a

Roger's Thesaurus

Roger's Thesaurus Written by Roger Crosthwaite and Justin Higham

Illustrated by Chris Power

Pre-illustrative Photography: Emma Crosthwaite John Woolvett

L&L Publishing

P.O. Box 100 Tahoma California 96142

Card magic in all its aspects is a subject that has been dealt with by experienced card men in books they have written and many valuable contributions to magical magazines. The magician who aspires to greater heights in card magic mayfind it difficult to decide how to advance in their work after his basic H o m a n n or indeed the Royal Road to Card Magic. For style and naturalness in card handling he could not do better than make a study of the moves, sleights and variations, which have been written in such detail by that master of dexterity, Ed Marlo, together with the subtleness and original approach of Stewart James. A combination of the work of these t w o very experienced men, assiduously studied and practiced, would put the aspiring card man in the top bracket in this work.

Francis Haxton,

The New Tops (January1966),p.26.

Contents xii

Acknowledgements

...

Dedication

Xlll

Profile

xv

Preface

xvii xviii

Foreword

xix

Introduction Chapter One: Completing the Circle Phase One: Beginning the Act Set-Up Rest Position

The Deck Production The LTP

The Salt Pot Production Straddle Grip Steal

Phase Two: Reading the Mind Primal Paradigms Ribbon Spread Grab

Think-a-Card Salad Shuffle Incomplete Shuffle Glimpse Drop-Cut Control The Upjog Swifch

Phase Three: Finding the Foursome The Rapid Cull Draw False Cut Fan Shuffle Placement

The Kilburn Cut Estimate Cut

The Sultan Stab The Top Change

The Chutney Change The Khan Reverse Domino Split Martinez Display Righting Move Variation Charlier Catch Card Case Swifch Insertion Steal Visual Replacement

Phase Four: Caressing the Cards Lost and Found Overlzand Shufle Shift Marlo's Undercut Finesse Minus 51 Rifle Stack The Zarrow Shufle Marlo's Combi-Null Cut Off-the-Face Switch

Phase Five: Dealing with Desire How It's Done Spin-Out Center Deal Open Hockley Fake One Hand Center Vernon's Flourish Count Benzais Cop The Vernon Change The Pocket Switch

Phase Six: Making the Magic The Magic Salt The Count-Lap Propelled Lapping Single Deal Vanish Mztltiple Deal Vanish LTP Packet Replacetnent

Phase Seven: Ending with Style The Long Pour The Body Talk Test

Chapter Two: Think-a-Card Opening Remarks The Selection of the Card The Location of the Card The Revelation of the Card Personal Roots Psychological Roots The Eyes Have it Tlze Length of Gaze Tke Direction of Gaze The Intensity of Gaze

Technical Roots Erdnase Method A Variation One: Verbal Stop Technique Variation True: Visual Stop Technique Variation Three: Retention-of-Vision

Erdnase Method B Variation: Tlze Spring Force

Erdnase Method C Variation: The Charlier Force Adams' Charlier Variant

Erdnase Method D

vii

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The Gaze Method Think-a-Card Veneri Break Transfer

Think-a-Force Controlling the Gaze

The Unexplained Mental Stab - Crosthwaite Direct Mindreading - Crosthwaite Mental Topper - Crosthwaite Mental Jacks - Crosthwaite Mindreading Experiment 1- Crosthwaite Mindreading Experiment 2 - Crosthwaite The Explained Super Clairvoyant - Higham Reverse Faro Faro Check Wrist Turn Reversal Fan Peek

Direct Mind Control - Lewis Cyril's Method - Golding

Chapter Three: Beyond the Gen Ace-Cutting Spectator Cuts, Magician Delivers - Higham Marlo's Top Card Slip Cut Stencel's Circular Subtlety

A Son Goat

Flash Aces - Crosthwaite Center Cut Revolving Pass Irons' Top Stock Control

Primals

Primal Premonition - Crosthwaite Tabled Steal Lap-Switch Turnover Swifch

Primal Memory 1- Crosthwaite Christ S Cut-Deeper Force

Primal Memory 2 - Crosthwaite Marlo's Click Count

Jokers Wild

Michael's Wild Card - Vincent Vernon's Strip-Out Addition 5-as-4 Count Marlo's Diminishing Lift Display Through-the-Fis t Turnover Cyprian Color Change Through-the-Fist Change

LTP Work

Miracle Change Effect - Crosthwaite LTP Peek Steal Clip Palm Tabled Addifion Miracle Steal

For Psychics Only Sandwich Sequence - Crosthwaite Christ Twist Delayed Switch

Ultra Clean Sandwich - Vincent Marl03 Longitudinal Top Palm Incredible Deal Switch

For Crazy Cardicians Purist Sandwich Clip Bottom Control Second-from-Bottom Control

Chapter Four: Quantum Classics The Crimp

Gambler's Aces - Irons Breather Crimp Bottom Running-Cut

Breather Stacking - Irons The Shuffle

After-the-Shuffle Reverse - Zarrow Free Count Aces - Crosthwaite Rapid Thumbcount Variation One: Faro Shuffle Variation Two: Overhand-Faro

The Force

Movable Card Force - Marlo Movable Coincidence

The Pass

The Longitudinal Pass - Higham The Dribble Shift - Higham Delayed Dribble Shift

The Palm

The Diagonal Palm Shift - Crosthwaite Diagonal Push-Through Palm-Replacement

Card From Box - Power Revolving Replacement

The Change

Michael's General Card - Vincent Panoramic Shift Pass-Ctif Second-from-Top Change Third-from-Top Change

The Cull

Riffle Cull Finesse - Crosthwaite Method One: Single Cull Method Two: Single Cull Method Three: Multiple Cull Method Four: Multiple Cull Method Five: Multiple Cull Method Six: Multiple Cull Method Seven: Cull-Crimp 1 Method Eight: Cull-Crimp 2 Method Nine: Multiple Cull Triple Peek Control Leipzig Spin-Cut

The Combination Cull First Method - Carre' Second Method - Higham

Total Cull - Carr6 Prayer Cull Order Cull Slop Shuffle Another Sort

Chapter Five: Crossroading Seconds and More Montage Push-Off Second Deal - Reay, Lovell, Higham Immediate Center - Crosthwaite Block Unit Control - Higham

Dealing Around Reset Routine - Hollingworth Rear Clip Palm Pick-Up False Shuffle Benzais Spin O u t Buckley S Bottom Deal (variant) MarloS Center Control (variant)

Coming Together Interlaced Transformation - Higham End Tap Pass Strike Unit Deal MarloS Open Double Victor's Riffle Pass

Separating Out To Another World - Crosthwaite Longitudinal Deal Cop Spread-Count Ireland's False Shuffle

Counting the Cards Phantom Aces - Higham Dribble Force Stab Force Variation Thompson S Stop

Retaining the Stack Running Charlier - Higham Winning the Game One Shuffle Riffle Stack - Irons

Chapter Six: The Magic of Jack Avis TV Part One

Twist and Vanish - Avis and Endfield KB Move KrenzelS Mechanical Reverse Marlo's 4-as-5 Count Marlo's Edge Cover Grip Elmsley's Everchange Count

TV Part Two

Siva's Twist and Vanish - Avis Unloading (Putback) False Count Upright Count Pinch Grip Olram Split

TV Part Three Shock Treatment - Endfield Milk Build Shuffle Endfield-Sinzon Count Variation One: Deep Face-Up Switch Variation Two: Steal-Back Variation Three: Centerpoint Subtlety

Underground Another Call, Another Place - Avis Erdnase Bottom Deal

Overground Flip Up Put Back Count - Avis The Genuine Count The False Count The Force

Combination One A Change of Identity - Avis Tamariz Turnover Skin-Grip Altman Trap Siva Display Subtlety Hindzc Shuffle Force Lap Addition Nolap Switch Elmsley Count E-Y-E Count Flushtration Count

Combination Two Identity Cards - Higham Olram Subtlety

Chapter Seven: The Scottish Connection The First Link Tribute to Roy Walton - Duffie Leave 'em Laughing - Walton The Second Link Palmist's Prediction - Bruce Spread Switch

The Third Link Those Enigmatic Royals - Duffie The Fourth Link Adagio for Strings - Girdwood The Fifth Link Thinking Out Loud - Hamilton Larreverse Christ Reverse

The Sixth Link Where Regals Dare - McBride Braue Addition Martinez T Variation Flip-Over Switch

The Seventh Link Quantum Leap The De La Mare Count

Appendix The Longitudinal Angle Palm The Erdnase Break Marlo's Turnaround Center Glimpse The Anglejog Turnover Glimpse Delayed Turnaround Center Glimpse Bernard's Double Tap Subtlety Sauter La Coupe The High-Cros Move Tenkai's Optical Move The Erdnase Square-Up The Punch

Acknowledgements Writing a book is always a team effort. A great number of people have contributed to making this Thesaurus possible, and it is a pleasure for us to acknowledge them at this time. My half-decade of dialogue with co-author Justin Higham has greatly enriched these pages. Without his support and input, this book could never have been written. Tony Blitz, A1 Smith, and Simon Aronson read various chapters of our manuscript in its early stages and offered some very helpful criticisms and suggestions. Jack Avis, Anthony Brahams and Roy Walton did the same for the entire text of the final draft, as did David Britland, thereby saving us the embarrassment of a number of egregious errors. Michael Vincent, friend and contributor to the book, helped us to reorganise the text in ways that improved it immensely. We were fortunate to have the help of Peter Duffie in putting together the chapter on Roy Walton and the Scottish magicians, Gordon Bruce, Iain Girdwood, Steve Hamilton, George McBride, and Paul Weir. From England, we welcome the contributions of JackAvis, David Carrk, Cyril Golding, Guy Hollingworth, Bob Irons, Trevor Lewis, Simon Lovell, Howard Posener, Chris Power, and Kevin Reay. Sadly, through lack of space, we have had to hold over some contributions for our next volume. From across the water, we welcome items by our friends Ed Marlo, Herb Zarrow, and Cy Endfield (now domiciled in England). At the University of Cambridge, where I studied in the early sixties, I received a great deal of help from John Gilliland and Mike Kelly, whose research forms the basis of Chapter Two. (In all instances, errors of fact or interpretation are strictly our own.) Gordon Bruce, Eddie Dawes, Steve Hamilton and Sam Sharpe were generous with their time in researching source material on the history and psychology of Think-a-Card. We wish to thank Alan Alan for similar help on the theory and practice of misdirection; Alex Elmsley for advising on technical detail; Walt Lees for his work on David Carre's Total Cull; David Britland for his write-up of Cyril Golding's Method; Patrick Page for his humour and shared experience; Bobby Bernard for never suffering fools gladly, the courage to speak his mind, and his constant inspiration to the authors; John Muir and Vic Pinto for being "there" and always reliable; Trevor Liley for his constant support throughout; Leo Simon for the photographs in Chapter Two; John Carey for his inspiring enthusiasm; Michael Vincent for his friendship and wisdom; and Cyril Golding for his willingness to pass on his love and knowledge of the pasteboards to a small boy of twelve at the very beginning. Kathleen Graves, Linda Pullen, and Karen Wijeratne assisted us in typing the manuscript; Emma Crosthwaite and John Woolvett helped in taking the pre-illustrative photographs; and Chris Power of Opus drew the illustrations. John Woolvett of Magic Management gave business advice and support, without which the project would have floundered. David Rennie and Shaun Holdom of Belvedere Graphics have given their creative professionalism in the design and layout of the finished book. Our business manager and adviser, Anthony Brahams, has been a staunch ally thoughout the project, and Sigi and Christine Pracher, wise and good friends, provided a great deal of emotional support and helped us in a myriad of ways. To all these friends, and more, we can only say Thank You for your interest, encouragement, and generous assistance. Finally, I would like to thank Alison for loving me through the years and continuing to love me now, and to Andrew, David, and Emma who have allowed their Dad to be himself. Roger Crosthwaite London 1994 O Copyright 1994 by L & L Publishing, P.O. Box 100, 7177-5th Avenue, Tahoma, CA 96142.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publishers. Cover and Illustrations by Chris Power First Edition Typesetting and Graphic Design by Belvedere Graphics, Milton Keynes, U.K. Tel: (+44) 908 366280 Fax: (+44) 908 366528 Publishing Consultant: Anthony Brahams

for Alison

Keep concentrating.. .

Let's pretend.

Yes, I have your card.. .

That's mindreading!

The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul. Proverbs 13:19

Profile My first recollection of meeting Roger was in Birmingham around 1960, at the famed Magicians' Mecca in Broad Street. From the age of twelve Roger set high targets in attaining sleight of hand skills. Throughout the years those targets have remained, enabling him to become one of the foremost and respected exponents of sleight of hand with cards in England today. While studying psychology at Durham and theology at Cambridge, his love affair with the pasteboards continued. At Cambridge he joined the Pentacle Club and through an agent worked a number of top London nightspots, including Talk of the Town and Churchills. Ordained into the Church of England in 1965, he served his title at Bradford Cathedral. Although winning the British Magical Society Close-Up Competition in 1964, Roger found that parish work was taking more and more of his time and magic less and less. In 1966 Roger decided to put magic on the back burner. The watershed came in 1978, when with Alison and their three children, Andrew, David and Emma, a clergy-exchange in Los Angeles opened doors to that noted watering-hole for magicians, The Magic Castle. It was through meeting and spending time with such luminaries as Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller that the fires of enthusiasm were rekindled. Having completed the studies for his doctorate, Roger returned to Britain bursting with new energy, new thinking and new magical ambition. In 1980 he won the Magic Circle Close-Up Competition. Fr. Roger was back! Since his early days studying Erdnase, Roger has nursed a passionate interest in the "artifice, ruse and subterfuge" of the card table. In London during the early sixties and later through Charlie Miller in America, he came to meet many gamblers, hustlers and con-artists. Although his approach to magic has been influenced by many famous names from the gambling and magical fraternities, outstanding among them must be Ed Marlo. Visiting Marlo and spending time with him in Chicago remains one of Roger's most cherished memories. In card magic he counts as special friends, Jack Avis, David Carre, Justin Higham, Bob Irons, Gazzo Macee, Michael Vincent and, of course, his mentor and guide of earlier years, Cyril Golding. At the age of fifty-four ,Roger's concern is to encourage the growing number of younger men and women who share his ideals and love for the art of conjuring with cards. The days of competition and public shows are over. He limits himself now to an occasional lecture, tutorials and "private" performances. He is never happier than when spending time with a small tight-knit group of fellow-enthusiasts. When it comes to technique, Roger is a perfectionist. You either do the thing properly or not at all. He has always believed in and now increasingly recognises the importance of psychology as well as digital dexterity. All this, and more, is reflected in his thesaurus.

To see Roger perform is to see magic on its highest plane. Devastating skill and quiet humour combine to become one entertaining and totally absorbing mystery. The effects performed are not just card tricks - perhaps this is why he eschews the word "trick" - they are an experience, as evidenced by the reaction of magicians and laymen alike. I remember quite specifically one occasion, following a quiet dinner we had together, when he "completely floored" the waiting staff with Think-a-Card. Roger may appear to be a cultured and courteous man of the cloth, but beneath that gentlemanly and benign exterior lies a magician - a real magician - for how else can we explain the miracles which happen within and even out of his hands? As you, the reader, journey though this book, some of the hidden secrets and the thoughts behind them will be revealed. Enjoy your trip. Donald Bevan, Abracadabra, Bromsgrove, May 1993

Note 1)When a sleight or subtlety is first mentioned in the text, it will be found in italics; when it is first described, it will be found in the list of contents. 2) When a book or magazine is first mentioned, we have followed convention and referred to the author, title, date and page number. Thereafter the reference is shortened (e.g., S.W. Erdnase, The Expert at the Card Table (1902),p. 23, becomes The Expert, p. 23).

xvii

Preface Do not conform.. . to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2 The human mind, unlike a computer, solves problems and forms ideas gradually, following trains of thought; devising a variation of someone else's idea is simply extending a train of thought. The question, "Why publish ten methods for the same effect?" can be countered with, "Why publish only one method? " Out of those ten methods, one of them may inspire someone to develop a radically new approach. (It could of course be argued that there's no point in publishing anything, since we could all invent our own effects and methods. But then we would lose one of the great attractions of magic, namely the sharing of ideas between fellow magicians. Without this there would be no identity of magic as a whole, let alone any natural progression as an art form.) Instead of conforming to fixed patterns or rules, magic allows us a freedom of thought which can have a renewing effect on the mind. Solving a card problem - unlike solving a crossword puzzle, which has only one solution - can take us into another world, a personal world of infinite possibilities, without restrictions, regulations or external pressures. The catalyst for this is in your hands. Roger's Thesaurus is not just a book of remarkable material, of one person's achievements in the world of card magic. Nor is it just a reference work containing tips, anecdotes and commercial routines for the professional magician. It is, very simply, a celebration of magic itself, and the creativity of the human mind. Justin Higham October 1993