Toys ofFascination

The Card Magic of Garrett DN

Written by Garrett D. NelsonPhotography by Sherri Ann Taylor

© Copyright 2002 by Garrett D. Nelson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical or biological now known or to be invented,without express permission from the copyright holder.

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Foreword

First and foremost, thanks for the interest in these notes.

I couldn’t decide if I should consider this project notes, a book, or a booklet. I think theterm “notes” is the most fitting. Allow me to explain why...

I didn’t start off writing things out with the aspiration of publishing them. I would beplaying around with cards, or sometimes doing something completely unrelated, and anidea would hit me. It might be while watching TV, eating dinner, while working onsomeone else’s effect, or at 3:30 in the morning when a bout of insomnia kicked in. Iwould have an idea, and start playing around with it. Sometimes the idea sproutedquickly, and I had a whole effect before I was finished. But more often it was just anidea, and required a lot of tuning before it became worthwhile. Either way, I felt I had towrite it down.

I would scribble it down before I could forget (a habit I started after forgetting manyideas that may be great; I am not sure, though, because I can’t remember). Sometimes Iwould play with the idea more the next day, some I still haven’t gotten back to.

With much refinement, some of the ideas got transformed into full-blown effects. I wouldthen give them a trial by fire on real people. If I thought an idea was hot, but thespectators didn’t, I tried to change it a little bit. If it still fell flat, I got rid of it.

I am not under the mistaken impression that every idea I think is great will be receivedwell. That is why I try things out on real people. Real people don’t care if it is agroundbreaking concept, or if you used the most difficult sleight known to man. Theylike what they like, and predicting what they will like is nearly impossible.

So I compiled many pages of scribbling through this process. I started typing some of thebetter ideas, the ones people reacted well to, on my computer. I did this mainly for easeof organization and because my penmanship is less than perfect. Only at this point did ithit me that maybe I should write these in more detail so anyone familiar with card magiccould understand them.

I started thinking maybe I could compile all these ideas. Maybe other people might wantto see what these ideas are.

So that’s where I am now, and that is why I call these notes. This is like a big, detailednotebook (with color photos). The effects in here are where I am now with them. I mightchange pieces of them in two weeks, I might leave some exactly as they are forever.Again, these are my notes of where I am with these effects right now. Each one iscomplete, but not set in stone. Each one has been tested on people. Each one works. Butagain, these are my notes. And to say there is no room for change in a list of ideas isfoolish.

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I worked hard to make sure you get the best of my current ideas. There are few thingsharder then cutting out one’s own work. That, however, is exactly what I did on manyoccasions. I would come up with what I thought was a great effect. I would perform it onreal audiences, and receive fair reactions. I don’t want “fair” reactions. Those items werecut.

I am sure some readers will find things here that don’t suit their personal style. I can’thelp that. But I really hope every person who buys these notes can find at least one pieceof magic to actually use with regularity. I’m confident many readers will find more thanone effect.

I don’t wish to try to determine what people use. I am just telling you some ideas I havehad that have worked well for me. And I am saying that I think some of these effectshave potential in many other people’s repertoire.

Even more, I think there are things that may be in the beginning stages of somethinggreater. Even as I was writing this booklet I kept toying with the effects. On more thanone occasion I changed the handling after I had it “finished.”

Once again, thanks for the interest. I hope this purchase serves you well.

Garrett DN

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Acknowledgements:

Without these people, none of this would be remotely possible:Andy Dallas, Don England, Dan Johnson, Darin Rock, Wes Schield, and J R Thomas.

Whenever I needed an honest opinion, a greater pool of knowledge, or help getting abetter method, these are the people I turned to. And they always helped.

I also would like to thank my parents, Rick Nelson and Wanda Nelson.

Last, but far from least, I want to thank Sherri Ann Taylor: Thanks for being you.

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Contents

Foreword 02

Acknowledgements 04

Moves

Diagonal Insertion Reversal 06

Fan Bottom Placement 09

UnShuffle Pass 11

Effects

Selection at Any Number 12

The Sandwiched Traveler 14

Fake-False Triumph 17

Flying Cut Revelation 21

Queens Escape 24

Spectator Cuts the Aces 28

Spectator Cuts the Aces Color Separation 30

Running Cut Revelation 32

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Diagonal Insertion Reversal

Disclaimer: I have little doubt that at some point this move has been invented (probablymany times). It uses Marlo’s Diagonal Insertion up to the point of actually reversing thecard. I haven’t seen in publication a move that is exactly like this, however. As this is thecase, I have no choice but to give it a name so that I can refer to it as something otherthan “that reversal thingy.” Again, it is very Marlo-like.

What it does: Secretly reverses a card to the bottom of the deck in a most expedient way.

If there is one move here to study, this is it. I like this move. I use it in many of theeffects I use. At first it seems like it would be easy to spot. With sufficient practice, ithappens smoothly and, with the exception of a few bad angles, invisibly. It is a lot lessangley than it would seem. Try it out in a mirror or with a camera and you will see thatthere is ample cover.

When performing for magicians, I do the actual reversal for this move painfully slow.

Here’s what to do:A card has been selected. The left hand holds the deck in dealing grip.

The left thumb riffles down about half the deck from the upper left edge. The card isinserted in the deck by the right hand, but left half way out (photo 1). Also, note the leftthumb’s position. “Just tell me to stop wherever you want (riffle).”

The right fingers push the card in, but in an asymmetricway. That is, the left side of the card receives morepressure. This makes the card go into the deck at a slightangle. The upper left corner of the card will pass thefront edge of the pack and go past a little. The card’sright edge doesn’t get pushed flush with the deck by thefingers. They stop pushing when the card is in theposition illustrated in photo 2. In photo 2 the right handis taken away togive a better view.

In practice the protruding upper right edge and rightside would be hidden from view. Notice how the cardis held between the left thumb and pinky.

Now the right hand carries the deck forward abouthalf a centimeter (i.e. very little). The thumb andpinky of the left hand keep the selection in thediagonal position. In effect this brings the card backtoward you a little bit. The upper right edge is no

Photo 1

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longer sticking out of the front of the deck. The card is still held between the left pinkyand thumb. The left fingers are along the right edge of the selection. The inner left cornerof the selection contacts the thumb (photo 3).

You are now going to rotate the selection clockwise to make its edges parallel to thedeck. To do this, pull back with the left fingers, which contact the left edge of theselection. The right thumb acts as a pivot point. You should now be in a position asshown in photo 4.

Bring the left first finger to the upper right corner of the selection. Clip the card betweenthe first finger and the pinky of the left hand.

Pull the selection down with the thumb and pinky of the left hand. The second and thirdfingers of the left hand assist by touching the top of the selection. The right hand alsoassists by pulling the right side of the deck up slightly (photo 5-6). This will bring thecard from the middle to the bottom, and reverse it in the process. The card will initiallygo to the bottom but stick out to the right. This jog is covered by the right hand.

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Once the card is on the bottom, flat but out jogged, the left hand squares it on the bottom.The motion of the left hand is almost the same as if you are rubbing the bottom card fromleft to right. You will get a feel for getting it perfectly square very quickly. This squaringmotion feels very similar to the end of a half-pass.

If you are inserting more than one card, this same move can be used. You can do it oneby one, or put them in as a block, and reverse them all at once.

This can be used when a spectator inserts the card, too. Obviously, they must leave itsticking out. You can assure they do this by verbally asking them to, or by squeezing theback of the deck as to prevent the card from moving too far into the deck.

End Note: Don’t try to rush this move. It can be done slow. Another thing I like aboutthis move it that you can start it, pause for a while, then finish it. All you need to do get itto the point where it is side-jogged. You can leave it in that position for some time; eventake your left hand away from the deck (as your right hand will cover the protruding card.

This same move, with minor modification, can be used to control a card to the bottomwithout reversing it. When removing the card from the pack the action takes more of theform of a classic pass. If you learn this move, and know the classic pass, I have no doubtthat you will quickly see what I mean.

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Fanned Bottom Placement

What it does: Fancy way to invisibly control a card to the bottom.

Have a card selected. Cut the deck in half. The left hand should hold its cards in standardmechanics grip. The right hand holds its cards in preparation for a one-handed fan. It isfine to use the left hand to get the right into position for the fan.

Have the selection put back on top of the left hand’s cards. Make sure it is square.

You will now do two things simultaneously; one hand fan the rights cards, and pinkycount the top two cards of the left’s packet. It helps to fan the cards rather slowly; too fastand people won’t even notice to look at your right hand. The fan need not be perfect.

If all has gone well, you now have a fan of cards in your right hand, and your left handhas a break below two cards.

Extend the pinky of the right hand. Use it to slide the two cards forward as one (photo 1).

The following sequence is shown in thesequence of photos (I like to keep the photoson the same page as their description, but inthis case it just wasn’t feasible). The righthand moves forward. It then sweeps left toright over the top of the double with the fanstill open (photo 2). What can’t be seen isthat under the fan the selection is stolenaway. The knuckle of the first fingercontacts the top card of the double (the

selection) as in photo 3. The left thumb assists in pushing the selection to the right. Afterit is pulled away a bit to the right, the middle finger pins the selection to the first finger(photo 4).

Checkpoint: Watch the angle from the front. Although you may not see the move fromyour vantage point, from the front it is easy to flash when you take the selection away ifnot careful. Take the selection with the fingers contacting as far on the left side aspossible. This will put the card in position to be better covered by the right hand’s firstand second fingers.

The right hand continues to the right until the last card of the fan, that is the card farthestto the left, is halfway across the deck (photo 5, the selection is exaggeratedly injogged). Itthen closes the fan on the base of the left thumb, secretly placing the selection to thebottom (photo 6).

Photo 1

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There is still a card visibly jutting out of the deck. Obviously, it will seem as if it is theselection. Square the card slowly and fairly into the deck.

It should look like you selected a card, out jogged it, and closed a fan on top of it.

This move can be used as a change, too. If this is done with the cards face-up, it makes anice color-change.

My inspiration for this move is the Hofzinser Pass. Some may say that it seems like anextravagant way to insert a card. To that I must plead the Fifth.

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Unshuffle Pass

What it does: A pass guised as not shuffling the deck. Confused? Read on…

This is a pass done in plain view, but under cover at the same time. It is done under coverof doing nothing.

This description is all on the assumption that when doing an in the hands riffle-shuffleyou start with the whole deck in the right hand, riffle cards off your right thumb to yourleft hand, then shuffle. If not, you can simply switch “left” and “right” in the description.

You will need a right thumb break or a jog above the selection. Use whatever methodmakes it easier for you to split apart at that point for an in the hands riffle-shuffle.

The left hand comes away with the bottom half of the deck. The selection should be ontop of the packet in the left hand.

Utter some line about how you don’t even need to shuffle. “Some magicians do fancyshuffles or cuts. I am not even going to shuffle the cards.”

As you say this, mimic shuffling, with one large difference: The two packets are 20centimeters away from each other (photo 1).

Bring the cards back together after the non-shuffle, but place the left’s packet on top. Thiswill hence put the selection on top.

You have now controlled the card to the topby openly doing nothing.

End Notes: Believe it or not, this works. I wouldn’t be so bold as to immediately showthat their card has amazingly jumped to the top, but it is a safe, easy, non-suspiciouscontrol when used sparingly.

My inspiration for this move was James Swain’s Dummy Pass.

Photo 1

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Selection at Any Number

Effect: A card is selected and returned to the deck. The spectator is asked to name anumber between 5 and 25. Their card is at that number.

Why I like this effect: This same concept can be applied to the open prediction. I preferusing a selection to a prediction card. I have plenty of other effects that use a prediction,and I like to make things as clear as possible. In my mind having a selection, picked bythe spectator, appear at a number, also picked by the spectator, makes a lot of sense. Plusit is quicker (cuts out having to make and explain a prediction) without lessening theeffect. Not that I don’t like prediction effects, I just feel this works better in this instance.

Method: I have two methods for performing this effect. If you would rather not use theDiagonal Insertion Reversal, check the End Notes for a different way of getting the cardinto position. I feel the way described below is superior to the one in the End Notes. It isquicker, and there is basically no fiddling with the deck; no cutting, shuffling, etc.

Before beginning, half pass the two bottom cards of a face down deck. You have a facedown deck with two face up cards on the bottom.

Have a card selected. Return it to the deck by means of the Diagonal Insertion Reversal.You now have three face up cards at the bottom of a face down deck.

Ask the spectator to name a number between 5 and 25, and explain that you will deal thatnumber onto the table. You could give them a much broader choice of numbers, butfewer than 5 makes the handling a bit awkward, as there is little need for a pause whenyou need it. More than 25 just take a long time.

Deal that number out openly onto the table. The deck is in a regular dealing grip. Itshould go without saying that you should not allow the deck to bevel much.

With your right hand point to the cards you just dealt. Spread them a little and make acomment about how you really did deal the exact number stated by the spectator. As youdo this your left hand falls to your side. When you bring it back up, it will be held in theopposite way. That is, the deck will be flipped upside down.

You don’t want it to be at your side long, and it must be casual. I like to lean over towardthe cards as if I am inspecting them myself. This has two purposes. The first is that itdraws the attention to the cards. You will find that if you pay attention to something andact as if it is important, others will follow suit. Second, it makes it logical for me to dropmy hand. If I were to keep my hand up and in front of my body, it would be in the waywhen I am looking at the cards.

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Photos 1 and 2 show how the deck is held before and after the “flip” is made. It isn’treally flipping the deck; rather it is just bringing the deck back up in a different position.Don’t try to make a move out of this. It happens quite easily.

Photo 1 2

Draw attention back to the deck. Take off the “top” card, the selection, and place it asidefrom the rest of the group already on the table.

“If you had picked a number one less, you would have stopped me at this card.” As yousay this, turn over the top card of the packet you dealt onto the table.

“If you had picked a number one greater, you would have stopped me at this card.” Turnthe top card of the deck over.

“But, for whatever reason, you picked ____ (fill in blank with number they said).” Turnover the selection.

To clean up, half-pass under the top two cards as everyone looks at the selection.

End Notes: The other method involves the use of a three card half-pass. The deck beginsnormally; no cards are reversed.

After the selection is returned, it is controlled to third from the bottom. Have the cardinserted into a spread. Catch a break 2 cards below where the selection was inserted, thendouble-undercut. This will leave the selection in the needed position, third from thebottom.

Half-pass the three cards and you’re there.

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The Sandwiched Traveler

Effect: A card sandwich is made using kings and a card selected by a spectator. Thespectator cuts away half the deck, puts it in its box, and puts the box in her pocket. Thecard sandwich is put face up into the half of the deck still left. When the cards are spreadout there is no longer a card between the still face up kings. The selection is still face up,however. It is face up in the half of the deck in the spectator’s pocket.

Why I like this effect: It seems completely impossible, especially because no duplicatesor gaffs are used. Also, I think magic that happens to something in the possession of thespectator is very strong. This time a card travels to a packet of cards that the spectator hascomplete control over.

Method: Before anything else it should be noted that this effect is actually easier withjumbo index cards. I often perform it with regular indexed cards, but jumbo indexedcards are preferred if there is a choice available. The reason for this will become apparentlater on in the description.

Openly go through and remove the two black kings. As you do this, get the two red acesto the top of the deck. I cut the first ace to the top, then underspread cull the second. Forpurpose of explanation, I will assume you have the ace of hearts on top, ace of diamondssecond from top.

Lay the kings on the table.

Cut the deck but maintain a break above the two aces. Riffle force the break. Cut at thatpoint. Perform a double lift to show the ace of diamonds. Turn the double back down.Lay the ace of “diamonds” on the table face down.

You will now need to perform a modified Braue Reversal. The right hand secures athumb break below the top card while holding the pack from above. The left hand cutsabout 3/4 the deck off from below, turns it face up, and sets it on top of the deck. Theright thumb still has its break, but now it is below 3/4 the deck plus the ace of diamonds.The left hand cuts away the rest of the cards below the break, turns them face up, andthen returns them to the same place. Turn the deck back face down.

Quick check: You now have a face down deck with the ace of diamonds face up about1/4 the way down.

The way I justify this is with patter along the following lines; “Now I need your help. Iwant you to decide how many cards I am going to use. Just try to cut off more than half(as I show the 3/4 and turn them face up). Not a small portion (show 1/4).”

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Have the spectator put that half in the box, then in their pocket. Obviously, if you aretrying to speed the effect up, you can have them just hold onto the deck instead of puttingit in the box and her pocket.

Pick up the three tabled cards. Arrange them as in photo 1. It is important that the visibleparts of the cards’ indexes are upside-down to you for two reasons. One, when you turnyour hand to display them it will be right side up for the spectators. Two, it makes thecoming move a whole lot easier and more fluid.

Tilt your wrist down awayfrom you to show the cardsandwich to the spectators.They will see a red ace andnaturally assume it is theirs.Don’t draw attention to thefact that you have a red ace. Idon’t name it at this point incase it might make someonenotice that they can’t see thefull index of the ace.

Bring your wrist back. Useyour right thumb and fingersto pinch the right side of thegroup and turn all three face

down, still in the same stepped position in the left hand. If all is well what you have inyour hand should now look like photo 2.

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With your right thumb bring the bottom card (the bottom card in the step, actually the topcard of the packet of three) flush with the top card of the step. You should now be in thesame position as photo 3, with the ace sticking out the bottom of the packet.

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Photo 1

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You are now going to reverse the two kings while leaving the ace face down, andbringing the ace to the bottom. This move was an idea of Marlo’s to be used with a back-slip. Pull the two kings forward as one. The ace is held back by the pinky and the base ofthe thumb. Turn the kings over lengthwise, and place them back on the ace. Be carefulnot to make noise performing this move. It should look like you simply squared thepacket and turned it over. Photo 4 is the kings about to be set down back on the ace.

Cut the portion of the deck left over by thespectator about in the middle. Insert yourpacket in and square. Snap your fingers (orutter your favorite magical phrase). Revealthat the two kings are still in the deck face up,but there is no longer anything between them(photo 5).

Explain that the selection is still face up; it justcan’t be seen right now…because it is in thespectator’s pocket.

End Notes: Play around with the selection process. A force will be needed, but there aremany other options than a riffle force to a double lift. I chose this method to publish, as itis very direct. There are many other methods that can be used. Some can even make thiseffect raise the eyebrows of a magician friend…I really like the miscall used here.

This effect has to keep moving or it can become too drawn out for a lay audience.Presented properly to a receptive audience, it will get you a great reaction.

Allan Ackerman’s Kabbala Elevators was my inspiration for this effect.

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Fake-False Triumph

Effect: A card is selected and returned. The deck is shown to be all face down. Half thedeck is turned face up, and shuffled into the face down half. With just a snap of thefingers, the deck has righted itself, except for the selection.

Why I like this effect: I love Triumphs. I had a video of this effect posted on the internetand received a ton of positive feedback. This effect can fool people who know theoriginal Triumph, as it turns out.

Method: Have a card selected and returned via the Diagonal Insertion Reversal.

At this point you are in a very clean position. You can spread the deck almost entirely toshow that all the cards are all face down. I wouldn’t verbally bring attention to this, butanyone watching closely will notice, and those are the people you want to notice.

You are now going to split the deck while secretly reversing half of it.

The left hand holds the deck in dealing grip except the thumb is at the upper left cornerand the first finger is curled underneath the deck.

The right hand holds the deck from above. The right thumb should be on the inside edge,a comfortable number of fingers on the outside edge (photo 1).

The hands should be rotated alittle. The back of the right handshould face your audience.

The right thumb splits the deck.There should be a little more than

half the deck above the break (photo 2).

Now, at the same time, the right hand rotates palm up whilethe left hand rotates slightly palm down, and the first finger rotates the bottom packet.The left first finger helps the bottom packet rotate by extending a little. The first fingerdoes this a split second before the hands begin to turn up. The position at this point isshown by photo 3, which was taken from my right side.

It should be noted that at this point the thumb is notcontacting the bottom packet. The reason being that if thethumb is left behind it doesn’t move during the sleight.Minimizing the movement of the left hand can helpminimize any suspicion. Although the packet is held in aslightly unnatural way (only for a split second), it won’tbe noticed.

Photo 1

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Again, it should look like you split the deck and turned one half face up. In reality youhave a face up half in your right hand, and in the left a face up half with the selection facedown on top of it, which makes it appear face down.

Now the left thumb comes back down and contacts its packet, but extends past the bottom(the left hand will grip both packets in a moment). The reason this is necessary is becausethe right hand is holding its packet in an awkward position to shuffle from, so it will needto be re-griped. The right hand places its packet under the left’s packet just far enough toreach the left thumb and middle finger (photo 4).

If you don’t make too much of this reversingprocedure, that is do it casually, it will fly right by.

The right hand takes its packet back but grips thepacket in preparation for a faro shuffle. I use theterm faro shuffle loosely here, because it doesn’thave to be a perfect weave. The face up packet inyour right hand should start the faro on the bottom(the bottom card once the packets are togethershould be from the packet in the right hand) (photo5).

The packets should be pushed together a little lessthan half way (they need to be at least a little pastthe indexes. It will become apparent why shortly).Once pushed in, the visibly face up packet shouldbe tilted so its inner left corner protrudes from the

supposedly face down packet (photo 6).

You will now have to changegrips, and it can be tricky. Theleft thumb and middle fingerwill need to reach past theirpacket and hold the entire half-shuffled deck. If the bottomcard of the right hand’s packetis not contacted, it will fall (asit is the bottom card of thedeck). This can be tricky

because this needs to be done without straightening the angle of the packets, or exposingany cards that are not facing the way you are representing them to be.

Once the unshuffled packets are griped securely in the left hand, the right hand will gripthe packets. The right hand’s fingers will go on the bottom of the packets, and the right

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thumb will go right in the middle of the packets. You will be in the position shown byphoto 7.

Now the left hand will move to dealing grip. The onlymodification is that the first finger is extended behindthe obviously face up cards. This helps controlspreading the cards soon to come. If all has gone well,you are in the position in photo 8.

It is now time to fan the half-knitted deck a little. The rightthumb maintains some pressure asthe left thumb pushes cards to theright. Be careful not to go to farand show some of the indexes ofthe cards you are representing asface down. You have some extrabreathing room because of theangle of the openly face up cards. Atthe same time, however, make sure you don’t look like you are trying to hide anything.This should look like photo 9. Note: If the angle of the cards is too great, it looks odd. Italso shouldn’t be too neat. You are showing the disarray of the cards, not showing howevenly you fan the cards.

Take your right hand away from the cards. Move your left first finger down to your otherfingers. Make sure your windows are closed on your left hand (make sure your fingersare together). Now you can flash the back of this as well, and it will keep the illusion(photo 10). This is why it was important to have a card that is openly face up be in thebottom of the two packets.

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I don’t draw attention to the cards during this convincer. I talk about what a bad state thedeck is in because of the face up and face down mixing, but I don’t verbally invite themto look at the cards. A convincer should be something that is noticed on one’s own, notpointed out by the performer. An example of what not to say is, “Hey, look at how mixedup these are!” If you are talking about the cards, and have them openly displayed in frontof you, people are going to notice that the cards are mixed up really well. I also talk withmy hands a little and flash the back of the packets once.

I call this convincer the Gar-a-fan (like caravan with a “G”). It really helps sell theillusion.

Straighten the cards (photo 11) and push them together slowly. Again, don’t verballydraw attention to this. If you do it slowly your spectators will notice that the cards arefairly being pushed together.

Cut (or pass) the cards to make sure the selection is near themiddle. Reveal that it is the only reversed card in whateverway you please. If I am milking this effect, I like to put arubber band around the deck as soon as I push the cardstogether. I then wave my hand over the deck and invite thespectator to look at the cards.

End Notes: My inspiration for this effect was Dai Vernon’sTriumph, and Don England’s in the hands Triumph.

The Gar-a-fan: I need to mention Don England and J RThomas who helped me perfect this. It was actually J R’s idea to add flashing the back ofthe cards. It also should be noted that Don, and his ventriloquist dummy, threatened tosteal this idea…

The Gar-a-fan will almost need to become second nature. It does take a little practice tolook natural, but I think it is well worth it. It isn’t necessary for this version of triumph.One could just as easily forgo it and just square the cards. If the time is taken to learn it,though, I would say that is time well spent.

The name of this effect comes because some magicians assume there is a false shuffle.

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Flying Cut Revelation

Effect: A card is selected and returned to the deck. The magician cuts the deck in onehand a few times. Then he throws half the deck (fairly high) to his other hand, andquickly throws it back again. Once card is left in his hand. It is the selection.

Why I like this effect: People are always asking about quick, visual effects. This is one ofthose. It establishes you are a good card handler, as you can draw attention to yoursmooth one-handed cut. Plus it can be done with a ragged, borrowed, shuffled deck. Ifyou can do a Charlier cut, this effect can be performed almost immediately. It looks muchharder than it really is.

Method: Begin by crimping the bottom card in the deck. For this particular effect, I crimpthe inner left corner of the bottom card down. To do this hold the deck in mechanics grip.The right hand is holding the deck from above. Secure a break above the bottom card by

riffling one card with the right thumb. Then slidethe deck forward about a quarter inch leaving thebottom card behind. The right thumb then puts ahealthy downward crimp in the inner left corner ofthe bottom card (Photo 1). Actually crimping thecard is fairly easy; just push the corner toward theopposite diagonal corner. Remember, don’t makethis crimp too small; you will have to be able toeasily cut to it. If you are unfamiliar with crimping

techniques, this is a very common one. The whole sequence takes about one second. Itcan be done safely without the risk of it being noticed provided you do it causally, anddon’t stare at your hands while it is done (even then, it is doubtful that a layman will haveany idea what you are doing). It is very useful in many other routines using this type ofcrimp.

It should be noted that crimping the inner left corner in this effect is designed forsomeone who does the Charlier in the left hand. Doing things in this way ensure thecrimp will be away from the spectators (closer to you) and on the same side of the deckas the left thumb. .

Have a card selected. Hold the deck in the right hand. Swing cut the top packet to the lefthand and hold out the top half for the spectator to replace her card on. Drop the bottomhalf on top.

You now have the crimped card right above the selection. Do a few one handed Charliercuts. As I do this I say something along the lines of, “As a magician, you probably expectme to do more than simply impress you with my amazing one handed cuts (say thistongue-in-cheek). You probably would expect me to actually find the card you chose.”

Photo 1

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I plan this so that when I finish my last sentence I have cut to the crimp (Cutting to thecrimp should be easy if you made a good sized crimp), and have kept the two halvesseparate (Photo 2 and 3). This isn’t a break you need to worry about concealing, as youwill throw the cards just a moment after reaching this position. Even if someone doeswatch you closely, the break can be attributed to the one handed cut. Remember, youhave already executed several one handed cuts clearly without a break. The crimped cardis now on the bottom, the selection on top.

2 3

As soon as the word “chose” leaves my mouth, I toss the top half of the deck to my righthand. I throw the pack high enough to go over my head. It just looks good to give it alittle hang-time. Plus it gives a nice contrast to the way I throw it back to my left hand amoment later. Toss the pack on its end, as if it were standing up on its short side. Theback should be toward you, the face facing the spectator. Actually tossing the packwithout allowing the cards to separate isn’t that difficult. It is a combination of things.You need to allow your left hand to follow through a fair amount. Also be sure the cardsare pretty square when you finish the last Charlier. Some people have a lot of troublewith this action; some can do it right away. If you are the former, practice is the answer.To get the feel for throwing a fairly large pack of cards without them separating in midair, just practice tossing a full deck. Once you can toss the full deck the desired heightwithout problems, you will be set for this.

Now you are going tocatch the pack in the righthand and quickly toss itback at the left, leavingbehind the selection.Catch the airborne packin the right hand. Thethumb should be facingyou, the fingers on thespectator’s side. As soonas you have the cardsgripped securely, tossthem straight back to theleft hand. While the first

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toss was somewhat of a lob, this is more of a direct throw. It has a little bit of a twist to it,however.

You will need to retain the top card, and the top card only, in the right hand. Let go withthe fingers of the right hand, but maintain contact between the thumb and the top card,which is the selection. Photo 4 is a picture of the pack actually in mid-flight heading backto my left hand. The selection, Ace of hearts, is retained in my right hand. If you havetrouble learning to toss the packet while retaining one card (instead of 2 or none), trytwisting your wrist a little bit clockwise as you throw the cards back to the left hand. Ifyou practice this move just a little bit, it will become very natural very quickly.

It is not at all necessary to do the second throw as far as I do in photo 4. In fact, whilelearning the throw it will be much easier to be within 6 inches when the pack is releasedfor the throw back to the left hand. The part of the trick that will cause a reaction is thefact that you come away with one card, the selection, rather than how far you throw thedeck on this toss. If you want to amaze people with how far you throw the deck, you canthrow the deck fairly high on the first toss without much problem. I only emphasize thispoint because it would be a shame to have someone pass this effect up because it is tootime consuming to learn to do the second throw very far.

Make sure you catch the packet in the left hand securely. At this point you have the deckin the left hand and the selection in the right. Keep your hands at about shoulder height,and spread a little more than shoulder width. If you do this you will end in an applausecue, which is always a good way to end an effect.

End Notes: I was playing with the move that is now called “the second toss” for quiteawhile before finally coming to this routine. I liked the way tossing the deck and comingaway with cards looked; very magical. However, the tired old idea of tossing the deckand coming away with two cards, the top and bottom, is not something I wished toexasperate any further. I started playing with throwing the deck, but only coming awaywith one card. Then came the idea of cutting the deck, tossing it, and coming away withone card. Finally I thought, “Hey, I could crimp it to control which card I cut to.”

Concurrently I had been playing with throwing whole decks in the air, around my back,etc. without making a mess of them. Combine these two ideas, and this is what we nowhave.

I thought the concept was a little transparent at first, or perhaps a little too bland. I haveused it on many, many laypeople, and they like it much more than I would havesuspected. Proves once again that magicians and laypeople have very different tastes.

Something I can’t complete the writing about this effect without mentioning is the“What’s going on there” factor involved. If you perform this effect, it will attract someattention from others who you have not yet performed for. Why? Simple: You arethrowing a stock of cards in the air. It causes curiosity.

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Queens Escape

Effect: Eight cards are cleanly and fairly shown. These are the four fours, and the fourqueens. It is explained that the queens are going to do an escape. Not an escape likeHoudini with chains, but an escape using just cards and a card box. The fours are set onthe table; the queens are put in the card box. After a pause the spectator is invited to pickup the box and look inside; the queens and fours have switched places.

Why I like this effect: Giving the illusion of solids passing through solids is a fascinatingidea. Combining that theme with a four-card transposition felt like a good idea, and it canbe very strong… not to mention that there are no duplicates or gaffs.

Method: Make sure the card box is on the table with the opening facing you. The largeflap should be on top. Fold it so that you can easily get to the opening. It doesn’t have tobe sitting open too much, just make sure the flap isn’t going to get in your way a littlelater. It is also helpful if you remove the two little flaps from the box. Just tear them off.Remove the four queens and four fours from the deck. Arrange the queens in your righthand so that they are two red then two black (or vice versa). This will help hide aninconsistency later. The fours can be in any order, but must go below the queens. For thesake of explanation I will assume the cards are set in the right hand face up in this orderfrom top to bottom: QS, QC, QH, QD, 4S, 4C, 4H, 4D.

They should be held in the right hand as if in preparation for a Hamman count. The cardsare all square. The right fingers are together and cover the front of all the cards. Photo 1shows a view from the front. The queens are peeled off one by one into the left hand bythe left thumb. Upon peeling off the last queen, replace all four on the bottom of the righthand’s packet. The order of the cards is now, from top to bottom, 4S, 4C, 4H, 4D, QD,QH, QC, QS. Your logic for both these counts (the second one is coming up) is to makesure everyone understands that you really are using eight, and only eight, cards…and thateach card is different. Call out the suits as you go by them to show that you are just tryingto make it fair.

Reach the left hand backover to the right handspacket. You need to get afairly large break abovethe bottom card, the QS.Use the first finger of theleft hand to pull the outerright corner of the QS

toward you. This will cause the inner right corner to separate from the rest of the packet.Secure the break with your right thumb. To reiterate, this should be a fairly sizable break(photo 2). This will be hidden by the right hand’s fingers, which cover the front of thepacket.

Photo 1 2

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You will now execute what could be termed a Hamman count with a single card transfer.Peel off the first three fours. Make sure that each time the left hand comes back to takeanother four the card just taken is completely hidden by the packet. In other words, all thecards in the left hand go below the right’s cards and go out of view when the left handcomes back to peel off the next card. This is so that is will look the same as the sleightyou are about to execute. When the left hand comes back to take the final four, the 4D,the left hand’s three cards are left on the bottom of the right’s packet. The left handcomes away with all the cards above the break. This should appear as if nothing more hashappened than you counted off the last card into the left hand. The key to this move’ssuccess is keeping the same rhythm. Anyone familiar with the Hamman count shouldhave no trouble with this concept.

The 4D will show on the top of the left’s packet, the QS will show on top of the right’s.This is why the queens were arranged red-red-black-black; if they were alternating incolor a red queen would show when a black queen should be showing. A minor detail,perhaps, but a detail I feel is worth the effort.

The situation now is this: the left hand holds from top to bottom 4D, QD, QH, QC. Theright hand holds QS, 4H, 4C, 4S.

You are representing the left hand as holding the fours and the right hand as holding thequeens. Needless to say, the packets should be kept square from here on out.

Set the right’s packet down on your surface face up.

Take the left’s packet (supposedly the fours), turn it over, and grip it from above in theright hand. Instruct the spectatorsto keep a close eye on the fours.They aren’t as important to watchas the queens, but they areimportant none-the-less. Heck,they are roughly half the trick.

As you explain/instruct theaudience you are going to put the

four in gamblers cop. This will occur in the motion of squaring the cards. The key tosuccess in this move is rotating your hand rather than the cards. They should stay levelthroughout the entire action.

Show the four on the face, and then bring the packet back to a deep mechanics grip. Actas if you are squaring the cards between the base of the left thumb and the left hand’sfingertips. The left hand should lie flat under the cards (photo 3; in this picture the cardsshould be in motion toward your body, beginning the squaring action). When the cardsget far enough back, allow the right thumb to let the face down four fall off. The left handthen rotates down peeling the card into gamblers cop (photo 4). Continue the squaring

3 4

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motion forward. It should appear that you simply squared the cards. In reality you nowhave the bottom card, the only four (4D), in a gamblers cop.

Set the three queens aside, face down. Remember, you are representing these as fourfours.

Now take the “four queens” from you working surface. Take them with the right thumband middle finger. Use the first finger to pull the left edge and turn the packet over (photo5). Put them in your left hand as in photo 6. Notice that it will be the lower left corner

that you guide in front of the single card. Push the four cardsdown with the right fingertips while simultaneously pushingthe 4D up behind the packet with the right thumb. All fivecards should be flush. It should appear that you are justsquaring the cards. Keep the queen, the QS, in view as much aspossible. This will affirm the illusion that you are just squaringthe packet of queens you are holding. This sequence will takesome practice to make it look good. And be wary of thegamblers cop’s angles throughout.

Put the five cards in a grip similar to a mechanicsgrip. However, make sure the first finger of the lefthand contacts the outer right corner of the cardsfrom below. In other words, it should be touchingthe queen of spades. Bring the cards a little pastparallel to the ground (they should slant to hideunderneath them a little bit).

Reach over to grab the card box with the righthand. As you do this you will need to bevel thebottom card of the packet in the left hand (the QS).

Doing this is not difficult as you are in a perfect position to pull the left first finger inagainst the QS. You will need to get a fairly sizable separation between the queen and thepacket (photo 7).

Allow the left little finger to hold the break after thequeen has been beveled. The queen fits nicely intothe crease between the tip and middle portion of thelittle finger. You can hold this break withpractically no effort as the card naturally slides tothis point on the finger.

Once the break is secured, the first finger of the lefthand straightens out somewhat, giving a touch ofextra cover. More importantly, it will aid in anupcoming move.

5

6

7

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Remember, the last few paragraphs are to be done while reaching over to grab the cardbox. This sequence takes significantly less time to do (a fraction of a second) than toexplain.

You should hold the box with the opening toward you and the flap on top. Bring the boxup to the cards. Just before the card box reaches the cards, relax the left hand’s grip alittle. This will allow the front of the queen (the front right corner, to be exact) to separatefrom the rest of the cards. You have a large amount of cover for this as the flap of thebox, and the box itself, obstruct the view. Slide the four fours into the box while slidingthe queen below the box. Photo 8 is a view of this from the right side with my hand opento give a better view.

After I slide the cards into the box I pause, thenpull them out a little and step them as in photo9. I make sure it is clear that four, and only four,cards are put into the box…and that they reallydo go into the box.

Push the cards flush into the box. Close the flap.It helps considerably in closing the flap tosqueeze the box with the left hand, which is

holding the box from below. This bevels the bottom of the box and aides in the insertionof the flap.

Once the flap is closed the right hand takes the box,and card below the box, from above. The thumb onthe side nearest you, the middle finger opposite.The box is set on the face down pile of queens.

You now have a box with the fours in it and a pile of four queens below it. Make yourfavorite magical gesture and allow a spectator to reveal that the queens have escaped, andthat the fours are in the box.

End Notes: This effect is designed for performance at a table. More specifically, seated ata table. It can be performed in other situations, but it is definitely engineered for seatedtable work.

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Spectator Cuts the Aces

Effect: Four spectators cleanly cut a packet of cards. After each cut the Magician nevertouches the packets. The top card of each packet is an ace.

Why I like this effect: This is the only spectators cut to the aces effect I use. There is noshuffling or cutting by the magician. At first it may look too transparent. I assure you it isnot. I use it often, sometimes for a group containing an uncooperative spectator. The onlymoves used could theoretically be done even without misdirection (so anyone burningyour hands is unlikely to have any more insight than those who don’t), although there isplenty. It is easy enough, so I urge you to learn it well and try it out. I bet you get a killerreaction.

Method: Control three aces to the bottom, one to the top. Using the aces for anothereffect then replacing them, running three to the bottom, followed by false cuts andshuffles seems as good a method as any other.

Don’t mention anything about cutting to the aces. Instruct the first spectator to cut a smallpacket of cards, a little less than a quarter. As soon as they cut off a packet, separate thebottom card of the deck, an ace, from the rest of the deck a little. Point to a general areafor the spectator to put her packet down. A great way to do this is by saying, “Put thepacket there,” while kind of nodding with your head. This will definitely give a vagueidea of where the deck is suppose to go, which is what you want. Ask her to move it alittle to the left (or right) after she sets it down. Look squarely at her packet as you makeyour request. This will draw the attention to the packet she just cut for more than longenough. Do the motion of a Herman pass with just one card (photos 1-4). This can becovered in any way. I usually don’t use the same cover all three times. My favorite ismasking it in a squaring action. The sequence of photos below show the rough movementof how to pass the card from the bottom to the top for this routine.Photo 1

4

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This should not be a fast movement (!!!!!!). In this era of speed driven passes, try torefrain from doing this too quickly. Focus on being smooth.

You now basically repeat this three more times. After each cut is made allow thespectator to set the packet down, then ask them to move it a little. Maybe a little to theright, maybe to the left, maybe away from the little puddle of spilled water. It doesn’tmatter what you say. It does help to ask them to set it by an object. This will force themto look down, and generally everyone else looks at the object.

Make sure you execute the once card pass smoothly. You also need to make sure no onecuts off to big a packet.

Tell the selectors that you want them to all turn over their top card at the same time.Oddly enough, each person has an ace.

End notes: I would again like to stress that this routine works, and works well. It seemslike a simple concept, and perhaps it is. But I have always hated cutting the aces routineswhere a packet switch is needed. As Darwin Ortiz says in strong magic, we should try tomake our magic look as close to what it would look like if we were really doing magic.To me, that would not entail taking the top card of each packet, doing this or that…It would be simply turning over the cards and BOOM! They are all aces.

On the technical side, a side-steal would probably work just as well to control the acesone by one to the top. The method I use is the one written here. I feel more comfortablewith the move here than a side-steal. If you are the other way around, by all means do itwith a side steal.

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Spectator Cuts the Aces Color Separation

Effect: Four spectators cleanly cut a packet of cards. After each cut the Magician nevertouches the packets. The top card of each packet is an ace. Each packet is turned over toreveal that it consists only cards matching the color of the ace on top.

Why I like this effect: The cutting the aces is strong on its own, no doubt. But if you havethe time to do a quick setup, this is a stunner. Before learning card magic I used to be inaw of tricks where the colors were separated at the end. I guess I still am.

Method: This effect is especially effective if you begin with a good false shuffle.

I will assume in the description that you have already read and understand “SpectatorCuts the Aces.” As such, I will only be explaining the main differences rather thanwriting out the entire effect.

You will need to start with the deck separated by color. For the following I will assumeyou have red on top of a face down deck, and black on the bottom. You need a red ace onthe top and bottom of the deck. In the middle you need the two black aces. The black acesshould be between the reds and blacks. I will also assume the order of aces is, top tobottom, red ace (on top of deck), clubs (top middle card), spades (lower middle card), redace (bottom of deck).

The inner left corner of the ace of clubs should be crimped. The crimp should be strongenough that you can easily cut to that spot.

It is crucial in this effect that you can get the spectator to cut a little less than a quartereach time. If you can’t, they will cut into the wrong color. Don’t be afraid to ask them todrop some cards off their cut. Telling them there won’t be enough cards left for what weneed to do is not only logical, but it is the truth.

After the first cut, bring the bottom card to the top (a la “Spectator Cuts the Aces”).

After the second cut, perform a pass below the crimped ace of clubs. Again, this passshould not be fast. It should be a Herman style pass. The right hand moves right to left ina squaring motion for cover. Although you are passing a large block to the top over asmall number of cards, this can look perfectly fair.

Let the spectator make the third cut.

Make sure the third and fourth cuts are not too deep. It is especially important on thefourth cut. If you had a fair amount of cards left over from the first two cuts you will havemore red cards at the bottom to worry about.

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After the final cut, which should be a fairly small cut, give the small packet in your handsa quick (real quick; as in one overhand shuffle) mix. This will destroy any evidence ofthe colors being separated.“I want everyone to take their cards and turn over the top card like this (demonstrate byturning over the top card of your packet).”

Everyone will be surprised to discover they have an ace on top.

“That’s a little odd, but what is really strange is if you do this (turn over your packet andspread the cards out between your hands).”

You cards should be in no particular arrangement. All of their packets will be the samecolor as their ace.

End Notes: I think this a great kicker ending for a cutting the aces. It just cements the factthat they had to cut at those exact spots, or so it seems…

Although there are many cutting the aces effects, and some that involve separation of thecolors, I have to say my creative influence for this was Aldo Colombini’s Contact Colors.

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Running Cut Revelation

Effect: A card is selected and returned to the deck. A demonstration is given of a runningcut, as used in many casinos. The question is raised of whether it is possible to tell thevalue of a card while cutting this way. On the next cut one card seems to be pulled fromthe middle of the packet. It is face up.

Why I like this effect: I can be performed in the hands, it is very visual, and it usessomething that a surprisingly large number of people are familiar with, due to casinoplay, the running cut. Even though as written it isn’t true to what a running cut looks likein gaming play, the concept is still the same. If you are interested in using a true, tabledrunning cut, the routine can easily be adapted (see End Notes).

Method: It makes this effect infinitely easier if you put a little work into the deck. It willneed a small, east-west, concave bend (the middle of the face down deck is lower than thelong sides). If performing at a table, this can be done with a riffle shuffle, assuming youshuffle from the sides.

Have a card selected and return it via Diagonal Insertion Reversal. Ask if anyone hasplayed blackjack at a casino. No matter what the answer is, ask if they know what arunning cut is, then demonstrate it in the following way:

Hold the deck in the left hand in preparation for a Hindu shuffle. Instead of taking thecards off the bottom, take them from the center (photo 1). Perform a couple of Hindushuffles this way, explaining that a running cut breaks up the order more thoroughly thana traditional cut.

Photo 1

2

“I’ve seen this cut used a lot. It always makes me wonder if there might be some way toget a real good look at the face of a card while cutting like this.”

Now take a decent sized packet from the bottom. The way you grip this packet is crucial.The packet is held with the second finger, third finger, and the thumb. The first fingerpushes down on top of the packet (photo 2). The fingers and thumb on the sides of thepacket exert more pressure on the bottom of the packet. That way the lower cards of the

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packet are gripped while the top cards are loose. They don’t come off because of thepressure exerted by the first finger. The goal is to make the thumb and fingers have a gripon only the bottom card. It is definitely knacky, but you can get the hang of it without toomuch work. It also helps to have the fingers angled so they move away from the cards asthey move up (photo 2). Although in the photo it may appear that I have a fair grip on allthe cards, the top portion has very little pressure on it.

Now take a couple of small packets off the block in your hand, but not too much. Thecoming move is easier if you have a sizeable chunk of cards to work with.

You are going to toss all the cards in the left hand onto those in the right, except thebottom card (the face up selection), in one quick action.

Bring your right hand back about 6 inches. It then moves forward quickly, toward the restof the deck. Just as it reaches the rest of the deck, three things happen simultaneously.One, your right hand pulls back. Two, it tilts down a little bit (photo 3). Three, the righthand releases some of its pressure (but keeps it on the bottom card) and lets the firstfinger relax its grip. Photo 4 shows the completed revelation.

3

4

This move is knacky, no doubt. But it doesn’t take much to get the knack.

I like to make a tongue-in-cheek comment about how if you know what to look for youcan catch a glimpse of the face of a card.

End Notes: I began using this as a tabled effect. I would use a genuine running cut insteadof the Hindu shuffle. Unfortunately, a table is not always available or practical. If youhave a table present, I recommend using a real running cut. One should have little troubleconverting the toss and single card carry away between the two methods (tabled and inhands).

This effect is much more difficult with old or sticky cards

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That’s it. You have reached the end of my first publication. I really hope you pickedsome things out of here to use. And if you didn’t do that, I hope it got you thinking.Maybe you will use a part of an effect, or something made you think of an effect youwould like to create. I guess I really just want you to feel inspired by something. Inspiredto learn, inspired to create, inspired to explore, inspired to anything.

If you need to contact me, my email address is GarrettDN@hotmail.com

Again, I hope you enjoyed Toys of Fascination.