Cards in Magic & Conjuring: page 69

Ambitious Card in reverse.

One of the classic card effects in magic is The Ambitious Card, and many close-up workers use one variation or another of it. I was looking for an in-the-hands card routine that I could introduce into my strolling work, and it suddenly occurred to me that maybe you could do the Ambitious Card in reverse.

Hide and Seek is the routine that I came up with and which I have been using in my commercial work ever since. Here's the plot.

A spectator selects a card, let's say it is the 3C. The minute you see the card you express concern because you explain that this...

There are so many possibilities with a stacked deck, or better yet, "Impossibilities." That's because these decks look regular but what you can do with them quite casually can appear incredible. It's an old stack that's still worth its salt is, "The Si Stebbins Stack." It's sorta the granddaddy of this kind of amazing card magic. And it has a mathematical build to it that allows for a variety of other approaches as to magically finding a selected card and or knowing where or what a card is as to its position. This effect is a refreshing and fun way I found to make a bit more magic happen...

From Ian Baxter, a breathtaking new approach to Al Koran's classic Five Star Prediction. The effect is as straightforward as could be expected: A prediction removed from a wallet and handed to a spectator, matches a freely chosen card from a shuffled deck.

"A significant improvement with a radical new use for the Himber Wallet. Very clever thinking indeed. Perfect!" - David Jones

"Loved It. Very, very clean, Loved the fact that the deck is shuffled at the outset. Cannot fault it." - Charles Gauci

1st edition 2020, PDF 6 pages.

This double lift does not need a 'get ready'.

runtime: 1min 8s

• Winning At Gin Rummy
• Hole Card Wild
• Cards Of Unrest
• Double Denouement
• Mental Reverse
• The Incredible Prediction
• Four-Card Finale
• Thoughts Across Space
• Miracle From Smoke
• Miracle From Smoke (No. 2)
• Impromptu Daub Location
• Cards Do Not Lie

PDF 14 pages.

This is similar to the Hofzinser Force with the difference that we are now forcing the bottom card versus a card close to the top.

runtime: 1min 2s

This is also often called the Hofzinser Cull or Spread Cull, developed by Johann Nepomuk Hofzinser. It is a very versatile move and the grandfather of the Convincing Control.

runtime: 1min 27s

Use a Hofzinser Card Control type action to control a card to the top.

runtime: 54s

This is a very clean force of a card close to the top. Allan also shares a subtlety by Jimmy Grippo to make this force look even more convincing and fair.

runtime: 1min 44s

A modern version of this classic gaffed card. Detailed are the two methods: splitting cards and printing them yourself to achieve this mysterious effect. Included is a self-printed example. This card has a matte finish that is enhanced by the candlelight used to effect the transformation. This is a remarkable illusion that takes no skill and differs greatly from Hofzinser's original construction. As seen in the video, the image seems to melt from one card value to another. Simple in construction.

1st edition 2021, PDF + gimmicked card

Use the Hofzinser cull action to switch a block of cards for another set of cards.

runtime: 2 min

Hofzinser was born at the beginning of the 19th century and lived in Vienna during a time called the 'Biedermeier'. This was a time where people enjoyed art and entertainment in drawing-room presentations and at little receptions in the houses and villas of the rich and famous. Hofzinser thus never performed on a stage but perfected the branch of magic today known as 'Close-up'. One could argue that Hofzinser is the grandfather of close-up magic in particular close-up card magic. And this book is all about card magic. We have to thank Ottokar Fischer for collecting Hofzinser's material about...

Karl Fulves published in Pallbearers Review an unsolved card problem wherein an Ace having the same suit of a previously selected card changes into that selection. The puzzling aspect of this problem was this: The four Aces are shown, mixed, and tabled face down. Nobody knows the order or disposition of the Aces, not even the spectator.

Jon describes eight solutions each with its own trade-offs, strengths and weaknesses.

Jon concludes his manuscript with:

You will learn stacks for 2 - 10 players which allow you to do the following:

Presentation: Bring out the card case and remove the cards. Briefly show the cards and hand the deck to one of the players. Have them cut the deck. And cut again. State that you think he (or she) is lucky and let them deal. He deals and he wins! They have no explanation. He cut the cards and dealt and you did not touch the deck after he cut the cards.

1st edition 2019, 16 pages.

A visual stunner with hole cards.

You will need:

• hole cards that you can make yourself
• Pelli Spread (briefly explained)

length 3min 56s

Following on from the success of Ripped & Repaired, Holes is a manuscript from David Forrest featuring three close up miracles with playing cards, each involving holes!

• On Holemeal - A super visual sandwich! A signed card which was lost into the center of the deck suddenly appears between two blank cards, one of which has a hole in it, as they are waved over the deck. The spectator actually sees their card arrive through the hole! Extremely visual. Easy to do. Resets automatically. Special cards included.
• Hole’d the phone - A card is freely selected from a genuinely shuffled pack and signed across the...

Brother John Hamman's effects are conducive to creating strong, synergistic routines. That is, many of his individual effects, including its discrete parts, can be combined to form powerful presentations. The following nine-phase is a good example.

Holistic Hamman was originally part of an unpublished book titled Real-World Cardstuff: Synergistic Schemes.

Requisites: A regular deck of cards.

1st edition 2000, 2nd edition 2013, 15 pages.

Ever thought that all other Oil & Water routines were a bit boring? Did you think they lacked some visual elements? Here’s Holy Blood Holy Water! A super visual multi-phased Oil & Water routine. Just imagine seeing the card mixed and then separate in front of your eyes.

This is the most visual Oil and Water routine to date, and, best of all, it’s easy to do! Virtually sleight free. There’s no reset and no need for a table, it can be done in THEIR hands, which probably makes this the most workable and commercial Oil & Water to date as well.

This manuscript details Daniel’s version...

A stunning new packet effect by Cameron Francis.

Effect:

A card is selected and lost in the deck, we'll say it's the Six of Diamonds. The magician introduces a packet of four cards. Each card has one hole punched through it. The cards are flipped face up and are seen to be the four Aces. "The Aces are going to tell us the suit and value of the card you selected. First they'll tell us the suit."

The magician gives the packet a twist. He spreads the cards and one of the Aces is now face down. The Ace of Diamonds. "This tells me that the card you picked was a Diamond!" The magician then...

You will learn two versions for the classic Homing Card effect. The first one uses only one palm and is for the beginner and the second version uses two palms.

runtime 6min

Matteo Filippini presents his personal study on the Francis Carlyle Homing Card.

Starting from the splendid Carlyle version, which appeared on the historical Stars Of Magic, through Roberto Giobbi's Homing Card Plus, from the second volume of Card College, Matteo offers his vision on this great card magic effect.

The Homing Card is certainly one of the few effects with playing cards that are well suited to different situations: close-up, parlour, TV, theatre...

The routine has been divided into several phases and analyzed down to the smallest detail. In addition some historical notes and a rich bibliography.

1st edition 2019,...

"I highly recommend this to all of you who are interested in learning a devilishly clever approach to TORN & RESTORED CARD" - Danny Orleans (Genii Magazine)

Hoodwink is not designed to replace, or to in any way compete with, the fine crop of "quarter by quarter" restorations that are making the rounds. Instead,...

A collection of new card routines.

Card to Envelope
In the book Inspirations (published by Martin Breese in 1987) I included an effect called 'Envelope Prediction'. This is a different version which I performed as part of my close-up act at the Blackpool convention in 1979. There is no palming or copping of cards, in fact you could call this near-self-working!

Lie To Me
A card is selected and lost back into the deck. You give the spectator an old coin/medallion which they hold in their hand. This, you say, will send "truth waves" to the deck. You now ask the spectator a series of questions about his card: he...

Horus contains some of Luca Volpe's best kept secrets from his professional repertoire. Mixing a blend of clever thinking and easy to do methods, which creates stunning effects. Each routine is audience tested and contains everything you need to perform the effects, from the script to plenty of bonus tips.

No complicated props to build or expensive items to buy, but just pure mentalism that is suitable for stage and intimate performances. Also included is a special graphic design which allows you to perform one of the effects that Luca Volpe has never revealed... until now!

• THE "HORUS"...