The spectator shuffles the deck. You take it back and illustrate what he is to do. He deals two packets of cards face down upon the table, each pile containing the same number of cards - with not more than 10 in each. Then the spectator is told to note the next card on pack, replace it, and put one of the packets on top. The other remaining packet he is to place in his pocket. You take the pack, find his selected card, and also tell the number of cards which he originally dealt. This trick wouldn't be legitimate…
There seems to be a trend towards gambling exposes, with performers digging back into their copies of Erdnase, Maskelyne, and Quinn, for material. Heretofore the performer has been content to do his stuff at a card table and let the watchers be properly amazed. But now it "is the thing" to talk about the cheaters and show "how" it all is accomplished. So, the demonstrator picks up his pack of cards, talks quite knowingly about sharpers, detailing an anecdote or two of meetings (?) between the wary and unwary, and then proceeds to deal hands of cards, under strict conditions,…
Taken from Hatt and Plate's Magician's Tricks and How They Are Done, this idea has been given an original method to eliminate the undesirable sleights. It is a fast and surprising introduction for a four-ace trick. In effect it is an unexpected transformation of cards. To prepare, place three kings face up on top of the deck. Next put an indifferent card face up on top of these and cover all with a face down king. On top, lastly place the four aces, all face down. Start by dealing the four aces into a face up row on the table.…
The performer writes a prediction upon a slip of paper which is folded and placed aside. He shuffles a deck and gives it to a person for cutting. The spectator looks at the top card of the deck and puts it face down on the table. Onto it he deals seven cards, and then deals eight cards in a pile for the performer. The performer picks up his eight cards, remarking that the spectator knows the name of the card at the bottom of his (spectator's) pile, so therefore he will look at the bottom card of his pile ---…
For a startling and different club and drawing room effect the magician begins by having a card selected from the deck. From here on there are two methods of presentation evolved by myself. (a) The performer has the card marked and returned to the deck. Opening a common grocery type of brown paper sack he drops the deck within. Through the sack he threads a sharp bodkin or needle attached to which is about three yards of tape. The ends of the tape are held by spectators or tied to chair backs, the sack hanging at center. Lighting a match…
Here is one of those cute "quickies" of an impromptu card nature which is a "natural" for table workers. A much used or borrowed deck is looked through by the performer who picks out one card and places it face down on the table. He says, indicating one spectator that he or she will exert the magic power for this experiment. The magus now shuffles the deck and cuts it. He puts it on the table before the person who further cuts the deck and places the halves together crosswise. When the top half of the deck is turned over…
Always there seems to be a good reception for "sucker" tricks, and in the following, one can always be sure of getting a "rise" from his onlookers. The performer has a deck of cards shuffled and one selected by the spectator who marks it. The card is replaced among the others and the performer openly wraps the deck in a handkerchief. During this action, it is evident to the watchers that underhanded business is afoot, for they see the performer's cramped right hand and even catch a glimpse, perhaps between the fingers, of a palmed card. The performer suddenly realizes…
Effect: Any pack of 52 cards is used. While a spectator shuffles the performer says that a complete deck may prolong the method of choice too much and he asks the spectator to name the number of cards that shall be used. The performer counts this given number of cards onto the spectator's hand. Then the person is asked to hold the packet face down, give the performer the top card, put the next on the bottom of the bunch, give the performer the next, put the next card onto the bottom, hand over the next, etc., and this action…
Three cards are selected from a thoroughly shuffled and cut deck. The first spectator puts his card into his coat pocket, while the other two cards are returned to the deck which is again shuffled and cut. The magician patters about the common superstition that a black cat crossing one's path presages bad luck. They seem to think such an occurrence a jinx. However, such is positively not the case where magicians are concerned. He takes from his pocket a card with its back to match the deck in use, and shows its face to contain the picture of a…
If it is that the effect counts in magic, this seemingly supernatural happening can be said, and proven by actual performance, to be far above the method by which it is accomplished. While much magic is accomplished by sleights and trickery of a sort that depends upon misdirection and subtleties, the following makes use of subterfuge and downright "brassy" nerve. Some playing cards are shown to have their faces blank. The spectator takes his pick of one. Next he has free choice of an empty envelope from among several offered him. The blank card is put into the envelope together…