CONTENTS From the Author The Channel Change The Multiple Cortez The Covered Jinx Switch The Grinning Goodwin Natural Born Filler Hit the Road Three Ways to Leave Your Lover The Covered Back-Slin Force Four-Card Revelation Catching the Switch Ambitious Graduate An Interview with Aaron 10 1 16 18 a 26 31 34 37 42AARON FISHER - FISM 2003 ©Copyright 2003 by Aaron Fisher Layout by Dan Harlan From the Author ‘The Paper Engine was published lest year, and as of now, we only have @ few copies leftof the second printing. Thanksto everyone who enjoyed the book — it makes the whole process worthwhile. A couple of erties (thankfully only a couple) were perturbed at a stylistic choice made in Tie Paper Engine — the idea of offering techniques, then deconstructing them to examine the musculature of good sleight of hand, These crities considered those items filler. Again thankfully, most of you read the book with a more inquisitive mind. ‘The book you hold in your hands contains no academic digression, dis- cards or filler — just new, interesting technologies which will find many usefal applications in your practical eard magic. About half ofthis material appeared in the December issue of Genii Mega ine. It was.a beautiful article, and | want to again thank Damon Webster, my buddy and genius photographer, for his wonderful work. I'd also like to thank the Kaufmans at Genii Magazine for doing the feature, and also for allowing the material to be printed here. ‘Thanks to the entice L.A. love crew that helped manifest this book, in no particular order — Erica Larson, Amanda and Adam Grace, Lee Asher, Paul Wilson, Bill Goodwin, Max Maven, Nathan Kranzo and Dan “The Man” Harlan, — Aaron Fishes, July 2003The Channel Change ‘Tony and Rosle Miller publish Channel One magazine. They are gre:t people, and fun to hang out with. This color change originally appeared in| their magazine, (“Outside Change,” Channel One, Issue 9, 2002, p. 11) bt it was incomprehensible. Nobody was able to make any sense of it at al So, let's take it from the top. ‘Thisis a color change which takes place on top of the deck. As your rig it hand tums over the top two cards as one, your left thumb pushes over tl e top card of the deckslightly, enabling yout left litle finger to obtain a bre: k beneath it (fig. 1). Make sure the tip of your left thumb tip rests at the upper left corner of te pack. With your righthand gently take the top card of the deck from abo: e inovethand end grip. With your left second fingertip apply pressure to tI e right edge of the second and third cards, pivoting them off the left thu b tip (fig, 2). first learned this excalient way of jogging a block of cards fro.n “Hurricane Change,” Harry Levine's beautiful idea, which appeared 1 Steve Beain’s Trapdoor. Levine’s change con be considered a refinement of “The Houdini Color Change” ("The Houdini Color Change” Magiciar s Handbook, PT. Selbit, 1901, p.27) Use the right hand to palm the two pivoted cards (one faceup on top of oe facedown) as your left hand moves forward with the deck. At the sare time, push the card on top of the deck forward with the left thumb ar d leaved it outjogged for about haifits length. The card is held steadly by t we leftsecond finger and the base of the thumb at the long edges. To the aux i- ince, however, the card should just seem well balanced (fig. 3) 4 Now wecome tothe actual transformation sequence. The visible card will change in a twinkling, the right hand barely touching it. Start with the right hand just behind the pack and about an inch and a half to two inches above it (fig 4). As your right hand moves forward toward the outjogged card, you will drop one of the palmed cord on top of the deck. Sounds tough? You bet, Here's how to make it easy. ‘The right hand holds two cards in full palm, gripped between the flesh at the base of the right thumb, and the right fourth finger. Increase the pres- sure from the right fourth finger, bending the cards a litte more. As you release this pressure, a small break will appear briefly atthe front edge of the cards, This small break will allow you to catch ahold on the front edge of the card closest to the palin with the second joint of your right second finger (fig. 5). Now, the moment you remove all pressure from the fourth finger, the lowermost card, and only that card, will fall from your palm. ‘This action takes only a moment, but you must time it precisely. As you {drop the card, be sure not o lower your right hand to the deck — if you do, it will spoil the effect. Once you drop the card on the pack, hold it lightly but firmly with the fourth fingertip against the base of the thumb. No one sees the facedown card fall because the pack is covered by your right hand as it moves forward to- ward the outjogged card. At the moment the right hand covers the ‘outjogged card entirely, the left first finger reaches up and pushes itflush with the pack. Thanks to the facedown cover card above the aud - cence will not sve this card again ‘This is the pretty moment. As you push the outjogged card flush, low ‘your right hand to the position held formerly by the faceup outjogged ca: 4 ig. 6) Seeming orly to touch the card gently with your fingers, depot it the card in your right hand where the other card usec to be. With practic» this will look like you barely touch the card atall (fg. 7) “The timing of this color change is crucial. The hardest part of this mane « ver is in releasing only one of two cards in your palm. This delicate m » ment will be ruined if rushed. Just as bad would be to rush everythic g else, slowing down only to execute the delicate part of the move. As 1 most card work, the best course is to handle the entire enterprise in ir easy, relaxed manner ‘This color change nover fails to receive an audible response. I know yi u will enjoy it. The Multiple Cortez — It's a Killer AMultiple Shift called the “All Together Now Shift” appeared in The Pa- per Engine. Since then, I've been asked repeatedly which multiple shifts [ favor in my own work. It’s a good question, because es one of the core sleights, the multiple shift chosen by a worker will tell you volumes about his taste and aesthetic in card handling, ‘This item owes a debt to Neil Elias’ and Edward Marlo’s seminal work on multiple shifts (Phe Multiple Shift, Marlo, 1961). The multiple shiftoffered here, and outgrowth of the bluff replacement subilety published in The Paper Engine, allows you to push the four aces flush and give the deck one complete cut. The four aces are controlled to the top, and the rest of the deck is in the exact same order you started in. Also, you do not have to place all four acesin one half ofthe pack, and then pretend they are evenly distributed. Begin by inserting the four aces in four different parts of the pack. At this point I generally display the cards to the audience as in the illustration (fig.1), Square the pack into the left hand, and come from above with the right hand to push the four aces into the deck. Contact the aces with the second phalange of the right second finger and begin to push them into the pack. As the right second finger pushes the aces, it angles them slightly leftward. Now, as you push the aces fush, thelr lower left corners will emerge from the back edge of the pack. Here they contact the right thumb (fig.2). Students interested in this type of action would do well to consult ‘Anicrus, the seminal work on the subject ("The Diagonal Jog,” Andrus Deals You In, 1956, p. 4).At this point the audience should feel that the aces have been squared swith the pack, ‘You will now simulate a kick cut into the left hand, actually stripping out the four aces in the process. Holding the four Aces in the right hand from above in overhand end sip, use the right first finger to kick the entire deck to the left as you would with only the fop hal! in a nonrr al kick cut — make sure your right thumb and second finger hold the acs firmly as you simulate the cut, or the they will bind as you strip them o 1 (fig 3). Teke the deck proper in your left thumd crotch and move your | ft hand leftward, disengaging the pack from the four aces. As the pack cles rs the aces, rotate your left forearm clockwise. This will cover all angles pre Jems involved in this type of bluff shift. Not only will the move look great from the tight and front, but now even spectators on the left will see nol 1- ing. Ulustration 4 shows incorrect positioning, with spectators givena si le view of the move (fig. 4). Illustration 5 shows the proper positioning, with the left side covered (fig. 5). Also take note ofthe right hands deep grip n the aces-in the second joint of the right second finger. These cards are he'd ina bluif pass grip similar to the one described in “The Nowhere Pass” in ‘The Paper Engine. This grip supports the illusion that you have cut te pack, and the right hand now holds 26 or so cards. ‘Now you will simply seem to replace the right hand packet on theleft.O te ‘easy way to do this is to eurl your right focefinger on top ofits “half,” a id as you solidly slap the right hand cards onto theleft, allow your right f st knuckle to rap the top of the pack, simulating the sound of two hah es slapping together. Roger Klause published this classical approach in is book (In Concert, Pierce, 1991). In many situations, its lack of pretensi mn and directness would be difficult to improve upon. 8 But in certain situations, you may like to place @ little more emphasis on the bluff replacement. In those situations, [like to use this slight variant of the bluff replacement subtlety from The Paper Engine. At this point the position of the left thumb becomes important (tig. 5). ‘The moment the four aces have cleared the pack, move the left thumb to this position, where it al but completely covers the left edge of the pack. With the left thumb pad, grip securely the upper 20-25 cards of the pack proper. Notice the deckitselfis almost entirely on its side. You are going to rotate your left forearm leftward, so your palm and the lower half of the pack are agcin parallel to the floor. Butas you do, maintain the position of the left thumb and the upper half of the deck — almost perpendicular to the ground (fig. 6) As you rotate your left forearm square the righthand cards with the upper portion ofthe pack. Once the aces coalesce with the upper half of the pack, you can remove the right hand and display both halves of the packcin the left hand (fg. 7), or you can let go with your left thumb immediately, and allow all the cards to coalesce. Or if you really want to get nasty, you can drop the upper half with the left thumb, but maintain a visible step be- tween the halves, Act completely unaware and then rotice a few moments later that the pack is sloppy - then square the cards completely.The Covered Jinx Switch ‘The Jinx Switch was first published by Ted Annemann. Guess where, ["Cé Your Hand” (Ted Annemann}, The Jinx, No. 36, Sep. 1937, p. 243]. Ifs 0: ¢ of the most beautiful sleights in magic. but maybe nat the way you thin Consider the action of the switch. You start holding four cards facedown the right hand overhand end grip and the deck in the leit hand, a bre: k above the four bottom cards. You put the right hand cards on top of t pack as you table al 48 cards above the break. You've switched the pack: but both the deck and the packet end up in different hands. So the Jii x Switch is discrepant - highly discrepant. Since when is that a compliment? Because the Jinx Switch is almost abuse proof. Consider the double lift — beautiful, deceptive, abused and flaunt: d by cardmen ata moments notice. I have seen magicians, who should know better, perform five or more double lifts in one itick. And because is su > posedlly so deceptive, magicians beg the audience to stare at each and e ery one. Because the technique isso pretty they perform it without hum I- ity and sometimes they get busted. Now let'slookat the Jinx Switch—a moveso humble, finger fingers wou d rot deign to consider it. If you wateh it out of context it looks like no 1- sense, The four cards startin the right hand and the deck starts out in the left. The deck changes hands and so do the cards. I's ugly. Its s0 ug y ‘you'd never use itunless everyone was looking the other way. It’s s0 ug in fact, that it’s beautiful. It teaches humility, and it teaches misdirectior ‘The Covered Jinx Switch is not intended as an improvement on the Jirx Switch, one of the few “perfect” sleights. However, in certain contexts, it ‘will make a better tool for the job. It uses the seme sort of timing, and the same kind of misdirection as the original. Thus, itis difficult to abuse. Bit the added element, a face up deck, makes the technique fly by many of those familiar with the classic Jinx Switch. Before we get started, take one last word on performing the Jinx Switehy any form. We know the student will not abuse the switch by asking te spectator to scrutinize it closely. But there is danger of running, too far the other direction. We can be in such a hurry to misdirect the spectat , that he may not only miss the switch, but the effect itself. Even worse, 1@ might fee! misdirected — or god forbid, diverted. This would be bac. If people feel like you are trying to make them look the other way, they fe 1 10 cheated and lied to. They begin to look right the moment you say left. To combat this. always dramatically justify your misdirection. If you ask a person to remember a card, that’s great — attention is drawn to an impor tant element. If you ask a person to look at a pink elephant behind them, they feel misdirected. They will feel pissed, especialy if they turn around and find no elephant The Grinning Goodwin ‘This isa technical variant of Bill Goodwin's four for one transposition (“For One Transposition,” Lecture 1988, p. 3), the plot of which is so old it may well date back to Hofzinser, Bill's trick is a brain buster, and the Covered Jinx Switch provides an excellent way of getting in to it. Effect: Four acesare removed from the deck, and a selection is placed faceup in the pack. The four aces visibly change into the selection. The deck i spread to reveal the four aces. In this application you will switch four cardls for one. Have versed second from the face of the faceup deck. Make suze t an ace. Turn the pack faceup to begin. Doa two card pushoff and take the double inio the crotch of your right thumb as you begin to spread through the deck looking for the aces, It doesn’t matter if the two carcls are slightly out of aligament. Just make sure the reversed card doesn't flash, Outjog each ace for half its length as you come to it in the spread (fig. D.Once the aces are protruding from the pack, you will seem to merely clo ¢ the spread, at the same time preparing for the Covered Jinx Switch. Brit g ‘your hands close together, shortening the spread. Hold all the cards fr moment with your left thumb while your right hand turns palm downat d ‘comes over the pack from above. With yout left fingers, press up on te secretly reversed card second from the face of the pack. These fingers ho d the card steady, sidejogged to the right, as the right hand squares the pak and assumes an overhand end grip (lig. 2). During this action, the side 2f the right second finger angles the aces to the left (fig. 3). In a continu: g action, the right hand seizes the entire pack from above, maintaining tie position of the sidejogged card second from the face. This done, the I ft hand comes from below and strips the four aces out from the pack. ‘You will now use the Covered Jinx Switch to switch the four aces in ‘your left hand for the reversed card second from the face of the pack, Remember now, with any form of the Jinx Switch, timing is every thing.So spread theaces inyourleft hand slowly and make sure every- cone sees your left hand holds only four aces. Now, youmay either use the edge ofthe deck to flip the four aces face-down, or just use your left thumb. Hither way the display of te aces ends as shown in (fig, 4). During this display, you have focused all attention on the four aces. New ‘you need to lose all interest in them. Allow the face down cards in your I ft hand to coalesce as you look to the audience and say. “And yhich one of ‘you will help me?” Suddenly turning your attention to the spectators st r- prises them - it puts them on the spat. As you ask them this question, te Sivitch is well covered 12 Hold tho face down card in the right hand firmly but gently between the middie joint of the third finger and the joint of the thumb. Bring the left hand underneath the pack, deposit the aces on the bottom and move your thumb moving across the pack. In a continuing action, the left hand comes away with the deckand up toward the audience fig 5).Once the pack has cleared the card in the right hand, the right hand moves casually to the table and leaves the card there. The auciience will believe this card tobe the four aces. In reality, the four aces are reversed at the bottom of the deck. Remember, all the spectators are focused on themselves — who will the magician choose? The action of the effect has left the aces behind. Spread the cares and have one selected. Be sure not to flash the reversed cards at the back of the deck. When a card has been selected, immediately cut the deck at that point. This will roughly center the four reversed aces. Flip the deck face down into your left hand, Take the selection and place it into the pack face up. As you push it lsh, execute Erdnase's diagonal palm shift and steal the selection into the left hand. In a continuing ection, the right hand tables the deck as the left hand goes o the table and adds the selection to the “packet of acos” (fig. 6). As your palm down left hand sweeps the “aces” off the table, make sure ‘your thumb rest on top of the cards, s0 you can flip them over as your left hand turns palm up (tig 7). The sequence to follow comes entirely from GCoodwiYou will now execute a twroas four countto make the two cards in yourle t hand appear to be four aces. Take the packet at the right fingertips, an 1 with the left thumb, peel the top card into the left hand. That’s one. Retur 1 with your left hand to the right hand “packet” and deposit the loft han { card underneath theright. At the same time, peel thesecond card into you r left hand, supposedly onto the first. That's two. Continue this exchang 2 {two more times on the counts of three and four. No doubt first attempts :t this sleight will make it appear silly. It works wonderfully, however, prv- vyided a clear consistent rhythm, and a small snap as each card comes of the righthand packet. After al, the best way to maintain rhythm is with a good beat, Practice this move thoroughly, for even though it isn’t realiy difficult, a single hitch or hesitation will betray that you only hold tw> ‘ards. And one final note — move only the left hand. ‘The right hand r-~ ‘mains perfectly sill or the duration of the count. Having just counted the four aces, you will now visually transform the a into the selection. This display is difficult to describe — pay careful atte - tion to the illustrations. The right hand takes the cards at the upper ieftar 4 lower right comers between the second finger and thumb. The first fing r hangs over the left long side (fig 8). The first finger pulls the double ca: up and over uniil it’s faceup as in (fig 9). Do not stop, but continue apply pressure with the first finger - now to the face ofthe selection, ne ir the lower index (fig. 9). This causes the card to continue revolving, until it is face down again (fig. 10). In a continuing action, the second finger at d ‘thumb bow the card, and the first finger pinches the lower edge ofthe ca d against the thumb. Once this grip is held securely, allow the front edge >f the card to snap off the second finger to an upright position - facing tie audience (fig. 11). This great display is Daryl’s (“Tack Flash Transpo," «st the Table, Racherbaumer, M-U-M, 1970’). 14 Four aces have just morphed amazingly into a single selection. You right hand holds the selection (a double card) face toward the audience. Rotate your right wrist back and drop the double eard faceup in your leit hand - inahigh dealing grip. As your right hand moves to the table, pull down on the lower card of the double with your left pinky. As the right hand picks up the pack and moves it to the left side of the table, execute Ernest Barick’s wonderful one-handed bottorn palm (Bu teau d’Echange.” By Forces Unseen, Minch, 1993, p. 66). Ribbon epread the pack to the cight across the table. ll eyes wateh the four aces appear as yousilenly, efficiently inish up the palm with your left hand. Atte comple- lion of the ribbon spread, take the faceup selection from your lefthand and sail itclearly to the table, You are left with one card palied, and four aces face up in the pack. Open Travelers any one?Natural Born Filler (That's a joke —Iove this palm} | was talking to Bill Goodwin about “Three Ways to Leave Your Lover ® and he had the idea of displaying the selection a third time in your rig! hand, and then placing it under the packet in the left hand immeciiateiy into the palm. I thought this was a good idee. I few weeks later, deve ~ oped this palm — it’s a real honey. ‘This palm allows you to take a card and placeiit on the bottom of the deck ora packet, and in the process, deposit the card silently and invisibly in’o the left hand paim. It can be done with any number of cards in the leit hand, but it is ideal for use with a packet. It can also be done with ar y number of cards already concealed in the left palm under the packet, Th s lends the palm wide tility. Many applications will present themselves wi h just a litte effort. Start with a card at the fingertips of the right hand and a packet of thr: e cards held in the left hand dealing grip. Hold your left thumb close tot] e side of the first finger — No spectators on the left should be able to see te under the packet. Insert your right hand card under the packet from the rear and push is flush until about an inch and a haif remains backjoggs d (fig. 1). ‘The palm itself takes place as you use the backs of your right fingers 0 push the bottom card flush with the packet. Bring the right hand palm down behind the packet, the wrist broken, with the right fingers pointing straight down. Allow the back right corner of the bottom card to sit E>- tween the fourth finger on the right side of the card and the third fing >t along the back edge (fig.2). From the front, you will appear to push the 16 card home with the backs of the right fingers. What really happens is the right third and fourth fingers apply leftward pressure to the back right corner of the card, and the card itsalf pivots rightward using the ball at the base ofthe lefs thumb asa pivot post (ig. 3). As this orientation is achieved, the fingers push the card forward into the palm. As the card moves for. ward its upper right comer appears along the right side of the packet near the top edge. The moment this heppens the third finges, already in posi- tion, easily palms the card against the base of the left thumb (tig 4). In the case of “Three Ways to Leave Your Loves,” you can immediately spread the three cards and turn them over one at atime to show the salac- tion has vanished! One final note — Make sure the right hand action appears casual — as though you really are tapping the card square with the pack.Last year Lee Asher, Paul Wilson and Nathan Kranzo lived in my pad for + week working on their travelogue, Hit the Road. The production sessio 1 schedule really cheesed off my girlfriend — so I dumped her, Where dy you think they got the title? I put one item on that video, without an exple- nation. Since then, I've receive numerous guesses as to how it was don, and whether or not the effect was gaffed. It gotten to the point now whet > Iwould be stupie to ever discuss that trick again. So,1 won't. This s fora | you kids who sent me your theories. [think you'll have a lot of fun wit this one. But don't ask me if it’s the trick on Fit the Road -I won't tell. Effect: Two cards are selected and lost in the pack. Thetwo jokers are merel 7 rubbed together, and they change into the selected cards, Now the spect: - tor rubs the cards together and they change back into jokers! Method: First remove the two jokers from the pack, or any twwo mates yo 1 find theatrically desirable. Now have two cards selected and controlled ‘> the top by your favorite method. You will execute a modified Braue reve sal to position the selections. Caich a break under the top card of the dec k ‘and transfer it to the right thumb as your right hand takes the pack fro: 1 above, With your left hand undercut about half the cards and flip the: 1 over onto the face down cards in the right hand. Make sure to keep yor r right thumb break as you do this, Then the left hand undercuts the rest-t the cards below the break, and flips them faceup with the left thumb Plas © the right hand cards on top of the loft hand cards and maintain a bres « between the two halves. Now execute a botiom slip cut atthe break. In th s sequence, you have shuffied the cards, turned them face up in a pret'y way, and given the faceup deck a cut. You have also contrived to have or © selection on top of the pack and another face up underneath it, Turn t] & pack facedown, Propose to find the selections using megic. Pick up the two jokers and dec 9 them face upon top of the pack. Come from above with the right hand ar 4 take al four cards above the natural break ina right hand end grip. Mo: e this block slightly to the right. With the left thumb, peel the upperme st joker to the left onto the pack and outjog it for about half itslength witht e left thumb, Momentarily place the triple card underneath the left thun b while your righthand moves to regrip it atthe side (fig. 1). Use your rig it hand to turn the tiple over like the page of abook. Reise the left thumb 0 catch the left ong side of the triple before it falls facedown, During th 5, the outjogged joker on top of the deck is held steady between your left 18 thumb base and the second finger (fig. 2). Retake the triple from above with the right hand in end grip. Tum your right hand palm up to make’a final display (ig. 3). Now you will visually transform thetwo jokers into theselectionsby placing them face to face. Turn your right hand palm down over the pack, and allow the lowermost card of the triple, a joker, to fall square ‘on top of the deck. Now move the right hand forward with the double card, Keeping it at least a half inch above the outjogged joker. When the right hand card goes directly above the outjogged card, the outjogged card is blocked. At this moment, withoutdelay, use theleft first finger to push the joker flush (Gig. 4). At the seme time, bring the right hand down as though you wish to touch the two jokers to- gether very lightly. The moment the right hand double reaches the po- sition formerly held by the utjogged card, slide the uppermost card back with the right second fin- ‘get to reveal a selection (fig. 5). Al- low this to register, and then turn over the top card to reveal the sec- cond selection, As you practice thistransformation, remember the two jokers should barely seem to touch b = fore transforming. Done properly it looks great. While the spectator reacts, set up again exactly as before. Follow the = quence right up to the point where you drop the lowermost card of tle triple - before it was a joer, but now it’s one of the selections. This tim, instead of making a visual transformation, simply ask the spectatorto pin: h the two cards together as you seem to drop ane selection on top of the other (ig. 6). ‘The retentions wonderful. Tell the spectator to rub the two cards togethe¢ and as soon as she does; she will see the jokers have returned. ‘This effect was inspired by In Ten City by Chris Kenner from his bo: k ‘Totally Out of Control, which was based on Darwin Octiz's excellent irs k from Darwin Ortizat the Card Table, The principle invotved is even old :t than that (“Marlo’s Double Vanish and Recovery,” Deck Deception, 194 2 p-8) You can do many different changes with this concept. You might ¢ periment with a transposition of two cards, rather than a double chang 20 Three Ways to Leave Your Lover Fad Marlo’s Future Classic (1954) established a sequence that we now take for granted: showing three or four cards all alike using multiple lifts of decreasing amounts of cards (i.e, a Triple Turnover, then a Double Turn- ‘over, and finally a Single Turnover). Central to the version offered here is the display sequence, where the performer shows three cards to be the same. This handling offess uniformity, relative ease of execution, and one thing more. Unlike many such sequences, “Three Ways to Leave Your Lover” allows each card that’s shown to remain in view ducing the re- mainder of the display. While Larry Jennings’ decades-old All Alike se- quence accomplishes the same thing by simply holding the dealt-off cares in the eight hand, spread, above those being turned over, “Three Ways to Leave Your Lover” establishes a visually different way of accomplishing this. As in most published handlings, this one uses an extra card—buteach card is shown in exactly the same way, withoutany variation as you make the blind Erfect: A card is selected and retumed to the deck. The magician removes three cards from the dack, saying thatthe first will indicate the color of the selection, the second the suit, and the third the value, All three cards are shown to be duplicates of the selection. Then all three cards are shown to be indifferent—the selection has vanished entirely. Handling: Each worker will have his own way of approaching the prelimi nary handling. Here is one way I have found effective. Have a card se- lected and returned somewhere-near the bottom of the pack and hold a break below it. Now spread through the pack and outjog a card near the top for at least halfits length. As you spread through the centor portion of the pack, outjog another card. Then, as younaturally cometo itin thespread, outjog the selection as you finish spreading through the pack. Next obtain a left fourth finger break above the bottom card ofthepack— three face-down cards are visible ‘outjogged from the deck (Fig.l). As you square the deck, execute ‘Yernon’s lassie Strip-Out Addition toadd the card below the break be neath the outjogged cards as youremove them from the pack. (An excellent description of Vernon's tec) = nique can be found in The Vernon Chronicles, Volume One [Minch, 198 p.79},) After the Strip-Out Addition, you hold four cards in left-hand dee |- ing grip while the audience is only aware of three. The selection lies third from the top of the packet. Place the deck aside. You will display each of the three cards as the selection—for teaching ptr poses, the Three of Clubs. Execute a Block Push-Oif of all but the botion card, amounting to a Triple Lift, and lip the triple card over onto the 12° ‘maining card like turning the page of a book. This displays the first Thre of Clubs. Execute another Block Push-Otf and, as the triple card falls faze down, obiain a Greek break below it, trapping a bit of flesh from the be ie of the left thumb under it as it falls face down (fig.2). Give this break 10 time to stabilize. Immediately press down on the left side of the packet with the left thumb (fig.3). This collapses the Greck break and at the sar ve time allows you fo obtain aleft fourth finger break below the triple card 1s itfells face down. (Alternatively, you might tum the triple card face dov n and immediately execute a Pinky Pull Down or Buckle to attain the bre k above the bottom card. The method offered here is not only easier, bat does not interrupt the clear, consistent rhythm needed in this kind of d 3- play.) Make sure the fourth finger break isa flesh break, no more. A larg t, sloppier break will disturb the displey. Push the top card to the right. be- ing careful not to disturb the other cards above the break. Take the top card with the right hand atthe right Jong side, thumb on top, fingers below. Place the card beneath the packet, flush with the cards above it butinjogged a third of its length (fig.4). 22 Take the two cards above the break as one, at the center of the right long side, with the right hand. Use the leit thumb to mime the Block Push.Off action used previously as you drag the two cars above the break right- ‘ward as one, Flip the double card face up onto the card below it, using the Greek break as before to re-secure your fourth finger break. (One might prefer to execute another Block Push-Ofi at this stage. [ have found the injogged card makes this approach problematic and opted, instead, to mime the push-off in realty dragging the double card with the right hand as described.) Now comes the crucial moment, As you turn the double card face down, you will secretly move the card beneath it out of the way. Drag the face-up double card to the right (fig.5), As the right hand flips it face down into your left hand, your left frst finger pushes the uppermost ofthe two cards itholds inward until both cards in the left hand are square (fig.6, in which the right hand and its double card have been removed this merely shows the let first finger shoving the upper card inward until itis flush with the ower). Do thisonly as the double card falls face down, fluch with the packet; at this moment the move is well covered (figs7 and 8). Spread off the top card, supposedly just displayed, and take it in the right hand, Everything looks as it should—one card remains. The right hand places its card be- neath the packet, injogged a third ofits length behind the first card shown 23(now secretly a double card). The backs of three stepped cards will be seen ‘You can now push over the single card at the front of the packet and flip it over with the right hand to cleanly display a.third and final ‘Three of Clubs (fig.9). It only remains to show that the selection has vanished. There are mat y ‘ways of doing this—this one is highly effective and easy to execute. Aft:r you turn the selection face up for the third time, fip the card face downs n top of the packet. Turn the packet over while squaring the cards and sei it from above with the right hand by the ends. The audience sees an ind f- ferent card for the first time. Peel this card into the left hand with the I it thumb, Then peel the next face-up indifferent card on top of it. Finish | y dropping the remaining double card (selection hidden) on the face. (If yu want, you can use the excitement caused by this display to steal the sel c- tion from the packet and reproduce it es you desire.) This effect eaves a great deal of room for you to make choices. Should t effect end with the display of three indifferent cards, or would it be bel toreproduce the selection from some other location? Should the three car Is be removed from the pack after the selection is made, or before a card is ever taken? A choice like this can define the entire effect. | choose to 1 move the three cards after the selection hasbeen returned to the pack. T! is ‘way itis possible, though unlikely, that by pure chance one of the card T take from the pack might be the selection. When I turn over the first card: display the selection, the audience isn’t sure if | intended it or not. Then. when I display the second card as the selection, the effect really kicks ia. ‘Number one might have been a coincidence, but two and three must ‘magic. like this progression. You may not. 24 ‘Artis about choices. Whether to pull out the cards before the selection is ‘made or after will depend on the pecformer’s character and manner. Which choice you make is nat as important as the choice being made, consciously and specifically. When a performer makes a bedi choice, he learns for sure which choice isn’t the right one, Develop an idea of how you think the performance should go and why—your intenced effect. Then make as many choices as you can, down to the most minute detail ina manner consistent with your theory and its practical implementation. Then change what doesn’t work, You learn to make good choices through the processof elimni- nation. ‘You might think the process of elimination is laborious. You are right. And that’s not all. You might not be good at it Your choices might stinke And ‘worse, you might not ever learn to make better choices. You may not be tuned in to your audiences and their reactions. Indeed, it’s possible you may never improve. And that might well seem as bad as things could get. But guess what? Not by a long shot. That's the good news, Things could be far, far worse than that. [f I have bad theories that don’t work, ard make art composed of bad choice after bad choice—that may indeed make mea bad artist. But lam an artist yet— and only because of, and in spite of, my terrible choices. A more terrible fate would be to play unconscious witness to the innumerable choices in my performance that were never made at all ‘The artist who makos good choices is great. The artist who makes bad choices is still an artist. Buthe who does not know what his choices are, or even that there are choices to be made, or what he feels should dictate thom, or that he hasn't made any—this person is not an artist at all. That's asbad asit gets. Its one thing to hate an artist's choices, but another thing entirely to waich a performer who hasn’t made any. 25The Covered Back-Slin Force ‘The standard Back-Slip Force, as | learned it from The Royal Road to Card Magic (1948, Hugard and Braue), is one of the first sleights acquired by fledgling card handlers. If one has never heard of a card force, any force at all seems wonderful. To theneophyte, the Back-Slip Force holds great prom- ise, It seems easy to do, Unlike the Classic Force, its surefire, Unlike the Riffle Force, the card seems to come from exactly where the spectator chooses. These facts, in addition to the difficulty of other methods, often ‘make the Back Sitp Force a beginner's first choice. As time passes, the stu- dent inevitably improves. His technique inevitably improves. Hiis Back- Slip Force, however, does not. The flaws of the Back-Slip Force become apparent. It scores low marks in the important areas of angles, efficiency, noise, and naturalness. Ao soon es the student begins to study sleight of hand in these terms, invariably, the relationship sours. First, the move flashes from the performer's rightside. If anyone stands on the right, the worker must turn broadly as he performs the technigue. This broad turn must be justified. It’s poor form to break up the selection pro- cess with unnecessary talk and movements. Unfortunately, motivating the Back-Slip Force requires both, Second, it almost always makes noise. This is not to say it can‘t be done quietly but, ase practical matter, just about everyone can do the Back-Slip Force; hardly anyone does it silently. The technique makes noise for the same reasons a Slip-Cut makes noise. The Slip-Cut, however, is an open action. The Back-Slip Force is a secret action, and noisy by design. ‘Third, the actions of the sleight are bizarre and indirect, The performer must start with his hands together holding the pack, then slightly eress the right hand over the left as the upper packet is removed. Without any fur- ther cover the action resembles the dance known as the “Hand Jive.” Con- sequently, exponents of the Back Slip Force almost clways use some sort of contrived covering action. Gary Kurtz published one such cover that is pretty, but affected. The most common covering action, attributed to Tommy ‘Tucker, is to openly display the face card of the upper packet and comment something along the lines of, “Since this card has been seen, take the top card of the lower half.” There are three problems with this ruse. First, it sounds contrived. Second, it duplicates the bungler’s key card glimpse, ‘and third, you could never make it play more than once in front of the same audience. The first time may sound a little contrived, but the second time sounds like a dumb excuse for waving your arms arcund. 26 The following handling of the Back-Slip Force offers a solution to each of the problems discussed. First its silent by design. Second, itis angle-proof. The answer to the third problem, cover, is situational. Larry Jennings once said the point of having s0 many tools is always having the perfect tool for the job. In the proper context, this move is covered perfectly. Handling: This Back-Slip Force is done with the aid of @ cover card. As- ‘sume you want to force the second card from the top of the pack. Begin to spread the pack, Spread the top two cards of the pack one at a time, then roughly square them as you take them in the right thumb crotch. The left thumb continues to spread the cards, and the right fingers take them from beneath. tappeats you hold the cards spread naturally between your hands. Ineffect, you hold « step between the top two cardsand the rest of the pack (fig.1), Cover this action with your introductory remarks, Say, “I will run my thumb down the edge of the pack. Call stop at any time.” During this patter you will execute the get-ready as follows. Square the cards into the left hand enough so that the left thumb can reach over and clamp down on the partially squared pack. Make sure the left thumb maintains the separation between the top two cards and the rest of the pack (ig.2). This position is held only momentarily, as the right hand tums palm down and comes over the deck. Contactthe top card at the ends with the fist oints of the right fingers and thumb. With the left fingertips contact the face of the second card, lightly holding itin place. Do not put any pressure on the second card with theright hand, Move the right hand leftward, squaring the top card with the rest of the pack. Make sure nat to disturb the force card—owing to upward pressure from the left fin- fers, it remains rightjogged a halt- inch (fig.3). As you complete theget ready, prepare to riffle down the peck for a selection by turning the left forearm rightward, bringing the left edge of the pack upward, verticelly, toward the ceiling. ‘The right hand, which still holds the upper portion of the pack from above, now takes a highly specific grip. Fiold the upper cards of the pack at the edges with the outer phalanges of your right thumb at the inner end and first finger at the outer end. The second phalange of your right second finger also contacts the pack at the outer end, including the sidejogged card (fig.4). Other than the right second finger and thumb, no fingers should contact the sidejogged card, or impede its movement in any way. Ifthe right-hand grip is correct, any relaxation in the pressure by the second fin- ger should allow the sidejogged card to fall to the floor. Riffle with your left thumb slowly down the comner of the pack. Make it clear you stop precisely where requested. You will appear to simply re- move the lower packet from the upper (in other words, yourlofthand will move away from your right) and deal the top card to the table. Remember: the leftlong side ofthe pack is upward, While the right hand remains per- fectly still, relax the pressure from the second finger, freeing the force card to fall Simultaneously, the left forearm crops straight down, maintaining, precisely the angle of the left hand, wrist, and cards. As the left hand de- scends, the force card falls onto the lower packet (fig5, your view fig.6, an exposed view from the side for clarity; fig 7, an audience view—note that there is absolutely nothing to be seen from the front). By the time the force card cleats the upper packet the lefthand should be nearing the table. Ro- tate your left forearm counter clockwise and bring the packet parallel to the fable surface. Deal the force card onto the table to conclude (fig). It is crucial that the let fingertips never curl or bend onto the back of the force card as they would in the standard handling. Ifthe force card needsa litle push to begin the journey, the outer joints of the left fingers can lightly nip the lover long side of the care as the left hand begins to drop. Only a nudge should be required before gravity takes over. Consequently, as the hands separate, the left fingers are extended and relaxed, with none of the awkward clutching seen in the standard Back-Slip Force. 0, while the standard Back-Slip Force looks good only from the left, this Covered Back Slip Force is angle-proof. It also has a built in mechanism thatallows forsilent execution. If you've ever seen someone execute a soft, quiet Back-Slip Force, that worker is using gravity, whether he is aware of rot. In these cases the performer has applied gravity to the standard technique—a technique that might allow the use of gravity, but does notreally promote it. This technique was built rom the ground up to accom: modate gravity. It's soft by design. ‘Thecovering action of moving thelefthand directly to the able, then deal- ing off the selection, is natural but highly specific. It must be theatrically motivated. As you separate the halves, focus your attention on your ulti- mate goal, the table—net the cards, and not the hands, Actas though you Simply intend to deal the celection to the table and dropping your left hand straight downs the most direct route, Also, blend the two actions of drop ping the left hand and roteting itso the cards are once again horizontal Obviously, you cannot bring the left-hand packet to a horizontal position before the force card has cleared the right-hand packet—but make sure the two actions blend into one. Whenever you add a new sleight to your repertoire, it must be examined in terms of uniformity—how it meshes with your card handling and gen- eral deportment. For example, perhaps you held the pack parallel with the oor when you rifle for aselection. The mechanics o this force require the cards to be held at a steep angle, nearly perpendicular to the floor. Card magicians riffle down packs with their thumbs all the time, often over and ver again in the same performance. If you adopt this sleight, always re- member to rotate your wrist and bring the pack’s left long side uppermost when you fifle. For the sake of unifermity, you must adopt the action whether the sleight is in play or not. Otherwise your secret action will ap- pear outof place with your general deportment ane may arouse suspicion. In some circumstances this move will serve ell your needs. In others; it's completely inappropriate. For example, this technique is not ideal for the periormer whosits. When seated, vertical space is at a premium—you will likely bruise your lef knuckles attempting the technique. To use this sleight ‘effectively you must be standing (and it’s even batier if the audience is seated). i 30 Four-Card Revelation Thave had a great deal of fan with this revelation sequence, The icieas are standard, but combined in an elegant, aesthetically pleasing fashion. Set-Up: Start with the four Kings on top of the ceckin red, black, red, black ‘order. The third King down (red) lies secretly reversed. We'll discuss a ‘method for an impromptu set-up after the basic description. Handling: Position the face-down deck for an Overhand shuffle. To pro- duce the first King, undercut half the pack with your right hang, injog the first card, then shuffic off, Cleanly cut the injogged card and all those above ito the table, Place the restof the pack on top ofthe tabled cards, returning the set-up to the top. Alternatively, Loften execute Frank Thompson's ex: cellent FT Cut, published in Frank Garcia's Super Subtle Card Miracles (3973). Take the pack in the left hand and turn over the top card of the deck to reveal a red King. ‘Take the red King with the right hand and comment on it. At the same time, naturally allow the left wrist to break to the right, bringing the left Jong side uppermost. At the same time, push the top card of the pack tothe right vrith the lett thumb, just enough to obtain a loft litte finger break below it. The position of the left hand protects you from flashing the face- upred King second from the top (lig.1). The break attained, agoin bring the pack parallel with the floor. Hold the first (red) King with the right hand, face up at the inner end, thumb below and first and second fingers on top. Place it on the pack injogged for haf its length, flush with the sides of the pack (fig.2). Move the right-hand cerd forward until the King goes square with the top of the pack. Then pinch the inner edge ofthe top (face-dawn) card upward against 31ml 4 the first King and drag both back as one, revealing the second red King. When you've exposed half of the second King, pause and allow the effect to sink in, ‘Now push the double card square with the top of the deck, commenting that there are still two more Kings left to uncover. Claim that the magnetic attraction of two Kings can sometimes draw one of their brothers to join them. This moment of patter serves as time misdirection. Snap your fin- gers and spread the top three cards to reveal a face-down card between the two red Kings. As you make this display, slightly push over the fourth card as well. Obtain alefi fourth finger break beneath itas the righthand comes from above and squares all the cards above the break. As you carry the packet avay with your right hand, place the deck aside; it is no longer needed. You supposedly hold three squared cards, the audience unaware of the fourth. “The let thumb pesls the top card into the left palm. Then peel the next on top of it, outjogged and spread to the right. Place the double card remain- ing, held by the right hand, onto the face of the far, spread to the right andl held by the left thumb (ig) Now comes the best part. Inform the audience you are sure the face-down card between the red Kings is one of the black Kings. Take the fan with the right hand, fingers underneath, the right thumb holding the double card in place. Remove the visible face-down card from the fan with your left hand and hold it back toward the spectator: Raise the card to eye level as youask the spectator to guess the suit—Clubor Spade? In either case, when the speciaior answers, turn the card over and reveal it. Under this cover, the right thumb slides the uppermost card of the fan to the right, revealing the final King (ig.4), Resist temptation. Do not make the audience aware of its presence just yet ‘You will present the final revelation in one of two ways, depending on whether or not your spectator guesses the correct suit. Assuming he prop- erly guesses the card you hold in your left hand, smile, and say, “You {guessed it!” as you secretly uncover the final King, Then say, “That leaves only the Club, which should be arriving right about... now.” Timing your ‘words to action, lightly wave the right hand—just enough to draw atten. tion to the starting appearance of the fourth King. Place the King in your left hand face up at the left end of the fan, and remove the fece-down card to reveal the final King. Turn it face up and replace it in the fan to display all four Kings. ‘Half of the time the spectator will name the wrong suit. Feign disappoint- ment and say, “No, You almost gotit. It’s the Spade!” Show him the Spade as you secretly expose the Club in the right hand, Then sey, “The Club shows up last, as a sucprise!” and reveal the appearance of the final card. In either event, audience reaction to this effect is way out of proportion to its simple handling There are countless ways to set-up for this effect. Some might choose to set-up beforehand, and then remove the cards from the case already in position. The following method will be found quite eflective for imprompta \Working: Hofzinser Spread-Cull the Kings, bringing one to the back of the pack and the other thtve to the face. Among the bottom three cards, make sure the odd-colored King is centered. Turn the pack face down as you make some introductory comment, and Half Pass the bottom card of the pack. Now give the pack a few Riffle Shutfles, making sure to keep the top and bottom stock. When you are ready to begin the effect, Double Under- cut the bottom three cards to the top ofthe pack and produce the first King. 33Catching the Switeh ‘The direct inspiration for this sleightis John Mendloza's Throwing the Switch (1982), a variation ofa sleight of Ed Marlo’s which appears in Expert Card Conjuring (Sharpe, 1968). A wonderful utilitarian switch, it has also been explored by John Carney (The Verse Switch, Genii, 1982, Cameycopia, 1991) fend Chris Kenner in his book The Right Stuff (1985). The published tech- niques areal very ditficult, requiring substantial fnger siength, and even more strength to perform softly, gracefully and without tension. Many will consider this handling a solid advance in the switch’s technology, Dai Vernon sometimes discussed what he called a “triangular space” re sponsible for so much unwanted movement in the Clessie Pass. The Pass he offered in Ultimate Card Seerets eliminated this space. In so doing, Vernon greaily refined the Shift. His technique looks as good from the lef as it does from the right. Catching The Switch uses no break, This elimi nates the triangular space and the majority of the secret action. What ac- tion remains is well covered—the switch is angle-proo! “This hanilling offers other advantages in terms of strength. First, rather than finger strength, Catching ‘The Switch relies on gravity. Secon, this type of switch normally uses the fouth finger, but Catching The Switch ‘uses the fist finger, which is far stronger. Soin addition to requiring less Strength, it uses a stronger finger. Thus, the sleight can look very soft, as though nothing happens atall. Handling: Assume four Aces lie face up on top of the pack. You will switch ‘them for four face-down Kings that lay beneath them. As you spreed the four Aces and take them into the right hand, push over the four Kings with ‘your left thumb, slightly spread, and obtain a left fourth finger break be- iow them. As the right hand comes away to display the Aces, square the pack in the left hand, maintaining, the break. ‘The left hand holds the cards in a dealing grip, the left thumb lying along the lef long side of the pack Hold the pack slanting steeply to the right, While all your attention focuses on the Aces in the right hand (fig.1), you will execute a get roady with the left. Push in and up con the cards above the break with 34. the left fourth finges, causing the break to widen a bit, and appear at the outer end of the pack (fig.2).At the same time, with your left first finger, push all the cards below the break inward no more than an inch, (ig.3).Immediately allow the break to collapse, the Kings effectively outjogged on the pack, The left thumb covers this tate of affairs on the left. Do not move it (fig.4) “The right hand carries the Aces over the pack—ostensibly to display them openly before turning them over. As the hands come together, the right thumb spreads the Aces to the right and forward as well fig.5). This not only covers the switch from the front—it will also allow the audience to see the Aces’ indices right side up. ‘The ewitch takes place in the act of flipping the Aces face down onto the pack. Hold the left first finger at the outer end of the pack, the tip touching te face of the ouljogged packet (fg.6). With the left first finger, push ap on 35the outjogged cards, causing them to lever to the right. Owing to the steep angle ofthe packand the close proximity of the right fingers, only a small push is required. The ouljogged cards trip over the left fingertips, which act as a fulcrum, and fall against the backs of the right fingers (fig 7). But even before the outjogged cards have reached the right fingers, remove the right thumb from the Aces and allow them to fall of the right fingertips, between the outjogged packet and the rest ofthe deck (fig.8). Turn the left hand parallel with the floor, al~ owing all eight cards to fall face down and square on the pack (g.9). Immediately spread the top four cards of the pack to the right and toss them, as @ group, to the table. This useful tip on switch de- portment comes from John Carney, who often mentions it when dis- cussing his handling of this switch. Despite the long description, Catch~ ing The Switch only takes.a moment to set up and then another to ex- ecute. Though it will take some solid practice lean confidently rec- ommend its use toany card worker. 36 Ambitious Graduate ‘The slow-motion “Ambitious Card” plot has been pioneered by Geoffrey Latta, who developed a method for causing an outjogged cerd to visibly rise through the pack bit by bit, using a Riffle Pass. Though developed around 1980, Latta’s handling did not appear in print until 1990 in Spec- tacle (Minch), Later, Bill Kalush, Chris Kenner, and Ray Kosby developed interesting variations and additional methods. Kenner has used two di ferent methods for his handling—a genuine S.W.E. Shift ("S.W. Elevator” in Totally Out of Control, Kenner, 1952) and a faux 8.W.E. Shift that’s actu- ally a displacement where only a single card is moved ("Shifty” in The Fass, Ouellet, 1994). Shigeo Futagewaalso developed ahandling of Kenner’s displacement idea, but done while holding the deck in normal dealing position (unlike the sideways position of the deck in the $.W.E. Shiit)— Kenner had also developed this but never published it. Like Kennee’s han- dings, Futagawa’s required the rather broad gesture of raising the pack to the lips for cover to blow on the pack ostensibly as a magical gesture. Ray Kosby’s ingenious and fiendishly difficult “Raise Rise’ accomplishes the effect with one hand (anda well-trained, muscular litte finger). The method given here achieves the effect with less effort then some others. fect: A card placed on the botiom of the pack rises to the top. The magi- ‘cian proposes to perform the effect in slow motion. He places the card on the bottom of the pack. this time outjogged. He gives the pack a gentle shake and the selection rises a third of the way through the pack. Another shake and it moves through the middle ofthe pack. Finally, with the cards held in only one hand, the card visibly floats through the upper third of the pack, landing second from the top. To finish, the card rises through the final card, appearing on the very top of the pack “The Ambitious Graduate” is a hybrid of the Kenner displacement and Geofirey Latta’s idea of using the Cover Pass. This method uses gravity and will require very little finger strength to accomplish. Handling: Assume the selection lies second from the top of the pack. Ex- ecute a Double Turnover to display the selection, then turn it face down. Take the top card with the right hand and place it on the bottom of the pack, Make a magical gesture and turn over the top card, showing the se- lection has risen to the top. Offer to make the process visible. Take the so- lection with the right hand and outjog it one or two cards up from the bottom of the pack. Leave the card outjogged well over half its length. 37The left side of the right third finger contacts the right long side of the card, canting it diagonally from the outer left corner of the pack. As this hap pens, the right hand seizes the pack from above, second phalange of the third finger atthe outer end, the thumb at the inn end (fig. 1is your view, fig.2 is an exposed view from the outer end showing the exact position of the right third finger). None of the other right fingers apply any pressure to the cards at all 2 a Te ‘The right hand turns palm up to display face of the selection. Turn the right hand palm down and place the pack into the left hand. Hold the se lection on its left side in the thamb crotch and on its right sice by the left side of the right third finger, near its outer joint (figs3 and 4 show two views—the exact position is vital). Kenner experimented with similar fin- ger positioning early in his work on the plot. As practice will show, the card will eagerly pivot on these contact points. Make sure it doesn’t. That's the key tothe illusion. The card must remain perfectly still. As you take the pack in the left hand, obtain a left fourth finger break about third of the ‘way up from the bottom, Hold the pack slanted to the right at about a 45 degree angle. Make sure the left thumb lies against the leftlong side of the pack (on the edges of the cards) and not across the top. This thumb placement will provide cru cover for the moves to follow. Your right third finger and thumb hold all the cards above the break steady as you release the break, moving the left 38 fourth finger to the inner end of the pack near the corner (fig). Do not stip the cards with the fourth finger as in a standard straddle grip. In this case the fourth finger acts only as a bracket. The displacement itself is ac. complished by gravity. Extend the left fingers, allowing gravity to carry the cards below the break, down and rightward (lig.6). The moment the falling, packet clears the se. lection, the left fingers reign in, bringing the packet under the selection and flush with the pack (fg,7).As you square the cards, move thelleft thumb Pad tothe centerot the pack’s long side, just inward of where theoutjogged card enters the deck (fig.8). This grip change ostensibly displays the eleva- tion of the card—at the same time shading the re-essemblage of the pack. Pause while the effect registers on the audience. Retake the pack in the right-hand grip, tuen palm up todisplay the face of the selection, then turn palm down in preparation to repeat the sleight. As you place the pack back into the left hand, obtain a fourth finger break about 20 cards farther up. Execute the sleight as already described, bringing the election somewhere ‘ear the twentieth position from the top of the pack.You will now perform the effect visually, as well as one-hancied. As you prepara to execute the sieight a final time, obtain a left fourth finger breale Linder the top card of the pack. Perform thesleightas described until you've reached the point where the entize pack, except the top card, has cleared the selection. Instead of bringing the pack and outiogged card immedi ately square, maintain the Depth Illusion with the left thumb along the left side ofthe pack and allow the top card to square with the ceck any at the rightside and inner end, The left second, third, and fourth fingertips hold the card square with the pack at the right side and pressure between the left thumb base ond fourth finger hold the card square with the pack at the inner end (fg.9 is your view with the right hand omitted). To keep the selection in position, the first joint of the loft first Singer takes over for the right third finger at the card’ right long side. ‘The left thumb erotch and first finger now hold the card flush with the displaced pack, helping to maintain the Depth Iilusion (ig. 10isan exposed View from the outer end with the right hand rendered transparent). All of these actions happen in one move. As you finish them, turn slightly to your left and remove your right hand from the cards (fig.11). The deck is now hold in a position greatly resembling Edward Victor's handling of ‘what is known as the Depth Iusion, here done at the front of the deck (Further Magic of the Hands, 1946) as further developed by Ed Marlo. f the positions are taken precisely, the illusion is excellent, Latta also uses the side Tilt idea to allow a visual penetration in his routine. However, his ‘method uses two hands instead of one. Ben Harris independently devised the concept (as a one-handed effect, “The Floating Ambitious Card”) and ‘was the first to publish itin his book 1 A.M, The Sequel (1985), The Harris Cifect, where the card is protruding from the inner end of the deck, was a favorite of Larry Jennings in his later years. 40 ‘To make the selection rise visibly through the upper third of the pack. gen- fy shale your let wy down and then up. Unde this cover allow the Dept Illusion to collapse by moving the left thumb from the edge of the pack. As the top card falls square with the deck, ay the left thumb across the back ofthe top card (fig.12). The selection is held steady by the left first finger and does not move. The card has visibly risen to ust below the top of the pack. Turn to face the audience. Approach from above with the right hand and push the selection square with the pack. As you push the selection square, obtain a left fourth finger beneath it. Immediately execute a Double Turn cover fo show that the carci has risen to the very top of the pack. ‘This technique further explores the use of the outjogged card as a point of reference. Michael Weber developed a superb handling in the 1970s where he outjogged a chosen card and then performed a LePaul Spread Pass, bringing the ourjogged card (0 the bottom. Harvey Rosenthal and others have explored this idea with regard to a Shift; I printed a handling in The Paper Engine. The idea put simply: A card, outjogged from the pack, un- moving, appeats to make sleight of hand impossible. Its presence effec- tively changes the moment, and puts the sleight above suspicion. Not only mightan outjogged card seem to preclude a Shift, buta Halt Pass—o, asin this handling, a displacement, 41An Interview with Aaron (Conducted by Nathan Kranzo} Nat 1e Paper Engine? ‘Aaron: The Paper Engine is Gordon Bean's ttle. The book is about the design of sleight of hand and some ff the things [ try and think about when I develop good sleight of hand—as opposed to just trying to develop something new. Good sleight of hand helps you do your job 05 a magician. You need to en- gineer it. You need to design it so that it will help rather than hinder you. So that it will work with you rather than agairst you. That’s what the book means to me and I think that’s what the work evoked for Gordon. Lucky for me—it’s a beau- tiful tile Nate: Gravity is definitely a run- ning theme in the book. Is it a Zen thing? Aaron: My publisher Stephen Minch thought the word gravity should be in the title, where it says tension, focus, and design. Gravity is an important concept, but let's make it clear that it’s not a new con- cept. Anyone who performs soft, clogant sleight of hand is using gravity. They might not look at it that way or codify it. For example, ‘most of the time when a person does. really soft piece of work, like a Shift, he or she practices it really hard and really fast: The person 42 does itas hard and fast as he or she can and then, one day, the person just relaxes and the thing sortof happens by itself. Those people are using grav- ity. They just relaxed. Not only are they using gravity, but they are using strength appropriately as well. Nate: Using strength appropriately? ‘Aaron: When people let go and relax after practicing so hard and so fast, they hold far more strength in reserve thaa the sleight actually calls for When that happens, diff cult sleight-of- hand can be performed without tension. The magician looks relaxed. Hie arms and hands lock relaxed. He Jooks disarming. Your hands must be strong enough to execute the sleight ‘without taxing themselves. Otherwise, to the audience, you appear to be, well, taxing yourself Nate: So why the Half Pass? Aaron: Because it's a foundation for so many of the tricks in the book. ‘Alco, it provides a clear example of design—eepecially with regard to the gravity issue. Any soft worker might use gravity, but several examples in ‘The Faper Engine incorporate gravity from the ground up, in their very de- sign. The Half Pass is perhaps the easiest wayto communicate the idea. Nate: Did Roy Walton’s work start things for you? ‘Aaron: Roy Walton's work might have started the whole thing, but not really for me. [didn’t become acquainted with his seminal work until after 1 worked out the technique printed in The Paper Engine. 'd encountered the Half Pass in many places and, moreimportantly, d encountered many variations of it. What actually started it for me was Chris Kenner’s han ling of the “Inversion” plot, which requires you to do the HelfPass under ne eard. He wasn't the first to do the Half Pass that way, but was the first I saw. And that is what ultimately led to me developing the technique. ‘There really wes no serviceable technique for doing the sleight under one card. 1 tried the existing techniques and they really looked awful. Nate:T've heard you use the ferm “magical bastard.” Aaron: Awww «man Nate: Would you explain what that means? Aarons In magic we have a society. We are professionals, amateurs, ot hob- 43byists, in the good senses of those words. And in order to get along there are societal rules we all have to live by. When Twas a kid, I never under- stood the negative connotation of the word “bastard” T thought, “That person doesn’t have a father. That's horrible. Why would people usea de Togatary word to describe someone raised in a terrible unfortunate cit- cumstance?” Wel, ideally, fathers teach you how to behave—how to act [ike a man. Hopefally, the father isa role model and his presence helps you to learn important lessons. Nate: Like people use the term “my father in magic.” ‘Aaron: Right. Your teacher. When you have a teaches, he teaches you how to behave co you can be invited to an honorable home and not, You kriow, wet the rug. A “magical bastard” is a person who didn't havea teaches, or a3 Max Maven once explained it, “the mind of a student.” ‘These days | think the notion of the teacher is an undervalued concept. People think that they can get everything from a video, but so much of what we do comes down to the student-teacher relationship. Your teacher doesn’t only teach you how fo execute moves or hovr toblock them into your tricks, he teaches you how to function in out litle secret society so that you can get long with people honorably and ethically. You can learn these lessons ever without a formal teacher you just have to be mindful. But we get alot of people in magic these days that lear sleight of hand from all kinds of Inecia and they often haven't learned any of the responsibilities that go 44 ‘with their formidable powers. So they don’t know how to behave in soci- ety. They don't know how to get along with people lt leads toa Jt of conflict. Nate: Something that I have always wondered: What was it like to know Jack Bienman? Aaron: Jack Birnman wasa really kind, wonderful man. just felt honored the entire time, and still do, that { was so lucky to study with hiun, Lremem- ber when Greg Gibson, a local guy, called me up and told me that Jack would give me lessons, Jack hadn’teven metme. Fd heard of him of course, but I hadn't the courege to speak to him, So T started to go over to Jack Birnman's house for lessons. It was a great experience. He was a brilliant card man. His work was phenomenal. Nate: Well, I never met him, but I've heard so much ... ‘Aaron: His work was eccentricand non-linear, Like Jerry Andrus but com- pletely different. Of course he accomplished things in an incredibly direct fashion. [t was just not a fashion you ever would have considered, you know? jack and Jerry are similar that way. Jack’s talent was exceeded only by his kindness and gentleness. Nate: What drew you toward card magic? I'm sure you saw magic as a kid, and I'm sure there was time before youcould distinguish a card man from, well, any other kind of magician. So who was the first heavy card man you saw? ‘Aaron: | had magic kits in school. I sold a lot of chocolate in order to {get the magic kit, wich was the big prize. I could never make any of that stuff work; I could never un- derstand any of the instructions. When you're a kid you have a lot of hobbies, and magic would pop up from time to time, and then it would go away. I never really got anywhere. could nevermake any- thing work or happen. If 'd only 45found “Nickels to Dimes” Icould haveat least done a trick for someone. But Talways got some kit, you know, that dicin’texplain the Pacidle Move very well, 0 didn't really get very far. Then, when I was 15, I stumbled onto The Royal Road to Card Magic as many 15-year-olds have before me ... and found it to be just that, A few months later I was visiting my grandparents in Boca Raton, and they asked me ifI wanted to go to their beach club to see the magician because they knew I was interested in magic. Imean, hey, Tknew how to do the Double Lift and, in retrospect, a poor Glide, but after all, Iwas the best Thad ever seen—I had never seen my equal. Because the fellow that taught me the Glide only knew the Glide. Fie didn’teven know itwas called the Glide. Nate: That was the best of his repertoite! Aaron: The heavy stuff! And so I'm sitting there, and I'm thinking “Grandpa's professional! Hat” If you think about it, the only professionel magic entertainers I’d ever seen were birthday clowns. I was the only sleight-of-hand man I‘d ever seen, with the Glide and Double Lift, sol was sure I could match the “professional” at the club. To make a long story short it was Bill Malone. He said, “So, you'rea magician!” And he sat right down with his close up pad .. Nate: He fried you. Aaron: Man, he did what seemed like an hour. In retrospect, it was prob- ably more like 25 minutes Nate: Punk kid ‘Aaron: This was sill two to three years before I met Lee Asher and became a card punk. I didn’t get that far, All I know is I picked a card for the first time, and then the cards started to fall out of his mouth. After that, all I know is that it was real magic. He laid down the hammer of Zeus, Nate, I tell you. It was enough to make a person lock himself into a room forever. ‘Then Bill said, “Td love to see you do something,” And all of a sudden I forgot how to do my Glide—my big move, and I couldn't even muster it. Then I bumped into Jamy lan Swiss a few months later in Al's Magic Shop. [still remember what he did that dey: “ Ambitious Card” and a “One-Coin Routine” with a slow motion vanish and a jumbo coin production. I re- ‘member that was the first time I ever realized I'd been in the presence of the Pass. 'd seen the chapterin Roya! Road, and I skipped the chapter pretty quick. It seemed like an awvful lot of trouble and, after all, there were so ‘many tricks in the chapter on the Glide 46 Nate: So when did you decide to further investigate the Shift? ‘Aaron: It was when I saw Jamy do it. Recause he did the Shift, and I don’t know what made me say it, but Isaid, “Was that a Pass?” and he said, “It might have been.” But it certainly wasn’t what I imagined from the book because, Imean, you can’t transpose the packets like that without anyone knowing. How can you do that? It was a pretty important moment. Nate: So why do you think there are so few teachers today? Aaron: The information age has been rough on the teacher-student rela- tionship in magic. The masters: Vernon, Miller, Marlo, and Frank Thomp- son. All ofthese masters and, with afew notable exceptions, theie students and friends, are either dead, 100 old to hold cards, or professionals and don’t make many appearances in magic. So, most of our role models are professional lecturers—not masters, or even their first generation students. ‘And we have all these books and videos now. All this information. An information age which, for ma- giclans, is sort ofa dark age, where all the knowledge, despite our ob- sessive cataloging, islost. We've got all the books, but without the teach- ers, wedon'thave the decoder ring. We need the teachers to tell us which books to get, what to read and what to ignore. How are we to make sense of itall? How are we to tell which Double Lift is better? Before, it may have taken an apprentice a year to get a good Double Lift. Now, with no qualified teacher, it might take him 10 years practicing inferior techniques to finda good one through hard experience He has oeinvent 1 wheel, ‘Nate: So what would you tell a 15 year old who wants to learn magic? Aaron: Well, would find en expert magician. One who's been doing magic along time. Don’tconsider anyone under the age of 45. There are afew out there floating around and, if you find one, you'll probably have to work pretty hard to win your way into his heart. But if you find one, practice something—practice it really hard, and show it to him. And he might just like the way you do it. Enough so that he'll teach you something. And if you do that enough times, you never know where you'll end up. Its not 47strictly necessary to have a teacher, but it’s a really good way to learn magic. It’s been working for hundreds of years. There will be time to develop your own style and personality. In fact, it takes time no matter what you do. But there is a craft of magic: leam how it works. Find yourself a real card expert: Accept no new fangled substitutes, professional lecturers, ot children (myself inciuded). Quick, while the supply lests Nate: One thing I noticed about The Paper Engine is that you've added a theory section after each item in the book ‘Aaron: [think the tricks in the book are good. But this books really about technique, So each example, or item, is used as a siacting point to discuss an important idea in the design and implementation of sleight of hand. To me, that's the really exciting part of the book. Excellent tools are taught, butin and of themselves, they are not nearly as important as what they can teach us about the craft. I’s the difforence between a fish and a fishing pole. Nate:So, say I'm notinterested in the Half Pass. Why would I want to read The Paper Engine. Aaron: Hopefully. The Poper Engine offers the information you need tojudge technique effectively, based on objective criteria. Say youhave two Double Lifts, and you can’t decide which one to learn. The Paper Engine can help you decide which to learn before you waste half your life practicing a tech nique you will never use. A lot of people will look at this book as e book for ‘ard freaks, [tien’t really. The Paper Engine is a book for card workers who ‘want to perform sleight of hand magic for actual people. based on the cri teria actual people demand. Ii’s not about moves. Its about real technique, for real magicians.