Expert Card Technique - Jean Hugard

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beyond the inner end of the pack. During an overhand shuffle a card is injogged by moving the right hand, with its packet, inwards towards the body. The left thumb draws off the top card of the right packet, thus causing it to protrude beyond the inner end. The remainder of the cards are then snuffled off.

      Outjog: The same procedure, but the right hand moves outwards, causing the card to extend beyond the outer end. In the course of certain tricks, the outjog and injog may be employed during a single shuffle.

      Joints and Phalanges: The joint or phalange nearest the palm is the first, or the innermost; the second is at the middle; the third is the outermost, that at the nail.

      Run: During an overhand shuffle, to draw cards one at a time off the packet held by the right hand with the left thumb.

      Stock: A number of cards, which may or may not be in an arranged sequence, which have been placed in some particular place in the pack, usually the top or bottom.

      Shuffle Off: A genuine overhand shuffle, in which the cards are dropped from the right hand indiscriminately, in small packets.

      Throw: During an overhand shuffle, to drop from the right hand packet onto the cards held by the left hand a number of cards in one packet, these cards retaining their order. Cards are usually thrown from above a break.

      Undercut: To draw out a packet of cards from the bottom of the pack prior to an overhand shuffle.

      PART 1. SLEIGHTS

      At this late date it should not be necessary to emphasize the fact that sleights should never be used except as secret processes in the course of a trick. To demonstrate one’s ability in making the pass or changing a card, for instance, is simply to destroy the mystery of such tricks in which these sleights are used later on.

      The many new processes revealed herein for the first time have been thoroughly tested by practical magicians and will be found indispensable by all who aspire to the title of finished performers.

      CHAPTER 1. THE SECRET LIFTS

      THE DOUBLE LIFT

      The double lift—that is to say, the lifting of two cards as one—is one of the most useful of modern card sleights. Many methods have been devised but all of them entail a certain preliminary movement for the purpose of getting ready, or “set,” for the sleight, and this movement must be covered by misdirection.

      The ideal double lift is the simple pushing off of two cards, as one, with the left thumb in exactly the same manner as in dealing, and such a method is given elsewhere. The following method, however, is the nearest approach to such perfection which can be had by purely mechanical means. A preliminary “get-ready” movement is still necessary but the gesture covering it is so casual and natural that the keenest eye cannot detect it and the practice necessary to master the sleight is negligible in comparison with its value. This method, hitherto unknown to the fraternity, represents the very finest handling, enabling the operator to lift two cards as one in such a wholly natural manner that even the most skeptical of spectators finds nothing suspicious in the procedure.

      THE TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE LIFTS

      A new and very important technique is also being introduced in this volume for the first time for the triple and quadruple lifts, which have previously been believed to be impracticable and dangerous of execution, chimeras which would never become realities.

      As with the old methods of performing the double lift, the two elements which have prevented deceptive use of the triple and quadruple lifts have been the lack of a certain and easy method of controlling the cards during the push-off of the left thumb, holding the cards without any tell-tale overlap of their edges, and a certain and easy method of inserting the left little finger under the cards prior to the push-off: the old method of picking up cards at the inner end with the right thumb, dangerous with the double lift, is wholly impracticable with the triple and quadruple lifts.

      Upon examination of these problems it will be found that the method of preparing for the lift, and of making the lift, which is given here, when applied to the triple and quadruple lift make these sleights entirely practical and deceptive. These methods are given hereunder:

      THE LIFT GET-READY

      1. Hold the pack in the left hand as for dealing, the thumb lying flat against the left side, the four fingers at the right side, the tip of the second finger at the middle of the side. The first, third and fourth are held slightly away from the pack.

      2. Press the second finger to the left against the right side of the pack, beveling it to the left. Press the left inner corner of the deck firmly against the base of the thumb, Fig. 1.

      3. Bring the right hand over the pack, place the fingers at the outer end, the thumb at the inner end, and lightly square the cards.

      4. Press inwards lightly on the ends of the top cards with the thumb and second finger, causing the top cards to bend upwards breadthwise at the middle, Fig. 2.

      5. Allow cards to escape one at a time from under the tip of the left second finger as they buckle upwards, and with this finger tip hold a break under the desired two, three or four cards which have passed, the number of cards being governed by whether a double, triple or quadruple lift is being made. The pack being beveled to the left aids greatly in enabling the second finger tip to allow only one card at a time to slip past it as the right finger tips apply the buckling pressure at the ends.

      6. Drop the ball of the left thumb upon the top of the outer half of the deck and raise the right thumb at the inner end. This action levers up the inner end of the cards, the second finger tip acting as a fulcrum. Insert the left little finger tip in the break thus transferred to the inner right corner.

      7. Again run the right thumb and second finger lightly over the ends of the pack, squaring it.

      In this manner you have quickly and indetectibly prepared for the lift, whether a double, triple or quadruple turnover.

      THE LIFT

      1. Hold the pack in the left hand, the little finger, which holds a break of two, three or four cards, being even with the inner end. Press the inner left corner of the pack firmly into the flesh below the base of the thumb by an inward pressure of the left little finger; when the thumb is moved, the flesh at the base of the thumb must swing freely over the top of the pack, Fig. 3.

      2. Bend the thumb at the joint inwards and place the side of its tip at the extreme edge of the left outer corner, resting upon the top surface with sufficient pressure to force a tiny fold of flesh over the side of the second card. This flesh fold later serves to draw with the top card the cards to be secretly lifted with it.

      3. Move the thumb to the right and inward, describing a small segment of an arc, taking with it the cards to be lifted as one card, Fig. 3. Note that the finger tips are above the top of the pack; as the thumb moves the cards to the right in an inward arcing action these fingers tip to the right to allow the cards to pass over them, the remainder of the pack being held firmly in place by the inward pressure of the left little finger tip. The inner left corner of the cards pivots under the base of the thumb, the inward arcing pressure of the thumb tip forcing this corner into the flesh of the palm, thus holding the cards in perfect register..

      4. Turn the right hand palm upwards and seize the cards at the outer right corner between the right thumb, above, and the first and second fingers below, Fig. 3a. Turn them face upwards and place them squarely on the deck.

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