Harry Lorayne - and Finally! [PDF]

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And Finally! HARRY LORAYNE

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Harry Lorayne

Books by Harry Lorayne Close-Up Card Magic • Personal Secrets • My Favorite Card Tricks Deck-Sterity • Best of Bill-Fooled The Hundred Dollar Book • Dingle’s Deceptions Reputation-Makers • The Great Divide • Tarbell #7 Rim Shots • Afterthoughts • The Epitome Location The Magic Book • Finger Fantasies • Card Animations The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel • Quantum Leaps Best of Friends, Volume I • Best of Friends, Volume II • Best of Friends, Volume III Star Quality • Trend Setters • Doug Edwards Packs A Wallop The Himber Wallet Book • Personal Collection Lorayne: The Classic Collection Volume 1 • Mathematical Wizardry Lorayne: The Classic Collection Volume 2 Lorayne: The Classic Collection Volume 3 Lorayne: The Classic Collection Volume 4 Lorayne: The Classic Collection Volume 5 Special Effects Before I Forget JawDroppers/ Only My Apocalypse JawDroppers/ Two And Finally!

And Finally! Harry Lorayne

Photographs by Matthew Potter Design & Composition by Andrew Pinard

How To Develop A Super-Power Memory Secrets of Mind Power • Instant Mind Power Miracle Math • Memory Isometrics Course Mental Magnetism Course • Good Memory—Good Student! Good Memory—Successful Student! • The Memory Book Remembering People (The Key to Success) The Page-A-Minute Memory Book • Memory Makes Money Super Memory—Super Student • Ageless Memory The MEMORY POWER Package (sold on national television) Harry Lorayne, Inc.

Monthly magic magazine: Apocalypse, Bound Volumes I through IV Videos by Harry Lorayne Best Ever” four-volume DVD set

48 Liberty Street, Unit F Newburyport, MA 01950 U.S.A. harryloraynemagic.com [email protected]

Dedicated to my terrific son, Robert My beautiful daughter-in-law, Elizabeth My adorable granddaughter, Vivi Oh, and to all lovers of card magic!

Copyright © 2018 by Harry Lorayne, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, which are now known or to be invented, without the written permission of the author.

Contents Foreword............................................................................................................. Il SECTION I PPP - Powerful Powers Presentation................................................................. 17 Pied Piper...........................................................................................................22 Reversed Card Transmission............................................................................. 25 Narrower Sandwich............................................................................................27 Color (Not So) Quickie......................................................................................30 Bottom Stet Overhand Control......................................................................31 Angle Spread................................................................................................. 33 Your Favorite Card............................................................................................ 35 Amazing Location..............................................................................................37 Utility Mixer.................................................................................................. 37 Reverse Faro Ending..................................................................................... 39 FlaLo Aces.........................................................................................................41 Quick Mate........................................................................................................ 44 HaLo Thumb Push-Up.................................................................................. 44 Optically Controlled...........................................................................................46 SECTION II Stab-Two............................................................................................................53 The Spread/Gather Reverse............................................................................... 56 Surprisingly Good.............................................................................................. 59 Bonus Royale.....................................................................................................61 A Much Better Chance...................................................................................... 63 Quick And Easy................................................................................................. 66 Status Quo Shuffle.........................................................................................67 Fantastic Ace Assembly.....................................................................................68 I’ll Read Your Mind...........................................................................................72 Really!................................................................................................................75 A Sweet 4-Card Change.....................................................................................78 New Royal-O-Cation......................................................................................... 81 Universal Reversal.........................................................................................82

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SECTION III Double Trouble.................................................................................................. 87 Jacks Are Better................................................................................................. 90 The Lorayne Force........................................................................................ 91 Another Three Does It....................................................................................... 94 Preferred Take Five............................................................................................97 Toss!.................................................................................................................. 100 Milky Ways..................................................................................................... 102 Instead of the Pass........................................................................................... 104 Much Better H-S Force....................................................................................106 The Push-Through Change.............................................................................. 108 That’s The Truth!...............................................................................................Ill

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Harry Lorayne

Mental Vibrations............................................................................................ 166 The Family Unit...............................................................................................170 SECTION VI The Broken Count............................................................................................175 Choice!.............................................................................................................180 Salt-Less...........................................................................................................184 Fourced Match................................................................................................. 188 Suitable Blackjack........................................................................................... 191 Killer Sandwich............................................................................................... 196 Keep Your Eye On It....................................................................................... 199 Two To Reverse...............................................................................................202

SECTION IV

SECTION VII

Spread Control Impossibility........................................................................... 119 Magician’s Choice.......................................................................................120 Silly Cut........................................................................................................... 122 An Ear Full of Cider........................................................................................ 124 The Lorayne Spin........................................................................................ 124 Take Me To Your Leader................................................................................ 127 Billustrious.......................................................................................................130 Miraculous Coincidence.................................................................................. 133 Stabbed In The Pack........................................................................................ 136 Twirl Change................................................................................................... 139 (R) Evolutionary..............................................................................................141

Royal Take....................................................................................................... 207 Not Quite ACAAN.......................................................................................... 210 Lazy Man’s Card Trick....................................................................................213 Lorayne’s Poker Deal Plus...............................................................................217 Best Impromptu Linking-Card Effect..............................................................222 Mated Updated.................................................................................................227 Royal Update................................................................................................... 229 In The Flush.....................................................................................................231 Two Magic Cards.............................................................................................234 Spectator’s Choice........................................................................................... 236 Magical Appearance........................................................................................ 240 Amazing Tracking........................................................................................... 243

SECTION V Triplocation......................................................................................................147 What’s Mine Is Yours!.................................................................................... 150 Palm From Double...........................................................................................153 Two Over Easy................................................................................................ 156 Hokus Pokus.................................................................................................... 160 Illogical Double Lift................................................................................... 161 Hokus Pokus Royal..........................................................................................164

Pinpointing An Era...........................................................................................246 Last Word

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Foreword AND FINALLY!! Yeah, yeah, I know - I’ve said that “this is my last book” in the ads and in the Forewords of quite a few of my books over the last couple of decades. And please, take my word for it, when I did say it I honestly believed it to be so. And then, of course, as time went by, other effects and routines started to come to mind or evolve and magic friends all over the world would ask if I could re-write so and so, because they and others had missed it, make it easier to find, and on and on. But this really has to be my last book because a) I really, really, have nothing important left to say and b) C’mon — I’m ninety-two years old as I write this and I’ll be near 93 years old when the book appears — if I’m still vertical. So, how can this be anything but my last book? And what basically “kicked this off” was so many magic friends asking me to re-write, update, some of the effects/routines/ideas that I’d originally pub­ lished in the “special” printing of PERSONAL COLLECTION — which has been unavailable, out of print, for about two decades (published in 2001). They were/are right of course — there was/is some great stuff in that unavailable book. Yes, I did update (make easier to do) a few of those items in JAW DROPPERS TWO and then came the small deluge of people asking me to “please, please, make available some of the other great stuff from that book.” That’s what started the idea for this book (just as starting to update, make easier to do, stuff out of my BEST OF FRIENDS volumes evolved into JAW DROPPERS TWO). And as usual, new items came to mind, old items became better and easier to do, I was reminded of items that I’d never published, and so on. So sure, this book could have been titled JAW DROPPERS TFIREE but I think “AND FINALLY” is more to the point at this time, at this stage, of my life. (After reading the manuscript before publication, one magic friend sug­ gested that I title it “Flidden Gems.” That’s because if you read all carefully you sure will - in my humble opinion {and his} - find a number of “gems” herein.) There is no specific order to the sequence of items I’ve included — it was really a “stream of consciousness” kind of writing. That is, I wrote 'em as they came to mind — because that was much easier for me. I teach my necessary-to-theroutine items (Utility Mixer, Reverse Faro Ending, FlaLo Cut, The Lorayne Force, Spread Control, Universal Reversal, To Catch An Ace #5, Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle, Angle Spread, The Lorayne Spin, Status Quo Shuffle, Illogi­

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cal Double Lift, etc.) as and when needed in the item I’m writing/teaching at that moment — and then refer back to them when and if needed in later effects/ routines - or repeat them if I prefer or if I think you’d prefer. As mentioned, I’ve included a few routines that I’m often asked to re-publish because so many missed out on the books in which they originally appeared — not only PERSONAL COLLECTION (many are in other long out-of-print books of mine). To include every “item request” would have made it much too large a book. I had to rely on my own decisions as to which requests to “honor.” Part of that decision-making, of course, had to do with how good I thought the requested item was. And, as usual, things have been changed and/or added to in order to make them better, stronger (again, also easier to do) — they often evolve into entirely new effects or routines. I couldn’t include/update all (certainly not any that are very well known, like my Out Of This Universe as one example). On the other hand requests for items like Double-Lift Palm, Stab Two, and some others, make some sense because most have overlooked or forgotten them. Gotta’ tell you that some of the newer items included have of course fooled and entertained laymen but they’ve also fooled quite a few magicians. Now; does that mean that they will definitely “fit” into your repertoire, that you’ll want to perform them often? I don’t know! I’d hope so of course, but obviously that has to be your decision, your call. One thing that I’m pretty sure about is that this book will keep you (and your brain) busy for quite some time. So, enough already — I don’t want to keep you any longer from the great stuff (in my obviously biased opinion!) that follows. Someone wrote about one of my books that he would read to the end of an item and then he’d slam the book down on the table, smack his forehead as he walked away — not believing the fantastic thing he’d just read/learned! I sure do hope that you’ll have similar reactions to at least some of the upcom­ ing items. Harry Lorayne

And Finally! Harry Lorayne

Section I

“Do you like card tricks?” “I hate card tricks.” “Then I’ll do only one.” Wow! I never saw one like that\ Can you do another one? Please?

Powerful Powers (Presentation) Pied Piper Reversed Card Transmission Narrower Sandwich Color (Not So) Quickie Angle Spread Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle Your Favorite Card Amazing Location Utility Mixer Reverse Faro Ending HaLo Aces Quick Mate HaLo Thumb Push-Up Optically Controlled

PPP- Powerful Powers Presentation So interesting — I want to “open” with a routine that I’ve already published, for a couple of reasons. First, the book where that’s published is out of print and quite a few have asked me to re-publish that routine. But more important - is the presentation that I started using after that sold-out book was published. It’s a very strong routine as published in that book but much, much, stronger with the presentation I want to teach here. It has become one of my strongest “pieces” when I have a close-up audience of more than at least four people. And also important is the fact that you may not know this routine at all - you missed out on the sold-out book or perhaps you’ve overlooked it. These are a few of my “powerful” reasons for opening this book with that routine - I’m that pleased/proud of it. I make it even stronger than taught here — be sure to check my Afterthoughts to see how. It all started with a Richard Vollmer effect that I published about thirty years ago (at this writing). I did a take-off on it a month or so later (both in APOCA­ LYPSE) and I’ve done other “take-offs” on it over the years/decades. Most important was my thinking about eliminating the need for a perfect straddle faro, since I work for laymen only with borrowed decks and perfect faros are not often feasible. So, I’ll teach it here as if you don’t know it at all; in other words, from the beginning — follow along: You’re working for an audience of four or more people. My opening line, after I’ve already convinced them that I’m pretty good with a deck of cards is — “Would you like to see the world’s greatest card trick?” — which always gets nods and “yesses.” And when it does, I say, “So would I! ” — which always gets laughs. Your call if you want to use it or not. Then I continue with “But let me show you something pretty close to that.” I hand the deck to a person at my left, or have him pick up the tabled deck. “Sir; please shuffle the deck thoroughly, then take out one card without letting me see it, of course, and then hand the deck to this person (indicating someone to his left — moving from my left to my right); and please visualize that card you removed; really visualize it in your mind so that you can’t possibly forget it.” Face the second person and “do” the same thing — instruct him (or her) to shuffle the deck and remove any card. Same patter about visualizing the card. Then he hands the deck to the next, third, person that I indicate. I instruct him

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the same way, and he passes the deck to the fourth person. Same instruction — and then I take the deck. “Please, it’s important that you each visualize the card you’re holding; the card you’ve taken from this deck that each of you shuffled - don’t let me see it, of course. Now; I want to find a card that’s easy for me to visualize.” As you say this, turn the deck face to you and note and remember the face card as you start to spread mentally counting to the 8th card from face. Complete cut there — bringing your noted card (assume it’s the 5D) to 8th from top. As you do this, say, “Okay, got it; I’m visualizing the five of diamonds.” Overhand injog shuffle as you speak, keeping at least the top eight cards in place. Now you’re going to apparently lose the four selected cards into the deck, like this: Kick cut the top half deck into your left hand and have the first spectator place his card onto that half. Thumb peel three cards from top of the right-hand half deck onto his card (Figure 1; in progress) then drop the entire right-hand half deck onto left half holding a momentary break between them. Double cut to the break and do an overhand injog shuffle or three keeping all top cards as is. I’ve just told you how I get three cards onto that first selection. I do the “thumb peel” quite often when a selected card is being replaced — you’ll see that throughout the book. You can obviously simply control the card to top and then shuffle three cards onto it however you like. Do exactly the same with the second person but thumb peel only one card onto his card. As I do this “losing of the selections” I always say “Please don’t forget your card; visualize it in your mind if you can. I’m visualizing my five of diamonds.” As I turn to the third person, I say, “Let’s do this faster — please place your card here . . a n d have him place it on the left half deck as you’ve been doing

Figure 1

Harry Lorayne

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- and then immediately turn to the last person — “Please put your card here” - he places it onto the left half deck onto the third person’s card - immediately thumb peel two cards onto them, and control to top as taught. Then, as part of your shuffling — double cut two cards from top to bottom. No cards are to be placed onto those last two cards but I always peel those two onto them just to make it all look the same as when you “lost” the first two selections. Then I simply lose them “off the top.” So, think of “3-1-00” to remind you — 3 cards onto first selection, 1 card onto second selection, zero cards onto the third/fourth selections. And you are at required position. Now, as you shuffle keeping at least the top 16 cards on top, a bit of acting — “Oops; I think I just did something wrong — I think I lost the cards I’m trying to find. Sorry; just when I’m really trying to impress you. Keep visualizing your cards, please, as I’m still visualizing the five of diamonds. Maybe if I work with only about half the deck — I’ll be able to work this out.” Table the deck and ask a spectator to cut off about half the deck and hand that half to you. This will work with anywhere from 24 to 31 cards so if the spectator cuts anywhere near center that’s fine. Just keep your eye on it — you can always put back a few cards or take a few more — or, you might prefer to cut the top half deck yourself. Do that, leaving the bottom half tabled, out of play. “Ya’ know, I don’t think I can find those five visualized cards — the five of dia­ monds and the cards you guys are visualizing, from even these few” (see the After­ thoughts) — I start to reverse faro the half deck (outjogging the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc, cards—Figure 2). Do it as rapidly as you can as you patter — “Hopefully I can find them from half of these...” I don’t like silence, so I patter accordingly as I do the reverse faro. “I’m sorry about this; I so wanted to impress you, please bear with me.”

Figure 2

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AND FINALLY! Harry Lorayne

When done, strip out and hold the outjogged cards and table the inner portion in squared condition. You’ll be holding only about 13 or 14 cards. “Oh boy! I don’t think I can find those visualized cards even from these few” as you reverse faro those. (I do a bit, a small bit, of tongue in cheek here; my audiences don’t know whether or not I’m kidding and that’s how I like it. Again, strip out and hold the outjogged cards and table the injogged squared portion to the right of the first tabled portion — you’re forming a left-to-right tabled row. “And all I wanted to do was show you one of the greatest tricks of all time,” as you reverse faro the few remaining cards which will always leave you with three outjogged cards. Strip out and hold those three and table the injogged group to the right of the first two. “Well, there’s only this one card left” as you outjog the center card of the three you’re holding. Table that single outjogged card above the tabled row and table the remaining 2-card packet to right of the first three. “Well, let me try to create at least some good magic for you. I’ve been visual­ izing the five of diamonds - or trying to — all along. Look!” Do your magical gesture over that north-of-the-row single card and turn it up to show the 5D — and to elicit the first audience gasp! (Figure 3.) Turn to the first spectator, at your left, “But let me try to go a step further for you. Sir, what is the name of the card you’re visualizing?” He names it - and you turn up the top card of the right-end tabled packet; it’s the named card! You’ll be moving right to left. To 2nd person — “And Sir, your visualized card please.” He names it and you turn up the top card of the next packet; it’s the named card, of course. I like to move a bit faster now, a bit breathlessly, as if I’m getting excited — “Your card, Sir, and yours, please.” The two remaining spectators name their thought-of

Figure 3

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cards and you turn up the top cards of the 3rd and 4th tabled packets to show those cards — and to end! Afterthoughts: I table the packets so that I can move from my right to left because to the audience opposite me I’m moving correctly — left to right. Yes; this has become one of my strongest “pieces” when I’m working for a close-up audience of at least four people. What a great (in my obviously biased opinion) impromptu (any deck, any time) card routine it is. Incidentally, I men­ tion the card that I’m visualizing (5D in the example) a few times purposely because I don’t want any audience member to forget it. Now, I make it even stronger using my Utility Mixer twice during the routine. That is my favorite way of proving that a packet of cards has been shuffled. If you don’t know it — lucky you... it’s taught in Amazing Location, later on in this Section. It isn’t crucial for this routine which sure is strong enough without it, but why not use it? I Utility Mix the half deck as I speak before Reverse Faroing it, and then again with the second smaller group of cards. That’s it; twice is nice. I am quite Proud and Pleased with this Presentation!

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Pied Piper In order to perform this pretty quick effect you need to be able to instantly turn the entire deck face up under the facedown top card - with one hand, under the table. I’ll teach you that easy maneuver (which you probably already know). You also need to do a quick one-hand cut under the table. I won’t teach that; use any one-hand cut that you can do under the table. And if that’s a bit of a problem, I’ll solve it for you in my Afterthoughts. Okay; have any white-bordered deck shuffled by a spectator. Take it back, do another shuffle or two as you glimpse and remember the top card (assume the 3H). Do a facedown table ribbon spread and ask two spectators to each remove a card and remember it. Of course if you’re amazing only one person have him or her remove and remember two cards. Gather the deck and shuffle keeping the 3H on top. Move your left hand and deck under the table for a moment as you say, “I’m going to move the deck under the table like this in a moment to do a bit of one-hand magic for you” Your hand is back above the table by this time, and your “dirty work” is done. “... but please do visualize your cards in your mind.” The “dirty work” is to turn the entire deck face up under the facedown top card. It’s the work of a fraction of a second. Learn it - it’s also used for the fol­ lowing effect. Deck is in left-hand dealing position; your thumb across center width pointing a bit upward (Figure 4). And as you move your left hand under the table in that indicatory gesture here’s that instant maneuver that will take me much longer to explain than for you to do: Left thumb simply moves top card to the left - its outer end automatically

Figure 4

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starts canting left (Figure 5). Left forefinger and other fingertips act as a gauge making sure that only the top card moves. Keep moving the card and it auto­ matically tilts over the deck’s left long side as your left fingertips just about automatically pull down on the deck’s right long side — which causes the deck’s left long side to move upward, rubbing the face of that top facedown card. (I’m probably wasting time and space being so specific/descriptive because it’s really pretty much self-working when you move that top card as described.) As your left thumb and top card keep moving the thumb pushes the face­ down top card onto the now almost face-up deck (Figure 6). It is, again, just about automatic — try it and see for yourself. Left thumb pushed deck down onto left palm as hand moves back to above tabletop. The facedown 3H (this example) is facedown on top of the face-up deck. The entire maneuver is done as your hand moves to under the table and hand starts to move back up almost instantaneously — it is just a “gesture” demonstrating your remark. Okay; let’s continue with the effect. “Have you memorized your cards ? Good.” Take one of them and insert it to about ten or twelve cards from bottom of the deck. Careful not to let cards spread and don’t create a break or separation — you don’t want to flash face-up cards. Flush the card slowly, obviously. Do exactly the same with the second selection but insert it ten or twelve cards from top of the deck. As you insert, flush and square, patter: “I have a ‘pied piper’ card in this deck; it’s the three of hearts and it can do magical things. Other cards always follow it which is why I call it my ‘pied piper’ card. Your cards, I hope, will also follow it. Watch!” Go under the table and do your one-hand cut at about center deck; it’s important to cut at about center. The “work” is done. I usually do my cut,

Figure 5

Figure 6

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come up with the deck, and say, “One card done — let me do the other.” Under the table again and do a loud thumb riffle. “Done; did you hear it?” And back into view. Do a wide face-up table ribbon spread so that three facedown cards are seen to be evenly spaced within the spread. “Ah, see — I told you that my pied-piper card is the three of hearts.” As you say it turn up the center facedown card, the 3H. Good trick right there. “And look, two cards have followed it.” Ask for the names of the two selections and repeat them as you turn up the other two magically reversed cards — they are the two selections of course, and you’re clean! Afterthoughts: I’ve used that turning of the entire deck face up under the face­ down top card for many years, for other effects (the following is one of them). I like this one; it’s strong. Remember, really free selections, spectators have shuffled and seen all cards facing one way (without you saying so) just before the ending. The key, of course, is to do the “facing” move instantaneously, as it can/should be done. It has to look as if you go under the table and back without a pause. Any “lingering” will create suspicion that you “did” something. If the one-hand cut under the table is a problem for you, it can be done behind your back, although under the table is better. If you feel you need to, you can use both hands. Go under the table with left hand, do a riffling sound and say “done.” Reach under with your right hand ostensibly only to take the deck, do the quick complete cut using both hands and bring the deck up into view with your left hand. Final thought: You can do the entire thing with the deck face up. You’d point out and name the face card; the two selections are inserted face up into the apparently face-up deck. Same patter, etc. Just wanted to mention it — the text method is better.

Reversed Card Transmission I heard about an effect where spectator secretly reverses an unknown card in the deck, deck placed into cardcase and the performer can identify the reversed card by holding his hand over the case. I also heard of two modus operandi — sticky stuff to “hide” the spectator’s reversed card behind another card and a full deck of double facers. Both entirely unnecessary. As usual, my “what if” came into play. What if I wanted to do the same effect with any deck at any time, as long there was a spectator sitting opposite me at a table? I don’t bother with the cardcase, since there isn’t always one handy — and some may have trouble casing the deck under the table which is what the spectator is told to do in the effect I heard about. The cardcase simply isn’t necessary. Glimpse the top card as you shuffle; assume it’s the IOC. Move the shuffled deck under the table secretly turning the entire deck face up under the face­ down IOC exactly as just taught in Pied Piper. As you do, say, “Please reach under the table, take out any card ...” (you can let him just stick a finger in and take a card or you can reach under with your other hand and spread for him to take one — then square immediately and bring that hand back to above the table) “and reverse it — that is, turn it over (you can indicate this with your above-table hand) and stick it back into the deck. In other words, I want you to turn one card, any card, face up into the facedown deck.” As he pulls out a card you simply use your thumb to flip the face-up deck face down. And — he of course will be putting a facedown card into the facedown deck, negating it! “And please take the deck and cut it a few times — and shuffle it if you can do so under the table.” Let him cut and/or mix the cards a bit. When he’s done shuffling tell him to square the deck and before bringing it all the way into view to look down to make sure that the top card is face down — “Because we don’t want to see that face-up card on top” — and to place the squared facedown deck onto the table. (The odds are obviously against the face-up card being on top, but I include this just in case. You can omit it, of course. Or — say that you’ll turn away as he tables the deck “just in case,” etc. Gotta’ leave that to you.) And the rest is buildup. Wave a hand over the deck, pretend that you’re receiving messages from the deck(!) — or whatever you’d usually do under these circumstances. And start to name the card piecemeal — “Yes, yes, I get the impression that it’s a black card.” A bit more hand waving, and — “Wait... a

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Narrower Sandwich

Figure 7

club; yes, it’s a club.” And finally - with a bit of excitement — “I believe it’s the ten of clubs! Let’s see.” Very openly flip the deck face up and table ribbon spread so that the one reversed, facedown, card is visible. “Yes; the ten of clubs” — and slowly and deliberately turn it face up — to end! (Figure 7). Afterthoughts: You can present the idea exactly as above or as a prediction effect. Simply predict the glimpsed card on a piece of paper — at the end you’d show that your prediction is correct, or — and the way I’ve been using the idea lately ... say that you want to make a prediction. Turn the shuffled deck face to you. Glimpse the top card and run through to find its mate. Table that mate face down under a glass, ashtray, whatever. Then into the effect. The end, of course, is to show that the spectator magically matched your prediction card. So, you have choices.

The preceding was a “kinda” sandwich thing — a vital card finds, is between, two other “vital” cards, but separated throughout a table spread. Here, two mates magically locate a selected card between them — all together. That makes this a “narrower” sandwich effect! Let your spectator decide on a pair of mates — two red aces, two black jacks, whatever. Openly remove the pair he suggests — assume the red aces. Display them with your right hand as you get a left little fingertip break under the top card of the deck in left hand. Drop the two red aces face down onto the deck, square and lift the 3-card block from above with your right hand. Left thumb peels the top card of the block onto the deck and flips it face up (Figure 8, in progress). “Here’s the ace of diamonds ...” Flip it face down with the right-hand double card and drop that double card onto it. Flip the now top card face up — “... and the ace of hearts.” Flip the AH face down. Spread the two top cards into your right hand, second (lower) card projecting to the left, and table them, like this: As you reach the tabletop let the projecting-left second card fall first and table the remaining one to its right. As you do this, repeat, “The ace of diamonds and the ace of hearts.” What you’ve accomplished (in a pretty clever way — if I may say so!) is to leave one of the mates (AD this example) on top of the deck. The “apparent” AD at left on the table is an indifferent card. Obviously the two mates are on the table so far as your audience is concerned. No reason for them to think otherwise. Do a quick overhand shuffle or three keeping the AD on top. A regular

Figure 8

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Figure 9 overhand injog shuffle is fine. I also use my Status Quo Shuffle. The injog overhand shuffle, as I’ve written a number of times, covers a multitude of sins, but I do also use my Status Quo Shuffle for “maintaining” just one card on top (I’ve fooled magicians with it over the decades). It’s taught in the Rim Shots section of Lorayne: The Classic Collection, Vol. 2 if you want to check it out or learn it — I may even decide to teach it in this book if I find the space for it. Okay; have a card freely selected, remembered of course, and control it to top onto the AD. I’ll mention this simple control just once — I use it whenever I want to control a single replaced card. Kick cut the top half deck into your left hand and have the selected card replaced onto that left half. Place right half onto it keeping a momentary break under it. Double cut to the break and then overhand injog shuffle. Simple and effective. Get a left little fingertip break under the two top cards as your right hand reaches for the tabled ace(?) at left and as you patter about separating the two red aces into the deck. Drop that supposed AD onto the deck, and say, “Oh, you do remember which ace this is, don’t you? Right, the ace of diamonds.” Triple turnover (to your break) to flash the AD. Ordinarily there’d be no rea­ son to place the card onto the deck before showing it. Doing the “Oh, you do remember” thing is at least a partial rationale. Turn down, replace, the triple immediately, of course. Remove the deck’s top indifferent card (supposedly the just-shown AD) and insert it a bit below center deck, leaving it outjogged. Pick up the remaining tabled card, show it (Figure 9). “And the ace of hearts — I’ll leave that on top, far away from the ace of diamonds.” Place it on top and push flush the protruding, supposed, AD. Your work is all done.

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Harry Lorayne

Figure 10 Complete cut the deck three times as you say, “Of course no matter how many times I cut the deck those red aces remain separated. But watch!” Ask for the name of the selected card, do your magical gesture and then — a wide face-up table ribbon spread. The two red aces have magically come together and “caught” that selected card! (Figure 10.) Afterthoughts: You can, of course, not bother with the triple lift to flash one of the selected mates but I think that flashing that mate is what makes this a “viable” effect. I always do it. In my original write-up of this effect I mentioned a couple of other ways to control the selection to top over one of the mates. I decided that teaching the way I just-about always do it is enough - then it’s up to the reader, up to you.

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Harry Lorayne

Color (Not So) Quickie The title refers to my effect Color Quickie that I originally published in Personal Secrets way back in 1964. What I’ve done here is to combine and add a color-changing deck idea to the routine, plus a magical 2-card transposition. There’s no palming involved and all can be examined at completion. The setup is simple: Place any red-backed card on top of a blue-backed deck. The matching bluebacked card is on top directly under the red-backed card. So for teaching pur­ poses assume that the red-backed 6H is on top of the blue-backed deck, and the blue-backed 6H is directly under it. Use white-bordered cards of course and the deck is in a red cardcase. When ready to perform remove the deck from its case keeping it squared so that no blue backs flash. The deck should be shuffled now. I’ll leave that to you but what I basically do is to flip the deck face up as I table the cardcase and then do a couple of center Hindu Shuffles followed by a couple of Slip Shuffles. I have to assume that you know what I’m talking about when I mention those shuffles. I also do my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle that I’ll be teaching in a moment or two. Then lock in the fact(?) that you’re holding a red-backed deck, as follows: “You’re not color blind are you? I mean you can distinguish between red and black cards, right?” Start to do a slow regular face-up Hindu Shuffle and stop when a black card is at face of the left-hand group. “For example, you do know that this is a black card, right?” Indicate that card with the unshuffled right-hand portion, turning your right hand a bit so that the back of its group is seen (Figure 11). Another small shuffle or two so that a red-faced card is on

Figure 11

30

top of the left portion — “And you know, of course, that this is red — as is this” turning your right hand a bit as before. That’s about as far as I’d go with this. Remember that it is usually wrong to stress the obvious or the supposed obvious — so do it in a casual manner. Drop the right batch onto the left batch catching a momentary break and double cut to the break. In appearance you’ve mixed the cards but, of course, the two vital cards are back at top. Now, I like to shuffle the deck a bit here, but obviously you couldn’t do an overhand injog shuffle — blue backs would flash. I do one of my contributions to card handling that I’ll teach here — this is the Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle, a pretty handy utility weapon. Hold the deck ready for overhand shuffling in left hand, face toward palm, back of deck against fingertips and thumb resting at center of upper long side. As right hand approaches left thumb relaxes letting some top cards fall onto left fingers (Figure 12). And right hand grasps the main portion that’s still being held in place by left thumb, that thumb holding some back, and overhand shuffles it. (Figure 13 shows that overhand shuffle starting.) That’s it — only faces are seen. Learn this — it’s a handy utility thing. Then — spread the face-up cards hand to hand asking your spectator to indi­ cate any card somewhere near center. When he does, say the name of the card, assume it’s the JC. Close the spread catching a left little fingertip break under the JC and double cut to that break. What you’ve accomplished is to center the two 6Hs and to bring the indicated card (JC) to rear of the deck. You can, if you like (I don’t bother) do a quick center Hindu Shuffle here making sure to pull the batch of cards from the top half of the face-up deck and from above the centered 6Hs. “Now Sir, what color is the card you selected? Black, that’s right. And what color are the backs of all these cards? Right again — red, of course. But watch!”

Figure 12

Figure 13

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32

Figure 14 Do your magical gesture. “When I do that a strange thing happens — all the red cards turn blue!” Flip the deck face down and hand to hand spread to show all blue backs. I always spread off a block as I reach center deck so as to keep that one red-backed card from flashing. Square. “But if I do that again, one card changes back to red! ” Repeat your magical gesture and then hand to hand spread again to show that one red-backed card at center. (Two good pieces of magic already!) Move the red-backed 6H to top of the deck and as you do you need to get the blue- backed 6H to center with a break under it. Here’s how I usually do it: Left hand takes and squares all cards under those two. The two 6Hs are then at bottom of the right-hand still-spread portion. Without any pause or hesitation, move the left-hand portion to between the two 6Hs (Figure 14 explains it much better than my words can). And at the same time your left thumb grasps the redbacked card and moves it to top of the right-hand cards. Left half goes back to under right half, and square. Done. You’ve secretly brought the blue-backed 6H to bottom as you openly placed the red-backed 6H to top, onto the selected JC. If you go over the last paragraph with cards in hand you’ll see that it’s nowhere as complicated as I may have made it seem. It takes a fraction of a second. It’s a natural action so don’t make a “move” out of it. In appearance you’ve simply moved the red-backed card to top of the deck. There are other ways to reach proper position of course; I just wanted to explain how I usually do it. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if it was your card that turned red? What is that card again? Oh of course, the jack of clubs.” And do a double turnover to show the JC. (Surprise #3.) Turn down the double and deal the top card (red-backed 6H) onto the table. Your audience believes that that’s the JC, of course. Let that register for a beat, and then — “Oh, I know what you’re thinking ...” As you

Figure 15

Figure 16

speak casually cut the deck and hold just a bit-wider-than-usual break between the halves. That break is directly above the JC! Right hand holds deck from above, thumb maintaining the break/separation between halves. “... you’re thinking ‘What if I’d selected a card other than the jack of clubs?”’ Look at and gesture toward the tabled red-backed card as you men­ tion “JC.” And do what I’ve described in a few books — it’s my Angle Spread, a “maneuver” that comes in quite handy quite often, like here and now and like the Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle taught above. Do a fairly wide, straight left-to-right, table ribbon spread. You needn’t do anything different than what you ordinarily do when table spreading except perhaps a little bit more down­ ward pressure (my right forefinger does that) as you spread. Just do it ignoring the break at center deck. And what happens — and it may take a try or two — is that there will be a slight change of angle right at inner end of the JC! And it will be noticeable only to you because you know what to look for. At first the tendency is to hold too wide a break because you’re nervous about creating that angle but after a while you’ll see that the angle always happens and that it needn’t be wide (Figure 15; I’ve exaggerated the angle a bit). Continue your patter — “For example, what if you’d selected the, oh say, the six of hearts?” Reach to the spread’s angle and remove the JC — “Well, what I would have to do is some stronger magic — I’d have to make that jack of clubs change back to blue back and fly back into the deck - right here!” Turn up the in-hand JC. “And I’d have to magically change that jack of clubs (indicate the tabled card) to the card you selected — the six of hearts!” As you end the remark, use the face-up JC to flip the tabled red-backed card face up to show the 6H! (Figure 16) and to end.

34

AND FINALLY!

Afterthoughts: As is often the case the effect is much shorter than my explana­ tion. It’s a strong effect with three or four magical “pieces.” I originally devised the Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle to maintain a block of cards at bottom (face) of the deck. For that, simply hold the deck — back toward left palm, etc. Learn that shuffle and the Angle Spread taught here because they’ll come in handy for the rest of your “card magic” life. I use both quite often; I’m sure I’ll be referring to them a few times in this book within upcoming effects and routines.

Your Favorite Card Mentioning my Angle Spread in the preceding reminded me of this — another effect during which it comes in handy. This is really just a throw-away kind of thing, a quick 2-card transposition effect. I usually do it immediately after I’ve magically located a freely selected card because that’s when it “fits.” I used my Ultra Move originally but then found it simpler to use a double turnover. Assume you’ve just magically located the spectator’s free selection (say the 3H) which had been hopelessly lost in the deck. Apparently and casually lose the 3H back into the deck, actually keeping it on top as you shuffle and patter — “I guess the three of hearts is your favorite card. My favorite card is the ...” Do a double turnover and name the card that shows as your “favorite card.” So — “My favorite card is the nine of spades.” Make patter and actions match, of course. Turn down the double and deal the top card (the 9S, so far as your audience is concerned) onto the table. “Now that was easy; my favorite card — the nine of spades — happened to be on top of the deck. Let’s see if I can find your favorite card — the three of hearts — with a bit of magic.” As you speak, complete cut and hold your break between the halves. What you’ve done is to get the vital card (9S, this example) to center - and your break, of course, is directly above that 9S. And, do the Angle Spread exactly as I taught (and as you learned) in the preceding. As you end your remark pull the “angled” card out of the spread as if, of course, you’re pulling out any card. Turn it face up — it’s the 9S! Act a bit con­ fused. “Wait a minute — this is my favorite card, the nine of spades. I thought that was there, on the table.” Reach over and turn over the tabled card, the 3H. “Oh; that’s your favorite card! ” (Figure 17.) Pause for a beat, and then — “Do you understand what just happened ? I sure don’t!” And go into your next effect. Afterthoughts: As in any transposition effect it’s important that your audience knows, remembers, where each card is, or supposedly is. If your viewers are not sure about those locations, the effect is obviously weakened. When I reach to remove the 9S from center of the tabled spread I mumble a bit - “I think, maybe... no, I think it’s ...” And as I mumble, I spread cards a bit throughout the spread as if I’m searching, keeping my eye on the 9S, of course. Admittedly, transposition effects are not the strongest effects in most reper-

35

AND FINALLY!

36

Amazing Location

Figure 17 toires, at least I don’t think so. (One that might just be is my S/H/F Killer in JAW DROPPERS TWO). It is presentation that helps to make them strong. For this particular effect it’s that bit of acting confused that usually gets a few laughs even if jaws drop only an inch or so!

Well, I taught two of my “utility maneuvers” a couple of items ago — so thought I'd teach two more of my favorites here — one that I use very often, my Util­ ity Mixer, which I’ll teach before getting into the effect, and my Reverse Faro Ending, which I’ll teach at the end. Yes; I’ve taught both of these before, but I feel that it’s important to teach them here in order to keep this book “complete” because both items are occasionally used, as are the two taught previously, in effects/routines throughout the book. So, basically, the way I originally taught it in JAW DROPPERS TWO: U tility M ixer : This is perfect for small packets of cards — I mean small\ I’ve used it for “mixing” a 3-card packet and, yes, it looks as if you’re really mixing those cards. And it also “works” for/with a full deck. It’s used in the coming effect for five cards — but I’ll teach it here using a packet of 12/16 cards. It’s one of the handiest card-magic things — so learn it. It’s really quite simple. (When I taught this to Steve Cohen “The Millionaires’ Magician” who “works for the money” and certainly knows what works for the money, he exclaimed, “This is an incredible false shuffle; I’ll be using it, particularly for small packets, for the rest of my life! ”) I spread cards from right to left hand so it will be easier for me to teach it that way. It works exactly the same when spreading from left to right. Hold a packet of 14/16 cards and work along with me. It is done fairly rapidly with absolutely no pauses/hesitations in “performance action” but I’ll break it down into four steps for teaching purposes.

1. Right thumb spreads about a third of the cards (absolutely no need to count) from right into left hand. Left hand makes no particular attempt to square its cards. 2. Right thumb spreads about half of its remaining cards outjogged onto the first batch (Figure 18). 3. Remaining right-hand cards go under all - also outjogged, aligning with the preceding outjogged portion (Figure 19). 4. As right hand does step 3 its thumb holds the two outjogged groups as left hand, at about same time — it is right at position — moves out the one injogged group (Figure 20; starting) and drops it on top of all. Square.

37

38

AND FINALLY!

Figure 18

Figure 20

Figure 19

Figure 21

Do the steps a few times and then do them in one continuous action, no pauses, fairly rapidly within reason. Repeat once or twice. This may seem obvious to you but believe me — it fools. I’ve fooled magicians with it, often. You may even have just fooled/confused yourself! You can, of course, injog the 2nd and 3rd groups instead of outjogging them. Same result. What I’ll occasionally do is first outjogging, then again but injog­ ging, etc. It sure does appear as if those cards are thoroughly mixed. It’s the original outjogging “way” I use most often. Okay; now the Amazing Location: Have a card freely selected and control it to 4th or 5th from top. Basic overhand injog shuffles does it well. Or, control to top and as you spread some bottom cards in an indicatory gesture square catching a momentary break over, say, three cards. Double cut to that break bringing the three cards to top. Do another overhand injog shuffle or three, keeping them there.

39

Harry Lorayne

Figure 22

Figure 23

Hand to hand spread and outjog the fourth (selected) card as you say, “Please indicate any cards you like as I spread and I’ll move them out like this.” Keep spreading, letting the spectator do so — with four other cards. You want five outjogged cards when you’re finished spreading. This is a good, subtle, way to get the selected card — which your audience believes is hopelessly lost in the deck anyway — among those five. Strip out the five cards and hold them as you table the deck proper. Cut the five cards in a “mixing” gesture bringing the top (selected) card to bottom. Or, what I usually do when removing the five outjogged cards from my hand-tohand spread is to strip out only that first outjogged card and then the other four at one time onto that. And, most important, whichever way you remove those five, table the deck proper, and when the selection is at bottom do Utility Mixer with the five cards a couple or three times. That locks in the fact(?) that the randomly selected cards (I never mention “five”) are thoroughly mixed. And — into my Reverse Faro Ending. This is part of your mixing procedure. “Please keep your eye on them as I really mix these and please — concentrate on your card for me.” Spread, outjogging the 2nd and 4th cards (Figure 21). Strip out those two outjogged cards and turn them face up end for end onto the inner three cards (Figure 22). Square and repeat exactly — you’ll be outjogging one face-up card and one facedown card. Strip them out and turn them over onto the three inner cards, just as before. Do it once more but this time, when you strip out the two outjogged cards, turn them over and place them under the three inner cards (Figure 23). “You didn’t happen to see the card you’re thinking of did you?” Answer of course is “No” because the selection does not show during the Reverse Faro Ending,

AND FINALLY!

40

HaLo Aces

Figure 24 which is part of its strength. “Well; then I’ve got to do a bit of magic. What is the name of the card you’re thinking of? ” When it is named do your magical gesture over the five spread cards, repeat the name of the selection and turn your hand and the spread to show the one face-up card — the selection! {Figure 24) Afterthoughts: Not much more I can tell you about this. It’s an impossibility to a lay audience. The two utility “pieces” taught here, are more important than this one effect. As mentioned at top, I’ll occasionally be referring to them as you read on — and learn. Note: You’ll find a slightly different handling for this exact effect a bit later in the book wherein the spectator actually, really, indicates the five cards for you to outjog as you spread. Then you’ll have to decide which version you prefer to perform.

I hadn’t intended to teach my HaLo Aces routine in this book, but there were just too many requests to do just that for me to ignore. And, I did want to, have to, teach the basic HaLo Cut anyway. I’ll assume you know how to get the four aces to top of the deck without anyone knowing that they’re there, and how to overhand injog shuffle and/or Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle keeping them there. I’ll leave the presentation/patter to you, but what I’ve done for quite a while is - as I shuffle I patter about having this dream — “to be able to take any deck, shuffle it thoroughly, and then cut it to find the ...” First, I’ll teach the basic move, which is basically the simple concept of cutting the deck and secretly leaving the bottom card in place with no get-ready whatsoever. My original title for it was The HaLo Bottom Slip Cut, because that’s basically what it is. Right hand holds the deck from above. As your hands come together for the cut, the deck about to contact your left palm, your right forefinger starts to kick cut the top half deck to the left. To all intents and purposes all you’re going to do is complete cut the deck. The outer-left corner area of the deck’s face hits at/contacts the lower part of your left forefinger. Your left thumb grasps the upper half’s outer-left corner (Figure 25). Remember please that I’m breaking this fraction-of-a-second action into “teaching” steps for you. Simultaneous action of both hands now — right hand starts to move the bottom half deck to the right as left hand starts to slightly move top half to the left. And a slight upward pressure with your left forefinger will cause the deck’s

Figure 25

41

AND FINALLY!

42

Figure 26

Figure 27

bottom card to cling to that finger. At the same time your left thumb presses down lightly on the upper half (Figure 26). Continue the right hand’s movement pulling the bottom half deck to the right away from your left hand, or — left hand pulls top half away from right hand; it’s really a combination of both and the move is basically done. (Figure 27; your view the instant before the halves separate.) It’s important for me to stress that there is no get-ready whatsoever - if you do any kind of get-ready you’re not doing my HaLo Cut. The area of your left forefinger that the bottom half’s outer-left corner contacts is according to the size of your hand; do a bit of experimenting. Your left fingers are straight as the move is executed and avoid too much movement of your arms — you should be able to do the move with your elbows against your sides. Also avoid pulling that bottom card to the left with left fingertips — as I’ve seen people do. It’s the lower part of your forefinger at the palm (as in the photos) that holds that card in place as that half deck moves. Pulling it with left fingers is pretty obvious to viewers. Now, my basic HaLo Aces effect (I usually open with it). Aces on top, you’re shuffling and perhaps using similar patter as mentioned in the 2nd paragraph above. Flip the deck face up and do the HaLo Cut kicking over only about a quarter of the deck with right forefinger and slap the quarter-deck left-hand portion face down onto the table. Immediately repeat with the next quarter deck, slapping the left-hand portion face down to the right of the first tabled packet. You have approximately half the deck left in hand (amount/sizes aren’t crucial). You can do another HaLo Cut to end but I never do. Start a face-up Slip Shuffle (Figure 28) as you say, “As a matter of fact, please tell me when to stop.” When you’re stopped — “Right here ? Okay” — table the two portions to right of the first two; you’ve formed a left-to-right 4-packet row. And of course

43

Harry Lorayne

Figure 28

Figure 29

you can stop exactly when the spectator asks you to stop when doing the Slip Shuffle because there’s an ace at back of each portion from the start — this adds to the strength of the effect. Bit of acting (if you’re using my “dream” patter) as you turn up the top card of each packet, slowly and one at a time. As you turn up the third ace and reach for the fourth packet’s top card — “Oh, my gosh, I think my dream ... just came true!” as you turn up the fourth ace (Figure 29) and to end. Afterthoughts: Another patter suggestion, which I also use occasionally, is — “After many years of practice I’m sometimes able to shuffle any deck, at any time, and do this very difficult maneuver ...” And do HaLo Aces. I can’t stress enough how important the HaLo Cut can be for you, so practice, get it working smoothly and you’ll use it a LOT. I could really do an entire book of effects and routines utilizing or based on the HaLo Cut, and just applications of same. I’ve certainly taught many such routines over the decades in different books. I’ll definitely mention a couple or three uses for it in this book, starting with the following jaw dropper.

45

Harry Lorayne

Quick Mate The maneuver that I call the thumb push-up (I called it the “thumb drag” way back when) is pretty standard. What I want to discuss here is an obvious way to make it much stronger. First, a quick description of the basic move — and be sure to read the Afterthoughts. A selected card is controlled to bottom of the deck and kept there with a Slip Shuffle or two. Then — either swivel or kick cut the top half deck onto your left palm and then move the remaining right-hand half deck toward the left-hand half. And your left thumb straightens upward so that it contacts the face card (selection) of the right-hand half (Figure 30). And push/slide the selected card up and over (happens just about automatically) the right-hand half’s left long side until it lands face up on the right-hand half as the halves coalesce (Figure 31) and you square all. As mentioned, it’s pretty standard. When properly done after you’ve con­ vinced your spectator that his card is thoroughly lost in the deck, it’s a good selected-card revelation. And an obvious way for you to make it much stronger is to show that the selected card is not on top or bottom of the shuffled deck. How? By taking advantage of my HaLo Cut, of course. Obvious now, right? Simply control the selection to second from bottom — easy enough; control to top and then double cut the top two cards to bottom. Now, after shuffling, show that the selected card is not on top of the deck and, more important, that it is not on bottom of the deck. What I most often do now is ask for the name of the selected card. As soon as it’s named I do my

Figure 30

Figure 31

44

Figure 32 HaLo Cut. As the cut nears completion, the right-hand half deck is right at position for the thumb push-up — do it, revealing the selected card! Afterthoughts: When I feel like really stressing the fact(?) that the selection is lost in the deck I control it to third from bottom (control to top and then double cut three top cards to bottom). Then, after shuffling, I spread off and turn face up the two top cards, ask­ ing, “You don’t see your card here, do you?” I flip the two cards face down and casually move the top card to center. I flip the deck face up, spread off the bot­ tom card so that two face cards are seen (carefully, so that the second-from-face card doesn’t spread off) — “Or here?” And again I casually lose the face card to center (Figure 32, starting). Flip the deck face down — and do the HaLo-Cut-thumb-push-up. The Quick Mate idea: Originally I taught to set a pair of mates (assume the red fives) one on top, the other second from bottom. Much better to set the two mates on top so that you can overhand injog shuffle keeping them there. Then, do your favorite false cut and show the top card, the red five, as if it was cut to by pure chance. Table it face up. Double cut the top card (the other mate) to second from bottom (or third from bottom, according to which of my text suggestions you want to use). Show the top card (or cards), then the bottom card (or cards) — “I’ve no idea where the other red five is, but watch! ” And do the HaLo-Cut-thumb-push-up as taught.

47

Harry Lorayne

Optically Controlled I love it when a seemingly obvious thing fools all, including magicians! I origi­ nally taught Alain Choquette’s contribution in APOCALYPSE (June, 1992 issue). I added a couple of “touches” to the idea and published most of those in PERSONAL COLLECTION about a decade later. The main “touch” I added made it a much stronger fooler. I included a few ways to end it but what made me think of it now is that HaLo-Cut-thumb-push-up idea taught in the preceding. I end with that mostly now. I’ll mention a couple of the other end­ ings in my Afterthoughts. The original handling secretly brought the remembered card to bottom of the deck. What I wanted to do because I felt it was important was to immediately show that that card was not at top or bottom. I think you’ll have fun with this. Hold the squared shuffled deck face up in your left hand. Right hand grasps the deck from above as your left thumb riffles down at its outer-left corner and as you ask your spectator to say “stop” whenever (s)he likes. You want to be stopped anywhere in the center area. When your spectator stops you your left hand moves the lower half deck, at the stop point, about half an inch or so to the left to display the actual stopped-at card. Name the card as its corner index comes into view, assume it’s the 6S (Figure 33). No specific pause here — your right hand holds the entire stepped deck and your palm-down left hand grasps it at left long side (Figure 34). Right hand lets go as left hand turns palm up again, turning the stepped deck face down (.Figure 35). The “illusion” starts now. Your audience sees the bottom half stepped (to the right). They believe that the top card of that stepped portion is the stopped-at,

Figure 33

Figure 34

46

remembered, card. That “illusion” (and belief) is locked in now, using my simple addition which really does make it much stronger. Your right hand immediately grasps the stepped-to-the-right half deck from above and moves it to the right and to above the left-hand half. But — as this happens, your left fingertips, which are out of sight under the deck, hold bach, the bottom card of that bottom, moving rightward, half deck (Figure 36 is an exposed rear view). As soon as the bottom half deck clears your left thumb peels the top card of that right-hand half outjogged onto the left half and then drop the right half flush onto the left half — the supposed remembered card is outjogged at center of the squared deck. Pause for a beat and then slowly, obviously, push the out­ jogged card flush (Figure 37, in progress). Dribble the cards from right hand down to left hand to indicate that the remembered card is really lost. Square. “Obviously it can’t be on top,” as you flash the top card — “And it can’t be on bottom,” as you turn hand and deck so that the indifferent bottom card is seen.

Figure 35

Figure 36

Figure 37

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Figure 38 That’s the basic action — the remembered card is second from bottom. There are many ways to end, but since it’s the thumb push-up thing that reminded me of this — I’ll discuss that first. It won’t take much space. Use both hands to cleanly square the deck because you want to make it clear that there are no separations of any kind at the remembered card. And do the HaLo-Cut-thumb-push-up, just as taught in the preceding, to magically “reveal” the remembered card! I haven’t included much in the area of presentation or patter — I’m leaving that to you for this “magical piece.” A “magical piece” with which I’ve fooled even some knowledgeable card guys. Afterthoughts: I could go on and on about other “available” endings when a selected card is secretly second from bottom of the deck. I’ll mention only three (one of them keeps the vital card at bottom) other than the “thumb push-up” taught in the text. You can cut, hold break, and do my Angle Spread. The remembered card is then second above the angle. Slide cards around a bit as if searching, spreading at your angle. Pull out the remembered card, and so on. Do not, incidentally, do this with your own deck because all will swear it’s a marked deck. Do it only with a borrowed deck. I’ve taught what I call the “somersault” reveal a few times in a few books; it fits well here. Catch a break above the bottom two cards; hold deck from above with right hand; thumb maintaining the break. And do my HaLo Cut - the remembered card will still be separated at bottom of the right-hand half; that’s the key to the idea. No pause in action — right hand immediately moves to the tabletop, relaxing its thumb to release the “broken” card and moving backward a bit — which causes the vital card to flip backward and face up onto the table (Figure 38).

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Harry Lorayne

Figure 39 Here’s an ending I love - it’s one of those things that just “flows.” For this, do not do the secret slide to the left of the stopped-at card. Do the basic action without that, which leaves the remembered card at bottom. And here’s the ending action in three beats: 1. Your right hand moves the bottom portion of the just turned-facedown stepped deck to the right as your left thumb peels its top (supposedly the stoppedat card) outjogged onto the left-hand half, just as taught. As part of the same action, your right hand tables its half deck. 2. Right hand comes back, takes only the outjogged card and places it out­ jogged onto the tabled half. You’re telling the spectator to keep his eye on his card throughout the action. As your right hand does this, your left fingers buckle the bottom (remembered) card of its half deck to create a separation between it and the rest of that half. All attention is on the tabled half as right hand outjogs the card onto it. The misdirection is built in and strong. 3. Right hand comes back to take the left half from above, right thumb tak­ ing over the separation above the bottom card. And gambler’s cop that bottom card in your left hand. Easy; no pause as right hand moves the entire half deck back only enough to leave that separated bottom card in left-hand cop position. Your right hand moves the rest of that half to the table and places it flush onto the tabled half - supposed remembered card still outjogged (Figure 39, exposed rear view, in progress). The cop is a fraction of a second action. Tell your spectator to “push your card flush into the deck yourself.” He (or she) does, and as he does you have plenty of time to pocket the copped card. The ending is obvious and strong. Ask for the name of the vital card as if you’ve forgotten it, and produce it from your pocket.

Section II Stab-Two The Spread!Gather Reverse Surprisingly Good A Much Better Chance Quic\ and Easy Fantastic Ace Assembly I’ll Read Your Mind Really! A Sweet 4-Card Change New Royal-O-Cation

Stab-Two This is another “item” of mine that many have asked me to re-publish. Good idea, because I believe it’s quite a strong item and that it has been overlooked. You may find it to be a worthwhile addition to your repertoire. The effect is that two selected cards are lost in the deck. Deck is wrapped in a sheet of paper and you| push a knife through the paper, into the deck, finding the two cards. I’ve worked it out so that it is almost impossible to miss the “estimation.” Two cards are freely selected, remembered and replaced — 2nd person’s card onto the 1st person’s card; control them to the top. This is where a bit of practice may be necessary. You need to get the two selections to 13th and 14th from top of the deck and know the name of the 12th card. I’m assuming you have your own way of accomplishing this. I taught to do quite a bit of “running” cards in the original. Over the years I started using a much simpler action. I’ve controlled the two selections to top, I flip the deck face up, note and remember the face card, and as I say “Neither of your cards should be anywhere near bottom” I spread face cards so the spectators can see them — “If you see one please don’t tell me” and I mentally count three sets of three cards — nine cards total - and casually cut those nine cards to top. Flip deck face down and overhand run three cards and then injog shuffle. “They shouldn’t be anywhere near top either” — as you spread off a few top cards, flash them and replace. “They’re obviously lost.” You’ve gotten 12 cards onto the two selections and you know the 12th card. Ids all done casually and it works just fine for me. You may want to do it that way or play with the idea; you may come up with a handling that works better for you. Ending with a couple of overhand injog shuffles always has your spectators believing that their cards are hopelessly lost in the deck. If you’d rather — instead of running those last three cards as you overhand shuf­ fle, you can spread and catch a break above the three bottom cards and double cut them to top — then an overhand injog shuffle or two. And into your “stab” ending: Stand the squared deck on a long side and place a sheet of paper over it. Best to use a paper with no printing on it (I usually use half of a regular typing sheet) and you need to know where top of the deck is. I usually turn so that the top (back) is to my left. Press the paper firmly over the upper side and pick up the knife. And now you need to estimate where the 13th card is — and under the following conditions it’s harder to miss than it is to get it right.

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Figure 40

Figure 41

Place the knife point to where you estimate is the exact center of the deck (Figure 40). I always make a slight indentation there with the knife point-that helps to estimate center from that point to the back (top) of the deck because you have a visual point from which to judge. Try it and you’ll see that it really is easy — it’s why I set the vital cards to 13th and 14th from top. And — you have a leeway of four cards! If you can’t estimate within four cards under these conditions, this effect is not for you ... you might stab yourself!! Okay — humor attempt aside — when you think you’re at the right spot (13th card from top of deck) plunge in the knife. Turn the deck face down making sure that the knife stays in place. Ask your two spectators to name their cards — and remember which card belongs to which person. Lift/tilt the knife so that the cards above the blade (approximately a quarter of the deck) slide off (as in Figure 41) and turn that bunch face up. Now you “work” according to the card you see at face of that quarter. If it’s the 2nd person’s card you’ve ended perfectly; you’ve stabbed exactly 13 cardsbetween the two selections. Perfect. You’ve shown one selection; turn over the card under the knife blade (top of facedown portion) to show the other selection — and to end. If, when you turn that quarter deck face up thc first person’s card shows — then both selections are at face of that quarter — you’ve stabbed under 14 cards. Show the 2nd selection and patter accordingly to end. And here’s why you bothered to remember the 12th card — the card above the two selections. If that’s the card you see when you turn that quarter face up, it tells you that the two selections are directly under the knife blade — on top of the facedown portion. Just as good. Ask for the names of the two selections and turn up the two cards under the blade. End.

Harry Lorayne

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But I told you that you have a 4-card leeway. This is really just an “out,” but good to know until you’ve “worked” on your estimation. If you don’t see either of the selected cards or the card you remembered when you flip that quarter deck face up, say, “You guys are each thinking of a card, but so am I. My card is the (name your remembered card) and as you can see the knife has found it for me.” Turn up the top facedown card. “And here is the (name the 2nd selection) and the (name the 1st selection)” as you turn up the next two. Obviously, you need to act as if this is the way you planned it from the start. This will fail only if you’ve stabbed ten cards or less — or 16 cards or more — which doesn’t seem at all likely. I’ve taken a bit of time to talk about this, but in action it’s fairly short and to the “point.” Afterthoughts: I realize that my statements as to which cards are where, and num­ ber of cards “stabbed,” may be a bit confusing. Go over all with cards in hand. Remember to make that slight indentation at what you estimate to be exact center. I find that to be very helpful. And when I’m shuffling the deck, apparently losing the two selections, I usually make a passing/casual remark like “I hope they stay together; that will help me find then later.” Not terribly important -1 do it so that there’s no big “issue” when the audience sees that the two selections are together. Just a thought. Have fun.

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The Spread/Gather Reverse This isn’t an effect per se, it’s just a method for secretly reversing a card as you gather a table spread. Over the decades some have told me that they can’t do the thing without the reversal flashing. I’m including it here because I added one little “touch” sometime after the original publication that basically solved that problem. And it’s something that you may just want to play with a bit. It’s a simple thing but not easy (for me, anyway) to teach in print, so bear with me while I break fluid actions into steps in order to teach it. You’re using a white-bordered deck. Control a selected card to top - if you’re going to show an X card at top via a double turnover - or to second from top if you’re going to use my Ultra Move for that. So do whichever, as you say, “Your card shouldn’t be on top... or at bot­ tom (as you flash the bottom card) — it’s lost somewhere among all these cards.” As you say the above, do a straight facedown left-to-right table ribbon spread. And here’s that “little touch” — as you complete the spread your hand messes a few right-end cards moving them up/down a bit as you end the spread as if it happens by accident. Your left hand is at the spread’s left end. (I hope Figure 42 makes it clear.) It’s done casually, as you speak. Now, at about the same time that your right hand is completing its actions your left hand starts to domino turn the spread face up. And here’s the “key” to the idea — because your right fingers are still palm down on the selected card it’s easy to move that card a bit to the right — just enough to clear the end of the spread - and then move it back to a bit under the spread as the “domino” reaches that hand. It’s simply an instantaneous right/left movement of hand and card.

Figure 42

Figure 43

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The deck’s rear card lands on the back of that hand (Figure 43; the facedown selection is out of sight and under your right fingers). As the spread’s right end lands on the back of your right hand, that hand closes a bit and starts turning palm up — under the spread’s right end. What will (or should) happen almost automatically is that the deck’s indifferent rear card will, because of friction, move along with your hand, on the fingertips. As the “domino” ends your right hand holds that indifferent rear card and moves to the right only enough to let the spread’s right end fall onto the facedown selected card. (Figure 44 is a stop action — I’ve exposed the facedown card a bit more than it should be just so that you can see the situation clearly.) Remember please that there is absolutely no pause in performance — it is all one fluid (natural) action. Your right hand scoops its face-up card under the face-up spread (and under the facedown card) in order to gather the spread. (Figure 45. Again I’ve exposed the facedown selection a bit — in performance that shouldn’t be seen at all — that’s the point) Gather the face-up spread into your left hand, flipping it face down and squaring the deck as you do. All looks as it should because the face-up selection is second from top and isn’t seen. That’s it; end as you see fit. Afterthoughts: You’re obviously going to have to play with this a while before you get it working right, before the reversal of that one card cannot be seen. Decades ago I taught this at lectures and to magic friends. As mentioned at top, many said that they just couldn’t get it right, couldn’t get away with it; but many others said that they liked it very much and that they fooled all with it. Perhaps that little “touch” of messing up the right end of the spread will help those who couldn’t get away with it get away with it!

Figure 44

Figure 45

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It’s important for me to stress that it’s all one fluid action — your hands move simultaneously. The only time you may want to pause for a beat is just before you scoop that right-hand card under the spread, as in the last photo, as you look at it and say, “This isn’t your card, is it? ” You can do that — unless you’d rather look up at your spectator and make a remark to take the heat away from the action. You might also try a slightly downward, toward you, ribbon spread instead of a straight left-to-right spread. Experiment a bit. Don’t misunderstand; I know that there are many better ways to secretly reverse a card. But, to repeat, it’s something you may have fun with — practicing it and perhaps, eventually, even using it.

Surprisingly Good Mentioning the “somersault reveal” in the Afterthoughts of Optically Controlled brought this quick effect to mind. And two reasons for including it - I want to lock in the fact that if you break more than one card at bottom of the deck and do my HaLo Cut the separation over the remaining “broken” card or cards remains intact. Also because I started to do the quick effect face up instead of face down as originally published, which I like better. Oh, there’s a third reason — it’s surprisingly good! (Well, surprisingly fast, anyway.) The four aces are secretly on top of the deck; shuffle, keeping them there. Flip the deck face up and get a break above the three rear aces (see my Afterthoughts). And start my HaLo Cut. As your hands separate your left fingers open and the fleshy pads of those fingertips contact the rear card (ace) of the right-hand half and take that along (Figure 46 is a rear-view stop-action freeze showing all — the one ace that was “HaLo’d” to bottom of left half, the ace being pulled along by the left fingertips and the one ace still “broken” at rear of right-hand half.) There is no pause in action. Your left hand moves to what would be the upper-left area of a tabled square and drops the face-up “pulled-along” ace there (Figure 47). At about the same time your right hand somersaults (as taught in Optically Controlled) its “broken” rear card (it falls face down) to the upper-right area of the tabled square. And your hands crisscross (not necessary but I just auto­ matically do that) turning each half deck face down and dealing the top card of each to the inner areas of the square (Figure 48.) Yes; you’ll need to do a bit of adjustment of the half decks so that they fall comfortably onto your palms,

Figure 46

Figure 47

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Bonus Royale

Figure 48 so that your thumbs can deal the top card of each easily/normally. Table aside the two half decks. There’s one face-up ace showing at upper left and the other three cards of the tabled square are facedown. Do your buildup however you like. Magical gesture - and turn up the three facedown cards to display the other three aces! Afterthoughts: As usual, it’s taken me much longer to describe the effect than it is to do it. It’s really the “work” of a second or so, starting with the HaLo Cut. Please remember that you can do the entire effect with the deck face down then you’d set the aces at bottom. Go from there; the ending would be just the opposite — one facedown card at upper left, the other three aces face up. Your call as to which way you want to “go.” I’ve been asked by a few how to get the break above the three aces of the face-up deck if they’re leery of doing it via thumb count. Well, what I usually do is to hold the just-shuffled deck face to me, spread the three rear card, and others, as I say something like — “Sometimes I can lock in the positions of cer­ tain cards in a shuffled deck. Yeah; I think I’ve got it.” Easy enough to then get your break as you square.

Discussing the HaLo Cut and the somersault revelation sure did bring this to mind. Yes, it’s another royal-flush revelation (you may even see another one later on!). I know you realize that because I’m putting one similar effect/routine after another doesn’t mean that you’re to perform them at the same sitting. I’m just giving you choices. And this one is too good not to include. (Modesty is becoming a drag!!) You already know most of the handling so I’m not going to go into too much detail. The spade royal flush cards are secretly on top. For teaching purposes set them in order, 10S on top. I suggest you follow along with cards in hand. Shuffle keeping them on top and then double cut the top three cards to bottom. Catch a break over the bottom two cards. Do my HaLo Cut and somersault the right half’s still-separated bottom card face up onto the table (JS, this example). Table the remaining right half under and to the right of the JS. There is no pause in action -1 have to “do” the pauses in order to explain that action. When you table that remaining right half deck under and to the right of the JS leave only the bot­ tom half and bring the top half to your left hand. As you do, get a left little finger­ tip break under the top left-hand card. The right-hand quarter deck is placed onto the left-hand cards; the top card of left half coalesces under the right-hand portion. And right hand lifts off the top portion, above the break, and drops that por­ tion onto the table to left of the first facedown quarter deck, leaving the center space available. Drop the remaining in-hand portion onto/into that available space. (Figure 49.) Situation check: KS at bottom of left-end packet; 10S at bot­ tom of right-end packet; center packet has the QS at bottom and the AS at top.

Figure 49

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A Much Better Chance

Figure 50

Figure 51

Slide the entire center packet toward you (forming a tabled diamond shape) and with no pause move its top card back to center (Figure 50). Pick up the packet from which you just removed that top card and Slip Shuffle it a couple of times, keeping its bottom card in place. Then table it back to position. Using both hands simultaneously turn face up the two end packets — those left and right of the centered single card - the KS and 10S show (Figure 51). Indi­ cate the packet you Slip Shuffled a moment ago, saying something like, “Well, let’s see what this shuffled portion has brought us.” Turn it face up to display the QS. “Interesting; I might as well do another bit of magic and complete this picture” — snap your fingers over the center single card and turn it face up to show the AS and to display the royal flush! Afterthoughts: I found this a bit difficult to really explain — hopefully you didn’t find it too difficult to follow along with me. Bear in mind that when I mentioned a spade card that’s the card that would have been there if you’d set the flush in order. I do usually like to set the AS fifth from top so that it’s the center card at the end — I just prefer that look - If you don’t care about that, set the five spades in any order. When you’re familiar with the entire procedure you’ll be able to change the handling a bit to fit your way of working. I taught it - as best I could - the way I always do it.

I'd honestly rather keep this to myself, which is silly of course since I’ve pub­ lished it a few times. But gotta’ include it here, again, because of the numerous requests to do so. And sometimes one little addition, which I’ll suggest here, raises something to much stronger effectiveness. Okay; I’ve been told that I really popularized the 10-card poker deal with my Ten-Card Poker Deal which I published over 50 years ago. I still perform it — but I’ve started to use A Much Better Chance more and more. I want to teach it as I’ve been doing it after years of experimenting with it — along with a much, much, easier-to-remember setup of ten cards. You need the following ten cards, in order: AS, three 9-spots, two aces, the remaining four spade royal-flush cards (Figure 52). Easy enough to remember. Once you have it in mind, you can go into the routine. Pick up the just-shuffled deck and patter — “You might be interested in see­ ing how easy it is for a card sharp to cheat in a head-to-head game of poker. Do you play poker? Good. I’ll use ten special cards to demonstrate for you.” As you’re talking you’re also spreading the cards faces to you upjogging any of the necessary cards as you see them. And table the ten cards in the order you’ve remembered, face down and one at a time, one onto the other — AS first, then the three nines, etc. When all ten are in a tabled packet, table aside the deck proper, and say, “No kidding, only ten cards here.” Pick up the 10-card packet and count the cards onto the table one at a time, reversing the order, and you’re set — AS is on top of the 10-card packet.

Figure 52

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Pick up the just-counted packet, “Let’s mix them up a bit,” and Utility Mix them two or three times. It works just perfectly with a 10-card packet. (Back to Amazing Location in Section I if you don’t remember it.) That’s the “killer” so far as I’m concerned. Now, start the dealing out of the two poker hands. Like this: Deal the top two cards separated and face down onto the table keeping track of the top one, the AS. This is the only time you have to do a small magician’s choice thing. Say, “Touch either one of these two cards.” If he touches the AS“Fine; push it toward me; you take the other card.” If he touches the other card (a 9-spot) — “Fine; slide it toward yourself; push the other one toward me.” That’s it; simple enough. From here on it’s all completely free choices by the spectator. Deal the next two cards — always face down and a bit separated — onto the table. “Take whichever card you like.” He slides it toward himself to join his first card. Pick up the remaining card and place it to bottom of your in-hand packet, saying, “I’ll get rid of this one.” Repeat exactly with the next two (top) cards. Spectator now has three cards in front of him, you have only one. Say, “Oh; I’ve got to catch up.” (You can do another Utility Mix here with the six in-hand cards. Up to you; I usually do.) Deal two cards onto the table as you’ve been doing — “Push either one of these to me, please — remember it’s your choice.” He does and you duck the remaining card — “I’ll get rid of this one.” Repeat exactly so that you now also have three cards in front of you. Table two cards; tell him to take one for himself. He does and you duck the remaining card. Repeat — this time he pushes one of the two cards to you. Pick up the remaining card. You now each have four cards. You are holding two cards and this next, last, “piece” is awfully good. Say, “Hey; let me give you a much better chance. Pick up your four cards and look at them — don’t let me see them. And take one of these two cards — if there’s one that can better your hand.” As you talk, turn your two cards faces to him. Here’s the situation and the point — his four cards will always be three nines and an ace or two nines and two aces. And the two cards you show him will always be one of the royal-flush cards and either a 9-spot or an ace. So, if he’s holding three nines and an ace he’ll obviously take the ace to fill his full house. If he has two nines and two aces he’ll obviously take the nine to fill his full house. And that always leaves you the royal-flush card, which you drop onto your four cards. It’s all automatic if you’ve followed along! That’s it; build it — stressing his free choices for both himself and for you from a bunch of mixed cards. Then have him table his hand face up to reveal

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Figure 53 his full house. Look a bit concerned and/or confused, and say, “Oh, you have the full house -1 may have goofed.” Pause. “But wait, perhaps a bit more magic ...” Do a magical gesture over your five facedown tabled cards and then turn them face up to reveal your royal flush in spades! (Figure 53). Afterthoughts: You realize of course that after that first easy magician’s choice, it matters not at all which of the two cards the spectator chooses each time — either for himself or for you. This has always been a strong and entertaining item for me. Using the Utility Mixer as and where I’ve suggested makes it a total impossibility to the layman. It sure does fall into the jaw-dropper category.

Harry Lorayne

Quick And Easy This is something I’ve had fun with for decades and will take only a few para­ graphs to explain. Combining Utility Mixer and Reverse Faro Ending, both of which I’ve already discussed/taught, makes for a strong “quick and easy” piece of impromptu card magic. Control a freely selected card to top of the deck. Do a few overhand injog shuffles (or my Status Quo Shuffle — because this effect takes up so little space I’ll teach my Status Quo Shuffle here in the Afterthoughts.) It’s important that your audience is convinced that the selected card is hopelessly lost in the deck. Table the shuffled deck and ask a spectator to cut it into five packets of any size; in other words (s)he can cut however he likes. Keep track of the deck’s top packet. When he’s done ask him to hand you the top card of each packet. As he does, make sure that the selection is at bottom of the five cards you'll be holding. “Doesn’t much matter since nobody knows what these cards are but I’ll mix 'em up a bit anyway.” And do Utility Mixer two or three times (again; looks exactly as if those five cards are being mixed) and “Here; I’ll really mix them” and do my Reverse Faro Ending (and, again, back to Amazing Location if you don’t remember it). As you do it you might say, “There really is no way your card could be here ... you don’t see it, do you? Wait a minute, there’s only one facedown card here. What’s the name of the card you’re thinking of? ” He names it, you show that it is the one facedown card! ” Quick and easy little miracle!

Figure 54

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Afterthoughts: Quick and easy — and effective. Now, my Status Quo Shuffle: Deck is in overhand-shuffle position in right hand. Right forefinger is curled over the center of the upper long side, its pad contacting that top card. As right hand moves to left hand to start shuffling, right forefinger pulls back deck’s top card {Figure 54). It’s done as you do the first “chop” of the shuffle. And the downward “chop” causes some top cards directly under that top card to fall down into left hand. Continue, doing two or three (no more, or you’ll be left holding the one card!) more “chops.” And - when you’re familiar with the concept, you don’t have to pull back that top card — light pressure of right forefinger’s pad will “do the trick.” For a more detailed explanation go to RIM SHOTS.

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Harry Lorayne

Fantastic Ace Assembly I know that I perform and teach this routine on my “Best Ever” DVD set, but I’ll be darned if I can find where I ever taught it in a book. I’ll teach it here, anyway. Why? Because it is the best impromptu any-deck ace assembly I know. (Obviously there may be some better — I simply don’t know of any at this writing.) You’ve just finished a 4-ace miracle and the four aces are face up on the table. Catch a break under the three top cards of the deck. Right hand picks up face-up aces, AS at rear, as you say, “Let me give you a small memory test. 1 want you to remember that the ace of spades is the ‘leader’ ace.” Drop the face­ up aces onto the deck, square, and right hand lifts off the 7-card block. “You can remember all if you like,” as you go into the Braue Secret Add-On. As you left-thumb peel each ace onto the deck and flip it face down, say its name. Last ace — the AS is a 4-card block. Drop the block onto the deck, saying, “And the leader ace, the ace of spaces.” Flip it face down. Deal the top four cards into a tabled square formation — first card (AS) at upper left. “Now that little memory test — did you see where the leader ace went and do you remember which ace it is?” Spectators always point to the correct card and say that it’s the AS. Turn it face up - “Good; yes, this is the leader ace.” Replace it face down to position. “I’ll put a few cards onto each ace.” As you speak, obviously spread off the deck’s three top cards, but secretly spread off another two and square breaking under the five cards. Pick up the block, casually flash its face (.Figure 55) and drop it onto the AS. Do the same action for each of the other three aces, really

Figure 55

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putting only three cards on each. No need to ever mention “three.” Table aside the deck proper. Pick up the leader ace packet, turn face up and spread off the two face cards (Figure 56) as you say, “So, we have an ace and a few extra cards here, and same here, here and here,” as you indicate the other three packets. Re-table the leader ace packet. “Now, what I’d like to try to do — and I stress the word ‘try’ — is to make these three aces (indicate the three other than the AS) magically fly into the leader ace packet,” indicate that packet. Pick up the upper-right packet. Openly move its top card to bottom, do your magical gesture and then deal its top card face up to original position, deal next card face up onto first, and then take the bottom card of the two remaining, deal that face up onto the first two. Then turn up the one remaining card - the ace(?) to show that it is no longer an ace. Table it onto the first three. Pick up the leader ace packet, flip it face up and say, “Because where we had only one ace, we now have one, two, aces.” Action to match: Left thumb spreads off the face AS then the next card under it and block pushes off the third card (Figure 57). As you end the remark, move the rear ace to face, onto the AS. Square and replace face up to table position. (No particular reason for re-tabling it face up, it’s just the way I always do it.) “Let me try it with ace #3,” as you pick up the lower-right packet. And — do exactly the same as you did with the first packet — dealing its four X cards face up onto the first — at upper right — packet. “Well, that ace is gone, because where I just had two aces, I now have ...” Pick up the leader ace packet — “... one, two, three aces.” Do as before — that is, spread off the first two face aces and then block push-off the next card; three aces show (Figure 58). Move the rear ace to face and re-table the packet - face down now.

Figure 56

Figure 57

AND FINALLY!

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I tried to explain exactly the way I present it. Obviously you can change a bit here or there to fit your way of working - but be careful of changing too much. Forgive my saying so, but since I’ve been doing the routine for quite a few decades I really feel that the way I do it, the way I’ve just taught it, is the best way to perform it. Get it working smoothly and you may want to continue performing it forever!

Figure 58

Figure 59

“Well; just this one ace left.” Pick up the lower left packet and handle it just as you did the first two. What I always do here is as I reach the last of the four cards I peek at it, and say, “Oops, not yet — gotta’ do this one the hard way.” And I pretend to take that card with my right hand and toss it to the table right hand/arm going around my back. I look at the card again — “Yes; that did it,” and I deal that X card onto the others. “Because, where I had one ace to begin with I now have ...” Into the end and the clean-up — like this: Pick up and turn face up the leader packet. You're going to deal the supposed four cards of the leader ace packet into a face-up left-to-right tabled row to show only the four aces. Start to deal that row to the left of the tabled face-up packet — the packet that contains the 12 X cards of the first three packets. Continue your remark as you deal the aces — . one, two ...” deal the first ace to left of the X-card packet and the next ace to the right of the first one but also left of the X-card packet. And block push-off all but the bottom card (it will be a 3-card block) and deal that onto the X-card packet — “three” (Figure 59, in progress). And the last single ace to the right of the X-card packet - and it’s done. You’ve shown the four aces in the leader packet, and you’re “clean”! Afterthoughts: The last deal-down display of the four aces is done in natural rhythm. Not much more I can tell you — I’ve said it all in the main text. The only thing I’ll mention is that I sometimes use my Catch An Ace #5 at the start to switch three X cards for three aces instead of the Braue Secret Addition. If you know it, you’ll see how well it fits.

Harry Lorayne

I’ll Read Your Mind There’s no doubt that this fools the heck out of laymen, what surprised me is that it also fooled magicians. Of course, I soon realized that what fooled magicians was basically the shuffle I always used for this. The effect is really quite a basic, simple, idea. It’s “worked” for me for a long time, but I’ve never published it. Have a spectator shuffle the deck. Then do a face-up table ribbon spread to show that the deck is really mixed, and memorize the top three cards (without staring at them!). For teaching purposes, assume that you see/memorize the 4C, JD and 8S. Memorizing the three top cards during a quick face-up ribbon spread may be the most difficult part of this effect for you! Gather the spread and start to shuffle the deck with overhand injog shuffles to keep those top three cards on top. Then - double cut the two top cards to bottom. And do three or four Slip Shuffles (Figure 60; one starting) always shuffling the last (original 2nd-from-bottom) single card to top. This, I believe, is what fooled other magicians. Doing the Slip Shuffles as just explained always keeps two of the memorized cards at bottom and one at top. I don’t know if it's original with me — I do know that I’ve never seen it or read it. Okay; after the few Slip Shuffles double cut the two bottom cards back to top. Now form three facedown tabled packets like this: Undercut about a third of the deck peeling the top card onto it {Figure 61). Table that packet. Undercut half the in-hand cards doing the same peeling action, and table that packet and then table the in-hand packet after giving it a casual overhand injog shuffle. Now I always shuffle the three tabled packets this way: Pick up the first one and do a couple of overhand injog shuffles keeping the top card in place. Re-

Figure 60

Figure 61

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table it. Pick up the next packet and Utility Mix it a couple of times. Re-table. Pick up the third packet and overhand injog once or twice and then also Util­ ity Mix it once or twice. Re-table. There’s no specific reason for shuffling the three packets as just explained - it’s how I started doing it years ago and that’s how I’ve always continued to do it. It certainly does assure the audience that those three packets are thoroughly shuffled. I do fill in with patter as I shuffle - “I want to try an experiment with you, my friend. Hope you don’t mind. It’s something I’ve been working on for a while.” That patter “covers” the shuffling of the three packets for me. I turn my head aside and say, “Please - pick up the top card of any one of those packets. Have you done that? Don’t let me see it, of course — but please remember it, show it to at least one other person (see the Afterthoughts). And push it into the center of any one of the three packets. Done? Okay; now place any packet onto any other packet and place the last packet onto that. Done? Okay, now shuffle the deck. Can I turn around and face you now?” You want your spectator to definitely believe that there is absolutely no way you could know the card (s)he is remembering. But of course you do know that it’s one of the three cards you originally memorized! And you do a bit of mind-reading acting now. Ask your spectator to please visualize his card in his mind. And then, one or two statements — not questions - tells you the thought-of card. This example — the possibilities are the 4C, JD, 8S. So, for example, when I know there are two black cards and one red I always say, “You’re thinking of a red card!” Definite statement. If he says “Yes,” — “It’s the jack of diamonds,” to amaze and to end. Of course in this example you could also have said, “You’re thinking of a picture card” since there’s only one picture among the three. Now — you could also have stated, “You’re thinking of a black card,” since the odds lean in that direction. If “No” then you immediately know that it’s the JD. If “Yes,” say “It’s a club” — if “Yes” you know it’s the 4C; if “No,” you know it’s the 8S. I just want you to see the different ways you can go — always according to the three memorized cards. You’ll see how simple/obvious it is when you actually try it. Here’s one more example: The three memorized cards are the 3S, 10S, QH. “You’re thinking of a black card” — he says “Yes.” It’s an even numbered card - he says “No” and you can immediately say, “You’re thinking of the three of spades.” If he’d said “Yes,” he’s obviously thinking of the 10S. If he says “No” to the original statement then he’s obviously thinking of the QH.

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And again, obviously, your original statement could have been “You’re think­ ing of a red card! ” His “Yes” tell you it’s the QH — his “No” would make you say “It’s an even numbered card.” And so on. Afterthoughts: I was going to give another example but realize that’s silly -1 can go on with examples until there’s no space for any other items. I think you have the idea. There will never be three cards wherein one or two statements don’t lock it in for you. And if you think there could be — when/if you see them dur­ ing your initial face-up table spread, simply either gather, shuffle and re-spread, or — remember the three bottom cards! The important thing to me — and I’ve discussed this in earlier books (see The Mind Boggier in the Rim Shots section of Lorayne: The Classic Collection, Vol. 2) — is the idea of making statements rather than asking questions. Asking questions weakens the concept because asking means you “don’t know.” Making a definite statement makes it appear as if you do know from the start and are just doing a bit of presentation. So, I’ve tried to explain the shuffling that I do for this particular effect and the way I discern the thought-of card. Over the years, those two things have made some laymen really — I mean really — believe that I could read minds. Incidentally, when doing a select-a-card effect when working for more than one person I suggest you always tell the “selectee” to show the card to at least one other person. For two reasons — first is in case (s)he really forgets the card, and second is in case it’s a wise guy who would deny the card he selected in order to humiliate you!

Really! Well, the preceding is a new item, this is an old item. I believe I originally taught it in a set of lecture notes back in the early 80s and then in a book a couple of decades later. It is one of the strongest items I know/perform. And adding Utility Mixer makes it even stronger than originally taught and is one of the reasons for including it here. Over the years I’ve come up with quite a few dif­ ferent effects based on what I refer to as TOAC (Turn Over And Cut) - based on Bob Hummer’s CATO. Check out JAW DROPPERS ONE and TWO for a few of those — and strong items they are. But this, I believe, is my original. If you don’t know it, learn it — you’ll love it - I’m almost willing to bet on that. As you shuffle the deck ask your spectator to name any four of a kind. Assume eights are named. “Okay; let me find them.” Start spreading, faces to you, and count to the 12th card from face as you look for the eights. Remember that 12th card - and as you come to an 8-spot table it face up until all four are on the table. Shuffle the deck keeping that I2th card in place. I always use my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle here because it fits perfectly, keeps the bottom group intact (check back to Color {Not So} Quickie in Section I). Then, spread to that 12th card — obviously not counting — and table the 12 cards face down. That’s the point of knowing the 12th card — I just want it to appear as if I can use any number of cards. Ribbon spread the 12 facedown cards and tell the spectator to place the four 8-spots separated and face up anywhere among them. He does so. Pick up and square the group and shuffle them. Let the spectator shuffle them but be sure he doesn’t inadvertently turn over any cards. In other words, the 8-spots remain face up anywhere (really) in the facedown group. Take the shuffled packet, and say, “Now, these are really mixed, right?” When he agrees say “Not really. Here, let me really mix them.” And start to deal the cards into a tabled packet, dealing one at a time from top and turning over every other card! Really easy — just say “one, two” to yourself as you deal and turn over every card at “two.” If it is face up you’re turning it face down, and vice versa. This is key — it’s what makes it all work. And of course it really does look as if you’re haphazardly mixing the cards face up and face down. You can’t shuffle after this but you can complete cut as often as desired. Pick up the packet, square it, and complete cut it a couple of times. “All mixed now, right? ” Spectator usually nods in agreement. “No, not really! ” And

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here’s where I throw in a Utility Mixer or two. Be sure that the top card of the packet is face down when you do it. “Now; they’re surely well mixed, right? Not really!” And into TOAC. “Let’s really mix them.” Spread off the top two cards, turn them over, replace to top (Figure 62) and complete cut. Do that again and again. You can do this as long as you like but I usually do it three or four times. Then, turn over the packet, complete cut a few times, and perhaps do another Utility Mix and then spread off and turn over four cards and complete cut. Do that a couple of times. Flip over the packet and do Turn Over And Cut two cards again a few times. Just be careful of doing it too much/too long; you don’t want to bore your audience. Deal one card at a time, from top, onto the table, forming a 4-packet leftto-right row, as if dealing poker hands. When that’s done, using both hands simultaneously, turn the two end packets over onto the ones to their left/right. Then turn either one of the now 8-card packets over and onto the other. I, again, use both hands simultaneously and turn the packets toward each other, coalescing them (Figure 63). It’s done! You can magical gesture and then table spread either face up or face down to show that the four 8-spots are the only face-up or facedown cards — an impossibility. Afterthoughts: The TOAC should be done at a fairly rapid pace -1 do the entire thing at a fairly rapid pace! You can patter to the effect that you’ve practiced for years to control cards under any conditions. Once, years ago, without having planned it, I tabled the 16-card packet after having done some “mixing,” and said that “This is called

Figure 62

Figure 63

Harry Lorayne

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tracking. It’s easy, after much practice of course, to track one card - here, I’ll show you.” Pick up the deck proper (36 cards), show the top card (perhaps the QS) — and do some overhand injog shuffles, then either shuffle or cut, say, three cards onto that QS. Then say, “I’ve kept track of that QS - if I ‘tracked’ correctly it should be fourth from top!” Let someone check to see that that’s correct. “Now, I’ve been practicing for quite a long time to track four cards, which is four times as difficult - that’s what I’ve been trying to do here with the four eights” - as you pick up the 16-card packet. “I’ll even mix them a bit more.” Do so. Then end - “Well; I surprised myself, but I’m going to continue to practice” - or any ending line you desire. I still do it that way every so often.

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Harry Lorayne

A Sweet 4-Card Change Yes, I taught this originally (I believe) in Best Of Friends close to four decades ago, then again in Personal Collection close to two decades ago and since I used it often in new effects and routines I had to teach it in more recent books. That’s the main reason I’m going to teach it here — again. The next item is a strong routine which I like a lot and it starts with the Sweet 4-Card Change. Teaching that item without teaching the change would create enemies! Another reason I want to re-teach the change here is that I believe it’s been overlooked and that “ain’t” good; makes me sad! I know it’s been overlooked because I have fooled magicians who have read a book or two in which I teach it. I’ll let my ego take over for a moment — it is one of the best magical changes I know, if not the best; I’m proud of it — I want to be sure you know it. Okay; I’ll teach it here as a separate item — so if you already know it you can skip to the next strong item. I’ll teach it changing four indifferent cards to the four tens — just the oppo­ site of what basically happens in the following routine. Okay; here’s where you have to be — four X cards are face up on the table and the four tens are secretly on top of the deck. You prepare for the change/switch in a fraction of a second, like this: Talk about the tabled cards and spread the in-hand deck in an indicatory gesture. As you close the spread catch a break under the top five cards. (Get that break however you like.) And as your attention (and your spectators' attention) is on the tabled cards here’s that fraction-of-a-second (or less) getready.

Figure 64

Figure 65

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Your palm-up right fingers go into the separation and move the 5-card block inward and to the right at the same time. As you do, right fingers slide the block’s bottom card to the right as the block reaches the deck’s right long side. And as that bottom card slides rightward (all is happening at about the same time) your fingers and that bottom X card start to flip the remaining 4-card block (the tens) face up and injogged over to the left. (As usual, a glance at Figure 64 makes it pretty clear. It shows the 4-card block being turned over to the left.) As the block lands face up let the “slid out” X card fall face down onto it but flush with the deck proper (Figure 65, almost done). Turn left hand palm down to hide that situation. There are other ways to “do” that fraction-of-a-second get-ready. For instance you could set an X card onto the four tens and then when you slide back the 5-card block right thumb holds back its top card as you flip the 4-10s block face up. And, you can have the spectator turn four tabled facedown cards face up for your misdirection. Okay. Pick up one of the tabled cards and move to place it face up onto the deck; your left hand turns up to meet it, timing it of course so that that exposed face-up piece doesn’t flash, and that X card is placed injogged a bit farther than the injogged 4-10s block. That hides that exposed bit of face (.Figure 66, near completion). As soon as it’s placed tap it upward a bit with back of right fingers so that it flushes with the injogged 10-block. And — place the remaining three X cards onto the deck, one at a time, spreading them rightward (Figure 67). Now, you’re simply/normally going to turn those four face-up cards face down onto the deck and square them. Right hand grasps the 4-card spread at inner-right, thumb on top. Left thumb moves up to rest on the back of the visible facedown card, and — move the face-up 4-card spread to the right and off the

Figure 66

Figure 67

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New Royal-O-Cation

Figure 68 deck - left thumb keeping that visible facedown card in place (.Figure 68). The face-up 10-block is hidden flush behind the lowermost face-up card. Pause for the merest fraction of a second and then flip the face-up spread face down onto the deck. Square — and it’s done! Afterthoughts: Try this, go over it — don’t overlook it. It is, as mentioned, one of the best changes of four cards that I know. See one use for it in the following routine.

Interesting how routines evolve for me. Years ago my take-off on a Caleb Wiles take-off of a Gordon Bean effect appeared in Genii Magazine. I used the idea but as time went by I changed here and there. Now entirely new handling that includes my Sweet 4-Card Change and either my Angle Spread or my Universal Reversal (as you’ll see) makes it an entirely new routine. Follow along: I say that I want to show a trick with the four tens. As I look for the tens, faces of cards toward me, I table them face up as I see them and I secretly set the other spade royal-flush cards (J, Q, K, A) to top of the deck in any order. Shuffle the deck keeping those high spades on top. Then get your break and get ready to do the Sweet 4-Card Change exactly as taught in the preceding. You should be in the basic position shown in the second photo of that item. “As I told you I want to try something with the four tens” — as you speak pick up the 10S first and place it onto the deck — again, as already taught. Place the other three tens and do the change. Table the four top cards — apparently the four tens but actually the other four high spades; the 10S is on top of the deck. Shuffle, keeping that 10S on top — overhand injog shuffle and/or my Status Quo Shuffle as already taught in this book. Hold the deck in your left hand and with your attention on the four tabled facedown (supposed) tens, ask, “Which is your favorite suit — clubs, hearts, dia­ monds or spades ? ” I always stress “spades” a bit more than the other suits, which often gets the spectator to name that suit. If (s)he does, say, “Great; that’s my favorite also.” If he names any other suit — “Interesting; my favorite is spades.” After that tiny bit of byplay to “arrive at” spades, point to the four facedown tabled cards, and say, “I want to try something; please help me eliminate the suits other than spades. Which one of these do you think is not the ten of spades?” Whichever he points to, push it forward away from the other three. “Fine; now, which of these remaining three tens do you think is not the ten of spades ? ” Push the one he indicates forward to join the first one. “Okay; it’s nitty-gritty time — which of these remaining two tens do you think is not the ten of spades?” (Note that I say “which of these tens” not “which of these cards” — that’s to sort of subliminally “lock it in.”) As you ask him to indicate one of the remaining two get a break under the deck’s top card - the 10S. Push whichever card he indicates to join the first two and then pick up the remaining card, drop it onto the deck, saying, “Well, let’s

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Figure 69

Figure 70

see how well you did.” Turn up the double to show the 10S. Turn down the double and toss the top card (the supposed 10S) to the table to join the first three facedown cards, saying, “Hey; you did well.” From here, since there are four spade royal flush cards on the table which your audience believes are the four tens, and the 10S on top of the deck, you can, I’m sure, come up with a few different ways to end. I finally “settled” with one basic “way.” Continuing your last remark — “But when playing poker we should have five cards here (indicating the four tabled cards) not four. Well, it’s a great poker hand — four of a kind — as is but let’s make it legitimate and add one more card.” And here I do my Angle Spread wherein I pull “any” card out of a tabled spread. Turn it up, it’s the 10S. Act confused. “Wait a minute; I thought the ten of spades was there! ” (Indicate the four tabled cards.) “Well, I guess I’ll have to try some stronger magic! ” Magical gesture, and use the face-up 10S to flip over the four tabled cards to reveal the royal flush in spades (Figure 69) and to end! Instead of the Angle Spread, I sometimes do my Universal Reversal, which I originally introduced way back in Trend Setters and then in another book or two. It is one heck of a utility move — I’ll teach it here for completion’s sake. Remember that the 10S is on top of the deck; shuffle keeping it there. Then, patter as above — as you say “... let’s make it legitimate and add one more card” — cut the deck, catching a break under the now centered 10S. Simple enough, left thumb pushes it off just a bit so that left little fingertip can get under it as the cut is completed. Or, if you prefer, double cut the 10S to bottom (you can do a Slip Shuffle or two) and then complete cut holding the break. Left hand flips the bottom half deck face up to top, stepped to the left (Fig­ ure 70), as you say, “No; not this card.” There is, of course, no pause in action.

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Figure 71

Figure 72

Your left fingers are automatically under all, touching the lOS’s face - and they pull/slide the 10S to the left, starting to flush it under the now face-up top half deck (Figure 71; exposed view). As the facedown 10S flushes to the left, your right hand turns outward and palm up, turning its half deck face up and mov­ ing it to under the left half (Figure 72). I’ve purposely let a bit of the lOS’s back show in the photo so that you can clearly see what’s happening. “And not this card” as that right half’s face card originally shows. Square and flip the deck face down. The fraction-of-a-second’s fluid action is done. “Well, I’ll have to find a card by magic.” Magical gesture, table ribbon spread, remove the “magically reversed” 10S, end as above. Afterthoughts: I use this quite often and it always receives a strong reaction. Why in the world shouldn’t it? It’s “right under your eyes” magic! Do not overlook the Universal Reversal. Learn and practice it until you can do it cleanly and you’ll have a lifetime utility move on your hands. Just to be clear, I do use the Braue Secret Reversal often, as you know if you’ve read my books, but whenever I can, when it fits, I use my own Universal Reversal.

Section III Double Trouble Jacks Are Better The Lorayne Force Another Three Does It Preferred Take Five Toss! Milky Ways Instead Of The Pass Much Better H-S Force The Push-Through Change That’s The Truth!

D ouble Trouble

This came about by accident. I was “twirling” a double card between by right thum and second fingertips, and - well; I’ll just try to explain/teach the interesting magical change that came into being. I don't believe anything like this has been around. My original title for it was “Silly Switch,” which may be more apropos! It may also be a bit difficult for me to explain, but I’ll try. Control a selected card to second from top; assume it’s the 4H. Shuffle keeping is there as syou ask your spectator to concentrate on his card. Look through the cards, say, “I think I’ve got it,” and take any card from the spread and move it to top (selection is now third from top, which is where you need it to be), Do a double turnover and say “Here’s your card” (assume you’re displaying the 8C) Spectator says, “That’s not my card.” Now, grasp the face-up double at outer right and inner left corners between your right thumb and second fingertip pads (figure 73; note that left thumb is near the double’s left long side). Move the double a bit rightward and if you press down lightly with that thumb and lift slightly with right hand you’ll twirl the double card over (Figure 74, starting). You can do that over and over. You need a left little fingertip break under the top card — original third from top card, the selection. I have to leave that to you; I do it as I square the top two cards in preparation for the double. Most of the people I’ve taught do it with left hand as right hand is removing the double ready for the “twirl.” You’re flashing the 8C and a card back as you twirl. Keep twirling the double as you speak — “The eight of clubs is not your card?!” Now, again, I have to leave this to you. I usually twirl three or four

Figure 73

Figure 74

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Harry Lorayne

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You’ll see that as you play with the idea. When I did it for some magic friends and then asked if they thought I should include it in the book, all exclaimed “Absolutely!” (And then admitted that they’d been fooled!) When I perform this quick, simple, thing for laymen there is usually a gasp and/or an actual dropping of jaws at the point where the named selected card suddenly/magically appears.

Figure 75

Figure 76

times and one time, when the double is face up, I touch it to the back of the deck — because I want to sort of “set” that action. It’s a casual, non-important, thing and not really crucial. Now, a bit of timing is involved. You ask for the name of the selected card, and you want the change to occur just as the spectator names it. It is a one-beat action. Flush the face-up double onto the deck maintaining your original grip automatically also grasping the “broken” selection flush under the double- and simply twirl the now triple and drop it onto the deck. The card he names - the selection — shows as you complete the “twirl” (Figure 75). It is, appears to be, an instant change of the 8C to the 4H. No pause — immediately remove the face-up 4H and table it face down. The deck’s top card is now a facedown indifferent card — the 8C is second from top. It would be wrong to make an issue of showing that the card you’ve been twirling is not on top — so tabling the selected card face down lets you do it without pin­ pointing it. Acting as if you don’t want to touch the tabled card remove the deck’s top card, turn it face up as you move it to flip over the facedown 4H (Figure 76; in progress). Hope I’ve explained this clearly so that you could follow along. You can, of course, let this be the end. But — the card that flashed during the twirling (8C this example) is now on top of the deck. So there are, of course, many different ways to end. I usually shuffle, keeping it on top and then show it magically reversed at center deck via my Universal Reversal, as described in the preceding. Or reveal it with an air drop to the table or by producing it from a pocket, etc. Afterthoughts: Well, I’ve done the best I could. It’s difficult to explain the timing as the change occurs even though it’s really quite simple and kind of automatic.

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Harry Lorayne

Jacks Are Better Many of the items in this book are favorites of mine. This one is a “favorite” favorite! I’ve published a couple of different versions — this is the exact routine I perform now. It is a strong fooler and also a good entertainment piece. Learn it; it may become one of your “favorite” favorites. I’ll have to teach my Lorayne Force, another utility move that I’m quite proud of and that can be used in many different ways. You’ll learn one here; to learn other “ways” check some of my previous books. Okay; to start secretly have the four jacks on top of the deck; shuffle keeping them there. (I always use jacks for this; obviously any four of a kind will do.) Have a card selected and remembered. Kick cut top half deck into left hand, have card replaced onto it (onto the jacks), place right half onto that catching a break; double cut to break. Overhand injog shuffle a bit. “I usually can find a selected card by spelling my name.” What you need to do here is deal five cards into a facedown tabled packet. So if your first or last name spells with five letters, use that (or four letters — you’ll turn up the next card) or spell a spectator’s name, or the word “magic” or “trick.” Spell whichever you’re using, one card at a time. Turn up the fifth card, a jack — “And there’s your card, right?” Denied, of course. Leave the face-up jack on the table. Pick up the four spelled cards and drop them onto the deck; shuffle keeping them there. Or, you can drop the deck onto them and after a shuffle keeping them there, double cut them to top. I’ll leave that to you. Start an overhand injog shuffle and stop with the injogged card at center. “Well, sometimes I can cut right to a selected card.” You can simply cut to and including the injogged card, but I always do my own triple to-the-table cut. Cut half the cards that are above the injogged card to the table, then cut up to and including the injogged card onto that first tabled portion and then the remain­ ing in-hand cards onto all. Pick up the deck and turn up its top card — a jack; drop it face up near the first tabled jack. “Oh, I see, I was close before, right? This jack is your card.” Denied again. “Well; at least I found two jacks; I should quit while I’m ahead.” Pause. “But no, I think these two jacks can help me find your card — which you still remember, I hope.” Catch a break under the deck’s top card as you pick up the two tabled jacks

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and drop them face up onto the deck. Do the standard sandwiching action — right hand lifts the 3-card block from above as left thumb peels the upper face-up jack onto the deck. Place remaining double card, jack showing, onto the first jack. Just a casual display of the two jacks. Complete cut the deck. Do your magical gesture, hand to hand spread to show a facedown card between the two face-up jacks. “Ah, good, I think they did it.” Table the 3-card sandwich with your right hand, then bring right-hand half to under left half - you’re cutting at point of removal. Turn up the “caught” card — another jack. “Now wait a minute, is this jack your card?!” Denied. And by this time your audience should be pretty impressed. Leave the three jacks on the table and shuffle the deck keeping the two remaining vital cards on top. Cut the deck catching a break under the original top card - last jack. And do my Universal Reversal (back to last few paragraphs of Royal-O-Cation if you don’t remember it). Each time a card flashes during the move, ask, “This isn’t your card, is it? Or this one?” Then, magical gesture and do a facedown table ribbon spread to expose the face-up jack at center. “I know, I know, it’s not your card.” Table the jack and cut at the point of removal, bringing the selection back to top. (The Braue Secret Reversal would work as well here if you make the handling and patter fit.) The Lorayne Force ending follows. I’m sure you can think of other ways to end, like “catching” the selection to center of the four jacks via the sandwich action above — but I always end with The Lorayne Force, like this: Double cut or shuffle the top, selected, card to bottom. Right hand holds deck near inner end; you can injog the bottom (selection) just a bit (you’ll need that only until you’re familiar with the move — Figure 77). Left fingers and thumb start to spread/fan the cards to the right at deck’s outer-left corner as if spreading

Figure 77

92 Harry Lorayne

Figure 78

Figure 80

Figure 79

Figure 81

a gin or poker hand. At the same time the side of your right forefinger applies slight upward pressure which keeps that bottom card stationary as the other cards spread. (Figure 78; halfway there; I’m letting a piece of the bottom card show so that you have a clear picture of what’s happening.) Top cards are spreading to the right and left fingers are spreading bottom cards to the left — just try it and you’ll see that it’s just about automatic. (Figure 79; worm’s-eye view shows the situation you’ve created — bottom card at right end of the spread.) If you’ve “got” this, let’s go on with the routine. Right hand holds entire spread as left hand picks up the red jacks. “I’ll put these together somewhere around here (indicate above center area of spread); point to an area for me” Wherever he points to insert the two red jacks together, leaving them protruding and slightly spread. Do exactly the same with the black jacks but at other end of the spread. “Okay; I can turn either the red or the black jacks into ‘magie’ cards. Which would you prefer? ” Assume “reds.” As you say, “Okay, the red jacks” separate

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the spread between them in an indicatory gesture (Figure 80). Immediately replace to original position, and the “deed is done” — the inner-left corner of the selected card is between the two red (or black had they been chosen) jacks! You can square the spread now, but don't. Table all just as is (Figure 81) and ask your spectator to “Please square the cards for me and push those jacks flush.” This is strong - the spectator does the last piece of work for you! The selection is automatically and secretly between the two red (or black) jacks. Square the deck. Magical gesture and do a wide facedown table ribbon spread. "See? The red jacks have caught a card! Let’s see if they ‘caught’ the correct one - what card are you thinking of? ” He names it; you turn up the “caught” card - it is the named card, of course! Afterthoughts: I believe that “attitude” is important here. A “perplexed” attitude at first; a slight smile when the third jack appears to let viewers know that you’re kidding - if you want them to know. Up to you. If you’re nervous about letting the spectator gather the tabled spread at the end, do it yourself. I always let the spectator do it; makes it all seem that much stronger. The exact idea can be used for the ending of a basic “pick a card” trick. Control selection to bottom, let spectator select any two cards which he turns face up and insert them, etc., as with the red jacks in the text. Its basic use is to force a card. Let spectator indicate any card in the spread; left forefinger pushes that card and all cards above it to the right automatically squaring that portion onto the “Lorayne forced” card. Right hand lifts that entire portion face to spectator so that he can see and remember “that” card.

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Another Three Does It I mentioned that the preceding is a “favorite” favorite of mine — well, this is a “tiny” favorite. The basic concept is to have your spectator think of one of any five cards; the five cards are lost into the deck and you find the thought-of card in an interesting way. It’s a fooler. (I’ve even fooled card guys with it.) Yes; they appear to be “any” five cards, but one of them is a 3-spot that you make sure is among the five. Most often, I use my Angle Spread. I have, say, the 3C on top of the deck. I shuffle keeping it there and then cut catching a break, and do the Angle Spread (which I’ve already taught you, in Section I). “Please move your forefinger over the cards like this and whenever you feel like it, move the finger down and push out or pull out a card from that area, like this.” Demonstrate and pull out the “angled” 3C. If you prefer, you can get the 3C to say 5th from top and then do just as explained pushing out that card as if it could be any card. I always use my Angle Spread. Okay; spectator pushes out a card. “Good; do another one, please.” (S)he does. “And another.” Do that until he’s moved out four cards, so that there are five altogether. “Fine; let me try something interesting now. Please pick up those cards, hold them face to you and think of any one of them. Got it? Fine. Now mix those cards so that nobody, including you, knows exactly where it lies. Fine. Now drop them here into the deck.” What I do here is lift off only a small portion from top of the tabled deck. He drops the 5-card packet there and I drop the lifted-off portion onto it. The point is to give myself room for overhand shuffling without disturbing those five cards. Sometimes I do it just the opposite - I lift off a large por­ tion, etc. Then the five vital cards are near bottom so I can do my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle (again, as taught in Section I). Also, when the vital cards are near top or bottom I do a faro under or above them (obviously no need to worry about perfect interlacing). The point is to make sure that your audience believes that those five cards have been lost into different parts of the deck. (The fake faro has fooled magicians. If you do it be sure that the backs of cards are toward audience.) As you ask the spectator to please concentrate on his card, spread the cards faces to you, find the 3C and reverse it at position. You needn’t hide this; as a matter of fact you can say that you’re reversing one card — just don’t let anyone see which card it is. And then ask for the name of the thought-of card. One of

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the reasons I like this is that a small miracle is possible — there’s a one out of five chance that the thought-of card is the reversed 3-spot. If so, simply table ribbon spread the deck to show that that’s the card you reversed — with no questions asked! But since the odds are 5 to 1 (or is it 4 to 1 ?) against the thought-of card being the 3C, what do you do if any other card is named? Spread the cards faces to you so that you can let the audience see the reversed 3-spot (Figure 82). Make it obvious that you won’t be moving that reversed card at all. “I’ve reversed this card at this position for a reason. What is the card you’re thinking of? ” As soon as it is named spot where that card is in relation to your 3C. A tiny bit of thinking now. That reversed 3C is always in position to sat­ isfactorily end the effect. The best of course (other than the 3C being the thought-of card) is that the named card is right next to, on either side of, the reversed 3C. And the odds are good for that; but no matter. The reason I use a 3-spot is that you can count 3, spell “three,” turn up the card at 3 or the card after it. Start your count or spell on the 3-spot or on the next card, and you can count or spell moving in either direction. The farthest away the thoughtof card can be from the 3C is four cards. So, you can count 1-2-3 starting on the card next to the 3C and turn over the next card. Or, spell c-l-u-b, etc. Silly for me to take the space to list all ways of making it look as if you specifically placed the reversed 3-spot in that specific location. I think you can handle that on your own. Just make it look as if that’s what you had in mind when you reversed that 3C. It’s important to make it obvious that you’re not changing a thing as you table the spread cards face down when the thought-of card is named. And be sure

Figure 82

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that you “register” just where the selection is in relation to the 3C so that there’s no hesitation when you show why you reversed a 3-spot right there. Afterthoughts: Not much more I can tell you about this. I do get a kick out of performing it. Learn it, perform it - see if you get the same “kick.”

Preferred Take Five I originally taught this idea in Personal Collection and then in Jaw Droppers One. I’m including it here for two reasons — because of requests to do so since JD1 sold out so quickly and because I’ve whittled it down to how I now use it. Well, actually there are two ways I use it; one is a very magical selected-card location and the other is a “name any card” idea — also very magical. Oh, one other reason - I’m quite proud of the idea so I want to be sure you learn/know it. I can’t assume that you already know the basic move so I’ll teach it here. I’ve already taught the other “maneuvers” involved so this shouldn’t take up too much space. Control a selected card to 2nd from top; shuffle keeping it there. “I need five cards to try an interesting experiment...” As I speak I casually flip the top card face up and then down again and then flip the entire deck face up and down again. This is so the audience sees that the selected card is not at top or bottom - without you saying so. It’s a casual unimportant action — which you can omit, “...and I’d like you to select those five cards for me.” Start spreading the facedown deck asking the spectator to point to any card. He does. “And another one.” Outjog the indicated cards. Now, here’s what you do: First, be sure to make it clear that you’re outjogging the exact cards that are indicated. And outjog the third card a bit higher than the first two — that’s “key.” The 4th and 5th are outjogged same distance as the first two (Figure 83). No attention is drawn to the “distances” of the outjogged cards. Now, in appearance you simply swivel out the five outjogged cards and drop them to top of the deck. What actually happens: As you square the deck your

Figure 83

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Figure 84

Figure 85

left forefingertip moves to rest on the ends of the 4th and 5th outjogged cards; easy to do/feel because the 3rd card is outjogged farther then they are. (Fig­ ure 84. Deck is tilted up so that you can see what’s happening. It is face down in action, of course.) You’re squaring, neatening, the cards. Part of that squaring is — the backs of your right fingers tap the deck’s inner end upward in a natural squaring action as at that same instant your left forefinger snaps down flushing the two cards that its tip rests on (Figure 85 is a freeze to show both actions). Your right hand immediately moves to the remaining three outjogged cards, strips them diagonally, cleanly, out of the deck (Figure 86; in progress) and drops them on top. You’ve simply moved the five indicated cards to top of deck - no reason for anyone to think otherwise. Just don’t make a “move” out of it! Spread off and hold the top five cards - selection automatically at bottom and table the deck proper. And Utility Mix the five cards. (Yes; I’m “enamored” of the Utility Mixer!). And as you say “Let’s mix ‘em a bit more” do my Reverse Faro Ending. (Both “maneuvers” taught in Section I). When done there’s one facedown card at center of the four face-up cards. “Have you seen your card at all? No? Well, let me do a bit of magic for you.” Outjog the center facedown card. “What is the name of your card?” When it’s named I like to somersault that outjogged facedown card face up onto the table. It’s a gasper - or should I say “jaw dropper.” Afterthoughts: If somersaulting that outjogged card is a problem for you, simply turn over the small fan when the selected card is named. Now that other way I mentioned in the first paragraph above: I ask the specta­ tor to name any card. I search for that card and table it face up - but as I search

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Figure 86 I get its mate to second from top. Shuffle, etc. Use the top card, turning it face up, to flip the tabled face-up card face down — and then continue just as taught in the text to show the magically amazing appearance of the named card’s mate. I’m not sure which is stronger — this “mate finder” effect or the selected-card effect taught in the text. Choice: Control selection to top, instead of 2nd from top. Let spectator indicate, and you outjog, five cards as you spread. Outjog the 5th card lower than the first four. Do the “Take Five” move (four cards go to top). Remove the top five, or let spectator remove them for you - go from there.

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Toss! When I performed this for a few magic friends (couple of them quite knowl­ edgeable) saying that I was going to teach it in a book, they all exclaimed “That alone has gotta’ be worth much more than the price of the book! ” Well, if you feel that way after learning it, that’s fine. But I think, I hope, you’ll find quite a few other effects/routines in this book that fall into that category. However, I am very pleased with the way this evolved into a “full circle” piece of magical entertainment. The basic maneuver is the standard toss of the deck from one hand to the other, holding back the top and bottom cards with slight pressure of thumb and fingers. I have to assume you know, and can do, that. If you can ... The five spade royal-flush cards are secretly on top of the deck -1 always keep the AS fifth because I like to end with that, as you’ll see. If that matters not to you, set in any order. Overhand injog shuffle keeping those five cards on top. I know that I mention this often - perhaps too often - having your audience really believe that the cards are thoroughly mixed is what makes this kind of effect/routine stronger - keeps it up there at “jaw dropper” level. Double cut the two top cards to bottom, and — hold the deck ready to do the toss from right to left hand, and say, “Do you play poker? Watch!” And do the toss from right to left hand, right hand holding back top and bottom cards (Figure 87, right after the toss/catch). Drop the two right-hand cards face up onto the table (see my Afterthoughts) and immediately toss the deck back from left to right hand, left hand holding

Figure 87

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Figure 88 back top and bottom cards. Table the two left-hand cards face up to the left of the first two face-up royal flush cards. Do a quick overhand injog shuffle or two as you say, “Well, I tossed to the left, I tossed to the right — now I’ll toss ‘down to see what comes ‘up\’” Action to match: As you speak prepare for the standard airdrop to table. I.e: Push off the top card (AS) about an inch as right hand grasps deck from above and immediately drop/push deck straight down onto the table so that air causes the AS to flip face up — magically — to end (Figure 88). Afterthoughts: Short and sweet! There is no pause between the two tosses — it’s a quick “one-two” action. I didn’t use very much time or space to teach it, but it’s a strong item. You may prefer to table the pairs, after each toss, face down. Your choice; and you’d present/patter accordingly, of course. I don’t think I need to tell you that there are many other ways to magically “reveal” the AS to end if you don’t want to do the air drop. I occasionally end by Universal Reversing it, forcing it with The Lorayne Force or pulling “any” card out of a spread (Angle Spread) and showing that it is (magically) the AS. I prefer to end as in the text because the air drop “fits, actionwise and patterwise.”

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Milky Ways Talk about “short and sweet” as mentioned in the Afterthoughts of the preced­ ing item. This may be shorter; don’t know if you’ll think it’s “sweeter.” I taught a few effects using multiple Slip Shuffles, which are sometimes called “milf or “Klondike” shuffles, way back in 2001. The one I used a lot since then is the one I’ll explain here. It won’t take much space at all, which doesn’t mean it “ain’t a goodie.” The four aces are secretly on top of the deck. Shuffle keeping them there and then let your spectator select and remember a card. Kick cut the top half deck into your left hand and have him replace his card onto that original top half. Place the right half onto it catching a momentary break and double cut to the break. Immediately do an overhand injog shuffle or three (which as I’ve stressed a number of times in different books — covers a multitude of sins!). And double cut the top two cards to bottom. Or, when the selection is replaced and as you place the right-hand half deck onto it, get a break under the selected card and the ace under it before you double cut to your break. (Situation check: Three aces on top, one ace at bottom with the selected card above it.) Then, into another overhand shuffle, like this: Start a Slip Shuffle - top and bottom cards fall into left hand. Immediately start another Slip Shuffle - those two cards fall onto the first two cards (Figure 89). And then peel only the top card onto those four and continue shuffling normally onto those five cards. You may have to try this a few times before you can do it all smoothly, without obvious hesitations.

Figure 90 I always continue with my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle (in Section I) and, if you like, a center Hindu Shuffle. Or do a regular Hindu Shuffle stopping half way through and drop the right-hand half onto the left-hand half centering the five vital cards that were at bottom. If you don’t do that, simply give the deck a complete cut. You’re where you want to be — vital cards somewhere at center. What I always do before I cut to bring the vital bottom cards to center is a faro above them - that is, without disturbing them and obviously not caring whether cards are interlacing perfectly (Figure 90). This has fooled some magicians over the years because they thought the faro had something to do with the centering of the selection. Keep back of deck to audience of course. “Did you know that the aces are really magic cards? They are. I’ll prove it to you. I have no idea where the card you’re concentrating on is in this shuffled deck. But, if I do this (magical gesture) it makes the aces go to work. Give it a second or three ... yes, I think they’ve done their magic in this thoroughly shuffled deck. What is the name of your card? Okay; look!” Do a wide face-up table ribbon spread to show that the four aces have magi­ cally “come together” to catch the named card between them! Afterthoughts: That’s it, two interesting magical happenings — the aces coming together in the shuffled deck, and the “catching” of the selected card as they do so. Don’t overlook the faro shuffle idea I mentioned, that strengthens all. Remove the four aces saying - “See? They really are magic cards; let me show you more of their magic.” And into your favorite 4-ace miracle — which you may just find in this book!

Figure 89

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Instead of the Pass I assume you realize by now that I’ve included some items in this book because I was reminded of them while teaching something else and/or some magic friends asked me to include it. Well, the preceding item reminded me of two things that I think should be included; neither one takes up much space. This first one I originally taught in THE MAGIC BOOK. I don’t mind including it because I’ve been told that it really helped a lot of people and because I’ve added “touches” that make it so much stronger. So, just in case you missed it, or overlooked it because you weren’t aware of how helpful it can be, and if you weren’t aware of those “touches”: Not too many of us can really do an imperceptible classic pass — I used to do a pretty good one but never needed to use it when performing -1 just never found it necessary. (I’ve seen a few over the decades who thought they were doing an imperceptible classic pass!) And, after doing the classic pass shouldn’t the deck be shuffled if you’re basically doing a selected card(s) control ? So, if you’re going to shuffle why bother with the classic pass? Anyway ... It starts just like the basic control for a selected card I most often use and that I’ve taught here a number of times - kick cut top half of the deck from right into left hand. Selected card is placed onto the left-hand half deck and you place the right half onto it, catching a momentary break. As you say, “Please don’t forget your card” start shuffling the deck like this: Your left little finger maintains the break as you bend your left thumb under the deck and gently push upward with it until the deck is almost on its lower long side, just about in overhand shuffle position. What this automatically does is to force the top half deck that’s above your break to move a bit upward past the lower half deck. And as left hand does that your right hand approaches, grasps that moved-upward top half (Figure 91) and overhand shuffles it onto face of the lower left half. In action your right hand never really loses contact with the cards. You’ll see that when you try it. I just wanted to teach it as I did to be sure that you really “get” what’s happening. (I’m a worrier!) No pause after this first shuffle; immediately do a Slip Shuffle or two keeping the vital card at rear (top) of the deck. And as you patter about really wanting to lose his card into the deck. I also usually do my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle a couple of times.

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Figure 91 This is really one heck of a good control - in my obviously biased opinion. The Slip Shuffle can be as important to card magic as is the overhand injog shuffle, again in my opinion. It always has been so for me and to many students of mine over the decades. Afterthoughts: I can’t really tell you much more about this. The way it is “han­ dled,” which pieces you use and which you don’t, has to be up to you. I’ve explained the way I basically “handle” it. I sometimes flip the deck face down and do my Status Quo Shuffle and/or an overhand injog shuffle or two. You should, of course, be speaking as you shuffle. Be careful not to overdo it — shuffle to “fit” your patter or vice versa. Point is — do this and no classic pass is necessary; your audience knows that the selected card is hopelessly lost. In my opinion good overhand injog shuffles and good Slip Shuffles “prove” that a selected card is lost in the deck. Most often, when and if I need to do a pass for a specific routine, not for just controlling a selection, I do a Top-Card Cover Pass, which I taught as part of a routine I was doing way back in one of my earlier books. What surprised me is that I wrote THE MAGIC BOOK for the public, for beginners, and yet many “long time” magicians told me that they learned much from that book, including Instead Of The Pass. And - if you catch your left little fingertip break under the selected card, instead of above it as in the text, and then do exactly as taught, you’ll have an instant secret glimpse of that selection as you go into the shuffle!

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Much Better H-S Force This is the other thing I was reminded of by the item before the preceding. When Hindu Shuffling from right hand into left hand the standard Hindu Shuffle force is to show the bottom card of the unshuffled right-hand portion when the spectator says “stop.” That’s fine - it must be — it’s been used by so many over decades. There is however a much better way. A “way” I’ve always used when and if I want to do a H-S force at all. I believe I discussed it originally in Tarbell #7, the Tarbell volume I wrote — about half a century ago at this writing. If you were really giving your spectator a free choice and asking him or her to stop you as you Hindu Shuffle the actual stopped-at card would be the top card of the shuffled left-hand portion — not the face card of the right-hand portion. The top card of the left-hand portion is the force card in this method, which is what makes it a “much better H-S force.” I’ll discuss two “handlings.” Here’s the basic handling of the basic idea: Always do a couple of Slip Shuffles keeping the known force card at bottom. Then prepare by getting a left little fingertip break above the deck’s bottom card. When your right hand takes the deck from above in order to start the shuffle that break/separation is transferred to, maintained by, your thumb and second fingertips (Figure 92; exposed view). Start to Hindu Shuffle asking your spectator to stop you. When you’re stopped move the right-hand portion directly over the left-hand portion to indicate the left portion’s top stopped-at card, as you say, “Right here? Fine.” (Figure 93.) And relax your right fingers releasing the “broken” force card onto the lefthand portion!

Figure 94 As you end the remark, move the right-hand portion back tapping the top of the left portion — that’s what I want the audience to “remember” — you’re simply indicating the stopped-at card. It has just taken me two paragraphs to teach a fraction of a second action. Make it look natural of course. My redundant cliche - “Don’t make a move out of it! ” You’re simply indicating the stopped-at card, that’s all. And that’s it! Now, basically the same concept but this handling allows you to flash the bottom card, if you want to, and allows you to overhand injog shuffle, if you want to — because the card you’ll force is the deck’s top card. Start the Hindu Shuffle normally taking a small portion from top of right-hand half with your left hand. As you move your right hand over the left-hand portion to continue the shuffle your right thumb and second fingertips grasp and lift off the left halfs top card — and continue the shuffle that way (Figure 94, as you move to continue the shuffle after grasping the top card). There must be no pause or hesitation there — no need. It doesn’t matter if you lift off more than one card, so again no need for any fidgeting there. And that’s it. You’re in position to force the original top card just as explained above. Afterthoughts: You may prefer the second handling because you don’t have to prepare the separation held by right thumb and second fingertips — that’s done as part of the shuffling. Honestly, I don’t use the Hindu Shuffle force often — I’m pretty good with the basic classic force. But I may use it when I’m doing an effect where I can’t allow any chance of missing the force.

Figure 92

Figure 93

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The Push-Through Change That’s The Truth!, which follows, is one of my favorite effects and I want to include it because I’ve made it easier to do. That effect utilizes a handling that’s similar to my Push-Through Change. And since I’ve been using the PushThrough Change differently than how I originally published it some decades ago I thought I might as well teach that effect so that you’ll be familiar with the action, and then I’ll teach That’s The Truth. It is based on the plunger principle but used in an entirely different way for an entirely different purpose. It is an instant magical change of four cards to four other cards. Ask your spectator to name his or her favorite four of a kind — assume 6s are named. “Oh great — the sixes are magical cards; I’ll show you.” As you run through the deck locating and tabling the 6s get the four aces to top of the deck. After all four 6s are tabled shuffle the deck keeping the four aces on top. Patter about the necessity of handling the 6s in a certain way as you do the following: Cut the deck and hold a break between the halves at upper-left corner with your left thumbtip (Figure 95). Insert a 6-spot into that space letting it protrude about halfway. As your right hand reaches for another six your left thumb lets one ace riffle off. That second 6-spot is inserted like the first, but now there is an ace between them. Right hand reaches for the third six and this time your left thumb releases two aces. Insert the third six there. Reach for the last 6-spot as your left thumb release the last ace. There’s an ace between the first and second 6-spot,

Figure 95

Figure 96

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Figure 97

Figure 98

two aces between the second and third sixes and one ace between the third and fourth six. In appearance the four sixes have been inserted next to each other. Turn the deck face up in your right hand and spread the sixes with left hand so that all are visible (Figure 96). Square them and lift the deck up to your right fingertips. There is a knack or feel needed to “set” for the move which will come as you keep trying it. After squaring the sixes and both hands are holding the deck your right little finger is at the deck’s inner end (Figure 97). And “tighten” the deck; if the cards lie loosely the sleight won’t work properly. Your left forefinger pushes the sixes slightly into the deck, only about an eighth of an inch or so. Your right little finger at inner end doesn’t allow the aces to protrude from that end. You’re “set” for the move. Right hand grasps the deck exactly as in (Figure 98); your fingers apply some pressure making sure that the deck stays “tight.” The point of “tight” is — if air gets between the cards the move won’t work cleanly. A large movement covers a small movement - the large, natural, movement here is the turning of the deck face down as it is placed into your left hand. The small movement is that of your forefinger pushing flush the four sixes. Right hand loops over to left hand turning deck face down, end for end. Right fore­ finger snaps the four protruding cards flush as right hand moves. Any pause or hesitation will “kill” the move. The 6s going into the deck at that end force the aces out of the deck at the other end - equal distances (Figure 99). Right hand spreads the four protrud­ ing facedown cards. It might seem as if you changed hands just so your right fingers could do that spreading. “Now, let me show you the magic that your sixes can do; watch!” Magical gesture and slowly and obviously turn the deck face up to show that magical change of sixes to aces. Strip out the aces and table them — to end.

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That’s The Truth !

Figure 99 Afterthoughts: Use a bit of misdirection when doing the actual push-through. Look up at the spectator’s eyes as you make a remark, or reach for something with your right hand making it appear as if you changed hands for that reason. I have to leave that to you. Do not, incidentally, use a brand new deck for this move; one that’s been in use for a while works better. The same push-through action — except mostly “plunging” upward instead of downward is used, but more openly, not as a secret move, in the following.

This has become a favorite for some well-known card guys (and some not so well-known card guys). They’ve told me that they’ll use it for the rest of their magical lives. And now, the addition of Utility Mixer (which I didn’t want to give away originally) makes it much stronger. (And be sure to check my Afterthoughts for an ending/addition that I’m also “revealing” for the first time.) For some the necessary setting during performance was a bit of a turn-off. They loved the effect but having to set cards at top, one under the other was awkward. I re-published the effect about fourteen years after the original with an easier/better way to set. Fine; but still a bit difficult for some. So, I finally devised the easiest possible “set” for this impromptu effect plus eliminating some of the memory work. I taught it to some guys recently and most exclaimed, “Oh boy; I sure will use it now.” For the record — the concept owes a nod to an old, rarely performed, Dai Vernon idea, which required a previous setup; and a nod to a Peter Duffie idea which also required a previous, clever, setup. What pushed me to coming up with my effect was my “what if” syndrome — “What if I want to do this with a borrowed shuffled deck just handed to me?” Sometimes the obvious eludes you! One obvious change that makes it so much easier is to set at face of deck instead of at top of deck. Okay; that did make it easier for many. But now, here’s the easiest — which may be a bit difficult for me to explain and which may necessitate a bit of thinking on your part — but the vital (11) cards are simply tabled one onto the other. Take a deep breath — and follow along: Have a card selected (assume the 4H) and control it to bottom, and then a couple of Slip Shuffles. “Did you know that cards can act as a computer? Well, they can. I’ll try to demonstrate it for you.” As you patter, spread the cards faces to you and as if you’re searching for a specific card table any card face down. And then another X card onto that. Now you’re going to place cards of Color, Parity, Suit of the selection, in that order, onto the first two X cards. That’s your one bit of memory work (just think of CuPS). Okay; you’re looking at the selection at face of deck so it’s easy to remove and place onto the first two facedown tabled cards a red card of the opposite suit - say the JD. Let me explain a bit of my thinking here. I like to make the

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cards look “different.” So if the selection is a spot card (4H) I table any same color, opposite suit, picture card (JD, this example). You’ve just done “color” now you need “parity” (odd or even). Since the selection is an even card I table an opposite color even card - say the 8S. Now I need “suit” so I might table say the QH. Be sure you have the concept in mind — you’re looking at the selection (4H) and you’re thinking “Color, Parity, Suit” — so you table two X cards and then — the JD (color), the 8S (parity), the QH (suit). And remember that you’re acting as if you’re searching/tabling specific cards. I sort of mumble to myself as I do it — “Yes; this is the one; right, I need this one,” and so on. And when you’ve tabled the “suit” (QH, this example), table the selection itself (4H) onto that. There are now six cards on the table — you need five more. And they can be any five, but again make it look as if you’re looking for specific cards. I took some time to explain, but please keep in mind that you don’t want to bore your audience, so do it all at a fairly rapid pace; not too rapid, of course — reach a happy medium and cover with patter. Go over this “layout” a couple of times; try it with different “selections.” This example, from top down, you’d have X, X, X, X, X, 4H, QH, 8S, JD, X, X. (Check my Afterthoughts) Table aside the deck proper, pick up the eleven tabled cards and as you say something like “These are my special computer cards, and it doesn’t matter if I mix them” do my Utility Mixer two or three times. This makes it an absolute “impossible impossibility.” And then say, “Now I have to program the computer,” and outjog every even positioned card, the 2nd, 4th, 6th, etc. (Figure 100.) Square so that all is nice and neat. If you tilt the outer portion to left or right you’ll see that each hand can square its portion (Figure 101). Move tilted portion back to position.

Figure 100

Figure 101

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Hold the elongated packet at left side as right fingers pull out the inner group’s bottom card turning it face up. “This isn’t your card is it?” Replace to position face up. Then turn the entire elongated packet over toward you, end for end; one face-up card shows at the now inner portion. “How about this card?” Also denied. “Okay; here’s the important thing — this computer will tell me when you’re lying or telling the truth. Really! ” As you speak hold packet in left- hand deal­ ing position; grasp inner-right corner with right hand as left hand “bellies” the outer portion ever so slightly. This “tightens” the package, as explained in the preceding (.Figure 102). Say that you’ll ask questions and he can lie or tell the truth; your card com­ puter will tell you which. You ask the questions in the same order — CPS. So, first question is, “Is your card red or black? Lie or tell the truth.” Whatever the answer push the inner group upward — you’re doing the push-through but upward instead of downward. Your red card (JD, this example) appears. Remark according to his answer - “Yes; you told the truth” or “You lied; your card is red.” This incidentally is why I turn that one card face up before I start the questions — now only that one red card shows — all is “clearer” with only that one face showing. Turn the entire package end for end, keeping it face up. Just grasp it at center of left long side with right hand (Figure 103) and swivel it around back to left-hand dealing position. “Is your card an even or an odd card ? Lie or tell the truth.” Do exactly as before pushing/plunging the inner part upward. Your “set” even card (8S, this example) appears. Remark according to his answer. Turn/swivel the package as explained. “What is the suit of your card — club, heart, spade or diamond? And again, lie or tell the truth.” Do the “plunge

Figure 102

Figure 103

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You’ve tabled the 4H face up. Turn the top facedown card of the in-hand cards face up and then turn the entire packet over — face down. “It really is a special computer, does extraordinary things. Watch!” Utility Mix two or three times then table the facedown packet under, south of, the face-up 4H. And, turn up the top three cards one at a time, placing to packet’s left, right and onto — to display the other three fours!! (I drop jaws the second or third time during the routine with this!!)

Figure 104

Figure 105

upward” thing and your “set” heart card (QH) comes into view. Remark according to his answer. Now do not turn/swivel the package; leave it as is. Move your left forefingertip to center of the outer end and point to the empty space just past the package’s inner end (Figure 104) and say, “Keep your eyes right here, and I want the truth this time — what is the name of the card you’re thinking of? The truth, please.” As soon as it’s named left forefinger pushes, almost snaps, down the outjogged portion (the move done secretly in the preceding effect is done openly here) which pushes out the selected card at inner end\ (Figure 105.) Split second pause and then your right hand pulls out the 4H (this example) and hands it to the spectator — “Now, that’s the truth! ” Afterthoughts: What a strong, entertaining, effect this is! Forgive my saying so, but it sure has always been so for me. You can of course table/set the vital cards like this: The selection is staring you in the face — table the Color, Parity, Suit cards and then the selection itself, and then any seven X cards onto that. Pick up the packet and complete cut two cards from top to bottom, then Utility Mix the packet — and go! And, here’s what I do occasionally — more and more often. Briefly: Set exactly as taught except that the last three cards of those last five X cards are now the three mates of the selection — text example, the three other 4-spots. They are the last three cards placed onto the tabled “computer” cards. And, as I go through placing of cards, when I see a 4-spot I upjog it so that it’s there later, when 1 need it, just to save “searching” time. Do the routine just as taught, and — when you end, the three 4-spots are at top of the in-hand packet!

Section IV Spread Control Impossibility Magician’s Choice Silly Cut An Ear Full of Cider The Lorayne Spin Take Me To Your Leader Billustrious Miraculous Coincidence Stabbed In The Pack, Twirl Change (R)Evolutionary

Spread Control Impossibility If any item in this book fits into the “jaw droppers” category this one sure does. I actually, really, see jaws drop when I end this effect. It belonged in that category when I originally taught it but adding my Utility Mixer sure does make jaws drop even lower! Of course I also want to include it because it rationalizes my desire to beag about and teach my Spread Control — another one of my utility items that I’m very proud of. If you already know how my Spread Control secretly brings three free selections to top of the deck you can skip the next few paragraphs. Do NOT skip them if you don’t know it, have forgotten it, are not too sure of it. Let a spectator shuffle the deck and then do a smooth facedown left-to-right table ribbon spread. Spread just a bit toward you so that the spread’s right end tilts slightly toward the table’s edge. Ask a person at your left to point to any card within the bottom area, your left end of the spread. Remove that card, hold it face to him so that he can see/remember it — and your next action, which is done with each selection, is important. Drop his selection back onto the spread at about the area from which it came; do it like this: Turn to your second spectator and ask him to point to any card in the spread’s center area as you indicate that area. It’s as you turn to the second person that you drop the first card back onto its area of the spread, casually and without even bothering to look - it is “natural and unimportant” and simply not noticed. That’s “key;” it is dropped onto, not inserted into, the spread. Attention is diverted from that because your attention is now directed toward the second spectator. Second person points to a card at center area and repeat exactly, dropping his remembered card back onto its general area as you turn to the third person asking him to indicate any card at the spread’s right end (top) area. As you drop his card back onto the spread, turn to speak to the first two spectators, telling them to be sure to remember their cards. Turning attention away as you drop each card is what takes the heat off that action. Now the move, which just about works itself: Your left hand gathers the spread; your left fingers press down on the tabletop at the spread’s left end as the hand “sweeps” to the right. If you keep applying that almost automatic gentle pressure with left fingers the three selections will “ride” across the spread and end up on top of the deck in 1-2-3 119

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Figure 106 order! (Figure 106, about to do the sweep/gather.) Please remember that the gather is done in one smooth and fairly rapid action — doing it slowly would expose what’s happening. Gather the spread into your right hand (reason for tilting it a bit toward table’s edge) so that you can immediately do a few overhand injog shuffles keeping the three selections on top. That’s a convincer. Keep in mind that the gather is done without paying specific attention to it; it is not a “studied” action. You should be addressing a remark to your audience as you do it. You won’t see how easy it is to do and how well it works until you’ve tried it a few times. Okay; that’s the move. Now the “jaw dropping” effect: Three cards have been remembered; deck has been shuffled. Your left thumb peels off the top three cards, one at a time, and table the facedown 3-card packet. Peel off three more and drop to right of the first one, and then one more 3-card packet to right of the first two. Table aside the deck proper. “I want to try a very special and difficult piece of card magic for you. Difficult because the cards have to be really and thoroughly mixed.” Pick up the packets in a seemingly haphaz­ ard order but keep the original top vital packet at bottom (or at top or center, so long as you know which). And do the Utility Mixer two or three times. The deck was thoroughly shuffled before tabling the three small packets and now those packets are shuffled; your audience must believe that the three selections are hopelessly lost — either in the 9-card packet or in the deck proper. Re-table the three packets just as you originally did — the three selections, say, in the left-end packet. “Sir, would you help me out? Just pick up any one of these three packets.” Now, into the way I “handle” the 3-item magician’s choice. I always start with a pick-up of only one of the items. Normally the spectator is asked to pick up two items and that’s not the best way. Because - you might

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as well go for the “miracle” and hope he picks up the vital packet. If he does, go into your ending. If he picks up either of the other two packets, immediately — as a continuation of your initial remark — say, “And pick up another one with your other hand.” Ifhe picks up the other non-vital packet, take both from him, your attention on the remaining tabled packet, and toss those two aside. Into your ending with that one remaining packet. Ifhe picks up the vital packet with his other hand after picking up the first one, say, “And give me one of them.” Ifhe hands you the vital packet, say, “Great,” as you casually take the other packet from him and table it aside. If he hands you the non-vital packet — again, “Great,” as you discard it, your attention on the packet he’s still holding — and into your ending. The ending, of course, is to ask each person to name the card he’s thinking of and then to turn up the three cards one at a time — to show the three named cards! Afterthoughts: Think about how impossible this has to seem to your audience. That is, if you’ve practiced and can do my Spread Control, overhand injog shuffles, my Utility Mixer (which, as I’ve already mentioned, really makes this an “impossible impossibility”), and my variation of magician’s choice. You’ll have much fun, receive much applause and drop all jaws, with this.

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Silly Cut This really seemed “silly” to me until I did it for a group of magic friends and they liked it; it actually “went by” one or two of them. It happened sorta’ by accident originally. And it would seem that it’s the sort of thing that has already been in print. I’ve never seen or heard of it — but if it is an “old thing,” please forgive — ‘cause it’s new to me! It shouldn’t take me more than two paragraphs to describe the basic idea and then I’ll explain a quick effect. It’s a table cut; you do it as you make a remark, any remark that fits the situ­ ation at that moment, like — “Please put your hand flat onto the deck” as you complete the cut. It is an instant move done without any hesitation and without any particular attention paid. Your right hand holds the deck from above and at its ends (Figure 107). Your hand moves to the tabletop to do a table cut and your right forefinger reaches over to the outer long side of the deck and kicks back, the deck’s top half! (Figure 108, starting.) As your right forefinger does that “kickback” your right hand continues to move forward and tables the remaining (bottom) half (Figure 109 - just at completion). And your right hand moves back to pick up the kicked-back (original top) half and slaps it onto the half deck at left (original bottom) half. That’s it — Silly Cut completed!

And then I started to do this quick effect that’s not quite as “silly”! Try this: Glimpse the top card (assume the 4C) and keep it there as you shuffle. Say,

Figure 108

Figure 107

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Figure 109

Figure 110

“I’ve practiced for years to be able to cut to any card in a deck; oh, for example ... the four of clubs.” And as you say it, do the Silly Cut as explained and then immediately move your right hand back to take the right half’s top card (4C), turn it face up as you place/drop it onto the left half at an angle. Immediately move back, pick up the right half and place it onto the left half to complete the cut (Figure 110). That last image — named/cut-to card visible at center deck — “locks it in.” Afterthoughts: Whatever effect or routine you happen to be performing do not pause after doing Silly Cut. You want to, have to, continue with whatever follows the cut. You don’t want to allow time for anyone to think about it! The “cutting to any card” I explained above “works”. Learn to do the cut and then try it; you’ll see that it really does fool. As explained in the text, it’s important that your hand does not stop; it con­ tinues moving forward as your forefinger kicks back the top half deck. That helps the top half to “clear” properly.

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An Ear Full of Cider “Son” the old guy says, “no matter how far you travel, or how smart you get, always remember this: Someday, somewhere, a guy is going to come to you, show you a new deck of cards on which the seal has never been broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out of the deck and squirt cider in your ear. But son,” the old guy says, “do not bet him, for as sure as you do you are going to get an ear full of cider.” Figure 111

For a long time I performed a quick piece of impromptu card magic as I quoted the above (by Damon Runyon of Guys And Dolls fame) with a slight change here and there. The trick started as I began the quote and ended as I finished the quote — about a minute or so. It always elicited a strong reaction. You need to be able to do three things — memorize the quote, control a card and make it fly or jump — or appear to fly or jump — out of the deck. What made me come up with the idea was the fact that I wanted a reason to “do” my Lorayne Spin (which is also taught in LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 2). That was my “jump out of the deck” from the quote. There are alternatives, which I’ll mention later, but right now I want to teach The Lorayne Spin, which is/was used by many — I know that Jeff McBride used it for years and probably still does. Your right thumbnail needs to extend at least a bit past the flesh of your thumbtip. Straddle grip the short end of the back-toward-you deck between right forefinger and little finger. Little finger bent back a bit, past the deck (Fig­ ure 111). Contact the back of the top card with the flesh of your right thumbtip and tilt that top card to the left over your little fingertip and then quickly move your thumb down to under the inner-left corner of the tilted card so that your thumbnail contacts the second-from-top card. That corner of the top card rests on the thumbnail. (Figure 112 is a freeze of the situation at this instant; there’s absolutely no pause in action.) Your right thumb does all the work now. Press its nail against the back of the 2nd-from-top card and snap it open/straighten it sharply - and the top card flies into the air, spinning rapidly. That’s basically it. You catch the spun-out card with your left hand. Shoot the card straight up with a bit of a windup movement and it arcs to the left.

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Figure 112

When you first try this that top card may just fall to the floor. Make sure the card enters the air edgewise because air hitting the face of the card would make it flutter instead of spin. And sharply pulling back your hand just as the card is spun usually gives a better spin-out. Yes; the spin will take a bit of practice and a lot of picking cards off the floor!

During a preceding effect get the JS to top. As you shuffle keeping it on top, start your patter. “I want to recite a Damon Runyon quote for you. This deck will represent the phrase ‘new deck’ in that quote, as you’ll see.” Start to quote the quote; emphasize “new deck.” And when you say “... the jack of spades will jump out” do The Lorayne Spin or whatever you’ll use for the “jump out” — or magical appearance — of the JS. As you end the quote “... going to get an ear full of cider” hold the JS up near your ear, face to audience. Afterthoughts: That’s the basic idea. I wanted to keep it simple because I know it’s the kind of thing that whoever wants to use it will add whatever fits for him into the presentation. This is definitely the kind of effect during which you have to add what I call the three Ps — Patter, Presentation, Personality. If you don’t want to use The Lorayne Spin use any pop-out move you know at the proper time, or do the air drop causing the JS to magically appear face up as you drop/push the deck down onto the tabletop. Which is fine, but don’t give up on the spin. That’s basically what I wanted to teach here. Years ago a few people who had learned it from the original publication did the exact effect but they liked to end it producing the JS from a pocket. Fine,

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but I believe that ending with The Lorayne Spin — or however you want to “pop out” the JS at the proper time — is strong enough. Producing the JS from a pocket at the end may detract from that end. Well; happy memorizing (the quote) and practicing (The Lorayne Spin)!

Take Me To Your Leader As I said in the Foreword, to honor every request for items to put in this book would have made it much too large a book. I had to decide which requests to “honor.” Part of that decision-making had to do with how available the requested effect or routine was and, of course, how good an effect/routine I thought it was. Well; I’m including this request because both the books in which it originally appeared are long out of print, and it’s a very good, strong, routine. I’m bringing it “up to date” (as I’ve done with every item in this book that I had previously published years or decades ago) .The main modus operandi is the Charlier Cut. If you can do that you may just love this any deck, any time, impromptu routine. You can do the following bit of preparation beforehand or as you go into the routine, which is the way I do it. Crimp or bend the packet of the four aces while it is face down by pressing the packet’s long sides downward. Crimp or bend the remaining deck proper the opposite way; that is, bend the long sides upward. The crimps needn’t be too “deep;” do a bit of experimenting once you’re familiar with the effect. (Figure 113; the crimps are exaggerated to make sure you see direction, etc.). Up to you, of course, but the least troublesome way to form the correct “bends” is to simply place the four aces face up onto the facedown deck and then bend upward the long sides of the entire package (Figure 114). I usually do just that as I’m ostensibly squaring the deck against the tabletop. Once you’ve done the small preparation, into the routine: Table the aces into a face-up left-to-right row to display them; then turn them face down. Openly spread off and drop three of the deck’s top cards face down

Figure 114

Figure 113

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A N D F IN A L L Y '

Figure 115

Figure 116

onto each ace, as you say something like “This will help to lose the aces.” You can, obviously, deal onto the aces singly if you prefer. Ask a spectator to point to any ace packet. When (s)he does reach under the packet and remove the ace. Flash it (assume it’s the AH) drop it back on top of its three cards and move that 4-card packet aside. “Good, that will be the leader ace.” Hold the deck in left hand ready to start a Charlier Cut. As your right hand reaches for one of the other three ace packets left hand does the first part of the Charlier Cut, letting the bottom half deck fall onto your palm. And place the ace packet outjogged into the space thus formed (Figure 115, in progress). Let the top half deck fall onto the ace; in other words, the cut is not completed. Turn the deck face to audience (Figure 116), move it a bit right/left so that it’s obvious to all that the ace is in the middle of the deck. Then slowly push the ace packet flush and square the deck. Do exactly the same with the second ace packet - when you do the first part of the cut the deck will automatically break at the first ace; it will be at top of the lower half. Handle the second ace packet exactly the same as you handled the first. Be sure to show that the ace is really at center deck — that’s the main strength of the idea. And repeat exactly with the third ace packet. After inserting and showing the third ace at center deck and flushing it to center — reach for the AH, leader ace, packet with your right hand. And as you reach for it do a complete Charlier Cut with left hand. Make no particular effort to hide this; just do it neatly — and the first three aces are brought to top of the deck! This is good because the placing of three cards on each ace is a throw-off. In other words, this can be done without putting the three cards on each ace, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as good, as effective.

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Figure 117

Figure 118

Okay; without pausing pick up the AH packet and drop it face up onto the deck. Right hand, from above, lifts the 7-card block — the face-up leader-ace packet and the three facedown aces beneath it — facilitated by the downward crimp of those three aces. And into the Braue Secret Add-On which neatly gets rid of the three X cards. Basically: Peel the three X cards onto the deck one at a time, flipping each face down with the right-hand packet (Figure 117). The remaining AH is a 4-card packet. Drop that as is onto the deck. As you do this add-on move, patter: “Here are the three ‘any’ cards and the leader ace, the ace of hearts.” Remove the face-up AH and as you do your hands do a quick casual bend downward of its long sides (Figure 118) to remove the crimp. I do that natural action with each ace; if it’s a problem for you just don’t do it. There’s no pause obviously; table the AH. “If that ace is really a ‘leader,’ it should bring up the other aces to join it” — and turn the aces up one at a time, doing that “remove the crimp” bend and tabling each alongside the AH — to end. Afterthoughts: This is a stunner, a jaw dropper. Learn it, perform it neatly, and I think you’ll agree. When reaching for an ace packet don’t stare at the deck to make sure it’s cutting at the crimp. That would telegraph to your audience that “something” is happening. If you relax your left thumb gently it really is just-about impossible to miss; the deck will always break at the centered crimped card or cards. And when you do the Braue Secret Add-On tilt the packet downward a bit so that the extra thickness isn’t seen. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking Take Me To Your Leader.

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Billustrious “Good,” goes without saying, but this is also different. The basic force is an old idea, which is immaterial because I think you’ll love it (I know. I say this about other items in the book; can’t help it!), love the way it’s used here. An 8-card setup is required. Set a royal flush in order (as you know by now, I most often use spades) to top of the deck, AS on top. Then place two of the remaining aces on top and the other at bottom of the flush. So, from top down: Ace, ace, AS, KS, QS, JS, 10S, ace. Borrow four $1 bills (any denomination would do; I always borrow $1 bills. You’ll see why when you read my Afterthoughts). Place them aside and shuffle the deck keeping the setup on top and double cut the top ace to bottom. I put that ace on top originally to facilitate the shuffling, but it must be on bottom before continuing. Say to one person, “Please deal the cards down like this, stop whenever you like, put a bill onto the tabled packet, like this, and then drop the rest of the deck onto the bill.” As you speak, demonstrate by dealing six cards singly from top into a facedown tabled packet. Do not make it obvious that you’re tabling any specific number of cards, of course. Place a bill onto the tabled 6-card packet {Figure 119) and place the deck proper onto that {Figure 120). Pick up the entire deck — that is, all including the bill and the six cards under it — and hand it to the spectator. Let him deal down as you did and stop whenever he likes (really; it doesn’t matter where anyone stops now). He places the second $ 1 bill onto the tabled/counted portion and places the deck onto that.

Figure 120

Figure 119

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Pick up the entire deck, as is — bills protruding — with your fingertips to make it obvious that you’re not “doing” anything. Hand it to another spectator asking him to do the same thing. He does — deals, stops, drops bill onto counted cards, drops deck proper onto all. Pick up all — three bills protrude — and hand it to another person asking him to do the same thing. He does — deals, stops, places the last bill, drops the deck proper onto it — and you’re ready for the strong ending. Move the deck front and center, and — slowly lift the block of cards on top of the uppermost bill and turn it face up, end for end away from you. An ace shows at face. Move aside the top bill. Slowly lift the block of cards that’s on the next bill and turn it face up end for end toward you. An ace shows. Don’t let these cards spread. Move aside the now top bill. Do the same with the next block of cards, up to the third bill, turning it to the left, side for side. Another ace shows. Your audience should be letting out a collective gasp by now! Move aside the top bill. Do the same with the card block on the last bill, turning it side for side to the right - and an indifferent card shows! Move aside the last bill and the remaining cards, leaving clear the center area of the diamond shaped layout. When that indifferent card shows at the right, say, “Oops.” One-beat pause, and - “No problem, I always have an extra ace somewhere. Watch!” Snap your fingers over the packet nearest you, take its face ace and place it onto the at-your-right indifferent card. The AS is now at face of the near packet — four aces are displayed. “This is why nobody wants to play cards with me.” Another one- or two-beat pause; then “Well, there is one other reason.” Spread the AS packet upward to display the royal flush in spades 1 {Figure 121.)

Figure 121

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Afterthoughts: This is a beauty! Learn it, perform it and you’ll see. When you do the “oops” as you turn up the fourth packet, do it with a smile, letting your audience know that you didn’t “get” to an ace purposely. In my experience, that’s what they believe anyway. Oh, and if you don’t care about the royal flush being in order at the end — which isn’t really necessary - set the flush in any order, but the ace at top. I sometimes end by saying, “Now that trick is worth four dollars, isn’t it?” Try it; you’ll usually get a “yes.” Pick up the four bills, saying “Thanks!” Then, “Just kidding,” and return the bills — unless you’re not kidding! And — what the heck; four bills are there just waiting. So I sometimes crumple them into ball shapes and do a matrix routine, because I have a crumpled $1 bill of my own hidden away and ready to go! (Check out Four To Go in THE MAGIC BOOK for such a routine.) You can “do” the “now that trick is worth ...” gag after that. I’ve said it at the end of other effects/routines in this book, so forgive the repetition, but don’t overlook this!

Miraculous Coincidence In my Afterthoughts of Preferred Take Five (last section) I mentioned a matefinder idea. The effect here is the same but the handlings are entirely different. When you’ve learned both of them you can decide which method, if either, you want to use. The main reason I want to teach it is I think you’ll enjoy learning it, and there’s an interesting idea or three involved. And the handling here is much easier to do than the way it was originally taught in PERSONAL COL­ LECTION. As you say that you want to make a prediction spread the cards of the shuffled deck faces toward you and table the mate of the top card; for teaching purposes assume that the KD is on top so you table the KH as your prediction. Shuffle the deck; that’s important, Slip Shuffle or overhand injog shuffle, or both, keeping the KD on top. Then table ribbon spread the facedown deck and ask your spectator to remove any five cards. When he does, leave those five cards tabled face down and gather the deck. Ask your spectator to mix those five cards around a bit and then decide on one; when he does have him put his hand on it. As you talk, telling him what to do, you do my slight variation of the Braue Secret Reversal, which I’ve taught in other books as RTP, Reverse To Position. Briefly: Right hand holds deck from above, thumb holding a break under the top card at inner end. Left hand undercuts half the deck and flips it face up to top; square. Then undercut up to original break and flip that half face up. As you do, left fingers push out the rear card of that half — enough so that you can see its inner-right index. Glimpse and remember it (assume it’s the 6C) as you insert the right half above it (Figure 122).

Figure 122

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Square. The KD is now face down second from rear of the face-up deck. Make a remark to cover this quick maneuver, perhaps, “Nobody knows the name of the card that’s under your hand; it couldn’t of course be this one, or this one,” as each of two cards flash when doing the reversal. Then take the card that’s under his hand, don’t flash it, and insert it face down to center of the face-up deck outjogged about halfway. Your right hand rests on the deck from above as you say, “Let’s leave the card you chose face down here at about center ...” Your right thumb lifts the inner end of the half deck just above the outjogged facedown card (Figure 123) as you look down and finish your remark, “... right above the six of clubs.” Simply say the name of the card you glimpsed when doing the reversal! It’s a casual throw-away kind of remark. There’s actually no pause here. As you make that remark go into my Universal Reversal (which you already know) but done with the deck face up “straighten­ ing” a reversed card. I’ll describe it briefly to save you flipping back to Section II. Push flush the outjogged facedown card catching a break under it. Right hand holds deck from above, thumbtip maintaining the break. Left hand flips the half deck below the break to top, stepped left, turning it face down as it does. Left fingertips slide the right half’s bottom card to the left, flushing it with the just flipped facedown half as right hand turns its half face down onto (not under) the left half. Your work is done. As usual, it takes much less time to do the action than it takes me to explain it. (If you want a longer, clearer, explanation go to the end of Section II). Hold the deck face up in your left hand as your right hand turns face up the remaining four tabled cards that the spectator originally removed from the deck. “You could have decided on any five cards originally and then on any one of those five. In other words, you selected which card to reverse in the deck.”

Figure 123

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All buildup now. Do a face-up table ribbon spread; indicate the facedown card at center; “There it is, right on the six of clubs.” Again, don’t make an issue over this, say it casually, but it’s an interesting (strong?) subtle touch. Remove that facedown card, dramatically turn it face up as at the same time you turn face up your original prediction card to display the “miraculous coincidence.” Afterthoughts: Not much more I can tell you about this. As I’ve already men­ tioned, the general effect here is basically the same as the effect I mentioned fleetingly in the Afterthoughts of Preferred Take Five, but entirely different in method and appearance. I just thought it’s something with which you’d want to “play.” I’ve taught the RTP (Reverse To Position) idea in a couple of previous books - when I needed to secretly reverse a specific card to 3rd or 4th position from top. It’s easy enough for your left fingertips to push out two or three cards when doing the Braue Secret Reversal instead of just one card as done in this effect. I would never push out more than three cards because that would call attention to an action to which you don’t want attention called.

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Stabbed In The Pack The most requested of my items to include in this book, aside from the new items, is definitely this one. Over the decades people have changed/added to it in different ways, mostly weakening a strong effect. Over those decades I’ve done it exactly as I originally taught it. It’s the kind of thing that should be done often or not at all. When I was doing table magic I did it at every table. It’s the toss of a card into the deck that I’m talking about — and once you’ve mastered it, and do it often enough, you’ll rarely miss. The effect is that a selected card is lost in the deck; you toss one card into the deck from a distance and show that you’ve tossed it right next to the selection! Control a selected card to bottom of the deck. As I’ve said to the point of redundancy making sure that your audience is 100% convinced that a selection is hopelessly lost in the deck makes an effect like this much, much, stronger. So, do a few Slip Shuffles keeping the selection on bottom. “Sometimes I get lucky and can cut to a card that’s been lost into the deck.” Do a false cut -1 do my HaLo Cut to keep the selection at bottom - show the top card. “But I don’t think it happened now; this isn’t your card, is it? No; I didn’t think so.” Hold on to that card and table the deck almost horizontally; you want the inner-left (or right) corner pointing toward you just a bit because it’s easier for a tossed card to enter the deck at a corner. “Oh well; I’ll try my luck just once more,” and into the toss: Hold the face-up X card the way you’d ordinarily hold a card you were about to toss. You’ll see how I hold it in the upcoming photo. Step back from the deck about three or four feet; it’s really according to how tall you are, how long your right arm is. Distance from the deck will lock in for you after you’ve done/tried the toss a number of times. Stepping back this way helps to create the illusion of tossing the card from some feet away. Take a step in as part of your tossing motion and the reach of your arm brings your hand and the card to about twelve inches or so from the deck and that’s when you release the card. It is all one smooth action, of course, and it appears, or should, as if the card travels much farther than it actually does. Now, important: If you toss the card directly at the deck, take my word for it, it will fly over the deck. So, you have to bounce it off the tabletop into the deck. But not

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too close to the deck; if you’re too close the card will slide under the deck or perhaps enter the deck two or three cards from bottom. That “ain’t” good. Bounce it at about four or five inches in front of the deck. A bit of experi­ menting is called for. Also important: If your hand and card are way above the deck and you bounce the card it will bounce right over the deck! Your working surface also comes into consideration. You should be crouching when you toss, which is the most natural way to do it, anyway. The card shouldn’t be more than, say, two or three inches above the deck’s level when it leaves your hand (Fig­ ure 124) and toss it a bit forcefully. It will probably take you quite some tries, but when done properly the card enters the deck near center and stops dead. I had no choice but to try to explain each little “piece.” When performed its one instant fluid motion. Now I also have to go into a bit of detail for the all-important ending. Remem­ ber that the selection is at bottom of the deck. Ask for the name of the thought-of card (assume the 5H). When it’s named do the following — I use my left hand for this; either hand will do. Place your thumb on the tossed/protruding card so that it also presses on the inner long side of the portion above the tossed-in card. At the same time your other fingers move under the entire deck at its outer long side; the pads of those fingertips are up against the bottom, selected, card. It’s a fairly natural, almost automatic, grip which lasts only a fraction of a second (Figure 125). Start to pull your hand and the top portion away from you and away from the lower half deck. And — as your thumb pressing down temporarily holds the tossed-in card in place your fingers move the bottom card along with that top half! As the top half and the bottom card start moving away from you your

Figure 124

Figure 125

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Twirl Change

Figure 126

Figure 127

thumb can move off the tossed card (Figure 126 shows just what’s happening). Repeat the name of the selected card as your hand clears and slaps its portion, face up, right back onto the tabled half and onto the tossed-in card (Figure 127). That’s it. What your audience sees is the portion of cards above the tossed-in card being turned face up — that’s exactly what it looks like when properly done. You need to try not to make this instant action look like a “move.” Start the action gently but when you know the bottom card is coming along quickly move your hand up and away and down onto the bottom portion. Make it look only as if you’re turning the half deck above the tossed card face up with a bit of a dramatic gesture. As usual it has taken a bit of time to explain a pretty instant action. Afterthoughts: That’s about all I can tell you about this. Over the decades I’ve had people tell me that they followed my instructions and were able to do the toss cleanly almost immediately, or by their third or fourth try. Others, of course, told me that it took them quite a few tries, quite a bit of practice, before it started working for them. I would sometimes do my Lorayne Spin (as taught in An Ear Full of Cider) to subliminally “establish” distance. And that “spun” card was the one I “stabbed in the pack”! If you want to do that keep in mind that you’d be holding the deck face to audience when you do the spin — so they could see the selected card there. See if you can work it so that that is avoided.

Every once in a while, during my long magic life, a move/sleight/idea just hap­ pens! In other words, no special effort trying to work out a specific problem or idea - it just occurs. This is one such. It happened quite recently and it may be something that has already “been around,” but I’ve never heard of or seen anything similar. So, judge for me — see what you think. I haven’t had a chance to do it for magician friends but I have fooled laymen with it. I had a left little fingertip break under the top four aces of the shuffled (so far as my audience was concerned) deck. Four indifferent face-down cards were on the table - four cards that a spectator had pulled out from different areas of a facedown table ribbon spread which was part of the effect I was performing at the time. Now, I was thinking of doing my Sweet 4-Card Change (as taught in this book) but it just didn’t seem to fit the situation. So I did as follows, which is a split-second maneuver. My right hand reached for the four tabled cards (on a close-up mat, so easy to pick up) as my left hand casually turned palm down nearby (Figure 128) in order to hide the break. (Because Bill Simon once wrote — “You can drive a truck through a Harry Lorayne break! ”) Also note that the right forefinger is almost automatically near the 4-card packet’s left long side. The next actions happen fluidly in a fraction of a second but, as usual, in order to teach it properly, I have to break it down for you. From the position shown in the photo, continue: Right hand picks up the facedown 4-card block at its ends as both hands move upward off the tabletop, left hand starting to turn back to palm-up position. Right hand flushes its 4-card

Figure 128

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(R) Evolutionary

Figure 129 facedown block onto the facedown deck so that your break is now under eight cards. There is, of course, absolutely no pause during this action. As the right hand flushes its block onto top of the left-hand deck, and as part of the same action, it lifts the 8-card block its forefinger moving to the block’s left long side. And that forefinger starts to turn (or “twirl”) its block by pulling the block up and to the right as at the same time, left thumb pushes upward starting to turn the deck to face-up position (Figure 129, in progress). And, again, no pause, right hand drops/places its portion face up onto the face-up deck. An ace shows and you spread the four face cards to display all four aces! That’s it - I’m going to leave patter, etc. to you. Afterthoughts: I did want to get this move onto paper. I’ve tried it on laymen a few times before completing the writing/typing and it fooled each time. Please bear in mind that it is a fluid instant action. Try it, play with it a bit, and you’ll see what I mean.

1 like the very workable basic idea I want to talk about here, and I want to explain a couple of different ways to utilize that basic idea. This first method is used when seated at a table opposite your spectators. Hand to hand spread the shuffled facedown deck asking a spectator to stop you. When you’re stopped at or near center deck lift your right hand to show the stopped-at card in the usual/standard way. But for this you need to be sure that the three bottom cards of that right-hand spread are clear and separated (Figure 130). Of course, don’t make it obvious that you’re making sure of that - easy enough to simply spread there when you’re stopped. You can point to the stopped-at card with a left finger if you want to, as you turn your head aside. And then, what it looks like to your audience is that you take that stopped-at card with your left hand and table it. What actually hap­ pens is as follows: Lower your right hand and move your hands toward each other. As you say, “Please don’t forget your card,” your left little fingertip bends in a bit as your thumb takes the two bottom cards of the right-hand spread together. What happens just-about automatically in that one simple action, is that the selected card is separated at right long side. (Check my Afterthoughts.) The second card is automatically stepped to the right of the selected card. (Figure 131 is a slightly exaggerated rear view.) The separation can be fairly wide; it can’t be seen because the stepped-to-the-right card covers it. The point of course is that this automatic normal-looking action looks as if your left thumb takes only the stopped-at card.

Figure 130

Figure 131

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There is no pause. Your left hand does the normal action of tabling the stopped-at card in front of the spectator, as you make a remark, but you’re tabling, simply releasing, the stepped-to-right indifferent card. Do it without losing the separation under the next (selected) card. Again, no pause. Your left hand moves back to your right hand, which is resting at the table’s edge, to replace that left portion under the right portion and to square all. And you’re at perfect position to lap the separated (selected) card. Just tilt your left hand slightly downward and relax your left fingers as you coalesce the two half decks letting that separated card fly down to your lap. Table the squared deck. It is all one fluid action from the time you apparently place the stopped-at card onto the left half to the time you table the squared deck. And of course, you can be talking as you do it. So your audience believes that the remembered card is on the table when it is really on your lap. An enviable situation. Take it from there. Yes, proper tim­ ing, proper attitude is necessary. You may have to practice the “take” of the two cards onto the left half a few times before it starts to become automatic. Also, I said to bend in your little finger to get that break and that’s okay, but you may want to change that to just a flesh break.

Now if you don’t want to lap the selected card and/or you want to use the idea seated or standing, no problem. You can do an almost instant reverse of the stopped-at card to center of the deck. When I originally published this I had not as yet devised my Universal Reversal or I didn’t want to “release” it at that time. You can, of course, easily use that to reverse a stopped at card. But what I taught originally, those couple of decades ago, is also fast and good. Do exactly as I’ve explained here up to when you apparently table the stoppedat card. Then your hands move toward each other and your right hand turns its spread of cards face up onto the left-hand cards, and square. Look at the top face-up card, and say, “You could have stopped me at this card.” Right hand holds the top half up to your separation/break as your left hand flips the lower half face up - “Or this one” - and replaces the half deck as is (face up) to under the right half. Flip the deck face down - and you’re done, the selected card is reversed at center. Not bad.

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Figure 132 Before I leave the idea: If you take the two bottom cards onto the left half let­ ting the stopped-at card flush completely and then table the stepped-to right card - you’ve done an excellent and easy switch of a card! Finally: Don’t table the indifferent card but immediately insert it outjogged to center of the right-hand spread (Figure 132). Then insert the entire righthand spread to center of the left-hand spread, and square. Then slowly push the outjogged card flush, or let your spectator do so. Audience believes that the selected card is at center but it’s really on top. Another enviable situation. Take it from there. Afterthoughts: Well, you have choices here for ending a selected-card effect. And choices for handling the basic switch. I originally hadn’t really made up my mind as to whether to include this. I’m glad I decided to do so.

Section V Triplocation What’s Mine Is Yours! Palm From Double Two Over Easy Ho^us Pokus Illogical Double Lift Hokus Pokus Royal Mental Vibrations The Family Unit

Triplication I first mentioned this idea way back in My Favorite Card Triers (1965). I’ve used the idea over the decades for the “location” of a lost-in-the-deck selected card. And about three decades later I published a way to use the idea to locate two lost selections (Doublocation). For quite some time I’ve also used it for magically locating three hopelessly-lost-in-the-deck selected cards. And it came to mind when I was writing/teaching my Spread Control in Spread |Control Impossibility. Of course any control of three cards can be used, but I most often use The Spread Control. Okay; control three cards to the top of the deck. During your shuffling, convincing your audience that the three cards are hopelessly lost, shuffle or double cut two cards to top so that the selections are 3rd, 4th and 5th from top. Turn up the two top cards and say, “Your cards are lose they shouldn’t be anywhere near top ...” replace and then flip deck face up and spread off a few cards “... or near bottom.” I always do this but it’s not crucial - up to you. Do a wide facedown table ribbon spread. Say to one spectator, “Pull out any one of these cards and it will immediately find one of the cards you folks are thinking of! ” I make a fairly large issue over this. I usually repeat the remark emphasizing “any one of these cards.” And here’s the point: It doesn’t matter which card (s)he pulls out of the spread — it will “locate” one of the selected cards, so you can “sell it” as strongly as you like. When you have the idea in mind you’ll do the “location” without hesitation. So, let me put that idea “in mind” for you. I’ll touch on each possibility. Gather the spread as soon as a card is pulled out; turn that card (let’s call it “the magic card") face up on the table. Say the value of the card when it’s turned face up, and you will always be able to use that value to either count or spell to a selection! The odds lean heavily toward 3 and 4. So if the card is a 4-spot (you’d count “four” as I’ll explain in a moment) and if it’s a 5-spot, 9-spot, jack or king, you’ll spell it (they spell with four letters). Let’s start with a 4-spot as the “magic card.” r That’s a four; watch!” Count three cards off top of the deck “One, two, three” without reversing their order. Table the next (4th) card as you say “four” and as you drop the three in-hand counted cards onto the face-up 4-spot that jwas pulled out of the spread. Pick up that now 4-card packet (three facedown

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cards on the face-up 4-spot), drop it on top of the deck, as you look at the second spectator and ask for the name of the card he’s thinking of. Let me break rhythm for a second to tell you that it will always be the second selection that’s “located” first. So asking that person directly makes this idea even stronger. Okay; he names his card and you dramatically turn over the card you tabled on the count of “four.” It is his card, of course! Push it toward him so that it’s out of play. You’re ready for a strong ending. If you’ve followed along with me - the face-up magic card that just found the second person’s card is now near top of the deck and it is between the remaining two selections! Talk about an “envi­ able situation.” I usually do a couple of overhand injog shuffles and then cut a very small group from top of deck to bottom - so that I can, as mentioned in a previous effect, do a couple of “fake” faro shuffles above the three vital cards, acting as if those shuffles are doing the “work” for me. I act as if I’m really concentrating very hard — if I could I’d let a drop of sweat roll down my face! And of course you don’t have to worry about the cards interlacing perfectly. And then complete cut so that the vital cards are near center. Do a facedown table ribbon spread exposing the face-up 4-spot. Push it out along with the two cards surrounding it (Figure 133). Move the rest of the deck aside; it’s buildup time! Talk about the magic 4-spot, “building” however you like. And then ask for the names of the two remaining selections. They’re named; you dramatically turn up the two facedown cards — to end! Do exactly the same as above if a 3-spot is the “magic card” except that after counting 1-2-3 as taught you table the next card. Of course, if the “magic card” is a nine, jack or king, again — do exactly the same as you did for a 4-spot except that you spell the value instead of counting it. (For a jack, spell j-a-c-k off top of the deck, table the last, the “k” card, etc.)

Figure 133

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And if the spectator pulls/slides an ace, two, six or ten out of your tabled spread to be the “magic card,” again do exactly as you did for a four value except now you spell the value - spell, say, “s-i-x” (or a-c-e or t-e-n) from top without reversing the order of the three cards, table the next card, drop the three spelled cards onto the face up 6-spot, etc. End as taught. All that’s left for me to explain are sevens, eights, queens. Slightly different handling, but always do it as if that’s what you’d do for any card. A queen (or seven or eight) has been pulled out of the tabled spread. Follow this: Point to the face-up tabled queen and say “q” — continue spelling “u, e, e” a card per letter without reversing the cards, and then place those three to bottom. Try not to break the rhythm of the spelling and as you take the next card and say “n,” table that last card — that will be the second person’s card. Drop the deck onto the face-up queen (or seven or eight) and you’re at position to go into your ending. After “revealing” the “n” card for the second spectator, cut a small packet from top of deck to bottom — do a couple of those “fake” faros I’ve explained — and end as explained. Afterthoughts: You may find it helpful to go over, do, some of the examples I’ve mentioned; that will help lock it all in for you. You can spell “deuce” as taught for a 2-spot if you’d rather. You can count 3 for a 3-spot as taught or you can spell “three.” I’d rather count 1-2-3. I always do the fake faros — that, in my opinion, strengthens the idea; makes it appear as if you’re doing some very complicated math and very complicated and difficult card handling. I occasionally throw in my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle to keep vital cards near bottom before doing the fake faro shuffles. Oh, all right; yes, of course you can “do” four selections. At/near the end, as I remove the face-up “magic card” and the two facedown cards surrounding it, I complete cut the deck at point of removal. That brings the 4th selected card to top. After showing that the face-up “magic card” has found the 2nd and 3rd selections, and as I’m shuffling — “I think the four of clubs (or what­ ever) is too tired now to find your card. I’ll have to do a bit of magic myself. What’s the name of your card? Oh, good.” And I drop/push the deck to the table doing the airdrop to reveal his card. (No, no, I will not discuss doing it for five selected cards!!) You may have to go over my explanations a few times before it all becomes second nature and starts to flow for you.

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What’s Mine Is Yours ! Since I published a specific transposition effect over half a century ago many variations, different handlings have appeared. One I particularly liked was Peter Marshall’s Deceptive Transposition which I included in a 1986 issue of APOCALYPSE. Years ago John Scarne did a 2-card transposition effect on television - one card was placed on a glass another under the glass, and they magically changed positions. Most magicians knew that a duplicate card was involved. I eliminated that in the above-mentioned item. And the one thing that bothered me a bit in the other above-mentioned item was that the effect started with a double lift. I thought that I’d rather start this particular effect without doing a “move,” and that thinking led to this idea. I’m pleased with the handling. I always make sure that two contrasting cards are used in the performance. That’s important to me because it makes it easier for the audience to follow, to know definitely which card is where, and it just makes it look better overall. So assume the 5S is on top and the QH is third from top. Now how to “place” the two cards will be your call - one on top of and the other under a glass, or a cardcase or a spectator’s hand instead of the glass. Or, one card to the left the other off to the right. That will, obviously, be up to you, but I’ll teach it as if you’re using a tall glass. Shuffle keeping the top cards in place and then get a left little fingertip break under the top three cards... and push off only the top card with your left thumb. Take it from above with your right hand and display it (Figure 134), saying, “This will be my card — the five of spades.” Then slide it into your break, under the

Figure 134

Figure 135

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Figure 136

Figure 137

top two cards, but only for about half its width (Figure 135). Lift the two stepped cards (really a double card on a single card and display (Figure 136). “Oh, yours is a much better card, the queen of hearts. Please remember that your queen of hearts is on top of my five of spades. Please remember that — your queen of hearts is on top.” Important to stress which card is where. Bring the two(?) stepped cards over the deck and square them with your left fingers holding them a bit above the deck (Figure 137). Take the squared packet from above with your right hand and your left thumb peels its top card onto the deck (leaving a double in your right hand). “I’ll leave your queen of hearts here on the deck. I’ll place my card, the five of spades ...” As you name it turn your hand to flash it — which looks exactly as in the first photo, except that now the 5S is a double card. Casually drop the 5S onto the deck for an instant so as to free your right hand to move the glass or cardcase closer, or to move something out of the way — any casual action. It’s just a rationalization for freeing the right hand for that instant. I don’t always bother with that; I sometimes just drop the double onto the deck calling attention to it and then slowly remove the top single card. Either way, remove the deck’s top card without letting it flash and slide it under the glass as you complete your sentence (from about the 8th line above), ”... here under the glass.” Take the next top card, don’t flash it, “And I’ll place your card, the queen of hearts, on top of the glass.” Do so and that’s it. If you’ve done it all as just taught, it really does lock it into your spectators’ minds that the QH is on the glass and that the 5S is under the glass. Stress those apparent positions of the cards, build however you like and then do your magical gesture and show the magical transposition.

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Afterthoughts: Another placement of the two cards that I’ve been using more and more lately is to place one card under the hand of a spectator on my left and the other under the hand of one on my right. More distance, more magical, more impressive. I usually, as I place the cards, say something like “Now stay down and firm on the five of spades; don’t let anything or anyone — certainly not me — anywhere near it.” Same to the second person but re: the QH. This is a strong piece of impromptu card magic — and if you like this sort of transposition effect you sure would love S/H/F Killer in JAW DROPPERS TWO.

Palm From Double During a magic session one friend said “Harry, I use that palm you once taught when doing my color-changing-deck effect. It’s an excellent palm - wish it could be used for just palming off a selected card.” Well, of course it can. Yes; I originally taught it in CLOSE-UP CARD MAGIC mentioning only its use for palming off the off-color card in a color-changing-deck routine. That was 66 years ago(!) at this writing. Over the decades, not very often, I have used it “for just palming off a selected card.” Like this: Control a freely selected card to top of the deck; shuffle keeping it there. Deck is face down in left hand with a break under the top two cards. Right hand approaches and grasps the double from above ready to “twirl” it over (as in Double Trouble, Section III). That is, grasp the double with thumb and second fingertips at two diagonal corners. Left thumb rests at double’s left long side as right hand starts to move upward and slightly rightward starting to turn over the double (Figure 138, in progress). Keep pushing downward with your left thumb and lifting with your right hand until the double has turned completely face up. This, incidentally, is a nice double turnover for general use; and the double can be turned down the same way. The two cards will remain perfectly aligned if your right thumb and second fingertips have grasped them properly. There’s no pause in action; as soon as the double is face up, replace it onto the deck retaining your left little fingertip break under it, at rear. Right hand takes deck from above, right thumb taking over the break, and all is in justabout top-palm position (Figure 139). Okay; remember that you’ve controlled

Figure 139

Figure 138

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the selected card to top of the deck. So as you do what I’ve just taught (and you’ve just learned), as the double arrives face up onto the deck, say, “This isn’t your card, is it?” Agreed. As soon as the spectator agrees that the card shown is not his card, say, “Right; what it is is a magic card. If I stick it anywhere into the deck it will magically draw the card you’re thinking of up or down to join it. Watch.” The palm is accomplished as all that’s seen is your left hand inserting the face-up card partway into center at the deck’s left side. Your left first and second fingers and thumb grasp the two top “broken” cards at inner-left corner just as you ordinarily would to insert it into the deck, and just as shown in (Figure 140). Left thumb pulls back, starts removing, the exposed card as left forefinger pushes the hidden (original top) card to the right. Your fingers and thumb move as if rolling a cigarette or pencil between them. And the upper-right corner of the hidden card just about automatically moves to directly under your right little fingertip — one-hand top palm position. Your left thumb keeps moving the exposed card leftward and as it does your right little finger presses down on the hidden card’s outer-right corner — just as you’d do when doing a “regu­ lar” one-hand top palm. It’s easier here because your left fingers have basically started the move for you. As soon as the exposed card clears the deck the hidden card will, should, spring up to perfect right-hand palm position. Your attention, of course, is on your left hand which is pushing its card into the deck (Figure 141, exposed). As the card enters your left fingers grasp the deck and table it. If you like, as your left hand grasps the deck and moves to the table — your attention on that - your right hand goes into a pocket to remove a pencil/magic wand or magic coin, leaving the palmed card, of course. The misdirection is perfect.

Figure 140

Figure 141

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Table ribbon spread the facedown deck, ask for the name of the thought-of card and turn up the card at one side of the face-up card. It isn’t the thought-of card. “Oh; must be this one” as you turn up the card at its other side. “No? Well; that’s a disappointment. I’ll just have to do the magic myself. What is your card again? The seven of clubs? Okay, watch!” Do your magical gesture and produce the 7C from your pocket. Afterthoughts: It really is a pretty good utility move and shouldn’t take you more than a few tries to get it working smoothly. When I teach something like this I usually include the basic patter that I personally use. That obviously does not mean that you need to use the same pat­ ter. Remember the three Ps - apply your own Patter, Personality, Presentation.

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Two Over Easy I’ve written it in most of my books on memory training — all memory is based on the reminder principle. (If you want to learn more about that, you’ll have to pick up one of those books!). I’ve mentioned “being reminded” a few times in this book. I taught an oil and water routine in JAW DROPPERS TWO (Miraculous Oil & Water) and that reminded me of a different oil/water routine that I’d published a couple of decades ago but it was too late to include it there. So I’ve tied the two concepts together a bit which makes for a pretty good/strong/interesting oil and water routine. Best to follow along with cards in hand and interlace the colors just as I’m suggesting until you’re really familiar with the handling, which may seem a bit confusing at first. I’ll say which color to hold in which hand for teaching purposes only. Openly remove four red spot cards and four black spot cards from the deck. Display blacks in left hand, reds in right hand (Figure 142). Say that you will interlace the colors. Choices here; you can deal from the packets alternately or you can simply interlace the spread colors. I interlace — make it look like (Figure MS). Close the spread and flush the cards. You can of course do the interlacing with cards face down, if you prefer. Spread the face-up cards again, stress the alternating of the colors, and say, “The magic I want to show you is called Two Over Easy,” and openly remove and turn face down together the two center cards. (Just “see” 3 cards on each side and you’ll know that they’re the two center cards.) Replace them face down to position. Stress the alternating of the reds and blacks a bit, if you like (Figure 144). Square and flip the packet face down.

Figure 142

Figure 143

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Re-spread and take the top four cards with right hand (Figure 145). Table those four right-hand cards flipping the face-up lowermost card face down in place as you do. I’ll leave that to you. Easiest for me is — I simply let that card’s long side contact the tabletop and I gently push its upper long side leftward with my right fingers. It’s done casually and openly and without paying much attention to it. You’re simply turning the face-up card face down (Figure 146, in progress). Attention on left-hand group — right hand takes its top face-up card, turns it face down to bottom and uses it to flip the squared packet face up. Mention again the alternating-color situation. “But, a bit of magic.” Do your magical gesture and Elmsley Count the face-up packet showing four red cards. Flip the packet face down and table it. Pick up the other packet — “If those are all the same color, obviously these are too.” Flip the packet face up and Elmsley Count to show four black cards. Turn that packet face down, in-hand spread it, hold in right hand and say that

Figure 145

Figure 144

Figure 146

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you’ll do it again - that is, alternate the colors. Pick up the top card of the tabled red(?) packet and insert it outjogged to 2nd from top of right-hand spread. Do not flash this card, as you say “red,” because it is black. Continue to alternate those tabled cards outjogged into the right-hand spread, moving leftward. You can (and should) flash those three, saying “red” each time, because those are red. Square, flush and re-spread. “Remember, two over easy.” Remove, turn face up, the two center cards (just as you did before) and replace face up to center of the face-down spread. And do just as you did before - break the spread four cards in each hand, table the top right-hand four cards flipping the bottom face-up card face down; turn the top face-up card of left-hand group face down to bottom, using it to flip the packet face up, hold in hand, all just as you did before. And do an “underground” Elmsley Count (last card goes to rear) to show all red cards. Flip the packet face down and reverse count it in hand as sort of an indicatory gesture, as you say, “Of course, as before, if these are all the same color ...” Table the packet and pick up the other one. “... These must be, too,” Turn face up and do a Jordan Count to show four black cards. (Briefly: Peel the first, peel the second onto the first, coalesce those first two to bottom as your thumb block pushes off three, take last/fourth card onto all.) “Okay, now watch closely — I’ll drop these black cards onto the red cards.” Slowly, dramatically, do just that. Keep stressing that all same-color cards are going onto all same-color cards. Pick up the 8-card packet and spread it, “Remember, two over easy.” Remove, turn face up together the two center cards, replace to position. Pause for a beat; then, “No, I won’t do that again.” Hold the spread with one hand as your other hand takes one of the center face-up cards turns it face down and returns it to exact position. Do the same with the remaining face-up card. (Important; you’re not turning over the two together as before; here you turn them down one at a time.) “Because I think I can make the magic happen without doing that.” Close the spread, say, “Keep your eyes on the packet with four all together black cards on top of four all together red cards.” Magical gesture - and turn packet face up and spread to show the colors all alternating again, by magic! This was the end of the routine in my original, so you can end here if you prefer. But what I’ve been doing for quite some time now is “closing” the way I taught in the JAW DROPPERS TWO version. You are in position to do that — colors alternating properly, which you are displaying. Say; “I’ve been practicing to do some even stronger magic. I’ll mix these some more.”

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Do a few complete cuts, which keeps the colors alternating and then, again — remove the top four and alternate them into the remaining four. (If you want a situation check, after this alternation the colors alternate in pairs) And, “I want to really mix them,” and do my Utility Mixer two or three times. That makes this a “killer.” And to end: “And just one more bit of mixing,” and do the alternating, four into four, as you’ve been doing. Flush and square the cards, and say, “Fact is, and you’ve heard this often enough, I’m sure — no matter how hard you try, how much you shuffle and mix, oil and water and reds and blacks just won’t mixl” And slowly do a face-up table ribbon spread to show that the cards have magically separated into reds and blacks! Afterthoughts: This has been the most difficult item for me to explain/teach so far. I’ve gone over it cards in hand quite a few times just to be sure I’ve explained it all properly. It seems that I have, because the results were as they were sup­ posed to be each time I went over it as if I was reading it, learning it, for the first time. Hopefully I haven’t confused you too much! One thing I did notice as I went over it is that I taught, albeit briefly, the Jordan Count but not the Elmsley Count. I just automatically assumed that you knew, could do, that. When you are entirely familiar with the basic concept/handling you can, and I’m sure you will, change that handling to where and how it “works” for you.

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Hokus Pokus Over the decades I’ve received so many calls, snail mails and emails, from people telling me how much fun they’ve had performing, and fooling, people with this routine and the one that follows. Also I’d like to include/teach my Illogical Double Lift in this book and since I sometimes use that move at end of this effect, that affords another “excuse” for including this. Twenty-seven years ago, at this writing, I published a Martin Kane effect called Poke Poker; it’s based on a control and force that Dai Vernon used. He and I discussed the concept a number of times. Set the four aces to top with an indifferent card second from top (under the top ace). Shuffle keeping those five cards on top. “After many years of practice I’m able to always find, or ‘poke out’ an ace.” And you do poke out an ace as you end your remark. Here’s how: During your patter you’ve separated the top three cards as if about to Tilt a card under them, or as if preparing for a triple lift. That separation is pretty much “shaded” by your left fingertips at right and left thumb base at left. It’s a separation that wouldn’t usually be noticed in any case, but you might want to consider “protecting the angles.” And, your straight right forefinger’s tip contacts the area under the separation (.Figure 147) and pushes (pokes) out the batch of cards under that separation. Right hand immediately swivels out the poked-out batch, usually about half the deck. As that is happening your left little fingertip moves up onto the original top card. (Figure 148 shows right hand swiveling out the poked-out batch and left little fingertip already back to original top of deck.)

Figure 147

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Right hand continues its movement and concludes it by placing the swiveledout portion onto the deck, left little fingertip separating the two half decks. Remove and table the deck’s top card, an ace, face up. Forgive my repetition of this remark, but - It’s taken a few paragraphs for me to explain a second-or-less performing action. Left little fingertip has moved to the deck’s side so that it is holding a “flesh separation” as before, but that separation is now at about center deck instead of under three cards. And repeat your poke action exactly as before except that now your forefinger is pushing out at the center-deck separation. Incidentally, it doesn’t matter if the poked out batch comes out sloppily; as a matter of fact it probably looks better that way. Complete just as before, moving up your left little fingertip and tabling the second ace face up near the first ace. Repeat exactly “poking out” the third ace and tabling it with the first two. At this moment your separation is above the indifferent card. The last ace is under that and you go into the ending “kicker.” Do the poke out, no need for your left little fingertip to hold that separation now, and it is here that I end with either my Ultra Move — that is, show that the last ace is not on top doing the move, etc. But, as usual, there are plenty of choices if you don’t want to, or don’t know, The Ultra Move. A snap change is fine. A “choice” I use often is — you’ve flipped the just “poked out” indifferent card face up at top. “Oops, obviously not an ace. But I think it might help us find that last ace.” As you speak, remove the top two cards — a double card — face-up X card on facedown ace, and insert that double into center deck, or you can ask a spectator to stop you as you riffle down and insert the double at the stop point. Spread to show that the X card has indeed located the fourth ace. Fine. And my Illogical Double Lift fits perfectly.

Figure 148

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Figure 149

Figure 150

Get a left little fingertip break under the top two cards, the face-up X card on top of the facedown ace. Right thumb and fingers grasp the double card at inner-right corner and start to turn it up and to the left as if you were going to turn it over onto the deck (Figure 149, in progress). In actuality, the double does go back onto the deck fleetingly. This is a bit difficult to describe - as right hand is turning the double toward top of the deck, left hand starts turning the deck over to the right to meet it, as left thumb reaches over to grasp the double {Figure 150; again a stop-action freeze of action in progress). Left hand turns all the way palm down as left thumb pulls the double card flush and immediately pushes out and tables the card you apparently just flipped over — a single facedown card (Figure 151; tabling that card). Turn your left hand back to palm-up position so that a back is seen on top, and go into your buildup to show that the tabled X card has magically changed to the last ace! Afterthoughts: The Illogical Double Lift is completely illogical — if you were really turning and tabling a single card that way it’d be tabled face up. In all the decades that I’ve performed it for laymen, nobody has ever “caught” that illogicality! When I originally published it some said that it was similar to Mario’s KM Move. I wasn’t familiar with that — so I checked. Sure; they’re similar, but there are things I can accomplish with the Illogical Double Lift that cannot be accomplished with the KM Move. Ed Mario and I discussed the moves quite a bit and I published some of those discussions in APOCALYPSE. Well, anyway, now that you know the Illogical Double Lift you’ll see a slightly different handling of it in the following. And the following is basically the same idea/concept as this, but with a royal-flush background instead of

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Figure 151 a 4-ace background. You’ll need to decide, after you learn both, which you’d rather perform. One last thought — instead of a 4-ace routine it can be a 4- card selection routine. Apparently lose four selected cards into the deck and poke ‘em out one at a time. You can even have each spectators name his or her card — and then poke out that specific one. Think about it.

farry Lorayne

Hokus Pokus Royal You know the basics so this won’t take up too much time or space. Set a royal flush and an indifferent card from top down: JS, KS, X, 10S, QS, AS. This will also work if the X card is second from top, but third is a bit better, as you’ll see. Shuffle keeping the vital cards on top. Patter about why nobody wants to play cards with you, break three cards at top preparing for the poke-outs just as in the preceding. And then “poke out” the 10S, JS and QS one at a time. Then do the KS the same way (bringing your left little fingertip up as you’ve done with all the others, which puts it right onto the AS). And when you poke the KS turn up the two top cards as you say, “I’ll save some time here.” And the two cards are the KS and the X card. “Oops; I’ve caught the king but not the ace.” As you speak casually drop the two cards face up onto the table and just as casually cut or double cut to the break, bringing the AS to top. A casual overhand injog shuffle keeping the AS on top can’t hurt. Now here’s a slight variation of The Illogical Double Lift which switches only one of two cards and looks good. Your right hand picks up the KS and the X card as your left hand gets a break under the top card of the deck. Drop the two cards face up onto the deck — the X card on top of the KS. This is why it’s better to set the X card third from top of the setup — at this point it is automati­ cally on top of the KS, which is where you want it. If you set it 2nd in your initial setup it “ain’t” a tragedy — it falls under the KS here and you’d simply reverse the two cards as you place them onto the deck. Up to you — I just wanted to explain my reasoning.

Figure 152

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Lift the 3-card block and do my Illogical Double Lift, as taught, except that your left thumb pushes off and tables two cards — a facedown card and the face­ up KS (Figure 152). The facedown card is, of course, the AS. Again, completely illogical, but as mentioned in the preceding item, it appears entirely logical. I’ve never had a problem with it. Table the deck; I always spread off its top cards a bit as I do so that two backs are visible at top — without mentioning it. I just like to show, if anyone is looking there, that there are no face-up cards in sight. Say that you’ll have to try some “stronger magic” as you scoop up the face-up king under the facedown card. Do the through-the-fist flourish, or any magi­ cal gesture, to show the KS and AS as you place them to position onto the first three high spade cards. Afterthoughts: There are, of course, other ways to magically change that last indifferent card to the AS. I’ve already touched on some of them, so I won’t do that here. And of course, if you don’t care about the royal flush cards appearing in order, set them in any order, placing the indifferent card as taught. Many to whom I’ve taught this prefer that because it’s easier to set and it eliminates the memory problem.

Harry Lorayne

Mental Vibrations From a work-in-progress idea by Bob Farmer decades ago I devised this interest­ ing and entertaining effect. So many have told me over those decades how much they enjoyed performing it and how much their audiences enjoyed watching it. I’ve changed it a bit (for the better) since original publication. During a preceding effect set these four cards on top in any order — 5D, 10H, 6C, 2S. (These specific cards are the ones I usually use, but they’re not carved in stone — I’ll talk about that a bit in the Afterthoughts.) Have a card selected and remembered. Shuffle the deck keeping those four vital cards on top and then have the selected card placed on top and legitimately overhand shuffle on to it. You can do that because you know that the selected card is on top of your four known cards. Now end this “card selection” however you like. I usually pretend that I’m trying to read her mind as I look through the cards trying to “get a message.” Acting as if I’m giving up I cut the vital cards to top, shuffle keeping them there and then ask for the name of the thought-of card. As soon as it’s named I do the airdrop — dropping/pushing deck to table so that the named card turns face up magically. Then, into the interesting “mental vibrations” presentation. If you don’t want to do the airdrop, do any “reveal” you like at this point. Pick up the deck leaving the selected card (assume the QS) face up on the table. Shuffle the deck keeping the four vital cards on top as you patter - ‘‘I should have known your card sooner. I neglected to use a very important thing, and that is mental vibrations. Let me show you what I mean.” Toss the deck’s top four cards face up onto the table as if they could be any cards. ’’What I’d like you to do is to think of any one of these cards. You can think of the same one you thought of before if you like — up to you. But wait until I turn aside; I don’t want you to think that I’m getting any clues at all by watching your eyes.” Turn aside. “Now settle your mind on one of those cards. Have you done so? Good; please don’t forget it. And there’s no way I can know which card you’re visualizing, right? May I turn around now?” Turn back and pick up the five cards apparently haphazardly, but as you speak, pick them up in QS, 5D, 10H, 6C, 2S order — QS on top. Do it without paying particular attention to it. In one way it doesn’t much matter because-as you patter, turn the packet face down and do my Utility Mixer a couple of times. Then drop the packet onto the deck and shuffle keeping it there. My patter here

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is something like “You thought of one of a few cards (I never mention “five”) but now that card is one among fifty-two.” From here this really is a “presentation piece.” I get laughs with it, but the end startles — that’s right, makes jaws drop! Ask her to hold out one hand, palm up. “Please concentrate on your card.” Now here is where I changed my original to make it appear much more impos­ sible. According to which card she’s thinking of, you are going to place 1,2,3,4 or 5 cards, one at a time, onto her palm. Rather than take each card off the top, I now prefer to make it look like I take each one out of the deck haphazardly. For this first one I do an incomplete overhand injog shuffle; that is, I stop with the injogged card at center and at rear, out of audience view. I reach under that injogged card with one finger and pull out the card under it (the QS, this example -Figure 153). That’s the card I place onto her palm. I hold the deck as is in my other hand. I’ll tell you how I handle each card after this one as we come to it. Gently touch the card with your fingertips (Figure 154). A one-beat pause — and then act as if your fingertips received an electric shock; pull them off the card. “Wow; those are some vibrations!” This is what I mean by “presentation” piece. Play it any way you like, serious, half serious, with an amazed expression, with a smile - your call. And say, “That mental vibration of yours tells me that you are not thinking of the queen of spades again.” You’re going to make up to four definite statements in a specific order. Here’s a tiny memory-aid for the order of the next three - think of “EVEN, BLACK, SPADE.” You’ve just made the “not the QS” statement and you’ll usually get agreement because most people won’t think of the same card as before. So, take the card off her hand and toss it aside face down. Of course if she says that she is thinking of the same card (QS), act a bit concerned. Ask for its name as if

Figure 153

Figure 154

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you’ve forgotten it and then let her turn up the card on her palm - the QS, of course! End. And here’s the point — because of the way I’ve explained to set those five cards, and because of the statements you’ll make, it will “prove” that you definitely know the card she’s thinking of and that you somehow “magically” put that card on her hand at the proper moment. (Remember that everyone thinks those cards are lost in the deck.) Okay; that first statement re: her original selection is a negative — “You’re not thinking of...” After this, your statements are positive. I’m still holding the deck with an injogged card at about center deck, at inner end. And I simply do exactly as for the QS — forefinger reaches in under the injogged card and removes the card under it (5D). It appears as if your finger is entering at a different area of the deck than before, not that that’s important here. Place the 5D onto her palm. Do as before, touch the back of the card and act as if you’ve received a shock. “Boy! Well, that mental vibration of yours tells me that the card you’re thinking of is an even card!” You see? The 5D on her hand is the only odd card among the remaining four. So, if she says “no” you’re wrong, she’s not thinking of an even card then the 5D on her hand must be her card. So, you keep going until you get a “no.” When you get the “no,” act concerned and/or surprised — “No?! ” — ask for the name of her card. She names it, she turns over the card on her hand, the 5D, this example, at this point in the presentation. It’s a startler. It’s the “no” that makes it surprising. Now, I’d better complete this explanation. She says “Yes,” to your statement - her card is an even card. Toss the card on her hand aside and - cut the top portion of the in-hand deck proper, up to and including the injogged card, to the table. Place the top card of those remaining in hand (10H) onto her palm and drop the rest onto the just-tabled portion. Do the mental vibration thing and state, “Your card is a black card! ” If she says “no,” the 10H must be her card because it is the only “not black” card left. If she agrees that her card is a black card (you’re getting strong mental vibrations!), table aside the card on her hand. You’ve “done” the “even/black” part of the memory-aid I gave you. “Spade” remains. What I do here is a false cut to the table and place the top card, the one I just “cut to” (6C) onto her palm. Do your “bit,” saying, “Yes; your mental vibration tells me that you’re thinking of a spadel” If she says “no,” her card, the 6C, is on her hand. If she says “yes,” discard the 6C. And, if and when I reach this point (thought-of card is the 2S) I

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do my Angle Spread (taught in Section I — cut, hold break, table ribbon spread) to again apparently place any card on her hand; it is, of course, the 2S. At this point you know she’s thinking of the 2S. You may feel like having her turn it up right away. Don’t. Up to here all your statements have been correct, and that’s good. It’s much better, fits the presentation, to end on her answer of “no.” So touch the back of the on-her-hand 2S with your fingertips, do your electric shock action, etc., and name any even spade (to keep it somewhat logi­ cal) except the 2S. “This mental vibration tells me that you’re thinking of the eight of spades! No?” As before act surprised or, perhaps, disappointed, and ask, “What is the card you’re thinking of?” She says “Two of spades;” tell her to turn over the card on her hand. End. Afterthoughts: One of the things that makes this strong is that seeing your pre­ ceding small miracles (this is not an opening effect) your spectators may expect you to eventually name/find the thought-of card. The unexpected, the startler, is seeing it on her hand at just the right time, when she names it! As I mentioned at the top, the cards I use most often are not carved in stone. Any odd red card (like the 3D, 7H, etc.) would serve the purpose as well as the 5D. Instead of the 10H the 4H, 8D, and so on, would do. Instead of the 6C, the 8C, 4C, etc. Any even spade “works” as well as the 2S. Have fun with this!

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The Family Unit What a lovely piece of impromptu card magic this is! It’s a direct result of brain­ storming a Richard Vollmer effect in BEST OF FRIENDS, Vol. 2.1 wanted to enlarge it; I did. Take the time to learn this; you‘11 be glad you did. Openly remove all the jacks, queens and kings and place aside the rest of the deck. I usually let a spectator help me remove them from a table spread. As you gather the court cards set the suits of the first four in alternating color order, one of each suit; for example, CHSD. Pay no attention to values. So, those first four might be KC, KH, JS, QD. Set the next four in the same suit order and ditto for the third group of four. It might look like this: KC, KH, JS, QD, JC, QH, KS, JD, QC, JH, QS, KD. You might want to set your cards that way and follow along. Now important, and this is what makes this an “impossibility” in the eyes of the beholders. Do a few rapid complete cuts and then Utility Mix two or three times. To all intents and purposes, your audience knows that those cards are mixed. If you’ve set as above, have a heart card third from bottom here, so that you can follow along more easily. Deal off the top four cards without reversing their order and table the face­ down packet. Do the same with the next four cards and drop that packet to the right of the first tabled packet. Do a double turnover with the remaining in-hand four cards to show, say, a heart card. I’ve taught my method for a double turnover with a 4-card packet a number of times — check Only My Apocalypse and the Quantum Leaps section of Lorayne: The Classic Collec­ tion, Vol. 3. But a quick indicatory spread and square catching a break under the two top cards does it. Say, “Here’s a heart” (do not mention values). Turn down the double and table the top single card face down above (north of) the tabled packets. Drop the three remaining in-hand cards back to table position. (Actually you can, when you’re familiar with this, use any one of the packets; you can let a specta­ tor point one out.) To continue: Using both hands simultaneously lift off the top cards of the two other packets and turn them face up — you’ll display two cards of the same suit— club cards, if you’ve set as above and are following along with me. Say, “No hearts here” and place one of them face down onto the heart card you displayed, the one north of the packets; and scoop the other club card under it (Figure 155).

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Figure 155

Figure 156

Pick up those three cards; magical gesture, perhaps a through-the-fist flourish -and turn up and spread them to show three clubs! “You see; you can’t break up a family unit!” Drop the three spread face-up cards back to table position. Pick up the left-end or center original (3-card) packet — it doesn’t matter which. For teaching purposes — pick up the center packet. Do a double turnover (easy; just block push off the top two cards of the three or bottom-card buckle) to show a spade. (All is if you’re following along with my suggested arrange­ ment of the 12 cards, and etc.) Say “Spade;” turn down the double and deal the top single facedown card to alongside the three face-up clubs and table the two remaining in-hand cards back to table position, As before, turn up the top cards of the other two packets to show two hearts. “Well, these certainly aren’t spades, but...” Do as before placing the two hearts with the facedown supposed spade card. Magical gesture and turn them face up to show three hearts. “You just can’t break up a family unit!” (Figure 156.) There are now three 2-card packets in a tabled facedown row. Ask a specta­ tor to put them together, by pairs, in any order. Then you can let him complete cut as often as desired, or you do it, and of course, do a quick couple of Utility Mixers — that’s what really locks in the fact(?) that those cards are mixed. Spread the six shuffled(?) cards in hand and say that there are three pairs of cards here, indicating the two bottom cards, the two center cards and the two top cards. Square, catching a break under the two top cards. Double turn over to display, say, a spade — “Oh, good, a spade.” Turn down the double and deal the top card face down in front of you and a bit forward. “That’s a spade from this (top) pair.” Deal the next top card face down to your right. The point you’re making is that you’re putting the top pair aside, separating the two cards. “Two pairs left.”

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Double turnover again to display a spade. “Good; another spade.” Turn down the double and deal the top card onto the first supposed spade. “That’s the spade from the second pair.” There are three cards left in hand. Do a double turnover from bottom to top. (Just pull back the top card with your left thumb to clear the bottom double’s right long side.) A spade is displayed. Turn down the double and deal the top card onto the first two supposed spades “And the spade from the bottom pair.” One beat pause, and then, “Isn’t that amazing? ” Pick up the single card that you put aside before (from the first, top, pair) and put it with your two remaining in-hand cards. “No, that’s not amazing ... what’s amazing is that the spades are here (turn over and spread the in-hand cards). Turn up the three supposed spades-“And these are the diamonds!” Afterthoughts: Yes; you may have to go over this a few times and as you do Patter and handling that fit your way of performing, fit your Personality and Presenta­ tion (my “three Ps” again!) will start falling into place for you. Yes; some “work” to get it working smoothly for you is involved but worth it because — to repeat my opening line up above - “What a lovely piece of impromptu card magic this is! ”

Section VI The Broken Count Choice! Salt-Less Fourced Match Suitable Blackjack Killer Sandwich Keep Your Eye On It Two To Reverse

The Broken Count I realize that there are some who don’t like “think of a card at any number” tricks. I have no strong feelings either way; I’ll do any “type” of card effect that elicits a strong lay audience reaction for me. I do get that kind of reaction (jaw dropping?) with this impromptu any-deck “think of a card at any number” card effect. It really is an impossibility to laymen — and I’ve taken in a few magicians with it. I came up with this presentation when I brainstormed an item I published over three decades ago. And who knows, this may even change the minds of some of those who don’t like that sort of effect. There are many ways to end this idea. I’ll teach the “idea” first of course and then we can discuss endings. One of those endings involves my way of doing magician’s choice for five items — I discussed magician’s choice for three items earlier in the book — and I think it might be worth a bit of your time familiar­ izing yourself with it. And I’ll mention the ending I’ve been using most often, which really is, for me anyway, strong. Well, first things first. Follow along before you make any decisions. Have the deck shuffled and then take it back and ask spectator #1 to think of a number “from, oh say, one to seven.” Turn to spectator #2 and ask him (or her) to think of a higher number - perhaps from 13 to 20. (You can say “from” not “between” because the numbers 1 or 7 and 13 or 20 also “work.”) Say that you will show them cards from the shuffled deck as you count out loud for them. They’re each to remember the card that falls on the number being thought of, and they’re not to give you any clues at all. Shuffle the deck and then, holding it face toward spectator #1, start taking cards from top one under the other - that is; do not reverse the order. Turn aside and count aloud as you do this. When you’ve reached 7 or 8, say “You’re thinking of a card and a number now, right? Please remember both.” Turn to spectator #2, “And would you please remember the card that falls on the number you’re thinking of as I continue to count for you.” And continue your count from wherever you stopped before (“eight” or “nine”) as you continue to take cards one under the other. Go to 20 or 21 and stop. Tell the person to please remember his number and the card that fell on that number. Place the counted cards back onto the deck. I ‘That was just a way to assure you that you had an absolutely free and random choice of a card to visualize in your mind and that there’s no way I

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could know the cards you’re visualizing even if I didn’t shuffle the cards, but shuffle I will.” What you have to do here is shuffle keeping the top twenty cards on top W add four cards onto them. You can add them as you overhand shuffle -1 usually do two, shuffle, and then two more and shuffle. You can cut them from bottom of deck to top, and so on. I’ll leave that to you. Just make sure your audience believes that the thought-of cards are really lost in the shuffled deck. “It’s a very difficult thing to do but I’ve been practicing to eventually get your cards back to their original positions as I shuffle the deck. Let’s see if I managed.” Ask the first person which number he’s thinking of. Whatever it is, from 1 to 7, count to that number dealing from top of the deck one card at a time, forming a facedown packet on the table. So, assuming his number is 6, count down six cards and then turn face up the sixth card — the top card of the counted packet. Ask if it is his card; denied of course. Drop it back onto the tabled, counted, cards and drop the dec\ onto them. “Well; I sure didn’t do it right with your card.” Turn to the second person, and say, “Hopefully I was able to do it with your card. What number are you thinking of?” Whatever it is, from 13 to 20, continue your count from where you left off with the first person. This example — “seven, e i g h t . . C o u n t to that second number just as you did for the first person. When you reach the second number show that that card is not the one the second person is thinking of. Drop the in-hand deck onto the counted cards as you did before. Pick up the deck. “Well; I guess I’ll have to do some other kind of magic.” And at this moment one selected card is fourth from top of the deck and the other selection is fourth from bottom of the deck! That will be so, if you’ve fol­

Figure 157

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lowed the instructions above, no matter what numbers the two people thought of. Talk about an “elegant situation”! That it is — there’s no way anyone should have any thoughts at all, at this point, that you could have any idea as to what the selections are or where they are in the deck. I add one little “touch” here which has really fooled some knowledgeable magicians. I’ve mentioned it before — I do a couple of fake faros that do not disturb top or bottom small portions (Figure 157). I’ve tried to show that in the photo; obviously keep the back or face of deck toward audience so that that small “discrepancy” isn’t seen. And since you needn’t worry about interlacing perfectly, no hesitations. Coalesce the cards with the riffling sound, as usual. I always do these fake faros. You’ve proven that the two selections are hopelessly lost in the deck, so how do you end ? I mentioned a few ways in the original that are fine and of course you’ll do endings that “work” for you. But I’ve been doing one of two endings for years now. They’re similar only in that you remove ten cards from the shuffled deck. The ten cards are removed the same way for each ending. Your right hand holds deck from above; left hand takes top and bottom cards together (Figure 158) and drops then onto the table. (Check my Afterthoughts.) Do the same thing four more times, dropping each pair separately so that you have five 2-card packets on the table — and the fourth packet you tabled contains the two selected cards! Keep your eye on it. And into magician’s choice: Address one spectator. “Please pick up one of these packets.” If he picks up the vital one, need I say more? The odds are, of course, that he won’t, so con­ tinue your statement, “And another one with your other hand.” If he picks up another non-vital one with his other hand, take them and toss both aside and

Figure 158

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Figure 159

Figure 160

continue with the three remaining packets just as I taught for three items in Spread Control Impossibility (Section IV). It ends appearing exactly as if the spectator(s) made the choice. That “choice” is the packet containing the two selections. Build to your ending from there. Now the ending I use most often: As I patter to the effect that I hope I can locate at least one of the selected cards I take top and bottom cards together just as above but I drop them onto each other as I remove them from the deck. I do that five times so that I now have a tabled facedown packet of ten cards. I table aside the deck proper, pick up the 10-card packet and shuffle it thoroughly (so far as the audience is concerned), like this: Complete cut the top four cards of the packet to bottom as the start of the shuffle — or cut two and then two again. And, important, immediately do two or three Utility Mixers. So, not only has the entire deck been thoroughly shuffled, but so have the few removed-from-deck cards. And if you’ve followed along, the two selections are at bottom of the 10-card packet! As you finish Utility Mixing, say, “Let me really mix these cards.” And -1 do my Reverse Faro Ending, as already taught (in Section I) except with pairs instead of single cards. To make sure you’re with me and because I believe this is an important piece of card manipulation, I’ll teach it again. I spread from right to left hand, so I’ll teach it that way — either “direction” is fine of course. Spread outjogging the second and fourth pairs (Figure 159). Square, strip out the outjogged cards and turn them over and onto the injogged cards (Fig­ ure 160). Repeat exactly (you’ll be outjogging a face-up pair and a facedown pair) and turn over those outjogged cards onto the injogged cards. Repeat once more but this time strip out the outjogged four cards and turn them over (face up) to under the injogged cards.

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Figure 161 In hand spread the cards, there are two facedown cards at center of all face-up cards (Figure 161). Ask each person “Have you seen your card? No? Have you?” The two facedown cards are, of course, the two selected cards! Automatic if you’ve followed along. Build as you like, ask for the names of the two selections, magical gesture and turn over the fan (or remove the facedown cards turning them face up) to show the two named cards! Afterthoughts: I’ve taken more space with this than planned because I wanted to be real sure to explain it properly. In my humble and obviously biased opinion, this is one of the many “goodies” in this book. I get a large kick out of perform­ ing it for laymen — and fooling magicians with it — which I won’t be able to do anymore because I just “gave it away.” One magician friend to whom I taught it said that he’d rather do the toss of the deck from hand to hand (as discussed in Toss!, Section III) five times, maintaining top and bottom cards each time, when he wanted to do one of my 10-card endings. That’s fine, if you’re sure you can do it without messing up. (Or, you can take, say, three pairs as taught above and then do the toss for the remaining two pairs.)

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Choice! It may take a bit of time to familiarize yourself with this interesting handling so that you can perform it without hesitation. It’s a routine that evolved when I accepted a challenge decades ago. I like it, been doing it for years. It’s a quick routine but, like some others, it will take a bit of explaining. No difficult moves, no setups, so it’s easy to do. And, again, it may make it easier for you to “grasp” if you work along with cards in hand. Openly remove and table the AC, 2C and 3C face down, without flashing them. If you’re thinking of using the AS, 2S and 3S — don’t. As you’ll see it’s easiest when the 3-spot is selected; the AS is a “bullet” card, a “favorite” card, so the tendency would be to select that. So use the clubs as I suggest. “One of these three cards is often a great help to me — when I need help, as you’ll see.” Have a card selected and control it to top of the deck. Shuffle enough so that your audience knows that that card is hopelessly lost in the deck. Now, the basic effect is that one of the three club cards magically changes to the selected card. Easy preparation: As you patter to the effect that one of these will help you find the selected card, pick up the three club cards and set them on top in order getting the selected card between the 2C and 3C, like this: Turn them face up — “I have no idea what or where your card is, but as I said, one of these three will help me find that card.” As you speak, set the three clubs in 3-ace-2 order, 3C on top and also get a left little fingertip break under the deck’s top (selected) card. Drop the three club cards (3C on top) face down onto the deck. And ...

Figure 162

Your right hand starts to pick up the 4-card block from above as your left thumb peels that block’s top card back onto the deck (Figure 162). Flip it face up and then down again with the right-hand block as you say, “The three of clubs.” No pause. Drop the remaining (3-card) block onto the deck. Right hand turns the top card face up showing the AC as you say its name. Use the AC to flip the next card face up - “And the two of clubs” — then face down again, dropping the AC face down onto all. Go over this and you’ll see that not only have you displayed the three club cards in proper order but you’ve also set the selected card to required position — and it’s quick and direct. Now lock it in: “My three magic cards are in order ...” As you speak spread offfour cards, square, getting a momentary break under them. Push off the top card with your left thumb and hold it from above with your right hand. Push the next card to beneath the first one, stepped to the left, then take the remaining “broken” double card under those two, also stepped to the left (Figure 163). Turn your right hand to show the three cards (Figure 164). All quite easy and logical. Replace and square the just-displayed cards and you’re ready to end. Catch a left little fingertip break under the top three cards. “The magic I’d like to try to do is to make one of those club cards change to the card you’re thinking of. Which of the three would you like to see do that magic — the ace, the two or the three}" I always emphasize the “three” just a bit which usually gets that card to be selected. I do that because if the 3C is selected, I’m already there! So, if the three is selected lose your break, it isn’t needed for the three. “Okay; tell us all the name of the card you’re thinking of.” When it’s named deal the top card face up onto the table. “Here’s the ace ...” Deal the next card face up

Figure 163

Figure 164

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Figure 165

Figure 166

next to it — “The two.” Point to the top card of the deck — “The three of clubs is here. Watch!” Slowly turn up that top card to display the named card! (Kicker: I sometimes end with a small “kicker” no matter which of the three is named. So, in case you want that “kicker” — just leave the selected card face up on top of the deck. “I know, you’re wondering what happened to the three of clubs. Well, look.” As you talk, lift the face-up selection and the facedown card under it as one card and flip the deck over, face up, onto them and then complete cut. Turn the deck facedown and table ribbon spread to show the 3C face up at center.)

When the 2C is named: You have your break under the top three cards. Right hand takes the top card and turns it face up — “The ace of clubs.” Take the “broken” remaining double card face down and outjogged under the AC (Figure 165) — “Your choice, the two of clubs.” With the right-hand cards flip the next top card face up; “The three of clubs.” Take it under the right-hand cards, aligned with the AC (Figure 166). Extend this “package” toward your spectator asking him to blow on the facedown card, the 2C. (Or, any magical gesture you like.) And turn your right hand palm down to display the protruding selected card (Figure 167). (Kicker: Keep your right hand as is and your left thumb peels off the now upper facedown card and tables it face up. Peel the face-up double card onto the deck as your right hand tables the AC face up. And the easiest way to end with only the 2C reversed in the deck is to turn over your hand, turning the deck face up. Right fingers reach under the deck and pull out the selected card — “This is

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Figure 167

Figure 168

the card you were thinking of, right?” Replace it face up to under the face-up deck. Turn deck face down and complete cut. End as explained for the 3C.)

When the AC is named: Lose your break under the top three cards. Say, “Okay, the ace of clubs. In order for that card to do its magic it has to be between the two of clubs and the three of clubs.” Move the top card, which you can flash, to under the second card (Figure 168). Square and re-catch your break under the three top cards — and continue exactly as taught for the 2C. (Kicker: Also just as taught for the 2C.) Afterthoughts: Another way to get the selected card to position would be to Tilt it there. You’d show the three club cards and place them onto the deck in ace, 2,3 order. Card is selected and you Tilt it to beneath the top two cards. I prefer the method taught in the text. Enjoy!

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Salt-Less I’m including this for a couple of reasons other than the fact that it is an excel­ lent, quick, different, any-deck piece of card magic. Over the years I’ve fooled many magicians with it, mainly young magicians. I don’t mean necessarily in their teens — no; in their twenties or thirties. And, when I taught it quite a few didn’t get the connection between the effect and the title; they didn’t know that you could cause a deck to split at a selected card by secretly sprinkling a few grains of salt onto that card! (Of course, a few grains of sand would do the same. About 70 or so years ago I sold The Radar Pencil that enabled you to sprinkle sand from it onto a card; I don’t know if it still exists — I wrote about it in APOCALYPSE.) What’s interesting to me (among other things!) is that I’m told that my first book for the magic fraternity, CLOSE-UP CARD MAGIC, in which I origi­ nally discussed/taught this effect, was/is one of the best-selling books of all time on that subject. And has apparently been so since 1962! So how could so many young magicians not know, be fooled by, this effect?! I honestly don’t recall how and why I came up with this handling; I guess I just didn’t want to necessarily have salt or sand available in order to perform a similar effect. Similar in the sense that salt or dry sand would cause the top half deck to slide off the lower half. Here, it isn’t, as you’ll see, specifically a “slide.” What “does it” is a crimp of half the deck. There are two different crimps, according to how you have the card selected, that will “do the trick” for you. I’ll teach both, of course.

Figure 169

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The crimp I’ve been using for decades is not the basic one I originally taught - I only mentioned it in passing. And as time went by after original publication I started to realize that the one I mentioned fleetingly worked better for me and probably will for you, too. So — have the deck shuffled. Then start a Hindu Shuffle asking your spectator to stop you whenever he likes. When you’re stopped extend your left hand toward the spectator so that he can remove and look at, and remember, the card he (legitimately) stopped at. And as he does so, casually let your right hand fall to the side (although not crucial) and without having to change position of any fingers, bend the inner corners of that half deck downward. (.Figure 169 shows exactly what has to be done.) Have the spectator replace the card onto the left-hand half deck — all is strictly legitimate — and drop the right-hand half deck onto it. Immediately do an overhand injog shuffle being sure to undercut less than half the deck (under where the selected card lies). I did not teach to shuffle here in my original publication, but I always do that now; it makes it all more impossible. And after just one or two overhand shuffles, do a face-up (or facedown) table ribbon spread as you make a remark about his card being hopelessly lost in the shuffled deck. Pick up, square the deck and place it face up onto and across your palm-up right fingers (Figure 170). The toss that follows is a bit difficult to explain but quite easy to do once you acquire the knack, the “feel” of it. You need to toss the deck upward — about 10 inches or less; again, it’s a matter of “feel.” It goes up and starts to turn over/face down as it lands back onto your right palm. If you bend your knees a bit as you’re about to toss and straighten

Figure 170

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Figure 171

Figure 172

them as you toss, you’ll see how easy it is. Your right hand tilts slightly upward as it tosses; that’s what causes the deck to start to turn over as it starts upward and starts back downward turning toward you. Your knees should bend again as the deck lands back on your palm. This enables your hand to ride a bit downward with the deck as it lands. You see, if your hand remains stiff and stationary the deck might, probably would, bounce off your hand. Again, one or two tries and you’ll get the idea and the feel. Now, the point: The deck will start to split, while in mid-air, at your crimp or bend. When it lands there will be a definite, obvious, separation right at the selected card! (Figure 171). Point that out and ask for the name of the thoughtof card. When it’s named turn over the exposed card, the obvious one on top of the lower portion. Give the inner corners of the deck an upward bend so that no clues exist.

I’m sure you won’t realize that until you learn it, know you can do the toss/ catch every time. So don’t give up! (In ONLY MY APOCALYPSE I teach a “double saltless” effect where two selected cards become exposed that way during one toss.)

The other way to do the crimp or bend is: Deck is face down in your left hand. Left thumb riffles down at outer-left corner asking your spectator to stop you. When you’re stopped, right hand lifts all cards above the stop point. As you extend your left hand so that the spectator can look at the card at which he stopped you bend the right hand portion downward (Figure 172). He replaces his card onto your left-hand portion, you drop the right-hand portion onto it and go from there just as taught above. Afterthoughts: Well, to repeat, it’s an excellent, quick, different, any-deck piece of card magic.

Harry Lorayne

Fourced Match I eliminated the glide and a too-large-for-me setup from a Dai Vernon routine in order to arrive at this different and pretty strong routine. The glide is not one of my favorite moves although I use it when it really fits, as in my routine Guess Quotient (taught in JAW DROPPERS TWO) and I stopped using effects that required large setups a long time ago when I started to use only borrowed decks. The setup here is easily handled — just set the four kings secretly on top in any order during a previous effect. A variation of my Illogical Double Lift is used here. You can refresh your memory of that move (if necessary) in Hokus Pokus. Okay; shuffle keeping the four kings on top and then cut and hold break and force any one of the kings; table it face down without letting its face be seen. Easy enough when you need to force any one of four. (I’ll mention another way to “handle” it in my Afterthoughts.) You want the remaining three kings positioned 3rd, 4th and 5th from top. Again, easy enough. After you force one of them, cut the deck at two cards above those three kings. If you’d rather, just cut the three kings to top and then overhand shuffle two cards onto them - since you want to shuffle the deck here anyway. Say that you can usually learn the name of an unidentified card, like the just-tabled card, by looking at the top two cards of the shuffled deck. Spread off the top four cards in an indicatory gesture and square catching a break under all four. And prepare to display the top two cards as you prepare for the slightly different handling of The Illogical Double Lift. Patter here according to the two displayed (top) cards. Indicate one of them and say that this tells you the value of that tabled card. Indicate the other and

Figure 173

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say that this one tells you the suit. So if the two cards are, say, the 3D and 8C, you’d say “So that tabled card is a three and a club — the three of clubs.” As you end the remark square, and do my Illogical Double Lift just as taught in the above-mentioned items, but — you’re turning a 4-card block (two face-up cards on two facedown cards) instead of a back-to-back double card. Table the two facedown cards as you complete the move just as taught (Figure 173). Slide those two facedown cards to each side of the selected facedown card. Of course it’s two kings that are being “slid” to place. Turn the in-hand deck face down and casually spread off a card or two so that backs are seen. That’s a subconscious convincer. The last king is third from top of the deck. “Well, if the 3D and the 8C (indicate the two cards you just tabled) tell me that the facedown card is the three of clubs, I usually can find its mate — the three of spades — like this.” And do any “reveal” of that third-from-top king. There are many ways, of course; I’ll leave it to you — you can double cut the top two cards to bottom and “reveal” the then top card by simply turning it face up or by doing the airdrop; or do the thumb push-up reveal that I taught way back in Quick Mate (Section I). I most often do my Angle Spread, which sure does look as if you’re removing any card from the deck. Cut hold break, do the spread and pull out the third card under the angle. However you do it display the card, the king, and act surprised that it’s not the 3S. “Oh well; I’ll have to do some stronger magic, I guess.” Magical gesture and use the in-hand king to flip face up the originally forced card to show the mates (Figure 174). Then — “I might as well make them all match.” Another magical gesture and turn up the two facedown cards, which your spectators know are the 3D and 8C, to show that they’ve magically changed to the other two kings - and to end.

Figure 174

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Afterthoughts: In my original write-up of this routine I taught to arrange it so that the colors of the kings matched during the presentation. That is, when the in-hand king flipped the originally forced king face up they’d both be red, or both be black. That necessitated more attention to the original setup and a bit more work during the presentation. I realized soon enough that that wasn’t necessary, not important at all. Much easier as taught here. Sometimes instead of opening by forcing a king on a spectator I simply force it on myself, again via my Angle Spread. I table spread the shuffled deck and remove “just any card” — any one of the four at the spread’s angle. I gather the spread, cutting so that there are two indifferent cards on the remaining three kings. I’ve only touched on the patter and presentation because it’s the kind of rou­ tine where you’ll most likely want to supply your own patter and presentation.

Suitable Blackjack

Don’t overlook this! It has moved up quite a bit on my “favorite to perform” impromptu, quick (according to presentation, of course) list. In my original write-up I listed a few ways to “handle” it. Over the years, I most often used and use, only one handling. But I’ve added a “touch” that makes it so much stronger, and I’ve changed the ending. Please forgive my assumption, the assumption that you’ll agree with the handling I’ll teach here. I’ll touch on just a bit of the patter I usually use, leaving room for you to include your own. And, forgive my saying this so often, but — you might want to follow along with cards in hand. Openly remove the four jacks and the four aces. As you do, and definitely without making it obvious, set the aces in the opposite suit order of the jacks. For instance and for teaching purposes — say the jacks are in CHSD order from top down (if they were face down); set the aces DSHC from top down (or think of it as setting them in the same order but from bottom up). Then openly flip the ace packet face down onto the face-up jack packet. To make sure that you’re with me, your packet should have the facedown AD on top and the face-up JC at bottom. (This is for teaching purposes. The order of the suits matters not so long as they match as taught.) “Let me show you why I’m not allowed to play Blackjack in some casinos. Particularly those who pay a bonus if your two Blackjack winning cards are of the same suit — for example, the ace and ten of clubs.” Right hand is holding the packet from above as you continue. “Here are one, two, three, four aces” as you thumb peel the facedown aces one at a time onto your left palm, and without breaking the rhythm of your count, catch a left little fingertip break above the second facedown ace. “And the jacks — one, two, three, four.” You’re going to steal back the top two “broken” aces as you count the jacks — standard and easy. As you place the face-up jack packet onto the facedown left-hand cards saying “And the jacks,” there is absolutely no pause, no break in rhythm — your right fingers and thumb grasp the two “broken” aces as your right hand moves away and left thumb holds back (peels) the top face-up jack. (Figure 175; I’m showing the two stolen cards separated at bottom of the right-hand cards only so that you can see the entire situation. In performance they are flush and invisible.) Okay; you’ve peeled the first face-up jack and, of course and again, with no

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Figure 175

Figure 176

break in your counting rhythm, peel the next two jacks — stepping each to the right to form a spread. The fourth jack is a triple card — two facedown aces hidden under it. As you count “four” place the 3-card block onto the left-hand cards, but don’t release it. Pause for half a beat and then say, “Remember please, four jacks on top of four aces.” {Figure 176.) “I’m sure you know that in Blackjack two jacks would be okay but two aces wouldn’t, unless you wanted to do a split. So I have the jacks — and the aces together.” As you speak close the spread catching a break under the rearmost jack, above the bottom two facedown aces. Now you’re going to secretly move those two bottom aces to above the rearmost jack. It’s an instant/hidden action but, as usual, it will take a bit of space to explain. It is simply an indicatory gesture as you make the above remark. Right hand moves the upper block about an inch to the right and then starts to move it back to the left — but your left fingertips under the block hold back that rearmost jack, even push it a bit more to the right. When you try it you’ll see that you’re right at position and that it’s almost automatic. There is, of course, absolutely no pause, and the back of your right hand shades all {Figure 177; a freeze of that instant). And as you mention “aces,” again “indicatorily” your left hand moves those two facedown bottom cards diagonally upward, outer end tilted leftward — until you can actually feel their inner right corner clicking in above that moved-to-the-right jack— and instantly square all. {Figure 178 is an attempt to show what it would look like to you as you square.) It is a less-thana-fraction-of-a-second action and you’re ready to end. One more thought re: moving those two aces to above the rearmost jack usually, when I slide that jack to the right, I move it until my right little fingertip can rest on its outer-right corner. And I press down slightly at that corner to

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Figure 178

Figure 177

Figure 179

buckle that slid-to-the-right jack, which makes it much easier to slide the bottom 2-ace block above it. Okay; long explanation for a quick and easy to do action. That’s fine, but here’s a slightly different way, the “way” I personally use most often: After squaring the right-hand cards onto the left hand’s two facedown aces, as explained, and holding the break above those aces — your palm-up right hand moves that entire upper block to the right as your thumb block pushes off to the left all but that portion’s rear card {Figure 179). This is done as you make your statement (“So I have the jacks and the aces together”) — and it’s a simple matter to slide the two left-hand cards under that pushed-to-left block and above the rearmost jack as you square. It is a simple, natural, instant indica­ tory gesture. You’ll see which “way” works better for you when you’ve played with, tried, both. When you’ve done the above — either of the ways I’ve taught — you’re at end­ ing position! And originally I ended as follows: Say “Watch!” do your magical gesture and deal pairs of cards off top of the packet onto the table in a square

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Figure 180 layout — only the face-up jack is seen at each pair. “Well; that’s interesting. Now, as I said, I want you to see why I’m not allowed to play Blackjack particularly at those casinos that pay a bonus if your Blackjack cards are of the same suit. Watch! ” Do your magical gesture and turn up the facedown card of each pair to show the jack and ace of the same suit (Figure 180; in progress). Pretty magi­ cal, since you’ve shown that the aces were all together and the jacks were all together — and you’ve magically formed them into the same-suit blackjack pairs.

But now — go back to where you’ve just secretly moved the bottom two facedown cards (two aces) to above the rearmost face-up jack. And into the way I most often end it now: “Talk about a misspent youth ... I’ve been practicing tracking cards for many decades. That is — trying to keep track of the positions of specific cards as all are being shuffled and mixed. Watch!” And cut the top two cards to bottom so that there is now a facedown card on top and immediately do two or three Utility Mixersl That’s what “does it.” Say, “Well; I think I’ve got it... let’s see.” Go under the table with the packet and both hands — if you’re standing, you can do the same going behind your back. And acting as if you’re searching through the packet each time, just come to the tabletop with the top pairs as already taught — table them in a square layout, also as taught and ... end as taught! Afterthoughts: Of course I made up the “particularly those that pay a bonus if your Blackjack cards are of the same suit.” I just wanted to get the “same suit” idea across to make the ending stronger. And of course the sequence of suits is

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immaterial so long as you set the ace suits opposite to the jack suits. So it’s a casual second or so arrangement. What I usually do is remove and table the jacks as I come to them as I spread, and then remove the aces singly in opposite suit order. So, you have a choice — a choice as to which way to end. I’ve given you two ways. I used the first for a long time — the “magical” ending. That is, the above­ table, and openly removing of two top cards each time. But lately I’ve used the second (the under-the-table “tracking”) ending most often. That makes a bit more sense to me. Presented that way the routine elicits a very strong reaction from all kinds of audiences. So, again, your choice. Either way, it is without doubt a very worthwhile any-deck impromptu piece of close-up card magic. When you become familiar with the handling you’ll see that the showing of the aces and jacks, and the moving of the 2-ace facedown block to above the rearmost face-up jack is nowhere near as long as my explanation might make it seem. It’s about a two or three second action. Don’t overlook this!

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Killer Sandwich I remember originally hesitating for quite a while trying to decide if I wanted to give this away. I’d been fooling all and sundry with it. Basically - a selected card that’s between a pair of mates and at center deck changes to the AS and is produced from your pocket. An ad to sell this effect might contain lines like: Spectator himself sandwiches his selection, which may be signed, between two mates. Spectator himself places the 3-card sandwich to center deck. The AS is openly displayed before it is lost into the deck. The deck is absolutely clean at the end. No extra cards, duplicates, gaffs — it is done with a borrowed deck.

This is a combination of two of my ideas - my One-Eyed Jack Sandwich and my HaLo Cut Cop, both of which were taught in books of mine decades ago. When I originally taught One-Eyed Jack Sandwich I didn’t want to give away my HaLo Cut, but I did in a later book. Using the HaLo Cut makes One-Eyed Jack Sandwich an almost perfect trick not only in my opinion but also in the opinion of countless others. So, if you know/can do my HaLo Cut (which is taught way back in Section I), you are ready to learn/perform Killer Sandwich. Openly remove a pair of red mates and the AS from the deck; assume the red mates are the red sixes. The AS is tabled face down as you say “The ace of spades is a magic card.” If you’re not working on a close-up mat you might want to put it on the cardcase for easier pick up later — that “easy pick up” is important. Let a spectator shuffle the deck; take it back and do a facedown table ribbon spread. Instruct your spectator to remove any card, look at and remember it, show it to at least one other person. Then have him place that card face down between the two face-up red sixes. In the meantime, you’ve gathered the deck and tabled it face down in front of him. Instruct him to lift up the top half deck, place the 3-card “sandwich” with the sixes face up onto the lower half deck and drop the top half onto all. Square all. (In other words, he centers the sandwich.) Do two or four complete cuts so that the sandwich remains at approximate center deck. Say, “No matter how many times the deck is cut your card remains

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between the red sixes.” As you speak hand to hand spread to show that this is so. And as you square catch a momentary left little fingertip break above the facedown selected card. And as sort of another demonstration of your remark, double cut to your break. And if you like, although not necessary, do another false cut or two. Situation check: The selection is face down on top of the deck, one red six is face up under it, the other face-up six is at bottom of the deck. “Okay; now let me try a difficult bit of magic for you.” Place the facedown deck onto the facedown AS picking up the ace. Turn your hand palm up, deck face up, to display the ace. It is, of course, done this way to shade the reversed red 6-spot at bottom “I want to lose this ace of spades into the deck just as the red sixes and your thought-of card are lost somewhere in the deck.” And now comes the HaLo Cut Cop which accomplishes two things — it steals/removes the selected card from between the sixes and replaces it with the AS, at the same time! Your hands and deck are back near the table edge. As you make your last remark do my HaLo Cut with the face-up deck. Now, when you do The HaLo Cut the “held back” bottom card is always a bit off sync, a bit off center before it is instantly flushed. For this, as the right-hand half is moving onto the lefthand half to complete the cut it’s easy for your left little finger to pull down at the right long side of that card and move in above it. (Figure 181 is a stop-action exposed view; there is, obviously, absolutely no pause in action.) As you complete the cut your right thumb takes over the break as your right hand slides the entire deck down, toward you, slightly - to gambler’s palm posi­ tion. And with no pause at all moves it up again but leaves the “broken” bottom card in left-palm gambler’s cop. All you need do as the deck reaches cop position is to relax your right thumb as your left hand contracts slightly.

Figure 181

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Keep Your Eye On It

Figure 182 Again, there is no pause or hesitation. Your right hand cuts a small packet from top (face) of the deck to the table; a small packet so that the red six sandwich will remain at approximate center. At this point your left hand is resting on the table’s edge. As soon as your right hand tables that small packet it returns to take the remainder of the deck. Your left hand remains basically stationary as your right hand takes the deck and then relaxes to let the copped card fall to your lap (Figure 182). Most of your work is done. Say, “As I said, no matter how many times the deck is cut your card remains between the red sixes.” Table ribbon spread the facedown deck to expose the face-up red sixes with the facedown card between them. Ask for the name of the selected card. When it’s named say that now is where that difficult bit of magic comes into play. Do your magical gesture and say, “Now please, go ahead and look at your card.” As he reaches for and turns face up the sandwiched card you have ample time to grasp the lapped card and move it up under your jacket and into an inside pocket. Take advantage of the natural misdirection. The spectator turns up the AS of course. “I told you, that’s a magic card, and I’m a magic person! What’s the name of your card again?” He names it. “Watch! ” Another magical gesture, let your hands be seen to be empty and produce the selected (perhaps signed) card from your pocket! All is clean. Afterthoughts: What a strong effect this is — in my experience. The reason I use red spot card mates is for the color contrast with the AS at the end. The HaLo Cut Cop is a handy thing to have in your repertoire. You can steal a selected card whenever you’re seated at a table. All you’d need do is control it to bottom, do a couple of HaLo Cuts — then the HaLo Cut Cop.

A couple of things made me think of this - things that had to do with lapping a selected card. First of those “things” is (R)Evolutionary (end of Section IV). When I told some magic friends that I probably shouldn’t include this because it is really just a different handling, etc., the reaction always was “No, no, teach ‘em both, give us all a choice.” Not a bad idea; you should have that choice. And of course, the preceding effect also discusses the lapping of a card. The idea of secretly sliding a noted card from center to bottom of an in-hand spread is not new. What’s new here is that the spectator believes that he sees his card until the very last second as he pushes it into the deck. That’s the illusion I wanted to create. I get a kick out of performing it and I’ve been surprised when it completely fooled some knowledgeable people. I originally taught a couple of different handlings. As usual, as time went by I started to use only one of those handlings - the one that worked best for me. So, with a bit of updating, that’s the one I’ll teach here. Hand to hand spread the facedown shuffled deck asking your spectator to stop you, usually about center spread. When you’re stopped make sure that there’s a double card at bottom of the right-hand portion. Easy enough; just do it as you prepare to show the spectator the card at which he stopped you. Raise the right hand portion to show him that card. As you ask him to remem­ ber it bring up your left hand to point to that card’s face with your forefinger. The fleshy pads of your right fingertips also rest on the face of the displayed card, left thumb is at rear of the double card (Figure 183). Look directly into your spectator’s eyes and say, “Please remember it and keep your eye on it.”

Figure 183

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Figure 184

Figure 185

As you start to speak and as your spectator looks up at you for that split second lower both hands and that’s when the secret action starts. Left thumb holds the double’s top card in place as right fingers pull the remembered card back toward you, starting to injog it. (Figure 184 is a freeze of that action in progress; your view of course.) And keep moving the entire right-hand portion down and to the right until it clears the left-hand portion — and moves to under the left-hand portion, just as if you’ve simply cut the deck. (Figure 185 shows that action in progress.) Square all in your left hand except the outjogged (supposed) selection on top — which your spectator is keeping his eye on — and the secretly injogged selection at bottom. And as you say, “Don’t lose sight of your card,” your right hand cuts the top half deck, as is, to the table near the spectator. Easiest way to do this, at least it’s the easiest way for me, is for right fingertips to enter at about center deck at inner-right corner. (Figure 186; I’ve tried to show the right hand and its half deck starting to move to the table.) You might want to tilt your left hand a bit toward you to make sure the injogged card isn’t seen. Right hand comes right back to take the left-hand half deck from above, leaving the bottom injogged card in gambler’s palm position (Figure 187; just grabbing that left-hand half deck). Place that half flush onto the just tabled half — you’re simply completing the cut — the outjogged card is still outjogged. “Please push your card flush into the deck. That way we know it’s somewhere near center. But if you pick up the deck and shuffle it we won’t even know that.” Spectator shuffles, you have plenty of time to lap or pocket the selected card you just “stole.” And then it’s buildup time. Stress that he kept his eye on his card

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Figure 186

Figure 187

the entire time, that he himself lost it into the deck, and so forth. “Now I’d like to try a small magical miracle. What is the name of your card ? ” He names it; you do your “magic” and produce the card from your pocket. Afterthoughts: There are alternate ways to handle the “steal” of the stopped-at card. One or two will come to you as you play with the idea — then of course you will eventually decide which “handling” works best for you. As mentioned at top, I was using a couple of slightly different handlings until deciding on and using the one taught here. Have fun with this!

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Two To Reverse I’ve changed the original a lot; made it much easier to do. I’m pleased with the handling here. Hope you’ll be pleased as well, but you can of course change a bit here or there, omit a touch or two, to fit your way of working. Have two cards freely selected and remembered; control them to bottom of the deck. You can do a quick Center Hindu Shuffle or two, or my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle, keeping them there. Hold the facedown deck on your palm and ask your spectator to take about half the deck. “Now please go under the table with your half deck, shuffle it and then pull out one card. Bring your hands back in sight and table that one card closer to me — obviously nobody could possibly know which card that is. I’m going to do the same thing.” When you go under the table, and as you’re apparently shuffling, and as you speak, do this: Flip the bottom half of your half deck face up to top and then turn the two top cards (the two selections) face down. What you’ve accomplished is to “back” your half deck and bring the two selections face down onto the top face-up portion (Figure 188). Bring your hands back in sight as your right hand takes your squared half deck’s top card (one of the selections) and tables it face down near the spectator. “Please turn your shuffled half deck face up.” As he does you do the same with your half deck. All looks as it should. “Hold your face-up half deck so that I can push my facedown card to its center.” Do just that being careful not to let that card flash — it’s one of the selections, of course. “And I’ll push your facedown card to center of my face-up half deck.”

Figure 188

Figure 189 202

Figure 190

Figure 191

Pick up the card he tabled, don’t let it flash, and insert it to center of your half deck — into the bac\-to-bac\juncture. (It’s easy to find/see the back-to-back juncture at center. If you’re worried about that a pressure fan before you start makes it easy. Or just press down with your left thumb on your portion’s top at outer-left area — that usually causes the portion’s top face-up half, at innerright, to “lift” a bit.) As you push that card flush get a left little fingertip break above it. Say to the spectator, “Please spread your cards face up on the table.” As he moves his cards to the table you start to do the same thing — and what you need to do in the process is to turn the lower half of your portion — the batch under your break — face up in place. Easy; as your left fingers move that portion to the left your thumb pushes it up starting to turn it (Figure 189; starting). And just push it all the way up and back to under the right-hand portion (Figure 190, just near completion). This is done as your hands move to the table to do the spread. There is obviously no pause, no hesitation — immediately, as part of the same action, do the face-up left-to-right table ribbon spread. A facedown card is exposed at center of each face-up spread (Figure 191). Ask for the names of the two thought-of cards. Do your buildup and then turn up those two facedown cards to show the two named cards! Afterthoughts: You may have to “play” with that last piece of business — the reversing of the bottom portion as you move to do the face-up table ribbon spread — before you start doing it without any sort of hesitation, and as you speak to your spectator. Careful of your “attitude;” sometimes attitude can be a giveaway. I’ve never been “caught.”

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Well; there isn’t much more I can tell you about this effect. It really is easy, it really flows, it really fools.

Section

VII

Royal Take Not Quite ACAAN Lazy Man’s Card Tricky Lorayne’s Poker Deal Plus Best Impromptu Linking-Card Effect Mated Updated Royal Update In The Flush Two Magic Cards Spectator’s Choice Magical Appearance Amazing Tracking Pinpointing An Era Last Word

Royal Take My spectator-cuts-to-the-aces routine, DOUBLE TAKE, is a routine I use all the time, as do, I’m told, many all over the world. I think you’re now aware of my affection for royal-flush effects/routines. I’ve a couple more after this one that I simply need to get off my mind, since this is my last chance to do so. Many, of course, over the decades, keep thanking me for publishing royal-flush effects — guess they like them as much as I do. Teaching this one serves a “double” purpose because it will also teach you Double Take if you don’t already know it. If you don’t, you should. Double Take is a 4-ace item; as you know, I also have an affection for them! Have the five spade royal flush cards on top, shuffle a bit keeping them there, and into Royal Take: My lead-in patter, my rationalization, is that estimation is very important to card magic. “As one example, I need to be able to estimate thirteen cards, like this.” As I speak I get a break under the deck’s two top cards. If you’re with me — right hand grasps a small packet, about 11/12 cards from top of deck, right thumb taking over the break. Reach to the table with that packet — and a bit of acting now — the acting is really essential. Your complete attention is on that packet. “Hmm, yes, this is about right,” as you move your right hand back with the two “broken” cards (Figure 192). Attention still on the just-tabled packet as your right hand puts its two cards back onto the deck. It appears, or should, only as if you’re estimating, and that you thought you’d cut off too many cards. Overhand shuffle the deck keeping the top two cards on top. “It’s really not too difficult. Here, let me show you.” Table the deck proper to the left

Figure 192

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Figure 193

Figure 194

of the first-tabled packed, and say to the spectator, “See if you can cut off, estimate, about thirteen cards — and place them here.” Indicate to left of the deck. Spectator does so. “Not bad; you’re off just a bit. Now try again; cut off another estimated thirteen cards, about half of these (indicating the deck proper, the now center larger packet); put that batch here.” Indicate to the right end or the row. There are now four packets in a left-to-right tabled row. And here comes the “key” to the idea; think of the packets as numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 from your left to right. Look at the packets, and say, “Let’s see how you did.” And into what I call the “bluff,” the casual dropping of cards onto the wrong packets. Reach with both hands simultaneously and left hand picks up the top card of the left-end packet (#1) and right hand picks up the top card of packet #3. Turn them up as you lift them up above the tabled packets so that the faces are clearly seen; two spade royal flush cards — “Well; pretty high cards; not bad for a first try.” You want to patter just a bit here — that’s your “time misdirection.” So, as you say, “Let’s see what else you’ve accomplished” — drop the two cards face up onto packets #2 and #4 (.Figure 193, your view). And no hesitation - pick up the top cards of packets #1 and #3 again, just as you did before. Turn them up and say, “Oh wow; now you’re talking; these are terrific cards - four spade royal flush cards! ” Drop them face up back onto their packets, #1 and #3. Pause for a beat and as you say, “Let’s see if I can add a bit of magic to this,” move the four face-up cards to north of their packets so that they’re still in full view, and ... you have quite a few choices for ending with a magical “location” of the fifth spade royal flush card. That card, if you’ve fol­ lowed along with my explanation, is on top of packet #3 — just waiting for you to “produce” it. A few choices:

You can force packet #3 via magician’s choice, which I’ve discussed in this book. Force it and then flip its top card face up. You can put the packets together, #3 on top, shuffle keeping it there and then do the airdrop to table. Gather packets as above and do my Universal Reversal. Gather and then top palm that last spade card. Or cut it to bottom and do my HaLo Cut Cop which we’ve recently discussed. You can take the top card of each packet, plus one, and do my Reverse Faro Ending. And so on. My preference is to gather the packets, #3 on top, shuffle keeping that last high spade card on top. Then catch a break under it and place two of the face-up spade cards onto it and double cut to your break. Place the remaining two spade cards face up on top and do one complete cut. Magical gesture and table ribbon spread to show that the four face-up high spades have “caught” a facedown card. Build to your reveal of that last royal flush spade (Figure 194). “Boy! I’d hate to play cards with you!” Afterthoughts: This is a strong piece of magic and it is one of the effects where I must repeat — fill in with the three Ps - your Patter, Presentation, your Per­ sonality. It is important not to hesitate at all when reaching to lift off two cards, or when dropping them back onto two packets. It must be a casual action; hesitation would “kill” this - so get it solid in mind before performing it for an audience. You realize, of course, that if you were doing it to “reveal” the four aces, you’d end after showing the top cards of packets #1 and #3 the second time.

Harry Lorayne

Not Quite ACAAN I published this basic idea many decades ago. Yes; it’s a counting thing. I know that some don’t care for counting things, but there are those who do care for them. And since I always try to make everyone happy, I thought it important to include this. I was reminded of it when I taught The Broken Count about eight or nine items ago. Could this possibly have started the “any card at any number — ACAAN” frenzy? Well; I’ve streamlined it a bit and, for those who “do care for an effect having to do with numbers and counting,” I’ll teach it as quickly as I can. It is incidentally, an impossible thing so far as lay audiences are concerned. Have the 52-card deck shuffled, take it back and ask your spectator to think of any number from I to 10. (This will work as well with 1 or 10.) When (s)he says that he has a number in mind, say, “Whatever number you’re thinking of — please take that number of cards out of the shuffled deck. You can take them from top, bottom or middle. I’ll turn aside so that there’s no way I can tell how many cards you’re taking.” When he says that he’s done so, say, “Good; now put them away, in a pocket or wherever. I want no clues.” You really need no “clues,” so you can play this to the hilt. “May I turn around now?” Then say, “I’ve made you really concentrate on a number, now I want you to concentrate on a card. Please give the deck another shuffle.” When he’s done so, take the deck from him. “I’ll count ten cards for you; please remember the card that’s at the number you’re thinking of. Again, I want no clues, so don’t change expression or say anything. As a matter of fact, I’ll turn aside so that I can’t see you or the cards.” Do that, and then take one card at a time from top of the deck, one under the other so that you do not reverse their order (Figure 195). Count aloud as you do. When you reach “ten” turn to him and ask if he’s got the card at his number in mind. “Please remember it.” As you speak your left thumb casually pushes off two more cards. Replace the counted cards, square catching a break under the twelve cards. “Okay; there’s no way I could possibly know the name of the card you’re thinking of. All I know at the moment is that that card is somewhere here near top of the deck. (No sense trying to hide the obvious!) But if I shuffle the deck, then I will no longer know that.” Double cut the top 12-card batch to bottom and immediately into a couple of center Hindu Shuffles and/or I always do

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my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle (as taught in Section I) a couple of times. I devised it just for this kind of situation! Your audience must be convinced that there’s no way in the world you could possibly know the name or location of the thought-of card. You now need a left little fingertip break under the top ten cards. I do not try to do that surreptitiously. What I do is — I say, “Sometimes I get lucky and after all this shuffling your card arrives back to its original number. Tell me if that’s happened.” Pretty rapidly count ten cards letting the spectator see them, “Is your card back at its number? No? Okay, just thought I’d check.” Replace the ten cards catching your break under them. And at this moment the thought-of card is 40th from top, which makes it 50th from your break! “I’ll just have to rely on a bit of magic instead of luck. Please give me any number from, say, oh, 25 to 40 — and I’ll try to put that hopelessly lost in the deck card that you’re thinking of to that position in one second or less\” I’ve simplified the handling here, eliminated thumb counting which I taught in the original. I just don’t trust thumb counting — too easy for an extra card to fly off your thumb without you knowing it. Anyway, please go over the following “handlings” for different named numbers — hopefully I can explain so that you can follow along easily. Get it all in mind so that you can “do” what’s necessary without hesitation — in one second or less — when performing. Okay, then. Obviously if the number given is 30 simply double cut the top “broken” 10-card block to bottom. If that number is 40, just release your break and false cut to the table. If the number is lower than 30, say 27, you know that you need to remove three cards (30 minus 3 = 27) from top of the deck proper that’s under your

Figure 195

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Lazy Man’s Card Trick

Figure 196 break. So, immediately cut that top “broken” packet to the table. Right hand returns, grasps the deck from above and your left thumb rapidly peels off 1,2, 3 cards (Figure 196), drops the deck onto them and then drops the deck onto the tabled packet. (Or; if you prefer not to “use” the table — double cut or just cut — that “broken” group to bottom and then peel off the top three cards and drop the deck onto them. Same result.) If the number is higher than 30, say 35: Right hand holds the “broken” packet as left thumb rapidly peels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 cards from its top onto the deck proper, replaces the remaining (5) of the “broken” packet catching a break and double cuts them to bottom. Hope I’ve explained all clearly — and each can be done in a second or less. Let your spectator count to the given number — or you do it — hold the arrived-at card face down as you ask for the name of the thought-of card — and then show that the card at that number is indeed the named card! Afterthoughts: When the effect is over, don’t forget to retrieve the originally counted- off cards from the spectator. Well, number/counting effects are not necessarily favorites of mine, but they sometimes “fit” the particular circumstances. I always want to have effect and method in mind should that “circumstance” arrive. So far as the above effect is concerned, think of what you’ve magically accom­ plished ! Without asking a question you’ve placed a thought-of card to a named position. It really is an “impossibility.”

“How in the world could you have overlooked Lazy Man’s Card Trick?” I asked in surprise after I’d done the effect for some magic friends, explained it and mentioned that I’d originally taught it in CLOSE-UP CARD MAGIC and then in LORAYNE: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION, Vol. 1, and one guy said, “Gee; I have C-UCM — darned if I remember that.” Amazing to me that an effect like that would be overlooked or forgotten. Fortunately that seems to be a rarity, because people have been doing the effect all over the world for decades; it’s become sort of a “standard.” But the conversation that ensued at that above get-together talked me into re-publishing it here — for a few reasons. First, of course, for all those who “overlooked” or “forgot” it. But mainly for new people into magic because my two books mentioned above have both been out of print and unavailable for a long time. So, for what it’s worth, here’s a slightly updated version: It all started so many decades ago when Richard Himber introduced me to Al Koran. I’m “dropping” names that may not mean anything to some today. A1 did the effect for me and since Richard had told him that I was in the throes of writing C-UCM asked if I’d include that. I said I’d think about it, but if I did include it I’d make quite a few changes and certainly add a presenta­ tion. That’s what finally occurred — I included my “take” on it, my changes, my presentation, and honestly — it became a much better effect. (I’ll drop another probably not-so-well-known-today name — when I showed it to Jack Miller, who I used to see at Tannens Magic Shop every Saturday, he said that the original idea was^is!) Problem (for me) was that Al and Jack presented it as a “mathematical puzzle.” I later found out that the mathematical idea appeared in Royal Road To Card Magic. Truth be told nobody had mentioned it, heard of it, so I was told, until C-UCM came out. Anyway, the presentation/handling you’re about to read/learn is all mine, so I’ll take the credit — or the blame. I had originally told Al that I’d use it if I could teach it in C-UCM with my “lazy man’s” idea, but I’d credit him for it. I told the truth about that in L:TCC, 1. That changed as years (decades) went by. (Be sure to check my Afterthoughts.) I’ve seen quite a few people louse it up; I’ll point out the “louse up” area also in the Afterthoughts. Now this is one item that does require a previous setup. You need to set one suit in order from ace to ten (Al and Jack set all 13 of the

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Figure 197 suit; I found that unnecessary). The ten cards, assume spades, are at bottom of the deck, AS bottom/face card. Shuffle the deck keeping those ten cards at bottom. My Bottom Stet Over­ hand Shuffle fits perfectly, of course — as I mentioned before, it seems as if it was “made” for this effect! My opening patter: “It never fails, someone arrives after I’ve done about an hour of card magic and the host or hostess begs me to do a trick for this person. I’m tired so I make him do all the work. I’ll show you.” That’s how I get into it — I’m apparently describing something that happened in the past, and I’m making the “current” person work along with me. I table the shuffled (?) deck and tell the spectator to stick a finger into the middle and pull out a card. “Please remember it - and drop it back onto the deck. Now cut the deck.” I demonstrate/pantomime a complete cut here. “Cut it again; and once more.” Pause. “Oh well, cut it again, and again. Turn the deck face up, please — and cut it. Again please, and again.” And I have him cut the deck face up until I see one of my ten spade cards. Assume I see the 6S at face “Okay; turn the deck face down and put your finger on it; press down just a bit (Figure 197). Let’s see, how many times did you cut the deck? You don’t know? I think you cut it nine times ... hmm, yes, nine times. That should place your card to 32nd from top. You look skeptical. Wait, wait — you relaxed your finger, that brought your card up to fifteenth from top! “Oops; you did it again, relaxed your finger. Please, don’t do that. Know where your card is now? It’s exactly sixth from top. Still don’t believe me, huh? Well, don’t relax your finger. And what’s the name of the card you’re thinking

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Figure 198 of? Good. Count down to the sixth card and hold it face down. What’s the name of your card again, please? The four of hearts? Fine. Turn over that sixth card.” It is, of course, the 4H! (Figure 198.) I’ve tried to give you a general idea as to how I used to present the effect. It is always a “jaw dropper” when the person turns up the card he’s holding — and it is his card. Okay; some important points. You have to have him keep cutting face up until one of your set spades appears. Occasionally, when I see it’s taking too long, I reach over and give the deck one cut off center, then let him continue cutting. When you see the spade card — 6S, this example — that of course tells you the selected card’s position from top. And when you see that spade card, pay no attention to it and just tell him to turn the deck face down, put his finger on it, etc. End as I’ve described above. Afterthoughts: I always do the effect sort of half kidding - the ending seems to come across stronger that way. As mentioned, when the spade card appears at face pay no attention to it. In appearance you don’t even look at it, didn’t even see it. And this is the point where I’ve seen the effect ruined - quite a few times. The 4S appears and the performer points to it and says, “This tells me that your card is fourth from the top.” Wrong! Please don’t do that. Do it as I’ve taught. You don’t want to call attention to that face card. Just the opposite, as I said above. And that also loses the humor, the idea of the card moving upward as he relaxes his finger. Also, obviously, make sure your spectator counts the cards face down at the end — you don’t want the run of spades to be seen.

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Now; just to bring this entire thing up to date: I stopped using the “lazy man’s” presentation a long time ago. If you don’t want to use that presentation, just present it as you would any other strong card effect. Your “gedinta” might me — “Let me try something different, but interesting, for you — please push your finger into the middle of the shuffled deck and pull out one card ...” And you’re off and running.

Lorayne’s Poker Deal Plus Someone said, “Gee; I love that poker deal of yours and I sure would like to have some kind of “kicker” to it — just go on with it for another minute or two.” Well, just a bit of thought and — pretty obvious. I’ll teach it “from scratch” because I have to in order to teach the obvious addition to the routine, and also for the same reasons mentioned in the preceding — for those who’ve overlooked or forgotten the original, and for new people in magic. So with some updating, here’s basically my original write-up — and I’ll let you know when we come to the “plus” that really instigated this in the first place. When I originally published it I was told that there was a similar idea by Martin Gardner and Ed Mario (Let’s See The Dec\; 1942) — both personal friends. My handling/presentation, etc., is different. It’s a strong piece of magic. It’s done of course for audiences that know poker. I just checked one of my original write-ups and “caught” a bit of ego! I wrote — “Please accept decades of experience performing for all kinds of audiences and learn this just as taught.” Obviously you can make whatever changes you like after learning it. “Here’s a true story - which I just made up! ” (You can eliminate this attempt at humor, of course. I always get a chuckle with it.) “I was in Las Vegas waiting for a friend and doing some fancy cuts while waiting.” Do anything to “fit” here, like one-hand cuts — to show off a bit. If you can’t do that, don’t mention cuts, just say that you had a deck of cards in your hand. A guy approached and said, “I see you’re interested in cards. How would you like to learn how to cheat at poker? ” I said, “Hey; I’m always willing to learn. He took the deck and this is what he ‘taught’ me.” He said, “The first thing you have to do is get the four aces to bottom.” I have to break continuity here to explain the “setting” that you have to do. I usually have the 10S, JS, QS, KS already set at top in any order before I go into the routine. Now, for the “plus” that I’ll be teaching you need to set the same four high, say, heart cards under the four spades. Do that as you speak and as you run through the deck searching for the four aces and tabling them. Have to leave this to you — make sure you have those eight cards set before tabling the fourth ace. (There’s no rationale for you to continue looking if the four aces are already tabled.) I’ll explain my much better way of “getting set” in the Afterthoughts — be sure to check that.

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“The ‘guy’ reminded me that the aces have to secretly be at bottom.” As I speak, I shuffle keeping the eight vital cards on top — that’s important. “He didn’t tell me how to do that, he just put them to bottom of the shuffled deck. And he started to deal out a 5-hand poker game.” Do that; fifth hand is yours. “And when you come to your hand, do a bottom deal — that is, take the bottom card instead of the top card.” Time it so that you’re dealing a card to your hand as you come to the end of the sentence and do a bottom deal as best you can but slowly and obviously. Do the same for your next three cards, filling in with this “guy’s” patter. Your audience sees that you’re really taking the bottom card for your hand each time. Take your fifth card from top — “You already have the four aces,” he said, “so you can take the top card.” Do that. Turn up your hand — “And he showed me that he had the four aces.” Here’s where you need to “arrange” a bit for the “plus.” When you turn up your hand to show the four aces, casually move them around as you speak and make sure that the AS is at face with the AH directly under it (Figure 199). “That’s okay, but I’d rather not have to keep the aces at bottom.” As you speak drop your hand — the four aces and one X card — face down onto the deck. Drop the other four hands, in any order, on top of all. “I like them lost somewhere at center.” As you say this, turn the deck face up and riffle off with your right thumb so that a flash of aces is seen at center (Figure 200). Careful not to let the flushes flash. If you’re worried about that, don’t do it — just spread some face cards to show that the aces are not there. Turn the deck face down and as you say, “You forgot one thing, my friend, you forgot to shuffle the deck,” do a couple of overhand injog shuffles, being sure to undercut less than half the deck (you actually have a 28-card leeway, so

Figure 199

Figure 200

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not a problem). The spade royal flush is, of course, set to fall to the fifth — your - hand in a 5-hand deal out. “Now, when I play poker (start to deal the five hands as before) I don’t take cards from the bottom, I take them right off the top.” Do so, but make it look a bit suspicious when you deal to your hand — without overacting. Say to one of your spectators, “You look suspicious, so I’ll deal my second card very slowly.” Do just that. “You still look suspicious — I’ll do my next card with one hand.” Do just that, dealing your third card with one hand; do a bit of a flourish as you do. Say to the same spectator (you may get a chuckle or two with this bit of byplay), “Look, I know you still don’t trust me (start to deal the fourth round) so here, you take my fourth card off the top for me.” Let him do that. “And of course the fifth card, right off the top” as you deal the fifth card to your hand. Pause for a beat. “When I play poker I like to know what I’m playing against.” Start to turn up the hands, starting with the first one. You might make a remark about what’s in the hand. The second and third hands each show an ace — and it’s the fourth hand where you have to be a bit careful, because it consists of the heart royal flush. So when you turn it up let just the AH and the face card of the five show (Figure 201). You’ll find that you can do that as you turn up the five cards with one hand. But if you have to use two hands, do so. Just don’t make a “move” out of it — you are simply turning the hands face up. “And the ‘guy’ said, ‘Wait a minute, I see three aces here (indicate them) - you can’t have four aces in your hand — unless you have a deck with seven aces!” And I said, “Excuse me, but I didn’t say I would get the four aces, I said I would get the winning hand, and I’ve dealt myself a hand that can’t possibly be beaten in poker ... a royal flush ... in spades! ” Time it so that

Figure 201

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you start to turn your five cards face up one at a time, the last one just as you end your remark. This is where my original ended — good enough, strong enough. But now, that “plus” we talked about. There’s a heart royal flush waiting to be used, waiting to drop a jaw or two. I usually use it in either of two ways. One way: Gather the hands, heart royal flush hand on top. Shuffle, keeping it on top. The shuffling is important, of course, and my Utility Mixer “does it.” And then make your closing remark as you do a false cut to the table and turn up that flush a card at a time. Your closing remark could be something like, “I like to always be ready!” The other way: Turn the five hands face down and move them around a bit, keeping track of the heart royal-flush hand - and do magician’s choice - with my variation, as taught in this book. You end as if your spectator has selected the heart royal-flush hand. I’ll leave the closing line to you. Afterthoughts: Not much more I can tell you about this — it’s all in the text. If you didn’t know my original, you’ve just learned a “goodie.” If you did know/ use my original, you’ve learned the “plus,” which “ain’t” bad! Learn and perform it as taught and people will think that you are a most fantastic card handler/manipulator/magician. This is a good example where sleights, per se, are not so important — it’s the timing, the presentation, that’s important here. Practice until you can do it at a fairly steady pace, smoothly, with proper timing and you’ll have a routine that you may use for many years to come.

I’ve written/taught my way of setting up “impromptuly” a number of times. Many have told me that it has changed their close-up card repertoire because they were then able to include routines they never could before because of required previous setups. I use it mainly because I work only with borrowed decks so I can’t use a previous setup. So, if you haven’t learned it yet pay attention here for another few minutes. When I want to perform a routine that necessitates the setup I do a selectedcard effect before that. I know the card because I’ve either forced it or glimpsed it, and I have the spectator shuffle. The patter is basically that if (s)he concen­ trates on his card I sometimes can “catch” that thought. (This will take longer to explain than it does to “do.”) A slight bit of acting is required.

Figure 202 For the routine above, I run through the cards, faces toward me, saying “I think this might be your card” as I upjog the royal flush spade and heart cards as I see them; the order is not important, as you’ll see. So, you’ve upjogged nine cards, the eight royal-flush cards and the selected card (Figure 202), or eight cards altogether if the selection happens to be one of those royal flush cards. Strip out and hold on to those upjogged cards — “I think it may be one of these” — as you table the deck proper. “Yes, I’m almost certain your card is one of these; please concentrate on it for me.” And do the same with the nine cards you’re holding, upjogging just the high heart cards. “Well, I’m getting there,” as you strip out those heart cards and place them onto the tabled deck, paying little attention to them. “You know, I think I’ve got it” — as you upjog only the selected card, hold on to it as you remove the four spade cards and drop them onto the deck — leaving you holding only the selected card. That’s it; end as you usually would when finding a lost-in-the-deck selection, then lose that card into the deck; shuffle the deck keeping the eight vital royal flush cards on top — and you’re set to go into Lorayne’s Poker Deal Plus. I’ve used this idea with as many as 26 cards — just have to do the upjog thing more times.

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Best Impromptu Linking-Card Effect Most of the items in this book fall into four main categories — 1) quite a few new effects that I’d never put in print before, 2) quite a few things that I had put in print decades ago but which I’ve made better and easier to do, 3) quite a few ideas that also had been in print decades ago but which I not only made better/easier to do but also added “more magic” to them. If you’ve read up to here from the beginning, you already know that. And category #4: This is one of the few that falls into this category. It’s really a perfect “little piece” as is — I can’t make it better or easier. So the items in this category are those that fill quite a few, or many, requests and also those that I feel really must be included for people who don’t know that item. This falls into that category for those two reasons - requested and for those who’ve “missed” it. It’s difficult for me to visualize “missing” this since I know that so many are performing it, and have been for decades, all over the world. And that it’s been ripped off quite a few times over those decades — way back by a famous name who sold it as his — put it in magazines as his. But, it — and I — have survived! I’ve left “Best” in the title because over all the decades, since original publica­ tion, I’ve never seen anything better. Oh, I’m sure there are gaffed versions, etc., but nothing impromptu like this. Two people were instrumental in its evolvement — John Fisher of England originally mentioned to me that he’d heard of Terry (The Kid) Lagerould (of Nevada) doing a linking card thing — and my future conversation with Terry to make sure that my method was different. Okay; got that off my mind; now this isn’t a necessarily long effect but it will take “long” for me to teach it properly. So, as usual, make sure you’re well rested, sober and have the time to go through this with me! You might even want to prepare a card as I’ll be teaching so that you can follow along with all the actions. It will work with any size card, but if you’re just learning it, use a poker size card. The patter I’ve always used as I start the tearing process is, “I needed a break from magic so I got into origami, paper folding. I got so involved with origami that I needed a break from that. So I started to play around with this — kirigami, paper tearing.” I honestly don’t know if that’s the proper word, but nobody has questioned it in all the decades I’ve been using this patter!

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In my original publication I taught just the handling first and then the patter/presentation in the Afterthoughts. Now I think it best to teach all in correct sequence. As you patter, timing all accordingly, fold the card in half lengthwise. Crease and tear along the crease so that you have two long half cards. Table one half and fold the in-hand one in half lengthwise. And tear out the center, leaving a frame, like this: Start tearing near an end from the crease toward the open sides. Tear to near those open sides and then start tearing downward. This is one of those areas where a picture is worth a thousand words (look at Figure 203). Tear down the length to near the other end and then tear there as you did at the first end. Toss aside the long center torn-out piece, open your fold and you have a “frame.” Hand that frame to your spectator, saying, “Here, make sure there are no secret tears or trapdoors.” As he (or she) looks it over I’m tearing out the second frame. I take back the first frame and hand him the second one — “Now check that one out.” As he starts to look at that one, I say, “I guess you’re thinking that while you look at that one I’m putting a tear in this one.” I take back the one he’s holding and give him the one I’m holding. “So check it out.” Pause, and then, “I know, you’re thinking that while you look at that one ...” You can milk this for as long as you like — but don’t overdo it. It should get a chuckle or two. Finally and seriously, hand him the one you’re holding — “Seriously; check them both.” Take back one frame at a time and run each through/over your finger(s), convexing one and concaving the other. How you do that is up to you, but “bel­ lying” them as show in (Figure 204) is important because that’s what helps you to link them instantly, as you’ll see.

Figure 203

Figure 204

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Figure 205

Figure 207

Figure 206

Figure 208

Hold them just as shown in the photo (left hand holding the “belly up” frame at inner-left, thumb on top; right hand holding the “belly down” frame at inner right, fingers on top). Of course, after you’re familiar with it all you’ll hold them however you like, but be assured that what I’m explaining is the best way (I’ve tried all). As you speak, display the frames by simultaneously turning your hands (Figure 205) and then turning them back; do this fairly rapidly two or three times. Finally, as you come back to normal position, and as you say, “Once, as I was playing with these like this, a strange thing happened - they linked!” Now, this is a bit difficult for me to explain. You’ve just come back to normal position, right hand is a bit above left hand - and as you end your remark, match action to words — without a noticeable pause the right frame moves down onto the left frame - its left long side going into the left frame (Figure 206). Practice so that you can do this instantly, one quick downward movement of your right hand.

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Figure 209

Figure 210

And turn your hands so that your thumbnails are up so that you can show the upper ends of the frames which are apparently linked (Figure 207). Your remark ends just as you do this. The first and second fingertips of each hand are basically inside the circle formed by the frames, as in the photo. “And these ends are also linked” as you keep all in position and turn both hands inward until your thumbnails are downward. Keep the frame circle taut by spreading apart the first and second fingers of both hands — and you’re displaying the other “linked” ends. Now gently remove both second fingers and rotate your forefingers around each other (Figure 208). This is an excellent illusion of the frames being linked. “See? They’re really linked.” Pretend to pull your forefingers apart, stretching the circle. And, into the ending: Grasp one linked end between right forefinger and thumb tips as you remove your left hand (Figure 209). Demonstrate with your left forefinger and thumb as you ask your spectator to grasp and hold the other linked ends with his fore­ finger and thumb tips. He’ll be holding two linked ends when he does. “Hold tight, please; don’t let go.” As your hand releases, say, “The only way to get these apart now is to tear one card here at the end.” Tear the short/linked end of one of the frames on your side. Just tear the end; don’t pull the frames apart yet (Figure 210). “Don’t let go of your ends yet.” Straighten the frames by gently pulling left/right their free ends and grasp an end between first and second fingers of each hand — “Now you can let go. See? These cards are linl{ed\ “Here, you take them; take the ends between your fingers just as I have them.” Let him do so. What I usually do now is gently raise his arms so that the now really linked frames are right in front of his eyes (Figure 211).

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Mated Updated

Figure 211 That’s it — I want to end with the spectator (and the rest of the audience) star­ ing at two really linked frames! And you’re as clean as you were when you started. Afterthoughts: Sure; you’ll have to go over it - no more than two or four times — maybe ruin a few old cards — before it starts to flow for you. Don’t give up! And be careful of making changes, or adding things. I played with, experi­ mented with, the idea for many years — if anything could have been added/ changed to make it better, I’d have done so years ago. Some time ago someone performed this effect on the internet. And when he turned both hands displaying the “bellied” frames and then thrust the long left side of the right frame into the left frame, as in the fourth photo in the text — he paused to show them linked! Please! How “wrong” can you get!? I did let him know and he did remove it from youboob — er, sorry - youtube. Please learn it as taught. And you can do the linking with business cards, with only one card or with two, and with either your card or your spectator’s, so long as they tear fairly eas­ ily. But of course much more difficult to handle than a poker size playing card. Finally, in my original publication I taught a couple of follow-up things you could do with the frames and/or with the torn-out centers of those frames. I realized soon after that that was wrong. I don’t want to keep my audience thinking about this any longer than necessary. Now I always immediately go into my next “miracle.”

Probably the most versatile sleight or maneuver that I’ve come up with is the HaLo Cut. (Interesting that many don’t know the derivative of the name — I thought it was obvious. It’s the first two letters of my first name followed by the first two letters of my last name.) If you can do the HaLo Cut, here’s a really nice effect based on just that. Let your spectator shuffle the deck. Take it back and spread faces toward you. “These cards are thoroughly mixed.” As you speak make sure that the two face cards are one red and one black (not crucial; just looks better at the end). If not, simply spread to two such and cut them to face; remember their names. Assume they’re the 2C and KH. “There’s a small miracle I’d like to show you if you find the two of spades and king of diamonds for me”—name the mates of the two face cards. Hand him the deck (after a false cut or two, if you like) and let him find those two cards. As he does, table them face up, one left one right, a few inches apart. No; no spectator has ever noticed that the mates of the mentioned cards are at face. If you’re nervous about it, simply note the 2nd and 3rd cards from face, and mention the mates of those two. Take the deck, give it a shuffle or two keeping the original cards at bottom. If you’re “working” with the 2nd and 3rd from face cards, double cut the bot­ tom card to top. And as you say, “Let’s lose those cards into the deck — face up,” do the HaLo Cut and drop the right-hand half deck face down onto the face-up tabled card to your right. Right hand moves back, takes the left-hand half deck and drops that onto the other face-up tabled card. In a continuing action, using only one hand, pick up one half deck (with its bottom face-up card of course) and drop it onto the other half and then complete cut a few times. To your audience what you’re doing is casually losing the face-up cards into the deck. Your work is done. Do a wide table ribbon spread with the facedown deck, exposing the two face-up cards. Remove each of those face-up cards along with the card directly above it. Push the rest of the spread out of the way. Move the four cards, the two pairs, into a square formation any way you like. For example, the two facedown cards up/down at left or right, or that pair left/ right of each other at top or bottom of the square. It matters not. But I found it much better to do it diagonally (Figure 212). A facedown card can be at outer left, as in the photo, or at outer right; again, it doesn’t matter.

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Royal Update

Figure 212

Figure 213

Buildup however you like — how the two face-up cards were haphazardly lost into the shuffled deck, etc. And then — simultaneously turn face up the two facedown cards, in place. The mates match either horizontally or vertically (Figure 213) one way being just as strong as the other! Afterthoughts: I do the square layout as above because then I don’t have to think about how the two cards the spectator removes from the deck are tabled, or which half deck has to go onto which card as the HaLo Cut is done. Do it as taught and you don’t have to think about those things at all, drop either half deck onto either face-up card, and when you put the halves together either one can go onto either one. Not thinking about those things at all allows you to give all your attention to your presentation.

Long ago, after originally publishing the preceding, I started to perform this more often because, as you know by now, I do like royal flush tricks. This is basically the same as the preceding, but different enough in appearance to lay­ men that I wanted to teach it as a separate item. It will take up less space than the preceding. Run through the deck and table the 10S and the KS face up as you secretly get the JS, QS and AS to bottom; the AS is the bottom card. The patter is basically about the 10S and KS being magic cards. And as I speak I do my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle a few times, keeping the other high spade cards at bottom. Of course, a center Hindu Shuffle would also do. As you patter about losing the face-up 10S and KS into the deck, double cut the AS to top and then do the HaLo Cut just as taught in the preceding — drop­ ping a half deck onto each of the face-up tabled cards. Drop one half deck onto the other half deck and complete cut a few times. Continue just as in the preceding — face down table ribbon spread and remove the two face-up royal flush cards each with the card directly above it. The AS will be under one of those face-up cards, so you’ll want to cut the deck bring­ ing it to top or bottom. Do the square tabled layout again just as taught in the preceding (Figure 214). And you have a choice here — you can show that the two face-up cards have “caught” two other spade royal flush cards, or you can magically produce the AS first, and then show the royal flush to end. Either way, “locate” the AS magically. And, again, choices: I’ve taught enough “magical locations” in this book - you

Figure 214

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can secretly reverse the AS via the Braue Secret Reversal or via my Universal Reversal — or you can do the airdrop to table, produce it from a pocket. You can turn up the tabled facedown cards to show the four royal flush cards and then have them “catch” the AS between them (also as taught in this book) and so on. I can’t make that choice for you. Afterthoughts: As mentioned, the AS will be under one of the face-up cards when you do the table ribbon spread. Under which one is according to how you place the half decks as you HaLo Cut. So check it out, place those half decks the same way each time, and you’ll know where that AS is each time.

In The Flush I didn’t want to depend on perfect faros or on a previous setup in order to perform this interesting effect. So, what evolved was/is my way of setting “impromptuly” during a preceding effect which eliminated the two things I didn’t want to depend on! You’ve had a card selected and lost into the deck. You know the card because you either forced it or glimpsed it — assume it’s the 4C. “Sometimes, if you really concentrate on your card, I get a tingle in my fingers as they contact a card or cards that might be the one you’re concentrating on.” Say this as you run through the cards, faces toward you. And as you do you’ll set the five cards of a royal flush; for this — any suit but spades. Assume you want to set the heart royal flush. I handle it a bit differently for this — instead of upjogging cards, I table cards. Follow along: You see one of the heart royal flush cards and as you say something like “Oops; just got a finger tingle,” table that heart card along with the card above it. I spread from right to left hand so it will be easier for me to teach it that way - so, you’re tabling two cards (Figure 215). Audience can’t see if you’re tabling one or more and that doesn’t matter. Go back to spreading. Do the same thing each time you see a high heart card, tabling the two cards onto the already-tabled cards, and of course, table the 4C the same way when you come to it. When you’ve gone through the entire deck, square it, table it, and pick up the eleven cards, the ones that “tingled” your fingers. Spread through them as you say, “I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of one of these cards,” upjog the 4C, and place the remaining ten onto the deck. You’re “there”! Table the 4C face down. Pick up the deck and start to shuffle, keeping the ten vital cards on top, as you

Figure 215

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patter a bit about the impossibility of knowing/finding the card he’s thinking of. Ask him to name it — you show that you have, indeed, found it. And, whenever you’re ready, so long as you keep those ten vital cards on top of the deck, you can go into In The Flush. This is how I “go into it”: After having done a couple of things for the spectator, say, “You know, I think our minds are kind of aligned a bit now. Let me try something. Please think of a low number, oh, say from 1 to 5. Got one in mind? Okay; now double it. Please remember both numbers. Right now I’d like you to also think of a card - perhaps the card that falls at the higher number you’re thinking of. Please do that - I’ll show you ten cards. Give me no clues, just remember the card that lies at the higher number you’re thinking of and that I couldn’t possibly know.” And count the top ten cards of the shuffled^) deck without reversing their order. And this is why I don’t use a spade royal flush for this - nobody has ever noticed that every other card you’re showing and counting is a high heart card. I always felt that spades might be noticed — probably not, but why take the chance? Okay; (s)he remembers the card that falls on the number he’s thinking of. What’s been accomplished here, of course, is that you forced him to think of an even number and that forced him to think of one of the high heart cards. Let’s assume that he originally thought of 4, which he doubled to 8. So he remem­ bered the 8th card of those you’ve just counted/shown him, while your head was turned aside so that you couldn’t receive any clues. “Have you thought of a card? Good. Obviously there’s no way I could know the name of that card. I do know that it is somewhere here near top of the deck. But if I shuffle (start to do so) then I won’t know that either.” Shuffle keeping the ten vital cards on top. “I’ve played poker all my life. Part of being a good poker player is being able to tell when an opposing player is bluffing, being able to recognize ‘tells,’ it’s almost like reading a person’s mind. Let me try something.” And rapidly deal out two poker hands from the obviously shuffled(?) deck, one to him and the other to you. Obviously your hand will consist of the five heart royal flush cards - in 1 to 5 order from bottom up. And the card he’s thinking of will be at the number/ position from 1 to 5 that he originally thought of. To make the ending smoother overlap your five cards from left to right as you deal them. To end: “So, what is the original low number you’re thinking of? Four? Okay. And now, for the first time, what is the name of the card you’re thinking of? The jack of hearts?” Repeat: “Okay; number four, the jack of hearts. Watch!”

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Figure 216 Count slowly, dramatically, indicating each card, from bottom up in your poker hand, to the fourth card (this example). “The jack of hearts.” Turn that fourth card face up; it is the JH! (Figure 216.) Pause for effect. Then ... “I’m a good magician and a good poker player, but I’d sure hate to play cards with you!” And turn up the other four cards of your poker hand to display the royal flush! Afterthoughts: I’ve noted some of the patter, etc., that I use when performing this effect just to give you an idea of same. Do your own three Ps, of course. If you’ve made your audience believe beyond a doubt that the deck has been thoroughly shuffled, etc., this really falls into the “jaw dropper” category. You might think that your audience will wonder — what in the world does thinking of any card have to do with poker? Well, I try to make a slight connec­ tion with my suggested patter. A different closing line I sometimes use is — “I’m a good magician and a good poker player but I don’t understand this (as you turn up the other royal flush cards), do you?” Anyway, it doesn’t really matter. Your audience is too busy being amazed (or should be) to think about that.

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Two Magic Cards I included Mated Updated and Royal Update a couple of items ago because I think they’re good close-up card magic items but also to give you some practice for my HaLo Cut. So, would you also like some practice for The Lorayne Force? Obviously, in order to practice it you do have to basically know it/do it. (If you don’t, go to Jacks Are Better in Section III.) Okay; the effect here is similar in end result and appearance to those men­ tioned above, so I’ve never done both ideas during the same sitting. But, differ­ ent presentation, different handling, different concept. Don’t overlook this - it’s something you may want to perform often. As I turn the deck face to me I note the two face cards. They really can be any cards but I prefer a red and a black. So if a red/black is there, fine; if not I simply cut two such to face. Okay; assume I see the 8H and QS at face. As I spread, looking for those mates - patter: “Did you know that the eight of dia­ monds and the queen of clubs (the mates) are magic cards? They are; let me show you.” Table the 8D and QC face up. Then cut the face-to-you squared deck into two halves, but as your right hand moves the top half to the right, left thumb holds back/peels the face card (8H or QS) onto face of the lower half (Figure 217, in progress). Table the left-hand half face down as you ready the right half for Slip Shuffles {Figure 218, in progress). Do a Slip Shuffle or two with the in-hand half deck. Table that and pick up the first; do a Slip Shuffle or two with that one and then table it alongside the other. The point is that your audience believes that the two half decks are

Figure 219 thoroughly shuffled, but you have the 8H at face of one and the QS at face of the other. And you’re ready to do The Lorayne Force — twice. Pick up one of the half decks and tell your spectator to pick up either one of the tabled face-up cards and to insert it face up anywhere into the facedown spread — as you spread and set for The Lorayne Force. He inserts it; can change his mind, etc. {Figure 219, just prior to squaring.) Square and table that half deck. Do the same with the remaining half deck; I always give it a quick shuffle or two, maintaining the bottom card, and then have the spectator insert the remaining tabled face-up card. Drop that half onto the first half and do a couple of complete cuts and then do a wide facedown table ribbon spread. Remove each face-up card with the facedown card under it and push the rest of the deck proper aside. Do the square layout of the four cards just as taught in Mated Updated — the face-up cards in diagonal position, which automatically sets the facedown cards in diagonal position. Do your magical gesture and turn up the facedown cards to show that each face-up “magic” card has found its mate! Afterthoughts: The way I teach to do the layout of the four cards to end makes it unnecessary to think at all about how to “set” the vital cards during perfor­ mance, because it just doesn’t matter. I’m pleased with it; I hope you are, too. I never put this specific effect in print because of the similarity to Mated — so I’m doing it here, as noted, to give you a way to practice The Lorayne Force, which is one heck of a utility move (if you’ll forgive my biased opinion), and because I finally decided that I do want it recorded (for posterity?!).

Figure 217

Figure 218

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Spectator’s Choice This is (in my opinion) a very interesting idea/concept/effect. I’ve performed it two very slightly different ways recently - because I came up with the idea only recently. I’ll teach both ways of course and then you can see which presentation you prefer (if either!). You need to be entirely at ease with double cuts in order to perform it. It contains a large discrepancy, but so far nobody for whom I’ve performed it has noticed that discrepancy. Instead — gasps were heard and jaws were seen to drop! I’m “into” 4-ace effects as you know so my presentation is a 4-ace “loca­ tion” effect - wherein the spectator apparently does the “locating.” You can, of course, make it an any 4-of-a-kind location. After you’ve learned the basic idea/ handling for this - I’ll discuss that different (not a 4-ace) effect that entails the same basic handling. The four aces are on top of the deck. As you shuffle keeping them there pat­ ter about letting your spectator do some magic (I’m leaving the patter to you; I’ll just suggest it where necessary.) Double cut the top three aces to bottom. Start to deal cards from top of the deck, face down and one at a time, onto the table, one onto the other, but spreading rightward as you do. (You may prefer to spread downward, which I sometimes do; either is fine.) “Please stop me whenever you like.” Now here’s the key to the idea. When you’re stopped tell your spectator to turn up the card at which he stopped you — the top card of the tabled portion. As he does that, casually double cut one of the bottom aces back to top — casually, as if you’re just “casually” mixing the in-hand cards. “Okay; let’s do that again. Stop me whenever you like.” And continue dealing onto the tabled spread as before. When stopped, do exactly the same — have him (or her) turn face up the stopped-at card - the one at top of the tabled spread, as you casually double cut another ace from bottom up to top. “Okay; let me mix these a bit and then we’ll do it again.” And I do two or three rapid Utility Mixers here. Not crucial, but I always do it at this point, after the spectator has done the second “stop.” That certainly adds to the “impossibility” aspect of the effect. Continue as you’ve been doing, asking the spectator to, again, stop you when­ ever he likes. He does and turns up the stopped-at card (Figure 220) as you casually double cut the last ace from bottom to top. “Okay; one more time, please,” as you continue dealing onto the tabled portion. And now follow the action right after he stops you this last (fourth) time.

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Figure 220

Figure 222

Figure 221

Figure 223

As soon as you’re stopped instruct the spectator to turn face up the stoppedat card, and table aside your remaining in-hand cards as he does so. Gather the tabled spread and casually complete cut it at center of any of the facedown sections as you do (Figure 221). That’s it; you’re ready to go into the ending. Or; you can gather the spread, square, and then complete cut at center of any facedown section. You can say, “Doesn’t matter if these are cut; your stopped cards remain at original positions to the other cards.” Or make no remark about the cut; up to you. “Now let’s see how well you did.” Do a table ribbon spread so that the four face-up, stopped-at, cards are visible. Then obviously remove each one of them along with the card directly above it (Figure 222, in progress). “Watch!” And turn up the facedown card that now lies alongside each face-up card — to reveal the four aces! (Figure 223). “I’d sure hate to play cards with you!” - to end. As mentioned, the above is the version I use most often. The only other “handling” is — instead of having the spectator turn the actual stopped-at card

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face up, you can — after secretly setting the aces — table aside any four indifferent cards face up. Then, when your spectator stops you as you deal into a facedown tabled spread, instruct him to place any one of those four cards face up onto the stopped area. And continue that way just as taught. I’m also sure that you’ve “seen” that discrepancy. Kinda’ obvious, but as I said, it’s never been seen — or at least mentioned — when I perform the routine. The discrepancy is that the aces should be the cards under the face-up cards at the end — not the cards above them. Figure 224

As is often/usually the case, as I played with the above other thoughts invaded. “What if my reader doesn’t want another 4-ace-location effect?” - was one of those thoughts. Of course, I myself have more than enough of those! So, I started to use the very same basic idea and handling for a “mate location” routine. Let your spectator shuffle the deck. Take it and start to spread faces of cards toward you as you patter to the effect that there are four “magical” cards in the deck — “Let’s see if I can find them” As you speak, note the four face cards, make sure there are no pairs there - and start to search for their mates. Yes; a bit of time is involved - cover with patter. As you spot a mate, table it face up. When you have the four mates face up on the table, cut the four face cards to top — only so that you can overhand injog shuffle “proving” that the deck is thoroughly shuffled. Then double cut the top three cards to bottom — and go into the dealing onto the table, in spread formation, exactly as taught. Whenever you’re stopped, have the spectator place one of the four cards you originally tabled onto the stopped card, etc. End as taught, pulling the four pairs of cards (face-up card and facedown card above it) out of the spread. Place aside the rest of the spread. Build as you like and push the four face-up cards up and a bit away from the four facedown cards. Then - turn up a facedown card and drop it on its face-up mate. Do that with each facedown card (Figure 224, in progress). “Wow; you sure did one heck of a job! ” — or use any closing line you like. Final thought: If you feel it takes too long to find the four mates - do it with three mates! Afterthoughts: If you’d rather not cut the four face cards to top so that you can overhand in jog shuffle and then double cut three of them back to bottom - you

can leave them at face/bottom and do my Bottom Stet Overhand Shuffle a couple of times, and then just double cut bottom card to top. Enough already - I gotta’ stop thinking about it because it goes on and on for example: You can lay out the face-up, say, ace, 2,3 and 4 of clubs and secretly have the 5, 6, 7 and 8 of clubs set to be “stopped at.” So, now you have choices as to which Spectator’s Choice you want to use. Obviously, and as usual, if you’re at all interested, whichever “version” you use you’ll supply your own Patter, Presentation and Personality.

Harry Lorayne

Magical Appearance You already know — or should — my Reverse Faro Ending — which I originally taught using five cards, for a magical appearance of a thought-of card. A few “uses” for the idea (which I’m kinda’ proud of) are in this book. I’ve had much fun performing this effect. It’s, in my opinion, another “don’t overlook” item. Yes; it is similar to The Broken Count in this book, which uses more than five cards, but entirely different concept, and I wanted to teach it as a separate item — it’s too good to be the secondary part of an already-taught item. Have the four aces secretly on top of the deck and shuffle keeping them there. When ready for Magical Appearance, say that you need only a few cards to demonstrate an interesting piece of magic. As you speak, spread off the top four cards (the aces); table the packet face down. Spread off another four onto that and then another four onto those. You’ve tabled a 12-card packet. Place aside the deck proper. Pick up the 12-card packet and Utility Mix it two or three times. Do not overlook that — forgive the repetition, but mixing(?) the packet sure does strengthen this already strong piece of impromptu — any time, any place, any deck — card magic. “I want to try to do some magic here even if I shuffle like this. Watch, and see if you can remember any of the cards that I’ll mix face up.” And go into my Reverse Faro Ending, like this: Spread and outjog the second and fourth pairs of the twelve cards. (Fig­ ure 225; only ten are shown in the photo but you’re “handling” twelve cards for this.) Strip out those four outjogged cards and turn them over end for end, onto the inner (8) cards (Figure 226). Yeah; I could have told you to flip

Figure 225

Figure 226

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pages back about 20 or so items to see those photos, but I don’t want to lose your attention at this instant. Repeat exactly, turning the outjogged four cards over and onto the inner cards. And then repeat the third time but turn the four outjogged cards over to bottom of the inner eight cards. This is exactly the kind of handling I’ve already taught in this book so, again, please forgive the repetition — I just wanted to save you the turning back to look for that handling, if you felt the need to do that. Hopefully you didn’t. I’m leaving the patter as you do the action up to you. To end say “Okay; into the magic now. Watch! ” Magical gesture and turn over the spread twelve cards to display four facedown cards together at center of all the other face-up cards. “Okay; now for the hard part. Please continue to watch!” Magical gesture and turn over your hand and the spread to show that the four reversed cards are the four aces! End. Afterthoughts: As mentioned, I’ve had much fun performing this. It always elicits a strong reaction (I don’t want to say “jaw dropper” again!). I say that line — “Watch, and see if you can remember any of the cards that I’ll mix face up” — because I want to lock it in as best I can that no aces are there(?), without mentioning aces; that would be wrong. What I usually do after the Reverse Faro Ending “moves” and before ending, is another couple of Utility Mixes. If you do that (not crucial), be sure that a facedown card is on top. If a face-up card is on top that same card is back on top after the “shuffle.” You don’t want that. As I do it I say things like, “Interesting, I see a pair of eights, oh and there’s a deuce ...” Again, anything to stress, with­ out saying it, that no aces are there. You can cut the packet between facedown cards as you do this, if you like. And when ready to end be sure to complete cut so that four face-up cards are on top (or bottom) — to center the four facedown aces. Again, not crucial, but the end looks better that way. Enjoy.

A “kicker” often comes to my mind for one of my routines, whether I want it to or not. If you’ve read a few (or even all) of my books, then you’re familiar with my thinking and you’ve most likely thought of this yourself. A “kicker” for this might be:

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Do this effect with four royal-flush cards instead of the four aces. Have one of the royal-flush cards either pocketed beforehand, or it’s at bottom of the placedaside deck proper. Then do the routine with the four remaining royal flush cards just as taught. Your end line might be “And that’s why nobody wants to play cards with me.” Pause; and then, “But wait, let me ‘finish’ this.” And either produce the fifth royal flush card from your pocket — or, since it’s waiting at the bottom of the deck proper to be magically “found” pick up the deck proper, do a couple of Slip Shuffles and - I’ve already mentioned/taught enough ways to magically produce a card from a shuffled deck in this book (Universal Reversal of course; and more). So, your call.

Amazing Tracking Amazing to laymen it is. If you are familiar with the very first item in this book PPP — Powerful Powers Presentation you already know the basics so not much space and no photos needed. This is a different handling (consider it closing the circle). You know that I love royal-flush effects, so follow along. My basic opening patter: “Talk about a misspent youth! I’ve been practicing ‘tracking,’ which means mentally following the location of cards in a deck as that deck is being shuffled, for about forty years. (Mention a number that fits your age, of course.) It started with the tracking of just one card. Then two cards. Tracking one and/or two cards is easy. I’m up to ‘top level’ now — tracking a poker hand — five cards. Let me show you. What is your favorite suit — clubs, hearts, spades or diamonds? Spades? Okay.” Openly remove the five royal-flush spade cards and table them face up in a left-to-right row, in any order. Turn them face down as you say, “It doesn’t matter how many cards I drop onto each of these, so long as I keep those amounts in mind.” As you speak, drop cards from top of the in-hand deck onto the tabled spade cards. The left-to-right order of those amounts is 7, 3, 1, 0, 2.1 do it in a haphazard fashion — I drop four cards on the left-end card, then three more after doing one of the others. Again, if you know PPP, you know that I’m setting those five cards, when the packets are picked up from right to left, to 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th and 16th positions, as in PPP. (The top 2 cards are eliminated, which I’ll explain again in a moment. I drop those two onto the right-end card only so that all looks the same.) No cards are dropped onto the 2nd from right royal flush card. I usually mumble something like “I can make it a bit easier if I don’t drop cards on all of these.” Gather the tabled packets from right to left - i.e: the right-end packet (3 cards) ends up at top; the left-end (8-card) packet ends up at bottom. (A Utility Mix or two can’t hurt here; up to you.) Drop all on top of the deck proper and do a couple of overhand injog shuffles, keeping at least the top 18 cards at top. Double cut the top two cards to bottom -don’t forget that. And you’re in position to do the four reverse faros just as taught for PPP — Powerful Powers Presentation. What I do, and sometimes also do for the PPP routine, is: I do a “half” overhand injog shuffle, undercutting as close to half the deck as I can. I pause with the injogged card at center. Then I say, “I think I’ve tracked them all to this portion” as I cut the top half, including the injogged card, to the table, out of play. And you’re ready to “go” with the in-hand half deck.Do exactly as taught

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in the PPP routine. Briefly: Reverse Faro the half deck; table the inner portion. I’ll leave the “covering” patter to you. And I usually do a couple of Utility Mixers with the now in-hand portion. Then Reverse Faro that portion. Again a quick Utility Mixer or two with the few in-hand cards. (The Utility Mixes definitely add to the “impossibility” of the ending.) And then the last Reverse Faro, which leaves you with three in-hand cards. Outjog the center card of those three and table it north of the tabled row of packets; table the remaining two cards to right end of that row. And, it’s strong-ending time. End as you like selecting the “way” that, again, fits your Patter, your Person­ ality, your Presentation. What I usually do is build the “thoroughly shuffled deck” aspect and then say that “... usually, if I’ve managed to track this card” indicating that last single card I tabled, “I should be okay; let’s see.” Turn it face up to display one of the royal-flush cards. Then magical gesture and turn up the top card of each of the four, in a row, tabled packets to “reveal” the royal flush in spades! “And that’s called Top Level tracking! ” (Or, your end line might be - “Talk about a misspent youth! ”) Afterthoughts: If you saw the dropped jaws of the laypeople who saw me perform this you’d surely have the incentive - if you don’t already have it - to learn and perform the first item of this book or this, the last item of the book. It isn’t necessary of course to place the known amount of cards on the royal flush cards in “order.” You can place them however you like, as haphazardly as you like, so long as you pick up the packets in correct order. And, here’s a final thought/idea using the same “misspent youth/tracking” presentation; a presentation I’ve used and mentioned in an earlier book, and which “works” just fine. Ask spectator for his or her favorite royal-flush suit. Deck face toward you and start spreading to find those five cards. Mentally count to the 7th card and downjog it just a bit and continue spreading tabling the named royal-flush cards face up as you find them. Turn deck face down and square, except for the injogged card 7th from bot­ tom. Flave spectator place one of the royal flush cards onto the deck and as you patter, get a quick break above the bottom seven cards (above your injogged card) and double cut those seven cards to top. Overhand injog shuffle keeping the top stock in place.

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Spectator places another of the high cards onto deck, you peel (or shuffle) three cards onto it. Control to top. Do the same with third high card peeling one card onto it. Say, “Let’s save some time” and have the last two high cards placed onto the deck — peel two cards onto them; control to top. Shuffle and then double cut the top two cards to bottom — again, don’t forget that. You’re set to go into the routine as taught. So — circle closed!

Harry Lorayne

Pinpointing A n Era I’ve been asked a number of times to take just a bit of space in a book to list the people in magic, and not in magic but known-to-the-public people who became friends of mine over the decades — some fleeting, some personal. Many felt that that would “pinpoint an era.” Well, I’ll try. You obviously won’t recognize all the names, and of course, many of those “names” are no longer with us. I’ll list quite a lot who were/are personal friends, people with whom I spent some personal time, and some with whom I spent lots of time, family get-togethers and were good friends. I won’t list all the email, snail mail, internet friends because that would take up much too much space. So, as they come to me, friends I knew and know, in no specific order, let’s “pinpoint an era”! Magic Friends: Dai Vernon, John Scarne, Dick Cardini, Tony Slydini, Paul Curry, Alex Elmsley, Ed Balducci, Johnny Benzais, Michael Vincent, Eddie Fechter, Magic Christian, Larry Jennings, Richard Himber, Francis Carlyle, Clayton Rawson, Bill Simon, Max Maven, Frank Garcia, Kuda Bux, Lou Tannen, Irv Tannen, Tony Spina, Bruce Elliott, Bob Elliott, Joseph Gabriel, A1 Koran, Richard Kaufman, Ace Greenberg, Derek Dingle, Tom Mullica, Channing Pollock, Persi Diaconis, David Regal, Jack Miller, Steve Valentine, Louis Falanga, Eric DeCamps, Fred Kaps, Henk Vermeyden, Dennis Marks, George Schindler, Cliff Green, Doug Edwards, Don Costello, Doug Henning, Sol Stone, Dr. Jacob Daley, Paul Daniels, Alex Elmsley, Jay Ose, David Cop­ perfield, David Blaine, Stanley Jaks, Martin Gardner, Bro. John Hamman, Bill Kalush, Tony Binarelli, A1 Cohen, Harry Blackstone, Jr., Harry Anderson, David Roth, Jon Racherbaumer, Ed Mario, Roy Benson, A1 Goshman, Paul Diamond, Allan Slaight, Howie Schwarzman, Ken Krenzel, Sam Schwartz, Paul Gordon, Steve Cohen, Alan Frankel, Tony Noice, Bob McAllister, Gary Ouellet, Darwin Ortiz, Ricky Jay, Meir Yedid, Joe Dunninger, Jeff McBride, Paul Gertner, Jean Hugard, Penn & Teller, Jimmy Grippo, Michael Raeburn, Obie O’Brien, Tony Hassini, Fred Braue, A1 Flosso, Jay Marshall, Sandy Marshall, Ray Goulet, Aldo Colombini, Karrell Fox, Alan Alan, Juan Tamariz, Bob Farmer, Bernard Bilis, Jeff Altman, Jean-Jacques Sanvert, Richard Vollmer, Simon Lovell, Ian Baxter, Martin Nash, Michael Ammar, Andrew Pinard, Gerald Deutsch, Rudy Tinoco, Gene Maze, Randy Wakeman, Johsua Jay, Herb Zarrow.

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Not in magic but Known-To-Public Friends: Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, David Susskind, Alan King, Joey Bishop, John Davidson, Ed McMahon, Joe Franklin, Barry Gray, Joan Rivers, Ed Sullivan, Sonny Fox, NYC Mayor John Lindsay, Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Christopher Plummer, Jose Ferrer, Jackie Robinson, Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Burt Lancaster, Roger Moore, Arman, Jayne Mansfield, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Larry Kert, Patricia Neal, Alfred Drake, Robert Klein, Senor Wences, Vincent Sardi, Jr., Alan Yentob, Richard Simmons, Kathy Crosby, Michael J. Fox, Woody Allen, Congressman David Dreier, Herald Price Fahringer, Christopher Reeve, Walter Winchell, Long John Nebel, Charlie Rapp, Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Cullen, Sherman Bill­ ingsley, Valerie Harper, Paddy Chayefsky, Victor Jory, Sammy Davis, Jr., Alan & Arlene Alda, Joy Behar, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Diana Taylor, NYC Police Comm. Raymond Kelly, Greg Kelly, Billy Crystal, Martin Charnin, Garry Moore, Stephen Sondheim, Dick Cavett, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra, Sec’y of State Colin Powell, Moss Hart, Kitty Carlyle, Barry Farber, Jerry Lewis, Luciano Pavarotti, David Frost, Carl Reiner, Kevin Harrington, Dom DeLuise, Jack Paar, Dinah Shore, Bert Reynolds, Regis Philbin, A1 Hirschfeld, Gene Wilder. If I’ve omitted you, please forgive.

Last Word Well, I’ve gone over everything in this, my last, book. I’m not as good a proof­ reader as I used to be but I have made some changes, corrected a few errors I found (please forgive the few I may not have found) and I’m pleased. I’m pleased for a number of reasons, most important of which is the “strength,” the quality, of the effects and routines I’ve included. As is usually the case, and to repeat, I’m amazed by the items — the effects and routines, the ideas — that came to mind when I started to think about doing this book, and as I was writing. I’ve said it before (in the ad for Jaw Droppers Two) wherein I used the word “amaze” often. As in “I’ve amazed audiences for over an amazing seven decades (for a living and to feed my ego!). I’ve amazed myself with all the books I’ve written over those decades. I’m amazed with the amazing ideas included in this book, which I think/hope will amaze you and help you to amaze your audiences for the rest of your amazing magical life! ” I’ve been told that I leave quite a legacy with my quite-a-few books in my two areas of expertise - magic and memory. I’m hoping that this book will be an important part of that “legacy.” Afterthoughts: I can’t think of a better “last word” to say than what I said in the Last Word of Jaw Droppers Two: For me, magic sure has been a long, interesting, important, fascinating, life-changing, friend-making, ego feeding, inspirational, flattering, amazing, enjoyable, fortunate, incredible, rewarding, exciting, awe­ some, lifetime journey and experience. Thank You. -30-

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