For those who want a clean and showy method for doing the four ace trick in front of audiences I offer my conception of the age old problem that never seems to die.
Duplicates of three of the aces are used and these are long cards. Have them in the right coat pocket with a rubber band. The deck is unprepared and can be used for anything else. Start by handing deck to a spectator with the request that he take out the four aces and mark them.
While he is thus occupied, palm out the three duplicates and add them to the bottom of the deck. Keep them separated from rest of deck by the little finger.
When the spectator holds up the marked aces, take one at a time and drop face down on top of deck. The ace that is missing from the three duplicates is left until last and thus becomes the top card of the deck.
Turning towards the table, call attention to four large and unprepared tumblers. At this time the three duplicate aces are passed to the top. I’ve never cared a lot for nor advocated making a pass, but in this case it is the easiest way out and the misdirection is such that a really clever or fast pass is not necessary. At this time there are four different aces on top of the deck, the fourth down being one of those marked.
The four top cards are now placed singly in the glasses with their back to the audience. First put one in each end glass and then finish with the two center tumblers. This action will leave the marked ace second from either end so that it may later be forced by the ‘between 1 and 4’ method.
From here on, I would advise my readers to follow the routine with a deck in hand. It will make the action much clearer. Unknown to the audience, the top three cards of the deck are marked aces. State that you will use twelve ordinary and mixed cards from the deck. Count them off aloud by snapping them into your right hand, which naturally reverses them. The first nine are thus counted but the last three (also snapped) are picked off to leave them at the bottom of the packet covering the ace which would otherwise be in view. Put the deck aside as it is not used again.
The twelve cards you are now holding have the three marked aces for the seventh, eighth and ninth cards from top. Hold this packet in your left hand as for dealing. Fan off three cards into the right hand, holding them up to show all different.
Close the fan and place them in the first glass so the ace is at the face of the packet. Now read this carefully. When you close the fan of three that you have shown, your right hand naturally comes down to the left, and the left thumb, second and third fingers square the sides while the right hand squares the ends. This is an unconscious action that you’ll do without being told.
When you fan the second set of three, spread all the remaining cards so that your left little finger can hold a break between the last six, as you take the second set in your right hand. The left little finger thus separates the aces from the three indifferent cards on bottom. Show the second set, but this time squaring them up, clip this packet between the second and third fingers, and with right fingers lift out the packet of aces, leaving behind the cards just shown.
This switch is natural, quick, unlooked for and very easy to do in an unhurried way. This packet (aces) is now placed in the second glass (the marked ace) and unknown to all this glass now holds the four marked aces. The two remaining sets of three cards are shown and placed in the other two glasses.
At this time you state that someone may have a suspicion regarding the location of the aces. Very deliberately turn the four glasses around so the four aces face the audience. Have one of the glasses chosen and, through use of the ‘between 1 and 4’ principle, the marked ace packet is forced. Pick up this glass and have the party who selected (?) it stand holding the tumbler in his hand.
Remove the three packets from the glasses, placing them face down on your left hand. Stand with your right side to the audience during this. The right hand, in putting the packets into left, can cull the aces (long cards) each time and drop them on top of cards in hand.
The right hand hides this perfectly and to the audience it merely appears as though you evened the cards a little. After the third packet is in hand, the last cull brings all three to top. Square the deck and tip these three up into the right palm (they are easy to grab on account of being long cards) and reaching into the right coat pocket for the rubber band is the getaway. Snap the band around the packet and hand it to another spectator.
The finish is up to the individual performer. The four marked aces are in the glass and there are only ordinary innocent cards left in the packet. No duplicates are to be found and the deck can be used freely.
Build up the marking feature, the fact that all aces can be seen when one pile is selected, and the simplicity and obvious fairness of the glasses which hold the cards. It’s a practical method, I hope somebody makes use of it.
This effect requires 3 long cards, but I can’t find anyplace that sells them. You can make them, but it doesn’t sound like any fun at all.
One other idea is that you can buy a deck of cards that have all been shortened, and then add the three cards you need from a regular deck and there you have it, long cards! You can buy a deck of short cards from Penguin: https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/9291?src=Jay