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RICOCHET! The Ultimate Reset R. Paul Wilson SCANNED AND PREPARED FOR CIGAM FTP BY “RAVINI” and “TARQUO THE GREAT”

Written by R. Paul Wilson Illustrations by Tony Dunn Edited by John Lovick and Tim Trono Cover Design by Tim Trono and Adam Stye Layout by Adam Stye

Benchmark Magic

R. PaulWilsons Ricochet! The Ultimate Reset Congratulations on purchasing this product. In your hands you hold a remarkably powerful effect that I have used to confound lay audiences in my professional work. You will find two methods here. One uses an ordinary pocket-handkerchief as an impromptu platform, which also acts as cover for the secret "move" (don't worry, it's nothing you can't already do). The second method uses no cover (if desired) and is highly visual thanks to the Asher Twist. It is more difficult than the first method, but is by no means impossible to learn. Lee Asher's "twist" is actually a simple move that requires just a little practice to perfect. Due to the angular nature of this method, I designed the handling with the handkerchief. This addition of the handkerchief covers all possible problems and adds a little theater to the effect. "Ricochet" is based on Paul Harris' "Reset" (a variation ofBro.John Hamman's "Underground Transposition" and Phil Goldsteins "Counter Revolution"). The ending was inspired by Ryan Swigert's superb "Kickback", an underground effect that has been making the rounds for the last few years. "Kickback" will be marketed soon and, if you enjoy nailing your audiences with "Ricochet", you'll definitely want to get them again with "Kickback". You will find four gimmicked cards accompanying this booklet. These will be four court cards each with spot cards on their opposite sides. Each card will have the same suit on both sides. These cards have been specially manufactured for "Ricochet" and cannot be obtained from a standard pack of double-facers. Future runs of this trick will contain different values. If you perform this half as much as I do, you'll understand the need for additional sets!

Ricochet One Requirements Four double-facers as described above (supplied) and an ordinary pack of playing cards will be needed. These double-facers have been made by The U.S. Playing Card Company and match their card designs. Any opaque pocket-handkerchief will also be required. Set-Up For this description we will assume the double-faced cards are aces and kings. Remove the four normal aces from the deck and place them face up on top of the Page 2

face down deck. Turn the deck face up and remove the four normal kings, placing them on the face of the deck. Re-distribute the kings in the deck so they are about ten cards apart. Now insert the double-facers, aces uppermost into the face up deck, each one going near the kings. You must ensure that the kings and aces do not go too close to the reversed normal aces at the back of the face up deck. This means that, when you spread through and remove the aces and kings, there will be no danger of spreading too far and exposing the reversed aces. Place the deck in the box so it will be face up when removed for the effect. Method We will assume you are at a table. Remove the deck and the handkerchief from your pocket and have two spectators each hold two corners of the handkerchief between them, forming an impromptu platform. Have it held so it is comfortable for you to reach under the handkerchief with both hands. Remove the deck, face up, from the box and place the box in your pocket. Run through the pack and outjog the kings and aces. Square up the deck and strip these outjogged cards out, holding them face up in the right hand. Now place the deck face up to your left. In doing so, the deck should be under the leftmost edge of the handkerchief. It is clearly nowhere near where the effect will occur but is concealed from view by the handkerchief. Separate the kings and aces, holding the kings in one hand and the aces in the other hand. Ask someone which he or she prefers - kings or aces. No matter what they answer, the same thing will happen - the kings will go face down on the center of the handkerchief and the aces will remain in your hands. Simply say either, "The kings? Okay, let's place them here." or, "The aces9 Okay, then we II put the kings over here." To place the kings down, flip them face down onto the aces and count them off, one at a time, to show four face down cards. Place this packet of kings, squared, onto the center of the outstretched handkerchief. You will now cause the kings to transpose, one at a time, with the aces. Spread the ace packet to show four aces and, keeping them spread, place them under the handkerchief with both hands. As soon as they are out of sight, raise the right hand, taking the upper three cards, and tap the fabric slightly with the cards. As this happens the remaining card in the left hand is turned over (see FIG. 1) and added back to the spread before the hands re-emerge from under the handkerchief - one of the aces has changed to a king. Transfer the king to the top Figure 1 of the packet. Page 3

Figure 2

Repeat this procedure three times to change all the aces to kings. Now place the kings in the left . hand, low in the hand, near the fingertips (see I FIG. 2). The right hand now reaches toward the packet on the handkerchief as you say, "If these are the Kings, then these must be the..." Allow the spectators to complete the sentence. As you turn | over the packet and spread the four kings, the cards in the left hand are flipped over easily, thanks to their low position in the hand, the packet ending in dealing position. Also, the right arm crosses slightly in front of the left hand as this secret flipping action is being done thus shading the procedure.

As soon as the kings are seen they will look back to the left hand - too late! The aces are now back where they began. Spread these and count them to show all four aces. This always elicits a strong reaction. Do not be afraid of this moment. If you allow them to complete the sentence "If these are the kings these must be.. ."just as you turn the kings over with the right hand - no attention whatsoever will be on the left hand. There is no need to hide the hand as the right hand turns those cards over. It is more important not to move the left hand at all, other than to allow the cards at fingertips to flip over into dealers grip. Thanks to the built-in misdirection, there is no need for undue haste either - keep your actions smooth and unhurried. The left hand action happens as the right hand's cards come into view. The right hand then deals the cards onto the handkerchief or table before returning to the left hand and spreading. As they react to this, you can easily perform the clean up, if desired.

Figure 3

If you decide to clean up, you will simply reach down with the left hand, which is holding the aces, under the handkerchief and pick up the deck. To do this the left hand will revolve palm down onto the deck (see FIG. 3), pick it up and revolve palm up as it returns. Once the hand emerges from under the handkerchief you have effectively switched out the gimmicked cards for the real aces which are now visible face up on the top of the face down deck. The top Page 4

four face-up aces are taken in the right hand and added to the kings on the handkerchief. Everything may now be examined!

Ricochet Two The set up is exactly the same as "Ricochet One". The handkerchief is optional. If you choose not to use the handkerchief, simply place the cards on the table or on top of a glass. Personally I like (and highly recommend) the handkerchief a lot, so I use it with both handlings. Perform the effect as already described, until you are ready to start the transposition. Instead of carrying the cards under the handkerchief you may stand back and hold the cards in left-hand dealing grip. You will now perform the Asher Twist (described later in this booklet). After each twist, a card will have transformed. Carry the newly changed card to the top of the packet and repeat this three additional times. Those familiar with Lee Asher's original routine can perform the first phase exactly as described with these cards. The idea of using double-facers for this effect was my own and led, ultimately, to "Ricochet". Complete the effect as described. Even if you do not use the handkerchief, use the clean up described for "Ricochet One". Even without the handkerchief for cover, the clean up flies by even the most astute audiences without question.

Alternate Pocket Clean Up If you perform this walk-around, have the real aces in your pocket, outside the box, faces towards your body. Remove the box, take out the cards and replace the box in your pocket, between you and the aces. Once you have the cards for the effect, hand the rest of the deck to someone to hold. Once the effect is complete, the left hand goes to the pocket, ditches the four double-facers and returns holding the box and four real aces. Take back the deck and hand the aces out as you replace the cards in their box. Readers should note that, after thousands of performances in front of lay audiences, I have found the clean up to be unnecessary. Ninety-nine percent of the time, after the switch has been executed, no one wants to to examine the cards at all. The clean-up should still be practiced, however, in case you find Page 5

yourself working for the type of audience who would insist on examining anything (you can usually tell before you perform a single effect) or for your fellow magicians. When working walk-around or table-hopping I simply place the required cards on the face of the deck rather than waste time distributing them only to remove them again later. So far, this has gone without question. If you're not using figure 4 the effect repeatedly in such a setting, distributing the cards before performance is still recommended. The Asher Twist (as described by Lee Asher)

Figure 5

Hold the cards in dealing grip and get a break above the bottom card with your left pinkie finger by pulling the bottom card down with your left pinkie and maintaining the break. Don't use a buckle to get a break because it flashes from the spectator's view. Stick your right first and middle fingers, palm up, into the break on the lower inner right corner of the packet. Place your right thumb on top of the cards above the break at the exact spot above the first and middle finger (see FIG. 4).

You are now going to reverse spread the three card packet by pushing them, from above, to the left with your thumb and pulling them, from below, to the right with your first and middle fingers (see FIG. 5). As you are spreading, continue to pull down on the bottom card with your left pinkie so the card turns on its long right side (see FIG. 6). If you turn your left wrist toward the floor while pulling, it aids in getting the bottom card into position. Don't use your thumb or first finger to help flip the card over, just your pinkie linger. By the time the packet is completely spread, the card is flipped into position. You must Page 6

Figure 6

execute both actions in one smooth motion. If you push down on the bottom card with the three-card spread, it will finish flipping over with ease without you having to do much work. This next part is very important! You must separate the top and bottom cards from the two middle ones. The top and bottom cards are pulled into the left hand and the two middle ones in the right hand (see FIG. 7). Now place the cards in the left hand on top of the cards in the right hand. Square the packet and get a break above the bottom card with your left pinkie finger and repeat the whole action as described above. Do this until all of your cards have flipped over. Note: Reverse count the two cards in the left hand onto those in the right for the first transformation only. After that, simply place the two cards in the left hand on top of those in the right. This will make the rest of the effect automatic if you follow Lee's guidelines. Figure 7 That is how Lee Asher executes his "Twisting the Aces". Here are some tips that Lee insists you try. Practice in front of a mirror and every time you flip a card, bend your wrists forward. By the fourth card, you should find exactly how far you have to tilt your wrists in order not to flash from the front. Practice with your wrist bent in that position and when you go to perform it for a live person, you will automatically bend into that position. Remember that your best angle is right underneath the person so they have to look down upon the cards. If you make noise while flipping the card, try lifting the three cards up in your right hand grip away from the bottom card and against the base of your left thumb. Now the bottom card cannot scrape against the cards above.

Further Ideas These double-facers may be used in many effects. Since having them made, I have worked out super-clean methods for Roy Walton's "The Collectors" and Jerry Sadowitz's "The More Things Change" (often called, erroneously, "Pocket Interchange") amongst others. Methods for these effects, and others, will be released in the coming months.

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