From the days of Jordan this effect has been more or less standard. The method given here has seen constant and practical use, and makes, in my opinion, for a cleaner working with less chance of the spectators catching any untoward move.
From a borrowed deck the performer removes the four Aces and the four Kings. He throws them into two face down piles on the table and the remainder of the deck is placed face up to his left.
The right hand now picks up the four Kings, thumb on top (or back) and fingers at front (or face) of packet. The cards are fanned face down and then the hand is turned over to the left to show the four Kings. These are then transferred to the left hand, face down, and a little break held in the middle.
The right hand now picks up the four Aces in the same manner and shows. The performer asks a spectator to take any two of the Aces, turning them face down while this is done.
Then the performer flashes again the two Aces remaining in his hand, and tells the spectator to place his cards face down on the pack.
The spectator does this, but immediately the performer tells him that he had better turn the PACK face down, and this bit of natural confusion serves to cover the one move in the entire trick. The spectator must take up his two face down Aces from the face up pack, turn the pack over, and replace the Aces. During this time, the performer has brought his hands together and the Aces in the right hand have been left at the bottom of the left hand pile and the two top cards removed. In short, a bottom change has been executed. Jinx tricks have become noted for the lack of sleights, but this is executable, if it sees print, for the move is slow and deliberate, the attention all being on the action of “righting the wrong” that has been done by the spectator in the replacing of the cards. And, too, that particular action appears important to those who don’t know what is coming next.
The moment the spectator has concluded his part the performer throws his right hand 2 cards, apparently the Aces, face down to one side.
The left hand packet (supposedly all Kings) is counted face down into the right hand, one at a time, and the second card dealt is outward jogged to the right of the first. the packet is turned face up and squared and this manoeuvre flashes the two bottom Kings during the action which further heightens the illusion.
The packet in hand is turned face down after the glimpse of the two Kings and fanned. The two bottom cards (Kings) are removed and placed onto the two Aces (really Kings) on the table. The two remaining cards in hand, apparently Kings but actually Aces, are dropped face down on top of the deck.
The mechanics of the trick are over. All that now remains for the performer to do is make a pass of the hand, utter the cabalistic words, and cause the groups to change places. He deals the four cards from top of deck and they are seen to be Aces. The spectator turns over the cards on the table. All Kings.
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