Self-Working or Sleightless in Cards: page 10

Based on a classic principle, the 4 routines explained in this ebook can become reputation makers for you. Right from a rank beginner to an experienced professional, any performer can adapt these routines to his/her stature and pull off these seemingly impossible card mentalism miracles.

There is no sleight of hand and all the routines are totally hands off. The principle is completely self-working and almost impromptu. Only ordinary decks of playing cards are used - no gaffs or gimmicks are needed. The bonus is an esp routine performed with an ordinary esp deck.

No preshow. No stooges....

A wonderful self-working rendition of the classic "Out Of This World" effect. This was the first real card trick I saw - and I was baffled.

A borrowed deck is shuffled. A red and a black card are placed face up on the table. The performer then removes cards, one at a time from the deck. Without the spectator seeing the faces of these cards, he indicates whether he thinks a card is a red or a black. If he thinks it is a red card, the performer places it, face down, on the face up red card. If the spectator thinks it is a black card, the performer places it face down on the face up black card....

The following is a complete card routine created by U.F. Grant a long, long time ago. You will find it mysterious, entertaining and practically unknown by modern generations.

EFFECT: A series of bewildering effects with a deck of cards shuffled by spectators.

1. A deck of cards is shuffled by spectators. A card is chosen and returned to the deck. Performer puts cards in trouser pocket and spells the name of the chosen card. The last card results to be the chosen one.

2. A spectator now chooses another card. The deck is cut. Tell the spectators that you have X-ray eyes and can see...

This is a great little booklet where U.F. Grant teaches three non-sleight replacement methods for

• Pass
• Force
• Palm
• Switch

1st edition 1943, 1st digital edition 2017, 4 pages.

From the preface and introduction:

A "Horse Race" in which you always win under impossible conditions.

The aces represent horses and the performer and three spectators run an exciting race, moving their horses on the “course” as indicated by a fourth spectator dealing the cards. The performer always wins and the effect can be repeated as many times as desired, with the same result every time.

• An ordinary pack of cards
• No sleight of hand
• The spectators shuffle the cards before the race is run
• Spectators freely select their own “horses” the performer taking the one that is left
• No switching – no special cards...

Personally I find any trick using a swastica not a particularly good idea today, because the swastica is loaded with meaning not necessarily appropriate for entertainment. But we should not forget that this manuscript was originally written in the 1940s.

The gem in my opinion is the last effect, "The All Clear Card Transformation."

Here are the effect descriptions as they were originally written by Stewart James.

A lost Michael Skinner mystery, updated by Steve Pellegrino. Included is Michael Skinner's original handling and Steve Pellegrino's additions. Your Last Card is a triple revelation with two different predictions. You can reset it during performance and no sleight-of-hand is required.

You ask a spectator to cut off a small packet of cards, less than half of the deck. You turn away as they do this, so you don't know how much they cut, even an approximate amount. They pocket their cards. You also cut off a small packet of cards for yourself.

Before the presentation with the cards begins, you write a...

This is an incredible topological curiosity with a playing card and a third!

Four odd shaped pieces, cut from Bicycle playing cards, are tabled. You explain that three of the pieces marry together to form the shape of a complete playing card. The extra piece is only supplied in case of emergencies (i.e. if you lose a piece!) The extra 'emergency' piece is shown to be the same shape as one of the other pieces and is then set aside.

Strangely, although you easily solved the 'apparently' simple jig-saw puzzle, no one else can!

Comes with a bonus routine: Bomb$hell Deluxe.

1st edition...

Any Card At Any Number - You table a cased deck, then remove a small, thin note-pad from your shirt pocket and ask one person to name any card. Let's assume he says, "The Queen of Spades." You record this on the pad. You next ask a second person to name any number from 1 to 52. Let's assume this person says, "22". You record this too, then pick up the cased deck. You remove the cards and show that they are all different. You hand the deck to one of them, and ask that he deals down to the 22nd card... it's the Queen of Spades!

If you would like to inject a little comedy, once the card and...

"I really enjoyed all of these routines! Very nice. The White House is especially cool!" - Cameron Francis.

"You have some very nice thinking in these variations." - Peter Duffie.

As one of Martin Breese's customers I recently received a newsletter from him that drew my attention to a routine of Peter Duffie's called IDEAL HOLMES. It's a really great self-working routine, and this is what happens...

A regular deck of cards is shuffled and then cut by someone a couple of times. You take back the cards and spread them between your hands and have one FREELY selected by someone. He places the card directly...

A deck is borrowed from a spectator. The deck is shuffled by the spectator. They select a card and commit it to memory. Nothing is forced, no card is mentioned out loud.

A second spectator is thinking of any number between 1 and 52, the card is replaced and the deck is further mixed. Nothing is forced, no number is mentioned out loud.

Only after both spectators are satisfied with the random state of the deck are the freely chosen card and number named out loud (only if they want! This information can stay unknown to the performer the whole time.)

The performer does not touch the deck,...

This is a cheeky trick to perform when there is a request for "one more". The magician starts by telling a story. The spectator gets involved in the action and turns "matchmaker". This trick is free of any sleights. The spectator invariably cuts to the four queens in an impossible way.

The performer removes the four Kings openly and lays them face down next to each other. The deck is shuffled and a card is dealt face down in front of each King. The performer continues to deal cards into four piles. When the spectator stops him, the performer places the face up King on the pile stopped at...

This is a fun card trick with multiple climaxes. It starts off as a 4-Ace production trick, then it goes wrong as 4 random cards are produced instead of the 4 Aces. Next, these random cards are shown to be predicted on the magician's Facebook page. Not to be outdone, the magician also produces the mates of the 4 random cards. At last, the magician produces the 4 Aces. Of course, the best part is that the deck is face-down almost the entire time and it is handled by the spectator.

1st edition 2020, PDF 8 pages.

This is a woman empowered card trick. The spectator (preferably a woman) randomly selects a group of cards from the middle of the deck and deals them into four face-down piles. The top card of each pile is turned over to reveal the four Kings. Suddenly she finds the matching Queens. Sounds familiar, right? But this routine goes one further. When all the cards under the Queens are spread, they are of matching suits. This trick is free of any sleights.

1st edition 2021, PDF 7 pages.

This is certainly not 'the last word on cards'. There never will be a last word on cards. But it is a delightful collection of self-working card effects. Some of the brightest minds contributed: Ed Marlo, Eddie Joseph, Al Leech, Bill Simon, Eddie Fields, Oscar Weigle, Audley Walsh and of course Rufus Steele himself.

You will find the original "Sam and Moe" card story on which Bill Malone's "Sam the Bellhop" is based. I also found a very interesting magic card square routine that I was not aware of.

For anyone who likes clever card tricks which are based on subtleties, math and other clever ruses, this is a must read.

• Introduction ...

This ebook is a compilation of self-working card tricks with contributions by legends like Paul Rosini, Eddie Joseph, Edward Marlo, Martin Gardner, Ken Krenzel, Al Baker, Carmen Da Mico, H. Adrian Smith, Sid Lorraine, John Scarne, Dai Vernon, Audley Walsh and of course Rufus Steele.

• Contents
• Introduction
• Psychic Spell
• "Let's See What You've Done"
• Mystic Fifteen
• Hiding The Principle
• Double Thought
• Five Nine King
• A Bridge Trick
• Under The Table Coincidence
• Mental Discernment Improved
• The Reluctant Card
• Betting On A Sure Thing
• The Ten Of Diamonds
• Trick Of The Year
• Double Deuce
• A Set Of Surprises
• Rapid Revelation
• Two Souls With But A Single Thought
• The Missing Card
• A Beginner's...

This ebook is a compilation of three booklets Rufus Steele released:

• Card Tricks You Will Do
• Card Tricks You Can Do
• Card Tricks Easy to Do

You will encounter contributions from people like Bert Allerton, Arthur Buckley, Paul Rosini, Ed Marlo, Dai Vernon, Dorny, Harry Blackstone and many more.

• Introduction
• Community Do As I Do
• A "Chic" Trick
• Colors Will Tell
• Mix - Cut And Look
• Location From New Deck
• Your Number - Your Card
• This Is Your Card
• Money...

This is another fantastic compilation of card tricks that require no sleight-of-hand. Rufus Steele writes "The simplicity of a card trick adds much to its mystery!" - I couldn't agree more. In total there are 51 tricks explained.

• CONTENTS
• FOREWORD
• 1 - Riffle Trick
• 2 - Frank Lane's Three Pellet Card Trick
• 3 - Appleton's Fooler
• 4 - Hull's "Joker" Spelling Trick
• 5 - Pearce's Triple Card Mystery
• 6 - The Master Card Location
• 7 - The Lady and Man Card Prediction
• 8 - Simple Addition
• 9 - A Brain Teaser
• 10 - Mephisto's Message
• 11 - Improved Guesser
• 12 - Sequel
• 13 - A Prediction Effect ...

This is a collection of self-working and very easy card effects. Rufus Steele has released several other publications along this line. Check them out.

Excerpt from the foreword:

A card feat that can be done over the radio. The magician shows the audience how to program their deck into a smart deck and proceeds to locate everyone's chosen card over the radio. A great publicity stunt that will get you booked on radio shows.

"Very deceptive, very nice!" - Tom Craven

Card College Lightest is the final volume of Roberto Giobbi's acclaimed 'Light' trilogy. In it are taught 18 thoroughly astonishing tricks of professional quality, complete with performing psychology, presentations, valuable tips and insights, all of which contribute to making these sleightless effects into near miracles.

The tricks Giobbi has selected this time range from time-tested classics to little-known wonders by masters of the craft, including Larry Becker, Henry Christ, Aldo Colombini, Paul Curry, Alex Elmsley, Karl Fulves, Martin Gardner, Stewart James, Howard Adams, Richard Vollmer and more.

Also explained are simple methods for achieving false shuffles,...

The best series on self-working/sleight-less card magic now as a price reduced bundle. It is probably the most useful card series of all time, because it is not only ideal for the beginner to start learning and performing card magic, but also a wonderful series for professionals who want to renew their focus on strong and effective card routines, or for the busy professional who wants to add a couple of strong card effects without having to practice for months.

Live from the European Close-up Magic Symposium 2012. This is a wonderful sleight-less classic card routine that Giobbi has polished to a fine sheen with added psychological subtleties and a logical and meaningful presentation.

A brand new deck of cards, still wrapped in cellophane and sealed, is shuffled by different spectators. 10 cards are selected by a spectator. Roberto then divines each card without touching anything. The last card is revealed with a prediction and a duplicate of the last card is also found in the prediction envelope.

Performance duration: 9 minutes
Explanation...