As an unusual effect this trick possesses several attractive features. It can be done deliberately and convincingly. Its puzzling part depends upon the simplest of sleights reduced to a minimum, eliminating faked cards common in similar tricks. It is also one of the few sleight of hand tricks that can be adapted to Giant Cards, with practically no change in operation.
The magus takes six cards and holds them in a face down packet. The left fingers are at the left side of the packet – thumb at the right. The hand tilts upward to show bottom card, which is red. Promptly turning the packet face down, the magician reaches beneath the front end with his right fingers, and pulls out the bottom card. He shows it again, and places it on top of the packet, saying “Red“. In placing the card on top of packet, it is put there face down.
He proceeds by showing the next card on the bottom. It is black. Drawing it off, the magician gives a brief glimpse of it, as he puts it on top of the packet, saying “Black“. He proceeds thus, with the remaining cards, which alternate red-black-red-black, until he has transferred all six from bottom to top. And, fanning the packet with faces up, the magician shows that they alternate red and black precisely as represented.
Now comes the mystery. He repeats the above procedure, in seemingly identical fashion; if anything, a bit more casually. The cards go from bottom to top, one by one: red, black, red, black, red, black. But when they are fanned, they appear in separate groups: the three reds together, and the three black together!
There is trickery, of course, during the second showing of the cards. A sleight is used; namely, The Glide, wherein the third finger of the left hand, beneath the packet, draws back the bottom card, so that the card above it may be removed by the right.
Nevertheless: Of the six cards transferred, three are actually shifted. Of the remaining three, two are actually shown on the bottom of the pack. With only one card is the move made blind, about half way through the process. This is what makes the trick so effective.
The second transfer of cards from bottom to top seems identical with the first. That is why it’s important to do the bona fide process at the beginning; then repeat with the special transfer.
With cards in hand try it slowly in ordinary fashion, and then:
FIRST CARD (Red): Actually remove it from bottom; show it with right hand, and place it face down on the pack, saying “Red“.
SECOND CARD (Black): Actually remove it from the bottom; show it with right hand, and place it face down on pack, saying “Black“.
THIRD CARD (—): Show a red card on the bottom. Tilt pack downward. Draw back the card with The Glide. Removing the next card, place it on top without showing face, saying “Red“.
FOURTH CARD (—-): Do not show bottom of packet this time. Remove the bottom card (the one that was “glided” back) and place on top without showing its face. Say: “Black“.
FIFTH CARD (—): Actually show a red on bottom. Remove it, show with right hand, and place on top, saying “Red“.
SIXTH CARD (—–): Actually show a black on bottom. Tilt packet downward. Draw back the card. Removing the next car, place it on top, without showing face, and say “Black“.
Squaring the packet, you now mutter strange words and fan it face up. The three reds will be together, as will the three blacks.
Note that: Moves 1, 2, and 5 are identical, and bona fide. Moves 3 and 6 allow showing of bottom card before the “Glide“. Only move 4 is entirely a blind one, done carelessly as though a showing of the card were unnecessary.
With Giant Cards: The trick is performed with the same routine as above; the only difference is a variation in the use of The Glide. In this type of the sleight, the right fingers push back the bottom card, on the two occasions when necessary, accomplishing it under cover of the packet. Some magi use this simpler glide with ordinary cards. While ordinarily inferior, it is suitable here because of the deliberateness of presentation.
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