The Faced Card

by me on November 26, 2009

This is a simple, but rather effective, method of ending a trick, when it is desired to display the particular card chosen by one of the company. It is to be used at pleasure for this purpose, irrespective of the method in which the trick otherwise is performed.

For example, let us suppose that you have noted the ace of hearts on the bottom of the pack. You use a false shuffle, and then make the pass, so that the ace of hearts is in the middle of the pack after the manner described in connection with forcing a card. You next force some one to draw this particular card, and allow him, after looking at it, to replace it wherever he chooses in the pack, and then to shuffle the cards himself.

Taking back the deck, you run over it until you locate the ace of hearts, after which you cut the cards so that the ace is on the top of the pack. This operation should be followed by a false shuffle that leaves the ace still the top card. With the pack held in both hands, you raise it a distance of about two feet above the table, and at the same time you slide the top card secretly about a half-inch to the left, so that this edge of it projects beyond the remainder of the deck.

You now take away the left hand, and then, using care to hold the cards quite level, suddenly let them fall to the table. If properly executed, the pack as a whole falls and lies face downward on the table, but the top card is affected by the rush of air against its projecting side during the fall, and the force of this is sufficient to turn the card over. Thus, at the end of the trick, the ace of hearts drawn by the spectator suddenly appears lying face upward on the pack in distinction from all the other cards.

Any known card may be revealed to the company in this manner. A simple combination would be to use “The Indicated Card” trick just described, with the variation of not naming the card after showing it to the company. Then permit the cards to be shuffled, and afterward run through them yourself to locate the card, which you already know. Bring it to the top of the deck, and by way of concluding the trick display it face upward on the pack by dropping to the table according to the directions.

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The Indicated Card

by me on November 24, 2009

This is perhaps the simplest possible form of a card trick done by sleight of-hand. Holding the deck in the left hand, after having observed the bottom card, with the fingers of the right hand over the top end of the cards, you draw the cards back a little one by one, descending from the top. At the same time, you invite the spectators to halt you at any preferred card. When the choice is made known, you draw back this card, together with all the cards above it, and hold out this portion of the pack with the face of the bottom card toward the company, and you name the card.

The spectators believe that the card thus shown them is that on which the choice fell. As a matter of fact, they are deceived by your sleight-of-hand. For, as you draw off the cards and separate them from the lower part of the deck, you draw off also by means of the thumb of your right hand, which presses against it, the bottom card. As you lift the cards up, the thumb holds this card from the bottom tightly against the indicated card, and it thus becomes the one displayed to the spectators instead of the card really selected. Since you have been at pains to notice the bottom card before beginning the trick, you now have no difficulty in naming it.

In doing this trick, it is advisable always after observing the bottom card to give the pack a false shuffle, and then proceed to the trick without any apparent attention to the arrangement of the cards.

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The False Shuffle

November 22, 2009

Often in performing a trick, it is necessary to shuffle the cards with apparent thoroughness, while yet preserving unchanged a certain order in which they have been placed. Thus, it may be desired to maintain the position of a particular card on the bottom of the pack; or on the top; or at some point [...]

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Forcing a Card

November 20, 2009

Forcing a card is one of the constant requirements in the performance of card tricks. To a great extent, the precise details must vary according to the individual performer and the particular circumstances in each case. It would be quite impossible to cover all these, but the underlying principle is very simple, and, once it [...]

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Shifting the Cut

November 18, 2009

The shifting of a cut is of vital importance for the accomplishment of innumerable tricks. Whenever any of the cards are arranged in a certain position, it is necessary to maintain them in their order, but, at the same time, it is also necessary, in order to deceive the spectators as to this fact of [...]

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The Permanent Card

November 16, 2009

The following is a remarkably effective way of concluding a trick when it is desirable to display in an astonishing manner a card selected by one of the company. Thus, it might be used in connection with the foregoing trick.
Instead of giving the two parts of the prepared deck to two persons, you should [...]

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Discovery of Two

November 14, 2009

This trick was invented by the author, and has been frequently used by him during many years, without the method of it ever having been detected by the observers. At the present time, it is employed often by professional magicians. In spite of its effectiveness, it is exceedingly simple, and for that reason is included [...]

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Discovery of Four

November 12, 2009

In this one trick, four cards selected by four different persons are readily discovered by the performer, in the following manner:
Four cards are given to a member of the company, a second four to another person, and a third and fourth four to two others. You direct each of those holding these cards to choose [...]

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The Assembly

November 10, 2009

Place the sixteen court cards and aces together anywhere in the pack. Then, offer the pack to be cut, with the purpose of separating this assembly of the high cards. You must take care, however, that only a simple or whist cut is used: the pack must not be shuffled. Any, number of persons may [...]

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The Royal Court

November 8, 2009

This is a trick that depends entirely on the arrangement of the cards.
Take the twelve face cards, that is, the king, queen and knave of each suit. Distribute these on the table face upward in three rows of four for each row. In doing so, you must take care to see that all four suits [...]

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