Mental Deflect

By Peter Duffie

I devised this routine soon after purchasing John Bannon’s ‘Twisted Sisters,’ which in
turn was a variation on Phil Goldstein’s ‘B’wave.’ The following uses two double faced
cards instead of divided cards, thus allowing the full faces to be seen (and you never
need to remember which way to spread the cards). This also allows Aces to be used
rather than court cards. This is not intended as an improvement on the Bannon
routine – plus the effects are not quite the same.

See effect / download the video demo at: http://www.abracadabra.co.uk/deflect.wmv

I tried to offer as honest a representation as possible in video my demo. In fact, I chose

what some might consider to be the least effective option – that is – one Ace appears
reversed in one packet while the other appears on top of the other packet. However, this
is actually a very strong outcome for an audience. But 50% of the time both packets will
behave in the same way – either an Ace will be reversed in both, or the Aces will appear
atop both. Read on…

You require SIX black faced cards (blank faces/normal backs) and TWO double faced
cards, consisting of black Aces back to back and red Aces back to back. See Figs 1 & 2
below. See End Notes for more about making these.

Fig.1 Fig.2

Take three blank facers and hold them face down, then insert the AC/AS gaff 3rd from the
top with Clubs facing upwards - black packet. Take the remaining three double facers and
insert the AH/AD gaff 3rd from the top with Hearts facing upwards – red packet (Fig.3).

Fig.3
Square these packets and place each into a different compartment in a wallet. Make sure
you know which is which. I have a small ink mark on the pocket that contains the black
packet.

WORKING

Before commencing, all you need to remember is that CLUBS is face up in the black
packet and Hearts is face up in the red packet.

1. Invite two spectators to assist and bring out the wallet. Remove the two packets and
place them face down on the table in front of you. Put the wallet away. The packets should
not lie in front of either spectator at this point.

2. Say, “We’re going to conduct an experiment in imagination. For example, I want

you both to imagine that these two packets of cards each contain four Aces.”

Turn to the spectator on your left (A) and ask him to name any one of the four suits,
“Clubs, Hearts, Spades, or Diamonds.” As you speak, casually pick up the two packets
and hold them in your left hand, so that the red packet is on top of, and overlaps the black
packet (Fig.4 – the “X” marks the black packet).

Fig.4

3. If the spectator names a black suit (Clubs or Spades) lift off the upper packet with your
right hand then extend your left hand towards the spectator and place the black packet on
the table in front of him. If he names a red suit, lift off the upper packet as before but then
(turning your body towards him) place this packet on the table in front of him. Either way,
the remaining packet is placed on the table in front of spectator B.

Let us assume he named CLUBS. You will have placed the black packet in front of him.

Turn to spectator B, saying, “I want you to name any suit, but not the same one as him –
as he opted for a black Ace, perhaps you can name any red Ace…..Hearts or Diamonds?”

4. Now, here is how it works. There are three possible outcomes: Either, the suits named
are both face up (C & H). The suits named are both face down (S & D). Or, one is face up
and the other is face down (C & D or S & H).

a) If both Aces are face up (AC & AH), you mime the removal of a card from each
packet – turn it face up – then reinsert it into the packet, saying to each spectator, “With
your Ace face up it’s very easy to find.”
Now reach down and spread both piles (Fig.5).

Fig.5

Finally, push the face up Aces out of their spreads, then flip over the remaining cards
showing them to be all blanks.

b) If both Aces are face down (AS & AD), you mime the removal of a card from
each packet – then pretend to drop it on top, saying to each spectator, “With your Ace on
top, it’s very easy to find.” Figure 6 shows the current position with both piles remaining
square.

Fig.6

You now pick up each pile in turn and do the following: Buckle the bottom card (See End
Notes) and flip over three-as-one to show the Ace they freely named has materialized on
top of the packet. Then, flip the triple face down again and give the packet a cut – cutting
the top single card to the bottom, saying, “However, if I cut your Ace into the packet, it’s
not so easy to find instantly.” Finally, after a pause, say, “But there were no Aces – the
only Aces here are those that you created using your imagination.” At that, flip both
packets face up and spread showing all the cards are blank except for the named Aces.

c) If one Ace is face up and the other face down (as per video demo), you
carry out a) with the face-up-Ace pile and b) with the other pile. Figure 7 shows one
example with Clubs face up. The alternative will be Hearts face up and Spades face down.

So, you reach forward and spread the pile that contains the face up Ace (Fig.7 shows the
AC reversed) then carry out step b) as above for the other pile to show the Ace on top,
followed by the cut. Then show the cards are all blank apart from the named Ace. Finally,
reach over to the other pile – slide out the face up Ace then flip over the other three cards
to reveal that they are all blank, saying, “It appears you, too, have a wonderful
imagination!”

Fig.7

END NOTES

a) If you prefer a Double Lift to a Triple, set the Aces 2nd from top in each packet. When
(or, if) you cut the packet, cut the bottom single card to the top.

b) As the gaffs are never handled by the audience, nor are there any moves that thicker
cards could interfere with, there is no need to try to make perfect double facers. In fact, if
two Aces are glued back to back and carefully aligned, that will probably suffice. It does
me.