Effect:
Magician shows 3 cards. Ace of Hearts and 2 Jokers.
The Ace changes into a 2 of Hearts and then a 3 of Hearts. Then it returns to a
2 and finally an Ace of Hearts again.
Preparation:
On the top of the deck have these cards: Ace of Hearts, 2 of Hearts ,3 of Hearts
and 2 Jokers. Hold a pinky break underneath the bottom Joker. Flip over the Ace
of Hearts and lay it face up on the table. Now flip over all cards above the
pinky break and with a little help from your left hand display the 2 Jokers.
Flip all 4 cards back on the deck again and right away take the top card
(2 of Hearts, but an assumed Joker) and slip it under the Ace of Hearts, and the
next card (3 of Hearts) on top of the Ace. You're now ready to perform the
sleight described below, morphing the Ace of Hearts into the 2 and 3 of Hearts.
At this point peel off the cards the normal way, reversing their order, and do a
countdown again until you have the Ace of Hearts facing up again.
And finally the clean-up:
Place the Ace of Hearts on top of the 3 cards and hold them in your right hand.
With your left hand pick up the deck of cards with your pinky slightly on top of
the deck. Add the 3 cards in your right hand and straighten up the deck, holding
the pinky break. Lift up the 3 cards as one and show the Ace of Hearts. Now with
your left hand add the 2 Jokers still on top of the deck next to and in front of
the Ace (so that the 2 and 3 of Hearts stay in the back). Finally lay the packet
face up on top of the deck, letting go of the 2 and 3 of Hearts and throw the
Ace and 2 Jokers on the table.
The sleight:
You have 3 cards, the first and last back up and the second one face up. Hold
the cards in your left hand in biddle grip with your left thumb resting on the
center of the top card. Loosely take the cards with your right index finger and
thumb by the right corners of the narrow sides. With your left thumb peel
off the top card moving it down and as the card goes down held
horizontal by the first digit of your left index-finger let it kick the two
cards still in your right hand sharply to the right,
simultaneously moving your right hand to the left just a little, pivoting it
around the card in your left hand. All of this has to be done very fast so that
it seems like you just peeled off a card the regular way. The result is that the
cards in your right hand have been turned around 180 degrees. Now peel off the
second card and than the third. Each time you repeat this sleight a
different card should be facing up in the middle.
I don't know if this sleight exists already but if it doesn't I'll baptize it the Nagel sleight.
Effect:
Magician shows four Jokers with blue backs. One by one they turn into red-backed
Jokers.
Preparation:
Two blue-backed Jokers, one red backed Joker and a double-backed card with one
red side and one blue side.
Hold the cards in this order: 2 face up blue backed jokers, the double-backed
card red side up, and the red-backed joker face up.
The result should be 1 blue back, a joker, and 2 more blue backs. Take the
bottom card and bring it on top. Perform an Elmsley sleight showing four jokers.
Next turn over the packet and perform an Elmsley sleight showing four blue
backs. Turn over the packet face up and turn over the second joker from top in
place. Then turn the packet back up again. Now first peel of one card and then
perform the sleight described above. The result should be 1 blue back, a joker,
and 2 more blue backs. Take the bottom card and bring it on top. Perform the
same sequence and now the bottom card should be red. Now the double backed card
is on the bottom. Peel of the first 2 cards regularly and at thenext card
perform the sleight described above. The result should now be 1 red back,a blue
back, a Joker and a red back. Stick the bottom red backed Joker underneath the
top card so that you now have: Double backed card, red backed Joker, blue backed
Joker and face up Joker. Now perform another Elmsley sleight showing 3 red backs
and a Joker. Point at the Joker's position as second from the right. Say you
will show the face up Joker has a red back too and while you turn over the
packet pick up the 2 top cards and secretly flip them around so that on the
other side you see a Joker, a red back and 2 more Jokers.
As cool as the Elmsley count is, personally I don't think using it for
flipping the Aces looks very convincing as the bottom card can't stick out more
than a few millimeters or you'll reveal its face. So I designed a different way
that uses a double card so the bottom card can always be folded out completely.
Have a packet of 5 cards:
Ace of Clubs,
Ace of Spades,
Ace of Diamonds,
a reversed Joker (or any other card),
Ace of Hearts.
Spread them out being careful not to reveal the reversed card, and show all 4
Aces. Fold the packet and using the well-known Ace of Spades excuse, saying it
is a rascal and always requires special attention as will be seen later turn
over the top 4 cards and turning over the packet tuck the Ace of Spades back
into its original position.
You should have now:
Ace of clubs
reversed Ace of Hearts,
the Joker
reversed Ace of Diamonds
Ace of Spades
Now start counting the first 2 the cards in a regular way not using the Elmsley
count. Spread out the cards in your left hand an inch or two, as you're able to
now. For count 3 lay the packet of three cards at right edge of the packet in
your left hand, still holding on to it with your right hand and ten peel off the
bottom card and lay it on top as you count 4. The double card is always the
second from the right. This is the only way you will count every time! Do this 2
times first displaying the upturned Ace of diamonds and then the Ace of hearts,
and twisting the packet by way of casting a spell on it before each time. Now
you're ready to go on to the black aces. Stuff the Ace of hearts and the card on
top of it (and the hidden card below it) at the bottom of the packet. Divert the
attention by asking the audience which card they want to see upturned next and
meanwhile
pick up the top card (=the Joker) at the short ends, thumb on one side and
middle finger on the other, flip over the rest of the packet under its cover and
let the joker drop on top again. If the audience chose Spades say "Ok, I'll
try but I told you it's a rascal'. Twist the packet again. Count again as
before, This time the last card is the face-up one and it is the Ace of Clubs.
Take the bottom card and put it on top. This time don't twist the packet and
start counting. The face-up card is still Ace of clubs. Say 'Oops I forgot to
twist' or 'See I told you the Ace of Spades would cause trouble' and count
again. This time the Ace of Spades is turned face up. Turn over the double Ace
of Spades in place, palm off the top card , and the packet can be inspected
immediately.
(original idea by Bruce Ikefugi)
After the second black Ace has turned back up I do this:
The face up red Aces are turned over and placed on top of the packet. Then I
peel off the first two cards and then while
holding on to the remaining packet with the left hand peel off the bottom card
which is a face up black Ace and place it on top. Then place the bottom two
cards ( the red Aces on top) and repeat the previous sequence. The result should
be two face up black Aces on top of the packet. While folding up the packet get
a pinky break above the bottom card, which is red Ace.
Turn over the black aces and move them to the bottom of the packet. Perform a
triple lift showing the first red Ace, meanwhile moving your left pinky to
underneath the present top card, put it back and lay the top card on the table.
Do another triple lift showing the other red Ace, keeping the pinky break. Put
the cards back on the packet and lay the top card on the table again. Now take
the top 2 cards as one and casually stick them underneath the black Aces.