Royal Road to Card Magic The

Glimpse
    Let us say that you have taken a shuffled pack and wish to learn the name of a card before forcing it.
    1. Begin the Hindu shuffle and, after several packets have been drawn off the top into the left hand, turn the cards held by the right hand so that they face you and are at right angles to those held in the left hand. Rap the inner end of the other packet with these cards (figure 110), as if to square them, glimpsing the bottom card at the same time. Continue the shuffle and drop this card at the top, last of all. This is a natural way of squaring the cards in this shuffle, and it should be used occasionally for that purpose only.

    Again, a card may have been returned to the pack and you may have controlled it to the bottom by one of the other methods. Glimpse the card in the manner described above and, after one or two more packets have been shuffled into the left hand, drop those held by the right on top. Offer the pack for shuffling, saying, 'Perhaps it would be better if you shuffled.' You know the name of the card and are perfectly willing to let him shuffle as long as he likes.
    The Step
    Assume that a card has been drawn and noted.
    1. Spring the cards into the left hand, rather slowly, asking the spectator to replace his card. When his hand advances with the card, stop the spring, retaining a part of the pack in the right hand. Say, 'Do you want to replace your card here?' and rap the inner end of the cards in the left hand with the knuckles of the right, squaring them. If he replaces the card, all well and good; if not, spring a few more cards until he is satisfied, and square these as before. Do not look at your hands while squaring.
    2. Drop the cards remaining in the right hand on those in the left, so that about 12 mm (½ in) of the packet extends beyond the outer end of the lower packet.
    3. Place the right hand over the pack to square it, with the thumb resting against the inner end of the lower packet. Press downwards lightly on the outer end of the upper packet before pushing it flush with the lower packet. This forms a break between the two packets at the inner end, which you pick up with the left little finger at the right side near the inner corner (figure 111).

    4. Remove the right hand and the pack appears to be in good condition, although the little finger retains the break.
    5. Control the card to the top by means of the overhand shuffle or the pass.
    Natural Jog
    Suppose a card has been drawn.
    1. Hold the pack in your left hand, as for dealing, but with the index finger curled up around the outer end.
    2. Cut off the upper half with the right hand by the ends and have the spectator replace his card on the top of the left-hand packet.
    3. Hold this packet slanting downwards a little. Toss the right-hand packet on it, so that its outer end strikes against the middle of the left-hand packet at a slight angle (figure 112). The upper half will slide down to the left index finger, which will automatically jog its bottom card at the inner end (figure 113).

    4. Press the left thumb on top of the pack and place the right hand over it, with the fingers at the outer end and the thumb at the inner end. Place the tip of the thumb against the inner edge of the jogged card. Press it inwards and upwards flush into the pack, forming a break under the card and holding the break by the left little finger at the right side near the inner corner.
    5. The card at the top of the packet under the break is the spectator's card. Bring it to the top by means of the overhand shuffle or the pass.
    Do not look at your hands at any time, but talk naturally as you perform the control.
    Twelve-Down Riffle
    This is one of the best card controls.
    1. Spread the cards from your left hand into your right hand as if to have one drawn. Secretly count the first twelve cards, insert your left little fingertip under them to hold a break and square the deck. Give the impression that you have changed your mind.
    2. Place your right hand over the pack, with the fingers and the thumb at the ends, and slowly riffle the cards upwards from bottom to top. Ask a spectator on your left to insert his index finger anywhere in the pack as you riffle and remove the card under it. Contrive to have him take one nearer the middle.
    3. When he has removed a card and all are looking at it, slant the outer end of the pack downwards and lift off the twelve cards above the break between the right fingers and thumb. Hold the pack and the