mflGfizine OF innovnTion IXXXI
PRECURSOR
LXXXI
This is PRECURSOR LXXXI and is published in February 20002. PRECURSOR is edited by William P. Miesel and is published by unikorn magik. The editorial offices are at 2215 Myrtle Street, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16502-2643 (phone 1-814-454-8802). PRECURSOR will be published more than three times a year, and it will be sold for $21.00 (U.S.) for three issues. Outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico, three issues are sent Air Mail for $25.00 (U.S.). During the last couple of years, Marty Kane has contributed four or five routines based on the Down/Under Deal. "Dealing With the Old Codger" will be the last one for awhile. It is one of those tricks where the method is more intriguing than the effect is entertaining. In a couple of words, "too much dealing," BUT the principles involved are very intriguing - try it out for yourself and see what I mean. Here is an excellent routine with a gambling theme, "The Almost Perfect Blackjack Hand" by Dan Block is a transposition effect in the guise of Blackjack trick. It contains some very interesting aspects. "Repeat Triumph" is one of Bob King's favorite tricks. Lay audiences find this trick to be very entertaining and mystifying, but there are enough little touches that will leave a group of magicians wondering. Mike Amico is a very good friend, who I hadn't seen in quite a few years until we happened to get together at Ron Zollweg's this past summer, and he gave me "Cuban Eights" for Precursor. Around 1970, Jose de La Torre and Mike Amico were neighbors in Rochester, New York. During one of their many sessions, Jose showed Mike a move that he learned from Arturo D'Ascanio that is very similar to Brother Hamman's "Gemini Count." "Cuban Eights," which is a version of "Dr. Daley's Last Trick," was developed during this session. Be sure to read it all the way through because it has a nice twist at the end. Even though MY "Marked Numerology" is performed with playing cards, this presentation was developed during one of my brushes with Mentalism almost twenty years ago. This is the type of effect that is usually associated with a "Memorized Deck" or a card system such as "The Cornelius Card System." Actually in this case, No Memory is Required. "Hour Power" by Marty Kane has some different thoughts on the "Clock" trick. I especially enjoyed the subtle (?) humor at the climax. "Five Card Thot" by Neal Elias is a fifty-year old trick from his notebook dated April 1949. This trick was developed shortly after the "Vernon Multiple Shift" appeared for the first time in Arthur Buckley's Card Control in 1946 and the "Braue Reversal" appeared in Hugard and Braue's Royal Road to Card Magic in 1948. This is a simple little reversal of a selected card that is a bit offbeat. A routine that has always appealed to me is the "Jazz Aces," which was in Another Card Session With Peter Kane. I was never that enthused with Peter Kane's method, so I kept experimenting
with different ideas. Two of those are presented here in "Jazz Aces - Doubled" consisting of "Be-Bop - Flip-Flop" and "Acing the Jazz Couples."
William P. Miesel December 3, 2001
A REVIEW NEW CARD CONTROLS BY NEAL ELIAS This is a new book of the card technique of Neal Elias. Readers of Precursor should be familiar with the card magic of Neal Elias from the many early Neal Elias tricks that have appeared here over the years, including one in this issue. The principle feature of this book is the "Twirl Pass." The "pass" that I have used since 1973 is a combination of my handling of Hugard and Braue's "Invisible Pass" combined with a "Turnover Pass" followed with a "turn down" of the deck that I saw Mike Rogers performing incessantly during the 1973 Columbus Magi-Fest. The pass that I have been using is very close to the "Twirl Pass." I have tried the "Twirl Pass," but in order for me to properly learn it, I would have to completely unlearn my pass, and as they say, "It is harder to unlearn a move than it is to leam it in the first place." Since you don't know my pass, I honestly believe you should learn the "Twirl Pass." There are also several uses for the "Twirl Pass" suggested by both Neal Elias and Karl Fulves. Other than the Pass, there are further ideas using just the "Twirl." There are also methods of "Placing a Key Card" including some very simple handlings that are very reminiscent of Tony Kardyro's "Simple Simon Move" from 1966 but used in different ways. Of particular interest to me is the "Breakless Peek" because it can be performed either right-handed or left-handed. Since I handle cards left-handed, most normal handlings of the peek are not practical for me. There is much more of interest in this book including "A Useful Utility" and many tricks from both Neal Elias and Karl Fulves that are dependent upon these moves. New Card Controls by Neal Elias is an 8 1/2 x 11 sized spiral bound book of 118 pages fully illustrated by Joseph K. Schmidt. It is available from Karl Fulves, P.O. Box 433, Teaneck, New Jersey, 07666 for $28.00 plus $4.20 for postage and handling. William P. Miesel
DEALING WITH AN OLD CODGER
Phone someone who really, really loves to deal cards. Ask for their favorite suit, and have them remove that suit of cards from a deck. Have them arrange the cards in a face-up packet in numerical order from the King on the face to the Ace at the back. He now discards the remainder of the deck and turns the small packet face down. Instruct the hapless victim to perform a down/under deal with the packet. When finished, have the Hapless One repeat this down/under deal as many times as desired. Say, " To kill time while you 're doing that, let me tell you the long story behind this trick. It was shown to me at a Labor Day Picnic six years ago. I remember the experience because it was so incredibly hot and humid that afternoon." Continue, "The magician was an old codger, a very old codger. He insisted that I proceed with this obnoxious dealing for a very long time and then wake him up when I'd finished. Well, he looked like he needed a lot of sleep. So, about an hour and a half later, I finished my dealing. I looked over at him. I wasn 't sure if he were still alive. I stooped to look closer and he suddenly jumped up. He told me he 'd counted the exact number of times I performed the down/under deal and how many minutes it took. He asked if I wanted to continue that tedious deal and I said 'No.' - By the way, tell me or wake me when you 're done with that tedious deal. " When notified by Ms. or Mr. Hapless, say, "Good- Well, the old codger then told me to deal the packet into two piles in a certain fashion. Please follow along with his directions, Pick up the packet and deal the top card down to the left, the next card down to the right, and continue in this way until the cards that you hold are gone.'" Continue, "Now, pick up the packet on the left and deal it into two piles, the top card is dealt down to the left, the next card onto the pile on the right, the next one to the left, etc. Continue in this way until all of the cards from that packet are dealt out. Please continue this process of picking up the pile on the left side and completely deal it out, repeating this a few more times until there's only one card remaining on the left side. " (This is a Backwards Judah Elimination Deal.) When the Meister of Haplessness is done, say, "Well, the old codger licked his lips, rubbed his hands together, and with a twinkle in his eyes remarked, 'You 're probably wondering why I had you go through this exercise. It's all a way for you to guess my age.'" Continue, "/ stared at this apparent Alzheimer's Disease patient in disbelief, wondering to myself how anything about that moment could remotely hint at his age. He said, 'Let me give you a remote hint about my age. It's about 92 degrees, 92% humidity, the date is 9/2/92 and you dealt 92 times over 92 minutes. If you 're not sure about my age, I'll give you two last hints. Turn over the card on the left and then turn over the pile on the right. A Nine Spot and a Deuce will be revealed.