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"Let's hope we willnotalways "process" Jokers, butlearnto enjoytheirwildness. -Robert Neale
'The Images jump out ofthe creative space into the created space, The figures are shaken outofthc magician's sleeve and appearout of . thin air bursting with life. The fantasies are beautiful in appearance, but all except one have lost their minds, Only a lonesome Joker sees through the delusion." - Jostein Gaarder
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This is copy number
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First Edition - October, 2000
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© Copyright 2000 by Kostya Kimlat. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), nor may any effect included in these notes be marketed, without the permission of the author.
The Joker's Introduction: A few months ago I was sessioning with several of my friends and after performing for them for about an hour I realized that eveIJT single one of the effects I had performed was one of my own. I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment and realizing that I had moved into another stage in this art and I remember muttering something to my parents about how I haven't wasted all my time with card tricks. !-
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Writing these notes has been a pleasure. It feels great to take all the knowledge that you have accumulated in life and put it into a card trick, it really does. And it's much more productive than let's say getting a real job or doing anything important in life. And so I present to you my life's work and meaning and all my hopes and aspirations, all in the following pages, and I hope that you find something interesting in all of it. Maybe you'll discover something that will entertain your audiences, maybe something that will intrigue and inspire them. And ifyou find something that will make them throw hundred dollar bills at your feet, send me an e-mail at
[email protected] and let me know, because a teenager needs all the cash he can get. Whatever it is you find in these lecture notes, I sincerely hope it brings you much joy thinking about it and even performing it. I have performed every single one of these routines myself and I can swear by their astonishment and entertainment factors. They . are definitely worth trying outfor a real audience. Before I let you turn the page, I want to tell you about a few wonderful individuals who have been an astounding help to me in the last few years. First is my across-thecontinent mentor, Walt Anthony, who has taught me, over phone and computer, that it takes a lot more to be a good magician than learning sleights. He has explained to me the principles of psychology, theater, technique, presentation, marketing, everything,· and how they are all a part of magic. He has always helped me and answered my countless questions, and I am much in his debt.. I also want to thank Rex Todd Alexander, Joseph Constantine, Neils Sayers, and Paul Tejera - all Florida magicians whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and performing with for over four years now. Not only have they helped me learn and grow as a magician, but they have also been great friends to hang out with. Thank You, guys. And now all that is left to say is that I hope you will like what you read and will find inside an effect or two that you will wish to add to your repertoire. Enjoy! Sincerely,
~ /(imLdKostya Kirnlat
QD Joker Aces October, 1999 History: This quick and direct version of Joker Aces (Linking Ring, September, 1998), like the original, can be done with either two jokers or two selections. The handling was created after a getting a suggestion from Kevin Kelly to create a version that does not use the Braue ReversaL What follows is my creation. Effect: The Four Aces are taken out of the deck and shown one at a time to the spectator. The Two Black Aces are shown and placed under the spectator's hands, ·but suddenly they jump back into the magician's hands. When the spectator turns over his cards, he finds instead of two Red Aces, two Jokers! The deck is spread, and in the middle, face-up are the two red aces! Method: Have. the deck shuffled up by a
spectator, get it back, and start spreading it from left hand to right. As you come to the aces, up jog them. At the same time, cull the two Jokers to the top of the deck. If you can't do a Hofzinser Spread Cull or a Marlo Prayer Cull, then start out with the jokers on top, give the deck ·a riffle shuffle, keeping the jokers in place, and then spread, upjogging the four aces. Get the four aces in red, red, black, black order from the face, and as you are squaring the deck, still keeping the aces out jogged, obtain a pinkie break above the two jokers. Perform Vernon's Strip-out Addition adding the two jokers behind the four aces. Briefly: the two jokers go into a high gambler's cop position. With the jokers gripped, your left
hand moves forward to strip out the four aces, adding the jokers to the bottom. Tum the six-card packet in your left hand face down, and drop the rest of the deck over that packet, side jogged to the right. Tum the deck end for end so you are now looking at a face-up packet of 6 cards on top of the deck, but side jogged slightly to the left. As you square up all the cards, obtain a pinkie break below the 6 cards (a, a, a, a, J, J). Transfer the pinkie break to a R. Thumb break and as you do so, the thumb also picks .up the top face-down card of the deck, holding a break between it and the six-card stack. You will now perform Marlo's ATFUS. Briefly: The right hand moves to the right with the seven-card packet, still holding a break between the six face-up and the one face-down card. The left thuinb slips the first ace onto the top of the deck, followed by the second, which is slightly side-jogged to the left. Then, the thumb pulls the third ace to the left, but- only for an inch, so it exposes the fourth ace, but is still covering it. The situation should now look like this: Face-up red ace on top of the deck, second red ace over the first, third black ace with two face-up jokers and face-down indifferent card below it all the way on the right side, and fourth black ace an inch to the left of the third. Your right thumb is still holding a break over the face-down indifferent card.
Now, if you square up the ace display and let go of your thumb break, in your hand you will have left two aces followed by two . jokers, all face-up. The deck will have one face-down card followed .by two face-up red aces and then the balance of the deck. i I
Your right hand now flips its four-card packet face-down and spreads it slightly. Your right hand also extends to gesture to the spectators, as you ask them to place their hands out on the table, face-up. At the same time, your left hand performs a Charlier cut, putting the two face-up aces into the middle of the deck.
You now end as in the regular Joker Aces by performing the first two moves of Brother John Hamman's Gemini Count. First you perform a double lift with the middle two cards, showing an ace, turning it face-down and giving the top card . (joker) to the .spectator. Then you do a double lift from the bottom,· showing the second ace, turning it face-down and handing the second joker to the spectator. All that's left is to flip the cards in your hand revealing the Aces, let them turn over . the cards in their hands to reveal the jokers, and then, fmally, spread the deck to reveal the red aces in the middle!
Renegade Joker , December 1, 1998 This effect came about after reading Paul Cummin's Commercial Universal from FASDIU and Universal Joker by Christian Ehret. This routine is great to do for lay people and I have worked out the handling so it can be done with 'a shuffled deck in use'! Enjoy! Effect: The Joker, acting as a bounty hunter, tracks down two selections in a very magical way. No use running away, and leaving the Joker empty handed, because at the end he has them by their necks! Preparation: To do the kicker ending, you will need to make the special Joker Card.. Take out a Joker from another deck, and also any two old cards which you do not need anymore. (We will use the Four of Diamonds and the Jack of Spades.) Cut out one of the two indexes from the cards, and be neat about it, cutting right above the value, and right below the little suit design. The cut out that you will make should be the a rectangle measuring shape of approximately % in. by Y4 in. Then, using a glue stick or double sided tape, stick the two cut outs onto the joker. Place them right above the' hands of the Joker, which are holding onto the wheel, making it look as if his hands are holding the two indexes. This does not take long, and one card will last you for a very long time. The Performance: You start out with the special Joker on the bottom of the deck. If you are doing this walk around, place the Joker Card into your left pocket with the face out, and the back touching your leg.
The regular joker should be somewhere in the middle of the deck. Remember not to use the "guarantee" joker; your regular Joker should match the gimmicked one in design! 1. When ready to do the routine, your left hand reaches into the pocket, bottom-palms the Joker, comes out, and adds it to the bottom of the face down deck. Right away, turn the deck over so the faces can only be seen by you. Your right hand then comes over and thumbs off the joker, which goes under the deck and rides along on your fingers as you start spreading the deck looking for the two force cards. (In this case, the Four of Diamonds and the Jack of Spades.) Once you see one of the two cards, your hands go down so the faces of all the cards can be seen by the spectators. At the same time, you do the Marlo Prayer Cull, stealing that card under the deck, and under the Joker. This is then repeated with the second card.
2. Once you have the three pards riding under the spread, you close-up the deck placing them on the bottom. Re-spread right away, telling the spectators that you are . (still) "looking for one special card, the card that stands out, the Renegade card!" Once you reach the regular Joker, take it out, and drop it onto the table or give to a spectator to hold. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, you patter: "There it is! That is the Renegade Joker, the Bounty Hunter, and the most dangerous card in the deck! You can see that by the big Harley he is riding and his . mean biker look! He will find any fugitive on the run, no matter where they hidel Here, let me show you if .you don't believe
me!" . 3. While talking, swing cut the top half the deck into the left hand, and replace the remaining half on top, but keep a R. Thumb break between the two sections.. Then, .ask the spectator to say stop while you dribble the cards. Here you must force the two cards. (I prefer the dribble force, but the Riffle or any other onewill do.) 'Once they call stop, the right hand drops all the cards below its break. The left hand then thumbs off the top two cards of it's packet (JS, 4D), and then places it's section on top of the right hand section. 4. Once the spectators have remembered their selections, have the two cards replaced into two different parts of the deck (important), and control them to the top of +'ho ACto,..lr r\,"u.t:lior +'hp \"J.~"",, U",,",VJ..'Io. v V "".1. t..u......
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steal will be perfect here but any control will do. Give the deck one or two riffle shuffles, keeping the 3-bard stackon top. Then, as you reach for the Joker that the spectator is holding, your left hand gets a pinky break below the top two cards. .
"The two cards that you are holding are the two fugitives on the run, and you know that you need to hide quick. So you my friend, can hide out somewhere down south in Florida, and you hide up North in Maine, making it a lot harder for the Joker to find you!"
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5. Place the joker face-up on top of the deck keeping the pinky break below the top three cards. Perform Marc Desouza's Shape Shifter Color change, visibly changing the Joker into the first selection. A Snap change where the card is held between thumb and middle fingers on the side can also be used here. After this first color change, you have the first selection, and below it the' second selection, both face-up followed by the face down joker, the special joker, and the rest of the deck.
"Once the Joker catches the actual scent of the first fugitive, he is ready to catch it. Watch!
And just like that he found you' hiding out on the beach in Key West drinking your Martini!" 6. With the two cards face-up, you can now change the first selection into the second one via the Erdnase Color Change. If you prefer, you can instead side-steal the second card from the top into your right hand palm. Then, as the TIght hand passes over the deck, it drops the card onto the face, making the illusion of the first selection changing into the second, magically. «And, once he's caught the first fugitive, he can squeeze the information out of him about his friend's hideout, and all he has to do is travel up to Maine, and arrest you there!" 7. At this moment, because you have two cards face-up on top of the deck, you can do a double turnover and place the top card of
the deck into the middle. You can then snap your fingers, and turn over the top card to show the selection has returned. "Once he's caught both of you, you can't escape. You can try, but you see he is too good!" 8. Turn that selection face down, actually place it into the middle of the deck, snap your fingers, and then turn over the top card (joker). As your right hand takes the joker from off the top of the deck, you do a one handed preparation for the TILT with your left hand. 9. Perform the TILT move, and then do a double lift, showing the joker returned to the top. It is very important now to point out his hands, to show that they are empty, and that he is just hanging onto his Harley. "However, if you do leave him empty handed, don't count your lucky stars just yet. You see the Joker will never give up on his search! Even if he fails at first, he will keep on searching... "
10. Perform a double turnover, and then thumb off the top card, which is the special joker. Place the deck back down onto the table, and concentrate on the one card in your hands! Give the Joker a spin on your fingers, and then turn it over and reveal the indexes of the two selections to have mysteriously appeared in its hands! " ... until he finds both you, and you, and has you by your necks!" Afterthoughts: If you wish to be ultra clean, then palm off the top card (joker) and ditch it in your pocket. Also, change the presentation to fit you.' If you like, you can do this as a love effect; the two cards that were selected by the couple have come together with a little heart drawn around them, the Joker playing the part of Cupid. More importantly, do take the time to make the special Joker, as this effect is very well received by lay people! Lots of jokes can be thrown: in about the Joker's Harley, and the biker outfit that he is wearing, and so on, so play around with the presentation and Enjoy the Effect!
The Single "Double Thought"
February, 1999 The Following was created while reading Marlo's "The Cardician." This is a one-deck version of "Double Thought" (reprinted from 52 Amazing Card Tricks by Rufus Steele -- also found on pg.3l of Cardician). Effect: Two Spectators each think of a card. They remove their cards from the deck and place them face up on the table. However, before each card is removed, the performer takes out 2 cards' and lays them facedown on the table. When the face down cards are turned over, they are the mates of the thought of cards. Method: All you need to know for this is the top card of the deck, as it will be your key. We'll use the 10 of Diamonds. Set the deck on the table, and instruct the spectator to pull out a portion of the deck from the center (like Hi.D.du shuffle} Have. him remember the bottom card of the pulled out packet, and place that. packet on top of the deck. The selection is now on top of your key card, the 10 of diamonds. "Say: "Keep thinking of your card, but don't let.me know what it is yet. I want someone else to think of a card, also." Take the deck from the spectator and deliberately spread it
face up and invite a second spectator to assist you. Say: "I want you to think of any card you wish. However, before you think of one of the cards, I shall remove one card." While you are talking, look for the ten of diamonds in the spread and note the card to the left of it. This is the card the first
spectator selected. Let us assume that it is the five of spades" Pick up the deck so the faces are towards you, and spread Until you see the five of clubs (mate of selection). Take the card out, and place it face down in front of you. Spread the deck back out, still face-up, in . . front of the second spectator, and let him remove the card he was thinking of. This card is laid face up on the table. We'll assume it's the 2 of'Diamonds. The cards lie' on the table in this position:
.2 D Face-up Face-do-wn 5 C "Turn to the first spectator and ask him to remove his card, but .immediately add; "Before you take out the card you are thinking of: I shall also remove a card from the deck." You now remove the 2 of Hearts (mate of second selection), and being careful not to show its face, place it on top of your first face-down card so that it is right-jogged. half way. The first spectator then removes his card, and lays it face-up on, the other spectator's card, also overlapping it to the .right. The two pairs of cards now lie overlapped on the table in this fashion:"
2D 5S Face-up Face-down 5C 2H "Recapitulate what has happened, asserting that you placed a card face down on the
table for each spectator before he thought of a card. Now that everyone can see what cards they thought of, you will show what cards you laid down. Grasp your cards and turn them over without separating them, revolving them to the right. Now. the two pairs on the table appear thus:" Face-up Face-up
.2D 58 .2H 5C
"Your cards appear to match the spectators', even to the point of overlapping the same way. Place the tip of your right forefinger on the top 58 and the tip of your right thumb on the bottom 5C and draw these two cards to the right a few inches:"
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"This manner of showing off the matched cards permits the effect of what you seemed to have done sink in before you replace the cards back into the deck" Afterthoughts: Parts of what you just read were quoted from the Cardician. I put quotation marks wherever appropriate, and changed the patter, and directions around to fit the single deck method.
This is.a very good card effect, and if you're interested in the original, check out "The Cardician."
Your Signed Kung Pao Chicken April, 1999
The Menu: 'The following, IS my presentation for the classic "The Signed Card" by Bro. John Hamman. The presentation, as you will see, was created especially for the restaurant worker but it can be used anywhere else as well. I will not give away the effect here, but you can find the original in Richard Kaufman's Collected Almanac (pg. 125). For 'those who know the effect, in the presentation you will see numbers in parentheses that will tell you which steps should occur at which part during ,the presentation. I have been performing this in restaurants hundreds of times over ,the last. few months and I know that.this is very powerful. I hope you' enjoy it, and try it out yourself. The Appetizer: After the mystery fortune cookie card is laid aside, the four chefs, of the ,restaurant (4 aces) are introduced and begin their magic. The selected, signed card (the Kung Pao Chicken) is chopped, grilled, and garnished by the first 3 chefs, while the last chef, much to the spectator's dismay, makes their food vanish completely. But not to worry, because once the mystery fortune cookie card is broken, the spectator can see that his Signed Kung Pao Chicken is ready to be eaten!
Main Course: "Have you ever been to a Chinese Restaurant? You have? Well then you know about the fortune cookies that they give you, right? Well, we also have our own fortune cookies here, and they are actually card fortune cookies: (1) This will be yours, but you won't touch or see it, until after the meal, OK? Great! Well, at our
restaurant, the "McBicycle" (2) we have 4 of the best chefs in' the world. (3) I will introduce them to you in a second, but first, take a look at the menu. ,(4) You have plenty of things to choose from, so point to anything appetizing that you see. (5) , Ahh... the Kung Pao Chicken! Excellent choice sir, excellent choice! (6) Now if you wouldn't mind, please sign your chicken with this marker so we know that this- is yours and I'll put the rest of the menu away as we won't need It. (7) Now as promised, 'these are the four, finest chefs in the land, and the best part about the chefs, is that they , will actually cook their food right in front of you! You see they work as a team. '(8) The first chef chops up your chicken. The second one grills it. The third one garnishes it to make it look delicious. And the" fourth . one... makes the "Chicken Vanish! (9) But don't get mad at the chefs, its their job to make your food vanish. (l0) The rest however, is up to you, because if you pick ,up some chopsticks, and brake open your fortune cookie, you will see that your food is ready to be eaten! (11) ,
The Check: (1) Take out the Ace of Hearts and place it face down to the side. (2) Show the cardbox, pointing to the word "Bicycle. " (3) The remaining 3 aces are placed' facedown on the other side ofthe table. (4) The deck is spread face-up. (5) Card is selected. (6) Card is signed, and rest of deck is cased and pocketed. (7) Elmsley Count the Aces and perform the necessary displacements of the cards.
(8) Do the necessary count, showing the four different aces one at a time, as you explain what each one does. Snap the last one, and turn it face-up, showing card has vanished! (9) Show, apparently, all four aces. (10) Perform the switch with the mystery card, using the other two cards (ace, selection) as two chopsticks. Show that the mystery card is actually the signed piece of chicken (card)! (11) Thank your spectators for the thunderous applause, and if in a restaurant, tell the spectators that their food will actually be served in a minute, and that you hope they enjoy it and come back to the restaurant again!
Tip: As you may already know, instead of using the original switch at the end of this effect, you can use Ken Krenzel' s Monte Plus Plus switch (Collected Almanac, pg. xviii), which looks a lot more convincing.
The Burger King Card Trick August 1,2000 This effect was created during the 2000 Florida' State Magic Convention where I spent the whole weekend performing, teaching, and learning magician-fooling card effects that used psychology, subtlety, or stooges. The original version of this effect used all three. Then, while eating with some friends at Burger King (hence the title), the most direct method for the effect came to me. I ended up showing it throughout the convention, receiving great reactions. Since then, I have gotten great response from laymen as well. I hope you try this! Effect: A spectator thinks of a card and the magician finds it. Method: While the cards are in your hands, peek at the top card. Give the deck to the spectator. If it is a magician whom you have seen riffle shuffle before, you can ask him to give the deck a quick shuffle. You can spot whether he retains your key card on top or not. If he does, then continue with the effect; if not, then perform something else. With a layperson, there is no need to ask them to shuffle, just simply hand them the deck. So the top card of the deck is your key card. You now ask the spectator to cut the deck into five piles.. As they do so, watch for which pile has the key card. Next, ask them to take the top card of each pile and place them into their hand facedown, again watching to see when they pick up the key. Have them fan the five-card packet in front of them and think of any card.
COIn fact, to help you concentrate on your card, I need you to' stick it out a little bit." .A.s the spectator up-jogs his thought of selection, your body slowly starts turning to
.the side. Your head, meanwhile, stays straight for another second, giving you enough time to see which card they out jogged. As soon as you spot the card, your head follows your body, turning to your side. So right now, you should know exactly where their card is in respect to your key card. Let's say that when picking up the cards form the packets, the key card was taken second. Then, when fanning out' the cards, the.middle card was up-jogged. Now you know that their card is right above your key card and you are set to reveal it any way . you like. It's very important that you mow exactly which card in the fan is your key card, so you have no problem calculating which one their selection is. .While your head is still to the side, you continue: "Concentrate on that card. I want you to stick it out so you almost don't see the other cards there, just think about the one you like. Have you got it?" Next have the spectator square up the five. cards and drop them on top of any of the packets and put the deck back together any way they like and finish with a cut. As they finish this, you turn back around. All you have to do is recap everything that has happened, go through the deck to find your key card, calculate which one is their seiection, and then reveal it. For magicians, the most amazing thing to do is to spread through the deck, take out their. card and drop it on the table face down, Hesitate for a few seconds; glance at the deck, then back to the magician, then back to the card on the table. Take a deep breath,
mutter "I think I got it," and then ask them for the card they thought of. At this point, most magicians will say: "If you get this, I will kill you." Have them turn over the card on the table and then either get ready to be worshipped or run for your life.
Afterthought: This has honestly become one of my favorite effects to perform while sessioning with magicians and even laypeople have had great reactions to this effect. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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Hmm... Here is a thought: Be the best at what you do. Don't just be the best card worker at your magic club or the best children's performer in your area, but be the best magician that you can possibly be. A kid, an adult, whoever, walks up to me after a show and asks if they can show me a trick? "Sure!" I say cheerfully, with a glee on my face that almost resembles enthusiasm. "I'd love to see a trick!" And so another rendition ofthe 21-card trick or the "cops and robbers" ensues and I am left to ponder whether this horrid performance comes from lack of skill, lack of practice, or simply lack of care? Man, I'm a mean spectator. . "Wow! I've never seen that one before!" I feel bad for lying and for faking vivacity during that tainted performance but what else was I supposed to do? I wonder why that person chose to waste both of our times? Does he not realize how awful he is? ... And then the same question slowly changes to fit another situation, wherein I ask myself: Why did that magician choose to waste that audience's time? Does he not realize how awful he is? Why is it that we, magicians, choose to waste our audiences time so much? I firmly believe in learning new things and any new skill only comes through practice; but this is where magicians come in, not lay people. The half-practiced routines and the poorly performed sleights need to stay behind the closed doors of magic jams, get-togethers, and practice sessions. Only the well-rehearsed and fully practiced routines need to be shown in paid performances. Yes there are places where you can try out new effects: restaurants, bars, family reunions - where a person attending anyone ofthese is too drunk to tell you that your pass resembles a bad version of an overhand shuffle or not sober enough to realize that your French drop is actually a defective Classic palm. But even there, take discretion at what 'you perform! Magicians! I call on all of you! Repent for your sins! Stop washing those dishes or mowing that lawn! Turn offthat TV or computer; put down that book or that phone; stop doing important things; cease trying to make an honest living; do what is right and pick up a deck of cards! Before you forget the beauty of the Diagonal Palm Shift, the distinct perfection of the Longitudinal Palm, the pure genius of the Green Angle Separation, or the simple simplicity of the S.W.E. Shift, pick up that deck of cards! Bee, Bicycle, Tally-Ho, it doesn't matter; just shuffle! Shuffle till your fingers hurt, then cull and side-steal for a bit until your fingers can't go on, then riffle-stack for a breather, and then, and only then, practice your back palming! Or maybe not. But at least practice. Time is too valuable to waste; yours or your audience's.
Four of a Kind November, 1998
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The following effect is based on a Juan Tamariz effect by the same name. His method, however, requires a memorized deck, which in my opinion is not needed for this type of an effect. The only thing the following method requires is a four-card stack and the chutzpah to lie to your spectators. , Effect: The magician has a person pick a card but hide it without looking at it so no one knows its value. The magician then claims that he win find the other three cards that match the selection in value; He turns , over ,three random cards and leaves them in the deck face-up. All three, however, are completely different in value. When the selection is revealed, it, also, 'is completely different. Not, to worry because after the magician taps the deck withthe selection, he re-spreads the deck and the three mates of the selection are seen to be face-up' in the places of the other cards. Methode To start off with, you need to get any four of a kind on top of the deck. We'll use the four sevens. 'All you have to do is force one of the sevens in any way you like, but make sure to tell the spectator not to look at the card, just simply place it in his pocket. or j list sit on it. If the other three sevens are on top of the deck once you have forced the card, either double undercut them or overhand shuffle them to the bottom. If they are already 'on the bottom, then you are set to continue. Holding the cards face-down you now begin to spread them left to right between your hands. As soon as you start spreading, your right fingers steal the bottom card of the deck and carry it below the spread as if you
were culling it. Basically, as your right hand comes over the deck to spread the cards, your thumb touches the top of the deck, while your right hind's middle fingertip contacts the face of the bottom seven. As your hands separate to spread the deck, squeeze the deck by pushing upwards with the middle finger, and the bottom card will come loose. Now simply let it ride on your right hand's fingers, hidden by the spread. Once you have spread about 15 cards, your right fingers and thumb clamp a portion of the spread and lift it up. These are the same moves you would do if you were to spread the deck and separate it to have a card replaced, you just have a card hidden below the spread and supported by your right
fingers,
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Using the right hand's spread turn the top card of the left-hand pile face-up. As you tum it over, comment on its value. If itis a three, say that that must mean that the ' selection is also a three. Be very proud and' confident of this fact, as you're about togo downhill from here. Leave the card face-up and what you are now going to do is close the spread in the right hand and drop the whole thing over the face-up card, placing one of those sevens directly above the three. Remember that the .seven is riding facedown below the spread. Make sure that it remains the bottom card as you square the spread and drop it over the left hand's pile. You now repeat the same exact moves two more times, spreading 15 cards further down into the deck. Each time you reveal a random card, replace, the right hand's portion, adding a seven above the indifferent card. You should feel very confident that you're going to find another three, but when
you turn over the second random card and find it to be a king or a two or what not, be very disappointed. Ask them for one more chance and be even further upset by finding the third random card. If two cards happen to match than comment that the third one is .simply bad luck. If you somehow happen to turn over three identical cards, then just stop . right there, put down the deck, carve a pentagram or a "666" on the spectator's nice wooden table, and walk out of the room. If all three cards are different, however, continue with the effect. After showing all three cards face-up, be very upset with yourself and ask the spectators if they mind if you start over. Once you receive their permission you will begin to tum over the three indifferent cards face-down, when in reality you will be performing a reverse move created by Larry Jennings. Remember that each random face-up card has a face-down seven directly on top of it. So, as you spread the deck and get to the first face-up card (in our case, a three), you are actually going to square up the face-up card with the face-down seven that is above it. Then, pinching it to the deck with your right hand fingers from below, you will twist your hand towards yourself, reversing the entire right hand packet 180 degrees, and finally place the double, still pinched as one, on top of the left hand pile. What you have just basically done is switched the three with the seven by turning over two cards that were face-to-face with each other. After releasing the double on top of the deck your right hand releases it and twists forward 180 degrees back to its natural position. "What you must do at this point is spread the deck further to get to the second
face-up card, but making sure not to flash the seven that is now face-up. To do this, simply do a block push-off of 10 cards, and then spread one at a time until you reach the second card. Perform the Jennings reverse one more time,. again switching- the indifferent card for the seven, and repeat the spread and reverse a final time with the last card. Finally square up the deck and set it down on the table. As you are spreading and turning the cards supposedly face-down, mumble to the spectators that their card must be a mate of one of the three cards, but you're not sure .which, so you start over. Ask them to tum their selection face-up and upon seeing that it is a seven, act like someone has just punched you in the stomach. Don't overact, but be very disappointed. Wait a little bit, and then remember that because seven is a lucky number, you might be able to do something. Snap your fingers, sprinkle some fairy dust (lint) and then re-spread the deck, showing the other three sevens faceup. Ta-da!
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Afterthoughts: The most important thing is not to overact. Upon turning the second indifferent card face-up and. seeing that it does not match the first one, just act surprised and disappointed. There is no need to show your audience how well you played Hamlet in your community play, simply say: "Oh... " and if the need arises, followed by an expletive or two. Also, the three mates of the forced cards may also be second, third, arid fourth from the top of the deck instead of on the bottom. This will allow you to cull them from their respective positions, rather than from the bottom of the deck where there may be a chance of flashing. Enjoy!
Gigabyte Switch - a trick for neo-luddites -
June, 2000
It is incredible how in the middle of the
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night you can wake up, startled by your brain, which, in your absence, has been creating and developing a routine that is beyond your wildest dreams. It is one of the greatest things in life, when, while mowing ,your lawn, you are jolted by an idea which makes you run into the house, leaving dirt and grass marks all over the house, just so you can write down the idea before it flies back out into unconscious-land. Which is, how the following effect was formed. It is a trick with a message, something that is perfect for today's day and age, and an effect that can be performed at almost any venue, especially a computer convention.
Effect: A performer holds a piece of paper that says in big bold letters: Gigabyte, As he explains what each term means, he folds the paper, showing the words: Megabyte, Kilobyte, and byte, one at a time. Reflecting on how with all this power and information (bytes)'nothJ.ng useful has been done, the ' ,magician unfolds the paper to show that, ,, both sides now read: "You've GotMail!"
Method: This effect is basically a bill switch done with two pieces of paper. The papers you'll have to make yourself but I have provided the exact design in these notes. Photocopy the page with the design (and only that page, please © ), then cut out the papers and glue them in the following way:
Message the right way, the other side that you are seeing is upside down. With the other paper, when the audience is reading Gigabyte the right way, you have to be able to read the word Megabyte the right way also. Once you have glued the pieces of paper and let them dry, you'll need to make the folds for the,appropriate bill switch. The one that I perform is the Jarle Leirpoll no-thumb tip bill switch. It is just as 'effective as any other switch without the awkwardness feeling or looking of a switch that uses a thumb tip. ,You can use any switch you like, " though. It is a personal thing. Just fold the , papers the right way and perform. The following is the patter that I use:
Most ofus Use computers in. our every day lives, right? Well then I'm sure most ofyou know what a Gigabyte is. Just as weight is measured in kilograms or pounds and time in seconds, the amount ofinformation a computer can hoid is measured in bytes. A gigabyte ci:mtains a thousand megabytes, which contains a thousand kilobytes, which, in turn, contains a thousand bytes. Nowyou would think, with all that information available at the touch ofa button, humanity would do something useful with it. (Switch occurs) However, the only thing that we have been. able to do with all ofthis information ... is "You've Got Mail!"
Afterthoughts: You'll get a great laugh and Imagine that the audience is looking at the pieces of paper. The two "You've Got Mail" pieces have to be glued together so that when the audience is reading the
a lot of nodding heads at the end of this trick. This is one of my favorite creations and my audiences have really enjoyed it. I hope yours do too!
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, The Existentialist Mouse April, 2000
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A wonderful example of how creative magic can be is Robert Neale's book "Life, Death, and Other Card Tricks." It is incredible how much meaning can be brought to a deck of cards and I highlyrecommend the book, not simply for material, but more importantly , for inspiring creativity. While reading Franz Kafka one day, I recalled a short fable of his about a mouse, and upon finding it 1- figured out a way to incorporate the fable into a magic effect.
''A Little Fable" by Franz Kafka: "Alas," said the mouse, "the world is growing smaller every. day. At the beginning it was so big that J was afraid,I kept running and running, and.I was glad when at last J saw walls fat away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that J am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into. n "You only need to change your direction, said the cat, and ate it up. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir 7>
Effect: While telling the fable of a little mouse, the performer brings out a little plush mouse. As the mouse in the story is eaten up by a cat, so the magician's mouse disappears as welL Requirements: The first thing you need is the gimmick marketed, under the name "Raven" or "Bat." You also need alittle toy mouse. You need it to be metal so it can work well with the gimmick, however, be sure to find the cutest one you can. Method: The method should be obvious to those who already own the gimmick. All you need to do, at the conclusion of the story, is make the little mouse vanish. If you wantto do the non-gimmick version of this trick, perform your favorite coin vanish with the little mouse. However, performing sleight of hand will focus the spectator's attention on your hands. . With the raven, there is no possible explanation of the vanish and so the spectator's are left not only with a great fable to think about but also with absolutely no explanation for the magic.
As the last line is being said, cover your hands over the mouse as if your hands were the eat's jaws. Perform the vanish; then slowly open up your hands to reveal 'the, mouse has vanished. Afterthought: ' I don't like gimmicks, however, the Raven will, .allow you' to perform some miracles. If you do decide to' perform this trick, there is a great side effect: Not only can you perform it for intelligent adults who have a taste for philosophy, literature, or both, but, you can also do it for little devils, omitting the story, and simply making a cute little mouse disappear.
"Oh, look, the magician has a cute rabbit!" "No, honey, that's just a big rat."
Grade Point Aces February, 1999 The following has become one of my most performed effects at school. It is perfect to perform for anyone who is attending school and has a GPA - a grade point average that ranges from 0.0 (pretty sad) to 4.0 (pretty dorky). However, you can also perform it for anyone who has ever attended school and has ever had a GPA. In worst case scenario, you can present this trick as a way you used to cheat in high school or the way that your children are cheating in school nowaday. Whichever way you choose to perform it, this trick has two stunning climaxes that will blow away any audience. Effect: The performer asks for an audience member to tell him his GPA. Slightly embarrassed at first, the spectator finally confesses to his 2.7 GPA (almost a '"B" average). The magician takes out a 2 and a 7, representing the 2.7 GPA and places them aside. The spectator then cuts the deck into four separate piles and upon turning over the top card of each pile he finds the 4 Aces, designating an "A" on the homework, test, exam, and final grade for the class, respectively. When his GPA cards are turned over they are now a 3 and a 9 making the spectator very happy! Method: To start off with, place a 3 and a 9 of any suit on top of the deck. . You are going to ask a spectator for their GPA, take out the respective cards and then switch those two for-the three and the nine. I like to perform the Chris Kenner "Four for Four" switch which can be found in his book "Out of Control." Another great switch was shown to me by Paul Cummins that I believe was Ken Krenzel' s Switchout move. You can also perform a multiple top
change, or, if you don't like these types of switches, then try the following: With the three and the nine on the bottom of the faceup deck, outjog the spectator's GPA cards. When stripping them out, add the 3 and 9 via the Vernon Strip out Addition. Hold the four cards face-up, showing only the top two. Then turn them face-down, drop them on top ofthe face-down deck, and thumb off the top-two cards onto the table. Although this is not nearly as clean as a Kenner or Krenzel switch, it works just as well. The final part of the effect is to perform a spectator cuts to the four aces routine. There are dozens of versions published all throughout magic literature so you should not have a problem finding one that fits you. When revealed, each Ace will stand for a grade of"A," thereby raising the spectator's GPA. There are two methods that I prefer to use. The first is David Harkey's Euro-Aces, which is one of the most direct versions out there. The spectator cuts, cuts, cuts, and that's all there is to it. Other versions require counting of cards and re-dealing and so forth, but for the cleanest version, Harkey's is the way to go. Another great version is from Chad Long's magnificent effect, Shuffling Lesson. I was quite disappointed to see the effect published in Magic for Dummies, but don't let that throw you off. The effect is remarkably simple, but it is unbelievably strong.
. Afterthoughts: You can use either of those cutting to the aces routines or any others. Just have the deck set-up the way you need before you do the switch.
Honest Cheating May, 2000 One of the neat things about tbiseffect is that it does not use the "Out-to-Lunch" principle, yet the effect that it acbieves is quite similar, that of the back of a signed card changing. This can be performed for anyone, regardless of age, and is pretty stunning. The ending is a kicker that can or cannot be included, depending on how you are feeling that day. Another great thing about this effect is that the subject chosen is not forced and can ," be anything from Biology to Basket Weaving 101 - the fact that the subject is a free choice completely fries laymen and magicians alike. Effect: A spectator signs his name on the face of a card. He is then asked for his least favorite subject from his school days. If he says Biology, the words "Biology Test" are, written on the back of the card, along with the test grade of "F-." Telling the spectator not to worry the magicianbegins to'fix' the grade. First he makes the test grade vanish completely off of the 'selection and then he reprints it to say "Biology Test A+." However, a teacher 'always remembers givingout one bad grade, so someone has to get it So, when the magician spreads the deck he 'finds one card reversed. On the back it has the biology test grade "F-" and on the face of it in big black letters is, much to hisdismay, the magician's own name! Method: There is a small setup for this effect. Take out two cards. Low spot cards work best because you- are going to have the spectator sign his name on it. You must also use a red deck, as trying to get a black marker to show up on a blue backed deck is For explanation not that much fun. purposes, the two cards will be a 5 of Diamonds and a 2 of Spades.
With the 5D held the long way, write the word "Test" followed by a large and bold "A+" in the lower half of the card The top bar of the letter' T should be a few millimeters above and parallel to the angel on the back of the bicycle deck. The big "A" should be a little bit bigger than the letter "T" in test. Above this card place an , indifferent card, also face-down. Above that place an indifferent card, but this one must be face-up. The last card that will go over' these three will be the 2 of Spades. On the face of the 28 print your name in big bold black letters. Be sure to use a good, fine point Sharpie for all of the writing. Finally, the four card stack is placed on top of the deck. For easier handling later on ill the routine it also helpsto crimp the fifth card from the top by' bending the' back, of it downwards. This will allow you to' get an automatical break below the.four card stack as soon as you need it. 'With the stack on top you are ready to begin: Ask the spectator is he remembers taking , tests in high school or college. Once he answers, tell him not to worry: you're not going to make him take '8, test, just simply pick a card. Give the ,deck a cut but before you complete it, get a pinkie-break above the four card stack. Perform a riffle force by riffling down the outer left comer until the spectator says stop. It doesn't matter where he says so, just 'simply pick the deck up at your 'break and place the upper section below the lower one. Because you need to buy time at this point, so you can cleanly pick up the break and do a quadruple turnover, reach into your pocket at tbis time and take out your Sharpie, handing it to the spectator. Ask him to open it and as all of his attention is placed on the marker, feel for
the downward crimp. Pick up at that point and perform your version of a double lift. I prefer a hit double lift, which, with a pinkie break already below the four cards, is very easy here.
write the word "Chemistry" in the blank space above the word Test. You have now finished with that five of diamonds. It has the spectator's name on the front, and "Chemistry Test A+" on the back.
Once you've turned over the four cards as one (try to hide the front edge by tilting the deck downwards), allow the spectator to sign their name on it, as they would on a test. Ask them to close up the marker, once again taking their attention away from the deck, and perform another quadruple turnover as they do so. Take back the' marker and then take a step back away from them as you ask them about any particular subject in school that they hated.
You now gesture with the right hand and the marker and say something like: "Really? That's unbelievably fascinating." At the same time as you are gesturing with your right hand, your left hand's index finger bends outwards over the upper edge of the deck and pulls the whole thing down, squaring it with the three down-jogged cards.
At this point, make sure that no-one is behind you, and perform the following' move: With the deck held long-ways in your left palm, with its back facing you (almost as if you were performing an S.W.E. Shift) your thumb, just like getting ready for a triple lift, picks up three cards at the'back. Your middle finger will hold these three cards at the front end, and you will actually lift off the three cards a few millimeters off of the deck, and then move them down towards the floor for an inch. If you are holding the deck by its short ends, between thumb and fingers; then when you move those three cards downwards, they will be completely covered by your palm and the spectators will not be suspicious in any way. ......
What doing this move actually does is reveal the upper section of the Five of Diamonds, the one that is blank, right above the word Test. At this point, the spectator has told you what his least favorite class was. Keep him talking at this point as you need to buy time. Ask him why he hated that class. As he is telling you all this, you are writing down the name of his subject. If he says Chemistry, then the first thing you do is
Remember to keep the back of the deck facing you so no-one gets a flash yet, and write the words "Chemistry Test" on the back of the top card, the one that actually has your name on its face. At this point you can bring your hands down and allow the spectators to see what you have written. Remember to keep your 'pen gestures' to a minimum. If the spectators see the back end of the pen move a lot while you're writing, they will be surprised to see that all you have written are two words. Ask the spectator what grade they would have received if they were to get a Chemistry Test right now. They will usually answer D or F, so write that down in big bold letters. To psychologically prove that this is 'still the spectator's card, pick up the quadruple as one with your right hand. Use your right hand's fingers to hide the thick edge in the front, and your thumb at the back. Lift the four cards up to your mouth and blow on the ink, as if helping it to dry. Then turn your hand 180 degrees towards the audience and blow on the other side. This shows both sides of the card to the audience without being 'over-showy.' Replace the four cards back onto the deck, "rub the ink with your
fingers, proving that it has completely dried and then perform a quadruple turnover. Check: The top face-up card has the spectator's name on the front and "Chemistry Test A+" ali the back. Below it is an indifferent face-up card followed by a face-down indifferent card, followed by a face-up card with your name on front and "Chemistry Test F-) on back, followed, finally, by the balance of the deck.
Pick up the top two face-up cards as one. Rub them against the top of the deck and then perform a double turnover, showing that the back of the five of diamonds is now completely blank! You have completely erased the grade from the grade-book. After · showing the double 'on both sides, hold it so. it's left edge (when it's face-up) is touching the right edge of the face-down deck. Then, · as you reach forward to pick up the marker -. from the table with your left hand, you perform a K.M. Move .• (Tony. KardyrofEdward Marlo) which' steals that indifferent card from behind the five of diamonds, and places it on top of the deck, · face-down. You are now clean for the most part. Give the card a little spin on your fingers or a little snap and turn it over to reveal the A+ printed on the card instead of the F-. As you turn over the card with your right hand, use your left hand to give the deck a Charlier cut, placing that face-up card with your ._ _
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name on it into the middle of the deck. All that is left is to remind the spectators that a good teacher never forgets giving out an F-. With that, spread the deck face-up on the table, revealing a face-down card that has that F- printed on its back. Here, I like to finish with this line: "Well, if you got the A, then it can't be you. So tell me, why does it always have to be me?" This line is said in a somewhat ironic tone and gets a good laugh every time .. Afterthoughts: The kicker at the end gives the effect a formal ending. However, you may finish by just giving the spectator the card to keep with the A on it. Also, and here . is an idea to play with: Instead of using the lower section of the card to write the word 'test' on, use the lower. And, instead of .using the word test, write in the local area code number instead. Then, instead of downjogging the three cards,· upjog them. Then ask the spectator for their phone number and instead of writing a word like Chemistry, write down those i digits. So now, you have a card with the telephone number of a person you've just met. What. you pre-write or pre-draw on that card is up to you. I have performed it by pre-drawing a small deck of cards with the matching selection rising out of it. Try that one or come up with anything else you think Will fit the situation.
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Pandora's Card-Box February, 2000 I love performing close-up magic while standing in front of an audience of 5' to 20 people: This type of situation is what I enjoy the most, along with sitting on a carpet with a group of 5 people or fewer. I really get to know my spectators and they, in turn, get to know me and my magic. This is why I love close-up magic so much. Often, however, it is very hard to end such an intimate show. When working with just a deck of cards; you can go on for hours, but you must learn how to stop, and I mean stop! This is one of my favorite 'closer' effects, which definitely gets a great reaction.
All you have to do is place anyone of the 52 miniature cards inside the mini card-box, (face-down when the half-moon side is up) and then place the mini-box inside the normal card-box. The normal sized duplicate of the miniature card should also be on top of the deck. When performing, my card-box is set-up from the beginning and is in my pocket. I take it out as if to feint putting away my cards, but then, after the begging has ceased, decide to show just one more. 1 place the card-box close to my body and off to the right and I am ready to begin. 0
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Effect: Three cards are selected, signed, and lost in the deck. The first is found underneath the card-box. The second one, the magician claims, will actually jump inside the card-box. Upon opening it, however, a miniature card-box is found, and inside, a miniature replica of the second selection. In a flash, however, that miniature card changes into the real thing, spectator's signature and all. For a grand finale, the magician snaps his fingers and tells the spectator to open up the miniature card-box - the same orie that they just saw empty a second ago. Upon opening it, the third signed selection is found folded inside! The audience gives the magician a round of applause and proceeds to slowly and calmly whip out their wallets and hand over all of, , their cash and credit cards. Method: For this effect you will need a , regular bicycle deck and a miniature version that can be found at magic or novelty shops. Thesetiny bicycle decks are exactlyone half the size of a standard deck and to a laywoman, are the cutest things to hit the earth.
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Begin by having three cards selected. The second spectator has to be forced the duplicate of the miniature, card. Once the three cards have been selected, you need to get them back and control them to the needed positions.
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Start with the third selection first. This is the one that will later be found folded inside the miniature box, so you need to control this one to the bottom. When having it replaced, keep a pinkie.break below it and then double undercut or pass it to the bottom. The second and first cards have to be controlled to the top, but they should not disturb the selection at the bottom. So, swing cut half the deck into the left hand, and have the second spectator replace their card into the half that was originally the top half of the deck. This time keep a pinkie break above the selection (actually between the second and third selections) and perform a pass or double undercut. Repeat the swing cut again and have the first selection replaced over the second one, and control both to the top, while at the same time
bringing that third selection back ,to the bottom of the deck. Check: The top card of the deck is the first selection and below it is the second. Then comes the balance of the deck with the third selection on the bottom. All the cards are .face-down but you will now change that. While telling the spectators how you are going to find their cards, perform a half-pass 'with the third selection, reversing it on the bottom of the deck. ' 'Tell the first spectator that finding their card is not too hard, especially if you cheat and look through the' deck. As you say this line, you perform the card-under-the-glass move, loading the first selection underneath the card-box. (For great card-under-glass work read or watch J.C. Wagner, Doc Eason, or Chris Power.) Remember: As your left hand spreads the pack on the table, be sure not to flash the bottom face-up card. You are now one card ahead of the spectators so you can do what you like; I prefer to close up the deck on the table, pick it up, and pretendto take outa card invisibly and throw it up in the air. My finger then follows the imaginary path until the card < lands' underneath the card-box. At this point two things are going to occur at the same time. As you tell the spectator to reach out and turn over the card underneath the .card-box, you will perform a mercury card fold, from Hugard and Braue's Expert Card Technique. Because you half-passed the bottom card earlier, when it is folded, it will be backs out so as to build up the climax at the end. The folded card will now be below the deck, hidden by the left hand's fingertips, so a glimpse at the bottom of the deck will not give anything away.
Hold the deck in the left hand, and again, pretend to take out an imaginary card and throw it out, but this time, tell the spectators that it has landed inside the card-box. Let them open up the box and be very surprised when they take out the miniature box. At this point, take the miniature box from them before they get a chance to open it. Look at . it on all sides, and then, using' just your index finger,. kick open the front. Tilt the box forward so everyone can see one facedown card inside. The following motions are very important: Ask the spectator to put up his hand and shake the card out onto his palm. Remember that it is still face-down, so build up the effect as" much as possible. Your spectators should almost be screaming out . loud: «Could it be the card? Could it be the card?" Then, just as you feel that your . spectators can't hold back any longer, take a step back and allow the spectator' to turn , over his card. At this point, everyone in the . audience will let out a breath and then start , looking at each other, muttering: «Can you believe he just did that?" (psychological Note: Whenever you have a. group of spectators, they will always turn to' each other, as if someone else might have the answer to the mystery they just witnessed. This is the absolutely best time to load, steal, palm, do whatever you Iikel) At the exact moment the mini-card is being turned over, the folded card on the bottom of the deck should be loaded inside the mini card-box. To do this in the quickest and most efficient manor, after you kick open the flap with your index finger, bend it all the way back so that the card-box is completely open. (Note: You must also rip off the little side hinges of the card-box to allow completely smooth loading.) If you performed the mercury card fold correctly,
then the inner right comer of the'folded card will be in a shape of a "N," The right hand, holding the mini-box moves below the deck, and lets that inner right corner of the folded card glide directly into the opening of the , card-box. This has to be one smooth motion done in no more than two or three seconds as the spectators tum over their selection and gasp in amazement. Right after the load, your hands separate, and your right hand closes-up the card-box by pushing the flap back up and inside using your index and middle fingers. Set the mini card-box in the middle of the table and forget about it. In the spectator's minds, they have just seen a card-box with one mini card inside and nothing else. In the next visual frame of their mind, the mini card-box is sitting on the table, and you are standing several feet away from it. Meanwhile, the spectators have all passed around the mini-card and discussed how cute it is. Take it back into the right hand, and remember that the actual selection that matches the mini-card is on top of the facedown deck, resting in your left hand. Look at the spectators and act as if you have just thought of something. Motion to the first spectator and ask him if he is still holding onto his card (or if it is on the table), and mention the fact that his had his signature on it while the little one doesn't have the second spectator's signature on its face. .As you look towards' the spectator to say this line, you perform a top change, switching the mini-card for the real one. Two seconds later, when the spectators look back at your hand, you will now be holding the actual signed, second selection. They will do a double take and once again be completely lost. All you need to do is smile and drop the second selection onto the table.
The effect is now over in your mind. The final selection is already inside the mini card-box and all you need to do is build up the finish. Do your best here. Askthem if it would be amazing if you can make another mini card appear inside the mini-box just where the second one was found. Saying this will emphasize the fact that the spectators saw the mini-box, empty after the mini card was taken out. They will all nod in agreement and wait in anticipation to find a mini-card inside. You, however, have something better in stock for your wonderful audience. Show your hands completely empty, slowly pick up the card-box and open it up so it faces the audience. Slowly pull out the folded card half way and if you like, let a , spectator pull it out completely, and unfold it themselves and find it to be their selection with their signature! This is a killer, killer, closing effect. Not only does it have four distinct climaxes (card under box, mini-card appearance, mini-card change into real card, folded selection inside box) but it also embodies several sleights, techniques, misdirection and body language methods that all add to, rather than take away from, the fmal effect. Mastering this effect and performing it smoothly shows that not only can you perform sleight of hand well, but that you also have a firm understanding of misdirection, audience control,and many psychological aspects of magic. I sincerely hope that you try out this routine and see how well it is received by audiences.
Afterthoughts:
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.I think, therefore I twist August, 2000 Once in a while you will happen to stumble onto an intelligent audience. Not too often, granted, but it does depend on where you perform. If you see the people nodding their heads when you mention philosophy or the name Descartes, then I would perform this effect. If not; you're still OK because the good thing about this effect is that it can be done without the patter completely and still be pretty amazing. However, if you find an . intelligent adult or two, perform the. following effect for them, featuring the great 1in century philosopher, Rene Descartes. Effect: This daring card trick asks the question: Ifyou don 't think you exist, do you . then disappear? Three kings are taken out. of the deck representing three philosophers. Rene Descartes' While discussing : philosophy: "Cognito ergo sum" - "I think, therefore I am," the magician. makes the . king of spades (representing Rene): trim face-up, face-down, and then completely . disappear. Method: For this effect you need a blank faced card with a back that matches your deck 1. Begin with the blank card on top of the
face-down deck. Spread the cards face-up between your hands and outjog three kings: two reds and one black. Make sure that the black king is below the two red ones. If the cards are not automatically in that order, you can simply re-outjog the black king, or you can use two black kings and one red instead, if they are in the right order. Which cards you use doesn't matter. One just needs to contrast the other two since it will represent Rene Descartes.
2. With the three kings out-jogged you need to perform Vernon's Strip-Out addition. .Briefly: the blank card (on the bottom of the face-up deck) goes into a high gambler's cop position. With the card gripped, your left 'hand moves forward to strip out the three kings, adding the blank card to the bottom. The four-card pile stays in the left hand while your right hand sets the deck down on the table face-down. Your right hand now holds four cards faceup, in order, from the face: Red King, Red King, Black King, Blank Card. I will first describe the technique of the routine and then the patter. 3. Left hand pushes the first red king to the right. The right hand takes it, turns it facedown and places it on the bottom of the packet. This is then repeated with the second red king. 4. Take the four-card packet into biddle grip. · Your left-hand index finger will go underneath the packet and pull the bottom . face-down card to the left. The middle finger will then contact the second facedown card from the bottom and pull it to the left as well. It should look like you have a · three-card spread with the top card being a · face-up black king. The top card, however, is actually a double, with the blank card face-up behind the king. Using your right hand turn the double face-down and square up the cards. Push the top face-down card to the right and take it with the right hand. Use your right hand's fingertips to flip over the three cards in the left hand face-up, While gesturing with the face-down (supposed) king, push
the top card of the left hand forwards for about an inch, exposing another red king. Place the face-down card below the left hand pile, but in-jogged an inch. Square up the three (four) cards from the sides, but leave each one still 'stepped' an inch forward from the one below' it. The spectators should be able to see an inch of a face-down card, an inch of the middle red king, and see the second red king in its entirety on top. 5. Square up the spread, patter for a second, and re-spread, pushing the top two cards to the right. Hold the last two cards as one remember the blank card is hidden facedown below the face-up black king. Again form the step-display by lining up the three cards at their long edges, but leaving each one outjogged an inch above the one below it. 6. Square up the' spread again, patter, and then perform the first 1 ~ moves of an E1msley count: Holding the cards in the right hand, use your left hand to take.the top single card (face up red king). As your left hand is taking the singlered king, your right hand does a multiple push-off of the. two kings (face-up red and black).. This goes over the first king and outjogged an inch just like in the previous displays. This leaves a single face-down card in your right hand, which you then tum over to reveal .a completely blank card! If the spectators wish to grab the blank card, let them. You want to take as much heat off of your hands as you want. However, I prefer not to interrupt the flow of the trick and continue straightinto the last phase: 7. Take the blank card and insert it between. the two red kings. Don't forget that the top red king has a black king hidden behind it.
Re-adjust the spread if you need to so at least an inch of each of the lower two cards IS seen. 8. You will now perform a version of a paintbrush .change. It's very simple here: Your left thumb and fingers' are squeezing the three card spread, slightly on the sides. Your right hand's index and middle finger come to the outer end of the spread and push back the top card(s) until they line up with the blank card. Without a hesitation, use your index finger to push forward just the top card, making the illusion that you just painted the black king onto the blank card. This is fI. wonderful color change and will get a great reaction from your audience. To end you can simply show the cards and throw them back on top of the deck, palming . out the blank card at a later time. Or, if you wish to be clean, you can use the gambler's cop to steal the blank card when you let the audience check out the three Kings. Presentation: (1) In the 17th century there
was a philosopher by the name of Rene Descartes who came up with the theory: "Cognito ergo sum" - «1 think therefore 1 am." He became very famous for this but what a lot of people don't know is how he came up with this idea. (2) You see, one day, Rene was hanging out with two of his philosopher buddies and they decided to come up with a theory relating thinking and being. They all sat down, and after about an hour, the first . philosopher, not the smartest of the three, 1 should mention, stood up and said: «I think. .. I think... I think I need a drink." And so he left the discussion. (3) An hour later, the second philosopher came up with what is now referred to as the "Little Engine that Could Theory." He said: "I
think I can, I think I can, I think 1..." and he, also, went off to get a drink. (3) (4) Rene would not give up that easy, however, and so he sat there for half the day until he thought to himself: "Well, I think my friends exist. I think the world around me exists. I think I exist, therefore I must 'exist! (5) Cognito ergo sum!" He was very excited at first but then he had some doubts: But what if my friends don't exist? What if the world around me is just myimagination? What if I don'teven exist? (6) If I don't think, I. cannot exist." . At this point Rene's philosophy buddies found him in this condition. (7) They wanted to help him, and so they gave him the best advice they could offer: "Rene," they said, "all you need is a drink. And then; if you just think. you can, (8) you'll be!"
Afterthought: This is one of my favorite effects to . perform because of its presentation. Not only do some of the lines get some good laughs, but also the whole effect is intellectual. It teaches those who don't know. about Rene Descartes his philosophy, however it is not unbearably didactic. Also, if you ever get a chance to perform this stand-up, where no-one will grab the cards afterwards, you can place a piece of double stick tape to the back of the. black. king. As long as you adjust your handling and don't let the king and the blank card stick together too quickly, at the end, the effect will look like a pure miracle!
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The Perfect Combination
Look at the study of etymology and of semiotics. Each one delves into life and searches for meaning behind every day words and objects that peopletake for granted. These studies ask humanity: How can you live ina world without full knowledge of where the words you speak come from and what the objects around you mean? They urge people to learn both the denotative and connotative meanings ofthe things around them. Yet here is the paradox: You delve into life and into learning the details, the history, and . the meanings behind every word and object, and you are pushed deep into the world. Yes, you become more aware of all these things, but, and the problem lies herein, too often you cannot escape thisvinformation world" and enter into the "real world" where you canuse all of your knowledge. So there must be a compromise between knowledge and the use of knowledge. The person who succeeds is the one who takes the best ofboth worlds. And the same applies in magIC... Change etymology into the study of moves and sleights and of the history of magic and of where magic concepts come from. Change semiotics into the study of signs hidden within your magic, the psychological reasoning behind your magic, and the connotative implications of magic on your audiences. Now you begin to understand that there is more to magic than learning effects and performingthem.
So what shoul.d a good magician study and know and more importantlyunderstand? The first step is to learn methods. (Remember that sleights, gimmicks, subtleties, and stooges are all forms of methods.) Just as musical notes are put together to form a piece of music or special moves used in a game of chess, methods are put together to form the effect. So in order to be a knowledgeable magician, one must study the history of methods. One must read not only the recent issue of Magic Magazine or the Linking Ring, but one must study his Mark Wilson and Tarbell, read his Fitzkee, Vernon, and Marlo, and learn how methods were originated and how they have evolved; how Erdnase's techniques led to those ofMarIo to those of Ortiz and Ricky Jay and to those of Hollingworth. A knowledge of etymology allows a person to interpreta word he does not know by dissecting it into prefix, root, and suffix and knowing which language each comes from. A knowledge of methods and their history allows you, upon creating or learning a new effect, to dissect it into ideas and methods and concepts, and by knowing where each has originated from, you become able to have a much firmer grasp on the effect as a whole. A solid knowledge of magic principles also allows you to see, in the case oflearning another magician's effect, what influenced that magician's train of thought. It allows for a broader understanding of the effect and is therefore the first step in helping you change the methodes) to a certain effect to make it fit into your own ability and performing style. Yet here is the paradox: You learn every sleight and every subtlety or buy every gimmick, and you are filled with knowledge and facts and history. This knowledge, however, unless used everyday in your own performances, is as useless to you as a locked toolbox is to a handyman. The knowledge gained from learning sleights from Richard Kaufman or History from Melbourne Christophermust be used and incorporated into all of your magic. There must be a compromise. You should not become a sleight-obsessed freak nor should you become an ignorant puppet-magician, moving step-by-step just as the instructions tell you to move. A reliable foundation of magic knowledge put together with the right style of performance is what makes the most effective magician, Would you ever hire a handyman who does not know how to use his tools? Or, Would you ever hire a handyman who knows his tools better than anyone else but has never tried to use them? In both cases, probably not. And so your audiences must' ask: Why would we want to see a magician who does not know what he is doing? Or, Why would we want to see a magician, albeit a knowledgeable one, who has never performed before? In searching for the perfect combination ofknowledge and performance, you begin to develop a true respect for our brilliant art. You start to see, not only the complexity that goes into (or at least should go into) every effect, but also the flowing simplicity that appears before the audience's eyes. You cannot fool an audience; they can always tell when you have no understanding of what you are talking about or what you are showing them. However, if what they see is a perfect performance that flows both visually and psychologically, they will begin to trust you. Once they realize that you are an expert at what you do and that you have put your time and effort into bringing them this performance, they will then give you their time, and maybe, just maybe, even take the effort to give you a round of applause at the end.
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