Back in the days when “Soapy” Smith reigned as king of the con men from Kansas City to San Diego and thence north to Skagway, three card monte ranked with the walnut shells as a standard and consistent source of what it takes to live. This effect makes use of the modified Mexican Turn-Over sleight so often used in monte. I first described it in conjunction with a trick in Jinx issue #57. The patter scheme might be built around the plainsmen and prospectors of ’49 who were always eager to bet their shirts on anything remotely resembling a certainty.
This is another of those tricks that need cards in hand during the telling. The effect can be understood from the description of what really takes place.
The requirements : A red backed Four of Spades (for example) and a blue backed Four of Spades. One double back card with one side red and the other side blue (back design matches those of the two ordinary Fours.) One double faced card with a Four of Spades on BOTH sides. Put the two ordinary cards in the right hand coat pocket with the back outward. The blue back is nearest body. You can then start your tale, open your wallet and reverently remove the other two cards, remarking that they were the cards actually used by one of the boys who met his match.
These two prepared cards are shown fanned – the double face underneath and fanned to the left of the double back (red side up). The right hand holds them with thumb on top (at the near end) and first two fingers underneath. The left index finger flips the face up card as you say, “Blue“. Then the right hand turns its card over (to the left) and at the same time the thumb and fingers slide the cards to change their respective positions. This is the old DeLand move. The cards over, the left index finger flips the face up card as you say “Red“. In short, and as you can see with card in hand, the spectator sees a face up card and a face down red back. You indicate the face up card as being blue. Then you turn the pair over. He now sees a face up card – apparently on the other side due to the slide – and a face down blue back, and at the same time you are indicating the new (?) face up card as being red.
The pair of cards are now turned back to the original position, the slide being made again to restore them to their former position. (This slide move during the turn is exactly like and as invisible as the turnover move used in the “paddle trick“.) Without delay the left index finger flips the face up card calling it blue. Over go the pair and the face up card now showing is again called red. Finally the pair is turned back to normal and dropped upon the table.
The right hand picks up the double facer and the left finger tips are touching the left side edge of the double backer (red side showing). The face up card is pushed under the right side of the face down card, apparently to flip it over, but the exchange is made in the usual manner. However, my modified version goes a bit further for the purpose of the trick. When the flip over is made the right hand keeps its newly secured card (double backer) turned over with the blue side showing. Both cards are turned completely over during the exchange. To the audience the face down red back on the table is flipped over to show its face while the face up card in the hand is merely turned over during the process to reveal its blue back. And this, to the audience, is exactly the way things should be. Put this blue backed card in the coat pocket and ask for the color back of the card on the table. The answer is, of course, red, but you have turned the double backed card over in your pocket and bring it out to show red. Immediately you make the turnover again, which apparently proves the face up card on table to be blue and at the same time turns your red backed card over to show the face. You ask them then “If I put this face up card (in right hand) in my pocket and leave the other on the table back up, can you tell what color backed card I have hidden ?” It can only be red and you bring it out to show them absurdly correct. However, you have put the double facer in back of the two cards there and you bring out the unprepared red backed Four from the front.
“This time,” you say, “is the time when the money changed hands.” Holding the unprepared red backed card face down you do the turnover change once more. This apparently leaves the face down blue on the table face up, and in your right hand is seen the face down red. Really though, you hold the double backer with the red side up, and on the table is the face up unprepared red backed card. Put the card into the pocket behind those there and as you ask if they are sure which is which for the last time, bring the unprepared blue backed card out of pocket a bit with the face showing. They make their guess and you toss your card back up on the table. They grab the face up card lying there and after any examination of the two unprepared cards you carefully, and reverently put them back into their case.
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