Magic

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• Faro coincidence
  Boy the world has changed! When I was young if you wanted to learn magic you had to hang out at a magic store. A real brick and mortar building. To get to the real good stuff you had to make friends with the magician behind the counter and prove your worth. ...
• Another Lie Detector
  This is another lie detector plot. I have another that I also perform which you can read about at https://robertjwallace.com/lie-detector/. This one is easier. Start by having a card selected and controlled to the bottom of the deck. The convincing control is a good method which you can learn here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78aZh6eUneI&pp=ygUSY29udmluY2luZyBjb250cm9s False shuffle and/or ...
• A slightly modified Erdnase Stack
  The one aspect of the Erdnase Stack that I have never liked is the undercut and throw during the second part of the stack. Below is the description of the four card stack for a five handed game with that step in bold: FOR any game in which cards are dealt singly. Three of the ...
• Variation on trick that fooled Pen and Teller
  This is a mathematical based trick that is explained at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI7o95rGT9c. It is the revelation of two chosen cards using Jokers that were pre-set in the deck. I like good self working tricks and this is a good one. However I wanted to be able to perform it without having to use ...
• Faro stack from a cull
  In playing around with the faro stack I started to set the five handed stack up with a cull, instead of “losing” the aces. Have the spectator shuffle the deck. Ideally you want the aces to be evenly distributed. Take the deck back and spread it face up, ostensibly to show that ...
• Faro stack for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 hands, four aces
  This was a “problem” I gave myself. Obviously you can stack four aces for a four handed game with two faro shuffles, but what if you want to deal a five handed game. Using my faro shuffle simulator I found a pattern that once the aces are in the correct locations a single ...
• Pick up stack variation
  Here is a variation of the pick up stack I described at https://robertjwallace.com/pick-up-stack/. This variation uses overhand shuffling to position the aces. Start with the four aces face up on the table. Holding the deck in the left hand, pick up the first ace and insert it into the middle of the deck with the ...
• 5 HANDS – ONE RIFFLE SHUFFLE
  This is from Marlo’s Magazine Volume Number 6. As he states, this requires a great deal of practice to accomplish. But I find it fun to play with. Read through Marlo’s instructions and then below that I have some of my own notes. “The basic idea of this stack is not new but ...
• Another Bottom Riffle Runup
  Still playing with the bottom riffle concept. I was looking for a single shuffle stack using the bottom run up, but without the need to have a crimped card. This is where I am at this moment. It is a work in progress. Start with three aces on the bottom and one ace ...
• In the hands four Ace control
  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/ and https://robertjwallace.com/ace-control-notes/.) 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. Effect: ...
• Bottom Run Up – Riffle Stack
  I am still exploring the topic of riffle stacks. I came across this one in Ed Marlo’s “The Cardist,” Vol. 4. It builds the stack at the bottom of the deck during the shuffles as opposed to building the stack at the top of the deck. The problem with many of ...
• One Shuffle Eddie – a four ace production
  I found this in Marlo’s Magazine Vol. 5. Basically it is a Triumph style production of four face up aces in different locations in the deck. I like that the aces are widely separated in the production. Begin with the aces secretly face down on top of the deck. I let the spectator shuffle ...
• Double Duke for five hands
  I was playing around, looking for an easy way of demonstrating a double duke card stack and this is what I came up with. It requires two faro shuffles (but only the top sixteen cards need to be perfect), and some short overhand shuffle sequences. Start by explaining how card cheats can stack the deck ...
• Just Lucky Riffle Stack
  I stumbled upon this stack when reading a trick in James Swain’s book 21st Century Card Magic. The trick was “Just Lucky Eight Card Stack.” Swain mentioned the stack came from Alex Elmsley. Elmsley decsribes the stack in the book Collected Works of Alex Elmsley, Vol 1, in a trick titled “Just ...
• EXPERT CARD TECHNIQUE: A SYSTEM OF STOCK SHUFFLING
  Going back to one of the first books on card magic that I owned, “EXPERT CARD TECHNIQUE: Close-Up Table Magic by JEAN HUGARD and FREDERICK BRAUE”, I took a look at their system of stacking a poker hand. They described stacking four cards for a four handed game. Below I have shown ...
• A variation on a “Variation on the Milk Build stack”
  So what makes a good overhand stack technique. In my opinion the key factors are a good rhythm, without too much repetition, without too many long sequences of single card runs, and the whole stack being done in a couple of shuffles. The problem with the basic milk build stack in that you ...
• Direct Ace Control
  This is a variation on my Ace control that I described in this post from 2018. The main difference is that this one is more direct, but doesn’t show the top and bottom cards between each ace being lost. The basic effect is that the aces are placed in the center of the deck, ...
• 451 stack
  I don’t remember where I saw this stack described, but it is a modification of Ed Marlo’s Lessinout Stack which is described in his booklet “Deck Deception.” Marlo’s stack involves more runs of single cards, while this version cuts the number in halve. Refer to Marlo’s booklet for a more detailed description of how to ...
• Another poker stack
  Just to beat a dead horse, here is another overhand shuffle stack. This one uses a milking action, but in this shuffle you milk a block of cards which makes it easier. Begin with four aces on top of the deck. Corner crimp the bottom card. Step one: Take the deck in the ...
• Variation on the Milk Build stack
  Here is a variation I came up with on stacking the deck using a haymaker or milk build stacking shuffle. The problem with the typical description/method shown on YouTube is that often all four Aces are placed on the bottom and then stacked with four consecutive Milking sequences; I.E. milk run three, milk run ...
• Yet Another Overhand Milk Stack – the Judas Shuffle
  Stacking the deck for poker has a long history. Erdnase gave his method which did not require using a haymaker or milk action. Many other overhand stacks to use a milking action in the shuffle. This is my way of performing the Judas Shuffle, which is described in Peter Duffie’s Card Compulsions. When ...
• Twisted Assembly
  One of the first card tricks that blew me away was the MacDonald Aces. This is the classic ace assembly trick. The downside, of course, is that the trick relies on gimmicked cards. You can read about all of the variations at https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Ace_Assembly. My version uses two sleights, the ...
• A double sandwich
  I like the basic sandwich plot and I use Ed Marlo’s technique which I think is one of the cleanest. Effect: In this version, the two black jacks are removed and displayed face up on the table as the spectator selects two cards. The cards are lost in the deck with the ...
• Super Ace Speller
  This is my handling of Martin Nash’s Super Ace Speller from the book “Nash Reloaded” To quote from the book: EFFECT: The aces, from a previous effect or from recent removal, are on the table. They are lost into the deck as it is handed out for a good solid audience shuffle. The deck is taken back ...
• Spectator cuts to the aces
  Here is a simple “Spectator cuts to the aces” trick. Start by getting the four aces to the top of the deck. I let the spectator shuffle the deck and then use my two step cull to accomplish this. You could also just start by already having the aces on top before you begin. Perform ...
• Lie Detector
  I am getting old and forgetful. This morning I remembered a card trick that I liked to perform, but could not remember the steps nor remember what book/magazine I learned it from. I finally reconstructed the steps, and then decided that I need to write these tricks down. Note that this is ...
• An even easier Riffle ‘n’ Roll
  Check out the other version at https://robertjwallace.com/riffle-and-roll/. The setup in the version is very simple. Have the spectator shuffle the deck. Take the deck back and spread the cards face up, removing the aces as you find them, dropping them to the table. With the deck still face up, spot the eight card from the ...
• Riffle and Roll
  This is my version of Jack Carpenter’s “Riffle ‘n’ Roll” from his book “The Expert’s Portfolio No. 1”. I am a fan of Carpenter’s work and recommend any of his books. The main reason I came up with this version is that I found his method to be a little cumbersome with holding multiple breaks. ...
• Magic with your phone – Updated
  I added a couple of new features to the application. First of all, I wanted to be able to launch the web page on my phone without having to type in the query strings to set the card backs, stack or mode of operation. So I added an options feature. The options feature allows ...
• Magic with your phone
  I have been intrigued with some of the smart phone apps for magic. But I have been off put by their prices, or that they only run on Apple IOS. So I decided to write my own, although it is not an app per say, but rather a web page that you ...
• Short Cards
  When I was performing regularly in restaurants the scalloped or concave short card was my favorite tool in my card magic arsenal. For those who don’t know what a concave short card is, it is like a normal short card, but instead of the end of the card being trimmed off with a straight ...
• Simple Double Duke
  I enjoy gambling demonstrations. Simple poker stacks are fun, but when you want to up the ante, so to speak, a demonstration of a double duke is nice. A double duke is where you give a player a good hand, but give yourself a better one. Jack Carpenter has methods for this effect, and ...
• Oil and Water
  There are many techniques used to show the mixing of cards and magical separation. Since I tend to forget them, and where I saw them, here is a collection of techniques. None are mine originally, probably. These are all just using four red and four black cards. There are a lot of versions ...
• Reconstruction of tricks
  One of the things I enjoy is looking at the trailers for tricks, especially impromptu card tricks and reconstructing a method for doing the trick. I recently looked at “Threesome” by David Jonathan and thought it was a nice trick. In the description of the trick was the comment of “taking and old ...
• More on mental math card trick
  Here is another variation of the trick. This one has an additional feature that helps confuse the spectator. As in the original setup, you need four piles of three cards, each pile adding up to the number 18, using only number cards from ace to nine. In addition you need two sevens and two ...
• Home made math sticks
  I was looking to buy a set of math sticks which are used in a prediction effect (or a super computation effect.) Diamond Jim sells a wooden set for about $15.00. Stevens Magic has a set for $18. Being of Scot blood, I didn’t want to spend that much on a set of ...
• Mental Math Prediction
  This is the prediction of a number from the addition of a series of numbers. It is based on a mathematical principal that I have adapted to a deck of cards. To learn about the principal see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRD5UkAm2Y. This effect requires a setup to a deck of cards. First remove all of ...
• Drawn but not quartered false cut
  This is similar to the false cut “drawn and quartered“, but instead of four packets, it only uses three and is a little easier. Below is a video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LuiEMbJsWQ Holding the deck in your left hand at the finger tips, riffle off about a third with your thumb. Tilt and let these fall onto you ...
• Doubly Ambitious
  This is a two card ambitious like routine that is very difficult to do. It is based off a two card transposition that I do. Phase one: Ideally start with contrasting cards second and third from the top of the deck. For this explanation I´ll use the Two of Diamonds and the king ...
• Four ace control
  There are several methods I use for “losing” the aces into a deck of cards and controlling them to the top. Several involve cutting the deck into four piles and losing the aces, one in each pile. One day I was looking at some magic sites preview videos and saw a different method ...
• Only a second, almost
  This is similar to “Only a second” so I suggest you look at that one as well. This one distributes the aces with two faro shuffles, hence the “almost” in the title. Start with the aces on top of the deck, unknown to the spectators. I use my two step cull, or if the aces ...
• CHaSeD order
  I just noticed something about the Club, Hearts, Spades and Diamonds suit order that is used in many different deck stacks. Since stacks are cyclic, this order of suits is equivalent to Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts and Spades. Which is a numerical progression order if you look at the “points” of the pips of ...
• Only a second
  Another “find the aces” trick. This one is good for practicing your second deal. Begin with secretly having the four aces on top of the deck. I typically have the spectator shuffle the deck, and then use my two-step cull to get the aces on top. Riffle or overhand shuffle to add eight more cards ...
• Ten card poker deal
  There are a lot of ten card poker deals out there. The basic plot is that for the final hand of the evening your opponent suggested playing a hand of five card poker with only ten cards, but the spectator gets to choose which cards they get. You, the dealer ends up winning ...
• Finding the Aces – the hard way
  Here is something I am playing with. The starting position is two aces on top and two on the bottom. Shuffle the deck keeping the aces on top and bottom. Set the deck in front of the spectator and have them cut the deck toward you, as in a game of poker. Finish the ...
• Texas Hold-em stacks
  A couple of years ago I wrote a post titled “Finding the aces with Erdnase” where I used Erdnase’s system of overhand shuffle to stack the aces at know positions in the deck. The positions I used were 10x cards, Ace, 1x card, Ace, 5x cards, and the last Ace. In this post I ...
• Easy Riffle Stacking
  In the normal method of riffle stacking you start with the four aces on top. When you do the shuffles you hold back cards with both the right and left hands, dropping the cards held by the left thumb under the cards held back by the right thumb. At each shuffle the number ...
• Perspective on card shuffling
  The largest U.S. manufacture of playing cards sells approx. 100,000,000decks of playing cards per year. This can be expressed as 108. If each deck sold was fairly shuffled once every five seconds, then each deckwould be shuffled 86,400 times per day, or 31,536,000 times in a year. That can be expressed as approximately 3.15 x 107. So if ...
• Riffle stack
  This is something I am playing with. Effect The basic effect is that four aces are placed into the deck at random locations and then the deck is shuffled multiple times. Then five hands of poker are dealt out, with the dealer getting the four aces. https://youtu.be/g3teSdLiSYY Riffle shuffle stacking Method Start with the four aces on the ...
• Another cutting the aces
  Here is another method for cutting the aces. You start with a well shuffled deck. I usually have the spectator shuffle the deck several times. Take the deck back and perform my “two step cull“, which will bring the aces to the top of the deck. Now perform the “Artanis false shuffle” four times, each ...
• CATO
  This is a simple four ace trick that is self working using the CATO principal (Cut and Turn Over). I present it as a lesson in fate, that your choices in life don’t always matter. Start with four Aces on the table, face up. Add three face down cards on top of each Ace. deal ...
• Index to Dai Vernon Revelations videos
  Volume 1 Gary Ouellet Intro The Story Behind the Stars of Magic Series Vernon on Think-of-a-Card, Dunninger, Brainwave Deck Vernon on Effects Triumph-the Vernon Triumph Shuffle and the Proper Presentation Story of the Vernon False Shuffle Practice & Improve Your Magic Keeping Notes on Your Magic Cutting the Aces- Another Vernon Card Classic Vernon on ...
• Jumping Jacks
  This is basically an elevator trick with four jacks, although you could use Aces but then the name wouldn’t make sense. Display the four Jacks face up on top of the face down deck. Use the Braue add on technique to switch out two of the Jacks for two indifferent cards, as you flip the ...
• Mathematical Card Tricks
  I like a good mathematical card trick. While they usually involve too much dealing of cards, they still can be entertaining, or at least puzzling. I have a friend who is a retired mathematician who taught a Rutgers University and these are a few that I liked showing him. Building tens The first two ...
• Always Cut the Cards
  I love the material of Larry Jennings. The first effect in “The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings” is the effect “Always Cut the Cards”, where the aces are lost in the deck by cutting, and then magically assemble back on top of the deck. In the book this is accomplished with ...
• Riffle Shuffle Stack
  This is another method for stacking the deck for straight poker, dealing out five hands. https://youtu.be/quz4_WjV2BE Begin with a bottom breather crimped card (one that cuts to the bottom of the deck). Hand the deck out to your spectators and have it shuffled. Take it back and cut the cards so your breather is on ...
• YAOS – yet another overhand stack
  I found this in “Card Zones – The Immaculate Card Magic of Peter Duffie.” This book describes a stack for four hands and then gives the formula for other number of hands. Since I always demonstrate a five handed stack here are the steps. This stack requires a crimped card that can be cut ...
• Oil and Water
  Effect: This is a classic oil and water effect, where four red cards and four black cards are interlaced, then shaken and shown to show that they have separated back to four red and four black. This is repeated three or four times. The for a climax, the shuffled deck is picked ...
• Fan control
  Effect: The four aces are fairly inserted into the fanned deck, in different locations. The fan is closed and the deck is cut, then shuffled twice. At the completion of the second shuffle, all four aces are on the top of the deck. This is accomplished with a Faro shuffle. When one ace ...
• Bluff Shift, bluff center
  Effect: Four aces are displayed on top of the deck. They are turned face down and inserted (and left protruding) in the front of the deck in different locations. The deck is turned face up to display the aces, then turned face down and the aces are pushed flush into the deck. The deck ...
• Memorize deck tool
  If you want to learn to use a memorized deck stack such as the Aronson stack then you can use my Faro shuffle simulator as a training aid. Simple click the check box to show backs, then select your stack from the “Set Stack” drop down menu. Now click on a random card to show its ...
• Double Lift
  This is not a tutorial on the double lift, there are a lot of sources for that already. Instead this is a look at how lay people turn over a card compared to how magicians turn over a card. I recorded a number of lay people, asking them to turn over the top ...
• Practice Routine
  This is what I do for a practice routine. Start with a well shuffled deck with one card having a bottom breather crimp. Perform my two step cull that ends with the Aces on top. (Culling) Shuffle adding one card on top and perform cutting the aces. (slip cut, double cut, pop out move, deck ...
• U.S. Playing Card Co. Prediction V2.
  This is an alternative to the previous post, but basically the same effect. Take the deck out of the card box, leaving the advertising card showing the King of Spades in the box. Place the box with the side showing the Ten of Hearts face down on the table. Have the spectator shuffle the deck. ...
• U.S. Playing Card Prediction
  This is a prediction effect using a feature of some Bicycle Brand playing card decks.  The decks that I purchase have two ways of showing a “prediction”. One of the advertising cards shows the King of Spades and the box show the Ten of Hearts.  What follows is one way I use this as ...
• Cut deeper as a key card location
  The cut deeper force is one of the easiest forces, but I have noticed that many spectators expect to remember the card they cut to that is face up. A way of using this is to use the process to set a key card as follows. Start by knowing the top card of the deck, ...
• Christ Aces
  This was one of the first four ace tricks I learned. It is easy to do and is a little different from the “Let’s cut the aces” routines. Effect: The four aces are lost in the deck and then discovered magically Method Take a shuffled deck and spread through it removing the four aces. As ...
• Stacking the deck
  Below is one of my “Starbucks” videos of a practice session of stacking the deck. What I like to do is stack the four aces for a five handed game using different stacking techniques. In the video I stack the deck with a Zarrow shuffle, then a riffle shuffle technique, then Erdnase overhand ...
• Delayed double cut control
  I have always liked the double cut control for its simplicity and directness. My only objection to it is that it is usually done at the wrong time, immediately after the spectators card is returned. That is when the spectators attention is at its height. Below is a video of a variation to the ...
• Easy ace opener
  This is the Ace opener that I usually do. It is simple but plays well. I usually get into this using my two step cull after having the spectator shuffle the deck. After the cull I have four aces secretly on top of the deck, ready to be produced one by one. First Ace For years ...
• Pick up stack
  There are a lot of techniques for stacking poker hands, from the simple milk shuffle, to Erdnase, to riffle stacking, to using Zarrow shuffles. But one of the simplest is to do a “pick up” stack, which is simple stacking the cards you want as you pick cards off the table. This is how ...
• Overhand Shuffle Practice
  I am teaching a friend some card technique and put together this video to give him a practice routine. Below is the video with text instructions. https://youtu.be/f_wUj-8_UxA Here is the video without instructions https://youtu.be/VsHopuKgF9M
• And yet another false cut
  There is a simple false cut that I like to do on off beats, those times when the spectator attention is not riveted on the deck. Although, done properly and with the spectators at the right angle this is an excellent cut that closely mimics a single fair cut. Cutting the deck when it is ...
• False cuts
  Two false cuts useful when using full deck stacks such as Si Stebbins.
• Sharps and Flats
  by John Nevil Maskelyne Most of the electronic copies of this book that I have found on line are not very readable, so I made my own copy. Click on the book to start reading.
• Faro card control
  In playing with the Faro Shuffle simulator I noticed that it takes only three faro shuffles to move the card that is seventh from the bottom of the deck to the top. I am sure that someone else has written about this, but here is my take on using that fact as a card ...
• Faro Shuffle table for moving any card to any location
  Below is a table showing patterns of Faro shuffles that will move a playing card from one location to another in a deck of 52 playing cards. This table was generated using the formulas in the paper “The Solutions to Elmsley’s Problem” by Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham (The Solutions to Elmsley’s Problem – ...
• Faro Table for moving cards from and to the top
  In writing the Faro Simulator I used formulas for generating the in and out shuffle patterns needed to move cards from and to the top of the deck. These patterns can be seen when using the simulator but I thought it would be useful to see them all in a table.
• Faro Shuffle Tutorial
  The Faro shuffle is a shuffling technique that causes two packets of cards to interleave perfectly. That is to say that only one card at a time from each packet is released, alternating with one card from the other packet. It is a semi-automatic technique, meaning that when properly executed the cards weave together without ...
• Osterlind stack to 4 aces
  I use two different stacked decks, the Si Stebbins stack and the Osterlind stack. When using the Osterlind stack I do several mind reading effects and then offer to demonstrate how a card shark uses the deck, and shuffle the cards ending with four aces on top. Here is how I do it. I ...
• PM Principle
  I like doing sleight of hand, but I also enjoy self working tricks. I recently came across a small pamphlet on the PM Principle, which uses two key cards to locate a chosen card (The PM Principle by Michael Powers, 1990). Most key card tricks can be pretty obvious unless the placement of ...
• Up the ladder false cut
  I like false cuts and one of my favorites is the “up the ladder” cut.  But I noticed that the way many tutorials teach it is not how it was originally described.  None of the tutorials I found gave any history or credits for the cut. I first saw it described in “Expert Card Technique” by ...
• Variations on Erdnase Fancy Blind Cuts
  Here are two variations on Erdnase fancy blind cuts from “Expert at the card Table.” Erdnase Fancy Cut #1 Fancy cut #1 is a three way cutting action with the cards being dropped from the hands in a one-two-three action as shown below. https://youtu.be/7E4GBeiBUZE Erdnase Fancy Cut #1 My variation tables each of the three packets to the table, pauses ...
• Springing cards from hand to hand – tutorial
  https://youtu.be/mTVCu5Rcnbs This is a tutorial on how I spring cards from hand to hand.  Most of the tutorials I have found on line spring the cards off the thumb.  I prefer to spring the cards off my fingers.  Personally I find this easier to control and to catch the cards. When springing the cards off your fingers ...
• Visual Ace Production
  This is something that I am playing around with, trying to find the right combination of sleights. Effect: Spectator shuffles the deck.  The performer shows the faces of the cards and comments on how well mixed they are.  The performer then does a couple of shuffles to further mix up the cards. Then the performer shows the top ...
• Ace Control notes
  The following table shows the movements of the aces during the Ace Control.  The first column assigns a number to the 52 cards from the top card, 1, down to 52.  Since the aces begin out of the deck, they are numbers 49, 50, 51, and 52.  Reading the other columns from left to right ...
• Ace Control
  This is my own ace control. It looks very fair, with each ace being inserted into the deck and the deck cut several times. Between each ace insertion the top and bottom cards can be shown. After inserting the aces and cutting, the deck is shuffled once and then all four aces are back on ...
• Substitutes for the Pass
  This is not a post arguing for or against learning how to perform a classic pass, or turnover pass or any of the other passes.  Learning to perform a pass is a good exercise to undertake, in part because learning to do a pass is also learning about misdirection and audience management. But often it is ...
• One handed 4 way cut
  I first wrote this up in some lecture notes in 2001.  I figure it is time to get it online. On one of my business trips to San Diego, I visited Brad Burt’s Magic shop.  Brad showed my a one-handed multiple cut that he had worked out by studying a classic Houdini poster. Later on an ...
• False cut #4 – Stepladder cut
  I worked on this cut and then, not surprisingly found it described elsewhere in a magic book.  I call my version the stepladder cut because it seems similar to the up-the-ladder cut, but with only one step.  Here is a video of my practicing the cut at Starbucks (and yes I spend too much time ...
• False cut #3 – Charlier undone
  This one is a pretty easy to do in-the-hands false cut. Start with the deck held in your right hand between the thumb and the middle finger.  Grip the deck near the right side.  This cut uses four packets numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 from the top down. With the right first finger lift up a ...
• False cut #2 – Spin cycle cut
  This cut moves three packets of cards around in cutting actions but leaves the deck in the original order.  The video below shows me practicing the cut at Starbucks, with the sound removed.  This cut is harder to get smooth than “Drawn and Quartered.” Hold the deck in the right hand by the thumb and middle ...
• False cut #1 – Drawn and quartered
  For “walk-around” magic I wanted to be able to do some in-the-hands false cuts.  Drawn and quartered is one that I developed.  Its name comes from two aspects, first is that the cut involves four packets, the second is my last name “Wallace”.  (William Wallace, a Scot rebel, was drawn and quartered by the English.)   Below ...
• Finding the Aces with Erdnase
  This is an effect that I use to practice the Erdnase system of cull shuffling. Effect:  The performer shuffles a deck of cards and then has the spectator shuffle them as well.  The performer then takes the deck back and ribbon spreads the deck face up on the table, remarking that the deck is now well ...
• Two step cull
  Culling cards is the process of spreading a deck of card between the hands, and while spreading them moving one or more cards to the top or bottom of the deck. It is a very powerful tool. The Conjuring Archive lists almost 300 references to books and article on the technique. I often use a two ...
• ACAAN (a card at any number)
  A card at any number is a classic card trick.  Here is an relatively easy version utilizing a pair of dice and a well known property of the dice. Effect:  Spectator selects a card and returns it to the deck.  The magician shuffles the deck several times. The magician pulls out a pair of dice and ...
• Aces and Dice without the Dice
  This is basically the same trick as Aces and Dice but without the dice. Effect: Have the spectator shuffle the deck. Take the deck back and turn it face up. Spread the cards to show the mixed condition. Turn the deck face down and do an overhand shuffle to further mix the ...
• Erdnase system of stock shuffling to stack for Aces and Dice
  Erdnase stock shuffle for stacking the Aces and Dice trick Refer to the Expert Card Technique book for the Erdnase system of stock shuffling. This modification will stack the aces for the Aces and Dice routine.  The stack puts the aces at locations 5, 7, 13 and 15. Start with one ace on the bottom of the ...
• Aces and Dice video
  Practicing the Aces and Dice trick at Starbucks (no sound).
• Easy Aces
  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 ...
• Aces and Dice
  Effect: Performer shuffles a deck of cards twice and sets the deck down. Then displays four dice. The specatator rolls the dice to come up with four random numbers. The performer picks up the deck and shows the top and bottom cards, and then deals four piles of cards. The number of cards dealt to each ...
• Python program used to explore the Aces and Dice trick
  Since I was curious I wrote a python program to list all of the good and bad rolls of four dice for the trick Aces and Dice. Here is the program: The output of the program tells us several things.  There are 126 possible rolls, of which 80 are bad and 46 are good. Looking at ...
• Playing Cards
  Have you ever looked closely at the court cards in a Standard Bicycle deck of cards: The kings: Only the King of Spades is looking to the right Only the King of Diamonds has an axe, the other Kings have swords The “Suicide King”, if you look closely at the sleeve holding the sword on the King of Hearts, ...
• Card stack technique for Xavier Perret’s Da Vinci’s Code card trick
  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPQEF24XWAc for the effect. Steps Sort the cards into four face up piles, each pile consisting of a single suit in order from the back (A) to the top (K). So when you hold a pile in your hand face up, the Ace is next to your palm and the King is the visible card. Set the ...
• Cutting the aces
  This is a video of me practicing a “cutting the aces” routine using a method I developed