Perverse Magic

All beginners in magic should address their questions here.
Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » November 1st, 2016, 7:52 am

Perverse Coin When Not Prepared To Perform

Sometimes someone will come up to you and want you to “do a trick” and it’s not a good time for you.

I would perform a very quick Perverse Magic effect.

I would ask if that person had a coin and I would take it.

I would appear to place the coin from my right hand into my left (of course retaining it in my right by whatever method) and then say that I’m going to make the coin float. I would snap the fingers of my right hand (making it appear that the hand is empty) and then open my left hand and then be surprised when the hand is empty.

(In Perverse Magic what you say will happen – here that the coin will float – can’t be as strong as what does happen – here the vanish.)

I am confused and I start to look for the coin by first putting my left hand in my left pocket and then my right hand in my right pocket. I find the coin there and, with a confused look still on my face, I return the coin.

Williamson Three Card Trick

David Williamson’s Three Card Trick is a wonderful example of Perverse Magic.
The effect is similar to the Eleven Card Trick (above – see February 2, 2003) but, where I use the Eleven Card Trick as a major effect (sometimes the only effect that I may perform on a particular occasion), I use an abbreviated version of the Williamson trick as an entertaining interlude in a routine.

I do it as follows:

1 I palm 3 cards from the top of the deck and then give the deck to a spectator.

2 I ask the spectator to give me the top card which I take in my left hand and
then I ask for the bottom card which the spectator puts on top of the one in my left hand.

3 I square the two cards adding the three palmed cards as I ask the spectator for a card from the middle of the deck she is holding.

4 I then say I will do the famous “3 Card Trick”.

5 I have 6 – they think 3.

6 I then “buckle count” the 6 as 4 and look confused. I give one back (I now have 5.) “No – I need 3.”

7 I repeat the buckle count showing the 5 as 4 and again give one back -, looking confused. (I now have 4).

8 I now buckle count the 4 as 3 and look satisfied.

9 “Anyway—I take 2 in my right hand and I—” – but there are still 4!

10 “Oh forget it!!”

Classifications Of Perverse Magic

I think it might be helpful to review my classifications of Perverse Magic.

I previously gave 6 classifications of Perverse Magic as follows:

1 Something happens without the performers knowledge or without the performer wanting it to happen.

As for example Cardini’s act where fans of cards or whatever keep appearing to the amazement and then annoyance of Cardini. Or when Roy Benson is catching large white billiard balls and all of a sudden a red ball appears and Benson looks in a book to see what happened.

2 The performer says he's going to do a trick but something else happens.

An example might be coming out with a bird in a birdcage and announcing that you're going to make the cage and the bird float when, to your surprise the cage and the bird vanishes.

(It's VERY important in this situation that what happens is stronger than what you say will happen.)

3 The magician says he's going to do something; that something happens by itself.

An example might be the untying handkerchief

4 The magician does something and is caught and when he confesses it's not what the audience thought - nor what the magician thought either.

An example might be the egg bag where the magician pretends to put the egg under his arm and when caught he goes for the egg and when it's not there the magician is confused (and the audience fooled).

(This of course is a "sucker effect" but instead of the audience being the sucker the magician is the victim.)

5 The magician and the audience are on different planes as to what each sees.

An example might be the invisible deck routine or David Roth's "Legendary Four Coin Trick"

(This is "Whimsical Perverse Magic")

6 The performer explains something that will happen but he doesn’t understand why it happens. Or perhaps something goes wrong and the performer may look in a book and then do something meaningless and what he wanted to happen happens though he doesn’t understand why.

With Perverse Magic the magician does not appear to be "better than everyone" (as is the case with so many performers) but plays the part of an ordinary guy who gets caught up in what happens. It does take acting but the style is appropriate for many effects including the classics - both close up and platform.

Also with Perverse Magic one can do just one effect – which is often the most
effective way for an amateur magician to impress an audience.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » December 1st, 2016, 7:32 am

Perverse Larry Jennings Prefiguration

This effect was brought to my attention by old friends who are no longer with us, Peter Marshall and Harvey Cohen. This effect appears on page 156 of The Classic Magic of Larry Jennings but I changed the effect a bit so that it can be
presented as the second classification of Perverse Magic. The performer says he’s
going to do a trick but something else happens.


Effect

A borrowed shuffled deck is used and the performer asks a spectator to touch a card, not to look at it and place it face down on the table. The spectator does. The performer says he is going to run through the deck and by studying the cards he will determine the selected card.

The performer looks at the faces of the deck and then says, “Okay, I know your card is a 4 – but I’m not sure which 4. Look.”

The performer turns the deck face up and deals cards to the table until a spectator tells him to stop.

“I really don’t understand how this happens but look, you stopped me here and here’s a 4.” But it’s not a 4 – it’s a 9! The performer is confused.

“Look, if I count down 4 in this half there’s a 4 ---” But it’s not – it’s another 9!—“A-and - and if I count down 4 in this half ---” another 9!

He turns over the face down card that the spectator selected and – the last 9. The performer scratches his head in confusion.

Method

1 It’s best to do this with a borrowed deck. Note the top card and get another
card of the same value to the top.

This is Classic Forced but not looked at and left face down on the table.


2 Run through the deck “looking for a clue of the selected card” and while doing so:

A Downjog the face up card in a position (in this case) 3rd from the bottom (one less than the 4).

B When you come to the next – in this case 9, put in behind the downjogged card (so that it will be fourth from the bottom).

C Downjog the first four cards from the top.

F The last 9 goes here.

So now there is a 9 on top, a 9 fifth from top, a 9 fourth from the bottom
and a 9 face down on the table.

3 Then:

A Begin to deal face up from the bottom of the deck and after passing the 9 tell the spectator to “say stop” wherever he wants.

When he says “stop” turn the cards in your left-hand face down and say, “I know that your card is a 4.”

B Turn over top card of what was left hand packet and show a 9 You missed..

C Confused, you count 4 cards from top onto the table and show another 9. More confusion.

D Pick up the face up packet, turn it face down and count 4 showing the third 9.

E Finally turn over the selected card and show a 9.

Shrug and say, “I really don’t understand how this happened!”

Notes

1 If this is NOT done with a borrowed deck but with your own then step 2 can
be eliminated and the set up done beforehand.

2 In Step 1, if you miss the Classic Force do another effect. One such effect
might be a “4 Ace Trick” but instead of using aces, use the card selected and the three mates of the card selected.

(It’s a good way to do a “4 Ace Trick” because the spectator selected the cards to be used.)

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » January 1st, 2017, 8:50 am

Perverse Confusing Cards


Effect

1 I walked into the party with my wife Linda and immediately my friend Frank handed me a deck of cards and told me to do a trick for Carol and Bob, a couple standing there that I hadn’t met before. Linda looked up at the ceiling.

“Well, okay. I just learned a mind reading trick and I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. Here, take a card,” I said as I spread the deck for Carol as she took a card and looked at it. She put it back into the deck and I shuffled the deck.

I concentrated and then said, “Your card was – I hope I remember this – the 5H—”

“Wrong,” laughed Carol, not really expecting that I would get it.

“I guess I did something wrong. Let me try something I know how to do.

2 “Look, here’s the AS,” I say as I turn over the top card. “I’ll put it in my pocket.

“And here’s the 4D. Let me put it on your hand.” I say as I turn over the next card and put it face down on Joan’s palm.

“Now if I just snap my fingers---“ I do—“ The 4D is in my pocket and the AS is in your hand.”

“How did you do that?” laughs Joan. “He’s good,” says Bob talking to Frank.

3 “Frank, would you take a card. Let me try that mind reading again. Put it back. Let’s see. Was it the 9C?”

“Wow! Yeah! How did you---?”

4 “But I don’t know why I couldn’t get Carol’s thought of card. Was it the JC?”

Carol smiles and shakes her head.

“What was it?”

“The 7H.”

I make a confused look. “I don’t understand this.” I look through the deck. “I don’t think there’s a 7H here.”

I give Carol the deck and put my left hand in my left pocket looking very confused. Nothing. I shake my head. I then put my right hand in my right pocket and – and to my surprise and everyone else’s I come out with the 7H.

“I really don’t understand . I have to look up that trick.”

Discussion

I had contributed “Flaunt It” to Harry Lorayne’s Apocalypse and it appears in the
September 1987 issue on page 1397. As noted there, the idea came to me from
something a magic friend Bob Hyans showed me – a way to do the regular 2 card
transposition (i) without having to do the third double lift (or top change), not
having to use a duplicate card and (iii) not having to “clean up” the extra card.

In the setting above, it’s at a friend’s house but if this was done professionally as
walk around magic, I wouldn’t start with this because if you go over to ‘strangers”
and the first thing you do is “miss” you may quickly lose your audience. In such a
case, therefore, some other quick trick should precede this routine, perhaps with
something other than cards.

And, as I’ve said before, Perverse Magic can be just one feature in a magic
performance.

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers under Effect above.

1 Simple. A card is selected and brought to the top.

But, while it’s not necessary, I prefer to do two things here:

A I like to set the deck so that the cards that will change places in step 2 are contrasting cards. It’s not too effective to have the 9S change places with the 9C.

Therefore, as I’m given the deck I set the 2nd and 3rd card to be contrasting (here AS and 4D)

B I like to know the card selected so I’m sure NOT to name it. (If you do anything after can’t be as strong.) So I usually do a Classic Force.

2 A Double lift – top card (selected card in 1 above) goes to pocket

B Another double lift and card seen in A goes on woman’s hand

C Take deck in right hand in position to do the one hand card palm.

The left hand turns over the card on woman’s hand as right hand one hand-palms the top card and then goes into the pocket to produce it showing the cards changed places.

3 Another Classic Force after glimpsing the top card. This time have the card put back and have the spectator hold the deck.

4 Here you act confused as you look through the deck but do it quickly so as not to lose your audience. Then give the spectator the deck.

By going to my left pocket first I’m showing both hands empty without saying anything.

Then, when my empty right hand goes to my right pocket they see clearly that it’s empty.

Acting confused makes this a good example of Perverse Magic.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » February 1st, 2017, 8:25 am

Coin To Rock

Background

I’ve previously explained in this thread how I think rocks that can be found in a garden make excellent props for Perverse Magic (see above on this thread February 1, 2004 Rocks In Shoe and February 1, 2006 Perverse Rock using a woman’s diamond ring, and December 1, 2009 Unusual Objects – Unusual Places – Rocks – which includes the reverse – having a rock change to a coin. Also see the Close Up thread of November 18, 2002. )

Effect

At a dinner table the magician says he just learned a new trick and asks to borrow a quarter. Someone gives one to him.

He announces he’s going to make the quarter into a half dollar.

He puts the quarter in his left hand and snaps his right hand fingers and when he opens his left hand, the quarter is gone but instead of a half dollar there is - a rock.

I must have done something wrong!!!


Method

1 The rock is “Classic Palmed” in the left hand.

2 The quarter is taken in the right hand and shown as it lies at the base of the 2nd and third fingers (middle and ring finger).

The right hand closes as it turns palm down and the coin falls to the fingertips.

It is Classic Palmed in the right hand.

The right hand, still palm down, has the thumb touching the fingertips as if it is holding the coin which his now Classic Palmed.

3 The right hand pretends to place the coin into the left hand which closes ads it would if it held a coin (it holds the rock Classic Palmed).

4 The left hand raises as the right hand drops for a moment to the table top lapping the quarter and IMMEDIATELT comes up and snaps its fingers over the left hand.

5 The rock is shown instead to the expected half dollar. The magician is confused.


Good Perverse Magic!!

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 1st, 2017, 7:47 am

Perverse Magic And Routining

I said before on this thread (February 1, 2012 above) that “the whole act need not be Perverse Magic – an incident (or maybe two) may be enough. I recall Roy Benson doing his beautiful billiard ball routine using 2 inch white balls when suddenly a red ball appears and Benson looks confused and looks in a book.”

Then again perhaps the magician’s style is such that the entire act can be Perverse Magic.

Rule (22) of “Our Magic” (page 66) reads “No magician should ever present – any magical feat –which –has not been adapted to his own personal characteristics—”

I also strongly believe in “Routining” - that is, as said on page 247 of “The Royal Road to Card Magic” “so that the fullest effect can be drawn from each feat and so that they will follow one another smoothly--.”

I find few magicians that follow this rule and, as a consequence the audience won’t remember what was done.

I have described several Ambitious card routines on this thread and at the beginning (December 21, 2002) I describe a routine that I use:

“I have a card selected and say it will come to the top and it’s not there – another card (say 4C) is there. I bury the 4C and try again but again the 4C is there. I spell the selected card but at the end it’s the 4C. finally I say I’ll do the trick with the 4Cand say it will go to my pocket but when I reach into my pocket it’s the selected card. I’m surprised and frustrated.”

(This is explained on this thread - see above January 1, 2015.)

What follows is another Ambitious Card that has the Perverse Magic only at the end.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 1st, 2017, 7:50 am

The Ambitious Stranger

Effect

1 The magician has a card selected and then goes into an Ambitious card routine with the selected card.

2 After a few “to the top” sequences the magician has a spectator shuffle the deck. Once again the selected card comes to the top.

3 The magician has the spectator sign the face of the selected card.

4 It is again buried into the deck and the deck is cut and this time the card is on the bottom.

5 “What I really don’t understand is that the card you selected is – well – it’s from another deck.”

The magician turns over the card and to his and everyone’s surprise, while the deck is blue backed the selected card has a red back.

The magician gives the spectator the card to keep.

Preparation

Two decks are used, a red and a blue. The red is kept in a left pocket and the blue is
used.

In the right trouser pocket place one card from the blue deck and under that one
card from the red deck.

The blue backed duplicate of the red card is on top of the deck being used.

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers under Effect above.

1 The top card – the blue back duplicate of the red back card in magicians’s pocket is forced.

It is suggested that the Classic Force be used as if you miss you can do another effect first.

2 There are a number of Perverse Ambitious Card effects on this thread. In this case I would suggest it not be too long but in this phase only a few “to the top” sequences should be done.

The deck is given to the spectator to shuffle. As he does his hands are empty. His hands go to his trouser pockets, the right on top of the two cards in the right pocket and the left in the left trouser pocket. It is a casual pose and should not arouse suspicion.

The magician takes back the deck, adds the two cards that were in his pocket, riffles the deck, does a double lift and shows the “Ambitious Card”.

3 The spectator signs the face of the red back card.

4 The two cards are turned face down as one and then pushed into the center of the deck, a break is held below the signed card and it is cut to the bottom.

5 If this is done as walk around magic all that must be done is take another card from the red back deck, put its duplicate from the blue back deck on top of the deck being used and take any card from the blue back deck and put it on the red back card in your pocket.

Background

I think I got the idea for this from Phil Goldstein’s “Remembrance Of Cards Past”
from page 128 of Apocalypse (November 1978).

Good Perverse Magic!!

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 1st, 2017, 9:20 am

Spelling Tricks

Background

Spelling to a selected card – that is – dealing one card for each letter – as for example “f-o-u-r—o-f—c-l-u-b-s’ and finding the 4C at that spot is a popular effect of card magic and can be presented as Perverse Magic in the 6th category of Perverse Magic – the performer explains something that will happen but he doesn’t understand why it happens (see above November 1, 2011 under “Cigarettes”).

(I posted some effects using spelling on this thread above. Note for example “First Perverse Ambitious Card Above” January 1, 2015.)

I use three different presentations of spelling effects, two of which originated with effects in “The Royal Road To Card Magic”, the first, “Double Speller” on page 163 and the second “Gray’s Spelling Trick” on page 63. I’ll describe my handling of all:

(Also – as with most effects – I don’t perform them as suggested but use my own style and handling. So, for example, I don’t believe it’s necessary to use The Pass to control the card in Double Speller and I don’t trust the spectator to correctly mentally spell the card in Gray’s Spelling trick.

Effect – Double Speller

A card is selected, say the AD, and put back in the deck and the deck is shuffled.

“I don’t understand why this works but let me try it. Here, hold the deck,” says the magician as he gives the spectator the deck to hold.

“Your card was the 5S now watch,” say the magician as he pulls one card for each letter of the 5S from the deck the spectator is holding and when he’s done shows that the last card remaining on the spectator’s hand is the 5S. “I really don’t understand how that works,” he says.

“But that wasn’t my card,” says the spectator. The magician is confused. “What was your card?” “It was the AD.” The magician scratches his head. “Let me try that again,” and again he pulls one card from the packet the spectator is holding for each letter of AD and this time when he’s done the AS is face up on top of the pile in the spectator’s hand. “I really don’t know how that works,” says the magician looking confused.

Effect – Gray Spelling Trick

I prefer the Double Speller BUT – sometimes the audience will sort of feel sorry for you when you name the wrong card and successfully spell it and NOT say it’s the wrong card.

If I feel the spectator may do that I will use this version.

Here the card is selected and shuffled back and the deck is given to the spectator to shuffle. When the magician gets the deck back he runs spreads the deck face up telling the spectator to make sure the card is still there. Then he gives the deck to the spectator and asks the spectator for the name of the card and again, as in the Double Speller version above, pulls off one card for each letter and at the end shows the selected card, confused as to how it works.

Effect – Where the Heck Is That Card

Here again the card is selected and shuffled back and the deck is given to the spectator to shuffle. When the magician gets the deck back he asks for the name of the card and pulls off one card for each letter and at the end shows – an indifferent card!

He is confused and looks through the deck but can’t find the card and gives the deck to a spectator while the magician reaches into his pockets with empty hands and then finds the selected card and he is puzzled as to how the selected card left the deck and wound up in his pocket.

Method – Double Speller

1 The card is forced using the Classic Force and controlled to the top when returned.

2 I perform the Braue Reverse – I get a break under the top (selected) card and take about half of the cards from the bottom, turn them face up and put them on top. I take all the cards below the break, turn them face up and put them on top. The deck is face up and the selected card is face down on the bottom.

3 Holding the deck face up I perform an Overhand Shuffle and run one card for each letter of the selected card from the bottom to my left hand and then drop the deck on those cards in my left hand. The selected card is face up in “spell” position.

4 I glimpse the top card and repeat what I did in 3 for the value (not the suit) of the glimpsed card and drop the deck on that. I turn the deck face down and do a jog shuffle for the suit of the glimpsed card,

Method – Gray’s Spelling Trick

1 The card is forced using the Classic Force and lost in the deck. The deck is give to the spectator to shuffle

2 When you spread the deck face up for the spectator to “make sure the card is still there” you “spell the card” silently – one card for each letter and break when you’re done (if you run out of cards start again at the bottom).

The selected card will be in “spell position.

Method - Where the Heck Is That Card

A card is freely selected and controlled to the top and palmed and the deck given to a spectator to shuffle. Both hands are put into your pants pockets and you act very as the deck is shuffled. Then remove both hands and ask the spectator for the deck and you spell the selected card.

The reason here is to avoid a “timing problem” that is – having the audience lose interest when the selected card isn’t found at the “spell location”. By you dealing:

(i) you spell and the selected card is, of course, not at the spell location,

(ii) you quickly run through the deck looking for the card and

(iii) drop the deck back on the table.

You look puzzled and start looking for the selected card, first in your left pocket and then, in your right pocket (where the card is).

Pull out something else from your right pocket (keys, a handkerchief, etc) and then, still puzzled, the selected card and when you do you look at it confused.

Good Perverse Magic – you don’t understand !!

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2017, 7:00 am

Charmed!

Effect

The performer has just performed “Cooper-Silver With a Dime and a Penny” in the spectator’s hand (see above – this thread – October 1, 2007) and now he takes her two hands, has her cup them and holds them in his hands.

Suddenly a Charm candy falls into her cupped hands. The magician is puzzled and looks up at the ceiling trying to ascertain where the candy came from.

Discussion

1 I saw Michael Ammar perform his Coins Across ending with the last coin going to the spectator’s hand from Michael’s head. (See Magic Arts Journal September 1986)

I liked that effect but not with coins.

2 I like to do effects with candy (See Miser’s Dream for Kids this thread above June 2005) especially with wrapped candy that can be given away and eaten.

3 The Charm (or coin in the Ammar effect) is placed on the top of the performer’s head. You should experiment with this until you’re comfortable that it won’t fall. When you tilt your head forward the Charm will fall into the spectator’s open hands. Again you should experiment as to where the Charm will fall so that it does go into the spectator’s hand.

4 It is dangerous to walk around with the Charm on your head so I like to have it there for the shortest period of time.

Also, I like to load the charm on my head when the spectators are not watching me very closely. The best time would be right after having completing Cooper – Silver when the spectators are laughing.

Also – I like this to follow another effect – Cooper- Silver – done in the spectator’s hands.

It’s an interlude and not an effect done alone but it’s effective. And by being puzzled
Along with the spectators we have a good example of Perverse Magic.

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 1st, 2017, 11:03 am

It is a wonderful - and yes - charming idea! Great thinking, thank you!

And it has given me an idea (happens at least once per decade).

When I do coins across I do it with 4 coins, from my hand to the spectator's hands (especially a female). I started doing it that way many years ago when I saw the phenomenal reaction Paul Gertner got in doing it that way for a group of laymen/women. Dingle, and of course many others, have done it/do it that way.

After 3 coins have made their way from my hand to hers, for the "last coin," I take the easy way out, manually placing it on the stack of 3 coins already in her hand (with an accompanying witty line) then, pick up the whole stack and count the "four" coins into her hand. One "coin" (i.e., the s _e _ l _) is then removed from her hand, as I close her hand over the other (what they believe are) 3 coins, but actually 4.

I place the coin just removed from her hand in my pocket, telling her to keep her hand closed tightly, proclaiming that I will make the coin jump from my pocket back into her hand (thus blatantly breaking the rule of not saying in advance what is going to happen - but somehow works well, creating anticipation, focusing attention, setting up the reaction better). Fingers are then snapped, some magic words are uttered, and she is asked to open her hand and count the (four) coins aloud, one-by-one

Gerald's post triggered the idea that when that "fourth coin" is pocketed, what a perfect time to steal a charm from the pocket and then load it on the head under cover of the surprise when she opens her hand, and aided by the strong misdirection of her counting the coins. And what a delightful and magical way to thank her...

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 1st, 2017, 11:05 am

MagicbyAlfred wrote:It is a wonderful - and yes - charming idea! Great thinking, thank you!

And it has given me an idea (happens at least once per decade).

When I do coins across I do it with 4 coins, from my hand to the spectator's hands (especially a female). I started doing it that way many years ago when I saw the phenomenal reaction Paul Gertner got in doing it that way for a group of laymen/women. Dingle, and of course many others, have done it/do it that way.

After 3 coins have made their way from my hand to hers, for the "last coin," I take the easy way out, manually placing it on the stack of 3 coins already in her hand (with an accompanying witty line) then, pick up the whole stack and count the "four" coins into her hand. One "coin" (i.e., the s _e _ l ) is then removed from her hand, as I close her hand over the other (what they believe are) 3 coins, but actually 4.

I place the coin just removed from her hand in my pocket, telling her to keep her hand closed tightly, proclaiming that I will make the coin jump from my pocket back into her hand (thus blatantly breaking the rule of not saying in advance what is going to happen - but somehow it works well, creating anticipation, focusing attention, and setting up the reaction better). Fingers are then snapped, some magic words are uttered, and she is asked to open her hand and count the (four) coins aloud, one-by-one

Gerald's post triggered the idea that when that "fourth coin" is pocketed, what a perfect time to steal a charm (or Hershey Kiss) from the pocket and then load it on the head under cover of the surprise when she opens her hand, and aided by the strong misdirection of her counting the coins. And what a delightful and magical way to thank her...

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » June 1st, 2017, 7:25 am

Thanks To Dr. Daley

Comment

Chapter Twenty-One of the Dai Vernon Book of Magic is “The Last Trick of Dr. Jacob Daley”. I’ve never been that interested in this effect until I saw my friend Dan Miller perform it in a much simpler and more direct way than the way it was originally written, Dan did not remember where he had seen this approach.

Anyway, I thought this would be a good Perverse Magic interlude between some effects done with the four aces.

Effect

1 After doing a trick with the four aces, the magician remembers something. “I just.
remembered a trick with the four aces. Let me try it.”

2 The magician shows the four aces face up and turns the packet face down. He tells the young woman to hold out her hands. He turns the top card face up and shows the Ace of Spades. He turns it face down and deals it onto her left hand.

3 The magician counts the three face down cards in his hand and turns the top card face up and shows the Ace of Clubs. He turns it face down and deals it onto the woman’s right hand.

4 “Okay, you have the Ace of Spades in your left hand and the Ace of Clubs in your right hand. Now watch. By magic I’m going to make those cards change places.”

The magician snaps his fingers and turns over the card in the woman’s left hand but instead of it now being the Ace of Clubs, it’s the Ace of Hearts.

The magician is confused. He turns over the card in her right hand and is more surprised to see it is the Ace of Diamonds.

He turns over the two cards he is holding, which he thought was the red aces and to his utter confusion they are the black aces.

He shakes his head and says, “I just don’t understand---.”

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers above.

1 As noted this is an interlude following a four-ace trick or between several four
ace tricks. As I noted before on this thread, Perverse Magic can be just that – an
interlude. I remember seeing Roy Benson in the course of performing his billiard
ball routine, which he did with 2 inch white balls, suddenly, and to his surprise, he produced a red ball and to me that was a great example of Perverse Magic.

2 The aces are held face up with the black aces in the center and the red aces on the
ends. The magician turns the packet face down and spreads them and gets a break
under the second card. That makes it easy to do a Double Lift and show a black ace but have the two face up cards injogged a bit. That makes it easy to again do a Double Lift in turning the cards) face down. A red card goes on the woman’s hand.

3 You now have two black aces over a red ace and you want the red ace on top and that’s done by just counting the three face down cards reversing their order. A Double Lift is done to show the other black ace and with three cards this is easy by buckling the bottom card - which is done with pressure from the left index finger on the face of the bottom card. The two cards are turned face down the same way.

4 Good acting here – and good Perverse Magic!


Note – as I’ve said before on this thread, in Perverse Magic I believe that what happens must be stronger than what you say will happen. Here, the transposition of the red aces and the black aces is stronger than just the transposition of the black aces with each other.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » June 1st, 2017, 7:27 am

Two Dollar Bill

Back on this thread – June 1, 2013, I posted the Perverse Two Bill Trick that I had contributed to the July 1996 issue of Apocalypse. There is a similar effect that I, together with my friend Peter Marshall contributed to the October 1997 issue (page 2853) which is also good Perverse Magic.

Effect

The magician borrows two singles and crumpling them into balls, takes one ball in his right hand and the other in his left. He says he will make them stick together and he slaps them together but only one bill falls to the table. Confused, he opens the bill and finds – a two dollar bill. Confused, he puts the bill in his wallet and finds – two wrinkled singles – which he gives back to the lender.

Preparation

As noted in the Perverse Two Dollar Bill Trick, you have two crumpled and then
opened two one dollar bills in your wallet.

Also a crumpled two dollar bill on your lap.

Method

1 Borrow two one dollar and give one to a spectator to crumple while you crumple the other.

2 Reach forward with your left hand to take the bill the spectator has and at the same time let your right hand drop to your lap. Leave the bill the right hand holds on your lap and pick up the crumpled two dollar bill. As you lean back bright the right hand – that now holds the crumpled two dollar bill goes onto the table next to the left hand holding the bill the spectator has crumpled.

3 Show the crumpled bills on your hands which are open with the knuckles of the pinkies on the edge of the table. Now as both hands close you perform Slydini’s Revolve Vanish.

The hands close and “revolve” pivoting on the pinky knuckles (i) closing and (ii) moving forward allowing the crumpled bill in the left palm to fall to your lap.

4 You “clap” your hands together allowing the single bill – the crumpled two dollar bill to fall to the table. You are confused – it didn’t work – and then more confused when the single bill is opened and you find a two dollar bill.

5 You never say or claim that the crumpled but straightened bills from your wallet are the borrowed bills but some will think they are and you just act like you don’t understand.

Good Perverse Magic.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » July 1st, 2017, 7:07 am

Perverse Card Transpo

Background And Comment

I, like so many magicians don’t do magic professionally and therefore, when I perform I can stop when I want. I say this because I find it’s better to do less than too much. So many amateur magicians just don’t know when to stop and can wind up boring their audience – who may be their friends. And with Perverse Magic it’s easy to stop after one effect – if the effect is good.

This effect started with my reading Francis Carlyle’s Card Transposition in Dai Vernon’s “Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic” and then I had comments from Peter Marshall, Bob Hyans and Sol Stone from 1989 and 1990. I also have used input from Harry Lorayne’s Strange Voyage in his “The Magic Book”

Effect

1 “Here he is. Hey Jerry, here’s a deck. Show my friends a trick.” I take the deck, look at it, and then I take a paper from my pocket and look at it.

“Okay, I just learned a new trick. I should practice it first but – well you guys are my friends so what the heck. Here take a card. Good. Show it to everyone.”

2 “Okay, put the card back and let me give the deck a few cuts and I’m going to cut right to your card..”

3 I cut the cards and turn up the KH. “There.” And I deal the card face down to the table and put the deck down next to it. The trick is over. I put my hands in my pockets and relax.

4 “Uhhh – no Jerry. That wasn’t my card.” I scratch my head, take out the paper, look at it and looking confused I ask what card did you take.

“The 2C”, says the friend.

5 Still looking confused, I turn over the face down card and it’s the 2C.

6 I put the paper back in my pocket and feel something and – and I pull out the KH.

“I really don’t understand this. I have to practice.”

I smile.

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers under Effect.

1 When I take the deck I want to makes sure that the top card and the card beneath it are very different. The problem to avoid is having a selected card being say, the 2C and the card shown the 2S. So in this example the 2C is on top and the KH 2nd from the top.

I Classic Force the 2C (the Hindu Shuffle Force can be used here too).

2 I have the card placed back in the same place.

I toss the top half of the deck on the selected card so that the front edge to that top portion hits the bottom portion first which will create a natural jog.
This is called “The Drop Jog”.

3 I get a break under the injog and double cut the selected card to the top.

I Double Lift and show the KH. I deal the top card – the 2C to the table. I palm the now top card – the KH in my right hand.

I put the deck down and put both hands in my pockets leaving the palmed KH.

4,5,6 No comment needed.

Good Perverse Magic – and there’s no need to do another trick at this time,

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » July 1st, 2017, 7:08 am

Perverse Poker Players Picnic – Cutting The Aces - 3

Effect

1 You and your wife are invited to a friend’s house and there are others there too.

“Show my friends a trick,” says your friend as he hands you a deck of cards. You don’t think it’s an appropriate time or place to perform so you decide to do one trick and by doing a “Perverse Magic” effect you (i) will entertain and amuse and (ii) have an excuse not to do more than one effect.

2 You run through the deck and remove the 4 aces and carefully and cleanly bury them into the deck. You give the deck a shuffle and hand the deck to one of the women there.

“See, the aces are lost in the deck and I’m going to give you the magic power to find the aces. Cut the deck into four piles. Good.”

Now you have the woman:

3 Pick up the first pile and shuffle it and then deal three cards to the bottom and one to each of the other piles.

4 Pick up the second pile and bury the top three cards in the center.

5 Pick up the third pile deal three cards to the bottom and one to each pile.

6 Finally pick up the last pile, deal one to the bottom, bury the next card and deal one to each of the other three piles.

7 “Great, you say, “Now look, I gave you the power to find all the aces.” But when you turn over the top card of each pile they are not aces but – fives! “Oh gosh – I did something wrong.”

Background

Poker Players Picnic is the second trick in “The Royal Road To Card Magic” and is
very popular with magicians. I have always felt that the spectator can easily
reconstruct the effect of ‘three to the bottom and one to each pile”. And by varying the dealing from each pile you will lead spectators away from being able to easily reconstruct what was done.

I posted a similar effect on this thread above on May 1, 2004 called “Cutting The Aces” and another on September 1, 2015 called “Cutting The Aces -2”.
Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers in “Effect”.

2 As I explained in Cutting The Aces that I posted on May 1, 2004, I want to use a spot card as the "wrong card". As I pick up the deck to find the 4 aces, I note the top card. If it's a spot card good - if not I cut a spot card to the top.
I then go thru the deck face up looking for the four aces and as I come to the other spot cards matching the one on top I cut them to the top as well.

(Note that you don't want to hold up getting the aces looking for the spot cards but the fact that the first is already on top helps. Also, I pass over the first ace just in case I have to come back to look for one of the spot card.)

So the four aces are on the table and 4 spot cards of the same value are on top.

Then I insert the four aces in different parts of the face down deck. Really! (And this will fool magicians!)”

Then I give the deck a jog shuffle keeping the four spot cards of the same value on top.

3 By having a spectator shuffle the first pile it may lead everyone to think every pile was shuffled – though you don’t say that.

4,5,6 Again, I have always felt that the spectator can easily reconstruct the effect of ‘three to the bottom and one to each pile”. Varying the dealing from each pile will lead spectators away from being able to easily reconstruct what was done.

7 “Oh gosh – I did something wrong.” Note it’s my mistake not the spectator’s. This is important. So many magicians make fools of spectators (My wife was humiliated as a young girl when a magician embarrassed her with a breakaway wand. But she married me anyway.)

I don’t think further comments are necessary here.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » August 1st, 2017, 11:23 am

Some Sundry Thoughts

A lot of the Perverse Magic I do is very quick simple things that most magicians would scoff at but, as I’ve said many times in this thread, I believe that in doing magic, entertainment is the most important thing.

---------------------------------------------------

For an extended period of magic (as opposed to just doing a quick simple effect as here), I believe routining is very important and what effects follow each other must be carefully considered. Even for card tricks. Especially for card tricks.

Most magicians don’t realize that it’s a tough task for spectators to have to remember a selected card. If they don’t they will think (i) they will look foolish and (ii) they will ruin the trick and (iii) the magician will be mad at them and (iv) everyone will hate them. What pressure!

That’s why the Ambitious Card (and I’ve posted many variations of that effect on this thread and I have another great version that I hope to post soon) is such a good effect – or series of effects with only one card that has to be remembered.

When I do walk around and I do a series of card tricks (not more than 4 and they’re quick) I usually use the same selected card.

------------------------------------------------

Sometimes the situation calls for something quick and unexpected and as I’ve mentioned here too, the squeaker is a prop I use often.

(I guess you all know about squeakers. You can get them from many dealers such as Bob Little.)

If I’m to wait in an office (dentist, doctor, client) or a restaurant there is usually a receptionist that too often is bored. And there’s always a pen lying on her desk.

If the pen has a cap I would palm a quarter in my right hand – if it does not have a cap I would palm a quarter in my left hand.

I would have the squeaker in my right hand and a quarter classic palmed in my left hand. I would ask “What kind of a pen is that?” as I would touch the pen with my right index finger and have it squeak.

I would look surprised pick up the pen with (i) my left fingers if the quarter is palmed in my left hand or (ii) my right hand if the quarter is palmed in that hand. . Picking up the pen with the fingers of the hand that has the quarter makes the hand appear empty. If the coin is palmed in my left hand I transfer the pen to my right fingers and then with my left hand I pull the quarter “from the pen”. If the coin is palmed in my right hand - see “Oh You Have One Of Those Pens” on this thread November 1, 2014.

I put the pen down on the desk and look more confused.

I take the quarter in my right hand and put it and the squeaker in my right pocket and shrug. You’ll at least get a smile and you will have brightened her day.

I might then take out the quarter and give it to the receptionist as it, after all, came from her pen.

It’s Perverse Magic. I’m not saying how good I am to the receptionist – I don’t understand and I’m confused.

And, as it’s so quick and unexpected it can be just the right thing at the right time for the bored receptionist.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » August 1st, 2017, 11:24 am

The Fingerprint Card Trick

EFFECT

1 “I’ll tell you how I find your card,” says the magician to the attractive young lady. “I just look for your fingerprints. I’ll show you. Take a card.”

The young lady does and the magician has her return the card to the deck and he shuffles the deck.

2 The magician looks at the back of the top card and says, “Nope. No print here.” He turns the card face up and shows the Ace of Spades. It was her card. She feels badly for him but doesn’t say anything. The magician deals the card face down to the table.

3 The magician looks at the back of the now top card and again says it’s not the card, turns the card face up and face down again and deals it to the table next to the face down Ace of Spades.

4 The magician looks at the back of the now top card again and this time says – “This is it! See the fingerprint on the back?” The young woman sees nothing on the back and feels badly because she knows her card – the Ace of Spades – is face down on the table. The magician turns over the card and - and it’s the Ace of Spades!

5 The magician is confused as he drops the Ace of Spades face up on the table and turns over the first card and finds more to his confusion (and the young lady’s amazement) that it is now an indifferent card.

6 The magician reaches into his pocket and pulls out an instruction sheet and reads it and shrugs, still confused. “I don’t know. I just don’t understand. And it says that the fingerprint gets clearer after a while.” He turns over the Ace of Spades and there on the back is a woman’s fingerprint, clear as day.

7 The magician shakes his head and walks away leaving the instruction sheet. The young lady picks it up and it says, “A Good Card Trick For A Shy Fellow To Do To Impress An Attractive Woman. A few minutes later the magician feels someone tapping him on the shoulder and when he turns around it is the young lady.

COMMENTS

1 This, of course, is “The Fingerprint Card Trick” that appears in
“My Best” and Volume One of “The Vernon Chronicles”. That effect is similar to“ Dunbury Delusion” which is in “Expert Card Technique”.

2 I prefer the “fingerprint” presentation done in a Perverse Magic slant.

3 It was my friend Peter Marshall that suggested using three and not five cards
for this.

4 I ended with the Fingerprint on the Card and my notes (made September 23,
1990) don’t indicate where I got this from. It may be mine but if it’s not I apologize for not giving credit.

5 I always use the Ace of Spades for this effect. When you show their card and
say it’s not their card, the spectator may come to the conclusion that they
must have taken the “mate” (that is, if the selected card was the Four of
Clubs, the spectator may think they took the Four of Spades) but that won’t
happen with the Ace of Spades.

PREPARATION.

1 You need a duplicate Ace of Spades.

2 With a rubber stamp put a fingerprint on the back of one Ace of Spades.

3 The prepared Ace of Spades goes on the bottom of the deck.

4 The “clean” Ace of Spades goes on the top of the deck.

5 “Instructions” in right trouser pocket.

ROUTINE

(The numbers below correspond with the numbers in the EFFECT.)

1 I lift up about half the deck keeping my left thumb on the top card and move
the top half to the right which has the Ace of Spades “slipped” to the lower
half.

I assemble the deck holding a break and then “Classic Force the Ace of
Spades.

I extend the top half of the deck and then run two cards, injog and shuffle
and then toll the remaining cards in my right hand BELOW the cards in my left hand so that the prepared Ace of Spades is again on the bottom. The selected card is third card under the injogged card in the center.

I cut at the injog and with my left hand I thumb off about half of the lower
packet and then insert the top half into that space. That brings the prepared
Ace of Spades to the bottom and the selected Ace of Spades third from the top.

2 A triple lift to show the Ace of Spades.

3 A single lift.

4 A double lift.

5 When they see the Ace of Spades it’s as if the effect is over and everyone is
relaxed. You do the following:

* Put you left thumb under the deck and turn the deck face up.

* Push off the face up Ace of Spades on the face and get a break under
it.

* Put the selected Ace of Spades on the face up deck.

* The fingers of the right hand go under the two Ace of Spades under
the break.

* The bottommost Ace of Spades is pulled off (being careful not to show
the back) as the left hand turns faces to you so that the bottom Ace of
Spades can’t be seen.

* The Ace of Spades in your right hand is dropped face up on the table.

* The Ace of Spades on the bottom of the deck is palmed in the right
hand.

6 The right hand goes to the pocket to (i) leave the palmed card and (ii) brings
out the instructions.

In addition to giving the performer a reason to go to his pocket (to get rid of
the palmed card), the instruction sheet brings the effect into the sixth category of Perverse Magic – instead of the performer saying “Ta da!” when the magic happens he goes for the instruction sheet to try to understand. I first saw Roy Benson do this during his brilliant billiard ball routine when, as he was producing two inch white ball a red ball suddenly appeared and Benson looked confused and looked in a book to try to understand what happened.

7 Of course the instruction sheet can say anything you want it to say.

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 2nd, 2017, 3:38 pm

Thank you for this. Very well conceived and thought out...

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » September 1st, 2017, 6:48 am

Bob Hynes’ All My Marbles

Background

Bob Hynes was one of the “regulars” at Reuben’s and on Saturday December 12th 1988 he showed me his ball routine which he told me originated with the John Scarne routine in “Stars Of Magic” and was modified by Sol Stone on page 1249 of “Apocalypse”.

(There is also a routine in “Best Of Close Up Magic” by Walter Lees where he explains the Andrew Galloway trick “The Chinese Berry Trick” on page 66 and Lewis Ganson has written “Marvelous Marbles” in “A Magician Explains”. There is a dice routine in “Routine Manipulation Finale” and “The Dai Vernon Book of Magic”. Also see on this thread “Dice Caper” April 2005 and “Kisses” August 2013.)

I made some adjustments to the presentation. You will note too that the use of a rock is something I’ve commented on before. See this thread February 1, 2004, February 1, 2006, December 1, 2009 and February 1, 2017.

Effect

This is presented as straight magic and the only Perverse Magic is the appearance of the rock at the end – what should be the strongest part of any effect.

1 The magician pretends to “catch” something and he throws the “invisible object” from his right hand to his left which closes and when opened a marble is shown. It is tossed from the left hand to the right hand.

2 The marble is tossed again to the left hand which “slaps” the marble against the magician’s right thigh and when he removes his hand the marble has vanished.

3 The magician reaches into his right pocket and brings out the marble. It has penetrated his leg.

4 He tosses the marble into his left hand, and “catches” a second marble which he puts with the first in his left hand.

He tosses both to his right hand and asks the spectator which looks larger and when she tells him the magician tosses that one to his left hand and he immediately shows two in that hand and one in his right hand. He gives then to a spectator to hold.

5 The magician picks up one and passes it through his left leg into his left pocket. He gives it to the spectator to hold with the other two.

6 The magician puts two in his left fist and one in his right pocket and all three are in his left hand. He gives these again to the spectator to hold.

7 He puts one in his right pocket, the second in his left hand and the third in his right pocket.

His right hand rubs the back of his left hand, snaps his fingers and opens his left hand and is surprised to find, not any marbles but a small rock! He shakes his head, confused.

Preparation

One marble finger palmed in right hand
Two marbles in right trouser pocket
One marble in left trouser pocket
Small rock in right trouser pocket

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect above.

1 One marble is finger palmed in the right hand and produced.

2 The second “toss” to the left hand is made as the right thumb falls onto the marble keeping it in the right hand. The empty left hand slaps the right thigh.

3 When the right hand goes into the pocket, it gets 3 marbles, the two that were there and the one that was held in the right hand that is now shown at the right fingertips.

4 The magician then does a “shuttle pass”, holding back one marble with his left thumb as he tosses the other to his right hand where it joins the one there. The one that the spectator says is larger is tossed to the left hand where it joins the one there and the magician immediately opens both hands and shows that there are two in the left and one in the right. All three are given to a spectator to hold.

5 See 2 above. The marble that was in his left pocket is produced.

6 With the second marble that goes into the left fist so too does the one that was held in the right hand so that the noise it makes won’t raise suspicions.

7 A French Drop is performed as the second marble is picked up and that one with the third goes into the right pocket.

At that time the magician Thumb Palms the rock.

As the right hand rubs the fingers of the left hand, the fingers spread a bit and the rock is secretly tossed in and the fingers again close.

Again, the Perverse Magic is just at the end when the rock, to the confusion of the
magician appears instead of the expected 3 marbles.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » September 1st, 2017, 6:49 am

Voodoo

Effect

1 “Look at this weird deck I got from some woman from somewhere – Haiti I think. She told me that it’s sort of a voodoo deck. I’m not sure what she meant. Let me try. Say ‘stop’ as I shuffle.” The spectator does and the magician deals the card stopped at face down to the spectator and puts the deck face down next to it.

2 “She said that if you do something to a card the same thing happens to its mate. I want to try this. Let’s turn your card face up. Okay, it’s the four of hearts. Now if I spread the deck – look, the mate, the four of diamonds turns face up. The magician squares up the deck.

3 But wait let me try something more. This woman mutilated a card – like this.” With that the magician tears off a corner of the four of hearts. “Let’s see what happens.” The magician again spreads the deck and this time the four of diamonds is missing its corner.

4 “Wow! This is scary,” says the magician. “Let’s try something really wild.” The magician takes out a cigarette lighter and lights it and runs the flame over the back of the four of hearts. He turns it over and shows it is burnt on the back. He pulls the four of diamonds out of the spread and turns it over and its back also is burnt. “Yikes! She told me she made a doll that looks like me! Now what do I do?”


Discussion

My friend Steve (Ziggy) Ziegelman did this for me and he doesn’t remember where he learned it. I thought it could be presented this way as another example of the sixth category of Perverse Magic – the performer doesn’t know why what happens happens.

Preparation

Get an unusual looking deck – as a matter of fact, since you will be ruining two cards with each performance get a number of such decks. They can be inexpensive decks but they should look somewhat unusual.

Sear the back of a card (here the four of diamonds) with a match or cigarette lighter and tear off a corner and put it face up second from the bottom of the deck.

Put the mate (here, the four of hearts) on top.

Routine

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above:

1 You have to force the four of hearts but it (i) has to be a sure fire force and (ii) it has to look like it doesn’t matter what card is taken because you’re not going to find their card – just show them something with a card.

I use a Hindu Shuffle force. On the first move the top card becomes the top card of the drawn off packet in my left hand and as my hands come together to continue the shuffle, my right thumb and fingers pick up a few cards from the top of the left hand packet and when the spectator says “stop” that packet is released and the four of hearts will be the top card of the left hand packet. Deal it face down to the table and put the right hand packet on the left hand packet which will bring the face up four of diamonds to the middle of the deck.

Keep the card face down and put the deck face down next to it.

2 When you square up the deck, do so with a long end against the table and when you finish squaring turn the deck so that the short end that is nearest to you is the other short end, not the one that was near you before.

The reason is, that the next time you spread, you want the missing corner of the four of diamonds to show.

I don’t think anymore needs be said here.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » October 1st, 2017, 7:51 am

Magic Vibrations

Effect

1 The effect is done seated and I like doing it with a woman.

I ask her to say “stop” as I shuffle and when she does I show her the card
and ask that she remember it. I deal the card face down on the table and I
ask her to put her hand on the card. I put my hand on hers and call out all the cards from ace to king and then the suits.

I explain that I really don’t know how this works but I tell her the name of her card and when the card is turned over I was correct.

2 I say that I will do the effect again and I do EXCEPT that when I name the card the woman says that was not the card she saw. I am confused. I turn over the card under the woman’s hand and while it is NOT the card she saw it is the card I named.

3 “I really don’t understand this,” I say. “It happens sometimes and it’s so embarrassing. Look, the card you say you saw isn’t in the deck.”

I spread the deck and show that what I said was true – the card she said she saw is NOT in the deck.

“I don’t know why this happens but it’s so annoying,” I say as I reach into my pockets taking out keys, change and then the card the woman saw.

Discussion

I contributed this effect to Harry Lorayne’s “Best Of Friends III” (page 293).

It is a fine example of the sixth category of Perverse Magic – something happens but
the performer doesn’t know why. Like much Perverse Magic it puts the performer
with the audience rather than the performer telling the audience how good he is.

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers above under Effect.

1 For the first part of the effect the Hindu Shuffle Force is used. The spectator is asked to say “stop” as I perform the Hindu Shuffle and when she does I raise my right hand and show the woman the card on the face of that packet (the original bottom card of the deck).

Then I put the right hand packet under the left hand packet and hold the deck in “Glide” position and I let the spectator again see the card before the deck is again lowered and the bottom card pulled out and put face down on the table and the spectator asked to put her hand on it.

I then put my hand on hers and call off the cards one at a time – “Ace Two, Three, “ and then, “Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, Spades,” and I’m concentrating as I do, pretending to feel “vibrations” in her pulse and then I tells her the card which she acknowledges and then I turn over the card to show all.

2 For the second part I peek the top card of the deck and shuffle it to the position of second from the bottom (merely do a jog shuffle with the top and bottom card held between the left thumb and fingers as the right hand lifts the rest of the deck for the jog shuffle) .

I repeat what was done before but this time, after the spectator says “stop” and looks at the card and after I put the right hand packet under the left hand packet (i) I don’t let her see the card again and (ii) before the card is put face down on the table I performs “The Glide” so that the card that I peeked is the card that goes on the table.

As soon as the card is put on the table, the right hand comes to the left hand and takes the deck and pushes down on the injogged “Glided” card getting a break over it. Then (i) the right hand, with the deck moves in an arc or a U from my left side to my right side and (ii) as the deck comes over my lap I allow the card under the break to fall to my lap and (iii) I put the deck to my right, out of the way.

3 After acting confused as to why she named a different card, I spread the deck on the table looking for the named card and showing all that it’s not there. I get the card from my lap to my pocket in a way taught to me by Slydini.

I lean to my right as my left hand goes to my left pocket and at the same time my right hand drops to my lap and onto the lapped, named card.. I can’t find it in my left pocket and (i) I get up as (ii) my left hand comes out of my pocket and (iii) my right hand with the lapped card now palmed now enters my right trouser pocket.

I leave the card in my pocket and pretend to be looking for it and removes my keys, some coins and them, finally, the card and I shake my head confused at all of this.

(The idea of removing items from his pocket before the card was based upon something I read years ago by Fred Braue.)

The effect is completely impromptu and can be done with any deck and it’s good Perverse Magic

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » October 1st, 2017, 7:52 am

If You Get The Wrong Card – Use Perverse Magic

Background

It sometimes happens – you go to produce the selected card but – but – you found the wrong card.

This is an abbreviated version of Perverse Ambitious Card routines that I posted above on this thread.

Effect

1 “What was your card?” asks the magician. “The Four of Clubs (4C)says the spectator. The magician turns over the card in his hand and it’s the Ace of Hearts (AH)

2 The magician puts the AH back on the deck and turns the deck face up and looks for the 4C. “This was your card?” he asks as he puts the 4C on the face of the deck. The spectator nods. “Let me try again,” says the magician as he cuts the 4C into the deck. “I’ll cut to your card, the 4C.”

3 He cuts the deck and turns over the top card and to his surprise and frustration it is – the AH!

He turns the AH face down and with resignation he puts that annoying card in his pocket.

4 “I’ll try one more time. Look, your card is not on the top and not on the bottom. Now I’m going to just cut the deck—“ He does—“and wouldn’t it be a good trick if I cut to the 4C?”

The magician cuts the deck and takes the top card off the deck and then, suddenly the face down card held is his right hand instantly changes to the face up AH!

The magician is confused. He reaches into his pocket for what he thought was the AH and to his surprise and the surprise of all it is the 4C.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect

2 You double cut the 4C to the top so that it is just above the “wrong” AH.

3 Another false cut with the deck now face down. Then you do a Double Lift showing the AH. The deck is turned face down and the top card, the 4C is put in your pocket.

4 The AH is on top. You do a Double Lift showing an indifferent card and turn the deck face up showing the bottom card.

With the deck face up you pull out now face up (if the deck was face down) top card, the indifferent card, and turn it face up and put it back on top so that it covers the reverse AH.

You then turn the deck face down and pick up the top indifferent card AND the face up AH as one.

Now you perform an effect suggested by my friend Wesley James in his book “Enchantments”.

You are holding the card(s) in your right hand at the center of the right edge with your right thumb on top and your fingers below and the deck in your left hand. You move the card(s) against your left thumb “flicking them” and then (i) the card(s) are pushed into the left thumb crotch, (ii) the left thumb pulls back the back of the top card as (iii) the right thumb pushes the top card to the left and (iv) the right hand lifts up.

It’s a beautiful visual change of the face down card to the face up AH!

And then finding the selected card in your pocket ends what was a mistake with a
nice, entertaining Perverse Magic routine.

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » October 1st, 2017, 10:40 am

Fantastic :o

Leonard Hevia
Posts: 1951
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Dai Vernon, Frank Garcia, Slydini, Houdini,
Location: Gaithersburg, Md.

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Leonard Hevia » October 1st, 2017, 12:48 pm

Part 4 of the explanation needs a little more clarification. You do a double turnover, show the AH, turn it face down and pocket the top 4C. You then do a double lift to show an indifferent card on top and then turn the deck face up to display an indifferent card on the face as well. The next line isn't clear:

With the deck face up you pull out now face up (if the deck was face down) top card, the indifferent card, and turn it face up and put it back on top so that it covers the reverse AH.

I think the above line means: When you do the double to show the indifferent card on top, you LEAVE the double face up on the top. You then turn the deck face up to display the indifferent bottom card. From this position you slide out that indifferent card that's now face down from the bottom of the deck, turn it face up and display it next to that bottom indifferent card and replace it back on the bottom of the deck in a face up condition. You then turn the deck face down and that will leave you with the AH face up and the indifferent card above it face down.

You now grip the face down double containing the face up AH in your right hand in readiness for that Wesley James snap color change.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » November 1st, 2017, 8:02 am

Make A Profit


Effect

1 “Do you have a quarter?” the magician asks his dinner companion. She smiles and reaches into her purse and gives him a quarter.

“I just read that if you sprinkle salt on a quarter---“ He does—“It will change to a half dollar—“ It does. She smiles again.

“But wait,” he says, “It was your quarter but I was the one who read about using salt---” He thinks.

2 “I have an idea. I also read that if you sprinkle salt and pepper on the coin—Here – you do it---” She does.

The magician brings his hands together for an instant and when he separates them instead of there being a half dollar there are now 2 quarters which he tosses from hand to hand showing his hands otherwise empty.

“Okay, here’s your quarter and I guess I can keep this for having read about using salt and pepper.”

Background

My notes indicate that Sol Stone gave me this idea on January 16, 1988 and I
thought in was a good candidate for Perverse Magic.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect above.

1 Beforehand have a quarter on your right knee and a half dollar finger palmed in your right hand. A salt and pepper shaker should be to your right on the table.

You take the borrowed quarter in your left hand and pick it up with your right fingers and perform the Bobo Switch.

Then, as you reach for the salt shaker your right hand, with the quarter moves in sort of a “U” from the left hand to the shaker and as it passes to low point of the “U” it is over your lap and you drop the quarter.

2 When with the half dollar in your left hand you lean forward, your right hand falls to you lap and gets both quarters in Classic Palm. After she sprinkles the salt and then the pepper on the half dollar you bring your left hand back and as it gets close to the edge of the table you right hand goes on top letting the half dollar fall to your lap. This is like the standard Sleeving move. Immediately toss the 2 quarters from the left hand to the right and back to the left sowing the hands otherwise empty.

This is the 6th category of Perverse Magic – the magician explains something that
will happen but he doesn’t understand why it happens.

Good Perverse Magic.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » November 1st, 2017, 8:07 am

CONFUSING THREE WAY

Background

“Quick Three- Way”, as I understand it, was originally published by Ed Marlo back in 1958 and since then there have been variations by many, including, Jerry Mentzer, Richard Kaufman, Derek, Dingle, Wesley James, etc.

The basic effect is that a card is selected and lost in the deck and then the magician removes three cards all of which are shown to be the selected card, after which they all have no faces but only backs and then faces are restored but all the cards are different, none of which are the selected card.

My only input to this effect is:

(i) I don’t’ care for the “all backs” sequence as that seems to violate the “unity” principle” (see “Our Magic” page 22 – “Never produce two simultaneous effects and let no effect be obscured by any subsidiary distraction.”) Don’t get me wrong – I love “All backs” and indeed I posted my variation on this thread above on January 7, 2004),

(ii) I see this as an effect that can be done as Perverse Magic.

Effect

1 “So did you learn a new trick today?” his friend and the friend’s wife asked as they were preparing to go out to dinner.

“Yeah but I really should practice it a bit first,” says the magician as he takes out a deck of cards.

“Okay, take a card,” he says as he spreads the deck and to the amusement of all, one card comes protruding out as his friend is about to take a card.

“Just kidding. You can take that or another one.”

2 The then selected card is shuffled back into the deck.

3 The magician then puts the deck behind his back and comes out with some cards in his right hand and the deck in his left. The deck is place on the table and the magician shows he has three cards in his hands which he fans.

4 “Okay. I have these three cards. Now you’re supposed to touch one and it’s supposed to be your card.” The spectator does and it is the selected card. But it is shown that all the cards are the same – the selected card.


5 “Yeah but what I don’t understand is that this is a regular deck and - and look – none of these are the selected card.”

The magician shows the tree cards are now all different cards – none of them being the selected card and he drops them on the table.

6 He then reaches into his right pocket and then his left pocket and comes out with the selected card.

“I don’t understand this. I have to practice more.”

Discussion

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect

1 The gag of having the bottom card come out from a fan is well known. For this effect – and others where I don’t want to show skill I don’t fan the cards.

What I do here is to use my right thumb to slide the top card to my right hand and then spread the deck over it, sliding that card with my right fingers under the deck to the center of the deck and then forward so it goes towards the spectators.

2 A simple control of the card to the top. What I do is to lift up half the deck, extend the bottom portion for the card to be replaced and then toss the top half on the bottom half with a natural jog resulting.

I cut the card to the top and give a simple jog shuffle.

3 I remove the top (selected card) and three more, put the deck down, and show the packet and put the selected card on the bottom.

I do an Elmsley count counting the 4 cards as 3. I do this again so that the selected card is back on the bottom.

I then spread the top card taking it in my right hand, buckle the next two and move the last to the left showing the 4 cards as 3.

4 If the spectator doesn’t choose the bottom card, since this is Perverse Magic you act confused and say, “No – I think you are supposed to choose the bottom card—“ Show the bottom card is the selected card.

Then to show all the cards are the selected card:

A Holding the packet in dealing position with the selected card on the bottom and with the right 2nd finger (middle finger) pull back the top card about half the length of the card under it. Keep it in the position with pressure of the left fingers against the cards and the right thumb at the rear.

B Put the right second finger on the 2nd card and push forward until you feel your right thumb come into contact with the 3rd and 4th (selected) cards.

C The second card is now protruding in the front and the three other cards are aligned.

Put the right thumb below the rear of the three cards and the right 1st and 2nd fingers on top and turn over the three cards as one, showing the selected card.

Buckle the bottom card and turn the 3 top cards facedown as one.

The selected card is second from the bottom.

D With the packet held in the right hand with the thumb at the inner end and the fingers at the outer end use the left fingers on the face to slide the bottom card to the left and then, moving the packet outward the next card, the selected card is moved to the left but it protrudes out.

The right hand takes that card and shows it to be the selected card and replaces it on the bottom.

E The Flustration Count is done next to again show 3 cards are the selected card (the last shown is 2 cards shown as one) and at the end it (they) goes back to the bottom of the packet.

5 The bottom card is buckled and a break taken over it and then palmed in the left hand using the Erdnase Bottom Palm.

The packet of now 3 cards is taken in the right hand as the left hand with the selected card palmed drops to your side as the 3 cards are tossed to the table.

6 I like to go to my right pocket first looking for the card and then with I put my left hand – with the card in my left pocket, I like to leave the card and come out with something else, like a set of keys. Then I go back to my pocket, my hand obviously empty and with a puzzled expression, bring out the card.

This is another example of the 6th category of Perverse Magic – The performer
knows what happens but doesn’t understand why.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » December 1st, 2017, 7:41 am

Coin Thru Card

Sometimes an effect can be made into Perverse Magic by presenting it as the 6th category (see discussion under David Roth’s Legendary Four Coin Trick above, this thread, December 1, 2005) – The performer explains something that will happen but he doesn’t understand why it happens.

Effect

“Does this deck have a 4C? Oh good. Now does someone have a dime? Good. Now hold out your hand. No face up. This is weird. Watch.”

The magician holds the 4C in his left hand over the spectator’s hand and he holds the dime over the card by its edges between his thumb and first finger.

Suddenly the dime vanishes and, at the same time the spectator feels it fall, through the card and onto her palm.

Discussion

This is England’s Penetration that appears in Paul Harris’ Close Up Fantasies I (and reprinted and revised – without using a card – in Harris’ “The Art of Astonishment – Book 2”)

Handling

A I carry change in my left trouser pocket.

When I’m going to perform this, I take out that change with my left hand. With my right hand I move a dime to the base of my left index finger, so that my left thumb will be able to cover it. I them take another dime and give it to a spectator.

I move my left thumb over the first dime to hold it as I drop the other coins back into my pocket.

B I pick up the card with my right hand while the coin is allowed to fall to my left fingertips.

C The card is put into the left hand covering the coin, held by my thumb on top and second finger below – which presses the dime against the card.

D I ask the spectator to hold out her hand as I take the dime in my right hand by the edges between my right third and first finger and I hold the card – and the coin over her hand.

E I then bring the thumb and first finger together as I perform the “Pinch Vanish” – see Bobo page 32.

F AT THE SAME TIME I let the dime held in my left hand under the card fall to the spectator’s palm.

G I drop my right hand to my side and Classic Palm the dime and then take the card in my right hand. (It’s really not hard to palm a dime – especially when a card is held in that hand.

“You don’t understand – it only works with the 4C.”

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » December 1st, 2017, 7:42 am

Vernon’s Variant


Background

I previously wrote on this thread:

“Perverse Magic is a form of presentation that puts the magician with the audience rather than, as is the case with the presentation of most magic, above the audience. It has the magician saying ‘I don’t understand.’ Instead of ‘Tada’!”

This effect is a good example. It appears on page 226 of “Ultimate Secrets Of Card Magic” by Dai Vernon. As written, Vernon says:

“This is repeated time and again, yet they always are wrong – they begin getting more befuddled each time ____”

With my suggested presentation of this nice effect, it is the magician and not the spectator who gets “more befuddled each time”.

Effect

1 “You know, it’s hard to understand some magic instructions sometimes. I was reading a trick where the third of four vards is supposed to be face up and I keep getting all the cards face down. Maybe you can tell me what I’m doing wrong.”

2 The magician gives four cards to several people and takes four himself.

3 “Okay, now as I remember the instructions, this is what you do:

a Hold the cards face down.

b Turn the top card face up and put it on the bottom.

c Take the next card and put it on the bottom.

d Turn the whole packet face up.

e Turn the top card face down and replace it.

f Turn the bottom card face down and replace it on the bottom.

4 “Now, what’s supposed to happen is that one card is supposed to be face up.”

5 The spectators all spread their cards and each has once card face up. The
magician’s cards are all face down.

The magician shakes his head, annoyed.

6 “Let’s try one more time,” says the magician. “Turn all your cards face down.”

7 The steps in 3 above are repeated and once again, when the spectators all spread their cards each has one card face up. The magician’s cards are all face down.

“I quit!” say the magician in frustration.

Method

The only “trick” is when the cards are shown in 5 the magician performs the Elmsley Count.

In step 7 the Elmsley Count is not required since the magician is starting with the bottom card face up.

Good Perverse Magic! The magician and not the spectator is the one frustrated.

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » December 5th, 2017, 6:54 am

Gerald,
Thanks for posting this wonderful variation, and for your inspiring vision in magic! Previously, I had always been turned off to this trick precisely because “...they always are wrong" and "they begin getting more befuddled each time.” In my personal view, as originally conceived and published, it was merely a puzzle, and an aggrandizement of the magician's ego at the expense of the spectators. This is not entertainment - except for maybe the magician. Thanks to you, it is now an entertaining piece for the spectators, and to me, that's what counts..

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » January 1st, 2018, 8:35 am

For A Change As Perverse Magic

Background

I contributed this to Harry Lorayne’s Apocalypse – see pages 1486 and 1925 (Variation) and I mentioned it on this thread April 16, 2003.

This is a further idea of using this as a Perverse Magic effect and it’s an effect that can be done impromptu at dinner with friends.

Effect

1 The effect as noted on page 1486 of Apocalypse has the magician borrowing a quarter, tossing it from his right hand to his left and in his left hand there is now two dimes and a nickel.

2 On page 1925 of Apocalypse, after the change of the quarter to the dimes and
nickel, the magician picks up the three coins and changes them back to the quarter.

3 On this Perverse Magic thread on April 16, 2003 I suggested the magician is embarrassed because instead of getting two dimes and a nickel he gets only one dime and a nickel.

4 I am now suggesting continuing with 3 above but with the magician finding the missing dime – much to his surprise – “somewhere”.

Perhaps under the breadbasket or something on the dinner table or perhaps sticking out from behind his watch – much to his surprise and confusion.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above:

1 The two dimes and the nickel are Classic Palmed in the magician’s right
hand with the nickel on the outside holding the dime in place.

A Bobo Switch is done then—

As the dimes and nickel hit the left palm (a) the left hand is raised, (b) the right hand drops to the table dropping the quarter to his lap and (c) the right hand opens to catch the three coins tossed from the left hand.

2 The right-hand drops to the lap and Classic Palms the quarter. That hand then places the dimes and nickel on the palm of the left hand.
The standard sleeving move is done but instead of the three coins going into the right sleeve they fall to the magicians’ lap. (Surprisingly, the noise of the three coins hitting the lap is negligible.)


3 No comment necessary.

4 Of course instead of two dimes and a nickel only one dime and a nickel is used. Good judgement must be used as to where to place the other dime – under some object on the table or – as suggested – under the face of the watch but sticking out.

It should be noted that doing this – the missing dime under the watch – can be done standing and as a “walk around” interlude. Use the right hand with the quarter Classic Palmed to remove the dime from behind the watch and return it to the spectator to whom the magician has already returned the one dime and the nickel.

Good Perverse Magic

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » January 1st, 2018, 8:36 am

A FORCE OF ANOTHER COLOR

Background

My friend Bob Lusthaus brought this effect by Roger Barkann to me. It appeared in the June 1951 issue of MUM.

I changed the “plot” a bit so that it can be presented as Perverse Magic – and I made a few other changes.

Effect

1 After performing several effects with a blue back deck, the magician reaches into his pockets and produces two red backed cards but doesn’t show the faces.

He buries both cards face down in the face down deck.

2 “I’m going to shuffle the deck face up”, he says to the audience, “and you say ‘stop’ wherever you want.” The spectator does.

The magician removes the card stopped at and sure enough it has a red back. The spectator did well.

3 For the second card the magician uses another spectator and follows the same procedure but this time – the spectator misses – the card has a blue back.

4 The magician turns the deck face down to find the red back card but when he does – all the cards are red back.

The magician shakes his head in confusion. “I don’t understand – I guess it’s time to quit!”

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above.

1 The classic way of showing a red back deck to be blue back is to have a single blue back card on top and perform a face up Hindu Shuffle. That’s done here but because the effectiveness of the trick is convincing the audience that it was a blue back deck I’m suggesting that this be the final effect of several effects using a blue back deck.

And, of course the decks are switched.

The red back deck with a single blue back card on top is in my right jacket pocket together with a single red card. A single red card is in my left jacket pocket.

When ready to perform I put BOTH hands in my two pockets, the right hand holding the blue back deck I was using. I remove my left hand FIRST with the single red back card AND THEN my right hand with (i) the switched deck and (ii) the single red back card.

2 The regular face up Hindu Shuffle is done ONCE OR TWICE (no need to overdo it) show the blue back top by turning over the right hand.

When the spectator says “stop” put the right hand packet on the left but outjogged.

Pull out the uppermost card of the face up lower packet and show a red back.

3 Here there is a slight discrepancy. You have to force the blue top card.

I follow the procedure as in 2 above but instead of removing the uppermost card of the lower packet, I remove the lowermost card – the single blue card – of the upper packet.

Good Perverse Magic

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » February 1st, 2018, 8:46 am

THE WIZARD 2

Effect

I was advising a client about some estate planning and taxes. The client knew me and knew that I was not only an attorney and a CPA but a magician as well.

“I think you need a new will because of these changes we discussed.” I said. “Can you do that for me?” she asked. “No, I don’t do drafting but I know another attorney - CPA that does. His name is Bob. And, believe it or not, he’s also a magician.”

“Really?” “Yes – and he’s amazing. Look, I’ll show you. Here take a card. Look at it. Don’t let me see it. Now just sit on it. Good. Now just call Bob and see if he can tell you what card you took.”

She does.

“Are you sitting on the card?” asks Bob. “Yes.” “Good – well, just move a bit to the left – good. Let’s see – the card is - is the seven of spades.”

“How did he do that?” she asks me.

“I have no idea. Ask him when you see him.”

Discussion

1 I posted the regular method of The Wizard as Perverse Magic on this thread of February 1, 2011 and mentioned there that there was a version where the spectator can call the “wizard” directly without the performer speaking at all.

This can be done by having some cards dealt from the top of the deck and called aloud so that all, including the wizard on the phone hear but none of the cards being the selected card. It is the second card called that tells the wizard the selected card. For example, the second card can be (i) the “Ultramental Deck” mate of the selected card, (ii) the next card in the Si Stebbins arrangement or (iii) simply having the second card the same suit as the selected but 3 cards higher (that is, if the selected card is the 7C, the second card would be the 10C).

2 What I’m doing here is simpler. I force a card and that card is known to “Bob.”

3 The advantages of this are (i) it is quick, (ii) it is entertaining and (iii) it makes an easy introduction between Bob and his new client.
Again, this is the sixth classification of Perverse Magic where the performer doesn’t
understand why what happens, happens.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » February 1st, 2018, 8:47 am

Watch

Background

I mentioned the use of a watch as a prop several times on this thread.

I also mentioned that sometimes performing only one effect can be the most effective approach. Some magicians, I feel, just don’t know when to stop, the result of which leaves the audience confused as to what they saw. This is presented as a single effect of Perverse Magic done at a restaurant.

Also, as shown here, with Perverse Magic, what you say will happen can’t be as strong as what does happen.

Note there is a stand up version of this which Martin Gardner notes in his famous “Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic” on page 568.

Effect

1 “This is a nice restaurant,” she said to her date as she sat down on the chair the waiter was holding for her.

“I think you’ll like it,” he said as he sat down opposite her.

“Are you going to show me a trick? I hear you’re a good magician.”

“Well, I’m always looking for new tricks to do. Sometimes if I don’t practice enough things go wrong. Well, I’ll try something.”

He looked around, picked up the napkin, showed the front and back and told her to “watch” as he draped the napkin over his right palm.

“Watch me produce a coin from under this napkin.”

2 He moves his left hand over the napkin and adjusts the napkin over his right hand.

He snapped his left hand over his covered right hand and says, “Watch.”
“Watch”.

He removes the napkin and there on his palm is a wrist watch!

He looks confused. He looks at his left wrist and there is no watch there. He shrugs looking confused as he puts the watch on his wrist.

Finally, he smiles at his date.

3 “Hmmm – a watch” she says smiling. “I hope you have time to show me some
more tricks later.”

Method

The numbers below correspond with the numbers above:

1 Expecting to – maybe – do a trick – the magician quietly removes his watch, secretly buckles it, and leaves it on his lap.

The napkin is taken with both hands, shown and then let to fall to the table. The left hand holds onto the napkin, the right hand lets go and drops onto the watch but immediately comes up palm up (with the watch on the palm) and goes to the center of the napkin which covers the hand.

2 Fixing the napkin with the left hand gives some “time misdirection”.

Then the left hand gestures over the covered right hand and you say “watch”

3 Obviously, it makes no sense to do any more tricks here.

Good Perverse Magic. Finding the watch is stronger than finding a coin would be.

As noted Martin Gardner’s book has a stand up version using a watch with an
expansion band.

magicfish
Posts: 260
Joined: April 12th, 2008, 8:19 pm

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby magicfish » February 14th, 2018, 8:55 am

Excellent! I will do this tonight at dinner.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 1st, 2018, 7:14 am

Visible Card Transpo

Note

One of the characteristics of Perverse Magic is that something happens either against what the magician wants or expects or the magician doesn’t understand why it happens. That puts the magician with his audience and not in a position where he is superior to his audience. The use of the salt here makes this a Perverse Magic effect.

Effect

1 The magician just finished a card effect for some diners when he notices a salt shaker on the table. He picks it up and studies it.

“Wow. I think we can do something using this salt. Look, let’s use this card, the 5D.”

He had turned over the top card and it was the 5D. He turns it face down and deals it onto the table.

“Put your hand on the 5D,” he says to a woman sitting at the table. She does.

2 The magician turns the deck face up and takes the bottom card in his right hand and puts in face up on top of the deck. Assume it’s the QC.

He picks up the salt shaker with his right hand and sprinkles salt on the QC which is face up on top of the deck.

3 “Watch this,” says the magician. “I really don’t understand how this works but look.”

He takes the QC from the top of the deck in his right hand and VISIBLY the QC changes to the 5D.

“Now look at the card under your hand,” he says to the woman. She turns over what she – and everyone thought was the 5D but it is now the QC.

“It has something to do with the salt but I don’t understand it.”

Method

A duplicate card is used. It can be any card and it can have a different back than the
deck you are using. Assume that card is the QC. The QC from the deck you are
using is on top of the deck. Second from the top is a contrasting card – here the 5D.

The numbers below correspond with the numbers under Effect.

1 A Double Lift has you show the 5D and deal the QC to the table face down.

2 As you take the QC from the bottom (and hold it face up so if it is from a different deck the back won’t show) the deck is turned face down by putting the left thumb under the deck and pushing up with it and the deck will turn face down.

Going for the salt shaker gives you a reason for (i) pushing the face down 5D to the right with the left thumb (ii) getting a break under it with the left little finger and (iii) putting the duplicate QC face up on top of the face down 5D.

3 The face up 5D and the face down QC are taken from the top of the deck as one with the right hand, the right thumb on the left long side, the right 2nd and 3rd fingers on the right long side and the right index finger pressing on the face of the card.

The right hand (and the card(s) are shaken and then (i) the right fingers let go and (ii) the right index finger moves to the right thumb and this causes the card to turn so that the QC now shows.

The card(s) are dropped on the deck and the face up 5D is dealt face up on the table as the spectator is asked to look at the card she has had her hand on.

As she does and as all are looking at her doing so, (i) palm the stranger duplicate QC from the top of the deck, (ii) put the deck on the table and (iii) put BOTH hands in your pockets getting rid of this card.

A quick visual effect and good Perverse Magic

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » March 1st, 2018, 7:14 am

Jumbo Climax

Effect

1 “Okay, I’m going to show you how I can pick out a card you are just thinking of. Here, say stop anywhere. Here? Okay, now think of this card. Good. Now shuffle the deck. Okay, now give it back.”

2 “Okay, now I’m going to pull out five cards and one of them will be the card you are thinking of.”

The magician picks up a paper bag and drops five cards into the bag one at a time.

3 “Okay, now let’s see if I can pick out your card on my first pick.” He reaches in and pulls out a card. “Is this it?”

The spectator says it is not and you look disappointed. This is continued as you pull out four wrong cards.

You finally ask the name of the card and you reach it and - and it is the selected card but but – it is a jumbo card!

You look totally confused as you tear up the bag not understanding what happened.

Background

This comes from Milbourne Christopher’s effect published in his column in the
March 1949 issue of Hugard’s Magic Monthly. I did make a change in the method
of presentation making this into a Perverse Magic effect. Also, I am using a paper
bag, instead of a handkerchief and my sleeve as Christopher suggests in his write
up.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect above.

1 Of course to prepare a jumbo card is in a paper bag just large enough to hold the card. The duplicate of that card is on the bottom of the deck. The bag is flat on the table.

That card is forced using the Hindu Shuffle force.

It’s perfect for this effect because (i) the card need not be removed from the deck, (ii) everyone sees it and (iii) the presentation has it “as if” the spectator is merely THINKING of a card.

2 When the deck is handed back you pick up the bag and hold it in your right hand between your first and second fingers (index and middle finger) and use both hands to spread the deck with the faces towards yourself. Stop at random any place and cut the card to the bottom and then “deal it” into the bag.

Repeat this three times so four cards are now in the bag with the jumbo card.

Do this one more time but don’t push the fifth card into the bag but just let your ring finger come against the bag to give a small sound.

3 No comment needed.

Good Perverse Magic.

Note: See Big Stop posted here on March 1, 2016.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 1st, 2018, 7:53 am

Suits Me

Background

I got the idea for this from John Bannon’s excellent effect called “Play It Straight (Triumph)” in his excellent book “Impossiblia”.

There the shuffles are on the table and here they are done in the hand and here, like so much of what I post on this forum, the magician doesn’t understand how what happens happens.

Effect

1 The magician has a card is selected by a young lady and asks her to look at the card and then hold the card against her heart. It’s the 4H. He takes her other hand and concentrates and names a card. Wrong. He tries again – wrong again.

2 The magician looks troubled. “I paid a lot for this trick and it doesn’t work. Darn. Well – I paid for sort of insurance when this happens and I just have to use it by doing something else. Darn. I’m not sure how this works.”

He gives the deck a few riffle shuffles and spreads the deck and to everyone’s surprise – including the magician’s the mates of the selected card, the 4D, 4S, and 4C are all face up.

“Oh – it works! I guess your card is the 4H. Right?”

Preparation

Take out four of a kind, like here, the 4s. Turn three of them face up and insert
them in the bottom quarter of the face down deck. The fourth is on top of the deck.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect above.

1 With the left thumb on the top card – the 4H, lift up the right side of the top half of the deck, and pull it to the right letting the top card – the 4H to fall onto the lower half.

Put the top half onto the lower half and keep a break.

Classic force the 4H,

Riffle shuffle the deck distributing the three face up 4s, taking card not to let the spectators see the face up cards.

2 Nothing here except the acting – which is important. The mates turn face up but the magician doesn’t know why.

It is important in Perverse Magic that what happens must always be stronger than what you say will happen. Here, the mates all turning face up is sronger than just naming the selected card.

Good Perverse Magic. Note – some may find this a sort of simplified version of
“Instantaneous Reverse” posted here on January 1, 2014.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » April 1st, 2018, 7:54 am

Perverse Linked Paper Clips

Background

On August 1, 2007, I posted “Linking Key Rings” on this thread, on October 1, 2013 I posted Perverse Linking Finger Rings and on May 1, 2014 I posted Linking Safety Pins.

The effect is different here but this effect makes use of the laping move used in the August 2007 posting.

Here, again I was in a “Dollar Store” and I bought a package of regular paper clips and colored paper clips and came up with this effect which falls into the second category of Perverse Magic – the performer says one thing will happen but something else does. As I’ve pointed out above, in these situations, what happens must be stronger than what you say will happen.

Effect

“Look, I have these three paper clips linked. This probably happens often and it’s a pain to unlink them. So I found a quick way. Watch.”

The magician shows three linked paper clips on his left hand and brings his right hand over his left and presses the two hands together.

When he separates his hands the three linked paper clips have changed to three linked colored paper clips, one red, one blue and one yellow.

“Wow – I don’t understand that at all!” says the confused magician.


Method

The three colored paper clips are on your lap and you take out the linked
paper clips and put them on the table.

When ready to perform secretly get the linked colored paper clips into right thumb
palm position.

With the right hand pick up the plain clips and place them on your left palm.

Your right and left hands come to meet and as they do the plain clips are lapped in
the standard sleeving move – except that instead of going into your sleeve, the clips
go into your lap.

The hands are separated and the colored clips are shown – and you are confused.

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2018, 7:37 am

Edward Victor’s Eleven Card Trick

Background

Way back on this thread – February 2, 2003 to be exact I posted my thoughts about this great effect.

Several years ago, I performed the effect as it was written and the performance was taped and when I saw the tape I concluded that the effect – as I performed it was a bit too long.

I therefore shortened the routine as noted below (Note items 1-7 of the original write up remains.)

8 The spectator confirms there are 10 cards. I hand the deck to another spectator and ask her to give the first spectator 3 cards.

Explaining that 11 cards are needed and since the spectator has 13, I ask her to give back 2 cards.

9 Now I ask for the packet of 11 cards and I add the palmed cards from my right hand to the packet.

10 I then say that I think I can now do the trick and I count the cards finding more than 20 and I’m exasperated as I say, “I quit!”

Good Perverse Magic!!

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2018, 7:38 am

Perverse Card’s Across - First Versions Spectator - Participant Seated

Effect

1 “Would you cut off about 1/3 of the deck,” the magician says to the spectator.

2 “Good. Now count the cards like this,” The magician picks up the remaining portion of the deck and drops three cards singly, one at a time counting, “one, tow, three,” The spectator does.

3 “Good Now hold the packet like this,” The magician demonstrates by putting his right hand crosswise over his left hand and the spectator does likewise.

4 “Now look,” says the magician as he picks up the remainder of the deck and holds it in his left and as he riffles he edge with his left thumb, he gestures with that hand and the cards towards the spectator’s hands. He does this 3 times, each time counting one more card than the spectator had.

For example, if the spectator had originally counted 13, the magician says each time he riffles and gestures, “14, 15, 16.”

5 “Count the cards again,” says the magician and the spectator finds she has three more than she did before.

6 “I don’t really understand how that works but I think it has something to do with the way you were holding your hands. Pick up the cards and I’ll show you.” She does.

“You see? You have a little space between your fingers. “17, 18, 19.” The magician again riffles his packet and gestures three times.

He shrugs, not really understanding. “Go on. Count them again.”

She has three more – in this case 19 – and neither she, nor the magician understands at all.

Background

Like so much good card magic, “Three Cards Across” appears in “The Royal Road
To Card Magic.”

It was my friend Peter Marshall who suggested the “repeat”.

I decided to eliminate the force of a 3 to determine how many cards will pass. I
thought it slowed down the effect. I just do three.

And finally, as Perverse Magic, I meekly explain that I don’t know how it works.
The sixth category of Perverse Magic – see this thread above October 2011.

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers under Effect above.

1 I say 1/3 as I don’t want to have too many cards. Too much counting would slow things down.

2 Two reasons for this step.

One, I want everyone to see how many cards she has (I generally use a woman for this) and I want no errors in her count and two, after I count three cards I put them back on top of my packet and palm them in my right hand and put the deck back on the table.

3 I move my right hand that has the three cards palmed to her dealt cards on the table and with my right thumb I push the packet towards her AT THE SAME TIME letting the three palmed cards fall onto her cards.

5 As the spectator is counting and everyone is watching, I casually pick up the deck and palm another three cards and replace the deck on the table.

6 I repeat what I did in step 3 above.

Good entertainment – and Perverse Magic in that you don’t understand

Gerald Deutsch
Posts: 442
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Glen Head New York

Re: Perverse Magic

Postby Gerald Deutsch » May 1st, 2018, 7:39 am

Perverse Card’s Across - Second Version Two Participants

Above I described a Cards Across with a single seated spectator. This is a more platform version but falls more within the second category of Perverse Magic - the performer says one thing will happen but something else does.

Assume 2 spectator assistants S1 and S2

Effect

1 The deck is given to Si and she is asked to count 10 cards on your hand. She does and you give the packet to her and take back the deck.

You tell her to cover the packet she holds with her other hand.

2 The deck is given to S2 and he is asked to count 10 cards on your hand. He does and you give the packet to him to hold and you take back the deck.

You tell him to cover the packet he holds with his other hand.

3 “Now look,” you say you riffle the edge of the deck with your left thumb. You gesture with that hand from S1 to S2. You do this 2 times.

“I just made two cards pass from S1 to S2. S1 now has 8 cards and S2 has 12.”

4 You give the deck to S2 to hold and ask S1 to count her cards
onto your hand and to everyone’s surprise she counts 12. You’re very confused. “Wait a minute! You had 10 and you’re now supposed to have 8 but you have 12?”

5 You take the deck from S2 and give it to S1 to hold and you ask S2 to count his cards on your hand and to everyone’s surprise he counts 8. You scratch your head. “Eight? I don’t understand. You’re supposed to have 12!”

“I don’t really understand what’s going on. It seems to be going the wrong way. Let’s try again.”

6 You give the cards back to S2 and take the deck from S1 and again gesture as in 3 above.


7 You give the deck to S1 to hold and take the cards from S2 and count 6. “I really don’t understand this.”

8 You take the deck from S1, add the cards he just counted to the deck and you give the deck to S2 to hold.

9 You have S1 count the cards she is holding into your hand and she counts 14.

“I just give up!”

Method

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above.

1 Before handing the deck to S1 you palm 2 cards from the top. When she counts 10 cards into your hand you square the packet adding the 2 palmed cards.

2 After S2 counts 10 cards into your hand you check the count and get a break under the top 2 cards. The 2 cards are palmed as the packet (8 cards- they think 10) is given to S2 and the deck taken.

The deck is held in the right hand (which has the 2 palmed cards).

3 The deck is then taken in the left (leaving the 2 cards palmed in the right hand) and the left thumb riffles the edge two times.

4 When she counts 12 cards into your hand you square the packet adding the 2 palmed cards.

5,6 No comment

7 A buckle count allows the magician to count the 8 as 6.

8,9 No comment.

This is the second category of Perverse Magic (see this thread above October 2011)


Return to “General”