Читать книгу Expert Card Technique - Jean Hugard - Страница 29

Here is a will-o’-the-wisp that has had the super card experts agog for years. The first rumors of such a sleight being in existence naturally came from the gaming table. Certain top-notch gamblers were said to be using the swindle and, quite naturally, keeping the details a closely guarded secret. In spite of this, or rather because of this, several methods have been worked out for performing the sleight but it is problematical if these duplicate those used by the very few gamblers who are skilful enough to use the middle deal in actual play.

The first question that the reader will probably ask is—what is the use of the middle deal? To the gambler it is almost an indispensable accomplishment for this reason: The easiest place to set any desired cards in a game is at the bottom of the deck from whence the expert dealer can secure them at will. The trouble is that after the cards have been placed in this position the pack is cut and, when the cut is completed honestly, the desired cards are lost in the middle. In a loose game the gambler can overcome this inconvenience by simply picking up the lower portion and dealing directly from it. This would never pass in fast company, therefore the cut is completed in regular fashion and the gambler falls back on the middle deal to secure the desired cards.

On the other hand the sleight is of little use to the conjurer in the performance of tricks with cards with the one exception of the exhibition of an exposé of gamblers’ methods. It is for the individual performer, therefore, to decide whether it is worth his while to devote the hours of practice necessary to master this sleight merely for this one display.

We give several methods of working the sleight, the first being one that is actually in use by the less skilful gamblers who work their wiles in the less sophisticated circles. Here are the moves:

a. 1. Hold the pack as for the regular deal, with the four left fingers at the right side of the pack, flush with the top card. The third finger holds the break after the cut has been completed. Push the top card off with the left thumb keeping its sides parallel with those of the pack at the end of this push-off.

2. Move the tip of the second finger inwards until it presses against the right side of the card above the break. This action is concealed by the card pushed half-way off the deck. Insert only the tip of the second finger and let it touch only enough of the card above the break to give it a purchase.

3. Push upwards and outwards towards the right with the second finger tip. At the same moment draw the top card back with the left thumb, Fig. 1. These two actions coincide, the second finger pushing outwards as the thumb draws the top card back; this double action, the second finger pressing upwards and the thumb pressing downwards upon the top card, serves to control the cards between them and hold them squarely in place above the lower half of the pack.

4. The right hand, which has approached to take the card pushed off by the thumb, takes in its place the card pushed out from the center of the pack and deals it to the right.

b. This method is used by some conjurers in their so-called exposé of gamblers’ chicaneries.

The deck is held very much in the same way as for the push-off second deal (page 29), the left little finger holding a break between the two packets after the cut has been made. The left little finger pulls the lower packet well down, extending the break along the side of the deck, the right second finger tip goes into the break and pulls out the bottom card of the upper packet. The right forefinger shields this action by curling in front of the outer end of the deck and the left thumb pushes forward and pulls back the top card as usual.

For exhibition purposes this method can be made to serve with comparatively little practice, particularly if the operator faces towards the right in the action.

c. This method is claimed to be that used by expert gamblers, though we cannot vouch for this by personal knowledge. It is much cleaner in execution and no doubt if sufficient practice were devoted to it a perfectly deceptive middle deal would result.

1. Place the cut well down in the fork of the left hand and the other packet on top in a slightly diagonal position so that there is a small step on the right side, the outer corner of the lower portion projecting.

2. Press down on this projecting side with the left third finger and press the tip of the left little finger on the face of the bottom card of the upper packet, pushing it out sideways, Fig. 2.

3. Seize the upper right corner of this card between the right thumb and second finger, bending the right forefinger in front to shield it. The left thumb pushes the top card off and draws it back in the usual way.

d. 1. Hold the pack in the left hand as for dealing, with the fingers at the right side of the pack, but with the thumb pressing down on the top at the left outer corner, Fig. 3. The little finger holds a break at the inner right corner. The first, second and third finger tips project well above the top of the deck in an entirely natural grip.

2. Deal cards by taking them between the right thumb and first finger at the inner right corner. Draw these cards inwards for an inch and then remove them to the right, a perfectly natural action since the tips of the fingers prevent them from being drawn directly towards the right.

3. To deal from the middle: Press down with the left thumb upon the outer left corner of the pack at A in Fig. 3, at the same time pressing down with the tip of the little finger upon the lower packet at B in the same figure. This double action opens a large break at the inner right corner which is wholly concealed by the left fingers curling up at the right side.

4. Place the tip of the right first finger upon the face of the lowermost card of the upper packet at the right inner corner; rest the ball of the right thumb upon the edges of the cards at the right inner corner, pressing to the left against the edges of the upper packet as the forefinger draws the face card of the packet to the right and inwards; this double pressure in opposite directions keeps the upper packet in good order and greatly facilitates the removal of the desired card by the right forefinger. The card drawn from the middle is whipped inward and to the right at exactly the same speed that cards previously have been dealt from the top of the pack; and, particularly if all-over backs are used, it takes a very keen eye to determine that the card does not come from the top of the pack. Moreover, the left first, second and third fingers remain immovable at the right side of the pack, their tips extending above it, and it therefore seems impossible for the operator to have drawn off any card other than the top card, since these fingers should, logically, obstruct the passage of any other card.

During the sleight the left thumb remains at its place at the outer left corner; its only function is to press downwards on its corner when it is desired to open the break at the inner right corner to admit the tip of the right forefinger.

This deal, surprisingly, is the easiest of all gamblers’ moves to master.

This method of opening a break at the inner right corner of the deck is so satisfactory that it should be noted that it can be used for a second deal. The left little finger holds a break under the two top cards; as the right hand approaches, apparently to remove the top card, the left thumb presses down on its corner, the break at the inner right corner is opened and the second card is whipped away inward and to the right. The move is almost indetectible, extremely easy of execution and can be mastered in a matter of minutes. It will be found useful in any number of card tricks.

The move can also be used as a substitute for the double lift push-off. As the right hand approaches to take the top card, the left thumb presses downwards on its corner and the break is opened at the right inner corner. The two cards are grasped by the right thumb above, and the second and first fingers below, at the corners; the two cards are turned face upwards as one and placed between the left thumb, first and second fingers at the left side, the end and the right side respectively.

The move has value since it can be made in a split-second, without fumbling and gives the natural handling that spectators expect of a person who supposedly is showing but a single card. It is, however, solely a substitute for the double lift push-off which remains the superior handling.

e. This method is exactly the same as the preceding one except that the break between the two packets is maintained by the flesh grip at the heel of the thumb and that the pack is held in the Mechanics’ Grip, Fig. 4.

1. Hold the pack in the left hand, the second, third and little fingers at the right side, the first finger curling at the end of the pack, the thumb pressed upon the top of the pack at the outer left corner, Fig. 4. A small mound of flesh at the heel of the thumb is pressed into a break between the two packets, the bottom cards of the upper packet being the desired cards. It should be noted that when the pack is held in this manner all the finger tips are exposed and apparently no break could be held.

2. Relax the grip of the left fingers and draw the left thumb, the ball of which has bent inwards to press upon the top of the pack, to the left. This action will shift the upper packet a quarter of an inch to the left. Press the tip of the left little finger down upon the exposed quarter inch of the lower packet at the inner right corner, and move the thumb back to the right with the upper half of the deck. The little finger now holds a break at the inner corner.

3. Press the thumb downwards against the outer right corner once more and make the deal exactly as in the preceding method.

4. Stop the deal at any point, remove the left little finger and press down upon the top of the pack with all the left fingers; the pack will appear to be in perfectly regular condition although the break is still maintained by the flesh grip at the heel of the thumb.

In this method, as in the preceding one, it is important that the fingers of the left hand should not move as the card is being dealt from the middle; they remain pressed against the side of the upper packet and it is this fact as much as any other which makes any false dealing seem impossible.