Royal Road to Card Magic The

minor card trick, a simple little feat. I shall find your card in the easiest manner possible, by looking for it.'
    2. Openly run through the cards. A single riffle shuffle will not separate the three aces by more than two or three cards. Openly rearrange the cards so that two indifferent cards separate the three aces, then cut the pack, placing the first ace at the top, the second ace third from the top and the third ace fifth from the top.
    There is an amusing bit of business you may use as you do this. Let us say that you are performing for a small group in a home and have arranged with someone to provide soft waltz music at appropriate intervals. You now turn to this person, saying, 'A little waltz, professor - looking-for-a-card music, if you please,' and the instant the music starts you say, 'Thank you, professor, that's little enough!' and the music stops.
    3. Turn to the person who selected the card, saying, 'I think I have found your card. Do not tell me its name - let me show you.' Double-lift the two top cards and turn them face upwards on the pack, as one card, showing an indifferent card. 'There is your card!' This is denied and you glance worriedly at it. 'It does not matter,' you say, brightening. 'I will find it another way.' Turn the two cards face downwards as one, remove the top card, the ace of spades, and place it on your table leaning against one of the tumblers. The face of the card naturally is away from
the audience.
    4. 'I will find it by cutting,' you announce. Hold the deck between the first phalanx of the left thumb on one side and the first phalanxes of the middle and ring fingers on the other, with the forefinger's first phalanx bent on the outer end.
    With the right thumb and middle finger seize the upper half of the deck at the inner corners and press the tip of the right forefinger on the top card. Push this card slightly forwards with the right forefinger and swiftly draw the upper half away to the right, the top card being retained by the pressure of the left forefinger. In the action, separate the hands, moving them in opposite directions for about 15 cm (6 in). Drop the cards held by the right hand on top of the other packet.
    You have made what seems to be a genuine cut, in the course of which you have got rid of the indifferent card at the top of the pack, at the same time placing an ace at the top with an indifferent card under it.
    5. Prepare for a double lift. Turn the two cards at the top face upwards on the pack, as one, saying, 'This time I am confident that I have found your card. It is your card, is it not?' Again this is denied, and for a moment you appear to be reviewing what you have done, glancing unhappily at the pack. Again you brighten, shrugging off your misfortune as you say, 'It is of little consequence. I will try again.' Turn the two cards face downwards, as one, remove the top card, an ace, and place it against a second tumbler with its face away from the audience.
    6. Cut the pack again as given in step 4, bringing the third ace to the top. Prepare for another double lift, and turn the two cards face upwards on the pack, this time not quite so confidently, saying, 'Would this be the card? No? Just as I thought, something has gone wrong - my mother told me there would be nights like this!' Turn the two cards, face downwards as one, remove the top card, the third ace, and place it with the others on your table as before.
    7. 'Apparently I have made a miserable failure,' you comment. 'But you will remember that I told you that you should not always believe what you see. I will tell you a little secret. Sometimes I cheat. Tell me - if you were to choose one of the three cards, which would you take - the one on the right, the one in the middle or the one on the left? Whichever you choose, I promise that it will be your card.'
    Pick up whichever card is selected and hold it before you in readiness for display. 'Will you name your card? The ace of spades?' Slowly turn the ace face outwards, saying, 'You see, it is your card after all!'
    8. You will be applauded at this point, for the audience thinks the trick is ended. Turn to your left to replace the card on the table, but as you do so make the top change, exchanging the ace for an indifferent card. It is the latter card that you replace on the table, with its back to the audience.
    9. As you say the following, cut the cards as in step 4, thus burying the ace somewhere in the middle of the pack. 'But, you may