Trifle by Aldo Colombini
Frankly speaking, I still like
Packet Tricks very much and this is one of my
favorites. To me, they are fun to do, relatively
easy in many cases and strong in impact. This
routine is a non-faked version of Max Maven's
B-Wave and Twisted Sisters by John Bannon, obtained
with regular cards and adding a further effect.
(Also, please see my Clean Parade for another
non-faked version sold through my company, MAMMA
MIA MAGIC... sorry for the free ad!)
EFFECT
Two four card packets are shown
and tabled. One has the four Kings with blue
backs, the other has the four Kings with red
backs. One of the four Kings is freely selected
by a spectator who announces its suit. The same
two Kings in each packet are the only ones having
different colored backs. The two cards are replaced
in their respective packets but they change
places again and end up in the opposite packets!
REQUIREMENTS
Four Kings with red backs and
four Kings with blue backs. Of course, you may
use any four-of-a-kind.
SET-UP
In the first packet you have
from top to bottom, face up: King of hearts
and King of diamonds with red backs, followed
by the King of clubs and King of spades with
blue backs.
In the other packet from top
to bottom, face up: King of hearts and King
of diamonds with blue backs followed by the
King of clubs and King of spades with red backs.
PERFORMANCE
Leave the two packets face
up on the table without showing the backs. Pick
up a packet (say the packet with the red backed
Kings on top) and spread the four cards showing
the four Kings. Ask a spectator to think of
a King and then to announce it-
No matter what King is selected,
take this King in the right hand and, casually,
take the king of the same color below it and
drop these two Kings on top of the other two.
(Say that the selected King is the King of spades.
Take it with the right hand and place the King
of clubs below it, then drop them on top of
the red Kings.) Remove the top (selected) King
with the right hand. Square the remaining three
cards and, using the right hand card, flip them
face down in the left hand. The right hand shows
that the selected King has a different colored
back.
Place the selected King SECOND
from the bottom in the left hand packet (you
may use the Buckle for this) and immediately
do an Elmsley Count showing three cards of the
same color and one different color backed card.
(Apparently the same King, but really the Elmsley
Count has switched the selected king for the
other of the same colored back.) During the
count, leave the different colored back card
out-jogged and then take it and table it face
down. Leave the other three cards face down
behind the (believed to be) selected king.
Repeat exactly the same thing
with the other packet. (Spread it face up, take
out the selected King with the right hand, bring
the king of the same color below it dropping
them on top of the opposite colored kings, remove
the top King and show it to have a different
colored back, place it second from the bottom
and perform an Elmsley Count, tabling the other
Kings and the three card packet behind it.)
Take the red backed selection
and place it on the bottom of the red packet.
Pick up the packet and perform an Elmsley Count
showing four red backed cards. Casually but
openly, bring the top two cards to the bottom.
Take the blue backed selection
and place it below the blue packet. Pick up
the four card packet and perform an Elmsley
Count showing four blue backed cards. Openly
move two cards from top to bottom
Spread the two packets on the
table and show that one blue backed card is
among the red ones and vice-versa. Turn them
over and show the selections have transposed
for a nice finale.
NOTE
You may want to use two decks
(one red and one blue), removing the required
cards from each deck and/or maybe incorporate
this trick into a longer routine using the two
decks.
