Requirements for this impromptu mystery are very simple and ordinary. A pencil, a slip of paper, and a single die complete the list of necessary apparatus. The basic principle is a mathematical oddity which seems to be little known, and, in this particular instance, quite easily overlooked by the very few who might have heard of the idea. It is excusable on their part for misdirection at the beginning makes the feat appear far from being mechanical. The performer has members of his audience give him "any single number" until six are named. Should one of these be repeated another…
The late Nate Leipsig told me shortly before his death that this effect was one of the most puzzling of impromptu numbers that he had learned for several years. It is extremely simple once known but magicians will cudgel their brains in an effort to figure it out by complicated stacks and mathematics. The deck is shuffled by a spectator and 12 cards removed. The spectator then shuffles these well, and, while the performer's back is turned, puts any number of the 12 cards into his pocket secretly. The remaining cards that the spectator holds he shuffles, notes the face…
Let's start this off by getting fundamental. Every magician is familiar with the original "reversed" or "turned over" card trick wherein the pack is held face up, but with a single card face down on top of it. When a spectator replaces a chosen card, it will naturally be found face up, later on. The magician's one problem is to hide or get rid of the dummy card which he used on the "top" of the pack. This trick not only gets rid of said card; it utilizes it to double the effect. The whole working is simplified to the…
Request anyone to shuffle his own deck, and count the cards to insure its completeness. Take the deck back, snap a band around it and toss it to a spectator. This move to the pocket for the elastic has served to cover the palming off and getting away with the top card of the shuffled deck. The spectator receiving the cards is asked to look them through, note any card, and remember its number (position) from the FACE of the pack. He also is told to note the card immediately behind. Then he is to close the deck and bring…
This is a most bewildering sequel to the last effect. It fits in well when there is one or more who may think they are acute enough to have figured out some discrepancy in the figuring of the first trick. The performer removes the two black Aces from the spectator's pack. He does this by fanning through the cards, bringing the Aces to the face of the deck, and then removes them, at the same time secretly bringing away another card behind the second card (three, in all) which we shall call the Ace of Spades. The rest of the…
This is Tervil, a prophetic demon. The effect is one of prophecy. Six or seven years have passed since Annemann first produced his Dead Name Duplication test, one which has since found much favor because of its directness in working. This test uses much of the original technique but the picture to the audience is far different. I shall describe the working along with the effect as presented. I hardly think it necessary to describe pellet switching to readers of these pages for it has been detailed before. Three papers are used. They are about 2 1/2 by 3 3/4…
This location principle is short and sweet but it packs a lot of dynamite. As far as I can ascertain it is original with me. Others in a select group have worked on similar ideas but I have never seen what I am going to reveal as much as attempted. Can you stir your imagination sufficiently to see a person going into another room with his or her own deck -- a deck you've never seen nor touched? Or imagine a card party where you are across the room -- calling over that you'll do a trick and that they…
Ladies in the audience always make available a powder case, or compact, which becomes a valuable accessory in this feat of fake clairvoyance. It is practical as an interlude during your performance, and is an excellent publicity stunt for impromptu work. A compact having been secured, the owner is asked to write a single word on a business card, enclosing it in the case. The performer is given the case behind back and he faces the audience. Immediately he says that the second letter is exceptionally clear and is round, like a letter "e" or "o". Then, after building up…
Devised about six years ago, this is an improvement on the Erdnase diagonal shift palm. Others may have discovered similar moves but have never described anything quite the same. The steal can be accomplished with everyone watching your hands -- if they are that kind of people, YET IT IS POSITIVELY INDETECTABLE! If a card has been chosen, riffle the deck for the person to return it, but squeeze at the inner end so he cannot force his card in all the way. It should protrude about half an inch, or as much more as you like, from the outer…
Just a few days before this writing, I was talking to Jean Hugard, and he mentioned as a favorite of his, the thought of card to pocket effect, an impromptu masterpiece of subtlety. I recollected the presentation I've always given it, with actually performing it three times in a row for two different spectators. Jean suggested that I write it up for The Jinx but I explained that there was nothing much original about it all except the routine of three. My respect for Jean's ability and knowledge always makes me bow low to his views and suggestions, so it…