INTRODUCTION It has been a few years since my last book WD40. I set about writing Special Effects myself, but very early on realised that I wasn’t physically able to complete the task so... I asked my friend Stephen Tucker, who wrote my Dobson’s Choice trilogy, if he would take over. Stephen said that he would, and after a lengthy spell of haggling, we agreed on a price that we were both happy with. Stephen isn’t cheap, but he’s worth every penny. I asked him to ‘tidy up’ the routines that I had already started on and then write up the rest after I had explained them over the phone to him, and he had watched several of my television performances that are now on DVD. In this book, I have stripped away virtually all the sleight-of-hand from most of the routines and presented you with a collection of tried and tested ‘workers’ that are very strong in effect, but equally easy to perform. Also published for the first time are some of my early ‘Stand Up’ routines. Along the way, Stephen has also suggested some very clever additions, tips, and ideas, and even a complete routine. I have been absolutely amazed that, after being quite the finger-flicker myself for many years, I have been able to retain the strength of each effect, but with the absolute minimum of dexterity being required to achieve it. Within you will encounter routines with business cards, playing cards, bottles and bottle caps and even one with a silk and a borrowed packet of cigarettes. I have to admit that the selection is a little heavy on the playing cards, but they are my first love. I often find that when people say,“Oh, I hate card tricks!” that they really mean, “Oh I hate BORING card tricks!” I challenge anyone to find a single ‘boring’ card trick amongst this new collection. Wayne Dobson – 2010.
FOREWORD I am very proud to have been a friend of Wayne’s for many, many years. As a young professional just starting out on the ladder of fame I invited him to Lecture at my home and invited all the members of Blackpool Magicians’ Club. Wayne wasn’t very well known in those days and I expected about 15 of the boys to turn up. On the night we had over 50 turn up and my large lounge was filled to capacity. Wayne didn’t disappoint, providing a sensational evening and it was very obvious that he was going to become a star. In the next few years he was constantly on television making guest appearances on various TV shows and finally he was booked to present his own television series. During this time it would have been very easy for Wayne to forget his roots and become “Star Struck” like many other performers tend to do. But Wayne’s very success was based on his “nice guy” image and the “likeability factor” has stayed with him to the present day. I remember Wayne performing at a FISM Convention in Holland many years ago with an audience consisting of a thousand or more international magicians, probably half of which did not speak English. I secretly feared that he would really struggle to make an impact as he was performing his well known comedy act. I had forgotten that Wayne is loved and admired by everyone in magic and after a 35 minute act of sheer delight Wayne received and deserved a standing ovation. For the past 15 years I have been using Wayne at the Blackpool Magicians Convention and he never fails to entertain, amuse and baffle everyone despite the restrictions of his illness. As a Magic Dealer Wayne has originated some wonderful apparatus and routines which have been sold throughout the world. Now he has found the time to write another magic book which I feel sure will be a huge success. Within the pages of this book you will discover commercial gems which have been tried and tested and which will give you the tools to create your own little bit of “stardom”. Enjoy!
Derek Lever M.I.M.C. President of FISM Blackpool 2012
GUESSTIMATION Effect: You hand someone a deck of cards to thoroughly shuffle. You then have him table the deck. Explaining that you are a master of guesstimation – the ability to instantly know how many cards have been removed from a 52 card deck. To prove this you have them cut some cards off and you instantly tell him that he has cut off exactly 18 cards. He counts them and you are correct! You repeat this and then offer to try it one more time, but this time you hand someone else one of your business cards, explaining that there is prediction on the other side. Your helper cuts some cards off again, and you say that you are convinced that he has 25 cards. He counts them and finds that he has 27 cards. You then say, “So I was right, you DO have 25 cards................. plus 2!” Everyone smiles nervously until you ask the person holding the business card to turn it over - revealing the words “PLUS TWO”!!! Required: A specially made marked deck which is actually Andy Nyman’s Brilliant Homicide Deck and is described with Andy’s permission. A regular deck of cards and a *Deck Shell. Also required is one of your business cards (with a blank back). *You can obtain a Deck Shell, here in the UK, from: www.cards4magic.co.uk Or, you can make a version by cutting away one of the large sides of your card case (the one with the back of a bicycle card printed on it) and also the narrow base side with the barcode on it. The rest of the case will have to be ‘stiffened’ with tape on the inside so that what remains of the case retains its original shape. This DIY version of the Deck Shell will at least allow you to try out the routine immediately. I would, however, urge you to buy the real thing. By the way, this DIY Deck Shell was first published in one of the 1942 issues of The Demon Telegraph magazine. The marked deck is made by shuffling a regular deck and then, using white Letraset rub down numbers – putting the number 1 on the back of the 2nd
card, 2 on the 3rd card, 3 on the 4th card etc. all the way down to 51 on the 52nd card. The numbers are placed in the same area as with Ted Lesley’s ‘The Working Performer’s Marked Deck’. I use 3mm high (use larger if you need them) numbers to mark the cards. Set-up: With the marked deck set-up as explained above, place the Deck Shell over it and set them in your right side jacket pocket. Place a loose regular deck of cards in your left side jacket pocket, and your business card with ‘PLUS TWO’ written on it in another pocket. You are now all set to perform... Performance: Reach into both pockets, at the same time, and make sure that all the marked cards are within the Deck Shell, as you remove it seconds AFTER removing the regular deck from your left pocket. Casually table the Deck Shell (with marked deck hidden beneath) as you invite a man up to help - handing them the regular deck to shuffle. Take back the shuffled deck and table it a few inches to one side of the Deck Shell (which simply appears to be the card case). Patter about the art of guesstimation asking if anyone has heard of it. One of your hands should be resting on top of the Deck Shell as you patter. Ask the person who shuffled to turn round for a moment, as you want to study his shoulders. As they do this, simply lift the deck shell off the marked deck and set it over the regular deck. I can assure you, that nobody will notice, as you will direct the audience’s gaze (assuming that you are not performing this in a one-to-one situation) at the spectator’s shoulders. Point out that they are perfectly level - like a set of scales that have nothing on them. Ask him to turn back again, cut off some cards and hold onto them between his hands. Look away as he does this, then look back again and read the number on the back of the top card of those remaining on the table. This number is the same number of cards that the spectator cut off, which you can now verbally reveal. But first you study his shoulders saying something like, “Your left shoulder is now 2mm lower than the right shoulder, so you must have cut off 23 cards.” You now need to make him count the cards,
but WITHOUT reversing their order. Do this by asking him to deal the top card of those he holds FACE UP onto the table. He then deals all the rest of the cards FACE UP onto it, but counting the cards out loud as he does so. This will result in him forming a face up pile of cards, and he will have EXACTLY the number of cards that you guesstimated! Have him pick up the face up pile, flip it face down and replace it back onto the other face down tabled cards. The deck is now back in the same order again. Repeat this phase one more time and then head into the finale. With the tabled deck back in order again, remove your business card (with ‘PLUS TWO’ written on the underside) and hand it to someone to look after. Have your helper cut off some cards, for the final time, and you read the back of the top card of the remaining face down cards (let’s say you see the number 25). Say, that you are certain that he has 23 cards (two less than you know he has). Have them count how many cards they cut off this time and tell you. When you hear that he has 25 say, “So I was right, you DO have 23 cards................. plus 2!” Everyone smiles nervously until you ask the person holding the business card to read out your prediction. He turns it over and says, “PLUS TWO”!!! Notes: You may like to wrap an elastic band around the deck shell and marked deck within, as this will keep them together as a unit. The downside of this is that you’ll have to remove the band at some stage and pocket it.
SOME YOU WIN... SOME YOU LOSE! Effect: You offer to give someone the chance to win a £20 note, which you table. You shuffle some of your business cards together and then deal them in a row on your table. One by one they are eliminated until only one remains – the spectator’s card. When it is turned over... it bears the word “LOSE”. When the other six are turned over... they all bear the word “WIN”. You pocket the £20 note.
Required: Seven of your business cards. On the backs of six of them write the word “WIN” and on the back of the 7th write the word “LOSE”. However, if you get your local print shop to ‘print’ these words on the backs of the cards, you’ll have a set of far more professional looking props. Obviously if you are kompooter litterayte, you could print the cards yourself. Finally, place a mark on the information side of the “LOSE” business card so that you will be able to spot it amongst the others. Performance: Table a £20 note (or a £5 note until you are familiar with the method), explaining that you’ll give them a chance to win it. You now simply force the ‘LOSE’ card using Roy Baker’s PATEO. (Pick Any Two Eliminate One) force. Shuffle the seven business cards then deal them in a row on your table with the “WIN/LOSE” sides hidden. Have the spectator mix the cards around in the row, as you look away. Explain that you will now touch two of the cards, using the forefingers of each hand, and they are to eliminate one of them. You now touch ANY two of the unmarked cards and they decide which one should be eliminated. The eliminated card is slid to one side. This is now repeated, but THEY touch two of the cards and you eliminate one. If they touch the marked card – you eliminate the other card. If they touch two of the unmarked cards – you can eliminate either card (or, you could say that you are unsure as to which card to eliminate and then ask someone else (or the assisting spectator) to eliminate one for you). Every card that is eliminated is slid to one side with the other eliminated cards (forming a heap). Following the above rules... YOU touch two of the unmarked cards from the five remaining and they eliminate one. Next they touch two and you eliminate one. Then you touch two again and they eliminate one, and finally they touch the remaining two and you eliminate one. The final card will ALWAYS be the ‘LOSE’ card. Just remember that YOU must NEVER eliminate the marked ‘LOSE’ card if it is one of the two they touch. If it is... you eliminate the other card. If they don’t touch the ‘LOSE’ card... you can eliminate either card or say that you are
unsure as to which card you should eliminate and then ask someone else to eliminate one for you. The other rule is... YOU must NEVER touch the marked ‘LOSE’ card when it is your turn to touch two!
put the !” “Ok, who he stool? t n o e lu g super
CONTINUOUS DO AS I DO By Patrick Page The following fine routine is one of my good friend Pat Page’s, and is included here with his full permission... thanks Pat! Effect: You shuffle the deck and then hand someone half of the cards. You both shuffle and cut your respective halves. They hand you their top card and you hand them yours. You put their card to the bottom of your half and show that it is a red king. They move your card to the bottom of their cards and show... that they also have a red king! This is repeated two more times... and each time you both have matching cards!
Required: A regular deck of cards. Set-up: Place the two red kings, followed by the two black tens, followed by the two red sevens, followed by the two black Queens on top of the deck. Note: Any matching pairs of cards can be used. Performance: Execute a partial false overhand shuffle as follows. Undercut half the deck and start to shuffle these cards on top of the original upper half of the deck, but in-jog the first card of the shuffle by about half an inch then shuffle all the rest of the cards on top. You now simply cut off the ‘new’ upper half of the deck, at (and including) the in-jogged card and hand these cards to the spectator. You are left holding the original upper half of the deck with your six card set-up still in place. Your patter to accompany the above is that you will shuffle the cards and give half of them to the spectator. Ask that they now shuffle their cards. You appear to do the same with yours, but you perform the above partial false shuffle again, but stop with the in-jogged card still in the middle. Ask them to cut their cards - you give yours a cut (at and including the in-jogged card) putting the upper half to the bottom. Say, “Let’s exchange our top cards.” Hand them your top card (a red king) and they hand you their (indifferent) top card. Place their card on top of your half, as they place your card on top of theirs. Ask that they move the top card to the bottom. You appear to do the same, but really you move the top TWO cards to the bottom as a single card. You have all the time in the world to obtain a break below your top card and when they hand you their card, you simply add it to the top and then lift off both cards above the break and move them to the bottom. They do the same (but hopefully without executing the double lift!). It only remains for you to show the face card of your half is a red king and enjoy the look of astonishment on their faces when they see that... so is theirs!
Repeat the entire procedure two more times, revealing that you both have the two black tens and then the two red sevens. Now for the finale... Palm a small group of cards (at least two) from the top of your half deck and offer to exchange halves with the spectator. Hand him your half deck and take his - adding your palmed cards to the top as you do so. Finish by shuffling, cutting and performing the routine exactly as you did the first three times to reveal that you both have the black queens. Notes: The above is Pat Page’s original routine. Here is an additional finish that, depending on your skill level (and nerve) you may like to try out.
Place the two red kings, followed by the two black tens, followed by the two red sevens and finally the two black queens on top of a 46 card BLANK FACED deck (all cards are face down). Perform the routine exactly as described earlier; however at the end of each phase you and the spectator turn your halves face down and remove the bottom cards and turn them face up on the table and at the end... show that all the other cards are completely blank! This version takes nerve to perform and a high degree of proficiency in spectator management, but the finale makes it all worthwhile. Notes: As I shuffle and then cut off half the deck, handing it to them, I like to ask the spectator if they believe in coincidence. Regardless of their reply I say, “That’s funny, so do I... what a coincidence” or “That’s funny, neither do I... what a coincidence”. This always gets a laugh. It is also nice to say, “Third time lucky” just before performing the third repeat of the effect, which unlike many other magic effects actually improves with repetition.
POSSESSIONS Effect: Someone removes their mobile phone, as you introduce a small stack of your business cards from your pocket and deal three of them in a tabled row. You ask them to eliminate two of the cards by putting them back on top of the stack. You now ask that they set their mobile phone on top of the business card remaining on the table. You repeat this by asking them to remove their watch, as you deal the top two cards back to the table side-by-side. They eliminate one of them - replacing it back onto the stack, and then set their watch onto the tabled card. Finally, they remove their keys, as you deal the top card back to the table and ask them to set their keys onto it. When they turn the card beneath the phone over - it has the word ‘PHONE’ printed on it. The other two cards have the words ‘WATCH’ and ‘KEYS’ printed on them - perfectly matching the spectator’s possessions that they set upon them! Required: A stack of 12 of your business cards.On the backs of three of them print the word “PHONE’, on the backs of two of them print the word ‘WATCH’ and on the back of one of them print the word ‘KEYS’. The backs of the other cards are left blank. Set-up : From the top of the stack down: PHONE, PHONE, PHONE, BLANK, BLANK, BLANK (these six cards have your contact details sides uppermost), BLANK, BLANK, BLANK, KEYS, WATCH, WATCH (these six cards have your contact details sides lowermost). Pocket them so that you can remove them with the three ‘PHONE’ cards on top of the packet. Performance: As you remove the stack of cards from your pocket and deal the top three ‘PHONE’ cards face down in a tabled row (by face down I mean that the word ‘PHONE’ on each card is not seen), you ask someone to remove their phone and hold it in one hand. Ask that they eliminate two of your business cards by
picking them up and dropping them back on top of the stack in your hand, which you hold out for them to do so. Once they have been replaced, you ask that they set their phone onto the tabled card. As they do this, you have all the time in the world to casually drop your arm down by your side and effortlessly turn the stack over. Next, deal the top two cards back onto the table side-by-side and face down. They are really the two WATCH cards, but will be thought to be the two cards that they just eliminated. Now for a change in procedure. Ask them to remove their watch and hold onto it, this gives you time to drop your hand down by your side and secretly turn the stack over again. Have them eliminate one again, by picking it up and replacing it onto the stack in your hand. Ask them to set their watch onto the tabled card. Ask that they remove their keys and hold onto them. As they do this... drop your hand down by your side for the final time and again secretly turn the stack over. Finally, deal the top card (‘KEYS’) face down to the table and have them set their keys onto it. It only remains for the spectator to turn each card over and discover that the word printed on each card perfectly matches the possession they placed upon it.
ion s protect s e n it w n “Man o ice of grets cho e r e m e h sc esign!” sweater d
MOBILE PHONE KEYS By Stephen Tucker This is an alternative routine to Possessions, I LOVE this routine, which came about during a session with Stephen Tucker. I’ll leave it to you to decide which version you prefer. Effect: You remove three business cards from your wallet and table them in a sideby-side row. You next ask someone to place their mobile phone on ANY of the three business cards, then to place their set of keys on ANY of the other two cards. You pick up the remaining business card and slip it back into your wallet saying that you don’t need it. When the spectator removes the business card from beneath his phone and turns it over, he finds the words ‘MOBILE PHONE’ printed on it! When he removes the business card from beneath his set of keys and turns it over, he finds the word ‘KEYS’ printed on it! As a finale, you mention that they may be wondering what was printed on the other side of the third business card. You remove it from the wallet and turn it over to show that the word ‘WALLET’ is printed on it! Required: A Himber, Z (or any 2-way) wallet, four business cards with the words ‘MOBILE PHONE’, ‘KEYS’, ‘KEYS’ and ‘WALLET’ printed on their blank surfaces and finally, a spectator who has a mobile phone and a set of keys. Set-up: Place the ‘MOBILE PHONE’ business card between the two ‘KEYS’ cards and slip them as a group into one side of your 2-way wallet - with your contact details uppermost. Place the ‘WALLET’ card in the other side of your 2-way wallet - with your contact details uppermost. Performance: In this version there are two possible scenarios that have to be followed.
Let’s assume that you have tabled the three business cards in a row with the ‘MOBILE PHONE’ card in the centre. 1) If the spectator places his mobile phone on the centre card... you next have him place his keys on one of the other two. Finally you pick up the third card, slip it into your empty wallet, close it and your work is done. The two tabled revelations are shown, then you open the wallet on the OTHER side and show the ‘WALLET’ revelation to end. 2) If, however, the spectator places his mobile phone on one of the two outer cards... you next have him spell the word P-H-O-N-E by picking up (and holding onto) his phone, moving it to the card next to it (the centre card) and tapping it as he says “P”, then tapping EITHER of the outer cards as he says “H” then the centre card as he says “O”, one of the outer cards as he says “N” and finally the centre card as he says “E”. He leaves the phone on the centre card. He now places his keys on EITHER of the other two cards and follows the exact same procedure, but spelling the word K-E-Y-S. The final card tapped (on the S) will be one of the two outer cards. He leaves his keys on this card. Finally you pick up the third card, slip it into your empty wallet, close it and your work is done. The two tabled revelations are shown, and then you open the wallet on the OTHER side and show the ‘WALLET’ revelation to end. Notes: If you don’t want to use a 2-way wallet you can use ‘The Top Pocket Switch”: The ‘WALLET’ card is replaced by one that has the word ‘POCKET’ printed on it, and is completely hidden inside your breast jacket pocket throughout. The other three business cards are carried in a side jacket pocket (no wallet is used this time). When the time comes to get rid of the third business card, you pick it up and push it into your breast pocket, BUT as soon as it is fully inside, you pull out the ‘POCKET’ card and leave it sticking half way out of your pocket. You now continue with the tabled revelations etc.
ACAAN....almost! The effect ‘Any Card At Any Number’, sometimes known as ‘The Berglas Effect’ has become an obsession with an awful lot of magicians, me included. The routine that follows, provided that you sell it with total conviction, appears to the spectators to be a pure version of ACAAN. Best of all, from the moment you hand them the cased deck of cards to shuffle... you never touch the cards! Effect: Someone studies the 52 faces of a deck of cards that they have just shuffled. You then explain that subconsciously, they now know the location of every card in the deck. You now think of a single card and the spectator finds it by dealing a number of cards to the table... the last card dealt is the card you thought of! Required: A marked deck. Presentation: Start by introducing the cased deck and ask a spectator to remove the cards and shuffle them. Once they have finished shuffling, have them spread the cards faces up on the table. You now ask them to study the face up spread of cards, as you explain that (unbeknown to them) you are psychologically conditioning them into knowing the position of every card in the deck. Note: If you don’t have a table they could spread through the cards, looking at all their faces, with the deck in their hands. You now ask the spectator to gather up all the cards and table the deck face down. The next stage is pure bluff, however, if you word it correctly it is totally convincing. You explain that you are thinking of a single card and that you will transmit this card, telepathically, to them. You now enter a trance like state (for some of you there won’t be any change in your appearance) and say to them that, although they may not be aware of it,
they now subconsciously know the name of the card that you are thinking of. Once you have convinced them that they are now thinking of the same card as you are, you ask them what position (number down from the top) they think it is in the deck. Once they give you an answer (let’s assume they say twenty-two), you explain that the reason they know this is because they have subconsciously noted and remembered the position of every card in the deck. To prove this, you now ask that they pick up the deck and deal a pile of twenty one cards in front of them. Once they have done this you ask that they deal the 22nd card in front of you. Emphasise that they are to deal the cards face down - not face up. All you now have to do is... read the ‘mark’ on the back of the card in front of you (let’s assume it is the Four of Clubs). Say, “The card I was thinking of was the Four of Clubs”, but immediately continue... “Now, you may not be aware of it, but you not only knew that I was thinking of The Four of Clubs, you also knew that it was 22 cards down in the deck... didn’t you?” Note: If you deliver this final line with total conviction, 99% of the time the spectator will agree with you. If they don’t... you still have a great trick! To finish say, “So, I thought of ANY card and you named ANY number. Let’s see if our two thoughts collided. Please turn the 22nd card face up.” They do so and... it is the Four of Clubs! Note: Make sure that you give the spectator all of the credit for accomplishing this trick, and act amazed as to how they did it! Final thought: I occasionally add the following convincer... Just after they have shuffled, studied the faces of the cards and scooped them all up. I ask that they set the deck face down on the table, while I patter. This allows me to spot the markings on the back of the top card, which I remember. Let’s assume it is the King of Hearts. I now conclude the routine as before. Finally I direct the spectator to reassemble the deck so that the original top card (King of Hearts) ends up (in this case) 22 cards from the top. I then say, “I don’t suppose you believe this, but I not only telepathically transmitted the Four of Clubs to you... I also transmitted the number 22, which is my lucky number. If you don’t believe me, I can prove it. I’ll think of another card, but this time I’ll tell you that it is the King of Hearts. Now after all that shuffling and dealing I’d like you to deal 21 cards again into a pile and then deal the 22nd card in front of me as you did earlier.” They
do this and I end by saying, “If the 22nd card is the King of Hearts, you’ll then know why 22 is my lucky number... please turn it over.”
as a great “Houdini w y but a lous magician, plumber!”
INVISIBLE DECK For the first time ever, I will now reveal the actual method that I used for my Invisible Deck effect before I contracted multiple sclerosis, which up until now has been a closely guarded secret. Set Up: Take the 13 cards of one suit [say clubs] and, with a scalpel knife, score on the back of each card, very lightly, a central cross from edge to edge. On the back of each card, with a Sharpie, write its value in the white border area of all four corners. Now that you have done this, you will be able to one-hand-fold any of the cards into a quarter sized packet like a dream (this tip was given to me by the late Tommy Wonder). With the cards thus prepared set them unfolded as follows... face up ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, face down king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8. Place
the 13 cards in your right side jacket pocket. You’ll also need a purse-frame, which can be either bought from your favourite magic dealer or... made by tearing away the fabric from a regular purse. Place the purse frame into your left side jacket pocket and you are ready to perform. Performance: Explain that you have an invisible deck of cards. Reach into your left pocket and remove the purse-frame. Continue that the cards are inside this ‘almost’ invisible purse. Open it and mime the removal of a deck of cards. Toss the deck out to someone as you hold onto the purse-frame. Now you can enjoy all the old gags normally associated with the invisible deck routine, such as... when they shuffle the deck, “You might like to take them out of the card case first!” etc. Explain that the deck is, as you click your fingers, now back in new-deck-order. In other words... each suit runs from ace to king. Have the spectator look through the cards to verify this! Ask him to hand you either the red cards or the black. If he says that he has handed you the reds... toss them up into the air, then ask him to hand you the clubs and spades. If he says that he has handed you the blacks... tell HIM to toss his cards up into the air, then ask him to hand you the clubs and spades. Either way, apologise saying that you’ll need the red cards for your next show. Ask him to pick them up and hand them to you. If you’re really feeling cruel... you could say that he’s missed one and have him pick that one up too! Mime taking the reds from him with your right hand, then mime placing them away into your right side jacket pocket. Ask him to now take either the clubs or the spades from you. If he says that he’s taken the clubs... You toss the spades up into the air, leaving him with the clubs.
If he says that he has taken the spades... have HIM toss the spades up into the air, leaving you with the clubs, which you then hand to him. Apologise again and have him pick up the spades from the floor (did he miss one again?) and hand them to you. Mime pocketing them, with your right hand, into your right side jacket pocket. I find that his method of conjuror’s choice works superbly well when there are no actual objects involved! As you can see... he is always going to be left holding the 13 clubs. Ask him to finally toss the 13 clubs into the air, and as they descend, ask him to grab just one. He does this and tells everyone which card he has grabbed. Let’s assume that he has grabbed the 5C. Ask him to fold the card in half and then in half again. Don’t forget to have him pick up the discarded clubs from the floor and hand them to you. Mime pocketing them, with your right hand, into your right side jacket pocket. BUT... this time your right hand locates the 5C and quickly one-hand-folds it into a neat face down quarter sized packet. It does this by picking up the packet of cards, thumbing off the ace, 2, 3 and 4 back into your pocket, holding onto the 5 and dropping the remaining cards into the pocket with the rest, before folding the 5C up. The right hand now emerges from the pocket with the folded card fingerpalmed. Your left hand opens the purse frame, ask the spectator to drop his invisible folded 5C inside. Pass the purse into your right hand, as you patter about what has happened. “YOU decided if we should use the reds or the blacks... YOU decided on the blacks. YOU decided if we should use the clubs or the spades... YOU decided on the clubs. YOU decided which of the thirteen clubs we should use... YOU decided on the 5C, and then you folded it up and dropped it into this ‘almost’ invisible purse.” With your obviously empty left hand reach into the purse and remove the fingerpalmed folded 5C. Hand it to him to unfold, confirm it is his card, and then show it to the audience... APPLAUSE!!! If you are wondering why I asked you to write the value of each card at all four corners... this is so that you too can experience the elation, on spotting
the marking, that you have actually fingerpalmed away the CORRECT card from the pocket index! It might sound crazy, but if you have fingerpalmed away the wrong card, you’ll know and can now dip your hand in your pocket, dump the wrong one and try again. This won’t happen, but now that I have mentioned it... it probably will!
LUCKY CARD I am ashamed to say that Dai Vernon’s fantastic effect ‘The Trick That Cannot Be Explained’ (Dai Vernon’s More Inner Secrets of Card Magic - written by Lewis Ganson - page 76) is an effect that I was not aware of until recently when a friend of mine completely fooled me with it. This was a trick that I really wanted to perform, but due to my physical disability I found it difficult to do the effect justice. This was very frustrating until I eventually worked out a method that is totally ‘hands-off’. I showed this to a few magicians and fooled them all. I am not saying that I have improved it; I am just offering you a simplified version. My routine is like the Vernon original inasmuch as you have to improvise, but nearly every ‘out’ is focused on variations of the phrase ‘Lucky Card’. Required: A prediction card that has been made to look old, or you could do as I do... use a single card from a ‘Bicycle Faded Deck’. Let’s assume it is the Two of Clubs. You also need a regular deck of cards which could be borrowed if you wish, but be honest... have you EVER borrowed a deck of cards before? I thought not! Performance: Start by placing your prediction card face down on the table and explain that you have had this card for many years and that it has always been your ‘Lucky Card’. State that you will never touch the deck throughout the whole routine from
this moment on. You then ask a spectator to thoroughly shuffle the cards. You then instruct them to spread the cards face up across the table. You stress how important it is that they spread the cards so that they can see each and every single card. You then ask them to agree that the deck is well mixed. By now you will have spotted where in the spread the Two of Clubs is. You will have plenty of time to visually locate the card due to the fact that the spectator is spreading the cards out across the table and making sure that every card is visible. If the Two of Clubs is not somewhere in the first or last quarter of the deck (which is where you want it to be) act as though you forgot to ask the spectator to cut the cards. You now instruct them to scoop up the spread of cards and give the deck one complete cut, with the cards face up, at around the centre. So long as the cards are cut approximately in the centre the Two of Clubs will be repositioned into the first or last quarter. In the unlikely event that the cards are not cut around the centre just get them to cut a second time. You again ask the spectator to spread the cards out, faces up, as before. Visually locate the Two of Clubs and remember how many cards from the nearest end of the spread it lies. What you are about to do now may seem daunting at first – believe me the first few times it is, but after a short time the process becomes so addictive that you won’t want to stop doing it. Have the spectator scoop up the cards and hold onto the deck face down. Depending on where the Two of Clubs is located you now proceed as follows: Let’s assume that it is somewhere in the top quarter of the face down deck. If the Two of Clubs is the top card - wave your ‘Lucky Card’ over the deck [like a magic wand] and have them turn the top card over. Finally, slowly turn your ‘Lucky Card’ face up to show... a perfect match!
If it is the 2nd card down - have them deal the top two cards in a face down row on the table and then pocket the rest of the deck. Ask them to pick up one of the two cards. If they pick up the Two of Clubs, ask that they pocket the ‘other’ card with the rest. If they pick up the other card, ask that they pocket it with the rest. Either way, only the Two of Clubs remains in view! If it is the 3rd card down - have them deal three face down cards in a tabled row. Ask them to pick one up. If they pick up the Two of Clubs, have them pocket the other two cards with the rest of the deck. If they pick up one of the other cards, have them pocket it with the rest of the deck. Then ask them to push one of the remaining two cards toward you. If they push the Two of Clubs toward you, ask that they pocket the other card with the rest of the deck. If they push the other card toward you, ask that they pocket this card with the rest of the deck. Regardless... the only card remaining in view is the Two of Clubs! If it is the 4th card down - explain that the card has always brought you luck then ask that they spell the word l-u-c-k (dealing a card for each letter) and turn over the 4th card! If it is the 5th card down - explain that the card has always been lucky for you then ask that they spell the word l-u-c-k-y and turn over the 5th card! If it is the 6th card down - they spell l-u-c-k-y and turn over the next card! If it is the 7th card down - explain that you’d like them to spell m-y-c-a-r-d then turn over the 7th card! If it is the 8th card down - they spell m-y-c-a-r-d-i-s and turn over the 8th card! If it is the 9th c ard down - they spell l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d and turn over the 9th card! If it is the 10th card down - they spell l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d and turn over the next card! If it is the 11th card down - they spell m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d and turn over
the 11th card! If it is the 12th card down - they spell m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d and turn over the next card! If it is the 13th card down - they spell m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d-i-s and turn over the 13th card! If it is the 14th card down - they spell m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d-i-s and turn over the next card! Now, you may think that you won’t be able to ‘lock’ all the above different procedures into your mind, but I can assure you that with just a few runthroughs you will. However, for those of you who want an instant ‘no memory’ version... you could table a £20 note at the very start of the routine, saying that if you fail it’s theirs. Unbeknownst to the spectator you have the crib (below) stuck to the underside of the note. If you don’t want to risk the £20 note, the crib could be on the underside of your tabled card case. Please note that the procedures for the force card being on top, 2nd or 3rd are not listed on the following crib, as these are easy to remember. 4th: l-u-c-k = last card. 5th: l-u-c-k-y = last card. 6th: l-u-c-k-y = next card. 7th: m-y-c-a-r-d = next card. 8th: m-y-c-a-r-d-i-s = last card. 9th: l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d = last card. 10th: l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d = next card. 11th: m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d = last card. 12th: m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d = next card. 13th: m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d-i-s = last card. 14th: m-y-l-u-c-k-y-c-a-r-d-i-s = next card. When the time comes, you only have to lift the £20 note, as you remind them that if you fail it’s theirs, read the required line from the crib and... you’re home and dry.
Now, the other possibility is that you spot that the Two of Clubs will be in the lower quarter of the deck when the spectator is holding it face down. If this is the case... you could either perform the required action above with the deck face up throughout or, ask that they count how many cards are in the deck to make sure that they are all present (reversing the order as they do so) then proceed as above with the deck face down. If you perform with the deck face up... After they have shuffled and tabled the deck face up, and you spot that the force card is on the face of the deck. In this eventuality you would NOT ask them to spread the cards face up across the table. You would simply flip your ‘Lucky Card’ face up and show that it matches the face card of their shuffled deck! All the other possibilities are the same in that the Two of Clubs will either turn out to be the last card dealt, after the spelling, or the face card of those in their hand after the spelling. One point: If the force card is either 2nd or 3rd from the face of the deck and you are performing with the deck face up... I have them deal two (or three) piles of face up cards, as if dealing two (or three) hands of cards. The rest of the deck is pocketed, the piles are flipped face down and I now use the conjuror’s choice procedure, outlined above for when the force card was 2nd or 3rd in the face down deck, to force the required packet whose top card matches my ‘Lucky Card’. Notes: Above I have given you a solid method for performing this routine. However, these days I get a great deal of fun jazzing my way through it. I always get the full name of the person who comes up to help me. Sometimes I spell their entire name or just their first name and turn over the last card dealt or the one on the top of the deck after the dealing. Another idea (quite old) is to use an older deck and to scratch a fingernail along all four edges of the Two of Clubs. Once the spectator has shuffled, have them table the deck squared and you will be able to see a white line in the deck (the force card). If you spot that it lies in the upper or lower quarter of the deck you can proceed by having them turn the deck face up and spread the cards across the table. If, however, you can see that it lies somewhere in the second of third quarters, you can have the spectator cut the deck in order to reposition the force card
where you want it to be. This ruse saves having the spectator spread the cards, scoop them up, cut and then spread them again. By the way, I always have them make the cut (if it is necessary) with the deck face up. This means that I can instantly see if they cut the force card to the face of the deck. Also, if the force card ends up either four (or five) cards down from the top of the deck or four (or five) cards down from the face, these days I usually ask them to think of their favorite four-letter word. I then ask them to whisper it to me. Once they’ve done this I make a comment about how depraved they are. I then have them spell the word (not out loud) as they deal the four cards. They then either turn the 4th card face up or the 5th.
sed it, “You gues p o do a ‘Sli t g in o g I‛m Force‛!”
BOTTLE OPENER I don’t actually use this as an opener... I just liked the title! Effect: On your table is a paper bag. As you hand someone two different beer
bottle caps, you explain that the bag contains a prediction. One of the caps is from a bottle of Budweiser and the other is from a bottle of Miller Lite. They choose one and you then reach into the bag and remove the matching bottle, which you table. You now offer to explain how ‘most’ magicians do the trick... ‘they’ have two bottles in the bag... you reach in and remove another bottle. Replacing the bottle in the bag, you end by saying, “But I don’t need the extra bottle.” With these words you crush/screw up the bag. Required: One regular bottle of beer and one Norm Nielsen vanishing (latex) bottle of beer. I use a latex Miller Lite bottle and a genuine glass bottle of Budweiser. You also need a paper bag/sack that will sit on your table and will hold both bottles side-by-side (most wine/beer stores supply these free of charge). Finally, you need two genuine bottle caps to match the two bottles. Set-up: Start with the paper bag on your table with the two bottles inside. The two regular bottle caps can be in your pocket. Performance and patter: Hand someone both bottle-caps and ask them to place one cap on the table. If they table the Budweiser cap... explain that they had a free choice, and have decided on the Budweiser. Simply remove the genuine Budweiser bottle from the paper bag – showing that your prediction is correct. End by offering to explain how ‘most’ magicians do the trick... say that ‘they’ have two bottles in the bag. Reach in and remove the other (latex) bottle, but then place it back into the bag saying, “But I don’t need the extra bottle.” With these words you crush/screw up the bag. If, when they are asked to table one of the bottle caps, they table the Miller Lite cap, pay no attention to it – simply ask, “Which bottle cap did you decide to keep for yourself?” Proceed as before. Notes: You may like to glue a coin near the base of the latex bottle so
that you can add the line, “They just have to be careful that the bottles don’t make contact like this (hit the glass Budweiser bottle with the coin) as they are removing one of them”. This subtlety REALLY enforces the illusion that both bottles are made of glass. Continue by replacing the latex bottle in the paper bag and ending as before.
MARKED PHENOMENA By Steve Beam In 1990 somebody discussed with me an idea that used a marked deck of cards. Although the idea was basic, it encouraged me to create an effect that I used many times on TV, in lectures and on occasions when I performed closeup magic for friends, I even published the routine in my book WD40, it was called ‘Think as I Think’. In 2005 somebody mentioned to me that Steve Beam had an effect published in his book ‘Semi-Automatic Card Tricks, Vol. 1’ that was similar to the one that I was using. I didn’t bother checking Steve’s routine as I had already read all of his books and didn’t recall seeing anything similar to what I was using. How wrong I was, for not only was it similar, it was exactly the same! I honestly don’t know how I came about unintentionally ‘ripping off’ Steve’s trick. I must have read it then forgot about it, but stored it in my subconscious. I explained to Steve what had happened and he understood the predicament I was in. Anyway, it is with Steve’s kind permission that I give you his original excellent effect. Required: A marked deck. Invite someone to shuffle the deck. Explain that you are going to do a trick and... so are they. Tell them to table the deck and cut it into two halves. Ask that they hand one of the halves to you. Once they’ve done this… spot the
identity of the top card of their half and remember it. Ask them to pick up their cards, reach into the middle somewhere and remove one at random. They are told to look at the card, remember it then place it on top and cut the cards as often as they like. You mime these actions but disregard the card you look at, just remember the card you spotted on top of their tabled half earlier. You now both exchange halves. Say,“I’m going to try and find the card you’re THINKING of in your half and you are going to try and find the one that I’m THINKING of in my half.” Search for the card you sighted earlier and remove the card directly above it in your face up spread. Prompt them to look through their cards to try and find your card. Lay their card face down on the table and tell them to do the same with the card they think you might have thought of. They will, after some deliberation, table a card. You must now sight the mark on the back of this card and remember it. Ask them what card they thought of. After they name it, turn over the card. This gets a good reaction. Now say, “You would expect me to find the card you THOUGHT of as I am a magician, but I wouldn’t expect you to find the card that I am THINKING of”…... Continue, “I THOUGHT of the ?????” Here you name the card they have tabled. They will be absolutely floored. Turn it over and you have... a miracle! Once again, my thanks to Steve Beam for his generosity in allowing me to include his fine effect here. By the way, the marked deck that I use is a home made version of Ted Lesley’s ‘The Working Performer’s Marked Deck’. The only improvement I have made is to use 3mm high (or larger if you need them) white Letraset rub down letters and numbers to mark the cards. Younger performers will be able to buy (and use) the marking material to make up a standard Ted Lesley marked deck, but those of us who have passed the 50 year old mark will find it possible to read the white 3mm high (or larger) letters and numbers WITHOUT having to put our reading glasses on... a dead giveaway!
You can buy the standard size ‘Ted Lesley’s Marking Material’ (26 of each card index and 78 suit symbol per sheet) from www.cards4magic.co.uk Note: These days I have the spectator shuffle and then cut the deck into two halves. I read the back of their top card and remember it. I then ask them to look at their top card, remember it, push it back into the centre of their cards and then shuffle again. I apparently do the same with my top card. We exchange halves and I locate, remove and table their card. Finally I read the back of the card they eventually table, that they think might be mine, and end as in the previous version.
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SILK IN CIGARETTE PACK Effect: You borrow a box of cigarettes from someone. Showing a small silk you push it down into your left fist, wave the cigarette box over your fist (like a magic wand) and... the silk has vanished! Opening the box you reach in and remove the silk. You immediately hand the box of cigarettes back to the spectator. Required: A small silk handkerchief and a thumb tip, which are both in your right side pocket. By now, you will all be waaaaaaaay ahead of me, but the following
routine does have a few finesses that you may like. By the way, the routine was inspired after seeing Finn Jon vanish a silk and reproduce it from a rolled up playing card. Other magicians may have used the idea of reproducing the silk from a box of cigarettes, but my version overcomes a few problems that they will have encountered - such as, what if the box is completely full? When I first performed this, in the opening show of series 2 of ‘A Kind Of Magic’, I had trouble finding someone in the audience who smoked and had a packet of cigarettes on them.These days, several decades later, it is an almost impossible task. However, smokers are still out there and you will still, from time to time, encounter one or two. With this in mind, you may like to reserve this routine for such an occasion. Or... plant someone in your audience with a packet of cigarettes. Set-up: The thumb tip and silk are in your left side pocket. Performance: Say, “I need someone with a packet of cigarettes, but it’s very hard these days to find someone who smokes, you’re more likely to find someone who eats beef. I’ve got the worst habit of all... I smoke beef!” After this line, borrow a packet of cigarettes from someone and say, “I don’t actually smoke myself, well only when I’m doing this trick. The trouble is that I do the trick 40 times a day!” Table the packet for the moment then reach into your pocket and remove the thumb tip and the silk. Load the thumb tip onto your right thumb, as you are showing the silk, then load the tip into your left fist in the time honoured manner. Poke the silk all the way into your left fist (really into the thumb tip), steal out the thumb tip and pick up the cigarette packet. Tap the left fist with the packet then open the left hand to show that the silk has gone. This will get a BIG reaction from the audience... always has, always will. After the applause has died down say, “This is the best part. If I reach inside the packet of cigarettes, which I borrowed from this gentleman, inside I find... the handkerchief.” What you actually do here is flip open the cigarette packet, with the contents facing you, having loaded the thumb tip BEHIND
(not inside) the packet. You can now tease out ‘some’ of the silk, which will be seen above the top of the packet and the illusion is perfect that the silk is being pulled from the inside of the cigarette packet. Finally pull the silk completely out and close the packet. My idea of loading the thumb tip BEHIND the cigarette packet means that it makes no difference if you are handed a completely full packet... you can still perform the effect. As you are about to return the cigarettes to the spectator you have all the time in the world to steal back the thumb tip, from behind the packet, and pocket it with the silk. Before you hand the packet of cigarettes back, flip it open again, remove a cigarette and perform a series of cigarette manipulations where you appear to push the cigarette up your nose, your eye and your ear - only for it to reappear each time in your mouth. I did once publish a move in my Profile book where a cigarette is apparently pushed into my eye, only for it to reappear in my mouth. The other moves (in the ear, and up the nose) are slight variations of the same move. Basically, you press the tip of the cigarette against the side of your nostril and ‘appear’ to push the cigarette up your nose - really you allow your fingers to slide up and along the cigarette which ends up hidden by your fingers. You then put the tip between your lips and reverse the above move by sliding your fingers down the cigarette before pulling it out of your mouth. The illusion is really good that you pushed the cigarette up your nose and then pulled it from your mouth. You then repeat the move with your ear. When you do it with your eye, you actually perform the first part (allow your fingers to slide up and along the cigarette which ends up hidden by your fingers), but then you allow the filter end to pivot down until you can grab it between your lips. You then move your hand away and the cigarette has reappeared between your lips. Those of you who have a copy of Profile can look this move up. I am sure that some of the older books on cigarette manipulations will contain similar moves that can be adapted. Basically the idea is to create mild revulsion that the cigarette has been tainted with your bodily fluids and is, obviously, now not smokable.
You now capitalise on these thoughts by flipping the cigarette packet open again, inserting the cigarette, shaking the box up and handing it back to the spectator! On my Dobson’s Choice (TV Stuff ) Vol. 2 DVD the sequence of manipulations I perform, in quick succession, is: up the nose, out of the mouth, in the eye, out of the mouth, in the right ear, out of the mouth, up the nose, out of the mouth. The patter was, “I once saw a guy take a cigarette and appear to push it up his nose, out of his mouth, in his eye, out of his mouth, into his ear, out of his mouth, up his other nostril and out of his mouth and to really cheese you off, he put it back in the packet, shook them up and you now have to guess which one is which.” I then handed the packet back. If those with the DVD watch this footage, you will see (and hear) the reaction of the audience to this gag... it’s priceless! Final thoughts: If you are concerned that you won’t be able to find someone with a packet of cigarettes... you can always borrow someone’s wallet and reproduce the silk from inside the zipper compartment. A mobile phone case is also a suitable receptacle, though neither of these will have the same comedic content that a packet of cigarettes has. Some people may think it in bad taste for me to handle the cigarette, put it in my mouth etc. and then return it to the packet? In all the time I performed this routine I never received any complaints, plus the size of the laugh is worth the risk. Go on, live dangerously!
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FIVE CARD REPEAT Effect: You count five cards from one hand to the other then throw two of the cards away. EIGHT times you do this, yet each time you are still left holding five cards. You then throw five cards away... and you are left holding two! Finally you throw these two cards away but.... you are still left holding five cards, which you then throw away and take your well-deserved bow. Required: 28 playing cards, and the ability to perform the Buckle Count. The Buckle Count is described on page 84 of Dai Vernon’s More Inner Secrets Of Card Magic - written by Lewis Ganson. A brief description is at the end of the performance and patter. Set-up: Place the 28 playing cards into your left side jacket pocket. Performance and patter: “Thank you very much indeed and good evening. I’d like to start off by showing you all a trick.” (Reach into your pocket and remove the 28 cards with the faces against your fingers). “Well, actually it’s a trick about a trick. Because many years ago I saw a guy do an amazing thing with a few cards. He counted them. He had (perform the Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He took the five cards and he threw away 2“ (toss 2 of the cards high into the air one at a time). “Now to my amazement and everybody else’s, he still had (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards. It didn’t matter how many times he threw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air), he always had (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards. “ “Now at this part of the trick I was as baffled as you were and I too forgot to applaud. So I thought wouldn’t it be great if I could walk on here this
evening with these 5 cards, throw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and still be left with (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards, but then again you must have seen the trick where you throw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and still have (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.“ “Now let me ask you a question right, all those who have seen the trick where you throw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and you still have (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards say aye! (Here you raise your palm up hands from waist height to chest height in a quick gesture – like you would if you wanted an applauding audience to applaud louder – this results in part of your audience shouting out, “Aye!”). “All those who haven’t seen the trick where you have 5, throw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and you still have (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards say aye!” (Here you repeat the above gesture, which results in another part of your audience shouting out, “Aye!”). “All those who couldn’t care less whether I throw away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and still have (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards say aye.” (Here you repeat the above gesture again, which results in ALL of your audience shouting out, “Aye!”). “I can always tell when it going to be a good night or a bad night............good night! So what’s the use of me standing here with these 5 cards, throwing away 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and still having (Buckle Count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards? What would be good would be to take the 5, throw away 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (toss 5 of the cards high into the air one at a time) and be left with (Buckle Count, but buckling on the count of 1 this time) 1, 2 rather than throw away 1, 2 (toss 2 of the cards into the air) and be left with (normal count) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards!” Throw all 5 cards high up into the air and strike a pose - looking at your right hand, which is still held above your head having tossed the cards away, and with your right foot bent at the ankle and slightly off the ground (your weight being on your left leg) - this being an ‘applause please’ pose which tells the audience that the routine has finished. Note: The whole routine is performed at a very brisk pace, and with attitude. From start to finish it lasts just 75 seconds. If you check out my website www. waynedobson.co.uk Video Vault, Royal Variety Show, there is a version of the routine and you will be able to study the timing of each and every phase.
The Buckle Count The Buckle Count is used here to initially count the 28 cards as five, yet it appears like a very natural count and the cards appear to be counted from one hand to the other individually. The way this is achieved is by holding the packet of cards in the left hand, with their faces toward the audience. Your left thumb is ready to push off one card at a time into the right hand. The first three cards are counted from the packet into the right hand, without reversing their order, to the count of 1, 2, 3 until you reach the count of 4. Just before this point you ‘buckle’ the bottom (face card of the packet) by pulling down on its upper right corner with the tip of your forefinger. This will create a gap between the buckled lower card, at its lower right corner, and the remaining cards. You now simply take this remaining packet with the right hand, as a single card, to the count of 4 using the same rhythm as with the previous three cards counted across. You are now left with only one card inthe left hand, which you count across to the count of 5.
NAILED This routine was inspired after seeing Roy Johnson perform a card stab that I believe goes back to Milbourne Christopher. Effect: A card is selected, signed and returned. The deck is cased and dropped into an envelope. A six inch nail is now thrust through the upper half of the envelope and held by a spectator. You attempt to guess the card that was selected, but fail.Taking everything from the spectator, you rip the nail away only to discover that it has impaled a card. Not any card, but the actual signed selection! Required: A regular deck of cards, but I make the half moon cut-out on the card case
much bigger than it usually is – you’ll see why later. You also need a six inch nail, a Sharpie pen and a long DL envelope (110 x 220mm) with the flap on its narrow end. Set-up: The cased deck is in your inner left (lower) side jacket pocket, the six inch nail is in your breast pocket and the envelope and Sharpie pen are in your inner right (upper) pocket. Obviously, you can house them in whichever pockets you have. Performance: With a man standing on your right and one on your left, introduce a cased deck of cards and hand it to the person on your left. Ask him to take the cards out of the box, have a look at them and confirm that it is just a regular deck. Take the cards from him, asking him to hold onto the box for the moment. Now hand the cards to the other spectator, asking him to shuffle them and then return them to you. Now have him remove a card (no force) and sign his name, or initials, on the face of his card. Have the card returned and control it to the top of the deck (using your favourite method). Turn to the other spectator and ask for the box back. Insert the cards so that you can see a small portion of the top card (the signed selection) in the area where the half moon cut-out is on the card case. You now close the flap of the card case, but secretly insert it underneath the top card. Hold onto the cased deck in your right hand, as your left hand goes inside your jacket and removes the envelope from your inner right (upper) pocket. Hand the envelope to the person on your left asking that he take a look at it. Pass the cased deck into your left hand, as your right hand removes the 6” nail from your breast jacket pocket, explaining what it is, and hand it to the other spectator to take a look at. Now for the only ‘move’ in the routine... pass the cased deck back into your right hand, and hold it between your thumb (which rests on the back of the
signed selection through the half moon cut-out) and your fingers on the front of the case. Your left hand takes back the envelope from the person on your left. Your left hand and your right forefinger open the envelope and you place the cased deck inside, but do not release your hold on it with your right hand just yet. With the cased deck inside the envelope, though only inside the upper part at the moment, pull upward with your right thumb and this will draw the signed selection out of the card case for about an inch. Pin the card only to the front inner wall of the envelope with your left thumb, gripping it also with the left fingers from the outside of the envelope. The moment you have the selection pinned against the inner front wall of the envelope, allow the cased deck to drop to the bottom of the envelope. With your right hand, take back the six inch nail from the person on your right and thrust it through the envelope in such a way that you know it has also passed through the centre of the signed selection. Once the nail has passed through the envelope and card, reach in front of the envelope with your left hand and grab the pointed end of the nail. Next rotate the nail so that the flat end is pointing at the audience. Pass the nail to your right hand and have the person on your right hold the pointed end of the nail for the moment, as you patter how fair the selection procedure was etc. Finally, take everything from the spectator - holding on to the pointed end of the nail with your right hand. Grip the cased deck, through the envelope, with your left hand and simply pull downward on the envelope, as your right hand raises the nail up a little. As the envelope is ripped completely free of the nail, pocket the envelope in your left side jacket pocket, and the nail is now seen to have a single playing card impaled on it. The back of the card is facing the audience, but you now rotate the nail again - holding onto the flat end with your left hand as your right hand reaches forward and drags the card off the pointed end of the nail. It only remains to have the spectator on your right confirm that it is his signed card and... you’re done! c Copyright - Wayne Dobson 2010
