Expert Card Technique. Jean Hugard
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the pack and under its cover push the peeked card three-quarters of an inch to the right with the tip of the left little finger, which presses up against the face of the card at the right inner corner. The left third finger aids in this action.
3. Place the outermost joint of the right little finger upon the outer edge of the card, at the right corner, and drop the right thumb upon the inner end of the pack at the middle.
4. Move the fingers of the right hand to the right in an inward arc, thus swinging the card diagonally outwards from the deck, the inner end pivoting upon the ball of the right thumb which has remained against the inner end of the deck, Fig. 1.
5. Rest the right forefinger against the right edge of the pack. Hold the hands motionless for at least ten seconds; move the hands slowly to the left and quietly and very leisurely draw the card, which is held between the outermost joints of the fingers and the ball of the thumb, with its face bent concave, entirely free of the deck, replace the right thumb at the inner end and place the card at the top of the pack by swinging the fingers in an outward arc to the left until the card is squarely upon the deck.
6. Lightly square the ends of the pack, or indicate to another spectator how he is to peek at a card, either operation providing a logical reason for having brought the hand over the deck.
The leitmotif of the sleight is an almost absurd deliberation of action.
THE DELAYED SIDE SLIP
In the first published explanation of the side slip, immediately after the peek was made a break was secured by the tip of the left first finger and the left arm dropped rapidly to the side. As the left hand was raised again, the right hand covered the pack and the left first finger pushed out the required card swiftly into the right hand which placed it on the top of the pack. There are two drawbacks to this method, the dropping of the arm to the side to hide the break held by the forefinger and the swift extraction of the card in the upward motion of the two hands which inevitably produces a telltale click as the card leaves the pack.
This procedure, which has been abandoned by experts, is still, unfortunately, used widely. A trial of the two preceding methods will prove instantly their great superiority. The application of the delaying principle is a still further improvement on the original sleight.
1. Proceed as in the foregoing descriptions until the desired card is pushed partly out of the pack and is gripped by the right little finger and the right side of the palm.
2. At once grip the pack between the right thumb, which lies along the inner end, and the second, third and fourth fingers at the outer end, the first finger doubled on top, Fig. 1. The same grip is seen from below in Fig. 2.
3. Square the sides of the pack with the left thumb and fingers below and remove that hand.
4. A few moments later, with some appropriate remark, take the pack with the left hand, drawing it away horizontally to avoid any sound as it leaves the card behind. Let the right hand drop to the side naturally, bending the fingers in a little and securing the card in the orthodox palm.
THE BOTTOM SIDE SLIP
After a spectator has peeked at a card and a break below it has been secured by the left little finger, proceed as follows:
1. Cover the deck with the right hand and square the ends several times.
2. Insert the left third finger into the break and push the bottom card of the upper packet, the card peeked at, diagonally outwards by straightening the finger; extend the other three fingers of the left hand at the same time, covering the action with the right hand.
3. Bend the right little finger on the outer right corner of this card, and press its lower right coroner into the flesh of the palm on the right side, thus gripping the card firmly.
4. Turn slowly towards the left, moving the hands in the same direction, the left hand moving first until the pack is drawn away from the gripped card and the card rests on the outstretched left fingers under cover of the right hand.
5. Move the right hand over the pack again, continuing the action of squaring it. and at the same time draw the card underneath the deck with the left fingers by closing them against its side, Fig. 1.
The sleight must be executed smoothly with no attempt at speed. Squaring the pack and turning towards the left provide all the cover that is necessary.
CHAPTER 4. THE PASS
THE INVISIBLE TURN-OVER PASS
This pass is worthy of the practice required for its mastery and for this reason has been described in completest detail. It has been tested exhaustively before one of America’s finest card experts, under close-up conditions and at a distance of twenty feet, under a brilliant light, with the operator turning slowly so that the pass might be observed from every angle. Under these conditions, with the hands at rest and without any covering motion, this authority pronounced it the first invisible pass he had ever seen.
The transposition of the packets is made under cover of a smooth and orderly action which exactly simulates the turning of a pack face upwards, and in studying the actions the reader should strive for smoothness, with one movement following the other without any hesitation or awkwardness, until the sleight, to all intents and purposes, does become the simple action of turning a pack face upwards. This is not nearly so difficult as it may appear once the nature of the pass is understood, for the various actions blend and the movement of the two packets is at all times screened by the position of the hands and the pack. Here are the moves:
1. Hold the pack in the left hand as for dealing, with the single exception that the thumb lies along the left side until the last movement of the sleight. With the little finger hold a break above the card to be brought to the top, this card lying somewhere near the middle of the pack.
2. Place the right hand over the deck, the middle phalange of the first finger resting on the end at the left corner, the ball of the thumb resting on the inner edge at the left corner. Press the flat ball of the left thumb against the side of the right first finger at the left outer corner. The outer right corner of the pack rests at the root of the right third finger, the right wrist being dropped to bring the palm of the hand on the same level as the top of the pack. In this position the fingers of the right hand screen the outer end of the pack, Fig. 1.
3. Curl the left first finger under the pack, its nail resting on the face of the bottom card.
4. Drop the right side of the lower packet half an inch and insert the face card of A and press sharply a horizontal position, face upwards, the tip of the left second finger between the two packets. Grip the lower packet between the left first finger, at the bottom, and the left second finger at the top.
5. Straighten these fingers, thus moving the lower packet into a vertical position still gripped between the fingers. This action is concealed by the screening fingers of the right hand, Fig. 2.
6. The moment the edges of the two packets clear one another, turn the upper packet, A, down to a. vertical position behind B by pulling upwards on its left outer corner with the first joint of the right forefinger. Do this by bending the first joint of the forefinger inwards, allowing the packet A to pivot at the ends near the left corners between the ball of the right thumb and the side of the right second finger at the middle joint. As the first finger bends inwards the second finger straightens rigidly and presses outwards, the double action serving to whip packet A from a horizontal to a vertical position, Fig. 3.