Card manipulation

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Card trick. Upper left: "Pick a card, any card". Upper right: Back-palming a card. Bottom left: A "spring" flourish. Bottom right: Mixing the cards allows for card trick preparation. Card trick.jpg
Card trick. Upper left: "Pick a card, any card". Upper right: Back-palming a card. Bottom left: A "spring" flourish. Bottom right: Mixing the cards allows for card trick preparation.

Card manipulation is the branch of magic that deals with creating effects using sleight of hand techniques involving playing cards. Card manipulation is often used in magical performances, especially in close-up, parlor, and street magic. Some of the most recognized names in this field include Dai Vernon, [1] Tony Slydini, [2] Ed Marlo, S.W. Erdnase, Richard Turner, John Scarne, Ricky Jay [3] and René Lavand. [4] [5] Before becoming world-famous for his escapes, Houdini billed himself as "The King of Cards". [6] Among the more well-known card tricks relying on card manipulation are Ambitious Card, and Three-card Monte, a common street hustle also known as Find the Lady.

Contents

History

Orson Welles performs a card trick for Carl Sandburg (August 1942) Welles-Sandburg-1942.jpg
Orson Welles performs a card trick for Carl Sandburg (August 1942)

Playing cards became popular with magicians in the 15th century [7] as they were props which were inexpensive, versatile, and easily accessible. Card magic has bloomed into one of the most popular branches of magic, accumulating thousands of techniques and ideas. These range from complex mathematics like those used by Persi Diaconis, the use of psychological techniques like those taught by Banachek, to extremely difficult sleight of hand like that of Ed Marlo and Dai Vernon.

Card magic, in one form or another, likely dates from the time playing cards became commonly known, towards the second half of the fourteenth century, but its history in this period is largely undocumented. Compared to sleight of hand magic in general and to cups and balls, it is a new form of magic. [8] However, due to its versatility as a prop it has become popular amongst modern magicians.

Martin Gardner called S.W. Erdnase's 1902 treatise on card manipulation Artifice, Ruse and Subterfuge at the Card Table: A Treatise on the Science and Art of Manipulating Cards [9] "the most famous, the most carefully studied book ever published on the art of manipulating cards at gaming tables". [10]

Technique

Illusions performed with playing cards are constructed using basic card manipulation techniques (or sleights). It is the intention of the performer that such sleights are performed in a manner which is undetectable to the audience—however, that result takes practice and a thorough understanding of method. [11] Manipulation techniques include:

Lifts

Lifts are techniques which extract one or more cards from a deck. [12] The produced card(s) are normally known to the audience, for example having previously been selected or identified as part of the illusion. In sleight of hand, a "double lift" can be made to extract two cards from the deck, but held together to appear as one card.

False deals

Dealing cards (for example at the start of a traditional card game) is considered a fair means of distributing cards. False deals are techniques which appear to deliver cards fairly, when actually the cards delivered are predetermined or known to the performer. False dealing techniques include: second dealing, bottom dealing, middle dealing, false counts (more or less cards are dealt than expected), and double dealing (the top and bottom cards of a small packet are dealt together). [13]

Side steal

A technique invented by magician F. W. Conradi. [14] It is used to control a predetermined card to the top of a deck (most of the time).

Passes

The effect of the card pass is that an identified card is inserted somewhere into a deck. However, following rapid and concealed manipulation by the performer, it is secretly moved or displaced - usually to the top (or bottom) of the deck. A pass is achieved by swapping the portion of the deck from the identified card downwards, with the portion of the deck above the identified card. Pass techniques include: the classic pass, the invisible turn-over pass, the Zingone Perfect Table pass, the flesh grip pass, the jog pass, the Braue pass, the Charlier pass, the finger palm pass [15] and the Hermann pass. Simply, a card pass is a secret cut of the deck (not to be confused with a coin pass which is a false transfer of a coin from one hand to the other).

Palming

Palming is a technique for holding or concealing one or more cards in the palm of the hand. Cards palmed from a deck are typically held in reserve (unseen by the audience) until production is required for the illusion being performed. Palming techniques include: the Braue diagonal tip-up, the swing, the thumb-count, face card palm, the crosswise, new vertical, the gamblers' squaring, the gamblers' flat, the Hugard top palm, the flip-over, the Hofzinser bottom, the Braue bottom, the Tenkai palm and the Zingone bottom. [16]

False shuffles

Shuffling cards is considered a fair means to randomize the cards contained in a deck. False shuffles are techniques which appear to fairly shuffle a deck, when actually the cards in the deck are maintained in an order appropriate to the illusion being performed. False shuffles can be performed that permit one or more cards to be positioned in a deck, or even for the entire deck to remain in an unshuffled state (for example the state the deck was in before the shuffle). False shuffle techniques include: the perfect riffle, the strip-out, the Hindu shuffle, the gamblers', and various stock shuffling techniques (where the locations of one or more cards are controlled during the false shuffle). [17]

False cuts

Cutting a deck of cards is a technique whereby the deck is split into two portions (the split point being randomly determined – often by a member of the audience), which are then swapped – the effect being to make sure that no one is sure of which card is on the top of the deck. False cuts are techniques whereby the performer appears to organise a fair cut, when actually a predetermined card (or cards) is organised to be located on the top of the deck. False cutting techniques include: the false running cut, and the gambler's false cut. [18]

Color change

A color change is the effect of changing one card to another in front of the spectator's eyes. Usually the cards changed are of different colors, or a face card into a number card, in order to make the change more apparent. There are many different techniques to accomplish this effect, but among the most common are the classic color change and the snap change[ clarification needed ], as they are easier to master than others. Professional magicians usually perform other color changes such as the Cardini or Erdnase change[ clarification needed ].

Crimps

Crimps are techniques whereby part of a card is intentionally physically marked, creased, or bent to facilitate identification during an illusion. Crimp techniques include: the regular crimp, the gamblers' crimp, the breather crimp and the peek crimp. [19]

Jogs

A jog is one or more cards which protrude slightly from somewhere within a deck or stack of cards. The protrusion, although not noticeable to the audience, permits the performer to retain knowledge about the location of the card during other manipulations. While jogs are not always hidden from the audience, they are most often. Some varieties include "in jogs", "side jogs", and "out jogs". [20]

Reverses

Card reverses are techniques whereby one or more cards in a deck are made to change their orientation, for example from face up to face down. [21]

Forces

Card forces are the sleight which involves forcing a spectator to choose a card that has been predetermined by the performer, while maintaining supposed free choice. Some forces include; the classic force, the riffle force, and the slip force.

Misdirection

Misdirection, though not entirely specific to card magic, is indeed very prominent in most card performances. In many cases, the ‘skill’ of a card illusionist is determined by how well they can switch the audiences attention from one part of the performance to the next, which becomes more difficult when dealing with hecklers. Magicians can use card techniques like flourishing, verbal misdirection and by cracking jokes, in order to mislead the audience, making concealment of important sleight of hand easier in the process.

See also

Related Research Articles

Sleight of hand refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card flourishing and stealing. Because of its heavy use and practice by magicians, sleight of hand is often confused as a branch of magic; however, it is a separate genre of entertainment and many artists practice sleight of hand as an independent skill. Sleight of hand pioneers with worldwide acclaim include Dan and Dave, Ricky Jay, Derek DelGaudio, David Copperfield, Yann Frisch, Norbert Ferré, Dai Vernon, Cardini, Tony Slydini, Helder Guimarães and Tom Mullica.

A trick deck is a deck of playing cards that has been altered in some way to allow magicians to perform certain card tricks where sleight of hand would be too difficult or impractical.

Darwin Ortiz (1948-2023) was a magician, who was an authority on gambling and card manipulation.

The Ambitious Card, or Elevator Card, is a magic effect in which a playing card seems to return to the top of the deck after being placed elsewhere in the middle of the deck. This is a classic effect in card magic and serves as a study subject for students of magic. It is also known as the "Trick that Fooled Houdini", as Harry Houdini was unable to determine how the trick was done when it was performed for him, multiple times, by Dai Vernon. Most performing card magicians will have developed their own personal Ambitious Card routine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardistry</span> Performance art

Cardistry is the performance art of card flourishing. Unlike card magic, cardistry is meant to be visually impressive and appear very hard to execute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dai Vernon</span> Canadian magician (1894–1992)

David Frederick Wingfield Verner, better known by his stage names Dai Vernon or The Professor, was a Canadian magician.

A double lift is a sleight of hand maneuver used by magicians in card magic. It is a method by which the identity of the top card may be kept secret by lifting the top two cards as one, making it seem as if only the top card is picked up. Similar techniques may be applied to more than two cards to perform a triple or even quadruple lift. The term was coined by Theo Annemann.

Bottom dealing or base dealing is a sleight of hand technique in which the bottom card from a deck of playing cards is dealt instead of the top card. It is used by magicians as a type of card illusion, and by card sharps and mechanics, and as a method of cheating in poker or other card games.

This is a glossary of conjuring terms used by magicians.

Spelling Bee may refer to one of several card tricks that revolve around the spelling of card types, audience member names, or words suggested by the audience. Many make use of decks prepared in advance in order to provide the illusion of spelling card names in a particular sequence. Jean Hugard's Encyclopedia of Card Tricks lists a number of such spelling-based tricks, many of which are considered to be self-working.

The Circus Card Trick is a self-working card trick where the performer uses verbal misdirection to prompt the participant into betting that the performer has failed to execute the trick correctly. The performer exploits the ambiguous wording of their patter to win the bet in a manner unexpected by the audience. It is often recommended for beginning magicians due to its entertaining and self-working nature.

Zarrow shuffle is a sleight of hand technique that gives the appearance of being a normal riffle shuffle, but in fact leaves the cards in exactly the same order. This is an example of a false shuffle. It was invented by magician Herb Zarrow c. 1940. The sleight begins as a normal riffle shuffle, but the performer uses the top card of the deck to conceal the shuffle being cancelled by way of unweaving the cards.

<i>The Expert at the Card Table</i> Book by S. W. Erdnase

The Expert at the Card Table, is an extensive book on the art of sleight of hand published in 1902 by S. W. Erdnase, a pseudonymous author whose identity has remained a mystery for over a century. As a detailed manual of card sharps, the book is considered to be one of the most influential works on magic or conjuring with cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Close-up magic</span> Magic performed in an intimate setting

Close-up magic is magic performed in an intimate setting usually no more than 3 meters from one's audience and is usually performed while sitting at a table.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chink-a-chink</span> Magic trick involving coins

Chink-a-chink is a simple close-up magic coin trick in which a variety of small objects, usually four, appear to magically transport themselves from location to location when covered by the performer's hands, until the items end up gathered together in the same place. Variations, especially the Sympathetic Coins also known as Coins-n-Cards, have been performed since the 1800s. Popular modern variations are Shadow Coins and Matrix. A variation using playing cards as the objects is known as Sympathetic Aces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Hugard</span> Australian magician

Jean Hugard was an Australian professional magician and author, often co-writing with Frederick Braue. Among his better known works are the books The Royal Road to Card Magic, Encyclopedia of Card Tricks, and Expert Card Technique.

Frederick Braue[pronounced BROW-ee] was an American journalist notable for his contribution to the field of card magic. He was a semi-professional magician, specializing in card magic, of which he was a master.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forcing (magic)</span> Tactic in magic

In stage magic, a force is a method of controlling a choice made by a spectator during a trick. Some forces are performed physically using sleight of hand, such as a trick where a spectator appears to select a random card from a deck but is instead handed a known card by the magician. Other forces use equivocation to create the illusion of a free decision in a situation where all choices lead to the same outcome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of cardistry</span>

The art form of card flourishing, commonly referred to as cardistry, grew out of simple flourishes used in close-up magic by magicians in the 1990s to early 2000s. Chris Kenner's notable two-handed Sybil cut from his 1992 publication Totally Out of Control has carried great influence and gave birth to a series of advanced flourishes which today represents the foundation of the performance art. Sleight of hand pioneers Dan and Dave Buck popularized cardistry on the world stage with their instructional DVD releases from 2004 and 2007. Journalist Kevin Pang of Vanity Fair characterized the art of card flourishing as, "It's yo-yo tricks performed by cardsharps with the street cred of a Parkour video. There's a name for it: cardistry."

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Ganson, Lewis. The Dai Vernon Book of Magic, L&L Publishing, First edition, 1994.
  2. ↑ Ganson, Lewis. The Magic of Slydini, Harry Stanley; First edition, 1960, pp. 2-5.
  3. ↑ Singer, Mark (5 April 1993) Ricky Jay: Secrets of the Magus The New Yorker (5 April 1993) "Ricky Jay ... is perhaps the most gifted sleight-of-hand artist alive"
  4. ↑ "Hall of Fame". magiccastle.com. Academy of Magical Arts . Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  5. ↑ The Great Pretender
  6. ↑ Kalush & Sloman 2006, p. 42.
  7. ↑ Puzzlers' Tribute: A Feast for the Mind, A. K. Peters, 2001
  8. ↑ Randi 1992, pp. 17–27.
  9. ↑ Erdnase 1902.
  10. ↑ Erdnase 1995, Foreword.
  11. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, p. xxi.
  12. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 3–11.
  13. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 12–30.
  14. ↑ "Cards | Side Steal (Conjuring Credits)". www.conjuringcredits.com. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  15. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 37–48.
  16. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 49–64.
  17. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 65–76.
  18. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 77–80.
  19. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 90–92.
  20. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, p. xxiii.
  21. ↑ Hugard & Braue 1974, pp. 107–112.

Sources

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