Mark Elsdon - OBC2

0BC2 Blah Blah Blah Hello and welcome to issue 2. I know once again that the mix of magic and mentalism that you are receiving in this magazine is all excellent, practical material that will put a smile on your face when you read it and a song in your heart when you perform it. If you have any feedback about the magazine, then feel free to e-mail me at: [email protected] Yoursly yours, ME

CONTENTS OF ISSUE 2:

THE TWISTER – BOB OSTIN…2 ELBOWED, KNEED AND NECKED – PAUL INGRAM…4 IT REELY FLOATS! – PHIL HOPKINS…7 A TOTAL DELUSION – PETER MCLANACHAN…8 CARDTOON, TOO – MARK ELSDON…10

Entire contents copyright ©2002 by OBC publications. Marketing rights remain the property of the contributors.

The Twister – Bob Ostin What Happens? An ace is removed from the pack and placed face up on the table. A die is now shown and placed on the centre spot of the ace. A card is now selected and returned to the pack which is shuffled. The performer now deals cards onto the table by the side of the Ace. Suddenly and inexplicably the die eerily twists around on the ace and the card held in the hand at that moment is shown to be the selection. The Hype: The first time I saw this Bob absolutely nailed me because he did the trick with my deck! The effect just screams ‘gaffed cards’ but there aren’t any! How Does It Happen? First, you must make a fake die, as follows, but don’t panic it’s very easy. Find a cheap plastic die – Bob’s came from a Christmas cracker! You will need one that is hollow (as almost all cheap dice are) since you are going to remove one side. The easy way to do this is to drill a hole through one of the spots and either push or pull the appropriate side out with a piece of bent wire. The hole you drill should ideally be in the centre of, say a one, three or five. Once you have the side out, the hard work is done. Now place a small magnet into the die and secure it with a suitable adhesive (balsa cement). Stick the side back in and finally seal up the hole through which you drilled, again using balsa or polystyrene cement, but, and this is the subtlety on which the trick depends, leave the adhesive protruding from the hole in a little lump, then when it is dry, paint it white. You now have a die with a magnet in it and with one spot protruding whilst all the rest are inset. This odd spot is the pivot on which the die will twist. Apart from the die you will need a small bar magnet which can be secretly finger palmed in the left hand. Now before going any further you must experiment with the die and the bar magnet to find out which is the correct polarity of the magnet in the die. To do this, place the die ‘blimp’ side down on a card. Now move your left hand with the magnet concealed slowly towards the card until the die twists around on its pivot. Once you have found the correct position for the die, either to repel or attract, remember which spots are facing you. The handling is as follows. Place an ace on the table with the die on the centre spot facing in the correct direction. Now have a card selected and returned and controlled to a known position. It is easy to do this with the magnet concealed in your left hand. You now start dealing cards onto the table about three or four inches to the right 2

of the die. All the emphasis is on the right hand as it takes cards from the left hand. As you deal, count the cards and when you reach the selected card, allow the left hand to come a little closer and suddenly the die will twist around in an unexpected manner. All the attention is on the right hand which now turns the card face up to show the die has found the selection.

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Elbowed, kneed & Necked - Paul Ingram What Happens? The magician displays three coins and explains that they each have a name: Elbow, Knee and Neck. The coins are tossed into the left hand which is then closed into a fist. In an instant, one coin is produced from the left elbow, one from the left knee and the other from behind the neck! The left hand is now opened and shown to be empty.

The Hype: This is an improved handling of a routine of Daryl’s that appeared in Stephen Minch’s book “Spectacle”. The original, ‘Elbow, Knee and Neck’ introduced an interesting plot into coin magic but Paul couldn’t get comfortable with the handling for two reasons. Firstly, the pop-up move just does not make any sense, it looks like an entirely synthetic way to handle a coin. Also, leaving the coin loaded and balanced on his the neck left him feeling and looking like Frankenstein gone wrong. For these reasons he developed several different handlings for the routine. What follows is the most practical handling and therefore the one that he uses all the time. I totally agree with Paul that the pop-up move is one of the most unnatural and odd-looking moves in magic. Sorry, Larry. In fact the concept of ‘E, K & N’ introduces the possibilities of jazz coin magic, a previously unexplored avenue. Paul and I have produced a booklet, wherein we each detail three different approaches to the plot, which will be available shortly.

How Does It Happen? You will need any three matching coins, Paul uses dollars because he likes the way they handle and because the effect is more visual due to their size. I prefer to use three borrowed coins. Phase 1 - Elbow The coins are displayed in the open right palm, the rear most coin in position ready to be classic palmed. All coins are apparently tossed into the left hand. However, one coin is retained in the right. Jingle the coins in the left fist and then position one of them so that it protrudes from the rear of the fist ready to be stolen by the right hand. This coin is now stolen by the right hand using the right first and second fingers. This action is normally achieved by bringing the right hand over to the left in a pointing gesture. Paul has 4

changed this handling so that it appears more natural. After all, if you were going to point at the other hand you would do just that. You would not have to bring the hands together to make a pointing action. To achieve the steal of the coin from the left hand, the right hand moves below the left elbow in order to pull back the sleeve a little. After this it moves directly down beneath the left forearm to the left fist. The protruding coin is stolen by nipping it in between the right first and second fingers. The right hand is then moved away and held in a fist opposite the left hand. The stolen coin is actually being held outside the right fist between the first and second fingers. The right hand produces the stolen coin from behind the left elbow and then holds it up to display before placing it onto the table. Phase 2 – Knee The right hand extends its first finger and draws an imaginary line from the left fist, up the left arm, across the chest and down the left leg to behind the left knee. As you do this you explain that the coin called ‘knee’ is now making its invisible journey. You now produce the coin which has been hidden in the right hand classic palm from behind the left knee. As this is happening, the left hand is positioning the coin it holds into the same position as the previous coin, protruding from the fist ready to be stolen. You now appear to gesture with the right hand coin by tapping it against the left elbow to emphasize the fact that it’s called knee and not elbow. However, you actually re-palm the coin into the right hand classic palm and pretend to hold it behind the left fingertips as you make the tapping gesture to the left right elbow. The right hand appears to move forward and place the coin it is holding onto the table however, at this point a switch takes place. As the right hand moves forward it passes directly below the left fist. As it passes below the protruding coin from the left fist is dropped onto the fingers of the right hand. This coin is placed upon the table by the right hand, which still has a coin retained in the classic palm. This switch and steal of the left hand coin has to be clean, fluid and without hesitation. Phase 3 – Neck The right hand could now simply produce the coin it is hiding from behind the neck. However, Paul likes to apparently display both hands empty before producing the coin using the right hand. This is achieved using a handwashing technique similar to that which John Bannon performs. The left hand, still clenched in a fist and apparently holding the last coin is raised palm up in front of you. The arm is positioned at a 45 ° angle pointing upward to the right. You now blow onto the left fist and then open it to 5

display it to be empty. The right hand now approaches and rubs the left hand by placing the thumb on top and the fingers below. The thumb is touching the heel of the left hand. The right hand now strokes the left hand by moving forwards and upwards to the fingertips. Once there, the right hand turns palm down and releases the palmed coin directly onto the left right hand finger palm position. In a continuing motion, the right hand makes another stroking motion rubbing its palm and fingers across the hidden coin moving backwards and downwards. As both hands now turn into a palm up position with the hands being held cupped and the thumbs touching the fingers the right hand re-palms the coin. Both thumbs make a snapping action to emphasize the hands being empty. The right hand can now produce its finger palmed coin from behind the neck to finish. Paul uses this routine for both adults and children alike. It takes about thirty seconds to perform and is a terrific piece of visual magic. After you have introduced the coins and their respective names at the beginning of the routine, the plot is already establishing itself in the spectator’s minds. They guess that the coins will somehow appear at the named locations but do not know how. Before they know it, you are already ahead of them and they have no chance at reconstructing what has happened. This is great for restaurant work. If no tables are available then simply use a spectators hand to place the coins upon after they are produced.

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IT Reely Floats! – Phil Hopkins What Happens? A match is selected from a boxful, and is placed on the back of a playing card. It floats (yawn). The card is then given to the spectator to keep (gasp). There are no switches and everything may be examined.

The Hype: This is an absolute killer of an effect to perform on fellow magicians. It uses a Super Micro ITR in the sneakiest way imaginable. If you're still using it to float banknotes then think again, because you're missing out.

How Does It Happen? As you've already read, a thread reel is responsible. On the end of it you need just the tiniest amount of ‘Whitetak’. Attach the ‘tak’ to the face of (preferably) a Bee playing card, and wrap the thread three times around the length of the card, by turning it over toward yourself. That is, three times around both the face and back so that in all you are turning the card through 360 degrees on its vertical axis 3 times. Imagine that on the back of the card three lines were drawn, dividing the card into four equal quarters. Space out the thread as you turn the card so that the thread runs along these three imaginary lines. To perform, place the match across the back of the card as usual and float it. If you don't know what I'm talking about where have you been? Cause the match to descend, and tip it off the card. Pick it up with your right hand and drop it onto a spectator's hand, saying "Of course I shouldn't let you examine this because it's a trick match," and all eyes will be glued to the match as the spectator examines it. This gives you the fraction of a second you need to scrape the ‘tak’ off the face of the card with your fingernail. As soon as the ‘tak’ is free, the reel will come into play, causing the thread and ‘tak’ to whizz in a tight arc around the card, after which it will fly back to the reel. This only takes about one and a half seconds. The spectators will just now be looking back at you, having realized that it's not a trick match at all. Say "Just kidding, here - you can take the card as well." Give them the card and allow them to keep it.

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A Total Delusion – Peter McLanachan What Happens? A card is peeked at in the deck by a spectator and the deck then shuffled. The cards are cut and the top 3 cards determine the colour, value and position in the deck of the selection. The problem is that all 3 times the card turned over is the selection. Each one is placed onto the table and the correct number of cards dealt down to get to the selection. The 3 cards sitting on the table are now found to be the 3 mates of the selection.

The Hype: This is Peter’s brilliant handling of Charlie Miller’s "Dunbury Delusion" (Expert Card Technique). It is very direct and whilst there is a little work involved, it’s impact upon laymen leaves nothing to be desired.

How Does It Happen? Have a spectator peek at a card in the usual manner and a break is held under the selection (to make things easy for this description, we shall assume that this card is the 7 of Diamonds). Glimpse the selection in any way that you know does not cause suspicion. One way is to turn the deck over so that the face of the deck is towards you. As this is done, the section of the deck above the break is naturally kicked over so that the bottom index of the selection can be glimpsed (my reason for this is to show that there are no marks on the cards). The deck is then very fairly squared up and given to the spectator for shuffling. Upon getting the deck back, you state that you are going to look through the deck and try to find clues as to the name of the card that the spectator is thinking of. As you go through the deck, cull the 7D and its 3 mates to the back of the deck, Peter normally use John Mendoza's "Quick Cull" for this. Having culled the 4 required cards, you now need to get the selection to third from the top, but still within its mate cards (i.e. the order could be, for example, 7S, 7H, 7D (the selection), 7C, rest of deck). This is done by a couple of overhand shuffles, pulling cards off one at a time until the selection is in the desired position. Explain that you will give the deck a cut and that the top 3 cards of the deck will tell you 3 things: 8

1. The colour of the card; 2. The value of the card; and 3. The number of cards down in the deck the selection will be found at. Give the deck a false cut that will keep the top stock in position. Triple lift and turnover to show the 'first' card. The fact that this card is the selection will sometimes get a reaction from the spectator, but take no notice of this. Explain that this card tells you the selection was, in this example, red. Turn the triple face down and deal the top card to the table. Do a Double Turnover and show the same card again. This will almost always get a reaction, but again ignore it. Say that this card tells you that the selection was a 7. Turn the double face down and deal the top card on to the table. Turn the top card over again and state that the selection is, again in this example, 7 cards down from the top of the deck (by the way, if the selection is a Jack. Queen, King or Ace just make up your own rules for how many cards to count down). The fact that this is the selection will definitely get a reaction from the spectator. Turn the top card face down and deal the second card to the table. Repeat the number of cards that you have to deal and deal 6 face up seconds (i.e. one less than the required number) and the top card, the selection, is taken and held face down. Ask for the name of the selection and when the card is named, act a little surprised saying that the card named "...was the card I placed here, here and here..." pointing to each card on the table in the process. As they respond to that statement, turn the card in your hand over to show that it is the selection. Ask the spectator whether or not they saw you put three 7s on the table, they will say yes. Immediately turn over the 3 face down cards on the table to reveal the 3 mates.

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Cardtoon, Too – Mark Elsdon What Happens? A deck of cards is shown, fronts and backs, to be normal and from it a spectator selects a card. The Joker, which has a picture of a stick magician on its back, is dropped on top of the deck. The deck is riffled like a flipbook and the stickman animates, pulling the spectator's free selection out of his top hat! (This, obviously, is the ‘Cardtoon’ effect.) The stickman Joker is removed from the top of the deck, and now the stickman has vanished from all the other cards! The Hype: This is an effect that I originally had published in ‘MAGIC’ magazine in 1995. It was very popular at the time and in fact one US dealer liked it so much they decided to market it (it would have been better if they had asked my permission first!) After explaining it in recent lectures a lot of people have asked me how they can get hold of a copy of the instructions, since the relevant issue of ‘MAGIC’ is out of print. Hence my decision to reprint it here. How Does It Happen? You will need a ‘Cardtoon’ deck from Dan Harlan and a normal Hoyle deck to match. With them, you are going to make a 56 card long and short deck. From the Cardtoon deck remove the following cards: Joker,AS,2S,3S,4S,5S,6S,7S,8S,9S,JS,KS,AD,2D,3D,4D,6D,8D,10D,QD,JC,7C ,5C,2C,AC,QH,8H,6H,4H. From a normal deck remove the following: AS,2S,3S,4S,5S,6S,7S,8S,10S,QS,KS,AD,2D,3D,5D,7D,9D,JD,QC,8C,6C,3C,2 C, KH,9H,7H,5H. You will notice a lot of Spades and Diamonds and fewer Clubs and Hearts. This is to ensure that the animation runs smoothly towards the end when it is at its most detailed. Take all the normal cards and make them shorter by trimming 1 mm off the end of each one with an X-acto knife. Set the whole deck up as follows from the top down: (c stands for a ‘Cardtoon’ card, n for a normal card.) 10

n5H,c4H,n7H,c6H,n9H,c8H,nkH,cQh,n2C,cAC,n3C,c2C,n6C,c5C,n8C,c7C,n QC,cJC, nJD,cQD,n9D,c10D,n7D,c8D,n5D,c6D,n3D,c4D,n2D,c3D,nAD,c2D,nKS,cAD, nQS, cKS,n10S,cJS,n8S,c9S,n7S,c8S,n6S,c7S,n5S,c6S,n4S,c5S,n3S,c4S,n2S,c3S,nA S, c2S,cAS,cJOKER. Make sure that all the ‘Cardtoon’ cards are facing the same way, ready for the animation sequence. To perform, dribble the cards face up to show the spectator that they aren't all the same. Do it quite quickly so that he doesn't notice that the cards are in order. Deal the Joker off to one side as you explain that the Joker is a "special" card and you don't want the spectator to select it. Turn the deck face down and dribble the cards for the spectator to make a selection. Subliminally you are showing that the backs of the cards are normal. Whichever card he stops you on, outjog it (it will be a normal card) and the ‘Cardtoon’ card below it as one. It will be easy to handle the two as one, because the normal card is a short card. Spin the two cards out of the deck, thereby turning them end for end, and drop them on top of the deck. Deal the top, selected, card to the table, at the same time doing a wrist-kill with the left hand to hide the picture on the card below. Turn the deck face up into left hand dealing grip. Ask the spectator what card he thinks he has chosen. As he answers, double-undercut the bottom card to the top. Immediately turn the deck face down again. Turn the selection face up and comment on how close the spectator's guess was. Turn the Joker face down, showing that it is "special" because it has a stickman drawn on the back of it. Explain that the stickman is a magician and will show them a trick. Ask them what normally happens when a magician comes into contact with a pack of cards. They will answer, “He does a trick.” Tell them to watch closely. Drop the Joker face down onto the deck (making sure that it is correctly oriented for the upcoming animation), and riffle down the edge of the deck in standard ‘Cardtoon’ fashion to display the stickman pulling a duplicate of the spectator's card out of his hat. Deal the Joker off the deck, and immediately dribble the cards from hand to hand to show that the pictures have gone! To re-set, turn the deck face up and deal the face card onto the face up selection on the table. Turn the pair end for end. Spread through the deck and replace them where they belong in the sequence. Replace the Joker on the face of the deck. 11

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