Ace Duet by Wonder Workshop Berlin

Effect: The performer asks for the help of a gentleman. When he arrives, he is told that he will do a trick all by himself but that the magician’s assistant will stay with him to give him moral support. On walks the assistant in an abbreviated costume bearing a small tray on which rests a small stand. The magician hands the spectator a pack, then walks away and finds a seat somewhere in the front of the audience.

“Before we get carried away, Sir,” says the performer, “perhaps you’d examine the stand on the tray. Examine the tray, too, if you like. but leave the girl alone”. Everything having been replaced, he is asked to examine the pack of cards. The top four cards are the four Aces. “Would you be kind enough to lay them out faceoutwards along the stand”. He does so.

“I hope”, says the magician, ‘that everyone is satisfied that they are the four Aces and that everyone here trusts you” (There is usually a chorus of “No’s” at this point, the loudest coming from the man’s wife). “Please turn the Aces so they are back outwards on the stand, then deal one card back out on to each. Now one more card on to each and, finally, one more card on to each. You can place the pack down at the back now, Sir, because you won’t need it anymore”.

“I’d like you to pick up any one of those four piles and place it face downwards on your left hand. Now choose any other pile and place it on that. Follow that with a third pile and ????..at this stage you have no choice, place the last pile on the other three”.

“Good! Place the packet of cards on the table, cut it, and then complete the cut. Do it again. And now once again”. “You’re probably wondering why you had to cut the cards three times. Simple … you placed three cards on to each Ace”.

“Now for the difficult bit. I want you to pick up the packet of cards and deal them out on to the stand into four face down piles, just as you did before.”

“Only a little more, Sir, then you can return to your seat and have a relapse. Pick up any pile, don’t look at it and don’t show it to anyone else, and place it in your right hand trouserpocket.”

“Take any other pile you like and place it into your left hand trouser-pocket.”And the last pile goes into your left jacket-pocket.

“Tell me…. are you happy … or are you married? Is your wife here tonight? She is? That explains your answer. Would this gentleman’s wife please raise her hand? Ah … you, Madam. May I congratulate you on choosing such an obedient husband. ”

“As you know, your husband has four pockets, two in his trousers and two in his jacket. He probably has a few more that you’ve already found, but we won’t go into those”.

“Which do you prefer, his coat pockets, or his trouser-pockets?” His coat-pockets? Right, Sir, please remove the two packets of cards from your jacket pockets and drop them on the tray”.

“That, Madam, leaves his trouser pockets. Which do you prefer: left, or right?”

“Right? Good. Please remove the packet of cards from your right trouser-pocket, Sir, and drop it on the tray. ”

“That leaves you with a packet of four cards in your left trouser pocket. Please take it out and deal the four cards face outwards along the stand.”

“And if you and your wife have done it right, you should have the ACE OF CLUBS, ACE OF HEARTS, ACE OF DIAMONDS and, of course, the ACE OF SPADES.” And sure enough …. he has. “Don’t, Sir, whatever you do, tell anyone how you did it!

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