{"id":6029,"date":"2023-09-14T21:48:45","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T21:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/?p=6029"},"modified":"2023-09-14T21:51:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T21:51:48","slug":"in-the-hands-four-ace-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/es\/in-the-hands-four-ace-control\/","title":{"rendered":"En las manos controlan cuatro ases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Years ago I came up with a method for cutting the aces into a deck and controlling them to the top. (see https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/ace-control\/<\/a> y https:\/\/robertjwallace.com\/ace-control-notes\/<\/a>.) That control used cuts to the table to “lose” the aces. I recently decided to modify the principle so it could be done without a table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efecto: <\/strong>Hand the spectator four aces. Take the aces one at a time, insert each into the center of the deck, followed by several in-the-hands swing cuts. After the second ace you can show the top and bottom cards. After inserting and cutting the fourth ace, you split the deck in half and give it one riffle shuffle. The aces are then shown on top. (That is a bare bones presentation, once you have the aces on top you could do anything you want. For example you could do an in-the-hands Triumph.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

M\u00e9todo<\/strong>: Take the aces out of the deck and hand them to a spectator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Ace:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have the spectator hand you one ace and insert it into the middle of the pack. Get a left little finger break above it as you square up the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now take the cards in the right hand and swing cut the cards above the break into the left. I just simple lift all the cards above the break with my right hand and then swing cut them all to the left:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Lifting the cards before starting to swing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Swing cut<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After the first swing cut, my right hand does a false cut with its half of the deck. The ace is the top card of the block in my right hand. I swing cut half of the cards in my right hand into my left hand, but I keep a break between the cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Start of the second swing cut, with the ace turned face up for clarity<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As the last packet come over the left hand cards, my left fingers extend, which pushes out the block above the break to the right. This lets my right fingers grasp it and pull it out to the right. It is immediately slapped down on the left hand cards. The first ace is now on top of the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second Ace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have the spectator hand you the second ace. Insert it into the middle of the deck, but get a left little finger break below it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lift up all the cards above the break and swing cut half of them onto the left hand, but keep a break between the cards in the left hand and the cards just cut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now with the right hand lift all of the left hand cards, and swing cut the top cards, the ones above the break, into the left hand. Slap the remaining cards in the right hand onto the ones in the left. (Or continue to make swing cuts with those cards onto the left hand cards.) The first two aces are now together about three quarters of the way down in the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point you are very clean and if you want to you can show the bottom of the deck and the top few cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third Ace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have the spectator hand you one ace and insert it into the middle of the pack. Get a left little finger break above it as you square up the deck. Repeat the cuts from the steps for the first ace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You now have two aces together about a quarter of the way down in the deck, and one ace on top of the deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last Ace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now you have on ace on top of the deck. Two aces are together about twelve or thirteen cards down from the top. This next sequence is hard to describe. I have added photos with the Aces turned face up to help illustrate what is going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have the spectator hand you the last ace. Insert it into the middle of the deck, but get a left little finger break below it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Last ace being inserted. At this point there is one ace on top and the other two aces about twelve cards down from the top.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lift up all the cards above the break and swing cut about six of them onto the left hand, but keep a break between the cards in the left hand and the cards just cut. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Here I have started the swing cut with a very small packet off the top and am cutting them onto the lower packet at the break. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you place the packets together you will take a break above both of the aces.. As I bring the remaining cards in my right hand back over the left, as I move them down and to the left, my left fingers press up against the bottom card of the right hand packet (an Ace), and kick it slightly to the right as I finish the cut. My left little finger then pulls down on that kicked out ace to take a break above it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The swing cut half way. The top portion has been dropped onto the lower halve and the remaining cards (with an ace at the bottom) are being placed on them. My right fingers are spread slightly and my hands are tilted slightly only to expose the kicking out of that lower ace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At this point things change a little. Your right hand lifts up the cards above the little finger break in preparation of a swing cut. This should be about a quarter of the deck, with the other two aces in the center of the packet. Since you need these two aces to be centered in the deck your right hand is going to pick up all but about a quarter of the left hand cards and in one motion swing cut the top right hand cards onto the bottom quarter left hand cards. The right hand then slaps the remaining cards it holds on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
My right hand starting the swing cut <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
As the cut start my right hand picks up about half of the cards below the aces. This is the tricky part. The number of cards you pick up will determine where the centered aces end up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The swing cut almost complete. I am about to drop the top packet and pull out the middle packet with the two ace to drop on top.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So the key thing to remember and practice is being as exact as possible in placing the ace and cutting the right number of cards so the aces will end up on top and centered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finish<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since you know approximately where the centered aces are, and you have the other two aces on top, it is easy to riffle the side of the deck in preparation for a faro shuffle and spot the centered aces. Split at that point and faro shuffle the two halves together to bring all four aces back to the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This needs to be practiced so the inserting of the aces and the cuts are done at a good, consistent pace. Things can be made a bit easier if the aces have breather crimps in them. Also, you could do some edge work on the aces to make it easier to see them when splitting the deck for the final shuffle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been playing around with alternative handlings. One that shows promise is to insert each ace into the deck and simply double cut it to the top. But this requires using breaks to keep track of where to insert the third and fourth aces. Also I find the swing cuts to be more deceptive than simple double undercuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a video of me practicing this handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n