Color Changes

The term color change is a misnomer since it is applied indifferently to any change of the face card, whether of color, suit or value. Erdnase in his book, "The Expert at the Card Table," uses the term "Transformations" for these moves, but the change was not adopted by the conjuring fraternity and so the designation "Color Change," as is also the case with "Back Palm," is now firmly fixed in magical parlance in spite of the fact that, strictly speaking, both are wrong.

The sleight is most effective when the strict interpretation is adhered to, that is, when the change is actually from one color to the other, black to red, or vice versa, and whenever the routine in use allows it, the cards should be so arranged that this will be the case. The value of the cards to be substituted should also be changed, a ten for an ace, or a picture card for a deuce and so on. However, in many cases the card which is to be used for the change is fixed by chance, and must be taken whether it is a marked contrast or not.

The Color Changes which follow have not, so far as I know, appeared in print. They will be found to be effective and not difficult to do.