"Still, we had yet to work for the VIP magic.
You have implied that the card
table, and we knew it was necessary in
order to placate our clients. Sanders and
I had been booked as a duo, an arrange-
ment we both enjoyed, since it allowed
us to perform magic we might not other-
wise have been able to accomplish. As
such, we took up positions at opposite
sides of the table, and Sanders addressed
the VIPS, who looked decidedly indif-
ferent.
'"I'm Richard," he said, as they stared
at him blankly, "and over there is my
partner, Dave," whereupon they turned
to face me. Now, normally at this point,
I would smile and wave, and all atten-
tion would return immediately to
Richard. Unfortunately, this was not to
be. For some reason that to this day
remains unexplained, my lower lip
chose this particular moment to just...
give out... and a large and painfully evi-
dent drop of drool oozed from my
mouth, landing with a splat onto some-
one's plate.
"A numbing silence fell over the
group, who looked at me in horror, and I
turned to Richard in desperation, hoping
that he would find some way to quickly
diffuse the tension. My mistake. Instead,
his face contorted into an expression of
painful glee, he bent slowly at the waist,
then finally collapsed in a fit of uncon-
trolled laughter. Ten seconds... twenty
seconds... thirty seconds went by as we
all looked on mortified, and still,
Richard was unable to regain his com-
posure. Every time he tried to get up, he
would catch a glimpse of me, then fall
back on the floor in a newly rekindled fit
of laughter."
FLIPWICH
Acer writes: "There is a difference
between implicit and explicit magic.
Dropping a card into a card box, then
removing the card, showing it to have
changed into another card is implicit
April, 1998
changed, but in fact, the spectators did
not actually witness the transformation.
They only inferred that it happened
based on the result and the fact that there
appears be only one card involved.
Conversely, causing the face of a card to
change as you wave your hand over it is
explicit magic. The card changed before
the spectator's eyes. Most sandwich
tricks are implicit, but Flipwich is unde-
niably an explicit effect. There is no
squaring up prior to the change, nor is
there any inscrutable handling of the
cards. The sandwiched card remains in
full view at all times, then it suddenly
changes to another card! What more can
you ask?"
Set-up: Place any card face up
between two face-down cards. Square
up the packet and hold it with your right
hand by the inner right comer, your first
and second fingers beneath, your thumb
on top (Fig. 1).
FIG.1
Method: With a gentle squeeze,
spread the three-card packet by pulling
your fingers inwards and towards you
while simultaneously pushing your
thumb out towards the audience (Fig. 2).
Note that the pip at the outer left comer
of the face-up card is now clearly visi-
ble.
Position your right second finger on
top of the three-card spread at the inner
right comer of the face-up card (Fig. 3).
103
Your finger does not overlap the top
card of the packet. Give your wrist a lit-
tle shake as you pull your right second
finger down, causing the two cards
beneath it to flip over (or rather under)
your right forefinger (Fig. 4).
FIG.2
FIG
Grip the packet with your left hand,
tidying up the spread as you do so (Figs.
5 and 6). Finally, with your right hand,
slide the face-up card from between the
two outside sandwich-cards. Clearly
show it on both sides.
104
Acer: "This sleight is not difficult to
do, but requires a certain knack. Some of
you will give it a try and get it right from
the get-go. Others may find it a little
awkward. My point is, it does work, and
I've fooled many, many people with it,
including Gabe Kaplan, Reba McEntire,
Joyce Dewitt, Robert Frost, Abraham
Lincoln, Ms. Pac Man, Luke Skywalker
and Robocop.
Naturally, flicking your wrist while
carrying out the Change obscures the
fact that the cards are flipping over at
your fingertips. However, if you prefer,
you may want to try the change without
flicking your wrist. Instead, wave your
left hand over the spread as you perform
the flip-over. Timed properly, this wave
obscures any movement of the cards.
Jay Sankey told me that this technique is
similar, though not identical, to a move
published by Ben Harris in a manuscript
called Fandango."
The Linking Ring
 COLOR SCHEME That's probably because even experts in
Effect: The magician says, "We hear mass hypnosis can only pull it off for a
about hypnosis a lot, but we rarely hear couple of seconds. I'll show you what I
about mass hypnosis. That's probably mean."
because even experts in mass hypnosis With your right hand, take the selec-
can only pull it off for a couple of sec- tion back from the spectator, adding: "I
onds. I'll show you what I mean." The just need a couple more cards for this."
magician then sandwiches a freely cho- Reach into your left jacket pocket with
sen, signed card face down between two your left hand and remove the two dou-
indifferent cards. All three cards are red- ble-backers with the two red backs
backed. He continues: "I'm going to uppermost. Drop the selection face up
hypnotize you all in such a way that your onto the two double-backers, holding all
signed card is somehow going to look three cards in a left-hand dealing posi-
different to you. I have no idea how. tion.
Maybe it'll look bigger, or smaller, or Situation Check: The order of the
maybe it will suddenly resemble Abe cards from top to bottom should be:
Vigoda's disembodied head. It affects face-up selection, red/blue card, and
different groups in different ways, but, red/red card.
regardless, here goes." Spread the three-card packet from left
He shakes the packet gently, where- to right (Fig. 1). Notice that your left
upon the sandwiched selection visibly thumb is resting on the inner left comer
becomes blue-backed! It is shown front of the second card and your right first
and back, then removed from the packet, and second fingers are resting on the
and finally reverts to its original, red- face of the bottom card.
backed form. The card is left as a sou-
venir.
Acer writes: "I often use this as a fol-
low-up to any routine using a signed
selection. The effect is quick, and can be
delivered in a throwaway fashion, but
the change is so visual that it's worth
doing. You must be familiar with the
Flipwich move, already described."
Requirements: (1) Two double-
backed cards: a red/red double-backer
and a red/blue double-backer.
Set-up: Place the red/red card on the
table, then place the red/blue card on top
of it, blue-side down. Drop both cards as
such into your left jacket pocket, with
the red/red card outermost.
Method: Suppose that you have
already done a trick or two with the
spectator's signed selection. The selec-
tion is handed to a spectator as a sou-
venir and the deck is dropped into your Move your right hand to the right as
left jacket pocket. Say, "You know, it's your left thumb keeps the second card
funny. We hear about hypnosis a lot, but pinned in position so that it does not
we rarely hear about mass hypnosis. move with the other two (Fig. 2).

April, 1998 105

 Keep sliding cards # 1 and #3 to the
right until they clear card # 2, then drop
them onto card # 2 and square every-
thing into left-hand dealing position.
Say, "I'm going to hypnotize you all in
such a way that your signed card is
somehow going to look different to you.
I have no idea how it affects different
groups in different ways but regardless,
here goes!"
Perform a Double Lift Turnover, as
you apparently flip the selection face
down onto the packet. In reality, flip
both the selection and the red/red dou-
ble-backer beneath it. Consequently, the
red/red card is now on top. Remove the
top (red/red) card and sandwich it face
down between the other two. Perform
the Flipwich move, causing the sand-
wiched card to suddenly and visibly
become blue-backed (Figs. 3 and 4).
FIG.3
FIG.4
Slide the blue-backer out from
between the Other two cards and drop it
onto the packet (blue side up, of course).
Perform another Double Lift Turnover,
showing the face of the spectator's
selection. Remove the selection from
706
the top of the packet with your right
hand.
With your left hand, casually spread
the two cards it now holds, showing
them to both be red-backed. With your
right hand , give the face-up selection a
little shake, then turn it face down,
showing the back to have reverted to its
original red form. Drop the two double-
backers into your left jacket pocket as
you drop the selection to the table to cap
the action sequence.
TIME FLIES
Effect: The magician borrows a quar-
ter from a spectator and holds it on the
palm of his left hand. "Remember this
moment, because I'm about to make
your quarter travel backwards in time."
He picks up the quarter at his right fin-
gertips and drops it into his right pants
pocket. His left hand is now clearly
empty. He continues, "I need a little
help, though." With his right hand, he
pulls back his left sleeve, showing a
watch. He removes the watch, then
waves it counterclockwise over his
closed left fist. Upon opening his fist,
the quarter is seen resting on his palm.
Beyond that, the watch is no longer in
his right hand. Instead it is now back on
his left wrist!
Acer writes: "Very little of my mater-
ial relies on body language, but this cer-
tainly does. It's actually one of my easi-
est routines. With a moderate amount of
rehearsal time, you should be able to
throw it into your performances when-
ever you see fit."
Requirements: (1) An American or
Canadian quarter. (2) Two identical
wristwatches. (3) You must also be
wearing a sports jacket or blazer when
you do this. The reasons will soon be
apparent.
Set-up: Strap the watches to your left
wrist about an inch apart. Naturally, in
performance, these will be covered by
The Linking Ring