Royal Road to Card Magic The

Grasp the knife blade and the cards you have shifted over the outer end between the right thumb and middle finger, and draw them outwards and away from the pack (figure 117).

    6. Show the card under the blade - the force card - and ask all to note and remember it.
    A reversed playing card or a borrowed business card can be used in place of the knife.
    Two-Card Force
    The two cards to be forced are at the top and bottom of the deck.
    1. Run through the cards and hand someone the joker.
    2. Make the pass at a point a little above the middle of the deck, but after the packets are transposed press the tip of the left little finger between the packets, holding a break. One force card is the bottom card of the upper packet; the other is the top card of the lower packet.
    3. Place the right hand over the pack, with thumb at the inner end and the fingers at the outer. Riffle the cards upwards, and ask the spectator to insert the joker, face upwards, wherever he likes in the pack.
    4. Time the riffle to that he thrusts the joker into the pack among the cards above the little finger break. Grasp all the cards above the break at the sides, near the inner end, between the right thumb and middle finger, and draw these inwards and away from the deck. Hold the protruding joker at the outer end with the left thumb and index finger, to prevent it from being drawn away with the upper packet (figure 118).

    The illusion is that the pack is separated at the point at which the joker is inserted. Actually the cards under the joker slide away with those above it. This fact is concealed by the joker itself.
    5. Show the card at the face of the packet in the right hand, and the one at the top of those remaining in the left hand. These are the force cards.
    This two-card force may be used as a 'discovery' of two chosen cards that have been controlled to the top and bottom of the pack, a spectator being invited to thrust the joker into the pack, after which you show that one of the chosen cards is above the joker, the other is below it.
    Riffle-Break Force
    One or more cards can be forced by this method. These are at the top of the pack.
    1. Shuffle the card to be forced to the centre of the deck, and hold the pack in the left hand, with the thumb along one side, the middle and ring fingers at the other, and the little finger holding the break above the card to be forced. Bend the forefinger under the outer end of the pack. Hold the pack with its outer end sloping downwards, and turn the left hand inwards towards the body so that no one on your right can see the little break.
    2. Riffle the left outer corners downwards with the thumb, explaining that when you repeat the riffle you would like someone to call 'Stop' whenever he pleases.
    3. Riffle downwards again rather slowly, but do not riffle below the break. If the command to stop does not come soon enough, simply begin the riffle again. Try to have the command come when you have riffled to a point just above the break. When it does come, stop the riffle at this point, and press down with the thumb tip upon the cards under it, forming a wide break at this corner.
    4. Place the right hand over the pack, with the thumb at the inner end and the fingers at the outer end, which they cover completely. Grasp and slide away to the right all the cards above the little finger break at the inner end. Do not lift these cards away: slide them flatly. Simultaneously press down with the left thumb on the corners of the packet remaining in the left hand, so that its condition appears unchanged.
    5. Extend the left hand and have the top card removed, thus forcing the card.
    Sliding Key Force
    This very deceptive and easy method of forcing a card makes use of the sleight described as the sliding key card.
    1. Have the card to be forced on the bottom of the pack, then shuffle overhand, keeping it in that position.
    2. Spread the cards between your hands, at the same time sliding the force card underneath to the centre, and invite a spectator to touch the back of any card he pleases.
    3. Place the tip of your left thumb on the card to the left of the one touched by the spectator and draw away to the right, with your right hand, the card touched by the spectator and all the cards above it, together with the force card, which automatically becomes the bottom card of the right-hand packet.
    4. Square the cards in your right hand by tapping their sides against the cards in the left hand.
    5. Turn your head and