NUMBER TRANSPOSITION

By Ed Marlo

Here is an effect that the author gave me from his wonderful book called "Deck Deception", and I promise you when you present one of Eddie's effects you really have something.

A very old effect is one in which a card is displaced from one to another number. There have been several methods of accomplishing this effect. One is a mathematical angle, another was to face the pack, and still another depended on a sleight. The method in this trick is so simple it is a wonder no one ever thought of it before.

Briefly the effect is that one person thinks of a number between one and twenty-five. He counts down to that number in a pack of cards, notes and remembers the card at that number. A second person is asked to name any number between one and twenty-five.

The performer states he will transpose the selected card from the number the first person "thought of" to the number selected by the second person.

Secret: Performer succeeds in doing this by placing the deck behind his back or — a much preferable method — under the table. You do not know the first person's number. However, the second person names his. Let us say he named ten. All you do is transfer that many cards from the bottom of deck to the top. The effect will now work automatically.

Ask the first person to name number he thought of. Let us say he said five. All you do is count off five cards on to the table. Turn over the fifth card and show it is not the selected Leave this card face up on the table. Drop the pack on top of the four cards counted off. Ask again the second person's number as if you had forgotten it. Start the count at one, and when you reach the tenth card — or whatever number spectator selected — turn over this card ai that number and it will be the chosen card.

Note: In the above you will note several deviations from the old methods of handling. In one method the spectator had a choice of numbers from one to fifteen while the second per- son had a choice of numbers from fifteen to thirty. In the author's method both spectators have the same range of numbers to choose from.

Also, in counting down the second number we start counting at number one, whereas the old method started the count at the last number of first person's choice. Another advantage is that the cards counted off in the first number need not be replaced on top of the deck. Finally, the effect can work from a high to a low number as well as from a low number to a high number. 

DE LUXE SPELLING TRICK 

This effect may be old to some of you, but I think it will find favor among most of my readers.

Effect: Spectator is asked to think of any number of cards from one to ten. Let us say the spectator decides on eight. He then places that many cards (8 cards) in a pile on the table. He is asked to shuffle the remaining cards again and make another pile of the same number of cards as the first — which was eight.

Now the spectator may reshuffle the cards again and re- move a card from the remaining deck. He notes this card and places it back on the top of the deck. Then he is asked to select either one of his eight-card piles and shuffle same and place on top of the selected card on the deck. Performer then asks spectator to give some name or sentence which performer spells out: such as, "John Brown choose this card" or "This is your selected card" or any group of words he may select.

Now pick up the other eight card pile and go through this same spelling again and turn over the card representing last letter which will be the selected card.

Secret: You must have a name or series of words that total more letters than the number of cards in spectator's pile — in this instance eight letters. Now when you get the name, or the sentence, you are to put the cards in back of you or hold under the table out of sight of spectator and spell the name, or sentence. This reverses the cards in their order from the top of the deck.

This done bring the cards into view again, and add the other eight cards to your deck by placing them on top of deck. Ask that the name or sentence be repeated, and again spell cards one letter at a time. The last letter of the name, or sentence will be the selected card. A false shuffle will help a lot but is not necessary.

IMPROVED JACK-JACK-JACK 

In my last three books I have used this trick, but do not care for the idea of scooping up your cards, when this is unnecessary. Then again, I find the trick exposed by dealing out two red Jacks at one time and two black Jacks the next time. This can be avoided.

Effect: Place three Jacks on top of the deck. Then an indifferent card and the other Jack. For instance, start off with Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Spades, Jack of Hearts, the indifferent card and Jack of Clubs.

Then make some remark about someone showing you this trick and it dawned on you that he was dealing a second card; that you liked the trick so well you practiced hours on it and then you have just arrived at the perfect point.

Ask Spectator what he thinks of it and demonstrate the effect for him. You deal one card to spectator (Jack of Diamonds) then one to yourself (Jack of Spades) and another to Spectator (Jack of Hearts) and one to yourself (the indifferent card), then one to Spectator (Jack of Clubs.

Here is where the trick changes from the old pattern. You pick up your two cards and place them on top of the deck (not bothering to deal yourself a third card) .

You will find you have, when the cards are turned face up on the table, one black Jack on the bottom of the heap and two red Jacks on top of the heap, providing you are using the Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Spades and Jack of Hearts.

Pick up one of the red Jacks and scoop up the three Jacks remaining, which gives you a red Jack on top, black Jack in the middle and another red Jack.

Just keep this routine and you will always have two red Jacks and one black Jack in Spectator's hand. This makes the trick almost fool proof and it can be repeated a great many times. 

AN OLD TRICK IN A NEW DRESS

By Eric Peterson

Have a borrowed deck thoroughly shuffled, then have ten persons or less, each select two cards (each person to re- member his chosen cards, or better still, have each person write names of his selected cards on a piece of paper, so he won't forget). Now gather cards, or have an assistant gather them, being sure to keep them in pairs. Cards need not be gathered in order taken but must be kept in pairs originally selected. Always use 20 cards even if less than ten persons select them.

After cards are returned to performer, hold face down in left hand and lay them down on table as instructed below: First row — take top card and place face up in position 1 as shown above, now take 2nd card from top and place in position 2, 3rd card from top in position 3, 4th card in position 4, 1st in position 5. Second row —2nd card at 6, 3rd card at 7, 4th card at 8, 3rd card at 9, 4th card at 10. Third row — 5th card at 11, 1st card at 12, 4th card at 13, 4th at 14, 3rd at 15. Fourth row— 4th card at 16, 1st at 17, 3rd at 18, 2nd at 19 and 1st 20.

Now ask each person which row or rows their cards appear in (reading horizontally) and identify them by letters as shown above, each pair appearing on letters to match. For example; if one persons cards both appear in first row, the cards would be the 1st and 5th represented by the letter "N", if another person would say his cards appear in first and last row the cards would be the 4th in the first row and 2nd in last row represented by letter "E" etc. You will notice there are only two letters of each in the words "NAMEN, MUTUS, KAKIS and DEDIT" shown above and selected cards are al- ways located by these letters. You will find this effect well worth the short time it will take to master it.

Example: Lay cards down on table as instructed and ask person what row or rows his cards are in, and if he says they are both in the first row you know they must be in position "1" and position "5", represented by letter "N"; if another person says his cards are in the second and fourth rows, you know they are in position "8" and position "20", represented by letter "T", etc. 

WHILE I TURN MY BACK

By Paul Rosini

This is the trick that was shown to me twenty years ago by Paul Rosini. It has been one of the many jewels in card work and brings forth many requests to "do that again!". I remember when doing it for my friend the late Bill Hilliard, he liked it so well he offered to buy the effect from me. I also showed it to my friends Gene Bernstein and Jimmy Thompson at the latter's home. They made me do it over again to make sure it was as I represented it to be. It fooled Gene and Jimmy and when a trick will do that it is some trick, since they know their pasteboards. Hilliard later used this trick.

Effect: The deck is shuffled by spectator. Spectator is now asked to think of any number and count down in the deck to that number and remember the card in that position. Performer turns his back or leaves the room while this is being done. When spectator has located a card at a certain number down in the deck, he squares the deck up and calls the performer. The performer now removes a card from the deck saying "you might not believe it but I think this is your card".With that performer tells spectator to deal the cards out one at a time face up on the table in neat pile and should his card be there not to stop dealing but go right on past it. When he has passed the card or gone through the deck he is to again shuffle the deck and square same up and call performer. Now the performer picks up the deck, scans same and lays a card on the table, which is the chosen card.

Secret: The removing of the card which the performer does is for the purpose of having the spectator go through the cards for the second time. In explaining how you want the cards dealt face up on the table, turn the first card face up on the table and then, as if you had made a mistake, say "Oh! I didn't mean to do that" and put the card back on top of deck and cut the cards completing the cut (the author usually cuts down about two-thirds of deck, so as he will put about fifteen or twenty cards on the exposed top card of deck) . Let us say the exposed card is the King of Clubs. Now performer walks away or leaves room or looks out of window. He estimates the approximate time it takes spectator to deal the added cards on top of your key card (King of Clubs) onto table. When he senses the number of cards are about dealt on the key card, he asks "Have you come to your card yet"? "No". "Then go on dealing". As spectator begins to deal again, he asks suddenly, "What was the number you thought of?" Suppose the answer is "ten". He says, "Go on dealing, see if your card is in the deck". He now watches for the key card and when he sees it fall, he counts until the tenth card is turned up. Suppose it is the Ace of Spades, then he turns away, directing the spectator to keep on dealing. When the deal is finished, he says, "Is your card still in the pack?" "Yes". That's funny, I thought I had your card here in my pocket. Please shuffle the cards again.

Performer now takes the deck and reveals the name of card as dramatically as possible. Reversing it or laying it on table. This trick can be mastered in a very short time and should be your masterpiece.

TRIPLE DIVINATION

By Clarke C. Crandall

The top 24 cards are pre-arranged. I put this first in case you shun this type of trick. If so, you can stop reading now and pass on to the next effect. However, should you care to exert a little time and a small amount of mental effort towards an effect that is more than just a puzzle, you'll do well to read further. Now for the effects. I give three, but any one may be given separately. I use all three as a very effective routine.

Effect No. 1: The spectator is given a deck of cards and asked to deal four hands of six cards each, face down, on the table. The magicians back is turned. This done, he is asked to pick up any of the four hands, mentally select any card of the six and lay the hand back in place. The magician asks him to pick up the first pile of cards. He is asked if he sees any card of the same value as his noted card. He is to answer only "yes" or "no". He continues thru the four hands. The magician now turns, touches one card, draws it out apart from the rest and asks "What was your mentally selected card?" When the spectator answers, the magician turns over the card. It is the spectator's card.

Effect No. 2: The magician picks up the cards, places them on the balance of the deck and deals, left to right, six piles of four cards each and places the balance of the deck beside the sixth pile. Turning his back he asks the spectator to peek at any card in any of the six piles or look at one in the balance of the deck if he wishes. This done the magician picks up the cards and deals four hands, left to right, of six cards each. He asks the same two questions as in Effect No. 1 and when all four hands are glanced thru the magician picks up all the cards, together with the balance of the deck and draws a card partly from the deck. Holding it, the back towards the spectator, he asks him to name his peeked at card. The magician turns the deck around. The protruding card is the spectator's card.

Effect No. 3: The magician gathers up all the cards and now asks the spectator to think of any card at all. He may change his mind as often as he likes, but decide on one card and remember it. The magician takes off six cards, fans them before the spectator and asks the "value" and "suit" questions as before. He does this with three more sets of six cards. The magician is now able to concentrate (?) and announce the "thought of card" as dramatically as he is able.

Now the method and explanation. The cards are ar- ranged, face up, one on the other, as follows:

JS - IOC - 5H - KS - 7H - JD - KC - 9H - 3D - 7S - 7D - 8C
5D - 2C - 4C - 10S - 9S - 6D - 6H - JH - KH - 3S - QD - QC.

If you can false shuffle and false cut so much the better. It adds to the effect, but it is not necessary to the success of the trick.

Placing the above group of cards face down on the balance of the deck, four hands are dealt, left to right. The cards in the first hand are as follows:

KH - 9S - 5D - 3D - 7H - JS

—This group has a value of 1 and no CLUBS

Second Hand:

3S - 6D - 2C - 7S - JD - IOC

—This group has a value of 2 and no HEARTS

Third Hand:

QD - 6H - 4C - 7D - KC - 5H

—This group has a value of 4 and no SPADES

Fourth Hand:

QC - JH - 10S - 8C - 9H - KS

—This group has a value of 8 and no DIAMONDS

Each time the spectator says he sees a card of the same value of his selected card, mentally note and add the value of that hand. Thus if the answer is "yes" on the first two hands and "no" on the third and fourth hands the card is a "three". If he should answer "yes" on the first, third and fourth hands the card is a king, as that is the thirteenth card. If the answer is no on all four hands the card is an ace as there are no aces among the twenty-four cards.

When the spectator says "No, I do not see the suit of my card, mentally note the number of that hand. If it is the first hand the card is a Club, the second a Heart, the third a Spade and the fourth a Diamond. All that needs to be memorized is CHSD (chased) 1-2-4-8.

Now to explain the effects. In Effect No. 1 the cards are dealt and the magician proceeds according to instruction, but he has a small card in his vest or watch pocket with the cards of the four hands written on it as shown above. When he knows the card he glances at the card list and now knows the place in the hand of the selected card and can touch the very card looked at. This is quite effective.

To prepare for Effect No. 2, the cards are picked up right to left, the fourth hand on the third, those two on the second and all three on the first. The cards are now dealt into six piles. These cards are picked up left to right, the first on the second, etc. and dealt as in Effect No. 1. The cards are glanced thru by the spectator and picked up by the magician again left to right and are now in order for Effect No. 3. Any of the three effects are very striking when properly presented.

CARDS AND PELLETS

By Stewart Judah

Some years ago I introduced a pellet trick before the Cincinnati magicians, when George Stock was their President. Years later my good friend Stewart Judah recalled the trick and asked me how I liked his pellet trick, which he worked for me. I thought it one of the best tricks I ever watched. He later published it in his book called "Subtle Problems You Will Do" (which, by the way, is a very wonderful book).

I am offering you the effect as Stewart Judah published it with just a slight change from the way he published it.

The deck is passed out to some spectator and asked to be shuffled. He is then to select a card which he is asked to re- member. He retains this card until called for.

Now seven other people, or any person, select seven more cards and lay them face up, on the table with spectator's card. Performer then takes a small pad, or eight pieces of paper and a pencil, pen or crayon. The names of the eight cards on the table are now called off in order from left to right, performer writing the name or initials of each card called upon a separate slip or piece of paper, placing said slip of paper face down on the table. Performer explains what he is doing by showing what he is writing — using large letters. For example, the first card is the "Seven of Hearts". On the paper the performer writes "7 of H" in large letters, and places it face down on the table.

After you have completed writing the eight cards on the slips of paper, put the slips aside, or under some article close by which will keep them in the rotation in which they were called.

Then ask the spectator to gather the cards, remove his card and place the same in his coat pocket, or, as Mr. Judah does, use an envelope, sealing the card in same. You now return to your eight slips of paper, deal them face down into two heaps, a piece of paper at a time, dealing from left to right. Spectator is to choose either heap — performer explaining that the heap he chooses will be destroyed. If, for instance, he points to the left hand heap, performer destroys that heap. Deal the remaining slips into two piles left to right and again destroy the left hand heap. Performer finally has only two slips left, one is placed at his left and the other at his right. The left hand slip is destroyed, and the slip remaining at his right carries the initials of the card, which card the spectator has in his pocket, or in the envelope!

Secret: The shuffling, dealing and writing of cards initials is all fair — except one little deviation into chicanery. The key card to your trick is the third card in the row of eight cards laid down — the third card is the card the spectator will later put in his pocket, or in the envelope.

When writing the initials of cards on the slips of paper, do so boldly, showing the slips as the spectator or spectators call the cards off one at a time. Show the first five slips slowly, but when you write the sixth card's initials, just neglect to show that slip to the spectators, since on the sixth slip you do not write the initials of the card the spectator is calling, but write instead the initials of your "force card", being the third card laid down. The last two slips, seventh and eighth, can be shown honestly, as the first five were. After writing the slip place it on the table, or under a pad. The next slip goes under the slip just placed on the table. When you have finished writing all the slips, they are in the same order as the cards in the row on the table, except that the third and sixth slips carry the same initial.

In performing this trick, all one is obliged to watch for is the card you are using for your "Force Card". I usually do this by asking for each card and placing the same on the table myself until the third card is laid down, after which it makes little difference as to procedure.

"REVERSO"

Contributed (but not invented) by "Dorny"

This alleged miracle is performed with an ordinary deck of cards. No sleight of hand is necessary either. Just a lot of assurance, a bit of misdirection and a good line of conversation.

We start at the beginning. A deck is thrust upon the unsuspecting victim with the very original request of "TAKE A CARD." After the card has been snatched, ask spectator, or reasonable facsimile thereof, to look at it and remember it. Now with your best smile ask him to replace the card into the deck. Performer then steps a few feet away from the audience (so he will be close to an exit) and starts taking the cards off the top of the deck, dropping them one at a time upon the floor. All the cards fall BACK UP except the selected card which "Mirable Dictu" falls FACE UP. Allowing enough time for applause to subside you "carry on" with your next effect.

Secret: Just before you slide into this "brain buster," you reverse the bottom card of the deck. Fan the cards before the spectator, asking him to remove and remember one of them. While this is being done, you surreptitiously turn the deck over in your hand. The bottom (reversed card) is now on top.) Ask spectator to replace card into the deck. Do not fan the deck. Hold it at the end and let the card be inserted in that manner. As you step back to perform the trick, you again reverse the deck. Now take the first card between the thumb and index finger, so that you are holding the card exactly in the middle. Releasing the thumb and finger at the same time, the card will fall gracefully to the floor, face down. With practice, this can be done very fast. Keep on dropping the cards in this manner almost all the way thru the deck, or perhaps a few cards after the selected card falls FACE UP on account of being reversed in the deck. It is a peculiar piece of psychology that the audience keep their eyes on the floor as the cards fall and the effect appears that the card mysteriously reverses itself while falling. This is really a swell trick and is well worth the practice required.

DUCY-DUCY

By Dai Vernon

Here is a trick that uses a sleight, but not a hard one to master. It is an effect that is well worth putting a small amount of time in to master it.

Effect: Two deuces are placed face up on the table (either pair, red or black, it makes no difference). Have the deck shuffled and a card selected by the spectator, noted, and placed face downward on the table. Place the selected card between the two face up deuces and call attention to the fact you do not know the spectator's card placed between the two face-up deuces on the table, but that you do want the spectator to remember the card you are going to select. Take the deck, lift off the two top cards as one an call attention to it, say 'eight of spades'. (If you don't like the idea of the double lift, then use a duplicate of 'eight of spades' and just lay same face up on the table) . You proceed by stating "I am going to place this eight of spades in my pocket" and proceed to do so, showing same after it is placed in the pocket. Pick up the packet of cards containing the two face-up deuces and spectator's selected card between, place same on top of the deck.

Spread the cards to show the deuces face up, while the selected card is still between them, face down. In closing-up the fan of cards, get the little finger under the fourth card. This is the eight of spades which the spectator thinks is in your pocket.

Lift off all four cards, giving the impression you are only re- moving three — the two deuces and the spectator's selected card and to convince them, call attention to the first face-up deuce, turn it face down, and place on the bottom of your four card packet. The next card (spectator's card) is transferred to the bottom as it is, face down and the remaining deuce is then turned face down and place on the bottom of the four card packet.

You now repeat what has been done by calling attention thereto without showing the cards, as you do you say "a deuce, your card and a deuce". This last move accomplished another purpose. It placed the eight of spades where you want it. Place the packet back on top of the deck, turn the top card of the deck face up and it will be a deuce. Deal the second card as it is, face down, and place on top of face up deuce. Now turn over the third card, it will be a deuce, and place this on top of the face down card. You now have two deuces face up and one card face down between them. To the spectator everything is as it was at the beginning of the trick. However, the selected card is now on top of the deck and the eight of spades is between the deuces. You say to 'the spectator, "do you re- member the card you saw me place in my pocket?" and when he answers "yes, the eight of spades"" you ask "now would you mind telling me the name of your card" and he replies "king of hearts" (or whatever his card might be). You then say, that is funny — you were not paying attention, please turn over the card between the deuces" and while he is turning over the card (which is the eight of spades) just palm off the top card of the deck (the king of hearts) and put your hand in your pocket, bring it back out with the spectator's selected card and lay it on the table, face up. 28 Suggestion: If you are going to make a double lift, on top your deck have a seven spot as top card and the eight spot as second from the top. When you show spectator the card in your pocket just show him half of it — the five pips and let your thumb cover the index. Done quickly it will convince the spectator that it really is the eight spot. Should you use a duplicate eight spot, it adds just a bit more to the trick and a sleight is avoided. I think the latter method is most effective. Should you desire you can show pocket empty at conclusion of trick by placing your eight spot in the upper part of trouser pocket and pulling out the lower part of pocket.

NUMBER TRICK

This trick can be performed anywhere, on stage, on night club floor or at a close up party for a few. It can really be made to look like a wonderful trick.

Effect: Performer asks that deck be well shuffled and passes same to some spectator. Performer now asks for a paper and pencil, or produces same from his pocket, and requests the spectator to think of a number between "one and ten" and to look at the card in that position in the deck.

Performer now re- quests a second spectator to assist in this effect. The second spectator is asked to think of a number between "ten and twenty" and remember the card at the location he thought of in the deck.

Performer passes two pieces of paper to spectators and requests spectators to write the names of the card located at the number thought of.

For instance, the first spectator thought of the number 6 and his card was the ten of spades.

The second spectator thought of number 14 and his card was King of Hearts. Thus, we have the 6th card down in the deck the ten of spades and the 14th card down the King of Hearts. Spectators are requested to fold up their paper and lay same on the table.

Performer then asks the first spectator to remove the 6th card down in the deck and place that card beside the paper he has just written on.

The second spectator is requested to count down to his selected number, starting from where the first spectator left off.

That is, the first spectator stopped at the 6th card, the second spectator starts counting on the 7th and when he arrives at 14 should lay that card beside his paper with 29 the name of the card written thereon.

Performer then asks spectators to read what they have written on their paper, and finds the names on the paper are different than the cards placed on the table.

Performer then remarks "How could they be on the table" and produces same from pocket, or flips the deck on to the table, holding the two selected cards at his finger tips.

Secret: While the spectators are writing the names of their cards on the paper, just remove the bottom card and place same on top of the deck. Spectator's cards are now 7th and 15th cards down in the deck.

The next move is very important. Count off or have spectator count off five cards and place them in a pile on the table. The 6th card is laid beside his paper. The deck is placed on top of the 5 card pile on the table and handed to the second spectator for his count.

The first card he lays on the table is the first spectator's selected card, and six more cards are placed on top of that card, while the 8th card is place beside the second spectator's paper.

The deck is placed on top of the 7 card pile, which now puts the first spectator's card on bottom of deck and the second spectator's card on top of deck.

By holding the deck between the thumb and fore finger, the two top cards will stick to your fingers and you can throw the remainder of the deck on the table, or, if you can palm them, present them from the pocket. Try this one and be surprised at the effect it has on your audience.