Lew Brooks - Stack Attack.pdf

Stack Attack

© Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack

STACK ATTACK by L.R.Brooks

All rights reserved. With the exception of a printed copy made for the purchaser’s ease of reading and brief quotations for the purpose of review, no part of this book may be reproduced (nor transmitted) in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or author.


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Stack Attack

Table of Contents

Foreword…………………………........................................................ 4 The False-False-Shuffle......................................................................... 7 Order Out of Chaos............................................................................ 12 The 4 Second Stack............................................................................. 20 Bughouse Poker................................................................................... 26 Bughouse Blackjack............................................................................ 35 The Kangaroo Kid................................................................................41 The LRB Stacking Demo.................................................................... 47 Poetry Poker........................................................................................ 52 High Card Poker................................................................................. 57 A Red/Black Location....................................................................... 61 Invent Your Own Stack..................................................................... 66 Addenda To the First Edition...........................................................69 About the Author .............................................................................. 73


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Stack Attack

Foreword

One of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of an experienced card-worker is the prearranged or “stacked” deck. Some of the most amazing feats in card magic make use of some form of deck set-up or pre-arrangement. Many magicians avoid using a stacked or pre-arranged deck because they feel it is often too difficult or time consuming to prepare their decks beforehand. Others feel that to use a stacked deck is to somehow “cheat.” They forget that the object is to surprise, mystify, and above all to entertain those for whom they are performing. Some, if not all, of the greats in close-up card magic have occasionally “stooped” to employing a stacked deck. In almost every book on card effects there will be one or more effects that are based on the pre-arrangement of at least a few cards, sometimes the entire deck. Often the set-up can be accomplished impromptu while performing a prior effect or while apparently examining or toying with the cards. Some of the stacks will be lengthy and can’t be done impromptu and must therefore be set-up prior to the performance. This usually requires that particular effect be the first card trick performed or done as a “stand-


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Stack Attack alone” effect. Or perhaps the stacked deck can be switched in at the appropriate moment. All of the effects included herein will use some form of a stacked deck. Hence the title of this work.

When performing with a stacked deck, the entertainer is usually free from worries about sleights that might go wrong or a gimmick that won’t “do its thing” at the proper moment. He can concentrate his efforts on his performance. His full attention can be given to achieving the intended effect.

“It has always been part of my philosophy of card magic to perform an easy, almost non-sleight-of-hand routine and make my audience think I was the most fantastic card handler they’ve ever seen.” — Harry Loryane

“A stacked deck is a happy deck!” —Eugene Burger

No False Counts, False Deals, Multiple Lifts, Passes, Shifts or Palming Required I have tried to make these effects different by the incorporation of new techniques designed to disguise or seemingly eliminate the possibility of the end result having been accomplished by means of a stacked deck. A couple of ideas that I had many years ago concerning the handling of a stacked deck are taught here. I have never seen these ideas in print or utilized anywhere or by anyone else prior to this work.


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Stack Attack There are no false counts, false deals, multiple lifts, passes, shifts or palming required for the effects described herein. Although the author can execute these sleights (at least some of them) they are beyond the scope of this work. If the reader is searching for new sleights or effects that require sleightof-hand then I recommend that you look elsewhere. This is a collection of effects that are practically self-working. Of course the use of a well timed and well performed false shuffle and/or cut can only enhance the performance. However they are not absolutely necessary to the outcome of the effect. So much has been written about false shuffles and false cuts that the reader should seek out the instructions in other works if he desires to learn those techniques. A new technique that I call the “False-False-Shuffle” (FFS) will be taught separately because it is required in some of the effects. Most of the effects included here are the author’s original, at least as to handling and presentation. It would be very difficult to invent an effect that is completely new in concept, working, and presentation. The idea of having a pre-arrangement is very old in card magic and because of that alone, all of the effects presented here are disqualified from being truly original. However, the handling, patter and the arrangement of the cards in particular is, in all cases, my own. Credit for any ideas will be given where known. Apologies for any erroneous credits or lack of credits is offered at this time. With two notable exceptions, the effects gathered here are of the “Gambling Demo” or “Poker Deal” type. I enjoy performing these types of effects and I find that they lend themselves quite well to entertaining stories, themes, and patter.

Finally I would like to thank four people in particular: Terry LaGerould, a professional close-up magician and my longtime friend with whom I have spent many a pleasant hour talking and inventing card magic. Joe Abraham, my friend from Akron, Ohio, who was instrumental in rekindling my love for magic after I had been away for several years. Lee Asher, an “up and coming” (now established) young card technician who is constantly amazing me with his new moves and ideas. I am flattered that he uses me when he wants to try out some “new stuff”! A special thank-you to Keith “Kip” Pascal for his design and layout of Stack Attack. THANKS GUYS!

L. R. Brooks Las Vegas, NV © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack

April 2004

The False-False-Shuffle (FFS) What follows is an idea that I had many years ago. I have never seen it written up or actually used by anyone as a definite means to an end. The idea is to employ a particular shuffling method that will appear to be a normal casual shuffle while at the same time you are actually “working” the deck into a final desired arrangement. This technique will be used through-out this book. There is one particular aspect of the overhand shuffle that is very useful to the performer and that is the ability to “run” or slip cards singly (i.e. one at a time) from the main pack into the other hand. This ability to run any number of single cards allows for many different applications. To be able to employ the FFS the performer must be able to execute the overhand run. The performer who shuffles in this manner can be seen to be actually shuffling the pack in small groups while at the same time he will be controlling the end result. This is a falseshuffle that is an actual shuffle (hence the name). A VERY basic example… let’s say that the effect you are about to perform requires a small stack or set-up on the top of the deck. Using our method, instead of starting with the setup on the top of the deck, we would have it beginning at the 10th card down from the top maybe.


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Stack Attack Then instead of doing one of the usual overhand false-shuffles we would simply shuffle in such a way as to remove those top 9 unwanted cards.

You could maybe do this in the following manner: Run 5 cards singly and then throw the remainder of the deck on top. Repeat this procedure but run 4 cards this time and throw the deck on top. This appears to be a couple of quick shuffles but in fact you have brought your set-up to the top. These actions simulate the actions of a real overhand shuffle when done in a smooth and casual manner and is especially deceptive when performed with a small packet of cards. You can vary the number of cards on top of your set-up and the number of “mini” or “run” shuffles that you perform according to your own needs and preferences. Simply make sure that you run off, in total, the number of extra cards that you placed above your set-up. The above idea is not original with me. It has been offered elsewhere and has probably been independently thought of by many card workers. What follows however I have never seen in another work. It is another, albeit more complicated, application of the same basic principle. Suppose that you are going to do an effect that requires that the entire deck be set-up, maybe in the Si-Stebbins system or something else. If this deck is removed from its card-box and is overhand shuffled a few times while initially pattering - the impression should be given that you are handling a well mixed and shuffled deck. However, you usually cannot actually shuffle a stacked deck and expect it to perform properly for you. Yes… you can give it a few “false-table-riffles” a la Zarrow, but suppose that there is no table available or that you are performing standing up or maybe you just can’t do a Zarrow shuffle.

Here is how we solve this problem: After stacking the deck for the effect you now “rearrange” the stack by doing the following overhand shuffle. Turn the deck FACE-UP and shuffle (run) five cards singly into your left hand, and then throw the rest of the deck on top of these five. Now repeat this procedure — this time with four cards maybe. Repeat with three cards. You are done. You have destroyed the set-up - but in such a way that a reversal of the procedure will put the deck back in its desired original order. You


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Stack Attack now place the deck in its box and you are ready for your performance. When you take the deck out of the box you simply hold the deck as for a normal overhand shuffle (FACE-DOWN this time of course) and do the reverse of the shuffles that you did to re-arrange the deck. You now “Run 3 cards singly and Throw” (R3T). Now “Run 4 cards singly and Throw” (R4T). And lastly “Run 5 cards singly and Throw” (R5T). This is the exact opposite of what you did when preparing the deck beforehand. The deck is now in its original order and yet you have apparently shuffled the deck.

Note the shorthand used for the procedure… R3T, R4T, and R5T. This will be used throughout this book.

You can use any numbers; just remember to REVERSE the procedure for the second handling. If you chose to R4T, R6T, R3T (when face-up), you would then reverse this order of operations the second time (when face-down) and you would R3T, R6T, R4T. This method allows you to apparently shuffle a deck while in fact you are “working” it into the desired final set-up order. Lastly, the real “meat” of the FFS, this time using a small packet of cards. Suppose that you had a packet of 10 cards with each one of the ranks from Ace to 10. If these 10 cards were in this order (A,6,7,5,4,3,2,10,9,8 reading from left to right or from top down of a face-down packet) you might fan out this packet and show the cards to be in a somewhat mixed-up order. Now turn the packet face down and hold in the right hand and perform the following FFS: R3T, R4T, R5T. Remember that this means to “Run 3 and Throw, Run 4 and Throw, and Run 5 and Throw.” Now turn the packet face-up and again fan out the cards. If you have followed the instructions correctly you will find the packet is now in order Ace through 10. VOILA! One particular effect in this book uses almost this exact procedure to attain a very surprising effect. (See “ORDER OUT OF CHAOS,” page 12.) © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack This can be made as simple or as complicated as you want. You simply fit the numbers to the effect. The “False-False-Shuffle” will be used throughout this book. Again - if performed in a smooth and casual manner you will be conveying the impression that the deck or packet is being mixed. It is this state of mind on the part of the spectators that will allow you to perform some pretty good effects.


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ORDER OUT OF CHAOS I have decided to make this the first effect in this book because it epitomizes the use, and the strength, of the FALSE-FALSE-SHUFFLE. There are some effects known to most wherein the magician ends with the cards in order. Usually he spells or counts or uses a “duck-and-deal” procedure to accomplish the result. I think that this is the first time that a new method like this has been used to create an interesting, puzzling, and surprising result from and old idea of “Now they’re mixed - Now they’re not!” This is what appears to take place. All of the 13 cards of one of the suits are removed from a shuffled deck. These cards are then subjected to a series of additional shuffles and cuts. When finished, the 13 card packet is shown to be in perfect order Ace through King (or King through Ace if you prefer). This is accomplished in a surprising manner and is accompanied by some interesting © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack patter.

THE SET-UP: Remove all of the Hearts (or any suit) from a well shuffled deck. Now arrange these 13 cards in one of the following set-ups:

SET-UP #1... 4, J, 10, Q, 9, K, 2, 6, 3, 5, 8, A, 7 (Final sequence is A to K). SET-UP #2... 10, 3, 4, 2, 5, A, Q, 8, J, 9, 6, K, 7 (Final sequence is K to A).

The set-up packet must now be re-inserted back into the deck in such a way as to appear that the entire deck is thoroughly shuffled. You can spread the deck across the table faceup and insert the Hearts into the spread at various intervals from left to right making everything look random in nature. Or you might simply riffle shuffle the small packet into the larger packet and you should get the same results.

NOTE: The order of the set-up must be maintained even though it can be spread throughout the deck. Either or both of the arrangements above can be used. If you are going to use both in the same deck, you might arrange one suit one way and the other suit the other way with both spread “randomly” throughout the deck.

THE PERFORMANCE: You are now ready to perform the effect. Bring out the deck and begin to patter: “Recently scientists have begun to study a new field called ‘Chaos Theory.’ The other day I asked a lady in my audience, Ma’am, do you know what Chaos is?” “She gave me a strange look and answered - Of course I do, I’ve got three little kids.” “Well - for those of you who may not know what Chaos is... Chaos is described as a


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Stack Attack confused or disorganized state... a condition of disorder... a situation ruled by randomness.” “Tonight we’re going to try a little experiment - and maybe play around a little bit with ‘Chaos’.” “A common everyday object that can be used to illustrate chaos is a normal shuffled deck of cards like this one. For this particular experiment we will need to use only one of the four suits. Let’s use the Hearts.”

You may proceed just as in the patter above or you might actually give the spectators a choice of one of the red suits. In which case you must have both the Hearts and Diamonds set-up and spread throughout the deck ready to be used. You might even have all four suits set-up and ready to go. You could then allow the spectators to choose which of the four suits will be used in this effect. In this last case, I would have two of the suits (say Hearts and Spades) set-up in one order and the other two suits set-up in the other order. When it has been determined which suit you will be using, you turn the deck face-up and begin to spread it from your left hand into your right hand, as you look for each of the Hearts (or whatever suit is being used). As you reach the first Heart, you simply drop it face-up onto the table. As each subsequent Heart is found, you drop it out of the deck onto the growing pile in front of you. You are now reversing the original order of the set-up. The spectators see the cards being removed, and they are apparently in a shuffled or mixed-up condition. After you find all of the Hearts set the remainder of the deck aside. It will not be used. You now pick up the 13 card pile and comment on its “disorder,” its “randomness,” and its “state of chaos.” You may even briefly show it to the spectators. The set-up will not be apparent and the cards indeed do appear in a random order. Now turn the packet face down and hold it in position for an overhandshuffle as you patter:

“We are going to increase the randomness. We are going to increase the disorder. We are going to see what happens.”

As you are saying the above you will perform the FFS.


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Stack Attack Here is what you must do. Run 3 cards and throw the rest on top (R3T). Now run 4 cards and throw the rest on top (R4T). Our last sequence will add something a little new. Do this: Run 5 cards and then run the

Figure1 6th card but “in-jog” it (fig. 1) and throw the rest on top (R5IT). Now you must cut the packet below the in-jog and complete the cut (CI). The shorthand code for the sequence is R3T, R4T, R5IT, CI. Now continue your patter: “Let’s review what we’ve done. We’ve shuffled and we’ve cut. Now here is where we experiment with this ‘Chaos’ thing. Let’s try to ‘undo’ the chaos that we’ve caused. First we shuffled, so let’s try to ‘un-shuffle’ - maybe like this...”

Figure 2 © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack Hold the packet face down in the left hand and feed the top card off into the right hand.

Figure 3 Feed off the second card in the same manner and take it in the right hand ON TOP of the first card. (fig. 2) Feed off the next (3rd) card and this time take it UNDER the two cards already there. (fig. 3) Push off another one and take it on top. Next one goes under, next one on top etc... Continue to feed the left hand cards into the right hand one at a time and alternating top, bottom, top until all of the cards are in the right hand. Take the packet back into the left hand: “Remember also that we gave the packet a cut. Now let’s see what happens when we give the packet an ‘un-cut,’ whatever that is. “ “Let’s see... in a regular cut, cards are taken from the top and placed on the bottom. So maybe in an ‘un-cut’ we should take some cards from the bottom and place them on top.” Now spread the packet slightly to the right as you pull out, or fan out to the left, some cards on the bottom of the packet. Count to yourself 4 cards and remove these in a group as if you were cutting the packet and place these 4 cards on top showing the spectators that you are doing what must be a reasonable guess as to just what an “un-cut” might be. (fig. 4) © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack

Figure 4

The packet is now in perfect order. You display it by spreading it face up across the table as you say: “If you want to try this at home, just remember - If your ‘un-shuffle’ is perfect, and your ‘un-cut’ is exact... and you get a little lucky... maybe,… just maybe,… you too can create ... ORDER OUT OF CHAOS!” Of course you should time your last remark so that you are spreading the packet just as you deliver the last few words. I sometimes perform this by having another spectator follow along with another suit or the same one from a different deck. When I shuffle and cut the spectator does the same thing (only for real of course). When I “un-shuffle” I tell them to do whatever they think is right, to use their “favorite method,” as magicians like to put it. I then have them spread their packet and show its disarray, or utter chaos. After they pick up their packet I spread mine to show what it should have looked like. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack You must of course adjust your patter to allow for the fact that you are not working alone this time. The effect gets a good reaction from spectators. I hope that you get one also!

End note: I have performed this effect for many, many magicians and I can tell by their looks, and the comments that they make, that this effect can really fool them. The concept is so novel (the FFS) and the ending so surprising that when the shuffles are performed in a smooth and casual manner magicians are caught completely offguard. Lay spectators accept it as either real magic or as a display of great skill. Your patter and handling will guide them to which of these two conclusions that you prefer.


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Stack Attack

The 4 Second Stack Many years ago I witnessed the legendary John Scarne perform an effect that fascinated and intrigued me for quite some time. I saw him perform this effect on a couple of occasions. Here is the effect as I saw it: John would explain that he had developed the ability to stack a hand of four-of-a-kind to himself in a 3,4,5, or 6 handed Poker game using the overhand shuffle method and that he could do it in only 2 or 3 seconds. He said that he was the only one that had ever been able to accomplish this particular feat. He then removed a deck of cards from his pocket and removed the 4 Kings from the deck. He showed them and placed the Kings on top of the deck. He would then ask the spectators to name the number of players in this particular imaginary game….3,4,5, or 6. After receiving the answer he would tell the audience to watch closely while he stacked the 4 Kings, which were now on the top of the deck, to himself, in this (whatever) handed game of Poker and to note that it would only take him about 2 seconds. He would then begin a series of overhand shuffles and runs with considerable dexterity and rapidity. After a moment he would proclaim “Done!” He would then openly, fairly, and slowly begin to deal out the prescribed number of 5 card Poker hands onto the table. He dealt the cards face-down, as in a regular Poker game, but when he got to his hand he dealt the cards face-up showing them to be the 4 Kings.


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Stack Attack This was an impressive demonstration of digital dexterity.

After considerable thought I eventually developed a method to duplicate this feat. The method that follows may be the same as that used by Mr. Scarne, maybe not. If it is, then this might be the first time that it has appeared in print. If not, then I have developed an original method:

There has been quite a lot written on how to stack a deck while overhand shuffling. Mr. Ed Marlo in particular has published instructions as to how to, at least approximately, duplicate the feat described above. The published methods that I am aware of all require that the performer actually possess the necessary skill to accomplish this feat. This is exactly what we are trying to avoid. In my method the performer will appear to have the superb skill necessary but will in fact be resorting to subterfuge. In the performance of magic, it’s the appearance that counts. If you don’t believe me… just ask Kreskin.

You Will Appear to Have Great Skills Often times a magician who has obtained a reputation for manipulative abilities is able to get away with using other methods and yet he is still credited with having accomplished the effect by superior skill alone. I believe that such was the case in this particular effect of Mr. Scarne’s. At any rate you will appear to have the same ability by using the method disclosed here. The secret to this effect is our old friend, the pre-arranged deck. Needed for the effect are 13 extra Kings from other matching decks. They will be arranged in the deck in such a way as to enable you to deal the 4 Kings to yourself regardless of which number of hands the audience chooses. The arrangement is given below. The capital letters stand for the suits of the Kings. They are arranged so that one (and only one) King of each suit will appear when you deal your cards face-up during the demo. The “x” cards in the set-up are any other cards of the deck. They will not be seen anyway. You will need 2 extra Kings of Diamonds, 4 extra Kings of Clubs, 4 extra Kings of Hearts and 3


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Stack Attack extra Kings of Spades. Also have your regular 4 Kings mixed into the bottom half of the deck. Don’t forget to remove 13 unnecessary cards from the deck to compensate for the extra Kings.

THE SET-UP: (Top of the deck downwards) x, x, x, x, x, C, H, S, S, x, C, H, H, x, D, x, x, C, S, x, H, x, D, x, x, x, C.

THE PERFORMANCE: To begin, bring out your deck and remove it from the box. Handle it in a casual manner, and while giving your opening remarks, do any FFS that you have prepared. During this time you turn the deck face-up and openly remove the four Kings that you will (supposedly) be using for the demo. You should not encounter any of the other Kings while doing this as they are set-up in the top half of the deck. Let the spectators see the cards (the bottom half) as you sort through the deck, looking for and removing the Kings. This will impress on their minds that there are only 4 Kings. DO NOT SAY that there are ONLY 4 Kings! They have no reason to believe that there are more than the usual number anyway. You CAN say…

“I’m going to use the 4 Kings for this demo.”

After removing the 4 Kings from the deck and while the deck is still in your hands face-up, you might casually do a “Hindu” strip-out shuffle making sure that you do it from the now top (face-up) section of the deck. Be careful not to go too deep and disturb the set-up. You might even give a casual false shuffle/cut if you want to.

You will now ask how many hands will be dealt… 3,4,5, or 6 and receive your answer. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack Once again the 4 Kings are shown and placed face-down on top of the deck in preparation for your “shuffles.” Explain that you are going to do this as fast as you can and this would not be the way that a cheat would do it in a real game. A real cheat would try not to appear out of the ordinary and would try to blend in with the rest of the players. Finally say… “OK, here we go!” You must now perform the following FFS as quickly (and as smoothly) as you can. Do the following: R3TT, R4T, R5TT, R3T. This reads as - Run 3 cards and then throw this group BACK ON TOP of the rest of the deck. This move is a little different and will probably take a little practice to do smoothly. Then Run 4 cards and throw the rest of the deck on top of this packet. Run 5 cards and throw these BACK ON TOP. Run 3 cards and throw the rest of the deck on top of them.

The Appearance of Fast Stacking The deck The moves described above do not really do much but they are designed to make it appear that you are in fact “stacking” or “running-up” the deck. With the proper speed and dexterity, the illusion should look as if you were doing as you stated. There are 4 separate small series of runs and I have found that this is about the right amount of running and throwing to consume the 4 seconds and make it appear that you were doing something extremely difficult. It should appear somewhat complicated and look as though you were applying some sort of formula. This may not (and maybe it will) get by many knowledgeable magicians but they will probably not be your primary audience. For the lay public, it WILL appear to be a feat of great difficulty and skill. When a magician is doing something by sleight-of-hand, i.e. using great skill to accomplish a feat then it is usually done in secret and should appear as if “real” magic had taken place. In our effect we are not demonstrating “magic” but skill. Therefore we turn the tables on the spectators and don’t use any great skill but want to appear as though we did.


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Stack Attack After shuffling and the proclamation… “Done!” you now slowly and very deliberately deal out the prescribed number of Poker hands. Deal them face-down (for obvious reasons) but when you get to the dealer’s position you slowly deal to yourself and turn the Kings face-up. Let the spectators see and know that you are not dealing from the bottom or middle or elsewhere (we’ll save that for another demo) but that the cards are fairly coming off the top.

PATTER SUGGESTIONS: While relating the story about Mr. Scarne’s ability to perform the stack you might include….. “Usually it takes the average card cheat at least 10 seconds, maybe 15, to achieve those results using the normal stacking techniques.“ “However, I have developed a system that enables me to perform this stack in about 4 or 5 seconds. Scarne was able to perform this stack in about 2 seconds.“ “To my knowledge, no one has ever duplicated his feat.” “As far as I know, I am the only one who has ever even come close to duplicating it.”

Remember, this is supposed to be a demonstration of your great skill and is not a “magical” effect, per se. Practice until you can perform the overhand shuffle runs in a smooth and fluid and rapid manner. You must be able to perform the overhand shuffle rapidly and skillfully or you will not get the desired effect. Obviously to be able to perform this demo with the desired effect on your audience you must have attained somewhat of a reputation as a card handler or expert. If you are a novice with a deck of cards and fumble with the deck then this demo will not work for you.


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Bughouse Poker In the late 1970’s my good friend Terry LaGerould showed me an effect that he had developed that produced a Royal Flush in a very unusual way. He credited Bruce Cervon’s “Fast Flush” as his inspiration. I thought that the final display was great but the patter and the handling did not fit me. The idea lay dormant all these years until I came across it in some of the notes that I had made during our sessions years ago. I reworked the handling, changed the final display somewhat, added the amusing story line and ended with what I think is a very entertaining and puzzling piece of card magic. I really hope that you like this as much as I do. You will tell an amusing story about your visit to a mental institution and your experiences while there. You also relate how you entered a Poker Tournament and demonstrate how you produced the winning hand in a very unusual manner.

THE SET-UP: Any 9 cards on top followed by the QS, KS, JS, AS, 10S.


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Stack Attack

THE PERFORMANCE: Take the deck from the box and casually handle the deck as you patter….

“Let me tell you how I became this year’s BUGHOUSE POKER CHAMPION!” “A couple of months ago I was invited to provide a little entertainment for the patients at the State Mental Hospital. They wanted me to do a little show before they held their annual BUGHOUSE POKER TOURNAMENT.” “I thought it might be interesting, and I accepted.”

“It seemed that there were a lot of famous magicians in there. One old guy claimed to be Harry Houdini. Another thought he was David Copperfield, and one poor fellow thought he was Siegfried… AND Roy!” “Well, I did my show and was getting ready to leave, when one of the patients came up to me and introduced himself and said, Why don’t you stick around and enter the Poker Tournament and see how you do.” “I was going to decline but I thought, This could be fun. So, I decided to stay.” “Later, just before the tournament got going, someone got up and explained the rules of BUGHOUSE POKER.” “He said that everybody would get just one chance to produce a 5 card Poker hand. You could use any method that you liked as long as it was unusual and the more unusual the better.” “The person that produced the best Poker hand would be the winner.” “I saw some crazy ways used to produce a Poker hand. One guy cut the deck into 5 little packets and he then took the top card from each packet and used that as his Poker hand.” “One gentleman just threw the deck up into the air and the cards went all over the room. He just reached down and took the 5 cards closest to him as his Poker hand. Someone told me, he had won the tournament the previous year using that method.” “I was scheduled to go last and now there was only one more guy to go before me. I remember that the method HE used was VERY unusual. Let me show you what he


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Stack Attack did…” “He shuffled the deck…” Now is where you perform your FFS plus any other false shuffles and false cut(s) that you can do. During the FFS you remove the 9 unwanted cards from the top of your set-up. Maybe R4T, R5T.

“…and then he set one card out in front like this.”

Take the top card (QS) and place it face-down at position “A.”(fig. 5) Then he began to deal the cards into two piles like this. Deal the cards onto the table to positions “B” and “C.” You must deal at least the top 4 cards into the 2 piles in single fashion. One card to “B,” one card to “C,” and then repeat.

After that it is not important.

Figure 5

It IS important that the top 4 stacked cards become the bottom 2 cards of each of these piles. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack

“He went completely through the deck - I’ll save some time and just do this…” You now start to place the cards onto the 2 piles in small groups of maybe 5-10 cards each so that you end up with 2 approximately equal piles.

“Then he shuffled each pile separately.” Pick up either pile and shuffle it in the following manner: Hold the packet in the left hand as for dealing and push off a small group or block or fan of cards and take them into the right hand. Now repeat this action but this time take the small group under those already in the right hand. Again repeat this but take this group on top of those in the right hand. Repeat this several times (this actually mixes the cards and you should patter about the unusual method of mixing that he used). See to it that when you have only 5 or 6 or so cards remaining in the left hand that you begin to feed these cards under the right hand packet. Feed all but the bottom 2 cards under the packet and then feed the next to bottom card onto the top of the packet and the last card in the left hand goes under the right hand packet. You now have 1 of your stacked cards on top of this packet and 1 on the bottom, and you have apparently shuffled the packet in a haphazard way. In fact, if you were shuffling the packet from position “B,” the top card should now be the AS and the bottom card the KS. You now repeat this procedure with the other packet. When finished the 10S should be on top and the JS on the bottom. Place the packet back to its original position.

“After that he cut each pile in half and turned it face-up and placed the piles here… and here.” Now cut the packet at position “B” and turn it face-up and place it at position “D”. Do the same with the packet at “C” and place it face-up at position “E.”(fig. 5) “He then took the top cards of the bottom halves and turned them over and placed them here… and here.”


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Stack Attack Now take the top card from packet “B” and place it face-up at position “F”. Do the same with the top card of packet “C” and place it face-up at position “G.” (fig. 5) “Finally, he turned over the first card that he had dealt and claimed this as his 5th card and he now had a complete Poker hand.” Now turn up the card (QS) that you previously set aside and place it face-up at position “A.” Comment on the poker hand produced. “Well, then it was my turn. Every eye was on me. I said, I’ve never done anything like this before… but let’s see what I can do.” “First I turned these piles down. Then I placed this card across them like this...”

Figure Take the piles at positions “D” and “E” and turn them face-down. They must be 6side-byside and touching (or almost so). Take the card at position “A” and place it face-down and “crosswise” onto “D” and “E” (fig. 6).

“…and sandwiched it in between by placing these 2 piles on top.” Pick up the piles at “B” and “C” and place them face-down and squared on top of the piles at “D” and “E”. The card from “A” is now hidden and sandwiched crosswise in the middle of the four packets. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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“And then I placed everything on these 2 face-up cards.”

The two (four) packets described above should be touching along their inside long edges. By grasping these piles by their outer and inner ends you pick everything up from above and place them together on top of the single face-up cards at positions “F” and “G.” Neatly square everything up into 2 neat side-by-side packets. “And last… I rolled everything over. Now I was ready!” Being careful not to disturb anything - you now roll this double packet over away from you so that it is now upside-down from what is was. Again, make everything neat. “I said, I need 5 cards right?” “They all said Right! “ “So I spun out the middle card as I counted ONE.” Hold the double packet in both hands with your second and third fingers at the outer ends and your thumbs at the inner ends. Now move your right hand away from you slightly and move your left hand inwards and somewhat to your left. The card reversed in the center of the packets (QS) will pivot out into view face-up with its


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Stack Attack index corners showing. When you have pivoted this card out 90 degrees and it is aligned vertically between the packets you stop the “push-pull” movement. The two packets should be as shown in (fig. 7). “I lifted off these 2 packets - turned them over and counted TWO, THREE…” Reposition your hands so that you can grasp the packets above the QS and pick up these packets. Using your fingers, and maybe the table to help, turn these packets upside down sideways and place them at the positions shown in (fig. 8). The JS and the KS have now come into view under the QS. “I then turned over these 2 cards and said FOUR, FIVE!”

Turn over the top cards of the packets that you just turned-over and place these two cards on top of their respective packets (fig. 8). These will be the 10S and the AS!


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Stack Attack The Royal Flush will now be visible and it will be IN ORDER!

“...and THAT’S how I became the BUGHOUSE POKER CHAMPION!!!”

YOU HAVE JUST PRODUCED A ROYAL FLUSH IN SPADES IN A VERY VISUAL, UNUSUAL AND ENTERTAINING MANNER!

You can of course adjust the number of cards on top of your set-up to meet your needs. If you are going to do this effect impromptu and you only have a few seconds to locate and place the Royal Flush then you might not even want to have any extra cards on top to begin with. The extra cards are not necessary, they are simply there to allow you some freedom in the handling and shuffling (FFS) of the deck during your patter.


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Bughouse Blackjack This is the only effect in the book that employs a “gimmicked” card. The effect is humorous, gets a good reaction and can be a great follow-up to BUGHOUSE POKER. It can of course also be performed separately. Most magicians own one or more “gimmicked” cards. There are many different types. Years ago a deck of cards was produced by Haines House of Cards called a FA-KO deck. This deck was an assortment of many different misprinted cards. Two of the cards included were the 14 of Spades and the 15 of Diamonds. Haines also published a booklet entitled “36 Tricks with FA-KO cards”. In this booklet they suggested a Blackjack Demonstration as a use for the two particular cards named above. After BUGHOUSE POKER was invented I decided that a perfect follow-up to it would be to use one of these cards in an effect and BUGHOUSE BLACKJACK was born. These cards are available now-a-days with standard back designs. I prefer to use the 14 however with minor changes the 15 will work as well.


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THE SET-UP: Any 9 cards on top then 10, 7, 10, 14. The “10” means any 10 value cards i.e. 10, Jack, Queen or King. In the game of Blackjack all tens and face cards have a value of “10”. I am assuming that the reader is at least somewhat familiar with the game of Blackjack or “21” as it is played in casinos and homes around the world. If not then I recommend that the reader familiarize himself with the game before performing this particular effect.

THE PERFORMANCE: I will first describe the effect as a “stand-alone” effect and will later show how to, with a few patter and handling modifications, use it to follow BUGHOUSE POKER. During the initial patter you will use the FFS to remove the 9 unwanted cards from the top of the deck, bringing your desired set-up into position. Maybe by using R4T, R5T. Begin your patter.

“The other day I went into a diner for lunch and because they were pretty busy there was only one seat open at the counter. I sat down and ordered lunch.” “I noticed that the guy next to me was playing with a deck of cards. I struck up a conversation with him and we began to talk about the game of Blackjack.” “Well, when we finished eating he said to me…” “Let’s play one hand of Blackjack, and the loser pays for lunch.” “I told him that I really didn’t gamble very much and I declined his offer. But before I knew it, he had shuffled the deck and was dealing out two hands like this...”

As you are pattering you do your FFS removing the 9 unwanted cards and then maybe a false-cut. Begin to deal the cards out… one to yourself and then one to him (face-up), and then another one to you and the last one to him. Both of your cards are face-down. He should have the “7” face-up and the “14” face-down and un-seen. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack You will have two ten value cards in your hand for a total of “20.” (If you are using the “15 of Diamonds” then you would alter the set-up so that he gets a “6” up and the “15” in the hole.) “Then he said… Come on, let’s bet! I again told him that I really didn’t want to. I was a little suspicious. He said, OK - go ahead and look at your hand first and see what you’ve got.” “I did and saw that I had a 20.”

Pick up your hand and show everyone that you have a “20” and return the cards to the table face-down.

“He said… Have you got a good hand? … Come on let’s bet!” “I still wasn’t very confident. “ “Then he said… Look, I’ve got a 7 showing and that’s not a very good card - c’mon let’s bet!” “I just didn’t trust this guy - he was very pushy.” “He then looked at his hole-card and said… Tell ya what! I like my hand so I won’t even take another card. I’ll play this hand just as it is.” “I asked him… You mean you’ll play those two cards only? No hits?” “He said… Yup! I’ll play it just as it is. C’mon let’s bet!”

At this point you set the deck aside and out of the way. “Well now I felt a little more confident. I thought that this guy needed to be taught a lesson so I said… OK! I think you’re CRAZY! Let’s bet! And remember - you can’t take any more cards. I’ve got 20! Beat that!”

Turn your cards face-up and throw them onto the table in a contemptible sort of way. “He slowly turned his hole-card over as he said… Let’s see… 7 and 14 that’s 21!” “And with that he pushed his meal ticket over to me with a grin.”


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Stack Attack “I’d been had! He got up from his seat and as he was leaving he turned around to me and with a big smile he said… Oh, by the way… I may be CRAZY… but I’m not STUPID! Thanks for lunch!” You of course fit your actions to the patter. I have found this to be an amusing and entertaining effect.

COMBINED HANDLING: If you perform this as a follow-up to BUGHOUSE POKER you will have to make a few minor changes: 1) Have your set-up of 10, 7 , 10, 14 immediately following the Bughouse Poker stack. This is immediately following the 10S.

2) At the point in Bughouse Poker where you are dealing two piles singly onto the table you must stop after each pile has EXACTLY two cards. Your patter there is about “saving some time” so you begin to deal cards in small groups onto the two piles. You must now take the now top 4 cards as a group (this is your Blackjack set-up cards) and deal them onto the left most of the two packets (position “B”). You may distribute the remaining cards between the two piles in small groups in any manner that you wish.

3) When you begin to perform the “unusual” shuffling procedure of each of the two small piles you must not disturb the relative location of the 4 BJ cards. They are now at positions #3,4,5,6 up from the bottom of the pile at “B.” Begin to shuffle as instructed in BHP but see to it that you do not disturb these 4 cards. Just arrange to slip the next-to-the-bottom card (AS) to the top as required for BHP. Your set-up for BHBJ will now be just above the bottom card (KS) of this left-hand packet.

4) Perform the ending of BHP and you will find the 4 BHBJ cards still in their proper order and immediately underneath the face-up KS. At the end of the effect you will need to “clean-up” the display on the table.


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Stack Attack All of the Royal Flush cards are reversed in relation to the rest of the deck. There are also a couple of cards, one each beneath the 10S and the AS packets, that also need to be turned over to face the same way as the rest of the deck. This can all be done while you begin your “lead-in” to the follow-up - BJ effect. I would recommend that you straighten out the KS packet last. This allows you to casually arrange to get the BJ set-up to the top (or near to it if you want to do a FFS). The audience doesn’t know what’s going to happen next so you casually prepare for your next part of the routine. Your patter lead-in might be…

“As I was preparing to leave, one of the inmates came over to me and said… I see that you’re good at Poker… but how are you at Blackjack?” “I told him that I really didn’t play very much. He said, Come on, let’s play one hand for a Dollar.” “And before I could get away from him, he had shuffled the deck, and had dealt out two hands, like this, etc...”

You should be able to take it from there.


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The Kangaroo Kid This is another Poker demo that is fun to perform and hopefully also fun to watch. An Aussie teaches me how to play “Outback Poker” with some humorous happenings… and a couple of drinks.

THE SET-UP: x, x, x, Q, Q, Q, K, K, K, Q, x, x, x, x, x, x, x, K, x, x, AC, 3H, AH, 2H, AS, 5H, 10S, 6H, 4H, AD.

THE PERFORMANCE: Take the deck from the box and begin to patter…

“The other day, I was with a friend in a bar and we were fooling around with a deck of cards.” © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

41

Stack Attack “A fellow came over and said, G’day mates! I see you like to play cards.” “They call me ‘The Kangaroo Kid.’ Would you like to play some ‘Outback Poker?” “We introduced ourselves.” “Then he said, If you play a hand of ‘Outback Poker’ for a round of drinks I’ll tell you how I got my nickname.”

“Well, I agreed. So, he picked up the deck and began to shuffle.”

Do an FFS in this fashion: R3T, R4T, R3T. (any false cut if you want):

“Then he said, After shuffling, you’ve gotta do the move that’s named after that diabolically devilish and always dangerous denizen of the deep desert. You gotta do what we call ‘The Down and Dirty Dingo Dog Double Deal’.” “Then he began to deal cards like this...”

Now you do the “double-dealing” part. Hold the deck face-down from above in either hand with your thumb at the inner end of the deck and the middle finger at the outer end.


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Stack Attack With your other thumb on the top and the first or second finger beneath the deck you slip off the top and bottom cards together (fig. 9) and place them face-down onto the table. If you were shuffling this would be called a “double-slip”. Do this 8 times which will give you a packet of 16 cards. Place the rest of the deck aside for the time being. While doing the top and bottom slip moves, patter as follows…

“He began to deal the cards into a pile and he said… Two, four, six, eight… if you wanna catch fish you gotta use bait.” “Then he picked up the pile and gave it a quick shuffle.”

Pick up the pile of 16 cards and do this quick FFS: R2T, R3T. (Also maybe a quick false cut here if you want.)

“Then he began to do what he called the ‘Down Under Deal’ because it’s used in the ‘Land Down Under’.” He dealt one card down onto the table and then put one under the pack like this...” (fig.10)


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Stack Attack Deal one card to the table and place the next card onto the bottom of the packet. Continue until you have a pile of 4 face-down cards. Don’t forget to perform the last (4th) “under” part of the deal.

“After he had dealt 4 cards into a pile he pushed them to me and said… In Outback Poker you only get 4 cards - so this is your hand.” “He then continued this ‘Down Under’ dealing, until he had another pile of 4 cards. He said, This is my hand. Now, what’ve you got?”

Place the remaining 8 cards on top of the deck in a casual manner. Do not disturb their order. These are used later:

“Well, I turned over my hand and I said… I’ve got 4 Queens!” “No, No, No, he said . In the Outback - ladies are called Sheilas. You’ve got 4 Sheilas and that’s a DARN good hand.” “Then he turned over his hand, and he said… But I’ve got 4 Kangaroos. That’s what the ’K’ stands for in the Outback. I’m sorry but 4 Kangaroos beat 4 Sheilas.” “And with a smile he said… Oh, by the way, that’s why they call me the Kangaroo Kid.” “He then turned to the bartender and ordered a drink… on me!”

Pick up the 2 hands and place them in the middle of the deck. The first half of the effect is over. Casually handle the deck as you continue your story: I said… Well, you got me. Now why don’t we play American Poker for another round of drinks and I’ll tell you how I got my nickname.” He agreed. So, we began.”

Now do a FFS same as the first time. R3T, R4T, R3T. (False shuffle/cut maybe.) “I began to shuffle, and I told him that this time we were going to use 10 cards, because in American Poker, a hand contains 5 cards each.”


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Deal a pile of 10 cards, singly, reversing their order. Place the rest of the deck aside. Pick up the packet of 10 and do the last FFS, R2T, R3T. Now deal out the 10 cards one across to him and one to yourself (as in a regular game). Repeat until all 10 cards have been dealt into two Poker hands:

“He picked up his hand and turned it over.” “He said, Wow, four Aces. That’s even better than I had before. In the Outback, that hand can’t be beat.” “I turned over my hand and said, Well, in America, even the smallest Straight Flush beats 4 Aces.” “Then I added… and that’s how I got MY nickname.”

“By the way, what is your nickname? he asked.” “I said to him, Where I come from, they just call me…


THE MAN!”

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The LRB Stacking Demo The reader by now must have noticed that I am partial to Poker Deals. Those described previously were more in the way of anecdotal little stories. This effect, however, is a real honest-to-goodness gambling (cheating) demonstration. At least that is what you are going to attempt to foist off on your spectators. There are many Poker “stacking/dealing” type demos out there. This is my version.

THE SET-UP: 5H, JC, 5S, AS, KH, JD, 6C, KS, 2H, 8C, 9H, QS, QH, 8D, 9C, JS, 8S, 3C, 9D, 6D, 6H, JH, KD, 9S, 10S.

THE PERFORMANCE - THE “RUN-UP”: The set-up should be somewhere near the bottom of the deck but not necessarily the actual bottom cards. You are going to do a “run-up” demo first and you want these cards to stay out of the way until needed later. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack Begin by pattering along the following lines. Tell the spectators how some people (cheaters) have the ability to actually stack the deck while shuffling. Tell them that this is called “running-up” a hand. Tell them that you would like to give them a demonstration. Say that you will need the 2 red Aces. These can placed anywhere in the deck. Spread the deck and retrieve the red Aces. Just make sure that you don’t disturb your setup.

Explain how the cheat must first get control of, or at least get information as to the location of, the cards that he needs. Show the red Aces and place them face down onto the top of the deck. You are now ACTUALLY going to do a “run-up’. When finished the red Aces will fall to the dealer. Say that you will pretend that there is a 3 handed game of some sort in progress. You will now do a series of single card “runs” and they will be “thrown” back ON TOP of the deck.

Shuffle as follows: Run 4 cards and throw this group back on top (R4TT). Now run 3 and throw on top (R3TT). Last, run 6 and throw on top (R6TT). The red Aces will now be the 3rd and the 6th cards down from the top. You deal out 3 hands and turn the dealer’s cards face-up. You (the dealer) have received the Aces. Offer to show them again but this time there will be 4 players in the game. Use the following run and throw order: R5TT, R4TT, R8TT. This will provide the Aces to the dealer in a 4 handed game. (In fact there is a formula that will allow you to “run-up” 2 cards to the dealer in any game of “n” players. (The formula is - R(n+1)TT, R(n)TT, R(2n)TT.)


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Stack Attack Anyway, do this demo once or twice and then explain that what you’ve done is quite easy and that almost any average cheat could do that.

THE PERFORMANCE - “THE POKER DEAL”: You now offer to show them the sort of thing that a real expert might accomplish if he had a mind to. You remind the spectators that the cheat must first of all gain the knowledge as to the locations of the cards that he wants before he can do anything with them. This is your excuse to spread through the face-up deck and look for the beginning of your set-up.

Note: During all of your “running-up” and dealing you never disturbed your set-up.

Hopefully the spectators got the impression that the shuffling and dealing would cause the deck to be in a mixed up state. Spread through the deck until you see the 5H, this is the top card of your stack. You can either cut it to the top, or as I prefer, go past it some small amount (maybe 9 or 10 cards) and cut at that point. Let’s say that there are now 9 cards on top of your set-up. Tell the spectators that you have noted the positions of certain cards and that you will now attempt to control them as you shuffle. Begin with a FFS that removes those extraneous cards. Finish up with any actual false shuffle/cut and begin to deal. Tell them that you have set the deck for a 4 handed game. When the shuffling and cutting is complete you begin to deal out 4 face down hands as in a card game. Set the deck aside and pick up the hand in position #1. Explain that the real expert would not only control cards into his own hand but would see to it that the other players also received good hands. Show hand #1 to contain 4 Hearts plus one other card. Discard the odd card and leave the © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack hand face-up in position and deal one card to the hand but leave it face down. Do the same with hand #2. This hand will contain a pair of 8’s and a pair of Jacks. Discard the odd card and deal one card to this hand but again leave it face down. Pick up hand #3 and display it. It will contain three 9’s and two other cards. Discard the two odd cards and give 2 new cards face down. For the dealer’s hand - DO NOT show the hand but say something like…

“To be fair - the dealer takes one card also.”

Discard the top card (last card dealt) and deal 1 card to the dealer. Now begin to show the results of the various “draws.” Show that hand #1 has completed his Heart Flush. Hand #2 has “filled” to 3 Jacks and a pair of 8’s. Hand #3 has ended up with four 9’s. Slowly pick up the dealer’s hand while you comment on the good hands that are present. Now show your hand.

What I do is this: I pick up the 5 cards and square them up. I turn this packet face-up and allow only the Ace of Spades to be seen for a moment. This gives the spectators a brief moment to speculate as to the final value of the hand. I then place the hand (still squared) in front of me on the table and then slowly spread the cards by fanning them into a visually pleasing display. The key idea in this handling is that of having the deck shuffled several times and dealt several times before you actually use the set-up. This delay factor should make it seem to be impossible to have accomplished the final result. Or at least the spectators should give you the credit deserving of a real “expert at the card table!”


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Poetry Poker: A Love Story With Cards The following original effect is one that I have had a lot of fun performing and it always seems to get a warm response. It is a Poker deal with a twist. Not only do you produce good Poker hands while seemingly shuffling and cutting the cards, but the story has a “they lived happily ever after” type of ending.

SET-UP: (any 9 cards), 8C, QH, 7D, 9H, 6S, 7H, 5H, 6H, 4S,2H, (another 9 cards), AS, KD, AH, KC, AC, KH, AD, KS. You have two complete stacks of cards. Both are covered or capped by 9 extra cards. This is so that you can employ the FFS at each stage and remove the unwanted cards while pattering and appearing to shuffle.

THE PERFORMANCE:


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Stack Attack Begin by taking the deck out of the box. Casually handle the deck but of course be careful not to disturb your set-up. Actual false shuffles/cuts are OK. Do these while delivering the following patter…

“A long time ago when I was in college I was known as a pretty good Poker player. In fact not many people on campus would even play with me.” “Well, one day this cute little co-ed came up to me and said… I hear that you’re pretty good at Poker, is that true?” “Well, modesty kept me from bragging but honesty kept me from lying, so I said… I’m the best that there is! “ “She smiled at me and then she said… I’m the sorority champion and I’d like to challenge you to a Poker match.” “I said, OK, where and when?” “Well, the game was to be held in here room that night, and she also said that no spectators would be allowed. That was just fine with me. I had the feeling that maybe this was going to be my ‘lucky’ night.” “When I got there, she told me that we were going to play a ‘special’ brand of Poker that the girls played in the sorority.” “The version that we played was called ‘Poetry Poker.’ She told me that we both would get a 5 card Poker hand and that the best hand wins.” “She also explained to me that as each person showed their hand, they had to recite a little rhyme or poem.” “I said okay, but if these were her rules, I insisted on one rule of my own. It was what the boys called ‘loser-strips.’ I explained what that meant. She gave me a little smile and agreed to the terms.” “I said… OK - I’ll deal. I grabbed the deck and gave it a couple of quick shuffles.”

This is where you perform the first FFS plus any other false shuffles/cuts that you want. Remember to remove the top 9 extra cards during the FFS (maybe R4T, R5T). Continue pattering…

“I then dealt out two Poker hands like this.”


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Deal back and forth as in regular Poker until you have two piles of 5 face-down cards. Set the deck aside.

“She picked up her hand (the one across from you)… looked at it and said…”

“Two and two is four, four and four is eight.” “I’ve got a pretty good Poker hand. I think it’s called a Straight!”

You have picked-up her hand as you pattered and you now show it to be a Straight.

“Well, I hadn’t practiced with a deck of cards all of those years for nothing, plus I might have cheated ‘just a little’.” “So, I picked up my hand and without even looking at it I said…” Now there’s no need to hurry, there’s no need to rush.” You can undress slowly…. Because I WIN with a FLUSH!”

Pick up your hand without looking at it and show it to be a Flush.

“She looked a little surprised and then she quickly said… Oh- I forgot to tell you. Around here we always play ‘best-two-out-of-three’… and this time I’LL DEAL!” “And with that she grabbed up the deck and she shuffled.”

Gather up the 2 hands and put them on the bottom of the deck. Now perform your second FFS (R4T, R5T) along with any other actual false shuffles/cuts.

“When she finished she began to deal. One to me, one to her, one to me, one to her etc.. She then picked-up her hand… (the one nearest you because supposedly she is dealing) and she looked rather pleased. She said…”


54

Stack Attack Roses are red… violets are blue.” “I’ve got four Kings; how about you?” “I admitted that was a pretty good hand and was going to be hard to beat, but I was feeling lucky. I picked-up my cards, looked at them, and said…” “As blue as a violet… as red as a rose.” “I’ve got four Aces… SO TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES!!!”

This usually gets a good laugh and the audience thinks that you are done at this point. So you gesture and continue:

“Now one thing’s for certain…. I sure had it right.” “That turned out to be, my lucky night.” “You see…” “There’s been a lot of laughter…. And there’s even been some tears.” “But as of last November…. We’ve been married THIRTY YEARS!”

You should be picking up the hands and the deck as you start to recite the lines… “Now one thing is for certain…” and you should pick-up the box and slowly begin to put the cards away. Get the cards about half-way in and pause, time it so that you push the cards in with a little dramatic flair just after you say… “…we’ve been married thirty years!” This will act as an applause cue and you’ll be pleased with the response. If you’re not old enough for the “thirty years” line, you can re-write it to say, “We’ve been married 3 whole years!” If you’re not married, you might say… “We’ve been dating 2 whole years!” Make it fit you. Just be careful to keep the rhyming “meter” correct. If you were to say… “We’ve been dating 2 years!” you will lose it! It is missing a “beat” - say it to yourself and you will see what I mean.


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One of the first times I ever performed this effect, just as I delivered the closing line, one of the spectators said… “Ohhhhh… it’s a LOVE STORY!” and she then led the applause.

High Card Poker Many years ago I was playing in a friendly Poker game when one of the players made the comment that he never seemed to get any high cards. That thought stuck with me and shortly thereafter this effect was born. Only the 20 “high” cards of the deck are used in this story. You remove all of the Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces and do a little demo with them.

THE SET-UP: KS, QS, AC, JS, 10D, JC, 10S, 10C, AS, KD, QD, QC, JH, JD, QH, KH, AD, KC, 10H, AH.


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Stack Attack Have these 20 cards mixed in with the rest of the deck. Do not disturb the set-up but you might riffle shuffle these cards into the remaining 32 cards so that it will look like a normal randomly mixed deck as you spread through it.

THE PERFORMANCE: Remove the deck from the box as you begin to patter:

“I was playing Poker with some friends the other night and one of the guys kept complaining that he never seemed to get any ‘high’cards.” I asked him… Do you want to get some high cards? Tell ya what, let’s play a couple of rounds and we’ll use ONLY the high cards.”

As you are saying this you are removing the high cards from the deck. Spread through the deck face up and as you come to each high card you drop it onto the table into a pile. This is reversing the order of the cards as they come from the deck. Without saying anything, the spectators should get the impression that the cards are in no particular order.

“I gave him the packet and said… Go ahead , shuffle ‘em up and deal out 4 hands of Poker and let’s see how you do… and I don’t want to hear you complain about not getting any high cards.”

Pick up the packet from the table (set the rest of the deck aside first - they will not be used in the effect) and give it the following FFS: R3T, R4T, R5IT, CI. This is the same sequence that was used in the effect called “Order Out of Chaos”. If you do not understand the “short-hand” given above please look in that effect to see the description. Now deal out 4 FACE-UP hands of Poker using the entire 20 cards. Deal to 4 different positions as you would in a real game. Be careful to keep the cards in order in each hand.

“I don’t understand it, I said. Even though you used nothing but the high cards you still got the worst Poker hand possible.”


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Stack Attack “My friend looked at me and said… OK wise guy, let’s see what you can do!” “I picked up the hands and examined them and said… It should be real easy to get some good hands. There’s so much to choose from. I really don’t see how I can miss.”

You must now pick up the 4 dealt hands in a particular order. With your left hand pick up pile #1 and drop it face up onto pile #2. At the same time pick up pile #4 (the dealer’s) and place it face up onto pile #3. Pick up both of these double piles (one in each hand). Turn them over face down and slap the left hand pile onto the table. Now put the right hand pile on top of this. This packet should now have the QD on top and the QH on the face. Do the following FFS: R4T, R5T, R6IT, CI. I hope that by now you understand the shorthand version of these instructions.

“I gave them a few good shuffles like this… and finished with a cut. Then I dealt out 4 Poker hands.”

Deal out 4 hands but this time deal them face down. When you are done turn them up one at a time and comment on them. Begin with hand #1 which should have 3 Kings. Hand #2 has 3 Queens and 2 Tens. Hand #3 has 3 Aces and 2 Jacks. Your hand will have a Royal Flush in Spades. (what else?)

“You see… the secret to winning at Poker in not to get just HIGH CARDS, but to get HIGH HANDS!”

In most demos of this sort the performer has to pick up the piles in such a manner that it often appears that he is trying to “keep the cards in order.” You are of course doing the same thing but the handling here is designed to make it appear to be a casual and “indifferent” handling. After removing the cards from the box and while doing the initial patter you can even give the deck a straight regular cut (or maybe a few).


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Stack Attack This will not disturb the relative order of the set-up. If you have done this, then after removing the high cards and BEFORE you shuffle, you must spread through the packet and while pattering you will have to cut the packet so that the KS comes to the face of the face up packet. Your packet will now be in the proper sequence and you can continue.

A Red/Black Location I recently saw an effect wherein the performer dealt several pairs of cards onto the table and had one of the pairs selected. The two cards of that pair were secretly shown and memorized. These cards were replaced onto the table and the piles assembled into one large pile. The packet was then dealt into two face-down piles and the performer looked through each pile and found the selected cards. I have changed things to give the spectators much more freedom and have eliminated the dealing of the two piles.


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THE SET-UP: The deck must be set-up in an alternating red/black sequence. It does not matter which color card is on top of the deck.. Just have it so that every other card is red and every other card is black.

THE PERFORMANCE: With the pack set-up like this you can give a FFS. If you run any ODD number of cards and then throw the deck on top, the order (red/black sequence) will be maintained. You could R3T, R5T then give the deck a cut. Then again maybe R5T etc.. No number of regular straight cuts will affect the set-up’s sequence. This allows for some VERY FREE handling of the deck before doing the effect. The deck can even be spread across the table face-up (briefly) and no set-up should be apparent to the spectators. After shuffling (FFS), and even allowing the spectators to cut, you begin to deal pairs of cards onto the table face-down in various places until you have about a dozen pairs or so.

DO NOT deal the pairs as you would in a game (i.e. singly) but deal them “as a pair” i.e. two at a time without changing their order.

Then set the rest of the deck aside as it will not be used in the effect. As you set the deck aside, glance at the bottom card of the deck. You MUST know its color. After that you can actually shuffle and/or cut this portion if you want. You will only be using the dozen or so pairs that you dealt out previously. DO NOT forget the color of the bottom card that you glimpsed. Let’s say the bottom card of the deck was black. That means that the bottom card of every pair is also black and top card of the pair is red. Remember this -- it will be important later.


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Have one of the spectators pick up any one of the face-down pairs and give one of the cards to another spectator. They do not show you the cards. Have the spectators memorize their cards. If you can notice which spectator gets the top card and which gets the bottom card you can use this information later in the effect - although it is not absolutely necessary. Now have the two spectators return their cards to the tops of two DIFFERENT pairs. Have the pairs reassembled into one large pile. Be careful not to disturb the “pairs” as the piles are reassembled. Have each spectator give the packet a cut if you wish. Take back the packet and while commenting on how difficult it would be to find the two selected cards, spread the cards towards yourself and look at the faces. The spread will contain the red/black sequence, EXCEPT for two places where there will be two sets of double colors (two blacks in a row and two reds in a row). For example, your spread might look like this:

RBRBRBBRBRBRRBRB

Notice that there is a place where there are two black cards together and a place where there are two red cards together. These can be found very quickly as you spread the packet. Remember that earlier you glimpsed and memorized the bottom color of the deck? Here is where that information is used. We said that the bottom card’s color was black - so the 2nd, or bottom card (if face-down) in the BB pair is one of the selected cards. The 1st, or top card (if face-down) in the RR pair is another of the selected cards. So the rule is this… the bottom card of a matching pair of the BOTTOM color was “selected.” The top card of a matching pair of the TOP color was also “selected.” Let’s give a solid example: You secretly glimpse the bottom card of the deck and it is the QS (a BLACK card). Later when you are spreading through the packet of reassembled pairs the sequence is…..AS, 4D, QC, 2H, 2C, 7H, 3D, 6S, 8H, KC, AH, 5S, 8C, 9D, 4C, 10D etc… Notice that there are two sets of matches… the 7H/3D and the 5S/8C. If the bottom color


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Stack Attack was black then the selected cards are the 8C (bottom card of the BOTTOM color) and the 7H (top card of the other color). After quickly scanning the spread, you memorize the two selected cards and then close the spread. Begin to shuffle the packet, as you continue to comment on the difficulty, or that you will need their total concentration, or whatever your patter preferences are. Give the deck to a spectator and have them give it a few shuffles (of course it doesn’t matter now). If you saw which spectator got the original top card of selected pair then you know which card belongs to which spectator. If not then you might look at one of the spectators and say that you think their card was red. Whichever answer you get, yes or no, you now know everything. Finish up in the desired manner. The handling in this effect is very fair. You can remind the spectators that they shuffled and/or cut the cards before and after the cards were chosen (not quite true but we will forgive you). Hope you like it.


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Invent Your Own Stack Suppose that you like the concept of the FFS and have an idea in mind for an effect. Maybe in your effect you want to include an FFS that uses R3T, R5T, R6IT, CI and later uses some unusual handling procedure such as “double-dealing” (see The Kangaroo Kid) or maybe a “duck & deal” or a spelling sequence or whatever. It is usually pretty difficult to get from the desired ending back through all the gyrations to the original set-up sequence. Well, here’s how I do it! Get a deck of blank face playing cards. Number the cards with a felt tip marker on the faces 1 through 52. Now put them in numerical order with card number 1 on top and number 52 on bottom. Make up your mind ahead of time exactly what types of shuffles and deals you will be doing during the effect. Also decide exactly what the final outcome will be (maybe a Royal Flush in Spades or a perfect sequence of cards AD to KD etc..). Now using the numbered deck, you perform the exact sequence that you intend to use during the effect. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack Continue doing everything that you will do in the effect until you arrive at the final display. As an easy example, let’s say that you want a Royal Flush in Spades to go to your hand. When done make a note of the numbers of the cards in your hand (maybe #’s 3,4,6,8,11). That means that the Spade Royal Flush cards must begin at positions #3,4,6,8,11 from the top in the set-up deck. By noting the order of the final numbers you can even determine which of the Royal cards should be where so they come out in perfect order at the end. If you want other hands to have specific cards then do the same thing. Note the numbers on those cards and put the “end result” cards at those positions in your set-up deck. There are many applications for this idea. You can get as complicated as you like and you can always calculate which cards should begin where in the original set-up deck. The ideas included in this book (FFS and numbered deck) are new and original with me as far as I know. I realize that these are not earth-shaking ideas but I have found them to be very useful and maybe (hopefully) someone else can make use of them also.


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ADDENDA #1..... Order Out of Chaos Here is a procedure that I use when performing this effect that I kept to myself in the first publication of Stack Attack. I decided that it was too strong to be kept secret from the brethren any longer. I am not claiming total originality for the following idea - I am sure that other “thinking” card workers have discovered it and employed it also. Begin with the 13 cards of your preferred suit on the bottom of the deck. Now turn the deck face-up and do a R5T, R4T. Remember this is disturbing the set-up but it will be corrected later. Now put a card on the bottom of the deck that is of a different color to the suit that you will be using. Because I usually use the Heart suit, I place a Spade card on the bottom of the deck. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack This is a very minor point but the viewers will see this card (at least sub-consciously) and I feel that it helps the impression that the deck is not arranged. Especially after what comes next. Put the deck in the box and you are ready to go. At performance time you will remove the deck from the box and casually begin to shuffle. You will actually perform the R4T, R5T FFS. This restores the Heart suit to its desired setup order. (I mentioned earlier that I usually put a Spade on the bottom of the deck. I actually employ the Nine of Spades. When I see this card as I remove the deck from the box I know that my stack is intact and waiting for me. And I am also reminded to begin by doing my FFS of R4T, R5T.) Now here comes the final “killer” touch. You are going to perform TWO actual legitimate riffle shuffles. That’s right - two actual riffle shuffles! Here’s how. (I will describe it as if there is a table available to shuffle on. If not, you can make the necessary adjustments yourself or knowing beforehand that no table would be available, you can forgo this new procedure.)

Cut the deck into two approximately equal halves. (I will describe it as I do it which is to cut the top portion of the deck to my right and the bottom portion to my left.) Now riffle shuffle the two halves together. Make it a fair and evenly distributed riffle. This will NOT disturb the order of the set-up suit but will only disperse it throughout the other half of the deck.

Please, please do not do a Faro shuffle. This defeats the purpose of the REGULAR Riffle shuffles. Faro shuffles are not primarily seen by the lay public and will look suspicious. Magicians will think that the Faro shuffle has something to do with the eventual outcome. Thank you.

If your riffle is well-timed and is evenly riffle shuffled, the Hearts will actually be dispersed in the BOTTOM HALF of the other packet (plus or minus a few cards). You can now do ANOTHER riffle shuffle just as before. This time you should cut off from the top (to the right) a little less than half the deck (maybe about 20 cards or so). This is to ensure that the Hearts are not disturbed if perchance you shuffled them a little beyond the halfway point in the first riffle. The final condition is that the Hearts are randomly distrib-


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Stack Attack uted throughout the deck BUT the set-up order is INTACT! What more could you ask for? This is the part that kills magicians. To the lay public the shuffling that you performed seemed to be a normal process and no real notice is made of it. However, to another magician, he will notice the two riffle shuffles. He probably won’t be familiar with the concept that actual “honest-to-goodness” riffle shuffles can be used to, not only NOT MIX the cards, but to be a determining factor in achieving your desired end result.

#2..... Order Out of Chaos Here is another fine point of handling that I use but that was not described in the first printing. When you are performing the “un-shuffle” portion of the effect, (where you are alternating the cards from the left hand to the top and bottom of the right hand packet) count the cards as you take them into the right hand. Card #2 will go onto card #1. Card #3 will go beneath the packet and card #4 will again go on top of the packet. This time as you deal card #5 (to the bottom) in-jog it about a half inch or so. Continue taking the cards into the right hand, but you can now stop counting. When finished you should have the packet in the right hand in some disarray. However, there will be a card in-jogged. As you square up this packet you can either leave the card in-jogged or get a break under it. When you perform the last part of your procedure (the “un-cut”) you cut at (below) the in-jogged card. There are 4 cards below the in-jog. This method eliminates the “fanning” out of the bottom portion to count the 4 cards needed to be transferred from bottom to top.

#3..... Bughouse Poker I have changed the positional placement of the packets somewhat for easier handling. In the original version, I would place the “cut-off” packets at what is now “F” and “G” and the single cards went to positions “D” and “E.” In other words the two cut-off packets were farther from me than the two single face-up cards. © Copyright, L.R. Brooks 2004

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Stack Attack Now this is OK and really doesn’t matter if you happen to be performing on a surface that is soft and you will have no trouble picking up the packets or cards. However, I found that when performing on a hard surfaced table it was somewhat difficult and awkward to pick up these packets and cards. This caused a little unwanted fumbling. I discovered that if I changed my procedures and traded the positions of these packets and single cards I could pick them up by sliding them off the edge of the table. Trying to get my fingernails under the bottom card(s) was no longer a problem. First packets “D” and “E” are slid off the table and turned face-down. After the card from “A” is placed “crosswise” and the packets from “B” and “C” are placed on top, these two packets are easily slid off the table and placed onto the cards at “F” and “G.” Everything can now be easily slid off the table and turned upside-down as per the routine. It can be performed either way. I just found it to be easier to do now with the new handling for the reasons given above.

#4..... High card Poker You can also use the riffle shuffle “killer” touch that I described in #1 above. Start with the 20 card stack at or very near the bottom of the deck. After doing any FFS that you have prepared you can now also give the deck a regular riffle shuffle. This will not disturb the set-up but will disperse it among the remainder of the deck. I think that because of the increase in the number of cards being used (20 instead of 13), you should probably only give ONE riffle shuffle instead of two. Again, for the most part, it is not yet recognized by many that you can give a deck an actual riffle shuffle or two and that it is NOT disturbing any prior arrangement.


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About the Author Lewis R. Brooks was born in New Jersey in 1938. His first exposure to magic was by his Boy Scout Master who was a part-time semi-pro magician. Mr. Brooks gave his first paid magic performance at the age of 16 for $10.00 which in those days was not all that bad. In his 3rd year of High School Lewis became interested in HAM radio and earned his General Class Amateur Radio Operators license. In 1955 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and because of his prior experience and knowledge of radios he was trained as a VHF/UHF radio maintenance technician. Upon leaving the Air Force in 1958 Mr. Brooks continued with his love of magic. In 1962 Lewis made his first parachute jump and was immediately “hooked.” He continued jumping and by 1965 had made over 200 freefall jumps and was awarded the “Expert Class” license by the United States Parachute Assoc. During this period he also became interested in the martial arts and in 1971 was awarded a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. Also in 1971 he was introduced to a visiting skydiver from Italy who wanted to take advanced free-fall lessons. She became his favorite student and in 1974 they were married in an aircraft flying above their drop-zone and then celebrated by jumping together and landing amid the spray of Champagne bottles held by their friends in the target area. Shortly after this Mr. Brooks stopped jumping having amassed over 1100 total free-fall jumps. Mr. & Mrs. Brooks then moved to Nevada and proceeded to raise a family. Mr. Brooks has three children. A son who is a medical technician and lives in New Jersey and has given Lewis three grandsons. Lewis has two other children, both graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and who are both currently officers and on active duty in the military. His daughter is in the Navy and is a Flight Officer who flies F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft. His son is in the Marine Corps and is at present receiving jet fighter pilot training. Since moving to Nevada in 1974, Mr. Brooks has been employed in various capacities in the casino industry. Some of the positions held include games dealer, pit boss, surveillance operator and casino executive. Mr. Brooks retired in 2000 and is now living in Las Vegas and is anactive member of the local Wednesday night magician’s get-together.


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Lew Brooks - Stack Attack.pdf

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