John Carey - Minimalistica

minimalistica :: John Carey

ISBN: 978-1-944241-93-3 Copyright © 2015 John Carey All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been been taken in the preparation preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. Printed in the United Kingdom by Haresign Press Design and illustration by Phillip Smith at Sushi Design ( www.sushidesign.net www.sushidesign.net ) Ambigrams courtesy of Zachary Heath

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Contents Welcome to minimalistica - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7 Foreword: Mick Wilson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9 £1.25 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13 All Four One

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17

Bluff Lie Detector - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19 Clipped! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23 C.T.B - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27 Cutting for Larry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31 Daley Might Have Liked This!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33

Deal and Decide - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37 Dream a Li’l Dream - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41 Easy Open or Closed

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 45

Finessed Hofzinser ForceForce- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49 Free as a Bird

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 51

Hands Off Divination - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55 Hof Stabber!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59

Homage to Bannon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61 Homage to Fechter

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65

Homage To Vernon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69 The In Transit Force - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 71 It’s all in the cards... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 73 Just Say When - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77 Lazy Man’s Mystery - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 81 Lies All the Way

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85

Lies Damn Lies! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 89 My Cards Are Your Cards! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 93 No Further Than That!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97

One,Two,Three! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101 Open All Day!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 105

Sense - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 109 Sleightless Cull

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 113

Slow Motion Triumph - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 115 The Stepping Stone Force - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 119

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Stranger in the Crowd - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 123 Telekinetic

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 125

The Attitude Force... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 133 The Gypsy Card

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 135

Think & Synch Reloaded...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 139

Think As I Think - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 143 Three Chances - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 147 Timely Transposition - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 149 Topping It Off! Translocaan

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 151 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 155

Travelling Light

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 159

Triumphant Dream - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 163 Twin Thoughts

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 167

Two Card Transpo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 171 When Thoughts Combine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 173 Whispering Ambitions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 177 Y.A.F.A.P! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 181 Your Thoughts Are Mine... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 185 Featured Ar Artists - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 189 Away We We Go: Tom Tom Dobrowolski- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 191 Poppycock: Pa Patrick G. G. Re Redford - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 195 Open Prediction Deck: David Gemmell - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 203 Hypnosis: Shaun McCree - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 209 Midsection Fo Force: J. J.K.Hartman - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 213 Burying The Aces: Paul Gordon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 217 Annoying Thought: Pablo Amira - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 221 The Jackal: Ben Blau - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 227 Featured Artist: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 239 Collective Thoughts: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 241 Forced Coincidence: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 247 Got a light?: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 255 Just Between Us: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 261 Poker with Dai: Shannon Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 269

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Welcome to minimalistica

Welcome to minimalistica Firstly a very big thank you for purchasing Minimalistica. I will keep this introduction very short and let you dive into the material. If you have read or seen any of my previous work, you will know that I have no time for over-handled angle-ridden card magic. All of the material in this volume is practical, powerful, doable and has been created with lay audiences in mind. Nothing in this book is beyond the scope of the intermediate student, although some items will take a little bit more work than others. You will find a wide array of plots covered, streamlined to the essentials, hopefully without compromising impact. In addition a number of utility forces are included that I think you will find very useful. In Crafted with Carey I was lucky enough to assemble some marvellous contributions from magician friends around the world. This is repeated in this latest work and I believe you will love the work my friends have so graciously shared. I am blessed to have some extremely talented friends who I regularly bounce ideas around with. This book is dedicated to my parents, Maureen and Chris. I can never thank you enough for all that you have done for me. x Now go grab a deck of cards and let’s have some fun together.

John Carey 26/7/15

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Foreword Mick Wilson

Foreword Mick Wilson I first met John at the South Tyneside Tyneside International Magic Festival Festival and within minutes I didn’t know if I should admire him or hit him. As it turns out, I admire the man, not only for his ability to take strong and often complex magic and simplify it beyond belief, but also his extremely generous and passionate nature. John is a very giving man and almost machine like in his creation and sharing of magic. Granted the sharing initially goes to those closest to him for the valued critique, but even then he’s chomping at the bit to get his routines published to share with magicians worldwide. The huge success of his first publication, Crafted with Carey, released in March 2015 and the release of this second book 8 months later is testament to that fact. I share a belief with John, in that an effect is never really ‘finished’, there’s always room for improvements and/or tweaks to add further smoke to enhance amazement. Our on-going marathon phone calls remind us of that constantly. constantly. That has always been John’s approach: lower the work rate and enhance the amazement. If you have not read Crafted with Carey yet you will learn very quickly from this instalment of the Carey Catalogue that John likes to get ‘the work’ completed in an effect as quickly as possible allowing you to get as much of you into the performance as possible. It’s been written and recorded a great many times (to the point of being a cliché) that when you perform it’s best to ‘be yourself’. John’s effects are a great aid in allowing you to do that, as the work involved is minimal. Never forget, magic is as much attitude as it sleight of hand. STOP! Do not put the book down.

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Although the methods contained within are simple and the plots are very direct the impact upon spectators is huge! This is a good thing. In simple terms you’re doing as little as possible for as much mu ch as possible and believe me, the returns are astounding. There is a banquet of food for thought within these pages. Even if you never perform a single effect as described the methods and ‘bits of business’ are dynamic enough to be taken and used to create further astonishment or to enhance effects you already perform. Personally, I want simple and extremely effective and John delivers that. Approach the material contained within not as a series of effects but as a box of tools waiting to be adapted to which ever job you see them fit for. I could go on all day about John’s routines, moves and subtleties and the great value I hold in the work he has created and those who know me can testify that I can talk a deaf donkey to sleep. Instead I leave you with words in my native Geordie tongue: Is this a canny good book? Why-I, think yu’ll love aal the stuff in it so crack on and get it lawnt! Mick Wilson 2015

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£1.25

£1.25 I have been having a lot of fun with the following impromptu mentalism piece. It combines Deddy Corbuzier’s wonderful Free Will concept with equivoque and a nice timing force, which I have not seen in print, but would not be surprised if other people have used in this context. You will require 5 different valued coins: £1 coin, 20p, 5p, 2p and a 10 pence piece. On a business card have the following message pre written: I will have the 2p, you will have the 10p. Leave a space to write some further information during performance. Bring out your business card and state that you will write a message on it. On the lower section of the card write down the name of one of your helpers, say Mary, and then write, “will be left holding exactly £1.25 pence!” Place the card aside face down, but in view to the group you are working for. Go to your pocket and bring out the 5 coins mentioned above and place them onto the table in £1,20p, 5p, 2p and 10p order from left to right. Address Jack and say you will play a little game of decision decision making with him. With your right hand pick up the £1 coin and transfer it to your left hand. Then pick up the 20p and drop it on top of the pound. “I’m going to pick up each coin”. By the end of that sentence you have picked up the first 2 coins. Then you catch them off guard and say “just say stop anytime please”. You pick up the third coin and transfer it to the left hand. The timing on this is akin to the classic psychological stop force, usually performed with cards. Two things will happen. They stop you on the 2p or the 10p. Because of Free will, you are covered either way. Let’s say they say stop on the 2p. Place it in front of Jack. Continue by asking him to mix the remaining 4 coins around a little. Now we will force the 10p coin using a classic 1 from 4 equivoque. Push two towards me etc.

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£1.25

Place the 10p in front of you and then scoop up the remaining coins and ask Mary to hold them in a closed fist. Now the work has been done and it’s just a matter of selling the conditions and bringing the effect home. In this example you will have Jack pick up the business card and read out the message. Conclude by asking Mary to open her hand and count how much money she is holding. She says £1.25 and everyone goes home happy. Of course if Jack selects the 10 pence, you will read out the message a la Free will. Notes: This hasn’t happened to me yet, but if they stop you on the third coin, just say,, “Fine, please slide the next coin (2p) towards you”. say

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£1.25

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All Four Four One One

Al All Four One The title of this four Ace production stems from the fact that you will be producing all four Aces using one core technique. Have the Aces evenly distributed in the deck and you are good to go. Ask a spectator if she is quite observant? Roll with her answer and have some fun, then suggest a little game of observation with her. Hold the deck face-up and with the faces slightly raised towards you start spreading the cards until you see the first Ace. We will now essentially do a partial Hofzinser cull, covering the Ace slightly with the card below it (ie, to the immediate right / above it in the face up spread). To do this the pad of the left thumb simply pulls across the indifferent card to the right of the Ace just enough to cover it. The right hand comes away with a spread of cards and calls out the cover card that is at the rear of the spread. Flip this packet face-down and table it. Repeat the above spread and partial cull sequence twice more, secretly dragging an indifferent card over the Ace below it just enough to cover it and then come away with a small spread and call out the exposed rear ‘cover’ card each time before flipping each packet face-down and tabling, forming a row of three packets. Finally spread through your remaining cards and execute a full Hofzinser cull of the remaining Ace, allowing it to ride secretly beneath the spread. Call out the random rear card of the spread and then flip the packet face-down and table it. To conclude, state you have a terrible memory and ask your helper to name the cards she saw. saw. Have fun with this and state that those four cards would ‘never get the money’. Make a magical gesture over the tabled packets and then reveal an Ace on top of each packet, packet, to conclude the multiple transformation.

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Bluff Lie Detector

Bluff Bluff Lie Detector I’ve always loved the classic lie detector plot in its many forms, Jim Steinmeyer’s Nine Card Problem being a particular favourite. Gary Plants has a great version in his Dallas lecture notes, which inspired the following. It makes use of the classic plunger principle for the revelation. I wanted a version where I didn’t have to do any thinking about what types of cards to move as the packet is ‘programmed’. Basically this approach is pure bluff but has proven particularly effective. From a shuffled deck in use remove ten cards and hand them out for mixing. Upon return introduce the theme of the polygraph or lie detector. detector. Spread the packet for a free selection and when it is returned return ed control the selection, say two of Clubs, to sixth from the top. I simply spread off five cards into my right hand and extend the left hand and have the selection dropped on top. Then drop the right hand cards on top and you are done. Execute a quick false shuffle or Ose false cut and you are ready for the presentation. State you will program the lie detector in readiness for some questions and answers. Execute a reverse faro, up jogging every other card. Square the packet up neatly leaving the cards in a telescoped condition with the packet held at the long edges by the left fingertips. Ask your helper was her card red or black? She can lie or tell the truth. After her answer the left index finger pushing sharply down on the outjogged cards, plunging a packet through. Now based on her first answer ask her what colour was her card, again lying or telling the truth. With the backs of the right fingers sharply push the jogged cards upwards, plunging another packet out. Then ask her to name a value, again having the option to be truthful or lie.

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Bluff Lie Detector

The left index finger once more sharply pushes the outjogged packet inwards, plunging another packet through towards you in an injogged condition. “Mary, so I asked you three questions and you had the option to lie or tell the truth. You You kept a poker face and I genuinely am not sure. However the lie detector knows everything. For the first time, tell the truth, tru th, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! What card are you thinking of?” She says, in this example two of Clubs. Execute one final plunging action, pushing the injogged cards in sharply, causing one card to plunge from the packet. Make a one handed fan. Pause, remove and revolve the card to disclose their selection and conclude the mystery.

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Bluff Lie Detector

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Clipped!

Clipped! Signed card to impossible location always plays really well and strong for the public. As my magician friends will tell you though, I am not one for folding my cards! Here’s a very direct approach sans folds. Place a paperclip over the short edge of the two Jokers and place them in your pocket. When you want to go into this piece simply take out the clipped Jokers and place them face-up on the table or even ask a helper to hold them. Have the deck shuffled and upon u pon return have a card selected and signed. Control it efficiently to the bottom of the deck. I always use the Hofzinser spread cull here. As you square up secure a left left little-finger break break above the signed selection. “Since childhood I have always been a fan of Star Trek. Trek. As a youngster the scenes where the officers teleported from one location to another always fascinated me. Now we all know that it’s not possible for people to teleport, but with cards anything is possible!” skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Make a magical gesture over the deck and then the paperclipped packet and pause. Transfer the deck to right hand overhand grip, transferring the break to the right thumb. As an in-transit action the left hand picks up the paperclipped packet from the table at the left long edge, thumb on top, fingers underneath. Ask your helper to pull off the paperclip and to table it. As they table it the right hand approaches the packet and using the left long edge of the deck flips the face-up packet face down, secretly dropping off the card (signed selection) beneath the thumb break. Table Table the deck. The above sleight is Jack Merlin’s Merlin’s tip over addition. Pull out the bottom card of the packet smoothly and flip it face-up on top. Immediately pull our the new bottom card and flip that face-up and place beneath

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Clipped!

the packet and then spread all three cards exhibiting a sandwich of two face-up cards with a card trapped in between. To conclude the mystery ask for the name of the selection and slowly extract the face-down card and revolve it face-up to reveal a successful pasteboard teleportation!

Ve Version 2.0: Let’s say you have a blue deck. You will also require two red backed Jokers and a red backed force card, say three of Diamonds. Place the force card on the bottom of the deck. Put a paperclip over the two Jokers and pocket them. Bring out the paper-clipped packet and table it face-up. Pick up the deck, swing cut and complete the cut, securing a left little-finger break beneath your odd backed force card. The right hand removes a Sharpie and hands it to your helper. helper. Execute a dribble force and raise the face of the right hand packet towards the spectator. Ask her to reach over and sign the face of the three of Diamonds. Lower the right hand and bring both hands together and square up, keeping a little-finger break beneath your force card. The right hand takes back the Sharpie and pockets it. Casually double undercut the signed selection to the bottom of the deck and secure a little-finger break above it. The handling is now exactly the same as the first version. In other words transfer the deck to right hand overhand grip, the break being taken over by the right thumb. Pick up the face-up paperclipped packet at the left long edge and ask your helper to pull off the clip. Execute the tip over addition, secretly dropping off the signed card and table the deck. Now state that earlier today you made a prediction. Pull out the bottom stranger card and flip it face-up on top. Immediately pull out the new bottom card, flip it face-up and place it back on the bottom. Spread the packet showing an odd backed card trapped in between the Jokers. “Jack, how impressed would you be if my prediction matched your card? Well actually the truth can sometimes be stranger than that...”

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Clipped!

Slowly extract the face-down card and turn it face-up to reveal the signed card and finish the mystery. mystery.

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C.T.B

C.T.B There are many versions of card to box in print. Some excellent and others not so. I wanted a really clean version where there was hardly any physical work and one could really sell the effect. There is a price to pay in that we will be using a duplicate card. But there’s a really nice clean up at the end which takes care of that. Lets say your duplicate cards are the Jack of Clubs. They have to be picture cards. Place one of them on the face of the deck and the other on top. Put the cards away in the box and tuck the half moon flap underneath the top card. Take out the cards from the box, secretly holding back your duplicate Jack of Clubs with the index finger. finger. Close the flap of the box and toss it aside on the table casually. Slip shuffle the deck, retaining the other Jack of Clubs on the bottom by pressure of the fingertips. Cut the deck in half and complete the cut, keeping a little-finger break beneath your force card. Bring the right hand over the deck and execute a dribble force to your break. Raise the right hand section to show them their card and then assemble the deck and shuffle. Then ask your helper to shuffle and then return the cards to you. Mention that in a deck of cards there are two types of cards. Number cards and picture cards. Ask your spectator what type of card is she thinking of? They will say picture cards of course. Say that you will remove the picture cards. With the faces of the cards towards you spread through the deck and outjog all of the picture cards except for the Jack of Clubs. Strip them out of the deck and place the remainder of the deck in your left side pocket. You are now a mile ahead of the audience. Casually and very briefly spread the

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C.T.B

picture cards face-up in the hands and then hand them out for shuffling. Take them back and hold them face-down at the right long edge, thumb on top. Count off four cards out loud into the left hand and table them. Then count off four more m ore cards and table them next to the first packet. Finally execute an Elmsley count, false counting three cards as four and table them to the right of the other two packets. Ask your helper to cover any of the packets with their hand. h and. Two scenarios can arise here: if they cover the three card packet you are golden and simply turn tur n the other packets face-up and ask if they see the card they are thinking of? Of course they will say no. You then make a magical gesture over their hand and then pick up the card box and shake it. They turn over the cards under their hand and their Jack of Clubs has vanished. Have them pick up the card box and reveal their selection inside to conclude. However, if they put their hand on one of the four card packets you say to them that you sense their card is not in that packet. They turn it over and you are proven correct. Follow up by having them cover the other four card packet and repeat as above. Then conclude by making their card ‘vanish’ from the remaining packet and get them to remove it from the card box. Clean up: it’s a simple matter to gather up the picture cards on the offbeat and palm off the duplicate into the right hand. Pick up the card box and put it away in your right side pocket and ditch the palmed card. Remove the balance of the deck from your left pocket and you are clean to continue with further mysteries.

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C.T.B

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Cutting for Larry

Cutting for Larry Larry Jennings’ coin cut effect from his book Larry Jennings on card and coin handling is a beautiful piece of magic where the effect is crystal clear. Here is a bold but strong approach I’m having a lot of fun with. It’s a bluff, but fun! Have a card selected and signed. Upon return control it to the bottom of the deck. I use the Hofzinser cull for this. Execute a slip shuffle retaining it on the bottom and table the deck face-down near you. Borrow a largish coin and execute two or 3 vanishes and productions - a brief flurry. flurry. Apparently place the coin into your left hand, really classic palming it in the right hand. Bring the left fist over the deck and slowly open it to reveal the coin has vanished. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Now for Jennings load: the right hand comes over the deck from above and cuts off about half and slaps them down to the left of the remainder. As you do this the palmed coin is loaded on top of the bottom half. Bring the right hand away to reveal the reappearance of the coin. After a short pause the right hand returns to the coin packet and picks it up, thumb on top of the coin, fingers underneath the packet. Ask for the name of the selection? Make a brisk right to left tossing action as you toss the packet into your left hand. Friction will cause the bottom card of the packet (selection) and the coin to stay together. This is an application of the old Hofzinser toss discovery. Done briskly the eye simply cannot tell the card came from the bottom. Drop the left hand cards on top of the tabled stock and focus on the card with the coin on top. A moment later turn the card over to reveal reveal a successful conclusion.

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Daley Might Have Liked This!

Daley Might Have Liked Liked This! This! In this book are two versions of the last trick of Doctor Daley. Daley. This ve version ion takes full adv advant antage age of two iden identtica ical Joke Jokerrs to giv give one one a ve very clear ear and dece eceptive piece. ce. Take out the two Jokers and the red Aces and discard the deck. Lay out the red Aces face-up and side-by-side on the table. Hold the Jokers face-down in right hand pinch grip and execute a fingertip flushtration count, displaying the Jokers. Even though you don’t have to do that display, it establishes the move for when you will use it later. Hold the Jokers face-down and slightly spread. Pick up either red Ace and place it in between the Jokers and slowly square up. Ask a spectator to hold out a palm-up hand. Make the moment over the packet and execute a double turnover showing the Ace has risen to the top. A moment later turn the double face-down and place the switched in Joker on her hand. Now execute the fingertip flushtration count, showing both cards as Jokers. Place the actual Joker on top at the end of the display. This is a strong moment when you think about it. Pick up the remaining red Ace and insert it between the left hands cards. Execute a double turnover to show this Ace has risen to the summit too. Turn Turn the double face-down and place the switched in Joker on top of the card on her hand. Ask your spectator to cover what she believes to be Aces with her other hand. State that you will attempt to send your Jokers over to join them. Briefly cover your cards and then after a few moments lift your hand. Act confused and then make a magical gesture over your cards and then her hands. Ask the lady to open

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her hands and turn over her h er cards to reveal the Jokers. A few beats later show that you have the Aces and the transposition is complete.

Fingertip flushtration count Have a small packet in your right hand with the bottom card the one you want to show all the cards as. Hold the cards on the long edge with your first two fingers below and the right hand thumb above. Pivot this hand up to show the face of the bottom card to the audience, then lower it back down again, and with your left thumb slide off the top card of the packet. Then you pivot the packet up again, again showing the bottom card, then pivot down again and slide off the new top card. Repeat for as many cards as there are in the packet, ostensibly showing the all as the face card. The motion shouldn’t be a studied movement, it should be loose and free and, with the fingertip handling, very open.

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Deal and Decide

Deal and Decide This piece is designed for a more formal performance. I guess it’s a do-as-I-do type effect, but at the end I will describe another presentational gambit. You require two decks of different colours. Ask your helper to pick up either deck and shuffle it. Extend your palm up left hand and ask them to start dealing cards face-up and to stop purely on impulse. Have them deal the next card face-down on top of the face-up packet you are holding. Secure a left little-finger break beneath this card as you ask them to turn the rest of their cards face-up and place them on top of yours. Grip the deck from above in the right hand, thumb at the inner left corner, index finger at the outer left corner and revolve the deck face down. This automatically secretly steps the deck at the card (the card they stopped at) and gives you a secret peek of their selection, say three of Hearts. Credit to Edward Marlo for this book break glimpse. Table this deck and pick up the other and shuffle it. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Spread this deck face-up as you comment on how well mixed it is. Secretly note the card above the three of Hearts, as this will be your key card. If these two cards are too far down in the deck, simply cut them to around a third of the way down from the top to cut down on dealing time. Ask the spectator to extend a palm-up hand. You now replicate what they did earlier by dealing cards face-up onto their hand. Continue dealing until you get to your key card. Deal the next card face-down and then turn the remaining cards face-up and place on top. Have them table this deck. Remind your audience what has taken place and how fair everything has been. Spread both decks across the table and remove the two reversed cards. Then slowly turn both over to reveal a remarkable coincidence!

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Deal and Decide

One deck version: With just one deck available I like to use the dream presentation that I used in the Dream a Li’l Dream effect you saw earlier in this collection. “Hannah, sometimes people get so engrossed in their work that they actually dream about it! The other night someone remarkably like you was in my dream. We were in a bar and I gave you the deck to shuffle. I then asked you to deal cards face-up one at a time onto my hand until your gut instinct told you to stop. I had you deal the next card face-down and then place the remainder face-up on top. I then handed you the deck. Suddenly though, you, the cards and indeed everything in that dream just faded away and suddenly I was jolted from that dream by my alarm clock. I got up and went downstairs and made a coffee. As I sat in the lounge and sipped my coffee I thought about that dream and how it may have finished. Then I noticed a playing card on the floor and picked it up. I wondered how it got there. I turned it over and it was the seven of Diamonds. Please spread your cards and remove the one you left face-down and then turn it over. over. That’s That’s the seven of Diamonds too and so I guess dreams really can come true!” The method here is exactly the same as the two deck effect. They shuffle the deck and deal face-up cards onto your hand and stop on impulse. The next card is dealt face-down and you secure a little-finger break beneath it. They turn their remaining cards face-up and they are placed on top. Execute the book break glimpse as you turn the deck face-down and then hand it to them. The rest is pure smoke and mirrors...

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Deal and Decide

Book Break Peek You begin by holding the deck in left hand dealer’s grip with a little finger break beneath the card to be peeked. The right hand comes over the top of the deck and grasps the whole deck from above, thumb at the inner left corner, second finger at the outer left corner, corner, with the left thumb underneath the deck. The cards are then pivoted to the right, using the left fingers as a hinge until u ntil the deck is face up held between the left fingers and thumb on the face and back. The action of pivoting the cards jogs the two halves in such a way that the index of the card above the break is exposed, allowing your peek. In real use you are able to cover this exposed sliver of card with the right hand, meaning the spectators simply cannot see the index from their angle. Once you have got the peek (it takes only a moment) square up the deck and table it / hand it to a spectator / proceed with your routine

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Dream a Li’l Dream

Dream a Li’l Dream Here is a very simple piece with a Card At A Number style revelation. Without a presentation it would be pretty pretty meaningless. Firstly the presentation: “Last night Sarah, I had a dream and someone remarkably like you was in it. I was entertaining at a party in a beautiful hotel and I asked you to shuffle the cards. I took them back and then asked you to call out a number from ten to twenty. What number would you say? Fifteen is what you said in the dream! I dealt down to your number and handed you the card at that number to sign. It was replaced and I shuffled. I then asked you to give the deck a few cuts. I was just about to try and find your signed card when suddenly everything started to fade away. The image of you, that beautiful hotel, everything. I then heard a ringing in my ear and woke up to the bell on my alarm clock. I slumbered out of bed and went down to the kitchen to put the kettle on. There was a deck of cards in reach. I wondered just how that dream may have turned out? Then I remembered you thought of a number. What number again? Ah yes fifteen. Just out of idle, sleepy curiosity I counted the cards to the table, just like in my dream, until I got to fifteen. When I turned it over I just couldn’t believe my eyes!” Method: Take back a shuffled deck and ask for a number from ten to twenty. In the script it was fifteen. Deal and count fourteen cards to the table and then turn over the next card. Hand it to your helper for signing. Have it dropped back on top of the cards in hand. Execute any deceptive in the hands false cut. Then pick up the tabled cards and drop on top. Execute a quick false shuffle and then hand the deck to your helper and walk and talk her through the Jay Ose false cut, from Harry Lorayne’s Close up card magic. Take back the deck and bring the trick home as per the presentation, dealing

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down to her thought of number and revealing her signed card and that sometimes dreams do come true... skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Notes: Of course far more technically difficult options could be used for this. Double lifts, switches et al. But I honestly believe the script more than carries the low-tech but deceptive method used to achieve this effect. It’s It’s designed purely for laymen, who at the end of the day are the true acid test.

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Easy Open or Closed

Easy Open Open or Closed Closed The classic open prediction plot of Paul Curry is a fascinating card problem, with so many possibilities. While the following approach doesn’t adhere totally to his original conditions, it has proven itself extremely effective for the public. It is impromptu and has no weird or difficult moves. Hand out your deck for shuffling shu ffling and upon return ribbon spread it face up across the table. As you comment on how well the spectator has shuffled, make a mental note of the card fifth from the face. Let’s say it is the Jack of Diamonds. Turn the deck face down and execute any deceptive false cut. State that you will make a prediction. But you won’t write write anything down and will make it an open prediction. prediction. Call out the Jack of Diamonds as your prediction. Commence dealing cards one at a time into a face up tabled pile. Ask your helper to use their intuitive intuitive ‘sense’ to say stop when they feel the time is just right. When they stop you point to the top face down card of the balance of the deck. Point to the face up tabled cards and state that they could have stopped sooner. sooner. Turn Turn the cards in hand face up and with the cards faces necktied slightly towards you start spreading them. Hofzinser cull the Jack of Diamonds under the spread as you lower your hands, bringing the faces into view. Only spread a few more cards as you mention that they could have stopped later. Turn the cards face down. Hold the face down deck in left hand dealing grip as your right hand comes down to the tabled face up packet and ribbon spreads it. Then deal the top card of the packet you are holding face down and slightly upjogged on top of this packet. Turn your remaining cards face up and place them onto the right end of the ribbon spread and then spread them too. Mention that your helper had complete free will to stop anywhere on impulse. Then have the face down card turned over to reveal the Jack of Diamonds and thus conclude this mystery. 45


Easy Open or Closed

Closed: Of course, you could present this piece as a closed prediction and get a particular card set secretly to fifth from the face. Have a stranger card that matches this inside a wallet or a sealed envelope and carry out exactly the same steps as above. Everything is kept secret until the end end until you reveal the card card stopped at matches your prediction in the wallet or envelope. The key with the cull is to be loose and relaxed. The presentation I’ve outlined justifies or rationalizes its use. Keep calm calm and have fun!

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Easy Open or Closed

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Finessed Hofzinser Force

Finessed Finessed Hofzinser Hofzinser Force The classical Hofzinser cull force is a thing of beauty. Fred Robinson started the ball rolling with his ultimate force. The following is a piece of finesse I’ve enjoyed using that adds a nice layer of deception. The force card starts out fifth from the top of the deck. Holding the deck in left hand dealer’s dealer’s grip, riffle down the outer left corner of the deck with the thumb and ask a spectator to say stop. When they do lift off the packet at the point stopped at with the right hand, cards held from above in overhand grip. Use the pad of the right second finger to push the top card of the lower packet forward about two inches and assemble the deck, with a card protruding. Start a hand-to-hand spread and cull the fifth card (force card) under the spread, Hofzinser style. Continue spreading until you get to the outjogged card. Take all the cards up to and including the jogged card away slightly in the right hand and tap the left long edge of this packet against the back of the left hand cards, squaring them. Momentarily place the right hand packet side jogged on top of the left hand cards, held in place by the left thumb. Bring the right hand over the upper packet from above, push the jogged card square and lift up the packet and expose the face card to your helper. helper. This must mu st be carried out smoothly. smoothly. The card has been forced and you then proceed from there.

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Free as a Bird

Free as a Bird Deddy Corbuzier’s Corbuzier’s Freewill concept is such a simple but beautiful idea. It’s It’s one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” things. Here I’ve applied it to a simple but deceptive piece using a prediction, a blackJack hand and a signed card at a number. Prepare by writing on the back of a business card: “I will get the Ace, you will get the Jack and the signed card will appear at number 11”. The Ace of Spades is marked by putting an ink dot in the bullet point of the card in the centre of a standard Bicycle deck. You You can use other areas and other brands of course. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Bring out your business card and place it prediction side down on the table. Do not call it a prediction or indeed anything. Have the deck shuffled as you mention that your favourite game is blackJack. Take back the deck and say you will take out a perfect blackJack hand. Make a mental note of the face card, say Two of Diamonds and start spreading through the deck in search of the Ace and Jack of Spades. Silently count as you spread and injog the tenth card from the face slightly. slightly. Continue spreading and take out the Ace and Jack and hand them to your helper. helper. Get a left little-finger break beneath the jogged card and double undercut to the break, sending your key card, the Two of Diamonds tenth from top. Table the deck. Ask the spectator to take the blackJack hand beneath the table or behind their back and mix the cards. Have her then deal either card face-down in front of you and the remaining card in front of her. If you see a mark on your card you know it’s the Ace, which means you will read out the prediction at the end. If I f you don’t, your spectator has the Ace and will read out the prediction a la Freewill. Pick up the deck and start a face-up hand-to-hand spread and invite your helper

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Free as a Bird

to call out any card that takes her fancy. Separate the spread at this card so it’s on the face of the left hands cards. Have her pick up a marker and reach over and sign her card. Push it to the right about an inch and recommence spreading the cards, secretly culling her signed card under the spread with a Hofzinser spread cull. As you do this you comment on all the choices she could have made. When you get to your key card, the Two of Diamonds load the signed selection next to it and square up. Their signed card is eleventh from the top. Execute a casual false shuffle and then the Jay Ose false cut from Close up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne. From a method standpoint, your job is done and its pure effect from here here on in. Table the deck face-down and focus attention on the business card that has been in full view the whole time. In this example, let’s say my face-down card is the Ace. I turn over the business card to reveal a message. Read out the first part to show you do indeed have the Ace. Read out the second part and have your helper disclose that she has the Jack. Hand the business card to her and read out the final part of the message. Then have her pick up the deck and deal and count out loud to eleven. Then have that card at that position turned over to reveal her signed card. Of course if she has the Ace after the opening mixing then she will read the entire the message out. Now go and have some fun with this!

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Free as a Bird

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Hands Off Divination

Hands Off Divination Using a wonderful ploy of Chad Long’s from his Shuffling Lesson routine, this piece is about as simple as it gets. But don’t underestimate its power. Designed purely for laymen, you will be pleasantly surprised how strong this plays. There is a three card set up on the face of the deck. On the face have the Ace of Clubs, followed by the four of Hearts and then the seven of Spades. False shuffle retaining the three card slug on the face. Then ask spectator 1 to say stop as you execute a slip shuffle, retaining the Ace on the face of the packet, which you hand to them when they stop you. Repeat this slip shuffle sequence with spectators 2 and 3, each of them getting a packet with a force card on the bottom. You are left with a few cards, which will serve as a demonstration packet. Spread your packet in the hands and invite your helpers to copy you. Then push a few cards out of the centre, strip them out and drop on top. Repeat this sequence twice more as you talk about how this randomizes the cards. Of course it serves the covert purpose of the spectators mixing their cards and yet retaining each of the three force cards on the face of each packet. Ask your helpers to take a peek of the face card of their respective packets and lock the thought of that card in their minds. Then have them cut their packets and complete the cut. Ask one of the trio to gather up all the cards, including yours and shuffle the deck. Then have them box the deck and toss it or hand it to you. “So each if you took a packet of cards and shuffled. You formed the thought of a card in your minds and then mixed the cards some more. m ore. Everything was done totally out of my control, so sleight of hand is impossible.”

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To conclude the piece I reveal or divine the cards a la the Dave Hoy tossed out deck, asking each person to sit down if I named their cards. Simple, practical and strong.

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Hof Stabber!

Hof Stabber! I’ve always loved the classic card stab effect where the deck is wrapped in a cocktail napkin and the selection is located with a pocket knife. There are some lovely solutions in print. Here’s my take on this old chestnut, where our friend the Hofzinzer spread cull once again proves its versatility. versatility. Have a card selected and signed and controlled to fifth from the top. Use whatever you are comfortable with here. I like to use a simple jog shuffle control but the options are myriad. Hand the deck to your helper and have them wrap the deck completely with the napkin in view. Be sure they tuck in the napkin under the ends of the deck and keep it face down. Hand them a pocket knife and ask them to carefully stab the blade into the wrapped deck. Take back the package and table it. Bring the hands over the package and tear away the top layer of napkin, exposing the deck and knife inside. Bring the right hand over the deck and take away all the cards above the blade of the knife. This is automatic. Place this packet into left hand dealing grip. Comment on how the spectator stabbed the deck with the cards in hand. Casually spread the packet you are holding in the hands and sight and Hofzinser cull the fifth card (selection) under the spread. As you do this ask them approximately how many cards do they think you are holding? Square up the packet, secretly sending the selection to the bottom. Slide out the bottom card and table it face down. Build up and remind your audience what has taken place, how the spectator wrapped the deck in a napkin and freely stabbed the knife into it. All that remains for you to do is to ask for the name of their selection and then dramatically turn over the card on the table to reveal that they have unerringly located their signed card.

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Homage to Bannon

Homage to Bannon In a nutshell, this is a signed card in sealed envelope. The inspiration here was John Bannon’s beautiful effect Heart of the city, city, published in Smoke and Mirrors. You will require a small pay envelope and just just a moment’s preparation. Place the three of Diamonds face-down inside the envelope and seal it. From the top of the deck down set the seven of Diamonds followed by the seven of Clubs. Bring out the envelope and toss it casually to the table. Do not n ot call it a prediction or indeed anything. Just do it. We will now force the seven of Diamonds using Bannon’s Bannon’s Christ Cross force, from his book High Calibre. It’s It’s essentially an in the hands handling of Max Holden’s Holden’s classic cross-cut card force. Hold the deck face-down in left hand dealer’s grip and riffle down the outer left corner with the thumb, asking your helper to say stop. When stopped swing cut the upper packet into the left hand and then tap the left long edge of the right hand packet against the back of the left hand packet. Place the right r ight hands cards side jogged on top of the remaining cards. The right hand gestures to a Sharpie on the table and you ask them to pick it up and uncap it. This provides sufficient time misdirection for John’s force to be most deceptive. Lift off the upper jogged packet from above in the right hand and push off and hand the top card (7d) of the left hand packet to your helper for signing. Get them to write the time down too. Assemble the deck, getting a left little-finger break above the seven of Clubs. Dribble the cards to your break and extend the left hand and have the signed card placed on top of its packet. Assemble the deck, keeping a little-finger break above the signed selection. Take back the Sharpie and put it away. “A playing card is made up of two main components. A suit and a value. Gary, just think about the suit of your card.”

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Homage to Bannon

Cut off half the cards above your break to the table, then cut to your break and drop them on top. Take the top card of the left hands stock and place it face-down to the left of the sealed envelope. Drop the remaining cards on top of the tabled cards and pick up the deck. “Now think about the value of your card.” Execute any deceptive false cut and deal off the top card and place it to the right of the envelope. Hand the deck to your spectator. “Inside that envelope that’s been here the whole time is a message, cleverly disguised as a playing card. First let’s let’s look at the two cards I cut to. This card tells me your card is a seven and this card tells me your card is a Diamond, yes? And finally the card in the envelope tells me something very personal. How you sign your name!” skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Suiting actions to words, open the envelope and take out the card and place it between the other two cards. Set the envelope aside. To complete the mystery we will use Brother John Hamman’s sandwich switch from his seminal routine, the signed card. Pick up the two outer cards and hold one in each hand. Bring both hands together and scoop up the card in the centre, the right hand card going beneath it and the left hand card above. Push the packet square at the fingertips. Without stalling slide out the lower card and flip it face-up and place it on top, showing a black seven. Immediately slide out the new bottom card, flip it face-up and slide it beneath the packet, showing a Diamond card. There must be absolutely no hesitation with w ith this displacement sequence. To conclude the effect remove the face-down card and turn it face-up to reveal their signed selection.

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Homage to Bannon

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Homage to Fechter

Homage to to Fechter Fechter Eddie Fechter was a true master of his craft and all of his card material was aimed primarily to dazzle the laymen at his bar at the Forks Hotel. His book written by Jerry Mentzer is chock full of gold. One of my personal favourites from the book is Mr Fechter’s Fechter’s That’s It! Essentially an approach to Charlie Millers classic Dunbury Delusion, D elusion, the running line of That’s That’s It!, the interaction and the knockout finish make the routine an absolute gem. The following approach works away from the deck and is simply my preferred way of doing the effect. Hand out the deck for shuffling and then ask your helper to deal five cards into a tabled packet and then set the deck down. Pick up the packet and start transferring cards one at a time from top to bottom and ask the spectator to say stop. When stopped raise the face of the packet towards them and ask them to remember the face card. Let’s Let’s say it’s the Three of Clubs. Lower the packet and run off three cards in an overhand shuffle and throw the remaining cards on top. Then run two cards and shuffle off. This simple mix positions the selection second from the bottom efficiently. efficiently. Mention you will try and discern the spectator’s spectator’s selection by the inflection in their voice. Tell them you will show them the face of each card and they are simply to call out that’s that’s it, regardless of whether it is their card or not. Turn over the top card and call it out. Let your helper call out “That’s “That’s It!” and then turn the card face-down and discard it in top of the deck. Execute a block push off and triple turnover turn over,, showing the selection. Once your helper has called out that’s that’s it, repeat the block push off and turn the triplet face-down and discard what they think is their selection on top of the deck and cut the deck and complete the cut. This is a very strong moment in the effect.

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Homage to Fechter

Mention that you didn’t get any clues or tells from the first two cards, but believe it has to be one of the remaining three cards. Turn Turn the top card of the packet faceup, showing an x card. The spectator calls out that’s that’s it and after pausing you state that’s not their card either. Discard it on the deck. Deal the remaining two cards in a row on the table. The selection is on the left. Continue to act confident, even though your spectators will believe you’ve screwed up! Pick up the card on the right and display its face, calling out the card. One last time the spectator calls out That’s It. A moment later discard this card on the deck and ask your helper to put their finger on top of the remaining card. Then ask them to call out the name of their card. They will say Three of Clubs. Look shocked and then look over to the deck. This is a beautiful moment. Act it out. To To finish the effect ask the spectator to turn tur n over the card under their finger to reveal the selection. “That’s it!!!”

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Homage to Fechter

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Homage To Vernon

Homage To Vernon Here is my handling of Dai Vernon’s Two Thirteen trick from the Ver Vern non Chr Chronicles les volu olume one one. I wanted an app approach ach with as little extraneous handling as possible. Take out the Ace, two and three of Diamonds and deal them into a face-up row on the table, Ace on your left, two in the middle and three on your right. Have the deck shuffled and upon return have a card freely selected and when it is returned control it to the top via a favourite method. Have your helper turn the three tabled cards face down. “Gary, life is all about decisions. One decision can affect another decision. You have a very simple decision today. today. Simply call out Ace, two or three.” Let’s say your spectator says the three. Pick the three up and hold it face-down at the right fingertips. Use this card to flip the two of Diamonds face-up. Mention they could have said this card. Both hands approach each other and you execute a top change, secretly exchanging the card in hand for their selected card. With absolutely no hesitation the left hand moves towards the remaining Ace of Diamonds and turns it face-up. Drop the switched in selection face-down on top of this card and then pick up the two of Diamonds and drop it face-up on top of all, forming a sandwich. Casually set the deck aside. Ask your helper to cover the sandwich with either hand. Make the moment and then have them lift their hand and turn over the face-down card in the sandwich, to reveal the transformation into their selection. What’s nice here is that the handling is the same, whichever of the three tabled cards is nominated.

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The In Transit Force

The In Transit Force Here is a nice card force that requires requires motivation. It is also a good example of an in transit action as Ascanio would have said. Your force card is on top. False shuffle retaining it there. Hand to hand spread for a spectator to touch any card. Once they do so, separate both hands with loosely squared packets in each hand. Push off the top card of the left hand packet and say you will put it under the card box. As both hands are full you apparently take the card on top of the right hand packet so the left hand can pick up the card box. In reality you pull the card back square on top of the left hand packet, just like a false count. Without hesitation the left hand reaches down to the table and picks up the box. Deal off the force card from the right hand packet and then drop the box on top as an in transit action. As I said said at the outset, this force requires a motivation. I use it for some prediction prediction effects where a card is put sight-unseen on the table.

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It’s It’s all in the cards...

It’s all in the cards... “Playing cards are not only used by magicians and gamblers. For generations they have been used by gypsies, fortune-tellers and psychics to tell the past, the present and the future. Imagine these cards are fifty-two pages all about you Mick. Please shuffle them as I want your personality to rub off on them. Now as I flick through the cards slowly, slowly, just call out stop. This card will w ill represent you. Now I need something personal from you. No not your pin code Mick! Your signature please. please. Reach over and sign your card. Lets, give the cards a shuffle and would you take them and give them a few cuts. That’s perfect. Will you cut the deck into two halves? Now you have to make a decision, based purely on your impulse or gut instinct. Pick up either packet. And we will set the rest aside. Spread your cards in your hands. Now push some out of the middle and put them on top. Do that again and again once more, mixing your cards while totally under your control. Cut away a chunk and set them aside. Now they say that three is a magic number Mick. Deal a card down, then one next to it and then one more next to that. Continue dealing the cards into three piles, just as if you were playing some crazy game of cards with friends. So from a deck of cards mixed thoroughly by you, we will use the top card of each packet and see what Lady Luck has dealt us. Remember at the start I told you about the cards being used by fortune-tellers? Well Well this card represents your past. It tells me you’ve had a very interesting past, full of mostly highs with occasional difficult times, like all of us. This next card represents the present. Ah, this one tells me you are at a good moment in your life, both personally and professionally. professionally. Now finally there’s just the future to deal with Mick. To be honest, I don’t tend to dabble in the future. But maybe, just maybe this remaining card will tell me something very personal about you. Ah, indeed it does, Mick. It tells me how you sign your name!” The public, especially ladies, are fascinated by Horoscopes, palm reading and 73



other items dealing with the telling of fortunes. This piece, inspired by my dear friend, Andrew Gerard’s effect Finding Yourself, published in Crafted with Carey, is essentially presentational smoke thrown around the discovery of a signed card. The fact that it is almost self working wor king and pretty much hands off after a selection is made gives one freedom to really sell the conditions and apparent fairness of it all. From a spectator shuffled deck riffle down the outer corner of the deck and ask a helper to say stop. Lift off the cards at the point stopped at and raise the right hand to show the face of the selection to the audience. Have your spectator pick up a marker from the table and reach over and sign their card. A moment or two later bring both hands together and secure a left little-finger break beneath the selection as you square up. Take back the marker with your right hand and place it away. Then cut off all the cards above your break to the table, followed by cutting small packets and dropping them on top until the deck is exhausted. The selection is efficiently controlled to the bottom of the deck. Slip shuffle, retaining the signed selection on the bottom. Hand your helper the deck and have them perform the Jay Ose false cut from Lorayne’s Lorayne’s Close Up Card Magic on themselves: Have them cut off about a third of the deck and table it. Then ask them to cut off another third and table it to the right of the first packet. Finally get them to place the remaining packet furthest to their right. A few moments later have them gather up the packets from left to right. The signed selection is still on the bottom but the conviction of fairness is pretty strong. Reach over the deck and cut it into two halves. Have the spectator pick up either packet. If they pick up the target packet you casually set aside the remaining packet. However if they pick up the X packet first casually ask them to set it aside without any fuss. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Now for a delightful (and very sneaky) Chad Long ruse: Ask them to spread the packet they are holding in their hands and push out a bunch of cards from the middle. Request they put that bunch on top. Get them to repeat the above actions twice more, covertly keeping their signed selection on the bottom. Direct your spectator to cut away a chunk of cards and discard them. Then talk about how the number three is a magic number. We will now use a beautiful placement force of Al Leech to get ready for the fortune-telling phase prior to the 74



finale of the effect. Ask your helper to deal a face-down row of three cards and then continue dealing back and forth until all the cards have been dealt. Make a mental note where the last signed card is dealt. To finish the effect pick up the top card of either of the X packets and give a friendly ‘reading’ of this card to represent the past. Then pick up the top card of the other X packet and turn this card over and make comments about their present. Finally pick up the top card of the remaining packet, look at it and pause. Then smile as you reveal the future and how they sign their name! Kudos to Gary Kurtz for that tag line. There you have it. A presentational piece with the public in mind. No weird moves or extraneous actions and a hook that should keep them interested.

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Just Say When

Just Say When The Stop trick is a classic of card magic. There are literally hundreds of methods for this plot in print. Some are exceptional. My approach to the effect is a somewhat unusual application of a superb Brother John Hamman idea. It’s simple, impromptu and ve very dire irect. From a shuffled deck in use have a card freely selected, say Five of Hearts and have it signed. Swing cut the deck and have it returned. Secure a left little-finger break above it as the deck is assembled. “This experiment is not n ot about me, but all about you Jack. You You see, as you’ve signed a card, that gives it significance to you. I will endeavour to locate your card, but I think I will need some help.” After the the above monologue cut about half half the cards above your break to the table. Then cut to the break and drop that packet on top. Deal off the top card of the remaining cards face-down to your left and drop the other cards on top of the tabled cards and pick them up. Carry out the same triple cut as above once more; this time of course it’s a fair cut and no breaks. Deal off another card face-down to your right. Hand the deck to your helper and have him start dealing cards one at a time into a face-down pile until he gets some kind of intuitive sense to stop. When he does, have him place the next card face-down between the two tabled cards you cut to. The deck is set aside. “Jack, let’s let’s see how I did. A seven of Clubs and a Queen of Hearts (or whatever). Not even close! But you remember what I said at the start about this not being about me and being all about you? You You see sir, you are just doing what everybody else in the world is trying to do and find themselves!!!” The card they stopped at is turned over and revealed to be their signed selection.

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Just Say When

As the above closing spiel is said you will execute Brother Hamman’s sandwich switch, from his routine The Signed Card. Pick up the face-down selection on your left and hold it at the left fingertips. Pick up the right hand card and hold it facedown at the fingertips too. Bring both hands h ands towards the card your helper stopped at and scoop it up between your two cards, so that your left hand card goes on top. Immediately, Immediately, without any stalling slide out the bottom card of the packet and turn it face-up and place it on top of the packet, showing an x card. Smoothly continue by sliding out the bottom card and flipping that card face-up, showing another x card. Place it face-up beneath the packet and drop the sandwich onto the table, showing one face-down card between two x cards. Remove the x cards and discard them. Focus full attention on the card they supposedly stopped at and bring the trick home revealing their signed card.

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Lazy Man’s Mystery

Lazy Man’s Man’s Mystery Mystery For more years than I can remember, remember, I’ve always loved loved performing C.O Williams Lazy Man’s Card to Pocket, from The Encyclopaedia of Card Tricks. Recently, it dawned on me that it makes a pretty nice mystery card too. The Jokers start out on top of the deck. Mention that you will place three mystery cards onto the table. Push off the top 3 cards of the deck and supposedly table all of them. In reality steal back the third card and table just two cards. Hand out the deck for mixing and, upon return, ask your helper to call out any number from five to ten inclusive. Let’s say they call out seven. False count five cards as six into your right hand and table this packet. Push off the top card of the deck and hand it to your helper to look at and then sign. Have them drop it back on top of the deck and then pick up the tabled packet and drop it on top of all. Ask your helper to hold out a palm-up hand and then place place the deck onto it. Make your mystical motions over the deck and ask the spectator to begin dealing and counting to their thought of number. Stop them when, in this example they get to six. Then ask them to turn over the seventh card, where they will see that their signed card has vanished. As they do this you have perfect shade to top palm their card into full right hand palm. Table the packet and then let the right hand descend over the mystery cards and add on the palmed card as you scoop them up off the table and drop them into your left hand. “These three cards were placed on the table before we started. Let me show you two of them. A Joker, Joker, a face-down card of mystery and another Joker. Joker. Jack, they do say that you cannot be in two places at the same time. But maybe, just maybe, you can!”

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Suiting actions to words, execute a stud bottom deal, dealing a face-up Joker onto the table. Then deal the next card face-down on top of it, followed by dealing the remaining Joker face-up on top of those, forming a sandwich. Then build it up and bring it home, extracting the face-down card from between the Jokers and revealing that inexplicably it is their signed card :-)

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Lies All the Way

Lies All the Way This piece was inspired by David Williamson’s fantastic Liars Poker on his Magic Farm DVD. I wanted something within my skill set that featured the multiple changes of cards under spectator’s hands. There is a simple three card set-up on top of the deck: Ace of Clubs, followed by the Four of Hearts and then the Seven of Spades third from the top. False shuffle retaining this set up on top and then swing cut about half the deck into the left hand and as you complete the cut, get a left little-finger break above your force cards. Drop the left hand casually to the side as you introduce the effect and the premise of lies and tells and all that jazz. Dribble force to your break and hand the Ace to a spectator on your left, the four to someone on their right and finally the seven to someone even further to the right. Discard the deck. Invite each person to peek at his or her cards and remember them. Then have one of the group gather up all three cards and mix them as you look away. Turn back around and take back the cards as you urge your helpers to form an image of their cards in their minds. With the faces towards you, feign concentration as you try to pick up on any tells the people may be exhibiting. Casually rearrange the cards into their original A, 4,7 order from the top if they are not already in that order. order. “They say the inflections in people’s voices can often give their true thoughts away. I will show and call out each of the cards to you guys. When I ask you if this is your card, just say yes. I will try to discern who is telling the truth and who

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is lying.” Suiting actions to words, execute a double turnover, showing the four of Hearts. Ask each person individually if that is their card? card? They are all all to say say yes of course. Pause a beat and then turn the double card back down and put the switched in Ace of Clubs under the first spectator’s spectator’s hand. Hold the packet face-down at the right long edge and execute a fingertip flushtration count, raising the face towards the other two people, showing the seven of Spades and then turning the hand palm up and dragging off the top card into the left hand. Ask each person the question and they both are to say yes like before. After a bit of deliberation put the switched in four of Hearts under the second helper’s hand. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Tilt the face of the final card towards you and very casually miscall it as the Ace of Clubs and get your third spectator to cover it with a hand. Act very confident about your decisions and then ask each person if you got their card right? It’s a very funny moment when they all say no! n o! “Ah, so much for inflections, let’s use magic.” Make a magical gesture over their hands and have each person in turn call their selections out. Then, one by one, have each card turned over to conclude with a pretty strong triple change into their chosen cards. Kudos to Mr Williamson for the inspiration.

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Lies Damn Lies!

Lies Damn Lies! The lie detector plot is deservedly considered a classic of close up card magic, and there are some truly superb versions in print. What makes the effect so strong are the choices the spectator gets to make and the ensuing entertainment value the effect can generate. What I offer here makes an ideal opener. It makes wonderful use of what’s become known as the Matsuyama Petal force, which with playing cards is a way of forcing one of two words. My friend John Bannon uses it in an effect called Petal to the Metal in his book Destination Zero. The actual force was published with applications by Steve Beam in Semi Automatic card tricks, volume 4. Set the Jack of Clubs, Hearts and Spades at positions 1,6 and 11 from the top of the deck. Place the Jack of Diamonds on the face of the deck and you are good to go. “I’m sure most of you here have heard all about the polygraph machine or lie detector. It’s used by law enforcement agencies around the world to determine whether a suspect is lying or telling the truth. It’s a highly sophisticated, very expensive piece of equipment. But: did you know that a deck of cards can be used as a lie detector? Much less expensive, can be carried in your pocket and usually gives remarkably good results. Let’s put it to the test with you today Raj!” Remove the deck and false shuffle retaining your set up. Push off a packet of five cards from the top and table them. Then push off five more and table them to the right of the first packet. Finally push off another five cards and table them furthest to the right of the row, forming three packets, each with a Jack on top. This is done as you make your opening commentary. Swing cut a few small packets into your left hand, leaving about a dozen cards 89


Lies Damn Lies!

in your right hand. Place this packet (with the Jack of Diamonds on the bottom) on top of the packet in your left hand, securing a little-finger break beneath it. Execute a dribble force to your break as you say you want Raj to put the thought of a card in his mind. Raise the upper packet and show him the force card. Assemble the deck, keeping a little-finger break beneath the selection. Pause a beat as you ask him to lock the image of that card in his mind, then casually double undercut the forced selection to the bottom and execute a slip shuffle retaining it there. Table the deck and ask your helper to cut off a fair sized packet. You then pick up the remainder and place them on top, but offset at an angle, setting up Max Holden’s classic cross-cut card force. “So, Raj, you are thinking of a card. These three small packets of cards on the table are our lie detector. detector. I will simply ask you three questions and you may lie or tell the truth.” Ask the spectator if his card is red or black? Whatever his answer, answer, pick up the packet on the left in readiness for the Matsuyama Petal force: Deal the top card to the table as you say “black” (opposite colour of force card) and then place the next card underneath the packet as you call out “red”. Repeat this deal and duck procedure with the remaining cards of the packet as you call out black, red, black, red and drop the final card on top. The last colour you call will, by nature of the maths of the deal, be the colour of their card (in this case red). Explain that this technique shows the true colour and, depending on his answer, answer, comment on how the lie detector tells us he is either lying or telling the truth. Pick up the next packet of the row and repeat exactly the above process after asking him whether he is thinking of a Heart or a Diamond? Be sure to call out the opposite suit to the Diamond as you deal the first card and continue the duck and Deal. Have some fun with the results here. Pick up the remaining packet and ask your helper whether he is thinking of a number card or a picture card? He can again be truthful or Lie. Carry out the petal force as before, dealing the top card to the table as you call out number, then ducking the next card underneath as you call out picture. Continue and drop the last card on top, successfully forcing the word picture.

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Lies Damn Lies!

“Well we’ve had some fun there with your answers, Raj! You were truthful only once but the lie detector found you out. For the first time, tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! What card are you thinking of?” After he says Jack of Diamonds, slowly reach over to the remainder of the deck and slowly lift off the upper offset packet from above with the right hand. Slide out the bottom card and place it on his hand. A moment later have him turn it over to reveal his ‘thought of card’. To finish the piece, slowly turn over the three ‘lie detector’ packets to disclose the other Jacks and bring the trick home.

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My Cards Are Your Cards!

My Cards Are Yo Your Cards! The Last Trick Trick of Doctor Jacob Daley, Daley, published in the Dai Vernon Book of Magic, is quite rightly considered a classic of card magic. The effect, one of transposition between the red and the black Ac Aces, es, is is a crowd owd ple plea aser. Ma Many no notable wo worke rkers hav have e pu publis lished ve version ions. Th The fol folllowi owing is is si simply a pe person sonalised sed pr presen sentation in an attempt to amplify the effect for the people. Firstly my presentation: “You know, 52 cards is sometimes a lot to focus on Shannon. So in an attempt to make everything crystal clear, I will remove just 4 cards from the deck. These 2 go onto the table. I’ll even show you the others, the red Aces. Here, take them and mix them up. Do you remember playing guessing games as a child? Great fun wasn’t it? Just make a guess and tell me what you think this card is. The Ace of Hearts it is! Now if these are the red Aces, the cards on the table are? That’s right, the black Aces. This Ace of Spades is said by some to to have mystical properties. properties. Hold out your hand and we’ll leave you holding the Ace of Clubs. I’ll take the Ace of Spades and place it under the red Aces. But imagine we could go back in time and the Spade is back on top! Please hold it. In fact cover both cards between your palms and I will hold the red Aces. Let’s take this a step further, Shannon. I will attempt to make my red Aces disappear. disappear. Sometimes if mine disappear, disappear, then so do the others. Did you feel yours

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disappear? Me neither. But I really want to give you the power sir. Please shake my hand. This is of course a standard social greeting exchange. But it can sometimes exchange other things... Have a look at your cards now? Because my cards are now yours and your cards are mine!” Method: Remove the Aces and set them in Club, Spade, red Aces order from the top down. Set the black Aces face-down onto the table without disturbing their order. Show the faces of the red Aces to your helper and invite them to mix them. Take them back and take either Ace and ask them to guess or intuit which Ace it is? Flip it face-up on top of the other red Ace and comment on how they did, regardless whether they were right or wrong. This provides enough time misdirection for the upcoming John Bannon switch to work. It was published in a routine called amongst the discards in Josh Jay’s talk about tricks column in Magic magazine. Ask your helper what the 2 cards on the table should be based on assumption? Drop the cards in hand on top of the tabled packet, pick it up and turn it over bringing the Ace of Spades into view. Comment on how this card is said by some to have mystical properties. Push it off into the right hand, bringing the Ace of Clubs into view. Execute a double push off and turnover and place the switched in red Ace onto their hand. Flip the Ace of Spades face-down and execute a two-card push off, taking a double card and place it beneath the other card. Make the moment and then double turnover again to show the Spade back on top. Allow this moment to register and then flip the double card face-down and deal the switched in red Ace on top of the card in their hand. Both of you cover your cards between the palms as you segue into the attempt to vanish the cards gambit. Nothing happens... Then extend a hand and shake their hand as you say you will attempt to exchange ‘the power’. I first saw Larry Jennings use this brilliant idea in an effect called handshake transposition, on a video he shot for Dominique Duvivier. Duvivier.

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To conclude the piece have your spectator turn over his cards to reveal a magical exchange has indeed taken place. He has your red Aces and you have his black!

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No Further Than That!

No Further Further Than That! That! I’ve always loved the undercount of Martin Gardner’s that Paul Harris used so brilliantly in his Las Vegas Leaper cards across routine in Las Vegas Close up. Indeed, in Crafted with Carey I applied it to a hands-off ambitious card effect. For the following application set the four Queens on top of the deck, Queen of Diamonds uppermost. False shuffle retaining your set up and casually cut the deck, securing a left little-finger break above the Queens. Engage in some meaningful conversation and then ask someone to help you. Transfer the deck and the break to the right hand, securing a thumb break. Dribble force to your break and ask the person to take a peek at their card. This will be the Queen of Diamonds. Assemble the deck getting a little-finger break above your force card. A few moments m oments later cut half the cards above your break to the table. Then cut to your break and drop them on top of the first packet. Finish by dropping the remaining cards on top of all and square up. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle, keeping the Queens on top. I believe the cut control belongs to Ron Bauer. With any control like this, the pause is essential. Now we will throw some smoke around the room with some presentation about how the inflections in the voice can often give clues about people’s thoughts. State you will remove a small group of cards from the deck for a little test. Start spreading the cards and slightly injog the fourth card from the top. Continue spreading and upjog about eight or nine cards from random locations. Secure a little-finger break beneath the jogged card and with the right hand swivel out the upjogged cards. Flip them face-up on top of the deck and with no hesitation take all the cards above your break from above with the right hand and table the balance of the deck. This of course secretly steals the Queens beneath the faceup packet. Ask your helper to take the packet as as if they were going to deal a round of poker poker.. 97



State that you will ask them to call out the cards and at the same time think about their selection. Suggest the inflections in their voice may give you some clues. So have them call out the face card of their packet, push it off, turn it face-down and place it under the packet. Have them do this multiple times, calling out the cards until a face-down card appears. This is the brilliant hands off ruse of Gardner, which covertly hides the Queens and sets up the finale. Casually ask your spectator to drop the packet on top of the deck and to cover it with either hand. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] “Tom, “Tom, you didn’t really give anything away their with your voice. I genuinely don’t know whether you saw your card or not. I think I will have to try and read your mind. Keep thinking about your card and call it out ou t mentally over and over again. Yes that’s it. The Queen of Diamonds, the Queen of Diamonds, the Queen of Diamonds yes? Excellent. Most magicians would end right there, but I want to go further than that. I could try and make your card appear in the box. Or maybe my pocket. But how about somewhere impossible, like under your hand? Turn over the top card. Amazing! But you see cards are like people and love the company of their friends. And so the next card is a Queen and the next and also the one after and I can’t go any further than that!” So in the above exchange you will firstly do the divination of Senator Crandall. Get a reaction and then have them lift their hand and reveal that their card has appeared beneath it. The other three Queens are then revealed to add the icing to the cake. Credit to Stewart James for the further than that presentational premise.

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One,Two,Three!

One,Two,Three! This piece was inspired by an effect of Larry Jennings called Triple Discovery, published in his book the Classic Magic of Larry Jennings. There was quite a bit of ‘top of the deck action’ in Larry’s Larry’s handling. I wanted something a little more streamlined. Take out and show the two Jokers and table them face down. Ask three spectators to help you. Hand to hand spread and ask the first person to say stop somewhere near the top. Bring the hands apart at the point stopped at and push over the card stopped at. Raise the left hand to show them their selection, say Ace of Clubs. Lower the left hand and as you bring the two hands together Hofzinser cull their selection under the spread (Hofzinser spread explained on page 103). Ask spectator two to say stop around the middle. Repeat the above display, display, showing them their card, say four of Hearts and once again cull their selection under the spread as you address your third helper. They are asked to say stop a bit further down. Show their card to them, say seven of Spades and once more cull their selection. Square up the deck sending the three selections to the bottom in 3,2,1 order from the face. Secure a left little-finger break above the bottom card and then reverse double undercut it to the top. Dribble the deck and get a little-finger break beneath the top card. Pick up the Jokers and flip them face-up on top of the deck. The right hand immediately picks up all three cards below the break from above and the left thumb peels off the first Joker on top of the deck. Place the remaining two cards as one on top of all. This of course is the standard sandwich load of Edward Marlo. Secure a little-finger break above the two bottom cards of the deck via a pinky

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One,Two,Three!

pull down. Make ‘the moment’ over the deck and then spread and take off the top three cards, revealing a face-down card trapped in between the Jokers. Upjog this card and allow it to slide out onto the table in front of spectator three. Get her to name her card and have her turn it over to disclose her selection. As she does this it creates excellent shade to bring the Jokers over the deck, flip them face-down and come away in the left hand with the two cards you have a break above at the bottom. This is a version of the jinx switch, again by Marlo I believe. Table the deck and then take the face-up selection and insert it between the supposed face-down Jokers. Ask spectator two to extend a palm up hand. Place the packet on their hand and then get spectator one to put their hand on top, trapping the packet. Make a magical gesture over the tabled deck and then over your helper’s hands. Retrieve the packet they are holding and spread it. Look a bit nonplussed and then ask for the name of the two remaining selections. Slowly turn over the two faces down cards to reveal the transformation of the Jokers into their cards and take a bow!

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One,Two,Three!

Hofzinser Spread Cull The Hofzinser Spread Cull / Control first appeared in Hofzinser’s effect ‘Synonymous Thoughts’ in the April edition of The Sphinx in 1922. It’s It’s a powerful and organic way to control a selected card card to the bottom of the pack with the action of spreading the cards. The cards are spread from left to right and a card may be touched or chosen with the spread broken leaving that card on top of the left half of the spread. The two hands come back together, reforming the spread - the left thumb contacts the back of the bottom card of the right hand spread (the one now immediately above the chosen card) and pushes it to the left of the chosen card, which is held in place by the right hand fingers below the spread. This creates a ‘lip’ above the chosen card, which is now held on the bottom of the right hand half of the spread. The spread is then expanded a little and the left half of the spread slips under this ‘lip’, above the chosen card. The spread is then closed and the chosen card goes directly to the bottom of the pack.

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Open All Day!

Open All Day! The open prediction is a truly fascinating card problem. The following hands off self-working version does not adhere to the stringent conditions of Paul Curry’s original problem posed but the trade off is pretty strong in my opinion. Hand out the deck for shuffling and upon return spread through the deck and take out the Jokers and set them aside. Use this time-honoured ruse to secretly note the card sixth from the top. Let’s say for the purposes of this description it is the King of Clubs. Casually false cut the deck. Hand the spectator the deck and state you will make an open prediction. Call out the King of Clubs. Ask them to deal a card face-up to the table, followed by another then one more. Have them deal two more and then casually get them to deal the next card (KC) face-down for ‘luck’. Request they continue dealing faceup onto the tabled pile and deal another card face-down on impulse. Once again get them to continue dealing face-up cards and deal another face-down card. Have them repeat this one more time, so that four face-down cards have been dealt. Ask your spectator to turn their remaining cards face-up and drop them on top of everything. Time misdirection will now be your friend. Comment on how you made an open prediction at the beginning and that they shuffled the deck. They dealt cards faceup and at four different points they randomly dealt face-down cards. Most of that is true! Be bold ;-) Spread the face-up deck and slide out the four face-down cards. Table Table them and mix them around, tracking where your target card is. Now use a simple, standard equivoque or magician’s choice to force the target card, the King of Clubs. I simply ask them to push two cards towards me. If both are x cards I place them aside and ask them to hand me one of the remaining two cards. If that’s that’s an x card

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Open All Day!

I discard it casually with the others and bring the trick home. However, However, if they push the target card and an x card towards you, discard the other two cards and have them hand you one of their two choices. If it’s it’s an x card then casually discard that. But of course, if it’s the target card, you push the remaining card aside without fuss and not mentioning the dreaded death words eliminate or get rid off! Either which way, you remind the audience of your open prediction and successfully conclude the mystery. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected]

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Open All Day!

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Sense

Sense In John Bannon’s latest book Destination Zero is a beautiful hands off card at a number presentation called The ThirtySecond Sense. I loved the effect but wanted an approach where my spectator didn’t have too much procedure to carry out or remember. Luckily, Gene Finnell’s wonderful free-cut principle achieves this objective in a very expedient fashion. Requirements: A 51 card deck and a small change purse contains mixed coinage totalling 34 pence or 34 of whatever currency you use. Bring out the purse and casually table it. State that you will get a few people involved in the proceedings. Hand out three packets of cards, each containing seventeen cards to three spectators. The Elmsley technique of pushing off and silently counting in groups of three is the most efficient way of doing this. Request the cards to be well mixed and have each packet tabled, forming a row of three packets. Ask one of the group to pick up any packet and lift away a portion, look at the face card, say 5 of Clubs and drop that packet on top of either of the two tabled packets. Get them to drop the other tabled packet on top. Finally have them mix the remaining cards they are holding and drop them on top of everything and square up. Walk and talk them through the Jay Ose false cut from Lorayne’s Lorayne’s Close Up Card magic and you are in a very strong position. Their thought of card is automatically thirty-fourth from the top, thanks to the ingenious free-cut principle. Mention you will make a wager with your helper. Pick up the change purse and open it. Take Take out all of the coins except for a 5 pence piece and toss them to the table. Close the purse and throw aside, as if unimportant. Have your spectator pick up the deck in readiness for dealing. Pick up one of the

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tabled coins and call out its value. Have your helper deal and count that amount into a face-down pile. Repeat the above sequence with each of the remaining coins, your helper dealing on top of the previous cards, forming a packet of twenty-nine cards. Act confidently and ask them to turn over the top card of the tabled packet. It will not be their mental selection... Look crestfallen as if the whole thing has gone wrong and say to the spectator that he wins the money and the purse! This should get a laugh. Pick up the purse and open it. Then act surprised and ‘notice’ there is a coin left inside, a 5 pence piece. Show this situation and remove the coin. “My bad, please count 5 more cards.” He does and calls out the name of his thought of card. The last card dealt is turned over to reveal his card and everybody goes home happy. happy. Kudos to Mr Bannon and Finnell.

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Sleightless Cull

Sleightless Cull The following sleightless cull of, say, the Aces was inspired by a John Bannon cull in Dear Mr. Fantasy. John used a couple of indifferent cards as cover cards while culling the aces under the guise of trying to find a selection. Have the spectator shuffle the deck and take it back, holding the deck face up in left hand dealers grip. “Did you know there are some people who can spread through a shuffled deck and remember it in under 30 seconds?” As you say this, spread the deck deck and sight the first ace. ace. Get a left little finger break break beneath it and square up. “But I’m not one of them!!!” As you say this, cut to your break and complete the cut, sending the ace to the rear (top) of the deck. “Even if I went through the cards and tried to remember three cards, like this three of Clubs, the seven of Diamonds and the Jack of Hearts, I would still have trouble, so let’s try something else!” As you say the above (and trying to keep a straight face) simply spread through the cards with the faces towards you and upjog each of the remaining aces, calling out three random indifferent cards. Strip them out and place them under the deck. Execute an in-the-hands riffle-shuffle retaining the aces and you have culled the aces to the top, with no moves, just bluff and attitude. The presentation really is everything here. Segue into something unrelated to the aces before taking advantage of the bluff cull.

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Slow Motion Triumph

Slow Motion Triumph Here is a fun, progressive approach to the Triumph plot I think yo you will ill enjoy using. It’s a small packe cket app approach ach where the magic gic builds quite nicely. Take out eight cards from the deck and discard the rest. Have a card selected and upon return control it fourth from top. I simply spread off three cards and extend my left hand and have the card replaced. The three card spread in the right hand is dropped on top. Execute an optical shuffle or any other false mix you know. State that you will create chaos with the cards. Spread off the top four cards of the packet into the right hand. Turn Turn the left hands remaining four cards face-up. Deal off a face-down card to the table and then deal a face-up card on top. Continue this face down/face-up mix until u ntil the packet is exhausted. Pick up the packet and spread it as you comment on how the cards are alternating face-up and face down. As you do this Hofzinser cull the fourth card from top under the spread and send it to the bottom as you square up. State that you will try and straighten out the mess in slow motion. Spread the cards again and take the top four cards into the right hand and come away with them slightly in a spread condition. Comment on how there are now two face-up cards together. together. Bring the hands together and cull the fifth card from top under the spread and continue spreading until you get to the lowermost two cards. Come away with them in the left hand to show two face-down cards are now together. Place these back underneath the packet and square up, secretly allowing the culled card to slide to the bottom. Make the moment and spread the cards once more. This time take the lowermost three cards away in the left hand to show three face-down cards together. Then

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bring the hands together to show three face-up cards have converged. As you square up the packet secure a little-finger break under the top two cards. Snap your fingers and then execute a double push off, taking two cards as one into the right hand. Then deal the next three face-up cards on top. Bring both hands away from each other for a moment as you comment on how the face-up cards have now magically separated from the face-down cards. Place the right hands cards on top of the lefts, securing a little-finger break between them. Execute a Christ twist or a standard half pass and a beat later make a one handed fan. This will show all the cards now facing up except for one stranger in the crowd. Take the face-down card out and dramatically turn it face-up to reveal the selected card.

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The Stepping Stone Force

The Stepping Stone Force Here’s a utility force applicable to myriad objects. It’s purely a timing and attitude thing. I will describe it as a card force, but yo you can prett etty much use an any obje objec cts, ex except for te telev levisions ons and elephants! Let’s Let’s say your force card is the ten of Clubs. It I t starts out on top. Riffle shuffle the deck retaining it there. Then execute a series of swing cuts, sending the force card about two thirds of the way down. Keep a left little-finger break above it. Cut off two packets and place them side-by-side. Then cut to your break and put a third packet down to the right of the first two packets. Continue by cutting and dropping off another packet (force card on top) placing at the right end of the row. Drop the remaining packet to the right of all. “Cameron, as I pick up packets from the table, just say stop!” As you start the above sentence sentence pick pick up the packets packets from from above in the right hand, starting with the far left packet. Then drop the second packet on top and proceed to the third packet. It’s purely purely a timing thing. They will either stop you as you pick up the third packet, but in most circumstances the fourth packet. Psychologically this is strong because they see you are running out of cards. If they stop you on the third packet have them peek the top card of the fourth packet, which will be of course your force card. However if they stop you on the fourth packet, drop it on top of the cards in hand, give them to your helper and have him peek the top card. Either way your you r work is done and the card has been forced.

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Notes: this has not happened to me yet but if you have to pick up the last packet of the row simply hand it to them, have them mix it and peek at the bottom card. Then get them to drop it on the balance of the deck. It will now go next to your target card, which will now double up as a key card. Proceed from there with whatever you want to achieve, effect wise. As I stated at the outset, this technique is simply a combination of timing and attitude.

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Stranger in the Crowd

Stranger in the Crowd Crowd The following impromptu effect was inspired by a beautiful Dai Ver Vern non pie piece, ce, cal called It Sta Stands Alone, one, pub published in The The Vernon Chronicles, volume 2. I wanted a more direct and easier way to achieve the effect. Have the deck shuffled and tabled face-up. Ask a spectator to cut off about 15 cards and hand them to you. Turn the packet face-down and spread for a selection. Have them remember their card and return it to the spread, then control it to the top with your favourite method. Secure a left little-finger break underneath the selection and ask your helper to cut the face-up tabled cards into two approximately equal packets. As they do this it gives you ample misdirection to half pass all the face-down cards below your break, secretly turning them face-up. Place your supposed face-down cards on top of one of the face-up packets and then place the remaining face-up packet on top. Bring your right hand palm down over the deck and slowly revolve it face-up. Then ribbon spread the deck to reveal there is now only one face-down card in the spread, standing out like a stranger in the crowd. Remove it and turn it face-up to reveal the selected card and thus conclude your mystery.

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Telekinetic

Telekinetic “Today “Today Shannon, I would like the pair of of us to try an experiment in telekinesis, which basically means the moving of objects without touching them. Since we have a deck of cards handy, let’s use them. First off though, I want you to get the thought of a card in your mind. I’ll just drop cards like this and you say stop. Lock the image of that card in your mind. Now watch closely what I do because it’s your turn next! You see if I just think of any card, like say the Ace of Clubs and mentally will that card to move, sometimes something rather bizarre happens. You You see, if I spread the cards you will see that the Ace of Clubs has turned over! Let’s turn it down and try again. How about the Four of Hearts? Any card is possible! Sure enough just by willing that card to move it turns over while buried in the deck. Now it’s your turn Shannon. I will spread the deck across the table, so you can see that all the cards are face-up. You square up the deck. You cover it with your hands and you mentally will the card you are thinking of to move. Spread the deck across the table. Ah! One card has this time turned face-down and is standing out like a stranger in the crowd. What card are you thinking of? Turn it over. Now that’s Telekinesis!” Method: I purposely gave you the presentation I use first because without it this effect would be a rather clever but bland reversed card effect. Take out the Ace of Clubs and the Four of Hearts and place the Ace face-up second from the face. Put the Four spot face-down third from the face. On the face of the deck is say the Seven of Spades. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Bring out the deck and introduce the theme of telekinesis. Casually false shuffle

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retaining your set up on the bottom. Then cut the deck and complete the cut, keeping a left little-finger break beneath your set up. u p. Execute a dribble force to your break and raise the face of the right hands cards towards your helper, showing them the Seven of Spades. Lower the right hand and assemble the deck, centralizing your three card set up. Table the deck and call out the Ace of Clubs as if it were just a random thought. Bring the right hand palm down over the deck and slowly turn it palm upwards, making the moment. Pick up the deck and spread it, revealing the Ace of Clubs has turned over. Separate the hands a few inches apart with the face-up Ace on top of the left hands packet and slightly sidejogged. Bring both hands h ands together and align the face-up Ace with the lower card of the right hands spread. Immediately turn the right hand palm down and using the left thumb clamp down on the faceto-face double card and drag it on top of the left hands h ands cards. Turn Turn the right hand back palm upwards and place its face-down cards on top of the remainder of the deck. This of course is a form of Larry Jennings famous Larryverse, published in Vernon’s Ultimate card secrets. In this effect it secretly sets us up for phase two with the Four of Hearts secretly reversed. I first saw Daryl use this simplified method of Jennings move. Table Table the deck once on ce again. Call out the Four of Hearts, again as if it just popped into your mind and pick up the deck and hand to hand spread, revealing the face-up card. Take the spread of cards above it away slightly and secure a left little-finger break beneath the top two cards of the left hand packet. We We will now execute Mike Skinners handling of the Braue reversal to secretly set up the finish of the piece and secretly reverse the spectators ‘thought of’ card. Flip the right hands cards face-up on top of the left hand’s hand’s cards and immediately pick up all the cards above the break from above in the right hand. Using the left edge of the right hand’s packet, flip the left hand’s hand’s cards face-up. Bring both hands together and as the right hand’s cards are placed on top, secretly sidejog the bottom card of the right hand packet (their selection) by pushing it slightly to the right with the pads of the left second and third fingers. Lower the deck to the table and execute a left to right face-up Ribbon spread. Because of the jog, their selection is nicely hidden beneath the spread. This great move is the Charles Nyquist ribbon spread hideout, published in Hugard’s Magical 126


Telekinetic

Monthly magazine many moons ago. All that’s that’s left to do is make your spectator the star and have her call out her thought of card and will it to move. The deck is spread and there is one facedown card amongst the face-up cards. Take Take it out and slowly reveal it to be their selection. If you wish you can do a divination of their card but I like to stay true to the premise.

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Telekinetic

Braue Reversal (Mike Skinner Variation) Begin with one card face up in the middle of the deck. Spread through to the faceup card, and break the spread when you reach it, so the bottom half of the spread is in left-hand dealing position and the top half is held in a right hand spread. As you square up the left hand cards get a left little-finger break beneath the card second from the top. The right hand flips its cards face up onto the left hand packet by pivoting them over their left hand long edge onto the left hand cards. The right hand then comes over the top and lifts up all the cards above the break. You You then use the left edge of this right hand packet to flip the cards remaining in the left hand face-up, again by levering them over their left hand long edge. The right hand then drops its packet on top of the face-up left hand packet. To the spectators it appears you have righted the one face-up card in the deck, but in reality you have actually reversed another card in the middle of the deck.

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Telekinetic

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Telekinetic

Larryverse variation This move is essentially a variation of the spread double lift described on page 157. A single card is reversed in the face down deck and you spread through to find it and turn it over. You break the spread at the face up card, and take it onto the face of the top half of the spread, in reality squaring it with the bottom card to the top half. The hand holding the top half of the spread turns palm down and places this double on top of the bottom half of the spread. This hand then turns it’s cards face down again and places them back on top of the bottom half. Whilst you have turned the one card that was originally face-up face-down in the face-down deck, you have also secretly turned tur ned another card face-up.

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The Attitude Force...

The Attitude Force... Force... Good self-working/semi-automatic card forces are few and far between. The cross-cut force, the cut deeper force and the Hindu shuffle force are three of of the best if managed correctly correctly.. The following force is one per cent method and 99 per cent attitude. It’s proved a useful tool in my card work. Your force card, say Ace of Spades starts out on the face of the deck. Slip shuffle retaining it there. Ask a spectator to reach over and cut off a fair size portion and to table them. Casually mix the packet you are left holding by pushing off clumps, ending by dropping the force card on top. Pause a beat and then extend your hand and ask your helper to take a peek at the top card. Force completed, applications up to you... Here’s my script which makes this thing work: “Right, Gary lets give these a shuffle. Would you cut off a fair size packet and put them on the table? How many would you say you cut off approximately? (Mix remaining cards, running force card to the top) Okay would you take a peek of that card?” (force card) That’s it! Just be very laidback and carefree and you will surprise yourself how deceptive this is for the public.

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The Gypsy Card

The Gypsy Gypsy Card Card “Just last week on holiday, I was sitting in an outside cafe with friends, drinking and entertaining with my cards and generally having a good time. And then a rather craggy looking old man approached me and smiled. ‘I used to read the cards’ he said. I was fascinated by this, and he told me that every card had a meaning. Before he left he reached into his pocket and handed me this very worn and faded old card. He told me not to turn it over until my intuition told me the time was right. I think that time is now guys. First though let’s mix these cards. You take some please and you and you too sir and together let’s let’s shuffle. Drop yours on the table, mine go on top and would you two other guys drop on top. Shannon, pick up the deck and cut off about a third and table them. Now cut off about half the cards you are holding and table them too. Finally place the remaining cards next to the other packets and then gather them up and square up. So from a deck shuffled by you all, we are in a situation where it would be impossible for me to know how many cards are in each packet or indeed anything about the cards. They say there is power in words. I want you to spell the word impossible, dealing one card for each letter and place the last card on top of the gypsy card. One card less and we would have arrived at this card, the five of Spades. One card more and we get the Joker. Shannon, please turn over your card. Ah the lady of Hearts. A very colourful and memorable card. Now for the first time let’s let’s turn over the gypsy card. Impossible!” Method: The inspiration for this effect comes from two sources. Larry Jennings effect Impossible from the classic magic of Larry Jennings and my friend Dani DaOrtiz effect invisible speller on a Dan and Dave download. Dani’s ingenious spectator shuffle and placement concept in that effect got my gears rolling.

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The Gypsy Card

You require an old antique style playing card. I like to use the Queen of Hearts. Keep this in your wallet back outwards until you want to get into this piece. During the relaxation at the end of another effect manage the Queen of Hearts to the bottom of the deck. Table the deck as you remove your wallet and take out the old card and talk about the Gypsy in the street cafe. Place the card face-down on the table. Slip shuffle retaining the Queen of Hearts on the bottom and then say would like to try something that goes beyond good or great and is maybe even impossible. Now Dani’s wonderful spread and group shuffle: Push off three cards and casually drop them in front of spectator 1 and then drop three more and then three more again. Make this messy and very casual. Ask them to shuffle their cards. Go to spectator two and drop a few cards in front of them and then almost as an aside spread your cards and have them reach into the spread and pull out a bunch and then shuffle all their cards. Direct attention to a third spectator and sloppily push off a packet of cards and hand them to that person for mixing. This leaves you with a packet of cards with the Queen of Hearts on the bottom. Shuffle it to the top as you encourage the group to really shuffle well so it’s impossible to track anything or indeed know anything about the cards. Ask spectator 3 to drop their packet on the table. You drop your packet on top. Then ask spectator 1 who has 9 cards to drop their packet on top. Reach over the deck and cut off some cards. Have the remaining spectator drop their cards into the gap and then dribble the cards you hold casually on top. The above sequence should seem very loose and liberated and executed casually. Your target card has been covertly set to tenth from the top but everything looks so fair. fair. Ask one of the group to pick up the deck and cut about a third third of the deck to the table. Then have them cut off another third and table them to the right of the first packet. The final packet is tabled furthest to the right. Pause a beat as you state that it’s impossible to know how many cards are in each packet and remember, they shuffled. Have the spectator gather up the packets from left to right and square up. This spectator false cut is of course the classic Jay Ose cut, published in Harry Lorayne’s book close up card magic. Jim Swain should get credit I believe for the great idea of having the spectator make the cuts. To finish the effect have one of the group spell the word impossible, dealing one card for each letter out loud. Take Take the last card dealt and turn it face-up to disclose

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the Queen of Hearts. Look over to the gypsy card and smile. Have it turned over to end with an impossible matching of the cards. Notes: to get the most from this effect, the word impossible has to be stressed multiple times during the presentation. This really does amplify the final revelation for the people.

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Think & Synch Reloaded... In my book Crafted with Carey was a pretty solid and fooling mental piece with the cards called Thinking and Synching. It plays equally strongly to magicians as well as laymen. Here is my current ‘fix’ on this effect I think you will have a lot of fun with. From a shuffled deck in use you tell your audience that for some peculiar reason, you just can’t get the thought of a playing card out of your head. It’s the same kind of feeling as when you can’t get a song out of your mind after listening to it on the radio. “Jack, in a moment I’m going to ask you to put a thought in your mind. A playing card is made up of a value and a suit. Just imagine for a moment that these cards are made up only of values. I will drop them in my hands until you say stop. Take a peek at that value and lock it in your mind. Now just think of any of the four suits and then combine that thought with your other thought to form a playing card. So if you were thinking of three and Clubs the card would be the three of Clubs ok? In a moment I will make a commitment and place the card I’ve been merely thinking about on the table. Be honest, you’re not thinking of a red card are you. You are? Me too but it’s not such a big deal as there are only a couple of colours. As I promised I will take out my thought of card and table it. Would Would you now take the card you are merely thinking of and place it on the table too? It’s not there? Now that’s that’s strange. What card are you thinking of Jack? The seven of Hearts is a very special card. But not just for you sir. Turn my card over. Impossible!” Method and strategy: After your opening monologue, dribble the deck for a spectator to call stop. Raise the face of the right-hand’s cards and ask them to

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lock just the value of that card in their mind. Assemble the deck, getting a left little-finger break beneath the value card. Pause a beat and then casually double undercut to your break. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle, glimpsing the value, say seven as you flex the cards prior to dropping off cards from your thumb and then riffle shuffling. Cut the deck and table it. Continue by asking your helper to just think of any suit and combine that thought with their value to form just one card in their mind. Now we need to ascertain the colour of their thought of card. Here we will use a bit of verbal subterfuge I first saw the great Max Maven use. I just look at my helper h elper and say, say, be honest, you’re not thinking of a red card are you? Body language and a very open and liberated attitude are key here. If they say yes you say that your thought of card is red too. But if they say no you say that neither is your card. Act very loose and casual in this moment. You now have all the information you need, having done hardly anything, to successfully conclude this effect. However the effect can finish in two different ways, and that’s what makes this piece fun to do. In our example the spectator is thinking of a red seven. We genuinely don’t know which one, but we don’t care! I pick up the deck and with the faces towards me I remove the first red seven I come to and place it face-down on the table. In our example I removed the seven of Hearts. I hand the deck to my helper and ask him to take out the card he is merely thinking of. If he doesn’t find it we conclude by showing an amazing coincidence and turning over your card to prove that great minds really do think alike. However, if he does take out a card have him table it face down. Now we would comment on how in every deck there are cards that are called mates or twins. Cards of the same colour and value. Give a couple of examples before slowly turning over both tabled cards to reveal the matching red sevens. Of course the first outcome is the stronger of the two but don’t underestimate the second finish. If it’s built up and sold well it plays very strong.

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Think As I Think

Think As I Think The do-as-I-do plot is rightly considered a classic in card magic. Usually the method revolves around the use of a key card - the following approach doesn’t and has a nice, sneaky thought of card aspect to it. You will require a red deck and a blue deck. The set up from the top down in each deck needs to be: five spot cards, King of Hearts, two spot cards and then the rest of the deck. Bring out both decks and table them. Suggest a little experiment in synchronicity with your audience. Ask a spectator to pick up either deck and to remove the cards from its box. You pick up the remaining deck and remove the cards. Mention that in Las Vegas and Atlantic City they have schools for croupiers, where people are taught to handle cards neatly and professionally before they are allowed to work at the Poker and BlackJack tables. Ask your helper to partake in a card-handling lesson and to copy you. Deal cards face-down into a packet on the table until you have dealt at least six cards. Be sure to make sure your helper does the same, sending the King of Hearts sixth from the face in each packet. Continue by overhand shuffling your remaining cards and have your helper replicate you. Then cut off a packet and place it on top of your tabled cards. The spectator is once again asked to copy you. Repeat the above shuffle and cut sequence one more time, finishing by dropping any remaining cards on top of your deck. Your helper copies you one final time with these mixing actions as you comment on how well they have done. Now a sneaky ruse, courtesy of my friend, Dani DaOrtiz. “A deck of cards consists

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of two types of cards. Number cards and?” They will of course say picture cards. “Yes indeed. I think it’s fair to say that picture cards are easiest to visualize, with lots of colour and detail.” Pick up your deck and ask your helper to watch what you do. With the faces of the deck towards you, say that you will spread through your cards and think of the first picture card you see. Act out these actions with your cards, spreading a fair way into the deck as a subtlety. Ask the spectator to pick up her h er cards and to think of the first picture card they come to as you turn your head away. Because of the set up and the deal, shuffle and cut ruse, this card will be the King of Hearts of course. Both of you then shuffle the decks and then table them as you recap what has happened. “Please remove the card you are merely thinking of from your deck and this time I will copy you.” After the two cards have been removed, build up the conditions and bring the trick home, showing that great minds do think alike and a perfect matching of thoughts is revealed! Credits: Chad Long’s Shuffling Lesson in the Art of Astonishment inspired this with the hands-off deal, shuffle and cut ruse.

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Three Chances

Three Chances I have always been fascinated by the classic mystery card effect. There are so many nice possibilities to achieve the effect. The following is my most recent addition to this genre and is a nofrills, very direct and practical approach. From a shuffled deck in use slide out any face-down card and table it. I refer to this as the card that represents the future... Have a card selected and signed, and control it to the top efficiently. State that you will have three chances to find their signed card. Execute any in the hands false cut and deal off the top card (signed selection) and place it on top of the ‘future card’. Then carry out a genuine in the hands cut and take the top card and place it beneath the tabled pair. Hand the deck to your helper. Pick up the tabled packet and hold it in left hand dealer’s grip. “Let’s see how I did”. Apparently deal your first chance face-up to the table. Really though execute a stud bottom deal, showing an x card. Drop the mystery card face-down on top of your first miss. Turn the remaining card face-up to show you missed again, exhibiting another x card. Drop it face-up on top of the tabled cards, forming a sandwich. “Looks like my luck is out today, but wait a minute... This face-down card was on the table before you even selected and signed a card. And I did say I would get three chances. They do say you can’t be in two places at the same time, but maybe, just maybe you can!” Ask your helper to turn tur n over the card that represents the future to reveal that it is their signed card!

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Timely Transposition

Timely Transposition The following piece was inspired by two sources. Roy Walton’s Time Machine in the complete Walton volume 1 and an effect called Rapid Transit in the Royal Road to Card Magic. Prepare by secretly placing the Ace of Spades in your right Jacket pocket. Introduce the theme of time and how a deck of cards has a lot in common with the calendar. calendar. Fifty-two cards, fifty-two weeks. Twelve picture cards, twelve months in the year etc. etc. With a clearly empty right hand remove the Ace of Spades from your pocket and drop it face-up on top of the face-down deck. Ask your spectators to remember that moment in time. Riffle down the deck and have a spectator say stop. Get them to extend a palm-up hand and deal off the card stopped at onto their hand. Have them turn it over to show say the five of Diamonds. Request that they remember this moment in time too. Have the selection replaced face-up from the position it was stopped at and bring both hands together. Execute a top card cover pass, secretly shifting their face-up selection to second from the top, beneath your Ace of Spades. “Let’s see if we can turn back time.” Give the deck a counter clockwise twist. Execute a double turnover and deal the top card onto their palm up hand. “Back to when you were holding the five of Diamonds. Turn that card over.” When they do a transformation into their card will be revealed. This gives one plenty of shade or misdirection to top palm the Ace of Spades. “Finally going back to when we started when I took a card from my pocket. The Ace of Spades. Almost like the twilight twilight zone or maybe nothing happened!” Remove the palmed Ace from your pocket and disclose the Ace and conclude the mystery.

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Topping It Off!

Topping It Off! Technically speaking, this is as easy as pie. But from a layman’s perspective, it’s a little miracle. You You will require a duplicate card if yo you decid ecide e to use the kicke cker finish. Let’s say say it’s the two of Hear earts. Leave it back outward in your right side pocket. When you want to get into this effect, simply manage the Two of Hearts in your deck to second from the top. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle keeping it second from top. Swing cut about a third of the deck into the left hand and secure a left little-finger break above this section as you square up. Mention that you want to be as fair as fair can be but there are too many cards! Ask your helper to reach over the deck and cut off off a packet from the the top and table it. As they do this, it affords you excellent misdirection to execute a classic pass to your break, sending the force card back to second from top. Hand to hand spread the cards in hand and request that your spectator pulls some cards out of the middle, as there’s still too many cards! These are tabled. Finally ask your helper to pull some cards from the bottom of the spread, because, yes, you guessed it, too many cards! Hand the remaining packet to your spectator and ask her to burn/lose the top card, then to do the same with the bottom card in case they may suspect you know these cards. This is of course all presentational smoke. Have them peek the top card (2H) and put the thought of that card into their mind. Then ask them to shuffle the packet and drop it on top of the deck. Instruct them to cut the deck and complete the cut. Then insist they shuffle the deck. Take back the deck and place it away in the box. State that you will make the card they are merely thinking of vanish. Pause a beat and then drop the deck into your right side pocket! It’s an old gag

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but a lot of fun. “Jack, a playing card is made up of a colour, a suit and a value. Please think about the colour of your card. So if it is red, just think red. Now think about the suit of your card. So, for example, if it’s it’s a Heart, then just think Heart. Finally think about the value of your card. So if it’s a two then just think two. Like two of Hearts, two of Hearts, two of Hearts yes?!” The above comedy revelation really creeps up on the spectator and gets a strong reaction. To To conclude the presentation we will produce their card from the pocket under the guise of a cowboy quick-draw demonstration. State that you read their mind but this trick goes further than that. With a clearly empty right hand you dive into your pocket and extract the duplicate Two of Hearts from within and bring it back outwards in a dramatic fashion. Slowly turn it face-up to finish the mystery and segue into the cups and balls! ;-) Notes: Instead of the classic pass, you could simply cut the deck under the cover of them placing a packet on the table. The misdirection is strong. Another option, if the pass makes you nervous is to lift off all the cards above your break and shuffle them onto the face of the remaining cards.

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Translocaan

Translocaan The translocation of a card from one packet to another is a strong effect. Combining it with a signed selection appearing at a thought of number ramps the effect up even even further. further. My inspiration was a lovely effect of J.K Hartman’s called position possession, published in Peter Duffie’s eBook Card magic U.S.A. My dear friend, Shannon Clark also has an unpublished handling which also inspired this handling. Bring out a Sharpie marker and hand it to a spectator. We will now execute a centre double lift from a spread as the spectator makes a selection. Spread the face-down cards and ask your helper to freely touch a card. Split the deck so that the touched card is on top of the spread of cards in the left hand. Bring the two hands back together and allow the selection to align with the lowermost card of the right hand spread. As soon as the card is in position, the right hand turns palm down and the face of the selection, say Ten of Hearts is seen. The left thumb clamps down on the double card and pulls it down on top of the left hands cards. The right hands cards are tabled face-down and squared. Ask your spectator to reach over and sign the face of their selection. A few moments later execute a double turnover and take off the top indifferent card face-down at the right fingertips. Request your helper cuts the tabled packet into two halves. Place the indifferent card side jogged on top of one of the packets and then place the remaining tabled packet on top, leaving a decoy card protruding from the side. Casually false shuffle the packet you are holding, retaining the signed selection on top. I use the optical shuffle for this. See Card College volume 1 for information,

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although any deceptive false shuffle or cut is fine. Hand your packet to the spectator and get them to hold it between their palms. Reach down to the tabled packet and slowly push the decoy card square. Ask your helper to think of a number from ten to twenty. Snap your fingers over the tabled packet and then pick it up and spread face-up across the table to reveal the signed selection has vanished. Ask the spectator to call out the number they are thinking of? Let’s Let’s say they thought of fourteen. Take their packet from them and hold it face-down in left hand dealer’s dealer’s grip. We will now execute my variation of a Paul Wilson move called YAMFACAAN, that he published in Steve Beams Semi Automatic Card Tricks, volume 8. In our example the spectator thought of fourteen. Reverse count fourteen cards one at a time into the right hand and separate the hands about eighteen inches apart. “If you had thought of one on e number higher, higher, you would have landed on the...” and here you use your left thumb to push the top card of its packet over to the right and then raise this hand so that the face of that jogged card is facing the audience. As all attention is on that card, the right fingers and thumb reverse spread their cards by pushing to the left with the fingers and pulling to the right with the thumb. Lower the left hand and square up its packet. Slide out the bottom card of the right hand spread and place it outjogged on top of the left hands cards. Bring the right hand away and raise it to show the face card of its packet as you say, “And if it had been one card less, it would have been this card...” Allow the jogged card card to drop face-down face-down to the table and then ask your spectator to turn it over to reveal their signed selection.

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Spread double lift Execute a hand to hand spread until the spectator says “Stop.” and break the spread as they do. Their selection is the top card of the left hand packet. The spread cards, held in the right hand, come across and ostensibly turn the selected card face up. In reality what happens is that as the cards come across face down, the bottom card from the right hand is approximately aligned with the top card of the left hand. The right hand takes this chosen card (now a roughly aligned double) and turns face up. You You then grasp this now face-up double with the left thumb on top of the left hand cards, further squaring up the two cards as you do. The right hand then moves away with its cards, turns them face down again and places them beneath the rest of the deck, finally squaring the whole deck with the left hand fingers and thumb. You You now have the face down deck with a face up double on top.

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Travelling Light

Travelling Light Dai Vernon’s Travellers routine, published in the Stars of Magic is a true classic of magic. I never felt though that I could do the original justice, so recently revisited the plot. The following handling is within the range of the intermediate student and uses two great ideas from Chuck Smith and Steve Reynolds to achieve a very rapid travellers. From a shuffled deck in use ask a spectator to name any four of a kind. This is very fair and means I don’t have to get cards signed! Let’s Let’s just say they name the Aces. Spread Spread through the face-up deck and outjog each Ace. Turn Turn the deck facedown and swivel the Aces out and flip them face-up on top of the deck. Spread them to display, injogging the face Ace slightly. The right hand takes the Aces at the fingertips and flips them face down. Come over the deck from from above with the right hand and push down on the injog and come away with just three Aces, which you table face down. Place the deck with the remaining Ace on top into the right trousers pocket. Pick up the Ace packet and execute a Stanyon false count. This is basically an Elmsley count done with three cards, to give the illusion of four. four. As you count the last card on top of the packet, outjog it about a quarter of an inch. Bring the right hand over the packet to square up and push down on the jogged card with the pad of your right little finger. This will propel the card into full right hand palm. State that you will attempt to make all four Aces vanish from your hand and appear in four different locations. The right hand goes to the right Jacket pocket and brings out the palmed card and drops it face-up to the table as you call out “one”. As you do this, buckle the outer right corner of the bottom card of the left hands two cards slightly with the

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pad of the left second finger, in preparation for a gamblers cop. Bring the right hand over the packet from above as left hand and its copped card goes to the left Jacket pocket and then comes out with an Ace, and drops it face-up on top of the first Ace, as you say “two”. Now a brilliant Chuck Smith ploy from his famous cards to pocket routine. The right hand simply snaps the remaining Ace face-up and drops it on top of the other Aces as you boldly say, “that’s three!”. Do not be nervous about this, just do it! To conclude we will use a great idea by my friend Steve Reynolds in the context of Travellers. Travellers. The right hand goes, with a clearly empty hand to the right trousers pocket and takes off the top card of the deck, brings it out and turns it face-up to reveal the final Ace has made the journey.

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Triumphant Dream

Triumphant Dream I think most of us would agree that Dai Vernon’s presentation for the triumph effect, involving the story of a guy at the bar trying to mess you up is timeless. I’ve used it since my teens. However, recently I starting thinking about an alternative presentation. It soon dawned on me that the classic dream presentation, used with success by Darwin Ortiz in his dream card effect would work beautifully. I will outline my presentation and then briefly discuss the very simple method and handling. “Sarah, last night I had a dream and you were in it. I dreamt I was working at a function in a beautiful hotel in central London and I approached you and your friends during cocktails. I took out a deck of cards and spread them and then did something crazy. I proceeded to divide the deck into two portions and shuffle face-up cards into face-down cards. I can remember right now you smiling just as you are at this moment in time. Some cards face-up, some face-down and some face-up… cards facing every which way. way. Next I asked you to put the thought of a card in your mind. Got one? Get one? Good. Next I placed the deck onto your hand and slowly and mysteriously read your mind. The 4 of Hearts, the 4 of Hearts, the 4 of Hearts, right? I can recall you reacting then just as you are right now. I was about to continue and then suddenly the image of you, that deck of cards and that beautiful hotel seemed to fade away. Suddenly I heard my alarm clock go off and it jolted me out of my dream. As I got up to go downstairs, I saw a deck of cards on my table. I spread it in my hands and all the cards were face-up, except for one face-down card, standing out like a stranger in a busy crowd. I took it out and turned it over and it was the 4 of Hearts!

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Let me spread these cards. Look! Every single card is facing the same way, except for one. Wow. Wow. I guess dreams really can come true!” Method: Secretly manage the 4 of Hearts face-up on the bottom of the face-down deck. Hand to hand spread, showing a face-down deck, keeping the reversed card hidden. Next proceed proce ed to execute the Tenkai Tenkai optical revolve revo lve move from Tarbell Tarbell and faro shuffle supposedly face-down cards into face-up, leaving your force card face-down on top. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Now a very simple show or display: Holding the deck from above in Hindu shuffle position in the right hand, the left hand pulls out a block from the centre and allows it to settle in the left hand. Next pull off a block from the top of the right hands cards and let them drop on top of the first packet. Finally place the remaining packet on top of all, keeping a pinky break beneath it. Riffle force to your break and push off the top card of the left hand packet (force card) and raise your left hand to show the 4 of Hearts. Lower this hand and square up the deck. The rest is pure presentation. Do the divination, spread to show the deck all facing up except one card. Remove it, turn it over and conclude the mystery. mystery.

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Triumphant Dream

Tenkai Optical Optical Reverse Reverse First published in the Tarbell series, the TOR is a great way to work a Triumph routine. To set up the move you need to have the bottom card of the deck face up. Hold the deck in left-hand mechanic’s grip. The right hand comes over the top and grasps the top half of the deck with the thumb at the near narrow end and the second finger at the far narrow end. The right hand turns over the top half by rotating the cards away from you - your hand pivots out, turning palm-up so the top half of the deck is not face-up. As this happens, the left hand also turns over, flipping the bottom half of the deck facedown. Because of the reversed bottom card and the much larger movement of the right hand this inversion is not noticed. The left hand then claps its packet of cards onto the right hand’s cards, injogged half their length. This slap is important to punctuate the move - it should appear that the deck is now half face up and half face down. Riffle the ends of the face up cards with your thumb, then reposition the cards in your hands so you can either Faro or riffle shuffle the two halves together.

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Twin Thoughts

Twin Thoughts The following two-deck piece is designed for more formal performance. With very little work, an uncanny coincidence and implied transposition is created. My inspiration was a double brainwave effect of Allan Ackerman’s in his book Las Vegas Kardma. You will require a red deck and a blue deck. Take out the Jack of Hearts from the blue deck and place it on the bottom of the red deck. Reverse these actions and take out the matching Jack of Hearts from the red deck and place it on the bottom of the blue deck. Box both decks and you are good to go. Bring both decks out and remove them from their boxes. Pick up the red deck and spread it, without exposing the stranger card. Swing cut about half the deck into the left hand and as you complete the cut, secretly side jog the face card of the right hands cards by pushing it about an inch and a half to the right with the pads of the left fingers. Ribbon spread the red deck from left to right and nearest you. The blue stranger card will be nicely hidden because of this hideout move of Charles Nyquist, published many years ago in Hugard’s Hugard’s Magical Monthly Magazine. Comment on how earlier in the day you were spreading through that deck and one card just seemed to pop out at you and you just can’t get it out of your head. Pick up the blue deck and spread, again being sure not to expose the red stranger card on the face. Casually swing cut a few packets into the left hand and as both hands come together get a left little-finger break beneath the stranger Jack of Hearts. Mention you would like a spectator to put the thought of a card in their mind. Dribble force to your break and raise the face of the right hands cards towards them. Lower this hand and bring both hands together and secretly side jog the force card, just like earlier in the piece. Ribbon spread this blue deck

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nearest to your helper. The Nyquist hideout once again comes to our aid and everything looks copacetic. Slowly square up both decks and invite your helper to cover her deck with her right hand. You mirror her actions with your deck. “So Raj. You’re You’re thinking thin king of a card and so s o am I. A card is made ma de up of a colour colou r, a suit and a value. Form a m mental ental image of that card for me please as I do the same. My card is a red card. Yours Yours is too? My card is a Heart. And yours? Very interesting. On the count of three lets both call out our thoughts. One, two, three. Jack of Hearts!!! Now that’s that’s spooky. spooky. So my thoughts are yours and your thoughts are mine. Please pick up your deck and spread it across the table as I spread mine. Look there’s there’s a card in each spread standing out like a stranger in the crowd. Please take them both out and turn tur n them over. Now that’s that’s what you call synchronicity!” As per the presentation above, you do the step-by-step colour, colour, suit and value coincidence and then both decks are spread and a stranger card is revealed face-down in each deck. Both are taken out and turned over and the mystery is concluded.

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Two Card Transpo

Two Card Transpo Here’s a very minimalistic approach to the classic two card transposition, in that it only uses just two cards. In Carneycopia, John Carney has a version called Trans-essence, which is beautiful, but beyond my skill set. For my version remove the Ace of Spades and the Jack of Diamonds and discard the deck. You You want two visually contrasting cards for clarity. clarity. Call attention to the two values and hand them to a helper for mixing. Take the packet back into left hand dealer’s dealer’s grip and then take the top card into the right fingertips and revolve the face of the card outwards to display say the Ace of Spades. Ask your helper to hold their left hand out palm down. When they do, change your mind and ask them to turn it palm down. This gives enough shade to essentially do a top change, switching the Ace for the Jack. Place the switched in card onto their palm up left hand. Open your left hand up with what they believe to be the Jack on it. Cover your card with your right hand h and and ask them to do the same. “I’m “ I’m going to try to make my Jack vanish. Maybe yours might vanish too.” Take your right hand away to show your card still there. Have them replicate you. Now a wonderful presentational Gambit of Larry Jennings: “Jack, thank you for helping by the way. Here, let me shake your hand. (extending your right hand and shaking theirs) That’s a common courtesy or social exchange of course. But sometimes, it can also exchange the power...” power...” Direct them to turn their card over to reveal they now have the Jack and you have the Ace and your work is done.

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When Thoughts Combine

When Thoughts Combine The following is a card at a number effect. It is NOT the Holy Grail that some people seem obsessed with. It is however a ve very pract actical cal piec iece desig signed for any anytime and anywhere ere and impromptu. Using two age-old concepts, it hits the spot with civilians. From a shuffled deck in use have a card selected via the riffle peek method. Ask spectator one to say stop as you riffle the outer corner of the deck with your right index finger. Get them to lock the thought of that card into their mind. Allow that card to drop off the index finger and then secure a left little-finger break above it as you square up. A few moments m oments later cut half the cards above your break to the table. Then cut to the break and drop them on top of the tabled packet. Finish by dropping the remaining cards on top of all and square up. The selection, say 5 of Spades is of course now on top. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle retaining it on top. As you square up execute an all around square up glimpse of the face card of the deck. Let’s Let’s say it’s the King of Clubs. This will act as our key card. Table the deck in front of a second person. “Sir, I would like you to think of a number. Now psychologically there are certain numbers that lots of people seem to go for. So it’s completely random and fair, we will let the deck generate a number. I will look away. Please cut off a packet, not too small but not too big. Then deal and count the cards quietly into a packet on the table. Lock that random number into your mind and place that packet back on top of the deck and cut the deck and complete the cut. Tell Tell me when you are done and I will turn around and face you.”

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During the above interaction we will be applying the age old, but still beautifully effective, double count force to position the first persons thought of card at the second person’s random number. They cut off a packet and silently deal and count into a tabled pile to form a number. Let’s say it’s twelve. Because the first card dealt is the selection, when they replace the packet on top of the deck the selection has been covertly set to this random number. The deck is cut and the cut completed. This puts our key card, the King of Clubs, 12 cards away from the selection. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Pick up the deck and execute a false shuffle as you state that one person is thinking of a card and the other a number. Flip the deck face-up. Start spreading the cards with the faces of the cards tilted towards you slightly. Mention that if this was the traditional ‘card trick’ you would go through the deck and try to find their card. But seeing as you don’t know what card or indeed number is being thought of, this experiment will be totally out of your control and entirely up to your spectators to conclude. As you say this you secure a little-finger break above your key card. Execute a turnover pass as you turn the deck face-down and table it. Ask the second spectator spectator to to call out the number they are thinking of. Then ask the first spectator to call out their card. Have that person deal down to the number and stop them one card shy of that number. Pause to build some suspense and then have the next card turned tur ned over to successfully conclude the mystery. mystery. This effect was inspired by my friend Patrick Redford’s effect Applesauce from his book of the same name. The deck generating a random number line belongs to him. I wanted a handling better suited to my style and with only one key card.

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Whispering Ambitions

Whispering Whispering Ambitions Ambitions I have always loved the classic whispering card plot. There are some beautiful versions in print, notably Jerry Sadowitz version The Whisperers, published in Card Zones and Roy Walton’s Walton’s Stage Shout in his book the Complete Walton volume two. My humble offering to this genre has some nice moments mom ents and builds progressively to a strong finish. Position three known cards on top of the deck. I use the Ace of Clubs, Four of Hearts and Seven of Spades, positioned in that order from the top down. You You also require two identical Jokers, which lie in the deck. Take out the two Jokers and introduce them as the whisperers. Table them a moment. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle, retaining your set up u p on top. Follow this up by swing cutting about two thirds of the deck and get a little-finger break above your set up as you square up. Execute a dribble force to your break and deal off the three force cards into a left to right tabled row. Table the deck and pick up the Jokers and flip them facedown and spread them slightly. Pick up the card on the left of the row and raise the hand showing the face of this card to the audience. Insert it in between the Jokers and square up. Hold the packet from above in the right hand and then raise it to your right ear and say that the Jokers are telling you the selection is a black card. Repeat these actions, saying they are telling you it’s an Ace. Finally say they are telling you the card is the Ace of Clubs. Once this is confirmed you mention that cards can be ambitious, just like people. Make the moment and then execute a double push off and turnover, showing the Ace has risen to the top. A few moments later turn the double face-down and take off the top card and cut it into the deck. Hold the two cards at the right fingertips and execute a quick fingertip flushtration count, turning the wrist and flashing a Joker and then reversing the action, taking

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off the top card with the left hand and then flashing the face of the r ight hand card showing another Joker. Joker. Place the Joker on top of the other card and keep the two cards spread slightly in the left hand. Pick up the second card of the row and flash it’s face to the audience, showing the Four of Hearts. Insert it into the middle of the packet and square up. Hold the packet from above in the right hand and raise the packet to your ear three times, ultimately naming the card. Be careful not to flash the Ace on the face of this packet. Repeat the ambitious card moment of the effect executing a double turnover to show the Four of Hearts has risen to the top. Turn the double card face-down and lose the top card of the packet in the deck with a simple cut. Pick up the final tabled card and flash its face to the audience, and insert it in between the supposed Jokers. One final time raise the packet to your ear and do the three step whispering divination. Then execute a double turnover to show the Seven of Spades on top. Ask a spectator to hold out a palm up hand. Turn the double card face-down and deal off the top card on their hand. Place the other two cards on top. Make a magical gesture and show that the Seven of Spades is back on top. To conclude the presentation you state that sometimes the Whisperers get an identity crisis. Turn Turn the other two cards face-up to reveal the magical transformation into the other selections.

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Y.A. Y.A.F F.A.P! .A.P!

Y. Y.A.F.A.P! Four Ace productions are a dime a dozen. The following handling actively involves a group in the production. Begin with the Aces on top. State that you will try and cut to a lucky card. Here I use a false cut of the great Frank Thompson to cut to my ‘lucky’ card: Hold the deck from above in the right hand. Swing cut about a third of the deck into the left hand. Then swing cut about half the remaining cards and place them on top of the left hand cards, getting a little-finger break between the two packets. Drop the right hands cards onto the table, cut to the break and drop that packet on top. Finally deal off the top card of the left hand’s packet face-down in front of you. To complete the sequence, drop the remaining cards on top of the others and square up. You have an Ace face-down in front of you and the other Aces are on top of the deck. “Playing cards are not just used by magicians and gamblers. Gypsies and psychics have used them for generations to tell the past, present and future.” Ask one of the group to reach reach over and cut off a small packet and flip flip it face-up on top. Give a little reading about this card, calling it the past card. Keep it positive! Ask them to cut deeper and flip the packet face-up face-up on top, showing another another card. card. Comment on how this card represents the present and offer some favourable vibes about this card. Finally spread through the deck until you get to the first face-down card. Because of the venerable Balducci cut deeper force, this will be an Ace. Push it over, at the same time pushing the Ace beneath it over a fraction too. Allow the face-down card to slide to the table in front of your helper, at the same time getting a left little-finger break beneath the next Ace. Flip the face-up cards face-down on top of the deck and immediately pick up all the cards above the break from above in the right hand and table them in front of another person. This is an Al Leech steal and secretly sets an Ace to the bottom

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of this packet. We will now do my variation of a Paul Wilson technique he called YAMFACAAN in Semi Automatic Card Tricks Tricks volume 8. Start taking off cards one at a time from the packet into the right hand reversing their order. Request another person calls out stop purely on impulse. When stopped separate the two hands so they are about a foot apart. Push off the top card of the left hands cards and raise this packet up vertically showing an x card. As this happens reverse spread the right hand’s cards by curling in the fingers and pushing out. Lower the left hand and square. Clip the lower card of the reverse spread on top of the left hand packet in an outjogged position. Raise the face of the right hand packet to show another x card.

Drop the jogged card in front of your last helper. “If you had gone one card more it would have been this card. One card less and it’s that card.” Turn over your lucky card to show an Ace. Have the person holding a packet turn it over to show another Ace. Finally have the remaining two people show they have Aces too, concluding this magical gathering of the Ace clan. Notes: I believe David Parr should get credit for the idea of using a cold read during the cut deeper force. 182



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Your Your Thought Thoughts s Are Mine.. Mine....

Yo Your Thoughts Ar Are Mine... Here is an effective, semi-automatic thought-of card piece, with a strong double climax. Let’s say you are working with a blue deck. Stack the top five cards of the deck with any four number cards under ten and one picture card, say Jack of Spades. You will also require a red back Jack of Spades. On the back of it write, “Your thoughts are mine!” Place this card on top of the blue deck and slip the deck inside its box, tucking the half moon flap under the odd back card. Take the deck from the box, holding back the stranger card with the tip of the first finger. finger. Casually place the box aside mouth down. False shuffle, retaining the five card set up on top and then hand the deck to your helper. Have her cut about a third of the deck and table it to your left. Then have her shuffle the cards left and then cut off about half these cards and table them to the right of the first packet. Finally direct her to shuffle the remaining cards and table them to the right of the other two packets. Comment on how well she shuffled and then have her assemble the packets from left to right and square up. This is my Shuffled Ose and was inspired by a great Ben Earl idea called the Spectator Holdout, published in the magazine Gambit issue #2. Jay Ose’s false cut in Lorayne’s Close Up Card Magic was also of course a source of inspiration. So we are in a very strong position: The spectator has shuffled the deck and yet our five card set up has been retained on top. Ask your helper to deal off five cards and place the deck aside. Have her mix this packet and then instruct her to spread the packet with the faces towards her, like a hand of poker. “Samantha, focus on those cards and think of the highest valued card. If there is 185


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more than one card of the same value, just decide on one and lock the image of that card in your mind.” Of course she will think of the Jack of Spades and the scripting is smoke. Ask her to mix the packet and then lose it in the deck. Then get her to shuffle really well before handing the deck back to you. Pick up the card box and place the deck inside, secretly feeding or loading the stranger card into the body of the deck. This is simply done by pushing the short edge of the deck onto the stranger and pushing the deck down and inside the box. Hand the box to the lady and get her to hold it between her palms. “So from a deck you shuffled, Samantha, I asked you to merely think of a card and then to shuffle some more. It doesn’t get much fairer.” fairer.” Now proceed to do a piece-by-piece divination of her thought of card, culminating in naming her Jack of Spades. “It’s almost as if your thoughts are mine.” A moment later retrieve the deck and remove the cards. cards. Spread them face-down until the stranger card with the message on the back appears. Pause and then smile. A moment later take it out and slowly turn it over to reveal her thought of card and conclude this meeting of two minds!

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Featured Artists

Featur Featured Artists Tom Dobrowolski Dobrowolski Patrick Patrick Redford Shaun McCree McCree David Gemmel J.K.Hartman Paul Gordon Gordon Pablo Amira Ben Blau

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Away Away We We Go Go Tom Dobrow Dobrowols olski ki

Aw Away We Go Tom Dobrowolski

Effect A no-fuss and direct handling for cards cards across.

Performance Have three cards selected and controlled to the bottom. I like to have three cards touched one at a time (preferably by three different spectators). As each card is touched up-jog the selection and allow the spectator to memorize it. After the cards are memorized I perform a Neal Elias multiple shift. At this point act as if you had forgotten that you need ten cards separated from the deck. Ask a spectator to go ahead and deal ten cards from the top of the deck to the table. Take the deck back and obtain a break above the three selections on the bottom of the deck and take them into left hand Gambler’s cop position. Ask your audience if there is anyone especially proficient at shuffling cards. Take Take the deck from above with the right hand and give it to the shuffling volunteer and allow your left hand to drop to your side.

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Immediately when they begin to shuffle pick up the tabled cards, turn them faceup, and add them on top of the copped selections. Turn to another spectator ask him to assist by checking the cards. You have plenty of motivation to have the cards recounted and observed to make sure the selections are not there Hand the packet to the spectator and instruct them to count the cards one at time, turning them face-down and adding them to the bottom of the packet (the classic Paul Harris Las Vegas Leaper count). Instruct the spectators who made the selections to observe the cards in the packet. This allows them to count each card individually and verify that the selections are not amongst them. Instruct the spectator with the packet to hold it face-up between his palms. Take the deck back from the shuffler and ribbon spread it so that the faces are towards the audience. “So if your cards aren’t in those 10 cards they must still be here, right?” Nod in confirmation as you deliver this line. This will encourage the selectors to nod in agreement. They are really affirming a set of propositions and a conclusion based on those propositions, but the rest of the audience will interpret this as the spectators confirming that they can see their cards still in the deck. What remains is to perform the magical transference. I leave this to your own preference. preference. Whether you want to invisibly remove and toss cards one at a time or any other such ruse, it is all good. “So if I have done what I claimed to do and transferred three cards invisibly to your packet how many cards should you have now?” “13.” (They should say if their math is acceptable.) Instruct the spectator holding the packet to count the cards out loud, face-up on to the table. Stop them when they reach reach 10. Ask them how many many they have left.

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The spectator will respond “three.” Remark, “10+ 3 makes...” makes...” they should respond respond 13. “But it wouldn’t be a miracle unless those three cards are the selection.” Have each spectator who made a selection selection name their card one at a time. time. As the cards are named instruct the spectator holding the cards to turn the relevant card around, revealing it to all.

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Poppycock Patrick G. Redford


Basic Effect A boxed deck of cards is placed in front of the participant. She is asked to think of any card. The performer asks her to change her mind a few times and then before knowing the identity of the thought of card announces its exact position in the pack.

Ve Verity The simplicity of this routine hides a complicated deception that combines multiple paths to the same eventual end. There is no memorized stack involved, it may be quickly set up on the fly with minimal effort, and is virtually sleight of hand free. That said, the thought of card won’t always be the card found at the named position. In some, occasions it will simply be a match to that card. Here lies part of the deception. Let’s first examine the script that goes along with setting the effect and asking the subject to both think of a card and change his or her mind multiple times and the effects this has psychologically on what cards are thought of most of the time.

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The Psychological Force Don’t freak out. Don’t turn the page. Don’t move on. You’ve come this far. Trust me. This isn’t one of those bits of psychology that are attempting to force a specific card, rather a specific kind of card. Ideally the goal is to get the subject’s last thought of card to be a number card and a Diamond. Most of the time this will be true. This is reliable. There’s There’s always a back-up plan. How? Having the subject to begin by thinking of any card then changing his or her mind two more times to setting on a new card achieves this effect. Again, it’s it’s not bullet proof but its substantial enough. You’ll soon find out that this makes little difference to the end of effect regardless; even if the subject thinks of any other suited card. Timing, acting, pacing, and conviction that this is possible all play a role in this effect success.

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The Script Performer: Every deck has a mate in it. This is a card that another card matches with. I have a particular card in mind in this deck in a particular position. I want you to think of one. Think of any card. Got one? Participant: Yes. The performer examines the subject’s face for a moment before continuing, “That doesn’t feel right, change your mind. Think of a different card.” The subject thinks for a moment and settles on a new thought. “That’s “That’s not it either. either. Change it one more time.” The performer quips. The subject does so. “That’s it! Whatever card you have in mind right now matches with my card... fifteen.” The subject looks confused, “fifteen?” “Yes, “Yes, fifteen! ...I’m sorry what card are you thinking of?” “The five of Hearts.” “Yes, “Yes, fifteen! I said every card has a card it matches with. The five of Hearts’ mate, or match, is the five of Diamonds. The card you thought of matches with the card I had in mind and that’s that’s exactly fifteen cards down from the top of the deck. Remember I said all of this before you made your thought public.” The subject unboxes the deck and begins counting down cards dealing them one at a time until arriving at the fifteenth card. It’s turned over and seen to be a perfect match. The performer closes, “Either I’m in your head, I’ve influenced your thoughts, or this is simply impossible.”

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The Script Broken Down There is a lot of subtle language happening in this script. It sets up multiple ideas and allows for several pathways that make sense depending on which cards the subject was drawn to when asking to think of three different cards. If you choose to revise it into your own words, take note of what it sets to accomplish. It first sets up the idea that every card has a card that it matches with but does not define how these cards match. It may already be obvious to you that if the subject thinks of any Diamond card two through ten that an exact match may be produced at the fifteenth position from either the top of the deck or from the face of the facedown pack. It may also occur to you, from the above script, that this also makes perfect sense if the subject names a Heart of any of the previously stated values. With some bold reframing these 9 Diamond cards may also “match” with any Club or Spade of the same value. A Diamond is of course, a non-dominant suit and so is a Club so they match together. together. A Spade is one of two pointed suits so they match with the red pointed suit: Diamonds. It only seems strange to you because you are so familiar with cards and have come to this effect explanation with a certain paradigm. I’ll expand more on this concept shortly. shortly. Positioning the Correct Number at the Correct Place No more than five cards ever need to be shifted from the top of the pack to bring this effect to a successful close. This may either be done by leaving a number of cards behind in the card box as they’re removed, palming the necessary cards away from the top, or culling the small group of cards from the top of the spread to the bottom. Each technique has its advantages and weaknesses.

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The Stack Place the five, four, four, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten of Diamonds at the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st position from the top of the facedown pack. Place the two and three of Diamonds fifteenth and sixteenth from the face of the pack. Box the deck and you’re ready to go.

The Outcomes If the two, three, four, or five of any suit is named there are no moves to be performed. The deck may be removed by the subject and instructed to count from the face of the pack or top of the facedown pack. Either the matching card will be exactly fifteen from the face (or top of the pack) or the next card down (arguably this is also fifteen from the top.) This means 40% of the time there are no moves to be made.

The Performance Deliver the opening script, pausing each time the subject has chosen a card to think of before asking him or her to change it to something new. On the third choice, pause and say dramatically “I may be one off on your thought process but whatever you have in mind right now...that’s now...that’s the one. That’s That’s the one that matches with fifteen.” Give this a beat or two to sink in. Of course, it won’t make any sense. Continue, “I’m sorry what card are you thinking of?” There are now five different scenarios that may happen: 1.

The subject names any numerical Diamond suited card. If this happens it’s it’s a simple matter to reiterate the card that matches the exact

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card that was is fifteen from either the face or top of the pack. Adjust the script accordingly. Adjust the number of cards by palming them away from the top of the pack if needed before handing the deck over to the subject to count down fifteen cards. 2.

The subject names any numerical Heart suited card This is almost exactly the same as scenario one but first you’ll recap and highlight the scripting point that every card has a mate; a card that it matches with. For example: the five of Hearts matches with the five of Diamonds which is “exactly fifteen from the top of the deck.” Allow the subject to count to this position and turn over the card to a successful conclusion.

3.

The subject names any numerical Spade suited card. This is where a bit of massaging and confident delivery of specific scripting sells this outcome. You’ll recap and highlight the scripting point that every card has another suit that it matches with. For example the Clubs and the Hearts are the round suited cards and the Spades and the Diamonds are the only pointed suited cards. So the suited card that matches with the named Spade suited card is the numerical match to the Diamond positioned fifteen from the top of the deck. Of course you’ll make your adjustment to guarantee this.

4.

The subject names any numerical Club suited card. This is almost exactly the same as outcome number 3 except instead of the pointed suit parallel you’ll talk about the dominant suits (the Hearts and the Spades) and the non-dominant suits (the Diamonds and the Clubs).

5.

The subject names an Jack, Queen, King, or Ace of any suit. This will almost never happen due to the psychology behind having the subject change his or her mind a few times. It is highly unlikely that you’ll ever need to resort to this outcome. For this you’ll highlight the scripting point when you claim to possibly be one off in following the subject’s subject’s thought process. After the subject subject announces the Jack, Queen, King, or Ace say say, “Sorry what was the first card you thought of?” If this is a numerical card proceed as explained above. If it is another face card, ask the subject what

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the second card thought of was. After hearing this is a numerical card, recap, “I knew I was one off in your thought process! That matches with fifteen!” Proceed as explained above. If the subject only thought of face cards, the trick fails. There is no outcome. I’ve never had this happen but that doesn’t mean it won’t. You You may want to option to perform with an invisible deck as an out in this case. Personally, I’m happy to let the effect fail and go into a sure-fire think a card effect instead.

Credits and Influences The effect has its roots in several of my previously released effects. My effect Wipe-Out (2004) was the first effect that I played with that introduces the concept of a black card matching with a red card. Later in my book release of Applesauce (2014) I expanded this in a revision of the Wipe-Out effect and another chaptered technique called Fishing in One.

Final Thoughts This is a very script dependant effect. The effect will make or break on your conviction that the card at position fifteen matches with the subject’s choice. If you can’t sell this premise to your audience no matter the correlation between the Diamond numbered card at the shifted position and the named numerical card this effect is not for you. Luckily, Luckily, most of the time the subject will name a Diamond or Heart card giving the ideal effect.

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Open Prediction Prediction Deck David Gemmell

Open Prediction Deck David Gemmell

Effect A cased deck is tossed on the table before the magician even says a word. The spectator thinks of any card in the deck. You write an Open Prediction for all to see. They take the deck out of its case. They shuffle it. Now holding the deck face up they deal the cards into a face down pile. As they deal it is obvious that on the backs of the cards are the names of cards in permanent ink. They are different to the cards on the faces. The spectator looks for their thought of card on the backs. When the face of the Open Prediction comes into view it is placed (still face up) to one side and the deal continues. The spectator never sees their thought of card on the backs of any of the cards. Now for the first time they are asked what card they are thinking of (?)........the Open Prediction card is turned over (by the spectator) and on its back is written the spectators thought of card!.

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Modus Operandi This handling of the OP plot really turns things on their head. You will need to make this deck up. It’s It’s quite an easy thing to do, should only take about half an hour or so. The whole thing is based on the idea that if you know the thought of card then you would due to a very special coded stack be able to instantly make an Open Prediction. The good thing about this is that you don’t even have to learn the stack at all, just the special relationships between the various cards. This idea belongs to a good friend of mine, Barry Ray and is taken from his e-book “Barry’s Stacked Decks” (1) I have his permission to teach part of it here. (enough to make this effect work) Whilst I have made some (very) minor changes it remains the same as Barry’s Quick Stack. The idea is to have a logical pairing of cards. It looks like this.

A A-7 2-Q 3-8 4-J 5-10 6-9 Let me explain The 1 (ace) looks like a 7 The 2 in some print faces (can) look just like the curly bit on the end of Q 3 is half of 8 4-Jacks........come on, every magician has heard of the 4 robbers trick! 5 is half of 10 and finally 6 is a 9 either way up or down.

There you go, only six pieces of information to remember. Hold on, I know what you are thinking, what about the Kings?.......well Barry just pairs them up like for like. I see no reason to argue with him.

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Ah, but what about the colours I hear you say (?), this is the very small change I have made, because I have spent a life-time working with the ChaSeD order, order, that is how I pair the cards up, Clubs and Hearts, Spades and Diamonds. Some examples Ace of Clubs—Seven of Hearts Four of Diamonds—Jack of Spades Five of Spades—Ten of Diamonds So, go grab a deck of cards and a good (thick nibbed) marker pen. Go through the deck and what ever the card is on the face mark its stack card on the back. Once that’s that’s done the Open Prediction deck is ready to use.

A Thought of Card The easiest way to determine the thought of card is to use a peek wallet. I use the Jaks style peek wallet. This is almost like a business card holder and is perfect for this effect. I take out two business cards and ask them to think of any card in the deck (except the Joker) and have them print the name of it on the card. This is then returned to the wallet and the peek is made. After some suitable patter I make the Open Prediction Prediction on the other other business card leaving it for all to see. Now have them remove the deck, try to guide them to remove it face up. Have them shuffle it lay-person style then square up. Explain to them this is a special deck, that it is marked on the back with different cards to what they see on the faces. Have a spectator deal through the deck, dealing the cards from a face up deck into a face down pile. Everyone looks for the Open Prediction card (face up) except the spectator who 205



is thinking of a card. They look for their card written on the backs of the cards as they are dealt face down into a pile. When the OP card appears on the face of the dealing pile (in the hands of the spectator) have them stop the deal. They are instructed to deal this card still face up to one side. They now continue the deal. At the end of the deal they will not have seen the thought of card. Have someone turn over the OP card as the spectator reveals their thought of card. There is no need to even go back to the wallet, if you have presented this well they will be in too much shock!. Although I have opted for a peek wallet, any peek from a centre tear or billet will suffice. Failing that another deck in play stacked will do the job as well. Indeed the classic reversal of one card using a stack will work very well as a two-deck combo, think about it........... So, there you have it, my crazy off-the-wall approach to the Open Prediction matched with Barry’s Barry’s Quick-Stack from the outer-rim......... Thanks to Barry for permission to re-print and teach his work. N.B – ALL Commercial rights reserved 2015. David Gemmell.

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Hypnosis Shaun McCree

Hypnosis Shaun McCree This is a sandwich effect which has its inspirational roots in Alan Ak Akker kerman’s ‘Fa ‘Fac ce Lif Liftt’, which was pu publish ished in my my 19 1995 lec lecture note ‘Stand-up Walkaround In The Hands Card Magic For Real People In The Real World’ and also appears on my ‘Mix & Mingle’ DVD set from RSVP. Like most of my material, it is done ‘from a shuffled deck in use’ and takes place entirely in the hands. I have been using it quite a lot lately in a walkaround cocktail party environment, where it is perfectly safe to hand a packet of cards to an obliging spectator as their other hand is usually occupied with holding a glass. Remove the red Jacks from the deck, place them face-up onto the face-down deck, and cut off the top half of the deck, handing it to a spectator for a moment. Spread the other half of the deck faces towards you, explaining that you will reverse a card - and that they don’t need to know which card it is just yet, but just to be aware that a card has been reversed. As this is said, reverse a card in the centre of the fan (any card) lowering it so that its face remains unseen by the spectators. As the cards are squared, the reversed card must be secretly righted, and many options are open for this - Marlo’s ‘Centre Reverse’ or Bruce Cervon’s ‘Invisible Reverse’, for example, but as any method of righting the card is suitable, I won’t go into the detail of any one technique here. The packet is now placed on a spectator’s spectator’s hand face down, as you swap packets with the spectator. spectator. The Jack’s half is now taken up and you explain that the Jacks have been selected since their design resembles those hypnosis discs which used to be advertised in comics in the heady days of Ellisdons (before the Advertising Standards Authority) and for actually finding and sending me a couple of which,

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I am indebted to George Woo! If I feel in the mood I may perform the spin where the card is spun on the tip of the second finger as a simulation of a hypno disc. However, However, as this preposterous claim is made, the right hand lifts off the top three cards, the left thumb draws the top card back square onto the deck, and the right card(s) placed square on top. This is a standard displacement action. Explain that the spectator is now to look at a card in your half. Take Take a little-finger break beneath the top card, and riffle down the packet with the left thumb for the spectator to call stop. When they do so, lift off only the top card in right hand Biddle grip as the left hand releases its thumb break and swings up to chest height, pushing over the top card for the spectator to note. The left hand now swings back down drawing its top card back square as it does so and the right hand replaces its cards (actually a single card) onto the packet. As soon as it joins the packet, lift off about half of the packet in the right hand and dribble the cards back down onto the left hand packet, then square up. This is Marlo’s ‘Bluff Sandwich’ procedure from ‘Marlo Without Tears’, and the dribble replacement subtlety is, I believe, Roberto Giobbi’s. Giobbi’s. (The Bluff Force procedure works particularly well in a cocktail party environment, as people’s hands are often busy with drinks, canapés and so on, so it would appear to be a courtesy to have them select a card without actually having to physically take one) Now you tell the spectator that although he believes he has seen a card, he is actually under the influence of the Jacks. Here, you lift the top three cards off the deck, in Biddle grip. The left fingers draw out the lower card of the three into a fan. The left thumb momentarily clamps the fan to the top of the deck, allowing the right hand to retake the fan with thumb above and fingers below. Explain that, under hypnosis, you hope to convince the spectator into believing that there is a card between the Jacks. As this is said, gesture towards the spectator with the deck, this larger action serving to cover the fact that you also spread the right hand cards slightly to expose the face-down card in between the Jacks. Now draw attention to the fan and the card. Turn Turn the face-down card face-up and replace it between the two Jacks, saying “I don’t know for sure if you can see a card, but if you can, it might look something like the one you looked at earlier...” Place the fan as it is back on top of the packet, and square everything.

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Take the packet from above in right hand Biddle grip, and explain that although the spectator may see a card between the Jacks, there is in fact no card there at all. Here the left hand draws off the top three cards one at a time into the left hand, stealing back the selected card beneath the packet as this is done. The packet is now placed on top of the other half deck (handed to a spectator earlier) centralising the reversed section. The three (actually two) cards are turned face-down and Hamman counted as three, stating that although the spectator may see three cards, there are only two (ENJOY THIS MOMENT because for once you’re telling the truth and the spectator thinks you’re lying, rather than the usual reverse!). This can also be a good moment to use Paul Harris’ snapping technique, if you’re familiar with it and conditions are appropriate, to simulate the sound of three cards. Now snap your fingers, bringing the spectator out of his ‘trance’. Separate the two cards in as suspicious a manner as possible, before finally revealing that there are indeed only two cards. I generally turn the top card faceup, square it with the other, then undercut the lowermost card, turning it over and replacing it onto the other card and squaring - sort of simulating a Braue Reversal action with just the two cards. The idea is to make it look like a card might be being hidden by an awkward handling, keeping all the heat on the two Jacks, before you then simply spread the two cards to reveal there are only two - this also gives a moment of time misdirection, drawing attention away from the fact that the deck has been reassembled.

skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Call attention to the deck and remind the spectator that before you started you reversed a card...and that you don’t know if the spectator saw a card, but that the card you reversed was the nine of Clubs (or whatever the selection was) and spread the deck to reveal that this is so.

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Midsection Force J.K.Hartman

Midsection Midsection Force Force J.K.Hartman The following constitutes an easy method of forcing one or more cards in the setting of a free free cutting action by a spectator. spectator. It can also be used to establish a key card for an “impossible location.” For the basic application, begin with the force card on the bottom of the deck. False shuffle, ending ending with the deck face-down face-down in the left left hand. Demonstrating what you would like the spectator to do, lift up a little over half the deck or so and shift it forward for half its length; lift off a smaller packet and shift it inward, aligned with the lower section; release release it there, there, leaving the midsection outjogged. outjogged. Pause for a second or two, and then square up the deck. Execute a quick centre Hindu Shuffle or false cut, and extend your left hand to permit the spectator spectator to follow your instructions. Point out that the neither neither the size nor the composition of the protruding middle section of the deck was controllable by you. Buckling the lowermost card card with the left fingers, insert the right forefinger into the break above above it. Clamp down on the upper section section with the thumb at the inner right corner, and perform a Vernon Vernon Strip-out Addition as you pull the middle section free, secretly adding the buckled card. Give the extracted block to the spectator, spectator, asking him to note the bottom card. Or, Or, table the balance of the deck, grasp the packet yourself in right-hand End Grip, and turn it upright to display the the apparently freely freely arrived at card. Alternatively, Alternatively, ask the spectator to repeat the sequence described above with the left-hand packet, seemingly randomizing the selection procedure further, as you perform a second Midsection Force. Force. Display the face card card of the surviving packet which, of course, is still the original force force card. Conclude in either case by dropping dropping the packet on the balance of the deck and proceed as required.

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To use the move as a key card set, glimpse the bottom card and perform the sequence just as described, described, in this case a single time.

After the Strip-out

Addition, hand the packet directly to the spectator. spectator. Ask him to peek at the top card, cautioning him not to expose it or any other card, and have him give the packet a complete complete cut. He can then lift up half the balance of the deck, replace replace his packet, and reassemble. reassemble. The selection is directly directly beneath the glimpsed key. key. Or, Or, glimpse the bottom card and have have the midsection outjogged. Turn the deck upright and ask the spectator spectator to note the the face card card of the jogged block. block. Lower the deck, performing the Strip-out Addition. Addition. Give the packet to the spectator spectator,, and have him give the packet a complete complete cut. In this case, the selection is directly directly above the glimpsed key. The move works as well with a block of cards. E.g., begin with the four Aces Aces on the bottom of the deck. Obtain a break over over at least four cards, and go through the actions of the Midsection Force, giving the left-hand packet to a spectator. Ask him to deal it into four piles, and eventually show that an Ace is at the top of each. As an obvious application with a face-up deck, begin with it face-down and the four Aces on top. top. Turn the deck face-up face-up and perform a centre Hindu Shuffle. Execute the move, but in this case, following the Strip-out Addition, retain the deck proper in your right hand, immediately turning your left hand palm down and tabling the packet face down. Retake the deck deck with your left hand and go through through the identical actions three three more times. An Ace is on top of each of the piles. As an alternative alter native to the precise cutting procedure, simply ask a spectator to pull a clump of cards partially out of the deck as you spread it, and demonstrate by outjogging a tightly spread block of six or seven cards.

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Burying The Aces Paul Gordon

Burying The Aces Paul Gordon This trick is an impromptu way of utilising various Gene Finnell ideas from his Free-Cut Principle booklet of 1967. This routine is based on a few ideas of my own from my 2003 booklet, Explorations. From the late J.C Wagner: Wagner: “Jeez, Paul. This is going straight into my act!” Whilst toying with the deck and openly removing the Aces, ensure the top four cards are value Eight or higher. Usually you’ll find four cards together within the spread; in which case you merely cut them to top. If not, swiftly cull them to position. Let’s assume, for this description only, that the top card is a Nine followed by a Ten, then a Jack and an Eight. (Crimp the corner of the Eight; the fourth-from-top card.) So, remove the Aces and lay them in a face-up row. row. For this description only, lay them in CHaSeD order from left to right. In reality, the order is not pivotal. Hold the deck face-up in dealing grip. Now, Now, because the top card is a Nine, push over eight cards (nine less one), flip them face-down and table beneath the AD. Okay, because the second from top card is a Ten, push over nine cards (ten less one), flip them face-down and table beneath the AS. Once more, because the third top card is a Jack, push over ten cards (eleven less one), flip them face-down and table beneath the AH. Finally, Finally, flip the inhand remainder face-down and table beneath the AC. Patter about burying and losing the Aces. Aided by the corner crimp, cut off the top four cards (make it appear random) of the packet beneath the AC and hold in dealing grip. Ask the spectator to turn the AC face-down onto its pile. Ask him to cut some cards from the pile beneath the AH and drop onto the AC pile; thereby burying the AC. Then ask the spectator to turn the AH face-down onto its pile. Ask

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him to cut some cards from the pile beneath the AS and drop onto the AH pile, thereby burying the AH. Again, ask the spectator to turn the AS face-down onto its pile. Ask him to cut some cards from the pile beneath the AD and drop onto the AS pile; thereby burying the AS. Finally, Finally, ask him to turn tur n the AD face-down and drop it on its pile. You then drop your inhand four-card four-card packet onto the AD. Gather the four piles by going from right to left. i.e., AD pile onto AS pile. Combined onto the AH pile and then the combined three piles onto the AC pile. If you can, false cut the deck. Reiterate the free cuts and the ‘losing’ of the Aces. It really does look that way, thanks to Gene Finnell. Now, deal the top four cards face-up into a left to right row. They’ll be the Nine, Ten, Jack and Eight - apparently four random cards. Holding the deck face-down in dealing grip, say, “Let’s see if these four cards can locate the Aces.” Deal nine cards under the Nine, ten cards under the Ten, eleven cards under the Jack and eight cards under the Eight. Discard the inhand remainder. To end, flip the packets face-up to reveal the Aces. Ta da! © Copyright 1993-2015 by Paul Gordon.

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Annoyin Annoying g Thoug Thought ht Pablo Pablo Amira Amira

An Annoying Thought Pablo Amira

Au Audience and participant’s perception A participant is invited to an imaginary game of poker, in which only one card is the relevant one. A deck of cards is used for letting him thinking in the needed one. During the mindreading process, the mindreader says that he has an “annoying thought”, removing one card from the deck while the mysterious person ask the participant to name one card. After a strange moment, the mindreading process continues. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] After that the thought-of-card is revealed, the card from the pocket is removed, showing it as a correct precognition, showing at the end that the “Annoying Thought” came from the participant subconscious, playing some strange games with the psychic abilities from the mindreader. mindreader.

Effect Mindreading and Precognition. A card is revealed via telepathy and other one thru precognition.

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Annoyi Annoying ng Though Thoughtt Pabl Pablo o Amir Amira a

How? This effect is an expansion of a classic concept to ask someone to think in a playing card using a deck of cards and then reveal it thru a magical process of mindreading. Obviously the process of getting the thought is dependant of your own character as performer; personally I play the psychic mindreader. mindreader. I have played with the simple idea to add a prediction effect on this so it has 2 different climaxes and I think that this method is my best solution to date. The deck can be shuffled before doing the proper procedure, it doesn’t matter. matter. For letting your participant think in a card you will use the Marlo/Vernon Spectator´s Peek. I have use also my own technique called “Amira´s Dribble Peek” for this. In this performance, because you are creating and experience that must take the attention off the prop itself and direct the importance to the human connection and creation of mystery, mystery, use a technique to know the thought of card that doesn’t communicate the possibility of any sleight of hand. Be casual and don’t make that process relevant. The important process comes next when you are connecting with your participant. You can explain thru your script and narrative that the cards are used because they are universal symbols, they are easy to remember, or (as I propose on the description of the effect) as part of the visualization that your participant is doing of a card game. This isn’t necessary, necessary, but in my opinion adds a lot of more artistry to your performance. There is nothing wrong with “expositive performances” in which you are just verbally just explaining and repeating what you are doing at a visual level, as: “I have a deck of cards…look a card…focus on your card…is the 5 of Hearts” but I prefer most of the time to add some narratives that makes the experience much more than just a potential puzzle to solve. At the end, do what suits you the best. Don’t copy anyone´s performance. Make it your own. So now, using the method that you prefer, you will know the card that your participant saw (from now you will label this cards as “the thought of card”… words creates reality). Let’s assume that your participant is thinking of the 5 of Hearts. NOW starts the process that it will w ill be memorable. Place all your attention on that and you will have an entertaining and remarkable performance. Reveal 222



first the colour and then when you are going to reveal the suit, say that you are having an “annoying thought”. This line sounds ambiguous and almost funny at the same time. You You can pause a little bit while you say it and use the reactions that you get to help in the dramatic building of the routine. Take the deck of cards and remove one card of the opposite colour from the “thought of card” (In this case you will remove a black card). Place it in your pocket and ask the participant to name a black card. Lets say that your participant names de 8 of Clubs. Now, if you place that precise card, you have a clean revelation at the end, but if not, just ACT and BELIEVE that you did that, smile, and continue with your mindreading. This will be implicit, and it has to be in my opinion. Go back to your revelation, naming the suit and at the moment in which you apparently are getting the precise number, just take the deck of cards (communicating that you are searching for the thought of card) and whenever wh enever you found the named card (in this case the 8 of Clubs say): “Ah… it was not the 3… for a moment I thought that it was but I am close…” In doing this you will place the 8 Clubs on top of the deck. Now find the 5 of Hearts, leaving the card on your participant´s palm. Ask the participant to name the card out loud and when his attention is on seeing the card and during the applause from the audience, you have the perfect moment to palm the card from the deck, place it on your pocket and leave a corner protruding (in that manner you can delay for a bit the revelation). Now add: “Is amazing how your minds and thoughts were connected, but you remember that you named one card in the middle, a black card. What was it? 8 of Clubs?...Well. So apparently that annoying thought had a purpose (reveal ( reveal the card)” As you can see, a simple and direct routine routine that allows you to reveal a thought of card and as a bonus, a prediction to impact the mind and Heart of your participant.

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Possible Possible Dialogue A lot of times when people ask me to read their mind, they don’t realize that thoughts are much easier to get when they have emotional relevance. For that I will ask you a very simple thing. Imagine that you are on the middle of a poker game. You are one step from getting all the money from the table, and at the same time, one step away from losing all your money and possessions…Such a moment right? During that imaginary moment… which hopefully will never be real… you realize that you only need one card to get that winning poker hand. That card will be chosen by random manners. Lets use your deck of cards. Shuffle it and please tell me “there” whenever you want to see a card (use the Marlo/Vernon Spectator´s Peek or any technique that gives you the proper information needed) Now focus on that card, imagine that this card is given to you on that poker table. You are receiving the winner card… that’s right, focus just in the colour now…. It’s It’s red, correct? Yes Ok, now focus on the symbol; the suit… it could be Hearts or Diamonds… (you receive the “annoying thought”)…this is weird…an annoying thought just came to my mind… (look to some person in the audience)…not what you are thinking sir… (take one black card making just a guess and place it in your pocket). If I asked you to name a black card, which one would it be? Mmm... 8 of Clubs Ok, nice, I understand now…. Lets focus on the mindreading… look at me and see the red symbol forming in your mind… I see a round image...it’s image...it’s a Heart? Yes Excellent, now see that Heart exploding in your mind, forming the proper number or letter that you are thinking of… Ok... I think I have it… (Take (Take the deck, searching for the named card and place it via a simple cut on the top while you add the next line) Ah… it wasn’t the the 3… for a moment I thought that it was but I am close…” (now search and take the 5 of Hearts and give it to your participant face down)

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One winning card in 52…So everyone knows… which is the card that you are thinking of? 5 of Hearts (let the participant turns the card, load the card during the applause) It’s amazing how your minds and thoughts were connected, but you remember that you named one card in the middle, a black card. What was it? 8 of Clubs?...Well.. So apparently that annoying though had a purpose (reveal the card)”

Extra Ideas 1.

You can use the named card card as part of the mindreading mindreading process, process, using it as associative mean to get the private thought. For more info in this type of procedure and psychological process, get Kenton Knepper´s Backlash effect.

2.

You can also place the “annoying thought” on the table table and then use a top change, or using a card to wallet for this.

Credits and Inspiration Credit to Ed Marlo and Dai Vernon for the “Spectator Peek”. Inspiration on the simple expansion of concepts and congruent mix of effects from Annemann´s Magic vs. Mindreading

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The Jackal

Ben Blau

The Jack Jackal al Ben Blau

Basic Handling What follows is a structural description of an effective and fooling mental routine using playing cards. I have deliberately left out specific details of my personal script and presentational approach, in favor of a more functional explanation. I encourage you to learn the technical aspects of this effect, and then craft a presentational framework suitable to your own personality and sense of aesthetics. Although this routine can be performed impromptu with a very small amount of memorization, it is made slightly easier by preparing a deck of cards in advance of the performance. Remove any three cards you can easily remember. remember. It doesn’t matter what w hat they are, but I recommend using three cards that have nothing in particular in common. (I always use the three of clubs, the six of hearts, and the king of diamonds.) Place these three cards on top of the deck, and you’re ready to go. (Should you choose to go the impromptu route, simply glimpse and memorize the top three cards at any opportune moment. It is not necessary to remember their order - only their identities.) When ready to perform, remove the deck of cards from the case, and spread through them, face up, to show the random distribution of cards. Turn the deck face down, and give it an in the hands riffle shuffle, retaining the slug of three cards on top. When I do this, I usually say something like, “Now, I’m not great at shuffling, but you can see that they really are well mixed.” I then follow with a

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standard Ose false triple cut, while saying, “And we’ll give them a cut as well.” Explain to the participant that you will turn your back, and that he is to deal the cards face down into three piles. Gesture for him to pick up the deck, turn your back, and wait for him to start dealing. When you’re sure he has dealt at least the first three cards, tell him (almost as an afterthought) that he doesn’t have to deal the cards rotationally, rotationally, but he should instead deal them haphazardly. haphazardly. It is not important for the piles to be perfectly even. The point of this is that by dealing the cards in a haphazard fashion, it further randomizes their distribution. When the participant has finished dealing, comment that there is no possible way that you could know exactly what cards are in any particular pile. (This is essentially true, with the exception of the bottom cards of each packet - your original three key cards.) Tell him that he can even switch the packets around on the table. (Technically, this accomplishes nothing, although it appears to add one more layer of fairness to the procedure.) Now, ask him to mentally select any one of the three packets. When he has made up his mind, ask him to pick it up, and shuffle them some more. Make the comment that you couldn’t possibly know which packet he has chosen, much less the cards it contains. He will have to agree. Remind him that the cards were not only shuffled before we started, but due to the random dealing, and the fact that he shuffled again prevents you from knowing anything at all about their order. Tell him that we need to have a card chosen totally at random, in a manner that is completely free of influence. To this end, instruct him to give the packet a complete cut, and to peek at the card he has cut to (the top card of his packet). Stress that it is imperative for him to remember this card. Once this has been acknowledged, tell the participant to reassemble the deck by “sandwiching” his packet in between the other two, and to square them up well after doing so. (Since both of the two tabled groups possess potential key cards on the bottom, it is not necessary to specify which packet goes on top, and which goes on the bottom. This further throws the participant “off the trail”.) Only once the deck has been reassembled and squared do you turn around to face him. (Note that the process by which the deck has been reassembled guarantees 228


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that the thought-of selection rests directly below one of the three possible key cards. Another of them will lie somewhere beneath the selection, and the third will be on the very bottom of the assembled deck.) Recap the fairness of the procedure, and explain that your task will be to determine exactly what card the participant is thinking of. “But first,” you say, “let’s give these another shuffle.” At this point, you have the option of false shuffling the deck. If you can do a very convincing false shuffle that mirrors the genuine shuffling technique you used at the beginning of the routine, by all means use it. This has the advantage of maintaining certainty that the thought-of card lies directly next to the topmost key card in the deck. However, if you like to live on the edge (as I do), you can take the deck, and give it a genuine riffle shuffle. shuffle. Though it is genuine, there are certain certain special criteria to which you must adhere. The selection and its corresponding key card lie approximately one third of the way down from the top of the deck. In dividing it to perform the shuffle, you need to make sure that you do so near the midpoint - maybe even slightly lower (by a card or two). Next, when you riffle shuffle the portions together, endeavor to make it as even a shuffle as possible. It is not necessary to do this with the precision of a faro, but the closer you get to that “ideal” the better. better. (With practice, you’ll discover that it is quite possible to riffle shuffle a deck in such a way that cards from the opposing halves fall either alternately, alternately, or in clusters no greater than “twos”.) After riffle shuffling the deck, execute an additional Ose false cut, to give false continuity to the “mixing” process. At this point, the selection will be found via estimation and subtlety. subtlety. Before actively looking through the deck to locate the selected card, you must spend some time engaging in an apparent “process” of reading the participant’s participant’s mind. (This ( This is true whether or not you’ve opted to use a false or genuine shuffle, of course.) Ask the participant to concentrate on his card, and pretend to be receiving an impression of what it might be. Here, you must act as if you’re somewhat uncertain, in order to set up a framework for how to handle certain variables that can occur when you attempt to locate his card. After a moment of contemplation, hesitatingly say, say, “You “You know, I think I’m just going to go with my first impression.” 229


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You then pick up the deck, and begin to run through the cards, apparently looking for the card you were “receiving”. Here, there are two issues that must mu st be resolved; namely, namely, (1) how to identify which of the three possible key cards is the correct one, and (2), due to the nature of the shuffle, the thought-of selection can be any of the three cards that are immediately to the right of the correctly identified key card in the spread, but you will not immediately know which one. Let’s Let’s begin by taking up issue #1: To identify the correct key card, simply observe the following rules: 1.

After the riffle shuffle and Ose cut, there there will be one key card card that is either on or very near the face of the deck. This will never be the correct key card.

2.

If another key card card appears appears very close to to the face, it isn’t isn’t that one either either.

3.

If the two key cards are close to each other other (in the same area of the deck, but but well past the face), the correct one will be the leftmost of the two.

4.

If the third key card card appears appears near the top of the deck, it can also also be ruled out. The correct key card will be the one that is somewhere within the deck, not too close to the top or bottom. (Note that it is not necessary to check to see if there is a key card near the top. If by the time you’ve looked up to about 1/3 of the way into the deck from the face, and have only seen two key cards, you can be assured that the third has to be near the top and can be disregarded.)

In most cases, there will be one key card on or near the face (disregarded), (disregarded), another single key card about a third of the way in (the “correct” key card), and the last somewhere near the top (disregarded). We have now identified the correct key card, and can proceed with Issue #2: Once you have identified the correct key card, remove the card that is immediately to its right in the spread, and hold it with its back to the participant. Say, “I just want to see if I’m close.” In the action of removing this card, secretly glimpse and memorize the next two cards to the right of the one you removed. You may or may not need to make use of this knowledge, depending on what happens next. Continuing to hold the single removed card with its back to the participant, table the rest of the deck. Acting as if you’re unsure, reiterate the fact that you’ll be

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happy if this card is even close to the one the participant is thinking of. Turn the card around, while saying “Am I even close?” In most cases, this will be the selected card, and the participant will react appropriately (hopefully with amazement and disbelief). In the event that you are wrong, the participant’ participant’ss response to the question “Am I even close?” will provide you with all the information you need to deduce which of the two other possible cards is the correct correct one. (Some improvisation is necessary when this this occurs, but I will provide some examples of how it can play out.) The most common scenario is that one of the other two cards will possess a characteristic that can be interpreted as being in some way “similar” to the first one you removed. For example, it could be close in value, be of the same suit, be the same color, color, etc. Perhaps one is a picture card, and the other a number card. If the two remaining cards are substantially different from one another, another, this puts you in the most advantageous position (and occurs the majority of the time.) For example, suppose the card you removed is the five of hearts, and is “wrong”. Let’s also assume that the other two possible cards are the seven of diamonds, and queen of clubs. When you ask the participant if you are “close” (with the five of hearts), his response will tell you which of the two remaining cards can be ruled out. For example, if he gives you a prompt and unambiguous “no”, you can easily rule out the seven of diamonds, and therefore be sure that the thought-of selection is the queen of clubs. If the participant is really thinking of the seven of diamonds, he will have to consider his answer when deciding whether or not the card you removed is “close”. (After all, it’s the correct color, color, and not too far off in value.). Obviously, this can be easily observed, and you can therefore eliminate the queen. You You now know that he is thinking of the seven. Another possibility is that one of the two remaining cards is genuinely close to the first one you remove. For example, imagine that one of the two is only one off in value, or even of matching value but in a different suit. This, in and of itself, is noteworthy to the participant, as it seems to provide credibility to being so close on your first attempt. To illustrate how this might play out, suppose that one of the two remaining cards is the six of hearts (which is legitimately close to the five of hearts you removed first). If the participant promptly indicates that you are close, simply toss the five

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onto the table, and say something along the lines of, “I knew it! It was the SIX, wasn’t it?” Note that you have not even looked through the deck a second time, or even looked through the whole thing when retrieving the first card. It will feel to the participant as though you’ve extracted the thought from his mind. In the event that you are not “close” with the five of hearts (and thus know that the card being thought of is the queen of clubs), proceed in a similar fashion. Toss Toss the single removed card aside, and say something along the lines of “Yeah, my first impression is sometimes way off. Never mind, let’s let’s try this a different way. way. Think of the color of your card... It’s black, isn’t it? I’m getting a spade... No, a club! Number or picture. Number or picture... It’s a picture card. A queen. Queen of clubs?” skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] At this point, you will appear to have read his mind without the assistance of the deck of cards. Having been wrong with your first attempt, the physical deck of cards becomes inconsequential, and the effect takes on the appearance of direct mind reading. The deck of cards, of course, bears no evidence of how you may have accomplished this feat, and can be left with the participant if you wish. This same routine could be performed with a symbol deck, as long as every card is different. Imagine, for example, an ESP deck in which each of the five symbols is represented in five different different colors. In such a deck, every card would be unique. You could preselect any three symbols in any choice of color to function as your key cards, and transform the routine into a believable “experiment” in ESP. ESP.

An An Alternate Beginning If you are willing to put a very small amount of additional effort into setting up for this routine, there is an even more deceptive way of presenting it, which I will describe here. Honestly, it only takes about thirty seconds to set up a deck in order to perform it this way, and is most definitely my preferred handling. (This may read as being complex, but I assure you that it is not.) To set up, start by removing any three cards you can easily remember. Here, it is 232


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not particularly important to be too clever about the choice of cards, so I always use the ace, two, and three of hearts. These will function as our key cards. You will need to create create a small setup of seven cards in total, total, which will include these specific key cards. The setup is as follows (from the top down, in a facedown perspective): 1.

Indifferent card (top card)

2.

Indifferent card

3.

Key card #1

4.

Indifferent card

5.

Key card #2

6.

Indifferent card

7.

Key card #3 (bottom card)

The three key cards occupy positions 3, 5, and 7 in this setup, and are interspersed with indifferent cards. Before placing the key cards into their respective positions, I also arrange them so they are not in consecutive order (for instance, 2-A-3). This ensures that no conspicuous pattern can be observed if the cards are spread face up (which they will be, in a moment). Take the setup of these seven cards, and place them on top of an otherwise shuffled deck, and you’re ready to go. In this structure, it is also important to include the two jokers somewhere in the remaining shuffled portion, although it doesn’t matter where they reside. The reasons for including the jokers will be described later, but it is an important detail. Note that a deck that is thusly prepared can be freely spread face-up, and appear to be thoroughly mixed. Next, we are going to begin a shuffling sequence that, when coupled with an effective script, will make any setup seem absolutely impossible. Let’s discuss the mechanics first, and then we’ll look at how to combine these actions with the verbal aspects of the handling. Begin by spreading the cards face-up from hand to hand, as you display them to 233


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the participant to show an ordinary deck of cards. There is simply no chance of anything appearing suspicious at this point, and the arrangement of cards looks truly random. Square up the cards, keeping them face up in your hand, as you engage the participant with your introductory remarks. Next, as you continue talking with the participant, you will transfer the deck into your right hand, in preparation for a face down overhand shuffle. In so doing, make sure you peel off more than seven cards in your first shuffle action (I usually peel off about a quarter of the deck), and then run one card singly in the second shuffle action, injoggjng it in the process. On top of this injogged card, shuffle off the remainder of the pack. When the overhand shuffle is complete, transfer the deck into your left hand, not completely squared up, while keeping track of the injog. This allows you to perform what is essentially a genuine triple cut to the table, as follows: Cut off approximately one third of the pack, and drop them face down onto the table. When you pick up the next group of cards, simply cut beneath the injogged card, pushing it flush with the packet as you pick them up, and drop them on top of the tabled group. Finally, the remaining cards cards in your hand are dropped on top of those, thus transferring the seven card setup back to the top of the deck. The cards are now squared up, and left on the table as you prepare to deliver your upcoming instructions to the participant. This sequence looks utterly convincing, as long as you take your time, and do it in a relaxed, casual manner. manner. It is best to carry out this sequence while speaking to the participant about something other than the cards themselves. In other words, do not make the mistake of saying something like, “Look - you can see that the cards are really being shuffled.” Statements such as this invite suspicion, and tempt the participant to ask if he can shuffle the cards himself. By occupying his thoughts with your introductory introductory remarks, the apparent fact that the cards are being genuinely shuffled (and cut) will fully register, register, without having to point it out. When I perform this effect, my usual script during this shuffling and cutting sequence goes something like this: “Now, sometimes when I do this, people think that I’m some sort of psychic, which I can assure you that I’m not. On the other hand, some people think it’s a sort of card trick... and, strictly speaking, it’s not exactly that either. Ultimately, I

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don’t care how people think this works - if it works at all - as long as they realize that it’s not easy.” Time these statements so that they conclude just as you are completing the triple cut to the table, following the overhand shuffle as described above. Note that this sequence is absolutely indistinguishable from the genuine actions being simulated. At this point, you have transferred the seven card setup to the top of the deck, unbeknownst to the audience. The next series of actions will distribute the key cards to where they need to be, in the context of explaining to the participant what you want him to do. Tell him that in a moment, he will take the cards, and that you will face the opposite direction. State that he will deal the cards, one at a time, into three face-down piles on the table. As you explain this, pick up the deck and demonstrate this action by dealing the top three cards into a face-down row on the table. (Do this from your left to your right, and mentally think of the three cards in terms of their positions: 1, 2, and 3.) Pause at this point, and say, “But I don’t want you to always deal them in the same order, like one-two-three, one-two-three...” (Mime this action as you speak this line.) “For example, you could deal them out as two-three-one, or three-one-two...” (Actually deal the next six cards as you say this, into the corresponding piles: 2-3-1-3-1-2. Note that the outcome of this sequence is that the rightmost pile will now be entirely comprised of your three key cards.) Next, look the participant in the eye, and say “I don’t care what order you deal them in, as long as all three piles come out even. Do you understand?” As he confirms his comprehension of your request, casually stack up the three packets with your right hand, one on top of the other (from right to left), and drop them as a group on top of the remainder of the deck, which is still in your left hand. The outcome of this is that the three key cards are now on top of the deck. Once he has confirmed that he understands, begin to hand him the deck, and almost as an afterthought, give them an in the hands riffle shuffle just before handing them over (secretly retaining the slug of three cards on top). By stating that you don’t care in which order he deals them as long as the piles come out even, this will guarantee that he will deal the first three cards into what will become his three piles, without having to verbally reframe your dealing instructions

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after the dealing has begun. Because of the overhead shuffling sequence, the apparently haphazard manner in which you demonstrated dealing the cards, and the final riffle shuffle before handing the cards to the participant, NO ONE (not even magicians) will suspect the use of key cards. Turn your back, and allow the participant to start dealing out the cards. Due to the fact that the deck contains two jokers, this assures that there will be three equal piles by the time the dealing is completed. The routine can now proceed as described in the basic handling above.

A No-Risk Solution If you are turned off by the slight element of risk inherent to this routine, fear not. It is quite possible to perform this effect using a sure fire method. After the deck has been reassembled and squared up by the participant, turn around to face him. Comment that even though you have no idea what card he is thinking of, you may have some idea of its approximate location in the deck. State that you will give the deck a few cuts, to “reposition” it. Give the deck an Ose false triple cut. “In fact”, you say, “let’s “let’s really shuffle them, so that there is absolutely no way to keep track of it.” Pick up the deck, and proceed to give it an overhand shuffle. When you do this, just make sure that you peel off slightly more than a third of the deck in the first shuffle action, and then shuffle off the rest of the cards. Follow this up with an in the hands riffle shuffle, in which you avoid interlacing the bottom eight to ten cards, approximately. In so doing, the correct key card will be somewhere fairly close to the face, with the selected card immediately to its right. When you look through the deck to retrieve the thought of card, you will see either one or two key cards in this area. If there is only one, it is always the correct key card. If there are two, the correct one is the leftmost of the two.

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History and Background The inspiration for this effect came from a routine by Sam Schwartz, known as “Thot Echo”, first published in the book, Play It I t Again, Sam - The Close-up Magic of Sam Schwartz (Louis Tannen, Inc., 1977), and reprinted in Roberto Giobbi’s Card College Volume 1 (Hermetic Press Inc., 1996). I absolutely adore this trick, and have sought many years for a way of doing it with a less elaborate setup. I also wanted to be able to spread the cards face up at the outset of the routine, and to allow more freedom in terms of shuffling, both before and after a card is chosen by the participant. The original Thot Echo accommodates two selections by two participants, and plays out very similarly to what I am offering here. It also has the advantage of being sure fire, as well as entirely self-working. If you are not familiar with the effect, I urge you to seek it out. My routine is meant for one participant; and, while it uses a markedly different methodology, methodology, definitely bears the DNA of Schwartz’s Schwartz’s original concept. This routine would never have evolved without it.

A Word About The Title The origin of the title, “The Jackal”, is disappointingly mundane. Originally, the working title for this effect was “Just Another Key Card Location”. Constructing an acronym using the first letter of each word got me close enough to “Jackal” to make me happy, although the fact that the “c” and the “k” are out of order admittedly gives me the slightest twinge of OCD (or ODC, if you like).

C’est la vie.

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Featured Artist: Shannon Clark Clark

Featur Featured Artist: Shannon Clark My first friendship with John began in early 2006, while participating in Jason Alford’s Alford’s online community, community, “The Second Deal.” John quickly established himself as a creator of magic which I held in the highest regard. Luckily for me, as our exchange of ideas progressed, so did our friendship. I’m happy to say that John has grown into one of my very closest friends in life, as well as magic. I can’t possibly express the gratitude I have for John allowing me to share a sample of my work with you in this chapter. “Something for everyone” is a common phrase to see slapped on any given magic product nowadays, but I truly selected these effects in an effort to provide at least one thing for everyone, regardless of our inevitably varied fields of interest. There are three card effects which I use almost everyday of my life; each effect is truly miracle class in the eyes of an audience and each can be done on the fly with a borrowed, shuffled, pack. A mentalism effect which utilizes business cards where you, as well as the audience, impossibly send someone your collective thoughts. And finally a coin effect that enjoys a truly interesting premise, as well as visually stunning action, and a surprise ending no one will see coming. Thank you again, John. Thanks for the privilege of sharing my work and a very special thanks to you, the reader, who is willing to give my creative efforts a few moments in your life of magic. I truly hope to meet you all someday. Shannon Clark

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Collective Thoughts Shannon Clark Clark

Collective Collective Thoughts Thoughts Shannon Clark What you will need: 1.

A business card with the number 3 written on it with a line drawn through it, and then the number 7 written larger on it as well – to give the impression that you changed your mind in the process of writing it.

2.

A business card with a large triangle on it, with a circle circle drawn inside of the triangle.

3.

A small stack of business cards and a sharpie

Place the card with the numbers written on it in a separate pocket than the others, maybe in your wallet. The card with the shapes on it is face-down on top of the stack of face-down cards. Open your wallet and remove the card, handing it to someone to hold between their fingertips (in Mystery Card type fashion). Announce that you’re going to try something quite different than what they have seen before - you will actually try and send them a thought. In essence you are going to try and have them read you mind, rather than you read theirs. Remove the stack of cards and a pen from your pocket (keep in mind the ‘shapes’ card is on top of the stack). “Ava, I’m going to try and send you a thought…but first I’d like to establish what I need you to do in order for this to have any chance of actually working. One of the most important things is for you to genuinely name the FIRST thing that pops

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Collective Thoughts Shannon Clark

into your mind each I ask you something, and we also need to keep your thoughts as simple as possible. In other words we’ll use very simple words, shapes, etc. For instance, Ava, what’s the first simple word that pops into your mind as we speak?” We’ll assume the person responds resp onds with the th e word “flower.” You’ll You’ll treat the response respo nse as if the whole bit is just to establish the process you’ll both be using, place no importance on the actual answer and you respond: “Perfect! That’s precisely what I’m talking about! Now that we are on the same page, let’s get started.” Perform a casual double turnover to expose the blank side of a business card. Wrist kill the cards to you - you’ll seemingly draw a quick picture of the impending question. In reality you will write the word ‘flower’ or draw a simple line drawing of a flower, whatever suits your style. As soon as you are done, address the spectator. “Ok Ava, it’s time to try and make our first connection together and when I say ‘together’ I mean all of us will try – everyone here. I’ve drawn a very simple drawing on this card and we are going to try and send this image directly into your mind…you know what they say, there’s strength in numbers.” Turn the double down and push the card to your extreme right fingertips. At this point no one can see the face of the card, so the card to your fingertips to the point where everyone but the spectator can clearly see it. Make mention to the audience that you want everyone in the room to think about what they see and without saying a word, to try and send that thought to Ava. “Ava, make your mind blank for a moment, please. Next I want you to imagine a very simple geometric shape, the first one that pops in your mind. Next – I’d like to think of a second simple shape and place it inside the first. Make that picture as clear as possible in your mind’s eye. We’ve committed to what we’re trying to send you already… you’ll get to see it at the end as well. But for now, no one here knows if we’ve succeeded to connect…no pressure….”

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Now drop the hand with the card and place it with the card the person is already holding at their fingertips. The card is slid flush under the card they hold. Instruct everyone not to react to whatever answers the person gives until the very end. You now ask the person answers as to what two shapes popped in their mind, and also in what specific configuration. Comment on their answer without confirming if they got it correct or not. Perform another double with the business cards; again a blank card comes into view. This time you’ll lift the cards up to you view to write wr ite on just as before, but this time you will include a member of the audience in on it while you write on the card. You are going to duplicate the numbers that you had previously written on the first card you handed the spectator, but in a very specific way. Stand shoulder to shoulder with someone from the audience as they watch you write the 3 on the card. “This is the number I have in mind at the moment…but you known what? To be honest, this isn’t the first number I thought of…” Allow the audience to see you draw a line through it and write the number 7 on it. “This is the first number I thought of… so we’ll commit to it… hopefully I don’t regret this…“ As the person you are speaking to reacts reacts to you, simply turn the double down and place it above the other two cards. This is actually the card with “flower” written on it. “Ok - we’re committed again, Ava. This time we’re going to try our best to send you a number. But it’s it’s going to be a small number because between one and one million wouldn’t be very likely at all. I’d like you to think of the very first number that pops into you head, say, say, between 1 and 10. Got it? Great!” Place the remainder of the cards and the pen into your pocket, and now for a little time misdirection and a bit of reframing.

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“Ava we’ve been trying my best to send you a few thoughts today – to influence you, if you will. There’s There’s one thought in particular which I’m most interested in terested in and you’ve had that one from the start of this experiment, but we also decided to try a warm up or two and everyone else here was included to keep us both honest… me, more than you…” One thing to keep in mind here is that the audience has seemingly seen everything you have handed her as you handed them to her, and in their minds, prior to the questions that was asked. In reality they have only seen you write one of the predictions in real time, but you have managed this in a very specific way. Even though they didn’t actually see you write the shapes, they physically saw the drawing of the shapes at your fingertips as it was fed into in to her hands. They actually watched you write the numbers, n umbers, so the fact that they didn’t physically see the numbers just prior to being handed to her doesn’t register. register. The feeling that they have seen you actually write both predictions is very strong. “Ava, in our first warm- up you tried to read our minds and come up with two shapes, one inside the other. What shapes did you receive? “ Whatever their answer you will play on it as you reach to pinch the three cards they are holding at your fingertips in preparation for a Bro. Hamman style switch. Just before you touch the cards you will look to the audience to get them to name the shapes that ‘everyone’ tried to send her. Have them name the shapes they saw and perform only half of the Hamman switch. Several actions will happen simultaneously: With your left fingers slide the bottom card out to the left from underneath and turn it over end for end, back end dipping toward the floor toward you first, as the card revolves face-up it is placed on top of, and slightly to the left of, the new middle card of the spread. During said card’s revolution the right thumb which is contacting the back of the now middle card, pushes it slightly to the left as well. While the right fingers from underneath will pull the new bottom card to the right just a bit.

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This sequence centralizes the “flower” card between one face-up card to the left, and one card, which is still face-down to the right. All that seemingly happened is turning one card face-up to display it. The small displacement is well covered between Ava first confirming her success or failure to herself as well as the audience announcing what they tried to send her in their thoughts. “Great job, Ava and the rest of you as well! We also tried to send you a number… what number did you receive Ava?” Again, right or wrong you acknowledge acknowledge the audience to tell Ava what they all tried to send her. In this action you can very cleanly revolve the bottom card face-up and place it back where it was. It’s very likely you will hit the number dead on, and even likelier that at least one of the numbers will correlate to the one they thought of, giving you an even wider possibility of success. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] All that is left it to reiterate reiterate the apparent apparent situation... “Reading someone’s mind is a very difficult thing to do, especially if it’s the first time you’ve tried to do such a thing! I enlisted the help h elp of everyone here to try and send you a thought, we all decided on two different thoughts and sent them to you…and everyone did a great job. But I’ll have to admit I was trying to send you a thought I’ve I ’ve had in my head since the very first second I met you today. These two cards (pointing at the face-up cards) you have held for the last few minutes, but you’ve had that facedown card in your hands before anyone else here tried to influence your thoughts. That card has a word on it that I’ve been thinking about since yesterday…let’s yesterday…let’s see if you got it.”

Credits: The psychological forces applied here can be found in Banacheck’s, Banacheck’s, Psychological Subtleties Vol I.

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Forced Coincidence Shannon Clark Clark

Forced Coincidence Shannon Clark “Hi Lori, I’m fascinated by the idea of coincidence. I mean, just how much can you influence a coincidence before it isn’t a coincidence anymore? I know it seems a strange question, but it’s the kind of thing that keep me up at night…” Run through the deck and casually remove any card, sight unseen, and pretend to place it in your pocket. In reality this card is immediately palmed back out of the pocket and placed back on top of the deck. Some care should be taken to not make this feel like the beginning of a trick. You want her to see you place the card there, but not place any conscious importance to the action. While doing this I usually grin slightly and mumble to myself, jokingly: “I’m sorry you had to see that.” Continue on… “Lori I’d like you to simply think of any card in the deck. Please don’t think of an obvious card, like an Ace or a King, because later when you get home I don’t want you to think to yourself: ‘I bet everyone thinks of that card!’ Instead, I want you to think of a card even you didn’t think you would think of.” We’ll assume they name the 4H. Run though the deck faces to you. Just as you come to the 4H you will cut the pack, bringing the 4H to the back of the face-up deck. You will now draw all attention to whatever card happens to be cut to the face of the deck. Let’s assume it was the 10 of Clubs. You’ll ask a few simple questions about the card as if it is the only card of importance, presently. For example:

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Forced Coincidence Shannon Clark

“Lori did you happen to think of a black card first? A Club? Something like the 10C? See I had a feeling you thought of a different card at first, it’s hard to be certain about these things…” No matter her answer you casually flip the deck facedown and bring all attention away from the deck while palming off the 4H. Produce the card form your pocket. This is an extremely strong moment, so sell it for what it’s it’s worth. Now I have a question, Lori. Who gets credit for this sort of thing? Did I place just the right card in my pocket? Did you think of just the right card? Was it a little of both? Who knows? I mean for now I’ll take credit, just so we don’t fight about it….” During this joke, hand the deck out for shuffling. But you will hold on to the 4H as you speak. As soon as the mix is complete, reacquire the deck and casually add the 4H to the top, immediately overhand shuffle the pack bringing the 4H back to the top. No attention should be brought to the fact that you held h eld out the 4H, it’s treated treated like an accidental occurrence. But in reality you have held out the card in the easiest way possible. “I’m going to make a prediction that you’ll keep until the end of this, as sort of ‘starting point’ for our coincidence – if you will.” You will now run ru n through and remove one card from the deck, but you will do so in a very specific way. Grip the deck, faces to you, with w ith your RH only on ly.. Using only your right fingers on the back of the pack, you will push cards singly into your waiting left hand, starting from the back of the pack and moving your way through the deck. While this is a reverse spread from your perspective, it looks completely normal to the audience. Ignore the 4H on the back of the pack as you begin this backward spread in order to look for the first Four that you come to. Now for a casual displacement:

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As you reach the Four in the spread, you apparently will simply break the spread at this point. In reality, reality, you will break the spread while doing two things at once. The right fingers from underneath the deck will contact the 4H on the back of the pack. As soon as this contact is made you will break the spread, the four which you just came to in the spread on the back of the right hand spread. Since your right fingertips are contacting the 4H as well, this card will naturally be slid to the right and end up on the back of the right hand spread as well. Situation Check: You are left with a spread of cards in each hand. The left most card of the spread is the 4H and the next card is the four you just found while going through the deck. You have invisibly just displaced the 4H to the back of the RH spread. You will now bring the two hands together as both Fours will be openly added to the face of the left hand spread. All of this is done under the guise of trying to decide on “just the right card” for the spectator to pocket. I usually say something like… “Let’s “Let’s see…I’m not really sure…it’s sure…it’s really all about a feeling…” Now you simply square the left hand spread of cards and place it facedown to the table (the two fours will be on bottom of this packet.) This is treated as though they are simply discards because none of them strike your fancy to give the person. Continue acting as if you are looking for a specific card you have yet to find and the tabled cards are meaningless. Continue the right hand reverse spread (pushing with your right fingers from behind into your left hand) until you reach you next Four. Four. Again you will break the spread and this Four will be kept as the backmost card of the right hand’s hand’s cards. Every card you have pushed off into your left hand while looking for this four is loosely squared and placed face-down on top of the packet that exists on the table. Apparently these are just more meaningless cards on your way to find your prediction.

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Continue the spread as before (keep in mind the backmost card of the remaining cards in your hands is a four) until you reach the last Four. Upjog this Four and hand it to the spectator to place in her pocket, without her looking at it. Square all of the remaining cards in the spread and casually drop them on top of the tabled cards. You have just invisible stacked the deck for the ending, but to the audience it looks as though you simply ran through the deck while trying to get a feel for a card. “Lori I’m going to give you this card to place in your pocket, without anyone, including you, looking at it. Hopefully it’ll coincide in a special way with what’ w hat’ss to come…I have a pretty good feeling about it.” Situation check: Lori now has a four in her pocket and the tabled deck consists of a four on top and two Fours on bottom. The second card form the bottom is the 4H, which is the originally thought of card. “But I’d also like you to pick a card out that I will place in my pocket without looking at it as well.” Execute a wide ribbon spread of the deck on the table, as wide as possible. Allow the person to push one card out of the spread toward you, emphasis the fairness of the procedure and offer as many chances to change their mind as they might want. Once a card is decided upon you place it, sight unseen, into your pocket. “Lori you and I have been interacting this entire time and thus far we have hit it off wonderfully. wonderfully. I’d also like to get a couple more people involved, but I want you both in control of your own fate…if you will. Each of you will be allowed to make your own decision, but there will be points where you’ll have to agree as well…you’ll see what I mean. ” With the deck in dealer’s grip extend it to a person on the left. Have him cut about half the packet and keep them. While confirming they are happy with their cut, casually move the bottom card of your half to the top. I use a side-steal.

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Give the pack you are holding to a spectator on your right. Both now have two halves of the deck. Each unknowingly has a Four on top of their packets and the person on the right has the 4H on the bottom. You will now use a swapping packet embellishment on the Cut Deeper Force by John Guastaferro to deceptively have each spectator force the fours on one another. My only addition to John’s wonderful idea is to allow the spectators to decide for themselves if they want to swap or not swap at each point - appearing to have the utmost freedom in the decision making process and also entangle their results with one another’s fate. “Ok guys, you two are going to create a completely random series of events, of which the two of you will have absolute freedom of choice. You You will have a couple of chances to make this as random as you can imagine. It’s It’s completely up to you. First I’d like for you guys to lift off a small packet of cards from the packet you hold and turn them face-up. You You could have cut any number of cards off, correct? That was your first decision. Now you guys have a second decision to make. Would you like to swap the packets you have just cut to, or keep them?” If they say yes, allow them to swap the packets they have turned face-up by simply placing the packet the turned face-up on to the opposite person’s facedown cards. If they say no, they keep the packet they have. Regardless, each person at this point is left holding a packet of cards in which the top section is face-up, followed by facedown cards. “Great, now I’d like you to cut off another group of cards from the ones you hold, but this time I want you to cut even deeper than last time – cut a rather large section. Please turn these cards over as well. Now for your last decision whether or not to swap packets. Would you like to?” Once again, you allow them to do whatever they like. I find most people use both chances to swap, but most everyone uses at least one. This results in an

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unbelievably random looking mix of the cards. “Well you guys have made a series of random calls that no one knew you would make. Lori shuffled the deck to start with and each you guys have cut to any number of cards you wanted and even swapped packets as well. And it looks as if you both are left with face-up cards on top the packets you hold, correct?” You of course know the orientation of their cards, but posing a question at this point adds a nice touch. Only deal with one person at a time as you have them do the following (this keeps one of them from accidentally doing something wrong): “Spread through your cards until you come to the first facedown card.” As the person removes all the face-up cards you take the packet from them and place it facedown in your hand. This makes the clean up for the cut deeper sequence much easier and also leaves the final upcoming display much clear in the end. “This is just about the fairest way I know to randomize these packets while still allowing you both an even say-so in the outcome.” Have this person place the facedown card into an available pocket as you take rest of their cards as well. Now you’ll repeat the same thing for the other person, he will go through the same actions to pocket a card. Keep in mind when you take the final facedown packet from him, it will contain the 4H on the bottom of it. You will casually place this packet to the bottom of your cards, leaving the 4H on the bottom of the deck which you now hold. Reiterate the fairness of the procedure ass most all that is left is to bring this home. Have each person remove the card from their pocket facedown, taking care not to look at it. Under all of this cover you will w ill palm out the 4H and pretend to take it from your pocket at the same time they do.

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You will show your card just a beat ahead of theirs because you want to call special attention to the fact that, again; somehow, Lori gave you the card she simply thought of once more. “Lori do you recall at the start of all this, the two of us were wondering just who should get the credit for thinking of just the right card? Well I have a confession to make, it was you all the while…I don’t even know why I’m here, because somehow you’ve given me the exact same card, again!” After this is pointed out you have everyone else turn turn their cards over in unison.

For a no-palming alternate alternate handling handling for the ending: You can place the deck away in the same pocket as the card which was given to you earlier. earlier. When it comes time for everyone to remove their cards you will go into your pocket and remove the bottom most card of the deck. While discrepant, it will fly by the most discerning crowd.) Credits: The inspiration for this routine is Ramon Rioboo’s “One in the Side Pocket” from Thinking the Impossible. (The effect originally appeared in Steve Beam’s Semi-Automatic Card Tricks series.)

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Got a light? Shannon Clark

Got a light light? ? Shannon Clark You You’’ll need eed: One half dollar and one shell which matches it. One cigarette lighter, and one book of matches. Start with a matchbook in your left pants (or Jacket pocket). The coin, nested inside the shell, is in your right pocket. A cigarette lighter lighter is in an easily accessible pocket pocket as well. This arrangement allows you to begin the conversation with obviously empty hands as you introduce yourself. Start by openly introducing a cigarette lighter. You can produce it in an manner you wish. I reach into my left pocket to take it out while also going into my right pocket with my opposite hand. While in the pocket you will secretly finger palm the nested coin and shell; the shell side is against your fingers. As both hands are removed from the pockets the left hand comes out just a beat prior to the right. This brings all attention to the lighter and leaves the right hand unnoticed as you pose the following question: “Jadyn, do you know what this is? (Obviously they answer a lighter.) Its a match with an over exaggerated opinion of itself… it’s amazing what an ego can do… seriously though, did you know that the cigarette lighter was actually invented before matches? It’s true; the lighter was invented in 1816, eleven years prior to the modern match box.” [As counterintuitive as this titbit of info is, it is nonetheless true and makes for an interesting presentational angle.]

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“Jadyn, I’d like to show you something special, not with the lighter, but with the flame itself…” 1- Hand a person the lighter and have her light it. The half dollar is then visually plucked from the flame via the right hand finger palm and pushed to the right fingertips. Due to the use of a shell both hands are show completely empty, other than the one coin they are aware of. 2 – Gesture with the left hand miming the actions of lighting the lighter as you ask her to once again light it. As this is happening openly manoeuvre the shelled coin to your right fingertips as you turn the right hand palm up, four fingers at the bottom of the coin and the thumb at the top (conventional spellbound position), secretly allowing the coin to fall from the shell directly into the waiting right finger palm. As the coin is secured in finger palm you simply ‘pinch’ the visible half dollar (the shell) at the right fingertips, securing it only by the coin’s edge while displaying it. Openly transfer the visible coin (the shell) to your left fingertips, still displaying it. The real coin is hidden in right finger palm. As she successfully ignites the lighter you’ll once again pluck the fingerpalmed coin from the flame. Display the coin at the fingertips. 3- Showing both coins at the fingertips of each hand as you explain the coins are an illusion and as long as the coins are still warm everyone can see them, but as soon as they begin to cool each coin will once again vanish. While stating this, take both the shell and the real coin together at the right fingertips in a fanned display to show two coins. The shell is the lowermost, and outer coin, of the two coin fan. This position allows the right thumb to contact the back of the normal coin only. Pretend to take the uppermost coin in your left hand by moving the fan behind the left fingertips. While Wh ile momentarily out of sight your right thumb shells the coin. The right hand remains completely stationary as the left hand, pretending to hold its newly acquired coin, moves upward toward your mouth. Blow lightly on the left hand coin to effectively “cool” the supposed coin and subsequently cause it to vanish. 4 – Execute a fingertip retention pass with the right hand coin pretending to take

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it in the left hand; the coin is secretly secured in finger palm position of the right hand. Using the right hand, reclaim the lighter from the spectator and wave it over the left hand while blowing into the left hand fingertips as well, causing the second coin to vanish. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Just prior to opening the left hand to reveal the disappearance, drop the left hand well below the right hand, approximately waist level. Holding the lighter in the right r ight fingertips allow it to roll off of your extreme fingertips, toward the audience, and drop into the waiting empty left hand. This aids in drawing all attention away from the “dirty” hand. “I know what you thinking, that is a pretty good illusion…but with the current rate of silver I’m out about $50...” 5 – Matching actions to words ignite the lighter with the left hand and once again pluck the coin (still shelled) out of the flame, moving it to the right fingertips and openly place the lighter in the left pocket. 6 – The moment the left hand comes out of the pocket, transfer the shelled coin from the right hand to the fingers of the palm up left hand -- shell side up so everything appears normal. “Do you have any idea what a lighter and money have in common? Both can burn a hole through your pocket without you ever knowing it…” As this question is stated move the right hand to your right pocket and tap it. Under this larger gesture, drawing all attention to it, you simply allow the shelled coin to flip over and nestle into left finger palm, with the shell mouth up. Bring the right hand back up to meet the left. Turn the left hand palm down, visibly dropping the real coin into the waiting right fingers as the coin falls from the shell, this secretly retains the shell in left hand finger palm (this is a particularly clean switch of a coin do to the nature of the shell). The retention of vision here is perfect. Openly place the visible coin into your pocket and press it against the lining of

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your pocket so it can be seen from the outside of the pocket. Move your left hand, still hiding the shell, over the pocket. Finger palm the coin inside your pocket while simultaneously allowing the coin from your left hand to magically come into view. view. It appears just as though the coin penetrated the fabric of your pocket. Casually remove the right hand from your pocket concealing the coin in finger palm. This is naturally hidden do to the attention of the left hand coin. 7 – Repeat the same actions to repeat the penetration for effect. This time pretend to pass the shell into the right hand but secretly keeping it once again in left finger palm while the coin comes into view (basic shuttle pass mechanics). Once again the coin seems to melt through your pants pocket. This time while inside the pocket secure the matchbook into finger palm. Openly, Openly, with the left hand only, move the shell coin to the fingertips in spellbound position. “To “To tell you the truth, Jadyn the lighter and coins are quite interesting, but I prefer modern technology…” 8 – Execute the typical spellbound change to transform the coin into the matchbook to end.

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Just Between Us

Shannon Clark

Just Between Us Shannon Clark This effect contains a string of unbelievable coincidences which lead up to a truly impossible surprise ending, all of this even though a spectator genuinely shuffles the deck from the start and continues to do so throughout the effect. The FASDIU aspect of this trick make it a true worker for me and hands down one of my favourite effects. Set up: None The deck should contain two Jokers, but a pair of colour mates can be substituted if necessary. Both Jokers will be removed in order to provide a quick and easy opportunity to look through the deck. If you want to end the routine as powerfully as possible, you’ll need a loading wallet of any style you prefer. Using a Mullica Wallet will of course negate any need for palming. Sans wallet, you can just as easily use an available pocket if you wish. Personally, Personally, I use a wallet to punch up the ending of the routine.

Phase 1: Hand the deck out for shuffling while addressing someone in the audience. “Hi Taryn, I’d like to share something truly impossible with you, but first I need a

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Just Between Us Shannon Clark

favour. favour. I’d like you to think of any card from a deck of playing cards. It can be any card at all, but please do try and make it tough for me.” When they have one you will ask her to name it (we’ll assume the 10H), you immediately respond with: “So am I! That’s That’s crazy, huh? I was thinking of the Ten Ten of Hearts as well, w ell, I’ve been thinking of the 10H for about three days now, actually. Wow that’s a direct match! Impossible!” Joke a bit about the astounding lack of support for you claim and continue on by offering to try and create a coincidence which is a bit more demonstrable. Turn the pack face-up so the faces are visible to you. Casually begin an overhand shuffle making note of the card that ends on the back (top) of the face-up deck -- assume it’s the KS. You You will also notice n otice the face card of the pack -- we’ll assume it’s it’s the AD. All you really need to recall is that you looked at a black King and a red Ace for ease of memory, memory, as the suits are inconsequential. inconsequential. “Taryn some people aren’t too familiar with a deck of cards so I’d like to show everyone exactly what I mean when I refer to the ‘mates’ from this deck of cards.” Under the cover of removing the Jokers you’ll spread through the deck and secretly arrange it, via a Spread Cull, in the following way: While openly removing the Jokers cull both the AH and the KC to the back of the pack as you reach them. The AH must end be culled to the top of the face-up deck, with the KC second from the top. To To the audience it seems you removed the Jokers to establish what you mean by “mates” for any non-card players. In reality you have controlled the black King and red Ace. Place the Jokers onto the box or off to the side of the table after displaying them to the audience. As you push the Jokers to the side, secure a break beneath the two face cards of the deck and Dribble Pass them to the back of the face-up pack (A Double Undercut can be substituted). Turn the deck down and perform an overhand style shuffle while maintaining the top section of the pack. Situation check:

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The order from the top of the deck is an unknown card, a pair of red Aces, followed by a pair of black Kings. Keep in mind what mates you have are irrelevant; you simply use whatever naturally occurs after the shuffle. Spread the deck facedown between your hands for the spectator to call out stop as you spread the cards. Break the spread as they say stop, keeping a spread in both hands. You will now show the card to the spectator while secretly peeking the identity using a peek by Bill Goodwin. Raise the front of the right hand spread upward so the face card can be seen by the spectator. As you see them look at the card, you will glance straight down over the top of the spread and peek the identity of the card as well (we’ll assume you peek the 3C). As soon as you see the identity of the card, turn your head away as if you never looked in their direction. The spread is lowered to again meet the left hand cards, as if you’re going to square the deck. As an apparent afterthought allow them to remove the card and show it around for everyone else’s sake. As soon as you peek peek the identity of the of the person’s person’s card, card, you immediately immediately think of the mate, committing said mate to memory. memory. In this case you will be thinking of the 3S. Allow them to return the card anyplace they want, no control is necessary, necessary, and hand the person the deck for them to repeat this selection process for you. Mimicking the actions just demonstrated for her your helper spreads through until you say stop. She will then allow you to take a card for yourself. Fake a quick glance at the card but completely ignore its identity and return it back to the deck. Keep in mind that all the while you have the 3S in the back of your mind. “Taryn I spread through the deck just a second ago and you looked at any card you wanted. In turn you spread through the deck and I looked at a card as well. There’s There’s no way we could know each other’s other’s card, but will you please run through the deck and remove your card. Don’t let anyone see it just yet, and place it facedown on the table. Take the deck back and openly run through to remove the 3S for yourself, while also using this as cover to set your next n ext card in the following way:

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As the pack is handed handed back to you, gain gain a break under the the top card. As As you deck is turned face-up for a spread, utilize a Book Break glimpse to note the top card of the pack (we’ll assume it’s a black 9), this is the card your double undercut placed there from the start of the routine. As you run though and remove the 3S, cull the remaining black 9 to the back of the pack. Place the 3S face-down on the table. Build up what has happened thus far and have the person turn their card faceup on the table, you do the same to show a perfect match for a nice minor coincidence to get the ball rolling, so to speak. Up until now you have caused a nice little coincidence trick while secretly stacking the deck for the next three upcoming matches, while keeping the necessary culling and memorization to a minimum.

Phase 2: “Taryn this type of thing happens more than you’d think, though it’s still fairly impressive. We We seem to hit it off pretty well so far, far, so I’d like to make this a whole heck of a lot harder for the both of us. We’ll try this again, but this time without looking at the faces of the cards whatsoever…” Have the person cut about half the cards from the deck for you. This places the stack you have built safely in your possession. They pick up the half they have h ave left for themselves. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] Jog shuffle your packet while retaining the top stock, give the packet a Pass Cut as well. The Pass Cut gives the impression of cutting the pack while actually doing nothing. Instruct the person to shuffle and cut, mimicking your actions. As soon as they are happy you simply swap the top top card of your packet packet with their their top card. “You’ve “You’ve shuffled this deck form the start and you’ve cut as well. It’s It’s asking a lot of either of us to even come close to matching a card…but we’re in the ‘impossible’

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business, Taryn! Taryn! Just so there’s there’s no funny business, lets’ swap top cards.” They turn their new top card face-up, and you execute double turnover to show you have both matched perfectly. perfectly. Have them lose their mate into their half and you apparently do the same. In reality you will bury your double card into your half, losing it. Have the person, if possible, hand their half to someone else. Repeat the exact same shuffle and swap sequence as before with the next person. This will result in a second impossible match. Both of you lose the ‘mated’ cards once more – again your are losing a double card. Have their half handed to someone else as well if they are available and allow for a third impossible match. It’s great to get as many people involved as is possible. This matching sequence, in my opinion, is one of the strongest sequences in card magic. Sell this for all it’s worth, because it is truly miracle class if you consider they shuffled to start the trick, and they have been shuffling and cutting throughout.

Final Phase 3: Instruct the person to look through their packet to inspect it, while you turn your cards up to show them what you mean. Point out that there are no runs of cards, mates, etc. Use this innocent viewing of the faces to spot the card the first spectator just thought of from the start of the routine (the 10H in this case). If you have it, cull it to the rear of your face-up half. Take their face -up half back as well, adding them to the face of your half. Turn the entire deck facedown. If you didn’t have the 10H then you know they do. Take their cards back in the same manner and spread through them culling the 10H to the back of the face-up

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deck. This is simple and extremely quick since you know it’s in the top half of the deck you just gathered. All you need to do is mention again that they looked through through the deck and and nothing was odd about them. Either way you’ll be left with the deck and the thought of card (they don’t even recall naming a card at this point) on top of it. “It’s “It’s amazing series of coincidences we have shared up to this point, I mean what are the odds? But the most significant coincidence so far actually started about three days ago….” Palm the top card, or load your Mullica wallet, and place the deck away. away. “Taryn, you thought of any card in the deck about five minutes ago, amazingly enough we shared the same thought! Luckily for us, a few days ago, I placed the very card I was thinking of inside this wallet, just in case….” Allow them, to remove the 10H to bring it home.

Credits: The swapping packets/double turnover sequence is a wonderful old idea from Pat Page. There are also couple of other notable takes on Page’s work as well (Nick Trost and Gary Plants have great work expanding on his idea). Each handling has its merits but typically demand significant set ups – routinely 10 cards. The Cut Pass in great detail can be found in page 62 of The Complete works of Derek Dingle (1982).

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Poker with Dai Shannon Clark I love Vernon’s beautiful routine Out of Sight, Out of Mind. It’s a classic for good reason and I still use it to this day. This routine was originally an attempt to remove some of my least favourite elements from Vernon’s routine as well as adding a few (I think) nice touches of its own. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected] In the Professor’s original routine there were a couple of drawbacks I wanted to overcome: 1.

Turning the deck face-up and asking if they have seen seen their thought of card (sometimes having to ask multiple times).

2.

In the original, the number of cards which can can be potentially thought of is limited to 9; While 9 cards is a damn shot better than most of the attempted ‘fixes’ you see to Vernon’s original, I still couldn’t help but think there was a way to sell the possibility of thinking of just about any card in the deck.

Oddly enough, my solution restricts the number of actual possibilities which can be thought of to 5 cards, while giving the appearance that there is no limit to the number of possibilities. This solution never requires the deck be turned face-up at anytime. From an audience perspective the faces of the cards are never looked at by the performer and no questions are asked.

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Preparation: The only preparation is to make the Ace of Spades into a bottom-cutting breather. breather. This card must also occupy the 5thposition from the top of the deck. You are ready to begin. (I typically use the Martin Nash “Infinity Crimp” to do so when necessary to put the crimp in on the fly.)

Effect: Give the deck you best blind shuffle as you state the following. “Travis, not many people seem to know this, but there was a tremendously successful gambler in the early 1900’s who in fact won so much money that he became a bit of an underground legend. He was known as Titanic Thompson. I’ll not go into too much detail here, but sufficed to say he was one of the most interesting personalities I’ve ever studied. Ty won millions of dollars hustling pro golfers, Billiards, and especially at the card table, in a time where that sort of money was simply unheard of. He actually kept a set of right and left handed Clubs in his trunk. He’d scope out his competition and would offer to play them “left handed” if they wanted - little did they know he was an expert with either hand. His skill at the card table was so uncanny that, believe it or not, there are still to this day heated arguments as to whether or not Ty actually had some sort of psychic capabilities. He seemed to know exactly when to fold, when to go all in, he just never seemed to lose an important game in his life. He somehow seemed to know exactly what the opposing man’s hole card was. Well I was lucky enough to meet some of the old hustlers who were close friends with Thomson, unfortunately they have all passed away now, and while what they taught me I won’t claim as mind-reading, it certainly will make you think….” Hand the deck to someone to hold.

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“Travis, “Travis, if I cut the pack you might m ight suspect I have some sort of influence over the outcome. So please, cut off about half the deck or so and hand them to me. We need enough cards for 5 or 6 hands of Poker.” Poker.” Allow him to cut off about half the deck into your hand in preparation to use a beautiful touch on the old Hofzinser Spread Force titled “Hands Hoff”. This finesse if the brainchild of John Carey and it the best touch I’ve seen on this force of any type. As the cut packet is handed to you, you will simply bring more attention the size, or number, number, of the packet rather than the identity of any cards just yet. “Thank you sir, you seem to have cut off about half the deck. Did you cut to any specific place, or just wherever felt right to you?” While he answers you, spread the first few cards (the top for 4 to be precise) from hand to hand while apparently displaying the size of the packet. As you reach the 5thcard, the breather, breather, simply cull it to the bottom of the packet and square up. “Travis you could have cut any number of cards, as well as to any point in the deck that you wanted. We’ll hand out a few poker hands directly from the place that you cut to.” Spread the cards from hand to hand and distribute 5 card poker hands to each person, beginning at the bottom of the facedown packet (supposedly exactly where they cut to). Mentally note who gets the first 5 card packet which contains the breather; I usually hand out as many 5 card hands as the cut has allowed me. Most times I get around 5 or 6 five-card poker hands to various people standing in the group. (Of course you could just as easily deal the poker hands out as well, making sure the breather is in a known (to you) you ) hand as the cards are dealt out in groups of 5, which is a very easy thing to manage. I use the procedure outlined above because of its ease of execution and it allows me to approach this routine with ease even when I have no table, which is most m ost of the time for me.) “Now many of you guys have your own poker hand, please shuffle the cards as much as you’d like but don’t allow me to see the faces.”

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Reacquire the remainder of the deck and use five random cards to demonstrate what you will now have each person do with their cards. “I’m going to turn my back, I’d like for all of you to look at the hands Travis dealt you (use the cards you hold to show them exactly how you want them to handle their cards so there’s there’s no confusion).” Explain the audience that one of them will w ill think of any card they would w ould like in their poker hand. But since you can only handle focusing on one person’s thoughts at a time, you have a way they can silently figure out who will do so. Display your five card hand face-up as you tell them that when you tur n your back, you want each of them to move the highest value card they have in their hand to the face of their packet. You You do so with your hand, again, showing them what wh at they will do later. Once you have done this, square your mock poker hand so that only the face card is visible. Turn Turn the card so that each of them can see it. “I don’t want you guys to say anything out loud, so there’s there’s no way I can know who will think of a card, much less what card they will think of. Turn your high cards to each other so you each can see. Who ever happens to have the highest card in their hand…please, this person thinks of any card in your poker hand. It can be any card at all. When you have done so, everyone square your cards and hold them facedown in your hands. “ Also explain to each person that if there happens to be a ‘tie’, for instance two people have a Jack as their high card, the Spade trumps everything. If you don’t want to deal with this element of the instructions, simply make sure the other three Aces are in the lower half of the deck to start the routine. – personally I don’t bother. Turn your back as you allow them to carry out the direction. I usually reiterate what I’ve told them up to this point. Now before you turn back around repeat that each each person turn their poker hands facedown and hold onto them. Dribble through the facedown cards you have, hand to hand, until you are at the midpoint of the packet. Tell them you will have the packets placed back in the deck in any order they want. The left hand, with its cards, turns palm up so people

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can begin to toss their packets onto your left hand packet. Dribble the rest of the right hand cards on top of all. Follow up with a quick blind shuffle if you’d like, as you say: “Great! Don’t say anything out loud, so you don’t give me any hints about the card in your mind, or even who has the card in mind. Someone is simply thinking of one card, out of all these cards…” As you say this this casually cut the breather breather to the bottom bottom of the deck. Turn Turn the pack up on its left long end, being careful not to display the face cards, in preparation for a jog shuffle. Throw off about half the deck and continue shuffling clumps of cards into the waiting left hand. Once you come to the last 6 or 8 cards take great care to run these cards singly until the cards are exhausted. Your situation is now the AS is the top card of the deck; the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th cards from the top are the remainders of the thought of possibilities. “There’s no way I can know who is thinking of a card, much less what card is actually locked inside someone’s mind. This is much the same situation that Ty must have found himself in over the years in so many big money games…no pressure…” As you say this (or whatever whatever your presentation necessitates) you will begin another quick jog shuffle. Toss Toss roughly half the deck into the waiting left hand, continuing with the left thumb, you will run five cards, singly, onto the Left Hand packet (on top of the AS), in-jog the next card (the 6th in the run) and then shuffle off. Now all you need do is square the deck while picking up on the in-jog. Situation check: in the middle of the pack you hold a pinky break. Below the break there’s there’s five arbitrary cards followed by the AS and the remaining four cards of the thought of poker hand. You will end in almost the exact same fashion as the original, genius, OOSOOM ending…with one very small change which isn’t necessary to adopt. If you have a table, place the deck on top of a tall glass (if available). If you are in a group with no table, simply have someone hold their hand out and push it up to about their chest level, to keep everything “fair.” “fair.”

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Either way, as you deposit the deck onto the surface, you simply lift up at the break and take the top half of the cards in your left hand dealer’s grip. You You want to sell this cut as if it is all by feel, belabour the point a bit and you apparently think about what you’ve done. Explain you’ll have to rely on intuition to try and get a feeling for the card someone is thinking of. Now you will begin to remove one card at a time, without looking at its identity, identity, from the top of the spectator’s packet to the top of yours. Count each card until you reach the 6thcard, this card will be the Ace of Spades. Keep in mind as you count the first 5 cards that you are doing so slowly and deliberately as if contemplating each card as they are moved from packet to packet. Right around the 4th card is when I say: “I’m getting a strange feeling that we are getting closer and closer to the card someone is thinking of. As a matter of fact I feel stronger about you, Lori (assuming her name is Lori) than anyone else at this moment. (gesture toward Lori, who is indeed thinking of a card. Don’t just toss away this moment, it’s quite strong for the laity as they have no clue how you could know who thought of a card.) Take the next card, the second card in the run of five, from the top of their packet as well, just like card before it. But you will slightly tilt the front short edge of the card up so you can secretly catch a glimpse of its identity. Commit this card to memory and place it on top of your packet while keeping a little-finger break beneath it. Follow this exact procedure, again, memorizing the third card’s identity as you place it on top of your packet as well. You will now do this exact procedure one last time. Here is your situation: You have three known cards on the top of your packet with a little-finger break secured beneath them. The card directly beneath the break is the Ace of Spades. “I have an overwhelming urge to stop right here Lori...I can’t even explain why...”I why...”I use a touch from Master Roberto Giobbi and make a sort of ‘Karate Chop’ motion,

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with my right hand, in the air between my packet and the spectator’s packet. This gives them a feeling for what you are claiming, while keeping the statement relatively ambiguous at the same time. “Lori, for the very first time, will you please name the card that you have been merely thinking of this entire time?” Lori will now name one of five possibilities. I’ll outline how each will be handled: 1.

She names the top card of your packet. Immediately drop your break and slowly turn over the card to show her you somehow stopped at the thought of card.

2.

She names the second second card card form the top. Drop your break and execute execute a double turnover.

3.

She names names the third card from the top – Use the natural break you are are holding holding to execute a triple turnover. turnover.

4.

She names names the Ace of Spades. Spades. While one can can execute execute a quadruple quadruple turnover, turnover, instead I usually move my break to under the Ace of Spades while addressing what she said. I then use the standard side steal mechanics, with your Right hand moving directly forward with the card instead of off and to the right as is typical. In one continuous movement I move the AS directly over the spectator’s spectator’s packet and tap the top of their packet saying: We could have stopped here…but luckily we went just one card farther….” Immediately the AS is drawn back to the top of your packet and deposited, jogged forward for more than half its length, as if this is where it originated. When all attention is on it, turn it over to show the thought of card.

5.

She names a card card you do not recognize – If she names a card card you have not seen, she is thinking of the card which still resides on top of the spectator’s packet. Simply build the ending and have her flip the card up that she holds as if this was the card you meant to stop at all along.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind appeared in Dai Vernon’s More Inner Secrets of Card Magic. skype:kevinmagicstore Email:[email protected]

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John Carey - Minimalistica

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