MAGIC MAN Ey a MINER Volume 1 Issue 4 September 1992 Publishers: Chris “No Shuttle Pass" Kenner and Homer "The Worm" Liwag Editors: Chris "Man with A Million Faces” Kenner and Homer “Fastest Pass in the West” Lvag Managing Editors: Chris "Not Another Card Trick" Kenner and Homer "Yes Another Card Trick’ Liwag Contributors: Michael Weber Chris Kenner Mac King Mark Brandyberry Phil Goldstein Author of Plausible Denial Mark Lane Whe Killed Laura Palmer Lolend "BOB" Palmer ‘The Magic Man Examiner is produced by @ ‘small band of rebels known to the magic com- munity as F.0.M.M. (Friends of Magic Man). These F.0.MM.'s keep a watchtull eye on magi- cians from all four winds. The Examiner is pub- lished almost as frequently as Steven King comes out with another seven-thousand-page ‘opus about @ seemingly benign household appliance that suddenly starts ripping the entrails out of the family cat (which means two cor three times a year). Anyone wishing to com. ment on magie, magicians, tricks, Twin Peaks, ‘or the Kennedy Assassination, please send to: Chris Kenner 9814-H Oak Lake Circle South Indianapolis, IN 45268, For those of you paying any attention, you may have noticed that this the third time the Examiner Office has moved since the inception of this rag. If there are any comments on that, send them to Christina Kenner (same address ‘as above. We would appreciate any com- ments other than "Where is my next issue?" Wow! Finelly, Volume one of the Examiner completed. ‘And you thought the Beatles would get back together for anoth er album destined to be played over and over in cheesy lounges before Issue Four arrived. No need to fear...The Examiners Here. We will continue to pump out issues at the same rapid fire pace. ‘As always, this issue is jam-packed wit great magic, satire, and plenty of bizarre, obscure references that are inserted for our own amusement. Pay particular attention to Mark Brandyberry's Impromptu Version of Mark Brandyberry's Booze and Caffeine Detector. This is one of the most proctical, novel, pieces of magic to grace the folds of the Examiner. Unlike most routines in this rag, Brandyberry's routine can be performed almost immediately and with very litle practice Yes, very ite practice {know that all ou fethful readers are wondering what has been keeping the staff busy . These past few months have ded: icated to the writing, illustrating, and layout of Richard Kaufman's next and most exciting publication; Ten Things you can do with a Carrot. No, just kidding. The book is talled Out ‘of Control and is highly recommended by the Examiner staff. The staff had a swell time at the SAM. National in Indianapolis, the home grounds of the Examiner. We would lke to thank the C. B's of the Precursor Suite for their generous hospitality. If you were present at the Convention, then you may have caught Magic Man's carneo appearance atthe final show. Magic Man presented our Michael Ammar Stamps and ‘asked the audience to vote for their favorite in the tradition of the Elvis Stamps. We would also like to thank everyone who ‘came to visit llusions, the testing ground for Examiner material. China Productions has recently been changed to Jake & China Productions due to the recent aquisition of a fluffy white nine of the West Highland Race. China's hard working sched- tle demanded an assistant. Artist's rendering below: NOT 10 XALEtetas) MICHAEL w Cease ANDY NS acta! GOLDSTEIN ne 89299 NI ‘sijodeue} YINOS BIN119 OFT HO H-yLBE v8UUS} SHYD OF SES, VIbNa Stun) ra) NVINNV GYVHOIN A NOLLVOITENd MAN V LNOSV ONINV3HC Wil aunisias c e n In today's story, our resident necromancer “Crusty the Magician,” strolls the beaten Paths of a local shopping mall. A sign on his lapel reads; “Crusty the Magician...where reality crumbles before you.” This minuscule advertisement is enough to arouse the curiosity of a small band of mall rats. Within sec- onds, the group begins to surround Crusty like a swarm of moths drawn towards a light. This rather restless motley crew threatens violence if Crusty does not “perform.” Dressed only in T-shirt and jeans, Crusty envisions the depiction of his demise on a cable service “undercover” documentary. To his good fortune, however, he remembers that he is prepared to perform one “dyna- mite” effect. The magus borrows a rather dog-eared deck of cards from a person's hip sack. A card is selected and marked, either with spray paint in a popular territori initialed with a knife nick, or just signed with a sharpie. The card is lost in the remainder of the deck. The wizard announces that the color, a r i ° selected card has vanished from the pack and traveled to one of his pockets. The magician reaches into his front left pocket, only to extract a large switch blade, startling the group. As a result, each member of the crowd instantly reveals a large switch blade from their front left Pockets. “I'm sorry,” Crusty exclaims, “wrong pocket.” He reaches into his front right Pocket and finds nothing but a set of keys and a dusty condom. The crowd becomes restless and again!” With an obviously empty right hand, the magician reaches into the small “change” pocket with just two fingers. From within this pocket, which is commonly found in most jeans, Crusty extracts the signed selection to the amuse- Ment of the gallery. Believe it or not, a senti- mental bonding has taken place, and Crusty decides to join the group at the local video arcade for a death challenge on “Stargate.” demands satisfaction. The magician says, th “Wrong. pocketThis is an effect with which you can astound audiences in a seemingly impromptu setting. Take your favorite pair of jeans and cut a slit in the bottom of the “change” pocket. This should make the large, front pocket accessible through the “change” pocket. Place some objects in your front pockets (the more strange the objects, the funnier) and you are ready to 90. Have a card selected and signed across the face. This is optional. Spread the deck between the hands and separate the cards at the center of the spread. Allow the cards in the left hand to square (figure one). Have the spectator return the selection on top of the left hand cards. Close the spread of cards in the right hand against the left thumb base. In doing so, however, the left finger- tips use friction to cause the cards above the selection to step to the right (figure two). The cards are maintained in this sloppy condition. Transfer the cards to the right fingers and ges- ture with the left hand (figure three). This is very disarming. Transfer the cards back to the left hand and square the cards with both hands, the left pinkie obtaining a break above the selection, This is easily accomplished due to the step in AN | the cards. The right hand lifts all the cards above the break in a Biddle grip as the left fingers ‘squeeze downward on the right edge of the lower half, causing it to revolve face up (figure four). Turn the right handpalm upward, and shuffle its cards onto the face of the left hand cards, having completed its revolu- tion {figure five). This, in a casual sort of way, brings the selection to the top of the deck. Reposition the deck in a facedown dealing posi- tion in the left hand. Announce the arrival of the selected card to ‘one of your pockets. Grasp the entire deck in a Biddle position in the right hand. With your left hand, reach into your front left pocket in search for the selection, Meanwhile, the right hand performs the one-hand top palm with the selected card (figure six). Extract a few objects from the pocket with the left hand and place them on a table. Apparently, you have failed to find the selection. Take the deck back with the left hand, and plunge the right hand (with the palmed selection) into the right front pocket, using the Vernon technique of inserting only the thumb and first finger (figure seven). Remove everything from your pocket, leaving the selection behind {figure eight). Appoligize and show the right hand com- pletely empty (as opposed to half-tank) and reach into the small “change” pocket with the first and second finger only (figure nine). ttis an easy matter to grasp the selection through the slit in the bottom of the smaller pocket. Slowly remove the selection (figure ten). This will be quite a surprise to the audience.In Memory David Frederick Wingfield Verner Gane 11,1894 - August 20, 1992 The Professorhave been performing a certain paddle trick for over a dozen years. My friend Howard Robinson gave me this paddle and explained that he had picked two of them up at an antique auction at the Magic Castle. When he first performed this for me | was genuinely shocked. | thought that | had seen every paddle trick, and I couldn't believe that | was being fooled by this one. Howard showed me a classic- shaped magic paddle. This paddle had three holes drilled down its length. A small stick (a broken tooth- pick) was placed into the center hole of the paddle and with a flick of the wrist the stick seemed to jump from ‘one hole to another. The stick could be removed and the trick could be performed over and over again. Impossibly the stick jumped to any of the three holes. Howard showed me the secret. | was shocked again. The method was so ingenious, that knowing the secret was even more fun than being fooled by it. I'm cer- tain that ! would never have figured the trick out if Howard hadn't showed itto me. Over the years, the Toothpick Paddle Trick became a staple in my show, and | renamed it the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine R A N D BOOZE AND CAFFINE DETECTOR Y BE R RY Detector. Recently, I've had Bill Puca of Starlight Magic manufacture the effect for me, and I use his paddle exclusively. Lately | developed an impromptu version of this trick. Now, you can perform the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector without ‘owning a Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector. Actually, I'm not sure that the impromptu.version replaces the original paddle version, butiitis a strong alternative. You will need one toothpick (round varieties are best) and one cigarette (unfiltered varieties are best) A toothpick is used to punch three holes down the length of a cig- arette. The toothpick is then placed in the center hole. On command, the toothpick jumps from one hole to another. This gadget, the magician explains, is used to detect the pres- ence of alcohol or caffeine in a drink. Many other patter ideas are possible. Borrow or provide a cigarette. | usually use unfiltered cigarettes and | carry a pack of them for this purpose. | then borrow or provide a toothpick. Round toothpicks are necessary, because flat toothpicks are not sym- metrical As you begin to patter, start pierc-ing the cigarette with the toothpick. The first hole is punched half-way down the cigarette (figure one), but is never punched through the cigarette. This first hole simply pierces the ciga- rette paper, and the toothpick is worked between the fingers to enlarge the hole. Your patter contin- ues while you make a second hole. The second hole must be drilled com- pletely through the cigarette and it is about a quarter of an inch from the first hole (figure two}. A third hole is drilled completely through the ciga- rette again, about a quarter of an inch from the second one. Now it is time to make the fourth and final hole, Roll the cigarette over and you'll notice the real holes on the other side of the cig- arette. The fourth hole is another fake hole. It is punched a quarter of an inch from the last real hole. Just as with the first fake hole, the toothpick is used to enlarge this fake hole. Make it appear as a real one. During this entire procedure, no real explanation of your actions is given. The patter is being heard, but the making of the holes isn’t men- tioned. As far as the spectators know, you are punching a few holes in a cig- arette, but they don't really know how many. Of course, they believe that all the holes are through the cigarette, and they shouldn't suspect that two of the holes are fake. The spectators never see more than three holes. The trick is ready to perform. Take the toothpick and slip it into the center hole of the cigarette (either side of the cigarette can be used). The toathpick should be pushed half-way through the cigarette (figure three). Hold the Cigarette between the thumb and first finger and perform the classic paddle move by rolling the cigarette betweenyour fingers and thumb as the hand rotates palm down (figure four). The spectators will see that the toothpick is through the center hole—it goes through one side and out the other. The truth is that the toothpick goes through the center hole on one side, but out another hole on the opposite side. Examine the cigarette and you'll see what | mean. Reverse the motion, rolling the cige- rette with the thumb as the hand returns to its starting position. You'll also be impressed by how slowly the paddle move can be performed. It can be performed very slowly, and the illusion is very decep- tive. Perform the paddle move and pause while the cigarette is pointed upwards, with the end of the cigarette pointing towards the chest (figure four again). Now, lower the cigarette to the down position, but don't do the paddle move. The spec- tator’s eyes will take a second to refocus. During this moment, give the cigarette a little shake. When you stop the ciga- rette’s movement, the toothpick will appear to jump from the cen- ter hole to another (figure five). Pause, and allow this effect to sink in. The audience may require 2 moment to see what's hap- pened. Now remove the cigarette and replace the toothpick in the center hole again, but don't turn the cigarette over. Now perform the paddle move to show that the toothpick is once again in the center hole. When the cigarette is in the upwards position, lower the cigarette as before. In other words, don't do the paddle move on the way down. The cigarette will appear to jump to the opposite end (figure six.“Lecies end Gentlemen, now itis time to introduce you tothe Merk Brandybery Boore end Caffeine Detector. Now. Detore| do thi, alow mee tell you a litle about myselt. I'm en up and coming entrepreneur and inventor. My wte eas me a tinker, but | think that demeans my standing in the community. | have dldiated my foto invent ing something thet wil bet tar te slovenly lives of my fallow man, and not tha, {ike to make a bundle With thie in mind, { have reeeached and deve- oped he Mark Bandybury Booze and. Cetfeine Detector. Ths it number that appears to be, say, tigate wl seve you tine, money, and untold rude: tion, Through a process that leant explain to you the layman, this Boore and Catteine Detector with te eecompanying indleator heed, wl tect the ions of boore or calc In yout ining gle Here's the scoop. If you insert the indleetor read nt the corer hole of the Mark Brondyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector (SHOW THE INDI CATOR NEEDLE AND PUSH IT THOUGH THE CENTER HOLE OF THE CIGARETTE.) and wave the Booze and Caffeine Detector over water, not ing will happen. WAVE THE CIGARETTE OVER > THE GLASS OF WATER, SHOW THAT THE NEEDLE HAS REMAINED IN THE CENTER HOLE. tel you Up front. This is not 8 dowsing red or dowsing device of any Kind. This ia not a thirty stick, | warn you. But f you weve the Mark ER BA GE Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector over a dink that has caffeine in it (BEGIN TO WAVE THE CIGA. RETTE OVER THE COFFEE}—look at this—the indicator needle jumps from the center hole down to this end, DO THIS BY PERFORMING THE “JUMPING MOVE" AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, Without a doubt there is cat feine in this drink. ‘So what? Did | hear a 90 what? Well, let's say that you have a big sales meeting in the moming and you want to be wide awake for it—you order decat coffee. But in these busy bars they mix up the coffee pots all the time, and you stand a chance to bbe pacing the floor at three o'clock in the moming. So what? So with the ‘Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine ‘Detector you'll never ive that horror. So, le’s say that you've agreed to be the designated driver for your group. You'd hate to screw that up for your friends, but you know that in ‘these busy bars they mixup the virgin drinks with the slutty drinks all the time. Burden yourself no longer. Observe: Now, I return the indi- cator needle to the center hole (DO ‘THIS, BUT DONT TURN THE CIGA- RETTE OVER. JUST RETURN THE NEEDLE TO THE CENTER HOLE THAT IS SHOWING, and if wave the ‘Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector over this drink—viola—the indicator needle jumps down to this ‘end! DO THIS BY PERFORMING THE “JUMPING MOVE” AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. Clearly, sir, you are boozing it up. My congratulations to you! YOU ARE NOW RESET TO DEMON- STRATE THE BOOZE AND CAFFEINE DETECTOR A SECOND TIME. For the skeptics in the audience, Fd like to demonstrate the merits of this fine product once again. fl return the indicator needle to the center hole land wave it over a drink that has cat feine in it—look now—the needle jumps down to this end. REPEAT ‘THE ACTIONS ABOVE, But | promised you something that | have yet to deliver. | promised you thet the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector could detect alcohol on your breath, | replace the indicator needle to the canter hole, and, sir, if you would blow on the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector, please. REPEAT THE ACTIONS OF ABOVE. THIS TIME AIM THE CIGARETTE TOWARDS THE SPECTATOR'S MOUTH. THE NEEDLE WILL JUMP AGAIN, INDICATING THAT THE ‘SPECTATOR HAS ALCOHOL ON HIS BREATH. Perfection! I've even gone ‘90 far a8 to sal this wonderful product to the Indiana State Police. No longer will you have to blow into those rub- ber balloons. All that you'll be Tequired to do is blow on the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector. Don't you just hate that rub- ber taste that the balloons leave in ‘you mouth? | know | do. You can own the Mark Brandyberry Booze and Caffeine Detector by purchasing it from me or from the Sharper Image for the low, low price of $2,500.00." Use round toothpicks. Square toothpicks are okay, but they don’t ‘make nice holes and may tear the cig. arette. As mentioned above, flat toothpicks are not symmetrical and are useless. Fier cigarettes can be used, but the filter gives the spectator some. thing to focus on, The holes will appear to jump up and down the length of the cigarette. I use Lucky Strikes for this trick. The Lucky Strike label is barely noticeable and doesn't reveal how the holes seem to jump ‘ground on the cigarette. Sore genar- fc brands of cigarettes have no label or fiter, I've been asked how | keep the Cigarette from being examinet at the ‘ond of the trick. I'don’t worry about this, frankly. | just pocket the ciga- rette, throw it away, oF vanish it. Have fun with this one. Believe me when ‘we | say it looks good. Give it a shot. Undoubtably, you'l thank me later.[TOURS STE Cone NT POS AND eee mY eee The following is ; _ This drawing a very deceptive EEUU EE RUCM shows the vantage false count, It can , point in which the be performed with FLIER LCM MGEMIG CROCE UCHaE audience should playing cards as i view the count. well as business PMOL A RoR MURR UES Note that the right cards. The count [i a PNA first finger is just has quite a few [CCDC ORMEOREEM Grice sie ccs applications. Grab right corner of the four playing cards packet. It is the and you're ready to right first finger begin. that will provide You are going to the crucial “snap” count the four cards that makes the as five. Hold four count deceptive CE Ok OR te eo CRS Tg Ree Ded ete ee ele cards face down by the left long side between The right hand pulls off the top card of the your left thumb and fingertips. The left hand packet down and just to the right of the left is about two inches off the table top. The right hand (figure dunskin). Notice that the right fin- hand adopts a similar position atthe right long —_gers are still under the outer right corner of the side of the packet, using the thumb and first card. As the card flattens itself on the table, and second fingers only (figure onskin), the right first and second fingerscurl inward, causing the outer right comer to “snap” onto the table for the count of “one.” Without pausing, move the right hand back to the left hand and peel off the next card from the top of the packet. Deal this card on top of the first, however, don't let go of the card just yet (figure threeskin), Note that the first and second fingers are still trapped under the outer right corner. The right first finger curls inward causing a "snap" for the count of “two.” The right thumb and second finger maintain their grip on the card (sfive) Immediately, move the right hand back towards the left hand, bringing back the card just deat (stiltskin). The right fingers slip this card underneath the left-hand packet as the right thumb peels off the next card (figure ven- skin). Deal this onto the tabled card, the right fingers snapping off the ‘outer right corner for the count of “three.” All of these actions happen in a smooth, unhur- ried pace. The card which is secretly returned to the packet will remain invisible during the transfer. The audience, at this point, believes that there are three cards on the table. In reality there are only two. Continue the count, the right hand dealing off the remaining two cards, one-at-a-time, for the count of “four” and “five.” Remember to snap each card as you deal them onto the table. Basically, that's it. Execute the count in a brisk, uninterrupted rhythm. The key to the effectiveness lies in the snapping of the outer right corer on each count. The audience will hear five distinct snapping sounds. If you pre- fer, the false deal can occur on the third card counted. It’s up to you. With a little modification, versions of the four card Elmsley and Jordan count can be executed with Mac's technique. For the Elmsley count, steal back the first card dealt as the left thumb pushes off a double for the count of “two.” Finish off by dealing the remaining two cards for the count of “three” and “four.” This will hide the third card from the top of the packet. For the Jordan count, deal off one card, deal and steal back the sec- ond card underneath the packet. Immediately, the left thumb performs a block push off withthe top two cards, the right hand dealing these two, as one, to the table. Deal the remaining card for the count of “four.” This will hide the bottom card of a four card packet. NOTE: A “three as four" count can be performed with this technique. With a bit more work, Paper money can be counted in the same manner. This is much more difficult, however, and the “snapping” sound is minimalized due to the tenderness of the paper stock used for currency. . 4 = __-_. =z PHIL fully realize that the following routine does not contain enough sleights to satisfy the editors of Magic Man Examiner, but perhaps they'll run it anyway. ‘The performer brings out two cased packs of cards, one red and one blue. A spectator selects either deck (for example, blue). While the performer's back is turned, the spectator takes that pack from its case, shuffles it tho oughly, then notes and reverses one card. The performer turns around. He mimes the action of removing a card from the blue pack, and tossing it into the red. When the blue deck is spread, there is no longer a reversed card in it. The red pack is taken out of its case and spread face-up. Within it is one face-down blue-backed card. For the first time, the performer asks the participant to reveal the identity of the selected card. The reversed stranger is taken from the spread, and proves to be the chosen one. t e@ie¢c Sot oe el iene: Both decks are gimmicked. The blue- backed pack is marked on the back. The mark- ing should be located at the outer left and inner right comers, so that a card's identity can be read from just the portion exposed when the deck is fanned. There is one further prepa- ration given to this pack: the face of every card has been treated with roughing fluid. This deck goes into a blue case. ‘The second pack is an Ultra-Mental deck, made with blue-backed cards. With the pack set with the odd values uppermost, place a red-backed blank-facer face-down on top, and another red-backed blank-facer face-up on the bottom. This deck goes into a red case. You are ready to perform. Begin by bringing out the two decks. Ask the spectator to select either deck. This choice is moot; no matter which is chosen, you will arrive at the same outcome. If the blue deck is, designated, hand it to the spectator, and pushthe red deck aside “for later.” If the red deck is designated, push it aside stating that the cli max will take place with that deck, then give the blue pack to the spectator to start with. While your back is turned, the spectator mixes the blue deck, removes a card and remembers it, then returns that card face-up to the pack. Turn around, and emphasize the impossi- bility of your knowing what card the spectator has reversed in the blue deck. Mime the actions of plucking a card from the blue deck and tossing it into the red one. Take the blue deck, and hold it with the backs toward the spectator, Fan out the cards, showing that the reversed card has disappeared. Because of the roughing, the reversed card will not be visible from the spectator’s vantage point, as it is now clinging face-to-face with an indifferent card. However, from your side of the fan you can see the back of the reversed card. Read the markings; you now know the identity of the spectator’ selection. Pick up the red card case, and hold it so that the parity group of the chosen card is uppermost (€.g,, f the selection were the 5H you would orient the case so that the odd val- ues were uppermost). Open the case, and extract the deck, leaving behind the bottom card. This is a blank-facer; if the spectator should happen to catch a glimpse inside the cardbox only a white surface will be seen, Here's your chance to learn taays cali now suojssoiduu] enipSod @YeW » SpUaLLy LIAN, 1-900-IC which will blend in with the case's interior. The deck you have removed from the red case is apparently @ face-down red-backed pack. Turn the deck over, and spread through the cards. Use the standard Ultra-Mental method to produce the desired card as being the only face-down card in the face-up spread. As the audience believes the deck to be red- backed, they will assume that this face-down card is the only blue-backer, hence that it is the chosen card which has magically flown across. It remains only to have the spectator name the selection, then remove the face-down card from the spread and turn it over to show the successful conclusion. Although the method is only distantly related and the effect is quite different the cre- ation of this routine was triggered by Stewart James’ “One For Two Card.” an unpublished trick from the early 1940s. | have not been able to establish who first came up with the idea of using one of two null cards as a means of showing both sides of an Ultra-Mental deck prior to spreading. It may have been Peter Warlock, whose “An Addition to the ‘Brainwave’ Deck” (in Patterns For Psychics, 1948) employs a cleverly gimmicked cardcase for a similar purpose. The Warlock case can easily be applied to the above routine. So far as | know, the idea of using blank-faced cards as a protective measure is my own. GET RICH EXPOSING MAGIC!S! lagiclans' fiagic And Routines BREAKERS Our trained experts are. waiting for your call fue § 6.66 Tinowi sample That brow een pane ay Aap abines magn gS ty COMEOENAL? Gernerate Business + Build self-esteem + Gain Credibility + Win Friends « Wind Breakers + Call Now zItisa dark night at a seedy motel. A band of cardmen hover over a close-up mat watching an endless array of card tricks. The night is long and so are the tricks. In the middle of the ever popular “Name a number between one and fity-two...”, a loud thud is heard as the motel room door bursts open. A tall, caped gentlemen announces his presence as Magic Man. He works.his way swiftly to the now ungaurded close-up mat. The deck is cut into four tabled packets. The top card of each pack- et is shown to be aking. The four kings are laid on the table in a horizontal row. The kings are slid away to reveal the presence of four silver half dollars underneath! The rhythm of card magic has been interrupted. A gateway has been created for the eager coin man of the group to perform. This is a historical night. The cardmen are so entertained by the mod- ern, unorthodox coin magic, that no one has noticed that Magic Man has slipped away to ‘another part of the Motel. A veritable miracle. An effect of extraordinary magnitude. You have our gratitude! This is a hard-core version of Paul Harris’ now famous Silver Slide. Obtain a deck of cards and secretly cull the four kings to the top of the face- down deck. Also, palm four half dol- lars in a right hand classic palm. Now for the busy work. Hold the deck in a face-down left- hand dealing position. Remember, the four kings are on top of the deck. Casually grasp the deck in a Biddle position with the right hand. Secretly allow one coin to fall from the stack onto the left fingers (figure one). This is all covered by the back of the right hand. Also, the spectators should not be aware that a trick has already com- menced. The right hand removes the deck from the left hand in a Biddle grip as the left hand turns palm down toconceal the coin. Place the deck into a riffle shuffle-position on the table with the right hand. Simultaneously, the left hand classic palms its coin. With the right thumb, lift up two cards at the inner long side (figure two). Catch a flesh break with the thumb under the top two cards. Immediately cut half of the deck for- ward, maintaining the right thumb break under the two kings (figure three). In a continuing action, lft off the top two kings with the right hand and move them back to the original, tabled packet (figure four). Note that the left hand has assumed an identi- cal postition with the upper packet. Now both hands move simultane- ously. The left hand cuts half of the upper packet to the left as the right hand cuts half of the nearest packet to the right (figure five). This cut sequence places two kings on top of each of the left and right-end pack- ets. With both hands, snap the top card of the left and right-end packets face up. Drop these two kings ontothe two packets in the center with- ‘out delay (figure six). Immediately, snap the top cards of the left and right-end packets face up to reveal two more kings. Drop these two. cards on top of their respective packets. This snappy sequence reveals four kings on top of four packets. The fact that the four kings came from only two packets will go unnoticed. Pause and bring your hands to a rest position at the near edge of the table. Allow a coin from each hand to drop to a finger tip rest position. The right hand retains the last two coins in a classic palm. Reach forward with each hand and load a coin under the left and rightend king (figure seven). The hidden coins remain concealed in the right hand due to the Malini Subtlety. Lift off these two kings and piace them in front of the pack- ets, side-by-side (figure eight). Lift off the two remaining kings and drop them onto the table, one at the far left and one at the far right figure nine). Do this as clean- lyas possible. There are now four kings face up on the table in a horizontal row. The second and third kings each cover a half dollar. Assemble the deck with both hands, squaring the cards into a left hand dealing position. Repeat the coin steal described at the beginning of the routine (figure one again). Place the deck aside with the right hand as the left hand secretly classic palms its coin. There is now a single coin classic palmed in each hand. Ask the spectators if they know what the “K" on each card standsfor. They will say “king.” Tell them that they are wrong. “It stands for Koin.” Spread the fin- gers of each hand wide and place them on the four kings (fig- ure ten). Slide both hands for- ward, sliding the four kings about four or five inches. Notice that each hand is in perfect position to drop a coin on each side of the two tabled coins (figure eleven). Drop these coins (they only fall about one quarter of an inch or so} without pausing a beat. Remove both hands to reveal four coins in a horizontal row (figure twelve). It appears as if all four coins were hidden underneath the kings. The appearance of four coins should be quite a shocker. Immediately return the four kings to the deck and place the cards back into its case. Leaving the cards on the table will tempt some- body to perform a “matrix.” And you know how painful that can be. ae