… And A Pack Of Cards by Jack Merlin

Description

This publication is in my opinion among the best books on cards ever written, but it is rarely mentioned or recommended. I am not sure why this is. Perhaps one reason is that Jack Merlin himself has not left a large footprint in the magic literature besides this one publication. He has a published trick in Expert Card Technique and if you read Card College 1 you will have learned the Jack Merlin’s Riffle Shuffle. Farelli mentions in his Farell’s Card Magic: “I agree with Mr. Jack Merlin that the custom of continually practicing in front of a glass is the cause of the unfortunate habit many magicians have of blinking at the precise moment of performing some secret manoeuvre.” Nevertheless to his contemporaries he was an icon, an accomplished master of card magic second to none.

The effects you will find in this ebook are all solid, all routines from the working repertoir of one of the best performers with a deck of cards.

1st edition 1927; PDF 79 pages.

Table of Contents

PrefaceContentsForeword

SECTION ONE

MERLIN’S MASTER MANIPULATIONS

TheoryPractice

CHAPTER II PASSES

Improved Herrmann PassOutjog PassThe Side Slip Palm And Flesh GripUsing The Side Slip As A Trick

CHAPTER III DEALING SECONDS AND BOTTOMS

SecondsBottomsThe GlideTricks Based On Second And Bottom Dealing

CHAPTER IV FALSE SHUFFLES AND CUTS

The Merlin True ShuffleFalse Shuffle And CutsThe Push Through False ShuffleFalse CutTricks Based On False Shuffles And Cuts Reds And BlacksAnother Red And Black Effect

CHAPTER V THUMB COUNTING

First Method – The Thumb CountSecond Method – Thumb CountingTricks Based On Thumb CountingDivining The Number Of Cards Cut by A Spectator

CHAPTER VI COLOR CHANGES

The Slip-Slide ChangeThe Change-Over Palm ChangeA Double ChangeChange by The Erdnase Bottom PalmImproved ChangeUnder The Thumb ChangeFace To Face Color ChangeColor Change Making Palmed Cards Vanish

CHAPTER VII CRIMPS

Finger Crimp From The EndTricks Based On The Crimp

CHAPTER VIII FORCING

A Sure-Fire ForceMechanical Forcing Decks

SECTION TWO

MERLIN AT THE CARD TABLE

A Routine Of Sleights To Be Performed At The Card TableThe Riffle StackFalse Cuts On The TableA Barefaced MethodThe Herrmann Pass For Slipping The CutA Faked Run UpThe Audacity Run UpUsing The Spread As A TrickThe Hop Off The BottomTopping The PackA Bottom Run UpThe Overhand False Shuffle And JogFalse Shuffle Retaining A Number Of Cards On The TopNaming The Hole Cards In Stud PokerThe Peek, With Second Or Bottom Dealing In Stud PokerThe Bottom Deal As Used In A GameThe Story Of The Cold DeckDealing Four Aces From Anyone’s PackThe Shooting Of Pete McGuffMaster Poker DealingExhibition Poker FeatPinochleA Simple Run Up For PinochleBridge-WhistChallenge Bridge DemonstrationGlossary

SECTION THREE

SELECTIONS FROM MY REPERTOIRE

Combining The Passing Of Cards With The Pocket TrickA Four Ace AssemblyProduction Of A Chosen Card by Means Of The Spring FlourishThe Tip-Up DiscoveryCausing A Spectator To Make A ChangeRubbing Off A Spot And Showing Where It GoesThe Pack That Cuts ItselfTo Snap ChangeThe Triple Force And Floor ChangeMy Favorite Four Ace TrickAn Impromptu LaughThe Ubiquitous CardSuper Mental Card EffectTelepathy Card TrickThe SpreadThe Pulse Of The Public

BibliographyMagazines
word count: 37009 which is equivalent to 148 standard pages of text