—Bobby Seale THE MIND-MELDING MAGICIAN! or Chicago Seven Leech ♦ Everhart ♦ Malone After a less-than-convincing coincidence effect, the magician offers to repeat the demonstration. This time, a freely named selection turns out to be the only blue card in the red deck. The magician offers to do it a third time, and another card is fairly selected; it turns out, the blue card has changed to match this third selection. For many years IVe started longer sets of card magic with some version of this effect. It serves well for a couple of reasons. One, the deck doesnt need to be examined or shuffled beforehand for the effect to register; its more about people and their choices than it is about the cards. Two, it allows me to involve more than one person (in this case, seven people in total), creating an immediate atmosphere of inclusion and active participation. I The first published version of this effect was, of course, C£Hot Card Trick No. lw by'Al Leech.* This was later popularized by Frank Garcia when he published Frank Everhart’s “Chicago Opener ”卞 However, my introduction to this classic plot was in 1991 when I learned Michael Ammar s ccBluefield Debut.”* Over the years, IVe played with other versions, specifically those by BThit Haydn^ and Michael Vincent.** More recently, IVe built upon a version by my friend, Bill Malone. *Al Leech, ccHot Trick No. Г5 (1950). t Frank Garcia, Million Dollar Card Mysteries (1972). ft Michael Ammar, The Magic of Michael Ammar 149-53. BWhit Haydn, uThe Chicago Surprise,> (2000). P Michael Vincent, The Classic Magic of Michael Vincent (2009). 87
The Doors of Deception The version explained below combines the streamlined mechanical approach found in Malone’s “Mind Reading Magician!”* with the idea of first controlling someones actions and then doing the same with several peoples thoughts, turning this effect into a baffling multi-phase routine. Because much of the structure is quite basic，I’m mostly going to spend time on the presentational touches that elevate the tricks entertainment value. Method & Presentation Place an odd-backed card on the face of the pack and its matching card (the Three of Spades, in our example) on the top. Case the deck, and youre ready to begin. If youre following the big picture, the cards are boxed on the table and the ungafFed set of monte cards are nearby, too. Phase 1: A Pseudo-Interpretation Technically, this is a pseudo-phase—a developmental procedure thats used to establish the premise and insert some humor into the overall routine. Let me show you something different. Have you ever seen The Worlds Fastest Card Trick? Have you ever even heard of The World's Fastest Card Trick? Wow! Well， by a round of applause, who would like to see The World’s Fastest Card Trick? , All right, let’s do it! Set the cased deck forward in the center of your performance area. Bill Malone, Here I Go Again, Vol. 2 (2007). 88
The Mind-Melding Magician! Maue’s Pen What follows is a wonderful bit by one of my very favorite people in all of magic and mentalism, Rick Maue. Its a small but powerful sequence that can be used in many other circumstances. In Ricks words,* heres what the performer does. Before we continue... Pause for a moment and then point to a gentleman in the audience. lam going to ask you a question. Reach into your jacket pocket and remove a pen. Silently walking into the crowd, hand the pen to the gentleman that you pointed to a moment ago. Return to your performing area and say: Let me ask you, do you really believe that a guy could stand up here, and without ever saying a single word, that guy could actually control your thoughts, your decisions， and possibly even your physical actions? I mean, without ever saying a single word? The gentleman holding the pen shakes his head and responds, C£No.w You continue: Then let me ask you another question. That pen that you are holding, did I ever ask you, or tell you, to take it from me? The audience laughs as the gentleman laughingly responds, “No.” You reply: / didn't think so. * Rick Maue, Raw (2008); see also Rick Maue, The Road (2010), pp. 56-7. Ricks text is excerpted (with minor formatting changes) from here until the following footnote. 89
The Doors of Deception Walk back to the gentleman in the crowd and silently extend your hand. The gentleman will place the pen on your palm. Take a couple of steps away, stop, and look at the pen in your hand. Then, silently look back at the gentleman once more, shaking your head—as if to ask, aDid I ask you, or tell you to give me the pen?55 Once again, the gentleman laughs, as does the rest of the audience. By the way, what's your name? Thanks for helping me, Frank. Return to the performing area and continue: You see, that is what I do. In fact, it is what we all do every single day. We all control the thoughts, decisions, and physical actions of others all the time. And we often do it without having to say a single word. However, I just happen to do it in a more elaborate manner. Let me show you what I mean* Addressing someone you havent used yet: And your name? Hi, Gerald. Fd like you to help me. You dont need to leave your seat or anything. Now that you know the name of the game, I dont want you to accuse me of cheating. Do you know how many cards are in that pack? Fifty-two, not including the Jokers. And I want yo,u to think of one of those cards right now. Im already thinking of one. I think you know where this is going. Push the monte cards off to the side of your working area and say: By the way, not one of these. When you re ready, Gerald, name your card out loud. * Many years ago, Rick gave me permission to include this wonderful exchange in HDeterm' Choice,55 but in the context of this series of effects, I felt it fits better here. 90
The Mind-Melding Magician! As soon as he names a card, emphatically declare: Yes, that's the same card I was thinking of! Whew! And that is The World's Fastest Card Trick. Thank you, Gerald. No, it really was the one I was thinking ofi too. You might not believe me, but that's some true psychic woo-woo youve just witnessed. Some of you may think that’s a freebie. Hey〉 Г11 take it! Phase 2： Come Together What if I was to do the same exact trick again? That would be good, huh? And this time you’ll know it isn’t a trick. This time ГИ show you proof. Sound even better then? Great! Let’s get some more of you involved. If I do it again and Fve only used one of you, the rest will think that we’re definitely in cahoots. First, Г11 have someone decide on the color, then another will pick our suit, and, lastly, someone chooses the value. Addressing a new participant, say: And your name? Hi, Hilary. Г11 start with you. We havent set anything up, have tue? No, of course not. I assure everyone here that nothing has been set up ahead of time; nobody has been asked to write anything down or whisper something to anyone else. Everything that you’re about to see is happening right here and right now. Remove the cards from the case and hold them face up in the left hand. With the aid of the right hand, bevel the deck to the right. Under cover of the beveled deck and the right hand, use the left fingers to push the bottom card inward to the right. 91
The Doors of Deception Fifty-two different cards, divided into two colors, red and black. Ribbon spread the deck on the table from left to right, using the bevel and the side-jog to conceal the duplicate under the spread.* If I asked you to name one of those colors， which would you say? And, before you answer, Hilary, I want you to know that this is not a trick question, and there is no ambiguity. Whatever color you choose will be the one we use. Please, red or black? Once she s responded, I like to smile playfully and say: Perfect, and that didn’t hurt at all， did it? Have this participant point to someone in the room she does not know. Your name, please? Hi, Irene. Have this next person decide on a suit that corresponds with the previous choice of color. Once this person has announced the chosen suit, have her point to another person, lets say Jack, whom you then have decide upon a value. Note: the card generated by their random choices can, of course, be one of the cards in our secret stock. This is the reason we ve placed the royal flush in ascending order and have the full house in a known arrangement, too. For now, lets assume the card they ve cobbled together is not among our set-up. Let s assume, for example, they ve generated the Four of Diamonds. In that case, remove the Four of Diamonds from the spread and place it on the face, on top of the odd-backed card. You will want this selection to wind up centered in an upcoming ribbon spread. To do this, first scoop up half of the pack from the far left, stopping somewhere near the center. Next, hold these cards semi-squared in the left hand and, from the bottom, take about a third into the right hand. * Charles Nyquist, Hugard's Magic Monthly (August 1948), p. 453 (describing a production of a card from the so-called Ribbon Spread Hideout); but see Jacob Daley, Jacob Daley) Notebooks, transcribed by Frank Csuri (c. 1938, 1974) entries 26 and 80 (attributing the Ribbon Spread Hideout to Dai Vernon obscurely in entry 26 and obviously in entry 80). 92
The Mind-Melding Magician! Draw attention to the card now showing at the face of this small packet: It could have been the Eight of Spades. Place the right-hand cards onto the selection and, as you set this packet onto the remaining spread, push the spread from right to left, slightly squaring the cards in the center of the table. Take another third of the left-hand packet into the right hand, this time from the top, naming the card visible on the face. Or the Six of Clubs. Place these cards onto the tabled pile. Take the remaining cards with the right hand, place them on top of all, and name the card showing on the face. It even could have been the King of Hearts. 93
The Doors of Deception The card theyVe generated is now centered in the pack with the odd-backed card below it. But no, tonight youve all decided on the Four of Diamonds. Is there any way anyone could have known that? More specificallyy is there any way I could have known? Gather the cards and hold them face down in left-hand dealer s grip. Well, Гт two for two, just so you know. You didn’t believe me before, but I told you Fd have proof this time. With your right hand wave and beckon your audience to lean in. Come close. You dont want to miss this. This is important because you will pull their attention in and then have a strong offbeat to help disguise the dirty work in a moment. Ribbon spread in a wide upside-down U-shape, revealing the odd-backed card in the middle. You re not going to believe ity but earlier I took one card—from a totally different pack~and I put it in here. Can you see mine? Theres one blue card. If we were 4〇ing real magic wed just pull the card from the spread right now and show it, but we can’t; so, again, we’ll “change the moment.”* With the audience now edged forward to see the action, we5ll take it away from them by quickly pushing the spread back together. Ah> maybe we ought to just forget about it... See that Bears game last week? Yeah. Hell of a game. Hell of a game. Bears got a great team this year. They re gonna go all the way. Yeah.^ No? Okay, seriously. How incredible would it be if all of our thoughts did come together? Pick up the cards and begin to spread them face down from left to right until the odd-backed card is showing. Push one more card past the odd-backed * See S.W. Erdnase, The Expert at the Card Table (1902), p. 96. t 6"^ John Hughes, writer/director, Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987). 94
The Mind-Melding Magician! card (in preparation for an upcoming double lift) and square it with those in the left, forming a break underneath it. Move the right hand slightly back and, with the right fingers, take the odd-backed card out-jogged under the righthand spread and offer it to the person to your right. As this person moves to accept the separated blue card, place it side-jogged back onto those cards held in the left, retaining the break. Before I go any further, in the interest of thoroughness, and to close down any chance at an escape route, I’d be remiss if I didn't remind you that it could have been the... Lift your right hand and flash the bottom card. ... Nine of Spades. Turn the right hand back down and place a third of the cards on the bottom of the spread to the table. Or, it could have been the Six of Diamonds ... Lift and flash the new bottom card of the right hands spread, while simultaneously squaring the odd-backed card onto the selection in the left. 95
The Doors of Deception Continue, as before, setting another third or so of your right hands cards onto those just tabled. Push over the squared double in the left hand as you lift your right hand, showing the new bottom card there. Perhaps even the Ten of Diamonds. Place the remaining cards in the right hand onto the other tabled cards. What you want to concentrate on in the above choreography is to shade the aligning of the odd card with the selection under the broader movements of the right hands cards as theyre displayed and then tabled. It should be as if the card was never squared on the left. In other words, they see it side-jogged, and then their attention is drawn to the actions of the right hand. By the time theyve returned their attention to the odd card, it is still side-jogged. Basically we want it to appear as if it hasnt moved. But for some reason weve come to this one, right here. Gesture with the now free right hand to the side-jogged (double) card held on top of the left packet. Turn over the double, letting it land square with those cards in the left to reveal: The Four of Diamonds! Lift the entire pack aloft to display the card to the room and say: / couldnt have done it without you, and you, and you. As you say the above, signify each of the helpers. Let’s hear it for Hilary, Irene, and Jack. Give yourselves a big round of applause. 96
The Mind-Melding Magician! Phase 3： Ouha Left Field Incredible! Honestly， I didn’t even know if that was going to work. There are some tough minds in this crowd. So> how about we try it again， for a third time? Now that you know exactly whats going on ... Turn the double down. Deal the odd card to the outer right of the performing area. Place all the cards in the left hand onto those tabled. Pick up the entire pack in overhand shuffle position and address the person farthest away. Can you see from all the way back there? Goody we all do our best. Hi， thanks for being here. Гт going to use you this time. You don’t need to come forward, though; just stay comfortable where you are. As youre saying the lines above, casually overhand shuffle, running only a single card to the bottom and square up. Then, run another single card and square. This will put the upcoming force card (which matches our odd, tabled selection) into position at the bottom. Tabled Hindu Force With the deck tabled in riffle-shuffle position, you will now force the bottom card with a Hindu-type shuffle. This is usually done in the hands; here, however, you 11 strip the cards with more of a regulation gambling feel. First, youll set it up by priming the audience to whats about to take place. Im going to mix cards like this... With the right fingers at the front and thumb at the back, lift the upper half of the deck (at the very least above the bottom thirteen cards, which is our stack) and begin a series of running cuts, using the left fingers to move a few cards off the top onto the bottom half. After moving a few cards, lift the right hand to show a random card at the face of its packet. 97
The Doors of Deception Bring the right-hand pack back parallel to the table and continue the action of pulling a few cards off the top in a stripping action; however, on the first take, remove a few cards from the bottom; then continue by stripping from the top, as before. (This small action should not be registered.) ... until you stay stop. Again, turn those cards in the right hand toward the audience, now showing a different card on the face. Finish by stripping off, with running cuts, all the cards that remain in the right hand. Now, you 11 force the bottom card using the same stripping actions. Please say stop anytime. Turn your head. I won’t peek. Do not rush. You will want to move cards sparingly off the top here if you re following the entire act. Remember, our stack is a substantial portion of the bottom half. Top or Bottom? When he says 'stop,55 finish running the cards and, before you lift the righthand packet to show the bottom (force) card, say: I’ll give you one more decision that can change everything; say top or bottom ... Regardless of his answer, you will lift and show the bottom card of those held in the right hand, relying on the ambiguity of the request to justify your interpretation of the action. A."Top" Remember this one, right here then. 98
The Mind-Melding Magician! And to clean your tracks, show the top card of the tabled portion next, and add: It just as well could have been this one on the bottom, but you wanted the one on top. Can you remember this card? Thank you. Place the right-hand cards onto those tabled. B,Bottom" Here then. Please remember this one on the bottom ... Turn over the top card of those tabled and briefly display it as you say: It just as well could have been this one on the top, but you wanted the one on the bottom. I’ll square everything up before I turn around. Point to another spectator and say: You liked that blue thing, huh? Yeah, me too. Let's try it again. Watch. Give the deck a very wide spread across the table. First show surprise that there is no blue card; then begin to push the cards apart, as if cards may be stuck together and the blue card is hiding from you. One thing I ve found out from performing this numerous times is that if you were to ask the participant to name his selection now, there would be a very high probability that the response will be something snarky, along the lines of, aYou tell me, magic man.” Instead, say: Ah, I remember. Gather the spread and look up at your audience. There’s something I almost forgot. 99
The Doors of Deception Snap your fingers over the pack. Yes, that's it. Nod and smile. Do another very wide ribbon spread as before. One. . . blue. . . card. Begin to search for the selection again. Then, without looking up, say： Please, what was the card you chose? By doing it this way, IVe never had someone not name it. Look up and restate: One... blue... card. As your attention moves to the previously tabled odd-backed card, say: No, it couldnt be. I dont want to touch it. Ask a spectator nearby: Please, can you turn it over and show it to the room? Afterthoughts In phase 1, if the participant happens to name the Queen of Hearts, you know its second from the top, which means you can reach under and pull it out without revealing the duplicate card on top (which, you will remember, has been side-jogged under the spread in the so-called Nyquist hideout). If they choose <cblackw and then <£Spades,w you could potentially face a slight predicament: you want to steer the audience away from the one-way card on the bottom of the deck (the Three of Spades). In this case, be ready to buffer the final decision with: • 100
The Mind-Melding Magician! We have black, we have Spadesy and, finally, well need a value. You know they start with Ace, then Two, Three, all the way up to King; but dont let me influence you with those; please choose one of your own. This will easily move them toward something that will be more fun. Also, you should note that it doesnt matter if the participant names one of the cards in the stack. Because the stack is in a known order, you can easily restore the sequence later. At this stage, however, we wont worry about getting the stack back in sequence or under control yet. Instead, we will play into what many in the audience will often have on their minds after witnessing this effect: these must be trick cards. I know what you re thinking. There must be something funny about these cards, right? Well， there’s not. Go ahead~you re a gambling man. Let the rest of them know there is nothing wrong with them. Check them out front and back. They are just the way they come from the store. Hand the deck to the gentleman. While hes checking those out~~-just set them here when you re done~~I’d like to show the rest of you the very first trick I ever learned.... This will allow you to segue into the next effect; and because you are starting something new, the guy who’s “examining” the cards will likely just give the pack a cursory glance, without shuffling them (which, youve never asked him to do, though you will later). And even if he does shuffle them, you 11 only lose one effect here, which no one knows youve planned to do, anyway. Regardless, your transitions from one routine to the next will be seamless, as you will see. • Specifically, after you’ve performed “The Phantom Returns,” next you will transition into “Fair Game." Its in this forthcoming transitional moment that you will restore an out-of-sequence card from the secret stock. 101
The Doors of Deception This routine finishes with a transformation as opposed to a transposition, which is the way Malone handles it. I find its easier for my audiences to register a single change at the end rather than two. This also goes for effects such as “Dunbury Delusion,” “The Fingerprint Trick,” and more. Maybe one day ГИ change my mind, but I have yet to encounter a circumstance to make me think otherwise. Furthermore， I generally tend to avoid so-called “visual” changes. Effects like this one become far more haunting, I believe, if you leave transformations in the periphery. If something changes right before your eyes, theres not much more to interpret later; if, however, you look at something, which never quite leaves your sight, and later you find its completely transmogrified, this leaves you with a lot to contemplate. I find this creates less of a 'gotcha!55 and more of a “whoa!” 102
Now, something peculiar is going on here. -Terence Mckenna THE PHANTOM RETURNS or Ripping the Fabric of Space-Time Unknown ♦ Kopf The magician pierces a safety pin through the center of a handkerchief, which has been folded into quarters. After locking the pin and having the bundle examined, he appears to rip the pin through the multiple layers of fabric. He hands the closed pin to someone and begins to massage the cloth where it surely must be torn. When his healing hand finally moves away, the handkerchief is found to be completely unharmed. He unfolds the handkerchief once and fastens the pin to one end near fhe edge. The wonderworker grabs the pin and gracefully slides it down to the other end, visually melting solid through solid. Finally, to allay any remaining skepticism, he completely unfolds the handkerchief. The safety pin is shown certainly attached to the material. Once more, however, the wizard pulls the pin through his handkerchief, leaving it inexplicably without scathe.* In the third volume of Tarbells seminal course there is one of the most stunning, offbeat effects in all of magie， “The Phantom Safety Pin.The magician fastens a standard safety pin to a handkerchief and then causes it to melt mysteriously and visually through the fabric from one point to another. The unattributed effect is bold and beautiful, but it fails to meet an old aesthetic concept. In his Poetics Aristotle states that a 'whole is what has a beginning and middle and end.”本 So many effects these days fall short of this • • The phrase “without scathe” comes from die great dramatist Samuel Beckett. In an anecdote related to me by John Lovick, Beckett wrote in a postcard to his friend, actor/director Alan Mandell, $CI have recovered from my illness, if not without scathe/* t Harlan Tarbell, The Tarbell Course in Magic, Vol. 3. (1927), Lesson 36, pp. 79-81. I The three-act structure is comprised of the protasis, epitasis, and catastrophe, that is the setup, confrontation, and resolution. 103
The Doors of Deception simple criterion. Many of the one-ofF effects featured on YouTube and other media are, at best, incomplete pieces, making one wonder whose attention span is shorter, the performers or the viewers? These “quickies” can only be considered among the branch of magic that’s interested in surprise. And I feel theres something amiss with this approach because it will never be as strong as the style that plays with the audiences anticipation. Sure, surprise can be powerful (especially in the beginning of a performance), but it cannot beat those moments when the lucky beholders can call on their own hopes, dreams, and expectations. Many years ago my best friend and Dallas magicman extraordinaire, Jared Kopf, shared an interesting variation of c<The Phantom Safety Pin.， > In his version the pin didnt melt from one spot in the cloth to another; instead, the pin actually melted all the way through several layers of the folded handkerchief. I was completely fooled. He explained how it worked, and I was floored again. Td been familiar with this method since I was a kid, but he had used it in a way that looked completely different. Even though the Tarbell trick was amazing, I had stayed away from it for the reasons IVe mentioned; but now I had the final piece of the puzzle. The routine explained below relies on the same basic method* for each of its three phases. However, the choreography disguises the modus operandi perfectly. By progressively unfolding the cloth, you not only make the effect presentationally clearer each time, you also achieve the Aristotelian aesthetic I advocate. Almost every effect I choose to do features the same thing happening multiple times (with slight variances for misdirection, of course). The Chop Cup，“Matrix,” The Egg Bag，“MacDonald’s Aces， ” Multiple Selection ... In each of these compositions something magical happens, which may be a surprise the first time, but then it happens again, and again, and sometimes, yet again. Each time, the procedure looks exactly the same as the previous phase, and each time, the audience is left with less and less to hang on to. Magic that can unfold in this style is the best way to deal with those in the audience who are using their most critical faculties. The use of multiple phases (particularly those that mirror each other) causes the attentive observer to halt his or her attempts at method deconstruction. Furthermore, the pattern lulls * Its interesting to ponder how this effect originated. Did someone, long forgotten to histor)1 , engineer the pin with this ability, or did another person (perhaps a tailor or seamstress) scumble upon a property of the safety pin that is merely an accidental byproduct of its design? The world may never know. 104
The Phantom Returns the audience into a state where they are unable to leap to their next assumption. If we apply these notions to uThe Phantom Safely Pin,w we have a threephase routine that is angle-proof, utilizes examinable props, and doesnt require a table. It s no wonder that this has become one of my favorite pocket effects. If vou put in the time to acquire the knack, Гш sure it will be one of your fevorites, too. Method & Presentation You will require one 3-inch safety pin. This is a larger pin than the size called for in the Tarbell write-up, which suggests wa fairly large safety pin, say nvo inches in length/5* These pins have become harder to acquire over the years, but finding the right one will be paramount to the success of this routine. Some of the newer 3-inch pins available in fabric and hobby stores these days do not have the familiar clasp that we are accustomed to. These newer pins are basically one piece of metal bent in the shape of a safety pin, and they just dont have the same level of deception as the old, standard ones. Experimentation has shown that some of them will work, but if youre going to perform the routine, why go half way? Always find the right prop; youll thank yourself later. Notice how the clasps on each of these three pins (although slightly different) retain approximately the same organic shape, with rounded inner edges. This is the kind of safety pin you re looking for. 'Harlan Tarbell, Ље Tarbell Course in Magic, Vol. 3. (1927), Lesson 36, p.79. 105
The Doors of Deception A pin with even slightly more angular innards will not work. You will also require a mens cotton handkerchief that measures approximately \51Л square inches. I use the least expensive white handkerchiefs I can find because they will not last through many performances. I tend to replace the handkerchief every few shows. I also pierce the safety pin just inside the hem of one corner to minimize any extra holes and to keep the props together in my pocket, as well. The routine begins with the cloth folded into quarters. You will unfold it once in each phase, ending with it completely spread out for the finale. Phase 1 ： The Fabric of Space-Time Would you like to see the first trick I ev&r learned^ Its something my grandma taught me when I still pretty much a baby* Hi, Im Paul. What's your name? Hi, Karen. Please, be careful... Open the safety pin. Cf. Tommy Wonder, t£Through the Eye of the Needle,5, Visions of Wonder, Vol.l (2003)- 106
The Phantom Returns It's sharp, but check it out. Hand it to her for examination. It's an old diaper pin. Fve had it since I was pretty young. This, of course, is not a diaper... Display the quarter-folded handkerchief. ...It's a gentlemans handkerchief. You can feel it, too. Have you ever heard the phrase “the fabric of time and space”? It’s something you’d hear a scientist, like Stephen Hawking， Carl Sagan, or Neil deGrasse Tyson say. When my grandma showed this to me she didnt bring these guys up, but, over time... Well, Im not saying I exactly understand what they are even talking about (actually, it sounds like pretty far-out stuff to me), but either way, I think you’ll find it’s a pretty accurate metaphor. While the participant is holding the safety pin, take back the handkerchief so that it is spread on the flattened left hand in a diamond orientation. Throughout this phase youll want the single edge of the cloth facing the spectators, and the four pointed corners toward the floor. This leaves the center of the handkerchief uppermost, between the thumb and fingers. This orientation' is the cleanest, so to speak, and will aid in the handling in a moment, too. 107
The Doors of Deception With the cloth so oriented and held vertically, fold the top half away from you along the horizontal diagonal. Holding the handkerchief securely in the left hand, retake the safety pin and pierce its needle about a quarter of an inch from the top edge. Hand the entire bundle to your participant. Can you close the pin there for me, Karen? Thank you. And now you know... Point to the point of penetration. ... that’s real. Take the cloth back and openly show the res.t of the audience that the pin is definitely affixed -to the material. Here is where having the center of the cloth oriented upward will ease the handling. By taking the corner that s folded back in your left hand and the four free corners in your right, youll easily be able to separate the hands and open the handkerchief back into its diamond shape. Flatten the folded handkerchief on the palm of your left hand as before. Next, display everything fairly by taking the right corner with your right 108
The Phantom Returns So what would it be like if you could rip a hole in the fabric of time and space? 109 fingers, turning the entire handkerchief over, right to left, showing the other side, and then over again, left to right, candidly showing both sides. As an afterthought, show the front and the back by flopping it over from your left hand to the right hand. If youd like, also allow someone to feel the portion of the safety pin that runs out and in through the back. Then, flip it back to the left hand, freely showing theres nothing to hide. At this point, you can also have someone pull on the pin to verify that it is completely secure. Replace the cloth on the flat left hand and tilt the hand up, so that the four loose corners are at the bottom, the center of the material is at the top, and the head of the safety pin is facing upward. With your right hand, take the pin at its center, pull on it, and ask: Move the right hand down slightly and grip the spring end of the pin.
The Doors of Deception Do you think something like that is even possible? And) if so, what kind of evidence would that leave behind? While pulling on the pin, say: It’s definitely stuck in there. Next, in preparation for the upcoming removal, rotate the safety pin toward yourself. Please hold out your hand. You re not going to believe this. Dont blink. With the safety pin now spun toward yourself, and the cloth held securely by your left thurfib and palm, roll the pin over one more time toward yourself (looking down from above, the cloth should create a C£Z5> formation) so that a layer of material is now covering the pin (the left fingers curling inward also facilitate this), and begin to pull the cloth up and away from the stationary pin. Because of the pressure of the cloth being doubled over against the spring side of the pin (and, counterintuitively, because of the very design of the 110
The Phantom Returns dasp!), the cloth will ride into the clasps channel and slide free from the pin, even though the pin never opens. Indeed, when the technique is done correctly, there should be little force needed to disengage the pin from the fabric. If you are pulling and nothing is happening, then the method is not being applied properly. As Tarbell writes: aThere is a certain knack in performing the illusion as, if not done correctly, the doth can be torn.” As soon as the pin is pulled free, instantly place it onto the participants outstretched hand; do not, however, look away from the cloth. As a general rule, its usually beneficial to apply the aphorism, ££Make the important seem unimportant and the unimportant appear important/5 Keep all focus on the fabric, bringing both hands together to massage the cloth between the hands. Squint your eyes, putting all attention to where the material should be ripped (but, of course, isnt). Slowly start to open your eyes in amazement (although no one else can see what you re looking at, they can see your reaction) and let a smile creep across your face. Take whatever time you imagine it would take for the cloth to magically restore itself, and then begin to open the hands to expose the unharmed surface. With the handkerchief still in its diamond formation, sweep your hand across it, as if brushing away any remaining imperfections in the material. Display both sides to show that there is miraculously no damage whatsoever, and then hold the cloth out and high, signaling an applause cue. Phase 2： You Decide Open the handkerchief so that its now folded just in half and hold it in your left hand with the crease uppermost. Perhaps we can take this a step further, Karen. 111
The Doors of Deception With the right hand, pierce the pin through the cloth about a quarter inch from the top crease and a few inches to the right of your left hand. And you can see, that IS real. Close the pin slowly and clearly. Pick up the opposite end of the handkerchief and hold it out toward the participant, who should be on your left. Hold onto this corner for me with your right hand. You dont have to pull on it; just make sure you re holding it securely. Bring your right hand up and pinch your fingers firmly together to illustrate what you mean. Tightly, like this. Pull slightly from your end to test that she has it held firmly, and then keep the cloth taut between both of you.* * I should point out here that this situation is slightly, but crucially, different from the one Tarbell describes. While relying on the same basic mechanics, Tarbell places the pin on the spectators end of the cloth and then magically slides it toward himself. This will work as long as the participant doesn't freak out and drop her end of the handkerchief mid-slide, which can happen in an effect as visually arresting as this one. With the pin placement and handling I recommend, you slide the pin away from yourself; therefore, youre never at the merc^ of the helpers grip. 112
The Phantom Returns Good. And now, with your free hand, point to a spot. Like here, or here, or, if you really want to challenge me, Karen, it can be all the way down here. Suiting actions to words, point to a place along the top, folded edge near the center. Next, point to a spot a bit closer to your helper. And finally, point to a place along the top edge near the participant s end of the handkerchief. You see, this is where you get to decide where reality ends and fantasy begins* Once shes decided, give her one more chance to change her mind. Right here? Youre sure, Karen? Okay, then! Hold on tightly. Dont let go. Once the spot has been designated, you will openly ^rip^ the pin to the spot just requested, utilizing a technique similar to the one described by Tarbell in “The Phantom Safety Pin.”T I will, however, stress a few additional details. Honestly, it seems impossible even when explained; but trust me, this boat does float. Try to keep in mind that the following actions happen in the span of just a few fleeting seconds. Carefully hold the pin at the spring end between the right thumb and index finger; the pin starts at a 90-degree angle to the cloths fold and parallel to the * A wonderful phrase courtesy of JeflF Corn. t Perhaps the sparse description in Tarbell can account for the modern unfamiliarity with this trick; I am also positive that almost everyone ripped whatever fabric they were using on their first attempt, which couldnt have helped the trick catch on, either. 113
The Doors of Deception floor. Stroke the pin back and forth a few times like a violinist moving a bow across the strings, emphasizing that it is truly piercing the material. After a few 'strokes of the bow,55 push the pin forward one final time until the backs of the index and middle fingers, center phalanges come into contact with the cloth; they will remain in contact throughout the upcoming movement. The actions described in this paragraph all happen almost simultaneously. With the right hand, which is gripping the spring end of the pin, begin to slide the pin toward your helpers side of the cloth. The pierced point of the material will automatically act as a fulcrum, causing the pin to pivot and become almost parallel to the cloth. As the full-length of the pin comes against the handkerchief, let the right hand rotate slightly and naturally at the wrist, as if turning a key in a lock, causing the staff side of the pin to turn down (counter-clockwise), bringing the entire pin parallel to the floor. The alignment of the pin with the cloth and this small rotation are enough to allow the fabric to glide through the inside of the clasp and along the needle.'*' * The side of the pin that s not penetrating the cloth, i.e., the length of the pin opposite the needle. t Tarbell makes the point that pushing the pin forward against the cloth causes the point of the needle in the clasp to move back very slightly (i.e.， the thickness of the fabric) but not enough【〇 unhook it. 114
The Phantom Returns The arms larger motion of sliding the safety pin will cover the smaller motion of changing the pins angle here. When the pin has reached the spectator s designated stopping point, rotate the wrist slightly and naturally (turning the pin clockwise); this will, like the turning of a key, bring the staff uppermost again. In a continuing action, with a slight forward ujab,， > push the point back through the cloth, returning the pin to the same 90-degree angle (with respect to the cloth) it was at a moment ago. People are never aware that the pins angle changes from perpendicular to parallel and back again—the pin just appears to have melted through the cloth. What you want to achieve here are the same positions your hand and the safety pin started in before you magically melted it through the fabric. 115
The Doors of Deception The movement of the pin along the cloth is so open that it will come as a complete shock, and the audiences own surprise delivers all the misdirection you need. Once again, ccthe big action covers the little action/5 As soon as the pin has moved to the designated spot, take your right hand and grab a handful of the fabric just to the left of the pin. Then, do the same with your left hand next to the right. Stroke the fabric, moving your hands away little by little from the safety pin (along the path it just traveled), as if healing any imperfections that may remain. Finally, when you reach the end you were holding, let go of the cloth, allowing the participant to examine everything. Phase 3： Lies are Made from Whole Cloth It’s ur^believable， isn’t it? They say lies are made from whole cloth. Let's open this up so we can see the whole picture. Unfold the cloth completely and continue to show the safety pin is securely fastened to the handkerchief. You can perform this phase on the table; if no table is available, you can perform the actions on your left thigh, just above the knee. If you decide to d° 116
The Phantom Returns the latter, be sure to raise the knee upward by pushing up with your left toes to keep everything clearly displayed. This phase will employ the same method used in phase 1. Begin, as before, by holding the pin by its spring end and rotating it away from you. It really is still in there! At least it appears it is. Look, is there any way it can come out the top? No. While displaying the safety pin, surreptitiously begin to roll the pin toward you. Is there any way it can come out the bottom? No, of course not. Roll the pin back toward you until you ve gained the necessary overlay of cloth and pressure against the pointed prong to facilitate the extraction. (The photograph below shows an exposed view, without the cover of the left hand.) 117
The Doors of Deception Start to pull the safety pin out to the right to disengage it, keeping the left hand in position to cover the work being done there. Once the pin is extracted, immediately draw attention to the sound that is produced by the withdrawal because, if done properly, it will sound almost exactly as if the fabric is being torn. That didn't sound good, did it? With the safety pin removed, hold it aloft in the right hand, and simultaneously squeeze the left: hand to gather the handkerchief in your fist. Once the fabric is bunched in your fist, bring the left hand up to display it, too. For a moment, massage the material as if healing the tear that they all just saw and heard you make. As the left hand continues to make its healing actions, set the pin down. Slowly open the cloth with both hands and act as if youre looking for anything wrong. Then, spread the cloth between your hands, holding it at the upper corners and letting it drape down. Finally, lift it up high, triumphantly displaying both sides so that everyone can see that it is 4 without scathe.， > Set the handkerchief down and allow everything to be examined. 118
The Phantom Returns Afterthoughts Although it’s something I’d never do, I cant help but imagine a gospel magician doing this trick and referencing the white pocket square as a symbol of purity. Then, in the solemn tones only a clergyman can muster, I can hear him introducing the aevirJ safety pin that will penetrate the immaculate cloth. Only by the grace of higher powers is it shown to be healed! Praise be and hallelujah! Also， if you like “The Phantom Returns， ” I suggest you look up Michael Webers fun idea that also incorporates this principle in uDown with Safety/5* *Michael Weber, Life Savers (1991)，pp. 47-48. 119
Three is a magic number. -Schoolhouse Rock COPPER/BRASS/SILVER Guitar ♦ Wagner ♦ London magician displays three coins: a silver American half dollar, a copper British penny, and a brass Chinese token with a hole in its center. He holds the silver coin in his right hand and the other two in his left. With a magical gesture, he causes the coins to transpose asymmetrically, two for one. To simplify matters, the mystery man gives the copper and brass coins to a participant, freeing himself to hide the silver coin in one of his fists for a quick game of "Guess Which Hand Holds the Silver Coin, The participant chooses, only to find her guess to have been frivolous: somehow she is holding the silver coin, and the magician now has the brass and copper coins, one in each hand. Then, before the participant has time to analyze these magical events, the magician causes the three coins to vanish. The following three-phase coin routine utilizes a familiar, but revolutionary gaffed coin invented by Pressley Guitar. Originally dubbed KCopper, Brass, Silver”* (and， according to Guitar’s patent, “Coin Magic Device”卞)， the gaff is a refinement of Connie Hadens shell and insert from w2 Copper/1 Silver.” Guitars ingenious gafF has been ripped off enough times to have become a “standard” coin prop, and it has since become known as “Copper，Silver， Brass,” and “CSB.” As with “Determined Choice” and “Free Will of Order,” each of which was offered as a substitute for the other, I offer the handling of this neoclassic as an alternative to uThe Phantom Returns.55 You could, of course, ring it in at anytime during the performance; however, because both routines feel like classical legerdemain and deliver similar magical beats, I think its clear that t Specifically because Mr. Guitar likes that the initials CBS coincidentally match those of the ipolumbia Broadcasting System (Jared Kopf, personal communication). »United States Patent 3,822,879, filed December 1, 1972. 121
The Doors of Deception “Copper/Brass/Silver” and “The Phantom Returns” fit the same thematic place in the overall set. I should also point out that, apart from a few unquestionable classics,* I perform very few tricks with coins. I find most coin effects to be futile displays that make people ask nothing more profound than wWheres it hiding?M The handwashes and pseudo-natural arthritic finger positions have led me far away from feeling any sense of magie, and I suspect that many audiences一however much they might appreciate or respect the manipulators skill—feel nothing deep, let alone magical, when they witness coins jump around, change color, or (oh, Christ!) grow in size. Most coin tricks convey nothing beyond the magicians cleverness; they point directly at the performers dexterity and, therefore, can be dismissed as something achieved by mere prestidigitation, which is what we sleight-of-hand artists should be trying to conceal. Beyond this, most modern coin magic seems to demand a performance speed that’s far too fast for my taste. Therefore, what I hope you find below is a piece of <£coin magie5 (as opposed to “coin manipulation”)， whose phases are succinct， properly paced, and easy to follow. Most of all, I hope you find that your audiences will not experience it as a display of skill, but rather as a mystery that defies rational comprehension. Having had the same WCBS,5 set for over twenty-five years, Ive come back to it many times to see if I could find a way of selling the obviously powerfiil method as a piece of real magic. What specifically renewed my interest was seeing an old friend, Nathan Kranzo (whom I dont see nearly enough these days), handle the ending by vanishing the coins. Other/friends have also approached the finale in this wa/， most notably Las Vegas card expert Allan Ackerman.t With these and other great thinkers as my inspirations, IVe aimed to push the basic method to the limits of its beautiful simplicity and end the trick by turning the coins from tangible objects into figments of the imagination. Method & Presentation In this version, you will use only the gafF and one real fifiy-cent piece. With no extra coins, the pocket management is simple, and you can secure the nested shell and half dollar in your right jacket pocket with a small binder clip. The * I favor, for example, “Matrix,” the copper/silver transposition, “The Cap and Pence,” and t<Copper/Brass/Silver/> After that, the selection of truly mind-altering coin magic begins to wear thin. t Unpublished material (PaulVigil, personal communication). 122
Copper/Brass/Silver coins should be set with the tail sides facing the same direction, and the hole in the brass Chinese coin should be facing outward. When the coins are removed from the pocket, its best if the gaffed coin is facing away from the fingers; the hole in the gafF will allow you to determine its orientation by feeling for it with your right thumb. By pinching the binder clips ends, its easy to release the coins into right-hand finger palm; then, just drop the clip to the bottom of the pocket. A friend of mine, Baltimore magician David London, has one of the best introductory speeches for starting this effect, and hes kindly given me permission to include a slightly modified version of it here.* Let’s try something designed to test your perception and your short-term memory. Youregoing to do great! Weve talked about the game they play in New York on the street corners—that old con game called three-card monte. Well, there are many different forms of it: sometimes it uses three shells and a little green pea; other times it uses cups and balls. Regardless of the objects being used, it's the players job to follow the target object as it moves around. And if they follow that object, they win. If they dont, the con man wins. But, folks, the players never win, right? Because itfs a con game, and the con man always wins. So this game is just like that game. Except instead of playing FOR money we are going to be playing WITH money. Tliank you, David. 123
The Doors of Deception Bring the coins from the right pocket, not hiding them but also not quite revealing what or how many objects youre introducing. Place them into the left hand, letting the insert fall out to expose the copper coin. Keep in mind that when the three coins are displayed throughout this routine (whether on your palm or the participants), the non-gafFed half dollar should always have the heads side showing. This will not only allow you to display a heads side as often as possible; it will also prevent a topological discrepancy when you turn your fist over and extract the gafF, which can only show tails on its silver side. This may seem a small point, but you5d be surprised at the small details that people can pick up on. Three dijferent coins, from three different parts of the world. One from China, I think—definitely somewhere in the East. This one is an British penny, and this one were all familiar with: a silver fify-centpiece. As you describe the coins one at a time, display each one in turn by picking it up with the right fingers. Start with the Chinese coin. Hold it up at the fingertips and look at the audience through its center while you remark: As you can see， this one has a hole in it; that’s different. Openly shift the shell to the right palm at the base of the fingers, being careful not to flash its dirty side. Then, briefly display all the coins on their respective open palms. * 124
Copper/Brass/Silver Modified Fantastic Chip Turnover Close the right fingers over the shell as you approach the British penny in the left hand. Begin to describe what should be on the opposite side of the copper coin. This has someone here—Queen Elizabeth, Im pretty sure... Take the copper penny between the right thumb and forefinger as you continue the description of its engraving. Your words need to be just a step ahead of your actions, so that the upcoming bluff turnover will fly perfectly under the radar. I first came across this type of move in aHeins Catch Up** by my good friend and West Palm Beach magician, Karl Hein. Further research has shown that this false turnovers roots go back at least to Fantasio—though probably not the one most of us are familiar with: the move belongs to his daughter, Jackie. When performed correctly, the sleight is a thing of beauty that flawlessly simulates the timing and movement of the real action. Though it might seem difficult to perform this move while youre holding the shell in the right hand, I assure you its hardly a challenge: you will secure the shell in the right hand against the palm with just the third finger while you execute the false turnover with only the first finger, second finger, and thumb. Place the right thumb tip on the upper surface of the coin and bring the right first finger to the coins front edge. Curl the forefinger around this anterior edge, lifting it slightly, so that the fingertip touches the underside of the coin. * Karl Hein, Heins Catch Up (2013). 125 This position is exactly the same as the one you would adopt if you really meant to flip over the coin; however, heres where things get sneaky. As you
The Doors of Deception begin to lift the coin, pinch it between the first finger and thumb, causing the coin to turn sideways and become perpendicular with the outstretched left hand. The coin is also, for a split second here, completely obscured by the back of the right hand. With the aid of the right thumb, rotate the coin around the first finger until its parallel with the floor. Then take the insert, pinching it between the first and second fingers. Finish by rotating it under and out to the right fingertips again, showing the same side as before.* * Cf. e.g., Richard Kaufman, ^Fantastic Chip Turnover,и New York Magic Symposium Collection 1 (1982), pp. 43-44 and modification by Michael Rubinstein, Knockout Coin Magic, Vol. 2 and VoL 3(2001). 126
Copper/Brass/Silver ...and I think that's Britannia on this side. Performed smoothly, it should merely look as if you are casually showing both sides of the coin while commenting on the details of both surfaces. When finished, take the British penny into the right hand, too, oriented copper-side-out on top of with the Chinese coin that s already there. While still securing the two coins in the right hand, pick up the silver coin between the right thumb and forefinger to briefly display it; then turn it over and back onto your left palm as you say: Of course, heads and tails, were all familiar with this one: the American half dollar. Show all three coins freely on the open palms of each hand, the foreign coins on the right and the American coin on the left. To transfer the coins in the right back to the left, turn your right hand palm down and let the coins drop to the fingertips; now the shell is on top and the insert is underneath. Bring the thumb to the inside of the shell and rotate the coins under and outward, displaying the proper sides. Place the insert down on the silver coin and then add the shell on top of all, forming a staggered spread that s fanned forward in an overlapping row toward the fingertips. Three coins from three different parts of the world. You dont have to pay attention to where they’re from, but you do have to carefully watch where they re going; that wayy you can learn how to protect yourselves from these so-called games. It’s basically two foreign coins and an American half dollar. Phase 1: Three Wise Men & the Setting Sun With the coins displayed on the left palm, close the hand around them, letting the gaffs shell and insert coalesce. Turn the left hand palm down. With the right index finger above and thumb below, reach into the left fists opening and remove the gafF, silver side up. If needed, you can feel the hole with the right thumb to be certain of the proper coin and its orientation. 127
The Doors of Deception Tilt the gafF up and display the coin as the half dollar, holding it at the right fingertips, with your thumb at the rear and being careful not to flash its back. Next, holding the coin with just the right first finger and thumb, allow gravity to pivot the gafF downward, toward the palm, while simultaneously extending the remaining right fingers over the front of the coin. If needed, use your thumb to slide it into position toward the palm at the base of the ring finger; the hole in the back of the gafF can sometimes help facilitate this movement, too. Once the coin is at the base of the ring finger, bring your fingers slightly inward, allowing the coin to pivot face up onto the palm. Open the hand to display the single silver coin candidly. Then, close the fist алс! begin to turn it palm down to mirror the orientation of the left hand. As you look at the left fist, say: So) you know what’s here... Turn left hand palm up but keep it closed and in a slighdy raised position for a moment; then begin to lower it and turn it palm down again as you explain: Because this is here. Your left fist should be palm down once more just as you turn the right fist palm up and open your fingers, briefly allowing them to see the silver coin there once more. When the fingers are opened, the single coin should still be positioned correctly on the palm, at the base of the ring finger in readiness for the upcoming transformation/transposition.* Agairiy three different coins from three different parts of the world... Fairly and slowly, begin to close your right fingers around the coin, allowing it to be seen until the last second. ... but it doesn’t matter where the wise man is from; he knows that the sun will always... * This position is crucial for an upcoming move, so be sure to note the required placement of the nested gafF before you open your hand to reveal the brass and copper coins. Its better to achieve this position in the natural action of opening the hand rather than having to make a noticeable adjustment after the coins are revealed. 128
Copper/Brass/Silver Completely close your right hand and begin to turn it palm down. ... set in the west... Keeping both palm-down fists wide apart, start to massage the supposed two coins in the left hand while letting the coin drop to the left fingertips. ... and then rise again ... Rub the coins in both hands for a few seconds. . .. in the east. Slowly bring the left hand up and push the silver coin to the fingertips. As this coin comes into view, use the thumb and middle finger to roll it around :he index finger in an action very similar to the false turnover used previously. Once the rotation is complete, shift the coin back to the fingertips. Although youre not using this move as a false turnover at this point, you will be utilizing this action for that purpose in a moment. This is a nice way to 'establish the move,55 as a cheater would say. By doing a legitimate display now, the false version will arouse less suspicion simply because its flow wont be so foreign later. Freely show both sides of the coin at the left fingertips. Then, using the display as cover, lift the inner edge of the gafF with the right thumb, disengaging the shell from the insert. Bring the half dollar to rest on the fingers of your open left hand. Simultaneously, keeping the back of the fingers to the floor, rotate your right wrist and slowly roll the hand out and palm up to display the two foreign coins similarly in the right. The shell and insert must end up precisely positioned along the second and third fingers, with the their bottom edges touching the inner long side of the pinky. This is why you placed the gafF precisely at the base of the third finger a moment ago when it was still masquerading as the half dollar; if you had to reposition either of the foreign coins at this point, уоиУ be drawing unwanted heat on the upcoming move. With the fingers somewhat open, allow this picture of the single silver coin now in the left and the two foreign coins in the right to resonate for a second. Show the opposite side of the silver coin again by curling the left fingers and letting the coin flip over and onto the palm. 129
The Doors of Deception Morris' False Toss As you display the two foreign coins on the right middle and ring fingers center and inner phalanges, raise your little finger imperceptibly so that the coins’ edges rest against it. Because youve just freely flopped over the silver coin, you will somewhat mirror that openness with the other coins by flipping them into the left hand. Holding the right hand approximately four to five inches above the left hand, allow the coins to fall off and out of the right hand, rotating off the ledge created by the slightly raised pinky. When the coins fall from the right hand, they will flip roughly 270 degrees before landing same-side up in the left hand; however, it will appear as if both sides have been seen. This open move is somewhat akin to the secret turnover of an Okito Box. In the past IVe also seen the same move used tp apparently show both sides of a coin,* but it was JefF Corn who first showed me how it could be done with two. In my experiments with the two-coin version, IVe discovered something rather fascinating: if you also tilt your right hand slightly upward, bringing the fingers higher than the wrist, you can often cause the shell and insert to trade places in mid-air. If they land in the left hand with the insert on top of the shell, youve added a small, but significant, touch of deception. Phase 2： An Unwitting Examination It’s a crazy game, kuk? Perhaps you weren’t ready for it. Let’s play again. What’s your name? Thanks for helping, Kevin. Please hold out your right hand, palm up. * Don Morris, uTwo Faced,и The Trapdoor, Vol. 1, Issue 2 (1981), pp. 31-32. 130
Copper/Brass/Silver J.C. Wagner's Handling You’ll now use a part of J.G. Wkgner’s ballsy addition to this effbct by placing the three coins onto the participants right hand.* Specifically, pick up the copper and brass coins with your right fingers, taking the insert on top of the shell.7 Roll the silver coin to the left fingertips and place it heads side up onto his open right palm. Push the shell to the left with the right thumb and take it with the left fingertips. Place the insert remaining in your right hand onto the silver coin in his hand, stepped back. Place the shell, again stepped to the rear, on top of all.^ All three coins should be staggered toward the participant. Show your hands empty, fingers spread, flashing both sides. Then reach over with your left hand and gather the stack on his palm. Because they are fenned toward him, your fingers will completely cover the coins as you draw the shell back and over the insert; furthermore, your left thumb will be in the perfect position to nudge his hand closed. Once he s made a fist around the coins, rotate his hand palm down and say: Hold still and watch this. Let me simplify the game a bit this time. With your right thumb and second finger, reach into the thumb side of his hand and remove the lower of the two coins, which is, of course, the nested gaff. Keep it properly oriented silver-side up and be careful not to flash the other side. * Mike Maxwell, 4<The Real 2 Copper 1 Silver,5, The Commercial Magic ofJ.C. Wagner (1987), pp. 92-96. t This will allow you to freely rub them together, between the second finger and thumb, without them coalescing. $ Use a left, right, left rhythm. 131
The Doors of Deception As you remove the coin with your right hand, use your left hand to stabilize his fist, and (this is very important) squeeze his hand. Hold tightly. It'll be easier to follow ... While displaying the silver side of the gaff at the right fingertips, show your left hand empty. Then, transfer the coin to the left hand to quickly display the right hand empty, too. ...if we only use one. Watch carefully! You will now make a purposely convoluted pseudo-sleight so that it appears as if you are trying (and unwittingly failing) to make them lose track of the coin. With the gaff at the left fingertips, bring the open right palm up to the coin and openly place the coin into classic palm position. Hold the coin against the right palm with only the left index finger, and bring the right fingers around the gafF. Begin to close both hands into fists and keep the hands in contact throughout. Remove the left index finger and turn the its fist palm up as you rotate the right hand palm toward you and extend its index finger into the left fist on the pinky side. 132
Copper/Brass/Silver Moving the right hand away from the left as a playful 'smoking gun/' massage the left hand somewhat guiltily, and smile. So, which hand is it in? After his guess, open both hands palm up, fingers spread, and show the silver coin in the right hand, and laugh. Okay, I was just trying to fake you out. That was just a dress rehearsal, now we play for real. Youll apparently start another round of the guessing game. Quickly turn the right hand palm down above the left hand and, in a tossing motion, classic palm the shell, letting only the insert fall into the left palm—the audience should be uncertain whether youve actually tossed the coin from the right hand into the left, or not. Without pausing, quickly close both hands into fists again and hold them palm down side by side, as before. So, where is it now? One more thing will need to happen before you can open your hands: the shell in the right must be turned over so that, of course, the dirty side faces the palm. Sometimes you can get it to go covertly as the hands turn and close, but you really dont want any extra movement here. Its better if you cover this by playing with the participant and his decision(s). If he points to the left hand, shake the right fist up and down and now allow the coin to spin over secretly; if, however, he points to the right hand, go ahead and shake the left. Either way, he will go back and forth to each hand at least once with the following banter, and the moment he chooses the left, use this opportunity to shake the right fist and secretly flip the shell.* Yet another example of a large action covering a smaller one. 133
The Doors of Deception If he picks the right hand first, it would play out something like this: The silver coin, Kevin. Shake the left hand until he points to it. No, Kevin, the silver coin. Shake the right hand, secretly flipping the shell. The silver coin ... Then, massage the coins, turn the fists palm up, and open both hands. Kevin ... The silver coin. He will not be able to open his hand fast enough to find the silver coin. I have found this delayed approach to Wagners phase far more effective than any visual transformation. The participants priceless reaction will be all the proof you need. Phase 3： Going, Going, Gone! Place the shell onto the left hand, staggered on top of the insert. With your right hand take the silver coin from the participant and place it on top of all, forming a three-coin spread. Magic is about creating illusions out of reality. 134
Copper/Brass/Silver Close the left hand into a fist, turn it palm down, and with the right first finger and thumb, take out the gafF from thumb side of the left fist, displaying it as the silver coin. And that’s real. You can see it. Mimicking the actions used in the first phase, you will now apparently show both sides of the gafF using a false turnover that s quite similar in action, but this time twirling the coin while holding it up as opposed to turning the coin over on the palm. Hold the coin between the right thumb and index finger. Curl the first finger in, rolling the coin over and around it. Simultaneously, extend the middle, ring, and little fingers to help cover this action. Regrip the coin between the index and middle fingers and push forward with the index finger, bringing the coin parallel to the floor. 135
The Doors of Deception Bring the right thumb from underneath and lever the gafF up and out returning the coin to its previous position. When performed smoothly, it should merely look as if you are casually showing both sides of the coin while moving it from one side to the other. Of course， because you’re showing the tails side twice， this isn’t really a “burnable” move;* its an easygoing display that takes place while youre addressing the audience, who will only peripherally perceive the double flash of silver. I’ll get rid of this one. Place the gafF back into the right pocket and then show both sides of your hand, making sure the audience knows that it s not hidden there. Do you believe in deja vu? Blow on the closed left fist.'*' With the right first finger and thumb, reach into the left fist from its thumb side and remove the silver coin, which, of course, shouldn’t be there. See? Magic is about creating illusions out of reality. Now， is that real? Take it, Kevin. . Give him the real silver coin. And the foreign coins... * While the gyration the coin is taking here is very similar to what happens when you do chc false turn on the hand (which is extremely £<burnable,5), its just not as covered when executed up at the fingertips and in the open. Experimentation will show just how loose you can get with the display. t Notice that here we blow, but on the vanishes well snap for the magic moment; I believe its important, theatrically， that different commands and gestures achieve varying results. 136