NEALCLIAS

AT

THE TABLE

NEAL C . ELIAS

Illustrated

by

R, A . MACKENZIE

P u b l i s h e d by
GEORGE SNYDER J R .
SNYDER'S MAGIC SHOP
908 Superior Ave.
Greyhound Bus Station
Cleveland 14, Ohio

FORKWORD
I have often wondered whether the purpose of a foreword is to
explain something, or to make an excuse for the writing of the book, or
Just to take up space. Now I know! However, I leave it for you to read
and Judge for yourself.
Some of the best magic that I have ever seen has been 'at the
table' after the show, or dessert as Martin Gardner has put it. It was
for this reason that we named this manuscript as we did.
Paul Roslni, who is one of my favorite magicians,
doe3 a very
nice show, but it is at your table, after the show that he does real
miracles. We don't say this Just to couple Paul's name with ours, it's
Just that it doesn't seem that one can possibly write a book on cards
without at least mentioning him.
We have no apology to offer for any of the items here included.
We use them all and find that they go over nicely. We are especially
proud of the cull-stock shuffle. While this shuffle is not usable on
all occasions, when the chance does arise, you'll find it is a reputation builder.
For those who don't care for this book, we have a money- backguarantee to offer. We will accept all complaints submitted in writing, double-spaced on one side of a sheet only, notorlzed and delivered by the sherriff. We are sorry, but we regret that we can do nothing more but hope that you forget your 'squawk' in time to purchase
our next book.

January 1946

Neal G. Ellas

A REVERSE SLEI&HT
This sleight was born of a coincidence. When visiting me while on a
week-end pass, Bert Fenn and I discussed different reverses at length. A
day or so after he had left, I played with the idea of using the bottom
cop as a reverse. I Immediately wrote Bert, telling him about it. A day
or so later I received a letter in which he explained a very
similar
idea. We combined the two versions and are now using the one following.
This Is more or less of a utility move, being used for several different purposes, to reverse a card or packet of cards, to show a controled card is neither at the top or bottom of the deck and to prove that
a card has vanished from the deck. It is an oddity in that to reverse a
card, you reverse not the card, but the rest of the deck.
The move itself is as follows: Hold the deck in the left hand in the
'mechanics grip', with the second, third and little fingers resting flat
on the outer right corner of the card on the bottom of the deck. Press
these fingers up and in, drawing, or buckling the bottom card toward the
inner left corner. This should raise the right edge of the deck to about
a 45 degree angle. See Fig. 1.
Take the deck from underneath, with the right hand. The face of the
deck should be towards the right palm, drip the deck, the moment the left
fingers buckle the bottom card. The right thumb should be at the end of
the deck nearest the body. The second and third fingers are at the outer
end. With the right hand, revolve the deck until it is vertical on the
palm, pivoting the deck on Its left edge. Complete the turnover by sliding the deck face up onto the palmed card. See Fig. 2.
If correctly done, the reverse is completely covered from all angles.
The right hand, in turning the deck over, covers the card from the right.
The left hand, by tilting up slightly, covers the card from the front and
from the left.
As mentioned above, this move can be used for several different purposes. A packet of cards can be reversed by holding a little finger break
above the cards to be reversed. The same action Is followed as with a single card, the little finger helping to buckle the packet.
A card can be controlled to the bottom of the deck and shown not to
be at the top or bottom by copping the card twice. To do this, turn the
deck face up, copping the bottom card. Spread a few of the cards on the

bottom of the deck, showing that the selected card has not accidentally
(?) come to the bottom of the deck. Turn the deck face down, once more
shifting the bottom card. Show a few of the cards at the top of the deck,
showing that the card is not among them. This of course leaves the selected card on the bottom of the deck, to be disposed of as desired.
Or, this move may be used after an idea by Martin Gardner, to show
that a selected card has vanished from the deck. To do this, control the
card to the bottom of the deck. Turn the deck face up, leaving the bottom
card (selected card) face down. Run a few of the face-up cards into the
right hand, one at a time, telling the spectator to watch for his card.
After showing about a dozen cards, turn them face down, and place
them
under the deck in the left hand. Repeat this until all the face-up cards
have been shown, proving that his card has vanished. The selected card
is, of course, on the top of the deck at this point and can be palmed off
and produced from the pocket if desired.

ON THE CARD TO THE POCKET

The usual method used to produce a card from the pocket is to palm
it from the deck and immediately place the hand in the pocket, removing
the card. Of course, the best way to do this is to drop the card in the
pocket and first remove all the odds and ends from the pocket before removing the card.
In Tarbell Volume 3 is an idea of Tommy Dowda' in which no palming
is necessary. This is an adaptation of Tommy's method.
Altho the card
must be palmed to do it our way, the advantage lies in the fact that both
hands are obviously empty when the hand is placed in the pocket.
Palm the selected card from the deck, in the right hand. Place the
deok on the table and Immediately raise the right hand to the ooat lapel.
Grasp the lapel as you would do when going to the inside breast pocket.
The fingers go underneath the coat with the back of the hand outside.
Thus doubling the card around the edge of the coat. Be careful, however,
not to fold or crease the card.
Swing the right side of the coat open so that the spectator can see
the inside breast pocket, as you make some statement to the effect that
he could not have chosen that particular card since you have it in your
pocket.
During the above, the card has
been completely covered, by the fingers inside the coat, and the palm
of the hand on the outside.
Swing the coat back to the body,
show the left hand empty
and reach
under the coat, apparently reaching
into the breast pocket. But, actually, when under cover of the coat,
twist the left hand back at the wrist
and pluck the card from the right fingers, pulling it completely under the
coat. Twist the card around so that
the lower corner engages in the poc-

ket. Swing the coat open once more B O that the spectator can see the card
apparently coming out of the pocket. See Fig. 3. Remove the card and
show it to him.
This sleight can be used for the card to the wallet, or to switch a
card, or to dispose of a duplicate in removing something from the pocket.

TURNOVER SWITCH
This is
same results
ed up at any
used in many

an idea that has many uses. It accomplishea more or less the

as a second deal. With its use a selected card can be turnpoint in the deck. It will be apparent at once that it can be
effects such as spellers, card at any number...etc...

This sleight grew out of an idea of Bert Fenn's. We had been talking about the Mexican Turnover and he asked why it would not be possible
to do a move of this sort on the deck. He worked out an idea that we tossed back and forth for a while before arriving and settling on the following.
Let us say that the selected card is the ace of hearts and has been
controlled to the top of the deck. It is desired to spell the name of this
card and turn it up on the last letter.
Hold the deck in the left hand, as for dealing. Deal the cards one
at a time into the right hand, spelling the name of the card as you do so.
The right hand should hold these cards in a sort of 'mechanics grip 1 .
When you reach the point at which the card falling on the last letter (in
this case the eleventh card) is still on top of the deck in the left hand,
execute the following moves. The cards in the right hand are supported or
held by the forefinger at the outer end, and the base of the thumb at the
inner end. The tips of the second, third and little fingers rest on the
outer left corner of the bottom card. These three fingers press up and in
thus buckling or doubling this card diagonally under the deck. See Fig. 4.
This should be done as the right hand approaches the left hand apparently to turn over the top card of the deck, which has been pushed
part way over the side of the deck by the left thumb. S^llde the right
hand packet under this card, so that the left edge of the packet touches
the right edge of the deck, under the overlapping card.
Slip the left
second and third fingers between the
right hand packet and the buckled
card at the bottom of this packet.
These fingers press this card against
the right palm.
Turn the right hand over, pivoting the packet on the right edge of
the deck. The left thumb holds the
top card of the deck stationary, but
due to the turnover action by the
right hand, this card ia automatically forced onto the top of the right
hand packet.
At the same time, that is, dur-

ing the turnover, the left fingers have held the bottom card of the packet pressed tightly against the right palm. The packet, with the exception of this card, haa been pushed into the crotch of the thumb, into a
sort of thumb palm. The right hand, which is now back up, draws these
cards away, leaving the selected card fall face up on the deck. Fig. 6.
A variation of the above that some may like, is the use of the Erdnase one hand bottom deal...dealing the card face up on the deck Instead
of on the table.
To do this, count the cards into the right hand as above. Take the
card falling on the last letter on top of the right hand packet, extending part way over the packet. Fig. 5. Turn this hand over, dealing the bottom card onto the deck in the left hand. At the same time the right thumb
pulls the top card square on the packet. See Erdnase page 56.

A TRULY FAN-CY CUT

This flourish was shown to me by Bob Taylor of Phllly.
never seen it in print, we give it here.

As

we have

Fan the cards in the left hand and turn the fan so that it points toward the right. Break the fan at about the center, with the right forefinger. Close the half of the fan above the break by drawing the cards to ward yourself. See Fig. 7. Close the other half of the fan forward. Fig.8.
Take this packet in the right hand and place it on top of those in the
left.

ONE HAND CENTER CUT

This out was shown to me by
Frank Csurl at a time when we were
going In for one hand cuts and riffle shuffles In a big way.
It Is
not his own but as we both like It
we thought you might.
Hold the pack in the left hand
as In Fig. 9. The forefinger Is at
one end of the deck and the little
finger at the other. The second and
third fingers are at the side of the
deck and the thumb at the outer corner.
With the left thumb, draw or
pull a packet of cards from the center of the deck. 3ee Fig. 9.
Shift the thumb to the outer left corner of the deck and press the
thumb and forefinger together, squeezing the packet out of the deck. Now
shift the thumb back to the outer corner of this packet and
twist It
from the deck by pivoting it on the forefinger. Fig. 10. Press down with
the thumb, lifting the right edge of this packet over the deck. See Fig.
11. Close the hand squaring the deck.

CARD FROM CENTER

Here is another cute idea that for some reason does not seem to be
well known. I use it in a close up everywhere and nowhere routine
and
also in Imitation of a trick that Scarne does, by flipping the last of
four selected cards from the center of the deck.
Control the selected card to the bottom of the deck which Is then
held in the left hand as for the Charlier Pass. Drop about half of the
deck to the palm. See Fig. 12. Raise this packet with the forefinger
until it clears the edge of the upper packet and falls to the palm aa

shown In Fig. 13. However, Just as the lower packet falls on the upper,
fold the fingers over what Is now the lower packet. Straighten the fingers, drawing out the card above the break. Fig. 14. Fold the fingera
over the top of the deck, carrying this card with them. Thus apparently
drawing the selected card from the center and turning it face up on top
of the deck.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Many versions of this gem of Dal Vernon'e have appeared in print.
Perhaps one more routine won't be overdoing it. This ia the routine I've
been doing for some time. It is not original, but is a direct steal, being a little of Vernon, Walsh and others. This combination permits more
color changes than most other routines and requires no more sleights.
This la my favorite card trick. I like it not only because it is a
startling effect, but because here is a card trick in which no one need
select a card. I find that even those who don't like card tricks are intrigued at the sight of the cards moving back and forth, time after time.
With each change of color the effect seems to build up. It seems
impossible that the colors could shift of their own accord. Yet that la
apparently what they do, since the cards are handled so openly and so
fairly. Surely It couldn't be sleight-of-hand.
Take the deck face up in the left hand and remove the first 10 red
cards from the deck, counting them In a face-up heap on the table. On
top of these count 10 black cards.
Take this packet face up In the left hand and form a little finger
break below the second card from the face. Turn the packet face down,
making the 'Invisible Turnover Pass' (Expert Card Technique) or, place
the cards face down In the hand and form a break above the card second
from the bottom and use the standard pass. Any move that will place two
black card8 above the 10 red cards can be used. (More on that later.)
Count nine cards into a face-down heap, on the table. Turn the tenth card face up and lay it In front of this heap. Count nine more cards
face down to the right of the first heap, turn the last card face up before this heap. There are now two face-down packets of nine cards
each
with one red and one black card face up before them.
Using a follow the leader or a sympathy of color patter theme,
change the positions of the two face-up cards..I.e. place the red before
the black heap and the black before the red. Snap the fingers and pick
up each heap, draw off the bottom card and place It on the face-up
card before each heap. Of course, black turns up on black and red on red.
Again transpose the face-up cards and snap the fingers, show that
all the cards change by drawing out the bottom card (actually the card
second from the bottom by means of the glide) turning it face up, also
turning up the top card. Repeat with the other packet.
Onoe more transpose the face-up packets but turn up the bottom card
of each only.
For variation, transpose the face-down packets and turn up the
and bottom cards of each packet.

top

Transpose one face-up heap with the face-down heap diagonally opposite. Turn up two cards from each face-down heap onto the face-up heap
to the right or left of each as the case may be. This Is strictly a swindle, a clever Idea of Audley Walsh's.
At this point, two cards remain face down.

Pick up

the

red

card,
9

letting spectators see that it is red. Use it as a scoop to pick up the

black card. Place them both face down in the left hand, thumb on top and
the fingers on the face. The cards are slightly fanned so that
when
turned face up the indices will show.
Turn the hand over so that the cards are face up. Touch each card in
turn with the right second finger, explaining that this leaves you with
one black and one red card. Replace the tip of the right second finger
on the corner of the black card. Fig. 15 Without removing this finger
turn the cards face down, sliding the black card over the red, with the
left thumb. At this point the finger still apparently rests on the black
card, actually, the red has taken the place of the black card. Fig. 16.
Remove this card and drop it face down on the face-up red heap. Place
the other on the black heap as you say, "We place the black on the red
and the red on the black." Snap the fingers and turn the cards face up
showing that they have Joined their respective colors.

In place of using the pass to shift two cards from the bottom to
the top of the packet, either of the following moves might be used.
Place the twenty cards on the table, face up. Reda in one packet
and blacks in the other. Pick up the black packet and fan it face up
in the left hand. Close the fan, holding a little finger break above
the card second from the bottom.
Take the red packet in the right hand and make a one hand
fan.
Close this fan and apparently slide this packet under the black cards.
Actually, however, the left little finger widens the break so that the
red cards can be inserted. Proceed as in the above routine.
One of the easiest methods of showing a packet of cards to all be
of one color, when actually It contains two cards of another color is
the use of the glide as in the 6 card repeat.
To do this, separate the colors and place them on the table NOT
face up, but face down! These cards are placed on the table as
you explain that you are forming a packet of red and a packet of black cards.
Not calling attention to the number of cards used.
In forming the red packet, first lay down eight red cards then two
black cards on top. The black paoket is formed of eight black cards with
10

two reds on top.

Take the red packet In the left hand, with the fingers on the faces
of the cards. With the right hand, draw off the bottom card, dropping It
face up on the table. Continue until six cards lie on the table, remembering not to call attention to the number. On the seventh count, glide
or draw back the bottom card with the middle and third fingers. Take away as one, all but the bottom card, placing them face up on the face-up
packet. Turn over the remaining card and drop It on the others.
Repeat with the black packet, thus proving that one packet la all
red and the other all black. Place the top or face card of each heap In
front of Its respective heap. Turn both heaps face down.
The routine outlined above Is followed, with one exception. That
being, the point at which the glide Is used. When doing the routine using this count, uBe the glide when drawing off the bottom (?) card In
showing the first change. When drawing off the cards to prove a second
change, actually draw off the top and bottom cards of each packet. Proceed as above.

HERE IT IS I J
Remember Paul LePaul's 'There It Is1 which appeared in Expert Card
Technique? Here Is a variation by Frank Gsurl, in which the card,
when
finally produced, stares the spectator square in the face.
Control the selected card to second from the top of
necessarily your favorite card control, any one will do.)
in the left hand as for dealing. Slide the top card part
side of the deck and grasp it between the right thumb and
the outer right corner, thumb on the face and the finger

the deck. (Not

Hold the deck
way orer the
forefinger at
on the back.

Lift this card up so that it is face to yourself. Now twist or

bend the hand around at the wrist so that the card is facing
the
spectator over the baok of the hand. Fig. 17. At this point, the knuckles of the right hand will be at the outer right corner of the pack.
Push the top card of the deck a little to the right with the left
thumb. Grip this card between the knuckles of the third and fourth fingers. See Fig. 17.
When the spectator denies that this is his card, lay It face down
on the deck and straighten the fingers. This will raise the chosen card
so that it will stare the spectator 'smack dab in the kisser.' Fig. 18.

11

TORN CORNER CARD TRICK

One of the most spectacular type of card tricks are those In which
a card is destroyed or vanished, after which it reappears in some supposedly unsuspected spot. This routine is more or less an Impromptu version
of the torn and restored effect,
A card Is selected, an Index corner is torn from this card and given to the spectator for future identification. This card is folded into
a small packet which subsequently vanishes. The deck, which has been lying on the table, is fanned. One card is seen to be face down In the
face-up deck. It is the selected card! Needless to say, the corner flta
perfectley.
The only sleights necessary are a simple glide and a reverse.
Tear an index corner from any card, say the Joker. Discard this
corner. Place the Joker on the bottom of the deck with the torn corner
at the inner end.
Run the cards from the left to the right and ask a
spectator to
touch a card. When he does so, separate the deck at that point, so that
the card touched is on top of those cards in the left hand. Push this
card a little over the right side of the pack, with the left thumb and
flip it face up with the right-hand packet.
Slide this card momentarily below the packet in the right hand and
turn the left hand packet face up (keeping the torn corner at the Inner
end) being careful not to flash the Joker. Slide the selected card onto
the face of the left hand packet and turn the cards in the right hand
face up and place them under those in the left. The whole deck is now
face up with the selected card at the face of the deck, and the torn corner card (Joker) directly below it.
Push the selected card about 1/2"to the right, with the left thumb
and tear out the lower index corner, giving it to the spectator. (Be
careful to tear the corner as near as possible the same size as that
torn from the Joker.)
Holding the deck as for dealing, slide the face card, or selected
card part way over the side of the deck so that a portion of the Joker
is exposed. Strike this exposed corner with the right thumb and draw it
out. Fig. 19. This is the same action as with the strike second deal. At
the instant the right thumb approaches to strike out the Joker, start to
revolve the hands toward the body so that when the card is drawn out the

12

back of the card la to the spectator. Fig. 20. The moment the joker Is
free of the deck, draw the selected card flush with the deck.
Drop the deck face down on the table and fold the selected card
(Joker) Into a small packet without exposing Its face. Thumb palm the
folded card In the right hand while apparently placing It In the left
hand. Drop this card In the lap while the left hand apparently crumples It to bits. Show the hands empty.
Take the deck In the left, as for dealing, turn the deck face up
leaving the selected card face down on the bottom. (See 'Reverse Sleight'
page 3.) Gut the deck to bring this card to the center. Fan or ribbon
spread the deck showing one card face down. Give this card to spectator
to fit the corner.
An alternate Idea for vanishing the card Is the use of a pull.
Needed are two paper clips. To one clip fasten a piece of elastic. Attach the other end of the elastic to the back of the vest. Draw the clip
around and place It In the lower right vest pocket with the second clip.
After folding the card, hold It In the left hand while you take the clip
from the pocket. Finger palm the loose clip and hold the clip to which
the elastic is fastened between the thumb and forefinger. Slide the card
Into this clip and let it fly under the coat as you apparently place it
In the left hand. However, drop the loose clip In the left. Crumple the
card to bits (?). Open the hand showing the card has vanished, leaving
the clip. Proceed as above.

A SPELLING CHANGE
A card is selected and returned to the deck. Rhe magician (that's
you) announces the name of the selected card, and deals one oard for
each letter in that name. On the last letter he turns up the card he had
named. However, the spectator says his card was not the 5 of clubs but
was the 10 of diamonds. When the five is turned face up, it is seen to
have become the 10 of diamonds.
This variation of the ever popular card spell was given to me
Frank Csuri.

by

Glimpse the card on top of the deck and crimp, or bend the Inner
index corner, up. Say this card is the 5 of clubs. Start to shuffle the
deck running the cards from the top, one at a time. Run or shuffle off
one card more than there are letters in the name of the card glimpsed.
Drop the rest of the deck below these cards.
Offer the deck for the selection making sure that the spectator
takes a card below this top stock. Suppose he selects the 10 dd diamonds.
Gut the deck above the crimp and have spectator place his card
on the crimped card. Square the cards up nicely, letting it be seen
that you hold no breaks. False shuffle and cut keeping this stock at the
top of the deck.
Confidently, tell the spectator that he chose the 5 of clubs, and
before he has a chance to answer, start to spell the card, dealing one
card for each letter. If he should loudly disclaim the five of clubs,
Ignore him.
13

After the final 's1 In clubs, double lift showing the five (above
which la the selected card). In thlB case, the double lift Is sinfully
easy due to the fact that the corner of h9 5 Is crimped up there
Is
an automatic break at the left side of the deck. Pick the cards up at
this corner with the thumb and forefinger and turn them face up, on the
deck. Turn them back down and slide the top card on the table.
Smuggly ask the spectator if that is his card. He will look at you
pitifully and say that he has been trying to tell you that you had the
wrong card. Ask him what his card was and when he names it, flip over
the card on the table, which to his surprise (we hope) has become the 10
of diamonds.

"TELL YA WHAT I'M GONNA DO"

One of the effects that this combination cull
of Bob Taylor's may be used for is this;

and

stock

shuffle

The spectator shuffles and cuts the deck and gives it to the performer who fairly deals about five hands of poker, face up. He explains,
"This is the way the cards would fall in the average game of poker. No
one could possibly know what anyone else held. That is, no one could
possibly know if everthing was on the level. However, a gambler has to
live and for that reason he doesn't depend on luck alone. He therefore
resorts to trickery and can deal himself, or his partner any cards he desires.
"I'll try to give you some idea of how he does this. Let us say
that I wanted to give myself three of a kind, now rather than decide on
these cards myself, I'd like each of you to name any card you see. I'll
assemble the deck and shuffle It a bit so that no one knows where
any
certain card is. Now, tell me, how many hands do you wish me to deal 1
Five? Good. To which hand shall the cards named fall? The third. I now
shuffle the cards and give them a fair cut and deal the required number
of hands. You see the cards you have named fall to the hand you selected."
The shuffle Itself la this:
First the intervals must be known. That
which the cards lie, must be known. For example,
first card named is 4th from the top. The second
low it and the third is 6 cards below the second
would be 4-5-6.

is, the positions at

let us say that the
card is five cards becard. Thus the Interval

Let us also say that we are to deal five hands and the cards
ed are to fall to the third hand.
Crimp, or bend a corner of the card on the

bottom

of the

namdeck,

down.
(1) Begin the shuffle by dropping the upper half of the deck Into
the left hand. Drop the lower half of the deck on top, so that it will
extend a little over the inner end of the deck. Thus lnjogging the whole
packet.
(2) Lift all the cards BELOW the InJogged packet

14

and

shuffle

or

run the cards, one at a time, onto the left hand packet to a number one
less than the first Interval. (In this example, since the first Interval la 4, shuffle off three cards.)
(3) Shuffle off to the second
Interval. (5 cards In this case.)
dropping the first card so that It
extends Inward about i of an Inch
over the end of the deck. Drop all
cards held In the right, on those In
the left.
(4) Pull down on the InJogged
card with the right thumb, undercutting It and all the cards below It.
See Fig. 21. Shuffle the cards one
at a time to the number of the hand
to which the cards are to fall, inJogging the first card.
(In this
case, since the cards are to fall to
the third hand, shuffle off three
cards, injogglng the first.) Drop
the rest on top.
(5) Undercut all the cards BELOW the InJogged card, and shuffle ona
at a time into the left, to the third Interval, injogglng the first card.
(In this case, the third Interval being 6, shuffle off 6 cards,
injogglng the first.) Drop the rest of the deck on top of those In the left.
(6) Pull down on the lnjogged card with the right thumb, undercutting it and all the cards below it. Shuffle Into the left, to the number of hands to be dealt, injogglng the first card. (In this case, since
5 hands are to be dealt, shuffle off five cards, injogging the first.)
Drop the rest of the deck on top.
(7) Undercut all the cards belov the lnjogged card and drop them on
top of the deck.
(8) Shuffle the number of hands to be dealt, into
(In this case, five cards.) Drop the deck on top.

the

left

hand.

(9) Shuffle at randon until the crimped card is at about the center
of the deck. Square the deck and cut to the crimp. Complete the out and
deal five hands. The cards selected will fall to the third hand.
Altho this shuffle sounds rather complicated, it will become quite
clear If you will turn the cards to be cull-stocked face up when first
running thru the routine. In this way the manner In which the cards
shift about will be readily understood.
Notice that with the exception of the start and finish of the shuffle, everytime the cards are shuffled off, the first oard is lnjogged.
Another thing, each time the deck is undercut, it is out alternately
above and below the injogged card. Just think, above, below, above below.
Now to get back to the presentation. After the spectator has shuffled, deal about five hands of poker, face up. Have each of three spectators name any card they see. When they do so, scoop up all the cards
on the table, taking those hands that contain the cards named, first. As
15

you pick them up, calculate the Intervals, I.e. note how far the first
card Is from the top of the packet, how far the second card Is from the
first, and how far the third is from the second. Place this packet
on
top of the rest of the deck, crimp the t>ottom card, ask how many
hands
should be dealt and to which hand the cards desired should fall.
Shuffle the deck as above, shooting the cards to the correct hand.
Deal the desire number of hands and have each spectator name his card .
As each card is named, flick it face up. This can be done without looking at the faces since the shuffle does not reverse the order of the
cards. Therefore the first card dealt to that hand is the card that was
nearest the top of the deck and so on.
This same shuffle can be used to shoot up a full hand of five cards
by repeating moves five and six of the shuffle for the third and fourth
cards, and then stacking the last or fifth card with moves 7 and 8.
Needless to say, this same shuffle can be used in several other
tricks, such as the Zlngone Spread, found In 'Expert Card Technique1.
However, in doing the effect using this shuffle you would stack the
cards to fall to yourself in a poker routine rather than producing them
from the pocket.
Another effect possible Is a duplication of one done by Nate Leipzig and Dr. Daley. The Blindfold Poker Deal. In this case you would deal
four hands of poker, face down and within range of your vision which Is
necessarily limited due to the blindfold. Each of three
spectators
would lift a corner of one of their cards and look at It. As each does
so you peek under the blindfold and calculate the intervals. Scoop the
cards up and place them on top of the deck and shuffle them to fall to
your hand.

SCREWX SQUARE
This is a stunt that has been floating around quite a bit as of
late, but has not, to my mind been fully exploited. It is, of course,
Just an optical Illusion but it makes a beautiful off-hand stunt. While
It Is not strictly a card trick, it does work in well with a card routine, and for table work it Is ideal.
This Idea so intrigued me that I worked out a routine in which two
lines change directions one at a time and then one of the lines vanishes
altogether.
Needed are two squares of cardboard about I411 square. Thru the
center of one side draw a heavy black line. Thru the center of the other
side draw another line at right angles to the first.
Draw a line thru the center of one side ONLY of the second card.
Keep these cards handy in a wallet or packet from which either one
can be obtained at will.
Place the card with the two lines, in the left hand, so that the
line at the front is in a horizontal position. Hold the card at diagonal corners, with the thumb at the upper corner and the forefinger at the
16

lower corner. See Fig. 22.

"I am using a card thru the center of which runs a line, a horizontal line. This line runs completely around the card, being horizontal on
both sides."
As you say this, you prove it by turning the card around in this
manner. The right forefinger does the work by pushing the corner marked
'x' in the drawing forward so that the card pivots on the thumb and forefinger. Due to the fact that the axis is on a diagonal the line that was
vertical at the rear comes to the front horizontal. You'll fool yourself.
"Of course, the time might come when Instead of wanting two horizontal lines, I'd rather have one in a vertical position. To do this I
twist one line up.
Here you make a twisting move at the rear and then take the card
between the right thumb and forefinger...thumb at the rear, and turn the
hand over by moving it straight forward so that the rear of the card can
be seen. See Figs. 23 and 26. Replace the card in the left hand, this
time with the vertical line in front.
"Then again, I might rather have two vertical lines instead of one
line running in each direction. So I twist the horizontal line vertical."
Once more twist the card on a diagonal showing both lines vertical.
Then take it as before, between the thumb and forefinger and show both
sides. However, as it must appear to have a vertical line on both sides,
the hand does not turn straight forward, but twists, turning the card

17

on a diagonal axis, thus giving the same effect as when the

revolved In the hand-. Fig. 23 shows the card Just before the
Fig. 24 shows It after the turn.

card was
turn and

From this point either of two things can be done. Xou can merely replace the card In your pocket and leave It go at that, or you can
place It In your pocket and as an afterthot (?) decide to show them
something further. Leave the double-lined card In your pocket and bring
out the card bearing one line only. This line of course, must face the
audience.
Hold the card between the thumb and forefinger aa In Fig. 25 B O
that the spectator sees a vertical line on the front of the card. Turn
the hand straight forward and down, letting the top corner, or the corner held by the forefinger, snap from the finger, which Joins the thumb
at the lower corner. The card at this point Is held as In Fig. 24. Thus
you have apparently shown a vertical line on both side of the card.
"Now, not only Is It possible to twist a line to another position,
but It Is possible to remove a line altogether."
Make a rubbing motion on the back of the card, show both sides and
toss for examination.
Some are going to want to switch for a card on which two lines run
In the same direction. However, If you do ao, you will find that the
spectator when twisting the card, will notice how the lines change
when the card is twisted, thus giving away the 'gag1. When using
a
blank as above, they will puzzle over the blank side and forget about
the twist.

NO GIMMICK CARD SPREAD

The magician, in looking for a selected card, of in showing the
faces of the cards, passes the cards from one hand to another and in doing so, separates his hands an Impossible distance. let the cards remain suspended In a long ribbon, apparently without support.
There have been several mechanical versions of this effect and a
non-mechanical version depending on the back palm which appeared
in
Hugard'a Monthly. The following Is a glmmlcless and slelghtless version
using a card as a support.
O.K.

so it's screwy, but It IS cute!

Hold the deck by the ends, in the right hand. The fingers are at
the outer end and the thumb at the inner. The palm of the hand being
above the deok.
Place the deck on the left fingers and twist the bottom card to a
right angle position. See Fig. 27. Slide the deok deep In the left thumb
crotch and slide a few cards to the right so as to cover the cross-card.
Shift the right hand and hold the right side of the spread deep
18

in

the crotch of the thumb, holding the spread in the same manner
ends. The tips of the fingers grip the cross card.

at

both

Spread the cards with the l e f t thumb until the spread la about
14 inches in length. It i s supported by the cross-card on the right and
the fingers on the l e f t . See Fig. 28.
Hold the spread fully extended for a few seconds
i t , righting the cross- card.

and then

close

WE BOTH SPELL
Here Is a take off on a stunt that Tommy Dowd came up with one
afternoon when he and I were trading card tricks In our shop. I had Just
done an effect where the spectator locates the magician's card. On the
spur of the moment Tommy dreamt up an effect that had me puzzled for a
moment or two. This was due to the very audaciousness of the method
Those interested In Tommy's idea will find it In the Phoenix under the
name 'John Doe Speller'.
This routine is that worked out by Bert Fenn and myself.
A spectator selects a card and replaces it in the deck which is
shuffled and cut by the magician and them given to the spectator who
pells the name of his card turning up one card for each letter. The
spectator next shufflea the deck and has the performer select a card. He
shuffles the deck and gives it back to the magician who announces the
name of his card and spells to that card, turning it up on the last letter.
What happens la obvious. When the spectators card la returned,it
la glimpsed and ahuffled to the correct position for spelling. The deck
la given a false out and given to apeotator who apella the name of
his
card.
He then shuffles the deck and has you select a card, look at it
and replace it. The spectator shuffles the deok and returns it to you.
When you receive the deck, peek at the top card and name it claialng

19

that It la the one you selected. Spell the name of this

the cards Into your right hand. When you arrive at the
switch the card that la on top of the deck for the one on
the packet in the right hand, using the "Turnover Switch1

card, dealing
last letter,
the bottom of
on page 5.

****###

Well, that's ltj

This Is our first attempt at putting anything on paper, and no one
knows better than we, that we have a long, long way to go before reachIng that state where we can be aatlBfled with our own work.
Our main thought behind this manuscript has been the close
type of tricks. Those good at a table, under most any conditions.
hope that these Ideas meet with your approval.

up
We

N.C.E.

20