Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 97

maintained that I could change clothes at that moment and nobody

would notice!
The gasps start when they see that it’s the selected card. You’ll have
plenty of time, during the gasps, to pocket the palmed card. Pause for a
beat, then call for attention.
"You see, the card you thought you saw—the jack of diamonds—was
never in the deck at all. I always keep that here in my pocket!” Bring it
out of your pocket and toss it to the table.

Afterthoughts: The above effect was easy to describe because you al-
ready know the sleights involved. The trick has stood me in good stead
for forty years or more. I can only hope it does the same for you!

The Acrobatic Deck

This can be done at any time and with any deck; it takes very little
practice, and gets a fantastic response from laymen. What more could
you ask?
Take a shuffled deck (use a regular poker-size deck) and hold it face-
down in Hindu Shuffle position. Start Hindu shuffling as you ask the
spectator to stop you at any time. Try to time it so that you’re stopped
near center.

FIG. 89
 98 The Magic Book
Extend your left hand and ask him to look at and remember his
card—the top card of that portion. As he’s looking at the card, let your
right hand fall naturally to your side, and bend in the inner comers of
that half deck (see fig. 89). A bit of experimenting will show you that
only a slight bend is necessary, and even less practice will show you
that it’s an instantaneous maneuver. You needn’t change the position
of your right hand, and one fast squeeze of your fingers will do it.
The spectator replaces his card onto the left-hand portion. Place the
right-hand half on top of it, burying his card. Immediately do a face-up
Ribbon Spread on the table. "There’s no way I could know your card.”
(True.) The bend (or crimp) at the inner ends of the top half will not be
noticed. Although the Ribbon Spread isn’t essential, don’t leave it out.
It proves that you couldn’t be controlling his card; it makes it all more
open, and cleaner.
The spread is a quick one. Gather it immediately, square the deck,
and place it faceup, and crosswise, on your right fingers (see fig.
90-91). It is not placed on your palm.
What follows will take some practice, but it’s easier than it will seem
as you read. Ask for the name of his card. Repeat the name, and say,
"Watch!”
Gently toss the deck up into the air with the slightest push toward
you. The deck goes into the air (only about four to six inches) and turns
itself facedown as it lands back on your right hand. The deck will auto-
matically start to separate at the selected card as it turns in midair!

FIGS. 90/91 & 92

 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 99
(See again fig. 90-91, in which I’ve tried to show the path of the deck
about midway through the turn.)
As the deck lands on your right hand, "give” a little with it; that is,
don’t make your hand stiff and immovable. If you do, some cards will
bounce off to the floor. "Ride” with it; lower your hand a bit as the deck
lands. Don’t close your hand; just let the deck land on it.
There will be a definite and obvious separation near center (see fig.
92). "What was your card again?” When he names it, pull out the top
card of the lower half and show it. It will be his card!

Afterthoughts: Placing the bend into the inner end of the upper half
makes this work automatically. What you have to practice is the toss.
A slight bending of your knees as you toss and as you catch may help.
It’s a good idea, incidentally, to give the entire deck an opposite (to
the original) bend when the trick is over. This straightens the cards,
and you’re clean.
Learn this effect; it’s good, fast, and you’ll love performing it!

One-at-a-Time Aces

There are hundreds of versions of this card classic. I’ve devised this
simplified version—one that you can learn without too much hardship.
Practice, of course, is essential. The basic effect is that three aces trav-
el invisibly, one at a time, to join the "leader” ace. Follow along with
cards in hand, and learn each move as it’s explained.
The first thing you must learn is a secret "add-on” of three cards to
the four aces. There are many methods for this, also. I’ve selected the
following because it’s easy; neatness and timing are the two essentials.
Spread through the deck, locating, and stepping up, the four aces.
Drop them, faceup, to the table, for examination. Turn the deck face-
down and secure a left-little-finger break under the top three cards.
You can lift the three cards at the inner end with your right thumbtip,
just as if you were doing a Double (in this case, a triple) Lift. A better
way is simply to spread off the three top cards with your left thumb;
then square them, securing the break. This takes only an instant, and
is done as you’re toying with the deck, and as the spectator is looking
at the aces. Be sure that these three cards are perfectly squared.
 100 The Magic Book

Take the aces, with the AS at the face, and place them facedown onto
the top of the deck. Square them perfectly. You now have a break be-
neath the top seven cards. This is a momentary situation, because you
immediately count these seven cards as four aces. Like this:
Grasp the "broken” packet from above, near the right side, thumb at
inner end, second finger at outer end. Move the squared, seven-card
packet to the right. Your left thumb holds back the top card of the
packet. Since your left thumb is lying across the top card anyway, it’s
easy. Simply apply light pressure on the top card (see fig. 93.)

When the right-hand packet moves far enough to clear the top card,
that top card falls flush onto the deck proper. Count "one.” Move back
to above the deck with the packet, and take the (now) top card. If the
packet approaches the top of the deck at an angle, it’s easier for your
left thumb to slide off its top card. It’s a combination of the left thumb
holding as the right hand moves back to the right (see fig. 94).
Count "two” as you take this second card. Take the next card the
same way, counting "three.” Place the remaining right-hand cards
(four), as one, onto the deck, saying, "Four aces.” Flip over the top card,
the AS, "This will be the leader ace.” Flip it facedown again.
That’s it; you’ve added three cards beneath the top ace. It’s imper-
ceptible and logical. It appears exactly as if you’re simply counting the
four aces—"One, two, three, four aces.” The AS falls on top, where it
should.
The practice areas are the securing of the break, the perfect squar-
ing of the packet, and a fairly rapid, steady, rhythm of the count. If the
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 101

seven-card packet is perfectly squared, and if there’s no hesitation dur-

ing the count, the extra thickness of the "last ace” (which is there for
only a split second) can’t be seen—particularly if you hold your hands a
bit below your spectators’ eye level, in which case they’re looking down
at the backs rather than at the sides.
Deal the (supposed) aces facedown onto the table in square forma-
tion. Deal the first (top) card to the upper left comer, the next card to
the upper right corner, the third to the lower right corner, and the last
card to the lower left (you’re dealing clockwise). Match words and ac-
tions as you do this; simply count, "One, two, three, four aces.” Turn
the AS (upper left) faceup and say, "Remember, the AS is the leader
ace.” Turn it facedown again.

FIGS. 95 & 96

You now place three face-down cards onto each ace, except that you
must place four cards onto the leader ace. Do it this way: Spread off
three cards, then one extra. This extra card need be pushed off only
about a quarter of an inch (see fig. 95). Square the spread cards, obtain-
ing a momentary left-little-finger break under the extra card. Lift the
packet of four cards, from above, with your right hand. Turn that hand
over to the right to flash an indifferent card (see fig. 96). Drop the pack-
et facedown onto the leader ace.
Don’t mention "three.” As you do it, just say, "Let’s put a few cards
on each ace. A few here”—place the cards on the leader ace—"and a
few here, here, and here.” For the other three, spread off three cards
for each, flash the faces, and drop onto the tabled cards. So far as the
spectators are concerned, there’s no reason for suspicion. You’ve sim-
ply placed some indifferent cards onto each ace.
 102 The Magic Book

Place the deck aside. Patter: "If you were paying attention, you
know that there’s an ace and a few other cards here. ...” As you say
this, pick up the leader-ace packet, turn it faceup, spread off one card
(see fig. 97); resquare and replace the packet. "And the same here,
here, and here.” Point to each of the other three ace(?) packets.

FIGS. 97 & 98

"What I’d like to try to do is make each of these aces (indicate the
three supposed ace packets) fly into this packet, to join the leader ace.
I’ll try to make them go one at a time—by magic, of course; but you
have three chances to catch me. Watch; here’s ace number one.”
Pick up the packet at the upper right. Hold it in dealing position in
your left hand. Take the top card and put it to the bottom. Don’t say
anything about this, just do it. You’re ostensibly covering the ace at
the face.
Turn your hand over and push the packet with your thumb (see fig.
98). Take it with your right hand (fig. 99) and place it back, facedown,
into your left hand. This has nothing to do with the trick; it’s youi>"ma-
gical gesture.” You can omit it, and simply snap your fingers instead.
It’s the way I do it.
Deal the top card of the packet faceup to its table position, then the
next card faceup onto that. Now remove the bottom card (of the re-
maining two) and deal that face up onto the first two. Snap your fingers
over the last card (the ace, supposedly) and turn it faceup. Deal it to po-
sition. "Ace number one has vanished.”
Pick up the leader-ace packet, turning it faceup. "And, where we had
one ace, we now have one . . . two aces!” The action: With your left
thumb, deal off one card; take it with your right hand. Deal off another
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 103

FIGS. 99 & 100

card, take it with your right hand, under the first card, in spread condi-
tion—and pause. You’re displaying two aces (see fig. 100). Your left
fingertips, at the right side of the packet, make sure that only one card
at a time is moved.

FIG. 101

Display the aces for only a beat. Place the left-hand, squared packet
(actually, three aces) between the two right-hand cards (fig. 101), and
square. Place the packet, faceup, back to position. Pick up the packet
at the lower right. "Now, ace number three. Watch!” Handle it exactly
as you did the first packet, dealing the four cards, faceup, onto the al-
ready tabled and,face-up four cards at the upper right. "Ace number
three has also gone.” This is referred to as "number three” to make it
work out correctly.
"And, where we had two aces a moment ago, we now have one, two
. . . three aces!” Matching actions to words, pick up the leader-ace
 104 The Magic Book

packet and push off two cards exactly as before. You’ll be displaying
three aces. Square the cards—the way they were. Replace the packet,
facedown, to position.
Pick up the lower left packet. "This is your last chance to catch me;
ace number four. I’ll do it slowly; watch.” Handle it as you handled the
others, dealing the cards onto the faceup cards at the upper right. "The
last ace has vanished. Because—where we had only one ace at the be-
ginning, we now have one, two, three . . . four aces!”

•;
V

FIG. 102

The action (I’ll give you two alternate handlings for the ending in
the Afterthoughts): Pick up the leader packet, turning it faceup. Deal
the first ace to the table, below the face-up packet. Deal the second one
to the right of the packet, and the third above the packet. Pause with
your left hand at the left of the packet. The two cards are perfectly
squared and look like one card (see fig. 102). Pick up the tabled face-up
packet with your right hand and drop it onto the left-hand card(s).
Drop this packet onto the remaining three, tabled aces—picking them
up one at a time. Place the packet onto the deck, and shuffle the deck.
The patter to cover this gathering of the aces could be, "I know you’re
watching, but I don’t think you’re seeing anything!”

Afterthoughts: You’ll have to go over the routine a few times to get it

moving smoothly, without extraneous pauses or hesitations. Done cor-
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 105

rectly, it does appear as if the aces are joining the leader ace one at a
time.
Here are two alternate handlings for the ending—getting rid of that
extra card.
Deal the first three aces just as described. As you say, ”... four
aces!” simply deal the last ace (really two cards, as one) onto the packet
of face-up, indifferent cards. Pick up the other aces, one at a time, and
drop them (not too neatly) onto the packet, as you make your closing
remark. The one extra card has coalesced with the other cards, and you
can leave everything as is on the table.

FIG. 103

You may like this next ending best. Don’t deal the aces to the table
at all. As you say, "Where we had only one ace at the beginning . . . ”
etc., turn the leader-ace packet faceup, take it from above with your
right hand, and drop it onto the tabled packet! Immediately spread the
aces to the right (see fig. 103). That’s all. Again, the extra card coa-
lesces with the other cards.
Practice the secret add-on; do it nonchalantly and neatly; select one
of the endings; go through the routine smoothly, matching your patter
with the action—and you’ll have a reputation-making routine!

Instant Aces

Since I’ve just taught you the secret three-card add-on, I might as
well teach you this stunning, quick, four-ace routine. Do the add-on ex-
actly as for the preceding routine. Remember to flip over the top ace
 106 The Magic Book

(AS), then flip it down again. Deal the "four aces” to the table in a face-
down horizontal row, from left to right. As you deal, say, "Let’s see how
good your memory is. Point to any ace, but not the ace of spades; that’s
too easy to remember.” As you end the sentence, turn up the first card
dealt—the AS. Turn it facedown to position. "Point to one of the other
three aces.”
The spectator points to a card. Pick it up and place it to the top of the
deck. Be careful not to flash it; it’s an indifferent card, of course. Look
at the spectator, and say, "Which ace is it? Take a guess.” As you talk,
prepare for a Double Lift by lifting two cards at the inner end with
your right thumbtip. (If you like, you can secure a break under the top
card before he indicates his ace. Then place his selection on top; you’ll
automatically have your two-card break—ready for the Double Lift.)
When he answers, turn up the two cards, as one. If he guessed right,
say, "You have a good memory.” If he’s wrong, say, "Not quite, but
close enough.” (See Afterthoughts.)
Turn down the ace (two cards). "Let’s get rid of this ace.” Take off the
top card with your right hand, as your left thumbtip riffles down (to
near bottom) at the outer left comer. Place this card near the bottom of
the deck (at the separation created by your left thumbtip). Leave it
protruding.
Pick up the card at the right of the tabled row. Insert that card the
same way, but a bit higher than the first. Insert the next card a bit
higher. Your left thumb riffles off only two or three (no more) cards,
as you insert the last ace (really an ace this time—the AS) (see fig.
104).
As you insert the "aces,” use explanatory patter only. "We’ll leave

FIGS. 104 & 105

 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 107
this ace here; this one here,” etc. Pause, and say, "Now, keep your eye
on the aces. This is the fastest magic I do. I don’t think the human eye
can follow it.”
Push the protruding cards flush, slowly (see fig. 105). Square the
deck, and say, "Nothing has happened yet; but watch! Here they go!”
Give the ends of the deck a sharp upward riffle, for effect—or simply
snap your fingers—and immediately turn up the top four cards to dis-
play the four aces!

Afterthoughts: The secret add-on must, of course, be done cleanly.

The basic effect of inserting the four aces (or four jacks) into different
parts of the deck and then causing them to appear on top is an old one.
What I’ve done is put the routine together in such a way that it "locks
in,” or proves, that the cards are aces without stressing, or mentioning,
that fact.
For example, you can omit the entire "guess which ace” part, and the
Double Lift, but you’d be missing the entire point. That piece of busi-
ness is what proves to your audience that the cards are aces. One ace
(the AS) is flashed, and then the spectator points to any one of the oth-
er three; it’s shown to be an ace, but not for reasons of "proving.” It’s
shown only as part of the "guess which ace” or "how good is your mem-
ory” gambit.
I’d suggest that you perform it exactly as I’ve taught it. The reaction
you receive will surprise you.

Ultra Location & Prediction

Here’s an example of using an old idea, enlarging it, and adding a

"kicker” (surprise ending) in order to devise a fine routine. I have
fooled many cardmen with this. And some of them knew the basic prin-
ciple.
It can be presented under almost any circumstances, but to perform
it properly you should have a good ribbon-spreading surface. A fast,
clean Ribbon Spread of the deck is the "key” presentation ingredient
here.
Write "16” on a piece of paper. Don’t let anyone see the number;
don’t even call attention to the paper. Just put it aside, facedown. Have
 108 The Magic Book
the deck thoroughly shuffled. Ask a spectator to cut the face-down deck
into three approximately equal packets, on the table. The easiest way
to instruct him is to tell him to cut off about one third, then to cut the
remainder in half.
If he’s cut the packets pretty evenly, let it go at that. If you see that
one is much too light, ask him to move a card or some cards from a
heavy packet onto the light one. In other words, try to even them up.
"Please pick up one packet at a time, shuffle it thoroughly, and then
replace it to the table. I want you to be sure that I couldn’t possibly
know the position of any card.”
Turn aside, so that you can’t see the cards, and ask the spectators to
follow your instructions. Ask the one who cut the deck to pick up any
one of the three. "Shuffle it thoroughly. Now, please remove any card.
Remember it, and place it faceup on either of the two packets that are
on the table. Please hand the packet you’re holding to Bill.” You indi-
cate another spectator. If you’re doing this for one person, continue
with him. He’ll have to remember two cards.
"Bill, please shuffle that packet again. Now turn the entire packet
faceup. I couldn’t possibly know which card is now facing you, could I?”
(Face card of the packet.) "All right, remember that card, leave it
where it is, and place the entire packet—as is, faceup—onto John’s
[first spectator’s] card. Have you done that? Fine. Now place the re-
maining, tabled, face-down packet onto your card. The deck should be
back together now, with a face-up packet buried near the center of the
face-down deck.”
That’s exactly the situation. Plus the fact that the top and bottom
cards of the face-up portion have been remembered. This is all clean;
the cards are shuffled legitimately and thoroughly, and the spectators
really have absolutely free choices.
Now ask one of the spectators to give the deck one good Riffle Shuffle.
Tell him this will thoroughly mix the face-up and face-down cards into
one another. "Can I turn around now?”
Turn back and take the deck. As you talk about two cards having
been thought of, and the deck thoroughly shuffled, give the deck two
complete cuts, near center each time.
Do a fairly wide Ribbon Spread on the table. This exposes the mix-
ture of face-up and face-down cards. "As you can see, there’s no way I
could know your cards.” This is a lie! Because, and this is the old prin-
ciple I mentioned, one glance at the spread will tell you the two cards!
There will be one long, unbroken spread of face-down cards some-
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 109

FIG. 106

where near center (that’s why I told you to do two complete cuts; it
doesn’t shift this spread around too much). The first face-up card at
each end of this unbroken face-down spread will be one of the two se-
lected cards! This must be so, and it happens automatically (see fig.
106). The 6C and 4D are the selected cards in this illustration.
Up to now, this basic principle was used for only one card. The way
to handle this is to do the one fast spread, and note and remem ber the
two cards. You should be able to do this with one glance as you spread
and talk. Repeat the names of the cards to yourself so you won’t forget
them!
Now, if the spread was left as is, it might become obvious. Cover it
by immediately gathering the spread, turning over the deck, and giv-
ing it two neat Riffle Shuffles. This serves two purposes: It negates, and
covers, the principle (the long face-down spread) and scatters the origi-
nal face-up cards throughout the deck. This is helpful later, as you’ll
see.
As you do the shuffles, talk about the fact that you’re really mixing
the face-up and face-down cards, and that nobody could possibly find
the two selected cards. Do another wide Ribbon Spread with the deck
as is. This exposes the other side of the deck, showing more (two thirds)
face-up cards.
Gather the spread and turn the deck over again. (Or, "domino turn”
the Ribbon Spread.) Riffle shuffle it once more; then ribbon spread it, as
is, once more. The original one third of face-up cards is exposed again.
What you must do now is count those face-up cards. You have plenty
of time because you’re supposedly concentrating and trying to read the
minds (or mind) of your spectators. Also, you can spread the cards a bit
more, here and there, in order to see them better. With a bit of practice,
you should be able to count them, with your eyes, fairly rapidly. Only
one-third of the cards are faceup, and they’ll be separated throughout
the spread. Try it; you’ll see how easy it is.
End the effect according to how many face-up cards there are. You
 110 The Magic Book
want 16, to match your prediction. Since a third of the deck is (accord-
ing to how equally the packets were cut at the beginning) 17 or 18
cards, this is no problem.
Eighteen is perfect. You’d slowly remove the two selected cards,
leaving 16 face-up cards. If there are 17, remove one of the selections
and only name the other, without removing it. If there are 16, simply
name the two cards; don’t remove them (see Afterthoughts).
When you name any selected card, don’t just blurt it out. Do it piece-
meal, as if you’re slowly receiving the thoughts. For example, "I get
the impression your card is red, a diamond . . . yes, a low card—the
four of diamonds!”
So, arrange it to leave exactly 16 face-up cards. The effect is over, so
far as your audience is concerned. And a strong effect it is. Now for the
"kicker.” Gather the spread and riffle shuffle the deck. Hand it to a
spectator, and say, "I’ve got to straighten out the deck anyway. Would
you deal through and remove each face-up card? Oh, and count them as
you remove them.”
Let him deal through, removing and counting (out loud) the face-up
cards. There’ll be 16 of course. "Strange, I had a feeling. Look at my
prediction.” Show that you predicted "16”—to end the effect.

Afterthoughts: The prediction part may appear to be obvious; you’re

simply counting the cards. But, it is obvious only if you let your think-
ing show. You must, of course, hide the fact that you’re counting.
Now, what do you do if you count only, say, 14 face-up cards? Don’t
remove the two selected cards. Then, as you say something like, "And
remember, you could have thought of any of these cards,” simply flip
over the two top (face-down) cards. That’s all; don’t try to hide it; just
do it. Remember, so far as your audience is concerned, the effect is
over.
If you counted 15 cards, flip over only one card. If you counted 19
cards, remove the two selections, and then flip over one face-up card, as
you talk. For 20 cards, flip over two face-up cards.
All this is really academic. Simply control the original cutting into
three packets, and you’ 11 always have either 16,17, or 18 face-up cards
to deal with. You can, of course, predict 17 instead of 16. Experiment a
bit. Also, and this is up to you, you can leave out the prediction entire-
ly. It still is a strong effect. I rarely omit it.
Bear in mind that the original Ribbon Spread is the key to the rou-
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines Ill
tine. This must be done neatly, quickly, and casually. Don’t make it
look important. One casual glance is all that’s necessary. You’re way
ahead of the game anyway; few people are aware of the "long face-
down spread” principle.
This is a fooler!

The Color-Changing Deck

This is a standard concept which makes for a great piece of card

magic. The routine warrants the use of "something extra”—in this
case, an extra card, which usually has to be either gimmicked or
palmed out of the deck. (The best-known version, among cardmen, us-
ing a gimmicked card is Paul Curry’s.) My own ending eliminates the
need for gimmicking or palming out. It should usually be performed as
your opening trick. It utilizes sleights you’ve already learned: the Hin-
du Shuffle, the Double Lift, a variation of the Kick Cut, and the Slip
Shuffle.
Put any known red-backed card on top of a blue-backed deck of cards
of the same size. (Use cards with white borders only.) Let’s assume the
red-backed card is the 7D. Place the deck, as is, into a red card case.
You’re ready to perform.
Remove the deck, with the red back showing. Don’t mention color
now; the action speaks for itself—a red deck is being removed from a
red case. Place the case aside and turn the deck faceup. Do a Slip
Shuffle or two, keeping the red-backed card in place. Patter as you do
so—something like, "You’re not color-blind, are you? You can tell one
color from another?”
Do one center Hindu Shuffle. That is, your right fingers take a batch
from the center and shuffle it onto the left-hand cards. The red-backed
card is still on top (in this case, at the rear of the face-up deck).
Now start a regular Hindu Shuffle. Take a few small batches with
your left hand, then stop and indicate the top card of these with the
right-hand cards. Say, "What color is this?” As you do this, turn your
right hand a bit more (than usual) to the right so that the back of the
top (rear) card can be seen (see fig. 107).
Turn back to Hindu-shuffle position and take a few more batches.
Stop when an opposite color card is at the face of the left-hand cards.
 112 The Magic Book
(If you stopped at a red card before, stop at a black now, or vice versa.)
"And what color is this?” Then indicate the rear, red-backed card. "And
what color are the backs?”
Hindu shuffle another batch or two, then place the right-hand cards
onto the left-hand cards, obtaining a momentary left-little-finger
break between the halves. Cut at the break (completing the cut) as you
say, "Fine, you’re not color blind.”

The red-backed card is back in place (at the rear of the face-up deck)
and you’ve "locked in” the color of the cards without really calling at-
tention to it, without stressing the obvious. (The spectator believes he’s
seen a few red-backed cards.)
Spread the face-up cards from left to right hand as you ask the spec-
tator to point to (not to remove) any card. Time your spreading so that
he indicates a card near the center. "The king of clubs; please remem-
ber it.” As you talk, close the spread, obtaining a momentary left-little-
finger break beneath the indicated card.
At this point, the deck must be given a complete cut at the break.
You can simply cut as before. Here’s a better way: Do the Kick Cut
with the half above the break only (see fig. 108). Place the right-hand
portion (the quarter deck that’s held, at its ends, by your right thumb-
tip and second fingertip) to the table. Your left little fingertip has kept
the remaining portion (top quarter of the deck) of the top half separat-
ed; your left thumb holds that portion momentarily steady. The left
thumb can rest as in the figure, or it can move to the upper left comer
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 113

of the deck. Your right hand now takes this portion and drops it onto
the tabled portion. Finally, your right hand returns and takes all the
remaining cards and drops them onto the tabled cards.
This is really one straight cut of the deck, but it’s a bit more sophis-
ticated; it’s a triple cut. (It can be used as a card control; see After-
thoughts.) Two things have been accomplished: The indicated card has
been brought to the top, and the red-backed card has been brought to
center.
Pick up the deck, keeping it faceup, as you say, "Now, let me test
your memory. What color is the deck; the backs of the cards? Red is cor-
rect. But watch!” Give the ends of the deck a sharp upward riffle (caus-
ing a sharp riffling sound), for effect. Turn the deck facedown. A blue
back comes into view. Spread the cards from hand to hand, but push
over a block of cards as you near center, then keep spreading. This is to
hide the one red-backed card for the time being, (see fig. 109). "As you
can see, they’ve all turned blue!”

FIG. 109

Close the spread and give the ends another riffle, for effect. "But if I
do this once more, one card will change back to red.” Spread as you
talk, exposing the red-backed card at center. (You’ve performed some
pretty effective magic already—but wait!)
Hold the spread in your left hand so that your right hand can remove
the red-backed card and place it to the top. (You do not cut here; you re-
move only the red-backed card.) As you do this and square the deck,
say, "Wouldn’t it be a miracle if this one red card happened to be your
card? It sure would! What’s your card again?”
As you talk, prepare for a Double Lift (if you need preparation).
He’ll name the KC, of course. Double lift, showing the KC! Turn the
card(s) facedown again. Remove the top (red-backed) card and drop it
 114 The Magic Book

(facedown) onto the table. Pause for a beat to let this sink in. Then, ”1
know—you’re thinking that that could have been a coincidence. What
if you would have thought of another card, say the—oh, the seven of
diamonds?” Note the use of the phrase "thought of” instead of the
word "selected.” You’ll be surprised at how many people will swear
that they merely thought of a card when they’re telling their friends
about this!
The acting is important here. Make it appear as if you’re naming
any card that comes to mind. Name the red-backed card, of course; in
this example, the 7D.
Continue your patter: "Well, in that case, I would simply have done
this (riffle the ends for effect, pointing the ends toward the tabled red-
backed card) and changed that king of clubs to the seven of diamonds!”
Turn over the tabled card to display the 7D.

Afterthoughts: Go over the entire routine carefully, and you’ll see

how beautifully (forgive the immodesty) it’s put together. There are
four climaxes, one immediately after the other. First, a red-backed
deck changes to a blue-backed deck. Then, one card changes back to
red. That one card is the card the spectator "thought of,” and then that
card changes to "any” other card. Get the routine down smoothly;
you’ll be glad you did.
Incidentally, spreading past center (to hide the red-backed card) is
easy, and you’ll have no trouble with it. However, if it should acciden-
tally be exposed during that first spread, no need to panic. Simply
change your patter accordingly. "As you can see, they’ve all turned
blue—except for one card. Wouldn’t it be a miracle if this . . . ’’etc.
You can do it that way purposely, if you like. I’ve always taken
advantage of the "hiding in the spread” to make it appear as if I’m
changing one blue card back to red.
I’m proud of the ending. By talk alone you accomplish two things:
another little miracle, and the "cleanup.”
Be careful during the "color-blind” test. Don’t overdo it. It is not nec-
essary to flash the red-backed card each time you Hindu shuffle a small
batch into your left hand. The two flashes, and the question about the
back’s color, just as I explained, are about right. It’s here that you can
make or break the routine. Overdoing it, stressing the obvious, would
"break” it!
One final point: You may want to remove the blue-backed 7D before
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 115
you start, and get it out of the way. I never do; it isn’t necessary. It will
probably never happen, but if the spectator should indicate the blue-
backed 7D (or whatever red-backed card you’ve set on top), you’ve got a
quick miracle. Take advantage of it. Don’t blink an eye and do the cut,
as explained; show that the deck has changed from red to blue, etc.
Then do a Ribbon Spread to show that one card has changed back to
red. Let the spectator remove it himself to see that it’s his card!
I threw in the triple cut to the table (the Kick Cut of the half above
the break) as a bonus. (If you haven’t practiced the Kick Cut, turn back
to Instead of the Pass, and learn it now.) Although it isn’t necessary to
this routine, it’s something you should know. Do it after a card has
been selected and returned to the center of the face-down deck. Hold a
momentary break above the selection, then do the Kick Cut of the top
half to the table, etc., as explained here. Follow up with a Jog Shuffle
or two, and you have as fine a control as any.

The Lonely Card

I’ve got to include this for old times’ sake, if for no other reason. It
brings back childhood memories. I still use it, and still fool people with
it. It’s an ending for a "take-a-card” trick, but a thoroughly effective
one. The Glide is the principal sleight.
A card is selected, remembered, and replaced. Control it to fifth from
the top. Easy: First control it to the top; do a Jog Shuffle, running two
cards onto it; then do another shuffle, running two more cards onto it.
(Or, run all four during one shuffle, if you prefer.)
As you patter about trying to eliminate cards until you find his,
spread off six cards, without reversing their order, and without men-
tioning numbers. Square these, and place the rest of the deck aside, to
your left. "After much practice, I’ve got to the point where I can elimi-
nate most of the deck immediately. It’s just these few cards I have to
work with. Would you please hold out one hand, palm up.”
As he does this, hold the packet of six cards in Glide position. Turn
up your hand, showing the face card. "Is this your card?” When he an-
swers no, turn down your hand and (apparently) place the card you’ve
just shown, facedown, onto his palm. What you really do is glide back
the bottom card and place the selected card onto his palm!
 116 The Magic Book

Remove the card now at the bottom of the packet (the glided card;
the one you just flashed) and, holding it facedown, toss it onto the deck.
'Til eliminate another one.” This removal of a glided card can be
tricky. If you have to reach too far under the packet with your right
fingers, it won’t look good. Please check back to my description of the
Glide, and how to square the packet before removing the bottom (glid-
ed) card.
Turn up the packet and show the (now) bottom card. "Is this your
card?” At his denial, really remove this card, using exactly the same ac-
tions you used when you did the Glide. Place it onto the card already on
his hand. Remove the bottom card and toss it onto the deck. (You can
flash this one’s face.) "I’ll eliminate another one.”
Turn up the packet (of two cards, now) showing the bottom one.
"How about this one?” When he denies it, remove it, and hold it in your
right hand for a moment. Turn up the one remaining left-hand card.
"How about this?” Again, he says no. Toss this card onto the deck, and
use the right-hand card to scoop up the two on his palm—it goes under
those two.
"I don’t know if you’re kidding me, or if I’m doing something wrong,
or what. You are telling me the truth, aren’t you?” You’re acting
slightly perturbed now. "Let’s make sure. Is this, the three of clubs [or
whatever] your card?” Show the bottom card, exactly as you’ve been
doing. He denies it. Place it onto his palm, really gliding it back and
placing the selected card to his palm. Remove the bottom (glided) card,
and toss it onto the deck.
Turn up the one card remaining in your hand. "How about this
queen of clubs?” He says no, and you toss it onto the deck. "Well, I’ve
run out of cards. You’re absolutely sure none of those was yours? I
guess you must be, you’ve seen them all a few times. Well, I’m
stumped. What is your card?”
When he names it, look surprised, point to the card lying on his
palm, and say, "Oh, will you look at that card, please?”
He does. It’s his!

Afterthoughts: It’s worth practicing the Glide just for this effect, and
this effect is good practice for the Glide.
It’s essential that your actions be exactly the same when you glide a
card and when you really take the card you show. That’s what fools the
audience, and that’s what requires practice.
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 117

The way it’s all put together makes it seem as if the spectator is see-
ing all the cards a few times. After placing the last card (the selection)
onto his palm, back away from him. If you’ve presented it all properly,
he should be certain that none of the few cards is his, certainly not the
one on his palm. When he sees that it is, it’s a shock!

Color-Changing Aces

This is one of the few quick tricks I still perform that utilizes the
Glide. I present it as an observation test.
Show the four aces. Make sure that the colors are alternating: They
must be in red-black-red-black, or black-red-black-red order. Hold
them facedown in spread condition, then tilt them up, faces toward
your spectator, to display them.
Tilt them down and square them. Cut the small packet of aces a few
times. (With a small packet, it is easier to spread, then cut.) These
must be complete cuts because complete cuts will not change the alter-
nating-color condition of the aces. As you do this, say, 'Til shuffle these
so that no one, including myself, can know where the reds or blacks
are. You don’t know where the reds or blacks are, but you do know that
these are the four aces.”
As you say this last, spread to show four face-down cards. Square
them, but, as you do, obtain a momentary left little finger break be-
neath the top two aces (or above the bottom two; the break separates
the aces two and two).
"Now, I want to test your observation, so I’ll do this pretty quickly.”
What you do here is a Double Lift. Ordinarily, it would be difficult to do
a Double Lift while holding only four cards. That’s the reason for the
momentary break (it’s held for only a fraction of a second). Simply lift
the two cards above the break as one, as I’ve taught you. Flip them face-
up onto the other two cards, but in-jog them. Name the color that hap-
pens to show.
"On top, we have a red ace.” Flip down (over) the ace (?) so that it
falls flush onto the others. With your right hand, deal the single top
card, facedown, to the table. Change your left-hand grip to Glide posi-
tion. Turn your hand to show the bottom card. "... and, as luck
would have it, here’s a red ace on bottom.” (If the ace exposed at the
 118 The Magic Book
Double Lift was red, the bottom card will also be red; it’s automatic be-
cause of the original alternating condition of the colors.)
Glide back this ace, really placing the second-from-bottom card onto
the already tabled card. "Well, I did that quickly because, as I said, I
want to test your observation. Which red ace is on top—hearts or dia-
monds?” As you ask the question, point to the top card of the two tabled
ones.
If you’ve done this neatly, you’ll get either hearts or diamonds as the
answer. Whatever it is, say, "Well, if you were betting, you’d lose your
money. These are the black aces!” Turn up the tabled cards. "The red
aces are right here!” Turn up the two aces in your hands.

Afterthoughts: This is one of the finest quick card effects I know. Get
it working smoothly—no hesitations; you’ll get a kick out of perform-
ing it.
Be sure not to mention suits as you do it; mention only colors. It’s a
gasper!

Two-Card Revelation

In order to perform this effective trick, you have to reverse the bot-
tom card of the deck. You also must know the name of that card. You
can reverse it before you start, but I’ll teach you one impromptu way to
do it. (See Afterthoughts for another way.)
Let the deck be shuffled. Ask your spectator to hand you about half
the deck. Glimpse the bottom card of this half deck as it’s handed to
you, if you can do it casually. If not, glimpse it as you riffle shuffle the
half deck.
Take a card from the center of your half, pretend to look at, and re-
member, it—but really ignore it. Place it onto the table. "All right, I’ve
selected and remembered a card. Would you do the same, please. Take
any card from your half.”
It’s as he’s occupied with this that you reverse the bottom (known)
card. Let’s assume it’s the 2H. Casually flip the deck faceup in your left
hand. Now allow your left arm to straighten and hang down, natural-
ly. As your hand moves downward, start pushing off the face (top) card.
Use the side of your thigh as the leverage to flip it over (see fig. 110).
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 119

This is done as your hand moves downward, and can be done in a

flash. After a pause, as you ask your spectator if he remembers his
card, casually bring up your left hand, as is. The half deck will be face-
up except for the top card, which is facedown. Everything looks as it
should.
Fve described this as if you were standing. If you’re seated, you can
drop your hand to your lap for a moment, and use the top of your left
thigh as the leverage (see Afterthoughts).
All right—push your card into the center of his half, losing it. Tell
him to push his card into your half the same way. Be sure to keep your
half perfectly squared. It appears, of course, as if his card goes face-
down into your face-down half. Patter about both cards being lost, and
that you’ll really lose them, by turning half the deck faceup.
As you talk, take half his cards and place the packet faceup, beneath
your half, protruding outward. Place his remaining cards faceup on top
of your half, protruding inward (see fig. 111). Pause here, building up
the face-up-face-down condition of the deck. Slowly push the protrud-
ing packets flush; that is, square the deck.
Ask for the name of his card. "Fine, the three of clubs; and mine is
the two of hearts (or whatever card you originally glimpsed and re-
versed). Watch!” Riffle the ends of the deck, or snap your fingers, for
effect. "What I’ve just tried to do, by magic, is to make all the cards
face one way, except the three of clubs and two of hearts.”
Do a wide ribbon spread on the table. All the cards are faceup except
 120 The Magic Book
two, which are neatly spaced within the spread. Let your spectator
turn these two over to show that they are, indeed, the selected cards!

Afterthoughts: It’s a fooler. As I’ve said, you can reverse the bottom
card before you start. You couldn’t let a spectator shuffle, of course.
Shuffle yourself, using the Slip Shuffle, keeping the reversed card at
bottom. Also be sure to wait, after reversing the card, before going into
the effect.
A good way to apply "'time misdirection” is to do an effect that does
not affect that bottom card. For example, if you had the four aces out of
the deck, you could go into One-at-a-Time Aces. Since the entire deck
isn’t used for this, that reversed card just stays where it is. After the
ace effect, drop all the cards onto the deck, do a Slip Shuffle, keeping
the bottom card at bottom, and then go into this effect. (You’d have the
spectator cut off the top half deck, when doing it this way. You’d also
have to flip your half faceup as the spectator selected a card from his
half.)
There are, of course, many ways to reverse a card to the bottom by
sleight of hand. You’ll eventually learn many of these, I’m sure, but I
don’t think it’s necessary to learn them now.
Here’s one easy way. You must know the name of the card second
from the top. Hold the deck facedown in dealing position, in your left
hand. With your right fingers, flip the top card faceup. Spread the top
cards a bit so that you can resquare and obtain a momentary left-little-
finger break beneath the two top cards. Grasp these two (squared) top
cards, holding them at the ends, from above, with your right fingers as
your left thumb flips over (faceup) the entire deck. Immediately drop
the card(s) your right hand is holding onto the face of the deck. Flip the
entire deck facedown again.
That’s all. The known card is faceup, second from bottom of the face-
down deck. It takes a second, and is done as you toy with the deck. This
can be used to reverse a selected card. Control it to second from top and
do the reverse as you show the top, then bottom, card, asking if one of
these is the selection.
For the Two-Card Revelation, do the reverse and let the spectator
take the top half of the deck. As he selects a card from his half, you
take the bottom card of your half. This leaves the reversed card at bot-
tom, where you want it. Later, you name the known (original second-
from-top) card as your selection.
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 121
The Double-Lift Reverse

This is a method for secretly reversing a card, utilizing the Double

Lift. It is a perfectly natural action, and you should learn it. It’s a use-
ful weapon.
You’ve controlled a selected card to the top. Do a Double Lift, flip-
ping the card(s) faceup, flush onto the deck. Ask if this is the chosen
card. When he says that it isn’t, leave the Double Lift as is, and turn
over your left hand (turning the deck faceup). Ask if the (exposed) bot-
tom card is his. He’ll say no, of course.

FIG. 112

With your right fingers, reach under the deck and pull out the rear
card. This is the card you showed at the Double Lift, and it will come
out facedown, as it should (see fig. 112). The right hand is open in the
illustration, but in action you’d be grasping the card with your thumb
and fingertips.
Turn it over (faceup), and say, "You’re sure this isn’t yours? . . .”
Leave it faceup; use it to tap the face card of the deck. "... and nei-
ther is this?” Place the card, faceup, back to the rear of (beneath) the
deck.
What you’ve done, in a natural and casual action, is straightened out
the original card you showed at the Double Lift, covering the still face-
up selected card (original top card). You’ve also proved(?) that the se-
lection is neither at top nor bottom.
Turn the deck facedown, give it a cut, and the selected card is faceup
in the center of the face-down deck.
 122 The Magic Book
Afterthoughts: For any effect utilizing a reversed card, you must use
a deck with white borders. A reversed card in a deck with an overall
back design will stand out like the proverbial sore thumb.
I don’t ordinarily like sleights just for sleights’ sake. This one is real-
ly a complete effect in itself. Complete it by saying, "Well, I thought I’d
found your card; obviously I was wrong. I’ll have to use some real ma-
gic. What is your card?”
When he names it, snap your fingers, riffle the ends of the deck, in-
voke the spirits—or whatever it is you want to do to show that the
magic is about to occur—and ribbon spread the deck, facedown, on the
table. The named card is reversed at center!
This is a fine effect, but the main reason I taught you the sleight is
for the routine that follows.

Triple-Climax Speller

The basis of this fine routine is the Double-Lift Reverse. The only
difference is that you must know the name of the selected card. In the
Afterthoughts, I’ll teach you a way to glimpse it during the reverse; for
the time being, either force the card, or control it to the bottom,
glimpse it, and shuffle it back to the top.
Do the Double-Lift Reverse exactly as explained. The selected card
(let’s assume it’s the KH) is reversed, second from the top. Say, "I’m in
a bit of trouble; you’ll have to help me. Let me show you a few cards. If
you happen to see yours, don’t say anything; just concentrate on it for
me.
Hold the deck faceup and start spreading cards from your left to
your right hand, without reversing their order, as if you were having a
card selected. This is done, ostensibly, to let him look at some cards.
What you really do is spell his card mentally, pushing (spreading) over
a card for each letter. You must start the spelling with the third letter
of his card’s name.
Let me clear this up. His card is the KH. Mentally spell the first two
letters: K -1. As you spread off the first card, continue the spelling: N ;
next card, G ; next card, o ; next card, F ; next card, H ; and so on, spell-
ing, K -1 -N-G - 0- F- H- E- A- R- T- S (don’t forget that final S).
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 123
When you’ve spread over the card for the final S, don’t pause; contin-
ue spreading, and spell the next card! If the card immediately after the
final S is the, say, 4S, mentally spell F as you spread over that 4S. Then
continue spreading and spelling: O-U-R-O-F-S-P-A-D-E-S.
Stop after you’ve spread over the final S of this second (spelled) card.
The deck must undergo a complete cut at this point. A simple method
is to separate your hands (the spread-off, spelled cards are in your right
hand; the unspread cards are in your left), make a remark, like, "I
think I have a better way to find your card,” and put the halves togeth-
er. But casually put the right-hand cards under the left-hand cards.
This will suffice. A more sophisticated method, however, is to square
the cards, obtaining a momentary left-little-finger break beneath the
last spread-off card. Then do the Kick Cut with the half deck above the
break, exactly as I explained in the Color-Changing Deck. A straight,
single cut to the break will also do.
All right, turn the deck facedown and do a Jog Shuffle. All the
spelled cards must be kept intact on top. You must be careful not to ex-
pose the reversed card; so shuffle neatly. If you’re leery of this, just
omit the shuffle.
"If I do this [do your magical gesture] I can spell to any card I like.
For example, say I wanted to spell to the, oh, the four of spades.” Make
it appear as if you’re naming any card, but name the second card you
spelled in the spreading. Deal cards singly and facedown, from the top
of the deck, into a tabled packet. Spell the 4S, a card for each letter.
Turn up the card at the final S; it will be the 4S.
Turn the 4S facedown and drop it onto the spelled, tabled cards. Drop
the deck onto these and pick up the entire deck, as you say, "But, the
four of spades isn’t your card, is it? No, I didn’t think so. What is your
card?”
He names the KH, of course. Hand him the deck. "Please spell your
card out loud, just as I spelled the four of spades.” He does, and the KH
will be staring up at him (faceup) as he reaches the final S!

Afterthoughts: There’s the "triple climax”—really three effects in

one. Don’t even mention the first one—the correct spelling of an indif-
ferent card. The second piece of magic is that his card falls correctly
when he spells it. And third, his card is faceup when he spells it.
The spreading over, and spelling, is really quite easy to do. One or
 124 The Magic Book

two tries will prove it to you. Just remember always to start the spell-
ing with the third letter of the selected card; this is to make his card
fall on the final S.

FIG. 113

It’s easy to glimpse the selected card during the Double-Lift Reverse.
As you place the card (the one originally shown at the Double Lift)
back to the rear of the face-up deck, simply tilt your left hand toward
you. This brings the rear of the deck into view, (see fig. 113). You’re
pushing the right-hand card flush as you do this. It’s a natural action,
particularly if, without pausing, you continue turning your left hand,
turning the deck facedown all the way. The right-hand card, of course,
is pushed flush before the deck is all the way facedown; otherwise
you’d expose the reversed, selected card. It’s an instantaneous glimpse.

If you don’t want to do the Double-Lift Reverse, it’s easy to do a Dou-

ble-Climax Speller. Force a card and make sure it lies about a quarter
of the way from the bottom. (This is easy: Have it replaced near center;
then cut about a quarter of the deck from bottom to top.) If you don’t
want to depend on a force, you can simply control a card to the bottom,
glimpse it, then cut some cards from top to bottom.
Ask the spectator to look for, and concentrate on, his card as you
show him some cards. Spread until you reach his card. Start spelling it
on that card. Then spell the card that falls after the final S. Cut, after
spelling the second card.
That’s it. The trick is the same except that his card is not faceup at
the end.
 SI eight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 125
The Double Color Change

"Color change” is magicians’ parlance for any method of magically,

and visibly, changing the face card of the deck. This is one of the first I
ever performed. It’s still one of my favorite quick card effects. It uti-
lizes a palming method that I don’t particularly like, and that I rarely
use—except for this. It fits, here. It also utilizes a left forefinger push-
down move. Both sleights require some practice.
Hold the well-squared deck at your left fingertips, face toward your
audience, with the lower side parallel to the floor. Your forefingertip is
free and resting at the outer end. With your right thumb and second
finger, pull about half the deck (from the rear) toward you; about an
inch and a half is fine (see fig. 114). You’ve "stepped” the deck.
Point to the face card. "Keep your eye on the two of hearts. I’ll just
brush my hand over it—like this—and a strange thing will happen.”
It’s as you say this, and demonstrate, that you steal (palm) a card. This
Palm is usually done from a squared, not a stepped, deck, but it works
exactly the same way.

FIGS. 114 & 115

Place your right hand, palm against the 2H, and move it away from
you (in the direction your fingers are pointing). Your left forefingertip,
which has moved to rest on the rear card of the outer half, pushes that
rear card along (see fig. 115). The outer end of the card is pushed into
palm position.
It moves along with your right hand until it clears the deck and prac-
tically snaps into your right palm. Your left forefinger places it there
(see fig. 116). Your left hand shouldn’t move at all. Only your left fore-
 126 The Magic Book

finger moves, and that can’t be seen. As soon as it’s palmed, continue
your patter with one word:Watch!”

FIGS. 116 & 117

Place your right palm against the 2H as before. This time, slowly
move your right hand downward, leaving the palmed card flush on the
2H (see fig. 117). It appears as if the face card changes as you move
your hand down across its face.
'That was easy. The difficult one to change is this one—the six of
clubs. Watch!” Rub your hand over the face card, palming the rear card
of the outer step, exactly as at the start. But, your left forefingertip has
an extra job. As soon as your right hand covers the deck, that finger
goes to the outer end of the step and pushes down the rear card. A
fingernail comes in handy here. It must be done cleanly; and if two
cards move down, that’s okay. The card moves down and covers the face
card (6C) of the inner step (see fig. 118). In action, you can snap that
card down.
After that’s done (it takes no time), palm the (now) rear card, as be-
fore. As your right hand moves away (with its palmed card) it is seen
that the 6C has changed. Drop your right hand naturally to your side,
as you say, "I don’t even have to rub it; watch that eight of diamonds
[or whatever card the 6C changed to].” Change the face card of the in-
ner step (the 8D) by turning the deck face to floor and back again, in a
"twinkling.” As you start to turn it down, snap down the rear card of
the outer step, just as explained. It happens so fast that the action of
your left forefinger can’t be seen. When the deck is turned face toward
audience, the 8D has changed. This is an instantaneous and beautiful
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 127

change if it’s done neatly. Remember, turn your hand down, then, in-
stantly, up again.
Bring up your right hand and indicate both face cards. "Now, watch
the four of clubs and the [name the card that the 8D changed to].”
Slowly rub your right hand down and over the face card of the outer
step, depositing the palmed card. The instant your hand covers the
deck, snap down the rear card, as explained. As your hand moves down
and away, both face cards have changed!

Afterthoughts: There are two areas for practice here: the palm (or
steal) of the rear card of the outer step, and the left forefinger push-
down of that rear card. The practice is worthwhile.
The ending is a complete surprise because you’re ahead of your audi-
ence. You palm a card when it isn’t necessary (when you change the
face card of the inner step with the forefinger push-down), only to use
it for the ending.
Work on this color change; it might become one of your favorite
effects.

The Calculating Deck

This is one of those quick effects the basic idea of which is so old that
most magicians have forgotten it. That’s okay with me. I use it often,
almost as a "throwaway.” It never fails to bewilder. I use my own "cal-
culating deck” presentation; I’ll teach you that first, then the older way
 128 The Magic Book

of presenting it. Since the idea is practically self-working, learn both

presentations; then you can decide which you’d like to perform. You
might want to use them both.
"I rarely have to use a calculator, because this deck does my calculat-
ing for me.” You’re shuffling as you talk. And, you must glimpse the
top card and keep it there. It’s best to glimpse the bottom card during a
shuffle, shuffle it to the top and Jog Shuffle once or twice.
Frankly, if you can’t do this without arousing suspicion, I’d prefer
you don’t perform this effect. I’d hate to see it ruined! Also, don’t use a
picture card; be sure it’s a spot card on top. Let’s assume it’s an 8-spot.
Place the deck facedown and crosswise on your left palm. Tell the
spectator to cut the deck anywhere he likes and to place his cut-off por-
tion onto your left fingers. Point to your left fingers as he cuts.
Point to the half deck on your palm, and say, "Would you turn up the
card you cut to.” As he turns it faceup, take it from him and place it,
faceup, onto its half. Let’s assume it’s a 3-spot. Mentally add this to the
card you originally kept on top (in this example, 8 plus 3, or 11), and
say, "Now, if I had eleven dollars and gave you three [point to the card
he cut to] how many would I have left?”
As soon as he answers, "Eight,” say, "That’s right—eight!” And turn
up the top card of the half deck on your fingers, showing the eight (see
fig. 119). "You see, it never makes a mistake!”

That’s it; that’s all there is to it! It’s the talk, the presentation, that
confuses. You present a simple subtraction problem to which the
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 129
known card is the answerl By the time the effect is over, no one remem-
bers which card is which. And it hardly matters, since you supposedly
don’t know where any particular card lies. As soon as you show the an-
swer card, and deliver your closing line, turn down the two cards, and
shuffle the deck.
I’d suggest you spot the top card again, because you’re going to be
asked to do it again, and it can (and should) be repeated—once.
To make sure you’ve got this, I’ll give you one or two more examples.
If the known (top) card is a 4-spot, and the spectator cuts to a 9-spot,
you’d say, "If I had thirteen dollars and gave you nine [point to the 9-
spot] how many would I have left?” The answer is four, of course. If the
top card is an ace, and he cuts to a 7-spot, you’d ask, "If I had eight dol-
lars and gave you seven [point to the 7-spot] . . etc. The answer is
one.
If the spectator cuts to a picture card, consider it ten. So, if you had a
2-spot on top, you’d say, "If I had twelve dollars and gave you ten [point
to the picture card], picture cards are ten [always throw in this phrase
for a picture], how many would I have left?”
Most important is that you don’t let your thinking show. You should
ask the question, without hesitation, as soon as he turns up the card he
cut to.

NAME A CARD

This is the same idea, but a completely different effect. Assume the
(known) top card is the 6D. Let the spectator cut the deck on your hand,
just as before. Point to the top card of the half on your palm. "This is
the card you cut to. Believe it or not, it tells me that that card is the six
of diamonds. Take a look!”
The actions to match these words: Pick up the card he cut to with
your right hand. Glance at it (don’t let your audience see it), remember
it (this is as you say, "It tells me”), and use it to point to the top card of
the other half (point as you end the remark).
As he looks at the card (it is the 6D, of course), drop the card you’re
holding back onto its half. Turn the 6D facedown and drop it onto its
half. Place the "palm” half onto the "finger” half and shuffle the deck.
Keep the top card where it is, and you’re ready to repeat without the
necessity of a glimpse. You’ve already remembered that card!
Repeat exactly, setting up for another repeat of the effect. The third
 130 The Magic Book
time is the ending, so let’s make it stronger. Assume you know that the
top card is the QH. Let him cut, as before. "I’ve been telling you only
one card each time, but, of course, I always know both cards. Look!”
Point to the card he cut to (the "palm” half). "That’s the QH.” (You
name the [known] top card.) Pick it up, glance at it (don’t show its face;
assume it’s the 2C), and drop it, facedown, to the table. Point to the
"finger” half. "That’s the two of clubs.” (Name the card you just
dropped to the table.)
Take off the top card and drop it onto the already tabled card. As you
repeat, "The queen of hearts and two of clubs,” toss the two tabled
cards (together) faceup. Your spectators see the proper cards!
You toss them faceup so that no one can follow which card is sup-
posed to be where. So far as anyone is concerned, you simply knew the
two cards!

Afterthoughts: Go over that last example carefully and it will clear

up for you. It’s an old ploy—miscalling cards. Do it nonchalantly; you’ll
fool all and sundry with it, and with the entire routine. That goes for
both presentations.
Although the two presentations are different, the basic idea isn’t, so
don’t perform them both for the same audience at the same sitting.
Have fun!

The Ambitious Card

No book containing sleight-of-hand card magic could be considered

complete without touching on an "ambitious card” routine. This is the
term for any routine in which a card keeps magically rising to the top
of the deck. Such a routine can be long or short, complicated or simple.
I want to teach you a short, simple routine containing moves I’ve al-
ready taught you—just to give you the idea. You can enlarge it as you
become more knowledgeable. This isn’t a "pure” routine. A pure rou-
tine would necessitate "passes,” and wouldn’t ordinarily use shuffles.
But, frankly, if you do it and present it well, it will leave the same im-
pression on your audience.
Have a card selected. Control it to second from the top (control to top,
overhand shuffle, running one card, in-jog, shuffle off, break at in-jog,
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 131

etc.). "The card you selected is an ambitious card; it always likes to be

on top.” Do a Double Lift, showing it (say it's the 9D) on top.
Turn down the lift, take off the single top card, slowly and obviously
push it into, and lose it in, the center of the deck. "Even if I place it
here, to center, a snap of my fingers [do so] brings it right back to the
top.” Flip over the top card to show the 9D.
"No matter how I shuffle the deck [overhand shuffle, running one
card, in-jogging, etc., to bring the 9D to second from top again] that
nine of diamonds always comes to the top!” Double lift, showing the
9D. Turn down the lift.
"You look confused; let me show you how it’s done.” Hold the deck up
near your left fingertips. With your right fingertips, push the top card
outward about an inch and a half (see fig. 120). "I’ll push the nine of
diamonds off the deck so you can keep your eye on it. As a matter of
fact, I’ll leave it protruding from center, so I can’t get to it.”

FIGS. 120 & 121

Match actions to words: In Hindu-Shuffle manner, your right fingers

pull out (toward you) about a quarter of the deck, from bottom. Bring
this packet to the top, placing it over the deck proper—not flush with
the protruding card. Don’t release it. Say, "A few more cards on top
will put that nine of diamonds to about center.” Your right thumbtip
and second fingertip pull out about a quarter of the deck from the top,
from under the protruding card, and from the rear, as your left finger-
tips hold the original bottom packet in place. As this packet is pulled
 132 The Magic Book

out, the packet you brought up from the bottom falls flush onto the
deck, onto the protruding card. (See fig. 121 to see the action just as
you start to remove the top quarter of the deck from beneath the pro-
truding card.)
This second (original top) packet is placed on top of all. Don’t let this
throw you; it’s simply a version of the Hindu-Shuffie Control. You
bring the bottom packet to the top, strip out the packet beneath the
protruding card at the same time, and slap that on top. The protruding
card remains in view throughout. This is what you’ve accomplished:
An indifferent card protrudes from center (the audience thinks it’s the
9D) and the 9D has been brought to the top. The entire thing takes a
second or two.
"As long as the nine of diamonds is there at center, it can’t be on
top.” Do a Double Lift (the six-step lift I taught you fits perfectly, and
the protruding card won’t get in the way), showing an indifferent card.
Turn down the lift. "But as soon as I push it in [push the protruding
card flush with your left forefinger] and snap my fingers, it comes back
to the top.” Flip the top card faceup, showing the 9D. Flip it facedown
again. (This is a thoroughly magical sequence; work on it.)
"It just doesn’t matter how much I shuffle”—shuffle the 9D to the bot-
tom; follow up with a Slip Shuffle, keeping it there—"because, you see,
every card looks like the nine of diamonds.”
Start a regular Hindu Shuffle. Do it fairly rapidly, and, perhaps
three or four times (no more) during the shuffle, turn your right hand
halfway over, flashing the 9D! (This is exactly the action I taught you
for the Color-Changing Deck, when you flashed the red-backed card,
except there’s no pausing here.)
Keep Hindu shuffling until only the 9D remains in your right hand.
That goes on top, as the last move of the shuffle. This, again, is a thor-
oughly magical sequence. Your audience is completely confused by
now, and the illusion of the deck’s containing all 9Ds is perfect.
Overhand shuffle, keeping the 9D on top. To fill the time for shuf-
fling, say, "It’s all an illusion, of course.” Look directly into your spec-
tator’s eyes as you say, "How many nines of diamonds have you seen so
far?” At that precise moment, when your spectator’s eyes meet yours,
palm off the top card. No matter what his answer, do a face-up Ribbon
Spread on the table with your left hand, as you say, "How many do you
see now?”
Pause. "You see, the nine of diamonds was never really in the deck
 Sleight-of-Hand Effects and Routines 133
at all. It’s been here in my pocket all along!” Reach into your pocket
and come out with the 9D—to end! (Leave the deck on the table; your
audience will want to examine it.)

Afterthoughts: This is all based on the Double Lift, of course, and the
lifts have to be "clean.” Whenever you turn up the top card, it must be
done with the same actions as when you do a Double Lift. Make sure
your "single” lifts and Double Lifts look the same. Square the deck af-
ter each shuffle and prior to each Double Lift.
What will require practice is the push-off of the 9D(?) and the Hindu-
Shuffle "cut.” This is central to the routine, and is a fine piece of card
magic. The 9D is seen going to center; it’s "proved” when you show an
indifferent card on top; then, without a false move, the 9D appears on
top. It’s strong! It must be done smoothly, casually, and to match your
words.
Each step of the routine must flow smoothly into the next. When you
can go through the entire effect without a pause, you’ll have one of the
best4of all card routines at your disposal.
 PRACTICALLY SELF-WORKING
CARD ROUTINES

A self-working card effect is one in which sleight of hand is not es-

sential. The problem is that with few exceptions, when absolutely no
sleight of hand is used, what’s left is a puzzle, not magic.
This section contains some basically self-working card routines; a
few are favorites of mine. In every case, adding a simple sleight or two
(perhaps only the Jog Shuffle) makes the effect more magical.

Mental Message

The first card trick I ever saw, the one referred to in the Rreface, is
pretty much a standard by now. The basic effect is this: The spectator
thinks of a card; then he himself inserts a face-up card into the face-
down deck. Following your "mental message,” he magically inserts
that face-up card right next to his own selection.
Let your spectator shuffle the deck. Tell him to cut off about half the
deck for himself and give you the remaining half. He’s to place his half
behind his back, take out any card, look at and remember it, and re-
place it to the top of his half deck. His doing this behind his back as-
sures that you can’t possibly see the card he’ll think of.
As you explain this, demonstrate what you want him to do by plac-
134
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 135
ing your half behind your back. The moment it’s out of sight, reverse
(turn faceup) the second card from the top. Here’s the fastest way to do
that. With your left thumb, deal off (or push off) the top card. Do this as
you move the half deck behind you. Take this top card from above with
your right hand—thumb at inner end, fingers at outer end. As you take
it, push off the second card with your left thumb. The left side of the
top card can now flip over this second card as it, at the same time, is re-
placed (allowed to fall) onto the reversed card. (See fig. 122, which is an
exposed view just prior to completion of the move.) This reversal takes
no time at all. It should be completed by the time your hands come to
rest behind your back.

FIG. 122

Without a pause, bring the bottom card to the front, demonstrating

how he’s to look at it. When you bring it back to behind your back, turn
it faceup and place it back to the bottom of your half. Immediately
bring the half to the front, holding it facedown and well squared. Pay
no more attention to it.
You’ve accomplished this in a couple of seconds, as you’ve demon-
strated what he’s to do. It’s the best way I know to get into the required
position without any chance of being caught.
Be sure there’s nobody behind you when you do it. Be careful here;
don’t make an issue over it. If you do, your spectators will know that
you’re about to do something behind your back. This is where many
amateurs ruin an effect. They telegraph their intention. It’s simple
enough to arrange matters casually, so that nobody can see behind
your back, or behind the back of your spectator. If you can’t do it casu-
ally, don't do this effect at that time!
 136 The Magic Book
Let your spectator do what you’ve asked, as you stress the fact that
he has an absolutely free choice, and so on. Let him place his card to
the top of his half, and bring the half to the front. At this point, I usu-
ally take the half deck from him with one hand and, with my thumb,
partially push off the top card, so that only he can see it, and say,
"Please remember your card.” This is to assure that he’s followed in-
structions and that his card is on top of his half.
Slowly and obviously, place your half onto his as you say, "Now your
card is buried in the deck.” Have him take the entire deck behind his
back. "Would you please do this for me? Take the top card and push it
into the deck, anywhere in the bottom area. Have you done that? Fine.
Take the bottom card and push it anywhere near the top area. Would
you take the card that’s now on top and turn it faceup? Now push it,
faceup, somewhere near the center of the deck. Look into my eyes for a
moment as you do it! That’s fine. Please bring the deck to the front, so
we can all see it.” Take the deck from him.
All the above is done by the spectator behind his back. You realize
what’s happened, of course. The insertion of the top and bottom cards,
near bottom and top respectively, is a "red herring.” It has nothing to
do with anything, except to get him accustomed to inserting cards, and
to get rid of that top card. Mentioning the areas keeps him from insert-
ing the first two cards near center. This is important because you don’t
want him to insert one of these directly above his selection.
When you tell him to turn the next top card faceup, he’s really turn-
ing it facedown (since it’s already faceup)! He inserts it near center,
and it is lost in the deck.
To end: "Somewhere in the deck is one face-up card—the one you in-
serted. Here it is.” Spread the cards to expose the one face-up card.
(The ribbon spread is best if you’re working near a surface.) Let it be
seen that this is the only face-up card. "Do you remember that I asked
you to look into my eyes as you inserted this? Well, I was sending you a
mental message. I tried to force you to insert this card right next to the
one you selected at the beginning! What was that card?”
As soon as he names it, point to the card directly under the face-up
card. "If my message got through to you, this should be the [name his
card].” Let him remove it and look at it. It’s the correct card!

Afterthoughts: I’d hate to tell you how many years ago I saw, and
figured out, this effect. Since then I’ve learned, and figured out, many
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 137
other ways to arrive at the same conclusion. This is still one of the best.
As long as your half deck is set as explained—a reversed card at bot-
tom and one at second from top—the effect works automatically. One
thing you should be aware of: It’s conceivable that the spectator will
insert the last card, the one you tell him to turn faceup, between his se-
lection and the already-reversed card above it. This will rarely happen,
but you’d better know how to get out of it if it does. The selection will
be the second card under the reversed one, at the end.
When the spectator removes the card directly beneath the reversed
one, always keep tlie deck in spread condition until you’re sure every-
thing has worked correctly. If the card isn’t the correct one, say, "I
thought your concentration wavered there for a moment; you missed
by one card. Look at this card.” Point to the one now directly beneath
the reversed one. This must be his. You’ve blamed the slight miss on
him! The effect is just as strong.

This Guy and The Drinker

I know of few self-working routines that involve as much action as

this one; something is continually happening. It is almost a perfect
card routine. It gets away from the "pick-a-card” theme, and it in-
volves the spectator in a story routine in which the actions and hap-
penings match perfectly.
It’s easy to do, but you have to set up a few cards without your audi-
ence having any knowledge of that setup, you have to remember the
sequence of the routine, and, most important, you have to talk enter-
tainingly, making your words fit the action.
From the top of the deck down, set three eights, then any card, then
the fourth eight, then the four aces. (The top card is an eight.) The best
way to arrange a small setup like this is to do it during a previous
effect. Or, do it as you "toy” with the cards—not in a surreptitious way,
but casually. You’re going to shuffle before you go into the routine any-
way, so it doesn’t much matter.
Now you have the nine cards set as explained. There’s an alternative
here. You can set only six cards; that is, get the four aces to the top
(you can simply place them there after a four-ace routine), then get
 138 The Magic Book

any 8-spot on top of the aces and, finally, any card on top of the 8-spot.
Then, when youTe ready to perform, openly remove the remaining
three eights.
"There was 'This Guy’ who walked into a bar, shuffling a deck of
cards. He approached a drinker, and said, 'You know, I can deal any
cards I like in a poker game / The 'Drinker’ said, 'Oh, yeah—prove it!’ ”
As you talk, overhand shuffle, keeping the setup on top. Show the
three eights. Either deal them off the top (if you’ve prepared the entire
setup) or spread through and remove them. If you’re doing the latter,
don’t expose the setup on top. Place the three eights faceup on the table
for a moment, as you shuffle the deck—again, keeping the setup intact.
It’s this shuffling that makes the routine even more mysterious than it
is.
Now, openly place the three eights on top of the deck. " 'I can put
these three eights right here on top, and still deal them to you if I want
to,’ boasted This Guy.”

Demonstrate this. Deal the first card, facedown, near your spectator,
the next card to yourself; the next to your spectator, onto the first card
you dealt him, the next card to yourself, onto your first card. You’re
dealing alternately, just as you would when playing poker. Now, the
third card to your spectator. Here’s the key to the routine. As you deal
yourself the third card, scoop it under your first two cards (fig. 123) and
place these three cards back to the top of the deck. Throughout the rou-
tine, the last card dealt must always be handled that way. It is scooped
to beneath the previously dealt cards and then that hand is placed back
on top of the deck.
"He turned up the three cards he’d dealt to The Drinker, and there
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 139
were the three eights!” Show the eights in the spectator’s hand. Place
them back on top. "'And/ said This Guy, T can do that as often as I
like.’ He did it again.” Deal three cards to your spectator and yourself
exactly as before. Don’t forget the "scooping” with your last card. Show
that your spectator, again, has the three eights.
You can repeat this indefinitely. If you do it as explained, the specta-
tor will always get three eights. They keep changing. He’ll get two
black eights and one red eight, then two red and one black, etc. Don’t
mention this, of course, and the action happens too fast for it to regis-
ter. It doesn’t much matter if it does register.
Do it three or four times. "Finally, The Drinker said, 'That’s pretty
good. The trouble is, when I play poker I play with five cards, not
three.’ 'You’re absolutely right,’ said This Guy. 'And, I can do the same
thing with five cards. Look.’ He dealt out five cards each, and The
Drinker had a full house, eights and aces.”
Demonstrate this. Deal five cards to each in exactly the same way
you dealt three cards to each. Scoop with your last (fifth) card, and
place your hand of five cards to the top. Flip over the spectator’s hand;
he’ll have the full house. Incidentally, when you’re dealing the hands,
always be sure to deal one card onto the other; don’t disarrange them.
Then, this will all work automatically.
" 'Here, I’ll do it again.’ ” Place the spectator’s hand to the top. Deal
out the two five-card hands again, just as before. Show that he has the
full house again. " 'I can do that as often as I like.’ ” Do it once more.
You deal him the full house three times in all.
"At this point, The Drinker said, 'Aha! I think I caught you. I think I
can do it now.’ So, This Guy handed the deck to The Drinker, and said,
'Go ahead; try it.’ ”
Hand the deck to your spectator. "You be The Drinker. Go ahead, try
exactly what I did. And don’t forget what I did with the last card each
time. I’m sure you noticed it.”
Let the spectator do it. He deals to you first, then to himself, and so
on. Watch him carefully. Be sure he places each card on top of each
hand as he deals, and make sure he scoops his last card. Then he places
his hand back on top. Help him with all this. Then turn up your hand
to show that it contains an odd card. Place your hand back on top and
take the deck.
"The Drinker said, 'What did I do wrong?’ 'You didn’t do anything
wrong,’ said This Guy. 'You just have to deal each card, one on top of
 140 The Magic Book

the other, slowly—like this—and always remember to scoop your last

card—like this/” Demonstrate as you talk. Display the spectator’s
hand; it will be a full house.
"The Drinker said, 'Oh, I see. Let me try it again. I’ve got it now/ He
tried it again. And, of course, got the odd card again.” Let the spectator
do it; show your hand. It will automatically contain the odd card. Re-
place the hand.
"The Drinker asked to try it once more. He did. He still dealt that
odd card.” Let your spectator do it again. "The Drinker said, 'One more
chance. If I don’t do it this time, I’ll quit.’ He tried it once more, and
still dealt that odd card.” The odd card will show, automatically, three
times!
" 'Tell me,’ said The Drinker, 'how do you get rid of that odd card?’
'Well, I’ll tell you, you don’t have to get rid of it if you can handle cards
as well as I can! Look, I just deal them carefully, one at a time, and
make sure I scoop that last card.’ ”
Deal out the two hands as you talk; make the actions match your
words. This time, do not replace your hand to the top. Leave it on the
table. Turn up your spectator’s hand. It will contain four eights and the
odd card. " 'You see, I didn’t have to get rid of it. I dealt a great hand
anyway!’ But The Drinker said, 'Wait a minute, I’m not that drunk!
What good does it do you to deal your opponent such a good hand!?’
"Said This Guy, as he turned up his hand, 'If you think your four
eights can beat my four aces—you are that drunk!’ ”
Turn up your hand to display the four aces—and to end the routine!

Afterthoughts: This entire routine works automatically if you make

sure that each card is dealt onto the other, that the cards are not disar-
ranged when you display the hands, and that the last card is always
scooped to the bottom of that hand.
About that "scooping”—it will be neater and surer if you work on a
soft surface. That way, you won’t have to struggle to make sure that
that card goes to the bottom of the hand each time. If no soft surface is
available, you can either bend the cards slightly (so that their sides or
ends lift slightly off the table) or pick up the hand each time and place
the card beneath it.
The patter I’ve given you can (and probably should) be changed to fit
your personality and your way of speaking. I’ve given you the basic
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 141
story; you fill it in with your own words. But be sure to explain exactly
what’s going on as you work.
Although this is practically self-working, you’ll be given credit for
being a great card manipulator. Don’t leave out the Jog Shuffles and/or
Riffle Shuffles, keeping the setup on top, at the beginning.
It is essential that you remember the sequence of the routine. Any
hesitation or show of thinking will detract from the effect. Do it a few
times; it will soon become second nature. This is a routine you’ll be us-
ing and performing for the rest of your life!
Keep this sequence in mind:

Three Eights—can be demonstrated as often as you like

Full House—three times
Odd Card—one time
Full House—one time
Odd Card—three times

And finally—four eights in spectator’s hand, four aces in your hand.

Take your bows!

Prediction

As you shuffle the deck, glimpse the bottom card. Do a Slip Shuffle or
two, keeping the known card in place. Put the deck on the table. Talk
about something else for a few moments; then say that you’d like to
make a prediction. On any small piece of paper, write the name of the
bottom card.
Take the two top cards from the deck, turn them face to face, and put
the piece of paper between them. "This way I can’t get near my predic-
tion again. As a matter of fact, we’ll leave it here for safekeeping.” Put
the cards (and the prediction) into your spectator’s breast pocket.
Pick up the deck; give it one Slip Shuffle, keeping the bottom card on
bottom. Nonchalantly toss out five pairs of face-up cards. These are
taken from the top and turned faceup as you toss them to the table.
You must place exactly ten cards to the table, but you don’t want the
counting to be obvious.
 142 The Magic Book

Patter as you haphazardly toss the cards: "Please take any four of
these cards.” It’s easy enough to count five pairs mentally. Make it ap-
pear as if it doesn’t matter how many cards are involved; you’re simply
giving him a choice of four from among some cards.
When he indicates four cards, place the remaining cards (six) to the
bottom of the deck. Spread the four cards into a horizontal row, as you
say, "You could have selected any cards, but these are the ones you
wanted. I’ll bring each card to ten.”
Do exactly that, dealing and counting off the top of the deck. Let’s as-
sume the four cards are a 7, a 3, a king, and an ace. Point to the 7.
"That’s a seven—eight, nine, ten.” Deal three cards, facedown, onto
and overlapping it as you count.
Point to the 3-spot. Deal seven cards onto it, counting, "four, five
six . . .” up to ten. Point to the king. "Pictures are already ten, so we’ll
leave it alone.” Point to the ace. "That’s a one.” Deal nine cards onto it,
counting, "two, three, four . . .” up to ten (see fig. 124).

FIG. 124

The counting is done this way no matter what the cards are. On a
9-spot, you’d deal only one card. Any picture card is considered ten, and
no cards are dealt onto it.
"All right, would you add the four face-up cards for me?” Let him to-
tal the four cards. 'Twenty-one. Fine. Remember that number,
please.” Check him, of course, as he adds. An error in addition will ruin
the effect.
Place all the tabled cards to the bottom of the deck, and hand the
deck to the spectator. "Please count down to the—what was the num-
ber again?—twenty-first card. Don’t look at it; just place it aside, face-
down.”
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 143
Let him do just that, dealing cards from the top, one by one, face-
down, to the table. Again, check him to make sure he counts correctly.
Have him place aside the last card—in this example, the twenty-first.
"Now, I haven’t come near you, or my prediction, since we started with
a shuffled deck, have I? Please remove my prediction, and read it out
loud.” He does.
"Would you turn over that twenty-first card?” He does, proving that
you can predict the future!

Afterthoughts: This works automatically, if you do it exactly as ex-

plained. The important points: Glimpse the bottom card without mak-
ing it obvious, and be sure to wait a bit before going into the routine.
You must place your prediction between two cards. (If anyone tries to
reconstruct this, he’ll probably forget this point, and it won’t work.)
You must place ten cards to the table, and all used cards must go to the
bottom. The predicted card moves upward to position, mathematically
and automatically.
If you like, you can give the deck a Jog Shuffle just before you hand
it to the spectator to count to his number. Be sure to keep at least that
number of cards on top; undercut accordingly.
Incidentally, always have your prediction read before turning up the
card. To do it vice versa would be bad showmanship; you’d weaken the
climax.

PREDICTION EXPANDED

You might like to try this prediction as follows; it involves a setup of

four cards, and a Palm. Set up any four of a kind, two on top and two on
bottom. Assume you’ve set the four aces. Predict the bottom ace. Go
through the routine exactly as described.
When your spectator counts to his number and places the card aside,
nonchalantly take the cards from him; place the counted cards onto the
ones he was still holding. As you patter, telling him to take out your
prediction, you have plenty of time to palm the top card of the deck,
and to place it into a pocket. Place the deck aside. He’s too occupied to
notice the palm, even if you do it sloppily—but don’t!
He reads your prediction and turns up the card. Pause. Tell him to
look at the two cards that sandwiched the prediction: two more aces.
Make sure your hands are seen to be empty as you say, "I was so sure of
 144 The Magic Book

your card that I had the fourth ace right here all the time!” Bring the
fourth ace out of your pocket to end the routine.
(You can do the same effect without palming a card if you prepare
beforehand. Place one ace in a pocket, two on top of the deck, and one
on bottom. Predict the bottom ace. Do the effect exactly as described,
except that you throw out nine face-up cards, instead of ten, when ask-
ing him to select any four cards. It will work automatically.)

The 10 and 20 Aces

This is a self-working effect based on the Between 10 and 20 Force.
I’ve made the ending a bit more interesting than just finding the
fourth ace.
Before you start, set the four aces and the IOC, from the top down, so
that the first three aces are in any order, then the IOC, followed by the
AC. These must be on top of the deck; then nine cards are placed onto
them. You’re all set. I’ll have to leave this bit of preparation to you.
You can do it as you look for a selected card during a previous effect, or
while you’re toying with the cards; or, have it prepared beforehand.
The best way is to set the five cards (the aces and the IOC) to the top,
then jog shuffle the nine cards onto them.
When ready to perform, do a Jog Shuffle, keeping at least the top 14
cards intact (if you haven’t already jog shuffled in order to get the 9
cards on top). Hand the deck to your spectator, and go into the Between
10 and 20 Force. After the first ace is forced, the cards in his hands are
dropped onto the ones he just counted, and all these go back to the top
of the deck. Repeat exactly for the next two aces; he selects any num-
ber between 10 and 20 each time.
"Well, you’re doing just fine. All you have to find now is the ace of
clubs. So, give me another number between ten and twenty.” Whatever
number he selects, he’ll arrive at the 10C. Place the cards back to the
top of the deck. The AC will be the tenth card from the top.
"Oops; you’re close. That’s the ten of clubs, not the ace of clubs. How-
ever, a bit of magic will straighten it out. Let’s use that ten of clubs.
Shall we use it to count, or to spell? I’ll do whatever you say.” Since the
10C spells with exactly ten letters, and the AC is tenth from the top, it
doesn’t matter which he decides on!
If he says to count, count down to the tenth card to display the AC. If
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 145
he prefers spelling, spell T-E-N-O-F-C-L-U-B-S, one card per letter,
and turn up the AC at the final S.

Afterthoughts: You can throw in a Jog Shuffle and/or false cut before
he counts for the second or third ace, or just before counting or spelling
the IOC. Don’t overdo the shuffling.
It is a mathematically self-working effect; throwing in a sleight (at
the proper time) enhances it.

Matching Thought

This piece of magic will take only a few paragraphs to explain. I’m
including it mainly to show you that once you know a principle, it can
be used to invent your own effects. I just thought of this. I know I said I
wouldn’t include any effects with set-up decks, but this makes the
point. Separate the reds and blacks. Place one red card tenth from the
top of the blacks, and a black card tenth from the top of the reds.
To perform, do a false cut or two; you can jog shuffle if you undercut
only about a quarter of the deck to start. The setup is unaffected. (This
is self-working; you can omit the cuts and shuffles, if you like.) Do a
fast Hand-to-Hand Spread, faces of cards toward you, and split the
deck exactly in half, where the colors meet. This takes a fraction of a
second. You can, if you like, false cut and/or jog shuffle each half as
you hand one to each of two spectators.
Do the Between 10 and 20 Force with one spectator. Turn the forced
card faceup and leave his half deck facedown near it. Turn to the sec-
ond spectator. "Would you give me any other number between ten and
twenty?” Let him arrive at a card. Leave it faceup near his face-down
half deck.
To end, turn the two half decks faceup, one in each hand; ribbon
spread them beneath the selected cards, as you say, "Isn’t it amazing
that you selected the one red card among all the blacks, and you select-
ed the one black card among all the reds!”

Afterthoughts: If you like, you can set opposite color mates; say, a red
queen among the blacks and a black queen among the reds. You’d have
the additional coincidence of a "match.”
You’ll get some gasps with this one.
 146 The Magic Book
It’s Impossible!
This is an almost impossible prediction of the position of a thought-
of card. And, it’s based on mathematics; no sleight of hand is needed.
Of course, as I’ve told you, adding a sleight or two to a self-working
effect makes it appear more magical. In this case, all you’d add would
be a Jog Shuffle.
I’ll teach this as a prediction effect. Once you know the principle,
there are many ways to present it—and to end it. I’ll suggest a few in
the Afterthoughts.
From a shuffled deck, remove any ace and any 4-spot. Don’t let your
audience see the faces of these two cards as you place them aside, face-
down. Say that they are your prediction cards.
Hand the deck to a spectator for shuffling. As he does, ask him to
think of any number between 1 and 10. He’s not to say it out loud; no-
body else—certainly not you—will know the number.
Tell him to place the deck under the table, or behind his back, and to
remove that number of cards (the number he’s thinking of) from the
deck—from any part, or parts, of the deck. He hides the deck so that
you can’t see him counting. He’s to place the counted cards into a pock-
et.
Have him shuffle some more as you stress the fact that you couldn’t
know his number. Take the deck and tell him that you want him to
think of the card that’s at the number he’s thinking of (the same num-
ber as the number of cards in his pocket). You will count the cards for
him, and he’s not to stop you, or give you any clues at all.
This is the key to the effect. You must "reverse count” the cards; that
is, as you count, the cards reverse position. Hold the deck facedown.
Remove one card at a time from the top. Keep your head turned aside
as you show him each card. Place each one facedown onto the table, one
on top of another, as you show and count them (see fig. 125).
Do this fairly slowly so that he has time to see, and remember, the
card at his number. Count aloud, to 10, as you do this. You must deal
13 cards this way. You count, and deal, up to 10 out loud. Show one
more, counting "eleven.” Say, "Have you thought of a card?” As you
say this, simply show and deal two more cards without counting them.
It’s a simple, natural, action.
Scoop up the dealt, tabled packet and place it on top of the deck.
Now, although it isn’t essential, give the deck a Jog Shuffle, keeping
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 147

FIG. 125

the top stock (of at least 13 cards) intact. This shuffling (and a false cut,
if you like) makes the effect an impossibility.
Casually say, "Oh, and would you put back the cards you’ve hidden.”
Extend the deck and have him place these cards on top. Do one more
fast Jog Shuffle. Your trick is done. The moment he places his pocketed
cards on top, the vital card is fourteenth! It’s automatic. It will always
be at a position one more than the number of cards you reverse count!
In this presentation, you reverse counted 13 so the thought-of card is
fourteenth.
Patter about the impossibility of your knowing his card (true), or
where it is (untrue). Nobody else knows what or where it is (true). He’s
the only one who knows what it is, but not where it is (true). Make this
as strong as you like.
Finally, turn up your two prediction cards, exposing the ace and
four. Say, "Here’s my prediction: fourteen. Would you count down to
the fourteenth card, please. Don’t look at it, just put it aside.” He does.
Ask for the name of his thought-of card, and let him turn over the four-
teenth card. It is correct, of course!

Afterthoughts: Think about this and you’ll realize how impossible it

will seem to your audience. A card is merely thought of, and yet you
place that card to a specific position—without asking a single question.
 148 The Magic Book
This is strong without the shuffling, but I’m sure you realize how much
stronger it is when the shuffling is included.
My choice of 14 is an arbitrary one. You can use 13,15,16, or what-
ever. To make the thought-of card fall sixteenth, simply reverse count
15, and so on. Don’t forget to have the spectator replace his original
counted cards. If he doesn’t, the trick won’t work!

SPELL A NAME

Now that you understand it, you can see that there are other ways to
end the effect. For example, let’s assume you know that your specta-
tor’s name is spelled with 13 letters. Forget the prediction idea, and the
prediction cards. Do the effect, reverse-counting 12 cards as you have
him think of the card at his number. That’s all. Tell him to spell his
own name, dealing one card for each letter. His card falls on the final
letter.

LIE DETECTOR

This is an interesting presentation. After you’ve set his card to a

known position, tell the spectator that after years of practice you’ve
learned to recognize the change in a person’s voice when he’s lying.
Offer to prove it. Tell him to deal the cards from the top, one at a time
and faceup, to the table. He’s to call the correct name of each card as he
deals it. But, he’s to lie when he deals his (thought-of) card. He’s to call
it by any name but the correct one.
You won’t look, of course. Tell him not to change his voice when he
lies. He might have the name of another card already in mind, so he
can call that, without hesitation, when he sees his card. In other words,
he’s to glide right by his card; he’s to try to get by with the lie.
Let him do it. All you have to do is count mentally as he calls cards.
Let him call the fourteenth (or whichever number you’ve set it at) and
another card or two. Remember the name of the card he calls for the
fourteenth card. Stop him, and say, "Hold it; you lied two [or whatever]
cards back when you called the eight of spades! You see, you can never
lie to me!”
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 149
THINK STOP

Another ending would be to deal the cards yourself, one at a time

and faceup, asking the spectator to merely think the word "stop” when
he sees his card. He’s to give you no other clues.
Deal (from the top, in an overlapping row) and count (mentally) un-
til you’ve passed his card by two or three cards. Stop dealing, point to
his card, and say, "Yes, I’m pretty sure I received your mental message
at this card: the four of clubs [or whatever].”
This can be built up to a "real” mental miracle.

So, although I use the prediction presentation, there are many ways
to utilize this marvelous mathematical principle. I’m sure you’ll think
of some of your own presentations.

King of the Card Sharps

Demonstrating that you can manipulate cards to win at gambling is

always impressive to laymen, especially to card players. This routine
will make you look like the king of the card sharps, yet it takes very
little manipulation. It’s presented in "story” form, describing how
someone else did the miraculous card handling.
Run through the deck and remove the four aces. As you do, you must
get the 10S, JS, QS, and KS to the top (in any order) without your audi-
ence’s being aware of it. Don’t maKe an issue over this. Your audience
doesn’t know what you’re about to do anyway, and you’ll shuffle after
removing the aces. The only tip I can give you is to have the four high
spade cards on top before finding the fourth ace! It wouldn’t make
sense to keep looking through the deck after you’ve removed all the
aces. So, bypass one ace and pretend to be looking for it as you get the
remaining spade cards to the top; then find, and remove, the last ace.
Leave the aces faceup on the table as you give the deck a Jog Shuffle,
keeping the high spades on top. Place the aces to the bottom, making
sure that the AS is at the face—the bottom card. Start your story.
"I was having a drink in a gambling casino when I overheard this
conversation. One fella’ said to another, 'Would you like to learn how
 150 The Magic Book

to deal yourself four aces in a poker game?’ 'Sure/ said the other fel-
low. 'Well, first get the four aces to the bottom, like this/ ”
Turn the deck faceup and spread and show the aces at the face.
Square the aces and turn the deck facedown again. "He didn’t say how
to get them there; he just said to get them there. 'Then, all you have to
do is to deal from the bottom when you come to your hand, like this/ ”
Demonstrate by dealing five hands of poker; deal the fifth card to
yourself. Take the bottom card as you deal your card. The beauty of
this is that you don’t actually have to be able to do a "bottom deal.”
You’re demonstrating; just take the bottom card.
Keep talking as you deal, taking the bottom card for yourself each
time. As you deal the fifth card to each hand, say, "'Of course, when
you come to the last card, deal it legitimately; you already have the
four aces,’ he said.” Take the top card for your fifth and last card.
" 'And, that’s how you can always deal yourself the four aces/ ” Turn
up your hand, showing the aces. Don’t disarrange them. Place this five-
card hand onto the top of the deck; drop the other four five-card hands,
one by one, and in any order, on top of that. As you gather the hands
this way, say, "'Well,’ said the second man, 'that’s pretty good, but I
like to do it without the aces on bottom, and with a shuffled deck.’ ”
Match words and actions: Turn the deck faceup and spread a few
cards to show that there are no aces at the bottom. Turn the deck face-
down and do a Jog Shuffle, as you say, "... with a shuffled deck.”
Undercut less than half the deck for the shuffle; you have to keep at
least the top twenty-five cards intact.
Start dealing another five-hand poker layout. " 'And, I don’t like to
take the cards from the bottom. I like to take them right off the top-
like this.’” Deal your first card, obviously, from the top. Keep dealing,
slowing down at your card, each time. And each time, make a remark
about taking the top, not the bottom, card. Deal it off with one hand
once or twice. You might do the deal with a bit of a flourish once or
twice; your audience will think you’re doing some sort of difficult ma-
nipulation!
" 'Now, when I play poker, I like to know what I’m playing against.’ ”
Turn up the other four hands, leave them, in spread condition, at their
positions. Make a remark about each hand (ignoring the fact that
there’s an ace in three of the hands). If there are a couple of good
hands, you’ll be given credit for that, too!
But just at this point, the first guy said, 'Yeah, but wait a minute, I
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 151

see three aces in the other hands. How can you have four aces in your
hand, unless you’re using a deck with seven aces?’ ” Point to each of the
three aces as you mention them.
" 'If you can handle cards the way I do,’ came the answer, 'you don’t
need the four aces. You see, I’ve dealt myself an unbeatable hand—a
royal flush, in spades!’ ”
Turn your hand up, one card at a time, timing it so that you turn the
last card as you say the last word. You will have a royal flush in
spades!

Afterthoughts: I don’t think you can possibly realize the strength of

this until you perform it. The key point is the setting of the four high
spades on top. To repeat, don’t make an issue over it. You can, if you
like, have them on top before you start, but it’s better to start with a
shuffled deck. The rest of the routine’s effectiveness is the presenta-
tion—the story. Practice matching the words to your actions.
You’ll be given credit for being a great manipulator.

Cast an Instant Spell

This is a short description for a marvelous effect. Your spectator

thinks of any card, the deck is shuffled, he spells his card, and there it
is! A six-card setup is required. The effect is well worth it. From the top
down, set these cards: IOC, 6S, JH, 8S, 9D, and QD. Place nine cards on
top of this setup. I’ll leave the setting-up to you (see The 10 and 20
Aces).
Jog shuffle, keeping the top stock of at least 15 cards intact. Now all
you have to do is force one of the six set-up cards. Start dealing cards,
singly and facedown, from your left to right hand, without reversing
their order. That is, take the cards one under the other with your right
hand. Take five or six cards this way, then say, "Oh, stop me whenever
you like.” You’ve dealt another three or four as you say this. Make the
remark just a bit impatiently. Ninety-nine out of a hundred times,
you’ll be stopped at one of the vital cards. (If not, don’t panic. Let him
stop you anywhere, and do a different effect with that card! There’s
another method of selection in the Afterthoughts.)
Show him the stopped-at card (turn your head aside) and tell him to
 152 The Magic Book

concentrate on it. Put the right-hand cards back onto the deck. All
cards are as they were originally. Do a Jog Shuffle (and a false cut, if
you like), retaining the top stock. Hand the deck to the spectator, and
build up the fact that he only thought of a card, the deck has been
shuffled, etc.
Have him name his thought-of card. Tell him to spell it from the top
of the deck, one card at a time, including the word "of.” His card will
fall on the final S.

Afterthoughts: This is in the self-working section because it’s auto-

matic. You can be set in advance, and omit the Jog Shuffles. But the
shuffles make the effect even more incredible.
This method of having a card selected fits the "just think of a card”
idea much better. Spread the cards from hand to hand, faces toward
your spectator. Your left thumb pushes off a spread group of about
nine cards, and widely spreads the next few. In other words, it appears
as if he has a choice of any card in the deck, but he really sees only
your set-up cards. Rush him a bit as you do this. Some practice on the
timing is necessary.
The spelling automatically ends on his card because each set-up card
spells with one letter more than the preceding card. Any cards that fall
within that rule will do. This really is magic!

Key Cards

Volumes could be written on different ways to use "key” cards. A key

card is a card that is known to the performer and is in a known posi-
tion. The top or bottom card of a deck is the most commonly used key
card. I’m not including too many effects that are based on key cards,
because you’re much better off learning the effects I have included. I’ll
list a few ideas here—no patter or presentation, just the idea—and you
take it from there.
One of the problems beginners always have using key cards is, as
I’ve mentioned before, the fact that a) they make it too obvious when
they set that card, and b) they go into the effect that utilizes the key
immediately after setting it. I’ve already given you the solutions to
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 153
those two problems; i.e., glimpse or set your key card during a shuffle,
and use "time misdirection.”
Here are a few effect ideas that utilize a key card:

1) The most basic method of using a key card is to have it on top. Let
the spectator cut the deck into two halves. He removes any card from
the original lower half, remembers it, and places it on top of the origi-
nal top half. He places the bottom half onto his card. The deck is given
complete cuts as often as desired. The selected card is directly on top of
your key.
A bottom key would do as well. The selected card would then be di-
rectly under the key. For the top key, the presentation can change a
bit. Let him cut the original top half after placing his card onto it.
Then he places the two halves together and cuts some more. The select-
ed card and the key stick together like burrs.

2) Your key is on top. Hand the deck to your spectator. Tell him to
take any card from anywhere in the deck. He remembers it, places it
on top, and cuts (complete) the deck a few times. The selected card is
directly on top of your key.

3) Your key is on bottom. Start a regular Hindu Shuffle, letting your

spectator stop you. He looks at the top card of your left-hand portion,
remembers it, and places it back. Drop the entire right-hand portion
onto the left-hand portion. The selected card is directly under your key
card.

4) You Do as I Do: This is probably the most interesting use of a key

card. You use two complete decks for the effect, and you must know the
bottom card of one deck. You take one deck and give him the deck with
the known card at bottom. Patter to the effect that this experiment can
only work if he tries to do exactly as you do. The decks are squared on
the table, one in front of you, the other in front of the spectator.
You reach into the center of your deck and pull out a card. He does
the same with his deck. You each remember the removed card. (He re-
ally does; you only pretend to. Pay no attention to it, really.) Place your
card on top of your deck; he places his card on top of his deck.
Give your deck a complete cut. It’s best to cut off the top half, then let
 154 The Magic Book
the spectator do the same with his deck. Then place your bottom, half
onto your top half. The spectator follows the same procedure with his
deck.
Now switch decks: He takes yours; you take his. Tell him to look
through the deck he now holds and to remove the card he’s thinking of;
say that you’ll do the same. You each remove a card from the decks you
hold. He really removes the card he’s thinking of; you remove the card
directly beneath your original key card. (In a left-to-right Hand-to-
Hand Spread it is the card immediately to the right of your key.)
You each hold your cards facedown. Build to the ending. "Because
we each did everything exactly alike, believe it or not, we each thought
of the same card/” Show this to be true!
This is a classic card effect that can be performed under any circum-
stances.

5) Your key card is at bottom. Turn your back. Have the spectator
think of any small number—say, from 1 to 15. He’s to deal facedown
from the top, into a tabled packet, up to and including his number. He
looks at the card on top of the tabled packet (card at his number),
leaves it there, and drops the deck proper onto the packet. The deck is
cut completely as often as desired. The selected card is directly beneath
your key card.
If you use a bottom and a top key card, you will not only find his card
but you’ll also know his thought-of number! When the cut deck is
handed to you, look for your two key cards; they cannot be more than
15 cards apart. Count the cards, starting with the first key you see
(original top), up to but not including the next (original bottom) key.
That’s the number he thought of. And his card is still the one directly
beneath your original bottom key (it’s the last card you count). Note: If
one key card is near top and the other near bottom, simply give the
deck one more complete cut.

6) Your key card is on top. Tell your spectator to pull a small packet
of cards from the center of the deck. He looks at, and remembers, the
bottom card of this packet, then drops the entire packet on top of the
deck. The deck is cut completely a few times. The selected card is im-
mediately above your key card.
 Practically Self-Working Card Routines 155
7) The Twenty-sixth-card Key: This is one of the most subtle ways of
using a key card. You must know the twenty-sixth card from the top.
The easiest way is to count to the twenty-seventh card from the face
during a previous effect (twenty-seventh from the face is twenty-sixth
from the top).
To perform: Place the deck onto the table. Tell your spectator to cut
the deck into three approximately even packets. The best way is to tell
him to cut about two thirds of the deck to the right. Then to cut this
(the two thirds) in half.
Tell him to pick up the packet at the right end (original top) and to
shuffle it thoroughly. He drops this onto the center packet (original
center). Now he shuffles the left packet (original bottom) and looks at,
and remembers, the bottom card. This packet is placed onto all. The
deck is (complete) cut as often as desired.
Run through the deck, looking for your key card. Start counting on
the next card. Count to 26. The twenty-sixth card is the selected card! If
you reach the top of the deck before you reach 26, continue the count
from the face (bottom) of the deck.

Afterthoughts: Throw a good key-card effect in among pure sleight-

of-hand effects, and you’ll be given credit for great manipulative skill
or "mind-reading” power.
Follow my suggestions; always shuffle, keeping your key card in
place, and use "time” misdirection. Don’t go into the effect immediate-
ly. For the twenty-sixth-card key, undercut less than half the deck and
jog shuffle. It will remain at twenty-sixth position.
 BASIC COIN SLEIGHTS

I needed a job after school. It was tough—very tough—to get one.

There were lots of kids looking for part-time work. Friends had told me
that my best chance was as a trucker’s helper, and despite my size, or
rather lack of it, I decided to apply.
The man at the desk didn’t even want to talk to me, but he finally
agreed to take my name.
"Oh, gee, I need a job nou;!” I said.
"Yeah, I know, I know. So do all the others, kid. Sorry, nothing open
right now.”
There were some coins lying on his desk. It was instinct, I guess, and
the feeling that I had nothing to lose. I picked up a quarter and made it
disappear. "Hey kid, that’s good; lemme see your other hand. No, not
there, either. What the heck! Where’s my quarter?” He was laughing. I
plucked the quarter from the air. "Hey, great. Can you do another
one?”
I did.
"Listen, kid, there’s this one thing—delivering photostats. Trouble is
they only need two boys and I already sent five for the interview. Want
to try anyway?”
"Oh, yes, please.”
I nervously waited my turn. I was sixth. The man in charge, a Mr.
Grant, sat behind a big, cluttered desk, asking questions. "Do you
156
 Basic Coin Sleights 157
know New York City? Know how to get around with buses and sub-
ways? Don’t mind walking? Can you work from three thirty to seven
every day, all day Saturday?”
"Yes. Oh, yes!”
"Okay, Harry. We have the two boys we need now, but the boys come
and go. ...”
Because it had worked before, I took out my deck of cards and did
some fancy one-hand shuffles and cuts.
"What are you, a gambler?”
"No, no. I do card magic.”
"Really? Show me one trick.”
"Sure. Pick a card. Here it is.”
"No, that’s not it.”
"No? What was it? Oh. Look at that one.”
"Well, I’ll be! That’s mine!”
"Sure, the one you thought you saw is here, in my pocket.”
"Wait a minute. Joe, come in here for a minute. Do it for him, Har-
*7-
"Yessir.”
"That a regular deck? Never saw anything like that before! Listen,
Harry. Why don’t you come in three thirty on Monday. We’ll work
something out.”
Gleam of light. Doors open!

I would imagine that when engraved playing cards first came into
being (ca. 1440, in Switzerland), at least one person immediately said,
"Pick a card, any card.” I’m reasonably certain that when the first
coins were minted, somebody made one disappear!
Even more accessible than cards, coins are available anywhere in
the world. They are ordinary, familiar items and are therefore made to
order for close-up magic. A few performers became international head-
liners using coins in stage presentations. Richard Cardini made a
name for himself by doing a stage card-manipulation act, and T. Nel-
son Downs was billed as The King of Koins. Both of these magic stars
(Dick Cardini was a friend) were also excellent close-up performers.
The list of possible coin sleights is a long one, but it is not my inten-
tion now to teach you the more difficult sleights that you may come
across in your deeper investigations into magic; rather, I want to ex-
plain here a few sleights that are practical These sleights are not diffi-
 158 The Magic Book
cult; they can be used after only a "normal” amount of practice; and,
most important, they are "utility sleights.” They can be used in many
different effects and routines.
All the principles and philosophies of magic—showmanship, presen-
tation, misdirection, etc.—that I taught you in the card section are ap-
plicable to coin magic, and to all the other magic in this book, for that
matter. That’s why I placed the card section at the beginning.
If you’ve learned some of those principles, you’re already ahead of
the game. Grab a quarter or a half dollar, and let’s get to some basics of
coin magic.

The Finger Palm

The first, and probably the most practical, coin sleight is the Finger
Palm. Before going any further, though, you’d better decide the coin
size that’s best for you. If your hand is of average size, half dollars are
probably best. For hands that are a bit smaller, quarters are perfect.
After a while, you’ll know which is right for you.
To do a Finger Palm, place the coin just at the base of your right sec-
ond and third fingers (see fig. 126). Note that the lower edge of the coin
is just at the point where those fingers meet your palm. There is a ridge
of flesh there, at the callous part of the palm. The upper edge is near
the lower creases of the fingers. This positioning is important; study it
carefully.
If you curl your fingers slightly—and I mean slightly—the coin will
automatically be held in Finger-Palm position. It is caught between
the callous ridge and the flesh of the two fingers immediately above the
creases (see fig. 127). Let me make sure you understand this. If you
held your right hand completely open, flat, when you placed the coin in
position, then you’d have to curl your fingers more than slightly in or-
der to grasp it. But holding your hand that way is not a natural posi-
tion. Natural position is with your fingers already slightly curled, or
bent, as in both illustrations.
Practice finger-palming the coin once or twice. Place it in position;
you’ll find that just turning your hand down in a natural action—not
closing it, just turning it down—will almost automatically keep the
coin finger-palmed. Your second and third fingers need curl in only a
 Basic Coin Sleights 159

FIGS. 126 & 127

fraction more, according to the size of your hand and the size of the
coin.
I cannot stress strongly enough that the actual retaining of the coin
in your hand, although important, is not nearly as important as your
attitude and actions during and after its retention. Let’s try it once.
With your left hand, lightly toss a coin into your open, palm-up right
hand. After a few attempts, you’ll see how easy it is to toss the coin di-
rectly into Finger-Palm position. If it doesn’t go exactly into position, a
casual jiggle or two of the coin with your right hand will set it into
place. You can, of course, casually place it directly into position with
your left hand instead of tossing it, but a light toss is a more natural
action.
All right, the next action appears exactly as if you’re tossing that
coin back into your left hand. At the moment of the "toss,” your hands
are approximately at right angles with each other (see fig. 128). Both
hands are palm up, your fingers naturally curled; the coin, of course, is
being displayed in your right hand.
Now try this once: From the position in Figure 128, turn your right
hand over, palm down, to the left, and really allow the coin to fall onto
your left fingers. Don’t try to toss it onto your left palm; aim for the
base of the fingers, or the part of the palm near the fingers. It will ap-
pear more natural that way, and, also, it will be easier for you to catch
the coin.
 160 The Magic Book

FIGS. 128 & 129

Immediately, close your left fingers into a loose fist over the coin,
and move your left fist to your left and slightly upward as you intently
look at it. Your right hand has remained open (fingers naturally
curled) and stationary. The back of the hand is outward. (See fig. 129
for the spectator's view.)
You know that the coin is in your left hand; obviously you believe
that it's there, and you are acting accordingly. Do those actions a few
times—the actions of really tossing the coin lightly from right-hand
Finger-Palm position into your left hand, and loosely closing your left
hand immediately. Get the "feel” of it; study and learn your own ac-
tions.
Now, do it again, but this time retain the coin in your right hand as
I’ve explained. And, most important, keep your actions and attitude ex-
actly as when you really tossed the coin.
Your hands will, or should, look exactly the same as in Figure 129;
that is, the same as when you really tossed the coin. For example, if
you’re really holding a coin in your closed left hand, it would not be
closed tightly; it would be a loose fist.
This is probably the most important thing I can teach you, and I’ve
stressed it in the card section, as well: Perform this, and any other, pre-
tended action (sleight) in a natural manner and in exactly the same
way you would really perform that action. Understand, practice, and
learn that philosophy, and you’ve received much more than your
money’s worth from this book!
After you’ve practiced, try the sleight for a friend. Do just the vanish
 Basic Coin Sleights 161
from your left hand; that is, toss the coin from right to left hand, but
really retain it in a right-hand Finger Palm. Loosely close your left
hand as you toss, look at that hand, etc.
To vanish it, do not simply open your left hand. Blow on it first, per-
haps, or tell the spectator to do so. Then open a finger at a time, start-
ing with the little finger. Act as if you’re rubbing away the last rem-
nants of the coin by rubbing your thumbtip and forefingertip together.
Act as if you are really doing what you say you’re doing—being a real
magician, and in this case causing a coin to vanish into thin air—and
your audience will be more inclined to believe it!
So far, this is an "unclosed circle.” You’ll close that circle when you
either reproduce the coin or let your audience see that it is not in your
other hand, that it really has completely vanished.
You can reproduce it convincingly and magically with a little bit of
acting. Look up and toward your right, as if looking for the coin. Act as
if you see it; follow it with your eyes. Then reach up with your right
hand and pretend to pluck it from the exact spot at which you’re look-
ing.
You can simply come back with your right hand and show the coin. It
is easier, and more convincing, however, to come back and toss it open-
ly onto your left palm. In other words, pluck it from the air with your
right hand and immediately toss it into your left, as both hands move
toward each other.
It is a bit more sophisticated to pretend to pluck it from the air with
your left hand, and place it onto your right palm. Watch your timing.
Your right hand must open at just the proper time, as your left hand
pretends to deposit the coin onto your right palm.
You can, of course, pretend to produce the coin from behind a specta-
tor’s lapel, or from behind a child’s ear, etc.

COMPLETE VANISH (Standard Method)

If you intend to vanish the coin completely, simply make sure you
have something, anything, in a pocket into which you can easily place
your right hand. The inside left or right outside pockets of a jacket, or
the right front trouser pocket, will do just fine.
After you have pretended to place the coin into your left hand, reach
into a pocket with your right hand to get a "magic” anything. In other
 162 The Magic Book
words, you may reach into your inside jacket pocket for a pen, calling it
your magic pen. Of course, as you get the pen, you simply allow the
finger-palmed coin to drop into the pocket!
Tap both sides of your left fist with the pen, and then show that the
coin has vanished—completely. You’re clean.
When getting rid of the coin this way, be sure to keep your attention
on your left fist. Do not look at your right hand at all; pay no attention
to it. Incidentally, if you have nothing in your pocket, use the magi-
cians’ old standby—"woofle dust”-—as a reason to go into the pocket.
Reach in, leave the palmed coin, and come out pretending to have some
invisible woofle dust. Sprinkle it on your left fist, and show that the
coin has vanished.

COMPLETE VANISH AND REPRODUCTION

If you’re wearing a jacket, you can vanish the coin, show both hands
empty, and reproduce it magically. The only necessary preparation (if
you can call it that) is to have a pen (or cigarette, cigarette lighter, or
whatever) in your left inside jacket pocket.
Begin as you did for the Complete Vanish. Go inside your jacket
with your right hand to get the pen. Drop the palmed coin into the
sleeve opening at your left armpit! This takes no time at all. There’s no
pause. You go in and come out with the pen. Because your left arm is
bent, the coin will remain in the upper part of your sleeve. Do the van-
ish as explained. Show both hands empty. Replace the pen in any pock-
et.
Now to magically produce the coin. As you look into the air for it,
allow your left arm to fall naturally to your side. The coin will fall into
your curled left fingers. Reach into the air with your right hand and
pretend to grab the coin. Immediately pretend to place the "plucked”
coin onto your left palm as your two hands approach each other. (This
is exactly as I described for reproducing a palmed coin, except that this
is from right to left hand.) Simply open your left hand, exposing the
coin. With proper timing, this is a perfect illusion.
Again, note the misdirection. For the reproduction, all your atten-
tion (and therefore, your spectator’s attention) is in the air where you
supposedly see the coin. All attention is away from your left hand.

Afterthoughts: There isn’t much more I can tell you about the Finger
 Basic Coin Sleights 163
Palm, the vanish, and the reproduction. Practice the basic sleight be-
fore you continue. There are some knockout routines coming up that
utilize only the Finger Palm.

Persistence-of-Vision Coin Vanish

(Three Methods)

"Persistence of vision,” or "retention of vision,” in magic parlance,

means that the spectator continues to see the object for a split second
after it's no longer there. Or at least he thinks he sees it! These vanishes
are not difficult to do in the manipulative sense; it’s the timing that
needs practice.
The principle is the same in each method. You pretend to place a coin
into your left hand but retain it in your right hand. In each case, the
coin must be shifted from the right fingertips to Finger-Palm position.
A little practice will make that aspect of it almost automatic.

FIRST METHOD: This is basic. Hold and display the coin between
your right thumbtip and forefingertip, at its upper edge, a bit to the
right of center. Your other three right fingers are not closed into your
palm, but raised and curled above the coin, in a natural position. (Fig.
130 will clear this up.) Your left hand is palm up, and naturally open,
ready to accept the coin.
From this position, you’ll pretend to place the coin into your left
hand. The position of your right thumbtip and forefingertip will not
change at all in relation to the coin. Move your right hand downward
and place the coin near the top part of your left palm (see fig. 130).
Pause here, displaying the coin for a fraction of a second.
Now, three things happen simultaneously. Your left fingers close as
if taking the coin; at this moment, this is the only movement of the left
hand. Your right second, third, and fourth fingers straighten and auto-
matically rest on, and cover, the coin. (See fig. 131 for a stop-action,
performer’s, view.) As your right fingers do this, move your right hand
upward and toward you, out of your left hand.
That’s the basic sleight. Remember that the three actions just de-
scribed happen at the same time: Your left fingers close over the coin
 164 The Magic Book

FIGS. 130 & 131

as your right hand removes it. Now, move your loosely closed left fist to
your left and upward, as described for the basic Finger-Palm Vanish.
At the same time, your right hand moves the coin to Finger-Palm po-
sition. It’s simply a continuation of your right hand’s movement. Bend
your thumb and forefinger (see fig. 132). This brings the coin almost
into Finger-Palm position. Curl your second, third, and fourth fingers
to grasp it, as you release it with your thumbtip and forefingertip, and
you’re "home free.”

FIG. 132

In action, the coin goes into Finger-Palm position almost instantly,

while your left fist is moving away, and as all your attention is on that
left fist. You can point to, or tap, the left fist with your right forefinger,
as you say, "Keep your eye on the coin” (see fig. 133).
 Basic Coin Sleights 165

FIG. 133

Getting back to the basic sleight, there is a persistence of vision

when done this way. You can get much more of it, after some practice,
if you do not pause when placing the coin to the left palm. That is,
make the entire sleight one continuous movement. The coin goes in
and out of the left hand. Otherwise, it is exactly the same. Practice the
move both ways; see which is best for you.
Pointing to your left fist with your right forefinger is a subtle touch;
it’s a natural action. And if you’ve tried it, you know that it’s no prob-
lem; the coin is not at all in the way. It is hidden by only your slightly
curled second and third fingers.
In another subtle action you can show your right hand to be empty
even while the coin is finger-palmed. Hold your right hand up with
your palm directly toward your spectator, as you say, "Watch!” (See fig.
134 for the spectator’s view.)

FIG. 134

Try this in front of a mirror and you’ll see that the slightly curled
tips of your second and third fingers effectively hide the coin, while
 The Magic Book
most of your palm is visible. The impression left is that you’ve shown
without calling attention to it: an empty hand.
This subtle move should not be used all the time. It’s effective when
used sparingly.

SECOND METHOD: This is exactly the same as the first method

except that one movement is added. This added movement helps to cre-
ate a greater persistence-of-vision effect.
Hold the coin exactly as for the first method, except that you place it
onto your left palm, as in Figure 135. Note that now your thumb and
forefinger tips are at the outer edge of the coin. Pause, displaying the
coin. Now turn it over toward you, on its lower edge, so that you’re
back in the position depicted in Figure 130. Pause for a beat only, then
close your left fingers and remove the coin with your right hand exact-
ly as explained for the first method.

FIG. 135

Practice the timing. The extra flip-over of the coin strengthens the
persistence of vision. The handling after the pretended placement in
the left hand is the same as before.

THIRD METHOD (The Pinch Vanish): The illusion created with

this is the same as with the others. It appears as if you’re placing a coin
into your left hand while it’s being retained in your right hand. The
persistence-of-vision illusion still exists.
Hold the coin, above your left palm, between your right thumb and
forefinger. It is held horizontally at its edges (see fig. 136.) It isn’t at
the fingertips, but a bit below them. From this position, the coin can be
 Basic Coin Sleights 167
tossed lightly (or dropped) onto the left palm as the left fingers close
over it. It’s a short down-and-up action of the right hand. Try it once or
twice to get the feel of the action. As usual, the sleight must look exact-
ly like the real action.

Do the same down-and-up action with your right hand—but, instead

of releasing the coin, you "pinch” it between your thumb and forefing-
er. All you do is squeeze these two fingers together at the moment
you’d ordinarily release the coin. What happens is that the forefinger
edge of the coin moves downward. Your forefingertip snaps off this
edge, pressing the thumb edge of the coin against the pad of your
thumbtip. (See fig. 137 for an exposed view.) From above, the coin can-
not be seen; its edge is hidden by the flesh of your fingertips (see fig.
138).

FIGS. 137 & 138

 168 The Magic Book
This is an instantaneous action. There is a flash of metal, when it's
done properly, which creates a perfect (persistence-of-vision) illusion
of the coin going into the left hand. Your left fingers close a split sec-
ond after you do the "pinch.” As you practice, you’ll find that the coin
may actually touch your left palm as it snaps from horizontal to verti-
cal position. That’s okay; it tells you that you’re starting to get the tim-
ing right.
As your loosely closed left fist moves away, with all your attention
on it, get the coin into a right-hand Finger Palm just as explained in
the first method. All handling from this point on is the same.
Don’t overlook this vanish method. It’s a beauty!

The Paper-Fold Coin Vanish

This is a fairly standard method for vanishing a coin. It can be used

during any routine where it’s necessary to vanish a coin, or it can be
used as an effect by itself.
Any piece of paper, three by five inches or thereabouts, can be used.
Fold the lower side up and inward (toward you) but not exactly in half;
fold to a bit less than three quarters of an inch below the outer end (see
fig. 139). Since the short half is on your side, the discrepancy can’t be
seen. Place the coin into the fold. (It can be held against the paper be-
fore you start folding, if you prefer.)
Fold the two sides outward (away from you), not too close to the coin.
Leave a bit of space on each side; you’ll need some "sliding” room, as
you’ll see (fig. 140). Now fold the upper three quarters of an inch down

FIGS. 139 & 140

 Basic Coin Sleights 169
and away from you. This fold is made just at the point where the origi-
nal fold ended (see fig. 141).
That’s it. What you’ve made is an open tube. To add a subtle touch to
the ultimate effect, press the paper against the coin as you fold, so that
its outline forms in the paper.
Hold the folded paper at your fingertips, thumb at the opening. You
can let a spectator feel the coin, and/or tap it against a table edge to
show that the coin is really there. If you then turn your hand fingers up
and relax your thumb, the coin will slide into your hand (see fig. 142).

FIGS. 141 & 142

Let it slide right into Finger-Palm position. You can let the coin slide
as your other hand reaches for a match—to bum the paper. Or, do it as
you make a remark directly to the spectators: "You know the coin is in
the paper.”
End either by burning the paper or by tearing it to bits. The coin has
vanished. End there, or produce the coin from wherever you wish.

Afterthoughts: If you prefer, you can let the coin slide into your
hand, then take the paper with the other hand as you reach into a
pocket for a match with the coin-holding hand. Leave the coin in the
pocket, of course.
An interesting idea is to use a dollar bill instead of notepaper or
newsprint. (In that case, don’t burn the paper to end the presentation,
unless you’re very rich!)
Don’t omit the subtlety of pressing the outline of the coin into the pa-
per. I usually do that as I make the first fold.
 170 The Magic Book

Basic Coin Switch

Having practiced, and learned, the Finger Palm, you can use it se-
cretly to switch one coin for another whenever you like. There are
many ways to switch a coin, but this one is basic and simple. More im-
portant, it is as effective as the more difficult sleights and can be done
under any circumstances.
In most instances, when a magician utilizes a coin switch, he uses
two color-contrasting coins. Magically changing a half dollar to a quar-
ter, or vice versa, is fine; it’s just that the effect would be more graphic,
and therefore more magical, if the coins were of different metals and
different colors. Most close-up magicians use a half dollar and an En-
glish penny. An English penny is copper-colored and is about the same
size as our half dollar. You can pick up as many as you like in any coin
store. They’re cheap; ask for "common date” coins, not numismatically
valuable ones. I’d suggest you get a few of them.
I’ll assume, then, that you have a half dollar and an English penny.
You can, of course, follow my instructions and practice this with any
two coins. Place one coin into Finger-Palm position in your right hand.
The other coin is held at an edge between the thumb and forefinger tips
of the same hand. You can start with the visible coin on your left palm,
or borrow it and take it onto your left palm. Then pick it up with your
right thumb and forefinger.
Toss the visible coin back onto your left palm; let it hit flat, causing
a smacking sound. (The toss is down onto the palm; the coin travels
only an inch or two.) Close your left fingers around it immediately.
Open your fingers, pick up the coin and toss it back again. This is both
to display the coin and to get your spectator used to the action. Close
your left hand into a fist each time you toss. The switch is made on the
third or fourth toss—and it is simplicity itself. It looks exactly like the
preceding tosses. Simply retain the visible coin between your thumb
and forefinger (just don’t let go) and open your other right fingers, al-
lowing the finger-palmed coin to fly onto your left palm. (See fig. 143,
in which I’ve tried to depict the exact moment of the switch.)
Close your left fingers around the coin instantly, just as in the
preceding tosses. The coin doesn’t travel far enough to be seen, and the
action is too fast to register, anyway. It looks and sounds exactly like
the other tosses.
Note in Figure 143 that the coin you’ve retained is almost automati-
cally in position to be finger palmed, just as in any of the persistence-
 Basic Coin Sleights 171

FIG. 143

of-vision vanishes. In action, your left hand would be moving up and

away as you finger palm the coin in your right hand. Your attention, of
course, is on your left hand.
You can now use any of the actions you learned for the vanishes;
point to your left fist with your right forefinger, show your right hand
empty, as explained, while the coin is finger palmed, or go into a pocket
for some "woofle dust,” etc. Then show that the coin has changed.

Afterthoughts: As you toss the original coin down to your left hand,
you should be talking to your audience. "Keep your eye on this half
dollar, please,” and so on.
Practice and learn this basic switch; it is extremely useful, and can
be used to switch any small item for another. Once you can handle it
properly, you can make up your own quick effects. For example, ask a
mechanically minded friend to bend an English penny at right angles.
Have this bent coin in your right jacket pocket, along with a regular
English penny.
When ready to perform, reach into your pocket, finger palm the bent
coin and bring the regular coin out at your fingertips. Toss it out for ex-
amination. (Another way to do this would be to toss out the regular
coin, making it obvious—without mentioning it—that your hands are
empty. As it’s being examined, casually place both hands in your pock-
ets. Finger palm the bent coin in your right hand. Take your hands out
of your pockets while the other coin is still being examined.)
Toss the visible coin into your left hand a few times, doing the switch
during the last toss. Now you will demonstrate how strong you are. Act
as if you’re straining and squeezing your fist as hard as you can. Final-
ly, open your hand to show that you’ve bent the coin!
 COIN MAGIC

Copper and Silver

"Copper and silver” is a general term used to describe any effect in

which two coins, one held in each of the performer’s hands, change
places. There are many ways to accomplish this—pure sleight of hand,
gimmicked coins, or a combination of both. Frankly, I don’t like any of
them, the main reason being that the spectator doesn’t usually remem-
ber, or isn’t sure, which coin is supposed to be in which hand in the first
place. So, the magical change is usually accepted with an "Oh, that’s
nice” attitude.
A more effective and much easier way of presenting this effect is to
place one coin in one spectator’s hand and the other coin in another
spectator’s hand. If only one spectator is available, placing one coin in
his hand and the other in yours is still more effective than using your
own two hands. In either case, you need one extra coin.
For Two Spectators: Let’s assume you have two half dollars and
one English penny. (The general term for the effect evolved because
"copper and silver” are the two most common coin metals—and colors.)
Have one half dollar and the penny in your left pocket, and the extra
half dollar in your right pocket. Reach into both pockets as if searching
for the coins. With your right hand, finger palm the extra half dollar.
The other half dollar and the English penny are brought out openly,
with your left hand.
Place the visible half dollar onto the table and take the penny with
172
 Coin Magic 173
your right fingertips and display it. Turn to the first spectator and ask
him to extend one hand, palm up. Toss the penny into your left palm
once or twice, as you say, "Will you hold onto the penny—the copper
coin? ’ Do the Basic Coin Switch as you say this, and place the switched
coin (the half dollar) into his hand. (The penny goes into a right-hand
Finger Palm.)

FIG. 144

The proper way to do this is to cover the coin with your fingers as you
place it onto his palm, then close his fingers around it with your thumb
(see fig. 144). Turn his fist over, fingers down. "Don’t let go of the cop-
per coin; and please remember—you’re copper.”
Pick up the tabled half dollar as you turn to the second spectator.
Start tossing it into your left palm. "And you, sir, will guard the half
dollar—the silver coin.” Do the switch, and place the switched coin into
his hand, just as you did with the first spectator. The trick is done; all
that remains is the buildup.
Most important is to stress who’s (supposedly) holding which coin. To
the first spectator: "Which coin do you have, sir? Right—the copper.”
To the second spectator: "And you, sir—which coin do you have? The
silver coin. Correct!” Having them name their coins locks it in. (As you
talk, you can casually drop the palmed half dollar into your pocket.)
"Please hold them tightly; don’t let go!” Do your magical gesture—and
tell them to open their hands. The coins have changed places!
For One Spectator: Start exactly the same way. Get to the point
where you place the penny (supposedly, but really a half dollar) into
his hand. Pick up the tabled half dollar and toss it into your left hand.
 174 The Magic Book
Place it onto the back of his closed fist. Pause. "No, that’s no good. The
coins are too close to each other. Here, I’ll hold the silver coin.”
Matching actions to words, take the half dollar from the back of his
fist with your right fingers and toss it into your left hand once or twice,
doing the switch. Refresh his memory as to who is holding which coin.
Do the buildup and ending just as you would for two spectators.

Afterthoughts: When performing for one spectator, as you both open

your hands, showing that the coins have changed places, immediately
let your coin (the penny) slide from your palm onto his palm, joining
the half dollar. Leave them there so that he can examine them. As you
slide your coin onto his, you can quietly pocket the finger-palmed half
dollar, and you’re clean.

The Jumping Coin

This is a good example of how a subtlety, a bit of acting, rather than

a definite sleight can create a piece of magic.
You can perform this effect standing or sitting. You need four coins
and a tabletop, and your spectator should be opposite you. Start by
talking about the difficult coin maneuver that you’ve been practicing.
Offer to demonstrate.
Open both hands, and hold them palm up in front of you. Ask a spec-
tator to place one coin into each of your hands. Close both hands into
loose fists. Ask him to place one coin on each fist (near your finger-
nails). He does (see fig. 145).
"What I’ve been practicing is to try to catch these two, quickly—like
this.” Here’s the subtlety, the acting. You appear to drop the two vis-
ible coins to the table while, in reality, you drop the two coins from one
hand and retain the two coins in the other.
It will take only a bit of practice. Both fists turn quickly inward (to-
ward each other, fingers down) and then back again. In that split sec-
ond, the dirty work is done. As your fists turn downward, your left ac-
tually catches its visible coin. It’s an instant’s work. Your fingers
quickly open (slightly) and close again, catching the coin. At the same
 Coin Magic 175

FIGS. 145 & 146

time, your right fingers also open and close, releasing both the visible
and the other coin—the one in the fist.
Done with proper timing, and acting, it appears as if you dropped the
two visible coins. The illusion is even better if you toss the two right-
hand coins a bit to the left. They hit the table and bounce about a bit,
and, usually, the one that was on top of the fist falls farther to the left
than the other coin. The illusion of one coin falling from each fist is
perfect. (See fig. 146, which depicts the action just before the two fists
are turned up again.)
Act a bit disappointed. "Oops! I missed. Let me try it again. Would
you put the coins back on my fists, please?” He does. You try it again.
Do the same motion: the turning of your fists inward and back to posi-
tion again. Be sure to keep them separated to avoid suggesting that
you’re tossing a coin from one to the other. This time, actually allow
each visible coin to enter its fist; in other words, catch them.
This bit of acting has enabled you to arrive at an enviable position,
from the standpoint of magic. You have three coins in your left hand
and only one in your right hand, but your audience has no reason to be-
lieve that you have anything other than two coins in each hand.
This is "locked in” as you continue. "Well, I did it. The truth is, it’s
pretty easy. Let me show you something really difficult. Two coins
here, and two here.” As you say this, jingle the three coins in your loose
left fist. Your right fist shakes its coin at about the same time. Since
it s almost impossible to tell exactly where the sound is coming from,
and since your spectators believe there are two coins in each hand any-
 176 The Magic Book
way, they automatically assume that they’re hearing two coins in each
hand.
Without pausing, say, 'Til try to cause one coin to leave this hand
[indicate your right fist] and fly to this hand [indicate your left fist]. By
magic, of course.”
Since the dirty work is already done, you can build this up any way
you like. Squeeze your fists tightly, then loosen them; act as if you’re
concentrating for all you’re worth! It’s up to you. You might move your
eyes from your right fist, up and over to your left, as if watching the
flight of an invisible coin. "There. Did you see it go? Well, it did. Look.”
End by showing three coins in your left hand and only one in your
right.

Afterthoughts: After a few tries, you’ll see how fast the catches and
releases are. I’ve always done it exactly as explained, releasing the two
coins from my right hand the first time. You may prefer to release
from your left hand. Try both ways.

The Magnificent Seven

In this classic little effect, timing and sound combine to fool the spec-
tator thoroughly. When done properly, the secret move is almost im-
possible to detect. I’ve performed it as many as ten times in succession
for the same spectator with his having no idea of what I was doing. (I
don’t suggest you try that; I did it for research purposes only.)
The number of coins used is arbitrary. I’ve always used seven pen-
nies. Decide on a number and use that number all the time; it will save
confusion and hesitation when you come to the one secret move.
You must be seated, or standing, directly facing your spectator. If
seated, you must be close enough to hold his hand comfortably; there
should be no table between you and him. Use your own seven coins, or
borrow them. Any coins will do—all of one kind or mixed. I prefer all
the same denomination.
Hand them to your spectator and have him count them onto your left
palm, one at a time. Have him count aloud, or you count aloud. This is
to set the rhythm of the count, and to assure him that there are seven
coins only, that there is nothing else in your hands.
 Coin Magic 177
Ask him to extend his right hand, and to hold it palm up. Explain
that you will count the coins into his hand, one at a time. He’s to close
his hand as soon as you put in the seventh coin. This is to keep you
from getting to them after you’ve counted them. Stress the closing of
his hand a couple of times.

FIG. 147

The coins are in your cupped left hand. Take one coin with your right
fingers; it is grasped between your thumbtip and your first and second
fingertips, thumb underneath, fingers on top. Place the coin onto his
palm, counting "one” (see fig. 147). Note that your right thumb and
fingers are in the same position when placing the coin in his hand as
when taking it from your left hand—thumb underneath. In that way,
the coin is covered by your fingers (see Afterthoughts).
Continue exactly that way, counting in rhythm and creating a clink
each time you count a coin onto those already in his hand. This
sound—the clinking—is important. Don’t toss the coins into his hand;
place each one onto the others. This, too, is important.
The secret move is done on the count of six. A few things happen al-
most simultaneously, so follow this carefully. First of all—and this is
crucial—there must be no hesitation, no break in the rhythm of the ac-
tion and the counting, as you reach for, and count, the sixth coin.
Count it onto the coins already in his hand exactly as you did with
the others, but don't let it go. Simply clink it against the other coins
and, without a pause, move your right hand (and the coin) to beneath
his hand and gently hold his hand steady. You can allow the coin to fall
deeper into your hand as it moves. That way, there’s no chance of its
touching his hand.
 178 The Magic Book
Now, here’s where the timing comes in. As you start to move your
right hand to beneath his hand, your left hand moves to about five or
six inches above his hand and drops the last coin onto the others on his
palm. (I usually allow it to slide off my palm onto his.) All your atten-
tion is on your left hand and the coin. Count "seven” as it falls into his
hand. The counting rhythm hasn’t been broken at all.
He closes his hand as soon as this coin falls. (If he doesn’t, tell him to
do so immediately, and help him do so.) Please remember that the ac-
tion and the counting rhythm must not be broken. It appears as if your
right hand moves to steady his hand for the drop of the last coin. (See
fig. 148, in which I’ve tried to depict all the action.)

FIG. 148

Look him in the eye, and ask, "How many coins are you holding?” If
he doesn’t answer "seven,” you’ve done something wrong!
Say, "Watch. And this won’t hurt a bit!” Press his fist with your right
thumb and forefinger, as you open your second, third, and fourth
fingers (continue holding his hand with your thumb and forefinger), al-
lowing the stolen coin to fall to the table or the floor (see After-
thoughts). "Right. You had seven, but this one has gone completely
through your hand! See how many you have now.”
He counts, and finds only six coins in his hand.

Afterthoughts: One bit of finesse: When you place and count the first
coin, allow most of it to extend from your right fingers, so that it is
mostly visible. Cover more of the second coin with your right fingers,
then more of the third. When you place and count the fourth coin, your
 Coin Magic 179
fingers cover it almost completely. The fifth coin shouldn’t be visible at
all as you pick it up, place, and count it. The coins are seen as you leave
them in the spectator’s hand, of course. When you take the sixth coin,
the fact that it’s covered creates no suspicion at all.
If you prefer, instead of letting the coin fall to the table or floor at
the end, you can act as if you’re catching it in your right hand. Move
that hand away from his, displaying the coin.
There aren’t many effects that warrant repetition; this one does. It’s
one of the few that usually gets a "do that again” reaction, and one of
the few that you can do again. If done properly, the misdirection is so
natural and strong that it just can’t be followed. I wouldn’t suggest
that you do it more than twice, however. It doesn’t pay to overdo a good
thing.
One final piece of advice: Don’t make a "move” of the steal. Handle it
exactly as you do the other five coins. Just tap it against those and
move your hand to beneath his. No big deal, no tenseness—just do it
casually. Your actions and attitude make it appear as if the seventh
coin is the important one.
The timing will take some practice.

Four Coins Across

This is a fairly standard piece of coin magic—a number of coins trav-

el magically from one hand to the other, one at a time—but it is an im-
portant routine because it can be done under almost any circum-
stances, as long as you have four coins and a surface upon which to
work. The basis of the routine is a handling of the Finger Palm that’s a
bit different. And . . . pay particular attention to the last move. It’s a
beauty.
Start with four quarters or four half dollars, yours or borrowed, on
the table. With your left hand, place them onto your right palm, one at
a time. Count them as you do this. You’re displaying the coins. Toss the
first coin into Finger-Palm position, as if you were going to vanish that
one coin. Place the next coin overlapping (downward) the first coin;
then the third overlapping the second, and the last coin overlapping
the third (see fig. 149).
The right hand is not opened "flat out”; the fingers are slightly, and
 180 The Magic Book

FIG. 149

naturally, curled. If you were to toss the coins into your left hand, you
could easily retain the coin that you placed into Finger-Palm position;
only three coins would go into your left hand.
At first, you may have to expose that first coin more than the others
in the downward column of coins, to make sure that you can retain
only that one. Experiment a bit until you find the best handling for
you. The easiest is to overlap them all pretty widely, as in the illustra-
tion.
You’ve counted and displayed four coins. Toss them into your left
hand, retaining one in your right, as you say, 'Tour coins in this hand.”
Your left hand closes into a loose fist as soon as it catches the three
coins, turns fingers down, and moves slightly to your left. Your atten-
tion is on this hand as you make the remark and as your right hand
also closes into a loose fist, turns fingers down, and moves slightly to
your right. Your fists are held out in front of you, a bit above waist lev-
el.
"Watch. By magic, I’ll try to cause one coin to travel from this hand
[look at your left fist] up this arm [your eyes travel up your left arm]
over my shoulders, down this arm [your eyes travel from your right
shoulder down your right arm] and into this hand [look at, and indi-
cate, your right fist]. Like this.”
Do any gesture you like to preface the magical transfer of each coin;
you may prefer just a movement of your left hand toward your right
hand. As you say "like this,” open your right hand, displaying the one
coin. Let it slide onto the table. Open your left hand to show only three
coins. Let them slide onto the table, to the left of the first coin.
 Coin Magic 181

"Now I have only one, two, three coins here in my left hand, and one
coin here.” Make the actions fit your words. As you talk, toss the three
coins into your right hand just as before, the first one going into Fin-
ger-Palm position. This is done as you count them. Toss them into your
left hand as you say, "Here in my left hand.” When you say,". . . and
one coin here,” pick up the one coin (the one that’s already "traveled”)
with your right fingers.

FIG. 150

This time, your right hand doesn’t close into a fist immediately. (The
action of your left hand is exactly as before.) Pick up the tabled coin
with your right thumb and forefinger. You’ll see that you can do this
while your other fingers are only slightly, and naturally, curled, re-
taining the palmed coin (see fig. 150). As you pick it up, close your
right hand. Try not to let the two coins clink.
A clink, of course, would give away the fact that you have more than
one coin in your right hand. If you’re afraid the coins will clink, you
can cover the sound by shaking your left fist, causing those coins to
clink just as you pick up the one coin with your right hand, and as you
say, "Remember, three coins here, and one here.” Indicate the proper
fist, with your eyes and head, as you mention it.
Do your magical "traveling” gesture and show that another coin has
left your left hand to join the one in your right hand. You can, if you
like, shake your right fist, causing a clink just as the coin is supposed
to arrive there. Remember, you’re acting as if the "magic” is really
happening. You now have two coins on the table to your left, and two to
your right.
You have to handle the third coin just a bit differently. Placing two
onto your right palm and tossing into your left hand as you retain one
in a Finger Palm wouldn’t do because there’d be no sound. If you really
 182 The Magic Book
tossed two coins from one hand to another, there’d be a sound, of
course.
The Pinch Vanish comes in handy here. It’s done as you hold one coin
on your left palm and pretend to place the other onto it. It fits perfectly.
With your right hand, pick up one of the coins at your left and place it
onto your left palm. "Only two coins left. Here’s one, and here’s the
other.” As you say this, pick up the second coin and get it into position
for the Pinch Vanish.
Pretend to place this coin onto your left palm. Do the vanish exactly
as I’ve described it. The coin already on your left palm won’t get in the
way at all. As a matter of fact, it enhances the sleight. The coin you
pretend to place onto it should contact it, causing a clink. The sound,
added to the persistence-of-vision aspect of the move, makes it even
more effective.
The pinched coin goes into right-hand Finger-Palm position as you
move to pick up the two coins at your right, and as you say, "And the
two coins that have already traveled—here.” Get into "traveling” posi-
tion. "Remember, two here, and two here.” Do your magical gesture,
and show that the third coin has traveled from left to right hand.

If you don’t want to use the Pinch Vanish, you can continue to use
the Finger-Palm vanish. Do it with the first coin, then pick up the oth-
er one, place it at the opening of your left fist, and let it slide into the
fist (see fig. 151). This takes care of the "no-sound” problem, and serves
the purpose equally well.
For the last coin, I’ll teach you my handling of a beautifully subtle
sleight (it’s called the Han Ping Chien move). There is nothing difficult
in this except the timing. Because this is probably an entirely new con-
 Coin Magic 183
cept to you, it may seem confusing at first reading. It isn’t, but you’d
better read carefully, with coins in hand.
There’s one coin to your left, and three to your right. Place the three
onto your right palm, getting the first one into Finger-Palm position.
Keep your fight hand as is for the moment. Start to pick up the one
coin with your left hand, as you say, "This coin has not traveled.”

/ / /"" r/ ? / r-7-7

FIG. 152

You only start to pick up this coin. Hold it with your left thumb and
finger tips. (See fig. 152, which shows the exact position at this mo-
ment.) Your hands are fairly close together and holding the coins only
an inch or so above the tabletop.
Now for the sleight: Each hand performs a different action, but both
move simultaneously. From the position in Figure 152, and as you
make that last remark, your left hand turns to the left (fingers up),
closing into a fist; but, as it starts to turn, release the coin. What actual-
ly happens is that your left hand moves, but the coin does not. Simply
release it as your hand starts to turn. Your attention is on your left fist.
At the same moment, your right hand turns over, letting two coins
(one is retained in a Finger Palm) fall to the table, joining the coin re-
leased by the left hand. (See fig. 153, in which I’ve tried to portray the
action and appearance of the entire sleight.) As you toss these two
coins to the table, say, as a continuation of your last sentence,
". . . and these three have already traveled.”
In a continuing movement, point to your left fist with your right
forefinger. "Remember, one coin here”—look down at the three tabled
coins and point to them—"and three coins here.” Pick them up with
your right fingers.
 184 The Magic Book

FIG. 153

The sleight is done, and a beauty it is! If your timing is right, the il-
lusion is perfect. The joining of the left-hand coin with the two right-
hand coins is imperceptible. The correct timing is that the left-hand
coin is released and the right-hand coins are tossed to the table at pre-
cisely the same time. Then, it appears exactly as if your right hand is
tossing three coins to the table.
As usual, a good way to practice is really to do what you say you’re
doing, then make the sleight look exactly that way. After a few tries,
when you become familiar with the principle, and when your patter
matches your actions perfectly, it will start to work for you with great-
er facility.
To end the routine, do your magical gesture, and slowly open your
left hand. It’s empty! Slowly open your right hand, letting the four
coins slide to the table.

Afterthoughts: Performing this entire routine takes much less time

than did my description of it. It should be done at a fairly brisk pace,
but one that fits your personality and your patter. That’s what presen-
tation means—molding any routine to fit your way of working.
The thing to do is first to learn it as I teach it. Do it that way until it
becomes familiar—the sequence of moves, the moves themselves, the
patter, and so on. You’ll find that as you perform, your patter will start
to fit the speed of your actions. You’ll automatically add some words or
phrases if you work at a slower pace. You’ll eliminate words, or say
them faster, if you work at a more rapid rate of speed.
If you don’t want to practice the move for the last coin, you can use
the Finger-Palm vanish, or one of the other single-coin vanishes. The
 Coin Magic 135
routine will still be a good one. Frankly, though, I want you to practice
that last move now because I’ve included an even subtler handling of
the sleight in the next routine.
In any case, learn the routine and you’ll have a piece of magic that
you can do just about anywhere, anytime. You can do it either stand-
ing or sitting at the table. The more you practice, the better the routine
will look.

The Coins-Through-the-Table Classic

There are only a few classic close-up routines, and Coins Through
the Table is one of them. A pure sleight-of-hand version (there are
many versions using faked or "gimmicked” coins) is the best of the spe-
cies because it then becomes one of a handful of classics that can be
performed without carrying any special equipment. All you need are a
table, an audience seated opposite you, four coins, and some practice. A
napkin or handkerchief, though not essential, should be available.
The basic effect is simple and direct: Four coins penetrate a solid ta-
bletop, one at a time. Here, you will be introduced to "'lapping,” which
is one of the close-up worker’s most secret and most effective weapons.
I’ll teach you a simplified version of the routine; then I’ll touch on
some variations. Bear with me; although the routine is not a long one,
my explanation will take some time. I want you to understand it, and
I’ll be describing many new moves plus some alternatives.
Here’s the simplified but very effective routine. Some time before
performing, and without calling attention to it, place a napkin or
handkerchief on your lap. This is to prevent coins from falling to the
floor through the space between your thighs. It also makes it easier to
retrieve a "lapped” coin. (A woman wearing a skirt or dress doesn’t
need the handkerchief.) Pull in your chair, so that you are comfortably
close to the table; your knees should be under the table, the table edge
directly over the tops of your thighs.
Half dollars are fine for me. You’ll have to do some experimenting to
see what’s best for you. I suggest you practice with quarters; you can
always borrow four of those.
Drop the coins to the table. Leave them there as you patter: "If I
could cut a hole in this table, I could drop the coins through that hole
 186 The Magic Book
one at a time. Let’s all use our imaginations just a bit, and visualize a
knife here in my hand.” Hold your right hand as if you were holding a
knife. "'Let’s also imagine that I’m cutting a hole right here.” Pan-
tomime cutting a hole about two feet from the table edge, removing the
cut-out portion and placing it aside. "Can you see [or imagine] the
hole?”
Continue as you pick up the coins. "My imagination may be a bit
keener than yours because I’ve been using it for magic all these years.
I really see that hole. It’s so clear, so real, that sometimes I can utilize
it. Here are the four coins. Watch!”
As you talk, place the coins into your right hand with your left hand,
one at a time, exactly as I explained in Four Coins Across. The first
coin is in Finger-Palm position. As you say "Here are the four coins,”
toss them into your left hand, retaining the one coin, also as explained
in Four Coins Across. As you say "Watch!” your closed left hand moves
forward to the imaginary hole, and your right hand, fingers naturally
curled, moves back to rest at the table edge. All your attention is on
your left hand.
Count "one, two, three” and open your left hand, letting the three
coins fall to the table. As they do, reach under the table with your right
hand—to the area where the hole would be—and bring it into view
again with the coin displayed on your palm. Drop it onto the table,
away from the other three coins. "There—one coin has penetrated. Or
am I imagining it?”
Pause for no more than a beat. Then, with your right hand, pick up

FIGS. 154 & 155

 Coin Magic 187
the three coins, one by one, and place them onto your left palm. Place
the first one at about the center of your palm; the second one overlap-
ping the first, downward and to the right; the third one overlapping the
second the same way (see fig. 154). They are placed so that if you closed
your fingers, the last coin would be held in place by only your left little
fingertip (see fig. 155).
As you place them, say, "One, two, three coins that have not pene-
trated the tabletop . . Close your left hand into a loose fist, as in
Figure 155, and move it to rest at the table edge. It rests on the little-
finger side. As you start to move your left hand, reach forward for the
single coin with your right hand. Pick it up with your fingertips, dis-
play it, and say, ". . . and one coin that has penetrated.” As you reach
for this coin, relax your left little finger, letting one coin fall to your lap
(see fig. 156).

FIG. 156

You see now why the coins are placed onto your left palm as ex-
plained. Because the third coin is held in place only by your left little
fingertip, the slightest relaxation of that finger allows the coin to fall
to your lap. Remember, your attention is on your right hand at the mo-
ment of the lapping. It is an imperceptible move.
As soon as you’ve lapped the coin, move your closed left hand for-
ward, and let it rest a bit away from the table edge. This has all taken
a fraction of a second, and your attention is still on the right-hand coin.
The timing should be such that you’ve just completed your last line of
patter: "And one coin that has penetrated.” Both hands move simul-
taneously; your right goes under the table with the single visible coin
 188 The Magic Book
as your left moves to the "hole” in the tabletop. Your full attention is
now on your left hand. As your right hand goes beneath the table, it re-
trieves the lapped coin.
This should be a smooth pickup—no fidgeting. Simply take the coin
and continue moving your right hand to beneath the approximate area
of the "hole.” You’re leaning slightly forward over the table, and all is
covered anyway. You’re also talking: "I’ll continue to use my imagina-
tion; watch the three coins.”
I usually let the two coins in my left hand fall to my fingertips, so
that I can use them to tap the tabletop, as I count "one, two, three.” Tap
along with the count. Open your hand at the count of three, dropping
the two coins to the table. As you do, bring up your right hand, display-
ing two coins. "Another coin has penetrated!” Let these two slide off
your right palm, to the right of the other two. (If you use the tapping,
do it for the first penetration, too.)
Point to the two coins on your right. "These two have penetrated.”
Move the other two closer to the table edge. "These two have not.” Now
we come to a pretty standard lapping vanish. It fits perfectly here, but
it’s a move you should learn whether or not you decide to use it for this.
It can be used to vanish any small item when you’re seated at a table.
It’s easy; the timing is what will need some work.

FIG. 157

The two coins that haven’t penetrated should be fairly close to the
table edge. Reach for the one that’s closer to you with your right hand.
Pick it up by placing your fingers onto it and scooping it toward you, off
the edge. It’s a natural way to lift a coin from a table. It also puts you
 Coin Magic 189

into perfect position for the lap. Simply let it fall to your lap as it
passes the table edge, but your right thumb comes up to (supposedly)
grasp it as it would do if you were really picking it up. (See fig. 157,
which is an exposed view showing the position of the fingers.)
In a continuing motion, move your right hand to your left hand and
pretend to place the (nonexistent) coin into it. When the coin falls into
your lap, your right fingers hold their position (as in fig. 157) as if hold-
ing the coin. Your left hand closes as if taking the coin. In other words,
act exactly as you would if you were really doing what you pretend to
be doing. (Do it with the coin, then make the move look that way.)
Make no issue over this; simply do it as you say "One coin that hasn’t
penetrated . . .” Pick up the second coin with your right hand—don’t
scoop this one—and hold it at your right fingertips, displaying it. End
the sentence,". . . and the second coin that hasn’t penetrated.” As you
finish the sentence, place the coin onto your left fist, at the thumb
opening. Let it slide slowly into your hand.
Pick up the other two with your right hand, as you say "and the two
that have penetrated.” Do the same, simultaneous movements as be-
fore; your closed left hand moves forward to the "hole” as your right
goes beneath the table, retrieving the lapped coin.
Do the count, and the tapping with the left-hand coin. Show only one
coin in your left hand, as your right comes up to show the three coins.
"And another coin has penetrated. What an imagination I have!”
Now we come to the penetration of the last coin. The move is exactly
the same, in principle, as for the last coin in Four Coins Across. The
difference is that the move is much subtler here, your right hand is
empty, and it is completely convincing. The timing, however, must be
just right. It will be worth any amount of practice you give it.
With your right hand, pick up the single coin, the one that hasn’t
penetrated. Toss it onto the palm of your left hand; display it. "The one
coin that hasn’t penetrated.” Close your left hand into a fist and rest it,
naturally, on the table, fingers down.
Pick up the three coins, one at a time, with your right hand. "And
one, two, three coins that have.” Display them on your right palm.
Close the hand into a fist and go beneath the table with it. This is the
feint. It is done only to deposit one of the three coins onto your lap. Do
just that: Leave one coin on your lap, then bring your closed right hand
back above the table. Place it, fingers down, about six or seven inches
to the right of your left fist.
 190 The Magic Book

As your right hand comes up into view, say, "I know—you think I’m
kidding. Well now, look, I wouldn’t kid you for the world. There’s one
coin here, and three coins here.” Your spectators see exactly what
they’re supposed to see. But here’s what really happens:
Your left hand turns palm up, opening as it does, and tosses its coin
to the table. Toss it a bit to your right, toward your hand. This is where
the timing comes in. As you toss this coin, say, "There’s one coin here.”
Turn your left hand palm down and pick up the coin with your thumb
and fingers.

FIG. 158

As you start to close this hand and turn it, fingers up, to your left,
your right hand opens (palm up) and tosses its two coins to the table,
toward your left. At this precise moment, as soon as your right hand
starts to open, your left hand is turning over to the left. Your left
fingers release the one coin (it’s actually a gentle toss toward your right
palm). This coin joins the two right-hand coins (it can actually strike
your right palm, fleetingly) as they fall to the table. (See fig. 158, in
which I’ve tried to depict the action just at the crucial moment.) It’s ba-
sically the same as in Four Coins Across, but, as you see, you can open
your right hand fully; there is no coin palmed there. It’s a more open,
casual action.
Your left hand does not pause in its turn to the left. Your left fingers
really pick up the coin and hold it for only a fraction of a second. It’s a
perfect illusion when done properly. Again—and this is worth repeti-
tion—do the actions of really tossing one coin, then three. Then do the
move, making it look exactly the same way.
It is important not to make an issue over this. Do it as you would if
 Coin Magic 191

there were no dirty work involved. Too many amateurs make the mis-
take of assuming an attitude of "see how cleverly I make this coin join
those in my right hand.” That is not magic. A casual attitude, as if
nothing strange is happening, is the key here, as it is during most se-
cret moves.
Pick up the three coins with your right hand; go beneath the table
with that hand, retrieving the lapped coin. At the same time, your left
hand moves to the hole area. Try to act as if you’re really holding one
coin in that hand. Count to three and slap that hand against the ta-
bletop.
Slowly remove your left hand, showing that the coin is gone. Bring
up your right hand, let the four coins slide onto the table, saying, "The
fourth coin made it. I think your imagination is as vivid as mine!”

Practice this routine, work on the penetration of each coin, put the
moves together so that they flow one into the other, make your patter
match the actions, and you’ll be performing one of the few classics of
close-up magic.
After you’ve practiced and familiarized yourself with the routine,
you might want to add one subtlety and one move that makes it more
sophisticated.
For the first coin, do exactly as explained. When your right hand
rests at the table edge, simply relax your hand, lapping the palmed
coin. Do this as your left hand moves to the hole. Say, "Watch,” gestur-
ing with your empty right hand. Go beneath the table with it, and then
do the penetration of the first coin.
As for the second coin (I’ve fooled many magicians with this), the
coin that has already penetrated is directly in front of you and at the
table edge. Simply slide it to position as you indicate it. The other three
coins are picked up, one at a time, with your left hand. Each is placed
to your right fingertips as you say, "Here are one, two, three coins that
have not penetrated.” The first coin is placed between your right
thumb and first and second fingers, which point upward. Place the sec-
ond coin in front of the first, stepped down a bit. Simply slip it between
the first coin and your thumbtip. The third coin is stepped down in
front of the second. (See fig. 159 for the performer’s view.)
As you finish the last sentence, the three coins are apparently tossed
into your left hand—but, you hold back the coin nearest your thumb.
All you have to do is draw this coin back slightly with your thumb as
 192 The Magic Book

FIGS. 159 & 160

you release the other two (see fig. 160). The retained coin is pulled into
Finger-Palm position, although you needn’t worry about palming it.
Your right hand, without pausing, continues to move to the tabled
coin. "And one coin that has.” Place your right forefingertip onto that
coin and your thumb beneath the table, ready to lift it. Curl your sec-
ond and third fingers as the hand moves to the tabled coin. They hold
the hidden coin, freeing your thumb (see fig. 161). As you lift the vis-
ible coin, simply release the hidden one. It falls directly into your lap
(see fig. 162). Continue the movement of your right hand, turning it
palm toward your audience, displaying the coin. (See fig. 163 for a
spectators’ view.) That’s it; go into the penetration of the second coin.
For the third coin, do the move I taught you before for the second
coin; that is, place the two that haven’t penetrated onto your left palm
so that when you close your fingers, only your little fingertip holds one
coin in place. That coin is lapped as your right hand reaches for the
other two coins. The move I taught you before, the sliding off the table
and lapping (scoop and lap), isn’t used at all.
For the last coin, do exactly as I explained before. That can’t be made
any better!

Afterthoughts: I’ve given you two ways to perform the same routine.
Frankly, to the laymen watching, there’s no difference. They are not
supposed to know that you are doing any secret moves, so you can select
the sleights that are comfortable for you. I’ve taught you a couple of
the more sophisticated moves for your benefit, not for your audience’s.
If you learn them, and perform them well, you will enjoy a great feel-
ing of accomplishment.
 Coin Magic 193

Finally, if you don’t want to use the move for the last coin, any coin
vanish I’ve taught you will suffice. Pretend to place it into your left
hand; retain it in your right. Then, either lap it or pick up the other
three while it’s in Finger-Palm position.
Or, use the right-hand scoop-and-lap move originally described for
the third coin. It fits just fine. So does the little-finger drop to the lap.
You can place the one coin onto your left palm. Close your fingers, and,
 194 The Magic Book

as you move the hand toward the table edge, let the coin slide down-
ward so that only your little fingertip holds it in place. As your right
hand reaches for the other three coins, your left little finger releases
the one coin.
So, you can interchange moves any way you like. Experiment
awhile. Select, or put together, the routine you like best, and then use
it. When it becomes second nature, you’ll have a classic "at your finger-
tips” that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life!

Magnetic Pull

If you’ve practiced the move for the last coin penetration in the
preceding routine, here’s another incentive to keep you practicing. It’s
a quick version of the Coins Through the Table routine. In this one,
two coins penetrate together; that’s the entire effect, and only that one
sleight does the trick. It can be used by itself, or as a lead-in, or follow-
up, to the preceding routine.
For this you need four like coins and one odd coin. I usually borrow
four quarters and a penny. Patter about the fact that a penny can
sometimes attract other coins; it asserts a magical magnetic pull. "Let
me demonstrate.”
Pick up two quarters with your left hand. Display them on your
palm, then close the hand into a loose fist, turning it fingers down. Pick
up the penny and the remaining two quarters with your right hand. I’d
suggest that you pick up the penny first, hold it with your curled third
and fourth fingers, then pick up the quarters. You’ll see the reason for
this in a moment.
Move your right hand beneath the table. Deposit the two quarters on
your knee or thigh. That's the reason for picking up as explained. You
have to deposit the two quarters (only those, and together) on your
lap—neatly, quickly, and quietly. If you’ve picked them up as ex-
plained, they’re separated from the penny (in your hand) and you can
deposit them with hardly a pause.
Try to avoid clinking the coins. A good idea is to jingle the coins in
your left fist as you deposit the right-hand two on your lap. That way,
if they do clink, the sound is covered.
All right, this is the feint, just as in the preceding routine. Come up
 Coin Magic 195
with your right fist; place it near your left, in position for the move. "I
want you to remember what’s where. I have two quarters here, and two
quarters and a penny . . . here.”
Your audience sees you toss two quarters to the table from your left
hand, and then two quarters and the penny from your right hand. But
you’ve done the same move I taught you for the last coin in the preced-
ing routine! The only difference is that two coins are transferred from
left to right hand. It’s done in exactly the same way. Your left hand
tosses its two coins; as it picks them up again, and starts turning away,
your right hand opens to toss its one coin. Release the two quarters
with your left hand so that they join the penny.
The illusion is enhanced by the penny. Your spectators see exactly
what they should be seeing. Pick up the penny and the two quarters
with your (obviously empty) right hand.
Put your right hand under the table, silently retrieving the two hid-
den quarters as you go. Say "Watch!”—and slap your open left hand
onto the table. Move your left hand away to show that the two quarters
are gone.
Bring your right hand up and slowly slide the four quarters and the
penny onto the table. "That penny sure has a strong magnetic pull!”

Afterthoughts: I’ve described this effect relatively briefly because

you already know the basic sleight involved. It’s a terrific anytime,
anywhere impromptu effect.

The Traveling Salesmen

This is the first non-card trick I ever learned and the first I ever per-
formed. It’s probably been more than forty years since I first performed
it, and I still do it in exactly the same way. I know many more sophis-
ticated methods and presentations now, but this is the one I use for lay-
men. I’ll teach it to you exactly as I’ve always done it, including my
original patter. Obviously, after you learn it, you can make up your
own patter.
All items, including the coins, may be borrowed from your audience.
You need a man’s handkerchief, two playing cards (postcards can also
be used), and four similar coins. I usually use four pennies. The effect
 196 The Magic Book

must be done on a soft surface: the seat of an upholstered chair, a sofa,

a bed, etc. Quite often I’ll kneel down and do it on the rug.
Place the handkerchief, opened flat, onto the surface. Place a coin at
each comer as you start to talk. ''The coins represent four traveling
salesmen who traveled together. They didn’t have enough money for
rooms, so they had to sleep outdoors. They had only two blankets
among them. These will represent the blankets.” Display the two face-
down cards. Hold them naturally, one in each hand, thumbs on top,
fingers underneath.

FIG. 164

"Since there were four salesmen and only two blankets, it doesn’t
take a mathematical genius to know that each night two salesmen had
to sleep out in the cold. Sometimes these two had the blankets ...”
Cover the two left-hand coins with the cards; your left hand covers the
upper one as your right covers the lower one (see fig. 164). " . . . And
these two were out in the cold.” Indicate the right-hand coins with your
head.
"Sometimes these two were the lucky ones ...” Move your right
hand to cover the upper right coin (with the card), and move your left
hand down to cover the lower left coin. "... And sometimes these
two had the blankets.” Move your left hand back up to cover the upper
left coin. As soon as your right hand covers the upper right coin, under
cover of the card, that coin is clipped between your right first and sec-