FREDERICK M:

“... (A) ... high caliber

miracle ... that will have
them rubbing their eyes in
pure disbelief ... strong im-
pact and immediate reset-
STEPHEN MINCH:
ability ... with a finish that
“... a delightful surprise
will leave them spellbound
... Excellent. The visual
... (you’re) ... ready for the
effect is strong and ...
climax 30 seconds into the
your presentation is
effect and ... ready to
perceptive and
repeat the miracle
cunning ...”
30 seconds af-
ter the shocking
finish ... Highly
recommended.”

Headhunter
%
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%
%
%
%
%
%
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They were going to
cut my throat.
I could see it in their eyes. Savage eyes. A
thousand years of primordial violence was
on fire in their skulls and the paleolithic
phosphorescence shone out from those eyes
and danced the dance of death down here on
the jungle floor. Down here in the lush dan-
gerous geography of central Borneo in the
year of our Lord, 1937.
Headhunters. The sunlight, filtering green
as it drifted down through the layers of
tropical vegetation, touched the piles of
bleached and shrunken heads, recoiled,
then sent fingers of light to probe every
lethal dimension of the thin, razor-sharp,
bamboo knife that pressed against the flesh
at the base of my throat.
They were going to cut that throat.
“You savvy card magic?” I said in the trib-
al patois I’d picked up in three months of
trying to track down the legendary City of
Gold.
The blade began to slice into my skin. A
thousandth of an inch separated me from
infinity. Calculating skin thickness and
blood flow, the mathematics of mortality
told me my time here on this earth was
about to end. Unless—
Yes, I’d made a mistake. Used the wrong
idiom. They thought I’d said, “You look fat
in that dress,” and it had angered them to a
blood lust only death could satisfy.
“No! No! Card magic! Do you savvy card
magic!?” I screamed.
Well, you know the rest of the story. How
they crowned me King, led me to the City
of Gold and under my direction recanted
their primitive ways, put down their spears,
stopped worshipping the boiled thigh of a
common chicken and became chartered ac-
countants. They did savvy card magic.
I knew I had them when that first card
vanished from my hands and appeared on
the ground. And then it happened again.
And again. No matter how closely they
watched, it happened. They dropped their
knives. And when the mind-shattering cli-
max came—a devastating transformation
of cards into other cards—they fell to their
knees and began to chant “Bwana god, Bwa-
na god,” over and over, until I felt the way
Alexander the Great must have felt when
the known universe lay at his feet.
Now you can feel that way too—and subvert
primitive peoples ignorant of our modern
ways—and become a King—and have the
known universe groveling at your feet.
All you need is HEADHUNTER.

HEADHUNTER: Here’s your chance to rule the world.

It comes with everything you’ll need: the cards (two sets), the secrets, some tribal patois and even a fabulous presenta-
tion for use in more modern societies where the natives need a taste of evil power before they crown you King.

HEADHUNTER. Only 8 cards used. Nothing added or taken away. No extra cards. Just fabulous
visual magic from start to finish. HEADHUNTER. Here’s your chance to rule the world. Don’t let
somebody else beat you to it. HEADHUNTER is $20 plus $5 postage U.S., $7 foreign.
Email for details. Available only from bammomagic@cogeco.ca

Bammo Magic & Bob Farmer

making the world strange again, one trick at a time.
 HEADHUNTER REVIEWS
B.B. "... Fantastic ... Excellent! Beautifully put together! ... Five stars!"
M.K. "One of the best effects that I have come across in … years ... in a class with Mike
Skinner's 'Ultimate 3 Card Monte'”
J.B. "... a very strong and visual routine ... you get Bob's bizarre patter scheme,
extensive details on each facet of the handling ... (and) ... the cards ... a fine routine ..."
P.D. "... thoroughly enjoyed the routine ... (will) ... use it."
D.M. "... It works great! Keep up the excellent work."
K.C. "... Excellent ... great plot ... brilliant ... off-beat..."
J.G. "... a bewildering and stunning effect."
F.M. "... (A) ... high caliber miracle ... that will have them rubbing their eyes in pure
disbelief ... strong impact and immediate resetability ... with a finish that will leave
them spellbound ... (you're) ... ready for the climax 30 seconds into the effect and ...
ready to repeat the miracle 30 seconds after the shocking finish ... Highly
recommended."
S.M. "... a delightful surprise ... Excellent. The visual effect is strong and ... your
presentation is perceptive and cunning ..."
J.P. "... (Bruce Cervon) ... had never seen Bob's classic wild card routine ...
Headhunter ... It's great! ... if someone with Cervon's savvy about what's commercial
... tells you it's great, it is."
J.R. "... beautifully done, rich in texture and technical detail ... Your presentation and
handling takes the blowoff of Wild-Card and puts it into the Monte Game. Whatta way
to go! ... Bravo!
L.W. "... a routine so carefully and thoroughly choreographed it will amaze lay people
and magicians alike ..."
P.W. "... Another magnificently complete ... manuscript ... with lots of visual magic ...
the handling and presentation are elegant ... highly recommended!"
 OIL AND GAFFS
by
bob Farmer
Eight cards are shown, four blanks and the four 10s.
1. The 10s are interlaced face up among the face-down blanks. Magically, the 10s rise to the
top.
2. The blanks are placed in the spectator’s hands; the magician keeps the 10s.
One by one, the 10s transform themselves into the blanks (the magician claims the two
sets are changing places one card at a time).
3. The spectator looks at his cards expecting to find the 10s and finds—four Kings!

FEATURES
• Only 8 Cards used (of which only two are gaffed).
• Very convincing displays of all cards, so the Kings appearance is a real shocker.
• The transformation of the 10s into blanks is very visual, with minimal displacements.
I can’t think of another packet trick that has this much magic crammed into such a short running
time. The sequence where the blanks and 10s change places looks really good and the ending is
a real kick in the head.
The sleights are all basic (a few Elmsley Counts, a Flushtration Count, a Biddle Count, the Olram
Subtlety and a few breaks) and the gaffs and set-up are minimal.

PROPS
Assemble the following cards:
• Four Kings.
• Regular 10D, 10C.
• double-facer blank/10H, double-facer blank/10S.
The double-facers come standard in a double-face deck.
1
From the top down:
Four Kings, face down.
10D, face down.
10C, face down.
blank/10H (10 side down).
blank/10S (10 side down).
A mnemonic for the order of the 10s is Dai Can Hide Sleights.

1. DISPLAY TENS & BLANKS

1.1 Hold the packet face down in the left hand. Push off top four cards (the Kings) one by
one into the other hand, taking each card under the one before it to form a small fan. Be careful
to keep the remaining cards in the left hand square so the two double-facers on the bottom are
not exposed.
Use this face-down fan to flip remaining four cards face up.
Place the right hand cards on the left hand’s cards and fan the packet left to right to show four,
face-up 10s and four face-down cards. From the left cards run:
10D, 10C, 10H, 10S, four face-down cards
The double facers are the 10H and 10S, right next to the face-down cards.
1.2 Square the packet into the left palm up hand using the palm down right hand arched over
the cards, fingers in front, thumb at the back (i.e., in a so-called Biddle Grip). As you do so, take
a break under the 10S (it’s the double facer right next to the face-down cards).
1.3 The left hand revolves palm down, taking the three cards below the break, turning them
face down and dropping them in a squared packet in the center of the working surface. As you
do this, try not to flash the face of the cards since a 10H will show where a 10S should be.
1.4 The right hand, palm down, still holding the face-down cards, fingers in front, thumb at
the back, now shows four blanks using the Flushtration Count:
• 1st Blank: The right hand revolves palm up to show a blank card, then revolves palm down
and the left thumb pulls the top card of the packet into the palm-up left hand.
• 2nd Blank: The right hand revolves palm up to show a blank card, then revolves palm
down and the left thumb pulls the top card of the packet into the palm-up left hand.
• 3rd Blank: The right hand revolves palm up to show a blank card, then revolves palm down
and the left thumb pulls the top card of the packet into the palm-up left hand.
• 4th Blank: The right hand—now holding two cards as one—revolves palm up to show a
blank card, then revolves palm down. This double is then placed under the three cards in
the left hand and the packet squared.
Flip the packet in the left hand face up and squared to show a blank face.

2
1.5 With the right hand, pick up the 10s packet on the table and drop it face down on the
“blanks” packet in the left hand.
Flip the entire packet over and spread it from left to right to display:
10D, 10C, 10H, 10S, four face-down cards
The double facers are the 10H and 10S, right next to the face-down cards.

2. OIL AND WATER

2.1 Remove the leftmost 10, the 10D and place it face-up above the first face-down card (i.e.,
the one next to the 10S, not the top card of the packet). Then the 10C and 10H go in successive
slots, so the fan now runs from left to right:
10S/face-down card/10D/face-down card/10C/face-down card/10H/face-down card
2.2 Square the fan. Push off the top three cards to show a mix of face-up and face-down
cards. Point out the 10s are face-up.
2.3 Square the packet. Turn it over and show the bottom card, a blank and point out the
blanks are facing the other way from the 10s (this is a discrepancy—there shouldn’t be a blank
on the bottom but only Dr. Daley would notice this).
2.4 Go back to the start position, the packet face-down, 10s face up within. Now, use the
Biddle Count for the Oil and Water effect:
• Pull off the top face-down card and take it into the left hand
• Pull off the 10H and hold a break under it.
• Pull off the next face-down card and steal back the 10H.
• Pull off the 10C and hold a break under it.
• Pull off the next face-down card and steal back the 10C.
• Pull off the 10D and hold a break under it.
• Pull off the next face-down card and steal back the 10D.
• Drop all cards in right hand with 10S on top onto cards in the left hand and square the
packet.
2.5 Make a magical gesture or spout a magic spell and then spread the packet left to right to
show the 10s are now all on top (note that the 10s are still in start order, from the left, 10D, 10C,
10H, 10S).
2.6 Spread off the 10s and place them still face up under the packet. Square the packet.

3
 3. TRANSPO TRANSFORMATION
3.1 The start position is this: the packet is squared; the four Kings are on top, followed by the
10s, face up. The double facers, showing as 10s, are right under the Kings (10S next to Kings,
then 10H).
3.2 Now a very sneaky display is used. Fan the packet slightly, then resquare it, taking a break
under the 10S. Pause for a beat for some time misdirection.
Using a right hand Biddle Grip (right hand arches over the packet, fingers in front, thumb at
inner end), move all the face down cards and the broken 10S (all squared) over to the right about
an inch to display the index of the 10H.
With the left thumb, push the 10H off slightly to the right to expose the index of the 10C beneath
it. The right hand grips all the cards. The left hand lets go, so the right hand still holding all the
cards in Biddle Grip, can revolve palm up to display two blank faces. Though this is discrepant,
it looks great.
3.3 Turn the packet back to start position and square it, then immediately deal the four face-
down “blanks” to the table. The spectator covers them with his hands.
3.4 The 10s will now be shown singly back and front using a version of the Olram Subtlety
(this is very strong).
3.5 Fan the 10s from left to right—they run 10D, 10C, 10H, 10S.
3.6 Square the packet and get a break above the 10D (i.e., under the top three cards).
3.7 Immediately take the top three cards off in a Biddle Grip, then revolve both hands to
show back and front of the single card and the back and front of the three card packet.
3.8 Revolve the hands back to position and pull the top card of the right hand’s cards, the
10S, onto the single card, the 10D in the left hand.
Revolve both hands to show the back and front of both packets, then revolve back to the start
position and take the 10H onto the cards in the left hand, leaving the single 10C in the right hand.
Revolve both hands again everything the backs and fronts, then revolve back to position and
drop 10C on the other face-up cards.
This looks very, very good, and the audience has to be absolutely convinced the blanks must be
on the table.
3.9 Flip the 10s packet facedown. The top card will be the 10D, the bottom card the 10C and
the double-facers will be sandwiched between them.
3.10 Elmsley Count the packet to show three face-down cards and one face-up blank.
3.11 Really count the packet, using the same motions as the Elmsley Count, but count each
card singly, reversing the packet’s order, to show two face-down cards, and two blanks (you will
end with the two blanks on top of the packet).
3.12 Elmsley Count the packet to show three blanks, but on count “3” take the blank and leave
the face-down card in the other hand.
4
3.13 Turn the face-down card over to show the 10D. Place it on the packet and take the packet
into your left hand.
Spread over the first two cards to show the 10D and two blank indexes.
The right hand arches over the cards, fingers in front, thumb in the back, the Biddle Grip, and
assists in squaring the cards, but as this is done get a break under the first blank.
As you square, lift the cards above the break (10D and blank beneath) and put them under the
packet.
Square and immediately pull out the bottom card to show the 10D has changed into a blank.
An alternate way to do the change is as follows:
• Spread the 10D and the blank card beneath it so you can take a break as you square.
• Swing Cut the double into your left hand as your right hand grips the rest of the cards and
moves right.
• Place the double under the right hand’s cards sidejogged for about ¾”. Under cover of
the right hand’s cards, the left little finger pulls down the inner right corner of the blank
beneath the 10D, forming a break.
• Shift the right hand’s cards over and back swiftly stealing the 10D and transforming the
sidejogged card into a blank. Place this blank on the face of the cards and pocket the
packet.
3.14 Place this blank on the face of the packet. If you want, here you could do a 2-as4 Count
(or E-Y-E Count) to show four blank cards (i.e., push off 1 card, place on bottom, push off 3
cards, place on bottom, pull off 1 card, place on bottom, push off 3 cards place on bottom).
Flash the underside of the packet as you gesture towards the cards the spectator holds (a back
will show).
Ditch this packet in your pocket.

4. THE KINGS
Point out that the spectator has had his hands on the tabled cards throughout so it would be
absolutely, completely and indisputably impossible if those cards were now the 10s.
Once he agrees that it would be impossible, agree with him and then tell him to look at the
cards—he finds the Kings.

5
 NOTES
REFERENCES
This effect is a version of Roy Walton’s, “Oil and Queens,” which first appeared in his book, The
Devil’s Playthings in 1969. It now can be found in The Complete Walton, Volume 1, pp. 10-11 (Lewis
Davenport Limited, 1981, 3rd edition 2012).
When I first created this version, I called it, “El Diablo Enigmatico,” but I have since decided
that title would be best used for a different effect (i.e., one with a devil and some tacos).
Originally, I used Jokers and 5s as the double facers but it was difficult to find matching Jokers.
The usual double facers don’t match: either one is a Joker and one is a guarantee Joker or they
are different colors. Blanks are actually better because the appearance of the Kings is so much
more shocking. 10s have the largest indices of any spot card so they make the displays clearer.
Earlier versions of this effect were greatly aided by the comments of Matt Field, Max Maven and
Jon Racherbaumer. Max has an excellent gaffed version somewhere in the Linking Ring, “Royal
Walton” (reference not to hand). Jon sent me his gaffed version, “Evaporation” (no reference
available) and this comment on my version:
“I dug out the requisite cards for your trick to see if it ‘rules,’ and, lo and behold, it does.
My wife dropped her cup of tea and ran away to hide in the closet.”

OTHER IDEAS
1. At the beginning, you could ask the spectator to name any four-of-a-kind. You then claim
the face-down cards are that four of a kind because they are blanks and thus are “wild.” Later,
with the Kings finish, if he named the kings at the beginning this would be even better (but he’d
probably name Aces, so maybe use Aces instead of Kings).
2. Building on the previous note here’s a more certain strategy.
SET-UP: Remove the four 10s from the deck and place them aside with the double facers,
10S/blank, 10H/blank.
Arrange the deck from the face, four aces, four 2s, four 3s, etc. for all the values (other than the
10s). Suits can be in any order within the four-of-a-kinds.
Discard the 10S and the 10H, they are not used.
Place the 10s and the double facers on the face of the deck in order from the face as follows:
10S/blank, 10H/blank, 10C, 10D (double facers showing as 10s).
WORKING: Remove the deck from its case, turn it face up and remove the 10 packet from the
bottom. Place it on the table face-up.
Have the spectator name any four of a kind (assume “Queens”). Look at the face-up deck and
cut the Queens to the top of the deck. Turn the deck face down.

6
Immediately deal the top four cards face down to the table and ask the spectator what he thinks
the chances are that the cards he just named, the Queens, are all together right here on top of the
deck.
Don’t give him time to answer, just continue, saying the chances are very slim, but that you
guarantee those are the four Queens.
Now, add the face-down cards to the face-up 10s, pick up the packet, and show the face-down
“Queens” as blanks—explain that blanks are wild and that they are now the “Queens.”
At the end, when you remind the spectator about the four-of-a-kind he named—and there they
are on the table.
3. Refer to the blanks as, “ghost cards,” and like ghosts, they can walk through walls. In the
Oil and Water phase use this line to explain that the ghosts (the blank cards) have walked through
the walls (the 10s). The ghost card theme is also useful for the finale. Explain that ghosts not only
have the ability to walk through walls, they can trade places with human beings (the 10s) but they
are also very tricky.
4. To do this as a deck trick using a regular deck do this.
In your breast pocket you have the four-card 10s stack, back side out. The regular 10s in the stack
are not from the deck in use, they are duplicates.
When it’s time for the effect, run through the deck and move the four Kings to the face of the
deck but claim you are looking for the 10s. Obviously, you must hide the faces from the audience.
As you hold the deck in your left hand faces towards you, say you will also be using some ghost
cards and remove the 10s stack, back outwards from your pocket and add it to the face of the
deck.
Place the packet on the face of a deck. Spread off the 8 cards being careful not to expose any
blank backs and continue.
5. For the various counts consult Roberto Giobbi’s Card College series: Elmsley Count,
Volume 2, pp.311-314; Flushtration Count, Volume 3, pp. 609-610; Biddle Count, volume 3, pp.
1007-1009; Olram Subtlety, Volume 3, p. 603.

7
 For more magic
by
Bob Farmer
email
BammoMagic@cogeco.ca
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About the author: Presently writing his new book, Einstein Was Nuts.