuffle the deck if you like. Now have her select, sign and replace the selection in the deck. Control the selection to the top (or bottom if you prefer a bottom palm). Explain that you have seven envelopes, each with a different denomination from $100 to $1. Palm the selection and table the deck as you go to your pocket with the palmed card to load the wallet. Insert the palmed card into the opening of the wallet and push it home. Now remove the wallet and unzip the zippered compartment. Remove all seven envelopes as you table 168

THE MONEY GAME the wallet. Be sure to exert appropriate pressure on the rubber cemented area to seal the gaffed envelope. Explain that each of the envelopes contains a bill. There’s a $100, a $50, a $20, a $10, a $5, a $2 and a $1 bill. Ask the spectator to mix the envelopes as you explain that she will be in complete control of which envelope she wins. Take back the stack of envelopes and locate the gaffed envelope containing the selection. It must be positioned third from the top before the game begins. This can be done in a very natural way as the game is explained. To wit: Tell the spectator that you will be asking four questions. In each case she may lie or tell the truth. Explain that you will spell her answer to each question dealing one envelope from the stack to the table for each letter. Say, “Suppose that your answer was ‘diamonds.’ I would spell ‘diamonds’ dealing like this, one envelope for each letter.” You already noted the position of the gaffed envelope. Now you can get it in position third from the top as you demonstrate how you will deal. How you handle this depends on the position of the envelope. You probably won’t be spelling the complete word “diamonds.” Instead, you’ll stop and say, “Do you understand how this works?” Just be sure that when you stop, you have the gaffed envelope third from the top. As you might suspect from the description of the procedure, Solomon’s variation of the Steinmeyer 9 Card Problem will be used here. This procedure is described in detail in “The 7 Card 21 Card Trick” in this section. Read the description there for the details. There is a lot of room for comedy byplay during the lie/truth spelling sequence. Keep reminding the spectator that the outcome is completely under her control. After the fourth question, you will be holding the envelope containing the selection. Your money is safe! Place this envelope aside for the moment and say, “Let’s see what you could have won.” Begin opening the six remaining envelopes one by one, showing that there really was money inside. If you marked the envelope containing the $100 bill, save it for last to build maximum suspense. At this point you will have shown all but the $100 and $1 bills. Again there is plenty of room for comedy byplay as you open the sixth envelope. It appears that there’s a 50/50 chance that the spectator will win the $100, although the audience is likely to suspect that this isn’t going to happen. Show the $100 bill and act relieved. Finally, ask the spectator to tell the truth about her selection. This allows the audience to know the selection so that they will immediately be aware that the card in the envelope is the one. Open the spectator’s envelope and have her reach inside. Everyone is expecting her to pull out a one dollar bill. Instead, it’s the signed selection! ALTERNATE ENDING: It is fairly easy to contrive to have a folded one dollar bill in the deck throughout the selection, replacement and palming sequence. If you do this, you will be able to spread the deck at the end and find a one dollar bill inside. This gives the feeling that a transposition took place. It also creates a sense of fairness as you can now give the $1 to the spectator, bringing the effect to a logical and fair conclusion. After all, you did imply that the spectator would win some money. FINAL THOUGHTS: The effect as described above is best used in a platform show. It will play to a large audience since it is easy to follow and has the inherent interest factor of money being won. It is difficult to reset and therefore is not suitable for table magic. Here are some alternate handlings of the basic concept that are more suitable for walk around or table magic:

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POWER PLAYS ALTERNATE HANDLINGS: Instead of envelopes you can use blank faced playing cards with dollar amounts printed on them. Just writing with a marker is somewhat cheesy. It’s easy to print nice looking stickers on a color ink jet printer. Just stick them onto the blank faces. You will need six stickers with markings of $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, and $2. Make the lettering as big as possible in green ink. Now you need a way to get the signed selection into the packet. Palming is the easiest and most direct method. You can use the Le Paul Wallet without the envelopes. A Mullica style wallet can be used to avoid palming. You would have the six specially printed cards in the Mullica insert. Control the signed selection to the top and use the normal Mullica loading method from the top of the deck. Now you can open the wallet, remove the insert and remove the six cards along with the selection (through the slit). In this case you cannot show the faces of all the cards since that would reveal the presence of the selection prematurely. I would show the $100, the $50, the $20 and the $10 and just go on to say that all the bills are represented. You will have to mark the six special cards. This way you can spot the selection (unmarked) in a shuffled packet and get it into position third from the top. If a packet of cards is used instead of the envelopes, it would be nice if the color of the backs of these cards were different than that of the deck. This presents a problem since the selection is from the deck. The solution is to have a stranger card in the deck whose color matches those in the packet. This card must be forced and then signed in such a way that its back is not seen. There are many ways to do this. I’ll leave it up to the reader to find a method. It is possible to move the signed stranger card to second from top. If a break is held under the second card, it is not difficult to steal it out under a Mullica wallet. The simplest solution is to use a duplicate card. In this scenario, the selection is not signed. This method is very simple and involves no palming etc. but the effect is weakened considerably by not having the selection signed. Learn how to palm and you’ll have an extremely powerful weapon in your arsenal. These final thoughts are somewhat sketchy. Experienced card workers should have no trouble making them work. If you want this to be self working, you’ll have to compromise the effect and use a duplicate. Finally, if envelopes are used, a $1 bill folded and hidden in the deck enhances the overall effect. At the end the spectator finds her card in the envelope. You then spread the deck and find the $1 bill. Everything is accounted for. ONE MORE: You can contrive to have the signed selection be a blank backed card that says IOU $1 on it. You’ll have to figure out a way to manage the selection process and palming so that this is not seen prematurely. Now, at the end, the IOU is seen first for a small laugh. Then the other side of the card is found to be the signed selection for the killer ending.

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TRI-EASY-THON

EFFECT: Three cards are selected, each in a different way. Spectator 1 sees the faces of the cards and remembers one. Spectator 2 merely thinks of any card. Spectator 3 shuffles the deck and then removes a card without looking at it. She places the card into a card case for safekeeping. As you might imagine, the magician finds all three cards! SET-UP: The deck is not set up in any way. However, for the easy method, the card case will be prepared as follows: A cut-out must be made in the lower right corner on the back of the case. See figure 1 for the position and size on a Bicycle case. If you allow the spectator to hold the case, you will need to keep the cellophane wrapping on the case so that the cut out cannot be felt. Darwin Ortiz uses this “X-ray Case” in his fine routine, “The Zen Master” which is otherwise unrelated to the routine described here. This cut out will allow you to discern the identity of the third selection, making the mechanics of the overall routine extremely simple. In the “Final Thoughts” section below, you will find a totally impromptu method involving “clocking.”

Fig. 1

PROCEDURE: Remove the deck from the X-ray case and leave the case on the table with the cut out on the bottom so that it cannot be seen. Shuffle the cards (or have a spectator shuffle) as you explain that you will have three cards selected – each in a different manner. Turn to the spectator on your left (Mary) and have a card freely selected and returned to the deck. You will have to peek this card. Here’s a simple but effective method: The Peek: Hold the deck in left hand Mechanic’s Grip. Riffle down the outer left corner with your left thumb until the spectator says, “stop.” Pick up the cards above the break point in right hand Biddle Grip and show the spectator the card. Tell the spectator that she may change her mind and select a different card. This offer sells the idea that the card is truly a free selection. Now, as your right hand begins to replace its half deck, use your left 4th finger to cause the selection to become side jogged a bit to the right as the cards are replaced. Your right hand now takes the entire deck in Biddle Grip. The side jogged condition of the selection cannot be seen. When you are ready to peek, you will rotate the deck to a more vertical position from which you can see the index of the side jogged card. Immediately your left hand will take the deck (thumb on right long edge, fingers on left long edge), as your left thumb pushes the side jogged card flush. In a continuing action, the left hand will turn palm upward bringing the back of the deck into view and ending with the deck more or less in dealing position. N.B. Don’t peek the card immediately. There is a better moment coming.

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POWER PLAYS O.K. Spectator 1’s card is side jogged and ready to be peeked. Turn to spectator 2 (Susan) and say, “Mary saw the faces of many cards. She has put the image of one of them into her memory. I do know one thing about it. It’s not the bottom card - only 51 cards to worry about!” This is your opportunity to peek Mary’s card. Follow the procedure described above as you apparently look at the bottom card. Let’s say that Mary’s card is the Queen of Spades. Look at Mary and say, “Please keep that image in your mind.” Looking again at spectator 2 you now say, “I want you to put the image of a card into your mind too, but this time without seeing any cards. Just think of any card. Well, maybe you should avoid the obvious like the ace of spades or queen of hearts but it really doesn’t matter. Just think of any card. Got it? Great!” Now turn to spectator 3 (Rhonda) and say, “Both Mary and Susan are thinking of cards. I’d like you to select a card too but I don’t want you to know its identity. Here, shuffle the deck and then remove any card but keep it face down so that no one can see it. In case you may think that the cards are marked, I want you to slide the card face down into the card box here like this.” Demonstrate what you want Rhonda to do i.e. shuffle, then remove a card face down and slide it into the box without picking up the box. You don’t want her to see the cut out! (N.B. you should fold the small white flaps out a bit so the card won’t hang up when it is inserted. When these are folded back in as the case is closed, they will lock the card down on the bottom where you want it to be. Once this has been accomplished recap as follows, “Each of you has made a selection in a different way. Mary saw many cards and put the image of one in her mind. Susan put an image in her mind without seeing any cards. And Rhonda made a selection but doesn’t know what it is. It’s inside the card box for security. My job is to determine what all of these cards are!” As you say, “inside the box,” pick up the box momentarily and shake it a bit to emphasize that there’s a card inside. During this moment, you must peek the card through the cut out. This must be done deceptively. I generally hold the case at the flap end between the thumb at inner edge and second finger at outer edge. I angle the case for the peek during the shaking action. Let’s say the Rhonda’s card is the three of hearts. Look at both spectator 1 and 2 as you say, “Please concentrate on your cards. Try to send me the images in your mind.” Begin to slowly spread the deck with faces toward yourself. Look up frequently as though you are having trouble. Finally look at spectator 1 and say, “Oh, I think I’ve got it.” Now speed up the spreading and remove the Queen of Spades (Mary’s card). Table it face down to the left. Now look at spectator 2. Act very tentative as you spread and remove the color mate of the card in the card case. In this example the card in the case is the three of hearts, so you would remove the three of diamonds. Place this card face down directly in front of you. Look to each of the two spectators and say, “O.K. I am committed. I won’t touch the cards. Let’s see how I am doing.” Turn to spectator 1 and say, “What card are you thinking of?” Hopefully she will say “Queen of Spades.” Say, “Great I’m off to a good start.” Now look at spectator 2 and say, “What card are you thinking of?’” Let’s say that she announces the seven of diamonds. Look slightly unhappy as you say, “The SEVEN of diamond?” Emphasize the word “seven” as though you have a diamond, but not the seven. When she confirms the card’s identity say, “I am really close. I think you will be impressed.” Actually, in the end, it will seem that you were merely joking around since you will actually have the seven of diamonds.

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Immediately turn to spectator 3 (Rhonda) and say, “Yours will the hardest card to determine since you have never looked at it and cannot create a mental image to help me. I’ll do my best.” Place your right hand onto the case and act as though you are somehow receiving information. Look up at Rhonda and 172

TRI-EASY-THON say, “Ah – I think I have it. Watch this.” Immediately spread through the deck and remove the card Susan just revealed i.e. the seven of diamonds. This is the “thought of” card from spectator 2. Place it face down a bit to the right. Now open the case and slide out the card leaving it face down in front of spectator 3. No one (except you) knows its identity yet. SITUATION CHECK: There are three face down cards on the table in front of you. On the left is spectator 1’s card (QS). In the center is the color mate (3D) of the card in front of spectator 3 (3H - the one that was in the card case). On the right is the card thought of by spectator 2 (7D). You now have to prove that you succeeded in all three cases. Pick up the card on the right side (7D) using your right hand with thumb on top and fingers below. Tell spectator 3 to flip over her card. This is the three of hearts. Here comes the big moment. You will now show that were correct with all three cards. Point at the spectator on the left and say, “You thought of the…” Pause for her to fill in “Queen of Spades.” Use the card held in the right hand to flip her card face up showing the Queen of Spades. Turn to the spectator 2 and say, “Yours was the ..?” She will fill in “seven of diamonds.” Say, “I said I was close. I was REALLY close!” As you say, “really close” you will perform a Mexican Turnover (or equivalent), switching the card in your right hand (7D) for the tabled 3D in the center. Here’s a simple way to accomplish the switch: Put your left first finger on the back of the center card. Now slide the right hand’s card under it. Move your right thumb onto the back of the center card. Now turn your right hand palm downward and in a continuing action, push the lower card (7D) out and allow it to land face up on the table. You are left holding the face up three of diamonds in your right hand. Immediately say, “Seven of diamonds!” Turn to the last spectator and drop the face up 3D onto her 3H as you say, “Here’s the mate of your card – the three of diamonds. Success!” (Feel free to substitute your best Mexican Turnover for the simple switch described above.) FINAL THOUGHTS: The use of the X-ray case makes this an extremely easy routine to perform from a technical standpoint. There’s no real work. The difficult part is selling it at the psychological level. Timing and attitude are critical to selling this as the very strong effect it can be. I present this with a somewhat serious tone. You are purporting to read minds here! Leave the comedic lines for other routines. It is possible that spectator 2 thinks of one of the cards chosen by one of the other spectators. If she thinks of the card chosen by spectator 1, the coincidence will be immediately apparent since spectator 1 has already revealed her card. You can say something like, “The psychic energy must be really strong today.” You can try to take credit for this coincidence, but that won’t be an easy sell. If spectator 2 thinks of the card in the card case you can create a miracle. You have already claimed to be “close.” In this case you have actually placed the color mate of her thought of card in front of her. Say, “Now I know why I had trouble!” Show the three of diamonds and say, “It’s because your card is in the case! I found its mate instead. That’s as close as I could get.” One out of 52 times (on average), spectator 2 will name the card you have tabled in front of her. Now you really have a miracle! Get ready to start a religion. You’ll have your first three followers in front of you.

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POWER PLAYS IMPROMPTU METHOD: It is possible to achieve this same effect without the gaffed case. As in Pit Hartling’s routine, Triathlon (see below), you can use clocking to determine the card in the ungaffed case. There is no need to perform a color separation as in the routines by Hartling and Aronson that are mentioned in the “credits” section. Here are the details: You would begin with a shuffled deck containing all 52 cards. (The deck can be borrowed.) You would proceed exactly as above. A card is selected, returned and side jogged for the peek. The second card is merely thought of and the third is put into an ungaffed case. Now, as you spread to find the first spectator’s card, you will count the cards of the same color. In the example above the card was the Queen of Spades. You would count the black cards as you search for the QS. Upjog it when you come to it, but continue to spread as though you have not finalized your decision. It’s easiest to count in groups of three’s and two’s. I count 3, 2, 2, 3, 3 for a group of 13. Then do it again. If you end on 3, all the black cards are present and the card in the case is red. If you end on 2 (3, 2, 2, 3, 2) there are only 25 black cards and thus the card in the case is black. Table the QS as in the original routine. You now know the color of the card in the case. Now, as you supposedly are searching for spectator 2’s card, you will clock the 25 cards whose color matches the card in the box. (See “Code 5” in this book for how to clock MOD 13. This will eliminate the ambiguity that arises 50% of the time when you cast out tens.) When you reach the end of the spread, you will know the identity of the missing card. In the example used above, the 3H is in the case. You would have determined that a red three is missing through the clocking procedure. Look at spectator 2 and say, “Please concentrate harder I’m having trouble.” Pause and then say, “Ah, O.K. I think I’ve got it.” Now spread quickly to the 3D and proceed as described in the original routine above. Learning to clock a deck gives you a serious weapon through which you can accomplish some real miracles. Check out Paul Cummins’ routine, “TAP A LACK” for another killer use of the clocking principle. I would recommend casting out 13’s as in “Code 5.” It’s not difficult to learn, and it eliminates the ambiguity inherent in casting out 10s. CREDITS: This routine is based on Pit Hartling’s “Triathlon” from The Little Green Lecture booklet. Pit’s routine, in turn, is based on Simon Aronson’s “Two Minds and a Mate” from Simon’s fine book, The Aronson Approach. Both of these routines use a “clocking” (casting out) principle. In both routines the reds and blacks need to be separated to facilitate the clocking sequence. In Tri-EASY-Thon, the Xray case completely eliminates the need for clocking. The psychology used here is also different from that used by Pit in Triathlon. I prefer the ruse of allowing the second spectator to believe that you are merely close. This lowering of expectations makes the fact that you succeed more powerful. This and other aspects of the psychology are different from those used in Triathlon. The peek described here is a Marlo idea. Another excellent peek is Steve Draun’s devilishly clever “The Fan Glimpse” from his excellent book, Secrets Draun from the Underground. I think this is the most deceptive peek I have ever come across.

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POWER PLAYS

COIN MYSTERIES

"Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today." Mark Twain

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Anonymous

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FLIPPED OUT

EFFECT: Having performed a quick coins across routine and/or an equally quick coins through the table routine, the magician offers to repeat the transpositions using the spectator’s hands! The magician places the four coins on the table and shows his hands absolutely empty. A spectator is asked to hold her left hand open and palm upward as the magician places all four coins onto her outstretched palm. The magician holds his empty left hand open and palm upward, imitating the spectator’s position. The spectator is instructed to place her cupped right hand over the coins in her left hand. The magician performs the same actions. Now the spectator is instructed to shake her hand up and down once as the magician performs the same action. Both the magician and the spectator open their hands at the same time and it is found that one of the spectator’s coins has traveled to the magician’s hand! Now, the spectator holds three coins on her outstretched palm. The magician holds one. The magician moves his hand holding the single coin under the table as the spectator is instructed to drop her three coins onto the table. A disbelieving spectator sees only TWO coins hit the table as the magician’s hand returns, now containing two coins! I saw Ron Jaxon, a serious worker from Kalamazoo MI, perform this on some unsuspecting lay people at Abbott’s Get Together a few years ago. It is just pure magic. The spectators see exactly what is described above in “EFFECT.” When I asked Ron to contribute the routine to POWER PLAYS, he told me that it was the brainchild of Tony Gerard, the proprietor of Timid Rabbit Magic in Kalamazoo MI. Tony had come up with the idea years ago and Ron had, through real world experience, refined some of the working parameters. My own input was in the area of how to use the concept. It didn’t make sense to me to put something this strong in the middle of a coins across or coins through the table type routine. It’s just impossible to follow this. The remainder of the routine would be flat. I think the best way to use the concept is after you have done a coins across or coins through the table routine. It demonstrates that the coins can go even when the spectator holds them! REQUISITES: You will need the famous “Flipper Coin.” (See figure 1) This gaffed coin is basically a hollowed out half dollar with an insert that has a hinged section. When the hinged section is rotated 180o the coin appears to be two coins! The beauty of the flipper is that the hinged section is “spring loaded” using a small dental type rubber band (the same type used in folding coins) as the spring. Bob Swadling makes a beautiful flipper coin set that has a magnetic insert. He provides a second half dollar with a magnet built in. When the coins are together with like poles touching, the magnetic half forces the insert open, solving the 176

erdnasemagicstore.com Fig. 1

FLIPPED OUT traditional problem with this gaff viz. opening the coin easily and deceptively. If you are looking for a flipper coin, I recommend that you pick one up from Bob Swadling (Bob is from England). Both Todd Lassen and Jamie Schoolcraft make excellent flipper coins. You can find them on the web. You’ll want to get the version that can lay flat when open. Most flippers have too much pulling power in the rubber bands and won’t stay flat unless you exert constant pressure. ROUTINE: I will only describe the action of these two “kickers.” It is recommended that you perform a coins across and/or coins through the table prior to using these killer items. By the way, if you plan on using the flipper as a kicker, you should take advantage of it in your routine. It can be substituted in a very interesting way for a shelled coin in these types of routines. SPECTATOR’S COIN ACROSS: You have clearly established that you have four and only four coins. You must now secretly palm one of the normal half dollars in your right hand and “set” the flipper coin. The flipper should be at the bottom of the remaining stack of three coins. The opened insert will appear at the bottom, making the three coins appear to be four. Having completed your coins across routine you say, “I’d like you to hold the coins for a minute.” Indicate that the spectator should extend her left hand palm up. Now place the three (apparently four) onto the spectator’s outstretched palm as shown in figure 2. Say, “You have all four coins. I have nothing.” As these words are spoken, extend your left hand palm up. Now say, “Please cover the coins with your right hand like this.” Place your palm down cupped right hand over the coins as shown in figure 3. Be sure that her hands are cupped like yours. This is important for what ensues.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Say, “On the count of three I want you to shake your hands up and down once as I do. One, two, three...” At this point you gently move your hands up and down about six inches and release the palmed half dollar. When the spectator does this, the insert will spring back inside the coin! Have the spectator lift her right hand, exposing the three coins. Her eyes will pop! Lift your right hand, showing that the missing coin has traveled from her hand to yours. Mission accomplished. NOTE: You should delay opening your hands to be sure that the insert has returned into the coin. If she held the coins tightly, it is possible that she will still see four coins. Since you haven’t said what is supposed to happen, you would simply repeat the experiment. SPECTATOR’S COIN THROUGH THE TABLE: Using exactly the same type handling you will allow the spectator to drop three coins on the table. One will penetrate into your awaiting hand! This time you classic palm one coin and set the gaff exactly as before. Proceed as described above, placing apparently four coins on the spectator’s palm up left hand. This time you should position her hand about six inches above the table. Now, remove one of the four (actually three) coins with your right

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POWER PLAYS hand. (Remember, you have a coin already palmed in your right hand.) Move your right hand under the table, directly below the spectator’s hand. Extend your left hand palm up next to the spectator to demonstrate what she is to do. Say, “On the count of three I want you to turn your hand over like this and let the coins fall onto the table.” Suiting action to words, briskly turn your left hand palm downward. Now move your hand away for the big moment. Say, “Here we go.. One, two, three, GO.” When the spectator releases the coins, the flipper will flip back inside its coin. Only two coins will land on the table! Just when they hit you should release your coin, allowing it to land on the palmed coin making an audible clink. Your hands are nowhere near the place where the spectator’s coins hit. One of her coins has visibly vanished! Move your right hand into view from under the table showing two coins. Evidently, one of the spectator’s coins has penetrated the table visibly! DETAILS: The rubber bands provided with most flipper coins are designed to close the coin as fast as possible. They are not suitable for this application since their strength tends to cause the open flipper coin to begin to close a bit even when two other half dollars are positioned on top of it. Ron has found that the proper rubber band is the size 1/4” lite. These can be found at a dental supply house. There are two other important issues viz. (1) What sort of adhesive is best for keeping the insert from popping out? And (2) The adhesive must allow the coin to be opened for changing the rubber band. Ron recommends Quick Gel super glue as the best adhesive for this application. With Quick Gel the coins can be dropped without popping open and yet you can force the insert out for the purpose of changing the band. Ron says that any Gel type super glue will do. WARNING: DO NOT use a liquid type super glue or you won’t be able to get the insert out to change the rubber band. In a pinch Ron uses double stick tape, however there is a higher risk that the coin will come apart when it’s dropped on the table. As mentioned above the Lassen and Schoolcraft flippers can be made so that they will lay flat on the spectator’s hand. Both of these coin smiths use double sided carpet tape to stick the insert into the shell. If you perform the coins through table described above, it’s best to have the spectator drop the coins on a close up pad or at least a table cloth. This will minimize the force on the coin and prevent it from popping open or becoming damaged. FINAL THOUGHTS: This is one of the most magical looking items I have seen in a long time. Try this one out and see the totally blown away expressions on your spectators. It’s truly a reputation maker. Try playing with a flipper coin with a shell on it. Now you can end your coins across routine by making the last coin end up in the spectator’s hand via the shell (see David Roth’s coins across using a shell). The finale would be the routine described above where a coin travels from the spectator’s hand to yours under the most impossible conditions. Also, if you know the muscle pass, you can perform John Cornelius’ visible coins through glass table top with the spectator dropping the coins! Yipes!

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TEN TO ONE

Dave Blaine’s use of the Raven to vanish a coin from a spectator’s open hand got me digging through my box of tricky coins. While on that treasure hunt I found a steel shimmed penny shell. Hmmm.... EFFECT: A spectator is asked for a dime and a penny to be used in a magical experiment. The dime is held in the magician’s closed fist while the penny is visible on the spectator’s open palm. The magician merely waves his other hand over the penny, which is now seen to have become the dime! The magician opens his fist to reveal that the missing penny is there. REQUISITES: A steel shimmed penny shell (available at many magic stores), a small Rare Earth magnet (the one I use is about 1/4 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch thick) and a blob of Stick-Tack or equivalent. (This is the clay-like stuff sold to mount posters on the wall.) SET-UP: The magnet is wrapped in a chunk of stick tack so that it is completely covered with the material. It is important that none of the magnet is exposed since the Stick-Tack material will cushion the impact of the shell when it jumps off the dime to the magnet making for a silent arrival. The StickTack is stuck to the right palm and the penny shell is clipped between the right 1st and 3rd fingers as shown in figure 1. ROUTINE: The borrowed dime and penny are held in the left hand. Pick up the dime in the right hand leaving the penny in the left and move the dime such that it is partly in the shell (figure 2). Your right thumb can completely hide the shell, allowing you to cleanly turn both hands palm up showing the borrowed coins. The Kaps Subtlety is used to hide the Stick-Tack on the right palm. Now your right hand ostensibly places the dime into the left hand with the penny. Actually, the right thumb pulls the dime into the shell (quietly) and pretends to place it on the palm of the left hand. The right hand, still holding the shelled dime, now moves to the location of the penny (right next to where the dime was supposedly placed) and pretends to pick up the penny, actually coming away with the

erdnasemagicstore.com Fig. 1 Fig. 2 179

POWER PLAYS shelled dime as the left hand closes to hide the real penny. Do this as you say, “I’ll keep the dime here. You get the penny.” Tell the spectator to extend her hand, open and palm up. Place the shelled dime onto the open palm of the spectator and tell her to keep her hand flat and open so that everyone can see clearly. Now for the magic. Say, “Watch the penny closely.” You want to be sure everyone is watching at the big moment. You now wave your right hand over the spectator’s hand causing the shell to jump to the magnet. The Stick-Tack, cushions the impact of the shell, making it nearly silent. Keep your hand as flat as possible so no concealed gizmo is suspected. You may find that the shell doesn’t jump on the first pass. That’s o.k. Just do it again until it jumps. (Be sure that the magnet is passing over the shell!) CLEANING UP: I recommend putting a flat refrigerator type magnet in your back right pocket. Now, to clean up, just bring the magnet in your right hand near the right back pocket. The Rare Earth magnet will be attracted to the refrigerator magnet and stick to your back pocket. This allows you to show both hands empty immediately after the transposition. You have a huge moment of misdirection just as you open your left hand to show that the penny is there. This is the moment to dump the magnet and shell. Obviously any metallic object in your back pocket will work. However, I have found that the Rare Earth magnet is so strong that it tends to make noise when it jumps to a metallic object. The refrigerator magnet doesn’t create as strong an attraction but does prevent noise. It’s also easier to pull the magnet free when the refrigerator magnet is used. FINAL THOUGHTS: I think this sequence is more magical than that created through the use of a pen with a magnet to grab the shell since nothing actually touches the spectator or the coin. When a pen hits the coin who knows what you might be able to do. It seems that you could do nothing as your hand merely passes over the spectator’s palm.... An interesting alternative to Stick-Tack is a ring with a magnet in it. The size of the rare earth magnets these days makes this quite feasible. Even a small rare earth magnet will pick up the shell. Many rings are wide enough to conceal a small magnet. Also, there used to be a commercially available ring with a magnet built in. I’m not sure if they are still available. If you use a ring, you will have to solve the noise problem. There are many possible solutions....

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TARNEX

TARNEX is a way to create a gaffed coin that will allow you to perform a Copper/Silver type routine using borrowed objects! I really enjoy performing David Roth’s Copper/Silver routine. It’s a classic. It uses a standard copper/silver coin with a British Penny on one side and a half dollar on the other. Unfortunately, neither of these coins would normally be carried by an average American. I had a special coin made up with a quarter on one side and a half penny on the other. Now at least I can ask to borrow a quarter. Unfortunately, I then must introduce a “strange” coin viz. the normal British half penny. Not only is it an unknown coin, it’s mine as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to borrow everything from a spectator and then return the items? Enter TARNEX. What you need is the equivalent of a Copper/Silver coin that matches coins an average American would carry. What about a heavily tarnished penny and a bright shiny penny! You should be able to find one of each in a group of two or three people. Now you need the gaff: The TARNEX gaff: All you need is a heavily tarnished penny and some Tarnex or an equivalent metal cleaning chemical. Polish just one side of the penny being careful not to get any of the chemical on the opposite side. Use a Q-tip to get into the cracks and crevices of the coin and make it shine on one side. You now have the extra coin needed in most Copper/Silver routines and it cost nothing! Admittedly, the small size of the penny is a liability in a C/S routine. Nonetheless, any routine using this gaff in place of the half dollar/British penny gaff will have an impromptu feel. You can borrow the props and then return them. Obviously it must be played very close for the pennies to have any presence at all. Give it a try - I think you will find that the small size is less of a liability than it seems. FINAL THOUGHTS: Look up David Roth’s Standup Copper/Silver Classic in COINMAGIC p. 46 (Kaufman 1981). I think it was also published in his early lecture notes. The only move needed is the palm to palm change, also taught in the Kaufman books. It is the ideal use of the TARNEX gaff. Look it up and give it a try. Also see Twice Told Tails later in this chapter for a description of this move.

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MATRIX REVERSE SURPRISE

EFFECT: Four half dollars are positioned in the familiar Matrix formation. One by one the coins dematerialize and rematerialize at one corner until all four are found at a single corner. The magician offers to reverse the process but in an unusual way. He then causes three of the halves to disappear one at a time. However, when the cards are removed, the coins beneath are found to have changed. One is a Chinese coin with a hole through the center (a real one); one is an American quarter (much smaller than a half); the last one is found to be an English Penny - a copper coin. REQUISITES: You will need a Chinese type coin i.e. one with a hole through the center; an American quarter or any coin of similar size; a copper/silver coin showing a half dollar on one side and an English penny on the other; a normal English penny; an expanded half dollar shell and two half dollars. Most magicians will have these props “in stock.” Any good magic store will be able to supply a copper/silver coin and the expanded half dollar shell. A coin shop will have suitable coins to use where the Chinese coin and quarter are called for. If you substitute, be sure to use a coin with a hole through its center and one that is obviously smaller than a half dollar for the “Chinese” and “quarter” respectively. PREPARATION: Stack the coins as follows: From the bottom up - normal English Penny; copper/silver coin (C/S) silver side up; normal half dollar; normal half dollar; quarter with expanded shell over it. Stacked in this fashion, the coins will appear to be a stack of four half dollars sitting on an English Penny. Place the Chinese coin on top and place the stack of coins in a coin purse. ROUTINE: Remove four similar cards e.g. kings from the deck and place them on the table. Now remove the coin purse from your pocket as you say, “Let me show you something wild with four cards and four coins.” Under cover of the purse, secretly classic palm the Chinese coin and then openly bring the stack of four half dollars into view. (Note: If you have trouble secretly palming the Chinese coin, simply begin with it in your right jacket pocket and position the coin purse in your left pocket. Now both hands can enter the pockets as though trying to locate the purse. Just palm the coin in your right pocket and begin.) Leave the normal English Penny hidden in the coin purse and table it just to the left of the close up pad. You have apparently just removed four half dollars from a purse and tabled the purse. Place the top coin (shelled quarter) at inner right; the next coin (normal half) at inner left; the 3rd coin (normal half) at outer left; and the last coin (C/S) at outer right. The Chinese coin remains hidden in classic palm in the right hand where it will remain for the entire first phase of the routine. Pick up the four kings and display them face up as you say, “I’ll use the four kings to cover the half dollars for a moment.” Turn them face down and fan them. Now, in order to get one ahead for the normal Matrix phase, you will use a steal attributed to Shigeo Takagi. (Note: Shigeo’s Matrix routine is a great repeat for Schneider’s “classic.” It has an entirely different feel.)

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MATRIX REVERSE SURPRISE THE STEAL: You will now get one ahead as you cover the four half dollars with the four cards. You will steal the coin at inner left and add it to the coin at inner right. Turn to your left so that the long edges of the cards are parallel to the table’s edge. Now bring the fan of cards over the coin at inner left. The coin is positioned under the bottom card of the fan. The left fingers push down on the left side of the half dollar, causing its right edge to lever up a bit. This allows the right fingers to contact the coin and pull it under the spread. It appears that the left fingers have held the card in place as the right hand moves the other three cards away. Actually you steal the coin in the process. Figure 1 shows the steal in progress.

Fig. 1

The remaining three cards are now brought over the coin at inner right. This time the hidden coin is placed to the right of the shelled quarter as the top card of the remaining three is used to cover the coin at inner right. The right hand comes away with the two remaining cards and covers the outer two coins using a similar action for consistency. It appears that you have merely covered each of the four coins with a card. Note: Since all cards are oriented with their long edges running from left to right, you can keep your right palm turned inward all the time so that the coin hidden there is not spotted. You should be nearly facing the left side of the table during this sequence. This will insure that the back of your right hand faces outward and no flash of the Chinese coin occurs. You now perform the classic Matrix effect as follows: Say, “If I push down on one of the coins it will dematerialize into a stream of atoms that move over to here and reassemble.” (Note: The idea of dematerializing and reassembling is important to the “logic” of the ending.) Use your left fingers to push down on the card at outer left. Then perform the Dingle/Schneider pickup move with the left hand at outer left while the right hand picks up the card at inner right. The coin will appear to have been transported from outer left to inner right. Get one ahead again by placing the card (and coin) held in the left hand over the two coins at inner right. Be sure that the new coin doesn’t clink against either of the coins already there. This coin should be positioned below the shelled quarter this time. This leaves space below the real half, which is to the right of the shelled quarter. (Note: I generally transfer the coin from left hand to right hand as I show both sides of the cards. This allows me to put the same card back at inner right. Matrix aficionados will have their own ideas. Also note that the nature of the pickup move allows your right hand to always remain palm inward. ) The right hand places its card face up at outer left. Now say, “I’ll do it again.” This time your right hand goes to outer right, presses down and then performs the pickup move as your left hand picks up the card at inner right again. Apparently the coin has dematerialized and rematerialized at inner right. Get one ahead again by placing the right hand’s card and coin over the three at inner right. Again make sure that the hidden coin goes next to the others and doesn’t touch any of them. (This last coin is the C/S.) Once the right hand is clear, the left hand places its card face up at outer right. Again, Matrix fans will have other ways of playing out this sequence. Now, to finish the first phase, your left hand presses on the card at inner left and then performs the same action used when doing the pickup move. The right hand picks up the card at inner right showing that the third coin has

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POWER PLAYS arrived. The left hand holds its card momentarily as the right hand places its card to the far right and out of play (off the pad). Now the left hand places its card face up at the inner left. This completes phase one and gets you set for the reversal. (You still have the Chinese coin classic palmed in your right hand.) THE REVERSAL: The right hand now picks up the four coins at inner right one by one and places them in an overlapping row on the left palm as follows: First put the shelled quarter at the base of the left fingers. Follow this with the two normal halves and then the C/S coin. (Note: You should know where each of these is since the shelled quarter hasn’t changed its position and the C/S coin was the last to arrive.) Display these on the left palm for a moment as you say, “Three coins have dematerialized and traveled. Now I’ll reverse the process.” Now the right hand picks up all four “halves” simultaneously, leaving the quarter on the left fingers. The left hand turns palm inward and takes the quarter into a finger palm. Obviously it must not be seen yet. The right hand places the four coins in a nonoverlapping row at the inner right. Now, as you say “These coins all began under the cards”, you will load both the Chinese coin and the quarter under the cards on the left side of the pad as follows: The left hand picks up the face up card at outer left with thumb underneath and fingers on top. The finger palmed quarter is now held against the face of the card. The right hand moves over the face up card at inner left in readiness to load the Chinese coin. Here are the details: First the right 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers curl inward leaving the 1st finger extended. The Chinese coin is released and allowed to fall on these fingers. This all occurs as the right hand is moving toward the card at inner left. (Note: The card is oriented with its long edge running from left to right.) The right thumb pushes at the inner long edge, causing the outer long edge to lever up. This allows the extended right first finger to reach over the outer long edge and pull the card to a vertical position with its inner long edge still touching the pad. The right thumb now moves out of the way allowing the card to rotate around the 2nd finger. The right thumb now contacts the back of the card and presses it against the coin at the right fingertips bringing the back of the card into view and completely covering the coin at the right fingertips. Figure 2 shows this action in progress. The card and coin are now gripped between the right 1st finger on top and 2nd finger below. This very casual grip seems to preclude the presence of anything except a single card. The card with coin beneath is tabled at inner left using the most casual handling possible so as to not arouse suspicion. While this is happening, the left hand turns palm upward, turning its card face down and loading the quarter under the card. This card is tabled face down at outer left. You are now two ahead and your right hand is finally clean! Finally, your right hand turns the card at outer right face down in place. Now all three cards Fig. 2 are face down. STATUS CHECK: At inner right are a shell and three half dollars that the spectators believe are the four coins used in the routine. Under the card at inner left is a Chinese coin. At outer left is a quarter and at outer right a face down card with nothing beneath it. Pick up one of the normal halves and place it on the palm up left hand. Place the shell partially overlapping this coin. (Be careful not to make any “shell noise” here.) Now the left hand carefully closes, causing the shell to nest over the half there. Squeeze as you say, “I’ll cause one of the halves to dematerialize into separate atoms again and go back under its card.” Open the left hand showing a single

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MATRIX REVERSE SURPRISE half dollar. Be sure that both hands are seen to be otherwise empty. The “vanish” is so clean that you want it to be clear that you are not concealing anything. Now place the shelled half dollar next to the other two on the pad and gesture at the card at inner left making it again clear that you aren’t concealing anything anywhere. Say, “It has rematerialized but in an unusual way. I’ll show you in a second.” Pick up the normal half dollar in the right hand and perform any Pass which makes it appear to have been placed into the left hand but leaves it classic palmed in the right. Now pick up the C/S coin and perform a Click Pass as you apparently drop it into the left hand too. This causes the real half dollar to end in your left hand and puts the C/S into classic palm in the right. (Note: The copper side must be against your palm for the final load. If your thumb lifts the C/S coin at its inner edge as you pick it up, this will occur automatically.) The spectators believe you to have two half dollars in your left hand. Move the left hand over the card at outer left and squeeze. Now open the left hand showing a single half dollar. The right hand takes this half dollar and places it next to the shelled half on the pad using the Kaps’ Subtlety to conceal the C/S coin in Classic Palm while apparently showing the hand empty. The fact that the first vanish was so utterly clean allows this one to seem just as clean as the first. Say, “There goes the 2nd coin.” You have indicated that the vanished coins are under the cards but haven’t shown anything yet and the spectators are getting curious. You now will pick up the card at outer right and load the C/S coin copper side up as follows: Say, “One more coin - one more card.” As these words are spoken, your left hand picks up the shelled half dollar at its fingertips. Simultaneously your right hand flips the card at outer right face up and then immediately performs the loading sequence described above. This loads the C/S, copper side up as the card is turned face down at outer right. You are now way, way ahead! STATUS CHECK: The spectators see three face down cards and one half dollar on the pad. You are holding the other half at the fingertips of your left hand. You have led the spectators to believe that the two missing half dollars are beneath the cards at inner and outer left. Actually all cards have coins beneath them but none of the coins are half dollars. You are set for the big ending. ENDING: The left hand now places the shelled coin in Classic Palm position on the right palm as you say, “One last coin to go.” (Be sure that the opening of the shell is toward your palm. Otherwise the half may fall out of the shell as you execute the next move. Execute a coin Pass that leaves the shelled coin classic palmed in the right hand while seeming to place it in the left. Now move the left hand over the card at outer right and squeeze as you say, “Squeezing causes the atoms to come apart, fall through the card and reassemble underneath.” Open your left hand showing that the coin has disappeared. All attention is now on the cards. Say, “The atoms don’t have to reassemble in their original shape. Look...” Now, using the most open possible handling, turn over all three cards one by one. Seeing the different shapes and colors will really blow the spectators away. Toss the three cards aside leaving a clear picture of four totally different coins on the pad. Pause for a couple of beats and then pick up the Chinese coin with the right hand showing both sides and say, “Look - this one reassembled as a coin with a hole through the center.” Now pick up the quarter at outer left and say, “This one reassembled into a smaller denser coin.” Finally, pick up the C/S coin with the left hand as you say, “This one is a bit bigger and lighter.” You may want to do a false turnover to “show” both sides for consistency. CLEANUP: (1) One way to clean up is to place the C/S coin into the purse and then drop the shelled half to the fingertips of the right hand. Then, as an afterthought, reach back into the purse, leaving the shelled half and come out with the normal English Penny. You can then hand it to a spectator and say, 185

POWER PLAYS “You might want to look at this unusual coin..” You can then hand the other two coins to other spectators, satisfying their curiosity. (2). Collect the coins and display the four of them one final time on the left palm. Now you can add the shelled half as the coins are placed back in the purse. The normal English Penny is there if someone asks to see it. The important point is to cancel any notion of double sided coins. This is obvious already. If you are self conscious, you can unload the shelled half under the cards as they are removed from play at the end. This frees your hands but makes cleaning up a bit messier. VARIATIONS: The fact that one coin cannot be examined at the end is a weakness in the routine that can be solved is a couple of ways. Unfortunately another switch adds to the complexity of the handling. I perform it as described above. But for those who want a cleaner ending, here are a couple of ideas: (1) Position the normal English penny under the coin purse at the beginning. Then, at the end, you can pick up the purse with penny hidden below and do a Han Ping Chien type switch by allowing the real penny to drop as you apparently dump the penny from your left hand. You can then cover the C/S coin in your left hand with the purse as you collect the coins. This ending isn’t too complex but I don’t really think it increases the magic - only the work. (2) Another way to end with four examinable coins is to begin with the normal English penny Classic Palmed in the left hand and the Chinese coin palmed in the right. You won’t need the C/S coin this time but you’ll have two objects to get out of play at the end viz. a shelled half and a normal half. A method constructed on this basis has the advantage of having three normal coins loaded under the cards at the end. Advanced coin workers may prefer to pursue this method. I prefer the original method because your hands are seen empty frequently. This is important in a routine where objects appear to vanish FINAL THOUGHTS: You might find the opening steal of the half dollar to be easier if the four cards are reverse spread with the top card on the left instead of the right. If you have trouble with the steal as written, try this.

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EXPANDING EXPENDITURE

EFFECT: At the end of a coin routine the magician takes a half dollar and displays it on his right palm. The hand is turned over, causing the coin to drop to the pad. On the way to the pad, the coin visibly grows into a giant coin (nearly 4”). The giant coin then vanishes and reappears inside the magician’s jacket. The coin disappears a second time. This time the coin is found in the jacket but it has become normal sized again. The regular coin is again dropped onto the pad and again visibly becomes big! REQUIREMENTS: A regular half dollar and a giant half dollar. These are sold my most magic dealers. The giant coin is placed into your left front pants pocket with tail side outward. You must be wearing a jacket to perform the routine. METHOD: Let’s assume that you have just performed a coin routine using several coins. The sequence is made more natural if you have a coin purse that belongs in the left front pocket. In this case, put all coins back in the purse except one half dollar. Hand the coin to the spectator on your right as you say, “Have you ever seen a magic coin?” As the coin is being examined, your left hand returns the coin purse to the left front pocket and cops the giant half dollar. The half dollar is gripped as shown in figure 1. The left hand remains in a rest position with the fingers curled around the jumbo coin as the right hand reaches toward the spectator to re-take the coin. The normal coin is maneuvered into classic palm position on the right hand with the tail side showing. Say, “Have you ever heard of ‘inflation?’” You are now going to perform Allan Hayden’s “Jumbo Coin Jumbo” from Apocalypse No. 6, 1979. To wit:

Fig. 1

The half dollar is tail side up on the palm up right hand. The left 1st finger opens and touches the half dollar on the palm of the right hand. Use the left first finger to press the coin into classic palm position. (The giant coin remains hidden in the left hand throughout the pointing sequence.)

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Now the left hand moves to a position about 6” from the right hand in readiness for the change. Both hands are about 6 to 8 inches above the pad. Say, “Now you’ve seen it.” (referring to “inflation”) as you execute the following action. The right hand begins to turn palm down as though turning the half 187

POWER PLAYS dollar head side up on the pad. Actually, the half is maintained in classic palm position during the turnover. Simultaneously the left hand begins to release the giant coin in the following way: Do not fully open the left fingers and allow the coin to fall. Instead, you want the coin to rotate 180 degrees around the left fingertips (which are still partially closed around the coin). Your left hand must also move away to the left as this is happening. The giant coin will make a half turn as it falls. The right hand contacts the giant coin as it is falling and finally reaches the position of figure 2. The right hand now moves aside while you pause for a beat, allowing the change to be appreciated. Pick up the coin using the right hand and hand it to a spectator for a quick examination. You can also do the “rubber coin” bit if you are careful not to flash the palmed half dollar in the right hand.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

PHASE 2: Take the Jumbo coin back from the spectator. You are about to make it vanish using an Al Schneider move. The coin is held between the right thumb and1st and 2nd fingers as shown in figure 3. Now the left hand moves over as though to take the coin. The left fingers point upward and the back of the hand is toward the spectators. Now, just as the left thumb moves toward the left palm as though to take the coin, the right 2nd finger moves inward, sliding along the thumb, in an action similar to that used when “snapping” your fingers. This action forces the Jumbo coin to rotate into a position, parallel to the floor and slide out of view behind the right hand. Figure 4 shows the final positions of both hands. (N.B. You will have to turn toward your left as you perform these actions since the jumbo coin protrudes quite a bit toward the rear and would be visible to the spectator on your far left side. Also, be careful not to make contact with the coin palmed in the right hand.) I generally say, “A coin like this cannot be real” as the vanish is performed. During his “Flurious” sequence, Gary Kurtz says, “And now for a bit of visual stimulation.” This basically means, “Just kick back and watch some wild stuff happen.” Now the left hand moves a bit to the left and makes an upward tossing motion. The coin has vanished. Look upward as though following the flight of the invisible coin. Now move the right hand inside the left side of your jacket, directly over your heart. Under cover of the jacket, use the right 3rd finger to push the hidden jumbo coin back to its original position between the right thumb and 1st and 2nd fingers. Immediately pull the right hand from the jacket, showing that the coin has returned. The normal half dollar remains palmed throughout this sequence.

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EXPANDING EXPENDITURE Repeat the vanish sequence using the Schneider vanish described above. Again move the right hand under the left side of your coat. This time, under cover of the coat, drop the jumbo coin into your left sleeve. Your left arm is bent at the elbow, causing the coin to stop at the elbow. As the right hand begins to withdraw as before, the classic palmed normal coin is moved to the same position the jumbo coin previously occupied viz. held between the right thumb and 1st and 2nd fingers. Apparently the jumbo coin has returned to its normal size. Say, “There - it’s back to normal again.” Hold the coin at the finger tips of both hands and extend both arms. This allows the jumbo coin in the left sleeve to loosen in readiness to drop to the left hand. Now, drop the left arm to your side as you turn to your left and show the normal half dollar to the spectator there. Your left fingers must be curled inward so that the jumbo coin will find its final resting place in your left hand and not on the floor! Turning to the left allows you to keep your left hand out of view as the coin arrives. The jumbo coin is now in the same position it was in at the beginning of the routine and is ready to be switched in using the Hayden move described above. Turn to the spectator on your right as you maneuver the normal half dollar again into classic palm position on the right palm. Perform the Hayden change again causing the normal coin to grow as you say, “Most people prefer the big one.” CLEANING UP: Pause a beat or two and then place the jumbo coin back into the left pocket. Bring out the coin purse and open it with the right hand. Now look into the purse as you allow the classic palmed coin to drop to the right fingertips. Reach into the purse with the right hand as though to remove one of the coins. Instead remove the right hand with the formerly palmed coin in view. It seems that it was removed from the purse. Say, “The only problem is that the big one doesn’t fit in the purse with these!” This sequence cleans up and resets everything. ALTERNATE CLEAN-UP: You can alternately perform the Schneider vanish and again drop the jumbo in the left sleeve emerging with the normal coin. This time the jumbo is allowed to fall into the left hand which then goes into the left pocket leaving the jumbo and obtaining the purse. The normal coin is placed into the purse and you are reset and clean.

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POWER PLAYS Feint 2: Close both hands performing the Palm Change in the right hand. This time the coin in the left hand must be flipped over. If you begin with the coin at the fingertips of the left hand it is easy to insure that the coin is reversed as the left hand closes and turns palm downward. The Palm Change has switched a head for the tail in the right hand. Open both hands to the position of figure 5 and say, "See - the coin with the tail has come here while the head has gone there." Pause for a beat and say "I realize that you may still not believe that anything unusual is happening. You probably think that I just flipped the two coins over." Openly flip the coin in the left hand over making it clear that it has a head on one side and a tail on the other. Now openly switch the two coins taking the normal coin at the right fingertips and placing the gaff onto the left fingertips. As you openly exchange the coins say, "You can't be sure that they actually changed places like this. This time I'll prove it." The Real Stuff: Close both hands as before, again performing the Palm Change in the right hand. Open both hands and say "I've done it! This time I sent the head from this coin here and the tail from that coin over here. Really!" The spectators won't understand what you mean until you show them clearly that one coin now has a head on both sides while the other has a tail on both sides! ENDING 1: You can hand the coins out for examination to strengthen the magic. Be sure to give the coins to two different people since most double headed or tailed coins sound tinny when they clink together. You can end here and simply take back the gaffs and put them away. ENDING 2: The coins can be restored to normal at the end. Remember, you have the normal quarter classic palmed in the right hand. When the two gaffed coins are returned, pick up one in each hand and hold them at the fingertips in readiness to perform the Palm Change. Say, "If I give them one more squeeze something wild happens." Squeeze both coins as before using the Palm Change to switch back the normal coin into the right hand. Place both coins side by side on the pad but orient the normal coin to match the gaffed coin. Thus the two visible coins are either both heads or both tails. Say, "Look they've been returned to normal." Now pick up the normal coin in the left hand and the gaff in the right. Display them at the fingertips. The spectators see the same side showing which indicates that indeed they have returned to normal. To solidify this illusion, perform the following actions: Say, "See, each coin has a head (tail) on this side and a tail (head) on this side." Suiting action to words you appear to show the opposite side of each coin. The left hand actually turns its coin over cleanly since it is the normal coin. The right hand performs the actions of the Palm Change as it apparently turns its coin over. In the end, the formerly palmed gaff is placed on the table and the spectators are convinced that both coins have returned to normal. (Note: The left hand should imitate the actions of the right hand during this turning over sequence. The Palm Change will appear as a natural action in the turnover process.) To end, the right hand picks up the gaffed coin and deposits both that coin and the palmed gaff in the right jacket pocket. The left hand places the normal quarter in the left pocket after turning it cleanly one more time to solidify the notion that the coins are now normal. This places the coins where they began and allows you to immediately repeat the effect during restaurant or walk around work. FINAL THOUGHTS: There are many ways to change the coins back to normal at the end using more sophisticated techniques. The advanced coin worker will devise his own method. It should be noted that one of the quarters can be borrowed since there is one normal quarter in the routine. If you borrow the quarter, you may have to be careful when you hand out the gaffs. The spectator may feel justified in keeping what she believes to be her quarter.

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VARIATION: It is possible to obtain almost the same effect using only one double headed quarter. In 192

TWICE TOLD TAILS this variation you go to your pocket and classic palm the double headed quarter in your right hand. Your hand comes out, apparently empty as you say, "Can I borrow two quarters?" Holding one quarter in each hand, repeat the actions of Feint 1 and Feint 2 above. Finally, exchange the gaff for the real quarter via the Palm Change. This leaves you with a normal quarter in the left hand (make sure it ends up tails side upward) and a double headed quarter in the right. You must make it seem that the quarter in the left hand has a tail on both sides. Here's how: Hold the left hand palm upward about 3 inches above the table. The quarter must be near the fingertips and a bit to the right of center. A tail is showing. Say, "A tail on this side." You will apparently turn the coin over onto the pad. Actually the coin will remain tails side up as it reaches the pad. To achieve this, your left hand merely drops a small amount just as it begins to turn over. The coin will begin to fall and your left hand sort of rotates around the coin, never actually touching it as it drops to the table. Your hand ends up over the coin. Immediately the left hand moves away as you say, "And a tail on this side." These actions may arouse some suspicion. However, when you cleanly show a head on both sides of the coin in the right hand, the suspicion is canceled. This variation has an advantage in that both coins can be borrowed and returned. The disadvantage lies in the fact that the supposedly double tailed coin cannot be examined and that makes it difficult to have the double header examined. I prefer using two gaffed coins and allowing them to be examined at the end. The magical effect is increased dramatically when the spectators actually hold and examine the "strange" coins. There is also merit to placing one or both coins in the spectator's hand(s) for the final 50% transposition. You can tell the spectator that she will "feel" the coins transpose etc...I sometimes have the spectator hold one of the coins throughout the routine under the premise that the coin in my hand will trade places with the one in your hand ... FURTHER READING: I learned the Palm Change from Kaufman's COINMAGIC page 6. David Roth's handling can be found on page 12 of Expert Coin Magic. All aspiring coin workers should learn the "Palm Change." It’s a fundamental coin sleight.

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PUSHING TWO QUARTERS

by John West This is John West’s version of Daryl’s Two Quarters, from Impromptu Magic #1 (Stevens). Daryl squeezes two quarters into a half and stops there. John takes it a bit further by splitting the half into quarters at the end. John has also added a nice patter theme involving a retirement plan in which the employer matches money that the employee invests in the plan. The routine is best performed standing, with your audience around you. REQUISITES: You will need to have a quarter and a half dollar in your right pants or jacket pocket. ROUTINE: Remove the quarter from your pocket, displaying it openly. John’s patter is about the retirement plan where he works. Show the quarter around as you say “If I save, say, a quarter..” At this point perform your “favorite” coin pass, pretending to toss the coin from your right hand into your left. Continue with “The company will match it with a quarter of their own.” Now, as your right hand returns to its pocket supposedly to get another quarter, you must classic palm the half dollar and exit the pocket with the quarter at your finger tips. One way to accomplish this is to simply enter the pocket with the quarter in classic palm and pick up the half at the fingertips. Then, once the hand clears the pocket, you execute a Palm to Palm change, switching the two coins. You could also just drop the quarter into the pocket, classic palm the half and then pick up the quarter before exiting the pocket. Either way, you finally show a “second” quarter at your fingertips. STATUS CHECK: Your empty left hand is closed. Supposedly it holds a quarter. You have a half dollar in classic palm in your right hand and a quarter is openly displayed at the right fingertips. Perform a Click Pass, supposedly dropping the right hand’s quarter onto the quarter supposedly in the left hand. Actually, the half dollar ends up in the left hand. (Briefly: The half falls from classic palm onto the quarter held at fingertip rest in the right hand and bounces into the left hand. The sound made is to be interpreted as the quarter from the right hand landing on the quarter supposedly in the left hand.) Look at the closed left hand as you say, “When your money and the company’s money are put together, they call it a ‘lump sum’.” Open your left hand revealing the half dollar. This is the end of the first phase. Pause for a beat and let the magic sink in. 194

erdnasemagicstore.com Fig. 1

PUSHING TWO QUARTERS As attention is on the half, the right hand drops to the side and moves the quarter into a Deep Back Clip. Briefly: The quarter is pushed flat onto the second phalanx of the 2nd finger (see figure 1) using the thumb. Note the position of the 3rd and 4th fingers in the illustration. The edge of the coin will start to fall between the 2nd and 3rd fingers. When this occurs, you can open your hand leaving the coin clipped between the 3rd and 4th fingers. See figure 2 for the final position (bottom view). John uses the Deep Back Clip. I prefer to use the Goshman Pinch. Figures 3 and 4 show the key positions just before and after the clip in the Goshman Pinch. Either way, you end up with your apparently empty right hand palm up and in view.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

The left hand now dumps the half dollar onto the palm up right hand. This clearly sells the idea that no other coins are in play. The palm up left hand goes underneath the right hand as in figure 5 allowing the clipped quarter to fall onto the left fingertips. Its presence is hidden by the right fingers. Now place your right thumb over the half dollar. You will apparently dump the half dollar on the left palm and then close the fingers of the left hand into a fist. Actually, your right thumb holds the half dollar in place as you pretend to dump it onto the left hand. As the right hand is turning palm down, your left fingers close, hiding the presence of the quarter. It is an easy matter to now move the half dollar into a right hand Finger Palm. This leaves your right index finger extended while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers are curled in, maintaining the half dollar in the Finger Palm.

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Use your right 1st finger and thumb to reach into the closed, palm up (but closed) left hand and pull the quarter into view. Say, “If you decide to take your money out of the Matching Fund, do you know what happens?” As you are finishing this line, place the quarter back into your right pocket and drop the half dollar into the pocket as well before bringing your empty right hand back into view. (Be careful not to let the two coins talk. Supposedly there is just one coin in the pocket now.) 195

POWER PLAYS The spectators will believe that the “2nd quarter” is in your still closed left hand. Finish the previous line with “The company takes back its money” as you open your left hand showing that nothing remains. You are clean and re-set! FINAL THOUGHTS: Daryl used the pretense of removing a lighter from his pocket and ‘heating’ the quarters as a way to ditch the single quarter. He ended with the half dollar in view. John has devised a way to avoid the necessity of carrying a lighter and still end clean. You also have the reappearance of the quarter(s) and the subsequent disappearance of the last quarter. (I love the idea of vanishing something that never existed in the first place!) Sometimes John likes to load up someone with a quarter in their breast pocket before performing this trick. When the ‘second’ quarter disappears, it’s found in the spectator’s pocket!

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POWER PLAYS The spread is moved to the left hand. The right hand now removes the top card of the four as the right fingers pull the gaff under that card. The card and gaff are placed onto the quarter at upper right. (Obviously the gaff goes next to the quarter so no contact is made.) The card is positioned sideways (i.e. with long axis horizontal) with the gaff to the right of the quarter. (figure 2) The three card packet is now reverse spread and held by the right hand - thumb on top, fingers beneath. In other words, the top card of the packet is on the left side of the spread. The entire packet is moved down onto the coin at inner left with the leftmost card (top card) positioned on top of the coin. The left fingers push down on the left edge of card causing the right side of the quarter to lever up a bit. This allows the right fingers to contact the quarter and pull it away with the two remaining cards as the top card remains in place over the space formerly occupied by the quarter. This is the “steal” used by Shigeo Takagi in his very cool matrix routine and is illustrated above in Matrix Reverse Surprise. The card is then rotated to a sideways orientation i.e. its long axis is horizontal.

Fig. 2

To finish the positioning of the cards, the right hand places a card with the stolen quarter at upper left. The card again has a sideways orientation as the hidden quarter goes to the right of the visible quarter. The last card is snapped for effect and is placed over the coin at inner right (oriented sideways). The situation is now - a) card with no coin at inner left b) card with two coins at outer left c) card with one coin and the three coin gaff at outer right d) card with one coin at inner right (figure 2).

TRANSPOSITION 1: Make a magical gesture over the card at inner left and flip it over showing that the coin has vanished. Table this card off the pad to the left. The left hand turns over the card at outer left and leaves it face up next to the two coins. Now the right hand moves to outer right while the left hand moves to inner right. The right hand performs the pickup move, lifting card and gaff at outer right while the left hand simply lifts the card at inner right. This clearly shows the positions of the four coins. Everything looks, as Racherbaumer says, “copacetic.” The right hand places its card with gaff back in position at outer right as the left hand places its card again at inner right. Be sure to position the normal quarter at outer right near the inner long edge of the card to facilitate the impending pickup move. Both hands are now free and move over the coins at outer left. The left hand picks up the card as the right hand moves the rightmost quarter to the left until it touches the other coin. The two coins should be side by side and touching. The left hand now places the card onto the two coins. Again the card’s axis is horizontal. It’s also important to position the quarters near the inner long edge of the card for the next pickup move. You should be able to just see the quarters at the edge of the card from your vantage point. The spectators should be unaware that the quarters are very close to the edge. TRANSPOSITION 2: This time you will lift the cards at outer right and outer left. The right hand performs the pick up move with the single coin, leaving the gaff in view. Just as the gaff comes into view and attention is on the outer right corner, the left hand must perform the pickup move at outer left, picking up BOTH COINS simultaneously. This isn’t as difficult as you may imagine. Remember, the coins are visible at the inner long edge. Your left 1st and 2nd fingers push down near the center of the card as your left thumb contacts the coins at the edge of the card. Your thumb must be nearly horizontal so that it can contact both quarters. Let your thumb ride under the card a bit until you feel that you’ve got both quarters under control. Continue by lifting the card (and coins) revealing that the two

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PROGRESSIVE MATRIX quarters have traveled. You’re going to have to reorient your right hand as follows: Remember, your right thumb is holding a coin against the face of its card. The right 1st and 2nd fingers are on top of the card. Move the right 2nd finger under the card and in contact with the coin there. This frees the right thumb and allows the card to be held by the 1st finger on top and 2nd finger below. The right thumb now moves on top, freeing the 1st finger which moves off the card entirely. The card (and coin) are now held by the right thumb on top and the right 2nd finger below. The card will naturally rotate 90 degrees during this action making its long axis vertical. In a continuing action the right hand uses the card to flip the face down card at inner right face up in front of the single coin there. Allow the spectators a moment to see the condition viz. Single coin at inner right - three coins at outer right. Continue to keep the right hand’s card and coin close to the coin at inner right. You’re now going to add three extra coins at inner right! The left hand (with card and coins) moves to outer right and gestures at the three coins. The right hand moves its card over the single coin at inner right and under cover of the card, allows the extra coin to drop to the right of the original coin. The left hand moves directly back from outer right to inner right in readiness to cover the coins at inner right. Just as the left hand’s card completely hides the coins at inner right, the right hand moves away to the right with its single card and tables it to the right of the pad. The left hand lays its card and the two hidden coins onto the two coins at inner right such that the two coins from the left hand are positioned below the two coins already there. (You are forced to position them correctly because of their closeness to the inner edge of the card.) TRANSPOSITION 3: This is the killer moment in the routine. Everyone knows what’s supposed to happen and they are watching like hawks. It’s obvious what to do - perform the pickup move on the gaff with the right hand at outer right while the left hand simply picks up the card at inner right revealing the four coins. This will blow your spectators out of their seats! How could three coins vanish with no apparent moves? ENDING: One of the nice features of this routine is that you end with four normal quarters on the pad and only one item to ditch. Just pick up the other three cards and go into your left jacket pocket with the four cards and gaff. Leave the gaff as your hand emerges with the deck. You’re clean and reset. CREDITS: This routine appeared in the June 1999 issue of MAGIC and also on The Second Deal board.

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CAPTAIN HOOK

The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings has always been on my top 10 list of cool books. I immediately gravitated to the card stuff and missed some of the excellent coin items therein. Eventually I discovered an item called The Hook. It immediately got into my performing repertoire. Over time I began to streamline the handling. In Jennings’ original there are a lot of transfers from hand to hand that I found could be eliminated. The routine below has been restructured so that the production of the coins at the beginning has total consistency of action and no extraneous set up moves. I’ve also structured the ending so that when the last coin is removed from the hook, you are totally clean and both hands can be shown to be truly empty. EFFECT: Same as Jennings’ The Hook. The performer introduces an invisible hook and hangs it in the air in front of him. Three invisible coins are introduced and hung on the hook. Each of these coins becomes visible in a very visual manner. Finally, the coins are made invisible one by one. REQUISITES: You’ll need two half dollars and an expanded half dollar shell. (You can use silver dollars if you prefer.) SET-UP: One half dollar is in your left jacket (or pants) pocket. A shelled half is in your right pocket. ROUTINE: Ask your spectators if anyone has ever seen an invisible hook. There is obvious comedy byplay that you can engage in here. The left hand now reaches into the left jacket (or pants) pocket and finger palms the half dollar. The left hand comes out, apparently empty, as the right hand goes into the right pocket to find the “hook.” The right hand emerges as though holding something - the hook! The invisible hook is briefly “displayed” and then hung in the air in front of you as you say, “This is the invisible hook. I’m going to hang it in the air right here.” Your left hand, with finger palmed coin, hangs at your side for the moment. At this point I often pick up a card with my right hand and say, “Do you know what happens if I hang this card on the invisible hook?” The expectation is that it may actually hang there. I mimic placing the card on the hook and then let go. As it flutters down I say, “Would have been cool though. (Pause a beat) The problem is that the card is visible. You can only hang invisible items on an invisible hook.” Reach into your right jacket pocket (leaving the shelled coin alone for the moment) and emerge with an “invisible coin.” Hold the invisible coin between the 1st finger and

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CAPTAIN HOOK thumb with the other fingers curled in as they will be when you finger palm the shelled coin later. This establishes the “normality” of this position. Show the “coin” around and then feign hanging it on the hook. Say, “Look - no problem with an invisible coin. It stays right there.” Repeat this with a second invisible coin. Now return to the right pocket, this time finger palming the shelled coin. The shell should be against the fingers. Because of this, you’ll have to use a tighter grip than usual to insure that the coin doesn’t fall from the shell. Again feign placing the invisible coin onto the hook. Your curled fingers will hide the presence of the coin (Ramsay Subtlety). See figure 1. Be sure you understand the angles involved with the Ramsay Subtlety! At this point your spectators don’t know if you’re just stringing them along or if something is going to happen. It’s time to make some strong magic! Say, “You may not believe these invisible coins are here. Let me prove it.” Reach up to the hook with your right hand and pretend to extract a coin. Again, the Ramsay Subtlety will prevent the premature exposure of the coin in the right hand. The bad angle for the Ramsay Subtlety is on the far left. You should turn to the person on your left and “show” him/her the coin. I generally say, “You can’t see this invisible coin, can you?” This person seems to have a clear view of your right hand. This sells the idea to everyone that your hand is empty. Actually the coin is hidden behind the curled fingers. You are now going to visibly make the coin become visible using Jennings’ original method. Begin with the back of the right hand toward the spectators. Begin to rotate the hand up and down. Don’t shake your arm. Simply rotate at the wrist. Once the rotation begins, place your thumb onto the shelled coin. On the third down stroke, push the coin to the fingertips and hold it there (figure 2). Perform one final up and down rotation and then stop, allowing the spectators to see that the coin has become visible. This is a very magical moment. Let it sink in for a couple of beats.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Once the coin has registered in the spectators’ minds, use the right thumb to pull the coin from the fingertips to the position of figure 3. This is done as the right hand is rotated to a palm up position to display the coin. The coin should only remain visible on the right palm for a moment since the shell is against the fingers. If the spectators are allowed to scrutinize the coin, they will notice that it looks abnormal. The right thumb remains on the coin to facilitate the impending switch. The palm down left hand moves near the right hand. Now both hands reverse their orientation - the left hand turning palm up as the right turns palm down above the left hand. The right hand momentarily covers the presence of the coin on the left hand. The right thumb prevents the right hand’s coin from moving. The right hand now moves to the right as its coin is again moved into finger palm. It will seem that the right hand has simply placed its coin onto the left palm. (This is the Shuttle Pass.) Allow the coin on the left

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POWER PLAYS hand to be seen for a couple of beats. (Check David Roth’s Expert Coin Magic for tips on the “Shuttle Pass.”) PRODUCTION OF COINS 2 and 3: Repeat the sequence with the right hand taking an invisible coin and shaking it until it becomes visible. The left hand remains palm up and open with its coin in full view during this sequence. The spectators see that a second coin has become visible at the right fingertips. Display both coins making it clear that the hands are otherwise totally empty. The right hand again pulls its coin to the position shown in figure 3. This time the shell will be gripped between the right 1st and 4th fingers. The right hand now moves over the left hand and turns palm downward allowing the real half to fall from the shell onto the coin in the left hand. The shell remains in the right hand and is immediately moved into a finger palm position as the coins on the left are bounced a bit for effect. The right hand repeats its production sequence a third time, this time producing the shell at the fingertips. The shell is now placed onto the two coins in the left hand. The three coins are arranged in an overlapping row with the shell closest to the fingertips and on top of the group of three. Pause for a moment or two to let this very magical sequence sink in. Remember, three coins have been produced from nowhere in a very clean manner. PHASE II - The Vanishes: The three coins are about to made invisible one by one. The shell makes this sequence seem like real magic. Say, “These coins are not going to stay visible for long.” Now the palm down right hand moves over the palm up left hand. The right fingertips completely cover the shell and begin to move it inward until it nests on the next half dollar. At this moment the right hand moves away allowing the right thumb to contact the fingertips as though holding a coin in place there. Since it’s clear that only two coins remain on the left hand, you must have a coin in the right hand! Blow on the “coin” and then pretend to hang it back on the hook. Your right hand is seen to be completely empty. Your spectators are experiencing some heavy astonishment at this moment!

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

The right hand now picks up the shelled half from the left hand in the position shown in figure 4. Note the position of the right thumb at the inner edge of the shell. A single coin is seen in each hand. You are about to get one of the halves out of play as follows: The right hand begins to move to the left. At this moment, the right thumb begins to lift the shell allowing it to pivot on the 1st finger. This leaves the real half resting on the 2nd and 3rd fingers. These fingers curl inward, taking the real half into a finger palm. (See figure 5.) During this action the right hand has been moving to the left. It now deposits the shell on top of the half in the left hand. The shell is not nested on the half but is overlapping it in readiness for the next vanish. You’ll need to turn a bit to the left during this sequence so the person sitting on your left doesn’t get a flash of the hidden coin.

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CAPTAIN HOOK As soon as the shell is in place, the right hand, with its hidden coin, moves to the hook as you say, “We don’t need this one any longer.” Pretend to take the invisible coin in the right hand. Again the Ramsay Subtlety makes the right hand seem empty. The right hand now goes into the right pocket to ditch the invisible coin. It leaves the real coin there and comes out empty. Repeat the previous sequence, using the right hand to nest the shell. Again pretend to hang an invisible coin on the hook making sure that your right hand is seen to be completely empty. Now take the shelled half, shell side up, onto the right fingers in readiness to finger palm the coin. Say, “One last visible coin” as you turn the right hand palm downward over the left hand. The coin goes into finger palm as the left hand closes as though holding the coin. The right hand immediately pretends to take the invisible coin from the hook. Again the coin is replaced into the right pocket where the shelled half is ditched. Be careful not to let the two coins “talk.” You are now completely clean but the spectators believe you hold a coin in the left hand! To end, the right hand reaches into the left hand and pretends to take the “coin” there. The left hand returns to a semi-closed position allowing the spectators to believe that you may have actually left the coin there. The right hand again feigns placing the invisible coin on the hook. Make sure that it is clear that the right hand is totally empty. Pause for a moment and then say, “I’d better not leave that coin hanging there. Someone may bump into it.” Pretend to take the invisible coin from the hook with your right hand. Make sure it is seen to be completely empty. Now say, “I’d better not leave that hook there either.” Reach up with your obviously empty left hand and take the “hook.” It is clear that both hands are empty. Place the hands into their respective pockets, supposedly getting rid of the coin and the hook. Take your bow. FINAL THOUGHTS: Larry used to end by picking up a real hook from his right pocket as the last coin was placed there. Then, at the end, the hook can be made visible. This is a great idea. He would give the hook to the spectator as a souvenir. I had a chance to hang out with Larry some years back when I was working at the Magic Castle. He was a great guy and a fantastic performing magician. On more thought: This effect can be used close up or from platform. However, from platform you should use silver dollars for greater visibility.

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MINIMALIST MATRIX

Working in restaurants has forced me to become a bit more practical. I do like to use a pad so I’m not placing cards directly onto the often moist table cloth. However, the full size pads are too much of an intrusion on the spectators’ space so I use one of the smaller variety. It’s about 7 by 12 inches. I love Matrix routines, but on the small pad the cards are very close together and I think this reduces the impact of the effect. Jason Alford and Doug Conn put an interesting Chink-A-Chink routine using a dime, a penny, a nickel and a quarter in Ken Simmons’ ONYX Magazine (April 1998 p. 20). I liked Jason’s idea of using four different coins that can be borrowed. Minimalist Matrix is nothing like the Alford/Conn routine but it got me thinking... EFFECT: The magician borrows a dime, a penny, a nickel and a quarter, which are then placed in the familiar Matrix formation. He removes four business cards from a small business card wallet. The coins are all turned tail side up as the magician explains that opposites attract and likes repel. Three of the coins are covered with business cards. The quarter is then turned head side up and covered with the remaining card. The magician lifts two of the cards, revealing that the nickel has joined the quarter. He explains that the quarter, now being head side up, will attract the other coins one by one. A Matrix type routine ensues, ending with all coins having joined the quarter. Finally, the quarter is turned tail side up again and the card is replaced on the four coins. The four cards are picked up as it is found that the quarter has now “repelled” the coins, which have returned to their starting points! REQUISITES: You’ll need a penny shell and a nickel shell. If you have a non-locking 21 Cent trick, you have what you need. SET-UP: You’ll need to nest the penny shell on a real dime and place the nickel shell over these two. This gaffus is placed under your business cards in a plastic business card wallet. (You can alternately use mini cards instead of the business cards.) ROUTINE: Borrow the required coins viz. a dime, a penny, a nickel and a quarter from your spectators. I always carry the coins with me just in case. For 41 cents you can give the coins away at the end if you wish! Now position the coins on your pad as follows: nickel at inner left, penny at outer left, dime at outer right and quarter at inner right. Turn all four coins tail side up as you say, “You know what they say? Likes repel and opposites ....” Let the spectators fill in the word “attract.” Remove four cards from the business card wallet, loading the gaff under the bottommost card. Place a card onto each of the coins, loading the gaff to the right of the quarter. All of the cards have their long axis horizontal. (See figure 1.) Say, “Since all the coins are tails, they are likes and repel each other. But if I turn one head side up, something interesting will happen.” Perform the Matrix pickup move with your right hand on the gaff at inner right exposing the quarter only. Use your left hand to turn the quarter head side up then place the card over the quarter, again positioning the gaff to the right of the

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MINIMALIST MATRIX quarter. Here we go! Say, “Remember, opposites attract.” Now lift the cards at inner right and left, performing the pickup move on the nickel at inner left. Apparently the quarter has “attracted” the nickel. Replace the card with the nickel at inner left. Now lift the card at outer left with your left hand, exposing the penny. Your right hand regrips its card between the 1st and 2nd fingers, freeing the thumb for the impending move. Now, as you replace the cards over their coins, the right thumb and 1st finger lift the nickel shell off of the penny and place it behind the penny (closer to you). See figure 2. You may have an angle problem on your left. If so, place the card over the quarter first using the left hand’s card to provide the needed cover. Then place that card onto the penny at outer left. Repeat the pickup sequence, this time using the pickup move at outer left. It appears that the penny has joined the nickel with the quarter. Replace the card with penny underneath at outer left. Now use your left 1st finger to reposition the nickel shell. Move it a bit to the left and behind the quarter, creating some space directly behind the penny. The left hand now lifts the card at outer right, verifying that the dime is there. Repeat the de-shelling move from above using your right 1st finger and thumb, this time dropping the penny shell behind the dime (See figure 3 below.) End phase 1 by performing the pickup move with the left hand at outer right while the right hand picks up the card at inner right. Apparently the dime has joined the other coins. Place the card with dime beneath again at outer right. You are three ahead and ready for the big ending!

Fig. 2

Fig. 1

THE REVERSAL: Reposition the coins at inner right in a horizontal row with the quarter on the left followed by the dime, then the penny shell and finally the nickel shell on the far right. This is done openly and in view. Turn the quarter tail side up as you say, “Now the quarter is tails like the others. Remember, opposites repel.” Your left hand now holds the card in front of the row of coins. The left hand provides total cover from the left side for what is about to happen. Your right first finger contacts the nickel shell on its right edge causing it to lever up as seen in figure 4. The finger now pushes the shell to the left until it covers the penny. The double shell is pushed fur-

Fig. 3 erdnasemagicstore.com 205

POWER PLAYS ther to the left until it covers the dime. Now both shells and the dime can be picked up as a unit. The left hand allows its card to completely cover the quarter and shelled gaffus. Pause for a couple of beats.

Fig. 4

To end, perform the pickup move with the right hand on the shelled gaff at inner right. The left hand cleanly removes the business cards from the other three coins, showing that they have returned to their original positions. Mission accomplished. (N.B. The gaff is so small that your right thumb nearly covers it completely. This allows you to cleanly show both sides of everything at this point.)

CLEANING UP: Put three of the business cards back into the plastic wallet, loading the gaff back under the cards in the process. You are now reset and clean. Return the coins along with the 4th business card to the spectators.

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MORE FLIPPIN’ OUT RAMSAY

The “More” in the title refers to Robert Moreland. What follows is an item inspired by Robert’s fine item, “Flippin’ Out Ramsey (sic)” from his Weapons of Choice notes (Lecture 1). Robert opened his lecture at the TSD Convention in Atlanta with this item and I knew it would work its way into my repertoire. Robert uses two ordinary silver dollars and a flipper coin. I have chosen to go with a flipper coin and a single shell. The handling of the productions has been changed to make the appearance of the second coin as visual as the first. The ending has also been significantly altered. EFFECT: Three coins are produced one by one in a very visual manner. Then one by one they vanish, bringing the effect full circle. REQUISITES: You’ll need a silver dollar size flipper coin (see below) and a matching shell that fits over the flipper. I use Morgan dollars that were made by Todd Lassen. FLIPPER COIN: England’s Bob Swadling invented the flipper coin. It is a devastatingly diabolical weapon in a coin worker’s arsenal. If you want more uses for this gaff, Troy Hooser has a number of routines using the flipper in his book DesTROYers. A flipper coin is made by taking a non-expanded coin shell and then cutting down a matching coin so that it will fit in the shell. The cut down coin is cut into two pieces – one small and one large and is grooved along its edge so that a dental type rubber band can be used to hold the two pieces together as with a folding coin. The small piece is then glued into the shell. This allows the larger piece to pivot out of the shell and swing around 180 degrees giving the appearance of two coins in a spread. The rubber band will cause the hinged piece to “flip” back into the shell making the coin look normal again. See figure 1.

Fig. 1

SET-UP: Unfortunately it’s not easy to get set up in front of the spectators due to the use of Robert’s “PacMan ™” position. The positive side of the use of the PacMan™ position is the extremely visual nature of the productions.

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Place the shell into the left hand in a finger palm with the open part of the shell toward you. The flipper coin is partially opened and placed into the right hand in a finger palm so that the flesh of the right 207

MORE FLIPPIN’ OUT RAMSAY Move the left hand to the left and out of the frame. Now reach into the “grid,” again using the PacMan™ move to pivot the flipper into view. Coin two has been produced. (N.B. Do this production in the mirror and you will see just how visual it is. The coin just appears at the fingertips. It is difficult to get this feeling by simply pushing a normal coin to the fingertips.) Say, “Here’s another one. I love these magic grids!” There is a coin at the fingertips of each hand. Move the right hand to the left, bringing the flipper coin in front of the shell at the left fingertips. Once the left fingers have control of the open flipper, slide the shell into right finger palm using the right thumb. See figure 6. Move the right hand away, exposing both sections of the open flipper coin at the left fingertips. Apparently you have placed the coin formerly at the right fingertips next to the coin at left fingertips.

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

Now reach into the “grid” again, this time pushing the shell into view at the right fingertips. Coin three has been produced. Say, “Unfortunately the IRS only lets us make three a day.” Place the shell to the right of the open flipper coin so that it now appears that you have three coins in a spread at the left fingertips. (N.B. The shell is closest to you on the right.) THE COINS DISAPPEAR: You are now going to vanish the three “coins” one by one. Move the right hand to the left as though you are going to take the shell. Instead, use the left thumb to pull the shell to the position of figure 7 as the right hand moves back to the right, supposedly with the missing coin. Place the non-existent coin into the “grid” as you make it clear that the right hand is totally empty. Say, “Easy come, easy go..” Bring the right hand once again to the left. This time, take the flipper coin in the right hand. The open insert must be hidden behind the right finger with the shell part of the coin in view at the fingertips. Just as the right hand moves away from the left hand with the flipper, push the shell into view at the left fingertips. The spectators will see a coin at the fingertips of each hand. This accounts for the two “remaining” coins. Maneuver the shell into a French Drop position in the left hand i.e. the left hand is palm upward holding the shell between the thumb and fingertips. Now reach out and up a bit with the right hand. Quickly pull your right second, third and fourth fingers away. This exposes the entire open flipper coin now held between the right thumb and first finger. Just as you move your right hand up, allow the shell in the left hand to fall into a left finger palm. When the spectators look back to the left hand, the coin won’t be there. The movement of the right hand up and out will force the spectators to follow the right hand, allowing you to openly drop the shell without this action being seen. Say something like, “A coin can vanish and reappear in the grid like this…”

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POWER PLAYS Here comes one of the strongest moments in the routine. The left hand is palm upward with the shell hidden in finger palm. Hold the open flipper coin between the first finger and thumb of the right hand with the hand palm upward. The shell part is to the right while the open insert is to the left. The other three fingers are retracted at bit so the coin(s) can be seen clearly. You are going to make one of the two “coins” in the right hand jump to the left hand. To wit: Lower both palm up hands simultaneously. As the hands begin to drop, allow the right 2nd, 3rd an 4th fingers to contact the insert. Now allow the rubber band to move the shell over the insert, collapsing the flipper into a single coin. Open both palm up hands completely, revealing a single coin on each as you say, “Or it can jump back! That’s my favorite part.” Apparently one of the two coins in the right hand has jumped back to the left hand! The open hands make it clear that there are only two coins in play. Hold the shell at the fingertips of the palm up left hand. Place the closed flipper to the right of the shell at the left fingertips. Show the right hand completely empty. Now move the open right hand in front of the coins at left fingertips as though taking one of them. Under cover of the right hand, use the left thumb to slide the flipper coin into the shell as the right hand moves away as though it is holding a coin. Place the non-existent coin supposedly in the right hand into the “grid” and fully open both hands showing clearly that there is only one coin remaining (at the left fingertips). Place the shelled flipper onto the palm up right hand in position to finger palm it in a moment. Raise the clearly empty left hand making the “victory” symbol as you say, “Two coins down.” Now hold the left hand palm upward as you pretend to place the right hand’s coin onto it. Use the right thumb to hold the shelled flipper in place against the right fingers. Curl the right fingers in a bit as you release the thumb and move the right hand away with the coin(s) in finger palm, closing the left hand as the right hand moves away. Now raise your right hand extending the index finger and using the Ramsay Subtlety to hide the finger-palmed coin. Say, “And one coin to go.” Supposedly the last coin is in the left hand. Pretend to bring the “coin” in the left hand to the fingertips as you place it into the “grid” showing the left hand completely empty as the hand emerges from the “grid.” For a final display raise both palm up hands to chest level bringing them to a nearly vertical position. The finger-palmed coin will rest against the right fingers. This display not only gives the impression of completely empty hands, but is also an applause cue. Say, “The universe is in balance once again.” CLEANING UP: Take the shelled flipper once again into right hand finger palm as you reach out with both hands toward the invisible grid. Once again the Ramsay Subtlety keeps the coin out of view. Pretend to take the corners of the grid between the fingertips of both hands. Now mimic folding it up as you say, “We won’t be needing the magic grid anymore.” You can ditch the shelled flipper as you put the magic grid away.

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POWER PLAYS

MISCELLANEOUS MYSTERIES

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." Albert Einstein

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SMOKIN’

Roger Klause performs a bit of business with a cigarette in which the cigarette is placed into the mouth with the filter at the wrong end. It is apparently turned around, but the filter is still at the wrong end. I’ve seen Roger perform this bit a number of times. It’s done with a normal cigarette and is explained in Roger Klause In Concert on page 16. The routine described below achieves the same basic end but has a visual quality that must be seen to be appreciated. It uses a gaffed cigarette but ends clean. I saw Ron Jaxon perform this at Abbott’s Get Together a couple of years ago and it knocked my eyes out. Ron has kindly consented to release it here. I am not a smoker, but I do carry this item with me and perform it. I use a special cigarette made out of a sort of Styrofoam that is designed to help smokers quit. The gaffus can also be constructed out of a real cigarette if you are unable to find the fakes. Ron makes his from a soda straw. Trust me on this one - it’s worth performing. If you see someone do it, you will want to be doing it too. Read on... EFFECT: The magician takes a short cigarette break. When the cigarette is placed to the lips, it is seen that the filter is at the wrong end. This being noticed, the magician turns the cigarette around but the filter is still at the wrong end! This happens a couple of times. Now the filter is oriented in the proper direction but just as the cigarette is reaching the magician’s lips, the filter visibly jumps to the other end! This sequence happens several times in an extremely visual manner. Finally the filter is torn from the cigarette and placed into the pocket but when the spectators look back, the filter is once again on the cigarette. In the end, the filter is found at the center of the cigarette! (Note: This routine can be done by non-smokers in a non smoking environment since the cigarette is never lit!) REQUISITES: You will have to construct a gaffed cigarette (or purchase a wooden one from John Rogers - see Credits at the end) to perform this visual stunner. I will describe how Ron makes the gaff but it will be obvious how to make one from a real cigarette or one of the foam ones I mentioned above. MATERIALS: You will need a soda straw whose diameter is somewhat smaller than that of a cigarette. You will also need some white paper, rubber cement (or glue stick) and a couple of filtered cigarettes - the ones with the brown filter material. An X-Acto knife and scissors will also been helpful. CONSTRUCTION: Cut the straw so it’s slightly longer than a cigarette. Now cut a strip of white paper whose length matches the length of the straw and whose width will allow it to wrap about two times around the straw. Apply rubber cement or glue stick to the paper and wrap it about twice around the straw. This will increase the diameter of the fake cigarette. However, you want to be sure that the diameter is still less than that of a real cigarette. The reason for this will be clear in a moment.

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Now trim the ends so that the gaff is the same length as a cigarette. The trimming allows you to be a little sloppy when you wrap the paper. O.K. you’ve now got a white tube the length of a cigarette but 212

SMOKIN’ slightly smaller in diameter. You must now slightly flatten the tube making it oval instead of circular. You’ll want the seam of the paper to run along the edge of the oval rather than down the middle. It won’t show much this way. You can probably guess from the construction of the gaffus that the lowly paddle move will be the modus operandi here. To finish, you will have to remove the brown filters from the two cigarettes and peel the brown paper away from the filter material. You will need two pieces whose lengths will cover half the circumference of the oval gaffs. One piece is glued onto each side of the gaff. If you think of the oval “cigarette” as having a front and a back, you’ll have a piece of filter on the front side at the top and one at the back side at the bottom. It looks like a cigarette on both sides but with filters at opposite ends. Remember, the filter only goes half way around. STATUS CHECK: If things have gone well, you will be able to hold your “cigarette” in front of you between your thumb and first finger at the center so that it looks pretty much like a normal cigarette. (Note: The flattening into the oval shape will increase the apparent diameter to that of a real cigarette. Of course a side view will reveal the true oval shape.) If you rotate the “cigarette” 180 degrees by rolling it between your finger and thumb, the filter will appear to jump to the other end! If you rotate 180 degrees and simultaneously rotate your hand to palm down i.e. execute the “Paddle Move”, the cigarette will appear normal as you show the same half filter twice. This move allows the cigarette to appear normal before the jumping filter sequence. If you want to perform the BIG ENDING you will also need to constructs a second version of the gaff as follows: Take a normal filterless cigarette e.g. Pall Mall and wrap filter material completely around its center. ROUTINE: The extra gaff described above is optional but recommended since you end basically clean when you use it. If you use it, it begins in your left jacket pocket. There is a lighter in the right pocket along with the first gaff described. The main gaff may also begin in a pack of cigarettes in your right pocket. When Ron performs the routine it is done mostly without patter. His facial expressions convey everything. Begin by saying, “Do you mind if I smoke?” Whatever the response, remove the lighter from your right pocket and place it on the table. Now reach into both pockets simultaneously. The right hand comes into view first with the “cigarette.” (You’ll want to be sure that none of the spectators are at extreme angles or they will see that the filter doesn’t wrap completely around the cigarette.) Then the left hand is pulled from its pocket with the final “load” gripped between the left 2nd finger and the left palm as seen below in figure 1 which depicts the load as a normal cigarette. The left hand drops to your side and remains there until the end. The oval “cigarette” is held in front of you just above your belt line between the right thumb and 1st finger near the center of the cigarette (not at the ends!). Holding the cigarette close to your body will force those at extreme angles to move more toward the front. You should see a filter at one end. The spectators see a filter at the other end. Be sure that the cigarette is parallel to your body so that no one can see that it’s an empty cylinder. Orient the cigarette so that you see a fil-

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Fig. 1

POWER PLAYS ter at the top. The spectators will see a filter at the opposite end. Tilt your head down so that you are more or less looking through the cylinder at the floor. Now move the cigarette directly to your mouth and hold it between your lips as though you are ready to light it. The spectators will note that the filter is at the wrong end. Hopefully someone will mention this, making the next sequence seem impromptu. If not, make a frown and say, “You were going to let me light this thing weren’t you?” Now for the first magical occurrence: Bring the right hand toward the cigarette, palm facing you. Grip the cigarette at its approximate center between the right 1st and 2nd fingers like most smokers do when they hold a cigarette. Pull the cigarette from your mouth and rotate your hand 180 degrees, reversing the direction of the cigarette. Because of the construction of the gaffus, the filter will still appear to be at the wrong end! Perform this action two more times acting more and more aggravated each time. (You will have to hold the cigarette between your lips each time for a moment so that you can reverse your hand for the change.) Now remove the cigarette from your mouth holding it near the center between your right thumb and 1st finger. Casually execute the paddle move as you rotate your hand away from your body. This will show the gaff to be normal from both sides. Now move the cigarette back in front of you again, this time with the filter at the top (spectators’ view). The spectators see that you have remedied the situation. Now move the cigarette quickly to your lips giving it a 180 degree rotation between the finger and thumb just as it reaches your mouth. (Note that the oval construction makes it easy to rotate exactly 180 degrees.) The spectators will see the filter visibly jump to the other end! Act surprised yourself as though things are out of control. Execute the paddle move again showing a normal cigarette. Repeat the same sequence, again causing the filter to jump. You will now apparently tear off the filter in disgust. To wit: Move your left hand, which has been at your side so far, in front of your body. Remember, the final gaff is concealed there so keep the back of your left hand toward the spectators. The left hand takes the original cigarette and holds it as shown in figure 2. Note that the audience will see a filter at the right end when you see the filter on the left as shown in the figure. Reach over with the right hand momentarily covering the filter. Push the gaff deeper into your left hand for the length of the filter using the right thumb and rotate it 180 degrees using the left thumb and 1st finger. Now feign breaking off the filter with your right hand, which then moves away to the right as if holding the missing filter. The spectators will see a shorter cigarette with no filter. Apparently you have indeed torn off the filter. Your right hand moves to your right pocket to deposit the filter. Simultaneously your left hand places the cigarette back in your mouth so that the filter shows again at the wrong end. The spectators will follow the larger action of your right hand going to the pocket. When they look back they will see that the filFig. 2 ter has returned! The left hand again drops to your side, still holding the final load.

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Perform one final phase of the “jumping filter.” Now the right hand takes the cigarette from your mouth with the thumb and first finger actually touching your lips. The cigarette will be hidden from the spectators’ view behind the right hand as both hands come together in front of you. Look up at the 214

SMOKIN’ spectators, getting eye contact and say, “I can’t believe this. Can you?” During this moment, the right fingers push the lower end of the cigarette toward the palm allowing it to be gripped as shown in figure 1 only this time in the right hand. This frees the right first finger and thumb which now take the hidden cigarette from your left hand. To end, simply put the new gaff into your mouth and act as flabbergasted as the spectators feel when they see that the filter has now jumped to the center of the cigarette! CLEANING UP: At this point you have the original gaff hidden in your right hand. To clean up, simply pick up the lighter with your right hand and ditch everything in your right pocket. The final “load” is examinable and your right pocket is now reset. ALTERNATE ENDING: Ron sometimes likes to use a final load which is made much like the original gaff. It’s got a half filter on one side at the end and a half filter on the other side but in the middle. This allows him to get a visible change where the filter jumps from one end to the middle. Unfortunately this gaff isn’t examinable. I prefer to end with the examinable load as described above. Obviously you could use a normal cigarette as the final load, ending completely clean. CREDITS: Mike Ammar has a torn and restored filter on p. 130 of The Magic of Michael Ammar. Mike’s method uses an extra filter to achieve the effect. Ron’s method is a complete bluff and takes advantage of the nature of the gaff. It should be mentioned that John Rogers makes an excellent wooden version of this prop (with Ron’s permission). John also has many other wooden cigarette and cigar items that you’ll find very interesting. Check his site at www.woodencigars.com.

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DOUBLE YOUR MONEY

The $100 Bill Switch has been around for quite some time. Mike Koslowski published it years ago. Roger Klause’s version is found in Michael Ammar’s Encore III. The effect, when performed with a borrowed bill, always has that awkward moment when you change the $100 bill back to a one. What a bummer for the spectator who loaned you the bill. A real magician would just give back the $100 why not? Gaeton Bloom’s presentation in Encore III solves this problem in an interesting way. He gives the spectator $2.00 worth of change for the borrowed $1.00 bill. The bill is then his and he keeps it after changing it to a $100. Unfortunately this costs you $1.00 each performance. The effect below is my solution to this problem. It combines the $100 Bill Switch with an old U.F. Grant idea that appeared in Tarbell Vol. 3 p. 109. Combining the routines also provides some logic for the folding sequence in the Bill Switch. A version of this routine originally appeared on my video, Top Secret Close-Up (1992). EFFECT: The performer borrows a $5.00 bill and asks if the spectator would like her money doubled. Receiving an affirmative reply (we assume), the magician folds the money in half and pauses for the ensuing groans over the pun on the word “doubled.” He says, “If it doubled in value for each fold it would now be worth $10.00.” The bill is folded three more times as the magician says, “Now twenty now forty - now eighty! Wait - eighty is impossible.” The bill is unfolded three times as the magician says, “forty, twenty, now ten. Wouldn’t it be great if your bill really were a ten? Look it is a real $10.00 bill!” The bill is completely opened and shown on both sides. Indeed it has become a real $10.00 bill! The magician now takes a $5.00 bill from his pocket and says, “This ten is yours. Hold it tight while I try to change my five into a ten too.” Both bills are folded and the spectator is allowed to hold the $10.00 bill while the magician holds the $5.00. The magician opens his hand and finds that his five has indeed become a ten. Unfortunately it is found that the spectator’s bill has returned to its original status as a $5.00. The magician’s ten also reverts to a five leaving everyone where they started. The ending here can be interpreted in two ways. (1) The bills traded places. (2) The spectator’s bill simply reverted to its original state while the magician’s bill magically became a $10.00. The 2nd interpretation is the one you want to sell here because it’s fair. The spectator gets her bill back - it’s just too bad that it wouldn’t stay a $10.00. REQUISITES: You’ll need a thumb tip for the bill switch and a specially prepared $10.00 bill. You’ll also need a normal five dollar bill. PREPARATION: A special bill must be prepared for the ending. See figure 1. The bill is a $10.00 bill with a piece removed from the lower left corner of a $5.00 bill glued onto it as shown. In figure 1 the edges of the extra piece are quite visible so that you can see its shape. Once it is glued onto the ten with rubber cement, the edges will be very difficult to detect. Also, your thumb will cover the edge at

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DOUBLE YOUR MONEY the critical moment. This prepared bill will begin in the thumb tip and be switched in as the borrowed $5.00 bill is folded. The gaffed $10.00 bill is folded into sixteenths (four folds) for the standard bill switch. News Flash!: My friend Kevin King has released a video called Money Morph that teaches Kevin’s excellent handling of the bill switch. This switch has been endorsed by many “workers” including Mike Close. If you don’t know the bill switch or are doing it the “old way”, you should check out this video. I’m not going to re-teach this very well known move here. You can look it up in the sources given above. I recommend buying the Money Morph video as a great way to learn a great routine.

Fig. 1

The gaffed ten dollar bill is placed in the thumb tip in readiness for the bill switch. Place a normal five dollar bill in your left pants or jacket pocket and the thumb tip wherever you normally keep it. You’re ready for action! PRESENTATION: Your hands go into your jacket pocket as though searching for something. Maneuver the thumb tip onto your right thumb such that the bill is beneath your thumb. (Standard procedure.) While this is going on say, “Does anyone have a $5.00 bill that I could borrow for a second? If you’re lucky I’ll double your money for you!” Your hands emerge from your pockets as you wait for the bill to be handed over. Take the bill with your left hand to minimize the chance that anyone will see the tip. Be sure that it doesn’t have any obvious writing or marks that could be used to identify it. If it is suitable, hold the bill between your hands with Lincoln facing the spectators. Say, “Would you like me to double your money?” You’ll get an affirmative response assuming your spectators aren’t braindead. Begin the actions of the standard bill switch. Pause after creasing the bill once and look for a response to the bad pun on the words “double your money.” If the spectators don’t understand the play on words say, “Sometimes that’s called doubling your money. Get it? It’s doubled over.” Now the left hand releases its grip. The left index finger points to the “5” on the spectator’s side of the bill as you say, “If I had really doubled its value, these 5’s would be 10’s.” Now continue with Fold 2 of the bill switch as you say, “Then this would be a 20.” On folds 3 and four say, “and then a forty and now an 80! Wait - there’s no eighty dollar bill.” At this point the five has been folded to the same size as the previously folded ten. Continue with the actions of the bill switch and begin unfolding the gaffed ten dollar bill. During this first “unfold” you say, “Now we’d be back to a forty.” Unfold again as you say, “This would be a twenty.” At this point your right fingers cover the 10 pip so the spectators don’t know that the bill has changed yet. Say, “One more un-fold and we’d have a ten.” The left fingers enter the bill and unfold once more. The spectators will see two big “tens” staring at them as you say the line. Pretend that you don’t know the bill has changed for a beat or two and then look down at it. Act surprised and say, “Wow - it really has doubled. Your bill has become a ten!” Now the left fingers reach to the right and make the final unfold, bringing the full front of the ten into the spectators’ view. Your right fingers must cover the lower right corner (your view) of the bill so the extra “5 pip” is not seen. Phase 1 has been completed.

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POWER PLAYS This is the awkward moment in the classic $100 bill switch. You’ve got the spectator’s bill. What if she asks for it back now? The line “Oh I’m sorry, I’ll have to change it back”, weakens the magic a lot. In this presentation you say, “I’ll give you your ten dollar bill back in a second. First I’d like to try something.” This tells the spectator that you plan to return the original bill which is now a ten dollar bill. This boosts the magic. What a guy! He changed my five into a ten for me! You now place the ten face down onto the pad. This shows that the back of the bill is a ten, dispelling any theories about a double sided bill. It also hides the dirty work on the front side and frees your hands to continue with your plans. PHASE II: Make sure that the spectators see that your hands are completely empty!? Use the standard thumb tip display, which minimizes the spectators’ view of the tip but shows the palm completely empty. Now say, “I’d like to try that on my own five.” Both hands go into the coat pockets as though searching for a bill. Now the left hand comes out with the five dollar bill as you say, “This will do.” Keep the tip on your right thumb throughout the remainder of the routine. (You may alternately ditch it in your right pocket, but you will have to retrieve it later.) Open the five fully and place it Lincoln side down next to the ten on the pad. Say, “It worked with yours so it ought to work with mine too.” At this point you must fold both bills into eighths (three folds) but each is folded in a slightly different way. FOLDING THE FIVE: Hold the bill between your hands with Lincoln facing you. Now perform the actions of Folds 1, 2 and 3 from the standard bill switch. Since Kevin’s fold is slightly different, I’ll briefly describe the folds needed here: Remember Lincoln is facing you! Fold 1: The left half is folded away from you and to the right. This is standard. Fold 2: The top half is folded away and down. Fold 3: The left side is again folded outward and to the right. This folds the bill into eights. Look at each side of the folded bill. You should have the five pip from the lower right corner showing on your side and part of the word “dollars” showing on the other. This bill can be seen to be a five by showing one side. The lack of a five pip on the other side will allow you to fool the spectators into thinking it is the ten spot. The five dollar bill is placed onto the table with the five pip upward using the left hand to minimize the possibility that the tip will be spotted. The bill will open slightly and the top part will lever up. This is fine. FOLDING THE TEN: The gaffed ten must be folded differently. You’ll end up with a bill folded into eights that has a five pip on one side and a ten pip on the other. Here’s how: Hold the bill between the fingertips of both hands with Hamilton facing you. The right hand folds its half outward and to the left and then creases the bill along this fold (directly through Hamilton’s head) as the left hand holds the two ends of the bill. Repeat this action having the right hand fold its side outward and to the left again. Crease again. Again the left fingers open for a moment to regrip all edges on the left side. Finally, the index fingers of both hands fold the top half outward and down. This bill, now folded into eights, shows a five spot on your side and a 10 spot on the other. Again using the left hand place the folded ten next to the five such that the ten spot faces the spectators. Also, be sure to always refer to the ten as “the spectator’s bill” and the five as “your bill.” Say, “Maybe if I rub them together mine will become a ten like yours.” Pick up one bill in each hand (still folded into eights) and place the ten on top of the five. Place them at your left fingertips with your left thumb covering the 10 pip. Your left thumb moves back and forth causing the bills to rub together. Now transfer the bills to your right hand but turn them over as you make the transfer. This brings the unnumbered side of the five dollar bill into view. The left hand immediately takes the lower bill (ten)

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DOUBLE YOUR MONEY and moves back to the left allowing the fake five pip to show on the spectators’ side. Direct attention to the “five” in your left hand say, “Looks like that didn’t work. Let me try one more time.” The left hand places its bill (the gaffed one) on the table so that the five pip is clearly visible to the spectators. Simultaneously you say, “Please hold onto your ten for a second. I might be tempted to keep it!” as your right hand moves the five toward the spectator’s hand. Place the bill onto the spectator’s palm with the five pip facing her palm and close her hand around the bill as you say, “Don’t let go of your bill.” Since she can see a five on the table, she must assume the bill in her hand is “her” ten. The right hand now picks up the tabled gaffed bill with the five spot uppermost and positions it on the fingers of the left hand. (Obviously the ten side must not be seen yet.) The left hand now closes and turns over causing the fake five pip to end up against the palm. Now bring your left hand over the spectator’s closed hand and tap your hand against the spectator’s closed hand as you say, “Let’s see if mine has changed too.” Turn your hand palm upward and slowly open your hand. A ten pip shows and you say, “Yes! It worked. Mine became a ten too.” Unfold the ten, being careful not to flash the five pip, and show both sides. Say, “This experience has been profitable for both of us. Give me your ten and maybe I can make it into a twenty!” ENDING: The spectator will presently find that the bill in her hand is not a ten. You must provide the proper interpretation for what has happened. Say, “Oh no - it looks like the change wasn’t permanent. Too bad - I guess we’re not going to get rich off of this after all. Wait, I’ll double my ten into a twenty and split it with you.” Now execute the bill switch again, this time switching the gaffed ten for the five in the thumb tip. Unfold the bill and as the five comes into view say, “Oh -no, now mine has reverted back to a five too. I guess it’s not so easy to double your money. Oh well, I had fun. I hope you did too.” The gaffed ten is back in the thumb tip and you are reset! FINAL THOUGHTS: I believe that this sequence solves some of the problems inherent in the classic $100 bill switch. It provides logic for why the bill is folded viz. “double” your money. It also avoids the major problems of changing the $100 back to a $1 and explains why you’re not driving a Ferrari as a result of your ability to change ones into hundreds.

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RING TRANSPO

EFFECT: At the conclusion of a ring and string routine (I use Dan Fleshman’s routine as taught on his video tape.), the magician has the spectator thread the ring onto the string. The ends of the string are then held by the spectators, seemingly making escape impossible. The magician releases his grip on the ring, which is now found to be a completely different ring, a ring that was previously on the magician’s hand. The missing ring is found on the magician’s finger. The two rings have transposed! REQUISITES: Two very different rings and an appropriate string (shoe lace etc.) I use my gold college class ring as the primary ring and have a smaller silver ring that fits my right 4th finger somewhat loosely. Both rings are threaded onto the shoe lace and the entire set is left in my pocket in readiness to perform the routine. ROUTINE: When ready to perform your favorite ring and string routine, remove the rings and string from your pocket. I display both rings and say, “This is my college ring. This one is my lucky ring. (Pause) I was lucky to get through college!” After showing the “lucky ring”, place it on your right 4th finger. Now have the class ring examined. Say, “Be sure there are no secret trap doors in my college ring.” Hand the shoe lace to a second spectator and say, “Make sure there are no magnets, or gaffuses in the shoe lace.” When the spectators are satisfied that the props are normal, begin performing your standard ring and string routine. Dan Fleshman’s routine has four phases and is an excellent sequence. The transposition should be the final moment of magic in the routine. So when you are finished with the penetration sequences here’s what to do: Hand the class ring and the string once again to the spectator on your right and say, “There must be some trap door or something. Take another look. Does the ring open up or have a gap?” Now, while attention is directed to the ring, put your hands behind your back momentarily and remove the smaller ring from your right 4th finger. Take this ring and grip it in your left hand as shown in figure 1. It is held completely by the left 2nd finger as shown. Pick up the string with your right hand and allow one end to go through the hidden ring. Once it has passed through the ring and protrudes below your left hand, let go of the string and then pull it through the left hand from below until only about 4 inches protrude above the left hand. Do this as the spectators are examining the ring. Hand the lower end (just pulled through) to the spectator on your right and say, “Please put the ring on the string yourself so I

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Fig. 1

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POWER PLAYS FINAL THOUGHTS: This final phase gets a huge reaction. The transposition is totally unexpected and unexplainable. I have found it to be an excellent ending to a routine that is usually very repetitious. Obviously you can use a spectator’s ring as the primary ring for the routine. I recommend a large class ring rather than a wedding ring. You could also use the transposition in conjunction with borrowed wedding ring that has disappeared. It could be the smaller ring that transposes with your class ring... One last point: It’s a good idea to keep the “lucky ring” out of view as much as possible without acting suspicious. You don’t want anyone to prematurely notice its absence from your right hand. CREDITS: Greg Wilson has some very cool ring transposition ideas. I spoke to him about the method employed above and he encouraged me to publish it here. I believe that Dave Gripenwaldt should also be mentioned as a creator of the ring transposition idea.

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ROUTINED RUBBER

EFFECT: A single rubber band is introduced and stretched between the left thumb and 1st finger. The right first finger pulls the band and then releases it. When it snaps back, the band is seen to have split into two bands - one “real” the other “virtual.” The magician explains that virtual matter doesn’t interact with normal matter very well. In fact the “virtual” band passes through the “real” band twice, once slowly and once quickly. Finally, the virtual and real bands are placed together and heated up. One is held between the left 1st finger and thumb; the other between the right first finger and thumb. The virtual band visibly melts back inside the real band bringing the effect full circle. The single band is given to the spectator as a souvenir. PHILOSOPHY: The problem with most rubber band effects is that they are very short, and when placed one after another, follow no logical pattern. These sequences have the feel of “Look what I can do with a rubber band. I can do something else with it too.” What I have tried to do is create a logical sequence that comes full circle. Good routining gives the feel of continuous magic rather than a sequence of disconnected tricks. ROUTINE: The Creation of the “Virtual” Band - This sequence was described (I believe) in Apocalypse years ago. I searched my back issues but have not found the exact reference. To begin the routine, a rubber band is introduced and displayed openly. A second rubber band is hidden in the right hand, one end being gripped by the right thumb as shown in figure 1. The other band is stretched between the left and right index fingers as shown in the figure. The right first finger assists in positioning the openly displayed band between the left thumb and first finger. The right first finger then pulls down on the displayed band as shown in figure 2. The right finger releases the band, allowing it to snap back. Now the right hand moves above the band stretched between the left index finger and thumb. It appears that you are about to repeat the stretching action shown in figure 2. Actually you are positioning the lower loop of the band hidden in the right hand near the left index finger in preparation

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ROUTINED RUBBER You are now going to perform the standard rubber band penetration. This has been called “Crazy Man’s Handcuffs” by Mike Ammar and can be found in a couple of his books. This penetration is so common that I won’t describe it here. If you are unfamiliar with it, you’ll find that most magicians know it and will be happy to show it to you. As the penetration is taking place say, “See - virtual matter can pass right through real matter.” Now set up for the penetration again. This time you are going to perform it in a slightly different way. When you reach the point where the two bands are stretched between the hands, you normally make the “secret move” which separates the bands as the bands are brought together. You then slowly move them apart, giving the illusion of the bands melting through each other. That’s what happened during the first penetration. This time you will get ready by inserting the right 1st finger into the loop over the right thumb as usual. This is done while the tension is in the bands. Now, if you release the band gripped between the right 1st and 2nd fingers while simultaneously moving the 1st finger and thumb apart (on both hands), the bands will separate. It will appear that they penetrated while the tension was in the bands. They snap apart in a very visual manner. Perform this sequence as you say, “Sometimes the virtual matter doesn’t penetrate immediately. Oh - there it goes.” (The short way of explaining this variation is this: Set up for the standard penetration. But instead of separating the right first finger and thumb as the band is brought close to the left hand’s band, you simply open the right 1st finger and thumb quickly, allowing the bands to visually separate. You’ll have to practice this to get the timing down. Otherwise the bands just fly apart.) To finish, allow the bands to lay flat on the palms of their respective hands. Maneuver the band in the right hand so that the right thumb can grip the band. Now, begin to turn the right hand over, apparently allowing its band to fall into the left hand. Actually, the right thumb moves onto the band, preventing it from falling into the left hand. The left hand immediately closes as the right hand moves away, concealing its band behind the fingers. The right hand goes into the right jacket pocket as you say, “Something interesting happens when a real band and virtual band are combined with energy.” Your right hand drops its band in the pocket and emerges with a lighter. Light the lighter and move the flame under the closed left hand. Now drop the lighter back into your pocket.

Fig. 7

Fig. 8

You are going to finish by making the single band in the left hand appear to be two bands! Here are the details: First, the band must be positioned between the left 1st finger and thumb as before. Be sure to do this with the back of the hands toward the spectators so they cannot notice the absence of the 2nd band. Once the band is positioned between the left 1st finger and thumb, the right first finger and thumb enter the loop as shown in figure 7. The right fingers are revolved outward. Figure 8 shows the

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PAPER VIEW

EFFECT: A straw is openly removed from the paper, which is left on the table in front of the magician. The straw is raised to a position about one foot above the empty paper and parallel to it. The magician quickly moves the straw downward. It visibly penetrates the paper from which it is then removed by a spectator. PREPARATION: The cleanest handling of this effect involves a bit of preparation. A more impromptu handling is offered at the end of the description. Remove one straw from its wrapper and slit the straw along its entire length using an X-acto knife or some small scissors. This gaffed straw can be held between the hands with the slit toward the performer. In this position it will look like a normal straw to the spectators. Take a second straw and break the paper slightly at one end. You will be able to insert the gaffed straw inside this straw since the slit allows you to adjust the diameter. Leave the slit straw sticking out about a quarter inch or so. The protruding end will be hidden by the paper flap at the end of the straw. You will be able to remove the slit straw while still leaving the other straw inside the paper! ROUTINE: Place the prepared straw in front of you on the table so that it runs parallel to the edge of the table. Draw the spectators’ attention to it and say, “Watch closely.” You really want them to watch like hawks so there can be no thought that anything was switched in or out. Pretend to tear the paper at the end where the slit straw protrudes. Now take hold of the slit straw and carefully draw it out of the other straw. Be sure that (1) the normal straw remains totally inside the paper and (2) the slit side is away from the spectators. Leave the paper (with straw hidden inside) parallel to the edge of the table and about 6 inches from it. Hold the slit straw as shown in figure 1 in readiness for Flip Hallema’s Flip Stick Move. This really cool move is usually used to vanish wands, pens etc. In this case the spectators’ perception of what happens will be different. Instead of seeing the straw vanish, they will see it penetrate visibly back into the paper. Here are the details of the move: Flip Stick: Notice the position of the right 2nd finger in figure 1. If your left hand releases its hold on the straw while simultaneously your right 2nd finger snaps inward (just like regular finger snapping), the straw will rotate inward and end up in the position of figure 2 (performer’s view). Figure 3 shows the spectators’ view. In the original Flip Stick a wand or stick of similar size is held as in figure 1 and then

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POWER PLAYS raised up and quickly brought downward. The move (ending as in figure 2) is made during the downward motion. When done properly, it appears that the stick simply vanishes. It is then brought back from behind the leg or inside the jacket etc. Paul Gertner really blew me away with a Flip Stick routine he performs. He recites a poem as the stick vanishes, reappears and changes color. The Flip Stick move looks like pure magic when done properly.

Fig. 2

O.K. now that you know the Flip Stick move, it should be fairly obvious how to proceed. Raise the straw up a bit and then move it downward toward the paper on the table. Perform the move during this downward motion and end with the fingertips of both hands touching the ends of the paper on the table. The straw will be hidden Fig. 3 behind your right arm as in figure 2. Immediately your right hand moves inward a bit as your left hand picks up the paper (with straw inside) at its left end. As attention is directed toward this object you have time to drop the hidden straw into your lap. Your right hand now tears the paper off of the right end of the straw. This gets rid of the dirty work (the tear in the paper) and allows the spectators to see the end of the straw inside the paper. Allow a spectator to pull the straw from the paper so that it is completely clear that the straw really is inside the paper. ALTERNATE HANDLING: The method given above is impeccably clean (except for your lap). The straw really comes out of the paper; the paper is never out of view; and the spectators remove the straw from the paper at the end. Unfortunately this method is not impromptu. The effect can be made impromptu by faking the removal of the straw from the paper. This also has the advantage of leaving the paper totally sealed and allows the spectators to tear it open at the end. To perform the routine this way, you would secretly place a straw (sans paper) in your lap. When you are ready to perform the penetration, pick up the hidden straw from your lap using your right hand. The straw is held as in figure 2 and will be hidden from view behind your right arm. The right hand moves into view as the left hand picks up the tabled straw at its right end. The cased straw is mostly hidden behind the left arm. Now the right hand moves over as though to tear the paper. When the hands have moved together, the left fingers hold the left end of the right hand’s straw. This action is covered by the right fingers which are assumed to be tearing paper. Now, once the left fingers are holding the left end of the right hand’s straw, the right hand moves to the right, allowing the straw to come into view. The right fingers and thumb slide along the surface of the straw creating the illusion that the straw is being pulled from the paper in the left hand. The left hand now tables its fully cased straw parallel to the edge of the table as attention is drawn to the straw held by the right hand. Proceed as described above to create the illusion that the straw has penetrated back into the paper. FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a quickie that can seem very spontaneous. I don’t think it needs a long winded story. Just say, “Watch!” and do it.

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CREDITS:: Dan Harlan has an item on one of his Rubber Band tapes in which a straw returns to its paper. I haven’t seen the tape but Dan assures me that its nothing like what is described above. 228

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STRAWNOMENON

As a former physics teacher I am well aware of a number of physics demonstrations that look like magic. Newton’s Nightmare (the “trick” where a magnet falls slowly through a copper tube), for example, is the standard demonstration of Lenz’s Law. And everyone has used a charged comb to pick up bits of paper. Former physics students will have experienced a lab in which the principles of static electricity are discovered. You may recall that a statically charged object (often a rubber or glass rod) will exert a force on a conductor. This is generally demonstrated by charging a plastic rod by rubbing it with an animal fur or equivalent and then holding the rod near a small styrofoam sphere that is coated with a conducting material. The sphere will be attracted to the rod. Once it touches the rod, it will pick up charge from the rod and then be repelled and jump away, to the great amusement of the class. This principle is exploited here to create an impromptu bit of magic that is a lot of fun to perform. EFFECT: The magician removes a straw from its wrapper and balances it on top of a saltshaker (or capped beer bottle). Just by moving his hands near the straw, the magician causes the straw to move around in mysterious ways. NEEDED: You’ll need a plastic straw still inside its paper wrapper and a salt shaker or beer bottle with a metal cap. (Other items can be substituted for the shaker e.g. a catsup bottle with a metal cap will also work.) PROCEDURE: This mysterious effect is accomplished without magnets or threads. The principle has been alluded to above viz. static electricity. As mentioned above, a charged object (in this case a drinking straw) will be attracted to a conductor of electricity (your finger). All you need to do is create a static charge on the plastic drinking straw and have a surface on which it can rotate freely with low friction. Charging is easily accomplished. First, tear off one end of the paper, exposing the end of the straw for about half an inch. Now grip the straw between the right thumb and first finger while pinching the paper against the straw using the left thumb and fingers. You must pinch the paper near the exposed section of straw. Apply pressure with your left fingers causing the straw to flatten a bit. Now pull the straw from the paper using your right hand. You want maximum friction so that the charge will be as large as possible. Now position the straw so that it is held between the right and left first fingertips. Try not to touch the surface of the straw very much since this will remove some of the charge.

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Place the center of the straw onto the saltshaker’s lid so that the straw is parallel to the tabletop and pull your hands away, leaving the straw balanced on the lid of the shaker. Your hands should move away along the axis of the straw. Otherwise you may attract the straw prematurely and cause it to 229

POWER PLAYS rotate and possibly fall off of the shaker. The charge on the straw will cause it to adhere to the metallic lid of the shaker. (see figure 1) Now bring a finger near the side of the straw close to the end. The charged straw will be attracted to your finger and will begin to rotate toward it. Try not to let your finger touch the straw or you will loose part of the charge. Any conductor will also create the attraction e.g. a spoon, knife, a ring etc. Try positioning a finger from each hand on opposite sides at positions A and B in figure 2 (top view). This will provide a strong force that will cause a rapid counterclockwise rotation. If you remove your hands quickly, the straw will continue to rotate.

Fig. 1

The spectators will suspect that you are blowing on the straw so you should turn your head aside to show that this is not the case. An interesting way to end the effect is to run the straw through your hands to discharge it and then place it onto the shaker again. This time you do use your breath to make it rotate. Apparently you are still able Fig. 2 to cause the movement by “magic.” Now, you can walk away and the spectators will be unable to cause the movement since you have discharged the straw. (N.B. You will have to use a shaker or bottle that has a fairly flat top if you wish to perform this bit with the discharged straw. Otherwise it is likely to fall off since there will not be an attraction between the metal lid and the straw in this case.) FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a fun impromptu stunt. Give it a try. You might also try charging other plastic objects like swizzle sticks using a small piece of wool, cloth or animal fur. Another fun bit it to use a flat finger ring that can roll on a flat surface. Position the ring on a table or counter top and bring the charged straw near it. The force will cause the ring to begin to roll. Try not applying friction to the straw until it is half way out of the wrapper. Now you’ll have a straw that’s charged on one end but not the other. This makes for some interesting demonstrations. CREDITS: There’s an item in Tarbell 7 called “The Electro-Static Cigarette” that uses this principle. Here you charge a swizzle stick by pinching it between the folds of some fabric (your pants etc.) and then pull it through. The charged plastic is capable of causing a cigarette to roll on a flat surface. I believe that Mike Weber used this idea to cause a cigarette that is balanced on the filter end, to fall over due to the attractive force.

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