I have
never met anyone in card magic that could do
it all. I know several who come close, but everyone,
including me, hangs up at some point. I'm talking
about sleights, not effects. I have friends
who are excellent card magicians, yet for whatever
reason, simply can not do a Classic Force. I
know others who can not get away with a double
lift no matter how they try. Still there are
others who can not palm a card, even when working
for an audience of the blind. Yet all of the
above are considered experts with a deck of
playing cards. You get the idea. For me, I hang
up on a side steal from the center of the pack.
My friend, the late Walt Rollins, could perform
repeated side steals even when being burned,
and he considered it basic. Yet in all my years
of doing card work I have yet to successfully
execute a quality side steal. I've grown to
accept the fact that there are certain moves
in sleight of hand that will remain illusive.
I have
never been squeamish about palming a card or
cards, for I use several different methods from
both the top and the bottom of the pack. However,
some card workers avoid some excellent effects
simply because they lack the ability to secretly
remove a card from the deck. These are the folks
I'm addressing in this column. I'm going to
explain how to secretly remove a selected card
from the deck without getting caught. Moreover,
it requires no skill, little management, and
as a bonus you don't even need to know the identity
of the card. The only restriction is you must
be seated at a table.
Note
the bottom card of the pack during a casual
shuffle. This card becomes the "key" and must
remain on the bottom. Let's assume it's the
Ace of Diamonds.
Have
a card selected and for its return undercut
half the pack from the bottom. Extend the top
half for the return on the talon and drop the
bottom half on all. Thus, you have placed the
Ace of Diamonds on top of the selection.
Give
the pack as many fair cuts as you wish and any
false shuffle that won't separate the Ace of
Diamonds from the selection.
Now deal
cards from the top of the deck to the table
turning each face up as you do. Tell the spectator
to watch for his selection. Deal the cards in
a face up pile towards the center of the table,
in other words, not close to you. Reach forward
a bit. You want the attention to be away from
the edge of the table where you are seated.
When
you see the Ace of Diamonds, the key card, you
know the next card is the selection. As the
Ace of Diamonds is dealt to the face up pile
your left hand, at the edge of the table, thumbs
off the top card of the talon into your lap.
Neck tie the left hand a bit and just push the
top card back allowing it to fall to the lap.
That's it. The deed is done. Continue dealing,
or have the spectator take over. Do whatever
you want. The selection is in your lap ready
for the Mercury Card Trick, Match Box Discovery,
Card to Wallet, or whatever. You have it. There's
no heat and no reason to hurry.
