The Amateur Magician's Handbook by Henry Hay

Author:Henry Hay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Signet
Published: 1983-04-04T16:00:00+00:00

This is intended to suggest: jack, ace, 8, 5, 3, king, 10, 2, 6, 7, 4, 9, queen.

Finally, there is the Nikola card system, described at the end of Hugard's Encyclopedia of Card Tricks. This is the final elaboration in setups because there is no method whatever in the arrangement except that every fourth card is a heart. The system is a mnemonic one, enabling you to memorize an order of the pack originally reached by pure accident.

Apparently European conjurers are partial to this scheme of memorizing a chance arrangement; and it certainly defies detection. In my private opinion it represents an altogether disproportionate development of one small branch in card conjuring; but if you find yourself fascinated by it, as some excellent performers have, that is certainly your privilege.

One of Leopold Figner's better efforts with a stacked pack was an effect he showed under the guise of Muscle-Reading. I have dressed it up just a little, and here it is. Start with two or three false dovetail shuffles. Don't cut, or if you do, sign the bottom card so that you know what is on top.

Now start dealing cards in a row, face down. Tell people they can stop you whenever they like. Then let them have their choice of the next card on the deck, the last one you dealt, or in fact any card at all in the row. Have someone take the chosen card, peep at it, put it in his inside breast pocket, button his coat, and put his hand over the card.

You tell him that there will be a muscular reflex, which he can't control, when you mention his card. Lightly hold the wrist of the hand that is pressed against the pocket, and starting reciting the names of cards at random. Not too quickly, but before people get tired, you say, "That was it. Did you feel the tremor? The six of clubs."

All this build-up effectually conceals the fact that you can name instantly any card chosen from the row you deal out. Just run through the setup in your mind as you deal. Instead of having the card put in the spectator's pocket, you may (if you don't mind disturbing the setup) scatter a lot of cards face up on the table and guide the spectator's hand around until you make it hover over the chosen card. (This could actually be accomplished by a good muscle-reader without prearrangement, but your results are surer as well as easier with the setup.)

Behind Your Back is an effective trick with a Si Stebbins deck or any recurring setup. Fan the cards behind your back for a spectator to draw a card. Cut the pack where the chosen card comes out.

Announce that you will draw two cards, still holding the deck behind your back, and one card will show the suit of the chosen one, the next the value.

With any regular setup the fourth card from the top will be of the

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