A New Force

This is an adaptation of the double lift move. You have the card you wish to force on the top of the pack.

False shuffle several times using the overhand method first, running the card to the bottom then back to the top, then the riffle shuffle. Having only one card to control you can make these shuffles convincing. In your last riffle you hold back the top card of the left hand portion so that it drops last, on top of the force card. You thus have this card second from the top.

Addressing a spectator you ask him to name any number, not too high in order not to waste time. As you speak, looking directly at the person, you lift the rear ends of the two top cards slightly with the ball of your right thumb and slip the tip of your left little finger under them. The pack is in your left hand, your right over it ready to deal.

Suppose eight is called for. "Eight," you say. "Very well, I will deal off eight cards." You push off the two separated cards, as one, taking them between the tips of the right thumb and first and second fingers of your right hand, counting "One". Push off the following cards, one at a time, receiving them under your thumb tip on top of the two already taken, counting "two, three, four, five, six, seven." At "seven" you stop. "Wait a moment. I am forgetting. I don't wish to see the card you have chosen, or even to touch it." You replace the seven cards (really there are eight, of which the force card is now the eighth) on the top of the pack and hand it to the spectator, asking him to count off seven cards, look at the eighth and note what it is.

You then proceed as may be necessary for the trick in hand. If you have to control the card, as he takes it out, you have him return the rest of the cards to you; if you do not have to keep the card in view you let him retain the pack and shuffle the card in as he pleases.

A word of caution is necessary. You must take care that no one gets a glimpse of the bottom card of the packet in your right hand. This is best avoided by standing with your right side to the front, thus keeping the backs of the cards to the spectators all the time the count is made.