Peter Duffie - Duffie on Disc

T H E B E S T O F

Peter Duffie!

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www.magic.org

Written by Peter Duffie

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Compiled by Aaron Smith

This compilation, The Best of Peter Duffie is Copyright © 2005 by Peter Duffie and Aaron Smith. All rights reserved. Except in a review, the reproduction, distribution, or utilization of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented without prior written permission.

Introduction

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This exclusive Magic Depot e-book is quite a score; a great prize that you’ve awarded yourself. Each trick in this book was selected as the very best of Peter Duffie’s extensive online library. The Best of Peter Duffie is a perfect cross section of card magic’s evolution over the years. Duffie has worked with so many legendary figures that his inspiration is a frenzy of possibilities. Duffie employs the most direct method to get from point A to point B. You’ll finish the trick without one wasted move; an important characteristic of any good magic trick. A streamlined effect provides ample opportunity to develop the presentation. A magician is someone that has at least two problems for every solution and a question for every answer. Peter Duffie gives the best possible answer to some very clever questions. Hopefully you will use this magic and share it with others by performing it all over the world.

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Aaron Smith

About Peter Duffie

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Peter was eight years old and his uncle would show him magic tricks with cards, coins, matches, and chalk. But it was the cards that held his deepest interest, and so began a learning process that continues to the present day. Peter’s chief mentor was, and still is, Roy Walton (of Card Warp fame). But over the years, Peter was inspired by his collaborations with Gordon Bruce, Andy Galloway, Tommy Frederick, Fred Robinson, Dave Campbell, Eric Mason, Ken Brooke, Peter Kane, Alex Elmsley, Pat Page, Phil Goldstein, Gene Maze, Richard Kaufman, and Dai Vernon. A past winner of the Scottish Conjuror’s Association Close-up competition and the IBM Zina Bennett Cup, Peter considers competitions “good fun but meaningless.” His early association with Jerry Sadowitz led to a series of books, beginning with Alternative Card Magic (1982). It started with two young men - a manuscript - and no publisher. Peter is grateful that Martin Breese saw in the material what others didn’t, and took the chance. All five Duffie/Sadowitz books have recently been reprinted by Martin Breese in a single collection titled CardZones – a handsome cloth-bound tome. While the material dates back to the 1980’s, Peter is proud of this collection. The 1990’s saw a new direction with the release of Imagine, a self-produced manuscript of near-self-working card tricks. This was followed by Obsession, Ulterior Motifs, and so it went on, and indeed, Peter continues to release new booklets to this day. All of Peter’s ebooks are available at The Magic Depot! In the mid-90’s, a chance encounter with Richard Kaufman at a Blackpool convention led to a publishing contract being signed. Duffie’s Card Compulsions was published in 1995 by Kaufman & Greenberg. This was followed by Five Times Five (Scotland) and Effortless Card Magic. Peter is currently in partnership with the clever Californian magician Robin Robertson PhD. Together they created over 200 new effects and have released three books: Card Conspiracy Volumes 1 & 2 plus Diamonds from Coal.

STABBATH (From Peter Duffie with Cards) Two cards are chosen and returned, then a spectator takes the Ace of Spades and tries to stab it into the deck next to his selected card. He fails. However, when he next looks at the Ace he is holding it has transformed into his chosen card. The other spectator’s card is found reversed in the middle. I first saw the basic effect in Hugard’s Card Manipulations No.3 under the title of ‘The Unwitting Wizard.’ A second version if this effect called ‘Stabbatical’ will appear in The Budget in 1997. Working 1. Cull the Ace of Spades to the top. Have two spectators each choose a card. Take spectator A’s card back and control it to the top above the Ace. Execute a Double Lift turning the Ace face up on top, then raise the inner end of only the top card in readiness for the Vernon Depth Illusion (TILT). Say, “This Ace has the remarkable ability of being able to find chosen cards by stabbing them!” Then, notice that only one selection has been returned. So, take the card from spectator B and apparently insert it into the deck - really push it into the TILT break then collapse the break. 2. Remove the face up Ace - a face down card is on top as it should be - and gesture with it before returning it to the top of the deck. Flip over the top three cards as one then lift off the top two cards as one - this is easy because they are face to face. 3. Addressing spectator A, say, “I want you to take the Ace and stab it into the deck anywhere, like this.” As if to demonstrate, riffle down the outer left corner of the deck and stop near the middle. Insert the double into the deck - when only half remains outjogged, push the lower card flush with the deck using your left fingers. Immediately pull the face down card out again. This is actually card A. The foregoing should appear to be a quick stab into the deck then out again. In fact card B is now face up in the middle. Hand the supposed Ace to the spectator. 4. Tell him to stab the Ace into the deck in an attempt to find his card. Lift off all the cards above the protruding Ace (?) and show the face card. It is not a selection. Ask him to try again - once more you lift off all the cards above the protruding card and show the face card. Again it is not the selection. I consider two failures enough. If by chance he stabs next to the face up selection - card B - congratulate him and point out that not only did he find the card but he also made it reverse itself. 5. However, it is better that he does not locate the face up card. With him still holding the card in readiness to stab, pause, and say, “Obviously this is

getting nowhere. Let’s try some magic.” At this, riffle the deck towards the card then ask the spectator to turn it over, revealing that it has changed into his selection. Finally spread the deck across the table revealing the other selection face up in the middle.

BRAG-ARTIST (From Peter Duffie with Cards) You remove four random cards from the deck and ask someone to think of one, after which the cards are mixed back into the deck. You now deal four Brag hands - four three-card hands. The spectator names his card - this might be the Four of Hearts - you turn over the top card of each hand, revealing that three of them are Aces, Clubs, Spades and Diamonds. When the remaining card is turned over, it proves to be the selection. This is based on the ‘Hofzinser Four Ace problem.’ The only preparation is to cull the four Aces to the top of the deck in a known order. I use the standard C-H-a-S-e-D order, with Clubs on top. WORKING 1. Run through the deck and remove four cards, one of each suit, and ask a spectator to think of one of them. These should be in the same order as the Aces. Drop the four cards on top of the deck and carry out a few Jog Shuffles to apparently mix the cards into the deck. During this you must add four cards to the top of the deck. As you are shuffling, say, “It’s a funny thing; I never play cards, yet I like dealing Brag hands. However, I have found a strange phenomenon. I’ll show you.” 2. Hold the deck face down in dealing position - give it a complete cut, then hold a break between the two halves. You now carry out a Riffle Force to the break, then place the upper section to the bottom, saying, “The deck is cut at a point of your choice.” Deal four hands of cards and stop once there are three cards in each. Deal in a left to right row. Place the rest of the deck to one side. 3. Ask the spectator to name his card. The four packets represent the four suits, C - H - S - D, reading from left to right. Let us assume his card is a Heart. Pick up the first pile and flip over the top card revealing the Ace of Clubs, saying, “Here’s an Ace, but it’s not the suit of your card.” Replace the packet on the table. Ignore packet ‘2’ and pick up packet ‘3.’ Flip over the top card, saying, “Another Ace. But again it’s not the suit of your card.” Replace the packet on the table. Repeat this with packet ‘4’. 4. Finally pick up the second packet, saying, “It stands to reason that this must be the same suit as your card, Hearts.” Flip over the top two cards as one to reveal his mental selection, saying, “However, magic does not recognise reason, and that is the strange phenomenon.”

PACKET SWITCH (From Virtual Miracles) You remove the four Aces and the two black Kings. The Kings are placed on the table. A spectator now selects an Ace which is replaced among the other three Aces. You state that the selected Ace will fly from the Aces and appear between the Kings. An unexpected transposition now occurs. You snap the cards you are holding and turn them over revealing them to be the two black Kings with the selected Ace trapped between. The other three Aces are now found on the table. WORKING 1. Hold the deck face up, spread through and upjog the four Aces. Strip them out and add then to the rear of the deck obtaining a little finger break above the rear two Aces. Spread through again and upjog the two black Kings. Strip them out adding the two Aces via the Vernon Strip-Out Addition and place these cards to the rear of the deck. Turn the deck face down, push off the top six cards then discard the rest of the deck. 2. Hold the packet face down and spread showing six cards. Close the spread and obtain a little finger break under the top four cards. Flip these four cards face up and push over the top card to show the two black Kings, as expected. Flip the four cards face down again and drop the top two cards onto the table so they lie semi-squared. 3. Reverse count the four remaining cards, saying, "This leaves the four Aces." You can casually flash the faces of the last two cards. Fan the four cards between your hands as you ask a spectator to give you a number from one to four, inclusive. As soon as he announces his number you do one of the following actions: If he names number one or two, remove your right hand leaving the fan in your left hand. If he names number three or four, remove your left hand leaving the fan in your right hand. You now count to the card at his number. For one or two you count from the top using your right index finger. For three or four you count up from the bottom using your left index finger. Either way he gets an Ace. Standard force. Pull out the card and raise it so the audience can see its face. Now push it back into the fan second from the bottom. 4. Square the packet and palm the top card into your right hand. Immediately lift the packet in a Biddle grip with the same hand and wave the cards over the

two apparent Kings on the table, saying, "I’ll now make your chosen Ace appear between the Kings." Place the packet back into your left hand then place your right hand flat on top of the tabled Kings and spread revealing three cards. Reach down as if to remove the middle card, then stop, saying, "What I didn’t tell you is that the Kings are now up here." Snap the cards you are holding face up and spread them revealing the two Kings with the chosen Ace trapped between. Conclude by showing the three Aces are now on the table.

THE TOPLESS BOTTOMLESS BOTTOM DEAL DEAL (From Virtual Miracles) Offering to demonstrate a gambling trick, the four Kings are inserted into the deck at random positions then the deck is given a cut and placed on the table. You explain that if there are any Kings near the top of the deck you could be accused of using a crooked deal to manipulate them into your hand. Alternatively, if they were on the bottom of the deck you could be accused of dealing them straight off the bottom and right into your hand. Therefore, to nullify this, you invite a spectator to remove about a dozen or so cards from the top and a similar amount from the bottom. These cards are discarded. You pick up the talon and immediately deal two hands of cards - one to the spectator and the other to yourself. The spectator gets the four Kings, but, unexpectedly, you get the four Aces! WORKING 1. Cull the four Aces to the rear of the deck and hold a break above them as you remove the four Kings. Explain that you’ll demonstrate a way of dealing the Kings in a head-to-head game of poker. Ask a spectator to examine the Kings for marks etc. As he’s doing this - the deck is still face up - give the four Aces a squeeze at the inner end to create an upward Bridge, then drop the break. If you prefer, this preparation, including the culling can be done before you start. 2. Give the deck a complete cut to centralize the Aces, then make a face up fan - the rear half of the deck should be less prominent with the front half widely spread. However, you want to see the Aces. Insert the four Kings at varying places leaving them outjogged, the last King goes directly in front of the Aces. Close the fan then execute Marlo’s Simple Shift. This plunges all the cards between the Kings inwards. Grasp this injogged block, pull it out and slap it on top to complete the move. 3. Turn the deck face down, turning it sideways, and place it face down on the table. Following the basic patter given above, invite a spectator to remove a portion of cards from the top, followed by a portion from the bottom. These cards are discarded. 4. Take the balance of the deck and place it into dealing position, but as you do so, allow the cards to break below the Bridge and insert your little finger. Say, "I’ll deal two hands of cards - one for you and one for me." As you speak, execute a two-handed Pass. Do not simply cut the deck. It’s imperative that nothing is seen to happen at this juncture.

5. Deal two hands as follows, the first card being dealt to the spectator: Top Bottom - Top - Bottom - Top - Bottom - Top - Bottom. Finish by showing that the spectator has the four Kings. Act as if the demonstration is over, then as a kicker show that you have the winning hand with four Aces.

AMOUNT ACCOUNT RECOUNTED (From Untold) The following is a variation in handling for Marty Kane's "AmountAccount" (dated January 1996). Marty based his effect on GeneFinnell's "Down/Under Counter" (Gene Finnell's Card Magic).A simple set-up is required as follows:

8-A-2-3-4-5-6-7 - 7-6-5-4-3-2-A-8 - rest of deck. WORKING 1. Give the cards a Jog Shuffle then invite a spectator to cut off about half- turn them face up and replace them. Now ask him to "cut a little deeper this time." Again he turns the section over and replaces it. This is the Balducci Cut-deeper Force. Spread off all the face up cards and place them face down to the bottom. Now push off 16 cards and give these to a spectator, then place the deck face down on the table. 2. The spectator deals cards onto the table in a pile and stops at any time. You mentally count as he deals. a) If he deals LESS than 8, tell him to place the remaining cards on the table, these will be a prediction. He picks up and shuffles the dealt cards, looks at the bottom card and remembers it. He then drops these cards on top of the main deck. Finally, he picks up the prediction packet and carries out a Down/under Deal and turns the final card face up. Go to step3. b) If he deals MORE than 8, tell him that these (dealt) cards will be the prediction. He now shuffles the cards in hand -looks at the bottom card and remembers it. He then drops these on the deck. Finally, He does a Down/under Deal with the prediction packet and turns the final card face up. Go to step 3. c) If he happens to deal 8 cards, he places the remainder onthe table beside the dealt pile. Both piles are identical stacks so he can have a choice of either pile, which he shuffles – looks at the bottom card and drops these on the deck. Finally, he does a Down/under Deal with the other packet and turns the final card face up. 3. The value of the final card equals the position of selection in deck. So ask the spectator to pick up the deck and count to the card at this number to find his selection.

FOUR-GATHERERS (From Untold) Inspired by Hofzinser's, "The Queen of Hearts," this routine ends with a large display in the mould of Koran's "Salute to Vernon." A simple set-up of all 12 court cards is necessary which limits this routine to that of an opener. Remove all 12 court cards plus any 4 random cards and arrange the pack as follows from top down: X Q K J CLUBS / X Q K J HEARTS / X Q K J SPADES / X Q K J DIAMONDS / REST OF PACK. WORKING 1. Give the pack a jog shuffle retaining the top stock. Explain to the audience that you have a story to tell that will touch their hearts. "It involves four great Kings who could not find a suitable bride to be their Queen and each became very sad and lonely." 2. Show the face card of the deck, saying, "No King on the bottom," then place the deck face down in the left hand. With the left thumb push over the top card, at the same time pushing over the next card very slightly, only enough for the little finger to establish a break below it. Turn the top card face up, saying, "..and no King on the top." Turn the top card face down and Double Cut the top two cards to the bottom. Snap your fingers and turn over the top card, obtaining a break below the next card as before, and reveal the King of Clubs. Leave the King face up on top of the pack. Pick up the pack with the right hand and, placing the pack on the table to your left, allow about 1/4 to fall from the right thumb, then replace the pack back into the left hand. The break is retained throughout. Now lift off the top 2 cards as one and place on top of the tabled packet. 3. Carry out step 2 two more times which results in three packets each with a face up King on top. Finally after showing top and bottom cards of the balance cut the top two cards to the bottom then turn over the top card to reveal the final King, then place the packet on the table. The four packets should lie sideby-side in a row. 4. Say, "In desperation the four Kings called upon the God of Love Cupid .... and each was visited." As you speak, lift off each King and place it above it's packet, i.e. on the audience side. Now turn over the top card of each pile to reveal the four Jacks, placing each below it's packet. Finally say, "And as with all good stories this one has a happy ending." Match your words by turning each packet face up to reveal the matching Queens.

THOSE ENIGMATIC ROYALS (From Ulterior Motifs) A simple idea based on the Vernon 'Card Puzzle' and inspired by Peter Kane's 'Royal Families' from his booklet A Further Card Session, plus Roy Walton's "Split Up" from The Complete Walton, Vol.1. WORKING 1. Run through the pack and openly remove all twelve court cards and arrange them in a face up pile from the face to back as follows : J Q K Clubs - J Q K Hearts - Q J K Diamonds - J Q K Spades *** Note that the three diamonds are not in order *** 2. Pick up the packet and hold it face down in the left hand. You now display each set of three cards as follows: a) Push over the top three cards, without reversing the order, and flip them face up to show the three Royal Spades. Then take the three cards and place them face up on the bottom. b) Flip over the next three cards to show the three Royal Diamonds, then place them face up on the bottom, but as you do so, your left fingers Buckle the bottom card and the three Diamonds are placed above it so that they end up second from the bottom. As you square up obtain a little finger break above the bottom two cards . c) Flip over the next three cards to show the three Royal Hearts. These three cards are apparently placed to the bottom, but in fact are inserted into the break above the bottom two cards. This can be further facilitated by pulling down with the left little finger to enlarge the break . This is a Marlo's Pull-down move. You could also Double Buckle. Finally flip over the last three cards, the Clubs and place them onto the table in a face up row with the right hand, King - Queen - Jack, from left to right. These act as indicators. You can casually push over the face Jack of the cards in your hand to reveal the correct Queen behind it if you wish. 3. Turn the packet face down and retain it in the left hand. The Kings, Queens and Jacks now separate: a) Turn the top card face up to show a King then use this King to flip the next card face up to reveal a second King Take this King on top of the first , then using both Kings flip over the third card to reveal the third King which is taken on top of the other two. Place these three cards face up below the king on the table

b) Obtain a break below the top three cards, then flip over the top card to show a Queen. Lift off all three cards as one with the right hand and flip over the next card with the triple to reveal a second Queen which is taken on top of the triple. Flip over the third card to reveal the last Queen which is taken on top of the first two. Place these cards back on top of the packet then push off the top three face up Queens and place them below the queen on the table. c) Finally flip over the remaining three Jacks one at a time in the same manner and place them face up below the tabled Jack to conclude the trick

DALEY BASIS (From Ulterior Motifs) The following routine uses ideas of Jacob Daley, Alex Elmsley (Between Your Palms ) and Roy Walton (Card Case). WORKING 1. Run through the pack and remove the Kings of Spades and Diamonds and place them face down on the table in front of two spectators one left, one right it is imperative that the faces of these cards are not seen. As you are looking for these two cards, move the other two kings to the top and bottom of the pack. 2. Have each spectator select a card, and sign his name on the face if you can afford it! Have the first (left) selection placed on top of the pack then give the pack a few cuts finally Double Cutting the bottom card to the top. Have the second card returned to the top of the pack and then jog-shuffle retaining the top four cards. 3. Explain that in order to find the two chosen cards you will require some assistance False Cut then Double Lift and turn-over to show a King, saying, "Here's my first assistant he always comes to the top." Do not mention the suit. Turn the double face down then deal off the top card onto the table in front of you. Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom then turn the pack face up saying, "Here’s my second assistant, he always appears on the bottom." Turn the pack face down and remove the second from bottom card by means of the Glide. Give the pack a quick shuffle retaining the bottom two cards then Double Cut the bottom card to the top. Take the pack in the right hand with the thumb on top and the fingers on the face. Press the thumb and fingers together and toss the pack into the waiting left hand - because of the pressure the top and bottom cards will remain behind. Place the pack aside then turn the right hand to show the faces of the two Kings, saying, "And the last two appear by magic." This two card catch is in Hofzinser's Card Conjuring, but it was used prior to Hofzinser. 4. Drop the last two Kings on top of the other two cards then pick up all four. Say, "Now I have my four Royal assistants, we can proceed with the trick." As you speak, casually Elmsley Count the four cards. This is the simplest method for repositioning the cards. You could employ the OLRAM subtlety also. 5. Push over the top two cards and take them with the right hand so that each hand now apparently hold two Kings then drop each pair onto the table in front of each face down prediction card. Place each prediction face down

between the respective pair of Kings(?), saying, "My assistants will now perform a remarkable feat with the two cards I placed out before we began." Pick up the left hand packet and hold in readiness for the Glide. Glide back the bottom card and remove and turn over a King, then place the next card face down on top and finally the last King face up. Repeat with the other packet. Finally have both selections named and the face down cards tuned over, saying, "I told they were remarkable."

PSYCHOGRAPHY (From Open Secrets) Before you begin, you remove a card from the deck and, without showing its face, you place it between a spectator’s hands. This, you state, is a sprit photograph that has yet to be taken. You now allow another spectator a free choice of any card in the deck and have him sign his name across the face. This card is lost into the middle of the deck which you then give to a spectator. You now remove two cards from your pocket - these two cards have completely blank faces - these, you state, are the photographic plates. You place these two cards between the spectator’s palms so that they sandwich the spirit card already there. After suitable build up, you ask the spectator to lift his hand and turn over the top and bottom cards - these are the two blanks as expected. Finally he turns over the card you gave him at the beginning to discover it is now the signed selection. You will of course have recognised the plot as Alex Elmsley’s ‘Between Your Palms.’ What I have done here is to reduce the amount of concentration required from the audience and make it more direct for busy/noisy working conditions where distractions come in varying doses. In this version only one card is selected and only one card face is ever seen. You require two blank faced cards with backs to match your deck. Place these two cards in your outer right jacket pocket with the backs outwards. When you are ready to perform this trick, secretly add one of the blanks to the deck, leaving the other blank in your pocket. WORKING 1. Shuffle the deck then hold the cards with the faces towards you and cut the blank card to the top, saying, “This card will do. It will represent a spirit photograph that has yet to be taken.” Ask a spectator to hold out a hand palm up and place this card onto the palm, then ask her to place her other hand flat on top. Fan the deck with the faces towards a second spectator and ask him to remove any card. Hand him a pen and ask him to sign his name across the face of the card. Have the card returned and control it to the top. Palm the card into your right hand and give the deck to a spectator to hold, or you can place the deck to one side on the table. It is not needed again. However, I do feel that with a spectator holding the deck, the overall impossibility of the effect is enhanced. 2. Reach into your jacket pocket - add the palmed card to the blank card, square both cards, then bring them out face up, saying, “I carry these with me as they are rather interesting. These are made of special paper that can create spirit photography.” It is important that the cards are face up when they emerge from the pocket. Because the backs match your deck you do not want anyone thinking for a moment that you are bringing the selected card from your pocket. When they see a blank card emerge any such thoughts will not arise. Take the cards face down in a Biddle grip with your

right hand and carry out a Hamman Flushstration Count showing two blanks. This next move is optional. If you choose to do it, make it casual: lift off the top card (blank) and show its face, then execute a Mexican Turn-over to apparently show the other card as blank. Flip the card face down and drop the right hand card on top. 3. Pick up both cards and ask the first spectator to open her hands slightly at the front. Place both cards on top of the card already there. Now slide out the bottom card and place it on top of the other two. As you do this, say, “I’ll place these photographic plates on either side of the spirit card.” That is not quite what you do, but nobody can see how the cards are being shifted, and the spectator herself cannot see the cards because of her hands. Even if she thinks you did something else, she cannot be sure. However, it is highly unlikely that she will be able to tell. Technically, it’s all over for you. So build up the effect then finish as outlined at the beginning.

OVERSITER (From Open Secrets) A spectator counts off 8 cards for you and 8 for himself. You each hold your packets and together you count them to make sure that you both hold only 8 cards. You now cause 2 cards to leave your packet and arrive in the spectator’s packet. You count 6 cards singly onto the table. The spectator counts his cards to find he now has 10. To date I have published two versions of ‘The Cards Across.’ One required a Half Pass during the count, while the second used an equally difficult reversal. Both were inspired by a faked method of Tom Sellers. They both had angle problems. This new handling only requires the standard Biddle Count and came about after a suggestion from my friend Lewis Jones. It has no angle problems whatsoever. The concealment principle is Ed Marlo’s and was used by Paul Harris also for a Cards Across. METHOD 1. Give the deck to a spectator and ask him to shuffle it. Hold out your left hand palm up and ask him to deal eight cards face down onto your hand. Now tell him to deal eight more cards onto the first set, but to deal them face up. Finally tell him to place the deck to one side. 2. Spread the cards, saying, “These eight cards are for you, and the other eight are for me.” As you are speaking, close up the spread catching a break below the first two face down cards. Lift off the top ten cards - that is, the eight face up cards plus the first two face down cards. Give these to the spectator. Immediately turn your remaining cards face up and take them in a right hand Biddle grip. Tell the spectator to hold his cards in the same manner. 3. Tell the spectator that you will both count your cards in unison. Very slowly peel off the first card into your left hand, saying, “One.” Slowly peel off the second card on top of the first, but retain a little finger break below it, as you say, “Two.” Slowly peel off the third card, saying, “Three.” As you peel of the fourth card Biddle back the two cards above the break, saying, “Four.” Stop at this point and turn your left hand cards face down and place them to the bottom of the right hand packet. The spectator does likewise, as you say, “And four more to make eight. Let’s check.” You now have four face up cards still to count thanks to the Biddle move. Count the remaining cards in the same slow manner that you did the first, “One, Two, Three, and Four, making eight cards in total.” Turn these four cards face down and place them below the right hand cards, then return the complete packet to left hand dealing grip. The spectator does likewise. 4. Tell the spectator to place his free hand flat on top of the packet. This enhances the effect that you are about to create, and it also prevents him from

tampering with the cards! You now cause two cards to leave your packet. I use the Finley Tent Vanish or the Rub-a-Dub Vanish, if the conditions permit, otherwise I simply mime taking a card and tossing it towards the spectator’s hands. I now count my six cards as seven. Use any False Count, or use the Biddle Count if you want to maintain uniformity. Make a second card go, then count your cards one by one onto the table - if this is not permissible count them onto a second spectator’s hand. 5. Finally ask the spectator to count, aloud, his cards one by one - either onto the table, or onto your outstretched hand - and stop him when he reaches eight, saying, “Eight! That is the number of cards you had to begin? Yes?” He will reply in the affirmative. Now let him continue the count of the last two cards, as you say, “Nine and ten!” Take your bow.

BACKLOG (From New Inspirations) You spread the deck with the faces upwards and invite a spectator to select any card - free choice. This is left face up on the table. You give him the deck and he now spells the name of his card - first the suit, then the value. This produces two random cards. The values of these cards are added - they might be a 3 and a 10 = 13. When the spectator turns his card over it has the number 13 boldly written on the back! This combines Dave Campbell’s “FRED” principle with a number prediction. There is a similarity to this “effect” and a previous one of mine called “Fred 13” that appeared in Close Up to the Point. However, this was developed with no thought given to that version and the methods are different. This version is simpler to prepare and perform. See “Easy-Going Diary’ elsewhere in this book for another use of this principle. Take a deck and move all the Diamonds to the top - you can leave the Ace, Two, Six and Ten among the main body if you wish. Now set the four Threes at positions 8, 9, 10 and 11 from the top, then set three 10s at positions 3, 4 and 5 from the top. Finally, take a black marker pen and write the number 13 on the backs of the front two-thirds of the deck. WORKING 1. Hold the deck face down and make a fan - the numbers will remain hidden if the fan is fairly neat. Close the fan the turn the deck face up. Make another fan, but this time ensure that the rear quarter or so remains closed so that the Diamonds at the rear cannot be seen. Ask a spectator to look over the cards and carefully decide on any one. he pulls this card out and leaves it face up on the table. Alternatively, ask him to name a card and remove it yourself to be safe! 2. Close the fan and turn the deck face down and give it to the spectator. Tell him to spell his card as follows: a) First he spells the value dealing one card for each letter into a pile on the table. So, if his card is a Queen, he deals five cards into a pile. b) He then spells the suit (plural), again dealing a card for each letter into a second pile. Take the rest of the deck and hold it face down in your hand. Ask the spectator to turn over the top card of each pile and add together the

two values. These will be a Three and a Ten = 13. Gather together the two piles and place them back on the deck then pick up all and fan once again showing the backs - the upper third can be spread widely. Finally pick up the selection and dramatically turn it over revealing the number 13 written on its back.

JACKS WILL TRAVEL (From New Inspirations) You remove the four Jacks. A Card is selected and returned to the deck. The deck is cut into two halves - one remains on the table. The four Jacks are placed face up on the table half and cut into the middle. One by one the Jacks leave the tabled half and appear face up in the half in your hands. However, the fourth Jack refuses to travel. But you realise what has happened. You spread the tabled half and the Jack is still there, face up. The card immediately above it proves to be the selection. WORKING 1. Remove the four Jacks and leave then on the table. Have a card selected, noted and then control it to the bottom of the deck. Place the deck on the table then lift off the top half and place it back in your left hand. Obtain a break under the top card. 2. Pick up the Jacks in a right hand Biddle grip and place them on the deck to square them, picking up the card from the break. Now reverse count the top three Jacks onto the packet, finally placing the remaining double on top of all. Say, “I’ll put the Jacks into this other half.” As you speak, and with your right fingers at the front and thumb at inner end, lift off only the top card and place it square on top of the tabled half. Then, give this packet a complete cut. 3. Cut off about 10 cards from the packet you now hold and Faro them into the bottom section. This need not be precise, but you want at least one card between each Jack. 4. Wave your section over the tabled half then spread through. Stop when you reach the first face up Jack, then push it over (a face down card is seen) then push over a small block (enough to include the other two face up Jacks), then complete the spread. One face up Jack has apparently travelled over. Remove this Jack and place it on the table. Now repeat this two more times. 5. Finally, spread for the fourth Jack but no Jack appears. Try again - again you fail. Suddenly you realise what has happened. Ask the spectator to name his selected card. Spread the tabled half and push out the face up Jack along with the card immediately above it. Turn this card over revealing it to be the selection.

FOLLOW THE SIGNS (From N.D.E.) In a previous effect of mine called 'The Soft Shoe Shuffle,' we saw the spectators transposing! Well, they transpose in this one too. This not only makes the effect clear to the audience, it also adds to the entertainment value. WORKING 1. You begin with an Elmsley secret addition that results in a partial switch. Spread through the deck and transfer the four Aces to the face. Transfer the Ace of Spades first followed by the other three at random. As you close the cards secure a break below the face six cards. Lift off all 6 cards with your right hand and turn the deck face down. Replace the packet face up on top of the deck and retain a little finger break below them. Push over the top three cards to show the four Aces, then close the spread and flip all 6 cards face down. Push over the top four cards - without changing the order - and deposit them on the table. 2. Set the deck on the table and ask a spectator to cut it into two halves. Place one half in front of spectator A and the other in front of spectator B. We will assume that the original top half is in front of A (fig.1). 3. Pick up the Ace packet and reverse count them, saying, "One, two three, four Aces." Injog the third card as you count the cards, then form a break below the injog. Turn over both cards above the break as one and draw attention to the Ace now showing , the ace of spades. Ask spectator A to remember this card. Turn the double face down and deal the top card onto A's half deck. Ask him to raise one finger (in the least offensive manner) to represent the one Ace. Now drop the three remaining Aces (?) on top of B's half deck, then ask him to raise three fingers to represent his three Aces. 4. The position is quite clear to the audience; A has one finger raised and has one Ace (Spades) atop his half of the deck. B has three fingers raised and has three Aces atop his half of the deck. Now instruct both spectators to change places, telling them to keep their fingers in position. If the conditions do not permit this, then simply tell both to exchange their finger-indication. 5. Point out that the two assistants are now indicating wrongly, so you will attempt to make this right. Command the Aces to change places, then turn

over the top card now in front of B to reveal the Ace of Spades. Then, turn over the top three cards in front of A to reveal the three Aces.

3 AND 1 LOCATION (From N.D.E.) This is one of those card locations that you might perform for fellow magicians rather than a lay audience. I see no point in showing other magicians tricks they are already familiar with unless they particularly request it. The feature here, if there is one, is that you you do not look through the deck after the selection process, but immediately deal through from the top down and stop on the selection. Before commencing secretly get four easily remembered cards to the top of the deck. I simply cull the Aces, and so these will be used for the description. The order of these cards is not important. These are your key cards. WORKING 1. Shuffle the deck keeping the four Aces on top. Now give the deck to a spectator and ask him to deal four piles of cards - he deals rotationally as he would in a four-handed game of cards. This means that he will deal four equal piles. The bottom card of each pile will be an Ace. Turn away as he does this. Now tell him to shuffle the rest of the deck. 3. With your back still turned, tell him that he has created four choices. He is now to eliminate two piles - any two - by placing the deck on top of one, picking it up then dropping it on top of another. 4. Ask him to combine the remaining two piles and give them a shuffle. Tell him to look at and remember the bottom card - he may show this card to the other spectators - then to drop the pile on top of the deck. 5. Turn to face the front, but before you pick up the deck ask the spectator to give the deck one complete cut. 6. Pick up the deck and hold it between your hands as if trying to pick up some vibrations. Now begin to deal cards face up into a pile on the table, saying that when you reach the card that the spectator is thinking of the vibrations will get stronger. Continue to deal until you turn over the first Ace. Begin counting from ONE on the next card and continue counting upwards until you turn the second Ace. As soon as you turn this Ace over, instantly double the number you just reached. So if you had reached number 8 on the second Ace, you instantly convert that to 16. Without any pause in your dealing, start counting from one again on the next card and stop when you reach one less than the number you just created - in this case you would stop after you turned the 15th card. Build up the effect then ask the spectator to name his card - slowly turn over the top card of the deck revealing the selection.

GALA SHOW (From Method in Effect) Two spectators succeed in blindly marrying the four Kings to their correct Queens. Bliss! This is a variation of Alex Elmsley’s “Jubilee” that appeared in The Collected Works, Vol.2. The main difference is in the second phase that allows you to hand out all four Kings to begin with. In the original version you could not show two of the Kings throughout. Remove the four Queens and any other two X cards (not Kings) and set these six cards on top of the deck in the following order, reading from top down: X card face down - QH face up - QC face up - X face down - QD face up - Qs face up. WORKING 1. Spread through the deck and toss the four Kings face down onto the table. Clubs and Hearts go to your left and Spades and Diamonds to your right there should be a spectator at these two positions. Ask each spectator to turn his two cards face up, and as they are doing this casually Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom. 2. Turn to the spectator on your left and ask him to select one of his Kings, either the Club or the Heart. As you are speaking, cut about half the deck from top to bottom, executing a pull down of the bottom card to retain it on the bottom, and hold a little finger break at the centre between the two halves. There are two possibilities. Carry out one of the two following actions, depending on the choice made. IF HE HANDS YOU THE CLUB: Tell him to place it face up on top of the deck, then you give it one complete cut at the break. Drop all breaks. Tap the deck then spread the cards between your hands, pushing over an initial block to conceal the two face up Queens under the top card. The Queen of Clubs will appear face up beside her partner the King. Thumb them out of the spread and face up onto the table. Close up the spread and square the deck. Take the remaining King (Hearts) from the spectator and place it face up on top of the deck then give the deck one complete cut. Tap the deck and spread to reveal the King and Queen of Hearts face up in the middle - there are two face up Queens below the next face down card, so take care not to expose them. Thumb the two face up cards onto the table, then replace the right hand section below the left and square the deck. IF HE HANDS YOU THE HEART: Cut off the section above the break and have him place the King face up on the lower section, then you drop the upper

section back on top. Tap the deck then spread to reveal the King and Queen face up together in the centre - there are two face up Queens below the next face down card, so again take care not to expose them. Thumb off the King and Queen of Hearts onto the table then replace the right hand section below the left section and hold a break between the halves. Cut off the section above the break and have the spectator place his remaining King face up on top of the lower half, then drop the upper section back on top. Spread the deck to reveal the King and Queen of Clubs face up together in the middle, this time taking care not to expose the face up Queens below the top card of the deck. Thumb off the two face up cards onto the table, replace the upper half onto the lower, and square the deck. 3. Turn to the second spectator and explain that you will attempt an even more impossible feat with his two Kings. As you are speaking, Double Cut the top three cards to the bottom of the deck. Ask him to mix his two cards to randomise their order. As you are speaking, cut about half the deck from the top to the bottom, executing a Pull Down of the bottom card, then hold a break between the halves. Immediately cut off all the cards above the break and place them on the table to your right. Place the remaining section on the table to your left. 4. Ask the spectator to drop a King face up on each half. The QS is face up on the bottom of the left pile, and the QD is face up on the bottom of the right pile. a) If he places the Kings on the piles that contain their respective Queens, give each pile one complete cut to bury the Kings. Snap your fingers over both piles then spread them both to reveal that each King has simultaneously found his correct Queen. b) If he places the Kings on the opposite piles to the respective Queens, ask the spectator to pick up either pile and place it on the other, then to give the reformed deck a complete cut. You now spread the deck to reveal the Royal couples. Voila!

SUCCUBI (From Method in Effect) You show a mixed deck of ESP cards and invite a spectator to reverse any one card. The card remains in its position. You now give the deck to the spectator and ask him to spell “OUT OF ORDER.” He now gives the deck a few cuts, then deals the deck into five hands of five cards. Each hand contains mixed symbols except the one with his reversed card. That hand contains all five of the same symbol. It seems that his reversed card protected its hand, while the other four hands were thrown OUT OF ORDER! I based this effect on Karl Fulves’ “Draw Test,” that appeared in Rigmarole, number 2. The Fulves effect is with playing cards and only displaces one card in each hand. However, his principle is typical of the cleverness that I have come to expect from him. I found that the properties of an ESP deck lend themselves to a different principle for the displacement, and it also displaces more than one card per hand therefore giving a better mix. There will be a version of this using playing cards in my forthcoming book, Effortless Card Magic, to be published this year by Kaufman & Co. Set the deck in five identical groups, each containing five different symbols. This is a rotational stack (12345-12345-12345-12345-12345) and can withstand any number of straight cuts. WORKING 1. Give the deck a few straight cuts, then show the faces of the cards to the audience to familiarize them with the different symbols. Turn the deck face down again and spread the cards from hand to hand. Invite a spectator to turn any card face up, leaving it in position. Close up the spread and obtain a little finger break two cards below the reversed card. Cut at the break and complete the cut to bring the reversed card to third position from the bottom. 2. Give the deck to the spectator, and say, “An ESP deck is highly sensitive. That’s why it is used in psychic experiments. It is also intelligent, and can understand certain commands. Let’s try an experiment along those lines. I want you to input a command, by spelling a few words by dealing one card for each letter into a pile on the table. The words are, OUT OF ORDER.” Spell the words slowly as he deals so that he deals the correct number. It doesn’t matter if he is dyslexic, as long as he deals ten cards. Once he has done that, tell him to drop the remaining cards on top, then to give the deck a few straight cuts, “To further randomize it,” you say. 3. Now, tell him to deal the cards into five hands as he would in a game of Poker. So, he deals five cards rotationally in the same direction five times. His face up card will appear in one of the hands. Once the five hands have been

dealt, say, “One hand contains your randomly reversed card. By reversing that card, you told the deck to ignore your OUT OF ORDER command for that hand only.” Turn over each of the other hands and spread to show that they contain mixed symbols, saying, “You see that each of these hands have no order.” Finally turn over the four face down cards around his chosen symbol revealing that all five are identical, saying, “That’s what I call perfect order!”

CARTER'S FOOLER (From Hidden Agenda) This is included as a tribute to Arthur Carter who died recently. The original trick appeared in his column in Magigram and I have made only a slight alteration to the final procedure. In its original form the effect would fool most magicians, the slight addition makes the effect even wore impossible to reconstruct. This is also very effective for a lay audience. To begin, set the deck so that all matching pairs are together, but with the pairs in a random value order. Matching pairs are two cards of like value and colour. It is best to introduce this DURING a routine. NOT as an opener. WORKING 1. Hand the deck to a spectator for shuffling. If riffle shuffles are used, allow him to finish then proceed to the next step. If overhand shuffling is employed, ask him to pass the deck to someone else and have them shuffle also. It is all a matter of judgement how you play this, but you will find that even after some heavy shuffling (no Faros!) this will still work! 2. Now ask the one who is holding the deck to cut it into four approximately equal piles (face down) on the table. Pick up one of the end piles, quickly spread, spot the first undisturbed matching pair, and cut between them bringing one to the face and the other to the back, saying, "I make a selection but move nothing else." Immediately place the face card face up on the table then place the packet face down in front of it. Repeat this with each of the three remaining piles - resulting in four face up cards each with a face down pile before it. 3. A recap of the events thus far is recommended at this point - emphasizing the shuffling then the cutting, all done with the cards out of your hands. Starting from either end, pick up the pile in front of the face up card. Call out the value, it might be a Seven, saying, "I'll spell S-E-V-E-N in a mystic fashion." Simply deal the top card face down on the table for the first letter (S), place the next card to the bottom, place the next card onto the table for the second letter (E), and so on, forming a small pile. Toss the rest of these cards aside. Only the first card matters. Repeat with the other three piles. Finally, and with some dramatic flair, turn each of the small piles face up to reveal a very startling and unexpected coincidence!

THE 5 POINT 5 TRICK (From Hidden Agenda) A variation on the classic gag 'The 31/2 of Clubs' (why always Clubs?). Here is the version that 1 constructed which is, I think, is methodically sound, and the finish, though different, has the same punch as with the original. The force belongs to Bob Ostin. No gaffed card is needed, all you have to do is tear (or cut) a card in half lengthwise and discard one of the halves. Place the remaining half into an accessible pocket. Set the top nine cards of deck so that they run in strict numerical order - TEN to TWO - with suits mixed. Ten is on top. WORKING 1. At some point during your performance, cop the half card from your pocket and add it to the face of the deck, so that it is in line with the left edge of the deck. 2. With your right thumb riffle off FIVE cards (plus the half) and place the balance of the deck face down on the table in front of a spectator. The prediction packet is placed to one side, at an angle so that the torn edges of the half card are not directly facing the audience. 3. Ask the spectator to think of any single digit number. This restricts his choice to between One and Nine inclusive. Now ask him to pick up the deck and count down to, and remove, the card that lies at that position from the top, and to note the value of the card. Point out the representative values of court cards for effect only, as he will never arrive at one. 4. Now ask him to mentally add his secret number which only he knows to the value of the random card. He will automatically arrive at ELEVEN. Finally ask him to half the total by dividing it by two. This will give him five and a half. Draw attention to the prediction packet and state that you have predicted the outcome by removing the exact number of cards which will equal the total that the spectator is thinking of. Spread the packet to reveal apparently SIX cards, then ask the spectator to announce his total. Act as if he has made a mistake and ask him what the two numbers were etc. Finally close the spread and take the packet into your hands and count the cards onto the table, pausing on the fourth, then deal the fifth to reveal the half card, saying, "Five...and one half (flick the half card for effect) makes five and a half!"

CENTRIFUGAL DIARY (From Deck Direct) The classic diary prediction as popularized by Ted Danson. However, hopefully, the method here will be new to the readers. Take a full deck of cards, remove the 12 court cards then with the remaining cards separate the reds from the blacks. Set the deck as follows: Take ten reds and ten blacks - mix then together and place this packet face down on the table. Drop the twelve court cards on top. Finally shuffle the remaining ten reds and ten blacks together and drop these on top of all. Prepare a diary by writing the name of your prediction against the 10th of every month, then fill in all other dates with random words. You could use playing card names but I prefer random objects so that every date can apparently be different. Let’s say you predict a ‘PARASOL.’ Seal a miniature (cocktail) parasol inside an envelope). WORKING 1. Give the diary to a spectator and the envelope to another. Bring out the deck, show the faces as regular then carry out a Jog Shuffle - with only the upper 20 cards (or lower 20) getting mixed. Place the deck on the table and invite a second spectator to cut it into two roughly equal heaps. It is essential that he cuts into the block of court cards. 2. Turn away and ask him to discard either half and shuffle the other. Turn back again as he is shuffling. Now ask him to remove any court cards, saying, “As there are twelve court cards in the deck, these will represent the twelve months in the year.” The court cards are placed in a pile on the table. Now ask him to decide on a color - red or black - then to remove all the cards of that color and place them in a pile beside the court cards - he discards the unwanted cards. Your reason for this, you say, is, “These cards will represent the day in the month.” 3. It’s all over bar the build up. Have the number of court cards counted there might be 5 - you state that 5 represents the month of MAY. Now have the other pile counted. There WILL be 10. Ask the spectator with the diary to look up the 10th of may and read out what is written - PARASOL. Have the prediction opened and tip out the parasol to finish.

FREE WILL (From Deck Direct) From a packet of eight cards, a spectator freely selects any four. These four cards turn out to be random ones. The four he left you with are the four Aces! A variation in handling of Alex Elmsley's “It’s a Small World” - the Bottom Deal version that appears on his video set. Here the spectator handles the cards throughout. WORKING 1. Hold the deck with the faces towards you and spread through, saying, “Let’s try a little game of cards” As you spread through upjog the four Aces, then five other cards of mixed suits and values. Strip these nine cards out and place the rest of the deck to one side. On no account must you mention the number of cards removed. At the end it will be assumed that eight cards were used. 2. The order of the packet at the moment is X - X - X - X - X - A - A - A - A from top to bottom. Give the cards a quick Overhand Shuffle, mixing only the top five cards, then conclude by running the top three cards to the bottom. New order = X - X - A - A - A - A - X - X - X. 3. Explain that the game is called Magic Poker - a game of choice rather than chance. Give the packet to a spectator who will be your opponent. Tell him to deal two cards onto the table side by side. Next, tell him to eliminate either card by dropping the rest of the packet onto that card. He now picks up the packet - the card remaining on the table is his first choice. 4. Now tell him to spell the word M-A-G-I-C, or you can use any other word or name that spells with five letters - like P-O-K-E-R. Tell him to spell the word out loud as he transfers one card from top to bottom for each letter. He will transfer five cards. 5. He now repeats step 3. Then step 4. He does this until he has selected four cards. At which point you take the remaining (five) cards from him, saying, “So these are the ones you didn’t want.” As you speak, casually count the cards (retain the order) as four using a Buckle or Push-Off on the third then place the last card to the top. Ask the spectator to turn over his four cards. They will be of no significance. Finally turn over your cards and spread - keeping the last two as one revealing the four Aces.

POPULACE (From Covert Concepts) This very easy way of doing Roy Walton’s Collectors has been part of my working repertoire for a while. WORKING 1. Remove the four Aces and place them in two face up pairs on the table - one pair is red on black (R-B) - the other is black on red (B-R). 2. Have three cards selected - noted - returned then controlled to the top. Obtain a break below these three cards. 3. Pick up a pair of Aces (either pair) and, keeping them face up, place them on top of the deck. Immediately lift off all five cards above the break with your right hand (Biddle grip), then, without pause, peel off the upper Ace onto the deck then place the remaining block on top. This looks like a simple count. As you do this, say, “Two Aces...one of each colour.” Lift off the top two cards and lay them on the table, or across the card case. Don’t allow them to spread any more than fraction. Take this opportunity to obtain a break below the top card of the deck. 4. Pick up the remaining pair of Aces and repeat the previous step - except that only one card is loaded between the Aces. As you do this, say, “And two more Aces...one of each colour.” Leave them on the deck. 5. Pick up the tabled pair of cards and say, “If I place the Aces together something happens. Can you guess what??” Match your words by placing the two cards square on top of the deck. At this point the audience are expecting some trick to happen involving the colours of the cards. They couldn’t be more wrong! Regardless of what the replies may be (unless someone says Roy Walton’s Collectors!!), continue, “A miracle actually!” Snap your fingers over the deck then spread the top seven cards to reveal that three face down have appeared between the four Aces. Allow the effect to register, then ask for the names of the selected cards. Conclude by revealing them one by one.

THE ENIGMA OF THE 7th CARD (From Covert Concepts) You remove six cards from the deck, then a spectator freely selects a seventh. The spectator’s card is pushed into the middle of your six cards. You count the packet to show that there are indeed seven cards and that all are face down. You now turn the top card face up, saying, “Playing cards are rather like sheep, what one does the others do.” Immediately you fan the packet revealing that all the cards are now face up. That is, except for one card in the middle that has remained face down. This proves to be the seventh card - the selection. This is rather a small packet version of Edward Victor’s “Sympathetic Reverse” (Willane’s Methods for Miracles, number 8). WORKING 1. Hold the deck face up and push over the face three cards. Once your right hand has a grip on these three cards, push over three more. Two things now happen: Your left little finger secures a break below all six cards, then, without pause, your right hand flips over the upper three cards onto the face up deck. Immediately lift off all six cards above the break with your right hand and place the packet on the table. As you are carrying out the foregoing actions, say, “I would like to show you the Riddle of the Seventh Card. I’ll take six cards off the deck and then someone can select a seventh card.” 2. Give the deck to a spectator and ask him to select a seventh card, then to place the deck to one side. As he is doing this, obtain a little finger break at the middle of the packet where the two halves meet face to face. Take the selected card, keeping it face down, and insert it into the break then square the packet. 3. Say, “Now for the Riddle of the Seventh Card. First let’s be sure that we have seven cards.” At this, carry out a Hamman Count - switching on the count of four - to show seven face down cards. During the count, hold a little finger break below the fifth card you count. This will result in a break below the top three cards on completion. As you count, add, “You will also notice that all seven cards face the same way.” 4. Say, “Cards are like sheep - what one does the others do. If I turn the top card over...” Flip over the top three cards as one. “...the others will follow suit. Watch.” Hold the packet with one hand at the inner end and make a rapid fan. Hold this pose for a few seconds to allow the effect to sink in, then say, “As you can see,

all the other cards turned over as well, except for one card.....the seventh card.....in fact your card.” Snap the card face up to conclude.

MAGIC KINGDOM (From Cards Insight) A simple Faro trick where a King locates two selected cards. Only a partial Faro is required, so read on. WORKING 1. Remove the King of Diamonds and place it face up on the table. Have two cards selected. Have them returned as follows: The first card is controlled to second position from the top. Undercut half the deck and have the second card replaced onto the original top section. Place the other section on top - hold a break - then Double Cut to the break. This positions the selections at positions 1 & 3 from the top. Obtain a break under the top card in readiness for TILT. 2. Pick up the King and push it face up into the deck - really pushing it under the raised top card. Give the deck two Faro Shuffles. These don’t need to perfect by any means, as long as the area containing selections and King are woven perfectly. I do it like this: Cut off slightly less than half and weave this smaller section into the larger section. Now cut off about half (this section should contain the King and selections) and weave these sections together. A few trials will show you what is required. 3. Place the deck face down on the table. Tap the deck then spread it widely and evenly across the table. The King will appear somewhere near the middle. Say that the King of Diamonds will now find both selected cards. You do this as follows: Spell the word KING moving upwards one card at a time from the King. Do not start on the King, start on the first card. You will finish on the 4th card away from the King. Push this card half way out of the spread. Return to the King and say that you will now use its suit. Spell D-I-A-M-O-N-D-S, but this time move downwards along the spread. This time you will finish on the 8th card away from the King, which you push half way out of the spread. Finally ask each spectator to name his card, then slowly turn over the two outjogged cards revealing them to be the selections.

MATE TRIX (From Cards Insight) After two cards are chosen, all the matching mates turn up unexpectedly. Remove any four sets of four cards of like value and arrange them in a rotational stack. Here is an example of what is required: A - 3 - 10 - K - A - 3 - 10 - K - A - 3 - 10 - K - A - 3 - 10 - K. Place this packet on top of the deck. WORKING 1. False Shuffle then push off the top 16 cards, saying, “Let’s start with just a few cards.” Place the deck face down on the table. Give the packet to a spectator and ask him to cut it a few times. Now ask him to deal the top two cards face down onto the table side by side. Remember which one is dealt first. Take the remaining cards from him, riffle off the bottom three cards and cut them to the top. Now drop the packet on top of the deck, which you pick up and give a couple of Jog Shuffles retaining the top stock. 2. Now say, “We are now going to utilize the SECRET CARD CODE. This is nothing complex....in fact I just gave you the code!” At this, hand the deck to the spectator and ask him to spell SECRET CARD CODE, forming three face down piles. So he spells SECRET, dealing six cards into a pile - then CARD, dealing four cards into a new pile - then CODE, dealing a third pile of four cards. 3. Ask him to turn over the first card he selected and to tap each pile. Then, flip over the top card of each pile, placing each in front of its pile, to reveal the other three cards of the same value to make a four-of-a-kind. Pick up the other selection and turn it over. Now use it to flip over the three packets revealing the three mates of this card at the face of each pile - another four-of-a-kind!

THE SUABIAN TWIST (From Cards in Principle) There have been several combinations of Dai Vernon's 'Twisting the Aces' and 'The Hofzinser Ace Problem' over the years. If the following version has any merit, it is the simple means by which the one at a time reversal is accomplished. WORKING 1. Have a card selected, returned, then control it to the top of the deck. Now hold the deck face up and immediately glimpse the selection at the rear, then Spread through and transfer the four aces to the rear of the deck, turning each face down as you do so, and transferring the ace of the same suit as the selection first. If the selection happens to be an Ace, use Kings. Close up the spread then turn the deck face down to bring the tour Aces face up on top. 2. Spread over the four aces plus the first face down card then close up the spread and lift off the top five cards. Place the balance of the deck to one side as it is no longer needed. Point out that the Aces represent all four suits, but only one matches the spectator's card. As you speak, remove the top ace, turn it face down, then place it to the bottom. Repeat this action with the next two Aces, then flip the last Ace face down on top of all, then obtain a break below the top two cards. 3. Secretly reverse the lower three cards by any half-pass, then obtain a break above the bottom two cards and retain it. Explain that every time you shift an ace from top to bottom, something magical will happen which will in turn, eliminate an Ace. Demonstrate what you will do by removing the top card and apparently putting it to the bottom, really inserting it into the break above the bottom two cards, then drop the break. Now you start the process for real: a) Remove the top card and apparently place it to the bottom, in fact you buckle the bottom card so it goes second from bottom. An ace will appear face up on top. Name the suit of this ace, then say that you will eliminate it. Place the ace face up on the table. b) Transfer the top card to the bottom (genuinely) to cause a second ace to appear face up on top, then eliminate it by placing it face up on top of the first Ace in an overlapping spread.

c) Transfer the top card to the bottom to cause a third ace to appear, and again eliminate it, by buckling the bottom card and lifting off the top TWO as one and placing them on the table. Finally have the spectator confirm that the remaining Ace(?) is indeed the same suit as his selection (logically it must be), then dramatically cause it to change into his selected card.

IDEAL HOLMES (From Cards in Principle) The effect of the following was inspired by Steve Hamilton's 'Thinking Out Loud' (see The Crimp, No.10, and Roger's Thesaurus, by Roger Crosthwaite and Justin Higham). However, the principle employed stems from an observation made by Tom Sellers' in "A Trick with the Si Stebbins Pack" in Card Tricks That Work. The pack is set in the standard Si Stebbins arrangement, which is simply that each card is three ahead in value than the previous, and with the four suits rotating throughout, i.e., AC-4H-7S-10D-KC-3H-6S-9D-QC-2H-SS-8D-JC-AH-4S-7D- and so on finishing with the JD at the face. The stack can be cut. WORKING 1. False shuffle, then carry out a couple of genuine cuts. Now spread the pack between your hands and have a card freely selected by a spectator who places it directly into his pocket without looking at it. As he is doing this, give the pack a complete cut at the point where the card was drawn and square up. 2. Turn to a second spectator and say, "You will now discover the secret identity of the hidden card, first the suit and then the value.... however, you will need some help to do this .... so let's call upon the greatest detective of all time, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, to help you to identify the SUIT." Hand the pack to the spectator and ask him to spell the name S-H-E-R-L-O-CK by dealing one card for each letter in the name into a face down pile on the table. Turn over the top card of the tabled pile to indicate the suit. 3. Next say, "OK, so that's the suit taken care of, but the value is much more difficult ... even for Mr. Holmes, and I think we will need to use a little MAGIC now." You now ask the spectator to spell the word M-A-G-I-C in the same way as before but dealing into a separate pile. Turn over the top card of this five card heap to indicate the value. Finally announce both the value and suit together thus completing the name of the card then have the spectator remove the card from his pocket to find that it is in fact that very card.

END NOTES: The above will also work with a FOUR lettered word followed by a nine letter word. I use CARD DISCOVERY for an instant repeat, by replacing the used cards atop the deck and having a second selection made from the undisturbed stack, but not from the bottom 13 cards, saying, "Of course this is really a CARD DISCOVERY, so let's use those very words and see what happens?"

CANNIBALECTOR (From Cards by All Means) As an introductory feat, the four Kings demonstrate their magical abilities by causing two random cards to vanish. Having proved their expertise in the art of vanishing, they now instantly collect three previously selected cards. This is based on a Phil Goldstein combination of Twisting the Aces and the Walton Collectors. Here, the combination is the Searles Cannibal Cards and the Collectors. The principle behind the trick remains Goldstein’s. WORKING 1. Remove the four Kings and lay them face up on the table in a spread – the two reds in the middle and Spades on the face. Now have three cards selected and control then to the top in any order. 2. Turn the deck face up and obtain a break above the three selections at the rear. Spread the cards and outjog any two cards at random, asking, "Are any of these the cards you chose? No? Good. Because I want to use these for a quick demonstration." Strip out the two cards adding the three selections via the Vernon Add-on, then immediately drop the deck on top of them. Turn the deck face down and deal the top two cards onto the table. 3. Pick up the Kings in a Biddle grip, while obtaining a break under the top card of the deck. Say, "The Kings are great magicians – Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and clubs. Together they make one of the best teams in magic." Accompany this by doing the following ATFUS: Pull of Spades onto the deck, but as you do so, pick up the card from the break under the other three kings – keep a thumb break over this card. Apparently pick up the King of Spades under the other three, but really deposit the broken card on top of it so it remains hidden 2nd from the top of the deck. Now pull off the next two red kings one by one, transferring each to the rear of the packet normally. Finally draw attention to Clubs – now at the face of the packet where it remains. Place the deck on the table and then place the Kings (only three) into your left hand, still face up. 4. Say, "Before we proceed to the main event, let me give you a quick demonstration of how good these guys really are." Pick up one of the two face down cards – apparently random cards – and insert it second from the bottom of the three face up kings via a Buckle.

Don't be overly concerned about this because the card is supposed to be going into the packet. A buckle is a way to ensure you don't expose the fact you've only got three Kings. Take care not to let the face of the card be seen as this is now a selection. Flick the packet then give the cards an Elmsley Count – last card to the bottom. The random card has vanished. Pick the other face down card and repeat the above exactly – again last card to bottom. The second random card has vanished. 5. Say, "I told you these guys were good. But that was only a demonstration. Now for the main event." As you speak, Double Buckle then pull the king of Clubs onto the lower two cards – as if giving the packet a cut. In fact this is a Slip-cut. Finally drop the kings on top of the deck – snap your fingers over the deck – then pick up the deck and spread off the top seven cards showing the four Kings with three face down trapped between. Reveal these as the selections to finish.

TRIPLE HUMDINGER (From Cards by All Means) A spectator removes any 8 cards from the deck then you write three predictions. In the end, all three predictions prove to be correct. This is based on Bob Hummer’s "Personality Test" (Collected Secrets, page 14). Here. Hummer has a spectator mix 8 cards. In the end he has predicted that 5 cards face one way and 3 face the other (a 5/3 personality). The problem is that on occasions, you get 7 facing one way and one facing the other. The ‘out’ offered is, in my opinion, weak. The following circumvents that problem. By openly mixing a few cards first you are guaranteed a 5/3 result. However, thanks to Hummer’s CATO (which isn’t really used in the original Hummer trick), when the spectator carries out a further mix you are then guaranteed a 7/1 result. So both can be predicted in advance. The icing on the cake is that you also know what the single face down card will be, thus securing your third prediction. WORKING 1. Have three slips of paper and a pen at hand. Give the deck to a spectator and ask him to shuffle it then remove 8 cards. The rest of the deck is discarded. 2. Take the 8 cards face and hold them face up in dealing grip, saying, "This is an precognition. In a moment, you will mix the cards so that some face the wrong way. I will try to predict certain facts." As you speak, openly flip over the cards at positions 2, 4 & 6. Also glimpse and remember the lowermost face up card. Let’s say it’s the Ace of Spades (see photo). Place the packet on the table. Take the three slips of paper and write the following on each: Slip 1

Slip 2

Slip 3

5/3

7/1

AS

Leave these lying in a row on the table, in order, writing side down. I suggest you write 1, 2 and 3 on the backs so the audience know which is which in advance. 3. The trick now works itself. Or, I should say, the spectator does it all for you! Here is the procedure:

FIRST PREDICTION a) Tell the spectator to pick up the packet and give a cut. It doesn’t matter which way up the packet is.

b) Tell him to flip over the top two cards together then give the packet a cut. He repeats this as many times as he wishes (this is classic CATO). Finally he spreads the cards on the table. Draw attention to the number of face up and face down cards – this will be 5 and 3. Turn over the first prediction and have it verified.

SECOND PREDICTION a) Gather up the cards and give them back to the spectator. He can repeat the CATO process a few more times as it won’t alter the outcome. Otherwise, just move straight to step b). b) Tell him to deal the cards into two piles – dealing alternately left and right. He then turns either pile over onto the other. Again, he spreads the cards on the table. Draw attention to the number of face up and face down cards – this time there will be 7 and 1. Turn over the 2nd prediction and have it verified.

THIRD PREDICTION Finally, point out that there is one single reversed card among the eight, the identity of which, nobody could have guessed in advance. Turn over the final prediction and have it verified to conclude.

MINI HELLRAISER (From Cardeceits) A fast moving Elevator routine that finishes in the hands of a spectator. This is a short version of my Hellraiser routine from Obsession and is useful where no table top is available. See Effortless Card Magic for further Hellraiser thoughts. The elevator plot was developed by Ed Marlo. WORKING 1. Remove the A, 2 and 3 of any one suit and place them face up on a spectator's outstretched hand. The cards should be in order with the Ace showing at the face. Now remove the two black Kings then place the balance of the pack in your pocket as it is no longer required. 2. Hold the Kings face down in the left hand and pick up the Ace. Place the Ace face down on top of the Kings. You now appear to transfer the Ace to the bottom - in fact, you push over two as one and place the double to the bottom. Make a magical pass then buckle the bottom card and turn over the top two as one to reveal that the Ace has risen to the top. Turn the double face down then remove the top card and slide it under the two face up cards on the spectator's hand. 3. Repeat step 2 exactly as described with the Two - finish by sliding the Two(?) under the cards on the spectator's hand. 4. Now repeat with Three, but at the end you place the apparent Three spot on TOP of the two face down cards on the spectator's hand. As there are no longer any face up cards on the spectator's hand, it appears perfectly natural to drop the card on top. You are left holding two face down cards which the audience believe to be the two Kings. Say, "These Kings did the trick all by themselves. You look skeptical? I'll tell you what - you do it!" At that, drop the two cards square on top of the spectator's cards. Snap your fingers over the packet, then ask the spectator to deal the top three cards face up onto your hand - Three, Two one!

MORE CONVIVIAL (From Cardeceits) A card is selected then returned to the deck. You make three attempts to find the card and fail each time. So, you perform some magic with the three cards you did find. Finally the chosen card turns up completely unexpectedly. This is based on a previous effect of mine called "The Convivial Contortionists." WORKING 1. Cull any Six spot to the top of the deck. We will assume that it is the Six of Spades for this description. Force this card on a spectator, using your favourite method. If there is not a method that you favour, use one you don't like! Now, take the card back into the deck and control it to the top. 2. Say that you will now demonstrate finding a chosen card faster than any other living magician. Spread through the deck and quickly locate the Ace of Spades and toss it face up onto the table. Look at the spectator, who will tell you that you are wrong. Apologise, saying that perhaps you tried a little too fast. Spread through again and toss out the Two of Spades. Again you are wrong. Go for it a third time, tossing out the Three of Spades. When the spectator denies that this is his card, say, "Well, I'll come back to your card later. Perhaps I need to warm up. I'll show you something with these three cards. We will also use the two black Jacks." Spread through and transfer the two black Jacks to the rear of the spread, turning them face down as you do so. 3. Turn the deck face down. This brings the Jacks face up on top. Push over the two Jacks to display them, at the same time push over the next card slightly and catch a little finger break below it. Square up the two Jacks and lift off all three cards above the break with your right hand in a Biddle grip. Your left hand places the deck to one side. Peel the upper Jack into your left hand and place the remaining two cards as one on top, saying, "These two Jacks are better magicians than I am. At least their tricks work." Turn the packet face down into left hand dealing grip. Arrange the Ace, Two and Three, in order in a row face up on the table. 4. Pick up the Ace and apparently place it face down on the bottom of the packet. Actually your left fingers buckle the bottom card and the Ace goes in second from the bottom. Tap the top of the packet then buckle the bottom cards and flip over the top three cards as one. The Ace is back on top. Deal the Ace back to its position on the table. 5. Repeat the above elevator sequence with the Two, and then again with the Three.

6. Now say, "However, they do a better trick than that. They can make all three travel up at once." As you are speaking, gather up the three cards on the table in order with the Ace on top. Turn them face down and repeat the buckle insertion second from bottom. Tap the packet three times for effect, then buckle the bottom card and flip over all the cards above it. The Ace, Two, and Three are now face up on top. Deal the three cards onto the table. 7. Act as if the trick is over, then suddenly say, "I'll tell you what, I'll allow them to perform one final trick. This one is so difficult that even I can't do it!" Turn the Jack packet face up and Back-spread the lower card to the left displaying both Jacks. Hold them fanned between your right thumb and fingers. Tap each card on the table, then say, "You remember the card you selected earlier? How can you forget my embarrassment? Three Spade cards tell us that the card you selected was a Spade. Is that correct? Yes? Good. Now if we add the pips, we get, one, plus two, plus three equals six. So you must have picked the Six of Spades. Is that correct?" The spectator will say that you are correct. At this, spread the cards sharply to reveal a face down card between the Jacks. Turn the card over revealing the Six of Spades, saying, "I told you they do better than me."

WEIGHT PROBLEM (From Card Selection) This, and the variation that follows, were both inspired by the Jack Avis' effect called 'Weight Lifter', which appeared in The Crimp. This first version is basically very simple in concept, however it does the job. Neither version requires a full 52 card pack despite the fact that the effect deals with exact quantities of cards. Before commencing you have to reverse all the cards below the top 26 face down cards of the pack. Once you have done this make sure that there is no visible bridge at the mid-point. If there is, give one of the halves an appropriate bend so that all the cards lie together. WORKING 1. Hold the pack in the left hand and ask a spectator to lift off less than half the pack and place the section out of sight. Turn your head to one side as he does this then take the balance either behind your back, or below the table. Immediately count off the top 26 cards into your right hand, counting as quietly as possible and reversing their order as you do so. This is not a secret operation, but you do not want the audience to hear you counting. As you do this explain that you will try, by feel alone, to remove the exact same number of cards as the spectator cut off. Once you have counted the 26 cards, turn all the remaining cards in the left hand over then replace the cards just counted back on top. 2. The trick is over as far as you are concerned and all that remains to be done is to bring the pack into view and spread it on the table to show that you have reversed some cards on top of the pack. Ask the spectator to count the number of cards he cut off, then have him take all the face up cards from the tabled spread and count them to reveal the same quantity. Alternatively you can have a second spectator take the face up cards and then both count in unison for a more pointed presentation. In the second version which follows (not in this version) we add a further principle of Roy Walton's from his effect, 'Palmist's Prophecy', to achieve an additional punch and a further variation in the overall effect.

THE STATIC DECK PREDICTION (From Card Selection) An old arithmetical principle is brought into play here, but it is well camouflaged and hopefully the effect is non-mathematical in appearance.

PHASE ONE 1. Remove any card with plenty of white space on its face, a Two or Four spot is ideal. Take a pen and write the following prediction on the face of the card, keeping the card canted towards you so that only you can see the face: YOUR CARD IS 5th DOWN Make sure that you write the figure "5" and not the word "FIFTH." Place the prediction face down on top of the pack and carry out a couple of jog shuffles, adding four cards on top of the prediction. The prediction is now fifth from the top. 2. Bend down the inner corner of the bottom card of the pack then hand the pack to a spectator. Ask him to think of any number between 10 and 20 then to count down to and remember the card that lies at that number from the top of the pack. He is to thumb along to the card and NOT reverse count the order of the cards must remain undisturbed - although this is essential to the working of the trick, it is also a strong presentation point. A demonstration by yourself first will help. Turn away as he does this, then turn back and take the pack and double-cut the top FOUR cards to the bottom - this is best done in two stages by first cutting two, then two again, saying, "If I cut the pack the couple of times my prediction card moves to a new position in the pack...please take the pack...we are now going to Indulge In a little Numerology...this is similar to Astrology except that It uses numbers rather than star signs." 3. Ask the spectator to think of his secret number, and to add together the two digits, saying, "...for example, if your number Is seventeen you would add the one and the seven to give you the mystic number eight." Once he has arrived at his number hold out your left hand and ask the spectator to deal off that number of cards one at a time into a face down pile on your hand. The first card he deals will be your prediction card. When he stops dealing, look him directly in the eye and say, "You must agree that this number is totally random." As you are speaking, the right hand comes over and removes the BOTTOM card and flips it face up on top of the packet. Immediately look down saying, "Well, random or not it appears that my prediction and your mystic number have some affinity."

Allow the spectator to read the prediction then to count down to the fifth card - this will be his mental selection.

PHASE TWO 4. Leave the prediction on the table and place all the other cards on top of the pack. The crimped card lies FIFTH from the face. Carry out an overhand shuffle adding one extra card to the bottom so that the crimped card now lies SIXTH from the face. 5. Pick up the prediction card and say that you will make an adjustment to the prediction. Hold the card so that only you can see the face and add a 'ONE' in front of the five to make the prediction now read: YOUR CARD IS 15th DOWN. With the pack face down in dealing position and the corner crimp at the inner end (where it always should be!), apparently push the prediction card face down into the pack from the rear, really pushing it into the gap created by the bent corner so that the card finishes directly below the crimp, and sixth from the face. 6. Ask the spectator to consider a new number between 10 and 20 then to count down to and remember the card at that position from the top, again the cards are kept in the same order. However, this time he can finish the process by giving the pack a few straight complete cuts. Take the pack and cut the crimp to the bottom. I have published several tricks in which you have to cut a crimp to the bottom of the pack, however, I have never referred to the method I use, which allows you to locate and cut without looking. This can be found on page 124 of Expert Card Technique under the heading 'Establishing a Break from a Bridge'. The only thing you must do is, as you receive the pack glance at the inner corner and note where the crimped card lies. As you make the cut, which might be a Double Undercut if the crimp is very near the top or bottom, say, "Once again I'll make the magic cut and move my prediction to a new position." 7. Hand the pack back to the spectator and ask him to arrive at his new mystic number by adding together the digits of his secret number. He now counts off that number of cards face down onto your hand as before, again the first card dealt will be the prediction card. Looking him straight in the eye, say, "A different number but the same outcome...look." As you speak remove the BOTTOM card and flip it face up on top of the packet to reveal the prediction. The spectator counts down to the fifteenth card to find his mental selection once again.

END NOTES: The most important thing in all of the above is the bottom card flip-over. This is based on a 'Stop Trick' of Charlie Miller's from his book An Evening With Charlie Miller.

HERE LIES THE TRUTH (From Card Secrets Unlocked) This is an easy to do 'Lie Detector' that can't fail to get all the questions right. With good spectator management you could actually let the spectator handle the cards for the whole trick after an initial false shuffle or cut. Use your own judgement regarding the spectator you have selected. In a one on one situation the 'hands off' approach may prove more effective but for a group, spelling the answers yourself allows you better control as regards timing and pointing up the effect. This uses a simple 10 card set up plus the classic Count Back Force (Billy 0'Connor's 10/20 Force). This originally appeared in Best of Alchemy Card Magic (Compiled by Paul Hallas, 2002). To set the deck, remove the four Jacks plus any three hearts and any three Diamonds. Set the deck as follows, reading from the top (the only specific card is the 10th which must be the Jack of Diamonds): Jack - D - H - Jack - D - H - Jack - D - H - JD - rest of deck. WORKING 1. Give the deck a Jog Shuffle retaining the top stock then give it to a spectator. Explain that he will use numerology to select a random card, then the cards themselves will be used as a lie detector. Ask him to decide on any number between 10 and 20 and to deal that number of cards, one at a time, into a face down pile on the table. Now ask him to add together the two digits of his number - if his number is 15, he adds 1 + 5 = 6. He now takes back that number of cards, one by one, from the dealt pile on the table back onto the deck. Tell him to place the deck on the table in front of him. The top card of the deck will be the target for this experiment. It will also be the Jack of Diamonds. Tell him to pick up the small packet still on the table and to deal it into three piles - he must deal left to right rotationally, as in a three handed game. This will result in three piles each containing three cards. Now ask him to took at the top card of the deck and remember it. 2. Pick up the first pile (the one that he dealt the first card to) and hold it face down in dealing position. Ask, "Is your card RED or BLACK? You can lie or tell the truth." Spell his answer by transferring one card from top to bottom for each letter in the word. So, if be says, black, you transfer 5 cards. In fact it doesn't matter

because each pile is now a force pile for its particular answer. After spelling, flip over the top card of the packet to reveal a red card, saying, "According to the lie detector your card is RED." Naturally you will introduce additional comments depending on whether he lied or not. Replace the packet on the table with the red card face up on top, then pick up the second pile. 3. Now ask, "What is the SUIT of your card?" Again you spell his answer, then flip over the top card of the packet to reveal a Diamond, saying, "Your card was a Diamond .... no doubt about it." Replace the packet on the table and pick up the final pile. 4. Ask, "What is the VALUE of your card?" Spell his answer, then flip over the top card of the packet to reveal a Jack, saying, "Your card was a Jack." Replace the packet on the table. 5. Now, review the situation by drawing attention to the face up card on each pile saying, "So, according to the lie detector, your card is RED, it's a DIAMOND, and it's a JACK... if that card on top of the deck is the Jack of Diamonds I think this has been a pretty successful experiment." He turns over the card revealing the Jack of Diamonds.

THE PROBLEM WITH HOFZINSER (From Card Secrets Unlocked) An easy solution to the Hofzinser Ace Problem using a slight cheat in place of the usual transposition. WORKING 1. Have any card selected, noted then control it to the top of the deck. 2. Hold the deck with the faces towards you - you are about to remove the four Aces, but first you need to glimpse the rear card to, a) ensure it's not an Ace, and b) to note its suit. If it's an Ace, use Kings for the rest of the trick. Let's assume the rear card is the 2C. You now spread through and transfer the Aces one by one to the rear of the deck, turning each face down in the process. The last Ace you remove must be the same suit as the selection - in this case you leave the AC until last. Close the spread then turn the deck face down bringing the Aces face up on top. 3. Spread over the Aces to display then and, in doing so, push over two more cards. Square the Aces back onto the deck and lift off all 6 cards above the break with your right hand - your left hand deposits the deck face down on the table. 4. Reverse count the Aces, saying, "Each Ace represents a different suit." The final triple goes on top. Keep the count neat and fluent and the triple will pass unnoticed. Flip the packet face down. Explain that you will use the Aces to determine the suit of the selection. Carry out an Elmsley Count showing 4 face down cards, and say, "All the Aces are face down at the moment." Carry out a Fist Flourish to reverse the packet, then another Elmsley Count. This time the AC will be seen to have reversed. It currently lies 2nd from top. So remove the top face down card and apparently place it on the bottom really placing it 2nd from bottom using either a Buckle, or Pull-down. 5. Deal the face up AC onto the table, saying, "Your card must be a Club?" The spectator will agree.

Ask the spectator to cut off about half the deck - drop the packet you hold onto the lower half, then ask the spectator to replace the upper half. All the work is over. Ask the spectator to tap the deck with the AC, saying, "The AC will encourage the other Aces to turn over, too." Ribbon-spread the cards revealing that the other three Aces have now turned face up! After a brief pause, notice that there is a face down card among the Aces. Ask the spectator to name his card - 2C - then turn over the card revealing it to be the selection

ILLUSION Vs. REALITY (From Card School) This is a direct and magical production of the four Aces, with two of the Aces seemingly appearing in the hands of a spectator. The top three cards of your deck are; Any card (top) - AH - AC, the bottom three cards are; AD - X CARD - AS (At the face). WORKING 1. Riffle shuffle the deck retaining the top and bottom stocks, then set the deck face down on the table. Invite a spectator to cut off about half the cards and to retain that section in his hands. You pick up the balance and hold it face down in your hands. 2. Explain that you will demonstrate the difference between illusion and reality. As you are talking, obtain a break above the bottom three cards of your packet and cut them to the top. The position is this: The top three cards of your section are red Ace - Any card - Ace Spades. The top three cards of the spectator's section are; any card - red Ace - Ace Clubs. Now proceed as in following steps: a) Execute a double lift and flip the double face up onto your packet, retaining a flesh break below them. Ask the spectator to flip his top card over. This displays two indifferent cards. To this you say, "Two cards of little significance.... or are they? In fact this is an Illusion, because you can only see the situation from your perspective. Let's change that perspective." b) Flip your top two cards face down again, and request the spectator to do likewise with his face up card. Now exchange halves, you take his portion and he takes yours. c) Execute a double lift and flip the top two cards face up onto your packet, retaining a flesh break below them. Ask the spectator to flip over his top card. This displays two Aces, and is quite startling to the observers. At this say, "We change the perspective and now we have reality, in this case two Aces." d) Take the spectator's Ace and place it still face up on top of your packet, then lift off all three cards above the break and place them face up on the table in front of you.

4. Both you and the spectator retain the sections that you currently are holding. Now repeat step 3 a) b) & c) as above to produce the other two Aces, and using similar patter of illusion and then reality. At the end of this sequence you again take his Ace and place it onto your packet then lift off all three cards above the break - turn them face down and place them on the bottom of your packet, at the same time flipping the complete section face up into your hand. Push off the two Aces and drop them onto the other Ace pile, then pick up the five-card packet and place it back on the face of your section. This loses the extra cards and leaves the four Aces at the face. The effect of the forgoing on an audience is decidedly more remarkable than the simple method used to achieve it as a trial will prove.

BACKFIRE POKER (From Card School) This is a variation of Jim Steinmeyer's 'The Ten Boys Poker Deal' which appeared in the December issue of Magic. There is some added entertainment value, and a twist at the end. Set the following ten cards on top of the deck - Ten on top. 10 Spot - J - QD ~ 7 spot - 10D - 7 spot- JD - KD - 7 spot - AD NOTE: You start each step with the same "shuffle" which is: Run 3 - throw balance on top - Run 3 - throw balance on top. WORKING 1. Cut the stack into the middle and secure a break above it. Riffle force to the break and cut the deck at that point. Deal off the top ten cards into a face down pile on the table, reversing the order as you do so. Place the deck aside and pick up the ten cards and spread them briefly to show the faces, commenting, "You've picked some good cards here...I']] show a method of cheating which a gambler revealed to me...it only uses ten cards, so there's not a lot of leeway." 2. "Shuffle" then deal two hands. Show spectator's hand to contain ONE PAIR OF SEVENS, then drop this hand face down on the table. Show your hand to contain one pair also, but better - A PAIR OF TENS. You win. Drop your hand face down on top of the spectator's hand and pick up the packet. 3. "Shuffle" then deal two hands. Show the spectator's hand to contain a higher pair this time - TWO JACKS, then drop the hand face down on the table. Show your hand to contains TWO PAIRS OF SEVENS AND TENS. Again you win. Drop your hand on top of the spectator's and pick up the packet. 4. "Shuffle" and deal two hands. This time show that the spectator has improved again with his hand containing TWO PAIRS OF JACKS AND TENS, then drop the hand face down on the table. Show that your hand contains THREE OF KIND - SEVENS. You win again. Drop your hand on top of the spectator's and pick up the packet. 5. "Shuffle" then hand the packet to the spectator, saying, "This is the clincher because I now let YOU deal and if the Three of a Kind is the best hand available, I want it again!" He now deals two hands. Turn your hand over to reveal the same Three of a Kind again (Sevens). Appear smug and satisfied and act as if the demonstration is over.

Finally, start to turn his five cards face up one at a time to gradually reveal the 'table turning' Royal Flush in Diamonds, saying, "I've heard of a twist in the tale, but this is ridiculous...which school of card cheating did YOU go to?"

WEDLUCK (From Card Flair) The trick that follows is a simple, yet effective, royal marriages effect using the Rusduck Stay Stack principle. A Stay Stack is a mirror stack that retains its properties after certain shuffling. 1. Remove the four Queens and the four Kings and arrange them in a mirror stack, paying attention only to the suits. Here is an example of a set-up:

KC - KH - KS - QD - KD - QS - QH - QC The suits of the top four cards are in reverse order to the bottom four. So as you can see, the arrangement can be made to look like a random one. Before discarding the pack remove the Jack of Hearts, saying that he represents Cupid. Place Cupid face up on the table. 2. Show the packet of cards to the audience pointing out that they are the Kings and Queens. I'll leave the main presentation to the reader. Turn the packet face down and give it to a spectator and tell him to deal the cards into two piles, dealing to and fro as in a two-handed game of cards. Then tell him to pick up either pile - drop it on top of the other, then pick the packet up. The spectator can now carries out the above process as many times as he wishes, until he is satisfied that the cards are in an unknown order. He now carries out the following procedure: a) He deals the cards into piles again. Then, he picks up Cupid and places him him face up on top of either pile. Finally he drops the other pile on top of Cupid to bury him. b) You now spread the packet on the table and slide out the face up Cupid along with the two cards on either side. Remove Cupid from between the two cards and place him face up on the table. Close up the remaining spread and give it to the spectator. Steps A) and B) are now repeated two more times. This will result in two more face down pairs of cards, plus the final pair, which you ask the spectator to lay on the table beside the other three. 3. Conclude by tapping each pair with Cupid before turning them over one by one to reveal four perfect marriages!

DREAMT (From Card Flair) Without asking questions you divine the name of a card that a spectator has thought of. This was inspired by Hummer’s ‘Mind-reader’s Dream.’ It is completely impromptu but it differs from the original effect. The method is based on a Fulves’ concept used in his effect ‘Gemini Twins.’ 1. Hand out your deck for shuffling then take it back and hold it face up in dealing position. Remember the face card. Let us assume this card is the Ace of Spades. Ask the spectator to think of any card in the deck, but not to tell you what that card is. Explain that you want the spectator to input some psychic data to the deck. He will do this in two stages - first he will concentrate on the suit of his card, then the value. 2. You now demonstrate what you want the spectator to do. Deal a few cards into a face up pile on the table, then stop, saying, “You will stop when you arrive at a card that is the SAME SUIT as your card.” Now drop the balance of the deck onto the dealt cards. The Ace of Spades is now the rear card of the face up deck. Without dealing any more cards, tell the spectator that once he has done that, he will deal again and this time stop when he arrives at a card of the SAME VALUE as his card. Note the new face card of the deck, which we will assume is the Two of Spades, then hand the cards to the spectator, then turn your back on the proceedings. Remember both key cards. 3. Once the spectator has completed his task, turn to face the front. Take the deck and make a wide fan so that you can see most of the faces of the cards. Alternatively spread from hand to hand. Either way, keep the faces towards you. Scan the cards as quickly as possible and locate your key cards - when you spot the first key from the face, the card immediately after it tells you the suit. Locate the other key card - the card immediately after it is the value. Without pause, locate the thought of card and drop it face down on the table. Ask the spectator to name the card he is thinking of. Turn over the tabled card to conclude.

SWEET SIXTEEN (From The Card Addict) You show the four Fours which you point out total 16. You turn one face up. The face up four splits into two Twos. This leaves two face down cards. Question: "If the cards total 16, what should the remaining two face down cards total?" The audience reply, "Twelve?" "That’s right," you say. "Well, actually it’s two twelves!" you say, as you snap them over revealing two red Queens. Before you start, set the following five cards on top of the deck, reading from the top: 2 red Queens - 2 black Twos - a black Four - rest of deck. WORKING 1. Hold the deck face up then spread through and upjog the four Fours, when you come to the final Four upjog all five cards together as a block. Immediately strip out all then drop the deck on top of these 8 cards and turn all face down. 2. Push off the top five cards as four and discard the rest of the deck. Hold the packet face down in a right hand Biddle grip and casually peel off two cards into your left hand then place the remaining three cards on top and retain a break. Meanwhile, say, "Four fours have a grand total of sixteen. Bear that in mind." Flip over the top three cards as one then openly shift one card from bottom to top, saying, "I’ll turn one Four face up in the middle. Now watch. I’m going to split this card into two." Elmsley Count as you speak to show the face up Four among three face down cards. Now Elmsley Count again to show that the Four has changed into a Two, saying, "Look, there’s half a Four!" Repeat the Elmsley Count to produce a second black Two, saying, "And there’s the other half! Two Twos equal four." 3. Hold the packet in left hand dealing grip and spread as four keeping the bottom two cards as one. Upjog the two Twos and close the spread. Strip out the outjogged Twos adding the lower card (black Four) under them via the Vernon Add-on (See End Note for alternative), then immediately spread the remaining two face down cards with your right hand. Your left hand pushes over its face card to display a fan of two Twos. 4. Say, "If the cards still total 16, what should the remaining two face down cards total?" The audience reply should be, "Twelve?" "That’s right," you say. "Well, actually it’s two twelves!" you say, as you snap over the two face down cards in your right hand revealing two red Queens.

END NOTE: If you are unable to do the Vernon Add-on with a small packet simply remove the outjogged Twos and apparently place them to the bottom - really buckle the bottom card so the Twos go above it. Now spread the packet, holding the lower two as one, showing two face down cards on top of the two face up Twos. Take the two face down cards in your right hand and finish as described.

HALLOWEEN LOCATION (From The Card Addict) This is a presentation for a location using the "Automatic Placement." WORKING 1. Give a full deck of cards to a spectator for shuffling, then take a piece of paper and write the number 31 on it (fig.1). Leave this on the table with the writing side up, saying, "Halloween, the 31st of October, is a special date for magicians. Apart from being steeped in the occult, it’s also the night Houdini died. So 31 will be my mystic number in this trick." 2. Ask the spectator to place the deck on the table and then cut off a section, up to half the deck. Ask him to hold the cards facing him and to decide on a colour - reds or blacks. He now counts the number of cards of that colour in his packet and remembers that number. This will be HIS mystic number. 3. Pick up the other half of the deck and hold it face down. Tell the spectator to watch as you count the cards and to remember the card that lies at his number. Remove cards one by one from the top, showing them to the spectator while counting out loud. Do not reverse the order of the cards, place each card in front of the other. Stop when you have counted 20, saying, "Have you got one yet?" Now casually pick up one more card then place these 21 cards to the bottom of the balance you hold, then place this section on the table. 4. Tell the spectator to shuffle his half then drop it on top to complete the deck. He now picks it up and holds it ready for dealing. Draw attention to your prediction - 31. Ask the spectator what his secret number was. Let’s say he says, 11. Say, "Let’s add our mystic numbers together.... 31 plus 11 gives us 42." Tell him to deal off 42 cards into a pile and hold the final card. Ask him to name his card then turn over the card he’s holding. This will be it.

RATHER ABRUPT (From Area 52) You cut off about half the deck and a spectator cuts off a portion and counts them to get a secret number. He now uses this value to make a selection. Your back is turned as he makes the selection. You now say that you will try to find the card, and you proceed to attempt to do so. However, a sudden change of plan results in the selection magically appearing in your pocket! ....and they thought this was a mathematical card trick!! This again uses the Automatic Placement (Joseph/Marlo). WORKING 1. Push off 20 cards and give them to a spectator for shuffling. Discard the rest of the deck by putting it into the card case. Now ask the spectator to think of any number between one and ten. Turn away and tell him to remove that number of cards from his packet and insert them into the card case, where they join the balance of the deck. The cards in the case are no longer required. To justify the foregoing procedure, I make the following irrational statement, “By extracting your secret number physically, the cards remaining become programmed.” 2. Turn to face the front for a moment (you want to make sure he isn’t eating the cards) and ask the spectator to shuffle the cards he still holds. Now tell him to count down to his secret number from the top, and remember the card that lies at that position. He leaves the card at its position. Turn away again while he does this. 3. Face the front and say, “At this moment I have no idea where your card lies - but I should be able to locate it by feel alone.” Ask him to push off 10 cards - he should not reverse the order. Take these 10 cards and pretend to weight them, then say, “No, I don’t think it’s here.” Return the 10 cards to him by placing them below the other cards in his hand. Now tell him to push off another 10 cards. Take these and pretend to weight them again, then say, “I think this has gone wrong.” As you say this, cop the bottom card in your left hand and immediately give the cards back to the spectator. Ask the spectator to weight the packet, saying, “Can you feel anything different? What card did you think of?” 4. Reach into your pocket and bring out the copped card, saying, “No wonder we couldn’t find it....it was in my pocket.” At that, toss the card face up onto the table to conclude.

AUTOMATED DIAMONDS (From Area 52) An attempt to attain the effect of Alex Elmsley’s “Diamond Cut Diamond” without any moves, and without touching the deck. This uses the old Principle Nine Force. Remove all 13 Diamonds plus a black Ten spot (make it Spades in this instance) . Place the Ten of Diamonds in your outer breast pocket. Set the remainder of the cards as follows, reading from the top:

9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - A - 10S - J - Q - K - rest of deck. WORKING 1. Give the cards a Jog Shuffle retaining the top stock then give the deck to a spectator. Ask the spectator to decide on any number between ten and twenty. I suggest you use a Numerology presentation for this part. Let’s say he decides on the number 16. He deals that many cards one at a time into a pile on the table. Point out that 16 has two digits, a one and a six, which come to seven when added together. Tell him to take back seven cards one at a time from the dealt pile and replace them on top of the deck. Now tell him to look at the top card of the deck and remember it, then place it back on top. It will be the Ten of Spades. Next, tell him to pick up the dealt pile from the table and drop it on top of the deck, thus burying his card. 2. Wave your hands over the deck and command one complete suit to rise to the top. Announce that this suit will be the Diamonds. Ask the spectator if his card is an Ace. He will say no. So tell him to turn over the top card and place it face up on the table. It will be the Ace of Diamonds. Ask him if his card is a Two. Again he will say no. Again you tell him to turn over the top card of the deck and place it on top of the Ace on the table. It will be the Two of Diamonds. These cards should form a spread. Repeat this procedure until you reach the Ten, at which point he will say yes. Tell him NOT to turn the card over but to remove it and lay it face down on top of the previous card, the Nine in the spread. Finally ask him to turn over the remaining three cards one by one to complete the full numerical run of Diamonds. 3. Look at the spectator, and say, “Obviously your card is the Ten of Diamonds,” to which he will say NO. Look surprised for a moment, then smile, saying, “Of course it wasn’t...I’ve got the Ten of Diamonds right here in my pocket.” Remove the Ten from your pocket and toss it onto the table. Finally ask the spectator to name his card - the Ten of Spades then ask him to turn over the face down card in the spread to reveal his selection.

END NOTES: Although this is a “hands off” method, you might want to put your “hands on” to speed things up by turning the cards over to reveal the suit.

HEAVYWEIGHT (From 21 Card Tricks) You give a spectator seven cards and state that one of the seven cards is heavier than all the others. For example, black ink is heavier than red ink, and court cards are heavier than spot cards, Spades are the heaviest of all. Not a lot of people know that! Despite constant mixing of the cards by a spectator, he ends up, undoubtedly, with the heaviest card in the deck. This was inspired by Marty Kane’s “Status Quo Principle.” Marty’s concept is for the Down/Under Deal and retains the positions of two cards in a packet of seven. The following does not use the Down/Under concept, and only retains one card. The “heavy and light” patter theme is derived from Vernon’s presentation for “Twisting the Aces.” WORKING 1. Run through the deck and remove six low value red cards and the King of Spades. Keep the faces of these cards hidden as you position the King fifth from the top, or third from the face. 2. Follow the patter as given above, then ask a spectator to watch what you do. Deal the packet into two piles, dealing alternately left and right. Point out that one pile has four cards and the other has three cards. Therefore, the latter pile is “lighter” than the other. So, pick up the lighter pile and drop it onto the heavy pile, saying, “The lighter pile always goes on top.” Give the cards to the spectator and let him carry out this mixing process as many times as he wants. Each time the lighter packet is placed on the heavy packet. 3. Once he has finished, tell him to hold the packet and spell the word HEAVY, dealing one card for each letter onto the table (alternatively he can transfer the cards from top to bottom). When he reaches the final letter (5th card) he deals that card to one side. 4. Gather together the other 6 cards and remind the audience about your opening patter theme. Turn these cards face up and spread them across the table revealing all red low value cards - in other words, “The lightest cards in the deck.” Finally ask the spectator to turn over the card he dealt aside to reveal the, “Heaviest card in the deck, the King of Spades!”

CRAFTMASTER (From 21 Card Tricks) A card is selected and lost back into the deck. You remove the four Kings and give the deck to a spectator, who shuffles then cuts it into two piles. You clearly show that you have the four Kings then you deal two on top of each half deck. A snap of the fingers, and all four Kings are found together on top of the one pile. When the spectator turns over the top card of the other pile, he is surprised to finds his card! This is a very easy effect to perform. It is a variation of a previous effect of mine called “Acecraft.” WORKING 1. Have a card selected, returned and controlled to the second from top position. Turn the deck face up - glimpse the rear two cards to make sure neither is a King, then run through and upjog the four Kings. If either of the back two cards are Kings use the Four Aces, or whatever. Strip out the Kings and place them face down below the face up deck. Turn the deck over and push over the Kings to display them - as you do so, push over the first two face down cards and secure a break below them. Square up the Kings and lift off all 6 cards. Give the deck to the spectator for shuffling. 2. Ask the spectator to place the deck face down on the table and cut it into two piles. You now show the Kings one by one as follows (they are face up with 2 face down beneath them -also see End Notes): a) Remove the uppermost king - name it - turn it face down and apparently place it to the bottom. In fact you Buckle (or Pull-down) the bottom card so that the King goes second from the bottom. b) Show the remaining three Kings one by one, placing each face down to the bottom with no Buckling. Name each King as you do this. 3. Deal the top card of the packet onto the left tabled pile - deal the next card onto the right pile - deal the next card onto the left pile - then deal the remaining block as one onto the right pile. Keep a steady rhythm to this deal and the block will pass unnoticed. 4. Snap your fingers over the right hand pile then turn over the top four cards one by one revealing the four Kings have magically gathered together. Pause for effect, then ask the spectator to name his card. Snap your fingers over the left pile then flip over the top card revealing the selection. END NOTE: An alternative handling is to strip out the four Kings adding the rear two cards via the Vernon Strip-out Addition. Show the Kings holding the last three square, then turn the packet

face down and carry out an Elmsley Count, saying, “Remember, just four Kings.” The cards now are set to be dealt onto the two piles.

!! BONUS MATERIAL !!

!! BONUS MATERIAL !!

The Ghost of Frank Joglar Article by Peter Duffie Since I bade farewell to the world of magic all those years ago many good things have happened to it, but I am disgusted by the mentality that currently exists between the close-up field, and the Stand-up. Discounting a minority of top bracket professionals, there is much to be concerned about. Take 'Table-hopping' for example. This new age form of up-close entertainment, fine when conducted in the proper manner and at the right fees, has, in most cases become nothing. short 6f begging in its present state. They cover about twenty tables - that's twenty shows - for the same money that a plumber gets for a half-hour repair job, in some cases less! They interrupt people who have come out for a quiet meal and a cosy chat by barging into their lives and demand that they stop what they are doing and WATCH some magic. What would YOU (as a magician) say if some idiot walked up to your dining table and said: "Stop eating, drinking, and talking, because I am the world's greatest contact juggler and I am going to juggle for YOU~ “…a new breed of cabbage." Personally, I hate juggling and I would therefore be forced to tell him, with a mouthful of food or not, ly _grab your balls and juggle offl.". Maybe, just maybe, real people out for a quiet night hate magic, magicians and everything connected with it. The smarmy grins, the condescending talk, the arrogant attitudes, the hard hitting heckler stoppers when there are NO hecklers! It is no wonder that some people hate magicians. As if the myriad of sub-par table-hoppers wasn't enough, now there is a new breed of cabbage. The stage magician who, having proved that he has, limited, or no talent in that arena, changes his tactics and moves into the close-up arena. Why" "Because close-up magic is easy. All I need are a few Tenyo tricks and a thumbtip and...no, I'll leave out card tricks because they're NOT COMMERCIAL." What he really means is that he has no skill whatsoever (that's why he's a stage magician), and a card trick more times than not needs something more than a plastic sliding switch. Or, there is the stage magician who is good at what he does and, noticing the increasing popularity in close-up magic as a business, sees it as an 'easy' target for the same reasons just given. Both present their close-up carriage as if they were still on stage. Even if they are unusually competent at the tricks (with the emphasis on the word 'unusually'), their overpowering, larger than life persona only succeeds in intimidating the small and intimate group for whom they are performing, and in some instances, cause the more timorous instantly to regurgitate their meal ... ..."Has anyone here lost a red penknife?".... "No! But I just lost a ten quid meal, thank you!" However, that is the up-side! Because there is a more incredible down-side to this. Our moronic disaster earns his living from children's shows and club engagements. He quite rightly makes reasonable cash from such shows. So why then does the cretin charge a pittance for his close-up work? The answer is simple. GREED! He sees close-up magic as a side-line, something to make a few pence between shows (and maybe advertise his 'proper' magic show while he's at it). He sees no wrong in undercutting the other magicians who are trying to rnake their living from Close-up magic, and it is possible to do so with the proper background of learning and the right management.

Which brings me to 'The Paradox'. There are MORE magicians of this sort destroying the close-up arena than there are genuinely competent performers. That is a fact that cannot be denied. Therefore, it must follow that the average potential booker is going to look very carefully at FEES, because people do not have a lot of money these days due to over a decade of Conservative dictatorship, and ruination. So, because of these undercutting degenerates, the true pro is being forced to charge less to compete because if he doesn't, he won't work, and if he doesn't work he doesn't cat, and if he doesn't eat he'll get hungry, and with hunger causing anger there is, in my opinion, only one way in which to vent this anger while at the same time rectify the situation. "...in my opinion..." So what is it that can be done to resolve this? A magical 'union' is just a joke… it would be a symbolic hierarchy, with no power. A 'Centre of Excellence' as suggested in one recent magical journal? What a load of bollocks! The solution is simple and effective. A series of untimely and mysterious deaths would help the genuine pros no end. Such events are easily arranged, and just as easily covered up. if we stick together and are as secretive AS ALL MAGICIANS SHOULD BE. Now THAT'S what I call EXCELLENT! So, 'The Alternative Magical Council' could be formed, with syndicates in every major town and city. These faceless people, having come together through hunger and anger, would monitor the activities of those working in the close-up arena. Warning,, would be issued to anyone deliberately undercutting others. and a failure to heed would result in that individual being 'permanently ‘Topited'. It would only take a few such erasures before the present unacceptable, and totally unprofessional attitudes were eradicated. Those unable to get the work with a new fee threshold having been established would realise that they were not of the required standard (because now the booker would be looking purely at the quality of the product), and using what little brains they had, would surely quit! (Either that or face 'permanent' compulsory redundancy!) I am told that Glasgow, or New York, would be a perfect training ground for the council, but all other major towns and cities are no different. Oh yes- there are two other types of magician that I overlooked. The 'hobbyist', and they who call themselves 'Part Time Pros'. While the hobbyist does the occasionally show very cheaply, it is the latter who pose the greatest danger to those who aim to make a living as a professional. They have no sense of values, moral and other-wise, and think nothing about bad-mouthing and undercutting the hard working professional. There is NO SUCH THING as a 'Part Time Pro'. Either you are a Professional, or you are an Amateur. If the greater part of your income is derived from another activity then YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL if you still insist on calling yourself a professional, then act like one!. "There is NO SUCH THING as a 'Part Time Pro'." If you don't know how to, then take a look at, say, Alan Shaxon or Mac King. I said "take a look,” not steal their acts. Shaxon and King are pros, they charge good money for an equally good product, and their work is in constant demand, in all the aforementioned areas. So please make up your minds and start to behave correctly. 'The Alternative Magical Council' is NOT a mere myth. If it decides to become operational the true professional will benefit, as will the amateur, because both feed off one another, the amateur respecting and admiring the performance of the quality pro. and the pro needing the amateur to work out the tricks. Remember, with a few exceptions (Shaxon and King being two shining examples), professional magicians do not invent. Also, both move in different circles k~, hen it comes to making money, and that's the way it should be, neither stepping on the other's toes. and one

respecting the other. Is all this too much to hope for? We shall see. Anyway, I'm knackered after all of that, so goodbye. Now then- just when I though I had made my point and was about to sign off, someone asked me a really stupid question. If you're so high and mighty, what is YOUR status in the world of magic"' The answer is. "Nowhere! I'm dead, and so will you be if you don't show more respect for our art and fellow human beings, and start charging realistic fees!

“SCOTTISH MAFIA” A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE NAME Article by Peter Duffie As the term “Scottish Mafia” occasionally pops up in conversations and on internet forums, I thought you might be interested, or at least amused, in how the term came about. Many of you will know Bobby Bernard from London. Bobby is one of magic’s characters and I’ve known Bobby since my first visit to London when I was 16. Bobby was (I use past tense only because Bobby has mellowed with age) loud [very], opinionated [very] and likeable [depends who you are] - an unusual combination. He’s no longer loud [very]..... From 1974 onwards, I regularly attended the annual IBM convention in England. I would be in the company of other Glasgow friends. Being friends, we hung out together, and were rather protective of one another. Anyone offering adverse comments received a barrage of Glasgow slang that only we could understand. In fact, even in normal discussion, ‘outsiders’ were hard pressed to completely understand our accents. So we could discuss secrets with impunity! I use the term ‘outsiders’ deliberately, because this was the impression that a few people got when they joined our company....uninvited. Most others were made very welcome and we made many friends from around the UK, but particularly from London. These included; Fred Robinson, Eric Mason, Walt Lees, Peter Kane and David Carre (Peter Kane is from Manchester but he was always there). Bobby Bernard would join us on occasions, but generally he was in another group who listened to him. Bobby would dominate the conversation in any company - he has some great stories to tell - but it wasn’t always convenient in the middle of a card session! Put it this way: you’ve got Fred Robinson dealing Centers from two breaks, effortlessly, the most amazing thing you may ever see in your life, and Bobby wants to tell you his Richard Himber stories...... Bobby is one of the best story-tellers you’ll meet, but when you’re young and chasing treasured card secrets, everything else goes out the window. One evening we were all sitting in the bar - just the Glasgow bunch at this time. I drank in those days and never missed a grand opening of a bar! As we were sitting chatting, Bobby Bernard appeared at my left shoulder. I saw him via peripheral vision and so I pretended not to notice him for a few minutes. Then, as a joke, I turned round with a deck of cards in my hand (yes, I was actually doing a trick), pretended to suddenly notice him, then I turned back again and raised my shoulder as if to block his vision - sending a message, “You are not welcome to see this.” Unfortunately, Bobby took offence at this and he stormed off in a rage. It really was meant as a joke - I didn’t realize how sensitive Bobby was - his brash outward persona hid a very sensitive

inner self. The next morning I walk into the cafe/diner and there’s Bobby. I walk over and he snaps! He starts shouting and swearing at me - everyone’s looking at us - I’ve got a hangover and I want him to dissolve. I start to get angry but Bobby is furious. Before one of us died, Peter Kane came between us and cooled things down. Later we made up and all was forgotten.... ...well almost..... After that, Bobby Bernard gave us the name “Scottish Mafia.” For years only he used the term. As it was intended to be semi-derogatory, we never, ever, used it. That was 25 years ago! Now the term has become common place even us Glasgow guys use it on occasions. Perhaps we’ve all mellowed with age :-) ~END~

MAD MIX

by

Peter Duffie

Mad Mix is a fast moving visual routine based on ideas of Alex Elmsley, Roy Walton and Dai Vernon...with a bit of my own thinking thrown into the 'mix.' I first released this in 1993. It has now been revised with some changes made to the original handling. You require four cards with red backs and four cards with contrasting blue backs. Ideally, the faces should all be Jokers, or blanks. I prefer blanks so that only the backs matter. Set each packet as follows from top to bottom as shown below. I keep each packet in a seperate compartment in a wallet so I can easily remove them without spreading the cards:

Packet A

Packet B

PHASE 1 Remove the packets and place them face down on the table with 'A' to your left and 'B' to the right. Pick up 'A' and Elmsley Count to show four reds then replace the packet on the table - FACE UP. Do the same with 'B' showing four blues and replace them on the table again - face up. With your left hand pick off the face two cards from 'A' together without reversing their order - then with your right hand pick off the face two cards from 'B.' Cross your hands over and replace the pairs onto the opposite packets from which they came (see below). Point out that there are now two of each colour per pile.

MAD MIX

Snap your fingers then pick up packet 'A' and turn it face down. Elmsley Count to show four reds once again - injog the final two cards of the count - then replace the packet on the table - face down this time. Don't try to hide the injogged cards as you will openly lift them off in a moment. Pick up 'B' and repeat the count to show all blue backs and replace on the table face down. The current position is shown below.

PHASE 2 With your left hand carefully pick off the top two injogged cards from 'A' and then, with your right hand, do likewise with 'B.' Be very careful not to expose the odd cards at the bottom of either packet. Hence the injogs! Swap the hands over and replace the pairs on top of the opposite packets. See below.

MAD MIX

Now turn both packets face up then, and in a magical gesture, openly swap both over. Pick up the left hand packet - 'A' - turn it face down, then Elmsley Count to show, once again, four reds. This time place the last card to the bottom at the end of the count then replace the packet on the table - face down. Repeat this procedure with packet 'B.' PHASE 3 You now offer to do it in slow motion Pick up A and perform half an Elmsley count - i.e., you only go through with the count as far as the count of two (you stop immediately after the switch). Place the two cards just counted, which will be a red with a blue below, face down on the table at position 1 as depicted below Place the remaining two face down at position 2. Pick up 'B' and count off two again, executing only half of the Elmsley Count, then place these two cards face down at position 3. Then place the remaining two cards face down at position 4, as shown below.

MAD MIX

Ask a spectator to pick up the two cards at position 4. ( indicating with your hand which pair he is to pick up and have him drop them on top of the pair at position 1. Now ask him to pick up the two cards at position 2 and drop them onto the pair at position 3. As below.

Turn both packets face up then swap them over as a magical gesture. Pick up A, turn it face down and Elmsley Count to show once again four reds placing the last card to the bottom at the end of the count. Repeat with B to show four blue cards. As the spectator did the mixing here it will come as a big surprise to see the colours separated again. FINAL PHASE - FOLLOW THE LEADER With both packets lying face down on the table remove the top card of each packet and place it still face down in front of its packet (see below). "These will act as markers," you say.

MAD MIX

Pick up packet B and turn it face up and hold it in the left hand then pick up packet A and also turn it face up. Hold A above B - keeping both packets separate - and square packet A. Look directly at the spectator saying, "I'll show you one last and most interesting thing with the cards." As you speak, replace 'A' face up on the table BUT place it below the marker for 'B' i.e., the blue marker. Replace the other three cards below the remaining marker (see below). You have in fact secretly changed the positions of the packets in respect of their corresponding markers in a manner similar to that often used for Out of this World. Do not worry about this as no-one knows what is about to happen and do not try to make a move out of it.

MAD MIX

You now conclude with a version of Vernon's Follow the Leader. a) Openly swap over the two markers then turn the two cards at the face of each pile face down onto the markers to reveal that the colours have magically followed. b) Openly swap over each of the two face up pairs this time, then again turn over the face cards onto the markers to show the match in colour. c) Finally ask the spectator which to swap - the markers or the cards? Of course it doesn't matter, whichever you swap. Finally, dramatically turn over the remaining face up cards to conclude.

Mad Mix Copyright © Peter Duffie 1993 Revised electronic edition 2001