The Carey Files Volume 1 by John Careypdf PDF Free

The Carey Files: Volume 1
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Copyright © 2016 John Carey
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or
used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the
publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty.
Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither
the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with
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by the information contained in this book.
Printed in the United Kingdom by Haresign Press
Design and illustration by Phillip Smith at Sushi Design ( www.sushidesign.net )
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The Carey Files - Volume 1

Firstly a very big thank you for your purchase. In this new collection
you will find a wide variety of extremely practical and commercial card and coin
work. There is a wealth of information in this volume, encompassing myriad plots
and techniques. I have no time for angle ridden pipe dreams - everything you
will study has been designed to be performed in a wide variety of performing
situations. At the risk of immodesty I will state that if you take the time to study,
learn and perform a small handful of these pieces, you will have received the cost
of your investment.
Nothing in this work is beyond the intermediate student. A lot of the effects are
nearly sleight free, enabling one to fully focus on the all important presentation
which can take a simple card trick and turn it into a little miracle. Strong magic
doesn’t have to be loaded with moves: subtlety and strategy combined with good
routining can get the job done without toil.
Whenever you are working on an effect ask yourself questions. My favorite

magical question is ‘what if?’ I find it stimulating and most rewarding to work on
a plot, streamline the handling and remove unnecessary clutter, without diluting
the impact.
Go grab some cards, some coins and a coffee and let’s have some fun together!
John Carey
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Contents
Spectator Open Prediction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Mysterious Metal- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
Pocket Royale- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8
International Gadabout Coins- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
Finnell as I Finnell! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11
Thoughts on Leech- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
One for the Bar!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14
Past, Present and?- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15
Ten tips on creativity- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
The T.M Spread force.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
Time to Time- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
Biddle goes to Dunbury!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 20
Bold deal force- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
Stealth Assembly - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23
Yes we Caan!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
Slipstream Aces- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
Aces for Larry- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
Cull Force Finesse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
Espresso Ring- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
Bluff stop trick- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
Gemini Prediction- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34
Prediction A la Carte- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
Wired!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37
Three in One- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 39
A la Goldman- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41
Mutual Exchange- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 42
A Game of Make Believe... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
One thought across- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 45
B’lieve - A homage to Maven- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47
Some random thoughts on card magic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Think-a-Card Triumph- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 50
4
Inevitable - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
When two minds meet...- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 53
Me and You- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55
Invisicard- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 57
Mentalcaan- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
Smartcaan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 60
Simplex Card in Purse- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61
Signed Bill to Purse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
Mirror Match - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65
Homage to Roth- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 67
Opening Salvo-Coins to purse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69
Time Traveller- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 71
The Deal Ruse Card Force- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 73
Indeed we CAAN!- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 74
Raj’s Pyramid Prediction - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75
Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77
Uprising - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 81
Impromptu Hat Trick- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 84
Lifted, Again- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 86
Every Which Way PLUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 89
Poker Face - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 91
Practical Joker- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 95
Misdirection Misconception - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
The Karachi Fried Chicken Trick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Impromptu Foursome- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103
Busted Flush - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 105
Offshore Banking- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 108
X Gon’ Give It To Ya - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 111
Sort of Epic- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 115
Pick Up Mix - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 118
Final words and thanks- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 119
5
Spectator Open Prediction

Here’s an approach to an open prediction style effect, where a
spectator names any card, which ultimately proves to be the card stopped at.
Position a Joker near the top of the deck and you are good to go. Ask a spectator
on your right to name any card. Let’s say they say Seven of Hearts. “That’s
interesting. Do you know the one card that nobody ever thinks of? That card is
the Joker. Here, let’s remove it.” As you say the above, start spreading the deck
face-up. When you sight the card they named, cull it under the spread, Hofzinser
fashion and continue spreading until you reach the Joker. Up-jog the Joker and
discard it. Square up the deck and turn it face-down. Their card is on top and you
are way ahead of the game.
Swing cut about half the deck into your left hand and then complete the cut,
securing a little finger break above their card. Commence dealing cards face-up
into a tabled packet. After you’ve dealt a few, ask your participant to call out stop
based purely on instinct. Once stopped, ask the spectator to spread the face-up
tabled packet. This affords you perfect shade or misdirection for a classic pass,
covertly sending their named card to the top of your packet. Ask your helper if
they see the card they freely named. They will reply in the negative of course. Deal
the top card of your packet face-down on top of the face-up tabled spread. Then
deal a few cards face-up on top of it, leaving the face-down card exposed. Then
turn the rest of your cards face-up and drop them on top of the tabled cards and
complete the ribbon spread.
“At the very beginning I asked you to name a playing card. I placed absolutely no
restriction on you right? What card did you name again please? And you could
have stopped anywhere as the cards were dealt, but for some reason, known only
to yourself, you stopped right here. Please take out the face-down card and turn it
over. Impossible!!!”
Conclude a la the above script and conclude your mystery. If you’ve ever worried
about using a pass, this piece and the built in cover should allay your concerns ;-)
6
Mysterious Metal
Applying a card plot to coins can sometimes yield interesting results.
What we have here is an approach to the classic mystery card plot, but done with
coins. Start out with a 10p/quarter in your right pocket and four matching coins in
your left pocket. Have a Sharpie in your pocket too.
Bring out the single coin and table it near you. Don’t say anything, just do it! Then
remove the other four silver coins and table them in front of a spectator. Take out
the Sharpie marker and hand it to them. Request they sign one of the four coins.
Extend your palm up right hand and take the signed coin from them. Execute a
false transfer, retaining the signed coin in right hand finger palm and immediately
pick up the other 3 coins and throw them casually into the left hand.
Pick up the ‘mystery coin’ at the right fingertips and ask the spectator to hold out
hand. Apparently drop it into their hand, really though executing a Bobo switch
(shown below), switching in their signed coin and getting them to hold the coin in
their closed hand. Pick up the Sharpie marker and put it away, at the same time
ditching the palmed coin.
We are now a mile ahead and all that needs to happen is the all important
presentational framing. Reach into the left hand and take out a coin. Show it isn’t
the signed one. Repeat this twice more, building up the dramatic tension. Finally
snap your right fingers over your left fist and reveal the complete vanish of their
signed coin. This is a very strong moment if you analyze it! “They say you cannot
be in two places at the same time, but maybe, just maybe, you can!” Ask the
spectator to open her hand to reveal that the coin of mystery is her signed coin!
7
Pocket Royale
Here’s a practically self working piece that’s a lot of fun to do. Set a
royal flush in Spades on top of the deck and you are set to go. False shuffle the
deck retaining your set up on top. Hand the deck to your helper and have them do
the Jay Ose triple false table cut on themselves (sequence shown below). Then ask
them to deal off the top five cards into a face-down packet and discard the deck.
Ask them to mix this packet and then peek at the bottom card and put the thought
of that card in their mind. Let’s say it’s the Ten of Spades. Now for a sneaky
Larry Jennings automatic placement: Direct them through a down under deal mix,
dealing the first card face-down and taking the next card and placing it under
the packet. Have them continue this procedure, tossing the last card on top of the
packet. This automatically sets their selection third from top.
Take the packet and place it back outwards inside your right pocket. Ask your
helper to try and mentally project the colour of their card to you, then the suit
and finally the value. Feign concentration and then go into the pocket and take
out the top card of the packet and toss it face-down onto the table. Repeat this,
taking the new top card of the packet out and discarding. The next two cards you
remove will come from the bottom of the packet in the pocket, leaving just one
card remaining. Get your spectator to call out the card they are thinking of and
dramatically remove the final card to reveal their Ten of Spades. “Hey that’s not a
bad card in Poker.” Turn over the four tabled cards to reveal a Royal Flush. “And
that’s unbeatable!”
Notes
The Jennings placement comes from his routine ‘Thought Card to Pocket’ in Feb
2016 Genii.
For larger audiences I prefer another strategy for getting the royal flush into play.
Position the flush cards on the bottom of the deck. Hand out small groups of cards
to multiple spectators, making sure you hand the last five flush cards to the final
person. Have the cards thoroughly shuffled and then take back the packets and
assemble the deck, taking the five royal flush cards last and placing them on top.
Continue as per the routine above. I first saw this brilliant holdout ruse used by my
friend Mark Elsdon. It has myriad applications.
The Jay Ose false cut was first published in Harry Lorayne’s ‘Close Up Card
Magic’. Cut about a third of the deck and table it. Next cut off half the remaining
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cards and table them to the right of the first packet. Finally table the cards in hand
furthest to the right forming a row of three packets. Pause a beat and then gather
up the packets from left to right and square up.
1 2 3
9
International Gadabout Coins

Here’s a take on the classic Gadabout Coins / Two in the Hand and
One in the Pocket with three different coins and no duplicates. Technically very
simple but strong, you can perform this anytime you have some pocket change. For
formal situations I like to use a Chinese, American and English coins.
Come out with the three different coins and table them. Pick up two coins in the
right hand and drop them into the left hand which closes. Take the remaining
coin with your right hand and put that hand in your pocket, supposedly ditching
that coin. Really though you thumb palm it and bring that hand back out from
the pocket. Tap the right hand against the pocket casually as a subtlety. This is a
Charlie Justice idea. Wave your right hand over the left fist and snap your fingers.
Then slightly open your left fingers and peer inside and look up and smile. Allow
the thumb palmed coin to drop to fingertip rest as you do this. Bring both hands
together and, when they touch, open the left hand as the right hand brings the coin
in fingertip rest into view. Timed correctly, the illusion of taking a coin from the left
hand is excellent. Drop that coin to the table. Then pick up the remaining coins and
toss them one at a time to the table.
For the second phase pick up two of the three coins in the right hand and drop
them cleanly into the left hand, which closed into a fist. Take the remaining coin in
the right hand and supposedly place it away in the right pocket. Actually though
you finger palm that coin and bring the hand out. Snap your right fingers over
your left hand, making the moment. Partially open the left hand and react. Then
toss its coins into the right hand, which opens palm up receiving the coins. Toss all
three back into the left hand and then table them. Attitude is everything with both
of these two phases. Be casual and don’t rush.
For the final phase pick up two coins in the right hand and execute a clink pass
as you apparently drop those coins into the left hand, actually retaining them in
right hand finger palm. Take the final coin from the table and put it away in your
right pocket, ditching all the coins in the process. Make the moment over your left
hand and then dramatically slap the hands together and reveal all the coins have
vanished.
10
Finnell as I Finnell!
Here’s a nice application of Gene Finnell’s Free Cut Placement in the
context of a Do As I Do routine. From a spectator shuffled deck push off three
groups of five cards in front of you in a tabled row. Repeat this, placing three
more rows of five cards in front of your spectator. Do not call attention to the size
of the packets. State to your helper that together you will both try something that
goes beyond good or great and is actually, maybe, impossible. Pick up any of
your packets and invite the spectator to do the same. Cut away a few cards, look
at the face card of that cut away section and place it on top of either of your two
remaining tabled packets.
Ask your helper to replicate your actions, remembering a random card etc. Pick
up your remaining five card packet from the table and drop it on top of the larger
packet. Finally drop your remaining cards in hand on top of all and square up.
Once more, they copy you. Both of you now pick up your packets and you walk
and talk your spectator through the Jay Ose false table cut from Lorayne’s Close
up card magic. Swap packets with the spectator and you are now ready for the
double revelation.
Due of course to the Finnell free cut, each selection will reside tenth from the top of
each packet. Recap what has taken place and remind your audience that you said
you were going to try something impossible. Tell your spectator to deal cards face-
down onto the table and spell out loud the word impossible, one card for each
letter. Once they have done this you do exactly the same. Ask for the name of the
card they are thinking of and turn over the top card of your tabled packet to reveal
their mental selection. A beat later call out the name of your card and let them turn
over the top card of their tabled packet to reveal your card.
11
Thoughts on Leech
In the book The Complete Al Leech, is a beautiful little card mystery
called ‘The Spectator Does a Trick’. This version has spawned some lovely
variations down the years, in particular the effect ‘Untouched’ by Daryl. I wanted
to take out the dealing aspect of this and give it a different feel. Using the basic
Leech idea, I put the following together which is designed for working for couples.
Essentially it’s a mystery-card-meets-thought-of-card. Do not underestimate the

power of the very simple method. Throw some smoke around the presentation and
this thing plays. From the top of the deck down have the following three cards set:
Seven of Diamonds, either black seven, any Diamond. Execute an in-the-hands
riffle shuffle retaining your set up and then table the deck. Have the gentleman on
your right cut off a fair sized packet of cards. As you address his partner, casually
place the other packet on top, offset at an angle in readiness for Max Holden’s
classic cross-cut card force. Do not mention the death words, “mark the cut”:-)
Mention to the lady that you are going to attempt an experiment in thoughts and
connection with her and her partner. Lift off the upper packet and place the top
card of the balance into the man’s hand. Ask him to cover it with his other hand.
“This will be our mystery card.” Pick up the remaining cards and place them on
top of the cards in hand. Your black seven spot and Diamond cards are back on
top and the Seven of Diamonds is being held by the man. Run the top two cards to
the bottom of the deck with an overhand shuffle and shuffle off the rest of the deck
normally. “Mary, a playing card is made up of two main components. A value and
a suit. I want you to put the thought of a card in your mind in a moment but first
let’s divide the deck into two portions.”
Suiting actions to words, slip shuffle holding back the bottom card of the deck
and shuffle off about half the deck and table it. Slip shuffle once more with the
remaining cards, asking your helper to call out stop. Table this packet to the right
of the first packet. Your value and suit force cards are nicely set on the face of
each packet. Ask the lady to pick up either packet. If she picks up the packet with
the black seven on the face, ask her to take a peek at the bottom card and lock
just the value of that card in her mind. Get her to place that packet on the table
and then pick up the other packet and peek at its bottom card and focus on and
remember just the suit. Ask her to combine those two thoughts to form the thought
of a card in her mind.
This successfully forces her to ‘think’ of the Seven of Diamonds. However, if she
picks up the suit packet first, you simply reverse the above instructions, having her
think of the suit then the value with each packet. Have the deck gathered up and
request she shuffles the deck. “So, Mary, right now you are merely thinking of a
12
card that not a soul in the world could know. Keep saying the name of that card
over and over in your mind as you visualize the colour and value of that card that
exists purely in your mind. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make it appear on top?
It’s not there? How about the bottom? No joy there either.
Bob, you’ve been holding a card since the beginning. Before Mary even thought
about thinking of a card. There was something special that first brought you two
together. Fate, chance or simply some kind of mystical connection. Mary, tell all of
us what card are you thinking of please. Bob take out your card and turn it over.
Impossible!” Follow the outline of the above presentational smoke and bring the
piece home, revealing a perfect mental and physical connection :-)
13
One for the Bar!

Here’s a very simple but strong and funny piece I use in pub
situations. Take a selfie of yourself with say the Five of Diamonds face outwards
on your forehead. Have the Five of Diamonds on top of your deck in readiness for
forcing and a duplicate of this card in your pocket face outwards.
False shuffle keeping your force card on top. Table the deck and have your
spectator cut away a chunk. You pick up the remainder and place them offset on
top of that packet, setting up Max Holden’s classic cross-cut card force.
Take out your phone and ask the lady for her phone number :-) Promise her you
won’t stalk her and it’s all in aid of entertainment! Text her your selfie but tell her
not to open the text just yet. Reach over the deck and lift away the angled packet.
Point to the top card of the remaining packet and ask her to take a peek at it. Ask
her to lock the thought of that card in her mind. Drop your packet on top of hers
and have her shuffle the deck.
Ask your helper to pick up her phone and open the text message you sent her
moments ago. As she does this you have perfect shade to palm out the duplicate
card from your pocket and load it face outwards on your forehead. She will look
at the text and react/laugh. When she looks at you she might just scream!;-)
Notes: For a video option just film a ten second clip of a folded card coming out of
your mouth, revealing the Five of Diamonds. Of course you would steal and load
a pre folded duplicate of her card into your mouth as they’re viewing it. Etc etc.
14
Past, Present and?

Dressing up card effects with a fortune telling theme seems to really
appeal to people, especially ladies. The following effect was directly inspired by
Bill Simons beautiful business card prediction in Scarne on card tricks. Using his
famous prophecy move, the effect is almost self working, allowing one to present
this strongly to make it memorable.
You will require a small Manila pay envelope. Pop the Queen of Hearts in the
envelope and seal it. On the front of the envelope write FUTURE with a marker.
Take out the Queen of Clubs and the Two of Hearts from your deck and place the
Queen on top and the Two on the face.
Bring out the envelope writing side down and table it casually. Take out your cards
and riffle shuffle, retaining the top and bottom cards.
“Cards are not only used by magicians and gamblers. For generations they have
been used by Gypsies and psychics to tell the past, present and future. Lori, let’s
see what the cards have to tell us about you today.”
Hand the pay envelope to the lady and have her insert it into the deck, but leave
it protruding. I like to softly riffle down the corner of the deck to around the centre
and pause, allowing her to insert the envelope smoothly.
Mention that you wrote a message on the envelope earlier that day. Hand to hand
spread the cards until you reach the envelope. Turn the envelope over revealing
the word future written on it. As you do this execute Bill Simon’s prophecy move,
secretly juxtaposing the upper and lower halves of the deck and leaving the now
printed side of the envelope protruding from the deck as you square up.
15
Comment on how they could have inserted the envelope anywhere in the deck.
Hand to hand spread the cards once more and take out the envelope and the card
above and below it as a sandwich. Set the deck aside on the table or better yet
hand it to the spectator.
Point to the bottom card you are holding and state that this card represents their
past. Turn it face-up, showing the Queen of Clubs and give a reading about the
past. Please make this light-hearted and generic! Place this card face-up below the
envelope.
Turn the upper card face-up, showing the Two of Hearts. State this card represents
the present. Once again give a light hearted and friendly reading of this card to
the lady and place it back on top of the envelope. Comment on how a paying
card is made up of a value and a suit. “As this card is a Queen and this card is a
Heart, if we combine them we get the Queen of Hearts.”
Remove the two cards and table them. “The past is one thing and the present is
now, but sometimes our future is staring us in the face.” Open the envelope and
take out the card inside. Turn it face-up to reveal the Queen of Hearts and finish
the mystery.
Notes
If you have a double faced Queen of Clubs / Two of Hearts in the envelope you
can offer the spectator a fee choice of which card represents the value and which
one represents the suit. Just remove the double facer the correct way up from the
envelope to reveal the correct card.
16
Ten tips on creativity

1. Have a foundation firstly so that you have the tools to do the job. You can’t
build a house without foundations! Read, read, read ;-)
2. Think what you would like to achieve with an effect and then start working
on it. Rule nothing in or out.
3. Set your mind free! About 90 per cent of my stuff comes from letting go and
visualization. It’s fun and stimulating. Next time you are on a long boring
train or plane journey, close your eyes and visualize the cards, the coins or
whatever.
4. Look at other art forms for inspiration. Go to an art gallery and take in the
pieces there. It can be really inspiring. Or a pub ;-)
5. One plot a week! Something I advise my students is to take one card plot
and work on that and nothing else for a week. Work through all the versions
of that plot you do and know and dissect them. Ask questions. How can I
make this cleaner? How can I improve reactions etc.
6. Always keep a notebook! Write or type up all your ideas and thoughts. Do
it properly so that when you revisit them you can understand what the hell
you were thinking :-)
7. Improv! Sit down with a bunch of different small objects and play. See what
you can come up with.
8. Listen! Always listen to your peers. They may give you an idea you can
expand upon in your work.
9. Read books other than magic! You will surprise yourself how stimulating
reading up on other non-magic topics is.
10. There are no rules! By this I mean that no card or other kind of plot is set in
stone. Twist it, turn it and throw it up in the air and see where your thoughts
land. Also, don’t get sucked in by magician’s logic. Think about audience
perceptions and how you can take advantage of this.
10a. When working on something, always ask yourself what if?
10b. Have Fun!
17
The T.M Spread force.

Good, strong semi-automatic card forces are few and far between.
The classic cross-cut card force of Max Holden is for my money the best one out
there. My contribution to this genre of forces uses time misdirection, just like the
Holden force. Hence the title. A calm, casual attitude is essential here. Show no
fear!
Let’s say your force card is the Two of Hearts. It starts out on top of the deck.
Execute an in-the-hands riffle shuffle retaining it on top. Table the deck and ask
your helper to cut the deck into two halves, your right hand miming this action as
you pretend to cut a packet and table it to the right of the lower half. Once they
have completed their task you will create the time misdirection needed to make this
force work. Ask your spectator if they have ever tried visual estimation? They will
look at you like you are nuts, but that’s good!
The right hand goes to the table and picks up the lower half of the deck from
above. Move this hand forward a few inches and ribbon spread this packet from
left to right, finishing the spread so that the top card is pretty much in line with
the other tabled packet. Without any guilt the right hand takes the top card (force
card) from the squared packet and raises the face of the card towards your helper
to remember. Drop it on the end of the ribbon spread leaving it out-jogged. Pick
up the remaining cards and complete the ribbon spread, leaving the force card
protruding. Pause a few seconds to allow this image to sink in and then ask your
spectator to push their selection square and then shuffle the deck.
What you do from here is entirely up to you. Just be casual, apply the all important
time misdirection and you will have added a useful weapon to your armory.
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Time to Time
This piece was inspired by the presentational premise of Richard
Sanders’ ‘King Thing’ from one of his DVDs. From a shuffled deck in use have
three cards stopped at in different positions as you hand-to-hand spread. Break
the spread at each point stopped at and show each selection, culling each one
under the spread and secretly sending them to the bottom of the deck. Execute any
convincing false cut and then casually spread the cards and sight the bottom three
cards. Secure a left pinky break above them as you square up.
Talk about how cards have a lot in common with time. Transfer the deck to right
hand overhand grip and the break to your right thumb. State that you need a timer
card. Swing cut about a third of the deck into your left hand and then start peeling
off cards one at a time with your left thumb until stopped. Push over the top card
of the left hand’s packet and use the left edge of the right hand’s cards to tip it
over and face-up, showing say a 4 spot. “This card determines that I have to find
all three selections in no more than four seconds.” Push the timer card over and
again, using the left edge of the right hand’s cards tip the card face-down, secretly
allowing the three selections below your break to drop on top (shown below).
Push off the top card of the left hands packet and drop it face-down on the table.
Bring both hands back together and as you do so, secure a left little finger break
beneath the top card of the left hand’s stock. Square up as you ask the group to get
ready to start the countdown. As soon as they shout “Start!” you cut to your break,
table that portion and slap the remainder on top. “Stop!” This will get a laugh. Ask
for the three selections to be named and take the top card and show one of them,
then turn over the deck to reveal another selection on the bottom. To conclude the
mystery look down at the timer card and make a magical gesture. Have this card
turned over to reveal the final selection and your work is done.
19
Biddle goes to Dunbury!

Charlie Miller’s classic ‘Dunbury Delusion’ is a real crowd pleaser.
There are many methods in print worthy of your attention. My contribution here is
a small packet approach using the time honored Biddle move. It’s quite lean and
mean and doesn’t go on forever.
From a shuffled deck in use casually spread off eight cards from the top without
calling attention to the number and hand them to a spectator for mixing. Table the
balance of the deck face-down.
Take back the packet and spread it for a free selection. Secure a left pinky break
above the bottom two cards of the packet as you square up. The right hand comes
over the packet from above and casually lifts away all the cards above the break.
Extend the left hand and have the selection placed on top of its cards. Bring the
hands together and drop the right hands cards on top and square up.
Now for a casual mix which retains the selection third from bottom. Spread off the
top three cards and drop them to the table. Push off the next two and drop them on
top. Leaving the remaining cards squared, drop them on top of the tabled cards
and pick the packet up. Now simply repeat the above procedure which will shuttle
the selection back to third from the bottom of the packet.
State that in order to find their selection you will use a process of elimination that
never fails! Turn the packet face-up and hold it from above in right hand Biddle
or overhand grip. The left hand approaches the packet and the thumb peels off
the face card into the left hand. Repeat this action peeling off the next card on
top. Bring the hands together again and once again peel off a card on top. This
will be the selection. Secure a left pinky break beneath it and secretly steal it back
under the right hand’s cards, Biddle style, as you peel off another card from the
right hand’s packet. Finally peel off one more card from the face of the right hand
packet and place the left hand’s cards face-down on top of the deck. Mention that
you are certain that none of those cards are their selection and they are to keep a
poker face. Do not call attention to the number of cards you peel off as you execute
the above sequence.
Turn the remaining four cards face-down and deal them one by one into a packet
onto the table, sending the selection to the bottom. Hand the packet to your
helper. “In order to find your card from those you hold we will now use a mystical
elimination ritual an old Gypsy fortune teller showed me.” After saying this direct
your spectator to do a simple down / under deal until they hold just one card. Ask
them to pin the index finger of their other hand on top.
20
Turn over the three cards on the table and ask if they see their card? They will say
no of course. Then ask them to call out the name of their card. Act slightly confused
and shocked as you look down at the deck and then back at them. Then with a
twinkle in your eye ask them to turn over the card they are holding to reveal their
selection and conclude the mystery.
21
Bold deal force

In my opinion you can never have enough good, strong card forces.
Each have their merits and can be plugged into various routines. The following
little swindle is a lot of fun and extremely easy to do.
Your force card starts out on the bottom of the deck. Mention that there are several
ways you can mix a deck of cards. Slip shuffle, retaining the force card on the
bottom by pressure of the pads of the left fingers as you shuffle. Secure a left pinky
break above the force card as you square up. A simple pull down with the tip of
the left pinky is as good as any for this. Continue by cutting a few small packets
to the table, one on top of the other as you say that this is a good mixing action.
Then start dealing cards one at a time on top of the tabled packet and ask a
spectator to call out stop on impulse. Transfer your remaining cards to right hand
Biddle or overhand grip, taking a right thumb break above the bottom card.
“Now ordinarily I would just place these cards on top but first would you please
take a peek at the card you stopped at?” Suiting actions to the above words, bring
the right hand and its cards down on top of the tabled packet for just the briefest
of moments, secretly dropping off the force card from your thumb break. Bring
the right hand back about two inches and then using the tips of the right fingers
push the force card forward a couple of inches and immediately ribbon spread
the whole deck, leaving the force card protruding. Have the spectator peek at this
card and your work is done.
22
Stealth Assembly
There must be more versions of the classic Four Ace Assembly in
print than any other card plot. But that still doesn’t mean it’s not ripe for continued
experimentation. My humble offering here was inspired by a John Bannon
assembly in his book ‘Dear Mr Fantasy’. It uses a brilliant ruse of John’s to pretty
much do the whole job. A nice feature of the following handling is that the faces
of all twelve indifferent cards are seen as the cards are laid out prior to the effect
taking place.
Take out the Aces and hold them face-up in the left hand. Table the deck face-
down to your right. You will now display each Ace at the same time setting up the
Bannon ruse I referred to above. Take off the face Ace, turn it face-down and place
it under the packet. Repeat this with the next two Aces. Look over to the tabled
deck and ask your helper to pick it up and shuffle. Casually place the Ace packet
onto the table. This leaves us with a face-up Ace on view and three face-down
Aces beneath it. Just act nonchalant and casual as you do the above. It isn’t a
move, so don’t make one of it.
Ask your helper to deal twelve face-down cards into a packet on the table and
to discard the rest of the deck. “Four Aces, twelve random cards and a charming
personality!” As you have fun with the above line, pick up the Aces from above
and drop them on top of the other packet. Pick up the combined packet and turn it
over, holding the packet in left hand dealer’s grip. “I want you to see the faces of
each and every random card.”
Push over three cards and flip them face-down, allowing them to drop on top of the
left thumb. Pick up these three cards and table them to your left. Repeat exactly the
above same actions twice more, showing indifferent cards and forming two further
packets to the right of the first packet. To complete the lay down, push off two
single cards and then execute a block push off of every card above the bottom
card and flip the packet face-down (sequence shown below).
23
Deal off three face-down cards into a packet nearest to you. Technically speaking,
your work is done. Simply deal a supposed Ace on top of each of the three packets
in a row and then flash the face of the Ace you are holding and drop it on top of
the leader packet nearest to you.
Roll up your sleeves and rub your hands together. “Are we ready to start? Actually
I’m ready to finish!!!” Turn over each of the outer packets and fan face-up to show
that the Aces have vanished. Then direct attention to the leader packet and turn it
face-up to reveal that the Aces have well and truly assembled.
24
Yes we Caan!
The card at any number plot is extremely popular among magicians
in recent times. There are many versions in print. Some are very good, while others
seem way too convoluted, in my honest opinion. The version we will discuss here is
simple, practical and strong. Did I mention it’s also nearly self working too?
Ask one member of the group you are working for to think of a number, not too
small, but not too big. Say between ten and twenty, but make it high and difficult.
This is a devious ruse of Dani DaOrtiz to steer your spectator towards a high
number in the range.
Suggest that you get a few of the group involved with shuffling the deck. Push off a
group of five cards from the top of the deck and drop them in front of a spectator.
Repeat this twice more, dropping two more groups of five cards on top of the
tabled cards. Finally drop three more cards on top of all. Do this casually and of
course silently. Eighteen cards are on the table. Make two further packets of cards
in front of two other people, casually dropping cards down in front of them like
before, the quantity not being important though.
Ask the three people to shuffle their packets and to then table them. Then have
spectator three drop their packet on top of spectator two’s. Then direct attention
to your first helper and almost as an afterthought ask them to take a peek at the
face/bottom card of their packet and to put the thought of that card into their mind.
Request they drop their packet on top of the other tabled cards and square up. Pick
up the deck and execute a casual Jay Ose false cut. Maybe even have a spectator
do the cut on themselves - a Jim Swain idea.
Direct attention to the person thinking of a number and ask them to reveal it? If they
say eighteen, you are of course golden. Seventeen too is good. Simply count down
and reveal the mental selection at the thought of number or show the next card as
the selection. However let’s deal with other numbers. We will use a delightful ruse/
swindle I saw Lewis Jones use to displace cards sleightlessly. Let’s say the number
thought of is fifteen. That means we need to displace the top three cards. Simply
push off the top three cards and flip them face-up. Take them into the right hand in
a spread condition and ask if the selection is near the top? Once they confirm it
isn’t flip the rest of the deck face-up and push off a couple of cards from the face,
asking this time if it’s near the bottom. Place the right hand’s three cards casually
onto the face of the deck and turn it face-down. Do the above nonchalantly and
it flies.
If nineteen is called I like to show the top card, flip the deck face-up and spread off
a few of the face cards, secretly Hofzinser culling any random card to the rear/top
25
of the deck. Turn the deck face-down and table it. All that’s left is to deal and count
down to the thought of number and reveal the selection with style!
Notes
A very big thank you to my friend J.K Hartman for the great suggestion of having
the selection made in a hands off fashion. Originally I assembled the shuffled
packets together with a break under eighteen cards and did a dribble force. Jerry’s
suggestion is far stronger.
26
Slipstream Aces
Alex Elmsley’s ‘1002 Aces’, first published in Ibidem magazine is a
true classic in the field of Ace assemblies. There is a wonderful economy of
motion in his effect. The following approach was put together after hearing on the
grapevine that such luminaries as Larry Jennings and Bill Goodwin had worked on
the Elmsley effect, but without switching any Aces at the start.
Commence by dealing the Aces into a face-up

row on the table. Hand the deck out for shuffling
and upon return take off the top three cards, flash
their faces and table this packet face-down in front
of the Aces and slightly spread. Ask a spectator
to nominate any one of the Aces as a leader. Let’s
assume they say Ace of Diamonds. Drop this Ace
face-up on top of the face-down packet.
Start spreading the deck and ask your spectator

to return each of the remaining Aces face-down
in different parts of the spread. As each Ace
is returned, Hofzinser cull it under the spread.
Once the third Ace is culled, square up the deck,
securing a left pinky break above the three Aces
at the bottom of the deck. This control should
be credited to John Carney who published it as
multiple slip in his book Carneycopia.
Focus attention on the face-up Ace of Diamonds

and three X cards packet on the table. The right
hand lifts this packet from above and turns palm
upwards, casually flashing the three X cards.
Because the packet is slightly spread you have
the motivation to turn the right hand palm down
and bring it over the deck to square it up. Once
squared your left thumb immediately drags off the
face-up Ace of Diamonds and comes away to the
left with it and the three Aces you have a pinky
break above. Immediately spread this packet
slightly and table it. Ribbon spread the deck face-
down. The above is Larry Jennings beautiful slip
switch published in his routine reaping the Aces in
his book The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings (as
shown in illustration)
27
Ask your helper to cover the tabled packet with either hand and make the moment.
Get them to lift their hand. Pick up the packet and deal the face-up Ace of Diamonds
on top of the left end of the spread. Then dramatically deal the remaining cards
face-up from left to right on top of the tabled spread to reveal that the Aces have
magically assembled.
28
Aces for Larry

Yes, another Ace effect, but I believe this one
is worthy of your attention. In his book The Cardwright,
Larry Jennings had a nice piece called ‘Larrollover
Aces’. I liked the effect but felt the method was a bit top-
heavy, for me anyway. My approach isn’t at all difficult
but really gets the job done quite nicely.
From a shuffled deck in use take the deck into face-up

dealing grip in the left hand. Start spreading the cards
as you mention you will take out the Aces. Injog the
fourth card from the face slightly by pulling it down with
the left thumb. Continue spreading and take out each
Ace and place them onto the face of the deck. The palm
down right hand then comes over the deck from above
to square up, at the same time the right thumb lifts up
slightly on the injog, allowing the left pinky to establish
a break beneath the face eight cards.
Push off three of the Aces into your right hand, thusly
displaying all four, then bring the hands back together
and with the left thumb execute a block push off of
everything below your break, then flip the block of eight
cards face-down onto the deck and square up. Bring
the right hand palm down over the deck and take off
the first face-down card and table it to your left. Repeat
this twice more, tabling the next two face-down cards
to the right of the first supposed Ace, forming a row of
three cards. Finally take off the next face-down card, at
the same time turning the left wrist inwards slightly so as
not to expose the true condition of the deck. Table that
fourth card to the right end of the row. With the right
fingers and thumb grasp the outer short end of the deck
and turn it face-down.
Execute a quick centre Hindu shuffle, pulling out a block

of cards from the middle and shuffling them off Hindu
style. Then spread the deck between your hands without
exposing the four reversed cards. Pause in this position
to let this image sink in. Square up the deck and then
cut off about a quarter of the deck with the right hand
and table this portion onto the card at the far right of
29
the tabled row. Repeat these actions three more times, tabling packets onto the
remaining three cards. I like to leave the supposed Aces side jogged beneath
each packet before picking up and stacking each packet from right to left and then
squaring up the deck. Hold the deck in left hand dealer’s grip and ask a spectator
to cut off around half the deck and table it. You then place the remaining cards
on top. Ask your helper to cover the deck with either hand. Make your mysterious
incantations over their hand and get them to lift their hand away. Dramatically
ribbon spread the deck to reveal the four Aces have magically assembled face-up
in the centre.
Perform each step in a nice, smooth and unhurried fashion and you will have a
nice display piece for intimate working conditions.
30
Cull Force Finesse

The force of a card using the mechanics of the Hofzinser spread cull
is a beautiful thing. Attributed to the late Fred Robinson and titled ‘The Ultimate
Force’, I believe only the classic force (if you can do it well and reliably) beats it.
I’ve had a few finesses on this force in recent times and here is another strong and
quite cheeky approach.
Let’s say your force card is fifth from the top of the deck. Start spreading the
cards and cull the force card under the spread. See Card College for an excellent
description. Continue spreading until most of the backs are in view and bring your
left hand away as you ask your helper to reach over the deck and pull some cards
away. Make a grabbing action with the left hand at the left end of the spread, by
way of demonstration. Once they have pulled some cards away from the left end
of the spread ask them to table those cards. Now simply hand them the remaining
cards, pushing the left edge of this packet against their hand, squaring up the
packet and thus secretly sending the culled force card to the bottom. Have them
peek the bottom card of their packet and your force is complete.
Notes
You can also offer them the opportunity to come back to the spread and remove a
few more cards which adds further smoke to the force. Just sayin ;-)
31
Espresso Ring
It’s always nice to have effects which you can do in social situations,
like having a coffee with friends. The following is a kind of flying ring effect, using
an espresso coffee cup, a few coins and of course a borrowed ring.
Take out four ten pence pieces / quarters and table two to your left and two to your
right. Have them one on top of the other. Ask your friend to pick up the empty(!)
espresso cup and to invert it and cover the two coins on your right. Request the
loan of their finger ring and take it with your palm up right hand. Make favourable
comments on their jewelry and then execute a simple false-transfer into the left
hand, secretly retaining their ring in right hand finger palm. Immediately follow
through and pick up the two silver coins on your left and place them into your left
fist. Ask your helper to grasp your left wrist.
Comment on the situation at hand: two coins and their ring in your left hand and
two coins under the espresso cup. As you mention the cup, the right hand lifts it to
display two silver coins. As the focus is there, you simply tilt the mouth of the cup
towards you, then secretly load their ring under the cup as you cover the two coins.
This is exactly like a cups and balls load.
“Your finger ring will act like a teleport and send these two coins over to join the
coins under the cup.”
Shake the left hand, pause a beat and then open it to reveal the coins are still there
but their ring has vanished. A moment later look down to the cup, look back up
and smile. Your spectator will need no invitation to lift the cup and discover their
finger ring has made a most mysterious journey!
32
Bluff stop trick

The classic stop trick has always fascinated me. So many nice
versions in print, some based on psychology and others more sure fire. There is
nothing new technically in my handling. My presentation is really just a big bluff,
but if Lady Luck is on your side, some strong moments can occur prior to the climax.
From a shuffled deck in use have a card freely selected and signed. Have the card
returned to the deck and control it to the bottom with a favourite method. I use the
Hofzinser spread cull. Execute an in-the-hands riffle shuffle retaining the selection.
Secretly glimpse the card, say two of Hearts, as you do an all around square up.
Hand the deck to your helper and walk and talk them through the Jay Ose triple
false cut. Take back the deck and hold it in left hand dealer’s grip.
“Shannon, a playing card is made up of a colour, a suit and a value. As I deal

the cards to the table I want you to mentally project the colour of your card to me
and call out stop.”
When they stop you dealing, lift off the top card of your packet and peek at its
face. “Your card is a red card, right?” If this card is red you can show its face. If
not, simply replace it on your packet.
“I will continue dealing and based purely on impulse call out stop again.” Once
they stop you, take off the top card of your packet and peek at its face. “The cards
are telling me your card was a heart, yes?” As before, if you luck out and it is a
heart take full advantage of this moment and show the face of the card!
“It seems like strange forces are at work here tonight, Shannon. As I continue
dealing them again, please call out stop one last time.” Once your helper stops
you the right hand picks up the tabled packet and turns it face-up and ribbon
spreads it from left to right. Bring the right hand back to the cards in hand and
execute a bottom deal, secretly dealing their card and placing it face-down and
out-jogged on top of the face-up tabled spread. Turn your remaining cards face-up
and complete the ribbon spread.
Build the thing up and bring the trick home, letting them remove the face-down
card from the spread to reveal that it’s their signed card.
33
Gemini Prediction
Karl Fulves Gemini mates is a true workhorse. Such a simple but
elegant hands off forcing procedure. Here we take this concept and use its
properties to achieve something a little different.
You will require two decks and three business cards. Set the Ten of Diamonds
fourteenth from the top of the blue deck and case this deck. From the red deck
remove any black ten and the Four of Diamonds. Place the ten spot on the
bottom of the deck and the four spot on top and case this deck. To complete your
preparation, write the word value on the back of one of your business cards, suit
on another and the number fourteen on the third card. Set these up printed side up
in number, value and suit order from the top down.
Bring out both decks and then remove your business cards. Table the number
prediction centre stage. Place the value business card sight unseen in front of
spectator one and the suit card in front of spectator two, also sight unseen. Take the
red cards out of their box and execute a quick in-the-hands riffle shuffle retaining
the top and bottom cards’ position. Hand the deck to spectator one and ask her to
start dealing cards face-down one at a time in a pile and use her intuitive sense to
stop dealing some time. When she stops dealing have her place her business card
on top of the dealt packet and then place the remaining cards on top and then
pass the deck to spectator two. Have them carry out the same procedure, dealing
and stopping freely, placing their business card on top of their dealt cards and
once more placing the remaining cards on top and squaring up.
Recap what has taken place and how everything was under their control. Take the
deck and ribbon spread it, or hand to hand spread if table space is tight. Take out
the uppermost business card and the playing card to the right of it. Table this pair.
Repeat with the other business card and the card adjacent to it.
Ask your helpers to turn over their playing cards to reveal a ten and a four. “Two
random cards generated entirely by you both. If we add the values we arrive
at fourteen. But if you had of each dealt one card less or one card more then
everything changes.” Direct one of the spectators to turn over your numerical
prediction business card to reveal the number fourteen. “That’s quite spooky, don’t
you think? But let’s take this further than that. You see, a card comprises of a value
and a suit. Please turn over each of the business cards you used earlier, where you
will both see a message.”
They turn over each business card to reveal the words value and suit. “If we take
the value of your random card and the suit of your friends card and combine
them, we arrive at a playing card. Since yours was a Ten and the other card is
34
a Diamond, we make the Ten of Diamonds. Not the greatest card, but certainly
not the worst. And if we take our magic number of fourteen, let’s see where that
takes us.”
Ask either of your helpers to pick up the blue deck that has been in full view the
whole time and to remove the cards from the box. “Please deal and count out loud
to number 14 and stop. Let me ask you a question. Do you like surprises?” Let them
respond and then direct them to turn over the card at their number to reveal the
Ten of Diamonds.
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Prediction A la Carte
So in the previous piece, ‘Gemini Prediction’ we explored a formal
two deck piece. Let’s now take a look at a sleight of hand approach with just
one deck. Once again we will use the three business cards, with value, suit and
‘14’ written on them. Set the black ten and red four at positions fifth and sixth
respectively. Take out the Ten of Diamonds and place it sixteenth from the top.
Take out the deck and remove the business cards, placing the number prediction
on the table sight unseen. Hand the value business card to a person on your right
and the suit business card to someone on your left. False shuffle the deck and
address the person on your right. Start a hand to hand spread and Hofzinser cull
the fifth card from the top under the spread. Continue spreading and ask your
spectator to insert their business card somewhere in the deck - just make sure you
go past your force card at sixteenth. Once they have inserted the business card
you secretly load the culled card above it and then square up. Go to your other
helper and repeat the above sequence, culling the fifth card under the spread and
secretly loading it above where they insert their business card. Square up and
table the deck.
Ribbon spread the deck and remove each business card and the playing card
above it. Square up the deck and ask your helpers to turn over their playing
cards, revealing a ten and a four. Comment on how they had complete freedom
as to where they inserted the two cards. “If we combine the values of those two
random cards we arrive at 14. Please turn my prediction over.” They turn over your
business card to reveal your prophecy was spot on.
“You see, a playing card is made up of a value and a suit.” Ask your spectators to
turn over their business cards to reveal the words value and suit written on them.
“If we combine the value of your card with the suit of yours, we arrive at the Ten
of Diamonds. Now let’s take things one step further than that.” Hand the deck
to one of the group to deal and count out loud to fourteen. Then have the card
at that number turned face-up to reveal that by forces unseen, there is the Ten of
Diamonds!
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Wired!
The commercially available effect, Wiregrams, where a length of
wire magically moulds itself into the name of a chosen playing card is a lovely,
strong, visual piece of magic. Normally you see it demonstrated without much in
the way of routining which, to my mind, is a pity. What I’m offering here is a full
bodied routine which I believe maximizes the use of the revelation, with some
additional magic woven in to elevate the impact.
I will describe my routine using the Seven of Diamonds wiregram. But they are
available for quite a few other cards too. In addition to a wiregram, you will
require a small plastic ring or necklace box to store it with a lid that pulls off. Also
you need a duplicate Seven of Diamonds folded face-down into quarters. Start out
with the box and loose folded card in your right pocket. You also require a lighter
which you place into your left pocket.
When you want to get into this piece mid set, simply manage your force card on
the face of the deck. Cut the deck and complete the cut, securing a left pinky break
below your force card. Execute a dribble force on a spectator, asking them to put
the thought of the card they saw into their mind. Square up the deck and table
it for a moment. Your right hand goes to the pocket and finger palms the folded
duplicate card and then comes out with the little box. State that inside the box is
a high tech thought transmitter! Ask your spectator to extend a palm up hand. Tip
out the screwed up wire onto their hand and let them examine it and untangle it.
This gets a laugh but also gives you perfect shade or misdirection to secretly load
the folded duplicate card into the box which you then close the lid on. Put the box
down on the table.
Pick up the deck and say you will first try and narrow in on their card. State that
you feel you can estimate its current position because you saw approximately
where it went back. Turn the deck face-up and feign concentration as you spread
through the cards. When you see your force card take all the cards above it,
except one and table them face-up, leaving the force card second from the face of
the cards you are left holding. Transfer the packet to right hand overhand or Biddle
grip in readiness for the classic Biddle steal. With your left thumb peel off the face
card into the left hand. Then peel off your force card on top of it, securing a little
finger break beneath it. As you peel off a third card onto it steal the force card
under the right hand packet and then peel off one more card. Place the rest of the
cards on top of the tabled packet.
“I’m getting the sense that the card you are thinking of is one of these four cards,
right?” As you say this, turn the packet face-down and execute a Stanyon three-as-
four false count, which basically is an Elmsley count. Ask your helper to hand you
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the wiregram and then place the packet of cards onto her palm up hand. Get her
to cover the cards with her other hand. Take the wiregram and bring out the lighter.
Ask your helper to visualize their selection. Ignite the lighter and bring it next to
the wire. It will start mysteriously animating and taking form into a seven and a
Diamond, their selection! Allow this beautiful visual revelation to register and then
make the moment over her hands and have her reveal that her card has vanished
in her hands. Then look down to the ring box, look back up and smile. Ask the lady
to open the box to reveal a folded card. Her card.
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Three in One
“John and Raj, would you like to see the difference between magic,
telepathy and telekinesis? Great. Please shuffle the deck and then deal out two
hands of five cards, exactly like you would in a game of draw poker. Would each
of you take a packet and mix some more. Now take a little peek at the bottom card
of your packets and lock the thought of those cards into your mind.
I have an old friend who is a Gypsy and he used to work the carnivals reading
the cards for the people. He always used to mix the cards in quite a mystical way.
Would you guys please deal a card to the table face-down and then put the next
one underneath. Then deal another one down and then put one under. Continue
doing that until you’ve mixed all the cards. Let’s take this one step further and mix
both packets together, one card from each packet getting mixed with another until
we run out of cards.
So you are both merely thinking of cards. John, we will cast a spell and use magic
to find your card. If we spell the word magic and deal one card for each letter let’s
see what we arrive at. What card are you thinking of? There it is!
Raj, we will now enter the realm of telepathy with you. I want you to send me
the thought of your card. First the colour, then the suit and finally the value. I’m
getting a clear sense of red, a heart, the Ace of Hearts right? Now we could just
end right there,but I promised you a demonstration of telekinesis, which means the
ability to move objects with the mind. Raj, hold the cards between your palms. As
I bring my hand palm down over your hands and slowly turn it palm up, just free
up your mind and imagine your card moving, slowly turning and revolving. Let’s
see how we did? Spread the cards across the table. Now that’s what’s known as
telekinesis!”
Method
Pretty much as above;-)
From a method point of view, this couldn’t be much simpler, but it’s extremely well
hidden. From a shuffled deck in use deal five cards to each participant. Have them
mix those packets and peek at the bottom card of their respective packets. Next
walk and talk them through a down under deal as you talk about your old Gypsy
friend who used to read people’s fortunes at the Carnivals. This makes this little bit
of process interesting for the people. It also secretly sets each mental selection to
third from the top of both packets.
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Pick up both packets, one in each hand and mix the cards some more, dealing
off the top card from the left packet first and then the top card from the right
hand packet on top of that. Continue this back and forth mix until the cards are
exhausted. Both selections are nicely set now at fifth and sixth, ready for the
subsequent revelations.
Look at the spectator on your right (John) and tell him you will cast your spell and
find his card using Magic. Deal cards one at a time into a face-down packet,
spelling out each letter of the word magic as you deal each card. When you take
off the last card slightly push off the card below it and secure a left pinky break
beneath this card. Ask John for the name of his card and flip the card you are
holding face-up on top of the packet in hand to reveal his selection. Pause a beat
and allow this to register.
The right hand comes over the packet from above and lifts off the back to back
double card at your break . Use the left edge of this double to flip the remaining
cards face-up. Place the double card on top of them retaining a pinky break
beneath it. Finally pick up the packet on the table and flip those cards face-up on
top of the packet. Then bring the right hand over the packet and turn it face-down
from left to right. The cards will automatically step at your break, allowing you to
secretly glimpse Raj’s card. Hand him the packet. The above is Ed Marlo’s book-
break glimpse.
To conclude the piece you will demonstrate telepathy and ultimately divine his
mental selection. Finally, segue into the telekinesis phase, bringing your hand palm
down over the cards he is holding and mysteriously turning it palm up. Have him
spread his cards to reveal his card face-up to successfully finish the mystery.
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A la Goldman
The classic do as I do using two decks has always been one of my
favorite card pieces for the public. There are myriad exceptional methods in print
from some very notable names.
For many years I have used Bill Goldman’s ‘One For The Money’ routine in my
work. It’s a true crowd pleaser and so simple but strong. I recently realized the
crux of Bill’s effect could be used to effect a very direct and fooling two deck do
as I do routine.
Bring out two decks of different colours and offer a spectator the free choice of
either one. Both of you remove the decks from their boxes and shuffle and cut
freely. “Bill, today we will attempt an experiment in synchronicity. Firstly would you
shuffle your deck and I will follow your lead and copy you. Now cut your deck and
complete the cut. It doesn’t get much fairer!”
Now we will use the beautifully devious Goldman ruse from his routine. Ask your
helper to start dealing cards face-up, one at a time into a tabled packet as you
do the same. Secretly note the second card they deal, say Jack of Hearts and
commit it to memory. Tell your spectator that whenever they stop dealing then so
will you. Once you have both stopped dealing you each set your remaining cards
face-down and pick up your respective face-up packets and turn them face-down.
Continue by asking your helper to lose or ‘burn’ the top card of their packet as
you demonstrate with your cards. Then both of you burn the bottom card of each
packet. Ask the spectator to take a peek at the top card of their packet (JH) and
to lock the thought of that card into their mind. You replicate their actions with the
top card of your packet, but simply ignore the card. Next ask your helper to shuffle
their packet, put it on top of their other cards and to give their deck one last mix,
as you of course once more do as they do.
“So Bill, we have worked in sync every step of the way and are both thinking of
a card. Here, you take my deck and remove your card and place it face-down on
the table and I will take your deck and replicate your actions for the final time this
evening. Turn over your card please.The Jack of Hearts. Now turn over mine. Now
that is what is known as Synchronicity!”
Both cards are revealed to match perfectly and everyone goes home happy!
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Mutual Exchange
Simply put, this is another method for the classical copper silver coin
transposition. But the good news is it’s almost self working. If you can hold two
coins at your fingertips, you can do this effect!
You require an old English penny and a silver half dollar. Introduce the coins and
pass out for examination. Take them back and hold in a vertical spread between
the left thumb and first and second fingers. Have the copper coin uppermost in the
spread and held in place by the left thumb. Extend your palm up right hand by
way of a gesture as you ask your helper to hold out their left hand palm up. The
right hand approaches the left hand and apparently takes away the copper coin
at its fingertips. In reality though, the left thumb slides the copper coin downwards
and almost automatically takes the silver coin instead, hidden behind the right
fingers. This is an almost self working switch which simply requires timing rather
than dexterity.
Place the switched in silver coin into the spectator’s hand and help them close
it and then turn palm down. Your left hand which holds the copper coin behind
its fingers closes into a palm down fist too. “I will attempt to make my silver coin
teleport over to join your copper coin.” Ask the spectator if they felt anything?
Once they reply in the negative you suggest a different effect. Extend your right
hand and shake the spectator’s right hand. “Tom, that isn’t just a greeting or social
exchange. It can also exchange the power. Open your hand! Because you see you
now have my coin and I have yours!”
Request they open their hand to reveal a silver coin and a beat later show you
have the copper coin and the transposition is complete.
Notes
The shaking hands presentational gambit is a beautiful idea by Larry Jennings.
Larry used it in the context of a two card transposition effect.
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A Game of Make Believe...

The beautiful coin effect, the fading coin by Tomoyuki Takahashi,
first published in Genii magazine is one of those little gems that only pop up
ever so often. Imagination games combined with magic always seem to register
strongly with the public.
The great Eugene Burger has featured his presentation of this piece in his work for
many years. I loved it but wanted a stand up version and only needing one coin.
The classic copper silver coin and a little swindle happily achieves my objective.
“Shannon, do you have a good imagination? Great! Ever since childhood I have
always liked to let myself go and use my imagination. Let’s both play a little game
of make believe together. Here in my pocket I have something to show you. If I
shake my hand, can you guess what is inside? Yes, coins! A copper English penny,
a silver half dollar and this one’s an old Chinese coin with a little hole in it. Hold
it. Unusual no?” Your hands are clearly empty, the coins are totally imaginary. You
place two imaginary coins on the table and hand the Chinese imaginary coin to
Shannon.
“From the two coins on the table, which one do you want me to have, silver or
copper? Fine. I will hold the silver coin and would you hold the copper coin in your
other hand? Close your hands into a fist just like me. Shannon, do you know the
difference between fantasy and reality? Let’s both make a wish. Open your hands.
Now that’s fantasy.” His hands are empty but when you open yours you have the
now real silver coin. “This is reality!”
From a method point of view this is extremely simple, but deceptive. Combining
the two way out of the copper silver coin with a little swindle pretty much does
everything.
Finger palm the c/s coin in the right hand, copper side against the fingers. Make
your opening gambit talking about imagination and make believe. The left hand
goes into the trousers pocket and comes out with what you say are three imaginary
coins. The right hand comes over the left hand and mimes taking a coin that you
state is copper and places it onto the table. Repeat this action as you call attention
to an imaginary silver coin, again placing it onto the table. Finally the right hand
comes over the left hand one more time and mimes taking off a Chinese coin.
Secretly allow the c/s coin to drop into the left fingers as your right hand comes
away with the last imaginary coin. The copper silver coin is now in left hand finger
palm.
Without fuss you give this imaginary Chinese coin to your spectator to look at and
43
hold in their left hand. Then you ask her to nominate which of the two remaining
coins you should have? Mime picking up that coin in the right hand and toss this
invisible coin into your loosely curled left hand which then closes into a fist. Have
her pick up the remaining imaginary coin and hold it in a fist in her free hand. If
she wants you to have the copper coin you don’t have to do any manipulation of
the c/s coin. However if she says she wants you to have the silver coin it’s a very
simple task to secretly allow the coin to flip over inside the hand.
To finish the effect you invite your helper to blow on both of their hands and make a
wish, as you replicate them with your closed left hand. They open their hands and
nothing has occurred. A few moments later you slowly open your hand to reveal
the silver coin. Put it away and do a card trick;-)
Notes: The breakthrough moment with this piece was the little swindle with the
Chinese coin. Simply handing this imaginary coin to them and shifting the focus
to the silver and copper coins really cleaned up the effect. Combined with the
multiplicity the c/s offers you and you arrive at a strong, practical solution.
44
One thought across

Cards across is an all time classic. I’ve used many versions down the
years and it’s a crowd pleaser. The following version was put together after I asked
myself how a mentalist might present this effect? There are five strong moments in
this piece and they build nicely to a strong payoff.
Pass the deck to a spectator for shuffling. Then ask them to deal twelve cards out
loud into a face-down packet. The balance of the deck is discarded. Ask your
helper to deal a row of three cards from left to right and continue this back and
forth deal, ending up with three packets of four cards each on the table.
We will now have the spectator put the thought of a card into their mind using
the beautiful free cut principle of Gene Finnell. Ask the spectator to pick up one of
the tabled packets and mix it. Then have them cut away some cards and look at
the face card and lock it into their mind. Let’s say it’s the Ten of Hearts. Ask them
to drop those cards onto one of the other two packets. Next have them pick up
the other tabled packet and drop those cards on top. Finally ask them to drop the
cards they are holding on top and square up. Then pick up the packet and give it a
casual Ose false table cut. The mental selection has been automatically controlled
to fifth from the face of the packet.
Turn the packet face-up and hold from above in right hand Biddle grip. Say to
the spectator that you will divide the twelve card packet in half and they are to
observe which packet their card is in. Start peeling off cards and counting out loud
one at a time with the left thumb. When you peel off their card, secure a left pinky
break beneath it. Steal this card under the right hand packet as you peel off the
sixth card, and place the packet face-down into their palm up right hand. Peel and
count five face-up cards into your left hand and drop the double card on top. Place
this packet face-down into their left hand.
“Lori, you are merely thinking of a card and all I know right now is that it is in one
of the two packets you are holding. Now try and keep a poker face, but try as
you may, I will intuit or pick up on your tells. I believe the card you are thinking of
is in this packet yes? Excellent but maybe you think it was just an inspired guess?
Now I will ask you to think about the colour of your card as I ask you the same
question twice. Please answer yes both times and I will see if I can pick up an
inflection in your voice. Is your card red? Is your card black? Ah yes, a slight
inflection there Lori! Your card is red yes? Now just keep saying the name of the
card you are thinking of, over and over merely in your mind. The Ten of Hearts,
the Ten of Hearts yes?!
45
Finally I will attempt to make your card teleport from that packet over to the other
packet. I think it’s gone. Let’s see. One, two, three, four and five and your card has
gone! Please count the other packet onto my hand. Now there’s seven! One card
mysteriously made the journey and here it is, your thought of card.”
Simply follow the above script, allowing each phase to register. Don’t rush it
because this is strong stuff for the public. After they have counted seven cards into
your hand, simply fan the faces of the cards towards you and dramatically remove
their card.
46
B’lieve - A homage to Maven

Max Maven’s ‘B’wave’ is a modern classic of close-up mentalism.
With just a small packet of cards a little miracle is created. The following version is
an ungaffed approach that has served me well. I’m not the first to put together an
ungaffed version, but I never really liked the equivoque that they used. I will firstly
outline my script and then we will get into the nitty gritty of the effect.
“Shannon, a wise old man once told me that a pack of cards is like a story made
up of fifty two pages. If that’s the case then this little packet represents a short story
that will involve you and your decisions and vivid imagination. Imagine these
cards are the four Queens. Further, would you imagine me taking the red Queens
and placing them over here and then taking the black Queens and putting them
over there?
Now would you simply pick up either pair? Ah the red Queens. A free choice
and would you now stretch your imagination and imagine the two black Queens
simply fading away, like a ghost into the night. Perfect imagination! Now another
decision, Shannon. Which of the red Queens would you like me to have? The
Queen of Hearts? Fine, would you hand it to me and just like before use your
imagination and see the other Queen simply melt away, like chocolate in a
heatwave!
So from decisions made entirely by you, I am holding the Queen of Hearts, but
any card was possible. I will now join you in our little game of make believe and
turn that card face-up. See it? Then I will throw it towards the packet of cards on
the table. Now all stories are composed of three things. The beginning part should
establish interest. You see, if we spread those cards, there’s only one face-up. The
Queen of Hearts! Kind of mysterious yes?
The second part of a story is of course the middle. In action thriller novels a sudden
surprise is always nice. Please turn that card over? A completely different colored
back. That’s surprising.
Finally there’s of course the end. Something that will hopefully make you never
forget what happened today, because if we turn the other cards over you will well
and truly see that this is the END!”
You will require three blank faced blue back cards and a red back Queen of
Hearts for this piece. Take a Sharpie marker and write the letters END on the blank
facers, one letter on each card. Do it nice and big and bold. Set up the cards from
the top down: E,N, face-up Queen of Hearts and then the D card. Bring out the
packet and table it face-down as you make your opening monologue.
47
Mime holding the Queens,the reds in your left hand and the black Queens in
your right hand as you call attention to which hand holds which colour. Place
the imaginary red Queens to your left as you say red and then place down the
imaginary black Queens over to your right as you say right. It’s important to do this
in an unhurried fashion so that your spectator clearly knows which colour is where,
in readiness for the following piece of equivoque inspired by an imaginary cards
effect of Derren Brown’s from his ‘Devil’s Picturebook’ DVDs.
Ask your helper to use their imagination and pick up either pair of imaginary
cards. As you clearly punctuated which pair was where earlier you will know of
course, and so will they what colour they are holding. If they pick up the pair on
the left you will know they are red so you call attention to that colour, as in the
script and ask them to imagine the black Queens fading away. Naturally, if they
pick up the right side imaginary cards you will call attention to the fact they are
holding the black Queens. In this instance you would alter your wording, asking
them to imagine the black Queens fading away. Either way the red Queens have
been nicely forced.
Continue your presentation by asking them which one of the red Queens do they
want to hand to you? If they say the Queen of Diamonds extend your hand and
take it from them. Then, as in my script you ask them to imagine this Queen melting
away, just like the black Queens. However if they hand you the Queen of Hearts
your wording deviates and you ask them to imagine the other red Queen melting
away. With the above equivoque act calm and natural and it is very deceptive.
Kudos to Maven and Brown for these beautiful strategies.
So the Queen of Hearts has been very subtly forced and either you or your
spectator are holding this imaginary card. If you are holding it state that you
will turn this card face-up and throw it towards the packet of cards on the table.
Obviously if they are holding this imaginary card you would ask them to mime
turning it face-up and toss it towards the tabled packet.
Your work from a method point of view is now done and it’s a matter now of doing
the three step revelation. Bring your right first fingertip down to the tabled cards
and slowly spread them, revealing a face-up Queen of Hearts. Let this moment
register and sink in. Do not hurry into the next phase. Slowly turn the Queen of
Hearts face-down to reveal it has a different colored back. Again, let this very
strong moment resonate with the people. To conclude your mystery mention as in
my script about how all good stories should have a memorable end. Then pick up
the three blue back cards and slowly deal them into a face-up right to left row to
reveal the word END.
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Some random thoughts on

card magic
There are of course so many branches of magic, but to me card
magic is unique. With just 52 pieces of paper you create the wonder of any type
of effect, be it production, transposition, vanish or transformation to name but a
few.
The secret to create good, strong card magic is clarity and simplicity. But simplicity
doesn’t always mean easy. This is why it is so important to have a foundation in
the craft. This way you have a large number of tools to choose from to make the
best job.
Basically it’s all about problem solving. It always gives me great pleasure to work
on a new piece and eliminate unnecessary moves, but still retain the magical
impact. Try to dream, as Tommy Wonder did, what the effect would look like
if it was real magic. Ask yourself questions and keep notes on your ideas on a
particular piece of magic you are working on.
Another area I want to talk about is the pauses in an effect. Too many times I see
people rushing through an effect without putting pauses in the performance. This
makes the picture you are trying to create confusing for the public. Dai Vernon said
confusion is not magic!
A master of the pausing technique was the great Michael Skinner. Watching him
work was like watching a play at the theatre. Mike knew exactly when to pause
in his effects, creating moments of wonder while allowing the piece to breathe
and let the audience appreciate the magic. Sometimes at the end of an effect he
would make an extended pause which created great anticipation and amplified
the magic.
To finish my little article I would like to say how grateful I am to play this game.
Magic has enabled me to travel to many countries and to visit beautiful places and
make so many new friends. I get so much satisfaction teaching people and helping
them with their work.
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Think-a-Card Triumph
If this was a dealer advertisement it might say a deck of cards is
shuffled face-up into face-down and the spectator thinks of any card from the mess
created. Then the deck magically straightens except for their thought of card.
Well there’s two good pieces of news and that’s the above is pretty true and,
secondly, it uses two techniques that I’m sure most of you know and have used!
Hand out the deck for mixing and upon return mention that there’s one shuffle
in the world that is totally insane! Then segue straight into Sid Lorraine’s classic
slop shuffle, pushing off a packet of face-down cards into the right hand, then
revolving the right hand palm down and pushing off some more face-down cards
underneath the face-up cards and then revolving the right hand palm upwards
with this packet and continuing the action by pushing further face-down cards
underneath. Repeat this up and down action until the deck is exhausted, ending
up with a face-down card on top. Make this noisy and sloppy! The configuration
of the deck from the top down is now one face-down card, approximately half the
deck face-up followed by about half the deck face-down.
Execute a casual display of the topsy turvy deck, lifting up about a third of the deck
to show face-up, then replacing that packet on top and lifting off about two thirds
of the deck showing face-down and then replacing the cards back on top.
We will now segue into the think a card part of this presentation. We will be forcing
the top face-down card of the deck as the cards are riffled off the right fingertips.
This force of a thought of card was used very successfully by David Blaine in his
first TV special, but I’ve been unable to track down the history of the move.
Hold the deck with the palm up left hand by the long edges and push the inner
short edge of the deck firmly against your body, creating a nice bevel. This is a tip
I saw in print by my friend Eric LeClerc from Canada. Transfer the grip of the deck
so that it is held at the inner short end with the left thumb on top and the first and
second fingertips on the face. “Jared, as I riffle this mess of cards past your eyes,
just think of one can see ok?” This wording is extremely important and it primes
your spectator for the selection process.
Tilt the outer short edge of the deck so that it’s pointing in the direction of their
nose.Then with the right first finger briskly riffle off cards. I start this riffling action
about two thirds of the way down into the deck so that they will see a blur of face-
up followed by face-down cards. The uncanny thing is though that the top card
will literally just pop out at them, forcing them to think of this card. Also, for some
weird, strange reason that card appears to be somewhere inside the deck. Good
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old optics!
Once you confirm that your helper is thinking of a card,it’s just a simple matter
to execute another standard face-up and face-down display, before secretly
straightening out the deck ready for the climax. To do this, hold the deck in left
hand dealers grip. Bring the palm down right hand over the deck and lift away
about a third of the deck as you say face-up. Replace this packet and then lift off
about two thirds of the deck as you say face-down. Replace this packet and then
cut at the natural break in the deck and revolve the right hand palm outwards
showing some cards are face to face. Turn the right hand palm down and allow
the packet it is holding to flip over on the top of the deck. This is done by letting
the packet tumble from right to left against the right third finger.
Your work is now done. Table the deck and make the moment. Ask your helper
to call out the name of the card they are thinking of and then dramatically ribbon
spread the deck to reveal that the deck has magically straightened out except for
their thought of card.
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Inevitable
Here’s a simple, but practical version of a Mark Elsdon effect called
‘The Inevitable’.
Mark used an invisible deck for the final revelation. Here’s a no gaff approach:
You need a red and a blue deck. Place the Jack of Diamonds on top of each and
box the cards up. You also require a different coloured back Jack of Diamonds.
On the back of this card write THE INEVITABLE.
Bring out the message card face-down and table it saying that some things in life
are just meant to be or inevitable.
Take out the two decks and offer a free choice of either to your helper. Both of you
take your cards out. Spread your deck face-up in the hands and ask your spectator
to do the same. Both of you square up and turn the decks face-down.
“In a game of poker, blackjack or indeed any game, there are 3 main physical
actions: Dealing, shuffling and cutting. Please deal a few cards face-down into a
packet just like me. Then shuffle the cards you are holding. Great. Now cut off a
packet and drop it on your packet. Then shuffle what’s left and cut off some more
and drop them on your tabled cards. Finally shuffle whatever’s left and drop them,
just like me on top of your cards on the table. Excellent. So we both shuffled and
cut multiple times. Everything was under your control.”
The above ruse of course positions both Jacks on the bottom of each deck.
“Now pick up your cards as I pick up mine. Purely on impulse, cut off a section
like me and table it. Then place the rest on top just like this.”As you say the above
you walk and talk your helper through the classic Max Holden cross cut card force.
“So let’s recap: you chose a deck and you shuffled it thoroughly as I shuffled mine.
Each of us then cut to a random location. But I have a strange sort of hunch that
as we worked in synch so well that something strange, or even mysterious might
happen. Maybe it’s just meant to be or inevitable...”
Direct your helper to take off the upper packet of their deck as you do the same.
Revolve your hand palm up to display the Jack of Diamonds. Ask the lady to do
the same to show a perfect match.
Look down to the odd back message card and smile. Ask another person to turn it
over to bring this mystery to an inevitable conclusion...
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When two minds meet...

In my book Crafted with Carey, I published an effect called Think n
Sync which was a mental mystery with the cards using a nice Bob Hummer key-
card placement which enabled me to get secret information. Here is a non key-
card approach I have had a lot of fun with recently.
Tell your audience at the outset that for some strange reason you simply can’t get
a card out of your head. Suggest a little experiment of the mind but say you will
remove the Jokers first. Turn the deck face-up and start spreading in search of the
Jokers. As you do this, mentally count the cards from the face and injog the tenth
card from the face slightly. Continue spreading and take out and discard both
Jokers. Flip the deck face-down and push down on the injog with your right thumb
and secure a left pinky break above the ten cards.
“Firstly let’s get a few of you involved and mix the cards.” As you say this, cut
off about a quarter of the deck and toss this packet onto the table. Repeat this,
throwing down another face-down packet. Then cut to your break and toss a third
packet down and finally drop the ten card packet down onto the table. Drop the
packets at random points on the centre of the table and do it casually and kind of
sloppily. Ask four people to each pick up packets. Make a note who takes the ten
card packet as you ask the group to shuffle their cards. Have the three non target
packets assembled and then, almost as an afterthought ask the person with the
remaining packet to silently count their cards under the table to form a random
number in their mind. Once they have completed their task have them drop their
cards on top of the deck. The number ten has been forced in a devious fashion.
“So Dani, you are merely thinking of a number? Now I want you to think of any
of the four suits and form the thought of a card in your mind. So, for example if
you are thinking of eight and Clubs it would be eight of Clubs yes? So it’s just like
I walked into this bar and you are just thinking of a card. Be honest, you’re not
thinking of a red card, are you? Yes? Me too! I will take out the card I simply can’t
stop thinking about and table it. Now would you take out the card you are simply
thinking of and table it too? It’s not there? Are you sure? That’s most mysterious. Tell
everybody what card you are thinking of? Ten of Diamonds?
Turn over my card. Impossible!”
The above strategy comes straight from my Think n Sync routine. Ask them to think
of any of the four suits and combine that with the number they are thinking of to
form a card in their mind. Now, without guilt, casually ask the question about them
not thinking of a red card. If they say they are, you say that so are you. However
if they say they are not you retort that neither are you. In the description above we
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assumed they are thinking of a red card. So you know they are thinking of one of
the red tens, but you genuinely don’t know which one. The great news is it doesn’t
matter. Simply take out the first red ten you come to in the deck and table it face-
down. Pass your helper the deck to enable them to remove their thought of card.
If they can’t find their card you can dramatically reveal it on the table. However
if they do remove and table a card, the end of the effect is one of an impossible
matching of your card and theirs.
Notes
Of course if they are thinking of a black card you would remove a black ten.
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Me and You
A rather bland title for a deceptive little performance piece. Almost
self working but strong and interactive. My favorite kind of card trick.
Take a business card and a pen and on the back of the card write: “I will get a 10.
You will get a 6. Together we will make 21!” We will apply Deddy Corbuzier’s
beautiful Freewill principle with this message.
On top of your deck of cards place any ten, six and five spot in that order from
the top down. It’s very simple to get into this position between effects as you are
not concerned with suits.
Take out your business card and toss it, message side down onto the table, without
calling any real attention to it. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle, retaining your
three card set up on top. Table the deck in readiness for the classic cut-deeper
force. Ask your helper to reach over the deck and cut off less than half, turn them
face-up and replace on top. Then direct them to cut off more than half, once again
turn them over and replace on top. Pick up the deck and spread through all the
face-up cards commenting on how random things are. Turn the face-up cards face-
down and table them. Then deal off the first two face-down cards from the packet
you are left holding. Place the remaining cards on top of the tabled packet, leaving
the five spot on top.
Ask your spectator to pick up the face-down pair of cards and mix them. Then have
them deal one to you and one to themselves. Offer them the opportunity to switch
cards. Both of you then turn over your cards to reveal a ten and a six. “In Blackjack
this is known as a shaky hand, because it’s tempting to hit but the odds are that you
will bust.” Casually pick up the deck and hold in left hand dealing grip. Direct the
spectator to pick up both face-up cards. As all attention is focused on them you will
do the world’s easiest cull. Push off the top card of the deck and simply spread the
rest of the deck on top of it, allowing the culled card to ride beneath the spread.
Ask your helper to place the two face-up cards together in the middle of the face-
down deck. It’s a simple matter to secretly load the culled card secretly between
the pair. Square up and then table the deck.
Draw attention to the business card you brought out at the start. Now two scenarios
will present themselves here before we use the Freewill concept. Your spectator will
either have chosen the ten spot or the six. If they chose the ten spot, ask them to
turn over the business card and read out loud the first line of the message, stating
that they will get a ten. Then have them read out the next line stating that you will
get a six. Confirm each statement to be absolutely true. Then ask your spectator to
read out the final line of the message which states that together you will get twenty
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one! Of course, if earlier on you had the ten spot, then you would read out the
message line by line.
“Well we have sixteen so I guess we are going to have to use our imaginations
Jack. Let me take out an imaginary card from the deck and hand it to you. Would
you throw that piece of imagination towards the deck? Beautifully done! But the
question is, where does make believe stop and reality kick in?” Pick up the deck
and ribbon spread it revealing that a card has materialized in between the ten and
the six. Remove it and dramatically turn it face-up to reveal a five. “And that’s how
we make twenty one and take the pot!”
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Invisicard
I’ve always loved the notion of invisible cards in card effects. Here
is a nice interlude piece with a small packet incorporating a lovely presentational
idea by my friend Paul Cummins.
From a shuffled deck in use have a spectator take out five cards from random
positions in the deck. Get her to mix them and then peek at the bottom card, say
Jack of Hearts. “So Sarah, you are thinking of a card and now I want you to mix
them in such a way that even you won’t know where it is.” Direct them through a
simple down under deal which will place their card third from top.
Take the packet in left hand dealing grip and fan them. Raise the fan towards your
helper, tilting it slightly enabling you to get a glimpse of their card. Square up the
packet and hold once again in dealing grip. “Have you ever seen an invisible
card, Sarah? Really? You’re crazier than me! Here, let me take out your card
invisibly and hand it to you. You have perfect imagination!” As you say the above,
mime extracting an invisible card and hand it to your helper. “Sarah, what is five
minus one? That’s right, four!” Elmsley count the packet to show as four cards, the
last card going on top.
Then turn the top card of the packet face-up and then table it by holding from
above in the right hand and dropping it onto the table. Repeat this action with
the next card, dropping it face-up on the first card. Flip the next card face-up and
then take the packet from above in the palm down right hand. The left fingertips
slide away the bottom card as the right hand casually drops the double card on
top of the tabled cards. A moment later, turn the remaining card face-up and drop
that onto the tabled cards. “Did you see your card, Sarah? No, that’s because it’s
invisible and you are holding it, right there, right now! I’m going to count to three
and I want you to flash the face of that card towards me. But do it real quick!
Ready? Ah the Jack of Hearts yes?! You did it quickly, but you have to be quicker!
Would you now throw your piece of imagination towards the cards on the table?
Please spread the cards. Look! One card trapped face-down in the middle. Your
card. You have an amazing imagination!” Have your helper play along as above
and remove the face-down card and reveal it is their selection.
Credit to Paul Cummins for the lovely flasher divination from his routine called
Flasher in his FASDIU lecture notes.
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Mentalcaan
The card at any number plot has fascinated magicians and mentalists
for years. Some people dream of the holy grail. Spoiler Alert: The following is not
the holy grail! However it is a very practical method with a thought of card at a
thought of number with a twist in the tail...
You will require two decks, one red and one blue. Set the Ten of Hearts at sixteenth
from the top of the blue deck and case the deck. On top of the red deck have any
four spot cards which total sixteen and a Ten of Hearts which is the highest value
card.
Bring out both decks and set the blue deck aside. Do one or two effects which
don’t disturb your set up in the red deck and then table the deck face-down. Ask
a spectator to cut off less than half the deck and turn them face-up and place on
top. Then have them cut more than half, flip them face-up and replace on top.
“So, Shannon, you made a couple of random cuts, arriving at equally random
cards. One card less or one card more and everything is different.” The above is
of course the venerable cut deeper force. Do not underestimate its power on the
uninitiated.
Pick up the deck and hand to hand spread through the face-up
cards, commenting on how random they are. Place this face-up section face-down
on the table and then deal your five card force bank in front of your helper. Ask
them to mix those cards as you assemble the deck.
“Shannon, would you spread those cards towards you like a hand of Poker?
Great. Now I want you to think of one. Tell you what, think of the highest card you
see. If there’s two high cards of the same value, just think of either one.” This ruse
belongs to my friend Jerry Hartman.
Ask the spectator to place their thought of card into their pocket and keep the
thought of that card in their mind. Next ask them to hand their remaining cards
to another person. “Lori, you have a few cards there. What I would like you to
do is simply add up the values to form a random number in your mind. Done it?
Excellent. Drop those cards into the deck and place the deck in its case.” They will
by default of course be thinking of sixteen.
Focus attention on the blue deck and remove the cards. “So Lori and Shannon, you
are both merely thinking of a number and a card. Not a soul in the world has this
information. Lori, I’m going to deal these cards and count out loud. Please keep a
neutral expression, but when I arrive at the number you are thinking of I want you
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to mentally scream stop!”
As per the above, deal cards and count one at a time at a steady pace. When you
get to sixteen suddenly stop and look up. This will get a reaction. Direct attention
to your other spectator and ask him to remove his thought of card from his pocket
and display the Ten of Hearts. Ask the lady to turn over the last card dealt to reveal
the thought of card at the thought of number.
Notes
You could of course use switches and all manner of things to get the force cards in
play. But in this instance, I believe less is more.
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Smartcaan
Smartphones are everywhere. Like em or hate em, they’re here to
stay. Here’s a nice way to use the texting function in the context of a card effect,
which also leaves a person with your contact.
You will need two decks, a red and a blue. In the blue deck set the Jack of Hearts
to position sixteenth from the top. Ahead of time take a photo of this card with your
phone. Bring out your phone and both decks. Get a volunteer and tell them that
you want to send them a message, but they are not to open it just yet. Get their
number and text it to them. Take the red deck from its box and have them shuffle.
Take back the deck and turn it face-up, as you mention you will remove the two
Jokers. Use this time honored ruse to secretly cull two cards that total sixteen under
the spread to the rear/top of the deck using the Hofzinser cull.
Turn the deck face-down and run the top two cards to the bottom of the deck and
then shuffle off normally. “Jerry, I’m going to shuffle again and I want you to just
go with your instincts and say stop a couple of times.” Slip shuffle, retaining the
bottom card by pressure of the left fingertips and get them to call stop. Table the
right hands cards face-down. Repeat this slip shuffle, holding back the bottom card
and once more ask them to call out stop on impulse. Table this packet next to the
other packet. Both your force numbers are on the bottom of each packet. “So from
a deck you shuffled and on decisions made by you, we have two packets. I will
look away and I want you just to remember the values of the two bottom cards and
then add them together. Then put that total into your mind.” Of course, they will
be thinking of sixteen.
Direct your helper to pick up the blue card box and remove its contents. Ask
them to deal and count out loud to their thought of number and then stop. “So
you thought of Sixteen? One number higher or one number lower and everything
changes, Jerry. Please turn over the card at your number? The Jack of Hearts.
Quite a colourful character, just like you! Now please open the message I sent you
earlier and show everyone. Impossible!!!”
Simple, interactive and efficient. This effect is all about them. My kind of card trick
;-)
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Simplex Card in Purse

I am a great believer in the use of a duplicate card, if it’s used
sensibly. Also, if you are using a duplicate in say a card to purse, as in the
following handling, the vanish of the card before its subsequent discovery must be
strong and carry conviction.
For the following effect, you will require, in addition to a deck, two small coin
purses, an old ‘lucky’ coin and a duplicate card, say the Seven of Hearts. Fold the
duplicate into eighths and face-down and place it inside one of the purses. Place
your lucky coin inside the other purse. Place the purse with the folded card inside
into your left side Jacket pocket. The purse with the coin goes into your left trousers
pocket. The deck with the Seven of Hearts on the bottom is inside your right Jacket
pocket.
Introduce the effect by saying you have a lucky coin with mystical properties.
Take out the purse from your left trousers pocket and shake it. Hand the purse to
a spectator and ask them to open it and take out the
contents, where they will find an old coin. Casually
take the purse and close it and mention that you will
also need some cards. Both hands enter the side
Jacket pockets. The left hand switches purses and the
right hand takes the deck. Come out with the deck
just a moment before the left hand comes out with
the switched in purse. Toss the purse casually on the
table.
Remove the deck and execute a slip shuffle retaining

the Seven of Hearts on the bottom. “Let’s put the
magic coin to the test and just use a group of cards.”
As you say this, riffle off about forty cards with your
left thumb and set them aside. We will now execute a
small packet card force of the bottom card, inspired
by John Bannon’s Christ cross force from his book
High Caliber. Hold the packet from above with the
palm down right hand. The left thumb starts slowly
peeling off cards, one at a time into the left hand as
you ask your helper to call stop. Once they stop you
tap the left long edge of the right hands cards twice
against the back of the left hands packet. Then place
the right hands packet side jogged on top about an
inch or so. Hold both packets in place with your left
thumb as your right hand comes away and gestures.
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Bring the right hand back to the left hand and lift the upper side jogged packet up
from above and raise the face of these cards towards your helper and ask them to
remember the card. Do not say the card you stopped at! Be casual but confident.
Assemble the two packets, securing a left pinky break beneath your force card.
Pause a few seconds as you converse and then cut all the cards above your break
to the table and then drop the remainder on top. This gets the force card to the
bottom. Continue by casually running that card to the top with a simple overhand
shuffle.
“So Heidi, you are merely thinking of a card. I’m going to divide this packet of
cards into two sections and then we will put my magic coin to the test to try to
home in on your thought.” As you say the above you will simply push out five or
six cards from the middle of the packet. As the right hand swivels them out, secure
a left pinky break beneath the selection on top. In one fluid action flip the packet
face-up on top and immediately take away all the cards above your break and
table them to your right. This is an Al Leech steal and leaves a face-up packet on
the table with the selection secretly face-down on the bottom. Table the remaining
cards face-down to your left.
Pick up your magic coin and pass it back and forth over both packets, eventually
stopping over the face-up packet. “I’m getting a sense from the coin that your card
isn’t in this packet. Let’s confirm that Heidi.” Pick up the packet and hold in left
hand dealers grip. “I will show you the cards one at a time. Please observe and tell
me if you see your card?” As we say this, we will use the lovely undercount hideout
move of Martin Gardner to apparently show the faces of all the cards, yet conceal
their selection. Simply push off the face card of the packet into the right hand, flip
it face-down and place it under the packet. Repeat this with the remaining face-up
cards and get a confirmation that their card isn’t there. Set those cards aside.
Ask the spectator to pick up the remaining cards and mix them. From now on in
it’s all smoke leading up to the final translocation of their card. Have them deal
those cards into a face-down tabled row. Then proceed to eliminate and show
the faces of the cards after passing the coin over them, until just one face-down
card remains. “So it looks like the coin truly does have mystical powers. Please
turn over the card on the table and it will be your card.” They do and it isn’t! Act
confused and concerned and look over to the purse, then look up at your audience
and smile mischievously. Have the purse opened to reveal a face-down folded
card inside. Have it unfolded to reveal their selection has made a most mysterious
journey. Put the cards away and have a beer ;-)
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Signed Bill to Purse

The Signed Banknote/Bill to impossible location is a classic. Most
people use a fruit or a box for the discovery, which of course is very effective and
strong. Here’s my simple, but very practical, handling using a small coin purse.
Not at all difficult and strong!
You will require a small coin purse. I use a Goshman style one, but any small purse
will do. Take a £10/10 of your denomination note and fold into sixteenths. Apply
a piece of blue tac/fun tac to it and stick the note to the inside wall of the purse.
Drop a small handful of pocket change into the purse and you are set.
Put the purse in your left side pocket and have a deck of cards and a lighter in your
right side pocket. Drop a Sharpie into your outer breast pocket and it’s showtime.
Bring out the purse and shake it. Mention that inside is your rare and valuable coin
collection. Borrow a £10 note and have it signed. Fold it slowly and deliberately
into sixteenths and hold at the base of the fingertips of the palm up right hand.
Now we will apply Juan Tamariz brilliant double crossing the gaze switch concept,
but as a complete vanish of the note. “We need a lighter.” The left hand pats the
left side pocket as you look down to this area. Cross your gaze as you look over
to your right side pocket, at the same time executing a simple false transfer of the
signed note into the left hand. The right hand enters the pocket, drops the note and
comes out with the lighter.
“Now for something I’ve always wanted to do!” This will get a laugh. Ignite the
lighter over the left fist and a few moments later open this hand to reveal a complete
vanish of their note. Table the lighter and gesture with empty hands. “Has anyone
got a fifty I can use?! You look concerned sir. I have a good solution to ease your
concerns. A card trick!” As you say the above the right hand enters the Jacket
pocket and finger palms the folded note and then picks up and comes out with the
deck of cards. Have some fun with this and table the deck.
“I’m truly sorry about your money but in return I can offer you my rare and valuable
coin collection in that purse?” Get a response and then pick up the purse in the
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left hand and shake it. Open the purse and look inside and then look up and
act surprised. Expose the inside of the purse to the audience, revealing a folded
note inside. Tip out the coins from the purse into your right hand allowing them to
coalesce with their note. Extend the palm up right hand towards your helper and
have them unfold it to reveal their signed note. Quietly pop the coins back inside
the purse and put it away. Then do a card trick :-)
Notes
Bruno Hennig gets the credit for the dummy card/bill inside a prop concept. Fred
Kaps used the idea in a signed card to box back in the day. I believe Jamy Swiss
gets the credit for the great idea of the loose objects coalescing with the finger
palmed card or bill. He used it for a piece called ‘Kiss of the Big Apple’.
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Mirror Match
I’ve always loved the classic ESP matching effect. There have been
some notable versions over the years. Some using marked cards and others with
an extra card. My approach uses just ten unmarked cards and is self working.
Set up ten ESP cards in the classical circle, cross, wavy lines, square and star order
from the top down. Give this packet a few straight cuts and pop the cards into
your wallet. When you are ready to work, remove the packet as you introduce
the theme of ESP, telepathy and all things mysterious. Casually flash the cards and
table the packet face-down.
Ask a spectator to give the cards a straight cut and complete the cut. Offer them the
opportunity to cut and complete again. “You mixed those well, Peter, but there’s an
even more random way. Here, let me show you.” Pick up the packet and hold in
left hand dealing grip. We will now apply Paul Curry’s brilliant deal/mix swindle
to create the illusion of a genuine mix of the cards. Deal the top card face-down
to the table. Then mix or swap the next two cards and drop them onto the tabled
card. Repeat this, mixing a pair or two and dealing some single cards until the
packet is exhausted. Hand the packet to your helper and walk and talk them
through the deal or mix process, giving them total control of their choices and
subsequent actions. The illusion is beautiful, but nothing has essentially changed
to the cards.
Ask the spectator to deal five face-down cards to themselves and then just hand
the remainder to you. Spread your cards into a face-down fan and request they do
too. “Peter, life is all about decisions. Indeed one decision can often affect another
decision. Take out any one of your five cards and place it sight unseen in your left
jacket pocket. I will take a random card too.” In fact, you will now do something
nice and sneaky. If they take the top card of their packet and pocket it, you take
your bottom card of your fan and pocket that. If however they removed the card
second from top, you would take out the card second from bottom etc etc. It’s akin
to mirroring their action, hence the title.
So repeat the above three more times, the second card going into theirs and
your left trousers pocket, the third and fourth cards going into the right Jacket and
trousers pockets respectively. Just watch which card they remove and remove a
card from the opposite position in your fan each time. Both of you then drop each
remaining single card face-down onto the table.
“So from a packet of cards mixed by you, we both made five random decisions.
Turn over your card on the table Peter and I will turn mine. A perfect match! But
maybe we both just got lucky? Let’s each take the card from our left Jacket pocket.
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Another match!” Build up the pacing and delivery after the second match as you
and your spectator remove each of the three remaining cards to conclude with a
perfect five way match!
Notes
I put this together because I never felt comfortable using marked ESP cards. My
eyesight isn’t the greatest! Business cards are another nice option for this. Simply
draw in the symbols.
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Homage to Roth
David Roth’s ‘Wild Coin’ is a beautiful piece of table top close-up
magic. Check out his version on the New York Coin Magic Symposium DVD. The
following is my variant handling, which suits my style and is offered as a homage
to the maestro.
You will require three silver coins and a Chinese coin of the same size. In addition
a coffee cup is utilized. Have the Chinese coin in right hand finger palm. The
coffee cup (empty!) is on the table. The left hand goes to the left pocket and
removes the three silver coins, which are laid out in a horizontal row.
The right hand picks up a silver coin and transfers it to left hand French drop or
spellbound position. We will now execute a classical spellbound change of the
silver to Chinese. The right hand comes over the left hand and thumb palms the
silver coin and secretly deposits the finger palmed Chinese coin between the left
thumb and fingertips. Make a brushing motion with the right hand and move it
away to reveal the first change from silver to Chinese. Pause a beat and then take
the Chinese coin with the right thumb behind and the fingers in front. Move the
right hand over the coffee cup and make a gentle tossing action, secretly allowing
the thumb palmed silver coin to fall into the cup with a nice clink. Move the hand
away, the Chinese coin now being in right hand finger palm.
The right hand then picks up another silver coin from the table and supposedly
tosses it into the left hand. In fact, a simple Bobo switch is executed, retaining the
silver coin in the right hand and secretly switching in the Chinese coin. Bring your
left fist up to your mouth and gently blow or whistle to make the moment. Lower
the left hand and open it to reveal a second change to Chinese. A few moments
later execute a Roth half-shuttle pass. This is very simple. The left hand turns palm
down at the wrist, retaining the Chinese coin as the right hand meets it and turns
partially palm up. Bring the right hand over the coffee cup and toss the switched
in silver coin inside.
Pick up the remaining silver coin and place it in left hand spellbound position.
Mention that all you have to do is snap your fingers over that coin and it too will
change. Snap your right fingers over the left hand. Nothing happens... We will
now execute a spellbound change my great friend Gary Jones showed me. He
wasn’t sure of its origin. The right hand comes over the left hand and thumb palms
the silver coin. The left hand simultaneously closes into a fist and the right hand
makes a waving motion over the left fist. Open the left hand to reveal the change
from silver to Chinese. (illstratied) Then a moment later bring both hands together
and execute another half shuttle pass into the right hand. This hand moves over the
coffee cup and drops the thumb palmed coin inside.
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“So on three separate occasions you have seen me change three silver coins just
like an alchemist. But what if we could turn back time?” The right hand picks up
the coffee cup and shakes it. Then it pours out the contents in a sideways motion
revealing the triple change back to silver. The left hand picks the silver coins up
and drops them all into the cup, at the same time allowing the Chinese coin to
fall in too. Extend your hands in a palms up gesture and your work is completed.
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Opening Salvo-Coins to purse

I really am standing on the shoulders of giants here with my
approach and handling to the classic coins to purse. My inspirations were Milton
Kort who published a two purse version in Bobo’s New Modern Coin Magic and
Mike Gallo whose single purse handling is on the New York Coin Magic Seminar
DVDs. I wanted a simple and strong version, stripped down to the basics and ideal
as an opening piece and within my skill set. The classic ‘Gadabout Coins’ forms
the basis of the effect.
You will require a small coin purse, six silver coins and a Chinese style coin. Place
three of the silver coins inside the purse and close it. Finger palm the remaining
four coins in the right hand. Bring out the purse at the left fingertips and shake it.
Bring both hands together and open it, transferring the purse to the right hand,
thumb on top and fingers underneath. Give a brief flash of the contents and then
apparently tip the contents out onto the table. In fact, you retain the coins inside
the purse with pressure of the thumb and fingers and allow the four coins in finger
palm to fall out onto the table. Close the purse and set it to one side.
“Three silver coins and a lucky Chinese coin. Actually, I only need two silver coins,
so let’s put one away in the pocket.” Suiting actions to words, the right hand picks
up two of the silver coins and tosses them into the left hand which closes into a fist.
Take the remaining silver coin with the right hand and go to the right pocket with
it. When inside you secretly thumb palm it and come back out. Tap the right fingers
against the pocket twice in a gesture. This is a lovely idea of Charlie Justice. Shake
the left fist and then partially open it. Look inside the hand and act surprised. As
you do this allow the coin in right thumb palm to drop to fingertip rest. Bring the
right hand over the left hand and enter it and then bring the coin from fingertip rest
out and drop it onto the table. Then fully open the left hand, exposing two more
silver coins and take them out one at a time and drop them onto the table. A little
bit of acting and a casual attitude makes this first sequence deceptive.
“Like I said, I only need two silver coins and my lucky Chinese coin.” As in the
first phase drop two silver coins into the left hand and close it into a fist. Take the
remaining silver coin in the right hand and enter the right pocket with it. When
inside you finger palm it and come back out. Focus attention on your left hand
and shake it. Open this hand just slightly and peer inside. Look up at the audience
and once again register surprise. Toss the left hands coins into the right hand and
then toss all three coins back to the left hand, showing you mysteriously have three
coins once more. Table them and pick up the Chinese coin for a moment stating
once again that you only need that and two of the silver coins. Table the Chinese
coin.
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Pick up two silver coins at the right fingertips and bring this hand over the palm up
left hand. Apparently toss both coins into the left hand, but in fact execute a simple
clink pass, allowing the two coins to drop into right hand finger palm as you make
a gentle downwards tossing action into the left hand which then closes into a fist.
The right hand picks up the remaining silver coin and puts it away into the pocket,
at the same time secretly ditching the other coins. Bring the right hand back out
showing it empty and pick up the Chinese coin at its fingertips.
“Strange things seem to be happening today, so I may just give up and turn
back time. Back to when there was no Chinese coin here…” now thumb palm the
Chinese coin as you make a fist around it, blow on your hand and make a tossing
action towards the table, apparently vanishing the coin, “...no silver coins there…”
open your left hand to reveal the silver coins have also vanished, “And go right
back two minutes in time to where we started…” Pick up, shake and then open the
tabled purse with your left hand, then turn the left hand palm down, allowing the
three silver coins to fall out into your right hand, coalescing with the Chinese coin,
before you tip all four onto the table. “With a little purse and four coins!”
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Time Traveller
“Jack, I’d like you think of a number, any number between nine
and eleven? Ten? Perfect! Let’s count ten cards onto the table and set the rest
aside. Actually, ten might be too many. Let’s put one back. Thinking about it, nine
is too many too. I will put another card back. But they do say seven is a very lucky
number so we will get rid of just one more card. But what if we could turn back
time? Back to when we had eight cards? Then back to when we had nine. There’s
nine! Please take the cards and I will attempt to send us way back to where we
started. Please deal and count out loud. Ten cards it is and that my friends is time
travel!”
So this is a fun approach to the classic cards across plot. It’s short and snappy and
the presentation plays strong. Secure a left pinky break above the bottom three
cards of the deck and then playfully ask for a number between nine and eleven.
Have some fun with this and then deal and count ten cards into a face-up packet
on the table. Transfer the break to the right thumb as you take the deck from above
in the right hand. The left hand picks up the tabled packet at the left long side,
thumb on top and fingers underneath. Use the left long edge of the deck to flip this
packet face-down, secretly adding the three cards below your break on top. This
is Jack Merlin’s tip over addition. Table the deck face-down.
Casually spread the cards for just a beat and then square up. Make this spread
sloppy and casual. As per the presentation, put a card back on the deck, saying
ten is maybe too many. Repeat this twice more, mentioning that seven is considered
lucky so that is what you will use. Cut the deck and complete the cut. Talk about
how cool it would be if we could turn back time? Make a grabbing action over the
deck and toss an imaginary card towards your left hand. We will now execute a
Vernon push off false count.
Take off and count the cards one at a time into the right hand, reversing their order.
When you get to seven execute a block push off of everything above the bottom
card and toss the remaining card on top.
This shows the packet as eight cards. Allow this moment to register and then repeat
the grabbing and throwing action as before and execute the push off false count
as above, this time though executing the block push off on eight and tossing the
last card on top, showing there are now nine cards.
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Hand the packet to a spectator and make one last tossing action from the deck and
have them deal and count the cards out loud to show that you have successfully
travelled back in time and everyone is ten seconds younger!
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The Deal Ruse Card Force

Card forces are fun. I actually love working on them and collecting
them as certain types, fit certain routines better than others. The deal ruse force is
self working and rather cheeky. Suffice to say, it’s deceptive.
Position your force card, say the Seven of Diamonds twelfth from the top of
the deck. Execute any convincing false shuffle and then hand the deck to your
spectator. “I’d like you to give the cards a true triple cut.” After you say this have
the spectator cut about a third of the deck and then table it to your left. Then have
them cut about half the remaining cards and table them next to and to the right of
the first packet. Finally have them place the remaining cards to the far right of the
row. Pause a beat and then have them gather up the cards from left to right and
square up. This of course is the classic Jay Ose false cut with Jim Swains brilliant
idea to let the spectator do the cuts.
Pick up the deck and hold in dealing grip. “Dani, numbers play an important role
in our lives. Please call out any number, but to keep it brief, between five and ten?”
Let’s say Dani says six. “Now if I was to deal and count like this to your number,
maybe you think I might do something sneaky. Here, take the deck and count to
six and remember the card at your chosen number. Lock it into your mind and then
gather up all the cards and shuffle them.”
So in this scenario, as six is chosen, you do the ruse demonstration deal, dealing
off six cards face-down and then dropping the deck on top. If they chose seven,
you would deal five cards, eight would be four and nine of course would be three
cards, ultimately positioning the force card at their number in readiness for their
deal. Now go read their minds:-)
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Indeed we CAAN!
The Card At Any Number plot has become very popular in recent
years both in the Mentalism and Magic communities. Some are seeking a Berglas
like holy grail, others take the route of throwing smoke like the following effect
around the plot.
I’ve been exploring Ray Goulet’s devious deal and shuffle ruse, which I just love
- his idea makes the old double deal force so deceptive. Here it’s applied to a
thought of card at a number, combining Jerry Hartman’s high card mental force
and a wee bit of smoke.
In a red deck position, say, the Nine of Hearts twenty eighth from the top. On top
of a blue deck, have a forcing bank of five mixed cards, the highest one being
the Nine of Hearts and the combined total of the five cards making twenty eight.
Bring out the decks and set the red deck aside. Remove the blue deck and do a
couple of pieces which don’t disturb your slug on top. Hand the deck to a helper
and have them do the Jay Ose false table cut on themselves. Ask your helper to
deal a few cards face-down into a tabled packet, then request they shuffle the
remaining cards and then deal a few more cards on top of the tabled packet. Get
them to shuffle once more then deal a few more and finally discard the deck. Your
5 card slug is now at the bottom of the packet.
“Simon, from the deck you just shuffled, I want you to deal 5 hands, just like
you would in a house game of poker. I will turn away and I want you to turn the
top card of each hand face-up. Next I want you to think of one, hey make it the
highest one and lock that image in your mind. If there’s two high cards the same,
either one. Next would you add the values of the cards together to form a random
number, determined entirely by your shuffle in your mind too? Turn the cards over
and gather up the whole deck and I will turn back round. So it’s just like I walked
into the room and you are thinking of a card.” (Paul Cummins great line)
Draw attention to the red deck and have them remove it. Ask for the number
they are thinking of and deal down to it face-down. Then ask for the name of the
thought of card and have the twenty eighth card turned over to reveal their thought
of card.
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Raj’s Pyramid Prediction

by Raj Madhok
On a private forum, Jack Carpenter had the brilliant idea of placing

cards in a triangle (“pyramid”) formation to build and create a predicted card.
This version is my take on that concept. It allows you to begin with a borrowed,
shuffled deck. Allowing the audience to choose where to begin the building of a
card is Carpenter’s wonderful subtlety.
Your participant shuffles and returns the deck to you. You spread the cards and
spot any two same-suit cards followed by a contrasting color card and cut these
three to the top. For example, the Three of Spades, Jack of Spades and the Ten
of Hearts. Next secretly cull your prediction card to below these three. This card
will be the same suit as the top two cards and the value of the third card. In the
above case it would be the Ten of Spades. Another example: after cutting the Six
of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds and Five of Clubs to the top, you would cull the
Five of Diamonds to below the top three cards.
Holding the deck face-up, cut to three “random” face-down cards using John
Bannon’s Bullet Catcher move, (See a description in the NOTES section below.)
Repeat it two more times ending with three face-down out-jogged cards spread
within the face-up deck. After the third face-down card is selected place the
remaining cards onto the deck keeping a left pinky break above the final out-
jogged card.
Position Check: you have three out-jogged face-down “pyramid cards” and are
holding a break below the force (prediction) card.
Retain your break but strip out the three face-down cards and deal them onto the
table creating the three corners of a triangle. Note and remember where the first
“value” card lands. Immediately go into an overhand shuffle by cutting to the
break then start the shuffle with a single card thus bringing the force card from the
break to the bottom of the deck.
Hand the face-down deck to your participant and walk her through what I term
the Cross Packet-Deal force (an outgrowth of Ben Earl’s Cross Deal force which
I originally saw posted on his website.) Ask them to drop small packets of cards
into a single pile in the center of the pyramid until they choose to stop. They place
the remaining cards perpendicular to the lower half, not directly on the deck, but
leaning on it. (This is my ‘Lean on Me’ variation of the Cross-Cut Force.) The force
card is at the bottom of this side-jogged packet, awaiting time misdirection and
your revelation. You might suggest three cuts to represent the three corners of the
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pyramid.
You now ‘build’ a card asking them which corner of the pyramid they wish to
start with. If they begin with the value-card, you can let them choose which card
to reveal next for color and the remaining card reveals the suit. If they choose to
begin with either of the like-colored cards, you steer the direction to the next like-
colored card for the suit and then the value-card is turned up last.
Finish with the revelation of the card THEY cut to in the middle of the pyramid. It is
the same as the card they created. The power of the pyramid prevails!
Notes
The following description leans heavily on John Bannon’s write up in his book High
Caliber on page 131. It is printed here with his permission.
Bullet Catcher is Bannon’s move that can be used as a production or force of

cards. The procedure appears as if the performer is reversing and out-jogging
certain cards at certain positions in the deck. The produced cards, however are
actually taken off the top of the deck.
Your force cards are on top of the deck. Turn the deck face-up and hold it in your
right hand from above, fingers in front, thumb in back in Biddle/End Grip. You
will next do a running swing cut of three packets. Each packet should have ten to
twelve cards.
With your right forefinger, lift up a small packet of cards and swing cut the packet
into your left hand. In a continuing action, and starting a rhythm, turn your right
hand palm upward. With your left thumb, pull of the now topmost face-down
card of the right-hand packet onto the face-up left-hand packet. Pull off the face-
down card so it is out-jogged about one half its length. Repeat these actions for
the second card. Turn your right hand palm downward. Swing cut another small
packet onto the left hand cards; turn your right hand packet palm-up and, with
your left thumb, pull another face-down card onto the left-hand packet.
Repeat this sequence on more time. You will be left with a small packet of remaining
cards in our right hand. Place it face-up onto the left-hand packet and hold a
break. Continue from the Position Check noted above.
76
Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

by Tom Dobrowolski
This is my handling of the classic lie detector plot based on a David

Solomon handling my friend “Silent” Bill Wheeler showed me. I’ve added more
freedom in the handling and a more robust presentation which you would see in
my in the lecture or performance. It’s become one of my favorite impromptu effects.
At the end of this write up is an nice addition developed by Eugene Burger and
Max Maven after Eugene attended one of my recent lectures.
Effect
A spectator chooses a card and mixes it with a number of other cards so its
location is unknown. By answering several questions truthfully or by lying they end
up finding their selection.
Performance
Deal three piles of two cards each to the table. Do not draw any attention to the
number of cards. Simply acknowledge that for this trick you will be using a small
amount of cards and not the entire deck.
Allow the spectator to select and remove any card from the rest of the deck.
“Here is how this little mystery is going to work. I’m going to ask you 5 questions.
For the first four you may tell the truth or lie to me. The last one you must tell the
truth.”
Instruct the spectators to place their card on top of any pile. Then further instruct
them to reassemble the piles in any order that they choose, while you pay careful
attention to where the selection ends up.
The selection needs to be 3rd from the top, so at this point you have three different
possible scenarios.
Scenario 1
The spectator has assembled the piles in the necessary order right off the bat. You
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don’t need to do anything extra. I have found that this is the most common way a
spectator will assemble the piles.
Scenario 2
The piles have been arranged so that the selection is 3rd from the bottom. In this
case you will illustrate what you are about to have the spectator do.
“I’m going to ask you some questions, and you’re going to spell your answer by
dealing cards to the table.”
Deal the cards one at a time to the table to illustrate this, spelling an example
word at some point during the process (it need not be a full seven letters for the
full seven cards).
Ex. Deal, deal, deal (as you deliver the above line), deal (“T), deal (“O”), deal
(“M”), deal.
This reverses the stack so that the selection is now in place.
Scenario 3
The piles have been arranged so that their card is on top.
This scenario is quite rare. Originally I simply by-passed this option by immediately
instructing the spectator to place one of the remaining piles on top of their selection,
thus ruling it out completely. The spectator is only given the choice of what to do
with the last two card pile (on top or below).
My friend Jeremiah Zuo suggested simply instructing the spectator to “assemble the
piles freely.” The odds of this one are low (people like the idea of their card buried,
not on top), and you are able to give the impression of total indifference to the end
result. In the rare instance that the piles do end up this way simply do the following.
Again you will be illustrating the coming process. But this time simply spell a three
letter word and stop.
Ex. Deal (“T”), deal (“O”), deal (“M”).
Pick up the three cards dealt to the table and add them back on top of the deck.
At this point the selection is third from the top. Hand the packet to the spectator
and begin with the questions.
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“Is your card red or black? Remember you can lie or tell the truth, it is completely
up to you.”
Regardless of the color they choose, walk them through the dealing process again.
Dealing cards into a pile on the table, one at a time, one for each letter. Instruct the
spectator to drop the remaining cards on top of the tabled cards.
Have the spectator pick up the packet in preparation for the next question. Repeat
the procedure exactly, having the spectator deal their answer and then drop the
remaining cards on top.
“What is the suit of your card?”
For each suit include the “s” in the spelling with the exception of “diamond.”
“What is the name of your card?”
Repeat as before.
“At this point you we have a few different possibilities. I have been asking you
questions. You have been giving me answers. Now it is possible that everything
you told me is true. But it is also possible that you lied the entire time. And it is even
possible that gave a mixture of both. So which is it? Remember again that you can
still lie to me now if you wish.”
The above is meant to control the spectator’s phraseology at this point. They will
rarely give a one-word answer to this question. It will usually be something along
the lines of,
“I was lying the whole time.”
Regardless of how they phrase their answer, you will set the specific word to be
spelled with your own confirmation. It will always be four letters – “true”, “lied”,
or, “both.”
“So you lied. Typical. Okay spell ‘lied’” or “Ah so your words were true” or “A
mixture of both, I’m not surprised.”
The spectator’s selection will now be on top. All that is left is to perform the reveal.
“We have arrived at our last question. Only for this question do you have to tell
the truth. What was your card?”
After they answer allow them to turn over the top card and enjoy the adulation.
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Notes and Credits

Steinmeyer “Remote Control” New Invocation Feb 1988
Steinmeyer “Nine Card Problem” Magic Mag. May 1993
Solomon “Steinmeyer’s 9 card problem w. 7 cards” Solomon’s Mind 1997
After seeing the premier of this lecture, Eugene Burger was kind enough to email
me the following.
Hi Tom
I really enjoyed your lecture last night. After I got home, I was talking with Max
Maven about your idea of letting the audience member gather the three piles as
they wish without any instructions from the performer about the order in which they
should be
picked up.
We came up with the following:
1. Scenario 1: Card is already in 3rd position
2. Scenario 2: Card is 5th from top; 3rd from bottom: Spell “black” and drop cards.
3. Scenario 3: Card is on top. Spell “red” and gather cards and spell “king.”
The advantage is that we are doing exactly what we want the audience member
to do. Feel free to pass this on if you wish. Again, thanks for a thought-provoking
lecture.
All the best, Eugene
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Uprising
by John Bannon
Precis
The performer places the Ace through Four of Spades in a face-
down row. He drops a small packet of red spot cards onto the Ace. The Ace rises
to the top of the packet. Lest sleight-of-hand be suspected, the performer sets the
Ace aside and places the packet on the Two which, in turn, rises to the top.
The feat is repeated, in slow motion, with the Three: Slowly, the performer shows
that the Three is no longer on the bottom and, in fact, has risen to the top.
When he places the packet with the Four, nothing happens – the Four remains
on the bottom. Suddenly, the packet is show to consist of the Ace through Four of
Spades! The Spades have changed places with red spot cards!
Nos Encanta
I was not a big fan of the small-packet-elevator genre. While there was room for
some surprising climaxes, there never seemed to be enough “trick” there. My new
friend from Poland, Michel Kociolek, posted his “Michelevator” routine on Lance
Pierce’s Magic Pebble and got my attention. This is my handling of Michel’s plot.
The plot allows my kind of tactics: The elevator sequence is essentially part of the
misdirection. By providing a minor magic effect, the sequence focusses attention
in one direction, while you secretly get ahead for the climax. The elevator helps
establish which cards are supposedly where just in time to turn the tables. You
know, the elevator grabs them by the nose, and the transposition kicks them in
the ….
Mise En Scene
Set Up And Deal Down
Remove the following seven cards and arrange them in this order from the face of
the packet:
Ace of Spades
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Two of Spades
Three of Spades
Four of Spades
Nine of Hearts
Eight of Hearts
Nine of Diamonds
Display the cards by spreading the cards face-up. Break the spread, taking the
Spades in your right hand and the red spot cards in your left hand. Use the right-
hand Spades to flip the red spot cards face-down into your left hand. Then, flip the
Spades face-down onto the left-hand cards.
You will now apparently deal the Spades in a right to left row on the table. With
your right hand, take the top card, casually show that it is the Four of Spades, and
deal it on the table. Let’s refer to the following diagram:
ABCD
The Four is placed at position D. Apparently, deal the next card, the Three, to
position C, but deal a bottom instead. Deal the next card to B, and the next to A.
You can call these cards as you deal the row, “Four, Three, Two, and the Ace.”
Apparently, the Spades are in a left-to-right row from Ace to Four. Actually, the
situation is:
2S 3S 9H 4S
The Ace is on top of the supposed red spot cards and you are efficiently one-
ahead.
As an additional sell, turn both hands palm down and “straighten” the row of
cards, contriving to show the red spot card at the face of the remaining packet.
Now, turn your hands palm up and deal the left-hand cards onto the supposed Ace
at position A. After you deal the first card, take the top card with your right hand
and flash its face. As you place this card onto position A, with your left hand, flash
the face if the last card and drop it on top of all.
There is a rhythm here—sort of like a delayed Olram count. The bottom card is
shown during the “straightening,” and the second and third cards are shown
Olram-style.
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Ace Rising
Pick up the packet at A. I pretend to do some kind of move here. You will be doing
the “elevator” effect three times in a row so it’s a good idea to at least pretend to
mix it up a bit. So, I fake a side-steal and replacement.
Now do a Block Turnover of all but the bottom card of the packet—the Ace will
show, apparently having risen to the top. If your pretend move was convincing at
all, your audience should not be terribly surprised.
Do another Block Turnover to turn the card face-down and deal the top card back
at A, but in-jogged toward you about half its length.
Two Rising
Drop the packet onto the supposed Two at position B. This time be slow and open
and do not feint a move or any surreptitious action.
Do another Block Turnover to show that the Two has come to the top. Another Block
Turnover and deal the top card back onto the table, but down-jogged, aligned with
the first card. Now you should have their attention.
Three For The Show

Let’s do the Three in slow motion. Drop the packet on the supposed Three. Once
again being very open, pick up the packet, turn it face-up and show that the Three
is no longer on the bottom.
Turning the packet face-down again, do a Block Turnover to show the Three has
come to the top. Do a final Block Turnover to apparently turn the Three face-down.
Then, instead of dealing the top card, deal another bottom.
Gang Of Four
Drop the packet on the Four. As if to make the same display you made with the
Three, slowly turn the packet face-up. Unlike the Three, however, the Four is still
there; it hasn’t gone anywhere. After a short pause, as Michel says, “End with the
transpo like a boss.”
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Impromptu Hat Trick

by Mark Ennis
Effect
From a shuffled deck, magician removes three predictions and
attempts to cut to the mates of these three predictions. Magician is successful
on first two cuts but on the third cut, the magician misses. However thanks to the
powers of magic, the magician is able to transform the missed card into the third
and final mate bringing this effect to a wonderful conclusion.
Notes
This effect is a combination of several ideas from JK Hartman, Gene Maze and
Darwin Ortiz. This was created more or less on the fly about fifteen years ago at
work and I have been using this ever since as an opening effect or an effect to
perform when someone hands me a deck of cards. The only requirement is that
you should use a full fifty two card deck to ensure that each card will have a mate
and there are no duplicates.
Method
Have your spectator shuffle the deck.
Magician takes the deck and either table spreads or spreads the cards in his hand
and memorizes top three cards of deck. If I have a performing surface, I spread the
deck face-up quickly to show they are mixed and quickly memorize the top three
cards.
Magician spreads through to remove the mates of the top three cards of the deck
and openly places these predictions face-up on the performing surface or hand the
cards to three different spectators to hold (I place them in the sequence of
the upcoming revelations from my view left to right).
You will cut to the first two mates using JK Hartman’s “Uppercut” move. Simply, you
catch a pinky break beneath the top card, undercut about a third of the deck and
flip it face-up on the deck then slide the cut packet forward, loading the top card
of the deck above your pinky break beneath this group of cards (similar mechanics
as the Braue Reversal). At first it appears that you missed the mate since you will be
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flashing the card that is on the bottom of the deck. Turn over the entire cut packet
revealing the face-up mate to the first card. Set the right hand packet on top of the
left hand packet and hold a pinky break between the two (the break is above the
next card you will reveal. After placing the packets together, deal the mate to the
table on top of the first face-up mate with your now free right hand. (Patter is “The
mate is not on this side, but it is on this side over here”)
To avoid flashing the same bottom card when you “cut” to the next mate, cut the
top half of the upper packet with your right hand and hold the packet in your right
hand, cut to the break and set this packet on top of the packet in your right hand,
and drop the remaining cards on top of the right hand cards – the two mates are
back to the top and ready for revelation two.
You will repeat steps 4 and 5 above for card number two.
Card number three will be slightly different. You will catch a break beneath the top
two cards instead. When you perform the final cut, you will show an indifferent
card when turning over the packet which should lead the audience to believe you
actually missed this time (really you are showing a double with the mate behind
the face-up card showing). When you turn this double face-down and deal a single
face-down card over to rub on the tabled mate, you will show that it changed to
the mate (typical double lift revelation).
Please note that on occasion, the top three cards may consist of two mates. If
the two mates are on top and second from the top, I memorize cards three, four
and five, etc. You may have to displace a couple of cards if you run into that
situation. Also, as I mentioned, make sure you have all fifty two cards. I once made
the mistake of borrowing a magician’s deck and for reasons unknown he had
duplicate cards in the deck so it threw me off for a moment.
85
Lifted, Again
by Shannon Clark
You need a fifty three card pack which contains a bottom cutting
breather.
Place the four Queens on the bottom of the deck in any order. The breather card
should reside in the twenty seventh position. Make a mental note of the Queen
which is on the bottom of the deck (We’ll assume the QH.)
Phase one
Force the QH in any manner you wish, as long as the end result doesn’t ultimately
mix the cards. During the selection and control bring up how gamblers, for
decades, have privately challenged each other with various bets and challenges
at the card table. Introduce the concept of “estimation” to them: I tell them we’ll
give them a shot at cutting off about a third of the cards. If they cut a little light, or
a little heavy (within reason) it is of no consequence, but if they are way off I have
them place the packet back and retry. This isn’t suspect due to the fact that you’re
trying to allow them to practice a bit. Let’s imagine they cut off 15 cards for the
sake of explanation.
As soon as they cut their packet ask them to slowly and audibly count the number
of cards to the table while everyone else follows along with them. While this is
going on pick up the remainder of the deck, cut at your breather and Straddle
faro the smaller packet into the larger -- do not finish the shuffle. In typical Straddle
fashion you will strip out the woven cards which are bound together, allowing the
cards which were above and below the weave to fall into the waiting left hand.
The RH cards are now placed on top of the LH cards and the shuffle is completed.
This takes just a few seconds and will be completed prior to the counting of the
cards by the spectator. Place the packet to the table.
Reaffirm their number as you talk about estimating the cut. Build tension as you
apparently attempt to match their number by skill. In reality, all you need do is
cut to your breather. Place the cards you cut off (containing the breather), to the
right for a moment. The cards you have left in front of you will automatically total
15 cards. Due to this wonderful principle, the number of cards left beneath the
breather will always match the number of cards the spectator cut originally.
Pick up the packet and pretend to weigh the cards in your hand. “Yes! Dead on…
oh…you don’t believe me? I understand… will you please count them to the table
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so everyone can see? “ Again they will count the card slowly and audibly to
indeed show 15 cards.
Two things will happen while the spectator is counting your packet:
1 – She will unknowingly reverse the order of the cards and bring the Queens to
the top, the selection being the uppermost.
2 – You will do a quick and very easy mental calculation which will be applied to
the next phase. (we’ll return to this in a second)
I should say, after the effect has had time to sink in, you will reassemble the deck in
a specific way. Pick up your packet of fifteen and place it on top of their packet of
fifteen. Pick up the packet containing the breather and place it on top of all. At this
point in the routine you have their selection under control, beneath the breather,
followed by the other three Queens. The selection is in the twenty fourth position
from the top and we’ll now exploit that fact. But first let’s cover the quick mental
math alluded in step 2:
To calculate the exact position of their card is very easy. Simply add both your
packet and their packet together. This is rendered extremely easy because the
quantity of both packets will always match. In this case both packets contain 15
cards. 15 + 15 = 30 Subtract this number from 52, equaling 22. Now you will
add 2 to this total = 24. The selection is twenty fourth from the top of the deck.
Keep in mind you will always add 2 to total you come up with when subtracting
from 52. This is simple math made even simpler by the fact that you can do the
calculation while they are counting your packet.
Phase Two
Now you’ll combine Pit Hartling’s Finger Flicker combined with a bluff to bring
about an impressive display of skill. Tell the person you’ve heard stories of an old
card cheat who was so talented he was said to have been able to cut any number
of cards with just one finger, but no one knew if it was legend or had some grain
of truth to it.
Perform any blind shuffle and cut sequence you’d like while talking about this. Ask
the spectator to tell you only the value of the card they selected earlier (not the suit).
They will of course answer it was a Queen. Fan the deck with the cards facing
you. Pretend to study the cards for about ten seconds or so and triumphantly close
and square the deck, and place it on the table. “Ok, I think I have them. There are
Queens at twelve, twenty four, thirty third and fortieth positions!” Obviously you
are naming arbitrary numbers with the exception of the position you calculated
earlier (24).
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Now, as they name the Queen they selected (QH), put your best studied look on
your face as you pretend to try and recall which position the QH occupies. After
some thought you announce that the QH sits at the twenty fourth position. Now
build up the fact that you will try and cut to twenty four using only one finger. They
can’t imagine how you would do this so it’s a pretty fun moment to build to, and
it’s a very easy manner to flick at the breather because you know precisely where
it sits in the pack. Scoop up the ‘flicked’ packet, turn it face-down and have them
count it to the table, where they will find twenty three cards. Have them flip the
twenty fourth card over on top the deck to find their QH. As they are reacting you
reassemble the deck making sure the balance of the Queens go on top of the deck.
Quick Phase Three

This is more of a quick bonus than a true phase, but I’ve found it truly impressive
for the laity. Reiterate what has transpired in the routine and mention that this deck
was shuffled but since we cheated we still know what positions the Queens rest
in. Tell them knowing where each card is, and having the ability to cut at specific
numbers, has some positively advantageous applications. As a quick ending
rename the three arbitrary numbers you told them the Queens were in earlier.
While you call out these numbers you will simultaneously execute John Bannon’s
Bullet catcher display from Smoke and Mirrors.
Credit
The Penelope Principle appeared in the Collected Works of Alex Elmsley Vol II.
John Bannon’s Bullet Catcher Display appeared in Smoke and Mirrors
Pit Hartling’s Finger Flicker appeared in Card Fictions.
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Every Which Way PLUS

by J. K. Hartman
The original version of this small-packet Triumph appeared in the

manuscript Super Dupes (1974), p. 27. An improved handling was published in
Loose Ends (1978), p. 75 and Card Craft (1991), p. 283. The following approach
adds a new first phase, evolved from an unpublished idea of John Carey, which
neatly positions the selection as required for the final phase and creates the
impression that the spectator merely thought of it.
Turning your back, ask Spectator Kathleen to shuffle the deck, deal off nine cards
(a “mystic number”), and place the deck aside. Have her pick up the packet and
deal it into three piles just as if she were dealing hands in a card game. She is
then to pick up any pile, fan it so she can see the faces of the cards, and think of
one of them. She squares that pile, sets it on one of the other two, and places the
third on top of all.
Kathleen’s next task is to re-deal the cards into three hands, this time with the cards
face-up, noting in which pile her card is located. She picks up that pile, sets it
on one of the other two, and places the third on top of all. Finally, she turns the
combined packet face-down, and tells you she’s done. In all cases, the selection
has been automatically placed fifth from top.
At that point, face front pick up the packet, and remind everyone that Kathleen
selected one of the cards by thinking of it. Say that so far, she alone has handled
the cards. “Now is the time for me to spring into action,” you say, “by giving these
cards a highly irregular shuffle.” You now perform the core routine, as follows.
Fan the packet face-down, holding it in the left hand. Pick off the uppermost card
(on the right), turn it face-up, and insert it for half its length between the two
lowermost cards (on the left). Take the next card on the right, turn it face-up, and
insert it between the second and third (face-down) cards from the left. Repeat this
sequence twice more so that four face-up cards are entwined with five face-down
cards.
Closing the fan from right to left, say, “So the cards are face-down and face-up on
this side….” Turn the elongated packet over side for side, and continue, “…and
face-down and face-up on this side.” (Don’t omit this step.) From this point on, the
pace accelerates, the action constant and the patter continuous.
Tilting the outer end a bit upward, with the left forefinger, push in the outer tier to
the extent possible, plunging out the trapped cards, saying, “Some down, some
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up…” Strip out the plunged section and slap it on the balance, saying, “Some
cards are face to face…”
As you then go on, “…and some back to back,” lift up on the inner end of the face-
up block via the natural break beneath it, and roll the right hand forward and palm
up, thumb outward. A back shows on top of each section. With only the briefest
pause, reverse the right-hand action, rolling the hand inward and palm down,
simultaneously slipping the left thumb under the left-hand section and revolving it
over. In a continuing motion, place the right-hand section on top of the left-hand
section to reassemble the packet. Don’t try to hide the left-hand maneuver – a back
flashes, and the sequence looks graceful and natural.
“Now, Kathleen,” you say, slowing the pace. “Do you think the card you thought
of is one of the face-up cards,” tapping the uppermost card. “Or one of the face-
down cards,” flipping the packet over and tapping the uppermost card. If Kathleen
replies, “one of the face-up cards,” straddle the packet, preparing for a one-hand
fan. Saying, “Not only that, it’s the only one that is!” and execute the fan, holding
it so that Kathleen and her fellow spectators can clearly see this result. If she says
“face-down cards,” perform the fan as you conclude, “No…but all the others are!”
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Poker Face
by Liam Montier
Effect and Presentation

“Have any of you folks ever played any poker? I always thought
that to play it, you had to be good at cards, but it is just as much about psychology.
Now, I know a little bit about psychology, and I’ll show you how useful it can
be. First of all, just as a demonstration, can you select a random poker hand by
touching the backs of five cards for me?”
The spectator obliges, and their five selections are fairly up-jogged and removed,
being held in a fan in your right hand.
“Now, I guess when you get really good, you could do this with five cards, but let
us just try one for now. Choose any one you like, and think of it as a ‘hole’ card if
you play poker. When you have remembered it, place it back into the packet and
shuffle them up.”
The spectator has a genuinely free choice of any of the five cards they selected,
and commit it to memory as you asked. It is then replaced (by them) into the
packet, which you hand to them to shuffle.
“Ok, so I know that one of these cards is your ‘hole’ card. What I am going to
do is to try to find out which one is your hole card by reading your reactions, or
trying to call your bluff. I’ll shout out the names of these cards, and I want you to
keep silent but look me straight in the eye. I’m going to see if I can spot your ‘tell’.”
One by one you shout out the names of the cards, watching the spectators’ reaction
closely.
“Right, I think I’m with it. I’m going to commit myself – which is probably overdue
if I’m being honest. Here, this one. What was your ‘hole’ card?”
The spectator replies that it was the Seven of Spades. Turning the card that you are
holding over, it is the selected card.
“I think you might be pretty good at poker, you know. I mean, the Seven of Spades
isn’t a great hole card, but it’s not always dependent on that. The other four cards
might be good enough on their own to win you a game…”
Flipping over the four other cards, very cleanly, reveals them all to be Aces!
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Preparation
In order to get hooked up for this piece of crazy magical going on, you just need
to ensure that you have four aces residing on the top of the deck. Working from a
borrowed and/or shuffled deck, you could of course cull these into position in real
time, or simply start with them in place.
Performance
“... First of all, just as a demonstration, can you select a random poker hand by
touching the back of five cards for me?”
Spread out the deck between your hands and have five cards touched, up-jogging
them as you go. I always start near the top of the deck, being sure to spread over
the four aces before you ask – this avoids one being chosen.
Then, when the first card is nominated, the rest are chosen as you continue
spreading through the deck.
With five selections out-jogged, square up the deck in dealer’s grip (obviously
leaving the selections out-jogged) and get a little finger break above the top four
cards as you square everything up.
Now strip out the five selections and hold them face-down in a fan in the right
hand.
“Now, I guess when you get really good, you could do this with five cards, but let
us just try one for now. Choose any one you like, and think of it as a ‘hole’ card if
you play poker. When you have remembered it, place it back into the packet and
shuffle them up.”
Allow them to take any of the five cards, look at it and show it around. As they do
so, we do the first and last move in the whole routine – the Multiple Top Change
that is rarely seen, but positively sexual in nature, so here is how it goes down.
(Naturally, there are other switches that you could use here, but I think you would
lose something by making a substitute. The advantage of the Multiple Top Change
is that none of the faces are seen, it is fair, casual, natural and very well covered
as the spectator is looking at and showing the selection around).
As the right hand comes over to the deck, it squares the packet and takes it in
Biddle Grip, specifically between the thumb at the inner end and second finger
near the outer right hand corner.
The picture below shows the starting position.
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Then, rather cheekily, we are going to swap entire packets. The right thumb and
third finger grip the packet of aces, above the little finger break, in preparation.
Using the right second finger, kick the uppermost packet (the four indifferent cards)
over to the left, where the left thumb clips them to the top of the pack.
Releasing the right second finger and pulling the right hand to the right completes
the switch, bringing the packet of aces to the right hand and leaving the indifferent
cards on top of the pack.
Now, just a quick note about this move – it may seem bold. Let me assure you,
that done smoothly, it is completely undetectable. An identical switch is used in
the Hamman count, and there, full attention is on the faces of the cards. Here, you
even have the natural misdirection created by the spectator remembering their
card to cover the move.
Note that if you wanted more cover, you could even turn your whole body away
(or even right round) as the spectator is looking at their card. You state it is so that
you can’t see their card, but in reality, that’s not quite true.
Either way, the switch is made, so continue by fanning the aces in the right hand
and invite the spectator to replace their card into your packet, and then immediately
hand it to them to shuffle.
“Ok, so I know that one of these cards is your ‘hole’ card. What I am going to
do is to try to find out which one is your hole card by reading your reactions, or
trying to call your bluff. I’ll shout out the names of these cards, and I want you to
keep silent but look me straight in the eye. I’m going to see if I can spot your ‘tell’.”
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Now is the time to get rid of the deck, while the packet is in the hands of the
spectators. Either table it, or pocket it.
Take back the packet and explain what you are going to do about trying to spot
their ‘tell’. Fan the packet faces towards you, and apparently call out the names
of the five cards.
In reality, miscall all the aces, only honestly naming the selection. To avoid tripping
over your words or other confusion, I recommend using the same four cards to
miscall each time. The first four cards in the ‘Eight Kings’ set up are ideal – they
are the Eight of Clubs, King of Hearts, Three of Spades and the Ten of Diamonds.
“Right, I think I’m with it. I’m going to commit myself – which is probably overdue
if I’m being honest. Here, this one. What was your ‘hole’ card?”
Having apparently read out the names of all the cards in the packet and read
the spectators silent reaction, remove the selection and hold it in the right hand,
tabling the aces. Have the spectator declare the selected card, and then flip the
card in your right hand face-up to reveal that you were correct.
Here it is important to act as if the trick is now over – given that the selections
were all free, as was the spectators return of the card and shuffling of the packet,
this is not an effect to be downplayed, and in fact mentalists may like end it
there. However, I like to make the most out of the situation and end up with this
totally unexpected (but logical) kicker.
“I think you might be pretty good at poker, you know. I mean, the Seven of Spades
isn’t a great hole card, but it’s not always dependent on that. The other four cards
might be good enough on their own to win you a game...”
Flip the four aces face-up one at a time to conclude. Given that the deck has been
out of play since before the preliminary effect, this change packs a big punch.
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Practical Joker
by Jason Dean
Effect
Two cards are freely selected and returned. The Joker whispers the
names of the cards to the performer and the performer reveals the two selections.
The Joker then switches places in a most visible manner with the two selections! The
revelation of the selections is very subtle and a nice effect. The climax, where not
only do the values of the cards change places, but the number of cards transpose,
i.e., One Joker for two selections, is quite astonishing.
Performance
Begin with a Joker on top of the deck face-down. Have one card each selected in
a fair manner by two different spectators. Swing cut the top half of the deck into
the left hand and ask the first spectator to replace their card. This positions the first
selection onto the Joker. Place the right hand half of the deck onto the selection
maintaining a pinky break above the selection.
Openly cut approximately half of the cards beneath the break to the top of the
deck while maintaining the pinky break. Turn to the second spectator and ask for
the return of their card. Explain that the second selection will go further down in the
deck as the deck is opened at the break. This is a discrepant ruse to make it seem
like the two selections are being placed at separate positions in the deck. Replace
all of the right hand cards onto the second selection without maintaining any form
of a break. This is a nice place to throw in a dribble or ribbon spread of the cards
to subtly show there are no holds or breaks over the cards.
Announce to the audience that the Joker will read their minds. A small look of
insanity might be seen on their faces. This provides a nice opportunity to play off
of the crowd. Spread the deck with the backs towards the audience as the Joker
is looked for. When it is located, cut the cards so the Joker becomes the third card
from the top.
Perform a triple lift to show the Joker on top of the deck. Utilizing the Altman Trap is
useful here to ensure the ease of turning the Joker back face-down. After the Joker
is turned face-down, table it to the right. Hold the deck above the tabled Joker (?)
and move it back and forth as the Joker “scans the cards to find the selections”.
This continues to condition the spectators that the Joker does lie on the table.
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Pick up the Joker in the right hand in a Biddle grip position. Raise it towards the
right ear as if it is going to whisper in your ear. As this position is reached, be sure
that the face of the card is turned away from the audience so as to not reveal the
face of it. As the Joker is whispering in your ear, the left thumb pushes the top card
of the deck to the right momentarily to obtain a break beneath it.
Lower the Joker (?) in the right hand to the deck as the audience is addressed.
Name the characteristics of the first spectator’s card, color, suit and value, finally
naming their card in full. As this is done, the right hand picks up the second
selection under the first selection. Raise the Joker (?) again to the ear as it pretends
to whisper the name of the second selection in the ear. As the card is raised to the
ear, it is quite simple to glimpse the card. Once again, name the characteristics of
the second card, completed my naming it fully.
Table the two selections as one card away from the spectators and to the right. As
far as the audience is concerned, it is simply the Joker. The Joker is actually on top
of the deck. Make no mention of this as the spectators should get the impression
the effect is over.
Top palm the Joker from the top of the deck and immediately hand to hand spread
the deck. The palmed Joker will remain hidden in the palm with the spread deck
creating additional cover. As the center of the spread is reached, the right and
left hand push towards each other, closing the spread. Simultaneously the Joker is
loaded upside down into the spread near the center. This is a move of Paul LePaul
entitled “A Useful Acquitment”, The Card Magic of LePaul, page 68.
Take the deck in the right hand and turn it face-up. Prepare to ribbon spread the
deck from left to right as shown in the illustration. Notice the position of the left
hand. As the right hand ribbon spreads the deck, it is a simple matter for the left
hand to separate the two tabled cards secretly. As the audience follows the larger
motion of the deck being ribbon spread, no one will notice the slight motion
needed to separate the two selections.
Reveal the reversed Joker in the deck, then slowly turn your attention toward what
is supposed to be the Joker. Act as surprised as the spectators when two cards are
seen. Slowly turn them over to reveal the transposition of the two selections.
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Misdirection Misconception
by Keith Bennet
Few magicians really understand misdirection. Much of the problem

with understanding misdirection is similar to the problems with computer manuals
in that a lot of the writing on the subject has been done by people who already
understand it and fail to explain it from the perspective of someone who is
struggling to grasp the basic concepts. I shall attempt to explain how two types of
misdirection work and then give an example in the form of a trick or move. This
will best show how to design and apply misdirection of your own.
Probably the two least understood aspects of misdirection are time misdirection
and the concept of the action in transit. The first because it is a total misnomer
and the second because of the difficulty of making a satisfactory translation of
Ascanio’s original Spanish expression describing the concept. The way the mind
works is important in both of these forms of misdirection and so I shall explain that
first.
How often have you walked from one room to another and thought to yourself
‘why did I come in here’? How often have you thought ‘where are the scissors
I had them in my hand a moment ago’? The human brain has evolved to not
remember all the insignificant details of daily life: for instance if you remembered
in detail every time you switched on or off a light or every amount of change you
had ever been given in a shop life would become unbearable. Psychologists have
recently discovered how this type of memory works: When you cross a threshold
whether it is a physical one such as going from one room to another or whether
it is one of attention such as concentrating on what you are going to do next the
mind does not put into long-term memory things which it considers unimportant
or inconsequential. So as something new catches your attention the short term
memory is cleared. The act of paying attention to what you are now focusing on
clears the short-term memory.
Sometimes things that are important are also lost as the short-term memory is
cleared. How often have you asked yourself ‘what have I done with the scissors or
pen that I hand in my hand a moment ago’? It is because you have shifted your
focus of attention and the human mind is programmed to forget unimportant things
when it crosses a threshold of some kind. Where you put the scissors or the pen
is not important compared to what you’re going to do next and so is wiped from
your short-term memory and then of course never gets into your long-term memory.
In effect it becomes collateral damage.
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Time Misdirection
The problem with understanding and properly applying time misdirection is
essentially that it has nothing to do with time. Time misdirection is all to do with
the focus of attention.
The essence of time misdirection is that if you give the spectator something to think
about or look at immediately after the move that needs shade, the focus of his
attention will shift as his mind crosses the threshold to a new centre of attention
and the memory of the move you wish to hide will be wiped from his short-term
memory. If you do a move which he sees and then you stop and wait even if it is for
an hour or a day or a month it will become embedded in his memory. No matter
how much time you apply it doesn’t work, but a switch in his focus of attention will
work within seconds.
For an example, let us consider that hoary old favourite: the crosscut force. The
first problem is that most magicians draw attention to the point that they want the
spectator to forget by saying I will just mark the point where you have cut to. You
are sowing the seeds of your own destruction by drawing the spectator’s attention
to what you want him to forget. A better way is to look at the spectator and slap
the cards down onto the table in front of him. Don’t put them down delicately slap
them down so they make a noise and it looks as though you think what you are
doing next is not very important. Reach over and mime cutting about half the cards
and placing them at the side of the bottom of the deck and at the same time say
“can you just cut the deck like this please”. Without saying any more you just pick
up the bottom half of the deck and drop it on to the top half. It’s better still if you
just place it unevenly so that it is only half on top of the deck with its end resting on
the table, this looks even more casual.
Now without saying anything more about the deck you reach into your pocket and
take out an ornate silver box and put it carefully in front of the spectator (new focus
of attention). Ask him to look inside it, he says that he can’t open it. You produce
from your pocket the key and ask him to open it (a second new focus of attention).
You ask him what is inside it and he says “a piece of paper”. You ask him to take
it out and then say “is there anything else in there?”. Also in the box are seven
red diamond shaped pieces of plastic. Hopefully he replies “some diamonds”
and you ask him to tip them out onto the table and read the paper which says to
count them (a third new focus of attention). When he says, for example “seven
diamonds”, you pick up the upper half of the cards and show the face card to the
audience which of course is the seven of diamonds. (Of course this is the card that
was originally in the force position on the face of the deck.)
Analysing the effect first of all we avoided the trap that many magicians fall into
of emphasising a point that really want the spectator not to notice. This problem
arises from an inadequate amount of rehearsal of the trick, which leads to the
magician inadvertently focussing on a weak point and where his attention is: so is
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the spectators. Also, forcing the bottom card of the deck leads to a more natural
display of the card at the end. Ordinary people don’t cut the deck and turn over
the next card, they look at the bottom card of the cut portion.
When it comes to analysing the so called time misdirection we have given the
audience at least three new things to focus their gaze and thoughts upon. Each
time it is a threshold in their thoughts and creates an opportunity for their mind to
clear its short term memory. Obviously if you want to try this out you don’t need
a silver box but you do need to substitute other things that catch the attention. I
have done a routine like this in my lecture on misdirection and regularly have had
experienced magicians asking how I forced the card.
Action in Transit
The ‘Action in Transit’ misdirection relies on the same psychological principle
of the mind regularly clearing the short term memory. You do not have to cross
a threshold for the mind to clear the short term memory, if the brain decides
what it just observed is inconsequential it will also clear the short term memory
Whatever you do, either just before or at the same time as the action that is thought
unimportant, will also disappear from the short term memory. This gives us a
very powerful misdirectional tool. However if the mind detects the inconsequential
action as being false or meaningless it realises something is going on and looks
for whatever is being hidden.
For example when the inexperienced manipulator waves a handkerchief up and

down for no reason other than he mistakenly thinks he is misdirecting the audience
then his action becomes a red warning flag and the audience straightway spots
the other elbow sticking out and making the steal under his jacket. However when
Cardini dropped the monocle from his eye and replaced it passed as a simple
accident and the steal he made at the same time went completely unnoticed. The
action has to immediately follow or be at the same time as the move that needs the
shade. If it is before the move needing misdirection it won’t work.
So what do we need? We need an action that is:-
• Inconsequential in that it has no relevance or importance to the execution of

the trick in the eyes of the spectator.
• A genuine action with a real motivation but that has no importance to the
trick.
• Completely natural and everyday and appearing spontaneous.
• Contemporaneous with or occurring immediately after the move to be covered.
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• Examples of this are:-
• Scratching the nose or earlobe.
• Pushing the spectacles back up on the bridge of the nose.
• Taking a drag on a cigarette.
• Taking a sip out of a glass.
• Adjusting the sleeves.
• Moving your watch strap up your wrist.
• Straightening the knot in your tie.
• Dropping a prop( don’t overdo this)
• Pushing a coin purse or card box to the side of the table.
I will now explain how I use this principle to provide shade for the top change.
With the deck held just above waist level I take the top card and raise it up back
towards me so the audience can see what it is. Next I tip it over backwards
towards myself to see what it is and as I do this I tip my head up slightly and my
shoulders rise a little. This signals I am paying attention to what the card is and
I name the card out loud. Now I lower the card to the level of the pack and as I
do so my head drops back to its normal position and so do my shoulders. This
all signals relaxation and takes the focus of the card. Its at this point I do the top
change. While I do the move I look directly at the audience and smile and then
immediately with the hand that holds the deck I reach up and push my spectacles
back up onto the bridge of the nose. Only now do I look down at the card and
name it again and then openly sneak a peek at its face . Expressing surprise on
my face I now show it has changed.
I know the adjustment of the spectacles works as misdirection because when

teaching the misdirection for the top change in my misdirection lecture I do the
top change with the cards face-up and still catch everybody. Go out and try these
principles and learn how effective they are and how much they will improve your
magic.
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The Karachi Fried Chicken Trick

by Keith Bennett
Sitting in a kebab house in Birmingham with John Carey I placed a

single card face-down on the table and said to him “Just name a card”. He said
“The seven of diamonds” and I said “Turn it over” He confessed that it was the best
trick he had ever seen until it dawned on him some ten seconds later that I couldn’t
repeat it. I was actually going to make a point about psychology and misdirection
rather than do a trick but the effect on him was so strong that I have been trying
to duplicate it ever since. At last I have come close to being able to do just that.
For this trick you need a double back card; it needs to be the same colour both
sides and the same colour as the deck of course. Place it anywhere in the deck and
the setup is complete. Start by saying that you have been experimenting with the
some tricks based upon psychology and coincidence and look through the deck as
if you were going to choose a card but instead cut the deck five cards above the
double back card and turn the deck face-down. At this point you can do a false
shuffle and a false cut if you like.
Now casually leaf through the face-down deck until you get to the double back
card and place it down on the table and say “this will be my prediction card...
even though I do not know what it is.” Because it is only five cards down from the
top you can easily find it and lay it down in a way that looks casual.
Ask the spectator to name any card in the deck and run through the cards face
towards you until you get to the named card. Cull it to the face of the deck. This
only needs to be a simple cut, but carry on looking through the cards as though
you can’t find it. Your intention should be to make it look as though you didn’t
expect the card on the table to be the card that was named.
Turn the deck face-down and look at the spectator feigning disbelief. As you do
this take the named face card into gambler’s cop from the bottom of the deck.
Reach over towards the spectator and ribbon spread the deck in front of him face-
up. Look him straight in the eye and say to him “Please try to find your card in
the spread before I make a fool of myself ” The human eye has evolved over time
to follow a moving object and so as you spread the cards across the table it will
provide excellent misdirection for the gambler’s cop and the holding out of the
card for a few moments. At this point the deck has gone forward and the hand
holding the card in gamblers cop comes back and rests on the edge of the table.
Make sure you spread the cards on the spectators side of the table, this will ensure
that the movement made by the deck is a much larger and faster one than the
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movement made by the hand holding the single card. Further faster and forward
will always attract the eye more than shorter slower and backwards.
While he’s looking at the cards pick up the prediction card and place it on top of
the card in your hand. Align the two cards in your hand. You will now have the
double back card on top of the face-down named card. Don’t worry about this little
move because all the heat will be on the spread deck and the spectator searching
through it for his card. Lift the pair of cards up from your palm so that there is about
an inch of air below the cards and the edges of the cards are aligned in the crease
in your fingers nearest the fingertips and the other edge is being held by your
thumb. Let your index finger rest in front of the cards so that the double thickness
is hidden from the spectator’s view. The reason for this grip is explained later.
When he says that he cannot find his card, reach over and scoop up the spread
and turn the deck face-down onto the table with your other hand. By the way,
you should have spread the face-up deck across in front of you so that when you
finish the spread the top card of the spread is in front of the hand that is taking the
named card into gamblers cop. Not only does this make it easier to pick up the
spread one-handed but it also gives better cover as you take the hand holding-out
the card towards the edge of the table. Put the deck face-down on the table in front
of you. It is better at this point if the deck is not perfectly squared. This is easy to
achieve as you are picking up the spread deck one-handed. Now turn the double
card in your hand face-up and drop the two cards onto the deck. To increase
the illusion that it is just a single card lift the thumb so that the double card turns
through 90° and is vertical but with its long edge still parallel to the table. At the
same time turn your wrist that the double card is now face-up about 3 inches above
the deck and just drop the double card on top of the deck, don’t place it there.
Alternatively, for added misdirection turn the double face-up and take it in the
other hand and pick up the deck and move it back a little towards yourself as you
place the double card onto the deck. Then casually pick up the face-up card from
the top of the tabled deck and toss it onto the table in front of the spectator . This
should merely look as though you are moving the deck slightly to make room for
the card to fall on the table.
If you are wondering why this trick is called the Karachi fried chicken trick it is
because the kebab house had been named Karachi Fried Chicken so that an
enterprising Indian gentlemen had his very own KFC without having to pay a
franchise fee.
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Impromptu Foursome
by Peter Duffie
A spelling effect based on a Henry Christ premise. Two single Bottom

Deals are required but they happen on the off-beat and a fine technique is not
necessary.
Working
1. Ask a spectator to remove any four of a kind and give you back the deck. We
will use Aces for this description. The spectator now selects one of the foursome
and gives you back the three he doesn’t want. Place these three cards into the deck
and bring them secretly to the top using a Multiple Shift or similar move.
Now dribble the cards into your hand and ask the spectator to call stop, at which
point he places his selection face-down on top of the lower half. Place the upper
section on top and carry out a Half-pass of the lower section. Finally Double-cut
or Pass the top two cards to the bottom. If cutting, make sure you don’t cut into the
face-up section.
POSITION CHECK: There is one Ace on top of the deck - the lower section of the
deck is face-up - there are two Aces face-down on the bottom - the selection is
face-up above them.
2. Place the deck in position for dealing Bottoms. Ask the spectator to name his
card - let’s say he says Ace of Hearts.
Spell A-C-E by dealing three cards one on top of the other into a face-down pile.
Spell O-F dealing a bottom then a top.
Spell H-E-A-R-T-S dealing a bottom then the five tops.
3. Look at the spectator and repeat the name of his card as if for confirmation. As
your eyes meet set the deck on the table by turning your hand palm down - this
reverses the deck.
4. Flip over the three piles to reveal the other three Aces, saying, “It seems as if
your card has got a close relationship with his other three mates.”
Finally draw attention to the deck and flip over the top card - apparently the one
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arrived at by spelling the name - to reveal the selection.
To clean up, simply gather all the cards together and then correct the face-up
section that is on the bottom of the deck. The trick is over, so there is no heat.
END NOTES
To get the cards to appear on top of the three piles, one would need to deal
Seconds on the first pile, and finish with a Bottom on each of the other two. I prefer
to deal the Bottoms first. I don’t think the effect is any stronger with the Aces on top.
The fact that they are there is what matters.
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Busted Flush
by Ryan Matney
This is a variation of my effect “Flush Exchange” from my upcoming

book “Spoiler Alert.” This version is designed to be performed without a table,
making it ideal for strolling.
Set-Up
Take a blank face card and write “Busted on the Ten” on the blank face. This card
is on top of the deck before you begin.
Performance
Remove a Royal Flush from deck. The suit doesn’t matter, but let’s assume it is
Spades. Quickly arrange the cards in order with the Ten at the face and the Ace
at the back.
Explain to the spectators how rare it is to ever hold a Royal Flush and how some
gamblers play their entire lives and never see one. Tell about a gambler you knew
that once drew four cards of the flush but missed (busted) on the fifth.
Hold the flush packet face-up and squared in right hand End Grip. Obtain a break
under the top card of the deck.
You are about to perform a Braue Addition, to display the cards in a Royal Flush
one at time and educate the spectators as to just what a Royal Flush consists of.
During this, you will switch in the message card and switch out the Ten leaving it
on top of the deck.
With your left thumb, peel off the Ten of Spades from the face of the packet onto
the top of the deck. At the same time, secretly steal the top card of the deck under
the flush packet. The break makes this a cinch. Using the left side of the flush
packet, lever the Ten face-down onto the deck.
“A Royal Flush is made up of five cards, all the same suit, a Ten …”
Again, peel the Jack onto the deck fairly and flip it face-down using the side of
the packet. Repeat this with each card, naming it as you flip it face-down onto the
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deck. When you come to the Ace, you will secretly be holding a double card, the
Ace and message card hidden beneath it. Immediately drop this double onto the
deck and point to the Ace with your right forefinger saying, “And, of course the
Ace, the highest value in the deck.”
Flip the Ace face-down and push off the top five cards from the deck, taking them
with your right hand. The message card is now in the second position from the top
of the packet. While still holding the deck in your left hand, shuffle the five card
packet at your fingertips making sure the message card ends up on top.
Give the packet to the spectator. You will now guide him through the Prime Number
Force which will force the message card.
“Let’s pretend you are the gambler I told you about, and you will draw four cards
of the Royal Flush but, sadly, you will miss on the final card. To make it random,
so I can’t possibly know what card you will bust on, name a number between one
and five.”
Assume the spectator names three. They can name any number except five and the
force will work, but the number one is not nearly as deceptive as the others, which
is why you ask for a number between one and five.
Have the spectator count three cards, one at a time, from the top of the packet to
the bottom. He then turns the card now on top of the packet face-up. It may be the
King, whatever it is, you say, “You drew the King,” naming the card that appears.
The card is left face-up on top of the packet. The spectator repeats this procedure,
again counting three cards from top to bottom, counting the face-up card as “one.”
The top card of the packet is flipped face-up and you say, “You drew the Jack,”
naming whatever it happens to be.
This process is done a total of four times, the spectator counting his number and
turning the top card of the packet face-up while you repeat the line, “You drew
the King, then you drew the Jack, then … you drew the Ace, finally you drew the
Queen.” The cards will turn up in a random order every time, you simply name
them as they appear.
The last card remaining will appear to be the Ten.
“Ah, it appears the card you missed, the one card that could have made a perfect
Royal Flush for you, is … the Ten. I had a feeling this might be the one that gave
you trouble.”
You have been holding the deck the entire time. Have the spectator look at the final
card to see the message: “Busted on the Ten.”
When the spectator (and everyone else) is looking at the message card, you have
ample misdirection to palm the real Ten off the top of the deck. Produce the palmed
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card from your pocket saying, “The truth about that gambler I was telling you
about, he couldn’t ever have made the flush because some wise guy stole the card
he needed from the deck. I was almost sorry I took it.”
Impromptu Variation
To do this impromptu, instead of the message card, use a Ten of Diamonds. This
card is on top of the deck. Remove the Royal Flush in spades. The presentation and
working are the same but now with a different end line.
“This is exactly what happened to that gambler I was telling you about. The irony
is that he drew a Ten, just not the one he needed. Instead, it was a red Ten. Take
a look.” The spectator looks at the final card to discover it is the Ten of Diamonds.
“And the Ten of Spades he needed was never in the deck to start with.”
Produce the Ten of Spades from your pocket as described.
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Offshore Banking
Tyer Erickson
Effect
From a borrowed deck, a spectator takes a group of cards, shuffles
the group, looks at one card, reassembles the deck and then shuffles again. The
magician can be backwards to the audience, or have the deck held under the table
where only the spectator can see them. Claiming the spectator will unconsciously
signal what card is correct through voice alone, he has them call off the cards one
at a time and stops them on the correct card.
P.S. To expedite the process, the spectator is directed to only call off the values
and not the suits.
Script
(After the deck has been assembled) Now I just want to clarify: you shuffled, took
a secret glimpse at a random card, and shuffled all the cards again, correct? All
while my back was and still is, turned, yes?
And still there are people who think—somehow—I know what card you took.
Those people suck.
I’m tired of trying to live up to their unrealistic expectations.
But fine, let’s give it a try; please turn the deck towards you. Make sure there is no
way I, or anyone you think might want to help me, can see the faces of the cards.
Nobody else...only you.
Now, buzz through the deck, NO STOPPING, but notice where your card is.
Here’s an odd thing: your card isn’t the first card, or one of the first few cards, is it?
YES REPLY: I had a feeling. Ok, cut the deck so it’s not there anymore. If you
thought that was impressive, just wait.
NO REPLY: Just checking. It’s more impressive if it’s deep down.
I want you say each card as it goes by, and believe it or not, I’m going to stop you
the second you name your card.
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BUT WAIT! Just read off the value of the cards, not the suits. So, even if we all knew
you were thinking of the Ace of Hearts...when you got to it, you would still only say
“Ace” so we’d have no idea which Ace was the right one.
[they start naming cards]
...Stop!
There are other Jacks in this deck, [turning around] but that one is yours!
Overview
This is an application of the Waikiki Location, but instead of using face-up/face-
down cards, it instead uses a known bank of 16. I use the “Aces and Faces” (A,
K, Q, J) for my bank, but honestly any 4 card combination will work: 2, 4, 6, 8
or perhaps A, 2, 3, 4. Regardless of combination, the point is to have a group to
which one can instantaneously and reflexively respond.
Set Up
Have a 16 card bank on top of the deck. For those that can, a quick spread cull
during a period of inattention can gather the necessary target cards. You will need
a way of getting a break under those cards such as a crimp or bowed packet, of
which I prefer the latter. If you wish, you can do a hand to hand spread and injog
the 16th card.
Method
False shuffle in a way that maintains the integrity of the group. Table the deck,
then cut the 16 cards off the top, display their thickness and say to your helper,
“Can you see approximately how many cards there are?” As you are getting your
reply, replace the packet onto the remainder of the deck, but slightly crosswise,
unsquared. “Lift them up.” The spectator will pick up the 16 card packet. “That
probably feels like it’s about...⅓ of the deck, yes? Please put them over here.”
Indicate a spot next to the bigger half. “Now cut another group about the same
size...and put them over here.” Point to the other side of the target cards. The
spectator has now created three relatively equal piles, and due to your directions,
the middle one is comprised of the target cards.
Tell them to grab a pile and shuffle it. If they take the target pile, continue, “Once
you are done shuffling, look at the bottom card.” If they don’t initially pick up the
target pile, just have them shuffle that packet and set it back down. In this way, you
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give the directions to look at the bottom card whenever they pick up the proper
pile. Once they have chosen a card they can assemble the piles in any order.
Next, they divide the deck in half for a riffle shuffle. If you doubt the spectator’s
ability to do such a shuffle, you can instead substitute Lennart Green’s Rosetta
Shuffle. While they could follow this shuffle with any number of straight cuts they
wish, I prefer to have them cut only once.
Now, if the deck is turned face-up and the identities are read off from the face,
there will be a long run of null cards right before the selection. So, when you start
hearing the values from your target group, the first one called after the run of null
cards is correct.
The one thing that can interfere with this would be if the selection is too near the
face of the deck. If that happens, the first target card you hear will have been
correct, you just won’t know until they’ve gone all the way through the deck. This is
avoided by the “buzz through and cut.” This also affords the possibility of a lucky
hit, in that you knew their card was one of the first cards.
Afterthoughts
The opening procedure is my oft used strategy to minimize the spectator’s
awareness that I cut the cards. Since they will be lifting the packet up and cutting
it to the side, any statement like, “You divided the deck into three roughly equal
groups” should go unchallenged.
I think it is smart to create the impression you aren’t watching them when they
are picking up and shuffling the piles. Something similar to the Annemann glance
back technique, i.e., looking back after they have made their choice and seeing
which packet is gone from the table. It’s super easy to notice when the middle pile
is missing.
When I do the example card, I name a card from the target group on the off
chance that it is correct. Even if it isn’t, I stand a 25% chance of naming the
correct value. Plus, if I should name it correctly, it in no way diminishes the “stop”
discovery.
The final phrase in the script is designed to sound like I could have named the card
outright, which of course, I cannot. After I have done the revelation, I do try to see
and remember the suit of the selection, because it can often prove useful.
As a final thought, I like to “jazz” the process by which the piles are shuffled/
reassembled, such as having one pile placed into another, etc. For those who like
improvisation, many subtle convincers can be generated.
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X Gon’ Give It To Ya
by Phill Smith
Effect
You produce and shuffle a deck of playing cards, and ask a punter
to name absolutely any card at all. They say the Five of Clubs and you run through
the deck face-up and table it in front of them. You ask them to pick a completely
different card and they name the Queen of Hearts: again, you remove it and table
it.
Do this twice more until there are four tabled face-up cards in a row in front of the
spectator, then you line these up. You ask the punter to pick one in their mind, and
to silently point to it. This they do.
“We mixed the deck, you named any four cards, and there’s no way I could
have made you pick those four exact cards.” you explain. “And EVEN if I could,
there’s absolutely no way I could have known that you would pick that one card
in particular from that four? Right? Well... no. Don’t ask me how, but I knew that
you would pick that card. In fact I was so confident you would pick it that I went
through the deck and put a cross on the back of every one I thought you wouldn’t
pick.”
You begin to take cards from the top of the deck and flip them face-down onto the
table: each of them has a bold black cross drawn on the back. You flip the rest of
the deck over and spread through the cards… each one has a bold black X.
You pick up the four face-up cards from the table and turn them over, counting them
one by one showing three crossed cards and only one without a cross. “In fact out
of all the cards in the deck only one went unmarked.” You hand it to the spectator.
It is, of course, their chosen card.
Method
This effect is a combination of, essentially, two core methods. The first thing to
be aware of is that what you just read above is one of two (equally lovely) ways
the effect can unfold. The other way it can go is that their card is the only one in
the deck WITH a cross on the back, and the presentation of course changes to
accommodate that difference.
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The strength of the effect is the freedom that the punters have. At the point where
they indicate their chosen card you can hammer home the reality of their free
choices. You couldn’t have made them pick those four cards, of all the cards in the
deck, and certainly, even if you could have known which four cards they would
pick, there’s no way you could have *made* them pick that one card in particular.
Their choices are completely their own.
OK here’s the setup, bear with me. Every Club and Diamond in the deck has a
cross on the back. Make the cross bold and make sure they are fairly consistent.
Shuffle up the clubs and diamonds so they look nicely jumbled, then sandwich
them in the middle of the (also mixed) uncrossed cards. You now have a deck that
has thirteen normal cards, all Hearts and Spades, on top. Then a bank of twenty
six crossed cards (all clubs and diamonds) and then a final bank of thirteen more
normal cards at the bottom.
This deck is always handled face-up, another beguilingly open feature of the
handling. Table the deck and ask someone to name any card, then go through
the deck face-up and remove it, tabling it face-up. You now instruct them to pick
another *completely different* card, and again and again, finding and tabling
each. Your goal is to end up with four cards of different suits. Just instructing the
punters that you want completely different cards will usually accomplish this but
if they pick a second card of a suit that has previously been selected (this is most
likely to happen on the fourth card), just say “Ah no I want four cards that are
different in every way, suit and value.” This is fine, it doesn’t feel restrictive and
they won’t buck against it.
Anyway, you want to end up with four cards, one of each suit, face-up in a row on
the table. They are now given a choice of one of them. How you make them do this
is up to you, but I like to put weight on this choice. “Don’t just pick one at random
or quickly like it doesn’t matter - find a way to make it personal or meaningful, but
find the freedom in the choice.” I lean on them to experience the freedom of choice
so later there is no space for them to think maybe I coerced them into picking one,
or maybe everyone picks an Ace, or whatever.
They pick one, you have them point to it or say it or however you want to handle
this. Before you make the deck display, make a mental note of whether their card
is crossed or uncrossed. Remember, two of the tabled cards are crossed, two
are uncrossed. They MUST stay in these pairs. Arrange the cards so their chosen
card is on top, then the other card in its pair is underneath, then the other pair is
beneath these two. I do this whilst they are still in a spread, but overlapping, so
when I square them up in a moment they are in the right positions. As I make this
arrangement I explain to the punters that they specifically chose this one card, they
could have picked the this or the blah or the blah…
What you say now depends on whether their chosen card is crossed or uncrossed.
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Here’s the handling for if their chosen card is crossed:
Pick up the tabled face-up deck and indicate the top card. “You could have picked
this card, the five of hearts…” you deal it face-down onto the table, showing the
unmarked back without mentioning it. FFS don’t mention that it doesn’t have a
cross on it! “Or this one, but you didn’t…” deal down the next one, face-down.
Repeat this, still going quite slowly, until you hit either a Club or Diamond on the
face-up pack in your hands. Obviously don’t deal this down - instead you flip the
deck over and spread the face cards. You need to be careful because if you over-
spread them you will flash some of the middle stock of X cards, so just be aware. I
spread the first six or seven or so quite freely, then lift up the deck, spreading right
through the deck. As I do this of course on the backs I am clocking the breakpoint
between packets and arranging it so when I put the deck back down again and
show the backs there are no Xs visible. You have plenty of time and cover to
do this, it’s simple. Lower the cards, showing the backs, OF COURSE without
mentioning them, then square up the deck and put it on the table next to the messy
pile of loosely dealt face-down cards from earlier.
Now the final revelation. Pick up the four face-up cards, square the packet and
turn it face-down. Do an Elmsley count. You will see ONE card with a cross on it,
and in doing the count you out-jog this then strip it out completely, saying, as you
do: “In fact before I came here tonight I put a cross on just one card in the deck…”
You end up holding one card face-down with a cross on it, surrounded visually by
face-down unmarked cards. Look them in the eye. “It would be mental if this was
your card, the Seven of Diamonds, right?” Then flip it over. The place goes nuts.
Here’s the handling for it their chosen card is uncrossed:
You pick up the tabled face-up deck and spread through it. “You made a bunch
of very fair, very free choices right?” You cut the spread in the exact middle and
basically swap the top and bottom halves of the deck. “Before I came out here
tonight, I took each card in the deck, and held it in my hand and thought ‘will Pete
pick this card’...” As you do this you take the new face card of the deck, which will
be a Diamond or Club, a crossed card, and kind of weigh it in your hand. “And if
I thought ‘nah, not this one’ I put a cross on it.” You deal the card face-down to the
table. “Will Pete pick the Six of Clubs (whatever the next card is, you say this whilst
weighing it)... nope.” Flip it over and drop it to the table. You do this as you go
through until you hit a Heart or Spade, which you know is uncrossed - at this point
you flip over the pack and start to spread through the top stock, showing crosses
on all the backs. Again, you lift the deck up to show the faces, giving yourself the
chance to clean up the backs so no uncrossed backs are visible, before lowering it.
“I went through the whole deck and got bad vibes from every single card.” Table
the face-down deck with the X showing on the back.
Now, pick up the four face-up cards, square the packet and turn it face-down. Do
an Elmsley count. You will see ONE card without a cross on it. “In fact, there was
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only one card in the entire deck I didn’t get a negative feeling from.” Strip out the
single unmarked card from the count as you do it. You hold it in your hand, again,
the visual is strong, one unmarked card against a backdrop of many crossed
cards. “This was the only card I didn’t think you wouldn’t pick. Wouldn’t it be nuts
if this was the Jack of Clubs?” Flip it over and show the punters. Flip the table over.
Flip the whole damn place over.
Notes
For some reason I think magicians are worried that lay people will spot the fact
that the suits in the deck are in blocks, but because of the mixing there is a constant
random mix of reds and blacks through the deck, and it looks really natural. If
a punter genuinely stops you and asks why the top quarter only has hearts and
spades, then there’s a huge block of clubs and diamonds, then the rest of the
hearts and spades… just fake a heart attack or whatever.
The idea of having the half deck marked inside an unmarked half came to me from
a lecture Late Local Leicester Legend Roy Johnson did at the LMC back in the day
- it’s a very old-school organic way of handling things that’s hard to mess up and
it’s really flexible.
The idea of using the Elmsely count in combination with a presentational ambiguity
to apparently show one card different from three others came from an effect
called Elementary by Anton Gardinski that was featured in volume 2.2 of online
mentalism staple The Center Tear many many moons ago.
The idea that you can psychologically muscle a punter into picking one card of
each suit came from Brian Caswell’s effect Cataclysm, which is basically amazing.
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Sort of Epic
by Jack Tighe
Effect
During a lapse in conversation, the magician successfully predicts
three freely cut cards, each more difficult and sinister than the last. (They aren’t
really sinister, I just wanted to sound like Jonathan Creek)
Discussion
This is quite an interesting application of the cut deeper force, combined with old
school favourite, mental epic. To prepare, have three business cards and a pen
handy, along with a deck of cards.
To perform, hand out a deck of cards for shuffling. Take it back, and secretly
glimpse the top card. I usually just dribble the cards casually, glimpsing the top
card in the process, but feel free to substitute another method if you want to.
We’ll still be friends. The card that you glimpsed will eventually be forced on the
spectator and will allow you to get ahead of the game. Stay with me.
Set the deck in front of the spectator and theatrically foreshadow the narrative of
the upcoming trick by saying something like…
“In a minute, I’d like you to cut to a card. Just cut off slightly less than half the deck,
turn it face-up and set it back on top of the pack. Before you do that, I’m going to
write something down. My aim is to try to guess the kind of cards you might cut to.
I usually don’t get them correct, but I’ll try to get close.”
Pick up the first business card, act like you’re thinking, and write down the name
of the card you glimpsed. Please don’t let anyone see what you write. Set the
business card face-down on the table.
Have the spectator carry out the first half of the Balducci cut deeper force by
cutting off less than half the cards and turning that section face-up on the remainder
of the pack. Call attention to the card now on the face. Point out that there is no
way anyone could have known which card would be cut to, and then set this card
off to the side, face-up. Continue with the following…
“So, that card was freely cut to. But, I suppose I could have quickly memorised
the top few cards, and taken the chance you would cut to one. Let’s make it more
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difficult. This time, cut off more than half the cards and turn them over. Before you
do that though, I need to write something down...”
Pick up the second business card, and write down the name of the card that was
just cut to and tabled. Each time you write a prediction, you should act for all the
world like you are trying to guess the upcoming card. Place the second business
card face-down on top of the first one.
Have the spectator cut again, this time lifting up and turning over more than half
the cards. She has completed the second part of the cut deeper force. Call attention
to the new face card, and set it aside face-up to the right of the first card. Again,
reiterate that this card was freely cut to…
“So that’s two cards you’ve cut to. However, so far, they’ve all been face-up. I’m
going to try to guess a face-down card. Let me write down one more guess...”
Pick up the third business card, and write on it the name of the second cut to card.
Set this final business card face-down on top of the others. As you can see, you
are running one card behind reality. The cut properties of the cut deeper force,
however, will allow you to catch up.
Spread the deck on the table, and slide out the first face-down card you come to.
Because of the cut deeper force, this will be the card you glimpsed at the start.
Turn it face-up and put it to the right of the other two cards. Recap the situation…
“You made several free cuts – no one could possibly have controlled which cards
you cut to. Before each cut you made, I took a guess at how you would do. If I get
even one correct, I’d be really happy...”
All that remains is to somehow rearrange the business cards to match the order
of the tabled cards, so that it appears that your predictions were correct. The
situation at the moment is that the face-up cards are on the table, in order one,
two, three from left to right. The business cards are in a face-down pile, running
two, one, three from top to bottom. There are many ways in the literature to handle
the correction aspect of a mental epic routine. Here’s a simple one. It’s essentially
the Trevor Lewis Monte move but without the out-jogged card - Hold the stack of
business cards face-down in your left hand. Spread them with your left thumb so
that the cards are fanned to the right.
Bring the right hand over, palm down, and grasp the top, rightmost two cards
of the fan, fingers on top thumbs underneath. Turn the hand palm up, turning the
cards face-up. As you do this, push with the right fingers and pull with the thumb,
switching the positions of the two cards as in the standard optical monte move.
At the same time that the right hand is doing its work, the left hand flips its card
face-up. Place the right hand cards fanned onto the left hand card. It will appear
that you simply turned all three cards face-up and fanned them. The order of the
116
business cards in your hand will now correspond to the tabled playing cards. Deal
the business cards from your hand into a left to right row in front of the tabled
cards. All three predictions will now match the tabled cards.
To finish, say a suitably dramatic tag line, such as “look, they all match.”
Job done.
117
Pick Up Mix
by Jack Tighe
Effect
The deck is mixed. But not really.
Discussion
This is simplicity itself, but I’ve never seen anyone do it, and the card men I’ve
showed it to had never seen it either. Ribbon Spread the deck from left to right.
With the left hand, scoop up a bunch of around eight to ten cards from the left
end of the spread. Throw these into the awaiting right hand with as much panache
as you can manage. Scoop up another bunch of cards and throw these on top of
the right hand cards. Repeat until the spread is exhausted. It seems as though this
chaotic procedure should mix the deck somewhat, but it does not. Hilariously, I’ve
often had to do it more than once for other card men before they realised what
was going on. Use it well.
118
Final words and thanks

Well I sincerely hope you have enjoyed this volume. An eclectic mix
of effects from yours truly and some very talented friends. Take a few of the pieces
that you like and put your own presentational stamp on them. Nothing is beyond
the range of the intermediate student, but everything will take work. After all, if it
was all push button and handed on a plate to you, what’s the point?
Yesterday is history
Tomorrow is a mystery
And today is a gift and they call it the present
John Carey xxx
119
120

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The Carey Files: Volume 1

Copyright © 2016 John Carey

Printed in the United Kingdom by Haresign Press

Design and illustration by Phillip Smith at Sushi Design ( www.sushidesign.net )

The Carey Files - Volume 1

Whenever you are working on an effect ask yourself questions. My favorite

Spectator Open Prediction

International Gadabout Coins

Essentially it’s a mystery-card-meets-thought-of-card. Do not underestimate the

One for the Bar!

Past, Present and?

Ten tips on creativity

10a. When working on something, always ask yourself what if?

10b. Have Fun!

The T.M Spread force.

Biddle goes to Dunbury!

Bold deal force

Commence by dealing the Aces into a face-up

Start spreading the deck and ask your spectator

Focus attention on the face-up Ace of Diamonds

Aces for Larry

From a shuffled deck in use take the deck into face-up

Execute a quick centre Hindu shuffle, pulling out a block

Cull Force Finesse

Bluff stop trick

“Shannon, a playing card is made up of a colour, a suit and a value. As I deal

A Game of Make Believe...

One thought across

B’lieve - A homage to Maven

Some random thoughts on

When two minds meet...

Turn over my card. Impossible!”

to mentally scream stop!”

Simplex Card in Purse

Remove the deck and execute a slip shuffle retaining

Signed Bill to Purse

Opening Salvo-Coins to purse

The Deal Ruse Card Force

Raj’s Pyramid Prediction

On a private forum, Jack Carpenter had the brilliant idea of placing

Bullet Catcher is Bannon’s move that can be used as a production or force of

Cheater Cheater Pumpkin Eater

This is my handling of the classic lie detector plot based on a David

This reverses the stack so that the selection is now in place.

Ex. Deal (“T”), deal (“O”), deal (“M”).

“What is the suit of your card?”

“What is the name of your card?”

“I was lying the whole time.”

Notes and Credits

Steinmeyer “Nine Card Problem” Magic Mag. May 1993

Solomon “Steinmeyer’s 9 card problem w. 7 cards” Solomon’s Mind 1997

We came up with the following:

1. Scenario 1: Card is already in 3rd position

All the best, Eugene

Three For The Show

Impromptu Hat Trick

Quick Phase Three

John Bannon’s Bullet Catcher Display appeared in Smoke and Mirrors

Pit Hartling’s Finger Flicker appeared in Card Fictions.

Every Which Way PLUS

The original version of this small-packet Triumph appeared in the

Effect and Presentation

The picture below shows the starting position.