This book available FREE at www.magic.orgThis book available FREE at www.magic.org! !

Mile 4 of the Royal Road

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................ 3

A Poker Player's Picnic .................................................. 4

Design for Laughter ..................................................... 6

Rapid Transit .............................................................. 9

Troughth and Consequences ......................................... 11

GUIDE TO SLEIGHTS

Overhand Shuffle ........................................................ 13

The Run ..................................................................... 15

Overhand Shuffle Control ............................................. 16

The Glide ................................................................... 17

Double Lift ................................................................. 18 Copyright 2007 by The Magic Depot. All rights reserved. Compiled by Aaron Thompson from The Royal Road to Card Magic (Hugard & Braue, 1951). Cover by Aaron Smith and provided FREE for personal use at The Magic Depot!

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INTRODUCTION

Your guide to the Royal Road of Card Magic! Here are four sleights you

can master today and four tricks that will make you look like a pro!

Quick to learn and easy to do! Free from The Magic Depot!

Don't be scared of sleight of hand! Carefully chosen from the pages of

The Royal Road for minimal difficulty and maximum impact. Perform

all four tricks with these sleights: the overhand shuffle run, the

overhand shuffle control, the glide, and the double lift.

If you don't know these already, click on the sleight under the title of

the trick and you can learn it immediately! Pictures included!

All are explained here, just as Jean Hugard presents them in his book,

with just a few changes in patter. If you already know the sleights, go

straight to the tricks! I've phased it as a complete routine!

Dozens of sleights and hundreds of tricks all in one book! If you want

your own copy of The Royal Road to Card Magic, get it from The

Magic Depot!

− Aaron Thompson

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A POKER PLAYER'S PICNIC

(Overhand Shuffle, The Run)

This is a great trick to start off with. It is virtually sleightless in

appearance, and the spectator is involved from the get go. You can

concentrate on presentation and audience interaction. Starting with

this trick gets them used to following your directions.

Begin with the four aces on the top of the deck. Overhand shuffle the

cards, running off the first six cards and finish the shuffle. Overhand

shuffle again, this time running off the last six cards. You shuffled the

deck and retained the aces on top.

While shuffling say, "Did you ever wonder why some people are luckier

than others at card games? Playing cards are extremely sensitive to

the vibrations of whoever is handling them. Magicians have made an

art of it, but even those not skilled can grasp a bit of this

phenomenon. You sir, you look as though you might be sensitive to

these vibrations. Will you help me?"

Place the deck in front of him. Ask him to cut it into four packets about

equal. He does this, and for the purpose of our explanation we shall

call these packets A, B, C, and D, the four aces being the four cards at

the top of D.

Instruct him to pick up A, remove three cards from the top of the

packet and place them at the bottom, then deal one card from the top

onto each of the other three packets.

Have him take B and repeat exactly the same process, three on

bottom and dealing one card on each of the other three packets. Have

him do the same with C and D.

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Recap what has been done. "You will recall that you yourself cut the

cards and that I did not touch them at any time. I picked you for this

demonstration because you have a certain aura about you. Let's see if

I judged you correctly. Let's look at the cards at which you cut." At

your direction, the assistant turns over the top card of each packet

and to his astonishment finds each card to be an ace.

Note that at the end you emphasize that he cut the cards, but do not

mention that he also moved cards about. You do this deliberately

because you want him to forget about this part of the trick. This leaves

an impression in his mind that he cut to the cards, and that is how it

will be told to his friends.

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DESIGN FOR LAUGHTER

(Overhand Shuffle Control, The Glide)

This is a trick in which the magician appears unknowingly to have

made a mistake which insures the failure of his feat. The more certain

the spectators are of this, the more they enjoy his predicament and

the more astonished and appreciative they are when the trick proves

to be successful after all.

First shuffle the pack, then have a spectator choose a card. Have him

show the card to everyone while you turn your head away. This is

important, for all must know the card or they will not enjoy the feat.

Have the card replaced and control it to the top of the deck by means

of the overhand shuffle control. Overhand shuffle the chosen card to

the bottom.

Place the deck on the table and announce what you propose to do.

"It is not so easy to find the location of a card by just cutting the deck.

Let me show you what I mean."

To the spectator who chose the card: "Will you assist me, sir? I must

make two conditions, however. First, that you will not at any time

name your card or give me any indication that I have discovered it.

Second, that when you cut the cards, as I shall instruct you, you will

say to yourself, 'This I cannot fail to do.' It is surprising that, when a

person cuts with complete confidence, he will actually cut to a card

which he has chosen and which has been shuffled into the pack."

Draw a circle around the deck with your extended index finger. Move

your finger to make a cross above it. "I now ask you to cut off about

one-third of the cards as you say to yourself, 'This I cannot fail to do.'

Fine! Place the cut here." Indicate that he is to place the packet to the

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right of the deck. "Now cut off about half the remaining cards, using

the same formula, and place them to the right of the first cut. Thank

you."

There are now three packets on the table and the chosen card is at the

bottom of the left-hand packet.

Square the packets carefully and continue, "There can be no doubt

that you have cut at your card. However, I cannot know which of the

cards is your card, so I must again ask you not to give me any

indication by word or gesture as to which it may be."

Pick up the right-hand packet facedown in your left hand in position for

the glide. Turn it so that the face card can be seen by everyone,

glance at it, and say, "This is not your card." Turn the packet

facedown, draw out the face card and place it facedown on the table.

Drop the remainder of the packet on the right-hand packet of the two

on the table.

Pick up this combined packet in the same manner, lift it to show the

face card, look at it yourself, and say, "Nor is this your card." Draw it

off and lay it facedown beside the first tabled card.

Place the combined packet on the one remaining on the table, pick up

all the cards, holding them ready for the glide, lift the pack, and show

the face card. It is the chosen card, but you keep a poker face and say

as you execute the glide and remove the next card, "Apparently you

lack confidence in yourself, for that is not your card either."

Before anyone argues the fact, draw out the next card above the

glided card and use it as a pointer. Touch each of the three tabled

cards in turn counting, "One, two, three cards and none of them

yours." Replace this pointer card on the face of the deck and lift the

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deck so that all can see it. This move conceals the chosen card and

convinces the onlookers that the chosen card is on the table.

Turn to another spectator and ask him to name a number between five

and ten. "We are on the same level, I can tell. The chosen card is at

that number." Suppose seven is named. Still holding the deck

facedown, draw out the face card and deal it face-up on the table,

counting "One." Execute the glide and draw out the card above it, deal

it on the table face-up, and count "Two." Continue to draw out

indifferent cards to the count of "Six." Now draw out the glided card

and hold it facedown, counting "Seven."

"Here is your card," you say confidently. "Will you now for the first

time name your card?"

The spectator names the card you hold. Pretend to be taken aback

upon hearing the card named. Repeat its name and glance at the card

on the table which the spectators believe to be the chosen card.

After a moment, brighten and say, "That's right. Here's the card!" Turn

over the card you hold and show that it is the chosen card. Let them

turn over the tabled cards proving it is the right card.

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RAPID TRANSIT

(Double Lift)

Two cards taken at random, one held by a spectator and the other by

the magician, change places instantly. Any deck can be used and there

are no duplicates.

Let someone shuffle the cards. Take the cards, square them, and

under cover of that action prepare for the double lift by raising the

inner right corners of the two cards at the top of the pack and holding

the break with the left little finger.

Making a gesture toward the spectator with your right hand, say,

"Neither you nor I can possibly know what this top card is, hence I will

use it for my experiment. Let's see." Lift the two cards as one and turn

them face-up on the deck. Let everyone see this card plainly. We'll say

it is the King of Spades.

Turn the double back over on the deck and with the left thumb push

off the top card onto the table close to you. This is really an indifferent

card. Say, "I'll take this King of Spades."

Square the deck again with the right hand and get the next two cards

ready for the double lift. Then touch the card on the table with your

right forefinger, saying, "Remember, this card is the King of Spades."

Turn the next two cards face-up on the deck showing, let us suppose,

the Eight of Hearts. Name it as you allow everyone to see its face

plainly, then turn the two cards facedown as one.

Reach out toward the spectator with your left hand and thumb off the

top card. Have him place his hand on it. "Now, sir," you say, "you have

the Eight of Hearts, and I have the King of Spades." Lift up the card

you laid close to you, look at its face without allowing any one else to

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see it, and lay it on the top of the pack. In the meantime you have

pushed the top card off the pack to the right a little and have taken a

little finger break under it, the Eight of Hearts, so that you are ready

to make another double lift.

"Scientists have recently discovered that atoms can sometimes

disappear and reappear at their leisure. They are slowly coming to

grips with the wonderments of this universe. One of these being the

unique sensitivity of playing cards. Even as I talk, the cards are busy

feeling their way through space and time." Waft your right hand over

the cards. "See what I mean? I now hold your Eight of Hearts," (make

the double lift showing that card) "while you have my King of Spades!"

The spectator turns his card and there it is.

Turn your two cards facedown on the pack and shuffle casually,

disposing of the indifferent card.

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THROUGHTH & CONSEQUENCES

(Overhand Shuffle Control, Double Lift)

A chosen card is lost in the deck, and immediately shows up as the

only face down card in a face up deck!

Have a card drawn from a shuffled pack and, when it is returned,

control it to the top by means of the overhand shuffle control.

Hold the pack in the left hand, as for dealing, and place the right hand

over it, with thumb and fingers at the ends. Under cover of the hand,

push the top card a quarter inch off the pack to the right. Insert the tip

of the left little finger under it and square the cards. Thus you have a

little-finger break under the chosen card.

Remove any card from the center of the pack, placing it face-up at the

top. Square this card with the one facedown under it, saying, "Is this

your card?" As you say this, lift the two cards above the break as one,

with the right second finger and thumb at each end near the right

corners. Hold them about an inch above the pack, and press down on

the top card with the right index finger, thus bending the cards and

preventing them from spreading.

Simultaneously drop the left thumb under the pack and turn the pack

face-up on your left palm, saying: "Then is the card at the bottom your

card?" Receiving a negative response, place the two cards held by the

right hand on the face of the pack.

Turn the pack facedown, and make a complete cut as you say: "In the

past ten years science has made such enormous strides that few

laymen comprehend its achievements. One of the latest theories is

that atoms can disappear and reappear from this universe seemingly

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at their own will. Formerly it was believed that if I were to turn this

pack face upwards like this..." (here you delicately turn the pack face-

up, holding it in the left hand) "...every card in the pack would be

turned face-up. Scientists have now discovered that this need not be

so. By utilizing this theory, I will turn the pack facedown, like this..."

(and you turn the pack face downwards) "...and no doubt you are

certain that every card in the deck is facing down. Actually every card

but one was turned. One card remained face-up, while the others

rearranged their molecular structure, disintegrating for a fraction of a

second, and passed through the single card."

"This concept is so revolutionary that the average person cannot grasp

its implications. For this reason, I offer proof."

Spread the pack face-up on the table. The chosen card lays facedown

among the cards. Delicately push this card forward. Have the spectator

name his card, and slowly turn it over. "One card did not turn with the

others. That card was your card. You see, I applied my commands to

these cards and have proven this scientific theory."

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Guide to Sleights

Overhand Shuffle

This is the first move taught in The Royal Road. Learning this opens

the door to numerous sleights that deviate from this standard shuffle.

It is essential that the cards be handled neatly and precisely, and the

first thing to learn is the position of the pack in the hands.

Hold the deck as shown in the pictures. Notice the little finger curls

inwards so that its side rests against the inner end, and the thumb

rests on the top card, its tip near the middle of the outer end.

Execution of the Overhand Shuffle:

Holding the pack as described above, seize the lower half with the

right hand between the thumb and the middle and ring finger. Bend

the index finger lightly on the upper side of the deck, letting the little

finger remain free.

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Lift this lower packet upwards to clear the other portion of the pack,

then bring it down over the other cards until its lower side touches the

left palm. Press the left thumb against the top card of this packet and

simultaneously lift the right hand so that the card, or cards, pulled off

by the left thumb fall on top of the packet retained in the left hand.

Repeat this action until all the cards held by the right hand have been

shuffled off onto those held by the left hand.

Do not look at your hands and the cards while you shuffle. The speed

at which the shuffle is executed should be about the same as that used

by a card player, neither too fast nor too slow, and the tempo should

be an even one throughout.

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The Run

In magical parlance, this term means

the pulling off of cards one by one

from the right hand packet with the

aid of the left thumb in the course of

the shuffle.

To make the run, press the left

thumb lightly on the back of the top card of the right hand packet

while holding this latter packet just tightly enough to allow one card

only to escape. It is very important that the single cards be drawn off

at the same tempo as the rest of the shuffle, so that there will be no

hesitation at the start of the shuffle or its end.

A few minutes' practice with cards that are in good condition will prove

how easy the sleight is, yet it is one of the most useful in the card

man's arsenal.

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Overhand Shuffle Control

One of the easiest, best, and most natural methods to get a chosen

card to the top of the deck is by using the overhand shuffle.

A card is freely chosen by a

spectator. While he notes what it is,

you begin an overhand shuffle and,

when you have shuffled about half of

the cards into your left hand, move

that hand toward the spectator,

inviting him to replace his card. He

puts it on the top of those in your left hand and you immediately

resume your shuffle by running three cards flush on top of the chosen

card. Run off the next card, injogging it, and shuffle off the remainder.

Grab all of the cards below the jogged card and throw this packet on

top. The chosen card will then be the fourth card from the top of the

pack and you can deal with it as you please.

For example, take off three cards from the top and spread them face

outwards, asking the spectator if his card is among them. Never say,

"You see your card is not there." You are not supposed to know

whether it is or not. Throw the three cards casually on the table. Then

show several cards at the bottom. Finally gather up the three cards by

placing the pack on them and picking up all together.

The chosen card is now on top, and your spectator assumes it is lost in

the deck. Thus you have succeeded in the most important part of the

trick. The real illusion of card magic begins with the conviction on the

part of the spectator that his card is lost among the others.

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The Glide This sleight is one of the easiest and most useful to the card magician.

A little practice will show that the sleight is an easy one to do, yet it

must be performed smoothly and without looking at the hands.

Hold a pack of cards facedown in the left hand, the thumb at one side,

the fingers at the other. Rest the tip of the ring finger lightly against

the middle of the face card. The index and middle fingers are bent

inwards but take no part in the action to follow.

Press backwards with the tip of the ring finger, forcing the face card to

'glide' back about an inch and making it protrude beyond the inner end

of the deck.

This shows the sleight as seen from

below; viewed from above, the cards

appear to be in normal position, the

protruding card being concealed by

the back of the hand.

Bring the right hand over to the

deck, press its middle finger tip against the outer end of the second

lowermost card, which is now exposed, and draw this card outwards

about an inch; then seize and remove it with the aid of the thumb.

Finally move the left little finger backwards and with it press the

protruding card flush with the deck.

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Double Lift When used in moderation this sleight is one of the most useful and

deceptive of modern card sleights. Done properly, the sleight is also a

very easy one. It consists of lifting two cards as one, turning them

over on the deck, and then turning them facedown again.

Hold the deck facedown in the left hand, practically in the position for

dealing but with the left thumb extended against the left side.

With the tip of the right thumb lift

the inner end of the top card and

then the inner end of the second

card about a quarter of an inch.

Press the tip of the left little finger

against the side of the second card to

hold the break thus made.

The two cards must be made ready and the hands separated before

the lift and turnover are made.

Lift the two cards as one by pinching it with your right thumb and

index finger. Turn the hand over and lay the two cards face-up on the

deck so that the lower ends protrude inwards about half an inch. Make

certain that the ends of the two cards are perfectly aligned. Now turn

the two cards facedown again in the same manner.

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