30 TOP RATE CLOSE UP ROUTINES AND IDEAS

FROM ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST CREATIVE CLOSE UP ENTERTAINERS

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THE BEST OF THE LOW DOWN ON CLOSE UP, CLOSE UP ENCOUNTERS

THE MAGIC OF CLOSE UP and THE DECEPTIVE DECK

IN ONE REVISED AND UPDATED VOLUME!

 Contents
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p2
FOREWORD.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p3
PRIVATE EYE .p5
PAPER MONEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p8
COUNTDOWNPREDICTI ON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . plO
CARDS AND COINS pI2
THE SENSITIVE QUEEN pI6
THE MAGIC RING .pI7
. THE BLANKETY-BLANK PACK pI9
LOOP IT p22
THE INVISIBLE DECK ROUTINE .p24
THE WRISTWATCH COIN VANISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p28
THE MAGIC SQUARE PREDICTION p29
IT PAYS TO BE A LADY p31
FLICK BOOK .p35
POOLS WINNER p3 7
A KEY ROUTINE p38
THE FASTEST FOUR ACE TRICK IN THE WORLD p41
THE THOUGHTINDICATOR CARDS p44
COIN VANISHER .p47
NO PALM CARD TO POCKET p49
THE MELTING COIN p50
THE BIONIC CARD .p52
NEW ACES THROUGHNEWSPAPER p55
THE SLAP COIN VANISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p59
TRANSPO CARD p61
DEVI L 'S ISLAND p65
THE DETECTIVE COIN .p67
TRANSPARENT SWITCH .p70
THE HOMING COIN p74
THE RIGHT WRONGPREDICTION p77
CONFUSING CHIPS p81

- 1 -
 Introduction
I first began giving close up lectures in 1977 with the appearance of THE LOW
DOWNON CLOSE UP. Between that date and 1982 I produced a total of four different
lectures, three being on general close up (CLOSE UP ENCOUNTERSand THE MAGIC OF
CLOSE being the other two) and one being a shorter lecture devoted to card magic
entitled THE DECEPTIVE DECK. The one thing they all had in common was that all the
material presented was practical and required few if any specialised props.

I have always tried to make my close up entertaining and as easy to do as

possible. Al though I am not averse to some sleight of hand, it is never used just
for the sake of it, as I am less interested in trying to impress people wi th my
skill than I am with trying to amuse and entertain them.

This book combines in one volume much of the material presented in those four
lectures. All the effects have been either revised, up-dated or in some cases,
changed entirely in order to reflect the methods and presentation which I now
prefer. Most of the effects themselves appeared in the original lecture books, but
eight of the items which were in the lectures but not in the books are appearing in
print here for the first time.

On the same line as each trick title you will see some letters in brackets.
These letters are a code to tell you in which lecture the item originally appeared.
So (LD) = Low Down On Close Up, (CUE) = Close Up Encounters, (MCU) = Magic Of Close
Up and (DD) = the Deceptive Deck. If there is an * after the letters, it means that
this item was not in the original lecture book.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this selection and that if you have not seen the
material before that it wi 11 provide inspiration and practical effects which you
will use. Those who had the original books will I am sure find the up-dated versions
of interest and will hopefully like the extra material from the lectures which were
not originally included.

MARK LEVERIDGE

THE MARK LEVERIDGE LECTURE EXPERIENCE

is copyrightto MARK LEVERIDGEMAGIC, Exeter, Devon from January 1990. No part of

this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without permission of MARK LEVERIDGE MAGIC.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my friend CHRIS PAYNE whose help, encouragement and
knowledge helped to get me started and who sti 11 continues to provide me with
invaluable enthusiasm and assistance in all aspects of my magic business.

- 2 -
 Foreword
Having seen Mark Leveridge lecture and perform most of the effects described
in the following pages, it is a pleasure to write this Foreword to some really
entertaining and practical close up magic.

There are those who say that there is nothing new in magic, that everything is
merely a variation on that which has gone before. Well, to a certain extent this is
true, but there are al so those who, being blessed wi th a mind that can think
differently, constantly strive to produce new effects and methods, and Mark is one
of these. I would think his main strength is his ability to achieve a directness of
method, using subtleties rather than sleights whenever possible, so that every
attention can be given to presentation. There are sleights, of course, but never for
their own sake. A good example of this is in the "Private Eye" routine, in which a
card must appear reversed. The problem is overcome not by finding yet another way of
reversing a card, but by a far more subtle approach.

You will not find in this book the umpteenth variation of the "Grimble Slip",
whatever that may be!! What you will find are thoroughly practical moves that have
been tried and tested in working conditions, and only retained when they have passed
that test.

In April 1989 Mark presented the first ever British Close Up Magic Symposium.
I was privileged to be present and felt that the large attendance on that day was a
measure of the esteem in which Mark is held by the close up fraternity. He loves his
subject and it shows.

I am sure that this collection of practical effects will prove a most useful
source of material for the working performer, and hope that a further collection
will follow.

BOB OSTIN, LIVERPOOL

January 1990.

- 3 -
 PRIVATE EYE (LD*)

EFFECT:- A card is selected and returned to the deck which is shuffled. The
performer then introduces his own personal Private Eye. This turns out to be a
picture of an eye which is inside a transparent plastic key fob. The Private Eye is
going to look at the cards and reveal to the performer which one has been chosen.
The deck is fanned and the Private Eye looks along the cards. Unfortunately he is a
bit short sighted (!) and so has to have the aid of a magnifying glass in order to
see the cards properly! After a few moments he reveals to the performer the name of
the selection. Not only that, but when the deck is spread again, the selection has
turned face up...plus, the Private Eye itself is turned over to reveal now inside
the perspex fob a miniature duplicate of the selected card.

COMMENTS:-This is quite an unusual little effect which was in The Low Down On Close
Up lecture but which I did not include in the original notes. There is quite a lot
of potential for gags and puns here, but I will spare you the ones I use since they
are hardly very original and you probably know a few 'eye' jokes yourself already!

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Your main requirement here is a set of two small transparent key
fobs. (NOTE:- See section 16 below). The ones I have are shown in Fig.l.

These are usually supplied with car keys.

They normally have the car manufacturer's
t;G.\ logo inside. You will need to remove the
car logo from both the fobs and also
remove the key rings themselves so that
you are just left with the transparent
fobs.

2. You will need 2 pieces of square white card which can be fitted inside the fobs.

3. If you look through some magazines you will be able to find some pictures of
eyes! You need to find two identical eyes which you can cut out and which will fit
inside the particular fobs you are using.

4. A miniature card. These are the sort you sometimes get in Christmas crackers or
you can usually buy them in toy shops.

5. A pack of cards.

6. One duplicate card to match the miniature card you are using. Let's assume the 6D
is being used as the miniature card. Get an extra 6D from a deck which matches the
pack you are going to use in the trick.

7. A pocket magnifying glass.

8. Some paper glue.

SET-UP:- Stick an eye onto each of the pieces of card, attaching the miniature card
to the back of one of them. Insert the cards into the fobs and then replace the snap
in piece of plastic to seal the cards on the inside. The fobs should look identical
except that one has a miniature card on its rear, the other does not.

Put the fob with the card on its rear into your right jacket pocket, and then
slip the magnifying glass into your left jacket pocket.

- 5 -
 To set up the deck all you need to do is put the 60 on the top and then slip
the extra 6D FACE UP about three cards up from the bottom of the face down deck.
Have the deck and the fob with just the eye in it to hand.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Bring out the deck and remove it from the box being careful not to
flash the face up 60 as you do so. You can fan the deck face up to show the cards as
long as you keep the bottom few together.

2. Square the deck and hold it face down in the left hand. Cut the deck keeping a
left little finger break in the centre after you have completed the cut.

3. Riffle force the card immediately below the finger break (the original top card,
the 60). If you are not familiar with this force here is a brief description.

4. With the deck held in the left hand and the break maintained by the left little
finger in the centre, raise the face of the pack towards the spectators and with the
right hand riffle from front to back along the top short edges of the cards.

5. Ask a spectator to call 'stop'. When he does so, you hold the pack open with the
right fingers at the selected spot, then lower both hands to a horizontal position,
at the same time cutting the deck, NOT at the chosen spot, but actually at the
break. Complete the cut and push off the top card.

6. Get the spectator to look at and remember his chosen card, the 60. Spread the
deck between the hands and have him insert his card anywhere he likes back in the
deck. Shuffle keeping the bottom few cards in place. This will retain the face up 60
in position and unseen.

7. Bring out your Private Eye and freely display it, making sure that the rear is
seen to be blank. Pick up the deck and fan it face down, again keeping the bottom
few cards together.

8. Pick up the Private Eye and run it along the underside of the fan as if you are
trying to give him a view of all the cards. Bring him out and hold him up to your
ear as if you expect him to whisper the name of the selected card (I told you this
is an unusual trick!).

9. However, a problem has arisen. Unfortunately your Private Eye has eye trouble(!)
and needs glasses (or in this case 'glass', as he only has one eye!) to see the
cards properly.

10. Square the deck and place it down. Your two hands go to their respective pockets
simultaneously, the Private Eye sti 11 being retained in the right hand. The left
hand emerges first displaying the magnifying glass and attention is turned to this
as the right hand comes out having left the original Private Eye behind and bringing
out the other one with the card inside.

11. Place the magnifying glass and Private Eye down for a moment. Fan the deck again
and then place the magnifying glass on top of the eye and lift both in the right
hand. Run them around the underside of the fan.

12. Place the eye and glass down and then square the deck, casually cutting it in
the process. This sends the face up 60 to the centre of the pack.

13. The Private Eye now apparently whispers to you the name of the selected card and
you reveal that he says the spectator chose the 60. That is the first surprise to
the audience!

- 6 -
14. Then you explain that in order to prove that he really did know which one it
was, the Private Eye has done something to the selection. Ribbon spread the deck
face down to reveal the 6D now face up in the deck!

15. Finally, just in case there are those who doubt all this, the Private Eye has
made a prediction - and you turn him over to reveal the miniature 6D sealed inside
the fob along with the eye.

16. If you wish to dispense with the switching of the eye I see no reason why the
whole thing could not just be done with one fob already set with the card inside. At
the start of the trick, simply do not show the other side of the fob! This would
also mean you did not have to make two eye fobs!

- 7 -
 PAPER MONEY (CUE)

EFFECT:- A blank piece of paper is freely shown, folded and when unfolded instantly
changes into a bank note which can be examined or spent (if anyone will take it off
you!).

COMMENTS:- This quick item is really excellent for carrying around in your wallet so
that you are ready to make money at any time. After all, one of the things lay
people often ask when they discover you are a magician is "can you make money?".
Well, now you can. This effect has been copied a couple of times by others who have
marketed their Iimprovements
'. But this original versionscores in that it is
magical rather than just a paper folding novelty and the money produced at the
finish can be examined.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. A new flat bank note of the largest denomination you can afford!

2. A piece of white opaque paper cut to exactly the same size as the bank note.

3. A small piece of Blu Tack.

SET-UP:-
~ -
Lay the bank note on the table. Fold as shown in Fig.l.

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a.. h c et \5 cU:. t:\Je..~?

Fold the piece of paper in exactly the same way. When Fig .ld is reached,
attach two very small pieces of Blu Tack to the paper edges. Fig.2.

IFolded F~t Folded po.~r

~ 1\\",T~"
~I ~ ~KC)o~

L J hG.~ ~ "\0 F\Er.3

Turn the folded bank note over, top to bottom, so that the creased edge is at
the top. Lay it carefully onto the folded paper and press the Blu Tack to hold them
together. Fig.3.

Open out the piece of paper and the bank note will be folded and attached to
the right hand square at one end of the paper.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Hold the unfolded paper

in the right hand, the thumb on top,
~\G. 4- fingers underneath covering the folded
bank note. Fig.4. Casually show it back
and front.

2. With the left hand, fold the paper in

half towards you along the centre crease.
Then the left hand grips the left side of
the paper while the fingers fold the paper
~'v<. C)o(:;e. in half again.
h \ c~e..<l\.IS\&t-()~
- 8 -
3. At the same time as the paper is folded
by the right hand, the paper is twisted 90

~
degrees to the right. Fig.5. f<IS~1::.~QJ\d
(tet()O\JW ~t'

4. The right hand grips the rear right . c\o.t\~) ~\t\s

side of the paper and the left fingers ~t \f\ ~l~
~ CAt)clt\.lt\'\5 'It.
fold the front portion back onto the rear
half. All folds have been made along the Q(1' to ~t \"\jt
existing creases, so the paper should fold FIG.S
easily and in the correct direction.

5. Withthe paper held in the right fingers, the left hand turns palm down and
passes across the folded paper, obscuring it and the right finger tips momentarily
from view.

6. Simultaneously, the right fingers turn the whole packet over end for end, so that
as soon as the left hand moves aside part of the folded bank note will be on top and
in view.

7. Immediately, the left hand folds the top half of the note forwards and continues
to unfold the note to the left until the complete note is on view. The right hand is
holding the bank note and covering the paper at the rear.

8. As the left hand pulls the note away, the right fingers secretly pull the paper
off the note, thus leaving it in a condition to be examined or spent.

- 9 -
 COUNTDOWN PREDICTION (DD)

EFFECT:- A deck is shuffled and a spectator gives any number from la - 20. The
selected number of cards are counted off the deck. The remaining cards are shown to
be well mixed and placed aside. By eliminating cards one at a time, one card is
eventually arrived at. The other cards are shown and discarded. The selected card
turns out to be the same as a Jumbo Card which has been on view from the beginning.

COMMENTS:-This effect uses the one-on-the-table-one-underneath (the Australian

shuffle!) principle in such a way that with the correct presentation, a really
baffling trick is produced. Not a showy effect, more of a thinking man I s trick
really!

REQUIREMENTS:-
1. Seven identical cards, say the QD.
2. A matching pack.

3. A Jumbo card of the QD.

SET-UP: - Find the QD from the deck and add it to the other seven QD cards. Now
posi tion the Queens at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, lath, 12th, 14th and 16th positions from
the top of the deck. Discard any other seven cards from the pack to bring it back to
its normal size.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Show the Jumbo Card without revealing its face and place it down
in view. This, you explain, is your prediction.

2. Pick up the deck and turn it face up. Run through the bottom two thirds of the
pack casually showing the faces of the cards. You stress as you do so that there are
millions of possible combinations in which 52 cards can arrange themselves and that
it is therefore impossible to know where any card is at any given time.

3. Square the deck and turn it face down. False shuffle. This can simply be a case
of overhand shuffling the lower half of the deck, making sure that the top 16 cards
are always dropped back on top in order.

4. Ask a spectator to call out any number between la and 20 inclusive. Count that
number of cards from the top of the deck WITHOUTreversing their order.
5. Hand the cards to the spectator to hold face down.

6. Turn the remainder of the deck face up and spread the bottom three quarters of
the pack to show the random mixing of the cards. Emphasise that even a slight
difference in the shuffle would have changed the cards the spectator now holds.
Square the deck and place it aside.

7. So that neither the assisting spectator nor anyone else can possibly know which
card will be chosen, you instruct your helper to place the top card of his pile on
the table, the next under the packet, the next on the table, the next under the
packet and to continue in this way until only one card remains in his hands.

8. The selection completed, pick up the discarded pile, turn it face up and casually
spread the bottom few cards to show indifferent faces. You point out that if a
different number from ten to twenty had been chosen, a different card would have
been left in the spectator's hands at the finish. In fact, this is not true. No
matter which number from ten to twenty inclusive is chosen, if the one on the table
and one underneath sequence is followed through, the card left at the end will
-10-
always be a force card, and furthermore all the other force cards will be collected
at the top of the discarded pile. This means you can always fan the bottom few cards
to show indifferent cards!

9. Square the discarded pile and drop it back on top of the deck. All that now
remains is to build up the effect by stressing the random nature of the selection,
and then turn round the selection and the Jumbo prediction card to show that they
match!

-11-
 CARDSAND COINS (LD)

EFFECT:- Two pieces of white card are freely shown. By using one of these pieces a
copper coin is produced on the performer's hand. Then a silver coin appears between
the two cards. The two coins then magically change places a couple of times, until
finally a bank note suddenly appears under one of the cards.

COMMENTS:-This routine is typical of the way my early thinking worked. Simple

props, a little basic faking and some sleight of hand combined in a nice magical
sequence. Set piece routines such as this provide as much fun in practice as they do
in performance, I always think!
REQUIREMENTS:-1. Two silver coins, I use lap pieces, and one copper coin, I use a
2p.

2. 3 pieces of white card, 7cm x lOcm approximately. These can be made from blank
postcards.

3. A bank note, I use a £5.

SET-UP:- Stick two of the pieces of card together to form a pocket as shown in
Fig.1.
0-\
-------
I I
SS
I I
I I FIG.2
I I
I
: ~
I /---"", I
FIG. \
l'
I \
L- n l
'l
)
_.J
I

lOp
5"~

Cv.\=- Ou.\:. ~t()<Y) ~roC\~

CoN ot)~

You then need to cut a small opening from one of the cards at the unstuck
short end. This is so that you can 'unload' items from the card pocket.

Next, fold the £5 note twice across its width and slip it into the fake card
pocket. Make sure that there is some of the note showing in the cut out section,
otherwise you will not be able to unload it! On top of the note slip one of the lap
coins. Fig.2.

With this card pocket opening upwards, place the unfaked card on top of it.
Have the other lap in your right pocket and classic palm the 2p in your right hand.

PRESENTATION: - 1. Spread the two cards

while holding them in the left hand.
Fig.3. Show the cards back and front by
twisting the left wrist.

2. The right hand then grips the top

unfaked card at the top of the right long
edge, thumb on top, fingers underneath, !., ,
l"
and both hands simultaneously turn their

r;1&3
cards over, the right hand replacing its

-12-
card on top of the left one as before. Make sure that the left fingers keep the
pocket opening in the fake card nearest you. This has apparently shown both sides of
both cards while keeping the pocket opening concealed.

3. Allow the palmed 2p to fall onto the

right fingers, and then take hold of the
top unfaked card at its top short edge,
the fingers going under the card with the
2p secretly held there, and the thumb
being on top. Fig.4.

4. The left hand places the fake card onto

the table.

5. Hold the left hand palm up and flat. With the right hand, stroke the card it
holds back and forth in a sort of "painting brush" motion along the length of the
left palm, releasing the 2p coin onto the left hand on one of the forward movements.
It should appear as if the coin has been painted onto the left hand.

6. Drop the card aside for a moment and display the 2p. Put the coin down on your
mat.

7. The left hand picks up the fake card and the right hand puts the unfaked card on
top of it in the fanned position as at the beginning.

8. The left second finger makes sure that it is resting on the lOp concealed in the
fake card pocket. After a moment or so, the right hand comes over and grips the
LOWER fake card at the front short edge and pulls it away from the left hand. The
left second finger, however, exerts a little pressure on the lOp coin so that it is
automatically dragged out of its pocket where it remains concealed beneath the
unfaked top card.

9. The left hand places its card on top of the fake card, the coin being secretly
introduced between the two.

10. Both cards are held squared by the

left hand. Fig.5.

11. Snap the cards and start to spread

them, allowing the lOp coin to slide out
into view from between the cards and by
tilting the cards to slide onto the table.
Drop the two cards aside, and display the IOpC~d FIG.5
lOp. ~~ !::too~

12. Pick up the lOp and pretend to take it into the left hand. Vanish the coin and
with the coin classic palmed in the right hand, reach into your right pocket and
bring out the second lOp coin.

13. The middle section of the routine now begins. Those who do not wish to be
bothered with some sleight of hand can jump this bit and go onto the finish which
starts at section 28.

14. Position the 2p to the left of your close up mat, the lOp to the right. You
still have the original lOp classic palmed in the right hand.

-13-
15. Allow the palmed lOp to fall onto the incurled right fingers as the hand picks
up the 2p. Pretend to throw the 2p into the left hand, really retaining it in the
right hand and throwing the lap instead. (The Bobo Coin Switch)

16. The closed left hand turns palm down. The 2p is classic palmed in the right
hand. Use the right fingers to pick up the visible lap on the right, backpalming it
as the hand closes. I use the Goshman Pinch, this being the grip which holds the
coin between the third and little fingers.

17. With both hands palm down and closed, you remind the spectators that the 2p is
in the left hand and the lap is in the right. Immediately open both hands, twisting
them palm up to now display the lap in the left hand and the 2p in the right. The
extra lap is still back palmed behind the right fingers.

18. Drop both coins onto the table. As both hands turn palm down, secretly pull the
backpalmed coin into the right finger palm.

19. The left hand picks up the unfaked card and passes it to the right hand where it
will cover the coin.

20. Having gestured with the card in the right hand, transfer both card and coin to
the left hand.

~-, 2pCO\11 \s
21. The right hand picks up the 2p and
-- -::.~<: \
/
,.. ,\ \
)
\ piOCr.t.d apparently places it under the card which
/1- . I ttb-vttO. is immediately placed onto the table. What
- -I'
,
left \\"\a~ really happens is that the 2p is slipped
~ ~ &c:o<\d between the left first and second fingers
~\~er W\OO' where it is pinched. It is covered by the
C.QJ-O card. Fig.6.

FIG.6 22. The right hand now grips the card and
bp .C.oln held lap coin and lowers both to the table.
Meanwhile the left hand has concealed the
~1f'\SI: ~ cf
2p in the finger palm.
UJll:t) 1e.'1:.lndex ~?J"d
t-l~
23. As the right hand goes to the table with the card and lap, the left hand picks
up the fake card, slipping its finger palmed 2p under it.

24. The right hand now picks up the

visible lap and displays it on the palm up
right fingers. Fig.7.

25. The left hand covers the lap, this

coin being backpalmed under cover of the
card and left hand. This will leave the
right fingers free to accept the 2p which
is beneath the card and prevents the two
coins 'talking'.

26. After a moment, the left hand slides the card off the right fingers, slipping
the palmed lOp off the back of the right hand at the same time so that the coin ends
up concealed beneath the fake card. The 2p will now be seen on the right fingers.

27. Place the coin down and flip over the tabled card to show the lap underneath.

-14-
 /-,
/ \
I I
\ I
'- -~/ lOp
he.\d W\Oe.t-
FlG. <a CM! ~ ~t,
~
15 ~~ ~l::Al~e.d
1:>'<.r)
e.cU:h \:h e.. lJS\- FlG.9
k:>..\<e..d CJ::).t'd

28. Place the unfaked card on top of the faked one, making sure that it is in jogged.
Fig.8.

29. Position the 2p at the front of your mat, the lap to the rear.

30. The right hand grips the front short edge of the lower faked card, the fingers
going underneath and also taking over hold of the lap concealed there. As the right
hand draws this lower card away, the left second finger contacts the exposed edge of
the £5, so that it is retained below the upper unfaked card. Fig.9.

31. Allow the right hand to lower its card over the visible 2p at the front of the
table, making sure that the lap secretly concealed beneath the card does not 'talk'
as it is put down.

32. Pick up the visible lap with the right hand and lower the unfaked card towards
the table top, apparently placing the lap underneath. In reality it is secretly
retained in the right hand.

33. After a magic pass, lift away the front card to show the two coins now together
beneath it. Then for your surprise finish, flip over the other card to reveal the £5
which you open out quickly to make it look as big as possible!

-15-
 THE SENSITIVE QUEEN (MCU)

EFFECT:- A 'sensitive' QH is mixed up amongst some other 'insensitive' cards and the
cards are then spread face down all over the table top. By pushing on the backs of
the cards the QH is located - because she makes an audible squeak!!
COMMENTS:-This may not read as very much but the audible squeak is so unexpected
that it usually produces a laugh. Not a world beating mystery - just fun!
REQUIREMENTS:-1. A deck of cards.

2. A small squeaker as used for the inside of soft toys.

SET-UP:- Mark the back of the QH so that you will recognise it from other cards when
it is face down. Have the squeaker in your right jacket pocket.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Run through the deck and drop out the QH face up onto the table.
You explain that the QH is a 'sensitive' card, the only card which has real
emotions!

2. Drop out about a dozen other cards and gather them up with the QH. Hand them to a
spectator to shuffle and then ask him to deal the cards face down all over the
table.

3. While he is shuffling the cards, put the remainder of the deck back in its box
and drop the box into your right jacket pocket, at the same time secretly getting
the squeaker in the right finger palm.

4. As the spectator starts to deal the cards over the table, look for the marked
card so that you know where the QH is.

5. You now extend your right forefinger and in a fairly abrupt manner, you start to
prod the backs of the cards in a random order. When you come to the marked card
which you know is the QH, squeeze the squeaker so that it emits its noise to
coincide wi th you prodding the back of the card. It sounds as if the card has
squealed in protest!

6. Immediately use the left hand to flip the card over to reveal the QH. At the same
time the right hand goes to the pocket, leaves the squeaker behind and brings out
the card case ready to return the cards to the rest of the deck. Do not
underestimate the surprise of this little item - it is often the silly things that
people remember!

-16-
 THE MAGIC RING (CUE)

EFFECT:- An examined ring is slipped onto the performer's ring finger by a lady
spectator who then holds the end of his finger to prevent the ring being removed.
Covering their hands with a handkerchief, the performer places his empty free hand
beneath the handkerchief and removes the ring throuqh his finger, leaving the lady
still gripping the end.

COMMENTS:- Thi s is a very strong effect when done to a very small group of
spectators. The original plot I read in an old Hugard's Magic Monthly magazine and I
have updated the handling to make it cleaner.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A single band gold coloured ring (this can be a toy one as long as
it looks reasonable.)

2. A duplicate ring to the above which has a wide split cut in it. The size of this
split should be wide enough so that the ring can be pushed down over the base of the
finger you intend to put it on in the trick, but not so wide that the split shows
when it is in position.

3. A handkerchief.

SET-UP:- One point to bear in mind when buying rings for this trick is that they
must be big enough for you to slip easily on and off your ring finger. When you are
hot, your fingers will swell slightly, so make sure there is a little extra space in
the ring's size.

Have the handkerchief folded in a square on the table along with the ordinary
ring. Hold the fake ring in a loose right finger palm.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Give the ordinary ring to a lady to be examined and in the

meantime open out the handkerchief and lay it across your left arm just above the
wrist.

2. Have the ring slipped onto your left third finger, the hand being horizontal and
palm up. If the ring has been pushed right to the very base of your finger (as it
almost certainly wi 11 be) ease it forward sI ightly wi th your left thumb so that
there is a gap between the base of your finger and the ring.

3. You comment to the lady that the only way to get the ring off the finger is to
pull it off the end.

4. As you speak, secretly grip the spl it ring between the right thumb and index
finger so that the split is facing downwards and so that the ring is still concealed
by the back of the right fingers.

5. Once in position, the right hand moves over the left palm and under cover of the
hand, pushes the fake ring onto the third finger between the real ring and the base
of the finger.

6. Now, as you patter, start to slip BOTH rings quickly down the finger, as if to
illustrate how the ring can be removed, but stop about half way down.

7. Immediately slide both rings back again, leave the split ring on the finger and
wi thdraw the genuine ring concealed in the right hand. This is over in a split
second and the fact that there were two rings on the finger for a moment is covered
by the back of the right hand.

-17-
8. You say that you will demonstrate the magical way to remove the ring. With the
19ft hand still horizontal and palm up, ask the lady to hold thg gnd of your third
finger and not to release it.

9. With the genuine ring in the curled right fingers, take the edge of the
handkerchief nearest your left palm and pull it off your arm and slide it forwards
over your left hand.

10. The ring is clipped under the front edge of the handkerchief and as it passes
over your left palm, drop the ring secretly onto your palm.

11. Your empty right hand then goes under the handkerchief and under the pretence of
pulling the ring through your finger, actually, via the slit, slips its off and
pretends to put it onto your left palm.

12. The right fingers slide out to the edge of the handkerchief, and keeping the
split ring still concealed under the cloth, the right hand pulls the handkerchief
away to reveal the lady still holding the end of your finger and the real ring left
lying in view on your palm.

13. If you want to clean up completely, as you pull the handkerchief away from your
left hand tuck the corner of it into your right pocket, dropping the fake ring into
the pocket at the same time. The empty right hand can then pick up the ring and hand
it out for examination and can then pull the handkerchief out of the pocket and drop
it on the table.

~~~
~ ~ ~
--

~~~

-18-
 THE BLANKETY-BLANK PACK (DD)

EFFECT:- A double blank deck is displayed and shuffled by a spectator. Three cards
are freely selected and placed 'face down' on the table. One at a time the magician
attempts to divine what the chosen cards are - and when he turns them over claims
that his assertions are correct - although as the cards are all still blank it is
hard to tell! However, taking the blank deck, the performer instantly prints backs
and fronts on all of the cards, and when the tabled cards are turned over, each now
has a face printed on it and each is the correct value as claimed by the magician!

COMMENTS:- In some ways this is an early version of my highly successful marketed

effect BRAINSTORMER, although the method is entirely different. I have never liked
the traditional Nudist Deck and this routine was my first attempt at achieving a
similar effect without the need to resort to roughed pairs of cards. Performed
properly, this is both strong magic and also amusing and entertaining. Definitely
worth getting the necessary cards together!

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. An ordinary pack, say a blue backed one, plus TWO blue card cases.

2. One double blank deck

3. Three blank backed cards. These can be of any value but try to choose cards about
which you can easily patter, since these are the card values which you will try to
disclose by apparently analysing the characters of the spectators who chose them! I
use the AC, 98 and 7H.

SET-UP:- Place the double blank deck, minus four of its cards, into one of the blue
card cases. Take the ordinary blue backed deck and discard the cards which match the
faces of the three blank backed cards (AC,98 and 7H) along with a couple of others.

Take two of the four double blank cards you removed earlier and stick them
together to make a thick card. When this is dry, place it on top of the face down
blue backed deck. On top of this thick card place the three blank backed cards in a
known order, faces uppermost. I use the AC,98 and 7H in that order reading upwards.

On top of these cards place one of

the remaining two double blank cards. The
last double blank goes on the bottom of
the pack. 80, reading from the top down
you should have:- Double blank, 7H, 98, AC
all face up, thick double blank card, rest
of the blue deck face down, and a double
blank card. Place this setup into the
other blue card case and put it into your
right jacket pocket.

N.B. You need to be able to fan this

prepared pack smoothly so you may need to
use some fanning powder on it.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Remove the genuine

double blank deck from its case. Hold it
in the right hand as in Fig.l.

FlG.\ 2. Fan the cards to the left by spreading

the cards round with the left hand. This
is a reverse fan. You wi11 be doing the

-19-
 same fan later with the prepared deck so
you do it this time with this pack so that
it will look the same. Fig.2. Show back
and front.

3. Close the fan and have the cards

shuffled by a spectator. (This destroys
the idea that a 'special' pack of cards is
being used).

4. Have three spectators each select a

card and place their cards 'face down' and
'unseen' in a row on the table.

F\G.2 5. Fan the pack again as described above

to emphasise the cards are different and
well mixed (!!). Replace the cards in the
case.

6. The right hand takes the pack and goes to put it away in the right jacket pocket.
As soon as the pack is out of sight, the right hand drops it and grips the other
pack and comes straight out with it. Your patter is about the cards on the table and
you might be saying something like: "So, three people have now selected unknown
cards from this shuffled deck " As you mention the deck again you raise the
switched deck up to indicate it and then leave it on the table. Properly timed the
switch is not noticed, especially as the pack will now not be touched for a while
and appears to no longer be required in the trick.

7. You now engage in some comic 'analysis' of the three spectators who chose the
three cards in an attempt to predict the cards they have chosen. My approach is
something along these lines.

8. The first spectator is clearly someone who loves money and always wants to be top
of the pile, so he is bound to have chosen the money suit, Clubs and the Ace to
signify the top.

9. The second spectator is easily influenced and seeing the first spectator choosing
a Club is drawn to a black card too. However, there is some spark of individuality
here because he has gone for a Spade rather than a Club. His aspirations are not so
high as the first spectator, preferring the anonymity of an unintrusive 9. So the
9S.

10. The last spectator is a romantic, so has to choose Hearts as his suit. He is
also rather superstitious, and so would go for a 'lucky' number, probably a 7. His
selection is therefore the 7H.

11. Having thus apparently sorted out the three selections you now turn the cards
over one at a time and triumphantly announce that you are correct! However, as the
cards are all blank, the spectators assume you are leading them up the garden path!

12. Remove the set deck from its box and put the box away in your LEFT pocket. Hold
the deck in the dealing position in the left hand, the stack being on top.

13. With the right thumb riffle up the rear short edge of the cards until you feel
the thick card spring past. Get a left little finger break above this thick card.

-20-
14. Place the three tabled cards one at a time onto the top of the pack in a
staggered line over the front short edge of the deck. Fig.3.

15. With the right hand pull back the

staggered cards until they are square with
the rest of the deck and in a continuing
motion pull all the cards above the break
back off the rear end of the deck and turn
them over en bloc back onto the top again.

16. Immediately deal the top three cards

in a row again from left to right. The
three bl ank backed cards wi 11 now be on
the table.

17. Your patter to cover this is: "Oh, so

you don't believe me! You really do not
think that this card is the AC (as you
place the first card staggered over the
front of the deck) r that this is the 9S
(as you position the second) and that this
one is the 7H (as you position the third)?
OK, let's turn them face down again and I
will attempt to prove to you that I was
right. "

18. You offer to make the trick easier to follow. Turn the pack over and hold and
fan as in Figs 1 and 2 above. If you do the reverse fan carefully, the white right
hand edges of the face up ordinary deck will show and the pack will appear blank.

19. Close the fan. Turn the pack over and hold in the left hand dealing position.
Get a left little finger break above the bottom card of the pack.

20. Snap your fingers over the deck and cut away the top half of the pack with the
right hand, slipping the cut half under the deck, still retaining the little finger
break. A card back will have appeared as the new top card.

21. The right hand now cuts away all the cards above the break and simultaneously
both hands turns their piles face up. The cards in the right hand are placed on top
of those in the left hand. Two card faces will have been seen.

22. Immediately spread the deck to the right between the hands showing all the cards
have faces. Split the deck at various points in the spread and using the right hand
turn the cards split away over to show their backs. Suddenly all the cards are seen
to be printed. Obviously you keep the bottom few together.

23. Square the deck and hold face up in the left hand. Get a left little finger
break above the thick card which is the uppermost card of the fake ones collected at
the bottom of the deck.

24. Ask a spectator to turn over the tabled selections. As he does so, the three
cards you said were chosen will be revealed, and under cover of this misdirection,
the right hand comes over the deck and grips it from above r while the left hand
comes away with all the cards below the break and goes to the left pocket for the
card case. The fake cards are left behind and the case is brought out and dropped on
the table. The deck is put down. This means that if anyone now wishes to examine the
blue deck - they can!
-21-
 LOOP IT (MCU)

EFFECT:- A length of shoe lace or string is shown and the centre held in a loop in
one hand. The other hand takes hold of one of the two ends of the lace hanging down
and by pulling this PAST the loop,the lace is suddenlyseento be threadedTHROUGH
the loop!

COMMENTS:- This little novelty was shown to me when I was 11 years old and is based
on an old idea. However, I have tidied up the handling to make it more baffling than
the original was, thus making it impossible for an onlooker to copy what you have
just achieved. This is ideal for those occasions where you are caught 'unprepared'
and need to perform a little something to satisfy your admirers!

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A three foot length of shoe lace.

SET-UP:- None!

PRESENTATION:- 1. Show the lace and form it into a loop, contriving at the same time
to wind it once around the left thumb. The best way to do this is to display the
lace between both index fingers and thumbs as in Fig.1. The palms are turned towards
the audience.

2. Then twist the palms towards yourself, at the same time releasing the lace with
the left hand so that it drops down to the base of the left thumb. Fig.2.

~\G.2

F\G.+

A B
~~3
3. The left thumb and fingers open apart slightly and the right hand comes over to
the left hand and takes its lace up between the left thumb and fingers. Fig.3.

4. As it does so a loop of lace will be formed which is then gripped by the left
fingers and thumb, the right hand then releasing its grip.Fig.4.
-22-
5. This will leave the lace wrapped once round the left thumb but this is hidden
from view by the back of the left hand. In the original version, the lace would have
been wrapped several times round the thumb and then the loop made. This would have
been impossible to hide, and so any spectator could have copied your actions and
achieved the same result. With this method, it just looks as if you made a loop of
the centre of the lace and held it in the left hand, and if an onlooker tries to do
the same, what you are about to do will not work for him.

6. The right hand now takes hold of the

left hand end of the lace ('A' in Fig.4)
and raises it up until it is level with
the loop. It then openly threads the end
through the loop to show how normally it
could be threaded. Fig.5. AI'

7. You then carefully unthread the end and

hold it again in the right hand. Now for
the magical way to thread the end through
the loop. Holding the right hand still,
bring the left hand back towards your face
to blow on the loop. If you do it right,
the lace will be pulled up past your thumb
and will end up through the loop, at which
point you stop to display the lace F\G.5
threaded. If you continue pulling, the
whole thing will collapse, so you need to
stop at the right point.

8. All that remains is to unthread it and

hand the lace or you might want to
out -
B
do the effect again, because it all
happens so quickly that it is quite hard
to visually appreciate what has happened!

-23-
 THE INVISIBLE DECK ROUTINE (MCU)

EFFECT:- A spectator is given an invisible deck to shuffle and he then selects one
invisible card. This invisible card is placed into an examined and initialled
visible envelope. Holding up this real envelope, the magician asks the spectator to
repeat the name of his card. He then reaches inside the envelope and pulls out a
VISIBLE card which is the same as that named by the spectator.

COMMENTS: - One of the features of Alan Shaxon I s lecture is his version of the
InvisibleDeck in which an invisible card is placed into a small envelope which is
in turn dropped into a larger envelope. The freely named card is actually found
moments later inside this nest of envelopes. Although I liked the idea of having the
invisble card materialise inside an envelope, I felt that the use of two envelopes,
although necessary for the method, was not logicalin termsof presentation. So I
set about devising my own version which not only did awaywith the envelope-within-
envelope idea, but also allowed me to have the named card appear inside an envelope
which had been examined and signed by a spectator! Al though the preparation takes
some time do not let this put you off - it does only have to be done once and then
the re-set each time is very quick.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. About 150 small manilla envelopes. Mine measure about 7cm x 12cm
and have a flapopeningat one end. Fig.l. -7U'\~

2. A full pack of cards including the FlG.\

Joker.

3. Some paper glue, a pair of scissors, a 12.<:.<'\ Glu.e. \C\$lQQ..

small knife and a pencil.
o..\o~ col:ted h<\e
4. Four rubber bands.

5. A pen.
I
-+-_J...~.-

~\G2 A t>91\E:SS
SIDE

~\G3

\==lG-.4-

SET-UP:- With the knife slit the bottom of 53 of the envelopes. Fig.2. Then cut a
small square shape section from the address side of each one. Fig.3.

Next, put a line of glue across the inside of the envelopes about lcm from the
top opening. Fig.4. This effectively seals off the inside of the envelope from the
normal top opening.

You now take the pack of cards and using another 53 envelopes, back each card
with a piece of envelope. This should be cut from the address side of the envelopes,

-24-
the shiny outside surface of the envelope piece facing outwards. Although this part
of the preparation is time consuming, it improves the angles of the trick enormously
and is therefore worth the trouble.

As soon as all the cards have been covered on the back with pieces of
envelope, you slip one card into each of your faked envelopes. The cards are
inserted by pushing them up through the slit bases of the envelopes and when an
envelope is held address side down, the card inside should be FACE UP. Fig.5.

Because of the sealing off of the

top of the envelope, the card can only be
FlG.5 pushed so far inside and thanks to your
square shaped cut-out in the address side,
part of the card back should still be
visible. If it is not, enlarge the cut-out
until it is! Fig.6.

With the penci1, write the name of

the card inside in small letters at the
bottom left hand corner of the flap side
0
z of each envelope. Fig.7 . This makes
sorting the envelopes out much easier and
1
it also gives you a quick visual check
I during the presentation of the trick of
I whether you have got the correct envelope
I
f:\Er.6 needed to reveal the spectator's chosen
I
I
card!
I
1 I Arrange all the envelopes in four
~- _J
piles, so that the cards inside the
envelopes are all of the same suit and run
in numerical sequence from Ace at the top
to King at the bottom. The sides with the
cut-outs are underneath and the flap sides
are on top. Put the envelope with the
Joker on the bottom of the Clubs pile.

rr,&.1 Put one unprepared envelope on top

of each of the four stacks and put a
rubber band round each pile.
':W

f ~
Co..I"d
The remaining envelopes are your
spares. You wi 11 need one new one after
\ wt'\,~ ~ each performance.

Place the four stacks of envelopes into your case in an order known to you. I
use the CHaSeD (Clubs, Hearts, Spades, Diamonds) order. It is possible to carry a
stack in each of four different pockets as the stacks are not very bulky, but
obviously having them in a case is much better. Have the pen to hand.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Bring out the invisible pack of cards and have them shuffled by a
spectator. You can have the usual fun here of pretending the spectator is shuffling
the deck without taking it out of the box first or that he has dropped some cards
etc.

-25-
2. Have the spectator then fan the deck, remove any card and hold it up for everyone
to see! Just to ensure that those at the back know the name of the card, ask the
spectator to call aloud its value.

3. Let us assume that he has chosen the 5S. Ask the spectator to place the invisible
pack down but to keep hold of his invisible selection. Reach into your case and
bring out the envelope stack which contains the suit of Spades.

4. Quickly remove the rubber band and discard it. Spread the envelopes slightly to
the right and hold in the left hand. With the right hand remove the top unfaked
envelope and hand it to the spectator to examine.

5. Bring out the pen and give this to him as well. Tell him to initial the flap of
the envelope and slip his invisible card inside. This is so that he will not lose
his card, because if he was to put it down somewhere, no one would be able to find
it again!

6. As he is doing this, you use your left thumb to thumb count down the left edges
of the envelopes unti 1 you come to the fifth one (the one containing the 5S).
Casually cut the pile of envelopes at this point sending the 5S envelope to the
bottom of the pile. Hold the pile now squared in the left hand. Fig.8.

7. If you now glance down at the top

envelope in the stack and locate the place F\G.8
where you wrote the card names in pencil,
you should see written on the top envelope
the 6S i.e. the next one in the sequence.
If so, you know you have the correct
envelope at the bottom of the pile. If
not, then cut to adjust accordingly.

8. Take the initialled envelope back from

the spectator and display it to all,
placing it back on top of the envelope
pile in the left hand. The freed right
hand can then take back the pen and place 1>c~('() e(\\)~~ Gx\\::a..I.(\5
it away. This gives you the logic for c.o.~ b>~ ~ec1::nt:o~'s
~I.c.e...
placing the envelope back on the pile for
a moment. A\1.D\~e. f\G.g

9. Recap on what has happened so far.

you do so, bring the right hand palm down
to the rear short
stack. The fingers
initialled envelope,
end of the envelope
rest on the top of the
the thumb
As

goes
i ..~\~
~\s
~d.

underneath and rests on the exposed back

of the card which is secretly inside the CQ..ro
bottom envelope. (5S) 'o~\O "fi1o..~~
t'-~ o~ e.(\\)e..~

la. Slide off the top envelope back towards you, using the right thumb to slip the
card out of its envelope pocket and behind the initialled envelope where it remains
hidden from view.

11. Drop the rest of the envelopes back into your case.

12. Transfer the envelope and card to the left hand. The envelope is held with the
flap side facing the audience, the flap itself pointing to the right. Fig.9.
-26-
13. Because the card has an envelope back, even people who are sitting rather to one
side of you should not notice anything unusual. You can, of course, use your body to
shield the rear of the envelope to a certain extent.

14. With the right fingers open the envelope flap. Ask for the name of the card
again. The fingers then reach into the envelope, the thumb going on the outside and
the left and right hands pull smartly in opposite directions. The right thumb pulls
the card across to the right so that it ends up in the right hand and the illusion
of it coming out of the envelope is perfect.

15. As the envelope is unfaked it can be given back to the spectator as a souvenir,
and if you are publicity minded, you can have your publicity sticker on the address
side so that he can remember who you were!

16. To re-set all you have to do is slip the 5S back into its envelope, cut the pile
so that the Ace is back on top, add a fresh ordinary envelope to the top of the
whole pile and put the band back around the lot.

-27-
 THE WRIST WATCH COIN VANISH (CUE)

EFFECT:- A coin, placed into the left hand, vanishes leaving both hands completely
empty.

COMMENTS:- I have lost count of the number of magicians I have fooled using this
vanish, and that is just the magicians! Unlike sleeving, you do not have to
Iretrieve I the coin immediately so both hands can stay empty for as long as you
wish. This is particularly useful if the vanish is used in the middle of a routine
where you need to complete the routine before you can unload.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Any coin. You must be wearing a wrist watch and it is best if the
strap is made of leather.

SET-UP:- Simply ensure that the watch is pushed as near to your palm as possible.

PRESENTATION:- 1. You are ready to vanish

the coin. Your left hand is held with the
fingers pointing to the right, back of the
hand towards the audience. The right hand
holds the coin at the tips of the vertical \=\G. \

thumb and fingers. Fig.l.

2. The coin is placed into the left palm

and the left fingers start to close round
it, the hand bending inwards towards the
wrist slightly.

3. The right fingers tilt towards the

left, the index finger and thumb carrying
the coin towards the watch strap on the
left wrist. Fig.2. This movement is
largely concealed by the back of the left
hand.

4. The edge of the coin is slipped under

the watch strap and the right second
finger pushes it through until no part of
the coin is visible to the right of the
strap. Fig.3.

F,G.3 5. As the right second finger finishes

pushing the coin under the strap, the
right hand moves diagonally up to the
right and into the top of the closing left
fist as if depositing the coin there.

6. The whole move is over in a second. The right hand simply appears to allow the
left to close around the coin, the right hand then emerging empty while the left is
closed seemingly around the coin. From your side, the move looks open and obvious.
Done properly and seen from the front, there is no clue to indicate where the coin
really goes.

7. All that remains is to open the left hand to show the coin has vanished, and the
coin can remain under the strap for as long as is necessary.

-28-
 THE MAGIC SQUARE PREDICTION (CUE)

EFFECT:- Some cards are shown on which are a random sample of two figure numbers.
One is chosen and without the number being seen, is left on the table. A 4 x 4
square is drawn and some figures entered in a haphazard fashion in the squares. Four
numbers are chosen and added. Despite the freedom of both original card selection
and of numbers in the squares, the two numbers somehow match!

COMMENTS:- The magic square here is not the sort of magic square which adds up to
the same number in all directions, but is in fact a number forcing square. I
originally saw it in Martin Gardener's "Mathematics, Magic and Mystery" where it was
referred to in passing. I took the mathematical square and changed it's use so that
it became part of a magical trick. The same square has been used in a number of
other mental effects since by the likes of Max Maven and others.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. About 30 cards on each of which is a two figure number. You can
write some numbers of your own with a permanent marker pen on blank faced cards. The
numbers can be anything from 10-99. The only proviso is that one of the numbers must
be 58.

2. A piece of paper as large as is necessary for good visibility for the audience.

3. A pen.

SET-UP: - Draw the 4 x 4 square on the paper, this wi 11 save time in performance.
Have the pile of number cards ready with the number 58 on top, the rest being in a
random order.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Pick up the pile of cards and show that each card has a different
number on it. Shuffle them if necessary, but retain the 58 on top.

2. Force the top card and place it sight unseen to one side.

3. Discard the remainder of the cards. You are now going to fill in the square with
numbers in an ascendinq sequence starting with the number 7. You can start in any of
the four rows, and you can fill in the squares in your chosen row in any order. I do
as follows.

9 7 10 8

4. Then you can move to any of the remaining three rows to continue the numerical
sequence. However, having decided on the formation of numbers WITHIN the row, this
pattern must be adhered to in the other rows.e.g.

9 7 10 8

13 11 14 12

5. Continue until the square is filled completely - 17 15 18 16

9 7 10 8
21 19 22 20
13 11 14 12

-29-
6. I prefer to fill the square in in front of the audience as this makes it appear
more random. You could, however, simply produce the square already filled in. I
leave it up to you.

7. Hold up the completed square and ask a spectator to call out any of the numbers.
With the pen put a circle round the chosen number so that it can be remembered, and
cross out all the numbers in the same row and the same column as the selected
figure.

8. Now have any of the remaining numbers chosen. Put a circle round this number and
cross out all those in the same row and column again.

9. Repeat a third time. By this stage there will be only one number left untouched,
and because of the mathematical way in which the square works, this remaining
number, when added to the other three chosen ones, wi 11 always add up to 58.
However, to disguise the fact that the last number is not a free choice, ask for a
fourth number to be called out. The last one will be named and often many people
will not notice that it was the only one left!

la. Get someone from the audience to add up the four circled numbers and announce
the total - 58. You stress here that four numbers were chosen at random and have
totalled 58. Clearly, if another four different numbers had been chosen, a different
total would have been reached. You then remind the spectators that a two figure
number was chosen at random at the beginning - and here you turn that number round
to show that it too is 58.

-30-
 IT PAYS TO BE A LADY (CUE*)

EFFECT:- Three Jumbo cards are shown, a Queen and two indifferent cards. These are
mixed and place in a face down row across the table. A story is told of how a con
man was playing the three card trick in the street and how he allowed the performer
to mix the cards and place them out and how he, the con man, tried to guess where
the Queen had been placed. With the three cards face down on the table, the con man
selects one and this is lifted to show he was right - and under the card is seen to
be a real £5 note, his winnings!!

The Jumbo cards are mixed and placed out again. Once more the con man chooses
a card and when it is lifted it is the Queen, and lying under the Queen is the £10
note which he won!

The performer mixes the cards one last time and in an attempt to confuse the
con man, secretly slips the second card in the pile down on to the table ahead of
the other two. The con man selects a card, and the performer triumphantly shows that
the Queen is one of the others! However, the con man asks his selection to be
lifted. Under it is now a normal sized card face down. And when this card is turned
over, it turns out to be a Queen, so there was a Queen where he had said after all!

The performer feels he has been cheated and tells the con man that that is not
the real Queen. To which the con man replies "No, but this is" and the pile of Jumbo
cards is lifted to reveal a postcard picture of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth!

COMMENTS:- This routine was one of the effects which helped me to win the IBM Close
Up Competition in 1981 and for many years it was a good seller as a marketed item.
Since this is no longer on my current list, I decided that this would be a good
opportuni ty to have the routine recorded for posterity (always assuming posterity
has not already got the trick!). The item is straightforward to make, but please do
the preparation carefully. Use this and you will have an unusual, commercial and
surprising item.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Four Jumbo cards. A Queen and three indifferent cards. Ideally at
least two of the indifferent cards should be the same, but strictly speaking, as one
half of the card is never seen, it does not really matter.

2. A normal sized queen to match the Jumbo one.

3 I
3. A picture postcard of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. . . /
/

4. Two bank notes, say a £5 and a £10. I

5. Some glue and sharp scissors or better a small guillotine.

SET-UP:- With the scissors or guillotine,

.
I
:D'SCAtd
~\S
cut one of the indifferent Jumbo cards in I ho..l~
.
half diagonally. Fig.l. Note where the
exact cutting line is as this is not just
from corner to corner. / I
I
. .

£
Place a thin line of glue on the r-\G.\
reverse side of the cut piece of Jumbo
card around the two outside edges. Fig.2.
Do this very carefully, trying not to get
any glue on the face of the card piece. \=\G.2

-31-
 Very carefully stick the cut piece of Jumbo onto the face of one of the other

..
indifferent cards, making sure you line up the top and side edges accurately. Fig.3.
Allow this to dry thoroughly.

.
:3

F\G.3
.
Once it is dry you
\.. .
will have a pocket card. Into this pocket card you will now
.
£
load the following items in the following order. Firstly slip the postcard face down
into the pocket. If the postcard protrudes round the sides of the Jumbo card, trim
the postcard until it is small enough to fit. Fig.4.

On top of the postcard, slide the ordinary sized Queen card, face up. Fig.5.
Then slip the £10 note up into the pocket as in Fig.6 and end with the £5 on top of
the lot. Fig.?

~ ,------ ,-- -
, ,---=---' r ,
I
I I ,-f\~o..\
- - - ='- II 111 - - - -,t - I'I-t I r- -: - - r
n- -""-I-.
, ''S\'~d , I I
.
11' I
I L -- --
(3L\.\.ee,C"\. I LI
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- - -- I ,ILI-
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,I
I rI I' '

~ ~

\=l&,~ ~\G.5 Fl&.b FlG. I

You will have to experiment a little to judge just how much up into the card's
pocket you need to push the items. You want it to be far enough so that the items do
not fallout, but not so tightly fixed that when you try to slide one out, the whole
lot falls out! A certain amount of trial and error should produce the right amount
of tension for your particular card.

With the pocket card thus loaded and face up, place on top of it the Jumbo
Queen card and then the other indifferent card. The sealed end of the pocket card
should be facing the audience.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Fan the three cards to display them, making sure that the open end
of the pocket remains hidden by the two cards above it. You can slide out the Queen
to display it as you talk about the three card trick, provided that your left thumb
slides the top indifferent card over to the left to maintain the cover for the
pocket in the lower indifferent card.

2. Slip the Queen back into the spread and close the fan. Turn the cards over END
FOR END. This will put the sealed end of the faked card nearest you.

-32-
3. You are now going to apparently mix up the cards, as your story tells how you
were handed the cards by the con man who invited you to mix them up and place them
out so that he could guess where the Queen was. This mix is not really a mix at all,
it just looks like one when done at a reasonable pace, and the mix will be the same
each time. It is performed as follows:-

4. The cards are held face down by the right hand holding the middle of the right
long edges. The left fingers pull out the BOTTOM card of the three so that it is
clear of the pile.

5. The right fingers push out the new bottom card to the left and this card is taken
UNDER the one already in the left hand, both cards being pulled clear of the one
remaining in the right hand.

6. The left thumb now pushes off its top card on top of the card still being held by
the right hand (the pocket card) which grips and retains it.

7. The left hand then deposits its last card on top of the other two and the cards
are squared.

8. This will give you the Queen on top of the pile and the pocket card on the
bottom. You are now going to lay the cards out and at the same time load the £5
under the Queen.

9. The left hand holds the cards along the left long edge. The right thumb pulls off
the top card (the Queen) to the right and simultaneously the right fingers, which
are under the pile, contact the £5 which is pulled out of the pocket and slid off
onto the table at the far right side covered at all times by the card.

10. Immediately the right thumb pulls off the second card and slides it onto the
table to the left of the Queen, this time without any load, and the last card is
placed down to the extreme left. This laying out of the cards is done with the cards
held at all times just above table level so that there is the minimum drop for the
cards to go from your hands to the table top.

11. Your patter explains that the con man
right is the Queen. If he is right, you have
pay you £5. You lift the Queen, turn it over
to scoop up the £5 which has appeared on the
£5 you paid him.
bets £5 that the card at your extreme
to pay him £5, if he is wrong, he will
to show the card face and use the card
table, as you explain that that is the

12. Place the £5 to one side. Lift the card at the extreme left (the pocket card)
and keeping it face down, drop it on top of the face down card next to it. Turn the
two cards over end for end and spread them, the pocket being hidden again by the
face card of the two.

13. Slip the Queen face up between the two indifferent cards, as you patter about
how you decided to try again.

14. Square the cards and turn them over end for end. Mix them as before. Lay the
cards out as before, except this time lay them from left to right, the £10 being
loaded under the Queen at the extreme left.

15. The con man bets £10 that the card on your far left is the Queen. You lift and
turn over the card to show that he is right. Scoop up the £10 and place it with the
£5.

-33-
16. Lift the pocket card and put it on top of the other card as before, turn them
over end for end, fan them and place the Queen face up between them again.
17. The con man now warns that this time he will bet £20 on the Queen. Turn the
cards face down, mix as before.

18. You patter that by now you had lost £15 and you did not want to lose any more
and so you cheated! Instead of dealing the top card to the far right, you secretly
dealt the second card in the pile instead.

19. Suit your actions to your words by sliding the middle card of the three out,
loading the normal sized Queen card under it as you place it down. Then deal the
other two out alongside as normal.

20. The con man appears to be fooled and wagers on the far right card. You are
delighted and turn up the MIDDLE card to show the Queen. As soon as it has been
shown, turn it face down, pick up the pocket card which is at the far left position,
and lay the Queen face down on top of it.

21. The con man, your patter explains, is not at all worried, but just asks you to
look under his chosen card. You lift and turn over the card to reveal a face down
normal sized card underneath.

22. Place the Jumbo card face down on top of the two already in the left hand.
Immediately the left hand pulls out the bottom pocket card to the left, the right
fingers ensuring that the postcard is retained under the Jumbos. The pocket card is
casually placed on top of the pile and the three cards placed down on the table with
the postcard loaded under them.

23. You now turn over the normal sized card and it is seen to be a Queen. The con
man was right again! Here you protested that that was not the real Queen and the con
man agrees. The real Queen is over here - and you turn the Jumbos over to reveal the
postcard of the Queen underneath!

-34-
 FLICK BOOK (CUE*)

EFFECT:- A small book secured at the top by a bulldog clip is used to force numbers,
colours, names, playing cards, in fact anything which can be written inside it.

COMMENTS:- Flick books have been around in a number of different guises over the
years and so the idea of a long/short page arrangement to affect a change in the
book's contents is hardly new. I wanted a very small version which would be easy to
make and use and came up with this version which is very adaptable and which
incorporates, because of the way it is made, a subtle piece of handling which can be
used to disguise the method being used.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. 50 pieces of white paper, approximate size 2" x 2~".

2. Two pieces of coloured card of the same size as the paper.

3. A bulldog clip, 2" size. Fig.l.

SET-UP:- Take 25 sheets of the paper and

trim 2mm off the paper length, the length
being 2~" before you start.

Arrange all the paper back into a

pile, alternating the trimmed sheets with
the other 25 full length sheets in the FIG-.I
standard flick book arrangement.

Square the paper so that the top

short edges are all squared, thus making
sure that the other ends are nicely long
and short in alternating sequence.

Place a piece of coloured card top

and bottom of the pile and then secure
with the bulldog clip. Fig.2.

You are now ready to fi11 the book in.

Obviously it will depend on what you want
to force. If it is a playing card, for
instance, you go through the book one way
writing all different playing cards on one
side of each of the long pages. Then you
turn the book over and write the name of ~\G.2
the force playing card on the other side
of every long sheet. I will now describe
how the handling of the book works.

PRESENTATION:- 1. With the writing showing

all the different playing cards uppermost,
hold the book as in Fig.3 in the right
hand.

2. Your right thumb riffles through the

book from front to back, showing all
different playing card names.
FlG.3

-35-
 FlG.~
~
t='\G.5

3. When the riffling is finished. allow the book to fall flat onto the right fingers
and palm. Fig.4. Tilt the hand and allow the book to slide off onto the table.
Fig.5. .

4. When you come to pick the book up again, the right hand comes over the book palm
down and the thumb grips the open end of the book, and the fingers go the other end
either side of the clip. Fig.6.

(.)
/
--
~\G.b
~
\,
!

5. The book is grasped and picked up, the right hand twisting palm up in the
process. Thus the book has been turned over and so now when the right thumb riffles
through the book, all the same playing card will show. So, tilting the open end of
the book away from the audience you riffle through the pages until you are told to
stop. At which point you hold the book open and twist it towards the spectators so
that the 'chosen' playing card name can be read.

6. By picking the book up in this way, the turning over of the book is disguised
since the hand is turned over rather than the book.

-36-
 POOLS WINNER (CUE*)

EFFECT:- A small book is shown and fl i cked through to reveal that there are
different combinations of football pools forcasts written on each page. The
performer explains that he has had a great deal of success in predicting the six
results on the pools coupons because he has been using this amazing forcaster book.
To show how well it works, the magician shows an envelope inside which is a set of
six results and these are given to a spectator to hold. The forcaster book is picked
up and riffled through and another spectator calls stop at any time. He checks the
line of results in the book and when the prediction inside the envelope is read out,
it matches!

COMMENTS:-This is just one of the many possible applications for the Flick Book
described above. A similar theme would be to predict a winning lottery number.
However, the football pools is the one I have used, so I will describe that one
here.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A Flick Book.

2. A piece of paper to write a prediction on and an envelope to put it in.

SET-UP:- In the Flick Book you need to write a whole series of different 6 results.
For those not totally familiar with what I mean, the idea is to place a 'I' for a
home team win, a '2' for an away team win and an 'X I for a draw. So you wri te a
series of different combinations of 6 results, Le. XX21Xl or 2121X2 etc. On the
other side of the long sheets in the book you write the same 6 results, e.g. 21X2Xl
and this is the same line of results that you write on your prediction paper before
sealing it in the envelope.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Talk about your success on the pools and show the Flick Book
referring to it as your forcaster book. Flick through to show all the different sets
of 6 results. Place the book down.

2. Hand out the envelope which contains, you say, a winning line of six results.

3. Pick up the book as per the handling described in the Flick Book article above,
and riffle through asking a spectator to call stop. Hold the book open at his chosen
spot (since all the forcasts are now the same it makes no difference) and get him to
read out his chosen line.

4. The prediction is opened and the line seen to match.

-37-
 A KEY ROUTINE (LD*)

EFFECT:- To a humorous (?) patter line the magician tells the story of how he tried
to get a front door key cut in a Heel Bar. Unfortunately, although the key appears
to be the correct one each time he leaves the shop, it is seen to repeatedly change
to a completely different key, the routine ending with the appearance of a padlock
as the Heel Bar 'locks up' for the night!

COMMENTS:-This routine was one of the three that I used in my IBM Close Up
Competition act in 1981 and it has appeared in print in Abra 1704 and also was one
of the four routines featured in an early manuscript series called 'Quartet' which I
marketed for a while. I have always thought that this effect rather embodies the
essence of my early work as it is slightly off beat, uses simple objects and a corny
line of patter - in fact it sounds rather like some of my more modern material too!
If you take the trouble to collect the necessary props and learn the routine, you
will have an interesting and different effect to add to your collection.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. Three Yale type front door keys, preferably brass coloured. Fig.l.

m
L-J
t=\G.\ F"lG.2 hG3 F\G.4
~

2. A silver coloured 'back door' key. Fig.2.

3. A car key. Fig.3.

rlG.S
4. A small padlock with its key. Fig.4.

5. Three small pay envelopes.

6. A small piece

SET-UP:- Cut the address

of the envelopes
of Blu Tack.

side out of one

and slip this piece into
.
one of the other envelopes thus creating a
partitioned envelope. Fig.5.
Fl&.b
Attach the small piece of Blu Tack
to the top of the address side of the
unprepared third envelope. Fig.6

Take the small padlock key and attach it to the Blu Tack on the rear of the
envelope. Inside this envelope drop one of the front door keys and place this
envelope into your top right inside pocket. The address side with the key attached
to the Blu Tack on it should be facing away from your body.

Open the partitioned envelope and into the rear compartment drop the car key
and into the front compartment slip another front door key. This envelope goes into
your top inside pocket on the left.

-38-
 The padlock is dropped into your right jacket pocket. The back door key is
loosely finger palmed in the right hand. The last front door key can be out on view.

PRESENTATION:- 1. You tell the story of how you wanted to get an extra front door
key cut. Pick up the visible front door key in the right hand and apparently toss it
into the left hand which closes around it. In reality, you allow the back door key
to drop into the left hand while the right hand retains the front door key out of
sight. (This is the Bobo Coin Switch done with keys).

2. Although you appeared to have the right key when you left the shop, by the time
you got home the key had changed, and that was not the key you wanted at all. As you
say this you open your left hand to reveal the back door key. Display it and place
it down on the table.

3. So you explain how you went back to the shop to complain. The man in the shop
looked at the key and said:"I'm terribly sorry,sir, you appear to have the key to
the local monastery - it's a monk-key. (groan!) Your key is here in this envelope."

4. The right hand goes to the top inside pocket on the left, leaves the front door
key behind and comes out with the partitioned envelope. Hold it in the left hand and
open the flap with the right. Slip your right index finger into the top of the
envelope, making sure that it pushes the partition to the rear.

5. If the left hand now tips the envelope over the right hand, the front door key
will drop out and the car key will be secretly held up inside the envelope by the
partition. The envelope will therefore appear empty without you having to say so.

6. The man in the shop offers to wrap the key up for you so that it does not get
lost again. The key is dropped carefully back into the envelope and the flap closed.

7. Yet, when you got home and opened the envelope to tip out the key, the key had
changed again, and that was not the key you wanted either! As you patter, open the
envelope this time pulling the partition forwards. When you tip up the envelope the
car key will fallout into the right hand, the front door key being retained by the
partition inside the envelope. Place the car key on the table and put the envelope
away in your left jacket pocket.

8. You went back to the shop to complain. The man in the shop looked at the key and
said:"I'm terribly sorry, sir, but you appear to have the key to the local
University, it's a don-key. (further groan!) Your key is here, in this envelope."

9. So saying, your left hand reaches into the top right inside pocket and grips the
envelope there, the left fingers concealing the key stuck on the outside as it is
brought out into view.

la. Open the envelope and tip out the front door key inside. Display it in the right
hand and then place it down. As you do so, the left fingers pull the padlock key off
the Blu Tack and drop the envelope on the table.

11. The shop assistant offers to wrap the key up for you again, but you turn him
down, saying that this time, to be absolutely sure nothing happens to the key, you
will carry it home. The right hand picks up the front door key and apparently places
it into the left hand which closes. Really, the right hand retains the front door
key leaving the left hand just holding the padlock key.

12. Nothing could now go wrong - or could it? Because when you got home and opened
your hand the key had changed again, and that CERTAINLY was not the key you wanted.

-39-
13. Having opened your left hand to show the padlock key, place it down next to the
others. Use the right hand to pick up the envelope which is on the table and put it
away in your right jacket pocket. Leave the palmed front door key and envelope
behind and come out with the padlock finger palmed.

14. By this time you were furious with the man in the shop and you raced back to let
him know what you thought. But by the time you got back it was too late - he had
'locked up'. As you say this you bring your two hands together in a squeezing
motion, then open them to reveal the padlock.

-40-
 THE FASTEST FOUR ACE TRICK IN THE WORLD (LD)

EFFECT: - Four Aces are removed from a pack, shown and dropped face down on the
table. Three cards are placed on top of each. One by one the Aces vanish in a very
clean manner from their piles and appear all together face up in the centre of the
deck.

COMMENTS:- This was one of the first card effects I ever devised, and it is still as
effecti ve today as it was when I originally routined it. Inspi ration came from a
Brother John Hamman Ace routine using similar fake Aces. His routine was, however,
rather long and complex, so I took three of the fake cards and produced this version
which is ideal for lay people because of its simplicity of plot and method. Those
who like to do good, direct card magic without the need for long hours of practice
will enjoy this!

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Three fake Aces as shown in Fig.l. These can be made using card
transfers on blank faced cards.

A
V , A
"- I + I

,
I I

+ I I
it -r I + I I itV

f'tG.1

2. An extra AS on which you position a small piece of Blu Tack. Note the exact
position of the Blu Tack - it is placed there so that when the card is held with the
Blu Tack end at the bottom in the right hand, the right thumb will naturally cover
the Blu Tack. Fig.l. again.

3. A matching deck.

SET-UP:- Position the AS with the Blu Tack on it about third or fourth card from the
face of the deck, the Blu Tack end at the bottom. Then insert the other three fake
Aces into the pack so that they are spread out in the lower half. The fake Ace
indexes should be at the top. The four normal Aces from the pack are all together
and FACE UP about a quarter of the way down from the top of the FACE DOWN deck.
Fig.2. Drop the deck back in its case.

A
.QI+
"V +
~\G.2
+ .+
+ + +.L

-41-
PRESENTATION:- 1. Remove the pack from its case and drop out the four fake Aces face
down onto the table. The AS with the Blu Tack will thus be the bottom card of the
face down pile. The balance of the cards run into the right hand during this are cut
to the top of the pack. This positions the four ordinary face up Aces just below
centre position in the balance of the pack. Place the deck aside.

2. Pick up the pile of Aces and turn them faces towards you. Spread them in a fan so
that the fake index corners of the lower three Aces are revealed while their extra
pips remain hidden. The AS will be the face card and your right thumb covers the Blu
Tack as you lower the fan to display the card faces.

3. Casually remark that you have removed the four Aces from the deck. No need to
make a big thing of this because at this stage the spectators do not know what is
going to happen and so have no reason to doubt what they think they can see!!

4. Close the fan and turn the pile over from side to side. This maintains the fake
index corners at the top end of the cards. Deal the cards in a face down row from
RIGHT to LEFT. The AS with the Blu Tack will thus be the first card on the far left
of the row.

5. Pick up the deck and as you explain that you are going to put three cards on top
of each Ace, get a left little finger break under the top two cards. Use your right
thumb to help with this. Then with the right hand palm down over the deck, lift off
the top two cards as one, the right thumb holding the back short edges, the fingers
being along the front short edges. The left thumb pushes off the new top card so
that it can be taken under the two already in the right hand, yet still leaving it
stepped over a little to the left. Then take a third card from the top and add that
under the others, this too being stepped over to the left. When the three(?) cards
have been seen, square them up by knocking their left long edges against the left
thumb, and drop the pile on top of the AS at the far left end of the row.

6. Apparently repeat this handling three more times except that you really do only
take three cards on each occasion, and thus the three fake Aces will end up with
three cards on top of each. Fig.3.

RG.3

AS "- )
~o..\Q I\C\LS
/
7. Pick up the pile at the furthest RIGHT position in the row and hold it face down
in the left hand dealing position. The right hand turns palm down and the left thumb
slides the top card of the pile slightly over to the right. The right hand grasps
this top card by the top RIGHT corner, thumb underneath and fingers on top.

8. Pivot the right hand palm up and the card will be turned over to reveal the face.
However, the right thumb will automatically be covering the corner index which is

-42-
bottom right on the face up card. As soon as the indifferent card face has been
seen, drop the card face up on the table. Repeat with the next two cards.

9. Snap the remaining card and then turn

it over in the same way. The fake index
will be covered by the right thumb leaving ItlJY{. +
,....,.
the face of the card as an indifferent
card. As soon as it has been seen, slide
this card under the long right edges of
the three tabled cards, scooping them all
up into the right hand. Move to the top
'-
" "6
left position on the table and spread the
cards from left to right. This reveals
four indifferent cards and the fake Ace Foxe.. FlG.+
index is well hidden under the bottom of co..t-C
the pile. Fig.4.

10. Repeat this sequence for the next two piles working from right to left.

11. At this point you stop and ask if you are going too fast! You offer to show the
last Ace actually disappearing. Pick up the last pile and turn it face up, making
sure that your right thumb covers the Blu Tack on the bottom AS card. Hold the pile
in the left hand and slide the AS off with the right hand.

12. Insert the AS in amongst the other cards in the left hand. I usually just use my
right second finger to openly slide the bottom card of the face up pile back a
little towards me and then push the AS in right above the protruding card. Remember
to push the AS flush before lifting your right thumb off the Blu Tack, otherwise you
will reveal it to the audience.

13. Square the cards and give a slight squeeze on them with the right hand as you
take the pile and quickly flash the pile back and front. This makes the AS stick to
the card above it via the Blu Tack.

14. You now snap the cards and in a very clean way simply count the cards across
from your left hand to your right. No special counts required, the Blu Tack does the
vanishing trick for you. (This fools a lot of magicians too!)

15. Drop the cards on top of the other tabled ones and collect them all up into a
squared pile which you place face down to one side. All that then remains is for you
to pick up the balance of the deck and ribbon spread it face down to reveal the four
Aces face up and together in the centre!

16. One final point concerning the reset of this effect. If, as you count the last
pile to show the AS has vanished, you retain the order of the cards and then you
twist the pile round end for end before dropping it face up on top of the other
cards, the trick can actually be reset automatically. Gather up all the tabled face
up cards and square them, turning them over END FOR END. This puts the fake Ace
index corners back at the top. After spreading the balance of the deck to show the
face up Aces, leave them in the spread and square up the deck. Drop this larger deck
portion on top of the other pile and the trick is now reset.

-43-
 THE THOUGHTINDICATOR CARDS (MCU*)

EFFECT:- A card is chosen from a deck. Three double blank cards are displayed one at
a time and the performer explains that they are able to pick up a spectator's
thoughts!

Holding the cards at his fingertips, the performer asks the spectator who
chose the card from the deck to think of his card and to project his thoughts
towards the blank cards. As he does so, the magician shakes the cards and the centre
one drops down into view from between the other two with a back printed on it!

However, when this card is turned over, it has no face. Trust the spectator
only to have thought of the back of his selection and not the front! The blank faced
card is placed on the spectator's palm and he is asked to now think of his selected
card face. He then names his selection and turns over the card to reveal that it is
now printed with the correct card face.

COMMENTS: - I first read of the main little move used in this routine when I read
Bernard Billis's book "French Pasteboards". Subsequently I saw a similar move used
by Brian Glover in one of his card effects in his lecture. I took the move and
created this nice little printing effect which not only looks neat but which seems
to be entirely free of 'handling'.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. Three double blank cards.

2. One ordinary card - say the 6S.

3. A matching ordinary deck.

SET-UP: - Arrange the extra 6S FACE UP,

third from top of the pile of three double
blanks. Fig.l.

Get the matching 6S out of the deck

and place it on the top ready to force it. t-\Gr.1
PRESENTATION:- 1. Bring out the deck and force the top card. Have the 6S noted and
shown around and then returned to the deck.

2. Bring out the Thought Indicator Cards

squared and in the order shown in Fig.1.
With the right hand, grip the pile in the
bottom right corner, the thumb being on
top of the pi le, the index finger
underneath. Fig.2.
3. Turn the pile so that the card under
the thumb is held flat facing the
audience. The cards are held vertically to
the floor so that the full face of the top
card can be seen.

4. Twist the right wrist to show the

bottom of the pi le and then return it to
its former position.

-44-
 5. Now give the cards a slight shake
downwards. If this is done with the
correct amount of liqht pressure from the
right index finger and thumb, the centre
two cards will drop out slightly together
and appear as one card. Fig.3.

6. You may find it helps to moisten the

right thumb and index finger very slightly
before trying this.

7. As soon as the centre cards appear,

FlG.3
lower the right hand down to a more
horizontal plane and grip the exposed top
left corners of the centre cards between
the left thumb and base of the left index
finger, and draw the two cards away as one
together. Fig.4.

~tG..q-

8. Because of the grip taken on the cards they will be lying deep in the left hand
and the fingers can curl round the right long side to adjust any slight spreading of
the two cards.

9. Once these cards have been drawn away, the left hand returns and thumbs off the
top card of the remaining two in the right hand onto those in the left, before
finally taking the last one on top of the lot. This little move (it is the one
referred to in 'Comments' above) is very disarming and creates a clear impression
that there are only three cards.

10. You explain that the Thought Indicator Cards are blank on all sides but that
they are capable of receiving thoughts directed at them. As you patter, the right
hand takes off the top card, shows it back and front and places it under the pile.

11. It then takes the second card, and shows it back and front, the left hand
simultaneously turning the pile over to show a blank surface there as well. The pile
is turned back again and the right hand replaces its card on top of the pile.

12. Turn the whole pile over. Grip the bottom right corner as earlier and hold the
cards facing the audience. Ask the spectator to think of his selected card. After a
moment or so, shake down the middle two cards as before. A card back will suddenly
appear facing the audience.

-45-
13. Withdraw the two cards as one with the left hand. The right hand drops its two
cards on the table. Then use the right hand to grip the card(s) held by the left
hand, taking them with the hand palm down, fingers at the front short edge and thumb
at the rear short edge.

14. Lift the face of the card(s) towards the audience as if you expect the card face
to also be printed - but it is blank! Scold the spectator for only thinking of the
back of the card!

15. With your left hand pick up the two blank cards from the table and look at them
optimistically hoping the face of the selection might have appeared on one of those.
But no luck.

16. The left hand holds the two blank cards squared and the right hand lays its
card( s) face down on top of them. You hold out the right hand then palm up to
indicate how you would like the spectator to hold his hand. As he does so, the right
hand lifts off the top card only of the pile and places it on the spectator's palm.

17. The left thumb pushes off the top card of the three in its grasp and the right
hand takes it. The two remaining cards are held as one in the left hand. The cards
are shown both sides and then waved over the one on the spectator's hand as he is
asked to think of his selected card face. When he turns his card over it will now be
printed!

18. There are several other effects possible using this set up, move and handling.
For instance, you could print a selected ESP symbol, or any other sort of picture or
design or word which could be printed on a blank faced card. Let your imagination go
to work on it!

to') (

-46-
 COIN VANISHER (CUE)

EFFECT:- Another complete coin vanish in the hands.

COMMENTS:- This is a simple to make fake which allows you to dump any small object
after a 'vanish'. I use it with coin vanishes.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. A piece of stiff cardboard or preferably plastic, approximate size

being 2" x l~".

2. A safety pin.

3. Some scotch tape. F\&.\ . 13\ L>.. '\ o..c.\i(

4. Some Blu Tack.

SET-UP:- Attach the safety pin to the card on one of the l~ inch sides and spread a
large piece of Blu Tack over one side of the card. Fig.l.

Using the safety pin, attach the fake to the inside lining of your jacket, at
a place where the fingers of the right hand, when hanging naturally by your side,
curl round the bottom edge of the coat. The side covered with Blu Tack faces towards
the body.

One small point here is that you will have to renew the Blu Tack from time to
time as it tends to dry out and loose its stickiness.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Apparently place a coin into your left hand, really retaining it
in the right.

2. Allow your right hand to casually drop to your side, keeping your attention
meanwhile on your left hand.

3. The left hand apparently throws the coin into the air where it vanishes and at
the same moment, the right fingers curl round the bottom edge of the jacket and
press the coin onto the Blu Tack on the fake.

4. The coin is thus retained safely out of view. If you make sure to only stick half
of the coin's surface onto the Blu Tack, you will be able to secretly unload it off
the fake for a production of the coin later. This would also be a possibility if you
wanted to start a routine clean and then needed a coin some way through. Being able
to use the fake to load as well as vanish makes it particularly useful.

-47-
 NO PALM CARD TO POCKET (LD)

EFFECT:- A card is chosen and returned to the pack which is shuffled. The pack is
put into the card case and given to a spectator who is handed an elastic band and
asked to put it round the case to secure it. The case is then wrapped by the
spectator in a handkerchief and held up by him. Without touching the pack, the
performer removes an invisible card and places it into his pocket. When the
spectator unwraps the deck and examines the cards, he finds his card is missing.
With his empty hand the magician removes one card from his pocket and this proves to
be the selected card.

COMMENTS:- This is very strong magic and ideal for those who fight shy of palming.
Since the method really only requires nerve and timing it could well find favour
with many. Do try it, you will be credited with a miracle!

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A pack of cards in its case.

2. A handkerchief.

3. An elastic band to go round the card case lengthways.

SET-UP:- Fold the handkerchief into a square and have the deck to hand. The elastic
band should be in the LEFT jacket pocket.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Remove the pack and have a card freely chosen. You might want to
have the card signed. Have it returned to the deck and control it to the top. A
simple cut and shuffle would achieve this with the minimum of fuss.

2. Slip the pack into the case face down, and as you tuck the flap in, slip it
between the top card and the rest of the pack. Fig.l.

-rop
Co..t"d \
.--:-
FlG-. \
\f\l.\.('(\bco~'"\~ u - c.~ Ol\,.\::.
\f\ w-d ();\9£

3. Hold the pack in the right hand, the right thumb covering the portion of the card
showing in the U-cut out in the front of the case. Fig.2.

4. Pick up the handkerchief with the left hand and pass it to the right where it is
gripped between the right first and second fingers and covering the pack from the
spectators' view.

Aw:henc.e.. / 5. You ask a spectator to help. The left

hand reaches behind the handkerchief and
pulls the bottom of the card case so that
it is pulled down and out from behind the
handkerchief. However, pressure from the
right thumb on the exposed card ensures
that the selected card is secretly
~\G.3 retained hidden behind the handkerchief.
\

S~\:or5 Fig.3.
c.~
-48-

~ ~
6. The pack is gently thrown to the assisting spectator who (hopefully!) catches it.
You say that the spectator needs an elastic band to seal the case.

7. At this point, both hands go simultaneously to their respective pockets, the

right hand simply slipping the secreted card into the pocket from behind the
handkerchief (the handkerchief itself does not actually go INTO the pocket at all,
but remains outside, the fingers dropping the card into the pocket from behind it),
while the left hand emerges holding up the elastic band.

8. Hand the band to the spectator who puts it lengthways round the case. Then give
him the handkerchief and ask him to wrap the pack in it.

9. Go through the motions of apparently removing an invisible card and placing it

into your right pocket.

10. Have the spectator uncover the pack and look through for his card. He will, of
course, not find it. It only remains for you to show your right hand empty and
produce the spectator's card from your pocket.

-49-
 THE MELTING COIN (MCU)

EFFECT:- A coin placed on top of a playing card and covered by a matchbox drawer
melts right through the card and ends up underneath. The spectators suspect they
know the secret, but they are in for a surprise.

COMMENTS:- Although I rarely use fake coins, subtle use of a shell here makes this
very easy to perform. This is an ideal effect for very close up work. Overseas
readers will be able to do the same routine using their own coins, but I will
describe this using British money.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. A lOp coin, a 2p coin and a lOp shell (not an expanded one).

2. A pack of cards.

3. An empty matchbox.

4. A small piece of Blu Tack.

SET-UP:- Attach the piece of Blu Tack to the underside of the card case. Stick the
ordinary lOp to it. This removes the need to palm the coin in the early stages of
the trick. Put the lOp shell over the 2p coin and position it on your close up mat
next to the matchbox and the cards in their case.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Pick up the fake coin. To do this without the 2p 'talking'in the
shell requires careful handling. The best way is to place your index finger on top
of the shell, exerting a little downward pressure, and then slip your thumb under
the coin and lift it up so that the thumb holds the 2p in place against the top
inside of the shell. A close up mat is essential for this operationas it will give
the necessary springiness of surface required.

2. With the lOp facing the audience casually display it and then replace it on the
table as you say that you will show the audience something using three objects - a
lOp, a matchbox drawer and a playing card.

3. As you patter, you pick up the matchbox and slip out the drawer placing it on the
table and discarding the cover. Then remove the cards from their case and have a
card freely selected.

4. Take the balance of the pack back and replace it in the case. As you place the
box down, allow the left fingers to secretly pull the real lOp off the Blu tack so
that the coin is held in the left finger palm.

5. Take the selected card back into the right hand and place it face down over the
coin in the left hand.

6. The right hand then picks up the lOp shell and 2p as described above and slides
them onto the back of the card where they rest on the centre.

7. With the left thumb holding the coin( s) steady on top of the card, place the
whole set up onto the table. The extra real lOp will, of course, be secretly left
under the card on the table.

8. The matchbox drawer is placed mouth down over the fake coin. Gently rub the back
of the drawer stating that this action will melt the lOp so that it will pass right
through the card.

-50-
9. After a moments delay, slowly slide the card to the left until the real lap
appears at the side, emerging from underneath. When it is half in view pause for a
moment so that the spectators can appreciate the coin really is below the card, and
then push the card right off the coin.

la. You comment that many people think you use two coins and that there is still one
under the drawer. And you have to admit that this is true. But, the only thing is,
the coin which is left is a 2p.

11. As you say this the right hand reaches over and grips the drawer by the middle
of its two long sides, pinches them in slightly and lifts the drawer away. This will
have the effect of secretly gripping the lap shell and carrying it away concealed
under the drawer. The 2p is left in view and creates enough misdirection for you to
palm off the shell out of the box if required.

-51-
 THE BIONIC CARD (LD)
EFFECT:- A freely selected card is put into an examined envelope and cut in half.
The card is removed seconds later restored, leaving the envelope still in two
halves.

COMMENTS:- Although basically an old method, there are a few disguising elements
included in the presentation to throw off even those who think they might know! When
this routine was originally published in 1978, 'bionic' men and women were all the
rage on TV in Britain, hence the title. Since at anyone time there are always
popular 'super-heroes' who are in vogue, naming the card after one of the current
batch would keep the patter reasonably up to date.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. A pack of cards.

2. A few small manilla pay envelopes (4" x 2~" would be a standard size).

3. A pair of nail scissors.

SET-UP: - Cut a slit across the back (address side) of one of the envelopes just
above half way down from the flap end. Fig.l.

----------
~ She
~
eC')ve.\q>e.

F\G-,2

F\G.l

Arrange the remaining envelopes into a pile, all the envelopes being address
side upwards. Turn the top three envelopes over so that they are flap side upwards.
Flip the complete pile over and add the slit envelope to the top. Then turn the pile
over again so that the slit envelope becomes the bottom envelope of the pile. Fig.2.

Have the pile of envelopes ready along with the deck of cards. The scissors
should be out of sight.

PRESENTATION: - 1. Pick up the pile of envelopes, remove the top one and have it
examined. I usually ask the spectator who takes the envelope to just check that the
envelope is completely empty. This is so much better than asking him to check that
it is an 'ordinary, unprepared envelope', as this would simply lead him to question
the envelope itself later in the effect.

2. Take the examined envelope back and place it on top of the pile still held in the
left hand. Pick up the deck with the right hand and pass it out for someone to
select a card.

3. Under cover of this misdirection, casually turn the envelope pile over as you
place it down. This will, of course, leave the slit envelope now on top.

-52-
4. Take the pack back from the spectator and put it away. Then take the selected
card and look at it and show it around. Tell the audience that by complete chance
(!) the chosen card happens to be a Bionic Card! To test its superhuman qualities
you will put it to a test.

5. Lift off the top envelope from the tabled pile and place the rest of the pile
aside. The audience will assume that this is the examined envelope, whereas in fact
it is the slit one.

6. Holding the envelope in the left hand, flap towards the audience, insert the card
inside, really sliding it right in at this stage and avoiding pushing it through the
slit in the rear.

7. Raise the envelope to your mouth and

lick the flap. Your left fingers act as a
cover for the slit across the envelope's
address side. Lower the envelope and just \~ Wlbri-
before you seal it down, reach inside and d~() ~ ~us~
pull out the card to show it for one last ~0.5\:; al e.
time. However, you do not pull it all the HG.3
way out, just far enough so that the SIlt-\() t-WJ' ()~
card's lower end goes just past the slit.
e.t)ve.\~
Fig.3.

8. Once the card has been seen, use the

right fingers to push it back into the
envelope, but this time make sure that it
goes through the slit. Fig.4. Seal the
fl ap down.

9. Place the envelope on the table for a

\='lG,4-
moment, being careful not to flash the
half of the protruding card under the
lA..C'tcle.tneoJ::h \I \~ envelope.

10. Bring out the scissors and show them. Grip them in the right hand ready to cut
with them.

11. The left hand picks up the envelope

and holds it as in Fig.5. The flap side is
tilted slightly towards the audience.

12. Using the left little finger, lift up

~ 0 FIG.5

the lower right corner of the envelope so

that you can see between the exposed lower
end of the card and the envelope. Fig.6.
-~ ~
\-\G',b
?7
13. Slip the scissors into this gap and slide them up to about half way along the
envelope's length. Slowly cut about three quarters of the way across the envelope.
Use the right hand to 'catch' the envelope halves as if you are trying to keep them
together.

14. Regrip the envelope in the left hand near the envelope centre and then use the
right hand to cut off the end of the envelope and slowly slide the card out still in
tact.

-53-
15. The card is seen to be unharmed and you can tear the two halves now completely
apart to show that the envelope itself really has been severed in two. Crush the
envelope halves and drop them to the table.

.
.

-54-
 NEW ACES THROUGH NEWSPAPER (CUE*)

EFFECT:- A piece of magazine paper or newspaper is laid out and four Aces positioned
at its four corners. Two blank postcards, both only slightly larger than the cards,
are shown and are used to cover two of the Aces. One at a time the Aces are taken
and slipped under the paper below the AS, and somehow each of the Aces penetrates
through the paper and appears with the AS beneath its postcard cover. The last Ace,
however, proves to be a slight problem, until suddenly it is the other three Aces
which disappear and penetrate back DOWN through the paper to collect all together
underneath!

COMMENTS:- In Abra 1724 for the 10th February 1979 I had published a new handling
for the classic Aces Through Newspaper effect called (imaginatively enough!!)
"Improved Aces Through Newspaper". Shortly after that I marketed another version
called (even more imaginatively!) "New Aces Through Newspaper" which altered the
handling and finish to the one published in Abra and which used specially made
leather drink coasters. The routine you read here is the same as the one supplied
with the marketed effect, but using the postcard fakes originally described in Abra
instead of the leather coasters! In fact when the coasters were made we did change
the way the fake was made and this improvement is described here for you to make up
in postcards. Whether you understand all that or not does not really matter since
the final product means you get an unusual and angle proof version of Aces Through
Newspaper which requires no sleight of hand and which finishes on a surprise!

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Three pieces of completely blank postcard.

2. Four ordinary Aces and three matching extra Aces, the AC,AH and AS.

3. A double sheet of magazine paper. The best size would be just a bit bigger than
the size of your close up mat.

4. Some scissors and paper glue for the preparation.

SET-UP:- First you need to make a pocket

card with an opening on its right long
edge. The pocket should be big enough to
/ " ...",
. "..."
"" ,,-'~ take two playing cards on top of each
~I other. Fig.1 shows how the cards are glued
",-
1

r together and how the lower of the two

",- cards needs to have an opening cut from
.....
..... 1 it.
/
A~~ ~~\A£. /
",-
When the glue is dry, turn the fake
\~ S~~tle.cl. ..... 1 ( card over so that the opening to the
Q.~ /
...-
pocket is on top. Slip the extra AH into
/" the pocket face up, making sure that some
of the card is still visible through the
F\&.l '''1 cut out at the pocket's entrance.
,"
.,,1
.... On top of this card slip the extra
AC, also face up. Turn the mat over so
that the opening to the pocket is on the
left hand side underneath. Place the
unfaked card on top of it.

Place the double sheet of paper on the table unfolded. Fold the right hand sheet

-55-
over onto the left hand one. Then fold the whole double sheet in half, bottom up to
the top.

The extra AS is held face down under this folded paper at the top left
position. With the postcards and other four Aces to hand, you are ready.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Hold the magazine paper in the left hand at the top left corner
with the extra AS hidden underneath and casually place it on the table.

2. Unfold it downwards and then over to the right, so that it is fully spread out.
The extra AS will be hidden under the top left corner.

3. Show the four Aces and lay them out as in Fig.2.

~ B
F'lG.2

§l §l
4. Pick up the two postcards, the left hand holding the lower fake one, the right
hand the unfaked one. The postcards are held with the fingers underneath and the
thumbs on top as in Fig.3.

FtG-.3

5. Held in this manner the left fingers will in a natural way cover the cut out
opening to the secret pocket. Casually show the postcards back and front and then
place the unfaked one on top of the faked one and hold them both in the left hand.

6. With the right hand, turn the four Aces face down. The right hand comes over to
the left and the right fingers go under the postcards and start to slide out the
lower faked one to the right. As this happens, the left fingers press lightly on the
part of the AC exposed in the fake pocket so that it is retained under the unfaked
card as the fake postacrd is drawn right away. Fig.4 shows an underneath view.

~~ ~
-/

---

-56-
7. The right hand places the fake postcard over the AH positioned top right, while
the left hand deposits the unfaked postcard with the extra AC hidden below it over
the AS top left.

8. Pick up the visible AC from its position bottom left, show its face and slip it
under the paper so that it is below where the AS is covered by the postcard.

9. Leave the AC under the paper and withdraw your left hand. The AC will now be with
the extra AS under the paper top left.

la. Tap the back of the postcard covering the AS and flip it over to the right.
Spread the two cards which are revealed and then flip them face up to reveal the AS
and AC together. The AC has apparently penetrated up through the paper.

11. Square the two Aces and turn them face down again leaving them top left. Pick up
the unfaked postcard and hold it by its long left side in the left hand. With the
right hand pick up the fake postcard and place it under the one already in the left
hand.

12. With the freed right hand pick up the AH now revealed top right and turn it face
up to show which Ace it is. Drop it face up back on the table.

13. The right hand then comes and takes the lower fake postcard as before, the extra
AH being unloaded at the same time under the unfaked postcard.

14. The right hand places the faked postcard over the AD bottom right, whi le the
left hand deposits its postcard over the two black Aces top left. This leaves the
extra AH on top of the black Aces of course.

15. Take the AH now face down under the paper to below where the two black Aces are.
Leave it there and bring out the left hand. Tap the postcard and flip it over to
reveal now three cards there. Turn them face up to show the AH has arrived.

16. Square the three Aces and turn them face down again. Pick up the unfaked
postcard and place the fake one ON TOP of it. Square the cards carefully, thumbs on
top, fingers on either side underneath and lower the two postcards over the three
Aces top left.

17. The AD is turned face up, shown and then slipped face down under the paper where
it joins the others already left there. Tap the postcards and lift them off as if
you are expecting the AD to have made the upward trip to join the others. You are
apparently surprised when it has not appeared.

18. Casually separate the postcards, placing the fake one now UNDERNEATH the other.
The fake postcard is staggered slightly to the left.

19. Hold the two postcards as described in section 16 above and lower them over the
three Aces. However, the front short edges of the postcards are angled down slightly
so that they touch the paper first and conceal the Aces from view. As soon as this
happens, the fingers of both hands secretly pick up the three squared Aces and hold
them against the bottom of the lower postcard.

20. Immediately the right hand stops gripping the lower postcard and cards so that
the left hand can slide the lower postcard out and place it on top of the other one,
the three Aces being left trapped between the two.

-57-
21. The moment the lower postcard is slid out, the right hand allows the other
postcard to lie flat on the table as if it was covering the Aces.
22. You now tap the postcards harder as if this will help to make the Ace travel
upwards through the paper. You then lift away the two postcards together and the
Aces have disappeared! Immediately you pull back the left hand side of the paper to
reveal the four cards are now underneath - you must have tapped the postcards too
hard!

( I

" A ~
...

"- - \
.I.

i-
f[
l

-58-
 THE SLAP COIN VANISH (MCU)

EFFECT:- A coin placed into the left hand vanishes when slapped by the right hand.
BOTH hands are completely empty!

COMMENTS: - I have fooled countless magicians with this vanish and it is, in my
opinion, such a strong vanish of a coin that it is worth the practice to try and
perfect it. Although this appeared in the original Magic Of Close Up lecture notes,
this is the first time a really full description of the exact technique has been
published.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Any coin.

2. A handkerchief.

3. You need to be wearing a jacket.

SET-UP:- Fold the handkerchief into a tight bundle and wedge it within the top
inside pocket on the right. The only purpose of the handkerchief is to hold the top
inside pocket open, If it hangs open normally, you do not need the handkerchief.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Hold the coin at the

right fingertips and apparently place it
into the left hand. In reality, steal it
back out again. The coin should be
secretly held as in Fig.l.

2. Turn the left hand, which is closed in

a fist apparently around the coin, palm
down and hold it at about waist level.

lG
t=' . \ 3. The right hand is now going to raise
itself up to just below your chin and come
down on the back of the left hand in a
sharp slapping motion. As this is done,
the palmed coin is going to be thrown into
the top inside right hand pocket!

4. This is how you should PRACTISE the

action required. Turn your right shoulder
slightly towards the front and lean it
forwards a little. This will cause the
right side of your open jacket to fall
away a bit leaving a visible gap between
your body and the coat.

5. In slow motion, start to raise the

right hand up, running the right thumb up
the RIGHT edge of the unbuttoned jacket.
Fig.2.

6. The right fingers in fact can bend

round the edge of the jacket taking the
coin almost to a point where it touches
the inside jacket lining.

F\G.2
-59-
7. When the right hand gets to a point just above the level of the inside pocket,
bend the right wrist so that the fingers can position the coin over the open pocket
and can drop the coin into the top.

8. As soon as the coin has been dropped the right hand comes sharply down and slaps
the back of the left fist.

9. The idea of practising the raising of the hand and dropping of the coin in this
way is to accustom you to the coin going back into the right inside pocket.
Sometimes magicians trying to learn this vanish have got confused and have tried to
deposit the coin in the LEFT side inside pocket in an action similar to, but higher
up than, loading a Toppit.

10. Once you have got the idea, you start to speed up the process until you get to
the point where the right hand actually throws the coin so that it hits the inside
lining of the jacket and then drops down into the open pocket! Making sure the right
side of the jacket hangs open slightly is essential to success here, so try to stand
in a position to encourage the jacket to behave how you want it to.

11. Performed without a pause and in a flowing movement, the coin is seen to
apparently go into the left hand and the right hand then raises up and slaps down on
the back of the left fist which opens to show the coin has vanished and BOTH your
hands are left empty.

12. At first you will undoubtedly make a real mess of this vanish, but practise it
regularly and you will have a killer vanish to add to your repertoire. And it means
you do not have to wear a Toppit to affect a really clean coin vanish.

-60-
 TRANSPO CARD (CUE)

EFFECT:- A selected card is marked with a sticker initialled by a spectator and

placed into a pay envelope which has a hole cut right through its centre. A second
card is chosen, and this one, marked with a sticker initialled by the performer, is
placed face up in the centre of the face down pack.

In an instant the two cards change places, the performer's emerging from the
envelope, the spectator's being the only reversed card in the pack!

COMMENTS:- The envelope principle used here is, I think, quite ingenious. I first
saw it when reading an old Abra magazine from the 1940 I S in which Len Sewell
described the envelope for use with a Jumbo card effect. He in fact read about the
principle even further back, so I guess the originator is lost in the mists of time.
There are many other effects possible with this kind of fake, so even if you do not
like the trick itself, you can have some fun devising your own routines with it. I
have published a colour changing idea in my envelope book "STILL FLAPPING" where
this envelope is also described.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A pay envelope, size 4" x 2~".

2. A pack of cards.

3. One extra ordinary card to match the pack being used - say the 5C.

4. A double faced card with different faces on each side, perhaps JHjlOS.

5. Some small round self adhesive white stickers.

6. A pen. 5
+
SET-UP:- Cut a square hole out of the
\k
centre of the pay envelope. The hole goes
right through back and front. Fig.l. ~~e.
t
Cut a square hole out of the centre 3" 9
of your extra 5C, Fig. 2, simply making kr~c..~
sure that this hole is larger than the \iQ\~ F\6.2.
hole in the envelope. When the card is in
the envelope, no part of it should be t="\Gr.l
visible through the envelope's hole.

Place the 5C with the hole in it face up into the envelope. Place the double
faced card on the bottom of the pack, the JH side facing the same way as the rest of
the card faces.

Remove the JH, 10S and 5C from the deck. Discard the 10S. Onto the face of the
JH place a sticker and then put your initials on it. Place this card on top of the
pack with the 5C positioned immediately below it.

Have the other stickers to hand and the pen. To save time, and in order to
make sure it looks the same as the one already on the JH, you could initial another
sticker ready for use in the routine.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Pick up the pack and cut it, completing the cut and holding a left
little finger break in the centre.

-61-
2. Riffle force to the break (for a brief description of the Riffle Force see the
routine PRIVATE EYE). Having cut the deck apparently at the chosen position,
complete the cut and double lift the top two cards leaving them face up and squared
on top of the deck. The SC will show as the selected card.

3. Ask the spectator to put his initials on a sticker. You then peel the sticker off
and attach it to the centre of the face up SC thereby marking his card.

4. Double lift again, turning the cards face down onto the top of the pack and then
deal off the top card only face down onto the table. Place the deck down.

5. Pick up the envelope in your left hand, the sealed end being held by the left
fingers and the address side being held flat facing the audience. The opening to the
envelope is pointing to the right, not upwards.

6. The right hand picks up the tabled card and turns it face towards you and the end
of the card is pushed into the envelope. If you push the end of the card towards the
rear of the envelope as it is inserted, it will automatically be slid BEHIND the SC
already inside.

7. Because the envelope has been held flat on to the audience, they will be able to
see the apparent selected card (really it is your initialled JH of course) going
into the envelope and sliding past the central hole.

8. Once the card is inside, you mention the hole in the envelope. You explain that
it has been cut so that the back of the selected card can be seen through one side
and the face of the card through the other.

9. As you say the last part, the left

fingers hold the envelope so that the hole
facing the audience is covered by the
fingers, and the right hand reaches into
HQ\ e. \C')QAt-cl
the top of the envelope and pulls the SC
cove.~ -b~ out slightly. Fig.3.
Q..t)\J~C?e.

la. The left hand then lowers the envelope

so that the audience can see the face of
the SC protruding from the top of the
3'~ ~\'<)CA\.<'G envelope. Because of the positioning of
~\d.de.\\ the card, the hole in its centre is hidden
by the top part of the envelope, and the
1=\G-.3 JH is covered from view by the lower part
of the SC.

11. This showing of the apparent selected card is vital to the strength of the
trick, because the audience really believes the selected SC is in the envelope. And
because you put the spectator's initialled sticker on the centre of the card, it
would naturally be hidden by the top part of the envelope!

12. Push the SC back inside, turning the envelope over simultaneously. Leave it on
the table.

13. Pick up the pack. Hold it in the overhand shuffle position, faces of the cards
towards the audience. By exerting a little pressure with the left fingers and thumb
which are holding the deck, the top and bottom cards can be held back in the left
hand as the right hand lifts all the cards out from between them and shuffles the
balance on top.

-62-
14. The bottom card, the JH/lOS will thus have been pushed onto the spectator's 5C
so that at the end of the shuffle the top two cards of the deck will be the chosen
5C followed by the double facer.

15. Undercut the pack, completing the cut but obtaining a left little finger break
as before in the centre above the 5C.

16. Do the Riffle Force again. Double lift the top two cards and turn them face up
on top of the pack. The JH will show.

17. This is your selected card, so you place the initialled sticker you signed
beforehand onto the JH card face in the same position as it was placed on the real
JH face in the envelope.

18. Double lift the top two cards, flash the back and then slip them still face up
into the middle of the pack. Place the deck down on the table.

19. The spectator's card has been seen in the envelope, you recap. Your card has
been seen face up in the centre of the pack. Now for the lightning transposition.

20. A snap of the fingers and then immediately turn over the envelope. Reaching
inside, slide out the JH leaving the fake 5C within and invisible because of its
hole.

21. Turn the deck face up and ribbon spread across the table. One card will be seen
face down in the centre. Slide this card out. When it is turned over it is seen to
be the spectator's own signed card!

-63-
 DEVIL'S ISLAND (MCU*)

EFFECT:- A map of an imaginary island is shown on which are clearly marked and named
six different locations. A spectator mentally selects one of the locations at which
to bury some I treasure I and records his choice on a card which is sealed in an
envelope and left in view. Six cards, each bearing the name of one of the locations,
are displayed and shuffled by the spectator who then deals them in a face down row
on the table. The assisting spectator slips one card at a time into an envelope and
hands it to a member of the audience of his choice until six members of the audience
are holding location cards. A prediction which has been in view and which has not
been touched by the performer since the effect began, is now picked up by the
spectator. Despite the fact that the chosen location was the secret mental selection
of one spectator, and despite the fact that not one of the six spectators holding an
envelope has any idea which location they have in their envelope, when the
prediction is read out it leads straight to the spectator who is holding the correct
location to find the buried treasure.

COMMENTS:-Depending on the size of props used in this effect, it can be performed

close up or on the cabaret floor or even on the stage! In spite of the baffling
nature of the plot, it is an easy effect to do.

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A drawing of an island with six locations. Fig.l.

HANGMAN'S"HI,LL
ST.MARY'S
t J\
CHURCH ~ COOMBE
LAKE

BIRCH WOOD'

g DEVIL'S CAVE

~
ftG. \

2. Six cards, each bearing one of the names of the six locations. Each is marked on
the back so that you can tell which is which when they are face down.

3. Six envelopes, big enough to take the cards and marked on the address side with
the numbers 1-6 in bold numerals.

-64-
4. A card on which you will write your prediction.

5. Another envelope, the same size as the others, which has a large hole cut out of
its address side. Fig.2.

C)
\-1.01... £:.

\=\G.2.
c.u..

.~1:R83':,
D>'~V~
s\'1>"E.
'I

[2J t=""lG:3

6. A piece of opaque card on one side of which is a rough outline of the island.
Fig.3. This card has to be small enough to fit in the envelopes.

7. A pen.

SET-UP:- On the prediction card write the following:-

liTHE PERSON WITH ENVELOPE NUMBER 5 WILL FIND THE MONEY"

Arrange the numbered envelopes in any order, but ensure that the one numbered
5 is on the bottom of the pile when they are held flap side up. Place the envelope
with the hole in the back on top of the pile. Have all the other props to hand.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Show the map and choose a spectator to help. Ask him to mentally
select any of the six locations.

2. Hand him the piece of opaque card and the pen with the request that he record his
choice by writing it in the little outline of the island. This makes him centralise
his writing on the card.

3. While he is writing, pick up the top envelope from the pile (the one with the
hole in the address side) and open the flap. Take the card from the spectator
writing side down and slip it into the envelope.

4. Seal it and as you hold it up to show that it is sealed, you can sight the name
of the chosen location through the hole in the envelope. Place the envelope down in
view.

5. Hand out the six location cards and have them looked at and shuffled. Get the
spectator to arrange the cards in a face down row of six.

6. Look along the row and spot, via the markings on the back, which card matches the
chosen location and remember its position in the row.

7. Pick up the pile of envelopes and arrange them in a fan in the left hand. Invite
the assisting spectator to pick up any of the tabled cards. Each time he picks up a
card which is NOT the one naming the chosen location, pass him an envelope from the
TOP of the pile with the instruction that he slip the card, without looking at it,
into the envelope and hand it to any person in the audience.

8. As soon as he picks up the chosen location card, the right hand grips all the
envelopes left in the fan and the left hand passes him the BOTTOM envelope. This

-65-
ensures that the correct location card is put into envelope number 5 and thus will
make your prediction correct at the finish.

9. By the time all the cards have gone, six members of the audience will have been
given a location card.

10. Point out the prediction card and explain that although no one could possibly
know which of the six locations the spectator has selected, and although he shuffled
the location cards and has, himself, placed them into envelopes which have been
given out to members of the audience, the prediction wi 11 actually lead to the
spectator who is holding the correct location card.

11. The prediction card is given to the assisting spectator who reads it aloud. The
members of the audience look at the numbers on their envelopes. Number 5 takes his
card out and it is shown to name the location chosen at the beginning.

12. Incidentally, it is perhaps a
tear open the envelope containing
location, and to display what he
This confirms the mental choice
removed or changed in any way.
good idea, before the prediction is read out, to
the spectator's card on which he wrote his chosen
wrote before proceeding to the end of the trick.
and also shows that the card was not secretly

-66-
 THE DETECTIVE COIN (LD)

EFFECT:- A card is selected and returned to the pack. A coin, which is supposed to
be a detective coin, is shown. The pack is put back into a drop lid card box and the
coin placed on the top, after which the lid is dropped on. When the box is opened,
the coin has gone from the top of the pack and is found near the centre resting on
the actual selected card.

COMMENTS:-This is one of my all time favourite plots and I have devised a number of
different ways of achieving the basic effect. The trick was originally brought to my
attention when I read a method in Abra. That version required magnetic coins, which
I did not have, and this lack of a gimmick encouraged me to come up with this very
simple solution. [See THE BRITISH CLOSE UP MAGIC SYMPOSIUM BOOK for a table hopping
version of this trick].

REQUIREMENTS:-1. A drop lid card box. Fig.l.

Ftc;..l
Rlbbon
2. A pack of cards to fit in the box!! FtG.2
3. Two coins. I normally use lOp pieces.

4. Some Blu Tack.

SET-UP: - On the inside of the card box there has to be a piece of thin ribbon
attached to the centre of one long side of the box base. The ribbon should be long
enough to stretch across the bottom of the box when there is a deck inside and some
of the ribbon should protrude out of the other side. Fig.2. Many drop lid card boxes
come with this ribbon already in place. If yours does not have it, add it! The
ribbon is simply used as a neat way of lifting the cards out of the box, because
when the protruding end of the ribbon is lifted up, it raises one long side of the
deck sufficiently out of the box so that the deck can be gripped.

Stick a piece of Blu Tack in the

centre of the inside of the card box lid.
Fig.3. Also attach a small piece to the
rear of the card box base. Fig.4.
Fl6.3 Attach one of the coins to the Blu
Tack on the base of the box. This is
simply so that you do not have to palm an
extra coin during the first part of the
routine.

~\G. 4-
-67-
 Put the deck into the box and then drop the lid in place. Check that the top
card of the deck does NOT stick to the Blu Tack in the lid. If it does, remove and
discard a few of the cards from the deck.

PRESENTATION: - 1. Begin by displaying the second coin and explain that this is a
detecti ve coin. You aim to put it to the test to see whether it can find a
"criminal".

2. Place the coin down and pick up the card box. Remove the lid and place it down,
making sure that you do not turn it over so that the inside of the lid is on show.
The presence of the Blu Tack might cause some comment!

3. Holding the base of the box on the left palm, use the right hand to lift the
ribbon and thus raise the right edge of the deck. Allow the right fingers and thumb
to grip the deck and lift it clear of the box.

4. Drop the lid back on the empty box and then place it on the table. Display the
deck and have a "criminal" card freely chosen (and signed if you feel it necessary.
I do not.)

5. Split the deck and have the chosen card returned to the top of the lower half. As
the right hand places its half on top, get a left little finger break above the
selection. Having squared the deck, cut at the break and riffle shuffle the two
halves together so that the selection is the last card to fall. The chosen card is
thus the new top card of the deck. Place the deck down.

6. You now explain that the detective coin is in fact an undercover agent, and so in
order to make him feel at home, you will place him under cover. Pick up the box with
your right hand and place it on your left hand. As the right hand removes the lid
and places it down, the left fingers pull the extra coin held under the box on the
Blu Tack away so that it falls onto the fingers.

7. As the right hand lifts away the base of the box, the left fingers twist towards
you to conceal the fact that they now hold a coin. The right hand places the base of
the box on the table for a moment.

8. The right hand then picks up the deck and places it into the left hand and thus
over the coin secretly held there. Spread the face down deck across into the right
hand and split the cards about half way so that both hands hold some spread cards.
Flash the faces of the cards by twisting both hands palm down, then place the cards
held in the right hand UNDER those in the left, trapping the coin between the two
halves as you do so. Square the deck.

9. Your patter to cover the above is that the" criminal" card has been lost
somewhere in amongst the other cards and the detective coin will now try to find
him.

10. As soon as the deck is squared, drop it straight into the card box. Try to
ensure that your hands cover the deck sufficiently to mask the fact that there is a
coin already in the deck centre.

11. Pick up the box base and place it in the left hand. Take the detective coin and
position it on top of the deck in the centre. Pick up the lid and push it down on
top. Because there is a coin already in the centre of the deck, the upper half is
lifted up slightly. This coupled with the thickness of the coin placed on the top of
the pack will mean that if you squeeze the box top and bottom centre as you place it
down, the coin will be stuck to the Blu Tack on the inside of the lid.

-68-
12. After a few moments, lift off the lid to reveal that the coin has gone. Showing
both your hands empty, lift up the ribbon and allow the spectators to see the gap in
the side of the pack where the coin rests in the middle.

13. With the right fingers, lift off all the cards ABOVE the coin and place them to
one side. Tilt the box so that the audience can now clearly see the coin resting on
the remaining portion of the deck.

14. Lift the coin off and then remove the card it was lying on. Ask for the name of
the chosen "criminal" card. Snap the card and turn it over to show that another case
has been successfully solved!

-69-
 TRANSPARENTSWITCH (DD)

EFFECT:- The performer offers to Iexplain' how magicians are able to apparently
predict events before they have actually happened. From a small envelope he removes
a completely transparent plastic wallet, inside which the back of a playing card can
be clearly seen. The envelope is shown to be otherwise empty.

This card is to be the magician's prediction and he even shows the face of the
card to the audience, explaining however that normally the card's identity would
remain undisclosed until the end. The card, inside its wallet, is left face down on
the table.

A pack of cards is shuffled and a card chosen and placed next to the
prediction. The magician confidently explains that the prediction card will always
match the selection, even though the spectator has a choice of 52 cards. As he says
this, the magician fans the balance of the deck faces towards the audience and the
spectators will suddenly notice that the card matching the prediction in the wallet
is in fact still on the bottom of the deck! A mistake appears to have been made, and
when the selection is turned over, it is indeed another card. However, all ends well
when the magician flips over the transparent wallet to show the prediction card
inside has changed to match the selection.

COMMENTS:-This effect is similar in plot to the The Right Wrong Prediction

described elsewhere in this book, but the method is entirely different. The basic
principle using the transparent wallet to switch cards can be used to change either
the face or the back of a card placed inside and this means there are several other
effects which are possible with the set up described.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. Two small completely

transparent plastic wallets, size HG.\
approximately 4cm x 7cm. Fig.l. These can
usually be bought in larger stationery
shops and are normally sold in packs of 5.

2. A brown manilla envelope, approximate

size 7~cm x 12cm.

3. A pack of cards.

4. Two extra matching cards, say the KS

and 4D.

SET-UP:- Cut out one complete side from

the second wallet and insert it into the
first

This
wallet.

wallet.
Fig.2.

creates a kind
In the rear
of changing
compartment
bag
of the
g t='\G.2
wallet slip the duplicate KS face up. From
the discarded side of the second wallet,
cut a tongue of plastic about 3cm long and
attach it wi th sellotape to the rear of
the 4D. Fig.3.

~~~ of c..A~1> t-\G- .3

-70-
 Fold the tongue over onto the face
of the 4D so that a crease is formed in
the plastic level with the top edge of the
card.

4- Unfold the tongue and slip the 4D

0 face up into the front compartment of the
wallet so that the 4D is exactly aligned
with the KS. Fold the tongue down onto the
outside of the wallet. The cut out may
have to be enl arged si i ghtl y to do thi s .
Fig.4.
0 <) ~
'\7 To all intents and purposes it now
looks as if there is one card inside the
t="~GA. plastic wallet. In reality there are two
and they are kept separate by the central
dividing piece of plastic.

Slip the wallet into the envelope. The pack of cards is quickly set up by
placing the KS on top of the pack and then placing the 4D on top of the KS.

PRESENTATION:- 1. You offer to explain how prediction effects are done. Holding up
the envelope, you state that inside is a prediction. Carefully remove the plastic
wallet, face of the card should be towards yourself. Show the envelope empty and
place it on the table.

2. Inside the wallet is your prediction and since you are only I explaining I the
trick rather than performing it, you are prepared to show the face of the card in
advance.

3. Turn the wallet round, using the fingers or thumb of the hand holding the wallet
to conceal the plastic tongue from view.

4. Once the card face has been seen, turn the wallet round again so that the card
face is towards you.

5. Grip the open end of the wallet in the left hand, thumb on the plastic tongue and
fingers on the other side. The right hand grips the bottom end of the wallet for a
moment to allow the left thumb to straighten out the plastic tongue so that it
protrudes above the top of the wallet. Fig.5.

! ALtcl\ec=

F\G.5

-71-
6. The right hand then picks up the envelope by its flap. The flap should be open
and pointing to the right, the address side of the envelope being flat on to the
audience.

7. The left hand places the wallet against the back of the envelope, so that it is
partly hidden from the audience's view. Fig.6.

F\G.G

a. Note how the left second, third and fourth fingers have gone onto the address
side of the envelope so that it is held pinched between the left index and second
fingers.

9. The right hand, which can now release its hold on the envelope, takes hold of the
sealed end of the wallet and pulls it away from the left hand, sliding it along the
back of the envelope. Fig.7.

..

HG.1

10. As soon as the end of the extended plastic tongue is past the opening of the
envelope, the wallet is pushed inside, the tongue remaining extended. Fig.a.

------
r'
I r
1...1..
,,,- --I
, I,
I-,
I L~

r-\G. ~

-72-
11. Your covering patter for this action is that normally the prediction would
remain hidden inside the envelope, but on this occasion that will not be necessary
since you have already shown the face of the card.

12. So saying, the left thumb and index finger hold the very base of the envelope at
the exact spot where the extended plastic tongue will be positioned in the envelope.
Fig.9.

rr--=-~-= =-~ ,

,
:t ./ 11
1(- 11
I I
IL
' -- =!J

F~G 51

13. The right hand reaches inside the envelope and GENTLY grasps the bottom edge of
the wallet and smoothly withdraws it. Because the left hand is holding the plastic
tongue through the envelope, the 4D will remain inside the envelope and the wallet
will be slid off it and out into view again.

14. Due to the plastic central divider between the 4D and KS, the KS will be left
unmoved inside the wallet and nothing will appear to have changed. The wallet is
immediately placed with the card face down on the table and the envelope is casually
put away.

15. Pick up the deck and shuffle keeping the top two cards in place. Get a break
below the top card with the left little finger and transfer the break to the right
thumb as it holds the deck from above. Undercut the deck with the left hand and
place on top, keeping the break. Regain the break with the left little finger as it
takes hold of the pack again.

16. Riffle Force the card below the break. (For a brief description of this force,
see PRIVATE EYE.) After completing the cut push off the top 'selected' card (the KS)
onto the table without showing its face, next to the prediction.

17. You explain that although the spectator could have chosen anyone of the 52
cards, the one he has chosen will always match the prediction. As you say this, pick
up the deck and turning the faces of the cards towards the audience, fan the deck.
The spectators will see the 4D staring at them from the bottom of the deck and they
will assume that you have made a mistake!

18. Close the fan, apparently unaware of your error, and confidently flip the
selection over. Appear somewhat confused to find the KS on the table! Then turn over
the wallet to reveal the prediction has changed also to the KS.

-73-
 THE HOMING COIN (CUE)

EFFECT:- A coin vanishes and appears under the drawer of a matchbox placed mouth
down on the table. The coin then penetrates the back of the drawer to appear once
more underneath. The matchbox is put back together again and the coin disappears and
reappears within the box. Finally the empty box is wrapped in a handkerchief and
held by a spectator. The coin vanishes and is supposed to end up in the box.
However, when the box is opened the coin is not found inside, because the whole
drawer is completely filled with matches!

COMMENTS:-This routine started with the idea for a fake matchbox. I think the idea
of a matchbox being able to load a coin is one which could be incorporated into
other routines. Here I have used the special box plus some sleight of hand and nice
routining to create a pleasant sequence which I hope you will like!
REQUIREMENTS:-1. Two matchboxes.

2. Two coins. I use lOps although half dollars will fit equally well in the box.
3. A cotton handkerchief.

4. A small piece of thin card. This could be made from the drawer of a third
matchbox.

SET-UP:- Remove the drawer from one of the matchboxes and discard the matches. You
now need to cut and fit a flap (which you cut from your extra piece of card) to the
inside of the matchbox COVER. The flap should be slightly over half the length of
the matchbox and should be attached with sellotape to the top underside of the
cover. Fig.l.

t:.oJ ~

\
\
\
\
\
F\~~ \=\&,3 ~~~
Eod A F\G.\ Eoo A Y8~", d~
HG-.2

When the cover is stood with end A on the table, the flap will drop open.
Fig.2.

Take the drawer of the matchbox and cut an eighth of an inch off all the way
round. Fig.3. This ensures that the drawer can be slid into the cover despite the
presence of the flap.

When inserting the trimmed drawer into the cover, always make sure that the
drawer enters end A and is pulled out at end B. If you do it the other way, you will
break the flap inside the cover!

The second identical matchbox is filled so completely with matches, that when
the drawer is in the cover, the matches are jammed and will not rattle. It is best
to fill the drawer with a few matches at a time and to shake the drawer to ensure

-74-
that the matches settle while you are doing the loading, otherwise you may find that
your 'jammed full' box may settle and rattle in performance.

Fold the handkerchief into a square. Put the full box of matches under the
folded handkerchief and place the two together in your left jacket pocket, the
handkerchief nearest the body.

Slip one of the coins into the fake matchbox and have this on your table, end
A of the box facing you. The other coin is classic palmed in the right hand at the
beginning of the routine.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Pick up the visible matchbox and push out the drawer so that it
emerges at end B. Remove the drawer completely with the right hand and place the
cover down so that it stands upright on end A.

2. Tip the coin out of the drawer and onto the table. You say that the coin is a
'homing coin' and the matchbox is its home. No matter where the coin goes, it always
returns to its home.

3. The left hand has hold of the drawer. The coin palmed in the right hand is
allowed to drop onto the right fingers. The left hand inverts the drawer mouth
downwards over the coin and the right fingers place the drawer onto the table with
the coin secretly underneath.

4. The right hand picks up the visible coin and pretends to place it into the left
hand which closes. The coin is classic palmed in the right hand.

5. You say the coin will leave the hand and return home under the drawer. The right
hand reaches over and pinching the two long sides of the drawer, lifts it
momentarily off the table as if to show where the coin will arrive. The pinching of
the sides of the drawer means that the coin is secretly picked up under the matchbox
and remains out of view. Replace the drawer on the table mouth downwards.

6. The left hand is finally opened, the coin is gone. The left hand tips the drawer
over backwards to reveal the coin underneath.

7. Allow the palmed coin to fall onto the right fingers again and picking up the
drawer with the left hand, invert it over the palmed coin as before, placing both
down onto the table. So once more there is a coin secretly positioned under the
drawer on the table.

8. Place the cover of the box on top of

the drawer back, end A being at the
bottom. Fig.4. Pick up the visible coin
and gently lower it into the cover where
it rests inside the open flap.
..

9. The coin will apparently penetrate Au.dle.C\CQ.

through the drawer again. The right hand F\o.p

lifts the cover away, the coin being - - - - .
secretly held up in the cover by means of ,'" .
F\G.4-
the flap, and the drawer is pivoted over ..
-- -' ~

backwards to reveal the coin underneath.

10. Push the drawer up into end A of the cover for half its length. The coin will be
trapped by the pressure of the drawer on the flap.

-75-
11. Once the box has been seen to be empty, push the drawer shut and place the box
on the table, end A nearest you.

12. Pick up the coin and apparently place it again into the left hand, palming it in
the right.

13. The left hand goes beneath the table top and apparently makes the coin penetrate
up through the table and back into the matchbox. The left hand emerges open and
empty from below the table.

14. Pick up the matchbox and rattle it. Push out the drawer and the coin will
automatically be loaded into the drawer from the flap. If you find this does not
happen, it may be that the length or perhaps the width of the flap needs to be
trimmed a little.

15. With the drawer removed from the cover, tip the coin onto the table and replace
the drawer back into the cover.

16. You say that best of all is the 'long range' flight of the coin. Both hands go
to thei r respective pockets at the same time. The right hand simply releases its
palmed coin and reemerges empty. The left hand comes out with the handkerchief and
the second matchbox hidden underneath.

17. Open out the handkerchief, keeping the

box still hidden. The cloth is held as in
Fig.5.

18. The right hand picks up the visible

empty matchbox and comes behind the cloth
where it takes the hidden full box out of

/ (\ the left fingers and pushes it up to the

centre of the handkerchief.

19. The left hand releases hold of the

G/V\~ handkerchief edge and grips the full box

through the handkerchief. The right hand,

F\G.5 concealing the empty box, drops casually

down to your side.

20. Turn your left side towards the audience a little and approach a spectator on
your far right. Hold up the cloth covered box and ask if he would hold it up in
view. As you do this, the right hand quietly ditches the extra palmed box in the
right jacket pocket. This side is hidden by the body of course.

21. Pick up the visible coin and apparently take it into the left hand, in reality
perform the Wrist Watch Coin Vanish or the Slap Coin Vanish or any other complete
coin vanish.

22. Toss the invisible coin round the room and ask the spectator whether he felt the
coin arrive. He will probably say no. Take the handkerchief covered box from him and
uncover it. Then push open the drawer and slowly tip the matches all over the table.

-76-
 THE RIGHT WRONG PREDICTION (MCU)

EFFECT:- A spectator is going to do some magic. He freely selects a Jumbo card as a

prediction and it is placed into an examined envelope which has a large hole cut
from its front. Another spectator chooses a card from a normal sized pack, but
unfortunately it does not appear to match the first spectator's prediction. However,
suddenly the prediction changes to match the selected card.

COMMENTS:- One of the classic stand up tricks sold by Ken Brooke was Potty
Prediction. I bought one and used it many times in my act. However, I wanted to do a
similar effect in close up and decided it would be nice to change the plot so that
it was a spectator who apparently did the magic rather than the performer being
rather I clever-clever I in changing the prediction card. This in turn led me to
wonder if it was possible to have the envelope containing the prediction examined
beforehand and so the handling I am about to describe was born.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. A Jumbo deck (including the Joker) and a drop lid card box. Fig.l.

[ r--.. ~

[~ ~J
FIG. I

2. Two manilla envelopes (16cm x 23cm approximately).

3. A pack of normal sized cards which has 26 duplicates and 26 indifferent cards.

4. For the set up you will need some scissors.

SET-UP: - From the address side of one of the envelopes cut a rectangular piece
measuring llcm x 15cm. Discard the rest of the envelope. Fig.2.

F\G.2 1="\G.3
<s- I\cf<\ qcl'"\

t
i
Ix('l\
0 ler-.

,
------- t Ir1~~1
t

The other envelope has a square hole cut out of its address side. The size of
the hole should be 7cm x 7cm and its top edge should be about 9cm from the top of
the envelope. Fig.3.

-77-
 The Jumbo deck is now required. Firstly, remove the Jumbo card which matches
the 26 duplicates in your normal sized pack. Let us say it is the QH. Also take out
the Jumbo Joker. From any other card make a 'short' card by trimming one or both of
the top and bottom short edges.

Replace this short card on the -uo'-<er- -,

bottom of the pack. Then on top of it put
the QH and on top of that lay the piece of
envelope which you cut from the first
envelope. The shiny outside of the \-\&4
envelope piece should lie against the face I
of the QH. On top of the lot place the ,
Joker. I
I
The pack should now read, from the
bottom upwards:- Joker, envelope piece,
- -- - -
QH, short card, rest of the pack. Fig.4.
6Iuel~ p\ec..e.
Drop the deck face up into the card box. Put the lid on. The normal sized deck
has 26 duplicates on top and the random cards on the bottom (face) of the deck.

It is essential that you work this on a close up mat.

PRESENTATION:-1. You say that a spectator is going to attempt a mental effect. Open
the Jumbo card box by lifting off the lid and place it aside. Then with the right
hand pick up the bottom of the box and tilt it over to the left hand so that the
pack is tipped out face down onto it. Fig. 5. You should find that the deck will
spread slightly as you do this.

rlG.S

v
2. Place the box down and then transfer
hold the pack by its
underneath.
right side with the right
2.0\<&

the deck to the right hand. This hand should

thumb on top and the fingers
F\G.~

3. The left thumb now goes to the left long side of the deck and peels down the
bottom card sufficiently for the left fingers to slip in above the Joker and grip
the pack at the left long edge. Fig.6. The fact that the pack spread a little as it
was removed from the box aids this peeling down of the Joker.

4. The left fingers will be holding the envelope piece now against the bottom of the
pack and the left thumb will be resting on the top of the cards.

-78-
5. The two hands lower the deck to the table and just before the close up mat is
reached, the right hand slides out the Joker, leaving the left hand to place the
deck down leaving the envelope piece hidden under the whole deck.

6. Turn the Joker casually face up and drop it into the base of the case. The only
purpose of the Joker was to keep the envelope piece hidden and in place prior to the
deck being placed on the table, so now it can be removed and discarded without
arousing suspicions.

7. Spread the pack across your mat from left to right. Have the spectator who is
going to do the trick touch the back of any card.

8. Remove his selection and show it to everyone. This, you explain, will be his
prediction. Transfer the card face down to the left hand and starting with the
bottom right corner of the card, slip it under the bottom of the pack at the left
long side. In a continuing scooping up motion, collect up the whole pack into the
right hand. If you do it right, you will find that the chosen card will
automatically go under the envelope piece in the course of this action so that when
the deck is finally squared again in the right hand, the envelope piece will be
trapped between the selection and the QH.

9. Hold the deck face up and squared in the left hand, the left thumb running along
the left long edge, the fingers along the right. Fig. 7 . The spectator's free
selection will be in view on the face of the deck.

4-
\-\6./ 0 F\G.~

0
/

la. With your free right hand pass the spectator the envelope to examine. Take it
back and lay it hole side up on the table, the flap being open and facing towards
you.

11. The right hand now comes to the inner short end of the pack and the thumb gets
underneath the top two cards of the deck (i.e. the spectator's card plus the QH).
Fig.S. This is made easier by the short card being under the QH.

12. With the fingers on the face and the thumb underneath, lift off these two cards
as one (with the piece of envelope trapped between them) and turn them back towards
the audience.

13. Put the Jumbo deck down and immediately use the left hand to pick up the
envelope by slipping the fingers into the square hole at the top edge and separating
the fingers inside in order to open the top end of the envelope.

14. Flash the face of the card(s) again and then smoothly slide them face down into
the envelope, leaving them resting in a central posi tion so that the middle of the

-79-
card back shows. As far as the audience is concerned, they have clearly seen you
take the freely selected prediction and slip it into the examined envelope. All
looks fair and above board. Leave the envelope to one side but in view.

15. Put the rest of the Jumbo deck away and then get out the ordinary sized deck.
Fan the bottom half of this deck to show the cards are all different. False shuffle
making sure that the top 26 remain together and unseen.

16. Turn the card faces towards yourself and casually split the cards. However,
ensure that all those in the left hand are the duplicates and the rest are in the
right hand.

17. A second spectator is invited to point to one of the two halves. If he points to
the pile of duplicates, you keep that pile and discard the other. Then, having split
the pile of duplicates in half, you keep whichever pile he points to this time and
continue in this way, on every occasion KEEPING the pile he points to.

18. If he originally points to the indifferent card pile, that is the one you still
discard, but on each subsequent choice you make sure that you continue to DISCARD
the pile he points to. The net result is that you will always end up with a QH being
left at the finish. This is a subtle force because you are completely consistent in
the way you handle the spectator's choice each time.

19. The final card which remains at the end of this selection process, should, you
tell the audience, match the spectator's prediction card if he has done it
correctly! The normal sized card is placed face down on the table without its face
being shown.

20. Pick up the envelope and hold it in

the left hand as in Fig.9. The hole in the
~\G-.<1 envelope is facing the audience.

21. Slip the right hand into the top of

the envelope and insert the fingers
between the front card i.e. the card
showing through the hole in the envelope,
and the loose piece of envelope.

22. Gripping this front card and holding

the envelope VERY LIGHTLY with the left
hand, gently remove the front card. The
piece of envelope should remain in
position and therefore give the impression
that the envelope is now empty.
./

23. Place the envelope to one side. Turn round the normal sized card and act
surprised that it does not match the spectator's prediction card chosen earlier.
However, you compliment the spectator on his magic powers because although he could
not predict the selection correctly, he has managed to change his prediction to
match the selection. And you turn round the Jumbo to prove your words.

-80-
 CONFUSING CHIPS (CUE)

EFFECT:- Two different coloured chips are shown and despite the performer openly
removing one, there are always two back in his hand. Just when the audience think
they know what to expect, the two chips change colour completely!

COMMENTS: - One of my marketed items is called THE CLAUSEN CHIPS and avers ion of
this routine appears in the booklet which accompanies the supplied brass chips. (See
Mark Leveridge Magic price list for details.) This, however, is the original 'low-
tech I version of the effect which was originally inspired by the similar Bob
Swadling effect using fake coins. The chips required can either be made by carefully
cutting the required colours fromm coloured cardboard, or you will find that
children's games often have coloured chips you may be able to adapt. The chips which
I use come from a game called Match-A-Balloon which is sold in Britain in the Early
Learning Centre toy shops.

REQUIREMENTS:- 1. 5 chips in the following colour combination - 2 chips green on

both sides, 1 chip red on both sides, 1 chip yellow on both sides and 1 chip red on
one side and yellow on the other. (The colours can be varied as long as the
combination of colours is maintained.) The size of the chips should be as large as
you can comfortably classic palm.

SET-UP:- Put the all red chip in the right jacket pocket. The red/yellow chip put in
the ticket pocket in your right pocket, red side towards the body.

Classic palm one of the all green chips in your right hand. Have the other
green and all yellow chips on view in your left hand.

PRESENTATION:- 1. Show the two chips on the left fingers. You say that if you openly
remove one - and you do so - it would be easy to name the colour of the one which
remains, because it can be seen. But as soon as it cannot be seen, it becomes more
difficult .

2. Replace the chip in the left hand. The

yellow chip should be on top of the green
and staggered back slightly so that the
green can be seen underneath. Fig.l. Both
chips are resting on the fingers rather
than on the palm.

3. Curl your left hand inwards towards

yourself, half closing the hand. Allow the 'FlG.1
palmed chip in the right hand to fall onto
the flat of the fingers.

4. With the back of the hand uppermost, the right fingers enter the rear of the half
closed hand, leaving the palmed green chip on top of the yellow one and openly
coming away with the green one which was underneath the yellow one.

5. Show this removed chip both sides and place it in your right jacket ticket
pocket, secretly removing the red/yellow chip in the fingers with the yellow side
resting against the fingers themselves.

6. The left hand has meanwhile closed. A spectator is asked to name the colour of
the remaining chip in the left hand. Whatever he says, you open the hand to show the
green one back on top of the yellow one.

-81-
7. Repeat the above sequence, this time the all yellow chip being removed and the
red/yellow chip being left on top of the green, with the yellow side of the fake
chip uppermost.

8. Place the all yellow chip, after showing it both sides, into the right ticket
pocket and come out with the all red chip in the right fingers.

9. When the hand is opened, the green and yellow chips are seen back together again.

10. Repeat this a third time, this time removing the green chip, showing both sides
and depositing it in the right jacket pocket, the all red chip having been already
deposited in the left hand along with the red/yellow fake. The right hand emerges
from the pocket empty.

11. As the left hand is turned over this time, the chips are allowed to flip over so
that when the fingers are opened two RED chips suddenly come into view!

-82-
 THE MARK LEVERIDGE LECTUREEXPERIENCE

IS A REVISED AND UP-DATED COLLECTION OF MOST OF THE ITEMS FEATURED IN THE LOW DOWN
ON CLOSE UP, CLOSE UP ENCOUNTERS, THE MAGIC OF CLOSE UP and THE DECEPTIVE DECK
LECTURES.

30 TOP RATE CLOSE UP ROUTINES AND IDEAS

ARE CAREFULLY DESCRIBED IN FULL DETAIL WITH DIAGRAMS WHERE NECESSARY AND FEATURE
MAGIC USING CARDS, COINS, MATCHES, RINGS, BANK NOTES, KEYS AS WELL AS SOME CLOSE UP
MENTAL ITEMS.

IF YOU HAVE NOT COME ACROSS THE MATERIAL FROM MARK'S EARLY LECTURES BEFORE, YOU ARE
SURELY IN FOR A MAGICAL TREAT! VERYFEW SPECIAL PROPSARE REQUIRED,AND MARK'S BLEND
OF BASIC SLEIGHT OF HAND, SUBTLE FAKING OF EVERYDAYOBJECTS AND GOOD ROUTINING ADD
UP TO A WHOLEARRAY OF PRACTICAL, USEABLE MAGIC.

THOSE WHOHAVE READ OR SEEN MARK'S LECTUREMATERIAL BEFORE WILL FIND PUBLISHED HERE
EIGHT EFFECTS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL SEPARATELECTURE BOOKS, PLUS MANY OF THE
OTHER ROUTINES HAVEBEENUP-DATEDAND REVISED.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GOODQUALITY CLOSE UP MAGIC TO ADD TO YOUR REPERTOIRE YOU
NEED LOOK NO FURTHERTHAN

THE MARK LEVERIDGE LECTURE EXPERIENCE

--'.

PUBLICATION