Re-swindled Aces
David Regal
I frequently perform the effect of cutting to the Aces, for a lot of
understandable reasons (it’s a quick, astounding effect with a self-evident
plot) and some less quantifiable reasons (I think I’m in love with it). So, I’ve
studied many versions. One of the clever approaches, the swindle of
displaying Aces atop two of four packets, then returning them to the
“wrong” packets, is oddly one that is difficult to credit. Many card
magicians have used the swindle in their routines yet refuse credit. People
know Father Cyprian’s routine, or Happy Lorayne’s routine, Gary
Ouellette’s routine, Paul Harris’ routine, etc. None claim to have invented
that procedure. For years I was informed that the general idea was Bob
Veeser’s, published in Ed Marlo’s Faro Controlled Miracles (1964), but when
I finally got myself a copy I saw that the Veeser entry was not at all the
same thing. Anecdotally, other names come up but dates and specifics are
vague. Some say that a lot of magicians were stumbling on the same thing
at the same time, but I don’t believe this. The sequence is radical, bold,
brave, and imaginative – it strikes me as some individual’s brainstorm.
One name was proposed, and with it came corroborating evidence. Alex
Elmsley told Paul Gordon that the dodge originated with the UK’s Francis
Haxton. Backing this up – and crucial to crediting – are the Haxton lecture
notes An English Trip (1956), in which the specific swindle procedure is
clearly laid out. So while it is possible that there’s an earlier reference to the
sequence, I have not found it. I’d like to thank Bob Farmer, Allan
Ackerman, Howard Hamburg, Ian Baxter, Paul Gordon, and Denis Behr for
conferring with me about all this.
Generally, routines that employ this swindle have necessitated the forcing
of one of the three cuts necessitated by the routine, or having the performer
make, at minimum, the first cut. The approach laid out here allows the
spectator to cut every time, and cut fairly.
Needed: A deck of cards.
1
Set-up: The Aces are atop the deck.
To Perform:
Step One) Display the faces of the cards, concealing the four Aces at the
rear. Perform any false shuffle that retains the Aces’ position. I simply
perform a face-up overhand shuffle above the Aces. It is important that the
audience see that the cards are different, as a “layman solution” to the
Cutting the Aces plot is, although illogical: “All the cards must be Aces.”
Turn the deck face down and overhand shuffle the top two cards (Aces) to
the bottom, securing a left little finger break above them. The right hand
comes over to roughly square the cards, leaving the bottom two Aces
injogged about the width of the border.
Step Two) Table the deck to the right and bevel the deck inward, obscuring
the injogged cards. The deck should look like it has been tabled in an
unstudied manner (Fig. 1).
Ask a spectator to cut about half the cards “over to there,” indicating a spot
on the table about a foot to the left. After the spectator complies, slide the
remainder of the deck inward by grasping the sides of the cards so as not to
disturb the injogged condition of the bottom two Aces. All attention is on
the pile that has been cut off by the spectator – the remainder of the cards
are slid back as if they are irrelevant.
Note: If performing on a hard surface, slide the remainder of the cards to
the table edge, so that the injogged cards hang over the tabletop – this will
make the actions to come smooth and casual.
Step 3) Instruct the spectator (the same one or another person in the
audience) to cut again:
Now cut those cards into two plies. I don’t want to touch them…
Hold up your hands as if you want to keep things free of guile. By way of
explanation, the right hand goes to the half deck that was slid backward
and cuts all the cards above the two injogged cards to the left. Notice that
the hand naturally obscures the cards beneath it during the cut (Fig. 2).
…but two piles, one next to the other.
2
The right hand picks up the two-card pile, places it atop the cut-off
“demonstration cards,” and slides the pile aside. You have transferred the
two Aces to the top of this pile.
You need to pay attention to the manner in which the spectator now cuts,
to the left or right. Two Aces were atop the spectator’s half deck, and you
need to know which of the two piles contains the Aces after the cut.
Step 4) Emphasize the fairness of the proceedings:
I didn’t touch the cards, you cut where you wanted. Do it again, one more cut.
Slide the remaining half deck (with the other two Aces on top) to a position
directly next to the spectator’s “Ace Pile.” Indicate where you would like
the spectator to place the packet being cut. Your objective is to be left with
a horizontal line of packets that alternate – two piles will have two Aces
atop them, two will not. For purposes of explanation, in Figure 3 we will
assume that the piles at positions “2” and “4” have Aces atop them
(Performer’s view).
Step 5) You are now in position to perform one of card magic’s great
swindles: The right hand picks up the top card of Pile 4 as the left hand
picks up the top card of Pile 2 (Aces). Hold them backs to the audience as
you bring the cards in front of the body and look at their faces (Figs. 4 & 5).
This moment should not be omitted, as the time misdirection at play is part
of the method.
Hmm… not bad.
The right hand places its Ace face up onto Pile 3, and a half beat later the
left hand places its Ace onto Pile 1 (Fig. 6).
You have retuned the Aces to piles they did not come from. Without
hesitation the left hand flips the top card of Pile 4 face up atop its pile, then
the right hand flips the top card of Pile 2 face up (Fig. 7).
The spectator has apparently free cut to all four Aces.
If you want to drive to Vegas, I’ll pay for the gas!
