Three Useful Moves

1. To Reverse the Bottom Card
2. To Transfer Bottom Card to Top
3. A Gambler's Move

I have mentioned in my other books the reversing of a card against the thigh and I have been asked to give a detailed description of the move. This little slight is very useful and by it, too, a card can be transferred imperceptibly from the top to the bottom of the deck.

a. To Reverse the Bottom Card

Hold the deck in the left hand which you drop casually to your Side as you make a gesture with the right hand, appropriate to the patter used.

With the left thumb resting against the thigh, push the bottom card down until its upper edge is gripped by the tips of the thumb and fingers, Fig. 18; then slide the fingers out over the back of the card and close them, thus turning the card over against the bottom of the pack. Fig. 19.

Make a very slight turn to the left as the sleight is executed, taking the left hand and the pack out of sight for a moment only. Then bring the left hand up with its back to the front. By holding the pack, face upwards, the top card can be reversed in the same way.

b. To Transfer the Bottom Card to the Top

Proceed in exactly the same way to begin with, but push the bottom card right off the pack, then press the tips of your fingers on its lower side and slide the pack under it, the fingers drawing the card up on to the top.

c. A Gambler's Move

The sleight described above is akin to a gambler's move which is useful to the magician on occasion. In this case it is made under cover of the right forearm. Let us suppose that the pack has been cut and you hold a break between the two packets with the tip of your little finger. You wish to make a pass, change the packets to their original positions. You are smoking, sitting at table.

Take your cigar, or cigarette, and put it to your left on the edge of the table. As you bring your right arm across, passing it in front of the left hand and the cards, you rest the upper side of the pack against your sleeve, draw out the lower portion from under the break by extending the left fingers, and as the sides of the packets clear one another, push the lower packet forward and draw the other packet back under it with your fingers.

The move can be made in a moment and is completely under cover. It is used by the gambler to reverse the cut just before he begins the deal. As he puts down his cigar, he makes some remark about the stakes for instance, reverses the cut and he is all set to trim his opponents as usual.