The magician asks the spectator to select a card, remove it from the deck, commit its suit and value to memory and return it to the deck. The magician shuffles the cards, then places the deck back into the card case, commenting the next part works best in the dark, as far as the cards are concerned.After a suitable mystical gesture over the cased cards, he picks up the card case and tilts it so the deck drops into his hand. He gives the spectator the cards, asking him to remove his selected card.
The spectator looks through the deck, but is unable to find his card.
The magician asks the spectator to pick up the card case and look inside of it. The spectator does so and finds one card, the card he originally selected.
Cardless is a subtle gaff that can be used to create the effect described as well as others where a card needs to be temporarily removed from the deck. The secret is a slight modification of the card case which stops the top or bottom card of the deck from falling out when the case is opened and turned opening down.
The spectator looks through the deck, but is unable to find his card. The magician asks the spectator to pick up the card case and look inside of it. The spectator does so and finds one card, the card he originally selected.
Cardless is a subtle gaff that can be used to create the effect described as well as others where a card needs to be temporarily removed from the deck. The secret is a slight modification of the card case which stops the top or bottom card of the deck from falling out when the case is opened and turned opening down.
The Card Case Gaff
| A faint pencil line is drawn on the inside of the case just above the top of the cards. |
Two rectangular strips of card are coated at one end with white paper paste. | Then positioned left and right of the circular sticker indention, the bottom of the each strip lined up with the pencil line. |
| Inside view of the strips pasted in position. | The strips are trimmed flush with the top edge of the card case. |
This creates a narrow stop the height of one card on each side of the circular sticker indention. |
Most card cases are about 1/16 of an inch / 2 mm taller than the height of the cards they contain. On the front side of the card case opposite the back flap side, two stops are positioned, one on either side of the indention under the sticker sealing the case when purchased.
To make this up, place the cards in the case and with a fine pencil draw a line across the inside of the case along the top of the cards.
Measure the width between the side of the case and beginning of the center indention. For a poker size deck this is about 3/4 of an inch / 2 cm wide. Cut two strips of stiff cardboard to that width and about 1-1/2 inches / 4 cm long. The cardboard must be the thickness of one playing card. I used a sheet of index card stock / cover stock sold by stationers, but pieces cut from an old card case will also do. A rectangle of playing card stock could be used, but the finish on it makes it difficult to paste down.
Apply paper paste to one side of one end of the paper rectangles and position the ends inside of the case so they meet the pencil line. When the paste is dry, trim off the portions of the rectangles extending out of the card case.
Handling
| The case is held flap up. | The flap is lifted. | The deck drops out into the waiting hand. |
Left, the single card held back in the case.
Right, turning the case over frees the card so it is loose in the case.
Place the deck in the case and close the case. Pick up the case flap side up. Pull out the flap with the opposite hand. Revolve the hand holding the case so the flap is up. Hold the opposite hand palm up near the case.
Tilt the case down, not quite upside down, but at an angle, and let the cards slide out of the case to be caught by the open hand. Place the card case, flap side up, on the table.
Handling Issues
This will not work with old, bent or dirty cards or a card case in similar condition. A slight pressure on the case can be applied with the thumb and fingers, but too much pressure will throw the case out of square and defeat the principle.
Once the cards except for the held back card leave the case, the case can be dropped lightly on the table without disturbing the card. If the case is closed before placing it on the table, turning over the case will free the card from the stop and put it on the opposite wall of the interior, at which time a spectator can open the case and remove the card.
Variations
A thicker stop can be used to hold back several cards, for instance several gaffs that will be added to the deck at some point.
Performance Notes
For those wondering how the effect described above is accomplished, a break is held when the card is returned and the deck cut to move the selected card to the top of the deck.
This principle was known to late Victorian conjurers when a much different card case was in vogue, a case that was quite sturdy and much deeper than the cards it held, making the use of the stop both invisible and dependable. With current card cases the handling needs a finer touch, but the principle remains effective.
source : www.allmagic.com