This is one of those rare effects wherein the performer does it all and never requires the taking of a card. It is simple, the sleights are nil, and the routine, while not astounding, is neat and gives the impression of great skill with the pasteboards. It is impromptu and uses only eight aces at any time. Remove the aces from two decks, and while the backs of all should be alike, in a pinch backs of the same color will do. If a pinochle deck is handy, take the eight aces from it.
Routine : The eight aces are laid face up on the table. Calling attention to the fact that there are two aces of each suit, they are gathered up and the spectators allowed to square cut as often as desired. Placing the cards behind his back, the performer, by sense of touch, brings them out in pairs of like suits. Again they are gathered and cut. This time the performer states that he will bring them out in like colors but different suits. For the third time the cards are placed together and cut. This time he states he will bring them out in pairs of red and black each. The fourth time the cards are picked up and the performer says that mixing means nothing as any of them can be found by the sense of touch. He cuts the cards a few times and then spells them off, putting a card at a time from the top to the bottom while spelling R-E-D, turning the last card face up on the table. It is red. He then spells B-L-A-C-K in the same manner and the last card turns up black. This is continued through the packet until the last card is left which is black. For the last time the cards are assembled and cut several times by the spectators. Putting them behind his back, the performer instantly brings both hands to the front and in one hand are the red aces while in the other hand are the black ones.
A routine like the above makes a very clever and easily worked effect for close up parties and night club tables. The first three effects are worked by the same means. First, all aces are face up on the table. Pick them up one at a time into a face up pile on hand – Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds. Just have the last four in the same suit order as the first four and have the colors alternated. Have the packet cut any number of times which does not matter.
Put the cards behind your back, face down, in your left hand, count down four cards and let the left finger hold a wide break. The right forefinger goes into the break and pulls off the top card of the lower packet and at the same time the second finger is on top of the first packet and the two cards can be drawn off together and tossed face up on the table. Repeat this three times and all suits come out in pairs. The second time the pairs are picked up and placed face up on the left hand, but the colors are alternated – Red, Black, Red, Black. Again they are cut and, behind his back, the performer does the same as before. This time the colors are alike but the suits different. Throughout this routine, always tell, as you put the cards behind your back, what you are going to do – then do it. The third time, pick up the two red piles and on these put the two black piles. Have it cut and repeat the action as before. This time each pair will be of mixed colors. This time drop them on the table so they are scattered. Pick them up and place them face up on your left hand, in this order : a pair of reds, one black, a pair of reds, one black. Turn the packet face down and then pick up the remaining pair of black and drop them on top. This serves to apparently mix them a little more. Now cut or false shuffle yourself but don’t disturb the arrangement. Spell the colors as described above, starting with RED, and laying the last card of each spelling face up on the table in a pile. The pile, at the finish, is thus evenly mixed as to color. Turn the pile face down and have it cut several times. Place the cards behind your back. As they are alternately mixed, it is only necessary for you to quickly run them over putting one on each side of your right index finger, and then bring out the two packets of separate colors.
Learn it smoothly and do it as one continuous effect without stopping or hesitation. You’ll like it.
Leave a Reply