Jfferlin 's Master

0
Manipulations
Jack Merlin
Section One
of "and a Pack of Cards"
Cherished Secrets of a Master Maripulator,
MERLIN
!
S MASTER ZAJvIPUI ' .. .;:.
Section One.
"and a Pack of Cards."
Third Revised Edition*
By
JACK MERLIN.
Edited by A* W. C. Brurafield,
Foreword by Charles J. Maly
Published 1928.
By
THE WELWORTH COMPANY.
756 West Pratt Street.
Indianapolis Indiana.
U, 3. A.
Cherished Secrets of a Master Manipulator*
5"c~ c T
COPYRIGHT 1937, 1928 THE WELWORTH COMPANY
FOREWORD.
JACK MERLIN. The very name instantly recalls
to our minds the unca.nny obedience of the little
cardboards to his will and the subtle agility of
his fingers. Undoubtedly, he is the master su-
preme of the pasteboards, and a student of psy-
chology. To have witnessed a card demonstration
by Merlin is an event not easily to be forgotten.
In his hands, the old card tricks and sleights of
yesterday with added Merlinesque touch become the
classical masterpieces of today.
In the pages of this manuscript '' a has unselfishly
revealed, in detail, all the sleights, subterfuges,
and clever tricks that have emanated from his own
fertile brain; sleights and tricks that have made
him stand out above all other card workers as the
greatest of this century. He has omitted nothing.
It was with the thought in mind of "magic first"
that he finally agreed to divulge his cherished
secrets to his brother magicians, with the hope
that they might play some small part in elevating
the art of manipulation.
For the newest beginner, or the most seasoned pro-
fessional, this work will thoroughly and complete-
ly furnish sufficient material, with a reasonable
amount of practice, to bring yery gratifying re-
sults. To me a card worker myself, these pages
will be priceless as I can well judgefor I have
been privileged ."'to read the advance proofs.
CHARLES J. ivIALY.
THEORY.
As previous volumes have covered to a great extent, in prelimin-
ary chapters, subjects such as Stage Deportment, Dress, Patter, Theory
ate., I will merely touch these subjects briefly.
Dress according to the times, without exaggeration. Make your
stage presence natural. Just be yourself* Patter is sadly missing
from this volume; "there
l
s a reason." Patter that is suitable to
one personality is hopelessly unsuitable to another; however, if
comedy is your goal, create it by natural situations, ^uns become
very tiresome. The theorv of magic has been admirably covered in
"Our Magic" (Maskelyne &
D
evant) by Mr. Maskelyne. Many may dis-.
agree with the abstract principles he propounds, but eventually in
the hard school of experience, the truths of feds theory, like chickens,
will come home to roost.
So much for the preliminaries, now for the main bout,
PRACTICE.
Many conjurors merely practice against time; by that, I mean
they are "clockwatchers" and often they boast of their hours of prac-
tice.
Practice to me is something I cannot resist.
1
practice because
I enjoy it. When I force myself to practice, I accomplish nothing.
Take a sleight and dissect it, that is, take each p&ase of the
move and start accomplishing the sleight by as little movement as is
absolutely necessary, seeking a plausible explanation to cover it.
Do not practice in front of a mirror, but at different stages in
the accomplishment of a sleight, try it before a mirror and make cor-r
rections. Practicing before a mirror is responsible, I think, for the
bad habit some manipulators have of closing the eyes at the psycho-
logical moment of accomplishing the sleight. When that moment arrives,
let the eyes rest anywhere but on the hands and keep them open, don
f
t
wink.
Do not grip the pack as though, your life depends on iti- -tHold the
cards moderately loose. This eliminates noise. Avoid swinging the
arms in an arc to cover a move.
Even though familiar with a* move, always practice it as it is
applicable to each trick before attempting in public*
In regard to effects, always remember that an audience wish to be
entertained so never ask them to think or remember to any great extent.
What I wish to convey is: do not confuse the audience.by asking them
to remember several cards or jnumbers or the positions of several cards.
Make your effects direct.
It is essential that you intersperse your tricks depending on
purely sleight of hand with effects gained by mechanical or mathe-
matical procedure. This enchances your program and very often the au-
dience give you credit for skill that you do not possess.
There are two old rules, in conjuring, First: Never tell what you
are going to do before you do it, and Second: Never do the same tricks
twice during the same performance. I disagree. I believe in telling
what you are going to do. Do it and then add a surprise for good
measure. Most of my best effects t find are due to repetition with
slight variations. Of course, in some tricks this is impossible aneb
not advisable. I have found it beneficial in stage work to eliminate
many of the red cards from the pack* This helps as the black cards
are more in evidence and they show better from a distance* However,
if any of a committee notice their absence and call my attention to
the fact, I am prepared, for previously I have placed the separated
red cards conveniently in one of my pockets ard I- produce them from
the pocket of the member of the committee who complains, remarking
something to the effect that he had removed them himself. Then I add
them to the pack, and proceed as usual.
PASSES.
Methods of bringing a selected card to the top or bottom of a
pack are perhaps the basis of all card tricks, hence, a short review
is necessary.
The Charlier or one hand pass is impossible as there is no way
to rny knowledge to cover without excessive movement, which is at all
times to be avoided. The two handed or gamblers pass is useful but
is perhaps the hardest of all passes to perfect, that is, to accom-
plish neatly without the fatal arc movements used by most manipulators
as a cover.
The Hermann pass is natural, easy to cover and .easy to acquire.
I have varied the procedure and thei following cowers perfectly and
yet at the same time gives a plausible reason for the movement.
Improved Hermann*
:
Cut the pack for return of selected cards, holding the lower por-
tion in the left hand and the upper portion being in the right hand
held lengthwise between the first finger and the "base of the thutnb.
Return the top portion inserting the little fingerr of the left hand
at the break, nhen ready to pass, place the right hand in the original
position on the top portion, slightly raise and Imsert the second and
third finger in the break, the fourth and first finger below the pack,
lift this portion outward to the right under cover of the right hand.
You will note that the upper portion is now held between the thumb and
first finger of the left hand which at the same time is holding the
lower portion in a semi inverted position extended under the right hand.
Simply close the left hand turning it over at the same time releasing
trhe hold-of the right and remark, "First, I want you to note on the
bottom of the pack I have an ace of clubs and that is the secret, etc."
The action of turning the hand covers the pass and the remark concern-
ing the bottom card gives a plausible reason for the doing so.
Now a word concerning the spectator. I Lave found that in des-
cribing an "impossible" feat the specta-tor invariably says the pack
was shuffled. To him it appears that is conclusive. Now as the spec-
tator^ view is our ultimate goal, I suggest &nd often use the haymow
shuffle in connection with the outjog (Erdnase.) The haymow shuffle
being the old fashioned method of shuffling with an up and down move-
ment of the left hand depositing the cards held in that hand from top
one or more at a time,
Outjog Pass.
Hold the cards for haymow shuffle, -after running a few into the
right hand invite the spectator to return selected card to top of por-
tion held in the right hand, outjog the next card deposited by the
left hand, and continue shuffling until there are but a few cards in
the left hand. During the up and down movement of shuffling pick up
the portion back of the outjog between the base of the thumb and the
third finger of the left hand back of the cards already held in the
left hand. Make a break with thumb of the left hand and continue
shuffling till you come to the break and drop separated portion in-
tact on top. Select&d card is now on top and from appearances the pack
has been shuffled thru but once. This sleight is very useful in many
effects and is used a great deal by gamblers.
Side Slide Palm and Flesh Grip.
The side slide in conjunction with the flesh grip, I consider the
acme of perfect contrel both as a pass and change. It is the most
difficult to acquire and doubly so"to finish, Hold the pack naturally
as for dealing from the left hand. Extend the hand inviting spectator
to peep at a card by raising the index corner. As he releases, make
a break below the chosen card with the flesh of the first finger of
the left hand. Pvaise the top portion slightly between .ttae first finger
and the thumb of the right hand, the first finger at the far end, the
thumb at the rear end: both near the fight upper and right lower cor-
ners So as to allow the palm to extend to the right of the pack. In-
sert the tip of the second finger of the left hand and with a, straight-
ening move outward to the right push the selected card into "the palm
of the right hand. A movement as if to square the pack deposits sel-
ected card on top or immediately hand pack to be shuffled, ret-aining
card in the palm, i-any may find it is more convenient to use first,
second and third finger in sliding card into palm, but I find i "t
created too much movement.
THE PASS AS A TRICK.
The following being a routine I use as a variation of moves to
fool those familiar with passes:
Top Turnover,,.
Hold pack in left hand. Reverse top card of pack by pushing top
card with thumfe of left hand so it protrudes sidewise from pack to
the right, now strike the protruding edge with an upward movement of
the thumb of the right hand keeping fingers together and palm down-
ward (this is important to the moves that follow,) Repeat turning
top card, finally leaving it face up on pack, call attention to^bot-
tom card. Have spectator peep at index, use the flesh grip, slide
the selected card to the right palm, immediately turn the reversed
top card as before, dropping selected card from right palm on top as
you execute movement. Have spectator name card and show on top*
Pass Using Second Dealing, .
Show top card, take second card and insert in pack. Take second
and show the card is not on the top. Place this card on top and again
take second, showing card which you apparently placed in center*
Snap Pass*
"Many of you, perhaps, think I do not place the card in the center.
This time I shall reverse it then you can see just when it happens,"
Place the pack in the left hand, back towards spectator, either hold-
Ing below the eyes of the spectators or holding, to the left of the ^
body, back of the pack outward, the tip of the thumb holding one side,
the tips of the second, third and fourth fingers the opposite side,
the tip of the first finger resting on the top edge of the pack. Ntfw
insert top card, reversed, a little way into the pack at the-..upper *
edge, the first finger of the left hand being under and resting a-
gainst the card. Now start tapping card into pack with, the'fingers
of the right hand until card is extending about a half inch out of the
pack. Now while tapping card, snap it out of the pack into the palm
of the right band by pressing the extended portion of the card a-
gainst the tip of the first finger of the left hand* with the fingers
of the right hand and a side movement to the right. Tap a few more
times with right hand holding palmed card securely. This completes
the illusion. Snap card to tips of fingers producing saying> "You
see, when you do, you don^.
11
etc. This; is very deceptive and a move
I prize highly.
Tip Over Change and Pass.
Hold the pack naturally in the left hand. Cut about half the 7.
pack between the thumb and first finger of right hand, the first
finger holding the pack at the far end near the Car right corner, the
thumb holding the pack at the near end close to the near right -corner,
push top card of lower portion to the right about one half inch so
the edge is clear of tips of the fingnrs of the left hand with the
thumb of the left hand. With an upwe,rd mot".o..i turn the top card of
lower portion face up on lower portion by striking the extended por-
tion of cards with the edge of upper portion held in right hand.. Re
peat several times for effect. With second finger of the right hand
slightly separate bottom card of top portion at the corner edge near-
est the second finger. In reversing the top card of lower portion
from the face up position to the face down drop the separated card
of top portion on top of lower portion. Show bottom card of top por-
tion and turn top card of lower portion showing card to have changed.
There are many variations. It can be shown as a pass by inserting^
the dropped card without showing into the center of the upper portion
then by merely turning the top card of lower portion apparently the
card has returned to its original position. asses are merely a
matter of taste. Adopt the one most suitable-to your own use.
SECONDS AND BOTTOMS.
An expert dealer of seconds and bottoms has nothing to fear from
the overly wise as there is practically ho limit to the conjuring
effects possible with these two moves* They are well worth the time
spent in accomplishing. Below is the method I use and will try to
make c&rtain points more explicit than previous explanations have been.
Seconds.
Place the upper left hand edge of pack firmly between the junc-
tion of the thumb"and first finger of the left hand, the thumb being
parallel to the top edge of pack, all four fir^ors holding the pack*
just so as to allow the top card or the second to be taken freely.
(This prevents two or three cards coming off together. The feel of the
fingers on this edge is very important.) Now practice moving the
thumb backward and forward without moving the card.
With the thumb of the right hand start towards pack to take top
card, thumb of left hand draws back top card and thumb of right hand
draws second card sideways from pack, the first and second fingers
of right hand grasps the card as it clears the pack. As soon as the
right thumb has secured tho card the left thumb moves top card for-
ward to the square position. In taking top card move the left thumb
backwards but not the card, in fact if the cards aro in the proper
position this will be necessary in order to secure the top card. The
moves should' be identical. It is all a question of tempo and properly
done it is indetoctablc. There are other methods such as one hand
second dealing, etc., but I have found the above the most adaptable.
Bottoms*
Place the pack so it is held between the second finger and the
heel of the palm of the left hand, the upper right hand corner being
held by the second finger and the lower left hand corner being press-
ed in the heel of the hand, the first finger resting parallel against
the top and the third and fourth fingers supporting the bottom, the
tips being visible at the upper right side. Practice dealing from this
awkward position by moving the top card sideways with left thumb and
grasping with the thumb and first finger of the right haad. Continue
till it becomes natural to hold a pack in this position. Practice
moving top card sidewise and back to square position with the thumb
of the left hand. As you push top card sidewise as soon as it covers-
the tips of the third and fourth finger'of the left hand draw these
under the pack and with the third finger push the bottom card out
about half an inch. Right hand approaches to apparently take top
card with thumb and forefinger. Thumb of left hand withdraws top
card and right hand grasps bottom card. As right hand takes bottom
card, immediately extend third and fourth finger of left hand so their
position is the same as previous to the move. As with second dealing,
it is merely a question of perfect time and coordination of the hands*
A second can be dealt from this same position bjz extending top
cardsidewisc with thumb and then withdrawing top card slightly be-
yond edge, (in other words dealing a second from the side edge in-
stead of the top edge.) It is very hard to control but is convenient
when you wish to deal seconds and bottoms without changing the pos-
ition of the pack in the hands, I would like to impress once more
the importance of mastering the above.
Glide.
Place the pack in front of you on the table sidewise facg down-
wards. With left hand pick up the pack at the sides near the left
end between the first and second finger and the thumb, holding the
pack face dpwnward. Start taking the bottom cards away one at a time
with the right hand, holding the right palm upward and reaching under
the pack with the first and second fingers and with-drawing the cards
forward from the end. As the chosen card is the third from the botto$t
take the first two cards and lay face up on the table. As you reach
to take the third card which is the selected card, glide this card
back slightly, the end protruding under covor of the left hand and
continue taking'th- fourth^-f ifth,, -etc:; Ijwito"spbetatot to .tcll'i
yon to stop. When request is made to stop place the little finger of
the left hand against the end of the protruding bard. With the palm
of tbo right hand push the end of the pack back into the left hand.
This movement squares the chosen card on the bottom of the pack.
TRICKS BASED ON SECOND AND BOTTOM DEALING.
Four Ace Trick.
Show four aces and twelve indifferent cards. Place aces on top
and deal face downwards onttable. Show them to be four aces. Place
on top and deal three bottoms and one top. You now have three in-
different cards on table and one ace,
x
. three aces remaining on top.
Deal three bottom cards on the ace, *ick up and show they are in-
different cards and place back on top^of the pack. Deal them back
on any pile but the ace; now deal the next three which are aces and
three of each of the remaining six cards ofi the two indifferent cards.
After usual force of pile arhow aces assembled*
A, Sequence Sffect.;
Remove the ace, deuce, tray, four ,five, six, setfen, eight, nine,
ten, jack, queen, king of indifferent suits and arrange in separate
pile as follows from top to bottom face downward. Ace, tray, five,
seven, nine, jack, king, queen, ten, eight, six, four, deuce. Show
cards in a fan to spectator. (You will note they donot appear at
a glance to be prearranged.) Ask spectator if he could name the cards
in their order at a glance. Interrupt saying "Wait I'll reverse
them.* Place pack in the loft hand in position for bottom deal and
start dealing first a top th$n a bottom alternating through out.
Pick up pack saying, "Why, you should be able to ae they are in
perfect order,* and spread on table. Cards now read ace, deuce, tray,
four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king. It is
merely a flourish but very effective. The effect is better if the
ears are previously arranged on top of the pe;ck with a break between a
and cut off at the start in a careless manner.
Bottom or Seconds may both be used for stopping at any given place
in a pack and producing a chosen card. Unlimited scope is given to
the performer who thoroughly masters them.
In section two* "Merlin at the Card Table," you will find num-
erous references to the bottom and second.
FALSE SHUFFLES AND CUTS.
To accomplish my method of false shuffling it is necessary first
that you learn to shuffle differently from the usual methods.
Place tho pack on the table the left side towards you. Grasp the
pack with both hands, tho thumbs holding the side towards you and the
second and third fingers of both hands holding the edge furthest a-
way, t&fl first finger of each hand resting on top of the cards* By*.
drawing the top or bottom portion to the right with right hand
square the two portions by tapping the ends together. One tap being
all that is usually necessary. Carry the portion hel.d in the right
hand in front and parallel to the portion b^. " In the left hand co
the sides of the pack arc adjacent, Raise ar edge oi t,Uo left
hand pack and riff with second and third fingers, the first finger
pressing the top of the pack. At the same time move, the right hand
portion towards the left, riffing this portion with thumb of the
right hand, the first finger pressing on the top thus accomplishing
a dovetail at the sides of the pack instead of the ends which is
usual. When riff is completed reach the second and thirl finger of
the left hand and place them on the far edtc of the right hand por-
tion, keeping the thumb of the left hand in the original position
at the near edge of the left hand portion. At the sa&a time p&ace
the thumb of the right hand on the near edge of the left-hand portion
keeping the second and third fingers in the original position on
the far edge of the right hand portion, the first fingers of both
hands resting lightly on the top of the right hand portion. By
squeezing the two portions between the fingers and thumbs the por-
tions are caused to dovetail to the squared position, the little
fingers assisting in squaring the ends of the pack. practice in
repetition until it becomes natural. So much for the true shuffle.
False. Shuffle and Cuts.
Plaoe the pack in same position as for the true shuffle but in
cutting always take the lower portion of the pack away in the right
bind, Now riff as before so the edges are dovetailed. In squeez-
ing to square position make the action of both thumbs to right and
the fingers to the left. Y
o u w
m
n O
w find the ends of the lower
portion protrude at the loft and the ends of the upper portion pro-
trude at the right. Under cover of the second and third fingers
of both hands the third fingers of each hanc. r, -aid be retting on
the protruding ends. How by a simultaneous pressure of the thumbs_
against the near side and a pulling towards you movement of the third
fingers of the protruding ends, the pack will break. This break
should be very slight. Now draw the upper portion which is held
between the thumb and third finger of right hand out to right and
slightly toward you and place on top and square. Immediately cut
lower portion and tap ends to square and repeat. This movement^
gives the impression of a double cut if done quickly in repetition.
This shuffle will be referred to later in the chapter devoted to
w
Sleights at the Card Table as a Source of Entertainment." A
false cut in conjunction with above false shuffle lends to the con-
fusion of the spectators.
The Laco Thru False Shuffle,.
For those who prefer the "lace thru" false shuffle, I have a
little i rap rove ment which thoroughly covers up the same.
Place the pack on the table the left side towards you, cut off
the lower portion in the right hand, dovetail the two ends by the
thumb riff, push both portions so the ends are three- quarter way
into each other, the second finger pushing against the. two corners
furthest way from you. At this point increase the pressure on these
corners which causes the portions to lace thru each other. Grasp
the corners at the side towards you with thumbs of both hands and
draw thru until the ends of each portion slightly protrude. Square
the pack on the sides, the second and third fingers of each hand
covering the ends which protrude. In the act of squaring draw the
pack about six inches toward you on the table and withdraw the upper
ncrtion with right hand and palco on top. This movement covers the
lace thru and appears as tho you merely shuffled the cards and cut
them once. The old method was practically impossible to accomplish
without detection.
False Cut*.
Cut lower portion away with right hand and place on top making
a break in side towards you by a flesh grip of the ball of the left
thumb being careful that the front side remains square. Cut bottom
portion at the break and place on top. Fast repetition completes the
illusion.
TRICKS BASED ON FALSE SHUFFLES AND CUTS.
Reds and Blacks*
Separate reds from blacks and show them to be separated. Place
the reds on the black and do the above false shuffle and cut remark-
ing, that you are able to shuffle
1
the cards in any order desired
such as alternating a red and black throughout or two reds and one
black or two blacks and one red, after this speech, pause and re-
mark, "At least you are assured that tho pack is shuffled." Bridge
the cards and place back of you. Hesitate a moment, separate at the
bridge and bring red cards fanned in one hand and black cards fanned
in the other to the front. This is very effective as a little side
flourish,
Another Red and Black E.ffect.
Having secretly separated the rods and blacks give false shuffle.
H>.ve two cards selected" seeing that you force a red card and a black
card. Now give the pack a little false shuffle and collect the two
cards seeing that the rod card is placed among the Slacks and the
black card among the rods. Give the cards one false shuffle and a
riff to ascertain the junction of tho reds and blacics. use flesh
grip of thumb as used in false cut to hold the break. Ask spectators
to name cards. Cut to break and fan, reds in one hand and blacks
in the other and the red selected card Is f^a^j am^ng the black cards
and the black selected card is found among the reds.
Many elaborations are possible with the separation of rods from
blacks in conjunction with, the above false cut rnd shuffle?
Thumb and Finger Counting*
Aside from the natural control that the ability to count cards
by riffing with either thumbs or fingers gives to the performer, it
is possible to accptnplish "oy its aid very perplexing effects. Follow-
ing are explained the modus operandi of two methods necessary in ef-
fects explained later.
First Method^
Hold the pack naturally in the left hand, as for dealing. Rest
the right hand on the top of the pack the second, third, and fourth
fingers at the front and the thumb at the rear, the first finger
resting on the top of the pack. By slight pressure of the first fing
ger let the card riff singly downward from the thumb counting silent-
ly, noting the number.
3 cord Method.
Hold the pack naturally in the left hand as for dealing with
this exception. Curl the first finger under the pack near the far
aiLo Bv pressure of the thumb downwards on the upper left side
a?low the cards to riff one at a time being careful to hold the lower
left corner tight against the root of the thumb, Jn conjunction with
this, practice stopping at a certain number, releasing the pressure
at the base of the thumb. Insert the thumb at ".his point and raise
the counted portion at the left side allowing the right eitfo to rest
against the third, v -::. "\i =md fi:
l
:'tt finder:: ' v by draw, v the -ohumb
outward to the loi"t
l
jr;r.g cut zte bottom car,, o, the counted portion.
With a closing movement of -uhs hand tur-n ~i'ai & card face up or. the top
of the pack allowing the separated portion to drop to the squaro pos-
ition on the pack. The effect when performer quickly being that the
thumb riffs the pack reaches in the center- and fir.ds a ca.rd and turns
it over on the top of the pack, the card being face up.
TVlCfT DASHD ON THUMB AND FINGER COUNTING.
Tp Place A Sheeted Cb-.rd in a Given Position in the
Have a spectator select a card. After the card \s returned bring
to the to2 by the pass. Hold the pack as for cho fj.'-vt method and
immediately count -nine' cards with the thumb making a oreak* Now
announce that you will place selected card any numbers from top.
-12-
Under cover of this announcement bring the nine counted cards on top
of the selected card by the pass, (I suggest the improved Hermann
for these moves, as the hands are in a convenient position.) The
selected card is now ten from the top. Count five more from bottom
and insert little finger at break, This i
s
a"U accomplished before
the number is chosen, I have fo:".nd ''~e fOJ \ * r:.g. to be true; Ask
for number desired. If number chosen is throe-?, four, five or six
immediately say, "Oh, that's so easy. Give me one better than that,
I have found that invariably they will choose ten. If this occurs
call attention that you immediately without any movement, hand the
pack to the spectator and he counts and discovers card at chosen
position. Always have him name card before counting so that the
other spectators share the Effect. Now if eight or nine are sel-
ected say, "Oh, give me a good number," and very often the choice
falls on fifteen as you have five cards already counted, merely pass
to top and hand cards to spectator and proceed as before, If over
fifteen, count to the desired number and pass. If under fifteen
release five counted cards and count desired amount- Often instead
of selected card I merely reverse top card saying "I'll place
this card at any position in the pack and I have reversed it so you
can see it happen." Count nine below as before, execute pass and re-
mark "first, I must make it go" , now proceed as before.
Vibrating Cards.
Tho following is very effective, Three selected cards being
returned to pack and shuffled are found by riffing the thumb down
the edge of pack and turned face up on the pack as they are named
'by spectators. First, count twelve by the first method of counting
and bring to the top making a break with the little finger. Now
have three cards selected being careful to have them selected below
the separated portion. Collect the three cards, cutting the pack
at the break. The selected cards are now the thirteenth, fourteenth
and fiftbenth cards, Call attention to the fe.ct that the cards are
carefully squared and th.\t none of tne selec
:
- .. cards are or: the :
bottom or top. Now, explain as follows,
c;
i aave found that each
card has a peculiar vibration and by longpractice I have trained
my thumb to distinguish the different vibrations- Of course you
believe this or not just as you please, During the above you hase
the cards in the left hand and are riffing them with the thumb^as
explained in the second method of counting. Ho count totthe fif-6
teenth card, insert the thumb.
x
"oint to the spectator who returned
the first card, and say, "Name your Card." Reverse first card and
continue saying, "Some might think I looked byt I dorJt. Some-
times I listen." Place pack at left ear and. run fifteen and turn
second selected card. "Now to make it more difficult I will place
the pack back of my back." Run fifteen, insert ttwmb, ask for name
of last card and turn reversed on top of pack. If you wish to make
it more effective use sfalse shuffle and cut after you. collected the
chosen cards, this is not essential, however.
Throwing a Card in the M r and Cdtching in tho Pack at, ..a Chosen Number,
Performer reverses the top card, takea it in the right hand,
throws it in the air and catches it in the pack at chosen number
down.
Hold the pack in the left hand as for second method of count-
ing. Reverse the top card. Take in the right hand and throw in
the air perpendicularly with a spinning motion and catch in the
pack by riff ing the edge as in counting. Repeat this several times
explaining that you are able to catch a card in any position in the
pack, ""ause with card in the right hand and ask someone to suggest
a nun/bor. Turn the hand over, holding the pack so the back of the
hfxiin is up and carry towards the body. Ask someone to suggest a
iniuoor. Count one less than number chosen with the thumb and take
a slight flesh grip with thumb of left hand. Throw card in the air,
::.t the break, about half inch, catch the card in break, immediately
releasing the thumb and riffing the portion of the cards below to
givo the effect of no preparation. Selected card is now protruding.
Do not square the pack, but count down showing card has been caught
at suggested number. This is rather difficult but really worth while.
Ink Card Used in Conjunction V/ith Count Tricks.
After using the above methods in sequence spectators are apt
to suspect you are counting. I always believe in inspiring a sol-
ution then utterly confusing the spectator by disprovement. My most
valuable asset I have found to be an inked card, that is, a known
card inked on the sides near the corners. Take a card and ink the
side edges for about half an inch at the corners which are not in-
dexed.
At any time in the course of performing counting tricks where
I am enabled to force the inked card without the spectator's sus-
picion I immediately take the following advantage, "I know some
of you think it merely the skill of my fingers. * am going to dis-
prove this. Now you have selected a card, would you mind showing
it and returning it to the pack? Shuffle the pack yourself." After
spectator has completed shuffling, take pack and cut so as to place
inked card in the center. Hold in left hand as in second method.
Count position, riff until you come to inked card, pass to bottom - V
oi
1
X'- :i"(l place at given number as in first count method. The
r:ic:.:cv:x I ions * leave to you. There are no limits to its possibilities*
Vu t>er uses of the inked card will be covered in the Third Section
17 ::" so. Mr/: G O us tricks.
As previously stated I consider the side slide described in the
chapter on Passes the most useful and natural as a change.
Very often after changing a card, say from the c.ce of Spades
to the four of Hearts, I have been interrupted by spectator saying,
"Now let's see you change it b&ck to the ace of Spades." A diffi-
cult problem you'll admit without manuvering suspiciously. To over-
cone this, I use what I term the slip-slide change.
Tfte 'olip-Slide Change.
Place the pack in the left hand horizontally outward, holding
it between the tips of the thumb and fingers, the thumb holding the
pack on the upper side near the further end, the second, third^and
fourth fingers holding the pack on the lower uide, the first finger
resting against the far end. Now with the right hand palm, start
tapping' with a drumming movement the face of the card exposed near
the"far end keeping the fingers slightly apart. Carry the first
finger of the left hand a short distance away from the end of the
pack in the course of tapping. With the third finger of the right
hand, glide the exposed card forward till it touches the first finger
and protrudes over the far end of the pack. Immediately bring the
fingers of the right hand together and"bring the right hand quickly
towards you pressing down on the second card, which is uncovered
at the near end, with that portion of the palm below the junction
of the fingers, and withdraw the second card till the far end clears
the near end of the extended card. Push the card in the right hand
forward on top of the extended card at the same time with the first
finger of the left hand push extended card back to the square pos-
ition immediately spreading the fingers of the right hand and con-
tinue the tapping* The effect being that the card was changed with
fingers wide apart* This move can be used to advantage in changing
tae top card of a pack to the second when the pack is in the face
down position, of course eliminating the tapping.
Change Over ffalm Change.
Hold the pack face outward in the left hand as for side-glide.
Slide the bottom card into the palmed position in the right hand.
Now move the right hand towards the pack to deposit the palmed card.
As the right hand covers the face of the pack deposit the card
inserting the little finger of the keft hand between the card and
the pack. Just as the right deposits the card and while it is still
covering the fac of the pack, "hesitate and pretend someone suspect-
ed you had a card palmed saying, "In this hand?"
tt
No." Turn
over the right hand showing it empty at the same time under cover
of turning right hand turn the hand holding the pack and point at
the empty right hand. Now reverse the move again turning the padk
under the palm of the right hand. Now reverse the move again turning
the pack under the palm of the right hand. This should be accom-
plished without allowing the spectators a glimpse of the deposited
card held at the break on the face of the pack.
r
alm the card again
in the right hand and expose the face of the.original card about
three-quarters showing it to be the same, and witha quick movement
bring the right hand over the face of the p::,cL depositing the card
and accomplishing the change, flfany, no doubt, will proclaim tne
above to be useless as there should exist no suspicion of palming
if the performer's work is finished. However, at times it is use-
ful to be prepared in dealing with the' bothersome sceptic who is
so much in evidence in late years*
A Double Change.
Place the pack in the left hand face outwarci, horizontally,
between the tip of thumb and the tips of the second, third and
fourth fingers. The thumb holding the upper side near the near end,
the second, third and fourth finger holding the lower side near the
near end. The first finger resting on the edge of the far end. With
first finger separate about half the back portion and pull it to-
wards you about two inches causing the pack to have two cards ex-
posed the outward card being fully exposed and the card at the step
in the pack being half exposed, the thumb holding the pack at the .
junction of the two portions of the upper side and the second and
third finger at.the junction of the two portions on the lower side,
the first finger being curled at the back of pack. Tap the far end
of the outward portion by the first finger, pushing the card for~
/c.rd and pressing it against the palm in a forward movement bpr the
right hand. Carry the right!:hand way with the card palmed. Now
C3.ll attention to the half exposed card of the back portion. By
reaching forward with the first finger, pulling the back card of the
front portion towards you, you cause the half exposed card of the
back portion to change. To cover, turn the face of the pack quickly
away and back, repeat once, then carry the right hand containing
palmed card over causing it to change, at the same time changing a-
gain the half exposed card of the back portion without necessating
the turning of the pack as the right hand covers the movement.
Change a la Erdnase Bottom
First, I will explain the "Erdnase" bottom palm. Place the
pafek in left hand at the near end, the right side resting in the
ro.ot of the thumb, the thumb resting on the top parallel to the
near end, the loft side held between the first and second fnger,
the fingers of the loft hand resting on the thumb on the near end.
Riff the cards at the front end with fingers of the left hand. With
the second finger of the right hand separate card or a few cards
from the bottom of the pack by bending the corner of the card or
cards at the corner near the second finger. Carry the bent corner
backwards slightly, the card or cards turning on the corner held in
the root of the thumb as an axis. This causes the far left corner
to protrude slightly from the left side of the pab^c, under the tip
c.7 the fourth finger of the left hand which is partially covering
Lb.c top of the pack. With a straight backward pressure of the tip
of the fourth finger against the corner of the protruding card or
cards, at the same time releasing the hold of the second finger of
-16-
the right hand on the near left corner, the cards will rotate into
the palm of the right hand. Now for a caution. Move only the little
finger of the left hand and do not anticipate the approach of the
card or cards to the right hand by a forward move by this hand. Riff
cards with left hand again to cover, carry the pack away in the left
hand turning and dropping the right hand. Hold palmed card or cards
to the side naturally. This palm is very Useful in conjunction with
the bottom count in the trick of passing a number of cards from a
Portion of the pack held by one spectator to the portion he 111 by
another. "(Bertram*-a Thirty Card Trick by Neil,) Hold the thirty
cards before being cut and count five from the bottom palm as ex-
plained. After cards are cut, restore palmed five to the bottom
of the counted portion and with an upward move with right hand sweep
the counted portion off the table with the left hand into the right,
Im proved C hange.
Hold the pack in the right hand in position for bottom palm be-
ing careful not to show the bottom card. With the left hand remove
the top card and show to spectators calling no particular attention
to it as this is only misdirection. Replace top card and palm off
bottom card as explained. You now hold the pack in left hand face
downward, the right hand hanging naturally at the side containing
the palmed card. Turn pack in left hand and call particular at-
tention to the bottom card. Now turn the card slowly face downward
dropping the left hand and at the same time start bringing the right
hand upwards toward the pack of cards held in the left hand. Just as
the right hand is adjacent to the pack held in the left hand with a
quick move turn the palm upwards and deposit palmed card on the bot-
tom. Immediately start sliding the pack away from you off the now
extended palm of the right hand. Slowly turn pack and change is
apparent.
Under the Thumb Change.
Hold the pack in left hand face up, the thumb placed parallel
across the face of card and if possible touching the fingers holding
the left side of the pack. Let the right hand rest on the pack,
palm bottom card by the use of the Side-Slide.
The left hand assumes the described position again. By a press-
ure of the right hand at the base of the thumb cause the palmed card
to bend outward from the ends away from the palm. Bring the right
r.and over the face of the patek slipping the card under the left thumb
which is resting lightly on the. face of the pack. Release card with
right hand when square and effect is that you have changed the card
with no possibility of depositing or palming a card as the thumb
apparently holds the face of the pack secure.
Pace to Face Change.
The effect is that you cut the pack and rub the faced portions
together and change both faced cards. Hold the pack in front of
you horizontally, faco downwards, between t/.-. ' ;" p of the th'.iQib and
tips of the second and third fingers of the ri
o
at hand near the
right end, first having reversed the second card from the bottom.
Grasping the top of the pack near the left end,, cut off the top
portion in the left hand turning it over to the left, show bottom
cards of both portions. Now turn the portion held in the right
hand which is the bottom portion of the- pack and rub the faced por-
tions together. As a portion in right hand is rubbed against the por-
tion in the left hand deposit the bottom card and reversed card ocf
this portion and leave on the left hand portion by counting two
bottom cards of right portion at side with right thumb. Turn and
show both cards to have changed.
Change Making: Palmed Cards Disappear*
Place the pack in the left hand face outward holding horizon-
tals to left of the body between the tips of the thumb on the upper
sic
1
.-., the tips of the second, third and fourth fingers on the lower
side, the first Singer resting on the far end.
Say for illustration the card shown on the bottom towards the
spectator is the nine of clubs, proceed as follows. "Now first,
I want you to note that I have the nine of clubs and by simply pass-
ing my right hand over the face of the card it changes to the Jack
of Hearts." As you pass the right hand over the cards, palm and
take a few away, continuing say, "But the trouble is you have the
cards in this hand," fan and show and replace back in original
position on the pack. Repeat once or twice fanning cards in the
right hand each time. As )^ou replace the fanned cards the last
time snap the bottom card of the pas^i held in the left hand against
the fingers of the right hand, (a la 'Snap Pass) and drop the right
hand containing the palmed card to the side* Continue patter. "Now
I have found the difficult part is to change the card," (Pass the
right hand over the face of the nine of clubs depositing the palmed
card causing the card to change. Drop right hand to your side,
keep back of hand towards audience and hold in a slightly cramped
position as though you were palming a few cards) continue saying,
"and then by rubbing your fingers together make the cards disappear."
Start rubbing the fingers of the right hand together and tur& slowly
and show empty.
CRIMPS*
I have found that very few if any manipulators appreciate the
value of the crimp. I prefer it to a bridge as the bridge is uni-
versally known. The following is my method of crimping and is in-
detectable.
ICingor Crimp From the Side.
Hold the pack naturally as for dealing in the left hand, In
collecting a selected card, instea-d of cutting as is usual, hold
the pack and ask the spectator to return the chosen card any place
in the pack, being careful to make the far end the only possible
place he can insert it. After fee- has inserted the card about an
inch, by bending the wrist quickly to the right you will find that
the card which the spectator is in the act of inserting will be
carried to the left, causing the near right corner to protrude from
the right side of the pack at about the position of the second fin-
ger of the left hand which is holding the pack. Immediately crimp
this corner by bending it down on the side of the peck with the tip
of the second finger of the left hand, when you have the card in
the favorable position for this crimp squeeze down on the top of the
pack with the left thumb. This prevents the spectator from insert-
ing the card or in fact from moving it at all. When he remonstrates
and you have crimped the corner, say "But, I meant you to take the
pack and place the card wherever you please, in fact I don*t want
to touch the pack at all." Push the pack in his hand and even if
he removes the card and palces it in a different position you have
it marked. Ask, Are you satisfied? Well, shuffle them for good
u.ensure." After Cards are fcspturned to you it is easy to locate
the chosen card by the crimp in the corner. In crimping be sure to
tend the corner but slightly so as to make it unnoticable to the
spectator. By experiment and practice you can easily ascertain the
bend required to distinguish the card. If performing two or three
tricks using the crimp always be careful after each trick to bend
the corner of the card back to the original position so it will not
confuse you in later experiments.
Finger Crimp From the End.
In some cases I have found it impossible to turn the card in ' ;:
the pack to the left so as to crimp with second finger due to the
spectator grasping your left hand, when he is inserting the card,
I overcome this as follows: After he has inserted the card about
three-quarters into the pack, squeeze down with the thumb of the
left hand so as to prevent him inserting it further and pull your
left hand containing the pack out of his grasp, towards you, asking
"What is wrong? Won't it go in?" Immediately place the first
finger of the left hand under the middle of the protruding end of
the inserted card. Now, with the right hand pretend to attempt to
drive the chosen card into the back, but what you really do is this:
With tin? first and second fingers of the right hand press down on
the extmcled card the second finger pressing at the right corner
and f;;:~ first finger pressing at the left corner. This causes the
corners
:
:o bend down, the first finger of the left hand pressing
r,:r..rd :vx.inst the middle of the extended end. Tihis causes a crimp
1 i "oho middle of the end of the card where the "wise" ones can
!
t
rlircover it. After the crimp push the card into the pack and hand
it to be shuffled. In operation it merely appears .you tried to
drive the extended card into the pack but that the i'irst attempt
w a s unsuccessful.
-19-
TRICK BASED ON THE CRIIuP.
he. Roval Finders.
Performer first removes two like cards of either a red suit or
a black suit, for example say the King of Clubs and the King of
SBa&es, and shows them to the spectator, laving them face up on the
.table. Performer now hands the pack to a spectator asking aim to
shuffle the pack and to take, out any card he desires and remember it.
Spectator returns the card and shuffles the pack. Performer new
takes the pack and without any hesitations inserts the two kings to-
gether in the center.,of the pack about three-quarter way, and draws
them out together, ^erformer askg the spectator to name the chosen
card. The kings are~fanned and the chosen card is found between the
two cards. (Note that the Kings are never placed full way in the
pack.)
The method of accomplishment is as follows: First, remove the
King of Clubs and the King of Spades and place face up on the table
calling the spectators attention to the fact that there are just two
cards used.
Hand the pack to a spectator to shuffle and remove any card he
desired. After he has selected a card take the pack out of his hand,
(calling ho attention to the fact,) and holding the pack naturally
in the left hand invite him to insert the card in any position in the
pack he desired. Now accomplishing the crimp as described in my first
method of crimping, (finger crimp from the side,) remembering the
part where you push the care
1
, into his hand saying "But, I meant you to
take the pack and place the caret wherever you please, in fact I don
1
t
want to touch the pack at all." Ask him now to shuffle and hand the
pack to you. Take the pack and note the position of the crimped
chosen card anc! if it s' oulcl lie near either the top or bottom, cut
the pack anc! bring it near the center.
n
olcl the pack perpendicularly,
backs of the cards outwards towards the spectators in the tips of the
fingers and thumb of the left hand, the thumb holding the side towards
you at the middle, the first, second and third fingers holding the
far side near the bottom, the fourth finger supporting the bottom end
of the pack. In placing the carcis be careful to plade so the crimped
corner of the selected card is in view at the near upper corner of
the pack. Note that a crimped card makes a slight opening in the pack
at the end, below the crimped care! ane"! a slight opening QX the corner
of the pack, above the crimped care
1
..
r
ith the right hand pick up one
of the Kings and carelessly insert it a little way into the enel of
the pack near the top, that is, anywhere above the crimped card to-
tends the spectators.
u
sing this as a cover, pick up the remaining
King ane. insert it a little way at the break in the end of the pack
caused by the crimped card, towards the bottom of the back remarking
that you are going to plae the two KSngs together in the pack. Turn
the end of the pack slightly towards the spectators saying, "but I
want the Kings to go in together." Withdraw the first King and insert
it a little way at the break caused by the crimp at the corner of
the pack. You now have the two kings inserted a little way with the
crimped card in between them still square in the pack. With the
righ| hand square the two Kings with 'each other and start pushing them
in the pacfc at the upper end until about an inch of the kings pro~
truda. Now Remark, "I never want them to leave your sight,"
grasping the Kings between the thumb and first finger of the right
hand, the first finger, on the side towards " spectators, s.nd by
squeezing withdraw the Kings about an inch pivoting them slightly
towards you* This you will find causes the crimped car'-" to be moved
slightly upward out of tho pack and by raising the third and fourth
finger of the left hand holding the pack at the far side, you will
note that the action of piloting the K$ngs towards
makes the far
p g g y
bottom corner of the crimped card protrude slightly at the side about
an inch above the far lower corner of the pack, ^lace the third fin-
ger of tho left hand under this protruding corner and with the right
hand push downward towards the third finger of the left hand and you
will find that this move squares the crimped card between the two
Kings without tho Kings ever being pushed full way into the pack.
Grasp the three cards together at the upper near corner with thumb
and finger and withdraw giving this corner a bend outward (this
eliminates the crimp) and withdraw from the pack. Ask spectator
to name the chosen card and fan the three cards showing the named
card between the two Kings and immediately hand for examination.
This same effect can be accomplished by forcing the inked edge
card, but I prefer the above method. You Gill alll readily see the
opportunities in regard to patter and presentation the above trick
offers.
If you should have difficulty in accomplishing the Counting
Trick previously explained under the title of "Vibrating Cards", you
will find you can produce the same effect b^ the use of the crimp,
the only disadvantage being that you have to watch the edge of the
cards and if you arc not careful the spectators mijjtvt discover the
crimp. There arc unlimited uses fir the crimp and it is always a
life saver when dealing with one who interferes and tries to expose
you. However, just a word of advise. Don
f
t repeat tricks that de-
pend on its use. "Nurse" it and you will always have an "Ace in
the Hole"
FORCING.
Forcing is perhaps an antiquated subject in conjuring but I
feel I have a right to a few words in regard to the methods used
by others and those I use mysolf. -fcrsninally I think of it as tim-
ing, that is, not of shoving a card-to one, but rather of having
the desired card at the proper place at the moment the spectator*s
fingers arc in the act of drawing the card. There arc many methods
-SI-
of making the glimpse prior to the force. I usually glimpse the
bottom card, cut, and use the flesh grip to hold the cut. Advance
toward the spectator for selection of card and request that a card
be drawn but do not spread cards until .you are at a convenient dis-
tance for the drawing of a card. Start to run the top portion above
the break at all times, carefully watching the hand of the person
who is drawing. If he advances the hand quickly run the top cards
above the break so as to have the desired card at the most convenient
position as the fingers of the drawer- reaches to select. Always be
careful that'this care', is in no way ever exposed It really is a
matter of tempo, perf6ct timing of your fingers and judgment of the
approach of the spectator's hand. A force, is only successful when the
party drawingftfre card has no suspicion that he has, in cny way, been
influenced to select a desired card. In the event of a force don^b
become over anxious and show any concern but let the spectator drawj
My getaway for a miss in forcing, is to have the card returned using
the crimp and change the effect, accordingly producing an entirely
different effect and then repeating on a less suspecting victim and
continuing and accomplishing the original desired effect. In a case
where a force of one card is absolutely necessary,' and the victim
refuses to take the desired card, as his hand approaches and you note
ho is antagonistic and is insistant on a card other than the desired
one, proceed as follows: As he attempts to draw other than the card
you desire'^just take his hand and lift it away saying,
tt
My, what a
pulse you have. Not feeling well?" or Gracious, I must know your
manicure,
11
or something equally absurd. Pass on to one who may be
more in spirit with your desires. In the method of showing the cards
faced, exposing a card more than the others, I have a peculiar method
of getting results; first, I take the pack as for riffling with the
old stop where the card to be forced was exposed absurdly, allowing
the spectator little chance of seeing but that one card, explaining
that this method ig very old and that you do not want them to confuse
this method of forcing with the selection of a card they are about to
make. You now take the pack and spreading them fan wise between the
two hands, holding pack upright, face toward spectator and run pack
from one hand to the other exposing the cards as equally as possible
but making just a slight pause at the desired card to be forced.. I
have found if you hurry and try to force, instead of time you anta-
gonize; and in nine times out of ten he will try to fool you, but
if the force is slight, by that I mean he is allowed to see many cards
but the card to be forced is but slightly prominent he will unconsci-
ously bend to your will. In the event that you miss, be showman enough
to ignore the failure end try to turn the trick to your advantage.
Let's suppose you miss the above force. The cards are square, you
prepared for your effect, you ask for the card to be named. It turns
out to be the wrong card end you have no idea .of the position of the
card named, deliberately take the pack, run thorn and find the card say-
ing, "Now you know I ha.ven't removed your card." As you make the
remark boldly slip the card named to the seventh from the top and
rovert to your original plan and attempt the force which was necess-
ary for your original effect. Surely you should be successful once
in two attempts.
Sure Fire Force,
An excellent force, requiring absolutely no skill is as follows:
The card to "be forced is concealed under the belt, at back, under
coat tails, or in hip pocket. Offer de<3k for shuffling. When pack
is returned place it behind your back and ask a spectator to cut the
pack anywhere. When he has done so you turn half way around and say,
"About how many cards have you cut?" During this half turn and
while your back is momentarily out cf sight' c" audience your right hand
brings down the concealed card from under b..l^ or hip pocket and
places it on top of the portion held in his loft hand, ^e then turns
around once more and says to spectator, "Please take the
u
next card."
this is a sure fire forde and extremely effective.
Mechanical Forcing; Packs.
For those who prefer a self working pack, there can be obtained
from the dealers in magical supplies, such packs as the regular forc-
ing packs consisting of fifty-one cards all alike and one indifferent
card on face of pack. Three way forcers to force three cards can also
be obtained. Those consist of about sixteen each of three cards that
arc alike and on indifferent card on the face of pack. The disadvant-
age with these packs is that they cannot be shown all different cards.
The Svengall pack which you can show apparetly all different,
and, yet be able to force one particular card, is very practical and
clever,
Probably the best mechanical forcing pack ever devised is the
Ivans Brown Triple-Force pack, that automatically and cleanly forces
three cords after pack has first been shown apparently to consist of
T-nnn-irp.ft no skill and is fool proof and sure fire.
regular
:arfis. It requires no skill
23-
EDITORIAL NOTE.
The editor of this scries wishes to express his
thanks to Mr. Charles J. Maly, who has given us
much valuable assistance in preparing these man-
uscripts. Several of the effects are written by
the editor or Mr. Maly from memories of tricks clone
by Mr. Merlin; hence, any slight variation from
Mr. Merlin's routine must be charged to our some-
times faulty memories* This has only occurred in
one or two instances, as the man'-
1
:ipt submitted
us by Mr. Merlin was very comply
!
~~
A few of the effects and sleights that were orig-
inated by Mr. Merlin have been "rediscovered" by
some of the other writers on Magic. However, in
most cases, the reader will be able to trace back
the use of these to Mr. Merlin in the beginning.
Of course, not all of the things j^%hc nenuscripts
are original* V/herc possible .crcc^t^has been given
to the originator when known ^^S</Bto^effects that
are not in themselves new
K
^ayq Jeecn given a now
presentation or improve]
In carefully reche*
.taincd heroin, w^p *;
dextrous and
reverse some
rU-ht,
can onljsr^^Otftc right hand for certain manipulations
A. W, C. BRUMPIELD.
:
fhg<fc& various sleights con-
ttfOferiat Mr. Berlin is ambi-
ax some performers will have to
L
nstructions from left to
to left, as some performers
Merlin at the Card Table
Jack Merlin
Section Ttfo
of "and a Pack of Cards"
Cherished Secrets of a I "aster ivlaniyulator
Section Two
"and a Pack of Cards."
Second Revised Edition
By
JACK MERLIN.
ited. by A. W. C. Brumfield.
Published 1928.
By
THE V/ELWORTK COMPANY.
36 West Pratt Street,
Ind ianapoli s,Indiana.
U. 8. A.
Cherished Secrets of a Maeter Manipulator

Copyright 1927, 19 28. TK2 WELWORTH

4 ROUTINE OF SLEIGHTS X T.JS C;\HD TABLE,
The following is suitable only at a small gathering, that is, say
up to twenty people. You will note that "I" predominates. Forgive the
apparent ego as I am only trying to impress you with the storj-
T
as I
tell it, and the continual phrasing in the first person is of necessity
to show the different phases of misdirection used to obtain the effects
most of which crowns the performer with a halo skill he does not poss-
ess. I usually do a few color changes, continually repeating the move
at close quarters with individual members of the audience following
with perhaps an effect such as the card in the pocket, A spectator is
allowed to glimpse a card passing to the bottom. One card is slipped
from the top to the bottom by the top slip and pack is turned, calling
attention that chosen card is not on the bottom, as at the present it
gests two from bottom, and top card is shown notto be chosen card.
Spectator chosing card is asked to place pack in pocket, performer
noting whether pack is placed face outward or face inwurd in pocket.
Performer shows hand is empty, reaches into spectator pocket asking
name of selected card and producing same by bringing from pocket the
second card from the bottom, which must be a selected card.
I continue with similar effects till the usual remark is event-
ually- made. "I
f
d. hate to play cards with you" or "Could you deal any
hand at poker?" his is the desired opening. "Let's gather around
this table" I seat myself* "Now gather close and I'll demonstrate
how my fingers work and the control I have over a pack of cards," I
show the top card and deal a few seconds and disclose the fact that the
top card still remains on top vn the same position. Carelessly I
shuffle and cut and then deliberately deal tops saying as I deal."Just
a few more seconds." I continue till asked, "^re those seconds?" I
reply of course, "Why yes, and in order to prove it I'll reverse the
action." With this statement, reverse the top card and deal perhaps
two or three genuine seconds, exaggerate the movement of the a n s and
deal slowly as the ugh. to show the method saying, "Thats how it looks
slowly but when you deal it fast it appears like this." **s you remark
the above, turn reverse card, and continue to deliverately deal tops for
perhaps ten cards, then slowly deal two or three seconds, apparently ex-
posing the movement. Stop, think re-read the above and the psychology
of the routine is apparent. Bottoms are an exact daplication of the
above.
First, I take the pack and start deliberately dealing the top cards
speedily, remarking, "Those are bottoms." One of the spectators are
bound to say "Bottoms?" Calmly I say ^Certainly they are bottoms." I
now reverse the top card and deal a i'cw legitimately keeping the top
card in the place saying, "I'll do it slowly." and as in the seconds I
exaggerate the move. After dealing a few uotooms I again turn the top
card and start in reality dealing tops bat remark
u
This is how a bottom
looks when dealing fast." Slow up gradually, finally dealing the last
two readily from the bottom. Remember It is misdirection and psychology
which produces the desired effect and exaggerates your skill of mani-
pulation and inbues your audience with the hopelessness of playing cards
with an adept,
"You have often heard that no one can really run in a hand of
poker, what I mean is shuffle a pack so the dealer will receive the
highest hand, No?/ truthfully that is absolutely skill and perhaps I
might say technique,. I am showing you that the fingers are capable
of placing any card or- any series of cards in a give:.i order for deal-
ing so that the advantage is in favor of the dealer. Remember I am
explaining as a man who is cheating lone handed in a poker game, ^or
instance of the deal previous to mine I stay out, in other words I do
not play. As this hand proceeds it affords an opportunity to 'the deal-
er, who is the cheater', to scan the cards out of play, that is, the
cards in the discard. I nonchalantly pick up the cards not In use pre-
paratory to dealing, Jhe hand in play is in progress now. | want you
(designating the nearest man on your right) to deal out at random a
hand of poker,
ff
Let the play go on, pick up your cards and play the
hand as tbbugl [you were really playing a hand of social poker, Rem-
ember you pick up the cards not in Play after the draw and run through
uhassumingly and place any cards, of similar suit on top, For instance,
say in the cards not in'play you find two aces, and you note in the
carefs shown when the hands in play are shown that there is an ace or
perhaps two aces* You deliberately place the two aces as you pick up
the cards In play on top of the pack in hand. This places the four
aces on top of the pack preparatory to'the'dealers shuffle for deal,
n
Now you have hearcl it saicT that no one can really run a pack in, so
that each card which'in poker is dealt one' at a time, can be place#in
an ordinary shuffle so that each ace is placed so as to fall one at a
time to the dealer, I?ll prove this and want you to watch why this
happens,
1
! First, I slip the one of the aces on top to the bottom,
this leaves three aces, on top, Now proceed with the Erdnase injog a,nd
outjog shuffle running up a hand for four placers, ,
those not familiar I'll explain, You injog the top ace, cut
about a third- of the pack from the bottom, run the first six top.of
the cut portion of top of the'injogged ace, outjog the seventh card
and shuffle remaining cards on top being sure to shuffle the bottom
ace on top, Pick up at.the outjog, making a break with thunjrt) at the
injog run three top cards and throw to remaining cards to break of
1
thumb. Run one, injog the 'second, run six, outjog the seventh, card and
shuffle remainder naturally. Cut below' injog and throw on top, ; Cut
below outjog, run three cards on top and
;
throw remaining cards/on'top
and you'll find that each ace is the fourth'card. However, the pack
must be cut, After cards are run up cut them yourself holding the
break force spectator to cut at the desired place, Deal after cutting
and the four aees will fall.to the dealer
:
-he.above explaination I
use as pa.tter explaining that is the way you do it, although it is the
truth, no one will-believe it the real method so it serves as ..misdirection*
When entertaining a few nen I find that methods of cheating in
different games at the card table makes Ihs greatest appeal and never
fails to hold interest. I always make pretentions to expose lout in
reality only expose a few moves which are of no consequence. Remember
I show these as an entertainment and not as a procedure of cheating.
Three Card Monte.
Take two red aces and a black queen from the pack and prepare as
follows. Place them together, square on the table, face downwards.
With the fingers and thumbs on the sides bend the sides so the middle
arches upward. This enables you afterward to pick the cards up easily
by the ends. Pick them up and being carefull to retain the bridge,
bend the corners at the two indexes upward and back, once or tiwco
finally leaving the corners as they were originally. This enables you
later when crimping to crimp each card identically the same.
Spread the three cards at intervals on the table before you, the
ends toward j'
T
ou. Practise picking the cards up between the tip of the
thumb at the near end and the tips of the second and third finger at
the far end holding face downward and throwing them down one at a time
on the table always face downward, someti >es holding two cards .in the
right hand and at other times holding two ii" the left hand. Throw the
bottom card down first in each instance until this movement becomes
natural, being careful to hold the cards close together when holding
two in one hand, the first finger always resting lightly on the cards
or card. how practise the following with each hand. I will describe
the action with the right hand. pick the two cards up in the right
hand one at a time at the ends between the thumb on the near end and
the second and third finger the bottom card and keeping them very
slightly separated. Now with an upward and downward move of the wrist
throw the bottom card on the table andplace the too card to the right
or left. Pick up as before but this time throw the top card first by
pushing it out to the left with the tip of the first finger which is
resting on top of this card. It is easy and vary deceptive. Practise
with both hands until proficient, Now for the effect.
Place the three cards on the table the aces on the outsides the
queen in the middle. Now repeat, picking the aces up in each hand al-
ternating picking the queen up under one ace then the other showing
each time and throwing "the cards one at a time back on the table saying,
"You see the queen is always on the bottom and all you have to do is
pick the queen." Mow by alternating first throwing the top card and
next throwing the bottom and sometimes failing to show the cards when
you pick them up you can readily see now confusing you can make the
effect. After a few attempts on the part of spectators to pick the
queen sometimes meeting with success merely b}<
T
guessing but usually
missing. I remark, "Of course, this is just the "Draw On." Now I'll
show you how the shraper works, "First, of all in the crowd he has a
shill that is a confederate. In the course of dealing the sharper r
:
'
ur
~
drops one of the aces on the floor. As he stoops to pick up the
4
ace, the shill reaches over a.rA bends up the Indexed corner of the card
crimping it upward. The sharper apparently 3.cc sn't notice t
h
e bent
corner and continues to-cfeal.'
1
To illustrate cc tc; the corner of the
queen and deal the cards down on the table again, continue "Now the
shill immediately wants to bet five dollars on the card with the bent
corner and if anyone else tries to bet on this card, the sharper im-
mediately exclaims, 'Now just a minute Gentlemen' and turns to the shill
ignoring any of the other bots and says, 'You want to bet five dollars
that is the queen? This is raising the limit as I have only taken fifty
cent bets up to now but to oblige you I will pay the bet,' Sharper
reaches over and turns up the card showing it to be the queen, and pays
the bet. The shill winks at the crowd and pockets the five.
H
At this
point turn the bent corner card and show it to be the queen. Now cau-
tion and invite the spectators to watch every move expecially calling
their attention to the queen with the bent corner. Continue the story.
tt
After a few moves the sharper again places the cards on the table re-
marking, 'Now Gontlomen as you have raised the limit I will take the
limit off. Anyone pick the queen?
1
Of course everyone prompted by
the shill backs the card with the bent corner. The sharper turns it
over showing it to be an ace, draws in the money, picks up the ace with
the bent corner and straightens the corner remarking, 'Gr^lomon ploase
don't bend the corners of my cards. ' As you tell the story suit the
action with the words. Following is my method of changing the bent
corner. After that part of the story in which you pay the five dollars,
you remember I called t::e attention to the queen with the corner still
bent. Pick the queen with the bent corner up under the ace in the right
hand, throw the queen down on the table calling attention to the bent
corner, immediately pick it up under the ace in the left hand showing
the face of the card and again calling attention to the bent corner.
While the direction is attracted to the left hand, the right hand hold-
ing the ace is resting on the table, the ace still held as for dealing.
Now with an upward action of the third finger against the far right
corner bend the corner up. (Yon will find this easy owing to the bend-
ing you gave all the corners before starting.) Now throw the queen on
the table and pick up the queen again showing the bent corner of the
queen. The second and third, fingers of the right hand covering the
bent corner in the right hand, the second and third fingers now cover-
ing the bent corner of the queen. Throw the ace from the left hand
and as you do move the first finger of the right hand soas to touch the
left far corner of the queen. Throw the ace from the left hand and as
you do move the first finger of the right hand so as to touch the left
far corner of the queen, the second finger being at the middle of the
end and the third finger near the bent corner. Now by a downward press-
ure of the fourth finger against the bent corner and an upward pressurs
of the second and third fingers you will find the bent corner straight-
ens easily. The first finger assisting i/. covering the move from the
spectators although there is little danger as the misdirection with the
other two cards covers perfectly Throw the straightened queen on the
table and when you have reached the point of your story, turn the card
with the bent corner showing it to be an ace. ^lso calling attention
to the straight corner on the queen. It is surprising what a good effect
this is and I find although
m
c)
very few know the real method
o Itiree o a r a .i.ionce
of ac c omolJLhment.
is univer sa lly kno wn
The Riffle Stac k.
The following method of "running" up a hand of pok'ir is dependent
on my metho d of shuffling
in part one.
desc ribed under "False Shuffles and Cuts,"
In presenting, I take the four aces and show
the top of the pac k saying,"In gathering the c an
dealer preapratory to dealing, I plac e the four ?
kind available sccr etlv on the top of the pac k. "
them and plac e them on
.s after the previous
ac es or am
7
four of a
Cut the c ards as for the shuffle holding the top portion in the
right hand and the bottom portion in the left hand with the sides ad
jac ent, in position for riffling the sides dovetail one portion into
the other. In this shuffle make the right hand portion whic h Is the
top, larger than the left hand portion. Let the c ards in the left
riffle off the sec ond and third"finger until you have but three c ards
left, hold these and riffle the upper po r tio n until you are holding
the three top c ards of this po r tio nin the thumb. Let the three c ards
drop from the fingers of the left hand under the three held by the thumb
of the right hand and square the pac k. Repeat the above move a lwa ys
riffling and holding three c ards at the
but making the c ards hold at the top of
eac h time until the last time or fourth time the three on top of the
left hand portion will be plac ed on the top of the right hand portion.
Alwa ys lac e the lower c ards of the left hand portion in that part of
the right hand portion whic h will not inter fer e with the arranged c ards
on the top whic h you are gradually "running up. " Immediately false
shuffle and have a spec tator c ut as follows. After c ompleting the
false shuffle, c ut the pac k at about the c enter plac ing
top of the left hand portion,
theric ht hand portion one less
co wa r ds
tion on the top, making a break with the little finger
to c ut, holding the c ards
Now deal four hvnds one
you nave dealt yourself
ways of "siippinfj" a c u
him ana
c ard ?.t a time
the four ac es.
,, any of whic h c an
the lower por-
Ask a spec tator
c ut at the break.
end. turn over your hand showing
Later I will Explain numer o us
used in c onjunc tion with
forc e the
be
7/ 1 che above effec t. You
c ards eac h time on the
If five hands are dealt of
left hand must be inc reased
11 note the left hand in riffling, plac es three
top of one of the ac es
c ourse the number
star-
held
four ets. Hold the
-ing at the bottom
".t the top b" the
pac k on the table
ac e
will under the eyes when "running up
Fake Cuts on the Table.
Often yo u will be a sked to
t' is a part of \y enter ta inment
whic h amount to very little e.s
game, but at the same time seem
pr o ba ble. Following I will giv
show how ?, c ut c an be slipped. 1
by expo sing different metho ds all of
some of thorn wo uld be impo ssible in a
to id-press the specta to r s as highly
e my metno d with just enough
make
patter to
6 -
make them clear. "First as you all \::r,o
:
'i the money or ante is in the
center of the table at the time of aeali ><='., Now we will say for in-
stance the sharper has the cards 'run up
1
for a ha:^ but as he is work-
ing lone handed he must slip "one cut. After lie completes the shuffle*
1
(you are shuffling the cards during this explanation) "He places h'ci&
pack in front of the player on his right to be cut the player cuts the
pack." (Have some one cut)
!
'^nd in placing the lower portion or: the
upper portion the sharper makes a step at the ends- Now drawing the
pack towards him he retains the stepl Looking at the money in the
center of the table he cuts the lower portion away and points at the
money with the lower portion asking, 'Who is shy there?
;
Immediately
bringing the portion he pointed with back and places it on top, re-
storing the cards to their original position." Before having the cards
cut, show the top and bottom card. After you have shifted the cut
show again proving that the pack is restored to the original sequence.
I have seen this move "worked" in a game by sharper's on the boats
successfully. You will find the misdirection to be perfect.
A Barefaced Method.
In this method during the shuffling the sharper carries on a lively
conversation on some topic foreign to the game and after the cards have
been cut, he comes to some startling announcement in the convercation
such as the direct assertion following, "And do you know I met him in
London two months ago and he told, me thessame story etc." at the same .
time deliveratly picking up the "portion and slapping i
c
t down on top
of the lower portion as though in emphasis of the last remark. In other
words, placing the pack as before cut. This has it's advantages as
should his attention be called to the fact, that he replaced the pack
in the same position he can apologize and have the'.:] cut again and lose
the formation in that instance or he c m give them thefalse three way
cut (Erdnase) saying,"Well, hows that" and start dealing.
Herrmann Pass as a Slip for the Cut
Picking up the cut portion one at a time and place in the left hand
with the little finger holding separated at the break in position for
the pass. Now feake a Move as though to deal and say,"I suppose none
of your realize I have already shifted the cut so I'll show you." Point
to a spectator saying,
:!
Do you remember what was on the bottom?" (You
have shown the top and bottom card before the cut) As spectator names
card turn the pack over accomplishing the pass remarking, "You see on
the bottom is the so and so and. on the top is the ett. etc."
O;-ce more I want to remind you I am not explaining methods of
cheating although most of then are possible, but am showing you a method
of entertainment.
Fake Runn Up.
Now previously I have explained the true method of running up a
hand. Now I will explain a method for which the spectator gives you
more credit as there is very little nove ^nt. Pirst remove three of
the aces and lay on the table, having secretly placed the remaining
ace the fourth card from the top of '
;
"he pack, Now prccee'd explaining,
B
If a sharper continually dealx himself four of a V~.ind he would soon
attract too much attention to the f^ce that he held phcnor-iinal hands
when he dealt. Three of a kind are in most cases :.. big enough advant-
age so I will show you it is possible with one riffle to r;n these three
aces so that each ace is the fourth card from the top." Place the aces
on top of the pack and cut the pack as for "run up
1
' shuffle, cutting
the top portion in the right hand. Riffle with right hand and hold the
two top cards, drop the three cards held by the second and third finger
of the left hand below the two c^rds, held by the thumb of*the right
hand, and square the pack. Now count two cares from the bottom with
the thumb of the left hand on the side of the pack towards you, cut
these two off with the righthand and place them on the top. Immediately
deal four hands showing the three aces in your hand. The appearance
being that with-one riffle and a cut you run the three aces in. "what
you really do is to place the bottom ace on the three shown aces as the
second ace to be dealt to yourself, the secretly arranged aco ucing the
last ace dealt to yourself and be cutting two cards from the bottom onto
the top, you place the second ace of the three placed on top in the
proper position for dealing it the first :ce in your hand. The top ace
of the three shown becoming one of the indifferent cards dealt to the
spcatators. This may seem vague but take a pack and try it. In fact
to appreciate the value of any of those Experiments, always read the
solutions and follow each move with the pack and you'll find they read-
ily become clear.
Audacity Run Up.
A five card run up requires a lot of movement so I have devised
this simple method of apparently rtmninr up a "straight" in one riff
and a cut.
First, place the five of hearts, six of clubs, seven cf diamonds,
eight of spades and the nine of diamonds in indifferent positions near
the bottom of the pack.
Second, place the six of spades, seven of hearts, eifeht of clubs
and the nine of hearts on the top of the pack with four cards between
each card and four on the top card, in other words arrange them so if
.you were to deal five hands these four aards would be the first four
dealt to .yourself. Of course, these arrangements arc done secretly,
but I usually manage it easily in picking out the cards*
Now announce that you are going to run up a straight for a five
handed game with one shuffle and a cut. Turn the pack face up and
start picking out the straight you have placed in different positions
near the bottom of the pack that is the five of hearts, six of clubs,
seven of diamonds, eight of spades and the nine of diamonds. Now give
the spectators a glance to show you Lava a straight, saying at the same
time, "Here is a straight, five to the nine." Have the five of hearts
on the bottom, the indexes of the other cards showing. Square the five
cards and move as though to place on the top of the pack, hesitate and
showing the five cards say, "Yes, and the first card I deal myself will
be the five of hearts." This seems bat an idle boast but this impresses
THE one card in the :.:inds of the spectators. Drop the five cards on top
give one false shuffle and cut. Now the act Of placing the five cards
on top with the five of hearts on the bottom automatically maises the
first five cards dealt to your self a straight, the alternating of the
suits confusing the spectator and really the only card noted being the
five of hearts. As you deal the five hands, the first card dealt to
yourself will be this card, turn it over name it and continue dealing
turning your card each time and nam-ing them without mentioning the
suits. This is presumptions I admit and is one of those times when the
audience give you credit for skill
rr
ou do not possess. These are other
possibilities by it's use which I am sure you will discover.
Using the "Spread" as a Trick.
In order that you can grasp to the fullest extent the purpose of
this sleight I will first 3cplai.11 it as it is used by gamblers to fill
each others hands, say, for instance, in a game of poker two sharpers
are vorking as confederates and we will suppose for illustration that
one sharper after the draw is holding two pairs say of sixes and queens
with the ace of hearts. The other sharper is already out of the hand
having thrown his cards in the discard. The sharper holding the hand
signals his confederate immediately secures a six or a queen from among
the discards and "high signs" the sharper that all is will, at the same
time palms the queen or six face upward in the right hand,resting the
hand so as to hide the card on the table infront of him. The sharper
now continues betting and at the first opportunity palms the ace of hearts
face downward in the rightfcand and "unloads" by naturally pushing some
of the discarded cards out of the way en the table. Ke now holds but
four cards the queens and the sixes. ?/hen he is called he says he holds
a full house and lays his hand, down on the table face upward squared.
The confederate reaches with the right hand and spreads the sharper's
hand, at the same time adding the palmed card and making the sharper's
hand, a full house. Now as the other players might notice the fact if
the confederate merely laid the card on the faced card of the sharpers
hand, he avoids this as follows.
Lay a hand of four cards on the table face up and squared, the
ends being towards you, now palm a card in the right hand and as you
reach to add it to the hand, with the little finger grasp the side and
draw it up between the third and fourth fingers similiarly to the way
you hold a card when back palming but retaining the original hold be-
tween the root of the thumb and the first finger. As your hand reaches
the position at the right side of the four cards release the hold of
the thumb and first finger, allowing the side of the card to rest on
the table. I/love the nand to the left slipping the card partly under
the four cards and with the fingers of the right hand spread, the cards
to the right releasing the palmed card znd spreading the others over
the face of it. You C3.n eit-icr show this as an expose or as i often
do by- playing both parts explaining the circumstances but not the
porcedure.
Secretly place any hand of poker on tbe bottom of the pack, say
for instance'" a" straight flush, that is a sequence oi five cards all of
the same suit.
G
ive the pack a false shuffle and cut saying, "First
I must find a good hand and shuffle it to the bottom." Stop shuffling
and show the straight flush. Replace the five cards on the bottom face
downwards bridging them b y bending down the sides sharply. Now watch
me get that :-and.
tt
Deal out a few hands of poker. Leysome money on
the table on your left to represent your chips. Turn your ov/n hand of
five cards showing them to be of no vaihue. Having placed the pack side-
wise immediately in front of you on the table, the.straight flush still
being bridged en the bottom of the pack say, "You know is a game of
poker there is a psychological moment when everyone is exem". ,:ng the
value of their hand-". 4nd that is the moment just after the last card
is dealt. Now the sharper takes advantage of that moment in this way.
As you are looking at your hands
:
.:e reaches over ?
r
ith his left hand and
picks up a chip. Deliberately places his valueless hand on the top of
the pack picking up the pack in"the same move hopping (leaving( the
straight flush laying infront of him and slapping the pack down on the
table to his right and placing a chip on top of it,( a common custom,
in poker.) Picks up the straight flush ?.s his hand and remarks brazenly
,"Well, what are you doing boys?"
+
his is very deceptive if accomplish-
ed quickly without hesitation. In picking up the pack and depositing
the chip onto:: try to accomplish the movement by counting as follows:
Count one and"pick up the pack with the right hand placing the five
cards you already hold in this hand on top, at the same time, leaving
the five bridged cards on the table, on the same count with the left
hand pick up. the chip. Count two place the pack with a slap on the
table"to your right. Count three and place the coin or ship on the top
of the pack. Now practise the move counting one, two, three until you
can do it quickly without pausing on the numbers.
T
his is very inter-
esting and never" expose how you leave just five cards when you pick up
the pack.
Topping the Pack.
This is usually done by sharpers using a confederate in the game
of poker but I show it as a trick'. Make this assertion, "inyono can
shuffle and cut the cards and I will deal any number of hands and I
will always make "our ''and the winning hand," pointing to the nearest
spectator" on ^our* loft, that is the spectator to whom you deal first.
After the cards arc shuffled and cut, ocal out tho number of hands re-
quested', seeing that you deal the first hand to your left to the spect-
ator you designated as the winner. Of course dealing yourself a hand.
Ask the spectator on your left to turn his hand over saying, "Lot's
see what tho others have to beat." Note quickly the possibilities of
-10-
the hand, for instance I will cite a few possible combinations and name
the missing card or cards to fill the hand. Two pairs Jacks and eights.
Hissing either a Jack or an eight. Ar.y broken, (Sequence such as deuce
, tray, five, six, ten, missing card a four. Any pair such as Jacks.
Hissing card a Jack and a pair to make a full house or two Giore Jacks
to make four of a kind. Pour hearts and a club. Hissing card a heart.
Three nines. Hissing cards either another nine or any Pair, etc.etc.
As there are over two million different five card combinations in a
pack of cards, I could continue forever. However, you will grasp ay
meaning. You note what cards or card would give the spectator a good
hand. Now to find them. In many cases you will find them in the hand
you dealt yourself. If so, palm and In picking UD the pack deposit on
the top. The spectator being the first to draw cards after discarding
naturally you fill his hand each time. If at times say he held the four
five and six now if you should have the tray and the seven in your hand
when he discards suggest that he might retain the four, five or six it
being very unlikely that he would draw two cards to a straight. If you
can't find the needed cards in the hand dealt to yourself why you will
have to Either get them from the discards or use a peep by riffing the
pack at the index and using the sideslide to bring to the top. The
action of placing the wanted, card on the top of the pack is catted
"Topping." Explain after you have filled several hands that of course
the sharpers work together and never have to show each other what they
hold. Of course, never expose how you fill the hand. It requires a
great deal of ingenuity and address to present the above, but if you
v/ill sit down and watch the different possibilities in dealing different
hands I am in no time you will discover little methods of your own in
securing cards to top the pack and fill the hand of the spectator, ^ven
if at first you fail a few times you willfincl it holds their interest.
A Bottom Run Up.
Place the cards to be "run up" on the bottom of the pack, for in-
stance four queens. Take the pack in the left hand as for the haymow
shuffle. The first time you bring the cards into the right hand during
the up and down movement of the pack in the left hand with the thumb
of the right hand draw off the top card, at the same time with the
first finger of the right hand reach back of this portion and draw off
the bottom card as well counting one and continue taking the top cards
with the thumb one at a time continuing counting one less than the
number of the hands to be dealt (for instance if there are five players,
count to four and start at one again.) Each time you count one take the
bottom card as well. Repeat in this instance three times (that is you
count four, four times) outjog the next card following the last count
of four and shuffle the remaining cards in any manner on top being
careful not to disturb the cards under the outjog. Cut below the out-
jog and throw the portion intact on the top of the pack and every fifth
card is a queen and whan dealt are in the hand you hold. This is an
easy way of "running" up a hand no matter how many players are in the
game. Be careful not to make a noice when taking the bottom card.
i
his
can be avoided by not pressing too hard again?.*- the bottom intaking
it away.
i i
False Shuffle Using Outjog and Haymow Shuffle.
As there may be some confusion as to my-references to the outjog
and the haymow shuffle I will explain these in detail.
Hold the pack in the left hand at the ends, horizontally, the top
outwards between the second and third fingers at the far end, and the
thumb at the' near end, the first finger resting on the top side, the
little finger held at the near end ana used occasionaly to square the
bottom side of the pack as necessity demands. With a perpendicularly
up and down movement of the left hand start depositing one or,more at
a time, the card or cards In the left hand from the top into the right
assisting with the thumb of the ight hand. This Is the shuffle as ad-
aptable to the "bottom run up"
x
he right hand, brings palm upward. The
cards resting horizontally, faces of the cards to the left, the back to
the right supported between the thumb and fingers.
False Shuffle.
This false shuffle is only adaptable in holding an ax-ranged portion
on the top in position. Hold the pack in the right hand as in the pre-
vious shuffle/ With the left hand cut a portion of the pack from the
bottom below the arranged portion and outjog the first card placed on
the top of the arranged portion in shuffling. (Tc outjog is to place
a card so the end protrudes over the far end of the pack. To injog is
to place a card so it protrudes over thenear end of the pack. In other
words you merely make use of a card as a Darker. Do not exaggerate by
causing the card to protrude so far that it is noticable.) Now shuffle
the balance on top of the outjogged card. Then pick up the portion back
of the outjogged card and drop intact on the top of the portion held
in the right hand. This keeps the arranged top portion in order. By
repetition the shuffle can be made more conclusive. This shuffle can
be used in .most of the preceding sleights if you find the Riffle False
Shuffle too difficult.
To name the Hole Cards in a Stud Came.
In the game of Stud poker the first card dealt to each player is
dealt face down, the balance of the cards being dealt face up.
i
he
betting of the game is entirely dependent on the face down card.' If a
player knew the cards dealt face downward it would give him a big ad-
vantage. Often I am asked if I can name thehole cards (the face down
cards) so I have devised the following routine for Stud Poker.
In picking up the cards after the deal previous to yoBw own, note
the four cards
v
-r
O
u place on top remembering their order (this is for
five players.jj
G
ive the pack a false shuffle and slip the cut oy one
of the previously explained methods and deal. You know what each player
holds as a hole card.
-IS-
Peep in Conjunction with, the Second or Bottom as an Aid.
After dealing the hole cards, loosen the first two cards of the
top of the pack held in the left hand with the left thumb, and by
pressing the base of the thumb against the indexed corner near you,
slightly raise the two cards keeping them separated a little. Reach
forward with the right hand to bend up 'our hole card which is lying
face downward on the table in front,of you, apparently to see what it
is. At the same time carry the left hand holding the packforward and
rest it on the hole card as though to hold it down while the rig tit
hand bends up the front of the card so you can see what it is. Press
the base of the thumb against the indexed corner of the pack, holding
the edge of the pack towards you and peep and note the first two cards
on top and the bottom card of the pack as well (with a little practise
you will find you are able to see more than the two top cards.)
Now for instance say that you have a ten as your hole card and that
either the bottom card or one of the two top cards is a ten. If the
bottom card is a ten when you deal yourself the first faced card, deal
this bottom card to yourself. If it is either of the top cards hold
this card by dealing seconds to the other players and dealing the de-
sired ten to yourself. This gives you a decided advantage. If none
of the cards are of any use to your own hand very often you can prevent
them from getting a card that is of value. This is easy as you know
their holG
In stud after each round of cards the players bet. This gives
you the opportunity to repeat the peep before dealing each time. The
continous movement of looking at your hole card will attract no attent-
ion as this habit is prevalent with stud players. Be careful in peep-
ing to keep the front"end of the pack towards the players squared.
#
Of
course if you have a pack of "readers" (cards with marked backs) this
peep is unnecessary and your work is much simplified.
- ^f
'Bottom Deal as Used in a Game.
Place the cards you wish to hold in your hand on the bottom of the
pack. (Never used more than three that is three ofa kind as three aces
or three sixes etc.) False shuffle and slip the cut or use the Bottom
Palm (Erdnase) to hold out the three cards while being cut and return
tc the bottom after you place the pack together, by sweeping it off the
table into the right hand.
I find it is advisable to deal two of the bottoms into your hand
before the draw and the other bottom to fill the hand after the draw,
I suggest this as the attention is usually centered on the number of
cards the dealer Is going to draw. There are many different combina-
tions which present themselves in the foregoing deal as you will find
in practise.
The Story of the Cold Deck.
h "cold deck" is a prearranged pack which is secretly introduced
-13- '
in a game, that is, substituted for the pack in use. it derives it's
name from the fact that a pack which is in play is usually warm clue to
the handling of the cards and the danger lies, in introducing a cold
deck, tc the probability of the players noticing by the cold feel of
the cards that a substitution has taken place. Hence a cold deck
should be warmed just previously bv handling or by placing in a pocket
which is close to the bod]" and in this way kept warm until needed.
A old Deck is arranged so that each player is dealt a hand which is
out of the ordinary and the sharper is dealt a hand which lust
ir
tops"
the others. For this, reason a confederate cut o the game who appears
to be an onlooker is necessary as the hands must be arranged so as to
8fa.ll where the money lies" and it is useless to deal a player who is
nearly broke a wonderful hand as there is nothing to win.
The procedure of the sharper is to let the game proceed until the
money is located, that is to find out who has the cash tc lose. Then
by a signal to the confederate who by the wa-
r
has noted 1 he position
of f-e players, the sharper telegraphs that, he is ready for the cold
deck. The confederate retires to a place of secrecy and "runs up" the
cold deck. After he has accomplished this he warms the"pack and all
is ready for its introduction into the game. There are several methods
of procedure. Of course, the cold deck must be introduced at the time
of the shrrpers dealing either previous to shuffling the pack, or im-
mediately after the cut. Needless to say the cold deck must be id-
entical to the pack in use in the game. The first procedure 1 consider
the cleverest. In this instance the confederate is a waiter and after
he has signaled the sharper that the cold deck is in readiness the me-
thod is as follows: Perhaps two deals previous to the sharper's turn
to deal, he signals the waiter and orders a drink. The waiter departs
to fill the order and places the drink on a tray holding the cold deck
with the fingers under the tray. He now times his approach so that
the sharper has shuffled the pack and had it cut and is lust at the
point of picking it up tc deal. 'At this precise moment he interrupts
delivering the drink. The sharper has left the shuffled and cut pack
very close to the edge of the table so that the end of Pack slightly
protrudes over the edge of the table and picks up the pack in play at
the protruding end and carries it way with the tray. The sharper is care-
ful to keep both nis hands in view during the operation. The sharper
now picks up the cold deck and starts to deal. Other methods involve
the use of mechanical devices too numerous to mention. ^m: Lhor nat-
ural method is to have the "banker" in the game a confederate as well
and as it is usual for players in the course of a game to call for dif-
ferent deck of cards, the confederate slips the cold deck to the banker
who deposits it with the other packs and when the sharper calls for a
new pack he hands him the cold deck. The sharper false shuffles and
slips the cut and deals as before.
Another clever method of procedure is of taking the "mug" (the
player who is to be trimmed ) into
Tr
our confidence and pretending to
"frame" one of your own confederates, who the"mug believes to be un-
known to you. In this way there is little dangerof discovery as the
mug dare nof'squeal
!
' after he has incriminated himself. The sharper
takes the "mug" into his confidence and pretends that they are going
to ''trim" the cor.federc.
+
e,
i
he cards are cold decked and introduced
into the game and after the "draw'
1
the confederate holds a bettor hand
than the "mug" and wins. The sharper's explanation being that it was
an accident and makes the argument look good by apparently losing his
none" to the confederate. Later tee sharper and the confederate split
the winnings.
.All of the above if presented as an expose creates a vab'o amount
of interest and inspries respect for your knowledge of the procedure
cf cheating at cards and really does the sharper at large no harm as
the spectators would never know or recognize they had been cheated if
they should play later in a fixed game even armed with the above know-
ledge. I have a great eespect for the professional sharper or as he
is called in Europe "the reek/' not for his method of living by his
wits, but for his wonderful resourcefulmess in action.
1
he ability to
do any of the preceding procedures indetectably means nothing, as in
magic"it is all in the presentation, the way you sell it. And in ad-
dition the sharper must have nerves of steel. Another little inter-
esting coincident which I call to memory illustrates admirably the
stand one sharper takes to ease his conscience in taking his "ill gotten
gains." This particular gambler who has a vast knowledge of human-
nature cites the following. "All, or nearly all people are cheaters at
heart.
F
or instance, in a game for high stakes if by accident in the
course of the betting the average man held an excellent hand and intend-
ed to back it to the limit of his resources and by accident if tie should
see my hand and note that nime was the winning hand, do you think he
would* c-^rry out his intentions and bet as he intended or would he take
advantage of his knowledge of the value of my hand and refuse to bet,
throwing his hand in the discard? I am sure that in nearly all cases
he would refuse to bet. In other words he cheats if opportunity pre-
sents and I cheat by use of my skill and create the opportunity." You
must admit the foregoing is logical.
I have met gamblers who are so skilled and watchful that in the
course of dealing by the ear alone they could distinguish when a second
or bottom was dealt. Of course, I believe this canbe overcome on the
part of the dealer in practise. If you should accomplish the bottom the
true top card and the second or bottom.
TO DEAL FOUR ACES FRO,- AM M{'S 1'ACK.
W
I have often been asked if it
:
.s possible to run up a certain
winning hand in poker while dealing so that it is indetectable . My
answer is yes, absolutely. To prove my assertion I will give you a
practical demonstration, running up a hand so that when I have thorough-
ly shuffled the deck and permitted you, yourselves, to cut it I will
have the winning aand,
T
Q r
:la
ke the demonstration more interesting and
more difficult, I shall first of all remove from the pack tfee cards I
intend to run up. Let
!
s see, suppose we us^ the foiar aces. There they
are, four aces. You will have to admit that the he <rt of any poker
J-vJ
player would be extremely gladdened, at any time, by these four cards.
Now watch carefully v:hile I stack the deck so that in dealing four hands
these very four aces will fairly fall in my hand. 1 will place them
here in the center of the pack." During this ratter, you have removed
the four aces, shown them and then placed them in the center of the
deck. However, you have held a break above them and at an opportune
moment, while pattering you bring them to top of pack by .the pass. To
stack them so that every fourth card v/ill beran ace proceed as follows:
Cut the pack in two parts, top half in right hand. Riffle the two
halves together but let all the cards, with the exception of the three
top ones, of the half in, the left hand fall in between the lowermost
cards of the topralf.
1
he three cards on top of left half are let drop
in between third and fourth ace on top of right hand half. Push the
two halves completely together and then proceed to cut pack into halves
as before and riffle together, but this time you let the three top cards
from the left hand half fall in between the second and third aces on
top of right hand half. Repeat this same proceedure twice more, the
third shuffle letting theee from top of left hand half fall in between
first and second ace, while on the last shuffle thethree top cards from
left hand half fall on top of right hand half and this new stacks pack
so that the four aces arenow the fourth, eighth, twelveth, and six-
teenth from top. To the audience, the aces are hopelessly lost in pack/
To make it look even sore genuine you over hand shuffle, using the hay-
mow shuffle as follows: Undercut about half of the pack run off into
.left hand, outjogging first card and running the balance. Cut at out-
jog and throw on top and again your pack is all set as before. Offer
the pack to be cut, slipping the cut when you pick up pack from table.
Now deal four hands, deal all the cards face down but whenever you deal
your own card turn it face up so as to make it more effective. Con-
tinue whileshuffling, "I.ly friends, you can see that in all these shuffles
those four aces are hopelessly lost somewhere in the pack and whereah,
that is beyond all human comprehension, ^ut, to a card shark it is
different. Will you cut the pack please?" Thank you. I shall now deal
four hands. Look there are those aces coming righ t home tofather
right where they belong, I believe I have convinced you beyond all
reasonable doubt that it is possible to stack the pack ri^ht before
your very eyes. It makesno difference whatever, how many hands are to
be played or what cards are to be stacked for the result is just the
same. The moral to this is, do not play cards with a stranger if you
want to save your money and live to be a ripe old age."
The Shooting of Pete IvlcGuff.
"No doubt most of you,, at some time or other, have read the story
of the shooting of Pete Llc^uff. Pete sure was a slicker with the cards
and could run up a pack in the twinkling of an eye; could deal from the
bottom as well as the top, and in fact, could always deal himself the
winning hand. It was in the town of Cripple Creek that a bunch of hard-
boiled cowboys and all good gamblers toochallenged Pete to a game of
poker. Beisdes Pete six other players entered. It was understood that
all hands -were bo be 'Pat Hands' and drawing would be out of order.
-16-
Pete agreed, provided he be permitted to deal the cards. After a few
moments of debating among the other six It was finally agreed that Pete
bo permitted to deal the sevfjn hands, but that he must use a brand new'
pack that would be furnished hy the proprietor. It wes
f
'urther under-
stood, that the pack, after receiving one straight cut, should be dealt
without the usual shuffling, each one taking their chances on the pos-
sibilities of the law of averages. Now, my friends, I shall assume
the role of Pete LicGuff toiiight in this demonstration. You ",\ay furnish
the pack of cards or we can use this one, brand new
;
right from the
maker with seal unbroken. You sir, please bteak the seal and remove
the pack. Tftank you. Now you, sir, give the cards one cut. Now, Pete
took the pack, and proceeded to deal seven hands, the seventh being his
own. But In dealing, when he dealt to hitsself he dealt a card off the
bottom each time like this. There, we have the seven hands dealt just
as Pete dealt them with Pete's hand dealt from the bottom. All the
players picked up their hands, just as we will do now and you notice
that all six of them are exceptionally good poker hands, ^ut my hand,
which is supposed to represent Pete's is turned over and It is a strai*-
ght flush and beats them all. T^t's what Pete did. However, the other
six were not satisfied. One o them accused Pete of dealing from the
bottom of pack. All right says Pete, if that is the way you feel about
it I will discard my hand entirely and one of you boys take the pack
yourself and deal me five more cards. So one of the hardest of the
six picked up the pack and dealt the five cards from top of pack and
when Bete turned them up he again had a straight flush, thereby topping
them all. In unison six revolvers were whipped out and Pete was shot
dead. That, my friends, is supposed to be the exact reason o
r
the
untimely death of the famous Pete Llc^uf f.
M
'^he trick is practically
self-working. Host packs as they come from themakers are arranged
from ace up to king. All Bicycle cards are arranged in that manner.
It is best to steam the seal off the pack and examine the pack to see
if It ij I.: -'his order. If not, arrange It so. Offer for cutting and
after cut, got a glimpse at the bottom card. If it is less than a six
spot secretly cut again or let another spectator cut until you get a
card on bottom that is higher than a five. Any card from six taking
is all right. Deal sevenhands, but when you deal your cards take them
from the bottom. You let audience see you do this as It is past of the
explanation. After the deal you will find you have a straight flush.
Turn up the other six hands and then your own. Go on with your story
and when the proper time comes let spectator take up deck and deal you
five more cards from top of pack. It is sure to be another straight
flush and higher than all the other six hands.
MASTER POKER DEALING.
After you have dealt several different poker hands, or done other
gambling tricks you explain to audience that up to this point they no
doubt think you are marvellous in being able to run up various hands
etc. but not" you are about to show them a master feat that is known only
to one or two of the greatest card manipulators in the world. You tell
them that you are going to deal four hands of poker and your hand will
not only be the winning hand, but that.it wi..l ue a royal flush of c.r;;
suit that they call out. Suppose they ask for a royal flush in hear^t..
You give the pack a shuffle, then have it cut in the regulation uiAiirtrr
then deal four hands. T Q
Q
other three hands will be beauties, me si- cf
them straight flushes, but when you turn yours up it is a royal flush
of heartsthe suit they requested. For these who are not familiar
with the royal flush let me say that it is a kand consisting of Acs
}
King, Queen, o'ack and Ten of one suit, the highest hand possible in
poker and dealt out only about once in four thousand times. You can
stress this point in your patter and also announce that you are making
it four times more difficult by dealing the royal in a specified suit.
Y/QRKIHG; The working of this marvellous trick is simplicity itself.
First of all, arrange '
T
o ".r pack in Si Stebbins order, using your r-wn
arrangement of the suits. Personally I prefer the Spades, Hearts, Clubs
Diamonds arrangement, the suits being rotated and each card being thBee
points higher than the proceeding one, like this: Ace of Spades,
x
''our
of Hearts, Seven of Cllibs, Ten of Diamonds, King of Spades, Three of
Hearts, Six of Clubs, Mine of Diamonds, Queen of Spades, Etc. After
you have arranged your pack in this manner cut it so the two of Spades
will be the bottom card. If you were to deal four poker hands of five
cards each from the pack now, your hand, the fourth one, would be a royal
flush of spades. If you cut the pack so;as to get the ttwo of Hearts to
bottom of. pack you will deal a royal flush of Hearts to yourself. Same
thing is true of Clubs and Diamonds. In other words for what ever royal
flush you want to deal for yourself you simply cut pack so that the two
spot of that suit is on bottom pack. Now for the working. Have pack set
ready to deal Sp
a(
}
es#
^ow riffle bottom of pack until you come to the
two of Diamonds and hold the break with the little finger.
i
hen riffle
top cards until you come to two of Hearts and hold this break with third
finger of left hand. Now ask for the suit to be dealt. If they say
Spades, simply take little and third fingers out of pack, and have pack
cut slipping the cut and proceed to deal. If they ask for hearts you
pass the top thirteen cards,where you' arc holding break with third finger
to the bottom, and proceed as above explained. If they want Diamonds
you pass the bottom"thirteen cards, under little finger, to top of pack
and proceed. If Clubs are called you first of all pass the top thirt-
een cards, to bottom of pack. Then take pack in right hand and snuffle
off-haymow shuffle-into left hand, the top thriteen cards and throw on
bottom of pack and. you are all set to deal a royal flush of clubs. To
make the trick more effective, you can perform the following overhand
shuffle; after you have passed the puoper number of cards from top to
bottom or vice versa, so that the two spot of requested suit is at
bottom of pack you take the pack in right hand and undercut about half
of the pack from below and shuffle off onto top of upperhalf, first in-
jogging first shuffled card and run off the rest. Now cut ai injog and
throw on top, and you have the top half intact and ready to be dealt,
I have gone into much detail on this trick, but I thought it worth
while as the effect is truly marvellous to the layman. Guard the secret
well as it is a valuable one.
1'xhibition Poker Feat.
Arrange your pack in the following aanner, reading from top to
bottom. 73. QH. AS. 8H. JS. KK. 9H. 10H. IOC. 9C. 7D. QC. AD. 8C. JK.
KS. 9D. 103. 10D. 95 7C. QJD. .AH. 8D. JD. 2C. 3C. 4C. 5C. 6C. KC. 7H. JC.
2H. 3K. 4E. 5H. 6H. Bridge pack here. 83. 33. 4S., 53. 63. QS. AC. KD.
33. 2D. 3D. 4D. 5D. 6D. Joker. Have this arranged pack bridged at above
mentioned place
1
, and joker at face, in your right coat pocket - ith a
pocket handkerchief. Offer your regular pack for shuffling and when
you take it back place the poker at the bottom saying: "This joker is
the master of cerimonies,
n
Ask for five assistants and while they are
coming up you put pack into coat pocket and bring out hanky and ar-
ranged pack at same time, Wipe your hands with the hanky and return it
to pocket. Deal five hands of poker, one to each assistant and when
they turn them ever they each have a full house. The remainder of pack
is laid on table and you tell assistants that vou will ncv; deal your-
self a hand but that you will do it in an unusual manner. Cut the re-
maining portion of pack into two pilesbut be sure to cut at the bridge
This cutting leaves the two portions with a straight flush on top and
bottom of each half. You then tell then that you will now deal your-
self a hand from either portion that they might select. Let them here
designate, freely, which portion you shall use. V/hen this is cone tell
them that in order to make it still more convincing you will permit them
to say whether you shall deal the five cards from the top or the bottom
of selected portion. It makes no difference whatever, which theyask
for as you will get a straight flush either way, In the event they
should select the portion that has the joker at the face, and if they
should ask you to deal your hand from the bottom of this portion, you
remove the "Master of Cerimonies" first a:id throw it face up on table.
'This :' s an excellent poker trick and if clothed with appropriate and
interesting patter it will be exceedingly effective.
In Pinochle fortfe eight cards are used, (that is, the Ace, King,
Queen, Jack, Ten, and Lliae of each suit is duplicated.) The game is
played either two, three or four handed, and the cards in each case are
dealt three or four $t a time, this being optional with the dealer. The
usual cut is made, and in four handed or bid pinochle usually but three
hands are dealt, each dealer in turn staying out, Fifteen cards each
dealt to each of the three players, this leaving a &ummy of three cards
which are placed face down on the table. The bidder who wins the bid
is allowed to pick up these three cards and discard three of lesser value
from his hand.
You can readily see the advntage the bidder would have if he knew
the value of the cards in the dummy. The following is a method of ones
partner always knowing at least two of the cards in dummy. This is ac-
complished in the following manner. In picking up the cards preparatory
to dealing, your partner places three cards of high value such ;.s three
Aces on top.' He hands you the pack. You shuffle, hoidinr the t:~ ^--'-
19 " '
c
that la, use a riff shuffle, 'out do not disturb the three top cards.
Lay the pack to bo cut, after cut in picking up the portion, hold trie
break of the cut ]y- the fleer: grip or merely by making a slight step
or jog at the junction of the cut, i-j'ow deal in the usual way three at
a tine until you cone to the flesh grip or jog, som&t ' .vies you nay have
one card on top of the break ?r at other times you may have to take one
card on top of the break or at other times you may have to take one
card below the break. In any event you now place the throe cards in
the dummy. ;/c all times, your partner knows at least the denomination
of two cards in the dummy ^n?. at fortunate times three. One can easily
see the advantage this little knowledge gives your partner in bidding.
I want to add that it is comoulsary to deal the dummy at some time dur-
ing the deal but it must never hy dealt from the top at the beginning
nor can the last three cards be olaced as dummy.
i
ais is Ho"~Ie, The
reason for this is obvious.
As you play partners and the dealer is out, the lone player op-
posite is the one who Places the cards he wishes in the dummy on top
before handing the pack to his partner for dealing. Now, as he watches
the deal, and knowing the sequence of the aces placed on the top he
notes which cards fall to the dummj/, whether all three or an indiffer-
ent card is dealt first on top or two of the placed cards or ..vice
versa. If one of the placed cards is included to the three dealt the
last player in this case the second and third ace and an indifferent
care lay in the dummy. Ke has noted the sequence hence he knows the
denomination of two of the aces at all times and infertunate instances
knows all three of the cards in the dummy. He bids accordingly.
A Simple ^un Up For Pinochle.
In picking up the cards preparatory to dealing. The partner of
the dealer places the four aces of different suits on top. Now using
the haymow shuffle previously described run the four aces from the top
into the right hand, then run the next four indifferent cards on top,
injog the fifth, and shuffle off the balance holding the break at^the
jogged card, cut below the break and throw bottom stack on top. Hither
ignore cut if possible, or slip the cut by any of the methods described
in a previous chapter. Dealing the first round four at a time you will
note that the four aces fall to the partner of the dealer. This gives
the partner an advantage of a hundred aces. In games where pinochle
is counted as three hundred the two queens of Spades and two Jacks of
Diamonds give the partner a trememdous meld irrespective of the play-
ing value of the hand. I would advise in reading the above that you
deal a pinochle hand and follow eaci phase of the operandi* Although
you may think these methods of negligent value it is just the little
advantagein any game with little risk that will, in the long run, win*
Please understand I am writing in the sense of entertaining, not to en-
courage those ambititious to cheat in games of chance
-20-
B R I D G : C - W : - ; I 5 T .
B ridge- whist, or as it is commonly called B ridge, has perhaps in
the last few years become a close rival to our latest out door sport,
golf.
B ridge as you know is practically from a basic standpoint, all in
the bidding. T he playing of the hand demands a certain amount of skill
but still the bidding which is preliminary can truthfully be called the
science of the game. T he different partners by their bidding are en"~
deavoring to enlighten their individual partners as to the strength, of
their respective hands. T hese preliminary remarks may seem unnecessary
but in order to explain my methods of deception, I must impress that the
success of bridge depends in I t's entirety in solving, by the bidding
of the relative value of your partner's hand, as well as the strength
of the opponents hands. I f one were to be sure fof perhaps two high
honors whether they lay to the opponents cr in your partners hands you
can easilv see the advantage in the biddins.
T he following though vague to the uninitiated will be
cerned by the hardened bridge player.
readily de-
I n bridge two packs of cards are used, to illustrate the procedure
of dealing, last and West are partners and North and outh are partners
D iagram.
N
E
W hen North is dealing South mixes the other pack for west's deal
after shuffling he places pack in front of West, .After completion of
hand North cuts the cards and West D eals. T he following of this pro-
cedure is neeessary to understand what follows.
B ridge is dealt one card at a time each player receiving thirteen
cards. T he dealer being the original bidder in this particular case
'.Vest is the first bidder. Ple.ase make a picture up to this point of
the relative position of the tables- , East and W est are partners. North
a..:d South are partners and it is Vest's deal.
Now I must go back prior to the shuffling of the cards by South
and the laying of the pack for West's deal. Remember North and South
are partners and South shuffled the cards for .Vest's deal. I n picking
up the cards South places on top the /;ce of Clubs, Jack of Clubs
Ace of Spades, Jack of Spaces and Ace of Hearts. Note the Ace of Dia-
monds Is absent. After shuffling and holding the five cards placed on
top he placed pack in fron t of ftest for his deal at completion of the
hand in progress North cuts the cards and West deals.
After the deal, if South holds either the Ace of Ci
u
"bs, Hearts or
Spades, he knows his partner N rtb holds the others. If South holds two
of the above mentioned aces he"knows North holds the other. If South
holds none of the above aces or holds the Jack of Spades or Jack of
Clubs he knows that his opponents, East and West bold the three above
me nti one d .Aces and bids accord! ngly.
Any bridge player can readily see the advantage of knowing the
position of three aces at all time in the bidding. Apparently all is
fair and nothing that would give rise to suspicion has taken place.
Take a pack and try it, at the same time carefully following ex-
and diagram, it's a revelation and well worth while.
. CHALLENGE BRIDGE DEMONSTRATION.
Bridge experts will tell you that the chances of dealing^ or being
dealt, a perfect bridge hand, that is, one consisting of all thirteen
cards of one suit, is only one in twenty thousand. ^hat is truebut
it all depends upon who is doing the dealing. In my demonstration I am
going to attempt to not only run up, and deal a perfect bridge hand,
but will do so in any suit you may name thereby making the chances
four times as great against me, or in other words, one chance in eighty-
thousand. However, I will take that chance. Here is the pack, new
name your suit. What? Hearts? Fine, All that I ask is the privilege
of giving the pack two dove-tail shuffles and one cut. Is that sat-
isfactory? ^hanks. Here we go. Your pack is arranged in the Si
Stebbins order, although this is not entirely necessary. The important
part is to have the suits separated so that every fourth card during
the deal will be the same, no matter in whatever, suit is selected, no
particular arrangement of the thirteen cards of each are necessary.
When audience call out the suit of the perfect hand lay Pack o.n.itable
ready for riffle shuffle. With right hand cut off the top half of pack
and do the "lace Thru" false shuffle. Repeat this, then square pack
and offer it for cutting. After cut, notice the bottom card. If it is
not of the same suit cf the hand called let several more persons cut
until a card of the suit is finially at bottom of pack, ^his extra cut-
ting will actually enhance the trick as the average person believes that
the cutting of a pack completely disarranges it. Now, with a heart at
bottom of pack you are ready to proceed. "You will have to admit, folks
that the pack has been thoroughly shuffled and cut several times and
that it would really be beyond all human comprehension to knew "uhe
location of any one card in the pack. However, you will remember that
I said before that it all depends upon wl
shall now deal four hands of bridge
at B time. You asked for a pcrxee"
:
thirteen beautiful Hearts." The patte
to explain the finish of the trick,
deal the four hands, and expose only
three hands before turning yours over
o is doing the dealin
in the regulation nasner
hand of Hearts > Lock, hero
ter above is all tti-^t is n
After the shuffle and CUT,
your own hand. Gather UD
g.
I
one card
is
oce is8.ry
S sim-.ly
the other
GLOSSARY.
DECK, a common expression for a pack of cards
TOPS, better; or in the sense used, hand that
would be a better hand or the winning hand.
FALL WHERE THE MONEY LIES, that is that the next to
would be dealt to the players having the nost
RUNS UP, To prepare a pack placing certain cards at different positions
in the pack so tlie cards will come out in planned order when dealt*
BANKER, one who holds the money and issues the chips, also conducting
"tops" the other hands,
the best hands
money.
different
MUG,
the game and providing packs of cards when requested by the players
each player in se-
call on the dealer
he discards.
a confidence man's term for a person which he intends to take
money from by cheating.
TRIM, To take money from a person by cheating.
TO
W
P.^ME, to fix or prepare to cheat someone.
SQUEAL, to tell or to inform the police.
DRAW, in jtf'-cr five cards are dealt at first and
quence has the right to discard certain cards and
for other cards to replace the cards which
The advantage of the foregoing sleights as a method of entertain-
ing is evident and even if you are discovered at times in different
procedure, it does not detract from the effects nor does it expose any-
thing which might lead to solution of tricks of a purely magical ra ture
They are not necessarily adapted to the game of poker only, by
slight variations they may be made useful in any game. I have used
poker in most cases as that is the most universally known game In this
country. In closing I would like to state that I have yet to see a
method of slipping the cut of the cards on the table that was indetect-
able. I have spent many futile hours trying to devise one.
-25-
EDITORIAL NOTE.
The editor of this series wishes to express his
thanks to Mr. Charles J. Maly, who has given us
much valuable assistance in preparing these man-
uscripts. Several of the effects are written by
the editor or Mr. Maly from memories of tricks "
done by Mr. Merlin; hence, any slight variation
from Mr. Merlin's routine must he charged to our
sometimes faulty memories. This has occurred in
only one or two instances, as the manuscript sub-
mitted us by Mr. Merlin was very complete.
A few of the effects and sleights that were orig-
inated by Mr, Merlin have been "rediscovered" by
some of the other writers on Magic. However, In
most cases, the reader will be able to trace back
the use of these to Mr, Merlin in the beginning.
Of oourse, not all of the things in the manuscripts
are original. Where possible, credit has been
given to the originator. Some effects that are
not in theirselves new have been given new pre-
sentation or improvement.
In carefully rechecking the various sleights con-
tained herein, we note that Mr. Merlin is ambi-
dextrous; and some performers will have to re-
verse some of his instructions from left to right,
and from right to left, as some performers.can
use only the right hand for certain manipulations.
A. W. C. BRUIIFIELD.
"and a Pack of Cards."
The following three manuscripts comprise the Series entitles "and a
Pack of Cards." Invaluable to any one who does card tricks and written
by a Vaudevillian of many years experience. All workable stuff, no
Padding. Concise and nothing held out.
MERLIN'S MA5TZR MANIPULATIONS.
Exclusive sleights and manipulations. Covers very thoroughly Theory,
Passes, Second and Bottom dealing, False Shuffles and Cuts, Thumb and
Finger Counting, Changes the
G
ii3e
;
forcing and Crimps. Hi*. Merlin
has in addition to explaining many exclusive sleights and methods, given
many tricks based en these principles.
MERLIN AT THE CARD TABL2.
In this, Mr. Merlin has given a very clever routine of card tricks to
do at a card table or in a club room. Just the thing to use when some
one says, "I would hate to play cards with you." Contains quite a sel-
ection of card effects all based on Poker, Bridge, Pinochle or other
card games. Enough material to give quite an entertainment as an ex-
pose of "How Gamblers Cheat" but really you expose nothing. ** work
that has long been needed, by the Magician and treats entertaining by
Magic in a new angle.
IvIIRLIN'S MASTER IILxACLES
Some of the tricks that have made Merlin the outstanding Card Conjurer
of the World. Contains the explanation, so you can work it, of his
famous Spread on the Table, ^his he has done at Club entertainments
all over the world and it surely seems a miracle. ^Spread out the
cards, face downwards, on the table. Look at a card. Replace it in
the pack yourself. Gather up the cards." And then he locates the
cards. This is only one of the Master Miracles that he explains for
the first time.
Each "Section complete in itself. Price per Section Qs.00 prepaid. The
set of three, ordered at one time, ^5.00 prepaid. Foreign add lOjzf per
Section. Order of your dealer or from the publisher.
THE V/ELWORTH COMPANY.
36 'J7est Pratt Street. . Indianapolis, Indiana.
i~ . .
Jalerlin 's Master Miracles
Jack Merlin
Section Three
of "and a Pack of Cards'*
Cherished Secrets of a Ulster Lan
Section Three
"and a Pack of Cards,'"
Second Revised Edition,
B y
J ^ Ci: LIPuLIN.
Edited by A. w'. C. B rumfield.
Published 1928.
By
35 west Pratt Street,
Indianapolis., Indiana,
Cherished Secrets of a Paster manipulator.'
S 2 5 H 5 E I 5 H 5 H 5 2 S H 5 H S 2 5 2 5 2 5 H 5 H 5 H 5 E 5 H 5 E 5 2 5 2 S 2 5 H 5 2 5 E 5 ?
"ART INMAGIC"
E LME RE CKAM, Prop.
1407 E . Main S t. Rochester, N. Y.
Copyri ght 1927, 1938. ?Z2 47SLWGRTK CQiuFAI
f
EDITORIAL NOTE.
The editor of this series wishes to express his
thanks to Mr. Charles J. Maly, who has given us
much valuable assistance in preparing these man-
uscripts. Several of the effects are written by
the editor or Mr. Maly from memories of tricks
done by Mr. Merlin; hence, any slight variation
from Mr. Merlin's routine must be charged to our
sometimes faulty memories. This has only occurred
in one or two instances, as the manuscript submit-
ted us by Mr. Merlin was very complete.
A few of the effects and sleights that were orig-
inated by Mr. Merlin have been
w
rediscovered"
by some of the other writers on Magic. However,
in most cases, the reader will be ablerto trace
back the use of these to Mr. Merlin in the begin-
ning. Of course, not all of the things in the
manuscripts are original. Where possible credit
has been given to the originator when known. Some
effects that are not in theirselves new, have been
given a new presentation or improvement.
In carefully rechecking the various sleights con-
tained herei.., we note that Mr. Merlin is ambid-
extrous and find that some performers will have
to reverse some of his instructions from left to
right, and from right to left, as some performers
can only use the right hand for certain manipulations.
A. W. C. BRUMPIELD.
ILrRCvZD CURD 7RCU PQCICi.
You all remember the old trie;-- of riffliiv? "''-he pack and letting
a
spectator think of a cp.rcl, being careful that ail he saw was c::e c,:rd.
In this tricl: I use that but first I make a
t
;reat pretense calling
their attention to the fact that they have an equal view of each card
and that I do not influence them in anyway. Of course I force a card
by showing it a trifle more than the rest. I insert the little linger
below it and bring it to -the bottom by the pass then immediately slip
the top card on the bottom of the pack. This places the chosen card
the second from the bottom. Show the top and bottom card of the pad;
to Drove the "selected card is raally somewhere in the middle of the
pack." Hand the pack to a spectator asking him to place it in his
pocket, noting which way he places it whether face outward or face in-*
ward. Mow the old procedure was to reach '.n the pocket and count two
from the bottom and bring out a card holding it face downward and have
the spectator name the card looked at a:;d on turning over the card show
it to be the chosen one remarking, "You see it's how you reach," This
is a very effective trick. Now for a variation. There is no difference
in the procedure up to the point cf having the spectator place the pack
in the pocket, As he places the pack in the pocket note and remember
the bottom c:.rd of the pack. AfteP the pack is placed in the pocket
ask the spectator to reach in his pocket and hand you a card telling
him no matter which one he choses it will be the chosen card. Caution
him not to name his card, but ;iust to say Yes, or iTo. After he reaches
and brings out a card, note if it is the bottom card you remembered*
If so you know the chosen care is now o
-
o the bottom of the pack in his
pocket. After he looks at the ca:xl and tells you it is not the one
(Sometimes he will accidentl- draw out the card he selected, if so the
trick abruptly finishes.) As he has failed to find his card you assert
th.it you will find it. Yor reach :. to his pocket and take the chosen
card a/i<i place it at the bottom of his pocket with the pack resting on
it. Th$ chosen card being curled a little way up each side of the pack.
row take any card at random and withdraw it from the pocket. ;\sk if th^
is the card, ag in cautioning him to iust answer Yes, or Ho. V/hen he
says "Ho
w
, remark "You and I are not doing this very well, are we? 7/ait,
I have an idea. Hand me the pack quickly."" You'll find he will always
withdraw the pack leaving the chosen card in the pocket. Immediately
keep him bus"" by handing him the pack. Ask him to find the card he sel-
ected and hand it to you* when he fails to find the card look puzzled
a moment and then say "Your card is in your poci:et. Reach in and hand
it to me." He does and it proves to be the chosen card. Look at him
remarking, "Say, who's doing this."
>J
-his affords many places for comedy
situations. It may even be combine'
7
, with the first method by having two
cards remembered but I leave this all to you.
Combining the Passing cf Cards Y/ith The Pocket Trick.
The following is an effective combination of the trick of passing
a few cards from portion held by one spectator to another portion held,
by a second spectator. This is an effect whtc! is old but by combining
one of the methods in the "twelve card trick to the pocket," you are en*
abled to count both portions held by the spectators. I use only twenty
cards in the effect. Valm five carets off tne pack and hand the pack to
the one spectator requesting him tc count tne:ity cards. Place the five
palmed cards on the top and spread the
1
:: in your hands requesting one
of t. e spectators to remember them. Of course he can not, and do not
give him much of a glance as he may notice there are more than twenty
cards. Dur:".ng this, separate the t we on top and palm again in the
right hand. Place the twenty cards or: the table and reruest the cards
tc be cut. ^lwa
Tr
s have at least five in the smaller pile. <Ask the
spectator on ycv.r left to take the 7 arge pile and hold it between his
hands. Now ask the spectator on the right to count the remaining cards
one at a tine, face downward on the table. Ask him to count them again.
After he does
?
pick up the cards depositing the palmed cards on the top
asking, "And seven (what ever the number he counted was) from twenty
leave how many?
ff
As he replies, "thirteen," hand him the cards, tell-
ing him to place them in his pocket. Now turn to the first spectator
saying, "L e t m e c o u nt those," c o unt a nd shew t here ar e thirteen. ?a1m
six of the cards and hold the balance in the left hand towards the lejft
hand spectator saying, "Keep your eye on them." Uake a noisy riffle
with your thumb saying, "One got away under your noes." Reach in your
trouser pocket and leave five of the palmed cards and draw out the other
one saying,"I'11 put it back and while you are watching I'll make five
of the thirteen pass into his pocket," indicate spectator having the
seven in his pocket. Uake a riffle each time with the thumb and let
the left hand spectator take the cards from your>left hand, asking him
first how many five from thirteen leave. After he replies "eight"' have
him count the cards one at a time on the table. Now turn tc the other
spectator saying, "You'll be blamed for this, you have seven in your
pocket and if I have caused five more to pass in your pocket, how many
have you?" After he replies, "twelve" let him remove the cards and
count them one at a time on "he table. There is wonderful scope for
comedy in this trick. JLIany will say this is too complicated, I will
admit it is not as effective to the two spectators, but it is double so
to the balance of the audience*
A FOUR AC2 ASSIIUH,]
Show the four aces and place on the top of the pack, holding the
pack in the left hand horizontally to the left of the .body, the thumb
holding the pack oh the upper side, and the second, thrid and fourth
finger holding it on the lower side, the first finger resting on the
far end.. Now start inserting the first ace with the right hand at the
far end, pushing it in the pack with the first finger of the left hand
with a quick movement. You will find although this locks conclusive to
a spectator there is a very sm.^1.1 edge of the ace protruding. You can
show the edge of the pack with impunity as it will not be noticed.
Reach withihe first finger and separate the pack at thi. * protruding
ace and insert the second ace with the right hand at this break being
sure to push the first ace square with the pack, with the first finger
with tho first finger of tho left hand, continue until the four Aces
are inserted in the same place in the prick with the edge of the pack
at the end near you and reach with the first finger of the left hand
and separate the pack at the protruding edge of the last inserted
Ace and pull towards you causing the bottom portion of the pack to
slide towards your right hand with the Aces on top
f
Grasp this por-
tion at the root of the thumb with the right hand and with a sweep
of the right hand over the top of the pack deposit the palmed portion
intact on the top of the pack. Make a riffle v/ith the thumb and
show the Aces to have passed to the top of nne rack. Thit is only
a flourish and is very difficult, the apparent effect being the Aces
were placed in different parts of the pack
T
PRODUCTION OF CHOSSN CARD BY RIFFLING PACK FR0I.1 ONE HAND TO THS OTHER,
Hold the pack in the right hand and riffle the cards into the
left hand by means of the well-known old flourish, I have devised a
use for this old flourish as follows. Have a spectator select a card
and return it to the pack. Bring the chosen card to the top with
the pass and say, " Now take the pack and run the cards along slowly
like this," Piffling the cards from one hand to the other. When the
spectator admits he can not say,
M
Well 1111 do it, and wherever
you say stop, I will stop and the card lying, face downward on the
portion in my left hand will be the card you chose. Now I do not
care where you stop but be sure and stop at the right one.* Start
riffling the cards and when he says, " Stop,* you stop and bring the
hands together, the dropped cards resting naturally face downwards
in the left hand the thumb holding them on one side, and the second,
third and fourth finger holding this portion on the other side, the
palm of hand being up and the first finger resting on the far end of
the portion. The upper portion with the selected card on the top
being held facfe downward in the right hand at the ends between the
thumb on the near end and the second and third finger at the far end
5
the finger on the top of the pack. In bringing the two portions to-
gether, after being told to stop riffling, turn the portion held in
the right hand face towards the spectators, holding the portion hor-
izontally and rest the lower side edge of this portion on the lower
portion held in the left hand at the extreme left side so that the
portions are at right angles to one another. Reach up back of the
left hand portion with the second, third and fourth fingers of the
left hand and place the tips of these fingers on the top card, which
is the selected c-rd. Pull this c^.rd downward off the top of the
right hand portion on to the top of the left hand portion , covering
the move by turning the left hand over to the right and pointing at
the bottom card of the right hand portion saying, "First, I want you
to note that here we have the ten of Clubs" (or whatever, the card
happens to be) "and I cannot drop another one off without you noticing
the fact." Ask them to name the selected card and turn over the top
card of the right hand portion showing it to be the right one remark-
ing, " You stopped just right.
w
1 hE i l r UJr
- T.7 -p.
I usually follow the above effect with this by saying, "Now some
of you may think I stop where I want to and it is not a fair choice,
so I will prove that you really find the card." Have another spectator
draw a card and return it to the pack. Bring the card to the top by
the pass. Place the pack in the left hand downward; the palm of the
left hand being up, the thumb holding the pack on one side, the second,
third and fourth finger holding the pack on the other side, the first
finger resting on the far end of' the pack. Extend the second, third
and fourth fingers straight up so they are at right angles with the top
of the pack. Hold the pack and invite any spectator to tip a portion
of the cards at any place he desires from the thumb side, up so it rests
at right angles with the rest of the pack, against the second, third
and fourth fingers of the left hand. In other words, fee merely cuts
the cards at any
the fingers. II
spectator
;xra
a f e w
it is
gainst
place in the pack
;
so the cut portion rests c
times by doing it yourself. Caution the
a free choice of cut and announce that
lower portion l3"ing in
to notice thqt
no matter where he cuts, the top card of th<
the left hand will be the selected card. After the cards are cut as
prescribed the selected card is on the top portion which is cut, and
the second, thrid and fourth fingers are resting against the card.
Grasp the side of the lower portions with the thumb at the side near
it and turn the left hand to the right, bringing the upper portion in
a face up *:c.3ition resting on the fingers and the lower portion at
right angles held by the thumb. Now with a quick movement to the right
with the left hand toss the upper portion into theright hand holding
the top card of that portion (which is the selected card) secure on. the
finger tips, and by closing the left hand bring this card on the top
of the lower portion handing the right hand portion to the spectator re-
marking, "Mere, you hold this portion so I cannot tamper T/ith it." Pre-
viously always call attention to the bottom card of. this portion and
again call attention, to it in handing him the portion. Ask spectator
to name the chosen card. Turn over the top card of left hand portion
showing it. This is really nothing but theold top slip disguised a
bit. Both of these effects are good and are better if presented in
secuence.
CAUSING A SPECTATOR TO DO A
This is reallv more of a practical loke than a trick but I use it
to silence a pest. In the routine of having a number of cards select-
ed and producing the same by "slapping" the bottom card of the pack,
causing each change to be one of the selected cards, on the last card
I hesitate and pick one of the spectators announcing that he can do
the trick as well as I. I then ask him to try, and as he has been
awaiting an opportunity to distinguish himself, he agrees to try it.
For example we will say the bottom card of the pack faced is the ace
of Hearts anql the last selected card is the ten of Clubs which is on
the %rt>'cf the pack in
the left hand face out'
over forward to enable
hold the pack. Place
the chosen card on the
i O. \ X .1 i I
/He ;
top
to
;aci
of
yft for trie ch:. _ - Now hold the pack in
about the height o^ the knees, bending
Illustrate how you want the spectator to
in his left hard first having reversed
the pack so it is face upward. (Accom-
plish this secretly with the fingers of the left hand while vou are
holding the pack face outward iust previous to placing the pack in his
left hand.)
Now ask him to think of the card he selected and to slap the
of Hearts and it will be his card. Be careful, to keep one hand near
the pack in order to prevent him turning the pack and seeing the faced,
chosen card. At any time that this seems evident grasp his hand hold-
ing the pack and interrupt something like this, "Your not feeling well,
are you?" in fact anything to- divert his attention. After two or
three futile attempts by him at slapping the ace of Hearts and meeting
with no success, ask him to name his card. After the card is named,
turn the pack over showing the chosen card, the ten of Clubs and ex-
claim, "You slapped it too hard,
r
ou drove it right thru the pack."
This is a sure fire laugh and at the same time evens the score with
the pest.
1 have used the above trick for the last len years In my stage routine
constantly, and. for some unknown reason the audience like it.
RUBBING- OFF T
t
JS SrOT A'.D SHCVING
I have been using this effect for many
whether it has ever been explai ned-or not*
vears and am not sure
After rubbing off a spot b" using a four and five of one suit I
say, "But the trouble is you do not show where the spot goes, Now I
trick and show you -just where tee spot goes," Pre-
the cards as follows. In order to make it
am going to do the
viously you have arrang
clear T will ask you to place the pack face upward on a table havin.
ed
first placed the five of clubs on the top of the pack, and having
re-
moved the deuce
face upward on the
the deuce of clubs
ray and four of clybs-. Now, place the three of clubs
pack, then the four of clubs face downward, and then
face upward, pick the pack up and crimp the two
corners of the three cards just placed on the pack at the corners which
bear no indexes (this enables you to quickly remove the cards and
holds them together so they look like one card.) place the pack face
downward, the five of clubs being on tov and the two, and four of clubs
being on ttn bottom, in the left hand holding the pack by the sides
horizontally, the thumb being at the upper side and the second, third
and fourth fingers at the lower side, the first finger resting on the
far end of the pack. Take the pack in the right hand and turn it face
toward the spectators saying, "Now on the bottom of the pack I have the
deuce of Clubs." Place the pack back in the original position in the
left hand continuing, "and on the top of the pack I have the five of
Clubs." Reverse the five on the top of the pack and under
movement reach witt first finger of the left hand and sepa
cover of the
ate the three
c-.rds (deuce, tray and four
slightly away from the b tt
of Clubs) on the bottom by
ottom and watching the crimped
yourself
towards
that you hav
you and grasp
but
them
three.
as one
the thumb and
bending them
corner to assure
Tow push the three c?rds tog"ther
ard ?.t the end where they are pro-
first and second finger being care-
then over to the right showing the
bottom I have the deuce and by rub
e action to the
over the face of
once and take ztie cards away and pointing with the corner of
the middle s'oot on the five sav, "I find, that the spot on the
trading, between
fiul to hold them toget
deuce :f Clubs saying,
bing the face of the
words, still holdin
the five
cards at
. 61 a.iQ
"And o:
turn
i the
deuce over the five," Suit t
g tight to the three cards, rub
h
five always comes off."
v
ub
leaving the two bottom cards <
and the four reversed showing
right band back towards the s;
card at the position occupied
*And. the spot that was on the
a trav of it. Hold the three
the deuce again over thefive, t
of the three, which are really
is
the four and holding the
)9ctators po inting
but a
five
trav
time
d e u c e
the
with the corner of this
moment previous by the spot continue,
s transferred to the deuce making
and four for inspection, and at the first
opportunity take the second card from the top and place it face down-
wards in its proper position. A little added effect can be gained by
taking onl" the deuce from the bottom the first time and showing it to
be but one card, being careful .ot to turn the pack and shew the r e -
versed four on the bottom, and then replace it on the bottom cf the
pack and taking the three cards the nex t time ?nd accomplish the change
TELLING T:,Z ALIQUOT OF C^HDS CUT BY ^ Sl-CCTViTOR.
This properly comes under the heading of thumb Counting Tricks but
derived ~'oy the use
This has several
owing to similar effects
itted it in that chapter.
great -deal on the showmanship of the performer
First Ivlethod:
of a prearranged pack I om
variations and depends a
By the first counting method count six teen Gards from the bottom
of the pack with the thumb of the right hand and bring to the top of
the pack making a break with the little finger of the left hand, hold-
ing the portions separated, (the number of c ^ d s used being optional.)
Now held the pack towards a spectator and. ask him to cut a few cards.
That is, a fair number. "'hen he cuts slightly, in fact when he lust
begins to cut, raise the finger below the six teen counted cards and
force the cut at this place. After he has cut pretend to seriously
weigh the remaining portion of the pack in the left hand and after a
little thought, avoiding looking towards the portion he holds announce
that he cut sixteen cards
rect remark,
r
'It is just a
Upon counting and this is found to be
question of weight and I will prove it
cor-
by
8
cutting off any number you suggest. Will someone suggest a larger num-
ber," At the sane time start counting the remaining portion in the
left hand with the thumb at the side as in the second method of count-
ing. Just count about five and take the sixteen cards out of the spec-
tators hand and place on top of the pack, holding the brea.
:
: below the
counted five and keeping the thumb in position for further counting if
this should be necessary. You have twenty one cards above the thumb
9
being careful to keep this side of the pack away from the spectators.
Now 5^ the number twenty-one is given, you merely cut to the break and
hand the cards to be counted. If a number larger than twenty-one is
given, continue the counting and cut when the desired amount is reached.
Should the number be twenty, cut the twenty-one cards and weigh them
seriously with the right hand and take one away saying,
nT
had too many
they were just a trifle heavy," and hand the tv/cnty to be counted, re-
placing the od.d card on tee pack. If the number be nineteen,take two
cards away etc. Should anyone suggest a very l^rge number, say for in-
stance like forty-two, drop the break and with the thumb of the right
hand count ten cards from the bottom as in first method of counting ?n&
cut at this point and hand to be counted. Of course, if a clown is in
evidence and asks you to cut fifty eight, count the pack and false count
six ear^s and satisfy him, then let him count them and laugh at him.
n-Li r.AGik lurtl UUio 1
Fasten a long hair to one of the buttons on the right sleeve of
your coat, on the other end place a small pellet of wax^ Place the
pack on the table face downward and ask a spectator to cut the cards.
Jhile he is cutting attach the end of the hair to the underneath por-
tion of the table near the: pack by pressing the wax which holds it
firmly. Ask the spectator to look at the card he cut, that is the
card on the bottom of the portion he is holding. During this you man-
euver so
:
.s to bring the hair at a direct line over the middle of the
pack. Ask the spectator to return the portion he cut. Now square the
pack slightly taking your original position 759ar the table where you
attached the hair. You v/ill notice the hair is forming a loop around
the portion cut and replaced ''oy the spectator. Now point with the right
hand at the same time place the left hand on the right sleeve and bv
pulling up on the sleeve you will cause the peck to cut itself at the
chosen card, which of course, you have him name previous to the illusion
By a side movement of the right arm you will be enabled to slip the
hair free of the pack and w-he- the opportunity presents itself, detach
the hair from the table and stick the end out of the way on one of the
buttons of the same sleeve. It is better to have a cloth on the table
as it facilitates the turn over movement. Sometimes I deliberately
attach the hair to the bottom of the pack and proceed as before. Plac-
ing a book against the pack insures a neat turnover on smooth topped
tablesi It is something you will have to experiment witn to accomplish
results. I plant this trick in the midst of a routine of counting
tricks and as it is a surprise I have no trouble getting it over. It's
good. It creates talk and I like it.
This little contrivance of a hair and pellet of wax holds possibil-
ities that have never been explored. It is always ready for a rising
card trick or a match box rising on the back of the hand by dropping -
the pellet of wax in the box and closing it and placing the box on the
back of the hand, stretcb the ha:U\ between the fingers and now by push-
ing the right sleeve up goes the box. Familiarize yourself with this
neglected little friend and become accustomed to handling it because it
takes a lot of practise just as any sleight does to perfect.
Yeats ago in London, I saw the late Dr. Byrd Page do the rising
cards with a hair and 1 have never seen a piece of apparatus to equal
the effect for innocence and apparent simplicity. Sometimes the hair
breaks but what of it. You can always change the effect and get away
with it.
SNA? CKANGSS
I have developed the above change so it covers perfectly, but I
did i:ot include it in the Chapter devoted to changes as it's use is
rare and it can only be shown as a trick in itself. First practise
taking two cards at once from the top of the pack making them to appear
as one. This is accomplished by the use of the second method
ing with the thumb of the left hand counting down from the to
pack one, two and taking the two cards away in the right hand
less handling of the two cards, impresses the spectators with
that you hold but one card. Place the cards face outward ir
of count-
of the
Ey care-
the idea
the left
hand which is also holding the pack at the same time between the fourth
finger irjv! tk.~ rc^t of tho thumb. The tips of the thumb and the second
and third finger holding the two cards at the sides and the first finger
keeping them square at the far end. Now take the cards in the right
hand at the near end face towards spectators between the first and. second
on the face side and thumb on the back of the cards being held horizons-
tally, the first knuckle of the third finger resting lightly on the back
of the cards below the thumb. Start gesticulating with the left hand
holding the pack. In calling the attention to the "card" you hold, hold
the card well away from the body in the right hand and then move it
back towards you until it is about on a line with your waist and eight-
een inches from '^our body. By pulling directly towards you against the
face of the front card with the second and third finger of the right
hand you will find that the front card will snap back into the palm,
grasping it between the second and thir d finger as soon as it clears
the back card. Leave the hack'card it its original position with the
exception that the face is now showing, it being held by the thumb and
first finger the front card being held in the palm against the base of
the thumb by the third finger of the right hand. Practise this snap
-10-
until ^ou acquire speed. Just as the card is snapped during your gest-
ures bring the top of the pack I Limed lately below the card held in the
palm and drop the card on top of the pack quickly carrying the right
hand forward and way. Snap the changed card between the fingers and
pass for examination. It depends for its success or; the face that it
is a surprise. If repeated it will be discovered. Write your patter
to suit the gestures that is, find a reason for them. A grot deal of
practise is necessarv to perfect this.
THREE CaRD FORCE MD FL9QR
I am giving themethod as I have used it on the stage for the past
few years. I consider it so good an affect that at present I utse it at
the finish of the act.
a spectator to choose a card. Spread the pack in the usual
manner, force a card, say the four of Spades. Just as he takes the
card from the pack remark,
1l
But not the four of Spades," and take the
card from his hand turning it towards the audience and showing it to be
the four of Spades. Replace the card on the top of the pack cut the
pack and force the same card on the same spectator repeating the show-
ing of the card to the audience, making and accentuating
+
he same re-
mark Repeat the force once more making three times inall. In re-
placing the forced card to the top of the pack after the last force ,
push the top card of the pack sidewise with the thumb of the left hand
which is holding the pack and place the four of Spades the second card
from the top:. This nee3 not be done speedily as the attention is div-
erted at the time to the spectator, who has drawn one card three times.
Look hopelessly at the spectator a moment, at the same time remove the
two top cards together as one carelessly showing the faced four of
Spades to the audience. Place the four of Spades with the card back
of it as one card in the left hand which is holding the pack, holding
it by the tips of the fingers and thumb face dowavvards. Take the two
cards in the right hand again, the back of the hand towards the audience
Placing the near upper corner (the two cards are held in the left hand
horizontally back towards the audience at the time the right hand ap-
proaches the left to take the two cards) in the root of the thumb and
hold the cards between the thumb and first finger of the right hand,
the thumb holding the cards on the face side near the upper side edge
and the first finger being bent, the tip resting on the back portion of
the two cards exactly opposite the thumb, the second, third and fourth-
finger being held straight and away from the cards. Take the cards a-
way turning them over to the right so the four of Spades is facing to-
wards the audience holding the arm straight downwards at arms length,
turn to the spectator and say, "I suppose by this time you think the\
r
re all fours of Spades, however, what is this card?" ''hen he replies,
"the four of Spades," remark, ""/ell, you shpuld know it and T-'n going
to place it so you can't draw it." Bend over and bring the pack in the
11
left hand so its position is on a level with the knees and directly in
front of them, the back of the cards being towards the audience and
turned a little towards the right. Remark, "There is no doubt about
that being the four of Spades, here put your foot on it." Turn the
cards in the right hand back towards the audience and with a throwing
movement downward from the wrist throw the top card, which is not the
four of Spades, on the floor, face downwards, by placing the tips of
all the fingers on a line with the tip of the first finger and straight-
ening up quickly, pushing the top card outward at the same time retain-
ing the hold at the root of the thumb on the four of Spades and in
straightening up from the bended position bring the right hand naturally
across the top of the pack held in the left hand and deposit the palmed
four of Spades on top remarking, "Now you can't draw it." Immediately
cut the cards and force the four of Spades again taking it from his
hand and holding face towards the audience, say/'But that's the four
of Spades." Naturally the spectator dives for the card under the foot
and on turning it over it proves to be a different card. Be careful
in handling the two cards to keep them together so they appear as one.
Sometimes, after spectator has picked card off floor, I take it
from him and ask,
n
bv the way, what card did yeu think you were stand-
ing on?
11
During this question you make the regular top change leaving
the four of Spades on top of pack, and taking the card that was origin-
ally shown, holding it face down between thumb and finger of right hand.
i-Then he names the card, you slowly turn over the one you are holding
and it is seen to be the one he names, saying, "so it was."
Sometimes when it is hard to repeat the force, a word or two to the
spectator spoken so as not to let the audience hear will influence the
spectator and make him enter into the fun of the situation and you may
be assured he'll never mention it to the others. In forcing cards do
not force by showing one card more than another. Learn to time the
movement of the spectator's hand and see that the desired card is in a
favorable position for picking from the pack at the time of the approach
of his fingers. Avoid showing that the cards are held with a break.
I prefer this method of change to the top change- :\s it is so conclusive
to an audience and the f*.^rd is in view up until the last moment. Try
to pick a card which is in contrast to the forced card, for instance
for the four of Spades you would have the changed card a Jack of Clubs
so the change is immediately apparent.
I have often seen performers do similar effects such as make two or more
cards change positions. This bears out my argument never to confuse
the audience or expect them to remember to any great extent. Study
this method and you'll note the effect is direct and "hits with a b?.ng.
tt
HY FAVORITE FOUR ACE TRICK,
Years ago I presented this trick to Mr. V/ill Goldston, of London
England, and also gave him permission to market it. This he did and
with gro.tifying results, and although time will place many a good trick
in the background I am pleased to say that in addition to myself there
are several well-known performers still using the trick and getting out
of it all that could be desired. To the newer generation of magicians
it will be a brand new effect that should be added to the program at
once.
IT"PICT: The four aces are placed, face upward, on the table. On top of
these four aces, face downward, are placed three indifferent cards.
These indifferent cards are laid upon the aces in such mariner that
about half of each ace is visible. The spectators are now asked to
select one of the aces and its complement of three indifferent cards*
The selected pile is moved to one corner of the table, but without
disturbing the four cards in any way, That is, the ace still lies face
upward while the three cards are face downwards on top of it, The au-
dience is informed by the performer that he intends to vanish the -.:ther
three aces, visibly, while they are all watching his, and that the
three aces will join the selected ace and the indifferent cards will
return to the pack. Performer picks up one of the piles, holds it in
his right hand, and then begins to throw the cards, one at a time, upon
the t-^ble , face up calling the name of each when he does so. ./hen the
last card is reached, which is supposed to be the ace, it is given a
snap with the fingers and turned over with face to audience when it is
seen to be an indifferent card. The ace has vanished, This same man-
uover is gone thru with the other two piles, then as a big finish the
selected pile is shown to contain the three vanished aces while the
indifferent cards are b?ck in"the pack.
V/ORKING; Three of the aces are double-faced, that is, on the back of
say the aces of clubs, diamonds, and hearts is pasted an indifferent
card. Cards of this kind can be purchased from all magical depots.
The ace of spades is unprepared and is the regular ace from the pack
you are using. Place the four aces at the face of the pack the see of
spades being the third one. Call attention to the trick and lay out
the four aces on the table face upward. vVith the pack held in the left
hand, still face up, you deal three cards from the bottom onto the fourth
ace. Turn the pack over in your hand so it will be now face down, and
proceed to deal the three top cardsthe other three aces fro::: the pack-
onto the third ace, which is the real ace of spades. Deal three cards
onto the other tv/o aces and lay pack aside. It is now necessary to
force the ace of spades pile. o this in any manner that best suits
you. My favorite way is to have someone mention a number between one
and four. Naturally it can be only a three or tv/o. If two is asked
simply count from the right, while if three is called then count from
the left. When pile is selected push it to one side. The move nec-
essary to vanish the other three aces is very difficult to describe on
paper so the best way is to follow these instructions with the cards
in hand. Start with pile number one. Turn the three indifferent cards
face up,laying them to one side of the ace on the table. Now place the
ace on top of the three cards. Pick all four of the cards up in the
right hand holding them exactly as though you were going to deal, with
thumb lying across the back, faces towards palm. Now with the t...umb
push over the top card about half way off of theother three, and with.
a throwing motion the hand is turned over so that the back of hand is
now facing upwards, and the top card is thrown face upward onto the
table. As it falls on table you call out its name. Now repeat again
with the next top card, throwing it upon the table and naming it as
you do so. All this time, the ace has l^een facing the audience when
hand' was held palm up. Mow when read}
r
to throw the third card a little
different proceedure is necessary, and upon this important move hinges
the success of the trick, ^s the right hand turns over with the pre-
tence of throwing the third card onto the table the thumb leaves its
position on top of the two cards and goes beneath them touching the face
of the ace. The right fingers press down rather firmly on the cards
while the thumb presses upwards against the face of the ace and the two
cards are now lifted up and the thumb pushes out the bottom card of the
twothe aceand throws it upon the table. Of course, the ace side
falls face downward on top of the first two cards and the indifferent
side of the ace shows to audience. Soon as it aits the other cards
you call out its name. You are still holding one more card, face down,
and t&is the audience thinks is the ace. You say,
n
and the see here
I will give the little magic snap and away it goes to join the other
ace while it its place I take one of the indifferent cards," You now
turn this fourth card face up and note the surprise on the faces of the
audience. This same routine is gone thru with the other two aces and
finally the selected pile is shown to consist of the four aces.
The beautiful part of this trick is the apparent visible vanish.
In holding the four cards in the right hand preparitory to the vanish
hold them in such manner that nearly half of ace at the front is visible
up, the last moment. T'he throwing s' iacy as the right thumb does^all
the work while the throwing movement conceals the third throw. In
making the throw to the table the right arm should describe an arc of
good size as this covers up the tricky move. .After the apparent vanish
of each ace spread out the four cards so audience can esee the faces of
all of them and that the ace is not among them.
EXTRA' An extra valuable tip that have used myself but have never
given out generally is, that instead of turning the last card up and
showing that the ace has vanished, I continue to hold this last card
face down after the third card has been thrown, and gay,"And the ace
here I will place in this corner.
ff
During these words I la}
r
the last
card at one corner of the table without exposing its face. Naturally,
the audience are sure it is the ace because you have just shown them
three cards face up and ace was not among them, so surely the one in
your hand must be the ace. Do this with the other two piles and then
you finally cause the three aces in one corner of the table to travel
over to the opposite corner with the selected c.ce, while the indifferent
dards are not where the three aces were supposed to be. You can see
the real advantage of this method. It is not very like.ly to be detected.
-14-
In the first method, the repetition of vanishing three cards in the
same manner might be discovered by the vise guy, while in this latter
method the audience don't knew what you are actually going to do until
the last moment.
Sometimes I use this excellect trick: in my grilling demonstrations
in the following manner: Fir.st, I deal the four aces with three in-
different cards upon each. hen I have
one selected as before. I then
go on to say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have often been asked if it is
possible to* cause cards to travel thru spaces, invisibly. Liy answer is
yes, absolutely. For instance, let us
there little game of poker, my partner
want him to have the other three aces,
Very easy, just like this." From here
in the first method. The last card is
ace has left your hand. After the three
f:
Now my friends, I told you that I would
my partners hand over there. Well, they
for yourself. They are there all right,
makes an excellent demonstration.
that I
has one ace in
so I give them
am sitting in a
his hand. I
to him. How?
on the trick proceeds exactly as
turned over and shown that the
aces have been vanished you say,
pass these aces thru space to
ought
arent
to be
they?
there. Jus
+
Thanks.
tt
look
ibis
Ati ILiPRCLiPTU LAUGH.
This is more of a surprise than a trick and during
I !n.ave .been working it, it has never failed to create .
put the audience ir. good humorv
the years that
big laugh and
The time to pull it is when a brand new pack is handed
the purpose of doing a few tricks. Nearly all new packs as
from the makers have one card that has a bridge score printed on
side while the back matches rest of pack. Remove the cards from
sealed pack, locate the "bridge" card and hold break with little
preparitor\/" to doing the force.
to you for
they come
one
the
finger
Advance towards one of the ladies andrsay,-
M
I beg your pardon madam,
but do '
r
-u play bridge? Oh, you do. "Jell, will you take one of these
cards please."" She takes one and you of course have forced the "score"
card onto her. Tell her to keep card face down while you explain as
follows: "Being a bridge player I would not be surprised but what you
drew will be of great help to you. Turn it over please.
11
She does so
.and then for the laugh's and guffaws.
HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE.
For a clever card trick capable of being worked under any and all
conditions this one is hard to beat.
15-
Performer offers the pack for thorough shuffling, and while it
is in the hands of the audience one spectator is asked to remove his
favorite card and to place his initials upon it so he will be sure that
there is no duplicate of this card used. While spectator is marking
his card the performer takes the pack back, and holds it face down in
his left hand. With his right hand ha takes the selected card from the
spectator and places it, face upward; on top c~
p
the face down pack. He
calls particular attention to it and then sloy/ly and deliberately turns
it face down. Now with his right hand he taxes off this top card from
the pack and places it under the next card. -In other words, it is now
the second card from the top. "Watch closely," says the performer,
"while I riffle the pack, and here you see the selected card is back
on the top again*
n
Performer shows that card has mysteriously return-
ed to top of pack. He turns it over, face upward again as he did in
the first place, calls attention to it and then slowly turns it over
face down again. Once more he places it second from the top, and once
he causes it to return to the top of pack. The next move is to place
card into center of pack and without any suspicious moves it is found
to have returned to the top of pack again. Again it is placed &n the
center of the pack, and after the mysterious click of the cards it is
found on the bottom of the pack. Performer tells the audience that it
is just impossible to lose the selected card and to give further proof
of this he replaces if.in the center of the pack, shuffles several times
and cuts, and then lays pack upon the table. With the right hand he
takes the cards from the pack, one at a time, and deals them upon his
left palm. He tells the audience to say
W
5top" at any time they wish
and he will be on their selected card. He proceeds to deal the cards
until told to stop, and when the card which is last dealt is turned
over it is found to be the selected card. Truly very ubiquitous*
WORKING:
x
irst of all prepare one card so that it is a double backer,
that is, it shows a back on either side and of course should match the
pack you are using. The best way to make this is to soak tv/o cards in
water until you can peel the backs off them. Put them while wet, be-
tween tv/o blotters and let them almost dry out, I say almost because
in order to make a perfect job it is much better to paste them together
while they are still damp, then when they dry cut they will be perfect-
ly flat and free from wrinkles. Let them dry out under pressure. Put
them between the leaves of a book and then place some heavy weights up-
on the book and let stand for twelve hours.
With your card prepared you are ready to start. Have this card
in your right trouser pocket o.r
p
any other convenient place. Hand out
pack for shuffling and v/hile it is out you palm your double-backer in
right hand. Take pack back and add this card to top. ;7hen ready to
turn the selected card face down 3^0 u actually turn down with it the
double backer.
T
o the audience it simply looks like you turned over
the selected card. You can at once see that this automatically places
the selected card second iron the top. You now appear to place the sel-
ected card second from top, but actually placing the double-backer there.
-16-
Riffle the pack with left thumb making .a clicking sound and show the
card on top. Repeat this once more. For the third move a different
proceedure is necessary. Take the selected card in right hand, pack
in left hand, face down. Push the card into the pack and the right
^tri^cr tip?? ko3p. tapping it apparently pushing it home. What really
takes place is that during the tapping with the right fingers the fin-
ger tip of the index finger of the left hand, comes in contact with
the slightly protruding card, pushes up against it so that card is
pressed against right finger tips, and then in going sway from the pack
the card is palmed. :away in to the right hand, out is immediately plac-
ed on top of pack and the tapping on end continued once or twick to
give the spectators the idea that the card has been pushed all theway
into the pack. Now riffle the pack as before and show that the card is
back on top of the pack. For the next move you place the card into
the pack in exactly the same manner as the last move and start tapping
as before. V/hen the right fingers give the last tap and actually drive
the card in square with the pack, the left first finger pushes all the
cards below the selected one into the fork of the thumb of the right
hand where they are palmed away but immediately placed on top of the
pack. Once more riffle the pack and show that the selected card is on
the bottom this time. For the final move place the card into the pack,
make the pass and give pack, a false shuffle still leaving the card on
to ) of the pack. One or two false cuts will help too* Lay pack on
table. Pick up the cards one at a time from the top of the pack, with
the right hand, andlay them on top of palm of left hand,. The first
card, is the selected one so don't expose it prematurely. Keep dealing
the cards until told to stop, and as the last card is placed on top
of those in your hand, the left finger tips push out the bottom, sel-
ected card, into the palm of the right hand where it is immediately
placed on top, turned over and shown to be the selected card.
Sometimes I work this trick using the ace of spades in the follow-
ing manner: Ace placed in middle of pack but a break is held above it
with the little finger ready for the pass. Top card shown and then
the pack is turned around and the bottom card is shown, but I am still
holding the break with the little finger. In turning the pack ever
face down again I make the pass, which is practically invisible, then
I hit the top of the pack a hard slap and show the ace back or. the top.
I repeat but this time cause the ace to appear on the bottom. Remov-
ing the ace from the bottom I place it in the center of pack and hold
the break with the little finger but I manage to have one card above the
ace so that when I make the pass the ace is second from the top. I
have slap the top of pack again and remove the two top cards as one
showing the ace. Place them back on top again, apparently place the
ace, top card in center of pack, slap top of pack and show ace on top
again. This is a wonderful routine and should be worked up.
SUPER L1ENTAL CARD EFFECT.
Here is a real trick and the secret should not become common pro-
17
perty. It has been a pet for a number of years*
IPFECT: The pack is first shuffled and then the performer fans it out
and asks one of the spectators to think of one card but to give him or
any body else no clue of what it is. When spectator says that he has
his card in mind performer squares up the pack and gives it another
shuffle then lays it upon the table. Ke now asks the person who thought
.of a card to cut the pack into two piles. This done the performer asks
spectator to mention name of his card. ?hen he does so performer tells
him that he will find his card the eight card from the top in this
pile, or seven cards from the bottom in the other pile or whatever nu-
mber performer gave him and thess is his card,
SECRET: The secret is simplicity/ itself. First of all arrange the top
fifteen cards of your pack in the Si Stebbins order or any other ar-
rangement that is familiar to you. When ready, you can shuffle your
pack using the riffle shuffle without disturbing the top fifteen cards.
To make it look still better you can use the haymow shuffle as fallows:
Undercut about two-thirds of the pack and begin to run off the cards on
top of those in the left hand, but injogging the first card and run
them all. Now cut at injog and throw on top' and your fifteen cards are
undisturbed on top as before, while to the audience the pack has been
hopelessly mixed. Now hold the pack in the left hand face upward, and
with the right hand slightly fan the pack but in such a way that only
the top f ifteen
:
cards can be seen, Ask part^r - to think of a card in
the pack. W-hon he does so, square up the pack and give it the shuffles
as mentioned above still leaving the fifteen arranged cards on top of
pack. You now explain that it is impossible for anyone to know what
card this party thought of etc. During this patter you run off into
the left hand, one card at a time, seven from the top and place them
on the bottom. You now have eight of the arranged on top of pack and
seven on bottom, but these seven are reversed. Have him cut pack into
two parts and watch closely which is which. Ask him to name his card,
and when he does you figure, mentally, according to your arrangement
and you find it is the tenth cardin the set up. That means that since
seven cards were dealt off the top that the original tenth card is now
the third card from the top of the top half. Let spectator count down
and find it himself.
1
f the card thought of should be, say number four
in your setup it will now be number four also, but from thebottom of
the bottom half of the pack. Sometimes instead of only fifteen cards
I arrange about eighteen to twenty and this gives the trick a much
wider scope and also gives the spectator a larger choice of his card.
.Another way I often work this trick is, after I have found otot what card
spectator thought of, instead of having him cut the pack I start runn-
ing off the cards as in the haymow shuffle until I get down to the one
I want and then I place the others on bottom of pack. His card is on
top of the pack. I am then blindfolded and I scatter the cards all
over the table, but of course keeping track of the selected card by
looking down along the nose under the blindfold. I then ask for a
-18-
pocket knife, have the spectator take hold of my wrist while I am
ing the point of the balde over the cards. Suddenly I plunge the
blade down into the selected card and bring it up and show
located it, same time whipping off the blindfold".
Another effective finish, is to place the pack i:
inside coat pocket and have him reach in pocket whan
and remove a card.
that
hold-
knife
I have
the spectators
r
ou count three
TELEriiTKY CARD TRICK.
In my opinion, this is one of the most startling and effective card
tricks in existence. Clothed with the proper patter along the lines of
thought transference and mental telepathy it is a winner and has never
failed to create a very favorable impression. As in many other tricks
it is not so much what you do but how you do it that counts. In this
particular trick, after the pack has been thoroughly shuffled by the
spectator himself he removes five cards while the pack is still in his
own hands and lays the pack on the table. You take the' cards from him
and place them in your right trouser pocket, first having shown it
empty. You say that you will now .-.t tempt to read his thoughts and find
the name of one card out of the five that he will select. Ask him
think of any one of the five cards that he removed from the pack.
"CO
h hat you already know his card and that
oe Qas aone so :you inform Him
.you could easily call it out, but to make it considerable more difficult
you will reach into your trouser pocket where the five cards are and
remove four of them one at a time, and that thefifth card, or the last
one left in the pocket will be the card he thought of. You now very
slowly remove one card from the pocket and pis.ce it back in the pack
which by the way you are holding in your left hand. Slowly
second, thrid and fourth one and then say: "I have removed fou
and one reaains in my pocket, it should be yours sir. "hat was
name of it please?' Six of clubs, ^hanks. There it is,-the
remove the
cards,
he
six of clubs.
Like all good tricks this
one
l
g is performed without any skill
at all. Before-hand, prepare yourself for the trick by placing four
cards from the pack in your right trouser pocket but up in the top of
the pocket so that you can show it empty. Have spectator shuffle the
. and remove five cards. You take the pack from Vim and hold it in
face down, Also take the five cards from him, holding
ht hand, face up so he can see them. Ask him to think
l/hile he
left hand
in the ri,
yo ur
them
of one of
ing of on;
way to do
ing th their value. You will find
be two cards of the same value such
close up the five cards and put the
them and keep it thoroughiv in his mind. While he is think-
you memorize the five cards and their order. The easiest
this is to forget suits and put the cares in rotation accorfi-
that in most cases there will not
as two aces.: two threes etc. Now
m into 70ur trouser Pocket after
having first shown the pocket empty. Put the five cards
those alreadv there. 7hen vou remove four cards from th<
in front of
pocket you
remove the four that were put in there at first, the real five cards
are still there. Asli spectator to name his card and v/hen be does so
you reach into your pocket and remembering the rotation of the five
cards you count along the five until you come to the one you want. You
are now ready to repeat the trick again as you have four cards in the
pocket, ',7hen taking the four cards out of the pocket during the trick
never expose the faces of any of them the reason of course being quite
obvious. The placing them into the pack proper eliminates the chances
for someone grabbing the four cards if they were merely placed upon
the top of pack and perhaps some wise party would discover that they
were not four of the five cards that were placed in the "Docket,
THE
This trick is perhaps more mystifying to a conjurer than to the
man in the street in as much as the effeot produced can be accomplished
by other means used by the conjurer which perhaps would be as mystify-
ing as the trick as I do it. Other effects I have claimed no original-
ity for, however, this effect I claim as I have never civulgec the
secret up to now. First, you must have a sense of the impossible and
be in readiness to take advantage of the slightest turn in your favor.
The glimpse is taken from the bottom, the cards are cut, the break is
held by the flesh grip or the jog with the little finger inserted* The
cards are laid face downwards on the table, the card at the break which
was previously noted at the bottom is exposed a trifle more than the
rest. he spectator is asked to select a aard for instance should he
select the key card, you make a grand stand play, and tell him to return
his card at any position and shnffle the cards, ^fter he roturns the
cards you run through the pack and name the card. In case the spect-
ator selects a card adjacent to the kej
r
card you emphasis that he place
the card in the same position as drawn, noting the number either above
or below take a chance and let him shuffle and find in the same method
running to the key card and counting to selected card. .At times when
the card is placed say eight or ten away from the key card, pick the
pack up j/ourself
a
nd ask the party to cut theo., (as you care not &ake
a chance on a shuffle) The cut does not disturb the position so as
usual you run them and show card.
In instances when the card selected is placed on top that is above
the key card after the spectator has shuffled take the pack face up,
keeping pack very square and removing the cards one at a time, when you
come to the key 'card stop and declare that card to be selected when
spectator disagrees move as to take the card but in reality remove se-
cond which is selected card, hold, face downwards and ask party to name
card, on turning card it proves to be selected one.
The trick s absolutely showmanship coupled with a certain degree
of suggestion. For those who would be sure I might suggest the use of
-20-
the inked card or if you v/ish to be double sure to use a long card as
a key and you can readily see that your off acts are unlimited ?.s these
eliminate the necessity of looking through toe pack and thedesired card
can be located by touch or ~oy /..lancing for inked edge. The effects are
unlimited -
Crimp for a TablejSprea_d_.
Spread the pack on the table face down as for the selection of
a card. Ask the spectator if he can spread the cards in that manner.
If he replies in the affirmative, tell him to pick the cards up ana
shuffle them first, then spread the cards on the table. lifter this is
done, invite hiui to select any card and return it to pack and proceed
as follows, Place both hands on the spread cards and push tlaon to-
wards the spectator saying, "Well, pick them up and shuffle, you are
doing the trick." As you place your hands on the pack in the act of
pushing them towards the spectator, rest the first finger of either
hand on the side of the selected card, and by pressing down on the side
of the card and for/ward with the thumb of the sane hand you will find
you are enabled to crimp the corner of the card nearest to you in the
movement of pushing the cards. Cover the crimp with some of the other
cards. As in some instances it is impossible to crimp the chosen card
without causing undue suspicion, crimp a card near it and remember the
number of cards sbove or below that the chosen card lies. Of course, in
this instance merely ask the spectator to cut the cards as a shuffle
v/ould probably lose the chosen card, After pad: is returned to you
Proceed and produce the card in any manner suitable. I oftin use the
foregoing method in the inked card trick when the chosen card is not
returned to the pack in an adjacent position to the carcl, which makes
it impossible to use the inked c?.rd as a key card.
Inked Card, as Xey Card.
Place inked card on top of the pack, cut to the center of the pack
holding the break. Spread pack face downwards on table noting the
position of index card but not exaggerating its position by showing
more than others. Now invite anyone to select a card and return it.
Note the position chosen card occupies, for example whether five above
or six below. Let spectator pick up the pack himself. Should sel-
ected card be Dlaced next to the inked card let hi . shuffle as an ord-
inary shuffle seldom disturbes its position. Otherwise merely invite
hi to cut andplace cards in your hand face down. Start dealing off
one at a time. Now say for example the card was placed four below the
inked card. Deal until vou come to inked card then count one, two and
take the third card and proclaim it to be the chosen curd. Spectator
replies, "No". You place the card on top;.and take the second card
and ask "What was the chosen card?
;t
when named turn over and show it
to be selected one. Or never touch the pack* Have trie spectator deal
the cards face downwards one at a time when he reaches selected card
merely snatch from his hand asking him to name selected card quickly.
This last method, gives great scope fior patter in respect to the spec-
tator doing the trick himself. If the chosen card should lay three
above the inked card cut the inked card ic the top show bottom card
and place cards in left hand in position for glide- ask him to tell.
you to stop, '""hen stopped, ask him to name chosen card. Upon name ing
it turn and show on bottom.
? U L S 2 OP T.:_.I P U B L I C .
in conclusion,I would like to say a few words in defense of the
modern manipulators, that is of the Vaudevillian, he of the "talk
much and do little," C ommercially the only success a performer can
really attain is monentary. .As soon as there is no sale for an act
ot magic snow there is no act or no show. In other words you can not
sell what the public does not wish to buy. It is not what you want
to do but what the audience makes you do, although they do not realize
it. It is the audience thatcreated the acts by giving the stamp of
their approval to certain vogues, as they are submitted b]
7
" the different
performers. Using music as an illustration, perhaps in many cases in
these days of canned music and jazz, there are many performers or
musicians of real merit who in order to earn a livlihood resort to the
vogue of the times and play popular music using eccentric methods in
the wild scrable to excite the jaded nerves of the blase. T. B. LI. who
seeks forgetfulness in our vaudeville theatres, while really at heart
the musician in him resents and looks higher towards the classics.
P erhaps he is proficient in his art. To him there is open the concert
platform where his true artistry will meet with it's just reward.
The same applies to dancers and actors and many ether branches of the
profession, but the magician is handicapped. There are not enough magis
to inaugurate a classic platform where the skill, technique, and ex-
pression would meet its rewards so the magi who is successful feels
the "pulse of the public," created a few comedy situations and. makes
the tricks secondary and sells himself." That is, establishes a per-
sonality in the minds of the public.
x
To most of you who have never been in a late "position on big time
vaudeville bill, where the rule is that the show must "build up" as it
goes along, where even a stage wait is sometimes fatal to the act that
follows, will never realise that terrible feeling after following six
or seven acts who have each jarred them from a stand point of applause
and laughter of stepping out and keeping up the pace, necessitating
your "getting them -A once" and holding them by sheer personality and
trying to show them tricks in fifteen minutes that should take an hour
to do. Until you have experienced the above, restrain from criticism.
If you disagree with the above assume the cloak of the deep thinking
magi and build as act which bristles with original and artictis novel-
-2 2 -
ties, taking it to a booking agent and ^ry and Soil it. Of course,
the "Big One Night Stand" magi-cal show has been hit hard owing to the
prohibitive rate of railroad transportion "
:
.n this country. I consider
magicians of today cleverer than "their predecessors as they have Qors
obstacles to overcome, ar.d those
;
v.'ho u: the dark lean years, when it
was suicide to suggest to an agent Vcv'aX vo'ir
v
T a magi, ke~t stru.:^lin
;
on, deserve treat credit in keening it oefor-j :1K-.' public even if only
as comedians as one writer has termed we "Of the talk much and do
little tribe.
Magic is not dead, as there is still a definite place in Vaude-
ville for the magician who will recognize the trend and will keep his
act fast and suitable to the trend of the tines. The public wants
amusement. The magician can supply it if' he only will. The fact
that a magician likes a trick is no excuse if the audience does not
like it. Give the audience what it wants and you will get your booking
and be a "success."
-23-
"and a Pack of Cards."
The following three manuscripts comprise the Series entitles
ff
a:id a
Pack of Cards.'' Invaluable to any one who does card tricks and written
by a Vaudevillian of many years experience, -All workable stuff, no
padding. Concise and nothing held out."'
Exclusive sleights and. manipulations. Covers very thoroughly Theory,
Passes, Second and Bottom dealing, False Shuffles and Cuts, Thumb and
Finger Counting, Changes the Glide, forcing and Crimps. lir, Peril'.:
has in addition to explaining man;
7
exclusive sleights and methods, given
many tricks based en these principles.
KIERLIN ;iT TP~E CAzil) TABLI.
In this, Mr. I.Ierlin has given a very clever routine of card-tricks to
do at a c?rd table or in a club room. Just the thing to use when some
one says', "I would hate to play cards with you.
1
' Contains quite a sel*-
ection of card effects all based on Poker, Bridge, Pinochle or other
card games. Enough material to give quite an entertainment as an ex-
pose of "Kow Gamblers Cheat" but really you expose nothing, work
that has long been needed by the Magician and treats entertaining by
I.'agic in a new angle.
PIRLIP'S i^STIR PII^CLPS.
Some of the tricks that have made Llerlin the outstanding Card Conjurer
of the World. Contains the explanation, so you can work it, of his
famous Spread, on the Table, '*-'&is he has done at Club entertainments
all over the world and; it surely seems a miracle. "Spread out the
cards, face downwards, on the table. Look at a card. Replace it in
the pack yourself. Gather up the cards." And then he locates the
cards. This is only one of the Master Piracies that he explains for
the first time.
Pach Section complete in itself, price per Se'ction .'',2.00 prepaid. The
set of three, ordered at one time, v5.00 prepaid. Foreign add; lOgf per
Section. Order of your dealer or from the publisher.
TK2 1/PL1V0RTK CQ&rAitfT,
36 'Jest Pratt Street. Indianapolis, Indiana.