Royal Road to Card Magic The

bend the outer ends of all the cards upwards about 25 mm (1 in) (figure 25).

    3. Release the ends of the cards by drawing the right hand away sharply. Being freed thus in rapid succession, the cards strike one against the other and produce the sharp crackling sound required.
Some performers get into the habit of using this flourish almost continuously with neither rhyme nor reason. This is not only inartistic but also irritating to the audience, and it betrays nervousness on the part of the performer. The flourish should be used only for the purpose of misleading the onlookers as to the moment when a certain effect is supposed to take place.
    B. With One Hand
1. Hold the deck in the left hand as for dealing.
    2. Bend the index finger under the deck and with the first phalanx of the middle finger bend the cards downwards towards the palm of the hand.
    3. Allow the cards to slip off the tip of the middle finger by bending the finger inwards, producing a prolonged crackle (figure 26).

    A slight wave of the hand will cover the action.
    C. With a Single Card
Sometimes it is desirable to produce a similar sound with one card - for example, when one card is apparently changed to another. To do this, hold the card in either hand between the index finger and thumb. Rest the other three fingers, one above the other on the index finger. To produce the required sound, press the three fingers inwards and let them escape and strike against the card in rapid succession (figure 27).

    The Click
    A single sharp clicking sound can be produced at any moment desired in the following way.
    1. Hold the pack in the left hand as for dealing.
    2. Bend the ring finger under the deck and with the tip of the little finger bend two or three of the bottom cards downwards and inwards against the bent ring finger (figure 28).

    3. Press outwards with the ring finger and let the cards escape by moving the little finger away. A sharp click will be heard as the cards strike against the bottom of the deck.
    Spread and Turnover
    A. On a Cloth-covered Table
This flourish has a very pretty effect as a preliminary to the execution of an opening trick. The cards are spread on the table in a row showing the backs, then they are turned over simultaneously to show the faces.
    Two conditions are required for perfect results: first, the table used must have a cloth on it to provide the necessary friction to prevent the cards from sliding; second, the cards themselves must be in good condition.
    1. Place the pack on the table towards your right, the sides parallel to the edge of the table nearest you.
    2. With a swift movement of the right hand to the left, pressing down slightly on the top card, spread the cards, thus causing a separation of about 25 mm (1 in) between each card and the one following it (figure 29).

    3. Slip the index finger of the right hand under the card at the extreme right and turn it over in the direction in which the cards lie. This action will cause all the other cards to turn over.
    When facility has been acquired in spreading the cards in a fairly long line, the knack of spreading them in an arc of a circle will give you little trouble. The effect of the turnover is then much prettier.
    The spread may be used for a very attractive flourish, first described by Robert-Houdin in
The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic
(1868). A comparatively recent addition makes the little feat even more effective.
    1. After spreading the cards in a long line on the table lengthways, in such a way that about two-thirds of each card is covered by the one above it, slip the right index finger under the first face-down card.
    2. Turn this card to an upright position.
    3. Take one card in the left hand, hold it vertically with its sides parallel to the table top and place the middle of its lower side on the top edge of the upright card (figure 30).

    4. Draw this card towards the left, pressing it lightly on the top edge of the other cards as they move up into a vertical position. All the cards turn over in succession.
    5. On reaching the other end of the line, do not let the cards fall flat. Move the card in the left hand back in the opposite direction and turn the line of cards face downwards as at the start.
    If the cards have been spread carefully, the flourish may be repeated several times before letting the cards fall flat in their original position. The effect is intriguing.
    B. On a Bare Table 1. Grasp the pack at the ends between the right thumb and