Things with Cards

by Nathan Kranzo

This great manuscript includes the following routines and moves:

In The Hands Freeman - This is basically an in the hands version of a four-card production created by Steve Freeman.

Stick 4 – For this beautiful production I teach you how to prepare a special card. It’s a very simple preparation, and once done, you can keep this special card in your deck for quite some time.

Four Instant - This is probably the most straightforward version of all the four card productions I offer. This one has no set-up!

Trans AM - This is a very visual transposition of two cards which anyone can do.

Invisible Elasticity I and II - The magician holds out his hand and claims to be holding an invisible rubber band. A card is selected and signed by a spectator. The invisible rubber band is wrapped around the deck, and then the selection is slid beneath it. The selection is pulled to the right, where it visibly snaps back. The magician now drops the deck into a spectators’ hands, and the rubber band visually appears encircling the deck – just as the magician said. The selection is then inserted face up into the center of the deck, where it is visibly pulled up through the cards and the rubber band! Two methods are going to be offered.

Standing Up To Ray and Bill - Ray Kosby and Bill Goodwin published a very cool Triumph style effect that was published in The Looking Glass (Spring, 1996; pages 73-75). I loved the visual aspect of the effect, but wanted to do it standing. This is what I came up with.

Thumb Change and Variation – I came up with this color change while playing with “The Winter Change” by John Cornelius. This is similar to a change by Steve Draun only from an out jogged position. Actually it’s more of an angle-jog, but I do think adds a bit of deceptiveness.

Small Packet Reversal - I do not plan on explaining any routines using this sleight because I feel that it is versatile enough to be used in just about any small-packet routine.

Unnecessary Cut - This is a very fancy looking false cut; which is essentially a Multiple Spin Cut. It’s not Troy Hoosier fancy, but it’s still fun to watch.

Sekul Tuc - This false cut is the creation of my friend Luke Dancy of Charlotte, North Carolina. It will be used in a very visual revelation to be described.

The Dancy Revelation - We will now use Luke’s false cut to produce the four kings.

There are four different four-of-a-kind productions, a very visual two-card transpo, a crazy effect where a rubber band visually appears around a deck of cards, an “in the hands” triumph, two color changes, a reversal, and two “in the hands” flourish false cuts.

The material is anywhere from dead easy, to very difficult. It’s all visual.

Take the Four Instant production…

Imagine dribbling the cards from hand to hand when all of a sudden the four Aces explode out of nowhere!

Or how about Standing up to Ray and Bill…

Imagine shuffling the cards face up and face down like Vernon’s Triumph but BEFORE THE CARDS ARE PUSHED TOGETHER they are given a shake and VISUALLY straighten out. All done standing and in the hands. Every restaurant worker must read this!

Click PLAY to watch a video demo of Nathan performing the Invisible Elasticity II.

“WOW that is great!”
- Chad Long (after watching a performance of Standing Up To Ray and Bill)

“Holy $#%!”
- Doug Conn (after watching a performance of Stick 4)