CARDS By All Means copyright © Peter Duffie, September 2001

Start Page

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Table of Contents

1. Black Sheep

2. The Keeper of the Secrets

3. Spectator Cuts to the Aces

4. Spectator Cuts to the Aces - Plus!

5. K.I.A. (Kane is Able)

6. Miracle or Impossible Revisited

7. The Universal Base

8. Hofzinser on Base

9. Change-over Quicker

10. Here We Go Again…

11. Combination Luck

12. Cannibalector

13. Witch Way?

14. The Face Up Trick

15. Piano Biddle

16. Triple Humdinger

CARDS By All Means copyright © Peter Duffie, September 2001

Table of Contents

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Black Sheep

Two spectators each select cards from a packet, then you select one, but you
leave your selection face up as proof of your actions. You spread the packet and
remove your card along with the two cards on ether side. These prove to be the
other two selections. As an afterthought, you point out that both of the
spectator’s selections are red, and your card is black. When you show all the
other cards, they prove to be black also. Somehow the spectators managed to
choose the only two red cards!

1. Hold the deck with the faces towards you and spread through, upjogging 13
black cards then any two red cards. Remove these cards and discard the rest of
the deck.

2. You now need to position one red 2nd from the face, and the other red 5th
from the top. You could, if you so wish, remove the 15 cards with the cards
already in position. But a simple Overhand Shuffle does it easily, as follows:

Pull off top and bottom cards together and throw the balance on top.
Immediately run 5 cards singly then throw the balance below these cards. This
simple shuffle should be done while talking and not presented as an object of
focus!

3. You now proceed with the selection process, as follows, using two spectators
A & B:

a) Spectator A deals the packet into

three piles – looks at the top card of the middle pile (see photo) – picks up the
outer two piles and mixes them together – finally he drops these cards on top of
his selection.

b) Spectator B takes the packet and repeats the above exactly.

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c) Now you take the packet and deal

three piles. Look at the top card of the middle pile, then pause, and say,

"In case

you don’t trust me I’ll let you see my card."

Turn the card face up and replace it

atop the middle pile. Now pick up the outer two piles and place RIGHT on top of
LEFT (assuming you dealt left to right), and say,

"And I‘ll mix the cards too."

Here you carry out a casual/sloppy mix – push off the top two together into right
hand (see photo), then push off further bunches on top until all the cards are in
your right hand. Finally, drop the packet on top of your face up selection.

4. It’s all over, apart from the effect! Spread the cards across the table and slide
out your face up selection along with the cards on either side. Ask each
spectator to name his card then turn over the face down cards to reveal both
selections.

Pause for effect, then say,

"I’ve just noticed that both your cards are red and

mine is black…so it perhaps just as well that my card is between your two red
cards...otherwise it might have been impossible to find...among all these
other...black cards!"

Turn over the other 12 cards and spread to reveal all blacks.

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The Keepers of the Secrets

A quick sandwich effect using ten red spot cards and the two black Jacks. This
uses a Laurie Ireland Bottom Deal concept, that of secretly losing a card as you
deal. But you only need to do it once, and ‘you’ choose when. So no pressure.

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

2. Pick up the face up pile and spread to show the cards, saying,

"I want you to

imagine that the ten Diamond spot cards represent extreme wealth...wealth of
knowledge that is. The black Jacks are the keepers of the secret knowledge. But
only you will know what that knowledge is."

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

"We’ll leave the keepers here for now."

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

3. Take the packet into right hand

Biddle grip and ask a spectator to call stop as you count the cards from hand to
hand. Start to count the cards into your left hand until told to stop. Raise your
left hand, push over the top card, and ask the spectator to remember it, saying,

"That will be your secret."

(see photo) Retain a break under this card as you pull

is square again.

Place the right hand portion on top then give the packet a cut, cutting at the
break. This places the selection on the bottom, with a Jack immediately above it.

4. Say,

"Your secret is lost among the other cards. Let’s see how safe it is."

At

that, drop the packet on top of the two Jacks(?) on the table, then pick up all.

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5. Ask the spectator to watch out for

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

Say,

"Well, that’s because the keeper of secrets have kept your secret...secret!"

Turn over the three cards remaining and spread revealing the two Jacks and a
card between them. This is the selection.

FACE UP VERSION

You can do the above trick with the two Jacks face up. There is, however, a
discrepancy when the uppermost Jack of the tabled pair changes, but the time
lapse renders it harmless. Here is how you proceed:

Hold the 10 Diamond cards face down with a break under the top card. Hold the
two Jacks face up in right hand Biddle grip.

You now do an ATFUS switch. Secretly pick up the card from the break so it
joins the two Jacks, then pick up one more card and keep a break with your right
thumb. Peel off the upper Jack onto the packet, then apparently pick it up again
below the "other" Jack. In fact you simply release the broken card so it covers
the Jack. Your right hand now places its two cards on the table. These consist of
a face up Jack with a face down Diamond card below.

Double Cut the top two cards to the bottom. Now proceed as per step 3 onwards.

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Spectator Cuts to the Aces

Classic plot – a spectator cuts the deck into four piles. The top card of each pile
proves to be an Ace.

This is a minor variation of the Jim Surprise method that can be found in
Mentzer’s Card Cavalcade, and I believe Dai Vernon had a similar method. In
both these versions one of the four piles was held in your hand. Here, all four
piles remain on the table.

Get the four Aces to the top and insert a

downward a bridge at the inner end only (see photo).

1. False Shuffle then place the deck face down on the table. Invite a spectator to
cut the deck into four piles – you may want to demonstrate first, so that the pile
with the Aces on top finishes at either end.

2. Starting at the end of the

row with the Aces on top, with your right hand lift off the top four cards as a unit
– easy due to the bridge – and place them into your left hand (see photo). Now
lift off the top card from the remaining three piles and place them on top of the
Ace-unit, but retain a little finger break below these three cards.

3. Slide out the bottom card of the packet and flip it face up on top of the packet,
saying,

"Well, that’s a good start, an Ace."

Lift off all four cards above the break

and place them square on top of the left hand pile. This leaves you clean with
only three Aces. Flip these over one by one, placing each on top of a pile.

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Finally, spread each pile

inwards, thus showing that there are no other face up cards below either Ace
(see photo).

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Spectator Cuts to the Aces - Plus!

You show the four Kings to a spectator and place them face down on the table,
saying, "I now want you to create four perfect blackjack hands – to do this I want
you to cut to the four Aces!" The spectator cuts the deck into four piles. You now
turn over the top card of each pile to find…..the four Kings! The four cards that
you placed aside at the start prove to be the four Aces.

This uses a different method for the spectator cutting to the Aces, but you can
substitute the previous method if that suits you better. Place the four Kings on
top of the deck and give them a bridge at the inner end as in the previous
method.

1. Hold the deck with the faces towards you and run through saying that you
need the four kings. In fact, you remove the four Aces and transfer them to the
rear as you find them.

2. Turn the deck face down and flip

over the top eight cards (lifting at the bridge) – apparently only the four. I lift the
packet from above with my right hand then use my right first finger to revolve the
packet face up onto the deck (see photo). This helps to hide the front edge of the
packet. Spread the upper three Kings to display four, then flip all eight cards face
down again. Deal the top four cards into a face down pile on the table.

3. Place the deck on the table and invite a spectator to cut it into four piles – as
before, you want the pile that has the four target cards on top to finish at either
end.

4. As before, lift off the four card block and place it face down into your left hand,
then lift off the top cards from the remaining three piles and place these onto the
block – however, as you place the first single card on top, instantly lift up on the
top King with your right thumb and catch a break under it. In the end you will
have a break under the top four cards.

If you have difficulty making this break without undue hesitation, forget the

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break. Instead, simply collect the cards, then, pretend to peek at the cards as
your right thumb riffles off three cards one by one from the bottom. As you say,

"Now this looks very odd."

Bring your right hand over

palm-down and insert your thumb into the break – fingers on top of packet – (see
photo) and stud-deal the unit above the break face up onto the left hand pile.
This reveals the first King. You now deal the remaining three Kings onto the
other three piles in the same manner. You can't spread the piles inwards this
time, but the trick's not over.

Finally, turn over the four cards you placed on the table at the start (apparently
the Kings) to reveal that they are now the four Aces.

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K.I.A

[Kane is Able]

A different stack for an ingenious Marty Kane Automatic Placement concept.

Arrange the following 20 cards on top of the deck, reading from top to bottom:

KD-AC-2C-AH-3C-2D-4H-AS-5C-3H-QD-2S-JH-4C-QS-AD-KC-5H-QH-3S

1. After a False Shuffle, push off the top 20 cards and place the packet on the
table. Discard the rest of deck. Take a piece of paper and write the number 19 on
it and give it to a spectator. Explain that this is a prediction. It doesn’t matter if
it’s seen or not.

2. Tell a second spectator to pick up the packet and think of any number from
ONE to TEN. Say,

"As ONE is not exactly challenging I suggest you begin your

choice from TWO upwards."

Turn away and tell the spectator to deal that number of cards into a face down
pile in front of him, then to give the balance of the packet to the first spectator.
Before you turn round ask him to cover his pile of cards with his hand....so you
can’t get any clues.

3. Ask the current spectator who now holds the packet to observe your prediction
= 19. Point out that this number was written before you started.

Now tell the spectator to count 19 cards from top to bottom one at a time.

4. Now the finish. Ask the

spectator to deal the top card of the packet face up onto the table. State (before
he deals it) that you will use the VALUE of this card. Now tell him to turn the
packet face up and place it beside that card, saying that the SUIT of the face card
will be used (see photo - this example shows a value of Ace and a suit of Clubs).
Value and suit give a new composite, and randomly arrived at, card. Announce
the name of this card.

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Finally ask the other spectator to lift his hand and turn over the card he stopped
at. It’s the same card.

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MIRACLE OR IMPOSSIBLE REVISITED

This is a simple variation on Arun Bonerjee’s "Miracle or Impossible" (Billet
no.348, July/Aug 2000). During all the spelling in this routine I suggest that you
spell the words as the spectator deals the cards.

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

2. Give the deck to the spectator and say,

"Let’s pretend you’re a magician.....it’s

easy...I do it all the time. First you need to join the Magic Circle."

Tell him to spell

M-A-G-I-C -C-I-R-C-L-E dealing a card for each letter into a pile on the table.

Now say,

"Now that you’re a member of the Magic Circle, you need a magic

password to get in. Let’s use the most common, ABRACADABRA."

Tell him to

spell A-B-R-A-C-A-D-A-B-R-A dealing the cards onto the first pile. He now places
the rest of the pack aside. Explain that the cards he’s dealt are now a "magic
packet."

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

MAGIC

IMPOSSIBLE

MIRACLE

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

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

One words remains. He spells that but this time he retains the final card in his
hand. Ask him to name his selection then turn over the card to reveal it. You’re
final line will depend on the final word. For example, if the final word is MAGIC,
you say,

"And that’s magic!"

Substitute the appropriate word:

"...impossible! Or

"...a miracle."

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THE UNIVERSAL BASE

A "Universal card" (Ace of Spades) placed on the face of the deck changes into
the mates of two freely chosen cards. Finally the other three Aces appear
unexpectedly to finish.

This again uses the Laurie Ireland Bottom Deal concept (See The Keepers of the
Secrets earlier in this book), that of secretly losing cards as you deal.

A small set-up is required. Remove the four Aces plus two pairs of matching
mates. Here is an sample arrangement for this description – reading from the
face:

3D – 3H – KC – KS – face up Ace – face up Ace – face up Ace – rest of

deck.

1. Hold the deck with the faces towards you, and, without exposing the reversed
Aces, spread through and transfer the Ace of Spades to the face. Explain that
this Ace is a highly skilled card that can take on the appearance of other cards.

2. Hold the deck face down in dealing grip and ask someone to cut off about
one-third of the deck and place it on the table, saying,

"That gives us a random

place from which to begin."

Alternatively, you could also say,

"That makes the

forthcoming Bottom Deal easier."

But I prefer not to say that.

Now ask someone to call out a number from 5 to 15. Let’s say they call out 10.
Deal 10 cards into a face down pile on the table, dealing the first card from the
bottom (AS), then continue dealing fairly – finally deal the last card, in this case
the 10th, from the bottom.

Turn over the last card dealt to reveal, in this instance, a red Three spot. Tap the
Three with the balance of cards in your hand then slowly turn the cards over to
reveal that the Ace of Spades has changed into the other red Three spot.

Take the packet back into dealing grip and ask for a second number. Let’s say
they call out the number 8. Deal 8 cards onto the previously dealt pile – this time
you must lose the bottom card with a Bottom Deal, but you can do it at any time
prior to 8. Then, you deal a bottom on the final 8th card.

Again turn over the last card dealt – this time a black King – then slowly turn
over the cards in your hand revealing the bottom card has transformed into the
other black King.

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3. Flip the cards in your hand face down,

then pick up the dealt pile (first adding the two face up cards) and place it onto
the cards in your hand – but – execute a Kelly/Ovette to place the Ace of Spades
back on the face (see photo).

After a pause, turn over the cards in your hand to show that the Ace of Spades
has returned to it’s normal state. Turn the cards face down again and slide out
the Ace. Drop the remaining cards on top of the other section that was originally
cut from the top.

Finally, say,

"Now,

you’re probably wondering how the Ace of Spades did all that? Well…."

At that,

tap the deck with the Ace then spread, revealing the other three Aces face up in
the middle (see photo), and conclude, saying,

"...he had the full support of the

rest of his family!"

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HOFZINSER ON BASE

This uses the same concept as the previous trick to achieve a different effect.
This time we revisit the Hofzinser Card Problem.

1. Hold the deck face up and transfer the four Aces to the face. The only
stipulation here is that the first Ace that you bring to the front must be the same
suit as the rearmost card of the deck.

2. Spread and show the Aces so that the

audience is aware of what you have done, then close the spread and hold a
break under the upper three Aces.

Turn your left hand over and deposit the three Aces only on the table (see
photo), then adjust the deck so it’s face down in left hand dealing grip.

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3. Invite someone to help

you. As you do so slip-cut the top card into the middle (see photo) and hold a
break above it. Riffle Force to the break and place all the cards above the break
to one side. These are no longer used. Invite the spectator to look at the top card
of the remaining half, then take the card and place it on the bottom of the packet.
Raise your hand to allow the audience to see the card really is there, saying,

"We

all know exactly where your card is."

4. Pick up the Aces (apparently four) and place them momentarily face up on the
deck, then flip them face down, saying,

"We also know exactly where the Aces

are. The Aces will now use their X-ray vision to see through the cards and tell me
the suit of your card."

Deal the top Ace face up on the table – pause – then look at the spectator and
say,

"No. I don’t think this is the same suit as your card."

Deal a second Ace face up on the table overlapping the first, and repeat the same
words.

This time deal the card from

the bottom face down onto the two face up Aces, then say,

"But this one seems

more promising."

(see photo)

Finally deal the top card (Ace) face up on top of all, saying,

"No. Definitely not."

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You now name the missing suit – it will be assumed that the face down card is
the Ace of that suit. Snap your fingers then turn over the face down card to
reveal the selection.

Finally you slowly turn your hand to show that the bottom card of the packet is
now the missing Ace.

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CHANGE-OVER QUICKER

A forerunner to the Fulves "Black Widow" plot was Tom Sellers’ "The
Change-over Aces" from Magical Mixture, 1943. In this, a red Ace is placed
between two red court cards and a black Ace is placed between two black court
cards. The Aces change places. Sellers uses only the Glide to achieve the effect.
However, he transfers eight cards in the process. It struck me that he didn’t need
to transfer eight cards, it can be done in only six transfers – which is what you
want. I have also added a second phase with the Aces face up.

PHASE 1

1. Remove the four Kings and a red and black Ace. Discard the rest of the deck.

2. Hold the Kings in a face up fan with the reds on top of the blacks. Place the
red Ace between the red Kings and the black Ace between the black Kings. Make
sure the audience are fully aware of this! Turn the packet face down and hold in
readiness for the glide.

3. You now count the 6 cards one by one, transferring a card from bottom to top
each time. However, you execute a Glide on the 3rd and 6th cards. So, it goes
like this:

FAIR / FAIR / GLIDE - FAIR / FAIR / GLIDE.

As you count, say,

"King-Ace-King...King-Ace-King."

You now spread the packet

and lay the top three cards on the table to your right and the remaining three
cards to your left (see photo).

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Pretend to transfer two

cards, then turn the packets face up and spread each to reveal that the Aces
have transposed (see photo).

PHASE 2

4. Switch the Aces back to their original positions. Pause, then say,

"I’ll do it

again, but this time I’ll leave the Aces face up so you can see that I don’t cheat."

Flip both both aces face down, then place one packet on top of the other and
pick up all. Turn the packet face down.

Now repeat Step 3 as described – fair-fair-glide fair-fair-glide. The face up Aces
don’t make any difference at all.

Again, spread the packet

and lay the top three cards on the table to your right and the remaining three
cards to your left. There is a face up in the middle of each (see photo).

Snap your fingers over the packets, and say,

"Notice the Aces stayed where they

are...this is because the Kings transposed this time!"

Turn over the Kings in

each pile to show that this is the case.

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HERE WE GO AGAIN...

I return once again to one of my favourite obsessions, the Hofzinser "Royal
Marriages" plot - the marrying up of Kings and Queens. Among past methods I
have used is the Stay Stack principle. The present version also uses the Stay
Stack principle, but not with the full packet, as the cards appear to be divided
into Kings & Queens to begin. I’ll describe handling only here and leave the
patter to the reader.

1. Remove the Kings and Queens and discard the rest of the deck. Lay the Kings
in a face up spread on the table in C-H-S-D order (Diamonds at the face). Lay the
Queens in a separate spread in H-C-D-S order.

This is simply CHSD with

the first two cards swapped and the second two swapped (see photo). So,
basically, you can toss out the Kings in any order, then remove the Queens in
the same order before swapping 1 & 2 and 3 & 4.

2. Flip the Kings face down then drop the Queens face up on top of them, then
pick up the complete packet. Place it into left hand dealing grip. NOTE: In actual
performance it doesn’t matter which set of cards is face up on top. We’ll make it
Queens for this description. We now do a simple Braue Addition to set the cards,
as follows:

Spread the packet and talk about the face up Queens/ladies, then close the cards
and obtain a break under the top 6 cards. Now lift them off in right hand Biddle
grip.

a) Pull off the upper Queen (Spades) with the left thumb and flip it face down.

b) Repeat with the next Queen (Diamonds).

c) Drop the remaining four cards on top, then push over the remaining two
Queens and casually flip both face down on top of all – without changing their
order.

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3. Count the top four cards

one-at-a-time into your right hand, then turn both hand over and place each
packet face up on the table (see photo). There are two Kings at the face of one
pile and two Queens at the face of the other, so you don‘t need to worry about
the front cards spreading.

4. Invite a spectator to choose either pile –

"Kings or Queens."

Pick up the

chosen pile, turn it face down, then hand it to him. He now does a mini-Deal Mix
by dealing the packet into two piles, then drops one on top of the other. He can
repeat this as many times as he wants.

Next, invite a second spectator to do the same with the other pile. Or you can
use the same spectator. Finally one four-card pile is dropped on top of the other.
Either spectator now holds the packet face down ready to proceed.

5. Explain that, despite the Kings and Queens being both mixed and separated,
the word

"Marry"

can have a magical effect. Ask him to spell

M-A-R-R-Y

transferring five cards from top to bottom. He then deals the top two cards into a
face down pile on the table. Pretend that these are eliminated.

He repeats this two more times – spells

MARRY

and deals two new two-card

piles. Again pretend that these are eliminated.

Finally ask him to turn over the remaining two cards in his hand to reveal a
perfect match of King & Queen. Act as if that’s it. Then say,

"But if the word

MARRY truly is magical, then perhaps it worked for the others too??"

At that, flip

over the three pairs on the table revealing a further three matching pairs.

NOTE: Check out The Marriage Bureau on my website for several more related
items.

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trick10- Here We Go Again

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COMBINATION LUCK

A card discovery using a random number thought of by a spectator that works
automatically.

This was based on a Stewart James trick that I read, but cannot relocate, despite
Bill Goodwin’s excellent index!

An easy-to-remember set-up is all that’s needed. Arrange 22 cards as follows –
mixed suits and where X = any card:

(top) 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-A-X-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-A-X (bottom).

Take the remainder of the deck, crimp the bottom card, and place it on top of the
stack.

1. False Shuffle retaining the bottom stock then place the deck face down on the
table. Invite a spectator to cut off a section of

"about half or less"

and shuffle

them. Then ask him to think any number from 1 to 10, saying,

"This will be your

special number."

Let’s say he thinks of 7. He now remembers the 7th card from the top of his
section and leaves it at its position. Make sure he shows it any others present in
case he forgets it. Finally he replaces his portion of the deck back onto the
bottom half then gives the deck a few straight cuts.

2. Pick the deck off the table and say,

"You are thinking of two unknown things –

a secret number and a secret card."

As you are talking, cut the crimp to the

bottom then casually place the deck back on the table.

3. Say,

"I am a great believer in THIRD TIME LUCKY. So I claim that your card will

appear on the third attempt of what follows!"

The spectator now deals a few cards onto

the table in a single pile and stops anywhere, turning the last card face up on the

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pile, but it must be within the first 10 cards. That’s why you must stress just a
few cards. Let’s say he turns up a Five spot (see photo).

Say,

"Because of my belief in third-time-lucky, I know that is not your card. Let’s

move on to the second attempt."

Tell him to add this value to his secret

number. In this example he would add

5 + 7 =12

. Now tell to deal that number of

cards onto the same pile and, again, turn the last card face up. Keeping with our
example this card will be a Four spot (see photo).

Say,

"Once again, because of my firm belief, I know this is not your card. Let’s

move on to the third attempt...and remember, third time is always lucky."

Again he adds this value to his secret number and deals the new number of
cards onto the same pile. So,

4 + 7 =11

(it‘s always 11). This time tell him to hold

the last card face down.

Ask him the name of his card then tell him to look at the card he now holding.
This will be it.

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CANNIBALECTOR

As an introductory feat, the four Kings demonstrate their magical abilities by
causing two random cards to vanish. Having proved their expertise in the art of
vanishing, they now instantly collect three previously selected cards.

This is based on a Phil Goldstein combination of Twisting the Aces and the
Walton Collectors. Here, the combination is the Searles Cannibal Cards and the
Collectors. The principle behind the trick remains Goldstein’s.

1. Remove the four Kings and lay them face up on the table in a spread – the two
reds in the middle and Spades on the face. Now have three cards selected and
control then to the top in any order.

2. Turn the deck face up and obtain a break above the three selections at the
rear. Spread the cards and outjog any two cards at random, asking,

"Are any of

these the cards you chose? No? Good. Because I want to use these for a quick
demonstration."

Strip out the two cards adding the three

selections via the Vernon Add-on (see photo), then immediately drop the deck on
top of them. Turn the deck face down and deal the top two cards onto the table.

3. Pick up the Kings in a Biddle grip, while obtaining a break under the top card
of the deck.

Say,

"The Kings are great magicians – Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and clubs.

Together they make one of the best teams in magic."

Accompany this by doing

the following ATFUS:

Pull of Spades onto the deck, but as you do so, pick up the card from the break
under the other three kings – keep a thumb break over this card. Apparently pick
up the King of Spades under the other three, but really deposit the broken card
on top of it so it remains hidden 2nd from the top of the deck. Now pull off the

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next two red kings one by one, transferring each to the rear of the packet
normally. Finally draw attention to Clubs – now at the face of the packet where it
remains.

Place the deck on the table and then place the Kings (only three) into your left
hand, still face up.

4. Say,

"Before we proceed to the main event, let me give you a quick

demonstration of how good these guys really are."

Pick up one of the two face down cards –

apparently random cards – and insert it second from the bottom of the three face
up kings via a Buckle (see photo).

Don't be overly concerned about this because the card is supposed to be going
into the packet. A buckle is a way to ensure you don't expose the fact you've
only got three Kings.

Take care not to let the face of the card be seen as this is now a selection. Flick
the packet then give the cards an Elmsley Count – last card to the bottom. The
random card has vanished.

Pick the other face down card and repeat the above exactly – again last card to
bottom. The second random card has vanished.

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5. Say,

"I told you these guys were good.

But that was only a demonstration. Now for the main event."

As you speak,

Double Buckle then pull the king of Clubs onto the lower two cards – as if giving
the packet a cut. In fact this is a Slip-cut (see photo).

Finally drop the kings on top of the deck – snap your fingers over the deck –
then pick up the deck and spread off the top seven cards showing the four Kings
with three face down trapped between. Reveal these as the selections to finish.

Go to Next Trick

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WITCH WAY?

The two black Queens are shown then cut into the deck. Instantly one of the
Queens is produced from your pocket. Using this red Queen as a magic device
you wave it over the deck then spread it. The two "red" Queens are now seen to
be face up on the middle, but there’s one face down card trapped between them.
This proves to be the other black Queen.

This is a variation on a previous effect of mine called "Lucky Ladies" which
appeared in The Budget.

Prior to performance, place a red Queen face down on top of the deck, then place
the other red Queen face up on top – finally place any card face down on top of
all (but not a Queen). The other two Queens are anywhere in the deck.

1. Run through and toss out the two black Queens asking a spectator to examine
them, saying,

"The black Queens perform black magic. Check them out."

As he’s

doing so, hold the deck face down and Double Cut the top two cards to the
bottom.

2. Take the two black Queens from the spectator face up and square them over
the deck secretly picking up the top card below them. Now peel off the upper
Queen onto the deck, openly injogging is slightly, then place the remaining two
as one on top. Lift off the three cards and flip then face down onto the deck.
Conclude this phase by Double Cutting the top two cards to the bottom, saying,

"I’ll cut the black Queens into the deck somewhere."

3. You now carry out a double action:

Your right hand comes over and Palms the top card, then, without hesitation, it
cuts the top half of the deck to the table (see photo). Finally place the remaining
half on top to complete the cut.

"If I give the deck a special cut, something odd

happens to the black Queens…"

Immediately reach into your right pocket and bring out the palmed card, as you
finish your sentence,

"…one of them jumps into my pocket!"

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4. Give the Queen to a spectator and ask him to wave it over the deck. Now
ribbon-spread the deck revealing the two red Queens are now face up in the
middle.

"Oh, you’ve summoned up her sisters – the red witches. They must have

turned up for a reason? Perhaps it’s to show you the way. That is, the way to the
other Queen."

Remove the face down card and turn it over revealing it to be the other black
Queen.

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THE FACE UP TRICK

You offer to demonstrate a card trick, but you point out that you’ve only learnt it
with the cards face up. You turn the deck face up and begin. A card is freely
selected and pushed back into the middle. Using your "sensitive fingers" you
successfully cut to the chosen card. You now offer to do try it again with half the
cards face up and half face down this time. You spread the cards and spectator
indicated the spot near the middle. You flip the upper section over so they lie
face-to-face with the bottom section. Instantly you spread the deck and all the
cards are now face down! "Great!" you say, "I’ve never been able to do this trick
with all the cards face down before." But there are two cards that remained face
up. Noting that there is a card trapped between them you slide it out and it
proves to be the previously selected card.

Before you begin, secretly reverse the 2nd and 4th cards from the bottom of the
face down deck. You can, if you so wish, make these the black Jacks, but I prefer
them to be random cards. Here is the handling only as the presentation has
already been given.

1. Shuffle the deck keeping the bottom four cards in place. Turn the deck face up
and Double Cut the front two cards to the rear.

2. Spread the cards from hand to hand – take care not to expose the reversed
card 2nd from the face – and invite a spectator to take any card. Close the spread
and get ready for Tilt under the face card. Take the selection and apparently
push it into the middle, really executing Tilt.

3. Square the deck. Execute a Slip-cut to

bring the selection back to the face.

I use the Cy Endfield technique (see photo).

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4. Again, spread the cards from hand to

hand and invite the spectator to touch a spot near the middle. Flip the upper
section face down, but injog the selected card as you do so (see photo). Now
square the cards and get a break under the injog.

Immediately Half-pass the lower section and ribbon-spread the deck across the
table. All the cards are face down...except for two stubborn cards. Finally draw
attention to the fact that there is one card trapped between them. This is the
selection.

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PIANO BIDDLE

You remove six matching pairs of cards, then you count them to make sure you
have only six pairs because this trick uses an even number of pairs. But, oops,
you have seven pairs, so you return one pair to the deck. These might be the red
Aces. You now split the six pairs up be dealing them into two piles. A magical
gesture, and you now show that the pairs have magically reunited, as you turn
over pairs of cards from the top of each pile. But wait, there is a single odd card
remaining in each pile. These prove to be the red Aces!

This is a non-Second Deal version of a trick I published in Pabular called "Twin
Keyboards." A slight variation, still with Second Deal, later appeared in
Applications (Breese Books). Roy Walton also published a non-Second Deal
version in Pabular but the following is entirely different. This uses the Biddle
Count.

1. Run through the deck and remove six matching pairs of cards, placing them
one on top of the other to form a face down pile. Then remove the two red Aces
(or any other prominent pair) plus two random cards behind them and place this
four-card packet on top of the pile. Place the rest of the deck face down to one
side, but within reach.

NOTE: while removing the pairs, do not mention the number of pairs at all. Don’t
even say what you’re doing. If you don’t want to be so open about it, simply
transfer them to the rear of the deck instead of forming a pile. Then remove the
packet from the rear, and continue.

2. Explain that this trick only works with an even number of pairs, and you think
you removed six. You will now check that you have an even number by counting
the pairs, at the same time you will set the cards for the finish. This is all done
using a Biddle Count.

Pick up the packet and hold it face up in right hand Biddle grip. This is a
repetitive count, done in stages of two-pairs-at-a-time. Here is what you need to
repeat:

Count one pair: Pull off a card into your left hand, then count off the 2nd card on
top but keep a break under it.

Count 2nd pair: Pull off next card but steal back card from break – but keep a
break above it with your right thumb. As you count the next card, allow the
broken card to fall under it.

You have thus counted two pairs. However, you have secretly interlaced them.
This is a rhythmic count, and is NOT difficult to maintain.

You now repeat this count two more times, after which, you will be left with the
red Aces (plus two hidden cards) in your right hand. As I count, I say the
following:

"One pair...two pair...three pair...four pair...five pair...six pair….oh, I’ve got
seven."

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OK. Your right hand still holds

the red Aces (plus two hidden cards). Use the right hand cards to flip the packet
face down (see photo), then place these cards face up on top – keeping a break
under them. Push over the top card to display two red Aces then flip over all four
cards as a unit.

Remove the top two cards, saying,

"We’ll get rid of these red Aces and that’ll

gives us the required number."

Drop the two cards on top of the deck and give

the deck a casual cut. Don’t make too big a deal of this as you don’t want the
audience to think that the red Aces have any future in this trick!

3. You now deal the packet into two face down piles, dealing alternately, thus
apparently splitting every pair. As you’re dealing, keep talking about how each
pair is now being split up. Don’t allow them time to sit and count the cards as
you deal!

4. Snap your fingers over

the piles, then lift off the top two cards of the left pile and turn them over
revealing a matching pair. Place the pair in front of its pile (see photo). Now
move to the right pile and do likewise. Then move back to the left and repeat, and
keep going like this until all the pairs are face up, except for a single face down
left over in each pile.

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Appear puzzled, saying,

"That’s odd. I’m sure I had an even number of pairs?"

Then, after some thought, continue,

"I think I know what’s happened. You know,

Aces are real show-offs, and I’m betting those red Aces have come back to join
us for the finale!"

Turn over the two odd cards revealing the red Aces.

Go to Next (final) Trick

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TRIPLE HUMDINGER

A spectator removes any 8 cards from the deck then you write three predictions.
In the end, all three predictions prove to be correct.

This is based on Bob Hummer’s "Personality Test" (Collected Secrets, page 14).
Here. Hummer has a spectator mix 8 cards. In the end he has predicted that 5
cards face one way and 3 face the other (a 5/3 personality). The problem is that
on occasions, you get 7 facing one way and one facing the other. The ‘out’
offered is, in my opinion, weak. The following circumvents that problem. By
openly mixing a few cards first you are guaranteed a 5/3 result. However, thanks
to Hummer’s CATO (which isn’t really used in the original Hummer trick), when
the spectator carries out a further mix you are then guaranteed a 7/1 result. So
both can be predicted in advance. The icing on the cake is that you also know
what the single face down card will be, thus securing your third prediction.

1. Have three slips of paper and a pen at hand. Give the deck to a spectator and
ask him to shuffle it then remove 8 cards. The rest of the deck is discarded.

2. Take the 8 cards face and hold them

face up in dealing grip, saying,

"This is an precognition. In a moment, you will

mix the cards so that some face the wrong way. I will try to predict certain facts."

As you speak, openly flip over the cards at positions 2, 4 & 6. Also glimpse and
remember the lowermost face up card. Let’s say it’s the Ace of Spades (see
photo). Place the packet on the table.

Take the three slips of paper and write the following on each:

Slip 1

Slip 2

Slip 3

5 / 3

7 / 1

AS

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Leave these lying in a row on the table, in order, writing side down. I suggest you
write 1, 2 and 3 on the backs so the audience know which is which in advance.

3. The trick now works itself. Or, I should say, the spectator does it all for you!
Here is the procedure:

FIRST PREDICTION

a) Tell the spectator to pick up the packet and give a cut. It doesn’t matter which
way up the packet is.

b) Tell him to flip over the top two cards together then give the packet a cut. He
repeats this as many times as he wishes (this is classic CATO).

Finally he spreads the cards on the table. Draw attention to the number of face
up and face down cards – this will be 5 and 3. Turn over the first prediction and
have it verified.

SECOND PREDICTION

a) Gather up the cards and give them back to the spectator. He can repeat the
CATO process a few more times as it won’t alter the outcome. Otherwise, just
move straight to step b).

b) Tell him to deal the cards into two piles – dealing alternately left and right. He
then turns either pile over onto the other.

Again, he spreads the cards on the table. Draw attention to the number of face
up and face down cards – this time there will be 7 and 1. Turn over the 2nd
prediction and have it verified.

THIRD PREDICTION

Finally, point out that there is one single reversed card among the eight, the
identity of which, nobody could have guessed in advance. Turn over the final
prediction and have it verified to conclude.

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