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 FUTURE REVERSE
Effect: A spectator peeks at a card. Cardician spreads deck to show a previously reversed
card. This reversed card locates the selected one.

The above description is exactly as one would visualize it, as there isn’t any cutting or
shuffling of the pack after the peek. The pack is merely spread to show a reversed card
to verify the cardician’s previous statement. This reversed card locates the peeked-at card.
Under these conditions, the mind of the spectator must assume that you knew before hand
which card he was going to look at.

Several methods will be described that should appeal to those who do not care to practice,
those who do, and those who would rather be bold with a minimum of skill. The first method
should appeal to the beginner who is out to make a reputation among his friends, for doing
miracles. As the effect is the same in every case, the method only will be described.

FIRST METHOD
This depends on a pre-arrangement of the deck. From the top of the deck down, arrange the
deck in the following order:

Club suit is arranged from King down to Ace in sequence.

Heart suit is arranged with the King of Hearts first, then Ace to
Queen in sequence.
Next comes a reversed King of Diamonds.
Spade suit is arranged Queen down to Ace in sequence and then
the King of Spades.

Diamond suit is arranged Ace up to Queen in sequence. The King of Diamonds has of course
been made use of as a reversed card. The following diagram should make things even clearer
as to the proper suit order from top to bottom and their arrangements:

Clubs: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A
Hearts: K, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q
Spade: Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A, K
Diamonds: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q

Once the pack is set the effect is always ready without any resetting.

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To locate any one of the cards you use the King of Diamonds as a value of thirteen, the
Queen being a value of 12, Jack of 11, and the other cards having their numerical value. To
locate any one of the cards peeked at you either add or subtract, depending on which suit they
peeked at. In the case of Hearts and Spades, you subtract the value of the card peeked at from
the face up King of Diamonds or thirteen. Whatever the remainder happens to be, you use it
to count over that many cards. Do not count the face up card in any case.

As an example, suppose a spectator peeked at a four of spades. Four from thirteen is nine.
Count over nine cards in the spade portion. Remove, partially, the ninth card. Have spectator
name his card again. Turn card over and it will be the four of spades. This same procedure
holds true for the heart section except that you count into the heart section to arrive at his
card. In the case of the top and bottom suits, namely clubs and diamonds, you must add the
value of the spectator’s card to the King of Diamonds or thirteen.

For example, let us say the card is the eight of diamonds. Add eight to thirteen and it gives
you twenty one. Count twenty one cards, turn over the twenty first card, and it will be the
eight of diamonds. The same procedure holds for the club suit. Of course you must remember
to count into the proper suit for each case.

In two cases where either the king of spades or king of hearts should be the peeked cards,
nothing is mentioned about addition or subtraction. The reversed card’s value is merely used;
that is, thirteen. Count over thirteen cards and you will have arrived at either of the two
kings.

The patter in this particular presentation is important to a good psychological effect on the
spectator. Therefore strict attention should be given to the words coming from the mouth of
the cardician. Remove the cards from the case, approach the spectator, and say: “While I hold
the deck in this manner, at the finger tips (figure 1), I want you to just pull back a corner
of the deck at any spot and peek at a card.” Demonstrate how he is to do this so later he
will not riffle the corner of the pack and thus expose the fact that the cards have a definite
sequence. After he has noted a card, the pack is squared and held face down in the left hand
as you make the following remarks: “I will not shuffle or cut the cards in any manner. Will
you please name your card?”

As soon as the spectator names his card, you immediately start to talk as if you had not even
heard him. Let us assume the card named was the 7 of Spades.

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“Incidentally, before I left home this evening, I turned a card upside down in the deck.”
Spread the cards to reveal the face up King. Partially remove the card, letting it project from
the pack. At that point, turn to spectator and say:

“This card has a value of thirteen. Now whatever the value of your card happens to be, we
will use it to subtract (or add, depending on what suit spectator looked at. In this case the
example is the seven of spades) from thirteen.” “I tell you this now so that later on you will
not accuse me of making ambiguous statements.”

Look at spectator and say clearly – “Now don’t name

your card but just give me the value. That is, was it a
four, a ten, or what? Jack of course is eleven, and a
Queen is twelve.” The spectator, in this case, says his
card’s value was a seven. You say: “And subtracting
the seven from thirteen gives us six.” Count over to the
sixth card and remove it, holding it face down. Address
the spectator, – “Now for the first time name your card.”
The seven of spades is named and you say: “The seven
of spades, as I knew it would be.” Slowly turn the card
face up as you finish saying the last few words.

After showing the card, casually replace it in the case

and place it in your pocket.

In case you have failed to time this trick right, that is, just before you must take leave of the
company – then a suggestion that another pack, with a King of Diamonds reversed in the
center be later brought out for further effects. After a few effects, openly remove a King of
Diamonds and reverse it in the center. Place it in the case and pocket it. This of course seems
like a lot of unnecessary procedure but it may pay off just in case some wise guy insists you
do the same trick again for some late arrivals.

In conclusion, in the case of some spectator actually peeking at the reversed card, you will
know it because he will not be able to name the card. In this case smile and say: “ Your
card is the King of Diamonds. I know because that is the only card I reversed before I
left home.”

Spread the cards to show this is true. Of course you could do this effect every time if you
had all double backed cards, and only one regular card, but that would be cheating just a
little too much.

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SECOND METHOD
This next method depends on the use of a sleight to reverse a card. An explanation of this
sleight and its proper technique will come first, then its application to the effect.

In this method, the cards are held in the regulation manner for the peek in order that the left
fourth finger may obtain a break at the point that the spectator notes a card. Once the break is
obtained, the right hand comes over to square the pack. When the squaring action is stopped,
the fingers of the right hand must completely cover the front end of the pack. The right thumb
tip will be at the back end. The length of the thumb should lie parallel to the left thumb. Its
tip will be touching the lower left hand corner of the deck. The right hand must set low over
the deck so that the upper right corner of the pack comes at a point approximately between
the base of the fourth and third fingers of the left hand. When the right hand has assumed the
proper position the left thumb assumes a parallel position alongside the left side of the deck.
At this point, if the positions of both hands are correct, the tip of the right forefinger and the
tip of the left thumb will be touching, as will the tip of the right thumb be touching the mount
of the left hand. Yet the top of almost the complete pack will be exposed as in figure 2. The
left fourth finger of course still retains its break.

With the pack held as in figure 2, the left little finger enters break and pushes upwards to
start out the peeked card. Once the card is started out, the left second and third fingers take
over and complete pushing the card to the right, but in a straight line, until this card’s upper
right corner goes between the third and fourth fingers and at the base of these fingers. When
the card reaches this point, all further pushing movement stops. The selected card will project
from the side of the deck for only about three quarters of an inch and should now be lightly
clipped between the base of the third and fourth fingers of the right hand as in figure 3, which
shows bottom view of right hand. Left hand has been omitted for clarity. This low position
is important for the subsequent moves.

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The next move is made by the left hand fingers pivoting downward and to the left of the cards
below the projecting card, as in figure 4. As the bottom portion is lowered, the projecting card
will start to swing out, to the right, due to the fact that it is only clipped at the corner between
the base of the third and fourth fingers of the right hand as in figure 4. During the action of
the left hand, it is most important there should not be any movement imparted to the top of
the pack. It must be perfectly motionless. Also the position of both hands assumed in figure
2 must be kept throughout these maneuvers. Note that figure 4 is made with an invisible right
hand. This is to show how the right hand fingers will cover the pivoting action from the front
if the right hand has been placed low enough.

When the projecting card pivots out and assumes an almost perpendicular position, the left
fingers press on the face of the card which causes the card to fall face up and flush on to
the still lowered bottom portion. The bottom half is now slowly swung up to join the upper
portion. The left fingers now press against the side of the pack, in order to square it. The
left hand now remains motionless. The right hand fingers and thumb press on the ends of the
deck to square any possible telltale projections. The right hand is now removed. The selected
card is of course reversed in the deck.

If your fingers are short and cannot completely cover the front of the deck when executing
the left hand moves, then you must try to get the hands in such a position that the spectator
will be looking directly at the top of the deck. As a matter of fact, this is the most desirable
condition because then the movements of the left hand will not be observed.

Although the sleight described was used to reverse a selected card, in the effect at hand it is
used to reverse the card above it. The presentation follows.

Naturally this effect can be done at any time with anyone’s deck. Before proceeding have
the cards shuffled. Approach a spectator and ask him to peek at a card. Before he can do so,
excuse yourself by saying: “Just a moment, I forgot to do something. Will you excuse my

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turning around for just a moment?” Turn around, pretend to do something; actually you do
nothing. Turn to face the spectator. Offer the pack for a peek. After the card has been peeked
at, the hands seem to square the ends of the deck. Actually the right hand thumb at back of
deck lifts up slightly the portion above the little finger break.

The little finger now moves out of the way while the right thumb lets the peeked card slip
from the upper portion on to the lower portion. The left little finger now moves back. The
right thumb lets go and the break is again maintained by the left fourth finger. The line used
to cover this action is: “Do you remember when I excused myself for a moment and turned
my back on you?” The hands continue squaring the deck and finally assume the position
shown in figure 2. Continue talking: “Well, during that time I reversed a card in the deck.
This card, you must remember I reversed before you looked at a card. I will now show you
the card I turned.”

The sleight for reversing the card should be accomplished during the above lines. Spread the
pack to disclose the reversed card. Remove it and the card below it. Again stress the fact that
your card was placed in the deck face up before the spectator made his peek. Have spectator
name his card, then reveal it.

If you should do the above for another cardician, who is not familiar with the sleight or effect,
for some strange reason they will never suspect you of reversing a card. This perhaps is due to
the fact that if a card is reversed, it should expectedly be the selected one. The fact that a card,
not theirs, shows face up throws them off the real situation.

METHOD THREE
The same effect as already explained, except that the method varies. This method is depen-
dent on another sleight – that of running a card beneath the cards, as the pack is spread
between the hands. Begin by placing a card, face up about twenty cards from the bottom
of the pack.

Have a spectator peek at a card, then maintain the break with the fourth left finger as
explained in method No. 2. In order to prevent anyone from peeking at card below the face
up card, the tip of the left forefinger is placed against the top right hand corner on the
face of the first twenty cards, thus deliberately blocking the bottom third of the pack from
being peeked at. The spectator, following the line of least resistance, will peek at the card
above this point.

Assuming a card has been peeked at and a break is obtained, address the spectator, saying:
“Before you peeked at a card, I had a card reversed in the deck.” Start to spread the deck,

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being sure to maintain the break during this procedure. Spread the deck until you come to
the break. When the break, or peeked at card, is reached, the card to the right of the peeked
card is pulled back by the left thumb over the selected card, at the same time the left fingers
push the selected card to the right and further under the spread, when the right fingers then
take over to pull the card further to the right, until it clears the deck and lies beneath the
spread as in figure 5.

The remaining cards are of course spread without obviously stopping the action at this point.
The pack is spread until the face up card is reached. At this point the face up card is jogged
out for half its length, by the left hand, which moves its portion of the pack, plus the face
up card, upwards.

The right fingers, from below, hold on to the jogged face up card. This leaves the right hand
free to bring its remaining cards back to the original position, i.e. alongside the rest of the
spread. When the face up card is jogged the spread is closed at the same time the peeked
card is slid below the face up jogged card. See figure 5. The pack is placed face down on
the table with the jogged face up card marking its location. Have spectator name the card he
peeked at. Upon getting the name of the card, the right hand, from above, cuts off the portion
above the face up card and places it to the right. The left forefinger is rested on the face up
jogged card while the right fingers gently pull out the card below it. The card is turned to
show it as the selected card.

An alternate presentation to the above is to have one spectator place any selected card face
up into the deck while your back is turned. Upon receiving the pack you can very easily spot
the location of the reversed card because a thin white line will show at the top edge of the
pack. Cut the reversed card to approximately twenty cards from the bottom. Have a second
spectator peek at a card, of course holding the break. Now proceed to look for the card the
first spectator reversed, of course doing the sleight already explained. Upon concluding the
effect, apparently the second spectator peeked at a card that happened to be next to the one
a spectator previously reversed.

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The methods to follow should appeal to those who like the bold, deliberate, subtle procedures
in their methods. Very little skill or practice is necessary to do either of the methods, but a
definite non-hesitant, confident approach is necessary to carry them off successfully.

METHOD FOUR
As the final effect is the same as already stated, only the method used will be explained.
This method makes use of the corner short card. That is, a card which has had its upper left
and lower right corners shaved or clipped not less than 1/64th of an inch, but not more than
1/32nd of an inch. The corners referred to mean while the card is in a face down condition.
Many cardicians make use of such a key card, therefore this method is perfect for them.
Let us assume your key card is a jack of clubs. Remove the jack of clubs and place it in
a reversed position, i.e. face up in a face down pack, somewhere in the center of the deck.
This automatically places the short corners at upper right and lower left corners. With the
key card thus secretly reversed, approach a spectator. Hold the pack with the left fingers
and thumb at the lower left corner as in figure 1. With the right forefinger riffle the upper
right corner of the pack as you say: “While I riffle the cards in this manner, all you do is
merely say stop.”

During this bit of patter, you have riffled only the portion of the deck above the reversed key
card, thus you are through riffling the cards before the spectator would have a chance to stop
you. Apparently you resume the above procedure but this time your riffle starts at the very
face of the deck. Riffle slowly and try to time the riffle so that the short card will snap by as
the spectator says: “Stop.” You will of course know when you are right because the face of
the key card will be staring at you while the spectator will be noting the card above it. After
spectator has noted the card, release the remainder of the cards by the right forefinger. It only
remains to conclude the effect as in previous methods.

METHOD FIVE
This method should appeal to those who, like myself, prefer to use a pack of cards minus any
gimmicked key cards. This method is simple and sure but again depends on timing. Begin
by previously reversing a card face up second from the bottom of the pack. Note the bottom
card which is the card the spectator will eventually get. Let us assume this card is the two
of spades. As you approach the spectator for the peek the cards are cut in half by placing
the bottom half on the top, but as the halves are apparently squared flush the left little finger
obtains a flesh break. This break will now act in the same manner as a short card. That is,
if the right forefinger riffles the upper right corners of the pack, there will be a sudden stop
when the break is reached. The procedure from now on is obvious. The card is riffle forced,
in this case the two of spades, on the spectator. Once the card has been noted the cards are
released as is also the finger break. The cards can now be squared openly to show no breaks
being held. The effect is now concluded as in the other methods.

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The above riffle force can of course be used to force a card for use in any other effect. A
cardician unfamiliar with this method will never suspect a break being held before a peek,
but always after. That is why the obviously clean method of handling after the peek throws
them completely off the track.

METHOD SIX
This method is similar to handling in method 4 except that a short card is not used. If you will
place a card face up in the center of the deck and then look at the top end of the cards, you
will note a thin white line. This will be the reversed card. Your procedure is the same as for
the short card method, except that in this case, you must time the riffle to stop the card before
the reversed card. This of course requires good timing plus a sharp eye to make sure that you
do not stop at a point two or three cards before the reversed card; however, by using a setup of
five cards, you run less risk. The setup consists of reversing any three spot, then placing four
cards in a known order such as any 8, King, 3 or 10 in front of the face up three. In this way
you have a four card edge, which is handled in the following manner; depending on which
card the spectator looked at. If the card was an eight, there is no problem because it is next to
three. In case of the king you use the value of the reversed card and count over to the king,
being sure you include the face up three spot in your count. For the three, you count over
to the third card not including the face up locator. The remaining card, the ten, is found by
counting three cards from the face up locator, and then turning over the next one. Needless to
say, the patter theme is the same as in all preceding methods.

THE BONUS EFFECT

Effect: A spectator is requested to peek at a

card while the cardician holds the pack at the
very fingertips. The spectator does so, but an
expression of surprise comes across his face.
The cardician smiles and says: “You looked at
the back of a card, didn’t you?” The spectator
admits this. The cardician patters: “ You looked
at the back of the Jack of Clubs because that is
the only card I previously reversed in this deck.”
The cards are ribbon spread, face down, to show only one card, the Jack of Clubs, face up
in the face down deck.

Secret: Beforehand, the deck is arranged as in figure 6 with all the cards facing one way
except the top, bottom and center cards. The deck can be set in a moment during the course
of events or some other effect, preferably one in which a card is located while the cards are

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 FUTURE REVERSE | 11

behind the performer’s back. Actually, waiting for an opportune moment, or creating one, will
be found to be the best procedure.

Once the deck is set, as in figure 6, the cardician holds the deck as in figure 1 with the face
card of course facing the audience. Instruct your assistant to peek at a card. In order to avoid
his riffling the corner insist that he decide where he wants to peek and then to just peek at
that point. Tell him that once he has decided, he should not change his mind. This series of
instructions seems to lend credence to the final outcome of the effect.

Naturally, the spectator will be looking at the back of a card. Under cover of his surprise, you
drop the deck and get the deck and hands in the position shown in figure 2, in readiness for a
half pass under the top card. Your right hand fingers and thumb hold onto the top card while
the left fingers drop slowly, making the cards pivot downwards and over onto the left finger
tips. The right hand with its lone card moves downward; slowly to meet the cards resting on
the left fingertips. The right hand now takes the complete deck and removes it from the left
hand. The situation of the deck now is that the two top cards are face to face but the center
card is still in the middle and face up in a face down deck. All that remains is to follow
through by spreading the cards face down to expose the center reversed card, at the same time
being careful that you do not expose the face up card second from the top of the deck. As
the effect is definitely over there is no need to hurry and try to right the card that is reversed
second from the top. As a matter of fact, if you do this effect first, then follow it immediately
with “Future Reverse,” method No. 5, and you can make use of the reversed card.

Simply get a three card break at the top with the right thumb. Now cut the deck to bring these
cards to the center, at the same time maintaining the break with the left little finger. You are
now set to go into “Future Reverse” using Method No. 5.

On the chance that the spectator may actually peek at the reversed card do not worry because
you still come up with a pretty good reverse miracle. You must remember that the pack in
being offered for the peek is held in such a manner as to preclude any possibility of control.
Therefore, after the peek, assuming the spectator has actually seen the face of the card, you
must make a great show of how impossible it would be to control his card.

Ask him to name his card. As he does so, you do the moves already explained, spread the
deck to show his card face up in the center. Another cardician may suspect that you turned his
card over, but how you could control it so surely will have him amazed.

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