Charlie Miller said, “Whenever you are going to do a card change, consider making one of them the Joker. This makes it much easier for the spectator to follow.” This is a Wild Card effect (thanks, Peter Kane!) and I have included a variation at the end with a stunning climax. The routine has some unusual concepts and handlings.

Effect

Five Jokers and, say, a 10 of Diamonds are used. All the Jokers change to the 10 of Diamonds, then the “wild card” becomes a Joker and all the Tens change back to Jokers! Requirements You need a packet of cards in order face down, from the top down: 10 of Diamonds, Joker, Joker, Joker, Joker, Joker. This packet can be carried in a little plastic holder. You also need a deck that has matching backs with a 10 of Diamonds followed by a Joker on the top of the face down deck.

Performance

Force the top card (the Riffle Force is ideal here) and leave it face up on the face down deck. Place the deck aside on the table (the second card from the top is a Joker.)

Take out the packet face up and show five Jokers only by fanning the cards and keeping the last two as one. Hold the packet in the right hand face up in the Biddle Grip position. Slide the top card off the packet with the left thumb and turn it face down onto the left hand using the side of the packet. Repeat with the next three Jokers, then place the remaining two (as one) on top of the others but face up. Turn over the packet and re-take it in the Biddle Grip position with the right hand. Slide off the bottom card with the left fingers, turn it face up and replace it on the bottom (the 10 of Diamonds is thus reversed and second from the bottom). Casually place or cut two Jokers from top to bottom (the 10 of Diamonds is now reversed and third from the top).

Fan the cards face up and the third card from the top will appear face down. Turn over the face down card to show the 10 of Diamonds. Replace the card face up third from the top again. Square the packet and turn it face down.

Flip over the top card to show a Joker. Flip it face down and deal it onto the table. Repeat with the next card, placing it onto the tabled card.

Do a Double Turnover, showing the 10 of Diamonds. Flip the double face down and place the top card (Joker) to the left side of your close-up pad.

Turn the three cards in your hand face up and spread the top card to the right (keeping the last two as one) showing two more Jokers. Pick up the two tabled cards showing two Jokers and place them under the cards in the left hand (the 10 of Diamonds is in the middle).

Place the double onto the other cards and square. Repeat the Ascanio Spread and a 10 of Diamonds appears. Place the double on the bottom. Square and turn the cards face down. Deal the top card (a Joker, but apparently the 10 of Diamonds) face down on the first (supposed) 10 of Diamonds.

Turn the four cards in the left hand face up and hold in a Biddle Grip. Pull the top card (Joker) off into the left hand. Pull off the next Joker onto it, but fanned to the right, then place the last Joker (double) on top to complete a fan of three.

Take the double at the outer end between the fingers (on top) and thumb (below), turn them face down and place them between the two face up Jokers in the left hand, but out-jogged. As you do, square the two face up Jokers as in figure 2. Turn the left hand over to display the out-jogged Joker, then turn it back to the position shown in figure 2.

With the right hand, grasp the out-jogged cards, thumb above and fingers below. Push the bottom card (Joker) flush with the others and pivot the top card to the light to the position shown in figure 3. Take the packet into the right hand, thumb on top and fingers below, at the inner end of the Jokers. Make a quick flip of the right hand and the face down 10 of Diamonds will make several somersaults and fall onto the table. Show that another 10 of Diamonds has appeared, then leave it face down on the table.

Take the remaining three cards face up into the Biddle Grip position in the right hand. With the left fingers, slide off the bottom card and place it on top, showing two Jokers. Place the cards as they are on top of the face down tabled 10 of Diamonds.

Pick up the cards, square the packet and turn it over showing the 10 of Diamonds at the face. Double Turnover, flipping over the top two cards, then take the top card (Joker) and place it over the two cards already on the table to the left.

Turn the three cards in the left hand face up and Biddle Grip them in the right hand. With the left thumb, slide off the top card into the left hand and place the other two as one on top. Re-square and re-grip the packet in Biddle Grip position in the right hand. Pull the top card off with the left thumb toward the left and another 10 of Diamonds appears. Place the double card on the bottom of the first Joker in the left hand.

Turn the packet face down and deal the top card (apparently a 10 of Diamonds) onto the tabled packet. Show the last two cards as one and as a Joker. Place these two cards face down onto the tabled cards. Snap your fingers and turn over the top card only showing another 10 of Diamonds, place it face down onto the tabled cards and . . . relax!

Take the deck in the left hand. You will now perform the Illogical Double Lift from Harry Lorayne’s book QUANTUM LEAPS, and described in this book on page 79 in Shadoogie. At the end of the move, the 10 of Diamonds is on top of the deck and a Joker is on the table. After a pause, turn over the single card and show the Joker.

Pick up the packet, turn the cards over and fan them keeping the last two as one, showing all Jokers.

If you perform seated, the following variation can be used. The change of the “wild” card at the close is a real startler. Start with the Joker face down on top of the deck with the 10 of Diamonds second. Force the 10 of Diamonds by Double Lifting the top two cards (after the Riffle Force). Leave the two cards face up on the deck.

Perform the routine as given above. Then, take the double card from the deck and place it with the long side parallel to the table edge and about two inches from it. Move the two hands palm down over the tabled card(s) as in figure 4. Move the hands away momentarily then back using a circular motion, right hand below the left. When the card(s) is covered, the right thumb contacts the top card (figure 5 exposed view) and slides, almost flicks, it into the lap. Immediately, the hands are moved apart and a most miraculous change has taken place. This is Ed Marlo’s Idedic Change.

A few words about the Idedic Change: The hands are one on top of the other, left over right. The hands are crossed over the card(s) with the right hand moving in a counterclockwise manner, the left clockwise. The right thumb slides off the top card by lightly touching it at the center. This is covered by the left hand as well as the motion of flicking the card into the lap. After the card is lapped, the hands move apart to show the change.