Effect:
This is an easy but entertaining production of four aces where the spectator does the work. It works well with four spectators, but can be used with less than four as you will see.
Sleights used:
- A simple six card stack,
- Cut Deeper force,
- Prophecy force,
- Double undercut from a break.
Method:
Start with a simple stack of six cards on top of the deck. From the top down, Ace, Ace, Ace, any card, any card, Ace. False shuffle keeping the stack intact.
Tell the audience you need to select four random cards.
Now, with the first spectator, tell them to cut a small portion of cards from the top of the deck, turn them over and place them back on top.
Have the second spectator do the same, but have them cut deeper. This is the standard "cut deeper" force.
Spread the face up cards until you get to the first face down card. Separate the hands and with your left thumb, thumb off the top face down card to the table. This, unbeknownst to the audience, is the first ace.
Now flip the right hand cards back face down onto the left hand cards, but as you do so, take a left little finger break under the top face down card in the left hand.
Double undercut to the break and you should now have an ace on the bottom of the deck, one on the top, and the third ace is fourth down from the top.
Have the spectator pick up the face down card and insert it, somewhere near the middle of the deck as you thumb riffle the cards with your left thumb. The card is left sticking out of the deck.
Perform Bill Simon's Prophecy Move, i.e. spread the cards from the left hand to the right until you reach the out jogged card. The right hand takes it cards and turn them over, face up, by rotating the right wrist, turning the right hand palm down. The right hand them moves its block of cards forward over the outjogged card and clips that card between the right thumb and the packet that the right hand holds. The right hand then rotates back palm up. The out jogged card will now be outjogged face up on top of the right hand cards. Place the left hand cards face down on top the the right hand cards. The deck is now face down with an outjogged Ace.
During this process you are telling the spectators that you are using the first selected card to select two more cards, the ones above and below the out jogged Ace.
Spread the deck until you come to the outjogged Ace and drop the face down card above the Ace to the table, as well as the face up Ace, and the face down card below the ace.
Now place the right hand cards under the left hand cards and table the deck. On the table, in a row, should be a face down card, a face up Ace, and a face down card.
Explain that to select the fourth card you will have a spectator add the values of the first three selected cards and use that number to deal down in the deck to the fourth card.
Ask the fourth spectator if they are good with math. Turn over one of the face down cards, which will be an Ace. Remark that that makes the math a little bit easier and ask the spectator for the total (2).
Turn over the other face down card, revealing the third ace and ask for the new total (3).
Pick up the deck and deal three cards to the table and turn over the last card dealt, showing the fourth Ace.