This
effect is by a well-known magician on the Scottish magic scene - Jim
Boyd. Jim lives in Glenrothes in Fife. If you ever meet Jim and mention
magic to him he is off and running! Jim loves his magic, and when
I approached him for a trick, he gladly said yes...after a bit of arm
twisting ("only kidding Jim"). He forwarded this effect I hope
you like it.
The
origin of this effect is slightly tongue in cheek, perhaps even
influenced by my association with the late Tommy Frederick (Fredrica). I
notice all the current finger flingers and whilst admire their skills, I
question their dependence on cards and the ensuing entertainment value.
This effect was dreamed up to demonstrate I could also handle cards but
the final twist was created to leave the impression of perhaps greater
skill than I truly possessed. I have found it very acceptable to the
layman who thinks they are getting an insight into the nefarious world
of gamblers but are still left without a true understanding of shady
dealing etc.
1.
False shuffle the deck, retaining the bottom nine-card stack. An
overhand Shuffle seems the easiest way, but you use your favourite
method.
"Most
gamblers when stacking cards, don't allow the cards to be shuffled like
this because it destroys any preset sequence. Even if I deal off a
number of cards from the top of the deck, you will see that in a card
game, they seem to have little value."
Deal
off the top four cards, face down onto the table. Then with the right
hand turn them face up to reveal their values.
2.
"So you can follow the gambler's methods I'll stack these 4 cards
in an easy sequence for you." Re-arrange the 4 cards to suit
the above. "I'll put these cards face-down on the top of the
deck, so you will be able to follow what happens."
The
left hand fan-spreads these 4 top cards of the deck, right-hand removes
them, again shows the spectator the sequence; and then replaces them
face down on top of the face down deck in the left-hand. Get set for
dealing, remembering to hold the cards in the same grip for all future
dealing!
3.
"Just as a reminder, you can name the 4 cards I've just shown you
because you have to follow the gambler's methods carefully?"
Bottom Deal the 4 kings face down onto the table as the spectator is
about to name the previously shown cards and pre-empt his reply, saying,
"Now I told you to be careful because these 4 cards are in fact
the4 kings." Right hand turns over the 4 tabled cards to reveal
the 4 kings.
4.
"The 4 cards you were thinking of are still on top of the
deck." Your left hand fan-spreads the top 4 cards of the deck,
which are taken by the right-hand and turned face up to show their
values, before being replaced face down on the deck.
5.
Draw attention to the 4 tabled face up kings on the table. "In
fact I cheated, I dealt these 4 cards from the bottom of the deck,
that's called bottom dealing."
As you explain the above, there is sufficient misdirection for you to
turn the deck completely over in your left-hand, effectively bringing
the main cards face up but this is not evident because you now have on
top of the deck the the 4 face down aces, followed by the one
indifferent card, also face down.
6.
"Let me show you that again, I'll put the 4 kings to the bottom of
the deck and you can try and catch me out at bottom dealing." Action
follows words - but - you deal genuinely the 4 aces from the top of the
deck onto the table. A bit of play acting might enhance the ultimate
denouement. Once the aces have been dealt, the remaining single face
down indifferent card maintains the appearance of a normal deck.
7.
"Did you catch me out this time? Well if you did perhaps you could
explain where these cards came from." Right hand turns over
tabled face down cards to reveal the 4 aces. "The moral of this
demonstration is that you should not play with cards with
strangers."
I
don't intend to explain any clean up to the remaining stack of cards but
at least you can now explain that all the above was your way of
obtaining the 4 aces for your favourite trick/routine etc.
Back To Top
