TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solomon's Mind

Foreword - Edward Mario

SECRET MOVES

1-3 Mario's Deal Switch 15-25 Card Substitution

4-6 Mario Technique For Minus Multiple 25-32 Unit Upjog Addition
7 -11 No Break. Marlo-Curry Change 32-36 Filling The Hand
11-4 The Related Deal 36-38 The Choice Elevator

DISSERTATIONS, DISCUSSIONS AND ASSERTIONS

Dissertation on K.M. Move
39-40 K.M. Move - With Reverse Fingering Action 6 l Exchanging Four Of Eight
4l-43 Single Card Exchanges 6l-64 Surprise Transposition
43-45 Double Card Exchanges 64- 65 Direct Transposition
45-11 Exchanging Two Of Four 65 - 67 Mental Card Across
51-58 Exchanging Three Of Four 67-71 Packet For Packet Transpositions
58- 59 As Applied To Devilish Miracle 71-72 Sandwich Approach
59- 61 This Is A Four King Trick

Succession Aces
71- 72 Introduction 99*103 Simple Handling Suggestions
72-75 Ace Puzzle D.F. Solution 103-112 Mario's Third Method
75-80 Double Index Solution 113-120 Forth Method
80-89 First Method 121-130 Technicolor Succession Aces
90-01 Duck And Pull 131-137 Technicolor S.A. Revisions
02-97 Second Method 137- 138 Succession Aces Pure Method
97-^9 Ace Problem 138- 143 Scoop Up Palm
Dissertation On Oil And Water
143-146 Introduction 160 -165 Further Dissertation On Oil And Wate
14 6 -156 Oil And Water Plus Climaxes 16 5 - 166 Third Phase (Oil And Water)
156-158 Cutcsey Climax 166- 171 Oil And Water
158-160 Conditioned Oil And Water 171-173 Additional Comments

PLOT EFFECTS

173-175 The Synchronized Clock 208- 209 Think As I Think

176- 177Synchronized Clock Set Up Version 209- 213 No Palm Climax
17 7 - 180 The Piano Duet 213-219 My Best Number
' 180-183 The Repeat 219-222 Hofzinser Would Have Loved This
183-187 The Pellet Classic 222-225 Notes On Packet Switches
187-191 Deep Dunbury 226-232 New Sandwich Switches
' 19 1-19 2 Quick Deep Dunbury 232- 233 Favorite Switch Procedure
192-193 Logical Faced Triumph 233- 234 The Vanish
- 193-194 Simple Right Handed Triumph 234- 241 Devils To Witches
. i<)4-L95 Double Barrel R.H. Triumph 241-244 Sandwich Switchout (Off The Face)
195-197 Right Handed Triumph 245-263 The Motel Mystery .i"
_ 197-200 Improved Procedure Invisible Toss 264-269 The Prodigal Card
201-204 Gaffed Mental Trap 269-270 No Doubt About It
* 204-207 The Mental Secret
 OLD BUSINESS

271-27^ Mario Strip Cuts 298-30I For Hie Fingertip Peek

27U-27S Top And Bottom Transfers 301- 302 Two Card Control
275-278 Multiple Card Transfers 302 Three Card Control
278-281 The Tabled Cover Up Cut 302- 303 Double Fingertip Peek
281-285 The Tabled Block Slip Cut 303-305 Triple Fingertip Peek
285-288 A Switch On The Ten Hand Poker Stack 305-307 Combination Controls
288- 289 Additional Ten Hand Stacks 307-308 Removal Combination Control
289- 290 Second Method (One Riffle Shuffle) 309-313 The Marloesque Peek
290- 291 Third Method (One Riffle Shuffle) 313-315 Lapping Moves
291- 295 Double And Triple Peek Controls 3l6 As An Exchange
295-296 The Secret Incomplete Faro
297 The Contois
298 Second Method
BONUS

316-322 Mario Card Secrets

322-323 Which One Was Brighter?
32^-325 Cheat To Cheat Poker
SOLOMON'S MIND

By trade I am not a "Bookmaker", although I do not find it to be much of a gamble.

The reason for my optimism is not the quality of the print job, but the quality of
the creativity and variety of interesting magic discussion.

Regardless of all the rumors and all the non-sense that has distracted us in the
last few years,if an unemotional vote was cast no one would put their thumbs down
on Edward Mario. You may disagree with his point of view, at times, but his past
works and current endevours are the greatest single efforts in the history.of close
up card magic, or possibly all of magic.

It has been my privilege being associated with Mario since leaving the Army in 1970 .
I have found over the years that he has shared his secrets generously with me and
by and large with anyone who had an interest in card magic or who bought one of his
exclusive manuscripts. Of course his contributions to such magazines as Tops,
The Linking Ring, Pabular, MUM, Kabbalah, Hierophant, and books like A1 Sharpe's
and Eddie Field's, etc. show his unselfish generousity toward the people in magic
including the dealers and publishers.

Ed Mario is a gentleman whose word and honor is of the highest esteem. I feel it
an honor to have him as my friend. In this magazine, I have worked with Mario on several
of the effects. Our sessions together have been some of the most interesting hours of
iny life. Neither one of us trying to top the other, but sharing our ideas, stimulating
the other to explore other avenues for the evolution of the thinking. Mario is really
something special and I will not be the last to say that his creativity is limitless,
his enthusiasm is never ending, his skill with cards both dexterity wise and presentation
will probably never be surpassed. 1 invite you to share the discussions he had with me
over the past six months an well as his thinking over the past several yearn in Mar.Lo's
Magazine. Don't try to top him, he is not interested and it proves nothing. Be
creative and think about you magic on your own and if you decide to share it with others,
please try to give you inspirational source for the record.
 FOREWORD

The first thing you will probably notice is that the word "Magic" does not precede
"Magazine". This was done on purpose to make this volume distinctly different from
other magazines that normally feature the prefix "Magic" within its major title or as a
supplementary heading. To foresee the waggings of those who upon reading their xerox
copy, may consider this omission an apt one, let it be noted that it was herein already
predicted and that in no way has anyone told me or in some way did I find out about it.
Since you will find only card effects and related sleights, this is as good a reason as
any for simply calling this a magazine because among many magicians card effects are
not looked upon as magic unless they happen to be done with five ESP symbols or the more
childish ones with pictures of rabbits, gnomes, dwarfs, then graduating into the more
adult ones with sketches of guns, blood dripping-knives, devils, witches and whatever
else has been done to desecrate the classic pasteboard.

Why not title this like other books that contain only card items rather than calling it
a magazine? Well, the reason is that besides pasteboard prestidigitation, I wanted to
say something'. In the chapter "Dissertations, Discussions and Assertions", I have
tried to make editorial points through giving examples and following them to their
logical conclusions. The idea of calling this an "Uncensored Magazine" entered my mind
especially in view of the rumor concerning the unsolicited editing of the "Kabbala" and
pressured omission of articles like "Lost in the Shuffle" and "You Can't Count on Jordan"
for which articles there will be room in the next volume of this magazine. On this subject
of articles I did not intend to make comments, outside of those already within the text
on "Succession Aces"; however, in view of what has been said by the editor of Pallbearers,
stating that since two card men in the East had already thought of all the possible
methods for this plot, which for some unexplained reason they are not as yet releasing,
all other card men may as well forget about coming up with or submitting methods. This
means, in essence, that any method you may devise, they, the two Eastern card men, can
claim they already thought of it. Having read carefully their initial efforts on solving
this problem, I will state here and now that if any of the ideas and approaches, that
are within the various "Succession Aces" routines in this magazine, appear under either
of these two card mens' names without proper credit, I will definitely consider them
as having been "ripped-off".

On the subject of being "ripped-off", this probably strikes a familiar chord to many
magazine subscribers who suddenly after sending their money for a renewal of their
subscription find that the magazine has folded and the balance of their money is not
refunded. The subscriber is stuck once again hopefully awaiting a resurrection that
doesn't happen. The editors or owners of these folded magazines vanish like magic and
never bother to compensate the subscriber for issues he has not received. At present I
can only think of one that is still trying to make good his commitments. The subscriber
himself is partly to blame since should he inadvertently meet the publisher of an extinct
magazine, instead of bluntly asking for his money back he usually indulges in pleasant
conversation during which time the subscriber tells the publisher what a great magazine
he used to have and is there ever a chance that perhaps he may start it again. To this
query he gets a smile and an "I dunno".

It has always been an idea of mine that if one were to put out a magazine it would first
have all twelve issues completed and bound into a volume and then only that one volume
would be sold with no subscriptions taken for any future volumes. This would mean owing
nothing to anyone and taking as much time as necessary to publish the next volume . Unlike
other magazines that exist from contributions of other magicians, this one will accept
none, except those directly related, such as those in "Oil and Water" and "Succession
Aces" routines with David Solomon. In this magazine, I have come close to what originally
I had in mind with the exception that it is not numbered, as regards issues, but simply
Volume No. I.
As always these things do not get done by one individual but with the help of friends.
The illustrations were practically a joint effort with Dave Bendix doing the major
portion of them as well as Joe Hartel. In case you want to know who of the two did which
drawings, all I can tell you is that those which show the ring, the wrist watch, and
perhaps even the time of day were done by Joe Hartel. A few were done by Muriel and any
out of proportion drawings you may spot are probably mine. The layout, assembling, and
editing of the pages, the index, plus a lot of leg work were all done by Dave Solomon.
All this, by those mentioned, without getting any monetary compensation except a big
thank you. If there is any magic in magic that has to be it.

When will the next volume be out? That depends on how successful financially this first
volume will b e . And, in magic, a successful financial venture means "breaking even" so
that you can use the original means to start another end. For the present it is hoped
that the contents of this first volume will amply repay your pecuniary investment in that
you may find many items that will please you, stimulate your own thinking and that you
can actually ur " _ _ " bewilder your fellow cardicians, but to entertain the layman
as well—
 -1 -

KARLO'S DEAL SWITCH

This is the kind of technique that should immediately excite experts, especially
when it comes to applying it to impossible-type effects. The object of the Deal
Switch is to exchange a card in the process of dealing cards.

THE EFFECT: Two Jokers are placed face-up on the table. A spectator thinks
of a card. A card is made to appear between the two Jokers. It is the mentally
selected card.

This effect and technique will be described together. later, another version will
be described.

WORKING
1) This requires a regular deck containing two Jokers. On top of the deck is a
Joker, Ace of Spades, and the other Joker.

2) Remove the deck from its case. Turn over the top Joker, simultaneously picking
up the AS below it. With these two cards flip over the next Joker, taking it under
the two already in your right hand. Place the cards face-up onto the table as
supposedly two Jokers.

3) Have a spectator think of any card, eventually naming it. If he names the AS
you have a real miracle; however, let's suppose he names the 4C.

4) Say, "From this deck you remember I removed two Jokers.." As you deliver this
line quickly run through the cards until you come to the named card. Take it
with the cards in your right hand as your right hand gestures towards the tabled
Jokers on your left. Patter: "Prior to your thinking of a card I placed those two
Jokers on the table." Your right hand casually replaces its cards under those in
your left hand. The deck is turned face-down and squared. The named card is on
top. Place the deck face-down onto the table, positioning it just below or slightly
behind the tabled Jokers.

5) Direct attention to the tabled Jokers as you say, "Watch!" Snap your right
fingers and thumb over the Jokers. Your right hand then spreads the Jokers
to reveal a face-down card between them. During this spreading action your right
hand palm will automatically be above the tabled deck as shown in the Figure 1.
Under the misdirection of spreading the Joker sandwich your right hand Table
Palms the top card of the deck either into a Tenkai Palm position or a Mario Palm
position. The Figure 1_ shows the top card of deck being palmed. (Also see
Chapter of R.C.T. on "Tabled Palms".)

FIGURE 1
6 ) Your right hand moves back and'relaxes near therear edgeof the table as your
left hand picks up the spread of three cards. The patter line to be used during
the Deal Switch is: "We have a Joker, a face-down card, and a Joker". During this
the following actions take place: Your right hand deals the 1st Joker face-up onto
the table as shown in Figure 2, taking it near its upper left corner.

7) As your right hand comes over to deal the next card, the right fingers will
naturally move inwards towards the palm slightly. During this your right 1 st
and 2nd fingers clip the outer left corner of the palmed card as shown in Figure

8 ) Without hesitation the face down card is taken under the right thumb as in
the Figure A where you will note that the clipped card goes under the last
Joker.
.9) The right, thumb keeps its card in the Tenkai Palm as the tip of the right
thumb moves onto the exchanged card while t.he right 1 st and 2nd fingers move
underneath the card. This card ends up being dealt or dropped down onto the
first face up Joker as shown in the Figure jj. Continuing in a rhythmic action
the right fingers take the remaining Joker to deal it onto the tabled cards
as shown in the Figure 6 , thus concluding the switching action.

FIGURE $ FIGURE 6
10) The right hand can now move back and merely hold its card and later add
it to the deck in the inverse manner that it was picked up; or you can touch
and further spread the three tabled cards as your right hand simultaneously
lets its palmed card fall back onto the deck. The conclusion of the effect
should be obvious.

The Deal Switch can be applied to any effect that gives you an excuse to
deal the cards, e.g., ‘'The Mindreading Queen". Another ideal application would
be to Elmsley's 'Diamond Cut Diamond" effect. In this event you would first
remove the Ace through Ten of Spades, arranging them in ascending order from
face to back, spreading them in a line from left to right on the table.
A selected card is then controlled to the top of the deck, followed by placing
the deck in a proper position for a subsequent palm-off as in the original
Deal Switch effect. As your right hand touches or points to the face-up spread
of Spade cards, ask a spectator to think of one, your right hand palms the top
card of the tabled deck. Meanwhile your left hand turns the spectator's chosen
Spade card face-down, leaving it in its same position in the spread. Now your
left hand scoops up the packet and the deal is made by dealing each card one-at-
a-time face-up onto the table as you say: "You could have chosen the Ace, Two,
Three, Four, etc." until you reach the face-down card, vihen it is reached you
merely execute the Deal Switch and finish up by dealing the rest of the cards.
The exchanged card can be lappod or added to the tabled deck as already outlined.
Conclude the effect as required.

Another effect which would give you less problems than a "mental approach" would
be to cause a signed card to appear between the Jokers. This would mean that only
a control of the actual signed selection is necessary. Also one could openly
place any card between the Jokers, this card later turning out to be the signed
card or mental selection.

The above applications are only a few. It is a wise policy to restrict the use
of the Deal Switch. In other words, don't overdo it and apply it to everything.
Make the ultimate effect worth applying the technique.
 -4 -

MARLO TECHNIQUE FOR MINUS MULTIPLE

The following technique, for Ackerman's "Minus One" or second deal from the bottom,
(see Magic Mafia Effect), will be found more flexible of application as it enables
one to not only deal the second card from the bottom but even the 3rd - 4th and,
with practice, the 5th. First will be described the technique followed by an
application to an effect, of the "Minus Multiple".
l) Hold deck in the "Master Grip Position" as in Figure Study this position.

2) The left 3rd fingertip pulls down on the right side of the bottom card as in
Figure 2, an exposed right side view normally covered by right hand from above as
it apparently squares deck.

3) The left 2nd and 3rd fingers now push inwards on this pulled down card causing
it to move to the left to the position shown in Figure ^ which is a top view with
the bottom card angled and exaggerated for clarity. Deck is still in the Mario
Master Grip.

4) The bottom view, of the angled card, is shown in the Figure 4 with the left
fingers purposely pulled out of the way to expose the condition. Again this is
an exaggeration.

5) All that is required, in order to move back additional cards is to repeat the
identical actions, of pulling down and pushing to the left, for each card required.
This may read complicated but in practice takes very little time. Besides the
effect, to be described, will give you plenty of opportunity to get ready for the
Minus Multiple Deal.
6 ) With the required cards pulled back the left 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers are
converged at upper end of deck as in Figure 5* The top card has also been
angled over for cover. In actual one hand dealing it will be well over the side.
7) To do the deal left thumb pushes over the top card, at an angle, as in Figure
very slightly, as at same time the left fingers, at about 3rd joint, press up
against the exposed corner of the required card. Left fingers still pressing against
the needed card, move as a unit in order to ease out the bottom card as seen in
Figure 6 , an exposed bottom view of the action.

8 ) The right 1st fingertip contacts nail of the left 1st finger while the right 2nd
fingertip contacts the face of the eased out card as right thumb falls on top of
the card. The Figure 7 shows the bottom view again with an AD, which is 4th from
the bottom coming out-This action can also be done using only the left hand to
deal.
9) Without hesitation this card is dealt face down to the table. (For more details
of the action of left fingers, moving as a unit, to ease out the bottom card see
"Second-Centers-Bottoins").

FIG URL 7

10) The above steps are the basic details of the "Minus Multiple Deal" and the
following effect will show its application.

MENTAL MINUS MULTIPLE (HARLO)

EFFECT: Performer asks spectator to think of any Ace. He is then asked to think of
any number. The thought of number is dealt to and the thought of Ace is at that
number. Without replacing the dealt off packet onto deck another Ace and number are
thought of. Again the thought of Ace appears at the thought of number. This is
repeated for the 3rd Ace. Performer then states that he knew which Ace the spectator
would avoid thinking of and for this reason he kept that Ace in his pocket. This
Ace is. then produced from the pocket. You can use a two hand deal, on each Ace, or
use only a one hand deal on each Ace that is dealt to the table.
 -b-

1) The four Aces are secretly on bottom of deck in a known order, from face to
back, such as C-H-S-D. False shuffle and cut to retain the Aces, at bottom,
either with Riffle or Overhand shuffles.

2) Have spectator think of any Ace first. Have him name it. Suppose he says "The
Ace of Diamonds". Now ask him to think of any number. This gives you plenty of
time to do the Pull Down and Push Back actions on the bottom J3 cards which readies
the AD for the "Minus Multiple Deal".

3) The spectator will usually name a number under tan. If he does not ask him to
restrict his choice from one to ten and that the reason for this is that you
intend to do this more than once and that the dealt off cards will not be replaced
onto the dock.

k) Suppose he calls "Five". Deal four cards fairly dealing the AD on the 5th deal.
Turn it face up and show it is AD. At this point your left hand can re-square the
3 bottom angle-jogged cards with rest of deck. Again the Ace can be dealt using one
hand only or both if you prefer.
5) Have him think of and name one of the three remaining Aces. Depending on which
Ace he names you proceed to Pull Down and Push Back the required number of bottom
cards. For the AS you would have to Pull Down and Push Back two cards, the AH and
AC, in order to make the AS available. Have him think of and call out another number.
Regardless your procedure of dealing to the thought of number and turning up the
thought of Ace is the same as before.

6 ) Repeat by having him think of one of the two remaining Aces. Here you again
proceed according to the Ace called in this example AC or AH.

7) Deal to and turn up the 3rd thought of Ace. At this point your left hand, which
has deck in dealing position, easily does the Card Cheats Cop as right hand takes
the deck. Left, hand then reproduces the last Ace from pocket as you conclude with,
"I knew you were going to avoid the (Here name the Ace produced from pocket) so I
kept that Ace out of the deck, here in my pocket".

You will find the above effect puzzling not only to laymen but magicians as well.
Mario Notes On Minus Multiple: It will be found of help if the left 1st finger,
which is at upper right corner of deck, presses inwards on this corner causing the
bottom card to buckle away from the deck. This makes it easier for the left 3rd
fingertip to engage the single card for the Pull Down and Push Back. Repeat the
left 1 st finger pressure against right corner, to buckle away the next card for
the left 3rd fingertip to Pull Down and Push Back this second card. Repeat the
identical actions for each additional card. Also using the suggested Master Grip
and described technique the Minus Multiple Deal can be done using only one hand.
Another combination is to deal with two hands until you reach the named number.
At this point left thumb deals over top card half-way off deck. • This top card is
now apparently dealt face down with left hand only to the right of the performer.
Actually the desired card is-dealt instead to the table. Right hand now turns this
card face up to show the proper Ace. Turning each Ace face up, on the right, gives
good misdirection for the palm off of the last Ace. Remember the Aces are dealt
out, inwards and to the right of the performer, using only the left hand. Once the
Ace is free of the deck and face down on the table the right hand then turns it
face up. Meantime the left hand has moved again towards the front in order to re­
peat the deal, as required, for each additional Ace that is called for.
 NO BREAK MARLO-CURRY CHANGE

In this method of the Mario Curry Change there aren't any of the usual breaks held,
on the card or cards to be exchanged, as in the previous method. This enables the
performer to make the change much more slowly and deliberately and properly per­
formed can be done with practically no tip-off even from the back-end, usually the
vulnerable spot when a break is held.
1) Assume you have a card face down on the table and wish to exchange it for the
top card of the deck. The tabled card should lie lengthwise with its short end
towards performer. See IF i g . 2^.
2) The left hand holds deck in the usual Mechanics Grip with 1st finger around front
end of deck. The left hand reaches to apparently turn the tabled card face up as
shown in Figure 1 the starting action. The left 1st finger digs in under the upper
left corner of the tabled card while left thumb presses down on the tabled card in
order to keep it in place as left 1 st finger digs in under the card. The Fig. 1 is
as seen by the spectator.

3) Now as the left hand reaches for the tabled card the following action is made on
the top card of deck. The left thumb pushes over the top card as left 2nd and 3rd
fingertips drop below top of deck to enable top card to move over their tips. The
left Ath finger remains in place at side of deck. The left 1 st finger presses down
on top card to also aid in keeping it in place at this time. The Figure 2 shows the
position of all left fingers at the time the top card is angled off slightly, then
kept in place basically by left 1 st finger at around the second crease and left Ath
fingertip while left 2nd and 3rd fingertips just touch the face of the top card.
Btudy the Figure 2 carefully and keep in mind that this get-ready, with no break, is
made as_ the left hand turns palm down for the tabled card.

A) You are now in position of Figure 1_ ready to turn the tabled card over. Note that
back of left hand is to the left and not facing front. Continue the turning action
bringing the tabled card to the position shown in Figure where the top left side of
tabled card is even with top left side of deck. This position is attained by left
hand moving down towards the tabled card rather than lifting the tabled card. In
fact the tabled cards bottom right side is always pressing against the table top.
Figure ^ shows the back end or performer's view and at this stage the top card as yet
is still kept in place.
 FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4

5) The left hand continues moving downwards on the tabled card until the tabled cards
upper left side is past the deck's upper left side as shown in Figure 4, an
exaggeration of the action, also still the performer's view.

O As the 13y-Pass action is made the left hand at same time moves closer to the tables
surface with left hand practically palm down against table. Actually there is still
space between left palm and table. Also the left 1st finger is still between the
tabled card and rest of deck. The Figure 5 shows how the left hand appears to performer
at this stage. Note how the tabled card has bypassed left side of the deck.

7) At the precise moment, when the left hand is in the position shown in Figure the
left 1st finger moves out from between the tabled card and the deck. Also the left
thumb moves to the extreme upper left cornerof deck and keeps the By-Passed tabled
card in place as left hand moves away to the right leaving the top card of deck in view
as in Figure 6 which shows the top card coming out. In order for top card to come out
as in Figure Z it is only necessary for the left 4th fingertip to move upwards very
slightly thus releasing the top card from its grip. There should be no movement or
extension of the left fingers as the exchange is made. All left fingers remain
practically immobile except for the secret actions, made during the exchange, i.e.,
that of the left thumb moving to extreme upper left corner and left 4th fingertip
moving upward.

8 ) The action shown in Figure 6 is continued, left hand moving to the right, until the
card is clear of the deck. Whenthe card is_ clear of deck the left hand can then move
towards performer in a natural follow through action as seen in Figure 7. Remember,
the action is first to the right, then towards yourself.
9) The change has now been completed; however, the Figure 8 is to show what happens
during the exchange. The tabled card has By-Passed the left side of deck and is
kept in place by left thumb as left fingers release top card of deck letting it fall
out face up to table.
10) When it is required to exchange a number of cards, then it is necessary to pre­
position the top cards of deck as follows: Get the usual left 4th fingertip break
under the desired number of cards. Assume it is four.

11) The left thumb, at upper left corner, does a Block Push-Off of the top 4 cards
as the left 4th, 3rd, and 2nd fingers drop down to permit passage of the four cards
so they angle slightly off deck. The left 1st finger is around top end of deck. The
left 4th fingertip moves upwards to engage the right side of the four cards. The
situation now is similar to that shown in Figure 2; however, the left thumb, at upper
left corner, hides the fact that the top cards are angled off and the result is that
shown in Figure 9.*

12) With cards in position of Figure £ remember that left 1st and 4th fingers keep
these cards anchored in place. The left 2nd and 3rd fingertips are below the block
of cards lightly touching the face but not pushing up on them so as not to cause a
break or separation between the top block and top of deck. Once the position has
been attained the rest is just like for a single card; however, do not move left
thumb until left hand is palm down and reaching for the tabled cards. In other words
do not expose the angling of top cards at upper left corner.
13) The above will take a bit of experimentation and practice on the performer's part
to get the feel of the change. Remember the close to the table action. In fact the
decks lower right corner, when change is actually made, should brush against the top of
table in order to insure the held back tabled card being pressed flush against top of
deck and preventing this back corner from moving downwards away from deck.
14) The Angling Technique of Figures 2 and £, which can be used on single or multiple
top cards, can be applied to the Visual Retention Change also.

My favorite procedure for getting into the multiple exchange, via the "No Break MarlO-
Curry Change", is using apparently an "All Around Square Up" then at once going into
the change. Briefly the details are as follows:
1) Assume you have a packet of four cards face down on the table. On top of the
deck are four cards that are to be exchanged for those on the table. For this
example suppose you have four Deuces on the table and four Aces on the top of the
deck.
2) During the course of an effect, that may depend on just such a multiple exchange,
you will have some excuse for spreading out the top few cards between both hands.
When you re-square the cards the left 4th fingertip obtains a break, at the lower
right corner, beneath the top four cards. The right hand at this time is above the
deck as if squaring the ends and during this time the left 4th fingertip presses
against the right side of the four cards that are above the break. This causes the
top four cards to angle and step to the left as in the exposed view of Figure 10.
This angling takes place mostly at the inner end of the cards.

3) Once the 4 cards are angled and stepped to the left, as in the Figure JLO, the right
hand alone now holds the deck from above by the ends and also maintains the angled
condition of the top four cards. The right hand turns clockwise to bring the lower
end of tiie deck to the front and then the left hand starts to move in, plam downwards,
to take the deck more or less into a dealing position. The Figure 11_ shows the
turning action of the practically palm up right hand with left hand moving in palm
downwards to retake the deck.

4) It is important that when the left hand retakes the deck it does so by keeping the
left hand palm downwards as in Figure 12. This is practically an automatic action
which is continued from that shown originally in the Figure 11. Note that the right
hand is still close by the deck and palm up. View is from above.
5) In the Figure 12 the right hand is still close to the deck; however, when this
hand moves away the left hand 2nd and 3rd fingertips will be positioned under the
projecting step of the top four cards at the upper right corner. The left ^th
fingertip will be pressing against the side of the cards to maintain this step.
The left thumb will be across the top of the deck and the left 1st finger is around
the front end of the deck. The Figure 2 shows a similar situation except in this
case four cards are thus positioned. If for some reason the left hand would have
to be turned palm upward then the left thumb would move over onto the upper left
corner to cover the angled cards as already shown in the Figure 9*
6 ) Anyway with the top four cards angled and trapped in a manner similar to the
Figure 2 you are all set to go into the No Break Marlo-Curry Change which are .identical
to that done with a single card. Once the packets are exchanged the cards now on the
table are spread out using the tip of the left 1st finger. The combination of a
seeming All Around Square Up then at once going into the No Break M.C. Change is very
disarming.
ONCE YOU START TO MASTER THE MOVE

These are the few technical points you will automatically come into using once you
have gained proficiency with the No Break M.C. Change.

1) You will be able to get the angling of the card, using one hand only, as already
shown in the Figure 2; however, this angling is done at the time the left hand turns
palm down to start turning the tabled card over either face up or face down. The
Figure _1, shows a tabled card about to be turned over and face up.

2) Your left hand will quickly get the tabled card into the position shown in the
Figure The top side edge of the card will not by pass the card as much as that
shown in Figure A. Instead the left thumb merely moves over to the extreme upper
]eft corner just enough to press onto the top card at this corner. Since the under
or second card from the top is already angled at this corner the left thumb will not
be pressing on the card that is below the top card. Thus the second or under card
will move out freely.

3) If the positioning of the left thumb, at the extreme upper left corner, is correct
on the top card there is practically a neglible by pass action and in fact the sequence
as depicted in Figures 1_ - 2 ~ §. anc* Z is that the spectator will be aware of.
Properly executed the move really looks as if you merely turned the tabled card or cards
face up. There isn't any flashing or extending of the left fingers at any time. The
No Break technique makes the exchange effective from any angle. Study the Figures £ - 6
7 to impress on you the fact that the left hand moves the deck close to the table top
with its left side, as left hand is palm down, actually touching and scraping along the
table top.

THE RELATED DEAL

This is a Second Deal variation, plus some other applications of the technique, of
the Mario California Second Deal from "Seconds-Centers-Bottoms". I will begin by
detailing the basic technique of the deal then its variants and applications.
 -1 2 -

1) Begin by holding the deck in the left hand dealing position, with the left
1st finger curled around the upper end, which is like the Mechanics Grip; however,
the lower left corner of the deck can be in the crease of the palm, near the wrist,
or in a "High Grip" with the deck's lower left corner pressing in against the palm
but above the crease of the palm. Choose whichever gives best results for you.
The illustrations are with the lower left, corner coming into the crease of the
palm as for the standard Mechanics Grip.

2) With the deck in left hand dealing position the left thumb cocks back towards
the upper left corner of the deck as shown in Figure 1_. The underside of the cocked
left thumb presses against the top card. The left second, third, and fourth
fingertips press against the right side of the deck.

FIGURF 1

3) The left thumb now pushes the top card off towards the right until the left
thumb is completely extended and the top card is well over the side of the deck
as shown in the Figure 2. During the time that the left thumb pushes over the
top card the left third fingertip is actually the controlling factor that permits
only the top card to move past the left fingers. The left second and fourth
fingers merely press up against the right side of the deck.

b) With the left thumb extended, as far as it can and the top card dealt over,
the left thumb keeps pressing down onto the deck so that the left thumb can contact
the next or the second card. This contact, of the second card, is made with the
underside of the left thumb at its second joint. Keep pushing slightly to the
right when the second card will also move to the right as shown in the Figure 2 where,
at the same time, the right hand approaches the deck as if about to take the top
card.

5) During the action shown in the Figure 1 the left second and third fingertips will
press up against the underside of the second card which will project slightly past
the right side of the deck. When the right hand comes over, as in Figure 2% to
take the top forward care), actually the left thumb pulls the top card quickly to the
left and flush with tho deck. The pressure of t.he left second and third fingertips,
against the underside of the second card, will keep the second card projecting to
the right and slightly past the right side of the deck. When the left thumb quickly
pulls back the original top card the right hand follows along, to the left, until
its thumb and secondfinger gripthe upper right corner of the projecting second
 -1 3 -

card as seen in the Figure 4. All four right fingers are extended to give greater
cover for when the top card is pulled back. The Figure 4 shows the performer's
view. From the front the spectator will see the front end and the edge of the dealt
over card more than the top of the dock; however, in any case the illusion will be
good.
6 ) Once the right thumb and second l'ingers have grasped the projecting second card
"it is quickly dealt to the right. The Figure jj shows this action where note how
the right hand is turning palm down ready to deal the card to the table. The right
1st fingertip is along the top edge, at the upper right corner, of the card. While
the card in this case is dealt straight down to the table it can be sailed, if
desired, to any other position on the table. The rest of the deck is flush after
dealing the card.

7) While the Figure 2_ shows the left thumb having dealt over the top card for more
than half its width, almost two thirds of its width, some may prefer to deal over
the top card for only about a third or less of its width. This starting position
Is shown in the Figure 6 . From here your left thumb must now contact the second
card so that both cards are in a position similar to that required for the deal to
be executed as already depicted in the Figures 4 and jj. In this case the left
thumb does not have to pull back the top card as far to the left. Each procedure
has its advantages for certain conditions.

<°
) Probably the best way to show the various procedures for handling this "Related
Deal" is to apply it to a "Stop" effect. Briefly the selected card is controlled
to the top. The top card is dealt over and the spectator is asked the question,
"Do you want this card?". On each negative reply you do the required Second Deal
to hold back the top card until the time the spectator decides to stop the deal on
the card of supposedly his choice. How you deal out the Second Card takes on
several approaches as follows:

9) The Second Deal action can be made directly front or made as the left hand moves
inward and towards the right hand which seemingly takes the top card, to deal it
face down on your right, actually taking the second card instead. The left thumb
has pulled the original top card back flush with top of the deck.by the time the
left hand comes back to the front. The left thumb again pushes over the top card,
supposedly the next card of the deck, to the right side of the deck as you repeat
the question of, "Do you want this card?". Each time the answer is,"No", the left
hand always moves inwards and towards the right hand which seemingly takes the forward
card hut actually the second card. The back of the left hand will be towards the
spectator thus lie will be unable to actually see the top of the deck but the pushing
over, to the right, of the top card gives a mental retention that this card was
dealt off especially since the left hand then moves back, to the front, with the cards
flush before left thumb again deals over another(?) card.
 - \k-

10 ) Step 9 above is a two hand approach, 'l'ho following uses basically the same
technique of dealing over the card, as well as pulling it back, already depicted
in Figures 2 to inclusive except in this case the deal is done using only the
left hand. In other words the left hand, having dealt over the top card, moves
inward and to the right. The left thumb pulls back the top card while the left
2nd and 3rd fingertips, pressing upwards against the second card, will cause this
second card to project beyond the top care! and. slightly past the right side of the
deck. The left thumb will be pressing onto the upper left corner of the top card
but not on the second card. This leaves the second card more or less free to slide
or move out in a manner similar to that in the Figure j? except the right hand is not
used. The movement of the left hand, inward and towards the right, with a slight
upward tossing motion isenough to move the second card out from under the top card
and face down to the table. Jo not extend the left fingers in any way to aid in
the moving out of the second card. It is all done by the motion of the left hand
as explained. Obviously' this fits in exceedingly well with any type of dealing
effect.
tt) The Mechanics of the actions depicted in the Figures _1 to 2. can be used to
actually deal down two cards as one. Begin by fairly dealing over one card as in
Figures _1 to ji. As the right hand moves to get this single card the left thumb
pulls it back but only as far back as the second card and in line with this
second card. The right hand fingers and thumb by this time are grasping both cards,
at the upper right corner, as one. The Figure 7 shows the action at this stage.
The right hand deals the two cards, as apparently one, onto some cards that
may have been previously dealt facedown. Any misalignment that may occur will be
covered by these two cards joining those already dealt to the table.

12) The aligning process, which is concluded in the Figure 7, can be used to go
into a Double lift Turnover. The right fingers and thumb flip the cards face up
and flush onto the deck or preferably into the "Altman Trap" which aids in aligning
the face up cards as one. From here you can easily go into any preferred action
of turning the face up curds, as one, back face down onto the top of the deck. lor
other uses of this aligning technique see the section on Double Lifts and or
Pushoffs.
 FLEXIBLE SWITCH OUT

Object: To directly exchange one card for another or a card that may be sandwiched
between cards.
1) For clarity assume you have a 3 card sandwich of KS, 10D, KC from face to back
all face up in the center of the face up deck.
2) Straddle the face up deck in the left hand as you spread it between both hands
with the faces toward yourself till you reach the sandwi ched;cards»
3) The left thumb keeps the KC, 10D in place as the left second and third fingers
push the card that is to the left of the KC to under the KC, 10D. The X card is push­
ed far enough to the right so its right side edge is just a quarter inch short of
coinsiding with the right side of the 10D. (Continued on Page 291)

CARD SUBSTITUTION

Object: To substitute a card or cards for a known up-jogged card

or cards.
The u nderlying technique for this substitution can take on
combinations in that say of four known cards, such as Aces, only one,
two, or three of them can be substituted for other cards which
can be indifferent cards or specific cards depending on the effect
you intend using it for. As an example the 1st Method of the "Card
Substitution" will consist in not only substituting the 4 Aces for
j4 Kings but also contain the added feature of using the top X. card
as a pointing clincher that the 4 tabled cards are the Aces when in
fact they will be the Kings.'

1st Method - Substituting 4 Aces for 4 Kings.

1) Begin by secretly arranging, on top of the deck, the 4 Kings

followed by any 2X cards and then the Ace of Diam o n d s as the 7th
card from the top. The other 3 Aces are d i s t r i b u t e d ,,in various
parts of the deck, anywhere below the AD or the top seven card set­
up of deck. Assume you have the deck arranged and in your card
case; however, the simple seven card arrangement can easily be
made during the course of other effects.
2) Hold deck face up in left hand dealing position with left 1st
finger curled around the upper end. Spread the deck between both
hands as left thumb spreads the cards towards the right hand. The
right hand has all four fingers beneath the spreading cards w i t h
the right thumb across the faces.

3) Continue spreading the cards until you reach the first Ace. The
left hand moves upwards to upjog the Ace. The tips of right 1st
and 2nd fingers keep the Ace in place as left hand lowers to once
more keep spreading the cards till you reach the second Ace/ By
this time the spread of cards, below the 1st upjogged Ace, will
keep the 1st Ace in place. This again leaves the right 1st and
2nd fingers free to momentarily keeD the 2nd Ace, that is up-jogged
by the left hand, in place while left hand lowers and again
spreads cards to reach the 3rd Ace. The spread of cards below
the 2nd Ace keep it in place while cards are being spread to look
for the 3rd Ace.
4) When the 3rd Ace is reached the left hand up-jogs this Ace
and the right 1st and 2nd fingers, pressing up against its
lower right corner as with the previous Aces, keep it in place
as left hand again lowers in order to spread the cards looking
for the 4th Ace. As the left thumb spreads the cards it is
n o w important that the left fingers press firmly against the
right side of the cards as well as the top side to insure that
w h e n you reach the AD the packet of 7 cards will be quite
square. At this stage the situation is as in the Figure _1 and
p e r h a p s the next move may appear, to another magician, like
'old hat' but he is in for a surprise.

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2

5) The left hand moves up w i t h its block of cards in order to

upjog the AD along with the o t h e r three Aces. The left thumb
actually pushes over only the AD, as in the Figure 2, which is
then held in place by the right 1st and 2nd fingertips for the
moment. The Aces should be up-jogged for about two-thirds their
length.

6) Once the left thumb has dealt over the AD it moves down w i t h
the rest of its cards, as apparently a single card, to alongside
the fairly converged spread as in the Figure 3. The right 2nd
and 3rd fingers extend far enough to press up against the block
of 6 cards.
 -1 7 -

7) At the point of Figure 3 the right 2nd - 3rd - 4th fingers have
extended far enough to the left so that their tips will press
against the 6 card block to keep it in place w h i c h in turn keeps
the 4th Ace up-jogged. Also the left hand is now free to position
its 1st fingertip on the upper edge of the upper left corner with
left thumb on the face, near left side at upper left corner. The
left 2nd - 3rd - 4th fingertips press against the left side edge
of the block of cards. As soon as this position is attained the
left three fingers push the block of 5 cards to the right while
left thumb nulls the face card slightly to the left. The Figure 4
shows the spectators v i e w while the Figure 5^ shows the underside of
the cards showing the secret stepping, at left end of the spread,
of the block of five cards.

FIG L’
iLi 5
8) The position of the left fingers, as in Figure 4, is only for
a few seconds or just long enough to execute the pushing actions
to form the step as shown in Figure 5. At once the left hand moves
to strip out the up-jogged Aces by Dressing downwards onto the
face of the Ace with left thumb as left 1st finger presses upwards
against the backs or under the top ends of the Aces. Once the left
 -1 8 -

hand strips out the 4 Aces they are kept fanner1 or spread. The
two hands come together so that the deck, still in a fanned or
spread condition, is placed onto the face Ace to the right. The
Figure 6 shows the four Aces, still fanned or spread, plus the
rest of d e ck all held in the hands. At this stage the stepped
c o n d ition under the deck is actually covered by the four Aces.
In other words the stepped block rests on the face Ace.

FIGURE 6 FIGURE ?
9) When the Acas are rested under the right hand cards, as in
F igure 6, the right 3rd and 4th extend far enough to the left so
that they can press up against the four spread Aces. The cards
are n o w held by right hand alone as you say, "For this we use
a deck of cards", n o w the right hand turns palm downward in order
to show the backs of the cards as in Figure 7 where note that the
backs of the fanned four Aces clearly show that these cards are
on top of the rest of the cards.

10) The right hand turns palm upwards again. The left hand grasps
the still fanned four Aces and moves them to the left as you
continue with, "And the four Aces". The Figure 8 shows the view
from face of the cards. As left hand moves its. Aces to the left
you will feel a slight click as the face Ace clears the hidden
b l o c k step of the five cards. The Figure 9 shows the underside
v i e w of Figure 8 where note how the four Aces have just cleared
the stepped block. You may even hear the click as the fanned
Aces clear the stepped cards.
 - i ‘ )-

11) From the position of Figure 9 the left hand at once moves its
four Aces to the right anc1 above the stepped block but only far
e n o u g h for the four Aces lower right corners to go above the
stepped block at the lower end. From the face the situation appears
as shown in the Figure _10 while Figure JA shows the actual
situation where the lower right corners of the fanned Aces are now
above the stepped block of 5_ cards at its lower left corner.

12) Right hand alone now holds the deck w i t h the cards still
spread and the four Aces still fanned. Right hand now starts
to turn its cards face down into the left hand as shown in the
Figure 1 2 .
13) As the action of Figure _12 is continuer’the care’s will start
to converge, as shown in the Figure 1 3 , when the right hand lets
its care's fall downwards against the nalm up left hanf.

figurf 13 FIG'JRF 1 h

14) In a c o ntinuing action the right hanf flips its cards face
down into the left hand. The cards will still be askew but do
not square up the deck. Instead at once left thumb pushes over
the top four cards, as in Figure 1_4, where right hand is about
to take these four cards.

15) The right hand places the four cards faces down to the table.
The right hand takes the next top card, Stud Deal fashion in order
to turn it face uo, then uses it to tao the four face down cards
as you say, "KeeD your eye on the Aces". This action is shown in
F i gure I S where note that a similar color and value card is used
to the one originally side-jogged to the left. In other words
the 5th and 6th cards, of the top original 7 card packet, could
be such cards as 7H - 7D or any other two such values preferably
in Red as these colors, in a deck of cards, are more subdued and
thus less apt to actually be remembered.
l6) The card from right hand can be returned to top of deck or placed into
center of deck. Anyway the four Kings are on the table and the four Aces
on top of deck to be used as you may wish. When it is desired to substitute
the four Aces for any four X cards then it is simply a matter making sure
there aren't any Aces near the top of the deck then simply note and re­
member the 5th card from the top of the deck. When you reach the key card
just keep these cards squared as left hand now at once does the step­
jogging actions as in the Figures k and then from here the rest of the
actions, to affect the substitution, are as already described. Some may prefer
to get an Ace to 6th position from the top and then just simply follow all
the actions as per Figures !l to lk inclusive. Since you may not have any
duplicated value - color pair you play safe by merely doing the hX card
substitution for the 4 Aces and leaving out the subtlety indicated at the
Figure ljj.

The following methods are really not such in the true sense but rather
different techniques for getting the required block-step condition.

2nd Technique
l) This technique can be used when there isn't any previous arrangement re­
quired. Begin by making sure there isn't any Ace near the top of deck or at
least among the top 8 cards or more. Also note and remember the 5th card
from the top of the deck. Assume this card is the j?S. All this takes only
seconds as you casually glance over the deck just before you start to up-
jog the four Aces.
2) Spread the deck and up-jog each Ace, with left hand, until you have all
four Aces up-jogged; however, continue spreading the cards as you remark
about there being only four Aces in the deck. ’ When the key card is
reached this block is held square. The situation would be similar to
Figure 1 except here the jjS would be the face card of the block. At this
point the left thumb moves over onto the index of the at the upper left
corner. The left l'st fingertip, under cover of the spread of cards, presses
onto the top edge of the cards and moves a block of cards downwards, to
the right at an angle as left thumb keeps the face card, the j>S, in place.
The Figure l6 shows an exposed view of the left hand action that happens
under cover of the spread cards above it.

FIGURE 16
 3) As the left 1st finger moves the block of cards, anglewise, to the right
the right 1 st fingertip contacts the upper right corner of the block in
order to keep it in place as in the Figure 17 which is the underside view
with left hand omitted for clarity. The Figure 18 shows what the spectators
view is which shows both hands in position at each end of the spread.

At the Figure 18 note that the left thumb is on the upper index of the
single and it is actually pinched, by the upper left corner, between the
left thumb and base of the left 1st finger. The right fingertips now rest
lightly on the right side of the angled block. The left and right hands
pivot outwards or away from each other at the lower ends only. This
action is very slight or just enough so that the pinched j5S, between left
thumb and base of 1 st finger at upper left corner, will move only at the
lower end thus straightening out to the left. This leaves the block of ^
cards stepped to the right in a manner identical to that already shown in
Figure jj.

5) Right hand holds onto the cards as the left hand strips out the four
Aces to rest them under the cards in righthand as shown in Figure 6 .
;<_(The Figure £ shows the back view.) The action of Figure 7 is covered
by the patter line, "For this we use a deck of cards".

6 ) When the right hand turns palm up again execute the actions depicted
in the Figures 8 to lTf inclusive to complete the substitution of the
h Aces for the four X cards which are placed to the table.

Third Technique
l) In this procedure all you have to do ismake sure no Ace is near the
top half a dozen cards or so. There isn't any need to note any key card
for this procedure. Spread the cards between both hands and up-jog each
Ace, as you come to it, in the manner already described. When all four
Aces are up-jogged keep spreading the cards down to the very end
especially the last four cards as shown in Figure 1£. This further
spreading i3 excused by the comment and observation that the deck con­
tains only four Aces.
 -'<15-

2) In Figure 1£ the four X cards to the left are purposely widely spread for
clarity. The right bth fingertip now moves in onto the fourth X card from
the top in order to separate it from the cards above it. The left hand now
moves to the left to converge the four X cards into a fairly squared
packet which is kept separated, at the lower end, by the right ^-th finger
between the packet and those cards above it. The Figure 20 shows how the
left hand has moved to the left and converged the four 1 cards which have
the right bth finger above it as seen in the exposed view of Figure 21_ a
back end view.

3) With the base of the left palm, at the base of the left hth finger, push
inwards on the lower left corner of the block of cards causing the lower
end to swing to the right and further under the spread of cards above it. The
right ^th finger still is between the block and the cards above it. The
Figure 22 shows a back end view of the base of palm, at the hth finger,
pushing the block to the right. The Figure 2j3 shows how the block is
angled, from t.he underside view, with right wth finger still betweon the
cards, loft hand is omitted for clarity.
 FIGURE 22 FIGURE 23

4-) An important point is that when the cards are as shown in Figure 20 and 21
the lower left corner of the block is more at the center of the left palm;
therefore, in order for the cards to arrive in the position shown in Figure 22
the right hand must grasp the cards and move the lower end of deck outward and
towards the base of loft fingers. This way the block of cards will come
in contact, at the lower right corner, with the base of left bth finger. The
block can now be easily angled into the position shown in the Figure 23»

5) The loft hand now grasps the deck in order that the right hand can re­
move thor i q h t -Ith finger from between the cards. The left hand grasps the cards
at the upper ends with thumb on the face and left fingers beneath which
enables right hand to remove itself from the lower end as seen in the back
view of Figure 2b.

FIGURE ?Jv
d) The right hand now grasps the dock which loaves the left hand free to
strip out tho four Aces to place them up under the spread of cards as shown
in Figure 6 . The right hand can then turn the cards as in Figure £ as
you deliver the line, "For this we use a deck of cards". As you say, "And
the Four Aces" execute the actions depicted in Figures 8 and £ except in
this case the block of k X cards will still be angled and the lower right
and left corners will be the tip-off point of where the stepped cards are
and the point where the four Aces will go above the four X cards.
At any rate just follow through with the identical actions depicted in
Figures 10 to 14 inclusive to affect the substitution of the four Aces for
the four X cards.

7) While in every case four cards were substituted for b cards again a re­
minder that combinations can be used. As an example the up-jogged cards
can consist of eight cards but only four of them may be substituted. In
fact arlY number of cards that you may up-jog can be affected.

UNIT UPJOG ADDITION

OBJECT: In the process of up-jogging say four Aces, which are in different
parts of the deck, to secretly add a card or cards behind each of three Aces.
When the out-jogged b Aces are stripped out there will secretly be an
intervening card or cards between the second and third Ace, from face of the
Aces, with the required card or cards secretly on top of the fourth Ace
from the face.

Before going into the mechanics of the above I want to mention that in an
article dealing with the up-jogging of cards, from a deck spread between
both hands, I made mention of the fact that right o n left hand could move
downward, grasp an Ace at lower right corner, then the right hand would
up-jog the Ace. At the time several card men thought this was rather a
ridiculous suggestion but I had my reasons for this as will be evident in
the following "Unit Up-Jog Addition".

1) For the sake of clarity place the four Aces in different portions of the
deck so that they are fairly well separated. Assume your order of Aces, from
face to back, is Spades - Hearts - Clubs and Diamonds.

2) Hold the deck faces up in left hand dealing position in Mechanics Grip
with the left 1st finger curled around the upper end. The left thumb starts
to spread the cards towards the right hand which takes a similar position,
at the right end of the spread, to that of the left hand. Continue spreading
the cards between both hands until you reach the first ace. In this case
the Ace of Spades and the Figure 1_ shows the situation at this stage. Note
that the left thumb contacts the Ace of Spades.
 FIGURE 1

3) The left thumb keeps the AS in place as right hand moves downward in
order that the right 1 st and 2nd fingertips can press up, from below, on
the lower right corner of the AS while the right thumb, pressing down on
the face of its spread of cards, will insure holding the AS in place. The
Figure 2 shows the right hand position at this time.

4) Right hand fingers keep its upward pressure against the lower right corner
of the AS, in order to keep this Ace in place, while right thumb maintains
its downward pressure on the face of the spread cards in right hand. The
right hand, now moves upward to up-jog the Ace of Spades as in Figure 2»

5) Leaving the AS up-jogged keep spreading the cards between both hands until
you reach the second Ace or in this example the Ace of Hearts, //hen you
reach the AH the left thumb contacts its left side. An X card to the left
of the AH should be quite close to the AH. In other words the closer the
left side of the X card is to the left side of the AH the better. The left
2nd and 3rd fingertips will contact the X card, from beneath, at its right
side. For the present the situation is as shown in the Figure 4 where the
AS is out-jogged with the AH in the spread and note the X card to the left
of the Ace of Hearts. Remember that the left thumb contacts the face of the
All near its left side. The left 2nd and 3rd fingertips are contacting the X
card from below near its

FIGURE 4
6 ) I-Iow the importance of the right hand moving downwards is about to be pointed
out. As the right hand moves downwards it will also take along its spread cards
plus the still up-jogged AS. At the tine the’ .right hand moves downwards it
also moves its cards to the left so that the left side of the up-jogged AS
will move across the face of the AH. Simultaneously the left thumb pulls the
AH to the left and past the X card. The left 2nd and 3rd fingertips, from
below, aid in this by further pushing the X card to the right and just under
the AH. The Figure 5 shows haw the AH has been pulled over past the X card
that~as to its left. The Figure 6 shows the position of the X card, below
the AH, with the right hand spread of cards away from the left hand to
expose" the condition. Note that the X card is not only past the AH, on the
right side, but also very slightly down-jogged to insure a single upper
end on the AH. This down-jogging action is practically automatic and part
of the side-jogging movement of the X card plus the slight upward pulling,
of the AH by left thumb as it also pulls AH to the left. The left 1st
finger around the upper end of the cards also insures that the X card will
not project beyond the upper end of the AH. The Figure 6 jog has been
exaggerated for clarity.

7) As the left thumb and finger actions are made on the AH and the X card,
during the position of cards as in Figure jj, the right hand, with its cards,
continues on downwards until the right 1 st and 2nd fingertips come in contact
with the AH, plus the secret X card, at the lower right corner from under­
neath. The right thumb presses onto the face of the spread cards and the
situation, as viewed by the spectators, is as shown in Figure 7*

8 ) The right hand, having grasped the AH plus its secretly added X card, now
moves uoward again, as in Figure 8, to continue spreading the cards to look
for the third Ace in this example the AC. The Figure 8 you will notice shows
you having reached the Ace of Clubs while the Figure 9 shows the back view
of the cards where you will note how the X card is hinder. behind the second
A ce fr o m th e fa c e or th e A ce of H ea rts in th is case.

9) When the AC is reached the right hand again moves downward. As before
the left thumb, which contacts the face of the AC, pulls the AC to the left
as at the same time the left 2nd and 3rd fingertips contact the X. card, that
is to the left of the AC, to push it to the right and past the left side of
the AC. The right hand is shown holding its spread alongside the visible
AC with the A3 and AH up-jogged, as in Figure _10; however, the AC already has
its X card under the AC in a condition similar to that already shown in
Figure 6. - .

10) Without really pausing the right hand continues moving downwards until
the right hand can grasp the lower right corner of the AC plus its hidden
added X card. The Figure 1_1shows the state of affairs at this point.1
11) The right hand now moves upward to up-jog the AC as shown in Figure _12
a front view while Figure 13shows the actual condition at the back where
note how the X cards are added and hidden by the AH and AC. Also in Figure
12 the spread was continued until last Ace - the Ace of Diamonds - is reached.
12) A'ith the three Aces up-jogged the spread is continued until the last Ace,
the Ace of Diamonds, is reached as already shown in Figure 12 above. Once
more the left thumb positions itself onto the face of the AD while the left
2nd and 3^d fingertips contact the bottom of the X card pressing up from
beneath, at its right side. Once more, as the right hand spread moves
downward, along the AD, the left thumb pulls the AD to the left as the left
fingertips push the X card, which is to the left of the AD, to under the AD
into the position already shorn in the exposed Figure 6. Remember that the
downward movement of the right hand, with its spread of cards, is made at
the same time that left thumb and fingers execute the very slight movement
required to push the X card to past the left side of the AD. The Figure lk
shows the right hand having moved downward in readiness to grasp the lower
right corner of the AD plus the hidden X card.

FIGURE lk

13) The right hand now moves upwards with its AC, plus X secret card, to
thus end up with four Aces out-jogged in the face up spread as in the Figure
15. The Figure l6 shows the back view of the up-jogged cards which show
the ^X cards secretly added onto the Aces of Hearts - Clubs and Diamonds.
lh) The right hand alone now holds the still slightly fanned or spread deck
while left hand moves up to grasp the four fanned up-jogged (or out-jogged
Aces depending on how the cards are held - upright or parallel to the floor)
Aces with left thumb on the face and fingers beneath. The Figure 17 shows
the left hand about to strip out the Aces by pressing them outwards or away
from the spread.

15) The outward or downward stripping action of the Aces is continued until
the lower ends of the Aces clear the upper end of the spread or fan of cards
held by right hand. It is important that as the four Aces are stripped out
their lower ends will automatically be covered by the upper end of the spread.
The Figure l£3 shows the Aces stripped out and their lower ends behind the upper
end of the spread of cards held by right hand.

FIGURE 18

l6) The action of Figure l£3 is to cover any X. cards thatmay have been down-
jogged too much during the pushing of the X card behind each Ace; however,
if you have done your work properly the lower ends of the fan of four Aces
will show only white borders and because the stripping out action and the
placing of the Aces, to under the cards in the right hand, takes place rather
quickly the spectators eyes will only have time to look at the upper end of
the Aces where the indexes are. At any rate the Figure JL9 is an exposed view
of the Aces, with X cards properly added, where you will note that since only
the white borders show you really do not have time to actually note any
extra cards other than the four Aces.
 FIGUlUi 19

17) The left hand having stripped its Aces out the right hand at once moves its
spread of cards onto the Aces as shown in the Figure 20. This action is
continued with the Aces going under the cards in right hand in such an obvious
manner as to clearly convey that the Aces will be on top of the assembled deck
when it is turned face down into the left hand.

18) With the deck face down and squared in left hand dealing position to all
appearances the four Aces have been out-jogged, stripped out then placed to the
top of the dock. The actual situation, from top down, is X card _ M) - X card
- AC - X carl - AH - AS. There is an X card preceding each of the top three
Aces. Uses of this "Unit Upjog Addition" will be found in the effects section.

19) .ifhile all illustrations show the left first finger curled around the top
end. of the cards, this because for some it will insure better control and
prevent any inadvertent up-jogging of an X card. My personal technical
preferance is with all four left fingers on the back or under side of the
cards during the spreading, up-jogging of the Aces plus the secret addition
of the X card behind each Ace as may be required for the effects.

20) While the description has been for the adding of a single >C card behind
each Ace you can also add more than one card such as two cards behind each Ace
and even three cards behind each Ace. In these cases the X cards must be as
close together as possible when secretly moving them, almost as a unit, to
behind the Ace you wi.'.l up-jog. In this case using the left first finger
curled around the upper end of the spread is of help. The left thumb, as
before, pulls the desired Ace to the left but the left fingers must contact
the last card to the left of the Ace. In other words if adding secretly two
X cards the left fingertips must contact the second X card to the left of the
Ace. For three cards the left fingertips would contact the third X
card to the loft nf th- Voe. l)o not make the mistako of squaring up the Ace
plus the _X cards in order to do this Upjog Addition as you will definitely
lose the casualness of the whole thing and tip off that you are up to some­
thing. oven though having say gSX car ls behind each of three Aces may, on
reading,seem like quite a few cards actually they will appear as simply four single
Aces if you have taken the precaution of having the single sides and top ends of each
Ace beyond the hidden X cards.

21) A trite effect, after seemingly placing the 4 Aces on top of the deck, is to deal
out four cards as you apparently give each player an Ace for a hole card. Continue
the deal but on the Uth round you deal Seconds for three counts and deal the Vth Ace
to yourself. Finish by dealing each player one more card for a total of five cards.
Use your top card to scoop up your hand and squaring it turn it face up. Ask the other-
players if they bettered their Ace or hole card. They will be surprised to find they
do not have the Ace. Spread your hand to show you'bettered your hand by getting all
four Aces.

22) Another approach, after seemingly placing the Aces on top, is' to thumb over the
top four cards, square them, flash the Ace at the face of this packet then replace
the packet face down back on top of the deck. Give the deck one In Faro Shuffle as
you ask your brother magician where this would place the Aces. He will reply, "Every
second card". Next very slowly deal the top eight cards, one at a time between your­
self and your spectator. Here you must get them distracted from the fact that you
deal to yourself first. When eight cards have been thus dealt ask, "Who has the Aces?"
He should say that you do.With this you add, "You missed my Second Deal". Show
your cards are not Aces and leave them face up on the table. Use the top card of
his packet to scoop up his cards. Square them up, flash the Ace as you add, "You have
them". Place the supposed ^ Aces face down onto the top of the deck. Onto this place
the remaining k cards, (if you wish you can show his packet first, as having Aces,
then later yours). Once more deal out the 8 cards but this time do the deal normally
by starting with the spectator getting the first card. When each of you have four cards
apiece again ask who has the Aces''& Regardless of the answer pick up your four cards
and drop them onto his. Turn the packet face up and say, "None of us has the Aces --
they are gone". During this you deal the first six cards, one at a time, face down to
the table and deal the last two, as one, onto the others. It looks, with the added
patter line, as if you showed all the cards. The top card of the tabled packet is an
Ace. Use it to scoop up the other seven cards then replace them faces down onto the
top of the deck. With the first 3 Aces every 8th card you can deal out 8 hands of
Poker dealing Seconds to hold back the ^-th Ace, to end up with the four Aces. If
you prefer, through the use of Riffle Shuffles, with Block Transfers to retain the
position of the other Aces, set an Ace into a spelling position. For each Ace you
would repeat the Riffle Shuffle as you add the required amount of cards in order to
spell the next Ace. Continue until all have been spelled out or perhaps simply relocated
by using Riffle Shuffles with Blocking Off, Block Transfers plus Strip-Outs--Push
Throughs— Shank, Zarrow or Spade Shuffi^«-
FILLING THE HAND
E F F E C T : Performer removes four Aces and places them onto top of the deck. He then
deals, one card at a time, the top four Aces between the spectator and himself. With
each having two Aces, cardician now deals three more cards to each, hand, again one at
a time to make a hand of five cards. Both magician and spectator pick up their hands to
see if they bettered their pair of Aces. Cardman say, "I got two p a i r — two pair of Aces!"
With this he shows four Aces while spectator has none. Effect is repeated this time
clearly showing each pair of Aces just before dealing them between cardician and specta­
tor. As before each gets three addition cards to see if the Aces have been bettered.
W h e n spectator turns over his (Continued on next page. Note asterik for Step 22)
‘‘<L*’r
foHen asking who has the Aces, you should casually do an 'm-T aTO” ol~ rest‘of deck.
This places 2 Aces, that are still in deck, at 8th and 12th from top. After showing
no Aces among the two four card hands and replacing to top of deck as per instructions,
table deck for Riffle Shuffle. Using only one Riffle Shuffle, get 8^ cards onto top
Ace of deck being sure you do not mix in any other cards into those Aces already set.
Deal out 8 hands as follows: On 1st round do a Second Deal on 8th card to get first Ace.
On 2nd and 3rd rounds deal fairly. On 4th round start second dealing on 4th card to
hold back last Ace so it falls into 8th hand. Incidentally, at Step 21 you can avoid
the Second Deal by starting the dealing to yourself first.
 - J J -

hand he has the four Aces to which the surprised card man utters, "Huh?".
Regaining his composure he turns his cards over to show he has a Straight
Flush which according to Hoyle, beats four Aces.
The first part of the effect, dealing only with the four Aces, I originally
performed, at the Knoxville Convention in 19^3, for a group of lobbying
magicians. There were two methods for this effect neither of which was
easy, but both practical. One method, the harder one, was sent to Jack
Avis while the other method I later gave to Piet Forton. Both methods in
essence depended on the Mario Two Card Throw and Multiple Throws «Probably
the one that should be credited with the basic effect is Ron Ferris since
he did publicly record a very easy and practical method in A1 Sharpe's
"Expert Card Mysteries" - 1969 - under the title of "Royal Aces" on page
82 of that book. The underlying secret move used was the "Braue Addition
Move" to set-up the Aces for the deal. Ilmention this because many of the
effects are similar but the underlying method or approach is what makes the
difference. The one to be described will take in even a sophisticated card
man because of its direct approach and the subleties of the repeat will
make it difficult for him to reconstruct any part of the routine.
1) Begin by secretly getting the 3-if-5-6of Diamonds - any x card and the 7D
on top of the deck. Also make sure that the last three Aces of the deck,
as it is spread between both hands, will be separated from each other by a
few cards before you start the routine.

2) Assuming you have checked the deck and do have the required situation as
in Step 1_ above hold the deck face up as you start to spread it between
both hands. As you come to each Ace you up-jog it; however, on the 2nd -
3rd - Ath Aces you execute the "Unit Upjog Addition" thus secretly placing
an & card behind the 2nd _ 3rd and Ath Aces. To all appearances you have
merely up-jogged A Aces which the left hand cleanly strips out while the
right hand holds onto the still slightly spread deck. The left hand places
the four Aces, which are held still fanned, to under the face up deck and
thus to the top of the deck. If preferred the right hand can sort of toss
the face up deck onto the face up fanned Aces in the left hand.

3) Turn the deck face down, squaring up the deck between both hands, then
hold it in left hand dealing position. On the top of the deck you have the
order of cards as X - Ace - X - Ace - X - Ace - Ace. Say, "I will deal us
two Xces each". Here deal the top four cards, one at a time, between
spectator and yourself. You will have two Aces and the spectator will get
two X cards. Two Aces are still on top of the deck with an X card on top
of them. “ —

k) Deal the top X card to spectator and the next top card, an Ace, to your­
self. When thespectator's hand has three cards this is your tip-off that
his next or Ath card must be Second Dealt thus giving him another' X card while
you retain the Ath Ace which you deal fairly to yourself. If you wish you
aan use your hand as the tip-off for the Second Deal. In other words when
you have three cards in your hand you know the next card must be Second Dealt
to the spectator to retain the Ath Ace for your hand. This is easier than
trying to remember at what number to deal the Second. Finish the deal
normally until each of you have five cards.
5) Place deck aside. Use top card of your hand to scoop up the four Aces.
The packet is squared and placed face up on the table as you ask, "See if
you bettered your Aces". Without too much pause say, "I did - two pair -
two pair of Aces". Here you spread your five cards downward and to the left
which will expose the indexes of all the five cards properly no matter where
the other spectators may be sitting or standing.

6 ) .Then both hands have been turned face up you will note that your hand will
have one of the Diamond cards, of the required straight flush, while the
spectators hand will have two of these Diamond flush cards. Casually place
your Diamond card on top of the deck which left hand has picked up and is
holding in a dealing position. Pick up the spectator's two Diamond cards,
of the required straight flush, to place these face down onto the top of the
deck; however, the left 4th fingertip moves in, at the extreme lower right
corner, in order to hold a break below these two Diamond cards. Pick up
the spectators remaining three X cards and insert them, from the front end of
the deck, into the center of the deck. The left 4th fingertip still main­
tains its break below the top two Diamond cards.

7) The right hand picks up the four Aces and holding them face up between
both hands and sort of against the top of deck, arrange them so that the
two Red Aces are at the face while the AC and AS are next, in that order from
face to top. The right hand holds the fanned face up Aces, with thumb on
the face and fingers beneath, then flips the still fanned Aces faces down
onto the top of the deck. As the Aces converge and fall flush onto the top
of the deck the right hand follows through by at once picking up all the
cards, above the left 4th fingertip break, from above by the ends carrying
them upwards above the deck and up to the left thumb and fingertips which
now square the sides of the packet. Thus the packet is being squared between
both hands which hold the packet well above the deck. Now comes a subtle
and direct add on sequence.

8 ) The right hand alone holds the packet from above by the ends. The left
thumb peels off the top two Black face down Aces, one at a time, onto the
top of the deck but in a fanned condition off to the right side of the deck.
The left hand now turns palm downward to bring into view the fanned AS and
AC. The left hand turns palm up again as right hand deposits its cards,
really four, onto the top of the fanned Aces. Right hand pushes all cards
flush with the top of the deck but the left 4th fingertip obtains a break
below these six cards. At once the left thumb deals over the top two cards,
the Red Aces, which are taken by right hand, one card under the other in a
fanned condition, with right thumb on top at the lower right corners and 1 st
- 2nd fingers below or on the face of the Aces. The right hand turns inwards
to show the face of the two fanned Red Aces. All these actions are done
during the simple patter line of, " Two Black Aces - and -Two Red Aces".
Right hand now places its two Red Aces onto the top of the deck.

9) The order of cards, from the top down, is two Red Aces, two Diamond cards,
AC - AD and three Diamond cards. Deal top card fairly to spectator but do a
Second Deal into your hand. This Second Deal is made while the left 4th
fingertip holds a break and is not as difficult as it would seem. The
spectator has one Ace and you have one of the Diamond cards. Your patter is,
"One Red Ace for you and one Red Ace for me".
10) Here the right hand positions the cards above the break so they are held
by the sides'^ above the deck, with the left fingers and thumb. The right hand
can now easily do the D'Amico Spread or the Mario Pivot Spread to show the two
Black Aces with AS as the big face Ace. The right hand flips both cards,
really four as a spread of two Aces, onto the top of the deck. Deal the top
two cards fairly between the spectator and yourself as you patter, "One Black
Ace for you and one Black Ace for me - two Aces each".

11) At this stage the spectator has two Red Aces and you have two Diamond
cards. On top of the deck are two Black Aces followed by the three Diamond
cards. Deal the top card fairly to the spectator. Re has three cards and
this is your tip-off that you must Second Deal into your hand which will give
you another Diamond card and retain the 4th Ace for the spectator. At any rate
a^ter the Second Deal into your hand the rest of the deal is fair until each
of you have five cards.
12) As before you can square up and turn your hand face up as you say, "See
if you bettered your pair of Aces". When he shows that he has four Aces act
surprised as you grunt, "Huh!". Spread out your cards. It will be evident
that you have all Diamonds; however, since the values are mixed at first
glance it will not be obvious that you have a straight flush. You take
advantage of this by first saying, "Well I got a Diamond Flush but that
doesn't beat four Aces". By this time you also have picked up your hand and
are holding the five cards facing you. Now add, "If I remember correctly a
three - four - five - six - seven of Diamonds is a straight flush and
according to Hoyle that does beat four Aces". As these lines are delivered
the right hand removes each card, in order, from among the five, to place
them face up in a row from your right to left to properly display the
sequence of cards to the spectator across the table.

Note: In one of the methods I devised a procedure which was quite logical
and eliminated the Second Deal in the opening part of the routine. The set­
up of Diamond cards on top of the deck is the same. In up-jogging the four
Aces you do the "Unit Upjog Addition" only on the 3rd and 4th Aces. After
the placing of the four Aces, really six cards, onto top of the deck you will
have, from top down, X - Ace - X - Ace - Ace _ Ace then the five Diamond
cards. Deal the top four cards, one at a time, between the spectator and
yourself as supposedly two Aces each. Actually you have two Aces and the
spectator has two X cards. Now table the deck for a riffle shuffle. Cut
off the top half, with right hand, to the right. Riffle Shuffle so you will
hold back two cards on top of each section. Also make sure you do not mix
any cards into the five Diamonds cards. Next simply lower the held back
pairs of cards so that the two X cards from left hand section -weave in one
X card above each Ace. This results in the top four cards in X - Ace - X -
Ace order. The Riffle Shuffle just before you deal out three more cards each
is logical enough. All you need to do is finish the deal fairly giving
three cards, one at a time, to the spectator and yourself.
The spectator and you will have only one of the required Diamond cards
among the other cards. Begin by placing the three cards, from spectator's
hand into center of the deck. Next pick up the two Diamond Cards placing
them on top but getting your break beneath them. From here show the four
Aces as already explained for the repeat of the effect; however, the Second
Deal at the very beginning can be eliminated as follows: When it comes
time to show the top two Red Aces you also deal over the third card, about a
quarter inch or less, over the right side of the deck. The right hand is
displaying its two fanned Aces. The face Ace is returned face down to the
top of the deck, side-jogged forhalf its width to the right side of the deck,
covering also the under third card which has its right side projecting
a quarter inch over the right side of the deck. There is no break held.
The right hand moves up to show the face of the single Red Ace then places this
Ace face down apparently under the side-jogged top Ace. Actually the lower
left corner of the face down Ace is turned under the projecting quarter inch
of the card that is just below the top side-jogged Ace. Once this stepped second
card is thus engaged the second Ace is simply slid in below this quarter inch
stepped card the action being covered by the side-jogged Ace above it. All
that remains is for the cards to be squared. This results in Ace - X - Ace
from top down with the X card in this case being one of the required-Diamond
cards. These two supposed top Red Aces are dealt between the top Red Aces
are dealt between the spectator and yourself. He will get a Red Ace and
you get the Diamond card. Go into the D'Amico Spread to show the two Black
Aces. Flip them face down and apparently deal one each of the Black Aces
between spectator and yourself. So far he has two Red Aces and you have two
Diamond cards. Table the deck, as you did before, for the Riffle Shuffle
during which you place an X card to precede each of the remaining two
Black Aces; however, you do this with a Block Transfer. Briefly - Undercut
the deck with right hand to the right. Riffle Shuffle using either a Shank
Shuffle or a Strip-Out Shuffle with a Block Transfer of the two Black Aces
from the left hand portion onto the top of the right hand section. This
leaves the three Diamond cards on top of the left hand section. During your
next shuffle you stack a Diamond card above each of the two Black Aces. Now
conclude the deal fairly until each have five cards. Climax the effect as
outlined. (Note - See Bob Veesers letter of 195& for details on the dis­
placement move used here on the two Red Aces. You can eliminate the False
Riffle Shuffle with Block Transfer by simply getting a break, with left thumb,
under the top two Aces. The right hand now simply cuts out half the deck
from under these two Aces. With two Aces on top of the left hand section and
three Diamond cards on top of right hand portion you can go directly into
the stacking.

THE CHOICE ELEVATOR

EFFECT: Four Kings are removed from the deck and dealt face down, to the table,
in a row from left to right. The spectator is handed the deck and told no matter
onto which King he drops the deck you will cause that King to travel to the top
of the deck. From this point on the spectator is given other free choices and
alternatives to conclude the Elevator Effect.
1) For this you up-jog the Kings as you come to them; however, it will pay
to make sure they are separated by a few cards between each. In other words
just as two Kings are not together and at least a half dozen or so cards
separate them.
2) During the up-jogging of the R Kings use the Mario "Unit Upjog Addition"
to get an X card behind the 2nd and 3rd Kings from the face of deck. Right
hand holds deck as left hand strips out the up-jogged Kings, really 6 cards,
to place them under the still face up deck and thus on top of deck.
3) Turn deck face down into left hand dealing position. The order of the
top six cards is K-X-K-X—K-K. Deal out the top four cards, face down, from
your left to right resulting in a K-X-K-X situation. The remaining two Kings
are on top of deck. Do not worry about the order of the Kings being re­
membered especially if you originally up-jogged them in an alternate color
sequence.
4) Hand the deck to the spectator and tell him that he can drop it onto any­
one of the Kings and you will cause that King to take the Magic Elevator to
the top. Since there are several possible combinations depending on whether
he drops the deck onto an X card or a King. I will describe each starting
with the simplest.

1st Combination
1) Spectator drops the deck on an X card. Riffle sides of deck and turn over
top card to show a King has travelled to the top. Place King face up in its
original position.
2) Again hand deck to spectator and state that he can drop the deck again on
aiy of the 2 remaining Kings and you will cause that King to also travel to
the top. Assume he drops the deck on the other or remaining X card. Here
you say, "The first time you dropped the deck onto the King of (naming suit)
and he travelled to the top. This time you could have dropped it onto the
King of (naming suit)", as you turn a King face up in its original position.
Repeat this same line on the^ema i n i n_g face down King. You have 2 Kings face
up. At this stage point to the deck and ask, "But you dropped the deck on
what King?" When he answers you repeat the name of the King as you say, "Yes
- The King of naming suit was your choice and he will travel to the top.
Slowly turn the King face up leaving it on top of the deck to conclude.

2nd Conbination1
1) Spectator drops the deck onto an actual King. Have the King come to top
and place it face up in its original position. At this stage the deck has a
King on top and a King on the bottom of the deck.

2) This time you can state that no matter which of the 2 remaining Kings he
chooses you will cause that King to go either to the top or bottom of deck,
thus giving him a sort of double choice.
3) To keep it simple for now assume he has you drop the deck on another King.
Have the King come to the top. This leaves two face down X cards on the
table and two Kings on the bottom of deck.

h) Casually cut the bottom King to top, using any form of a Reverse Double
Undercut to leave you rath a King at top and bottom. Here again you can give
him a choice of any of the supposed 2 remaining Kings and also whether they
should travel down thru the deck or up to top of deck.

5) Assume he chooses one of the 2 X cards and wants it to go to the bottom.

Place the X card on top. Do a down riffle, with left thumb, at upper left
corner as right hand holds deck only by lower right corner. Turn over top
card to show apparently the King is not there. Turn deck face up to show
the King. Deal it face up into its original position in the row.

6 ) Turn deck face down into left hand. Turn the face up X card face down and
get a left hth fingertip break below it. Cut deck and maintain the break
above it. Cut deck and maintain the break above the remaining Xing. Point to
the last supposed King, really last X card, as you ask if they want the last
King to go to top or bottom.

7) If he says "To top", then cut deck at the break dropping those cards above
the break to the table. Drop X card onto this portion then drop rest of deck,
from left hand., onto the tabled cards. You can now show the last King on top
as requested.
8 ) If spectator should want the King to go to the bottom of deck then the right
thumb, at back end, must cut at the break plus pick up the card, a King, that
is below the break so it will become the bottom card of the cards dropped
to the table. The tabled X card, supposed King, is placed on top of the
tabled half then rest of deck, from left hand, is taken by right hand and
dribbled onto the supposed King to lose it in center of deck. Square up deck,
pick it up, hold bjr lower right corner with right hand, thumb on top fingers
beneath, as left thumb down riffles the upper left corner of deck for effect.
Eventually turn deck face up to show the final King having arrived.

3rd Combination
1) Spectator has dropped deck on X card which results in a King coming to top
but deck has only one King on top. The next time the spectator is given the
same choice of which King is to come to top. This time he drops the deck onto
an actual King.
2) You naturally show the King has travelled to top. This leaves you with a
King on bottom of deck while on table are an X card and King still face down.
This time you can give him a choice as to which King he wants to travel down
thru the deck. .If he chooses a King you can naturally now conclude as per the
2nd Combination as per Steps 7 and 8 on the final King.

3) Should he choose the X card you then point out to him how he had choices of
the other face up Kings on table. This time you say, "You could have chosen
this King", as you turn the actual 3rd King face up on table. Point to the
three face up Kings, calling their suits, as you finish with "But you chose
the King of naming suit". All that remains is to show the chosen (?) King as
having travelled from top to bottom.

The above 2 Combinations are about all you will encounter with perhaps a
slight variation in procedure. As an example in the 2nd Combination you
have, at one point, two face up Kings on table which have travelled to top.
In the deck you have a King on bottom and top, after a Reverse Double Undercut.
The two X cards are the two supposed remaining Kings. This time spectator
decides a King should, travel u£ to top of deck. This means he will drop deck
onto an X card thus making the bottom King second from bottom. This time you
can riffle deck and show the King is no longer on the bottom. Turn deck face
down and turn over top card, the King, to deal it face up to table. Here cut
the deck holding a break, with left 4th fingertip, between the halves. With
tip of left 4th finger angle out the bottom card then this same left 4th
fingertip pulls down on this card to keep a break above it. Now depending on
whether the spectator decides the final King to appear on the top or bottom
decides your procedure. If ho says, "Top", then you use the same "Kick Out
Count", with left 4th fingertip, in order that left 4th fingertip can pull
down and in on the King, so it comes flush with the cards below the break,
then cut and bury the remaining !X card as already detailed in the climax
of the 2nd Combination. If the choice is to the bottom then naturally
you leave the King above the break as you cut the deck, then bury X card,
to again conclude as per the 2nd Combinationa
 K. M. MOVE - WITH REVERSE FINGERING ACTION

Since reference is made, in the following effects, to the K. M. Move, a brief

description of this sleight will come first. Once the idea is grasped the reader
should have little difficulty in understanding the procedure whenever use of this
move is suggested.

1. While the top card can be either face up or face down, for this description
assume the top card, an Ace, is face up on top of deck. Deck is held in
left hand dealing position in Mechanic’s Grip. The right 1st finger does
a Hit Double Lift, at lower right corner, of 2 cards back to back in this
case. The right 1st and 2nd fingers move up along under these 2 cards until
they reach about the center of right side. The right 1st and 2nd fingers
are still under the 2 cards while right thumb is on top or face of the Ace.
The cards, thus tightly pinched, are moved off to the right until the posi­
tions shown in Fig. 1 is reached.

2. The left hand now starts to turn palm downward, and thus momentarily the
deck actually obscures the cards held by right hand. At this moment the
right thumb pushes the face card to the left, or under the deck, as at same
time the right 1st and 2nd fingers pull the under or face down card to the
right. These Reverse Finger Actions result in the original face up card
going face down onto deck while a face down card, presumably still the Ace,
is held by right hand. Fig. 2 shows the right hand moving out, with a face
down X card, while left hand is still palm downward.

Flc.2
 -ho-

Once right hand places its card face down to the table, the left hand turns
palm upward again. Everything looks normal, as there is a face down card on
top of deck. If the move was started with both cards face down, then the
same moves would leave the original top card reversed or face up on top of
deck while an X card would be face down, held by right hand. There may be
times when this may be called for in the effects to be described. The K.
M. Move with Reverse Finger Actions can also be used with both cards secretly r*
face up, or cards face to face, as well as with blocks of cards; all this
depending on the purpose for which it will be used.
I
An added touch is used when you want to simulate the effect of the card in
right hand apparently being changed to another card. This is for the left
thumb to sort of downstroke the card held by right hand as it moves out from
under the deck. In most cases this change is a sort of delayed one in that
a face down card is stroked, then turned face up to show the change having
taken place; however, on occasion a back of a card is changed from one color
to another, plus an apparent change or vanish of the original face of the l
card to another. By having 2 cards face up, as apparently one, on top of
deck the use of this approach seems to magically and visually change one
card to another. As an example, suppose you have 2 cards turned face up on f
top of deck as apparently a single Ace. Go through the mechanics required
to get you into the situation already shown in Fig. 1. At this stage when
left hand turns palm down the right fingers and thumb do the Reverse Finger (
Actions. The single face up card remaining in right hand now remains still
as left hand, with left thumb sort of extended, moves downward so that left
thumb, pressing downward on the face up changed card, brushes off the face
of card as in Fig. 3, where you will note the downward bend of the now changed*
c a r d } h o w e v e r , in this case the card would be face up to show a visual
change.
{

Fig. 3
5. The stroking action of Fig. 3 is continued until left thumb brushes past the
card’s upper left corner. This will cause the card to snap back up to its
normal straight condition. The left hand can now turn palm upward as all
cards will be face down. The change actions of Fig. 3 can be used on a face
down card. In this case the face down card is turned face up first and then
left hand turns palm upward to show everything normal on top of deck.
Single Card Exchanges

1) Face up to face down exchange is made as follows: You wish

to excha n ge the top card of deck for the second card of the
deck. Push over the top two cards w i t h the second card going
just far enough so that the left 4th fingertip can obtain a
break below it when iett thumb pulls back this second card. The
right thumb and fingers meantime have grasped the lower right
corner of top card.
2) H o l d i n g the card in right hand, w i t h thumb on top the 1st
and 2nd fingers beneath, the left thumb and 2nd - 3rd fingeis
help snap the left side-edge of the card to convey its single­
ness. The right fingers no w lever the card face up and flush
onto top of the deck. The left 4th fingertip now has a break
b e n eath the back to back cards.
3) The right hand at once grasps the two cards, as one, by the
lower right corner with thumb on top and 1st and 2nd fingers below.
The left thumb moves to the left side of deck, near upper left
corner, for a simulated pushoff of the face card. Actually the
right thumb and fingers, holding firmly onto the two cards as
one face up card, move to the right as the left thumb merely
follows t hrough in a simulated pushoff action as shown in

Fig. 2 -

4) N o w the right hand starts to turn its card(s) over onto deck
or so it appears as actually the left hand starts to turn d o w n ­
wards onto the face up card(s). Both hands have also moved
slightly to the right so that the left hand downward turn is also
inward towards the body as seen in Figure 2 where the left thumb
has moved to left side of deck.
5) The right 1st and 2nd fingers aid in completing the action of
t u r n i n g the card(s) onto the deck with the left 2nd- 3rd- 4th
fingertips also helping in folding the card(s) against top of
deck. As the turn over action is completed the left will be
p a l m d o w n . In a continuous rhythmic action the left thumb deals
the n e w top card face down to the table as in Figure 3.

Fig. 3

6) Once the new card has been dealt off to the table the left
hand turns p a l m upward. Since there is no face up card showing
on top of deck it adds to the inference that the original face
up card is the one on the table. The real situation is an X card
on the table while the original card is face down on top of deck.

7) Here the Single Card Exchange is slightly varied but is

actually logical in its mechanics. The idea is to show the single
top card, turn it face down onto top of deck, apparently turn it
face down onto deck from where it seems to be dealt face down to
the table but in reality an X card while the original selection
is n o w face up on top of deck. The mechanics are identical to
that just described; however, due to the previous actions the
end result is different.

8) Assume the desired card is second from top of deck. In

p u shing over the top card the left thumb also advances the second
card far enough for the left 4th fingertip to obtain a break
b e n e a t h it, at the lower right corner, when left thumb pulls back
this second card. The left 2nd and 3rd fingers can also aid in
pulling the second card back flush with the deck as right hand
takes only the single top card.

The top card is snapped, by left fingers and thumb, on its

left side edge. Right hand flips this card face up onto deck.
The left thumb at once pushes o n l y the face up card back towards
the right hand which takes it again. The face up card is now
snapped as before, to infer its apparent singleness, then flipped
face down flush onto top of deck. In a follow through action
the right thumb and fingers g r a s p the two cards, as one, above
the break. The left thumb does a simulated pushoff as right
hand actually moves off the card(s) to the right as already
shown in the Figure 1 except here the card (s) will be face d o w n .
 -n s-

10) Next you start to turn the card(s) apparently face up as you
e x ecute the identical moves depicted in the Figure 2 again bearing
in mind that in this case the card(s) is face down. Follow through
by the thumbing off of the n e w top card face down to the table as
previously depicted at the Figure 3 . On dealing the card face
down remember the original card is now face up on top of deck so
be sure to keep the left hand palm down in this case. I say, “In
this case", because there will be instances when you will turn
your hand palm up to actually show a face up card or cards.

11) While I have mentioned the use of the Simulated Pushoff you
can use any type o f regular pushoff technique. My personal
preference is the "Spade" book pushoff technique used for double
or multiple cards pushed over as apparently one card.

D o u b l e Card Exchanges

1) Here you exchange two single face up cards for the next two X
cards on top of deck. For clarity assume the two Red Aces are to
be exchanged for two Black Aces. The Red Aces are top cards with
Black Aces 3rd and 4th from top of deck.

2) Casually spread top four cards and in resquaring get a left

4th fingertip break beneath them at the lower right corner. Left
thumb deals over the top two cards, one under the other, which
are taken, in a fanned or spread condition, by right thumb on top
and 1st and 2nd fingers below.

3) Right-hand flips its two Red Aces face up and flush onto top
of deck. The left thumb now pushes over only the face Ace thus
showing two Red Aces. The right thumb and fingers grasp all
those cards above the break at the lower right corner. Holding
the cards firmly the right hand moves the cards, as seemingly only
two face up Red Aces, to the right side of the deck as shown in
Figure _4.
 -M -

4) The two banc’ s move to the right and inward towards the body.
At the same time the left hand turns palm downwards, towards the
Red Aces, while right hand also is following through with its
t u r nover or flipping of the Aces as in Figure 5. Note left
thumb has tncved to left side of deck permitting the flipover.

5) O n c e the two Red Aces, plus the secretly added two Black Aces,
have been flipped over up against top of the deck the left thumb
deals off the now two Black Aces face down to the table. The
action is shown in the Figure 6 where one card is al ready face
down on the table with che second card about to be dealt.
6) O n c e the two cards have been thumbed off the left hand can turn
palm up again since the Red Aces, now on top of deck, are face
down. The following will briefly explain how the face down two Re
Aces will be exchanged so that the Black Aces will go face down to
the table but the Red Aces will be face up on top of deck.
7) Get a break, with left 4th fingertip, beneath the top four Aces
Left thumb deals over top two Aces, one under each other in a
fanned condition, which are taken by right hand. Right hand flips
the two Red Aces face up onto top of deck. Left thumb deals the
face up Aces, again one under the other in a fanned condition,
towards the right hand which takes them, still fanned, to hold
faces up as left thumb, with aid of left 2nd and 3rd fingertips,
sort of flick or snap the left side edges of the cards to
indirectly indicate only two cards being held.
8) Right hand flips its cards face down and flush onto top of
deck. Left thumb pushes over only one card as right thumb and
fingers g rasp all those cards, four of them, above the break at
the lower right corner. Holding these cards firmly the right
hand moves these cards, as apparently two fanned face down Red
Acus, to the right side of deck in a manner identical to that
shown in Figure £ except here the cards will be face down.

9) The supposed two fanned cards, really four cards, are now
flipped over onto deck as left hand turns p a l m downwards to
meet these turning cards. Again the Figure 5 shows this action
except here the cards are face down.

1C) Continue the action of Figure J5 until the cards from right
hand have been flipped over up against the top of deck as left
hand turns palm downward then immediately thumbs off the now
Black Aces face down to the table. The previous Figure 6
shows this action. Once the two Black Aces have been dealt face
down to the table be sure to keep the left hand palm down as
you n o w have the two Red Aces face up on top of deck.

exchanging Two of Four

1st P r o c e d u r e :

1) This enables you to show say Four Aces and exchange two of
them. Begin by having the four Aces so that they are face to
face w i t h the two Red Aces face up and the top two Black Aces
face down. The right hand, which has first arranged the required
condition into a four card fan, holds these. During the time
the arrangement is thumbed over by left thumb the 5th and 6th
cards of the deck are also pushed forward so that in dragging
these two cards back, towards top of deck, the left 4th
fingertip holds a break beneath them. The right hand holds its
cards, still fanned, against top of deck*.
2) Under cover of the fanned four Aces the right 1st and 2nd
fingertips enter the break, at lower right corner, to grasp
all those cards above the break or the two X cards just below
the lowermost Red Ace. The right hand h o w moves i t ’
s fan of
four Aces, plus the secretly acdec 2 X cards, to the right ,Fig .7 ,as
if to flip the four cards over onto the deck. Naturally
b o t h hands move slightly to the right and the left hand starts
to turn inwards and p a l m downward in order to meet the fan of
four Aces as right hand also continues with its turning or
flipping action. The Figure 8 shows the performers v i e w of
the turning action. Left thumb has moved to left side of the
deck.

3) Once the right hand has turned its four Aces up against the
top of the deck the left thumb at once thumbs out, one card at
a time, the two face down cards as you say "Two Black Aces".
With the left hand still palm down thumb or deal off the next
two cards which will be the face up Red Aces. The action is
shown in the Figure 9 where the fourth card, a face up Red Ace,
is about to be thumbed off alongside the first face up Red Ace.
Figure 9 shows the performer's view.
4) Keep the left hand palm down to conceal the n o w face up
B l a c k Aces on top of deck. A change of procedure can be made
at S b e p 8 by dealing only the supposed two B l a c k Aces face down
to table. N o w turn left hand palm up as two face down Red Aces
will be covering two face up Bl a c k Aces.

5) The left hand is held so that the top of d e c k is towards

yourself. The left thumb can n o w thumb over the top two cards,
one under the other in a fanned condition, w h i c h are taken by
right harid and shown to spectators as you add, "And two Red
Aces".
6) Since you have the two B l a c k Aces secretly face up on top
of deck you are set to exchange the Red Aces for the Black ones
as follows; Flip this Red Aces face up onto the face up Black
Aces. Lower the deck. Right hand squares the ends of deck during
w h i c h you find the natural back to back separation and obtain a
break, at the lower right corner, with tip of left 4th finger.
Left thumb pushes over only the face Red Ace. Right thumb and
fingers g rasp all those cards above the b r e a k bo carry them
off to the right side of deck as apparently only two spread
Red Aces. These are flipped over and face down onto deck. Left
thumb at once pushes over the top two cards, really Black Aces,
W h i c h right hand takes to place them faces down, to the table,
as apparently two Red Aces.

7) W i t h the two Red Aces actually on top of deck get a left 4th
fingertip b r e a k beneath them in readiness for a transposition
effect. Right hand picks up the supposed two Black Aces, but
really two X cards, to place them on top of deck but get a left
3rd fingertip break b e l o w them. Thus you have two breaks each
m a r k i n g off two cards.
 -H 8 -

8) The left thumb does a two card pushoff, of those cards above
the 3rd fingertip break, as apparently one card w h i c h is taken,
at the upper right corner, w i t h right thumb on top and 1st and 2nd
fingers below. The two cards above the left 4th fingertip break
are n o w also pushed over, by left thumb, as one card. This card(s)
held by right hand by right hand sliding its card(s) to under the
card(s) p ushed over by left thumb. This action is shown in
Figure _10 during w h i c h you merely say, "Two Black Aces".

9) The fanned cards of Figure 10 are replaced square onto top of

d e c k then almost at o n c e you repeat the identical actions, of
sliding top card to under the second card, with just two single
cards as you ask, "What color Aces are these?" When they say,
"Black", you say, "Those are over here" as right hand, w h i c h has
left its fanned cards on top of d e c k but off to the right side
of deck, turns the supposed tabled Red Aces to show they are n o w
the B l a c k Aces. The right hand comes b a c k to the deck, takes the
top two fanned cards, turns them face up to show they are the Red
Aces w i t h the line, "These are the Red Aces", thus completing
the "Transposition Untitled" which incidentally can be repeated,
t h r o u g h combinations of K.M. Move handlings, to completely lose
any magician.
Exchan g i n g Two of Four
2nd Procedure;

1) The e x c hange mecha n i c s are the same as before except here the
A c e s are back to back with the Black Aces face up on top of the
face down Red Aces. The four Aces are fanned and held against
top of deck. The left 4th fingertip has a break beneath the top
two cards of deck. The situation is identical to Figure 7 except
B l a c k Aces will be face up on top of two face down Red Aces.
2) Right tr.umb and fingers grasp all those cards above the break
to carry them, as apparently four fanned Aces, to the right side
of deck. The same actions, already depicted in the Figure 8, of
turning the four Aces onto top of the d e c k are now made. The
left thumb deals off two cards face down as you say, "Two Black
Aces". This time the left hand turns palm up, w h i c h shows the
Red Aces face u p , then left thumb deals over the Red Aces to be­
taken by right hand, at lower right corner. Left thumb sort of
brushes down the left side of the Aces, letting them escape
from under the left thumb, as you add, "And two Red Aces". The
completed action, is shown in Figure JJ. where the face down tabled
cards are two X cards with the actual Black Aces on top of deck.

Fig.11

3) The above handling, with the addition of the "Buffaloed"

idea, is that of David Solomon of Chicago. Briefly - having
displayed both sides of the four Aces they are finally r es t ed
against the deck. Since the Black Aces are face up you start
by saying, "Two Black Aces", as at same time you do the t u r n ­
over and the thumbing off of the now two X cards face down to
the table. Turn left hand p a l m up and deal over the face up
Red Aces, which are taken by right hand, as you conclude with
"And two Red Aces". The "Buffaloed" idea fits in q u i t e well
w i t h this second procedure. No need to men t i o n that this can
n o w be used to effect a transposition not only once but several
times depending on how many times you intend doing the
c o mbinations of K.M. Move plus the Fanned Two Card Turnover
when in reality four cards are being turned down onto deck thus
bringing either the Aces of opposite color to top of deck or the
two X cards to top of deck which are dealt off as the supposed
two Aces just shown.
 - W -

E x c h a n q i n q Two of Four

3rd P r o c e d u r e ;

1) While the four Aces can be face to face or back to back for this
d escription it will be with the Black Aces face up on top of two
face down Red Aces. The right hand holds the fan of four Aces.
The left 4th fingertip has obtained its break below the top two
cards of deck.

2) The fan of four Aces are rested against top of d e c k as in the

Figure 7 except the two uppermost Aces will be face up while the
lower two, which rest against top of deck, will be the face down
Red Aces. The right hand grasps all those cards above the break,
a total of 6 cards passed off as four fanned Aces, to carry them
off to the right side of deck. The right 2nd and 3rd fingertips
n o w flip over onto top of deck, only the two face down Red Aces
(actually four cards as two) as shown in the Figure _1J? where note
how right hand is holding onto the two face up Black Aces. Left
thumb has moved to left side of deck to permit completion of this
turnover.

Fig.12

3) The left hand, which is palm down now, deals off the supposed
two Red Aces face down to the table. Left hand remains palm down
as the two Red Aces are face up on top of deck while- right hand
holds two face up Black Aces.
4) If you start with the four Aces face to face, w i t h Black. Aces
face down on top of the face up Red Aces, then when you execute the
moves as per Figure 7 and 12 you will end up with the Red Aces
face down on top of deck. The Black Aces are at once turned face
up, using the right hand only, to result in the situation in
Figure 13. The tabled cards are 2 X cards.

5) The three procedures of exchanging two cards of four can be

used to exchange one card of t w o . In other words me r e l y hold
two fanned cards either back to back or face to face. You only
need a break under one top card. N o w go through the K.M. Move
procedures as already outlined for exchanging two of four cards
except in this case one card will be thumbed off face down to the
table. The other card, depending on how you started, will be
either face up with the original 1st card face down below it
or a face down card with the original 1st card face up below
it. Here again transposition effects seem the most obvious use
of changing two X cards, one at a time, to two selected cards
can be worked out.
6) It also becomes obvious that if you have both cards face u p ,
in a fanned condition, rested against top of deck, where left
4th fingertip has a break below the top two cards, that by doing
the K.M. Move to turn the two face up cards face down onto deck,
actually four cards as two, then thumbing the X cards face down
to the table you will have exchanged two for two. Because you
started with the original two cards face up they will now be
face down, on top of deck, on completion of the K.M. Move.
If you flip the original cards face down onto the deck and then
do the K.M. Move actions, with supposedly two face down fanned
cards but really four, you will end up with the 2 X cards face
down on the table but the original two cards will now be face up
on top of deck. Which condition you want will depend on the
effect you may wish to get.

Exchanging Three of Four

1st P r o c e d u r e :

1) You will exchange three of four Aces for three X cards.

Begin by removing the four Aces and tossing them face up to the
table. Turn the deck face down and in squaring it up get a break,
beneath the top three cards, with tip of left 4th finger at the
lower right corner.
 - JCL-

2) Right hand picks up the four Aces and rests them face up
against top of deck as the fingers and thumbs of b o t h hands
arrange the Aces so that 3 Aces will be face up in R-B-R
o r d e r w i t h the Ace of Spades face down beneath the 3 face up
Aces. The four Aces are held, in a fanned condition, against
top of deck.

3) The right 1st and 2nd fingers enter into the break, at lower
right corner, w i t h right thumb going on top. All the cards
above the break are n o w moved to the right as apparently only
four fanned Aces, three face up and one face down as the leader
Ace. The hands now move into position for the turning process
of the K.M. Move, as in Figure 1_4, w i t h left hand moving d o w n ­
ward to meet the four Aces w h i c h right hand is flipping over
t o wards top of deck.

Fig.lU

4) O n c e the Aces are turned over against top of d e c k the left

thumb, w i t h left hand n o w p a l m down, qui c k l y thumbs off three face
down cards, one at a time, in a long face downward row. Once
the three X cards are dealt faces down to the table the left
hand turns palm upward w h i c h shows a face up Ace of Spades. This
Ace is dealt over and taken face up into right hand. Left thumb
strokes the upper left corner of the Ace downwards, as in Figure
1 5 , letting the Ace escape from under the left thumb with an
audible snap. This snap can be made quite distinct, by the right
1st and 2nd fingers pressing upwards on its lower right corner.
At same time the right thumb presses down on its lower right corner
as the upper left corner escapes from the downward brushing of the
left thumb.
 5) The natter line, for all the actions from the turninq over of
the Aces, dealinq three cards face down, turning left hand palm
up, snapping of the face up Ace of Spades, is simply, "Four Aces-
o n e - t w o - t h ree Aces and this Ace is the leader Ace".

6) You can get a situation, if so desired, where the three Aces

will end face up on top of deck. In this case start with the
lovyermost Ace of Spades face up while above-it are the three
Aces face down. All four Aces are held in fan formation. The
left 4th fingertip has its break under the top three X cards.
Rest the fan of four Aces against top of deck as right thumb and
fingers secretly grasp those cards above the break. Move all
seven cards, as apparently only four fanned Aces, to the right
and go into the K.M. Move turnover actions. This is identical
to that shown in Figure T4 except here the AS is face up
while the three Aces above it are face down.

7) With left hand palm down, the left thumb deals off, one at a
time, three cards face down to table as you say, "One-two-three
Aces". Now with left hand still palm down deal also the AS
w hich will fall face up to the table as you add, "And the Ace of
Spades is the leader Ace". Since the AS was face up below the
three face down Aces the sequence is illogical- In other words this
wouldn't be the situation if you did turnover only the actual four
Aces and thumbed them off to the table. The real state of cards
is three X cards faces down on the table with a face up AS as the
leader Ace. On top of the deck are the three Aces face up with
left hand remaininq palm down to conceal this condition.f n essence
you have used the Buffaloed idea,
8) It becomes quite obvious that an Ace Assembly would be the
next use of the above 3 for 4 exchange. Under the standard
p rocedures of such Ace assemblies there is no reason for any
details; however, the following subtlety of seemingly showing and
placing three; indifferent cards on each Ace is worth recording.
This one starts with the ^ X cards faces down, on the table,
supposedly 3 Aces. The AS is face up in leader position on the
table. The actual ^ Aces are secretly face up on top of deck.
The left hand remains palm down.
9) The right hanr1 grasps the outer end of the deck with right thumb
on the face of deck, at upper right corner, with right 1st and
2nd fingers below. The deck is thus held face up which leaves left
hand free to turn palm upward and retake the deck, faces up, back
into left hand dealing position.

10) State that you will need twelve cards that contain no picture
cards. Here you count and up-jog twelve spot cards only. The
up-jogged cards are removed by placing right fingers on the faces
w i t h thumb beneath. Pull these cards downwards bending them out
and free of the deck. This also automatically turns the JJ2 cards
faces down. Follow through by right hand placing the 12 face
down cards under the face up deck. Turn deck over to bring the
12 cards uppermost. Right hand squares the ends of deck, from
above, w i t h right thumb locating the natural back to back
separation. The tip of left 4th finger presses in to hold a break,
at the lower right corner, beneath the n o w 1_5 face up cards the
extra 3 cards being the face up Aces now at 13-14-15 positions
from the top of face up packet on top of the face down deck.

11) The face _3 cards are thumbed over, one under each other in a
fanned condition, take them by right hand with thumb on the
face fingers beneath at the upper right corners. Turn right hand
palm down thus placing _3 cards faced down onto the supposed Ace
on the left of first Ace. Repeat w i t h the next 3- cards placing
them onto the second Ace(?). Repeat w i t h the next 3^ cards
p l acing them onto the third Ace (?). N o w thumb over only two of
the face up cards showing three X cards. These cards remain on
deck as you say, "The leader Ace must be face down". Here right
hand turns AS face down. The right hand now grasps all those
cards above the break, at the lower right corner, w i t h right
thumb on the face and 1st and 2nd fingers below. The three
fanned X cards are turned face down, actually 5 cards as three,
onto top of deck. The top three cards are now the Aces. W i t h ­
out any stall the left thumb fans over the top three face down
Aces w h i c h are taken by right hand, thumb on top the fingers
beneath, to be placed onto the leader AS. From this point conclude
the assembly as you may wish.

E x c h a n g i ng Four For Four

1) H e r e you will exchange either four face up Aces or face down

Aces. In the case of exchanging four face up Aces the end
result will be a packet of four face down X cards on the table
w h i l e on top of deck will be the four Aces faces down. When you
e x c h a n g e four face down Aces the result will be four face down
X cards on the table but the Aces will end up secretly faces up on
top of the deck. With these two end results understood the next
thing is how the exchange can be accomplished as a unit or
packet for packet rather than using the process of thumbing them
off, one at a time, to the table. I have tried several methods,
including an ou t j o g g i n g method which enabled the left 1st finger
to drop off the four X cards, as a unit, faces down to the table.
F i nally settled for an injogging method which is now to be
described.
2) Assume you have four Aces face up on top of deck. In spreading
out the Aces, between both hands, also push over the next 4 face
down cards. In resquaring get a break below these cards, with
tip of left 4th finger, at the lower right corner. Refan the four
Aces and downjog the lowermost Ace for about a quarter inch or more.
This is dona as follows: The right hand holds the fan of four
Aces. S h ow both sides of the Aces then place the lowermost Ace
face up, on top of deck, but in a down-jogged condition for about
a q u arter inch. Show the back and faces of the 3 Aces. The next
lowermost Ace is placed flush and even with the top of deck. Sh o w
back and front of the 2 Aces. Place the lowermost one alongside
and even with the Ace on top of deck. Conclude by showing back
and front of last Ace and place this alongside the fanned two
Aces to result in only 3 Aces showing while the lowermost Ace shows
an index due to its being injogged.

3) The right hand seems to grasp and move off only the four Aces
but actually all the cards above the break, 8 cards in all, are
moved off to the right in readiness to be flipped over onto the
deck as left hand also moves downwards to meet the Aces as shown
in Figure 16 where note the in-jogged Ace.

4) As the turnover is completed the left hand will be with p&lm

towards performer. The right hand, from performers side, moves
to g rasp the cards by the e n d s . The right thumb comes in contact
w i t h the original in-jogged Ace as shown in Figure 17.
5) The right thumb presses on the in-jogged Ace. This will cause
the Ace to go flush w i t h the deck and also lever the four X cards
away from top of deck up to the ball of right thumb. The right
thumb and fingers will now have a firm grip on the 4 X cards.
The right hand at once moves these cards forward, at outer end of
deck, w i t h left thumb contacting upper sides and left 2nd - 3rd
fingertips contacting lower sides. Left 1st finger has moved
to curl against top of this packet. The Figure JJ3 shows this
forward moving action from performers view. Right 1st finger curled
against face of its packet.

Fig.18
6) The moving out of the 4^ X cards, as shown in Figure 18,
is continued until the 4 X cards are moved to the right far
enough for the left thumb to hold this packet at the lower
side left corner with left 2nd fingertip holding outer side
left corner. The left hand, which still has the deck, now
places its cards or packet face down to the table as shown in
Figure J^9 an audience view.

7) The actual Aces are face down on top of deck; therefore, the
left hand can turn palm upward. To end up with the 4 X cards
on the table and the 4_ Aces face up on top of deck all you have
to do is start with the four Aces faces down. Now go through
the identical actions of showing each Ace, injogging the first
Ace placed face down onto deck, then moving the fanned face
down Aces off to the right as in Figure 16. Follow through
w i t h the actions depicted in Figures 17-18-19 uo result in the
4_ X cards going face down to the table while the Aces will now
secretly be face up on top of deck. The left hand is held
p a l m down until you are ready to utilize them in one way or
another. For an obvious quickie effect you can cut- the deck to
bring the Aces to center. The tabled X cards are inserted face
down into the face down deck. This can be into different parts
of the deck or as a unit into center of deck. In either case
show the Aces have t urned face up.

8) There will be times when you will not want to go through

the process of showing the Aces one at a time. In this case
proceed as follows: Assume the four Aces are face up on top of
deck. Spread deck between both hands so that the top 8 cards
are fanned or spread over. In resquaring the 8 cards you do two
things. The loft 4th fingertip gets a break beneath the 8th
card. The right hand moves inward just enough to in-jog the
lowermost Ace then follows through by squaring the upper 3 Aces
even w i t h rest of deck. At once the left thumb pushes over
only two of the face up Aces resulting in 3 Aces showing with
the lowermost Ace being in-jogged. From here go into the same
mechanics as already depicted in Figures 1_6 to _19 inclusive.
This results in the £ X cards faces down on the table and £
Aces face down on top of deck.
 —1.M—

9) If you wish to end up with the four Aces face up on top of the
deck proceed as follows: The Aces are face up on top of deck.
Spread d e c k between both hands so that 8 cards will be fanned over
under the guise of fanning the Aces. In reaquaring the left 4th
fingertip gets a break beneath the 8th card but the four Aces
remain fanned and the right thumb downjogs the face Ace as in
F igure 2 0 .

10) The fanned face up Aces are now flipped over and face down
onto the deck. The injogged Ace remains injogged. The left
thumb at once thumbs over only two of the face down Aces. The
right thumb and fingers grasp all those cards above the break
to carry the apparent four Aces, really plus the 4 X cards,
off to the rigiit in readiness for the filp over actions as shown
in Figure L6 except here the Aces will be face down. Follow
through w i th the actions as depicted in Figures Jd7 to JL9
inclusive. The end result will be four X cards face down on the
table and the 4 Aces face up on top of deck. Use as required.

B efore going into on extension of the "Two of Four Exchange",

I will briefly describe a couple of applications of some of the
moves so far described.

As Applied To Devi l i s h Miracle

1) Control two selections to the 5th and 6th positions from the
top of deck. Spread deck between both hands as you thumb over
5 cards and state you will use the top five cards. In resquarinq
the deck obtain a left 4th fingertip break below the 6th card
from top. Make another statement of showing the five cards one
at a time.

2) Left thumb pushes over the top card and right hand grasps this
card, at its right side, with thumb on top fingers beneath. Right
fingers flip this card face up and flush onto top of deck as left
thumb moves to left side of deck in order to permit the turnover.
The face up card is called by its name. Left hand turns palm
d o w n w a r d s as left thumb deals out this card face down to the
table. Repeat this, one at a time, with the next 3 cards for a
total of 4^ cards faces down, one on top of the other, on the
table.
3) D u r i n g the above the left 4th finger has maintained its break
•which is now below the two selected cards. Fo l l o w closely. Turn
the top selection face UP onto top of deck. Call its name. Thumb
over the card and flip it back face downwards onto top of deck.
Right hand spreads the four tabled cards as you say, "Four cards".
N o w your left thumb pushes over two cards as one. These are
turned over, against top of deck, as already shown in Figures 1^ and
2 except here the card(s) will be face down. The left hand thumbs
off the face card onto the tabled cards. This is now the face
down selection that was 6th from the top or the other selection.
The original selection remains face up on top of the deck. The
left hand remains palm down to conceal this situation. As the
apparent 5th or shown selection is dealt onto the tabled cards
you say, "And the (here name the card you originally showed or
the 5th card) makes five cards".

4) The left hand remains p a l m down. The right hand grasps the
right end of deck by the sides. Left hand now moves to the
o p p o s i t e end to grasp the sides. Right hand casually undercuts
half the deck, while it's still face up, to gesture towards the
tabled cards as you ask, "Did anyone by chance happen to see
his card among the five cards". The right hand n o w places its
half of cards onto those in left hand. Left hand turns palm
up bringing backs of deck uppermost. Right hand takes deck,
from above by the ends, to place it face down to the left of the
performer. You are now all set to go into "The D e v i l i s h Miracle".

This Is A Four King Trick

EFFECT: Four Aces are shown, in an apparent transposition effect

of the four Aces they turn out to be four Kings. For the first
version of this effect see the Mario Parade in the "Linking Ring"
for S e p t ember - 1959 w h i c h also mentions the inspirational
starting point as being an idea of Arthur Hastings that appeared
in IBIDEM. As I mentioned in the "Linking Ring" compare my
method or methods, if you count this up-coming one, w i t h the
original Arthur Hastings approach. As in the "Linking Ring",
for September 1959, I insist on the comparison.

1) From top of deck down you have two Red Kings and two B l a c k Kings
These are secretly c u l l e d to t o P ° f deck while openly removing
the four Aces w h i c h you toss, as you come to each, face up to the
table. Turn the deck face down into left hand. In squaring up
the deck get a left 4th fingertip break below the top two Red Kings

2) Right hand picks up the four Aces. Using both hands and resting
the Aces against the top of deck you openly arrange the Aces so
that two Black Aces are face up on top of two face down Red Aces.
The Aces are in a fanned condition held by right hand. Show
both sides of the fan then rest it against top of deck, w i t h Black
Aces face up, in readiness for the "Two of Four Exchange" 2nd
Procedure using the K.M. Moves as per Figures 1_ and 8 except
here the uppermost Black Aces are face up.
 -6 0 -

3) On completion of the turning action of Figure 8 the left thumb

deals off two face down cards to table. These are supposedly
B l a c k Aces but actually two Red Kings. The left hand turns palm
u p wards and left thumb at onee deals over the two face up Red Aces
w h i c h are taken by right hand. At same time left thumb advances
the next two cards of deck then pulls these back as left 4th
f i n g ertip gets a break beneath what are actually the two Black Aces.
The patter line for these actions is simply, "Two B l a c k Aces",
as left hand thumbs off the two face down cards, really Red Kings,
as supposedly Black Aces. As right hand turns p a l m up you add, "
And two Red Aces", as left thumb fans over thte two Red Aces whic h
are taken, faces up, with right hand thumb on face, at lower r i g h t ’
corner and fingers beneath.

4) Remem b e r you have a br e a k under the top two cards, the Black
Aces, of the deck. Right hand holds two fanned face up Red Aces.
Right fingers flip the Red Aces face down and flush onto the
top of deck. At once the right hand grasps all the cards, from
above, by the ends, that are above the left 4th fingertip break.
The four card packet is raised up above the deck and squared
between the thumbs and fingers of both hands. Ask what color
Aces you have. If the spectator gets cute and says "Black"
your right fingers and thumb can merely peel off the top card of
the packet to show it is a Red Ace as you add, "No - two Red Aces".
Ask again what color Aces you have and he will have to say 'Red1.

5) Before the spectator actually answers the four card squared

packet is held by right hand alone in readiness for the D'Amico
Spread. The right thumb is on the face of the packet. The
right 1st fingertip is pressing down on the upper side edge of
the cards. The right 2nd and 3rd fingertips touch the back of
the cards. The right 4th fingertip does not touch the back of the
cards but comes at a point just below the inner end of the packet.
While right hand is holding the squared packet the left 4th
fingertip releases two top cards, at the lower right corner,
then moves in to obtain a break beneath these top two cards whic h
are the two Black Kings. The left 4th fingertip count can be
covered by merely holding left hand so that backs of deck are
towards p erformers body.

6) When spectator answers that you have the two Red Aces you
say, "Watch", as you do the D'Amico Spread with right thumb
pushing or fanning the face Ace past the tip of right 1st finger ­
tip w h i c h continues to press down on the top side edge of the
remaining three cards thus k eeping these squared as if they were
one card. Once the right hand has fanned or spread the cards
they are turned face up and rested against top of deck to show
two Black Aces.

7) The right thumb and fingers at once grasp also those cards
above the break. Right hand moves off to the right side of the
deck seemingly with two face up Black Aces but actually a total
of 6 cards, four face up Aces and two face down B l a c k Kings. The
situation, to the spectator is similar to that shown in Figure
except here two Black Aces are the face up cards shown. The 6
cards, as apparently two face up Black Aces, are turned over onto
the top of deck in a manner identical to that shown in Figure j>.
The p a l m down left hand at once thumbs off the supposed B l a c k Aces
face down to the table. Actually the Black Kings go face down to
the table. The action here is similar to that in Figure 6. The
line here is, "No - these are the two Black Aces".
8) The four Aces are face down on top of deck and left hand is
palm down with the deck in hand. Your left hand reaches for the
supposed two Red Aces as you say, " These are the Red ____ , "
stopping short when left hand has turned over two Red Kings instead.
C on t i n u e by adding, "Kings?", in a q u e s t ioning or puzzled tone.
N o w add, "I forgot to tell you - this is a four King trick", as
right hand turns the tabled Black Kings face up and tosses them
alongside the face up Red Kings. The left hand casually turns
palm up as the Aces are face down on top of deck. The effect
has been concluded unless you want to overdo things and change
the Kings back to Aces via the "Exchanging Four For Four" method
as per the Figures JL6 to inclusive. I don't recommend this
since you already have reached a good surprise ending.

E xchanging Four of Eight - (D. Solomon)

This is an extension of the "Two of Four Exchange" and basically
is handled with either four Aces face up on top of four Kings
face down or with four Aces face down on top 6f four face up
Kings. A left 4th finger break is held beneath the top four
cards which can be X cards or as in the case of David Solomon's
routine the four Deuces. It will be best to describe the
"Four of Eight Exchange" as used in the -

"Surprise T r a n s p o s i t i o n " - David Solomon.

EFFECT: Eight cards, the four Aces and four Kings, are shown
in a fanned condition. The spectator gets a choice of either
the Aces or Kings, Assume he chooses the Kings. These are
dealt face down in front of him. The four face up Aces are now
placed face down in front of performer. Spectator is asked
what cards he has. His reply is, "The Kings". Performer makes
a magic pass and shows that his face down cards are the Kings.
The Aces are shown face up in center of deck. The spectator
now w o n d e r s what cards he has. Performer says, "You were
double crossed - you have the four Deuces". With this the four
cards in front of spectator are turned face up to disclose the
four Deuces.

1) In removing the four Aces and Kings from t.he d e c k you will
find it a simple matter to also get the four Deuces secretly to
top of the deck. In squaring the deck get a left 4th fingertip
b r e a k beneath the top four Deuces of the deck. Maintain break
during all actions.

2) W i t h right hand pick up the tabled Aces and Kings. Using both
hands, resting the 8 cards against top of deck, arrange the Aces
and Kings so that they are back to back. At this stage you can
give the spectator a choice of either the Aces or Kings. For
this example suppose he decides on the four Kings.
 -o;

3) Turn the 8 card packet so that the chosen four cards, in this
case the Kings, are face up while the four Aces are face down.
The 8 cards are in a spread or fanned condition. Rest the 8 card
fan against top of deck as you say "You want the Kings". Here the
right fingers and thumb take all the cards above the break and move
them, as apparently only a fan of 8 cards, off to the right side
of deck and do the turnover with the 8 fanned cards plus the secret
four D e u c e s onto top of deck as left hand moves palm downward to
meet the turning fan of cards. The action here is identical to
that shown in Figures 7 and 8 except here you have a 8 card fan
w i t h the 4 Kings face up and 4 Aces face down.
4) W i t h the left hand palm down your left thumb qui c k l y thumbs
off, one at a time, four face down cards, one onto the other,
to the table. The left hand turns palm upwards and both hands
spread the top cards to show 4 face up Aces. During the spreading
of the 4 Aces you actually spread down to the eight card from
top of d e ck and in resquaring the deck only the left 4th finger ­
tip o b t a i n s a break b e l o w these four cards. The 4 Aces remain
fanned against top of the deck. The patter line, as you thumb
off the supposed four Kings face down to table, is, "One-two-
t h r e e - f o u r Kings for you". Left hand turns palm up showing the
four Aces as you add, "And I have the four Aces".
5) The real situation, at this stage, is that the 4 D e u c e s are
face down in front of the spectator. The 4 Kings are face down
on top of deck and you have a break below them. The 4^ Aces are
face up, in a fanned condition, held against top of deck. You
will n o w do the exchange of four cards for four. The right
thumb first down-jogs the face Ace. Right hand flips over the
Aces faces down onto the deck. The in-jogged Ace is now 4th card
from top. The left thumb deals over only the top two cards.
The right fingers and thumb now g r a s p all those cards above the
b r e a k to move them off to the right side of deck and into the
eventual turning over of these cards against top of deck. These
K.M. Move actions are similar to that shown in the Figures _15 to
19 inclusive except here the Aces will be face down when the
K.M. Move is started. The eventual exchange as per Figures 18 -
19 will result in the 4_ Kings going face down to the table
while the 4_ Aces will be face up on top of deck. Keep left
hand p a l m down.

6) W i t h right hand casually undercut half of the still face up

deck that is in left hand. W i t h this right hand portion you
g e s t u r e towards the 4 tabled cards near you as you ask "What
cards do I have". The spectator will say, "Four Aces", w i t h
this you turn your cards over, to show 4 Kings, adding the line
"No-I have the Kings". Continue with, "The four Aces are in the
deck". (By this time you have placed the half of deck from
right hand onto the cards in left hand, centralizing the four
face up Aces.) Turn the deck face down into the right h a n d .
Do a R e v e r s e Pressure Fan with left hand fanning the cards front
right to l e f t . All cards will appear to be face down due to Lite-
reverse fan. Close the fan. Not having seen the Aces the
spectator will look ques t i o n i n g l y at you. Patter as follow:;:
"You don't believe the Aces are in the deck. Tell you what- I
will make them turn face up to save time." Do a regular pressure
fan iri left hand as right hand does the fanning from left to
right thus clearly showing the four Aces face up and together in
center of deck.
7) Point to the four face down cards in front of spectator with
the comment, "You were d o u b l e - c r o s s e d , really, you have the four
Deuces", as your right hand turns the four Deuces face up to
c o n c l u d e the effect.
S o m e times the addition of another bit to a routine could bog it
down. In the event that the addition of the Reverse Pressure Fan
at Step 6 above could do just that you can put the blame on me.
If you wish to avoid the one at a time thumbing off of the cards,
(those given to the spectator) at Step j4 of Solom o n ' s routine
you can use a similar four for four exchange even though you are
handling an 0 card fan. The following technique makes for a
packet exchange of four cards of the original 8 card fan.

1. You have a break w i t h tip of left 4th fingertip, at lower

right corner, below the top four Deuces.

2. The 8 card fan can have four Kings face up and four Aces face
down or four Aces face up and four Kings face down.

3. For clarity of illustration the four Aces are face up with

four Kings face down. All 8 cards are in a fanned condition
more or less held between the thumbs on top and fingers
below.

4. D u r i n g the time the 8 card fan is thus held by both hands the
left 2nd and 3rd fingertips press against the face of the
lowermost King and move it downward t o injog it for about
a half inch. The left thumb presses onto the top of the
second and third King in order to keep any other Kings from
being injogged.

5. O n c e the lowermost King, the 8 th card from top in the fan, is

injogged the right hand moves the fan towards top of the deck
so that the injogged card and the third King will be actually
on top of the deck but the second and first King will remain
fanned or spread.

6. The right thumb and fingers now grasp all the cards above the
b r e a k and move them off to the right side of the deck as
appare ntly only the 8 card spread. The Figure _21 shows this
situation at this stage.
 Fir; .; ’ I

7. Do the K.M. Move turning of the spread cards up against top of

deck. The injogged King will remain injogged. All that is
required is for right thumb to press cut the injogged card
which will lever up only the n e w cards or in this case the four
Deuces. These actions are identical to that already shown in
Figures _17 to JL9 inclusive to comp l e t e the exchange. The
four D e u c e s are now face down on the table. Left hand can
turn p a lm up to now show the four face up Aces. From here
proceed with the rest of Dave Solomon's routine as outlined.

Let me m e ntion the obvious observation that using the techniques

of the "Four For Four Exchange" you can exch a n g e say a complete
fanned packet of say ten Red cards for ten Black cards or for
that matter any number of cards. Thus a shuffled mixed packet
of ten cards could be substituted for ten cards that may be in
a p r e -arranged order. As to whether the original cards end up
face down or face up, on top of the deck, will depend on how you
start or what your purpose or effect is to be. As an example
here are a couple of 'cheeky' uses for the above suggestions.
Direct Transposition

EFFECT: Four Aces transpose w i t h four Kings.

1) A r r a n g e four Aces on top of four Kings. The Aces and Kings

should be back to back. The 8 card fan is shown both sides as
you ask which four cards the spectator wants. Assume he wants
the Aces.

2) The 8 card spread is turned so the chosen Aces are face up.
N o w say, "You don't want the Kings". Op e n l y place the four face
down Kings onto top of deck and in squaring them, in line with top
of deck, the left -lth fingertip obtains a break beneath them.

3) The four Aces are held face up and fanned. Fingers and thumbs
of both hands sort of hold onto each side of the fanned Aces.
The left 2nd and 3rd fingertips downjog the lowermost Ace or the
one fourth from the face. Here execute the exchange actions of
the K.M. Move as per the Figures 1_G to _19 inclusive. Your patter
during this exchange action is, "You want the four Aces." (He gets
the Kings)
4) Turn left hand palm up and at once thumb over the top four
cards as you add, "And I will take the four Kings". Hold the
fan of four cards in right hand as you say, "Watch". Here ruffle
the upper left corner of deck as you hold deck, with left hand
p a l m down, above the fan of four cards held by right hand.

5) Turn your 4^ cards face up as you say, "Now I have the Aces".
Point to spectators tabled packet saying, "And you have the
Kings". The performer or spectator turns over the tabled cards
to disclose the Kings and the transposition is completed.

Another bold approach, using the above exchange moves, is to

apply it to a mental transposition effect originally devised by
E.G. Brown. The details of the original (?) Brown effect can
be found in "The Card Magic of Edward G. B r o w n " on page J39
under the title of "The Twelve Card Thought Transition". The
reader will notice that I put a question m a r k next to the word
"original". The reason is that it seems the routine was up­
dated w i t h what appears like a Vernon Pushoff count that got
very rapid world wide attention almost on the heels of Vernon's
v e r y first lecture. Suspecting "updating" is pretty valid
w h e n one considers the original E.G. Brown version of "Three
Guesses" that appeared in the "Sphinx" for 1943 and the obviously
updated version that was published in the "Pentagram" by Peter
W a r l o c k w h o apparently did the updating without mentioning the
fact;. This mislead the reader to assume that it was the same as
that w h i c h appeared in the "Sphinx". And how many of the present
day up-coming magicians have a file of the "Sphinx" magazine?
I myself got a copy of the original routine in the "Sphinx",
from John Braun. But this is digressing from the method to be
described for the thought card transition effect. It is not
o f f ered as an improvement btit rather to show how the K.M. Move
can be applied to get a similar effect under close-up conditions.
Mental Card Across

EFFECT: Same as that by E.G. Brown where a card thought of in a

six card packet transposes itself to the performers six card
packet. The spectator has only five cards and the performer
seven cards when the effect is concluded.
1) Remove any twelve cards of mixed suits and values. Turn
six of the cards face up onto the remaining six face down cards.
The left hand has the deck in dealing position. Both hands spread
or fan out the twelve cards.

2) Right hand holds and shows both sides of the fanned cards as
you tell spectator, "I want you to think of one of six cards but
w hi c h six do you want to use. These six or these six." During
these lines you show both sides of the twelve card fan.

3) Whichever six cards the spectator chooses you turn the packet
so that these are faces up. The twelve cards are rested against
top of deck. The face down six cards are pushed so they are
flush and square on top of deck; however, during this the left
4th fingertip gets a break below the top five cards.- You now
hold only the six face up cards spread cr fanned between both
hands.
4) W h e n the six face down cards are pushed onto deck you say, "You
don't want these six cards - you want these. Would you please
t h i n k of any one of these six cards." During these patter lines
the left 2nd and 3rd fingertips have injogged the lowermost face
up card*' the 6th card from the face, for about a half inch,
spectator thinks of a card.

5) The six cards are moved onto the deck so that the injogged card
and the 5th card from face are even w i t h the deck w i t h the 1st -
2nd - 3rd - 4th cards remaining fanned over. The right hand
grasps all those cards above the b r e a k and moves t h e m off to the
right side of the deck inreadiness for the K.M. Move exchange that
is similar to that shown in Figures _lf> to _19 inclusive except
here you will be turning over six face up cards and exchanging
them for only five face down cards. Spectator can place his
hand on the tabled packet ifyou wish.

6) Turn left hand p a l m up asyou say, "I will use the other six
cards". Here thumb over six cards towards the right but in
resquaring them you steal an extra or 7th card in under the*
six cards. Right hand holds the packet of cards as left hand
p l a c e s the deck aside.

7) The seven cards are placed faces down into left hand. Tell the
s p e c tator to concentrate on his card and you will cause his
thought to travel through space in among your cards. Wait a few
seconds then say, "Let's see if it has happened". Count your
seven cards as six this first time. Comment about more
concen t r a t ion required. Replace cards back into left hand.

8) After a few more seconds of ' m u m b o - j u m b o ' count your cards as

seven as you then add, "You may not believe that a card has
traveled over. I have seven ao you should have only five now".
H e r e you spread out the tabled cards, w i t h right fingertips, to
show only five cards remaining.

9) C o n t i n u e with, "Well one card did arrive but is it the one you
thought of. Would you name the card." Here you have fanned the
cards with faces towards yourself. When the thought card is named
you remove it to show its face to spectator. Toss the card face
up to the table as the left hand, wh i c h has held the cards,
tosses them faces down onto the tabled five cards. Casually
pick up all of them, shuffle then spread them faces up to
indirectly show that the thought card really cld leave his
packet.

10) Probably the most interesting feature of the above method

is the fact that you do not have to worry as to wh i c h of the
six cards the spectator thinks of. The least effective part is
that the 1_2 cards are handled in connection w i t h the deck; h o w ­
ever, the routine was devised only to show another application
of the K.M. Move. For a really different and effective version
of the E.G. Brown effect see "The Black Thought" by Edward Mario.
Most transpositions, in which only 4^ Kings an<^ 4 Aces are used
and no deck, usually end up as a sort of "Follow The Leader"
type transposition in that one value card, from each packet, is
o penly transposed before showing that the other three of that
value have followed their respective 'leaders'. In the
following versions, which use the multiple K.M. Move exchange,
the t r a nsposition occurs without having to openly transpose the
two leader cards by using some subtle approaches to make them
work. Since only 8 cards, 4 of each value, are used call them -

"Packet For Packet Transpositions" (1st Method)

EFFECT: Four cards of one value change places with four cards
of another value.
1) Remove the 4 Kings and 4 Aces from the deck. Place deck
aside. The £ Kings should be alternated as to color w i t h a Black
King at the face. The 4 Aces are also alternated in Black-Red
order from face to top. The _4 Kings and 4 Aces are placed so
that one set of values is face up and the other face down.
2) Spread the eight cards to show four are face up and four are
face down. Turn the packet over and repeat the spread of the
8 cards to show this new side. During this you can ask which
four cards the spectator prefers, the 4 Aces or the 4 Kings.

3) Assume the spectator chooses the Aces. Turn the packet so

the four Aces are uppermost and face up. Spread the packet then
resquare it. Now thumb over the four Aces and in-jog the 4th
Acc from the face during the process. The 4 Aces are still in a
fanned condition. Right hand moves the four card spread to the
left until the injogged is flush with the left side of the face
down cards. Keep moving the right hand to the left until the
3rd Ace from the face is also flush w i t h the left side of the
cards as well as in 1 ine with top end of the face down cards.

4) if the instructions in Step 3 above have been followed you

will have visible a spread of _3 Aces with the 4th Ace, from
the face, injogged. The face down cards at this point are not
visible being covered by the fanned Aces above them. The left
fingers very slightly buckle the bo t t o m card, a King in this
case, in order that the right 1st and 2nd fingertips can enter
above this buckled card, at the lower right corner, then right
hand moves off apparently only the Aces but actually 3 face down
Kings are beneath them. The right hand now starts to flip the
fanned Aces face down in readiness for the K.M. Move Exchange
in a m anner identical to that shown in Figure J L 6 . The single
face down card in left hand is presumed to be a packet of 4^ cards,
the Kings.

5) The turning action of Figure _16 is continued as left hand

turns inwards to meet the turning Aces. The result is that the
Aces are face down with one of them still in-jogged while 3
Kings are face up, facing performer only. The right hand now
comes over above the Kings that face performer. The right
thumb presses down on the in-jogged card which results in
the 3^ squared packet of Kings to be levered away from the rest
of the cards as in the Figure 17. the Derformers view.

6) The squared .3 Kings are then moved forward, by right hand,

as a l r eacy shown in Figure _18. The left thumb and left 2nd finger
n o w hold the sides of the 3 Kings, at the inner end. The left h?nd
n o w places the 3 Kings face down to the table in a manner identical
to that shown in Figure J^9; however, in this case the packet
that is still in left hand will show a Black King at the face thus
adding to the illusion of having placed the Aces face down to the
table.

7) L'he left hand turns palm up. The left thumb deals over the
top card which is taken by right hand, at the upper right corner,
w i t h right thumb on Lop and 1st and 2nd fingers below. The
left, thumb deals over the next card which is taken onto the card
in right hand in a reverse fan condition by jamming or forcing
its upper right corner to under the right thumb. This action
is similar to that shown in Figure _10. The left thumb n o w does
a B l o c k Pushoff which results in two cards as one being dealt
over. The upper right corner of this card (s) is also forced to
under the right thumb as this 3rd card (s) is taken, in a
fanned condition, onto the other two. The last single card
is also treated the same way to result in a four card reverse
type fan. The card (s) at third from top of the fan are really
two Aces.

8) Your patter, during the above reverse fan count is, "And I
have o n e - t w o - t h r e e - f o u r Kings". The left hand removes the card
at the left end of the fan, an actual King, as you say, "I will
place this King onto your Aces". Place the actual King face down
onto the top of the supposed tabled Aces. Your right hand is
holding a fan of _3 cards so all looks fair. The left hand comes
p a l m up to under the fan then the left fingers and thumb, which
go on each side of the fan, close up the _3 fanned cards to take
them into left hand dealing position. Say, "The idea is to
make the King come back to its brothers". Do what e v e r magical
g e s t u r e or pass you wish. N o w do another reverse fan count to
show a fan of four face down cards as you say, "The King has
come b a c k - N o w the hard part. I will cause my Kings to change
places w i th your Aces. Watch." Here flick the fan, with
right hand wh i c h holds it, then turn it face up as you add, "Now
I have the Aces". W i t h left hand point to the tabled cards as you
say, "You have the Kings". Let the spectator turn the tabled
cards face up but if he is too slow, causing a loss in tempo, then
you turn them face up. In this case the still fanned Aces
are placed face up into left hand w h i c h takes them and holds
them still spread oi fanned while light hand turns the tabled
cards face up and spreads them out.

2nd M e t h o d ; In this method the placing of one card into the

tabled packet is dispensed with to result in a more straight -
forward transposition. This uses an extra card.
 -o y -
1) In removing the Kings and Aces the J a c k of Clubs is also removed.
The packet is held facing you. The JC is the top card. The four
face cards are the Aces followed by 4 Kings. Deal off the ± Aces
face up to the table. S h o w the four Kings holding the last two
cards as one. Turn the packet face down. Right hand takes top
card and using it as a pointer gestures towards the tabled Aces
as you say, "For this we use the four Aces and four Kings". The
right hand casually places the JC to under the packet in loft hand.

2) Right, hand picks up the tabled Aces and holds them face up and
fanned against the top of the face down cards in left hand. As b e ­
fore injog the 4th Ace from the face in readiness for the K.M.
Exchange Moves as per Figures _16 - _17 - ljl - ^L9 to result in the
tabled cards being not the 4 Aces but 4. Kings while the left hand
has the 4 Aces with the JC at the bottom because it was used
to enable you to turn eight cards in seemingly turning only the
4 Aces.
3) The 5 face down cards in left hand are now reverse fan counted
doing a two card pushover on the 3rd card(s). This brings the JC
as top card of the fan. From here the fan is closed, a.magic
word or pass used, the packet turned face up to show you have four
Aces as left hand holds last two cards as one to hide the J C .
The right hand now turns the four tabled cards to show the 4 Kings.

3rd M e t h o d : This uses only the original 8 cards with the

spectator getting a choice of which four cards he wants. It
uses a subtlety that I originally submitted to the New Phoenix
in an effect called "The Open Travellers". The subtlety was a
n e w approach to the original Ellis Stanyon False Count in that
three cards of one value were shown as apparently all four cards
of that value. Later I extended this approach to the Elmsley
Count.

1) The four Kings and four Aces are arranged, from face to top,
so that the two red suits are the first tv/o cards of each set.
The Kings and Aces then are placed back to back as in the
1st Method to show a spread of four face up cards and four face
down cards. Show both sides of the cards as you ask the spectator
whether he wants the Aces or the Kings.

2) For illustrative purposes assume he chooses the four Aces.

Here you fan the 4 Aces and in-jog the 4th Ace from the face. New
you set-up, with a single buckle, to go into the K.M. Move
Exchange as shown in Figures _16 - _17 - DB - _19 which puts three
Kings face down to the table with a Red King at its face then the
two Black Kings. The left hand, during the placing of the supposed
Aces to the table, has flashed the bot t o m card a King.
3) Reverse fan count the cards from left hand into the right
hand doing a two card pushoff on the 3rd card(s) of the fan. This
puts the single Red King as top card of the fan. Close up the
fan, and place this packet face down to the table. They are the
supposed 4_ Kings. Make some magical gestures from packet to
packet. Pick up the _3 card packet. Turn it face up doing a
D'Amico Spread for an easy start of the Ellis Stanyon Count except
here you show the _3 Kings as apparently 4 Kings. In other words
the right hand peels off the face King into right hand dealing
position while left fingers hold the left side of packet, at
 -Y o -

abuuL center, with thumb on top and fingers beneath. As right

hand goes to peel off the next King the card in right hand is
left under the c a n ’ in left hand. As soon as right hand moves
away w i t h this second King the left fingers and thumb at once
spread the remaining two cards. These are taken, one at a time,
onto the card in right hand. To all appearances you have shown
four Kings. Place these face up to the table.

4) Pick up the other packet. Turn it face up into left hand.

Thumb over three cards, holding last two as one, to show
four Aces. C l o s e up the Aces and toss t h e m face up onto the
face up Kings. Pick up the assembled packet and do a one hand
fan as you comment about the fact that only eight cards, four
Aces and four Kings, were used. Everything looks q u i t e normal
since each set of four cards has two Red cards apparently
where they logically belong at the conclusion of the effect.

5) W h i l e m ultiple exchanges have been the theme there will be

times when a combination of K.M. Move Exchanges using just two
cards b a c k to back or face to face will be found useful in
t r a n s p o s i t ion effects. As an example suppose you have two cards,
the AD and AS, back to back w i t h the As as the uppermost face
up card. The right hand holds the two Aces fanned while left
hand holds the deck. You also have a left 4th fingertip
b r e a k under the top X card.

6) Right hand tilts the fanned two cards to show the AD. The
AD is then deposited flush onto top of the deck. Right hand
shows both sides of the AS then rests it face up against top
of deck but side-jogged off to the right. The right first and
second fingers enter the break firmly grasping the two cards
as one. The right hand now moves apparently a two card fan,
one card face up andone (really two as one) face down. N o w do
the K.M. Move of turning these two spread cards. This action
is identical to that shown in Figures _4 and 5.

7) F ollow through by turning the left hand palm down and

thumbing off the supposed AS face down to the table as in the
Figure 3. Now turn left hand palm up and of course the AD will
he the face up card adding a subtle convincer that the AS was
dealt to the table on your left.

8) With the face up AD do the K.M. Move asper Figures l - 2 -

2 which will send the AS face down on your right while leaving
the AD face down on top of the deck. Right hand takes the top
card to hold it face down in readiness for the Mexican Turnover
on the first card you turn over ther. cleanly turn over the
remai n i n g card or whether you do a bona-fide turning of a card
first and then use the Mexican Turnover on the remaining card is
up to you. This will depend largely on your own experience as
to which procedure is best for you.
0) t’ he patter must stress the position of the supposed Aces. Thus
as you turn the two fanned back to back cards you say, "The Ace of
Spades over here. That leaves the Act' of Diamonds which we place
over here." With top card point again to the suoposed a d as
you ask "What Ace is that?" Since you just named or called it the
AD it is still fresh in the spectators memory anc the answer will
be the AD. With this use the card in right hand to cleanly turn
over the AS as you say, "No - this is the Ace of Spades". Under
the misdirection of the surprise at seeing the AS the right hand,
with its card the AD, travels at once to the left and does the
Mexican Turnover on the remaining card as you conclude with, "And
over here is the Are of Diamonds". As the reader has surmised
this is my favorite procedure because it keeps the position
p i cture of the Aces quite clear.

The following is the eight method of a mental effect which

b a s i c a l l y is a different approach to the R.W. Hull effect. The
other seven methods were given to Jon Racherbaumer in a m a n u ­
script with photos, in May of 1970 under the title of "A
S a n dwich A p p r o a c h "
EFFECT: A previously tabled card is placed or sandwiched between
two face up black or red fours. The sandwiched card turns out
to be one that spectator mentally selected.

1) For this you will need a Do u b l e Back card to match the deck
in use. This is the card that is placed to the table before
the spectator is asked to think of a card. One Black Four is on
ton of the deck.

2) Ask the spectator to think of any card but not the two Black
Fours as you will use these. When he has thought of a card
casually ask him what card he thought. Soon as he names it you
quickly, "Good - as long as it wasn't a Black Four".

3) W i t h faces of cards towards you start to look for the card

the spectator thought of; however, do remove a Black Four should
you get to it before you get to the s p e c t a t o r ’s thought of card.
In any cue.: when y h roe h the spectator's card cut the deck
at. that point to bring the card to top of deck then look for and
remove the remaining Black Four. Personally my favorite procedure
is to run the mental selection under the spread as the cards are
lowered so that spectator can see the faces. This way, when you
reach the top Black Four the spectator can indirectly note that
his card is not the top card or near the top. In closing up the
spread the selection will naturally go to top of the deck.

4) The deck is held face down in left hand dealing position. The
right hand picks up and holds the two Black Fours, face down but
in a fanned condition, by the lower right corners with thumb
on top 1st and 2nd fingers beneath, while right hand is displayi n g
the Black Fours the left 4th fingertip has obtained a break
below the top card of the deck.
5) Right hand, showing the Black Fours, now deposits the lower
card of the fan flush on top of the deck. The right hand casually
shows the remaining Black Four then rests it face down onto the
deck hut side jogged to the right for half its width. Your patter
is, "For this I use two Black Fours - the Four of ________ , and
the Four of __________ ", naming each four as right hand leaves
each card in turn onto deck.

6) Right hand picks up the tabled card to place it onto the side
jogged card but also in a side jogged condition to form a fan of
three cards when right hand starts to move all those cards above
the break to the right. The three cards are face down and right
hand starts to turn them over as left hand moves inward to meet
the cards for the K.M. Move Exchange. The left hand, w h i c h is palm
down now, thumbs off a face down card then at once turns palm up
to display the two Black Fours. Your continuing patter line, after
n a m i n g the two Black Fours, is, "Besides the two Fours remember
this tabled card which has been on the table before this started".

7) The right hand takes the face up Black Fours as left hand casual
drops the deck to the table so its top cards sort of slide to
clearly show no reversed cards. The left hand picks up the tabled
card lo insert it face down between the face up Black Fours.
Again point out that the face down card has been on the table long
before the spectator thought of a card and that now, through the
m a g netic influence of the Black Fours you will cause it to be the
spectators thought of card.

S) The left hand now grasps the upper left corner of the face down
card with thumb on top fingers beneath. Swing this card to the
left but keep its lower end, about half of the cards length, still
between the face up Black Fours held by right hand. Keep the
face down card stationary but the right hand briskly moves its
cards back and forth thus the sandwiched card is being rubbed.
D u r i n g this rubbing action you comment on the fact that this is
causing static electricity w h i c h will affect the face down card.

9) Do not overdo the rubbing motions but after a reasonable

d e m o n s t r j tion tell the spectator that the face down card should
now be the card he thought of. Ask him again, as if for the
first time, what card he thought of. On getting its name remove
the face down card to place it to the table. Have the spectator
turn it over. If you wish you can let the spectator remove it
from between the sandwich cards to reveal his card. Again you
m a y wish simply to turn over all three cards to reveal the
spectators card face up between the now two face down cards. H o w
you handle this final part will depend mostly on what you feel
is the most effective disclosure but avoid any fancy flip-outs
since this is supposedly a mental effect.
 -YL-

SUCCESSION ACES

EFFECT - Four Aces dealt face down or face up to table. On each Ace 3 X cards
are shown and placed on each Ace. The Aces are in a direct line from left to
right. The plot now is for the Ace to vanish from the first packet on the left
and to travel to the next or adjacent packet. Thus the second packet now has
two Aces and 2 X cards. The two Aces now vanish from this second packet leaving
4 X cards. The next packet is shown to contain three Aces and one X card. The
three Aces vanish from this packet leaving 4 X cards. The last or 4th packet
is now shown to contain all Four Aces.

The effect as stated above is that of Ken Krenzel and while, as of this writing
he has not published his method, he did have several discussions on this effect
with Dai Vernon. The Vernon version, which was worked out around 1955, was sent
to me at that time by Bill Simon. Hie first recorded version, apparently thought
of and worked out independently, appeared in "Necromancer" Vol. I, No. 1, Page 6
under the title of "Progressive Four Aces," by Roger Smith, for August 1970.
Later in "Necromancer" for January, 1971 in Vol. I, No. 6 Roy Walton gave his
solution for the same plot under the title of "Assembly In Reverse." In 1972
the problem was restated in Epilogue for November, 1972 (although it didn’ t
appear until late 1973) under the title of "A 4 Ace Problem" by Ken Krenzel.
In the same issue Wesley James contributed a solution under the title of
" L .S .D .Aces ."

All the above solutions had several faults that obviously did not really con­
vince let alone clarify the effect. Some of the worst approaches I would con­
sider those in which for one reason or another the packets are brought together.
It certainly, in this plot, became quite obvious that the vanished Ace or Aces
were transferred to the other packet as they were brought together. Another was
that the appearance of the supposed additional Ace or Aces was inferred - the
faces of the Aces were not shown - only the supposed backs of the additional
Aces, while this concept works very well in the thousands of Ace effects in
existence it does not in this proposed plot.

The plot, to be effective, must be executed so that at no time should any of

the packets touch during a v a n i sh and appearance of each Ace. The Aces
must: bo shown as actually being in the packet just before you vanish them.
Under such conditions an "0. Henry" finish would be a disappointment since in­
stead of 3 Aces vanishing and appearing in the 4th or final packet they would
appear In tlie 3rd packet thus only one Ace would join the _3 Aces just shown.
The methods that follow range from those in which you have to use your own cards
to those with a borrowed deck. Nothing is ultimate but these routines are a
step in the correct direction without the other obvious solution of "over-palming"
from packet to packet. Before reading any of these routines the reader should
acquaint himself with "The Scoop Up Palm" and "Duck and Pull" described elsewhere
in this manuscript.

The various approaches just noted I discussed with David Solomon, of Chicago,
although I had no definite method for the effect. Dave Solomon worked out the
version using the three Double Face Aces which stayed within the premise of the
 -7 2 -

packets not coming together. It was then, Dave Solomon's method that; inspired
whutovei' versions I evolved as I built and used ideas from each preceding
version to try and arrive at the best; however, I am not assured, as yet, that
they are the best but at least better than those recorded by others as of this
writing.

Within the routines themselves you will find much that can be used for other
effects plus various suggestions from which you can form a routine of your own
liking, however, you will find that you can forget any routine that violates
these two prime rules. One - The packets must not come together. Two - The
arrived Aces must be shown in packets 2 - 3 and 4. With these two rules adhered
to you should have an effect that is startingly puzzling yet at the same time
clear in plot.

The first routine, using Double Face cards, was worked out by David Solomon of
Chicago. He calls it "Ace Puzzle D. F. Solution." (David Solomon)
EFFECT - As stated in introduction to "Succession Aces."

1. Required are four regular Aces and three Double Face Aces of Clubs - Hearts
and Diamonds. A total of 13 cards only are used. Six of these are regular
X cards however, make sure that these six cards do not duplicate the cards
that are on the other side of the Double Face Aces.

2. The set-up, from face to top, is as follows: Regular AH, Double Face A D ,
regular AS, Double Face AC, five regular X cards, Double Face AH with
opposite side showing as apparently an X card, regular X card, regular AD
and AC. Double check the above set-up carefully before proceeding any
further. Place this packet on bottom of deck; however, crimp the face card
of deck first to mark off the 13 card packet. Case the deck until needed
for performance. Obviously you will cut off the required cards up to the
crimp; however, some may prefer the following opening handling as per Mario.

3. With the deck face up you start to spread it between both hands. Spread
only the four Aces plus about only two or three of the X cards as you say,
"For this I will use the four Aces plus some other cards." With this the
four Aces are sort of squared towards the deck. The right hand is palm
upwards and cupped around the cards so as to prevent any of the Double Face
cards from showing inadvertently on the underside. The hands are raised
with faces of cards towards performer. Continue the spread until you see
the last two regular Aces of D and C. Right hand pushes the 13 card packet
back towards face of deck as at same time the left 4th fingertip gets a
break below the 13_ face cards. At once the right hand grasps these cards
above the break, from above by the ends, as left hand places its deck face
up to one side of the table.

4. The 13 card packet is placed face up into left hand dealing position in
readiness for the layout of the cards. Left thumb deals over the face AH
which is taken by right hand, thumb on the face fingers below, at the lower
right hand corner. Do the "Olram Subtlety" to show the backs of the two
Red Aces. Briefly this consists in left thumb raising the left side of its
 73-

squared packet so it will end up being held at the tips of left fingers
and thumb with left 1st finger curled against the underside of the still
face up packet. Now both hands at once turn palm downwards to flash the
backs of cards. Both hands turn palm up bringing faces of cards upper­
most. Right hand drops the AH face up to the right and at same time left
thumb deals off the AD face up to the left leaving a space between the two
Red Aecs. Repeat flic identical "Olrain Subtlety" with the two Black Aeon.
The .left hand deals the AC between the two Red Aces forming a Line of three
face up Aces. The right hand places the AS face up, below the .'lino of 3
Aces, into the classical leader position.

In Step 4 above, through the use of the "Olrarn Subtlety," you have appar­
ently shown the backs and faces of the four Aces. The four Ace layout
actually consists of a face up Double Face AD, Double Face AC, regular AH
and regular AS in leader position. The 9 remaining cards, of the packet
in left hand, from face to top are 5 X cards, Double Face AH with its
opposite X card side showing, a regular X card and two regular Aces of D
and H last. Via a Double Buckle or Pull Down Move the left 4th fingertip
obtains a break, at lower right corner, on the lowermost two regular Aces.
You will now go into one of the techniques used for the "Veeser Concept"
in which you will exchange two X cards of three for the two regular Aces.

With the break held, above the lowermost two Aces, by left 4th fingertip
the right hand grasps the packet, from above, by the ends. The left thumb
peels off the face X card at same time secretly taking along the 2 Aces
with left fingers. As the face card is peeled off it covers the fact that
the bottom two Aces are taken along with it. As the face card comes clear
of the major packet the tip of the left 4th finger must move in to keep a
break below this X curd thus separating it, at lower right corner only,
from the two Aces. Both hands move towards each other until the cards in
right hand cover the face card in left hand. The left 4th fingertip now
has a break below two X cards. Both hands again move towards each other
in order for left thumb to peel off the third X card. As the hands come
together, to peel off this third X card, the right fingers and thumb pick
up, to under the right hand packet, the two X cards that are above the left
4th fingertip in left hand. The end result will be that a face up X card
will cover two regular Aces in left hand. The original two X cards are
under the packet held by right hand.

The three cards in left hand, supposedly 3iX cards but really one X card and
two regular Aces, are turned face down using left hand only. Simply place
the left thumb under the still squared packet and lever it over and face
down. Left thumb can casually spread the three cards then place them,
still face down, onto the face up AH, on your right, so it covers the face
of the Ace.

Left hand peels off the next 3 cards, one at a time, off the face of right
band packet. Lett hand turns the cards over and face down. Left thumb
casual l.y pushes over one card only to show backs. Hie third card down is
the Double I'acc AH. This packet is placed face down onto the AC so it is
covered. Although you now have only 3^ X cards remaining go through the
 -T ' i - f

peel off actions, into left hand, as before. Left hand turns these cards
face down, casually spreading them to show _3 backs, then place them face
down onto the AD on the left. The situation now is that the Double Face |
AD has _3 X cards face down on it, the Double Face AC has two X cards with
a Double Face AH on it, a regular AH with regular AC - AD - X card on it,
the AS is face up in leader position.

9. You are ready for the 1st Vanish of the AD. Pick up the packet and in
showing or spreading the packet between both hands use the Mario Step Pro­
cedure (See "Oil and Water" routines for details) to step the 3rd face down (
card under the top two. The AD is then loaded above this stepped card as
the packet is squared up. The AD is now face up and 3rd from top in the
packet. Do the Cl.msley Count to show four cards as face down thus appar­
ently the face AD is gone. Turn the packet face up and spread it to show
the AD is gone; however, the Double Face AD, its opposite side showing an
X card, is the face card of the four fanned or spread cards.

10. The appearance of the Ace is now shown in the second packet or the one with
the AC. This is to simply down spread the second packet to reveal the AH
and AC with two face down X cards above them. There is a discrepancy here
but no one will notice this if you took the trouble to merely refer to the
original AD as a "Red Ace."

11. The 2nd Vanish is now handled as follows: Right hand picks up the two face
down cards, turns them face up, then usesthem to scoop up the two face up
Aces. Square the packet, faces up, in left hand. Do a Single Buckle turning
over three cards, as one, onto the face of card in left hand. Place the
packet back into its original position on the table. Snap your finger over
the packet then downspread it to show Z face up X cards.One Ace has van­
ished and the still face down card is presumed to be the other Ace. Snap
your fingers over the face down card then turn it face up to show four face
up X cards. The two Double face cards are between the two regular cards.

12. Spread the cards on the right or the regular AH packet to show three face
down cards. Turn these cards face up, one at a time, onto the face up AH
to now show a spread of three Aces with an X card at the face. Leave this
packet alone for the time being. Pick up the four X cards on the left from
which AD was vanished. Place this packet face up in your left hand at same
time getting a left 4th fingertip break under the face card which is the
Double Face card. Right hand picks up only 3 cards off the face of the
second packet to place these onto the cards in left hand. You seem to have
missed one c a r d . Right hand takes the face card of the packet and uses it
to scoop up the remaining X card. These two cards, held by upper right
corners, are squared and placed under the packet from the front end or they
can be inserted below the break from the back end. The above is Mario's
handling to retain the break while placing other cards either to the bottom,
from either end, or into the packet but actually below the break you main­
tained .

13. With the left 4th finger holding a break beneath the face three Double Face
. cards the right hand reaches for the third packet.
The right hand picks up the ace packet saying, "Three aces and the x card,"
Immediately place the right hand ace packet face down onto the packet held in the
left hand. Quickly turn over the entire seven card packet above the break as if
you made a mistake. Deal off the three aces onto the table, show the same x card
and deal it face down onto the aces with the left hand doing a wrist turn to kill
the AH at the face of its packet.
14. After the ace exchange you have eight cards remaining in the left hand. The
bottom three cards are the regular Aces. Thumb over in a spread,or fan,the top
five x cards. Take these into the right hand still fanned. Flash'their faces as you
say, "I will place three of these cards onto the Ace of Spades," as you gesture,
with cards in the right hand, to the face up AS. Right hand places its cards under
those in the left hand. The right hand turns AS face down. Deal the top three cards,
ivalJy three Aces face down onto the AS. Left hand places its remaining five cards
face up, in a spread, to the table.
lb. Pink up the ace packet with the x card face down on top. To make the aces vanish
do the E.Lmsley count, allowing two aces face up and apparantly two indifferent cards
face down. State,"Now only two aces." Immediately turn your left hand palm down
and thumb off the four cards one at a time face up showing four x cards. This is
a startling immediate transition. Conclude by turning the last packet face up to
show the four aces.
16 . Since the Double Face Aces are at the face of the tabled cards,you will find
the complete thirteen cards can be reset easily for a repeat.

The next solution by myself makes use of the Double Indexed Cards and Aces. The
Double Indexed Aces, while not a new idea, were made use of by Don Tanner, as
well as Dr. Daley and Horowitz, in Ace routines; however, the best routine and
one that had the most impact on magicians was that devised by Bro. John Hammon
titled the "Pinal Ace Routine." The routine that follows requires 9 Double In­
dexed cards as compared to the 6 used in the "Final Ace Routine." If you pur­
chase two sets of the "Final Ace Routine" you will have enough cards to do the
routine of "Succession Aces"; however, I have specified certain cards only for
clarity in explanation.

"Get Together Aces" - Double Index Solution (Edward Mario)

EFFECT - Same as that already stated in the opening description of "Succession

Aces."1

1. Required will be 16 cards, 9 of which are Double Indexed. The following

list of _9 Double Indexed cards is used only as a sample list of those I have
 -7 6 -

}
but- you cun subst it.ul o others if necessary. Mine are, M) with 4_L) index,
AC with 3C index, All with 2J_[ index. These three cards are what those I
call Major Aces in that they, along with a regular AS at the face, can bo
widely spread out to show the center pips of each Ace as only the fake i
indexes need be concealed. The remaining 6 Double Indexed cards are DD
with AD index, 6S with AH index, 7D with AD index, 4D with AD index, 411
with AH index, 5C with AC index. These 6 Doubled Indexed cards are regular
cards except for the Ace index at one corner. This way these cards can be
displayed full face except for the Ace index which is covered, in various
ways, during the course of the routine. Also remember that 7 cards are
strictly regular cards.
The 16 cards are arranged, from face to top, as follows: Regular AS - _5C
with AC index showing -- 4H with AH index showing - 4D with AD index showing.
Thus these four face cards when spread, in a sort of tight fan, show four
Aces in S-C-H-D order from face to top. The next 12 cards show as appar­
ently all indifferent cards but their arrangement, from face to top, not
counting the supposed Aces preceding them, is 1) Regular AC; 2) 7D with AD
index hidden (at lower end of fan); 3) 6S with AH index hidden; 4) 9D with
AD index hidden. Cards at J5-6-7-8-_9 are regular cards among the supposed
twelve indifferent cards. At 10 is AD with 4D index showing. 11 is AC with
3C index showing. 12 is AH with 2H index showing. Thus the last three cards
of the fan are the Major Aces with the indifferent card indexes showing.

From a regular _52 card deck remove the same cards as duplicated by your
packet of 16 cards. The regular 16 cards, with the cards arranged into the
same order that will be arrived at after the effect, are placed, with faces
towards the body, into the left side coat pocket on their lower sides. The
remaining cards are placed into the card case. Onto the face of the cards
place your 3J5 card arrangement. The card case can be placed into the right
side coat pocket until needed for performance.

When ready to perform you take out the cased deck. Remove the deck and place -
the card case back into your ri g h t coat pocket. With deck face up carefully j
spread it, between both hands, to thumb or fan over apparently 4 Aces plus
12 indifferent cards but getting your 1J5 prearranged cards. The left hand
places the rest of the deck into the left coat pocket, with faces towards
the body and on top of the 16 regular cards already in that pocket.

5. Make a tight fan of the 16 cards. Hold 12 cards of the fan with left hand
as right hand takes the face four Aces. Left hand places its fan of _12 I
cards faces up to the table. Right hand shows both sides of the 4 Aces
then turns them over sidewise, to the left, faces down into left hand.
Deal the Aces, faces down, in a row from left to right. These tabled Aces j
are, from left to right, the 4_D with AD index at upper right corner -- 4H
with AH index at upper right corner -- _5C with AC index at upper right
corner. The reijulur AS is picked up, shown again, then placed below the
other three in Leader position. All Aces are faces down. 1

6. Pick up the 12 cards and fan them only far enough to show the cards fairly
yet do not inadvertently expose that some of them have hidden Ace indexes i
at lower end of the spread or fan. The 12 card fan is now held by right hand
 -7Y-

alone, with right thumb across the faces and fingers beneath. The left
hand takes the lowermost three cards of the fan (the 10t h , 11t h , 12th cards
that are the Major Aces with 4D - 3C - 2H indexes showing) with left thumb
on the faces at upper left corner with fingers below. The left hand turns
palm down thus swinging the three cards outwards and face down onto the
Leader Ace of Spades. This outward turning action, done directly away
from the fan, will not flash the face of the uppermost AD.In other words
you do not move the cards to the side at this timebut turnthem faces
down directly from the fan. The fan helps conceal the face of the card
that comes away from the fan.(See book "Mar.lo On The Acrobatic Card" for
this handling as used on individual cards one at a time..) This action is
most important' on those _3 cards you place onto the AS since they are only
indexed Act's. The next cards, because they are actually spot cards with
only an Ace index, can be handled more freely.

7. The next three lowermost cards can be handled quite freely since they are
regular cards. These three cards go face down onto the supposed AD on the
left. Be sure you use the same outward and downward turn of these three
cards as you place them face down onto the Ace on the left. The next three
lowermost cards consist of two regular cards and a spot card, j3D in this
instance, with an AD index. You can handle these cards also quite freely
as long as you do not expose the AD index of the face card of these three.
To conceal the AD index again execute the outward and downward deal as left
hand places these three cards onto the center card or supposed AH. The re­
maining three cards consist of a regular QC at the face with 2 spot cards
that have the AD - AH index at lower right corners. These three cards can
be handled quite freely as long as the Ace indexes are not exposed. Again
left hand does the outward and downward deal of these three cards face down
onto the card on the right or AC. Pick up the Leader packet, by its left
side with left hand, then turn it over sidewise to the right. Do a tight
spread of this packet to again show an Ace of Spades with apparently 3X
cards. Turn the packet sidewise to the left returning it face down to
either the classic Leader position or along side the 3rd packet on the right
to form a four packet row of cards.

8. If all has been done correctly the 1st packet on the left has three X cards
on top of a 4D with AD index at upper right corner. The 2nd packet has,
from top down, 2X cards then a 9D and 4H with AD and AH indexes at the upper
right corner. The third packet was, from top down, £S - _7D with AH - AD
indexes, a regular CiC, a _5C with an AC index. All the Ace indexes are at
the upper right corner. The 4th packet has, from top down, the three Major
Aces of H - C - D with _2H - 3C - 4D indexes at the upper right corner. The
bottom card is the Leader Ace of Spades. We are now ready for the vanishes
and successive appearances.

9. The 1st Packet on the left. Use top card to scoop up the packet and place
it face down into left hand. Thumb over top card off to the right side.
The right hand takes this card, by the upper right corner, with right thumb
from below so it will cover the index at this corner, with right 1st and 2nd
fingers on top at this corner. Turn this card face up, stud fashion, by
simply turning right hand palm upwards. Snap the right side of this card
• by left thumb pressing down and left 2nd and 3rd fingertips pressing upward
 -7 8 -

as the cards right side edge escapes, from under tip of left thumb, with
an audible snap. Right hand places this card face up into the position
original]y occupied by the 1st packet. Repeat the turning action with the
next card placing it onto the face of the card at position #.] . The next
caid, the 40 with AD index, is turned as the others to show it is a 4 U .
The right thumb, which is now at lower right corner duo to the turning
action, covers the AD index. Use the face up 4D to rub it against the
remaining card in left hand. Left thumb levers the card face up to show
it is no longer an Ace. This card is slid onto the 4D card and to the right
past the right side of the 4D. The result is a two card fan during which
you have not exposed the AD index. Right hand tosses these two cards face
up onto the 2 cards already face up at position number one.
10. The 2nd packet on the left is next. Again right hand picks off the top
card and uses it to scoop up the packet. The packet is turned over, side-
wise to the left, bringing it faces up. Do a fairly tight spread to show
apparently the AH and AD between the two X cards. Again turn them over
sidewise to the left hand and face down into left hand. To vanish the two
Aces, deal over the top card taking it by the upper right corner, with right
thumb on top and right 1st and 2nd fingers below. Onto this deal the next
card, pushing it under the right thumb, to form a sort of reversed two card
fan. The third card is also dealt over onto the two cards in right hand to
form a fan of three cards. The last or 4th card is likewise taken into right
hand, onto the other three, to form a fan of four cards whose upper right
corners are jammed under the right thumb with 1st and 2nd fingers beneath.
The left hand snaps its fingers over the four card reversed fan held in
right hand. Right hand turns palm downward to now display a fan of 4X cards
as you say, "IWo Aces have gone." Toss the cards face up back into its
original second position.

11. The third packet is now handled as follows: Pick up the third packet and
spread it between both hands. During this spreading action the 3rd X card
from top is displaced to the bottom. This displacement action is fully
described in the "Oil and Water" routines; however, here is a brief des­
cription. The first two top cards are spread and kept fanned. The 3rd X
card from top is pushed under the two fanned cards past the right side of
the second card from top. This forms a step, at right side, of the cards
in right hand. The last or 4th card is fed into this step so the 4th card
will go above the 3rd X card. Square up the packet and you will have the X
card at the face of the packet. Turn the packet face up, sidewise to the
left, then do a fairly tight spread to show a regular face X card followed
by the indexes of the three Aces in C-H-D order from face to top.
12. To vanish the 3 Aces again first turn the fanned cards faces down, sidewise
to the left , into left hand dealing position. Push ov’ er the top card and
with aid of right hand turn this card at right angles with its outer end to
tho right . The card still rests on the cards in left hand but its outer end
projects to the right with the Ace index at the lower right corner. Grasp
this card l>y the; outer ends with right thumb at the side near lower right
corner, the second finger at outer side near upper right corner. 'Hie right
1st linger is curled on Lop. The right fingers snap this card face up by
 letting it escape from under the tip of right 2nd fingertip, aided by
downward pressure of right 1st finger on the top of the card, causing it
to revolve, with a snap, face up and end up being held with right thumb
on the face, concealing also the Ace index, with right 1st and 2nd fingers
below the card at the same corner. The full face of this card is seen as
an X card while right thumb naturally conceals the Ace index. Right hand
turns palm down to toss its card face down to the table in such a manner
that it lies lengthwise with the Ace index still at the lower right corner.
Repeat this snap over vanish with the next card. Toss it face down onto
the first tabled card. Repeat the snap over vanish with the 3rd card.
Toss it face down onto the other two tabled cards. Repeat the snap over
vanish with the last card even though it is a regular X card. Right hand
revolves this card face down and scoops up the tabled cards by coming in
from the outer sides of the tabled cards. Right hand ends up holding the
right side of these cards. Turn them over, sidewise to the left, faces up
into the left hand. You can spread these cards very widely and fairly as
long as the Ace indexes are not exposed. With cards still fanned right
hand or left hand can place them face up back into its original 3rd position

13. The Climax - The Leader packet is picked up, with right hand, by taking it
by the upper ends and turning the packet, end for end, face up into left
hand. Since this packet contains the 3 Major Aces with only the X card
indexes the four Aces can be widely spread out as long as you d o n ’
t expose
the hidden X card indexes. Right hand or left hand places the Aces face up
to the table. You can now spread them even more if you wish and conclude
with the patter line, "Slow but sure the Aces succeeded in getting together.

14. The Cleanup - Place the Aces onto the 3rd packet. Place both onto the 2nd
packet. Place all three assembled packets onto the 1st packet as you pick
them up from right to left. The assembled 16 cards are held face up in
left hand. Both hands now go into their respective side pockets. The right
hand removes the card case from therightside coat pocket. During this the
•left: hand has sort of clipped the 16 card packet between the extended left
1st and 2nd fingers. In the pocket the 16 card packet will be separated
from the deck proper by the left 1st finger. The left 1st finger and thumb
are also free to get hold of the deck. The left hand leaves the 16 cards
behind as the left 1st finger and thumb easily remove the deck. You can
place the deck into the card case but not close it. This is in the event
you may want to do another effect with the cards. On the other hand you can
go into any card effect which may use the card case. Either way you now
have a regular deck of cards that can be used for other effects.

In working out various routines for "Succession Aces", I wanted to keep the
approach of the packets not coming together as well as being able to do the
effect with a borrowed deck and yet not fall into the obvious solution of over
use of palming and capping from packet to packet. The methods that follow per­
mit the use of a borrowed deck yet the palm off and capping is restricted. In
fact, the palm off and capping method used is that described under, "Scoop Up
Palm." It should be read first before going any further; however, the reader
should know that is used only one in the routines that are about to be described
Also read the "Duck and Pull" section, but first the reader will note that in
David Solomon’s version under "Ace Puzzle - D. F. Solution" the Aces are appar­
 - 80-

ently vanished one at a time from each packet. In my version under "The Get
Together Aces - Double Indexes Solution", the Aces vanish all at once from each
packet. Whether the one at a time or all at once vanish of the Aces should be
used in the versions that follow is up to the individual. Personally I feel
that the sudden vanish of all the Aces, especially when three Aces vanish, is
not only more startling but less time consuming and more important the spectators
don't conclude the end result before you even get to it. Still I have included,
at the end of these routines, one at a time vanishes in the event the student
wishes to substitute them for those all at once vanishes.

"Succession Aces" - First Method *1

EFFECT - As already stated. A borrowed deck can be used.

1. Required, on performer's part, is a Double Face card, in Poker and Bridge

size, with AC on one side and Ah on the other side. This Double Face AD/AC
card is placed into the left side coat pocket with the AD face towards the
body. That is all the previous preparation required outside of the borrowed
deck of cards, the size of which you have previously ascertained.

2. On getting the deck, first get a 3H-3D to face of deck. Next get the four
Aces to face of the deck. Now from face of deck thumb over a total of 16
cards which include the Aces and 3H-3D. All this is with faces of cards
towards yourself. The right hand holds onto the 16_ card packet as left
hand places rest of the deck into the left side coat pocket with faces
against the Double Face Ace already there.

3. Spreading the 16 card packet, between both hands, you make an arrangement
of these cards as right hand removes and places cards face down to the
table, one onto the other, in the following order: Holding the fanned cards
mostly with left hand the right hand removes the AH to toss it face down to
the table. This is followed by the AS-3H-3X cards, AC-AD-4X cards, 3D-3X
cards. Pick up the tabled packet to spread it between both hands, with
faces still toward yourself, to first double check your arrangement. Square
up the packet but push the AH off to the right side just enough to expose
the AS below it. Place the packet face up to the table, using the right
hand, as you say, "I missed a card." The left hand goes to the inside left
coat pocket to remove the deck plus the Double Face AD/AC which will be the
face card of the deck with the AD side showing. Take the AD of the face of
the deck placing it onto the face of the tabled 16 card packet. Place rest
of deck back into the side left coat pocket.

4. Pick up the tabled packet holding it faces towards yourself. Cup the right
hand around the right side of the packet, in order not to expose the other
side of the Double Face Ace, as left hand thumbs over the face four cards
into the right hand. Left hand places remainder of its packet faces down
to the table. Right hand, which has the four cards consisting of Double
Face AD/AC - AH - AS - 3H, now holds its cards squared and in dealing posi­
tion. Transfer the four cards, still squared and faces up, into left hand
dealing position.
 -o i-

5. There are now several ways of showing the cards as apparently four Aces.
The following makes use of the "Duck and Pull" procedure which you should
become familiar with before going any further. (See item "Duck and Pull"
elsewhere in this book.) Left thumb pushes over the face two Aces, one
under the other, as you say, "IVo Red Aces." Right hand takes the now
two squared Red Aces by upper right corner to turn them over Stud Deal
fashion. These are placed under the cards in left hand as you do the
"Duck and Pull" moves by leaving the Double Face AD/AC card under the
cards•in left hand as right hand comes out with regular AH to flash its
face then places it also under the cards in left hand. This has subtly
shown backs on both cards during your patter line which is in full, "Two
Red Aces - the Ace of Diamonds and the Ace of Hearts." In play now will
be the other side of the Double Face card or the AC side just below the
3H. The AS is now the face card. Get a break under the two face cards,
i.e. the AS and 2TI> so that these can be either moved over to right side
by right hand which is holding cards from above by the ends or by left
thumb pushing over two cards as one. Right fingers grasp the AS card(s)
at upper right corner with thumb on the face and 1st and 2nd fingers
beneath. Left thumb pushes over, only about a half inch, the now showing
AC (Double Face card). The right hand moves its AS card(s) to under the
AC until the cards are in line. Right hand turns these cards face down
and left thumb and fingers grasp the sides of these cards holding them
well above the card in left hand. Right hand can now change position as
follows: Right hand turns palm up and grasps the right side of the supposed
Black Aces. The right 1st fingertip is positioned against the right edge
of the cards at about center. The right thumb is on the back of the cards
near the right edge. The right second finger is beneath the cards pressing
up against the face of the packet. The right 3rd finger is pressing, with
its nail side, up against the lower end of the cards. This position is sort
of a ’lock grip’as you do the D ’ Amico Spread by pressing with right thumb
on the top card and moving it to the right past the tip of the 1st finger
which keeps the other two cards from spreading. You have thus shown the
faces of the Aces and then the backs as your complete patter line delivered
is, "The Ace of Spades and the Ace of Clubs - TV/o Black Aces." Conclude by
placing the spread cards face down onto the card in left hand. You have
completed showing the four Aces and now are ready for the layout of them.

6. Turn the packet faces up into left hand using right hand to do this. IF
Step _5 has been done correctly the order of the four card packet, from face
to top, should be AH - Double Face card with AC showing - AS-3H. Right hand
grasps the packet from above, by the ends. Left fingers Buckle the bottom
card and left thumb presses onto the face AH. Left thumb and fingers now
peel both top and bottom cards together and in line as right hand retains
the two central cards. (This central removal is not a new idea let alone
/ a new principle.) You will find the move easier if the right 2nd and 3rd
fingers are at the upper end by the upper right corner with right thumb, at
the lower end, by the lower right corner. The right 1st finger is curled
on the face of packet. The two Black Aces from right hand are grasped by
the free fingers and thumb of left hand, thumb on face fingers beneath, by
their left side. The left thumb pushes the face card, AC, to the right to
display two Black Aces. Your patter for all the actions of this Step _6 is
 simply, "TWo Red Aces and two Black Aces." Resquare the two Black Aces
and turn them over to show a back. Now you change your mind and turn them
over, again end tor end by right hand, face up to be held by left fingers
and thumb, by the sides, above those cards in left hand. Take the Black
Aces with right hand by right side. Hie left thumb and fingers grasp the
left side. Separate the Black Aces taking the AS with right hand and AC
with left hand. Both Aces are placed face up, alongside each other, face
up to the table. The supposed Red Aces are now grasped by the upper right
corners with right thumb on the face fingers beneath. The left hand takes
an identical position at the upper left corner. Both hands turn palm down­
wards, bringing the backs of the cards into view, as the hands separate
with right hand taking the AH and left hand taking the 3H. Both cards are
dropped face down to the left of the face up Black Aces as you conclude
with, "And the two Red Aces face down." The order of cards, from left to
right, is the 3H face down, AH face down, Double Face card with AC side
showing and face up AS. You are now ready to deal supposedly 3X cards onto
each Ace.

7. Pick up the remaining packet and spread it, with faces towards yourself,
between both hands. In resquaring get a break below the 5th card or regular
A D . This five card block is now angled off in readiness for "Mario’s Tech­
nical Variation of Veeser Concept" described in another section of this
book. Here you will now only thumb over two cards to show 3 X cards angled
over. T h e ’
left hand thumb and fingers now hold the left side of the packet
as right hand thumb peels off, one at a time the first two X. cards into left
hand dealing position. As the right hand comes to the packet, in order to
take the third X card, the two cards in right hand go under the packet,
where*the left fingers retain them, as right hand nips off the block of 3
cards or an X card with the AC and AD behind it. Right thumb enters under
the right side of these cards to turn them face down then right thumb and
fingers spread out these 3 cards face down. The left hand meantime has
pulled in the thumb and fingers against the palm in order to get the packet
into left hand dealing position. The three fanned cards in right hand can
now be squared, still face down, with the aid of both left and right fingers.
The left hand holds the 3 cards by the sides. Right hand grasps the inner
end, of these three squared cards, with fingers on top and thumb below.
Tarn right hand so the cards will be face up with the new inner end towards
body. An X card shows on the face of the cards. Using the inner end of
these cards scoop up the tabled AS by coming in under its outer end. Having
scooped up the AS onto the face of the 3 cards in right hand the right hand
turns the packet face down into its original position. This Leader packet
now has, from top down, the AD-AC-X card-A S . You are ready to deal 3 cards
onto the AC which is the Double Face card. s

8. Left thumb deals over three cards, one at a time, which are taken one onto
the other by right hand. Right hand thumb flips the 3 cards face down to
fan them. Left fingers and thumb grasp the sides of these 3 cards in order
that right hand can take them, by the lower ends, with thumb beneath and
fingers on top. Right hand turns palm up to bring the faces of the 3 cards
uppermost. The _3 cards are still slightly fanned as right hand uses their
inner ends to move in under the upper end of the face up AC thus scooping
 -8 3 -

it up onto the face up 3_ cards. Right hand turns palm downward turning
the packet face down into its original position. 'Die 3 fanned or slightly
spread cards effectively conceal the other side of this Double Face Ace.

9. During the actions of Step 8 above the left thumb has very slightly pushed
over the two face cards then as they are pulled back, flush with rest of the
packet, the left 4th fingertip gets a break, at lower right corner, beneath
these two face cards. The 3D is the card above the break covered by an X
card. Left thumb pushes over two cards as one which are taken, by upper
right corner, with thumb on the face or index with 1st and 2nd fingers
beneath. Hie next card is pushed over by left thumb and this card is taken
onto the card in right hand but so its upper right corner is jammed or
pushed under the right thumb. The cards form a sort of two card reverse
fan. Repeat the same dealing and taking actions with the next card to form
a reverse fan of supposedly three face up cards but really four as the 3D
is hidden. Right hand turns palm downward and left fingers and thumb press
on the sides of the 3 card fan to converge it into a packet. Right hand
places these cards onto the face down AH which is the second card from the
left in the row of 4 Aces.

10. Repeat the reverse fan counting actions of Step 9 except here only 3X cards
are handled. Turn these faces down and place them onto the supposed Ace in
the first position from the left. To again review the actual situation at
this stage you have 3X cards on top of a 3H in the first position. The 2nd
packet contains, from top down, the 3D-3X cards - AH for a total of _5 cards.
The third packet has 3X cards covering the Double Face Ace. The fourth
packet consists of, from top down, the AD-AC-X card - AS for a total of 4
cards. You are now ready to vanish the Aces and make them appear in sue-
cession.1

11. Right hand picks up the first packet, from above, by the ends with fingers
at front end and thumb at back end. Position its lower end so that the
extended left 1st and 2nd fingers are across the lower pip of the 3H. Pivot
or turn the packet towards yourself. The right four fingertips will auto­
matically cover the upper pip and index of the 3H thus as the packet is
tilted faces towards spectator he will see only the center pip and assume
this card is the AH. You strengthen this by saying the line, "Three cards
and the Ace of Hearts." Flash the face card briefly then turn the packet
back face down. Spread the packet faces down between both hands, taking
two cards in each hand, as you say, "Four cards all together." Transfer
the two cards from right hand to under those in left hand and square up the
packet holding it face down in left hand. Snap right fingers over the
packet. Right hand grasps the packet by left side to turn it face up and
do a D'Amico Spread to easily go into an Elmsley Count to show the supposed
AH Ls gone. The 3H card will not show during the Elmsley Count thus adding
to the illusion lhat the AH was there. Turn the packet face down into left
hand dealing position. The right hand deals the top 3 cards, one onto the
other, laces down to the table. The right hand uses its last card to scoop
up the _3 tabled cards to toss all 4 cards face down into its original
position. The first Ace has vanished.
 I
-dA-
f1

12. You will now show apparently two Aces in the second packet. Right hand
picks up the second packet to place it face up into left hand dealing
position. Thumb over the face AH taking it with right thumb on face, ^
fingers beneath, at the upper right corner. Right hand moves down in order
that the right 1st, and 2nd fingers can take the next face card, which is
dealt over', to under the AH but in an up-jogged condition for about two- I
thirds its length. Right hand moves these two jogged cards upward until f
the lower X cards lower end is on the face upper end of the second X card.
The left thumb keeps the 1st X card up-jogged as right hand moves the AH i
downwards until its upper end reaches the lower end of the next face X \
card. Here the left fingers do a single buckle so that the right fingers
can press upwards against the cards above the buckled card. Right fingers
and thumb move the two card(s), as apparently one X card, downwards. This A
moves the AH and the two X cards, as seemingly one card, down far enough
to expose the center pip only of the 3D as seen in Fig. 1. Your patter for
these up and down jogging actions is, "The Ace of Hearts, two other cards {
and the other Red Ace." I

13. Converge the elongated spread by moving right hand upwards so that the two
X cards, seemingly only one, move under the up-jogged X card which left
thumb pulls downward. The right hand makes the AH again the face card of
the packet. Turn the packet face down into left hand. Thumb over the top l
three cards one under the other taking them still fanned into right hand.
Place the 3 cards from right hand to under the card(s) in left hand as you
say, "Four cards - two Aces - watch." Right hand fingers and thumb grasp \
the packet, by its left side, with thumb on face and fingers on top positioned
for the D ’
Amico Spread which is used to easily start an Elmsley Count to show
apparently four X cards. Turn the packet face down into left hand. Casually .
thumb over top card, take it with right hand, snap the upper left corner with
 left thumb then transfer this card to under the packet as you say, "The
two Aces are gone." Continue with, "That leaves us one-two-three-four
indifferent cards." During this patter line your right hand takes cards
from left hand, one at a time, to deal them face down, one onto the other
to the table; however, on the count of "Three" your left'thumb pushes- over
two cards as one which are taken by right hand and dealt onto the tabled
cards. On the last card, really the AH, you do the "Scoop Up Palm" to
palm the AH and secretly add it on top of the next or third packet as
right hand scoops it off the table into the left hand.

14. You will now actually show that the third packet contains the two Red Aces
and the AC as follows: The face card will be the Double Face AD/AC card
with AC side showing. Right hand is above the packet squaring it by the
ends. The right thumb at back end secretly lifts two cards as left 4th
fingertip obtains a break beneath them. Left thumb now pushes over the
face two card as one. The right takes the card(s) at the upper right
corner, with right thumb underneath, 1st-2nd fingers on top with 3rd finger
pressing against edge of top end. Right hand turns palm up thus the card(s)
Stud Turn face down. Without any hesitation the right hand places its face
down card(s) to under the face up cards in left hand as you do the "Duck
and Pull" moves, i.e. left fingers retain the Double Face card under the
packet as the right hand pulls out the single face down card supposedly
stiJl the AC just shown. Left thumb and fingers press and snap the left
side of -this face down card as you say, " One Ace - the Ace of Clubs."
Place the face down card back under the packet in left hand. The actions
of "Duck and Pull" have shown not only a back on the supposed AC but have
placed the Double Face Ace into correct position for showing two Red Aces.
First do a Double Lift and push off, with left thumb, the face two cards
as one X card. You continue with, "One indifferent card," then stud deal
the card(s) face down and place them under the cards in left hand. The
next card is the single AH followed by the Double Face Ace with the AD
side now showing. Left thumb deals over the AH which is taken by right
hand. Left thumb deals the Double Face Ace onto the AH thus showing the
AH and AD which is accompanied by the lines, "IWo Aces - the Red Aces."
Right and left fingers and thumbs slide the Aces flush. The left thumb
holds the squared Red Aces against the top of the packet. Right hand can
now stud deal the still squared Red Aces to under the cards in left hand.
A regular back, of the AH, will naturally cover the Double Face Ace. The
left thumb can now fan over the top three cards, holding the last cards
as one, to show four fanned face down cards. You are ready to now vanish
the _3 Aces.

ID. With the four cards fanned over the right hand takes the top two fanned
cards. The left thumb pulls back the uppermost card of its two flush and
square with the rest. With the aid of the still fanned two cards in right
hand the squared cards in left hand are flipped face up. The left thumb
pushes over the face Ace to again show two Red Aces. The fanned cards in
right hand are rested, still faces down, alongside or onto the face A D .
(Double Face Ace.) This displays a fan of four cards, with two Red Aces
face up and two fanned face down cards, held between both hands. The left
thumb and fingers momentarily hold the fan as right hand changes position
to come above the cards as shown in the Fig. 2.
 -M 6 -

16. The right' hand moves to the left to square the fan of cards. During this
the left 4th fingertip obtains a break below the Double Face Ace. At once
the right hand lifts off all those cards above the break. The left hand
turns inwards and palm down while right hand turns palm upwards. This
results in the face AH of left hand being hidden while right hand is showing
the AC, other side of the Double Face Ace, as the face card of its packet.
The Fig. 3 shows how the fan "is converged before going into the showing of
the AC as shown in Fig. 4, spectator view.

17. Having shown the AC, the right hand moves to meet the turning left hand to
result, for the moment, with the condition shown in Fig. 3. Both hands now
fan the cards to result in the situation as shown in Fig. 2 except that
right hand will be holding the two face down cards with thumb on top and
fingers below. Right hand holds onto the two fanned face down cards and
with the aid of the left side of these cards helps flip the fanned two Red
Aces face down, into a squared packet, into left hand dealing position.
The left thumb and fingers flick the left side edge of. the face down card
of the supposed A C . It then is placed to under the cards in left hand. The
remaining card from right hand is also now placed to under the cards in left
hand. The steps 15 to 17 inclusive are all covered by the patter lines,
"Don’t forget - we have two Red Aces - and the Black Ace of Clubs. I will
take these two Red Aces and place the Ace of Clubs with them. All three
Aces are together - watch." Snap your fingers or whatever over the packet.
Go into a D'Amico Spread for an easy start of the Elmsley Count to show only
 -O [-

four X eaixis. The sudden vanish of three Aces is unexpected and startling.
Place this packet face down onto the other assembled packets to the left.
The top card is the regular AH while below it is the Double Face Ace.

18. You are now ready to show all four Aces in the Leader packet. The right
hand uses the top card to scoop up the others. This packet is squared
between both hands with right hand holding the ends from above while left
hand holds the sides. The left hand alone holds the sides of the packet
as right hand positions itself for the D ’Amico Spread and into the Elmsley
Count to apparently show four Aces. Actually the AD will show twice and the
X card will not show at all. At the conclusion of the Elmsley Count the top
card will be the X card. The right thumb enters under the right side of
the face up packet, to turn it face down, then thumb and fingers spread out
the packet to show four cards. In the meantime the left hand has picked up
the 13 card'packet and the left 4th fingertip has obtained a break below the
top card or the AH. Since the Double Face Ace is below this top card be
sure left 4th fingertip releases or counts off the top card, in order for
left 4th fingertip to obtain its break, rather than pushing over the top
card to get the break.

19. Both hands come together as right hand deposits its four cards onto top of
the cards in left hand. At once the right hand comes over the packet to
grasp those cards above the break by the ends. Both hands raise upwards to
bring the faces of the cards towards spectators.. You now do the Mario Slip
Cut secretly by left thumb holding or pressing onto the top X card as the
right hand moves out the remaining four cards, all Aces, above the break.
This action is shown in Fig. 5 from operator’s view. Without any stall the
right hand carries its four Aces towards the table to toss them face up as
you remark, "Your four Aces."

20. The left hand is still holding the cards with faces towards the spectator.
Right hand comes back, grasps the packet from above by the ends in order
that left thumb can peel off the top X card and casually transfer it to the
face of the packet. This brings the Double Face Ace to the top facing you.
The right hand grasps the top end of the packet with all four fingers on the
face and thumb at the back on the Double Face Ace. The left thumb pulls up
the Double Face Ace for about a half inch as shown in Fig. 6, the performer’ s
view. The left four fingers at top end conceal this up-jogged card.
 -8 8 -
f

rl

21. The right hand turns the packet face up end for end. As this is done the ^
outer end will fall across the left 1st finger and the in-jogged Double ;
Face Ace not contacting the left 1st finger will automatically lower itself
into the cupped left hand. The right hand at once comes over to grasp the f‘
face up packet from above by the ends; however, the right thumb will press
down on the in-jogged Double Face Ace to force or push it further into the
cupped left hand as shown in the Fig. 7. j

22. Without hesitation the right hand takes the face up cards, to spread them r-
face up to the table, while left hand with its palmed card, as shown in Fig. 8
moves to the left side coat pocket. While there the Double Face Ace is trans-—
ferred to between the left 1st and 2nd fingers. This leaves the left 1st .1
finger and thumb to pick out the deck as you leave the Double Face Ace in
the pocket. The right hand takes the deck from left hand to ribbon spread _
it face up on the table as you conclude with, "And your cards." |
25. A few thoughts here -- At Step 12 of the above routine, I also used only
the AH and not the 3D. By using the Elmsley Count the AH was shown twice
as apparently two Red Aces. The use of the 3D to pass it off as an A D ,
as in t:ho Fig. !! of Step 1_2, was found to be bettor. Also onto the AS
or Loader Arc, I actually placed only the _AD and AC. Later, using an Idea
that I originally submitted to the "New Phoenix" J375 - December, 1962 under
the title of "The Open Travelers", I was able to show the 3 Aces as 4 Aces.
This was done by using a new approach to the Ellis Stanyon Count. The
Stanyon Count was done with the cards face down and three cards were counted
as four by reloading the first card taken back to under the two cards held
by the other hand in the process or under cover of taking the next or second
card. The count then finished normally on the count of "four." The Stanyon
Count was done by holding the side of the packet with one hand, at the
fingertips and thumb of this hand, while the other hand pinched or pulled
each card, from the other side, with the fingertips and thumb. Besides
changing the taking action, so that the cards ended up in a dealing position
in that hand, I also turned the 3 cards face up. This way, with a Red Ace
(or King as in the original "Open Travelers") at the face and doing the
Stanyon Count it seemed that I had four Aces when actually there were only
the AD-AS-AC.

Later, by adding an X card to the three cards of one value and applying
the Elmsley Count, now I was able to hide the X card while showing 3 cards
of one value as apparently 4 cards of that value. The final touch, that
there were actually four cards, was the final convincer. This idea, besides
being used in "Swindle Aces", was also applied to other counts such as the
Kardyro-Biddle Move and were published long before they started to be re­
discovered .

My next version of "Succession Aces" is the result of a suggestion by David

Solomon of Chicago in which he felt that as long as a card, Ace, has to be moved
from the second packet to the third it might- as well be the Double Face Ace. In
this way, using the Double Face Ace, you could actually show two different Aces
in the second packet. It was a problem which took several roads but finally I
decided on the present version mainly because while the opening set-up and Ace
layout differ, most of the routine proceeds as did the First Method of "Success­
ion Aces."
 DUCK AND P U L L

OBJECT: In a packet of cards, that may be either face up or

face down, to conceal the opposite side of either a double face
card, d ouble back card or the back of a stranger card. The
card in q u es t i o n is placed to under the packet, for a second or
two, then seemingly removed to snap the card to show its single­
ness and actually end up with a regular single card in the hand.
The m o v e is used in several of the "Succession Aces" routines.
For this reason it will be explained as if holding a packet of
cards face up in left hand.
1) Assume you have 4 cards face up in left hand. The face card
is a D o u b l e Face AD-AC. You want to show the AD as having a
back yet still have its other side, the AC, come into play as
the 4th card.
2) Do a D o u b l e Buckle or Pull Down at inner right corner in
order to obtain a break, with tip of left 4th finger, at this
corner, do a Two Card Pushoff w i t h left thumb and take the
two cards, as one, by the upper right corner with the right 1st
and 2nd fingers on the face of the card with the 3rd finger
along the upper edge at this corner. The right thumb is b e ­
n e a t h the cards at this corner thus the right hand is palm down
ready to Stud Deal or turn the card(s) face up to show a back
on the AD. The Figure 1 shows the right hand, p a l m up, having
completed the Stud Turn of the two cards as one.

3) Right hand places its card (s) co m p l e t e l y under the face up

packet as in the Figure 2 but right fingers and thumb still have
a grip on these cards.

4) Without too m u c h hesitation the right thumb and fingers pull

out the single face down card as left fingers hold back the
D o u b l e Face card. The actual technique, when two or more cards
are placed under the face up packet, is for right 1st and 2nd
fingertips to push the Double Face card to the left and further
in towards the base of the left 1st finger and thumb which
pinch the card or cards, to be held back, by the upper left
corner. The right thumb aids in this by pulling the top face
down single card to the right and clear of the face up packet.
This single card is now snapped, on its left side edge, with left
t humb and 2nd finger as shown in the Figure 3_^
 • F i r . -

P i 2

5) The single face down card from right hand is n o w replaced

to under the packet. The wh ole action of Figure 2 and 3 are
tagged w i t h the line, "Remember, the Ace of Diamonds". The
displacement action has shown a back on a D o u b l e Face card
and yet will bring the other side, in this case the AC, into
play later as needed for say "Succession Aces".
6) The next two face up X cards are Stud Turned face down and
placed, one at a time, under the packet. This now brings into
v i e w the AC side of the Double F&ce AD-AC card. Three X cards
are face down underneath it. This time right fingers take the
AC, with thumb on face and 1st and 2nd fingers beneath. The
face down cards in left hand are now turned face up by left hand
alone, using left thumb to go under left side of packet in order
to lever it over. They can also be flipped or levered over with
aid of the right fingers, w h i c h go under the right side of the
packet, bookwise to the left thus turning these cards over and
face up. Right fingers mere ly follow through by placing the AC
it held onto the face of the packet.

7) While the above bears a relation to Norman Osbornes* Double

Count idea from "Unlimited" here the approach is that four cards
are actually counted as four and not five. This is made possible
thru the use of the initial D o u b l e Turnover and "Duck And Pull"
sequence. Thus if you had 6 or 7 cards, the Do u b l e Face Card at
the face of the packet, you could start with the Do u b l e T u r n ­
over "Duck And Pull" sequence. On your next supposed single card
turno v e r you would actually do a Multiple Turnover. H o w many
cards this second turnover would entail depends on h o w many cards
you started with. In the case of 6 cards a Triple Stud Turn­
over to under the packet would be used while for 7 cards a Four
Card Stud Turnover, in each case as apparently one card, to
under the packet would be made. The resulting count would then
end on "Four" and the opposite side of the D o u b l e Face cards
will come into play.

8) While D ouble Face cards were used in this example there are
p o s s i b i l i t ies with Double Back cards of either same color and
design on both sides or of different color and design on each
of two sides.
 -9 2 -

Succession Aces - Second Method (Mario)

EFFECT - As pr'oviously noted.

1. A borrowed deck can be used. The perlormer requires a Double Face AD/AC
card. 'Jhis Double Face Ace is in the left side coat; pocket with the AM
side towards the body. From the borrowed deck you get the four Aces arid
a 50 to the face of deck. From face of deck thumb over ljj cards which
includes the four Aces and the 3C. Place rest of deck into the left side
coat pocket with the faces towards the body and against the Double Face Ace
already there.

2. With the 15 cards facing you, spread them between both hands. Arrange
these cards, from face to top, in AS-AH-3C-3X cards-AC-AD-7X cards. Square
up the packet and place it face up to the table. The AS is the face card
and if you wish you can slightly thumb over the AS so as to expose the AH
below. As in the previous version you mention something about a card
missing. Your left hand removes the deck, plus the Double Face Ace, with
AC side showing. Deal the AC onto the AS of the tabled packet then left
hand replaces the rest of deck back into the left side coat pocket with
faces of the deck towards the body.

3. Right hand picks up the tabled packet to place it faces up into left hand.
Tire packet is now spread, between both hands, with faces towards yourself.
The right hand must be cupped around the right side in order to conceal the
opposite side of the AC. The left thumb fans over, quite close together,
the AC-AS-AH to the right hand. Both hands separate slightly or just enough
i for left thumb and fingers to push the 3C under the AC in a down-jogged
position. The right hand then squares the left side of its four cards
against the face of the left hand packet which has been tilted, with faces
towards the right, for this purpose. The 3C remains in-jogged just under
the AC. Right hand retains its four cards, still towards performer, while
left hand places its cards face down to the table. The cards from right
hand are placed into the left hand with faces of these cards still facing
performer. Right hand comes over the packet, from above by the ends, during
which time the right thumb pulls up on the in-jogged card so that as the
ends of the packet are squared the left 4th fingertip can move in to hold
a break beneath the two face cards or AC (Double Face Ace) and the 3 C .
4. The left hand can now be lowered so that spectators can clearly see the AC
at the face of the packet. You now do a two card pushover and stud deal the
two cards as one doing the "Duck and Pull" moves; however, your approach in
this case is slow and deliberate. In other words you say, "We have the Ace
of Clubs," then the ojrd(s) are stud turned and placed under the face up
cards in left hand. Do not let go of the card(s) you turned with right hand.
Instead hesitate slightly then right hand pulls out only the face down card,
the 30, as you snap the left side of this card, with left thumb and fingers
at same time adding, "Oh - the Ace of Clubs goes here." The right hand deals
its card face down to the left of the table. Now spread out the remaining
cards, between both hands, to clearly show three Aces in S-H-D order from
face to top. Take the Aces one at a time into right hand reversing their
order so the Double Face Ace is on the face of the cards. Square up the
 -M i-

packet placing it face up into the left hand. The right hand now grasps
the left side of the packet, the fingers on the face thumb on the back,
then when right hand turns palm up do the D'Amico Spread. This shows two
backs of cards fanned. The left hand grasps the left side of the cards
with thumb on top fingers beneath. The right hand takes the top card,
the AS, turning it face up as you say, "The Ace of Spades, a black Ace,
goes face down." Here right hand places the AS face down to the right
being sure to leave space, between the two Black Aces, for the Red Aces.
The two squared cards are turned face up. The left fingers hold onto the
AD (Double Face Ace) while right hand takes the AH. The Red Aces are
dropped face up between the supposed face down Black Aces. The row of
cards, from left to right, is a face down 3C as apparently the AC, a face
up AD (Double Face card), a face up AH, a face down AS. Your patter line
for the Red Aces is simply, "The Red Aces face up."

5. The left hand scoops up the balance of the packet to hold it and spread it,
with faces of cards towards performer, between both hands. In re-squaring
the packet get a break, with tip of left 4th finger, below the 5th card
from the face or under the regular AD-AC cards. The right hand angles the
five cards, as a unit, in readiness for left thumb to slightly fan the face
two X cards in readiness for the Veeser Concept. Right hand peels off, one
at a time, the first two face cards into right hand. On the third take
the right hand nips off the block containing two Aces, AD-AC, with a cover­
ing X card. Right hand thumb flips these cards face down then the thumb
and fingers spread them to show three face down cards. The _3 cards are
squared, using fingers and thumbs of both hands, then right hand places
these cards onto the AS. This packet actually consists of, from top down,
the AD-AC-X card-AS.

6. Tiie cards in left hand are held with faces towards yourself during the
placing of the cards with right hand onto the leader AS. With packet still
facing you the left thumb pushes over the face card which is taken into
right hand. Push over the next face card and pretend to take it into right
hand as you do a false count by merely pulling back, with left thumb, this
second card. This time, as left thumb again pushes over the face card, lower
both hands so that the spectators can see you taking this card, on the count
of "Three," onto the card already in right hand. The illusion of having
taken three cards is aided by the vocal count accompanying same. Square
these two cards, apparently three, then right hand grasps the outer ends,
thumb on face fingers beneath, to use their inner end to scoop under the
outer end of the tabled face up AH then turn the packet over and face down.
This packet has only 3 cards, from top down, two X cards and the A H .

7. Do a fan inverse count of the next three cards, square them up, then place
these face down onto the first card on the left, supposed AC but really 3 C .
Do a fan reverse count of the last four cards as apparently three cards by
left thumb pushing over two cards as one on the count of two. The last card
is single taken onto the other fanned two cards, as its upper right corner
is jammed under the right thumb, to form a reversed fan of three cards.
Use the fan to scoop up the face up AD (Double Face Ace) then square up the
cards before you turn the packet face down back into its original position
in the row.
 -y 4 -

8. You are ready to vanish the Ace from the first packet on the left. Pick
it up and flash the bottom card as apparently the AC by the usual covering
of the upper and lower pips, with left and right fingers respectively, as
both hands tilt the packet face towards spectator. Spread the cards faces
down between both hands. Take two cards in each hand then place the 2 cards
from the right' hand to under the cards in left hand. Wi.th packet lace down
in left hand the right, hand grasps the left side of the packet in position
for the D'Amico Spread as right hand turns the packet face up. At: once go
into the b.lms Ley fount, taking each card into right hand dealing position,
to show the AC is gone. The 3C will not show. Turn the packet face down
into left hand dealing position. Deal the cards with right hand, face down
one at a time onto each other, counting them audibly. Right hand uses last
card to scoop up the three tabled cards, simulating the same action as is
used for the "Scoop Up Palm," then tosses this packet almost into its orig­
inal position.

9. To show the arrival of the AC in the second packet, along with the AD that
was seen there, proceed as follows: Pick up the packet with right hand
placing it face down into left hand. Left thumb deals or fans over the
top 3 cards holding the last two as one saying, "Four cards," as you re-
square the packet and get a left 4th fingertip break below the top _3 cards.
The right hand moves to above the packet, squaring the ends, during the
squaring up of the four cards shown. Right hand, still grasping the ends ° f r
p a c k e t with right thumb at lower left corner ancright 2nd fingertip at
upper left corner, turns the packet over sidewise to the right. This brings
the packet face up to show the AD but most important to you is the fact that
due to lhe left 4th fingertip break you held, during the turnover, the two
face cards will be angled, at the lower end, to the left leaving a step on
the right side which is basically covered by the right hand which is above
the packet. The right hand keeps holding the ends of the face up packet as
left hand moves back to under the packet where the left 4th fingertip pulls
down on the step, formed at lower right corner, so that as the packet is
squared the left 4th fingertip obtains a break beneath the two face cards,
i.e. the AD and X card. You will find it an easy matter now to push over
two cards as apparently one AD. Right hand stud deals this card(s) face
down to under the cards in left hand as you do the "Duck and Pull" moves
and left fingers snap the now single face down card as apparently still the
A D , but really an X card, as the AD (Double Face Ace) remains under the
cards in left hand. The single face down X card is replaced to under the
cards in left hand. Here the right hand is still above the packet as if
squaring the ends. Right thumb at back end secretly engages the face 3
cards as left hand lowers slightly in order that the left 4th fingertip
can move in to obtain a break below the face _3 cards. Remember that the
"Duck and Pull." actions have brought the AC side into play now. The left
thumb pushes over the face card which is taken by right hand, at upper right
corner, with thumb on the face and 1st-2nd fingers beneath. You will be
doing a reverse fan count as left thumb now pushes over two cards as one,
the upper right corner(o) of which are jammed under the right thumb and held
fanwiso between thumb and fingers. The AC (Double Face Ace) is now dealt
over by left thumb and taken, by upper right corner, onto the other two
fanned cards held by right hand. This forms a fan of three cards wherein
the indexes are at the lower end thus being plainly discernable to the spec­
 -9 5 -

tators in front. A single face down card is still in left hand but this
will not prevent: the left fingers and thumb from pressing on the sides of
the fan in order to converge or square it. Left hand holds sides of the 3
cards as right hand changes position to grasp cards at upper right corner,
with thumb below and 1st-2nd fingers on the face, to stud deal the 3 squared
cards face down to under the single face down card in left hand. You have
shown two Aces, Diamonds and Clubs, all during the patter lines of, "Here
I have four cards. One Ace - the Ace of Diamonds - two indifferent cards
and the Ace of Clubs." The Double Face Ace, AC side in play, is on the
bottom of the packet.

IQ. You are now ready to vanish the two Aces from this second packet. Left
thumb fans over top _3 cards and right hand takes two of them. Make a for­
ward gesture with the two cards in left hand saying, "Two Aces." Actually
left hand has _3 cards, held as two fanned cards, by holding last two cards
as one. The bottom card is the Double Face Ace. Place the two fanned cards
from right hand to under the cards in left hand. Square the packet then
grasp the left side of it, with right thumb on face fingers on top, in read­
iness to turn the packet face up, do the D'Amico Spread, then at once go
into the Elmsley Count to show four X cards. Replace the cards face down
into left hand. Now you must transfer the top two cards, an X card and the
Double Face Ace, to the bottom of the packet. You can do this by simply
holding the packet with right hand, from above by the ends, as the left
fingers merely pull or peel out the bottom three cards to place them onto
the top of the card(s) held in right hand. You can also do this using a
Triple Buckle Spread then merely placing the card(s) from right hand to
under the three cards spread by left fingers. Simply cutting the top two
cards to the bottom is another procedure you can adopt. With the Double
Face Ace on the bottom and the packet in left hand push over the top card
which is taken by right hand and dealt to the table face down. Repeat with
the next two cards, one at a time onto the first tabled card. The last card
or 4th card is really two cards or an X card covering the Double Face Ace.
The right hand takes the last card(s), as one, and using the Straddle Grip
during the Scoop Up Palm gives good control of the two cards. Right hand
tosses only 3 cards onto the first packet and palms the X card and Double
Face Ace as per the Scoop Up Palm. Right hand travels over to the 3rd
packet, secretly adding the palmed cards, as this 3rd packet is scooped
off the table into the waiting left hand.1

11. You are now ready to show three Aces in this third packet. With the packet
face down in left hand and right hand squaring the ends, from above, get a
break, via a Triple Buckle or a Pull Down of bottom three cards, with left
4th fingertip below the two top cards. Left thumb pushes over the top two
cards as one and these are taken into the right. Count the next three cards,
one at a time, taking them onto the cards in right hand. The patter is
simply, "This packet lias one-two-three-four cards; however, it should now
contain three Aces." The right hand flips the packet faces up by placing
right: thumb under right side of the packet to lever it over, sidewise to the
left, then place it faces up into left hand dealing position. Left thumb
deals over the face AC which is taken by right hand, at right side with
thumb on face fingers beneath, as you say, "Here’ s the first Ace - the Ace
of Clubs." Right hand rests the left side of the AC onto the right side
of the cards in left hand. This brings the right second fingertip in
contact with the under right side of these cards in left: hand. Use the
right second fingertip to flip or turn over, the cards .in left hand, side­
wise to the .Left, and face down into left hand. During this the right hand
retains the face up AC. With the AC lightly tap the top of the [jacket in
left hand as at same time left thumb pushes over the top card slightly
during the patter line, "There are two more Aces which I will show you but
first let's get rid of the one indifferent card." During the last part of
the patter you will have done the following actions: The right hand places
the AC still face up on top of the face down packet. When right hand comes
over the packet, to square it by the ends, the left 4th fingertip easily
gets a break under the original card that was dealt over thus you have a
break below the upper two cards. The right hand, still holding the ends
with second fingertip at upper left corner, turns or pivots the cards side-
wise to the right. Due to the left 4th fingertip being maintained a step
or angling of the cards will be formed at the lower right corner. You will
see the AH index if you have done the actions correctly. Right hand still
holds onto the ends of the now face up packet as left hand now moves in
under the packet in order that the left fourth fingertip can engage the step,
at lower right corner, in order to obtain a break below the three face X
cards. Right hand, still grasping the cards from above by the ends, moves
the three cards above the break, as apparently one, off to the right about
half their width and left thumb presses on the face of these card(s) to hold
them in place. This leaves right hand free to stud deal the 3 cards as one
face down to under the cards in left hand. Left thumb freely pushes over
the next two cards to show an AH and AD as you conclude with, "And these
two Red Aces make three Aces." Here take the regular AH face up onto the
fingers and thumb of right hand. Onto the AH deal the AD (Double Face Ace.)
Square up the two Red Aces and now right hand can stud deal these face down
to under the cards in left hand. The Steps 1 to 11 inclusive of this Second
Method of "Succession Aces" are basically the only radical changes from the
First Method as from here on the remainder is handled exactly as already
described in the Steps 15 to 23 inclusive with Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive. Just
start by holding the packet you now have and thumbing over three cards,
holding the last cards as one, to show four fanned face down cards. Now just
proceed from Step 15 to 23 of the "First Method" of "Succession Aces" to con­
clude the effect. In case you may remember the procedure here is only a
brief memory jogger of Steps 15 to 23.

A. TWo fanned cards in left hand are turned face up and shown as two Red
Aces.
B. The 2 ouiHs in right hand, in being squared, steal the Double Face Ace
so that, when right hand turns palm up the AC will be as face card.
C. Bring both hands together spreading out four cards. Two Red Aces will
show face up in left hand and right hand has two face down cards.
D. Left hand Red Aces flipped over face down. Supposed AC or face down
card in right hand is placed under cards in right hand. Follow by
placing last card to under left hand cards to bring all three Aces
together.
E. Do a D'Amico Spread followed by Elmsley Count to show the 3 Aces have
vanished. Place this packet onto the other face down assembled packets.
 F. Right hand uses top card of last or 4th packet to scoop it up. Again
D’ Amico Spread and into the Elmsley Count to apparently show four Aces.
G. Right hand turns packet face down spreading it to show four cards.
Meantime left hand has picked up the _3 assembled packets and obtained
a break under top card, the regular A H .
H. Place 4 cards from right hand onto top of packet in left hand. Raise
both hands doing Mario Slip Cut, to hold back top X card, as right
hand takes all 4 cards above the break, by the ends, to turn the now
actual 4 Aces face up to the table.
I. Left thumb slips top X card to the bottom of the packet while right
hand holds packet from above by the ends.
J. Right hand fingers cover upper end, on face, of packet while right
thumb up-jogs the Double Face Ace facing you.
K. Turn packet over, end for end, face up into left hand. The in-jogged
caixl will not contact the extended left 1st finger. Instead it will
by pass it thus the Double Face Ace will automatically be lowered into
a Rear Palm.
L. Right hand takes all cards except in-jogged or Rear Palmed Double Face
Card as right thumb presses down on the in-jogged card to further press
it down towards the palm of left hand.
M. Right hand spreads its cards face up on the table while left hand goes
to pocket. There the Double Face Ace is disposed of as left hand re­
moves the balance of the borrowed deck. All is now clean for any in­
spection which you can almost be sure will not take place since its
their deck.

Taking a cue from the routines using the one Double Face Ace, David Solomon of
Chicago, worked out the following version which uses two duplicate Aces and
your own deck of cards. He titled it --

"Ace Problem" (IWo extra Aces - Your Own Deck)

EFFECT - Same as stated under ’

’Succession Aces".

.1. Set-up your deck, from face to top, in AS-AD-AC-3H-X card-AH-8X cards-
duplicate AC-AH_x_ card. This total of 17 cards is at the face or bottom
of deck which is in its card case. When ready to perform remove the deck
from card case. Place the card case in the right side coat pocket. Thumb
over the face 17 cards, holding the deck facing you, into the right hand
not reversing their original order. Left hand places remainder of deck into
left side coat pocket with faces towards the body.

2. Spread the 17 card packet, with the faces still facing you, between both
hands. Re-square the packet and get a left 4th fingertip break below the
five face cards. Lower the left hand so that spectators can see the faces.
Left thumb deals over the AS-AD block of _3 cards as apparently the AC, but
leave AH flush on face of packet. The right hand naturally supports the
fanned over Aces at the right side. Raise the packet as both hands re-square
the Aces. Now left thumb merely thumbs over the face four cards, which will
be the AS-AD-AC-3H, which are taken squared into right hand. Both hands
lower. The face X card on left hand packet adds to the illusion of the four
Aces having been taken by right hand. Left hand places its packet face down
to the table. Place the four cards from right hand face down into left h 1.
 Deal them, one at a time, face down in a row, from left to right, turning
the AS face up. Order of cards, from left to right, is 3H-AC-AD-AS.

3. Pick up the tabled packet holding it faces towards you. Get a break under
the face two cards with left 4th fingertip. Do a two card pushoff taking
the two cards as one into right hand. Onto these take two more cards, one
at a time, into right hand as apparently 3X cards. Actually the Ah is top
card of reaL.ly a 4_ card packet. Place this packet face down onto the
tabled AO or the Pud card from the left.

4. Reverse count throe cards taking them into right hand. Turn these face down
and place them onto the supposed first Ace on the left but really the 311.

5. Get set now for the Mario Technical Variation of The Veeser Concept except
in this case only two X cards will be fanned over to display three X cards.
Right hand takes the first two face cards, one onto the other, fairly; how­
ever, as right hand goes to take the third X card you execute the Veeser
Concept leaving the two X cards under the cards in left hand as right hand
pinches off three cards, i.e. a face X card plus the duplicate AC-AH behind ■
it. Right hand places these cards onto the AS by using the face up .packet,
which is squared, to scoop up the face up AS then turn all cards face down.
This packet now contains, from top down, the AH-AC-X-AS.

6. Show remaining three cards in left hand then turn them face down placing
them onto the third Ace from the left or the AD.

7. Pick up the first packet on the left. Using the pip covering technique,
at top and bottom ends, flash the face 3H as apparently an AH. Fan out
four cards and casually transfer two cards to under the packet. Do a D'Amico
Spread followed by an Elmsley Count to show only 4X cards. Count them, one
at a time, face down to the table onto each other using the 4th card to
scoop up the cards and toss all four faces down to the left in almost its
original position.

8. You now will show an AC and AH in the second packet on the left as follows:
Turn second packet face up to show AC. Do a two card pushoff and Stud Deal
them as one face down to under the cards in left hand doing "The Duck and
Pull" moves to leave AC under the packet as left fingers snap the now single
face down card then right hand replaces it to under the packet. The next
3 face up cards are reverse counted, one at a time, into right hand to dis­
play two X cards and the AH becomes the face card. Turn these 3 cards face
down onto the card(s) in left hand. The order of the packet, from top down,
is now 2X cards, the AH-AC and X card.

9. You arc ready to vanish the two Aces. The packet is face down in left hand.
Left fingers do a Single Buckle as right hand lifts up, from above by the
ends, the block of 4 cards up to the left fingers and thumb which hold the
cards by the sides. Right hand grasps left side of the 4 card block, thumb
on face fingers on top, then do a D ’
Amico Spread to show the AC-AH. Turn
the Aces back face down onto the card in left hand. Deal off the top two
cards face down to the table. These are really 2X cards but spectators
assume they are the two Aces. Right fingers remove the bottom card of the
 -9 9 -

cards in left hand. Use this card to tap the two tabled cards. Return
the card from right hand on top of the cards in left hand. Turn the
tabled cards face up to show they are no longer Aces. Place these face
down onto top of cards in left hand. Count the top three cards, one at
a time onto each other, face down to the table. Use the last two cards,
Aces, as apparently one card to scoop up the three tabled cards doing the
Mario Scoop Up Palm to cop the two Aces into right hand. Right hand adds
the two palmed Aces to the next or third packet, with the AD, as if is
gathered faces down into the .left hand.

10. You now show that you have 3^ Aces in the 3rd packet. Turn the packet face
up into left hand. Left thumb pushes over the face AD then left fingers
do a Double Buckle to show an X card (really 3X cards as one) and the AC-
A H . Re-square the packet and turn it face down into left hand.

11. With packet face down the left fingers can either do the Double Buckle or
the Pull Down Move to obtain two cards and transfer them to top of the
packet, as apparently only one card or supposed face Ace. Now go into the
Mario handling for the vanish, i.e. the combination of the D ’
Amico Spread
and going into the Elmsley Count to show 4X cards. Place this packet face
down on top of the other two assembled packets. The top three cards of this
packet are Aces with the AD on top.

12. Use the top card of the 4th or leader packet to scoop it up. Turn packet
face up doing the D'Amico Spread and going into the Elmsley Count to ap­
parently show four Aces. This packet, after the Elmsley Count, will have,
from top down, the X card-AS-AC-AH. Turn packet face down placing it onto
the assembled packet. Pick up the packet and spread the top four cards,
between both hands, but in re-squaring get a break under the top cards
and cut them to the bottom. The face four cards will now be the actual
four Aces. Deal these face up to the table for spectators' inspection.
You have ample misdirection to bottom palm the duplicate two Aces into left
hand. Right hand spreads its remaining cards faces up as left hand goes to
lefl side coat pocket to leave the duplicate Aces and come out with the
rest of the deck. You can now go into any other routines.

Before going into other versions of "Succession Aces", here are some simpler
handlings I came across during the performance of the 2nd Method of "Succession
Aces." These are listed under the following "Suggestions."

First Suggestion - This avoids having to in-jog the 3C and makes for a quick get
ready for the initial Double Lift of the face AC (Double Face Ace) at Steps 3
and 4. Proceed by placing the 3C to below the face AC; however, do not in-jog
it. Instead the four cards are squared into right hand as left hand places rest
of packet to one side. Place the Ace packet face down into left hand. Thumb
over only two cards as you say, "First I will deal with these Aces." In re­
squaring the packet get a break, with left 4th fingertip, below the top two
cards. Holding this break, with left 4tli fingertip, the right hand grasps the
packet, from above by the ends, to pivot it over sidewise to the right. This
action causes those cards above the break to step and angle themselves to the
right at the lower right corner. 'Hie right hand, which is still above the
packet is now face up and held also near the tips, at left side, with the thumL
on faoe of the packet' with fingertips beneath. Right hand moves the packet
further into the left hand as for dealing. This enables the left fingers to
stretch over to the right side of the packet during which time the tip of left
4th finger pulls down on the angled step, at the lower right corner, then
presses in to obtain a break below the now two face cards namely the AC (Double
Face Ace) and the 3(2. From this point simply conclude the actions as described
at Step 4 of the 2nd Method of "Succession Aces."

"Second Suggestion" - At Step 10 of the 2nd Method of "Succession Aces", when

dealing with the 3rd packet, you can avoid the Double Lift or the Spread or the
Triple Buckle as follows: After secretly adding the two copped cards (Double
Face Ace and X Card) from the 2nd packet onto top of the third packet simply
turn this packet so it faces you. Now merely count the cards, one at a time
onto each other, into right hand as you take the last two cards (Double Face Ace-
and covering X card) as one onto the other three. During this count you simply
say, "Here we have one-two-three-four cards." The spectator plainly sees the
backs of the cards during this reverse count. The packet is now in the same
order of, from face to top, the Double Face Ace with AC showing - 3X cards and
AH. From here just conclude as outlined at Step 10 of 2nd Method of "Succession
Aces."
2nd Suggestion - (David Solomon) - This is an alternative Ace packet handling when
doing the initial layout of the four Aces for the Second Method of "Succession
Aces." In this case the Double Face Ace is with the AD showing on the face of
the packet. The order of the four cards, from face to top, is AD-AH-3D-AS. Hold
the four cards facing you and held between the two cupped hands to more or less
conceal the backs. Push over the AD-AH but with left thumb pull back the AD
leaving the AH projecting to the right. Pinch the AH to pull it out and trans­
fer it to the face of the packet. The order of the cards is now AH-AD (D.F.)-
_3D-AS. Turn packet face down doing Elmsley Count to show 4 backs. This also
rearranges the cards so they are now AD-3D-AH-AS, from face to top. Do a Stud
Deal of 2 cards as one AD doing Mario*s "Duck and Pull" displacement move to
deal 3D face down to the left while the Double Face Ace is now on bottom of the
cards in left hand with AC side uppermost. The next Ace - the AH is dealt face
down to the right of the first tabled card so that a space is left between these
two cards. Show two Black Aces remaining in left hand as you place the AS to
under the AC. Turn the squared two cards face down showing a back. Turn the
cards face up as you take the AS in right hand and AC in left hand. The AC
(Double Face Ace) is placed face up between the two face down cards and the AS
is placed face up to the right as the last Ace of the row.

Because the AC side is in play after the above Dave Solomon’s suggestion, there
will have to perhaps be too many changes required for the rest of the routine of
the Second Method of "Succession Aces." For this reason I have made the following
revisions under the -

3rd Suggestion - For Second Method of "Succession Aces." Begin with the whole
major packet of required cards with the AS-AH-3C in that order from the face of
the packet. Now add the AC onto the face of the packet, from the pocketed deck,
as per the routine. Pick up the packet and hold it face up. Next openly trans­
fer the AC to under the AS. With packet faces towards yourself thumb over the
four face cards and place the 3C in front of the AH thus between the AH and AC
 -L O l-

(Double Face Card.) After placing rest of the packet to one side the order of
your four cards, from face to top, will be AS-AC-3C-AH. Do the Elmsley Count
to show four backs. This rearranges the cards so they will now be in order of
AC-3C-AH-AS from face to top. From here go into the layout sequence already
described in the Second Method of "Succession Aces" at Step 4.

4th Suggestion - Applied to any of the methods that use the Double Face Card.
Make the Double Face Card a thick card or two cards rubber cemented back to
back. You will find such a card of great help in easily and surely getting
required breaks via Pull Down, Buckle or Touch methods.

Sth Suggestion - This also can be applied to any of the methods. It consists
in getting a required situation where the order, from face to top, is AS-AC-
30 reversed or 1 ace down-All. Now the AS is turned face down onto the face up
cards in left hand. Right hand takes and places the AS face down to the ex­
treme right. Left fingers do a Single Buckle with right hand turning over, two
cards as one, the AC onto the face Red Ace; however, you go into the K. M. Move,
as described in the section on this revised approach, turning left hand palm
downward as you apparently deal the AC, really the 2C, face down to the left.
A back of a card will show when left hand is palm down. Wait a few seconds, as
right hand adjusts the supposed face down AC, then turn left hand palm up. A
Red Ace still shows and experience has shown no one actually noticed the orig­
inal face Ace suit. Spread the two Red Aces dealing the AD (Double Face Ace),
into 2nd position from left, face up and the AH face up into 3rd position from
left in the row. You are now in the required position for going into the 2nd
Method of "Succession Aces."

6th Suggestion - For Second Method of "Succession Aces." This situation is very
easy to get. The order of the four cards, from face to back, is AS-AC-3C-AH.
This arrangement can be made using the opening procedure of the 3rd Suggestion.
Hold the packet face up. Turn the AS face down onto the packet in left hand.
Right hand deals this AS, to the extreme right, face down. Do a Single Buckle
for right hand to turn the AC (really Double Face Ace and 3C) as one card face
down onto the Red Ace in left hand. Now stall a few seconds as right hand picks
up the AS, to show its face, as you say, "The Ace of Spades over here." Replace
the AS face down to table. Right hand now takes the supposed face down AC from
left hand packet to deal it face down to the left as you add, "And the Ace of
Clubs over here." They will see a Red Ace as the face card and will not remem­
ber the original Red Ace. Spread the two Red Aces, then re-square them and turn
them face down. Grasp the upper right corner of the cards with right thumb on
top and fingers below. The upper left corner is grasped with left thumb on top
and fingers beneath. Both hands now turn outwards, bringing the cards face up,
then at the same time both hands separate with left hand taking the AD (Double
Face Ace) while right hand takes the AH. Your remarks during this are, "Let’ s
leave the Red Aces face up for the time being so you know which is which." The
order of the row of four cards, from left to right, is 3C as supposedly a face down
card AC-AD face up (Double Face Ace) AH face up- AS face down. You are now all
set to go into the Second Method of "Succession Aces." Although a Single Buckle
was mentioned as the sleight used for the turnover you can substitute a Push-Off
technique or even a Pull Down Move. You can use the Elmsley Count to start and
get into tlie above required situation. The arrangement, from face to top, of
the tour cards, from face to top, is the same or AS-AC-3C-AH. Do the Elmsley
 - 102 -

Count to show four barks. Hold the packet face down in .left hand. Thumb over
the top two cards, one under the other, in a fanned condition. Place the cards
from left hand between the two cards fanned in right hand as you square up the
packet. Your patter for these actions is, "I will show you the Aces one at a
time." Turn the packet face up and they will now be in the proper order of
AS-AC-3C-AH to continue with the showing and dealing out of the Aces as already
described in this 6th Suggestion. Frankly this has become one of my favorite
procedures for the layout of the Aces. In the event there is anyone in back of
you the two Red Aces, which are squared and face down in left hand, are subtly
dealt face up by turning both hands palm down as each hand moves the face down
Aces further apart. Keep left hand palm down as right hand removes the face up
Red Aces from left hand. Both hands now take the proper Red Ace in each hand
to deal them face up between the two face down Aces.. You are now all set to go
into the Second Method of "Succession Aces."

7th Suggestion - Besides the Scoop Up Palm, to transfer a card or cards, as

required, from one packet to another, the other recommended sleight, which also
takes place during the counting of cards to the table, is Mario’s variation of
the Bensai’s Cop. This variation is to cop the counted card (or cards) into a
Flat Rear Palm position. For details see "Advanced Fingertip Control." At
which point you do the Flat Palm Cop could make the difference. You may try
this combination. First arrange a situation so that the Double Face Ace is
second from the bottom in a face down _5 card packet. First thumb over the top
2 cards then position the packet so it is held at left side with thumb on top
and fingertips below. In this position the two forward cards are easily taken,
one at a time to the table onto each other, with right hand. On the count of,
"Three," the left thumb pushes the Double Face Ace plus its covering card as
apparently one card. Right hand takes these two cards, as one, to deal it onto
the tabled cards; however, you actually do the Flat Palm Cop. Without any break
in the counting rhythm the right hand taking the remaining single card, from left
hand, to deal this card onto the tabled cards. Right hand, with Flat Palmed
card which is in a Rear Palm position, can add its cards onto the next packet.
In this case the Double Face AD-AC plus its covering card would be added onto
the 3rd packet with AH. From here the rest of the routine can be continued as
in 2nd Method of "Succession Aces."
8th Suggestion - This uses the Elmsley Count Concept with Mario Displacement
Mechanics to get a required situation that normally would not show all four
cards as having backs; however, more important the count can be repeated in the
same identical manner and retain the original order at all times unless the
mechanics at counts three and four are altered. After the addition of the Double
Face Ace, with AC side showing, the order of the four face cards, from face to
top, will be AC (Double Face Ace)-AS-AH-3C. With the major packet face up,
openly transfer the AC to under the AS. Now with packet facing you and spread
between the cupped hands take the four face cards into right hand without re­
versing their order. Left hand places rest of the packet to the table. The
four cards, still facing yourself, are again spread between the cupped hands.
The left fingers and thumb transfer the AH to the top of the packet. The order
of these four cards, from face to top, is now AS-AC-^C-AH. With the squared
packet face up in left hand lower it so spectators can see the face of packet.
Right hand grasps the left side of the packet to turn it face down as top card
moves to right. Go into the D ’Amico Spread for an easy start of the following
count sequence. The right hand takes the top face down card into right hand
dealing position while the left fingers and thumb hold onto the left side of
the packet. The left thumb pushes over two cards, as one, while left fingers
at same time pull the bottom or face card to the left. Right hand moves towards
left hand to take the two forward cards, as one, into right hand. During this
the card that is in right hand is left under the card in left hand as right hand
takes the pushed over two cards into right hand dealing position. Tlius right
hand now has two cards, the 3C and AC from top down, while left fingers have
two cards, the AC and AH from top down. As right hand comes towards left hand,
in order to take a 3rd card, the left fingers push forward, to the right, the
hot tom card of the two, the Ah, which is taken by right hand onto the cards in
right hand. Without any break in rhythm the right hand comes back to take the
last card, the A S , to under the cards in right hand. The order of the cards,
from face to top, is still the AS-AC-3C-A11. A repetition of the identical count
actions will keep the same order, should you want to change the position of the
top and bottom cards then on the count of three take the bottom card, of thetwo
in left hand, to under the cards in right hand and the last or 4thcard onto top
of the cards in right hand. Naturally a regular Elmsley Count will also change
the complete order so it will be AC-3C-AS-AH from face to top. At any rate in
this case you want to retain the order of AS-AC-3C-AH from face to top. You can
now turn the AS face down onto the face up cards in left hand. Right hand deals
off the face down AS to the right. Do a two card pushoff or a Single Buckle to
turn the AC, really two cards AC-3C, as one face down onto the face up Red Ace.
Leave it face down as right hand picks up AS, shows it, then places it back face
down in its original position. Right hand deals off the face down card, supposed
AC but really the 3C, face down to the left leaving a space between the two Black
Aces. Left fingers can now spread its two cards to show the Red Aces. Square
up, turn them face down, change your mind, turn the squared Aces face up, split
the Aces with AD (Double Face Card) going to the left and AH going to the right
between the two face down cards. I realize I have repeated these instructions
before but it saves you the trouble of too much back tracking.

The following method, inspired by Dave Solomon’ s which used the two duplicate
Aces, was devised in order to still keep the idea of being able to do the effect
with a borrowed deck. While duplicate Aces are used they are really so called
Stranger Aces in that the back design or color of them do not have to match since,
during the routine, the backs of them never show. There is an advantage to using
Stranger Aces as compared to the Double Face AD-AC simply because while you may
not always carry the Double Face card you will, in more instances, have a pack
of your own. Then there are those times when the actual Stranger Aces will un­
knowingly be supplied by your audience, especially magicians, in that two decks
may be in play. It will require no greateffort to secretly remove the AD and
AC from one deck then later use the other deck for the routine. Having thus
prefaced the routine the explanation will now follow of what is titled --
SUCCESSION ACES - (EFFECT AS ALREADY STATED)

MARLO’
S 3RD METHOD 1

1. An AD and AC are placed, into left side coat pocket, on their sides, with
face AD against body, then AC on top of AD. That is all the preparation
you require except to mention that these two Stranger Aces should not be
 -1 0 4 -

too new and yet not obviously worn or soiled. This way the faces will
match the wear of the average deck and even a new one.

2. When ready to perform take the borrowed deck and spread, between both hands,
with faces towards youi'self. Quickly locate the 4 Aces and a 3JJ which you
bring to the face of the deck. Next thumb over 113 cards being sure you
do not include any other 3’ s among them, only the 3D. When you have the .1!)
Cards, place rest of deck inside the left coat pocket with faces towards
body and against the two Stranger Aces there.
3. With the packet of 15 Cards still facing you, quickly place the AD into 2nd
position from top and AC into 3rd position from top thus AD is above the AC
from top to face. With right hand remove and toss the AS face down to table.
Next toss the AH face down onto the AS, then follow by tossing the 3D face
down onto the 2 tabled Aces, you toss your packet face down onto the three
tabled cards. Pick up the whole packet. Run thru it in order to double
check that AS is at face followed by AH and 3D. Also you can run to the
top .3 cards to make sure the AC precedes the AD from face of packet plus
an X card on top of packet. Saying something about an Ace being missing,
place the packet face up to table with AS at face of packet.
4. Left hand reaches into left side coat pocket in order to get the deck. While
there the left thumb quickly pushes the two Stranger Aces forward just enough
so that in pulling them back, square with face of deck, the left 4th finger­
tip can obtain a break beneath them before the deck is brought out of the
pocket. When the deck is brought out of the pocket the AD will be the face
card. This you seem to deal or toss onto the face of the tabled packet.
Actually you do a one hand two card throw which is easy since you already
have your break below the two face Stranger Aces. (The basic mechanics of
the two card throw can be found in the "SPADE" Book while those off the face
of a deck or packet can be found in "Expert Card Conjuring" and "Riffle
Shuffle Finale.") Left hand places rest of deck back into the side left
coat pocket with faces of deck towards body.

5. Pick up the tabled packet. Hold packet in left hand dealing position with
faces towards yourself. Cup your right hand along the right side of packet
in order to prevent a flash of the backs of the Stranger Aces as left thumb
pushes over the face 5 cards. Re-square with the left 4th fingertip getting
a break below the 3D. You can now lower the hands as left thumb spreads out
the 4 Aces but holds the last two cards, AH-3D, as one. You can move off
the 4 Aces and expose the face card of packet in left hand. Left thumb can
also push the face card of packet slightly to the right in order that the
left 4th fingertip can obtain a break beneath it as left thumb again pulls
face card back flush with rest of packet. All these actions take place while
displaying the four Aces in AD-AC-AS-AH order from face to back as in Fig. 9.
 -10b-

finger. State you will deal three cards on each Ace. Do a Ttoo Card
Push Off of the face cards as one. These are taken by right thumb on
face and fingers below at the upper right corner. The next face card
is dealt over by left thumb and its upper right corner practically jammed
or forced, between the right thumb and fingers, to under the card(s) in
right: fingers. Repeat with the next card for a supposed total of 3> cards
but actually 4 as the Stranger AD is secretly among them. Square up the
packet between the thumb and fingers of both hands being sure you hold
■those cards well above the packet in left hand. Right hand, grasping the
outer end of these cards, thumb on face and fingers below, turn the packet
over inwards and face down onto the face down AH in the second position,
from the left, among the row of 4 supposed Aces.

9. Take the next _3 face cards in a similar manner, one under each other, then
place these face down onto the supposed AD but really the 3D.

10. You now will change position of the packet in left hand in readiness for
the technical variation of the Veeser Concept. The left thumb casually
pushes over, at an angle, the face two cards. Right hand grasps the right
side of packet with thumb on face of cards and fingers below. Left hand
touches the AC moving it forward slightly or about a half inch, no more.
Left hand now retakes the packet by the center of left side, as in Fig. 10,
while right fingertips touch or move the A S .1

11. The above actions are excused by the lines, "That leaves us the Ace of
Clubs and Spades." The packet at left fingers and thumb is in position
for right hand to easily peel off or take the first two cards, one onto
the other, into the right hand dealing position. As right hand is about
to approach the1 left hand, for the purpose of taking a third card, the left
thumb and fingers acting in opposite directions push forward a block of 3
cards as one. Right hand, with its two cards, slides in under the cards in
left hand to leave behind the two cards from right hand at same time taking
the block of 3 cards into the right hand dealing position. (See Technical
Van i.abions of Vcesor Concept for more details.) The 3 cards in right hand
arc turned over sidewise, to the left , with aid of right thumb and fingers.
At once' the right thumb and fingers spread out the _3 cards face down as
in I’ig. if where left fingers and thumb in the meantime have pulled the
remaining cards into left hand dealing position.
12. Using the fingertips and thumbs of both hands square up the 3 cards and then
turn them face up. An X card will show at the face. Secretly below this is
the AC and AD in that order. Use this packet face up to scoop under the
face up AS and then turn all four cards face down.

15. Right hand takes the remaining 3 cards from left hand. Turn them face down
and spread these in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1 1 . Left hand
holds the spread as right hand changes position to re-grasp the _3 face down
cards with thumb underneath and fingers on top. Turn right outward and
palm up to bring the faces of the 3 spread cards into view. Still keeping
them spread use them to scoop up, from right side, the face up AC. The
spread cards will effectively hide the back of the Stranger AC as right
hand now turns palm downward to place the still spread packet face down
into left hand which takes it with thumb on top and fingers below. Both
hands can now effectively square the packet without flashing the Stranger
back. If you are apprehensive about this handling, then square the packet
while it is still face up and then turn it face down to place it to the
table in its original position.
14. The disposition of the cards, starting with the packet on your left as the
first packet, is as follows: First packet has a 3D plus 3X cards. Second
packet has, from top down, 2X cards, Stranger AD-X card and AH. The total
number of cards in 2nd packet is 5. The third packet has 3X cards covering
a Stranger AC. The fourth packet, from top down, has AD-AC-X card-AS.
15. Pick up the 1st packet on your left. Flash the bottom 22 as apparently A D .
(See description of this in previous methods.) Hold packet face down. Do
an Elmsley Count showing four face down cards. Grasp left side of packet,
thumb below, 1st fingertip on edge, 2nd-3rd-4th fingertips on top. As right
hand turns packet face up do the start of a D ’
Amico Spread. This is to
easily start the Elmsley Count to show the faces of the cards and show the
AD has seemingly vanished. The 3D will not show during this count. Turn
packet face down. Deal the cards face down, one at a time onto each other,
 to the table and use last card to scoop up the packet, then Loss or plane r1
it off to the side on your left. The 3D will be .second from f a c e thus
later hidden as required.
r1
Hi. Pick up the I’
ud packet: to show that it. contains the AH and AD as follows:
Turn packet face up into left hand to show AH. Do a Double Lift:, at inner
right corner, so that left thumb can push over AH plus X card as one: which
is taken by right hand at upper right corner with thumb on top or face arid
fingers beneath. Tire left thumb pushes over AD which is taken onto the
AH. The AD upper right corner is jammed between thumb and finger*:: ol right
hand. The remaining two X cards are taken, one onto the other, onto the:
2 Aces to form a reverse fan formation as in Fig. 12.

17. From Fig. 1 2 , first square up the packet, then turn it face down into left '
hand. Snap your fingers over the packet. Right hand turns packet face up,
going into the start of D'Amico Spread and into the Elmsley Count but the
last two X cards are taken under the cards in right hand. Thus, when the l
packet is again turned face down, the order of cards, from top down, will
be 2 X cards-AH-AD-X card. The regular back of AH will cover the Stranger
back of AD. You count the cards to the table as in the first case; however, |
the first card is taken off the bottom. This taking of the bottom card can
be made as the right hand turns the packet face down into left hand. This
is easily accomplished as follows: After the vanish of the two Aces via
the Elmsley Count the packet is placed face up into left hand. Right hand 1
1st and 2nd fingertips go onto the face of the packet, at center of right
side, while right, thumb goes beneath. As right hand turns palm up, bringing
t he packet: face down, Lite right thumb pushes all Lite cards, except the bottom l
owe, to t.hc left. The right 1st and 2nd fingers at same time pul.l to the
right. This results in the block of cards, minus the bottom one, going
face down into left hand dealing position as right fingers and thumb follow i
through by dealing the bottom X card face down to the table. Without any
stall the right hand comes back to now take the top card and deal it onto
the tabled card. Repeat with the 3rd card but hold the last two, the AH-AD
as one. Right hand takes these two cards as one to scoop up the tabled I
packet. During this you execute the Scoop Up Palm or Cop using "Straddle
Grip" and then secretly add the palmed two Aces onto the top of the third
or AC packet. Left hand has already tossed its cards onto those assembled ^
cards on your left.
18. The 3rd packet, after the secret addition of the AH-AD, has 6 cards in
order, from top down, of AH-AD Stranger-3X cards-AC Stranger. To show
3 Aces in this packet proceed as follows: Turn packet face up and place
it in left hand. Push over AC, then do a Double Buckle to move out the
AH and AD which are taken and held for the moment by left hand. In re­
placing the AD and AH, place them above the block of the 3X cards or just
under the face AC. Some may prefer to show the 3 Aces via the Ascanio
Spread. In this case the right hand holds the face up packet from above
by the ends. Move the packet upwards. The left first finger contacts
under card as the right hand moves to the right, exposing AH, then down­
wards. Now the left 2nd finger contacts the AD as again right hand moves
further to the right which exposes the AD. The right hand moves its cards
upwards and in line with AH. This time the left thumb presses on face of
AC to keep it in place as right hand again moves to the right, then down­
wards in line with AC. The up-jogged AC and the right 2nd and 3rd fingers
at front end of the block of X. cards effectively conceal this thickness.
The Fig. 13 shows the Ascanio Spread completed. Its application to hiding
or screening a M o c k of cards is my own and titled "The Blocked Ascanio ."

19. To displace the block of X cards to under the Aces merely separate the cards
as shown in Fig. 14, then by either pressing upwards with the two Aces in
left hand or downwards with the supposed two cards in the right hand a gap
or space will be created between the AC and the block of X cards into which
the AD and AH are easily slid as the packet is squared up. (Displacement
techniques for the Ascanio1 Spread were first worked out by Jon Racherbaumer;
however, they did not entail a Block Displacement.)
 ri
ri
r

r
i

20. Turn packet face down into left hand. Order of cards, from top down, is
3X cards, AH and Stranger AD and AC. Spread over the top 3_ cards, holding I
last three as one, to show four cards. With aid of right 1st and 2nd
fingers push 2 of the cards flush into left hand while right fingers and
thumb hold onto the top single card. Holding onto the single card the l
right 1st and 2nd fingers contact the bottom of the squared cards in left
hand. With aid of right fingers the squared packet is flipped over, side-
wise to the left, and face up into left hand. The left thumb deals over .
two Aces, i.e., the AC-AD and holds the last AH as one card. The right '
fingers and thumb also aid in the spreading of the cards to result in 3^
face up Aces with one face down X card being displayed between both hands.
The patter line here is merely, "Remember the Ace of Clubs and two Red Aces." 1

21. Re-square the 3 Aces, then flip them face down, again with aid of right 1st
and 2nd fingers from below, into left hand. At once left thumb deals over |
the top card of its packet which is taken to under the card in right hand.
Right hand thus has two cards fanned or spread. The left thumb and 3rd
fingertip now flick the left side edge of the supposed AC as you say, "The
Ace of Clubs goes with the two Red Aces." Here right hand openly places '
the supposed AC to underneath the left hand cards, the left fingers dropping
or moving down to permit this. Right hand also places its remaining X card
to under the packet as you finish with, "All three Aces -- together -- Watch."i
Here snap your right fingers over the packet. Right thumb and fingers grasp
the left side of packet at center, thumb beneath, 1st finger on edge, 2nd-
3rd-4Lh fingers on top. Right hand turns palm upward as right fingers and
thumb start a D ’
Amico Spread. The left side of the packet is at once taken
by left hand, thumb on face and four fingers beneath, in readiness for an
easy starting Elmsley Count which shows only 4 X cards, the 3 Aces appar­
ently having vanished. Turn the packet face down and place it on top of the
tabled cards on your left. The top 3 cards, of these assembled packets, are
AH and Stranger AD-AC. Pick up this packet and turn it face up. Now as if
suddenly remembering about the last packet you replace the assembled packet
face up, to the table, on your left.

22. Remember the 4th packet has, from top down, the AD-AC-X-AS for a total of
four cards. Use the top card, AD, of this packet to scoop up the other
three cards ,
 This places AD at the face of packet. Now go into the easy beginning for
the Elmsley Count which will show this packet as having apparently four
Aces. Merely say, during the Elmsley face up count, "And here we now have
One-Two-Three-Four Aces." Turn the packet face down and hold it in right
hand. The four cards are sort of spread so that the cards spread left to
right. The right fingers are under the packet and thumb on top. The right
fingers from beneath keep three of the Aces apread and right thumb pushes
top X card to x'iglit so it will be covered by the 3 Aces from below when
this packet is .later raised with faces towards spectator when it has to
approach Lite cards that left hand scoops off the table.
23. Right hand is holding its Ace packet as above. Left hand in the scooping
off of the face up tabled packet also gets a break, with left 4th fingertip,
under top card or regular AH. The cards from right hand are placed onto
those in left hand. Right hand changes position to grasp all cards above
the break from above by the ends. At same time both hands raise upwards so
faces of cards are toward spectator. Right hand transfers the cards above
the break to the face of the packet. Since a Red Ace still shows all will
look fair even if spectator should inadvertently get a glimpse of the Red AD
of the Ace packet originally held in right hand.
24. With packet still facing the spectators the right thumb, at lower end,
quickly, obtains or lifts up on the two Stranger AD-AC. Right hand moves
these two cards, as one, upward for about a half inch as at same time the
four right fingertips curl over thier top and in order to conceal the up-
jogged condition thus also the two stranger Aces. Keeping the right four
fingers curled over the up-jogged Aces, the right thumb now moves up to the
top end to grasp the upper end of packet and turn it face up into left hand.
This brings the two in-jogged Aces into an automatic Gambler's Cop position
similar to that described and illustrated with the Double Face AD-AC. (See
Fig. 6 to 7 °f Mario's 1st Method of "Succession Aces.")

25. Right hand grasps the remaining cards, from above by the ends, during which
time the tip of right thumb can press down on the in-jogged Aces to force
them down into the left palm. Right hand spreads its cards, from left to
right, face up. Meantime left hand with the two copped Aces goes to left
side coat pocket to dump the two Stranger Aces and remove rest of deck.
The easiest way to do this is for left hand to hold its Aces until the left
1st finger and thumb grasp the deck. Now extend the left 2nd-3rd-4th fingers
letting the Stranger Aces drop into the pocket as left 1st finger and thumb
move out the deck itself, Once the deck is out of the pocket the right hand
takes it, from above by the ends, to spread it face up directly below the
other spread. Push all cards together as you hand the deck to the spectator
w i t h 'the casual remark, "Your deck, isn’
t it?"
That concludes the methods but by no means the variations -possible with each
method us is evidenced by the following ideas in which the Aces can be vanished
in other ways not only all at once but one at a time. Peruse them and decide
for yourself us to whether you may wish to substitute them for those in the
described routines.
 -1 1 2 -

Before going into the "One At A Time Ace Vanishes", some may like the following
handling of the 2nd packet as a substitute for that described at Step 16^ and 17
of the 3rd Method of "Succession Aces." This 2nd packet lias, from top down,
2X Cards-a Stranger AD-X card and regular All. To show the Aces turn packet,
face up. Double lift and deal off AH plus X card as one card into right hand.
Onto the AH deal and take the AD Stranger card. The remaining two X cards are
spread by left hand fingers and thumb. Replace the two X cards to under the
Aces in right hand. Turn packet face down. Order from top down is now 3X cards-
AH-AD Stranger. Spread to show 4 cards holding last 2 as one. The Stranger
back of AD is hidden. As you re-square apparently take the top two X cards,
from above by the ends, really taking only one as you transfer it to under packet
Right hand at once takes packet from above, by the ends, to turn palm up and
show face of X card as you say, "IWo indifferent cards." Place packet face down
into left hand. Single Buckle taking four cards with right hand, from above by
ends, to place it into left fingers and thumb which hold the cards by the sides
well above the card in left hand. Right hand can now do the D ’ Amico Spread to
show the faces of the AD-AH. Do not inadverently flash the back of the Stranger
AD. Turn the 2 Aces face down onto top of packet. Do an Open Double Deal (top
and bottom cards apparently coming off top of packet,) face down to table. Use
top card of packet to tap the tabled cards. Show two tabled cards are no longer
Aces as you return each to top of packet. Order is now 3X cards with regular AH
on top of Stranger AD. Do the dealing of 3X cards face down to table. Last two
cards, held 'as one, are copped using the "Scoop Up Palm" action. The AH-AD
Stranger-3X cards-AC Stranger. Turn packet face up. Push over AC-Double Buckle
and spread cards to show AC-X card-AD-AH. If you wish you can do the Ascanion
Spread. In either case the AH-AD are displaced so they go under the AC while
the 3X cards-regular AH and Stranger AD-AC. You can spread the cards as four
face down cards holding the last 3 cards as one. From here conclude the effect
as already described in 3rd Method of "Succession Aces."
"One At A Time Ace Vanishes" - The following one at a time Ace vanishes, from
each of the packets, uses the Double Face AD/AC card and were inspired by those
from David Solomon’s "Double Face Aces" routine which uses three Double Face
Aces. What follows is applicable to 2nd Method "Succession Aces."
1st Packet - Since this has only the 3 spot, passed off as an Ace, the vanish
here can be as in any of the methods using the subterfuge.

2nd Packet - Show as this packet having two Aces, the AD-AC. (Double Face Ace
handled as per 2nd Method of "Succession Aces.") Leave an X card covering the
AC side of Double Face Ace. Hold packet face up and do an Elmsley Count. Only
the AC will show and the AD is apparently gone. The AC has also become the third
card from the face of the packet. Do another Elmsley Count and the AC will not
show thus two Aces have vanished one at a time. From this point handle the
packet as per the 2nd Method of "Succession Aces" to get an X card and the Double
Face Ace across to the 3rd packet.
3rd Packet - Show this packet as having 3 Aces, AC-AH-AD, as per the 2nd Method
of the "Succession Aces" up to the point where you seemingly have placed all 3
Aces together in the middle of packet. Actual situation, from face to top, is
two X cards-Double Face AD-AC with AD side showing-AH and final X card for a
total of a secret 5 cards. Turn the packet face up. Show the AC is gone by
simply thumbing over the face _3 cards and holding the last two as one. The AC
is gone and only 2X cards and two Red Aces, the AD-AH, show. Re-square the
packet still holding it face up. To cause the AH to vanish thumb over two cards,
single buckle, hold last card against the others to form a fan of four cards.
The fan can now be shown back and front. The regular AH back hides to other
side of the Double Face AD-AC card. To vanish the last AD, re-square the cards
then do a face up Elmsley Count to show 4X cards and the last Ace has vanished.
Your arrangement for this packet is now exactly as required for the 2nd Method
of "Succession Aces." From this point on conclude as already detailed for this
me thod.

Whether the "One At A Time Ace Vanishes" from packets two and three is worth the
extra time element and manipulation involved or whether it adds anything more,
from the standpoint of effectiveness, to this particular plot will depend en­
tirely on the individual’s tastes and preferences. Actual performance, before
various audiences, will be the deciding factor as to the procedure eventually
adopted.I

I will conclude this treatise with a "Discard Method". One may wonder why bother
listing it at all. There are several reasons. One is that there may be within
it some elements that may appeal to the reader. The other is that perhaps others
may feel this 4th Method, which uses two Stranger Aces, is to their liking. Here
then is my —

4th Method - "Succession Aces" (Discard)

EFFECT - As already stated.

 -1 1 4 -

1. The AC-AD Stranger Aees in left side coat pocket with AD as the face Ace.
From the borrowed deck get all 4 Aees and 3D to face of deck. Thumb over
15 cards without reversing their order. Toss AH face down to table then AS
then 3D. Place rent of packet onto these and pick up the packet no faces
are towards you. Place the AC into 7th position and the AD into 8i.li pos­
ition from the face. Keep thumbing through the cards and in-jog the 12 th
card from the face of the packet of 1_5 cards.

2. Replace the packet face up to the table. You can thumb over the face AH
to subtly expose the next Ace the AS. Remember to keep that 12th card, from
face of the packet, in-jogged. Hie rest of deck, which was placed into left
side coat pocket to join the Stranger Aces, is now removed. The two Stranger
Aces at face of deck are thumbed off, onto the tabled packet, as apparently
only one Ace, the A D .

3. Place rest of deck back into left side coat pocket. Pick up the tabled
packet and get a break, with tip of left 4th finger, under the in-jogged
card as right hand squares the ends of the packet. With right hand still
holding the ends of the packet move off all those cards above the break
to the right, however, the left thumb peels off the Stranger AD onto the
3X cards in left hand thus bringing the AD Stranger to 4th from the top
yet not expose its back while cards are still held facing you.

4. Off the face of the packet thumb over the AC (Stranger Ace)-AH-AS-3D doing
it so the cupped hands hide the back of the Stranger AC. Order of the four
cards, from face to top, is AC-AH-AS-3D. Turn the packet face down and do
the Elmsley Count Concept using the Jordan Mechanics or in other words
taking the first two cards singly, one onto the other, then executing the
taking of the actual bottom card, from those in right hand, as right hand
takes the two cards, from left hand, as one. The left fingers have stolen
the bottom card of the two from right hand during the count of ’'Three" so
that the single card now in left hand is taken on the count of "Four."

5. Turn packet face up. Then spread face two Aces, the AS-AC. The AH will
also show. Say, "The black Aces will be face u p ," as you deal the AS to
the right hand and AC to left of AS. Turn the remaining two cards, still
squared, face down then with left fingers spread them so that the bottom
AH projects to the right. Right hand deals AH face down to left of AC and
left hand deals the supposed AD, but really the 3D, face down to the left.
Order of cards, from left to right, is face down 3D as supposed AD - face
down AH - face up stranger AC - face up regular AS. Transpose the positions
of the face down jUJ with the face up stranger AC which will now be in the
second position from the left among the row of four cards.

b. With packet facing you get set by angling over the face 5 cards and setting
up for the "Mar.lo Technical Variation of the Veeser Concept." The supposed
fluvo X curds, really a regular AD-AC-X card, arc used to scoop up the AS
and turn (ho packet taco down. Total of 4 cards.
 7. Reverse count the next two cards as three face up into right hand. Use
these to turn them face down onto the face down regular AH. This packet
has 2X cards and AH for a total of 3 cards.

8. You have 8 cards remaining in your left hand. Turn these face down . Thumb
over the top three cards. Right hand holds them fanned and shows their
faces. Place these onto the first card on the left, the supposed AD. This
packet has 4 cards, the 3D and 3X cards on top of it.

8. The left thumb deals over only one card of those i.n left hand then do a
Single Buckle. This shows three backs belonging to borrowed deck. Turn
packet face up and do a Double Buckle t;o show 3X cards. The Stranger AD
has been hidden both from the backs and faces. Square the packet, face up
and use it to scoop up the Stranger AD. Be sure the packet is squared before
turning it face down. The order of this packet, from top down, is 2X cards,
Stranger AD, 2X cards and Stranger AC. This is a total of 15 cards.

10. Pick up first packet on left. Flash the 3D as supposedly the AD. Spread
four cards and place top two cards under the packet. Do an Elmsley Count
faces up to show the AD is gone. Count the cards face down, one at a time
onto each other, to the table. Right hand uses last card to scoop up the
three tabled cards and tosses all four cards face down to the left.

11. Pick up 'the second packet. This one has two of the Stranger Aces. Do a
Triple Stud Deal, packet is face up now, of the AC to turn it face down and
place under the packet in left hand as apparently a single AC. Take the AD
face up into right hand while left hand turns its packet over to bring AC
uppermost. Place the AD face up onto the face up AC as you say, "TWo Aces -
Clubs and Diamonds." Turn packet over again. Deal over the two face X cards
as you say, "And two indifferent cards." Flip these face down and place under
the face down cards in left hand. The order of this packet, from top down
is 2X cards, Stranger'AC,AD,2X cards. When the two X cards from right hand
are placed to under those in left hand they should be in-jogged so that in
squaring up you can easily get a left 4th fingertip break above these two
X cards.

12. Do a D ’
Amico Spread, of the four cards above the break, to again show the
faces of the AD and the AC; however, be sure you do not flash the back of
the Stranger AD. Square the two card spread before flipping them back face
down onto top of the left hand cards. Next do Mario’ s Open Double Deal, of
top and bottom cards, as you spread them out on the table. This Open Double
Deal gives the impression of having dealt off the top two Aces they just saw
yet at the same time prevents exposing the backs of the actual Stranger Aces.
Right fingers remove bottom card of those in left hand. Use this to magically
tap the two supposed tabled Aces. Right hand returns its card to top of those
in left hand. Right hand picks up the tabled cards, ohe at a time, to show
they no longer are the Aces. These two cards are placed face down onto top
of those in left hand.'
 -n o -
F
?
13. You now have 4 regular cards from the borrowed deck preceding the Stranger
Aces. Deal the supposed four cards, one at a time onto each other, to the
table; however, right hand holds the last three cards as one using it to
scoop up the tabled 3. X cards. Execute the Scoop Up Palm, using the
"Straddle Grip Method" for good control. Thus right hand tosses 3X cards
face down to the left and secretly adds its 3 palmed cards onto the 3rd
packet with the AH. This packet is scooped off into the waiting left hand. S
14. The AH packet is now handled as follows: Originally the AH packet contained
only 3 cards. With the secret addition of the Stranger AD/AG card and the j
covering X card this 3rd packet now has six cards in order, from top down,
of X card, AC-AD, 2X cards and regular AH. Right hand holds the packet from
above by the ends. With tips of left fingers the bottom _3 cards are peeled
or moved out, to the left, in a spread to show four cards as you say, "Four k
cards here." In re-squaring the cards, get a left 4th fingertip break above
the bottom 3 cards. Holding this break pivot the packet face up, to the
right with right hand which holds the ends of the packet during the turnover, f
The action causes the 3 face cards to step themselves to the left so that a
step or ledge is formed on the right side at lower right corner. Right hand _
quickly repositions itself by moving in again to re-grasp the cards, still .
from above by the ends, further towards the center of the packet’ s width.
Right hand curns the packet clockwise so right thumb will now be on outer
end now.with the angle jogged face cards stepped over at the upper right
corner. Left hand has retaken the face up packet into a dealing position. t
Right thumb pinches the 3 angles cards, by their upper right corners, against
the base of the right 1st finger. Right hand takes the 3 cards, as appar­
ently a single AH, deep into right hand dealing position. At once follow |
by taking the next: two Aces, one onto the other, into right hand. Last
card can be snapped and placed back under the packet. The 3 Aces are at
face of the packet now. You can show them again via a Single Buckle as
only _3 Aces and one X card. Turn packet face down.Thumb over 3 cards hold-
ing last 3 cards as one. This shows borrowed decks backs. Transfer 2 cards
openly to under the packet. Turn packet face up. Do an Elmsley Count,
using a D ’Amico Spread action for an easy start of the count, showing the (
3 Aces have vanished. Drop the packet face down onto the other assembled
packets on the left.

15. The AH card from borrowed deck covers the backs of the two Stranger Aces.
From here you can conclude as in the previous version by showing apparently
4 Aces in the 4th or final packet. Left hand picks up assembled packet
getting left 4th fingertip break under top AH. Right hand squares its four l
fanned face down cards (after the showing of them as 4 Aces via the Elmsley
Count,) to square them onto top of cards in left hand. Right hand takes all
cards up to the break, 5 cards now, to place or cut them to bottom of the {
packet as it faces the spectators. The two Stranger Aces backs are facing
you.

IF’
. With right thumb quickly lift up the two Stranger Aces at back end. Right
hand now moves these two cards upwards to out-jog them for a half inch;
however, he sure the right four fingers, at top end, curl in at same time
to cover these .jogged cards at upper end. You now have a situation where !
 the packet: can ho turned over inward and face up so that the in-jogged
Stranger Aces can be easily Rear Copped into the left hand while right
hand carries rest of the packet to the table in order to spread it face
up. The left hand, with the two Stranger Aces palmed, goes to the left
side coat pocket. While there, left hand disposes of the Stranger Aces
and removes the rest of the borrowed deck.

If there is one thing in the "Succession Aces" that I feel is overdone, it is

the use of the Elmsley Count on the various packets to either salve a guilt by
showing all four backs or to vanish the Aces from each of the packets. Perhaps
it would be better to make up a combination of vanishes so that the Aces in
each succeeding packet could be vanished in an entirely different and direct
manner. Tims the "Bluff Ascanion Spread" to show an Ace vanish in the 1st
packet. The use of Che D'Amico Spread, to vanish two Aces, has already been
described in a couple of the methods. The Elmsley Count can be used on the
vanish of 3 Aces from the third packet. For the Leader Ace packet you could
use the "Swindle Aces" idea, from the "Cardician," tossing each shown Ace face
down onto the face down assembled packets.
The above approaches would cut down on the monotony of using the same count all
the time and even make it more difficult to reconstruct your routine by another
card man. Still this is only a suggestion - you do as you please.

Keeping in mind that as you do the various routines there will be changes made
here and there; therefore, have decided to make a few revisions in handling of
the 3rd Method (Mario) of "Succession Aces" using two Stranger Aces.

1st Revision - IF you find the one hand IWo Card Throw a bit tricky for you,
because of one reason or another, then substitute any two card push off method,
with left thumb, with right hand dealing the two Stranger Aces, as one, onto
the face of the tabled packet. Try to avoid, if at all possible, handling these
Stranger Aces from above by the ends.

2nd Revision - At Step 7 of 3rd Method of "Succession Aces" the squared and face
up supposed two Red Aces are handled as follows: Right hand grasps the left
side at center, the squared face up Red Aces (?) with 1st and 2nd fingers on the
face and thumb below. Right hand turns palm up bringing the backs of the two
cards into view. At the same time the left fingers pull the lowermost card to
the right and left thumb pushes top card to the left. At once the left hand
takes top card while right hand retains the bottom card, the AH. Both hands
drop their respective cards to the table, faces down, to the left of the two
Black Aces already face up on the table.

3rd Revision - At Step 16 of the 3rd Method of "Succession Aces" the second
packet contains, from top down, 2X cards - Stranger AD - X card - regular AH.
This packet is now handled as follows: Right hand picks Up the packet to place
it face down into left hand dealing position. Left thumb pushes over a single
top card, left fingers do'a Double Buckle, right hand naturally grasps the right
side, of the spread out four cards that show the same backs, with thumb on top
fingers beneath. Left hand holds onto the two spread bottom cards while right
hand holds two of the top spread cards, really 3 as two with Stranger AD covered
 - 1 1 b -
r

by the back of regular X card. Right hand places its two fanned cards between I
the two cards in left hand then the packet is squared. These actions are covered -
by the patter line, "Over here there are four cards." Turn the packet face up, j
with right hand, into left: hand dealing position. Say, "TWo Red Aces, Ace of
Hearts, Ace of Diamonds and two cards." During these patter lines you thumb
over the AH to lake it. at upper right corner, with right thumb on top and .1st
and 2nd fingers beneath. Left thumb pushes over next. AD to take it onto the AH ^
as you go into a reverse fan count by jamming the upper right corner of AD under
the right; thumb. Left thumb now does a two card pushoff, easy since there are
only 3 cards remaining, onto the Red Aces as their upper right corners are jammed,f
as one card, to under right thumb. The last single card likewise goes onto the
face of the 3 fanned cards in right hand. The result is similar to that shown
in the Fig. 12. Left hand takes the face X card to place it under the _3 cards
still held by right hand as you say, ""Let's place the two Red Aces in the center.*
Square up the packet and turn it face down into left hand dealing position. From
this point on you can continue into Step 17 of 3rd Method of "Succession Aces."
For those who may shy away from the Double Buckle Method the easier Ascanion i
Spread can be substituted. The order of the 2nd packet remember is, from top
down, 2X cards-Stranger AD-X card-AH. .Right hand picks up the packet holding it
from above by the ends, with 1st finger curled on top, 2nd and 3rd fingers at J
top end of upper right corner with 4th finger not touching the cards but close
to 3rd finger. Right thumb is at back end near lower right corner. The left
hand approaches the packet palm upward. Right hand moves its packet upward so ,
that left 1st finger can contact the bottom or face card at the lower end. Right
hand moves to the right as left 1st finger presses on bottom card so it will move
out to the left, for about two thirds of its width. Right hand moves its cards
downwards, as left IsL finger keeps its card up-jogged, for about two thirds of i
the length of the card or cards. Hie left 2nd fingertip contacts the new face
card of those in right hand. The left 2nd fingertip presses on the face of the
bottom card as right hand again moves to the right thus leaving the card pro- |
jecting to the left and down-jogged. At once right hand now again moves upward
alongside the up-jogged card. This time the left thumb presses onto the top
card of those in right hand. The right hand again moves to the right as left
thumb holds back top card. Right hand moves its remaining two squared cards,
as one, downward alongside the in-jogged card. The two cards as one are covered
from the front end by the right hand holding the ends of the cards plus these
cards are still more or less covered by the up-jogged top card. The two cards,
as one, held by right hand are displaced so that they go above the AH at the
bottom of the spread. This displacement is done in a manner similar to Fig. 14
except here the four cards, showing all the same backs, will be face down and .
the card(s) that are held by the ends goes between the two cards in left hand
or above the regular AH. The displacement technique used is to merely separate
the four cards, as in Fig. 14, then by either pressing upwards with the two cards
in left or downwards with the supposed two cards, really in the right hand a
gap or space will be created between the cards in right hand. Now right hand
moves back towards the left, just far enough for the lower left corner, of the
two cards held as o n e , to go under and engage the lower right corner of the top |
down-jogged card held in left hand. Again, by either pressing down slightly with
left hand or upward with the right hand, a space will now becreated between the
two cards held in left hand. Into this space or slight separation the right hand ,
easily loads the Double Card as the cards are squared. If things have been
followed correctly the order of the packet, from top down, is now 3X cards-
AD Stranger-A H . Turn packet face up into left hand dealing position. Do the
Reverse Fan Count pushing over the AH onto this the AD, then Block Pushoff
two cards as one and finally a single card. The result is similar to that
already shown in Fig. 12, the spectator’ s view. Transfer face card to under
the fan of cards, "In order to sandwich the two Red Aces," you say as the
packet is squared. From this point continue with Step 17 of 3rd Method of
"Succession Aces."

4th Revision - At Slop 24_ of the 3rd Method of "Succession Aces" you were in­
structed to up-jog the two Stranger Aces, facing you on top of the major packet,
as in Fig. L> for later copping of them as in Fig. 6. With a Double Face Ace
card, especially a thick one as recommended, this is not only quite easy but
necessary since you do not want to bend the card(s) too much. In the case of
Stranger Aces you will be dealing with two loose cards; therefore, after the
initial transfer of those cards, the 4 Aces plus X card, to the face of the
packet just follow through by turning the packet, end for end, towards yourself,
face up into the left hand. The right hand for a moment comes over the packet
to grasp itby the ends. The left 4th fingertip quickly pulls down the lower­
most two Stranger Aces then moves in to obtain a break above them. The left
thumb now deals over the Aces which are taken, one at a time, by right hand
which deals each Ace, one at a time, towards the spectator or to the center of
the table as you remark, "Perhaps you would care to look over your four Aces."
With the 4 Aces face up on the table and attention directed to them you have
ample opportunity for right hand to come back and again grasp the packet from
above by the ends. The left hand remains stationary but the right hand (which
lias 1st finger curled on top, 2nd-3rd-4th fingers across front end and thumb
extended across the back end of the packet,) moves the outer end of the packet
very slightly to the left. This causes the bottom two cards, which are held
back by the tip of left 4th finger, to be angled slightly so that their outer
left corner presses against the tip of right 2nd finger. The outer right corner
is angled, at the upper end, to the right and covered by the right hand at this
point. The left thumb moves to the left side of the packet. Right hand alone
now supports the angled Stranger cards by pressure between right 2nd fingertip
at outer left corner and extended’right thumb along the back end. Right hand
now moves its packet forward as ball of left thumb slides along the left side of
the packet in an apparent squaring action. Right hand now slides the packet back
towards performer. The left hand, which is almost flat with fingers more or less
normally extended, will palm the bottom cards, with practically no finger move­
ment at all, as follows: When the right hand slides the packet backwards, (the
left thumb still apparently squaring off the left side of packet), it does so
until the outer right corner of the bottom angled cards contact the tip of the
left 3rd fingertip. At this point do not grab or close the left fingers around
those cards. Instead the left 3rd fingertip merely keeps the bottom cards back
as right hand again moves these cards above the Stranger Aces forward. Not
until the left thumb comes in contact with the lower left corner of the packet
does left 3rd fingertip press in, on the outer right corner, to more or less
gently squeeze the cards into a full palm. The forwaixl packet also helps hide
any possible finger movement of the left fingers. Remember do not bend or curl
in the fingers of left hand during the palming action. Hie palmed cards lie
gently in what would be considered almost an open hand. IF you are worried about
 - 120-

any spectator in back of you, during the above palming action, only a very
slight change is required. This is when the packet is moved back and the
left 3rd fingertip engages the upper right corner of the angled cards. Here
do not move the packet forward. Instead gently squeeze the left 3rd fingertip
against the upper right corner of the angled cards and at the same time the
right hand moves its packet counter-clockwise, to the left, then further inward.
The left thumb moves over across the face of the packet with the tip of left
thumb pointing at or even near the upper end at about the center. from the
top the packet will completely hide the palmed cards; however, to make sure of
all angles bring the left hand towards the body turning the left hand so that
the lower right: corner of the visible packet is practically touching your wearing.
Again remember - the left hand does not grab the cards to be palmed - the hand
palming the cards is not closed like a fist. Basically the left 3rd and 4th
fingers are slightly curled inward, to help bring the cards to be palmed down
towards the palm; however, the left 1st and 2nd fingers are ex tend ed with 1st
finger extended slightly more than 2nd finger.While it took many words to
describe this palming action correctly it is done in a matter of seconds. These
same basic forward and backwards sliding movements, in order to palm out a card
from the center of deck by left 3rd fingertip is similar to that of "The Diagonal
Steal", in Chapter Four, of "Revolutionary Card Technique," "The Side Steal"-
1957. If you ever wish to do this "Diagonal Steal", on Page 45 of "The Side
Steal", then the Fig. 87 is an exageration. Actually the inserted card is pushed
into deck, very quickly, so it projects from outer end of the deck for only about
a quarter of an inch and not more than three eighths of an inch. You will be
practically assured of this by right thumb and 1st fingertip holding the outer
end of the card, about to be inserted from front end of the deck, by the extreme
white border. New insert the card casually until the tips of the right thumb and
first linger hit the front end of the deck and prevent it from going in any
further. Right hand comes over the deck to push the card flush; however, the
right 2nd fingertip, in seeming to push the card in straight, actually angles
it to the right so that its upper right corner is angled out, at right side of
the deck, near the upper right corner. From here go into the forward and back­
ward actions, with right hand moving the deck, as left thumb seemingly squares
the left side of the deck. On the backward movement the left 3rd fingertip en­
gages the angled cards outer right corner and holds it back as right hand moves
rest of deck forward and to the table. The right hand, during the forward and
backward movement has its first finger curled on top and naturally right hand
still holds deck, from above by the ends, as the left hand palms out the center
card, then places it to the table. Anyway I have digressed slightly from the
actual subject matter of this Chapter which is "Succession Aces." At this point,
I will describe a problem that I posed under the title of "Technicolored Suc­
cession Aces." The Effect was to be that the performer would deal out 4 Red
Backed Aces and onto each 3 Blue Backed cards would be dealt. So far those
jumping to conclusions would think of Lin Searles "Ultimate Aces" effect; how­
ever, this is a bit more complex. You see the Red Back Ace not only has to
apparently vanish to leave all Blue Backed cards but also their faces must show
4X cards. Now the second packet is shown to contain two Red Backed Cards and
they ai'o shown to be two Aces. These now vanish leaving again all Blue Backed
cards and the faces show 4X cards. The third packet is now shown having three
Red Backed cards and these are shown to be the _3 Aces and naturally only one
Blue Backed X card. Here all three Aces vanish leaving all Blue Backed X cards.
 -± 2 1 -

Tho final or Loader packet now is shown to have four Red Backed cards arid
they are the Aces. The final condition was that all the above be accomplished
with borrowed decks. Sounds like an impossibility; however, I had some ideas
and David Solomon of Chicago had some. Between us we came up with the following:

"TECHNICOLOR" SUCCESSION ACES"

Edward Mario - David Solomon

EFFECT - As I already described above. All that is required are two decks of
the same size but different in color and even design. Assume your host has
two such decks on hand.

1. On getting Red deck, hold it facing you. ' Quickly get the 4 Aces, a 3D and
QC to face of the deck. Arrange these £ cards in order, from face to top,
of AD-AC-AS-AH-3D-QC. The deck is still facing you. Thumb over four Aces,
without reversing their order, and in re-squaring get a left 4th fingertip
break below the face £ cards. Right hand lifts, from above by the ends, the
£ cards above the break as right hand places the deck aside. Place the £
cards face up into left hand dealing position. Spread the face 3 Aces, be­
tween both hands, with left fingers pressing in, against right side of the
packet,.to hold the last three cards as one. Re-square the Aces, then place
this Red Backed packet face down to the table.

2. Pick up the Blue Backed Deck and hold it with faces towards yourself.
Quickly locate the AC and bring it to the face of the deck. Again spreading
deck between both.hands locate the AD. Separate the spread of cards then i
transfer AD to the face ofadeck. From face of the deck thumb over eleven
cards. This includes the AD and AC but also see that among the remaining
9X. cards there aren’
t any three spot value cards and no £C because one is
already among the Red Backed £ cards on the table.

3. When you have the eleven Blue Backed cards in right hand the left hand places
rest of deck aside. Both the Blue Backed Deck and Red Backed Deck should be
face u p ; however, try to remember which is the Red Backed deck. With the
eleven cards faces towards yourself transfer the face £ cards, without re­
versing their order, to top of the packet. The order, from top down, to
face, is X card-AC-AD-8X cards. Turn the packet face down and false count
them as twelve being sure you do not reverse their order during the false
count which should be of the type where you take each card under the other.
Turn the packet face up, spread the cards slightly so you can spot the card
in front or preceding the two Aces. This remembered as your key for the
moment. With the packet face up in left hand dealing position comment,
"As you can see I have removed cards of varied suits and values." During
this patter line you are counting the cards, one under the other and taken
by fingers and thumb of right hand, thumb on face of cards fingers beneath.
Watch for your noted key card and when you see it the left thumb does a
Block Pushoff of £ cards as one to under the cards in the right hand. The
last card can be snapped by left fingers and placed onto the face of the
 -1 2 2 -

paeket. The count, is not an audible one but merely inferential an you show
the face:*, of the supposed twelve cards you already counted when they were
face down. Later they will remember you showed 12 cards but not how they
were shown. Drop this Blue Backed packet face down onto the tabled Red
Backed packet.

4. Pick up the tabled major packet. Hold it with faces towards yourself. Left
thumb pushes over, one at a time under each other, the 4 Red Backed Aces
which are taken with right thumb on face, at lower right corners, with right
fingers beneath. The fanned four Aces still touch or rest against the face
of the major packet. The spectators from their side see only 4 Red Backed
cards. Re-square the four Aces at same time getting a left 4th fingertip
break beneath them. Right hand comes over the deck to grasp it from above
by the ends. During this time the right thumb, at back end, lifts up the
card that is below the break or the 3JD so that it joins the four Aces. The
left 4th fingertip now has a break below the face _5 cards - 4 Aces and 3 D .

5. Lower the left hand so that face of the packet is visible to spectators.
Left thumb deals or fans over 3 of the face Aces towards right hand which
supports the right side of the fanned Aces. This shows only the 4 Aces
to the spectators. Re-square the Aces as right hand again moves to grasp
the ends of the major packet from above. The right thumb at the back end
now also helps to maintain the break on the face _5 cards. This now leaves
the left 4th fingertip free to pull down and obtain a break on the lower­
most Blue Backed AC. Thus the right thumb maintains a break at the back
end, near lower right corner, on the five face cards and the left 4th finger­
tip has a break, at lower right corner, above the lowermost card or Blue
Backed AC. Right hand naturally holds the ends of the major packet.

6. You will now do an original version of the Veeser Concept that I originally
had in the December 1959 M.U.M. issue. The left thumb peels off the face AD
and at same time the left fingers secretly also take the bottom AC. The left
4th fingertip gets a break between these two Aces apparently handled as one
A D . Left hand moves towards the packet, held by right hand from above by
the ends, in order to peel off the face AC onto the AD in left hand. The
left 4th fingertip now has a break below two Aces-AD-AC. When left hand
thumb is about to peel off the face AS the cards in left hand naturally go
under the packet held by right hand. During this time the two Aces, above
the break in left hand, are picked up flush to under the packet in right
hand as left thumb peels off the face AS onto the AC in left hand. Since
an AC was the face card of the left hand cards it will be even to your ad­
vantage if the A C , now in left hand, is slightly exposed when you peel the
AS onto it. The next card, the AH on face of deck, is really two cards
above a break or AH and 3D. These two cards can be swung over, by right
2nd fingertip, to the left so that these two cards, as one, are more or less
pinched, by the left thumb, at upper left corner, against the base of left
1st finger, onto the Aces in left hand. In the event you find this final
action difficult, because the cards are flush at upper end, then you can
solve this by merely beveling the packet forward with right thumb. This
 will cause right thumb to automatically force the cards above the break
to project slightly at top end where the right 2nd fingertip can feel and
engage these cards for the eventual swing cut action. Another alternative
is to openly have a V type separation all along the right side of those _5
cards, as one, when it comes time. The best procedure is to originally
get a break, with tip of right 3rd finger, at the outer right corner below
the face _5 cards. This will keep the cards flush all around except a slight
break at the upper right corner covered by right 2nd and 3rd fingers at front
end. When it comes time to get the two cards, as one, a slight relaxing of
the right 2nd finger will cause a slight lift of the two cards, at outer end,
which right 2nd f Lngcr can swing over to the left to be taken onto the Aces
in left inind. (I'or more details of this technique see "Black Thought" which
is in V o l . II of the Magazine.)
7. Right hand places the major packet face up to the table. The supposed Red Back
Aces in left hand are now actually, from face to top, Red Back AH-Red Back 3D
Red Back AS-Blue Back AC. Right hand pulls out the lowermost AC to place it
face up to the table. Right hand grasps left side of the face up packet,
fingers on face thumb below, to turn them over face down and do a D'Amico
Spread which shows two Red Backs. Left hand grasps left side of the spread
cards, thumb on top fingers beneath, while right hand takes AS, to turn it
face up, then deal it to the right of the AC. Right hand turns the still 2
squared cards, in left hand, face up into left hand dealing position. Place
right hand, at left side of the two cards, with fingers on the face thumb
below. Right hand turns palm down to bring backs of cards into view. At
the same time the right fingers pull the bottom AH to the right while the
right thumb pushes top card to the left. The right hand takes the AH while
left hand takes the 3D* Both cards are tossed face down to the table with
3D as first card on the left and AH in second position to the right. The
AC and AS are in the 3rd and 4th positions respectively in the row of four
cards. Your patter is simply that you will leave the Black Aces face up and
Rod Aces face down for the present.

8, The major packet, which is face up, has the cards in order of Red Back QC-
9X Blue Back cards-Bluc Back AD-Red Back AC and AD. You are now ready to
apparently place 3 Blue Backed cards onto each Red Backed Ace. Pick up the
major packet holding it face up in left hand. Thumb over the face 3 cards,
without reversing their order, into right hand. Square up the 3 cards
between the fingers and thumbs of both hands as you hold them well above
the cards still in left hand. Left hand puts down major packet. Right
hand takes the 3 cards, faces up, to scoop up the face up AC. Square this
packet before turning it face down. A Blue Back will show. Right hand holds
the packet from above by the ends. The left hand goes under the packet and
with tip of left 4th finger pull down two cards at lower right corner. Next
move out the bottom two cards as one which will show a Red Back. Leave this
card(s) side-jogged to the left for about a third of its width. Right hand
turns palm up to show that the side-jogged Red Back card is the AC. Right
hand turns palm down. Left fingers, from below, push the AC only back to
the right in line with the cards above the Red Back card. The left hand
removes the side-jogged Red Back card as right hand holds onto its cards.
 -1 2 4 -

With Red Back card face down in left hand say, "The Red Back Ace." Right
hand places its cards on to the Red Back card. At once both hands spread
or fan the four cards to show 3 Blue Backed cards on top of a Red Backed
card. Your patter addition is, "And three Blue Backed cards onto the Red
Back Ace." Square up the packet and place it face down into the 3rd
position of the row. This 3rd packet has, from top down, 2X Blue Back
cards-Blue Back AC-Red Back Q C .

9. Right hand picks up the major packet to replace it face up into left hand
dealing position. Thumb over the next _3 face cards into right hand. Turn
these face down, spread them to show 3 Blue Backs, then place these face
down onto the face down Red Back card in 1st position on your left or the
3D as a supposed A D .

10. You have 7 cards remaining in your left hand. You now do the Veeser Concept
as follows: The left 4th fingertip pulls down the lowermost Red Back Aces,
to get a break above them, or you can use a Double Buckle to obtain the
left 4th fingertip break at lower right corner. The right hand is above
the packet holding it by the ends. The right 1st finger is curled against
the face of the packet. The left thumb starts to peel off the face card as
at same time the .lowermost two Red Back AD-AC are secretly taken along under
cover of the face card. The left 4th fingertip keeps a break below this
face card thus separating it from the two Aces at the lower right corner.
The loft thumb peels off the next face card, from right hand packet, onto
those in left hand. As left hand moves to peel off the next face card, the
third one, the left hand naturally has to go under the packet in right hand.
The too X cards above the left 4th fingertip break are picked up flush to
under the right hand packet as left thumb peels off the face card, of right
hand packet, onto the two Red Backed AC-AD in left hand. Obviously when
peeling off the 3rd card, from right hand packet, this card must go onto
the Aces in direct alignment so as not to expose an Ace in left hand cards..
Right hand can place its cards face up to the table then right hand grasps
the right side of the face up cards in left hand with thumb on the face and
fingers beneath. Place these face up onto the face up AS. Right hand picks
up the squared packet, turns it over face down into left hand. The right
1st finger taps the back of the Red Back AS then grasps the packet from
above by the ends. The left fingers pull out the single bottom card to show
a Blue Back card then it is pushed back and the squared packet returned face
down to the table. The patter and excuse for leaving the AS packet with its
Red Back showing is, "I'll leave the Red Ace on top of the Blue Cards to
distinguish the leader Ace from the others." 1

11. You have four Blue Back cards remaining. Their order, from top down, is
2X cards-AD-IX card. Hold them face down in left hand. Thumb over two cards
holding the last too as one. The right hand grasps the fan of three cards,
fingers beneath thumb on top, then shows their faces. The AD will remain
hidden by the bottom or fourth card from top. Square up the packet and
place it face down onto the face down Red Back AH in the 2nd position from
the left.
12. Before going any further check the packets to see if you have followed
the instructions this far. The 1st packet has _3 Blue Backed cards on
top of a Red Backed 3D as supposedly an AD. The 2nd packet has 4 Blue
Backed cards, as apparently 3, on top of a Red Back AH. A Blue Back AD
is third from the top in this five card packet. The 3rd packet has 3
Blue Back cards on top of a Red Back card that in this case is the Q C .
A Blue Back AC is third from top in this packet. The 4th or leader
packet has 3 Red Backed cards, as apparently a single Red Back AS, on
top of one Blue Back X card supposedly as 3^ Blue Back cards covered by
a Red Back Ace. The order of the _3 Red Back Aces, from top down, in
this packet is AS-AD-AC on top of one X Blue Back card. You are now
set: for the various vanishes and also appearances from packet to packet.

13. The Lst. Vanish is with the first packet on the left. Right hand picks
up this packet and spreads it between both hands to show 3 Blue Backed
cards on top of a Red Backed card. Square up the packet then flash the
3D as an AD by left lst and 2nd fingers covering the lower pip, only with
the second and third joints of these fingers. This leaves a fair amount
of white visible at the right of the card. The right lst-2nd-3rd fingers
cover the upper pip. The right 4th finger is along the right side of the
cards. This exposes a fair amount of white surface on the left side, at
the upper end, of the card. The whole idea, during the flashing of the
3D is not to cover the top and bottom ends clear across these ends. Hold
the packet face down in left hand and do the Elmsley Count Concept using
the Jordan Mechanics which is to take the top card into right hand dealing
position. (Or left hand if you start the count by holding onto the packet,
at right side, with right fingers and thumb as left hand takes one card onto
the other.) At any rate, having taken the top card into right hand, take
the next card onto the one in right hand. On the count of "Three" both
cards from right hand go under the two cards in left hand. Right hand takes
all _3 cards on the count of "Three" except the bottom card, of those orig­
inally in right hand, which is taken by left fingers and thumb. Left 2nd
finger snaps left side of this card on the count of "Four" then replaces
this card to the bottom of the 3 cards in right hand. The Red Back card
lias apparently vanished; however, it is the second card from the top in the
face down packet. The right thumb goes under the packet, from the right
side, in order to turn it face up. During this turn the right lst finger
is along the top end of the packet while the 2nd-3rd-4th fingers press down
firmly on top of the packet in order to keep it squared. As the packet
comes face up the right lst fingertip presses against the right side, of
the face up packet, at the upper right corner. The right thumb presses on
the face card and pulls it to the right, at an angle, past the tip of the
right lst finger. This results in a sort of D ’ Amico Spread all done with
right hand alone and sets up the cards for an easy start of the Elmsley
Count. The left fingers and thumb grasp the left side of the cards with
right hand taking the cards, into dealing position, as' you do the standard
mechanics of the Elmsley Count to shew 4X cards. On completion of the
Elmsley Count placing-last card to the bottom. The supposed AD has not
shown and neither has the 3D. The Red Back 3D is the third card of the
face up packet. Place the packet face up to the. table. As an afterthought
the right hand takes off the face card of the packet to scoop up the
other 3 cards. During this the left thumb can position itself at the
back end of the packet, 1st finger on the face packet, 2nd-3rd-4th fingers
at left side of packet. The right hand uses its card to come in from the
front end during the scoop up and the position of left hand, on the tabled
cards, keeps them squared. Once the right hand card is under and square
with the tabled cards the right 1st and 4th fingers straddle the outer end
of the packet. Right thumb presses against f a c e o f packet turning it
■face down.. Right hand places the packet, stil] squared, face clown to the
left almost in its original position. This may appear as a lot of descrip­
tion to vanish a card from among the four cards; however, it is one thing
to say, "Turn the packet face down," but quite something else when it comes
to "How" to do this. I
The 2nd packet will now be shown to contain two Red Back cards which will
be the AH and AD. This packet has 5 cards. They are, from top down, 2X
Blue Back cards-Blue Back AD-Blue Back X card-Red Back AH. Pick up the j^
packet and place it face down into left hand. Right fingers pull out the
bottom Red Back card, at the lower right corner, to place it on top of the
packet side jogged to the right for about half its width. Say, "We had one 1
Red card now we have two." Here right hand grasps right side of the cards l>
as left thumb snaps downward the upper left corner of the packet. At once
left hand retakes the packet, by the left- side with thumb on top and fingers j
beneath. Right hand immediately peels off the Red Back card into right hand (
dealing position as you say, "One Red card." Go into the Elmsley Count taking
the block of 3 Blue cards as one as at same time the Red Back card from right
hand is secretly loaded to under the single Blue Back card in left hand. .1
The left thumb and fingers spread its two cards, showing a Blue Back and
supposedly another Red Back card. The Blue Back card is taken onto the
cards in right hand but the Red Backed card is snapped, by left fingers, \
then placed under the cards in right hand. Your complete patter line, for i
the complete count of four cards is, "One Red card-two Blue cards-and the
second Red Back card." Turn the packet face up into left hand dealing pos- ,
ition. Left thumb fans over three cards, showing two Red Aces and two X j
curds. 'Hie last two cards are held as one. Simply say, "And here are the
two Red Aces." Hold the three fanned face cards, the AH-AD-X card, in right
hand while the left hand places its card, really two as one, onto the face
of the packet as you comment about sandwiching the Red Aces. Keep the packet :
face up as left thumb deals over the face card just about a quarter inch.
Here again use the magical gesture moves (Mario Sequence) of right hand
holding packet, left thumb snapping upper left corner of packet, left hand (
retaking packet by left side, right hand taking cards, via the Elmsley Count,
into right hand but the last two cards, ending up in left fingers, are placed
under (or taken under one at a time) the cards in right hand. You have shown j
four X cards and the two Red Aces are seemingly gone. To add further proof
the right hand grasps the left side of the face up packet, with thumb on
bottom the fingers on the face, then goes into the D ’Amico Spread as the
packet is turned over, to the right, face down. Left thumb and fingers
grasp left side of the packet as you easily go into the standard Elmsley
Count except the cards are taken into right hand dealing position. This
I
 time the Elmsley Count has arranged the packet, from top down, 3 Blue X
cards, Blue Back AD covering Red Back AH. The packet is placed face down
into left hand. The right hand deals the cards, one at a time onto each
other, to the table until 3 cards have been dealt. The last card(s) are
straddled, at the outer end, between right 1st and 4th fingers. Now do
the "Scoop Up Palm" to toss three of the tabled cards onto the 1st packet
on the left. Right hand, with its two palmed cards, secretly adds the
Blue Back AD and Red Back AH onto the 3rd packet.

IS. The 3rd Packet, which has been scooped off the table by right: hand into the
waiting loft hand, has 6 cards now. Their order, from top down, is Blue
Back AD-Red Back All-2 Blue X oards-B.luc Back AC-Red Back QC. You will now
show the appearance of 3 Red Back cards and the faces of 3 Aces. The pro­
cedure is as follows: Pick up packet with right hand and place it face
down into left hand dealing position. Right fingers and thumb remove the
bottom Red Back card, at lower right corner, to place it on top in a side-
jogged condition to the right. Right hand grasps the right side of the
packet, thumb on top fingers beneath, while left thumb flicks upper left
corner of the packet downwards as you remark, "Remember - we had only one
Red card in this packet." Left hand retakes the packet by the left side,
thumb on top fingers below, while right hand peels off the side-jogged top
Red Back card into right hand dealing position counting, "One Red card."
Peel off the next top card, a Blue one, onto the card in right hand as you
count, "One Blue card." On the next or third count the right hand takes
all the cards, as supposedly a single Red Back card, from left hand, with
you counting, "IWo Red cards." During this the left fingers and thumb have
re-stolen the Red Back card from under the cards in right hand. Thus the
loft hand holds a single Red Back card as you snap it and count, "Three Red
cards-one Blue card." Right hand takes this Red card onto the cards in right
hand. The Elmsley Count Concept, using the Jordan Mechanics, plus a bit of
the Veeser Concept has arranged the packet, from top down, in Red Back QC-
Red Back AH-_2 Blue Back X cards-Blue Back AC and AD. Turn the packet face
up, into left hand dealing position. Merely place the right thumb under the
right side of the packet and turn it over sidewise to the left, face up into
left hand. Do the Bill Simon Buckle Glide, by buckling bottom or lowermost
card, with left fingers, while right 1st and 2nd fingertips enter the separa­
tion, at lower right corner, with right thumb on top of the packet. Right
fingers pull out the second card from the bottom, the card above the buckled
card, as right thumb pushes back on the top cards right edges to keep them
squared. The right hand thus has removed the Red Back AH, flash its back,
then place it to the face of packet alongside the AD as you say, "Two Red
A c e s Square up the packet. Do a Double Buckle or a left 4th fingertip
pull down to get a break above the two lowermost or bottom cards. Do not
reverse the order of the packet as left thumb deals over the AH-AD then
right hand fingers and thumb grasp the cards, above the break, as apparently
a single card, the AC. Left hand retains last two car'ds as one X card. You
are displaying a fan of four cards, from face to top, in AH-AD-AC and X card
order. Left hand transfers its card(s) onto the face of the packet and
squares it up into left hand dealing position. Get into a position for the
Elmsley Count. (Again using the Mario approach for logically getting into
position by seemingly doing a magical gesture. As previous’described -
Left thumb shoves over face or top card. Right hand grasps right side of
the packet with thumb on top fingers beneath. Left hand meantime is free
to magically snap downward, with the left thumb, the upper left corner of
the packet as you say, "All I have to do is this and the Aces will vanish."
Left hand retakes the packet, at left side, with thumb on top the fingers
below. Right hand at once easily takes the top side-jogged card or cards
and goes into the Elmsley Count or the Jordan Count or the Veeser Concept
or the Flexible Count.) In this case with the packet do the Elmsley Count
but place the last two cards, that end up in left hand to under the cards
in right hand. The _3 Aces do not show during the count and have seemingly
vanished as only 4 X cards have been seen. Turn the packet face down into
left hand. Thumb over only the top 3 cards, to show a fan of. 4 Blue Back
cards, holding the last 3 cards as one. The Red Back cards are nowhere
in sight thus adding credence to the vanish of the 3 Aces. IF you wish
you can flash the faces of the top two cards, not the 3rd card, but also
the last or bottom card being sure you hold these 3 cards very firmly as
one card. Now hold 3 Blue Back cards fanned in right hand. The right
lingers, from beneath, pull inward on the 3rd or lowermost card of the fan
to in-jog it. As right hand goes to place its 3^ cards onto the card(s) in
left hand, the left finger buckles the bottom card of its card(s) so that
the 3rd card of the right hand fan goes into the open space, above the
buckled, card, while the top two cards of the fan go on top. When the
packet is squared the in-jogged card remains in-jogged. The right hand
comes over the packet, to grasp it by the ends, then the right thumb presses
down on the in-jogged card so that a break is obtained above it. The left
hand at once cuts those cards below the break, a Blue Back card covering a
Red Back card, to the top. The order of the packet is now, from top down,
Blue Back AH-Red Back QC-2 Blue X cards-Blue Back AD-Red Back AH. This
packet is placed face down to the table alongside the other two assembled
packets. The assembled packets are now placed onto the 3rd packet from
which the 3 Aces have just vanished. This leaves the Red Back AH on the
bottom of this packet. Order of the 3 assembled packets total thirteen.
Their order, from top down, is 5 Blue Back X cards-1 Red Back 3D-1 Blue X
c.ard-1 Blue Back AC-1 Red Back QC-2 Blue Back X cards-1 Blue Back AD-1 Red
Back AH on the bottom of the packet. You are now ready for the leader
packet:.

The Loader Packet: - You will now show the 4th packet as having all Red Back
curds which are the 4 Aces. Right hand picks up the squared Leader packet ,
to place it face down into left hand. This packet has 3 Red Back Aces in
order of AS-AD-AC, from top down, witli bottom card actually a Blue Back X
card. Left thumb deals over only top two cards, without reversing their
order, which are taken by right hand and placed to under the cards in left I
hand. You have only shown 3 Red Back cards but your patter is, "All these
cards are now Red." Right hand turns the packet face up, doing D ’ Amico Spread,
to easily go into the Elmsley Count, with Mario approach to show 3 Aces as j
apparently four Aces. Since the Red Ace was the face Ace to start, no one
will notice its second appearance especially since the left fingers, which
end up with two Aces before the count is finished, spread these last two
l
 cards to show an AC and AD. Left hand places these two Aces to the bottom
or under Lite face up cards in right hand. Right hand again grasps the
right side of the packet, thumb below and fingers on the face, then does
the D ’
Amico Spread as right hand turns palm down to bring the backs of the
Red Back cards into view. At once do the standard Elms ley Count to show
the packet as apparently having 4 Red Back cards. The Blue Back X card
will become the bottom cards of the now face down packet which is placed
into left hand. Right hand picks up the major assembled packet to place
it onto the packet in left hand. The left 4th fingertip keeps a break above
the 4 cards in left hand. Release with the right thumb or use the left 4th
fingertip kick-out, at lower right corner to angle out the card above the
break, to pull the angled Red Back AH onto the cards below the break. The
left hand at once cuts its cards to top. Left thumb deals off the top 4 Red
' Back cards, taken by right hand, as follows: Take the top two cards one
under the other. The 3rd Red Back card is pushed between the two cards in
right hand then take the 4th Red Back card to under the 3> cards in right h a n d .
This alternates the colors of the Aces, with AC at the face, then right hand
tosses these face up to the table for spectators to examine or look over if
they wish.
r 17. The remaining cards in left hand are in order, from the top down, of 6 Blue
X eards-1 Red Back 3D-1 Blue Back X card-1 Blue Back AC-1 Red Back QC-2 Blue
Back X cards-1 Blue Back AD. The Red Back cards are 3D-7th and QC-lOth
positions from the top of the packet. The Blue Back AC is 9th from top and
the Blue Back AD at 13th or the bottom card of the packet.

18. With the major packet face down in left hand the left fingers transfer:
bottom AD to top. The right hand turns the packet face up and back into
left hand. Note the face card as a key card. Right hand grasps the packet
as for the Biddle Move. The left fingers now Buckle the lowermost card while
left thumb presses on the face card. As left thumb peels off the face card
the left fingers secretly carry along the lowermost AD in line so apparently
you have peeled off only the one face car'd into left hand but actually X card
covers AD. Left thumb peels off another card, from face of packet, onto
those in left hand then left hand places these cards to under the face up
cards held by right hand. The AD is top card of the packet. The peeling
off moves are excused by the patter line, "I will show you these cards.”
19. With packet face up in left hand and right hand squaring the ends get set
for a Double Lift. Left thumb pushes over the two face cards, as one, into
I right hand dealing position. The next face card is thumbed over and taken
under the card in right hand. The next card, which will be a 3D (Red Backed
card) and is taken onto the cards in right hand. This brings the two Red
Backed cards together at the face of the packet. Without any stalling the
succeeding cards arc taken, one at a time, to under the cards in right hand.
Continue till you come to your key card. Here two cards as one are placed
to under the curds in right hand. No Aces have been seen. Right hand keeps
i the packet face up.

20. Right thumb pushes over the face card of the major packet to use it as a
I scoop to scoop up the face up Red Deck. When you turn this deck face down,
 notice the thickness and say, "Wrong Deck." Now just thumb off all the f
Blue Pack cards until the Red Backs of Red Deck show. Place this Red Deck
to the table, with left hand, while the right hand holds onto the Blue Back
cards which incidentally were not reversed, as far their order is concerned, |
during the thumbing of them from top of Red Deck. This packet contains
eleven cards with AD on top and AC at the bottom. Place the packet into
the left hand while right hand retains its hold above the packet by its r
ends. In a simulated Slip Cut the left fingers and thumb peel both topand *
bottom cards, the AD and AC, into left hand. When right hand places its
cards onto these two Aces, the left 4th fingertip obtains a break above
them. The packet is thus held faces down in left hand dealing position. I

21. Right hand turns tabled Blue Deck face down onto table. Pick it up, with
right hand from above by the ends. Both hands approach each other, as if £
to place the packet from left hand onto the top of the Blue Deck. Actually
only 9 cards of the left hand packet go on top while the two Aces, on which
the left 4th fingertip break is held, go into the center of the deck from .
left side, at the lower left corner of deck. Everything is now cleaned up *
in the event that some spectator may wish to check the top twelve cards of
the Blue Deck. Later you can place the four Red Back Aces face down onto
top of deck but first cut the Red Deck to lose the 3D card into center of f
the deck.

22. Once the reader has taken the trouble to master the various combinations of j
appearances and vanishes, the rest is to commit the sequence to memory then
through repetition make it progress from stage to stage, to the final climax,
without the obvious mental effort that the initial learning of this or any
of the other routines will take. I can guarantee that while the experts will 5
be able to follow a phase here and there_,as you do the routinejin no way
will they be able to re-construct it without their usual rush to their Xerox
copies. j
 “ -t J - L -

TEC1INIC0LQR S. A. REVISIONS (MARLO)

In trying to get away from using the Biddle type grip during the Veeser Concept,
I have decided to make the following opening Revisions of the packet handling.
They are easily adapted as the opening procedure for the major packet and the
other supposed four card packets.

1. Bogin by removing, from the Red Deck, the identical cards as before. These
also are, from face to top, in AD-AC-AS-AH-3D-QC order. Place these face
down to table. When you place the deck face up put a red card at its face
so that you can later identify it and a black card at face of blue deck.

2. From Blue Deck remove the AC and AD plus _9 X cards making sure there is no
3D or QC among them and there are no Aces near bottom of deck. These cards
are arranged, from top down, in AC-AD then 9 X cards. Place these face down
onto the tabled Red packet of six squared cards that are supposedly only four
Red Back Aces.

3. Pick up the complete 17 card packet. Hold packet facing you with both hands
cupped around it. Left hand has packet in dealing psoition while right hand
is cupped around right side of the deck. Left thumb quickly thumbs over the
face _5 ca r d s , without reversing their order, towards the cupped right hand.
Re-square the _5 cards getting left 4th finger break below them at lower right
corner. Turn left hand palm down and release those cards at the break from
the bottom of the packet. The Red Back cards have been placed back face
down to table with the excuse that you have to check the Blue Backed cards.

4. With packet face up in left hand start to show the faces of the cards as you
comment that you are using a varied assortment of cards. You can keep up a
continuous patter line if you group count, both visually and mentally, in
sets of three. When you have thus taken the cards, one under the other,
in three sets of three hold the last card(s), really 3, as one in left hand.
Left hand flexes this card(s) then places it under the cards in right hand.
Turn the packet face down as you say, "You will note that there are no other
Aces among these one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten-eleven-
twelve Blue cards." During this counting patter line you again take each
card under the other but do a false count somewhere along the line or when­
ever you feel the time is just right. The count will end up on "twelve"
with left hand holding last two cards, a Blue Back card covering a Red Back
Q C , as one card which is placed to under the cards in right hand.
5. Right hand casually takes top card, with thumb on top fingers below, by the
right side as left thumb and fingers snap left side of this card. Remark,
"TWclve single caivls," as right hand casually transfers this top card to
under the packet. This card will be the Blue Backed AC. Right hand taker,
the packet; by lower eight corner in order that left hand can change position
by coming over and above the packet to grasp it: by the sides with left thumb
going in under the packet from the 1el t side; anti the 2nd -3 rd-4 t:h fingers
curled around the right side of tin: packet. The loft .1st finger is curled
around what now has become the righL end of the face down packet.
 - i 1

tI

6 . The left thumb, from beneath, pushes the bottom card outward at outer side I
of the packet. The left fingers pull back this card with the left 4th
fingertip getting a break above it • Remember the packet is still face down
and left hand is palm down. The left hand, still palm down, picks up the
face down Red Back cards to under the packet in left hand. This is done
?
I
with left thumb moving in under the tabled packet, from inner side, to scoop
it up. The left 4th fingertip, which has maintained its original break, now r1
has this break below the six face cards as left hand now turns palm up. I

7. Left hand thumbs over only 3^ of the face Aces, to show 4 Aces, as right hand
grasps the fanned cards with thumb on the faces and the 1st and 2nd fingers
?
entering the break at lower right corner. Grasp those cards above the break,
actually b cards, as seemingly only four fanned Aces. Right hand moves the 1
m
fan of Aces off to the right for about half the width of the face C^G card.
The left thumb pushes the QC slightly to the right then pulls it back flush,
with rest of left hand packet, but the left 4th fingertip at same time obtains’
a break below the QC at lower right corner. f

8 . Now follow closely for the Face Up Face Up Switch (FUFU). The fanned Aces
are squared against the left thumb, which has moved to the left side of the
deck, as right hand aids in this squaring process by moving the fanned Aces
to the left. Right hand changes its position so it comes above the packet
to square the ends. During this squaring process of the Aces, the left 3rd 1
fingertip holds a momentary break below the block of 6 cards and left 4th
fingertip has a break below the C£C. Now as the right hand moves further to
the left the right 4th fingertip (or rather the right 4th fingertips left 1
side) obtains a break, at the outer right corner, between the face 6^ cards
and the QC. The left 4th fingertip and 3rd fingertip can release their
breaks. Thus the QC is only separated at the outer right corner by the
right 4th fingertip. The 2nd-3rd-4th right fingers are also more or less 1
extended across the outer end of the packet to later conceal the packets
thickness. That is why, unless you have a large hand, the right 3rd fingertip
is not used to hold the break in this case. The right hand keeps its packet 3
flusli with the cards below it. The left thumb now moves across the face of
the packet onto the AD. The right hand moves its cards to the right, which
secretly includes the QC, as left thumb holds back the face AD so it will
remain in line with the cards in left hand so as not to expose the face card,
of left hand cards, at this stage. As the AD comes clear of the cards from
right hand and is about to fall flush, onto the cards in left hand, the left
4th fingertip gets an open break or separation at the lower right corner. 5
The right hand comes back, rests its packet onto the AD but off to the right
for about half its width. The left thumb presses onto the face of the AC,
to keep it in place onto the AD, as right hand again moves to the right. .i
This leaves the AD and AC, side-jogged to the right for half its width, on
the packet in left hand. Once more the right hand rests its packet, this
time alongside the AC, for half its width as before. The left thumb presses
on the face of the AS, nearer the left side because of the fanned condition ,i
of the Aces, to again hold it back as right hand moves, to the right, but
this time only far enough, about half its width, to expose about half the
width of the last AH. The AS is still above the AH or actually the face
,1
 - 1 5 3 -

c a r d o f t h e f a n n e d f o u r A c e s r e s t i n g a g a i n s t t h o s e c a r d s in l e f t h a n d .
R i g h t h a n d n o w m o v e s to the l ef t , to s q u a r e up the f ou r f a n n e d A c e s . T h e
. l e f t t h u m b m o v e s to t h e l e f t s i d e o f t h e p a c k e t d u r i n g t h e s q u a r i n g o f t h e
fanned Aces. The r i ght 4th f i n g e r t i p also a u t o m a t i c a l l y en t e r s f u rther
i n t o t h e b r e a k t hu s s e p a r a t i n g the f a c e f ou r c a r d s f r o m the r e s t of the
packet. T h e QC ha s a l s o b e c o m e the f a c e c a r d of the p a c k e t t h u s a d d i n g
to t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t t h e o r i g i n a l f o u r A c e s w e r e l i f t e d o f f a n d u p a b o v e
t h e p a c k e t r e m a i n i n g in l e f t h a n d . T h e n o w 4 c a r d p a c k e t is f u r t h e r ”
s q u a r e d by the left f i n g e r s and t h u m b at the side s. The right hand, still
h o l d i n g the e n d s of the p a c k e t , n ow h o l d s the p a c k e t w h i l e l e ft h a n d p l a c e s
i t s c a r d s f a c e u p to t h e t a b l e . A n o t h e r w a y o f h a n d l i n g t h e s w i t c h is t o
a c t u a l l y take out the AH and h i d d e n c a r d s s t i l l h o l d i n g a b r e a k w i t h the
r i g h t l i t t l e f i n g e r a n d r e s t i n g it o n t h e AS^ to p r e s e n t a c l e a r e r p i c t u r e
o f 4_ A c e s . N o w p l a c e A H u n d e r A S a n d m a k e the s a m e s w i t c h as d e s c r i b e d .
9. You are now ready for the revised layout of the Aces. Place the Ace packet
face up into left hand. Right fingers remove the bottom AC. Left hand
thumbs over AS and AC is placed below it. Square up the packet. You now
do the "Olram Subtlety." Right hand takes AS then both hands turn palm
downward to flash the backs of the card in right hand and the back of the
squared packet in left hand. The left thumb should engage the left side of
the squared packet, in order to raise it above the left palm, move up to
the tips of thumb and fingers, when flashing the back of these cards. During
this first flash of supposedly two Red Back Aces your patter is, "Two Black
Aces go face up." Here both hands again turn palm up, to bring the face of
Aces to view, with right hand tossing AS face up to the right and left hand
thumbing off AC face up to the left of the AS.
10. The left hand has two cards with an AH showing. Right hand grasps left side
of the cards with fingers on the face and thumb on top. Right hand turns
palm down, bringing backs of cards to view, then right fingers pull AH to
the right, and right thumb pushes top card to the left. Left hand takes top
card while right hand retains AH. Drop AH face down alongside the face up
A C . Left hand drops Red Back 3D to the left as 1st card of the row of
supposedly all Red Back Aces; however, the order, from left to right, is
face down Red Back 3D-face down Red Back AH-Blue Back face up AC-Red Back
face up AS.1

11. Pick up the major packet and turn it face down into left hand. You want to
indirectly show that there aren’ t any Red Back cards among the Blue cards.
Actually there are 3 Red Back cards at the bottom of the packet. From the
face they are QC-AC-AD. A Blue Back AD is on top of the packet. Any silently
count the cards as you deal over, one card under the other, which are taken
by right hand more or less at the fingertips and thumb of right hand. When
the right hand has 9 cards the left hand holds the 10th card, really 4 cards,
as one. Left hand places this card(s) to under the sort of spread cards in
right hand. Both hands come together to square up the cards as right hand
moves to above the packet in order to square the ends. The left 4th finger­
tip meant ime lias also obtained a break, at the lower right corner, above the
bottom lour cards. 'Ihose cards consist of a covering Blue Back card on
top ol the 3 Red Back cards.
 - H Ji -

12 . Right liand, still holding packet from above by the ends, swivels the packet
sidewise to the right turning it face up. The left 4th fingertip, which ha
held its break during the turning, will cause the cards that were above the
break to angle off, to the right, at the lower right corner. The four face f
cards are thus stepped to the left at this same lower right corner. The
complete packet at this stage is more or less held with left fingers and
thumb by the left side with right hand still above the packet covering the f
angled condition. Right hand holds packet as left hand moves further under
the packet in order that the left 4th fingertip can obtain a break by pulling_
down on those angled cards below the face 4 stepped cards.
13. Hold the packet of faces facing yourself. With the left 4th fingertip having
a break now beneat.h the 4 face cards the right hand does a Mario Slip Cut
by pulling away aJ.l those cards above the break as left thumb keeps the face |
card QC in place so that it falls onto the cards in left hand whi.le the right
hand moves, to the right, with only a block of three cards. The AC will
face you and a Blue Back card will show on audience side. Right hand brings j-
its three cards back onto face of the cards in left hand; however, the left
2nd and 3rd fingertips push the lowermost card of these 3 cards, the Blue
Back card, to the right. The left thumb can extend clear across the face
'until its tip almost engages the right side of these three cards. This in­ r
sures that left fingers will push out only the Blue Back card and not expose
any Red. Back cards. The right hand now merely carries this single Blue Back
card until it is clear of the packet and then places it onto the face of the i
packet thus covering the A C .

14. The above displacement moves take only seconds and have re-arranged the order .
so that the face card is an X Blue card followed by Red Back AC-AD-QC then
the remainder of the Blue Back cards. (The Blue Back AD is the top card of
the packet). Lower the left hand, flashing the face card, then with right
hand turn the packet face down into left hand. You are now ready for the l
placing of Blue Backed cards onto the Red Back tabled Aces.

15. Thumb over the top _3 cards, one at a time, taking them into the right hand, ■
one onto the other thus reversing their order, then spread them face down
as if to place them onto the Red Back AH in 2nd position. Meantime left
thumb has pushed over the top card of packet, dragged it back, then left 4th
fingertip obtains a break beneath it. Right hand replaces its 3 cards back !
onto the top of packet. The right hand picks up the face down Red Back AH
to look at it as you question, "Let's see-is this the AH?" Replace the AH
face down in its original position. The left thumb deals over the top card I
of packet. The right hand takes it at the lower right corner, thumb on top
with 1st and 2nd fingers beneath. Right hand shows the face of this card.
With card still in right hand and the next card is taken under it, in a |
fanned condition then right hand shows both the cards. Again right hand
comes down to take the third card. Actually the two cards above the break
are picked off, at the lower right corner, to under the two cards in right
hand to form a fan of three cards. Right hand can show the faces of these ^
cards as the AD is hidden at second from the face. Square the fanned cards,
between the thumbs and fingers of both hands well above the remaining cards
in left hand, then right hand places these cards onto the Red Back AH in the L
2nd position, from the left, in the row.
 -1 3 5 -

16. Right hand takes the next three cards, one at time under each other, each
time flashing their faces. Only _3 fanned Blue Backed cards are actually
shown, squared up as the first set of cards was, then right hand places
these 3 Blue Back cards onto the Red Back card in the 1st position on the
left, the supposed AD but in reality a 3D.

17. Use the top card, of the cards remaining in left hand, by taking it into
right hand and using it as a pointer towards the two packets that already
have Blue Back cants covering the Rod Back cards you say, "The two Red Aces
have been covered." The right hand returns its card to under the packet;.
The right: hand grasps the packet at the lower left corner with fingers on
top and thumb beneath. Right hand turns palm up thus turning the packet
face up and back into left hand dealing position. At once the right fingers
remove the lowermost or bottom card of the face up packet. This card is
used to gesture towards the two face up Black Aces as you say, "That leaves
the two Black Aces." During the right hands gesture the left thumb pushes
over the face card of the packet so it becomes side -jogged to the right for
about a quarter of an inch. The right hand returns its face up card onto
the cards in left hand but so it also becomes side-jogged to the right for
about a quarter of an inch. This results in a three card fan or spread in
readiness for Mario's Technical Variation of the Veeser Concept. To logically
get into position for the move, the right hand grasps the fanned packet by
right side with thumb across the face fingers beneath. This leaves left
hand free to touch and move slightly the AC. Left hand comes back to grasp
left side of the fanned packet with tip of thumb on top or face of the packet
and the fingertips beneath. Right hand moves towards AS to also move it
slightly forward. Your lines for these actions are, "That leaves the AC and
the AS."

IB. You are now in position for the right hand to peel off the 1st face card
into right hand dealing position. The next face card is peeled or taken
onto the card already in right hand. Remember that during each peeling or
taking action the right hand automatically goes beneath the cards held by
the fingertips and thumb of left hand. This action is a very close sliding
action with the cards of right hand practically touching those in left hand.
There is no visible separation, between the two packets, from the front end
and the right 1st finger curled around the front end of its packet practically
insures this. With right hand now having two cards, it moves towards the left
hand to take apparently the next or third face card. As right hand approaches
the left hand cards the left thumb pushes forward, to the right, a block of
cards. The left fingers can also pull back to further aid the left thumbs
pushing action. The right hand, sliding in very close to under the cards
in left hand, leaves behind its two cards under the now single card. It is
important; that, when the two packets are practically in line, the right 1st
fingertip engages the upper left corner of the block of cards that have been
pushed to the right, as one card, by left thumb. The right 1st fingertips
grip on this upper left corner insures perfect alignment not only of the cards
now in right hand but also those left behind under the card in left hand.
IF the exchange has been correctly made, your right hand will have a face X
Blue Back card and the Red Backed AC-AD beneath it. All 3^ cards are face up.
The left hand also has 3^ cards face up consisting of the QC-a Red Back card-
2 X Blue Back cards.
The left hand places its cards face up to the table. Right hand places its
cards face up onto the face up AS. Pick up the packet and square it up.
Turn it, with right hand, face down into left hand. With right hand grasp
the packet from above by the ends. The left fingers pull out only the one
Blue Backed bottom card as you say, "The AS will be on the Blue cards so
that you can distinguish it as the Leader packet. Push the Blue card flush
and place the Leader packet face down to the table.

Right hand picks up the AC to place.it face up onto the _3 face up cards
that remain. Pick up the packet and spread it faces up between both hands.
In re-squaring get a break below the two face cards or below the CG which r'
is a Red Back card. The right hand, which comes above the packet to grasp
it by the ends, pivots the packet face down to the right. Due to the left
4th fingertip break the original, bottom or face two cards will angle to the
right at the lower right corner and show a Red Backed card. You now do the
"Mario Side-Jog Glide." It is explained elsewhere in this book but briefly- T
Aftor the pivotal turn the cards will end up face down more or less at the
fingertips and thumb holding the left side of the cards. The right 2nd and
3rd fingertips will be at the upper end at outer right corner with right
thumb at the lower right corners of both angled portions (two cards each)
with a Red Back card clearly seen to be angled out, to the right, at the
lower right corner. The right hand maintains its grip, 1st finger curled
on top of packet, as the left 4th and 3rd fingertips, at lower left corner,
pull back the bottom card, the AC in this case, to the left in line with ?
those cards above it. This leaves only the single Red Back card angled out
at lower right corner. Left fingers and thumb hold the left side of the
packet as the right hand takes the angled Red Back card, by the lower right n
corner, with thumb on toppand 1st and 2nd fingertips beneath, to pull it
out and clear of the packet. Your comment is, "Don't forget-a single Red
Back Ace of Clubs among the four cards." As you reach the last words of 7\
the above patter your right hand has replaced the Red Back card to under the
cards in left hand. At once both hands spread out the 4 cards to show 3
Blue Back caixis on what is supposedly a Red Back AD but actually the C€ n
with the Blue Back AC just above it. Place this packet face down to the
tabic into its original third spot in the row. From this point finish the
effect exactly as already outlined, in "Technicolor - Succession Aces" from
Stops I_2 to 20 inclusive. I feel the Revisions outlined are much better in 1
many ways; however, you decide for yourself.

In order to get away from the Biddle type handling there is one more revision.~"1
At Step lb of "Technicolor - Succession Aces", the order of the major packet t"-.
is such that the Red Back 3D is 7th from the top and the Red Back QC is 10th
from the top. The Blue Back AC is 9th from the top and the Blue Back AD is —j
13th or the bottom card of the packet. Now the Step 17 is revised as follows :f~.
Hold the packet facing yourself. Left thumb deals over the face 3 cards, one ;
at a time, which are taken into right hand one card onto the other. The _r
right hand simply places these _3 cards to top of the packet. During this ij
count off you should have noted the card that falls onto the AD as your key.
The AD is now on top and the Red Back C^C at the face. Lower the packet. Get .
a two card break under the face cards, the QC and the card below it in read- 1
iness for a two card push-off. Left thumb pushes over two cards as one into tj
right hand. The next card is taken under the C>C; however, the next card,
the 3D, is taken onto the C€. The two Red Back cards are now together at
the face of those in right hand. The left thumb pushes over succeeding_
but these are taken, one under the other, to under the cards in right
hand. When you reach your noted key card the left hand places these last
two cards, as one, to under those in right hand. IF you have a good sense
q £ touch you can feel when you have only two cards remaining in left hand.
This way you can dispense with the noting of a preceding key card. At any
rate you now can go directly into Step 19 to clean up and get rid of the
Red Back cards and the Blue Back AD-AC into the center of the Blue Deck.

SUCCESSION ACES PURE METHOD - Mario & Solomon

Set Up: Cull to the bottom of the deck in order from the face AS, AD, 3D, AC,
AH. Now from the face of the deck count off a total of 17 cards including
the Ace set up. If in these 17 cards there are other threes substitute
another card in their place.

Method:

1) Take the 17 card packet face down in dealing position. Fan from left hand
to right hand get a break above;the bottom five cards. Transfer these five
cards to the top of the packet and hold a left little finger break under the
packet.

2) Lay out the aces as follows: Deal the AH face up in front of you followed
by AC to the right of it. Lift the packet of 3 cards above the break
D'Amico spread showing the AD and AS, rest these aces face up against the
packet holding them spread with the left fingers below left thumb above. The
right hand now turns the AH and AC face down on the table.Next do a D^Amico Spread
1 with Mario Displacement Move flipping the AD face down on the packet
and thumb off the X card to the left of the AH. Right hand now drops the
AS face up to the right of AC. Layout now is (from left to right) 3D, AH, AC,
AS. Patter about red and black aces going face up and face down.
3) Turn the packet face up. Reverse count the face three cards into the
right hand showing indifferent cards. With these cards scoop up the
AS and turn the entire h card packet face down squared. Reverse count
next 3 cards and place them apparently on the AD really the 3D.
h) Spread the remaining cards showing only 6 cards by holding the last
2 as one - say, "Three for each Ace" as you put 3 cards on the AC and ^
cards on the AH.

5) First Vanish - do the handling described in Succession Aces - First

Method Step 11.

6) Second Packet - show 2 aces by fanning over first 2 cards and single buckle
last card. Transfer the AD to the face. When you square up the packet get
a left little finger break under the bottom 2 cards. Transfer these 2 cards
as one to the face of the packet. Make a magical gesture toward the first packet
commanding the aces to go. Elmsley Count to show h indifferent cards
although, place last 2 cards back on the bottom.
7) Turn the packet face down with the right fingers grasping the left long
side of the packet. The right thumb and index finger pivot the bottom
the right as the packet turns over. Immediately deal the bottom indifferent
card face down to the table. Follow the deal with the next 3 cards and do
the Scoop Up Palm 1 as previously described or do the Benzais cop to
transfer the 2 aces to the 3rd pile.

8) Third Packet - Show AC fan to right double buckle showing AH, AD transfer
these to the face. Get a left little finger break under the bottom 3 cards.
Transfer these 3 as 1 indifferent card to face. Make the magical vanish
again. Show 4 indifferent cards doing the Elmsly Count using the Jordan
mechanics; VIZ. Take the 1st and 2nd cards on the count of 3 take the
Wxiole block in the right hand and place the last card back on the bottom
(from the face now is X card, 3A's and 2X cards).

9) Do the easy bottom deal into the right hand, deal the next two cards into
the right hand one under the other flashing the faces. Do not show the 4th
card. Square up the packet getting a break with the right thumb between
the top 3 cards and the bottom 3 cards. Immediately do the deep gambler's
cop of the bottom 3 aces. The left hand casually drops below the table as
the right hand places its cards on the pile. Scoop up the 4th packet with
the right hand and add the 3 aces using the "Tabled Bottom Replacement"
page 38 hew Tops November 1975*
10) Hold 4th packet in biddle position. Peel off first 3 cards saying,
"Remember 1, 2, 3, cards and AS". As you do this procedure propel lap
the first 3 cards using Mario's screening action. Immediately the right
fingers turn over AS. Then say, "But now we have the other 3 aces".
11) As the right hand tosses the aces to the table you have plenty of
misdirection to pick up the deck and add the lapped cards then place the
entire deck on the discards on the table.

SCOOP UP P A L M

Object: To secretly palm a card or cards in the action of apparently

using a card to scoop up some tabled cards to toss or place them
all to one side.

For the description assume you have a tabled packet of four face
down cards, the bottom card of which is an Ace or any other desired
card. 1

1) The tabled packet is either scooped up or picked off the table

by right hand w h i c h places it into left hand dealing position.
2) As left thumb deals over top card the right hand takes it by
the upper right corner w i t h thumb on top fingers beneath. The
card is dealt face down to the table. At same time the right
thumb and fingers bend the right side of the card uowards
slightly in order to facilitate the later scooping action.

3) The cards are counted audibly as each card goes on top of the
other cards but in a slightly stepped formation to the left.
The last or 4th card is taken by right hand so that the thumb
goes to the upper left corner and fingers beneath along the top
end of the card. The card from right hand is used to scoop up
the tabled cards as in Figure _L which shows the action from the
p e r f o r m e r s view.

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2
4) Right hand follows through with the scooping action; however,
the card in right hand is held back by right 1 st fingertip
engaging upper left corner while the upper right corner presses
against the palm at the base of right 4th and 3rd fingers. The
right thumb also aids in holding onto the card, as the others
are tossed off to the left, by pressing down on top of the upper
left corner. The Figure 2 shows how the three bunched cards are
tossed to the left while the last card is held back by right hand.

5) The right 1st finger n o w moves inward and slides along the right
thumb causing the card to pivot under the hand and out of sight.
The Figure 2! shows the exposed view of bhe cards' position in
right hand at this stage.

6) The right thumb now presses against left side of card at upper
left corner while the uoper right corner is trapped by pressure
of the right 4th finger. The right fingers can now be extended as
the card is now clipped by the sides in a Rear Flat Palm Position
as in Figure 4_ again the exposed view.
 - I ' ll )-

7) W i t h the card held as in Figure 4 it can n o w be indectably

added to another packet or deck. D u r i n g this adding the right
fingers can spread apart slightly to subliminally convey
e m p t i n e s s of the hand. Also the hand adding the card should
be p o s i t i o n ed so that the palmed card is directly above the
tabled cards or even slightly past it. As the right hand is
about to scoop up this packet or deck at this precise moment
the right fingers are spread apart and then the packet is at
o n c e scooped off the table into the w a i t i n g left hand. Thee
Figure _5 shows the action of an actual addition of cards
w i t h the fingers widely spread apart per the "Spider Return"
which has o ther variants.

8 ) While in the above exa m p l e only one card and one hand were
used the "Scoop Up Palm" can be done w i t h two or more cards held
as aDpare n t ly one. Also it can be used, especially if angles
are of concern to you, w i t h left hand holding the tabled cards
in place, at left side, as right hand uses its supposedly single
card to scoop or gather the tabled packet. In this case, because
of the extra thickness of the cards held by right hand, be sure
that the first tabled card, during the count to table, is bent
upwards e n ough to enable the card(s) from right hand to e a s i l y 1
slide under the packet.

9) Assume you have a six card packet that you count as four. In
this case the first three cards would be dealt faces down to the
table w h i l e the last three would be held as one. These cards
are taken as before with right hand by the upper left corner with
thumb on top fingers below. N o w go into the scoop up action
similar to Figure _1 except in this case the left 1st and 2nd
fingertips position themselves at center of left side of packet
w i t h left thumb at bottom end of packet. In this way the right
hand can move in further to the left and closer to the right
side of packet. Also the card(s) being held by right hand move
further under the right palm.
 10) The right hand, still holding onto its cards, can lift up the
complete packet. This enables the left hand to grasp the left side
of packet, near lower left corner, w i t h thumb on top fingers b e ­
neath. The right fingers and thumb can n o w pivot its cards to
under the right palm while rest of packet conceals this action. This
pivotal action is very easy if you merely move your right hand
so its p a l m comes down flat against the table as at same time right
hand moves to the right. The left hand me r e l y holds onto its
- visible cards. The Figure 6 shows how left hand holds onto the
packet and right hand has secretly pivoted its cards to under right
palm.

I
FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6

! 11) Once the cards are safely under the right palm the rest of the
action c o n sists in left hand tossing its cards'to the left as
right hand moves to the right to add the cards secretly onto
another packet or deck using the "Spider Return" actions already
described and pictured in Figure 5^. Whe t h e r you use one hand or
two hands to execute the Scoop Up Palm will depend on the effect
and the possible existing situation during performance. In any
1 case the action is natural, disarming and in a sense can be
considered a type of Action Palm

- 12) The use of the "Straddle Grip", plus a different action during
the scoop up, makes the "Scoop Up Palm" even easier, more angle
- proof and the excess cards can be tossed aside w i t h the hand that
,| has the palmed card or cards. The Straddle Grip is especially
good when palming more than one card since the grip gives control
that p r e vents any undue spreading of the palmed cards. Assume
i, you have a packet of six cards that you will count as four, using
the card (s) on the 4th count to scoop up the packet, actually
palming three cards in right hand.

j 13) Begin by holding the 6 card packet in left hand dealing position.
The left thumb deals over the top card and right hand takes the card
by the outer end. Right hand deals this card to the table and
p r e s s e s u p wards on the outer end in order to bend this outer end
for an easy scoop up the tabled packet. The next two cards are dealt
o n e at a time, on top of the tabled card forming a fairly squared
packet ot three cards. The right hand now takes the three re-
- m a ininq cards as one by straddling the outer end between the third
joint of the 1st finger at left side while the right 4th finger
is on the right side of outer end. The right thumb is -at the back
 -1 1 * 2 -

end of the card. The Figure 7 shows the front v i e w which gives
a clear p icture of the Straddle G r i p 1st and 4th finger positions
around the outer end of the card (s).

14) The card(s) in right hand n o w move to scoop up the tabled

cards by coming in form the front e n d . To do this the right
thumb moves towards the right 1 st finger to touch it thus right
thumb also is across the top of card. The left hand 1st - 2nd
fingers;and thumb hold the lower left corner of the tabled cards
in place. The Figure 8 shows the scooping action where note
h o w the card(s) from right hand really travel along about a
third of the tabled cards width or off to the right.

15) As the scoop up action of Figure 8 is made you will find

that the straddled card(s) will automatically, due to curling the
right 2nd and 3rd fingers against face of the card (s), will slip
so that the outer right corner will now be near the base of palm
but still straddled by right 4th finger pressing against the
right side of the c a r d ( s ) . The Figure 9 shows the position of
the card w i t h right hand palm up. This is the position the card(s)
o c c u p y during the scoop up action of Figure 8 .

F IGURE 9
16) As the scoop up action continues the riqht 2nd and 3rd finqers
press in on the outer end. This causes the card to pivot under
the riqht palm with its outer left corner slippinq off of the
straddle g r ip of right 1 st finger; however, the upper right
corner is still straddled at the base of right 4th finger. The
top v i e w would be similar to that already shown in Figure 6
except the left finqers do not hold the packet in this case only
press on it to keeD it in place, as in the Figure 8 , until the
right 1 st finger and thumb can actually g r a s p and hold the upper
right c orner of the tabled cards. The Figure _10 shows an exposed
b o t t o m v i e w of the cards palmed in right hand as well as holding
onto the tabled cards.
17) The right hand tosses or places its vis i b l e cards off to the
left. The right fingers at once extend w i t h the card (s) now in
a Flat Rear Palm as per Figure _4. Right hand now moves towards
another tabled packet or deck to deposit its palmed cards via the
Spider R eturn as per Figure 5^. Again I must mention that this is
only one method of a Spider Return approach that has many
v a r i a t i o n s w hich at this time is not the chief purpose of this
brief treatise written solely for its use in several methods of
"Succession Aces" elsewhere in this book.

DISSERTATION ON OIL AND WATER

The editor of Pallbearers, in his notes dug up from the underground,

q u o t e s - "In the 19th century H o f z inser performed (7) a trick where
R e d s and Blacks were shown to be mixed. The deck was then divided
into two parts. The Rad cards were shown to have m a g i c a l l y separated
from the Blacks. (The original pro b l e m appeared in the German
e d ition of H o f z i nser's Card P r o b l e m s . The first Eng l i s h translation
was provided by Bill Miesel, Bob Woodward and Reinhard Muller in
epilogue.)

"In 1920 Will Goldston marketed a t r i c k of Edward V i c t o r ' s in w h i c h

face up Red and face down Blacks were mixed. On command the Blacks
turned face up and separated themselves from the Reds. Mere
recently Ken Beale has pointed that the small packet handling of the
basic effect was contributed by Wa l t e r Gibson to J i n x #91. The oil
and water theme (applied to an elevator effect showed up in a
1948 issue of Huqard's Magic M o n t h l y . Sub s e q u e n t l y Ed Mario
combined elements of the earlier tricks to produce the version wh i c h
appeared in A1 Sharpe's M.U.M. column".
 - I4 'l -

The underl i ning of the worfs performer 1 (?) , divifed and problem
ore mine ?s well as for the wort’ s "face-up- face flown- face-up".
The H o f z i n s e r effect wns only a problem p o s e d . There is no record
of H o f z i n s e r having performed the effect. No one in America was
aware of this problem until the recent hindsight translation. The
effect was supposed to have been done with a regular deck. How it
was accomplished is only a guess. Since the word divided carries
several connotations one could infer it was dealt into two packets
and this procedure surely would not have made it very magical. If
one assumes the deck was cut then one could guess a Strip-Out was
used. But how was the Strip-Out situation arrived at? By shuffling,
by injogging as you spread the pack between both hands, perhaps a
stripper deck? In v i e w of this I could hardly have used any ele ments
for my oil and water effect, from the above source e s p e c i a l l y since
oil wasn't around in old Hoffy's day. Perhaps he could contact
H o f z i n s e r in the spirit world and get him to say that my "Four
Packet Oil and Water" routine in the Linking Ring - September, 1959
is really his method.

The Edward Victor effect suggests that face up and face down cards
righted themselves or were all one way. Surprising the editor of
Pallbe a r e r s doesn't equate this w i t h Triumphi H o w about the Slop
Shuffle, in which cards are mixed face up and face down then shown
to have righted themselves, why doesn't he equate this with Triumph? Yet
w i t h no d e finite procedure for the Victor effect given he not on l y
has the hindsight of an animal with long ears in comparing it to
oil and w ater but has the gall to assume I was even aware of the
V i ctor effect. Actually I wasn't aware of its underlying method but
will feel safe in saying that none of the Victor elements were used
in my original "Oil and Water" routine. W h e n I used to p i t c h the
S t r i p p e r D e c k one of the old and standard effects with this deck was
t p intermix Red and Black cards, of the full deck, then later to show
them as separated. Would any equate this w i t h the oil and water
p r o c e d u r e s I established? Apparently he would.

The editor of Pallbearers then refers to the Gi b s o n effect "Like

Seeks Like" in J i n x #91. While this comes closer to the small
packet idea of mixing the colors it is not referred to as oil and
water being mixed. The Gi b s o n method uses only three Red cards
and three Black cards w h i c h are intermixed and a Glide as the
secret sleight. None of these elements are used in my oil and
w ater routine. Also a much older effect, in w h i c h three X cards
and three Jacks are intermixed then later the top three cards on l y
are shown to be three Jacks, preceded the Gibson effect. The
extra Jack, usually a Red one, was the b o t t o m card of the supposed
three X cards. The three Jacks had a Red Jack as its top card. A
deck also was used onto w h i c h the cards, alternately, starting w i t h
an X card was dealt face down onto top of deck. The Red Jack was
next - then the X card - another Jack - the supposed X card but
really the Red Jack and finally the last J a c k onto all. Result
was three Jacks could be dealt off of top of deck. I showed this
v e rsion to Carmen D'A m i c o many years ago. It can be found in
"Scarne On Card Tricks" page 155, if one is interested in all the
details. Of course Red and Black cards are not used and there is
no mention of Oil and Water although in IB I D E M 15 I did relate to
it. The effect, like Gibson's, is done only o n c e . There are no
follow up phases, with each one becoming more convincing, as in
 "Oil and Water". The editor for some reason ignored Bill Simons
"Diddled" effect in Phoenix #224, in which Red and Black cards
were alternated then thru the use of the Biddle Move showed the
Red and Black cards were separated. Here again there was no
v mention of Oil and Water separation as an effect theme. Simon'u
method naturally was used to do the separation effect only once.
A careful study of all the above mentioned methods o b v i o u s l y show
that I used no elements from them in my Oil and Water routines
that always consisted of several phases with each phase being mo r e
convi n c i n g and puzzling.
The Pallbearer - Epilogue editor will do anything or go to any
lengths to take away credits from me. As an example he infers
that an oil and water effect w i t h an elevator theme appeared in a
1948 issue of "Hugards Magic M o n t h l y " . Well I looked several
times thru that whole year of the maga z i n e and finally came
across an effect titled, "What's Up?" by a Samuel Pavloff in a
D e c e m b e r 1948 issue, of Hugards Magic M a g a z i n e , on page 4 9 4 .
Those who have the file of this magazine can do themselves a
favor and read this article then seriously consider just what
kind of twisted thinking the Pallbearer is delivering. If you
haven't the time or the magazine the article uses the presentational
theme of how (1) A postage stamp weighs more if signed w i t h ink,
(2) That cards with more spots weigh more than those w i t h less
spots with the four lightest cards being the four Aces. You now
remove the four Aces and the remainder of the deck is cut into
four egual h e a p s . ( My underlining) You now place each Ace at the
b o t t o m of each packet. You now request the spectator to name
any number between three and ten. One of the packets is picked up
and the number named is transferred from top to b o t t o m of the
packet. The next three top cards are dealt one on e a c h of the
other three packets. This same process, w i t h the number already
named, is repeated for the next three packets in turn. N o w notice
how the Pallbearer editor uses a strictly patter pres e n t a t i o n to
give his readers the usual misinformation. The performer remarks
now, as follows, to his spectator as per the quote from Hugards
Magic Monthly for Dece m b e r 1 9 4 8 . 1. "If you were to m i x oil and
water in a container which would rise to the top?" Whether he
answers correctly or not you make it clear that the oil would
rise to the top because oil is lighter than water. 2. If you
were to mix milk and cream w h i c h would rise to the top? The
answer is, of course, "The cream", because it's lighter than
milk. Return to the four packets of cards on the table and say -
By now I hope you are convinced that when several substances are
mixed together, the lightest will always rise to the top." At
this point the obvious concluding effect of showing each Ace on the
top of each of four packets is shown.

G e n t l e m e n read that again - Note that there isn't any mi x i n g of

Red and Black cards and that the patter presentation mentions
several examples of light and heavy elements to later conform
to what is really a quadruple ambitious card bit rather than an
elevator theme. The elevator theme uses a deck of cards or a
packet of cards and the cards travel up and down and from center
to either up or down. But, you say, the effect in Hug a r d s could
well have been my inspiration for the elevator effect w i t h four
Aces. It could have been except for one thing the Epilogue editor
didn't let you know. What is this? Simply this - "What's Up?"
appeared in "Hugards Magic M o n t h l y " for D e c e m b e r 1948 while my
 - X 'J O -

effect, "Penetration" and later re-titled "The Elevator Effect",

appeared in the Sph i n x Magazine in June 1 9 4 8 .

All those above sources you have just read have elements which
in no w a y represent the elements used for the "Oil and Water"
that o r i g i n a l l y appeared in M.U.M. and later in "The Cardician"
w i t h o t h e r versions of mine in other publications; however, the
most important points are that it is my title m y premise my
approaches my techniques from m y '-'Oil and Water" routines that
inspired all existing routines and variat i o n s of "Oil and Water"
made by o t h ers and not the sources dug up from the underground by
an e ditor whose job it is to apparently bury first and then call
the Pallbearers.
Since the reader has patie n t l y read thro u g h what I feel he should
start c o n c er n i n g himself about I will detail an "Oil and Water"
routine in which not only is the original climax, of separated
colors actually re-mixing retained, but w i t h two added anti-climaxes.
Of these two some will use only the one so the effect will be
d e s c ribed as such. For those who may wish to use the second ant i ­
c l i m a x a separate addition will be appended w h i c h will be quite
easy to add to the routine and yet not change any of the first
parts. But first - on the "What's Up?" effect by S a m Pavloff
in H u q a r d s Magic Monthly - D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 8 . You just may be
interested in the method. It uses four regular Aces plus twelve
additional Aces - each one in triplicate. W i t h that Hitch c o c k
ending lets go into -

OIL AND WATER PLUS CLIMAXES

Effects: Red and Black cards intermixed keep separating. Black

cards o p enly placed onto Red cards are caused to intermix. Finally
all cards are shown to be all Black.

1) Set-up, from top down, is four Black cards, one Red card, two
Black cards, two Red cards. Total of cards is nine, six of which
are B lack and can consist of paired spot cards such as two Black
nines, two Black sixes, and two Bl a c k fives. The thpee Red cards
can be any three mixed value spot cards. The handling is designed
to always c onform to a set pattern as far as showing of each set of
four cards is concerned.

2) With the nine card packet set-up as in Step 1 above the packet
is held face down in left hand dealing position. Left thumb
pushes or deals over the top four cards which are taken by right
hand, at lower right corner, with right thumb,on top and fingers
beneath. The four cards are taken by right hand and then squared
between the fingers and thumb of both hands, well above the re­
m a i n i n g cards in left hand, as in the Figure _1.
 -ihj-

3) The left thumb end fingers hold sides of the B l a c k cards

w h i c h leaves right hand free to do a sort of D ' A m i c o Sproad.
The loft aide of the spread is grasped b y loft thumb on faco and
first and second fingors bolow. The right t h u m b at this stag©
is o n tho face at right sido w i t h fingers beneath. The Figure
2 shows tho position b o t h hands at this stage.

4) A l t h o ugh you actually do have four B l a c k cards, at Figure 2 ,

what you do is go into an Blraoley Count anyway, as in Figure J3
w h o r e n o te that tho card is taken into right head dea l i n g posi t i o n
as loft thumb and fingors already are pus h i n g o v o r two cards as
one. H a v i n g done tho Elmoley Count, to chow four D l a c k cords,
the right hand tosses its packat fcco u p to tho toblo.

5) The right hand n o w grasps thsleft side, of thooo c a r d s still

faco down in loft hand, w i t h right t h u m b b o l o w and first and
second fingers fconoath. Actually the t i g of left first finger
preosos firmly cn tho up p e r loft side edgo of tho packot co that
o n l y the faco card will bo pu o h o d past tho loft first fingerti p
by tho loft thumb as you go into a D ' A m i c o Spread as in Figaro 2_.
W i t h tho cards in a D'A m i c o Spread condition the loft thumb
and fingers grasp the loft side of tho cards. Tho situation at
this point is liho that shown in Piguro 3 ercopt that tho left
hand does not hold a packet of cards h e r o but does g r a s p loft
side of the packet.
6 ) Without any stall right hand is free to do the Elrasley Count,
tahing each card in right hand dealing position. (See Notes of
1956 and later published in M.U.M. for D e c e m b e r 1959 for other
n a t u r a l count actions.) The Elmsley Count will have shown four
R e d cards. After the count turn the packet face down into left
hand dealing position. W i t h loft thumb fan over the top three
cards holding the last two as one. The ordor of theco cards,
from top down, is actually two Black cards and three Red cards -
the last two held as one card.
7) The Black packet is still face up on the table m o r e or leas
in a serai squared position. The right hand picks off the B l a c k
cards, one at a time, to turn thorn face down and insert thorn
botwGon tha fanned cards held in left hand. The first Black card
is inserted between the 4th and 3rd c a r d from the bo t t o m and
loft projecting for about two thirds to half its length. The
second Bl a c k card is inserted between the 3rd and 2nd cards f r o m
the b o t t o m and sort of slightly to the r i g h t , about a half inch,
of tha left side of the third card of the fan. The neirt Black
card is inserted between the 2nd and 1st card of the fan while
the last B l a c k card is placed on top of the lot card. The
F i g u r e 4 shows the situation where note especially h o w the p r o ­
jecting 3 lack card, in third position from top, is side-jogged
to the right thus making an automatic step on the 2nd card of
the fan in left hand. This is important for what is to follow.

8 ) W i t h the situation as in Figure 4 tha right hand grasps tha

right aide of the cards, thumb on top fingers beneath. This
gives left hand a chance to move into a position where it can
similarly hold tha cards on the left side. The right hand
holds onto a total of fiWo cards while left hand sort of holds
a total of three (not counting the last two hold as o n e ) . Both
hands sort of ooparato the cards, at their outer ends, as in
Figure _5 until you fool that the third ’ out- jogged Dlock card
from the top sort of clips off of tho third card at the lowor
end of the elongatod fan. Once you fool tho o q t -jpggod third
card has clearod tho stop both hendo movo inwnrJ with tho o u t -
jogged third card riding below or under tho third cord of the
lower portion of tho fan and thus automatically going onto
the 4th card of thoce up-jogged. The Figure 6 shows tho closing
action where noto how everything still looks ns if it voro tho
same. After squaring what has happened is that n o w tho top
four cards will be Black. The remaining or lowor fivo cords will
be in order of 1 R e d , •2 Blacks, 2 Reds from top down.
 -iU 9 -

9) H o l d i n g the packet face down in left hand dealing position

thumb over the top four cards w h i c h are taken by right hand and
squared up, between both hands w i l l above the cards still in
loft hand. The situation is enactly as in Figure j L . H o w go
into the D'A m i c o Spread action as shown in Figure 2 then at once
into the Elrcaloy Count Mechanics to show four D l a c k cards.
Right hand, w h i c h ha3 takon the four D l a e k cards face u p into a
dealing position, places the Black cards face u p to table in a
serai squared packet.

10) Right hand grasps tha loft side of those cards still face
down in left hand and goes into a DsJAmico Spread, as in Figure
Left hand is free to m o v e and g r a s p the left side of the spread”
cards. O n c e the left hand fingers hold onto loft sido of the
cards the right hand at once starts to take tha cards, into a
dealing position, doing the Elmsloy Count to show the cards as
appare n t l y four Rod cards. Actually, after tho Elrnnley Count,
you will have tho five cards in ordor o f B-B-R-R-R from top down.

11) This second phase consists in turning the just shown Red
cards b a c k faca down into loft hand. Left thumb doalo o v e r the
top card w h i c h is taken, at the upper right c o m e r , w i t h right
thumb on top and first and second fingers beneath. Tho nexrt
card is dealt over and its upper right c o m e r jammed u n d o r tho
right thumb likewise tho third card and the last two cards ns
one. This results in a reverse fan formation os shown in
F iguro 7. At this stage the five cards, because of being dealt
o n e onto tho other, aro in ordor of 3 Reds and 2 Blacks. Notice
that in F igure 7 the loft hand is palm u p undor tho fanned cards
in ordor to close or square t h e n up back into the loft hand.
12) Left thumb n o w fans out the top three cards holding the last
two as one. Right hand picks up a face Black card, from the
tabled packet, to place it under the last card(s) of the fan.
It is placed in direct line but up-jogged for about half its
length. Also during this placement the right fingers momenta r i l y
g r a s p the fan to move it outwards so that the lower e n d , of
the two cards held as one, will be hidden by the p a l m of left hand.
The out-jogged Black card being in direct line w i t h this card(s)
covers the face of the lower jogged card of the fan. At this stage
you can lift the left hand so that the faces of the cards are
towards the spectator. H e will see three Red cards and on up-
jogged B l a c k card. Your patter here, is, "I want to show you the
cards are really being mixed". By this time the right hand has
p i cked up another Bl a c k card and is inserting it into a position
third from the too of the fan or between the 3rd and 4th cards.
This action, from the spectator's view, is seen in Figure 8.

13) O n c e the tabled four Black cards have been inserted, in an

o ut-jogged position, between the fan of four Red cards the
elongated fan is lowered. Right hand cornea over the elongated
fan of cards, to p u s h the cards flush, as both hands squaro u p
the cards which end up face down in left hand dealing position.
The order or the cards, from top down, at thi3 stage is R-B-R-
B-R-B-B-B-B.
 - 151 -

14) You n o w will seem to take tho top four cards but actuall y
w i l l displace the third card frora top into the fourth position
f r o m top as follows: Loft thumb pushes o v e r top card w h i c h is
taken w i t h right thumb on top and fingors benoath nt about tho
center of the card. The next or second card is taken to undor
t h e first card but stepped to tho left for about half its width.
The third cferd is takorf dire c t l y under tho two spread cards in
right hand so that tho second cards loft side goes beyond left
aide of tho third card thus forming a stop, at left side, wi t h o u t
any hesitation tho fourth card is fed directly undor this stop
and automatically goes above the third card. Tho Fi g u r e 9 shows
h o w the third cord is undor tho top fanned two cards as tho
fourth card is being fed u n d o r tho stopped card and above the
third card w h i c h is under o r past the stop.

15) O n ce tho right hand has its four cards and made its dis­
placement tho loft thumb pachas over the next o r fifth card
v e r y slightly. When right hand squares its cards against the
top of loft hand cards it secretly also picks u p tho fifth card
to undor those in right hand. Raise the packet nbovo tho hands,
for squaring it, as you did previously. Your patter line
changes n o w as you say, “ Sometimes if one doesn't dig deep
e n ough he doesn't get oil. Instood he goto water". H e r e you
go into the D'Amico Spread action and into tho Elracloy Count,
w i t h the othor cards still face down in loft hand, as you
seemingly show four Rod cards. Right hand placos these aside
face down. Right hand n o w goto the r e m a ining four cards set­
u p with the D'Amico Spread for an easy Elrasloy Count to chow
four B lack cards as you remark, "The oil is just a ilttlo
deeper". Right hand placos these B l a c k cards face u p to the
table. You will n o w go into another original phono of mine
wherein oil and water does mix. My vory first voroiono of
this climax appeared in IB I D E M 6 , DecTiQSb. in the present ve r sion
tharo are two subtleties one of w h i c h is a count that alternates
the five card packot w h i c h for tho present consioto of, fren
top down, 2B-3R-cards.
 -.1 5 2 -

16) The left hand scoops u p the face down Red packet, really
five cards two Blacks and three Reds, to turn it face up into
left hand dealing position. The left thumb pushes over the face
card as left fingers, under cover of the forward face card,
slightly buckle the bo t t o m card. The right thumb moves in under
the face card, at lower right c o m e r , so that ball of thumb
contacts the face of the second card. The right first and
second fingers go above the buckled card to gr a s p the lower
right c o m e r , of the three cards as one, from beneath. The Figure
10 shows the operators v i e w at this stage w h e r e right thumb
and fingers are grasping the lower right c o m e r of the three
cards as one.

17) C n e e your right thumb and fingers have a firm g r a s p on the

three card3 the left thumb pulls back the face card flush
w i t h rest of cards. Not until then does the right hand move
out its cards as shown in Figure 1 1 .

18) O a c e the right hand cards are clear the right thumb moves
only the face card to the right, using the D'Amico Spread
Mechanics, to result in the Figure 12.

19) As soon as the right hand makes its spread the card(s) to the
left are at once brought to under the cards in left hand as in
F igure 1 3 .
 -1 5 3 -

20) In F igure 1J* the two cards, as one, are left behind under the
cards in left hand as right hand comes out w i t h o n l y a single
Red card now. This single card is at o n c e pla c e d to under the
cards in left hand. The whole sequence appears as if showing this
packet has Red cards. You really have shown o n l y three Red cords
but the reverse counting actions have alternated the five card
packet so n o w the cards are, from top down, in R-B-R - B - R order.
There is absolutely no n e w p r i n c i p l e involved in the count simply
a varied technical handling to get away f r o m a Kardyro Biddle
type count. For those w h o still m a y pro f o r to use the K.B. Cou n t
to alternate the cards proceed os follows*

21) The packet is held face u p in left hand dealing position. As

right hand comes over, to gr a s p the packet from abovo by the ends,
the left fingers buckle the b o t t o m or lowermost B l a c k card. This
enables the right thumb to obtain a break, at inner lower right
corner, on the Black card. The loft thumb n o w peels off o n l y the
face u p Red card into loft hand dealing position. As loft hand
moves in to poel off the nesrt face Red card t h o left fingers also
pull on and take along the under or b o t t o m B l a c k card on w h i c h
right thumb hold the break. Thus, in apparently taking only the
face Red card the Black card is secrotlv taken along w i t h it
into left hand onto the Red card already in that hand. Right hand
has two cards held as one, a face Red card and a secret Black
card under same. Right hand me r o l y places those two cards, as one,
onto the face of the cards in left hand. The five card packet is n o w
alternated in R-B-R-B-R o r d e r f r o m top down.

22) W h ether you use tho procedure in the Step 20 or 21 above the
w h o l e is merely done as you cay, MThe Rod c a r d s ”, aftor which,
the alternated count pro c e s s having been complotod, tho packet
is turned face down into the left hand as for dealing. You are
n o w set for the -

23) THIRD PHAS5 - The packet from left hand is pl a c e d faco down
to the table. Right hand picks up the B l a c k cards and sort of
spreads them. Note tho faco card and reme m b e r it. W i t h left
hand lift off the top card of the tabled packet to flash it as
a Red card then replace b a c k onto the tabled packet. The Black
cards from right hand are placed on top of the supposed Red cards.
Pick up tho assembled packet and hold it face down in left hand.
Comment on the fact that tho o i l . Block cards, are on top of the
water, Rod cards, and that they will not rain unions you do it
magically. Squcoso and flex tho packet for effect. Turn it
faco up, using right hand to do thi3, then replace the packet
face up into left hand. H e r e you n o w do a v e r y bold and cheeky
bit by dealing over each card and taking it, one onto the other,
into the right hand dealing position. The colors will show
alternated as R-B-R-B-R but on the 6 th count, a Black card, tho
whole block of cards is taken onto those in right hand. Without
hesitation the right hand turns the packet over, end for end,
face down back into the left hand. This time, in tho process
of again showing that tho B lack and Red cards alternate, you will
actually do a subtle displacement. The packet at this stage is
in order of R-3-R-B-R and 4 Blacks from top down. .
 - l rjb -

24) Loft thumb deals over top card w h i c h io taken by right hand, at
about center of card, w i t h right thumb on top and fingers beneath.
Right hand moves upward and inward in o r d e r to flash the face of
this Red card. Right hand c o m e 3 down to take the next card to
under the card in right hand but stepped to the loft for about half
its width. Right hand moves up with its two fanned or spread
cards to show a Red and B l a c k card. Again right hand comes down
to take the next or third card w h i c h left thumb has dealt over;
however, this third card is taken so it goon completely under the
two fanned cards t h u 3 leaving tho second card, of theca three,
stepped to the left. Right hand again moves up to ohow the cards.
The Figure 1_4 shows the actual condition, of the three cards as
t h e y are flashed to the spectator, where note h o w the third card
is actually stepped under the top two fanned or spread cards.

25) The situation of Figure _14 is m e r e l y flashed as at once

right hand comes down to take tho next or fourth card from left hand.
The left thumb has dealt over the fourth card and it is actually
fed under the stop, formed by the second card of the fan in
right hand, and above the third card that ia in right hand. The
action is as if merely pic king up this fourth card to under those
in right hand but it is in reality practically pushed in between
the second and third cards in right hand. The right hand again
moves up to show the faces of its cards. This again io only a
flash so to speak but the Figure 1_5 shows the condition of the
four cards at this moment. Note how the fourth card, a Black
one, has been inserted oecrotly between the original second and
third cards of those in right hand.

FIGURE 15
 - 1' ) J -

26) Still without any hesitation the next or fifth card, a Red
one, ia taken to under those in right hand w h i c h again raises to
flash the faces of the cards. The next or sixth card is picked
up to under the still more or less askew fan of cards in right
hand as once more right hand flashes the fncon of its cards. N o w
m e r e l y place these cards onto the card(a) in left hand and square
up. The whole series of shewing the cards is merely to once
more emphasize the fact that the colors really alternate and
during this process you hove made a subtle displacement so that
nov/ the order of cards, from top down, i3 R-B-B-R-R and 4 Blacks.

27) Thumb over the top four cards and secretly advance, vary
slightly, the fifth card. In re-squaring get a left 4th finger­
tip break belov; the top five cards. Again patter about h o w
if you don't drill deep enough you will only get water. Here
lift the five cards up to the fingertips of both hand3 and go into
the D ' Amico Spread as right hand turns the packet face up. Do
the Slmsley Count to show apparently four Red cards. Remember
the count is made while the left hand still has the remaining
four cards in left hand dealing position. (Refer to Figures _1-
2-3) Right hand places its cards face dovm to table. N o w chow
the remaining cards in left hand as four Black cards as you
again repeat the D'Amico Spread action and the EXmoloy Count.
You have just completed the Fourth Phase of the routine and are
n o w set to go into the Fifth and final phase.

23) Pick up the face down Red packet and hold it face down in
left hand. Count as four cards, taking or.o onto the other into
right hand, w i t h the last two cards, as one, taken into right
hand. R e place the packet face dovm into loft hand. Thumb
over the top three cards, one at a time under each other, as
right hand takes each one and flashes its faco. The last two
cards, held as one in left hand is not shown. Instead a fan
of four card3, held by left hand only, is formed. Those cards
are face down. The 4 Black card3 on the table are face up.
Right hand picks up a Black card, turns it face dovm, then
inserts it between the 4th and 3rd cards of the fan held in
left hand. The inserted card is loft projecting for about
half or more of its length. The next three Black cards are
likewise inserted by being placed between 3rd and 2nd cords,
2nd and 1st cards and on top of tho fan respectively. The fan
is closed and all up-jogged cards pushed flush and squared
then held faces down in left hand dealing position.
29) The order of the cards, from top down, ia nov; B-R-B-R-B-R
and 3^ Blacks. You will now seemingly thumb over the top
four cards; however, during this you secretly displace the third
card from top, a Black one, into the fourth position from top.
The mechanics of displacement are identical to that already
described at Steps 14 and JJj and shown in Figure 9. The whole
action 3eem3 as if merely thumbing over four cards; however, the
top four cards are now in order of B-R-R-B from top dovm. The
four cards, from the top, appear as in Figure _16 where note that
the third card from top has been purposoly in-jogged for your
clarity. Also the loft thumb has pushed ovor tho rtoxt or fifth
card very slightly. The hands are close together.
30) Prom Figure 16, a a you ro-square the card a, get a break,
b e l o w the fifth card, w i t h loft 4th fingertip. N o w raise
the squared five card packet up to the fingertips of both hand3
in readiness for the D'A m i c o Spread and then into the Elmsley
Count to show that, "If you dig deep en o u g h you get oil
separated from water". Right hand places its cards face down
to the table.
31) The remaining four cards, still face down in left hand,
are n o w counted, one under the other, v/ith the fourth or last
card snapped and placed on top of the other three. The order
of these three cards, from top down, is B-R-B-B. Remember
that p r eviously each time the Black cards w a r e shown it later
was indirectly shown that in fact there w ore four B l a c k cords.
You have just shown four B l a c k cards, really five cords as four
consisting of E-R-R-B-3 card3. The spectator o;rpoctn the
remaining four cards to bo the Red onc3y howovor, go into the
D ' Amico Spread and into the Elmsley Count to chex* four moro
Black cords as you add, "Sometimes you get lucky end strike
nothing but oil". Right hand turns its cards face down to
deposit them onto the first tabled packet. All cards for the
climax have haen shown as Black. The idoa of showing all the
cards as Black, for the oil and water finish, is that of
David Solomon!s of Chicago. Later on I will briefly describe
Solomon's particular routine. For the present hero is what
is a "Cutosey Climarr" for those who like such things. The
added set-up in no way changes the oil and wator routina already
described.

" CUTESSY CLXXAX"

1) Place two cards face to face to make up an impromptu Double

B b e k Card. From deck remove all the Red Jacks - Queens- Kings -
and Aces. The two Red Aces should be the faco cards of the face up
packet which otherwise i3 in no particular order.

2) Place these Red cards face up on top of the face down deck.
O n t o this place the Double Back card to cover the face up cards.
3) You can n o w place the required Red and Black cards to the
b o t t o m or face of deck. Thus your deck is n o w cased and all
set to go into the routine.
4) Begin by removing the deck. Thumb over the required nine
cards, off the face of deck, into right hand. The deck faces
you and spectators do not know how many cards or what kind you
are taking.
5) Right hand holds onto the nine required cards as left hand
tables deck so it is face u p . Now you can double check your
n i n e cards to make sure they are in the correct o r d e r for the
routine already explained.
6) At the conclusion of the routine, where you have shown the
cards as all Black, these cards are face down on the table.
Onto this you place the face up deck. N o w pick up all the cards
turning left hand palm up. This n a t u r a l l y brings the face of
the original table packet into v i e w with a Black card at the
face.
7) W i t h right hand, squaring deck from above by the end3, the
right thumb and fingers locate the natural separation of the
b a c k to b a ck cards that are deep in the deck or actually at
19th f r o m top. In othar words not the first b a c k to back
separation of the nine face up cards but the second separation
of the eight Red face up cards that are covered by the
impromptu D o u b l e Backer. Here casually flip over a whole block
of cards back onto top of deck. It appears, or should, as
if you m e r ely turned the Black cards face down onto the deck.
S i n c e the effect is apparently over you will find these actions
get little attention thus you need not feel that the large
b l o c k will be noted.

8 ) Once the cards are turned over casu a l l y start to deal the
top eight cards, one at a time onto each other, faces down to
the table. You do this in a visual g r o u p count of four cards
e a c h as you deliver the lines, "You know when you get rich you
suddenly find unexpected friends - plus aojiva sharpies who are
out to get your money". With this the lines have been timed
so that the packet is turned face up, with right hand, then
spread from right to left when you reach the words, "some
sharpies out to get your money", the right; 1st and 2nd finger­
tips are placed one on each Red Ace then pushed forward slightly
as the right 1st and 2nd fingers spread apart the two Red Aces.

9) As p r e v iously mentioned some like this type of a n t i - climax and

it can be easily included aa well as qui c k l y reset as follows:
L o w e r deck below table into lap. The top Double Back card is
pushed aside. The next nine cards are transferred to the face
of the deck. These are the cards required for the oil and water
routine. Pick up the table Red cards, 30 Red Aces are at the
face, then merely place these Red cards face u p under the Double
Back card on top of deck. Case the deck and you are all set for
the next time.
N o w here is the Oil and Water routine of D a v i d Solomons. Notice
D a r t i c u l a r l y some of the subtle inferential bits such as showing
o n l y four cards of one color and letting the spectator assume the
other four must be of the other color. O b v i o u s l y these bit3
play best when the spectator, especi a l l y one havinq seen Oil and
Water routines, has been conditioned to exoect certain results.
For this reason I call S o l o m o n ’ s routine

’
'CONDITIONED O I L AND WATER"

Effect; Oil and Water of course.

1) S e t - u p consists of seven Black cards and three Red cards. Use

v alues of 6's - 7's and 8's. Arrange the cards, from top down, in
r.he o rder of R-B-2 Reds and 6 Blacks.

2) To p e r f o r m turn packet face up. Fan o v e r three cards to show

four B l a c k cards at bot t o m or face of packet as you say, ’’Four
O i l cards". Square up.
3) Turn e n t ire packet face down. Fan over four top cards saying,
"Four Water cards". Right hand takes these four cards as left
h a n d p l a c e s remainder of the packet face down to the table.

4) Right hand turns its four squared up cards face up and does
E l m s l e y Count to show four Red cards. Turn the four cards face
down and deal them face down, one at a time, to the table, from
left to right, one card onto the other over lapping each, to the
right, as well as slightly down-jogging each one. This is to
create a p l easing picture or layout of the four face down cards.
The top three cards are Red and the bo t t o m one is Black.

5) Pick u p the Black packet and turn it face up. S h o w as four

B l a c k c ards by spreading or fanning the cards between both
hands and h ol d i n g the last three cards as one. Squ a r e up the
cards turning them face down into left hand. Again refan the card
h o lding the last three cards as one. The fan of cards is held
in left hand.

6 ) To m i x the cards the right hand picks up the top tabled Red
card and c a sually flashes its face. Insert this Red card between
the 1st and 2nd cards of the fan and leave it out-jogged. Repeat
w i t h each of the next two. Red cards inserting these inturn
b e tween the 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and 4th cards of the fan. As
you pick up the final apparent Red card w i t h the right hand, the
left hand turns its fan face up to actually show the mixture.
Lower the fan aa right hand at once places its card, without
showing the face, to under the last or bo t t o m card of the fan.
S q u a r e up the packet pushing all o u t - j o g g e d cards flush.

7) Make the usual magical gestures with the packet stating, "Oil
and Water do not mix". Turn the packet face up showing that the
Black cards (oil) have qone to the bottom. Fan over the four
B l a c k cards taking them into right hand. At once place them under
the cards in left hand and in squaring up get a left 4th f i n g e r ­
tip break above the four Black cards.
9) With the pocket still face up in left hand the order of the
cards, from face to back, at this stage is R-B-R-B-R-B and a
b r e a k above four Black cards at bottom or below the face six
alternated cards. You have shown four Black cards so the
assumption is the remaining card3, which you have not shown, are
all Red.
9) W i t h the packet face up in left hand make a mixing g e s t u r e
saying, "Now to remix the oil and water". Here you go into the
K a r d y r o Biddle Move as follows. Right hand holds packet from
above by the ends. As left thumb peels off the face Red card
it also secretly takes along the four Black cards below the
break. As these card(s) clear the right hand packet the left
4th fingertip obtains a break below the Red card just peeled
off. Thus a separation is still maintained above the four
Black cards. Left thumb peels off the second card. Black, into
left hand. The third card, Red, is also peeled off into left
hand.

10) At this point you have a break, w i t h left 4th fingertip,

b e l o w the three face cards or a total of seven cards counting
the four Black cards on w h i c h you still maintain a break. This
time as left hand goes to peel off the fourth card, a Black one,
from right hand packet the right hand secretly picks up, to
under its cards, the three cards that are above the break. This
action results in no further breaks being held. There n o w are
a c t a u l l y five Black cords in left hand and flve in right hand.
The cards in right hand ore now peeled off, one at a time,
showing R - B -R but the last two cards, the face card of which
is Black, are placed onto left hand cards as apparently the final
Black card. If you taka the trouble to count the cards audibly,
as you show the alternated colors, you will have counted eight
cards.

11) If steps 9 and _10 have been done corre c t l y the order of the
packet, from face to top, is now B-R-R-3-R and !5 Black cards.
Turn the packet face down into left hand. Fan over the top
four cards, one under the other, saying, "Black - Red - B l a c k -
Red", but not showing them merely placing them face down to
the table.

12) On the remaining cards in left hand you use the displacement
technique p revio u s l y described. Briefly, in showing these cards
as Black - Red - Black the thrid card is side-jogged, to the
right, past the left side of the second card of the fanned cards,
to form the step. Do not show the last card(s) but mer e l y bring
the right hand card3 down so that the stepped second card will
contact the right lov;er corner of the card(s) in left hand.
By a slight Jovnwncd pressure of right hand the side-jogged card
under the cards in right hand will easily go to the bo t t o m as
the packet is squared up.
13) C l i m a x Phase - Turn cards in left hand face up. Do Elmsley
Count showing four Black cards. Hold these face up in left hand.
Right hand takes the face Black card and uses it to flip over
the four tabled cards. Under the surprise that these four tabled
cards are also Black the card from right hand is casually placed
to under the cards in left hand.
14) Right hand picks up the tabled four Black cards to place them
face up onto the face up cards in left hand. You will n o w do a
casual re-showing of all the cards as Black. Deal over and take
the cards, one at a time onto each other, into right hand. On
the sixth card do a Block Pushoff onto the cards in right hand.
S n a p the last card, with left fingers and thumb as you place it
onto the face of the cards in right hand. All cards have been shown
as Black q u i t e fairly. Toss them into center of d e c k w h i c h left
hand cuts for that purpose.

15) Mario Note - I have only slightly changed the final handling
of the B l a ck Packet from the original w h i c h made use of an
immediate Bo t t o m Deal to actually show eight Black cards for
the finish. On the surface this may read like a good finish
but a c t u a l ly was not as it involved first showing the cards as
a p p a r e n t l y all Black then placing the cards on top of the deck.
The deck was then picked up and first card came off the bottom,
a B l a c k card previously positioned there, with the next seven
coming off the top. This sort of overprovinp; is just too much.
As to the first routine, w i t h the "Cutesey Climax", on this
one for a change d o n 't make a substitution using a lapping move.
You would be better off "capping the deck" as you replace the
supposed all Black cards onto top of the face down deck.

Well I have detailed two Oil and Water routines for you so
perhaps you can put up w i t h -

"FURTHER D I S S E R T A T I O N ON OIL AND WATER"

Not w i l l i n g to settle for an assumption as regards the Edward V i c t o r

effect m a r k e t e d by Will Gold s t o n in 1920 I went through the
trouble of contacting several collectors to get the information.
The following is the exact w o r d i n g of the advertisment that
appeared in "The Magazine of Magic". - Edward Victor's "Reversed
Cards" - A novel Card Trick equ a l l y suitable for the drawing
room or stage.

The c o n jurer shows the backs and faces of eight cards. He

reverses the four alternate cards and closes up the packet.
A WAVE OF THE HAND DOES THE TRICK. The Conj u r e r fans the cards
again and shows that the four reversed cards have got back to
their orlqInn 1 posit I o n s ; they now face the audience.

Backs and Fronts of cards are again shown.

S i m p l e to work - W o n d e r f u l l y effec t i v e and New. Price complete

w i t h full instructions: 2/6, postage 2d. Will G o l d s t o n Ltd.
Aladdin House, Green St., Leicester Sq. London, W.C.
That is the wording of the ad but not of course the layout which
also includes three illustrations. The underlining of the
words "original positions" is mine to later emphasize a point. For
n o w if you read the advertisment carefully you will notice that
n o w h e r e are there Red and Black cards mentioned or any kind of
separation of c o l o r s . So how did the pseudo brilliant author
of "Notes From Underground" dig up the idea that Red and Black
cards were used? Well as mentioned the advertisement has three
line drawings. Arrows indicate the sequence of events. The
first illustration shows face down cards w i t h four face up Black
cards alternated with them. Thus a face down card is first card
on the right ending with a face up Black card at the left end of
the fan. The left thumb is on top, at lower end, of fan and
fingers below. The second illustration showB apparently the other
side in that you see face up Red cards alternated w i t h what are
o b v i o u s l y the face down B lack cards; however, this second
illustration is puzzling since not only is the left thumb still
on the top of the fan, it should show finqers if the fan w e r e
simply turned over, but a discrepancy enters here since there
should be a face down card as the first card of the fan no
m atter to w h i c h side you turn the fan. The second illustration
shows a face up Red card as the start or first card on the right
of the fan. At any rata seems r.hat on looking at these two
illustrations (am assuming he did see the advertisement) the
author of U nderground notes q u i c k l y decided that this was like
Oil and Water and thus added the words, "The Blacks turned face
u p and separated themselves from the Reds". He completely
ignored the third illustration wh i c h clearly shows all cards
face up w i t h the Red and Blac k cards still a l t e r n a t e d . This
also conforms to the underlined words, "original posit i o n s " as
per the advertisement. So there my friends is another example
of how he m isinforms you. If he had at least mentioned that
the effect was similar to "All One Way" that appeared in
I B I D E M #8 he would have made some sense. On the other hand let
me q u o t e the introduction to "All One Way" from I B I D E M # 8 .
First the effect was that a packet of eight card3 were inter­
mixed a l t e r nately face up and face down. Later they are shown
to face all one way. The effect can be repeated. Note that the
Victor advertisement does not mention a repeat. Also in "All
O n e Way" no definite Red and Black cards were used thus I did
not equate this with Oil and Water as the comments to "All One
Way" will show.

Comments: The original effect of the above h«3 always been

c r e dited to Charles T. J o r d a n . R.W, Hull had several methods
using double backed and double face cards. Besides Jordan,
several o t hers have attempted to duplicate the effect with
o r d i n a r y cards. As the reader can see I was unaware of the
Edward Victor marketed version as there certainly would be a
mention of him along with Jordan and R.W. Hull. I do not know,
as of this writing, what Victor's method is and do not want to
make any guesses; however, you can get a reasonable facsimile
of the Victor effect, in which the turned cards get "back to
their original p o s i t i o n s " using four Black Double Face cards that
have the same card on both sides.
The other four Red curds are regular. Arrange the cards from
face to top, in Bl ack - Red order. The face card is a Black
D o u b l e Face card ending with a regular Red card on top. When
about to present the effect you take the packet out apparently
face down. Turn it face up and spread the packet face up calling
attention to the alternated colors. Holding the packet face up
deal the face Black card face up to the table. The Red card is
dealt face down onto the Black card but so it is still visible
for about half its length. Cont i n u e by dealing each Black card
you come to face up and each Red card face down. This should
result in a long downward line of vis i b l e Black cards alternated
w i t h face down Red cards. A face down Red card is the last card
of the row. Scoop up the row and hold it so a face down Red card
is top card. Snap your fingers over it. Turn packet face up.
^he same Black card shows as face card, due to using a D o u b l e Face
card same on both sides, then spread the packet between both hands
showing that the cards are in their "original positions". You
can repeat the effect. Since the Red and B l a c k cards do not
separate your presentation can be a h u m o r o u s one of h o w you try
but fail to separate the colors and apparently ignore that the
cards k e e p righting themselves. For a title call it - "Oil
and Water Failure".
At thi.s time let's go back to some of the irresponsible references
of the editor of Pallbearers. The following item appeared in his
"Reference Shelf" in regards to - C r i s s -Cross (pg. 816); in
P a llbearers R e v i e w for O c t o b e r - 1974 and which I was made aware
of in J a n u a r y of 1975. (Note while this issue of Pallbearers is
marked 1974-October it did not appear on the scene until January
1975. So if you thought of ,an idea in say November of 1974 on
the surface, if a similar idea appeared in Pallbearers, it appears
as if you were a month late when in truth you would be actually
three months a h e a d . This could mean that someone read your idea
in November but by putting it into a back dated P a l l bearers it
appears you were second not first.) Sorry for the side tracking
but here is the quote from the R e f e rence Shelf.

"C r i s s - C r o s s (ng. 816); This Sands effect has been claimed by a

number of people, most recently Ed Mario, When the Sands trick
was being talked about in the 1950-51 period, Mario apparently
found out about it, deduced the method and sent a v a r i a t i o n to
Bruce Elliott for publication in The P h o e n i x . Knowing or
suspect ing the actual origin of the trick, Elliott did not publish
the Mario version".

"Lately, when the Mario claim resurfaced, I told G e o r g e Sands about

it. His reply in part was as follows: "22 years after my
c o n t r i b u t i o n to Ccnii of 'Double Cross', also known as "Criss-
Cross', and 'Unbeatable', as it was published in August 1951,
Ed Mario now claims my brainchild. I created this idea in 1 9 4 8 .
I babied it. In 1950 I did it for W i l l i a m Larsen, Sr. and Los
Magicos, a magic club in California. I put pains taking thought
and work into this effect. H o w dare anyone steal it". The
p a r a g r a p h quoted above is only a small part of Mr. Sands letter.
O t h e r sections deal with some of Mario's past deeds. In a
separate c o mmunication George Sands menti o n e d that he once came
across a v a guely related principle to that used in 'Criss-Cross' in
a H o f f m a n book. It involved suit rotation and the secret removal
of 4 cards from the deck to make the deal come out right".
T h e above paragraphs are the v e r b a t i m words from Pallbearers Review.
All that remains, before going any further, is to bri e f l y state the
effect of Criss-Cross. You show the spectator h o w to intermix
R e d and B l a ck cards and then to simply deal them back into two
heaps, a card at a time into e a c h heap, until you again have a
packet of Red and Black cards. After such procedure is repeated
so that everyone understands the idea you snap your fingers and
n o w you apparently have made it impossible for h i m to separate the
colors even though he follows the identical mixing and dealing
procedure. To quote the Pallbearers editor, "nothing magical
h a ppens w i t h the cards". I have underlined 1magical * because in
"Oil and Water" something magical does happen. At any rate when
I read the article in the Reference Shelf I wrote a letter to
three addresses just to make sure that George Sands would be at one
cf those. Two letters came back marked as left no forwarding address
but the third one did not. I can't assume Sands got this letter so
it is here reprinted where perhaps someone can give h i m a copy of
its contents or perhaps the whole book. H e r e is the letter to
G e o r g e Sands dated January 31, 1975.

D e a r Mr. Sands -
R e c e n t l y a friend of mine showed me an article in the O c t o b er-197 4
issue of the "Pallbearers" in w h i c h you were apparently m i s i n form e d
by the editor of said magazine and, merely on the basis of his
c o nversation with you in turn wrote a letter w h i c h in part accused
me of stealing your routine titled "Criss-Cross' or at least
trying to claim same. Enclosed you will find a copy of the original
letter sent to Bruce Elliott plus the 3rd Phase of what is an
O i l and W a t e r effect. You will note that this 3rd Phase u s e s the
Cross- O v e r procedure of mixing the cards and that I do not c l a i m
the p r o c edure merely an application of same to an effect o b v i o u s l y
different from yours. Since you and I have never formally met I
am puzzled by the supposed balance of your letter, to the editor
of "Pallbearers" to wit, "dealing w i t h Mario's past deed3".
However, I do know a friend of yours by name of Al Keene. W e spent
some time together in Chicago and later at a Abbott G e t - T o g e t h e r
in Colon, Michigan around 1946. At this time I was most pleased
w h e n Al told me that a routine of mine "The Magical Gambler" from
"Deck Deception" - 1942 - was the inspirational start for your
excellent "Super-optical Illusion". Was happy to see you later
p u b l i s h it in "Hugards* Magic .Monthly" in v i e w of the fact that
someone else was getting the credit that belonged to you.

Anyway, am concerned about the accusations in the "Pallbearers",

u n f o unded as usual, and w i s h to clear up the record. Please
read carefully the attached copy of the letter to Bruce Elliott
and the 3rd Phase of the "Oil and Water" routine. If this sets
the record straight please inform the editor of "Pallbearers" and
have a retraction printed. If though there is some other problem,
not stated to date, please let me k n o w by February, 15, 1975.
If there isn't a problem please send me a copy of your acknowledgment
of the retraction.
W i t h best w ishes for an amaible settling of any differences

Ed Mario

N o w h e r e is the v e r b a t i m copy of words from the letter originally

sent to Bruce Elliott. The reader will take note of the fact that
Bill Simon showed me the Cross-Over mixing p r o c e d u r e in 1947 as
it was used in a "Follow The Leader" effect by Vernon. The 1947
d a t e p r e c e d es by one year the starting c l a i m of 1948 by George
Sands. Also only lately George Sands published or contributed, a
C r o s s - O v e r procedure, in connection w i t h "Follow The Leader", to
M artin G a r d n e r s column in "Scientific American".

F e b r u a r y 19, 1951
Chicago 22, Illinois

D e a r Bruce:
E n c losed you will find a routine entitled "Oil and Water". I
have had this routine for several years and only a few cardicians
h a v e ever seen me p e r f o r m it and fewer still have ever been given
the secret or complete routine.

I remember, at the first Chicago Convention after the war, I

did this routine for Bill Simon who at that time was just out of u n i ­
form. I b e lieve he attended the Chicago Convention as a demonstrator
for Lou Tannen. As I had met Bill prev i o u s to this, it was only n a t ­
ural that he and I should get together. Up in his room, at the Mor-
risson Hotel, I did the "Oil and Water Routine" for h i m at the foot
of his bed. At that time I did only two phases of the routine. When
I had finished, Bill reminded himself of an idea that Dai Vernon had
in connec t i on with "Follow The Leader". The opening of this routine
w a s similar to the second phase of "Oil and Water"; however, the final
effect was still "Follow The Leader". I pointed this out to Bill say­
ing that V e rnon's routine, although it started out along similar lines,
had e n t irely a different climax. In Vernon's, the colors followed
e a c h o t h e r — in Oil and Water, the colors w e r e seemingly mixed and then
separated. Later, still intrigued by the fact that Vern o n ' s routine
started out as the second phase of Oil and Water, I hit upon an idea.
I n stead of transposing the two face-up packets, I simply pushed the
f a ce-up red cards into that were supposed to be the face-down Bla c k
cards and vice versa. Thus the third p h a s e of the routine came into
being.

That same convention year I did the routine for Martin Gardn e r
and a small group of magicians in the w e e hours of the morning at the
Triangle Restaurant. Stewart Judah and Paul Montgo m e r y of Akron also
saw the routine that same year. I

I said see, but not show, because among the first ones to ac t ­
ually get the details of the routine was Dai Vernon. That was the
year V ernon came out for this fir3t lecture in Chicago. I did the
routine for h i m then and he had never seen it before and it puzzled
him. I showed him the working details but the next day Vernon, who
had o t h e r things on his mind, had forgotten some of it. I then wrote
it out for h i m on the back of a Deu t s c h Restaurant place-mat. He
also asked me if I had any objections to his showing the routine to
Dr. Daley. As I always desired to get along w i t h Doc, I said I would
be'raore than pleased if D a l e y were interested.
F r o m this point on I "kept the routine out of print, practica l l y
n e v e r doing the effect, simply because I wanted to feel I had given
V ernon something the others didn't get. Finally about two years ago,
I broke down and also gave the routine to Bert Fenn and Neal Elias.
N e e d l e s s to say I am now sending it to you. I hope you will k e e p it
to yourself and not let any part of it get into the Phoenix.

Hoping we understand each other, I remain

C o r d i a l l y yours,

Ed Mario

IMPORTANT NOTE: I met George Sands in the presence of Dave Solomon prior to his
lecture in Chicago on Tuesday, April 6, 1976° I asked George it he received my
letter. He acknowledged receipt and made an apology on the spot explaining that
he was misinformed by the Eastern sources. He said he would write a formal apology
in the near future. Until that time let the record stand corrected.

3RD PHASE (OIL AND WATER)

1) Pick u p the packet of b l a c k cards and hold them face up in the

left hand. The packet of red cards is held face up in the right h m d .
Turn to your spectator and say, "This time we will try to m i x them
by the swirling motion".

2) Deal off a card, face up, from each packet onto the table. The
b l a c k card from left hand is dealt off to left of table while the
red card from right hand is dealt off to the right. N o w cross the
hands and deal off a card of opposite color onto each of two cards.
Bring the hands back to original position and again deal off a card
f r o m each hand onto the cards below the hands. Again cross the
h a n d s and deal off two cards into the opposite packets. Continue
doing this until all cards are dealt out.

3) You n o w have two face up packets of mixed colors be f o r e you.

Place the packet from the left on the one on the right. Turn the
c o m p l e t e packet face down.

4) If you will examine the packet of twenty cards, you will find that
for the first ten cards, the colors alternate, but for the next ten,
they alternate in reverse. This gives you the same kind of set-up
as in the second phase which used the "Displacement Si eight".
5) H o l d i n g packer of twenty cards face down, you are n o w going to
show that the colors alternate. This you do in the following m a n n e r .

6 ) Deal a card face up to the left as you say "Red". Deal the
next card, face up, to the right as you say "Black". Do this
face-up d e a l i n g — first to left-then to right — for the'first eight
cards. The remaining twelve cards are dealt, in the same manner,
— left and r i g h t — but this time face down in a long row below
the face up packet.
7) At this stage you have a situation as in Figure 1. The
a u d i e n c e is under the impression that the face down cards below
e a c h face up packet are of the same color.

Figure L

8 ) Turn over the first card of each face down row to again
accent u a t e that in one row are red cards and in the other are
b l a c k cards.

9) S c o o p up the five face up red cards, turn them face down, and
m i x them into the face down cards on the right which are supposedly
of the o p p osite color but actually are also red cards. Repeat
the same p rocess with the same five face-up black cards mixing
t h e m into the supposed face-down red cards on the left.

10) Place the two packets together, riffle the cards, spread them
faces up and again you have proven that oil and water will not
mix.

N e e d l e s s to say I did not get any answer to the letter although

the present rumors seem to point to the fact that the editor of
P a l l b e a r e r s is well aware of all this. Will it be a case of-hit,
run and ignore? As of this date it seems to be just that.

Since the reader has patiently waded thru all this mire I hope
t lie following Oil and W a t e r routine, worked out by D a v i d Solomon
and myself will in some measure c o m p e n s a t e finally g e t t i n g to
this point. The effect of Red and Black cards intermixing or
h o m o g o n i z i n g is strictly mine and o r i g i n a l l y appeared in I B I D E M
#8 p u b l ished in 1956 under the title of "Oil and Water Climax".
O v e r the years others have published v a r i a t i o n s of the re-mixing
c l imax with no mention of the original source and I have never
w r i t t e n one word of complaint to the parties in question because
I was sure they were well aware the effect was not theirs and
they surely were entitled to their own particular variation.

"OIL AND WATER" - Mario & Solomon

This method was stimulated by wan t i n g to do the original Mario

three phase effect with only one extra card like "Wild R o o 4:" in
I B I D E M which obviously was inspired by the Mario methods, approa c h
and procedures to "Oil and ’ Water" and not by any other unrelated
source.

1st PHASE Same as "Wild Root"

 - 167-

S u m m a r y - 1st Phase
1) Set up from face to top is £ Red cards, preferably spot cards,
£ Black spot cards and a Red spot card. W i t h the packet face up
show you have four Red cards and four Black cards holding the last
two cards as one.
2) Turn the packet face down. Deal the top four cards, one at a
time onto each other, to the table thus reversing their order.
The top three cards of this tabled packet are Black and the b o t t o m
card is Red. Spectators assume they are all Black.

3) Turn the remaining cards face up. Thumb over the face three
rards, holding the last two as one, to show four Red cards.
S quare up the cards and turn them face down into left hand dealing
position. Right hand picks off the top card of the tabled packet,
flashes its Black face, then places it face down to the left of
the tabled packet. Onto this the right hand deals t h e top card
o f the cards in left hand, without showing its face, onto the card
o n the table. Apparently you have placed a Red card but really
B l a c k onto the tabled card wh i c h now actually consist of two
Black cards.
4) The m ixing process is continued by right hand taking the next
card of the tabled packet, flashing its B l a c k face, then dealing
it onto the previous two cards. Right hand n o w takes top card
of the packet, this time flashing its Red face, then dealing it
onto the tabled three cards. Pick up the next card from top of
the original tabled packet, flash its B l a c k face, then place it
onto the supposed mixed packet. Right hand takes next card from
left hand cards, flash its Red face, then deal it face down onto
the "mixed packet". The remaining card, of the original packet,
is placed onto the "mixed packet" being sure you do not flash
its face since it is a Red and not Black card. Right hand takes
the remaining two cards, from above by the ends, to show the face
of these as apparently o n l y one card, then places it onto the
top of the "mixed packet".

5) You will not go wrong w i t h the above mixing process if you just
remember to start with the card from the tabled four cards and
then go into the alternated mixing w i t h the flashing of the cards
faces at the proper places. There are o n l y two places w h e r e you
do not show the faces of the cards. The first time is when you
take the first card from top of the cards in left hand since this
is a B l a c k card not Red as supposed. The other is not showing
the last card of the original tabled cards which is Red and not
B l a c k as supposed.

6 ) W i t h Steps 5_ and 6 above understood the "mixed packet" actually

consists of the top four cards being Red. The remaining five cards,
supposedly four, are in B-R- and three Blacks order from top down.
Thumb over the top four cards, holding them fanned in right hand, then
toss these face up to the table to show they are Red. The
remaining cards are turned face up into left hand. Thumb over the
face two cards, taking them one under the other with-right hand
thumb on face and first and second fingers beneath at lower right
corner. On the third card do either a Single Buckle or Block
Pushoff as left fingers snap the last card and places it onto the
 -l68-

face of the cards. Square up the packet.

2nd Phase - Face Up Mixture

1) W i t h the B l a c k cards just shown still face up in left hand
thumb over the face three cards holding the last two as one. The
left hand n o w holds a fan of four face up Black cards. You will n o w
intermix the cards faces up as follows;

The first Red card is inserted under the card(s) at the extreme
left of the fan. The Red card remains up-jogged for about half
its length. The second Red card is placed between the 4th and
3rd B l a c k cards of the fan. The third Red card is inserted b e ­
tween the 3rd and 2nd B l a c k cards. The last or fourth Red
card is inserted between the 2nd and 1st B l a c k cards. C l o s e the
e l o n g a t e d fan, p u s h the cards flush and square.
2) The o r d e r of the cards, from face to top, will be B-R-B-R-B-R- B -
2 R . N o w during the showing that the cards are in B l a c k - Red
m i x ture you will displace the fourth card from the face, a Red
card, so it will travel under the spread and end up on top. Begin
by t h u mbing over, in a sort of sliding not lifting action the face
three cards so that they remain sort of fanned when the left thumb
reaches the fourth or Red card it thumbs it over to the right. At
same time right hand moves its fan of 3 cards to the left and over
the Red card w h i c h is momentarily held in place by left fingers
f r o m beneath. The left thumb also at once falls across the face
of the 2nd and 3rd cards from the face of packet in order to k e e p
these in p l a c e as left fingertips push the Red card further under
the face three cards. Without any stall b o t h hands n o w separate
from e a c h other until you feel the stepped condition, of the Red
card, c l i c k off of the right side of the packet. Still without
any pause in the rhythm of the spreading of the cards the next
three cards are thumbed over to show an alternated color condition.
D u r i n g this the Red card is n o w riding under the spread so that
w h e n the packet is again squared up this Red card will automatically
go to the top of the packet; however, be sure to first continue
showing the rest of the mixture.
3) Turn the packet face down into left hand dealing position. The
o r d e r of cards, from top down, is now _3 Reds - B-R- 2 Blacks - R-B.
Y o u will n o w show the top four cards as Red using the Mario
C o v e r e d S econd Deal as follows: Thumb over the top three cards,
one at a time, one under each other taking them at upper right
c orner b e tween thumb on top 1st finger on top edge w i t h 2nd - 3rd -
4th fingers beneath. The right 2nd fingertip moves in a sort of
taking action as each card is thumbed over. In thumbing over the
4th card the left thumb really pushes over two cards as close
together as possible. The three cards from right hand will cover
the left thumb and the thumbed over cards. Under cover of these
cards the right 2nd fingertip contacts and quickly pulls the
second card to the right as left thumb pulls b a c k the top card. To
c o m p l e t e the Second Deal the hands move apart in the normal
action of apparently taking each card under the other. The Second
D e a l is c o m pletely covered by those cards above it and held by right
hand. The right hand can n o w turn its cards face up to the table
and spread them to show four Red cards. Raise the left hand so faces
of the cards are towards spectator. Thumb over the top three
cards, towards right hand, holding the last two as one. The fan of
four cards is firmly grasped at the lower ends with thumb on top
fingers at face. Right hand thus displays Four Black Cards.

3rd Phase - Mixture Phase

1) S q u a r e up the Black cards and hold them faces down in left

hand dealing position. The four tabled Red cards are picked up
b y right hand and very openly placed onto top of the cards in left
hand. T u ring the patter line of, "Remember - the Red cards are
on top of the Black ones", you will run the 4th and 5th cards, a
Red and Black card, together under the spread and to the bottom
as the packet is re-squared. The technique for this is similar
to that described in Step 2 of the Second Phase except here it is
done with the cards faces down and two cards will be displaced
to under the spread. Biiefly - you thumb over the top three cards
keeping them fanned slightly by right hand. The 4t.h card is
p u shed under these three cards as is the 5th card. The left, thumb
will twice contact the top of the third card from top in order t.o
k e e p the upper three cards in place as the left 2nd- 3rd- 4th finger
tips push the 4th then the 5th card under the top three cards.
Both hands separate slightly until you feel that the stepped
condition of the under two cards c l i c k past the right side of the
6 th card and thus all succeeding cards that are thumbed over will
go above the 4th and 5th cards riding beneath. Do not. attempt
to hold the last two cards as one. Instead cleanly thumb down to
the last card. No one will notice the number of cards. Square
up the packet as the 4th and 5th cards automatically go to the
bottom.

2) The packet is turned face up into left hand dealing position.

The order of the cards, at this stage, from face to back or top
is B - R - B - F - 2 B - 3 R . You are about to show that, the cards have
m a g i c a l l y remixed themselves. Squeez packet for effect. Deal the
first four cards one at a time, fairly and face up to the table.
As you deal the 5th card, a Black one, tilt the left hand upwards
slightly to kill the next Black card. The deal is made by taking
each card, w ith right thumb and fingers, by its lower right corner
O n the 6 th card you actually do an easy Bottom Deal as the left
2nd - 3rd - 4th fingers press against bo t t o m card w h i c h buckles
it slightly and loosens it enough for the right 1st and 2nd
fingers to move it cut as right thumb follows by falling onto the
face of this R card. At same time left hand moves downwards so
that spectators can again see the face of these cards. F o l l o w by
dealing the next Black card onto the tabled cards w h i c h are in a
downward overlapping row. The last two cards are held as one
Red card. Riqht hand uses this card to scoop up the row of cards
bringing two Red cards on top.

3) Place the packet face up into left hand. The right hand grasps
the packet from above by the ends. The left fingers can either
Buckle the b o t t o m card or do a Full Town in order to get a break
above this lower most Red card. Right hand holds onto the car^s
as left hand (thumb) oeels off the face card and also secretly
tales the lowermost card with it. Drop the cards from right
hand onto the c.ard(s) in left hand. Right hand now takes the
carets, straddling the slf'es at upper end between light. 1st and
4 1h fingers, then fnna them out to clearly show that all cards
do alternate in color. No one will notice the extra card since
they are m i s d i rected by the Red - Black situation of the cards.
M l that remains is to close up the fan and deposit it onto the
top of d e c k . In the event someone asks to again see the cards
m e r e l y deal off only the top eight cards one at a time to the
table faces down, reversing their order. The spectator can now
examine to his satisfaction.

S i nc e all the injected required details m a y give the reader that

the above routine is long or involved the very brief outline
will be given just to point out that it you are familiar w i t h
the required sleights only, to quote G r e a t e r Magic, the bare
b o n e s are necessary.

1st Phase

1) Set-up. From face to top, Four Red cards - Four Black cards -
O n e Red card. S h o w as Red and Black h o l d i n g last two as one.
2) Count top £ Black cards to 1 able reversing their order.

3) S h o w four Red cards face up holding last two as one.

4) Mix cards by alternating Bl ack then Red and so on as you flash

faces cf cards at proper times. Packet placed face down into left
hand.

5) Thumb over top £ cards. Turn them over to show £ Reds.

6 ) Packet in left hand is turned face up. S h o w as £ Black cards

v i a S ingle Buckle or Pushoff placing last B l a c k card to face.

2nd Phase - Face Up Mixture

1) Hold B lack cards face up ho lding last two as one.

2) Insert Red cards between Black cards; last Red card becoming
top card when packet is turned face down. From top down the order
will he 2R-B-R-B-R-U-R-B.

3) SViow cards from face showing B-R-B-R on the 4th count or the Red
card, do the under the spread move to displace Red card to top.
C o n t i n u e spreading the cards to show all cards alternated except
h o l d 1-nst two as one.

4) Turn packet face down. Thumb over top three cards; thumb over
next two cants to enable you to do Mario Cov e r e d Second Deal. S h o w
the four cards all Red.

5) R e m a i n i n g cards in left hand are held faces to spectator backs

towards yourself. Thumb over three cards holding last two as one
to show four Black cards.
 -1 7 1 -

3rd Phase - Mixture Phase

1) Pick up tabled Red cards placing them onto the face down Black
cards in left hand.
2) Remind spectators that Red cards are on top of the Black cards
as you thumb over three cards doing the under the spread moves
w i t h the 4th and 5th cards w h i c h will go to the bo t t o m of the
packet as you square it up. (See "Additional Comments")
3) Turn packet face up. Deal cards face up. Deal B-R-B-R-B-
B o t t o m D e a l a Red card-B-then last two cards, held as one Red
card, is used to scoop up the tabled cards.
4) P i c k up the packet placing it squared and face up in left hand.
K a r d y r o - B i d dle Move the top and bottom cards placing these to under
the face up packet. At o n c e do a one hand fan spread of the
packet to show all cards alternated. Place faces down on top of
deck; deal off top eight cards, reversing order, if it becomes
n e c e s s a r y per spectators request to see the cards.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

1) In Phase Three at Step .1 you have run two cards under the spread
to the b o t t om of the deck. This of course changes t h e face of the
B l a c k card that was originally on the bottom. No one has ever
noticed this; however, for those that may feel guilt at this point
then the 4th and 5th cards should only be displaced so that the
5th card simply goes above the 4th card.

2) This displacement is done as per the following instructions. W h e n

you reach the 4th card it is pushed under the top spread three
cards. This card is now stepped to the right. The 5th card is
p u shed over. Both hands separate until you feel the right lower
corner of the 5th card click off of the stepped 4th card. The
left side of the 3rd card is covering the right side of the 5th
card thus the loading of this 5th card above the 4th card is
amply concealed. All that remains is to keep spreading the cards
all the way to the last card. When the packet is squared up only
the 4th and 5th cards have been interchanged while the original
face Black card remains the same.

3) The o r d e r of the cards, from face to top, is now in B-R-2B-R-

B-3R order. This time, as you deal the cards faces up to the
table, you must do the "Inward Bottom Deal" on the 4th count in
o r d e r to deal a Red card. From here the deal is continued normally,
holding the last two Red cards as one, then using last Red card(s)
to scoop up the tabled cards. Conclude as already detailed to show
all cards alternated.
 -r(2-

4) In the 2nd Phase or Face Up Mixture at Step 2 and 3^ you use one
displacement of the 4th card from the face of packet to the top
then later a Covered Second Deal in order to show the top four
cards as Red. For those who may not care for the use of the
Second Deal then the following "Double Displacement" made in one
run through may be used. The packet is face down w i t h the cards
in order, from top down, of 2 R - B - R - B - R - B - R - B . Thumb over the top
two cards keeping thrm well spread by right hand wh i c h holds right
side of the cards w i t h thumb pressing on top and fingers beneath.
The third card, a Black one, is pushed way under the two spread
cards creating the stepped condition required. As the hands
separate slightly and you feel the fourth cards right side click
off of the stepped 3rd card you at once thumb over the 4th card
so it goes above the 3rd card. N o w the 5th card, another Black
card, is p ushed under the spread to join onto the face of the
B l a c k card already under the spread. Thus you have two B l a c k
cards together under the spread. The hands separate so that 6th
card, the needed Red card, clicks off of the stepped condition
of the two B l a c k cards under the spread. The 6th card n o w goes
above the two B l a c k cards under the spread but the next 3 c a r d s ,
that are thumbed over, go below those cards in right hand and also
b e l o w the two B l a c k cards that are under the spread. The face
B l a c k card will remain the same since o n l y the 3rd- 4th- 5th and
6 th cards w ere interchanged during the under spread displacement.
You can n o w take off the top four cards cleanly since they are all
Red. The B lack cards are handled as already previo u s l y described
by holding cards w i t h faces towards spectators, thumbing over
o n l y three and holding last two as one.

5) Using the original approach of mine to "Oil and Water" you can
m a k e use of the eight intermixed cards that you deal off of top
of deck at the conclusion of the 3rd Phase or "Mixture Phase".
For a title call it the "Anti-Climax Cleanup". Assume you have
dealt off the top 8 cards, from top cf deck, one at a time faces
down to the table. Pick up the packet and place it face up into
left hand. You now show that the cards really alternate. Du r i n g
this spreading of the cards between both hands do an under the
spread displacement of the 5th card from the face, a Red card
in this case, to the top of the packet. Read carefully. R e m e m b e r
that the spectator, during your spreading of the cards, have seen
the last or top card as a Black card. The face card is of course
Red. Turn the packet faces down. Deal the top card face down to
t h e table calling it B l a c k . Deal the next card face down to
the right of the first tabled card calling it R e d . Repeat with
the next two cards as you deal one card at a time onto each of the
tabled cards at same time calling, "Black-Red". N o w still calling,
"Black", deal the next card face up b e l o w what are supposedly the
B l a c k cards. The next card, a Red one, is dealt face up beneath
the two face down supposed Red cards. Complete this deal w i t h
the remaining two cards. To all appearances the face up cards
m a r k off the same color face down cards. Actually the cards above
the face up Red cards are Black while those above the B l a c k cards
are Red. P ick up the face up Black cards. Turn them face down as
you weave and intermix t h e m with the supposed face down Red cards.
A c t u a l l y you are mixing Black cards into Black cards. Repeat this
p r o c e s s of weave mixing w i t h the face up Red cards into the supposed
B l a c k cards. Place one packet onto the other. Thumb over top
four cards and show they are of one color. S h o w the remaining four
to be the other color.

6 ) Some may prefer the following procedure for the Anti-Climax.

At least this is my preference. After showing the faces of the
alternated cards and displacing the 5th card to the top turn the
packet faces down into left hand. N o w count the cards, one at a
time, into the right thus reversing their order. Your patter
excuse is simply, "Don't forget we have o n e - t w o - e t c . , cards",
ending on the words, "Eight cards". Now deal the cards face up
as you deal a Red card then a Black and so on until you have two
face up Red cards and two face up B l a c k cards. The remaining four
cards are dealt face down beneath each proper indicator as you
continue saying, "Red-Black". From this point w e a v e the face up
Red cards face down into what are supposedly the Black cards and
the face up Black cards weaved face down into what seemingly are
t h e face down Red cards. Put one packet onto the other. Squeeze
for effect. Deal off top four cards to show as one color and the
remainig four as the other color.
It is hoped that my Cardician type research has been informative
and that the "Oil and Water" routines o f f e r more than just the
effect as far as the application of the moves to other effects is
concerned.

W h i l e it is possible to use the Buckles or the M.S. Move to displace

cards as well the Vernon 4th finger separation technique experience
has shown these moves or techniques to be vulnerable, from certain
angles, under strict close-up conditions. The sliding stepping t e c h ­
nique has been found the best for these displacements.
 THE SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK

EFFECT: From a borrowed shuffled deck the performer forms a face down clock
dial. The spectator counts to an hour, determined by an unknown quantity of
cards previously pocketed by him, while the performer has his back turned. The
card having been noted, remembered and replaced back into its clock position
the performer then turns around. After some concentration the performer tells
what card the spectator has on his mind. For a further clincher it also is the
only card whose value corresponds with the hour thought of as the others are
turned face up to show they do not match with their position in the clock. In
the event that two or more cards do correspond in value to their position in
the clock conclusive proof, that only the spectator's selection was considered,
is given by turning a face down card, which is in the center of the clock,
face up to show its value corresponds to the value of the chosen card. If
desired a written prediction worded as follows:, "Your card will synchronize
with the hour you thought of", can be used. In this case the written pre­
diction is tabled. The sequence of disclosure then would be first to name
the spectator's card. Next the written prediction would be opened and further
explanation given of its meaning. The spectator is now asked to name the hour
he counted to. The card at this hour is turned face up, starting at one
o'clock to point out that none of the others match the hour they occupy;
however, in the event that there are some matches, which could lead the
observer to think of alternative or ambigious conclusions, the face down card
in the center of the clock is turned face up to prove this is not the case.

The above then is basically the presentational plot and now for the method
which will be described as with a written prediction although you can dis­
pense with it. You can carry the prediction already written.

1) On getting the borrowed deck quickly crimp the bottom card of the deck.
Any method that will crimp the lower right corner of the,, bottom card is pre­
ferred. At once go into an Overhand Shuffle running off £ cards then throw
the deck onto them. Now run off 6 cards and throw the deck onto them for
a total of 12 cards below the crimp.

2) With right hand undercut the deck a few cards above the crimp. This will
give you the larger portion held by left hand. Do a Straddle Faro of the
smaller portion into the larger portion. As you telescope the cards into
each other the right hand lifts up, very slightly, on its end of the cards
thus enabling the left hth fingertip to move in and obtain a break, at the
right side near lower right corner of the larger portion, below those cards
of the smaller portion. This break is maintained as the right hand comes
over the still elongated cards to push the portions flush. Undercut those
cards below the break to the top. The crimped card is now 26th from the top.

3) Table the deck for the present as you hand the spectator the folded up
prediction telling him to pocket same for the time being. Next tell him to
cut off a portion of cards from the top of the deck. This can be a sizeable
cut of about twenty cards or more as long as it doesn't include your crimped
card. The spectator is instructed to shuffle his packet. When he has done
that tell him that since you willbe dealing with a time of day that he is to
remove or count off 12 cards from those he now has.The remainder he is
instructed to shuffle before he returns them to the top of the deck. Next he
can shuffle the JL2 cards he counted off after which he holds this packet squared
up in his hands. You now turn your back and instruct him to cut off a packet
of cards, from the 12 cards he is holding, so that he himself will not know how
many cards he cut off. These he places in his pocket and the remaining are
placed onto the top of the deck. You now turn around to face the spectator again.
*0 At this point you have to find out how many cards the spectator has pocketed.
You can use the procedure, with a Faro Shuffle, as in "Mathematical Mario" in
"The Unexpected Card Book"; however, I prefer the following which throws off
the Faronatics. Without looking at the deck pick it up and position it for an
Overhand Shuffle. You can safely run off 14 cards in two runs of £ or ten cards
and then four cards. Now glance at the top side of the deck at the sane
time running off and counting the cards, including the crimped card, to get a
total. Assume that your total run of cards is 18. Deduct this total from 26
to give you a result of 8 or the number of cards the spectator has in his
pocket. let's keep 8 as the example in this case.

5) The next thing is to keep Overhand Shuffling until you spot any card with
the required value, or in this instance any 8 spot cards on the bottom of the
deck. In the event that you may have trouble getting the required value card
to the bottom then the following method is suggested: Turn the deck with
faces towards yourself. Spread the deck between both hands as you say, "Be­
fore we start I want to remove one card". Here you quickly thumb over the
faces of the cards and up-jog the very first card of the required value that
you come to. In this case you would up-jog the first 8 spot card you come to.
Continue thumbing through the deck until you reach the next 8 spot card. At
this point you have several alternatives. One is to thumb over and count
eight cards, including this 8 spot, before splitting the cards at that point.
Two - you can thumb over only half of the required value, in this case four
cards including the 8 spot so it becomes the top card of the right hand
portion of cards, liy personal preference is to split directly at the value
card if the value is a low one such as from one to five inclusive. For
values 6 to 12 inclusive I thumb over half the value then split the cards
at that point.
6) Assume you have thumbed over four cards, which includes the 8 spot,
then separated the deck at that point. The left hand, which holds its
section of cards, removes the up-jcgg8d 8 spot to toss it face down to the
table. In reassembling th3 halves the right hand casually places its cards
to under those in left hand. The 3 spot value card is fourth from the top
now. Remember this card.
7) Table tho deck and give it a couple of Riffle Shuffles adding cards each
time to bring your value spot card at the same number from the top of the
deck. In this example you would add say two cards, onto the 8 soot, during
each shuffle to bring the 8 spot at eight position from the top of the deck.
These shuffles offset any suspicion that may have been aroused when you
looked over the faces of the cards to remove the first 8 spot which is now
face down on the table.

8) From the top of the deck deal out 12 face down cards, in the form of a
clock dial, starting at one o'clock ana on around to 12. The card at 12
o'clock can be positioned sort of lengthwise distinguishing it from the others
in order that the spectator will know from which point to start his count
around the clock. The value card originally placod face down is in the
center of the clock dial. Explain to the spectator that whatever the number
of cards he has in his pocket, which you point out that as yet he himself does
not know for sure this number, he is to count, from one o'clock, to whatever
the number of his cards total. As a further illustrative point you say, "For
example _ suppose you have four cards. You would then start your count at one
o'clock and count the fourth card or four o'clock on the dial.". During
this with the right hand you illustrate the count to the fourth card but do
not look at it; however, you add, "Then you would look at the card at your
hour and keep it in your mind. Also make sure you place it back so it is in
the same position. I will turn around while you count your cards."

9) With your back turned the spectator is again instructed to remove the cards
from his pocket, count them then place them into the center of the deck. He
is told to count to the hour indicated by the number of cards he had and to
look at and remember that card at his chosen hour then to replace it face down
back into its original position. Not until he has completed all the above
actions do you again turn to face the spectator. At this point the work
on your part is all done the rest is presentation and buildup on your part.

10) Begin by telling him to concentrate on his card. Reveal its name in your
best showmanlike manner. Remind him of the paper you handed him. Have him
read it first. Now explain what the statement means - that only his card will
synchronize with the hour he thought of. Ask him what hour he thought of
just as if you didn't know. Count to that hour and turn that card face up
again pointing out, in this example, that the card he thought of was an eight
and occupies the eight hour on the clock dial. Starting at one o'clock turn
each card face up as you repeat each hour and point out that the values of these
cards do not correspond with their hour. For the climax call attention to the
single face down card in the center of the clock dial emphasizing the fact
that this card was placed there before starting the effect. Turn it face up
to show it also matches the chosen hour.
11) In the event that you do come across two or three cards whose values also
coincide with their hours then your patter is as follows: "You can see that
there were some cards that also corresponded with the hour but you did not
think of these; however, you may still assume that perhaps I had several
choices or that some ambigious process is at work. I assure this is not the
case. So sure I was of your choice of hour that before we even started you
remember I placed this card face down to the table." Turn the card face up
to disclose this card as of the same value as the hour thought of and con­
clude with the line, "As you can see it is the same as the hour you thought
of".

12) The basic effect was discussed in "The Unexpected Card Book", but was a
sometime thing. Dave Solomon worked out a hundred percent method using a
set-up. The no-set up impromptu method is one that I worked out.

SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK SET UP VERSION - Dave Solomon

This method was stimulated by the Mario "Another Clock Effect" in The Unexpected
Card Book page 123. The basis of this variation is to always have a synchronized
climax.

Set u p : A consecutive run of cards from Ace to Queen; suite does not matter
although you must know which Ace the run starts with. Place these twelve cards
on the bottom of the deck, Queen being the bottom card assume the AS starts the
run.
Method:

l) Write a prediction beforo the effect begins. State that this will be a
synchronized clock.
 - LY Y-

2) Have the spectator cut the deck in half. Give him the top half to
shuffle as you demonstrate the shuffle with your half runing a total of
cards onto your stock.

3) Have him decide on an hour and keep that number of cards in his lap. He
is then to return the rest of the cards onto the deck.

h) Pick up the assembled dock, locate the A3 in the center and do a faro
out shuffle starting at the bottom of the deck. Use the Mario procedure of
glimping the card above the Ad although maintain No break. This should
confuse those that know the Mario method.
5) The card you glimpsed will tell you the hour and the exact card as well
as be in the synchronized position. Another fooling touch is to allow the
spectator to lay out the clock. Start with "One o'clock" ending with
twelve. Continue your procedure by taking the rest of the deck and making
a prediction as Mario does in his impromptu version or better yet after the
spectator has noted the earth On the card commence to tell him the exact card,
the hour and have him read the prediction of exact synchronization.

6) Because of the faro shuffle, you can now show the cards after the
selected cards are not synchronized. They will be one card off because
of the weave. You can only continue to demonstrate that none of the others
are synchronized up to twelve o ’
clock since the AS will be in cne o'clock.
Don't press this point; they will not want to look any further.

THE r->IANO DUET

Effect: This is the classic effect where you piece a pair of cards
between the fingers of each hand except for one card w h i c h iss placed
between the thumb and first finger of one hand. The pairs, from
between the fingers of eacn, are now split to make two packets of
cards. The one card, from between the first finger and thumb, is
n o w placed onto the packet chos_n by the spectator. This card now
is caused to vanish from this chosen packet and appear in the other.

The above effect in reality is an apparent transposition of a card

since nothing really happens and tne whole effect is based on subtle
delivery of a repetitious line, "Two cards - an even number". This
line is delivered as each pair of cards is faced and placed between
the fingers. Wnen you have tilled all the finger spaces, of
both hands, except that between the thumb and first finger of one
hand, the one card is referred to as, "And one card an odd card".
This card is then placed between the thumb and 1st finger of the
hand that does not have any card. A total of fifteen cards have
been placed between the fingers w h i c h basically makes your state­
ment of even cards and one odd card correct. Now you split each
pair, t u rning them face down into two separate heaps. Each time
you remove the pair of cards from between the fingers and split
the pair you repeat the line, !'Two cards an even number", then
deal the cards face down one onto each packet. On completion of
splitting the pairs the last singel card is removed and you say,
"One card an odd number". W i t h the card gest u r e towards each
packet as you say, "Both these packets are even - onto which
packet do you want me to place the odd card". The spectator has
an absolutely free choice of the packet. The odd card, is then
placed on top of the chosen packet as you say, "The packet with
the odd card - place your hand on this even packet". The
supposed even packet". The supposed even packet is shoved t o ­
wards the spectator for him to place his hand onto these cards.
State that you will invisibly remove the odd card from your packet
and toss it to under his hand. Go through the motions of invisibly
removing a card from your packet and tossing it towards the
spectators cards. Use the top card of your packet and use it to
scoop up your cards. Thumb over a pair of cards as you again say,
"Two cards an even number". Toss these face down onto the top
of the deck. Repeat the same procedure w i t h the remaining pairs;
however, on the last pair take a card in e a c h hand and sort of
snap one card against and past each other as if to emphasize the
singleness of this last pair. The real purpose is to place the 1
b o t t o m card of this pair to the top and then place the cards onto
the top of the deck. Conclude your patter by saying, "Two cards
an even n umber - the odd card is g o n e " . H a v e the spectator lift
up his hand and pick up the packet. Thumb over a pair of cards
as you repeat, "Two cards an even number", then drop these face
down to your right. Repeat with the remaining pairs till you reach
the last card when you snap it and conclude with, "And here is the
odd c a r d ".

At this point the reader may wonder what is so different in the

above from the basic classical effect. There isn't any except for
a couple of subtle touches, to now be described, that has fooled some
of the not so dull card men in the country. (Including the suburbs
and the cities.) Just keep in mind the classical procedure
that has just been described since what follows stays along these
lines and in face success with my methods depends on this.

1) The title is used to denote that the Paino effect will be done
twice. The repeat is for those who may not be quite sure that the
card they noted actually did appear in the packet held under their
h a n d .2

2) You will need three duplicate cards in the deck.you use. Assume
you decide to use a Ten of Spades. From another two decks or the
same brand Pinochle deck get two additional Tens of Spades. Set
the deck with two IQS cards on top and one IQS at _1_5 from the top.
 - i r

C r im p the b o t t o m cnrr1 of the deck. Place the cards in the card

case in readiness for the performance.

3) Personally have always managed to get the spectators interested

in seeing the effect, even before the deck is out in view, by asking
if they hannen to know (here naming some popular pianist of the day)
favorite effect. Mention is then made that it is the "Piano Trick"
and asking if they would like to see it. Since there aren't any cards
in view they are curious, even magicians, as to what this could be.

4) When you remove the cards say, "I haven't got a piano but these
will give you a good idea of what takes place". Remove the cards
from the card case. Position the deck for an Overh a n d Shuffle.
Undercut half of the deck, not interferring with the top JJ> card
arrangement then with the left fingers and thumb pull off the top
and bottom cards, of those undercut by the right hand, onto those
in the left hand then shuffle off the rest. These actions place
the crimped card above the JJ5 card set that contains the three IQS
arrangement and gives you more than the required _15, cards, on the
top of the deck, for the first portion of this "Piano r-uet". (The
card case is back in pocket.)

5) Tell the spectator that since this is a piano trick he is to

place his both hands palrn down on the table with the fingers and
thumb spread apart, "Just as if playing a piano", you add. *.t
this stage you refer to each pair of cards as 'keys of a piano';
therefore, as your hands pick a pair of cards off of the top of
the deck and then face them you say "Two Keys - an even number".
Place these two cards between the 3rd and 4th fingers of the
spectators hand, that is nearest to you, then placing each
additional pair between the next fingers as you w o r k towards the
1st finger and thumb. Repeat this process with the next three
pairs leaving the 1st finger and thumb of this hand free for
spectator to clip the odd card just as he clipped each pair. The
pairs incidentally are resting on their long bottom edges or
clipped lengthwise with the short ends towards the webs of
each pair of fingers.

6) Now the important ooint is the odd card. This must be casually
flashed so that chere is a good chance the spectator will re­
member this card but do not call any special attention to its
name. Now, in accordance with the classic presentation, remove
each pair of cards, from between the spectators fingers, to split
them and place them into two separate heaps as you keep repeating
the phrase, "Two keys (or cards) an even number". 7

7) When all pairs have thus been split take the odd card, casually
almost inadvertently flash its face again, then ask the spectator
onto which packet you should place the odd key (or c a r d ) . The
choice having been made you give the spectator the o t h e r or
supposed even number heap of cards onto w h i c h he places his hand.
8 ) Go t h r o u q h the actions of removing the 088 card invisibly and
place it on the table. Use the top card, the original odd flashed
card, to scoop up the tabled packet. Thumb over each oair of cards
and toss them onto the top of the deck as again you repeat the
p h rase of, "Two cards (or keys) an even number". When you get to
the last oair snao each card, as previously suggested, past
each o t h e r as if to show their sinqleness and end up with the
original flashed odd card on top of the deck.

9) The deck should be tabled off on your left. Now pick uo the
invisible tabled card and seem to toss it towards the spectators
hand. H a v e the spectator lift his hand off the nacket. You take
it and thumb over a pair of cards to toss them face down to the
table in front of yourself and slightly to the right of the tabled
deck. (Personally I deal the oairs rather forward on the table
and awav from the deck.) Again the line, "'Two cards (or keys)
an even number", is delivered until you come to the last card.
This card is held face down so its face will not be seen. You can
flick it or snap it as you conclude with, "And one card - the odd
card", then toss it face down onto the tabled packet.
10) At this point any informed magician will be looking rather
q u e s t i o n i n g l y at you as much as to say, "He's got to be kidding
w i t h that old hairy stunt". The layman will be puzzled as well as
amused. In either case you will have plenty of misdirection to
casually do a Flat Table Palm of the top card, into the right hand.
The right hand reaches for the tabled packet, adding the palmed
card, but do not pick up this packet. Simply move it towards y o u r ­
self. T u r i n g these actions look at your audience or assisting
spectator as you ask him if he remembers the name of the odd card.
By this time your right hand is away from the tabled packet with
the flashed odd card on top. If the spectator remembers the card
you show h i m the top card of the packet as the one he noted as
being o r i g i n a l l y in the other packet. If he does not remember or
isn’ t sure you name the card saying, "It was the (here name the card)
then turn it face up to show same. Since in this case the spectator
wasn't q u i t e sure you say, "I will do it again since there seems
to be some doubt in your mind". Return the tabled cards onto
the top of the deck. Here you do the
THE R E PEAT 12

1) Do not include in any shuffling of the deck. Instead simply

cut the deck at the crimp and complete the cut. Your two IQS
are now on top and the 3rd IQS is 15th from the top. To the
audience it appears as if you cut the deck to use some other cards
for repeating the effect.

2) The two \OS are on top of the deck. Pick up the top two cards
taking one in each hand face down. You must face these two cards
without flashing the face of either one to the spectator. The
simplest way to do this is to hold each card at their respective
left and right sides. The left hand, thumb on top and the fingers
beneath, holds the left side of its card while the right hand,
fingers and thumb in a similar position, holds the right side of
its card.
3) The right hand, w i t h card still face down, moves its card
directly below the card in left hand but separated, from each
other, by about two inches. The right hand revolves its card
face up to directly under the face down card. This revolving
action is done by the right 1st and 2nd fingertips clipping
the right side of the card. The right thumb moves under the card
to start turning it face towards yourself; however, since this
card is directly in line with the card in left hand you will not
see its face and neither will the spectators.

4) O n c e the two IQS cards are face to face make sure they are in
line as you place them between the 4th and 3rd fingers of the
spectators nearest hand to you. Continue by removing another
two cards, from the top of the deck, facing them, placing them
between the next two fingers as you always deliver the same line
of, "Two cards (or keys) an even number".

5) W h e n you have thus paired fourteen cards, which the spectator

is clipping between the fingers of both hands, the fifteenth
card is picked off of the top of the deck as you very obviously
show it but say only "One card - an odd card". Since you are
repeating the effect you can rest assured that this time they
will take note of and remember the Ten of Spades.is the odd card
without you having to name it. This card is placed between the
first finger and thumb of the spectators hand that does not have
any card and is furthest away from you.

6 ) Take the pair of faced IQS cards from between the spectators
4th and 3rd fingers. Again you want to make sure that you do
not flash either IPS at this point. Hold these cards
r e spectively at the uoper left corner, w i t h left thumb on top
and fingers beneath, and at the lower right corner w i t h right
thumb on top and fingers beneath. Begin by pushing over, with
the left thumb, the upper card to the right. The card is moved
straight out to the right only about an eight of an inch and
is helped along by the left fingers at the same time pulling
the lower card to the left. The position of each thumb, at
their corners, prevents any indexes from showing. Once this
action is started both hands are assured of a firm g r i p on their
respective cards. The right hand merely deals its card face
down to the right but the left hand must quickly turn its card
face down, almost while it is still covered by the card above
it, to the table on your left. A few trials- with this action
and you will quickly get the idea. The lower card turns in­
ward and face down which also helps from any flashing of the face
of the card.

7) Repeat the splitting of each of the other pairs of cards, into

two packets, as you keep repeating the lines, "Two cards (or keys)
an even number". When the fourteen cards have been split into
two packets each will contain seven cards, an odd number of cards,
w i t h IPS on the bottom of each packet. Take the last or so
called odd card, the third IPS, as you again casually flash it
and say, "Both these packets are even - onto which packet do
you want me to place this odd card". The choice is a free one.
Place the IPS onto the top of whichever packet the spectator
chooses.
8) The packet w i t h the odd card remains in front of you. The
o t h e r so called still even packet is placed under the spectators
hand. Again go through the presentation of removing the odd
card from your packet invisibly to place it to the table. Pick
up the top card of your packet and use it to scoop up your
packet. Deal over two cards, taking them into right hand, as you
say, "Two cards - an even number", then drop them onto the top
of the deck. Repeat this same procedure and patter line for
the rest of the packet. This will result w i t h the extra two
IQS on top of the deck. Conclude with the line, "The odd card
is gone".
9) Pick up the tabled 'invisible' card to toss it towards the
spectators hand. Take the packet from the spectator. Again
t h u m b over two cards each time as you say, "Two cards - an even
number", then right hand tosses these face down to the table.
R epeat w i t h the remaining pairs until you have a single card
left. H e r e do not show the face of this card but simply say,
"And one card - the odd card that travelled over". D r o p this
card face down onto the top of the spectators tabled packet
o r forward by itself.
10) C a s u a l l y p i c k up the deck, w i t h left hand, into a left
hand d e aling position. You look at the spectator and ask if he
r e m e mbers the name of the odd card. He will this time. Lean
b a c k in your chair, casually letting the left hand, w i t h the
deck, drop into your lap, as at the same time the right hand
gestu r e s towards the tabled packet requesting the spectator to
look at the top odd card. During this time the left thumb
q u i c k l y thumbs off the two I Q S , from the top of the deck, into
the lap.

11) By the time the spectator turns the tabled IPS face up your
left hand, under his andthespec ta to r 's su rp r ise, casually comes
up w i t h the deck. At the same time you lean forward again as if
to see for yourself if the odd card, the I P S , did travel over. The
right hand scoops or picks up the other tabled cards to place
t h e m on top of the deck then the deck is tabled. All is left
for any e xamination the spectator may wish to give the deck.

12) The card case, which has been p r e v iously placed into the
left o u t s i d e coat pocket, gives you the required actions for the
d i s p osing of the duplicate IPS cards from the lap. The left
hand travels to the left out s i d e coat pocket, dumps the
d u p l i c a t e IPS cards and removes the card case. All this is done
while some commentary is still being made in regards to the
"Piano Duet" just witnessed.

13) W h i l e I feel the Flat T?>ble Palm is best for all around
conditions, when doing the first phase of "Piano Duet" some
m a y prefer to pick up the tabled deck and use other forms of the
p a l m such as the "Clip Palm" or those I suggested in "Expert
Card Conjuring", for the approach to the "Stop" effect.
14) The Piano Trick has been one of my favorite effects ever since
I started with the original classic method and it recalls an
incident in which only once did the spectator challenge the "even
cards" subtlety. In other words he contended, more or less that
the other cards were also odd in number; however, I bluffed him
out by saying, "No - I use an even number of cards - look".
H e r a I q u ickly paired up the cards, placing them between his
fingers, at the same time c o u n t i n g , "Two - Four - S i x - Eight -
Ten - Twelve - Fourteen - an even number". Took one card and said
"Fifteen - the odd number". I then merely removed the cards from
between his fingers and replaced all fifteen cards on top of the
d e c k to conclude with, "You see?". The spectator was convinced.

THE PELLET CLASSIC

There are many versions of the Pellet effect as regards predictions.

The following is different from any existing Pellet effect. The
requirements are a deck of cards, a pen or pencil, some paper and
some kind of a recepticle that can be a glass, cup or even a clean
ashtray. All items can be borrowed and makes for a strictly impromptu
mystery. This item has been in my repertoire since 1949 and has never
been done for any magicians group; however, I did per f o r m it for D a v e
Bendix and Earle Christenbury several years ago. The fact that it
was not explained is not why Dave Bendix remembered it all these years
but rather because it was effective. There aren't any new princi p l e s
involved but the absolute freedom and lack of apparent trickery makes
this an effect that will be remembered.

Effect - As it appears to the a u d i e n c e . , A spectator is requested to

name any number. He is then given the deck to thoroughly shuffle.
Meantime the performer tears off, from a piece of paper, three squares
which are placed on the table. The spectator having finished the
shuffling of the deck, it is taken by the performer to be ribbon
spread face down on the table. Three cards are removed from the i
spread. The performer hands the spectator a pen or pencil. He is
then instructed to look at the first card then to write its name on
one of the three slips. The performers back is turned during this
time. When the spectator is finished his writing he is told to
crumple up the paper into a ball and place it onto the card that
bears this name. He repeats this with the other two cards and papers.
When the performer turns around he does not touch the papers or pellets.
He gently lifts up the card, on which rests the pellet, then dumps the
pellet into a glass or cup or even a clean ashtray. The card is now
buried into the deck. The process is repeated with the other two
pellets and cards. It also is made quite obvious that each of the
three cards go into different parts of the deck so that many cards are
between them. The spectator now shakes the glass and rolls out the
three pellets. He chooses any one of them. Next the number previously
named is recalled. The spectator takes the deck and deals that number
of cards face down to the table. The card at. the number is placed
aside still face down. The spectator opens his pellet to read the
name of the card that is written there. When the tabled card is turned
face up it is found to be that card. If any astute spectator- wishes
to check the deck and the counted off packet he will find that the
other two cards, whatever they may have been since the performer
doesn't know any of the three cards to begin with, are nowhere near
but actually in separate portions of the deck.

1) The effect is basically an impromptu one that can be done w i t h a

borrowed deck. The other requisites such as pen or pencil, paper,
cup, e t c . , are also easily available practically any place you may
perform. If you are doing a paid performance then obviously you will
have on hand all that you require including your own regular deck of
cards.
2) The paper, w h i c h is torn into three more or less square pieces,
of about two and a half inches approximately, should be a soft paper
if possible. If you carry your own props then the white cigarette
papers are still available and are suggested for this effect.

3) O n c e all the props are at hand give the deck to the spectator to
shuffle as you casually ask him to name a number. If he calls out a
number under 26 then use this; however, if he calls for one over 26
then r emark that you do not want this to be too long or drawn out so
suggest he call out any number from 10 to 25. In the event he should
call a small number like say under 1_ then say that you don't want
this to be too easy; therefore, to make it more difficult tell him
to call out any number from TO to 26_. Assume he calls out the n u m b e r
1 5 . Tell him to keep this number in his mind while he shuffles the
deck.
4
4) H a v ing shuffled the d e c k to his satisfaction you take it from
him and merely ribbon spread it faces down in front of him. Request
him to remove _3 cards, without looking at them, from different parts
of the deck. V/hen he has the .3 cards out of the deck you introduce
your 2 pieces of paper and place them one in front, on spectators
side, of eack face down card. Scoop up the deck and simply hold it
face down in the left hand dealing position while you give the
spectator the following instructions.

5) Tell him he is to look at the first card, on your left, to note

its name then replace this card back face down. Next he is to write
the name of this card on one of the pieces of paper, crumple the
paper into a ball or pellet then to place it onto the card wh i c h has
this name. Once he understands what he is to do tell him to wait
until you turn your back on him so you will not be able to see what
he writes.

6) Vvken you turn your back on the spectator you also have the deck
in your hands. With both elbows pressed against the side of your
body m o ve the hands only as you very quickly crimp the bo t t o m card of
the deck, at the lower left corner, then thumb over, from the top of
the deck, a number of cards that equal one less than the number the
spectator called out and was asked to remember. In this example the
number named was .15; therefore, you would thumb over, by groups of
threes or four for a fast count, until your right hand holds jL£
cards. These are placed to the bottom of the deck below the crimp.
7) All the above actions are concluded by the time the spectator
has finished writing, crumpling the paper then placing it onto the
card. Here you ask if he has completed the writing plus the further
instructions. When he says that he has you turn around as you say,
"Let's see if everything was done correctly." L o o k at the card with
the pellet on it and add, "Very good-now I want you to do exactly
the same thing with the other two cards and place the written on
crumpled paper onto each of the cards." Turing this patter line
the left leaves the d e c k face down on the table while your right
hand g e s tures towards the other two remaining cards and papers.

8) This time when you turn your back you will keep it turned until
the spectator finishes noting, writing and placing of the two pellets
one on each card. When he has concluded, have him tell you so you
can again face him. When you turn around quickly look over the three
pellets. Now in most cases of the pellet effect you are told to p i c k
out the one you can easily recognize later on. For a very sop h i s t i c a ­
ted audience it is better if you pick out the one that seems to be
the most difficult to spot. Actually this is just the reverse of the
other and psychologically will w o r k better since a knowledgabl e person
especially a magician, will avoid one that he can remember as being
the easy and obvious one. In any case you will be able to distin g u i s h
one pellet from the other t w o .

9) Assume that the pellet you feel you can recognize again is on the
back of the second or central card. W i t h right hand p i c k up the
tabled card, by the lower right corner, with thumb on top and 1st
and 2nd fingers beneath gently balancing the pellet that lies on the
back of this card. D u m p the pellet into the glass or whatever recep­
tacle you are using. During this make it look very fair and at no
time do you attempt to glimpse the card. Insert this card at about
the top third of the deck pushing it in flush and square. Pic k up
the card which has the pellet you know you can recognize again. D u m p
this pellet into the glass then place the card on top of the d e c k and
cut it at the crimp thus placing the cards, that are below the
crimped card in this case, onto the top of the deck thus fairly b u r y ­
ing the card apparently somewhere in the center of the deck. Actually
this card is now 15th from the top or the number originally called by
the spectator. Pick up the third card with its pellet. D u m p this
pellet into the glass then insert this card somewhere in the lower
third of the deck and push it in flush and square with the deck. The
procedure has placed the three cards into different parts of the d e c k
but more important the other two cards are nowhere near the card that
occupies the called out numerical position. In this case 1 5 .

10) H a v e the spectator shake the glass with the three pellets then
to roll them out of the glass onto the table. The spectator is
asked to pick up one of the pellets. If it happens to be the one
you noted as being the recognizable, to you, pellet you know that it
contains the name of the card that now is at the named number from
the top of the deck, in this example at _15, even though you do not
actually know the name of this card. First of all pick up the two
remaining pellets and drop them back into the glass. Hand the deck
to the spectator and ask him to count down to the number he originally
called, _1_5 in this case, then to place that card aside still face down
N o w have him open the pellet of his choice to read out loud, for all
to hear, the name of the card. Tell him to "Turn over that fifteenth
card (or whatever the named number happens to be)." This climaxes
the routine.

11) The procedure of Step H) above, that of counting to the named

n u mber-then opening and reading the name of the card-finally turning
the card itself face up-is always adhered to once the proper pellet
is chosen-or forced as will now be outlined.

12) R e m ember your patter line is, Pick up one of the pellets." Should
he choose the pellet you want then the spectator holds onto this pellet
as you replace the other two into the glass. If he picks up any other
pellet you at once add, "Toss it into the glass." This time you must
say, "Pick up another pellet and toss it into the glass." If he should
choose another unwanted pellet then, naturally, the one remaining on the
table is used. On the other hand if he picks up the desired pellet
and t o sses it into the glass you then put aside the one remaining
pellet as you say, "Now shake the glass and roll out those two pellets.
W i t h two pellets, one of which is the required one, you n o w proceed as
follows: Again say, "Pick up one of the pellets." If he picks up the
unwanted pellet you add, "Toss it into the glass" then at the same time
toss in the one pellet you had off to one side. This obviously leaves
the desired pellet isolated on the table. If he picks up the desired
one you simply say, "Very well-let's dispose of these." Here you pick
up the pellet that was off to one side plus the remaining pellet on
the table then toss both of them into the glass. In any case, a few
p e r f o r m a n ces will show that the above described process is quite simple
and direct to leave you with the required pellet and thus conclude the
effect using always the step by step procedure briefly outlined at
Step JLJL (eleven) .

A few additional thoughts may be in order on the various ways that

one can use apparently the very first pellet that the spectator chooses
In this case you do not have to bother noting any of the differences
that may be apparent to you of any of the pellets. All that you must
do is g l impse any one of the three cards during the time you dump the
pellet off each card into the glass. The glimpsed card is the one that
is cut into the deck so it will occupy the named number position. Have
the spectator discard any two pellets by tossing them into the glass.
The remaining pellet is left on the table. Hand the d e c k to the spec­
tator for counting to the named number then placing aside the card at
that number. During this you pick up the tabled pellet and are h o l d ­
ing it. When he has finished his counting and isolated the card
arrived at, still face down, you casually open up the pellet to y o u r ­
self. G lance at it then turn it around and now read off the name of
the tabled card as if it was the one written on the pellet. Ask him
to turn over the tabled card. Meantime you crumple the paper into a
pellet again and toss it into the glass with the other two. You will
have plenty of misdirection for this under the surprise of the isola­
ted card being the one you just seemed to have read off the pellet.
Later if they wish to check the pellets they can do so. In the event
that the pellet does contain the name of the card you glimpsed then
you simply leave it open and toss it to the table.
 - 10 Y -

While the above procedure is not anything n e w as far as pellet

effects are concerned it still is a good one to keep in mind for
those rare occasions when you may not be able to d i s t i nguish one
pellet from another. Since you will be aware of this before each
pellet is dumped into the glass you can use the glimpse on any one of
the cards during the dumping action; however, my personal preference
in this instance is to simply pick up each pellet, one at a time, to
apparently further compress it into a ball, then drop each pellet
back onto its original card. During this you make sure that you
m i s shape one of the pellets so that later you can easily recognize
it. At times picking up only two of the pellets, to miss h a p e them,
but leaving the third one alone is a good procedure since even those
familiar with pellet effects of this nature never expect you to use
the one you did not touch.

DE EP D U N B U R Y

Effect - A card is selected and shuffled back into the deck. P e r f o r m ­

er turns over the top four cards of the deck. The spectator is
asked to total up the values of these cards then told to count down
that number into the deck where he will find his card. The spectator
inwardly smiles because he has seen his card among the four cards
that he was asked to add up; however, when spectator reaches his
number not only does he find his selected card there but it is also
face up.

Those who have purchased "The Unexpected Card Book" will have no
difficulty in following the brief description if they refer to the
"Deep Face Up Switch."

1) Assuming the deck has been shuffled and you have no previous
arrangement in the d e c k you n o w must, during casual conversation or
glib patter as they put it, preset the deck by first crimping the
lower inner left corner of the bottom card. Next quickly locate
any A-3-5-7 value cards, in that order, to below the crimped card.
The 2 value card will be the face or bottom card.
2) You can now offset any guilts or suspicions by tabling the deck
and fairly Riffle Shuffling it as long as you retain the bottom 5
cards. Those who have "Advanced Fingertip Control" can use the
"Professional Ace Cutting" procedure to centralize the crimp and the
four value cards which you remember as 1 3 5 7 . O t h e r w i s e merely cut
the deck to bring these cards to the center or slightly above the
center in the deck.

3) You now take the deck into left hand dealing position. Right
hand picks up the deck, from above by the ends, then dribbles the
cards from the bottom, from a height of about 3 inches, back into
the palm up left hand as you say,"When I do this just call 'Stop'."
By the time you have delivered this line all the cards have been
 - 1 8 8 -

dribbled off into the left hand.

4) Resquare the deck to again start the dribbling action but this
time be sure to raise both hands high enough so that you can clearly
see the position of the crimped card at the back end of the deck.
Time the dribble to stop at the crimped card when the spectator
gives his command. Since you do have a four card leeway it is all
right if he stops you a card or two, up to four, before the crimped
card. If you have passed the crimped card then quickly release the
rest of the cards as you s a y ,"S o r r y - l e t 's try a g a i n - I '11 go slow."

5) If you time the dribble to the crimp then the top card, of those
in your left hand, will be the Ace. Advance your left hand for
spectator to pick off and note this card, replace it, then dribble
rest of the cards from right hand onto it and square up the deck. In
the event he stops you at a card or two before the crimp again
advance your left hand for him to look at the top card of those in
your left hand. During this your right hand, in a gesture towards
the left hand, tilts inward enough for you to glimpse the bottom card
of those in your right hand. This is covered by the simple lines,
"Take a look at the card you stopped at-remember it-place it back."
Assume the card you glimpsed is a 3 value spot card then you k n o w his
card is the _5 value card according to your 1357 arrangement of these
value cards. For the present let's assume his card is the 5^ spot
value card. When the deck is assembled the crimped card is still in
the center with the 1.-3-5-Z cards below it.
6) With both hands around the deck it is lowered to the table, face
of deck to the l e f t , in order to tap the lower end of the deck
against the table top. During this end tapping action the right
thumb, at the back side of the deck, separates the deck at the crimp
then the left thumb presses in against this inner side to mai n t a i n the
break until the right thumb can move in again to take over the break
near the lower end and hold it as the deck is pivoted and lowered
face down to the table then split for a Riffle Shuffle with the right
hand carrying the top half, which includes the crimped card, to the
right. Some may prefer to cut directly to the crimp after first
tabling the deck. In either case the deck is Riffle Shuffled so that
the crimped card will go to the bottom of the deck while the D-3-_5-7.
value cards will end up on top of the deck.

7) Pick up the deck and Overhand Shuffle it by running off the top
four cards then continue the shuffle until you reach the bottom or
last four cards and throw these on top of the deck. The crimped
card is thus 4th from the top while the ,1-3-Z-Z value cards are on
the bottom of the deck. The Overhand action, to get the crimped card
4th from the top, is accomplished by slightly thumb spreading, with
left thumb, the cards as you near the bottom cards. This way you
can easily sight count the remaining spread of 4 cards and toss these
onto the top of the deck. Table the deck and Riffle Shuffle to get
A more cards over onto the top of the deck while at same time r e t a i n ­
ing the original 1-3-5-7 cards at the bottom.

8) The crimped card is now 8th from the top of the deck. Cut off
about the top 20_ cards or so. Do a Tabled Straddle Faro of the
smaller portion of cards into the larger half. Do not interweave
 - 189
-

any of the four value cards, the ]^-3-5-7, that are at the bottom of
the deck. Telescope the halves into each other for about half their
lengths then tilt the still elongated deck, on its lower side, f o r ­
ward so that the backs of the cards face the spectator. Here the
bottom card, the Ace value card, is noted as a key card just to be on
the safe side. The right hand holds onto its end of the still
elongated deck and lifts this whole section upwards. (See Figures
2 and 3 of "Improved Procedure For The Invisible Toss" for these
actions.) This leaves behind all those cards that originally were
the top and bottom portions of the left hand section. The left
fingers keep these cards upright as the right hand places its cards
in front, onto the face or the spectators side, of those cards held
by left hand. This results in the bottom value cards of JL-3^-5-2
remaining on the bottom while the above right hand actions have
resulted in a Faro Slough Off of an Out- t y p e that brings the crimped
card to the 15th position from the top of the deck.

9) Some may be puzzled as to why bother noting the bottom Ace. Well
for this effect you want to give the impression of looking thru the
deck not merely taking the bottom cards; therefore, when you do the
above S l ough Off Faro your right thumb also goes onto the face of the
Ace. V.’hen the right hand now lifts up the right end of the elongated
Faroed deck only the left over top cards, from the left hand portion,
will remain behind. When the right hand places its cards to the
front, on the spectators' side, the left hand top portion of cards
will naturally end up going to the back or on your side of the deck.
The value cards of Ace-3-5-7 will now have some cards covering same.
Among these there just could be another Ace which could, strange as
it may seem, throw you off balance. Push and square up the deck.

10) . Right now you still should have the crimped card at 15th from
the top of the deck, and the value cards of 1-.3-J3-7 near the bottom
of the deck. Turn the deck with faces towards yourself and spread
it between both hands as you comment about using some cards. You
must transfer the actual selected value card, in this example the _5,
on the third time. Briefly--remove 'two cards of either the 1-3-7
value and transfer these, with right hand, to the top of the deck.
Next the actual selected card or the 5 value in this case. Next
the last value or remaining value card of either the 1-3-7 cards.
Finally locate any yueen to place it on top. The Queen should not
be removed from those cards that are above the crimped card. If you
are forced to remove the Queen from those above the crimped card then
be sure to place any other X card there to compensate for the removal
of the Queen. (This will also hold true in the case of the re a s o n ­
able facsimile duplicate value card to be used as suggested later on.)
The order of the cards, from top down, should be the Queen, a value
card, the actual selected value card then the two remaining value
cards. Note that the value cards of ]^-3-5-7 total up to 1 6 .1
11) Square up the deck and hold it face down in left hand dealing
position. The crimp is at the inner left corner. Thumb over the top
4_ cards, in a spread or fan, as you say, "For this I will use these
four cards." In resquaring the deck secretly also take the 5th card.
The squared up packet, of supposedly A_ cards but really 5^ cards, is
turned face up as you continue with,"I will show you these cards one
at a time and I want you to total up their values."
 - 190 -

12) N o t e that at this stage you are not holding any breaks. Here
you do the actions of the "Deep Face Up Switch" as follows: As you
show the face of each card the spectator adds them. When you get to
his card you will be in perfect position for the right thumb to lift
up slightly on the crimped corner card thus getting a break, w i t h
left 4th fingertip, at the lower right corner, beneath the top 1_5
cards w h i c h includes the crimped card. At the same time the right
thumb will maintain a slight break, at the back end only, between the
face up packet and the 1_5 face down cards. You will have ample time
to do all this as the spectator is busy adding the value of his card
to the previous two. If you need more time an added line or two of
p atter such as,"That is correct-so far," can be used. At this point
the left thumb peels off the selection and you do the "Deep Face Up
Switch" as described in "The Unexpected Card Book." This brings into
v i e w the final value card which, when added to the three previous
ones, will total to 16. Do not peel off this value card since you do
not want to expose the Queen. Turn the packet face down and p lace it
to the table.
13) Take the deck, by the outer end, w i t h the right hand so that
when you hand the deck to the spectator the crimp will be towards him
at his lower left corner. When he counts the cards he will be look­
ing at the upper end and will miss spotting the crimped card. As
soon as you hand him the deck say,"What is the name of your card?"
When he names it you add,"If you count down to the sixteenth card,"
here you pause, look at the spectator and ask,"That was sixteen
wasn't it?" At the same time your right fingers spread ut the
tabled cards to show 4 cards thus strengthening in the spectators
mind that his card is actually on the table and couldn't possi b l y be
in the deck let alone at a specific number.

14) Have the spectator count down into the deck to the 16th card
which will surprisingly show face up. H o w he or she reacts towards
the four tabled cards will vary with each experience you may e n c o u n t ­
er. Some will completely ignore the tabled four cards but state that
they saw their card among these four. Others will reach for the
tabled four cards to turn them faces up. At any rate the line,"You
know how women can confuse one," will sort of explain the presence
of the Queen. It is m u c h too obvious that a type of "Devilish
Miracle" can be brought about by substituting a 2nd selected card
for the Queen thus resulting in this 2nd selection being in the
tabled four cards. Also you can work out a method where in only 3
cards, of the four value cards, remain on the table, thus you get a
sort of "Mental Reverse" finish in that the spectator can be led to
believe that the selection vanished to appear in the deck. You can
also use the presentational approach of "The Invisible Toss" from
"The Unexpected Card Book." A method in which the four tabled cards
become 4 Queens, no false counts, as the climax of the effect can
easily be worked out; however, this finish may just 'stomp out' the
effect which is the appearance of the selected card face up at the
totalled number.

15) Finally, since you do know the value of the selection you can
substitute a card that has the same value and the same color for the
Uueen: Thus instead of merely spreading the four tabled cards you
can hand them to another spectator as you ask,"Uould you add the
 -1 9 1 -

values just to be sure." Naturally he will get a total of 16 thus

indirectly strengthening.the fact these cards are the same four cards
originally shown. When the selected card appears at the totalled
number the spectator, who chose the card, is sure to want to look at
the other four cards. When he sees the same value and color he h i m ­
self may be convinced that perhaps his eyesight is failing him; h o w ­
ever, to make sure that the effect registers, as it is supposed to,
make positive that he shows his original selected card to perhaps a
few other people around him. At least you will have some others
make comments about what they did or did not see. At least it will
keep some questionable mentality from simply saying,"Oh-you changed
it."

16) My personal preference for the above use of a card that has the
seme value and color as the selected card is as follows: After ask­
ing again for the total of the four tabled cards pick them up and
with the faces towards yourself make a fairly tight fan, with the
facsimile chosen value and color card at either second from the top
or second from the face among the fanned four cards. Call out only
the values of the cards then casually flash the face of the fanned
cards, towards the spectator, just long enough for him to perhaps
notice his value card but not long enough for him to pinpoint its
s u i t . During this flashing of the fan of four cards you say,"Six-
teen-that's right," then at once toss the four cards faces down to
the table. From this point on conclude the effect as already o u t ­
lined. Paying attention to the small details will gaurantee you the
maximum reaction to this "Deep Dunbury."

QUICK DEEP DUNBURY

by
David Solomon

After the "Unexpected Card Book", I fooled around with doing a

Dunbury effect by having a card peeked at and glimpsing it. Prior
to this I had a crimp at say 13th from the top. I then turned the
deck face up and called cards adding to 14 including the selected
card. Of course I made one of the indicator cards disappear and
appear at the selected number. Mario improved this effect by adding
the handling with the .1, 3, 5, and 7. It was after Mario's variation
that I came up with the following handling.

S e t u p : Crimp bottom card, call 7, 5, 3, 1 below the crimp, also

shuffle 15 cards below your setup.
1) Dribble force either 7, 5, 3, or 1 as in the Mario version,
although you only have 20 cards to use during the force.

2) D r o p off all cards under the crimp into the left hand and cut
them to the top of the deck holding a left little finger break
 - 192 -

b e n e a t h the pocket. With the riqht hand and left finger thumb off
the top four cards saying that we will use these as indicator cards.

3) Use same deep face up switch proce d u r e as in Mario version

although I use the break to get the card 16th rather than the crimp.

4) I have found out through a number of performances that you should

ask the spectator the name of the card. Sometimes he will be confused
because of the indicator showing up. I have experienced people saying
the wrong card because they don't want to goof you up. Okay, after I
ask the name of the card I say, "Haven't I seen that before?" If the
spectator is paying attention, he will say it is one of the indicators,
at this point you have him good. I follow with saying then I will
make it disappear now. Now there are only 3 cards here and make it
appear in the pack, but not anywhere exactly at the 16th card. Have
spectator count down and he will find his card face up.

LOGICAL FACED TRIUMPH

Set up

Half of the deck faced. Hold a 4th finger break above one face down
card covering the face up half deck. You can get this situation
secretly via a half pass in front of the audience or set up prior
to performance.

Method
1) H o l d ing the deck face down with a break as above, tell the spec­
tator to select a card running cards between your hands. Before he
has a chance to respond seemingly change your mind by cutting the
d e c k and raising it into standard peek position saying, "Let's do
it this way-rather, just say stop." Your position after the cut is
the bottom half of the deck is face down top of the deck is face up
with a face down covering card. The spectator through the above
actions feels he has seen the entire deck face down.

2) Have a card peeked at; hold a left little finger break above this
card. Do the cover up cut losing the top card and bringing the s e l e c ­
tion above the face up packet. As you do the cover up cut raise your
hands up so the spectator sees the faces of the cards.

Your situation after the cover-up cut should be; Selection is top
face down card, half p a c k face up under this covering card, half p a c k
face down.

3) Tap the bottom edge of the deck against the table both thumbs at
the back, fingers clasped around the front long side. The deck will
split at the back where the cards are back to back. Split the deck
at this point. The right hand undercuts the lower packet face down
to the right. At the same time the left hand lowers its packet to
the table.
 - 193
-

4) Right hand turns its half face up and spreads to show its face
up condition. Resquare the packet and do a closed shuffle apparently
shuffling face up and face down cards together. During this shuffle
keep the top face down selected card on top of the deck.

5) Pick up the deck in dealing position. Cut the deck showing a

face holding a break between the halves. W i t h the left 4th finger
kick out the card above the break and hold a break above that card.

6) For the climax, spread the deck between your hands showing all
cards face up. This is done by pushing a block of cards over to
hide the face down card when you come to the break. N o w you tell
the spectator that the magic further occurs when you turn the deck
face down. Spread the deck showing that his card has turned face up.

SIMPLE R I G H T HANDED TRIUMPH

by
David Solomon

Set up

D e c k has half face up unknown to spectator.

Method

1) Have a spectator select a card as you spread the deck between

your hands.

2) Immediately do a right handed pressure fan. The deck will still

look face down although the bottom half is face up. At this point,
take the spectators card with your left hand and insert it into the
face up section. Close the pack one handed.

3) Table the deck to shuffle. With your thumbs at the back up

riffle until you go one card past the face to face separation. Split
p a c k taking the top portion to the right. Turn this portion face up,
ribbon spread to show face up condition. Do a closed shuffle k e e p ­
ing the top face down card on top.

4) Tell the spectator that the magic takes place when you turn the
deck over. At this point you flip the pack over on the table. Pick
up the deck and spread it between your hands showing all cards have
suddenly turned face down except the face up selection.
5) When you come to the selection upjog it with the right hand
packet and at the same time the left fingers bottom deal to displace
the b ottom card under the spread. Finish spreading, take out the
selection, resquare the deck and turn it face up. This will surprise
even the best informed-got Jon Racherbaumer bad. You will be left
with a face up card in the pack which you can use for another trick
or secretly right it.

6) Steve Draun came up with a procedure that eliminates the bottom

deal handling although it may be furtive if not handled correctly.
 -191+-

At step 2 after m a k i n g rthe right hand fan, take the.selected card

and insert it face down where the cards meet face to face. No w
complete the effect as described although there will be no card
left face up as in step 5. This is good thinking by Steve although,
for some reason it hasn't played as well for me as my original version.

DOU B L E BARREL RIGHT HANDED TRIUMPH

by
Mario - Solomon

This combines the opening subleties of the Logical Faced Triumph with
the Simple Right Handed Triumph to create a very strong effect.

Set up

Same as Logical Faced Triumph

Method

1) Have a card selected as you spread the deck between your hands.
Cut the p a c k at the break and have a card peeked at, holding a b r e a k
above the card ready for the cover-up cut.

2) Do the cover-up cut- as follows: Get a right thumb br e a k below

the top card - do the cover-up cut as you raise your hands although
rather than following through by putting the right hand packet on the
b ottom place it on the top instead. You will now have a deck w i t h a
packet face down, a packet face up in the center, and a small packet
face down at the bottom.

3) Do a right handed pressure fan and have the first selection r e ­

turned within the face up portion. You will be able to fan the b o t t o m
portion because of the set up to show more backs to reinforce the
apparant face down condition.

4) Cut the bottom small face down packet at the natural separation
and place it on top.

5) Do steps 3, 4, and 5 of the Simple Right Handed Triumph, although

after you have disclosed the first spectator's card and go through
the under the spread move. You are now set to disclose the second
spectator's selection.
 R IG H T H A N D E D T R IU M P H

Effect: This two-phase Triumph effect uses ideas from "The Ten
Hand Poker Stack." A selection is made, then the deck is Riffle
Shuffled w i t h half the cards face up and half face down, after w h i c h
the d e c k rights itself. This is repeated, again performing the face-
up/face-down Riffle Shuffle, after which the deck again rights itself
with all the cards face down. Finally the deck is ribbon spread to
show that the selection has reversed itself at the center.

1) Have a selection peeked at or withdrawn and control it to the

bottom. Table the deck for a Riffle Shuffle. Undercut about two-
thirds of the cards to the top and hold a left thumb break between
the packets at the left end of the deck as the right hand squares
the right end. As the right end is squared in the usual manner, by
the right thumb sliding to the right along the back side of the d e c k
and the right fingers sliding along the right end of the deck from
the front to back, so that the thumb and fingers meet at the inner
right corner of the deck, the right fingers p u s h the deck toward
the left. The deck is pushed to left, the left fingers relaxing
their grip slightly to permit this, until the left thumb is holding
a break at about the center of the back side. In other words, the
left hand, w h i c h formerly held the deck at the left end, is no w
holding the deck at about the center of the sides and still m a i n ­
taining the break.

2) The right hand now cuts off approximately the top 20 cards and
moves them off to the right, tables them and turns them face up.
The right hand now spreads this face up packet vertically (at right
angles to the table edge) to show all cards in the packet face up.
The right hand moves forward to gather the spread and square up the
face up packet. The right hand picks up the face up packet and
butts its left end against the right end of the left hand packet,
as if to square the ends of the packets. Actually, the right hand
packet is used to push the left hand packet even further to the
left in the left hand, so that the left hand is now grasping its
packet at the extreme right end, in position for the Closed Riffle
Shuffle which is to follow in the next step, with the b r e a k still
maintained. The right hand tables its packet and regrasps it at
the extreme left end, in Closed Riffle Shuffle position.
3) Both hands lift the inner corners of their respective halves
in readiness for the Closed Riffle Shuffle. The left hand begins
by audibly riffling off all the cards below the break. At this
point the right hand audibly riffles off all of its cards. Finally,
the left hand audibly riffles the remainder of its cards on top of
all. This riffling is done quickly and smoothly and is, of course,
a variant of the Mario Spade Shuffle. The hands are n o w cupped
around the outer ends of their respective halves and the packets
are pushed flush. Square up in the usual manner. The situation
now is that there is a face up block in the center of the deck,
with a face down block on top and a face down block on the bottom.
The selected card is the bottom card of the uppermost face down
block.
 - 1 9 6 -

4) The left hand picks up the deck by the ends and then turns
with its p a l m outward, so that the spectators can see the face of
the b o t t om card. The right hand comes over to the deck and squares
the sides from beneath, so that the bottom card is toward the right
palm. The hands turn so that the deck is n o w once again parallel
to the tabletop, and the left hand positions the deck in the right
hand for the Right Hand Pressure Fan and then fans the deck, from
right to left, in the right hand. As this is a Reverse Fan, it will
appear that the cards have righted themselves, because backs of cards
will be seen at both ends of the fan. The blank center section, w h i c h
is composed of the n o n - i n d e x corners of the face up block, will be
taken for the usual white margins that appear in any fan. Having
displayed the fan briefly, the left hand closes the fan by pressing
the left edge of the fan into the left thumb crotch, after w h i c h the
deck is squared and tabled again in Riffle Shuffle position. Of
course, prior to making the Right Hand Pressure Fan you wiggle your
fingers over the deck or ruffle the front end for effect as you indi­
cate w i t h your patter that this magical action will cause all the
cards to right themselves. Note that in displaying the fan you must
not let t h e m see the underside of the fan.

5) R e m e mber that you now have a face up bl o c k between two face

down blocks. You must n o w cut the lowermost face down block to the
top. There will be, of course, a natural separation between the
lowermost block and the one directly above it, and to insure cutting
at this natural separation you proceed as follows: With both hands
p i c k up the deck, turn it so that the bot t o m card of the deck is
toward the left and the d e c k is standing up on its right end. Tap
the end of the d e c k on the table in a squaring action. With the
inner side of the deck toward you, and with both thumbs on the inner
side, b r eak the deck at the natural separation between the lowermost
block and the one directly above it. The b r e a k is at the inner side
only, and is held by the thumbs. Now pivot the deck downward into
its normal position, m a i n taining the br e a k with the thumbs, and then
cut the bottom block of face down cards to the top. At this point
the b ottom third of the deck is face up. The top two-thirds of the
deck c o n sists of all face down cards, the lowermost of which is the
selection. t.
6) You must n o w split the deck for another Riffle Shuffle, using
either of the following alternate procedures:

A. Riffle upward w i t h both thumbs until you have riffled off

all the face up cards and one card (the selection) has fallen onto
the face up cards. Cut off all cards above this point, take t h e m
to the right with the right hand and turn them face up; or
B. Simply hit with both thumbs at the point where the blocks
meet, and the natural separation will cause the d e c k to break at
this point. Release one card, the selection, onto the face up
cards. Cut off all cards above this point to the right with the
right hand, and then turn them face up.

7) As in Step 2, the right hand does a vertical spread of its

packet to show all face up cards, then gathers and squares the
spread. The hands now grasp their respective packets in Closed
Riffle Shuffle position again, and then the Closed Riffle Shuffle
is done so that the face down card at the top of the left packet
falls last or on top. Square up. You have apparently shuffled
face up cards into face down cards.
 - 197-

8) Undercut half the deck to the top and square up, which will
show a face-up/face-down contrast during the cut.

9) The right hand picks up the deck by the sides and turns palm
upward. The left hand comes above the deck and qrasps it by the
ends. Again a Right Hand Pressure Fan is done, the left hand
fanning the cards in the right hand from right to left. This again
will show all face down cards. Prior to the fan, of course, you
g e s t u r e hypnotically or whatever. Square up the fan into the left
hand as before.

10) N o w patter to the effect that you could use your Super-Sansi-
tive Fingertips to pull out the selection, but that you have a
magical method to reveal it. Make your hypnotic gest u r e s over the
deck, then table it and with the right hand, w h i c h grasps the deck
by the sides, make a Ribbon Spread from right to left. This will
reveal the face up selection, and the fact that the Spread is done
from right to left makes the index appear right side up as far as
the spectator is concerned.

IMPROVED PROCEDURE FOR THE INVISIBLE TOSS

Effect - Same as that detailed in "The Unexpected Card Book."

1) On getting the deck shuffle the cards, overhand style, so that

the face of the deck can be seen by yourself. Run off the face 1_
cards, one at a time, noting the 7th card that is taken into the
right hand then shuffle off the rest of the deck onto the noted
card. Assume the noted card is the IQS and it is n o w the 7th card
from the top of the deck. If preferred, a riffle shuffle can be
used to get the same condition, however, a casual overhand shuffle
will get less attention especially among the card men.

2) Cut off about ljj or more cards from the top of the deck and
weave or Faro these into the center of the larger portion, as in
the Figure _1, which can be done in the hands or on the table
pr e f e r a b l y .

Figure 1
3) T e l e scope the oortions into each other for about half their
length then tilt the still elongated deck inwards so that the outer
sides move uowarcs and the faces of the cards will bo towards the
spectators. The figure 2 shows the nosition of both hand'; around
e a c h end of the deck from the o e r f o r m e r ’s side.

4) The right hand firmly grasps its end of the cards and lifts
them u p wards as shown in the Figure 3.

5) The right hand portion of cards is placed onto your side of the
left hand portion or onto the top of the cards held by left hand.
Then both hands telescope and square the deck. The"result is the
same as if having given the deck, an Out Faro shuffle which brings
the o r i g i n a l noted 7tn card from the top, the IQS to the 13th p o s i ­
tion from the top of the deck..

6) This time the right hand cuts off, from the top of the deck, more
than L3 cards but still less than half or anywhere from 1_6 to 20 cards
The smaller right hand portion is again Straddle Faroed into the left
hand larger half. The same actions of Figures 2 and 3 are executed
to result in another Out Faro shuffle w h i c h brings the noted 13th
card, the IQS in this example, to the 25th position from the top.

7) N o w instead of looking for the 8-K-3-1Q value cards merely look

for any C-H-S and D card in the lower or bottom half of the d e c k as
the cards face you. You will find this a very simple and quic k
p r o c edure and can't miss getting the C l u b - H e a r t - S p a d e - D i a m o n d cards,
in that order, then casually shift them or cut them to the top of the
deck. You do not have to remember the values of these cards but only
that they are in C l u b s - H e a r t s - S p a d e s - D i a m o n d s order, from top down,
on top of the deck.

8) All the preceding actions described in steps to 1_ can be done

casually without any effort and will appear simply as if mixing and
shufflinq the deck but in the event that there is any slight suspect
on the spectators'part the next steps are designed to lull any such
suspicions.
 - 199 -

9) Get the deck into an Overhand Shuffle position. Undercut less

than half the deck or not more than 20 cards. Run off one card,
in-joqqinq it, then shuffle off the rest of the cards onto the top
of the deck. Do not square up the deck but posit ion it in the left
hand as for dealing. Deal off the top two or three cards face up
to the table then stop as you say, "Oh-the cards should be face down
Here pick up the tabled cards to place them face down on top of the
d e c k in left hand.
10) Position the deck for another Overhand Shuffle but qet a right
thumb break below the in-jogged card. Shuffle off to the break and
throw rest of the deck on top. You now have not only the original
C-H-S-D cards on top of the deck, in the required order, but you
have also maintained the position of the Faro set I Q S . Deal off
the top 4 cards, from left to right, faces down to the table. You
can now table the deck since you know the 25th card from the top
at this stage is your noted 103. In other words there isn't any
need for you to take the deck w i t h you when you turn around, as in
the original version. After the spectator has touched one of the
4_ face down tabled cards you at once will know whether it is a
C-H-5 or D and then you turn your back. Not until your back is
towards the spectator do you request him to look at the card of
his choice. Next he is instructed to m i x the four cards so he h i m ­
self will not know the position of his thought (?) of card, after
which he then tables the four card packet face down.

11) The deck, which has been in full v i e w during all this, is now
pushed forward so that the spectator can cut off a oortion of cards
from the top of the deck. From here you can conclude the effect as
already outlined in the rest of the effect "The Invisible Toss" in
"The Unexoected Card Book."

12) 'while the actions described in steps 4_ and 5_, Figures 2 and _3
result in an Cut-Faro condition you can get an In-Faro condition by
m erely following thru with the left fingers peeling off the face or
bottom card and carrying it back to top of the deck as in Figure 4_
which shows the left hand carrying the face card upwards in order
to deposit it to the back or on top of deck.

13) In either case, the procedure is an excellent one in that you

do not have to cut perfect 26_ and yet place a card, into an In or
Out Faro condition very casually without any undue effort. O n e m o r e
little detail that makes the Faro of the small packet easier. When
you cut to your key, in this case the DOS, do not struggle to get,
in essence, an In Faro to get the IQS to the bottom as you obtain
a break above the Faroed small packet. Instead merely Faro the
 -cl O O -
r1

small packet into the larqer pacKei: anywnere. Next, as you t e l e ­

scope the portions into each other, the right thumb anr* fingers,
which are holding the inner end, by the sides, of the smaller packet
?
lift upward slightly on this smaller packet which enables the left.
4th f i n gertip to obtain a break on those cards below the weaved r1
portions as shown in Figure b an exposed right side view. Note the
finger p ositions of the right hand on the inner smaller packet.

14) O n c e the left 4th fingertip has obtained its break the right
hand n o w moves to come over the still elongated d e c k in order to
push the cards flush. Actually, during this action the right thumb
at inner end of the small packet, presses down on the small packet
causing those cards above it to raise, at their inner end, thus
enabling the left 3rd fingertip to move in and obtain a break b e l o w
these cards as seen in the exposed right side v i e w of the Figure 6

15) You n o w have two breaks held by the left 4th fingertip above the
bottom cards and the left 3rd fingertip below the top cards. Undercut
those cards, held by the left 4th fingertip, with left hand to the top
as the right thumb, at the back end, maintains the break on those cards
that were marked off by the left 3rd fingertip. On completion of the
undercut the left 4th fingertip now takes over the break, below those
top cards, maintained by the right thumb. You now have the required
number of cards on tire top of the deck, below which the left 4th
fingertip is holding the break, to enable you to conclude the
effect "The Invisible Toss" as in "The Unexoected Card Book."

The Faro procedure depicted in the Figures 1 - 2 and 3 is also used

in the effect "Ieep Lunbury" described elsewhere in this book.
 -2 .U -

GAFFED MENTAL TRAP

The effect is the same as that explained using the Deal Switch, in which a
mentally selected card appears between two Jokers; however, in this instance
there aren't any sleights used. Those who don't mind making up the required
decks will find the subtleties easy to do.

1) You will require a deck of all Jokers and a regular deck which matches the
back design and color of the Jokers. Assume all your cards are Blue Backed.
Rough the faces of the regular deck and the backs of the Jokers. Arrange half
the regular deck so they will consist of Clubs and Spades each running from
Ace to King from the face to the top. Onto each of these regular cards place
a Joker. Thus all Jokers will show on the face due to the Jokers and regular
cards clinging. This is remembered as the Black Suit deck. The Red Hearts
and Diamonds, also running from Ace to King, are paired each with a Joker on­
to the face of the regular H and D cards. This is the Red Suit deck. Place
both decks into their card cases faces down. On the outside of the flap but
inside the card case place a Red Back and a Blue Back Joker face up. Remember
which color suit has these two exdnra Jokers. Both decks are in the left side
coat pocket alongside each other with you remembering which deck has which
suits. You are ready to start.
2) From the pocket remove the deck that has the two face up Jokers outside the
flap. Thru the oval opening peel out the two face up Jokers to the table. Re­
turn the deck to the left coat pocket in its proper position alongside the other
deck.
3) Ask the spectator to think of any card. Casually ask him what card he thought.
Suppose ho says, "The Five of Hearts". Remember this card but at once call
attention to the two face up Jokers as you say, "I have here two Jokers that I
removed from the deck and here is what I'm going to do", when you reach this
line, turn the Jokers face down. Look surprised when you see the Jokers have
different color backs. Say, "I need the other Joker", as you toss the Red Back
Joker aside face down. The Blue Back Joker is left face up.

4) You now remove the card case that has the Red Suits, i.e., Hearts and
Diamonds, in the deck. Remove the deck with the backs uppermost. Turn deck
with faces towards yourself for the purpose of removing the Joker. Actually
you thumb past each pair of cards quickly till you reach what you know, due to
the numerical order of each suit, is the Four of Hearts with a covering Joker.
Up-joKboth cards as one. The left hand holds the deck as right hand removes the
up-jogged card(s) and tosses it face up onto the other face up tabled Joker. To
all intents you have quickly, with no fumbling or stalling, removed the Joker.
Unknown to the spectators is the fact that the thought of card, which is not
mentioned during this time, is now between the two tabled Jokers. Place the rest
of the deck into the card case and put the deck away.

5) Pick up the two Jokers. Bince the roughed pair can convincingly be handled
as one there is no doubt that you have only the two Jokers. These are squared
and placed face down to the table. Bay, "Watch", as you snap your fingers over
the tabled Jokers. Pick them up and holding them face down between the fingers
and thumbs of each hand, thumbs on top fingers below, slowly spread out the
cards, splitting the roughed pair, to show a fan of three face down cards.
6) Turn the top Joker face up, onto the face down card, then turn the bottom
Joker face up to create a sandwich of a face down card between two face up
Jokers, day, "A card has appeared between the Jokers but not any card. What
card did you think of?" Here, the spectator repeats the name of his card
although the time lapse makes it appear as if he did it now for the first time.
Remove the center face down card to turn it face up and show it is the card he
thought of. There are four cards on the table - Two Blue Back Jokers - Red
Back Joker and the mental selection. Simply pick up all four cards in no
apparent order and replace these onto the deck, in the card case, from which the
RH or mental selection came. Later you can easily reset the effect if you wish
to do it for another group.

While discussing the above effect with Dave Solomon he suggested the possibility
of a Red-Back card appearing between two Blue Back Jokers or vice-versa. This
is no great problem if you use the Deal Switch since you can remove two Blue
Back Jokers from a Blue Deck but already have a Red-Back card secretly between
them. Now you just introduce the Red Deck as you ask the spectator to think of
any card, You locate the named thought of card and bring it to the top. Actually
you could have this deck arranged in sequence, Ace to King for each suit, with
edge markings for quickly locating any card named but with the deck face down.
From here the Jokers are spread to reveal a face down Red-Back card as you do your
Misdirection Table Palm as explained previously. Do the Deal Switch and get the
thought of card into play as the unwanted card is loaded onto the top of the
deck in picking it up. You can if you wish go through the deck, after first
shuffling to destroy the arrangement if you used one, to show the card is no longer
in the deck and then have spectator turn over the card that is between the Jokers.
Whether this procedure bogs down the climax or places the climactic part in
the wrong place is up to you to decide. Anyway the method that follows gives the
same effect with no sleights but attention to details and the subtleties. Call
it "Color Mental Trap".1

1) One regular Red-Sack deck in the right side coat pocket. One Red Back Joker
with same wax applied to its back. One Blue Back Joker, The two gaffed decks
are constructed as follows: A deck of Blue-Back Jokers is first roughed on
the faces. A regular Red-Back Deck, that matches your other regular Red Back
deck, is roughed on the backs.

2) Arrange the Red-Back roughed cards into two color suits of Hearts-Diamond and
Clubs-Spades. bach runs from Ace to King from the face to the top. Onto the top
of each roughed Red-Back card place a face down Blue Back Joker. You will have
now apparently two Blue Docks as viewed from the Backs. From the face you can
clearly see each card. The sequence arrangement of Ace to King is only for
quickly arriving at and removing the required card.

3) Place each deck into their respective cases and close the flap. On the out­
side of the flap, but inside the case, place the Red Back and Blue Back Jokers
face up. Remember which deck has which suits as you place them side by side into
the left side coat pocket. You are ready.

k) To perform remove the Blue-Deck that has the Blue and Red Back Jokers. Do not
open the card case simply slide out the two Jokers face up to the table. Place
the still cased deck back into the left side coat pocket being sure you know which
deck has the Red Suits and which has the Black Suits.
 -<’o3-

5) Ask someone to think of any card. Casually ask what card hethought of.
Once he names the card you at once ignore this but turn your attention to the
two face up Jokers as you shift them, still faces up, from hand to hand. Turn
the Jokers face down and seem surprised that each is of a different color. Cay,
"Oh- the Red-Jokor I don't want. I need the other Blue Joker".

b) Here you remove the proper dock, from left side coat pocket, depending on which
card the spectator thought of and named in Btep above. Assume this card is the
Wine of Clubs. You remove the deck that has the Black Suits. With the deck
removed hold it facing yourself. Since the cards are in numerical sequence and
you can see each card you can quickly thumb to the thought of card, the Nine of
Clubs in this example, then toss it, really a pair of roughed cards, i.e.,
a Red Backed 9C with a Blue Back Joker covering the Red Back, face down "to the
table. Place the rest of the deck into the card case and back into the left
side coat pocket.

7) Use the single face down Blue Back Joker to scoop up the roughed pair,
apparently the other Joker, then square up the cards. Turn the cards face up
into the left hand dealing position. The right hand is above the cards squaring
the ends. The tip of the left 4th finger Pulls Down the lower right corner of
the under or bottom card to easily separate the roughed pair. The left hand,
with its now single Joker, moves to the left to display two face up Jokers.
Resquare the cards, turn them face down, casually spread them, as only two Blue-
Backed cards, with the right hand, thumb on top fingers on the face or bottom
then toss the two slightly fanned Blue Back cards face down to the table.

8) State that for this you will also use a Red deck. Remove the deck from the
right side coat pocket and take it out of its card case. Spread the deck, faces
towards youiself , between both hands to quickly locate the card you know has been
thought of. In this ca3e when you reach the gC the left hand holds the deck so
that the right hand can take the Joker and insert it in front of, to the right,
of the £C. Your patter is simply, "First, lets get this card out of the way".
Do not say "Joker". Square up the deck and in further squaring of the deck
squeeze it so that the waxed Joker will adhere to the face of the thought of
card or here the 9jC. Place deck face down to the table.

9) Do not ask for the name of the thought of card again. Instead say, "I'm
going to cause a card to leave the deck and appear between the two Jokers".
Hake some mystical passes then pick up the tabled Jokers and spread them so that
three cards show, the two Blue Back cards and the centerRed Back card. Turn
the top Joker face up and the bottom Joker face up leaving the Red-Back card
face down in the center. Return this fan of three cards to the table. Look at
the spectator and say, "I believe that I did not make just any card appear between
those Jokers but the card you thought of. Do not let me know what card you
thought of. Instead I will go through this Red Deck and you just look to see
if your card is still in the deck."

10) Turn the deck face up. The reason for this is that you will be more assured
of handling the waxed pair gently since you will see the Joker before you actually
deal it off, to be taken by right hand, then gently deal it onto the previous
face up cards dealt onto the table. His card will not show up and he has to tell
you he did not see it. Now say, "For the first time, what card did you think of?"
He will name his thought of card after which you tell him to turn over the face
down Red Back card that is between the face up Jokers.
 m-

11) Place the Red Back card on top of the Red deck. Case it and place it in your
right side ooat pocket. Remove a Blue cased deck from left side coat pocket and
slip the Blue Back Jokers face up above the flap and into the card case. Place
the deck back into the left side coat pocket. You can always reset everything,
as required for the effect, in a matter of seconds. (See Note at bottom of page.)

THE MENTAL SECRET

EFFECT: A card that a spectator merely thinks of and one that he freely selects
from another deck are shown to be identical.
AS IT APPEARS TO TRE AUDIENCE

A Red and Blue deck are introduced. Each deck is shuffled. Taking say the Blue
Deck a spectator is asked to merely think of one of the cards as you spread the
deck with faces towards him. During this you make a great point of you yourself
not seeing the faces of the cards and that you could not possibly know what card
he thought of. This deck is then placed aside.

Picking up the other deck, the Red Deck in this case, the performer spreads this
deck faces down. During this the spectator is asked to touch the back of any
card; however, he is told to be sure and concentrate on the card he thought of
while he touches the back of any card. This is a free choice and the card he
touches is placed aside still face down. The Red deck is then turned face up
and spread between both hands, as attention is called to the fact that he could
have touched any one of the other cards. To prevent any confusion later on this
deck is placed back into the card case which is closed.

The Blue Deck is again picked up as the mentalist says, "I don't want to know
what card you thought; therefore, to make sure I will fan the faces of the cards
towards you and you just touch the card you are thinking of". The performer
spreads the deck between both hands with the faces of the cards towards the
spectator. When the spectator touches his thought of card the performer up-
jogs it and takes it with his right hand, the thumb on the back and fingers on
the face, keeping the card facing the spectator all the time. This card is
used to scoop up the tabled Red Back card and both are squared as the performer
says, "I have not looked at your card so I do not have any idea of what card
you thought of. For the first time let's see what card you did think of". Here
the still squared up cards are flipped face up onto the Blue Deck in left hand.
Suppose the card is the 2H* The spectator is told, "While you were thinking of
this card you touched one in the other deck. Now lets see what card you touched".
Here both cards are spread out to show that they are identical. The front and
backs of the cards are shown. The Blue card is returned to the Blue Deck while
the Red card is returned to the Red Deck to conclude an effect that will puzzle
both laymen and magicians.

The effect of the above was purposely withheld from advertisments in order that
the performer would not have the disadvantage of any other magician trying to
figure out the "how" of the effect even before you got started. Both decks are
gaffed using roughing fluid. The one deck is not a new idea since it is a Roughed
two-color dene Tekel Deck. The other deck, while also roughed, is new in approach
in that Red-Blue Double Back cards are paired with either regular Blue or Red
Back cards.
NOTE: F o r " G a f f e d M e n t a l T r a p " a n d " C o l o r M e n t a l T r a p " I s u g g e s t t h a t in
s h o w i n g t h e t w o J o k e r s d o t h i s in a n y m a n n e r t h a t w i l l e n a b l e y o u to l a t e
r e v e a l the t h o u g h t of c a r d f a c e d o w n a m o n g the t w o f a c e up J o k e r s w h e n
t he c a r d s ar e s p r e a d for the f i r s t tim e .
7) The right hand alone now holds the squared up cards as you patter, "do far
] do not know what card you thought of but now for the first time let's see."
Here the right hand flips the squared up cards face up and flush onto the top
of the deck in the left hand, Suppose the is the card showing. Point to
it and say, "You freely thought of the Seven of Hearts and while you were
thinking of this card you freely touched a card in the otlu>r deck. let's see
what card you touched". Here the right 1st finger lifts up, at the lower right
corner, the face up 7H to take it into the right hand. This exposes another
face up 7H. Without hesitation deal over this card taking it onto the card in
the right hand. Both cards, in a fanned condition, are displayed face up for
awhile then the right hand turns palm down to display the backs of the two
cards. The two cards will be in their proper logical order. In this case the
Red Back card will be on top of the Blue Back card as when they originally were.
Both cards are single cards.

8) Now here comes another subtle bit. Both cards, as they are, are replaced
face up onto the top of the deck. The lower duplicate card, which has a
roughed Red Back, will come in contact with the roughed Blue Back card that
is on top of the deck. Press down with left thumb and deal over the face card
a single card, with the next face card, two as one card, dealt to under it.
Flip both cards face down. A Red Back will again show as the top card as it
really would.
9) The left thumb deals over the top Red Back card, really two cards as one
due to the roughed pair clinging. The right hand takes this card, by the outer
right corner with thumb on top and the fingers beneath, then casually flashes
the face of this card. The left hand places its deck face down to the table.
The left hand now steadies the card case as the right hand inserts its card(s)
into the card case and directly onto the top of the deck there. Your effect
has been concluded except for perhaps lifting up the now single card from the
tabled deck as you make some remarks about how the power of the spectator's
thoughts caused him to touch the same card he was thinking of.
»
10) You will find the effect easy to reset since all you have to do is take
only the single face card from the Mario Deck and place it second from the top
of the Mene Tekel Deck where the other duplicate resides. Both decks are now
all reset ready to repeat the effect at any time.1

11) If you wish to repeat the effect immediately then the handlingmust be
changed. At the point of the effect where the right hand is holding the two
matching cards the backs are in their logical order. You must now, with both
mates faces up, shift them around so that the cards in the hands will be in the
position where their roughed back and face will meet to form the roughed pair
which belongs to the Mene Tekel Deck. These two cards, still face up, are
placed onto the top of the Mene Tekel Deck in your left hand. Square up the
cards and get a break during this under the next top card. Turn over three
cards, as a unit, face down onto top of the deck. A Red Back or the back of
the card belonging to the Mario Deck will show. Deal this card off the top of
the Mene Tekel Deck, which is taken by right hand, then replace it onto the top
of the Mario Deck. Since this card is the Red-Blue Double Back card obviously
care must be taken not to inadvertently flash the underside. Both decks are
already reset and you can at once repeat the effect if you wish; however, on
the repeat I suggest you end with the previous handling where you can show the
face of the card that you place back into the Mario Deck.
SECOND MKT HOD

1) This method is detailed here because it can easily be made up in Poker size
cards. It is not as convincing as the previous method but does have the advantage
of arousing less suspicion simply because the cards can be made up in your
favorite Poker size brand or the one most popular in your city.

2) Make up a Red-Blue or Blue-Red Mene Tekel Deck. Actually you will have two
Mene Tekel Decks of opposite color when you have completed roughing the faces
and backs of the pairs of cards as required. Now if you only make one Mene Tekel
Deck you can use the other halves of each deck to make Double Back Red-Blue cards.
Simply use rubber cement and coat the faces of all the cards that you will stick
face to face to make up your Poker size Red-Blue Deck of Double Backers.

3) Assume your Mene Tekel Deck is made up so it shows as a Blue Back Deck. In
other words the Blue Back cards cover the Red Back cards in each pair. The
Double Back Deck is then handled with the Red-Backs uppermost or as a Red Deck.
k) Introduce both decks. Shuffle the Mene Tekel Deck and then show the faces
towards a spectator who is requested to think of one. Place this deck aside for
the moment.
5) Pick up the supposed Red Deck and shuffle it either Overhand or Riffle Shuffle;
however, for a Riffle Shuffle handle the cards lightly due to their thickness.
Spread the deck, with a short sort of bunched up spread since you use only about
26 cards or 2j3 if you wish of Double Back cards. Have a spectator touch anyone of
them and you merely push it out of the spread. Scoop up the deck and place it into
the card case. You can't show faces here as you realize unless you use 26 regular
cards and 26 Double Backers.

6) Pick up the Mene Tekel deck again. Fan it faces towards spectator who touches
the card he thought of. Take this card, really a roughed Blue-Red pair, with
right hand and use it to scoop up the face down Red Back card. Flip both cards
face up onto the Mene Tekel deck which you hold face down in left hand. The face
card is dealt or picked off, by the right 1st fingertip and thumb. The next face
up card, the mate, is dealt and taken onto the card in right hand. Keeping these
cards fanned you show both sides of the cards.

7) Both cards are now held face up and shifted around, during a appropriate remark,
until they are again in proper order as per the Mene Tekel arrangement. Place both
curds squarod and face up on top of the Mene Tekel Deck. Do a Triple Turnover,
easy duo to the thick Double Back Blue-Red card on top of the Mene Tekel Deck,
turning the cards face down. The Red-Back of the Double Back card will come into
view. l'humb it over and tako it into the right hand. Place this card into the
card case along with the other Double Back cards of this deck. You are set to
repeat the effect immediately if you wish. It is understood that the presentation
for this method follows along the lines of the First Method of "The Mental Secret".

THIRD METHOD: The following method while not exactly the same in effect will
appeal to those who like effects in which the mentalist apparently divines the
thought of a spectator before the spectator actually thinks of any card. Also
the method requires only one Blue-Red Double Back card in a regular deck. The
other deck is the Mene Tekel Deck. Here are the details -
THINK AS I THINK

EFFECT: A card is removed from one deck and is placed face-down on the table.
A spectator thinks of a card from another deck. Both cards match.

This effect can be presented from several angles or use different procedures.
Categorically it is a matcho-type effect with shades of you-do-as-I-do. The
beautiful aspect of this effect is its stunning directness, easy handling, and
obvious lack of suspicious maneuvering.

BASIC PROCEDURE1

1) This effect requires a roughed Red-Blue Mane Tekel Deck. This deck consists
of roughed pairs of duplicate cards, one red-backed and the other blue-backed.
With the pairs face-down, the lowermost card should always be a blue-backer;
thus the deck would apparently appear as a red one. There are, of course, 26
such pairs composing the deck.

2) In addition to this special deck you will need a Red-Blue Double-backed card
to match the backs of the two decks and a regular Blue-backed deck to match the
Blue-backers in the roughed bene Tekel Deck.

3) Insert the Red-Blue Double-backer into the regular Blue Deck so that its Blue
side is uppermost,- allowing it to blend in with the rest of the cards. The Mene
Tekel Deck will appear as a Red deck. Both decks are placed in their card cases.

h-) When ready to perform remove the regular Blue deck and hand it to the spectator
for shuffling. You shuffle the Red-Blue Mene Tekel deck. Overhand Shuffle it.
It's likely that the spectator will take this as a subliminal cue. Overhand Shuffling
his deck as well. Table your Mene Tekel deck.

5) Take the regular Blue deck from the spectator and turnits faces towards your­
self. Scan the cards and immediately remove the Red-Blue Double-backer, placing
it Blue-side up on the table. You have apparently removed a card from the Blue
deck, placing it face-down on the table.

b) Pick up the Hone Tekel Deck and spread its faces towards the spectator. Ask him
to think of any card he sees. When he has thought of one, ask him to point to it.
You upjog it (?). Due to the nature of the roughed pairs you actually upjog two
cards as one. Say, "I have no idea as to what card you've thought of...I can only
see the backs of the cards..."

7) Remove the upjogged card(s) and use it to scoop up the tabled Blue card. In the
meantime the Red-Blue Mene Tekel Deck is now in a left-hand dealing position as
your right hand has now scooped up the tabled card and is apparently holding both
fairly squared with the Blue card uppermost.

8) Say, "Let's see the card you thought of..." Here flip the cards from your right
hand flush onto the deck. Name the uppermost face card as being the one thought of
by the spectator, then deal it face-up onto the table. This exposes a duplicate of
the dealt card face-up on top of the deck. Take this card, still face-up, and use
it to scoop up the just tabled card. Leave both cards still fanned as you point out
that he thought of the same card as you previously tabled and removed from the
Blue deck. At this point show both sides of the fanned pair. The spectator, of course,
will see two regular cards— one with a Blue back and the other with a Red-back.
Everything is copacetic. The Red-Blue Double-backer is on top of the Mene Tekel
Deck with its Red back showing to match the rest of the cards. These can be spread
in the hands, ribbon spread on the table, or fanned.
9) If you wish to clean-up and yet be set for a repeat, proceed as follows:
Shift the two cards in your hands several times during your patter, finishing
so that the Red-backed card is below the Blue-backed card while the cards are
face-up. Toss both cards face-up onto the deck and do a Triple Turnover. This
brings the Blue-back of the Double-backer into view. Thumb it off and place it in
the center of the Blue deck. You are set for a repeat.

A more complex and different approach, especially from a presentation standpoint,

would be to force the Double-backer on a spectator. He, of course, doesn't look
at this card. He merely places it face-down on the table. Now have him think of
a card in the Mene Tekel Deck. At the climax the card he selected is the same as
the "thought" card.
A 3rd Approach is quite interesting in that a spectator indirectly proves to him-
slef that he actually did remove the same card as he thought of...

For this you will need a Red-Blue Mene Tekel Deck, a Red-Blue Double-backer, and
a regular Blue deck that is minus all the possibilities in the Mene Tekel Deck,
i.e., the Blue deck has 51 cards after the removal of the Double-backer. These
51 cards are comprised of two sets of duplicate cards as in the well known
"Premonition" effect. These cards do not duplicate any of the roughed pairs in
the Mene Tekel Deck. Things should start becoming clear. Here's a brief
description of the effect as it appears in working:

1) Obviously the Double-backer from the Blue deck is forced by the Classical
Method of "Touch One" or using an Under The Spread Force. In any case, the
chosen card is placed aside face-down without being seen.

2) The Mene Tekel Deck is introduced. Spread the faces towards the spectator and
ask him to think of one. Next have him touch the "thought" card. Don't look at
it but merely upjog it out of the deck and hold it in your left hand, still not
seeing the card.

3) Address the spectator: "There is a duplicate of your "thought" card in the

Blue deck. Would you please remove it?" Naturally the spectator will run through
the pack and will not find the card. Patter: "This means only one thing— the card
you selected and the card you thought of are the same...They arel" By this time
your right hand has removed the upjogged card and scooped up the tabled card,
turning both face-up onto the Red Deck. You then thumb off the cards one-at-a-
time face-up onto the table.
h) Shift the two cards about, then casually show their backs as you conclude:
"An incredible example of physical and mental affinity...whatever the hell that
meansl"

5) From this point you can actually return the Blue duplicate to the regular Blue
Premonition Deck and the Red backed card onto the Red Mene Tekel Deck. Place
both decks into their cases. You can easily re-set everything when needed. If you
wish to immediately repeat the effect, then follow the course already outlined in
the original presentation. (NOTE: Use decks where the color and design of the
backs differ.)
"NO PALM CLIMAX" - 196h

This is another variation of "Gambler vs. Magician". In this version the performer
apparently cuts to three Fours, thus matching a Four-Spot previously placed aside
by a challenging gambler. As the story goes the magician is also unaware that the
gambler has secretly exchanged the previously tabled Four-Spot for another card.
The cheat buries the original Four-Spot in the center of the deck. The un­
suspecting magician continues to cut to the other three Fours, thus showing that
he has won the wager. The cheat gleefully says "No". He explains that he
switched the original Four for another card, hence the magician did not- cut to
four-of-a-kind. Before the cheat can prove his statement, the magician turns over
the four tabled cards to reveal Acest This staggers the cheat, but he still
musters enough cool to ask, "What happened to the Fours?" The magician grins
and says, "Don't tell me you never heard of holding out?" Here he produces the four
Fours, each from a different pocket.

A couple of points before we go any further: (l) The deck can be borrowed; (2)
No palming is involved. These alone should excite students of modern card magic.
As mentioned earlier, the deck may be borrowed. A slight set-up is required;
however, those familiar with various culling procedures (See Mario1s Objectives,
Faro Controlled Miracles, Estimation, and notes on "The Prayer Cull" which appeared
in The New Tops.~) will have no trouble in this department. The set-up, of course,
could be a delayed one or could be arranged during the course of other effects.

WORKING

1) Four cards need to be secretly removed from the deck. These are the 4-D -
- 4-S - an X card. The X card goes into your right (side) coat pocket. The ^D
goes into your left (side) coat pocket. The kC and 4S go into your inside left
and right coat pockets, respectively.

2) There is a 5-card set-up on the bottom of the deck. Starting from the face
their order is: 5 C - A H - A D - 5 S - A C - a crimped X card. (The crimp should be
a downward corner crimp at the lower right corner as the set-up lies face-up.)
There is a 2-card set-up on top of the deck. From the top down they are: hH -AS.

3) The set-up deck is introduced and tabled. As you deliver your preliminary
patter as per the usual Gambler vs. Magician, you casually give the deck a few
tabled Riffle Shuffles. Retain the top and bottom set-ups.

k) When the gambler makes his bet about cutting to three matching cards to get
four-of-a-kind (in your patter story), you turn over the top card (^H). Refer
to it as a Four, then toss it face-down onto the table.

5) You continue to false shuffle, retaining the set-ups, as you say: "Well, that
shouldn't be too hard if you allow me to shuffle the cards a few times." After a
couple of shuffles you add: "As the magician was shuffling the cards the telephone
rang. He excused himself and left to answer it. While he was out of the room,
the gambler took the top card of the deck and made a switch with the tabled Four."
Here you openly remove the top card (AS) without showing it. Place it face-down
onto the table. Pick up the tabled 4H, show it, place it face-down on top of the
deck, and give the deck a single cut.
6) Your set-up is now in the center of the deck below a crimped X card. Patter:
"When the magician returned to the room he didn't realize what had happened. He
simply resumed shuffling the cards." Here cut at the crimp and Riffle Shuffle,
bringing the crimped X card to the bottom and the set-up to the top. At this stage
your set-up from the top down should be: AC - 5S - AD - AH - 5C - 4H.
7) Say, "I should have one on top..." Here execute a Double Lift and raise the card(s)
to your left fingertips in perfect alignment. Now you can use a Mario Pip-Covering
Display (as shown in Figure 1_) to apparently show a 5S as the i4S. Your right thumb
moves underneath the card(s) at the lower left corner (just above it). The right
fingers, of course, go above the card(s) on the back. Your right hand rotates palm
upwards, pivoting the firmly gripped cards face-up. When the face card (5S) of the
"double" comes into view, your right thumb transversely lies across the card from
the lower right corner to slightly above center. Hence the center Spade pip is
covered as well as the entire lower index (pip & number). Simultaneously your left
thumb and 1st finger grips the opposite, upper right corner of the double-card. The
left thumb should just cover the "5" as both fingers further steady the "double's"
alignment. As the card is momentarily flashed it can also be flexed briefly. Allow
the four large pips to register, then flip the card(s) face-down. (Note; This is a
technique that requires some experimentation and nerve on the part of the operator.
It must look natural and fluid. Too much deliberation, adjustments, etc. will ruin
the timing of the quick illusion, fry various positions and work out your own
tailored variation based on the explained mechanics. The whole operation should
take place in a matter of seconds. Since the psychology of the situation is right,
the spectator should not be overly suspicious. You are attempting to match a
previously tabled Four. The manipulation should seemingly occur during the shuffles
and cuts. He halfway expects to see a Four. When you flash the four large pips —
the only thing he really sees — his expectation is satisfied and he sees what he
believes.)

8) Deal off the top card (AC) and place it face-down onto the table. Double-Cut
the top card (58) to the bottom of the deck. False Riffle Shuffle, retain the set­
up, and conclude with a Running False Cut. Say, "I should have gotten a pair this
time...the last two Fours...1" Here riffle the left longitudinal side of the deck
with your right thumb in order to separate the top four cards.

9) Now you go into the Mario Pivot Spread (which is easier) or the D'Amico Spread
(if you're adept enough). The block of cards are first raised to your left finger­
tips as in Step 7 with the "double". When the cards are spread as an apparent "pair"
your left thumb moves in to cover the "5" index. The face or uppermost card of
the spread is the hH. Underneath the spectator will see the two large Club pips
of the 5C's upper end. Again, this is very good. The impression of a pair of Fours
is very convincing (see Figure 2). This assumed "pair" is flashed, then flipped
face-down onto the deck.
10) Now deal off the top two cards (AH-AD) face-down onto the table. Execute
a casual Slip Cut to lose the top card (5C). It goes into the center, leaving the
4H on top. Retain the deck in your left hand.

11) Patter: "But the gambler smirked and said, 'You lost...you don't have four
Fours.' I said, 'Wait a minute...you said four-of-a-kind and that's what I have!'
These are the four Aces." Here you turn over the four tabled cards to reveal the
Aces.

12) Patter: "The cheat was stunned, but he managed to stutter: 'What happened
to the Fours!" As you deliver this line you secretly get a left 4th fingertip
break under the top card (4H) of the deck.

13) Show your right hand empty. Reach cleanly into your right (side) coat pocket
and remove the X card back outwards. Transfer this card to your left hand, which
apparently tosses if face-up onto the table. Since you are also holding the deck
with a break under the top card, you actually execute the Kardyro Change Supreme
or Mario Visual Retention Change if you wish to do an offbeat and deceptive delay
of showing this card which is the 4H.

14) Immediately after you execute the Visual Retention Change then drop the deck
onto the table. Now you can cleanly and slowly remove the remaining three Fours
from your pockets showing each as you remove it. For the conclusion turn over the
still face down 4H.

Added Notes
Some may prefer to eliminate the change of the X card. This can be accomplished
as follows: Have the X card out of the pocket; it will not be used. The 4D is
placed into your right (side) coat pocket. Your left (side) coat pocket is empty.
When you reproduce the Fours begin by turning your right side toward the audience
as your right hand slowly and dramatically removes the 4D from its pocket. While
you're doing this your left hand has ample opportunity and time to thumb off the
top card of the deck (4H) into your empty left coat pocket. Conclude the routine
as already outlined.
Besides using Five Spots as Four Spots, you can use Seven Spots as Six Spots or
Three Spots as Two Spots. The principle remains the same. Picture or court cards
can be used as well. Jacks and Kings work very well. The aspect to keep in mind
is the immediacy of the picture of what the audience already expects it to be.
I prefer to use Sixes and Sevens when I do the routine. When you use these cards,
your right thumb only needs to cover the lowermost Pip of the Seven Spot during
the Cover Display. This puts the thumb in a more natural position nearer the lower
end of the card rather than directly in the center. The Figures 2 and 4 show a
7 spot passed off as a six spot while the two cards spread apparently shows a
pair of sixes but the under card is a seven spot with its center pip at the lower
end.

Also see Further Notes for "Fast No Palm Climax" — May, 1964.

Iff BEST NUMBER

EFFECT: Same as "A Good Number" in "Deck Deception" and in "Notes On A Miracle"
in "Hierophant" issues 5 and 6. The following method, using a Double Loading Move,
eliminates the Double Deal originally used in the 8th Method of "Notes On A Miracle".
Briefly the effect consists in spectator inserting face up cards, at different
points, into a face down ribbon spread deck. The cards next to each face up card
are removed and fanned to form sort of dial with alternating face up and face down
cards. "If you dial this number", says the performer, "You will find it a good
number." With this the semicard dial is turned over to reveal the four Queens as
performer concludes with, "You'll get a lot of broads" (or ladies if you're in that
kind of company).l)
l) The four Queens are secretly on the top of the deck. Shuffle deck retaining top
stock on first Riffle Shuffle. On next Riffle Shuffle cut top portion to the right
and during the riffle shuffle hold back 4 top cards of left hand portion and 4 Queens
of top right hand section. Quickly release two of the Queens from under the right
thumb followed by releasing all 4 X cards, from left hand portion, onto the 2 Queens.
Conclude by letting the remaining two Queens fall last or on top of all cards as you
square up the deck. The next shuffle again the right hand cuts the top half to the
right. This time hold back the top two cards of the left hand section and two Queens
of the right hand portion at the same time making sure you do not mix in any other
cards into those that comprise the 4X card and previous two Queens. The right thumb
now releases one Queen and the left thumb releases its two cards onto the Queen.
The right thumb lets the final Queen fall last or on top and the deck is squared.
If your riffle shuffle stack has been correct the order of the cards, from top down,
are one Queen, two X cards, the second Queen, four X cards then two Queens. Note
that there are 8 cards preceding the two Queens at 9th and 10th positions from the top
of the deck. Remember this as it is important. Also remember that a Queen is 4th
from the top of the deck.

2) The above riffle shuffles, which can be cut down to the two that stack the four
Queens, are sufficient to satisfy anyone that the cards have been fairly mixed.
Ribbon spread the deck, faces down, with the right hand from left to right. Ask a
spectator to remove four cards from different parts of the deck; however, tell him
that you want all spot cards and that if he gets a picture card it is to be re­
turned and another choice made until he gets a spot value card. This means he will
not be restricted as to where he chooses a card from the spread yet insures that in the
event he draws a Queen you will take it back and replace it where it came from.
In the event that he should choose a card or cards from between the Queens then
just note from where this card or cards came then merely scoop up the deck and give
it another riffle shuffle during which you can restack the required card or cards to
between the Queens. You will have little trouble on this score especially if,
with both hands, you sort of gesture towards the center of the spread as each hand
automatically sort of obviates the left and right ends of the spread. Finally not
wishing to belabor the point, the best procedure would be to shuffle and retain all
4 Queens on top of the deck. Next have the four X cards removed as suggested. Now
scoop up the deck then in the next two riffle shuffles stack the 4 Queens as already
explained. After these riffle shuffles again ribbon spread the deck, from left
to right, faces down as before.
3) Take one of the face up X cards the spectator has chosen and hold it in the right
hand by the upper right corner with thumb on the face and fingers beneath. Starting
at the right end of the spread let the lower left corner of the face up card press
against the card spread. Move the right hand to the left when a clicking sound will
be heard as the cards corner falls off of and onto each succeeding card. During this
you call attention to the sound as you say, "Do you hear that?" Return to the right
end of the spread as you say, "I want you to do this and whenever you feel like it
insert the card face up into the spread like this". As you patter your right hand
slowly moves its card to the left until you have passed the 8th card, from the right
end of the spread, then you insert the card face up into the spread at that point.
The Figure 1 shows this action and naturally the face up X card now precedes two
Queens which are next to and directly to the left of the face up X card.

FIGURE 1
b) Now instruct the spectator to pick up one of his X cards, run it along the
spread of cards, then insert it face up anywhere beyond the one you yourself
have inserted; however, do not mention this. He will just naturally do this but
if he does not just deliver the cryptic line, "No-one after the other - any place".
He will then place the ^X cards face up, at different points, into the spread with
the resulting picture, more or less, as in the Figure 2 depending on the neatness
and card of the spectator.

5) Have the spectator now push in each projecting face up card then tell him to
close up the spread into one rather un-squared pile or deck. You pick up the deck,
square it up, hold it face down in left hand with all four fingers against the
right side of the deck and thumb across the top of the deck. The left thumb deals
over the top card which is taken into the right hand dealing position or Mechanics
Grip; however, the upper right corner of the card is sort of pinched between the
base of the right 1st finger and thumb. All the fingers of the right hand are
extended and are below those of the left hand which hold the deck. The card or cards,
that will be taken into right hand, do not clear the deck but the right hand does
move to the right, as in the Figure 2> with its first single card.

6) Note that in the Figure 2 above the left thumb has already advanced the next or
second card. This is important as now the right hand moves back to the left again
in order to take this second card to under the first card but in a slightly spread
condition. The right hand again moves to the right, this time with two cards, as
left thumb pushes or deals over the third card. Again the right hand moves to the
left in order to take the third card to under the two cards in the right hand but
in a fanned or spread condition. The right hand with its three card spread moves
to the right as left thumb advances the next or fourth card which is a Queen. At
this stage the situation is shown in the Figure b just before the important move.
7) As the right hand moves to the left, as if to take the 4th card, the right hand
spread of 2 cards are actually pushed past the 4th card as the left thumb at once
falls onto the 3rd card in the spread, in order to pull this 3rd card to the left
while at the same time the left 2nd and 3rd fingertips contact the face of the
Queen from below and push it to the right and under the spread of the top 2 cards
thus creating a step, at the left side of the 3rd card from the top. Both hands
now sort of separate just enough for the 5th card of the deck to go above the
Queen as shown in the Figure an exposed back view of the loading action. (Note -
The right to left movements of the right hand accepting the cards is also explained
in connection with "The Prayer Cull". See Tops or Faro Controlled Miracles for further
description.)

8) The position of the right hand around the front end of the deck hides the fact
that the Queen is now riding under the spread of cards as left thumb continues to
spread the cards till you reach the first face up indicator card. The two cards
to the left of this indicator are two Queens. Here you must run one of them under
the spread, using the same right to left movement of the right hand as detailed in
Step 7 above to aid in the deception. The Queen that is run under the spread is the
one directly to the left and next to the face up indicator. The technique here is
for the left thumb to fall onto the face up indicator, in order to keep it in place,
as left 2nd and 3rd fingertips from beneath press up against the face of the Queen.
At the same time both hands move slightly towards each other during which action the
left thumb pulls the face up indicator to the left while at the same time the left
2nd and 3rd fingertips push the Queen to the right and under the spread; however,
this Queen is kept apart from the Queen already under the spread. Both hands now
away from each other just enough so that the next or following cards, from the left
hand portion, will easily be fed above both Queens which now are riding under the
the spread as shown in the Figure' 6 a bottom view with the fingers out of the way
to clearly show the condition at this point.
 J-1 "

9) With two Queens now riding under the spread continue until you reach the second
face up indicator. At this point the left 2nd and 3rd fingertips contact the 1st
Queen, to the left, under the spread and pull it under the second face up indicator.
This action is seen in the Figure 7 a bottom exposed view of the loading action.

10) Having loaded the Queen under the second face up indicator just continue spreading
the cards with only the one Queen riding under the spread. Continue spreading the
cards till you reach the third face up indicator. At this stage you merely display
it, over to the right, just enough so that in squaring up the deck the Queen under the
spread is easily loaded to under this third face up indicator card. The Figure £
shows the top view of the spread decks condition just before the squaring up of the
deck and the loading of the Queen to under the third face up indicator card. The
Figure £ shows the exposed bottom view of the deck as the Queen is loaded or slid
to under the third face up indicator card.

^ll) The spreading actions of Steps 6 to 10 inclusive and depicted by the Figures 2
to £ inclusive are all done in the time it takes you to deliver the simple patter
line of, "Remember - you could have put these face up cards anywhere but you put
one here, one here, one here". At this point notice that you did not go beyond the
3rd face up indicator card and in fact when the 3rd one is reached the spread is at
once closed and the decksquared asyou add, "Tell you what - let's do this". Here
you respread the deck, still between both hands, until you reach the first face up card.
All the face down cards to the right of this first indicator card are placed face
down, in a squared packet, to the table. Onto this squared packet deal the 1st
face up indicator card. This subtly places the 1st face up indicator onto a Queen.
At this stage a Queen is also on top of the cards in your left hand. Spread the cards
again, between both hands, till you come to the 2nd face up indicator card. Again
all face down cards to the right of the face up indicator card are placed, in a squared
packet, to the table. Onto this second packet deal the second face up indicator card.
Thus you have a Queen below this indicator and the 3rd Queen is now the top card
of those in the left hand. Spread the cards to the 3rd face up indicator card. All
the face down cards to the right of the indicator card are placed, in a squared
packet, to the table. Onto this 3rd packet deal the 3rd face up indicator card.
You have a Queen below this indicator card and the final Queen is on top of the cards
still in your left hand. Finally spread the cards to the 4th face up indicator.
Again all the cards to the right of the face up indicator card are placed face down,
in a squared packet, to the table. Onto this deal the 4th face up indicator card.
You now have a Queen below each face up indicator on the 4 tabled packets. The
remaining cards, from the left hand, are taken by the right hand and fanned out face
down as you say, "You could have placed your cards anywhere". At this stage the
Figure 10_ shows the layout of cards as it looks to the spectator. Note that you do
not form a neat row of packets but rather a haphazard square of the 4 packets.

12) Right hand drops its cards face down to the table. Next right hand picks off
any of the face up indicator cards, to place it still face up into the left hand,
followed by next picking up the face down card that was under this face up indicator
to place it, still face down, into the left hand onto the face up indicator card.
Repeat these identical pick up actions with the cards from the remaining three tabled
packets. This results in left hand holding eight alternated face down and face up
cards. The pickup of each pair is commented on briefly by saying, "Let's take this
card and the one next to it - this one and this one - etc.", until all four pairs
have been picked up and are in left hand dealing position.

13) Using both hands fan out the eight cards to form a sort of dial, as in the
Figure 11, which is then held by left hand. Use the right 1st finger to point to
the fan as you say, "This is like a telephone dial".

F IG U R E 1 1
lh-) Still holding the fan dial in left hand point to each indicator card as you
say, "If you dial the number (here call off each value and in the case of a 10
spot call it "one-zero") you will find it will get you a lot of broads (or girls
or women or ladies depending on the company for which you perform)". Here the
right hand takes the fan at the inner end, with thumb below and fingers on top,
to turn it over, to the right, in order to show the four Queens between each face
down card. If your audience is more in front than close to you then simply raise
the fan towards them to show the four .Queens to climax the effect as in the
Figure 12.

15) The Double Riding and Loading actions, as used on the two Queens in this
effect, should be studied as they are also used in other routines in this book
such as an "Oil and Water" effect described in another section.

16) For another version of an effect along similar lines but with several surprise
climaxes I have included the effect "Hofzinser Would Have Loved This" which now
follows.

HOFZINSER WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS

EFFECT: Into a deck, that has been shuffled and ribbon spread face down on the table,
the spectator inserts some face up indicator cards at various points in the spread
of cards. The cards next to each face up indicator card is removed. The face up
and face down cards are fanned to form what the magician refers to as a reasonable
facsimile of a telephone dial. He comments that if the gentleman in question dials
the particular number, indicated by the spectators face up cards, he will get in touch
with many ladies. 'With this the fan is turned over to show that the four alternated
face up cards are the four Queens. The fan or dial is turned over. The performer
now remarks that if the ladies dial this number they of course would end up with
many gentlemen. The fan is turned over again to reveal that now each face up
alternate card is a King. The fan is dis-assembled and placed on top of the deck.
The question arises as to what happened to the ladies. On looking through the top
cards of the deck, then through the whole deck, the Queens and the Kings are nowhere
in sight. The performer remarks that the Queens and Kings in question eloped, so to
speak, to run off to their own special hideaway. With this the performer now
produces a King and a Queen from each of four pockets. As each ’ couple' is produced
the entertainer points out that not only have the couples eloped but that each was
fortunate enough to find a compatible mate. That is the King and Queen of Hearts -
Spades - Clubs - Diamonds are paired.
1) Required are only four giramicked cards which are the traditional ones that show
a Queen or a King depending on which end is uppermost. Mine were made by Jay
Marshall of Magic Inc. and I had them made so the meshed angled halves ran from
the upper right corner to the lower left corner. This way when the cards are fanned,
from left to right, you get a very good full picture of what is supposedly either
a Queen or a King depending on which card or cards you wish to show.

2) You can use almost any of the methods, for getting the face up indicators to end
up with the gaffed Queen - King cards, that were described in the Hierophant including
the very direct Bottom Deal (or Bomb Door) Drop Sleight; however, for this you can
use the method already described under "My Best Number" and is in fact my personal
favorite.

3) Previously remove all the Queens and Kings from the deck. Pair them up so they
will be of the same suit, i.e., QH and KH - QS and KS - QD and KD - QC and KC.
Place a Club pair into the left trouser pocket. The Heart pair into the left inside
coat pocket. The Spade couple goes into the right side trouser pocket while the
Diamond couple goes into the right inside coat pocket. The four gaffed cards,
representing Queens and Kings, go on top of the deck face down. The deck is placed
into the card case, for performance, then into left side coat pocket.
4) When ready to perform remove the deck from the card case then place the card
case back into the left side coat pocket. At this point you can do several effects
which will not disturb the top four gaffed cards. Any Ace effect, such as the
"Impromptu Succession Aces" can be done. Any of the Oil and Water routines or any
routine which uses a packet of cards. You can do a couple of versions of Truimph
which will not disturb or disclose the four gaffed cards on the top of the deck.

5) You now go into the effect "My Best Number" making sure that the gaffed cards
are all facing one way and with the Queen index uppermost. When you are getting
the spectator to select the four indicator cards you must, in this case, make
sure he does not take any of the Queens. To insure this simply take off the top
four cards, after first spreading the deck face down, as you say, "I want you to
remove four cards and hold them like this. But remove your cards from any place,
one at a time, in the deck. Turn them face up." In the event he has a picture
card you say, "We want all spot cards so just put that one back and remove another".
Eventually the spectator has four value cards. Meantime you drop your four cards
back onto the top of the spread and scoop it up. Tell the spectator to mix his
four cards then to deal them face up, in a row, in any order he likes. All this
gives you time to stack or set the top four gaffed Q-K cards into the positions
required as explained in "My Best Number".
6) 'With the gaffed cards set properly you ribbon spread the deck face down for the
insertion of the face up indicator cards. Here again the procedure is as explained
under "My Best Number".

7) Pick up the deck and proceed with the loading of the gaffed Q-K cards, next to
the indicator cards, as already detailed in the effect "My Best Number" which uses
the Double Loading Moves.

8) In accordance with the procedure of the forming of four packets, with an indicator
face up card on top of each packet, the gaffed Q-K cards will now be just below each
face up indicator card as in "My Best Number".
9) The only difference now is in the pickup of the face up indicator, with the face
down card beneath it, from each of the four packets. This pickup is made so that
the face up indicator is picked up first and then onto this is picked up and placed
the card that was just below the face up indicator.

10) Continue picking up the cards in the above manner until you have formed the so
called "Telephone Dial". When you fan out the eight alternated face down - face up
cards the top card of the fan will be face down while the bottom card of the dial
will be face up. This arrangement effectively conceals the half of the gaffed card
or at this stage the King half.

11) In accordance with the presentation, as described under "Effect", the fan is
turned over to reveal four Queens next to each face down card. The right hand now
turns the fan over and towards the performer so that the wide outer circle of the
fan will be towards the body. The left hand comes up palm upwards and the fingers
and thumb extend in order to pull in on the sides of the fan and square up the packet
into the left hand. This action has also reversed the cards end for end and now the
King indexes are uppermost or at front end of the packet.

12) Using both hands re-fan the cards to again hold the fan in the right hand. Make
your comments about what happens if the ladies dial the number. Turn the fan over
to reveal the four Kings. To all appearances this does appear about as far as the
effect can progress; therefore, you will have plenty of misdirection for the following
sequence of moves as they also appear to signify the termination of the effect.

13) Turn the fan over to bring the regular face up cards uppermost. Square up the
packet then using both hands quickly up-jog the four face down cards for about two-
thirds their length. With the k cards up-jogged square the sides of the packet.
With the right hand tap the outer ends of the up-jogged gaffed Q-K cards to even
them as much as possible. The lower face up regular cards will be in a dealing
position in left hand as the right 1st 2nd fingers contact the side of the up-
jogged cards at the upper left corner. These four cards are pivoted to the right,
using the left 2nd finger at the right side of this packet, near lower right
corner, as the fu 1 crum point. As the right hand pivots the up-jogged cards free
and clear, of the lower face up cards, the right lst-2nd fingertips will be under
its packet, with the thumb on the top, at the upper left corner which will
automatically become the lower right corner as the pivotal turn is completed.
Without any hesitation the right hand appears to place its face down cards to under
the face up cards in left hand. Actually the right hand positions or places its
cards into either a Direct Rear Palm or preferably into a Direct Full Palm. To
place the cards into a Direct Full Palm the left fingers extend slightly in order
that the right hand can easily place its cards into the Full Palm. At once the left
fingers close around these cards as at the same time the right hand moves to above
the left hand in order to grasp, from above by the ends, only the four face up cards
which are carried to the top of the deck and deposited there. In placing the cards
into a Direct Full Palm my own preferance is for the tip of the left 3rd finger to
engage the upper right corner of the packet being placed into the palm. The lower
left corner of this packet then comes at a point where the mound of the left thumb
is. The palmed cards are thus slightly angled but fully concealed especially if
the left thumb moves over onto the upper left corner of the palmed cards thus
concealing not only this corner but the left side of the palmed cards as well. This
palm position, if properly taken, takes the strain off of the bony part of the left
thumb thus preventing the usual angular appearance of the thumb so common with
most Full Palms.
1*0 Here the left hand goes to the left side coat pocket, leaves the palmed gaffed
Q-K cards, then removes the card case to place it on the table. By this time you
start to mention about how many people wonder what became of the Queens. Now add,
"But they should also ask about the Kings", as you point to the deck. Have any of
the spectators check the top of the deck as well as through the deck if you wish.
By this time your hands are devoid of any cards and you are ready to reproduce each
mated pair after remarking that they all ran off to their respective rendevous.

15) Casually showing the left hand empty reach into the left trouser pocket to pro­
duce the Queen and King of Clubs making the appropriate comments about each finding
the compatible mate. The right hand reaches into the right side trouser pocket.
As you remove the Queen and King of Spades you can say, "I really had to dig for
them didn't I". With left hand point to your right inside coat pocket as you say,
"I keep my money there and wouldn’t you know it - The King and Queen of Diamonds",
as left hand now produces these cards. Pause and say, "Its obvious where the last
couple will be - right next to my heart". Here the right hand produces the King
and Queen of Hearts from the left inside coat pocket. If anyone groans at this last
line simply say, "You have no heart".
Note - This effect had to be written again as the original text, with photos, was
submitted several years ago to Jon Racherbaumer for inclusion in the Hierophant.

NOTES ON PACKET SWITCHES Sept. 1958

1st Method - Based on a packet switch that was originally done using a stripper
deck. The following techniques use a regular deck.

1) Top 3 cards of deck are secretly injogged. The right hand holds four Aces
fanned and face down. The top three cards of deck can be injogged for a quarter
inch, in which case the deck is tilted towards performer, or they can be in­
jogged for only the width of the white border and then deck can be held level.
2) Right hand displays the four Aces and left hand takes one Ace at a time onto
top of deck flush with the upper end of deck.After having taken 3 of the Aces
the right hand holds only one Ace. At this stage condition of deck is as in
Figure _1 with 3 Aces flush and yk cards injogged.

3) Right hand places its Ace face up onto deck and flush with the injogged cards.
Right hand comes above deck as deck is lowered into view, unless you used the fine
method. The left thumb should lie along left side of deck and four left fingers are
at right side of deck. The right 1st finger is curled on top but the right 2nd -
3rd - hth fingers are extended across front end of deck to completely cover front
end. The right thumb is at the lower left corner of the injogged packet.
 4) i'he right thumb now pulls the lowor left corner of the injogged packet to the
right, angling the cards at the lower left corner. Right hand now move;, the deck
'forward so that left thumb and base of loft forefinger can pinch the lower exposed
left corner of dock as in the Figure 2 that shows all finger positions.

5) With the cards as in Figure 2 the left hand has a firm grip on deck while right
hand has a good grip on the angled packet. All that remains is for right hand to
s1ide its packet off deck to the table. The face up Ace adds greatly to the
Illusion. Due to the fact that the Aces were shown clearly as the top cards of deck
the switch is very puzzling.
2nd Method - This method while not as good as the 1st but has certain merits.

t) A break is held under top 3 cards with left 4th finger. Right hand displays four
fanned Aces. Deck is held level,as each Ace is shown it is taken into left hand
on top of deck in an angled position as shown in Figure note that deck is held
in Mechanics Grip.

2) fhe last Ace is turned face up and placed flush and in line with the rest of deck
as in Figure 4.
3) Fha right hand grasps the face up Ace plus Lhe cards as in Figure U with
right hth fingertip coming onto the upper right corner and right thumb at lower
end coming sort of between the angled cards at center. The right 1st finger is
curled on top, left thumb moving over to upper left corner onto exposed corner of
the J Aces as in Figure h, while right 2nd _ 3rd fingers of course are at front
end. The left 1st finger also moves to along right side of deck with left 2nd -
3rd and hth fingers.

b) With deck and packet in the above position the right hand can first swing its
cards so that the angled 2 Aces go in line with rest of deck. Left thumb pressing
on the upper left corner of the 3 Aces keeps them in place as right hand moves
away with its packet of supposed Aces which are tabled.
3rd Method _ This is obviously the stripper deck approach to a regular deck.

1 ) Get the situation as for the 1st Method; however, in this case tho packet is
1eft in-jogged as right hand moves to take the injogged cards by the lower
ends between right thumb and socond finger with 1st finger curled onto the packet.
The whole action is similar to the stripper deck handling except done with a
regular deck.
2) The above is just a basic description of the idea which can take many variations
and which will be more detailed in future writings.

Ath Method _ The' basic principle behind this is not new but makes a fair packet
exchange of four Aces for four X cards.

l) A break is held under top four cards. The right hand, which holds four Aces
fanned, now squares them against top of deck in an up-jogged condition for half
their length. The whole sequence is made with deck and Aces facing audience. The
result is as shown in Figure 2 which also shows the right hand fingers positions
after the right hand helps square the up-jogged Aces into a fairly neat packet.

2) With deck still facing audience you now create the illusion of having pulled the
Aces off the deck, with right hand, as follows: The left 1st finger pushes down on
the Ace packet while at same time the right hand pulls inward on the Aces and the
four X cards above the break. Also, as the Aces go flush with top end of deck, both
hands are lowered but by this time the right hand is away from the deck and holding,
at inner end, what appears to be the Ace packet.
3th Method - By Pass Packet Switch - This method is really an off tho trail type
as compared to those previously described and in fact resembled the Switches In
Notes of Id5b. while it can bo done anywhere from one card to a packet of any
number of cards it is hero described for four Aces.

1) A break is held under top four X cards of deck with left 4th fingertip. The
right hand is holding the four Aces face down, in a squared packet, from above by
the ends. The right 1st finger is curled on top.

2) The right hand approaches the top of deck with its packet. This packet is carried
past the left side of deck. At the same time the left 4th finger plus the other
left fingers straighten out thus moving the cards above the break over the right
side of deck. ■The situation at this precise second is an in Figure 6 an end
view. The moved off portion from top of deck is co.vered by right hand from above.

3) From above the picture is as in Figure 7 where note how the base of the thumb
hasgri ppedthe bypassed Aces at left side as right hand fingers and thumb grasp the
4X cards.

FIGUKii 7

4) Without hesitation tho left hand moves the deck to place it face down to the
left as right hand remains stationary. left hand comes back to take the packet from
right hand, by left thumb going under the packet, in order to turn cards face up and
fan them or spread them between both hands in the standard manner of looking at a
hand of cards.

5) The above switch is fast, easy, sure, and silent. If done properly there isn't
even the usual "swish" sound common to such switches. Can be done at the table
or standing. Tho by Pass Action is most important so study this carefully.
 - 226 -

NEW SANDWICH SWITCHES

OBJECT: To exchange a selection between two face up Deuces (or any other
pair from two Aces to a pair of Kings) but leave an X card, for misdirection,
between the two face up sandwich cards. Can also be used as a "Direct
Removal" of a card, from between the sandwich cards, leaving just the two
face up sandwich cards. This last was established in a "Kabbala" for April
1973 under the title of "Vise Versa", however, the technical details of the
actual mechanics was not published leaving those with less imagination to
apply the Kosky Change in order to "rip off" the vanish idea. What is to be
described will give the practitioner several methods and approaches to choose
from. Also an effect "Devils and Witches" will show how the switchouts are
applied. First the methods.

1st Method1
1) Assume you have two Black Kings on the table. The deck is face down in
the left hand dealing position. Spread the deck, between both hands, for
the selection of a card which is removed by the spectator. Square up the
deck holding it again in the left hand dealing position. The right hand picks
up the two Kings holding them faces up, in right hand, by their lower right
corners. Meantime the left thumb has secretly pushed over the top card just
enough for the left hth fingertip to obtain a break below this card. The
right hand, with the two face up Kings in a sort of fan, squares the Kings
against the top of the deck secretly adding the card above the left kth
fingertip break to under the Kings. At once the right hand comes over the
deck to grasp those cards, above the break, from above by the ends. Right
hand lifts these 2 cards up to the left fingers, as both hands now square up
the supposed two face up Kings well above the deck.

2) The left thumb and 2nd finger are at the sides of the packet with left
1st finger at the front end. Thus the left hand now holds the King packet
as right hand changes position to grasp the King packet by the upper right
corner with thumb on the face and fingers beneath. This leaves left hand
with the deck. Left hand, still holding the deck, reaches for the selected
card which left hand inserts to under the Kings at the outer end, for
only about a third of its length or less as shown in the Figure 1_
where both hands are shown. note that the dock is in, a d e a l i n g , . p o s i - j
tion usually referred to as the Mechanics Grip or with the m finger
curled around the upper end of the deck.

FIGURE 1
3) The right fingers and thumb hold the King packet firmly as left thumb
and fingers pinch off only the face King in order to place it underneath
the packet in order to trap the still up-jogged card between the Kings. The
Figure 2 shows the left fingers in the action of placing the face up King

h) With the Kings again squared the left thumb and fingers hold the left
side of the packet so that the right hand changes position to grasp the
King packet firmly at the lower right corner, thumb on index with 1st
and 2nd fingers beneath, as in the Figure which shows selection still
out-jogged.

5) The right hand now places its cards onto the deck in such a manner
that the inner end of tho Kings will be automatically in-jogged, for about
a quarter inch or more, because the right 2nd finger, hitting the inner
end of the deck, will prevent the Kings from going on flush with the lower
end of the deck. The out-jogged cards hide this fact at front end as
shown in the Figure 4 a top view at this stage.
6) As soon as right hand places its cards as in Figure 4 above the left
hand tilts upwards to show the face of the selected card to the spectator.
The right hand comes over above the deck, fingers at front end of the out-
jogged card with thumb at lower end of the deck, then starts to push the
out-jogged card flush, as seen in Figure jj, until the selection is flush
with top end of the deck; however, at this stage, viewing the deck from the
sides, the actual condition is that while the selection is flush with top
end of deck it is not flush with the face up Kings which remain in-jogged,
at back end, with an ^ card still between them as in the Figure 6.

FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6

7) In the Figure 6 note that the right thumb will contact the lower left
corner of the in-jogged King packet. The right 1st finger will be curled
on top of the deck with the 2nd - 3rd - 4th fingers extended along the front
end of the deck which is still tilted upwards towards' spectator at this stage.
The left thumb and 2nd finger have shifted to grasp the upper sides, near
upper corners. The left 3rd - 4th fingers are close together, at right side
of deck, near the upper end. The right thumb, at inner left corner of in-
jogged King packet, now moves and swings the King packet, to the right, as
in Figure £ a left side exposed view of the action, During this the left
thumb and 2nd finger, at the sides of the upper end of deck near the upper
corners, keep the actual selected card in place on top of deck.
8) Once the King packet is pivoted to the right you have three alternatives
of how the right hand finally moves the King packet from top of deck,
actually sliding it across and off the deck because of the selection still
basically in among the Kings. The first method requires change of the right
hand position. This is for the right hand to grasp the lower right corner
of the King packet, thumb on face of the Kings with fingers beneath. The
left thumb moves across to press onto top of the deck and the selection at
the upper left corner. The action is shown in Figure 8 a top view where
note that the King packet must be slid off of top of deck and not lifted
during this action until the King packet is clear of the deck.

FIGURE 8 FIGURE 9

9) The second method is for right hand to move so as to grasp the sides
of the King packet as shown in Figure £. In this case the right thumb is
positioned on the left side of the Kings, near the lower end, while the
right 1st finger is still curled on top with right 2nd - 3rd - hth fingers
grasping the right side of the King packet. Here again it is important you
slide not lift the King packet off of the top of the deck.
10) In the above Figure 9 note that left thumb remains against left side of
the deck; however, the left 1st finger has moved to over the top end of the
deck. Also the left 3rd finger acts as a pivot point as the right side of
the King packet presses against this finger to aid in the pivotal action
and final removal, of the King packet, from top of the deck to the table.
An X card is now between the two face up tabled Kings while the selection is
on top of the deck.1

11) *Jhile the move has been described as substituting one card for another,
from between the face up pair of cards, it naturally can be done to ex­
change several chosen or known cards for an equal amount of X cards that
will remain between the faee up apir. It also follows that a selection or
two can be directly stolen from between the face up pair to leave only
the face up pair thus later acheiving an apparent vanish of a card or
cards from between the face up pair.
12) Some may find that in sandwiching a card or selection, between the face
up Kings, as depicted in the Figure _1_ to 2 Steps 2 to h, may be just a
little tricky especially if using an all over design deck. For this reason
the following 2nd Method To Sandwich A Card will be found much easier.

1) In placing the two sandwich cards face up against the deck, the two Black
Kings in this case, you secretly add the top X card of the deck beneath them.
Holding the King packet face up, from above by the ends with right hand, the
left thumb peels off the face King and transfers it, still face up, to the
bottom of the King packet. The X card is now face down between two face up
Kings.

2) The left 2nd finger, from below, either buckles or pulls down the upper
right corner of the lowermost King in order to angle this King, to the left,
just enough to show its upper left index corner. The left fingers and
thumb momentarily grasp the left side of the Kings in order that the right
hand can change position and grasp the Kings by their right side at about
center. This leaves left hand free to take the selected card from the
spectator. The Figure 1JD shows the situation just before the insertion of
the selection between the slightly spread Kings.

3) Insert the selected card face down to between the face up Kings but also
below the X card and the face King. The left fingers and thumb now square
the upper sides of the King packet. Left fingers also hold the sides of
packet as right hand moves to grasp the elongated sandwich at the lower
corner. The situation now is similar to that already shown in Figure Q.
From this point you can follow the Switchout Technique of either the 1st
method as per the Figures 2 ~ l - l ~ § . ~ Z - § . or th0 2nd method as per
Figures ] to 2 inclusive. In either case I will follow by describing some
additional techniques for the Switchout.
3rd Method

l) In this method the selected card is inserted between the Kings for
about half its length. Next the elongated sandwich is placed onto the deck
so that the out-jogged selection is flush with top end of deck while the
Kings are now in-jogged as shown in Figure 11♦
 FIGURE 11

2) Right hand now comon over as if to push the Kings flush with the right
thumb; however, as the thumb pushes the Kings it does this so that the Kings
are angled off, at the lower end, slightly to the right. This is shown in the
Figure where note that at this stage the left thumb is at left side with
the ball of thumb at the upper left corner.

3) In Figure 12 above the right thumb is pressing against the inner left
corner of the King packet while the right 4th fingertip feels the upper right
corner of the King packet. Right hand now moves the deck forward so that
the left thumb can contact the top card of the deck at the exposed lower
left corner. The position of both hands is now as shown in the Figure 13.
4) With the left thumb pressing on top of deck and the base of left
1st finger pressing upwards the decks lower left corner only is thus
pinched. This enables the right hand to move off, to the right, thus
sliding its King packet off the deck as shown in Figure £ and completed
in the Figure :14 except that in this method the left thumb, at Figure 7,
would actually be at the lower left corner as depicted in Figure jj} and
14. (Note - A related technique is elsewhere described as a packet
exchange.)

4th Method*I

l) This uses the exchange technique of the 3rd Method above but begins
with the elongated sandwich placed onto the deck so that the selection is
out-jogged as already shown in Figure 4. In other words from Figure 4 you
would go into the actions shown in the Figures J5 and 6 and then into those
actions depicted in Figures 12 - F3 and lk to conclude the Dwitchout.
FAVORITE SWITCH PROCEDURE
I
1) The Method I personally use is the following: The two face up Kings can
have an X card already between them or none at all. In either case the selected
card is out-jogged, from between the two face up Kings, for about two-thirds
its length. The elongated sandwich is held, at the lower right corner, with
right thumb on the face with 1st and 2nd fingers beneath. The deck is held
face down in the left hand dealing position in a Mechanics Grip. The situation
is similar to that already shown in the Figure

2) Right hand places its elongated sandwich onto the top of the deck so that
the face up Kings are obviously in line with the topvof the deck with the
selected card remaining out-jogged. As both hands raise upwards, in order to
once more display the out-jogged selection, the right hand moves downward in­
jogging the Kings for about a quarter inch or more. This results in a
condition similar to that already shown in the F'igure 4.

3) With deck and out-jogged selection still facing spectator the left hand comes
over the deck. The right three fingers go on top end of the outjogged
selection and thumb at the back end of the slightly injogged Kings. Right
fingers alone now push the out-jogged selection flush with top end of deck;
however, the two face up Kings are still in-jogged at the back end with the
right thumb contacting the lower left corner of the Kings. The Figure
shows tho selection being pushed downward and flush with top end of deck
while tho Figure 6 shows the right thumbs position on the in-jogged Kings.
Note that tho right 1st finger is curled on top of the deck.
4) Without any stall the right thumb, which contacts the lower left corner of
the injogged Kings, angles the Kings slightly, about a half inch or more
to the right at the lower left corner as already shown in the Figure 12. At
this stage the two face up angled Kings will be trapped between the ball of the
right thumb at the lower left corner and tip of the right 4th finger at the
upper right corner. Right hand, maintaining the above grip, also lightly
grasps the deck to move it forward as that the side of the left thumb
contacts the exposed lower left corner of top of deck as at same time this
lower left corner of deck is sort of pinched between the left thumb and base
of left 1st finger as previously pictured in the Figure 13.

5) With deck pinched at lower left corner by left thumb and base of 1st
finger the right hand can now move off or sort of slide its face up Kings
to the right and free of the deck as the original selected card remains on
top of the deck as shown in the Figure 14. The right hand continues the
action placing the Kings fase up to the table. The Switchout has been made
with an X card now between the face up Kings.
6) As the Kings are carried or slid off of the top of the deck you can do this
with all four right fingers remaining at the front end or you can curl the
right 1st finger very lightly on top, with the 2nd - 3rd - 4th right
fingers extended along front end of the King packet, as you place the face up
Kings to the table.

7) While a selection is exchanged for an X card between the face up Kings or

the selection only completely removed, as explained in "Devils and Witches",
you can sandwich and exchange more cards such as two for two; however, a good
example of this Switchout is its application to a packet switch explained
in another part of the book.

THE VANISH1

This is a method I devised that enables you to show a card or cards face
down between a face up pair, such as the Kings in this example, then in a
very direct manner cause a vanish of said card or cards from between the
face up Kings which are now actually only two Kings tossed face up to the
table. The handling follows:

1) Assume you have a card between the two face up Kings which are on the
table. The deck is in the left hand dealing position or in Mechanics Grip.
With the right fingers spread out the King packet to show a face down card
between two face up kings. Right fingers scoop up the King sandwich. The
fingers and thumbs of both hands now square up the King packet, face up,
holding it well above the deck.
2) The left fingers and thumb now hold the sides of the King packet still
well above the deck with face King towards the spectator. The right finger
and thumb either does a 'snap' over the Kings or waves the right hand over
them. In either case the right hand fingers and thumb grasp the upper left
side, near lower left corner, of the King packet. The right thumb is at
the back of the King packet with the right 1st fingertip on the top edge
of the packet and the 2nd finger more or less on the face of the face King.
The left 2nd and 3rd fingertips press up against the bottom or right side
of the King packet. You are now set to do the D'Amico Spread as at the
same time you move the King packet so its lower right side is brought up
against the deck. The Figure shows the spectator's view of the D'Amico
Spread while the Figure _l6 shows the performer's view.
 FIGURE 15 FIGURE 1 6

3) With the cards as In Figure l6 the performer at once flips the two back to
back cards, or the hidden face down card and face up Kings onto the top of the
deck, with the aid of the right second fingertip. At the same time the left
fingertips clamp down onto the right side of the face up King so it falls flush
onto the top of the deck. The left thumb also at once moves to press across
the face up King. The momentary situation is as in the Figure 12, with the right
hand holding a face down King.

h) Without any stall the left thumb deals over the top face up King as at same
time the right hand pivots its face down King to face up, by turning it over
inwards and face up. The right 2nd finger and 1st finger pinch the cards
lower right corner between them as the right thumb moves under the card and
against the face of the King, at the upper right corner, to aid the inward
turn of the card to face up. The end result, for the moment, is as shown
in the Figure 18 with both Kings face up.

5) In a complete follow through
to under the one in right hand,
Kings are tossed face up to the
touch, with loft thumb brushing
the right hand tosses them face
accomplished.
the right hand takes the King from the deck
leaving them spread or fanned, then both
table. If you wish you can add some snapping
across the faces of both Kings, just before
up to the table. Your vanish has been

Having studied the "Switchout Methods" and "The Vanish" you should have little
difficulty in accomplishing the following effect titled -

"DEVILS TO WITCHES"
EFFECT: Two Queens are placed face down to the table. A selected card is
placed between two face up Kings then the sandwich is placed to the table.
The two Queens are placed face down into center of the deck. The Queens are
caused to magically turn face up. They remain face up in the face down deck.
The selected card now vanishes from between the two face up Kings. The deck
is spread faces down to reveal that there is a face down card between the two
face up Queens. It proves to be the selected card. For the benefit of the
skeptics the entire effect is repeated with another selected card.

While there have been various methods and approaches, published and un­
published, the following will be found having subtleties and nuances to
fascinate and puzzle laymen and magicians. This in itself is unusual since
the underlying methods are quite direct.

1) Using any deck begin by spreading the deck, between both hands, with faces
towards you. Quickly locate the two Red Sevens, being sure the center pip of
each is in the same direction, to get them to the top of the deck plus any
two X cards above them. Thus the Red Sevens are at 3rd and 4th positions from
the top of deck. With deck still facing you locate and transfer two Black
Queens to the face or bottom of the deck. Follow by locating and transfer­
ring two Black Kings onto the Black Queens. With deck still facing you fan or
spread the face six cards. Resquare the deck getting a left 4th fingertip
break, at lower right corner, beneath the face six cards.
2) Lower the hands to bring face of deck into the spectator's view. Left
thumb deals over only the face 2 cards, the two Kings and one Queen, thus
displaying both Queens and Kings in a fanned condition on the face of the
deck. The right 2nd fingertip, from below, enters into the break held by
tip of left 4th finger. The fan of four cards, really cards, are carried
off, to the right side of the deck, by the right hand as shown in the Figure
19.

3) The right 1st and 2nd fingers from below help flip only the two Queens,
still fanned, face down onto the face of the deck. The left thumb, which is
pressing against the face of the Queens similar to that later shown in Figure
25, now moves out of the way, to the left side of the deck. The action has
apparently turned the two Queens only face down onto the face of the deck as
right hand holds onto the two face up Kings. Actually the first two face
down cards are X cards on top of the face down Queens.

4) Right hand, still holding onto the face up Kings, approaches the deck as
left thumb pushes over only one face down card, supposedly a Queen, then
right hand rests the fanned face up Kings alongside the face down cards.
Under cover of the 2 fanned cards the right 1st fingertip lifts up, at the
inner right corner, only another single face down card of the second X card.
The situation hero would bo similar to that shown later in the Figure 23 except
two cards, the supposed ijueens, would be face down against the face of-the deck.
Now making sure that the right 1st - 2nd fingers and thumb have a purchase on
only the h required cards the left hand does a downward Wrist Turn, with the
deck, to hide the actual face down Queens that remain on the bottom of the deck.
Meantime the right hand, with its four cards, moves towards the table to de­
posit the two face down cards as shown in the Figure 20.

5) Placing the two face down cards to the left the right hand tosses its
two Kings face up, to the table, on your right. Keeping the left hand palm
down the right hand grasps the outer end of the deck. This leaves left hand
free to turn palm upwards in order to retake the now face down deck into the
left hand dealing position. Cut the top card to the bottom using the familiar
Double Undercut. This covers the reversed Queens at the bottom of the deck.
(Note - Use Mario Technique for Double Undercut.)

6) Spread deck, between both hands, faces down for the selection of a card
making sure you do not expose the two face up Queens at the bottom of the
deck. On the card being removed by the spectator re-square the deck. While
the spectator is busy looking at his card and showing it to several other
spectators you pick up the face up Kings with the right hand. The right hand
squares the Kings against top of the deck at the same time secretly picking
up orloading the top X card to under the face up Kings. From here you can
get set-up for your favorite Switchout procedure of those previously described.
I personally use the one under "Favorite Switch Procedure" basically
depicted by Figure lii* This results in the selected
card on the top of the deck with an X card face down between the face up
Kings which are at present in a squared up packet condition.

7) The right hand takes the deck from left ha nd. Right hand, which holds
deck from above by the ends, shows the bottom card of the deck then drops the
deck face down onto the supposed two face down Queens. Have the spectator
cut the deck; however, you pick up the lower half in order to complete the
cut. This is to prevent the spectator from inadvertently exposing the face
up Queens at the bottom of the deck. Point out that the Queens are face
down in the deck while on the table are the squared face up Kings with the
selected card between them. At this point right hand fingertips spread the
King packet for spectator to see actually a face down card which is
'supposedly his card.
 37 -

8) Right hand picks up the deck and places it into the left hand dealing
position. Right here I must remind you that the selected card is at this
time the 4th card to the left of theQueens or the 4th card below the Queens
as the deck is still squared. State you will cause the Queens toturn face
up. With right fingers riffle the front end of the deck very slightly. Now
spread the deck between both hands and when you come to the face up Queens
you up-jog them in a sort of fanned or spread condition. Continue spreading
the deck till you reach the 4th face down card that is to the left of the
Queens. Here the left thumb is placed across the cards that are to the
left of the Queens in order to keep these ^ cards in place. Your both hands
move slightly towards each other during which time the left thumb pulls the
2 cards, which are still slightly spread, to the left while the left 2nd and
3rd fingertips, from below, push the 4th cardor the selected card to under the
spread. In the same action the right 2nd and 3rd fingertips pull the
selected card further to the right and past the first Queen on the left. The
Figure 21_ shows a bottom view at this point with the spread of cards being
continued

9) Your excuse, for the continued spread, is to show no other face up cards
further on in the deck. Now with the deck still spread both hands separate
the deck at the Queens as you say, "Only the two Queens". The Figure 22
shows this action which is exaggerated for clarity. In actual performance
this separation is just enough to load the selected card, which at this
stage is directly below the Queen in the half held by right hand, to between
the two Queens when the halves are again brought close together. This
loading of the selected card to between the two Queens will be practically
automatic.
10) The left hand alone holds the still slightly askew deck. The right hand
comes over the deck to push the out-jogged Queens flush with the deck as at
the same time both hands now square up the deck. The deck is now held face
down in left hand dealing position. The right hand picks up the tabled
King sandwich and gets it squared up and set for "The Vanish". Now go into
"The Vanish" previously described which will unload the X card, from between
the Kings, secretly onto the top of the deck. Refer to Figures 15 to 18
inclusive for "The Vanish" which results in the right hand tossing the two
face up Kings to the table. The right hand takes the deck, from the left
hand, to ribbon spread it, from left to right to reveal a face down card
between two face up Queens. The spectator can remove the card himself but
it is best if you do it yourself so that everyone can see the card when you
remove it to show it around.
 ’ -id -

11) If you intend repeating the effect then the deck should be scooped up with
left hand in such a manner as to obtain a break at the point from which the
Queens were removed. The break is held with the tip of the left 4th
finger. Right hand pivots the deck for an Overhand Shuffle as the right
thumb holds the separation originally held by the left 4th fingertip. Shuffle
off to the break plus run one more card and throw rest of deck on the top.
The top 2 cards are X cards with the two Red Sevens below them at 3rd and
4th positions from the top. If you prefer the shorter route, to get the same
situation, a cut at the break, plus carrying also the card below the break
will give you the same set-up on the top of the deck.

12) In a short Overhand Run Shuffle run the top cards, one at a time, into
the left hand and throw deck onto them. Double cut the top card to the
bottom of the deck. The arrangement of the cards, from the face to the top,
is the Red Seven - 2X cards - a Red Seven. Hold the deck, facing you, in left
hand dealing position. The left thumb pulls the face card, a Red Seven, to
the left to cause a sort of step, at right side, on the face of the deck.
The right hand picks up the two face up Queens as if to place them onto the
face of the deck. The right hand has the two Queens fanned or spread. In
placing them against the face of the deck the lowermost Queen, which projects
to the left, goes under the stepped Red Seven. You will find this action
easier if the left hand has straddled the deck. The lower left corner of the
Queen enters or starts under the lower right corner of the face Red Seven
which has been pulled slightly to the left, by the left thumb, to form a
step, at the right side, which makes it easy for one Queen to go below or
under the face Red Seven while the other Queen goes onto the Red Seven.
Right hand now picks up the two Black Kings to place them onto the face of
the deck. Your set-up on the bottom or face of the deck is now, from face
to top, two Black Kings - Black Queen - Red Seven - Black Queen - two X cards -
Red Seven. Don't forget to make 'sure the extra pip of the Red Sevens are in
the same direction.

13) With the deck still facing you the left thumb pushes over the face five
cards towards the nearby cupped right hand. In resquaring the cards the
left 4th fingertip obtains a break beneath them. All these preparatory actions
take only a momont or so while the spectators are hopefully still
appreciating the effect you have just concluded. Now you casually ask if
they would like to witness the effect again. Regardless of their answer you
counter with, "You deserve a break today", as you go into the repeat of the
effect as follows:

14) With the deck still facing you the left thumb deals over a Black King which
is taken by right hand and tossed face down to the table. Repeat with the
next Black King tossing it face down onto the first one. The Black Queen is
next tossed face down slightly to the left and apart from the Black Kings.

15) At this point you will have a Red Seven facing you and you have a Black
Queen under it as well as a break, below these two cards, held by the left
4th fingertip. With deck still facing you do a two card pushoff (See Double
Lift and Pushoff Techniques described rrhjewhere—in_thbs.-. ;.) and turn the
card(s) face down onto the face of the deck. The left hand turns palm down
and left thumb deals off a Black Queen face up to the table onto the face
down Black Queen. At once the right hand reaches for the face up Black Queen
to turn it face down.
16) The left hand turns palm upward towards yourself so as not to expose the
now face down Red Seven on the face of the deck. The right hand positions
itself along the right side of the deck so that the whole of the left side of
the palm is against the length of the decks right side. The left thumb pushes
over the face 2 cards (up to the second face up Red Seven) just enough so that
in resquaring the deck the left hth fingertip can obtain a break beneath the
face or bottom 2 cards. Keep left hand either palm down or close to your
body to avoid flashing the reversed card at the bottom. Your excuse for these
actions in Step l6 is to say, "We could use the same card for this repeat;
however, think it will be better to use a different one. For the present lets
go back to the Queens and the Kings".

17) The right hand picks up the two Black Queens, turns them face up and places
them onto the face of the deck, in a spread or fanned condition, but make sure
the Black Queen, that is to the left, is directly over and covering the reversed
or face down Red Seven. The left hand can now be lowered to bring the face of
the deck into view of the spectators. The right hand meantime picks up the two
face down Black Kings, turns them face up, to place them face up, alongside the
two fanned Queens, also in a fanned condition. The result at this stage is as
seen in the Figure 23.

18) The right 1st and 2nd fingertips enter into the break in order to grasp
these k cards firmly between the right thumb on the face of the spread and
fingers beneath. The right hand now moves to the right carrying off the
Black Queens and Black Kings but with 2 extra cards under the last Black
Queen on the left. The Figure 2k shows this action. Note also that a Red
Seven shows on the face of the deck; however, do not call any special
attention to it but let it rather be noted subliminally.

19) You will now turn the Black Queens face down onto the face of the deck.
In order to do this with the least amount of trouble it is important that the
left thumb is on the face of both Queens. The left 1st and 2nd fingertips
pressing upwards from beneath hold only the two Black Queens between them and
the left thumb on the face, really 2 cards as a spread of two Queens. The
right thumb is on the face of the Black King with the right 1st finger below
contacting both Kings to hold them in place and still fanned or spread.
 20) With the finger and thumb positions of each hand on their respective
pair of cards the right 2nd and 3rd fingertips from below are used to lever
or flip over only the two Black Queens onto the face of the deck. During
this turnover action the left thumb still lightly contacts the face Black
Queen, as in Figure 2j5, which aids in the turning of the Black Queens. The
left fingertips pressing upwards from beneath also help.

21) The action of the Figure 2j> is followed thru as left thumb moves out
of the way to the left side of the deck. The face down cards are for the
moment flush on the face of the deck as attention is directed to the face up
Kings still held in the right hand. According to the presentational patter
line, to be given later on for this effect, your patter is that the Devils
are visible so you will leave them face up. Toss them face up to the table.
The left thumb now pushes over the two face down cards as right hand takes
them in a fanned condition. Comment about the reason the Queens, Witches,
are face down is because this represents their being invisible. Toss the
supposed Queens face down to the left of the face up Kings.

22) Note that a Red Sevenis again visible on the face of the deck and no
one will remember that it is of a differentsuit since they only subliminally
absorbed the fact that a Red Seven was on the face of the deck. They will not
even notice that the pip position hasn't changed; however, if this bothers
you then by all means use Red Eights instead and you need not make sure the
odd pip is in the same position on the both Red Sevens although I feel the pip
position, while a little more bother, is more subtle. Finally, because you
already have a face card covering the now two reversed Black Queens there
isn't any need to transfer or Double Cut a card to the bottom. In dealing off
the face down Queens, from the face of the deck, you can use a "stall", by
referring with a few additional lines to the face up Black Kings on the table,
before you deal off the suppossed Black Queens face down to the table. By
this time even the more observant spectator will not remember the original
face Red Seven of the deck.
23) Turn the deck face down for the selection of a card. This time you will
not use an X card loaded between the Black Kings. The right hand holds the
two Black Kings face up while the left hand places the selected card between
the Kings in the manner already shown in the Figure 1£. Follow with the
actions depicted in the Figures ~ anc^ lii result
in the actual selected card being on top of the deck while the two squared
face up tabled Kings haven't any card between them due to the "Switchout".
 - 241-

24) Right hand takes the deck from the left hand, from above by the ends, to
show the bottom card of the deck then drops the deck face down onto the
supposed face down Queens. The deck is cut to bury the Queens. Riffle the front
end of the deck then spread the deck, between both hands, to show the Black
Queens have turned face up. During this you up-jog the face up Queens and then
load the selected card, which is again the 4th face down card to the left of
t h e B l a c k Q u e e n s , to b e t w e e n ’the face up Queens as already
explained and depicted in • the • "• Figures "1
21 and 22. Resquare fine
deck and place it face down to tne tabTew

25) Snap your fingers over the squared face up Kings then spread them apart
to show that the selected card has vanished from between them. Ribbon spread
the deck face down to reveal a face down card between the face up Black Queens.
Reveal this card to be the selected card. Since the spectators expect a
face down card between the tabled face up Kings, due to the first time you did
the effect, it becomes quite a surprise when this time you merely spread the
tabled Kings to show the vanish.

26) The patter and presentational theme is simply about devils and witches
with the Kings being the devils and the Queens the witches. This also gives
you a presentational excuse for turning the supposed Queens, witches, face
down in that basically witches remain invisible. The Kings, the devils,
are very evident all about us thus they are left face up on the table and
waiting for someone to get into their clutches. The selected card then
represents the unfortunate victim being held captive by the devils. You now
make the Queens or witches hide into the darkness of the world, cutting the
deck to put the witches into the center. Later they become visible as you
reveal the witches, Queens, face up in the city's streets. The captive, the
selected card, escapes from the devils; however, he falls prey to the witches.

27) If you are not able to carry off such tongue in cheek stories then by all
means avoid them. If they make you feel uncomfortable avoid them.

28) While a seemingly complex set-up seems to be used for exchanging the two
Black Queens in the repeat of this effect it really is not that difficult or
lengthly; however, if you wish you can resort to the same exchange method as
the first time you do the effect. It's just that I feel a repeat of any
effect should be more convincing than the first method you used.

SANDWICH SWITCHOUT - (OFF THE FACE)

OBJECT: To do the Sandwich Switchout off the face of the deck so that a face
down sandwiched card is stolen from between two face up cards but is hidden
by an obviously noted face card of the deck.

1) On face of deck have a card that will obviously be noted and remembered
such ns an Ace of Spades, without actually having to call attention to it.
2) With deck face up run through it and openly get two black Jacks'' to the
face of deck onto the Ace of Spades. Turn deck face down and have a card
freely selected after which turn deck face up again.
3) Thumb off the two face up Black Jacks taking them with right hand, thumb
on face fingers beneath. At same time left thumb has also pushed over the
Ace of Gpades ju3t far enough for left 4th fingertip to get a break below this
card as left fingers press against right side of card to square it with rest
of deck.

4) Right hand now squares its two fanned Black Jacks onto face of deck. Right
hand changes position to grasp the Jacks from above by the ends. Actually
right hand thumb and fingers now are holding three cards which are still flush
on face of deck. Left thumb presses onto face Black Jack, in order to hold
it flush onto deck, as right seems to move away with one face up Jack which
is really two cards, a face up Jack with the face up Ace of Spades beneath it.
Also the left 4th fingertip has managed to maintain a left 4th fingertip
break, at lower right corner, under the Jack that was held back on the face
of deck. The result is in Figure 1_ and the action has covered the fact that
the Ace of Spades is no longer face card of the deck while the patter line,
"Just place your card face down between the Jacks", excuses the actions of
separating the Jackes.

FIGURE 1

5) When the spectator places his card face down between the Jacks he does
so by taking a cue from you. As you extend your left hand, with the deck,
he will palce his card face down onto the Jack which is on the face of deck.
Your left thumb comes down onto his card so it remains side-jogged, over
right side of deck, for about half its width.

6) Right hand now comes with its Jack and the sandwich is squared flush onto
face of deck with the left 4th fingertip break still held and right hand now
really grasping four cards or all those up to the break. Both hands are raised
so that cards face performer. At same time right hand carries its four card
packet upwards above the top end of deck as shown in Figure 2.
7) With deck and packet held as in Figure 2 the spectator does not see the
faces of the deck or of your packet. Right hand maintains its hold on the
packet; however, the left fingers and thumb change position so that left
thumb goes onto the face of the packet and left 1st - 2nd _ 3rd fingertips con­
tact the back card of the packet. Both hands will have to slightly re­
volve in order to get into this position but be careful you do not expose
the face of the deck.

8) The left thumb now pulls the face Jack about half inch to the left and
then left fingers pull the other Jack to the left and in line with the face
Jack. This leaves two cards held by right hand from above by the ends as
loft, fingers hold onto the two Black Jacks. The right hand now moves its
two cards, an Ace of Bpades facing you and selection facing spectator on his
side, upwards as in Figure II, as apparently only the spectator selection.

9) With the two cards up-jogged as one, for about half their length, the
right thumb now moves onto the side of the card(s)f at point marked X in
Figure so that ball of right thumb presses against this right side near
lower right corner. The right thumb, pressing on side of card, now moves
the card(s) to the left until it is flush with the two Jacks, as in
Figure 4 but still remains out-jogged as apparently one card, the selection,
facing spectator.
10) With the cards as in Figure 4 the left thumb and fingers keep the
elongated sandwich in place as right hand changes position in order to grasp
the elongated sandwich, at center of right side, between right thumb on
face of sandwich and 1st and 2nd fingers below. In this way, right fingers
and thumb pressing firmly to prevent any flare out of the two up-jogged
cards, the elongated sandwich can be moved away from the deck momentarily
as if to display the selection more openly. The left hand still holds
the deck with faces towards performer.

11) Right hand now places its elongated sandwich so that the out-jogged
card(s) are flush on face of deck while the two Black Jacks remain in-
jogged. The left thumb comes across the face of deck to keep the elongated
sandwich in place as right hand changes position so it comes above the deck
as if to square up and carry off the sandwich. Actually the mechanics of
the "Sandwich Switchout" are made (see Figures 11 and 12) as at same time both
hands are lowered just as right hand is seemingly carrying off the sandwich
from face of deck. The spectator now again sees the original Ace of Spades
on the face of the deck and the idea of the face down selection having been
carried off with the two Jacks is strengthened. The selection is actually
face down second from the face of deck while the tabled cards are only two
face up Jacks. The most obvious effect, at this point, would be to cut the
deck centralizing the selection. Next show the two face up Jacks as
apparently still 3 cards by turning them face down and doing an Fllis Stanyon
Count to count the two cards as three. From here you do the obvious two
choices of effect - One "A Point of Departure" in which the card seemingly
vanishes from between the two Jacks and is then shown face up in the deck.
The other is a "Pressed Out and Into" effect in which you place the
sandwich face up on top of Dork and press down on it with your palm. Show
only two Jacks remain. Spread deck to show you have apparently pressed
the card out from between the Jacks and into the center of the deck. These
two choices point, out that effect sometimes is only a matter of what you
wish to convey to the audience even though the method in each case is
identical.
12) Some may prefer to use the method in which the selection and the hidden
Ace of Spades is upjogged while the sandwich cards, Black Kings in this case,
are on the face of the deck but injogged as in Figure which shows the
Black Kings. The right fingers push the up-jogged cards flush, with the top
end of the deck, first and then you go into the rest of the Switchout as
already explained. It is hoped that the Sandwich Switchout Off the Face
can be put to a more imaginative use than those suggested above.

FIGURE 5
 THE MOTEL MYSTERY

Original effect premise by Henry Christ — See Jinx No. 7^ for method, listed
under the title Aces And Kings, dated I9L0 .
Original Mario title, "Hotel Mystery" in "Let's See The Deck".

Mario's other title, "A Night On The Town" — see correspondence on this effect
with Persi Diaconis.

"The Motel Mystery" is my extended plot of "A Night On The Town". The following
methods range from strictly with a borrowed deck to using a gaff — namely, a
Double Back Card.

The "Uniform Procedure" is the removing of 4- Kings, AS, QH, and QS from deck and
placing these cards face down to table. Also, the AC is brought to top of deck.
I call this the "Key Arrangement" in that in most versions to be described the set­
up of the 7 cards is always the same, except for perhaps the inclusion of an extra
card, an impromptu Double Backer or a regular Double Backer.

FIRST METHOD1

1) This uses only the AC on top of deck plus the 7 required cards: i.e., 4 Kings,
QH, QS, AS. These are removed from deck as you come to them and tossed face down
to table. Also, the AC is brought to top of deck during this. This procedure is
to get the required card to the face of the cards in left hand as you spread deck
between both hands. When the required card is the face card of the left hand
packet, the left hand turns palm down to deposit this card face down to table;
however, the AC is cut first to top of deck.

2) Having removed all k Kings, the QH, QS, and AS, place rest of deck face down to
your right. Pick up the tabled cards and arrange them from face to top as follows:
Ace of Spades, Red King, Black King, Red King, Black King, Queen of Hearts, Queen of
Spades. This is the "Key Arrangement" and will be referred to as such in all the
other methods, plus an abbreviation, such as, in this case, AS.RK, BK, RK, EK, QH,
QS.

3) Hold the packet face up in left hand dealing position. Left thumb deals over
the AS. As right hand takes it and places it face up and forward to your right, at
same time start the patter line, "For this I use the Ace of Spades". Turn the packet
face down and thumb off the 2 top Queens, without reversing their order, and take
them in right hand, thumb on top and fingers below, at upper right corner. Turn
the Queens face up end for end, thus also turning right hand palm down, then use
left thumb to hold the face up cards against the packet. The right hand is free now
to grasp upper right corner of QS to pull it forward and expose indexes properly
for all angles (The All Angle Layout — see New Jinx). Right hand places Queens
face up to table. Turn the k Kings face up and spread them out between both hands,
using a counting procedure of taking one card under the other, to form a fan of 4
Kings. The complete patter lines for all these actions are, "For this I use the
Ace of Spades, 2 Queens and k Kings". At this stage the "picture" presented to the
audience is as shown in Figure 1_, and will be referred to as "The Picture" in the
other methods.
4) Square up the face Kings, keeping the packet face up in left hand. With right
hand grasp deck from above by the ends but keep deck on the table. With right thumb
at the back end of deck riffle deck upwards as you say, "This will represent, for
this story, a motel office". With right hand gesture around the table as you say,
"Out there are the usual motel rooms". Pick up the AS with right hand. With left
thumb and 1st finger snap the upper left corner of the face up AS as you say, "This
AS looks almost like a badge, and for that reason it will represent the motel
detective. He, of course, sits in the motel office, from where he can see all that
is going on." With this the AS is placed face up on the deck as you also gesture
with the right hand from left to right to indicate the points visible to the
detective.
5) "These 4 Kings represent 4 gentlemen who are out for a night on the town." With
these lines you again show the 4 Kings, but during this showing you displace the RK
that is third from the face. This is done as follows: Left thumb pushes over the
first RK, which is taken by right hand, thumb on face and fingers beneath, at about
center of right side. The next BK is taken to under the first RK but in a fanned
or spread-out condition. The 3rd RK is now taken to under the 2 Kings in right hand.
Actually, this RK goes under and slightly past the left edge of the 2nd or BK from
the face, thus creating a stepped condition as in Figure 2.

6) Figure 2 shows an exposed condition with the 3rd RK index visible. Actually,
this is not a bad situation to use, especially when the final or 4th BK is taken
under the 3 cards in right hand, but really going above the RK that is under the
face 2 Kings. Figure 2 shows the exposed condition, where note that, as stated,
the visible index of the RK, which is actually under the face 3 Kings, is not a bad
illusion of apparently everything being fair; however, you will have to decide for
yourself whether you want the RK actually not showing or exposed as in Figure 2'
 c_ -r | -

7) Right hand holds the fanned Kings as left hand reaches for the 2 Queens. The
patter here is, "These 2 Queens represent 2 ladies of the evening _ really, any
time". With these lines the 2 Queens are placed under the spread of Kings, but
so that they are fed above the RK that is under the spread. Figure h shows the
momentary situation just before squaring up the packet, which terminates with the
RK going to top of packet.

8) Square up the packet and turn it face down in left hand. Order of cards now,
from top down, is RK, QS, 2 BK, RK. Thumb over the top 2 cards, without reversing
their order, taking them in a fanned condition with right hand at lower right
corner. Say, "Let me ask you about the Queens before I get to these Kings". As
you say the last line the left thumb openly pushes over the top card of its packet
as right hand uses its 2 cards to tap or touch the King. Now as right hand moves
closer toward the packet for the purpose of apparently squaring up the 2 Queens,
you will find it an easy matter for the left hth fingertip to get a break under top
3 cards as at same time right hand moves to grasp the now 3 squared up cards from
above by the ends to lift them well above the packet in left hand. Thus both hands
are more or less squaring the Queens as seen in Figure jji.

9) Your excuse for the squaring of the Queen packet, as in Figure Jj, is to ask,
"Did you notice anything about the 2 ladies?" Before they have a chance to answer
you say, "One is a blonde and the other is a brunette". With this do a D'Amico
Spread (using Mario technique) and rest the cards face up against the packet as
in Figure 6. Note the left 1st finger is across the upper left corner of the QS
(or double card — QS and RK held as one card) to prevent anyone noticing the
difference in thickness at this corner. The QS can thus be displayed freely.

10) If you are not familiar with the D'Amico Spread, then simply turn all 3 cards,
as one, face up into the grip of the left hand and then left thumb merely pushes
over the face Queen to result in the condition of Figure 6. Having displayed the
Queens, right hand grasps them by right side at about center, still fanned and
face up. The right hand moves the 2 fanned cards off to the right until the left
thumb can hold only the QS, really 2 cards as one, in place against the face down
packet. The right fingers, from below, now lever the QS face down onto top of
packet as left thumb at same time moves out of the way to enable the QS to tell
fall flush and face down onto packet. At once the left hand moves to the left
of the table. Left thumb deals off the apparent QS face down to table, but in
reality a Red King is dealt off the top of packet. At same time the right hand,
with the face up QH, moves to the right to toss its QH face up to table as you
say, "I will leave the blonde face up to show how opposites attract".
11) Spread the remaining k cards, faces down, between both hands as you say, "Of
these h gentlemen 2 are dark haired and 2 are blonde". In resquaring get a break
under the top 2 cards. Turn the top 2 cards, as one, face up to show a Black King.
Assume it is the KC. Raise the left hand as at same time your left thumb pushes
the KC far enough over the side for right fingers to go on face and thumb beneath.
Now in a Stud Deal action turn the KC towards spectators. During this turn the left
thumb has pressed on the upper left corner of the KC so that as the turn is completed
the KC's corner escapes from under left thumb with an audible snap and the KC ends
facing the spectators. The face up QS, which is facing you, is hidden from audience
view. The singleness of the KC is thus indirectly conveyed.

12) Holding the hands as in Step 11 above, you say, "This dark haired fellow is a
Playboy Club member," thus conveying subtly that it's the KC they are seeing. Now
reverse the actions by right fingers turning the KC so it will again be face up on
top of left hand packet and as same time cover the face up QS below it as both
hands lower again. The KC is again face up on left hand packet. The excuse for putting
the KC back is for right hand to be free to turn the QH face down. While right hand
is turning the QH face down the left ^th fingertip can easily do a Pull Down Move,
to separate the back to back cards, then hold a break below the 2 face up cards, the
KC and QS. Using either a Push Off or Pseudo Push Off, or merely using the Hit
Technique at lower right corner, with right 1st and 2nd fingers entering the break
and thumb on top, the 2 cards as apparently one are turned face down onto packet.
The top card, really QS, is taken by right hand and tossed onto the QH.

13) This time do a single card Pull Down or Buckle and turn 2 cards as one, the KS,
face up onto packet with right hand as before. Leave the KS on the packet as you say,
"This fellow really digs blondes," thus the word "digs" indirectly conveying that
the spectator is seeing the KS. Repeat the Double Turnover, then deal the top card,
really KC now, onto the QH. You apparently have 2 Black Kings with the QH. The
real situation is QH, QS, and KC. In left hand you have 2 cards, the KS and a
Red King. On your left, as apparently the QS, is the outher Red King. Separate the
2 cards in left hand by taking the uppermost card into the right hand; snap the card
in left hand, then place it on top of the card in right hand as you say, "The 2 men,
of course, go to this lady". Toss both cards on the supposed QS. The real situation,
from top down, is a Red King, Black King, Red King.
lh) Your next line is, "Oh, excuse me — I forgot," as your right hand scoops up or
picks up the 3 cards on your left and places them into the left hand. The right hand
is above the packet, holding it lightly by the ends. During this the left thumb pushes
over the top card at a slight angle as the left fingers ease out the bottom card in
line with the top card in readiness for an Open Double Deal. This consists in the 2
cards, top and bottom, being pinched at upper right corner with right thumb on top and
1st and 2nd fingers below. At same time the center single card, the Black King, is
pinched at base of left 1st finger and thumb by its upper left corner. This enables
the right fingers and thumb to move away both top and bottom cards until they clear
the single center card. Once the 2 cards clear the center card the right fingers and
thumb spread the 2 cards. Right hand turns palm down to bring the now 2 Red Kings face
up, in a fanned or spread condition, to rest them against the supposed face down QH.
 i-

15) Patter is continued as you say, "I forgot to explain about these blonde fellows,
which naturally are attracted to the brunette. This fellow is big hearted, and this
fellow has what is referred to as a girl's best friend". This showing of 2 Red Kings
strengthens the apparent situation of 2 Kings on each Queen. Turn the Kings face down
onto the single card in left hand and place all back to table, Square up each of the
3 card packets. The situation for now is q H, QS, BK in packet on the right; 3 Kings
in packet on the left; on top of deck is the face up AS, with AC beneath it face down
with rest of deck.

16) Pick up the deck and hold in left hand dealing position, bo a Double Lift of the
face up AD and face down AC. As you actually remove the AS, do the KM hove, which
leaves AD face up in right hand and AC face up on top of deck. The AC, of course, is
concealed because left hand turns palm down,deposition the deck face up to table.
Right hand turns AD face down and uses it to scoop up the packet on your right, as
at the same time you deliver tho lines, "The detective rushed toward this motel room".
Right hand places packet face up into left hand dealing position.

17) The face card is the AS. Patter, "All that he found was himself — ", and with
this the left thumb deals over the AS, which is taken by right hand, 1st and 2nd
fingers on face and thumb below, at upper right corner. The card is turned'face
down by simply turning right hand palm upwards. As this Stud Turn is made the left
fingers either buckle the bottom card or left ^th fingertip pulls down on the lower
right corner of the bottom card. In either case, the now face down AS is secretly fed
into the space created by starting the lower left corner of the AS or card in right
hand into the space at lower right corner of the cards in left hand. Continue by saying,
"— and only the blonde and brunette," as your left thumb deals over the 2 Queens, which
are taken for the moment by right hand in a fanned condition. Return the Queens, still
face up, onto the packet but keep a left Rth fingertip break below them.
/
18) Right hand now moves to above the packet to grasp the 2 Queens and at same time
the right 2nd fingertip and thumb alsocontact the lower face to face cards at the
upper and lower left corners. As right hand moves off with the Queens the face to face
cards are at same time pivoted out to tho loft as in Figure 7* The right 2nd
fingertip and thumb hold onto the upper ami lower left corners while the right side
of these face to face cards are held back by left fingers, thus aiding the turning of
the face to face cards. They pivot first downwards then upwards to come into view on
the left side with left thumb going on top and fingers beneath at the left side as in
Figure 7*

FIGURh 7
 -L "> 0 -

19) The lel't thumb follows the turning cards so that they end up being held as
in Figure 8, which also shows right hand spreading its 2 Queens on the table. The
cards in left hand are now the OK uppermost and the Ab face up under it.

20) Right hand takes the cards from left hand, by right side, at about center, thumb
on top and fingers beneath. Right hand slides its card(s) under the packet on the
left so that they are practically flush with those above. Now right hand turns palm
down, also turning all the cards over. Right fingers now hold onto only the single
face down card, the actual Ab, as it moves away in a sliding action so that the 4
Kings are spread out. Left hand now also aids as these fingers further angle-spread
the cards to clearly show indexes from all sides. In fact, if you find using only the
right hand awkward in turning the packet the left fingers can aid by placing themselves
at the left side of the King packet during the turn. In either case, keeping the AS
face down helps in directing suspicion to this card for the moment.

21) Once the h Kings are spread out the right hand casually turns the AS face up.
Next the right hand turns AS face down and uses it to scoop up the face up deck. The
deck is placed face down into left hand dealing position. This brings into view the
face up AS, but secretly beneath it is the face up AC. Do a Double Turnover, onto
top of deck, of the AS. The top card, really the AC now, is taken by right hand and
placed into the outside breast coat pocket or shirt pocket. Leave it sticking out or
visible somehow. Left hand places deck back into its original position on the right.
The removal of the AS is to the effect that the detective was disappointed or
frustrated with his attempt.

22) Pointing to the Kings and Queens you say, "Now that the detective is away you
would think the gentlemen and ladies of the evening would get together. Actually the
reason they don't is because the detective has secretly returned." With this the
right hand turns over top card of deck to show the AS is back. Place the AS face out
and leaning lengthwise) against the outer side of deck, but leave room for another card.

23) When the AS is shown as in Step 22 above, the spectators may wonder about the card
they saw you put in your pocket. Once the AS is revealed you say, "Perhaps you are
wondering about this card hare in my pocket". Remove tho card from pocket, holding it
back out toward spectators as you continue: "Actually, this is the dotective's son.
Really. Notice the family resemblance?" With this turn the AC face up and jilace it
alongside the AS. The completed plot and picture is as shown in Figure 2. from audience's
view. This concluding picture of Figure 9 will apply to all other methods to be
described.
 FIGURE 9

SECOND METHOD
Presentation is same as 1st Method.

1) This uses an extra card. When removing the 2 Queens, b Kings and AS you also
remove the AC at any time you wish. Since no one knows what you are about to pre­
sent no one will pay attention to the number of cards removed.

2) Arrange the packet from face to top as follows: AS, red King, black King, red
King, black King, AC, QH, QS. Everything is the same except for the inclusion of
the AC, which, of course, will not be seen. Toss the AS face up to table, and the
QS and QH to table. Show the ^ Kings, keeping the last 2 cards held together as one.

3) Place AS face up onto deck. Show the 4 Kings, displacing the red King, 3rd from
face, to under the packet. Pick up the QH and QS, place them under the Kings, and
in squaring up the red King will go to top of packet. From top down the order is
red King, QS, QH, AC, black King, black King, red King.

h) With packet face down in left hand, thumb over 2 cards, apparently Queens, then
with them tap the top card of the packet, which has been pushed over in accordance
with the presentation previously outlined. In squaring the 2 cards in right hand
against the packet in left hand, get a break under 3 cards, at once lifting them up
and doing a D'Amico Spread to show QH and QS (really 3 cards). Flip the QS (2 cards
as one) face down onto packet. Left hand deals off supposed QS, really a red King,
face down to left while right hand places QH face up on right.

5) Order of packet in left hand is QS, AC, black King, black King, red King from
top down. Do a Single Buckle in order to lift up the squared packet of 4 cards. Do
a D'Amico Spread to show 2 black Kings. Flip both face down onto card in left hand.
Thumb over top 2 cards, without reversing the order, and place them under the QH. The
QH is first flipped over face down with aid of the 2 supposed black Kings in right
hand. Left hand turns palm down and positions itself on left side of QH to aid in
both the turning of the QH and the placing of the cards, from right hand, to under
the QH. During the left hand turning palm down you will casually flash the bottom
red King.

6) Do a Single Buckle or Pull Down to transfer bottom card to top. As right hand takes
these 2 supposed red Kings from above by the ends, the left thumb pushes over the top
card for about a half inch or more in readiness for an "Easy Open Double Deal" as
follows: Right hand places its cards onto the tabled card on the left in such a way
that the top card's right side will be in direct line with the tabled card's right
side as in Figure 10.
 Top Red Kin?
in line with
Tabled Red King

V 2 Black Kings

FIGURE 10

7) Right hand at once lifts up all the cards to place them back into left hand.
The base of left thumb and 1st finger pinch the upper left corners of the 2
black Kings, which leaves right hand free to change position and grasp the upper
right corners of the top and bottom side-jogged cards. Right fingers now merely
pull away their cards, then turn them face up to show the 2 red Kings that you
seemed to forget showing as per the original presentation of the 1st Method. Turn
the 2 red Kings face down onto the card(s) in left hand. Square the packet and
place it face down back to your left.

8) The situation at this stage is: the packet on your right has, from face to
top, AC, QS, QH. The packet on the left has, from top down, 2 red Kings and 2
black Kings. The AS is face up on top of deck. Pick up the deck, holding it in
left hand dealing position. Right hand takes the AS and, in accordance with your
patter of the detective rushing into the room, the AS is turned face down and used
to scoop up the tabled packet on your right. The packet is turned face up, exposing
the face AS, then placed into left hand, which takes packet between left thumb and
2nd finger at outer sides. The packet is held well above the deck.

9) With right thumb and 1st finger, at back end of packet, secretly lift up 2 cards.
The right thumb and 1st finger now pull back these cards, as one AS, for about an
inch, which brings to view the outer index end of the QS. Left thumb and fingers
hold onto the sides of theAS, really AS and AC as one card, which leaves right hand
free to grasp outer end of the Queens, with right thumb on face and fingers beneath,
to pull them clear of the supposed single AS. Right fingers at once spread or fan
out the Queens, almost simulating a D'Amico Spread, as you let the QS fall face up
to table. Then the QH face up onto QS. Meantime, left thumb and fingers have
lowered the AS flush with deck.

10) The left hand now turns palm inward and also downward as at the same time the
left thumb deals over the face AS, which is taken by right hand, at upper right corner,
with thumb on face and fingers below. These actions conclude with left hand palm down,
concealing the face up AC still on top of deck, while right hand holds a single card,
the AS, face up.1
11) The face up AS is used to flip over and face up the A Kings on the left. The
left fingers can position themselves along the left side of the Kings in order to aid
the turning if necessary.
12) The AS from right hand is returned face up to deck as you time the turning so
the AC is not exposed during this replacement. Here do a Double 'Turnover onto deck
of the supposed single AS. Take off the top card, really the AC, placing it into the
pocket. Place deck face down to your right. Now, as in the presentation of the 1st
Method, conclude by showing AS is back on deck and the card in pocket is AC. The final
climax picture is as already shown in Figure 9, of the 1st Method.

Notes on 2nd Method

A) At Step 5 if you feel the single card in left hand during the D ’
Amico Spread makes
you feel apprehensive, then substitute a Triple Turnover to show the first black King
and Single Buckle or Pull Down to show the second black King. If you use this
procedure, be sure to reverse the order of the 2 cards before placing them under the
tabled QH.

B) At Step 9 the procedure can be changed to use a Mario handling of the D'Amico
Spread. In this case, when placing the supposed 2 black Kings onto the QH, these
2 cards must go on top of the face down QH so that the order of this packet from top
down will be AS, AC, QS, QH. This packet is picked up and a D'Amico Spread made,
which shows 2 Queens. Then at once the left thumb goes on the face of the cards while
1st and 2nd fingers go below, at upper left corner. The left thumb now pushes over
2 cards as one until the right 1st fingertip can feel contact with the underside of
these 2 cards. Pressing upward with right 1st finger enables the left 1st finger and
thumb to grasp the upper left corner of the single AS to pivot it downward and away
from the 2 Queens (really 3 cards as 2) as Figure 11, which shows the pivot action,
without danger of splitting the 2 cards that are being held as one QS.

Qith the cards as in Figure FL above, the left thumb places itself onto the 2 Queens
in order to take them onto the deck as in Figure 12, while right hand, of course,
holds onto the AS.

The left hand now turns inward toward the body as left thumb deals off the Queens one
at a time face up to table. Left hand is kept palm down to conceal the now face up AC
on top of deck. From this point the effect is concluded as already detailed in
"2nd Method". As one can see, the handling of the AC in this case can take on various
procedures. The object is to get one that satisfies you.
C) A note on the 2nd Method, where you use an extended variation of D'Amico Spread. Some
will find the following procedure much easier. Assume you have AS on top of packet.
Below this is the AC followed by 2 Queens. This packet is being held face down by the
sides with left fingers and thumb, above the deck in left hand. Right hand takes top
card of packet, AS, to turn it face up and injogged for half its length onto the remaining
3 face down cards. Qith AS injogged, the right fingers and thumb' do the regular D'Amico
Spread. This shows 2 Queens; and the injogged AS, now face down, does not interfere with
the action. The left thumb takes the 2 face up Queens, still spread, onto top of deck
as seen in Figure 13 .
 FIGURE 12

Right hand holds onto the face down AS as left hand, moving inward toward performer,
thumbs off the 2 Queens, one at a time, face up to table. Be sure left hand turns
palm downward (wrist turn), as second Queen is dealt to table, in order to hide the
now face up AC on top of deck. From here conclude as per the 2nd Method, using the
extra card or AC.

D) For those who perhaps do not wish to use the D'Amico Spread for the showing of
only the 2 Queens and AS, then using the Pull Down Vanish of the 1st Method can be
used as follows: The Queen packet should have the order of the first 3 cards in AC,
QS, QH order from top down. The AS is then used to scoop up these 3 cards in accordance
with the presentation of the detective rushing in. The packet is turned face up. The
face AS is thumbed off and apparently turned face down and placed to under the face up
Queens. Actually you do a Pull Down or Single Buckle to thus place the AS face down
and above the face up AC. Now just thumb off the 2 Queens to the table. The face down
card in your hand will be taken for the AS. These 2 cards, as one, are placed face
down onto deck. Your excuse for this action is that the detective, not having found
what he expected, returned to the motel office. Pick up the deck, placing it in left
hand dealing position. Left hand turns palm down and deals the AS face up. Keep left
hand palm down or place deck face up to table in order to hide the now face up AC on
top of deck. Your excuse for dealing the AS, the detective, back to table is that the
detective decided to investigate the other room, just to make sure. With AS face up,
your right hand turns the h Kings face up. Depending on whether you can carry it off,
you can say, "On finding only k men in the room the detective felt it was a queer
situation and decided to go back to the motel office". The AS is turned face down and
used to scoop up deck. Turn deck over into left hand, showing AS face up on top. From
here conclude as already explained in the other method.

THIRD METHOD*1

This makes use of a Double Back card in the deck before starting the effect. It
will make things easier, and is quite convincing.
1) The Double Back card is in the deck anywhere. I use a thick Double Backer in
that it enables me to do several other effects using it; however, you may use the
standard single thickness Double Backer. In starting the effect cut the AC to top
of deck. Now remove the U Kings, 2 Queens (QS and QH), the AS and Double Backer,
tossing each face down to table as you come to them. No one will pay attention to
the number of cards you have removed.

2) Place deck to the right face down. Pick up the tabled packet of cards and with faces
toward yourself arrange them, from face to top, in AS, red King, black King, red King,
black King, Double Back Card, QH, QS order. Don't let your seeing the Double Back card
throw you — remember on spectators' side all they see is the backs.
3) Turn the packet face up. Deal AS face up to table. Turn packet face down.
Thumb over top 2 cards, taking them into right hand. Turn these 2 cards, the
Queens, face up, to place them face up on the left with QH uppermost. Turn packet
face up to show 4 Kings in a fan formation, holding the last King and Double Back
card as one. Square up and hold Kings face up in left hand dealing position. All
these actions are, of course, accompanied by patter lines as per 1st Method.

4) Place AS face up onto top of deck. Show the 4 Kings again as you displace the
red King, 3rd from face, to under the King packet. Hold packet, sort of still
fanned out, in right hand as left hand picks up the QH and QS to place them face
up to under the face up Kings. Actually, the 2 Queens go above the one red King
under the spread. Square up the packet and turn it face down into left hand. The
order of this packet, from top down, is red King, QS, QH, Double Backer, black King,
black King, red King.

5) Thumb over 2 cards, without reversing their order, taking them into right hand.
Use these 2 supposed Queens to tap the top card of left hand packet, which has been
pushed over for this purpose. In squaring up the 2 cards in right hand against packet
in left hand, you lift up 3 cards squared and held above the packet with both hands.
Do a D'Amico Spread to show 2 Queens. Flip QS (really 2 cards as one) face down onto
packet. Left hand deals supposed QS face down to left as right hand places QH face
up to the right. Situation now is red King on the left and QH face up on right. The
packet, from top down, has QS, Double Backer, black King, black King, red King.

6) Thumb or fan over top 3 cards of packet in accordance with your presentation.
In squaring get a break under the 3 cards. Do a Triple Turnover to show a black
King. Due to the Double Backer your right hand can lift off this black King to
show it as a single card. Handle this King so it ends up again face up on top of
packet. This is done by turning the black King face down in right hand, to casually
show its back; then right hand flips the black King face up onto packet in left hand.
Right hand now goes to turn the QH face down. During this the left 4th fingertip
does a Pull Down of the 2 bottom cards and gets a break under the top 3 cards in
readiness for a Triple Turnover (some may prefer to use the Double Buckle to get
the Triple Turnover). Turn black King (really 3 cards as one) face down onto packet.
Deal off top card, actually QS, face down onto QH. To show the second black King
all you do is either a Single Card Buckle or Pull Down in order to again turn 3 cards
as one face up onto packet. Repeat the Triple Turnover to turn the black King face
down. Deal off the top card, really the Double Backer, onto the 2 Queens.

7) In left hand you have 3 Kings which you handle as only 2 cards by taking the
top 2 as one with right hand as left hand holds onto the single card, which is
placed onto the card(s) held by right fingers and thumb. This can be done using
again either a left 4th fingertip single card Pull Down or the Single Buckle with
the left fingers. These Kings are placed onto the supposed QS on the left. Since
you have not shown these red Kings, you pick up the packet again. Now using either
the Simple Open Double Deal or the regular Open Double Deal the top and bottom cards
are taken together by right fingers and thumb. Right hand now turns the two red
Kings face up to show and patter about them as outlined in the 1st Method. Place the
2 red Kings face down onto the supposed single card in left hand and return packet to
table. The present situation now is 4 Kings on the left, the Double Backer and 2 Queens
on the right, the AS face up on top of deck.
 - 2 5 6 -

8) Pick up the deck and place it in left hand dealing position. Right hand places
the AS face up onto the packet on the right, the Queen packet. Pick up the packet
and place it in left hand so AS still faces audience. The left thumb and 1st finger
hold the outer sides of the packet, which is held will above the deck. As you say,
"The detective broke open the door," the right hand grasps outer end of packet and
turns the packet over end for end to bring the Queen side into view as packet is
again replaced into left hand and still held above the deck.

9) Right fingers and thumb pinch off first the Queens, at inner end of packet, to
toss them face up to table. The back of a card is now facing spectators, the
supposed AS, but actually the Double Backer and the face down AS under it. Right
hand grasps the right side of the AS (2 cards as one) and turns this double card
face up and flush onto deck. At once left thumb pushes over the AS plus the next 2
cards in a sort of natural spread, which usually happens when you thumb over the top
card of a deck. Right hand shows AS as obviously a single card. Of course, the
proper patter lines, such as, "All the detective found in the room were the 2 ladies
and himself," are interjected at the proper sequence of actions.

10) In resquaring the deck and the face up AS you get a break with left 6th finger­
tip below the top 3 cards. Now do the KK Hove, so that AS ends face up in right
hand, while during the left hand wrist turn the Double Backer and AC are reversed,
to result in AC being face up on top of deck. Naturally, the Double Backer, although
also really reversed, will still show a back later on. Keep left hand palm down to
conceal the face up AC. Right hand uses face up AS to turn the 6 Kings face up.
Left hand, still palm down, can help spread the 6 Kings so all indexes show. When
left hand turns it does so toward yourself, as at same time right hand places its face
up AS onto deck, thus covering the face up AC.
11) From here do the Double Turnover, apparently placing AS into pocket, but really
the AC. Conclude the effect as per the presentation outlined in the 1st Method, where
the AS comes back to top of deck while card in pocket is shown to be the AC. The
completed picture is-now as in Figure £ of 1st Method. The Double Back card is still
in the deck to be used for further effects that may call for such a card.

FOURTH METHOD1
1) This makes use of an impromptu double back card by facing an AC and an X card.
Begin by secretly or at an opportune moment arranging a face up X card, covered by
the face down AC, on top of deck. With faces of deck towards you, remove the re­
quired cards, but toss each card face down so that the AS will be on your right, the
6 Kings at center and the 2 Queens on your left.

2) Turn deck face down and obtain a break under the top 2 face to face cards, or
impromptu double backer. Deck is held in left hand dealing position with tip of
left 6th finger holding break at inner right corner. Right hand reaches for the
6 face down Kings. Turn these face up, resting them against top of deck as both
hands openly arrange the Kings in red, black, red, black order from face to back.
In squaring up the 6 Kings the top faced cards are stolen beneath them, by right
hand taking the packet from above by the ends, as left hand places deck to your right
face down.
3) Still holding the King packet face up from above by the ends with right hand, the
left hand picks up the 2 Queens so that QH is face card and QS is beneath. The 2
Queens are placed face up underneath the face up King packet, then the packet is placed
face up into left hand dealing position. Right hand picks up the AS and places it
face up onto the Kings. The order of the packet, from face to top, is now AS, red
King, black King, red King, black King, Double Backer with X card face up and AC face
down, QH and QS.
 4) At this point you start your presentation by dealing out the AS face up to
your right. The packet is turned face down into left hand. The 2 Queens are
thumbed over, without reversing their order, for right hand to toss them face up
onto table to your left. Right hand turns packet over either endwise or sidewise.
Fan over 4 Kings, being sure you hold last 3 cards as one so as not to expose the
impromptu double backer. Patter lines for this briefly are, "For this I use the
AS, 2 Queens and 4 Kings".

5) Here introduce the deck as the motel office and the AS as the detective who
sits in the motel office keeping an eye on the motel rooms. The AS is placed
face up on top of deck. The 4 Kings are introduced as 4 gentlemen out on the town.
During this you respread the 4 Kings, displacing the red King, third from the face,
so it will end up under the other 3 Kings as already explained in the 1st Method.
Right hand holds the King packet, face up, by the right side with thumb on top and
fingers beneath. Left hand picks up the 2 spread Queens, introducing them as ladies
of the evening. Place these under the Kings so that the red King under the spread
will, of course, go above the 2 Queens as the packet is squared up. The packet is
turned face down into left hand. The order of cards, from top down, is now red
King, QS, QH, the impromptu double backer, black King, black King, red King.
6) Thumb over the top 2 cards, taking them sort of spread with right hand. At
same time left thumb pushes over next top card as right hand taps this card with
the supposed 2 Queens as you say, "Later I will deal with the Kings, but for now
can you tell me if you notices anything about the 2 ladies?" With this the 2 cards
from right hand are squared up against top of packet as at same time you actually
pick up 3 cards, bringing them up to the left fingertips. These 3 cards are
thus held, by left hand fingers and thumb at sides of these cards, above the
packet in left hand. This leaves right hand free to grasp the left side of these
3 cards, fingers on top and thumb below, as you go into the D'Amico Spread to show
only 2 Queens. These are rested against the packet as in Figure 6 of 1st Method as
you follow by saying, "One is a blonde and the other is a brunette". Right hand
grasps the right side of the spread cards, thumb on face and fingers below. Right
fingers from below now lever the QS, really 2 cards as one, face down onto top of
packet in left hand, while right fingers retain the single face up QH. Left hand
moves to the left to deal its supposed QS face down as right hand tosses its QH
face up to the right.

7) Do a 2 card Pull Down with left 4th fingertip or a Double Buckle in order to
. turn a black King face up. You have actually turned over 4 cards as one black
■King; however, due to the impromptu double backer this black King, can be lifted off
the packet and displayed as a single card. Replace the black King face up onto the
packet. As right hand turns the BK face down the left 4th fingertip has
ample time to do a 2 card Pull Down. This is especially easy due to the back-to-
back cards at this point. Turn the black King, really 4 cards as one again, face
down. Deal off top card, really QS, face down onto the QH. Next do a Single
Buckle or Pull Down in order to show the second black King, making, of course,
the appropriate remarks as per the presentation outlined in 1st Method. Repeat the
Single Buckle or Pull Down to turn the black King, again really 4 cards as one, face
down. At this stage you must get a 2 card break, with left 4th fingertip, under the
impromptu double back card. You now do the Mario Two Card Throw to toss the
impromptu double backer onto the Queens. If you are not familiar with this Two Card
Throw (see my "Riffle Shuffle Finale" or Al Sharpe's "Expert Card Conjuring"), then
merely take the faced cards, as one, with right hand from above by the ends to place
them onto the Queens. In either case, after placing the impromptu double backer onto
the Queens both hands square up these tabled cards by their sides. This square-up
action also flashes the bottom red King of the packet in left hand as it turns palm
* down in order to square up the tabled cards.
8) The 3 remaining cards in left hand are shown as two by left fingers doing either
a Pull Down or Single Buckle to snap and transfer the bottom single card to top.
Place these onto the supposed QS on your left. At once pick up all these cards as
you remark, "Oh, I forgot to explain about the blonde gentlemen". Here do an Open
Double Deal (or the simple one suggested previously) to take top and bottom cards
with right hand as left hand holds onto its card(s). Turn the 2 red Kings face up
as you make your remarks about each in accordance with the presentation. Turn the
red Kings face down onto the card(s) in left hand and replace the squared-up packet
to the table. The situation at this stage is 4 Kings already in the packet on the
left, 2 Queens and the impromptu double backer on your right, the AS face up on top
of deck.
9) Pick up the deck, placing it in left hand. Deal the AS face up onto the packet
containing the Queens and impromptu double back card. Right hand now picks up this
packet and places it into left hand, which takes the packet with thumb on left side
and 2nd finger on right side. The left fingers and thumb hold the packet well above
the deck. The AS is still face up. In accordance with your patter, as you say,
"When the detective broke open the door," here right hand grasps outer end of packet
to turn it over, end for end, to bring a Queen into view as packet is replaced, still
held above deck, into left hand. Continue your patter with, "All he found were the
2 ladies," as your right fingers and thumb pinch off each Queen, at top end of
packet, to toss them face up to table. A face down card shows and is taken to be the
AS, but actually it is the impromptu double backer, under which is the now face down
AS.
10) Right hand now grasps the right side of the supposed single face down AS to turn
it over and face up flush onto top of deck. At once the left thumb deals over the
now single AS, which is taken face up by right hand. Right hand with AS goes to lever
the U- Kings face up. During this the left hand has turned palm down and left thumb
has casually dealt off the top X card face down to table. This leaves the AC face
up on top of deck, but left hand remains palm down to conceal AC. The left hand, still
palm down, can now aid in spreadingthe 4 face up Kings. Right hand turns its AS
face down and replaces it under the deck, to cover the face up AC, after which left
hand is able to turn palmup. Apparently only the AS is face up on top, but below it
is also the face up AC. Right hand picks up the tabled face down X card to insert it
into center of deck. During this the right hand will be squaring the ends of deck; thus
you have the required misdirection to lift up 2 cards with right thumb at back end in
readiness for a Double Turnover. During all the turning of the 4 tabled Kings and
spreading them you, of course, interject the proper lines of patter.

11) Do a Double Turnover to turn AS face down. Take off top card, really the AC, to
place it in your pocket. Table the deck. In accordance with the presentation
outlines in 1st Method, show the AS is back on deck. The card in pocket is shown
to be the AC, which placed alongside the AS, leaning against side of deck. The
resulting picture is as already shown in Figure 9 of the 1st Method.

As far as the impromptu methods are concerned, you have a variety to choose from.
If you use your own cards, there isn't any question but to use the 3rd Method with a
Double Back card to match your deck.
For still a further handling, to apparently show four cards as a spread of three or
two Queens and the Ace of Spades proceed as follows:
1) The deck is face down in left hand dealing position in the Mechanics Grip. The
four card packet is face down being squared, between both hands, well above the deck.
2) The left fingers and thumb hold the sides of the packet while right fingers now press
down on the top card, at inner end, to move it forward about a quarter of an inch or
more. During this forward moving of the top card should any of the 2 cards below it
start to flare out then left 1st fingertip presses in, on tne outer ends.
of these 2 cards while the right thumb presses forward on the 2 injogged cards, to
thus square the ends of these 2 cards.

3) The left fingers and thumb still hold the sides of the packet as right hand is
free to position itself on the left side of the packet near the lower left corner.
The right 1st fingertip presses down on the top left side edge, near lower left
corner, of the four card packet. The right 2nd and 3rd fingertips press against
the top card only at the lower end. The right thumb is against the bottom or face
card of the packet near the lower left corner. The left 1st fingertip positions
itself at the outer right corner of the top out-jogged card. The left thumb and
2nd finger hold the sides of the packet while the left 3rd and 4th fingers curl a-
round the right side of the deck to maintain control of same.
4) With the left and right hands positioned as in the above Step 2 the right hand
turns palm upwards to bring the face of the packet to view. During this turn the
left 1st fingertip keeps contact with the upper right corner of the out-jogged card.
When the cards are face up this corner becomes the upper left corner and it is
important that the left 1st finger presses or pulls upward on this corner while right
thumb and fingers press downward on its corner making the cards more or less concave.
5) Nothing is done until the packet has been turned face up. Keeping the left 1st
fingertip pulling upwards, on the now upper left corner, the right thumb pushes the
face card past the tip of the right 1st finger which naturally keeps the remaining
cards squared. Only the face card has moved or angled off to the right to form, at
this stage, a spread of two cards with the 3rd visible card still out-jogged. During
this D'Amico Spread action the right 2nd and 3rd fingertips still press only on the
top out-jogged card.

6) Once the two card spread has been formed the right 2nd and 3rd fingertips bend
down at their third joints in order to now contact the in-jogged cards. The right
thumb, also at lower end, will also more or less contact the face of the in-jogged
cards. In essence the right thumb and 2nd - 3rd and 4th fingers now are firmly
pinching the remaining in-jogged cards, or in this case two cards, as one card.
During all this, which takes seconds, the left 1st finger has maintained its upward
pressure on the out-jogged card or in this case the Ace of Spades.

7) The left thumb now moves to grasp the upper left corner, of the out-jogged Ace of
Spades, between the left 1st finger beneath and thumb on the face at index corner.
The Ace of Spades is now pulled and pivoted to the left to form a spread of three
cards now. The right fingers and thumb, at the lower end of the packet, not only
act as the fulcrum point for this pivotal action but also help to keep the center
two cards from spreading. In fact the above technique, from Steps 1_ to 7, if followed
closely will insure perfect alignment of these cards, regardless of their number,
between the top and bottom cards.

FIFTH METHOD _ Dave Solomon

This method is similar to the second method although at the climax the AS apparently
turns face up on top of the deck. I will describe the bare bones of the effect for
completemess.

Set Up: Same as 2nd Method.

1) Show your set up telling the story with a slight deviation. Show the AS on top
holding two cards as one. After thumbing your Queens to the table, turn the rest
of the cards face down squaring them into the left hand. Take the top card calling
it the AS and place it face down onto the deck.

2) Turn packet face up resquaring, although hold last two cards as one, displace
the 3rd King from the face. Pick up the QH and QS placing them under the displaced
King. (See Step 3 Method 2)

3) Do Step4 Method 2 thumbing Queens to the table.

4) Do Step5 Method 2 apparently placing Kings on the Queen.

5) Do Step6 Method 2 apparently placing other Kings on the otherQueens.
6) Packet on the right has from top AS followed by 2 Queens. Pick up the deck and
flip 3 card packet face up onto the deck. Thumb over the top Queen showing 2 Queens.
Thumb off the top Queen to the table followed by thumbing off the other Queen although
doing a Wrist Turn to kill the face up AS. (You could also do a Hit Double Lift and
Wrist Turn if the angles are bad.) After the above the AS is face up hidden under the
face up deck. Now show your Kings as before.

7) Tell how the detective AS got so excited that he turned face up or stuck his head
out the window. From here you can do the KM Switch to complete the sequence with the
AC if you wish although I end it with the AS turning face up.

SIXTH METHOD*1

Set Up from Face to Top

1) KD - KC - AC - KS - KH - QH - QS - AS. Hold the packet face up in left hand.

2) Get a 2 card break with left 4th fingertip below the AC. The right hand, grasping
the 2 cards from above by the ends, moves the top 2 cards, as one, to the right over
right side of the deck. The left thumb holds these cards in place while right hand
grasps the right side of these 2 cards, with thumb on top fingers beneath, to do the
Reverse D'Amico Spread to show the KD and KS_. The right hand holds these fanned Kings
(AC behind KC) and left thumb can thumb over next two Kings (Spades and Hearts) but
the KH is pushed under the fanned 2 Kings to form a step, on left side, for the
Displacement Move.
3) The QH goes above the stepped KH or between the KS_ and KH. The QS is pushed past
the QH to under the fanned QH thus joining the KH. The AS is snapped and turned, by
left hand, to show as single AS. This Ace is then placed under the fan as follows:

4) The AS lower right corner engages the lower left corner of the QH. Right hand
presses its fan of cards downwards slightly as left fingers press the AS upward
slightly. This insures that as left hand moves AS to the right it will go above
the KH and QS that are stepped under the fan.

5) Left hand leaves its AS also in a side-jogged condition to the left, for half its
width. Right hand grasps right side of the fan and turns it, to the left and side-
wise, face down into left hand. The side-jogged AS will be seen to go flush with packet
so to give a sort of visual retention to this the left thumb at once deals off the
top card to place it face down onto top of deck as the detective going into his
motel office.
6) The QS is actually an top of deck. The packet of cards in your hand should be,
from top down, i n K H - A S - Q H - K S - A C - K C - K D order if the displacement moves
have been done correctly. You will do another displacement move but it is done with
the packet held faces down and spread between both hands, during the patter line, "That
leaves us the cast of characters which are the two Queens and four Kings representing
ladies of the evening and the four gents respectively".

7) During the above patter left thumb thumbs over two cards, which are taken by
right hand in a slightly fanned or spread condition. The third card, the QH, is
thumbed past the left side of the second card so the QH is stepped, to the right,
under the two fanned cards. The 4th card is thumbed over so it goes above the QH
or between the QH and the two fanned cards above it. This 4th card remains fanned
to the left. Now a subtlety is introduced; however, make sure the QH, that is under
the fan of 2 -cards in right hand, does not show at either the top or bottom end.
Right hand rests these cards onto those still in left hand. The left thumb now
openly spreads its 2 cards. This results in a spread of six cards showing between
both hands as you add, "Six cards all together".
8) When you have the six card spread you will note that the right hand actually has
four of them because of the hidden QH and these are under control by right hand so
that in resquaring the spread of cards the left 4th fingertip can easily get a break,
at lower right corner, below these top 4 cards. The order of the cards at this
stage is, from top down, KH - AS - KS - QH - AC - KC - KD, with break below the
QH or 4th card from the top.

9) Right hand lifts up the four cards, above the break, up to the left fingers and
thumb which grasp the sides. You now use the Mario Pip Cover as applied to the
D'Amico Spread thus you seem to be displaying the QH and QS as left thumb covers
the K only of the actual KS_. Your patter for this is as already described in previous
versions of the Motel Mystery as right fingers flip the supposed QS face down,
really J cards as one, onto the left hand cards while right fingers retain the QH.
Left thumb deals off top card of its packet face down to the left while right hand
tosses its QH face up to the right.

10) The two tabled cards are a face down KH and a face up QH. The QS is still
face down on top of deck. The order of the cards in your hand is, from top down,
A S - K S ^ - A C - K C - KD. You must get the AS and AC together to the top and this
is easily done as follows: Thumb over two cards, one under the other, into right
hand which keep them fanned or spread. The left thumb shows only two cards by
pushing over only one card and holding last two as one. Simply say, "Now we come
to the four gents". In replacing the cards from right hand you do this so that the
forward card of left hand cards goes between the two fanned cards in right hand. As
you square up the cards you will find it also an easy matter to get a left 4th
fingertip break, at lower right corner, beneath the top 2 cards or the KS in this
case.1

11) Using appropriate patter do a Triple Turnover onto the packet. Use the
Altman Trap so that you can display the KS for the length of your patter line as
regards this "dark gent really digging blondes". Turn the 2 cards, as one, face
down onto the cards in left hand and deal the top card face down onto the still face
up QH so the QH will be covered for only half its length. Do a single buckle or
block pushoff to again do a Triple Turnover flush onto the card in left hand.
Deliver your patter lines as covers this KC. Repeat the Triple Turnover to turn
the KC face down. Deal the top card face down onto the face down card that is on
the QH.
 -2 0 2 -

12) The QH actually has the .AS-AC3, from top down, on the face up QH. Turn
the QH face down and then toss the other two face down cards, AC - AS, onto the
QH as you say, "These gents then went with the blonde". Your left hand has three
cards remaining and these are, from top down, the KS - KC - KD. Via a single buckle
or a push-off technique show two cards, taking two as one in right hand while left
hand snaps its single card then places this card onto the card(s) in right hand.
The KD is now the top card of these 2 Kings. The tabled card, supposedly the QS,
is the other Red King or KH.

13) Left thumb pushes the top KD over to the right side for about a quarter inch
in readiness for the Easy Double Deal. Right hand takes these cards, still stepped,
to carry them down to the tabled card. Do this in such a manner that the tabled
KH and the top side-jogged KD will come in direct line. At once right hand picks
up all four cards. Place these into left hand so that left thumb and base of left
1st finger can pinch the two Black Kings at the upper left corner. The right
fingers now easily remove the side-jogged cards, top and bottom, as if both came
off thetop. Right hand at once turns these cards face up and spreads them to show
two Red Kings. Your excuse for all this is that you apparently failed to show the
"blonde gents prefer the brunette". Turn the Kings face down onto the card(s) in left
hand and place the packet to the table in its original position.
1^) The disposition of cards at this stage is - The packet on the left has four Kings -
The packet on the right has, from top down, the AC - AS - QH. The top of deck has
the QS. The audience assume that the two Queens are on the table each with two
Kings and that the AS is on top of the deck.
15) Left hand picks up the deck and thumbs over the top card which is taken by
right. Pattering about the detective, "rushing into one of the rooms", the right
hand uses its face down card to scoop up the packet on the right. The packet is
held face down and squared well above the deck. Turn the packet face up and
flush onto top of deck as you say, "But all he found was the brunette and the
blonde in the room - nothing else". During this patter line, when the packet is
turned face up, it appears as if the supposed AS has disappeared since a QS is the face
card. Left thumb shoves over only the QS to also disclose the QH but no others.
Right fingers and thumb lift off the two face up Queens, at lower right corner,
as left hand does a palm down wrist turn to conceal the next face up card or the AS.
Keep left hand palm down as right hand turns the packet on the right face up to show
that in this room were the four gents.

16) On top of deck you still have a face up AS with a face up AC_ below it. Ask,
"You probably wonder what happened to the detective. Well he is back at the motel
looking out the window - as you can see." As you reach the words, "as you can see",
the left hand turns palm up to reveal a face up AS on top of the deck. Pause long
enough for this to register then continue with, "Well he looked for a while but
got tired and decided to leave". Here do a Double Turnover to turn the AS face
down onto the top of deck. Deal off the top card, really the AC now, to
take it in your right hand and place it back out into your outside breast coat
pocket or shirt pocket but leave it projecting for about half its length. Place the
deck face down to the table.
17) Address your audience, "You probably wonder why the gents and ladies did not get
together now that the detective is out of the picture. Well you see they saw him
sneak back." Here turn top card face up to show it is the AS. Rest it face up against
the deck. Point to the card in your pocket and say, "You are wondering about this
card. That is the detective's son. Really - notice the family resemblance." With
this remove the card from pocket to show it is the AC which you rest against the deck
alongside the AS to conclude the effect.
 -2 6 3 -

SEVENTH METHOD - Dave Solomon

Set Up: Black Queen on top of deck; small packet set up from face BK, RK, BK, RK,
BQ, RQ, RQ, AS.
1) Spread four Kings running 3rd King under packet as you tell your story. Spread
Queen showing 2 Queens, buckle AS with left fingers so two Queens are held as one.
Place AS face down on top of the deck.

2) Square up entire packet and turn it face down into the left hand. Take off
top two cards into right hand getting a break under the top two cards of packet
with the left little finger. Square the two cards against the packet and pick
all four up to show as two with the Mario Pivot Spread. This allows you to show
the same red and black Queens. This last procedure was a Mario suggestion. Do
the Mario displacement move placing one Queen face up and one Queen face down.

3) Single buckle and pick up all cards doing the Mario Pivot Spread to show two
red Kings. Turn the black Queen face down and deal the top two cards onto it
really two Queens.
6 ) Handle the 3 remaining cards same as Step 6 Method 2 apparently showing the
black Kings.
5) The Climax - Turn the AS face up and at the same time get a break under the Queen
on top of the deck. Do the K14 Move to switch AS with the Queen. After you have
done this the AS will be face down on top of the deck and the Queen will be face
down on the table. Pick up the supposed AS really the Queen and place it on the
right hand packet. Talk about the AS returning to his lookout post only to find
that the men were in the same room playing poker but when he peeked into the ladies
room, he found two new players. If you like you can introduce any other two for
the Queens if you find a better patter line although the Queens seem to make a
surprising picture.
 THE PRODIGAL CARD

Ever since 1928 when Walter Gibson published a book titled "Popular Card Tricks",
which sold for twenty-five cents at that time, one of my favorite effects from
there_was an item titled "The Card_In The Case". The effect briefly was that a
card vanished from the deck and appeared in the card case. The Gibson description
of the procedure was to name the top seven cards of the shuffled deck which were
jotted down on a piece of paper by the spectator. The seven cards were then shuffled
and dealt into two equal packets of three cards each with the odd or left over card
being put back into the deck. The six tabled cards were then checked off of the
spectators list. The one remaining card from the list, the one placed into the deck,
now vanished from the deck to later be found in the card case. The original procedure
was to miscall the last card of the seven cards by naming the card that was already
in the card case being left there when the cards were first removed from the card
case. I made some slight changes in the procedure by having the spectator remove
any seven cards from different parts of the shuffled deck. In handling the seven
cards the 3**d card was the one I miscalled using the misdirection of looking at the
spectators written list to see that he was jotting down the cards correctly. The
major change was a presentational one which gave come logic as to why the card
seemingly vanished from among the cards to appear in the card case. The complete
presentational angle I then applied to the effect "The Card Goes Home" in a booklet
titled "Unlimited" even though in this case the effect did not strictly follow the
procedure of the original "Card In The Case" since the one card was not placed into
the deck but simply vanished from among a packet of five cards to later be produced
from the card case. However, in that same "Unlimited" book I detailed several methods
that did follow the procedure of the original effect but without having to miscall
any cards since the spectator clearly saw each and every card. The following two
methods follow my original outlined handling and presentation. While each can be
done with a borrowed deck one of them depends on the secret addition of a gaffed
card. A third method is also added as an excellent alternative to the gaffed card,

1 st Method1

1) Any borrowed deck can be used since all you will need is a Double Face card to
match the size of the deck you may borrow. Assume your Double Face card is a Jack
of Clubs and the Nine of Hearts. Decide that you will make use of the Jack of
Clubs side for this effect. The effect can be done either seated or standing. In
either case the Double Face card should be in the left side coat pocket with the £H
side towards the body and the JC side away from the body. For the description I
will assume the effect will be performed seated at the table.
2) When you get the cased deck simply hold it below table level as you quickly remove
the deck and locate the £H and JC. Place the J_C into the card case, close it and
place it casually off to your left side of the table. The 9H card you can leave in
your lap for the time being or simply place it into your inside left coat pocket.
This is done by right hand palming the card then travelling along under the left
side of the coat. When your right hand reaches the inside coat pocket quickly
dump the card into it as at the same time the right hand removes a pen or pencil
which you will use later for the effect. For the present you are all set for per­
forming the card to the case; however, do some other effects to start.

3) 'When you are ready to go into the card to case effect hand the deck to the
spectator for shuffling. While he is busy doing this your left hand casually goes
to the left side coat pocket to palm out the Double Face card and to place it into
your lap with the £H side up. You will have ample misdirection for all this as
attention is directed to the spectator who is shuffling the cards.
 -CLVJ-

k) After the spectator has shuffled the deck request him to remove seven cards, from
different parts of the deck, faces down. Take the deck from him and place it face
down to your left. Have him shuffle his seven cards then take them from him and
double check the seven cards by counting them face down, one at a time, in front of
yourself and near the table's edge. The seven cards, during the count, are
carelessly tossed onto the table so that they will form a sort of overlapped packet
of some cards to the right and some to the left. Leave the seven cards alone for
the moment as you hand the spectator a pen or pencil and a piece of paper.

5) Instruct him to write down the numbers 1 to 7 in a long downward line. While he
is busy doing this your left hand casually drops into your lap to get hold of the
Double Face card, with the 9H side face up, to hold it in a sort of a lengthwise
Rear Cop or Palm. The right hand merely scoops its tabled seven cards directly onto
the face up 9H* Due to the seven face down cards being stepped oroverlapped toboth
left and right sides the extra width of the seven card packet will prevent any
. inadvertent flash of the face of the 9H* Thus the Double Face card has been secretly-
added to the bottom of the face down seven cards while the spectator is busy jotting
down the numbers of one toseven on thepiece of paper.

6 ) Square up the packet and turn it face up. The JC side of the Double Face card
will be the face card of the packet. Thumb this card face up, JC side, to the table
as you tell the spectator to jot down the names of the cards next to each number.
Turn the packet in your hand face down into the left hand. The right hand picks up
the tabled card as you say, "'Write down the Jack of Clubs". As helooks down athis
paper, in order to write the JC, your right hand places the J£ side face up to under
the packet in the left hand.

?) Ask, "Have you jotted down the card?" Now thumb over the top card of the packet
and turn it face upwith the right hand as you tell the spectator to write down
the name of this card. Be sure he sees each card. This second card you turn face
down and place it to under the cards in the left hand. Thumb over the next card,
turn it face up with right hand, then call its name even though he also sees the
card. Have him jot down this card, the third one, then turn it face down and place
it to under the cards in the left hand.

8) Now comes a bit of leg pulling just in case you may be doing this for another
magician who may be familiar with the old method for this effect. The fourth card
is thumbed over and taken by the right hand; however, this time hold the card facing
^ you. Call out the name of this card correctly or what it actually is. The magician
may smile inwardly at this point. Still holding the card facing you, ask, "What was
the card you just wrote?" He will name the card off his list. To this you turn the
card facing him and add, "That is right". This bit will practically make him smile
outright.

9) Remember that now you must show him very clearly only the next 2 cards for a total
of seven. As you show and name each card it is placed face down to under the packet.
The end result, at this stage, is that you have a face down X card covering the face
up side of the J_C Double Face card. The spectator has 7 cards listed among which is
the JC. Say, "Let's mix these cards". Here turn the packet face up towards yourself.
Thumb over the face 2 cards, one at a time, into the right hand. Between the fingers
and thumbs of both hands shift these three cards about, as you mix them, then place all
3 cards to under the packet or on top of the packet since the packet faces you. Thumb
over the next 2 face cards and repeat the mixing process then transfer these 2 cards onto
the top of the packet. This leaves the Double Face card facing you with the 9H side
facing you. Above or below it is the X card. Turn the packet face down into the left
hand. With the left fingers do either a Double 3uckle or a Pull Down of two bottom cards,
the Double Face card and the covering X card, in order that the left hth fingertip can
obtain a break above these two cards. The right hand now shuffles. Overhand Style those
cards above the break. In other words the right thumb and fingers grasp those cards
 - 2 6 6 -

above the break as for an Overhand Shuffle; however, the left thumb peels or runs off
the top card as at the same time the left hth fingertip holds back the two bottom
cards. As this Overhand Shuffle is continued the left hth fingertip also maintains
the break above the original two bottom cards so that no matter how many times you
Overhand Shuffle these two cards, the Double Face card and the covering X. card, will
be retained at the bottom of the packet.

10) Turn the packet face down into the loft hand dealing position. Deal two piles of
cards, one at a time from left to right, until each pile has three cards. The
supposedly remaining face down single card in the left hand is really two cards, t,he
Double Face card and the covering X card. The right hand takes these card(s) either
from above by the ends or grasp it very firmly at the center of right side between
the right thumb ontop and fingers below. The left hand cuts off about half the deck
and the right hand places its card(s) face down into the center of the deck being
careful that in replacing the cards from left hand you do not accidently expose the
Double Face card. At this stage the Double Face card shows the £H side from the face
side of the deck.
11) Pick up one of the three card packets and have the spectator run a line, on his
list, thru the cards you show and call out for him. Repeat the same checking off
process with the remaining three cards. Now ask him, "What card did we put into
the deck?" He will naturally call out the Jack of Clubs. Hand him the deck with
the faces towards him as you say, "Remove the Jack of Clubs and I will show you a
wonderful effect with it". Naturally he will not be able to see the JC since it
faces the other way and on the face side of the deck, which he looks at, will be the
9 H . You will not have to worry about him looking at the other side of the deck since
the previous handling obviously showed a card being placed face down into a face down
deck. If you are working for a group of people and do not wish them to spot the
Double Face card, from the rear or top side of the deck, then instruct the spectator
to deal the cards one at a time face up jto the table until he comes to the £C. He
will not see it. You then patter to the effect that if the card is not among its
friends where could it be. Remind them that when they leave their friends or a party
where would they go. Probably they would go home. Point out that a cards home is in
the card case. Pick up the card case and hand it to the spectator and have him remove
the Jack of Clubs or whatever card you happened to vanish off your own Double Face card.

12) You will have a Double Face card in the deck and this can be used for another effect
such as "Another Classic Pellet Trick" or go into a cleanup using my item "No Other
Transposition Can Make This Claim". In any case, even without the above two suggested
items, you will have no trouble getting out the Double Face card during some other
effect. One more thing. At Step 8_you were told to call a card correctly without
showing it and then later you do show the card. At this point sometimes you will find
it to your advantage, especially when performing for another magician, to call the card
correctly but do not show it. This will lead the magician to think he is ahead of you by
assuming this will be the card that will not show up. Imagine his surprise when he
later sees this card and checks it off his list. Even you should act as if perhaps
something went wrong. Eventually conclude the effect as already outlined. This is a
subtlety you should not pass up especially if you know the magician in question is
familiar with the old method of this effect.

2nd Method

i) i'his uses a borrowed deck with no gaffs or any previous preparation. The deck is
full and there is no card in the card case. The handling is very fair and the only
requisite is to do the effect while seated at the table.
 I-

2) During the course of some effects get any X card face down into your lap. The
card case in also casually placed into your lap, towards your waist away from your
knees or thighs, with the card case flap opened end to the left.

3 ) 'When ready to present the effect hand the deck to the spectator for the shuffling
and removal of any seven cards. Take the rest of the deck from him to place it face
down to your left and forward towards the center of the table.
*0 The spectator himself is now asked to jot down the names of the seven cards after
which he is asked to shuffle the 7 cards again. Take the seven card packet placing
it face down in front of yourself. Now tell the spectator to jot down the numbers
1 to 7 along each card that he listed. During this time your right hand has
casually dropped into the lap, palmed the X card, added it to the top of the £
card packet then in squaring this packet the bottom card is lapped using the
"Screening Action". At once the packet is shuffled so that the top X card goes to
the bottom of the packet. You will have plenty of time and misdirection to do
this as the spectator is busy placing the numbers 1_ to 7 along each card that he listed.

5) Deal out six cards into two packets of 3 cards each and place the remaining 7th
card, really the X card, face down into the deck. Toss three of the face down cards
to the spectator asking him to check those cards off his list by drawing a line
through them.

6 ) 'While he is busy doing that both of your hands go into your lap. The right hand
holds the card case while the left hand quietly places the lapped card into the card
case and closes it. The right hand holds the card case, from above, by the sides as
the left hand comes up to toss the next three cards to the spectator in order that he
may check off these cards from his list.

7) 'While he is busy doing this the left hand is crossed over so that the left hand
touches the right elbow. Now the right hand, with the card case held from above by
the sides, moves up so the right hand, with its card case, will come up behind the
left elbow. Thus the arms are crossed but the right arm being behind crossed behind
the crossed left arm the right hand and card case are hidden. As the spectator is busy
crossing off the cards move your body forward so that both arms move away from the
edge of the table. The right hand especially moves forward in order to quietly and
unobtrusively get the card case forward on the table.
8) After the spectator has crossed off six cards from his list ask, "What card did
we put into the deck?" When he names the card the right hand picks up the deck as you
tell him to remove that card from the deck. During this the left elbow still more or
less covers the card case. Now as the spectator is busy looking through the deck
take both arms off the table as you casually lean back waiting for him to finish
looking for the card.
9) 'When he fails to find the card go thru the presentational procedure, as outlined in
the 1st Method, about where the card would go after leaving its friends. Eventually
have him open the card case and remove the card. You will find this an excellent
impromptu method the more you do the routine. No one seems to remember that the card
case was ever out of sight.
 -2 0 0 -
r
3rd Method i

1) This method can be done with a borrowed deck as all you will require is a stranger
card that matches only the size of the borrowed deck. The color or back design of the
card is not important. Use a card with quite a few spots. For this description assume
your stranger card is the Ten of Spades. T

2) During the course of other effects you will find plenty of opportunity to secretly
get the regular IQS out of the borrowed deck and leave it in the card case. When j
ready to perform the card to case effect get your Stranger card, the IQS in this
example, face down into your lap. This stranger card can be in either of your side
coat pockets from where you will find it an easy matter to get it unnoticed into your
lap. 1

3) As before the spectator shuffles his deck and removes any 7 cards, from different
parts of the deck, faces down to the table. Take the deck and place it face down to £
your left. Have the spectator shuffle his seven cards. Take the packet from him and
cound them to make sure he has seven cards; however, during this count you sort of step
the cards to the left and right to form a sort of widened packet of cards. Do not make ^
this too obvious but rather as an accidental outcome of the count.
4) Hand the spectator a pen and paper requesting him to jot down, in a long downward
line, the numbers _1 to 7 . while he is busy doing this your left hand has gone into I
the lap to get the stranger card, face down, into the left hand, holding it by the sides,
into a sort of deep Gambler's Cop. The right hand sweeps the seven tabled cards directly
into the left hand and onto the stranger card. Both hands square up the packet. Next J
casually Overhand Shuffle 3 cards from the top of the packet to the bottom. Turn the packet
face up into the left hand. >

5) Tell the spectator to jot down the name of each card as you show it to him. Hold
the face up packet, from above by the ends, with the right hand. The left thumb peels
off the face card into the left hand as you name. While the spectator jots down the name
of this card you openly place it to under the cards held by the right hand. I
6 ) Repeat the process of the left thumb peeling off the next face card which you show,
name, then it is placed to under the cards held by the right hand. Do the same thing i
with the third card you peel off, name, then place, still face up, to under the face up
cards held by the right hand. Peel off the 4th card, this is the stranger IQS card,
into the left hand. As before name it. Now wait until the spectator's head moves down
to look at the paper in order to jot down this card. During this time the left seems to
repeat the identical action of placing its card to under the cards held by the right
hand. In reality the left hand executes the action of Propelled Lapping thus actually
lapping the stranger IQS card. This "Propelled Lapping" action properly done does not |
differ from that of actually placing a card to under the packet.
7) You have so far shown 4 cards. You now do exactly the same peeling and replacing j
actions of the next three cards,one at a time, until the spectator has listed seven cards.
The card that is now second from the face of the packet has not been shown during this
listing of the seven cards. Turn the packet face down and go into an Pverhand Shuffle
by peeling the top and bottom cards together then shuffling until the last card, the X
card now, becomes the top card. Run off the top card and then shuffle off the rest of the
cards onto this. The one X card is now on the bottom of the seven card packet.

8 ) Deal out the cards into two packets of three cards each and place the last card, the
X card of the packet, into the deck. Have the spectator check off the six cards from
his list. Ask him the standard question of, "Which card did we put into the deck?" When
he names it give him the deck so that he may remove it in order that you may do something
wonderful with that card.
 -d u y -

9 ) .'/hen he does not find the card go into the presentational theme, as outlined in the
1st Method, of the.possible whereabouts of the card that isn't among its buddies. For
the climax have him remove this card from the card case.

A few observations may be in order as to why this effect, which uses in essence a sort
of duplicate card in two of the above routines, is far stronger and more convincing than
an effect in which a duplicate card appears in a wallet. It is the way in which the effec"
is done. In a card to wallet effect the card is only one card which in most cases is
quite obviously foreed and its duplicate later quite insultingly produced from a wallet.
In the Card to Case or as here titled "The Prodigal Card" the selection of the seven
cards is free and made by the spectator. He sees every card as he jots the seven cards
down. He clearly sees six of them dealt to the table and one is placed into the deck.
He does not know which card was placed into the deck until he has checked off the other
six cards. Note that he must assume the remaining card is the one placed into the deck
. since he saw all seven cards and wrote them down. Again he can't suspect any force
« since he himself shuffled the deck and chose the seven cards. Add to this that it is his
deck of cards and his card case, which has remained in full view all the time, then you
have a mystery unexplainable even by the magician.

In the 2nd Method I at first was using my "Card from the Case" idea (See Deck Deception -
19^2 ) where the card is simply palmed onto the card case, which is oval side up, then
this card is removed as if it came from inside the card case; however, I have found the
effect is much more convincing, especially to a magician, by using the loading sequence
as outlined for the 2nd Method in order that the spectator himself may remove the card.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT - David Solomon

EFFECT: Same as The Prodigal Card although the spectator signs the card that goes
to the card case. This method was inspired from Mario's 2nd and 3rd Methods.

1) Borrow a deck and steal any card into your lap during the previous effect. Have
the spectator shuffle the deck andtake out seven cards. From this packet of seven
cards he is to choose one of these cards and give you the other six.

2) Tell the spectator to sign the face of his selected card. While he does this, add
your card to the top of the six card packet as in Mario's 2nd Method.

3) Pick up your packet and take the signed card from the spectator. Insert it face down
i among the cards you hold so that it goes into the center. Turn your packet face up
| and tell the spectator to number from 1 - 7 . I

I U) Have the spectator jot down the name of each card as you show him as in Mario's
Method 3, Steps 5 and 6 although when you get to the signed card you propel it into
your lap. Continue the list as in Step 7; do the shuffle as described to set the
packet for the deal.
 -270-

5) Deal out the cards into two packets as described in Step 8. Of course follow
through by placing the odd card into the deck. Have the spectator check off the
cards one at a time delaying the fact that the card that was apparently placed into
the deck is the card he signed. This build up is a Mario idea. The spectator
will smile when he finds he placed the signed card into the pack.

6) During the above checking off procedure, you place the signed card either in
the card case, your wallet, or another deck of a different color, the choice is
yours.
7) You tell the spectator to take out the signed card and you will show him a
wonderful effect, tfhen he can't find the card you produce it "There is No Doubt
About It" since he signed the card. This method precludes the idea of miscall and
duplicate cards. It should leave the closest observer baffled.

Mario's Procedure For No Doubt About It -1

1) Place a wave into the card that you steal from the borrowed deck. This wave
should be a crimp on both edges of the card so you can see it as you fan the backs
of the cards between the hands.
2) Proceed as above Steps 1 and 2. Give the spectator the packet and tell him to
put his card into it anywhere and shuffle. Take the packet back, fan between your
hands looking for the waved card. Cut the packet so the waved card becomes the top
card. You must also make sure that the second card is not the signed card by
thumbing over the cards into the right hand and intentionally looking at them as
you say something about the signed card being in the packet.

3) Do Step b above propelling the signed card into your lap.

h) Hand the spectator the packet and have him shuffle it. Hold your hand out taking
the cards back as you ask him, "Do you believe the mental controls the physical?"
This question gives you time to spread the cards between your hands and cut so that
the waved card goes to the bottom of the face down packet. You can now give the
spectator the packet and have him deal the cards in two packets.
5) Place the odd card into the deck. Proceed as above doing the Mario delay to
build comedy and suspence that the spectator selected his own signed card. Complete
the effect as in the other methods.
 MARLO STRIP CUTS

These so called running cuts if basically done using slip cuts

would be restricted to the losing of a single card. The techniques
described here enable one to "strip cut" either a single card or a
number of cards. The starting action of the cut seems to come from
the gaming table and was shown to me many years ago by Bert Fenn in
connection with an Ace cutting routine. The approach and appl i c a ­
tion of the techniques are strictly my own.

1) Rather than describe the method for strip cutting a single card
the d escription will be for doing this with several cards and the
assumption will be that the reader will easily understand the action
for losing a single card.

2) Assume you have a desired card either face down or face up at

5th from the top of the deck. During a cutting sequence you will
get the card to the top of the deck.
3) Begin by tabling the d e c k lengthwise in front of yourself. The
right and left hands are at each end of the d e c k with the 1 st fingers
curled on top in the standard position for the cutting of the tabled
deck.

4) The right thumb, at back side, lifts up slightly half the d e c k

and moves it about a qua r t e r inch or m o r e to the right thus e n d ­
jogging the top half. At once both thumbs do an upward thumbs
riffle so that the top four cards can be eventually separated, by
a left thumb break at inner side near the inner left corner as
shown in Figure 1. which shows the d e c k and finger positions of
each hand. Hands also conceal jogged condition.

Left thumb Right thumb

holds break on end-jogged
on top 4 portion
cards

5) The right thumb and 2nd and 3rd fingers n o w grasp the lower
half of the top end-jogged cards in order to center cut these.
The Figure 2 shows the start of this center cut of the top portion.
The break on the top four cards by left thumb is maintained during
this action.
Break held Half of top portion
center-cut

Figure 2
 -2 7 2 -
r
6) The right hand places its cards onto the top but the left thumb
holds the break between section A2 - Al. The four cards above the r
b r e a k have joined the bottom of the half of A section as shown in
F i gure 3.
4 cards * r " ~ N ^ S e c t i o n A2 cut out
above break— J— A t' to top of Al li
join 1— Al
— rd
Section A2 1----- c----- 1 r
Figure 3

7) O n c e the section A2 is undercut to the top the left fingers and

thumb hold onto this portion. The right fingers and thumb at once
center cut section Al to the top. As the center cut is made the
left fingers and thumb also move its section A 2 to the left and in
line w i t h the bottom section B as shown in Figure 4 the start of the
center cut of section A l .
Section Al being
Sect ions ^-----nr center-cut to top
A2 & B "&■
now in line
Figure 4 I

8) W i t hout any stalling the right hand center cuts section Al to

the top to complete the strip cut as shown in the Figure 5. The
desired card is now on top.
Required card n o w on top

Figure 5

9) The strip cut actions m a d e on a single card will be found very

good e s p ecially on those cards that may have a tendency to drag
other cards during the usual slip cut.

Another Combination

1) H e r e you use the strip cut but the sequence differs and some
may find these actions more to their liking. Again it can be used
on a single card but the description will be for losing several
cards that may be above a desired card.
2) Assume the card you wish to cut to is 5th from the top. As
before, the right thumb lifts up half the d e c k at the inner side only
in order to end-jog it to the right for about a qua r t e r inch. See
Figure 1.

3) D o an upward thumbs riffle and obtain a break, with the left thumb
at the inner side near the left corner. The right fingers and thumb
g r a s p the lower portion of the end-jogged top half in order to center
cut section A2 as already shown in the Figure 2. The left thumb
maint a i n s its break on the top four cards during this center cut.
 -2 7 3 -

4) H e r e the action changes. The right hand places the center-cut

portion A2 on top and in line with the bottom half B. The left
thumb at once lifts up on this section w h i c h results in the four
cards, on which the left thumb held a break, to m o m e n tarily join the
bottom of section A 2 but these same four cards will be end-jogged and
in line w i t h section Al; however, a separation between these four
cards and section Al will be formed as shown in the Figure 6 .

Left thumb 4 cards separated

lifts up on- from Section Al
the break at at end-jogged end
this end
Figure 6
5) The right thumb and fingers g r a s p the end-jogged section Al plus
the right grasps and holds a break on the four cards. The right hand
c e nter-cuts out the section Al but still keeps a separation, w i t h the
right thumb at inner side at the right corner, on the four cards that
are about to be strip cut. The Figure 7 3 hows this situation at this
stage.
Break on original top 4 cards

v
c
AZ
B
Figure 7

6) The right hand comes over onto section B in the usual m a n n e r of

placing the center-cut cards to the top; however, the left fingers
and thumb grasp only those cards above the break as the right hand
m oves out, in another center-cut, to the right and forward in the
accepted manner for cutting. The Figure 8 shows the cut in action,
a strip-cut.
4 cards above the
break grasped by Section Al center-
left hand cut. Original top
4 cards go onto A2.
Al
AZ
B
Figure 8

7) The action of Figure 8 is concluded by right hand pla c i n g its

section Al to the top. The desired card, w h i c h origin a l l y was 5th
from the top, is now on top after the strip-cut as in Figure 9.
Needed card on top
Section B
remains untouched
i Strip-cut cards
Al now between
during all running Al ' Sections Al & A2
cuts. B
Figure 9
 I •+-

8) O n c e m o r e m e ntion is m a d e that t hese same S t r i p Cut actions can

be applied to a single card and will be found in m a n y instances to
be better than the usual S l i p Cut.

9) I will conclude by m e n t i o n i n g that it is better to keep your

hand in on something w h i c h is more flexible in its application than
something which is restrictive.

TOP AND B O T T O M CARD TRANSFERS

N o t e - For a method see "Patented False Shuffle" under "Transfers"

pages 20-21-22 steps JL to 15_. The following methods eliminate the
shuffle using only the cutting action. The cuts are made on table.

S ingle C ards Transfer

1) Left 1st finger pulls over top card as right thumb, pushing
down on bottom card pulls it to the right. The Figure _1 shows
c o n d ition of deck. Both hands, at each end of deck, conceal these
jogs. -pop card Bottom card
\
Figure 1

2) Right hand undercuts deck and in pla c i n g the bottom half on top
does so that bottom jogged card goes in line with top of deck while
top card will automatically go in line w i t h bottom of deck. The
Figure 2 shows the action but the cut is completed with a slao
indicating no break being held. Bo t t o m card goes
in line with top
of deck

Top card /t
goes in line with
bottom portion of deck
Fiqure j?

3) The second undercut will now transpose the top and bottom cards.
M erely g r a s p the o u t - joqqed end with left fingers as right finqers
grasp its o u t -jogged end. The cut now results in the action seen in
Figure 3.

Bottom card remains

on top section

Top card
joins bottom
section Figure 3
4) The actual cutting action is a sliding thus there is no exposure
of the cut transfer as purposely shown in Figure _3. The cut completed
the b ottom card is on top and top card is on the bo t t o m as in Figure 4.
Bottom card now on top

i
t
Top card n o w on bottom
Figure 4

Multiple Card Transfers

This cutting action will transfer say 4 Kings from top to bottom while
bringing the bottom four Aces to top or vice versa. The Aces and
Kings are used only as examples. Any cards or any num b e r of cards can
thus be Transposed (Note - Multiple Cards Transpositions or Single
Cards T r anspositions would perhaps be a better title.)

1) Assume 4 Aces are on top of deck and 4 Kings on the bottom of deck.
The left thumb quickly releases the four bottom Kings and right fingers
pull these to the right side-jogging t h e m slightly. The left and right
thumbs R iffle back side of d e c k upwards and left thumb obtains a b r e a k
under the top 4 Aces at left end. The Figure _5 shows the condition at
this stage..
Left h a n d ----- ------------- 4 Kings jogged
break under L, to the right
top 4 Aces Figure _5

2) Right hand undercuts the deck and places the under portion flush
onto the top portion but left thumb retains the break. The Figure 6
shows situation.
4 Kings still jogged
Break held
under Aces

Figure 6
3) The right fingers now first pull the bottom section, those cards
just below the break still held by left thumb on the A c e s , to the
right and in line with the side-jogged 4 Kings as in Figure 7.

Bottom portion 4 Kings in Line now

in line with V /with bottom section
top 4 Aces \\ /
(Held back \\ /
by left fingers\ (ji__________ /
during 2nd 1/
c u C t ^n 8 action) L ....... I ^_____ Bottom section, below
* 4 Ace break, pulled to
the right' and in line
Figure 7 with jogged 4 Kings
4) The left fingers now hole? back the in-line sections at left enf
(see F igure 7) while right fingers immediately cut out the under
oortion plus the side-jogged 4 Kings. The action is seen in Figure 8 .

4 Kings on top

Fig. 9
1_;
t
4 Aces on bottom

5) The cutting action here is again a sort of slidinq action in

w h i c h the right hand moves its cards sort of to the right slightly
then forward and when clear comes back to place its cards on top.
The 4 Kings are now on top and the Aces on the bottom. The completed
cut shows in Figure 9.
The above cutting action can be demonstrated by telling a story of
how an expert bottom, dealer inadvertantly culled1 the Aces to the t o p
and the Kings to the bottom. This would mean that his opponent
would get the Aces while he, on his bottom deal, would get the Kings.
What to do? N o w dem o n s t r a t e the cut; however, because it i^ a
d e m o n s t r ation here is how you automatically get those bottom Kings
side-jogged.

1) S h o w Aces on top. Turn deck face up to show 4 Kings. In c l o s ­

ing up the spread of Kings, get the left 4th fingertip behind the
Kings at the lower right corner.
2) The deck is now held face up in left hand, by the sides, with the
left 4th fingertip behind the Kings at the lower right corner. R a i s e
d e c k more or less up to fingertips and at same time turn deck face
down. This will cause the 4 Kings to automatically move to the right
and end- jog t h e m s e l v e s . The right hand of, course, comes around, to
grasp its end of deck, to cover this end-jogging action and also
helps the 4 Kings to end-jog in a straight line to the right rather
than angling inwards. The right thumb of course presses in on
these inward angled cards thus straightening them into a end-jogged
condition. From here conclude the cutting actions as already o u t ­
lined.

1st N o t e - The above Top and Bottom Transfer of Kings and Aces can
be done in the hands, using the Bill Simon Block Slip Cut, doing
either three cutting actions or four cutting actions.

2nd Note - In the Single Cards Transfer of the top and bottom cards
you were instructed to pull back the top card to the left; however,
you can simply get a break under the top card with left thumb. The
following procedure will be found to be the best combination.

1) Begin by tapping the lower end of the deck against the table
top. The deck is held between both hands w h i c h hold the sides of
the deck. The right hand is below the left hand. The right 1st, 2nd,
and 3rd fingers are on the outer side with the thumb on the inner
side. The tip of the right 4th finger presses against the top of
the deck, near outer side, onto the outer lower corner. The left
hand fingers are above those of the right hand. Their positions are
with the left 1st fingertip over the top end of the deck, the left
2nd and 3rd fingers at the outer side above the right 1st finger.
The tip of the left 4th finger pressed against the face on bottom
card, near the outer side, at about center. The left thumb is at.
the inner side touching but above the right thumb. The Figure _10
shows the finger positions of each hand as viewed from the bottom
of the deck.

Left fingers
w ith 4th
f ingertip
against face
of deck

against top of deck

Figure JLO
2) Both hands start to lower the deck towards the table by pivoting
the deck, between the thumbs and fingers of both hands, to the left.
During this downward pivotal action the tip of the left 4th finger
presses against the face card on the bo t t o m of the deck causing it
to be end-jogged to the right as in Figure 11. The position of the
right fingers, at the right end of the deck, cover this end-jogged
card. The right 4th finger has also moved off the top of deck to
alongside the other right fingers and the right 1st finger has now
curled onto the top of the deck. The use of the 4th fingertip to
end-jog a card is a technique of Arthur Altmans and is recorded here
for the first time. Title it "Altmans' Bottom Card End Jog."

Deck pivoted
downward

Tip of left Right fingers

4th finger cover the end-
pushes bottom card jogged card
to the right
Figure 11

3) v^ith the deck now tabled face down the left thumb obtains a break
under the top card. The situation now is as in Figure 1_2. The first
fingers of each hand are curled on top of deck.
Break under
top card with
left thumb _____________
\
Figure 12 End-jogged
bottom card
4) The right hand undercuts the lower half to the top and directly
in line with the top half; however the left thumb maintains its break
as in Figure _13. The right hand remains at the right end of the deck
covering the end-jogged card.
End-jogged .
Break bottom card
below
card now joined Fi 13
to lower half —
5) The top cord, under which the break was held, has more or lore:
joined the lower half of the deck separated from it by only the one
intervening end-jogged card. The right hand moves all those cards
below the break to the right and in line with the end-jogged card.
The situation is as shown in Figure ] A . The left thumb and finyers
hold the original top card in place w i t h upper half.
Original bo t t o m end-
jogged card in line
w i t h lower half of deck

S.
O riginal top card Lower half moved to
held in place by right
left thumb & fingers
Figure 14

6) The right hand, in a second undercut, now grasps the lower half
of the d e c k plus the end-jogged card while the left hand grasps the
upper half of the deck plus the top card on which a break was held.
The cut' is now made by moving the right hand, with its lower half,
to the right and forward. This action is shown in Figure JJ5 which
again is really a sliding action thus there isn't any separation of
cards, as shown in the Figure 15 for clarity, when the cut is being
made. F igure _15 is identical In’action to Figure 3.
Lower half moved to
right and forward
during cutting action

Origins 1 Orig i n a l bottom card

top card will go to top of deck
Figure _15

7) The right hand completes the cut by placing the lower half to
the top, the top and bottom cards have been transposed and the
situation now is as already shown in the Figure 4_.

The Tabled Cover Uo Cut

basically the *Harlo Cover Up Cut is usually done in the hands but
here it will be described as for when the deck is tabled. 1

1) A s s u me the second card from the top is face up. You had a card
peeked at by the spectator, somewhere in the center of the deck and
are h o l ding a left 4th fingertip break below it. The tip of left
4th finger moves in up against the face of the peeked card, at the
lower right corner, in order to angle the card out to the right.
The left fingers now push the card to the left at the same time
in-jogging the angled card. Du r i n g this in-jogging action the left
thumb is at the upper left side of the deck and can feel the upper
left corner of the angled card. The left 1st finger is curled under
the deck. The left 2nd- 3rd.- 4th fingers have moved up to the upper
 I '

right corner of the deck. The right hand is above the deck, the
right 1st finger is curled on top of deck, the right 2nd- 3rd- 4th
fingertips are extended along the front end of the deck. The right
thumb, at the back end, can feel the lower left corner of the angled
card. The tip of right 4th finger can feel the upper right corner of
the angled card. The Figure 16 shows the finger positions of both
hands with the selected card still angled.

----— -------- Right thumb

Figure 16
2) The right thumb moves to the extreme left and against the left
side of the lower left corner. This now will permit the angled card
to be in-jogged as the right 4th fingertip presses in on the upper
right corner of the angled card while the left 3rd and 4th fingers
press the angled card to the left and downward to aid in the in­
jogging of the card. H o w m u c h of an in-jog you get will depend on
how much you angled o.ut the card to begin with, however, about an
e ighth of an inch or less is sufficient for the follow-up cutting
sequence.

3) With the card in-jogged the right hand grasps the inner end of
the deck, concealing the in-jog, then the deck is tabled lengthwise
in front of the performer. The left thumb obtains a break, at inner
side, under the top card. The situation is as in Figure 1 7 .
Face up card under top card

Figure 11_
4) The ball of the right thumb now moves onto the inner right corner
of the in-jogged selection in order to press down on it and cause a
break or opening, along the inner side only, which is also taken over
by the left thumb which now will hold two breaks as in Figure 1 8 ,
with end-jogged card on top of the lower half.
End-jogged card
Left t h u m b s
h o ld s 2 '"i
break s
F i g u r e Jj3
 -dov-

5) The right hand undercuts those cards below the break to result
in the condition of deck, as shown in the Figure _L9 where the b ottom
half is now flush onto the single card top card, left thumb still
holding the break, with the end-jogged card on top.
/End-jogged card

Break Face u p card is

held by n o w below break
left
thumb Figure 19

6) The right hand new pulls those bo t t o m cards b e l o w the break, to

the right and in line with the top selected end-jogged card. The
Figure 20_ new shows the stage at this point where note that the left
thumb no longer holds a break, however, both hands are still around
their respective ends of the deck thus covering, from the front, the
exposed condition shown from the inner side in the Figure 20.

End-jogged selection on top

Original face up
card

Figure .20

7) The right hand now grasps the top end-jogged card plus the pulled
over b o ttom section and moves these cards far enough to the right, to
clear the left fingers, then forward, in a simulated undercut, tc
place the bottom section plus the top end-jogged card, to the top.
The action just before completing the cut, is shown in the Figure 2 1 .
Selection

Face up card

Figure 2_L

8) The completed cutting action results in the selected card being

on top with the face up card just b e l o w it as in the Figure 22.
Selection on top of
face up card

\
Figure 22
9) D u r ing the cutting action of that, shown in Figure 2_1 you may
feel apprehensive about p o s s i b l y f l ashing the face up card. In this
case I suggest that as the right hand does the undercut action it
does this by right hand turning its cards face outw a r d s towards the
spectator. This also conceals or at least helps to conceal the fact
 -281-

that the top card, on the second undercut, remains on top although
because of the cutting sequence, this has never been questioned.

10) While a straight out and out Slip Cut action could be used
in place of the end-jogging action I have purposely described the
end-jogged procedure because it is more flexible of application
especially when dealing with the transferring of more than one card
onto a face up card or cards.

The Tabled Block Slip Cut

The Simon Block Slip Cut is usually done in the hands but here again
I have applied it to a tabled cutting sequence, w i t h two selections.

1) Assume you have had two cards peeked at and are holding two
breaks, one with the left 4th fingertip and one with the left 3rd
fingertip. The card at the 4th fingertip is below this break. The
Figure 23 shows the two breaks being held. The right hand is omitted
for clarTty. Normally, it would be above the deck.

2) Under cover of the right hand, which is above the d e c k as if

squaring the ends, with 1st finger curled on top of the deck, the
left fingers move to the left thus automatically stepping the cards
as shown in Figure 2 A which again is w i t h right hand omitted for
clarity.*

3) The right hand holds the ends of the deck as left hand changes
position to grasp the inner end of the deck,' left thumb on top and
left fingers beneath, as in Figure 2 5 .

Figure 25
 -282-

4) The left hand holds onto the inner end of the deck as right
hand is free to grasp the right end of the deck, as left hand
swings this end towards the right hand. The position of deck and
both hands is shown in the Figure 25 where note that the steps are

5) The left hand is now free to grasp the left end of the deck
w i t h the left thumb pressing down onto the steps, at inner side, to
form two separations as shown in the Figure 21_. The left thumb
oresses in against these separations to obtain and hold two breaks.

6) W i t h left thumb holding the breaks the right thumb eases its
hold against the inner side of the deck. This causes the separations
to open clear across the inner side of the deck as in Figure 2 8 .

7) W i t h the two separations held at the inner end by the left thumb
only the right thumb and fingers are free to undercut the lower p o r ­
tion of cards, up to the lowermost break w h i c h has the 1st selection
on top of this portion, to the top but in an end-jogged condition to
the right as in the Figure 2 9 .

,1st selection here

First portion
undercut to
top
8) Without hesitation the right fingers and thumb pull the next
bottom section up to the next or second break, to the right and
more or less in line with the top end-jogged portion. The
Figure ^0 shows this stage of affairs.
1st selection

-Pulled to right
A
2nd selection
Figure 30

9} Still without any pause in the actions the right hand grasps
both top and bottom lined up sections, while left hand holds onto
the center section, then moves the two lined up sections to the
right and forward in a simulated under cut. The Figure 3_1 shows
the two sections being moved out in readiness for the simulated
under cut. I say simulated because while the bottom section is
cut to the center the top section will remain on top as in the
Figure ^2. Still the whole sequence appears quite fair if t e c h ­
nically illogical. The end result will be the 1st card on top of
the deck and the second selection on the bottom of the deck.

1st selection 1st selection

A & B pulled
to right and
f orward

2nd selection
Figure 31_ Figure 3_2
10) while I have only described a control of two cards using the
Tabled B lock Slip Cut obviously any combinations or placements can
be done using the Tabled Block Slip Cut in the same way that you m a y
do them in the hands. 1

11) While steps were used to later obtain breaks some may prefer
to get the separations directly from the breaks held. O n e such
method is for left hand to hold its breaks as already shown in the
Figure 2 3 . Mow the right hand moves towards the front end of deck.
The left hand turns inwards to bring the front end of the deck
towards the right. The right hand grasps this end of the deck but
not before the left fingers relax to widen the breaks clear across
the inner side. The right hand, now at the right end of the deck,
grasps this end with right thumb at inner side and right 2nd- 3 r d - 4th
fingers at the outer side. The right thumb now holds the two sepa­
rations as shown in the Figure _33 which is an exposed right end v i e w
of the d eck normally covered by palm of right hand.
 Figure 3r3

12) Both hands now move into the position around each end of the
deck, as already shown in Figure 28. From here go into the Tabled
B lock Slip Cut as depicted by Figures 29 to 32 to complete the
sequence.

Illogical Bottom Slip Cut (Single Card or Block of Cards)

1) The following description is for a Bottom Slip Cut that while

basically not very logical does have its uses. It will be described
as for a Single Bottom Card Slip Cut.

2) Hold the deck between both hands in readiness for the end tapping
action, lower end, against the table top. The faces of the cards are
facing the left palm while the top of the deck is towards the right
palm. Both hands are in the position already shown in the Figure 1 0 .
Now do the "Altman Bottom Card End Jog" as already shown in the
Figure _1_1 immediately tabling the deck with both hands around each
end of the deck thus the end-jogged bo t t o m card is well concealed at
this stage.

3) The right hand now moves the top half of the deck towards the
right and in line with the bottom end-jogged card as in the Figure 3jl
Top half
and bottom
card jogged
to right
Figure 3_4

4) The left hand, grasping all the cards can lift the deck, at back
side only, slightly upwards in order that the right hand can grasp
the top end-jogged portion plus the bottom end-jogged card. The
right hand pulls the top half and the bottom card to the right and
forward as in the Figure 3_5 which basically shows only the starting
action to the right. This is at once followed by moving the right
hand forwai'd.
Top half and
bottom card
pulled to
right and forward
Figure 35

5) in a simulated undercut the right hand places its cards back

onto the top of the deck. You will find the simulating of an u n d e r ­
cut q u i t e simple since you do want to get the bottom card into the
center of the deck as shown in the completed action of Figure 36.
This also brings into play, if required, any desired card or cards
that may have been hidden by the bottom card. (For other such
Bottom Slip Cuts see "The Patented False Shuffle.")
Bottom card
A n o w in center
¥
Figure 36

6) Since only one card has been displaced, the rest of the deck,
if it were in any specific order, is still in order except for the
interruption of the card that was slipped into the center of the
deck.
7) Doing a Tabled Slip Cut, off the face of the deck, with the deck
face up will give the same results and the cut will appear bona fide,
however, there may be times when you may want to Slip Cut the bottom
card of the deck, with the deck face down, so as not to expose either
the b o ttom card or the next card from the bottom.

8) W h i le a single card was used to illustrate the Bottom Slip Cut

there may be times when you may wish to Bottom Slip Cut several cards
as a unit or block, to the center of the deck. In this case using
those g et-ready methods explained in the previous cutting sequences
can be applied here.

A SWITCH ON THE TEN H A N D POKER STACK

Effect: This is a method for the Ten Hand Poker Stack which is
reminiscent of several of my methods in which a packet switch is
used. However, in this case the aces are switched individually and
are automatically preset for the subsequent Faro Shuffle.

1) As you spread a shuffled deck face up between your hands, down-

jog the first Ace you come to, plus the 2 cards immediately to its
left. Continue spreading the deck, and each time you come to an
Ace you downjog it plus the 2 cards to its left. Close the spread
between the hands so that the jogged cards remain jogged, then turn
the deck face down and hold it face down by the sides with both hands

2) Strip out the jogged cards and drop them to the table, then strip
off small packets from the top of the deck one after the other and
drop them onto the Ace packet. Pick up the deck, square it, and then
give the deck an In Faro Shuffle in the hands.

3) Having completed the In Faro Shuffle, hold the d e c k from above

by the ends in the right hand and allow the cards to dribble onto
the table. Pick up the top card with the right hand at the outer
right hand corner and use it to scoop up the deck, but as you do so
the right fingers and thumb down-crimp the outer right corner of this
card. In placing the deck into the left hand, turn it end for end so
that the crimped corner of the bottom card will be toward you.

4) The deck is held in the left hand in position for the Overhand
Shuffle, with the backs toward the left. The right hand is holding
 -2 8 6 -

the d e c k by the ends. The right hand n o w breaks the deck about at
the center, or a little lower, as long as the break is above the
Ace stock. The left 4th finger m o m e n tarily holds the break to
allow the right thumb to grasp the inner end of the deck and thus
take over the break. N o w in Overhand Shuffling you shuffle the top
cards uo to the break and then throw the cards remaining in the right
hand on top. Then cut the crimped card to the bottom, and then O v e r ­
hand S h u ffle 3 cards from top to bottom. The Aces are n o w every
sixth card from the face, while the crimped card is fourth from the
face.
5) Turn the deck face up to the right, turning it over from side to
side to keep the crimp at the back end, and place it face up into
the left hand dealing position. The steps that have gone before you
have executed as if simply toying with the pack, but n o w you turn
the p a c k face up to find the Aces as you offer to give a d e m o n s t r a ­
tion of how gamblers stack cards.

6) W i t h the deck face up in the left hand, the left thumb deals over
the face card, w h i c h the right hand takes in dealing position. This
is repeated with a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th card, w h i c h the right hand takes
one onto the other. H e r e the right index finger curls around the
outer end of the packet so that the tip of the index finger actually
touches the uppermost card. A fifth card is taken by the right hand,
but the tip of the index finger remains between this card and the
rest of the packet. The right side of this card is flush with and
touching the right side of the packet but it is not touching the
packet along its ]eft side or at either end. The right thumb, w h i c h
is d i a g onally across the outer right corner of this 5th card, holds
the card in place by pressing it down against the back of the index
fingertip. The left thumb now pushes over the 6th card, which is an
Ace. The right hand takes the Ace flush onto the top of the 5th card
so that there are now two cards above the right index fingertip, both
held in place by the right thumb. It should be pointed out that this
series of actions is done w i t h the left side turned toward the spec­
tators, as if to display the faces of the cards that you are taking
one at a time into the right hand. Actually, of course, the body
turn gives cover for the action of the index finger of the right hand
and also for the switch that is just about to occur. At this point
the right hand turns palm downward, and as it turns p a l m downward the
index finger is straightened, thus pivoting out the card which for­
merly was directly above this finger, the indifferent card, while the
Ace is held in place by the right thumb. The switched card is placed
face down on the table, while the spectators believe it to be an Ace.
The right hand is turned palm upward again and approaches the left
hand for a repetition of the switch actions: 4 cards are taken one
at a time onto the face of the right packet, the index finger inserted
under the 5th card, the Ace taken onto the 5th card, and then the
switch action is performed in dealing the "Ace" to the table face
down. The switch, of course, is Mario's Mechanical Seconds, which
first appeared in M.U.M. The body turn to the left will keep the
Ace at the face of the packet concealed as the switch action is
repeated. The same switch actions are continued for the remaining
Aces until four "Aces" are face down on the table, at which ooint
you will be holding a face up packet in the right hand with the 4th
Ace at its face. Here the 2 handscome together and the left hand
spreads the remainder of its cards face up onto the right hand
packet, as if you are making sure there are no more Aces in the deck.
Square the deck and turn it face down into the left hand. The situa­
tion at this stage is that there are 4 indifferent cards on the table
while the Aces are secretly set every 5th card from top down. The
crimp is 4th from the top.

7) Before the demonstration, you say, you will shuffle the cards.
Position the deck for an Overhand Shuffle with the backs to the left.
Undercut about 20 cards and shuffle off. Cut the crimp to the b o t t o m
which will bring one Ace to the top while the other 3 Aces will be
every 5th card beneath it. Get a left 4th finger br e a k under the top
Ace.

8) Pick up the "Ace" packet from the table with the right hand from
above by the ends, bring it to the top of the d e c k to square it, and
steal the top Ace to the bottom of the packet. The packet is imme­
diately turned face up on top of the deck, thus showing the Ace at
its face, and get a left 4th finger br e a k under the face up packet.
R aise the hands, thus bringing the face of the packet toward you,
and spread the top 4 cards between the hands (retaining the left
4th finger break under the 5th c a r d ) . You now rearrange the order
of the 4 cards which are visible to the spectators, removing a card
here and replacing it there at another position in the 4 card spread,
doing this several times, but ending with the Ace at the face of the
packet again. The impression given is that the Aces must be in a
partic u l ar order for the demonstration to w o r k properly. Close the
spread onto the top of the deck, then lower the hands so that once
again the spectators can see the Ace at the face of the packet.
Then the right hand takes the packet at the inner right corner, and
flips the packet face down on top of the deck. At once you deal the
top 4 cards one at a time into the right hand, reversing their order,
and then they are returned to the top of the deck. As you do this
you say that "The AS must be on top" assuming the AS was the card the
spectators just saw. The impression given is that you have arranged
the Aces in a particular order, and that you have reversed the order
to bring a particular Ace to the top. If they remember this Ace,
they will be interested to discover that it is the first Ace to
appear on the subsequent deal.

9) N o w cut the deck and square it. Cut again, this time cutting the
crimped card to the bottom.
*

10) N o w hold the deck for a Faro Split in the hands, and with the
right hand cut off a little more than 20 cards from the top. N o w do
a Straddle Faro of the In type in the hands, Faroing the smaller
packet into the center of the packet and sloughing off to arrive at
an In condition, or better, do a Tabled Straddle Faro, sloughing off
to arrive at an In condition. On dealing out the cards into ten
poker hands, the dealer will get the Aces on the first four rounds. 1

11) An alternate procedure would be as follows: At Step 9, do the

first cut and square the deck. Then cut again, but in this case cut
the crimped card 2nd from the top. The right hand cuts off from the
top a packet of from 22 to 25 cards, preferably at the lowermost Ace.
 -2bb-

N o w do a Tabled Riffle Shuffle Straddle Faro, after w h i c h you square

up. Cut the deck and complete the cut, then cut again so that the
crimp goes to the bottom. Deal out ten hands, and the dealer gets
the Aces on the first four rounds.

12) If you are able to do what in essence is a Tabled Faro R iffle

Shuffle of the In type then naturally the cutting of the deck, as
in Step 1JL above, can be eliminated thus adding greatly to the One
R i f f l e S huffle Ten Hand Stack effect.

Additional Ten Hand Stacks

1st Method (One Ri f f l e Shuffle)

1) R e m o ve the four Aces and place them on top of the deck. Cut or
place one Ace to the bottom of the deck.

2) With the deck tabled lengthwise in front of you the right hand
grasps the right end of the deck, by the sides, while the left hand
obtains a similar position on the left end of the deck.
3) W i t h the right thumb lift up about half or more of the deck, at
the inner side only, then w i t h right thumb release or thumb count
five cards. The left thumb moves in to keep these _5 cards separated,
at the left inner side, from the lower half of the deck. The right
hand then cuts its top portion of the d e c k to the right.

4) At this stage the left thumb has kept a separation between the
top J5 cards and the rest of the left hand packet of cards. The half
of the d e c k on the right has 3 Aces on top while the 4th Ace is the
bottom card of the portion of cards on the left. Those who have
read “The Ten Hand Poker Stack" manuscript or any of the manuscripts
that comprise "The Riffle Shuffle Trilogy" or "The Shank Shuffle"
should have no trouble understanding the terminology for stacking the
Aces.

5) D u r i n g the Riffle Shuffle that you now execute you must stack the
b o ttom Ace so it will become the third card from the bottom. Mean­
time the left thumb has held back an additional four cards, for a
total of nine cards, during the Riffle Shuffle. These nine cards
fall last and onto the 3 Aces of the right hand section. The result
you should have will be 9X cards above the 3_ Aces while the 4th Ace
is the third card from the bottom.

6) You are, after the above one Riffle Shuffle, ready to deal out
Ten H a n d s of Poker so the 4 Aces will fall into your hand or the
dealers (10th) hand.

7) Deal out the first round fairly for nine cards but on the 10th
card, w h i c h falls to you the dealer, do a Mario Two Card Throw,
face down as apparantly one card, into your 10th hand. (See "Riffle
Shuffle Finale" for this Two Card Throw.)
 -289-

8) Without any hesitation go at once into a Second Deal, to hold

back the one Aco now on top of the deck, until you are ready to
deal it fairly into your 10th hand.

9) Continue the deal fairly for the next two rounds of ten cards
each. On the 5th and final round use the last Ace, originall y at
third from the bottom, to scoop up your 10th hand.

10) Turn your cards face up. Deal off the face four Aces sailing
them out onto the table. The remaining card, really 2X cards held
as one, is placed face down onto the other 9 hands w h i c h are simply
gathered into one heap. If you have dealt the cards, nine cards
each time, into sort of one heap in front of you, then you simply
t o s s the card(s) face down onto this pile.

2nd Method (One Riffle Shuffle)

1) This uses no false deals. It is very subtle in that anyone
trying to duplicate this with a 5_2 card deck will find it doesn't
work out. The removal of a Joker is a further throw off as far as
the Magicians are concerned.

2) Start with a deck that has two Jokers. Remove the 4 Aces and
also remove one Joker and casually toss it face up to one side of
the table as you remark, "Better remove the Joker." That is all
you say about the Joker.

3) Place the _4 Aces face down on top of the deck. Mix them up and
in resquaring get a break under the top 2 ACes. The right hand
casually places these, as apparently one Ace, to the bottom of the
deck. This transfer can be made by the right hand taking the Ace(s)
from above by the ends or by the lower right corner with thumb on
top and 1st and 2nd fingers beneath, to thus place the Ace(s) to
under the deck held in the left hand dealing position. The right
hand now takes the deck, from above by the ends, then turns palm
upward to show the Ace at the bottom of the deck as you remark,
"One Ace at the bottom." Table the d e c k lengthwise in readiness
for a Riffle Shuffle.

4) Do an Upwards Thumbs Riffle to get the right thumb holding back

about the top half of the deck. The right thumb release counts 5
cards which the left thumb keeps separated from the lower half of
the deck. The right hand cuts off the top half of the deck to the
right for the start of a Riffle Shuffle.

5) The right thumb releases one card from the bottom of the right
hand portion then the left thumb releases the bottom 2 Aces of the
left hand section. This places two Aces at the 2nd and 3rd p o s i ­
tions from the bottom. Continue the Riffle Shuffle so that the
left thumb holds back an additional 4 cards for a total of 9 cards
which are let fall last or on top of the right hand portion which
has the other two Aces on this section.

6) The situation now is that 2 Aces are at 10th and 11th positions
from the top of the d e c k while the other two Aces'are at 2nd and 3rd
from the bottom of the deck. Pick up the deck to deal.
 -2 9 0 -

7) On the first round deal so that you will do a Two Card Throw,
of two Aces as apparently one card, into the 10th or your hand.
Deal the next three rounds fairly. On the fifth and final round
your left thumb pushes or deals over two Aces as apparently one
card. This push-off should be made w i t h the two Aces as closely
to being one card as possible without getting tight about it. It
must be done casually w i t h no apparent mechanical effort. Obviously,
a B lock Push-off is the easy answer.

8) This card (s) is used to scoop up your 10th hand. Meantim e the
left hand, with its single remaining card as if it were the r e m a i n ­
ing two cards, moves to deposit its card onto the tabled cards w h i c h
can be sort of pushed or brushed to the left.

9) Turn your 10th hand face up. Deal off the 4 /ces face up to the
table. The right hand grasps the remaining 3X cards, as seemingly
one card, by the outer end, thumb on the face and fingers below, to
turn the card(s) face down and place them onto the piled up cards on
the left.

10) In the above method there aren't any false deals, such as
Seconds or Bottoms, as the only sleight is the Two Card Throw. This
means the deal can be burned. The surprise of the 4 Aces, after one
such rapid and casual Riffle Shuffle, gives plenty of misdire c t i o n
for p a s sing off the last 3X cards as the usual only remaining single
card of your hand.

3rd Method (One Riffle Shuffle)

1) This uses the Mario Easy Unit Control Deal from "Seconds-Centers-
Bottoms." The details of this, for a 5^ hand Poker Stack, can be
found on pages 120 to 122 of the above book. Here it is used to
give the impression of having stacked the four Aces into ten hands.

2) O p e n l y place the 4 Aces on top of the deck. W i t h an Upwards

Thumbs Riffle break the d e c k about in half, at the inner side only,
w i t h the right thumb. The right thumb quickly releases or thumb
counts 5 cards which are held separated, from the bottom half of
the deck, with the left t humb at the inner side near the left end
of the deck.

3) The right hand cuts off the top half of the deck to the right.
D u r i n g the Riffle Shuffle the left thumb, which has maintained its
original 5> card break, holds back an additional 4_ cards for a total
of 9 cards. These 9 cards are let fall last and onto the 4 Aces in
the right hand section. Telescope the halves into each other,
squaring up the deck.

4) The right hand places the deck face down into the left hand in
position for the "Easy Unit Control" as described in "Seconds-Centers-
Bottoms" pages 120 to 1 2 2 . The first nine cards are dealt off fairly
to the table. This can be done around the table or into a central
pile in front of you in case you do not have the room to deal out ten
hands.
 -2 9 1 -

5) When the 10th card is taken by the right hand, an Ace, it is

slowly turned face up and dealt to yourself but slightly off to
your right. This slow turning of the Ace face up to your right
gives you the misdirection needed for the left thumb to engage the
next top 3 Aces, at their upper end, to pull them straight down
thus setting these in position for the Easy Unit Control. You will
find this easy enough to do without any break being required below
the 3 Aces to start.

6) From this point on you do the "Easy Unit Control" deal for nine
cards and deal out an Ace as the 10th card. Repeat with the r e m a i n ­
ing two Aces until you have thus dealt the four Aces into the 10th
or your hand. Properly done the Riffle Shuffle is rapid and c o n ­
vincing while the deal will not be suspect since it appears as a
natural pushing or dealing over of cards.

FLEXIBLE SWITCHOUT (Continue from Page 15)

4) In this position you can lower both hands to show the 10D between the Kings.
Also the right hand can separate the spread, taking KS with, to clearly show the
10D which has a single right side ed g e .

5) The right hand comes over to take the 10D. The tip of the right first finger
contacts the back at right side of the KS but the left second fingertip contacts the
right side of the 10D.

6) To prevent any undue sounds the right hand moves with the 10D until its left side
almost clears the right side of KC and yet not expose the X card below the 10D.

7) The right hand now turns palm down. The left second fingertip raises up slightly
to easily release the supposed 10D which slides off face down to the table. As the
right hand starts to turn palm up, the right second and third fingers pull the actual
10D to under the cards in the right hand.

8) When both hands are palm up and move to meet again, the left thumb, second and third
fingertips pull the KS out further to the left to show the two black Kings. The
10D can now be reloaded between the Kings or it can be run under the spread to the top.

9) While the switchout was described face up, it can be done with the Kings face up,
the 10D face down between them, and in the center of a face down deck. In this case
since all cards are face down there isn't any need to turn over the right hand. In
action the right hand would place the KS face up to the table, on the 10C the switch
is done placing the X card onto the face up King followed by the next face up King.
Several effects will be described in later issues.

DOUBLE AND TRIPLE PEEK CONTROLS

The following Double and Triple Peek Controls are done strictly in the
hands while giving the deck only one cut, for the Double Peek Control,
and seemingly giving the deck only two cuts for the Triple Peek
Control. These are only a few of- the various controls, from Chapter
Nine, written in 1954 as a proposed sequel to "Control Systems." The
reader will notice that the "One Cut-Double Control" has since been
established in the Hierophant #2^ in the Winter 1969 issue. The Triple
P e e k Control embodies the "Mario One Cut-Double Control" and the "Simon
Block Slip Cut." Since these controls have been in my notes since
1954 and shown to only a few card men long before 1 9 6 3 , w h i c h is when
I first met the other claimant to the One Cut-Double Control at the
Abbott G e t - Together in Colon, Michigan, it is quite obvious that n o w
you know who showed what to whom. Those who have the original "Control
Systems" - 1953 - will find several other Do u b l e and Triple Controls
within its pages. In fact those who have ersatz copies will find them
there also.

The line drawings for the following Do u b l e and Triple Controls were
m a d e by D a v e Bendix, of N e w Orleans, from the pages 5 to 9 and 2A_ to 3£
of the original handwritten Chapter 9 titled "More C o m b i nation Controls.

(B) Single Cut to Top. (2 cards)

1) H a v e one card peeked at, at same time getting break w i t h fourth

finger of left hand. W i t h right thumb release peeked at card so it
falls onto lower packet. Have second spectator note a card, again
g e t t i n g a break; this time the break is held by the third finger of
left hand. The right thumb, at back, releases this second peeked at
card so it falls onto lower portion. The position of both cards lo­
cated by breaks, is as in Figure _5.

Cards peeked at
Top of deck
rel e a s e d to top
of lower portions

Face of deck
Figure 5
2) The right hand now moves the top portion, up to the first break,
slightly off to the right as in Figure 6.
P o s i t i o n of
peeked cards

One break is
still held

Figure 6
3) This top portion is moved over just enough so that the left thumb
can contact the top card of the exposed portion as in Figure 1_ just
R i g h t hand
holds cards
fr o m above
by the ends

2nd card on top

of bottom portion,
break held by
4 th finger
 - 2 9 3 -

4) The left hand now takes the lower half up to the break, plus the
top card of the center portion by pressure of the left thumb, toward
the left as in Figure 8. The right hand of course is holding onto
the other portions.

Lower half
rem o v e d together
w i t h top cards

5) Continuing the action, started in Figure 8, the lower half plus

the center card, is placed on top of deck in a cut. This of course
brings both cards to the top in 2-1 order. The "Center Card Slip"
explained here will be found to have many uses as will be seen in
further controls to be explained.

The next combination controls three cards through the use of a

"Center Card Slip" plus a "Double Block Slip."

(B) Top and Bottom

1) H a v e three cards peeked at and manage affairs so that the first

two peeked cards are released onto the lower sections while the third
card remains at the face of its section as in Figure 2 2 .

Cards 1 & 2 r e leased

onto lower sections,
Top of deck but Card 3 remains at
face of its block

Figure 22
2) The right hand moves over two top blocks, with right thumb k e e p ­
ing the break between them, as in Figure 23.
Right thumb at back
Card holds separation
between 2 top blocks

.Left 4th finger holds

break on 1st card
Figure 2_3
3) The left thumb now presses on card number 2 in readiness for the
"Center Card Slip." The right thumb, besides m a i n t aining a break,
also manages to grasp the block of cards on which lies card No. 2.
In this way when the left hand moves away it actually only takes the
b o ttom block plus the center card while the right hand holds onto
three blocks as shown in Figure 2 4 .

Figure _24

4) The left hand, after completing the action started in Figure 24,
places its cards on top of the right hand portion but for only half
its w i d t h as in Figure 2 5 .

This block cut to top has Cards 2 & 1

R i g h t thumb
still holds
break

5) V/ith the top block still only halfway on the deck the left fingers
reach out and grasp the two bottom blocks as in Figure 2_6 in readiness
for the "Double Block Slip." Note that the two bottom blocks have
been brought to directly beneath the jogged top block by left fingers
pulling the bottom blocks to the left. (Figure 26)

Left fingers pull

2 b o t t o m b l ocks to
d i r e c t l y b e n e a t h top
block. A l l 3 blocks
w i l l be cut a w a y by
left hand.

6) C o n t i nuing the action, started in Figure 26, the left hand moves
away with all three blocks. i.e., the two bottom blocks plus the top
block. The situation is now as in Figure _27 with left hand having
the three blocks while right hand has one block.

(2+1}

at bottom
2 bottom blocks cut of single
away with top block block in
by left hand right hand
Figure 27
 -2 9 5 -

7) The left hand now places its cards onto the cards in right hand
in what is a cut. The result is that the cards are now under control
in the positions depicted in Figure 2 8 .

8) A l t hough the steps of the cutting have been broken down, actually,
there isn't any visible hesitation in the cutting process once it has
been started.

9) One may wonder if there is any logic to the "Block Slip Cut"
seeing as to how the top portion seems to be merely replaced to the
top again; however, in practice it will be found the whole pro c e d u r e
is very deceptive as the action of the left hand seems to make it
appear as a fairly normal cut. At times a slight tilting of the hands
will cover the fact that the top block is slipped then replaced but
this is actually not necessary as will be found on actually using
the system.

Those who know my approach of riffling back the upper right corner of
the deck, with the right 1st fingertip, as the spectator is requested
to call "Stop" will understand the procedure for getting the desired
number of cards peeked at and the correct left fingertip breaks
obtained at each point. Note also that the "Mario Slip Cut" is not
just a "Mere Slip Cut" as referred to by those who continually use it
without credit. Over the years the "Mario Slip Cut" has more than
proven its versatility and flexibility of application. Those who
insist on writing a "Mere Slip Cut" may I suggest they go back to the
Hindu type slip cut so popular several tens of years ago as this was
a mere slip cut.

THE SECR E T I N C O M P L E T E FARO

This article is to show or point up the difference in an Incomplete

Faro that is used for an obvious effect such as the Acrobatic Aces
or the Plunger Aces plus the Incomplete Faro, that while obviously
in an elongated position is used to secretely get cards under control,
as well as the type of Incomplete Faro that has the appearance of a
squared up deck yet its incomplete condition is used to some secret
advantage other than the exhibition of a "Double Faro" or to show the
deck as containing all red cards then all black cards. "Advanced
Fingertip Control" had such uses as well as the "Hierophant (Double
Count-two m e t h o d s ) . The following additional ideas are along this
"secret" line.
 -2 9 6 -

1) There are two types of Secret Incomplete Faros you can resort
to. The 1st method is that in which the cards are Faroed and
a n a l e d , as deck is apparently pushed flush and square as in Figure 1.
The other is to get the traditional short card condition ala Svengali
as in Figure 2 . 1 The technique of getting this condition is to a ctual­
ly get into the angled condition of Figure 1, which is like a deck in
a Strip-out condition, then by merely squaring the lower ends of deck,
between right thumb at lower left side and right 2nd-3rd fingers at
lower right side, the deck will move into a "Svengali Contition."
Also, you will find that the right 3rd finger will sort of go between
the corners of deck, at right side near lower right corner. Chese
corners form a sort of inverted V between which the right 3rd finger
goes and is an aid in getting the deck into the "Svengali Condition"
as the sides are squared.

Deck in
Incomplete Faro
c o n d i t i o n a la
S v engali

Figure 2

2) The above techniques are done in the hands and for more details
you can look into "Advanced Fingertip Control" or "Faro Controlled
Miracles'1 on how to get these conditions. The next procedure uses
the Table Faro Riffle Shuffle to get you into the condition shown
in Figure 3 and from there very easily into Figure _4, if you wish.
To get the angled condition shown in Figure 3 you do a Table Type
Faro and in Squaring up get the deck into a Strip-out condition.
The t e c hnique recommended, in this case, is that from"Riffle Shuffle
Systems." With the deck angled as in Figure 3 it can easily be
picked up and placed into left hand dealing position as required for
the controls to be described. If it is desired to get the deck into
the "Svengali Condition" then merely squaring the sides, pushing to
the right at corner X with left thumb, is all that is necessary.
Again, for more details refer to "Riffle Shuffle Systems."
r
1
1 |
1 1
1 Svengali 1
1
1 Condition 1
1 J
1
- J
. ! ---
Figure 3 Figure 4
3) Whether the Faro Shuffle is done in the hands or on the tabie,
in all cases the Faro is of the I_n type. In cases where a "Straddle
Faro" is to be used, it is also of the'In type. It is assumed the
reader is already familiar with the techniques described for making
the Faro Shuffles in Chapter Six - "The Faro Shuffle" in the "Revo­
lutionary Card Technique" series.
The Controls

1st M e t h o d- Insertion Type

To make things as clear as possible, I will use the "Svengali Condition"

of .the d e ck in describing what happens; however, the same things apply
to the d e ck when it is in an angled condition although there may be
slight changes in the actual control of the selected card.

1) From a shuffled deck have any card freely selected. While it is

being noted do an In-Straddle Faro setting up for the "Svengali C o n ­
dition" as in Figure 2. Hold the deck face down in left hand. Note
that if your left thumb down-riffles the upper left corner of deck
you will see the so called long and short cards. The short cards
being those naturally in-jogged. This distinction must be u n d e r ­
stood during the replacement of the selected card.

2) Take the card from the spectator and down-riffling the upper
corner of the deck ask the spectator to call "Stop." It is at this
point you insert the selection but note whether it is going above or
onto a short in-jogged card or onto a long forward card.

3) The right fingers push the card in flush with front end of deck
only as right 2nd finger, at front end and right thumb at back end
lightly square the ends as right hand moves back and forth along the
ends in the familiar end squaring action.

4) At this stage the deck appears perfectly square and there is no

angle jogging of any card as in the usual insertion methods; however,
there are now two cards together in the Faroed deck. In other words
the Faro has not only been broken up at this point but the two cards
together form an automatic thick c a r d . If your right thumb riffles
the back end of deck you will easily feel how the deck suddenly
breaks at this "Formed Thick Card."

5) This double thickness can be spotted by sharp eyes looking for it,
at the front end; therefore, the left 1st finger should be curled
around the front end and the deck tipped forward so that spectator is
practically looking on the top of deck which shows nothing.
6) H aving located, by the right thumb riffle at back end, the thick
card breaking point you have several alternatives of control. (A) You
can merely cut the deck at this point. (B) You can obtain a left 4th
fingertip break, maintaining it as rest of deck is actually pushed
flush as you go into an Overhand Shuffle to the break. (C) A S p l i t ­
ting of the deck, at the back end with right thumb seems to fit in
best with the follow through into a Dovetail Riffle Shuffle. (D) Any
type Side Steal providing after squaring deck flush, you lift up addi­
tional cards as required in the next step.

7) Regardless of the procedure you adopt you will either have the
selected card on top or second from the top. It will be on top if
the selection was placed onto a long or forward card. It will be
second from the top if the selection was placed onto a short or in-
jogged card. From this point you are on your own as to how you use
this control including the suggested Side Steal at Step 6 abpve.
 -29ti-

2nd Method

Keep in mind that the same things discussed in relation to whether

the selection is placed onto a long or short card apply here except
in this case the angled Faro is used, therefore, you will be placing
a selection either on an angled or short c a r d , easily discernable to
you at the upper left corner during the down riffle or onto a
straight or long card and the opposite will be the result.

1) As before, have a card selected and while it is noted do a

Straddle In-Faro setting up at an angle as in Figure _1. The d e c k is
held face down in left hand with the na r r o w or converged squared end
up front while the wide end is towards operator.

2) Left thumb riffles the upper left corner for spectator to say
"Stop." You watch the lower left corner or left side in order to
note w h ether the selection will be placed onto an angled card or a
straight card. (Most of the time, due to the almost squared c o n d i ­
tion at the front end of deck the selection will be placed onto an
angled card.) Push the card in straight and flush press in firmly,
with right second finger at center of front end and right thumb at
center of back end at same time lightly running left thumb and fingers
along the sides of deck in a side-squaring action.

3) The eventual control will either get the selection to the top or
to the bottom following the rules outlined, but the control in this
case is made by right thumb riffling the left side of deck, near
lower left corner, when that double or thick card can easily be felt
by the sudden break in the deck. Strangely enough the angled c o n d i ­
tion of the deck does not show a double line at the front end of the
deck.

4) H e r e again the procedure to get the card to top or under control

can be done by tabling the deck lengthwise for a Riffle Shuffle so
right thumb locates the thick card and splits deck. The left hand
portion will contain the selection, either on top or second from top
as discussed for this 2nd Method. The only objection I have to either
method is the taking of the card from the spectator under these c o n d i ­
tions one can just as easily crimp, nick, m a r k or whatever the selec­
ted card. It is best if the spectator inserts the card. Also it is
important that the spectator clearly sees that you stop the down
riffle at the point he tells you. Once he inserts his card, which
you easily prevent from his pushing it all the way, your right hand
comes over and pushes the card flush w i t h deck in accordance with
the instructions set down for either method you decide to use.

5) It is obvious also that the techniques of getting into the Faro

as in Figure 3 and £ can be substituted for those in the hands but
the control procedure after this is that as already outlined.
For The Fingertip Peek

The same setting up Faro Techniques as per Figures 1 to 4 inclusive

are used here the only difference is in the fact that a card is not
removed but rather noted in the fingertip procedure. Readers of
 -2 9 9 -

" 'fdvanced Fingertip Control" will notice that there is a distinct

diffe r e nce between my procedures of using the Secret Incomplete
Faro and that of Dr. James Nuzzo. In the methods to be described
not only do you already know which card the spectator has noted
but also quickly get it under control either in a single cut or
regular Riffle Shuffle or a Side Steal or simulated Faro Shuffle.
Use a borrowed deck for best impression on another magician.

1) You can use either the "Angled" Method of the Incomplete Faro or
the "Svengali" method. Also you can use either the Faro Shuffle in
the hand to obtain situation of Figure _1 or Figure 2 or t.he Table
Faro to get the Figure 3 or Figure £ condition.

2) For this description let's use the Angled Faro of either

Figure l or Figure 3. Start by doing either an In or Out Faro
Shuffle getting the "Angled condition so that the na r r o w end is at
front and wide end at the back so deck is held face down in left
hand dealing position.
3) Right hand takes top card and casually inserts it, from front
end of deck somewhere around the center of deck or slightly above it.
Push card in flush holding deck with right hand from above by the
ends, between the right second finger at center of front end and
right thumb at center of back end. You now have of course erected
a "double" or "thick" card in the deck.

4) Right hand, still holding deck from above by the ends, turns
deck clockwise to bring the wide end towards the front. At same
time the left thumb and left second and third fingers grasp lower
or n arrow end of deck by the s i d e s . Also at same time the left
thumb and second and third fingers bevel the deck slightly to the
right. Left fingers hold onto the lower end of deck so that right
hand can change position so that the right second finger comes on
top end of deck, at center as before, while the right thumb is back
at the lower end also at center. The wide end of deck is now u p p e r ­
most and narrow end at bottom.

5) Right hand holding deck enables left hand to change position in

order to grasp the deck at the lower left corner with left thumb on
top and left 1st and 2nd fingers on the face or bottom of deck in
readiness for the Finge r t i p Peek.

6) Riqht hand now lets go of deck as left fingers of course hold

deck for the Fingertip Peek. Your right first fingertip gently
riffles the upper right corner of deck from face to top. You will
feel a sudden stop as your right first fingertip passes the double
or thick card. It is also important that your left fingers hold
deck so that it is tipped toward yourself just enough for you to
spot or glimpse the index of the card at which this sudden break
or stop occurs. There is no hesitation and the whole action is
a soft gentle riffling action accompanied by the patter line, "I'm
going to riffle the cards like this." The glimpse should now have
been a c c o m p l i s h e d . The deck is now held straight and further away
from yourself .as you look at spectator and follow with " And all I
want you to do is rail 'JJtop' at any time."
7) Step 6 has enabled you to know the card the spectator will get.
Not only that, after having done the Fingertip Peek, the noted card
is easily brought under control to the bottom. These who have
"Advanced Fingertip Control" will know how to time the riffle so
that spectator will call 'Stop' just as that double or thick card
flips past the right 1st fingertip. K e e p the cards open at this
point until spectator has noted the card letting several others
around also note it for insurance. Right 1st finger now lets the
rest of cards riffle off fairly losing the noted card.

8) Right hand now regrasps deck by the ends from above with right
second finger on top end and right thumb at the back end. Right
hand carriers deck to the table turning it clockwise so the narrow
end can be grasped by the left second finger and thumb by the sides.
Right hand now moves to the wide end of deck with right second finger
very lightly contacting outer side as right thumb contacts very
lightly inner side. The position of the d e c k is lengthwise as for
the familiar Table Riffle Shuffle.

9) Left thumb and fingers firmly hold onto the sides of deck at
the left end while right thumb gently riffles upwards till you feel
the "thick" or "double" card flip past the right thumb. Break or
split the deck at this point carrying top half to the right. Riffle
Shuffle, letting cards from right hand section fall first, then c o n ­
tinue the Riffle Shuffle in the usual manner to completion. Pick up
deck and in a "Turnaround Square Up Glimpse" you will see the card at
the b o t t o m of deck.

10) The above is my favorite procedure, using either the Angled

Faro in the hands or the Table Faro, to glimpse and eventually contro
the card to the bottom; however, some may prefer to use the "Svengali
type Secret Incomplete Faro. The glimpsing process is the same in
that you have to turn the deck end for end, after inserting top card
to create the "thick"card for the Fingertip Peek. Because the cards
are in a "Svengali" condition the right thumb and second finger must
not exert any undue pressure on the ends of the deck during the t u r n ­
ing of the deck. You will find this is not at all difficult if the
right thumb and second finger pull slightly upwards while right first
finger presses siightly downward during the turning of the de c k by
right hand. This upward and downward pressure will retain the
"Svengali" condition of the deck.

11) O n c e the Fingertip procedure, as outlined already for the

"Angled Faro" is done, the control of the known, to you, peeked card
can take on the variations previously mentioned from a simple cut, to
a Side Steal or obtai n i n g a break then using a pass or an Overhand
Shuffle, to a Dovetail Shuffle, to the Table Riffle Shuffle to the
squaring up and relocating via a simulated Faro Control. The same
variat i o ns of control naturally are also applicable to the "Angled
F a r o ."

At this point I might mention that a bridge size card secretly loaded
into a poker size deck can act as side short card that can be r e l o c a ­
ted at either the left side with left thumb down riffling or left
4th fingertip down-riffling the lower right corner. This, of course,
 iO L -

depends on whether the bridge size card is over to the right or over
to the left. If it is over to the left then the deck can be held as
for a Fingertip Peek and the bridge card will act as a short or ra­
ther n a rrow card at which there will be an automatic stop. Thus,
with proper timing, the card above the bridge size card is the one
noted by spectator. In a turnaround squaring action the deck is
turned so that now the bridge size card is over to the r i g h t . The
left thumb can now down-riffle, l i g h t l y , to the narrow card ns right
hand cuts off top portion and left hand follows by placing its cards
on top. You now have the bridge size card on the bottom and just
above it is the selection.

The above is just another thing to keep in mind just in case there
are both a bridge size and poker size cards around. H o w one uses
it and when one uses it is up to the performer. With the bridge
size card towards the riqht and f l u s h , it is possible to ribbon
spread, tiqht spread without exposing the card. Even a pressure
fan is possible; however, the card must be of the same texture as
the poker size card. In other words a plastic coated card would
act like a s1 ick card and will either break at that point or expose
itself w hich you do not want although if the card is of a similar
color and close to the same design it will not be readily noticed.

Important Note *1

The Incomplete Secret Faro type peek described can be done using just
a regular Riffle Shuffle with cards not actually alternated card for
card. Strangely enough, after the insertion of top card into deck,
the same condition of a "stop" at point of cards insertion will still
occur. Just make the Riffle Shuffle as even a one as possible.

While the "Incomplete Secret Faro Control" has thus far been d e s ­
cribed as dealing with single card controls it can be applied to the
m u l t i p l e control of cards. This will now be discussed.

Two Card Control

This uses first the selection then insertion of the cards.

1) W i t h two cards freely selected the remainder of the deck is
given a Faro In-shuffle setting it up either at an angle or ala
Svengali. Let's assume you have set it up as for a Svengali in
Figure 2.

2) On receiving each card, one at a time, place the first selection

into the lower section of the deck being sure the selection goes onto
a long or out-jogged card. Repeat the same procedure with the second
selection but inserting it into the upper portion of the deck.

3) Remember to square lightly on each selection you insert. You n o w

have merely to lightly riffle the back end of deck with right thumb
as the left 4th and 3rd fingertips move in to obtain breaks at the
automatic stops, caused by the thick or two cards together being sort
of short cards at back end of deck, above each selection.
 -302-

4) F r o m this point anyone familiar with the "Control Systems" or

the cutting procedures in "Advanced Finge r t i p Control" can easily
control the two selections to the top in 1-2 order from top down.

5) If preferred, the deck, still in its Incomplete Faro condition,

can be lowered to the table and from here the Table Riffle Shuffle
procedures, outlined in "Advanced Finge r t i p Control" can be used to
bring both cards to the top.

Three Card Control

1) This is identical to the proce d u r e for two cards except be sure

to do an In-straddle Faro, incomplete type, before inserting the
three selections, in one-t w o - t h r e e order, into deck at near bottom,
center and near top. Of course, each card is inserted and ap p a r e n t ­
ly squared in with deck before inserting the next card and then the
third.

2) F r o m here you can easily control the three selections either by

the g e t ting of the required three breaks w i t h left 4th-3rd-2nd f i n g e r ­
tips as right thumb, at back end, riffles upwards lightly, to each
d ouble card, as the appropriate left fingertips m o v e in to get the
breaks above each selection.

3) Again, the Tabled Riffle Shuffle plus cuts, slip cuts or blocking
off can be used to get all three selections to top in the correct
order of selection. Again, referring to "Advanced Fingertip Control"
will g i ve you several alternatives for getting the three desired
cards to the top.

The above should suffice as to the insertion met h o d s of control and

now the discussion will concern Multi p l e Fingertip Peek Controls.
D o u b l e Fingertip Peek

1) For this I suggest you get the d e c k into an Incomplete Secret

Faro at an angle as in Figure JL. The narrow end is, of course,
towards spectator and the wide end towards performer.

2) C a s u a l l y insert the top two cards into front end of deck, one at
a time, this time making a conscious effort to sort of push in each
card so it angles to the right. In other words, the two cards
lower right corners will sort of line up with those cards already at
that angle.

3) H a n d l i n g the deck, from above by the ends, between the right 2nd
finger at center of top end and right thumb at center of back e n d ,
right hand turns the deck clockwise end for end. This brings the
wide end of deck uppermost and the na r r o w end at the bottom left
fingers and thumb can qrasp the sides of the bottom end.
4. At this stage, right hand holds deck so that left hand is free
of deck as for the Fingertip Peek. Right hand first finger can now
g ently riffle upper right corner of deck to feel for those sudden
stops, as you qickly ascertain which two cards will eventually be
 - 505-

chosen. On the other hand you do not need to do this if you are
fairly secure in the knowledge that you will be able to easily
control the two cards that will be noted during the Fingertip Peek.

5) The first spectator is, of course, forced or timed so that he will

call "Stop" at the first so called double or thick card while the
second spectator naturally is forced to call "Stop" at the upper, or
nearer the top of deck, double or thick card.

6) O n c e the two cards have been noted, the right hand regrasps the
deck, from above, by the ends with right thumb at center of back end
and right second finger at center of front end. Left hand lets go
of deck. Right hand turns deck clockwise as it moves towards the
table. At same time the left hand retakes the left end of deck with
thumb on inner loft side near coiner and left second finger at outer
left side near corner. Left first finger is curled on top of deck
and left 3rd and 4th fingers lie along outer left side of deck close
to left second finger.

7) Left 2nd finger and thumb hold firmly onto the left end of deck.
This enables the right thumb to gently riffle upwards on the inner
right side of the deck near the right corner, to the first double
card from the t o p . In other words the right hand has a similar p o s i ­
tion on the right end of deck 3S the left hand has on the left end
enabling the right thumb to easily riffle upwards to the first "sudden
stop." The right fingers then top cut this portion to under the left
hand portion. This brings the second selection to the bottom. R e ­
peat the above right thumbs locating riffle action to the other
double or thick card situation. Right hand carries this section to
the right thus splitting for a Riffle Shuffle.

8) At this stage, the first selection is on the bottom of the right

hand section while the second selection is on the bottom of the left
hand selection. If you are familiar with Riffle Shuffle Systems you
would release the bottom selections so that the first selection falls
onto the second selection in the first Riffle Shuffle. How a second
Riffle Shuffle is used to bring the two selections to the top in 1-2
order.

9) If not familiar with the Riffle Shuffles that get this result
then m e rely doing a cutting sequence on the table, after the first
Riffle Shuffle, will get the two cards to top in 1-2 order as
follows; Right hand undercuts bottom half to top and at the same
time the right thumb quickly releases the two selections so they
fall onto the top of the lower half. Immediately the left thumb
moves in to obtain a break or separation between the halves. The
right hand now merely undercuts small packets to the top until the
break is reached when both cards will now be on top in correct order.
Triple Fingertip Peek

1) The same insertion procedure is used here as you casually insert

the top three cards, one at a time, into front end of a deck that is
in its Secret Incomplete Faro condition.
 - 3 0 4 -

2) In doing the Secret Incomplete Faro you must take care that the
back end of deck is fairly squared off so that there are no bevels
near top or bottom of deck. The Incomplete Faro condition is clear,
sharp and distinct at back end and that there are no cards inadver­
tently meshed flush, especially near top and bottom of deck.

3) H aving inserted the three top cards, near bottom, center and
near top, be sure they are angled off to more or less join the other
angle-jogged cards on the right side. H o w go through the usual
C l o c kwise turn of the deck to bring the wide end of the deck towards
the front. As right hand still holds onto deck, from above by the
end, the left finger and thumb grasp the now lower end, by the sides
to sort of slightly bevel the pack to the right. The left fingers
and thumb now g r a s p the deck as for the Fingertip Peek.

4) To insure better success, the right 1st finger should riffle back
the upper right corner by doing it more on the right side of the deck,
near the corner, rather than on the corner itself. You will find the
"sudden stops" under m u c h better control.
5) O n e can either previously glimpse the three cards, that will e v e n ­
tually be noted, during an apparent explanation of how you will
a p p roach each spectator and have him note a card that he calls "Stop"
at. On the other hand, a preferable approach is to have confidence
e n o u g h in that you can easily bring the noted three cards under control
to the b ottom of deck, during cutting and shuffling as follows:

6) H a v i n g had the three cards noted via the Fingertip Peek, table the
deck w i t h the na r r o w ends to the left and held firstly by left thumb
and f i ngers on the sides near the corners. The right thumb riffles
upwards to the first "Stop" or double card from the top. Right hand
cuts off this packet and places it under the rest of the deck. This
brings the 3rd selection to the bottom. N o w this time right thumb
riffles upwards to the first "Stop" from the bottom. Immediately
left thumb moves in to hold a break here at the back side near left
corner. The right thumb continues onto the next "sudden stop" and
right hand cuts this packet off to the right for a shuffle. The c o n ­
ditions are now as in Figure 5.
S eparation held 1st selection
by left thumb [

*
N 2nd selection

7) Riffle Shuffle so that the 3rd selection from bottom of left hand
portion is released first, followed by right thumb releasing 2nd
selection onto the 3rd selection then continue the Riffle Shuffle
normally but let at least one card fall under the block of cards that
left thumb is keeping separated. Telescope the cards into each other
setting up as for a Strip-Out Shuffle. This brings a ledge of a card
or cards at the inner left side near left corner as in Figure 6 a top
view.

hedge marking Deck in Strip-

off 1st selection Out condition

Figure 6
 - J U p -

8) Left thumb presses down on this ledge then moves in to hold a

break on the cards that are above this ledge. This results in the
Figure 2 with selections 2-3 on bottom and selection 1 is above the
break held by loft thumb.

Break selection
he Id

2 & 3
Figure 1_

9) From Figure 7 the right thumb can first release the 1st selection
so it falls onto the cards below the break. The small packet is n o w
cut off to the right and Riffle Shuffled into the larger portion on
the left. This leaves card #1 on top and cards 2-3 on bottom. From
here one should have no difficulty in concluding the control to either
top or bottom in the order desired for the effect at hand.

The following methods while still using the Incomplete Secret Faro p l u s
the insertion of a card or cards has an approach that is quite logical
and doesn't waste a card. Call it-

Combination Control (Two Cards)

1) The basics are simple and it's only the order of the thing that
makes any difference. First have deck shuffled by spectator.

2) On getting deck spread it for a free selection. While the spec­

tator is noting and showing his card around you have ample time to set
up the rest of deck into a Secret Incomplete Faro with the wide end
remaining at back end and narrow end at front end.

3) Take the card from spectator and insert it, slightly above center,
from front end of deck. Give deck the usual clockwise turn to bring
the wide end of deck to the front. You are now set to let the second
spectator select a card via the Fingertip Peek.

4) After second spectator has peeked his card you handle it a c c o r d i n g ­

ly, as previously described, to table it for a Riffle Shuffle.
5) W i t h right thumb riffle to the double card or sudden stop. Right
hand cuts off the portion, above the double card, to the right. The
bottom of right hand portion has second selection and top of left hand
portion has 1st selection. Riffle Shuffle to retain second selection
on bottom and 1st selection on top. Subsequent cuts can bring both
cards to top or bottom as desired.

Combination Control (Four Cards)

1) In this case two cards are freely selected from deck before the
rest of deck is set up via the Secret Incomplete Faro with narrow end
towards front as before. The two selections are now taken, one at a
time, so that 1st selection is inserted near bottom of deck and
second selection in upper portion thus setting up for the Doub l e
 -3 0 6 -

F i n g e r t i p Peek as already described.

2) Turn deck clockwise to bring wide enc of deck towards front and
go into a Fingertip Peek procedure for 3rd and 4th spectators. Be
sure to riffle the sides, near upper right corner, with right 1st
finger in order to insure feeling the "sudden stop" at each double
card.

3) Table deck as required for the right thumb riffle location to the;
first "sudden stop" or double card from the t o p . Right hand cuts off
this port ion placing it under the portion held by left hand. This
brings selection *2 to top and selection #4 to bottom of deck.

4) Right thumb riffle locates the next double card and top cuts this
portion to the right in readiness for a Riffle Shuffle. T.t this
stage you have the second selection on top of right hand portion while
the first selection is on top of left hand portion. Selection #3 is
on b ottom of right hand portion and selection #4 is on bottom of left
hand portion. See Figure 8 for clarification of the situation.

1st selection 2nd selection

/ "X
4th selection 3rd selection
Figure 8

5) R i f f le Shuffle so that bottom selection #3 falls onto selection

#4. W h e n you near top of deck, during the Riffle Shuffle, be sure
that selection falls onto selection Result, after the Riffle
Shuffle, is as in Figure 9 with selections _2-_l on top in that order
and selections 3^ and 4_ on bottom.
2nd & 1st selections

t
3rd & 4th selections
Figure 9
6) Bringing top two cards to bottom of deck will bring selections in
1-2-3-4 order from face of deck. Bringing bottom two cards to top
will bring selections in 4-3-2-1 order from top down. Those familiar
with R iffle Shuffle Systems can reverse the 4-3-2-1 order, in a
sophisticated manner, so that they will be in 1-2-3-4 order from top
down; however, a simple procedure is to get the four selections to the
bottom of deck in 1-2-3-4 order from face of deck. Mow an Ove rhand
Shuffle and running the last four cards singly will get the required
1-2-3-4 order from top down.
 -3 0 7 -

Up to now, the insertion of a card or cards have been used to set

up a double or thick card for the Fingertip Peek, however, in this
case it is the removal of a card or cards from a deck that is
already in a Secret Incomplete Faro condition. I will'give one good
example in the following -

REMOVA L COMBINATION CCNTRCL

1) When you get the deck set it up for a Secret Incomplete Faro
condition. turn deck clockwise to bring the wide ends to the front.

2) Hold deck in the usual manner for the spectator peek, not finger­
tip type, as your right 1st fingertip riffles the upper right corner,
from face to top, as you request spectator to call "Stop." Let him
note the card as your left 4th fingertip moves in to hold the usual
break at the lower right corner. The right 1st finger lets rest of
cards riffle off apparently losing the 1st spectator's card, however,
you do m aintain a left 4th fingertip break below the peeked card.

3) The next action, which is a Side Steal, must be handled gently,

In other words, as the Side Steal is made you must retain the Secret
I ncomplete Faro condition. The Side Stolen card is of course brought
to top of deck. The removal of the Side Stolen card is not only easy
but has now automatically created a double card condition at the point
of removal.

4) Right hand, having unloaded its palmed card to top of deck,

grasps the deck from above, by the ends, with right second finger at
center of front end and right thumb at center of back end. The right
first finger is curled on top of the deck.

5) with right hand holding deck left hand now is free to grasj; deck
at lower left corner in readiness for the Fingertip Peek. Fr o m this
point you handle the Finqertip procedure, as already explained, so
that second spectator will be forced to note or peek the card above
the "sudden stop" or double card.

6) All that remains is to table the deck properly so that right

thumb can locate the dou b l e card condition and top cut the cards
above it to the right. You have the 1st selection on top of right
and 2nd selection on the bottom of right hand packet. Riffle Shuffle
accordingly to retain these two selections at top and bottom. From
this point on anyone knowing his effect can easily work out what he
has to do. Also the 2nd fingertip peeked card can also be side stolen
to top to conclude the effect in mind.
Obvious Suggestion

This follows the key card approach in connection with the Secret
Incomplete Faro. 1

1) Set up the deck for an Out Secret Incomplete Faro so that the
wide end is at bottom and narrow end on top.
 - jv /U -

2) Insert the top two cards, one at a time, into different parts
of the dock, however, glim p s e or note therse inserted cards as they
will act as youi key cards later.

3) Assume your key cards are the AC and 7H. Turn deck end for end
to bring the wide ends of deck towards front. Examine the left side
of deck. Ynu will note two heavy lines where you have automatically
created two double or thick cards by the insertion of the two noted
key cards.

4) Hold deck in left hand, by the lower left corner, as for the
F i n g e r t ip Peek. It is now important that right 1st fingertip riffles
the upper right corner of deck more at the sides at this corner to
insure that you will encounter the "sudden stop" a little more surely.

5) H a v ing thus had two cards peeked at, by the usual call "Stop"
method, you can now openly square up. As the key cards will be in
front of the noted cards, from face of deck, you can use the control
method on page 71 of "Advanced Fingertip Control" for "Two Cards"
steps 2 to 5 to get the two noted cards on top in l-2_ order.
6) VVhile most of the insertions of cards, to set up for the F i n g e r ­
tip Peeks, were made from the narrow or converged front end of the
angled deck, they can also be done with wide end of the deck being
the front end of the deck when you insert a card or cards. In this
case, with the wide end of the angled d e c k at the front end, the
inserted card is made to move its left side to the left side or
along the left side of the deck. This way the double card space or
step will be at the upper right corner of the deck as required for
the F i n ge r t i p Peek without havirig to do a clockwise turn of the
deck enc for end after the insertion of the card or cards.

7) H a n dle the insertions gently and especially a light touch, on

the sides of the deck to maintain the angled condition, is very
important. As pointed out in most cases cutting or shuffling of the
cards, either Riffle, Faro or overhand, is practical for most multiple
F i n g e r t ip Peeks, however, the use of the pass or Side Steal, whenever
it becomes advantageous, can be used.

A Late Note

In the original "Fingertip Control" booklet an end-jogged card was

used as a sort of short card for a Fingertip Peek and control of a
caid. It was only natural to refine this idea by using an angle
jogged card instead, however, besides myself only two other m a g i c i a n s
independently thought of using the angle-jogged card for a Fingertip
Peek and Control. These two were Bill Simon and Neal Elias and each
used a different technique of angling the card and handled the
angled card in their own special way. I
I m e n t i on all this, which should have been done in "Advanced F i n g e r ­
tip Control" because if either Simon or Elias decide to publish their
own p articular technique and use of the angled card, for the F i n g e r ­
tip Peek, no one will accuse them of taking their angled card approach
from me or from each other, depending on who publishes first-Simon
or Elias. In this way, neither one will have to go to any great
lengthy explanation and thus avoid starting with the old cliche of,
"More years than I care to remember" or "Way back in the Gay Nineties"
or the maddening "Whilst" or the very up to date and most popular
p h r a s e "I showed it to himl"

THE MARLOEEuUE PEEK

The Marloesque Peek is by Dave Bendix of New Orleans
1) After standard spectator peek, get left 4th finger break under
selection.

2) Left 4th finger steps upper packet to left as right hand comes
over to take deck from above by the ends.

3) Right hand grips d e c k by ends, with right index finger at left

sice, and moves deck into position in left hand for finger fan.

4) Left hand grips deck in position for fan and right index finger
fans deck.

5) Ehow both sides of fan, end with deck face down.

6) Right index finger closes fan right to left.

7) Right hand grips deck, thumb below and fingers on top, at inneir
left corner, then lifts deck with faces toward body and backs to
spectator, long edges parallel to floor.

8) Left hand takes deck at left end in similar grip.

9) Right thumb pushes forward at step visible at upper side, r e v e a l ­

ing selection, then riffles off rest of cards.

10) S quare and table deck.

HAKLO ON "THE MARLCE S U U E PEEK"

First Handling

1) *ftor the regular spectator peek the left 4th fingertip gets its
usual break. Next the left 4th finger pushes or steps the cards above
the break to the left. The step formed will be on the right side near
the lower right corner as in the Figure 1.

Figure 1
2) The right hand ip mips the deck trom above by the encis, with iiulit
thumb at about the center at. the back enf and right 2nd finger at
center of the front end, to maintain the packet's angled condition.
The right 1st finger is curled on the top of the deck with the 3rd
finger lightly touching the front end with right 4th finger alongside
but not touching the front end of the deck. The right hand now moves
the deck up into the left hand into position for the right 1st finger
to make a Spread fan from left to right. The right 1st finger now
closes the fan by pushing on the right side of the fan, back to the
left. The right hand takes the deck, from above by the ends, with
the right 2nd finger on the top right corner and right thumb at the
lower right corner. The right 1st finger is curled on top and the
right 3rd and 4th fingers do not touch the front end of the deck.
This leaves the left hand free to g r a s p the upper sides of the deck,
near the left and right corners, between the left thumb and 2nd finger
The left 1st finner is curled under the front end of the deck while
the left 3rd and 4th fingers lightly touch the right side of deck near
the upper end.

3) If the deck is now turned to the right, to bring its left side
uppermost, while left fingers and thumb hold the upper ends of the
deck by the sides, you will find that you can almost glimpse the
index of the peeked at card at the lower corner as in the Figure 2.
If this happens use only the one hand to lower the d e c k into the
left hand and cleanly square it up.

Figure 3
Figure 2

4) If the index is not exposed enough the right thumb can engage
the step, at the lower corner, then pull slightly to the right to
easily m ake the glimpse as shown in the Figure 3, a top view of the
upper side of the deck.
5) At the Figure J3, the left fingers and thumb will be grasping the
upper end, at the sides, as if doing the Square Up Glimpse or about
to split for a Faro Shuffle in the hands. O n c e the glimpse is made
both hands squeeze the sides of the d e c k to square up.
6) While the Finger Spread or Fan is described for the above "First
Handling" one can also use the Pressure Fan with the same results.
 -311-

Second Handling

1) This actually starts from a Fingertip Peek. In this case use

the "Definite Fingertip Control" as described in "Advanced Fingertip
Control." This technique steps the upper end, the portion with the
peeked at card, to the right, however, by doing the aDparent All
Around Square Up this turns the deck end for end. This brings the
step to the back or lower end where now the same step will show, on
the right side, at the lower right corner as already shown in the
Figure _1 of the "First Handling."

2) From this point on use either the 1st Finger Spread Fan or the
Pressure Fan to execute all the actions already described in the
First H a ndling in order to glimpse the peeked card and eventually
square up the deck.
3) Note that in either handling the deck is not actually turned
face up but turned on its side, as if squaring up, which you later
actually do square up.

Third Handling
1) This again can use either the Finger Spread Fan or the Pressure
Fan. Also you can use either the standard peek m e t h o d , as in the
First Handling, to get your step on the right side near lower right
corner, or you can use the Fingertip procedure to get the same
results - ending with the step at back end of deck, on the right
side, at the lower right corner again as in Figure 1^ of "First
H a n d l i n g ."

2) H aving made your Finger Spread or Pressure Fan, here is where

the d i f ference comes in: You can place the fanned cards behind your
back or under the table if seated. Then locate the card by feel'or
touch alone. This is different from the method in "Expert Card
Technique" or in "Advanced Fingertip Control."

3) E x amine the hub of the fan and you will see a condition a s ‘
in
Figure 4_ where the upper cards of the hub project or lap over onto
those below.

Figure 4
4) Placing the still fanned cards under the table or behind your
back your ether hand can easily feel this overlap or projection w i t h
the tip of your right 1st fingertip. Dig in under the ledge, with
the tip of your right 1st fingertip, then pull out this lowermost
card p i nching its corner between the right 1st finger and thumb.
This will be the peeked at selection. You can produce it or you
can crimp it then replace it back into the deck wh i c h you can hand
out for shuffling. Later you can relocate the crimped card and
discl o s e it as you wish. Personally, after initially removing the
card from the fan, I turn the card face up, replace it back into the
center of the fan, close the fan and square up the deck. Bring the
deck b a ck into view. Ask for the selection to be named. D o w either
spread the deck between both hands or ribbon spread it, faces down,
on the table to reveal the selection face up in the center of the
deck. A very impressive location effect for laymen or magicians.

Added Suggestions
If you angle jog the card, after the spectator peek, w i t h the tip of
the left 4th finger at the inner right corner, as in the Fig u r e 5*,
then do either n Pressure or Finger Spread Fan and show both sides
of the cards or fan, as per D a v e Bendix suggestion at Step 5 of the
Mailoe sque Peek, you can easily note the actual peeked card as it is
out of line and also the outer right corner shows at the outer end
of the fan, as in Figure 6, so you know where to look. The spectator
does n o t , and will not spot his card. Adding to this is the fact
that the indexes are upside down to him.

Figure 6
 -3 1 3 -

For further details of this see "Expert Card Technique" page 3 2 5 ,

"The Wheel Location." For different technique, but same "out of
sight" effect, see "Advanced Fingertip Control."

L A P P I N G MOVES

These methods of lapping a card or cards will be found deceptive

and easy to do being accomplished while apparently cutting a deck
of cards.
FIRST METHOD:
1) Assume you have four Aces on top of deck and w i s h to lap them.
Overhand Shuffle, running four cards and injogging the 5th, then
shuffle off. W i t h right thumb lift up an injogged card so left
4th fingertip can obtain a break above the four Aces. Transfer
the break to the base of the left thumb and move the back end
more readily accessible for right hand.
2) The right thumb grasps the inner end of deck, at lower left
corner to maintain the break, while right 2nd and 3rd fingers
grasp the lower right corner. The right 1st finger is curled
on top. In this way the break is held by right thumb as right
hand tables the deck, near edge of table: as in Figure _1, in
readiness for the cut.

Fig. 2

3) In Figure 1 note that left hand has taken a similar position

at left end of deck. The tight hand now undercuts the deck in­
ward or toward performer. This action causes this lower half of
deck to come clear of the table. At this instant the right
thumb releases the break and the four Aces fall into the lap as
in the exposed Figure 2.
 - J S X 4-

4) Without any perceptible pause the right hand completes the

cut by placing its portion on top.

5) The whole action can of course be accomplished during a

table riffle shuffle and cut. In this case the four Aces would
be on the bottom. The right hand cuts off top half to the right
in readiness for the riffle shuffle.

6) The left thumb releases the four Aces first followed by a

face card, onto the Aces, from the right hand portion then the
riffle shuffle continues in the normal manner.
7) Telescope the cards into each other for two thirds their
length. W i t h right hand, holding the right end of deck, 16ft
up slightly which will leave the Aces on table separated from
the pack. The left thumb n o w holds the separation between the
d e c k and the Aces as right hand finishes pushing the cards flush.

8) W i t h the pack squared and b r e a k held, on the Aces, w i t h 1-sft

thumb the right hand grasps right end of deck and at same time
right thumb takes over the b r e a k on the Aces. All that remains
is for right hand to undercut the deck, towards performer, in
order to lap the Aces as shown in the Figure 2, then finish the
cut by p l acing right hand portion on top. The action is
identical whether you lap the cards or not and is indetectab ..e
even if someone already knows the move and is watching for it.

S E C O N D METHOD:

1) Four Aces on top of deck. Over hand shuffle running 4 cards,

injog the 5th card, then shuffle off. In squaring up right
thumb lifts up on the in-jogged card and left 4th fingertip
obtains a break above the Aces.

2) Right hand grasps d e c k from above, by the ends, w i t h right

thumb taking over the break on the Aces. The right forefinger'
n o w lifts up, at front end, half the d e c k and pivots it out to
the left and into the waiting left hand as seen in the Figure 3.

Fig. 3

3) The left hand takes the top half as right hand moves towards
the back of this portion. This brings the right hand cards past
the tables edge and the right fingers and thumb extend slightly
to release the Aces into the lap. This action is seen in the
Figure jl.
 -3 1 5 -

4) Without hesitation the right hand portion is placed onto the

left hand portion to complete the cut.

5) While the cutting action is not the most natural it can be

made to appear as part of the performers natural procedure by
doing a fair cut, now and then, in the exact same way.
AS AN EXCHANGE

1) Here the lapping moves, either 1st or 2nd methods, are

used to affect a switch or exchange of cards.

2) On b ottom of deck have four Kings secretly reversed or face

up with a regular face card covering the situation.
3) The four Aces are openly removed and placed face up on table.
The right hand holds the deck either for the 1st or 2nd
Method. The left hand takes the Aces face up and adds them
face up to bottom of deck. The right thumb of course obtains
a break on the Aces w i t h right thumb.

4) N o w do the cut, either 1st or 2nd method, to apparently cut

the face up Aces into center of deck. Of course they are
lapped in the process.

5) Immediately turn the deck face up and ribbon spread the

deck face up to reveal four face down cards that are supposedly
the Aces but really four Kings.

6) The way you end this is up to you; however, an obvious

conclusion is to change the supposed Aces to Kings and then
produce the Aces from the pocket or various pockets if so
inclined.
 -316-
MARLO C A R D SEC R E T S

T h o s e who have studied m a n u s cripts such as "The Patented False

Shuffle" - "Advanced F i n g ertip Control" plus the b o o k on "The
Acrobatic Card"as well as some TOPS articles are at least aware,
if not t horou g h l y familiar, of some of the subjects discussed as
regards certain brands of playing cards and their peculiarities,
either w ithin themselves or when interchanged w i t h other decks,
that when prop e r l y used are applicable to apparently impossible
feats of control over the cards. The two items to be discussed
are further refinements and may, without proper experimentation
and practice, appear to be merely theoretical. My experience w i t h
t h e m has proven otherwise and yet even after you are told the secret
you may too easily give up after only o n e attempt w h i c h is bound to
result in failure. Perhaps I should stop n o w and leave the reader
forever wondering rather than satisfying the curiosity w h i c h m a y
result in a shrug of the shoulders and a q u i c k forgetfulness of the
whole matter. But I promised and here is -
The First Item

1) W i t h this idea it is poss i b l e to take a brand n e w still sealed

d e c k of cards and on opening them and fairly shuffling t h e m yo u can,
later, control a card or cards that you may w i s h to control. As an
example you can have the spectator or even another magician, r egard­
less of his expertise and knowledge of cards, shuffle the d e c k and
when you take it back, for your shuffles of the deck, will be able
to quickly, without any glimpsing or peeking, locate and bring to
the top any four of a kind, such as four Aces, that you m a y have
p r e v i o u s ly decided upon.

2) The above will w o r k with any brand of cards, however; it will be

easier w i t h some brands than others. The important thing is light.
The light must come in so that it will be towards the side of the
d e c k that is facing you. The other simple process, depending cn
w h e t h e r you want to control one card or any specific nu m b e r of cards,
is to simply turn these around end for end. This can be done openly
or secretly depending on what your approach is to be.

3) If you n o w position one side of the deck towards yourself, w i t h

a good light striking this side, you will be able to discern some
very fine lines and these will be the cards you have turned around
end for end and reinserted into the deck. The thumb of either hand
can break the d e c k above any of these fine lines and the deck is
split for the Tabled Riffle Shuffle making sure the desired card
falls last or on top. If the fine lines do not show up too well
on one side try the other side of the deck. These fine lines n a y
show up at only the inner left side of the d e c k or the inner r ight
side of the deck depending on which side happens to be facing you.
At times these may run clear across the side of the d e c k and at
other times perhaps only near the extreme right or left c o m e r s of
the inner side of the deck, the side that is facing you, or bellied
in or out at center.
 -3 1 7 -

4) The above conditions are not restricted to the inexpensive

brand of cards but also exist, if to a lesser degree, in the high
q u a l i t y brand of cards. As long as you keep only those card3 you
require to control turned around end for end you can Riffle Shvffle
or O v e r h a nd Shuffle and even give t h e m to someone else to shuffle
as long as the party does not inadvertently turn other cards around,
end for end, during his shuffles. When it is time for you to control
the cards you will then use the Tabled Riffle Shuffle. As to w h ether
you want to disclose each card, as you Riffle Shuffle it to the top,
or wait until you have all o f them, like 4 Aces for example, on top,
then show them, is up to you.

5) Since the deck can be a brand n e w borrowed d e c k your proced u r e

is to first have the card case unsealed and the d e c k removed. Toss
out any Jokers then commenting on the order of the deck, table it
then fairly Riffle Shuffle it. N o w you can spread the d e c k our. face
up to show the mixture. You can again table the d e c k and give it
another R iffle Shuffle or two. The control of a selected card is
p r o b a b l y the easiest since once the card is removed the rest of the
d e c k itself can be subtly turned around end for end. Since there
are many such methods already recorded in effects dealing w i t h
Stripper Decks or One W a y Decks the informed cardician should have
several such methods on file.

6 ) At times simply taking the top card and casually turning it

around, end for end, as you insert it into the deck, can then it­
self be used as quite a subtle key card since in fact there isn't
any w o r k in this card. The key card can be used n o w so that it
either ends up on top or below a required card, this depending t.n
whether the needed card is to be controlled to the top or bottom
of the deck. The placing of the key card itself can be done during
the R i f f l e Shuffle, Overhand Shuffle or cutting procedures. Many
such placement ideas can be found in "Control Systems" - "The R iffle
Shuffle Trilogy" - "Advanced Fingertip Control" to n a m e only a few
of the original sophisticated sources.

7) When it comes to controlling some specific cards, such as four

Aces, you can use the standard procedure of up-jogging t h e m out of
the deck, to apparently either make sure they are all there or that
there are only four, strip them, out pivoting and turning them, end
for end, clockwise until they clear the deck and are placed ontc the
face of the deck. Spread the d e c k face up in order to show rest of
the cards mixed. Leaving the deck spread out face up the four Aces,
from the face of the deck, are reinserted into different parts of
the deck. From here the deck is n o w again shuffled and preferably
by the spectator. Now you can go into the control of the Aces using
the Tabled Riffle Shuffle.

8 ) My personal preference is to take the n e w deck, remove the

Jokers, give the deck one false shuffle, to retain the original
packaged arrangement, then give the deck one Tabled Faro Out Shuffle.
This places two Aces together in the center of the deck and one Ace
at top and one at the bottom. This is according to some packaged
card arrangements and those that vary slightly will still give you
pairs of Aces together so that the next Riffle Shuffle, at the central
two Aces, will bring the Aces together at the top of the deck.
 -318-

In some cases you may have to cut an Ace or Aces from bo t t o m to top,
after the Riffle Shuffle, to get them all together on top. In t u r n ­
ing t h e m over, to reveal them, you do this by turning them over end
for end face up to the table. N o w turn them over sidewise and r e ­
insert t h em into the d e c k at different points. From here you can
state y o u will do the control of the Aces again just to show it
isn't luck or, in the case of another card man, that it wasn't
strictly the Faro Shuffle and the n e w d e c k order.

9) S t e p 8 above is very good to begin w i t h especially if after

having reversed the ends of the Aces you table it and find that for
o n e reason or another you can't m a k e out those fine lines. Since
you do not tell them about doing the control of the Aces until after
you have assured yourself that you can locate those fine lines.

N o t e - Most d e c k arrangements run, from face to back, in A to K of

S p a d e s and Diam o n d s then K to A in Clubs and Hearts. In removing
the J o k e r s proceed as follows: Remove any score card or Joker at
the face of the deck. If two Jokers are at the face remove both
and l o o k for the score card even if you k n o w ther isn't any. D u r i n g
this looking thru the deck you must do it by thumbing over, not r e ­
v e r s i n g the order, the whol e Spade suit. When you reach the Ace of
D i a m o n d s thumb it onto the Ace of Spades and then run the remaining
D i a m o n d suit onto the cards in the right hand so that the bl o c k of
cards in the right hand run under the spread of Diam o n d Cards. C o n ­
tinue the spread with the b l o c k of cards in right hand. That hat* the
AS and AD at its face, still running under the spread, until yo u Aave
thus spread thru the Diamon d and Club suit. At this point the AC
will be the last card of the Club suit and will automatically join
above the AD and AS as you n o w me r e l y square up the cards for the
moment. In other words, the block of cards that was running under
the spread has in this way been fed in between the Club and Heart
suit. The three Aces, C-D-S, are together in the center of the deck.
The d e c k is slightly re-spread, near the top of the deck, to remove
any J o k e r that may be the top card. The Ace of Hearts is n o w the
only topAce. Since the other three Aces are at the center, really
the 26th-27th-28th cards from the top of the deck, it is an easy
m a t t e r to table the deck, for a Riffle Shuffle, then w i t h an Up w a r d s
Thumbs Riffle locate the 2 central Aces then cut the deck so that
these 3 Aces will be the top cards of o n e half and the AH the top
card of the other half. A bona fide R i f f l e Shuffle is n o w made to
bring all four Aces to the top. F r o m here you now proceed to reveal
these Aces as you may wish then you are ready for the first item
as already outlined under that system.

Second Note - In Step 9 of Item One the mention is m a d e of cards

that belly in or out depending on which side of the deck faces you.
This c o n v e x or concave condition is made more pronou n c e d by the
second and third fingers and thumbs of each hand pressing against
the sides of the deck at each extreme end. If you w i s h to make
say the c onvex or bellied out condition more pronounced the second
and third fingers, which are on the outer side of the deck at each
end, p r e s s inwards against the outer side causing the bellied cards
to m o v e in towards you. The left 2nd and 3rd fingers and thumb
must n o w hold very firmly onto the left end of the deck. Also the
left 1st finger presses down onto top of the deck to keep the con-
vexed cards or card in place. The right hand moves in towards the
center of the deck in order that the left thumb can pull upwards on
any one of the convexed cards. The right 2nd and 3rd fingers, on the
outer side at center, keep pressing inward against this outer side
to help m aintain the positi on of the bellied cards. When the right
hand cuts off its top porti on of the d e c k it carries the bellied
card off w i t h it. A Riffle Shuffle will bring the required card to
the bottom since you m a k e sure to release this card first. A repeat
of the above process will bring each required card to the bottom
along w i t h those already controlled there. It is assumed the reader
is familiar w i t h the required Riffle Shuffle m e c h a n i c s to eventually
get all required cards to the bottom as needed. In the case where
the desired cards have to be brought to the top during the Riffle
Shuffle then the side of the deck where the cards are concave is
towards the performer. This hollowed out or concave condition is
again made more pronounced by each hand taking the finger and thumb
positions, at each end of the deck, as before except here the thumbs
of each hand press against the inner side of the deck causing the
turned cards to move further into the side of the d e c k thus mak i n g
the concave condition, at center of the deck, m o r e pronounced. The
left 2nd and 3rd fingers and thumb again press and hold the left end
of the deck very firmly as the right hand moves in towards the center
of the deck. The right thumb n o w pre s s e s inwards against the inner
side of the deck and gently riffles upwards. The concave condition
of the card or cards n o w act as sort of short or n a r r o w card in that
the right thumb can feel when the concave card has been located.
This plus the fact that you can also see this action from your side
easily enables you to split the deck, above the required card, for
the R iffle Shuffle. The required card is n o w on top of the left hand
portion and it is made to fall last or on top during the Riffle
Shuffle. A repetition of these actions, to locate the next card,
plus another Riffle Shuffle will bring the second card to the top.
This is repeated for as many cards as you wish to get to the t o p of
the deck. Again, it is assumed the reader is familiar w i t h the basic
p r o c e d u r e s of retaining those cards already under control, on the top
of the deck, while controlling the additional required cards. In the
case where only one card has been turned, as a means to control other
cards, it is quite obvious that any card or cards above a concave
card can be brought to the bottom since the split at the hollowed
card leaves this card on top. Thus any cards below a convexed card
can be brought to the top since the bellied card is cut at and
carried off with the top of the deck. Whe t h e r you simply complete
the cut or follow the split by doing a Riffle Shuffle is up to you?
however, always manage to keep your key locator also at either top
or bottom of the deck depending on wh i c h side of the locator you
used- the concave or convex side.

Those who have studied the Riffle Shuffle Trilogy - plus "The Shank
Shuffle" - "Ten Hand Poker Stack" will have little trouble applying
the single card key idea to not only controlling a card or cards but
also to placing them into any position, at either top or bottom of
the deck, by either a final cut, at the proper side of the key card
or by concluding with a Riffle Shuffle.
 -. 320
-

Third N o t e - D e s c r i p t i o n s are for right handers. Left handers can

e asily switch this around.

Item Two

1) H e r e you can control a card or cards as in "Item One"? however,

it requires your own deck of cards. On the other hand the cards t h e m ­
selves are not gimmicked in any way. The process is simply one of
exchange. No-it's not a deck switch-let m e explain.

2) Get two brand new decks of cards that are of the same size-color-
design and brand. Assume that you w i s h to be able to control the
four Aces. Simply break open both decks then exchange the four Aces
from the one deck into the other deck. In other words both decks are
still a regular 5^ card deck plus Jokers except each d e c k has four
Aces from the other deck. For the present remove all Jokers.

3) S uffle each d e c k thoroughly. Ch o o s e one of the decks. Table

it in front of yourself for the classic Tabled Ri f f l e Shuffle? however,
b e f o r e g oing into the shuffle raise the deck, between both hands, into
an end t a pping condition. The faces of the deck are towards t h e left
p a l m while the b a c k of the deck is towards the right palm.

4) The position of the left hand is n e a r the upper end of the deck,
w i t h the 1st fingertip touching the top end, the 2nd and 3rd fingers
at the outer side, the tip of 4th finger is against the face or
b o t t o m card of the deck. The left thumb is pressing against the
inner side near the upper corner of the deck. The position of the
right hand is such that the right 2nd finger, on the outer side, just
touches the underside of the left 3rd finger. The right 1st finger
is curled against the top of the deck. The right 3rd finger is on
the outer side alongside the right 2nd finger. The 4th fingertip
t o uches the top of the deck near the lower end and closer to the
outer side of the deck. The right thumb is at about center of the
inner side. These positions, of each hand, are taken, each time
that the hands pivot and raise the left end of the d e c k into the
t a pping of the right end against the table top.

5) D u r i n g the above end tapping of the deck look at the inner side
of the deck. You will see almost imperceptible lines and these will
be the Aces. To test how the deck will break at them the right thumb
breaks and pulls to the right, very slightly, as if ope n i n g a book.
This action is on your side only. You will also be able to quickly
discern if the bottom or face card, of this separated bookwise p o r ­
tion, is an Ace or not. Assume that it is not an Ace. Both thumbs
press inward to keep this bookwise open i n g or break then the deck
is p i voted face downw a r d s while at the same time mai n t a i n i n g the
break between the portions. The pivotal action consists in the
right hand simply turning palm d o w n wards to the left. At same time
that the deck also moves downwards the left hand pivots around the
sides of the deck to turn p a l m downwards, to the right, thus f i n i s h ­
ing w i t h both hands n o w holding the d e c k as for the beginning of the
Tabled Riffle Shuffle. The break is still being held during all this.
6 ) The right hand at o n c e cuts those cards above the break to the
right as both halves are tabled for the Riffle Shuffle. You can use
a closed or open Riffle Shuffle (see "Riffle Shuffle Systems" for
full details) but during the Riffle Shuffle let the top card of the
left hand portion fall last and at the same time glimpsing it. It
should be an Acei If it is not try the same described procedure
over and over until you will finally get the idea and then the
k n a c k comes easy. You may even get all four Aces on the four shuffles.
In the event that you see the lines are either too close to the top
or b ottom of the deck do another Riffle Shuffle to m o r e or less c e n t ­
ralize the Ace since you want the Riffle Shuffles to appear as evenly
cut as possible.

7) The above Step 6 is a condition of the Aces when they become the
top cards of the left hand section then eventually end up on top
after the Riffle Shuffle? however, there will be times when on e x ­
changing the Aces from one deck to the other, you will find that
when you do the "Bookwise Split" you will see an Ace at the face of
the separated upper section. In this event you will have a de c k in
w h i c h you can control the Aces to the bo t t o m of the d e c k and this
has m a n y advantages over getting them to the t o p of the deck.

8 ) H e r e again, instead of exchanging the Aces only, you can e x c hange

Aces and Kings. This has certain advantages from the standpoint of
not only locating the cards but also stacking t h e m and yet not always
g e tting Aces but rather combinations of Full Ho u s e s either wit h Aces
over K i n g s or vice-versa. Even if you use only the 4 Ace exchange,
it is a good policy to locate say another pair of cards, such as T e n s -
J a c k s - s i x e s -etc, plus only 3 Aces for a Full House. On lucky days
you may get a break where you will get three of a kind and then need
only two Aces to fill the House. In this connection it is good to
keep in mind the advantages of controlling the Aces to the bottom
because even a pair of Aces, plus the regular dealing and getting of
5 cards fairly gives you an edge on the draw and makes for a fairly
bona fide and impressive demo for laymen or magicians.

9) L e t *8 not forget that the exchanging of only one card from one
deck to another gives you a key card that can be used to m a r k off
and locate other cards that you may w i s h to control. I person a l l y
e x c h a n g e the Jokers, When ready to perform, w i t h the d e c k I decided
was g i ving the most satisfactory results for what I intended, I o p e n l y
removed only one Joker. This Joker was the one that perhaps did not
w o r k out as well as the other and to m a k e sura Lt was the one removed
a small ink m a r k or dot on the face of the Joker is all that was
needed.

10) If you wanted to n o w show control over say the four regular Aces
of your deck these were op e n l y removed while the Joker, or any key
you m a y have decided upon, is centralized. Place the Aces on the
top of the deck. Cut the deck, as already instructed, so that your
key is on top of the left hand portion. Riffle Shuffle so that the
key falls onto the 4 Aces. N o w continue Riffle Shuffling each time
losing the key, plu3 the 4 Aces below it, deeper and deeper into the
deck. From here control as you wish but the procedure used in "Pro­
fessional Ace Cutting" in "Advanced Fingertip Control" can be used.
The p r e f e r e n c e for the Jo k e r s is obvious since you can o p e n l y remove
t h e m in case your brother magi wants to do some Faro effects, if he
is a 53 card Faro fanatic then just hand him the marked or regular
J o k e r belonging to the deck. Actually it really does not m a k e any
d i f f e r ence since, if he is not familiar w i t h this work of mine, he
will not k n o w what to look for and never spot it because the key
card in q u e s t i o n is too subtle.

11) H a v i n g made yourself familiar w i t h the idea and control p r o cess r

you will find the following two routines, out of a hundred or so to
be ones that will impress any card man and leave him completely b e ­
wildered. The first routine is titled -

W H I C H O N E WAS BRIGHTER?

Effect - Before proceeding each of two decks is fairly shuffled by

the spectator. The cardician n o w shuffles each d e c k in turn then
tables them. He then states that the spectator is to imagine that
both decks were shuffled by two card cheats but that one card cheat
was a little brighter than the other. The spectator is then asked
to g uess w h i c h deck was shuffled by the brighter one. In either
case it is shown that in one d e c k the 4 Aces were shuffled to the
top while in the other, t h e Aces were shuffled to the bottom. N o w
follows the p e r f ormer's explanation of w h i c h one of the card cheats
was the brighter one. I

1) For this you will need two decks w h i c h can be of the same color
and brand or two entirely different colors and brands. The important
thing is that you, after perhaps having to exchange 4 Aces from one 1
d e c k to another several times or more, finally get a combination
where in one deck you can easily control the 4 Aces to the t o p while
in the other deck you can control t h e m to the bottom. I

2) H a v e spectator shuffle each deck then you take them b a c k and I

during the Riffle Shuffles control the 4 Aces in each d e c k according-* f
ly. Table both decks and after telling the spectator about the ima­
g i n a r y card cheats ask him if he can guess w h i c h d e c k was shuffled by
the b righter one. IF he points to the d e c k w i t h the Aces on the b o t t o m
c ompliment him on the fact that he picked the right deck. Y o u turn .
the d eck over to show him the 4 Aces on the bottom. Turn over the
top 4 Aces on the other d e c k as you comment that this card cheat was *
not too bright. I

3) Should the spectator point to the deck w i t h the Aces on top, you
turn them over as you say, "No-he wasn't too b r i g ht-he got the 4 Aces .
to the top." Turn the other deck face up, spread out the four b o ttom i
Aces as you add, "This is the brighter one-he got his Aces to the
bottom."
I
4) if you are demonstrating a gambling type lecture you n o w explain
why the card cheat that shuffled his Aces to the bo t t o m was the I
brighter one. Explain that w i t h the 4 Aces on the bottom, the d e c k |
could be cut and now using a Center Deal he could deal himself the
Aces. If you do a Center Deal, deal out two Aces and turn them face up |
 -a s ­

under this surprise do the Pass. Wait and then say, "If he wasn't
a C enter De a l e r he could always shift the cut, like this." Her e
simply riffle the front end of the d e c k then turn it face up to
show both Aces on the bottom. Explain that w i t h the Aces on the
b ottom he could now deal the Aces off the bottom. H e r e deal out
two rounds of five face down cards, that is like for a 5> handed
game. Apparently you deal the two Aces to yourself but a c t u a l l y ,
you deal them into the third hand. After two rounds stop. Turn
over your two cards-they are not the Aces. State that when the
bright o n e deals he never deals the Aces to himself, he gives them
to his buddy. Conclude by turning over the two Aces in the 3rd hand.
5) The above I have used for many years and the first one I remember
really taken in with this was Martin Gardner. In this case I used
the 4 Aces on the bottom and it was to be merely a d e m o nstratio n of
b o ttom dealing them to yourself. The psychology works because they
look but d o n ’
t burn the other four hands or deals but they do burn
your 5th hand. To help them keep watc h i n g you make sure that as you
deal the 5th card a fair one off of the top, do this w i t h a fast and
sharp downward action of the right hand. This will m a k e them w a t c h
your hand even more since they can't seem to have caught the b o t t o m
card coming out.

6 ) The reason for dealing into the 3rd hand is that you get a
chance to estab l i s h a rhythm by the time you get to the 3rd hand,
deal a bottom, then continue without any pause to deal the next two
cards into the 4th and 5th hands. Whether you start to deal an Ace
into the 3rd hand on the first round is up to you as you may prefer
to deal it on the 2nd- 3rd- 4th and 5 t h . My personal experience has
been to deal it on the first round before they even start to suspect
anything.

7) At times I secretly placed an X card at 2nd position from the

bottom. This is so that after dealing the bottom Ace into the third
hand I would then deal the X card into my hand but making sure, w i t h ­
out being too obvious about this, that they just get a gli m p s e of this
card coming out from under the deck. This helps set them up for the
rest of the deal.

Note - I don't k n o w what year it was when I did this for Martin
G a r d n e r but it was at the time when we took a trip to, I think,
Cleveland, Ohio in search of the D a l r y m p l e family that Martin
thought could throw some light on the real identity of S. W. Erdnase.
I bring this up only because it really wouldn't matter how m a n y years
ago I thought of this since Mickey McDougall has publicly recorded
the same basic approach to the Bottom Deal Sell in his book "Card
Mastery." I concede to his priority since I ' m not the one who is
going to repeat anothers idiotic statement such as, "Somehow he
found out about it I" N o w let's go into the second routine out of
the hundred.
 - 3- " ~

CHEAT TO CHEAT POKER

Effect - The cardician explains that on many occasions card cheats

really p lay against each other; however, since each Knows the other
is a cheat they o b v i ously don't trust each others shuffle. The
result, w h i c h in fact you can state you witnessed because this i3 the
way it was played, is that on the cheat's deal he shuffles then passes
the cards to be cut to the other cheat. This cheat doesn't trust the
shuffle so he shuffles again and passes it back to the other cheat
to deal. But now the dealing cheat doesn't trust the other guy's
shuffle so he shuffled again and once more passes for the cards to
be cut. You guessed it-the d e c k went back and forth like this seve­
ral times until finally the dealer was permitted to deal. Co n tinue
w i t h that, "Even under such stringent conditions the cheats invented
a g a m e of Poker in w h i c h shuffles were permitted by b o t h but the
dealer was allowed to deal only two c a r d s-one to the player and o n e
to h i m s e lf-then the shuffling pro c e s s was repeated, between both
cheats, before another two cards were dealt between them. Thus in
this fashion they continued until finally e a c h had five face down
cards apiece. This n o w was not all. A bet was n o w made on each
single card under the following conditions. One cheat would point
to anyone of the other cheat's five cards. In turn, the other chap
had the same option of pointing to one of his oppone n t ' s cards. The
wager consisted in that e a c h would bet he had the higher value card.
Both indicated cards were then turned face up and who e v e r had the
highest card won on that card. This same proce d u r e was then repeated
w i t h each of the four remaining face down cards that each had in
front of him. In order to speed up the game, the shuffle proced u r e s
consisted in the dealer shuffling the deck. Next the other player
shuffled the deck. The dealer had the final, third shuffle, after
w h i c h he dealt two cards, one to his opponent the other to himself.
The dealer at once passed the d e c k to the other player who shuffled
the cards and then returned them to the dealer who shuffled and then
dealt two more cards, one to each of them.

F r o m this point on, in order that everything be q u i t e satisfactory

and yet give each player a chance to shuffle the deck, the shuffles
were cut down to between the player then back to the dealer who
shuffled and then dealt out just the usual one card apiece only.
N e e d l e s s to say that the card cheat who dealt was always the winner
and for the demonstration, w h i c h builds as each pair of cards, one
from each player, is turned up, the dealer not only wins on four of
his cards, sometimes on all five, but these turn out to be the four
Aces, The patter, p r e s e ntation and p r o c e d u r e is such as to keep
anyone interested.

1) For the above fairly detailed effect, as it appears to the spec­

tator, you will need a deck that has the exchanged Aces and ones that
you can control to the top of the deck as already described.

2) When you get the deck go into the end tapping and bookwise split
of the dock, on your side only, in order to split above the Ace.
D u r i n g this bookwise splitting action, be sure to tilt the side of
the deck, that is facing you, away from you. This results in the
lower outer corner of the deck m o m e n t a r i l y resting on the table top
 s.'i-

Under this surprise do the Pass. Wait and then say, "If he wasn't
a C enter Dea l e r he could always shift the cut, like this." He r e
simply riffle the front end of the d e c k then turn it face up to
show both Aces on the bottom. Explain that with the Aces on the
b ottom he could now deal the Aces off the bottom. Here deal out
two rounds of five face down cards, that is like for a 5 handed
game. A pparently you deal the two Aces to yourself but a c t u a l l y ,
you deal them into the third hand. After two rounds stop. Turn
over your two cards-they are not the Aces. State that when the
bright o ne deals he never deals the Aces to himself, he gives them
to his buddy. Conclude by turning over the two Aces in the 3rd hand.
5) The above I have used for many years and the first one I remember
really taken in w i t h this was Martin Gardner. In this case I used
the 4 Aces on the bottom and it was to be merely a demonstration of
b ottom dealing them to yourself. The psychology works because they
look but don't burn the other four hands or deals but they do burn
your 5th hand. To help them keep watc h i n g you make sure that as you
deal the 5th card a fair one off of the top, do this w i t h a fast and
sharp downward action of the right hand. This will make them w a t c h
your hand even more since they can't seem to have caught the b o ttom
card coming out.

6 ) The reason for dealing into the 3rd hand is that you get a
chance to establish a rhythm by the time you get to the 3rd hand,
deal a bottom, then continue without any pause to deal the next two
cards into the 4th and 5th hands. Whether you start to deal an Ace
into the 3rd hand on the first round is up to you as you may prefer
to deal it on the 2nd- 3rd- 4th and 5 t h . My personal experience has
been to deal it on the first round before they even start to suspect
anything.

7) At times I secretly placed an X card at 2nd position from the

bottom. This is so that after dealing the bottom Ace into the third
hand I would then deal the X card into my hand but making sure, w i t h ­
out being too obvious about this, that they just get a glimpse of this
card coming out from under the deck. This helps set them up for the
rest of the deal.

Note - I don't k n o w what year it was when I did this for Martin
G a r d n e r but it was at the time when we took a trip to, I think,
Cleveland, Ohio in search of the D a l r y m p l e family that Martin
thought could throw some light on the real identity of S. W. Erdnase.
I bring this up only because it really wouldn't matter how man y years
ago I thought of this since Mickey McDougall has publicly recorded
the same basic approach to the Bottom Deal Sell in his book "Card
Mastery." I concede to his priority since I'm not the one who is
going to repeat anothers idiotic statement such as, "Somehow he
found out about itl" N o w let's go into the second routine out of
the hundred.
 CHEAT TO CHEAT POKER

Effect - The cardician explains that on many occas i o n s card cheats

really play against each other: however, since each Knows the other
is a cheat they obvio u s l y don't trust each ot h e r s shuffle. The
result, w h i c h in fact you can state you witnessed because this is the
way it was played, is that on the cheat's deal he shuffles then p a s s e s
the cards to be cut to the other cheat. This cheat doesn't trust the
shuffle so he shuffles again and passes it back to the other cheat
to deal. But n o w the dealing cheat doesn't trust the other guy's
shuffle so he shuffled again and once m o r e passes for the cards to
be cut. You guessed it-the deck went back and forth like this s e v e ­
ral times until finally the dealer was permitted to deal. Co n t i n u e
w i t h that, "Even under such stringent conditions the cheats invented
a game of Poker in w h i c h shuffles were permitted by b o t h but the
dealer was allowed to deal o n l y two cards - o n e to the player and one
to h i m s elf-then the shuffling process w a s repeated, between both
cheats, before another two cards were dealt between them. Thus in
this fashion they continued until finally each had five face down
cards apiece. This n o w was not all. A bet was n o w made on each
single card under the following conditions. O n e cheat would point
to anyone of the other cheat's five cards. In turn, the other chap
had the same option of poin t i n g to one of his oppone n t ' s cards. The
wager consisted in that each would bet he had the higher value card.
Both indicated cards were then turned face up and whoe v e r had the
highest card won on that card. This same proce d u r e was then repeated
w i t h each of the four remaining face down cards that e a c h had in
front of him. In order to speed up the game, the shuffle pro c e d u r e s
consisted in the dealer shuffling the deck. Next the other player
shuffled the deck. The dealer had the final, third shuffle, after
w h i c h he dealt two cards, one to his opponent the other to himself.
The dealer at once passed the deck to the other pl a y e r who shuffled
the cards and.then returned them to the dealer who shuffled and then
dealt two more cards, one to each of them.

F r o m this point on, in order that everything be qu i t e satisfactory

and yet give each player a chance to shuffle the deck, the shuffles
were cut down to between the player then back to the dealer who
shuffled and then dealt out just the usual one card apiece only.
N e e d l e s s to say that the card cheat who dealt was always the winner
and for the demonstration, w h i c h builds as each pair of cards, one
from each player, is turned up, the dealer not only wins on four of
his cards, sometimes on all five, but these turn out to be the four
Aces, The patter, p r e s entation and p r o c e d u r e is such as to keep
anyone interested.
1) For the above fairly detailed effect, as it appears to the s p e c ­
tator, you will need a d e c k that has the exchanged Aces and ones that
you can control to the top of the d e c k as already described.
2) When you get the deck go into the end tapping and bookwise split
of the deck, on your side only, in order to split above the Ace.
D u r i n g this bookwise splitting action, be sure to tilt the side of
the deck, that is facing you, away from you. This results in the
lower outer corner of the deck m o m e n t a r i l y resting on the table top
w h i l e the full inside of the d e c k will be tipped forward to give
you a clear view of the side of the deck facing you. This insures
a q u i c k cut, glimpse and pivoting of the d e c k to the table as you
split the deck for the Riffle Shuffle. At times you will find that
looking at the top end of the deck, w h i l e lower end is still against
the table top, you can discern the fine lines. W h i l e the deck is
still in position you can split the d e c k bookwise, w i t h the right
thumb, then tilt or tip the d e c k forward as you n o w easily glimpse
the face card of those above the break. If it is an Ace your right
thumb can quickly release it to the lower half or those cards below
the separation. If the glimpsed card is an X card the chances are
good the Ace is already the top card of those b e l o w the break.

3) Pivot the deck downwards, as already described, splitting the

d e c k for either a closed or open Riffle Shuffle. In either case
glimpse the top card of the left hand portion during the Riffle
Shuffle to see if it is an Ace and wh i c h is let fall last or on top.
If it is do another Rif f l e Shuffle, without lifting the deck off the
table, in order to add an X card onto the Ace. If you happen to get
a second Ace onto the first one simply do another shuffle to get an
X card over both Aces. N o w deal' X card to your adversary and the
Ace to yourself. At once hand the deck to the other player for him
to shuffle.

4) O n g e tting the deck b a c k simply repeat the same already described

p r o c e d u r e to locate and stack another Ace on your deal. You have 5
chances for the four Aces and this one extra chance can be used in
case you may have just a little too m u c h shuffling to do in order
to locate an Ace; however, w i t h proper pract i c e and familiarity with
your cards you should have absolutely assured results to enable you
to c o n c l u de the effect as already outl i n e d in the opening description
of how it all appears to the spectator whether he be a layman or a
magician.

1st Note - The Card Secrets Item O n e and Item Two is from notes on
"The Host Shuffle" manuscript and are intended for entertainment
p u r poses only.

2nd Note - At times, when doing the exchange of the required cards,
as per "Item Two" you may find that o n e d e c k will enable you to
control these cards, such as four Aces, to the top or bottom by
simply working the oppos i t e side. This will depend on the deck
itself and you will find that only in some cases will this condition
exist. N ow it is simply a matter of working the proper side of the
deck depending on whether you w i s h to control the Aces, in this
example, to the top or bottom.

3rd Note - While end tapping and splitting the deck is used in the
above d e s criptions on other occasions you will find that you will
be able to cut to and locate an Ace w i t h the deck still tabled.